Book 3 Chapter 18.4 - To Cherish
Regardless of what type of choice he made, he had to take responsibility for its effects, just like how it was eight years ago.
From the day the little girl left her swaddling clothes and was able to walk on her own two feet, she silently followed Su, doing everything Su had her do. Su made all of the choices in her place, and Su silently took on the responsibility of all of the consequences. It was just as Madeline said. For the little girl back then, the wilderness would forever be full of sunlight.
Su's forehead was quickly covered in fine beads of sweat. This type of choice was just too difficult. In reality, this couldn't be blamed on Su. He wasn't indecisive in nature, but instead because any choice that involved nine levels of ability was similarly difficult.
"How should I make this choice?" Su looked at the elder and asked with a bitter smile on his face.
In reality, the difference between the three options were extremely clear. The first two would sacrifice future potential to increase one's current strength, while the other exchanged for great room for growth, at the cost of all of her current abilities. It was likely that Madeline might even be able to develop an eleventh level ability! However, Su understood clearly that during the period of time when Madeline lost all of her abilities, he needed to protect and guide her just like before, all the way until she matured once again. This was a slow and dangerous process. The little girl eight years ago was just extremely pretty, but eight years later, Madeline already became a dark saint, as well as a true dictator of the Trials Division. One didn't need much intelligence to understand how many enemies she must have made to reach this point. Piccolo and Mitchels were just the beginning, and definitely not the end.
"I have no way of replying to your question. However, I believe that you will the best decision for the young miss." The elder tactfully refused Su's question.
The best choice, what was the best choice? Was the decision Su thought to be the best truly what Madeline wish for, or perhaps, the one that really was the best for her?
Su didn't look at the three choices on the light screen, instead raising his head and looking towards the tall altar. Within that blue flame, if the girl whose eyes were just as beautiful of a blue as the flames around her woke up, what kind of decision would she make?
Perhaps regardless of whether it was the age of turmoil or the calm olden era, all parents would wish for their own children to have a vast future, the freedom to spreads their wings as they liked, right?
Su smiled, and then he reached towards the third choice and pressed down.
The corners of the old man's eyes jumped slightly, and then he suddenly coughed. Su's hands then rested right above the option.
He looked at the elder with a bit of confusion, asking, "What is wrong? Is there something wrong with my choice?"
"Of course not." The elder shook his head, and then he continued, "It's just that before you make your decision, I want to remind you that young miss Madeline has three ninth level abilities in the Combat Domain, one of them including an extremely rare ability."
Three ninth level abilities!
Su felt that his right hand became heavier once again. He took a deep breath, and then he pressed down on the third option. Then, he said calmly, "I still wish for her to have an incomparably vast future. I will protect her, all the way until she completely grows up!"
The famous spreader of darkness, Dyke Avidar, no longer said anything. He only calmly watched Su make his decision.
Waves of rumbling sounds could be heard on the altar. The steel coffin's lid slowly opened, revealing the overflowing blood inside. The blood surface that was originally as flat and smooth as a mirror, under the blue flames, began to slowly stir about, all the way until it began to boil!
Crisscrossed cracks appeared on the altar platform, the countless complex cracks forming a profound design. A loud and clear singing voice suddenly sounded within the room, the powerful sounds just like the choir of the olden era, resounding and dignified. As the singing voice sounded, blue flames surged out from the cracks, the raging fire already licking this room's ceiling!
Waves of blood surged out from the coffin, continuously beating down on the white bubble floating above the altar and smearing its bleak crimson color on its surface.
The surging energy originated from the heart of the steel coffin. It continuously surged outwards, and in the blink of an eye, a terrifying energy storm formed in the room, ruthlessly eroding everything in this living room! A gorgeous relief sculpture carved onto a black rock pillar had its surface completely nibbled away by the storm. Then, countless rocky fragments were stripped away from the pillar and sharp whistling sounds rang through the air. They began to dance about chaotically in the living room!
In the blink of an eye, the dignified, profound, and luxurious living room was already in a mess. The storm of energy began to continuously batter against the ceiling.
Then, with a sudden rumbling sound, the living room's enormous ceiling dome was directly lifted opened by the storm of energy. It then soared several hundred meters into the air, barely reaching the clouds of radiation, and only then did it suddenly explode, turning into hundreds of fragments of varying sizes. The noises this produced rang in all directions!
The elder continued to stand in place, with the corners of his swallow-tailed suit not moving in the slightest. Su had long been blown flying by the energy storm, sending his body heavily into a stone wall. Fortunately, his body was tough and strong, and together with the bone blades that then nailed themselves into the stone walls, only then did he not fly into the night sky together with the ceiling dome.
This was a power that came from Madeline's body!
Luckily, when the dome shattered, the energy storm completely rushed into the night sky, and thus, the living room calmed down again. However, soon after, a great rain showered down on the island, sending raindrops frantically into the living room that had lost its cover. The blue flame continued to burn fiercely, turning all of the raindrops that approached it into nothingness. The elder continued to stand in his original location. The darkness around him seemed to have their own life, blocking all of the raindrops outside.
Su was the only one that was completely soaked.
The white bubble that came from the Spider Empress began to slowly decline, through the crazy thunder, downpour, and blue flames, and ultimately into the concentrated blood.
The elder finally released a sigh. He said to Su, "The transformation takes seven days of time, so even if we stand here, it won't help the process. You should come back to see the results in seven days."
Su nodded, and then he turned around to walk outside this living room.
As he watched Su's retreating figure, the elder lightly sighed. He knew that if Madeline was the one that made the decision, she definitely wouldn't select the third option, just like how Su definitely wouldn't choose the first two options.