Chapter 144 - Finale Clash

Paul's surprise quickly morphed becoming a grin "Fenrir!". In front of Paul, a giant black and red wolf appeared. It was over 5 meters tall with menacing eyes, a spiky fur like blade and teeth sharp enough to cut bones like buŧŧer.

"Devour!" Fenrir opened his mouth, its insides were like a black hole, absorbing its surrounding, even light couldn't escape from its grasp. As Bai's attack approached, it was affected by the own gravity of Fenrir's mouth, Fenrir completely swallowing it. There wasn't even any aftermath, the attack disappeared like it never existed before. Fenrir made a satisfied face and started fading, disappearing over Paul's sword.

Bai was shocked by how easy was to stop his strongest attack. Bai even when he wasn't sure if Fenrir could act in this mind space, he never thought his technique would be so strong, he must have evolved.

"You really thought that I didn't expect your attack?" Paul sneered "I always knew your strongest attack was using the accumulative damage, I was always prepared for it. Nevertheless, congratulations for your new skill, I didn't expect to be so strong" He grinned "Let me show you my new skill"

The air started trembling, from all the abandoned city, dark aura started accumulating at Paul's sword tip, the city started crumbling apart, the vicious aura around the city disappeared, only leaving desolation. Paul lifted his sword, held it with both hands, and pointed at Paul. "This is a combination of all my intents. My intent focused on extinguishing life, the true form of it was never destruction, it is a cold and silent killing technique"

The tip of Paul's sword shined with a black tint "Take it. A skill compared to an All Sword" He jumped thrusting his sword at Bai who was falling.

Bai saw the attack coming towards him, for strangers, it didn't seem too powerful, it was a light thrust without any destruction at it, comparing it with the striking Excalibur Morgan, it seemed very weak. However, this attack was a concentration of Paul's full comprehension. This was death, killing and even something over them. The space over Bai has completely blocked off any element, Paul had created a zone where nothing can live. Bai was blocked in his position, not only he couldn't evade, he couldn't put any defense, his aura scattering before forming, being impossible to even move an inch.

Bai saw the attack, it was like an inescapable deathgod was approaching him, he knew that he would die when the sword hit him.

(No!) shouted Bai in his head (I don't want to die. Even if Paul win and decide to protect my family, I want to live). At this moment, Bai experimented all his life. His happy moment with family, Chenxiang, Lingling, his friends, their smiles, he could even saw the time with Qinghe but replaced but her true persona. He also experimented with the sorrow of the people who died, Maya, Mayi, and all the clan members. Bai embraced these memories, it didn't matter if they were good or bad, they had influenced him and made him who he was now.

(I won't die! I'll protect everyone) Bai's sword started shining and started dispersing in white particles "Shing" a blindly light exploded.

"H-how could it be?" Paul said in shock as the light started invading him, his own intent being suppressed by it, his technique was broken and he was pushed away. Paul safely landed, but the white aura continued clinging to him, making extremely difficult to focus any intent, that was instantly dispersed by the white light. He looked up towards Bai who was glowing brightly "All Sword" he spatted.

In the last second, Bai was able to breakthrough. In the fight against Renxue, it was only a pseudo All Sword, only a little stronger than Paul's attack, and that was only possible due to the cooperation of Paul and Bai. But, facing death, Bai's potential exploded, making possible to create a true All Sword, forcing his own will to the world.

The space around both was affected by it. It was no longer an abandoned city, Paul's influence had disappeared completely, replacing the abandoned city for places of Bai's memory, the mansion at the clan, Heaven Dou Academy, Star Duo Forest... All combined making it seems like a manifestation of Bai's memories.

Bai lifted his right hand, over it the aura around him focused forming an over 10 meters white sword. Bai looked down at Paul "I will use your strength to protect my loved one" He swung his right arm, the giant sword at Paul.

"Fuck!" shouted Paul angrily trying to focus his intent. Paul approached his left hand at his mouth, multiple Oreos manifested at his mouth "Mmmm" he munched all of them. A black aura was emitted from his sword thanks to boosting his power at maximum, but it was so little and Paul needed all his strength to keep it up under Bai's All Sword. This was the suppression caused for different realms of swords.

Seeing the attack coming towards him, Paul though in despair [I will cease my existence here, never being able to receive love, always drowned in despair] Paul clenched his teeth "Fuck!" he shook his head "FUCK IT ALL!" he shouted his face contorting "I don't fuċkɨnġ care about anything! Kill! I only need to kill. I will kill without stopping. I will kill your happiness, DIE BAI!" he shouted madly and furiously. From his sword, an ominous black aura appeared "DIE!"

All Sword is the top of the sword realm registered, it's a technique with a power equivalent at the strongest attack of a titled douluo. It usually manifested with a huge range, forcing the will of the world to yours, being able to 'control' the world. However, it isn't always like this, some people had experimented with peculiars All Swords, their comprehension differs from others making a different technique. Bai's case was the usual but in Paul's case, it manifested as a concentration of his thought, his sword becoming his intent itself, turning to nothingness everything that it touches.

Paul thrust his sword forward, instead of the expected clash, Bai's giant sword disappeared just as it was touched by Paul's sword. Paul continued dashed forward towards Bai.

Bai felt terror observing Paul's sword, he focused all his strength on his All Sword, creating a barrier from it.

Paul pierced forward, his sword crashed to Bai's All Sword "Booom!" continued explosions were formed by the crash, ground and sky trembled, cracking the mind space reality that couldn't keep up.

"I will return with my loved ones!" shouted Bai. "DIE!" shouted Paul.

"BOOOOOOM!"

The space around them was greatly affected, it was all cracked with white and black fragments around, without nothing in its horizon.

"Buaag!" Both of them vomited more blood, they were tired, almost run out of spirit, mental and physical energy. Not only they overworked their bodies forming for the first time their All Sword, they even received the backslash of them being destroyed.

Both pierced their sword at the invisible ground. Supporting with their swords, they slowly stood up, bȧrėly being able to keep it. Both looked at each other eyes, that shined with determination rather than tiredness. The overexerted their bodies, their determination giving them new strength.

Both walked to the other. When they were near enough, both lifted their swords with difficulty. Their swords were nothing like before, they were all chipped, completely dull without any color at each, being easy for them being mistaken as rubbish.

"Clink" Both swords crashed, their arms trembling. They clenched their teeth, tightening their sword grip and swung again their sword "Clink". The continued clashing, all of them were nothing like before, they were slow, full of innecessary movement, leaving them completely opened, not like they could take advantage of it. Even a non-spirit master will be able to see their movements and counter them.

With each clash, something strange started happening. Maybe it was due to their connection or due to the instability of their mind space, but with each clash, they could sense the other feelings and memories, the history that they experimented with.

Bai could feel Paul despair and sorrow, an empty life without family nor friends, needing to run away to fictional world to try to escape from his shitty life, even if it was only for little time, permitting him to keep it up. Even when he found himself in the world of his dreams, he couldn't live long before being caged in even more despair, an eternal torture reviving his nightmares. All of it exploding in a mad rage and hate against the world. Tears fell from Bai with each strike, experimenting Paul's sorrow

Paul could feel Bai's dėsɨrė to protect his loved ones, his happy memories and the sad ones. They seemed all very childish, but Paul couldn't help to want them, this was what he dreamed forever, maybe pure strength without any aim wasn't the most important after all. Tears started falling from his eyes, but this didn't make him stop, his dėsɨrė to approach them forcing him to continue.

"Clink" Both swords made contact and were rebound. As Paul thrust his sword at Bai. Bai looked sadly at Paul's eyes and backed his sword. Bai pushed his body forward to Paul, Paul's sword piercing his ċhėst, completely passing through his body, leaving to the other side. Bai leaned towards Paul, blood leaving his mouths, he embraced Paul with his left arm "I accept your pain and sorrows. Sorry" he whispered at Paul's ear. Supporting on Paul, Bai with his last strength thrust forward his sword, piercing Paul's ċhėst.

Both of them separated, holding the other sword still pierced in their body, vomiting blood. With a light smile in their mouths "It's a draw" they whispered before both became light particles.