Chapter 198: A Reunion Within a Deadly Battle
Jewleaf swiftly appeared with a large leap atop Elchris as he ran toward Shayleaf and swooped her up.
"Ohhhh, my baby girl is alive and well! Oh, how exciting, hahaha!! Eh? You look… no, forget that for now. My Shayshay!!" Jewleaf beamed while twirling her around.
"D-daddy, come on now, that's embarrassing…" Shayleaf bashfully said in shock.
The rest of the forces from the three-faction alliance, along with a few other experts that had tagged along, swiftly caught up. They surrounded the area around Christy and the others, unleashing huge barrages of powerful attacks from their flying magical aircrafts. The large number of beasts that flooded the area paused briefly, growling with dangerous auras as they watched their kin get wiped out or injured.
"Chris, everything is fine now..! We won't let anything else happen to you from now on." Christina sighed with relief as she gently placed her hands on Christy's face. But then, as she looked into her daughter's eyes, a huge shock overcame her momentarily. A mixture of pride, fear, determination, happiness, and uncertainty crossed her expression.
"Thanks, Mom. AH! No, we still have to go help Gege!!" Christy shouted with a pained expression, which caused distress to ripple through her companions.
At that moment, essence beasts and demonic beasts, without care, began unleashing powerful attacks as if challenging the three forces' efforts.
"Looks like you all are simply courting death. Then allow me to grant your wish." Murphaus's eyes twinkled with a sharp, deadly glint as he wielded his sword with blood-thirst.
Christian and Aerlan quietly exuded heavy killing intent as they too began to prepare for an all-out fight.
The many experts from their forces—at least Gold Tier 4 up to Early Stage Mortal Lords—swiftly charged out from the magical artifacts as they began to unleash their attacks. The remaining people on the artifacts aimed the docked weapons, unleashing powerful beams and blasts with destructive firepower.
The five subordinate groups of the Umankans, Daemonorcs, Red Flounders, Fishmen, and Serpent Sharks also joined the fray with desperate expressions as they found a new way to survive. Their large beast mounts leapt into battle as well.
"Damnit..! Searching for Son-in-law has become a bit difficult, but don't worry! We will certainly reach him!" Jonovan said with a fierce expression.
"I can find him! Just take care of things here!" Christy yelled.
"I will also be going! I can sense that he is in a life-and-death struggle right now through the, umm… blood connection ability." Shayleaf said with concern.
Aeloria, nearby unleashing an attack against an Early Stage Mortal Lord giant flying ant, was somewhat startled when she glanced toward Shayleaf. Her eyes widened at the sight of Shayleaf's subtle transformation, resembling the vampirically transformed Fanged Elves—yet she somehow still seemed like her usual self.
"The state of perfect balance! So she did it and has even reached a power somewhat surpassing mine before my breakthrough into the Mortal Shedding Realm." Aeloria murmured with a smile before she continued her attack against the enemies.
"No way! Absolutely not! You guys aren't in the right condition to be—"
Before Jewleaf could finish, a sharp bloody intent arose from Shayleaf as she knocked him away in defiance. Jonovan and Christina were somewhat startled upon witnessing it.
"I'm sorry, Daddy, but I must go to Brother Elly!" Shayleaf said with a fierce yet apologetic expression.
"Elchris!!" Christy shouted with a small stomp atop his back.
Elchris roared, his body swiftly covered in blazing light. Christy, Tongsheng, Shayleaf, and the three familiars instinctively ducked low, gripping onto Elchris as he blasted Jewleaf, Jonovan, and Christina off his back in an attempt to shoot into the distance like a meteorite.
"Hahaha, what an interesting fowl you've tamed, my beloved daughter—but don't forget whose daughter you are!" Jonovan laughed, his booming voice scattering a sharp flash of burning green light. Powerful sword ki carved a massive trail through demonic beasts, clearing the path ahead of Elchris.
– Green Sovereign's Flaming Extermination Sword –
As if teleporting, Jonovan appeared above Elchris's head with an arm wrapped around Christina. Christina's eyes glowed with powerful light as Shayleaf's barrier and fiery winds were ripped open, allowing the pair to land on Elchris's back—much to the beast's horror. Even scarier, Shayleaf suddenly began to involuntarily glow with a shining green, nature-like aura as a summoning circle appeared before her. Out popped Jewleaf with a smile.
"My dear daughter, how could you do that to your father!" he said with a sarcastic grin.
Tongsheng, Christy, and Shayleaf were incredibly stunned at the trio's incredible speed and methods. Shayleaf's three familiars, however, were horrified—unable to believe what they had just witnessed.
"D-daddy, how did you..?" Shayleaf stammered, unable to comprehend what just happened.
"Ehh? What do you mean?! Isn't it normal for a father to appear before his beloved daughter and protect her when he can? That's common sense, right?" Jewleaf said with his head tilted to the side, grinning.
"…Mistress Shayleaf, he somehow resembles you very much…" Tongsheng muttered under her breath. Of course, Shayleaf's elven hearing caught it.
"Ooooo! I don't wanna hear it!" Shayleaf covered her ears and shook her head in denial as Jewleaf laughed proudly.
Christy, on the other hand, calmed herself down as she looked at her loving parents. It was obvious they weren't going to stop her from finding Elton.
"Mom, Dad, I—" Before Christy could finish, Christina patted her head with a smile.
"Don't worry too much about it, my dear daughter. He is the man you have chosen to be with, so of course it is our duty as your parents to be by your side in this time of need." Christina's smile radiated warmth.
"Exactly! Worry not, my dear daughter! We will certainly find our son-in-law!" Jonovan said with a heroic smile filled with determination.
Christy could only stand there with a thankful expression full of joy.
"And in the first place, you and our future son-in-law have already nearly crossed the line—which is something we will have to talk about later…"
Christy froze up completely at her mother's words, as if her soul left her body then and there.
"Dear, why did you have to mention that… Well, it's partly thanks to that that we found the lead we needed to track them, but…" Jonovan said awkwardly, causing Christy to tremble in extreme embarrassment.
"H-h-how?! Why?! Mom, Dad, w-w-what are you saying?!" Christy nearly jumped off Elchris as he sped forward, covering her face with a heavy blush.
"Well, like I said, we'll explain later…" Christina smiled wryly at her daughter's cuteness, though a glint in her eyes showed there was more behind her words. Jonovan could only sigh heavily with slight frustration.
"…My dear beloved daughter Shayshay, soo… have you and son-in-law done anything, umm… adult-like?" Jewleaf asked awkwardly, his face scrunched.
"Hmmm? Adult-like? Holding hands and hugging? Mmm, you mean that kind of stuff?" Shayleaf tilted her head.
"Yes," Jewleaf replied sternly.
"Mmm… I guess? But when I try to go further, Brother Elly won't let me… Uuu…" Shayleaf pouted.
"You? What do you mean you?!" Jewleaf stood there stunned.
At that moment, a powerful explosion rippled throughout the entire area, creating a massive shockwave that could be felt far into the distance.
"!!! This is bad! A Late Stage Mortal Lord being has appeared somewhere!" Jonovan said grimly, feeling the immense pressure. At the same time, in front of them, a series of powerful explosions rocked the area, creating violent ripples of blue and white lightning mixed with black and orange flames.
"Gege?!?! Gege is in the middle of that! We have to help him!" Christy shouted in shock, alerting the others as they once more faced the seriousness of their situation.
What no one could have possibly expected was the strange outcome after the intense explosion.