Apocalypse Circular-Chapter 474 - 473: Yes, it’s been many years!

Lu Luo’s speed suddenly increased, but the Nightmare Demon was not surprised by his transformation. On the contrary, she had been looking forward to Lu Luo displaying this form for a very long time. This must be the form that every super-powered individual possesses—a form where Exotic Species and humans coexist. The perfect body, exquisite skill, and powerful energy. Only when all these conditions are integrated can one become the ultimate battle machine.

At this moment, Lu Luo was in his ultimate form, Extreme State - Ultimate Moment.

And so was the Nightmare Demon.

"How exciting, Lu Luo! You make my blood boil! Come on!"

The Nightmare Demon aimed a two-footed kick at Lu Luo’s arm, a blow that would have broken it just moments before.

But now, with a loud blast of air, Lu Luo’s body merely recoiled a few paces.

"Such immense strength!"

"And the strongest part is yet to come."

"Is that so?"

Lu Luo crouched, then suddenly swept his tail to force back the advancing Nightmare Demon. Then, he leaned back slightly, the muscles in his arms beginning to twist and bulge. Steam Qi He infused into his flesh, causing his arms to swell and enlarge.

With a fierce punch, an Air Cannon shot from Lu Luo’s hands.

BOOM!

The Nightmare Demon sensed intense danger. Her body instantly shifted into Netherflame form, narrowly evading Lu Luo’s strike. But Lu Luo’s Air Cannon didn’t stop there; it continued straight into the sky, dispelling the clouds above and allowing sunlight to scatter across the land beyond the Fourth Ring.

"Such a terrifying move!"

"Likewise."

Lu Luo and the Nightmare Demon both entered a semi-bestial hybrid form and engaged in close-quarters combat. The collision of muscle and bone generated continuous sonic booms around them. They shattered mountains, sundered rivers, and ultimately crashed into a canyon together.

After a series of brutal physical exchanges, both were covered in wounds. Lu Luo’s tail wrapped around the Nightmare Demon, attempting to deliver a fatal blow. But the Nightmare Demon, once bound, immediately enlarged her body, breaking free from Lu Luo’s control.

The two went back and forth, neither able to gain the upper hand.

"You’re incredible!"

SNAP!

Lu Luo knew he could no longer defeat the Nightmare Demon in physical combat. This was the first time he had met someone who could match him blow for blow in close combat. Setting aside other aspects, based purely on combat performance, the Nightmare Demon currently surpassed Noah by a notch. This was truly remarkable. It was no coincidence that she became the Monarch of the Exotic Species in just a few years and rose to an equal footing with Noah. Her talent and effort could truly serve as a model in the world of Exotic Species.

However... this is as far as it goes.

"Lu Xiaotian, do you know what the biggest difference between us is?"

"Between us, there is no difference."

"No. The difference between us lies in the Sequence."

Lu Luo brought his hands together. The ground beneath him began to tremble, and a power so tremendous it alarmed even the Nightmare Demon arose. Although the Nightmare Demon didn’t know what Lu Luo was about to do, her combat instincts screamed danger. And it was a lethal kind of danger.

"Heavenly Fury!"

She suddenly looked up, violently spat a torrent of Netherflame towards the sky, and her body followed the flames upward. But just as the Netherflame reached mid-air, a gigantic red eyeball materialized in the sky. The eye was so large it could almost rival the Nightmare Demon’s true form.

"What is that?"

"The Eye of World Insight—Eye Beam."

Crimson light shot down, colliding with the Nightmare Demon’s Heavenly Fury.

BOOM!

Although the two forces clashed to a stalemate, the explosion’s shockwave still caused the Nightmare Demon’s body to dip slightly. That brief fall cost the Nightmare Demon her chance.

Thousand Eyes Demonic Form, Seal.

Countless red eyes appeared in the sky, each one snapping open as if breaking free from a seal. Beam after beam lanced towards the Nightmare Demon. She shielded herself with Netherflame, blocking a great number of the crimson beams, but some still seared across her body, leaving trails of scorched wounds. These burns carried no heat, only pure destruction and annihilation.

"Damn it!"

Under the suppression of countless Eye Beams, the Nightmare Demon was slowly forced downwards. But someone of her temperament would never submit so easily.

"Break for me!"

Enduring the damage from the countless Eye Beams, the Nightmare Demon’s body swelled larger once more. Logically, when facing the Thousand Eyes Demonic Form, a smaller body meant a smaller target area and, consequently, less damage. Transforming into the Nightmare Warhorse form at this moment seemed very unwise.

The Nightmare Demon gritted her teeth against the pain of the Eye Beams, allowing her Netherflame to erupt instantly.

Lotus Blossom.

Black lotuses spread from her body, and the Netherflame burst forth in a violent explosion. The destructive force obliterated most of the eyeballs in the sky. This move by the Nightmare Demon was a gamble born of desperation.

But Lu Luo was no longer the Lu Luo of old; his combat planning and skills had long since evolved.

"Did you think it was over?"

"Huh?" The Nightmare Demon, who had just been rejoicing at her escape from Lu Luo’s major attack, suddenly froze.

Swallow the World’s Core.

Eight tentacles burst from the ground, each massive appendage comparable to a giant Exotic Species. Huge and sturdy, when the eight tentacles combined their assault, the exhausted Nightmare Demon could no longer resist. She watched, wide-eyed, as the tentacles coiled around her body. Their mouthparts and spikes quickly penetrated her skin, and blood flowed down their lengths. She struggled frantically, but the more she thrashed, the tighter the tentacles constricted.

Lu Luo’s Sequence Force flowed unceasingly, and the power of the tentacles grew ever stronger.

"Admit defeat, Lu Xiaotian. You can’t beat me."

Before the fight, Lu Luo had considered whether to go easy on her. But after careful thought, he dismissed the idea. He needed an all-out battle to confirm his own strength and to assess the Nightmare Demon’s as well. He still didn’t know where he stood, or what kind of stage he could command if he went to the Imperial Capital. Could he contend, even slightly, with an ordinary Eighth Order expert, one of the so-called top ten masters of the Imperial? Never mind defeating them; simply being able to hold his own was what Lu Luo most wanted to ascertain. If he could remain undefeated, his options would expand considerably.

The Nightmare Demon was one of the best benchmarks. Though her true form was an Exotic Species, she had cultivated a vast array of human combat techniques and skills. At this time, the Nightmare Demon possessed formidable human-form combat abilities and performed exceptionally well. She was definitely much more powerful than the average Eighth Order Exotic Species.

But the Nightmare Demon was not without her weaknesses. Like most Exotic Species, her Sequence Energy was extremely weak. This point also perplexed Lu Luo. The pinnacle of a Sequence is an Angel Envoy, and Angel Envoys are the most powerful Exotic Species. If the most powerful Exotic Species possessed a Sequence, then why wouldn’t an Eighth Order Monarch Exotic Species like the Nightmare Demon have Sequence Power? And then there was Noah; his Sequence only appeared after he became human. Lu Luo had confirmed this during previous conversations with Noah. This indicated a problem: as long as they remained Exotic Species, they couldn’t absorb the power of a Sequence. This feeling was like a technological blockade. It was like... the sudden emergence of a crisis involving sentient machines in the human world! Lu Luo had many questions and yearned to unravel these mysteries. The Nightmare Demon was one of the best potential sources of answers.

"It’s over." Lu Luo’s tentacles tightened around the Nightmare Demon’s neck. As they constricted, her resistance grew fainter and fainter.

"Alright... you win."

Following the Nightmare Demon’s admission of defeat, Lu Luo finally retracted all his extended tentacles. Both of them gasped for breath, gradually reverting to their human forms.

Without Noah’s Star, Lu Luo could only stand there naked. The surrounding trees had been obliterated, so he had to somewhat embarrassingly use a tentacle to cover his modesty.

Once the Nightmare Demon reverted to human form, she immediately used Netherflame Transfer. She retrieved a set of clothes from the Red and White Castle in the void and casually put them on. Although she had changed, the scars on her face and arms still bore testament to the fierce battle she had just fought with Lu Luo.

"What, no clothes to wear?" Although she had lost, the Nightmare Demon didn’t seem angry; instead, her tone held a hint of relief. Lu Luo’s rapid progress had constantly pressured her. She hadn’t wanted to be surpassed by him, so she had no choice but to push herself relentlessly. She had gained much, but also lost much. Now that Lu Luo had thoroughly defeated her, the Nightmare Demon breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn’t have to play that cat-and-mouse game anymore. Being able to cultivate calmly and composedly was the best state.

"Yeah, no clothes," Lu Luo laughed as well.

Both were very relaxed at this point. Lu Luo simply watched the Nightmare Demon get dressed, making no effort to look away. At their current level of strength, such matters were insignificant. Moreover, in Lu Luo’s memory, Lu Xiaotian had always been that seven or eight-year-old girl. What kind of thoughts could he have about a child? What, she was already fourteen this year? According to the laws of the Wasteland Alliance, fourteen was legal? Impossible. He, Lu Luo, was not that kind of person. He had a clear conscience, so there was no need to look away.

"You really are shameless..." The Nightmare Demon fastened her last button and gave Lu Luo a disdainful glance.

"*AHEM.* I see you as something of a cartoon character; I wasn’t thinking of you in *that* way at all."

"Cartoon character? What do you mean?"

Could Lu Luo say she was like Tifa, Rei Ayanami, or Fubuki? Of course not; he would never say such a thing in his life.

"Nothing. Just some doll-like figures."

"You think I’m a toy?"

"Figurines and toys are different," Lu Luo quickly explained.

However, the Nightmare Demon had already approached him. She casually tossed a red soldier’s uniform at Lu Luo, then turned away.

"Make do with this."

Lu Luo looked at the clothes the Nightmare Demon had tossed him. It was the same type of soldier’s uniform he had worn before, back when he was at the Red and White Castle.

"In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed."

"Yeah, in the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. Ludie has been dead for so long... I really do miss him." Lu Xiaotian sounded wistful. The time she had spent with Ludie was very brief, but he had left a deep impression on her, an impression that had influenced her entire life. She had once thought her relationship with Ludie was a transaction—a deal for him to lead the Fourth Ring to prominence and help her integrate into the human world. But after truly integrating into the human world, the Nightmare Demon realized it hadn’t been a deal at all.

It was a father’s redemption.

Ludie had helped her transform from an Exotic Species back into a human, a thorough and complete change. Over the years, Lu Xiaotian had adapted to her identity and genuinely felt that she was, and always should have been, human. All of this was thanks to Ludie’s efforts.

So Lu Xiaotian missed him deeply, as a daughter misses her deceased father. It was as simple as that.

"I kind of miss him too. He was my guide, after all." Lu Luo chuckled, put on the soldier’s uniform, and walked over to the Nightmare Demon’s side.

"In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown so much. Before Ludie died, he even asked me to take good care of you. Over these years, we haven’t had much concrete contact or cooperation. I guess I don’t really qualify as a trustworthy guardian."

Hearing Lu Luo say this, Lu Xiaotian shot him a disdainful look. "Entrust me to you? For what? To be your child bride?"

"PFFT! I never had such a thought! What are you talking about?"

"Hmph. Who knows what you men are thinking." The Nightmare Demon suddenly sat down beside Lu Luo. The metallic scent of blood on her, mixed with the fragrance of her clothes, drifted into his nostrils. That’s right, she did it on purpose. Somehow, after sparring with Lu Luo, many of her mental blocks had dissolved. She felt very comfortable around Lu Luo; she liked this feeling. Or perhaps, she liked Lu Luo. From the very first moment she saw him, back at Nightmare Castle, she had treated him differently.

"To think you’d entertain thoughts about a child. You really are a beast!"

Lu Luo’s mouth twitched. It was clearly this girl who had come over to tease him. Did she really think he didn’t know? He considered himself a veteran in matters of romance; how could he not see through Lu Xiaotian’s little ploys? Moreover, Lu Xiaotian’s complete Nightmare Demon form was over 300 meters long, her horn alone surpassing 200 meters. Such volume, scale, and formidable strength... It seemed inappropriate to describe her as a child, didn’t it?

Lu Luo subtly shifted his backside, trying to put some distance between himself and Lu Xiaotian. Seeing Lu Luo try to move away, Lu Xiaotian quietly shifted closer.

"What’s that supposed to mean? Am I that repulsive?"

"It’s nothing. Men and women should maintain a respectful distance; besides, I’m a married man."

"Tsk. You’re no fun at all. Can’t even take a joke." Seeing Lu Luo consistently refuse to play along, Lu Xiaotian pouted and started twirling her braids unhappily.

"*AHEM.* Losing to me... does it feel bad?"

"Not at all. Everyone loses eventually. Just like my father lost to me, and so he died."