The Clark Family Manor stood surrounded by countless enemies
The final battle had already ended. The outcome had already been decided. The Clark Family had lost. Now their fate is in the hands of Emma Stones.
At the very center of the battlefield stood Emma Stone. Her long hair danced in the wind. Blood dripped continuously from the edge of her sword. Her cultivation pressure blanketed the entire battlefield like a mountain pressing down upon mortals.
Opposite her stood Tony Clark. His body was covered in wounds. Blood stained his clothes. His breathing was uneven. Yet despite everything, he remained standing. Behind him stood the surviving members of the Clark Family. Fear filled their eyes. Despair filled their expressions. Some were injured. Some were crying. Some were staring at Emma as though she were the embodiment of death itself.
Meanwhile the enemies surrounding the battlefield began laughing louder after seeing Tony’s miserable state.
"Look at him! The mighty Tony Clark!" one man shouted while pointing toward him mockingly.
"The future genius of the Clark Family!"
"The future supreme warrior!"
Soon dozens of voices joined together. "What a joke!"
"What a disappointment!" "Where is all that arrogance now?" "Where is all that pride now?"
Their laughter spread throughout the battlefield like poison.
Yet Tony remained calm. He ignored every insult. He ignored every mocking voice. His eyes remained fixed upon Emma Stone as she slowly approached him through the sea of corpses.
Emma finally stopped several steps away from him. A smile slowly appeared on her face.
Years of resentment, hatred, anger and agony... Every single one of those emotions existed inside that smile. Tony quietly met her gaze. Neither looked away. Neither blinked.
"Are you satisfied now?" Tony finally asked.
Emma’s smile widened immediately.
"Satisfied?" she repeated before laughing softly. "Do you know how many times I imagined this moment, Tony Clark?" she asked while slowly raising her sword.
The blood-covered blade pointed directly toward his chest. "I imagined your defeat. I imagined your despair. I imagined your regret."
The sword stopped only inches away from his neck. Then her smile vanished completely. The battlefield immediately fell silent. Even the enemies stopped laughing.
"You ruined my life, Tony Clark." Her voice echoed clearly across the ruined manor. "You took everything from me. You played with me. You humiliated me. You turned me into a joke."
The hatred inside those words was enough to make ordinary people shiver.
To everyone’s surprise, Tony slowly nodded. "I know."
Emma’s eyes widened. Not because of the answer. Because of how easily he said it.
Tony glanced behind himself toward the surviving Clark Family members. Some were children. Some were servants. Some were elders who could barely stand. Then he looked back at Emma.
"They have nothing to do with our feud."
Emma immediately frowned.
Tony continued calmly. "You want revenge? Take it."
The entire battlefield froze. Even the enemies looked confused.
Tony spread his arms. "Kill me. Spare them. You hate me... Not them."
Emma’s breathing became uneven. The sword in her hand remained raised. Yet strangely she could no longer push it forward.
The enemies quickly noticed her hesitation. "Kill him!"
"Finish it already!"
"What are you waiting for? Take your revenge!"
"You climbed this far for this moment!"
Their voices grew louder.
Yet Emma ignored them. Her eyes never left Tony. For years she had dreamed about this moment. For years she imagined Tony begging for mercy. For years she imagined him kneeling before her. For years she imagined seeing fear in his eyes.
Yet none of those things happened. Tony stood calmly before her. He willingly offered his life.
That single action shattered countless expectations inside Emma’s heart. Slowly her sword began feeling heavier... She could barely hold it anymore.
Everything she wanted stood directly before her. One swing... That was all it would take. Yet her sword refused to move.
Emma slowly closed her eyes. She never expected Tony to be a man willing to die so others could live.
When her eyes finally opened again, something inside her had already changed. The sword slipped from her fingers.
’Clang.’
The metallic sound echoed throughout the battlefield. A bitter smile appeared on her face.
Then she finally spoke. "I, Emma Stone, pity your family. I spared them because I pitied them. Not the other way around."
The enemies stared at her in disbelief. The Clark Family stared at her in disbelief.
Emma slowly began walking away. Each step carried her farther from her revenge.
Then suddenly the entire battlefield began collapsing. The sky cracked apart... The ground shattered... The manor dissolved into countless fragments of light.
A majestic voice echoed throughout the collapsing world.
"You acknowledged your hatred. You embraced your revenge. You faced your deepest curse. And in the final moment... You chose mercy."
"You pass."
Outside the projections, Tony stood silently beside the World Tree Spirit. The first projection had already vanished... Lily Frost had failed.
She followed logic... She denied her own heart. She lost!
The second projection remained glowing brilliantly. Emma Stone had succeeded. She followed her heart... She accepted her hatred. Then chose mercy. She won!
Even Tony found himself speechless while watching the final-outcome.
The golden projection finally shattered into countless particles of light.
The World Tree Spirit raised her hand. The void rippled... Moments later a figure slowly appeared before them.
Emma Stone...! She blinked in confusion while adjusting to the new surroundings.
Then she noticed the World Tree Spirit. Then she noticed Tony Clark standing beside her. Immediately her expression darkened.
Meanwhile Tony was smiling.
That smile instantly made Emma clench her fists. After everything she had experienced... After everything she had gone through... After barely passing the trial. The first thing she saw was Tony smiling at her.
Emma bit her lower lip angrily. The urge to punch him immediately rose inside her heart.
Tony’s smile widened.
And the World Tree Spirit suddenly realized that perhaps bringing these two together again was a terrible idea.
"Congratulation for passing becoming the Inheritor!"
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