American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 240 Ten Rings!

Diana stared blankly at the figure emerging from the shadows.

What initially captivated her was sheer shock.

That was a scene that should only exist in ancient murals and forbidden myths:

Dark, demonic horns; wings that flow with shadows; inhuman golden vertical pupils.
And that greatsword carried on his shoulder, radiating an ominous and powerful aura...

This is a demon god from the abyss, a calamity that walks across the earth.

A sense of unfamiliarity washed over her, and she instinctively reached out and pulled the greatsword back into her palm.

But the very next second that this sense of vigilance arose...
“Marbas…”

"You lowly clown..."

"What exactly are you... stirring up?"

The towering, demonic figure uttered a voice she knew all too well.

The depths of those vertical pupils held an unwavering calm.
All the inconsistencies and contradictions now clearly point to the only answer.

It's him.

Mr. Locke.

The tension in my heart suddenly eased, and an indescribable sense of relief dispelled the despair brought about by the resurrection of Marbas and the declaration of his true name.

Diana herself couldn't explain why, as long as this man was present, even the most terrifying enemies seemed to lose all their chilling fangs.

Almost instinctively, she opened her lips, wanting to call out...
"Mr. Locke..."

But her voice was drowned out by the even more surging roar from the stands!

"Another...another demon?!"

"Even more terrifying than that Flame Demon! What is that... that aura..."

"Who is He?! Zeus, is He friend or foe?!"

"It's over...we're all going to die here today..."

Panic spread through the audience.

Locke's demonic aura, far more profound than Marbas's after his transformation, plunged the Amazon warriors, who had just experienced the threat of Hellfireballs, into even deeper fear.

They couldn't comprehend these successive occurrences of things beyond their capabilities.
They even lost the ability to think rationally.
They could only huddle in their seats, trembling with primal instinct.

Only the terrified host, with her vast experience, managed to pick up the magic megaphone, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "The...the situation has...changed again!"

"A...an unidentified demon. Don't panic, it seems to be standing with us."

But seeing the Queen's gaze sweep over him, the host couldn't finish his sentence.

She shuddered and shrank back like a startled quail, not daring to make a sound.

Turning her solemn gaze back to the dark, demonic figure in the arena, the Queen tightened her grip on the golden spear, her eyes filled with astonishment and doubt.
She took a deep breath, trying to confirm:
“It’s you… Luo…”

"Lock Kent!!!"

A roar filled with shock and rage abruptly interrupted Hippolyta's words.

Locke Kent.

The name was roared out by the Fire Demon King in such a terrified manner.

Marbas's massive lava body took a slight step back, its six burning eyes fixed on Locke. Gone was the arrogance of before; only a fierce but still barely concealed bravado remained.

"It's you! It really was you!"

It roared, its voice trembling almost imperceptibly, "You damned, persistent ghost..."

"farmer!"

"."

The terrifying roar of the Balrog King still reverberated in the air, but Diana seemed to hear nothing at all.

Her eyes widened suddenly, and all her attention shifted from the terrifying demon and the tense situation to the demonic figure in front of her.

Kent...

Kent?!
This surname…

This real name, given to me by my mother, symbolizing origin and belonging... how could it be...?

Her mind went blank at first, then countless thoughts washed over her reason.

Who is he?
This was so powerful that even the Fire Demon King trembled with fear.
Why does the man who appears as an ancient demon god have the exact same surname as her?!
Fragments of last night's memories flooded back.
Inside the dungeon, those hands steadily manipulated the azure arcs of electricity to repair her equipment.

That gentle yet undeniably powerful voice.

That feeling of inexplicable peace and closeness, a sense of reliability like the earth...

That electric arc...

How similar it is to the thunderous divine power that has awakened within her!

No, it's not similar, it's from the same origin!

His power was simply more profound and more freely controlled, like a vast ocean flowing into a stream!
Diana's mind was nearly blank.

Countless possibilities raced through her mind like wild horses:
Are they... brothers?
But her mother never mentioned that she had any brothers or sisters!
Moreover, his power stemmed from an innate, awe-inspiring presence that transcended the laws of nature.
That is clearly...

An even more absurd thought, yet one that inexplicably made her heart race and her blood boil, uncontrollably surfaced.

My mother's words echoed once more:
"Your body is shaped by the boundless earth and nourished by the waters of life. Your strength will originate from the mountains, and your soul... will dwell in the ocean of thunder..."

Mountains, land, thunder, water.

Those four primordial energies that were perfectly integrated into her life...

Last night, Mr. Locke's effortless demeanor while repairing the equipment...

All the clues seemed to be pointing in a direction she had never dared to think about, or even imagined before...

Is it...

She stared blankly at Locke's back, which appeared even taller and more imposing in his demonic form, yet inexplicably gave her a sense of security.
Yes……

Her heart was pounding like a drum.

In my memory
When my mother talked about the origins of her life, she mentioned that thing with a wistful yet gentle tone...

he?
This earth-shattering guess left Diana frozen in place, staring blankly at the figure in front of her.

Locke remained silent, simply staring at Marbas.
There was no murderous intent or anger in his gaze, only a pure scrutiny.

This kind of silent, emotional violence
At first, Marbas managed to keep his eyes on Locke, his six burning eyes widening as he tried to assert his authority as the 'son of the Three Palaces'.

The flaming whip in its hand lashed out unconsciously, striking the scorched ground with crackling sounds, as if trying to embolden itself.

ten seconds...

Twenty seconds...

Time passed slowly in the suffocating silence.

Locke remained silent, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever, as if he had transformed into an ancient, ever-present golem.

The billowing sulfurous smoke around Marbas began to become chaotic, and his enormous lava body began to flicker.

It felt more than just being overwhelmed in terms of strength.
It is also a form of contempt on a spiritual level.

then
Marbas's psychological defenses, forged by hellfire, crumbled.

"You...you say something!"

It lashed its flaming whip hard against the ground, creating a massive fireball, attempting to shatter the terrifying silence with its noise, its voice tinged with obvious impatience, "What are you pretending to be so profound for?!"

“Lock Kent! I know it’s you!”

"I let you off the hook back then, didn't I!"

hear the words
Locke showed a subtle reaction.

He raised his left eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

But this tiny movement caused Marbas's massive body to tremble violently, splashing up a cloud of lava.

"What...what exactly do you want?!"

Marbas roared, "You chased my avatar all the way to this pocket-dimensional world!"

"I...I've already hidden here! I've even put my main body into hibernation to avoid you! Do you really have to be so ruthless as to wipe us all out?!"

It brandished its massive lava arms, pointing towards the ravaged arena and the terrified spectators, attempting to justify itself:
"Look! I... I didn't even have time to cause much damage! I just... I just came as promised! It was the Amazonian queen who summoned me! She wanted to find you and go find her!"

Upon hearing this, Queen Hippolyta, who was standing behind it, instantly turned extremely ugly.
But because Locke was there, she dared not make any rash moves for the time being.

But only up to this moment.
Locke finally managed to utter a few words:
"Finished?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Diana behind him felt a blur before her eyes!
It wasn't a blurry image caused by excessive speed, but rather a more eerie sense of disorientation.
Just a moment ago, Locke was still standing there, carrying the greatsword.
In the next instant, his figure vanished from the spot without warning, as if he had never existed.

There was no sound of wind breaking, no energy fluctuations, and not even a trace of movement.

Just as Diana's pupils contracted as she tried to find Locke's figure...
He has reappeared.

They remained standing in the same spot, as if they had never moved.

The 'Blade of Power' on his shoulder remained in its original position.

The only difference was perhaps that the crimson glow flowing over his demonic body was even brighter than before, as if it had drunk its fill of sweet offerings.
And over there... that massive, mountain-like fire demon king, Marbas, who had just been roaring with bluster but was actually cowardly...

Its enormous body, its towering ferocity, and even the title of 'Son of the Three Palaces'
Disappeared.

There was no deafening explosion, no piercing, desperate wails, and not even the process of turning to ashes.

The entire audience was almost frozen in place.

All audience members.
Even the most seasoned Amazonian veterans stood there, mouths agape, eyes wide, their minds blank, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

It was something beyond their comprehension.

The Empress also involuntarily leaned forward slightly, her eyes filled with unprecedented fear.

Through the 'Laws of Artemis', she glimpsed fragments of Queen Hippolyta's memories about this man and knew that he was very powerful.
But what I'm seeing with my own eyes right now is that this power has transcended the realm of 'power,' becoming so visibly terrifying and so pure that it's chilling!

This was far more direct and terrifying than the vague impressions she had gleaned from shared memories!
That wasn't a matter of overwhelming skill, nor a clash of energies, but rather a kind of...

It was as if he possessed absolute authority over the life and death of everything before him!
For him, eliminating Malbas was as insignificant as brushing away a fallen leaf.

"Gone...gone?! That demon...just like that?"

In the deathly silent stands, the suppressed roar finally exploded.

"What happened? I didn't see anything!"

"Is it that newly appeared... demon? What did he do?"

"Is he... a god or a demon?"

"That was terrifying...we almost..."

The fear did not dissipate; instead, it was mixed with confusion and the bewilderment of surviving a catastrophe.

The Amazon warriors whispered amongst themselves, their voices hushed with fear, their eyes shifting bewilderedly between the demonic figure in the center of the arena and the queen on the high platform.

They couldn't understand what had just happened, but one thing was certain.
The terrifying being that easily 'erased' the Flame Demon King poses a far greater threat than any of the previous ones.

And as the instigator of all this.
Locke felt the pure demonic energy within his body almost overflowing from absorbing the avatar of Marbas, and a sense of satisfaction, like that of someone who had just had a full meal, welled up within him.

He then maintained his imposing, demonic posture, his vertical pupils shifting slightly as he coldly glanced at the host in the sky, who was already terrified and almost cowering in a ball.

The host was so startled by that gaze that he almost fell off the platform.

Although she was terrified, she still had the ability to read people and read their expressions to get to where she was in the empire.

And in that cold glance
Seems to be.
Swallowing hard, the host, barely managing to stay upright, picked up the magical megaphone. His voice trembled noticeably and wavered, but he still managed to announce:
"Because...because...because of the Fire Demon King Malbas...who...voluntarily withdrew! According to...according to the rules of the Ring of Victory...the ninth match! The winner is—Diana!"

The reasoning behind this verdict is utterly ridiculous.
But faced with absolute power, no one dared to raise the slightest objection.

Locke nodded upon hearing this. He was at least sensible.

So next.
After finishing this last bit of 'polite work,' Locke finally turned around in silence.

The nearly three-meter-tall demonic form, exuding an invisible sense of oppression, completely enveloped Diana, who stood leaning on her sword, in its shadow.

He looked down at the bewildered young face before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

To tell the truth
It was nothing like the relaxed and comfortable relationship between employer and mercenary we had last night.
After sensing the bright, radiant aura emanating from the other person, which shared the same origin as his own.
Locke was actually somewhat relieved.
I'm glad that in my rage I chose to appear in my demon form.
Its hideous appearance and inhuman vertical pupils
It perfectly concealed all his potentially inappropriate emotions.
—That helplessness in the face of an unfamiliar adult blood relative, that awkwardness and stiffness in not knowing how to start the first conversation.
His demonic appearance allowed him to remain hidden in the shadows.
Quietly organize your turbulent emotions without worrying about being seen through.

Diana.
The familiar name flashed through his mind, yet at this moment it carried an extremely unfamiliar and heavy weight.

Locke sighed silently.
How should I face her? How should I explain myself?

Hippolyta…

When did I do it? What exactly did I do? And what am I hiding?
A torrent of thoughts surged uncontrollably back to a time not long ago, when he was still hiding in a dark corner of the audience, coldly observing everything happening in the arena.

Especially when Marbas's destructive whip, covering the entire audience, fell fiercely.
He gazed at the slender yet resolute figure that formed a barrier of thunder.
Watching the wristband groan under the impact, a sense of helplessness welled up uncontrollably.

It wasn't out of concern for Diana's life or death, but rather a consideration based on the mission.

Frustrated by the island's continued existence and by the uncertainty of whether the task entrusted to him by Phillips could be completed.
But then, the wristband shattered completely! The instant the seal was broken, that surging...
He is of the same origin
A perfect blend of mountains, thunder, and water
It even has the 'earth energy' that he himself doesn't possess!
The power of the four primordial energies was even anchoring and drawing upon the energy within his body!
consternation!

An unprecedented shock swept over him!
That was no longer a vague sense of familiarity, but an undeniable, fundamentally connected resonance!

It's like suddenly discovering a star that twinkles in sync with your own in an unfamiliar starry sky!
It's his primordial aura!

It was so pure, so intimate!

So his emotions quickly shifted from helplessness to another extreme!
fury.

It wasn't directed at Marbas's arrogance, but entirely at himself.

It stems from a belated realization
Why did I feel a strange sense of responsibility towards Diana? Why did I let Diana do as she pleased? Why did I uncontrollably, even to the point of spoiling her, agree to her plans and help her build weapons?
because
The girl who was being threatened by a demon, the girl who almost perished while protecting others, the girl who possessed his original power…

It's his daughter!
And he actually let her face this kind of trash alone!
I was actually watching from right next to them!

I actually...

You only just found out about her?!

This anger, stemming from self-blame and regret, suddenly erupted beneath Locke's calm exterior!
It made him abandon all pretense and probing, unleashing his deepest power without hesitation, reigning supreme here with an aura that crushes everything and allows no challenge.

He was going to devour this bug that dared to threaten his daughter, right now, immediately!

What son of the Three Palaces? What King of Flame?
To Locke at that moment, it was nothing more than a noisy campfire.

A foolish campfire that dared to splatter sparks onto his very blood.
His anger.
It always points to only one's own momentary 'absence'!
Marbas
From beginning to end, she was nothing more than an unfortunate sacrifice that happened to be caught in the eye of the storm.

Locke casually scattered the blade of power that had just shattered the Flame Demon into the void. His demonic face remained completely expressionless, as if crushing the Flame Demon and intimidating the entire audience was merely a casual gesture.

He finally...
He simply nodded slightly to Diana, and then said:
"The tenth match..."

Do you still want to fight?

His tone was so matter-of-fact, as if he were the true master of this place.

The empress, standing to the side, nearly ground her teeth to powder, but dared not utter a word of her anger.

Upon hearing this, Diana took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed the jumbled thoughts in her mind about surnames, bloodlines, and origins.

Now is not the time to delve into these matters.
She raised her head, meeting Locke's inhuman vertical pupils, and a warrior's flame rekindled in her eyes as she resolutely declared:

"beat!"

Her voice was hoarse from the battle, yet unusually loud:

"Now that we've come this far, of course we have to finish it!"

Locke remained silent for a moment, his huge vertical pupils staring at her, as if scrutinizing her resolve, or perhaps weighing something.

He spoke again, his voice deep and filled with absolute confidence:
"You know……"

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Empress almost imperceptibly. "I can take you and your mother away immediately. Now... no one should be able to stop us."

This is the simplest and most direct path.

No more fighting, no more risks.

But when Diana heard this, a bright and cheerful smile appeared on her face.
"so."

She smiled, her eyes clear and open, "I'm even more determined to play this last match!"

Locke looked puzzled, tilted his massive head slightly, and uttered a low, questioning syllable: "...WHY?"

Diana smiled, her gaze passing over him and slowly sweeping around her surroundings.

Looking at the Amazon warriors who were still in shock and looking at her with complicated eyes, and their faces that were deeply shocked by her and Locke's power.

She recalled herself not long ago, the one who would stop at nothing, even abandoning the glory of a warrior, just to achieve the sole goal of 'rescuing her mother', using any means necessary.

If it were her back then...
Upon hearing this, one would probably nod in agreement without hesitation.

Leave this dangerous world immediately and take your mother back to a safe place...

But now...

Her state of mind, however, had changed completely.

Her gaze returned to the enormous, ferocious yet incredibly reassuring demonic figure before her.

Yes, right now.
She knew who she was.

She touched her origin and finally understood that she was never alone.

A mother's deep love, General Phillips' teachings, the legacy of Paradise Island...

And
It seems... we have another very, very reliable 'backer'?
This realization gave Diana an unprecedented sense of confidence and composure.

In this case…

Why couldn't she fight this glorious final battle as a true Amazon warrior?
She is no longer a challenger who needs to sacrifice principles and resort to any means necessary.

Instead, the goal is to make everyone, including that 'Queen Mother,' see clearly.
Diana Kent!
He earned the right to stand before her through his own strength and will!

Looking at Locke, Diana smiled confidently and warmly, with complete trust, and uttered the words that made even Locke's hardened heart tremble:
"because……"

"With you here..."

Her voice was clear and firm, but she paused slightly. The address that was about to come out circled on her tongue, but she ultimately chose a slightly distant yet respectful one:
“...Mr. Locke”.

"You're here, aren't you?"

This sentence contains all her trust, reliance, and unspoken confidence.

She knew that no matter what happened in the tenth game, he would always be her support.

This understanding allowed her to face the final trial of the ring of victory without any worries.

Locke remained silent for a moment.

He slightly raised his demonic hand, covered in dark scales, as if subconsciously wanting to gently pat the head of the stubborn yet brave child before him, just like an ordinary elder would.

But just as his claws were about to touch those dark strands of hair, he suddenly stopped.

Looking at his inhuman claws, he finally slowly withdrew his hands, leaving only a barely audible sigh in the air.

This appearance...

Will it scare her?

A rare moment of self-doubt swept over Locke.

He stopped looking at her and turned his massive body around, his molten gold-like vertical pupils staring at the empress whose face was ashen.

"Did you hear that?"

"This child said she wants to play her tenth match."

This is not a request, but a notification.

The Empress's lips twitched, and her chest heaved violently; clearly, her anger and humiliation had reached their peak.

But under Locke's calm gaze.
All her dissatisfaction and anger were forcibly suppressed back into her heart.

In the end, he could only flick his sleeves angrily, filled with resentment, and leap back onto the high platform, not wanting to say another word.

Seeing this, Locke turned around and nodded slightly to Diana.

Immediately, his enormous demonic figure also rose from the ground, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression, and headed towards the high platform, walking straight into the shadow cast by the canopy.

It seemed to blend into the darkness, leaving only a trace that could not be ignored.
An outline symbolizing absolute power!
With the return of the two supreme experts, the host seemed to have finally received clear instructions.

She vigorously wiped the cold sweat beading on her forehead, picked up the megaphone, and announced loudly in a still trembling but excited tone:
"By...by ruling!"

"Ten Rings."

"The final challenge of the Ring of Victory now...officially begins!"

"Alas--!!!!"

Almost the instant the host finished speaking, the emotions that had been suppressed for so long in the stands finally found an outlet!
The previous fear of Locke, the awe of Diana's courage, and the anticipation of witnessing the final legend all combined into a torrent of fervor!

"Diana! Diana! Diana!"

Thousands upon thousands of Amazon warriors, regardless of their previous stance, pounded their chests or the railings in front of them, chanting this name in unison and rhythmically!

Wave after wave crashed against every inch of the arena's stone walls!
This is the most straightforward recognition of the strong and the most fervent praise of an indomitable will!
Standing at the center of this thunderous cheer, Diana felt an unprecedented surge of heat coursing through her body.

After losing that heavy pressure of 'survival to save his mother'.
A sense of exhilaration and excitement, typical of warriors, surged within her.

She reveled in this glory, this joy and celebration that she had earned herself, a joy free of any gloom!
She stood tall, her greatsword planted firmly on the ground, accepting the shouts of the masses with equanimity.

But just as the atmosphere reached its peak—

The host, however, read out the name of the final opponent in a trembling voice, almost as if he were about to cry:

"The...tenth match! Diana's opponent is..."

She swallowed a non-existent saliva, her voice suddenly rising, filled with absurdity and terror:
"...Hippocrat, the eternal ruler of Shemisgela, the supreme commander of the Amazonian legions, the lifelong champion of the Ring of Victory, the favored one of the gods...Her Majesty the Queen?!"

"!!!"

The cheers in the entire stadium abruptly stopped the moment the name was announced!

All the audience members stared wide-eyed and gaped, as if they had heard the most incredible thing in the world.

"boom--!"

With a heavy footstep, a figure once again descended from the high platform!

This time, however, the figure was dressed in a magnificent yet ferocious platinum armor, and held a spear that gleamed with a cold light in his hand.

The spearhead was aimed directly at Diana, who was the center of attention.

The empress's eyes were icy cold, and the oppressive aura emanating from her was as solid as a mountain.
It weighed heavily on everyone's heart.

No words, no declaration
Only the suffocating standoff before the battle begins!
Diana gripped the greatsword tightly, took a deep breath, and forcefully suppressed the turmoil in her heart, her eyes regaining their resolve.

No matter who the opponent is, once she's on this field, she's someone she'll fight tooth and nail to defeat!

Above, within the canopy.

Locke's demonic form stood still like a mountain.

His enormous vertical pupils looked down at the two figures facing each other in the distance, and finally let out a sigh that no one could hear.

It's impossible not to worry.
And
Locke's enormous head slowly turned to the side.

Unbeknownst to him, a tall figure dressed in an elegant white dress had quietly appeared beside him.

She had the exact same appearance as the white-armored empress below.
Yet her temperament was quite different, with an unyielding melancholy in her eyes and brows.

He was smiling as he gazed at Diana in the audience.

Yes
This figure was none other than the ruler of Paradise Island, imprisoned here by the Queen.
"Aren't you worried?"

Locke's deep voice rang out, carrying a hint of inquiry, and also a dissatisfaction that he himself was unaware of:
Hippolyta?

(End of this chapter)