Being pinned to the bottom of a river while the river tried to force open your mouth to flood your lungs was certainly a weird and not-so-likable experience. And yet you were still dying of suffocation nonetheless.

It was not the way I had expected that I would die.

I stayed there, thinking and thinking while silently suffocating to death. The world beyond the river was a blur, but even within that blur I could see the scarlet leaves of the tree spreading in the center of the Jade Pavilion.

And the branch in that area was shaped like a butt.

’Maggie’s butt...’

Thinking about Maggie’s round shaped ass, it suddenly occurred to me that I was going to die without slapping that thing even once in my life.

That I wouldn’t undress that vile Saint and defy her with my rod? Make her, in all her demented glory, call me daddy and tell me she wanted more?

A deeply dissatisfying feeling consumed me, and that strangely fueled my resolve.

’I want to live!... for Maggie’s butt!’

Five chains exploded out of my body with frightening speed, tearing through the crushing pressure of the water before the river itself could even catch them.

The chains all found purchase in different parts of the enormous tree — one on its branch, another around its massive trunk, another on the shattered anchor of the bridge where the man was standing.

All five found anchors outside the water and grew taut with an explosive force that yanked me upward. But before I could be pulled free, the pressure of the water increased tenfold, and just as I reached the surface it slammed me back down.

At the same time, I resisted against it, the chains straining to pull me out.

I locked my eyes on the outside world and tried to use Feather Step, but it failed. I suspected it was for one of two reasons.

The scenery before me was blurry, and second, there was a force furiously acting against my movement.

Either way, things were not looking good for me.

The chains were defiantly holding on, straining rigidly against the anchors they were latched onto.

It was the stone anchor of the broken bridge that gave in first, shattering into smithereens of rock. The pressure resisting the water diminished slightly. My lungs began to burn as I struggled not to breathe, and this ruthless test of endurance was becoming more difficult.

Still, I had the option of calling Kassie, or summoning Maggie from whatever she was doing. For a moment, the idea felt reasonable. I should look out for myself.

But that could get the people I care about killed, so I couldn’t bear it.

Then came the choice to call Kassie, but that too was opposed by my stupid ego.

[Your Attribute: Strategic Apex has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Conqueror’s Will has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Martyr’s Endurance has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Strategic Apex has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Conqueror’s Will has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Martyr’s Endurance has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Strategic Apex has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Conqueror’s Will has leveled up]

[Your Attribute: Martyr’s Endurance has leveled up]

I was not trying to pay attention to these bunch of useless level-ups. But at the same time, the sounds in my head were becoming slightly too difficult to ignore, because the longer this torment continued, the more they kept pouring into my ears.

Surprisingly though, with the recent frequent disturbances of level-ups came a soothing feeling. The exonerating burn in my lungs eased slightly, and I found the pain somewhat more bearable.

I shot out the chain that had broken off like a javelin. It extended endlessly toward the sky, heading straight for the dome that covered the island.

In that moment the man shivered, frowning coldly. Shuǐyáo glanced at the chain with a dark look in her eyes.

"Is he mad? Is he trying to destroy the dome? Wouldn’t that give the summon more power? Not to mention that he would be drowning all of us!"

She glared at the river.

"This man has gone mad!"

Of course, I had.

I could only faintly make out whatever it was she was saying above the roaring river.

The other four chains shot after their senior brother. They twisted together, forming a single chain.

To my surprise, the chains merged completely, becoming whole, with links as massive as the anchors of a titanic ship.

[Your Attribute: Chains of Confession has leveled up]

If I could manage a grin in my condition, I would have given into it. Because this was truly a fascinating discovery.

With my will and a flood of spirit essence, I controlled the chain, launching it with even more terrifying fierceness.

The chain crushed through the dome with ease, making both the man and Shuǐyáo stare upward in stunned silence.

But that was not all.

The chain, with unstoppable speed, tore through the vast sea of the Archipelago, and at some point plunged out of the sea and separated into five different chains, each finding purchase on the floating island above the waters.

Then they grew taut.

With violent ease, I was torn out of the river, ripping the water apart and flying free of the current.

As I pulled myself out, white flames rolled into a spear as I raised my hand slightly away from my body.

This heat was not the mundane one I had used before. It carried an intensity equal to the knives that kept me floating.

The white flames condensed above my hand, forming the shape of a radiant spear. Several undulating waves of heat exploded outward, blasting the leaves and branches of the massive scarlet tree, as well as the cloaks of the people standing nearby.

Vapor began rolling out of the river from the sheer wave of heat crashing against it.

Shuǐyáo glared.

"Matriarch! This man is mad! He is going to destroy the entire island?!"

I stared down with a nonchalant expression. I couldn’t care less, honestly.

That tenebrous summon had to die.

I gave the man a lazy look.

He shivered slightly, unease flickering across his gaze, several pearls of sweat vaporizing on his face.

Indifferently, my gaze returned to the summon. It was not returning to its original form, which meant it believed that only as a river would it be able to survive this attack.

But it was wrong.

Five iron tendrils wired me to the island above the sea.

Casting one last look at the revolting river, I swung my hand down.

And a flame that scarred the depths of the sea was unleashed.