Multiple Personalities-Chapter 422: The Mastermind

Immediately following, the Demon's body gradually dissipated into the air, leaving only a curl of black smoke. The smoke spread, carrying a pungent smell that made people couldn't help but cough. Shen Jingqi's heart finally relaxed, he breathed a sigh of relief, just as he was about to unwind a bit, he suddenly sensed a peculiar aura.

At that moment, the black smoke did not disperse as expected, but instead began to rapidly gather. Shen Jingqi widened his eyes, a sense of foreboding surged up in his heart. "No good! Could it be that the Demon isn't dead yet?" he shouted loudly.

Lin Yu and the others heard the shout and stopped their attacks, nervously watching the thickening black smoke. In the smoke, faint red light flickered, as if the Demon's eyes were peeking at everyone.

Suddenly, a deep laughter echoed from the smoke, the laughter eerie and terrifying, sending chills down one's spine.

Shen Jingqi tightly gripped the sword in his hand and responded loudly, "Even if you're not dead yet, we won't fear you! We will surely defeat you once more!"

The Demon's laughter halted abruptly, following which a massive claw extended from the smoke, larger and more menacing than before, covered in black scales that shimmered with a cold light. The claw reached towards everyone with such speed that it was impossible to evade.

Lin Yu and the others quickly retreated, but still some teammates were swept by the claw's aftereffect and fell to the ground. Shen Jingqi looked at his injured teammates, his heart filled with anger and self-blame. "I was too careless, thinking we had defeated the Demon, not realizing it had another trick up its sleeve," he vowed silently, "I must completely annihilate this Demon to protect everyone."

Shen Jingqi carefully observed the Demon's attack pattern, trying to find its flaw. He noticed that although the Demon's attacks were fierce, it would pause for a moment after each assault, seemingly to accumulate strength.

"Listen everyone, the Demon pauses briefly after every attack; that's when we strike!" Shen Jingqi shouted loudly.

Everyone nodded, regrouping their spirits. The Demon launched another attack, the gigantic claw with the howling wind sound bearing down on everyone. Lin Yu and the others, following Shen Jingqi's instructions, retreated at the moment of the Demon's attack, then launched a counterattack during its pause.

Rays of light shot towards the Demon, catching it off guard with the sudden assault. It roared angrily, waving its claws in retaliation. However, the group had discovered the strategy, deftly avoiding the Demon's attacks while ceaselessly counterattacking.

The battle escalated into a fevered pitch, both sides giving their all. Shen Jingqi felt his stamina gradually depleting but knew he couldn't give up. He kept his eyes firmly on the Demon, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Just then, the Demon roared furiously, its body exploding with a surge of potent dark energy. This energy formed a massive shield, enveloping the Demon. Their attacks only sparked lightly on the shield, unable to harm the Demon.

"What now? Our attacks are ineffective!" Lin Yu shouted anxiously.

Shen Jingqi furrowed his brow, pondering the strategy. He looked at the fading red spot beneath the Demon's feet, suddenly struck with an idea. "Keep attacking the shield, distract the Demon's attention; I'll try to breach through!" Shen Jingqi said loudly.

Everyone nodded, intensifying their attacks once more. The Demon, distracted by the assaults, focused entirely on maintaining its shield and failed to notice Shen Jingqi's maneuver.

Shen Jingqi quietly circled to the back of the Demon, then rushed towards its feet. His sword glimmered, ready to pierce the red spot once again. But just as he got close to the Demon, the Demon sensed his movement.

The Demon abruptly turned, its claw reaching for Shen Jingqi. Shen Jingqi swiftly sidestepped, dodging the attack. Yet the Demon did not relent, continually swinging its claws, forcing Shen Jingqi to retreat repeatedly.

"Shen!" Lin Yu and the others saw Shen Jingqi trapped in the predicament, their hearts anxious. They yearned to help Shen Jingqi but were blocked from reaching him by the Demon's shield.

Under the Demon's assault, Shen Jingqi felt increasingly laborious. Wounds appeared on his body, his blood staining his clothes. Yet, he clenched his teeth, persisting in the fight.

"I can't give up; I must defeat this Demon, protect everyone, protect our kingdom!" Shen Jingqi encouraged himself in his heart.

Just then, Shen Jingqi noticed the Demon's shield loosening slightly whenever it attacked him. Joy filled his heart, recognizing an opportunity. He timed his moves precisely, as the Demon launched another attack, he sidestepped swiftly, then rushed towards the Demon's feet.

He leapt up high, his sword, infused with all his strength, aimed at the red spot. This time, he met no resistance, the sword smoothly pierced into the red spot.

"Ah!" The Demon screeched miserably, more poignant than before. Its body began to tremble violently and the shield shattered in an instant. Shen Jingqi did not allow the Demon any breath; he pressed the sword downward forcefully, then yanked it out fiercely.

The Demon's body started to disperse rapidly, this time not regrouping. The black smoke gradually dispersed, sunlight once again bathed the earth.

With the Demon's demise, the dark creatures lost control, flitting around in frightful cries, disappearing swiftly into the sky. The dark clouds scattered too, revealing a bright blue sky.

"We've won again!" Everyone cheered, their faces beaming with the joy of victory. Lin Yu ran over, patting Shen Jingqi's shoulder excitedly, "Shen, you're amazing! Without you, we wouldn't know what to do."

Shen Jingqi smiled, said, "It's the result of everyone's joint effort. Without your cover and cooperation, I wouldn't have succeeded."

However, their jubilation didn't last long. Just as they prepared to celebrate the victory, a peculiar light appeared in the sky, growing ever brighter, seemingly illuminating the whole world.

"What is this?" Lin Yu asked with confusion.

Shen Jingqi furrowed his brow, a surge of foreboding filled his heart. "I don't know, but I feel it's not a good sign," he said.

The light gradually dissipated, leaving a massive silhouette in the sky. The figure exuded a powerful aura, filling everyone with awe.

"Did you think defeating the Demon was the end? How naive! I am the true mastermind behind all of this!" The figure emitted a deep laughter, reverberating in the sky.