FAMILY ABOVE ALL: BATTLING AGAINST GODS

Even though Anita was a summon, she had always had a childish and playful attitude since meeting Arlo. However, ever since Arlo entered the secret realm, she reined in her playful behavior and took everything with seriousness. After all, she was the only summon Arlo had and she had promised she would always be by his side when he needed her. She proved this in Arlo's first mind trial and she was determined to keep proving it. But now she wasn't so sure.

She knew if Arlo was to accomplish what he was about to do, which was in a sense impossible, it was a matter of fact that he would break through in his Ki cultivation. There was even a high chance that he would have consecutive breakthroughs, after all, even though Seraphina had lost her status as a god, she was still no ordinary being.

What did this mean?

It meant Arlo would soon be having one if not two summons at the least.

Shaking her imaginary head, Anita threw all the unnecessary thoughts aside and rested a short distance from Arlo. Because of what he was about to do, she couldn't come into contact with him.

*Fvoooooooooooooom!*

The air whooshed for a moment before everything went still. However, Anita could feel the strange energy that left Arlo's body before covering the whole mountain they were floating on. It didn't take her long to know the cause.

Looking at the two saber marks on the back of Arlo's hands shining with a bright golden light, Anita couldn't help but remember the elderly voice she had heard when Arlo was besieged from all directions by corrupted vampires now turned lesser demons.

.....

At the same time that Arlo gazed at the shining saber marks on the back of his head, he felt a strange aura surround him.

Even after many seconds, Arlo didn't feel anything strange.

<< Great courage, young one! >>

Arlo was startled. Unlike before, Old Bro didn't speak directly in his mind. And from Anita's brief trembling and through their connection together, he could tell she had also heard his voice.

"What is going on?" Arlo asked in confusion.

<< You cannot feel it but the process has already begun. >>

"Huh?!"

<< Seraphina is currently going through pain impossible for a mortal to bear. I am manipulating her life and soul essence. In essence, I am manipulating her core essence to fuse with you. >>

Arlo couldn't understand what Old Bro was saying, but he could tell that it wasn't as simple as it sounded. However, Arlo unconsciously started feeling admiration for the little dragon, as even while she was going through immense and agonizing pain, she hadn't made any sound.

Several minutes passed during which Arlo didn't feel a thing. While he was maintaining his top concentration because Old Bro told him to do so, a flash of light burst out a few meters from him.

Arlo opened his eyes to look at the little girl with matching yet slightly different hair color from his, and when he saw her slowly spinning eyes, a sincere smile graced his face.

"You were among the two I thought would finish the last trial first, Arianne included."

An excited smile graced Rose's chubby yet cute face, stunning Arlo for a few seconds.

"Hehe...seems I came right on time."

Arlo's briefly mesmerized look gave way to confusion, but before he could voice his thoughts, he uncontrollably opened his mouth and coughed a long jet of blood.

He soon collapsed to the floor under Rose's spinning eyes and Anita's anxious cries. Arlo's body trembled almost as if he was having a seizure, and the gurgling sounds emitted from his mouth as he choked on his blood made the situation appear even worse.

Deep inside Arlo's body, a great change was happening.

A steady surge of multicolored essence, brimming with life and strong will left the floating mountain before congregating at his right chest directly opposite to his heart.

The multicolored energy slowly assumed the form of a small dragon, before it coiled in such a way that its mouth entered its mouth. Settling in this form, the energy changed into a real organ as it assumed the shape of a beating heart.

A dragon heart!

*Du-dum!*

Arlo's body jolted.

A new heartbeat echoed in his ears, powerful and steady, as the newfound energy coursed through his veins.

With a newfound strength, he felt his physical limits expand beyond comprehension. His muscles bulged with newfound power, and his senses sharpened to an unprecedented degree. But beneath the surface, he could sense the latent fury of the dragon's bloodline, a power that could not be contained.

Though the new heart was beating docilely within him, Arlo knew that the terrifying power it harbored could not be underestimated. With this fusion, he had become something more than human, a force to be reckoned with in the battles that lay ahead.

Immediately when the fusion was completed, a massive dragon head imprint appeared on Arlo's back. The dragon had its eyes closed and even though the existence of dragons had never been confirmed, anyone who gazed at the dragon image would undoubtedly share the same thought.

Beautiful.

Spitting the blood in his mouth, Arlo gasped loudly, "Is it over?"

Old Bro's chuckle rang within Arlo's mind, however, he didn't have the luxury to be surprised by the artifact spirit's unbecoming attitude, << For Seraphina, yes. But for you, it is just starting. >>

"Huh?!" Arlo who had regained a bit of his clarity stared into open space blankly for a second, before a heart-rending pain soon forced a shout that sounded more like a roar from his mouth.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!"

A highly destructive energy coursed through Arlo's body. Even though he had never actively wielded this energy before, Arlo for some reason could still identify it.

'Aether?'

The. essence of the unique law he hadn't been able to connect to and had been hindering his Ki cultivation finally surged through Arlo's body.

However, Arlo wasn't happy. Instead, his eyes widened in horror, and a look of fear flashed within his eyes, even as he screamed in pain.

In barely a second when Arlo connected with his law, his flesh began to ripple and distort, unable to contain the overwhelming power surging within him. With a sickening sound, his skin tore apart, flesh exploding outward in a violent eruption of energy.

All that remained was Arlo's skeleton, gleaming white against the backdrop of strewn flesh, blood, and destruction. His bones stood amidst the wreckage, a haunting reminder of the ferocity of the Aether energy that had consumed him.

Arlo immediately fainted from the unbearable pain. His glistening golden hair was soaked in his blood, and his face at this point was paler than even a vampire's, appearing very sickly and deathly. Still, only his head region didn't share the same state as the rest of his body, and this was only because of Old Bro's efforts.

Old Bro sighed, << This brat is truly lucky. If he had connected with his law from the beginning, he would have died without a corpse. At least, now, he has a chance.>>

As if proving his words, Arlo's left heartbeat slowed down every second that passed, however, his dragon heart started beating even fiercer than before.

*Du-dum!* *Du-dum!* *Du-dum!*

Under the power of his new heart, Arlo's flesh started reforming, only to soon be destroyed by the Aether energy. However, slowly but surely, the rate of destruction couldn't keep up with the rate of regeneration, and as the heart beat faster and stronger by the second, new and undestroyed flesh started appearing on Arlo's white skeleton.

<< Little slime, it's time for our part. >>

Old Bro silently communicated with Anita without the knowledge of the watching Rose. Even though Anita was panicking because of what was happening to her master, she still suppressed her fears and did as she had been instructed before.

Through the slime seal imprinted on Arlo's body, pure unchanged Ki gushed out before filling Arlo's almost completely restored body. This was the Ki she had devoured from the Ant's Queen.

Old Bro also didn't remain idle, as he began to multitask. He tried waking Arlo up at the same time that six of the white fruits hanging down from one of the three trees a few meters in front, suddenly flew into the air before approaching the unconscious Arlo.

Rose took in all this sight with sparkling eyes.

Under Old Bro's efforts, Arlo slowly woke up. But immediately when he came to, he winced in pain as he felt his body being attacked inside by the overbearingly destructive Aether energy. However, Arlo belatedly noticed that his new heart was helping him cope with the situation, albeit barely.

What Arlo didn't know was that while the dragon heart indeed contributed to the reason why he was still alive, the main reason he was still breathing was that Old Bro was silently and expertly exercising his godly powers to prevent him from completely perishing, something even the supreme artifact of the Realm of the gods was finding difficult to do. In fact, if it wasn't for the Aether laws acting meekly and docilely towards Arlo, nothing of him would have remained at this point.

Yes, docile!

It wasn't for no reason that Aether laws was even ranked higher than the seemingly overpowered evil laws.

<< Steel your heart boy. You can't remain long like this, if not your new body will be destroyed, and not even your new heart will be able to save you. I will send you the rest of the cultivation techniques your father taught you. Use it to control the Aether essence within your body to temper your bones. >>

An influx of information entered Arlo's mind. Gritting his teeth, Arlo's silver eyes shone with resolve, as he quickly skimmed through the technique.

Less than ten breaths later, Arlo displayed his unparalleled talent by perfectly executing the new technique. The Aether energy raging within his body was actively controlled and moved towards the bones of his right hand, where they started wreaking havoc.

Arlo's bones cracked like a fragile vase, but a split second later, it started regenerating. Barely three seconds later, it cracked to the point of appearing to shatter completely, only for it to be mended by the healing factor of the fiercely beating dragon heart.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

The process kept repeating again and again, causing Arlo to subconsciously rise to his knees and clutch his right hand tightly, as his body trembled greatly.

This continued for five minutes during which new figures appeared with a confused look on the floating mountain. But after seeing Arlo's state, they all shared an aghast look. However, Anita's constant reminder not to interfere and Rose's assurance that all was well, made them retreat a distance from him without giving a helping hand.

Suddenly, the bones of Arlo's right hand shone with a multicolored luster, and soon after the mark of a small star slowly appeared on it.

*Whoosh!* the Ki controlling the remaining Aether essence within Arlo's body was forcefully sucked into the small star.

<< Finally, you are a one-star warrior.>> Old Bro said to the panting Arlo who was drenched in sweat, still clutching his right hand. If it wasn't for Old Bro's continued support, Arlo would have fainted several times during the process.

<< However, we still have a long way...>>

Before the now uncontrolled Aether essence could start raging in his body, Old Bro caused the Ki fruits floating a few meters above Arlo to explode, before pulling the huge stream of energy into his body.

<< Quickly, temper your left hand this time! >>

Arlo's chest rose and fell heavily, and his eyes shone with tiredness.

*****

AN: Thanks to all those who are following the novel. I hope we can all keep it up, <3.