It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

Although she was old enough to be one of these "adults," the Dark Knights, Xiao Nuo had always understood that she was simply more outstanding than the children. After all, the other children didn't dwell on this, and she had put in the effort, so she deserved it.

Her unyielding character prevented her from showing weakness, and she didn't think she was any worse than anyone else. After all, if the Dark Knights didn't use their "magic," or the so-called prayers, many knights would be far inferior to Xiao Nuo.

She is ruthless and direct in her attacks, possessing superb skills and not afraid of any situation. This makes her a natural warrior, extremely brave and invincible.

Until these days come.

First of all, there was the demise of the old knight - he was the person Xiao Nuo admired the most, the one who picked her up when she was left in the mountains, taught her, and raised her. It was also because of him that Xiao Nuo wanted to become a knight.

The moment she learned of his death, she was filled with surprise, anger, and panic. But as she stood before his grave, her hands, holding the flowers, suddenly relaxed, letting the flowers fall. In an instant, a single emotion overtook her, suppressing all other emotions to the very end of her body...

That is the feeling of being powerless.

Then, Bai Lin arrived. She encountered a new master, one even more ruthless and skilled than herself. In front of Bai Lin, her advantage vanished. If she wanted to defeat Bai Lin in practical training, she had to train constantly, becoming capable of going head-to-head with him and defeating him in such a confrontation.

Of course, she didn't want to do this because she was absolutely competitive with Bai Lin. But when she repeatedly asked Bai Lin why he knew the true meaning of the Dark Knight but didn't teach her, Bai Lin would always say:

"You want to reason with me? Then you have to beat me first."

Bai Lin's attitude had always been ambiguous, which annoyed Xiao Nuo greatly. However, her interactions with Bai Lin also made her feel incredibly... natural, or perhaps even comfortable.

Bai Lin was indeed powerful, and without a doubt, she was a very powerful person in her mind. So she had always admired this master, and gradually wanted to surpass her one day.

Complete this final assignment.

But now, she was dead, right in front of him.

As the Dark Knights emerged across the city, Xiao Nuo struggled to keep up. This work, pushing her to her limits, was the first time she felt overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness. It was the old knight's guidance and Bai Lin's companionship that kept her going.

But now, they have all dispersed.

"Even you guys lost... How can I believe I can keep moving forward?"

"What else can I do?"

The rain streaked across her scars and broken armor, washing away the traces of battle and leaving behind cold wounds.

Her heart began to waver. After all, she had never truly understood why those knights were so unquestioning in their efforts to save others. From the very beginning, she had only been pursuing others, and she had never been able to find the answer for herself.

The knights each had their own understanding, but Xiao Nuo didn't think it was a big deal.

Not long after Bai Lin arrived, she understood what the Dark Knight was in just a few words. This made her a little confused, but she could still accept it.

But Qianhua...why did she do that, and what did she understand?

It was as if I was the only one, alienated from the world. Yearning for someone, I walked towards a direction I didn't even know. Only when those dreams were completely shattered and the light faded did I realize I was just wandering in a dark corner.

Still so fragile, unable to even muster the fighting spirit.

Her green eyes were ashen, but at the corner of her mouth hung a bitter smile that seemed to be self-deprecating. And the god of death, at this moment, was already standing beside Xiao Nuo.

"I know you're still alive. This is your last chance. Hand over the things and I'll give you a quick death."

The muzzle of the gun was pointed at Xiao Nuo's forehead. Clearly, in the eyes of the god of death, this person had no chance of being rescued. Her words were clear and concise. It was really ironic to think that Xiao Nuo had treated the other person as dead a few minutes ago.

Xiao Nuo, however, seemed to have heard nothing, and she didn't say anything. This made Death frown slightly. She raised the muzzle of the gun slightly, and when she was about to pull the trigger, Xiao Nuo spoke again.

“…I remember now.”

"what are you saying?"

Death seemed to think he had heard it wrong and asked back. A long, dry, and slightly weak voice came out from Xiao Nuo's mouth.

"When she was blocking that shot, her last words to me were, 'From now on, it's up to you.' This meant that she believed that by sacrificing herself and saving my life, she could accomplish this."

"As for her personally, her judgment in battle is not mixed with personal feelings. So this point cannot be wrong."

Death stared at Xiao Nuo. Even as she piloted the mecha, fully armed, she sensed a certain ambiguity in her words. Xiao Nuo looked like a candle in the wind. What meaning did these fragmented words hold?

But then, the opponent's fist collided with his own. Unbeknownst to him, Xiao Nuo had already stood up and launched a punch towards Death. Under Death's calculations, the collision of iron and flesh resounded instantly. It was sharp and swift, but compared to his own iron fist, it lacked strength.

Chapter 943: Must Do This

This sudden burst of power seemed to ignite Xiao Nuo's vitality. Because it seemed to be just a last gasp of energy that was about to fade away. In the eyes of the god of death, Xiao Nuo had no chance of throwing another punch, but -

An even more powerful blow followed.

The fists that were originally in front of him collided with each other, and with this blow, they came directly in front of the God of Death, which made the God of Death tremble slightly.

It's getting faster and stronger. This doesn't make sense. Could it be a miracle's final counterattack?

She had to take the opponent in front of her seriously, rather than just seeing him as the remains of a broken body. Death raised his other hand slightly, preparing to strike back, but the next moment, Xiao Nuo's fist struck again, leaving her no chance to counterattack.

It's getting faster again.

Xiao Nuo raised her eyebrows slightly, hiding in the shadows. Her face, wet with blood and rain, still showed weakness and fragility. She clamped down on the opponent's attack, lowered her body slightly, and whispered,

"To this day, I still can't figure out how everyone did it. I don't know what a true Dark Knight is, and why they sacrifice themselves is beyond my comprehension."

"Is all this truly correct? I can't say for sure. After all, judging by the facts, their endings weren't good. Honestly, I used to think that this wasn't a good thing, considering that the old man and the Son of God both ended up in such bad shape. But looking more closely, aren't all the Dark Knights in such a miserable state right now?"

The Death Goddess, unwilling to listen to Xiao Nuo's nagging, pushed hard with both hands, breaking the opponent's grip. But as the Death Goddess raised her foot, Xiao Nuo, as if anticipating her intention, had already raised her foot, as if to first step on the opponent's knee and suppress him. After some calculations, the Death Goddess switched from a straight kick to a side kick, aiming for the opponent's head. But Xiao Nuo blocked the kick with both hands, directly catching the fierce kick.

The heavy collision caused Xiao Nuo's neck to crack with a loud sound. But she turned her head and looked relieved. At this time, the eyes of the God of Death moved slightly.

"I don't know exactly why you're doing this, but if you live for your beliefs without strong power, you're nothing more than a bunch of miserable losers. The same goes for her, and you, too!"

As she spoke, the thrusters on Death's back lifted her upper body, and her other leg lifted off the ground and launched a side kick, aiming for Xiao Nuo's head. Xiao Nuo dodged to the side and back. Death, in a flash, returned to normal form and chased after her foe, only to be stopped by his fists.

"Really? Having defeated her, you do have the right to call her a failure. This isn't a world of idealism. Lack of strength is insufficient, no matter how strong your faith is."

Xiao Nuo's fists crisscrossed, her speed and output still increasing. Death couldn't see her expression, but he could clearly sense that something was wrong. His own attacks felt powerful but unable to be used. The opponent's offensive was clearly not too strong, but it was just suppressed.

Xiao Nuo's hoarse voice gradually gained momentum as she said,

"Using their tiny bodies, they challenge the errors that permeate the entire world. The disparity in strength is obvious to everyone. Such people are obviously fools. They are all utterly foolish. The Dark Knights are just a group of fools who happened to come together. They also attract more fools, and new ones continue to join."

"But look! What they're doing is effective. Look at this city. Isn't that the most powerful result?"

The fire flickered, and between the collisions of the attacks, the Death God pressed forward, but was countered by Xiao Nuo. She raised her hands, and while chasing after him, she asked,

"Are you referring to this dilapidated and chaotic scene? How ridiculous! Is this the result? It seems you're nothing more than a bunch of terrorists venting your emotions."

"You've never grown fruit before, have you? You know, the best fruit is the one that's produced after generations of selection. Chaos is only temporary. When the night fades away, the deepest darkness remains before dawn. People still need to move forward, and so do we."

Xiao Nuo lunged forward, her fist waving, and her expression finally cleared. Her piercing eyes no longer shone with anger and fear, but with a clear purpose. Her fist unexpectedly landed on the Grim Reaper, who, perhaps momentarily lost in thought, saw her expression.

She had killed the "Donut Warriors" in this city before. They had similar expressions back then. She didn't understand it at the time, but now she was in this situation, and she was really stunned by Xiao Nuo's sudden change of expression. Of course, she was not injured, and she reacted instantly and fought back at Xiao Nuo. But he directly blocked her attack.

"Otherwise, how can we move towards the dawn?"

Xiao Nuo clenched her fists, and her expression became even more fierce. She said in a clear voice,

"I don't understand why they sacrificed themselves for the sake of greatness, but I want to succeed them. Because they never failed, and if no one continues their legacy, they will face true sorrow."

The times slowly advance. This is destined to be a long battle. Not only do you need to persevere, but those who come after you must also persevere. Wherever you fall, it's a testament to having burned yourself out, not a failure.

"It's not a question of whether I'm strong enough or whether I can do it. It's a question of wanting to do it, and I have to do it."

The rain slowly stopped, a dry wind streaking across the wet trail, carrying thoughts towards the horizon like the dance of birds and insects on a sunny day. Xiao Nuo clenched her fists and continued to chase. An indistinct light seemed to surround her, and her attack actually struck Death directly in the chest.

Her breastplate cracked, having received a heavy blow. This was undoubtedly another surprising experience for the God of Death. After all, no matter what happened before, even if Xiao Nuo defended against his attack, it would still be Xiao Nuo who was injured. But now, the situation was out of control.

Impossible, how could she not have calculated that? Even if she was fast, it was obviously impossible for her to hurt me.

"She said she would hand it over to me. Then I will let the Holy Son and my master take a good look at all this. Let's see how far I can go."

Chapter 944 The sky is bright

The sound grew clearer, audible amidst the vastness of the city's ruins. Her eyes were clear, staring straight ahead.

The memories of living with her companions, the old knight's earnest teachings, the memory of Bai Lin fighting alongside her as both mentor and friend—everything flowed into the power of her dancing fists, as her breathing gradually steadied. She struck again, giving Death no chance to react. Two more punches sent Death flying back several meters, nearly knocking him to the ground.

The broken shell, the broken body, the messy hair, and the crystal-clear eyes, just like the first wisps of white light revealed on the horizon, make people look at it and clearly feel three ordinary, yet full of emotion words in their hearts:

"Its daybreak."

The light of the morning sun shines through the clouds and touches the sky above the city. Tranquility and peace, embracing the light of life that brings life to all things, makes everything peaceful, natural, and beautiful.

The commotion in the streets died down. Amidst the shattered ruins, people embraced the sunlight. They felt as if they hadn't seen such a peaceful light in ages.

Qianhua and Jack-donkey also smiled at this moment. Even the knights lying on the hospital beds, looking out the window, had this moment imprinted in their minds.

Finally, the long night is over and the rain is over and the sky is clear.

These three words, so plain, were uttered softly by Xiao Nuo. She seemed to be describing a phenomenon worthy of her attention, or perhaps even declaring something. Her tone, even without any fluctuations, held an undeniable sense of pressure.

After all, this is true, isn't it?

The darkness gradually faded, and the sun gradually emerged from the edge of the city's tall buildings, casting its radiance on Xiao Nuo's shoulders. With her back to the sun, she was bathed in the sunlight, and her eyes, like the light of the morning sun, quietly illuminated everything before her.

A vague light gradually took shape, enveloping her entire body. Just like her pale golden hair, clear and flowing, a new set of armour, with long pendulums, emerged from the remains of the original armour.

She was dressed in the dawn, and in the breeze, she brought the future.

Looking up at Xiao Nuo standing on the ruins, Death could not help but be stunned. She seemed shocked by what she saw. After all, it was the first time she had seen such a sunrise.

But then, her gaze narrowed again. No matter what, what she had to do remained unchanged. While the enemy looked different and more dangerous than before, it was a fact that she had already sustained significant injuries. Despite the slight risk, killing them swiftly and directly was the safest option at the moment.

Reduce variables and give it your all.

A crimson glow once again emanated from the Grim Reaper's body. The previous all-out bombardment had depleted most of her energy, but even for a single close combat, it was still more than enough. A powerful punch swiftly launched towards Xiao Nuo. But Xiao Nuo took it directly, without any fuss. With a simple raise of her hand, the collision had already begun and ended.

Xiao Nuo's eyes slanted slightly, and her free hand flashed with light. The sharp spikes made of light wrapped around the tip of her fist, and her three swift punches landed directly on the body of the God of Death. The simple and unpretentious blows directly knocked the God of Death away.

Impossible, how could it not be calculated?

The Grim Reaper, who had been sent flying, seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation. That previous blow wasn't a so-called last gasp or a coincidence at all; it was a real change that had taken place in Xiao Nuo.

Indeed, this was indeed the case. Xiao Nuo's current state couldn't be predicted simply by using data. Conceptually, she was like the inevitable dawn, reflecting the future illuminated by light.

The future is unpredictable. When so-called fate is undetermined, it becomes unconstrained and full of infinite possibilities. Because of this, these lights can also change freely, just as Xiao Nuo imagines.

The future where daylight exists will naturally be strong and bright, illuminating all things.

Xiao Nuo swiftly pursued, instantly attacking the sent-flying Death. She gripped a long blade with both hands, swirled it, and slashed directly at the opponent's torso. The Death God quickly raised his hands, colliding completely with the blade. The sharp sound of the blade cleaving instantly resounded, carrying with it a tornado of shells and flesh.

Xiao Nuo didn't hesitate. She freed one hand, and the dagger slid from her sleeve, thrusting directly into the opponent's face. As soon as the blade deflected, Death used both hands to intercept the fatal blow. But the next moment, she felt the resistance of her fingers loosen, and her heavy body felt an inexplicable restraint. A powerful pull slammed her down to the ground, shattering the already shattered ground into new pieces.

A long whip with nine sharp blades was wrapped around the body of the Grim Reaper. Before she could break free, Xiao Nuo, holding the whip tightly in one hand, raised the giant axe in the other and chopped it down directly at the opponent's neck.

At this moment, Death no longer dared to be complacent. She gritted her teeth as a sharp, stinging pain once again devoured most of her life. A powerful light suddenly erupted from her body, a destructive heat wave, like a crimson catastrophe, obliterating even the sunlight. And our Xiao Nuo also formed a large shield, retreating significantly as the crimson light impacted her.

Even if it were unpredictable, Xiao Nuo's speed and strength couldn't possibly surpass the Grim Reaper's. Unlike Bai Lin, she couldn't directly calculate backwards and then unleash her might. Yet, she did just that.

The answer, in fact, was revealed when she got up from the ground. Because she had been using it to surpass her limits.

Death wasn't the only one tormenting her body. Xiao Nuo didn't show it, but she endured all the pain. This was her advantage, created by her own hands.

The Death God, having broken free from its restraints, panted and locked onto its enemy in the thick smoke. But she could see nothing, as if her observation system had failed. It was only when she was about to be struck that she caught a glimpse of a sharp light coming from in front of her. She immediately raised her hands, ready to fight back, but—

The next moment, she discovered that the light was not only coming from in front of her.

Chapter 945: Apprentice Follows Master

Instead, it came from all directions, like a torrent.

Sharp blades of light, transformed into flying knives, swarmed towards the Death God. By the time she came to her senses, she was already overwhelmed, unable to even consider where Xiao Nuo was. The Death God had no choice but to maneuver her artillery, forcibly twisting her waist to withstand the incoming fire, then blasting away most of it, barely managing to protect herself from all directions. But she never caught sight of Xiao Nuo.

A chilling sensation washed over her from the depths of her soul. A flash of light instantly pierced the smoke and cascaded down from Xiao Nuo's Nagami. A cascade of light instantly washed over the Death God's body, leaving her powerless to react. Fine streams of blades formed a radiance, leaving numerous scars on her body. The Death God's body quickly collapsed, and she plummeted forward.

Standing still, Xiao Nuo didn't give the opponent any chance to breathe. Holding her breath, she concentrated her mind, her long sword transformed into a spear, and the cold light locked onto the enemy's head. Meanwhile, our Death God had just stood up. When she turned around, the cold spear tip had already pierced her body.

Death's eyes widened in disbelief, blood foam splattering from her mouth. The massive wound chilled her body rapidly. She reached out and grasped Xiao Nuo's shoulder, still poised. She seemed to question him with her fiery gaze.

Xiao Nuo simply responded with an icy attack. She transformed her spear into a blade, slashed it sideways, and pulled the blade out, completing her task.

Seeing the other person fall in front of her, Xiao Nuo took two steps back with an unstable center of balance. A lot of cold sweat broke out from her forehead. She was gasping for breath because of her serious injuries and the crazy actions that exceeded her limits one after another after that.

The light gradually faded from her body. The morning light still gently enveloped her, but her body could no longer bear its power.

There are still things... that are unfinished. I must return alive so that I can continue what they have not yet accomplished.

She managed to steady herself, not falling. She seemed to be thinking this in her mind. But before she could even take a step, she was unable to move an inch further and collapsed to the ground, blood oozing from her body.

She gasped for breath. Though embraced by the light, her body grew colder and colder. Darkness gradually filled her vision, gradually eroding her consciousness.

It’s no use...huh?

She couldn't struggle and could only face it all helplessly. Finally, before closing her eyes, she thought,

Well, that's it. Although I'm reluctant, I've done it.

Did you see that, Master?

The vision dimmed.