Illimitable Until Death

“Great… great… grandfather?”

Looking at Sherlock facing Fang Li, Aria stood in mid-air, completely stunned.

She was truly and utterly stunned.

It was a level of losing self-control that Fang Li had never witnessed before.

It was as if even her soul had vanished at that very moment, and as though her psyche had undergone the most profound trauma, Aria’s youthful and charming face drained of color, leaving her completely numb in place.

And it was only natural.

Seeing her most respected ancestor appear here was only one of the reasons for such a reaction.

The more significant reason was what Aria had witnessed just before arriving here – the conflict between Daio and Ignatis, even the presence of Tohyama Kinji – she had learned about Fang Li’s battle with the leader of I-U.

But…

“Great-grandfather is the leader?”

Aria’s voice trembled as she spoke.

After all, the people responsible for putting her mother in prison were from I-U. Moreover, Sherlock, being the world’s most renowned detective committed to justice, suddenly turns into a criminal – how could Aria accept that?

In response, Sherlock’s face bore a smile filled with gentleness as he gazed at Aria, and he said, “Finally, we meet Aria. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”

“Ah… Ah…”

Aria seemed to lose all strength, descending slowly from mid-air and finally falling to the ground, going down on her knees.

At this moment, Shirayuki rushed in from outside.

“Li-Kun.” Shirayuki cast a complex look at the dazed Aria, then lowered her head toward Fang Li, almost on the verge of tears, and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know Aria had a flying item. She ended up smashing the ice gate and breaking out.”

“You picked the wrong time to come.” Fang Li finally managed a wry smile and said to Shirayuki, “Regardless, Shirayuki, you should take Aria away quickly.”

However, Sherlock immediately rejected this idea.

“That won’t do. I won’t let you interfere,” Sherlock shook his head, saying, “My life has reached its end, and today is my only chance. You can’t obstruct me.”

Saying this, Sherlock pointed firmly toward Fang Li and Shirayuki.

“Chī——!”

Fang Li and Shirayuki’s bodies suddenly emitted steam for no apparent reason.

With the loss of steam, Fang Li felt his strength draining away, his throat became parched, his skin turned dry, and even his blood seemed to stop flowing. His vision darkened, and he fell to his knees.

“Ah…!” Shirayuki also couldn’t help but let out a cry, falling to the ground, her body emitting smoke.

In this state, disregarding Shirayuki for now, Fang Li felt his strength fading to the point where he could barely grip his dagger. His body felt unbearably heavy.

This rapid loss of bodily fluids was causing this condition.

“Sherlock…” Fang Li weakly lowered his body, struggling to raise his head, and hoarsely said, “You…”

“Don’t worry, Fang Li-Kun. I won’t take your lives. However, for now, I hope you can watch from there,” Sherlock shifted his vision to Aria’s body, slowly raised the hand gripping Hidan, and continued, “Inheriting Hidan is a complex process. Aside from needing an extremely high level of self-esteem and a childish personality, the inheritor must also spend at least three years in close proximity to Hidan.”

“The first condition led me to choose Aria. She already possesses high self-esteem, and her childishness even surpasses her self-esteem in some aspects. Undoubtedly, she’s the most suitable candidate to inherit Hidan.”

“The problem lies in the second condition. It may seem simple, but it’s actually the most challenging. Hidan’s power makes it a target for many people, even nations covet it. In such circumstances, entrusting Aria to safeguard it for three years, until it awakens, is extremely difficult.”

“Thus, only I, who have become a Hidan Awakener, can protect Aria. However, I also must entrust Hidan to Aria for three years.”

“It’s only through me, who possesses Hidan’s power, that I can protect Aria. To accomplish that, I must carry Hidan at all times, yet I must also ensure Aria carries Hidan for three years. Resolving this contradiction during those three years is the greatest challenge of my life.”

“However, what can help me overcome this challenge is also Hidan.”

With these words, Sherlock’s entire body once again radiated a crimson light.

“Hum…”

At that moment, Aria’s dazed body also emitted the same light.

This finally jolted Aria out of her daze, and she spoke in confusion, “What… what’s happening?”

Fang Li was equally astonished.

The crimson light, unmistakably, was Hidan’s light.

Did Aria’s body also contain Hidan?

No, wait.

Sherlock hadn’t yet passed on Hidan to Aria, so logically, her body shouldn’t contain Hidan.

On the other hand, Shirayuki, observing this scene, although her expression was extremely weak, there was a sense of enlightenment in her eyes as she muttered.

“As I thought, Aria is Hidan’s inheritor.”

Evidently, Shirayuki had known about Hidan’s existence from the start.

Sherlock glanced deeply at Shirayuki at this point, then turned to Aria, who was radiating crimson light, and spoke with a gentle tone, “Don’t worry Aria. It’s just a resonance phenomenon caused by both of us being holders of Hihiirokane. When I activate Hidan’s power, you will naturally resonate and release the same power.”

“However, that’s not enough.”

Sherlock pointed a finger toward Aria after he finished speaking.

“Chī——!”

The crimson light on Sherlock’s body instantly gathered at his fingertip.

“Hum——!”

Likewise, the crimson light on Aria’s body converged on the tip of her finger, forming a corresponding effect.

Aria widened her eyes once again.

“Aria.” Suddenly, Sherlock spoke with an undeniable tone, saying, “Aim that finger at me.”

Aria trembled all over and involuntarily raised her hand, pointing the finger that held the gathered crimson light towards Sherlock.

“Buzz——!”

In that instant, the crimson light on both Sherlock and Aria’s fingertips surged and trembled.

The next moment, the two streams of crimson light, as if drawn together, erupted simultaneously, forming beams of light that shot forward.