Chapter 2187

2187 – Almost Good News

On the other side of the planet Donara—

Inhale

“Fwooo~”

Inhale

“Fwoo~”

Richard slowly exchanged breaths, as if he were getting reacquainted with his respiratory system from scratch.

Compared to that day when the passage first opened and he fought alongside everyone, Richard had changed a lot.

He had become noticeably thinner, his skin clinging to his bones so tightly that his features had altered. His lips were dry and cracked, his eyes filled with burst capillaries, and even his clothes were not intact—full of holes like a seasoned beggar!

Hoo~

The next moment, another person appeared in the room, materializing with such eerie silence that even the air particles didn’t stir, so much so that Richard himself didn’t sense someone standing just two steps away.

It was Theo… who stood there, looking at his younger brother with eyes full of pity for his condition.

Truly… the father didn’t make things easy for anyone. Even the person who was asked to focus solely on training wasn’t in any better shape than the rest.

“Little brother, is everything alright?” Theo finally asked.

“…” Richard steadily opened one eye, saw the newcomer, then closed it again: “Hello… second brother… please… have a seat…” Then he stirred from his seat to get up and pour him a drink.

"Please stay where you are." Theo pressed him down, "I'm afraid you'll break your leg trying to get up." Then he pulled up a chair and sat beside him, "What's wrong with you? You never look well."

"..." Richard didn't reply for a few seconds, gathering the strength to do so, then sighed with difficulty and looked into Theo's eyes, "I've reached... the twenty-first level... of the Merged Antimatter Law..." He raised his hand as if inviting Theo to watch, "Trying to use it... isn't pleasant most of the time... as you can see..."

"..." Theo nodded in understanding.

Antimatter is a fourth-tier miraculous law, intertwined with the Law of Core Fission, which rivals the Law of Core Destruction in its demand for high specialized affinity. Yet the Shadow Swords worked with Sky Opener City to provide an elixir to temporarily boost his affinity.

This was in addition to the elixirs boosting affinity for the Law of Life, the Law of Fire, and the Law of Energy!

When all of this was consumed to wield the Antimatter Law, the body entered a state of severe shock. This shock alone could kill most people, but Robin relied on Richard's body having been tempered by the fire of life and storing life force within him for a long time.

And he was right... Richard indeed endured the fourth-tier elixir.

But apparently, things are not going as they should.

Thinking about this, he was seized by hesitation for a moment regarding the Cosmic Silence Law… Would he really be able to endure it, break it, and use it?!

“…Is the merged law out of control?” Theo wondered when he saw the torn patches on Richard’s new clothes.

“…Very much so.” Richard slowly rubbed between his brows. “Controlling precise proportions… of all four laws at all times… is extremely difficult… any slight fluctuation turns against me, especially since I have no… affinity for fission.” Then he showed a weak smile. “You know what’s funny? Antimatter has cost me my limbs… and several internal organs more than once during its eruption… My only fear is that it might attack my head itself one day… I won’t have a chance to rebuild my body then.”

“…That’s not funny.” Theo opened his mouth in concern. “Have you told your father what’s happening?”

If his father knew that Richard had been facing the risk of death daily since reaching Level 21, he would definitely not leave him alone!

"You know him... he never hands over anything unless it's perfect," Richard shook his head. "The merged antimatter law... it's perfect as is, so any shortcomings... any problems that arise... it's usually my fault." Then he smiled. "What do I tell him? ...That I'm a failure who can't use the law... that he should invent something and save me? ...No, I have no face left."

His father had already helped him immensely, exceeding all his expectations when he asked him to become stronger and gave him a quadruple merged law that had never appeared in the universe—with what right could he ask for more?!

"...As your brother, I want to pressure you into asking him for something to help you," Theo looked directly into Richard's eyes, "but as another son of your father, I know how you feel... even if my guts were torn piece by piece while using the merged Cosmic Silence Law, I would never go back to ask for help."

"The Cosmic Silence Law?" Richard raised his eyebrows slightly, then smiled joyfully. "Did he add... a law for you too? What did you get?"

"Time." Theo showed a satisfied smile.

"Hah..." Richard laughed bitterly, joy mixed with pain. "Congratulations, big brother... this calls for a celebration..."

"Sit down." Theo waved with a laugh. "After seeing you in this state, my enthusiasm to start has faded."

"Heh... heh..." Richard leaned his back against the wall behind him. "I know this... isn't real... Perhaps you're moving with longing... more than before."

"Perhaps." Théo showed a pure smile. "...I've brought you something from your father." Then his expression shifted to one of awkwardness and strangeness as he handed over a metal plate.

"What... is this?" Richard reached out, pulled it toward himself, and began to examine it.

"It's good news!" Théo tried to sound excited for him. "It's a customized method to achieve the Sixth Path. Once you complete these simple adjustments, you won't need the elixir anymore, and your body won't suffer the successive shocks that brought you to this state!"

"..."

"...And you know what else?" Théo continued when he saw Richard wasn't very impressed. "With this method, your affinity for all those laws will increase by about 30%, including the core fission. So the problem of the law turning against you will disappear too!"

"..."

Richard gently lifted his eyes toward Théo after scanning something within the plate with his spirit, and asked in a low voice, "These instructions... they're only for level... eleven..."

"Yes, you'll only need to rebuild the 11th level, isn't that great?" Theo nodded, trying to appear enthusiastic and highlight the positives as much as possible, knowing full well the torment and suffering Richard experienced with every solid foundation he tried to build. "...But the levels above the 11th will change automatically, and any good level will take its optimal form on its own!"

"I..." Richard stared into Theo's eyes, "I have to build the 11th level from scratch?!"

"..." Theo nodded hesitantly.

*Thump*

Richard collapsed to the side, unconscious, with faint signs of a stroke on his face.