On the northern side of the city,
Tony, who had run as fast as he could, quickly returned to Kelvin's place. He rushed inside and hurried to check on his friend.
Opening the bedroom door, he saw that Kelvin was asleep.
"Kelvin, now's not the time to sleep…," Tony murmured.
He froze when he noticed how gaunt Kelvin's face had become. Approaching slowly, he placed a finger under Kelvin's nose.
Tony forced a smile, but his eyes betrayed deep confusion. Because Kelvin wasn't breathing.
"No… I don't believe it," Tony whispered.
But as he touched Kelvin's chest, reality hit him hard. The body was cold, the bones protruding beneath the skin.
"…But my chaotic ether…," Tony muttered, summoning a flicker of chaotic energy in his hand, ready to plunge it into Kelvin's body.
Suddenly, a firm hand stopped him.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. He's dead. That's life," a mocking voice said.
Tony didn't need to turn around to know who was behind him.
"You… Li, no, I'm sure that's not your real name," he growled.
"Tell me, why did you claim chaotic ether could delay his death?" Tony asked, his voice dark.
Rieze let out a scornful laugh.
"Honestly, I don't know much about chaos. But I do know this: if you mishandle chaotic ether and suffer side effects, like producing it unintentionally, it can affect the wielder… and those around them. The effects? Amplified emotions, mental corruption—like paranoia or obsession," Rieze explained with a provocative smirk.
"And what does that have to do with this?" Tony demanded, fists clenched.
"Well, Dono's poison is vicious, just like him. If the victim willingly says they want to die, the poison gathers in one spot and strikes straight at the heart… of… the… victim," Rieze sang, savoring each word.
Tony cut him off, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall, a black sword gleaming in his other hand.
"You—what did you do?" he roared.
"I just told dear Kelvin what I'm telling you now. At first, I didn't think he'd do it. But when he heard Polla was dead, along with his other friends… well, he chose to end it all," Rieze replied with chilling calm.
Tony's teeth ground together, his face twisted with rage.
"You… You did this on purpose. You knew I had to stay with him to keep him alive! All so the chaotic ether leaking from me would amplify his emotions, and then you told him about Polla's death!"
Rieze chuckled, still pinned against the wall. "Well, you're smarter than you look!"
Then his tone grew more sinister. "But tell me, Tony, was your bond with Kelvin real? Or was it just an obsession caused by your chaotic ether?"
Tony flinched. "What are you trying to say?"
"Well, it's been what… four or five days since you met Kelvin? And you're already so attached to him. Was it genuine, or just an obsession fueled by your chaotic ether? Huh, Tony?" Rieze taunted, laughing.
Tony froze, lost in thought.
What was he to me? Just an obsession? Deep down, I knew chaos couldn't heal anyone. Was I truly obsessed with Kelvin? No… I think I saw him as the little brother I never had. My way of helping was giving him advice, warnings. If I'd helped too much, he might have abandoned his goal. But his journey ended before it even began.
After a long silence, Tony raised his head and glared at Rieze.
"You… I'm sure you set Polla up. And now, what? You expect me to unleash my hatred on this entire city?"
Rieze flashed a mocking grin. "Truth be told, seeing the tears streaming down your face, I can tell you're holding back from killing me right now. And if you're restraining yourself because of the non-cultivators living their peaceful lives… let me tell you, you've already poisoned them all with the same venom that killed Kelvin!"
Tony's face paled. "What do you mean?" he shouted.
"Earlier, when you set fire to the flower shop, I had applied the poison in liquid form onto you. When you entered the shop, Dono, who controls water, made it drip to the ground and vaporized it. With the explosion, the poison mixed with the smoke that spread over the city," Rieze revealed with a triumphant sneer.
Tony staggered, unable to respond.
"That's right—you've all been dancing in the palm of my hand! Even your friend Aconé… it was so easy to swap Polla's good tea for the one Dono poisoned."
"YOU! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" Tony roared, driving his black sword into Rieze's abdomen.
But Rieze's only response was a macabre laugh that sent chills down Tony's spine.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Did you really think I'd come here with my real body?"
Tony looked down at Rieze's abdomen. Not a drop of blood. Only white light spilled from the wound, vanishing as soon as it emerged.
"A puppet…," Tony whispered.
"Hmm, no, I'd say more of a white light clone. Not powerful enough to create fake organs, but enough to replicate my skin, face, and hair. You can destroy this clone if you want—you'll find nothing but white light inside," Rieze mocked.
Taking advantage of the moment, Rieze yanked the sword from his abdomen. With a swift motion, he unleashed a massive beam of white light that violently threw Tony backward.
"Sorry, but this clone can't be broken yet. In a few hours, my real body will reach rank nine," Rieze said as he walked away, his laughter echoing through the room.