Looking at Jill Young, it's clear she's on another level—her skills are way better than those amateur cannonballs.
"Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! Hold it together, hold it together, hold it together!" Jill's legs plowed through the water, sending up massive waves as she lost control and sped backward. That was way too close—she almost got launched into outer space! Good thing Mom went full power and yanked them back—though, man, her head hurts! Stars in her eyes, everything going black, and that throbbing pain in the back of her skull!
Before she could recover from the splitting headache, there was a loud bang—Jill's back crashed into something.
Something really solid, but weirdly... kinda satisfying to touch...
Boom! The shockwave spread out, sending the surrounding seawater surging. Jill's endless retreat finally came to a stop.
"Huh? It absorbed every bit of the impact, not bad for a cushion! What is this thing?" Jill whipped around, her eyes widening instantly. She saw a long-lost, familiar, black silhouette.
Black Death Emperor.
Yep, Jill's back landed smack dab on the Black Death Emperor's back—couldn't have aimed it better if she tried!
At that moment, the Emperor—who'd been cruising calmly across the ocean—suddenly stopped dead. His imperial robe billowed without wind, and his night-black hair floated softly. The black dragon patterns on his body slowly shifted, and Jill noticed golden Boundary Mark light suddenly glowing from herself as well.
The next second, the Black Death Emperor did something nobody could've predicted.
He turned around!
This godlike being who never, ever changes his posture, who ignores every attack—at the moment Jill crashed into his back, he turned around!
He slowly twisted his head, revealing half his profile. The Black Death Emperor's empty eyes shifted ever so slightly, and for a moment, he and Jill were back-to-back, sharing a fleeting glance.
In that glance, it felt like the whole universe was inside.
"Uh..."
Right now.
This very scene.
Jill was stunned.
Did I just... crash into someone... seriously major...?
He's not gonna get mad, right? He's not gonna hit me back, right?
At a time like this, I can't let this guy cause any more trouble!
No way, the vibe is way too awkward—I gotta say something to break the ice!
"Uh... Old—Old what? Old Black? No, Old Bro—uh, Old Black Bro! Wow, long time no see, what a coincidence running into you here—well, more like crashing into you, huh? Guess we really are fated! Uh... How's your chin? Sorry I hit too hard last time, but the curve looks great now, so I guess you healed up fine. Ha, ha ha ha ha!"
Holy crap, what am I even saying? This is so cringe!
And up close... the Black Death Emperor is, damn, ridiculously handsome—a whole new level of super hot, even a bit hotter than me, Jade Hawk Johnson!
But more than just looks—the real kicker is—Jill's awkward smile vanished as her inner power surged, the Solar Crest on her brow flared, golden mist rose naturally, and even the five dragon forces in her body started roaring like mad—the thing is, this Black Death Emperor is seriously strong.
Last time I saw him, my skills were low, my world was small, I couldn't sense anything. Now, with my power way up and this close again, I can just barely feel it—the terrifying energy hidden in this mindless body, all around, behind, everywhere.
I can only sense a little, but there's no mistaking it—it's the kind of strength that could bind the whole world, leave everyone helpless, unable to resist. Utterly hopeless strength.
Every time I think I've improved, I end up sensing even more—I keep realizing just how much scarier this guy is than I ever imagined.
Is this... what a real god is?
Is this... the kind of power that can go toe-to-toe with fate itself?
Is this... the target I always imagined when I punched at the sky?
Standing on the ocean surface, Jill turned around and stared at the Black Death Emperor's back.
Pop! The air cracked as Jill clenched her right fist.
Today, I'm not the same person I was before!
But then she relaxed her fist.
She let go, not out of giving up, but out of hope. Being able to see is better than not seeing. Going from blind to aware means real progress—it means I'm getting closer to his level.
One day, I'll get close to you, reach you, and then challenge you.
One day, I'll break through the Sixth Limit, the Seventh Limit, and more and more limits—then I'll stand before you again.
I won't be looking up at you like last time, or chasing your back like now. Then, I'll stand tall, face you head-on, and say—
Please—witness my fist.
Speaking of which, the stronger you get, the scarier your memories become—and there's one old guy who stands out. Jill suddenly remembered that black-hearted oil dealer: "Thinking back now, the more I recall, the more unfathomable Dr. Thomas Tang seems. Could the ordinary martial arts world really produce a bug like that? This infinite, chaotic universe is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers."
While Jill was locked in a staring contest with the Black Death Emperor, the Pacific Fleet Command was in total chaos.
"We've got movement on the target!"
"What the—he actually stopped!"
"Quick, zoom in—I want to see exactly what's happening!"
"A woman! A woman in some kind of magical black armor, with wild, colorful, flowing hair!"
"Who is this woman? Why did the Black Death Emperor stop for her? Huh? She seems to be talking—what's she saying? Analyze her lip movements! Chinese? Translate, quick!—Uh... Old Black Bro? Chin? Hit? Recovery?" The commander stared at the translation, eyes spinning, then looked blankly at Jill on the screen: "Just... who is this woman...?"
But honestly, this woman looks like someone you can actually talk to—unlike the Black Death Emperor, who's totally impossible to communicate with.
Can she influence the Black Death Emperor? Can she make him stop? She seems to have some kind of history with him. Maybe... maybe she's the turning point in this hopeless war...
Just then, a piercing whistle—several missiles streaked toward the Black Death Emperor and Jill at seven times the speed of sound.
"Who fired? Who the hell fired?" The commander was about to explode.
The XO was stunned: "You set the attack sequence earlier, sir, and never gave the order to stop."
Smack! The commander slapped himself hard, then roared, "Quick, signal the whole fleet—cease fire!"
But as the saying goes, spilled water can't be reclaimed—in those few seconds, the missiles were already overhead.
"Oh crap!" Danger incoming—instinct kicked in. Jill's Innate Power erupted, her right hand raised, and several Six Meridian Sword beams were about to shoot from her fingertips as she prepared to intercept the deadly missiles.
But then, something even more unexpected—and even more terrifying for the US military—happened.
The Black Death Emperor, who had always ignored all attacks from mortals, suddenly raised his hand in response to these not-so-special missiles.