Yuna Ji raised a hand, and a black rope on it slowly writhed.
“It’s not betrayal, you know. Have you forgotten? You and I are both Yuna Ji. But what about them?”
“So that’s how it is? Looks like I truly underestimated you.”
Yuna Ji let out a chilling laugh. Her Ninefold Bone Tails braced against the ground, slowly lifting her into the air. She crossed her legs and sat down, poised above us.
“It’s my will that’s stronger than yours, which is why I can wield their power. Did you forget? The Ninefold Arsenal was personally forged by Yu Huang for all of them.”
Monster Yuna stared silently at Yuna Ji, her raised hand constantly twitching.
"You’re the one who forgot—why do these weapons exist here?"
Yuna Ji’s expression changed abruptly. She rose to her feet at once, but Monster Yuna was already upon her. A long spear lunged forward, and the nine Bone Tails instantly spiraled around Yuna Ji, binding her tight.
With a clang, the spear struck the Bone Tails. Two immense forces erupted, surging outward in opposite directions. Bones flew everywhere, and the ground was torn open, leaving two massive fissures.
A rushing wind sounded as the Ninefold Bone Tails struck at Monster Yuna again. She lightly leapt back, while Yuna Ji clutched her chest, her face pale and her condition clearly worsening.
But the injury Monster Yuna had just suffered didn’t affect her at all.
“You can never defeat me. As long as I possess the will to fight, as long as I exist in this world, you cannot bring me down.”
Yuna Ji said nothing, her face grave as she stared at Monster Yuna, slowly raising her hand.
“It’s useless. No matter how many bones you summon, for me, it’s nothing but a wave of my hand.”
What puzzled me even more was why Yuna Ji didn’t use the power she’d just awakened from her instincts. I couldn’t understand it at all.
“Maybe she can’t use it again so soon.”
Zhuang Bo muttered, and I kept watching. The power that had just radiated from Yuna Ji was gone, likely the result of her Battle Instinct awakening.
"Qingyuan, their conditions in this world are the same—both are limitless. Defeating the other is very difficult."
Zhuang Bo said, and I thought carefully.
“It’s about the surface and the core, isn’t it?”
Zhuang Bo nodded, then shook his head.
“It’s not that simple. Surface and core are one, but their situation is far more complicated. You can treat them as two separate individuals. Yuna Ji’s strength is endurance battles—if it were anyone else, the countless skeletons here would have already dragged them into her rhythm. But this time is different. What’s terrifying about the monster is her fighting instinct.”
I watched quietly and soon understood what Zhuang Bo meant. Normally, no matter how strong someone is, once they’re at a disadvantage, they stop attacking recklessly and focus on survival. I’ve faced this many times myself—at the end of a fight, I might risk everything for one last strike, but it’s always to stay alive. The promise I made to Lan Ruoxi often drives me on.
But now, there’s only pure combat—no thought of life or death. Only the will to fight drives Monster Yuna.
“Why not use your instincts, Yuna Ji? What are you afraid of?”
Monster Yuna asked, then attacked again. Yuna Ji defended herself with her Bone Tails and the Deathbane Longsword in her hand, as if hesitating about something.
“You handed everything over to me back then, didn’t you? Now you regret it? You want to end all this with your own hands? Hah. It was never good, was it? Everything you did, for better or worse, this is the result. And now you think you can erase it all—erase the past.”
“Shut up.”
Yuna Ji roared, her Ninefold Bone Tails launching a frenzied attack on Monster Yuna. Powerful gusts of air surged in all directions.
Yet Yuna Ji still seemed to hesitate about something. Suddenly, I cried out in alarm as Yuna Ji flew toward me, the bone plates around her shattering and one Bone Tail snapping completely.
With a crash, I raised both hands as flying bones struck my body. After a moment, I looked over and saw Yuna Ji climbing to her feet. Monster Yuna’s manic laughter echoed again and again.
“Are you still worried about the Nine Generals? You’re afraid that if you destroy me, all nine of them will die with me, aren’t you?”
Suddenly, I understood as I looked at Yuna Ji. The Nine Generals—now their consciousness must be intertwined with Monster Yuna’s will, so they follow Monster Yuna’s commands. Monster Yuna is the will that Yuna Ji created in utter desperation, trying to escape.
This will controls everything in Netherhell. Even Zhan Jue said he had no control here; all the power lies with Monster Yuna.
If that will is destroyed, the Nine Generals will be buried with it.
I clenched my fists and looked around. In the distance, I could still make out the shadows of the Nine Generals, standing dazed and motionless.
To Yuna Ji, those nine are friends—her greatest benefactors in life. Even in death, they’ve stayed with her, guarding her all these years. Yuna Ji can’t bring herself to let go of everything.
"Ethan Zhang, what are you doing?"
Rufina Howard’s voice came from behind me. I looked over to see a massive bone eagle carrying her and James Grant as it rushed toward us.
With a crash, the battle resumed. Yuna Ji was pushed to the brink, struggling desperately to fend off Monster Yuna, but the gap in power left her unable to withstand Monster Yuna’s attacks.
“So that monster really hasn’t used her full strength.”
Zhuang Bo muttered. With a bang, the bones encasing Yuna Ji shattered, and her Ninefold Bone Tails vanished. She was flung toward us.
A giant eagle’s piercing cry rang out. A white figure leapt down and caught Yuna Ji in his arms.
“You’re still the same as ever, Yuna. You’re just too kind-hearted.”
James Grant smiled, and Yuna Ji got up, shoving him away.
“What are you doing here?”
Rufina Howard dismounted from the giant eagle, holding a stone in her hand—the Netherstone.
“James Grant, why are you here? Are you planning to die with her?”
Monster Yuna laughed, while James Grant smiled and stepped forward, rising into the air.
“You’re still the same as ever.”
“Hmph, have you forgotten everything from back then? Why did you die? Wasn’t it because Yuna Ji was too soft? If...”
James Grant shook his head and glanced at Yuna Ji.
“I never blamed Yuna. Everything was my choice, so no one else can judge what I did. And you, Yuna—what do you think? Are you really going to let her control everything? Isn’t it enough? Shouldn’t this have ended long ago? Do you remember what I once told you?”
James Grant walked up to Yuna Ji, crouched down, and placed a green pendant engraved with the Grant character in her hand.
“You’ve never changed, and what you need most is to believe in yourself—to trust in everything you’ve done.”
James Grant smiled gently, resting a hand on Yuna Ji’s head. He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly, as if comforting a child. Rufina Howard giggled nearby.
"It doesn’t matter what the future holds, does it? Yuna, I once thought maybe dying wouldn’t be so bad. But when I woke up, the first thing I saw was Ethan Zhang."
I watched Rufina Howard quietly.
"If you’re really worried about the Nine Generals, leave it to Ethan Zhang. He’ll find a way."
Yuna Ji lifted her head slightly and looked at me. I gave her a reassuring smile.
"Go ahead and do what you must. I’ll figure something out."
With a whoosh, I floated up and flew toward the Nine Generals. I had to communicate with their will, to free them from Monster Yuna’s control and wake them up.
"It’s useless, Ethan Zhang."
Monster Yuna turned her head and looked at me.
"I’ve heard that line enough in this world. No matter what you think, I’ll find a way."
Threads of ghostly energy pierced into the bodies of the Nine Generals, leaving them empty and hollow, as if they were just mixtures of souls and white bones, without hearts—only that intense will to fight remained.
I refused to dwell on what the worst outcome might be. I’d overcome hardship again and again like this before. I closed my eyes, focusing, searching for even the faintest trace. As long as I could sense anything, I’d use my instincts to communicate with it.
"Ethan Zhang..."
Yuna Ji’s shout made me open my eyes and turn around.
"They’re the most important people to me."
I nodded. Yuna Ji looked at me, breathless.
"If I lose today, she’s still me. I hope you can take care of everything here in the future."
I stared at Yuna Ji, her face relaxed and relieved, but I quickly shook my head.
"I’ll handle my own problems—don’t just hand them over to me, Yuna Ji..."