As I glared at that retreating back of my enemy, I grasped my sword tightly. I decided, I shall risk it all, let me summon the most unimaginable power. I imagined a scene where I start floating as I glow with holy power as I held the {Heart Severing Sword}. As a massive amount of cyan colored Qi gathered around me, I felt my heart start hurting like I was going to lose something important. I shuddered, but I know I can't stop, so I continued to imagine and pour power into the sword.

Unfortunately, this did not go unnoticed. The demon emperor swiftly turned around with a solemn face as he seemed to have recognized the impending danger. He frowned, but seemed to have realized that I still did not have the power to fight him. He then swiftly appeared before me leaving afterimages.

"Humph! Still trying despicable tricks even after this emperor has granted you mercy. But trash is still trash. This emperor shall grant you death as you desired," the demon emperor "righteously" spoke, then pulled out a staff with a Rainbow glow, "Let this emperor broaden your horizon with my Dog-beating staff."

Then, the demon emperor infused Purple Qi into the treasure and slammed the staff at me. Although I could get "unlimited" power from the {Heart Severing Sword}, that is providing that I had enough time. Unfortunately, the Rainbow Grade staff clashed with the Cyan Qi and dispersed them before lightly knocking into me with its residue force, but I still flew back fast before impacting onto the wall again.

[Host has taken heavy damage. Host's lower body has been paralyzed.]

[Host's ability {Indestructible Body} has leveled up.]

I coughed out a couple mouthful of blood as I slid down right beside the now cold body of Ling'er, the {Heart Severing Sword} drew a parabola in the air and stabbed right into the empty hole of where Ling'er's heart was pulled out from. Truly, heart severing sword indeed.

I despaired as my vision starts to get blurry. Is this it? Am I truly this useless? All my life, I've been protected again and again. All the important ones who protected me died again and again. I thought I could finally save one of them, but alas, I was saved instead. Yet, when I wanted revenge, I wasn't even able to touch the tip of my enemy's robe.

I can't help but think: would any of them have died if there wasn't me? What would have happened if Ling'er had not met me? Would she have gotten caught? Would her heart be taken out from protecting me once again?

Yes, I realized the answer, it's no. If Ling'er hadn't met me, she would not have died. She would have lived her life happily without a care. She would have been able to go home because she would have her compass. She would be able to defend herself against enemies. If she hadn't met me, her smile would still be just as dazzling. Her lively, innocent eyes would still be sparkling. Her beautiful face would be admired by many better suitors as she continues to bounce around the world on her adventure. Perhaps, she could have met a better man, one that could cherish her from the start, one that could protect her, unlike me.

Yes, the fault lies with me. I wish I could change fate. I wish Ling'er never met me.

[Ding~ Host has met hidden conditions of {Strongest Protagonist's Aura}. Fate targeting item {Fate Doll}, Fate controlling item {Fate's Song Skill Book}, Fate shielding item {Shield of Cowardice}, and Fate severing item {Heart Severing Sword} has been absorbed as sacrifice. Host has gained innate ability {Protagonist's Sacrifice for Love}.]

[Protagonist's Sacrifice for Love]

To live a life of suffering in the place of the one you love. With the blood of the one host loves, the host's blood, and a Soul gathering item, host can revive host's lover. However, the present, past, and future fate between host and host's lover will be severed. Host shall retain everything, but host's lover shall lose all past memories and feelings related to host permanently. Also, host's lover will have no fate with the host in the future. It will be like host's lover has never met the host. This ability can only be used on those host love, has fate with the host, and has died for no more than 1 hour.

Warning: changing fate has heavy, irreversible consequences.

It was like a holy hand of god reaching out to offer me salvation. A way to bring back my precious Ling'er. I gently looked at Ling'er lying quietly on her pool of blood. There is no longer a sword piercing her heart as if telling me it's time to return her heart to that position. I smiled, then swabbed some of Ling'er's blood into my hands along with some of the blood off of my mouth. I then asked the system to activate {Protagonist's Sacrifice for Love}.

[Host wants to use {Soul Gathering Pill} to activate {Protagonist's Sacrifice for Love} and change fate. There may be dire consequences in the future.]

[Confirm?]

I took a glance at her beautiful face once more. I know that if I accept, she will forget about me and never have me again. The mere thought of her forgetting me pained me more than any pass mental tortures I had, but I know I must do this. I must give her the chance to the life that she deserves. Confirm.

The world suddenly went silent. A grey glow spread out with my body as the foci. It felt like time has stopped as everything froze, and I was the only want conscious of it. I couldn't move, yet I was able to witness as an unknown force seemed to have enveloped all of Ling'ers organs, blood, and cells that were scattered around, coloring them which made them stand out as the only color in this world.

Then, time seem to have rewind as all those parts slowly move back and settled into Ling'er's body that was lying on the ground. The pool of blood receded back into her body as a heart slowly materialized in the gaping hole. After the finished materializing, the gaping hole swiftly closed up. Then everything went silent once more.

Suddenly, a soft heart beat sounded and yet it clearly sounded loudly in my ears. The heart beat picked up pace as sound returned to the world while the sound of heartbeat slowly distances itself from me. The grey in the world slowly recedes back into me and the world continues on like before, except now, there's a new heartbeat. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one that noticed it.