Spiral of Madness: Ascension of the Villainous Dragon Prince-Chapter 128: The Gardener [3] — An Unlikely Ally

The abyssal arms surged forward, tearing through vines and infecting roses with black spores. The Grievance roared. Reality twisted violently as the two powers clashed—the Gardener’s eternal bloom against the Abyssal Mother’s endless contagion of compassion and benevolence.

The Nameless Streets shook. Houses collapsed. The sky split into green and black. Survivors ran as Soma opened paths for them using his clones as bridges.

"Run away! As quickly as you can, everyone! And do not look back!"

As the people fled, Soma clashed against the Gardener’s vessel. Sharp vines and flowers against giant hands and darkness, curses against growth, death against life. Both represented obnoxious extremes of good: the wrath of nature given a warped, aberrant form; the beauty of a compassionate heart turned obsessive and selfish.

"Unless you can spread a Fantasy Field, you cannot beat me."

However, the Gardener’s power proved superior. Soma struggled. His main body slowly began to fall apart, bleeding profusely, but he laughed and smiled nonetheless, praying to his mother. His giant hands surged, punching the vessel with all his force. His daggers stabbed it. His grimoires conjured countless spells as beams of blight bombarded the aberration and more.

"Hohoh... to think I would die here..." Soma smiled while laughing, noticing his energy reserves dropping. The Authority of his mother weakened within the Authority of a Grievance. "I was unable to bring your glory here, my dear mother... but I will die happily, nevertheless. I spread your word and saved many innocents that will live to tell the tale! Is there any better ending for your humble lamb? I shall join you in paradise upon death... Ahh, I cannot wait."

"Paradise?"

Suddenly Soma felt a sharp, deep pain within his soul. A whisper echoed from inside as several roses and white lilies blossomed within him.

"No, your soul shall know no paradise. It will become fertilizer for my eternal garden."

"You...!"

Soma clenched his teeth and tried to tear out the flowers. He managed to remove many, but each one wounded his soul further.

"It’s useless. Your curse is powerful, but my love for my beloved garden is even stronger."

Soma watched in awe as countless flowers blossomed around his twisting, curse-made body, screaming faces echoing constantly.

"Hahah... Hohoho... Huhuh..."

But he laughed, smiling warmly at the Grievance.

"I don’t think so."

A shadow bellowed above the Grievance’s vessel. Soma smiled at the one who had come to rescue him.

Someone he never expected to see in such circumstances.

A certain person who had killed him in another timeline, who had long planned his death.

Someone who hated him to the core, yet who couldn’t help but recognize his kindness when he saw him helping hundreds of people evacuate before help arrived.

CRASH!

"G-Gaaah?!"

The Vessel of the Gardener vomited blood as a glowing golden spear pierced its Fantasy Heart—still beating at the tip of the spear. Cracks of blinding light spread through the rest of its body.

"Y-YOU...! WHO...?!"

The Gardener was shocked to see a handsome young prince emerge from nowhere—flowing long white hair, gleaming golden eyes, body covered in ashen scales, back adorned with skeletal wings.

"Soma... You bastard, why were you helping people back then?!"

"Oh my, Prince Louis! To think you would come to save my life! I am so honored, thank you so much."

"Answer me."

"Huhu, why wouldn’t I? It is a duty of the church to always rescue and save the people in need!"

Louis clicked his tongue, feeling a storm of conflicting emotions. Part of him wanted to kill Soma right here and now, while he was at his weakest.

But at the same time, the bastard had saved his people and shown genuine kindness—in his own twisted, psychopathic way.

And the Gardener was here. Louis needed his strength if they were going to kill it once and for all.

"UNHAND... MY VESSEL...! HUMAN...!"

The Gardener roared, spreading vines and roses through Louis’s arm—only for Nirvana Flames to manifest and burn them away.

The monstrous Grievance screamed in agony as flames spread through its vessel. Lord Verdant Bellflower regained consciousness, finding himself burning in agony with a missing heart. He could hardly understand how he was even alive before he began to burn. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"GYAAAAAEEEEHHHH!"

Amid the chaos, Soma whispered one last prayer.

"Mother... let me show them that compassion is the sharpest blade!"

Darkness and faith gathered in his right hand, harnessing the pain and suffering of hundreds he had saved and healed, manifesting a long black sword.

"N-No! Wait! Wait a second!!!"

Verdant screamed in horror as the black sword cleaved him from his left shoulder all the way down his hips, tearing him into two halves!

SLASH!

Louis pursued with his spear and sword, cutting the halves and impaling them. He unleashed massive, explosive Nirvana Flames and Holy Light, constantly disintegrating every piece of the Elven Lord into ashes.

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

With one last scream, the vessel exploded and died on the spot. The Fantasy Field reacted and began to crumble. Without a vessel to manifest, the Gardener’s influence on the world began to fade.

"No...! My beautiful garden...!"

The emerald moon gained cracks and crumbled into massive pieces that fell into the Fantasy Field. Louis and Soma swiftly moved, avoiding the falling meteors or cutting them with their swords.

"Hahah, I owe you a great favor, Prince Louis!"

"I’m going to kill you later, Soma."

"Hm? Hohoh, what a hilarious joke!"

"For now, it’s not over yet."

"Hm?"

Soma looked into the skies with Louis. The Fantasy Field warped as the crumbling emerald moon slowly drew closer.

They were being pulled elsewhere with only their souls.

FLASH!

In an instant, Louis and Soma blossomed out of giant black and red roses. Slowly, they stood up, covered in pollen and nectar.

"What is this place?"

Soma looked around, amazed by the view: a starry sky, an endless garden of flowers, forests of tall trees, mountains composed of all kinds of plants—some familiar, others utterly alien.

"The Grievance’s Domain. We’ve all been invited."

"Oh?"