With Bodach himself having a terrifying body at rank 7, this explosion was massively powerful. Simply put, such a strike aimed at the Magus World would likely be a disaster on the level of an asteroid hitting the earth. The entire surface would be decimated, and perhaps even the subterranean world would be affected!
However, Bodach was surprised to see Salilus grip his wings with both hands, the Lord of Calamity's large body as sturdy as a rock beneath a waterfall. It was like someone stopping a full speed train with their bare hands!
"Keke… that wasn't all that powerful. It just hurt a little!" Salilus snickered, and it brought an ominous feeling. Bodach found himself sent flying, and a number of his bones cracked as he coughed out nearly an entire ocean's worth of dragonblood.
"Is that so? Then how about this?" Making use of Bodach's charge, Leylin had arrived in front of Salilus. He pierced the crimson sword in his hands into Salilus' armour.
*Clang!* With Leylin's body size, the sword in his hands wasn't even comparable to a toothpick in Salilus' eyes. However, this very toothpick had left a red spot on his armour.
*Ka-cha! Ka-cha!* It was like some chain reaction had been triggered. Black cracks spread in all directions from the initial point of contact, soon covering the entire armour. Blood-red flames crackled as they broke up even that blizzard.
The dark red light caused the armour on Salilus' body to explode inch by inch, revealing his original form.
"This… That armour is used to seal my boundless might!" Salilus thundered. Sensing immense danger, Leylin retreated without hesitation.
*Rumble!* An aura ten times more horrifying and evil than before exploded forth, causing the world to freeze for an instant. The destructive snow roared, but it could do nothing against this immense figure.
The huge tornado dispersed, putting out the blood flames and revealing Salilus' body. He had shrivelled limbs, tanned skin, and a slender body. He smelt of decay, like this was the body of someone who'd starved to death. His bones were joined by a mere layer of skin, all that kept him moving.
Yet, this body that seemed more withered than a mummy's was emitting an exceedingly terrifying aura, showing off the true power of a rank 8! It caused Leylin to turn serious, 'His main laws should be calamity and decay.
'I was wondering why he looked so strange. He seemed quite frail… So that was because of that seal?' Leylin looked at his own palm. Although it had only made contact with Salilus through the bloodline sword, a layer of old and dead skin had already appeared on his hand, losing all lustre of life.
The power of decay within his palm was the most poisonous of curses, spreading unceasingly as it mixed with the strength of calamity.
'Most rank 7 existences would find great trouble just dealing with this contamination…' Leylin clenched his fists, and purplish-red flames emerged to burn the dead skin to nothingness. New vibrant skin grew out from the flames.
...
"Hehe… Salilus is truly angry now! That's good. Let me see what trump card you have then, Magus…" A moth with colourful phosphorus powder on it appeared in the distance, carrying the conscient of the dream demon, "The anger of a rank 8 Lord of Calamity is not so easily calmed…"
Soul powder filled the area, carrying a special power of laws that prevented the moth from being affected by the battle. However, at this moment, Salilus' withered sole red eye gazed in her direction, bringing with it immense hatred, "Scram!"
"Salilus… your improvement exceeded my expectations…" The moth emitted faint undulations from the conscient before a trace of decay rotted it into ashes.
Such was the true might of a rank 8 existence,. The charming girl within the dream demon's land did not send out another scout. After all, the fury of someone on equal footing with her was troublesome, especially a berserk Lord of Calamity. A visit to her lands would leave her territory in complete shambles.
And that was the situation with the rank 8 dream demon. Facing Salilus head on, Leylin was under even more pressure.
"I've long since heard that evil gods of Dreamscape are extremely powerful beings, which is why they can sweep through numerous worlds and leave behind a resounding reputation for themselves…" Leylin could sense the space around them being frozen, as darkness, calamity, and decay gathered to form the traces of a path to power. Leylin could not help but reveal a bitter smile.
"An evil god, a Lord of Calamity of Dreamscape, definitely surpasses the dignitaries from the Purgatory World when unsealed…" This was Leylin's newest estimation. Rank 7 existences of laws could contend with Lords of Calamity for a moment, but would fall eventually. Even their truesouls would rot away.
"I am the master of disaster, holder of the power of decay! At the end, all beings will wither away in the river of space and time…" Salilus chanted hoarsely with his dry throat, a terrifying bony hand grabbing forth in Leylin's direction.
"Decay!" "Disaster!" "Terror!" Streaks of the power of several laws appeared to form malicious claws by Leylin's side. These claws seemed to sing praises of Salilus, chanting along.
This was the power of faith Salilus had gathered from fear. Leylin didn't doubt in the least that, with these accumulations, Salilus could become an intermediate god in the World of Gods in one go!
*Grr!* In the face of the attack of a rank 8 existence, Bodach's snarls seemed exceedingly weak. His opponent had no need to focus on him, a mere sweep of remnant power able to injure him seriously once more. The huge dragon was filled with traces of decay, not knowing where to go.
"Disaster!" "Decay!" Two streaks of Salilus' most powerful laws formed a strength akin to primal chaos within those large claws, whittling away the law of devouring on Leylin's body. Once this final layer of protection had disappeared, Leylin would die in both body and soul!
It was obvious that Salilus' hatred of Leylin in that moment exceeded that towards Bodach.
"As expected, as I am now it'll be too difficult to go against a rank 8 without any help…" Leylin sighed. This test told him of the limits of his own strength. Although he was amongst the top of rank 7s, he was still lacking when compared to rank 8s.
'If I didn't have something to fall back on, I would only be able to escape, being grievously injured and finding it difficult to recuperate. Thankfully…' Leylin rubbed at his forehead. A red line slowly cracked open there, revealing a dark red vertical eye!
...
"Damn it, it's this feeling again! It's this feeling full of mortal danger! Like I'm meeting a mortal foe! Who is it that can give a Lord of Calamity the premonition that they will bring death?"
Seeing Leylin being surrounded by the huge devilish claws, Salilus had no trace of elation on his expression. On the contrary, his dried out and malicious face was filled with madness.
The feeling of mortal malady that he'd felt today had caused him to enter the peak of his power without reservation. However, be it that wretched dragon or the rank 7 Warlock, they were both ants in front him, one merely a little bigger than the other.
Now, however, his keen truesoul of laws was trembling, the feeling of danger intensifying tenfold. This hinted at the attack of something dangerous.
"Who exactly is it?" A sharp cry immediately pierced through the skies.
*Rumble!* *Bang!* As if in answer to his snarls, the devilish claw formed of laws exploded, revealing Leylin's figure.
*Buzz…* The surroundings that had been ravaged by the battle, but dense black clouds suddenly gathered in the skies. It covered the lustre of the astral plane and the other worlds, the destructive snow intensifying in its power tenfold. The entire Dreamscape seemed to awaken in this moment, placing its powerful focus on this area.
"The World Will. Did you think I'd be afraid?" Large amounts of dense black smoke rose from Salilus' body, forming a strange screen that blocked the destructive snow. Dreamscape's World Will did not react at all, like a supreme master watching silently from above for eternity.
The Dreamscape Origin Force that had been weak suddenly surged in strength, yet it didn't answer Salilus' summons as it gushed in another direction.
"The Warlock from before! It's you!" Salilus' withered eyes suddenly opened, seeing the figure walking out of the ocean of origin force. He would never have imagined that the World Origin Force would favour this Warlock more than it did a Lord of Calamity!
*Boom! Boom! Boom!* Tremendous footsteps sounded as a large figure walked over slowly. He was only half a head shorter than the over hundred metres tall Salilus.
He had a perfect body, with each shimmering muscle incomparably faultless. Intricate dark red patterns filled his body, like an exquisite armour. A blood red vertical eye opened up on the faces of both the handsome being and the Warlock, bringing with it a ruthless cold will.
Most importantly, the Dreamscape Origin Force that was like a sea lingered at Leylin's side, rolling on in waves. After being controlled by Leylin, it was extremely tame.
-x-X-x-
A sea of World Origin Force surrounded Leylin, carrying Dreamscape's will. The world seemed to abandon Salilus, instead suppressing him with ill intent.
"This…" Salilus was stumped. Very soon, remnant ancient memories and his fear of Dreamscape brought him back to his senses.
It wasn't long before the veil of mystery was removed, "This unique power… It comes from the Nightmare King! You've inherited his powers… the Nightmare Absorbing Physique that even Lords of Calamity dread!"
'Power that all sovereigns dread…' Leylin understood this vaguely, as he accepted the faint excitement of the World Will along with the endless origin force.
"Yes! The bloodline that all lords despise! You're dead!" Black smoke arose from Salilus' nostrils, many contorted faces writhing within as they wailed and cried.
"The ancient Nightmare King is the fear of all the lords, nobody wishes for his return. You're dead!" Salilus repeated deliriously, "If this news spreads, all the Lords of Calamity will gang up on you!"
"It's useless… The World's Will had sealed this area already, you can't transmit any information outside anymore…' Leylin sighed, "Furthermore, I am not any weaker than you right now…"
With Dreamscape buffing his powers, the Leylin now was no different than he was back in the Purgatory World. No, he was even stronger than before!
He was already a rank 7 Warlock. The Nightmare Absorbing Physique was extremely demonic on its own, and with the support of Dreamscape Origin Force his pure strength alone put him at rank 8. He surpassed the Lords of Calamity!
Leylin sighed, striking out suddenly. The destructive snow formed a sword in Leylin's hand, and he slashed at Salilus.
Destructive snow was a weapon Dreamscape used to weaken and punish the Lords of Calamity. Now, Leylin was merely using it to exact punishment on behalf of the heavens.
"You vile gods have willfully seized the World Origin Force. I represent the heavens themselves in your annihilation!"
The snow had converged into a broadsword, the intent of annihilation gathered upon it. Leylin braced himself as he swung the sword downwards, speaking a forbidden chant by instinct.
The powerful sword had repelled the black mist, allowing Leylin to see a face riddled with fear and surprise. That same instant, Leylin saw the truth of the past.
The Nightmare Absorbing Physique is the adored child of Dreamscape. However, a world would never do something so senseless, why did Dreamscape create this? That was a question Leylin had always sought the answer for, and now he'd finally got one.
What would happen if beings of laws were brazenly taking the World Origin Force without regard? The Lords of Calamity were a good example, they would be suppressed by the World's Will and have their dreamforce weakened. Destructive snow would form a natural disaster around them, proving that the World Will wanted them dead.
Even a magnanimous World Will would be infuriated by a bunch of greedy rodents. However, beings of laws were far too powerful. Even with the suppression of the World Will through the destructive snow, as well as the disconnect from World Origin Force, the Lords of Calamity managed to seal themselves into safety.
However, the World's Will could not do the same. It couldn't bear weakening itself for extended periods of time, and had to stop and revive its origin force. It gained nourishment from other worlds.
To Dreamscape's World Will, the Lords of Calamity and Evil Sovereigns were like bloodsucking parasites! Unable to bear it any longer, it gave birth to the Nightmare Absorbing Physique. In this gamble, Dreamscape did not withhold any authority or power, giving birth to an executioner to get rid of these parasites.
Hence, every Nightmare King bore the burden of purging unwanted parasites on Dreamscape, in order to protect the peace and balance.
"Greed without restriction will only bring about chaos and destruction!" After he understood this point, killing intent welled within Leylin. His bloodline itself was an embodiment of these lords' nemesis. It was do or die, there would be no negotiations between both parties.
Leylin, who wanted to use dreamforce to absorb laws, would definitely benefit after slaying a Lord of Calamity. His comprehension of laws would be boosted, and the World Will itself would give him greater authority.
"You must fall here today!" After clearly understanding his own killing intent and paving the path for his future, the power that surrounded Leylin had suddenly reached a new height!
*Rumble!* Bolts of black lightning tore the void apart, isolating everything within a cage. This lightning wanted to kill the ferocious prey within, a powerful existence that was rank 8.
"No! I am a Lord of Calamity, one who holds the power of decay! I'm near peak rank 8, how would I just perish here?" Salilus roared as he raised his bony hand and attempted to deflect the black lightning.
*Boom! Bang! Flash!* The World Origin Force roared, and turned into waves of destructive lightning that crashed down under Leylin's control. Every bolt could severely injure a rank 7, but it had taken five to six strikes to merely shatter Salilus' left arm.
A strange black current of evil gas wrapped itself around the wound, not dissipating. Many droplets of thick yellow blood fell to the ground suddenly, giving rise to black smoke. It seemed to form a strange embodiment rather like rotten mud, and wails and screams sounded as they tried to escape.
"Hmm? Leylin's brows furrowed, and the black lightning streaked past him and destroyed these abominations. One droplet of a rank 6 Magus could already carry independent thought and even spiritual force, not to mention rank 7 and above.
Having suffered grievously with his left arm shattered, Salilus was weakened by layers of destructive snow, his dreamforce growing feebler and feebler.
"Damn it. DAMN IT! OUT! COME OUT!" Salilus waved his stump of an arm against the lightning and snow. "Fight me openly and aboveboard! How can I, Salilus, die to such a wretched thing?"
"Stop being a fool!" Leylin's voice rumbled throughout the sky. "A victor will always be victorious! My style of engaging enemies is to scheme and not fight with brawns. By using the smallest price in exchange for the largest benefit and outcome… Your value is meaningless against it!"
"Meaningless…? Meaningless… Meaning…" The thunderous voice reverberated across the sky amidst the black lightning and destructive snow. Salilus' eyes had now held an even more frenzied look.
"Hehe...Meaningless?" Salilus calmed down immediately, and the atmosphere turned even more sinister. "Even so, I will demonstrate the final power that a Lord of Calamity holds…"
*Rumble! Rumble!* Warts began to appear and float on the surface of Salilus' skin, causing his bony body to become extremely swollen. Over time he turned ball-like, his skin stretched to its limits as it showed signs of ripping apart at any moment. The aura in the air was extremely unstable, yet it converged around Salilus' body.
'This shape, does it want to…' Leylin's expression changed. Nine chains of laws were like razor sharp blades as they pierced into Salilus' body.
"This corrosive attack was actually prepared for my enemy, the Lord of Despair…But now..." A low growl appeared from Salilus' body and it began to rumble louder.
*Crack! Crack!* A grey ripple began to appear on Salilus' body before his body exploded. The iron chains which came into contact with the grey ripples began to corrode, sizzling before they turned to fine dust with the explosion.
The frightening explosion did not stop, touching the destructive snow along with the prison of black lightning.
...
"What happened?"
"Why did the World's Will seal that area?" The many Lords and Sovereigns sent their conscients or even their avatars, but before they could exchange a few lines, a radiant flash from an explosion was leaked from the sealed area. The conscients and avatars of these existences were wiped completely due to the destruction.
"The final decay! Has Salilus gone mad?"
"Not good! Leave, quickly…"
Even those who were quick to dart away and escape were eventually caught up to by the flash of radiant light, and they could only perish after leaving behind their furious bellows.
"Lords! Save us…" The dream demon's land was the closest to the explosion, and received the greatest collateral damage. Sixty percent of the natives there had died in an instant.
"We have to move!" The girl that the dream demon had possessed clenched her teeth. The ground began to rumble as a pair of grey wings manifested, taking her far away and deeper into the void.
Opening up a certain distance, the dream demon girl looked in Salilus' direction, her eyes filled with worry.
...
"These Lords are not easy to deal with, I can't believe that I have to activate my own powers for the final bout!"
In the heart of the explosion, the radiant rays were repelled by dark crimson runes on Leylin's body. It cost a lot of origin force, but since he was linked with the World Will he spent it without feeling the pinch.
Once the explosion rippled away, blue light flashed in Leylin's eyes. A giant figure stepped forward as the surrounding scene changed, like he was teleported to a different dimension. In it was a gigantic black skeleton.
-x-X-x-
Leylin looked at the blackened skeleton in front of him, focusing on the abyssal red flames within its eye sockets. "I told you you'd definitely perish here today," he said slowly, as if stating a fact.
"Hahaha! Nightmare Warlock, I curse you in the name of calamity!" Black teeth clattered, sending spiritual vibrations from the depths of Salilus' truesoul.
"You showed your final corrosive attack, but after that all you have is this feeble curse? What a disappointment…" Leylin brought his hand down against this surging curse power.
*Crash!* All the World Origin Force in Dreamscape surged violently, becoming endless destructive thunder. Powerful arcs of lightning swept across the area, exterminating all traces of the curse's power.
*Swish! Swish!* The moment the curse was broken, Leylin and Salilus both executed their moves. The two transformed into endless glows that crossed the speed of light in their intent to kill.
The entire space seemed to distort in a single moment. In a fraction of a fraction of a second, they'd exchanged hundreds of blows.
Salilus' laws of calamity and decay constructed a black skeletal structure whose rigidity far surpassed all the metals in the world. It was enough to calmly bear the indiscriminate bombing of destructive thunder as if nothing was happening.
Red runes appeared intensely around Leylin's body, blooming with bright light. They formed an indistinct crimson armour as the entirety of Dreamscape's World Origin Force roared. Before Dreamscape itself was consumed, the defense of his armour would not be broken. Even if it sustained damage, it would repair itself rapidly.
*Ring! Ring! Ring!* The two reached the limits of speed in a flash, disappearing from Dreamscape to arrive at a strange place.
Time and space were slightly distorted in this region, a vast glowing river of space and time flowing beneath them.
"Is this a region close to the spacetime river? Only a place such as this can withstand our wrath. It is more than suitable to serve as your burial ground…"
*Crack! Crack!* Leylin's chest was scratched by a black skeletal finger. The crimson armour fell apart at once, but was immediately restored to its original unblemished form. Tens of strikes upon the dreamforce armour dimmed the red radiance within Salilus' skull, and the black skeleton began to crack.
'Fights between beings of law come down to a contest of inside information and origin force in the end, eh? It looks like I need to put making origin force weapons on my schedule…' Leylin gravely faced his opponent.
Even though he had traded blow for blow, his consumption of origin force had reached a terrifying level. If it wasn't for Dreamscape footing the bill, perhaps he would have exhausted all his resources already, and even his soul would have been sucked dry.
Now however, backed by the support of Dreamscape, Leylin had forced the Lord of Calamity Salilus to an impasse.
[Beep! Origin Force Imitation Weapon has been constructed. Correcting orbit!] After trading blows hundreds of times, the A.I. Chip had captured the orbit of Salilus' movements. Dreamscape roared, and a misty green sword directly appeared within Leylin's grasp.
Using concentrated origin force as a weapon was not something that Leylin had envisioned, this could only be considered to be a prototype.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your glory came from Dreamscape, and unto Dreamscape you shall return!" Leylin chanted in a low voice, thrusting his longsword in a strange arc.
*Clang!* In an infinitesimal moment, the green origin force longsword momentarily weaved through Salilus' defences and pierced into the centre of his skull.
This was the main focus of Leylin's attack. Faint cracks had long began to appear on the skeleton, but now it exploded even more violently. The clanging sound seemed to start a chain reaction, and finally the black skeleton was blown apart. Pieces of the skeleton continuously crumbled without end, becoming fine powder that was melted away by the destructive snow.
"No, how could I fall here? I, Salilus, am a Lord of Calamity, the Monarch of Decay…" After his body was finally destroyed, the red spark of a truesoul of laws emerged from the endless explosion. It was filled with the power of laws of calamity and decay.
Breaking away from its mortal shell, the truesoul of laws now became even more powerful. It suddenly burned up, its form momentarily expanding to become a star that burned with white heat.
The massive star was in upheaval, and it suddenly rushed towards the river of space and time. The vast and mighty river itself was a little attracted, emitting a strange inwards force.
"You're already dead, your time has ended! Stay…" Leylin naturally would not allow Salilus to slip away from his grasp. In his current form, he had taken the initiative to throw himself into the spacetime river. He could perhaps accumulate energy over a few thousand years, allowing himself to revive.
A phantom Targaryen roared from behind Leylin's back. Runes of the Nightmare Absorbing Physique appeared on the serpent's body, melding with the laws of devouring to become a powerful black hole that extended formless shackles towards Salilus' truesoul.
"This is… The attraction of dreamforce! Damn…" The enormous truesoul star roared, numerous marks appearing within it. These were all scars left behind by using dreamforce, and all of a sudden they had broken out.
As a native of Dreamscape, Salilus fundamentally did not have the ability to resist the attraction of Leylin's ability. At the brink of the spacetime river, a strange scene appeared. An incandescent star unwillingly changed its marks, slowly retreating away. A roaring figure faintly appeared at its centre.
The powerful starlight was continuously swallowed up by the black hole, turning a tunnel of distorted light. In the end, that phantom of a truesoul was swallowed whole by the black hole that was many times smaller than it, and not even one ray of light had escaped.
"Ah…" The dark crimson runes on Leylin's body began to squirm, dripping off like melted metal. His skin split apart as his body grew larger.
[Beep! Host is absorbing extremely high energy matter, detected to be rank 8! Body of laws will not be able to endure it much longer. Time left…] The A.I. Chip alerted Leylin with a red notification, and even the screen began to flicker.
'As expected… A rank 8 existence is not something that I can devour right now. If I were to forcefully shove this down my throat, I will be choked to death!'
Leylin's expression changed, 'If not for Dreamscape…' He did not hesitate to use his bloodline powers, teleporting back into Dreamscape itself.
*Rumble!* The World Will projected a feeling of joy, and imposing origin force surged forth to form a two-plated millstone that slowly removed the origin force Leylin's body was exuding.
Leylin stood within the centre, in a mysterious state as he closed his eyes. His body had reached tens of metres in height, but now it began to shrink once more. The origin force mixed with Salilus' powers escaped from his body, returning to nature in an extremely complex conversion.
...
At this moment, Leylin too had entered a strange dream. The owner of this dream was none other than Salilus, but at this point only a creature who'd grasped a sliver of the power of laws.
After a period of observation, the corners of Leylin's lips curled up.
"You've already fallen, but your will is still hoping for something more? What a pity… My bloodline ability is the bane of your last hope!"
"Innate bloodline ability— Dream Eater!" A red eye opened behind Leylin's back, swallowing everything within the dream. The sky broke apart and the earth crumbled. A crescent moon appeared within the endless void, a faint withered eye upon it.
"I've found it!" Leylin roared, killing the memory of the high-energy creature that would turn into Salilus in the future. He rose into the sky with a stomp.
"Annihilation!" A punch that carried massive destructive power struck the crescent moon, attacking with origin force. Under a howl of utter despair and anguish, the blood red moon exploded, and the withered eye within shattered as well. The dream now shattered, Leylin absorbed it ten times as fast.
By the time Leylin's consciousness returned to his body, he looked like a normal human being once more.
[Beep! Energy dissipating, Host's body returning to normal!]
[Beep! Law of decay absorbed, host has obtained information. Stats changing.] Very soon, the A.I.Chip showed Leylin his new stats.
[Leylin Farlier, Rank 7 Warlock, Bloodline: Targaryen Serpent (rank 7). Strength: 257.71, Agility: 200.01, Vitality: 350.98, Spiritual force: 611.27, Body of Laws. Law Comprehension: Devouring (100%), Massacre (58%), Calamity (27%), Decay (15%), Curses (1%). Origin force saturation level: 27.99%]
"Calamity, decay and even curses?" Leylin stroked his chin. He had garnered enough divinity back then with the first two laws. It seemed that Salilus too had relied on them to enter rank 8.
'Although it is much better than swallowing the dream demon's will back then, I've only received this much of a reward after devouring a rank 8 Lord of Calamity… The World of Gods seem to reap a higher amount of benefits in that case…' Leylin shook his head in exasperation.
He knew for a fact that Dreamscape had expended even more powers than him, hence it had reaped the greatest amount of rewards this time. The origin force that aided him in battle was provided by it, so it absorbed the Lord of Calamity as well. As for himself, he had only managed to comprehend some laws.
Of course, a portion of powers that Salilus had not found in Dreamscape were also absorbed by him, hence the increase in his stats.
-x-X-x-
Leylin had only used the origin force as a weapon during the battle, not absorbing it at all. This was why his origin force saturation hadn't increased. In the end, Dreamscape itself was the biggest beneficiary of the battle.
'However… Calamity, and decay?' Leylin stroked his chin, 'They're not quite compatible with my path. While the law of calamity is extremely powerful, it has its own limitations. Decay has more potential; after all there are aspects of time within it…
'However, my comprehension and analysis of this law isn't too much…' Now that he'd set his own path, Leylin wouldn't change it easily. These laws weren't very compatible with him anyway.
'Something high… more...even more…' Dreamscape projected an intent to Leylin, sending information to the bottom of his mind intermittently.
At the same time, Leylin felt that his connection with the world had became even more closely knit than before. The origin force that he could control had also increased. Even more…
He raised his hand, and a small thread of weakened dreamforce emanated from his finger. Suddenly, the dreamforce shuddered and the colour turned denser, before a stronger wave of energy radiated from his finger.
'I gain increased authority from Dreamscape, as well as the ability to control its crests and troughs? It should only be limited to my own powers, if not the power would be too inconceivable.'
Leylin sighed. After slaying and sacrificing a Lord of Calamity, he had indeed obtained many benefits from Dreamscape. At the very least, the dreamforce which was a part of his power had increased.
Furthermore, if this power could still be increased, and he could also control the extent of dreamforce that the Lords could muster, it was akin to having another killing move against them in the future.
Powering his own dreamforce to the peak and weakening his opponent's… It would be a sight to behold.
'Not only that, the world seems to be starting to recover…' Leylin acutely felt that Dreamscape was now different than before.
Originally, Dreamscape was like a large withering tree. There were parasites around its roots, weeds sucking up its water and nutrients. But now that Leylin had slain a Lord of Calamity, the tree had finally gotten a break. It felt like Dreamscape had regained some of its vitality.
'A pity… It's only a little better. I need to kill at least five or six more to completely revitalise it…' Leylin inhaled a deep breath after arriving at his own estimation. The harm that these Lords had done to Dreamscape was beyond terrifying!
'Dreamscape survives on absorbing the dreams of intelligent beings of the astral plane. The Lords of Calamity pilfered its origin force on the same basis, stealing the foundation of its strength. A world would not be able to bear even a rank 8 existence for so long, leave alone an entire bunch of them…' Only now did Leylin begin to understand Dreamscape slowly.
If he was a monk at his own home, having unwanted guests who constantly took his belongings would make him want to kill them.
...
"How are you, Bodach?" Leylin came to the chaotic borders to find the one-eyed dragon sprawled on the ground. Bodach's body had been shattered, revealing his heart and internal organs. However, his consciousness was still rather clear, and critical areas had already started to mend themselves. If not for the surrounding powers of decay and calamity, he would have recovered even more by now. From this one could see the terrifying vitality that laws possessed.
"I'm alright, Your Excellency Leylin!" Bodach looked up at Leylin in a reverent gaze, but Leylin's brows furrowed. A slit appeared between his brows to reveal a red vertical eye that devoured the laws of calamity and decay from Bodach's body.
*Rumble!* With Leylin's help, Bodach soon returned to being a middle-aged one-eyed man.
He looked at Leylin, his adam's apple trembling as he stuttered out, "Le– Leylin, Your Excellence. Does you coming here mean that you beat Salilus into retreat?"
Even if he'd witnessed Leylin's prowess earlier, Bodach would not dare to dream otherwise. Bodach's understanding told him being able to beat the Lord of Calamity into retreat was already a good end.
Leylin smiled as he chose to speak the truth. "No, he's dead. He won't be troubling you anymore."
"He– He's dead?" Bodach racked his brains, "The great arcane! Am I hallucinating? Leylin, are you sure you did not use the wrong verb? Dead, and not repelled?"
"Of course! Salilus is no more." Leylin did not hesitate to state the truth. "No, although I destroyed his truesoul the river of space and time will remember his aura during the ascension of a rank 8. He can still revive himself, but it'd be extremely hard to meet the requirements. It would need tens of thousands of years in preparation…"
Beings that could wield laws had already left their personal marks on the river of space and time. Even if they fell, they had a chance for revival. It was like the ancient conscients in the World of Gods, only that it would be much more difficult.
"But that is a rank 8 Lord… Oh my heavens… I have roamed around fifty seven-worlds and hundreds of dimensions, but never before have I heard of anything like this… Even back in the Final War, it was extremely rare for a rank 8 to be slain, not to mention the Lords of Calamity which were known for their battle prowess…" Bodach muttered, and his large eye did not give off any light, as if he had suffered a huge shock.
"It's not the time to discuss this. We have to leave now, or it'll be troublesome." Leylin pulled Bodach away with no intention of explaining.
"Leave? Where to?" Bodach was still feeling lightheaded.
"Leave Dreamscape! No matter where is alright, let's find a small plane to hide in for now, Unless you want a group of Lords of Calamity hunting you down…" Leylin looked at the surrounding seals that were slowly lifted, and the departure of the World WIll.
The reason he'd blatantly revealed his trump card before was that he'd had the help of the World Will sealing the area, and he could kill the Lord of Calamity in a single blow.
Now that the seal was lifted, Leylin didn't dare to be reckless anymore. After all, his Nightmare Bloodline put him on the opposing side to all the Lords of Calamity, and his secret couldn't be revealed.
If he left now, the group of Lords would only know that Salilus had been slain by two rank 7 beings from a foreign world, unable to pinpoint the identity of the Nightmare Absorbing Physique. If they were to clash and Leylin revealed his powers, he would die surrounded by a group of rank 8s!
Now that the battle had ended, the World Will needed time to savour its spoils of war. Its willingness to help Leylin once more had to be put into question.
This was why Leylin chose to flee decisively, leaving the Lords of Calamity perplexed. It was extremely difficult for these Lords to leave Dreamscape, especially with dreamforce weakened. The world itself had turned into a giant cage.
And the only exception is Leylin, who owned the Nightmare Absorbing Physique.With the Nightmare King's bloodline and his own inheritances, he could enter and leave as he so willed.
'This is most likely a limitation Dreamscape set as well. With the Nightmare King able to leave immediately after killing a lord to regain his power, no matter how furious the other lords are they can only look on… And when the Nightmare King amasses enough power to crush them, they will be faced with their doom.'
The more Leylin pondered, the more he felt that his deduction was right. Each time Dreamscape had sealed itself in and weakened its own power, it was in fact allowing the Nightmare Absorbing Physique to have a killing feast. It was a hit and run tactic, allowing the rank 7 Nightmare King to tire the Lords of Calamity out. After all, the Nightmare King had the help of the world itself.
Once the seal on Dreamscape was lifted, the lords would enter a frenzy of infiltrating other worlds in a hope to discover the Nightmare Absorbing Physique. Failing that, they would gather more origin force and strengthen their truesouls, preventing themselves from being the next prey.
The stronger beings would have longer lives, Dreamscape was just that brutal. Understanding this logic, Leylin did not hesitate to leave.
His deduction had been extremely accurate. Right after he left, the lords began to barge into the area the World Will had sealed.
"Sssii… No remnants, no traces of aura, they carefully cleaned up the area…" The lord who spoke was fat and round, his massive body topped by three heads. The head which spoke was that of a green viper, the other two being a black goat and a human.
"The lack of traces should be the greatest clue. Hiding it means he possesses a secret nobody should know…" Another lord floated in midair. It was a giant chariot wheel which had numerous eyes around its body. Its rotations radiated abyssal flames.
"Speak of your conjecture, Eye Emissary!" A female giant spoke last, her body crackling with the sound of thunder.
-x-X-x-
Destructive snow spiralled powerfully. Three Lords of Calamity had gathered here, the power they attracted clearly greater than usual.
That white snow floated down slowly in great swathes, melting away everything it touched. However, these three lords did not seem to feel a thing as they discussed their own affairs.
"It's very difficult to determine…" The enormous wheel blinked its many eyes, clearly hesitant. "Few secret treasures can allow a rank 7 to withstand someone of our power, even from the ancient times of the Magi and the World of Gods. I'm more inclined to think that it's a peak rank 8 faking their identity. Such an existence would find it very easy to hide from a dream demon's senses…"
It was absolutely unthinkable for a mere rank 7 being of laws, or even two for that matter, to get rid of a Lord of Calamity. Had a peak rank 8 wanted to conceal themselves, even the perception of the dream demons wouldn't allow them to distinguish the real from the fake.
"If that existence was truly disguising their form, then the previous information we received needs to be completely thrown out?" The human head of the three-headed monster asked.
"This is actually the best case scenario," the Eye Emissary said coldly, "Salilus falling due to his vengeance and hatred would actually be the best case scenario."
"Then, what is the worst case scenario?" The female thundergiant asked.
"Don't you feel like the situation is very familiar? Especially the interference from Dreamscape itself... " As the Eye Emissary spoke, destructive black lightning streaked past the horizon.
"You're saying… The one whose bloodline we collectively cursed?" The three-headed monster hesitated in its words.
"That's impossible!" The female thundergiant's eyes grew intensely agitated, the sparks undulating along her body revealing her anxious heart.
"You don't know the price we paid for it! We sacrificed the souls of seven great worlds, and only motivated the last Nightmare King into depression due to the sacrifice of the Monarch of Despair. It was after all that that he thought of ending his own life. If it wasn't for the fatal flaw in the Nightmare King's psyche and truesoul, our plan would never have succeeded!
"The Nightmare King finally chose to use the World of Gods' protective sphere and ended its life there. The inheritance of the Nightmare Absorbing Physique ended there!" The female thundergiant roared, "Yet now you're telling me that the Nightmare King has returned! Did he crawl back out from the World of Gods?"
The giant grew more and more emotional as she spoke, her voice trembling faintly. It was clear that her fear for the previous Nightmare King was limitless. After all, he'd killed over a dozen Lords of Calamity, a powerful existence at the peak of rank 8!
"It's only speculation…" The enormous figure of the Eye Emissary trembled as well. It was clear that he'd remembered those bitter times unwillingly.
"However, there are other ways to sway Dreamscape's conscient. A peak rank 8 existence can easily conceal itself against it…" He added finally, "It's still only a possibility."
"In brief, the Nightmare King has already left Dreamscape. We must wait until the World Origin Force lifts the seal and dreamforce recovers before we can venture out of Dreamscape to investigate."
The three-headed monster's black goat head said, "Before that happens, to avoid discovery, shall we combine our seals together?"
"Endless power of dissolution, the black goat's egg of rippling decay… Your suggestion is very good, but it's a shame that I can't trust you." The female thundergiant shot a glance at the three-headed creature, "I have other allies. Even if I wanted an alliance, I would never think of joining with you. You had better give up on this."
"No, Molina! I'm so crazy about you…" The three-headed monster howled in anguish, the human face in the centre seemingly on the verge of tears. "This proposal is very good, let's transmit it to all the other Lords of Calamity. Let them cast their votes!"
"Give up… Even without Salilus, I would never love you!" The female thundergiant suddenly turned into lightning and streaked off to the end of the horizon. Only the three-headed monster was left behind, incessantly bellowing in rage, "Aaaahh… Damn you Salilus, I'll kill you! Even if you revive, I'll kill you once again!"
...
Time passed. Leylin had returned to the Magus World once again, currently at his laboratory.
The experiment table had not changed in the slightest. The flame at its side still continued to give off light and heat, as if Leylin had only left for a brief moment.
In that brief moment, however, a Lord of Calamity had died at his hands. If news of this got out, it would surely shake countless worlds. However, that would be accompanied by the spread of Leylin's name. The Magus World would face the retaliation of the other Lords of Calamity.
Although the subterranean Magi of laws had the ability to resist the attack, the surface world did not. Leylin did not feel that Mother Core would so generously make an enemy out of a whole group of Lords of Calamity to protect him, so it was better to keep a low profile.
"How long was I gone this time?" Leylin walked to the corner of the laboratory and looked at the black sculpture of a demisnake.
*Crack! Crack!* As soon as his voice was heard, the statue's eyes lit up with two red flames. Its smooth and perfect body began to move.
With a rumble, the statue seemed to come to life within a short span of time. It became a demisnake golem guard and respectfully bowed to Leylin. "You have been away for 7 days and 9 Magus hours, my Lord. Lady Freya came to find you in this time, leaving a short message…"
"I know," Leylin waved his hand, letting the statue resume its original position and form. A look of contemplation flashed across his eyes.
'I spent far longer in Dreamscape than a mere seven days. The discrepancy in the flow of time between the two sides is too great. Is this the influence of my seal in Dreamscape?' As he came to a bookshelf, Leylin flipped through information on Dreamscape's flow of time and recorded the content he'd discovered himself.
The red ink left behind bright marks on the yellowed parchment, the complex ornate characters holding a strange power of law.
Although Leylin could use the A.I. Chip to record everything in a flash, he still persevered with making hard copies of some experimental data as a backup. These resources would be extremely precious to his family and subordinates. With some concept of laws left behind, they would become a treasure passed from generation to generation.
Completing this, Leylin began to sort out the benefits he'd reaped from Dreamscape.
"First is this…" A gold draconic ring appeared in Leylin's hand, with three marks on its surface. This was an item left behind by the one-eyed dragon Bodach. After Leylin had removed his curse, the dragon had returned the favour with a pledge of eternal secrecy. He'd promised three favours for Leylin, the draconic ring being the proof of the same.
Leylin didn't indulge in the fantasy of having a being of laws submit to him. Those at rank 7 and above had their own dignity, and this outcome was already excellent.
'However… A rank 7 one-eyed dragon's promise isn't worth much to me now. Perhaps I can only leave it for my family…' Leylin sighed a little and put the dragon ring away.
A rank 7 existence wasn't much to him anymore. However, this sort of existence would be a great boon to his family. The three favours were practically a meat pie from the heavens falling into their laps.
It was rather ridiculous that Bodach and Salilus' grievances were due to Bodach's wrongdoing, but Leylin had entered and stirred up a strong change. Because of his bloodline, Leylin had become the arch nemesis of all the Lords of Calamity. On top of that, Salilus himself had ended up falling.
The cause was all due to a stolen Suolo gem! If Salilus still lived, wouldn't he feel that he had been treated unjustly?
"A.I. Chip! Show the analysis map of Dreamscape's Origin Force!"
[Beep! Mission established, currently transferring…] The A.I Chip loyally implemented Leylin's order. An extensive library of stats was displayed before Leylin. With powerful calculations and analytical ability as its base, the A.I. Chip shaped the data into an analysis of Dreamscape Origin Force and displayed it to Leylin.
Leylin's body of laws had strong reasoning abilities. His previous life's work could now be more easily understood and accumulated.
With conscients from Salilus and the dream demon, as well as authority from Dreamscape's own World Will, his understanding of that world could not be surpassed. Once the origin force chart was completed, Leylin was quite certain of being able to use dreamforce to refine his own laws.
"What belongs to others will still belong to them in the end. However, using Dreamscape's authority, I can now also manipulate dreamforce to its peak, but once I lose this limit…" Leylin had always been meticulous about his work. Before he considered victory, he first thought of defeat. How could he leave such a huge loophole to fall into?
He'd always been analysing and researching dreamforce. Obtaining the chart of Dreamscape Origin Force, he would immediately undo many locks of mystery. His research would advance a thousand miles in a single day.
'Before too long, I'll be able to control the pattern of dreamforce exhausting itself without the world's support…' Leylin's eyes burned with fervour. The path he would walk after he rose to rank 8 had been paved with its most important cornerstone!
-x-X-x-
Leylin was now extremely clear on his path as a Magus. A rank 7 comprehended one complete law, and a rank 8 had to master many. A peak rank 8 then needed to infuse a law they created themselves into their body, representing it as a path of sorts. To advance to rank 9, this path needed to contain the power of spacetime itself!
'The foundational law that represents your path is the most important step!' Leylin smiled, 'This power shouldn't just accommodate all the laws involved in forming your path, it also has to be strong enough to deal with spacetime, harnessing such powers to allow you to advance to rank 9. Dreamforce perfectly meets all these requirements, and it's more capable of infusing other laws than I thought…'
Many at rank 7 and above did not know the pros and cons of the path ahead, and deviated from the correct route. Pitifully they were stuck unable to change their path, forced into a dead end. Leylin had a strong suspicion that peak rank 8s like Mother Core and many others had suffered this pitfall, left unable to advance after such a long time.
Compared to them, Leylin was extremely lucky. His A.I. Chip could simulate the future results, allowing him to compare the pros and cons of different laws. In addition, he'd learnt of the secrets of many ancient Magi, also being well-travelled amongst the many worlds. He was currently on the right track.
Leylin deeply understood that hard work alone was futile. Only by finding the correct path and putting in relentless hard work would he be able to see success, and even that would need a sliver of luck.
'My path has already been chosen. I can only tune it now, not make great changes… Unneeded laws need to be removed…'
Leylin ordered, "A.I. Chip, display my stats!"
[Leylin Farlier, Rank 7 Warlock, Bloodline: Targaryen Serpent (rank 7). Strength: 257.71, Agility: 200.01, Vitality: 350.98, Spiritual Force: 611.27, Body of Laws. Law Comprehension: Devouring (100%), Massacre (58%), Calamity (27%), Decay (15%), Curses (1%). Origin Force Saturation: 27.99%] The A.I. Chip intoned.
Leylin looked at his stats and the comprehension of laws, his eyes turning into a dark abyss.
"Devouring and Massacre are set to take on important roles in my path. However, Calamity, Decay and Curses can be removed from my truesoul… Fortunately, my comprehension of these laws is not too deep. With the construction of my soul and the A.I. Chip's meticulous workings, I can remove them from my body without any harm…"
For rank 7 existences and beyond, if one did not need the laws residing in their bodies, it was best to extract them out. Other rank 7 and 8 Magi would definitely pay a sky-high price for them.
However, Leylin had a better plan than that.
'A.I. Chip! Activate the Manderhawke Plate's power to travel worlds, and connect to my secondary clone in the World of Gods!' The Manderhawke Plate floated from Leylin's palms, strange runes filling it as it opened a black tunnel.
In the World of Gods, Leylin's demigod clone open its eyes and a golden light flashed through them. Black animal skin appeared, carrying intricate runes and radiating an ancient yet mysterious aura.
This was something Leylin acquired in the western desert. Back then, he'd only thought of the seal as rather unique and guessed that it had contained much information
*Beep!* Two rays of golden lightning struck the animal skin from Leylin's eyes, the patch of skin immediately floating into the sky as a lot of information was transmitted.
"A.I. Chip, begin to synchronise the transmission!" the demigod Leylin ordered before closing his eyes again...
At this moment, Leylin completed his transmission from the Magus World, using the tunnel created by the Manderhawke Plate to send information to the auxiliary A.I. Chip.
[Beep! Receipt sent from auxiliary chip, transmission 100% completed. Decompression ongoing…] The A.I. Chip projected a lot of information to Leylin in the Magus World, on a large flickering screen.
A trove of data was sealed within that obscure piece of animal skin, containing the accumulation of information from an ancient civilisation. The demigod had done most of the decrypting, so Leylin only had to peruse the information sent over to the A.I. Chip.
"The theory of overgod weapons…"
"Origin force sensing and construction…"
"The foundation of overgod weapons— 4D planes…"
The folder was extremely large, containing a sea of information. Most of it pertained to the construction of overgod weapons.
"They were a short-lived civilisation that appeared after the dusk of the gods, in the period known as the dark ages. Inspired by arcanist theory, the civilisation specialised in weaponsmithing. This overgod weapon is their ultimate design, but even the might of their entire civilisation couldn't help them finish it…"
Leylin's eyes blazed as he looked at the information. This was an overgod weapon, a concept from the World of Gods! The engineers of that civilisation had wished to construct a weapon stronger than the divine, an overwhelming tool that could slay even gods!
Leylin believed it likely held another name. It was an Origin Force Weapon, a tool that was fuelled by the World Origin Force designed to harm beings of laws.
Now that Leylin himself was a rank 7 Warlock, he realised the difference of this realm from the rest. Most rank 7s had already stopped spell fights, instead using their own laws combined with the World Origin Force. Few innate bloodlines could be activated at this realm.
Because of this, Leylin had to devise new measures for battle. A weapon made of origin force would definitely increase his power tremendously.
'During the process of constructing a divine weapon, the gods will often put in their own flesh, blood and soul into it. That is why a divine weapon achieves such godly powers. Origin force weapons work on the foundation of origin force, bringing greater difficulty into their construction. Of course, the weapon's might increases as well…'
Leylin nodded his head at the information. The engineers of this civilisation had a very strong comprehension of laws and origin force.
'I wonder if their death was attributed to the fact that they tried to obtain origin force. After all, this was a taboo to the gods…'
Leylin thought about it a little longer before putting it off. There weren't enough clues, but according to his guesses if the gods realised that 'lowborn' humans tried to utilise origin force to construct a weapon, they would definitely want these human beings destroyed. Ants had to know their place; the gods would wreak destruction on anything in their paths, and their wills could never be disobeyed!
'No wonder they were unable to construct the overgod weapon in the end…' Leylin used his soul force to skim through ten lines at a time. Finished with the manual to construct this weapon known as the Black Sacrifice, he shook his head.
'How much origin force can a regular mortal absorb? They're severely lacking if they want to construct a weapon made of origin force. They wouldn't even be able to construct the core components…
'Forget that, origin force is such a sacred and rare resource for the gods. How could they waste it on weapons? The basic requirement to construct an origin force weapon is being equivalent to a rank 7 Magus.'
Leylin shook his head, no longer baffled by the failure of that civilisation. 'However, this Black Sacrifice book is useful to me. It has given me a model for me to create an origin force weapon, which means I don't have to use as many processors of the A.I. Chip on it anymore…'
To Leylin, the construction of a weapon using origin force was not a problem. His authority in Dreamscape would allow him to do so. After all, he wouldn't dare absorb too much of Dreamscape's origin force himself, so it was viable for him to use it on his weapon.
With origin force as a foundation, an overgod weapon was not something as simple as purely wielding origin force to attack. It was two different concepts.
Deep down in Leylin's heart, he devised an even grander plan. He wanted to inscribe the laws that were useless to him onto the origin force weapon, and create an even more terrifying tool of destruction!
With the laws of devouring, he'd definitely consume even greater existences in the future, in order to pry apart the laws that they had comprehended. As for the laws which were not useful for his path, Leylin would then transfer it to this weapon and increase its power.
With that many laws infused in it, Leylin could only guess at what a monstrosity it would become in the future. One day the name of this weapon would reverberate around the entire cosmos, making the many existences of law shudder in fear!
...
Behind the construction of this origin force weapon was the quintessence of an entire civilisation. Even with Leylin's processing ability together with the help of the A.I. Chip, he needed some time to fully digest the information and wield it for his own. Not only that, he had to simulate new models, optimising and perfecting it.
Time passed by quietly as Leylin began his experiments on manipulating Dreamscape's origin force to the construction of the overgod weapon. During this period of time, he had not recklessly attempt to challenge any Lords of Calamity, but only accompanied his family members in living a rather tranquil yet comfortable lifestyle.
Until one day…
-x-X-x-
Leylin's laboratory had been transformed into an enormous maze of infinite space. A few furnaces within burned with the unquenchable fire of origin force.
The powerful energy was restricted by many shackles formed of laws, poured into the enormous spell formation at the centre.
At the heart of this spell formation was an enormous pool, liquid origin force from Dreamscape present within. Just a drop of this could drive other beings of law crazy.
A faint black shadow could be seen at the centre of the pool, greedily absorbing the surrounding energy and origin force to radiate a vaguely sharp and deadly aura. It seemed like some cruel giant creature of prehistoric times lay there, dormant.
"It took several hundred years, but the embryo of the weapon is ready. Next is the sculpting…" Leylin stood by the pool dressed in black robes, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Leylin… Leylin…" Just at this moment, his expression changed. A summons was transmitted from his bloodline, full of intoxicating power.
'It's the Snake Dowager! Has the time of our thousand year contract come already?' Leylin sighed lightly as he stepped away. He watched as the surroundings changed greatly.
As spacetime began to change, Leylin had already arrived outside the world boundary of the Magus World. His true body now emerged in the endless astral plane. A woman dressed in black was waiting for him in the limitless starry skies.
"We meet again… Snake Dowager!" Leylin said softly. He now had a clear estimate of the Snake Dowager's strength. She was a rank 8 Magus! Even if she hadn't formed her own path by refining her laws yet, and her combat power was a little inferior to the Lords of Calamity, she was a creature who'd lived countless years and most likely had several trump cards hidden.
"Your Excellency Leylin! Every time we meet, I seem to be ever more surprised…" The Snake Dowager's face was veiled with a black muslin cloth. Only her glittering eyes, as bright as stars, were revealed to the outside world. They rippled with endless charm, filled with sweet-tempered emotion.
One could see a fondness for life and beauty from her eyes, and anyone could see their most perfect image of a woman at its centre. It had to be said that when it came to laws of charm, the Snake Dowager's comprehension had reached a terrifying level.
"With your current power, you're at the forefront of rank 7 existences across all worlds. If it's like this, then I can feel at ease…" The Snake Dowager stood shoulder to shoulder with Leylin. Her thousand snake form did not have the sphere of serpents below her, but Leylin felt that this was a true form, not her avatar.
He smelt the fragrance of a maiden as well as the rippling of silky hair— and the most important thing was the intimate connection of bloodline. It gave all her bloodline descendents the feeling of being favoured by the gods.
Still, no matter how beautiful she was, she was still just a cooperative partner to Leylin.
"I have not forgotten our thousand year contract about the Shadow World. So, why have you come to find me?" Leylin wrinkled his brow.
It was not easy to fight over a large world, especially the Shadow World which was equivalent in rank to the Purgatory World. There would be many beings of law in that place, and what's more they'd managed to expel her in the past!
Snake Dowager was originally an existence of laws from the Shadow World, and had been a rank 8 Magus for a while. It was a pity that while fighting over the control of the world, her refinement of the power of shadows into her own path had failed. She had been forced to bring her bloodline descendents to the Purgatory World.
Since then, parts of her bloodline had circulated outside. They were tinged by the chaotic nature of Purgatory whatever world they spread to.
Strictly speaking, Leylin's Kemoyin Warlock inheritance had been part of her legacy. Because of that, there was no way that the path of bloodlines and its conflict would be so easily resolved.
Since it stemmed from this reason, and he also intended to quell his quarrels with her, Leylin finally decided to help her out once. As for the other conditions and treasures, in truth it wasn't enough of a motivation for an existence of laws to act.
"Is this fate?" Leylin's eyes brightened. As if something had snapped, his aura began to come to a standstill. At this, the Snake Dowager's eyes glowed with extraordinary splendour. It was clear that her junior Leylin had surprised her.
"Of course not. I had an agreement with the Trial's Eye as well as other supremes to act at the most appropriate time," the Snake Dowager said in a nasal voice, her tone clear and silky. All who heard it unconsciously lost themselves.
"Have you completed your preparations, Your Excellency?"
"I have, I'm ready to act at any time," Leylin replied. His origin force weapon was now mostly complete. He'd need time to pour laws in and sculpt it, something that could not be rushed. Still, his current battle might exceeded that of ordinary rank 8 existences, making it very possible for him to escape with his own life.
Besides, if he was able to drag the Snake Dowager into Dreamscape, Leylin was sure that he would be able to teach her an unforgettable lesson.
With his confidence in his own power, Leylin now dared to reveal his true self before the Snake Dowager. After all, his opponents were not limited to the existences of laws within the Shadow World. In the depths of Leylin's heart, he had never trusted the Snake Dowager. This was so even if he'd signed a bloodline contract with Dreamscape as his witness.
"Very well, then. Let us depart now. We need to pass by five other worlds to reach the Shadow World, passing through the cracks between worlds…"
A giant pitch-black serpent emerged from her dulcet tones, the Allsnake symbol upon its head as it leapt into the endless astral river.
This sort of ultra long-distance world transformation was required to transport Leylin and other existences of laws like him. Astral gates were unable to bear such a burden, so it was necessary to use the most primitive form of travel.
Leylin shrugged his shoulders and stepped onto the path paved by starlight, walking side-by-side with the Snake Dowager as they journeyed towards the Shadow World.
The astral plane— This was the concept that the ancient Magi had of the distant universe. It represented the limitlessness of space with its endless borders. The ancient Magi had all been fond of exploring and exploiting the astral plane.
The astral plane was full of numerous dimensions and worlds, planes, demiplanes, and even special places where the remains of ancient Magi lay dead. It was filled with danger, and the chaotic flow of space there would make it difficult for even rank 5 and rank 6 Magi to survive. It was even more pointless to talk about the strange and savage creatures here.
During ancient times, Magi below rank 7 used astral gates to explore the astral plane, danger omnipresent in their expeditions. However, for these two who were strolling through the astral river, the danger that was enough to annihilate a legion of great Magi was nothing more than some entertainment in their leisure time.
The frantic space storms did not raise a single corner of the pair's clothes. The astral creatures all made a detour around them, the turbulent and berserk auras of their bloodlines causing all weaker creatures to flee.
Currently, the Snake Dowager seemed to maintain a very low profile. When they encountered the aura of existences of laws, it had always been Leylin who had confronted them.
She naturally wanted to preserve the surprise of their attack, but Leylin felt that this was a rather useless gesture.
Leylin had not come unprepared. He'd already researched everything to do with the Shadow World, even if it was a shame that the Final War and its distance from the Magus World had left the news near useless.
Leylin only knew that the Snake Dowager's contest for the control of the Shadow World had failed, and she had been banished. However, he was completely in the dark about who her opponent had been.
The Snake Dowager had not breathed a word about the matter to anyone. Leylin reckoned that it was only when they reached the Shadow World that she would honestly tell him everything.
*Awooo! Awooo!* Standing on the path of starlight, Leylin watched as a huge creature with an extremely long tail walked past them with interest.
The creature's physique could not be described with just stats. It was roughly the same size as the Snake Dowager's astral body, with dark brown leather on its skin imprinted with scales. It had thousands of gigantic feet beneath its fat body, their shapes strange and twisted. Six pairs of broken fleshly wings were on its back, and it saw them through a pair of amber eyeballs that had only just appeared. Its light green pupils greedily scanned across its surroundings.
An enormous tongue occasionally pulled several floating creatures into this body, even the stronger astral creatures unable to escape this fate.
After seeing Leylin and the Snake Dowager, the enormous monster snorted. Two destructive pillars of smoke erupted from its nostrils. With a wave of its tail, it disappeared deeper into the astral plane.
The Snake Dowager introduced the creature to Leylin, "This was Merxiname, the astral plane's 'streetsweeper'. It feeds on the corrupted trash of the astral plane, and has a gentle temperament…"
"I've seen its description before in books on the astral world, but this is the first time I've seen it in person…" Leylin looked at the enormous body of the Merxiname, his eyes filled with a faint regret.
The creature's body was almost as big as a plane, so it could only survive on the amount of food it would get in the astral plane.
"Also, the Merxiname has the ability to create astral wormholes. Follow it, perhaps we can save some time." This secret was just one of many an ancient existence like the Snake Dowager would know, such as the burial grounds of treasure from ancient Magi. Even one bit of news could drive others crazy.
-x-X-x-
The 'Astral Plane Devourer' dragged its enormous body ahead on its path. Merxiname's two tails swayed without the slightest care.
Devouring a broken fragment of a plane, this enormous 'streetsweeper' of the astral plane roared out like a tiger, causing the surroundings to tremble. The space in front of it cracked apart, causing a pitch black tunnel to emerge.
"An astral wormhole!" The Snake Dowager looked at the spatial tunnel with some excitement, "I smell the unique aroma of the world's ridge at the end of the tunnel. It'll help us save nine astral days on our journey."
"That's really lucky, given how random the Merxiname's wormholes are. Being able to find a useful one by coincidence… this is rather fortunate indeed. It seems to be an omen of good luck," Leylin echoed.
"Speaking of spatial techniques for the astral plane, the Magus World's astral gate is the most outstanding of them all. Pity it's not suitable for our ranks, it would require ten years' worth of resources for a single trip…" The Snake Dowager spread her fair and tender fingertips, her alluringly red nails bright and glittering.
"The World Spring technique is probably the most suitable transportation method for those of our rank. With Merxiname's astral wormholes combined with a shortcut through Dreamscape… Such a pity, Dreamscape is currently exhausted of origin force…" As she spoke of it, the Snake Dowager's bewitching eyes were pointedly fixed on Leylin.
"Oh? My lady's information truly is extensive, I'm ashamed of being so inferior to you…" Leylin's skin was currently so thick that he posed with a modest expression.
"After I wrest back control of the Shadow World, I would be quite willing to spend some time with Your Excellency. I have many secrets from ancient times that are worth sharing with you…" The Snake Dowager laughed in a silvery girlish tone. However, it was filled with the enchantment of a mature woman, able to drive all male creatures crazy.
Leylin scratched his nose and did not say much in reply, instead diving directly into the astral wormhole.
...
Having experienced the astral wormhole and the magnificent world ridge, Leylin and the Snake Dowager arrived near the boundary of an enormous world.
"I have returned… This time, no one will be able to banish me!" The Snake Dowager looked at the enormous murky world in the distance, the shadow force surging above it causing her eyes to fill with determination and desire.
"My opponent is very good at concealment, and my enemies that are hidden in the shadows have a sharp perception. Follow me…" The Snake Dowager took the initiative and led Leylin by hand, fleeing to a different location.
The space here was empty, in a region a little smaller than a semiplane. It seemed to be rooted outside the Shadow World, yet strangely isolated from it. Without the Snake Dowager actively leading him here, Leylin would have spent a long time trying to find this place.
He withdrew his hand, reflecting on the soft satin-like skin of the Dowager as well as the connection of their bloodlines.
However, he soon turned his attention elsewhere. Several existences had been waiting for them within this secret space.
On the left was an enormous vertical eye wielding the power of trials and laws. It was the Trial's Eye, someone Leylin was intimately familiar with. There were two other beings of law beside it, an old fellow dressed in luxurious black robes and a sphere of smoke.
"Let me introduce everyone. This is Leylin of the Magus World," the Snake Dowager took centre stage and warmly introduced Leylin, "You've met the Trial's Eye before. This is Yuri the Conqueror of the Thunderstorm World, and Lady Massa of the Dark World…"
When her finger moved from the imperial old man to the sphere of smoke, the Dowager added, "My apologies, Lady Massa is a little shy in front of strangers."
'How did such an exotic flower bloom amongst the beings of laws?' Leylin thought to himself. Still, he didn't show any of this on his face. The two experts' strengths hadn't been disguised.
Yuri looked at Leylin with an exacting glance before turning his attention to the Snake Dowager, "A rank 7 Warlock? I suppose he barely qualifies as this elder's ally. Only, Snake Dowager, you should tell us what happened since we are all here now. I don't want to cross swords with an enemy that I know nothing about…"
"Ah, I wanted to discuss that now anyway," The Dowager looked all around her with a rather bitter smile, "My enemy is not a native of the Shadow World. She's an outsider!"
"An outsider!" Leylin cried out in alarm. This had surpassed his imagination, and it was no wonder that the Dowager had been so reluctant to loosen her lips on the matter. It was inconceivable that the World Origin Force would favour an outsider over an existence of laws that it had nurtured itself!
Since it was an outsider, the information on this enemy was very sparse, especially since they grasped the laws of concealment..
"Yes… The enemy was like an incarnation of shadow, receiving the favour of the entire world," the Dowager slowly stated.
From her description, she had the advantage of having a soul native to the Shadow World, which meant that she would easily obtain the favour of the World Will. Once she reached rank 8, she waited until she had grasped her own path and refined shadow force to advance to the peak of rank 8.
At that time, perhaps she would have chosen to fuse with the entire World Will and become the avatar of the Shadow World. From then on, she would be eternal with the world. It was a shame that it had all changed after the outsider had arrived.
"When I discovered the outsider at first, I felt that their aura was very strange. Although it had been concealed by concentrated shadow, it still felt a little weak…" The Snake Dowager's beautiful eyes were a little distant, as if she had sunk into her memories.
"Once the outsider entered the Shadow World, the entire World Origin Force seemed to cheer, as if it had found its true master. It was in such high spirits that no one could comprehend. I never thought that a World Will could be so fond of a living creature…"
"With World Origin Force pouring into the outsider, they seemed to recover quickly from their weakness. They advanced at unthinkable speed to rank 8. I began to grow impatient, and chose to fight over the authority of the Shadow World, and all of you know the outcome already…"
Although he couldn't see her face, Leylin felt the Dowager's soul aura begin to fluctuate, filled with resistance and resentment.
'According to the Dowager, the outsider had received the great favour of the Shadow World. Perhaps they surpass the Nightmare King with his Nightmare Absorption Physique already. Then, that is to say that the World Will approves of the outsider and feels that their path is the most suitable for the Shadow World?' Leylin thought to himself and involuntarily sighed. He felt that things had gotten a lot more complicated.
Even though the outsider did not have other existences of laws to help them, once a World Will got involved, they could become very powerful.
Fighting at close quarters in a world brimming over with hostility, with the child of that very world? Leylin would not do something this stupid. The unfortunate Lord of Calamity Salilus had been the best example of the problems with that.
Leylin saw that Salilus could perhaps flee in another world, but in Dreamscape Leylin used the World Will as an unstoppable weapon to slay him. Winning against his enemy in such a way was awfully entertaining, but being challenged himself like that was quite frightening instead.
"Dowager! According to what you said, when we fight the outsider, won't the entire Shadow World support them against us? Since it's like this, are you still choosing to fight the enemy from the shadows?
"Even if we are allies who have signed a contract, we still have the authority to retreat when faced with such danger!" It was clear that the World Will of a great world had the Trial's Eye feeling fearful.
None of the beings of law here dreaded the World Will of planes, they themselves could easily steamroll it. A small world's World Will would call for a little more power, while a medium-sized World Will would surpass the power of an existence of law. Two or three, however, would be sufficient to win.
But the Shadow World was a large world. One would need peak rank 8 strength to contend with it! Sadly, none of those gathered here possessed that power. In other words, if the Dowager used to have a helper of that rank she wouldn't have been banished so easily.
"You can be rest assured on this point. I'm a native of the Shadow World, my innate soul approved by the World Will. The opponent, on the other hand, is an outsider. Their soul of laws has been branded differently, and cannot be changed. With the hundred thousand years I lived here before, I still have some authority in this world."
The Dowager stood there and tried to comfort the others, otherwise the group of members would immediately flee.
"It isn't possible for the Shadow World's World Will to give up on the outsider, but it's possible to force the other native beings of laws into a neutral position, which means that the Shadow World won't especially target us. We still have a chance of success. My impatience was what originally led to the opponent gaining the upper hand!" The Snake Dowager gritted her teeth.
"Mm, then it should be possible if this is the situation. Right, what is the name of your enemy? What form do they take?" Leylin stroked his chin and soon asked.
"She enjoys hiding in the shadows and darkness, and no one has seen her true face. Her public form is that of a strange elven girl, so she's called the Mistress of the Night!" the Snake Dowager said softly.
"The darling of the shadows? The Mistress of the Night?" Once Leylin heard of this description, he immediately reacted with thoughts of the World of Gods.
'I remember very clearly that there was a Mistress of the Night who controlled shadows in the pantheon before the dusk of the gods. Shar disappeared mysteriously after the incident, so it can't be a coincidence!"
-x-X-x-
Mistress of the Night, Shar. The Goddess of the Night, Shadows, and Magic. This was an intermediate god.
Shar's power was equivalent to that of a rank 8 Magus. Rumours said that she used the form of an eccentric elven maiden dressed in black muslin, worshipped by many wizards who walked the path of darkness.
If a god of such standing came to the Shadow World, it was quite possible that she would obtain the favour of the World Will and origin force.
'There seems to be an error in my previous thoughts,' Leylin's brain quickly whirred into action, 'During the ancient Final War, Magi arrived at the World of Gods, but those gods could also come out. If they were willing to give up their godhood and divine kingdoms…'
To a god, giving up their godhood and divine kingdom was like destroying the foundation of their entire being. It was equivalent to committing suicide.
Besides, the World of Gods was sealed, and gods could only face off against Magi due to their divine kingdoms. In the astral plane they'd be heavily suppressed, so why would a god who'd almost been killed do such a thing as go there?
Even the ancient Magi didn't think such a wonderful god would exist. Sadly they'd forgotten something due to the differences in their lines of thought. Luck was a very important factor in the birth of a god, maybe even the primary reason. This led to the existence of many wonderful and exotic gods.
'Besides, if a god had their followers slain and their divine kingdom destroyed, they'd be left with no burden. It'd make sense for one to give everything up…' The more Leylin thought about the matter, the more certain he was that his hypothesis was possibly correct.
'As a result, when Shar entered the Shadow World, she appeared rather weak. Only with the help of the Shadow World did she very quickly recover her power and banish the Snake Dowager…'
Without faith and their divine kingdoms, gods basically had graves dug and waiting for them. However, Shar had effectively changed her 'class.' It could be said that, after a painful process of abandoning her immortality as a deity, she'd become a Magus!
As a result, she had successfully lived and hidden 'behind enemy lines' and rooted herself beneath the eyes of the Magi.
'I smell the aftermath of the Final War…' Leylin began to feel horrified. How many in the astral plane were existences like Shar? If they burst out at the suitable moment, then what impact would they have on his own plans?
Though they had never met, Leylin's heart was over 90% confident that the Mistress of the Night who had taken over the Shadow World and banished the Snake Dowager was none other than Shar of the World of Gods!
'A surviving god, it's better for her to die…' In his heart, he had unhesitatingly passed a death sentence on Shar.
He was thinking a little logically. Leylin was a Warlock, and since he was with the Magi he naturally wanted to quickly exterminate this remnant god. Of course, the benefits he'd gain with this were a whole other matter.
"What? Leylin, did you think of something related to the Mistress of the Night?" The Snake Dowager clearly discovered that Leylin had momentarily become absent-minded. Her beautiful eyes turned towards him, which also attracted the attention of the other existences of laws.
"Oh, it's nothing much. I just recalled the name of the Mistress of the Night, and I feel like it's a little familiar…" Leylin thought and decided not to drop that bomb. After all, he wasn't certain that it would bring him any benefits at all.
It wasn't just that. There were few records of the World of Gods after the Final War, and they were very messy. The name of the Mistress of the Night wasn't something these existences could connect things to.
'I'll go and have a look first, but even if we can't dispatch of the Mistress, fleeing wouldn't be a problem. At the most crucial point, we can send communications to Mother Core and others of that rank to kill the god. We're just the frontlines of the battle…' Leylin thought irresponsibly.
"The name of Mistress of the Night has been used by many. I propose that we start with the identity of the enemy existence of laws. How could a rank 7 or above being not leave the slightest of traces across the astral plane?" the old emperor Yuri suggested.
'You've found the direction, but there's still an issue. The enemy is not an existence from our astral plane, but has instead come from the sealed World of Gods. The crystal sphere prevents all exchange of communications!' Leylin sighed in his heart.
"It's no use, I went looking for Sage Anthony before this. Even someone who can listen to every piece of news in the astral plane didn't find a single record of a being of laws going by the name of Mistress of the Night…" The Snake Dowager shook her head.
"Very well! The enemy's history isn't important. The most crucial point is your plan, Snake Dowager," Yuri waved his hand and looked at the Snake Dowager. He completely ignored the effect of her bewitching eyes and floating silky hair.
"Leylin and I share a bloodline that originates from the Shadow World, so we won't be rejected by it. So this time, let me first go with him into the Shadow World and see the latest news, while you all wait outside the world for our response," the Dowager unhurriedly spoke of her plans.
She was a native of the Shadow World, and Leylin had originally been of her bloodline. The Kemoyin bloodline would naturally not be rejected by the Shadow World and could harmoniously enter. He would not suffer the attention and suppression of the World Will.
As for the other existences of laws, they could only unfortunately continue to stay here. After all, the entry of a foreign existence of laws into the world would certainly arouse the Mistress of the Night's attention.
"So you're sure that the outsider hasn't broken past the peak of rank 8 and fused with the World Will? After all, according to what you just said, the Mistress is incomparably compatible with the Shadow World!" Lady Massa questioned from within the mist.
"I am very doubtful that this has happened. I previously left an imprint on the Shadow World Will, and if the Mistress fused with it I would know immediately. However, there has been no response until now, which implies that the Mistress was unsuccessful…" The Snake Dowager frowned, obviously puzzled by this point as well.
Even if she was an outsider, with the Shadow World Will's tolerant attitude, she should have been promoted to the peak of rank 8 already. The Snake Dowager could only give up and stay in Purgatory World. However, several thousands of years had already passed. The Mistress' strength had not grown greatly, and only recently had there been some change. This aroused certain feelings in the Snake Dowager's heart.
It was Leylin who guessed the reason. 'Was it the influence of the god's brand? It's true, a rank 8 existence changing factions as she pleases, even if it is their character, what sort of joke is this?"
He estimated that Shar had spent thousands of years after she banished the Snake Dowager adjusting and adapting. Only after her innate self had been transformed completely could she fuse with the World Will of the Shadow World, advancing completely to the peak of rank 8.
It was clear that the Mistress was about to succeed. The Snake Dowager could not sit still, and she'd initiated her final struggle to the death.
Indeed, this was a struggle to the death. In Leylin's view, the Dowager was a native who'd grasped the right time and location, fulfilling all the essential criteria to fuse with the World Will. It was a shame that Shar turned the tables on her, causing her to fail her first attempt. It was even more pointless to discuss the second attempt.
Shar had now spent several thousand years recovering and adapting to the Shadow World. The World Will didn't hold back in terms of origin force, and she should have been close to peak rank 8, almost an existence like Mother Core.
'If the Snake Dowager attacks again, her only fate is defeat. Not only is Shar shockingly powerful, her shrewdness and schemes are similarly outstanding. This is a powerful evil god we're talking about, her name enough to make all the gods of good tremble…'
'However, since she has me, this has all changed,' Leylin thought shamelessly, 'This time, the Dowager must pay the price for my satisfaction. Otherwise…'
"So, your Excellency Leylin, do you have any objections towards my arrangement?"
"I have none, but just to be cautious, we had better move separately,' Leylin added.
...
After everything had been decided, several existences of laws began to act swiftly and decisively.
The Trial's Eye, Yuri, and Lady Massa hid in different places, awaiting the Dowager's summons. Leylin and the Snake Dowager concealed their auras, directly arriving outside the world boundary of the Shadow World.
'This abundant World Origin Force, as well as this sort of radiance...' Leylin looked attentively at the enormous Shadow World with a trace of regret lingering in his eyes, 'I see the light of civilisation above the sea of origin force, glittering and splendid.'
"It seems as if the Mistress of the Night did very well after I left,' the Snake Dowager's eyes seemed to grow a little despondent as she stood there in her maiden form. She was even more dismayed by her fall. It was clear that in terms of helping the world to evolve, the Mistress of the Night had far surpassed her. Under her faction, the feeling that the Shadow World now gave Leylin surpassed the aura of large worlds like Purgatory and Icy World. Only the Magus World, the World of Gods and Dreamscape were a little superior.
"So, would you still like to continue?" Leylin politely asked, looking at the despondent form of the maiden who stood beside him.
"Of course! After I return, I'll do much better than the Mistress!" The Snake Dowager's expression seemed to change. Her regret and jealousy completely transformed into the flames of revenge.
"Besides, this time I won't leave again!" Black datura petals bloomed beneath her feet, enveloping her entirely into a black flower bud. In this form, she touched the membrane of the world boundary.
The Shadow World did not react and allowed the black flowerbud to merge through the membrane. This was the method that the Dowager used to pass illegitimately through the boundary.