As he threw this punch, Xavier was exceptionally certain that he'd reached the peak of his power. All his power, his hot-bloodedness, his emotions, everything had been gathered into this one punch, containing the hopes, of Crowley, Bobbi, Clive, and all the rest.
Crowley would've had a better chance at breaking these pearls. However, Xavier knew very well that he himself wasn't powerful enough to stop the Tree of Life. If they switched places, he wouldn't even have a chance to raise his fist. The Tree of Life would eliminate him instantly, and Crowley would lose his chance to attack.
This was why Crowley and the rest had placed their hopes for the world on him, and Xavier understood this enough to throw his everything into the punch. He was confident that even a fort made entirely of steel would be destroyed by this one blow.
*Clang!* His fist collided with the outer wall of the pearl, but there was no damage at all.
"NOOO!" Xavier bellowed, and raised his fist once more. Unfortunately, he was not given a second chance. A terrifying energy attacked his back, causing him to go limp.
'No… Everyone's sacrifice and hard work… Is the world done for just like this?' He felt complete despair. He looked at his little sister within the pearl, seemingly in a deep sleep, as he prayed in his heart, 'Ley, Snake Dowager! I know you can hear me, so please make a move! I'm willing to pay any price…'
Unfortunately, he soon felt himself being enveloped by a terrifying web, his soul taken captive. His thoughts grew stagnant.
Before entering complete darkness, he raised his head and looked at Jill within the pearl, "I– I'm sorry…"
The girl in the pearl had been asleep, but all of a sudden her eyebrows twitched as she awoke, her black eyes meeting Xavier's own.
"You… this is great…" Xavier's lips curved into a slight smile before he sank into complete darkness.
Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed that the girl's eyes lacked all emotion, as if she was just looking at a stranger.
"Keke… those meddling ants are now finally dead…" The Tree of Life continued to mature, and the blood-red tumour on it continued to grow in size as Emperor Aragon chuckled in a carefree manner.
"How could my blood and sweat be destroyed so easily? He seems to be related to you, little lady, he worked really hard in his effort to save your life…
"Now… it's time to make use of you all. Wake up and help me purge the evil…" The terrifying Tree of Light had now extended its roots through half the empire, the soul energy gathered from the act quite frightening.
Numerous frenzied black spots were absorbed by the tree's roots and branches, gathered into the twelve pearls with the girls in them. Many of the tubes couldn't even take the pressure, causing swollen tumours to bead into the pearls.
The pearls emitted dazzling rays as they purified all the evil and insanity. The clean power was then supplied to the Tree of Life, being directed to the blood-red tumour.
"Haha… very good. That's the way, that's the way! I will soon become god!" Aragon said from within.
"You're no god. You're just a mere mortal!" A distinct voice sounded from within the pearl. Jill watched the tree tumour coldly, a look of scorn in her eyes.
"How is this possible? How can a purifier like you speak?" The huge tree tumour made a sound, and Emperor Aragon's face appeared. However, his expression was now distorted, transforming even as it turned into a fog.
"How can a small bit of evil intent stop me?" 'Jill's lips curved up in a snicker, "Only mortals like you would lose their sense of self after assimilating too many souls… How sad!"
"Mortal? Who in the world are you?" Emperor Aragon's voice now became extremely sharp.
"Me? Haven't you been trying to go against me all this time?" Jill's aura changed all of a sudden. Her eyes turned into stars of wisdom.
"Mistress of the Night! You're the Night Mistress!" Emperor Aragon howled like a mouse seeing a cat.
"Didn't you find it strange? I discovered your little plot long ago, but pretended not to notice and allowed you to do as you wished…" Shar smiled as the soul tree continued to work, large amounts of soul energy being purified and entering the tumour.
"You want to become a god? You want to go against me? That's all a part of my plans. If not, would you still be working so hard at completing this task?" The smile on Jill's face grew, "Also… You've even been so kind as to give me a chance to make use of you… How… foolish!"
A powerful will descended at this moment. The twelve purifiers continued to work, but now things were different. A pure white soul energy travelled across these channels to enter the blood red tumour, even beginning to form a huge web that unceasingly corroded Emperor Aragon's strength.
The girls within the eleven other pearls opened their eyes as well, smiles of ridicule on their faces.
"I will be the one controlling the final body, not me." The girls' bodies blurred out as this proclamation resounded, as if they'd transformed from the material to become a flow of energy. The network gave them great power as they abruptly passed through the metal tower into the tree and its tumour.
"No… I'm still protected by Kalle and the mermaid… I haven't lost yet…" Emperor Aragon appeared crazed and twisted, his face now a complete blur. The twelve young girls held hands around him, chanting a strange song with him at the centre.
Aragon didn't even have a millionth of a chance of winning against the will and power of a rank 8 existence. The calming melody of the folksong seemed to appease the Tree of Life, causing the dark red tumour to gradually turn pure white as it faded away.
The crown of pearls stopped moving the moment the tumour disappeared, traces of cracks appearing on it. Aragon's withered body suddenly flaked apart atop his throne, turning to a pile of ashes.
Two streaks of light suddenly appeared within the ashes, causing terrifying whirlwinds in the sky.
"Kalle, Kou… Do you still wish to go against me?" The Shadow Weave flickered, and Shar appeared on a branch of the Tree of Life, dressed in black. The two spirals grew in response to her question, slivers of bloodline force pulled out from all parts of the palace.
"This is… the bloodline of your descendants, and the power of malicious intent? I see. Is it Allsnake?" Shar bit at her lips as two illusory figures walked out of the spirals. The tyrannical power of laws from the past quickly returned.
"We already made a mistake once, Shar. We won't make it again." Prophet Kalle was an elderly man filled with wisdom, while Kou, who belonged to the sea tribe, looked like a mermaid. The great waves of the sea surged underneath them…
Nothing seemed to have changed within that red villa on the outskirts of Kerallen. Leylin had just finished his last move, ending the chess game.
'I see… She used that hatred and the death of descendants to awaken the last remaining conscients, huh? It seems to be some ancient ceremonial spell…
"Sadly, even if you've called them out they don't have the same absolute power as they did in the past. You're making your move?"
The Snake Dowager nodded. "I've been waiting too long… Today, everything will end!" She took a step forward, and the air before her shattered.
*Whoosh!* Terrifying spatial turbulence formed. The Snake Dowager's hair rustled, its many strands in disarray as they transformed into giant snakes. A ball of snakes that looked like a star formed underneath her, carrying the great power of her bloodline.
The Snake Dowager had taken on her ultimate form. The numerous malicious snake heads somehow didn't diminish her charm, instead making her seem more mysterious and wild…
From the astral plane it seemed like a huge tree emanating white light had formed within the Shadow World, growing as it attempted to fuse with the world itself.
A ball of snakes the size of a world suddenly appeared, the serpents snarling and hissing at the tree of light…
"Allsnake…" Shar was not at all surprised at the Snake Dowager's appearance, "This ten thousand year war ends here…"
"Indeed, but victory shall be mine. Your terrifying control will destroy the world!" The Snake Dowager retorted without hesitation. In the meanwhile, two streaks of purple-red light were launched from the ball of snakes, entering Kalle and Kou.
The great amount of bloodline force immediately consolidated the two's powers, strengthening their auras.
"What a pity… If the Trial's Eye was here to make for three, you would definitely fall here…" The Snake Dowager and the two other ancient existences in the Shadow World now stood shoulder to shoulder, creating a huge amount of pressure.
Most important was that they were natives of the world. They were the ones who'd fought over the World Will in ancient times, the ones with the authority to control the world's outcome!
-x-X-x-
"You've always been like this, Allsnake… Hoping for help and allies, remaining unaware that the most reliable support is yourself…" Shar revealed a bizarre smile as her eyes scanned the Snake Dowager's surroundings. "What about that Magus ally of yours?"
The Snake Dowager's expression changed immediately upon Leylin's mention. "Have you reached an agreement with him?"
Leylin was the ally she placed the most importance on, someone she valued more than the other three rank 8 existences. It might've been because she'd previously suffered at his hands.
"Nope! But since he decided not to show up, I can feel at ease when dealing with you…" A sincere smile appeared on Shar's face, the terrifying killing intent causing the skies to darken as snow fell to the earth.
"That's exactly what I was thinking…" The Snake Dowager had resolved herself to kill.
*Whoosh!* A layer of obscure black wind instantly engulfed the entire Shadow World. The Snake Dowager spat out a frightening black storm from her mouth that seemed to sweep everything away.
This was an attack covering the entire Shadow World. Since the Mistress of the Night had chosen to take control of everything, she would instead destroy the planet.
The destruction would lead everything back to primal chaos, akin to resetting the world. The Snake Dowager had thought this through, working up the determination and courage to do so. Even more terrifyingly, her near peak rank 8 strength made it possible to succeed.
How terrifying would a near peak rank 8 existence be? A tenth of the Shadow World's surface had been decimated by her strike within a few minutes, and the corrosion continued to dig deeper. Even the Tree of Life that was fusing with the world suffered great damage, a few branches scattering apart into motes of light.
"You're trying to provoke me, Allsnake. I never imagined you'd be so foolish." Shar looked at the Snake Dowager with pity in her eyes.
A raging will emerged in the skies, its core surging with oppressive origin force. The act of returning everything to primal chaos would naturally erase the World Will, pushing it to wait for its rebirth. However, the Dowager currently intended to completely destroy this will!
Shar wished to control it, while the Snake Dowager wished to eliminate it entirely. The latter obviously engendered more hate. Disregarding her nativity, the World Will raged with fury.
However, Shar already had control of more than half of the World Will, allowing her to gain the power of the World Origin Force. Thus, it made no difference to the Snake Dowager how the rest of the World Will behaved.
"Allsnake… To have accumulated several tens of thousands of years of power, you are indeed worthy of being called the Shadow World's favourite daughter…" Shar's voice was calm as a huge Weave emerged in her hands. Although the terrifying black storm had destroyed a great amount of the Shadow Weave, it recuperated quickly.
On the other hand, energy consumption became a problem. The black winds were slowly pushed back after being devoured, wrapped up by the huge Shadow Weave.
"It's a pity… With control over the entire Shadow World, I am invincible…" Shar currently seemed like a frightening spider queen as she relied on the Shadow Weave to suppress the Snake Dowager completely.
With the great consumption of energy, the Snake Dowager was like a fly trapped in a web. Although her initial struggles could break a few strands, she still couldn't avoid the fate of being captured and poisoned to death.
The mermaid guardian Kou stood out at this moment. She had brilliant golden hair and beautiful green pupils, her lower body the tail of a fish. Her green scales shone with splendor.
"Ocean," she said softly.
The entirety of the Shadow World's ocean suddenly roared, a territory that was more than twice as large as the entire Shadow Empire. With control over the law of the ocean, Kou could bring forth great disaster once she mobilised the seas.
Almost instantly a violent tsunami engulfed the lands, bringing destruction to the Empire once more. Unlike the previous incident which only affected the coast, the waves this time were hundreds of metres high as they made their way inland. The rivers of the Empire changed direction as the sea level strangely increased.
The azure ocean, the cradle of life, revealed its ferocity for the first time. With the sea level rising a few metres, a great portion of the mainland would likely be submerged. On top of that, Kou was controlling this. What if she decided to let the disaster continue?
The waves instantly swept away the flora and fauna of the land, the terrifying pressure erasing all traces of life on the ground. The life forms of the land had been annihilated before the Tree of Life could even spread its roots completely, leaving no value to them.
Such was the level of a battle between existences like Shar and the Snake Dowager. The Dowager and her allies were racing against time to destroy everything, while Shar had to ensure the completion of the Tree of Life at all costs.
Shar's opponent this time around was far more troublesome than the Trial's Eye. Being near the peak of rank 8, the Snake Dowager had strengthened herself for tens of thousands of years as she plotted her vengeance. Her power was unpredictable, while Kalle and Kou weren't opponents Shar could ignore either.
More importantly, these three existences were native to the Shadow World, born with power to rule it. They naturally had great resistance to the World Origin Force.
With the bloodline energy from the Snake Dowager reinforcing them, even if Kalle and Kou weren't in top condition they still posed a terrifying threat. They already hated Shar greatly for their fall, and with their souls being mere residues now they had nothing to fear.
"I see origin force converging… Be careful, she's trying to buy some time for the Tree of Life to mature and engulf us." Kalle had been watching Shar attentively all this while.
"There's no need for such trouble! I can settle all of you now!" Perhaps due to the humiliation of her plans being exposed, the current Shar no longer had any reservations. The force of the sea whizzed up as the scattered origin force of the world was recalled instantly.
The Shadow Weave suddenly retreated without the protection of the origin force, and the speed of the world's destruction grew tenfold.
However, neither the Snake Dowager nor Kalle betrayed any joy. They were currently facing an existence almost at the peak of rank 8 who'd drawn in all her power to strike.
With the control over the World Will and the great amount of origin force she'd recalled, Shar had stepped into the absolute limits of rank 8 for a while. Had the Tree of Life project gone more smoothly, she would've stepped into that stage permanently just now.
"I was born into shadows, and grew up within them. I am the daughter of shadow itself, I should be the original master!" Shar stepped forward with that declaration, and the entire world roared out with oppression. Powerful origin force chopped through a few snake heads like a knife through butter, blood spilling from the Snake Dowager's hair.
"The dead should no longer exist in this world!" Shar's sentence was echoed by the Shadow World, causing Kalle's face to change continuously.
"I see that… She'll complete the Tree of Life… AAAH…" Kalle's eyes changed colours, but before he could finish his prophecy a hand filled with origin force pressed down on his head.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The eternal astral abyss shall be your final destination…"
Kalle's body sizzled as it melted under dazzling light. Shar's power of laws managed to reduce the prophet to ashes even if he had the Snake Dowager's help. After all, only a part of his soul had managed to revive, and he was far from his prime. He was weak compared to Shar who was at her peak.
Once Kalle's body dissolved completely, a bunch of lights similar to star fragments dissipated from Shar's hands. These fragments were the remnants of his will, representing the failure of his resurrection.
Kalle's truesoul had been sent to the astral plane, where he would have to wait a really long time before he could move into rebirth. It would take tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of years. Shar's actions had revealed her terrifying strength.
"Allsnake… Do you really think I didn't realise those two soul residues were acting?" Shar abruptly raised her head, coldness hiding in her clever smile. "A complete World Will doesn't just include thoughts of creatures, the earth, the seas, and the sky. Beings of laws are included as well. Only when everything is conquered would the World Will form a true body." She spoke softly.
"Kou, you'll be next!" The Snake Dowager's face changed suddenly.
The World Will certainly comprised the thoughts of all life forms. This obviously included beings of law, and what's more they took up a disproportionate portion of the World Will.
An ordinary person wouldn't comprise a millionth of a millionth of a percentage point of the World Will, but any being of laws would take up at least a hundredth of the world. This was what had allowed the Snake Dowager to escape after her prior fight. A being of laws was the darling of the world, and they also held a portion of its essence.
"You're wrong…" Every step Shar took spanned a thousand miles as she came face to face with the huge star-like ball of snakes. "I've stripped away all of the World Will's laws in the Shadow World, except the bit you possess."
The Snake Dowager turned frantic upon hearing this.
-x-X-x-
The Snake Dowager saw Shar's path to be one of control, where she'd devour the World Will after gaining the Shadow World to reach the peak of rank 8. Her plan had been detailed and thorough, going all the way to using the Shadow Empire to hasten progress on the Tree of Life that could rob all thought and take control of the World Will.
Unfortunately, there was one issue with this plan, and that was the existence of the Snake Dowager. She'd taken part of her authority over the World Will with her when she fled, the few percentage points of the will she possessed as a being of law native to the world. Without that portion of authority, Shar would never have complete control over the World Will, which was really annoying.
After all, it wasn't as if she could rush over to Purgatory World and pull the Snake Dowager out. She lacked a portion of power, so the World Will would never be complete. The peak of rank 8 would forever remain an unattainable dream.
The Snake Dowager's return was an opportunity for both parties. The former had her vengeance, while Shar had a chance to take over her authority to complete her hold over the World Will of the Shadow World. After devouring it, Shar would instantly reach the peak of rank 8!
In order to go through with this plan, Shar did not mind letting the empire get wind of project X and the Tree of Life plan ahead of schedule. She had even taken the initiative to attack first, eliminating unstable factors like Trial's Eye and the two others.
And now… it was time to do the harvesting!
"Your target… is me?" A rare look of confusion appeared on the Snake Dowager's face.
"Foolish being… As a native of the Shadow World, you're an important part of the World Will!" Shar came before the Snake Dowager, meeting her gaze fearlessly, "And now… all of the World Will shall gather to form a whole new body!"
A huge, terrifying web that covered the skies suddenly appeared from all parts of the world, a purplish gold lustre about it as origin force roared. This was the true form of the Shadow Weave, and its original state. Shar showing this to the Dowager meant she had no plans of letting her leave.
"All grudges and victory should be settled by now…" The Snake Dowager bit at her lips, the calm expression on her face able to cause all male hearts to break.
"Allsnake Devour!" A tremendous amount of purplish-red bloodline force extended from the star of snakes. This was what she'd accumulated over all these years.
In the meanwhile, scenes of large snakes living their lives out appeared behind her, including their fights and reproduction. It was like an epic detailing the culture and history of giant snakes. Terrifying snake souls hissed and roared from within this glorious scroll of civilisation, launching a surprise attack on the maiden in the shadows.
This was a gathering of generations of bloodline power, able to cause the entire Shadow World to tremble under its prowess. The ground cracked to reveal numerous large snakes with phosphorescent fires in their eyes. Their huge bodies began to move, like the world had returned to their rule.
"Are you deluding yourself into thinking a civilisation that has already been lost can be revived?" Facing this epic attack, Shar merely snickered. "Your time has passed, Allsnake. Now I'm the source of everything!"
"Shadow Weave: Implantation!" Almost at the very moment Shar gave the command, all the mutated bodies of the Shadow World that were still alive began to twitch. Threads of mysterious power entered their bodies, and their blood vessels popped out as they shook violently.
A foreign being had taken over their bodies. With its control over their souls, the Tree of Life had turned these people into walking bags of flesh. However, their eyes lit up with intelligence once more as a darkness spread across their bodies. They'd gained powerful abilities similar to magic.
"Mistress of the Night… You are our master, the one who rules all!" Numerous intelligent life forms knelt down on the ground. Then, they began to massacre the revived snakes.
"Psi energy conducive to attacks, preparing launch of shadow spells!" Everyone had turned into a cold blooded war machine. Under the control of an efficient mind, they'd become an ordered army that flung shadow spell after shadow spell at the snakes. The serpents had no way to retaliate.
If the cheetahs, hawks, beetles, and even sharks knew how to cast shadow spells, what would be the outcome? The soldiers of shadow outnumbered and outpowered the Snake Dowager's army, beating down her attempt to return things to savagery quickly.
"I am the current master of the Shadow World." With the Tree of Life complete, its holy light already covered the skies to become the core of the world. It was filled with sanctity as it gave off a vague sense of maturity.
"There's more," Shar stood atop the Tree of Light and arrived before the Snake Dowager.
"That… That's the aura of the World Will…" The Snake Dowager's expression changed. The light of the Tree of Life had already gathered over 90% of the Shadow World's beings' thoughts and souls. This included the skies, the seas, and the earth, representing the will of the world itself. Even she felt the urge to succumb.
"Leave… Leave the Shadow World and never return…" Kou blocked the way to the Snake Dowager with terrifying waves.
"How could a mere law of the ocean contend against the entire world? Return!"Shar didn't even have to act personally. A large number of the Tree of Light's branches spread through the ocean in an instant, stunning Kou for a moment as a tendril abruptly pierced through her body. A few grains of lights flickered with intelligence as they were sucked away to enter the tree.
"Now, my tree of light represents the World Will… You can cannot defy it!" Shar made a proclamation of victory.
Under her control, the Shadow Weave left no means for the Snake Dowager to escape. In the meanwhile, the Tree of Light spread its terrifying roots through the ball of snakes to drag her out.
"Give me everything that you possess, everything!" Shar arrived behind the Snake Dowager, two hands grabbing onto her arms tightly as her intricate face displayed a smile of satisfaction. The Tree of Life in the skies grew even larger.
Bits of obscure thoughts, mixed with the power of bloodlines, were unceasingly absorbed by the roots of the Tree of Life. Numerous snakes shrivelled up powerlessly, representing the continuous weakening of the Mother of all Snakes.
At this critical moment, a fierce look appeared on the Snake Dowager's face.
*Boom!* Her body that was like a star suddenly exploded, and the surging bloodline force lost the control of a master, beginning to destroy everything in the vicinity.
Layers of the Shadow Weave shrouded Shar. She looked at the lifeless body in her hands and frowned, using some shadow flames to burn them to ashes.
*Boom!* The head of a snake exploded elsewhere, revealing the figure of the Snake Dowager. Without the ball of snakes and its accumulated bloodline force, the beautiful lady seemed extremely weak.
"You've taken what's mine from me…" She hissed, like a gambler who had lost everything.
"A portion of your thoughts, as well as the authority over a portion of the World Will belongs to me!" Shar did not pursue and attack the Dowager further, and instead looked at the tremendous Tree of Life behind her.
Now, the roots had turned a blood red. The original torso of Allsnake that still possessed bloodline force, mixed with a bit of something more abstruse, was all absorbed by the tree. After obtaining this, the Tree of Life seemed to obtain the last thing it needed, and the body instantly became more solid. The rays of light vanished and allowed it to gain a hint of life.
"It's the rumoured World Tree that will only appear when a world is established from primal chaos!" The Snake Dowager was immediately stunned by the scene in front of her.
"Yes… the source of all life is the source of the World Will!" Shar approached the Snake Dowager, "Your failure is set in stone, I'm the only victor!"
"Failed?" the Snake Dowager muttered hatefully, but confidence appeared in her eyes once more, "True, but I don't admit my loss yet… My descendant shall defeat you!"
"Is that so? But he doesn't seem to have made a move, and he's been watching you suffer a crushing defeat all this time…" Shar chuckled.
"That's because you don't know him…. Out of all my experiences across the worlds, his patience is the greatest…"
The Allsnake looked at the giant World Tree, her eyes dazed, "I had no idea what he wanted, but now it's extremely obvious!"
*Whoosh! Whoosh!* A gust of origin wind blew past the area, and the World Tree's branches and leaves broke up to show a mysterious fruit on the main branch.
"The main body of the World Will! A real, solidified World Will, able to fuse the scattered thoughts of the world and return to the origin! Shar, your plan is truly admirable!" Leylin's figure appeared under the World Tree. He sighed as he gazed at the beautiful fruit glimmering with light.
"Lord Leylin… so you still chose to come and be my enemy!" Shar now looked helpless as she sighed, the sight enough to cause heartbreak for onlookers.
Despite her fear of Leylin, she tried to bargain with him, "My previous promises still hold. Once I become the ruler of the Shadow World, everything here is yours!"
Unfortunately, Leylin was unmoved by this sort of temptation. It was far too dangerous to make deals with someone at the peak of rank 8, and besides, he much preferred getting what he wanted with his own abilities.
-x-X-x-
Leylin gazed at the World Tree, his face filled with awe. Rumour had it that this was the source of all life. Only once life formed in a world would all thoughts gather to form its will.
Shar had used all sorts of impossible schemes to gain control of the intellectual beings of the Shadow World, using the Weave to gather all conscients and rob the beings of law of all authority. She'd managed to reverse origin, purifying the World Will and giving it form.
Leylin didn't think he'd be able to do it better himself. This World Fruit undoubtedly represented a complete World Will, and the moment Shar ate it she would instantly reach the peak of rank 8 and sweep through everything.
This was directly against Leylin's interests. Given that she was an enemy anyway, Leylin didn't hesitate to step out.
"What a pity… We still became enemies in the end. I thought you would make the more rational decision," Shar was obviously disappointed.
"My apologies…" Leylin's expression did not change as he walked to stand by the Snake Dowager.
"Then I'm sorry, but you'll have to fall here!" Shar's expression instantly turned cold as she aimed a finger at Leylin!
*Rumble!* Terrifying! Vast! Seemingly limitless origin force crashed down on Leylin with the weight of the world, nearly crushing him to powder in an instant.
Shar didn't spare him another glance as he arrived before the World Tree that was radiating life. The fruit was already mature, about to fall any moment.
Shar knew very well that obtaining the complete World Will was the most important part of her plan. As long as she could devour it, she would be unafraid of any challenges. Even if Leylin announced her existence and brought other peak rank 8 Magi to besiege her, she could force all of them to return home in defeat as long as she stayed here.
After reaching the peak of rank 8, she had plenty of time to deal with Leylin.
"A very smart decision!" When faced with such terrifying pressure, Leylin could only sigh helplessly.
"Things are already so bad. If you have any trump cards, get them out now!" The Snake Dowager took a look a Leylin, eyeing him flirtatiously.
"You think too highly of me!" Leylin laughed helplessly while stroking his chin.
"If you don't have any confidence you'll be able to turn the tables, your only option now is to run as far as you can." The Snake Dowager was unexpectedly more confident in Leylin than herself.
"That's true…" Leylin took a look at the A.I. Chip, the top-most record on the task schedule extremely striking. [Beep! Progress of analysis of rank 0 to 9 of Shadow Weave: 100%.]
'Let's see what you've left me, Distorted Shadow…' Lightning flashed in Leylin's eyes, and the surrounding atmosphere suddenly grew mysterious and terrifying. The Snake Dowager looked at Leylin with shock before moving backwards greatly.
"Hah…" Leylin cried out under his breath, terrifying power of laws sending a great amount of energy into the spell.
This spell model was extremely unique. It was the only rank 12 arcane spell in existence, Karsus' Avatar.
The A.I. Chip operated frantically, recording large amounts of data.
[Beep! Host body is a great arcanist. Analysis of Shadow Weave at 100%. Meets prerequisites.]
[Bee! Charging of energy complete. Arcane spell model launching.]
[Grade 12 arcane spell: Karsus' Avatar, launched!]
The skies turned gloomy all of a sudden, and the world was brought to a standstill.
'This again. That feeling of fatal danger!' Shar's expression quickly changed as she trained her eyes in Leylin's direction, not letting any of his movements escape her view as she grabbed at the World Fruit.
*Crack! Crack!* Great numbers of cracks began to appear on that crystal in the sea of origin force. The young girl sealed within it opened her eyes, a trace of terror appearing on her face.
"Your greatest mistake, Shar, was to fuse the Tree of Life with the Weave." Leylin rose to the skies, a resplendent arcane spell forming in his hands.
"Target the Shadow Weave. Karsus' Avatar!"
*Rumble!* Shar's expression changed in that moment, her body freezing and growing slightly transparent. It was evident that she'd been injured heavily.
"AAAHH!" She clutched at her head as she released piercing screams, "MY WEAVE… YOU ACTUALLY STOLE MY WEAVE!"
Even though Shar had known that Leylin had a trump card in his possession, she'd never have guessed that it had to do with the Shadow Weave. The ability to strip her of her control was far too shocking.
Whatever her feelings may be, the Shadow Weave that Shar had put painstaking effort into creating had been stolen by an outsider just like that. Even the Snake Dowager was stupefied.
Shar would already have fallen if she was Mystra. However, she was lucky that she'd changed her own origin, shifting onto the path of the Magi. Still, losing the Weave caused her immense and unimaginable harm.
If Shar was in this situation, Leylin had it even worse.
'Rank 8! This Karsus' Avatar is definitely a rank 8 Magus spell!' Leylin's face was flushed. The A.I. Chip sped up further as it accepted more information about the Shadow Weave, large amounts of data flashing across his mind. If not for his body of laws and experience in the area, the only possible result of this spell would be an explosion of his brain!
'Distorted Shadow definitely had malicious intent!' Leylin was now certain about this. There was nothing wrong with the arcane spell itself, but the problem was who would take over control of the Weave.
After breaking away from Shar's control, the Shadow Weave immediately went berserk, giving Leylin the impression that it was like a high voltage electrical network. And now, he actually would have to use his own two hands and placate this power grid!
'Nobody but the Weave's original controller can take control of it in an instant. Be it a great arcanist or a being of laws, forcing control would only cause them to die alongside it. It isn't even possible to stop and save your skin…'
Leylin had once thought that the advantage of his main body and the support of the A.I. Chip would make it simple to replace the Goddess of the Weave. However, he now knew that his conjectures were completely off!
If just the Shadow Weave could render him in this state, then the true Weave that extended throughout the World of Gods could only be more terrifying! With his current strength, launching this arcane spell could possibly mean nothing would be left of him; he would basically be doing free labour for Distorted Shadow!
'As expected of a sly Magus from ancient times. He hid something in that arcane spell that even the A.I. Chip couldn't simulate…'
Cold sweat beaded down Leylin's face. If not for this practical test using the Shadow Weave, he'd likely have been tricked into death in the World of Gods. Sacrificing himself to help others was definitely not his style.
'But… with this data, I'll be able to right the mistakes from before…' The Shadow Weave was inferior to the real Weave, but with one experience of such a terrifying change Leylin had something he could work with.
"Get over here!" The Shadow Weave was now entirely under his control. Being founded atop the Weave, the World Tree was naturally his as well.
In a moment, the World Tree abandoned Shar and became Leylin's. With most of her strength lost to the grievous injuries, she could do nothing to stop it.
"The last step!" Leylin pulled at the air with two hands, and the origin Weave of the Shadow World came into view.
"With the Shadow Weave as the offering, mature!"
*Rumble!* A pair of hands made of primal chaos erupted from a part of the World Tree, grabbing the purplish gold Weave and kneading it into a bundle before disappearing back inside.
Leylin felt no regret when it came to the Shadow Weave. He could also make use of this opportunity and rid himself of this high-pressure electrical network.
The World Tree finished the final stages of its growth with the Weave, placing its terrifying web of roots into the World as its lush branches took the place of the original Weave.
"This is the final implantation plan…" Leylin sighed and approached the World Tree. The fruit had now grown murky, containing authority over the entire world.
'This is a World Will, concentrated to the limit and completely solidified!' Leylin had a mysterious lustre in his eyes as he reached out and plucked the World Fruit, "Holding it is akin to holding a whole world…"
Leylin couldn't help but grow intoxicated by the feeling of having an entire world in his grasp. The fruit that Shar had painstakingly cultivated had become the greatest of his profits!
The moment he consumed it Leylin would instantly become a peak rank 8 existence, gaining control of the entire Shadow World. It would make him the world's master, and give him an extremely long life. Unless the Shadow World was destroyed, he would never fall.
The Shadow World was a large world itself, and without any disasters that could destroy the astral plane itself it definitely wouldn't face any problems. In other words, if he willed it Leylin could obtain terrifying power and lifespan in an instant, living as long as the astral plane itself! This was definitely a huge temptation for any Magus, something everyone spent most of their lives pursuing.
-x-X-x-
The huge temptation in front of him didn't manage to cause the slightest change to Leylin's expression. "False Eternity? Hmph!" he shrugged with apathy as a sneer surfaced on his face.
What Leylin pursued was the immortality afforded by reaching rank 9, a realm of power that exceeded the scope of the astral plane itself. This World Fruit would bind him to the Shadow World, stopping any further advance. Perhaps the other Magi who had no hope of advancing would make such a choice, but this definitely wasn't so for Leylin.
However, the Snake Dowager couldn't stay calm after seeing him take over Shar's achievements. Unconcealable desire revealed itself in her eyes as she leaned forward. After all, this World Fruit was the essence of the Shadow World's Will, able to give her dominance of the Shadow World once more as it fused with her laws to advance to the peak of rank 8.
Leylin knew that the Dowager had no choice but to agree to any requests he made right now. Unfortunately, he did not deign to speak. She and Shar were both rank 8s, and only together would they be easy to control. If one of them advanced to the peak of rank 8, they would choose to kick him aside.
Leylin hadn't fought desperately and plotted for mere goodwill, or the World Origin Force. The Shadow World was a big world, and he felt it better to keep it with him. It wasn't necessary to fuse with the world to control it.
'These two women aren't simple characters. Neither of them can be left behind alone as a representative. Instead, I can leave them both here so the two will have to act in tandem whether they stay or leave.' This was Leylin's decision, and right now was the best opportunity to enforce it. The Snake Dowager and Shar were both seriously injured, and currently he was the only one with enough power to call the shots.
*Bang!* However, Shar's avatar lost the last of its strength at this moment, fading away as her silhouette dispersed.
"Where did she go?" The Snake Dowager frowned.
"Back to her true body, of course. Having taken so much damage, it'd be surprising even if she manages to stay awake." Leylin shook his head. With the World Fruit in hand, he could see everything about the Shadow World.
"I'm heading out," he said as his figure disappeared abruptly. The Snake Dowager was filled with resentment as she looked at his departing back.
...
The sea of origin force in the Shadow World had thinned down greatly. With the light of civilisation exhausted, all that could be seen was an ancient stone palace.
Leylin's figure appeared to hover over this palace, and the origin force instantly separated, opening up a path for him meekly. He walked unimpeded into the palace, seeing Shar sealed in a huge crystal.
Leylin looked at the huge crystal and nodded, 'The World Crystal! Is this the consequence of her trying to control the World Will?'
The girl sealed within the crystal seemed to notice Leylin's arrival, slowly opening her eyes. A blob of shadows emerged outside the crystal, forming a figure he was familiar with. It was just that her aura was greatly weakened.
"You're finally here… Are you here to destroy me?" A bitter smile surfaced on the young lady's face. Although this Magus hadn't yet eaten the World Fruit, the authority he had at his disposal made it easy for him to take care of her.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken." Leylin waved his hands, and the World Crystal that sealed Shar's body cracked apart. Her body was thrown out.
"My Lord… This…" Having regained her true body, Shar opened up her eyes to stare at Leylin.
Although this body had the same face, Shar looked more pale now, like a young lady who'd been sick for a long while. Her aura was weak, making her look much more attractive than her previous gaudy look.
"I wouldn't need to do much to destroy you. However, the conflicts between Magi and gods don't concern us." Leylin said with a smile, one of his hands behind his back.
"Now, it seems like we need to have a 'long chat'…" Shar's eyes betrayed a shrewd smile as she took the initiative to grab Leylin's hands and lead him to the depths of the palace. The defeat had changed her mindset completely.
...
It took several more years for Leylin to leave the Shadow World. He glanced around him, seemingly able to see the figures of Shar and the Snake Dowager as the corners of his mouth revealed a strange smile.
Might made right. Leylin was currently the strongest person in the Shadow World, thus he was also the one with the authority to divide the cake. He'd taken his time and split up control of the Shadow World.
It was impossible for his true body to stay there forever, so he'd chosen the Snake Dowager and the Mistress of the Night as his representatives. He gave each 20% of his authority, keeping them both on the same level but still leaving himself the majority of power.
Although the Snake Dowager had been reluctant about it, she understood that she'd have been able to gain nothing without Leylin. She didn't make a peep. On the other hand, Shar was the loser so she didn't qualify to make any demands at all.
Furthermore, it wasn't impossible to reach the peak of rank 8 themselves with 20% of the world's authority. They'd be able to use the Shadow World's origin force to recover, and strengthen themselves. Thus, the two of them both submitted to their new master.
Each of them had used all means possible to entice Leylin as a fighting partner, but in the end he'd run away with the greatest benefits. The Snake Dowager kept to her old promise, transferring a portion of her bloodline origin so he had control over her bloodline descendants. Shar refused to be outdone, so as a former intermediate god she divulged a great number of secrets regarding the World of Gods. Leylin learnt what to take note of when he advanced to become a true god.
As for any other interactions… Leylin touched his chin in reminiscence as he looked at his status.
[Leylin Farlier, Rank 7 Warlock. Bloodline: Targaryen. Strength: 275.11, Agility: 229.88, Vitality: 400.97, Spiritual Force: 653.19. Body of Laws. Law Comprehension: Devouring (100%), Massacre (58%), Disaster (27%), Decay (15%), Curses (1%), Shadows (33%). Origin Force Saturation: 100%]
'I'm at the limits of origin force now…' The Shadow World's origin force wasn't defective like that of Dreamscape, so Leylin had had no problems with absorbing it. It was something Shar and Allsnake had used to entice him before, but he'd just ended up becoming their master. Even the shrewd Shar would never have imagined that she'd become subordinate to a rank 7 Magus.
With more than half of the authority over the Shadow World, Leylin had naturally used as much origin force as he could to max out his attributes.
'I'm still a rank 7 Warlock… I'll come back after I advance to rank 8…' A trace of a smile emerged on Leylin's mouth. So what if the Magus World's origin force was controlled by Mother Core and Dreamscape's was flawed? With the support of the Shadow World, he could still advance by leaps and bounds. He couldn't feel great enough for becoming the master of a world.
'Shar and Allsnake went overboard this time… The Shadow World needs time to recover. If not, it would've given me much greater benefits…' Leylin was currently the master and judge of the Shadow World, and he'd tasked the Snake Dowager and the Mistress of the Night to restore the world to its former glory.
"Ah, the contract's been taken care of!" Leylin continued on his journey without hesitation, light constantly flickering in his eyes, "There's only two things I have to do in the Magus World now…
"First is to talk to the other beings like Mother Core. After all, I can't take out the entire World of Gods myself…" Leylin was aware of his limits. His attempt to control the Shadow World had nearly cost him everything, and if not for the arcane spell that was his trump card the results would probably have been greatly different.
The World of Gods would be far more dangerous. The enemies there were tens of thousands of times more powerful, and on top of that there were cunning and wicked Magi like Distorted Shadow waiting there with traps at the ready.
Leylin intended to surround himself with allies, bringing the entire Magus World along as he used absolute power to crush everything. As long as he revealed some information about the World of Gods, he didn't have to worry about powerful Magi not taking the bait.
"As for the other, I need to take care of the Lords of Calamity in Dreamscape… The Nightmare Absorbing Physique…" Leylin sighed deeply. The Nightmare Absorbing Physique was a gift from Dreamscape, but it was also the dagger the world used to eliminate its thugs. It was intended to destroy locusts like the Lords of Calamity.
However, Leylin didn't think so simply. Proverbs said that the hunting dogs would be destroyed once the rabbits were killed, and even if he wasn't afraid of such a thing he had to take precautionary measures.
The Nightmare Absorbing Physique was intended to restrain the Lords of Calamity. If Leylin revealed his might to eliminate all the Lords of Calamity, what would Dreamscape's World Will do then? Would it leave him in control of such power? Leylin felt like he had to let the Lords of Calamity survive, because this would bring him great benefits.
'Maybe I can do the same thing I did here, punishing the Lords of Calamity like a judge after I spark infighting among them…' Leylin didn't want to be someone else's weapon. Such people didn't face good ends. Instead, he wanted to be the one in charge, the person making the rules.
Since Dreamscape was weakening itself because the Lords of Calamity were taking too much of the World Origin Force, he would restrict the amount they used. That way he would be able to please both sides, at the same time managed to preserve himself.
-x-X-x-
'Of course, most of the time you end up pleasing neither side if you try to please both. My finesse and ability are going to be put to the test… Power is still the most important.' Leylin's eyes flickered as he grasped the crux of it all, 'Only a peak rank 8 power can force Dreamscape's World Will to concede. That'll be when I can deter the other Lords of Calamity as well, it's the bottom line for this plan to work.'
The space between Leylin's brows twitched slightly at this thought, and a bright red line appeared at that moment. Leylin's soul flashed with radiance, almost instantly linking to the large and vast Dreamscape.
With a Lord of Calamity sacrificed to Dreamscape, Leylin was like a fish inside water in this world. His powerful soul force swept across the major regions.
'Dreamforce is growing stronger as well, but it's still very dangerous. Also…' Leylin's expression turned grim. He could sense the evil auras of the Lords of Calamity in the world, able to tell that those scattered beings had gathered in groups for protection. Their sealed lands had been linked together; they'd evidently discovered something.
Leylin's current strength allowed him to deal with a single Lord of Calamity easily, but if they attacked him together he wouldn't be able to handle them. There were no fools amongst the existences of laws. Even if Leylin had shrouded himself in mystery they'd still managed to find something off about the situation and put their guard up.
'Looks like my plan of gaining an advantage by taking out a few Lords of Calamity won't work…' Leylin shook his head, but he didn't find it particularly regretful. Even if Dreamscape's World Will helped him reach the peak of rank 8, it wouldn't be worthy of ecstasy. Borrowed power would never be his.
Dreamscape could give him a great many things, but it could also leave him with nothing in an instant. Only something he had obtained for himself was truly his! Leylin calmed his beating heart, heading not to Dreamscape but to the Magus World.
With Mother Core and other peak rank 8s in charge, the Magus World was completely calm and without any problems. Of course, to existences of laws nothing that didn't affect their kind was a problem.
'A few more organisations are fighting on the mainland in secret?' As he gathered information, Leylin laughed and he shook his head. While the surface of the Magus World was under his jurisdiction, he couldn't be bothered with ants fighting amongst themselves.
'No matter how powerful their geniuses are, as long as they don't grasp laws these organisations will remain useless… They were born in the wrong era…' Leylin sighed at this conclusion, a trace of pity in his eyes.
Once the Final War resumed, these geniuses would not meet good fortune. It wouldn't be possible for them to reach rank 7 so quickly, and even though they'd crawled their way up to becoming Morning Stars that only qualified them to be cannon fodder. Was there anything more unlucky than that?
Of course, there would be special cases of people who grew with battle, even peeking into the realm of laws. However, the chances of this were so low it was pitiful.
Targaryen Castle.
Flames from the Fiery World raged in the extraplanar laboratory, gigantic spell formations flickering with boiling heat. A thick layer of World Origin Force had been condensed into a pond at the core, showing the true form of the origin force weapon Leylin had poured his blood and sweat into for centuries.
A kingly aura seemed to radiate from the hazy fog, as if a terrifying primordial monster had awakened from its slumber. Rainbow lights flashed as an absolutely lethal weapon showed its appearance.
This weapon had all forms. It was a sword, a blade, a hammer, a lance, it was every weapon used in war. Every edge and corner was extremely sharp, making it seem like an assembly of all lethal weapons from ancient times to the present. This weapon didn't even need to be waved around to cause damage, the sharpness of its aura alone could cause the surrounding space to fragment.
Noticing Leylin's arrival, the weapon began to emit sharp sounds that gripped the heart and soul. Even rank 2 or 3 Magi would probably have their souls destroyed under this illusory attack.
"You can't wait to be born?" Leylin smiled as he looked at the results, a satisfied smile appearing on his face, "It still isn't time yet."
With a wave of his hand, a surge of World Origin Force as terrifying as rivers and lakes in the world suddenly poured in, filling the World Pond in an instant. Everything seemed to be in a surplus compared to before.
The origin force weapon cheered, and greedily began to devour this origin force.
Leylin watched on while deep in thought, 'With the supply from the Shadow World, it will probably surpass all divine weapons in the future and delight in consuming the fresh blood of the gods…'
The Magus World was obviously the most abundant in its origin force, followed by Dreamscape and the Shadow World. However, he could only pick up scraps in the Magus World, forced to share equally with a large number of beings of laws. Dreamscape treated Leylin like its child, and as for the Shadow World? Leylin was its owner, possessing a terrifying amount of authority over it!
Thus, he would be able to gather the most origin force from the Shadow World, followed by Dreamscape and the Magus World. This was the benefit of having a world to himself.
That wasn't all, Leylin had something else prepared as well. He would shape this origin force weapon into a lethal weapon that would shake the astral plane!
"A.I. Chip!"
[Beep! Preparation for stripping of laws is now complete. Beginning infusion. Laws being stripped off: Calamity (27%), Decay (15%), Curse (1%), Shadow (33%).] The A.I. Chip loyally carried out Leylin's orders.
The laws Leylin had devoured weren't of much use to him, and they would only contaminate his path. It was necessary for him to remove them. With the help of the A.I. Chip, he could isolate his understanding completely and pass it on as a present, or sell it. It was similar to divine force and divinity in the World of Gods.
Of course, beings of law would pay an astronomical price for this comprehension. If, by chance, they needed these specific laws in the first place, they'd be able to give up anything!
However, this was too extravagant for Leylin. It was better for him to grasp his own laws. If these laws were unusable, he could just pour them into his weapon. An origin force weapon with the power of laws would then have the grandeur of a true divine weapon!
"Begin!" Leylin's eyes immediately turned black as the rank 7 Targaryen phantom appeared behind him. With devilish wings, a single horn, vertical pupils and two claws, the winged serpent widened its huge mouth and spat out threads of darkness that fell into the pond, containing the laws of disaster, decay, and other powers that he'd comprehended.
The pool began to boil, and the origin force weapon at the centre roared out. Runic patterns crawled onto its body, physical proof that the laws were getting to work.
Pouring the power of laws inside the weapon was not something that could be done in a day or two. Leylin spent a total of three years emptying his useless laws into it, so much so that his truesoul seemed to weaken.
'But it's all worth it.' Leylin took a look at the dark figure in the pool. The origin weapon had already lost its fierce aura, no longer showing off its power. Its splendour had been restrained, which only made it even more horrifying.
[Leylin Farlier. Rank 7 Warlock, Bloodline: Targaryen(Rank 7). Strength: 275.11, Agility: 229.88, Vitality: 400.97, Spiritual Force: 653.19. State of Soul: Law Comprehension: Devouring (100%), Massacre (58%). Status: Origin Force saturated, unable to increase.]
'The truesoul may grow weaker with the elimination of the extra laws, but it's also sharper now.' After getting rid of the laws that would contaminate his path, Leylin felt that his truesoul had now become more clear and sensitive, as if thirsting for more along its path.
'This is shown before rank 8… Does that mean I'm at the peak of rank 7?' Understanding arose in Leylin's eyes. Rank 8 involved understanding multiple laws, later forming their own path based on these laws. He wasn't confused about it anymore.
'The path of a Magus cannot be altered once it's set. Any extra laws will only corrupt the truesoul. All my confusion has been removed, and I can now see my path clearly. Everything else, my path to eternity, is in the World of Gods!'
"Soon! Soon!" Bright light flashed in Leylin's eyes as he clenched his fists.
...
Leylin's figure appeared in the seventh level of the subterranean world, and he sent a powerful surge of soul force out, "Mother Core!"
*Tok! Tok!* Dark red light appeared in the darkness, pulsing with power.
If one looked closer, they could see that this was a crimson gem made of lava, seeming like a vertical eye sitting at the core atop numerous vein. This was another form of Mother Core, different from before.
"Lord Leylin, you're finally here!" Mother Core proclaimed loudly, not the least bit surprised at Leylin's arrival.
"Yes. And I come with sincerity. The Final War is about to erupt once more, and I wish for your help!" Leylin spoke exceptionally sincerely.
"The Final War never ended. However, a few new variables have entered the scenario, about to make it more fierce…" Mother Core spoke as if making a prophecy.
"Mm, an opportunity's arrived. I have a way to breach the crystal sphere," Leylin admitted bluntly.
-x-X-x-
"What? Your Excellency Leylin, do you know what you're saying?" Ignox's figure appeared in the abyss, a ring of darkness. Other conscients moved out as well, showing their interest in the matter.
Leylin inhaled a deep breath, "Of course I do. I have a way to get past the crystal sphere, and can already send those with power up to the Breaking Dawn realm past it. Transferring beings of laws is a problem, but I'm looking into it."
"Interesting! Interesting!" Leylin felt several malicious intents descend on him immediately, wanting to pry open his mind.
"Get lost!" He grinned malevolently, bright red light from Dreamscape shining as a vertical eye appeared between his brows. The evil conscients wailed in anguishing instantly, retreating in haste.
"It's the symbol of the Nightmare King!"
"No wonder he's growing strong so fast, he isn't beneath us rank 8 existences anymore…"
The many conscients were alarmed. Only until now did these powerful existences regard Leylin properly. Equal power was a basis for communication, and Leylin had never doubted that fact. If he didn't reveal strength rivalling rank 8, these Magi would snatch away all his achievements.
"I've said this before. Leylin became one of us after he signed the contract."
*Boom!* An immense explosion resounded, showing Mother Core's determination. A peak rank 8 that wished to try prying on Leylin stopped immediately.
'Legend has it that Mother Core comes from the centre of the Magus World and has tens of millions of clones, each in different form. Looks like that's all true…' Leylin nodded his head as light flashed in his eyes.
"The fruits of your research will be protected." The massive body that represented Mother Core moved up and down, indicating her will.
"Thank you, my Lady. However, I wish to share the results of my research with the rest…" Leylin smiled and tossed a bait that the other existences could not refuse, "In exchange for a small price of equal value…"
...
A flurry of discussion later, shocking news travelled out from the Magus World. A rank 7 Magus had actually discovered a way to break through the World of Gods' crystal sphere, and this had been confirmed by Mother Core.
This news caused a huge wave of controversy. After all, the war between the Magus World and the World of Gods had never stopped. With the World of Gods unable to turtle up anymore, it would most likely resume in full force. And now, it seemed like that epic war was upon them once more.
It was worth mentioning that the crystal sphere blocked all communication into and out of the World of Gods. The divine beings there did not learn of this news at all. They continued to feel that, with the protection of their crystal sphere, the Magus infiltration was extremely far away.
The person at the root of all this commotion was actually quite calm. Having displayed power equivalent to rank 8s, nobody in the astral plane except existences on par with Mother Core could touch him. Even if such a person appeared he could always escape to Dreamscape or the Shadow World, leaving those existences unable to do anything about him. With these trump cards in hand, Leylin's true body would not be affected by the trials and hardships he'd have to face.
Leylin had only passed down methods to have creatures at or below Breaking Dawn enter the World of Gods, leaving the methods for beings of law to himself. This was indeed a fact— after all, he was still in the outside world and even the Manderhawke Plate couldn't let him get in— so he wasn't afraid of someone interrogating him.
Magi weren't short sighted people, but the information still stimulated their greed. The astral plane grew more lively as numerous powerful and evil gazes locked onto the World of Gods. The Final War would blow up once more, and it could happen at any moment!
...
On the other end of the astral plane, within the crystal sphere. The numerous gods of the World of Gods remained unaware of the impending danger, continuing their scramble for power and profit with crafty plots and machinations.
The mainland had calmed down in its never-ending war, a truce being called between the Orc Empire and the Silverymoon Alliance. Everybody's focus had instead drifted south, towards the rumoured native empire.
Faulen Island.
This was originally the territory of the Faulen Family, but Leylin had moved his entire clan to Debanks Island a while ago. This caused a decline in its status, but the island was still the primary port of the southern seas, an important transfer point.
Huge quantities of sugar, salt, and food items continued being sent up from the south, transported to the mainland in exchange for iron, cloth, and technology. An unknown number of merchants had grown rich on this channel of trade, whereas smuggling continued unabated despite repeated crackdowns. It gave the shipping route another name— the Path of Gold.
Rumours were abound that even ordinary sailors could become millionaires after a few years of working this route. They'd attracted a huge wave of adventurers, filling the bars and hotels to the brim as they caused the city to prosper.
On this day, a small transport ship anchored itself in the port. Unlike the others that were anxious to fill every nook and corner with goods, this one seemed to be comfortable as every passenger had ample space. It was a favourite of many aristocrats and businessmen.
Escorted by an old butler and knight, a youngster whose face was covered by a white veil walked down the deck.
"So this is Port Venus, the rumoured land of wealth and hope?" The youngster took a look at the huge beams and mechanical arms in the harbour. Huge tools could be seen everywhere in the two piers, nimbly dancing around with a life of their own as they transported massive wooden crates down enormous ships from distant lands. The crates were wheeled outside the pier along a long track.
There were numerous sailors waiting here, their exposed torsos showing their strong muscles. The youth's attention was drawn to the fact that humans weren't the only ones here. There were black and yellow-skinned southern natives, fishmen with obvious traits of the ocean, beastmen with dense fur, dwarves, and halflings abound, as if they'd found a place that belonged to them.
"Such a strange device… Normal beams are far less flexible, unable to sustain such great weight." The youth took a look at the huge network of beams and merchandise that covered the entire area like black clouds.
"Yes, it looks like a veritable mountain. In fact, even if a mountain was placed here I have no doubt that they can move it away in a short period of time. This equipment shows their lord's astonishing attainments in engineering." The old butler wiped his spectacles, "Such a magical place, but this isn't our destination. You should go in and rest, young master…"
"Yes… This place isn't where I should be…" The youngster's voice grew gloomy as he left the pier with his knight. However, he hadn't noticed that his temporary stop had attracted the attention of others…
Outside Port Venus, within the wizard tower atop the hill. Ernest had just raised his glasses, his head already covered with white hair as he looked extremely old and weak. Leylin had left him in charge of Faulen Island's defence, giving him a majority of the control over the wizard tower.
"An interesting little fellow… It's a pity I have no energy to play with you." Ernest sighed from his wheelchair, a thick blanket spread across his lap with spirit-crafted ceramic teapots and cups beside him.
"Tower spirit, send this information to the Giant Serpent Church… The matter won't be our problem anymore…" Ernest waved his hands, then closed his eyes slowly with graze. It seemed like he didn't want to waste the slightest bit of energy.
"O' time you are so ruthless and cunning, having stolen my memories yesterday but suddenly placing them in front of me today…' he whispered softly, as if recalling something.
His mind's eye showed him the appearance of his greatest disciple, the pride of his life. That young genius had advanced, becoming the youngest high-ranked wizard and legendary wizard as he broke the prejudice of the world against wizards. The rest of the world saw in him how a true genius rose to power, and now his student had already started to peek into the realm of the divine!
"O' Oghma, God of Knowledge… I pray sincerely to you, hoping to receive enough time to witness his moment of glory!" Ernest took out an emblem from his chest and started praying.
Most wizards held weak faith, and Ernest himself had previously worshipped the Goddess of the Weave. Due to some unspeakable reasons, although he'd ended up changing his faith, he hadn't joined the Giant Serpent Church. He instead turned towards the God of Knowledge, Oghma. After all, knowledge was power, wasn't it?
Ernest did not know that the youngster and his butler would pull the attention of many other existences here, setting off a storm that would spread across the entire mainland before crossing over to multiple worlds…
-x-X-x-
Night time.
The sea looked even deeper in the darkness, terrifying monsters seemingly hiding within as strange whining sounds could be heard within the fog. Steel boots moved along the coastline as a few silhouettes walked out of the sea.
"We can borrow the power of our Lord to escape the monitoring of the wizard tower," a man wrapped in gray robes said.
"Bah, the territory of a false god. I'll personally destroy it one day!" a robust man exclaimed, a look of disdain in his eyes.
"Pay attention to your words, Mare." Their leader turned back. He was wearing exquisite armour, the large single eye emblazoned on his cape a symbol of his church. "Our mission is to pursue the remnants of the evil church. The affairs of the south sea do not concern us. Unless we receive personal orders from master or our church, there will not be any conflicts with others during this mission."
"I understand, Bishop Morand." The man muttered, but he eventually quieted down.
"Is everyone clear on on the mission?" Bishop Morand looked at his own subordinates and could not help being prudent. "Our target is the descendant of an evil god. If the church survives, it could assist in his resurrection, so it needs to be cleaned up.
"My intelligence says they intend to escape to Debanks Island. We must not let them succeed!"
"Debanks Island… The land of the Giant Serpent, a hell on earth with unending death and fear…" Soft murmurs circulated within the group, and Morand's face grew unsightly.
Leylin was a false god who'd managed to resist the suppression of Helm's Church, even killing a large number of clergymen. He'd been on the Church of Protection's list for a long time.
Unfortunately, this fellow had holed up in Debanks Island, controlling what was once the Sakartes Empire. He also had numerous subordinates, including another demigod. Although they'd sent several squads with high hopes, none of them had managed to survive Leylin's countermeasures.
A few attempts later, Debanks Island had been marked as forbidden grounds for Helm's Church, even mentioning it garnering the hostility of its paladins.
"Let's set off! We swear to crush the demigod!" Bishop Morand's face held an unswerving determination as he led his subordinates into the night.
...
"My Lord, you are like the stars up in heaven, your wings of healing protecting the world in their embrace. Massacre is your sharp sword, and your eyes are brighter than the sun…" A bishop was leading the prayer within a concealed room on Faulen Island, dressed in robes embroidered with a giant snake.
Leylin had yet to become a true god, so his church was not recognised by the other gods on the mainland. If they revealed themselves in public, they would be attacked, so the church held its prayers in a secret area.
Once the daily prayers were completed, the bishop entered an office where a few valiant believers were waiting, a few natives in particular amongst them. Although the natives were slightly shorter than the rest, the violence in their eyes and their ice cold killing intent put a faint pressure on the rest.
"Good day, everyone. We have all gathered here today under the gaze of the Winged Serpent Kukulkan," the bishop nodded towards the rest.
"Under the gaze of our God!" Everyone immediately prayed in unison, fanaticism noticeable in their eyes. Regardless of personal power or faith, these natives had proven themselves. The bishop did not reveal any disdain.
The bishop suddenly remembered, 'Word has spread that a large number of natives have joined the church's headquarters in Debanks Island, and there's a high chance that the next pope will be a native saintess…' He then gripped the emblem on his chest and started repenting in his heart, 'Everything is the will of our only Lord. Please forgive me for my wavering faith…'
Of course, the rest only saw the bishop clench at his holy emblem before sitting down behind his desk.
"Intelligence from the city hall and wizard tower say that an incredible figure seems to have entered our territory." The bishop banged on the table, taking out a stamped letter that he showed to the rest.
A subordinate took a look and spoke out with his doubts, "Poison Scorpion Church?"
"Yes. It's a church that worships an ancient scorpion demigod. They've been developing in secret for a long time, but sadly they were discovered and suppressed by the forces of Helm while their lord was ascending. Rumours say the demigod fell…" Mockery appeared on the bishop's face as he explained this, "There was no need to pay attention to such a small church before, but according to wizard Ernest, the demigod's descendant has fled to Faulen Island, planning to journey to Debanks Island."
"This matter can be quite troublesome… We're currently trying to maintain peace with the forces on the mainland as we develop, this might invoke a war…" One of the subordinates frowned.
"Of course. I'm aware of that, but we cannot allow them to act with total disregard for law." The bishop looked at his subordinates with resentment. If under normal circumstances, would there even be a situation out of his control? Unfortunately, he had only taken over this branch recently, and it was the former headquarters of the Faulen Family.
Of course, they listened to Leylin's orders, but outside of that it was troublesome to unite them. These elites couldn't be dispatched if they weren't convinced about the situation.
Just as the bishop was troubled, his face suddenly changed. A strong will descended on the place abruptly, and flames were ignited on the statue of the feathered serpent.
"Our Great Lord has descended!" The bishop was the first one to kneel down in prayer, the others quickly following suit.
A thought was soon transmitted out of the statue, causing a hint of joy to appear on the bishop's face, "Worshippers, I am in need of you…"
"Are all of you clear of our Lord orders? "
"Yes!" the formerly rebellious subordinate stood out, saying resolutely, "This is the will of the Lord, we'll complete the task even if it costs us our lives!"
"Good!" The bishop nodded in satisfaction.
...
The youth and his two servants were still unaware of the huge crisis that was about to befall them. They'd already set up at a small inn. The youth had tried to escape, but now he'd been arranged in a clean room. The butler moved to the edge of the window, taking a few glances before he tightly shut the curtains.
The knight stood at the door like a sculpture, similar to a loyal guard.
"You're the son of our Lord. Please pay attention to your actions. How could you run out on a whim? Aren't you aware that the Church of Protection is right behind us? They definitely won't let us go if they're given the opportunity…" The butler's face had blackened.
The youngster shrank down. "I'm sorry, bishop… I, I only wanted to look at that lord's wizard tower…"
'Sigh… He's still a child after all, this responsibility is too heavy for him to shoulder…' The bishop who was dressed like a butler let out a secret sigh, softening up at the sight of the youngster's face.
"Please endure it for a while. We'll be safe once we reach Debanks Island."
"Debanks Island?" A rare trace of joy appeared on the youngster's face. "The place with the rumoured native empire and the Giant Serpent… We won't have to worry about Helm's Church once we're there?"
"As long as you can obtain their protection, yes!" A kind and amiable smile surfaced on the butler's face.
"Our Lord interacted with the Giant Serpent Church before, and they're willing to help innocent people like us who've been suppressed… More importantly, our gifts will definitely gain his favour."
The moment gifts were brought up, the knight subconsciously gazed at the youngster's neck. A crystal pendant was hung there, emitting soft light.
"They will only shelter you for such an artifact…" The butler stroked the child's hair, "You don't have to be sad. This is something our Lord gained in an accidental encounter. I'm sure you can exchange it for your safety and the opportunity for the church to rise again in the future. I'm sure he would have agreed as well…"
The youngster did not notice the trace of pity within the butler's eyes. A child of god was someone who's descended from a true god. Demigods' descendants barely qualified to be addressed as such, and in fact their Lord had several heirs as precaution. Unfortunately, this child was the only one among his brothers and sisters who'd survived.
'If a true god falls, as long as their believers continue to call out their true name with devout faith they'll return after a period of time. However, it's different for a demigod… The conditions are harsher, and there are additional requirements that will make resurrection more difficult…'
Although his heart felt pity, the faith in the butler's soul ultimately won. He recovered his previous expression.
-x-X-x-
The face of the knight changed at that moment. His figure that was similar to an iron fortress moved forward, smashing the floor apart.
*Hss!* A thin shadow arose from the floor with a vertical blood-red eye. It looked like a tiny black snake.
"Wait a moment! This is…" The butler stopped the knight, placing his hands on the floor in all seriousness. The little snake stuck out its tongue and licked his fingers, moving towards his ears without hesitation before it released soft hisses.
The black snake exploded once it conveyed the message, and the butler's face immediately changed, "Not good! The Church of Protection discovered our tracks, they've been behind us all this while!
"Forget the luggage. We should flee immediately, use the windows!" The butler had made his decision in a moment. The trio left the building secretly after they packed their essentials, leaving a candle burning to make it seem like the room was still occupied.
'They left? That's good. Regardless of their reasons, the fight shouldn't have happened at the centre of the city, it would have affected our reputation significantly.' A man draped in black robes emerged from the street, looking in the direction the three had headed. A long, thin snake slithered out of his sleeves, looking like the same one that had spoken to the butler.
"Bring this news to the lord, little precious. Those hateful guards of Helm have caught the trail as well…"
The black snake's movements were as fast as the wind, and it instantly disappeared into the darkness.
"Hoohoo… We should have them suffer this time, letting them know that the Giant Serpent Church isn't so easy to provoke." The black shadow laughed coldly.
It was at this moment that an icy voice from behind startled him, "So you people are determined to oppose us?"
A hint of ice-cold killing intent pervaded the place, shortly followed by a dagger being pierced through the robed man's chest.
"Despicable thing, trash like you belongs in the Nine Hells and the Abyss!"
When the man in black turned around, he saw a thief standing there with a cold expression. There was a condescending look in his eyes, Helm's logo on his armour abnormally prominent.
"Huh?" Just as the thief was about to pull his dagger back, his expression suddenly changed, 'There's something wrong. The resistance…'
*Boom!* The man in black exploded, numerous black snakes scattering as they quickly spread themselves through the street.
"Hoohoo… Helm's assassin… Just wait as my precious little snakes devour you…" A voice similar to an owl echoed from all directions, causing the assassin to turn grim. His figure disappeared into the darkness, only to reappear in front of Bishop Morand.
"I've failed, my Lord."
"It isn't your fault." The bishop seemed quite forgiving, "The Giant Serpent Church chose to get involved, and our men have found traces of the false god's descendant. Your orders have changed; in the name of the Lord, eliminate the spawn of the vile demigod!"
"In the name of the Lord!" Everyone quietly prayed, even the assassin. Fervour seemed to radiate from their eyes…
*Whoosh!* A massive number of black shadows encircled the fleeing trio as Helm's Church chased after them.
"Waaaa!" A youngster's cries echoed through the desolate beach. The butler had decided to use this route since there weren't any people here even in the day because of frightening whirlpools, but people from Helm's Church were still on their heels. This was a sufficient display of the church's abilities.
By the time the youngster came around the knight was already on the floor, cut in two. His kidney had fallen out and his intestines were exposed, a scene surely to plague the youth's nightmares for a long time… If he could survive, that is.
The kid himself was alive solely due to the efforts of his butler, who'd torn open a protective magic scroll. However, looking at the dense encirclement, the magic would not be able to sustain itself much longer.
"High-ranked wizard?" The knights of Helm opened up a path for Bishop Morand to walk through, and he did so without hurry.
He looked at the butler's face, a trace of pity in his gaze, "I didn't expect the Poison Scorpion Church would have a high-ranked wizard remaining. You're pretty good, to have survived the fall of that vile false god…"
The demise of their god was a fatal blow to any church. It wasn't just a problem of conviction, the priests of the church would be greatly weakened, instantly revoked of their status. An average body would be unable to bear the pain that followed.
In other words, a pure priest without any other profession would receive a fatal blow once their god died. The same held true for the lower-ranked members of the clergy as well. Only warriors, wizards, or other Professionals at high ranks would be able to survive that loss of power, even then on the condition that they were young and strong in terms of the soul.
This butler in front of Bishop Morand was one such person. The damage done to the bishops of a demigod when it fell was lower, and on top of that he himself was a tenacious high-ranked wizard. He managed to endure the backlash, allowing him to escape while their pope and a considerable number of other bishops had died. The man had taken on the responsibility of protecting his god's child.
"The Poison Scorpion Lord is a real God, I will not tolerate your blasphemy." The butler maintained a solemn face, his dignified temperament not betraying a hint of anger.
All devout worshippers held unyielding faith in their gods, making such fervent followers much more frightening than the rest. This butler was naturally one such man, or a high-ranked wizard would never join a demigod's church.
"I can still give you a fair trial. Surrender, and hand over that spawn of the devil!" Bishop Morand spoke with a compassionate tone, and a giant eye appeared behind his back as he looked at the old butler.
"Don't even think of using teleportation or a random portal. Our Lord has locked down the surrounding space. You shall be burnt at the stake!"
The youngster looked around him. The knights of Helm had taken out golden crossbows from their backs, the weapons incredibly frightening at close range. Forget teleportation, even if they tried to flee on land or in air they'd be unable to escape the attacks.
"Watch over me, my Lord." Revealed to be a high-ranked wizard, the butler's face was solemn as he spread a few tiny scorpions on the ground.
"Enslave!" "Greater Transformation!"
*Roar!* The tiny scorpions roared as they grew in size, becoming five metre long two metre high monsters, acting like tanks in front of the wizard.
"Young master. I'll make an opening for you a while later, take the chance to escape. Bring that pendant to the Giant Serpent Church or the Faulen Family, and plead for their help." The butler stood in front of the child, resolved to fight to the death.
"I…" It was already a significant feat for a youngster of thirteen or fourteen years of age who'd never experienced suffering to stay conscious so long.
"Sigh..." The butler could only helplessly sigh, turning around to face his opponents once more.
*Bang! Ka-cha!* The giant scorpions were dismembered rapidly under the knights' attacks. A paladin had already rushed up to him.
"My Lord… You're a star of the heavens, and one day you shall return to your throne…" The wizard mumbled, the fear of death absent from his face.
However, this expression changed after but a moment. A keening sound rang out as a black spear broke the spatial barrier to pierce through the paladin whose holy sword was raised.
"The sinister light in the air…" Bishop Morand frowned, turning towards the main culprit. It was a native warrior of the southern seas, short but full of toned muscle.
But then he saw the tattoos of devils bound with iron chains on the bodies of the man and his allies, and he went livid.
"The Giant Serpent Church's elites, devil hunters! They're high-ranked devil hunters who've sealed real devils!" Morand didn't even send out any orders. His subordinates were already shrieking.
These devil hunters evidently had an unsavoury reputation in the south sea. Devils themselves were known to be cunning and secretive, with vile powers. How much more powerful did devil hunters have to be to defeat these devils?
Even if they were aligned neutrally, devil hunters used the powers of the devils they captured. It caused people to associate them with the devils as well, something the hunters did not care to explain. Their bad reputation had accumulated, and stories of them caused children to cry at night.
Morand wasn't as ignorant as the commoners though, and he had a clear understanding of his opponents' abilities. 'Devil hunters are very powerful. They need to be high-ranked Professionals to seal devils in the first place, and some of them are even legendary…'
He quickly glanced at the many shadows hidden in the darkness, making the wise decision to reveal his identity.
"I am Bishop Morand of the Church of Protection! What are you lot trying to do?"