"The state of the Devil Monarch's projection will be significantly impacted by attacks on its main body."
Truman inscribed this "prophecy" into the Book of Dreams.
"Release the confinement of the concealed world!"
Amanises lightly tapped her finger, causing the entire concealed world to flicker briefly, momentarily connecting with the outside.
The Devil Monarch's projection seized this instant to draw more power from its main body.
But at that moment, the "prophecy" came to pass.
"Sun!" The Devil Monarch's projection roared in fury as the Ancient Sun God fully committed to the battlefield outside, dealing a heavy blow to the Devil Monarch's main body. This impact reverberated through the fleeting connection to the projection.
Sensing the moment, Truman activated the divine emblem on his chest. A pure, radiant beam of sunlight erupted from it, like a divine light descending from the heavens, piercing straight through the Devil Monarch's projection.
"Ah!" The projection suffered immense damage as the "Darkness" authority overwhelmed its "Corruption."
"It's time to end this," Amanises declared, wielding the Scythe of Death and swinging it down.
"Die!" The Devil Monarch's projection quickly recovered, sprouting two bone blades from its hands and swinging them upward to deflect the Scythe of Death.
It was another clash between the "Darkness" and "Corruption" authorities.
This time, "Darkness" was clearly stronger!
The Devil Monarch's projection could barely suppress Amanises's power and rank.
Clang!
As the scythe met the corrupt bone blades, the entire world seemed to fall silent.
At that moment, two vibrant colors—emerald green and blood red, representing life—emerged in the composition, illuminating the concealed world and dispelling its gloom.
It was Lilith, who had remained hidden. Amanises had created the perfect environment for her, and she seized the moment of the two authorities' collision to exploit a flaw.
The composition of Darkness and Corruption was invaded by blood-red hues. A vine, imbued with the authority of life, pierced the projection from behind, relentlessly siphoning its power.
"Farbauti, you should die," Lilith said coldly.
"Lilith?!" The Devil Monarch's projection widened its eyes, unable to comprehend the scene.
But it had no time to think. Amanises pressed her palm against the projection's demonic head, and its wisp of consciousness was swiftly engulfed by darkness.
The power of the projection's descent was completely drained.
"Pleasant cooperation," Lilith and Amanises exchanged a glance and nodded.
Truman, watching this, felt a bit hesitant to approach.
Terrifying…
But he swept the projection's remaining husk into the Sea of Dreams.
Everything here remained hidden from the outside world; the Devil Monarch couldn't even sense that its projection had perished.
Amanises dispelled the concealment, and the trio reappeared on the void landmass.
"This place is strange…" Truman sensed the aura emanating from the island.
He paced around the pool at the landmass's center, eventually confirming a certain truth.
"Related to a Sefirot?"
Truman felt a subtle, mysterious connection between himself and the island.
A sense of unease even stirred within him, urging him to stay away.
The legendary Shadow World? Truman stepped back, gripped by a sense of danger.
The abyss, far in the ocean's depths, was already close to the fabled Western Continent!
With so many elements—its connection to the Astral World, the Mother Tree of Desire—a projection of the Shadow World here wasn't unimaginable…
"I sense pollution similar to before," Amanises said softly.
"Farbauti is stealing some kind of power," Lilith said, approaching the pool and making a judgment.
The pool was small, half-filled with water that was blood-red, tinged with pink luminescence.
"There are two kinds," Truman keenly discerned the nature of the pool's water.
Besides the Mother Tree of Desire's influence, there was the power of the Shadow World's projection!
The outer god Mother Tree of Desire relentlessly assailed the barrier, stirring tides of corruption that surged through the abyss at intervals. But the Devil Monarch was also siphoning the Mother Tree's power.
Relying on the barrier's protection, Farbauti recklessly probed the outer god, actively drawing its corruption to the abyss's depths. For demons, "corruption" was power!
Just as Truman had established a connection with the Mother Tree by recalling outer god knowledge, inviting corruption, the Devil Monarch was doing the same. It constantly drew in corruption that only angels or above could resist, scheming to harness both it and the Shadow World as its own power!
"Utterly insane!" Truman frowned. A single misstep could lead to complete corruption by the Mother Tree or the Shadow World.
In Truman's view, in another thousand years, the Devil Monarch, while recovering, might truly fall prey to the Mother Tree!
"Madmen have their own brand of madness," Lilith mocked.
Amanises nodded in agreement. The Annihilation Demonic Wolf was similar, though unlike Farbauti, it never touched Sefirah Castle before its death.
Of course, the other ancient gods weren't much better.
"Take this place away!" Amanises nodded lightly, concealing the entire landmass.
Truman approached the Scroll of Civilization, which continued to fend off increasingly potent tides of corruption. The Black Emperor Crown's"Distortion" kept time frozen in the previous moment.
"The Mother Tree of Desire…" Truman gazed at the illusory star in the radiant starry sky, its constant flickering attempting to erode him.
"This pollution is troublesome," Truman said, frowning, and recalled both Uniqueness artifacts.
The Black Emperor Crown settled on his head, and the Scroll of Civilization became his cloak.
"Distort pollution!"
As an emperor, he issued a command, unleashing a powerful force to obliterate the corruption capable of overwhelming angels.
But the gap in rank limited the "Distortion" authority's effect on the pollution, rendering it ineffective.
"Such a hassle!" Truman slammed the Book of Dreams onto it.
The Sea of Dreams descended with a roar, no longer illusory but a tangible ocean. Endless waves submerged the pollution. In terms of rank, the Mother Tree of Desire was at most on par with the Book of Dreams!
Yet, as the Sea of Dreams manifested in this starry expanse, the star representing the Mother Tree beyond the barrier abruptly contracted.
The faint mystical connection between Truman and the outer god was unilaterally severed by the Mother Tree!
The action was so swift that Truman couldn't react. Gradually, a strange smile curled his lips.
"Is the Mother Tree afraid?" Truman raised an eyebrow. "Afraid I'll corrupt it?"
(End of Chapter)