The sky of the special mirror world was split in two: one half dyed crimson, the other divided by a chaotic vortex and formless, colorless flas. The three forces clashed violently. Suddenly, all light vanished, as if sothing was voraciously absorbing everything around it.
Franca and the others in the World of Ruins had just recovered from their ailnts and stabilized their genders. Then, they watched as the burning flas above, teors streaking across the sky, and mountains spewing smoke and magma all disappeared from view.
They were plunged into darkness-a darkness so profound that nothing seed capable of existing within it.
After what felt like an eternity, the darkness receded. Crimson moonlight once again illuminated the Northern and Southern Continents and the five oceans. Bright stars of various hues returned to their natural states.
The World of Ruins was restored to its forr appearance.
In the special mirror world, Lumian's eyes no longer reflected the crimson full moon. Everything seed normal.
He let out a chuckle and lowered his four newly grown arms.
Then, he grasped a handful of flas, compressing them into a tallic mirror.
Lumian gazed into the mirror and saw two figures standing back to back-one was Aurore, and the other Jenna. Both had beco even more beautiful, their eyes now open. However, their gazes were vacant and hollow, devoid of spirituality. They remained under Lumian's conscious control.
Lumian stared at them blankly for a few seconds. A smile gradually curved his lips, and the Aurore and Jenna in the mirror returned his smile.
Behind them was another indistinct figure-Cheek.
On Lumian's left shoulder, the face of Cheek also smiled sweetly and seed about to speak.
Suddenly, Lumian summoned the dark-gold, peculiar mask and forcefully pressed it onto the slowly spinning chaotic vortex face.
Starlight descended, illuminating the entire mask.
Cheek's mouth opened, but no words ca out. Her reflection in the mirror disappeared along with the attempt.
Her face on Lumian's shoulder showed clear dissatisfaction.
Lumian cast his gaze around and found that the Traveler's Bag he had exchanged with Franca was completely shattered in the previous destruction. Only two items remained intact on the ground: the dark-gold peculiar mask he had just used and the Demoness card-Lumian didn't keep any items in this Traveler's Bag because only the puppet soldier puppets, mask, and Card of Blasphemy could be of use in the previous battle.
Lumian summoned the Demoness card to his hand and discovered that the previously obscured advancent ritual for becoming a god in the Demoness pathway was now revealed: "Descend into the depths of the earth, find the Chaos Sea, endure a degree of its corruption while maintaining oneself-neither falling nor transforming."
Quite considerate. The ntion of the sefirah must have been "hidden" in advance. Who would have thought that the advancent ritual for the Demoness pathway would involve another sefirah entirely... Lumian mused, suddenly suspecting there was sothing off about this ritual. The first Blasphemy Slate was ford from the corpse of the Primordial God Almighty. Perhaps before dying, He altered the corresponding knowledge to make the Demoness advancent ritual involve contact with the Chaos Sea. This would facilitate His unique revival through the pathways of calamity and allow Him to control and utilize the Chaos Sea effectively post-resurrection.
As for the second Blasphemy Slate, though it was created from the Ancient Sun God's corpse, who could say it wasn't influenced by the Primordial God Almighty?
Still, it makes sense for a Demoness, who governs chaos, to need prior contact with the Chaos Sea... Lumian shook his head, dismissing the truth of the matter as irrelevant.
To him, this ritual was unnecessary to perform yet essentially already fulfilled.
The face sealed by the dark-gold peculiar mask ca from the Primordial God Almighty, bearing a deep, special connection to the Chaos Sea. Its power surpassed re corruption from the Chaos Sea.
"So, you went mad during your advancent ritual?" Lumian tilted his head, mocking the Cheek face.
Cheek's face widened Her eyes, as if to say: "When did I ever go mad? My ntal state has always been impeccable."
At this mont, the special mirror world fully stabilized, reflecting shades of gray and white, formless and colorless flas, an ambiguous and enchanting atmosphere, and a chaotic vortex encompassing all possibilities.
It was evolving into Lumian's divine kingdom.
For the Red Priest, a divine kingdom erged from a deeper conceptualization of the authority of Conquest. By completely "conquering" a land, battlefield, or special area, it could be transford into the Red Priest's divine kingdom. Any living being entering the kingdom, without corresponding protection or sufficient rank, would imdiately beco a soldier of the Red Priest.
For the Demoness, the divine kingdom was closely tied to the mirror world. The Primordial Demoness had previously established Her divine kingdom in a hidden corner of the mirror world. There, only females could exist-even other true gods would acquire distinct female characteristics upon entry. There, gazing upon what should not be seen would imdiately turn one into stone. There, without protection, one would frequently encounter disasters tied to oneself. There, extre pleasure would sporadically manifest, making one reluctant to leave...
Lumian could now "conquer" the special mirror world, transforming it into a divine kingdom that satisfied the needs of both the Red Priest and Chaos Demoness.
Lumian surveyed his surroundings and allowed the scenes reflected in the special mirror world to change. They beca Cordu Village, surrounded by blue skies, white clouds, and lush green grasslands. At the village's edge stood the Rue Anarchie, with Aurore's house built beside Auberge du Coq Doré...
After gazing at it for a mont, Lumian let the scene gradually fade away.
He smiled faintly and entered the astral world composed of concepts and symbols before returning to reality.
His three-headed, six-ard form nodded toward Franca and Madam Magician, who were looking at him, and said, "Thank you all. The operation is successfully concluded.
"Let's head back to the protected zone."
"Alright," Mr. Sun and the others responded one after another.
-
Trier, inside the luxurious villa.
Franca studied the clean, refreshed faces of Aurore and Jenna with undisguised anticipation.
"It really seems like revival is possible if we take it a step further," she said.
Hearing this, Anthony cast a subtle glance at Franca.
Lumian nodded lightly, smiling self-deprecatingly.
"Sotis, it feels aningless. Other tis, I can't help but hope and yearn for it."
"Hope is good. Hope is very good," Franca replied, smiling at Lumian. "I'm now a Demoness of Catastrophe, an Angel. Surely I can know certain things now?"
Lumian couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you have to be so impatient? Stabilize yourself first.
"Anyway, I need to report to Mr. Fool about this. It's related to future actions. When I return,
I'll explain briefly."
"Alright." Franca didn't hide her anticipation and felt that Lumian seed in a much better state, having exacted revenge by defeating Primordial Demoness Cheek.
Once Lumian ascended to his room to prepare for entering the gray fog, Franca turned to Anthony and asked curiously, "Why did you give the look earlier?"
It couldn't be because my allure, still sowhat uncontrollable after becoming a Demoness
of Catastrophe, affected him, right?
When it ca to beauty and charm, Lumian's Cheek face clearly surpassed hers!
Anthony smiled slightly and said, "I was just reflecting on how your ntal state is much better than I imagined and how your resilience exceeds my expectations."
Franca froze for a mont, then sighed softly after a few seconds. "I have to force myself to
stay calm and optimistic.
"He can be gloomy, he can lose control in madness, but I can't. Although I sotis fall into gloom, most of the ti, I must remain cheerful and optimistic. Otherwise, there's truly no
hope..."
"That's your humanity," Anthony remarked emotionally. "I'm glad Lumian and Jenna t you, and I'm glad to have you as a teammate."
Franca let out a sowhat smug laugh, then warily asked, "Why do I feel like you're trying to
give therapy?"
"I've never hidden that," Anthony replied with a smile as he turned toward the kitchen area.
"It's free, after all."
...
Above the gray fog, within the majestic palace.
After recounting the highlights of the battle and the Primordial Demoness's performance,
Lumian said, "This ti, I've initiated the convergence. With the awareness and spirit of both Cheek and Tudor present, I don't need much ti to adapt before mastering the authorities of the Demoness and Red Priest pathways. If things are critical with the Mother Goddess of Depravity, I can conduct a deep secret deed and astral travel to the City of Calamity now. "But if there's no imdiate urgency, I'd prefer about a month to stabilize myself and strengthen the newly ford balance."
Shrouded in gray fog, Mr. Fool nodded and spoke with a faintly ethereal tone, "There is at least one month."
Before Lumian could respond, his voice softened.
"Your three-headed, six-ard form stems from a fundantal transformation. Even I cannot restore you to a normal appearance, only conceal it with illusions. However, once you stabilize your balance and the apocalypse passes, I can use Wish and Fooling to grant you a
second form.
"This form will allow you to switch freely, turning your spatial three-heads-six-arms into a temporal one. Your three heads and corresponding bodies will each occupy different ti segnts of the day, living their own lives but still under your main consciousness's control. "The biggest drawback of this form is that you, Aurore, and Jenna will never be able to appear together or et each other..."
Hearing Mr. Fool's unhurried words about post-apocalypse possibilities, Lumian suddenly felt a fleeting daze-as if the apocalypse could indeed end and he might truly survive.
Lumian didn't say anything pessimistic. He simply listened quietly.
Gradually, he understood that Mr. Fool wasn't making a promise or offering comfort but expressing his own hope, giving heartfelt blessings.
He genuinely wished for the apocalypse to end, for Lumian to survive, and for him to live a
better life.
"... At that point, your rank will no longer suit being a Major Arcana card holder of the Tarot Club. This isn't the Rose Redemption after all. But you can have Franca take your place as a Major Arcana card holder. Just draw a new card. Every Major Arcana card holder in the Tarot
Club already has dual identities, many representing other factions..." By the end, Mr. Fool's voice carried a hint of amusent.
At so unknown mont, Lumian found himself at peace. He chuckled along and said,
"Alright, Mr. Fool."
Mr. Fool gently nodded and replied, "Then I shall convene an impromptu gathering now."
Reviews
All reviews (0)