Chapter 457 455-Breaking Free from the Illusion
Ethan had unraveled the entirety of the God of Curses' schemes and was adamant in his disbelief.
Battling against the curses cast by the God of Curses, Ethan hastened to Valhalla with utmost speed.
The blood-red moon crashed directly into Valhalla, embedding itself in its core.
Ethan could sense an almost infinite surge of the Power of Curse within Valhalla.
Now, a hint of hesitation crept into his mind, as he felt that entering Valhalla might lead him into grave danger.
"You're hesitating now, aren't you? You lack the confidence to overcome the Power of Curse. Even if you manage to conquer the forces emanating from Valhalla, there's no guarantee of success for Sherry," whispered the God of Curses, his voice resonating once more in Ethan's mind.
The deity seemed to have an uncanny awareness of Ethan's every thought, responding instantly to each new idea that formed.
"Get out of my head now! How can you read my true thoughts? Why are you able to continuously curse me?"
Ethan was indeed puzzled.
Although he was trapped within the God of Curses' illusion, it didn't necessarily mean the deity could comprehend every single one of his thoughts with such clarity.
The Primordial Light within Ethan, while not used in direct combat against the God of Curses, was supposed to ensure immunity from the mental control of a Second-generation Deity.
"This is the essence of the Power of Curse's might. Within the illusion formed by the curse, everything you think and contemplate is immediately known to me."
"Within this illusion, you have no way to overcome me. Ultimately, you can only submit to me."
"Instead of wasting more time, why not choose to cooperate with me? I can help you save the Shadow tribe, and I can also help you rescue anyone you wish. I can even grant you powers that rival those of a deity."
The God of Curses continued to persuade Ethan, believing that his persuasion would be more effective now that Ethan had witnessed the immense power of the Power of Curse.
Ethan's thoughts appeared to have undergone some changes, as he did not directly refute the offer but continued to inquire.
"If I choose to join you, can you ensure that we will escape from this illusion? Can you guarantee that Sherry won't be in danger again?"
It seemed that Ethan was still deeply concerned about Sherry's safety.
He believed that even if he couldn't successfully break free from the illusion, he could at least ensure his own safety.
However, Ethan was unaware of whether Sherry could protect herself.
Despite Sherry's claim to possess formidable Power of Shadow, these powers were no match for the God of Curses.
Upon hearing Ethan's words, the God of Curses was visibly delighted, believing his persuasion had finally achieved a significant breakthrough.
"I can promise you, if you choose to side with me, I will grant you endless power and eternal life. Sherry, too, can escape from the illusion. However, for her to leave, she must also submit to me. I assume, if you submit, you could easily persuade her, couldn't you?"
Although the God of Curses agreed to Ethan's conditions, it seemed he couldn't directly compel Sherry to submit to him.
This realization dawned on Ethan, highlighting that the God of Curses' power might be weaker than he had initially thought.
A truly powerful deity would surely be able to make Sherry submit.
Ethan stood still, offering no response.
To the God of Curses, it appeared as though he was deep in thought, so the deity did not rush him.
After a while, Ethan lifted his head to look at the sky, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
"You really are quite weak," Ethan said, his smile brimming with confidence.
It seemed he had discerned the God of Curses' vulnerability.
"What are you talking about? Have you completely lost your mind? If you have succumbed to madness, it only shows your weakness. You can't even withstand the Power of Curse in Valhalla. "
"Thus, you are unfit to be my emissary in the mortal world. It seems you are no longer of any use to me."
The God of Curses seemed to sense that something was amiss and decided not to waste any more time with Ethan.
He resolved to concentrate all his power on eliminating Ethan.
The Power of Curse surged forth from the Valhalla of the Shadow tribe at an alarming speed.
These powers were so potent that they could even manifest as a colossal curse monster.
Ethan, however, remained remarkably composed in the face of this curse monster.
He chose neither to engage in combat nor to flee.
Instead, he stood his ground, calmly observing the gigantic curse monster.
Despite the monster's terrifying roars, he made no unnecessary movements.
"I finally understand your greatest weakness within this illusion," Ethan declared coolly.
"Your so-called Power of Curse is nothing more than an illusion. If I consider it all to be false, it poses no threat to me."
Ethan had discerned the primary weakness of the God of Curses' created environment.
All the curses were mere illusions, and as long as he maintained his rationality in the face of these illusions, they would hold no power over him.
The God of Curses fell silent for a moment, then responded, "Do you truly believe that all of this is mere illusion? If that's what you think, you are gravely mistaken. Allow me to show you just how formidable the Power of Curse truly is."
As the God of Curses' voice faded, all the Power of Curse in the illusion converged into one.
The sky once again bore witness to the emergence of a gigantic blood-red moon.
However, unlike before, this moon didn't seem to possess the overwhelming Power of Curse; it appeared as if all of its power had been absorbed into the moon itself.
The moment the moon materialized, it hurtled rapidly towards Ethan's direction.
Ethan chose not to dodge; he knew evading was futile.
Instead, he gathered all the Primordial Light within him, a power so intense that it illuminated the entire territory of the Shadow clan within the illusion.
The colossal blood-red moon collided with the immense sphere of Primordial Light Ethan had summoned.
In an instant, the Power of Curse transformed into a part of the Primordial Light.
Simultaneously, the entire cursed illusion began to crumble.
Ethan watched as the lands of the Shadow clan in the illusion gradually faded away.
Soon, Ethan's vision was engulfed in darkness, save for a faint glimmer of light at the end.
Within this light stood a figure – unmistakably Sherry.
Spotting each other, they quickly moved towards one another.
"I thought I might never see you again!"
Sherry's voice trembled with emotion, a mix of exhilaration and fear evident in her tone.
After falling into a slumber, Sherry had almost resigned herself to the belief that she might never awaken again.
In the illusion crafted by the God of Curses, she had tried every method she could think of to escape, but all attempts had been futile.
She had even begun to abandon hope of escaping the illusion.
The turning point for Sherry came with Ethan's intervention.
After falling into the illusion himself, Ethan successfully manipulated the God of Curses into concentrating most of the Power of Curse around him.
With Sherry not affected by these powers, she was able to coordinate with Ethan and ultimately shatter the deity's fabricated world.
The moment they met in the illusion marked the total disintegration of that environment.
Both Sherry and Ethan simultaneously awoke in the real world, but their physical states differed greatly.
While Sherry had been in worse shape within the illusion, she found herself in a relatively better condition in reality.
Conversely, Ethan, who had been in a better state in the illusion, was in a far worse condition in the real world.
After all, Ethan had faced several battles before entering the illusion.
Sherry hurried to Ethan's side, her concern for him evident.
"Are you alright? I will find a Healer from the Shadow clan to treat you as soon as possible. Although the Healing Magic of the Power of Shadow may not be as immediately effective as the Power of Holy Light, it can still provide significant aid to you."
Ethan didn't speak, but he nodded, acknowledging Sherry's plan.
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