Chapter 333 Conspiracy
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Nestled deep within the heart of Avernus Lake Cave is an undisclosed section, known exclusively to the chosen few within the Curtained World.
Access to this covert area is restricted to those skilled enough to navigate a concealed teleportation array, cleverly obscured by an intricate web of illusionary magical arrays.
Within the expansive cavern, the ceiling soars to impressive heights, adorned with stalactites resembling obsidian icicles reaching down.
A subtle phosphorescent glow emanates from the unseen depths, casting a dim light that gracefully dances upon the jagged rock formations. The cave floor, irregular and worn unevenly, reverberates with each footfall, composing an eerie symphony of echoes.
In the center of this enigmatic space, a large, iridescent pool mirrors the ghostly reflections of the cave's surroundings. The waters, undisturbed for centuries, seem to hold silent knowledge—a repository of secrets untouched by mortal hands.
Occasional gusts of wind, laden with an otherworldly chill, rustle the unseen recesses of the cave.
Tap… Tap… Tap… Tap…
The sound of footsteps echoes within this vast space, a man in a hooded velvet cape walking with a peculiarly designed lamb in hand.
The lamb bears an ancient Greek design, its luster golden, and its body adorned with the heads of three dogs—more precisely, the design of Cerberus' heads. The flame of the lamb is no ordinary fire; its bluish-green color and cold temperature radiate an ominous aura of death.
The man strides toward the mirror-like pond, holding the lamb over its surface and moving his hand in circles while maintaining the lamb's position.
His mouth begins to chant in the old Greek tongue, muttering repeatedly like a prayer to some higher power, but with an eerie and ominous aura.
Suddenly, the mirror-like pond reflected the scene of a Greek-like castle amidst a green river that emitted an eerie green light. Millions upon millions of wisp-like souls fluttered around the place, creating a weird and enchanting spectacle.
The pond's reflection shifted to the image of a bearded man clad in ancient Greek attire, wrapped in a black tunic adorned with golden lines as if sewn with threads of gold.
The man's eyes emitted a green light, signifying the enduring power he held over life and death.
The man in the hooded velvet cape opened his hood, revealing a figure with brown hair and a distinctive Turkish descent. His eyes reflected only subservience to the man in ancient Greek clothing in the reflection.
"My lord," the man knelt down, displaying his servitude.
"How is the progress of the plan?" inquired the man in the reflection.
"Plan A failed, My lord. A wildcard has suddenly appeared in the mortal realm," reported the man in the velvet cape.
"Oh? Tell me, then. What about this wildcard that caused you, the demigod, to fail?" inquired the man in the reflection.
"Yes, My lord. It's like this…" The man in the velvet cape began to relay information about Daniel Emberweace, also known as Magitek.
He detailed Daniel's background, powers, and affiliations, such as the Astral Tech Corporation, Astral Workshop, known artifacts, combat prowess, and notable subordinates like the Sanguinis Clan. The man also mentioned the rumors of Vlad and the events in Japan, including the orbital cannon.
While hearing the account, the man in the reflection displayed various expressions—surprise, disbelief, and suspicion—but notably absent were anger, fluster, or frustration. His demeanor remained calm and calculated.
"From what you say, this Magitek is truly extraordinary—an Artificer capable of creating Atlantean artifacts as well," remarked the man in the reflection, deep in thought.
"Yes, he is very difficult to deal with. However, we can avoid him; as long as our plan doesn't affect him or his interests, he won't go out of his way to retaliate. The evidence lies in the fact that he interferes in all our operations that directly impact him, yet those occurring globally without affecting him proceed smoothly and succeed," reported the man in the velvet cape.
"Hmm… based on your account, it appears that he only chose to confront Hightower after repeated operations by your clone that affected him. Additionally, it seems Envy is one of his associates. He is remarkably tolerant, considering his immense power," remarked the man in the reflection regarding Daniel. He then continued with another inquiry.
"What is the situation with Satan?" asked the man in reflection.
"We still can't locate him after the potential clash with Magitek and his defeat. Also, it's not confirmed yet, but…" The man in the velvet cape hesitated to speak.
"But what? Speak," urged the man in reflection.
"But there is a rumor that Daniel Emberweave has the blood of the Titan, Hecatonchires. In fact, he can manifest the Avatar of Hecatonchires," said the man in the velvet cape.
Upon hearing this, the surface of the water bubbled, as if the water were boiling hot, and heat emanated from it before abruptly stopping.
"This Daniel Blake should be the descendant or reincarnation of Hecatonchires. We don't know if he has a connection with the Titans, but one could argue that the Titans were not entirely eradicated after the war. Some who chose to serve us survived, much like Hecatonchires. However, he had outlived his usefulness, so I killed him and destroyed his soul. I never thought that remnants of his soul would escape into the mortal realm. This is a fault on my part for not casting his fragmented soul into Tartarus," stated the man in reflection.
"Lord Hades, may we proceed with Plan B?" the man in the velvet cape asked subserviently.
"And what? Ask Loki to give us his one and only Yggdrasil seed? He is the last god of Norse mythology alive, but he's not a pushover. If possible, I want to avoid making an enemy out of him. He never fights fair and will attack when we least expect it," Hades disapproved.
"What shall we do then, Lord Hades?" the man in a velvet cape asked earnestly.
"Let me think..." Hades fell silent for a few minutes before responding with a smirk. "Hm… Perhaps the fall of the Hightower might be beneficial for us. Let's use him, Daniel Emberweave," Hades said with a smile.
"How so, my lord?" inquired the man in a velvet cape.
"Listen carefully..." Hades then began to reveal his plan to his right-hand man.
"That's brilliant, my lord! I think this is plausible. Instead of obstructing us, he would never know that he will be helping us reach our goal!" the man in the velvet cape said excitedly.
"Also, help me with something while you wait for the plan to work," said Hades.
Then the surface of the pond started bubbling once again, but this time, an orb surfaced and floated above the pond. It is a transparent orb with a green flame burning within.
"This is…?" The man in a velvet cape asked with confusion.
"Achilles' soul. I give it to you so that you can help me in this task," said Hades.
"What task do you wish me to accomplish, my lord?" asked the man in the velvet cape.
"Recently, someone... or some people, I don't know who they are, infiltrated the deepest reaches of my Tartarus and rescued some of my prized possessions such as Heracles and Odysseus. I want to know who they are and where they are. So that when our plan is complete, I can go to the mortal realm and deal with them myself!" said Hades, filled with grudges and anger.
"Infiltrate Tartarus? Is that really possible, my lord?" asked the man in the velvet cape, seemingly disbelieving at the revelation.
"Are you implying that I'm a liar!?" Hades' eyes suddenly grew sharp, threatening the man in the velvet cape. "No, my lord, I didn't mean to... it just seems to be... never mind, my lord. I won't dare question you!" he said subserviently after attempting to explain to Hades.
"Hmp! Anyway, don't fail at this task. For me, this is even more important than our current goal. Remember, I don't want you to deal with them, just tell me who they are and where they are. You can consider Achilles' soul as a gift!" said Hades before the reflection slowly vanished, leaving only the orb in the man in the velvet cape's hand.
"Now... This is the true reward!" The man in the velvet cape let out a smirk, looking at the orb in his hand. He could do a lot of things with this orb; the possibilities are limitless.
"It's a pity that one of my prized clones, Cyrus, died. Creating such a clone is not child's play, even for me. The surprise is that it was that old coot Golden Scale who dealt a death blow to me, and not Magitek," said the man in the velvet cape.
Then, he looked at the orb in his hand.
"Let's see if the Alchemont Clan will provide a nice Homunculus body for you, eh? Mr. Achilles," said the man in the velvet cape.
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