As Alm and Bruno descended from the skies through the ring-shaped portal of black flames, they sighed, both in awe and extreme curiosity; they would love to stay in that place called the underworld and study everything that existed there. However, every second there seemed to drain all the power from their bloodline, and they wouldn’t be able to stay for more than a few minutes before having to return.
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"It’s definitely another world, with different laws and rules," Bruno sighed, while Alm focused on something even more urgent after feeling an approaching death beside them.
Going a little back in the past, after Alm used the pure Yin of his soul along with the Cerberus bloodline, he faintly sensed the existence of this place, but it was impossible to cross. However, after getting more proficient in using the Cerberus bloodline, Alm and Bruno noticed that the existence of the underworld became even clearer. Still, they couldn’t cross it and could only keep seriously learning the techniques of demon beasts. Ultimately, learning those many techniques from both sides helped them in that process. Once the demonic techniques were fully assimilated, it seemed like all the puzzle pieces fit together perfectly.
Alm and Bruno then focused on studying everything demons and beasts could teach them; they didn’t limit themselves to the techniques of the generals and asked everyone to teach them. Almost everything was useless, but their understanding grew, and they absorbed everything like sponges. After all, they had never studied this before as humans.
In the end, instinctively, as if it were as natural as walking, the Cerberus bloodline seemed to be a key that connected the worlds, and the ability to open the portal was acquired by them. The reason Bruno now felt disappointed was because both Bruno and Alm knew that when they lost this Cerberus body, they wouldn’t have the key to go to that place again.
Inside the bone building, the Cerberus landed next to Malieka. She immediately felt something strange when she noticed one of the heads looking serious, while the other kept its eyes closed, as if in the midst of something complicated. Then, the gentle message came to her mind.
’Mother, we don’t have much time until the one responsible for everything arrives. Let’s go.’ The Cerberus finished turning around, and Malieka felt a gentle breeze swiftly pulling her to the innermost part of that building.
As soon as they reached the main area, with a swift motion, Malieka was placed in the center, and the eyes of the other head opened slightly, along with Yin and Yang tattoos appearing on all four eyes of the Cerberus.
During the slightly over three weeks of gestation, the fetus had been nourished with dozens of high-level pills and the purest possible Qi daily. Currently, all the stolen pills from the alchemy city had been consumed, and now the last remaining spiritual crystals were being used. Everything was done to stabilize and build the foundation for the current moment. Now, at this point, the soul that was placed there was already 90% recovered from its ancient injuries. If things followed naturally, he would be born and live a normal life.
Alm and Bruno scrutinized the soul for a few seconds. What were once small and fragmented pieces now had a complete humanoid form in the shape of a fetus. Everything about it was perfect, and the moment to complete the quest was approaching.
’Just focus on not letting anything leak to Malieka; I’ll operate the formation.’ Alm communicated mentally, fully concentrating on the task.
The two kings were killed, and their bodies were taken to the spatial inventory. With this, Alm read their memories and learned the method they used to manipulate the formation. As the souls of the kings were powerful and complete, they were considered living beings and obviously couldn’t be placed in the inventory.
This was the main problem in devising the plan, but luckily, it was easily solved when they managed to use bloodline techniques from one of the demon races. Demons were known for their mind and soul manipulation techniques. Capturing and enslaving the powerful souls of the two kings should have been impossible even for the most powerful demon, but Alm and Bruno had a divine soul, and with the use of demonic techniques, it was simple and smooth.
Everyone in that separate world felt a strange movement coming from the ground, and a cold sweat ran down their spines. The Cerberus Lord had already mentioned the formation on the ground, and no one doubted it. Now, they felt it being activated directly, and the demons could perceive the overwhelming power of the soul being absorbed and refined by it.
Everything took just a few minutes from the moment the kings died. And outside the enclosed world, space and laws contorted as if two points in space were being forcibly connected by a divine being.
Inside the bone building, Malieka felt only a gentle warmth in her belly, but the spatial disturbance in all directions did not escape her senses. Her adoptive son was doing something completely abnormal, but she didn’t doubt his intentions for a second. She was certain that the child in her womb could only exist thanks to him and instinctively felt that there was a much deeper and impossible connection between them beyond her understanding.
Suddenly, everything faded away like it had never happened. At that moment, the Cerberus’s four eyes opened, and Malieka saw in them a sense of urgency and tension. Then, slowly, the eyes turned to her, and something different emerged there, making her chest tighten, unable to fully grasp that premonition.
’Mother... our brother is only one step away from being complete. Soon, he will be able to carry all our will and take care of you in our stead.’ Bruno’s message sounded as gently as possible in the demoness’s mind.
Her gaze immediately froze with those words, but before she could articulate any word, Bruno continued. ’The mission of the god who guided us here is already unfolding. To free you and save everyone by ending this place, only the last step remains.’
BOOM!
The whole world shook, and in the sky, golden fissures like spiderwebs covered the entire horizon in seconds; the hero had finally arrived. For Alm and Bruno’s plan to succeed, they relied on the hero taking some time to arrive. Although it was faster than expected, it still worked.
The Cerberus paused for a moment, sensing the presence a few seconds from entering, then looked deeply at Malieka, who had completely wet eyes as if she hadn’t even cared about the world trembling. She opened her lips, trying to say something, but nothing came out... her chest hurt, but she knew that life wasn’t that easy. For so many miracles to happen, it was expected that all of this would come at a high cost.
’Mother, if things had continued as they were, it wouldn’t have taken long for everyone to die. Now, you can live safely away from here, and my brother can grow up carrying our will. Thank you for everything.’ Bruno finished slowly, looking directly into her eyes with tenderness.
The original Cerberus that lived with Malieka before they took over had already met a grim end. As soon as Bruno took over the body, he tasted a bitter taste in his mouth; that was the residue of the poison that killed the Cerberus. One of the bodies that Malieka scavenged from the battlefield to feed him had a minimal trace of poison, something imperceptible, but it was demonic poison from a race known to kill even the most powerful cultivators with its venom. The system just took advantage of this perfect loophole to place them there, and to complete the quest, this Cerberus would hardly survive.
In the midst of the whirlwind of emotions that enveloped Malieka, she felt her vision darkening, and then she gently fell asleep. Bruno sighed after sparing her from this pain, and Alm didn’t say anything, nor did he grumble this time. Even he recognized that this demoness deserved a proper farewell.
With no time to think much, the Cerberus hurriedly exited the bone building, walking without looking back towards the fallen people on the ground, stunned. They only had two seconds and activated their bloodline to destroy the golden domain within the unconscious people. Then, the world, once trapped in eternal twilight, faded away, and an eternal darkness swallowed it.
Only at a single point on the horizon was there a golden sun that, even exuding divinity, couldn’t illuminate anything around it; it was cold as if its power came from a nefarious origin beyond comprehension. The hero just stood there, staring down at everyone below.