[Side Quest Available 01]
[Destroy the core of the first seal, and unleash the infernal laws upon the universe.]
[Reward 01: A free level one technique]
[Reward 02: Access to the main mission]
Alm and Bruno read that attentively, and the joy of finally receiving their mission was quickly extinguished.
’Destroy the core? It must be the one in the realm of ashes. Great, we don’t need to go back to the other three realms. If we destroy the major core, everything should collapse.’ Bruno commented casually.
’First level of the seal. This means there are others, and we will eventually have to deal with them.’ Alm spoke coldly. ’If the first level is already beyond what a mortal cultivator can handle, the other levels will be unbelievable.’
Bruno nodded, then looked at the rewards. ’Just a free level one technique. It used to be essential chests, then a free level two technique, and now it has dropped even lower. Next, it will be random chests or nothing... poof.’
Alm didn’t respond, but both now had the conviction that the Heaven’s Will was in its last desperate gasps. They had to run and cultivate quickly. But now, another thing has become clear.
’By destroying this rune, we damaged the formation affecting the Heaven’s Will. So the Heaven’s Will was released a little more.’ Alm analyzed carefully. ’This whole formation is the answer to how the queen is controlling everything. And there must be dozens or hundreds in other similar places.’
Bruno nodded, and now they could glimpse the path ahead. Before, they were blindly following metaphorical clues; it was good to have a clear goal.
After that day, Alm and Bruno fully focused on their plans and studying that small dual-shadow rune. This newly self-created law was literally unique, and it seemed to have strange attributes. Because its foundation was made with laws from the underworld, it differed completely from everything they knew. They couldn’t find other uses besides its capability of infiltrating the laws, like a poison that destroyed everything.
’Our blood is poisonous, and now we have a poisonous law. This combination was orchestrated by the Heaven’s Will and should become more useful at some point.’ Bruno commented.
’All our main powers are independent of our internal QI. Our physical cultivation, forged weapons, tattoos, and now this rune.’ Alm replied. ’Clearly, we are being directed to fight with Ruri by our side. We have to pour all our QI and bloodline for her to activate her hero rune completely.’
’I think we directed ourselves to this... anyway, I hope she keeps up with our cultivation, or we’ll have problems.’ Bruno concluded.
The array only provided QI for use, which would certainly help Ruri and Almin break through the realms. But this would only be relevant in mortal realms. As they reached the divine realms, QI became increasingly less relevant; understanding, talent, and destiny were the main factors for advancement. And that, the whale couldn’t provide; it depended solely on them.
Thus, the days passed slowly, with everyone inside the realm intensely immersed in training or study. Outside, several days had already passed since the opening date of the realm of the seas.
Of course, before that, a large army formed by the four demonic clans gathered on the exact day. However, the realm did not open, causing not much surprise to anyone. The human in the form of a whale and his group managed to enter before the scheduled time, and all the strange phenomena that occurred afterward made it clear that they had many secrets.
So, only a few demons from the weaker clans of the abyss remained guarding that place. The major clans fully focused on preparing for the realm of ashes. But undoubtedly, if anything happened, numerous measures to prevent escape were armed.
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***
Quickly, a full year within the abyss passed for all the demonic cultivators. And the day of the ceremony for the realm of ashes arrived.
Representatives from the 30 demonic clans gathered with tense expressions in front of the magnificent castle where the demon emperor lived. Next to the castle was the entrance to the realm of ashes, and only the emperor could open the entrance. The emperor did not issue any orders after the realm of seas did not open. Soon, everyone just followed what was pre-programmed, not knowing what the emperor planned.
Hours passed with everyone waiting silently for the demon emperor. Then, finally, movement came from the castle. And a figure that seemed to cover the world with its darkness emerged.
The emperor saw all the demons looking at him, and in an extremely cold tone, he spoke: "Thirty thousand useless demons. It seems like your lives have been too comfortable lately, and your numbers only increase every year."
Everyone trembled at those venomous words amidst irritation.
"I will change some things. Weak demons who allowed a human to trample on them are useless. Now, the demonic ceremony will be in line with its purpose." He said, and a macabre smile appeared on his lips.
"Kill each other quickly. Only those who kill a minimum of 20 demons from different clans will enter the realm of ashes. You have one hour."
Everyone fell silent, trying to understand the emperor’s words. Among them, hundreds of figures with three canine heads tightened their jaws firmly in the face of the malice coming from the distant figure.
The Cerberuses could now see the emperor from another angle, no longer as a supreme being above all. At this moment, another superior figure occupied that place.
It was a sacred two-headed Cerberus, directly marked on their souls. However, he did not exhibit malice. It was as if one head was the purest benevolence, and the other the purest fury. It was the perfect balance, and everyone felt a prosperous future coming from him. But in the emperor before their eyes, there was only a bitter feeling as if death was always close to their throats.
It took only ten seconds for the demons from the three major clans to awaken and unleash all their cultivation in synchrony. At that very moment, all the demons from the lower clans ran with all their might. But... it didn’t take five seconds for the pursuit and the Yin of death to rise into the skies.
There was no fight, but rather a deliberate massacre; only a few members of the weaker clans managed to escape. The Cerberuses just stood still, watching everything happen without moving. However, eventually, the chaos would reach them.
"Cerberus god... we cannot disappoint him. This is a trial!" The Cerberus leader began to murmur, and in the end, he roared to all his members. Everyone held their breath, seeming to understand something.
"He only said to go with the flow. But clearly, he expects something from us." The leader spoke, and all the Cerbero trembled, feeling all the Qi within them stirring. "Have faith, I’m sure our prayers reached him. Going with the flow can only mean one thing..."
The Cerberus leader turned towards the emperor, who watched the carnage with indifference. "He is the evil that chained us from ever returning to our sacred home. Karma must be paid, this is the natural flow! Attack!!!"
All the Cerberuses howled in nefarious synchrony while the image of the sacred Cerberus permeated everyone’s minds. Soon, each of their three heads lit up, and the bloodline of all was burned to the limit. Invisibly to everyone, including the emperor, celestial energy emanated from them and rose to the skies.
Far away, below the ground, the whale and all the hundreds of members of the two clans stood before the massive underground tunnel. It led directly to the realm of ashes. And it was secretly dug by the whale and Ruri, several days ago.
Bruno then smiled, feeling the rune of faith vibrate, and commented. ’Extremely unexpected, but it came in handy.’
Alm just snorted as the whale turned to Almin. He waved and unleashed all his firepower; in his other hand, he held a grayish sphere that lit up with an electric rune. Then, an explosion occurred underground.
Back to the demons, all those bathed in the black blood of their own kind suddenly stopped their attacks. Then, they turned and couldn’t believe what their eyes were witnessing. Thousands of Cerberuses roared in all their might and leaped towards the sky... towards the demon emperor!
The emperor attentively watched the movement and remained motionless, while in his mind, only one thing echoed: something was wrong. He felt a tremor coming from below the ground, and now this inconceivable change in the Cerberuses.
After a second, the emperor then smiled. "Great, I’ve been waiting for you to come. You would have to leave eventually, or you’d die in the abyss; It was just delaying the inevitable."
When all the Cerberuses were just ten meters from the emperor, immediately the Cerberus leader froze in the air, astonished and trembling. Words sprang into his mind like a revelation from the heavens. Everyone felt it, and one of the heads turned in his direction. However, in the same second, the leader roared.
"HOLD NOTHING BACK! CHAIN THEM!"
Everyone heard and nodded; there was no turning back, using the underworld chains they so proudly possessed was satisfying for everyone.
The emperor finally made a move, rising from his chair lazily. He raised his fist slightly, and the world seemed to lose color in anticipation of his infinite power.
A sea of dark chains covered the skies around the demon emperor. He then snorted dryly and made a gesture as if trying to shoo away a fly... a fly? They were smaller than that, and all would die with a brief movement.
BOOM!!!
In that very instant, the earth split open, and the abyss seemed to tremble in unison. Suddenly, flames and electricity erupted from a gigantic fissure. Then, the bewildered demons saw hundreds of wyverns emerging in the skies. But... demons were riding them? Everyone was confused.
The demon emperor almost laughed excitedly, then turned upward, seeing the chains a second away from touching him. Then, he simply activated all his Yin power, appearing indifferent. With one move, everything would be over, but...
At that very instant, all the laws froze, and he only had time to look at the horizon. In the air, he saw the whale smiling. Holding its hand was a human girl, and on her forehead, a rune glowed intensely, seemingly eclipsing the world.
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Endless dark chains descended, producing a resounding sound as they tightly wrapped around the gigantic demonic creature. Quickly, not a single part of the demon emperor could be seen.
"RUN!" roared the Cerberus leader after receiving another message.
All the Cerberuses ran with the leader in front, heading towards the entrance to the realm of ashes. At the same time, in the skies, hundreds of creatures, half-wyverns, half-demons, reached the entrance. It all lasted less than ten seconds before an explosion of power reverberated throughout the abyss.
"DIE!!!!!!"
The demon emperor exploded in infinite fury, trying to break free, but those chains were no joke. All the demons watching from afar fell to the ground, trembling. Then, a sarcastic voice echoed.
"Already so energetic? It seems the lesson from before wasn’t enough." Everyone saw the whale in the sky, just a few meters above the emperor.
In its hand, a giant bone club appeared. Everyone witnessed that bone light up in a deadly black and... explosive? No demon could comprehend that.
The whale simply threw it down without caring and then turned to run... However, the sarcastic smile on his face only increased. Everyone could feel something else behind that smile, though... was that... fear? The whale was laughing and running for his life at the same time! Just what did he throw at the emperor that made the whale act like that?
*BOOOOOOM!*
The chains finally exploded, and the emperor roared with all his black power... then, he only had time to look up and see all of time and space twisting.
Alm and Bruno burst forward with everything they had, harnessing all of Almin’s fire and electricity to maximize their speed. In two seconds, when the world lost its color, they were already in front of the entrance. With a single gesture, the tattoos lit up, and the entrance opened.
"Run!" The whale shouted, pulling Ruri by the arm and immediately entering the realm of ashes.
The spatial laws of the realm were already practically open. However, unlike the other realms, they only opened completely with the will of the demon emperor. Therefore, Alm and Bruno didn’t need much effort to enter since, in a battle of wills, they were definitely on another level.
All of this took only four seconds. The last half-demons to enter only saw a black hole emerge behind them and felt an infinite attraction pulling them towards death. If not for the supreme physical constitution of their wyvern partners, they would have been sucked in.
So, all three demon clans entered the realm of ashes together.
But... impossible for Alm and Bruno to see or feel. A black hand sprouted from the void, and all destructive power vanished. Then, the bone club just turned into black powder and disappeared.