Chapter 414: Target
[Inside the Seonjeongneung Royal Tombs.]
Far beneath the chaotic battlefield where Sovereigns and Aeons clashed, the atmosphere was suffocatingly still. The air in the cavernous depths of the corrupted cave was thick with ancient dust and the heavy, undeniable stench of primordial magic.
"So this is the ancient tomb on earth." Adira muttered, her silver hair casting a faint, ethereal glow in the pitch-black surroundings. She was staring at Mirabella, who stood perfectly still at the absolute center of the dark cave, staring intently at the only stone coffin before them. It was a massive sarcophagus carved from rock, covered in decaying runic wards, and heavily sealed shut.
"Finally, the second piece after months of searching." Mirabella walked smoothly towards the coffin, the hem of her dress gliding silently over the shattered stone floor, and gently placed her pale hand on the cold, rough surface of the lid.
"Master, why are you looking for these three gemstones?" Toxin asked, a bit lost. For the past five gruelling months, their Master had been hunting non-stop, moving covertly around the globe like a phantom. She had finally found the first gem hidden deep within the cursed ruins of Babylon located in Iraq; this was the second, buried right here on the other side of the planet.
"Master needs it to fully become one with Death." Adira answered in a calm, matter-of-fact tone, her unwavering eyes fixed on the coffin. Her words hit the damp air with the weight of a falling mountain, completely stunning Toxin.
"Become one with death? I don’t understand." He asked, a rare flicker of emotion breaking his usually flat expression.
Adira exhaled a soft breath, her breath visible in the freezing subterranean air: "In this universe, no one can escape Death, no matter how powerful you are, or will be. You will still die; even those cultivators who called themselves immortals, they all have flaws and weaknesses, which eventually leads to death. Master is searching for ways to cheat death, and also control it."
"Cheat death and control it." Toxin repeated, and for the first time since his creation, he was genuinely horrified. To defy the natural cycle was an absolute taboo, a violation that invited the wrath of the heavens. To think that the gemstones actually gave such heaven-defying powers, and that they were all carelessly hidden on a small, backward mutated planet like Earth, was mind-boggling.
"That is why Master is searching for these stones." Adira added, her absolute loyalty to Mirabella’s impossible ambition evident in her voice.
Toxin slowly nodding his head, his brilliant mind finally getting the point behind their relentless global journey. He then asked again, this time, the question was directed softly to Adira to avoid disturbing the Master’s focus.
"What do you think about the Protectors? In this planet, they’re a total of 195 countries, and these countries has countless cities. Why is Master training and granting five people in each city powers, turning them into Protectors?" He whispered.
Adira exhaled again, turning her gaze slightly toward the older man: "Are you that clueless?" She asked in a low, slightly reprimanding voice, while Toxin simply tilted his head, acknowledging his blind spot, silently waiting for her explanation.
"The Protectors are all people Master picked on the street, or saved from death. She granted them powers to protect their cities, and while each city knows them as Protectors, they are Master’s hidden army on this planet." She paused, letting the sheer scale of the deception sink in, and continued:
"Due to the Invasion of monsters on this planet, there are estimated to be around 20,000 cities left. We already visited, let me say 15,027 cities. And in this 15,027 cities, Master has five protectors in all. So you could say, Master has 75,135 fighters. If everything goes on track, Master will have 100,000 fighters, all ready at call. By then, the monsters on this planet would be all wiped out." She patiently explained, breaking down the geopolitical conquest into terrifyingly precise numbers:
"In a simpler form, Master is building her Army on Earth. These protectors will do their duties and protect the city, earning merits and trust of the people in that city. If a day might come when Earth will be forced to fight a war, the people on this planet will easily unite with the Protectors acting as a cable." She explained.
Toxin slowly nodded his head, his eyes widening marginally as he slowly turned his gaze back to Mirabella’s back.
’With all the awakening stones and evolution stones on Master, she can take anyone to the fusion stage. On earth, one fusion stage is enough to rule, and now, five are working together to keep only one city safe... Although these cities have their own Leaders, the Protectors are the true-hidden Rulers. If you look at this in another way, Master is now the Owner of this planet.’ He slowly nodded his head again, completely lost in thought as the grand architecture of her plan became terrifyingly clear.
While the monsters sought to destroy the world with brute force, Mirabella had quietly conquered it through salvation.
’The people and Leaders of every single city respect, trust, and worship the Protectors, who risked their lives to protect theirs. While these Protectors trust, respect and worship the Master... Master just made this whole Planet hers.’ He swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck despite his immense power.
’Master’s way of thinking is far beyond anything I know.’
CLICK!!
The sharp, mechanical sound of the heavy coffin unlocking violently drew his and Adira’s attention back to the center of the room. They watched in tense silence as the massive, multi-ton stone cover autonomously moved to the side, sliding off its ancient grooves and falling heavily on the ground. The concussive sound echoed all over the dimmed cave like a thunderclap.
Mirabella didn’t flinch. She simply stared down into the abyss of the sarcophagus at the pitch-black skeleton resting within. Suddenly, the dead entity slowly opened its glowing, blood-red eyes, its joints cracking with the sound of snapping timber, and then sat up.
".....?!"
Adira and Toxin instantly got on guard. Their weapons materialized, and their immense auras flared, their eyes fixed intensely on the black skeleton, completely ready to defend their Master at a microsecond’s notice.
"V#$ags M#€£¥q poscual af#¢¥ f*&is."
The skeleton started speaking, its jawbone clattering. It spoke in an ancient, distorted language that aggressively assaulted the ears and completely stunned the two subordinates. It was a tongue older than the current era, but Mirabella’s expression remained flawlessly serene; she easily understood every single syllable of the dialect.
"Welcome participant. If you want to transpass death, you must pass my test." She softly repeated the skeleton’s translated words in the common tongue, her calm translation stunning the two even more as the true trial for the ultimate power finally began.
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