Chapter 426: Chapter 195: Perception
Great Rift, Fog Abyss Fortress.
While battles raged fiercely in the outside world, this ancient fortress, nestled deep within the mist, remained tranquil, like a dead structure, devoid of any vitality.
Crystal clear droplets clung to the pitch-black rocks, while the ground was covered in dust. A gentle breeze swept through, creating a series of deep, resonant sounds in the corridors, as if invisible wraiths were wandering about.
In the Central Courtyard, at the large glass round base, the Shadow King sat as usual, at the center of the glass base, gazing at the churning Sea of Mist below.
This time, the Shadow King did not pick up the fishing rod; his hands rested on his knees as he simply admired the scenery, observing the endlessly rolling Sea of Mist.
Beneath the noble mask, his withered body was frail and decrepit. He shifted his gaze from the Sea of Mist to his own hands.
His hands were like withered wood, devoid of any color, with flesh and blood entirely shriveled, resembling the aged bark of a tree, tightly clinging together, thin and frail like jagged bones.
The Shadow King’s gaze was cloudy. In a daze, his hands transformed, no longer appearing the way they seemed, but full of power and youth, like the fists of iron walls.
No, not like this... I am not like this...
Looking down at the Sea of Mist, the Shadow King could see his ugly face reflected on the glass. He knew clearly that this was not his original face; this was not his true self.
His soul was trapped in this dying body.
Most people, faced with such a hopeless situation, would gradually become numb and helplessly accept this reality.
But not the Shadow King. Even now, he had not ceased his resistance. He refused to die like this; this was far from being his end.
The Shadow King kept himself constantly fueled by rage. He knew very well that once the fire of anger in his heart extinguished, he would become numb and accept this harsh despair, eventually falling into the darkness, reduced to a walking corpse.
Footsteps sounded, and a Shield Guard approached with a tray, appearing to be under great pressure, watching the contents of the tray with a tense expression.
Upon reaching the outer edge, the Shield Guard stopped, patiently waiting until another set of footsteps approached.
The Shadow King was not alone. Behind him, the Third Seat unwaveringly guarded him, the silvery armor emanating a cold, oppressive aura. The Third Seat took the tray, while the Shield Guard, as if relieved of some burden, saluted the two and quickly left the shadowy place.
The Shadow King asked, "How are things now?"
"Everything is going smoothly. We’ve already surrounded the Alchemy Workshop; capturing the Immortal Heart is only a matter of time."
The Third Seat checked the tray to ensure there were no abnormalities, then presented it, bowing, to the Shadow King.
The Shadow King removed the cover from the tray, revealing a piece of crimson flesh underneath, as if freshly sliced from a body, brimming with life force, still incessantly wriggling.
The Third Seat said, "We also discovered some unexpected delights."
"What?"
"A Fantasy Species, though it’s already been activated. But if we can kill its host before it’s completely consumed, we might be able to reuse the Fantasy Species."
The Third Seat was particularly concerned about the Fantasy Species. The Immortal Heart could only extend the Shadow King’s life, but the Fantasy Species could infuse the cold reality with the possibility of a ’miracle.’
The current Shadow King needed a miracle the most.
"A Fantasy Species, is it?"
The Fantasy Species clearly evoked some memory for the Shadow King, but the burden brought by this withered body was too great; even thinking would provoke immense pain, like some form of torture.
The Shadow King grasped the crimson flesh, and upon contact, a myriad of tiny mouths mutated on the flesh, gnawing at the Shadow King’s palm.
Biting through the withered skin, yet beneath the wound, there was no trace of blood, only a thick, dark slurry, leading one to ponder what the Shadow King’s body was truly made of.
Skillfully, the Shadow King pressed the flesh against his chest. The flesh struggled but gradually fused with the Shadow King. In the past, it only devoured others, but now it was gradually being consumed by the Shadow King.
After merging with the flesh, the Shadow King’s pain lessened significantly, and his muddled consciousness cleared a little.
"The impurities are increasing..."
Raising his injured hand, the Shadow King saw crimson fibers under the wound, knitting together, and consequently healing his wound.
Though his body was old, akin to an elder whose physiological functions had reached their limits, it relied on the flesh of calamity to possess a frightening regenerative power, with the conflicting natures of decay and rebirth coexisting within the Shadow King.
All this did not come without a cost. The Shadow King clearly felt the frantic intent within him growing stronger, being gradually devoured by the calamity.
If the Immortal Heart were to be implanted, the Shadow King would confront the wickedness of the calamity head-on, either taming it or being completely swallowed.
Thinking about this, the Shadow King harbored no fear, for he considered his victory inevitable.
The Third Seat was the same, trusting the Shadow King blindly. He intended to speak, but before the words left his lips, a crimson gleam flickered in the darkness beneath his helmet.
The Shadow King noticed the Third Seat’s oddity and asked, "What’s wrong?"
"I encountered an unexpected guest, it’s Lebius Lovisa," the Third Seat quickly added, "but he is alone and cannot influence the situation."
"Lebius Lovisa..."
The Shadow King murmured this name. He had never faced Lebius personally but had a profound impression of him from the subsequent intelligence reports.
"I remember him, the one who turned the tide during the time offensive... He nearly killed the Red Dog."
The Shadow King believed the Third Seat could handle this operation, yet a strange emotion rose in his heart at that moment.
Doubt.
The Shadow King didn’t know what he was doubting, but soon those imperceptible flaws rapidly magnified in his eyes.
"He came alone, did he?"
"Yes."
"No companions by his side?"
"Yes."
The Third Seat’s answer was resolute, "My Tier is higher than Lebius’s. Although I use a Domination Object in battle, to evade my sight, one would need to be at least the same Tier as me."
The Third Seat was a Tier Four Defender, nearing the Tier of a Seeker of Glory. Condensers of this Tier were relatively rare within the Order Bureau, all holding important positions.
Of course, this was also true within the King’s Shield Guard. The Third Seat’s task was to protect the Shadow King’s safety, and even in the struggle for the Immortal Heart, he only assisted using a Domination Object from the sidelines.
It would have been impossible for him to encounter a Defender unless the Third Seat had fallen into misfortune.
"Is that so..."
The Shadow King pondered, if this were true, Lebius had clearly violated the Order Bureau’s regulations, yet according to intelligence, Lebius wasn’t someone who would breach such regulations.
What kind of matter would cause Lebius to make such a decision?
The Shadow King considered that the Third Seat acted swiftly; in principle, even if the Order Bureau reacted, it shouldn’t be this quick, let alone dispatching only Lebius.
"Has the Fantasy Species been activated?"
The Third Seat gave a brief reply, "Yes."
At this point, a vague conjecture in the Shadow King’s mind gradually formed a clear outline, and he spoke with an emotionless voice.
"The wish triggered by the Fantasy Species is most likely Time Reversal."
"Time Reversal?"
Even though the Third Seat fully trusted the Shadow King, when he heard ’Time Reversal,’ he couldn’t help but show a look of doubt.
"Lebius’s most outstanding achievement was during the time offensive of the secret war, launching a surprise attack on the Red Dog. Though he couldn’t kill him, it shattered the time offensive.
The reason the Order Bureau was able to win against the King’s Secret Sword was because there was a group within the Order Bureau impervious to temporal instability, and Lebius was one of them..."
Without needing the Shadow King to elaborate further, the Third Seat had already deduced the reason.
The Fantasy Species induced a Time Reversal, capturing the Order Bureau’s attention, for which they dispatched Lebius to investigate.
This could explain why only Lebius was deployed, and how he managed to locate the Alchemy Workshop so quickly and accurately...
The Third Seat recalled Lebius’s repeated bold assaults during the confrontation. As an Overlord, he didn’t lead his pack of wolves, nor did he concern himself with personal safety, repeatedly placing himself in perilous situations.
A sense of unease arose in the Third Seat’s heart, not from the oddity of Time Reversal, but from the realization that he might not be able to reclaim the Immortal Heart.
The Third Seat couldn’t allow such a possibility.