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“Have you thought about naming it?” Lena asked, glancing at the creature beside Hero, transformed by the Miasma beyond recognition as a mere beast of burden.
Seeing the man in black across from her not respond, as if she expected it, the succubus chuckled lightly, then spoke to the modified beast with a hint of regret in her voice:
“How sad, to have your destiny forcibly changed, yet not be given a new purpose. In the end, you’re still just a tool for others’ self-satisfaction.”
“What do you think, Councilor Hero?”
The succubus’ voice always seemed to possess a magical quality, stirring the heart and causing doubt, especially as she spoke to one of ‘them’.
Hero lifted his head, revealing calm, cool eyes beneath the brim of his hat. He didn’t respond to Lena’s comment but got straight to the point:
“City Lord, you’ve come to see me now. Does this mean our deal can commence?”
“Of course, I’ve already obtained what you wanted. I was considering checking your progress, perhaps offering a bit of friendly assistance, and using it as leverage in our deal. But it seems you’re more capable than I thought.” 𝑖𝘳.𝒸ℴ𝑚
Lena surveyed the battlefield, noting the fallen troops of Kyle Technology amidst the smoke and the desiccated corpse of Charl at Hero’s feet.
Then, as if to show Hero his reward, the succubus flipped her wrist. A stone jade emitting a sinister and ominous aura appeared in her palm, spinning and floating.
This was the cursed bone jade, the core of the Skull Altar meticulously orchestrated by Bal for years, located deep within the forbidden area of the ancient Wolf Clan.
It could be said that this cursed bone jade accumulated a vast amount of Miasma generated by the slave system and corrupt governance of the Dragon Nation over hundreds of years.
However, Renji had already drained all its power with Miyuki’s assistance, reducing it to an ordinary stone. Not taking any chances, Renji adhered to the principle of ‘overkill’, smashing it into several pieces.
Its appearance in Lena’s hand was thanks to the succubus providing Renji with an “improved” ritual method. Before leading the ritual, she secretly transferred the shattered cursed bone jade from the altar.
As for acquiring the cursed bone jade and reassembling it, injecting it with illusionary magic to make it appear genuine was a trivial task for Lena.
On the other side, Hero’s eyes finally showed a flicker of emotion upon seeing the cursed bone jade in the succubus’ hand, his heart stirring with excitement.
His many actions, from using the jackal Roca for support in triggering the “Blood Sacrifice” in the Sealed City to elevate the Empress, to deliberately stalling and lowering Bal’s guard in the temple’s council for the Empress’ investigation, were all for this cursed bone jade laden with vast Miasma.
Hero had no doubts about the authenticity of the jade in Lena’s hand. In his view, no one but “Mother” could or would have reason to absorb its Miasma – it wasn’t something one could simply take more of without consequences.
Seeing Lena had brought the item for the trade, Hero reached into his tailcoat’s side pocket, retrieving a small sealed wooden bottle. Opening it in front of Lena, the first thing visible was the dark green glow emanating from it, exuding a rich vitality.
Hero then carefully poured the contents onto his palm – a seed.
As he had said, killing Charl was just a bonus. This “seed” was the actual subject of their trade.
“The Seed of the World Tree.”
“Do you need to inspect it, City Lord?”
The World Tree, rumored to have existed on the wastelands for over five hundred years, possibly even longer, is revered by the elves as the source of life that connects all things, the cornerstone of the world. The Forest Alliance, formed five hundred years later, revolves around the World Tree as its absolute core. The research on “magic” in the alliance is said to be derived from the World Tree’s purifying power, transforming the Miasma.
Accessing the highly exclusive and illusion-enshrouded Forest Alliance was difficult enough, let alone approaching the closely guarded World Tree. Hence, the need for this trade.
“No need, I trust you.”
“Then, City Lord, shall we proceed with the trade?”
“Don’t rush it. Councilor Hero is so busy in Sin City, barely showing his face. As your superior, I rarely get a chance to check on my subordinate. Why don’t we take this opportunity to talk a bit more?”
Watching the smiling succubus across from him, Hero frowned, a hint of displeasure on his face. But Lena, unconcerned with Hero’s willingness, tapped her chin thoughtfully, as if pondering where to begin their conversation. Her eyes lit up, and a cryptic smile formed on her lips.
“How about we start with your ‘Mother’? Is she doing well? Noticed anything unusual lately?”
Hero, who had planned to speak as little as possible in front of the supreme succubus, was caught off guard by her remark.
“What do you mean by that?” he asked with an anxious tone, foregoing even the formal address of ‘City Lord’.
His reaction was so intense because his ‘Mother’ had indeed been acting strangely. The sudden call for an emergency meeting at the temple, where she seemed unwell, speaking in a halting, muffled voice.
Hero had the impression that his ‘Mother’ was enduring something. What was odder was when he tried to approach her out of concern, she stopped him, not allowing anyone to get close.
If it were just that, it might have been bearable. But later, her condition seemed to worsen. She was so ill that she had to cover her mouth with her hand, bending over the table, her body convulsing.
The memory still frightened Hero, let alone how he felt at the moment. He had never seen his ‘Mother’ like this and was so scared he was almost convinced he was about to lose her.
Fortunately, ‘Mother’ gradually recovered, appearing a bit weak but with a steadier voice and breathing.
Hero desperately wanted to know what was wrong with her, but she refused to speak of it. Even when he inquired, he got no answers, only an unusual scolding.
Now, Hero was so eager to acquire the cursed bone jade from Lena, hoping to offer it to his mother as a restorative, even if she told him nothing. He hoped to help in his way.
But now, Lena was also inquiring about his mother. Hero was sure this was no coincidence. She must know something, which explained his impatience.
The sheer terror of his mother’s condition, appearing as though she was on the brink of death, had deeply shaken Hero. Her likely intention to hide her condition to prevent worry only made him more determined to uncover the truth. No matter the difficulty, his sole desire was to protect his mother.
Lena, witnessing Hero’s anxious demeanor, knew she had struck a nerve, bringing her closer to her ‘Succubus’s Grand Victory’ plan. She didn’t directly answer Hero’s question, choosing instead to playfully prod him further:
“You know, I have a pretty good relationship with your mother. We’re like sisters. How about this – you call me ‘Auntie’ just once, and I’ll give you a little hint about how to help your mom. What do you say?”
This mischievous suggestion from Lena seemed unlikely to succeed, given Hero’s stern expression. Sighing in feigned regret, she continued:
“Alright, let’s forget about that. Considering the effort you put into the ‘bonus’, I’ll help ease your concerns. Rest assured, your mother will accept this cursed bone jade, and it should make her quite happy~” 𝑖𝘳.𝒸ℴ𝑚
“Happy…” – did that mean it would help with her hidden ailment? That was how Hero interpreted Lena’s words.
Trusting in her status as a ‘Supreme’ and feeling no need to deceive him, Hero felt a wave of relief and joy at the prospect of aiding his mother and alleviating her troubles.
Perhaps it was the lifting of a weight from his heart, or maybe Lena’s absurd ‘Auntie’ comment revealing a close relationship with his mother, but Hero’s hostility lessened slightly. After a brief pause, he took the initiative to ask:
“What do you plan to do with the Seed of the World Tree, City Lord?”
“If I have a seed, it’s obviously to plant a tree, right?”
“There can only be one World Tree in the world,” he implied, suggesting that Lena’s efforts to grow another would be futile. The Forest Alliance had tried numerous times, so the seeds of the World Tree were often used for other purposes, never truly for their inherent ‘seed’ nature.
But Lena seemed unfazed, forever appearing effortlessly strategic and relaxed.
“Ah, I’m well aware of that, which is why I plan to plant it in a very special place, one that doesn’t belong to this ‘reality’.”
Hero was puzzled by Lena’s cryptic words about planting the Seed of the World Tree in a place not of this reality, and she offered no further explanation. Her attention seemed to linger on the topic of Hero’s mother, but soon she concluded their conversation. After exchanging their respective items, Lena left with a meaningful, playful glance, disappearing as mysteriously as she had arrived.
Left standing alone, Hero felt uneasy, sensing hidden meanings in Lena’s words. But he knew better than to dwell on the manipulations of a succubus, adept at unsettling the mind. Dwelling on it might only play into her hands.
Hero’s eyes bled again as he reopened a blood portal, using the same principle he had used to chase Charl. By allowing a member of the Old Alliance to “hurt” him, he had created a coordinate for teleportation. Over centuries, he had developed various new applications for his abilities.
As Hero was about to step through the blood portal, he paused and looked back at the mutated beast of burden left behind. Lena’s initial words echoed in his mind.
With a final glance, Hero and the mutated beast both disappeared from the spot.
…
In a dimly lit bedroom behind the temple of the Old Alliance, a black-skinned elf in her true form was conducting an experiment. She remembered her humiliation in the Miasma space at the hands of Renji, but more importantly, it had revealed issues with the body she “occupied”.
Her numerous tentacles writhed in the room. Determined, she picked up a knife from the table and brought one of her tentacles closer.
Taking a deep breath, the elf swiftly brought the knife down, slicing her tentacle.
The pain was immediate and intense.
“Ah!”
The sharp agony from the self-inflicted wound on her tentacle nearly made her faint, causing her to grimace in pain.
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