Chapter 394: The Conqueror!

Chapter 394: The Conqueror!

"Enemy attack, on guard!"

The Nocturnes, hearts in their throats from the sudden earthquake, saw the door open. Koenlie, at the front, immediately noticed Ins Zangwill outside and shouted the warning.

Has the "Psychological Invisibility" failed?

Ins Zangwill glanced at "0-08" and realized that in the moment he had lost focus, the damned quill had blacked out the words he had written.

His face twisted into a grotesque expression, and he decided to crush the opposition.

A few low-Sequence Paragons, even with Sealed Artifacts, were no threat!

Just then, Ins Zangwill felt everything around him slow down.

Wha...t... i...s... go...ing... on...?

In his field of vision, a creature resembling a hound appeared.

Its body was covered in jet-black fur, and its eye sockets were two burning, dark red flames, with its mouth extending to the back of its head.

A Forgenhound!

A Spirit Realm creature and guardian of the "Source Fort"—why would it appear here?

Unexpected! Unexpected! Yet another surprise!

Ins Zangwill's eyes were bloodshot; he was sick of these inexplicable and incomprehensible surprises!

He clenched his teeth, and the massive shadow behind him began to wriggle and deform, stretching out pale, bloody arms. In addition, there were dark green vines with infants' faces and slimy tentacles with protruding eyes.

Smack—

A tentacle lashed out and struck Ins Zangwill's face, restoring his ability to move.

"Go, kill everyone here!"

His voice, hoarse from rage, echoed through the air.

...

Red Moon Street.

The deformed monster that Riel Bieber had transformed into charged toward the Nocturne team. Dunn and Leonard, who were about to dodge, suddenly felt their bodies stiffen, as if glued in place.

Sika, who was farther away and unaffected by the crowd evacuation, immediately raised her gun and fired.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Four bullets hit the monster's heart, causing it to ooze a mixture of pus and blood. However, the wounds shifted to less critical areas, doing no effective damage.

Fortunately, this blow interrupted the monster's attempt to turn Dunn and Leonard into puppets.

The monster's blood-red eyes turned to Sika, and it changed its target, charging at the girl. Seizing the opportunity, Dunn pulled out the "Goddess' Sword" from his violin case, while Leonard began to chant:

"Ah, the peril of fear, the hope of crimson."

"At least one truth: this life is fleeting."

"One truth, all else is lies."

"Flowers bloom once and then wither."

The Midnight Poet's chant brought a sense of drowsiness, slowing the monster's movements. Dunn, with his deep gray eyes, extended his left hand and pointed it at the monster, pressing down.

Force into the dream!

The monster's eyelids drooped, almost pulled into the dream, but Dunn, protected by the "Goddess' Sword", did not succumb like a regular Nightmare.

He maintained his normal mobility, rushing forward and raising his bone sword, which carried a sense of silence and peace, to strike the monster's neck.

"Roar!"

Seemingly sensing the danger, the monster let out a wild roar, a wave of sound that impacted everyone around it.

Crack—

The sound of breaking echoed, shattering the dream.

Dunn grunted, the mental impact and backlash causing him to fall to the ground, blood flowing from his nose and mouth.

He had held the "Holy Artifact" for too short a time, and without proper acclimation, he couldn't wield its full power. Meanwhile, the monster, under Ins Zangwill's control, was far beyond its intended strength, nearly approaching that of a Demigod.

Sika, who had rushed over to support, was also stunned by the monstrous roar, clutching her head and falling to the ground. Only Leonard seemed unaffected, still standing.

Seeing the monster about to attack Dunn, Sika, despite the pain, lay on the ground and continued to fire at the monster.

This was not a wise choice. With the "Goddess' Sword", Dunn wouldn't be immediately helpless, but as a mere Sequence 8, Sika was certainly no match.

The out-of-control monster, lacking reason, shifted its target and charged at the capable Nocturne. It took three strides to reach Sika, raising its powerful arm to strike her, who had no means of resistance.

During the day, such a blow would be fatal for the already weak Midnight Poet, and there was no time to stop it.

For mid-to-low Sequence Paragons.

Seeing his teammate, with whom he had worked closely, about to die, Leonard's eyes widened in rage, and he could no longer hide his special ability.

"Old man, give a hand!"

A faint sigh seemed to come from the void.

The monster's movements halted, and it stood still, as if it had forgotten what it was supposed to do. Its thoughts had been stolen.

In the next moment, a notebook covered in thick, bloody fluid appeared in Leonard's hand.

This was the source of the mystical events involving Klein, the Extraordinary Item the Nocturne team had been searching for, and the source of Riel Bieber's transformation into a monster.

Antigonus Family Notebook!

Thump—

The monster’s body fell limply to the ground. Dunn and Sika simultaneously turned to Leonard with looks of shock.

Leonard was equally surprised, whispering, "Old man, you’re that powerful? I thought you could only lend a hand with minor things."

A soft, bitter laugh came from his ear.

"A Sequence 1, no matter how weak, can easily deal with a being that hasn’t reached the demigod level."

The reason He was reluctant to act was purely to avoid enemies. As long as Leonard, His "host", wasn’t harmed, He didn’t care much about others. But since He had been found, there was no point in hiding anymore. He might as well do a good deed.

As the "Worm of Time", Pales had long sensed the "fate" around them being rewritten, making it impossible for anything to be transmitted outward.

Leonard’s face was full of shock. "Old man" was a Sequence 1!?

And who were these "enemies"?

"It’s me."

A clear male voice sounded, and Leonard realized a young man with a broad forehead and a thin face had appeared beside him. The young man pinched the Monocle over his right eye, speaking calmly.

"Don’t worry. I have an agreement with others; I only want your ‘Worm of Time.’”

……

"These, take to Bernadette."

Lu Ke handed the Extraordinary Traits of the "Sage" and the "Emperor of Knowledge" to Empress Roselle, also passing on the coordinates of Bernadette's location.

"Her ascension ritual to become a ‘Sage’ is complete. If I’m not mistaken, she’s currently battling the ‘Mystic Saint’ of the Aurora Society. Help her take out her opponent and boost her initial good will."

Empress Roselle didn't inquire about how Lu Ke was so well-informed about the situation from the forsaken land, instead, she nodded gently.

"You’ve thought of everything. Thank you."

"Don’t be so formal, we’re family!"

Lu Ke cleared his throat and said, "Don't kill that Saint; I have a use for him. Send the seals on his body to me through a sacrifice."

He thought for a moment and added, "The ‘Emperor of Knowledge’ Trait can be exchanged at the Steam Church later. Stianno has the ‘Emperor of Knowledge’ Trait from when Roselle’s original body fell. Huang Bei should want that one more."

"Alright."

Empress Roselle fell silent for a moment, recalling the years of love and rivalry with the "God of Steam and Machinery", feeling a sudden sense of nostalgia.

Suddenly, she looked at the Extraordinary Traits of the "Emperor of Knowledge" and the "Sage" in her hand, frowning.

If saving her original body was an agreement between Bernadette and Lu Ke, then giving away the Extraordinary Traits of a Sequence 1 and a Sequence 2 so easily, and acting so considerate and meticulous, seemed a bit off.

Just because they were from the same era?

Empress Roselle narrowed her beautiful eyes, her tone ambiguous. "You seem very concerned about my daughter, don’t you?"

Empress Roselle's eyes narrowed, her tone laced with skepticism, as she replied, "You're being overly concerned about Bernadette, aren't you?"

Empress Roselle: (￢_￢)

Lu Ke: (Ahem)

A few seconds later.

Drawing on her extensive experience from years of socializing, Empress Roselle finally reacted, pointing at Lu with a trembling finger.

"You, a man of my uncle’s generation… how can you have the nerve!"

"Tsk, shallow. This is about mutual consent. Besides, I haven’t succeeded yet."

Lu Ke shook his head disdainfully, "Besides, are you any better? I've got one, two, three, four, five, and you've got at least a hundred, right?"

"That was all Huang Tao!"

"Whatever he did, it’s still you. Or are you trying to deny being ‘Roselle’? Then what does Bernadette have to do with you?"

Lu counterattacked, "Answer me, are you 'Roselle' or not?"

"I… I…"

"Answer my question!"

Empress Roselle hung her head, dejected.

Lu Ke comforted her without changing his expression. "Don't worry, I've thought it through. From now on, we'll each have our own roles."

"I’ll call you sister, and you can call me brother."

"As for Bernadette, she can call you mom and just use my name directly. Cough… she can still call me uncle in private."

Uncle, you’re so dirty!

Empress Roselle, speechless, glared at Lu Ke one last time before her body transformed into a flood of information and disappeared.

"You, such a being, still hasn’t shed those simple, blind, vulgar, and selfish desires…"

Ammun, perched on his shoulder, sounded either mocking or amazed, spreading his wings like a real crow and preening his feathers with his beak.

Lu Ke glanced at the innate mythic being, Ammun, who was perched on his shoulder, smirking.

---

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Character Names and Titles:

Lu Ke glanced at the innate mythic being, Ammun, who was perched on his shoulder, smirking.

"Such a great ‘Blasphemer,’ ‘Angel of Time,’ and ‘God of Pranks.’ How come, after shedding those simple, blind desires, you’re still just an Angel King and not a god? Could it be because you don’t want to become one?"

Ammun: “….”

"Oh, you forgot. You’re an abandoned avatar, not a ‘King,’ just an angel. And you’re only alive because of my protection."

- The innate mythic being is identified as Ammun/Ammun, also known as "Amon", "God of Pranks", etc., according to the metadata.

2. Consistency and Context:

- The sentence is translated to fit within the ongoing dialogue, maintaining the narrative's flow and tone.

- The term "innate mythic being" is used for clarity and consistency with the existing context.

3. Grammar and Flow:

- The sentence is structured to ensure clarity and smoothness in English, avoiding any awkward phrasing.

4. Pronouns and References:

- Pronouns are aligned with the metadata, and references to characters are consistent throughout.

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Final Translated Sentence:

Lu Ke glanced at the innate mythic being, Ammun, who was perched on his shoulder, smirking.

"Such a great ‘Blasphemer,’ ‘Angel of Time,’ and ‘God of Pranks.’ How come, after shedding those simple, blind desires, you’re still just an Angel King and not a god? Could it be because you don’t want to become one?"

Ammun: “….”

"Oh, you forgot. You’re an abandoned avatar, not a ‘King,’ just an angel. And you’re only alive because of my protection."

Ammun lowered his head and used his wings to wipe his right eye.

"Have you considered becoming a Hunter? I think you'd be quite suitable, especially when it comes to provocation."

"Sure, I was just planning to switch."

Luke smiled slightly. A gate materialized in the void, slowly opening, and a crown with a rather unique design was presented.

It was stained with blood and encrusted with rust.

The Hunter pathway, Sequence 1: Conqueror.

Ammun was taken aback. He recognized that this was not from the main body, and the newly tainted aura was both unfamiliar and familiar, evoking a strange sense of nostalgia, reminding Him of the times when He was an infant, being embraced and cared for by that one.

He chuckled softly, "Medici isn't completely dead, then? I thought that guy would be utterly destroyed after becoming Tudor's divine material."

"Seems he's still in good spirits."

Luke's gaze passed through the illusory gate, arriving in Treil.

The Red Angel Medici, with blood-stained black armor, was covered in terrifying wounds, as if he had just gone through a grueling battle.

His aura had risen to Sequence 2, Weather Mage, but it weakened due to his injuries. However, his flamboyant red hair still fluttered in the scorching white flames, his unmasked, unrestrained smile still filled with arrogance.

Seeming to sense the gaze from the other side, Medici nodded toward the direction of the illusory gate, a look of satisfaction on his face, as if to say he had fulfilled his promise.

"Nice job, you haven't disappointed me."

Luke smiled, feeling a bit like a puppy bringing a bone for praise.

He then took off the crown, letting the illusory gate slowly dissipate, and turned to Ammun, who was perched on his shoulder.

"I have a task for you."

The raven shook its head, "Why should I listen to you?"

Luke poked Him twice with his index finger, "I remember you said if I survived, you'd be my familiar."

Ammun's eyes sparkled with an indescribable light. While His original words were "I'll consider it", He had no better options at the moment.

The Celestial Lord had awakened once, and there was no guarantee it wouldn't happen again. The main body might still have a chance to turn things around, and as a Sequence 2 incarnation, He needed to find a strong ally.

"What do you need me to do?"

Luke smiled, pointing to a place in the vast, dark night of the Godforsaken Land:

"It's not a difficult task. Go to the Silver City and help the Demon Hunters there advance to Silver Knights. Steal the pollution from the soil, clear the nearby monsters, and with their consent, retrieve the Sealed Artifact, the Blessing of the Earth."

Ammun flapped his wings, "I can just steal it directly. That would be easier than what you're suggesting."

Luke gave Him a faint look, "I'm just giving you the instructions. The trouble is on you."

Ammun: "……"

"After you finish this, check out the other survivor camps. Help where you can, don't let yourself idle."

"……You really have a talent for being a Hunter."

The raven Ammun flapped its wings and flew away.

Luke watched Him leave, gazing at the endless gray-white mist before him. He took a deep breath and placed the crown on his head.

Killing the Primordial Witch, the symbol of disaster and apocalypse, he could now digest ten additional Sage Extraordinary Traits. Now was the time to advance to Sequence 1, the Conqueror.

This was the final step before heading to the Western Continent to accommodate the Origin Substance.

The rusted crown slowly fused with Luke's head, bringing waves of excruciating pain. A violent emotion brewed within him, filling him with a desire to conquer everything.

The Hunter pathway, or the Red Priest pathway, represented the yang aspect of the First Creator, the most direct destruction, the most domineering conquest, the purest "male."

Luke's hair gradually turned red, and his handsome face gained a sharp, more masculine edge, evoking a desire to be conquered, to kneel and submit.

His skin shifted from pale to a bronze hue, and his tall, muscular frame grew even more imposing, his male features more magnificent and awe-inspiring. His muscles were like steel sculptures, clearly defined, and each breath he took emphasized the powerful, masculine strength.

At this moment, various images flashed through Luke's mind.

There were scenes from ancient palaces shrouded in darkness, the Genie being forced to relinquish the Black Emperor and the Arbiter, the Hidden Sage bowing in submission to him …

There were scenes of Medici lifting the Conqueror to present to him, Ammun's incarnation transforming into a raven and flying away, the Primordial Witch losing her composure in her final moments, and the Primordial God and the Master of Gloom stepping back …

Conquest wasn't just about conquering the body and mind; making enemies fear, retreat, and respect was also a form of conquest!

Luke slowly opened his eyes. The Conqueror he had just consumed was fully digested.

(End of Chapter)(End of Chapter)

Chapter end