Chapter 257 - 257 The Unfortunate
257 The Unfortunate
Transparent maggots, shimmering under the starlight’s embrace, wriggled out from the lady’s relaxed palm, their movements concealed within an elusive crack. The crack, once invisible, now bore the hue of starlight.
With a vigorous pull, the transparent veil veiling this world let out a terrifying groan, unable to bear the weight. It parted forcefully, yielding to the unstoppable momentum.
Amidst an indescribable shattering, the crevice ripped apart, transforming into a colossal cavity adorned with glimmering starry specks.
It resembled the entrance to a tunnel leading to an unknown realm.
In a mere instant, the woman in the orange dress vanished from the wilderness.
Seated within the cradle carriage, Lady Moon’s expression flickered. She commanded the Demon-like creatures pulling the carriage to follow her into the tunnel.
Madam Judgment trailed closely behind.
…
In a world where tree roots intertwined and ethereal clouds resembled oil paintings.
As the branches of the otherworldly tree secreted viscous black liquid and peculiar entities sprouted, Lumian felt his mind teetering on the edge of madness, despite Termiboros’s warning not to gaze skyward.
His skin prickled, and the flesh beneath twitched unnaturally, as if masses or tumors were about to form.
At that moment, pure starlight bathed the world, casting its radiance upon Lumian’s eyes.
Not far from him, a minuscule crack instantaneously expanded into a mystical and enigmatic door of starlight.
“Shut your eyes and rush through the doorway,” Termiboros’s resonant voice echoed in Lumian’s ears.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Lumian clutched Fallen Mercury tightly with his bloodied left hand and sprinted toward the starlit door.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Lumian relied on a Hunter’s instinctual understanding of spatial location and precise distance, reaching his destination within a few strides. Unperturbed by the changes around him or the lurking dangers, he leaped into the unknown.
After a brief bout of dizziness, Lumian sensed as though he had ascended from the depths of a profound lake, his entire being easing.
He opened his eyes and beheld the brownish-green silhouette of the Shadow Tree not far away, Auberge du Coq Doré, and other buildings cloaked in branches and vines. He witnessed streets divided by peculiar forces in various sections of the wilderness, merchants and passersby indulging in their individual desires, and Franca gracefully leaping from a second-story window of Auberge du Coq Doré.
He had departed from the alternate realm within the Tree of Shadows, yet he had not returned to the tangible world.
Franca also caught sight of Lumian nearby. She exclaimed with excitement, “Hurry, find the exit!”
Although she had “summoned” Madam Judgment and felt a measure of confidence, she desired no lingering stay in this place.
How could a mere Sequence 7 like herself partake in a battle involving demigods? Even observing from a distance posed significant risks.
Lumian nodded and sprinted toward Franca, scanning his surroundings for any signs of an exit.
The more he surveyed, the more he sensed the resemblance to Paramita, a boon from the Great Mother. However, there were no hordes of undead or Demons casting sinners into the abyss.
Could it be that the Bliss Society’s operation involved the followers of the Great Mother? Lumian swiftly formed a hypothesis and shouted to Franca, who was mere inches away, “To the edge of the wilderness!”
Drawing from his experience, if this place was indeed Paramita, they should be able to escape from the wilderness’s periphery.
Franca nodded slightly and followed, without questioning his instruction.
Suddenly, the wilderness convulsed with a violent quake, and a low rumble echoed from within the brownish-green tree.
The sky darkened, and the world itself teetered on the brink of collapse.
The branches and vines that had ensnared the buildings and streets swiftly withdrew. Vendors, pedestrians, and residents, caught in the grip of their desires, snapped out of their dazed states.
They ceased their ravenous feasting, released their grip on their partners, and rose in fear. Bloodied and bewildered, they halted their savage violence and looked around in a state of confusion…
In Auberge du Coq Doré, the bickering eloping couple ceased their romp. Oblivious to the wrongness of their actions, they were perplexed as to why the sky had darkened so drastically, as if evening had descended upon them.
Anthony Reid, trembling beneath a wooden table, regained his composure. He emerged and peered out the window, his expression darkening.
Gabriel, who had been frantically signing his name, suddenly regained his senses. He wondered if the stress had taken its toll on his sanity while he polished the Lightseeker script, incorporating the theater manager’s feedback.
Pavard Neeson, owner of the underground bar, set aside his paintbrush but couldn’t tear his gaze away from the drawing board. Though he had only sketched it hastily, he felt it was the most remarkable work he had ever produced. It surpassed even his loftiest standards. Unconsciously, he yearned to return to that state, but he couldn’t.
In the blink of an eye, all the branches and vines retracted into the Tree of Shadows. Most of the vendors, pedestrians, and residents, who had regained their senses, beheld the ominously terrifying brownish-green tree.
They didn’t understand what had transpired, but fear propelled them to swiftly flee from the Tree of Shadows, heeding their instinctual warnings.
In that moment, Susanna Mattise, her turquoise hair flowing, materialized atop the ethereal tree crown. Below her stood Charlotte Calvino, wearing an expression of disappointment, frustration, and hatred.
The escape of the sacrificial offering signaled a temporary failure in their sacrifice. They promptly departed the alternate realm to evade the repercussions of the demigod-level clash.
Susanna Mattise, beset by the backlash and the influence of godhood, appeared increasingly ethereal, as if she could dissipate at any moment.
Lumian and Franca, racing toward the wilderness’s edge, flickered in her weakened gaze, yet she lacked the power to influence them.
Under normal circumstances, her fusion with the Tree of Shadows granted her the ability to exert her powers from a distance. However, the backlash from the interrupted ritual and the uncontrolled corruption following the Son of God’s descent had nearly claimed her life. She was now in an extremely feeble state.
The tenacious and evil spirit that she was, Susanna Mattise refused to surrender so easily. She yearned to capture Lumian and drag him back into the Tree of Shadows to resume the unfinished ritual.
Once again, the branches and vines of the Tree of Shadows swiftly extended, ensnaring a hapless vendor and hoisting him aloft. Their thorns pierced his flesh, absorbing the vital essence that could rejuvenate Susanna.
It was akin to utilizing the Tree of Shadows to enter a dream-like state, draining energy to gradually lead the target to their demise through a sinister encounter. However, the process had become crude and expedited—an accelerated ordeal!
Vendors, pedestrians, and residents trapped within the wilderness erupted in terrified screams as they frantically fled upon witnessing the surge of brownish-green branch and vine monstrosities and their companions being hoisted into the air.
The eloping couple, wrapped tightly in a blanket, darted out of Auberge du Coq Doré, following in Anthony Reid’s wake toward the wilderness’s edge. Behind them trailed Gabriel, Pavard Neeson, and the tenants who hadn’t yet departed for work. Before them swarmed vendors and pedestrians in a chaotic scramble.
One by one, fleeing escapees were snatched up by tree branches and vines, their cries for help piercing the air.
The peddler, who had once served Lumian extra Whiskey Sour, stumbled over a rock on the ground. In utter despair, he witnessed turquoise vines creeping up his body, layer upon layer, engulfing him entirely.
Sensing the commotion, Lumian turned his head and fixated on the scene for several seconds before gradually slowing his pace.
Upon witnessing this, Franca cursed, “Do you plan to go back and save them? Dammit! Know your place. You’re just a wanted criminal, a mob leader!”
Lumian didn’t come to a halt, but he didn’t hasten his steps either.
He and Franca drew ever nearer to the edge of the wilderness.
In that very moment, Lumian’s ears resonated with the majestic voice of Termiboros.
This time, the angel of Inevitability did not deliver sentences one by one. Instead, He injected a lengthy paragraph into Lumian’s consciousness at intervals.
“Have you not come to terms with your destiny?
“After enduring the might of Inevitability, there shall naturally be a corresponding corruption.
“From the moment Cordu was obliterated, you became the unfortunate one.
“It was not I who exerted influence over you in many past matters; rather, it was your hapless fate playing its part.
“As an unfortunate soul, not only shall you suffer ill fortune, but so too shall those around you and those close to you.
“If it were not for your lack of knowledge in mysticism, which allowed Susanna Mattise to uncover the issue within your body and begin contacting Hugues Artois about employing the chemical plant explosion for the sacrificial arrangement, Jenna’s mother would not have taken her own life, and Jenna’s brother would not have descended into madness.
“If you had been cautious enough, when Flameng regained consciousness and drank with you, you would have remembered to seek an opportunity to engage a genuine psychiatrist. He may not have chosen the path of suicide.
“If you had not merely forewarned Ruhr, but also restricted his movements, he would not have succumbed to the illness once more and met a swift demise. Michel would not have lost her will to live.
“All this misfortune has been brought upon them by you.
“My existence is not solely a trump card that grants you boons and the power to deter others, but also an inescapable curse.
“Only by bowing to Inevitability and releasing me from my seal can your misfortune come to an end.
“If you continue on this path, you shall be unable to save those whom you wish to save. You shall be unable to protect those whom you wish to protect. You shall only amplify their misfortunes.
“When the time comes, those pleading for help here shall perish.
“Gabriel shall perish.
“Charlie shall perish.
“Jenna shall perish.
“Franca, too, shall meet her demise.”
Lumian came to a sudden halt, his countenance twisted in anguish. He could no longer conceal the pain that consumed him.
Franca called out once more, “Get a grip! It’s all well and good to do good deeds when everything is fine. But now, we need to escape and seek help from official Beyonders! Who knows what will come of those demigod battles? Susanna is now like an empowered Sequence 5 with some godlike abilities. She’s not someone we can handle!
“Those people don’t expect assistance from a villain who enjoys playing pranks on them!”
In the vicinity of the brownish-green tree, numerous individuals already dangled from its branches.
With a swoosh, Gabriel was hoisted up by a few green vines, and the scattered pages of the Lightseeker script fluttered to the ground.
Pavard Neeson, the owner of the underground bar, stood beside him, his body impaled by a protruding spike.
Among the eloping couple, the woman stumbled and ran slower, eventually tripping over a branch and becoming ensnared by the vines.
The young man wrapped in a blanket grew alarmed and continued onward. However, after a few steps, he abruptly halted, cursing himself.
“Dogsh*t!”
Before he could finish his sentence, he had already spun around and dashed back toward his partner. Clenching his teeth, he sought to tear at the vines and help her free.
Desperate cries and terrified screams reverberated through the wilderness.
Lumian’s fists clenched involuntarily.
Suddenly, he let out a chuckle and spoke.
“Then, are you considered close to me? After all, you reside within my body. Will you also encounter misfortune?
“I know I will face countless failures, yet I will persist again and again in pursuit of that elusive and seemingly insignificant hope!
“If I had chosen to surrender, I would have been defeated long ago!
“And now, there is still a chance for success.”
With that, Lumian took another step and continued his sprint toward the edge of the wilderness.
Although Franca couldn’t comprehend his mutterings, she was glad to see that he had made a wise decision.
Two to three seconds later, the two of them reached the wilderness’s edge. Lumian deliberately maintained a distance from Franca, then suddenly extended his arms and pushed her out.
Caught off guard, Franca watched in shock as her body gradually left the wilderness. She turned to gaze at Lumian.
Lumian smiled and spoke gently, “Once, I shared their despair, pain, and longing for aid. And during that time, someone extended a helping hand to me.”
With those words, he pivoted and sprinted toward the brownish-green tree.
In the dim expanse of the wilderness, crimson flames ignited upon his body. This time, the fiery cloak no longer isolated him from his garments, scorching his skin and flesh.
He intended to use the constant pain to resist the diverse desires he would encounter next!
As he ran, his gaze locked onto Susanna, her turquoise hair entwined. Yet, he “saw” not only the Fallen Tree Spirit, but also the figure etched in his memory.
The one who had illuminated his path.