Appearance
The Snake Dowager saw Shar’s path to be one of control, where she’d devour the World Will after gaining the Shadow World to reach the peak of rank 8. Her plan had been detailed and thorough, going all the way to using the Shadow Empire to hasten progress on the Tree of Life that could rob all thought and take control of the World Will.
Unfortunately, there was one issue with this plan, and that was the existence of the Snake Dowager. She’d taken part of her authority over the World Will with her when she fled, the few percentage points of the will she possessed as a being of law native to the world. Without that portion of authority, Shar would never have complete control over the World Will, which was really annoying.
After all, it wasn’t as if she could rush over to Purgatory World and pull the Snake Dowager out. She lacked a portion of power, so the World Will would never be complete. The peak of rank 8 would forever remain an unattainable dream.
The Snake Dowager’s return was an opportunity for both parties. The former had her vengeance, while Shar had a chance to take over her authority to complete her hold over the World Will of the Shadow World. After devouring it, Shar would instantly reach the peak of rank 8!
In order to go through with this plan, Shar did not mind letting the empire get wind of project X and the Tree of Life plan ahead of schedule. She had even taken the initiative to attack first, eliminating unstable factors like Trial’s Eye and the two others.
And now… it was time to do the harvesting!
“Your target… is me?” A rare look of confusion appeared on the Snake Dowager’s face.
“Foolish being… As a native of the Shadow World, you’re an important part of the World Will!” Shar came before the Snake Dowager, meeting her gaze fearlessly, “And now… all of the World Will shall gather to form a whole new body!”
A huge, terrifying web that covered the skies suddenly appeared from all parts of the world, a purplish gold lustre about it as origin force roared. This was the true form of the Shadow Weave, and its original state. Shar showing this to the Dowager meant she had no plans of letting her leave.
“All grudges and victory should be settled by now…” The Snake Dowager bit at her lips, the calm expression on her face able to cause all male hearts to break.
“Allsnake Devour!” A tremendous amount of purplish-red bloodline force extended from the star of snakes. This was what she’d accumulated over all these years.
In the meanwhile, scenes of large snakes living their lives out appeared behind her, including their fights and reproduction. It was like an epic detailing the culture and history of giant snakes. Terrifying snake souls hissed and roared from within this glorious scroll of civilisation, launching a surprise attack on the maiden in the shadows.
This was a gathering of generations of bloodline power, able to cause the entire Shadow World to tremble under its prowess. The ground cracked to reveal numerous large snakes with phosphorescent fires in their eyes. Their huge bodies began to move, like the world had returned to their rule.
“Are you deluding yourself into thinking a civilisation that has already been lost can be revived?” Facing this epic attack, Shar merely snickered. “Your time has passed, Allsnake. Now I’m the source of everything!”
“Shadow Weave: Implantation!” Almost at the very moment Shar gave the command, all the mutated bodies of the Shadow World that were still alive began to twitch. Threads of mysterious power entered their bodies, and their blood vessels popped out as they shook violently.
A foreign being had taken over their bodies. With its control over their souls, the Tree of Life had turned these people into walking bags of flesh. However, their eyes lit up with intelligence once more as a darkness spread across their bodies. They’d gained powerful abilities similar to magic.
“Mistress of the Night… You are our master, the one who rules all!” Numerous intelligent life forms knelt down on the ground. Then, they began to massacre the revived snakes.
“Psi energy conducive to attacks, preparing launch of shadow spells!” Everyone had turned into a cold blooded war machine. Under the control of an efficient mind, they’d become an ordered army that flung shadow spell after shadow spell at the snakes. The serpents had no way to retaliate.
If the cheetahs, hawks, beetles, and even sharks knew how to cast shadow spells, what would be the outcome? The soldiers of shadow outnumbered and outpowered the Snake Dowager’s army, beating down her attempt to return things to savagery quickly.
“I am the current master of the Shadow World.” With the Tree of Life complete, its holy light already covered the skies to become the core of the world. It was filled with sanctity as it gave off a vague sense of maturity.
“There’s more,” Shar stood atop the Tree of Light and arrived before the Snake Dowager.
“That… That’s the aura of the World Will…” The Snake Dowager’s expression changed. The light of the Tree of Life had already gathered over 90% of the Shadow World’s beings’ thoughts and souls. This included the skies, the seas, and the earth, representing the will of the world itself. Even she felt the urge to succumb.
“Leave… Leave the Shadow World and never return…” Kou blocked the way to the Snake Dowager with terrifying waves.
“How could a mere law of the ocean contend against the entire world? Return!”Shar didn’t even have to act personally. A large number of the Tree of Light’s branches spread through the ocean in an instant, stunning Kou for a moment as a tendril abruptly pierced through her body. A few grains of lights flickered with intelligence as they were sucked away to enter the tree.
“Now, my tree of light represents the World Will… You can cannot defy it!” Shar made a proclamation of victory.
Under her control, the Shadow Weave left no means for the Snake Dowager to escape. In the meanwhile, the Tree of Light spread its terrifying roots through the ball of snakes to drag her out.
“Give me everything that you possess, everything!” Shar arrived behind the Snake Dowager, two hands grabbing onto her arms tightly as her intricate face displayed a smile of satisfaction. The Tree of Life in the skies grew even larger.
Bits of obscure thoughts, mixed with the power of bloodlines, were unceasingly absorbed by the roots of the Tree of Life. Numerous snakes shrivelled up powerlessly, representing the continuous weakening of the Mother of all Snakes.
At this critical moment, a fierce look appeared on the Snake Dowager’s face.
*Boom!* Her body that was like a star suddenly exploded, and the surging bloodline force lost the control of a master, beginning to destroy everything in the vicinity.
Layers of the Shadow Weave shrouded Shar. She looked at the lifeless body in her hands and frowned, using some shadow flames to burn them to ashes.
*Boom!* The head of a snake exploded elsewhere, revealing the figure of the Snake Dowager. Without the ball of snakes and its accumulated bloodline force, the beautiful lady seemed extremely weak.
“You’ve taken what’s mine from me…” She hissed, like a gambler who had lost everything.
“A portion of your thoughts, as well as the authority over a portion of the World Will belongs to me!” Shar did not pursue and attack the Dowager further, and instead looked at the tremendous Tree of Life behind her.
Now, the roots had turned a blood red. The original torso of Allsnake that still possessed bloodline force, mixed with a bit of something more abstruse, was all absorbed by the tree. After obtaining this, the Tree of Life seemed to obtain the last thing it needed, and the body instantly became more solid. The rays of light vanished and allowed it to gain a hint of life.
“It’s the rumoured World Tree that will only appear when a world is established from primal chaos!” The Snake Dowager was immediately stunned by the scene in front of her.
“Yes… the source of all life is the source of the World Will!” Shar approached the Snake Dowager, “Your failure is set in stone, I’m the only victor!”
“Failed?” the Snake Dowager muttered hatefully, but confidence appeared in her eyes once more, “True, but I don’t admit my loss yet… My descendant shall defeat you!”
“Is that so? But he doesn’t seem to have made a move, and he’s been watching you suffer a crushing defeat all this time…” Shar chuckled.
“That’s because you don’t know him…. Out of all my experiences across the worlds, his patience is the greatest…”
The Allsnake looked at the giant World Tree, her eyes dazed, “I had no idea what he wanted, but now it’s extremely obvious!”
*Whoosh! Whoosh!* A gust of origin wind blew past the area, and the World Tree’s branches and leaves broke up to show a mysterious fruit on the main branch.
“The main body of the World Will! A real, solidified World Will, able to fuse the scattered thoughts of the world and return to the origin! Shar, your plan is truly admirable!” Leylin’s figure appeared under the World Tree. He sighed as he gazed at the beautiful fruit glimmering with light.
“Lord Leylin… so you still chose to come and be my enemy!” Shar now looked helpless as she sighed, the sight enough to cause heartbreak for onlookers.
Despite her fear of Leylin, she tried to bargain with him, “My previous promises still hold. Once I become the ruler of the Shadow World, everything here is yours!”
Unfortunately, Leylin was unmoved by this sort of temptation. It was far too dangerous to make deals with someone at the peak of rank 8, and besides, he much preferred getting what he wanted with his own abilities.