The Mad Doctor was completely flummoxed.
Who the hell could have this kind of power, to be able to deploy such a formation so discreetly that he hadn't been able to detect it before he had entered, like a lion being trapped by a hunter using a goat as bait?
He doubted that it was the Heroes of the continent, because if they wanted to step in, they would have done so earlier, before he had tortured the King of Lanthanor so much that it was doubtful whether he would even survive.
Was it possible that whoever they had been holding back from interfering in this whole thing had broken free?
Even then, they would have come forward directly, instead of plotting something like this. Clearly, this had all been set up beforehand, and no matter how much the Mad Doctor thought about it, he didn't even consider the possibility that the one behind it could be the man whom he had been torturing all this while.
For an entire minute, he tried all of his strongest attacks, but it was almost like this formation was being powered by an unlimited power source. True, it was at the Hero level, but even such formations would usually break when they were faced by fully powered attacks by Exalted Champions repeatedly, for a long period of time.
This also spoke volumes about the means of the person who was behind this - they seemed to have an unlimited supply of Ker Gems, and this eliminated everyone in the Central Continent.
Right as he was about to go completely berserk with anger, the barrier changed.
It constricted to contain him, leaving behind an empty space in front of him which he couldn't go into.
Being trapped in a cage like an animal was so infuriating that the Mad Doctor swelled with anger, his entire body turning red, while multiple veins started pulsing on his forehead.
Yet...all of this anger could only be put on hold when he saw a man appear in front of him.
It was the King of Lanthanor.
If it was just this, the Mad Doctor would have been assured that it was a clone, and even though it would be shocking, it would not bring about as much surprise as his image did now.
The main reason behind him even stepping back with disbelief… Was that the King's wounds had already healed by a large margin.
As one of the most prominent healers on Angaria, there was almost no one else on this continent who knew just how difficult it would be to regenerate such grave injuries in such a short period of time.
In fact… It could definitely not be done by humans.
Wait! Humans!
As it finally clicked, he raised a finger to point at the King and shouted, "You! You have a Bloodline! That's how you escaped before! The pressure must have made it burst forth! But what kind of a Bloodline has both defensive measures and regenerative abilities… The Divine Cockroach!"
The man in front of him almost looked amused as he saw the Mad Doctor put two and two together.
He was completely different from the one he had been aboveground, who had been resigned to his death.
There, the King had put on a very brave front, even though it had been apparent that he was quite unsatisfied, angry and frustrated about everything that was happening in reality.
Here, though… Why the hell did he look like he was the mastermind who had everything in his control?!
The Mad Doctor recognised that his madness was taking over, which was never a good sign. It had always been his weakness, but he couldn't do anything about it as it was part of his Champion Path.
Taking a few deep breaths, he calmed himself down and spoke in a more moderate tone.
Yet, before the words appeared from his mouth, the King, who had changed his robes and almost looked as if he was back to normal even though the paleness of his face suggested otherwise, spoke.
He had folded his hands behind his back, and the gaze that was fixed on the Mad Doctor's face was that of… Longing?
What the f*ck?
This extremely out of place emotion puzzled the Mad Doctor, but the words of the King which echoed in the cave made his mind go blank.
"Before you ask stupid questions, let me give you a small rundown of the situation. Yes, it is I who set up this formation, and it is I who has been fooling the entire High Council and the Big Four that I'm just a weakling in the Central Continent with just a few tricks up my sleeve. The truth is that I have bonded with the Empire Spirit of Lanthanor, Drakos, the Ancient Dragon, and have unlocked the third seal placed by the Emperor, thus gaining access to more Hero level formations and techniques than you can ever imagine. I would typically not do this with anyone, but this is a special occasion, so I've decided that I'll speak out my reasoning, while consolidating everything in my mind. Try to keep up, and if you don't understand something, just use that peanut of a brain in that tomato of a head to try and figure out stuff. Now, shut up. You'll have a chance to scream and fight all you want in one minute, but until then, just shut up and listen."
Saying so, the King began pacing to and forth in the room, and it was almost as if he had forgotten the existence of the Mad Doctor.
After getting over the blankness in his mind and erasing the gobsmacked expression on his face, the Mad Doctor screamed with anger, but the scream was only heard inside the part of the formation that he was in. Clearly, he had been muted, so stopping the scream, the Mad Doctor's shoulders heaved up and down as his completely bloodshot eyes stared at the King and waited for him to speak.
He had said that he would have his chance after a minute, right? Surely, he was being overconfident, because there was no way that he could match up to his strength. When that time came, it would be this damn arrogant kid's scream that would be echoing in this cave, and deciding to wait until then, the Mad Doctor tightened his fists and took a few steps forward, with the plan to be ready to leap forward with a killing blow as soon as the formation was removed.
After pacing for a few seconds, the King of Lanthanor finally spoke while gazing into the air, as if reminiscing about something.
"The first clue regarding what Champion Path I should take was first revealed to me very, very long ago, but I didn't recognize it then. I took it at face value, simply as something that had been passed down, and although I used it, and commented on how amazing it was, I failed to see just how remarkably different it was from all other techniques on the continent.
"Taking the most obvious route, I began looking in the Champion Paths that were passed on to me in both the memories of the Emperor and everything hidden behind the third seal, and that was when I found the Hopeless Champion Path. It really appealed to me, because of its potential to be unstoppable, but it looked like there was simply no way to overcome its negatives. After all, how could anyone hope to be able to understand the Path of their opponent perfectly, so that they would be able to counter it and make them feel hopeless? Each Champion Path changes subtly with each insight that a Champion gains while training after their breakthrough. I don't even know what those who designed this were thinking, and in my naïveté, I thought that I could rely on what I had to go against the very nature of the world, itself."
Talking until here, the King stopped, and he actually laughed.
It looked like he was laughing at himself, though, because after a few seconds, he buried his face in his right hand and shook his head before saying, "I was such a fool! I had unconsciously restricted myself, and it took such a long time for me to realize just what mistake I was doing. I can't even blame anyone but myself, because this was a restriction that came about because of me, and because of my stupidity that made me automatically think that I could not exceed those that came before me. That thought came without me even recognizing it, and it stuck inside my head for the longest time. Can I really even blame myself, though? Just think about it. The Emperor was so powerful, and the Energy level was so different then that Heroes were almost as common as Champions today. For centuries, the continent flourished, and an unprecedented rate of development and research graced Angaria. Tens of thousands of talented minds came together to both develop and theorize about all kinds of Paths, and I thought that I could not compare to them. I was wrong. So, so wrong."
The calm confidence in the King's words slowly made the Mad Doctor get an uneasy feeling, because he had heard of such men before.
It was said that they were those that had been born different, and that they were destined and prophesized to achieve things that others could only dream of.
He had scoffed at these words, but that uneasy feeling kept creeping in, until the Mad Doctor had to shake his head in an attempt to get rid of it.
He could tell that the King of Lanthanor was building to something, and he kept telling himself that no matter what the kid tried to do, there was no way that he could kill him. His death was written to be by his hand, and no one would be able to stop that. Even though everything he was saying was so fantastical that it threatened to make the ultimate enemy of self-doubt appear in the Mad Doctor's mind, he kept it at bay, and just waited to get his hands around the throat of the one in front of him.
After those words, the smile stayed on the King's face, and he resumed pacing before speaking.
"It was only recently that I understood that this was wrong, and that came about because of desperation. I had to do something that hadn't been done before, and if I explained it to anyone from the age of the Empire, most would have called me mad, and the rest would have called me stupid. But… Against all odds, I succeeded. It was out of desperation, but it taught me the valuable lesson - that I was wrong. I was wrong to create invisible shackles around me, and I was wrong to think that my Champion Path should be one that stands in the same league as those that were the most powerful during the age of the Empire. Thankfully, all that time I spent studying those Champion Paths was not for naught, because I gained something else from them, almost without realizing that I was gaining it. After all, someone trying to read books in a different language would not realize that they were learning the language, too, while they proceeded to succeed in their endeavour."
Taking a single step, the King swiveled around, and stopped the spacing again, and this time, he was right in the centre of the cave, right in front of the Mad Doctor.
That uneasy feeling started to grow stronger and stronger, and although the Mad Doctor was still successful in quashing it, his face had already changed from one of expectation to kill the King, to one that belied the inner turmoil in his mind because he didn't understand just what was going on here.
He was a damn Exalted Champion! He should not be getting this feeling from a Warrior! Even an Amateur Champion should be like an ant to him!
Even as these questions raged in his mind, the King opened his mouth again, and this time, the Mad Doctor found himself wishing that the man wouldn't speak.
It was instinct which gave him this wish, and even though he didn't know just why it was, his spine stiffened, and he felt as if something… momentous was going to happen, which was definitely not going to be good for him.
This time, as the King started to speak again, there was a tone of finality in his voice, and he even rose into the air, with both his hands have raised, with their palms facing up.
"Even now, Mad Doctor, if you hadn't tortured me so, I might not have arrived at the final conclusion that no matter what Path I choose, I should be able to crush those like you under my feet, like the disgusting bugs you are. In fact, at this point, I'm pretty sure that I might even have been led to this by the Emperor, himself, even though I have no proof to support that supposition. It is such a natural step forward that I should have realised it long ago, and even though I am late, I'm glad that I reached this point without being waylaid on the journey, like so many others must have been before me. It's funny that I don't even need to struggle like other Champions to break through! All I need to do is give a single command, and it will be done. Rejoice, because you are one of the few who will ever see this breakthrough that is more important than any that has happened on this continent so far."
As he paused to take a deep breath, his voice rose in power, and it was infused with something indecipherable that the hairs on the Mad Doctor's arms rose up straight.
"You see, at the end of the day, it all boils down to one question. Every day, I take innumerable risks and put in incomparable effort to try and save the continent, and its people. But when I'm doing so much… What is the continent doing for me? How is Angaria helping me? Watch closely. This… Is the answer."
Those last three words echoed in the cave, and Mad Doctor couldn't help but take a few steps back.
Reaching the wall, he grasped it, an unknown to him, a few messages were heard in the King of Lanthanor's mind.
[All prerequisites have been fulfilled. Consolation module activated.
Consolidation in progress.
Drawing forth insights gained into resonance from Champion Paths studied by host.
Modifying insights and engineering reverse resonance process.
Extracting Idealogy of Hopeless Champion Path.
Integrating engineered base with extracted idealogy.
Modifying Ruler's Inheritance.
Creating activation trigger based on Ruler's Inheritance after removing drawbacks using the base.
Attempt successful.
Champion Path created. Standing by for name to be assigned.]
With a smile that chilled the blood in the veins of the Mad Doctor, Daneel gave his answer.
"World Domination Path. Well, it might not be perfect apt yet, but that is the route it shall take. Don't you think it is apt, system?"
[Affirmative. Champion Path has been named. Deploying.]
The king laughed out loud as he heard this answer, but the Mad Doctor didn't know the reason behind it.
He didn't even get the thought to think about it, though… Because he was too captivated by the changes happening in the world around the kid who had seemed inconsequential till now.
Captivated? Horrified was a better word, because the Mad Doctor had never seen anything like this, and suddenly, he wanted to convince himself that this was all a dream being induced while he was in his coma.
In fact, he found himself wishing that he was back in that coma, because what he was seeing… Brought forth more fear than anything he had felt in his life.
Typically, when Champions found their resonance, the World would respond to them, and it would be in the form of elementary particles congregating around them to allow them to cast their Mageroot-less spell. These elementary particles would be the type which were related to the resonance of the Champion, but here… all of them were responding.
This was so shocking that the Mad Doctor kept blinking with the hope that what he was seeing would change, but no matter how much he tried, the image only got clearer.
The world, itself… Was prostrating before this kid?
He got that impression, because that was exactly how it looked.
Floating in the air, the King looked like a god who had descended to the Earth, and the world was relishing his presence and welcoming him with humility. It had begun slowly, only visible in a small area around him, but it was now quickly spreading. His eyes were shining brilliantly, and his hair was waving slowly in the air with the soft wind that had begun to blow in the room. The elementary particles all around him which would generally be freely moving as they wished were now surrounding him diligently, and with each breath that he took, they vibrated softly, as if it was a boon that they were receiving.
The only consolation was that this command over the elementary particles did not seem to be too strong, and the Mad Doctor could tell that if he tried really hard, he could wrest back control and cast any spells that he wished. Yet… The most harrowing thing was that all of this was being done without even an ounce of effort by the King, as it was all being given by the World.
The barrier suddenly vanished, and the Mad Doctor decided to take his chance, even though every fibre of his being told him to run.
Expending more effort than he would usually have to, he forcefully wrenched away the elementary particles and began his Madness Domain. Even if the King had broken through, multiple attacks that with the power of an Amateur Champion should decimate him, and as the first wind blade started to appear right beside the king which would impale him as soon as it formed fully, a smile started to pull up the corners of the Mad Doctor's lips.
Hehe, so what if you put on such a brilliant display? You're still going to die because you were too overconfident!
As soon as this thought came in his mind, though… That smile froze, because the Mad Doctor had seen something which shocked them even more than everything that he had had to witness so far, and this was something that he hadn't thought was possible.
His Madness Domain… had been nullified.
It wasn't even that the elementary particles which had prostrated to the King before had been taken back… no, the Mad Doctor had seen what had happened, and it made him feel like turning around and banging on the walls to try and escape.
The moment his domain had appeared… It's perfect counter had been deployed, which, in this case, was a Calmness Domain.
All Champion Paths had their counters and weaknesses, but typically, even if two Champions with opposing Champion Paths started fighting, the result would come down to who had more insights into their Path.
The problem here, though… was that the Calmness Domain had been just perfect to nullify his, and this presented a terrifying interpretation.
His Champion Path had been assessed, and instantly countered.
Impossible.
Impossible!
Unwilling to believe it, the Mad Doctor deployed a different kind of domain that he had been working on, which used a different kind of Madness. It used the spectrum of extreme negatives and extreme positives, to create attacks that could either be extremely dangerous, or extremely weak.
There was a 50% possibility that the first attack would be weak, but luck seemed to be on his side.
However… It looked like everything else was not, as it was once again nullified before it could even from completely.
By now, the Mad Doctor had understood.
If this was a dream, it was a nightmare.
And he wanted out of it.
He tried to move back, but he was already at the wall, so he raised his hands and spoke in a quivering tone, with all of his bravado gone.
"N-no! St-stay back! STAY BACK! DON'T COME FORWARD!"
His shouts were in vain, because the king continually floated toward him, like an impending storm that could not be stopped by the will of mortal men.
By the time the King appeared within a few inches of him, the Mad Doctor had already shouted himself hoarse, and his face was filled with unwillingness and fear.
This was his true self - one that was always buried beneath the madness and the ego that was brought about by his power, and it was the reason why he had killed so many people without feeling anything. He had always been afraid, but each time he killed, he would feel brave, as it would feel like the world was under his control.
Yet… The sight he was seeing told him clearly that reality was anything but, and as the King opened his mouth one last time, the Mad Doctor could tell that these would be the last words he would be hearing in his life.
"Champions resonate with the World. But in my case… The World resonates with me. No matter what technique you use, as long as I'm within the range of those who support me, the World, itself, will give me the answer regarding how I should nullify it. A true Ruler does not have to march forth himself to deal with pesky foes like you. In my stead, the World is the one which does my bidding, and hence, in the Champion realm… I am unrivalled. I am the righteous possessor of this ultimate power which is based upon the concept of the Grand Inheritance, itself, and I shall use it to save this world, no matter who comes against me. I am Daneel Anivron, World Dominator, King, and Saviour, and I… sentence you to death."
As soon as these last four words appeared from the King's mouth, it was as if the sentence had been passed by the World, and not him.
The elementary particles which comprised of the Mad Doctor's body, which were typically under the sole control of the body's mind and Mageroot, were forcefully taken command of, before being dispersed as if they had never existed in the first place.
Each and every part of the Mad Doctor's body disintegrated, and he turned into nothingness, with all traces of him wiped out so completely that no one would ever be able to prove that he had ever been born in this continent. Angaria, itself, had rejected him while obeying a higher command, and that command's will had been done.
[Breakthrough successful.
Assessing Champion Path.
Dual-ability Champion Path detected. Such Champion Paths were theorized to be possible, but no one on Angaria was able to even think of a way to try and aim for them. Only one of the abilities has been used by host.
Achievement…]
Even as Daneel dropped to the ground with a wide smile and listened to the messages flooding into his mind, unknown to him, a phenomenon occurred on Angaria at that very same moment.
Out of a cloudless sky, a golden bolt of lightning struck down from the Heavens at the exact spot on the surface below which he stood.
And at the same time...deep, deep under Angaria, a man was startled awake.
He looked shocked for a moment, but after that, he started laughing.
"HAHAHA! He's here! The Saviour is here! Whoever it is that has dared to challenge my land, prepare to be annihilated!"