Chapter 859 - 43: The Butterfly Flaps Its Wings
"Isn’t she sleeping soundly..."
Gu Mo remarked, thinking that he had just helped her mother sleep, and was by no means disturbing her slumber.
Dazzling light filled his vision. He calmly gazed ahead, choosing not to intervene, allowing the Counterattack Technique to activate automatically. As the magic power undulated, an invisible ripple passed through, refreshing the entire space scene.
The real world’s laws were being eroded...
The scene of the grand library was overturned and replaced...
What finally met his eyes was an unknown dark space, like an endless deep abyss, with ripples like water waves beneath his feet reflecting shimmering light under the illumination of a light source. At the far end of the sea horizon lay the light source—a cold and dark mysterious moon.
The imagery of this scene was extremely beautiful.
This was precisely what Gu Mo wanted to see, so he allowed the automatic counterattack technique to initiate without resistance, willingly allowing himself to be drawn into this space.
Meanwhile, within this serene and beautifully mysterious space where the dark moon and endless abyss reflected each other, a figure appeared—none other than the Full Moon Queen seen earlier. However, she was no longer clutching that crystalline amber egg, sitting foolishly, but stood proudly on the distant water surface.
Her eyes were closed tightly, holding the magic staff high, exuding an imposing aura.
The magic power reacted violently, and the blue luminous stone atop the magic staff also flickered with light, seemingly gathering a large amount of magic power...
And then, there was nothing more.
"—The world!"
Divine power spread out, instantly freezing the entire space, naturally including the poised figure of the Full Moon Queen. She had just appeared and had no time to take any action before being mercilessly pressed into the pause state, entering a Time Freeze.
The Time Gem was, of course, in the original body’s hand, not on him at the moment.
However, the development and research into the gemstone power, the understanding and insights gained, were indeed a solid accumulation of experience.
This accumulation wasn’t narrowly limited to the use of the gemstone power; even without the artifact, its significance remained. It was the analysis and mastery of the Time Domain itself... Although not as compatible as the Reality Gem and Mind Gem, this was inherently a very powerful Infinity Gem, just requiring more effort to develop and excavate.
And as the development deepened, the control over the Time Domain became stronger, leading Gu Mo to increasingly favor utilizing this capability.
Firstly, it better accumulated skill proficiency, enhancing experience accumulation more efficiently;
Secondly, it was genuinely very convenient, the omnipotent feeling brought by the Time System’s capability was just too useful.
Regardless of how impressive and graceful the Full Moon Queen’s posture was during this moment, she transformed directly into a lifelike sculpture, with the surrounding scenery, all in a freeze-frame state, the entire space falling under Gu Mo’s control.
In this motionless world, he was the only one who could act.
Next, it was his time for research—
Not researching the Full Moon Queen, as the queen’s current figure was merely a phantom left by her daughter Lani to protect her mother by integrating with the spell AI for combat...
The true Full Moon Queen was still outside in the space, in a state of mental disturbance, without such elegance.
Gu Mo was curious about the cold and dark mysterious moon presented in this space.
This should be the symbolic magic of Queen Calia, one of the "legendary magics," capable of calling forth a full moon. Whether the Full Moon Queen or her daughter Lani, both mastered this magic; however, its manifestation and properties varied based on the individual.
He wasn’t too concerned about the magic’s performance but curious about its origin.
Besides the interests represented by the Golden Tree faction, the supreme will, there were traces of interference by several "external deities" in this world, the moon being one of them... Although, in the era of the Golden Tree, the destiny existing in the night sky was already constrained by the Golden Law.
Since even the sun was overshadowed by the Golden Tree’s light, stars and the moon were naturally no exception.
It is said that the original belief of the Eternal City’s inhabitants was a black moon, supposedly shattered by the supreme will.
So this Miss Lani’s magic emblem, the dark moon—
Is there an enigmatic connection between it and its existence?
The outcome of the struggle is temporary; deities don’t perish easily. Just like the ancient "Crimson Corruption," which, though sealed long ago, could still attempt to resurrect through the parasitic Valkyrie. This process can be stopped but is hard to change.
Without the Valkyrie, there will always be a next person, and the next...
Therefore, the ancient "Crimson Corruption" will inevitably return, reigning over the current era with a new vessel, just like in the era when ancient kings worshipped it... Likewise, the original belief of the Eternal City, that mysterious black moon, might not easily exit the stage, even if shattered by the supreme will.
Toward the cold and dark mysterious moon, Gu Mo proceeded, his thoughts extending and spreading.
"Come and take it!"
The vast Spiritual Power surged in the void, transforming into invisible giant hands. If one possessed a high perspective that could observe these streams of information, they would see the white-clad, black-haired youth walking, seemingly transformed into the shadow of a hundred-armed giant Demon God.
This gigantic shadow of the Demon God filled the entire space, reaching across the void—
Straight towards the distant, majestic moon, grabbing at it directly!
Simple, brutal, direct!
...
...
In the direction to the west of the Liyenia Region.
This land has long been known for its vast forests and dense mist that floats even during the day, largely obscuring the lakes. And in the western shores direction, the ties with the Kalia Royal Family are profound, though the honeymoon period is long over, with the academy and the royal family now often at odds.
Signs of war are everywhere.
As a result, the Magic Academy has sealed off all passages, forbidding outsiders from entering.
The former territory of the Kalia Royal Family has been razed to the ground, leaving only ruins and specters.
In the further lands, the last city of the Kalia Royal Family stands, yet it faintly reveals signs of decay, no longer the prosperous city it once was. Beyond the city in a sparsely populated area, three ancient Magic Towers stand solitary on a plateau.
"...!!"
At the top floor of one of the Magic Towers, a Puppet Girl sitting quietly in a chair suddenly raised her head from its drooped state.
Awakened from slumber, it was naturally due to sensing something.
"Mother..."
Whispering quietly, the Puppet Girl felt the power she left behind to protect her mother had been triggered shortly before, then in an instant, she lost all connection with it, as if the spell had completely slipped from her control, no longer linked to her.
This situation...
Usually suggests that the power she left behind was triggered and then destroyed in one blow.
Who has invaded the academy’s grand library? Who is intent on harming her mother? Detecting these signs, the Puppet Girl felt angry, her eyes showed worry, yet she felt powerless... Her flesh, once noble as a Divine Being, had been killed, she could now only reside as a soul within the puppet.
—The spell left specifically to protect her mother was one of her few powers, the most she could do.
—Strictly speaking, she was no longer a Demigod.
"Have the Two Fingers initiated action? That doesn’t seem right either, or is it someone within the academy..." The Puppet Girl forced herself to calm down, pondering what might be the case.
Born as a Divine Being chosen by the supreme Will, she was a natural candidate to be a deity, with the chance to become the next era’s deity after Queen Marika, the Eternal Queen. The Two Fingers dispatched by the supreme Will also found her, yet... she refused to accept this destiny, rejecting to be manipulated by the supreme Will.
Eventually, the collaboration broke down, and the Puppet Girl used the Black Blade, to kill her Divine Being’s body, since then acting in the shadows, planning her own schemes.
She and her own Two Fingers cursed each other, turning from allies into sworn enemies, desiring to eliminate each other was only natural, given the circumstances, suspicion of being targeted by the other was also understandable.
But after the war, the academy’s paths were completely sealed, ordinary outsiders cannot enter at all.
Her mother in the grand library was protected by knights and the Red Wolf, the knights serving the Kalia Royal Family always scarce, fewer than twenty, but wielding swords as catalysts, they performed magic combat techniques, their combat strength rivaling the heroic golden figures, even if only one remained, they were undoubtedly a steadfast shield.
And the Red Wolf left by that person was also an impressive Demon Beast, its strength exceeded imagination.
Considering her mother’s presence within the academy, actually her situation was much safer than her own, hence why she only left protective spells... Even if assassins dispatched by the Two Fingers aimed to breach this security point, breaking through the academy’s deep defenses seemed nearly impossible.
Thinking about this, perhaps it was someone within the academy who acted? They might find better opportunities...
Thinking rapidly, the Puppet Girl had few people around her she could rely on, certain matters remained stagnant.
"Could it be related to the previous falling star..."
Looking toward a distant direction, perhaps just connecting the events, because the two incidents were too close together, she silently pondered.
Hope mother stays safe...
Still feeling unsettled...
Sighing softly, the Puppet Girl stood from the chair, she was originally planning to venture out during this period, to investigate the Boundary Land personally, hoping to make a breakthrough. She had not yet decided, but now this incident had pushed her.