Appearance

Violent winds swept across Gale Gorge constantly, forming a terrifying storm that possessed the power of laws. Even Magi of laws wouldn’t be able to hold on for long in this place, making it a choke point where the armies of the Magi and the gods faced off from opposite ends of the canyon. Dazzling runes were emitting energy mid-air.

*Rumble!* The earth whistled at that moment, the entire land trembling as large chunks of black granite condensed to form a female voice in greeting.

“Mother Core! You’re finally here…” a few beings of law flew out from the Magus camp, shockingly led by the Darkness Lord.

“Here, these belong to you now,” the Darkness Lord had a grimacing expression as he passed her a seal, “Also… You need to give half of the production of Gale Gorge up to the alliance, everything else belongs to you…”

Although there were no traces of life within this land of death created by the two World Wills, there were in fact other treasures. The Magi and Gods realised that the place had an extremely high elemental density, producing veins of precious ores.

Of course, even the most precious of stones was of no value to beings of law. However, some items even a peak rank 8 couldn’t let go of easily. Gale Gorge, for example, produced some sort of wind elemental crystals that could contain fragmented power of law. It could give one instant success in entering the realm of laws.

Leylin speculated that, as the origin of such large worlds, the two World Wills were overflowing with excess laws even if they were in slumber. They’d spread out these laws in crystallised form during fighting, something completely normal for them.

However, such a ‘normal’ thing was an unexpected surprise for the combatants. Even if a Magus couldn’t utilise these crystals, they could hold onto them for future generations or exchange them with other beings.

There were even rumours that fragmented laws of spacetime were being produced in the depths of Gale Gorge, something that the peak rank 8 Magi were unable to resist!

Several investigations had revealed three possible locations of these spacetime fragments, the same three regions becoming the primary battlefield between the two sides. This was how Gale Gorge, the Dark Cage, and the Battle Hills became the Nirvana Battlefield.

However, despite being at the swamp of the Battle Hills, Leylin didn’t have good luck. Although he’d mobilised all his subordinates, he’d yet to see even a shadow of spacetime laws, instead finding several fragmented laws of other domains. These were sadly of no use to him, only to be added to his treasure vault or exchanged with other Magi…

Mother Core had made several secret transactions in order to be allocated here, paying a huge price.

“I’m sure the Earthmother Chauntea is currently in the opposing camp here. The kind of divine force coming from there is not something normal gods can wield.” Having known of Mother Core’s target, the Darkness Lords voluntarily sold her a favour, “She seems to be fond of entering the Gale Whirlpools in search of crystals, attacking our men singlehandedly.”

“...I see. Once again, I thank you for your assistance. The Magus World shall eternally remember the friendship of darkness…” Mother Core Guaranteed.

A huge core emerged from the earth, spreading its infinite roots out into the land. Despite being tougher than magic alloy, the ground couldn’t stop Mother Core from taking root, spreading across the entire camp to put it under her control. The range of her detection tendrils spread out unceasingly…

“I sense a problem…” Ignox snorted from behind her, “Do the Gods treat us as fools with such an obvious trap?”

“Of course, I know that too, but I can’t wait anymore…” Mother Core’s huge eyes seems to be trembling slightly, “I need her divine force to make up for my lack of foundation. This is my only chance to advance to rank 9, nobody can stop me! Definitely not!”

“Alright! We need to call for reinforcements if things escalate…” Ignox shrugged his shoulders. “No matter what, we outnumber them. We should use our advantage and push forth steadily, making all schemes and tricks useless…”

“You’re right!” Mother Core agreed, the fiery thirst unconcealable in her eyes as she looked towards Gale Gorge.

……

A dark web of negative emotions had spread throughout Targaryen Castle, allowing Leylin to absorb the essence of original sin without end. He grew stronger by the day, the Nightmare Hydra located at the core of the web seeming more and more unpredictable.

*HISS!* The central devouring head of the Nightmare Hydra suddenly opened its vertical eyes, showing a puzzled expression.

*Whoosh!* Large amount of black mist condensed as it transformed back into Leylin, emotional energy forming dark luxurious robes that draped across his body. The silhouette of the hydra flashed within his eyes, as numerous black hairs seemed to connect themselves to all the emotions in the world. Wielding the power of Shar’s Shadow Weave, and having controlled Mystra’s powers previously as well, Leylin was familiar with the architecture of energy networks.

Leylin’s third eye opened up in the midst of his devilish eyebrows, the void twisting to form a rune.

“Save… save me…” A gust of weak emotional power was transmitted from within, carrying fear and urgency.

“Mother Core! To think she was trapped… in a Gale Whirlpool? They’ve finally decided to act?” Leylin sighed.

He’d been somewhat shocked by the amount of strength the gods had been able to display. Mother Core was a peak rank 8 existence, and it was ten times more difficult to trap someone than to kill them!

“Leylin?” A black secret imprint twisted behind Leylin’s hands, “This is Ignox. Mother Core and I have been trapped within Gale Whirlpool. This was a trap! Chauntea and Silvanus have revealed their hands… Please contact the alliance as soon as possible, and save us. We can only last another thirty hour— Bzzt— Damn, they’re interfering with the connection, it’s going to—” The imprint suddenly shifted to static. The rune flickered a few times, before dying out completely.

“Damn it…” Leylin cursed, and had a clone appear within the Magus Conference. “Mother Core and Ignox fell into a trap, we need to send reinforcements!”

There were only a few figures present in the conference right now, seeming empty and lonely.

“Keke… Isn’t this the Lord of Original Sin? You are here to request reinforcements? Unfortunately, the majority of other peak rank 8 Magi have been allocated missions. Of course, if you don't mind, my true body can always be dispatched…” Distorted Shadow appeared, clearly amused.

“Such a coincidence…” Leylin took a deep breath, and stared coldly at Distorted Shadow.

Magi always placed importance on their own interests. Regardless of their former relationship with Mother Core, if they lacked the strength to save her from her plight not many would be willing to take action. This was how they’d watched the Chaos Lord and Evil Filthy Eye fall.

Knowing this, Leylin stopped trying to get more reinforcements. He directly disappeared from the conference hall.

……

*Hiss!* Almost all the Magi near Targaryen Castle saw a marvellous scene. The silhouette of the terrifying Nightmare Hydra shot out from its abode, moving with determination as it instantly disappeared from the sky.

“Lord Leylin!” Most Magi identified their Lord, bowing respectfully. Few panicked.

“Keke… As expected, he has dispatched his true body…” Distorted Shadow’s true body surfaced somewhere in the void.

“It’s as you said, he’s proud and arrogant…” Another black silhouette spoke out, golden light within his eyes.

“He’s the Lord of Sin, of course his laws will influence him. The influence of the seven deadly sins isn’t easily eliminated, not to mention I amplified it a thousandfold with my distortion power…”

Distorted Shadow snorted coldly, ”We shouldn’t underestimate him. I’ve suffered time and time again at his hands!”

“You can rest assured. Don’t you know the forces we’ve dispatched this time?” the black shadow with golden eyes guaranteed.

“We’ve never underestimated the Lord of Original Sin. The power of a peak rank 8 combined with his prior feats… no god will take him easily…” There seemed to be a sadness within the black shadow’s voice.

“On the other hand, for you to be willing to abandon the Magi and join us gods…” it looked at Distorted Shadow, “Once this operation succeeds we’ll begin your ascension to become the God of Chaos. You’ll be able to become a greater god easily…”

“Chaos? A spoil of war stripped off from the original Chaos Lord? Keke… I like the sound of it…” Distorted Shadow’s owl-like voice resounded, as his silhouette disappeared.