Volume 1 Chapter 528
by post_apiChapter 528: Who Are You Sending It To?
After the six resounding words, all filth and evil dissipated into nothingness!
Amidst the jubilant cheers of the mercenaries, Lolth remained vigilant.
For she sensed, deep within the mire, a faint "presence" that was observing her, not yet faded away.
In fact, it had grown more brazen.
Initially, it had been a tentative probe, cautious and concealed.
Now… this gaze had abandoned all pretense of secrecy, directly informing Lolth…
That indeed, someone was orchestrating events from the shadows!
Moreover, upon detecting Lolth’s presence, the observer no longer sought to hide.
This revelation confirmed two things for Lolth.
First, the observer had discerned her previous efforts to conceal her identity.
Second, the observer deemed her displayed strength at the initial stage of legend level insufficient to pose a threat.
Simultaneously, this indicated that the observer likely had not perceived that Lolth had yet to reveal her full power.
Thus, Lolth promptly traced the origin of the exposed presence.
It was an exceedingly peculiar energy.
Potent, chaotic, yet…
It seemed anachronistic, imbued with an antiquated essence.
Even Lolth could not ascertain the true extent of the observer’s power.
She could only surmise it surpassed the epic level but did not reach demi-god status.
The initial perception of a "vague presence" was not solely due to the observer’s deliberate concealment.
Her aura possessed an inherently "indistinct" quality, as if it did not belong to this world or era.
Lolth glanced at Dorothy and resolved to act decisively.
After all, her objective was not merely to overcome the adversary…
Should a battle of extraordinary intensity erupt near Dorothy, it would signify Lolth’s failure!
"Stay here and do not move."
Lolth murmured softly as she entrusted the Rod of Eden to Dorothy.
When Dorothy first discovered this staff, she had realized that she could harness a portion of the Holy Light’s power for herself.
Thus, upon holding it, Dorothy felt the "consciousness" within it exultant, expressing a sense of kinship towards her.
This further solidified Dorothy’s belief that Master Lolth likely hailed from the Church of Light.
After all, she had acquired some knowledge on utilizing the Holy Light’s power!
As Dorothy pondered this, Lolth hesitated momentarily before addressing the Rod of Eden.
"Regardless, protect her… Should danger arise, do not hesitate to shatter all my seals and disguises."
Lolth spoke these words as she reminded the Rod of Eden.
Uncertain of the true intelligence of this staff, which seemed to possess its own consciousness, she could only offer her advice as best as she could.
As a Divine Artifact, it indeed had the capability to unleash a formidable power that would not harm Dorothy and that surpassed the Superlative Level.
From the positive and uplifting emotions she sensed emanating from her soul, originating from the Rod of Eden, Lolth inferred that it likely understood her, though the extent of its comprehension remained unclear.
"In any case, I’m counting on you."
With these words, Lolth turned and ventured deeper into the marsh.
Despite the terrain being low and flat, with sparse and short vegetation, the visibility throughout the entire Black Lake Marsh was severely limited by the humid, toxic mist.
Navigating through it made it nearly impossible to discern the time.
Whether it was day or night, the light was perpetually weak and dim, resembling the ambiguous light of dawn or dusk.
A slight misstep could lead one to fall from the indistinct muddy paths and become ensnared in the marsh.
However, Lolth harbored no such concerns.
Having already revealed her legendary power, she strode confidently into the marsh!
She trod upon the dark swamp, where even a single straw would sink, walking across the muddy pit teeming with countless evil creatures, yet leaving no footprints behind.
Where her feet touched, only a faint white Holy Light lingered momentarily before dissipating into the air.
Encased in a soft, radiant layer of high Holy Light, Lolth’s body was shielded from the chaotic magic of this half-plane, allowing her to remain buoyant above the swamp without sinking.
This was a subtle, special application of Holy Light.
Its purifying nature inherently repelled filth and chaotic magic, generating a "repelling force."
When the Holy Light was not potent enough and the opposing force held an overwhelming advantage, it appeared as though the Holy Light was being "pushed away"—a testament to the relativity of all forces.
Yet, Lolth harnessed this to her advantage.
She enveloped herself in a Holy Light of lower concentration and quantity but with strong purifying power, ensuring her buoyancy above the mud.
To the onlookers, it seemed as though an angel had descended into this realm.
As Lolth ventured deeper into the swamp, gradually disappearing into the fog, her silhouette and the outline of her figure faintly visible through the light, none of the mercenaries dared to inquire about her destination.
An innate admiration for that holy figure welled up within them.
This was an emotion born of instinct.
It was unstoppable and irresistible.
Even those who were but mild followers of The Church of Light, upon gazing at Lolth’s retreating figure, found themselves moved to tears.
"Is this… the bishop of The Church of Light?"
The leader murmured, then turned his gaze to Dorothy.
He could vaguely surmise that this "Bishop Doyle" had likely detected something amiss that required her attention.
Yet, since she had not taken her "sister" with her, it suggested she might return shortly.
Thus, his only duty was to ensure the safety of this young girl.
"Miss Paqi, I will keep you safe!"
He spoke earnestly.
This is to repay Her Excellency Doyle for saving my life!
At the same time…
It is also to gain the favor of a bishop-level figure…
The two are not in conflict; for a mercenary, currying favor with the powerful is not a disgrace.
That’s a significant figure from The Church of Light, a legend level on the continent!
To be honest, the leader of the large mercenary group not immediately bowing down is already quite a display of restraint!
And it could be surmised that these mercenaries would assist in taking care of Dorothy for Lolth, who, once out of everyone’s sight, quickly picked up her pace.
Although with the Rod of Eden, the surrounding monsters should be temporarily deterred by the Holy Light power I just unleashed, and would not dare to approach…
But it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Lolth thought it best to resolve matters swiftly.
She now feels uneasy being away from Dorothy for even a moment.
What if a hell demon suddenly opens a door?
What if the God of Light suddenly sends angels to seize the rod?
What if there are monsters in the swamp that she hasn’t noticed?
What if Dorothy’s condition suddenly takes a turn for the worse?
Now, Lolth feels much like a soon-to-be father who has just researched "newborn diseases," sensing that the world is fraught with dangers!
Yet, this guy’s "aura" is maddeningly elusive.
All Lolth can pinpoint is the general direction of the other person.
After slipping away from everyone’s view, Lolth even began using space magic for short-distance teleportation, but still couldn’t lock onto the other’s exact location.
After a few teleportations, the only positive sign Lolth could sense…
Was that the other person seemed to be moving closer to her direction!
That aura, though faint and eerie, was undeniably advancing towards her with determination.
"Come on, come on, come on…"
Lolth muttered under her breath as she quietly drew the Sacred Tool of the Succubus clan from her space.
The name is quite suggestive…
"Whipping of Passion and Punishment."
Ever since Patricia blurted out the name of this whip last time, Lolth has seldom used it!
With the Rod of Eden and the Magic Cube, the Sacred Tool of the Succubus clan seems a bit behind the times.
However, when Lolth took up this whip, she even sensed a tinge of dissatisfaction.
This dissatisfaction was not the kind that says, "Why did it take so long for you to remember me?"
The emotions conveyed were more akin to, "Oh, you rascal, why did you take so long to come?" and "Who have you been messing around with lately?" "Tell me, is the God of Light’s magic wand fun?" and the like…
Although it was the emotion of an Item Spirit, it surprisingly carried a strong sense of coquetry and provocation, sending a shiver down Lolth’s spine.
It was truly overwhelming.
However, this was indeed the best she had to offer at the moment.
Her two strongest trump cards, the Magical Cube and the Rod of Eden, were now with Dorothy, safeguarding the little girl.
Reluctantly, she had to resort to the whip she had named the "Abyssal Whip," making it her weapon once more.
Just as Lolth unfurled the whip, before she could even wield it…
"Bang!"
She suddenly felt a jolt at her right waist!
Only after the impact did she see…
A figure clad in a tattered black robe, with voluminous wine-red hair, had wrapped her arms around Lolth’s waist, intercepting her and hurling her aside!
This was the master of the "fuzzy aura!"
Due to the peculiarity of the other’s aura, Lolth hadn’t even realized how close she had gotten.
For a moment, Lolth seemed to understand why, the closer she got, the less she could pinpoint the other’s exact location.
This person’s aura seemed to envelop the very world around her.
This was a genuine Holy Domain powerhouse—and the rule of her Holy Domain was this elusive, drifting aura.
No, perhaps this wasn’t the true nature of her Holy Domain… but rather a result of some "incident."
The instant she detected the other and clearly felt their aura, Lolth finally grasped more truths.
Apart from being a Holy Domain entity, her domain appeared to have been shattered!
That’s why the perception felt "blurry."
Trying to feel a whole cookie through a bag is much harder than feeling crumbs in a bag!
Not just the other’s domain…
Her magic and soul seemed to have endured some "trauma" that Lolth couldn’t comprehend.
None of the magic, spells, or martial arts she knew could produce such an effect.
This red-haired, black-robed figure… seemed to be a severely injured, deranged woman who had lost her sanity!
But Lolth didn’t have time to ponder further.
After all, she was currently being flung through the air, flying backwards!
"Get off!"
Lolth swung the black whip in her hand, the thorny lash coiling around the waist of the red-haired assailant, pulling her in the opposite direction with magical force, defying logic.
Yet, it had little effect.
The attacker appeared to be a slender woman, her arms as thin as the shaft of Isabella’s jousting lance, yet she clung tightly to Lolth’s waist.
It was as if she bore a deep grudge against Lolth, or as if Lolth owed her a fortune!
After futile attempts, she quickly dragged Lolth down into a shallow muddy puddle, splattering black mud everywhere.
"Ah—!"
She rose, screaming with a voice filled with venom and resentment.
For the first time, Lolth got a clear look at the other girl.
Beneath the voluminous red hair and ragged black robe was the figure of a small, frail girl.
Her facial features appeared human, with crimson eyes veined with blood, lips seemingly painted a dark purple, and a crown-like tattoo of dark vines on her forehead.
She looked at Lolth, who lay on the ground bewildered, and reached out her hand. A swift black wooden broomstick flew into her grasp.
The red-haired girl seized the broom and, with the hay end imbued with chaotic, fragmented magic and nearly formless rules, swung it fiercely at Lolth.
Everything happened so smoothly and bizarrely that Lolth didn’t even think to dodge or block at first.
Why a broom?
Her magic and the rules of the Holy Domain were in such disarray… how could they still function?
Lolth felt as if she were seeing a cow running with horns, unable to comprehend what she was witnessing.
Just before the broom struck her face, she remembered to shield her head and protect her face.
She didn’t even know how to defend… Being unable to sense the other’s rules and magic properties through Magic Perception was unprecedented for Lolth.
This was the Otherworld version of winning without moves!
Of course, this no-move difficulty was exceedingly high…
The magic was shattered into fragments yet still usable. Even someone as knowledgeable as Lolth was witnessing this for the first time.
She had never even heard of such a thing before.
After Lolth shielded her face and endured the blow, the other’s words reminded her of something crucial…
"You dare to come back!"
Hearing the girl’s furious shout, Lolth finally realized…
It wasn’t just the girl’s bizarre abilities…
Why was her hostility so intense?
Seeing the other’s sorrowful expression and deep-seated resentment, Lolth couldn’t help but ask.
"Who the hell are you?"