Chapter 877: Response (Thanks to the Student Who Stayed Back for Supporting Jianna

The Lady Magician and the other Major Arcana cards, once again affected by the distortion of Order, broke free from their stardust drifting state and floated midair.

Before their eyes appeared an extraordinarily bloody altar and countless mangled, incomplete corpses.

Upon the altar lay a painting depicting an alien starry sky.

The Lady Hermit, whose hearing was sealed, grimaced again, struggling to whisper:

"It's here… it's the painting…"

She felt the terrifying voice affecting her suddenly grow louder—its source was the painting!

"It really works…" The Lady Magician turned her gaze toward the boy Wil Ansetin, who held the iron cigarette case, uncertain whether her praise was directed at the object imbued with Mister Fool's aura or at the luck she had always envied.

The boy Wil spread his hands and said:

"I didn't expect it to work this well."

As he spoke, the Lady Hermit forcibly condensed an ancient spear streaked with patchy bloodstains, sending it flying toward the painting with an aura of destruction.

Yet before the "Spear of Longinus," born of "Fairy Magic," could reach the altar, it rapidly faded and dissolved into specks of light.

Sparkling starlight ignited in the eyes of the Lady Magician.

Around the altar, points of radiance outlined a pair of dreamlike doors, aiming to transport the painting—and the altar itself—beyond the barrier, into the dark, boundless starry void.

But the door outlined by starlight remained utterly still, unable to open.

"Those not part of the Vortex Ritual cannot affect the painting." Miss Justice fixed her gaze on the iron cigarette case in Wil's hand, eager to seize it and use it as a medium to manifest her physical strength, to see if she could damage the painting.

The Lady Judgment moved ahead of her, taking the iron cigarette case from the boy Wil—the item originating from the "Mystic Queen"—and clasped it in her hand, making it part of her fist.

Then, this holder of a Major Arcana card whispered in Ancient Hermes:

"Execution!"

With this decree, the Lady Judgment swung her right fist, gripping the iron cigarette case, downward with full force.

Boom!

The altar sank slightly, but the painting showed no obvious damage.

"Some effect, but not much." The Lady Magician made an accurate assessment.

She took the iron cigarette case and attempted to manifest various abilities herself, but each effort could only inflict minor damage on the painting, unable to shake its core effect—after all, they were not participants of the Vortex Ritual, and could only transmit influence through the iron cigarette case as a medium, which itself lacked destructive power.

Watching the painting still affecting her and so many high-ranking beings, the Lady Hermit could not help but feel rising anxiety.

…………

Deep within the Original Island, before the tomb of the Black Emperor, within thick white mist.

As the four beams of light merged into Rosser's body suspended midair, Perel's face stretched grotesquely, appearing both comical and horrifying, while the blood-red figure slowly advancing toward the corresponding light point within the mist and the miniature red moon inexplicably retreated backward, as if they had taken a wrong path.

Within the light point from which the "Shadow of the Goddess of Beauty" had emerged, the white mist—once dissolved by the sacred column's purification—now swelled anew, and Saint-Vieff in midair and Angoulême outside the villa, members of the "Purifiers," all felt a dread that the current Order was about to collapse.

The light domain without shadows twisted instantly; darkness seeped in, forming a shadowed side.

Mister Moon, who had already discovered the "Shadow of the Goddess of Beauty," was about to transform into crimson moonlight and pierce the white mist, but found himself hurtling skyward—Pales's scattered "Time Worms," having just decided to return, consolidate their findings, and collectively deceive the rules, were now lost along the paths of life.

Mister Hanged Man, riding the gale, suddenly plunged downward, nearly losing his flight ability and tumbling toward the ground.

As distortions manifested to varying degrees across every corner of the world, at the core of the Vortex Ritual, Perel painfully lifted her head and gazed upward.

At the edge of that abstract, illusory world, Rosser's figure—clad in black armor and a lavish cloak—grew larger and clearer, and a crown embedded with numerous dark gems rapidly formed upon his head.

Most of the white mist surrounding this Emperor had already seeped into His body, distorting His face, and a haze slowly expanded within His deep blue, nearly black eyes.

The Black Emperor had revived in the Astral Plane.

Rosser lowered his head slightly, gazing downward, fixing his gaze on the white mist before his tomb, on the torrent connecting him to that mist, on Perel's face within the mist—majestic, profound.

The next instant, this Black Emperor raised his right hand, clenched it into a fist, and twisted his wrist slightly.

"Distort!"

Relying on his authority, the Black Emperor's Path, the unique connection between himself and the "Indefinite Mist," and the corruption of the "Indefinite Mist" that had deeply invaded his body and soul, he forcibly completed a "Distortion," anchored by the invisible barrier blocking the Outer Gods' intrusion.

Within the white mist, Perel first went momentarily dazed, then, in shock and confusion, realized that her intimate link through the Vortex Ritual was no longer with the Great "Indefinite Mist," but with the Black Emperor suspended midair.

Her object of faith, the foundation of her ritual—all had been "Distorted" onto Emperor Rosser!

After her confusion, Perel swiftly felt overwhelming fear and despair.

Not only she, but all followers of the "Indefinite Mist" scattered across the Northern and Southern Continents suddenly saw thin white mist appear before their eyes, and within it stood a grand, majestic, blurred figure.

The figure wore a crown, clad in black armor, silently gazing down upon them.

The first act of the revived Black Emperor was to temporarily "seize" all faith directed toward the "Indefinite Mist"!

Of course, this also exposed Him more directly to the eyes of the Outer God beyond the barrier.

Another strand of white mist separated from the surface of a planet, reached the site of fierce divine warfare, and through the unique environment and its own symbolism, pierced the barrier once more via unpredictable transformations, landing upon Rosser the Emperor at the edge of the Astral Plane—like a fishing line finally securing its target.

Rosser's expression grew even more twisted.

He still gazed down upon Perel and the countless "Indefinite Mist" followers scattered across the world, his voice majestic as he spoke:

"The 'Broker' has united the Outer Gods and acted upon it—grave danger, unpardonable sin!"

As he spoke, the Black Emperor's outstretched right hand opened wide, as if about to grasp something.

When he finished pronouncing the crime, his hand clenched tightly.

Pop! Pop! Pop! One by one, the "Indefinite Mist" followers across the Northern and Southern Continents exploded, bursting into clouds of blood mist.

This was not the power of the Judgment Domain—it was the control granted by the Benefactor over the Beneficiary within the Grant System—the control of an Outer God over His own followers!

The temporarily distorted faith of the "Indefinite Mist," now channeled through Rosser the Black Emperor, was used to purge the followers of this Outer God, making them feel the wrath of the deity, intending to exterminate them all.

A single "Broker" might not be dangerous, but they can weave all dangers together—thus, they are the greatest threat!

"No!"

Though Perel struggled fiercely within the white mist, she still exploded uncontrollably.

Her face split into nose, eyes, mouth, ears, and other parts, scattering across every corner of the white mist, staining it with obvious blood.

But the Vortex Ritual had not ceased—the "Shadow of the Goddess of Beauty" and the miniature red moon still advanced toward their target light point, even accelerating slightly.

Silent and unseen, the exploded "Indefinite Mist" followers, now as blood mist, crossed the void and merged into the vortex of mist that Perel had become, causing the "Shadow of the Goddess of Beauty" and the miniature red moon to move faster and faster, keeping the incomplete transaction glowing brightly—as if another force still sustained the ritual.

One characteristic of the "Vortex" is that once a transaction begins, all participants contribute some power to sustain the ritual until their own portion is completed.

Thus, once the "Vortex" is formed, the difficulty of destroying it rises exponentially!

Rosser glanced at the white mist connecting him to the barrier beyond, his face showing increasingly obvious pain.

He whispered aloud:

"Adam! Where are you?

"The 'Indefinite Mist' has placed a heavy bet—unless you reveal your own trump card now, we're all finished!"

Seeing no change around him, Rosser paused, then roared again:

"Adam! Do you truly wait for the chance to devour the Eternal Sun and the others?"

No sooner had Rosser finished his low roar than a calm yet gentle voice echoed in his mind:

"I am here."

…………

Within the special mirror world.

Vazan Sanson, full of anticipation and reverence, watched as silver-white light streaked with black streamed forth from Lumian transformed into a grayish-white sheep, waiting for Lord Theremipolos to fully break free.

Those beams of light wove together at a point ahead, rapidly forming a figure.

The figure was slightly hunched, clad in a black classical robe, wearing a matching pointed soft hat, with a thin face, slightly curled black hair, a broad forehead, and pure black eyes.

Lumian, who had been about to activate the residual aura of the Blood Emperor to try escaping his sheep form, froze instantly with just one glance.

This…

Vazan Sanson and Harrison's bodies trembled slightly, then also went "still."

The figure slowly straightened his back, not even glancing at Vazan Sanson or Harrison, turned his body, and looked toward Lumian.

Without warning, the wool covering Lumian's body shed itself, shrinking back to cover only his head.

Lumian remained stunned and bewildered.

The figure took out a monocle made of crystal, calmly placed it over his right eye socket, and smiled slightly at Lumian:

"You may call me Amun, or…"

The figure's voice gradually grew grand and layered, his smile becoming more pronounced:

"Theremipolos."

ps: Tomorrow and the day after will both have two updates, no rest

ps2: Thank you to the student who stayed back for supporting Jianna's Silver Alliance~ Another thanks for tomorrow's chapter

(End of Chapter)