Chapter 1010 Farewell to the Fortress <TOC> Chapter 1012 The Signs of Tribulation
Translator: SumTLMan
In truth, even Angel was hesitant to conclude anything about Toby’s current situation, for there might have been myriad reasons for his continual unconscious state.
For instance, the massive serpent they encountered earlier might have done something to him.
Alternatively, Toby might have done something to himself.
Angel carefully contemplated the circumstances at that time. Even though Toby had appeared within the territory of the monstrous serpent and was treated with hostility by the surrounding snakes, the colossal serpent seemed to refrain from launching any attacks on Toby.
Even though Toby was protected by a formation of Gravity Lines, such defenses were negligible considering the might and resilience of the serpent.
So, what was the serpent’s motive for not attacking Toby?
Moreover, when Angel attempted to escape with Toby, the serpent had furiously attacked him without any hesitation. Its treatment of Angel was clearly distinct from its conduct towards Toby. Even after Angel had left the Shadowy Caverns, the serpent had continued its pursuit, which evidently displayed its deep-seated resentment.
What had actually transpired in between?
The deeper Angel thought, the more he furrowed his brows. After some hesitation, he decided to seek advice from Sanders.
Even though Sanders had initially maintained an air of superiority, he did not put on a cold front when Angel actively sought his help. He directed his gaze onto Toby.
With a soft spiritual light glowing in the palm of Sanders’ hand, a gentle wave of energy swept over Toby’s body.
“Blood condition, heart rate, and organ operations all appear normal,” Sanders mulled for a moment, “Its brain waves also align with the state of sleep. There should not be any issues.”
When Angel initially sought help, he did not deliberately lower his voice, so Canter had also noticed the interaction between the master and disciple.
Canter added, “Your mentor is correct. Toby might just be in a deep slumber.”
Angel nodded as if accepting the explanation, but a sense of unease still lingered in his heart.
As it turned out, there had been a similar incident where Toby was lost in an extended state of unconsciousness. It had occurred during the “Tribulation of the Five Flavors”. To subjugate the lingering “Rage” emotion left by the legendary creature, Toby had entered a deep sleep.
It was only until they reached the Purification Garden that Toby successfully subdued the “Rage”, which then led to his evolution into a new form: the “Griffin of Fury”.
For Toby, subduing the quintessence of his heart: Love, Hate, Resentment, Rage, and Grief is a pivotal part of his maturation process.
Nevertheless, when Toby faces the Tribulation of the Five Flavors, it also marks the most perilous juncture in his life.
Outsiders can’t intervene, Toby must conquer this trial on his own. If he fails, he’d merely become a marionette, wholly governed by the five emotions.
With this in mind, Angel was fraught with doubt: Could Toby’s unending slumber be attributed to his encounter with the Tribulation of the Five Flavors?
That notion seemed implausible, considering it had been merely a few years since Toby had subdued the “Rage” within him. Based on Gloria’s prior speculation, it shouldn’t be time yet for the next tribulation to open.
After all, while Toby had reined in his “Rage,” he was still exploring how to wield the power it afforded him.
Logically, it would be only after Toby had completely mastered his “Rage” that he’d commence a new Tribulation of the Five Flavors, right?
Angel’s brow furrowed deeply as an array of doubts ebbed and flowed within his mind.
Seated beside him, Sanders noticed Angel’s emotional fluctuation. As Angel murmured about the “five flavors,” Sanders too, recalled Gloria’s mention of the “Tribulation of the Five Flavors.”
Sanders thought back to the enormous serpent they had encountered earlier.
Having combatted the serpent, he was all too aware of the terrifying strength of its emotional field. He understood the concerns and conjectures brewing within Angel’s heart. Toby might not necessarily have entered his second tribulation, but the serpent’s potent emotional field could have potentially stirred up the quintessence of emotions hidden within Toby’s body.
“If you’re truly worried, you could try entering Toby’s dreams,” Sanders suggested unexpectedly, “However, you can only enter the dream, not interpret it.”
Coincidentally, the idea of infiltrating dreams had crossed Angel’s mind. On hearing Sanders’ words, he nodded in agreement instantly.
Entering dreams allows one to access another’s dream realm. As long as you remain silent, the dreamer may not even be aware of your presence. Interpreting dreams, on the other hand, involves interacting with individuals within the dream state.
Dreams are ever-changing and capricious, and those unfamiliar with dream guidance could unwittingly alter the dream’s course with a mere thought. Therefore, it is prudent to refrain from interpreting dreams until the situation is thoroughly understood. At times, even the most familiar and intimate individuals may have flawed cognitive logic in their dreams, leading to unforeseen consequences during communication.
Of course, such scenarios occur only when one has a low proficiency in dream interpretation.
If Angel could reach the “Command” stage among the four levels of dream interpretation — “Listening,” “Guiding,” “Commanding,” and “Altering” — he’d have no fear of harm when venturing into another’s dreamscape.
With Sanders present to safeguard his physical form, Angel let go of the turmoil within his mind, meticulously constructing the Dream Entry Spell within his mental space.
Before long, Angel stretched out his mental tendrils, reaching into Toby’s Dream Bridge.
As Angel was engrossed in the dream, Canter, observing Angel’s unconscious body sprawled on the table, curiously queried, “Has Angel actually learned the Dream Entry Spell?”
Sanders responded with a tranquil tone, “Dreams and illusions often go hand in hand. Perhaps the fusion of the two might produce unexpected results.”
Canter’s eyes sparkled, “Are you implying that Angel intends to create a new spell, combining dreams and illusions?”
Pausing for a moment, Canter lowered his voice without waiting for Sanders’ reply, “You’re indeed hoping to steer Angel down that path, aren’t you? Cultivating his ability to create his own spells during his apprenticeship?”
Sanders had casually remarked, but he hadn’t expected Canter to interpret it this way.
However, Sanders was aware that for Angel to integrate “dreams and illusions” into a new spell would be extraordinarily challenging. It would consume a substantial amount of time, as Angel’s current understanding of “dreams” was still quite superficial. Even those few tricks of dreams he had were forcibly constructed.
Therefore, Canter’s conjecture was actually off the mark. Despite Sanders’ inner wish for Angel to begin creating his own spells for the first spell position, everything needed to be grounded in reality. With the Shadow of the Demon God and the Nightmare Plane looming overhead, focusing on making breakthroughs was indeed the best choice for Angel at present.
However, Sanders didn’t explain; he simply responded with a silent smile.
Canter originally wanted to inquire further about the specifics, perhaps to take this opportunity to make some references for Cherie’s development. However, just at that moment, Canter’s eyebrows furrowed, and he suddenly looked towards the distant sky, “Trouble’s brewing again.”
Not long after the team entered the Gloaming Mountains, they once again faced peril.
Several gargoyles, their bodies ablaze with fire, led a horde of demons. With a great flap of their bat-like wings, they leapt from the woodland and densely filled the distant sky.
…
Meanwhile, Angel had traversed the Dream Bridge and entered Toby’s Dream.
Angel had assumed that Toby, being in the “Tribulation of the Five Flavors”, might be immersed in a dream filled with hurricanes, torrential rain, or even volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. However, none of these conjectures materialized.
At first glance, Toby’s dream realm didn’t exhibit any oddities.
The dreamscape unfurls itself as an island estate, an uncanny mirroring of Pat Manor, capturing its essence to the tune of seventy to eighty percent. The estate exists in a suspended state of whimsy, afloat amidst a myriad of translucent soap bubbles varying in size from as vast as hot air balloons to as petite as marbles.
Under the gentle caress of sunlight, these soap bubbles refract a carnival of colours, meandering above the estate. They ascend to the crystal-clear skies and drift towards the vast cerulean sea, shimmering like a living mirage.
One can’t help but acknowledge, the dreamscape is a gushing fountain of girlish fantasies.
Given Toby’s penchant for donning pink lace dresses, this dreamscape seems fittingly tailored to its tastes.
So initially, Angel doesn’t find anything amiss about the dreamscape.
However, the anomaly surfaces when the real-life counterpart of Toby, whom Angel has chosen to inhabit in the dreamscape, steps foot onto the estate. Some peculiarities in its behaviour draw Angel’s attention.
Given that the island estate closely resembles Pat Manor, it is only logical that familiar faces from Angel’s past would manifest themselves here.
Take for instance, the head housemaid, Mana.
There she was, stationed at the entrance of the castle, holding a large plate. Toby fluttered down, snatched up some food from the plate, and commenced feasting.
Angel noted the food appeared to be crab meat?
After several bites, Toby kicked over the plate, chirped a series of squawks at Mana, and shooed her away.
The insinuations carried by the squawks were discernible to Angel.
——”You’re so annoying!”
Toby found Mana annoying? This planted a seed of doubt in Angel’s mind as there was no hint of such sentiments when they were in Pat Manor.
Having driven Mana away, Toby then encountered Ollie, another maid who was just emerging from the castle.
Ollie’s face was tinged with a blush, her expression a cocktail of shyness and trepidation. Toby, previously engrossed in pecking bubbles mid-air, flared up at the sight of Ollie and shrieked loudly in her direction.
——”You are even more annoying!”
Ollie was startled, fleeing the manor as though chased by some unseen terror.
Toby’s behavior was deeply anomalous, stirring a sea of unease within Angel.
Soon, Toby fluttered towards the manor’s adjacent farmland, where Milk Fruit Trees glimmered golden under the sun. Toby’s dear friend, the Moon Bellflower Fairy, happened to be there as well.
The Moon Bellflower Fairy sat on a branch of the Milk Fruit Tree, a dining plate in hand and a cup of cocoa milk beside her.
With a beaming smile, she waved at Toby, inviting him to join the meal.
“What kind of reaction will Toby have upon meeting his close friend?” Angel secretly wondered.
Given Toby’s usual demeanor, he was expected to flutter excitedly, sharing joyful moments with the Moon Bellflower Fairy.
Toby indeed did so, alighting on the branch and silently indulging in the meal on the plate.
“Seems they are harmoniously enjoying the company of a dear friend,” Angel murmured, simultaneously scrutinizing what Toby was eating.
The food on the plate was… sea anemone.
Crab meat had appeared first, now it was the turn of the sea anemone. Could it be that Toby was eating the anemone crab he encountered previously in the Shadowy Caverns?
As Angel pondered, Toby had already polished off the sea anemone.
Having filled his stomach, Toby’s next move left Angel utterly astonished.
Suddenly, he dashed over to the Moon Bellflower Fairy, faced her exquisite countenance, and without any warning, ripped open her dress——
Chapter 1010 Farewell to the Fortress <TOC> Chapter 1012 The Signs of Tribulation