Chapter 1122 Summoning Ritual <TOC> Chapter 1124 A New Mysterious
Translator: SumTLMan
“Is it not her own power, but an external power, you mean?” Rivetta asked, her gaze filled with astonishment, locked onto Sanders.
Sanders subtly adjusted his hat, his cold, narrowed eyes hidden in the shadows. “Of course, it’s just a hypothesis. There’s a fair chance that the power belongs to Nythotep herself. But, if it’s intrinsic, then its seemingly invincible nature must be bound by stringent restrictions.”
Mengke didn’t respond to Sanders’s words, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, merely commenting, “Even if there is an external power, our lack of specific knowledge about it means we can only confront it as if it were intrinsic.”
“However, as you mentioned, whether it’s external or intrinsic, the power Nythotep currently displays could indeed overwhelm us. Yet, she has not done so, which surely means this power has its limits.” At this point, Mengke turned to Maher, “Go and summon Lucci.”
In a short while, a wizard clad in robes reminiscent of church garb approached.
His face was youthful, skin smooth like a baby’s. Yet his eyes, wise beyond years, seemed to have seen the world’s countless vicissitudes, paired with his white hair, dry as weeds.
Youth and age, these contrasting qualities, seemed to harmoniously coexist within him.
Stranger yet, his robe was adorned with twelve clocks, each unique in design, some whimsical, some mimetic, others plain. Upon closer examination, you’d notice the hands of each clock pointing to a different hour, with the minute and second hands at the starting point.
This was “Pendulum Clock” Lucci, a first level prophecy wizard, faithful to the concept of the Wheel of Time.
Previously, using both a spell of fortune and a choice of misfortune, the authenticity of Angel’s stated plan for the human purge was calculated; it was indeed Lucci.
“Lord Mengke, the Wheel of Time of the Abyss lurks within the void, remaining elusive. The future of Olucia remains uncertain,” Lucci said, his slender fingers idly spinning a clock fashioned in the likeness of the sun and moon — one full circle for every spin.
Mengke: “The Wheel of Time of the Abyss can be influenced by the Supreme Demon God, making clarity a challenging feat. I appreciate your efforts.”
Lucci bowed his head in deference. “Serving you, Lord Mengke, is my great honour.”
A sense of satisfaction flashed in Mengke’s eyes. “The reason I summoned you here wasn’t because of Olucia. I hope you can calculate the restrictions and weaknesses of Nythotep.”
Mengke relayed their previous discussions about Nythotep to Lucci.
A hint of difficulty crossed Lucci’s face. “The useful information is scant, making pinpointing a weakness quite a challenge. Nevertheless, I’ll give it my best shot.”
Lucci began his prediction, his method extremely unique. Three additional pairs of hands stretched out from his back, a total of eight arms, phantom-like, spinning the circular clock on his body.
As he spun, images from different points in time appeared in Lucci’s sight like bubbles. However, many points in time Lucci sought to observe ended up experiencing bubble bursts, making measurement impossible. This was due to insufficient information and the overwhelming power of Nythotep.
“Eight arms — is that the bloodline of a Naga Demon?” Sanders noticed Lucci’s shifting form.
Mengke nodded in affirmation, “Indeed, it is the Octopus Naga.”
“It seems that Lord Mengke highly favors him,” Sanders spoke in a nonchalant tone. The Octopus Naga was already among the topmost in Naga demons, usually peaking as second level true knowledge wizards or even reaching the third level. Given Lucci’s power, it was impossible for him to hunt such a demon. Thus, the only plausible explanation was Mengke’s intervention.
Mengke only responded with an enigmatic smile.
In a short while, Lucci opened his eyes, and the extra sets of arms behind him gradually receded.
Lucci exhaled, shaking his head at Mengke, “The Wheel of Time of Nythotep is shrouded layer upon layer by a froth, and all I can glimpse into it is the boundless deep sea… I apologize, but the information is too scanty for me to perform a cross-layer prophecy.”
Mengke said with a touch of disappointment, “It seems we have no choice but to use higher-grade energy to forcibly overpower it.”
He had initially planned to use this trump card as a response to the possible demonic pursuers that would come after securing Olucia. But now, it seemed he had underestimated these high-ranking demons and had to play his hand early.
As Mengke was about to instruct Maher to fetch the new trump card, the contemplative Rivetta, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, “I seem to remember something — some critical information…”
Immersed in contemplation, Rivetta closed her eyes, her thoughts whirring in ceaseless cogitation.
Possessing a singular knack of sifting through an avalanche of information to spot the most eye-catching news, she had transformed the —City Firefly’s Night Whisper— from a mere publication into a bestseller that every witch possessed. Rivetta was gifted with a unique intuition, a beacon in the storm that could lock onto crucial leads amid a blizzard of information.
Even though she had borrowed the eyes of the wind sprite only briefly, catching mere glimpses of the situation in the rainclouds, an overwhelming amount of information had been deposited in the vaults of her mind.
If Nythotep indeed had some external assistance, it might well be a thread woven into this information tapestry. Even if the direct influence was not within the known intel, there would certainly be clues capable of impacting the known facts.
Both Mengke and Lucci turned their gaze towards Rivetta. If she could indeed piece together some crucial information, it could potentially push the prophecy spell further ahead.
“Could it be her long skirt embroidered with story motifs? No, that’s just an ordinary redemption story; or her intertwined tentacles? Doesn’t seem right either, the tentacles are part of her own power; what about the bracelet… No…” Information darted through Rivetta’s mind like starlings in flight when abruptly, a strange sound echoed within.
A soft pitter-patter of rain.
Her intuition screamed at her, something was wrong with this sound.
“But what’s so strange about this sound? Isn’t it just the sound of raindrops…” Rivetta murmured in confusion. Suddenly, her pupils constricted. “No, that sound didn’t come from the rainclouds, but from the gaping maw teeming with sharp teeth that ultimately claimed the life of the wind sprite! It has to be that… But what is that? What could it be?!”
With a beacon of spiritual light flashing across Rivetta’s mind, she opened her eyes, casting a glance at Mengke, “I seem to comprehend what this external power might be, yet I can’t affirm it with certainty.”
Mengke’s serene and distant gaze anchored on her, “Lady Rivetta, have faith in your intuition. Often, when I have to make judgments, intuition becomes the vital link in the chain of my decision-making process.”
Perhaps Mengke’s soothing and tranquil voice pacified Rivetta’s turbulent emotions, she nodded to Mengke, “Thank you.”
“No need to worry, whether it’s right or wrong, leave the judgment to me,” Mengke assured her.
After some contemplation, Rivetta expressed her judgment: “The Umbrella.”
“Nythotep’s umbrella… it gives me an unsettling feeling.”
Upon hearing this, Maher stepped forward as if recalling something, “Previously, Samantha mentioned that the handle of the umbrella had a mouth, constantly muttering ‘drip, drop’… Now that it’s mentioned, it does seem rather odd. ‘Drip, drop’ is the onomatopoeic word simulating raindrops, and raindrops originate from rainclouds!”
“In that case, I will utilize ‘umbrella’ as the information and spin the Wheel of Time once again,” Lucci proclaimed, and once again, three pairs of ostentatious arms extended from his back.
…
“Is it truly the umbrella?” Angel looked at Canaan with a puzzled expression. Among those present, Canaan had the most profound understanding of Nythotep.
Canaan, too, observed the scene on the iceberg through the illusion.
“I’m unsure. Nythotep hasn’t made any bold moves in La Sutherland before, however, that umbrella is indeed something Nythotep carries with her at all times,” Canaan’s voice floated in the air, laced with uncertainty.
Angel surreptitiously glanced at Fafnir, who responded with a frosty comment, “I hold no interest in the octopus… however, your mentor’s analysis isn’t flawed. Her strength surpasses that of other Great Demons, which is indeed irregular.”
Canaan also agreed, saying, “If Nythotep’s power is indeed so tremendous that she not only crushes humans but could also flatten other Great Demons, then she could potentially seize absolute control over the Void Obelisk. Yet, the truth is, Nythotep has not taken such an action, which indicates that she is incapable.”
“Perhaps she simply doesn’t wish to unsheathe her sword against her own kind,” Angel murmured.
“Shopkeeper, it appears your understanding of demons is still somewhat shallow. Particularly in regard to Great Demons, possessing the Void Obelisk would yield far greater benefits than sharing it amongst seven. How could she possibly share with other demons?” Canaan, who had once lived in the planar region of the Abyssal natives, thus understood clearly that the denizens of the Abyss, like humans, also pursued ideals of amicability and regulation. Initially, upon her arrival in the demon city, Canaan had behaved similarly. However, what was the outcome? Her dorsal fins were invariably severed by other demons the moment they grew.
The demon world is cruel, often far more than can be imagined.
Canaan sighed softly, the act of responding to Angel’s question dredging up a host of memories. A succession of scenes emerged from the deepest corners of her memory box, some of which Canaan had even forgotten herself.
Such as the memories related to her father.
These recollections may have been intentionally buried by Canaan, but they now involuntarily resurfaced in her mind.
Chapter 1122 Summoning Ritual <TOC> Chapter 1124 A New Mysterious