Chapter 1127 The Peculiar Shadow Mist Zone <TOC> Chapter 1129 Rune Entities
Translator: SumTLMan
The Shadow Mist Zone.
From the outside, it seemed enshrouded in a darkened glow. Yet only when Iadase stepped inside did he discover that the Shadow Mist Zone was not as dim as it appeared from the outside.
In the Shadow Mist Zone, there were still light and shadow in a ceaseless dance.
If the outside world seemed bathed in a sunset glow, courtesy of the sky’s firelight, making it like a midsummer evening draped in twilight’s grace, then the Shadow Mist Zone was like a wintry dawn under a thick blanket of overcast clouds.
Despite the play of dim light, visibility wasn’t significantly impaired. However, as soon as Iadase entered the Shadow Mist Zone, he promptly shut his eyes.
Iadase vividly recalled a phrase used in the frescoes depicting the defense mechanisms at the top of the Void Obelisk: light and shadow are but sleight of the eye.
Iadase didn’t initially comprehend its meaning, not until now. Observing the play of light and shadow around the Shadow Mist Zone, he began to understand.
The light here, so distinctly different from the outside, was imbued with an element of falsehood. Iadase even questioned whether the sights imprinted on his eyes were but projections of his past memories.
As Iadase closed his eyes, although he couldn’t see his surroundings specifically, it didn’t affect his judgment. Indeed, within his mental perception, he beheld a world entirely different from the one he’d seen with open eyes.
The Shadow Mist Zone earned its name because, viewed from outside, it seemed full of fluctuating shadows.
Upon entering the Shadow Mist Zone, Iadase instantly identified these shadows, and the nearest one was swiftly closing in on him.
When he had his eyes open, these shadows were but an undifferentiated mass of blackness. Yet, when he closed his eyes, in his mental sense, these shadows painted a different picture. For instance, the rapidly approaching shadow took on a form — a native of the Abyss wielding a long sword.
The native’s eyes were devoid of pupils, pitch-black. His face was profoundly calm, even indifferent, yet he was exuding a horrifying aura as he charged towards Iadase.
“This energy level is at least equivalent to a mid-level demon,” Iadase thought, fighting the incoming native. With each passing moment, his astonishment grew.
Although this native did not appear particularly strong in his eyes, he was a native, after all… When did the natives develop such formidable combat power?
After several rounds of clashing with the native, raising clouds of dust and producing a resonant noise, Iadase attracted the attention of the other “shadows.”
The second shadow approached Iadase, and in his mental sense, it was a leopard — only larger than the usual size, with three eyes on its forehead and a raised black tail flickering with static electricity.
The leopard didn’t attack Iadase upon arrival, but instead became a mount for the sword-wielding native.
To the naked eye, it looked as if two shadows had fused into one, becoming an even larger shadow.
With a mount beneath him, the native’s strength surged dramatically, swathing the battlefield with frequent arcs of lightning as he fought against Iadase, an impressive display of might.
However, even with this substantial increase in power, the native was still in the realm of a mid-level demon, and Iadase still found him quite manageable.
The native’s onslaught was punctuated by a rolling thunder, a resonating force that attracted a lurking shadow from the distant dark.
To avoid a two-front battle, Iadase unleashed his full strength in an instant, severing the native and his leopard in two.
After being slain, their figures slowly disappeared.
To the naked eye, the shadows of the native and the leopard transformed into dark particles, gradually rising and vanishing into thin air.
Iadase watched this scene, and suddenly remembered a painting on the top floor of the Void Obelisk. One detail in the painting depicted the slain creatures transforming into black smoke, blocking out the sunlight before reforming into new creatures shortly after.
In the past, Iadase didn’t understand the painting’s meaning. But seeing it now, he thought——
“Could it be, the painting depicts the current situation? The defensive mechanism of the Void Obelisk, are these shadows? Even if these shadows are slain, will they continuously be reborn?”
Although this was just a speculation of Iadase, he had a sneaking suspicion that it might be the truth.
The previous battle had attracted nearby shadows. Seeing them getting closer, Iadase leaped and hid aside.
With his wings cloaked, he withdrew his presence.
Once the shadows approached, their true identity was revealed in his mental perception.
It was a half-demon!
However, the half-demon was extremely powerful. Even though Iadase didn’t engage in combat, he could still feel the terrifying energy fluctuations.
“At least on the level of a Great Demon!”
Earlier, a single native was in the realm of mid-level demon, but now a half-demon was comparable to a Great Demon! Everything here seemed filled with absurdity.
Iadase hid on the side, remaining undetected. After a while, the half-demon patrolled off elsewhere.
“Indeed, the perception abilities of the shadows seem off,” Iadase pondered. Upon entering the Shadow Mist Zone, his own perception had significantly declined. Under normal circumstances, his perception, if fully extended, could easily cover the entirety of La Sutherland. However, upon stepping into the Shadow Mist Zone, his perception was suppressed to its limit, barely covering a few dozen meters, and even then, the precision had dropped.
Now it seemed that not only his own perception had declined, all creatures in the Shadow Mist Zone, including the shadows, had reduced perception.
From this perspective, Iadase let out a slight sigh of relief.
During his previous ventures outside, he had noticed a multitude of shadows swirling within the Shadow Mist Zone. If these shadows were as powerful as Great Demons, stepping into the Shadow Mist Zone would not grant access to the Void Obelisk.
However, there is a potential opportunity now, as long as he doesn’t draw the attention of these shadowy apparitions, he should be able to sneak into the area without issue.
Prompted by this thought, Iadase began to move.
Dodging a multitude of shadows along the way, all of these apparitions projected an overwhelming presence of transcendental life forces, none below the rank of a mid-level demon. However, as he had speculated, as long as he infiltrated quietly, he wouldn’t set off their alarm.
Swiftly, Iadase found himself near the grand entrance of the Void Obelisk.
Just as Iadase was preparing to sneak inside, a massive shadow floated down from the sky. This shadow was undeniably the largest since Iadase had entered the Shadow Mist Zone.
From a distance, it looked like a devastatingly oppressive dark cloud!
Iadase closed his eyes and activated his mental perception. Through this enhanced sense, he was able to see the true identity of the shadow!
Shockingly, it was an Abyss Dragon, stretching across the sky!
This Abyss Dragon was enveloped in a purple flame and radiated a crushing aura that took even a creature of Iadase’s realm by surprise.
The Abyss Dragon hovered in the air for a moment before finally landing on the plaza in front of the Void Obelisk’s grand entrance. Its massive form completely blocked the entrance.
At this point, Iadase was already very close to the entrance. Witnessing the Abyss Dragon from such close proximity increased the pressure he felt. This brought to mind the other Abyss Dragon in La Sutherland today — Fafnir.
Fafnir also once exerted tremendous pressure, but compared to this Abyss Dragon, she fell short.
When compared, the power of this Abyss Dragon definitely surpasses Fafnir.
Iadase was well aware that he couldn’t even defeat Fafnir, let alone this Abyss Dragon! Thinking this, Iadase could only sigh and abandon the idea of entering through the main gate.
Iadase didn’t dare confront the Abyss Dragon directly, but couldn’t resist casting glances back at it. Because for some reason, Iadase felt a strange sense of familiarity with this Abyss Dragon.
After bypassing the Abyss Dragon, Iadase planned to take a detour to the side. As one of the seven recognized seated members of the Void Obelisk, he knew all the entrances to the tower. There was a side door nearby that could be used for entry.
However, when Iadase arrived, he saw another terrifying shadow hovering in the air.
Through mental perception, the true identity of the shadow was another creature of no less significance than the previous Abyss Dragon — a Fallen Demon Lord!
Even though the Demon Lord had lost its throne, it had been a lord nonetheless. Its present strength, even if it had declined, had likely reached the threshold of a half-step lord.
Facing such a terrifying character, Iadase could only silently distance himself.
Having explored several secret entrances and paths in succession, Iadase was deeply disappointed. Each was guarded by an extremely powerful entity, not permitting any creature to approach the Void Obelisk.
“Is this the self-defense mechanism of the Void Obelisk?” Iadase, witnessing it for the first time, was astounded by the unimaginable strength displayed.
In the past, Iadase would have probably rejoiced. Such formidable defensive power, even if all human wizards from the floating iceberg were to join forces, he surmised they would stand little chance of breaching it.
But now, it only bred frustration within Iadase.
What exactly had occurred within the Void Obelisk? Why had the seal in the basement vanished? What was Iuppiter up to? Could it be related to humans?
If indeed there were external disruptions, the entirety of La Sutherland might face calamity!
All Iadase could do was to persist in finding a way, hoping to identify an alternate path that would allow him access into the Void Obelisk.
Just then, a sudden disturbance originated from afar.
Iadase presumed it to be a shadow, but turning around, he spotted Nythotep, who had breached into the periphery of the Shadow Mist Zone!
After a while, Iadase and Nythotep converged.
“What’s the current situation?” Nythotep’s visage was placid, but her eyes were filled with urgency and restlessness.
“Stay disguised, try to keep your tentacles hidden,” advised Iadase to Nythotep, while briefing her about the situation in the Shadow Mist Zone.
“So, a powerful force is guarding the entrance of the Void Obelisk, making entry impossible?” Nythotep retracted her tentacles, amusing herself with an umbrella she had produced.
Iadase nodded in agreement, realizing Nythotep’s plan when he spotted the umbrella, “If we use your umbrella, perhaps we could forcefully break through. However, the unfolding of rainclouds would be too conspicuous. We would likely be discovered by the shadows the moment it appears. The Shadow Mist Zone is filled with these shadow creatures. Even with my protection, it’s uncertain we could hold up until the rainclouds fully unfold.”
The space within the rainclouds indeed rendered Nythotep nearly invincible. However, it required time to fully unfold.
Understanding this, Nythotep pondered for a while before remembering something, “It seems I noticed a secret passage not mentioned in the glyphs, on the blueprint left by the Gazing Abyssal Eye.”
Chapter 1127 The Peculiar Shadow Mist Zone <TOC> Chapter 1129 Rune Entities