Chapter 1157 Labyrinth of Corridors <TOC> Chapter 1159 Origin
Translator: SumTLMan
“No one can stop the rekindling of our clan’s fire, no one!”
With an impassioned voice accompanied by a deranged expression.
His eyes locked onto Angel, his frenzied shouts stirred the surrounding energy, forcing Angel to repeatedly retreat.
“I will kill you… Yihahahaha! Don’t stop me! Human nature? I have no human nature, and I disdain being human!”
From calmness to madness, then from madness to self-questioning and self-answering.
Angel silently watched the performance of “Popoca” before him — based on what he said earlier, Angel was basically certain that this alien creature was Popoca, but Popoca’s transformation, both in appearance and strength, surprised Angel.
In his mind, the impression of Popoca was still that of a handsome young man in white.
Even though when they were in the Savage Grottoes, Angel could sense certain unknown darkness within Popoca, his outward demeanor of gentleness and generosity left a deep impression on Angel.
He couldn’t possibly equate that gentle youth with the current deranged and fragmented grotesque form before him.
Regarding Popoca’s transformation, Angel could only sigh with some emotion, unable to say anything, as his transformation was undoubtedly a result of his personal choices. Moreover, Angel and Popoca didn’t have any intimate relationship. What Angel was currently considering was how to quietly leave without drawing Popoca’s attention.
If it were the Popoca from half a month ago, Angel could simply leave without much consequence.
But now, Popoca had undergone such tremendous changes that even facing him gave Angel an extreme sense of danger, as if he were facing Fafnir. Perhaps it was just an illusion, but based on the fact that Popoca had managed to peacefully coexist with Iadase before, one could be certain that Popoca’s strength had undergone a profound transformation.
Furthermore, Popoca’s current state was also very abnormal. He appeared calm on the surface, but even the slightest thing could ignite his anger, making him highly combustible.
Therefore, Angel must find a way to leave this place now, preferably without arousing Popoca’s emotions.
As Angel’s thoughts wandered, a “clang” suddenly sounded.
Upon closer inspection, the chain that had been suspended in mid-air fell to the ground and then, like a snake, slowly returned to Popoca’s body.
Popoca also turned his head in response to the sound.
He glanced at the chain, then looked at Angel.
“As expected, I shouldn’t have kept you!” “I will kill him!” “After all, the chain was crafted by him, his aura hasn’t completely dissipated, it’s still affecting it!” “Even the slightest error is unacceptable, he must be killed! Killed! Killed!”
It seemed as if Popoca was having a conversation with another person within himself.
However, the conclusion reached in the end didn’t seem too favorable… because Angel could see the intense murderous intent and wicked thoughts flickering in Popoca’s eyes at the same time!
“Damn it!” Angel felt a shudder in his heart, his body suddenly moving.
The Mysterious Soul Whisper, which had long been silently recited in his heart, took effect instantly. At the moment Popoca launched an attack on him, it was like a wisp of smoke that drifted past him.
In an instant, his figure arrived at the end of the corridor.
However, Popoca’s current strength was not to be underestimated. Even though he did not possess Gravity Lines, his speed was not much less than that of Angel. Moreover, every step he took was laden with strength, so much so that it even caused the air to tremble.
Under such tremors, Angel was unable to sprint at full force.
Moreover, as Popoca got closer to Angel, it seemed that he finally remembered something. A huge and terrifying oppression came rushing crazily from behind.
All Angel could do was to quicken his pace. Just like when he rescued Toby from the mouth of the giant serpent in the Shadowy Caverns, as long as his speed was fast enough to exceed his reaction speed, fast enough that the oppression could not catch up with him, he could escape!
But the circumstances of the Shadowy Caverns and the current situation were ultimately different. Angel was unable to fully exert his speed here, and as he reached the outer corridor, the energy here was already in disorder due to external influence, coupled with Popoca, his speed could only decrease further.
In the end, Angel was still caught up.
He was flung straight to the top of the corridor and fell heavily onto the ground. With the terrifying oppression surging over, Angel was completely immobile.
He could only watch as Popoca, emitting a cold laughter, slowly approached from the other end of the corridor.
“Yihahahaha—— you can’t escape!” “Keep running!” “I won’t let you go, you have to die!”
Under the pressure of Popoca, Angel was motionless on the ground, the sensation as if his bones were being crushed, freezing his thoughts in his mind, rendering him incapable of thinking.
Just as Angel thought everything was over, he suddenly heard a neighing of a horse and the sound of hooves?
A horse? How could there be a horse here?
Before Angel could ponder further, he saw a phantom beast, burning with deep black flames, jumping over his head.
The next moment, Angel felt a sense of weightlessness.
Then he found that the oppressive force that had made him immobile had suddenly disappeared… or rather, he seemed to have undergone some sort of spatial shift, arriving in a region without the oppressive force.
While Angel was still in shock, a pair of shiny black boots appeared beside him with a clatter.
The owner of the boots, passing through Angel, stopped in front of him.
“Really, you are not at all worry-free.” The familiar voice poured into his ears, like a clear spring, instantly activating his previously frozen thoughts, all the dullness at this moment all became vibrant.
With great effort, Angel lifted his head, only to see the person in front of him turn his face, revealing a tuft of ash-green curly hair under the hat brim.
“Men… Mentor!” Angel’s eyes lit up, the man in front of him was indeed Sanders!
Sanders gave a slight nod, signaling for Angel to back off. His gaze was fixated on the monstrous creature at the other end of the corridor, his expression intensely solemn. Angel couldn’t gauge the power of this creature, but Sanders had a rough estimate.
It was at least on the same level as the previous Baphomet.
So, this was also a Great Demon? Recalling the information he had received earlier, could this creature be one of the elusive seven seats: Iuppiter?
Although Sanders pondered this, something about the creature before him felt familiar.
“Is he Iuppiter?” Sanders asked softly.
Angel shook his head fiercely, “No, he’s Popoca! The apprentice who disappeared in the Gloaming Mountains!”
Sanders knitted his brows; this answer was completely unexpected. Yet, if he followed Angel’s explanation… Sanders remembered the image of Popoca. His memory was extraordinary, capable of recollecting even the most minute details of a random passerby from a century ago if he wished.
Popoca had been the only apprentice from the Savage Grottoes who came to Watchtower Fortress, thus, Sanders had a clear memory of him.
The creature before him bore no resemblance to Popoca, but that chain, and the shape of the eyes, were exactly the same.
“How did he become like this? Why would he be here?” Sanders queried.
However, his questions would have to wait as the flaming chain suddenly lunged at Sanders.
A battle erupted between Sanders and Popoca in the confined corridor.
Angel retreated to a corner, unveiling the holding fire sculpture and took refuge in a narrow, empty room.
Once inside the room, Angel took a moment to catch his breath, only to hear the sound of intense commotion outside. The entire corridor seemed to shudder.
The silver lining was that the material used to construct the Void Obelisk was incredibly sturdy, providing Angel a temporary sanctuary.
As Sanders engaged with Popoca, Angel contemplated Sanders’ questions.
Why had Popoca transformed so? Angel had a hunch. Previously, when he used the scouting puppet, he had seen Popoca killing the Purgatory Flame Slave by the lava pool. However, the puppet had been discovered, preventing him from seeing what transpired next.
But when he returned to the lava pool, the slain Purgatory Flame Slave was nowhere to be found. Only its weapon remained on the ground. Other areas around the pool were littered with Purgatory Flame Slave weapons. If Popoca had been motivated by gain, he would never have left those weapons behind and only taken the corpse.
Reflecting now, Popoca’s rapid rise in power might be linked to these missing corpses?
Perhaps through absorption, or sacrifice.
However, regardless of the method, Popoca’s progression from an apprentice to a near-Great Demon level in such a short time span assuredly indicated a dire outcome.
His collapse was just a matter of time.
Even the formidable Grak, who was once a wizard of Twilight’s Edge, couldn’t immediately transition from being an apprentice to becoming a wizard, despite his soul occupying a new body and transforming into “Spivy”, after his physical form was destroyed. He still had to progress methodically, step by step.
However, predicting when such a collapse might occur is like trying to catch the wind; it’s uncertain and hard to say.
This brings us to Sanders’ second question: why would Popoca be here?
When Angel first encountered Popoca, a spark of light flickered in his mind, though he had been too focused on figuring out how to escape to dwell on it.
But now, diving deeper into his thoughts, the answer seems to be gradually coming to light.
Why did La Sutherland collapse?
Because an uninvited guest had intruded upon the Void Obelisk and destroyed the master rune node in the underground hall.
Angel had already encountered Iuppiter and Iadase in the Void Obelisk, so excluding them, who else might the intruder be?
By this point, the answer becomes clear: it is highly probable that Popoca is the intruder, and he might have come here with the express purpose of destroying the master rune node.
Yet if one continues along this line of thought, it becomes a chilling prospect.
What could possibly be Popoca’s Purpose in meticulously destroying the master rune node?
Chapter 1157 Labyrinth of Corridors <TOC> Chapter 1159 Origin