Chapter 1742 Vertical Pupils <TOC> Chapter 1744 Arrived
Translator: SumTLMan
It is foreseeable that the power of the Serpent Eye to manipulate the human heart would be incredibly powerful.
However, for Gloria, her present concern leaned more towards Toby’s condition than its capability.
The cold and distant flicker in the Serpent Eye made Gloria somewhat anxious. Did Toby genuinely succeed in facing his tribulation? At this moment, who was controlling the Serpent-Bird, Toby or the Malevolent Thoughts?
While Gloria was immersed in her doubts, there was a sudden change in the Serpent Eye.
It seemed momentarily dazed when it opened its eyes. As its vision focused and saw Gloria and Angel, emotions in its eyes began to shift, becoming gentler.
The eye color, which was originally a shining red, turned into the familiar deep crimson that Gloria recognized — the color of Toby’s eyes. Its gaze shifted from indifference to closeness and an eager excitement mixed with… a hint of grievance.
Seeing that look, Gloria let out a deep sigh of relief. All the worries from the past few days vanished in an instant.
Without a doubt, that was Toby! That look certainly wasn’t from the Malevolent Thoughts!
Toby truly overcame his tribulation!
Although Gloria tried her best to suppress her overwhelming joy, the slight upturn of her eyes gave away her genuine feelings.
However, joy aside, Gloria was still slightly puzzled. She had noticed a hint of grievance in Toby’s eyes earlier. What was that about?
Gloria conveyed her doubts to Angel, who pondered for a moment, “Sometimes, the external display of grievance might not be a genuine signal from the other party. It could be a simple act of seeking affection. Of course, it could also mean they genuinely feel wronged.”
Gloria narrowed her eyes, playfully suggesting, “It seems you’ve encountered many young ladies who’ve felt wronged.”
Angel remarked, “Instead of jesting with me, you might want to check on Toby. Perhaps he truly feels wronged. After all, contending with the Tribulation of Resentment is no small feat.”
Having spoken, Angel swiftly soared in the direction of Toby. Not to be outdone, Gloria followed suit. However, just as they were about to reach Toby, both halted simultaneously.
“Did you sense it?” Gloria inquired, her face taking on a grave expression as she looked at Angel.
Angel nodded in agreement, “The energies are fluctuating. This is… a precursor to an Omen.”
As Angel’s words settled, ripples began to emerge around Toby, making it seem as though the very space surrounding it had transformed into water being disturbed by the wind.
Various stray energies prevalent in the void now seemed to congregate around Toby, whipping up a chaotic gust.
Initially, they could still discern Toby’s silhouette. However, the visual disturbance caused by these fluctuating energies made their view blurry. Even their mental tendrils were forcibly retracted, unable to permeate the current state of the void.
Gloria and Angel exchanged glances and, without a word between them, retreated in tandem. Only when they had distanced themselves from the epicenter of the energy disturbance did they pause.
“Such an energy disturbance might trigger a Void Storm,” Gloria conjectured.
A Void Storm represents a catastrophe, the bane of all void travelers. The slightest negligence could result in one being consumed by it.
Although the threat of a Void Storm is formidable, there was a hint of excitement in Gloria’s eyes when mentioning it. For even if it were the cause of a Void Storm, it wouldn’t materialize instantly. The birth of a Void Storm involves an extensive chain of events. At this moment, they were merely witnessing the beginning of that chain, and it would likely take several days before a full-fledged Void Storm would manifest.
She found joy in something else, noticing the energy ripples capable of causing a void storm, indicating just how powerful the Omen Sign was. Such a profound Omen Sign, and the only thing Gloria could associate with it was——
Advancement!
Upon reflection, it makes sense. Toby had acquired a new Serpent-Bird form, meaning he had unlocked all the bloodline information related to the Serpent-Bird. Even if he couldn’t comprehend it all at once, this bloodline data was enough to elevate his strength to another level.
Such an increase wasn’t just quantitative; it was a qualitative change!
Previously, when Toby transformed into a Griffin, he barely reached the half-step wizard level. But when he unlocked the Serpent-Bird’s bloodline, his power was destined to surpass that of a formal wizard!
So, it was only natural for him to advance in realm.
Angel had also thought of this, which is why he immediately retreated. The signs of advancement and those of alchemy were quite similar, and being close could easily affect one.
After moving away from the range of the Omen Sign, Angel carefully observed the distance. Even though he couldn’t see much, as the Omen Sign began to take shape and the energy ripples completely obscured the inside, Angel was still monitoring the direction of the energy.
After all, this was the first time he witnessed a non-human’s advancement.
Even if he couldn’t see anything, Angel was still fascinated, watching the energy’s flow and pulsation, the differentiation and aggregation of space, as if it was the ultimate truth of the universe, utterly mesmerizing.
Gloria was also observing meticulously. The changes resulting from such a life leap were worth exploring, especially since she excelled in creation. This qualitative change in life essence was very beneficial for her art of creation.
It wasn’t until the energy turbulence became increasingly terrifying and offered no more insights, that they finally stopped observing.
Time slipped by gradually, and after approximately half an hour, Gloria gazed into the distance at a region enveloped by terrifying energy, musing: “The energy continues to accumulate…”
The spatial ripples and energy patterns they had just witnessed were merely Harbingers and not the true Omen Signs.
Only when the energy accumulation reaches its zenith will the Omen Sign truly descend.
“I recall, when I first advanced to the realm of a formal wizard, the preliminary accumulation for the Omen Sign spanned several days,” Angel casually remarked.
Gloria responded, “It’s different. A wizard’s advancement signifies challenging higher realms, necessitating a ceaseless energy buildup to seek a pivotal breakthrough. This process has a high rate of failure, requiring extensive preparation. However, Toby already possesses a wizard-level physique. His ascension is almost guaranteed, negating the need for such prolonged preparation. Unless…”
“Unless what?” Angel inquired.
Gloria fixed Angel with a profound gaze, “Unless, like you, upon advancing, one leaps three realms in power level.”
Although Angel had only recently ascended, his current power tier was nearing that of an early-to-mid first-level wizard — an accomplishment that other wizards might need decades or even centuries to achieve.
Moreover, Angel had glimpsed the gateway to true knowledge. With a bit more refinement, he could cross that threshold at any moment.
It’s safe to say, in Gloria’s lifetime, Angel was an unparalleled prodigy.
Yet, from the current perspective, not only Angel possessed such potential; Toby might follow suit.
However, comparatively, Angel appeared more daunting. After all, Toby had a foundational legacy, born from the organs of a legendary creature. Angel, on the other hand, had started as an ordinary human.