Chapter 1749 Night in the Resting Ground <TOC> Chapter 1751 Divine Oracle
Translator: SumTLMan
Not only did Odeklaes, Fafner, and Balalaika sense the fluctuation that came from a distant space-time, but deep within the Abyss, many powerful entities were silently perceiving it.
Some pretended not to hear, some dismissed it with disdain, some listened with utmost seriousness, while others turned their gaze directly toward that distant place.
After all, to them, the master of this fluctuation was all too familiar.
Angel was unaware of the numerous beings in the Abyss that were paying attention to Toby. At this moment, he was deeply engrossed in the joy of Toby’s advancement.
Upon emerging from the cocoon, Toby still maintained his terrifying Serpent-Bird form. The first thing he did upon coming out was to fly to Angel and Gloria, excitedly expressing its delight about his advancement.
He continuously hissed in front of the two, seemingly narrating his feelings about the advancement. Although both Angel and Gloria were hearing the Serpent-Bird’s voice for the first time, Toby’s familiar tone, frequency, and pauses made it not too hard for them to deduce what Toby was saying.
It was essentially a mixture of disbelief and happiness.
The more Toby spoke, the more excited he became. Eventually, he twisted his serpent head, heading deep into the void to frolic. He was venting the repression he felt during this time and also expending his excess energy, while getting accustomed to his new body.
Angel didn’t stop him, but rather hovered nearby, observing the changes in Toby’s power.
However, Toby apparently hadn’t yet explored his new abilities. Like a child with a new toy, he just excitedly yelled.
After watching for a while, Angel couldn’t discern much and decided to give up. After all, there would be plenty of time in the future to study the power of the Serpent-Bird.
As Angel watched Toby, he noticed that Gloria beside him had remained silent. Turning his head, he saw Gloria gazing at Toby as well. Though she wore a smile, her eyes betrayed a complex emotion lurking beneath.
“What’s wrong?” Angel inquired telepathically through the Mental Link to Gloria.
After a moment of hesitation, Gloria shared her doubts, “When Toby came close to me earlier, I felt a certain familiarity.”
Gloria didn’t elaborate on this feeling, but she perceived it as a certain aura. She felt this aura resembled that of the legendary demon beast’s core energy she had encountered before.
When Toby transformed into a Griffin, there was already a faint aura about him, but it was vastly different from the legendary demon beast’s. So, Gloria didn’t think much of it. Now, having morphed into a Serpent-Bird, Toby’s aura seems to have evolved, increasingly aligning with that of the legendary creature.
“As Toby faces more and more tribulations, will his aura draw closer to that of the legendary demon beast until one day…”
Toby becomes it.
Angel understood Gloria’s unspoken concern. The fleeting legendary aura, combined with Toby’s similar energy, reminded Gloria of that legendary demon beast, and she couldn’t shake off the unease.
“Toby will always be Toby and will never change,” Angel reassured. “Even if he does head in the direction you’re concerned about, it doesn’t matter. The future is still far away, and we have ample time to address it.”
Every problem has a solution.
Gloria nodded, “I hope so.”
“Perhaps there’s another possibility. Toby’s innate consciousness might originally belong to that legendary demon beast. It’s just that he hasn’t fully awakened yet,” a voice suddenly interjected into their conversation.
Upon looking back, they saw Sanders, dressed immaculately in a gentleman’s attire, gracefully approaching them. From his conversation, it was evident that he made no attempt to hide the fact that he had eavesdropped on their conversation in the spiritual band.
“Toby transforming into that creature might just be the right path,” Sanders posited with a chilling hypothesis.
“No, Toby is not like that creature!” Gloria immediately retorted.
“How can you be so certain of the distinction? You’ve only obtained the organs of a legendary demon creature. You’ve never directly interacted with it, so you don’t truly understand it,” Sanders paused, “Of course, this is merely my speculation. There’s a high chance I might be wrong. But since you’re discussing its future, you have to consider this possibility.”
Moreover, Gloria, you ought to know. Aside from Toby, have you created any other beings with self-awareness?”
The answer was no.
Apart from Toby, Gloria had never created another creature with full self-awareness.
Be it the Twisted Protozoa or Fragment Ephemera, although both were products of Gloria’s creation magic, they were functional creatures, devoid of self-consciousness.
Sanders’s words left Gloria speechless. As a wizard with a profound depth of knowledge, she’d conducted numerous experiments. A break in her logical reasoning was nearly impossible. Hence, she had naturally contemplated the scenario Sanders presented. And it was this very scenario that was the root cause of her deep-seated unease.
Gloria tried to conceal this unease, but in the end, Sanders laid it bare for all to see, compelling her to face this issue head-on.
While Sanders and Gloria were conversing, Angel was also pondering over this matter.
The subconscious, the most primitive part of one’s psyche, is purely about satisfying innate desires. It’s an inherent thirst, and within this thirst and longing, the framework of consciousness gradually takes shape.
Toby’s current Tribulation of the Five Flavors is somewhat reminiscent of a journey to discover, or rather, to awaken his true self.
If what Sanders said is accurate, Toby’s tribulation might very well be a quest for the origin of his own consciousness. And this origin could very likely be the legendary demon creature itself.
“This is just one of many possibilities, though the probability is not high. But as Mentor said, we must recognize its existence,” Angel remarked, “However, even if this possibility turns out to be true, it’s not really a concern.”
Angel’s words captured their attention.
“A complete consciousness comprises more than just our base desires. Within its intricate framework, it also encompasses emotions, experiences, and subjective feelings influenced by objective realities,” he elucidated.
“Regardless of its nature, Toby is Toby.”
Angel’s stance seemed a bit idealistic. But one couldn’t deny that his words poured soothing waters onto Gloria’s anxious and parched heart.
Everything has its uncertainties. Even if Toby’s consciousness turns out to be the legendary demon creature, it is what it is, and Toby remains Toby.
Gloria, who had been silently contesting Sanders’s viewpoint, paused at that moment and cast a grateful look at Angel.
“Sometimes I wonder who has truly lived for centuries,” Gloria sighed, gazing at Angel, “You seem to have a clearer insight than I do.”
While they were concerned about Toby’s distant and unpredictable future, Toby himself was gleefully playing. He fluttered joyously in the void, swishing his long tail, resembling a fledgling experiencing the thrill of flight for the first time, treating the vast emptiness like a playground.
As Toby was engrossed in his play, he failed to notice a slowly emerging rift on one side of the void.
Chapter 1749 Night in the Resting Ground <TOC> Chapter 1751 Divine Oracle