Chapter 1762 Changing Faces <TOC> Chapter 1764 The Dove Library
Translator: SumTLMan
Toby recounted his tale of bravery and valor from beginning to end.
The more he spoke, the more passionate he became, reaching a fervor that made him seem to forget his previously displayed feelings of grievance.
However, Angel and Gloria listened intently. After all, Toby had always kept silent about his experiences in the House of Hearts.
Although Toby might have exaggerated a bit during his storytelling, from his descriptions, it was evident how perilous his ordeal during the tribulation was.
This layered entrapment, wave after wave of hidden dangers, and continuous harassment by various magical creatures made Gloria reflect. If Angel hadn’t utilized the “Dream Initiation Test” method back then, perhaps Toby wouldn’t even have had a 1% chance of succeeding.
Toby illustrated his heroic deeds, taking almost half an hour. Finally, when reaching the climax of his story of facing the tribulation, his proud expression once again shifted to one of grievance.
“…Chirp chirp!” Despite making it to the final platform, I was confident in defeating the Resentment Thoughts. I’ve practiced countless times! Yet, to my surprise, some unknown entity stole my chance!
Toby’s feathers bristled in anger. He jumped from Angel’s shoulder to the table, pacing back and forth on its surface, his eyes blazing with fury.
“So this is the cause of your frustration?” Gloria inquired after a moment.
Toby nodded sullenly.
Gloria thought, “…” Are you focusing on the wrong thing? Your primary concern should be identifying the entity that conversed with you, rather than it taking your first drop of blood!
Although Gloria wanted to voice her incredulous thoughts, seeing Toby’s downcast demeanor, she still offered some consolatory words.
“You might consider it from another angle,” she mused. “Having someone assist you is a blessing, saving you a great deal of effort.”
Upon hearing this, Toby immediately became disgruntled. He murmured and grumbled, conveying his desire not merely for assistance, but for a hands-on approach!
Gloria let out a sigh. She understood that for Toby, the ritualistic sense of being involved held more significance than just attaining a result. In her youth, she too had been fervently committed to such a sentiment. However, as her experiences grew, she began to place greater importance on achieving the end goal, rather than the process itself.
Is the ritualistic feeling more vital, or is the outcome more significant? Discerning right from wrong in this matter is indeed challenging.
Gloria longed to share her contemplative journey with Toby. But seeing his current irritated demeanor, she surmised he wasn’t in the mood for a lengthy discussion. She turned her gaze to Angel for support.
Belonging to the same younger generation, Angel might have a better understanding of Toby’s sentiments.
With a gentle smile, Angel reached out, stroking Toby’s head. The warmth of his touch, combined with the comforting sensation of smoothing down feathers, gradually soothed Toby’s agitated spirit.
Only when Toby no longer showed signs of anger did Angel speak.
Rather than getting entangled in the debate about the importance of ritualistic feelings versus results, Angel simply offered Toby some advice: “You’ve mentioned before that the entity which defeated the ‘Tribulation of Resentment’ might have done so merely to provoke you. Wouldn’t you be playing right into its hands by getting genuinely upset?”
Toby’s eyes shifted thoughtfully, as if considering the logic behind Angel’s words.
“If you’re truly enraged, then the next time you encounter it, channel that very emotion that yearns to defeat the ‘Tribulation of Resentment’ and thoroughly knock it down. Once it’s under your feet, it’ll be your turn to mock it.”
Angel’s eye-for-an-eye philosophy deeply resonated with Toby. He nodded repeatedly, flapping his wings and gesticulating with clenched fists. It seemed as if he could already envision that “destined adversary”, with each flap of his wings sending ripples through the air.
Although Toby had been appeased, both Angel and Gloria felt a lingering tension. Their eyes met, and in that shared gaze, both sensed the gravity of their situation.
After discussing Toby’s grievances, it’s time to talk about the real matter at hand.
——What is the entity that the Tribulation of Resentment wishes to summon?
Angel mused, “Based on the timing, when Toby encountered it, it should be the moment we felt an unusual emotion from the outside.”
“That dense and complex emotion isn’t stemming from the Tribulation of Resentment or the Tribulation of Rage.” A serious gleam flashed in Gloria’s eyes, “Could our speculation be correct? Is it truly… an omen of a new Tribulation?”
Analyzing the situation, there’s a high possibility of this being Toby’s new Tribulation.
According to Toby himself, the Tribulation of Resentment had reached a dead end, so it summoned a vortex, hoping that whatever was behind the vortex would come out and help it against Toby. The Tribulation of Resentment was continuously shouting, “If it disappears, you’re next.”
From this statement, some clues are evident. If it disappears, then what is the ‘next’ that would appear in Toby’s Mental Space?
Without a doubt, it would be an entity of equal realm to the Tribulation of Resentment, signaling a new tribulation.
Another supporting fact is that all the ‘vortices’ summoned by the Tribulation of Resentment, including the various creatures that hindered Toby’s progress, are actually reflections of some part within Toby, a kind of tangible projection.
This means, whatever is behind the vortex is definitely lurking somewhere within Toby’s body or in his bloodline, silently lying in wait.
The fact that this entity could defeat the Tribulation of Resentment also reveals a lot.
If it exists within Toby and can defeat the Tribulation of Resentment, its identity is almost apparent.
Love, Hate, Grief. One of The Three Tribulations.
Everything seemed to align perfectly; it was precisely due to the emergence of this new tribulation that Gloria and Angel sensed an unusual surge of emotion at that particular moment.
“The Malevolent Thoughts didn’t forget to throw an obstacle in Toby’s path, even at the very end,” remarked Gloria, a hint of mysterious light flickering in her eyes. Initially, after Toby successfully overcame his current tribulation, it would likely be a long while before he faced the next one. However, the Malevolent Thoughts’ interference has muddied the waters, complicating matters.
Even if the manifestation of this new tribulation was still some time away, its mere appearance was an omen, signifying its impending declaration to Toby.
Had Toby been unaware of its existence, it might have been a different story. But now that it had revealed itself, easy days were likely behind him. Toby’s only recourse now was to continue strengthening himself, confront this emerging challenge head-on, and hopefully defeat it in the future, much like how he conquered the Malevolent Thoughts!
Toby inherently had a distaste for training. However, today, when Gloria proposed further training to eventually vanquish this unknown entity, he not only refrained from opposing her but even nodded in agreement without hesitation. This made it evident just how deeply incensed he felt.
Channeling his anger into motivation was, in a way, commendable. Gloria felt a deep sense of relief in her heart at this.
At this juncture, Angel inquired, “By the way, have you seen what its true form looks like?”
Currently, Toby had two forms: the Griffin of Rage and Serpent-Bird of Resentment. Unless something unexpected arose, the entity behind this vortex would likely be a form that Toby might possess in the future.
Both Gloria and Sanders were equally curious about this question.
The Griffin and Serpent-Bird were formidable forms; what would this new one be?
Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Toby pondered for a moment and then shook his head.
He wasn’t sure of the entity’s true form. All he could confirm was that it probably bore pristine white feathers.
After vanquishing the Malevolent Thoughts, the very thing that felt like a fishbone stuck in Toby’s throat was a single, faintly shimmering white feather.
Chapter 1762 Changing Faces <TOC> Chapter 1764 The Dove Library