A Shocking Secret

Three millennia ago, the world’s magical energy had already waned from its peak, yet mysterious powers and various exotic beings still thrived. Elves resided in the forests, dwarves mined deep within mountains, winged folk soared through the skies, and merfolk dwelled beneath the waves. Magic, holy light, and battle aura persisted, with a few exceptionally powerful peak experts maintaining the world’s delicate balance.

During the years Sally was sealed away, the world continued its relentless rotation, generally preserving its equilibrium. Though minor frictions occasionally arose, such as localized wars or demons escaping to capture humans, the overall stability remained.

This world was destined to evolve further, perhaps with the mystical energies of its World Source eventually depleting after countless ages, prompting a shift towards technological development. However, and this is a significant ‘however,’ three thousand years ago, a gaping hole suddenly appeared in the world.

Indeed, a tear manifested in the seemingly impenetrable World Wall, a barrier forged from the fundamental laws of time, space, and energy intertwined as the world’s very cornerstone.

As may have been mentioned before, most worlds resemble individual bubbles, drifting through the vast emptiness of the cosmos, protected by their World Walls. Planes in close proximity, possessing sufficiently similar fundamental laws, could connect via inter-planar teleportation channels.

Such occurrences were rare, however. More often, multi-planar systems comprised a singular, immense central plane that, having reached its developmental zenith and encountered a bottleneck, then fractured into smaller ‘bubble’ worlds due to its inherent expansive nature.

Let us return to the issue of the World Wall. If the world is a bubble suspended in the void, then this World Wall is akin to the skin of that great bubble. It is the most resilient barrier, born from the world’s fundamental laws and its very origin, designed to protect it.

This wall defends against the chaotic tides of the void, the incursions of void creatures, and the ravages of energy storms. It functions much like an eggshell protecting an egg; without its safeguarding, the world itself, with its inherently fragile defenses, would truly ‘fall apart’ in every sense of the word.

Yet, this crucial barrier was breached, a hole torn through it.

The most immediate consequence was the rapid escape of free-floating energy in the air. These shallowest components of the world’s composition instantly surged out through the massive rupture. The entire world became like a leaking balloon, its energy density plummeting to a critically dangerous level in an incredibly short span of time.

Countless powerhouses from various races, after great effort, managed to traverse the energy storms, only to discover nothing. There was only a massive, circular hole in the World Wall.

There were no creatures from the void as imagined, no traces of plots by lower-plane devils or demons; merely a circular aperture whose edges were so smooth they filled the strong individuals of all races with terror.

This vast hole in the World Wall was like an empty eye. Everyone exposed to the gaze of this hollow, singular eye felt an icy dread surge from their feet to their brains, a chill that could not be dispelled.

‘How could such an incredibly sturdy World Wall be breached!’

There was no residual aura, no lingering movement.

If this hole had been torn by a creature, then that creature…

Terror began to spread. Gazing at this enormous breach in what was reputed to be the most resilient component of the world’s structure—the World Wall—even the sages of the elven race, the gods of war from human kingdoms, and the inspecting angels descended from higher planes, all felt a shiver run down their spines.

To prevent widespread panic, the leaders of all races imposed a strict information blockade. Subsequently, the saints united, expending immense effort. Moreover, it was largely due to the world’s intrinsic self-healing properties that this chasm, as vast as a mountain peak, was eventually sealed.

The world’s apex powerhouses returned to their respective races, their hearts heavy with suspicion and unease.

In the subsequent years, the drastic reduction in the world’s magical energy led to nearly all races, save for the highly adaptable humans, suffering from ‘magic addiction.’ This affliction, characterized by a desperate craving for anything magical due to the severe energy depletion, caused immense suffering across all races.

Consequently, driven by the dire circumstances, the leaders of these races urgently launched the cross-realm starships that had been under preparation for several years. Led by two colossal dragons, they hastily broke through the world’s boundary and fled.

As magical energy continued to decline, the mystical side of the world gradually withered into desolation.

Perceiving that this world no longer held significant value, entities from other realms began to actively distance themselves from what they considered a derelict world. Some even mobilized their subordinates to physically push this abandoned world away from their own.

After all, energy exhibits a siphoning phenomenon between worlds. If their own plane were to become attached to this barren one, thereby having its energy drained, would it not be a considerable loss?

Those left behind due to the hasty evacuation—primarily humans and races with less demanding magical needs—witnessed the gradual disappearance of other species from the world. They either perished agonizingly from magic addiction or degenerated due to the loss of magical energy, leaving behind only faint historical traces and the crumbling ruins now known as relics.

As time continued its relentless march, these remaining relics and fragmented histories were concealed by those with ulterior motives. Only a select few, in their relentless pursuit of ancient knowledge, could uncover fleeting glimpses of the era when myriad races once flourished.

Thereafter, the number of powerful individuals remaining in the world dwindled, and their influence over kingdoms waned significantly. The world became plagued by incessant warfare, leading to its current state of numerous factions and warring nations.

Sally’s somewhat translucent hands withdrew from a pile of monstrous flesh. The ten-meter-tall creature of blood and sinew stiffened for a moment before collapsing with a thunderous crash.

Dust billowed outwards. Sally stood silently, gazing down at the fallen body of the tentacled monstrosity.

Even after defeating such a formidable enemy and unearthing such a world-shattering secret, an uncontrollable sorrow and a profound sense of loss still consumed the vast majority of her being.

“Ah… you idiotic, foolish woman…”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to become the Queen of the Bloodkin, to forever mock a little runt like me? How could you just…”

Poom! A tentacle as thick as a tree trunk was crushed into fine powder. A cloud of blood mist erupted into the air, and the evil god’s body convulsed, letting out a muffled groan.

“Heheheh… heheh… Even if you defeat me… cough, my companions will not let you… go.”

An icy, damp mental projection sent a vicious curse towards Sally.

“I’ve changed my mind… You enjoy devouring souls, don’t you?”

The demon, who had been silent until now, raised her head. She bared her teeth, her slightly dilated pupils holding a hint of distraction and suppressed madness, as she stared at the now limp mass of flesh before her.

“Then why don’t you experience the taste of being devoured yourself? How about that?”

Heheheh, the demon looked up at the mountain of flesh and let out a laugh.

The next moment, dozens of lanterns, burning with fierce blue-purple flames, drifted out from black spatial rifts that tore open behind Sally. They encircled the pile of rotten flesh.

The flagstones on the ground instantly shifted, and a somewhat crude stone chair emerged behind the demon.

Sally sat upon this stone chair, smiling as she watched the evil god slowly become enveloped by the blue-purple flames emanating from the lanterns.

Amidst the Star-Prowler’s agonizing screams as its soul was consumed by the soul flames, the demon retrieved a pot of steaming black tea from her illusory space and placed it on the stone table that had just risen before her.

“Don’t rush. I will control the intensity of these soul flames. They won’t extinguish until your soul truly collapses.”

“Heh, is the pain of merely tearing and burning a soul truly so unbearable? As an evil god, your current state is truly unsightly.”

Listening to the Star-Prowler’s desperate, agonizing cries, the demon poured a cup of black tea from the pot with a faint smile, then took a sip.

“Don’t worry, we have plenty of time… you who devoured Grace’s soul.”

Her gaze was deep and melancholic, filled with a mixture of vengeful satisfaction and an indelible sorrow.

Looking up, after the mist had cleared, a pure white moon hung high in the sky.

“Even you, my last one, have left me… Grace, my…”

Her words paused for a moment, followed by a long sigh.

Sigh…

The protracted sigh slowly dissipated into the air, yet it stirred not a single ripple, gradually fading amidst the screams.

What could not be quelled, however, was the profound guilt and lament within her heart.