Prophecy… Ebner recalled that aside from using the mirror bestowed upon her by the "Two-Five Dragon," Edwina's so-called "prophecies" in important matters were usually derived from the oracles of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
So this time… is it also a divine arrangement?
On the surface, it looks like a hunt for the Admiral of Blood, but in truth, there must be another hidden purpose. No one knows what that purpose is—perhaps it's all to confuse that being.
This method feels awfully similar to when Daniel rescued the Chained God… Will that one fall for it again?
Hmm… but thinking from another angle, that being is currently locked in a deadlock with the Tenebrous World. Having suffered one lesson already, He would likely assume this is another diversion—a ruse to make Him relax His grip on the Tenebrous World.
So He probably won't interfere!
And maybe… that's exactly what the God of Knowledge and the others want. After all, I've already suspected that the Tenebrous World is a trap. The more the righteous gods act, the tighter that being clings to it, refusing to divide His attention.
That should be the core calculation. As for the secondary motives… they're impossible to guess.
Of course, for that one's subordinates to cooperate so precisely, He must have His own schemes as well.
As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Ebner followed beside Edwina, stepping through the teleportation gate and emerging into a lush, verdant forest glade.
Bruna, Maria, Sharon, and Klein—who had arrived earlier—were also there, all raising their heads toward a large tree.
Ebner followed their gaze and saw a thin, gray-haired old man sitting on the steps of a small treehouse. The man smiled faintly at them, then turned his gaze in another direction.
Following that line of sight, Ebner and the others saw Admiral of Blood Senor and over a dozen subordinates emerging from the shadows of the forest.
They had arrived simultaneously!
A true encounter battle… Ebner thought, just before the world around him twisted. The forest scenery warped into mirrored reflections. Klein, Sharon, Bruna, and Maria vanished—only Edwina, whose hand he was holding, remained beside him.
The Mirror World…
Having once gone through Daniel's Labyrinth, Ebner recognized the sensation instantly. The "Rose School of Thought" must have activated a Sealed Artifact the moment they saw them—splitting the battlefield apart.
"At least a Grade 1 Sealed Artifact… maybe even Grade 0," he muttered, activating his Pure White Eye to analyze the Mirror World's structure, searching for weak points.
But before he could locate any, a pale man with black hair and strange markings on his face appeared before them.
Bat-like wings flapped behind him as he hovered midair, looking down on them with a cold, twisted smile.
"A Sequence 4 and a Sequence 5, hmm?" His tone dripped with mockery.
"Such powerful desires… ah, that thirst for knowledge! Perfect—truly perfect! Both of you are fine nourishment to make up for my losses.
"Remember this moment well—you are about to have the honor of becoming one with the great Earl Al von Nois!"
Al von Nois? Ebner blinked. Wasn't that the same 'Grand Duke of Blood' from the Nois family who got pummeled by Vera in the Sea Monster War, and later cursed into a toad by Tolzna?
What's he doing here?
And if my senses aren't wrong, his current state feels like a Whisperer's level. Though his angelic soul still makes him stronger than an ordinary one.
Ebner stepped slightly forward to shield Edwina but didn't panic. The opponent might once have been an angel, but now? He doubted this fallen creature could truly defeat him. Any of Ebner's hidden cards could make the former angel regret his existence.
Seeing that Ebner didn't reply—and his mental connection attempts failed—Al von Nois grew faintly puzzled, but still said arrogantly:
"Enough talk. I'll end this quickly and go help the others… though honestly, I'd rather see them all dead."
Trying to show internal discord to distract me, so you can invade my mind and curse me?
Too bad that doesn't work.
As master of the Magic Mirror, Ebner knew demonic tricks too well. With the illusory Sun suppressing within his Pure White Eye, most spiritual corruption barely affected him.
Edwina's "Mechanical Mind" and techniques wouldn't hold forever against a Whisperer, but they could resist for a time.
So—
Ebner glanced briefly at Edwina's darkening pupils, then looked back up and smiled coldly.
"How coincidental," he said evenly. "I was thinking the same thing—deal with you quickly, then support the others."
At that, Al von Nois opened his mouth to mock him—but before he could, a surge of angelic might erupted from Ebner's eyes.
From the flowing information emerged the form of a silver-haired, silver-eyed girl of breathtaking beauty.
"'Song of Night', Yaloran?"
…
At the same time, elsewhere in the Mirror World—
Two elderly men fused together, even their hair intertwined like gnarled vines, appeared before Bruna.
Facing their four greedy eyes, Bruna sneered.
"Hardy, Pran—stop staring," she said coldly. "Or I'll dig those eyes out and feed them to my little pets."
"Bruna," one of the heads rasped, "this is Bayam, not West Balam! Your Empress can't protect you here!"
"You should've been ours more than a century ago," said the other. "Too bad Roselle showed up and stole you away. But today, your luck's run out!
"We came here knowing there'd be opposition—not only because of Mother Tree's command, but also because we want you!"
Bruna's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Oh? You think one head staying silent counts as playing the Silent Disciple? Didn't know being conjoined twins had its perks."
Her tone then turned icy.
"You think sealing space with a Sealed Artifact and cutting me off from the Underworld means I'm helpless?"
As she spoke, pale and greenish sigils flared into being behind her, weaving together into a tangible bronze door.
"This is… Authority? Impossible! You're part of the Royal Faction—how could the Artificial Death favor you?!" Hardy exclaimed in disbelief.
"Take a guess," Bruna said with a faint smile—and the bronze gate swung open.
…
Meanwhile—
The Admiral of Pale, Maria, covered in wounds, finally drew her sword Pale Justice. She fixed her gaze on the High Summoner Idith, who was laughing as she battled Sharon—and swung with all her strength.
In an instant, blinding radiance erupted, brighter than the sun.
…
Back in the real world, Klein glanced at where his companions had vanished, then at the Admiral of Blood and his subordinates closing in around him.
How did this ambush turn into me being surrounded?
Still, he stayed composed. Before the enemy could act, he unrolled a scroll—summoning his only marionette, the Admiral of Hell Ludwell—and pulled out a small adventurer's harmonica to blow it.
But before he could play, the voice of the great inventor Turanney von Helmosuin echoed above him:
"Beware of Suah! The Mother Tree of Desire has never given up on claiming you!"
Suah? Klein frowned, confused—then the "Messenger" beside him grabbed his arm, pulling him toward the treehouse.
Before they reached it, the sky darkened.
A massive, ten-meter-long arm—black, viscous, and covered in twisted hands—descended from the heavens, crashing toward the forest.
What in the world—?!
Before he could react, the black parasol Sharon had given him suddenly opened on its own, expanding rapidly into a massive canopy that shielded them from the blow.
…
At the same time, in an unknown space—
Within a withered body entwined by brown branches, a puppet's eyes flickered pure white for a split second before dimming again.
The withered being—Suah—was too distracted by Her distant descent to notice the anomaly within Herself.
(End of this chapter)