Phoenix Man originally expected a show of force, a mix of threats and inducements, but to his surprise, the other party was so understated, even showing a hint of goodwill.
This, instead, made Him even more wary.
"Since that's the case, Bug God…" Phoenix Man's tone was still guarded, "Then you went to all this trouble to find me, it can't be just to invite me to sample your poisonous fruits, can it?"
With His eyesight, He naturally knew how deadly those strange-colored fruits were; even He, if He accidentally ate a few too many bites, might lose His life.
"Of course not."
As He spoke, Han Sen rose from the throne.
At this moment, Phoenix Man felt as if the light in the entire palace dimmed for an instant.
His three-meter-tall, pitch-black body wasn't considered bulky among Monsters, but it was like a black hole that swallowed light, and the space around Him was slightly distorted by the terrifying energy He emitted.
A sense of oppression, originating from the life-level, swept over Him like a tide.
"Phoenix Man, I called you here to tell you something."
Han Sen slowly descended the steps, each step seemingly landing in the gaps of Phoenix Man's heartbeats, and in the blink of an eye, He appeared like a ghost behind Him, His dark claws gently pinching the place where His long neck connected to His body.
"Actually, we… are the same kind of people."
Ding! Detected a replicable target: Phoenix Man!
Successfully replicated SR-grade ability: Phoenix Space Lv1!
Current ability slots occupied: 13/20.
Wh-when!?
The terrifying speed Han Sen suddenly displayed and the seemingly harmless contact made Phoenix Man feel like He was electrocuted, His feathers almost bristling, and His heart was greatly alarmed!
The clumsy, stupid-like aura inherent in His dull bird appearance made Him seem unresponsive, but in reality, His mind was already racing.
No, no way! Could it be that my constant feigning loyalty to Orochi and Great Eyes, seemingly faithfully completing every task, while in reality not trusting them at all, and even attempting to create a super organization far surpassing the Monster Association, to become a super Monster of 'God' disaster level… Could my true thoughts, hidden deep in my heart, have been seen through by Him?
Impossible, absolutely impossible! How could He know!
Thinking of the recent rumors circulating about Bug God and Psykos's unspeakable private affairs, Phoenix Man's heart immediately sank. He involuntarily took a step back, His voice a little hoarse: "W-what a joke, how could I be the same kind of person as you…"
Han Sen, who had spent a few seconds familiarizing himself with the newly acquired SR-grade psychic ability 'Phoenix Space,' was slightly stunned when He came back to His senses, a hint of suspicion in His crimson eyes: "Your expression is very interesting, did you think of something strange?"
"Eh… Is it not?"
Han Sen casually patted His wing and said, "What I mean is, actually…"
Successfully replicated SR-grade ability: Phoenix Space Lv1!
Current ability slots occupied: 13/20.
"What I mean is…"
Han Sen's voice rang in Phoenix Man's ear, as if carrying some kind of magic that made Him freeze again: "We are all prisoners under 'Dolls.'"
After a few seconds of freezing, Phoenix Man's dull bird head tilted in another direction, His eyes filled with disbelief, as if saying, "Are you treating me like an idiot?"
"You don't believe me?"
Han Sen smiled, withdrew His hand, and said leisurely: "In my opinion, the so-called 'Dolls' do not specifically refer to the performance costumes like the one you are wearing."
"Armor, mecha, suits… Even the barrier we build in our hearts, called the 'Wall of Heart,' to distinguish ourselves from others, can be included in the concept of 'Dolls.'"
"We hide under our respective 'Dolls,' playing roles that are either strong or weak, yearning to be understood, yet afraid of being seen through. This viewpoint, you… should be the one who can relate to it the most, right?"
Behind the desk next to the throne, Armed Gorilla lowered his head in thought, scrutinizing his full-body Renovation armor, then came to a conclusion.
Boss's methods of deceiving people are truly brilliant, I almost believed him…
No, I have to write this down! The title will be… 'Bug God's Sayings'!
On the other side, as Han Sen spoke, Phoenix Man's dull bird head gradually became serious, and the disbelief and vigilance in His eyes were gradually replaced by shock.
"Wall of Heart?" Phoenix Man murmured to himself, this novel phrase, like a key, precisely unlocked the deepest shackles in His heart, "…It truly is an exceptionally precise and accurate summary."
As a true Doll Monster, it was the first time He had heard such a profound analysis that seemed to see into His soul.
"But that's just your say-so. How will you prove that you are also under a 'Doll'?"
Facing Phoenix Man's stunned gaze, Han Sen remained silent, merely raising His right hand calmly.
Phoenix Space, ability activated.
Invisible mental fluctuations spread out like ripples, instantly linking and synchronizing their consciousnesses. Phoenix Man's vision blurred, and all His senses were instantly overturned.
Before Him was a cloudless azure sky, with a warm sun hanging high above.
Under His feet was soft, boundless emerald grass, and the air even carried the fragrance of grass and earth.
Everything was incredibly real, so real that He couldn't distinguish between reality and illusion!
Phoenix Man looked around in shock, His jaw-dropping bird beak letting out a distorted cry of surprise.
"Th-th-this… This is!?"
Phoenix Man's heart was pounding wildly. In His understanding, 'Dolls' carried the ability to communicate with gods, and within them was connected a shared spiritual otherworld for Doll Monsters.
This was one of His secrets and trump cards, yet now it was being used casually by a strange Monster, giving Him a sense of 'I was here first' frustration and defeat!
"Welcome to…" Across from Phoenix Man, Han Sen spread His hands in a welcoming gesture, His gaze playful, "Bug God Space."
Phoenix Man: "…"
"It truly is… astonishing talent."
After a long pause, Phoenix Man in the mental space finally squeezed out this sentence from His bird beak.
He had to admit that this Bug God's understanding of 'Dolls' indeed had its unique aspects, perhaps even surpassing His own!
Nonsense, He even conjured up His exclusive mental space, 'Bug God Space,' which is enough to show that the other party's words are definitely not empty talk.
Taking a deep breath, Phoenix Man's dull bird head tilted, and He tentatively asked, "So, you called me here…?"
Han Sen's movements remained unchanged, His tone sounding matter-of-fact: "Of course, it's to establish the 'Doll Monster Friendly Mutual Aid Alliance,' to build a pure land belonging only to us Doll Monsters in this polluted world where we cannot trust each other."
Phoenix Man: "…"
This set of captivating rhetoric perfectly coincided with the arguments He used to entice strong individuals into corruption.
But when it was said to Him by someone else…
It really had no appeal at all!
-------------------------
Thank you for following my story. If you want to read it in advance, please visit my Patreon — there are currently about 30-40 chapters pre-posted there. Your support really motivates me to continue releasing more stories!
👉[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]