TM: Vengeance of the Indomitable and Crazed Shades

Approximately fifteen minutes earlier, right around when Temorsth arrived in the dimension of shadows...

Somewhere in a world behind the veils of dimensions, in a fort where the air hung heavy with an oppressive malevolence, suffocating every breath.

A sickly miasma clung to the walls, pulsating with an unnatural rhythm, as if the very stones of the fortress were tainted by some ancient, malignant force.

"Hm? This... space magic? A teleportation array?" The words echoed through the twisted, nightmarish chambers, bouncing off walls adorned with aberrant masses of flesh and corrupted, oozing substances.

A grotesque, hulking figure, more of a nightmare than beings of the Monster Race, sprawled upon a throne of twisted form.

With eyes sealed shut, he spoke in a voice so distorted, so unnerving, that it seemed to scrape against reality itself. As his words slithered forth, his decaying visage crumbled and sloughed away, only to be greedily reabsorbed into his wretched form.

"My Lord...?" The young man's voice trembled with confusion, a tremor of unease barely concealed. Yet, the abomination continued its vile monologue, heedless of the advisor's disquiet.

"Aren't you rather unlucky? Fate wants me to destroy you... It's truly unfortunate, for you to have worked for naught. Surprisingly, even I wouldn't have noticed if my Divine Sense hadn't been passing by right when it was used, but now..."

"My Lord?" The voice persisted, but the beast's eyes remained shut, veiled beneath the nightmare of its existence.

"Uhm..." The charming young man adjusted his glasses, his hand betraying the slightest tremor. The beast's narrowed gaze bore into him, irritation simmering beneath the surface.

"Prepare the army." The command sliced through the air, leaving a lingering, foreboding resonance. The advisor hesitated, his voice faltering. "Uh...? Wh-who do we attacking, my Lord?"

*Hmhmh...* The chuckle resonated, chilling the air and causing the shadows to writhe in response. One word, delivered with a dark and bone-chilling cadence, sent shivers down the advisor's spine.

"Shadow!"

"Uh-Uh... Wh-who?" The advisor stammered, hoping against hope that he had misheard.

"Hmhmhm... Shadows!"

"...!?" The word hung in the air, heavy and ominous, a dread weight settling upon the advisor's heart.

The chief advisor mustered the courage to speak, attempting to defy the unthinkable. "But..."

"Hm!?" The beast's amusement soured, replaced by a growl that cut through the air like a blade.

"Understood!" The timid advisor snapped to attention, bowing low in reluctant acceptance.

"Good..." The beast's chuckle resumed an eerie counterpoint to the silence that followed. In the recesses of his mind, the advisor grappled with the inconceivable.

'Ugh... Why... Why are we attacking the strongest Overlord... Did the Lord go crazy from boredom?' The question haunted him, a desperate attempt to make sense of the insanity.

"Then, excuse me." With no further orders forthcoming, the advisor turned to leave, but not before the beast's voice called out once more.

"I will hold her back so..."

"Yes, my Lord?" He turned, steeling himself for whatever twisted edict might follow.

"Use corruption!"

"...!"

"I don't care how many you sacrifice, just get as much of her territory as you can... if you want... You can kill them all." The words hung in the air, a macabre symphony of dread.

Behind his glasses, the advisor's eyes widened, only to be replaced by a grotesque grin, stretching wide and ghastly across his face. "Understood!"

...

Back with Temorsth and the mannequin, just a few seconds earlier, as Feral became enraged and the others attempted to calm him.

'Uh, damn it, I have... Hm!?' She realized her error, speaking out of frustration. She was about to rectify it and extricate herself from the situation as she had done before, but...

"...!!?" A surge of energy coursed through her.

'Corruption!?' Just like with Temrosth, she immediately detected the intruder and discerned his identity.

'My Queen, we are under...' Her most trusted follower, who was on a mission, also sensed it. He had been the target of an attack by the followers of that loathsome creature.

'I know... I give you full control. Just hold them back for a moment. I'll be there in a sec...' As she conveyed her orders through the Divine Message, just before completing her sentence, another anomaly was felt.

'My Queen?'

'This energy, the array!?' She sensed the activation of the array she had hastily created to entrap Temrosth. She begrudgingly acknowledged the shrewdness of this despicable being's plan. However, now... Besides her people, she had someone else to worry about.

"Quickly, we must..." She sprang up from her seat, reaching out towards Temrosth while calling out urgently.

"Umu?" Although he heard the urgent tone and even as Original was aware of the danger, it still took a moment for him to return to reality from their inner world.

"Oh..." Unfortunately, for beings of their caliber, a moment was more than sufficient.

"Whom have I stumbled upon?" It didn't take even a heartbeat for this beast of corruption to reach the room—a room that had taken them five minutes to reach on foot, even with the midway teleportation they employed, which the creature didn't need. For him, this distance was but a single leap.

'Fuck... how fucked are we?' Hearing the repulsive voice emanating from the other side of the door, Feral's question echoed.

Temorsth's gaze shifted from the slowly opening door to the now-standing mannequin. As Seeker assessed her slightly nervous demeanor, a clear thought formed in his mind.

'Fucked enough...'

'...!?' Hearing such words from someone like Seeker, even Feral recognized that this time, this situation, was no joke.

"Ugh..." Temrosth instinctively recoiled as the door's wings swung open, not from the grotesque form that resembled a nightmarish incarnation of decay, but from the putrid odor that clung to the air, a sickening testament to the monster's rotting existence.

"It's been a long time... Hmh..." The beast's steps left behind trails of darkened, decaying flesh, which hungrily rooted itself in the cold stone floor and plush carpeting. The tainted growth spread like a sinister vine, pulsing in a macabre rhythm, as if echoing a twisted heartbeat.

A momentary pause ensued after just a few steps. "Why are you disguised as your avatar?" The question emerged, conveying the same confusion as the creature's remnants of discernible features did amidst the sea of decayed skin and muscle.

"From whom did you... hide...?" With the following question, the beast's entirely void of light, black and sunken eyes shifted away from her.

'...?' They fixated on another source of energy, one so feeble he had mistaken it for a mere fly or some other insect until this moment.

'Black...'

"Hmh..." A simple exchange of glances passed between the two, but swiftly the mannequin responded, she stepped forward with the intent to reclaim the beast's attention.

"Getting so worked up, aren't we?"

"Corruption, you do not want this fight!"

"Hm? Oh no, I'm pretty sure I do. But then again, what have I found out... The Queen of Death, The Goddess of Shadows, The Strongest Overlord... is stealing Mortal children... for her own... entertainment?"

"...?" At first, confusion flickered in her eyes, then a hint of crimson tinged her cheeks with embarrassment.

"Sick bastard! Not just your figure, but even your mind is such a disgust!" Anger flared in her emerald eyes as she looked upon the beast with a decaying form.

*Ahahahahah...*

"And to top it off, it's a vampire! An undead! Hey, hypocrite bitch, wasn't it one of your doctrines that all undeath should be exterminated? You aren't adhering to your teachings. It is no surprise you struggle with your advancement even though stolen power!"

"Shut up, you disgusting thing! I've already heard enough of your voice!"

"What is it, embarrassed from getting your dark secrets revealed? Don't worry, soon everyone will know of you stealing power!"

"Hmhp, be it so, it is still not as disgraceful as me needing to sacrifice my followers and subordinates. Even now I feel it, the blood of your army tainting my territory for your, corruption... weakling!"

*Grr...* In the beast's eyes, similar to her, rage flared up.

"Morvainya, you fucking bitch!" The beast shouted while he fired a blast of corupted energy at her.

"Hmhp, as I just said... a weakling." With ease she defended but from it, her form and body... slowly cracks appeared on the image of a mannequin. 

"Someone as weak and disgusting as you shouldn't even think of my name not to outer it out." The cracks spread and the illusion broke apart. She could have still held up the magic, but either way, in this battle sooner or later it would have shattered.

And as such, without further energy, in a swift, shimmering cascade of energy, the illusion shattered like glass, revealing her true form.

With a graceful flourish, the mannequin's cold, lifeless facade gave way to a vision of ethereal beauty.

'Uh?' Inside Temorsth who was witnessing this transformation first hand.

'He was a girl!!? Seeker!?' Relatio's scream resounded, calling out the one who tried to trick him.

'What? You did not ask.'

'Ah... such a beauty, the cascading obsidian hair, the framed porcelain skin, as they are flowing down to meet the verdant expanse of her gown.' As he spoke he almost fell forward with a mesmerized look in his eyes that reflected the projection-like image they could see in the inner world.

'Oh no... he started to sing! Seeker it's your fault, stop him!' Feral cried out but it was too late.

'Her eyes, radiant as emeralds, gleaming with an inner fire, breathing life into this once-static form. This transformation, a testament to her power, a manifestation of her concealed magnificence.'

Without worrying about the outside situation Relation continued, but very soon, instead of his, a new and loud voice echoed in their rather empty world.

[Warrning!]

And outside, at the same time. Just as she felt the strange gaze of Temorsth, which even made her eyes divert with a small smile.

[Warrning!!]

'...!?' But even that smile disappeared as she thought of something.

'His words, my n...!?' As the realization hit her, her eyes widened, and for a moment her beautiful complexion paled, becoming the exact opposite of the beast's who had a wide and chilling grin on it.

"Kid!" As the previous attack wasn't even directed at her, she turned to the real target.

She turned away from the beast and kneeled to one knee before Temorsth, but even with that, her energy did not go down from around them, and still, her senses were monitoring every minuscule movement of the beast.

"Hey, boy, don't think! Forget it! Everything you heard, it's not real!" She screamed while grabbing his shoulders and even her eyes started to shake, she didn't know, it was the first time for her so she didn't know what to say or do.

"Kid!?"

[Warrning!!!]

"Uhm?" He saw her mesmerizing lips curve and move, but her words became a distant murmur, drowned out but obviously so, as a loud voice was right now shouting inside his head he couldn't do much.

[Warrning: The Host has heard the true name of a God-ranked being!]

[Warrning: The Host's ER does not suffice for the acquired knowledge!]

'Uhm, so Aidana wasn't lying... It's actually happening...'

'Obviously, I already said so!'

'Yeah-yeah...'

[Plasublity is insufficient...]

'This is bad isn't it?'

'Yeah...'

[The difference between the recipient and the information's rank is... Extreme.]

'Extreme...?'

'Looks like there are even ranks for this.'

[Punishment level Extreme is being administered!]

[The Host's survivability is...]

'Survivability? So it's not certain death?'

'That's good, we still h...'

[0.85℅]

'So it is...'

[Good luck to the Host!]

'Hm? Thanks, I guess...'

"Kid, come back to your senses don't be swallowed up! Hey, do you hear me!?" As the system quieted down, he began to hear the outside once more.

*Gahagahh* "Give it up Morviayna, you feel it too, the energy of law has already descended onto him. It's far too late!"

"Shut your mouth, you fucking price of shit!"

"...?" The eyes that turned to look at him, her beautiful eyes that could have been mistaken for a precious emerald right now were rather a ruby one with a flare of rage, Morviayna was truly about to lose it.

"If he dies I won't let you run away, I will chase you down, you disgusting shithead!"

"..." His silence was palpable, he completely shut up, not because she ordered so but because he was surprised.

'That boy, was he not just a toy?' He first thought Temorsth was an entertainment or a joke she could laugh at.

And this attack too was a simple plan made according to the thought that if he broke her toy, she would get angry and attack first, giving him the advantage. Unfortunately, he realized his mistake a step too late.

'That mortal actually meant something to her?' It was hard to comprehend, a being that was equivalent to an insect for them could mean something, it was truly strange.

A similar situation to when a human cries over a dead ant in his farm of thousands, an action that was simply a joke to others.

'Is she putting on a facade? Hmh?' Just as the beast was thinking to himself, a feeling hit him, something was not right.

"He-Hey..." And Morviayna was realizing it too, it was missing.

"Uhm..."

'He... Why is he not screaming?' The beast questioned as his eyes scanned Temorsth and the energy around him.

'System...' As he felt the stare from both of them, he too had to ask.

[Response: What should I help with the Host?]

'Uhm... When will this penalty start?'

[Response: The penalty is already in effect.]

'It is? Then, why am I... alive?'

[Response: A death penalty is rarely given. The reason for the low percentage of survival is.]

'...'

[Suicide.]

'Uh? Suicide? Uhm, what's the punishment that I have received?'

[Response: Pain(Extreme).]

'...!' At this moment, after hearing the system, Persona called out inside the world of stars and unrestricted energy, standing on the only reachable space in this endless universe, the white round platform representing their mind.

'There weren't any physical changes so I couldn't... I didn't... I... I have made a mistake. I... I'm sorry... Its... I...' Even as the others were looking he bowed his head with stuttering words, he could not, or rather, didn't want to form a good excuse.

'Don't worry.' The one with the calming words was one of the rulers of this world, Original, the only one who could have an actual say in this.

'Uhm... Should I...?' With a still bowing stature, Persona looked up while showing a hesitant gaze.

'It is not needed. We are not in a situation where we have the leeway to act, and to these beings, our powers don't matter.'

Just as Original's words were finished a new assertive voice spoke. 'Hmph, acting bastard!'

'Shut up Feral!'

'Fuck you! Father gave you only one disgusting job and you couldn't even do that!?'

'What is it!? Do you want to go at it?'

'Yeah, why not!? Hmh, I will teach you that you as the weakest out of all of us should take care of your job and not challenge me!'

'You...!'

And right as the two of them were literally at each other's throats. Outside, confusion descended onto the room. 

'What... what's... how is it not happening?'

'...? I can clearly feel the energy of law... Then... Is this boy...'

'He doesn't feel pain?' Right at the same time... both of them thought the same thing... 

"And yeah, just like them when I saw it, I too thought." With the words, a giant yellow eye opened in the dark.

'You don't feel pain.' As the eye's long vertical-shaped dark iris focused down onto the little thing before him, the child shook from a chill that ran through him.

*Hmhmhmh...*

"But now... I know... Little monster... You who have survived that... pain. There is no way in the world any more of it would even faze you."

"Who... Who am I?" Even through the monologue of the Great Monster, the child continued his desperate question, his plea for knowledge.

"Hm, and that's precisely why... I don't understand... You pushed through even with a fake smile and feelings... Yet now... How could you give... No, you did not... Not yet..."

"Yes, not yet..." The words sounded like encouragement, words that tried to hold up the spirit of an almost broken cause. 

"Who... Am..."

"Then, for that question, let me tell you... who."