Deep in the border forest between Alban and Garland, next to the Ash Mountains.
The sun had already set, and the trees were soaked by the breath of the abyss, slightly twisted and darkened. Under the blur of the night, the strange tree shadows are like ghosts in legends, and they will move in the next second. Grey-red moss engulfs the fallen stones, and sticky rattan snakes dangle ominously from the branches, swaying ominously in the night wind.
The air was filled with a strange smell of water, and it smelled like wet stones on a riverbed.
Under the shade of dense foliage, when it reaches the ground, there is hardly much moonlight left. One or more pairs of green-reflecting eyes flashed across the darkness, and a modest body rustled through the bushes—several animals were fleeing from here for some reason.
In the opposite direction the creatures fled, there was a clearing with sparse trees.
At this moment, there is a dim light shining there, but that light is extremely cold, and it has nothing to do with "hope" and "safety" at all.
"The magic circle over there is not up to standard, destroy it and repaint it." Della Lenien knocked on the barrel with the silver spoon in his hand, and there was a sense of order in his tone.
An gritted his teeth, clenched the handle of the wooden barrel in his hand, and squeezed it until it rattled.
"It's the fifteenth time." She whispered without a smile, "I'm about to rub this lawn bald."
"Your heart is restless. You're distracted, aren't you? The lines of the circle never lie." Della Laineen responded unceremoniously. "Even if you dig all the way to the skin of the World Pillar, I will not allow a magic circle of this quality to take effect under my nose."
The Queen of Alban looked left and right, and after making sure that her long-winded knight was not there, she decisively grimaced at the Abyss Sage.
"...Okay, the sixteenth time." An sighed after rubbing the painted pattern on the bottom of the boot. She scooped up the shimmering silver liquid in the bucket with a strange silver spoon and repainted it.
"Ramon, your drawing is crooked - take a half step back to the position of the tree behind you." The white behemoth floated above the sky, while flicking its tail, it glanced at the bottom with blue eyes and was trying to draw. People with complex circles.
And the huge magic circle that is gradually taking shape.
One by one, complex and beautiful, like the dizzying embroidery on a lady's dress.
And in the middle of the big formation, there is a group of smaller and more delicate formations.
Different from the complex circles on the outside, the small circles are made of metal. The smooth and uniform metal filaments are wrapped around the magic stone full of runes, and the beauty is close to the work of art. In this way, they overlap each other to form a more complex three-dimensional structure, which looks like a gorgeous altar with hollowed out at first glance.
The skull of the Demon King was placed securely on it, and the surface was filled with large and small runes with black lines. If you only look at the silver metal altar and the pale skull, the scene has a twisted and cold beauty.
The aura belonging to the abyss magic wandered around the altar, so strong that it made people uncomfortable.
Jesse can roughly calculate the approximate effect of the "altar". If you just want to summon the Demon King's consciousness here, the outer circle doesn't need to be drawn so big at all.
If it wasn't for Oliver Ramon's explicit rejection of Della Lane's proposal, Jesse would have been convinced that Mr. Ramon was going to imprison the Demon King's consciousness, and then took the opportunity to kill the body of the World Pillar.
By now…
Jessie smacked her lips, licking the hair around her mouth. Decided to look at his most powerful family—
Adrian seemed determined not to ask anything, he just painted the circle quietly. Even if Jesse tried to look at it with his eyes to find fault, he couldn't pick out anything wrong.
Forget it, the gods on the surface thought seriously. This terrible formation had taken them four days and four nights, and now it was about to be completed. No matter what Ramon's idea is, he will soon see the results.
The moment the magic circle was completed, the chill and chilling atmosphere instantly swept away.
An exhausted human being, Ann dropped the spoon and sat down against the tree. Bagelmore flew over to Ann, ripped a pouch from her fanny pack, and picked up nuts for himself.
The huge magic circle glowed with a soft orange-red light, illuminating a large area of twisted and terrifying nearby trees from bottom to top. The scene looked like an upside-down twilight.
Spectacular yet ominous.
Oliver walked over to Ann, took out a piece of fruit from the pile of luggage, and nibbled it slowly. He was still wearing the black armor without the cape—the armor was obviously well mended, just clean. No previous battle marks left half a scratch on it.
The sword of rest was inserted into the white ukulele, carried on the back by their captain.
"The magic circle is complete." An chewed on the jerky and raised his eyebrows at Oliver.
"I know." Oliver finished eating the fruit, the gray fog swept over, and the fruit core directly dissipated into the air.
"Don't be too pushy, Captain. If you're nervous, we all understand." Ann grinned feebly, "... After all, no one knows what will happen in a while."
At this point, the consciousness of the Pillar of the World is very likely to appear. But no one knows whether it will be the "Ulysses" who have no feelings, or the "Nimo" they once knew.
It's not that she never thought to ask the details of Oliver's plan, but every time she saw him pondering over the great formation that could theoretically imprison his lover, she couldn't ask. Oliver never hesitated to ask for help, and since he didn't, the Tumbleweed members tacitly kept silent about it.
The curious Jesse tried to ask. Oliver was just stunned, he didn't seem to have any intention of concealing it, but he seemed a little embarrassed.
Unfortunately, before he could speak, the beast unnaturally backed away—Adrian sighed, grabbed the fluffy tail, and dragged Jesse out of the room.
Oliver didn't say a word, and there must be a reason for not saying anything. Naturally, they could question him and ask him to reveal all his plans. But in this tormenting moment, a little trust might make their head feel better.
It is estimated that Adrian Cross thinks the same way.
Now, the answer they were waiting for is coming soon.
"Remember Mooney's Carapan?" Ann asked casually, trying to suppress the tension in her voice.
Unlike the last time when he parted with Nemo, Oliver was holding the communication crystal chip in a haunted way. At the moment Oliver Ramon looks calm and reliable, and his worries and tensions are hidden deep in his eyes. Kean was still keenly aware of them and decided to change the subject.
"Remember, the people who survived the expedition with Dad were in the reconnaissance team last time." Oliver nodded, looking in the direction of the altar.
"A few days ago, Mr. Wild Dog gave me some wind. That old guy from Calapan is actively promoting the next expedition." An drank the wine in the jug and wiped his mouth. "Really impatient."
"Alban weaponized a large number of bones and jade, and Willard's situation is estimated to be similar." Oliver pouted, "In order to ensure energy consumption other than weapons, this is not too urgent."
Those green eyes kept looking at the skull of the Demon King not far away.
"I read before that the so-called 'Eighteenth Generation' Demon King Ulysses was killed, but only sixty-five years after the 'Seventeenth Generation' was killed... And in the early documents, two There can be hundreds of years, or even thousands of years, between generations of demon kings. The interval between expeditions is getting shorter all the time.”
"This time, less than thirty years have passed, and the pillar of the world is not easy." An Gan smiled, "Oliver, if you need me to find a way to delay the expedition—"
"No need, this is just right." Oliver sighed long, his tone very serious.
He stood up, glanced at the position of the moon, then pulled the sword of rest from the ukulele and held it tightly in his left hand.
Oliver was undoubtedly right-handed, and Ann raised her eyebrows higher.
"It's time, Ann."
their leader said softly.
"It's time for me to fulfill my promise."
The moon traveled to the right position, and the brilliance of the magic circle flourished.
Dellalienne sat on a branch of the tree closest to the magic circle, and tapped the head of the grey parrot hiding among the leaves not far away with her fingers.
The abyss sage's eager eyes went back and forth between Oliver and the skull, and his whole face was full of curiosity.
Jesse fell to the ground and glanced at the huge skull. He hesitated for a few seconds whether to hold up the protective cover, and finally gave up angrily. The white beast wrapped its tail around the ankle of Adrian Cross who was standing beside him, ready to withdraw if something went wrong.
Ann was still leaning against the tree, watching Oliver Ramon advancing towards the center of the circle.
The pale skeleton helmet and the white ukulele were both carried on his back, and there was a strange harmony under the orange glow.
After Oliver walked into the circle, he unreservedly released his power.
The originally clear night sky was suddenly covered with clouds, and the power of the magic circle swept up a gust of wind. Several people were like standing in the calm eye of a tornado, and the forest behind them was swaying in the gust of wind, being blown up and down.
The excessive concentration of power began to make the air sticky and hot. They kept twisting, and even the scenery behind the air began to vibrate together. The air current, wrapped in gravel, fine sand and grass blades, slowly rose and rushed towards the sky.
Accompanied by the orange-red light of the magic circle, some kind of invisible flame seemed to ignite in the forest. The earth rumbled, as if it were about to split in the next second.
An was a little dazed for a moment. Less than a year ago, the young man in front of him could still be beaten to the ground by himself.
But now he is walking towards the skeleton of the Demon King, and the breath released is so powerful that it is unimaginable and comprehensible.
It's just that there is not much pressure, if the power of Jesse Dillon is like a tsunami hitting the head. Oliver's power is closer to a warm and calm ocean.
Before she could figure out whether she should be more frightened or start to calm down, Oliver stopped before the devil's skull.
He was no more than four or five steps away from it.
The brilliance of the magic circle began to become dazzling. In the middle of the huge circle, the altar built by the metal circle is as dazzling as the sun.
"Right now," cried Della Lennion. "Throw up what belongs to 'Nimo Wright'!"
"Collette doesn't have much personal property." The grey parrot beside Della Layne mumbled, shrinking her neck. "Things that belong to him completely... If it is his personal clothes and equipment, they basically fell to the bottom of the abyss last time."
"Didn't the demon king give Mr. Ramon a gold pendant? The demon king has worn it for so long, and the residual mana on it should be enough."
Dellalienne snorted softly.
"Although as a trigger item, it will be destroyed, I think Mr. Ramon should understand it. After all, this is the information that is about to be received over there, and it is better if it is more significant—wait, what is he doing? This chance is only one time. !"
Oliver in front of the altar did not place the gold pendant on the altar that was burning with black flames.
He pulled out an ordinary book from his pocket, which looked ordinary and outdated, with magical fluctuations that were so weak that they were almost negligible.
Although theoretically it can be used...
Della Lainen narrowed her eyes.
This distance, as a superior demon, he can see clearly. It was not some ancient mystery book, nor was it some rare and precious item. A simple and crude fairy tale with a cheesy name that looks old and shabby.
"The Melody of Love", he hadn't heard of it, 80% of it was made by someone from a small place.
Would the Pillars of the World really not take this as a provocation
But the fairy tale had been swallowed up by the dim flame burning on the skull and turned into fine ashes.
The metal circle on which the altar was built began to spin frantically, and then melted into a hot metal-like liquid, infiltrating the skull of the Demon King floating in the air, leaving only a faint orange-red halo in the end.
Oliver stared at the hollow sockets of the skull in front of him. Only a little bit of the fairy tale's leftover remains, falling at a very slow speed beside the pale skeleton.
Will you understand, Nemo
Because of this extremely ordinary book, they officially set foot on the battlefield for the first time.
That was also the first time he had confessed to the Demon King.
[… Do you believe me? ] That's what Nemo asked him before the little war ended.
[certainly.]
[Then attack me with your greatest strength.] His Demon King demanded.
Oliver could feel a bit of wet fluid running across his cheeks, and although the dark clouds above his head were twisted ill, he was pretty sure it wasn't rain.
"Do you believe me?" he whispered, wiping his face and throwing the question back. "Sorry, I… you died holding that pendant, Nemo, I can't."
They cherished it extremely, but after all, it carried an air of concealment and regret.
Oliver took another deep breath, licking his lips and raising his voice.
"I know who you really are, the Pillars of the World that sleeps beneath the earth. I know your only name, Nemo Wright. I have the imprint of your breath, and I have presented it."
The brilliance surrounding the skull became brighter, the dark clouds over the magic circle rolled violently, and the sky seemed to be torn apart.
"I am here to call."
Oliver's articulation is very clear. The action of drawing the runes on the tip of the sword is extremely smooth, without a single pause.
A blurry black shadow emerged from the huge skull, slowly changing its shape.
"As someone who knows the truth of the world, I call here."
Oliver repeated it.
He stared at the shadows surging over his skull, his heart constricted, his lungs twisted together by invisible hands, and the intense pain nearly suffocated him.
Either Ulysses or Nemo. For different purposes, they will choose the same appearance for consciousness.
Half-length black hair was tied behind her head and tied into a short ponytail with a slightly messy end. The skin is pale, the facial features are just right, and the silver-gray eyes are like a white moon hanging in the night sky.
It was a very familiar face.
The insubstantial consciousness condensed into a phantom—his "lover" sat on the skull floating in the air, and through the translucent figure, he could vaguely see the light of the rear method formation.
"Nimo Wright" in front of him smiled faintly, with the gentleness in his eyes that he was familiar with.
Oliver choked.
After calmly calculating countless possibilities, even though he knew rationally that this might be a disguise of "Ulysses", he was almost defeated by the nostalgic figure in front of him. Before Oliver could react consciously, his feet took half a step forward without authorization, his arms were about to move, eager for a hug.
Oliver forced himself to stop, straightened his back, and kept his expression calm.
He could not allow himself to make hasty judgments—he is sitting on one side of the chessboard today, while his opponents have lived for billions of years with terrifying knowledge and wisdom.
"Nimo Wright. I believe you can perceive that now I have the ability to fight you."
Oliver's voice was clear and bright, loud enough to ensure that his companions not far away could hear it.
"To keep my promise to you, and to protect my cherished companions and loved ones, I stand here now. But I do not desire war."
He raised the Sword of Rest in his left hand, and the magic power around him gathered smoothly.
"… I would like to trade with you if possible."
The author has something to say:
meet up! ! !
————
The scene looks like this:
Nemo: (*/ω＼*)
Oliver: (tragic)
Nemo: (*/ω＼*)/