The covert struggles among ancient gods had begun.
But for one ancient god, it was too slow. Such dawdling gave them a chance to seize the Chaos Sea! How could destruction descend?!
Goddess of Misfortune Amanises transformed into a mist, arriving atop a mountain.
The peak was shrouded in historical mist. As Amanises stepped forward, an entity within opened its eyes.
"Salinger and Kotar have reached their designated positions without alerting anyone," Amanises reported, expressionless.
"Good." A terrifying, indescribable Demonic Wolf emerged from the historical mist.
It bore all the traits of a demonic wolf, with slimy tentacles, a bone mask on its wolf face, and blood-red eyes radiating a destructive desire that chilled even angels.
"Destroy everything! End everything! Corrupt everything!"
The Demonic Wolf's voice carried a strange rhythm, ferocious and cold.
"Destruction above!" Amanises bowed her head.
Simultaneously, Salinger, God of the Dead, and Kotar, God of Wishes, received the destruction directive from the historical mist.
With it came the authority of secrecy.
"Awoo!" The secretive power within Kotar erupted. He bowed, wishing, "I wish the citizens of the Golden Kingdom to fall into slumber!"
Instantly, the entire Golden Kingdom sank into sleep. Under the veil of secrecy, no outsider could detect the anomaly.
Salinger silently extended his palms, tearing the barrier between the Spirit World and reality. Strands of black mist seeped from the Spirit World into the physical world, creeping toward the sleeping citizens.
This was the Demonic Wolf's power.
Their bodies convulsed, then stabilized.
The secrecy lifted, and the Golden Kingdom rejoined the world.
But it had become a city of eerie dread.
The citizens opened their eyes simultaneously, devoid of whites, pure black, and began praying to Giant King Aurmir.
"Great Giant King…"
The entire Golden Kingdom chanted Aurmir's honorific name. These humans were his most critical "anchors" outside the giant race, vital to his stability, guarded by his eldest son, the God of Dawn.
But now, the God of Dawn was defeated, secluded in his palace. The Giant King was absent, and the Giant Queen was preoccupied with the impending divine war.
The kingdom was left defenseless, a rare vulnerability.
The Demonic Wolf, peering through fate, seized the chance to destroy the Golden Kingdom and use its citizens to corrupt Aurmir!
The Demonic Wolf was a true destroyer, mad enough to annihilate the world!
At that moment, Aurmir, confronting other ancient gods, heard the prayers of the Golden Kingdom's citizens.
He listened, then roared, the twilight light in his single eye trembling violently!
The prayer lights materialized, tainted black, carrying a pollutant. For an ancient god, it was weak—merely a "Miracle Invoker" beyonder characteristic.
It had miraculously merged into the citizens' bodies, traveling through the prayer lights to reach Aurmir—a wish granted by the Demonic Wolf.
Already mad, the ancient god grew madder.
From the materialized prayer lights, a slimy tentacle shot forth like a spear!
"Begone!" Aurmir roared, his twilight greatsword sweeping out, its light decaying everything, obliterating all prayer lights.
The Demonic Wolf's plan didn't fully succeed, but the momentary anchor disruption worsened Aurmir's mental state.
"Awoo!" An excited wolf howl echoed across the land, the Demonic Wolf glaring savagely at the chaos.
But in that instant, frenzied lightning struck the Demonic Wolf!
Thus began the prelude to divine war!
In a flash, torrents of lightning, a crimson moon, and twilight's haze enveloped the Demonic Wolf.
"Fool!" The Demonic Wolf didn't block the attacks, letting lightning tear its body. It became a roiling mist, woven from historical and secretive authorities.
A strange ripple spread like water, causing Aurmir and the other three ancient gods to falter, as if forgetting to attack.
Then came assaults from every corner of the world. Countless light gates opened, space riddled like a sieve. Beyond them were underworld death, psychic breaths, mutant curses, and even corruption and filth.
With the Humanoid Alliance's three ancient gods exposed, how could the Alien Alliance miss this chance?!
They struck simultaneously. Phoenix Ancestor Gregrace "opened gates," redirecting the other three ancient gods' attacks here.
Dragon of Imagination, Mutant King, and even the Demon Monarch.
This was what the Demonic Wolf desired. It cared not for the battle's complexity, only for crafting the most terrifying destruction!
What could be more devastating than all ancient gods clashing?
The ancient god alliances were a powder keg. The Demonic Wolf, in a frenzy, attacked the Twilight Giant, igniting divine war and dragging all ancient gods into the fray!
"Damn wolf!" Giant King Aurmir roared, twilight eroding the darkness, his orange-red greatsword slashing at the frenzied Demonic Wolf.
The other ancient gods found their foes, eight ancient gods battling, the world teetering on destruction's edge.
"A bit terrifying!" Truman, observing the ancient god battlefield, inhaled sharply. Gods were more fearsome than he'd imagined, especially mad ancient gods.
"But those humans can't die." Truman wandered to the Golden Kingdom. Its people, corrupted by the Miracle Invoker characteristic and Aurmir's twilight light, were dying en masse.
Post-war, the best outcome was a dead city; at worst, these people would become monsters, devouring each other until one consumed all.
"Stop!" Truman pressed the Book of Dreams, endless phosphorescent dreamlight falling onto each person.
The dreamlight halted the characteristic-driven slaughter, separating them and extracting the Miracle Invoker characteristic. The process was smooth, undisturbed.
He stored the characteristic—a trivial loss for the Demonic Wolf but a valuable gain for him.
"And you all, become my followers." He opened a light gate to his domain in the Ancient Sun God's kingdom.
That would be his base for some time.
"Free followers!" Truman was pleased.
(End of Chapter)