Wasteland Echoer.

Chapter 648 The Universe of the Black Core (Part 2) (Seeking monthly votes, subscriptions, and favorites)
“They’re insane, absolutely insane. Shaneva, disregarding the future of Crusad, insisted on waging war, unleashing the ‘Heavenly Punishment Fire’ to kill hundreds of thousands of Crusad humans; Nebrius, similarly disregarding the safety of Crusad humans, wants to turn himself into a killing machine. With these two ambitious individuals, the destruction of Crusad is imminent.” Dark stood up, looking at the underground space of the “Fortress Layer,” the part belonging to the universe, which was rapidly shedding all darkness, and said to Adaloni behind him:

"Adaroni, it seems we can't stay in Nabsk for long either. Shaneva and Nabrius are destined to suffer heavy losses. Regardless of whether Shaneva succeeds or fails in this war, the Federal Council will no longer have enough authority to control Crusad."

"This federation will soon disintegrate, and I believe that Shaneva will soon die in an even wider civil war. After that, ambitious people will emerge in various parts of Crusde, but those who have been suppressed by the Federal Council will take the stage and lead the country into complete division."

“I agree with you, Dark.” Adaloni picked up the drowsy Hoshino Shota and brought him to Dark’s side, speaking in a cold but exceptionally rational tone:
"The disintegration of the Federal Council, which has the power to control the entire country, will inevitably cause more and more widespread disasters. Subsequently, Cruz will likely not only suffer from the 'heartless wave,' attacks by the Lost Ones, and internal strife, but also from continuous geological disasters caused by the leakage of extraordinary power from various places."

"A vibrant, thriving federation, which at one point even had the potential to expel the 'heartless' and fully restore human civilization, was repeatedly defeated by ambitious individuals, until its rulers perished along with it... I think these rulers committed the seven deadly sins of 'pride' and 'greed,' as well as the most despicable of the seven deadly sins, 'deception.' So, Dark, what do you plan to do next? Leave here immediately? Or..."

Adaloni pointed to the now-vanished "universe" world, leaving behind a vast but limited underground factory space.

At this moment, Dark finally saw the true appearance of the "Black Core Universe".

This was just an ordinary underground factory, but the searchlights overhead shone with a brilliance comparable to the sun, thanks to the numerous generators still operating within the city of Belogersk.

There are no withered trees, no frenzied monsters or "heartless people," and no blood-soaked losers. All that remains are scattered broken parts on the ground, a few half-eaten machines used to manufacture guns and cannons, and the biting cold wind that is continuously blown in by the blower.

And... a high-tech silver display stand at the very center of the factory.

Dark knew that the [Core of Khitania], which Shaneva valued most and was willing to do anything to obtain, should have been placed there. But now, the [Core] had been absorbed by Nebrius and transformed into a beast that was almost indescribable.

"ss.hikmis endished. ss.hikmiryutor endished. ss.hikmiryuqir endished.dd.oome brister."

"ss.hikmis endished. ss.hikmiryutor endished. ss.hikmiryuqir endished.dd.oome brister."

With his back to the group, Nebrius, whose figure was temporarily hidden in the shadow of the dilapidated machinery, seemed to have stopped absorbing and devouring the surrounding machinery and energy. In a hoarse voice, he kept reciting the short sentences composed of the above-mentioned Middle Chinese.

It seems to be sending some kind of signal, no, it's more like issuing a chilling declaration.

"Dark, do you know what he's saying?" Adaloni looked at Dark, puzzled, and asked.

"This is the Central Language, which originated around the time of your dragon race's destruction. It was originally a 'priestly language' created by humans in order to communicate with the Creator, combining the common language of the Western Continent and the language of the Flame Empire. However, as humanity's mastery of magic deepened, the Central Language also acquired the ability to communicate with ordinal deities and unleash greater power from magical energy," Dark explained.

“It seems I studied this language before becoming a ‘monster,’ and I have memories of it in my brain. What Nebrius said wasn’t complicated; it translates to: Life perishes, flames vanish, waters disappear, and the end times begin. In Middle Language, the root of ‘flame’ and ‘water’ is ‘life,’ and if I remember correctly, this phrase comes from the Lord of the Night.”

As soon as Dak finished explaining, the two heard Nebrius begin to recite the sentence faster and faster, and the meaning of the words became increasingly unclear.

Soon, Nebrius's speech speed exceeded the limit of human recitation, gradually transforming from a voice that could barely be considered human into a high-pitched sound similar to a ship's horn.

When the speed of speech reached a state surpassing that of gods and approaching that of the creator, the ship's horn began to transform into an increasingly inaudible whisper, much like that of an ancient god.

"Watch out, Adaloni." Dark shielded Adaloni, the half-dragon who was even taller than him, behind him and warned him:

“The magical energy, extraordinary power, and ancient power within Nabrius are still rising rapidly. The Chinese words just now should be the incantation to activate the [Core of Khitania]. Adaloni, the dragon power within you is naturally restrained by these dark magical energies, so you cannot participate in this battle.”

"Why?" Adaloni asked, slightly angrily.

Do you want me to desert?

"That's not the case. The dark magical energy here is far too powerful; it has already resonated with the power within me. Once you dragons come into contact with this power, you will be controlled by it, becoming its puppets, just like when the Lord of Night bewitched you in the First Era." Dark quickened his pace, explaining:
"I don't want to see a powerful beast with a dragon I can't defeat behind it! Of course, I can't guarantee I can defeat Nabrius or bring him back to his senses. I want to take or destroy the [Core of the Khitania] within him as much as possible before leaving this place with you. Adaloni, take Hoshino Shota and leave. Just fly up the path we just came from. After my battle is over, I need you to take us, along with Wright, to Nebusk. Remember, don't lose or harm Hoshino Shota; he'll be very useful for our escape from Crusad."

“I…” Yadaloni looked at Dark, who already possessed some leadership qualities and was issuing orders, and felt a strange sense of obedience arise from the depths of his heart.

Although dragons are a proud and powerful race that is difficult to submit to any power or individual, Dark may possess an aura of dominating, controlling, and utilizing everything.

Previously, his abilities had not been fully revealed due to the control of the Federal Council, Wolfya's mission arrangements, and his obsession with restoring his memories. But now, faced with mission assignments in a time of crisis, Dark has demonstrated the basic qualities of a leader.

No, if you take into account his powerful magical energy, his high-level profession [Chaos Initiator], his many years of adventures, his absolutely correct moral values ​​and willpower, he only needs one opportunity to become an absolutely outstanding military leader.

The Crusad Federation is too insidious and chaotic. Its leaders sanctimoniously proclaim a bright future, yet they regard ordinary humans as resources to be consumed at will. Flesh and blood are nothing but numbers in their eyes, while magic, the extraordinary, and absolute control are their persistent goals.

Clearly, Dak doesn't belong here, nor does Adaloni. Perhaps only by going to Khitanris will they encounter their true destiny.

Thinking of this, Adaloni did not refute or ask further questions. Instead, he nodded, picked up Hoshino Shota, who had temporarily fallen into a coma, and walked towards the door.

“I’ll be waiting for you near the ground of the ‘Fortress Layer.’ If I see your ‘life aura,’ it means you’re dead. At that time, I’ll take Hoshino Shota directly to Nebusk and wait to travel east with Light Socrates.” After saying this, Adaloni quickened his pace and rushed out.

Now, in the factory space after the "Black Core Universe" has faded away, only Dark, a human, and a monster whose body is slowly expanding remain.

“Commander Nebrius, Hoshino Shota and Adaloni have already left. Aren’t you going to try to stop them?” Dark pulled out the “Imitation-Mad Bear” pistol from his waist, silently chanted the incantation for binding spirits, and poured magical energy into the large white pistol.

“The incompetent… have left, the useless… have fled. I said, what I… need is you… a superior human being like you. Your military talent is enough… to defeat all the incompetent officers in the Federation Council… and to seize the highest… authority for me… and for Nebusk.” Nebrius slowly pushed aside the tattered machine, now reduced to a mere outer layer, and the “enormous” parts that now appeared tiny around him. With his back to Dark, revealing a monstrous, muscular back bathed in black shadow, he began to speak incoherently:
"It's just a pity that neither you nor I... anticipated Shaneva's cruelty... 'Heavenly Punishment Fire' cannot be used on... Crusad humans, it is... it is the consensus of all Crusad rulers throughout history."

“But now, Pandora’s box has been opened. In the words of the Khitanris, ‘The one who started it all will have no descendants.’ The last vestiges of order in this land have lost their foundation. Commander Nebrius, Nebusk has always been the front line against the Eventre. You should be very clear about the ‘Ice Star Bloom’ incident. When the ‘Ice Star of Ice City’ began to explode, the entire Eventre was already on a countdown.” Dark slowly walked to within ten meters of Nebrius, stopped, and continued:

"Eventlay eventually became a no-man's land, and Crusd will soon follow suit. You should know that Nabusk also has a sufficient reserve of 'Extraordinary Divine Punishment Fire', including Joygler, Icefield City, and North and South Uhatta City, all of which have a considerable number of 'various kinds of Divine Punishment Fire'."

"Since Shaneva has broken the consensus of thousands of years and deployed such a devastating weapon, then the ambitious people in other cities will have no moral shackles or psychological burdens. If the leader of the Federal Council can kill her people, then other ambitious people without absolute power will naturally not care about human life and death."

“The establishment of [order]... took a long time, but its collapse... happened in an instant... in a split second. If... I had stayed by Commander Vasily's side and killed 'Gnady' for him... I'm afraid things wouldn't have come to this.” Nebrius said with regret and pain.

Immediately afterwards, his throat emitted another sharp, popping sound, like a steam whistle, or even more like the howl of a wild beast.

However, Dark's cold voice broke his brief moment of melancholy:
"I will not stop you from taking revenge on Shaneva, nor will I stop you from becoming a monster and slaughtering all humans who enter the Outer Naboa Mountains. If you can kill Shaneva, who unleashed the 'Heavenly Punishment Fire,' immediately, perhaps the order of the Crusad Federation can still be saved."

“However, I hope you can hand over or destroy the [Core of Khitanria]. I don’t want the ‘Universal Energy Evolution Platform Project’ to succeed and completely lead Crusad into the disaster brought by cosmic energy. This has not only been my goal all along, but also… the wish of my brother, comrade-in-arms, and guide, Wolfya.”

“It’s…it’s too late.” Nebrius slowly turned his massive, muscular body, a fusion of monster and machine, standing thirty meters tall. He looked down at Dark with his crimson eyes and spoke in a voice so hoarse it was almost impossible to utter another word:
“Now, I am the Core, and the Core is me. We are one, and absolutely cannot be separated. Moreover, Dark, even now, I still need your help. I have absorbed more than five hundred elite Warriors here, and all the technological products left over from the old empire... I need you, Dark. Let us become one and go to Shaneva for revenge.”

As he spoke, Nebrius stepped out of the shadows and came to stand before Dark.

Indeed, Nebrius still retained a basic human form, but his body was covered with a layer of rusted metallic fusion, like an alloy that had failed to be refined and fused.

His body was swollen and muscular to an outrageous degree, but his skin and flesh were mixed together and indistinguishable. Countless eyeballs, hair and bones were attached to his muscles in a wild and disorderly manner, along with his head that had been replaced by metal, his limbs that had been replaced by electromagnetic guns, electric armor and laser swords, and the [Core of Khitanria] that had transformed into an eye on his chest.

At this moment, Nebrius has been completely reduced to a bizarre and fantastical composite of flesh, magic, and machinery.