Wasteland Echoer.

Chapter 677 Unknown - Nebusk (Part 1)

Thump, thump, thump, thump!
The dull tolling of the bells once again reached Wright's ears from a distant, melodious sound.

Immediately afterwards, the thick fog that had been enveloping the dream began to slowly recede from Wright's field of vision.

"This is the same gray dream from last time. Could it be that it's another incarnation of a god, or an avatar of the creator, sending me a message?" Wright pondered to himself, but suddenly realized that no matter how he opened his mouth, trying to make his vocal cords vibrate, he couldn't make any sound or utter a single word, as if his throat didn't exist.

He suddenly realized that this was a special case within the "Dream of the Gray," namely, "silence." In the "Reason" established by the Creator, when the "true deity" descends, or transmits information to humanity through a different dimension, humanity can neither see its true form nor has the right to speak with it.

The Creator is the creator of mankind, and the gods are the managers of mankind. Mankind has never had any right to speak directly with them.

With that in mind, Wright stopped trying to make any sound and stop trying to peek into the dream. Instead, he began to play the role of an "observer of the dream."

Soon, the thick fog began to turn crimson, and when a fierce orange-red light suddenly descended from the center of the sky, the fog completely dissipated, replaced by a world that resembled a sea of ​​clouds.

And that clock, shaped like a bronze tripod, with a giant dragon coiled around it!
Boom!Boom!Boom!
This dull thud occurred only three times, which, in the culture of the Flame Empire, symbolized the descent of a god.

Before the echo of the striking had completely dissipated, just as Wright had predicted, that youthful, high-pitched voice of a boy came from the clock again. But this time it was not a conversation or a clear message, but a poem of language that was difficult to understand.

"The pendulum of fate continues to swing, and the dying world falls into the red lotus; the bewildered sands bear the truth, and the mournful cry of the dragon's breath creates new life."

"Light Socrates, this is the truth that the Creator has conveyed to you, the magical spell cast by the Wheel of Fortune, and your future."

“That’s right, the future.” The resonant voice of the young man came again from inside the clock. “This world is not only filled with a brilliant past and a dark present, but also a future brimming with hope. When Hades’s spirit dissipates, when the dragon in the midst of flames lets out its final breath, and when the ancient machinery crumbles, the world will naturally return to its proper course. Light Socrates, or rather, you should be called ‘Hyper,’ you only need to follow the path drawn for you by the gods and the Creator, and this cycle… will eventually end. The ‘Star Age’ you have been waiting for will then arrive.”

"Then...who are you? How can I trust you?" Wright ran towards the giant dragon clock in front of him, but in the gray dream, it seemed to drift further and further away from him.

"Do not try to approach the truth, but maintain awe for the Creator. Light Socrates, the ancient and resilient nation of the Flame Empire will be the final stop on your arduous journey. By the way, let me tell you: the shackles binding you are gradually being removed, and your abilities far exceed what you currently display. As for rebirth or destruction, you can choose for yourself..." The high-pitched voice of the young man became increasingly ethereal and distant, and along with the hazy dream, it began to rapidly disintegrate in Light's eyes.

……

February 17, 558 AD (New Calendar)

Cruz Federation, Far Northeast District, Nebusk Plain, K603 Highway on the outskirts of Nebusk City, 35 kilometers from the city.

Although the road from Torii to Nebsk is relatively sparsely populated, even at the end of Vasily's reign, military vehicles transporting supplies should have passed through from time to time.

But after leaving Torii Town, Dark, Light, and Adaloni only saw a seemingly endless, wide road that exuded an aura of ominousness and death.

At the horizon, one can indeed see the giant tower of Nebsk, the observation deck of the "Magnificent Tower," which serves as a beacon-like landmark.

In reality, the villages, settlements, and towns that existed along the way had completely decayed during Shaneva and Vasily's two "worst times." Beneath the dilapidated buildings lay a pool of crimson, long-dried liquid, mixed with the excrement of monsters and "alien monsters," forming a suffocating, rotting ruin.

When the brand-new mechanical war machine, which incorporated some parts of Shaneva's vehicle "The Beginning of Ashes," drove onto the suburban road formerly under the jurisdiction of Nebusk, Dak saw an abandoned church filled with an evil atmosphere and reflecting a demonic aura.

As the roar of the mechanical chariot's engine gradually subsided, Darke channeled the abundant water-based magical energy within his body, attaching a layer of crystalline ice to a piece of paper that had been crumpled countless times.

He then lightly rubbed the paper, and it turned into a puddle of fine shavings, dissipating onto the gravelly ground stained with blood and decaying bones. While Wright and Adaloni, exhausted from their journey, were still asleep, Dark quietly closed the car door.

Then, he straightened his back and, with the air of an absolute federal officer, came to the entrance of the abandoned church. He walked along the weed-covered wasteland to a wooden door carved with an ancient image of a deity being held by octopus tentacles.

"Burn away the sins of mankind, and let the world return to Pramini." A short while later, an unusually tender voice, belonging to a young child, came from inside the wooden door.

Seeing this, Dark did not rush to push open the strange wooden door. Instead, he stood still and admired the image of the "self-created god" on the door, which combined the characteristics of Depthor and Cthulhu and other ancient gods. He took several deep breaths.

About half a minute later, he stared solemnly ahead and responded in a relatively low but absolutely powerful voice:
"Pramini is dead, but the sins of mankind live on forever."

"The Lord of Eternal Crimson was murdered, but the Goddess of Light still exists?" The child's voice rang out again.

“We, the servants of the Lord of the Night, are ultimately unable to serve the Light,” Dark replied, following the instructions on the note.

"Please come in, Commander Dark Tiris." This time, the child's voice carried less doubt and more respect and fear for the newcomer.

Dak politely pushed open the eerie wooden door with both hands, walked past rows of seats that had long been corroded by dirt and decay, and arrived at the center of the main hall, opposite the podium. There he saw a handsome yet youthful face, a face that blended eeriness and tranquility.

Looking up and meeting his gaze, Dark realized that the boy before him was not human, but a real, lost soul exuding an aura of demonic power.

"Are you Hoshino Shota's apostle?" Dark asked bluntly, his tone remaining as calm and serious as before.

Even though Hoshino Shota had informed him of his mission and purpose beforehand, there were still considerable uncertainties since Nebrius was dead.

“Within the ‘Dark Night Investigation Team’ organization, I am a mid-level ‘Executor’. In terms of position, I can indeed be considered an apostle of the ‘Planners’. But the title ‘Apostle’ is used by the patriarchs. If you trust me, please call me ‘Executor’ or my title ‘Eternal Light’.” The boy in front of me explained in a childlike voice.

“'Eternal Light'? Hmm, not bad, quite profound.” Dark nodded slightly in courtesy, then observed the mid-level “executor” of the “Dark Night Investigation Team” in front of him.

Judging from his appearance, "Yongguang" is about 14 or 15 years old. His face is unusually pale and bloodless. Although he already has some of the handsome features of a young man, his black eyes, black hair and relatively delicate features still cannot hide his bloodline from the Flame Empire.

In particular, the black "Flame Suit" with a black base and a dragon embroidery, along with the bulletproof vest worn underneath, made Darke more wary.

"Thank you for your recognition, Commander Dark. Leader Hoshino Shota, the 'Star Ninja,' entrusted me to bring you a Rank 1 monster. This monster was given to Hoshino Shota by the 'Miracle Apostle,' who is also the current leader of the organization, Lord Kazama Reiji. However, he hopes that you and Light Socrates can keep it for the time being and use it to eliminate 'evil spirits' when necessary." As "Eternal" spoke, he took out the "Heart of Truth," which shone with a scorching light and felt extremely hot to the touch, from his chest and handed it to Dark.

"'Heart of Truth,' what kind of monster is it, and what is its purpose? Also, who exactly is the evil spirit? And why do we need to eliminate the 'evil spirit'? My goal, along with Wright's and the dragon's, is to leave Crusad and head to Khitanris. We haven't agreed on any further battle plans with Hoshino Shota. I hope you can give me an explanation for him," Dark said, his face showing displeasure.

"Please calm down, Commander Dak." "Yongguang" slowly stepped down from the podium, bowed to Dak with the etiquette of the Khitans, and placed his hands on his head to express a relatively high level of respect and apology.

Then, he slowly began to speak:

"MB-016: Mars of Truth, originally an artifact of the Flame Empire's court, is rumored to have been born from the power of fire magic after the Flame Lord and a certain dragon clan leader made peace. It can make the holder more motivated, clearer in thought, and give the user absolute focus and execution power on the target matter. In addition, it can also give those who cannot use fire magic power the ability to control fire, even if they possess water and dark powers that are incompatible with fire."

"The flame of truth harmonizes yin and yang, their mutual integration and restraint existing in the blink of an eye. The situation in Nabusk is like water and fire, which can merge and unite at any moment, but can also clash and explode in an instant. As Hoshino Shota said, since Commander Dark is leaving Crusad for Khitanris, Nabusk is an inevitable route. You cannot bypass this place, nor can you escape the fate that the Creator has bestowed upon you."