Wizard's Journey

Chapter 1226 Digestion

Amidst the interplay of light and darkness, guided by the scepter of hope within him, Green arrived on this seemingly indistinguishable land of bones.

"Is it still asleep?"

Although a few figures had already gathered scattered across the bone-strewn ground, none of the coffin risers that Grimm was familiar with were there. They were clearly just challengers who had come early to wait for the challenge gathering to begin. There were seven of them in total, which was not a large number, and it seemed that there was still plenty of time.

Green's arrival caught the attention of several people; the undisguised fluctuations of power were truly too vast and boundless.

"Hmm... then let's wait a little longer."

Muttering to himself, Green actually sat down on the spot and fell into a deep sleep in a state close to meditation.

Over the course of time, Green had conducted all the experiments he could within his knowledge reserves. Except for the activation of the seventh level of the Key of Life, the Wild Instinct Ancestor Transformation, and some experiments where the Dimensional Digestive System could not provide the necessary resources, everything else had reached Green's personal limit.

However, Green's research on the key to life requires some time for specimen selection and cultivation, which cannot be accomplished in a short period of time through hard work alone.

This state of idle slumber, like that of a passively evolved organism, was something Green could never have imagined.

As it turns out, this is the process of being digested by the endless world, irreversible and inescapable. No matter how much one gains, if one cannot leave this place, it will ultimately be nothing more than an ancient treasure in the eyes of future generations, meaningless.

……

The Coffins of Hope gathering place is not particularly well-known.

Unlike the Gate of Penetration, where hundreds or thousands of exiles gather for extended periods, here, only a customary gathering occurs once every thousand years. Four Coffin Ascenders remain stationed here, waiting for the emergence of a stronger individual to replace the weaker Coffin Ascenders and open the Coffin of Hope.

On this day, the gathering that takes place once every thousand years arrives once again.

"Hmm... another thousand years have passed. Hopefully, there will be some surprises this time."

The fire-poison centipede awoke from its slumber and was immediately overwhelmed by boredom, weariness, and despair. It felt like a dark future where it was destined to be digested through the dimensional esophagus and could not escape. Sometimes it wished it could stay asleep forever and never have to face this cruel reality again.

However, the idea only flashed through my mind for a moment.

How could a true strongman be cowardly!

With a "poof," the Fire Poison Centipede's elemental energy body transformed into dark red smoke from the depths of the earth, rising along the cracks in the skeletal earth and gradually coalescing into a multi-legged centipede over ten meters long. Its dark red elemental body was adorned with a pair of dark green flame eyes, appearing as the final coffin ascender.

"Ugh, there seem to be far fewer challengers this year compared to previous years. I hope I don't just wake up for nothing again."

The Fire Poison Centipede glanced around and saw that there were only less than two hundred challengers of various shapes and sizes. Then it suddenly realized that the paper figure beside it was not responding to it. This was really strange. Compared to the Demon Doll and the Impermanent Monster, the paper figure should be the most gentle among the four coffin ascenders.

Looking down in astonishment, I saw a one-meter-tall paper figure made of colorful paper scraps staring intently in another direction, just like the demon doll and the impermanent monster beside it!

"Huh? That's...?"

The Fire Poison Centipede looked in that direction, and even though there were more than twenty exiles of various shapes and sizes within its sight, including a rock monster that was over a hundred meters in size and far too bulky for the dimensional esophagus, it still could not stop the mysterious figure of light and darkness converging.

Even though its energy state is currently in its most stable and tranquil dormant state, it still resembles a volcano that could erupt at any moment. The Fire Poison Centipede has no doubt that this terrifying creature will unleash earth-shattering energy in the next moment!

"He's finally back..."

The paper figure muttered to itself, causing the Fire Poison Centipede, whose aura was unstable, to exclaim in horror, "Who is he? His energy reaction is so strong. These exiles beside him are like candlelight under the blazing sun. No wonder less than half of the exiles from previous years have gathered this time. I'm afraid they would have been scared away as soon as they sensed the presence of this guy's power."

"I am no match for you."

The usually taciturn Wuchang Monster suddenly spoke after the Fire Poison Centipede's words.

It was as white as milk, with an unstable, jelly-like form, and a limp appearance. More than a dozen crimson tentacles extended from its milky-white body, floating in mid-air. It was unknown what the true form of this fickle monster looked like.

"Several eons ago, when the two Coffin Ascensions beside me and the Demon Doll were still the other two, you should have been the Coffin Ascensions of the previous generation, namely the Guzido Skeleton Monster and the Four-Armed Blade Warrior. This mysterious being who called himself the Annihilation Wizard, during a time when he caused chaos in the rules of the dimensional rift, mysteriously escaped from it. At that time, his aura wasn't particularly strong, and he had no intention of challenging the Coffin Ascensions. He left the settlement, but unexpectedly…"

After a pause, the paper figure, overwhelmed with shock and excitement, exclaimed, "Over forty thousand years! I never imagined he would actually return, possessing such immense power! I've finally held on until this moment. With him and the demon doll, we now have hope of ascending to the next coffin!"

The paper figures' souls and wills have begun to weaken, and at most they can only barely hold on for another one or two thousand years.

Dimensional gaps!

Hope for raising the coffin!

Upon hearing that this Annihilation Wizard had actually emerged from a dimensional rift, the Fire Poison Centipede and the Impermanent Monster were both startled. As the gathering place of the Coffin of Hope, which triggers the dimensional rift phenomenon once every thousand years, the two were naturally very familiar with that absurd, bizarre, and unpredictable place, a truly illusory place that was even more terrifying than the dimensional esophagus.

Knowing that one can escape from there means something that ordinary life forms cannot imagine.

As for the hope of raising the coffin...

When the long-awaited situation finally came to pass, the Fire Poison Centipede, the Impermanent Monster, and even the Paper Doll all fell silent. Since this Annihilation Wizard had appeared and was going to participate in the Coffin Riser Challenge, it meant that one of the Coffin Risers would be replaced.

And this person must be one of the three!

"It's almost time."

The demon doll, half-destroyed, spoke in a low voice, a hint of excitement in its tone.

Compared to when Grimm first saw the doll, the destroyed half of the doll's body had obviously spread out, leaving only less than half of its face. The other half of its body was barely covered by a few wisps of black smoke ash, making it look ferocious and terrifying, causing people to feel uneasy upon seeing it.

"Let's begin!"

After the paper figure finished speaking, it murmured excitedly.

After glancing at it, the four scattered and disappeared underground, activating the matrix specifically designed for the Coffin of Hope.

……

Green, who had been asleep for over a hundred years, suddenly opened his tri-colored eyes and keenly sensed a huge emotion-collecting device beneath the skeletal landscape.

"Are we about to begin?"

Everyone sensed something and looked up at the hazy, misty sky.

(End of this chapter)