Chapter 422: Prisoner of Time
Arkaim.
The moment the statue of Jesus destroyed the Brazilian Ministry of Magic, the Holy Wall seemed to flicker due to unstable magical energy.
At the same time, the increase in magical density suddenly empowered the long spear that had been trying to break through the Holy Wall's blockade. It seized the moment of instability, surged with all its magical power, and thrust downwards fiercely.
With a loud "clang," a massive crack appeared in the barrier, which then shattered like glass.
The long spear roared, expanding hundreds of times in size, transforming into a colossal pillar plunging towards the Spring Palace atop the mountain.
Simultaneously, it was surrounded by a radiant light, from which countless spears differentiated. Around the long spear, figures with wings on their backs became visible. These angels, wielding the spears, descended in droves towards the city of wizards below.
At the Spring Palace, on the terrace, Sophia looked up at the sky filled with enemies, knowing the time had come.
She turned to Lady Yaga beside her, saying, "What comes next is up to you."
Lady Yaga's wrinkled face showed no emotion. She sighed, "I somewhat regret helping you ascend to this position. Had it not been for me, you wouldn't have to bear this destiny."
"It's fate, as you said." The empress smiled. "But you needn't feel sad. I wasn't forced by this destiny; it was a choice I made myself after understanding my role."
"And, I have no regrets."
Saying so, she raised her left hand, where a gold ring suddenly flashed.
A surge of magical power was crazily extracted from the magic network node beneath the holy mountain. With a thunderous noise, the mountain seemed to split open. From the crevice, dense fog poured out, quickly covering the entire city.
The Spring Palace was obscured by the fog. Standing in the midst of it, Sophia couldn't even see the ground beneath her feet.
She closed her eyes, ignoring the various strange noises around her, took seven steps forward, and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself beside a vast lake. The lake was shrouded in fog under a bright sky without a sun. The opposite shore was lush with green grass and blooming flowers, and an ancient castle stood atop the mountains in the distance.
A black boat approached slowly from the lake, unmanned yet moving on its own. As it drew closer, Sophia saw that the boat was carpeted and adorned with bouquets.
Understanding what she needed to do, she stepped into the cabin and immediately found herself in a deep well-like space.
In the distant sky, a star slowly fell.
In the deep darkness, a crystal coffin stood before her, and a woman identical to her emerged from it.
The moment Sophia saw her, it was as if she saw thousands of completely different timelines forming a vast network, with countless worlds and memories flooding into her mind, causing momentary dizziness.
However, as the woman took a step forward, the chaotic worlds were drastically reduced, and her figure became more translucent. By the time she reached Sophia, she dissolved and merged with her.
Simultaneously, the numerous timelines were trimmed clean, leaving only the current world.
Memories of a thousand years flooded her mind, witnessing a thousand years of history. She saw the cycle of time flowing endlessly around her as its pivot.
Time was recorded, and the endless wave function collapsed into an unchangeable fact upon observation.
At that moment, she became both an observer and a bystander.
She was both fate and a prisoner.
"Boom!"
The center of the fog seemed to explode, and a dazzling golden light appeared, dispersing the fog. A small golden grail appeared in the sky above the holy mountain.
As soon as the grail appeared, it expanded instantaneously, growing from palm-sized to half a person's height, and then continued to grow until it was as large as a mountain, filling the sky.
A tremendous pulling force radiated from the grail, causing the previously vast army of angels to burst into a thin mist of blood, alongside the long spear, turning into a strand of blood that entered the grail.
Elsewhere, Odin, having just transformed into a bolt of lightning, his body scorched and disheveled, managed to escape from the explosion in the underground lab. But before he could catch his breath, he was suddenly seized by an invisible chain emerging from his chest, dragging him away.
In Brazil, the giant statue that had smashed the Brazilian Ministry of Magic, also causing the destruction of the magical node, paused as a similar chain appeared within its body, dragging it into the air.
However, with the magical node destroyed, the chain's binding force was much weaker. Struggling fiercely, the statue decided to shed most of its divine power, allowing the giant statue to be torn into a cloud of blood and whisked away, while it escaped as a small blood light, diving into the earth.
Similar scenes unfolded at several locations worldwide, where newly resurrected deities were all pulled back into the grail.
The next instant, the grail shrank and disappeared.
A calamity that seemed apocalyptic had thus abruptly dissipated.
...
"The giant statue's attack on the Brazilian Ministry of Magic caused the Brazilian magical node to shatter," an analyst reported in a post-war summary meeting. "To this day, there is no sign of the magical node's recovery."
"The destruction of the magical node has led to chaos in nearby magical energies, significantly enhancing the power of wizard spells but greatly reducing their stability and controllability."
"This phenomenon is regional, disappearing once one leaves the area."
"However, it's worth noting that magical creatures and deities, which use their innate magic roughly, are less affected by this chaos."
"What about magical devices?" someone asked.
"The more intricate the magical device, the greater the impact, similar to its effect on technological creations," the analyst explained. "In simple terms, the magic here has become more chaotic."
"One can imagine, the more magical nodes are destroyed, the less the magic network can regulate magic, increasing the level of magical chaos worldwide."
"This poses little problem for magical creatures and deities who use magic crudely, but it's a significant issue for wizards and us."
"Thus, deities will aim to destroy magical nodes, and if they succeed, much of our technology and magical techniques could be set back a century. At that point, facing deities capable of miracles at will, we would be powerless."
"However, fortunately, this process seems to have been temporarily halted. We have won this defensive battle, which should buy us some time."
"How much time can we buy?"
...
"Up to a year," Lady Yaga in Arkaim said.
"Her Majesty told me this action should buy you up to a year's time."
"Also, from today, you are the Emperor of Arkaim."
Murphy listened silently, looking at Sophia on the bed, who seemed to be sleeping peacefully, "Did she leave any other messages?"
"She said she had no regrets," Lady Yaga replied, "And she said you would meet again."
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