Chapter 43: Elder Gods

Without hesitation, Lance raised his hand. His fingers deftly traced intricate patterns in the air. In an instant, a softly glowing energy sphere appeared, casting its light throughout the dark room filled with eerie shadows. The light dispelled the darkness, revealing the small details of the house that increasingly resembled a nest of mysteries.

Lance jumped into the dim basement, the air there felt heavier, as if filled with long-buried secrets. Lance's footsteps echoed softly as he walked toward the center of the room. After a moment of feeling around the cold floor, Lance discovered a small hanging ring hidden beneath the dust.

Lance carefully pulled the ring.

*Wush!*

The ground beneath him trembled violently. Dust flew around, and slowly, a stone floor began to sink, revealing a small podium. On top of the podium lay a thick book radiating a strange aura.

The book was as thick as the Oxford Dictionary, and on its cover, several words were written in dark letters that seemed to shimmer in the light of his energy sphere: Darkhold.

The writing reflected an odd glow, as if the book were alive and aware of Lance's presence. Lance stared at the book with a mix of awe and caution. The light from the energy sphere danced on the surface of the book, highlighting its mysterious aura.

"Beautiful..." Lance murmured, his voice almost a whisper, as if hypnotized by the book.

However, just a few seconds later, his expression changed drastically. From a captivated smile to a face full of pain.

An invisible force began to creep into his mind. The light from the energy sphere that Lance had created started to dim, as if the power of the book was absorbing his energy. Lance shook his head vigorously, trying to resist the influence, but the pain intensified.

"This... is too strong..." Lance muttered in a choked voice.

At that moment, Lance remembered a mantra. With a hoarse yet firm voice, he began to chant:

"High above the stars, continuously adapting to change. Expelling evil forces, protecting body and soul. With clear wisdom and a calm mind. Three souls remain eternal, with none lost... Heart Purification Spell!"

The ancient mantra was one of the eight main spells of Eastern sorcerers. A protective prayer to cleanse the mind of disturbances, expel dark forces, and soothe the soul.

As Lance recited the mantra, a warm light surrounded him, countering the dark aura emanating from the Darkhold. Little by little, the pain subsided, and Lance's mind became clearer.

Although Lance did not obtain the "Heart Purification Spell" from the lottery of "Hitori no Shita: The Outcast," he had learned it through an ancient book left behind by Professor Xu. The book revealed that by reciting this mantra, Lance could easily activate the energy from the "Golden Light Incantation."

The energy not only allows for deep meditation and connection with the spiritual world, but also protects the soul and maintains inner balance from the disturbances of dark forces.

The mantra sounded like music breaking the silence of the basement. The voice echoed in the air, creating a soothing resonance. Suddenly, a golden light began to glow from Lance's body, pushing back the dark forces trying to possess him.

The light continued to solidify, becoming brighter and more intense, as if the "Golden Light Incantation" had been fully activated. The energy formed a protective layer around Lance, driving away the remnants of evil from the Darkhold.

When the light finally faded, Lance staggered back and leaned against the wall, his breath coming in gasps. Sweat drenched Lance's face, but his mind had returned to clarity. As he gazed at the spellbook on the podium, his eyes were filled with a mix of fear and respect.

"How could I have been so reckless..." Lance murmured softly, his tone full of regret. "That... turned out to be a copy of the original version!"

...

...

...

The Book of Darkness, or Darkhold, is a work by Chthon, one of the most feared and revered Elder Gods. As the God of the Underworld and the creator of all black magic, Chthon wrote the Darkhold as a repository of all his dark knowledge and evil power.

At the dawn of the earth's formation, primordial life forces gave rise to the first generation of ancient gods and demons, known as the Elder Gods. Among them, the four most powerful figures are: Oshtur, the source of all white magic and wisdom; Chthon, the ruler of black magic filled with deception; Set, the master destroyer and god of serpents; and Gaea, known as Mother Earth, the guardian of life and balance.

During this era, sacred and evil beings coexisted on earth, creating a time when magic and divine power flowed freely. Yggdrasil, the World Tree, became the link between nine neighboring dimensions, while entities like The Beast (Krahllak), a demon worshipped by the ninja organization The Hand, lurked in the shadows.

However, this balance was shattered when Set, the Serpent God, discovered that devouring Elder Gods could enhance his power. This discovery triggered great chaos, with Set launching a brutal hunt for the Elder Gods. This brutality spread, and the world fell into endless turmoil.

Witnessing the widespread destruction, Gaea, with a heart full of compassion, pleaded with the primordial entity, Demiurge, to help her create a savior. From their union, Atum was born, known as the God Killer.

Atum is an unmatched warrior created to hunt and destroy the Elder Gods who had turned into demons. With Atum's power, he waged a great war, exterminating the ancient gods and demons one by one. Those who survived fled from the earth, seeking refuge in other dimensions. However, some of them left traces and tools that could be used to return, waiting for the right moment.

Among them, Set created the Serpent Crown, an artifact that allows control over minds and great power, and spread it across various earths in the multiverse.

Meanwhile, Chthon poured his power into the Darkhold, creating a book of magic that not only contained evil spells but also held a part of Chthon's essence.

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