Chapter 976: The Next Plans
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After getting outside of the ruins, we made our way back to the city, where we met with the guards and then the elders of the city, which were handling things on their own. There were no invasions or any monster or cultist appearing yet. It seemed that having slain those three traitors helped at delaying whatever they were trying to do.
"S-So that happened…"
"Wow…"
"I can't believe it, Elbedo, was a cultist this entire time?!"
The leaders of the city were unable to believe our words at first, but after the testimony, the proof, and everything else we gave, they were forced to accept the cold and horrible truth. Mercedes ended crying again in the middle of it all, but Brisingra and I helped her get better.
"These are terrible news." The Majin Elder sighed. "We've already contacted the Gods through our network with the Priests. I think they might help us by erecting a divine barrier before their attack… However, that doesn't mean it might be able to fend off the invasion of a Demon King."
"After all, their powers encompass the element of chaos, they could slowly break through even divine barriers." Sighed the Divine Dragon Elder.
"Our manpower is limited even now, even if we call for the help of those that have been blessed… Another war just after a few years since the previous one, I don't know if it would be easy." Sighed the Ancient Elf Elder. "Unless the Gods themselves descend to aid us once more."
I suppose this is where the original timeline finally begins to change completely. Most likely in the original timeline, they all failed to detect the cultists in time, and that ended with the Demon King being summoned and destroying all of Cloudia.
However, now that we've stopped every cultist in the city and managed to delay the inevitable, it is time to end this and create a "new ending", one where the worst possible scenario didn't happen, one where Cloudia was not destroyed.
And maybe one where Gods didn't die.
Because at this point, it is very obvious that many died, after all, Hephaestus is only one of the many that perished in the past, and I doubt the Gods died out of old age or something.
They were most likely killed on a war against the strongest Demon King, the seventh, the Demon King of The End!
To stop that from happening in this Dungeon and get the best possible ending, and the best rewards, we'll have to stop that Demon King from ever getting here.
And for that, we need to leave Cloudia.
"Actually, we learned many things…" I ended explaining them everything we knew.
"So they're performing the ritual not here, but in the Demon King Continent!" Muttered the Divine Dragon. "That damned continent.."
"Just what is that continent anyways?" Wondered my daughter.
"You don't know, young Majin?" Sighed the Ancient Elven woman. "The Demon Continent was formed when Erebus was defeated and sealed. His gigantic body fell into the seas, and shattered the tectonic plate, create a continent as the water filled all the cracks. A land of pure black stone, where nothing but monsters roam."
"It is said that the leftover Soul Essence of Erebus was impregnated into the continent, making it a living being of its own. The Continent possess a strange, Miasmic Domain that encompasses it all, it is extremely dangerous to even step there, as your life and mana will be constantly drained away." The Majin Elder said.
"Because of that, going there is a suicide even for us, unless we go fully equipped with the highest-grade divine equipment." Said the Divine Dragon Elder. "This is beyond our reach; we'll need to leave it to the Gods to decide."
"No, I think we can do that ourselves, actually." I said, stopping their talk. "Right, team?"
Everyone nodded, ready for anything. We came here to complete the damn scenario, and that's what we were going to do now. No holding back, no walking back, and no chickening out.
"But that's suicide! And you can't even get there easily! You'll die before you can even…!" The Divine Dragon spoke before he suddenly stopped talking, his eyes widening.
In my hands there was a bright, Holy Energy, this was Celestial Essence, the power that Angels wield, and a power that apparently none of the Ancient Races could wield.
"T-That's…!"
"It can't be, you possess the power of the Gods' servants?"
"Impossible, are you truly an elf?"
"You could call me a messenger of the Gods. I possess a halo and wings too, much like my friend over here." I pointed at Angelina, who also showed those traits after hiding them for the most part, as they only come out when she fights or flies. However, she can't wield the same essence I can, perhaps her Avatar hasn't developed such a power yet.
"E-Eh? Ah, yeeaah, that's right!" Angelina quickly went along with me, she was learning how to bullshit really well.
"We've defeated two Divine Beasts and the three traitors, and even several Demons." I explained. "With this energy and our large team, I believe we can stop the ritual from even starting."
"E-Even then, how can you get there in time? I bet the ritual might start at any minute! You will be too late!" Said the old Ancient Elf lady.
"I can solve that problem easily as well! I've already sent two clones of myself to the Verdant and the Demon King Continent." I said. "I haven't been able to get to create a tree in the demon king continent, but I have done so in the verdant continent.
We can teleport there as a shortcut and then gather enough power to break through the Miasmic Domain of the Demon King Continent, allowing my greens to grow there."
Actually, I could even do it with my three-headed divine Yggdragon form as it possesses an invisibility status for terrain and domains, but that one can last at most ten minutes, so it is not reliable enough.
And I believe if we ask the help of the real Yggdrasil down there, little Titania, and even her Divine Beasts…
Things might finally become possible.
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