Stretching out his hand, Konrad rubbed the balk of the World Tree and closed his eyes to a.s.sess its state. Or rather, Yvonne"s state. Indeed, when confronted with the World Tree"s feral will, although her persona managed to resist its a.s.sault, as time went by, it would grow increasingly weaker. There were only two outcomes:
One, she lost and vanished within the Tree"s will.
Two, she triumphed and became the Tree"s will. Unlike Nessriane, Yvonne wasn"t a body of flesh attempting to rob the will, but an existence that had already merged with the Tree. Regardless of the result, she couldn"t escape unless…she achieved Life Embodiment and could freely alter the state of her lifeform!
Unless a foreign Truth or Life Embodiment level existence acted, that, indeed, was her only way out. But with her fragile foundation in Life Laws, to say nothing of Embodiment, wielding was a daunting task.
Fortunately, some people were there to ease the task. But seeing how Konrad ignored her and appeared lost in his contemplation of the World Tree, Ilkaalt"s heart teemed with a mixture of joy and resentment. The thought of him standing in grief before the loss of his most beloved triggered sensations she couldn"t tolerate!
Why? He didn"t have the right! She didn"t allow it! But as she prepared to irritate him further, Konrad"s chthonian energies erupted while his soul that stretched throughout the Ancient Crystal World rose to merge with the World Tree!
Instantaneously, its wailing resumed!
"Ouuuuin!"
"Ouuuuuuuin!"
"Ouuuuuuuuuuinnn!"
Pain! Ghastly pain wracked the World Tree as Konrad"s chthonian soul perverted it! At the same time, Konrad waved his hand toward Nessriane, and while still lost in her demons, she flew toward him.
"Just a temporary state. I need to borrow something from you."
He declared before snapping the life out of Nessriane to rob her Life Wielding! And seeing her demented mother finally succ.u.mb under Konrad"s irresistible hand, Ilkaalt stood dazed, unable to react.
But she wouldn"t stay that way for long because as its wailing intensified, the World Tree"s roots rose again to drain the remainder of the suppressed Sages within the Ant Colony, and send its roots into Ilkaalt"s body, that juicy fountain of Life Essence that by right belonged to it!
*Puh*
At the roots again stabbed her, piercing her heart, shoulders and thighs to siphon the boundless Life Essence she could never enjoy, tears filled Ilkaalt"s eyes. Now she knew. From the beginning, this was the end Konrad had in stores for her. And from the moment he revealed it, he was merely guiding her to the inevitable, using the feelings he planted within her heart to lead her into d.a.m.nation.
But strangely, neither this realization nor the piercing roots filled her with pain. No, the entirety of the anguish she currently felt lay in one simple fact.
"Why…won"t you even glance at…me?"
Ilkaalt asked while warm tears trickled down her blanching cheeks. For indeed, the root of her grief lied in the fact that from beginning to end, Konrad never once glanced at her, again reminding her of the insignificance of her existence.
"Ilkaalt, my gaze only lingers on beauty. But what is beauty? Beauty is that thing that grips the eye and compels a stare of reckless abandon. You have none of it. In fact, I find you insipid. Therefore, I will never glance at you again."
Konrad replied, shattering Ilkaalt"s bleeding heart.
"Konrad…I hate you…I hate you…but more than that…I hate…that I love you…"
Ilkaalt mumbled, and her pale lips curved into a forced smile before the last bit of her life essence vanished and she perished under the World Tree"s roots. Fueled by this ma.s.sive Life Essence, the World Tree"s wailing dwindled an its color went from pale grey to dark-green, slowly returning to the original.
With the death of the last Zenith Ants, Konrad was one step closer to his final goal. However, one detail remained.
"Calisto and Vylsea."
"At your service, your majesty!"
Konrad contacted his two legionaries through a mental message, and immediately, they answered his call.
"Slaughter all within the Hidden Forest"s five tribes. Spare none whatsoever."
Konrad ordered, startling the two legionaries! Those had pledged loyalty to Yvonne and served her without fail for more than three decades. The Serpent tribe was especially meritorious! Why would Konrad suddenly command their execution?
However, stupor was stupor. The two would never reject their lord"s orders.
"As you command, your majesty!"
They obeyed and instantaneously carried out the order. The five chieftains, and the Serpent Chieftain more than the others, were startled to see Calisto and Vylsea"s swords drop and lop off their heads!
Even as the last spark of life perished, and the blood of their kin soared to drench the Hidden Forest"s trees in a crimson hurricane, they couldn"t believe that it would be in the hands of those two that their lives ended!
And as the last of the Hidden Forest"s tribes succ.u.mbed, the blood-drenched Calisto and Vylsea reported the completed task.
"Your majesty, as per your orders, all have been executed."
They said in tandem. But, of course, Konrad was already monitoring the changes. And when the last of those demonic beasts and fiends perished, so did the last non-believers of the Ancient Crystal World.
Now, across the globe, all wors.h.i.+pped a single deity:
Konrad, the Profane Prince of Domination!
He stretched out his hands, harnessing the faith power of those billions of souls and the supreme authority that came with it, not as World G.o.d, but as World Devil! And sensing this change and breach of rules, the Mortal Realm"s Will awoke to unleash its wrath upon this aberration!
Dark clouds filled the sky with crackling lightning and brewing thunderstorms as tribulation lightning gathered to execute Konrad!
Alas, it was far too late!
"Apologies, Realm Will, but from now on, across the Ancient Crystal World, I make the rules. I do not stand under your jurisdiction. You are but a guest. A guest, I expel."
Konrad casually stated before raising his hands toward the dark sky! Instantaneously, black light pillars soared from all corners of the ground to slam into the brewing tribulation and obliterate it before it could even gather!
The dark clouds dispersed, and as they did, so did any influence of the Mortal Realm"s Will in the Ancient Crystal World!
"It"s the Devil"s destiny to trample G.o.d. Therefore, if you stand as this universe"s Paramount Deity, it is my duty, as the One True Devil to bring you on your knees.
So patiently wait for me to tame the Mortal Realm and make you my b.i.t.c.h!"
Konrad spat at the Mortal Realm Will while cementing his absolute control of all things within the Ancient Crystal World!