Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A stream of red flame-colored light flashed rapidly through the void, weaving between threads of true spirit and circling around the true spirit brand. Lockhart darted back and forth through this realm where the gods' true spirits gathered.
He was carefully observing the condensation of the god's true spirit and its degree of... pollution!
Though Dormammu and Mephisto had temporarily halted their pursuit, Lockhart knew their next attack would be at least twice as difficult to handle. How could a unified front from two evil gods be easy to counter?
Therefore, he seized this precious time to quickly assess the true spirit's condition.
As Lockhart moved swiftly through the divine soul, an idea suddenly crystallized in his mind. He reached deep within himself and initiated communication.
"System, what are your thoughts on the true spirit of the gods?"
Since their last deal, Lockhart had come to view the system as an entity with its own agency, attempting to communicate more frequently to extract additional information.
The system, however, remained characteristically silent, as if it didn't exist at all.
Despite Lockhart's considerable abilities—which allowed him to repeatedly examine his own soul and true spirit—he couldn't detect any trace of the system. Were it not for the blue light screen that appeared whenever he summoned the system interface, he might have believed the entire thing was merely an illusion.
After posing his question, Lockhart expected more silence. But after half a minute of quiet...
"The contamination level of the god's true spirit has reached 40%. Its value is low."
"However, recycling is permitted."
"Reward for true spiritual transformation..."
Lockhart paid little attention to the mission rewards. What surprised him was that the system had actually responded to his inquiry.
What did this mean? The god's true spirit still held value to the system. Last time, it had been Mephisto's soul that triggered a system response.
"System, what's the key to acquiring the condensed true spirit of the gods?" Lockhart asked tentatively.
After another half-minute of silence, the system replied: "Host, please determine this yourself."
"Tip: When pollution levels reach 70%, the god's true spirit will no longer be worth recycling."
The pollution currently stood at 40%—still 30% away from the critical threshold.
The system's response left Lockhart deep in thought. If the system rejected true spirits with 70% contamination, did that mean the god's true spirit would be rendered completely useless at that level?
While pondering this, suddenly...
Lockhart's eyes narrowed as he detected streams of gray and black light approaching from the distance.
Mephisto and Dormammu had returned.
Upon seeing the two evil gods, Lockhart didn't flee. Curiously, Dormammu and Mephisto also slowed their approach.
What confused Lockhart, however, was the apparent tension between them. He had expected them to form a united front, but sensed an undercurrent of discord.
"Lockhart," Dormammu called out, "we're offering you a chance. Choose one of us and your life will be spared."
"What's more, we'll grant you the divine realm and origin when you ascend to godhood."
Dormammu emphasized specifically: "You can become my subordinate deity—inferior to one person, but superior to ten thousand."
His seductive tone made it clear that if Lockhart chose him, all these promises would be fulfilled.
Mephisto countered: "Lockhart, everything Dormammu says is true."
"You could even forgo serving under a god and become a new, independent deity."
"It all depends on your choice!"
After hearing their propositions, Lockhart was genuinely surprised. However, he maintained a calm exterior and asked evenly: "So, what exactly do you want from me?"
Did they want him to surrender the god's true spirit? Betray Kamar-Taj? Allow them to invade Earth or attack the Supreme Sorcerer? His mind raced with possibilities, unsure of their true intentions.
"It's simple," Dormammu stated coolly. "We want one thing from you."
"The treasure hidden deep within your soul!"
Now Lockhart understood. When Dormammu had attempted to negotiate with Mephisto earlier, treating Lockhart as merely an add-on to their deal, Mephisto had refused.
Mephisto had maintained his hard stance, even threatening to dissolve their partnership.
The moment Mephisto declined, Dormammu realized the truth: Mephisto must know just how special Lockhart was.
He wouldn't let go—even if it meant sacrificing the god's true spirit.
In that case... they could only cooperate to obtain what they both desired.
"Lockhart, what are your thoughts?" Dormammu pressed.
Dormammu's request left Lockhart genuinely stunned. Somehow, Dormammu and Mephisto had discovered traces of the system, while Lockhart himself—despite every effort—couldn't find any clues about its nature.
It was rather pathetic. Others had detected it, yet he remained ignorant about something residing within his own soul.
In this moment, Lockhart felt neither fear nor anxiety. Instead, a peculiar calm washed over him, accompanied by an urge to laugh at the irony, tinged with self-deprecation.
"What treasure?" Lockhart asked with convincing confusion. "At least give me a hint."
His eyes shone with apparent anticipation.
Dormammu scoffed: "Lockhart, no one will save you this time."
"When you swallowed my soul, Mephisto didn't escape your methods either."
"Don't pretend ignorance."
His voice dripped with sarcasm.
Mephisto remained silent, but his gaze never left Lockhart, tracking his every movement. Without the Supreme Sorcerer's interference, this represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Whether it was the god's true spirit or Lockhart's mysterious treasure—he wanted it all.
"Is that all you know?" Lockhart's voice carried a hint of disappointment.
He had momentarily believed that Dormammu and Mephisto had discovered something significant about the system. But their knowledge seemed limited to having detected something when their souls had been consumed.
What use was that?
Lockhart's reaction perplexed Mephisto, who was surprised by his continued nonchalance.
Then Lockhart sighed audibly. "Since you have no real insights, perhaps you can help me instead."
"Indeed—I want to meet it too!"
As his words faded into the void...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Suddenly, a gray orb of true spiritual light exploded in the distance.
In an instant, tsunami-like vibrations rippled through the space, with gray waves flooding the true spirit realm.
The newly condensed True Spirit Brand suffered another violent impact!
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Countless true spirit threads of various colors trembled, many snapping completely.
The True Spirit Brand, which had just achieved its complete form, began to distort.
Yet to Mephisto and Dormammu's eyes, though the true spirit mark appeared heavily impacted, the numerous gray true spirit ripples simultaneously worked to compensate and support it.
While it seemed severely damaged, the reality was less dire—the cohesion process had even accelerated.
The price? Further pollution of the god's true spirit!
As they processed this development, they heard Lockhart's calm words:
"Mephisto, Dormammu—you're both eager to uncover the secret deep within my soul."
"Then come with me and witness it firsthand!"
"Thank you both for your assistance!"
Almost simultaneously...
Click! Click! Click!
"Dream World Sacrifice!"