"Sefirah are a collection of symbols, the source of authority, and the origin of power!"
"For example, The Fool's gray fog kingdom and My kingdom are both like this…"
As the boundless dark golden mist surged, Audrey, temporarily relieved of the psychological cue, listened with undisguised astonishment to Aaron's introduction of this "kingdom," while recalling the information about the Cosmos and Outer Deities that had emerged from the depths of her spirituality, which had originally been obscured by the "Visionary" card.
After a long while, Audrey looked at Aaron with a bitter smile and confirmed:
"So many 'Outer Deities'… Is this why the Gods tacitly allowed George III to attempt to become a Black Emperor?"
Aaron hummed softly, then gently consoled her:
"There is still some time until the apocalypse, and the Gods are not lambs to be slaughtered. For you, it is about accepting the cruelty that all of this might bring, and quickly advancing to a complete Mythical Creature."
Deep within the primitive island sealed on the lowest level of the Nation of Disorder, the gate of the "Black Emperor" mausoleum suddenly opened. With Aaron's tacit approval, Bornova, who had enjoyed some long-awaited father-son time with Roselle, slowly walked out.
So fast… Aaron's expression shifted slightly, wanting to say more, but he immediately stopped speaking and teleported with Audrey to the outside of the mausoleum.
"Father's method for creating the Cards of Blasphemy originally involved some blessings from the Mother Goddess of Depravity. She has now modified the direction of these potentially corrupting blessings to You, and has given me the specific method of creation. I will complete the finished products as quickly as possible!"
Bowing slightly to Aaron, Bornova summarized his gains and made his promise.
Aaron nodded in satisfaction, immediately sending Bornova back to reality. But before He could enter the mausoleum, the Nation of Disorder transmitted an indescribable resonance that instantly furrowed His brow.
This familiar feeling, He had last experienced it when He explored the passage to the Forsaken Land of the Gods hidden in the Abyss. It was the Devil Monarch's aura from the Tenebrous World resonating with the Nation of Disorder, which also belonged to Sefirah!
At Aaron's current level, for the Nation of Disorder to have such a resonance, it would have to be at least an Archangel or higher truly activating Sefirah-level power.
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In the Intis Republic, the surging Srenzo River cut through the capital, Trier.
On the north bank, the God of Church of the God of Steam and Machinery's main cathedral was towered over by thick, iron-black chimneys. Large amounts of light white mist billowed upwards from the forest-like chimneys, obscuring the morning light.
The residents of Trier had long been accustomed to this, but today's mist seemed particularly dense, unlike the usual damp cold, instead carrying a scorching sensation as if singed by flames, even spreading into the Spirit World, which overlapped somewhat with reality.
The first to notice the anomaly and react was a pure ray of sunlight. The rust-tinged mist quickly evaporated, and a holy and beautiful woman in a gold-embroidered white robe emerged from it.
It was Saint Viève, the patron angel of the Eternal Blazing Sun Church!
This ancient angel, who had experienced the War of Four Emperors, was exceptionally calm. She merely drove the pervasive war mist away from the residential areas where the believers were, then silently overlooked Trier.
Such obvious spiritual fluctuations could not be concealed even by the war mist. The member of the Divine Council who had temporarily replaced Bornova after his quiet departure rose with a solemn expression and headed to the deepest part of the church.
As the latest established and shallowest-rooted Orthodox God Church, even if he was the next Pope candidate, second only to Bornova, his own Beyonder characteristic had not truly reached the angel level. There was no need to be stingy when facing dangers beyond his own level.
Mist enveloped most of Trier. The barrier of reality seemed to be distorted, and purple flames burned silently in the void. They quickly solidified, turning into gigantic, blood-stained, iron-black thrones.
The "Red Angel" Medici, with his blood-red hair unbound, casually rested his hand on the longsword armrest of the Black Iron Throne, looking disdainfully at Saint Viève, the patron angel, who was meeting his gaze high in the sky:
"Tsk, want to fight me?"
Behind the Black Iron Throne, within the dense war mist, metal armored puppets of various colors, with faces seemingly carved, and standing over ten meters tall, appeared faintly, vast and mighty, like an army.
Apart from the most crucial "Conqueror" Beyonder characteristic in the underground ruins, the remaining ones, even the additional "Weather Warlock" Beyonder characteristic and the Iron and Blood Cross Order's century-long accumulation, had all been integrated into these puppets by Medici, allowing the "War of Red" Legion, which had disappeared for over a thousand years, to reappear in this manner.
Staring coldly at the aggressive Medici, Saint Viève, the patron angel, seemed to sense something. Her eyes shifted slightly towards the direction of the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery, where a light composed of massive illusory objects was rising.
Wherever the light passed, all the war mist was decomposed into pure spiritual light points, which then converged behind this light to form an even larger, seemingly all-encompassing scroll of civilization that threatened to envelop all of Trier.
"How annoying, you Blessed…"
His disdainful expression slightly receded, Medici rose from the Black Iron Throne. On his glabella, a blood-colored mark shaped like a banner clearly protruded, vibrant and about to drip, then ignited with black flames that bound destruction and madness.
The Black Iron Throne subsequently collapsed, turning into blood-stained black armor. Medici's body had already disappeared, and within the full-body armor remained only iron-like bones inscribed with complex, terrifying symbols, and deep purple, almost blood-colored flames attached to them, filling his body.
Medici, having completely revealed his full Mythical Creature form, now held an iron-black flagpole. Waving the blood-stained flag with burn marks, he crashed head-on into the enveloping scroll of civilization, his arrogant laughter echoing:
"It's just a divine descent clone…"
"I originally intended to deal with that old geezer Cheek, but since it's come to this, I'll let you, junior, witness why I am called the symbol of Iron and Blood!"
Almost simultaneously, the puppets of the "War of Red" Legion raised their arms. Their eyes were all tinged with iron-black, and long spears of deep purple, almost blood-colored flames condensed in their hands.
They could simultaneously share all of the "Red Angel" Medici's abilities and spirituality!
The power of the entire "War of Red" Legion instantly converged on Medici, causing the banner mark on his glabella and the Deity's Fallen Banner in his hand to begin resonating.
-----------------
In the Berserk Sea, in the waters near Bansy Island, which was blockaded by the Church of the Lord of Storms, a faint, illusory long river shimmered with rugged light within the thin mist.
Almost as soon as the war mist began to appear in Trier, the swirling, illusory long river trembled gently. The mist was stirred, and Bansy Island, surrounded by the Restart of Fate, appeared faintly amidst silver-white lightning and crimson flames. Faint roars emanated from it, growing increasingly frantic.