DING!
You have received the following rewards:
Artifact Name: Pillars of the Eternal Fetter
Grade: Primordial
Type: Cursed Artifact
Effect: [The Pillars of the Eternal Fetter strips gods and powerful beings of their strength. Once activated, they are transformed into harmless entities—wooden objects or rats—devoid of any power. The artifact consumes their strength, leaving them powerless. This transformation renders them pitiful, and the artifact feeds on their energy, leaving them completely defenseless. This is a permanent punishment for wielding excessive power. Activation requires the wielder to sacrifice life force or soul essence. It is a tool of merciless control and judgment, degrading even the mightiest beings. Its name reflects its ability to break down even the strongest.]
You have received the following rewards:
[2 Random Talent Cards]
(Category: Physique, Bloodline, or Race – Unopened)
Kneeling Points Gained:
+20,000 Kneeling Points
+10,000 Kneeling Points
+5,000 Kneeling Points
+1,000 Kneeling Points
+500 Kneeling Points
+100 Kneeling Points
Battle Experience Gained:
(Battle Experience Gained x10+)
DING!
[The twin hosts have perfected their foundations in all aspects and can now breakthrough at any time.]
DING!
[You have received 2 Dao Intent Cards. You may now choose a specific Dao Intent to cultivate.]
DING!
[You have received 2 Dao Path entries. You may now create or craft your own unique Dao.]
–
After receiving the abundant rewards, Ella stared at the system prompt in disbelief. She hadn't expected Olivia to ignore her, especially since she had always obeyed her words in the past. But now, not only did Olivia refuse to listen, she even dared to talk back, surprising Ella with this unexpected change in behavior.
Ella continued observing as Olivia made hundreds of thousands of people kneel without mercy. She couldn't understand why Olivia had done this.
But thinking back on their recent experiences, Ella recalled how much they had already endured in such a short time since arriving in this world. They had witnessed death, injustice, and the overwhelming complexity of reality.
They had come to understand how fragile life truly was, how hard it was to trust anyone.
As Ella reflected on everything, she slowly began to understand why Olivia had acted that way.
It was not recklessness, nor was it arrogance.
It was the quiet desperation of someone who didn't want to lose what mattered. Ella was one of those people. Olivia was willing to go to any lengths to avoid making a mistake, to prevent another tragedy like what happened to Tia, who had lost her entire family and could do nothing about it.
Realizing this, Ella let out a soft sigh. Olivia's actions were excessive, even overwhelming, but beneath them was a deep protectiveness that couldn't be ignored. A quiet warmth stirred in Ella's chest.
She hadn't expected this side of Olivia to exist, yet now that she had seen it, it left her with a feeling she couldn't quite explain.
Although she understood, Ella still tried her best to escape the spatial lock that had compressed her body. She didn't want Olivia to be caught off guard.
The Dark Emperor was extremely unpredictable and nearly impossible to kill. Ella believed she needed to assist, so she called out to Olivia.
"Vivi, I get it now. I understand your worries, but I really am fine. So please, release me. I don't have much time in this form."
Olivia turned to her with deep red eyes, her gaze locked onto Ella's. She synchronized with her, searching for truth, but didn't believe her words.
To Olivia, it sounded like another excuse to interfere. Without hesitation, she answered coldly.
"No means no."
Ella frowned. She couldn't read Olivia's thoughts. Since they were operating through clones guided by consciousness, their usual ability to feel each other's emotions was blocked. These were not their true bodies.
Silently, Ella watched as Olivia continued to force countless beings to kneel, showing no intention of stopping.
Right now Olivia's perception spanned over one hundred thousand miles, and as she subconsciously invoked the essence of Law within the Human Realm, she cloaked it with the immense power of her kneeling authority.
This force compelled all beings, including beasts, undead, humans, and demi-humans, to kneel in submission. Whether the ground was dirt or stone, all were made to bow their heads in obedience.
Confusion spread rapidly, especially among those unaware of what was happening.
The reach of the authority skill was so vast that it stirred unrest across the land, perplexing thousands of people, particularly those who were not cultivators. While most were shielded from the tremors of battle by strange protective forces of the Human Realm, the sheer presence of Olivia's power still affected them.
If the scale of the Human Realm were compared to Earth, it would be impossible to measure its vastness. Earth's equatorial circumference is about 25,000 miles (40,075 kilometers), but the Human Realm stretched across millions of miles, an expanse beyond reckoning.
Despite the world being habitable, it could not naturally produce true powerhouses. Even if such beings emerged, they would still be unable to escape the overwhelming force of Olivia's authority skill.
"Ack, help, my head!"
Cries echoed from all directions as countless figures were pressed to the ground. The Dark Emperor couldn't help but shiver. He had no idea why everyone was being forced to kneel over and over again, with no end in sight. Confused and frustrated, he muttered to himself.
"Are they actually enjoying this? These two sisters really love watching others suffer on their knees. What insane siblings."
He had overheard earlier that the two were sisters, and now the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was the first time he had encountered someone who genuinely seemed to delight in forcing others to kneel. Just thinking about it made him feel cursed.
He regretted ever crossing paths with Ella. If he had simply avoided her instead of detaining her, none of this would be happening.
Now, he was locked in an unfair battle where he couldn't even touch a strand of their hair. He couldn't help but admire their technique. It was overpowering, tyrannical even, and it had forced everyone into submission.
He had seen similar methods in the past, but none came close to the overwhelming power of this one.
In the distance, among the countless people forced to kneel, the Witch of Calamity and her granddaughter Mary were also brought down. Unlike many others, they didn't suffer head injuries, as they had fallen near a wide river that seemed like a salt lake.
The water allowed them to float while kneeling, so their skin wasn't scraped. Still, Mary felt a sharp sting and itch from the water. As an ordinary human, she was slightly affected by the lingering death energy left behind by the Dark Emperor.
Even so, they were far better off than those who bled from repeatedly kneeling on rough, jagged ground.
The air trembled with the sound of pained cries, adding to the unease.
"Mary, are you okay?" the Witch of Calamity asked, watching her with worry.
Mary nodded and let out a soft giggle. "Hehe, Grandmother, I think that sister in the sky is a yandere."
It was her first time seeing someone so obsessive and fierce. A person willing to crush others to protect the ones they loved. The sight oddly thrilled her.
Her grandmother raised an eyebrow and looked at her with disbelief, as though she were once again saying something outrageous.
"Yandere? This girl… she's still so cheerful, even after everything."
She sighed, then added, "We were lucky not to land on the rocky ground like the others. At least we're safe."
She wasn't surprised by Mary's strange comment. Ever since childhood, Mary had often spoken in odd ways.
The Witch of Calamity simply listened quietly, then turned her eyes to the sky. As she stared at Olivia, she still couldn't believe that the delicate-looking girl could act with such terrifying cruelty.
Although she was curious about their origins, she chose not to ask. She simply shook her head and focused on surviving, accompanied by her ever-talkative granddaughter.
Olivia reviewed the rewards displayed by the system. Most of them didn't interest her, but as her eyes landed on a certain artifact, something shifted in her expression. She paused, reading its description carefully.
Effect: [Strips powerful beings of all strength. Transforms them into harmless things such as wood, rats, or worse. Consumes their power completely. Leaves them pitiful and powerless. Feeds on their energy until nothing is left. The punishment is permanent. Shows no mercy. To activate, the user must sacrifice life force or soul essence. It is a cursed tool of cruel control. Its name reflects its ability to break even the mightiest.]
Intrigued, she asked, "System, how do I use this artifact? I want it. Now."
The moment she spoke, the system responded, and the air around her shifted.
The artifact materialized, a black rod larger than her arms, marked with unfamiliar symbols. She studied it with intrigue, her focus more on how it worked than what it looked like. A moment later, the system replied.
DING! [User may strike the artifact onto their own body. Effect activates instantly. No delay. Irreversible upon activation.]
Olivia laughed quietly, then turned her gaze toward the Dark Emperor, her smile sharp and merciless.
"This is perfect. I want him to become a truly powerless rat."
Without hesitation, Olivia descended, materializing beside the Dark Emperor.
In her hand, she held the black rod, its presence twisting the air with silent malice. The moment she arrived, the cursed aura pulsed outward like a heartbeat, cold and suffocating.
The Dark Emperor sensed it at once. His instincts screamed. That thing in her hand was no ordinary artifact. He didn't need to analyze it. He trusted his gut more than anything, and his gut told him this was a nightmare given form.
He tried to move. To escape. Even to kill himself and force a distant revival. But he couldn't. The force that kept him kneeling bound every nerve and muscle.
He couldn't lift a hand, couldn't turn his head, couldn't even whisper a spell. All he could do was breathe... and wait.
Olivia stared down at him with a glint of cold amusement in her eyes.
"You're surprisingly calm."
The Dark Emperor gave a dry laugh. "What choice do I have? I'm not even allowed to lift a finger."
His tone held no panic, only a resigned pride. He had already survived agonies that defied imagination. Even now, with death looming again, he felt no fear. He believed he could endure anything.
Then, Olivia tilted her head slightly and spoke again, her voice soft but clear.
"Little rat. Use this. Smash it against your own head. If you do, I'll let you go."
His expression stiffened. For the first time, a trace of confusion broke through.
What did she just say? His mind began to race—too late.
Because Olivia was already extending the rod toward him.
And she was smiling.