Chapter 69: Chapter 65: Aisha’s Child, Part of the Plan
Rephya was dumbfounded.
No, system, what’s going on?
Beside her, Chloe floated with a peculiar smile on his face.
The distortion of consciousness caused by [Recovery] is highly advanced, even capable of tampering with spirit and soul.
But whether due to the influence of the Holy Bone or the protection of the system, Rephya could not have her memory twisted by [Recovery].
This does not mean her protection is so stringent that it cannot be penetrated.
At least the seal on her memories by the Enchanting Demon was effective.
After all, it was just sealing memories, not erasing or altering her personality.
In a way, this is good... at least that matter can be hidden a bit.
[You vaguely remember discovering some secret about them, not their chaotic romantic relationships, but something even more unbelievable]
[But you can’t recall it, and you choose:]
[You choose to directly ask Chloe]
[You always feel your senior would not easily harm you, so despite your increasingly complex feelings towards him, you go directly to inquire, wanting to know what he and Aisha are plotting]
[Chloe rubs your head, saying not to ask about things kids shouldn’t know. You angrily say you are not a child. He retorts that people who say this are indeed kids]
[When you go to ask him again, you find Chloe has also processed his suspension of studies]
[For a long time afterward, you hear no word of them, and you choose:]
[You choose to look for their traces]
[You learn from Senior Sister Fufu that Chloe and Aisha have founded a Mysterious Association and begun exploring the Maze]
[You notice that the type of maze they explore is always the Bottomless Abyss type]
[Which is considered the most dangerous among all mazes, the Bottomless Abyss in the Outer Realm is the lair of chaos and evil]
[Mazes generated with the Bottomless Abyss as a background are filled with a great number of demons]
[Not to mention the maze monsters being more powerful, it also easily draws the attention of the Abyssal Will]
[Those who gaze into the Abyss are more susceptible to corruption and becoming its minions, many become magic-wielders starting from here]
[You have just entered the Ethereal Emblem, and share a dormitory with Aisha, since you are close in age, you often chat, and your affection for each other gradually increases]
[Later when you encounter problems, she always stands up for you]
[You thought losing the Holy Bone would sour your relationship, but you find her attitude unchanged, leaving you inexplicably moved]
[Your hearts gradually draw closer, but you have always envied her life, the way she is loved by family, which you cannot clearly remember]
[Yet, you know Aisha has her own worries, her brother who has not awakened, lying long on a sickbed is her constant concern]
[In the subsequent years, to enhance your strength, you occasionally delve into mazes, and even engage in combat, escaping death narrowly a few times]
[Aisha occasionally visits you, providing some assistance, but no matter what, she cannot help you enhance your Sequence]
[You long realized that perhaps your talents are dull, without the Holy Bone you can only reach this point, the only noteworthy attribute left is your resilience in enduring hardship]
[Aisha always rubs your head saying, "It’s okay, as long as I keep honing my skills, no matter how you fight with others, they will eventually spare you due to me."]
[Years later, she and Chloe founded the Mysterious Association, remaining active on the Abyssal Series maze front, while you stumble along, surprisingly reaching Sequence Eight]
[That day, you hear Aisha has gone to the Abyssal Series B-grade maze, Land of the Salt River, a region where the Abyssal Will is highly active, you choose:]
[To proceed for a friend]
[With Sequence Eight strength and remarkable courage, you cross the perilous Salt River, past demon-filled beaches, reaching Aisha]
[You say you miss Aisha deeply and came to deliver some Extraordinary Materials to her, she looks at you with an indescribable feeling]
[She rubs your head saying, "Xiaolu is such a fool, I didn’t want you to be involved in this."]
[You cannot understand what she means, you are merely scared she might get hurt]
[Then Chloe suddenly appears before you, shaking his head saying, "You shouldn’t be here, Rephya."]
[You are defiant, but see him gently press his lips on Aisha’s forehead, touching her delicate nose, finally landing on her lips]
[He cautiously touches, his warm hand meanders with patience waiting for Aisha’s response, soon her eyes turn dazed, the Enchanting Demon’s tail wraps around Chloe’s thigh, with faint heart shapes in her eyes]
[She is stirred, Chloe’s breath is close, a peculiar tingling spreads, causing her heart to tremble violently]
[Her slender arms slide around his waist, tightly clasping together, a blissful smile appears, she shyly responds to his expectations]
[In an instant, Aisha’s abdomen turns from nondescript to full-term pregnant, an indescribable power emanates from her]
[You fail to grasp what they are doing, but see demons surging in the Salt River stepping out of the water]
[You instinctively protect them behind you, but horrifyingly discover these demons, like obedient servants, kneel before you]
[Unprecedented dread fills your body, you know they are not kneeling for you]
[At this moment, a pair of powerful yet warm hands pull you into an embrace from behind, Chloe confines you within his arms, sighing softly:]
["Rephya, I told you not to obstruct."]
[An Enchanting Demon’s tail bites your neck once more, the numbing power paralyzes you]
[You see numerous experts from Chloe’s Mysterious Association emerging from various corners, wearing black and red Priest Robes adorned with Abyssal patterns]
[Only now do you realize Chloe’s association is a base for Abyssal Believers, filled with those mad Esoteric Practitioners]
[At this point, a Priest emits a joyful sound: "Ah~ah! To become a sacrifice for the Heroic Maiden, if it’s this girl, she’ll surely please the Abyss wonderfully."]
[You realize you are about to die, Aisha’s injected fluid renders you helpless]
A tear slips from the corner of Rephya’s eye on the bed.
Why must it end like this, did I do something wrong?
Rephya does not understand.
Abyssal Believers are a group of lunatics; they destroyed the town she was born in, forcing her to wander since childhood, with nowhere to turn.
She originally thought that even if people couldn’t strike, Abyssal Believers would stay as far away from these people as possible.
But now, those she knew best had chosen this path.
A strong sense of defeat spread through her heart.
Yet she couldn’t see, Chloe was gently holding Rephya’s face with his invisible, intangible hands.
He whispered, "Rest assured, it will be over soon, this is all part of the plan."
Memories from the simulation surged, flooding his mind.
In an instant, he was pulled into a rune altar filled with mercury and blood.
Masses of extraordinary traits materials rarely seen outside piled up here.
Eye of Flesh and Blood, Erosive Titan Essence, Fallen Wolf Totem...
These were illicit materials only procured by those Evil God’s Followers who trod in deviant ways.
The Abyssal Believers placed great importance on this sacrifice, though they never expected Rephya to appear here.
After all, this was a B-level Maze, not a place someone of Sequence 8 should approach.
He looked at the unconscious Heroic Maiden:
"Does someone who becomes a hero also possess the corresponding fearless courage?"
He could hardly imagine with what determination Rephya crossed the outer circle of the B-level Maze to get to them.
Feeling complicated, he looked back at the others marked with Abyssal Runes.
This group of Abyssal Believers intended to hold a sacrificial ritual here, attract the attention of the Abyssal Will and receive the Abyssal Blessing.
According to the process, they had prepared most of the materials.
Plus the child in Aisha’s belly...
The [Pure Enchanting Demon] talent not only indicated Aisha possessed the power of a demon, but that her body was highly attuned to the abyss.
Just like Chloe’s recovery.
Being able to progress through sequence enhancement requires giving up something to some extent.
What he gave up was the self-protection of his soul.
And what Aisha gave up was the resistance to Abyssal Power.
The offspring they conceived would be more easily favored by the Abyss.
This child had already been in Aisha’s womb for three years.
The Abyssal Believers had waited three years for this.
Just because Chloe painted them a rosy picture, saying once the child was born and blessed by the Abyssal Will, it would swiftly ascend to Demigod, leading to the revival of the Abyssal Church.
Since the era of the King of Self-redemption ended, the Abyssal Church had been in decline for a long time, having basically become sewer rats.
The Abyssal Believers had enough of this situation, they were determined to change everything.
Acquiring an ally who is a Demigod was the best choice.
Now they were almost ecstatic.
It was the owner of the Holy Bone, though it’s a pity the talent had been plundered, otherwise such a genius, if sacrificed to the Abyss, would surely garner rave reviews from the Abyss.
But it didn’t matter, now there was another offering to please the Abyss, they felt that following Lord Chloe was truly great.
Despite feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the bloody altar around her, Aisha still forced herself to look at Chloe.
Chloe, stepping on the blood, began to chant the Abyssal incantations.
The sacrifice began.
Chloe’s voice resonated over the Salt River.
"To the end of chaos and evil, the great Abyssal Will, the faithful believers are willing to become the embodiment of evil for you and offer the best gift."
"To sacrifice the demon believers filled with Abyssal Power, and myself to you, in anticipation of your descent into the world."
The followers were in an uproar.
Wait.
What is happening?
Over the years, they had presided over many sacrificial rites, the unlucky ones to be sacrificed were countless.
If not for the past three years of waiting for the Holy Son’s nurturing, they would not have remained so restrained.
Now they were ready to fight to the death, and the monarch had the ministers killed first?
Some couldn’t help but snicker.
What a joke, every step of the Abyssal Sacrifice Ritual was rigorous and orderly.
Careless sacrificing would only incur the Abyssal Will’s disgust.
Do they really think a shout would summon the Abyssal Will?
Foolish!
You are only our pawn, and now you even think of turning the Celestial Spirit Cavalry against us.
But in the next moment, they couldn’t even smile.
A terrifying will descended.
In an instant, the flesh and blood of these Abyssal Believers pulled from all directions by Chloe swelled rapidly.
Amidst screams, they turned into a pool of sludge.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible."
The twisted souls of the Abyssal Believers were extracted from their flesh.
Chloe, holding his face with both hands, revealed a sickly yet blissful smile.
"Human, what is it you desire?"
From Chloe’s mouth, a hoarse yet alluring voice sounded.
The Abyssal Will had descended into his body.