Chapter 1598: Chapter 287: Enchantment: Thorn Crown (The Sun)
“Look at that vast sea that covers the sky—”
Bai Ke Prodeno gazed at the magnificent scene before him, expressing his awe uncontrollably.
He regretted deeply not having studied classical literature properly.
Faced with such a sight, he found himself unable to utter even a single poetic verse. It was indeed a waste of such a breathtaking spectacle.
Prodeno had never imagined that one day he would merge the words “covering the sky” and “sea” together.
Just as he never thought… someone as insignificant as himself could twice stand against the Descent Heavenly Department and become the key to salvation.
Prodeno stood atop the tall copper bell tower, gazing at the sea that momentarily froze and blocked the sunlight in the distance.
Clear Spring City had already fallen into a shroud of darkness. Within the city, only faint firelight remained, like a candle barely extinguished in a storm.
“The moment of the eclipse arrives…”
Prodeno murmured softly.
This bell tower is said to share the same historical age as humanity.
The grandeur of this bronze ceremonial tool’s forging technique originates from the civilization of dragons. They enjoyed using such ceremonial tools to worship the gods.
One wonders if when they built this tower, this place was already a desert. Does one wonder if those who stood at the tower’s peak saw the real sea?
Now, he had seen it.
“Sir, it’s time.”
The two Nephthys guards behind him reminded him in hushed tones.
“Ah,” Prodeno nodded, awakening from his reverie, “I understand.
“—then let’s begin.”
Thunk—
The muffled sound of metal piercing flesh was heard, akin to a knife slicing through leather.
“Amon—purify the souls before you!”
With Prodeno’s solemn chanting, the two Nephthys guards lifted their ceremonial knives and plunged them into their own hearts without hesitation!
“My lord!”
They shouted joyously at the Dawn Celestial Marshal seen vaguely in spiritual sense: “I am the sun!”
The surging blood transformed into golden-red flames blooming like iris flowers, igniting from within the armor.
Then, the two souls turned into burning balls of fire, accompanied by the clear chirping of birds, crashing into Prodeno one after the other!
As the fireballs collided with him in quick succession, his body was instantly set aflame.
The intense pain didn’t halt his chanting.
He merely grasped slightly in the void, and the heat diminished. His flaming body emitted an increasingly divine radiance, as the two flames condensed into phoenix-like wings, forming his wings to chase the sun, one on each side.
Prodeno slowly began to fly.
As his garments were consumed by fire, a still pristine card flipped and fell from the pocket on his chest.
He reached out and seized it.
It was the glittering Tarot Cards, a gift from Aiwass.
It’s all up to you, Prodeno thought to himself.
He didn’t know whether this card had a way to save him… But Prodeno believed in Aiwass.
…Besides, it would not matter even if he failed.
Every Horus person dreams of becoming the sun.
Only those who have despaired in the night would crave light so intensely.
Prodeno flipped his fingers, infused mana, and activated the card.
—[Enchantment: Thorn Crown (The Sun)]
Upon activation, a pure white crown of thorns appeared on Prodeno’s forehead.
Accompanied by unbearable pain, it tightened violently—
Countless thorns of light, like living creatures, burrowed into flesh, into blood vessels.
Within Prodeno’s clear perception, they seemed like slithering snakes, or centipedes tearing through his body.
Yet…
After occupying his body, those flames receded. They could no longer harm Prodeno even slightly.
Now’s the time—
Prodeno’s spirit surged as he gazed toward the distant Abyssal Celestial Envoy.
As he relaxed his grip, the gradually uncontrollable power of the “Sun Incarnation Ceremony” completely engulfed him.
On this land, the wall between the Dream Realm and the Material Realm has become incredibly fragile. It was just broken by the Ring of Ouroboros ritual, shattered by the Great Abyss, and has yet to recover…
…Or rather, the Hourglass has yet to take action to restore it.
A trace of the Dawn Celestial Marshal’s consciousness, accompanied by the purest Dawnfire, has already descended into Prodeno’s body!
Prodeno’s entire being transformed into a platinum-colored fireball, the distorted heat melting the bronze clock tower around him, and distorting the atmosphere high above.
—That is the Dawnfire Skill!
As two wings of golden-red flame unfolded once again, they transformed into blazing white. The fiery humanoid figure in the center also became increasingly intense.
And at this very moment.
Prodeno woke up again, shaking his head.
He now found himself in his ritual space, restored to his intact human form. His consciousness body was like other Dream Traversing Monks, a pale gold semi-transparent vitreous form, resembling sugar figurines blown up. And the two Nephthys guardians were already here, guarding his spiritual body.
Besides the two Nephthys guardians, a trace of the Dawn Celestial Marshal’s consciousness had also appeared here.
He was a robust male, extremely handsome but lacking any trace of delicacy.
He had brilliant golden hair like solar flames and eyes too dazzling to discern the whites, radiating with brilliance. He wore lightweight platinum armor with a white helmet shaped like a hawk’s head, holding two Phoenix Wing Short Swords.
This was the manifestation of the Dawn Celestial Marshal.
She was precisely the opposite Self separated from the Eternal Self, her eleventh cut following ten self-separations!
And slowly appearing in the distance, was a headless youth with a pallid body.
He resembled a bloated corpse floating in the sea, pale and swollen. With no head attached, above his neck were deep-blue to black endless tentacles. Behind him were ragged wings, reduced to mere skeletal remains, wearing a perhaps once dignified and brilliant gray-white robe now eroded to discoloration.
To save as much time and energy as possible…the Dawn Celestial Marshal spoke not a single word.
Without hesitation, he flashed forward, dragging a trail of golden light.
The short sword in his hand burst forth like a rainbow-colored nova akin to sunlight, causing the entire space to vibrate violently!
The headless youth also provided no response—or rather, he was unable to respond.
The tentacles on his head proliferated in an instant, transforming into countless hefty limbs striking around. Simultaneously, his bloated body erupted suddenly, countless flesh proliferating into liquid tentacles like maggots, spreading and consuming Prodeno’s mental world.
It was indescribably intense pain.
Neurons burned like fire, with soul bits being gnawed.
Memories gradually vanished, consciousness evaporating.
—Prodeno didn’t know how much longer he could endure.
But…
At this moment, Aiwass had already awakened.
His consciousness melded into the Abyssal Celestial Envoy’s body.
Originally, they were meant to merge into one…Yet the consciousness within the Abyssal Celestial Envoy’s body suddenly vanished.
—It must have been seized by Prodeno.
Aiwass instantly surfaced with the answer in his heart.
He wholly trusted the plan proposed by his friend, regardless of how absurd it seemed.
—Confine the Celestial Marshal’s consciousness within his own mind? Is this truly possible? Can a mortal achieve such a feat?
Anyone else might instinctively doubt Prodeno.
But Aiwass chose to believe him, handing over the precious “Thorn Crown” to him.
And trust now brought its rewards.
With the Abyssal Celestial Envoy’s original consciousness gone, the fusion ritual was interrupted.
Now Aiwass clearly awakened within the Abyssal Celestial Envoy’s body—he almost instantly knew how to use this body.
Because it was crafted using his flesh as material, offered to “himself,” constructed by “his” power! No one could understand the Abyssal Celestial Envoy more thoroughly than Aiwass at this moment, not even the mindless and brainless Abyssal Celestial Envoy himself!
The Celestial Marshal’s Authority—
The moment Aiwass’s consciousness awakened, the first thing he did was stop the Abyssal Celestial Envoy’s power from leaking.
He didn’t intentionally kill, but the power leaking could itself destroy fragile mortals like ants.
Stalling the sea naturally requires more effort than propelling it. Yet Aiwass accomplished it.
Not only that…
Within the solidified sea, drop after drop of water fell onto those just killed.
A miracle occurred—
Though they hadn’t wholly died… it was just mere seconds ago.
All those whose limbs were severed, twisted, mangled, and bloodied, were instantly restored to normal!