Chapter 83.5: The commencement of Grand schemes
The air thrummed with a brewing storm, a prelude to further devastation. In a sprawling, ruined expanse of the Rudell Region, just on the border of the Fae region, a colossal allied army—a monstrous amalgam of Demons, Demi-Humans, Demonic Beasts, and various races—had completed their preparations. They stood poised, awaiting the command to launch a full-scale assault against the Grand Fae Spirit Alliance, who, ironically, were currently engaged in a tense meeting with a faction of those very outside powers.
Norg, his face a mask of obscene anticipation, watched with fervent zeal as he surveyed his company, eager for the Mortal Lords' signal to begin their invasion. He muttered to himself, "Aeloria, hehehe, your time has come! Oh, Fanged Elves, how I've been waiting for this day… Hehehe!"
Many around him shared his perverse excitement. Whether they were mere pawns in a larger game mattered little; the promise of carnage and conquest was all that consumed them. Meanwhile, the other two major factions within the Fae Region were being carefully contained, neutralized in their respective territories to prevent any interference with this grand scheme.
In the territory of the Tetrahand-seers, the land lay scarred and broken, a testament to the brutal carnage of war. The Mortal Shedding Realm experts had long since unleashed their full might here. Rudecka's faction, along with elements from three other tribes desperate for salvation, had made their preparations to flee this unwinnable conflict. Though each tribe wished to brand them traitors, other factions had committed far worse atrocities, granting them a slender window of opportunity. They had managed their escape using a secret, one-time-use grand teleportation formation, meticulously prepared with Aeloria's clandestine aid.
Yet, their current circumstances were far from ideal. They found themselves camped in an area teetering on the brink of another invasion, certain to be entangled once more.
Rudecka and the other leaders sat together in a makeshift meeting room, their faces etched with frustration and fluster over their precarious situation. "As expected," one sighed, "in the end, it's impossible to account for every single thing, especially with such an intense war effort."
"Tch! I still think the Fanged Elves could have made things easier!" another grumbled.
"No, you can't say that," a third countered. "The Celebi Forest Kingdom itself isn't completely aware of the plans regarding us."
"To be fair, though, our circumstances would have been far more dire staying in our homelands…"
Amidst the swirling discussions, Rudecka sat in rare silence, contemplating their next move. Suddenly—
"Show yourself!! Who's that sneaking around!" Rudecka's Uncle and three other Mortal Lords snapped, their fierce auras erupting as they fixed their gazes on a particular spot. The rest of the leaders looked over in surprise, tensing, ready to attack if necessary.
"How funny it is for those normally considered invaders to tell me to reveal myself," a male voice echoed, its tone chilling, causing a slow dread to creep over the leaders, beads of sweat forming on their brows. "You all are here thanks to Lady Aeloria, and you all will also be showing your gratitude, like the others, by aiding us in a terrifying battle that is moving closer to our doorsteps."
A flash of verdant light shimmered before them as a Fanged Elf male moved with uncanny, ghostly speed, seemingly teleporting. The strongest of the Mortal Lords, a peak Early Mortal Shedding Realm expert, gave a polite bow. "Certainly, but how may I address you, sir?"
"You can just refer to me as Daoist 4th Fanged Tree," the Fanged Elf replied, his voice resonating with power. He then swiftly instructed them on their destination before vanishing as quickly as he had appeared.
"Such a mighty expert of the Fanged Elf Tribe actually came here," the Peak Early Stage Mortal Shedding Realm expert murmured, awe in his voice. "No doubt he's at the very least a peak Middle Stage Mortal Shedding Realm expert. I suspect he's already at the Late Stage."
Rudecka clenched her fist, lost in thought. Oh, how she herself longed to reach the Mortal Shedding Realm…
At the edge of the Celebi Forest Kingdom, near the luxurious buildings hosting the diplomatic meeting, powerful guards moved with unwavering vigilance. They failed to notice a tall man, cloaked in shadows, with long, tangled hair, a muscular body covered in scars, and a colossal greatsword strapped to his back. He smiled with keen interest, preparing to enter the building, but was suddenly halted by a Fanged Elf guard whose cultivation had reached the False Mortal Shedding Realm.
"Sir, please state your purpose for coming here," the Fanged Elf said dryly, his stance firm.
"Haha, my purpose, eh? My purpose is obviously to aid the Margrave," the scarred man replied matter-of-factly, a glint in his eye.
"Sir, I am aware of you and your actions thus far, but to just let you enter is…" the Fanged Elf probed, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
The scarred man's grin widened. "I am exactly like you guys with how I rate that boy's importance, but you should beware that his so called family clan will likely make a scene after catching on to his abnormal bloodline. My presence is needed to handle such things."
Still not completely convinced, the Fanged Elf only allowed the man discreetly inside after receiving a rapid message via a communication talisman.
Meanwhile, in one of the newly opened regions connected to the Whispering Expanse, a colossal war raged, leaving injured and dead cultivators strewn across the landscape. In one sector, the Night's Light Devouring Church had just repelled their opponents with immense might. A group of their higher-ups were now in a grave meeting, expressions grim.
"As expected, this place, even with its heaps of opportunities, is just as much flooded with danger. Though I think it's worth it, hehe."
"Certainly worth it. Though I still believe that caution should be exercised to the fullest extent."
"Yes, putting that aside, there is also our Church's other mission…"
"The capture, and if necessary, subjugation of 'that'."
A chilling silence descended upon the group as they touched upon this topic, grave expressions deepening on their faces.
"To think that after all this time, those fools allowed 'that' to roam free for so long…"
"Ah, but it couldn't be helped for a time, right? After all, it was actually accepted into a branch of the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect, and it's not like numerous attempts haven't been made, though I suspect there are other members of the Church aiding it…!"
"Certainly, and not just that, but its growth has been rather unprecedented, even though we knew it was a high-level talent."
"Hey, within those so-called Laughing Blue Reapers, there was something interesting that we've also learned. A figure vaguely matching the description of that thing has been running amok with strength beyond Gold Tier 1…"
"Then we must call upon the Elders and investigate. No, we should gather an army of our allies and go on the attack like those assaulting the Fae Region."
"Then it's agreed upon."
And with that, another formidable force swiftly branched off from its alliance, turning its gaze towards the Fae Region, eager to plunge into the escalating chaos.
In another corner of the Pocket World, the colossal army allied with Groverton had once more repelled all opposition. Their numbers swelled as other forces, desperate for survival, latched onto them. Even the various invading sects, by this point, were extremely wary of engaging them, having faced numerous defeats. Inside the giant magical vehicle, where the core powers resided, a meeting of those at the very pinnacle was taking place. All were Mortal Lords, powerful ones at that.
"Looks like a lot of those fools are really trying to deliver an all-out attack against the Fanged Elves and their alliance."
"Do you think they will force the Matriarch and the 1st Grand Elder to appear?"
"I think it's inevitable, but even they aren't invincible, since there are a few other experts who aren't weaker than them, per se."
Mid-conversation, a certain elderly man, whose body surprisingly pulsed with vitality, gave a slight grunt, silencing everyone present. Then he spoke.
"You lot, it's best not to underestimate that lot. No, in the first place, while the Matriarch is truly one to be feared by many, she is not the primary reason for a lot of those still-living old monsters from back then… No, it's thanks to that individual that the Matriarch was able to reach her level of strength, unimpeded by those terrified of her growth back then. And of course, there is that more infamous and hateful man, Daoist Bloodleaf, their Current 1st Grand Elder… Tch, he was just like his predecessor! You lot weren't born back then, but those Fanged Elves were a desperate, disastrous bunch. Even though the other Elf species were similarly dire in their numbers, they still could not compare. And their leader…"
He paused in thought, shaking his head slowly before continuing. "I don't know if that person is still alive or not, but the very few times I went to Celebi Forest City to extend my greetings to whichever leader over the centuries, looking at that World Tree, I can't help but feel as if that person is there, watching."
Silence once again filled the room as everyone listened intently to the elderly man, who was, in fact, their leader, the strongest, and oldest expert among them.
Back in the Celebi Forest Kingdom, within Celebi Forest City, atop the Fanged Elf World Tree, far above the Fanged Elf Royal Palace and its sprawling city-like structures, lay a very small dimensional world. It was said that this place was actually an ancient domain within the World Tree itself, and the three Golden Branches where the Dukes resided were newer worlds, crafted in its image. In this world, most experts, at least at the Mortal Shedding Realm, usually resided here. Naturally, it had its own layers.
The outer layer housed most of the active experts. The middle layer was where older experts, nearing the end of their lifespans, hibernated, becoming one with the World Tree in a desperate attempt to break through to the next realm, thereby slowing the inexorable march of time. The inner layer was reserved for only previous Kings, Queens, and those bestowed the title of Grand Elder. In the deepest layer, only the strongest expert resided unless a meeting was arranged, and at this very moment, such a meeting was taking place.
Three individuals were present in the room. The 1st and 2nd Grand Elders were there. The 2nd Grand Elder possessed a somewhat youthful appearance, with black, gold, and red braided hair, and sharp green fangs. He exuded the aura of a distinguished gentleman.
The 1st Grand Elder, Daoist Bloodleaf, had pale skin, sharp red eyes, red and blonde hair, and was suited in black and green robes, radiating a gloomy aura.
Both held respectful expressions while speaking to the third person: the Fanged Elf Matriarch. They were engaged in a low discussion, intently listening in on the more secretive meeting between Aeloria and the small group of Fanged Elf nobles along with the few top brass of the Bright Brilliant Blade Sect.
"Haha, that girl Aeloria is certainly fit to eventually become a Grand Elder in the future. Perhaps she will even surpass us," the 2nd Grand Elder said with a hint of amazement.
Daoist Bloodleaf looked and nodded, commenting, "I think it really is for the best that her and Jewleaf marry in the future. She would then officially be a member of the Royal family and perhaps produce some extraordinary children."
"Oh yes, yes, I agree. Children born of the Royal family, and secondarily the Duke Families, generally tend to have more potential than those born outside of nobility. Well, we also can't discount the possibilities of those born directly from the World Tree, whose talents are too unpredictable," the 2nd Grand Elder muttered. Then he looked at the Matriarch. "Your Grand Majesty, putting all of that aside, why have you thrown all of your support behind Aeloria and her actions recently?"
The Matriarch was a beautiful Fanged Elf woman who looked to be in her late thirties. She had gold and red eyes, and long, flowing gold hair with green streaks, tied with vines. She wore a slightly seductive green and gold elven robe made of sturdy wool and leaves that revealed part of her bosom and had long, shapely legs, adorned with plant anklets. All in all, she resembled a wingless faery from storybooks. Yet, her disposition was profoundly strong and heroic.
She offered a warm, curt smile that would make any normal person fall into a daze at her beauty, before responding, "…Because it's Master's will…"
The two Grand Elders fell silent once more, a profound understanding passing between them. Even among the five Grand Elders, only these two were privy to this particular secret, simply because they were born just a little after the Matriarch's generation, unlike the others who were younger. They were also currently the two strongest under the Matriarch. The Master… or rather, the Ancestor, was a person never to be spoken of, lest one be implicated by her terrifying fate.
"So that means Aeloria did indeed receive grace, but the real target was that girl Shayleaf, huh?" the Second Grand Elder mused.
The Matriarch shook her head. "Generally speaking, that's how it looks, but truthfully, I think that boy was the target from the very beginning after being caught up in fate."
Somewhere in the deepest, most primordial depths of the Fanged Elf World Tree, a figure sat within what appeared to be a colossal forest, teeming with ancient plants, gnarled wood, and towering trees. The figure was inextricably connected to a gigantic, golden-logged stump that towered into the clouds, itself made of moss, leaves, and wood. The lower half of their body was absorbed, becoming one with the immense trunk. The figure's eyes had been closed, and they seemed utterly lifeless. Suddenly, their eyes shot open, and a slight tremor rippled through the surrounding void. Then, they began to mutter to themselves in an archaic voice, one that seemed to have not been used in a very, very long time.
"Finally, my thousand-year wish is on the brink of being fulfilled… Huhuhu… You fools daring to get in my way will be sacrificed using the ancestral Vampiric Blood arts combined with the Nature Seedling Magic I've spread through the far reaches of the lands… Oh, how I warned you all not to provoke me, and the 'Key' has even landed in my hands. How foolish, the Key has chosen its vessel through fate, and yet they still wish to plot. Hehehe. The Key has been blessed and given a bit of our Fanged Elven bloodline through me by the Fanged World Tree. Let's see if you all can stop such a monster as the future Leader of my Fanged Elf Clan…!"
The ancient being returned to a temporary hibernation, but a constant, low chanting could be heard, as incantations filled the void, and Elven Scriptural writing mixed with sinister Vampire Scripts flowed like a dark tide.