NOVEL NEXT Chapter 66: Haral Polluted
"What happened?"
As the crimson light gathered, Charlotte's figure reappeared.
As soon as she appeared, she saw the chaotic and noisy gathering of the third-generation Bloodlines.
"Lady Lilith!"
"Your Majesty True Ancestor!"
Seeing Charlotte, the Bloodlines, who seemed to have found their backbone, all looked up eagerly, their anxious and worried expressions quickly displaced by joy.
"Savior."
The second-generation Bloodline leader Badak bowed and said solemnly:
"Lord Haral... has fallen into a coma."
"Haral is in a coma?"
Charlotte's expression slightly changed.
Almost instinctively, she stepped forward, then saw Haral lying on a large rock.
This leader, who not long ago was leading numerous Bloodlines in operating the defensive Divine Artifact of the Alliance, had his eyes closed, his face ashen, his aura unstable, and golden patterns were faintly flowing across the surface of his skin.
Moreover, his body emitted a scent inexplicably familiar to Charlotte.
Charlotte's expression turned solemn.
She leaned slightly, touching Haral's forehead, and her palm emitted a crimson glow.
The glow enveloped Haral's unconscious form, causing him to groan and tremble suddenly.
The golden patterns on his skin flowed faster, intertwining with the crimson glow, and at the moment when they met, wisps of grayish mist rose from Haral's body.
This is... Helios's "Primordial Power"!
Charlotte's expression changed drastically.
Hurriedly, she closed her eyes, extending her consciousness into Haral's body, and then... saw at his heart, where the Holy Power should have been constantly flowing, replaced by the grayish "Primordial Power."
They surged with Haral's heartbeat, from his heart to his limbs, and through his blood, eroding his body.
When Charlotte used spiritual power to investigate, these grayish mists approached her spiritual power like beasts smelling blood.
Charlotte's consciousness shifted slightly, and the virtual shadow of the Holy Scripture within her body suddenly activated, quickly devouring the incoming grayish mists, but she keenly noticed that as she devoured the grayish mists, Haral's aura weakened even further.
Charlotte's heart sank.
Haral's life force... seemed to have become intertwined with these "Primordial Powers."
In other words, she couldn't "Purify" the "Primordial Power" inside the opponent like she did with others, because the opponent's power had already merged with the "Primordial Power."
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte finished her investigation, her hand flowing with Divine Power, using the power of the Blood Holy Scripture to temporarily suppress the "Primordial Power" constantly surging within Haral, then looking to the other Bloodlines:
"When did Haral... fall into a coma? What happened before he fell unconscious?"
The third-generation Bloodlines exchanged glances, with many showing confusion.
The closest one to Haral, Yabaton, stepped forward and respectfully said:
"Your Majesty True Ancestor, it was just during the God War, when a golden light fell from the sky, striking the Divine Skill Barrier we were maintaining..."
"To maintain the operation of the Divine Skill, Lord Haral bore the majority of the pressure alone, and after that... his condition was not good."
"After holding on for a while longer... he fell into a coma."
Was it Helios's last strike before "disappearing"?
Charlotte's expression slightly changed.
She immediately recalled the last moment of the God War, when Helios fully unleashed that light blade at the Bloodlines.
Thinking back, she had been puzzled at that time. Even though she was already past her limit, why did the opponent suddenly unleash such power at these Bloodlines, who couldn't be "erased?"
Back then, Charlotte considered it a final futile attempt at venting Helios's dissatisfaction before being "banished."
But now, witnessing the unconscious Haral, feeling the "Primordial Power" inside him, almost identical to Helios, she vaguely seemed to understand the true target.
"It turns out Haral... his last target was Haral..."
Charlotte murmured.
Various thoughts churned in her mind, and at this moment, Charlotte connected many dots.
Clearly, that light blade from Helios before "disappearing" wasn't truly an attempt to annihilate the Bloodlines, but to send the "Primordial Power" into Haral's body!
No...
It wasn't merely sent in.
In Charlotte's perception, the Holy Power inside Haral's body seemed to be undergoing a catalytic reaction, being gradually replaced by the grayish "Primordial Power!"
"Eternal Night, what exactly happened? What made your Divine Power so restless?"
A rough voice sounded, Sea King Oceanus appeared beside Charlotte.
"Huh? Isn't this the human you mentioned, who also inherited 'Primordial' power? What happened to him?"
Oceanus looked at Haral, his expression surprised.
Soon, his brows furrowed:
"Wait... what's with his aura? Why does he have the aura of that person just now? And... it's getting stronger? Has he been 'possessed' by 'Helios'?"
"No, he hasn't been possessed yet, but... the 'Fallen' 'Primordial Power' is devouring his power. He... has been 'polluted.'"
A ethereal voice sounded, and the Moon God Artemis also appeared beside Charlotte.
"Currently?"
Charlotte raised her voice.
Artemis nodded and said solemnly:
"That's Helios' most common tactic. Back on the West Continent, he used similar methods to turn many into his puppets, devouring their power."
"However, I didn't sense Helios' Divine Soul Power on him, so... it's likely that he didn't get the chance to take the most crucial step and simply polluted this human's body."
After speaking, Artemis couldn't help but look at Haral, her silver-blue pupils filled with surprise and a hint of confusion:
"I never thought... there would actually be mortals blessed by 'Primordial' in this world. Eternal Night, Your Majesty, the primordial power on him, was it granted by you?"
Charlotte shook her head:
"No, it should... be his own awakening."
The "primordial power" on Haral indeed wasn't granted by her; it was something he had from the beginning.
Yet, it was very weak initially.
Charlotte merely taught Haral the method to use extraordinary power, at most acting as the initiator. Even Haral's rapid growth later on, strictly speaking, was mostly due to his own opportunities.
That was back when Haral was imprisoned in the Tower by the elves. Charlotte remembers he mentioned signing a contract with a mysterious entity, thus gaining stronger power.
Haral's Holy Power also finally burst forth during that time, and his Holy Power... was originally an extension of "primordial" power.
Various thoughts flashed through Charlotte's mind as she looked worriedly at Haral, then turned to Artemis and said:
"Your Majesty Artemis, since you've recognized his state, do you have any method to stop the pollution happening to him?"
Haral's condition was critical. With Charlotte's current power, she feared she couldn't save him while devouring the grayish-white "primordial power."
Though she didn't want this to be the case, perhaps right now, only the True God Artemis, who has also dealt with "primordial power," might have a solution.
Artemis hesitated for a moment and said:
"Let me... examine his condition first."
After speaking, the True God extended a hand, summoning bright silver light to shine on Haral.
"Hmm? His soul..."
Artemis' brow suddenly furrowed.
Charlotte's heart tightened:
"His soul... is there a problem?"
Artemis hesitated for a moment, then shook her head:
"I am not quite sure. There seems to be some kind of prohibition on him, blocking my examination of his soul. I fear... it's left by a True God. That prohibition protects his soul from external contamination and is almost one with his soul, likely why Helios' final invasion failed."
"Strange... Such prohibition, in theory, would only be granted to returning deities or deity descendants. Could it be... he's also a deity in resurgence? Or perhaps he's once received the favor of a True God?"
"However, in situations like this, the prohibition merely protects his soul. The True God who left the prohibition should have also fallen into Eternal Sleep."
"His soul gives me a very familiar and close feeling... Maybe it is a returning old friend, but unfortunately, with the prohibition, I can't investigate further."
Charlotte pondered while looking at Haral.
Haral is her student, but also the future Creator God Lord.
If Charlotte has many secrets, Haral definitely has no fewer.
'Could the prohibition be from the mysterious deity Haral mentioned when he signed the contract?'
'To set a prohibition that even the Moon God can't bypass, that mysterious deity... might truly be the Creator God in Eternal Sleep?'
'Haral... could he really be the reincarnated Creator God?'
Charlotte couldn't help but wonder.
Of course, now is not the time for such thoughts.
Though Haral wasn't possessed, his body was indeed deteriorating swiftly.
If the grayish-white "primordial power" isn't controlled soon, he'll inevitably be devoured by it.
When that time comes, even the prohibition left by a mysterious deity wouldn't be enough.
"I can't change or solve the issues within him; his power... is very unique. It seems to be of the same source as Helios' power, and there's a prohibition for self-protection. To fight the pollution, it has to be done by him."
After a thorough exploration, Moon God Artemis shook her head and said.
"He himself? Look at his aura, soon enough he'll be completely devoured!"
Oceanus couldn't help but speak.
Artemis hesitated for a moment, then looked at Charlotte:
"However... maybe Eternal Night Your Majesty can help him. Although, it might risk angering the mysterious True God behind him, if such an entity still exists."
Charlotte stirred in her heart:
"What way?"
Artemis continued:
"The only thing that can counter 'primordial power' is 'primordial power' itself. So... as long as you enhance the controllable 'primordial power' within him, and you... happen to possess that kind of power."
Saying this, she looked at the bloodline who had retreated far back:
"Like them, you could grant him the 'primordial power' you control in a similar manner, perhaps assisting him in fighting the pollution."
Charlotte paused for a moment, and then immediately grasped Artemis' meaning.
She was referring to the First Embrace.