NOVEL NEXT Chapter 227: Core's Truth (4)
Lucas was enduring the searing pain of the Abyss Core fusing with his body, every muscle tensing as the core slowly became part of him.
His mind, however, was not just focused on the pain; the system had already begun working in the background, silently executing one of their mysterious plans.
Deep within the Malachor Clan's Vault, where Lucas had strategically placed numerous blank Divine Masks on the corpses, something strange began to unfold. The once dormant masks started to stir, one by one, like ancient artifacts awakening after centuries of slumber.
The Divine Masks began to subtly absorb the mana from their surroundings, pulling energy from the vault's rich treasures and lingering spiritual power.
The system chimed in, its voice filled with a familiar arrogance and smug satisfaction. [Host, I have to say, I'm impressed. Your plan is unfolding quite beautifully, though I wouldn't expect any less from someone as brilliant as me guiding you.]
Lucas, despite the sharp pain coursing through him, grunted. "Still... hurting over here," he hissed through clenched teeth. "What... are you talking about now?"
The system chuckled mockingly. [Oh, nothing major. Just thought you'd like to know that not all of the corpses with your blank Divine Masks are in the Malachor Vault. I guess even someone with your intelligence can overlook the details sometimes.] The system's tone was dripping with condescension, clearly enjoying its role as Lucas's ever-mocking guide.
Lucas winced from another jolt of pain but managed to keep his thoughts clear. "Just... do what I told you... put some of my soul shards into those masks."
[You're so demanding,] the system scoffed playfully. [But fine, I suppose I'll help you out since you're busy being eaten alive by a core.]
Lucas groaned in frustration, not just from the pain but from the system's endless arrogance. "Quit... toying with me," he growled, his voice strained.
The system chuckled, utterly unbothered. [Oh, toying with you is half the fun, host. Don't take it so personally. Besides, I thought you liked a challenge.]
"Just... activate the masks," Lucas snapped, his tone laced with annoyance, though his body trembled from the ongoing fusion process. "And make them move... to other places. The dark side of the cultivation world is going to need... a lot of puppet users soon.
Corpses will be valuable."
The system, never missing an opportunity for mockery, laughed darkly. [Ah, yes, of course. The dark side always needs its corpses, doesn't it? And look at you, all clever and strategic despite the fact that you're practically being eaten alive right now.]
Lucas clenched his fists, doing his best to suppress his groans of pain. "Are you going to activate them, or are you just going to keep congratulating yourself on how clever you think you are?"
[Tsk, tsk, such impatience, host. But I get it. You're suffering; let's not pretend you're not. But fine, fine. I see your plan now.]
The system's voice took on a darker, more calculating edge. [You want to use your corpse clones to spread out, placing more blank Divine Masks on corpses in other locations. Turning the entire dark side into a mana-generating network for you, right?]
Lucas's face twisted in a mixture of pain and determination. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and every breath felt like fire, but his mind remained sharp.
He nodded slowly. "Exactly... the Divine Masks can absorb mana from anything—treasure vaults, battlefield corpses, it doesn't matter. I'll make the entire dark side... a mana generator for me."
The system, always shameless, practically purred in admiration. [You always have such ambitious plans, host. Truly, it's a wonder you need me at all.]
The mocking lilt in its voice was impossible to miss, though there was a real sense of approval underneath. [But I must admit, I like it. Soon enough, every corpse will be yet another piece of your power. And the best part? They won't even see it coming.]
Lucas forced a smirk through the waves of agony still coursing through him. "Of course I do... I've learned from the best," he said sarcastically, though the smirk on his lips gave away that he wasn't entirely joking.
The system snorted, clearly enjoying the banter. [Flattery will get you everywhere, host. Now... time to make your vision a reality. I'll get to work activating your soul shards and putting those blank Divine Masks to good use. You're about to have an entire dark network of corpses working for you, draining mana like there's no tomorrow.]
Lucas nodded, the smirk never leaving his face, despite the sweat trickling down his temple. "Good. Do it... Now."
As Lucas's body continued to adapt to the immense pressure of the Abyss Core fusing with him, the system's plan went into motion. Deep within the Malachor Vault, the blank Divine Masks began to hum with newfound energy.
Slowly, imperceptibly at first, they started to absorb mana from the environment—the treasures stored within the vault, the ambient energy from the surrounding area, even the lingering power left from the once-great figures who had been buried there.
The blank Divine Masks spread their influence, seeking out more corpses, their soul shards coming to life, as each mask became a hidden instrument of Lucas's growing power.
As the masks worked, they began creating an intricate web of mana absorption, not just in the vault, but soon spreading out beyond—into other secret locations, forgotten tombs, and abandoned battlefields.
Slowly but surely, the dark cultivation world was being transformed into an unseen network of power, all of it quietly feeding back to one source: Lucas.
The system's voice echoed again, this time with a sense of satisfaction. [There you have it, host. The dark side will soon be your personal mana farm, whether they know it or not. You're going to be unstoppable.]
Lucas's eyes gleamed through the pain. "Soon... they'll all be working for me, whether they realize it... or not and the final victor will not be them but me the mighty Lucas"