"Heh heh! What a pity, members of the royal family—you still came too late! Now, please become one with the great god in this endless darkness!"
His blood-red eyes fixed on the wary Royal Guardians, Marquis Vent, who had completely transformed into his Ancient Mosasaur Form, let out a satisfied sneer.
At the same time, with a slight movement of his will, a cold and bizarre aura of a Dark Being suddenly rose from his body.
Shrouded by that aura, Marquis Vent's body began to twist. His once-smooth mosasaur hide became exceptionally rough and dim. His slender neck swelled outward into a spindle shape like a flower bud, then split into nine enormous dark-red petals that bloomed open, revealing an abyssal maw like a bottomless pit at its center.
The other Marquises likewise began their second-stage transformations, and one Dark Minion after another, each with a different aura, appeared before everyone. The Ninth Ranks from the Door in the Pupil also underwent changes in aura, though they still maintained human forms.
These were the carefully prepared disguises of the Marquises. Using some Dust Substance extracted from the Dark Pyramid, they had thoroughly altered the bodies present, all to mislead the newly awakened Veil of Truth Oni Chaos.
"Yes... it has finally been unsealed..."
Looking at Oni Chaos, which had broken free of the Seal, and the twisted, grotesque forms of the Marquises, the Three Royal Guardians leading the royal side instead strangely regained their calm.
"Then, according to our contract with the Emperor, we may finally use our final means upon the Empire's soil!"
As he spoke, the leader of the Three Royal Guardians, gray, suddenly held a book in his hand. It was dark yellow overall, its cover as ragged and decayed as a crumbling throne.
"As agreed, we