Emotion Spectrum

"Impulse and Fury, Vitality and Creation, Happiness and Joy, Nature and Harmony, Calm and Serenity, Nobility and Sorrow, wisdom—"

"A person's inner world is made up of countless interwoven emotions."

"Child, do you think that if all these emotions were washed away, people could be reborn from this intense emotional conflict?"

The top of the Red Tower, high in the clouds.

Wala Wala lonely figure stands here.

The Red Tower overlooks the world and, as the core of the world, controls the entire world.

And this is the only place on the land of the City of a Thousand Sails that is not shrouded in the curtain of emotions.

As for the sound that just rang out.

On the tower, no one spoke.

But a Emotion Spectrum, tinged with colorful light amidst the darkness, floats through the space in conceptual form.

The meaning of emotions does not require hearing, sight, or touch.

As long as someone stands here, they can instantly understand what the other person wants to express.

"..."

With her feet bound, Wala Wala was almost completely exhausted.

She couldn't even lift her head.

But the girl's true thoughts were also perceived by the Emotion Spectrum in the same way and surfaced in this space.

"Oh? You think I'll lose?"

"Even if I am just a fragment in the creation of the story, theoretically I am not someone you can resist."

"Child, there are no stories in reality where the hero defeats the dragon."

"The eternal rule of the Divine Court and the Council will eventually come to an end; the Righteous Walker once challenged the Extinction Crown with the hope of the entire universe could only perish together with it, or even be reduced to nothingness; Myriad Phenomena achieved the God-Slaying Skill, but his eternal extraordinary life also came to an end."

"In this world, those miracles and beautiful dreams that you are familiar with will eventually disappear and be forgotten."

"Open your heart."

"The essence of art is that it can endure through the ages and transcend the end of the journey."

"In today's City of a Thousand Sails, everyone is looking forward to this day, and no one will stop me."

"Xiao Ai..."

"Shut up, my name is Wala Wala now!"

The bound Wala Wala suddenly looked up.

She looked up at the sky with a distorted posture, her indomitable spirit unwavering.

"..."

The Emotion Spectrum in the air flickers.

After a few seconds, a new thought emerged from the emotional entity:

"You've advanced to the Sixth Stage, finding a sliver of truth within your false self—that's enough..."

Upon hearing these words, intense emotions erupted within Wala Wala.

The realm of emotions was almost tangible around her, but it was immediately suppressed by the Emotion Spectrum, and she could only groan in protest:

"Shut up! I've always been the real person!"

The Emotion Spectrum in the air seemed to sense something:

"Hmm, it's somewhat interesting."

"Although it was within the variables that my script could accommodate, your emotions really far exceeded my original design."

"This is a good thing."

"More authentic emotions often lead to works that are close to perfection."

"My child, only creations imbued with emotion can produce true works of art. You must be happy for me too, right?"

"..."

"Hatred? I can understand."

"But you don't even have the ability to act on your own, so how can you talk about resisting?"

"And think about it—once I successfully advance, you, as the exchange node for all concepts, will also receive unimaginable benefits. The Seventh Stage, and even the Eighth Stage, which are difficult for others to reach, will become realms that you can easily break through."

"..."

"Are you still hoping for that next young man?"

"In my current state, I really can't uncover his secrets."

"But with his abilities, he was quickly washed away of all his emotions and reborn."

"This power comes from you; you could even say that you revived his life. It's not such a bad thing..."

Rumble—

Suddenly, a roaring sound came from below the tower.

Reaching straight into the clouds, the eternally towering structure began to tilt.

Wala Wala's legs were fixed in place by the concept of space, making it almost impossible for her to move. However, she could sense the unusual situation and her eyes began to change subtly.

As the tower falls downwards, the tone of voice on the Emotion Spectrum also shifts:

A plot twist?

"What a pity, I am the ultimate Divine Intervention."

The Emotion Spectrum was full of interest, and even contained a hint of critique of the work.

He devoted his energy to maintaining the operation of the Essence and at the same time increased intervention.

The light that once again enveloped the city changed color.

Click—the world's hue shifts from green to blue.

The next second, the Emotion Spectrum kicked in again.

The world's color scheme, which had just changed, is beginning to change again.

This time, it's transitioning to the last color in the seven colors, blue!

Once this transformation is complete, Linsey, inside the tower below, will have all her emotions completely washed away!

"The Red Tower is made from the Rainbow Oyster Shell and cannot be destroyed by a Fifth Stage awakened being."

"But to be able to do something like this, child, you..."

Click—

At that moment, a cracking sound rang out.

But this is not a complete change in the world's hue; rather Wala Wala is a broken leg that snaps on the tilting tower.

Under the rain curtain where blood was splattered.

As the tower collapsed, the girl jumped downwards.

The Emotion Spectrum was still processing the Essence of the surrounding riots, offering only a cold assessment of the departing Wala Wala:

"Completely irrational."

"You must understand that I can still extract concepts from your Source Material Skill; you are simply wasting your life."

"Driven by impulsive emotions. Hmm... your work definitely needs more polishing."

Wala Wala faint but firm voice came from below:

"What would a rotten, long-lived creature like you understand?"

"This is called resistance."

"Don't even think about using my hands to deal with my lover!"

Without the support of the Wala Wala, the world's color palette, which was about to undergo a transformation, came to an abrupt halt, and the girl fell under the gaze of the Emotion Spectrum.

"..."

A few minutes ago.

Linsey stood inside the Red Tower, panting heavily.

From the moment he entered the Red Tower until this height, he had dealt with many enemies, both large and small.

But what's even more oppressive to him now is the negative status on the status bar.

[Impulse and Fury - Increases attack power, reduces hit rate, and makes the player take more damage. (Current progress: 75%)]

[Nobility and Sorrow - Increases perception, significantly increasing damage from falls from heights. (Current progress: 75%)]

[Vitality and Creation - Increases physical recovery speed, significantly reduces mood instability. (Current progress: 75%)]

[Happiness and Optimism - Increases physical attack resistance and reduces the ability to perceive Essence. (Current progress: 75%)]

[Nature and Harmony - Increases the corrosiveness of one's own Essence to others. Reduces one's own resistance to the Essence of others. (Current progress: 75%)]

"..."

"5 types of buffs, 75%"

Linsey frowned; he was determined to defeat the enemy.

But according to the common sense of the City of a Thousand Sails.

The current situation is that he will probably be completely overwhelmed and controlled by his emotions before he even reaches the top of the tower.

Linsey's gaze then subtly shifted to the surrounding walls:

"The materials used in this tower are indeed strong and difficult to destroy."

"But what if we make it Resource Conversion, and also engineer and material-based?"

Linsey acted on her idea immediately!

He threw out a large amount of Essence, which modified the surrounding tower and load-bearing structure, and then tried to violently destroy it with Meteorite Pickaxe.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

At that moment, a pickaxe struck, and sure enough, a crack appeared in the wall.

Linsey sped up the 'construction' process, and after a ring of cracks spread, the towering tower also broke structurally at this moment, with the upper half beginning to tilt and fall downwards.

Linsey was quite satisfied with the result:

"Sure enough, slowly climbing the tower is a waste of time; it's better to just start from the beginning..."

Click—

Linsey didn't finish her sentence.

The green light in the surrounding air shattered again, and a cyan curtain enveloped the world.

New negative buffs have also begun to be added to Linsey's Attribute Panel.

[Calm and Serenity - Enhances willpower, increases the instability of Essence. (Current progress: 90%)]

"So fast this time?"

"Is this a sign that they're getting impatient and want to retaliate against me?"

Linsey raised an eyebrow.

But at that moment, the surrounding light intensity began to change once again.

The transformation of the world's colors is happening at an alarming rate!

"..."

Faced with this situation, Linsey is ready to pull out all the stops.

But for some reason, the sound of the light screen shattering did not occur.

The cyan light that was about to change stopped in mid-air and returned to a stable state.

Linsey looked blankly at the sky.

"They suddenly stopped?"

"In the end..."

Linsey's voice stopped abruptly.

Because right there on the tilting tower, he saw a figure jump out and fall rapidly downwards.

"Wala Wala?"

Linsey didn't care about anything else anymore.

He aimed at the trajectory of Wala Wala's fall, leaped out, and caught the girl in mid-air.

Wala Wala lay in Linsey's arms, her weak lips uttering a murmur:

"Linsey, I knew you would come."

"I won't let him hurt you..."

Linsey was genuinely panicked.

"Wala Wala!!!???"

The girl in his arms had no legs.

His aura was extremely weak, as if he might disappear at any moment.

Linsey, disregarding the Essence, quickly switched modules.

[A disabled human woman—a powerful force of fate is leading her toward decline.]

Linsey didn't hesitate for a moment.

He instantly removed the [Golden Ring in the Rhine River] from his Equipment Slot.

[Concept Jewelry: The Golden Ring in the Rhine River]

Depending on how it is used, this item possesses a variety of abilities.

Golden Rule

The world's wealth favors the wearer of this ring; this law is recognized by the world.

—The Tempting Deadly Charm

This ring possesses an extremely powerful allure. The wearer can use this ring to enter into a contract with someone, enticing them to pay a huge price.

Please keep it discreet; its strong allure will attract the covetous eyes of others.

The alluring magic carries a deadly curse; if anyone signs a contract to obtain this ring, the powerful forces of fate will lead them to their death.

—A Gift to a Beloved

This ring can be given as a gift, creating a strong connection between the two parties in terms of fate, but the recipient must be someone the original holder deeply loves.

—Return to the World

With a desire to return the ring, the owner threw it into the river.

This act will trigger a massive flood, washing away all temporal, causal, fate, and conceptual interference and control from the giver.

[A unique item. A ring crafted from magical, conceptual gold. Its price is immeasurable.]

"God, twilight is destined to come."

You will inevitably step into it.

Linsey carefully lifted Wala Wala's left hand and slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

Under the effect of [Gift to a Beloved].

Their fates were forcibly linked at this moment.

Linsey and Wala Wala together bear the intense pressure from fate.

The girl was finally able to speak again, uttering her lover's name:

"Linsey..."

Linsey held Wala Wala's hand, letting her fingertips dangle towards the sea below:

"Wala Wala, listen up."

"With a heart of retribution, throw this ring down."

Wala Wala naturally obeyed Linsey's commands.

thump--

The small Golden Ring slipped off the girl's finger.

A golden hue, symbolizing endless wealth, plummeted at an abnormal speed, sank to the bottom of the water, and then vanished without a trace.

"God, twilight is destined to come."

You will step into it, inevitably...

Rumble—

The raging floodwaters roared in from all around the city.

In an instant, the boundless waters completely submerged the entire city, the vast city sinking to the bottom of the sea, with only six towers still standing.

But strangely enough, this colossal wave, like a roar, surged into the city, overwhelming everything.

However, no living person was harmed, and no buildings were destroyed.

Instead, Linsey and Wala Wala, who were falling, were seized by the flood and dragged into its grasp as if by fate, and then disappeared without a trace in the waves.

A few minutes later, the floodwaters receded.

The sun peeked weakly through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the still damp land. The once towering spires of the Red District had completely collapsed, reduced to ruins.

Linsey sat on the edge of the Red Tower ruins, holding Wala Wala in her arms.

"..."

He remained silent.

Thanks to the [Golden Ring in the Rhine River], the girl's fate-bound constraints have been completely dispelled.

However, the physical weakness cannot be eliminated.

In order to break the Emotional Infection on Linsey.

The price Wala Wala paid was massive blood loss, a fragile spirit, and a nearly dried-up soul.

All of this points to a common ending.

"Wala Wala, hang in there."

"I have a lot of medicine, even for limb regeneration..."

"..."

"Linsey?"

Just then, Emotion Spectrum suddenly descended upon the two of them.

He looked down at the man and woman before him with an air of superior indifference:

"It's truly astonishing that you can erase the Destiny Script from my child's life."

"But unfortunately, the real destiny was not in her hands, but in mine."

"This child is dying, and I will..."

"You can shut up now."

Linsey's coldness interrupted the expression of the Emotion Spectrum.

He examined the light screen in front of him with an icy gaze, sensing and confirming the origin of this thing.

[The Destiny Consciousness Composite —a will lurking within the world's rules—is now manifesting its conceptual foundation within the concept of Perfected Person Source Material Skill, attempting to break through to the next stage.]

"Before Wala Wala entered this world, you were an independent individual."

"But now, in order to gain a chance for promotion and revival, you immerse yourself in the roots of her craft."

"In a sense, you are now dependent on the skills of 'Wala Wala '!"

"..."

Faced with Linsey's judgment.

His Emotion Spectrum paused for a moment; he didn't deny it, but calmly stated the reality:

"So what? You're going to kill her to stop me?"

"It's a pity—her life state is about to end. But I've fixed her conceptual skills to continue aiding my advancement, and no one can interrupt this process."

"Linsey, you can't even save her life."

Linsey countered with a question:

"What if even the Source Material Skill that house your foundation disappear?"

The Emotion Spectrum asserted without hesitation:

"You can't do it."

"The strings of fate are beyond the reach of mortals. You are already creating miracles, but..."

Have you ever heard Beethoven's music?

Ta-da—Ta-da—

The stirring melody of "Symphony of Fate" suddenly rang out behind Linsey.

He did not use the Essence to activate the skill.

But the skill itself responds to the situation, thus creating a symphony.

One second the Emotion Spectrum was filled with denial of fate, the next it was suddenly gripped by the melody of the music.

Linsey then stood up while holding Wala Wala.

He stared at the somewhat bewildered Emotion Spectrum before him.

Almost all of the Essence was invested into the destiny-guiding power of the [Story Performance].

"Come, watch how I pluck the strings of fate and continue to create miracles!"

He was confused about his Emotion Spectrum, but he remained convinced of his own beliefs.

Or perhaps his countless years of experience and observations made it impossible for him to make any other judgment.

A cold, judgmental voice rang out:

Even if you could interfere with fate, you are powerless against the anchored laws of reality!

Click—

At this moment, the colors of the surrounding world changed again.

The Emotion Spectrum gathers power, changing the colors of the city, and Linsey's inner turmoil must end here immediately.

Wisdom—the stripping away of humanity and reason. (Current progress: 1...)

Text symbolizing negative buffs and progress updates appear together on Linsey's Attribute Panel.

But in that instant before the words were formed, Linsey took out the "Unfinished Painting".

[Consumable: Unfinished Painting]

[An Unfinished Painting. By investing Essence, one can incorporate elements that do not resist into the painting, resulting in positive changes.]

A canvas imbued with special rules is of immeasurable value.

"The sea is truly beautiful."

"Why is there no land in the world that the teacher created with his own hands?"

"The colors here are so monotonous, I don't want to paint anymore!"

"..."

"..."

"!!!"

"What is this? Stop!"

The Emotion Spectrum dimmed in an instant, and the chaotic colors lost their regularity.

But it was too late for him to stop it.

In the Unfinished Painting, the power from the Ninth Stage Artist is revealed silently, like an iron law of the world.

In an instant, the world fell silent.

The fleeting figure of Wala Wala disappears from reality, yet it is reflected in the painting, forming a tranquil pattern reminiscent of a midday nap.

Click—

The world's color palette that influences the city is shattered once again at this moment.

But unlike the previous times, it had a different impact on Linsey.

As Wala Wala enters the "Unfinished Painting," the very foundation upon which the Emotion Spectrum exists is erased.

He was ruling the World Law just a second ago.

Just like a destiny that should never have existed, it quietly disappeared here, without even stirring up a wisp of sea breeze.

As the Emotion Spectrum completely dissipates.

The laws of time have returned to normal.

The blockade he had fixed on the world's curtain also collapsed at the same time.

Several figures emerged from the void.

They were the spectators who were originally observing from outside the world during this day.

These people did not applaud or cheer.

They simply stood there, quietly offering their respectful gaze.

Then, one of them stepped forward, and the familiar voice of actress Fenna rang out behind Linsey:

"Linsey, this is the most wonderful show I've seen in nearly a thousand years!"

"It's certainly regrettable when a colleague fails to advance. But the real story is the dramatic turn of events!"

"Alright, now let's welcome our hero back!"