Chapter 395
It was an invisible calamity that sat atop the continental crust, carved into the concept of salt.
Its name is -- [King of Salt].
Gloriana, Como.
While the Sea Capital is bathed in the dawn symbolizing new life, here the stars still twinkle, shrouding the night.
This ancient city, whose economy is not considered second-tier by world standards, is filled with medieval architecture, much like Vienna, Austria. With the embellishment of art and music, it exudes a unique charm.
The difference is that Como is relatively conservative and quiet, and many of its castles are still held by hereditary nobles, so there are not many places for tourists to visit.
At the same time, there are more wandering artists here. Apart from the central area, it is not very bustling at night and is closer to the coast.
Tang Liuli remembers that her mother met her Dad, who was selling poetry and paintings on the street, when she came to Como to study the local sculpture style.
From a certain perspective, she felt that Comoros and Dali were somewhat similar, both hiding less pleasant things beneath a beautiful exterior.
The girl walked alone on the beach, which was still warm from the daytime sun. Her delicate and beautiful arches, ankles, and calves were covered with fine white sand. Her light skirt swayed in the sea breeze, and her emerald eyes gazed at the sea.
On the beach, twigs were used to write poems that Ai Huasi had written to his mother.
Tang Liuli quietly watched the tides rise and fall, observing the seawater undulating with the moon's gravity, its cold surface swallowing the words and the past. She whispered:
"Dad, the poems you wrote when you were young sound so silly, like a little bird that's fallen into a tree cage but is still incredibly happy."
Tang Liuli once thought that her father's resentful eyes and the poem "Farewell" would be enough to make her completely let go. However, blood ties and longing were like lotus roots, entwining the past and the present, until the sea swallowed the poem, and only then did they slowly break apart.
Distance,
Dressed in an elegant suit and top hat, his face concealed by a mask, Thousand Faces smiled at the person in question. He had already thrown the Hundred-Faced Dice, which landed on a perfectly shaped number, deciding the outcome of the first move.
His trip to the Ideal State turned all his followers into consumables that had been pre-spent, leaving him with only a few hundred Persona Mask left, a complete loss.
But...
"My 'daughter,' you alone are worth more than enough to pay off the debt and win back everything for me."
But before [Herdi]'s authority could be triggered, the connection between the Magical Girl and the lantern was forcibly severed.
The Archbishop, who had escaped death and returned with renewed vigor, suddenly turned around and looked behind him. His eyes, which were always smiling and narrowed as if they were looking down on everything, suddenly widened as if they had seen a terrifying sight that defied common sense.
"How is that possible...?"
Volume 1: 367. The God of Calamity Revolts, Burning the World to Ashes. (5K)
The moon was bright and the stars were few. The heavy tide crashed against the reefs, stirring up layers of white waves and spraying out thick water vapor, adding a touch of coolness to the end of summer.
This bishop, who was granted sporadic authority by [Herdi], was a madman who attempted to seize planetary power through the trip to the Ideal Kingdom, thereby maintaining the situation in a state of struggle without breaking apart, making it easier for him to find amusement.
Even a madman like Thousand Faces, who disrespects the Disaster God, couldn't help but lose control of his emotions upon seeing the scene before him. His mask was mottled and shattered, revealing an unfamiliar face. However, before he could even show his expression, the dark cracks continued to spread and proliferate.
The next second, accompanied by a cracking sound, some handsome, some frivolous, some beautiful, some masculine, some ugly, some ordinary...
Those Persona Mask, one after another, originating from different beings, collapsed uncontrollably and rapidly. The peeling skins evaporated completely as they fell, just like ashes from a fire. The speed of this process was so fast that it didn't even give him the space to express his true emotions through facial expressions.
Incredibly, even the Hundred-Faced Dice, which symbolized the authority of [Herdi], froze in mid-air, its means against Tang Liuli thwarted, and began to spin wildly as if it had gone mad.
At this moment, all the chips thrown out, like stocks shorted with leverage, evaporated into thin air amidst the terror of continuous limit-down moves in the green line, even requiring him to pay an even greater price, which in an instant became so much that he had to pay it with his life— his Persona Mask.
Thousand Faces wanted to bend over and laugh out loud. This was completely unexpected and ignored by [Herdi]'s preordained destiny. It was a miracle among miracles, which is what fascinates gamblers.
Win everything, or lose everything.
Even now, he still experienced unprecedented pleasure.
"Hahaha, funny, funny, this is so funny!"
The man covered his face like a madman, his shoulders trembling and shaking. He seemed both fearful and excited, then suddenly opened his arms, his lips curling up in a look of anticipation and surprise, a wildly joyful laugh.
His Thousand Faces -changing, fragmented pupils stared intently at the illusory figure, as if possessed. He seemed to be savoring something, and murmured:
"Believe me, we will meet again, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, the body dressed in an elegant suit, like a tattered sack filled with blood, burst into a bloody mist and a pulpy mess, as if a balloon had been punctured.
The Hundred-Faced Dice was held in one hand. With the aftershocks of shattering matter and fading energy, the few strands of authority belonging to the Disaster God completely vanished, and a faint, indistinct sound echoed:
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry."
"This bet was doomed from the start."
Then, without any prelude, a ray of light streaked across the sky like a shooting star. Before it even reached the shore, it sensed the movement and saw Tang Liuli turn around and make a move. With a terrifying speed far exceeding the speed of sound, it pierced into the opponent's chest cavity, reaching straight to the heart.
The next second, with a thud.
The girl's eyes were unfocused, and confusion lingered on her pretty face. In a deep weariness, she let the fine sand on her white dress smudge the poem, and collapsed to the ground, falling into a coma.
Order Allied Nations, Gamon Islands.
This tourist destination, which was as famous as Hawaii a decade or so ago, has long been faded from public view under the collective control of world governments. Flights to the place have been directly banned, and it has long since disappeared.
After years of blockade and surveillance, the waters surrounding the Gamon Islands have become a veritable military no-go zone, with nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, which would have been considered National Level deterrent in the past, permanently stationed there.
Above the atmosphere, there is a satellite specifically designed to monitor this area.
It is obvious that this is one of the thirteen forbidden areas.
--[The King of Salt]
Seventeen years ago, this Disaster God, in the form of an embryo, radiated a small amount of power, completely salting most of the Gamon Islands, creating a pure white realm that can be described as a forbidden zone for life.
It is reported that after 17 years of slow overflow, the waters separating the islands have been almost completely salinized, much like the glaciers in the North and South Poles, with a thickness of up to 10,000 meters, reaching deep into the ocean.
This enormous aircraft carrier serves as the mobile command center of the Countermeasures Bureau, patrolling to constantly monitor the unusual movements of the [King of Salt]. A team led by a Captain-Class Witch is stationed on board year-round to prevent the outbreak of the restricted area.
At this moment, the concept of erosion that shakes the souls of all beings begins to violently vibrate the nearby sea. Pure white salt blocks pile up and expand, like angry dragons churning and roaring in the sea. Too many waves and whirlpools are formed, and then instantly freeze into salt crystals.
Humanity's current technology is powerless against the authority of the [King of Salt]. The aircraft carrier retreated at a speed of 45 knots, leaving its fully loaded carrier-based aircraft and even its arsenal useless.
This is the only conclusion the Countermeasures Bureau reached after repeatedly deploying various types of artillery fire over 17 years, watching them crumble into salt blocks in the Gamon Islands.
Even if nuclear weapons were dropped into it, they wouldn't have time to cause fission; they would simply be swallowed up by the concept of salinization. Even if released from a safe distance and attacked by the transfer of light and heat, it would only cause a salt rain to fall on the Gamon Islands.
Yes, even attacks that are not physical entities, such as kinetic energy, thermal energy, and shock waves, cannot escape the saltification concept passively released by Disaster God.
As for Magical Girl...
"A riot has broken out in the restricted area. Anyone with a magic level below [Chuan], remain on deck and await orders!"
After Xie Qingyu finished speaking, she constructed her Magic Armor, ascended into the sky, and the violets dancing around her transformed into Butterfly Guitar in her arms.
The girl lowered her eyes and strummed the strings, unleashing "Netherworld Butterfly," a piece that poured out the Rock Soul. This caused the seawater, covering tens of hectares in front of her, to surge back, enveloping the overflowing salt crystal continent. Billions of bubbles containing hidden Magic Element poison gathered together, causing the earth-shaking notes to roar and proclaim the thunderous surge of the Heart Tide.
This is a dazzling realm unique to the combination of idols and Magical Girl. Under the infinite amplification of will, emotion, and magical power, it briefly encompasses the entire archipelago, like a giant dream bubble, stirring up a large amount of seawater, shattering countless salt blocks, and swallowing the forbidden area.
Rumble rumble rumble...
In an instant, the concept of saltification of the Disaster God began to collide violently with the idealistic power belonging to Xie Qingyu. Hundreds of hectares of seawater seemed to be integrated into the will of this Witch, shining brightly and scorchingly, clashing with it like swords and daggers, producing a cacophony far superior to the clang of metal.
With all her might, Xie Qingyu managed to barely maintain a stalemate with the rioting restricted area. Her heart sank; she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived.
Even under normal circumstances, the Gamon Islands exhibit varying degrees of salinization erosion depending on the region.
She can currently use the amplified brilliance of rock to hinder the first wave of impact, but as a more powerful erosion strikes, let alone completely intercept it, she might even be traced back to herself by the Magic Energy Particles and salted into her own body if she's not careful.
In that case, even if one were to activate [Full Bloom], it would require drastic measures, or even result in being entangled to death.
But...
Leaving it unattended is not an option either.
Every inch the restricted area expands encroaches on humanity's living space.
Most importantly, according to the Teacher Dream Weaver, the forbidden zone formed by the Disaster God is like the coloring stage in a war game. Once it is colored, it will be analyzed, digested, learned, imitated, and finally have a portion of the planet's power usurped.
Even if the entire planet is salted, we still have to deal with the Sea of Stars. We can't directly take away the foundation of the Magical Girl, but we still can't give up an inch unless absolutely necessary.
The only saving grace is that, unlike the forbidden zone suppressed by the Dragon Witch Iris— [Nargal]—the area around the Gamon Islands is deserted, so even if a retreat is necessary, it will not cause too many casualties.
Xie Qingyu felt nervous. In the years she had been Magical Girl, she had never encountered such a large-scale outbreak of forbidden zones.
Besides, isn't he incredibly unlucky?
Xie Qingyu was very depressed. She had just said goodbye to her parents and sister yesterday and returned from Paris in high spirits. She arrived at the Gamon Islands with the [Netherworld Butterfly], but today she encountered the riot of the [King of Salt].
The worst part is that even with Teacher Chu's help, she has become much stronger and there is no way she can suppress a riot of this scale. She must be prepared to use [Great Full Bloom].
The violet, however, was not afraid at all; it cheered them on with lively and majestic spirit.
"Xiaoyu, don't cry! Ignite your Rock Soul, let's beat the Disaster God until he screams in agony!"
Listening to the chirping of the Little Butterfly, Xie Qingyu's will suddenly hardened. The price of activating [Great Full Bloom] was the permanent loss of Violet. If she wanted to avoid this outcome, she had to surpass her limits before then!
Meanwhile, Ji Xintong and her teammates went to the etheric reactor inside the aircraft carrier's cabin and temporarily activated the super-limit mode that allowed magic energy and nuclear energy to coexist, so that the disaster relief force, which could only deal with ordinary anomalies—referring to the scourge of the forbidden area crossing the boundary—could quickly evacuate.
After activating the obsidian core with magic...
The group of girls rushed over together and, with one of the Magical Girl who was suited to conceptual spells as the core, began to convert magical energy and weave a large Mortal Realm Barrier, intending to imitate the Dragon Witch's team and forcibly seal it away.
Xie Qingyu felt even more pressure. As Magical Girl active in an idol group, she could transmit her brilliance to each other through magic, creating an incredibly incredible chemical reaction.
This is the wondrous power of the Shine Magic, which is a combination of the concept of idols, emotions, self-awareness, the aspirations of all beings, and other elements.
Therefore, even if teammates are not at full power or do not possess the magic of the River Realm, they are far from being Burdens and are still an excellent helper.
Xie Qingyu knew all this, of course, but she would rather fight alone than see any more teammates die before her eyes.
In the fleeting moments of thought,
Violet's voice echoed in my ears:
"Xiaoyu, ever since then, you've been filled with regret, so much so that you dream about Su Wan every day, and you keep replaying the feeling of holding that lantern in your mind."
"You regret not being able to save her, and you also regret not being able to kill her immediately."
"But everyone is the same. Xintong, Yueyi, Bai Ran, Yujin... none of them have forgotten the deaths of Xiaowan and Xu Yan. You're not the only one who's bound by the past, punished by guilt, and devoured by regret."
The Little Butterfly whispered:
"Since then, they would sometimes cry secretly at night, apologize to me in a low voice, feel wronged and sad for you, and regret letting you face such a cruel thing alone."
"You know what? Just like you'd rather die in battle than see everyone else get hurt, the others are fighting with the same thought in mind."
"Therefore, I will absolutely not allow you to fight with such a childish attitude."
"Xiaoyu, think back, have you forgotten what piece you're playing right now?"
The girl's fingertips continued to dance like flowing water, producing a furious melody that shook the ocean waves, but her azure eyes were momentarily lost in thought. How could she have forgotten?
"Netherworld Butterfly" is a rock song by a group. It's a song that everyone who loves her decides to let her, who loves rock music, fulfill her dream in this rebellious way and escape her gray childhood.
Even in the eyes of fans, it is undoubtedly the group's anthem, a piece that is played every time they go on stage.
But she had gotten so used to playing solos on the battlefield that she had almost forgotten that without the help of magic, a guitar simply couldn't play the complete "Netherworld Butterfly".
At this moment, not far away.
Ji Xintong lowered her eyes and remained silent. The ends of her flaxen-colored hair swayed as the magically woven guitar fell into her arms. Her slender fingers began to play skillfully, seamlessly blending into the hazy and melancholic melody.
This former rival from the talent show seemed to be mocking Xie Qingyu's current wavering, seizing the notes that constituted the main melody with a more passionate and frenzied performance, and also seemed to be silently expressing the fact that they are a team.
Bass, drums, keyboards...
Even while busy weaving incantations, these idols, who were intimately familiar with "Netherworld Butterfly," displayed the conviction to step onto the stage and the passionate emotion focused on rock music, instantly usurping the leadership from Xie Qingyu.
Before Xie Qingyu could react, the Rock Soul hidden deep within her heart ignited rebelliously, subconsciously urging her soul to transform all her emotions into a raging fire, exploding in her fingertips and musical notes.
Confusion, pain, sorrow, hesitation, fear...
Those chaotic, hesitant, and cowardly emotions, like fuel poured into a piece of music, were burned away completely as the angry sounds echoed across the sky, and began to erupt in layers.
The Little Butterfly encouraged:
"One person's Rock Soul isn't enough, and the powerful sound of one guitar isn't enough to pierce the sky, so now is the time to ignite our team spirit!"
"Don't overthink it, don't run away, don't be sad. Isn't 'Netherworld Butterfly' your debut song?"
"Now, the sky is the stage, the waves are the audience, so what if it's a Disaster God? Let's burn it to ashes with rock and roll!"
At this moment, regardless of victory or defeat, life or death, this song, "Netherworld Butterfly," connects them together, forming a community of shared destiny to face all hardships and obstacles.