It really was like returning to Utopia... Looking at the scene outside, Wendel felt inexplicably relieved and relaxed, and had no more doubts about his choice to testify in court.
You have to understand, the place he was just in was the restroom of Military Intelligence Section 9 headquarters. Even a fully armed army wouldn't be able to break in.
Wendel slowly exhaled, walked out of the washroom, and headed towards the entrance of the hall.
Behind him, in a deserted corner of the washroom, the black raven was draped in a veil of Specter, losing its tangible presence; even if one looked directly at it, it would be difficult to spot.
Then, its body became increasingly transparent, rapidly dissipating until it disappeared completely.
By this time, Wendel had walked several meters into the hall and saw a policeman in a black and white checkered uniform enter through the entrance.
This was the young police officer, Byers, who had asked him to testify in court.
"I knew you would come, because you are a kind person," Byers said with a smile as he greeted Wendel.
Hearing this compliment, Wendel's heart finally settled back into place. Then, he instinctively looked back and saw that the washroom he had come from had changed and no longer felt familiar to him.
In the Dream Labyrinth pieced together by countless minds, the giant white rabbit that walks upright squeezed through the open doorway and entered the wilderness where towering gray-white pillars and magnificent palaces stood.
"Mr. Wrath "... Although the other person wasn't wearing the Persona Mask, his unforgettable features helped Audrey recognize him at a glance.
This was somewhat unexpected, but not entirely surprising.
In her view, Mr. Wrath alone would not be enough to deal with Arihogg, this ancient Mind Dragon, even though Mr. The Fool had warned her to be wary of him.
After all, the mastermind behind the Psychology Alchemists, the former Angel King, has become a true god of Sequence 0. According to the knowledge shared within the Tarot Club, there shouldn't be, and won't be, another " Author " in the real world. Therefore, no matter how powerful Mr. " Wrath " is, as long as he remains within the " Spectator " pathway, he is at most on the same level as Arihogg, with only a slight difference in combat experience, psychological research, and self-cultivation.
At that moment, as the giant white rabbit entered, the massive, greyish-white scales of the Arihogg opened its membranous wings with a whoosh, instantly casting a shadow over the surrounding area.
With a powerful kick, the white rabbit suddenly grew enormous, like a small hill.
At the same time, directly above Him, the dark sky suddenly brightened, and beneath His feet, the earth cracked open one fissure after another, spewing forth crimson magma.
Immediately afterwards, a blurry and Distortion figure emerged behind it.
The figure was dressed in a simple white robe, making it difficult to discern his features or age; only a vague indication that he was male could be made out.
Behind his head hung a halo radiating brilliant light, like a miniature the Sun; at his feet was a virtual clock divided into twelve sections, each section containing symbols representing different times; behind him hung a shadow like a curtain, within which an eye seemed to be silently watching the outside world.
The moment the figure appeared, even as just its outline, the entire Dream Labyrinth shook violently, with gray fragments constantly falling from the void.
Two contrasting sensations, filth and Depravity and pure sunlight, rapidly spread around the giant white rabbit, eroding or assimilating the area.
However, the figure in the simple white robe could never truly take shape, unable to emerge from history and fantasy into reality.
Just as his outline was about to become clear, his figure would Distortion, like Robot whose signal had been jammed.
At that moment, Audrey instinctively looked away, no longer daring to stare directly at the giant white rabbit.
Perhaps because she was in a dream, closely connected to the island of the mind and the Sea of Collective Subconscious, she knew intuitively what Mr. " Wrath " was doing without needing anyone else to explain.
The other party discerned the underlying psychological issues of the ancient dragon Arihogg, knowing what it feared most, and then wove a nightmare containing specific images based on that.
In High-Sequence battles via the " Spectator " pathway, if both sides are at the same level, various methods are unlikely to produce real effects: one can infiltrate the island of consciousness and conduct deep Hypnosis, while the other can guard the Door of the Mental Body, preventing any external consciousness from entering; one can spread Mental Plague, using the Sea of Collective Subconscious to imperceptibly erode the enemy, while the other can Placate themselves, treat psychological illnesses, and maintain mental health...
Therefore, battles among " Spectator " Saint of the same Sequence often exhibit three fixed styles: First, they set traps in advance, make preparations in all aspects, and then subtly guide and manipulate step by step to break through the opponent's mental defenses and complete the Hypnosis; second, they focus on defense and support, relying on powerful Sealed Artifact to defeat the enemy; third, when extraordinary abilities such as " Mental Plague," " Mind Deprivation," " Dragon Breath," and " Consciousness Manipulation " are ineffective against each other, they self -Hypnosis themselves, undergo " Dragonification," and engage in fierce hand-to-hand combat with claws and tails.
In the third type of battle, whoever has a deeper understanding of the mental realm and a stronger and more resolute will can gain an advantage by having a longer " Dragonification " period and accumulate a winning momentum, provided that the opponent does not find a chance to escape.
At the Angel level, everyone is a true Mythical Creature, and the length of time spent in " Dragonification " is no longer meaningful. At this point, what matters most is " Insight." Whoever can find the opponent's mental vulnerabilities can weave corresponding nightmares, directly attack the enemy's weak points, and destroy their mental defenses step by step, achieving the effect of "frightening them into madness" or "frightening them to death."
Because Audrey is in the same "dream," even if the nightmare isn't directed at her, she will still be affected, influenced, and even corrupted by the corresponding emotions, traits, and personality.
Just like now, she knew clearly that the nightmare woven by Mr. " Wrath " represented the Ancient The Sun God, the being that Arihogg feared most in his heart. At the same time, the influence of the Ancient The Sun God would uncontrollably pollute the surroundings, until the entire dream.
When Audrey wakes up, she will either be a mentally ill patient without the ability to heal, or she will transform into an incomplete Mythical Creature, completely losing her mind and frantically attacking the creatures around her.
Of course, there is another possibility: that she unknowingly Depravity, becoming cold, cruel, and bloodthirsty without realizing it, as if she had been replaced by someone else.
At this moment, Arihogg, who was crouching atop the gray-white giant pillar, let out a painful roar.
As the Dragon's roar echoed, darkness descended upon its head, revealing an ocean that encompassed all colors and secrets, a vast expanse beyond description.
In the ocean, a gray- Dragon, hundreds or even thousands of meters long, or even larger, rose up. Its vertical eyes were one pale gold and the other bright red.
The Dragon has a third eye on its forehead, which seems to hold a deep shadow.
Similarly, without needing anyone to explain, Audrey, taking advantage of her current special state, immediately knew what the nightmare woven by Arihogg represented.
This is something that left a deep shadow in the heart of the giant white rabbit; this is " Ankewelt " after being eroded by the "underground"; this is a Virtual Persona, a form of mental pollution, separated by that ancient god and sealed behind the bronze gate.
At this moment, Audrey was caught between two terrifying nightmares. Although she had not yet been ravaged, her mental state was fluctuating, as if she had been Awe.
She immediately Placate herself and, without hesitation, relied on her own lucidity to forcefully escape the Dream Labyrinth.
During this process, because she was not the target of Arihogg and Mr. " Wrath ", she did not encounter any obstacles, and since she herself had reached Sequence 4 and possessed a certain degree of divinity, she quickly woke up from the dream.
Audrey suddenly opened her eyes and saw the crystal chandelier tinged with a faint pink, and the deep night that filled the room.
Without delay, she got out of bed, ran to the window, and looked outside.
The entire manor was quiet, as if asleep, without any sign of anything amiss.
Audrey frowned and immediately created a " Virtual Persona," sending it into the mental island of a night watchman.
She remembered clearly that the Dream Labyrinth was pieced together from multiple minds, and once the contamination of two nightmares spread, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Therefore, she needed to wake everyone in the manor before that happened.
The next second, the night watchman suddenly raised his hand, took the grenade hanging from his belt, pulled out the fuse, and threw it into the deserted garden.
Boom!
The loud explosion rang out, startling the sleeping people.
Immediately afterwards, the guard shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Enemy attack!"
"Enemy attack!"
Earl Hall and his wife were both over fifty and were light sleepers, so they were immediately awakened; even though Hibbert was a good sleeper, he was also groggily awakened by the sound of the explosion; Alfred even opened his eyes automatically when the grenade was thrown.
The remaining butlers, maids, male servants, bodyguards, and guards woke up one after another, their expressions a mixture of confusion and astonishment, unaware of what had happened.
In the area furthest from the manor's main building, several servants heard the commotion less and failed to wake up in time.
Just seconds later, they struggled painfully on the bed, shedding their outer skin like snakes shedding their skin, turning into hideous, bloodied figures.
They never woke up until they died.
At that moment, Audrey saw a gray-white Dragon spread its wings and rapidly disappear into the Sea of Collective Subconscious, followed closely by a giant white rabbit.
In an instant, the Dragon's voice echoed across the illusory sea:
" Adam isn't necessarily Adam, just as I'm not necessarily Arihogg."
The giant white rabbit's movement suddenly slowed down and gradually came to a stop.
All anomalies ceased, and the entire area returned to normal.
Above the Gray Fog, inside the ancient palace.
" Adam didn't make a move?" The Fool Klein frowned slightly, turning his attention back to Utopia, replacing the instinctive monitoring of the " Worm of Spirit ".
He carefully examined his Marionette town but found nothing unusual.
P. S.: Requesting monthly votes on the last day of March!