[Vol. 7] Chapter 253: The Faith of Life
"Alright now, Tower Master, no need to look so shocked. After all, this tower only runs on simulated laws. No matter how realistic it seems, there's still a huge gap between that and a real Law. Even though the enemy isn’t using a true Law either... how should I put it... their level is still a bit higher than yours. Plus, with the [Tower of Nature]’s systems being disrupted right now, it’s only natural that you’re at a disadvantage."
Hearing that calm voice speak just in time next to him, Carol quickly turned around, surprised.
“The levels of Law... You actually understand such deep truths?”
The longer someone lived and the stronger they were, the more they understood what the word Law truly meant. For most people, simply hearing a little about it was already a rare and lucky thing. Being able to touch it or use it was nearly impossible. Even in Sainz, the fact that the Seven Towers only used simulated laws was a top secret, known only to a few high-ranking people.
But this mysterious being, who had suddenly appeared using Tiffany’s body, was able to see through the true nature of the [Tower of Nature] with just a glance. Their knowledge and understanding had clearly far surpassed what any normal person could imagine.
Carol understood very well, even though he was one of the strongest people in Sainz, and even the world, without the help of the [Tower of Nature], he was still as small and powerless as an ant compared to the real high-level mythical beings.
He had a short temper, but he wasn’t arrogant or foolish. If he were, he would have never risen to his current position. Everything that had happened just now was enough for him to make the right decision.
Seeing the green light barrier being quickly eaten away by the gray substance inside, Carol no longer cared about pride or fear of this unknown being. He bowed his head respectfully like a student asking a teacher and spoke with humility.
“I was rude earlier. Please accept my apology. The situation is urgent… May I ask, what exactly is this thing, and how can we stop it?”
“Now that’s a more respectful attitude. Alright, I’ll give you a few tips~”
Seeing that the moment was right, “Tiffany” nodded, still acting like a wise and experienced elder. She turned to look at the gray plague gushing out wildly ahead and spoke calmly.
"This thing is called [Desecration]. It is a spirit of law formed from the power of one of the Four Demon Lords, [Defilement]. The power of [Desecration] mainly affects the physical world. As you’ve seen, anything made of matter, stone, metal, the human body, even magic that’s invisible to the eye, can all be eroded and taken over once touched. It’s very troublesome."
Hmm… I think that’s how Lucine explained it back then.
"A law... born from another law?"
This strange, new idea stunned the Tower Master Carol, who was normally seen as incredibly wise and knowledgeable. But thankfully, he stayed calm enough to focus and quickly asked.
"Then how can we..."
"Heh. If you're thinking about defeating this thing on your own, forget it."
"The power of [Desecration] can attach to anything that has a physical form and take full control of it. Even sacred weapons and treasures can be taken over if they’re touched by it. Your greatest defense, the [Tower of Nature], may be able to fight it off for now, but that won’t last forever.”
“In the end, this kind of power was never meant for mortals to deal with.”
Of course, while it’s unrealistic to expect one tower alone to defeat [Desecration], that thing also can’t take over a high-level structure like the Seven Towers in just a short time. As long as the central city of Sainz recovers and the [Tower of Origin] in the First District reconnects to this area, or if Lucine arrives personally, this danger can be completely erased.
In the end, the enemy’s real goal isn’t to take control of the [Tower of Nature]. They’re simply trying to cause chaos, hold back the forces here, and force Sainz to use something much deeper and more dangerous.
Still, if the defenses here turned out to be weak enough to fall apart quickly, that [Desecration] spirit probably wouldn't mind going further. After all, a law spirit doesn’t have any sense of “life” or “fear.” As a certain vampire once said, that kind of thing doesn’t even understand what “being afraid” means.
Seeing that the Tower Master Carol was completely overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, “Tiffany” finally stopped teasing him and revealed her real intention.
“Carol Lingmu, do you have faith?”
“Faith?”
The Tower Master looked surprised, he didn’t expect such a question at a moment like this. But after a short pause, as if he suddenly understood something, he quickly nodded.
“To be honest, our Tree Spirit race has followed a certain ancient goddess since the earliest times. Although many of our people have forgotten that old faith over the long years, our Lingmu tribe has kept more of the tradition alive. We still have a few ancient books about her…”
He looked around at the others, then said in a serious tone.
“I can't speak for every single member of our race, but at least those of us who are old, and the key inheritors of the Lingmu line, we have always stayed true to that belief. We have never turned away from her.”
“Is that so~”
The girl gave a small smile, looking pleased with his answer.
“Then, call her true name now. If your people have truly been watching for her return and remembering the promise made long ago, then surely… you’ve heard some news about her. You may not be sure, or maybe you’re afraid to believe it, but I can tell you this for certain…”
“Heaven and earth are shaking, and the Mother of Life and All Living Things has returned to this world. If your faith is strong enough, she will answer you.”
“This... is the only way to fight back against [Desecration].”
“What?! Is that really true...? Could the goddess who appeared during the recent demon invasion in the Holy Empire and all those rumors, could they really be about... Her?”
The “Tiffany” didn’t answer directly. She simply looked at the old Tower Master with deep, glowing eyes. Within those green eyes, there was a trace of divine power, so faint yet so sacred, that it made the old man’s heart tremble. His gaze slowly changed, becoming full of fire and emotion.
Gods do not lie. That one look, filled with divine presence, said everything.
“Pray.”
“Pray to the Mother who holds all life in her arms. Offer your true, heartfelt faith. The time has come, ancient myths and future legends are returning to this land.”
“You, small mortal… if you want even a sliver of hope, then praise her from your heart… and welcome the return of the Goddess.”