When Amarselak's whispers, containing the dust of eternity and the birth and death of stars, resounded directly in the depths of his soul, Lind felt his entire cognitive framework being violently pried open by an invisible force.
"...The magic network...is the original lifeblood of this world...Tiolantis...is merely a later 'driver' who usurped its place..."
This sentence was like a bolt of lightning tearing through the thick fog, instantly illuminating many previously dark and unclear areas.
Beneath the icy surface of Linde's heart, the undercurrents of thought surged and churned at an unprecedented speed.
(I see……)
He suddenly understood, as if he had solved a complex equation that had puzzled him for a long time.
(I always considered him to be on par with the Twin Gods of Light and Darkness, an embodiment of some fundamental force of the universe... but I was wrong, terribly wrong. He is not the source of the rules, but merely... an extremely powerful parasite, a 'administrator' who has stolen the authority of the world!)
The impact of this realization was not one of joy, but rather a reassessment mixed with cold sarcasm and extreme calm.
He felt as if he had instantly transformed from an ant looking up to a god into a technician standing outside a massive server room, examining its internal architecture.
The shift in perspective has led to a complete overhaul at the strategic level.
(His power is not limitless; He is constrained by the 'server'—the Magic Network itself—and its operating rules. His 'Weave of Fallen Gods' is not the might of heaven and earth, but a massive...system command? A formatting program attempting to eliminate all 'abnormal processes'?)
The idea gave Lind an almost thrilling excitement, but he locked that excitement firmly beneath a layer of rationality.
The data stream deep within his purple eyes surged even more violently. The [Deconstruction Halo] was frantically reorganizing and verifying all the information fragments he had collected about Tiolantis, the Magic Network, and the Zedo civilization with unprecedented efficiency, using this new core hypothesis as the axis.
(Triss... the 'source code' inside her... its value is far beyond imagination! It might not be a simple backdoor, but... a higher-level access key? Or even... remnants of a 'developer account' that wasn't completely deleted?)
(Non-Magic Network energy...is of even greater significance. This is not just about independent power supply; it's about building a 'local area network' completely outside of His control, a 'safe house' that can escape 'formatting'!)
(The dragons' 'anchor of existence'... Amar'therak's power might be a powerful 'data backup' and 'firewall' that can protect core data when the system crashes...)
Thoughts flashed like lightning, instantly clearing away the fog.
He felt a sense of control returning. Although his opponent was still incredibly powerful, at least he had seen through his opponent's true nature and found the direction to strike—not the throat of a god, but the seemingly invisible yet inevitable "connection points" between the "throne of gods" and the "driver"!
When Lind spoke, explaining his new strategic vision to Amarserak and the dragon elders, his voice sounded calmer than the perpetually frozen winds of the far north, but beneath that icy surface lay an unyielding will, forged through countless trials and tribulations, as solid as crystal.
"First, power struggles and interference..."
(Objective: Find that 'interface' and try to inject our 'code', even if it's just to create a momentary 'permission conflict', it's enough to create an opportunity.)
"Second, build an independent system..."
(We must accelerate, at all costs. The Spark Base is the starting point, but it's far from enough. We need more 'safe houses,' and even... a complete, independently functioning prototype of a 'backup network.')
"Third, locate and destroy the 'formatting program'..."
(Find the compilation core of the 'Weave of Fallen Gods,' which must be the most important part of His defense, but it may also be... the most vulnerable point, if our 'key' can work.)
He looked at Amarselak, his gaze carrying respect for ancient wisdom, but even more so, scrutiny and expectation of an equal partner. (Your strength is key, the last line of defense, and... the foundation upon which we dare to take this gamble.)
---
In the sacred land of dragons, the atmosphere subtly changed with Amazelak's awakening and Lind's enlightenment.
The magical energy in the air, which had been so dense as to be almost solidified, was no longer merely a dormant stillness, but rather seemed to have been infused with some ancient, slowly awakening will. As if drawn by an invisible force field, the energy dust began to swirl and flow around Amar'therak's massive body, like luminous elves worshipping a monarch, slowly and solemnly.
The pulsating rhythm of the luminous crystals on the sacred dome gradually synchronized with Amazelak's long, heavy breaths. In the interplay of light and shadow, it was as if the entire sacred ground had become the heart of a living beast awakening from a millennia-long slumber. The light was no longer constant, but rather undulated with a gentle, breath-like quality, reflecting off the dark golden dragon scales, which had regained their restrained luster, refracting a thick, warm glow like liquid gold.
When Amatherak pointed out that the "Eye of Magic" might be the key, Lind seemed to be able to sense through the isolation of this sacred place (perhaps a wisp of thought shared with him by Amatherak) that the area located in the center of the continent was not simply rich in magic, but a huge, ominous vortex that frantically absorbed and distorted the magic network energy like a black hole.
A cold, absolute will, carrying the meaning of purification and destruction, like invisible tentacles, firmly entrenched there, making one feel as if their soul is about to be frozen and torn apart simply by touching it with their mind.
This feeling made Linde's heart sink slightly, but it was quickly replaced by a stronger determination.
(It really is the most dangerous place... but that also means that the 'main server room' might be located there.)
---
When Lind returned to the observatory in Blackrock Territory through the portal, the contrast in environment was striking.
The ancient, tranquil, and energy-filled atmosphere of the Dragon's Rest Holy Land vanished instantly, replaced by the familiar and resolute reality of Blackrock Territory.
It was already late at night.
The frigid air carried the dryness characteristic of the border region and a faint, almost imperceptible scent of the Howling Abyss.
The sky above was no longer a dome made of luminous crystals, but a broken, pitch-black night sky with faint aurora (perhaps the energy disturbance left over from the previous divine punishment), and a few tenacious stars shimmering with cold, hard light through the gaps in the clouds.
Beneath my feet was a rough, solid obsidian floor, still faintly warm from the daytime sunlight.
In the distance, most of the lights in Blackrock City had been extinguished, with only the rhythmic rustling of patrolling guards' armor and the incessant, low hum of machinery from the distant workshops attesting to the city's vitality.
A weight, distinct from that of the Dragon Sleeping Holy Land and belonging to the mortal world, bearing the aura of steel and order, pressed down on his shoulders once more.
He took a deep, silent breath of the familiar, chilly air, temporarily suppressing the mystery and heaviness of this ancient holy land.
“Aster.” His voice, calm and even, traveled through the magic network, but the decisiveness it contained instantly put his adjutant on the other end on edge.
"Summon all core members for a top-secret meeting."
He looked up, his gaze passing over the walls of Blackrock Territory and the distant mountains, as if piercing through countless distances, precisely locking onto the land in the center of the continent known as the "Eye of Magic".
In his perception, it seemed to be a beacon exuding both deadly attraction and extreme danger, its dim light illuminating the chessboard of fate for the entire continent.
“Tiolandis…” This time, his whisper contained not only a chilling killing intent, but also a focus and investigation akin to that of an engineer confronting a vulnerability in a complex system.
"Your divine throne doesn't seem to be so secure after all."
"Next, it's my turn to try and see if I can pull you off that chair..."
Under the night sky, his figure on the observatory appeared exceptionally tall and lonely, like a sharp sword about to be drawn, pointing directly at the core of divine authority.
In the surrounding silence, only the howling wind seemed to foreshadow a storm that would upend the very foundations of the world, quietly gathering. Meanwhile, in Lind's mind, the strategic blueprint constructed from entirely new understanding unfolded like the most intricate battle map, every detail gleaming with a cold, rational light.
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