The Shadow Sanctuary is not located in any known city or mountain range on the surface of the earth. It exists in an overlapping space hidden by ancient magic and shadow-binding techniques, and is the culmination of countless years of effort by the Shadowbinders Alliance.
The hall was grand yet eerie; the dome was not supported by stone pillars, but by countless thick shadows that flowed on their own and swallowed up light.
Light is a scarce commodity here, with only a few stone lamps inlaid with glowing phosphorescent stones casting a pale and weak halo, barely illuminating a central area covered with a dark velvet carpet.
At this moment, this usually solemn and quiet hall was filled with suppressed yet intense arguments.
Naraku stood before a seat made of obsidian, his pure white mask standing out starkly in the dim light. His cold gaze swept over the alliance leaders below, who were divided into several factions and arguing endlessly.
"Ridiculous! Naraku! You've completely lost your mind!"
An old man with white hair and beard, wearing a robe embroidered with intricate shadowy spiderweb patterns, slammed a snake-headed scepter heavily onto the ground.
He was a representative of the elders in the council, Makarian, who was extremely senior and had even taught Naraku's mentor. He was known for his conservatism and caution.
"Lind Truk? Yes! We all saw that devastating blow! The Orcs' steel torrent was like a toy before him! The Kree Empire was so frightened that they hastily bestowed a title upon him! But what does that prove?"
Makarian's voice was sharp with excitement, "This means he possesses the power of ancient relics that we cannot understand, or some kind of forbidden ancient technique! This power may be immense, but it will inevitably come with a huge price and uncontrollable risks!"
He suddenly waved his arm, pointing into the void, as if pointing at the non-existent Lind:
"And you! You went there without full consultation with the council, not only handing over the Alliance's treasured 'Shadow Howl' but also pledging allegiance to him in an almost subservient manner? You even claimed that he possesses a purer Shadow Affinity than you? How is that possible!"
Another female member, sitting beside Makarian, her face hidden in the shadow of her hood, let out a hoarse laugh. She was Vera, in charge of intelligence integration, and her voice carried a hint of mockery:
"Leader Narosh, your description is indeed... unbelievable. A Shadow Affinity stronger than yours? You are already at the peak of the Gold Path, a being with one foot on the threshold of Legend, and no one in the Alliance can surpass you on the Path of the Shadow."
Narind Truk, according to all our intelligence, is ostensibly a rising star of the Church of the Holy Light (although this identity now seems utterly ridiculous), the young master of the Truk family, an earl of the Kree Empire, and even does business with dwarves, elves, and orcs!
Where did he get the time, and from where did he acquire knowledge of the Shadow Abyss that surpasses the Alliance's millennia-old heritage? This simply doesn't make sense!
She turned the pages of a magically powered scroll before her, from which words kept appearing:
"His power likely originates from that 'ruins,' not the Shadow Abyss! Were you... intimidated by his power and misjudged the situation? Or perhaps... under some kind of mental influence?"
The implication in these words is extremely dangerous, almost questioning Naraku's sanity and loyalty.
"Villa Elder! Watch your words!"
Behind Narash, a younger council member and one of his staunch supporters, Keras, shouted sternly, "The leader personally came to pay homage; what he felt and knew is beyond the comprehension of our distant intelligence. His power cannot be explained by simple relic technology!"
"But that doesn't prove it's Yingyuan!"
Another neutral member, Thorne, who was in charge of external liaison, rubbed his forehead and wearily tried to smooth things over, saying, "Gentlemen, the key issue now is not whether the leader's judgment is correct. The key issue is the leader Narosh's actions themselves—offering a valuable treasure and pledging allegiance to an external powerhouse with such a complex identity, unknown motives, and questionable power attributes without a council resolution! This has placed the alliance at great risk!"
Thorne looked at Narouch, his tone earnest:
"Chief, Lind Truk is now the figure at the center of the storm on the continent. The Kree Empire, the Sass Empire, the Principality of Ork, even the orcs in the north, the elves in the south... countless eyes are on him."
What has been the foundation of our Shadowbinder Alliance for millennia? It is the shadow! It is secrecy! It is transcendence from worldly conflicts! Now you are willingly binding the Alliance to Him. What if He completely breaks with the Empire? What if His power attracts the attention of an even more terrifying being? How will we cope? The Alliance's millennia-old foundation could be destroyed in an instant!
"madness!"
Naraku finally spoke, his voice coming through the mask. It wasn't loud, but it instantly drowned out all the arguments, carrying a cold, unquestionable authority, and... a hint of undisguised contempt for these people's shortsightedness.
"Destroyed? No, Thorne. On the contrary, this is the greatest opportunity since the Alliance's inception! Perhaps... the only chance of survival!"
He slowly walked down from the platform, his steps silent, yet as if stepping on the very heartbeat of everyone present.
Are you doubting my judgment? Doubting my perception?
Naraku stopped in front of Macallian, his pure white mask almost touching the old man's face, his deep gaze seeming to pierce the old man's soul.
"Elder Makarian, you have devoted your life to studying the Shadowwraith's tomes. Tell me, what did you feel when you stood before 'Shadow Howl'? Was it awe? Longing? Or... an uncontrollable tremor and the fear of your soul being torn apart?"
Makarian's lips moved, but he could not answer.
The power of that demonic sword was truly terrifying; there were only a handful of people in the Alliance who could truly wield it.
Narosh then turned to Vera:
“Vera, you’re in charge of intelligence, so tell me, can the alchemical airships of the Principality of Oak easily wipe out thousands of elite troops and their steel fortresses with a single shot from their main cannon? Lord Linde did it, and it seemed effortless.”
What kind of 'relic' do you think could accomplish this? What ancient civilization's weapon could be so...effortless, as if a god were merely twirling a grain of sand?
Vera remained silent beneath her mask; her intelligence could not explain that level of power.
Finally, Naraku looked at all the council members, his voice like that of someone from a dark abyss:
"What you feel is the aftershock of Lord Linde's power, the tip of the iceberg that He is willing to show the world. But I... standing before Him, what I feel is..."
Narakush's voice trembled slightly, a tremor that came from the depths of his soul, awe and reverence.
"...It is the Abyss itself! It is 'darkness' that is older, purer, and more ultimate than the Shadow Abyss! 'Shadow Howl' is like a firefly compared to the bright moon before it! It doesn't even need to 'befriend' the Shadow Abyss; its very existence is enough to make the Shadow Abyss...submit!"
"He doesn't rely on relics; He... is very likely becoming some kind of living legend that we cannot understand! Or even something higher!"
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the hall and leaving everyone momentarily speechless.
To become... a living legend? To make Shadow Abyss submit? What an insane and... terrifying description!
"As for the risks?"
Naroch sneered, "Thorne, do you think that by continuing to hide in the shadows and remain stagnant, you can remain forever aloof from the world? Look at this continent! Lord Linde's appearance has completely changed the rules! The old order is collapsing! In this all-encompassing torrent, no power can truly remain unscathed! Either seize the opportunity and board the ark of the new era, or be completely crushed by the torrent and buried in the dust of the past!"
He suddenly opened his arms wide, his voice like a declaration:
"To pledge allegiance to Lord Lind is not to drag the Alliance into worldly conflicts, but to find for us an existence capable of protecting the Alliance and even leading us to an unprecedented, truly supreme realm of shadow! This is the choice that best serves the Alliance's interests! This is the true responsibility to the Alliance's millennia-old foundation!"
The hall was deathly silent.
Naraku's words were so shocking that the amount of information they conveyed pushed everyone's cognitive limits.
Makarian's face was ashen, and his hand holding the scepter trembled slightly, as if he could not accept this subversive idea.
Vera's face, hidden beneath her hood, was obscured from view, but her tense body betrayed her intense inner turmoil.
Thorne and the other neutral members exchanged glances, their eyes filled with hesitation and immense unease.
Meanwhile, members like Kairas who supported Narosh had fanatical eyes, as if they saw an incredibly bright future for the League.
Just then, a messenger dressed in a tight-fitting shadow-遁衣 (shadow-遁衣 is a type of clothing that creates illusions or illusions) appeared silently at the edge of the hall, kneeling on one knee and holding aloft a black crystal that shimmered with faint shadow-abyss fluctuations.
"Chief, elders, an urgent report from the Howling Abyss!"
Narakush's gaze sharpened: "Speak."
The messenger's voice carried a mixture of barely suppressed excitement and fear:
"Just a short while ago... the duty team reported... that esteemed one... He... He created a crystalline skeletal body imbued with the power of the Shadow Abyss out of thin air! And... and instantly annihilated the Rift Guardian 'Thousand-Eyed Terror'!"
"What?! The Thousand-Eyed Terror has been annihilated?!"
Makarian exclaimed in shock; it was a powerful Shadow Abyss creature that even he feared!
"Yes...yes, Elder."
The messenger's voice trembled, "According to reports, the process... was almost silent; Your Excellency merely... raised a hand. Now, Your Excellency is beside the rift... seemingly conducting some kind of... deeper investigation."
The news came like a final, heavy blow, striking the hearts of all the opponents and those who hesitated.
Create a Shadow Abyss shell? Annihilate Shadow Abyss creatures approaching the Radiant Gold level with a wave of the hand? Conduct in-depth research beside the rift?
All of this has far exceeded their understanding of "power".
Naraku slowly turned around, his pure white mask sweeping across the entire area, his voice regaining its cold calm:
"Now, is there anyone who doubts my judgment or questions my decision?"
A deathly silence.
Elder Macari slumped in his chair, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant, unable to utter a single word in rebuttal.
Vera slowly lowered her head.
Thorne sighed deeply and said nothing more.
Narakushi knew that the internal dissent had been temporarily suppressed.
But the storm has only just begun. Every move Lord Lind makes will cause far-reaching ripples within the league.
He must hold fast to this rope leading to the future, regardless of whether the other end connects to hope or... a deeper unknown.
He gazed toward the Howling Abyss, his eyes seemingly piercing through the barriers of space.
Your Excellency... what exactly do you wish to find within this rift?
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