As the light gradually dimmed, Sterl sensed that Gloria had become an exceptionally bright node in his awareness. Under the influence of the Dark Moon Goddess's radiant-level authority heart, her mindset had undergone a significant transformation after being refined into a deputy star. She gazed at Sterl, feelings of boundless reverence swirling within her, an impulse to worship him taking hold.
Watching this scene, Rosalie felt an inexplicable sense of superiority. Unlike others, as the embodiment of the Illuminated King, she would not be so easily brainwashed. I fell in love with my master of my own accord, unlike Linna and Rayna, who were just tools beneath me. As long as I exist, you subordinates will always be under my heel.
Fortunately, Rosalie was unaware of Licitris's existence; otherwise, she might have been instantly shattered. The Succubus Queen had carved out a small place in Sterl's heart at the cost of her own life, while Rosalie would forever remain a mere instrument...
Sterl was oblivious to the thoughts of the two alluring women. He casually said to Gloria, "Take me to a base that won't be detected."
"Yes." Gloria placed her hand on Sterl's shoulder. "Please don't resist, my master."
"Alright." Sterl nodded lightly and then snapped his fingers, saying to Rosalie, "You can head back on your own."
"Understood, understood." Rosalie smiled brightly, glancing at Sterl's face and then at Gloria's, before letting out a series of lighthearted laughs as she drifted away.
Sterl's expression remained unchanged. However, Gloria, who controlled the Moon Law, felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
"Rosalie was willing to share life and death with me earlier. Now that we're on the same side, she wouldn't harm me." The goddess shook her head, dismissing her unrealistic thoughts.
Then, she wrapped her arms around Sterl, her face slightly flushed. In her current state, devoid of divinity, Gloria suddenly realized that she had not experienced intimate contact with the opposite sex for countless years. The last time was... perhaps when she hugged her father goodbye as she boarded the train to university.
Father... Mother... Gloria's expression turned distant; she had forgotten what her family looked like, yet an inexplicable sadness washed over her.
A soft purple light illuminated the surroundings. The figures of Sterl and Gloria vanished, swiftly arriving in a new realm.
"This place is...?" Sterl looked around. The area was filled with solid rock barriers, and small gas vents below released puffs of warm air. It was clear they were underground—very deep underground.
"This is the last legacy of the Reawakening Council."
"Reawakening Council?" Sterl inquired, puzzled. Gloria explained, "It was a council formed by those of us who sought to inherit the true will of the Earth's human race."
"In addition to wanting to pass down the Key of the Realms and some secrets, we also aimed to restore the Earth's environment."
"My master, you were involved in the Netherworld operation earlier. I wanted to seize the Newborn Sprout of Creation to gain natural divine authority, to restore the Earth at least to the state it was in before the civilization collapsed."
"Unfortunately, the Newborn Sprout of Creation was taken by a mysterious god."
"If you ever have the chance, you must find that god and slay them to reclaim the Newborn Sprout of Creation."
"That is an incredibly precious item; the Newborn Sprout of Creation existed even before the realms were divided at the dawn of the Netherworld," Gloria continued. "Even among the countless Crystal Barrier Galaxy worlds, it might be a unique resource."
"Uh..." Sterl felt awkward. Given the circumstances, it seemed inappropriate to mention that he had personally seized the Newborn Sprout of Creation. Fortunately, Gloria didn't linger on the topic. Searching for an unknown god was akin to finding a needle in a haystack, but mentioning it to her master was reasonable—after all, who wouldn't want to improve their home's environment?
"The Reawakening Council has been annihilated; I am the only survivor."
"What happened to you all?" Sterl asked, intrigued.
"We didn't encounter anything disastrous. The council was developing smoothly; we just needed specific resources to purify the Earth."
"That's why our plans have made little progress. Finding a genius who can inherit Earth's human race's true will is simply a matter of waiting."
"Until now, I have found you."
"What secrets does the Earth's human race hold? And why did you choose to submit to me just now?"
Sterl casually found a seat and used the power of space to keep the dust at bay. He rested his hands on the table, partially obscuring his face as he inquired.
Gloria was exceedingly compliant. "Yes, my master."
"Regarding the legacy of the Earth's human race, I cannot say, as those ancestors left only information about finding a successor when they ascended to the upper realms. For the true legacy, you need to use the Key of the Realms to access the information repository."
At this point, Gloria looked somewhat puzzled.
"My master, haven't you gone there yet?"
Sterl shot her a glance.
"This is me asking you a question; do not respond to a question with another question."
The suppression power from the deputy star erupted, unleashing terrifying pressure upon the goddess!
Thud!
The goddess was forced to kneel on the ground.
The process of correcting Gloria's mindset as a deputy star required time; Sterl did not wish to vent his anger, but rather, he aimed for this kind of pressure to help Gloria better recognize her position.
"I'm sorry!"
"I'm sorry!"
"I was wrong!"
"Please forgive me, my master."
A strange feeling surged within Gloria.
She thought she would be enraged and retaliate, yet her mouth and body reacted unexpectedly, yielding and begging for mercy.
For some reason, while doing so, she felt remarkably relaxed, as if liberating her true nature.
Suddenly, all resistance within Gloria vanished!
The horror of the radiant-level deputy star's power lay in this very aspect.
In less than a few minutes, she transformed from a noble goddess to a lowly servant.
Sterl released the pressure and waved his hand.
Instantly, Gloria sprawled on the ground like someone who had nearly drowned, gasping for breath.
"Ha~ Ha~ Ha."
She was drenched, her alluring curves outlined clearly, her full chest pressing against the ground, completing a seductive transformation.