Laine looked at the old man beside him. On his stone carvings, the proud attitude of the son of the Sea God and the bronze column hanging in the West Heaven were clearly visible. Even gradually, the stone slab itself seemed to have undergone some miraculous changes.
"The flood is still nine days away, and your life has only ten days left. In these last days, is there anything you would like to do?"
The elder was already due to die a natural death, and even without the great flood, he actually wouldn't have lived much longer.
"If possible, I'd like to fully document this flood."
With a calm demeanor, Humar looked down sentimentally. As far as the eye could see, there were endless seas, but he knew that hidden underneath the water was his once home.
"A reasonable request," Laine nodded and blessed him, "May you see all there is in the Mortal Realm, and may your records live forever."
He said this, and the Law responded to Laine's blessing. During the last ten days of the old man's life, space would not hinder his sight, everything in the Mortal Realm would be within his view; and after the old man's death, his stone carvings, which documented everything, would also be engulfed in frozen time. They would forever stay in that moment, only touchable by time itself.
The sea parted, revealing a path leading under the water. And at the end of the path was the largest temple in Aurora City, once built by Zeus.
This special place, different from other temples, was where the Divine King condemned the sins of humanity, and forced the faithless madmen to kneel indefinitely, so the temple still retained traces of the Divine King's authority, and therefore, was not worn away by these ordinary waters.
"Accompanying you for half a day has been my honor."
Before departing, Humar bowed slightly.
"It's your own choice."
Waving his hand, Laine finally said:
"Go on, this place will soon become a battlefield again. What to leave for future humans, is for you to decide."
After Humar left, only Laine remained. He looked down and noticed the black fog that was trying its hardest to conceal its presence.
"Hmph, I hope so, just in time to witness his power," Keto responded indifferently with a snort.
Though Mephisto had often claimed that there were beings even stronger than the Divine King in the Nine Hells, Keto was still skeptical.
"You will see, I assure you," Mephisto said with a smile.
He did not mind Keto's attitude and knew that beings do not understand things beyond their comprehension. Until today, all mortals and gods in the present world held fixed impressions of the Abyss, believing it to be empty, filled only with deathly silence and void.
But all this was about to end.
Stepping forward to the core of the ritual, where a small groove lay on the ground, Mephisto cut his wrist. Although underwater, the dark red blood still fell straight downwards, dripping onto the intricate designs etched there. Tracing the fine patterns, the demon's blood seemed to contain a special energy, quickly lighting up the areas it touched.
It started with a few specks and then extended rapidly. From underneath Mephisto's feet and out towards the entirety of Aurora City's ruins. The deep ocean water lacked any light, making the dark luster even more dazzling.
At that moment, a certain connection was activated. Like a massive coordinate, the ritual drew the attention of a vast presence from afar. The laws of the current world recognized this power, a force belonging to another aspect of the world—it instinctively rejected it, but not completely.
"Guard this place well," Mephisto commanded.
Retracting his hand, the small wound healed instantly. In the void surrounding Aurora City, one after another, powerful presences were approaching. Mephisto was not afraid, just slightly surprised.
The gods of the Spirit Realm came so quickly, which he could understand, but what about that other one?
"No matter," Mephisto said.
With a smile, he glanced at the thick cluster of souls around him.
With so many 'achievements' and more than one 'benevolent' god actively contributing to his cause, he wondered how many ranks he should ascend.
Ahead of this, the demon looked forward with some anticipation.