Chapter 719: On Both Sides of the Gate

Around her, a series of whispers and strange, almost animalistic roars echoed, seeming to penetrate her very thoughts. The air was chillingly cold, moving through the shadows like invisible, nauseating tendrils, brushing against her skin in an almost palpable manner. Outside the thicket, there lurked a group of enigmatic, shape-shifting beings. These entities could detect the presence of living creatures, and it appeared they had discovered Shirley's hideout. It seemed as if a sinister feast was about to commence.

Shirley tried to move her arm, but found the action incredibly challenging. Her body was stiff and numb, making every movement a herculean effort. Despite this, she could feel a small but growing warmth emanating from within her, breathing some life back into her otherwise lifeless form.

Glancing down, Shirley was startled to see that her heart had ceased beating, rapidly deteriorating into a black, crumbly substance. However, atop this decay, a strange, faint green flame flickered softly, eerie yet somehow comforting.

This small source of warmth gave her the strength to attempt to stand up. As she moved, her right arm, bound by a broken black chain, scraped against the ground, the noise startlingly loud in the oppressive silence.

The whispers and roars outside the thicket momentarily ceased, only to be replaced by a bone-chilling howl that filled the air. From the shattered earth around, countless shifting shadows emerged, morphing into grotesque, frenzied demons, all converging towards their anticipated feast.

Inside her, a spirit fire began to dance through her bones, the black residue in her chest transforming entirely into a vibrant, unyielding flame. Shirley inhaled deeply, her senses heightened by the cacophony outside. A mix of fear of death and an inexplicable restlessness surged through her. As she breathed heavily, she noticed two still-beating hearts on the ground near her.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Shirley picked up the hearts, her eyes glowing with a blood-red light. As she did so, a colossal beast burst through the edge of the thicket, its heavy footsteps and ravenous growls filling the air.

Yet Shirley seemed unfazed by the sounds and the beast's breath close to her face. She was completely focused on inserting the two hearts into her chest, whispering softly, "Dad... Mom... don't be afraid..."

As the hearts settled into place, she felt the pulse of life returning to her. The last remnants of stiffness and sluggishness in her limbs disappeared. Shirley stood up, her body making a series of cracking sounds as bone spurs rapidly grew around her blackened ribcage, safeguarding the newly implanted hearts and the green flame.

She lifted her head, her body stretching and transforming, and a monstrous, spiky demon skull came into view. The thicket was violently torn open, revealing a massive, floating skull surrounded by a host of nightmarish creatures - the Death Crows, Nightmare Jellyfish, and chaotic beasts...

Shirley remembered Dog's advice: if alone and faced with these creatures, one should flee. But here, in the deep sea of the demonic abyss, escape was futile. They were everywhere, leaving no path for retreat.

"Don't be afraid, Shirley..." came the encouragement, but Shirley was anything but fearful.

In the midst of this eerie scene, a bird, notorious for its unpredictability, launched an aggressive assault. This creature, more akin to a demon with its lack of intelligence and overwhelming hunger, let out a shrill, ear-piercing screech that echoed through the air. Its wings, which seemed to embody darkness itself, unfurled expansively, transforming into a menacing, dark cloud. This ominous bird dove swiftly towards the dense thicket, trailing behind it a stream of corrosive, toxic clouds.

Then, abruptly, the calm was shattered by a muffled, thunderous boom. A sinister, black bone spike, segmented and menacing, shot up into the sky, impaling the unsuspecting bird with brutal precision!

Following this dramatic turn, more bone spikes emerged from the dense thicket. These spikes were twisted and symmetrical, resembling bizarre, unearthly limbs. They first thrust upwards, as if challenging the sky, before curving downwards, forming a structural support for a towering, imposing figure stepping out from the hidden depths of the thicket.

This figure was Shirley, her long and slender limbs encased in interlocking pieces of black bone that served as armor and weapons. The joints of her arms and legs sprouted spikes and blades, each glinting with a sinister, blood-red light. Her chest, though shattered, was encased in a thicket of thorn-like bones. Within this protective cage, two dark red hearts beat with a slow, rhythmic cadence. From her back extended numerous bone-like structures, giving the impression of a giant, ominous wing or perhaps additional, sinister limbs. These bone extensions arched down from the air, holding her aloft as she surveyed the gathering of demons below with a commanding presence.

Slowly, Shirley turned her head, her face eerily human-like but for the hollow eyes that glowed with a blood-red hue.

A raspy, struggling screech sounded from beside her. The bird that had been impaled on her sharp, bone-like protrusion was writhing in agony. But it wasn't long before it disintegrated into a cloud of dust and a small puddle of mud, its essence absorbed by Shirley's bone spikes.

Shirley frowned slightly at the bird's remains, shaking off the bone limb in the air with disgust, muttering, "Disgusting, tasteless..."

She then addressed the confused and momentarily paused demons surrounding her. Leaning forward, she inquired, "Have you seen a strange dark hound named Dog? He's my friend."

The demons hesitated, torn between their instinct to flee and their aggressive nature. But soon, their desire for confrontation overruled any semblance of caution.

A floating, spiky skull suddenly gaped open, unleashing a massive cloud of corrosive substance that surged towards Shirley.

Simultaneously, more treacherous birds dived from the sky, joined by howling dark hounds on the ground and a myriad of grotesque, indescribable monsters. All these demons, driven by raw instinct, charged forward, roaring and howling as they attacked Shirley, the intruder in their realm.

"I knew it..." Shirley muttered with a tone of annoyance. In the next instant, her figure blurred into a shadowy, swift motion.

She moved through the devastated landscape like a whirlwind, her bone spikes extending and slicing through the air with lethal precision. These spikes, reminiscent of both skeletal wings and curved, deadly limbs, targeted every demon that dared approach. Her approach to combat was primal and direct, relying solely on the instinctive strength of her new form as she plunged into the countless hordes of demons. It was a simple, brutally effective strategy, mirroring the unrefined yet effective tactics she had employed earlier, like when she first wielded the chain, launching Dog at her enemies with a fierce, uncalculated throw.

...

Meanwhile, Lucretia stood gazing at an imposing black stone gate in a different location. Even she, a seasoned "Frontier Scholar" accustomed to the unusual and supernatural, found the sight before her astonishing. She lingered for a moment, taking in the formidable structure, before reluctantly turning her gaze away.

"...They've really dug up something formidable," Lucretia remarked with a sigh, her tone laced with a mix of awe and concern. "These cultists always unearth forces they can't possibly hope to control... it's the same old story every time."

"This location serves as the junction between the abyssal deep sea and our world," explained Duncan, his voice carrying a tone of scientific fascination. "My studies and senses tell me there's a 'superposition' happening here. It's not merely an intersection of our real space-time. We're also seeing a direct overlay with a section of the abyssal deep sea. The reason Shirley and Dog were 'pulled' to the other side is likely due to their intrinsic nature being closely aligned with that of the abyss."

With a thoughtful nod, Lucretia expressed her concerns, her voice tinged with unease. "...But are you certain this plan will work? It's not that I doubt your ability to open the gateway, but what if the 'Saint' can't sustain it? If the gateway closes prematurely, how will you make your way back? The other side is the abyssal deep sea of the shadow demons, a realm we hardly understand. Even someone of your caliber could find themselves disoriented and lost over there..."

Duncan cut in, confidently addressing Lucretia's apprehensions. "Don't worry, I've already considered this," he said. "We're all aware that at the very core of the abyssal deep sea resides the Nether Lord, and right beneath His 'throne' lies a passage that leads to subspace."

Lucretia's expression shifted, indicating a mix of curiosity and concern. "...What exactly are you implying?"

Duncan responded with a casual tone as if discussing a minor inconvenience. "Creating a small rift in the abyssal deep sea should not significantly disrupt its balance. Remember, the impact created by the Vanished when it plunged into the abyssal deep sea was far greater. If I can't return through the same path, I'll navigate back via subspace. It's unlikely the 'Saint' will object to this—if it turns out to be unfeasible, then I'll have no choice but to summon the Vanished to crash through once more."

Lucretia remained silent, her expression reflecting a mix of resignation and concern.

With a wave of his hand, Duncan signaled the start of their endeavor. "Let's begin."

Recognizing her father's readiness, Lucretia refrained from further questioning. She gave a slight nod and proceeded to a clearing in front of the gate. With a deft movement, she pointed her short baton at the ground and tapped it twice.

In an instant, a cloud of smoke erupted, resembling a magician's dramatic flourish. As the smoke cleared, the grotesque and unsettling sight of the "brain," ensnared within a spider-like bone cage, reemerged before Duncan.

The entity known as the "Saint" began to stir awake.

At the periphery of the bone cage, its numerous eyestalks slowly came to life. The multitude of twitching eyes gradually took in their surroundings, finally resting on the stoic figure of Duncan nearby.

In an instant, the creature, far removed from any semblance of humanity, snapped to full alertness. It struggled against its confines, clearly attempting to rise but hindered by the enchantments Lucretia had put in place. Restricted in movement, the only action left to it was to vibrate the air, emitting a chaotic and ear-piercing roar: "What have you done?!"

Duncan approached the "Saint," his demeanor calm and unflinching as he faced the creature's revolting eyestalks. "We haven't started yet. We're about to begin," he stated. "You might want to start praying now—to your master."