The Inner World.
To numerous mages from the Prime Worlds, this place is filled with mystery and peril, yet it remains irresistibly attractive, luring them to explore endlessly. However, for the beings that dwell here, it is essentially a massive prison.
Innumerable evil deities and divine abominations, along with indescribable horrors passed down from ancient times, have all been banished here by the true gods. Over countless eons, these entities have devoured each other, much like a giant vat of breeding venomous insects, unknowingly giving birth to terrifying and monstrous evils.
Moreover, since the gods began using this place as a prison for sealing, all the darkness and sins of the world have continuously converged here, ultimately transforming the entire realm into a living hell.
The sky is dark red, and the land is parched and cracked.
Rushing rivers of molten lava or corrosive liquid flow through the valleys, devoid of any sign of life.
Even for supernatural beings, the environment here is excessively harsh.
Yet, even within the Inner World, there are still living beings.
Gurgle! Gurgle!
At the bottom of a massive abyss, dark liquid boils and churns as though a live volcano lay beneath.
Unlike the rivers of magma and poison, the area near this abyss carries a chill, and upon it grows a pitch-black flora, as hard as steel.
Groups of black-armored warriors with barbed bodies and grotesque faces ride bizarre beasts, hunting and cultivating near the abyss, forming a small tribal settlement.
In this forsaken land of gods, the survival of a tribe is an astonishing miracle.
After finishing their daily hunt and meal, many of the black-armored warriors gather atop a platform beside a vast lake, listening to a priest’s proclamation:
“We are the descendants of divine abominations and countless evil beings! The gods beyond these lands abandoned and sealed our ancestors, exiling us to this hell to suffer eternal torment, even our descendants are no exception… They themselves seized paradise outside!”
The living conditions in the Inner World are undoubtedly harsh. Even the strongest warrior in the tribe barely manages to eat enough each day, and a single natural disaster or attack by malevolent creatures could destroy an entire major tribe.
Therefore, all the black-armored warriors hold a deep yearning for that legendary world beyond—safe, fertile, and flowing with rivers of milk and honey.
We are the descendants of the ancient evil king—the True-Eyed Thousand-Horned King! The blood of our ancestors forever flows within us, and one day, we will avenge their grudges!
The priest screams with all his might.
“Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!”
The black-armored warriors roar, their eyes turning completely blood-red.
“Awooooo!”
At that moment, a mournful wolf howl echoes. Outside the village, a hill-sized shadow suddenly emerges.
“It’s the Kuishan Wolf! Damn evil creature, it dares to invade our territory again!”
The high priest roars: “All warriors, follow me!”
“Awooooo!”
The black-armored warriors roar, gripping weapons forged from metal or bone. Some mount savage and terrifying beasts, charging toward the massive shadow of the Kuishan Wolf.
They have no other choice!
For if they fail, this wandering beast will surely devour their entire tribe.
“Charge!”
Though diluted, the bloodline inherited from divine abominations still grants the black-armored warriors significant enhancements.
Their armor, resembling clothing, already offers considerable defense, with jagged spines capable of giving any human warrior unforgettable lessons. Unfortunately, against the Kuishan Wolf, the power of these black-armored warriors remains pitifully small.
“Awooooo!”
It suddenly raises a paw and strikes downward.
Boom!
The ground trembles, and several black-armored warriors are crushed into a pulp.
“Quick… charge!”
The priest shouts desperately, though it proves futile.
Despite the warriors’ fierce attacks, their strikes barely leave white marks on the Kuishan Wolf’s glossy fur, failing to inflict any real damage.
“Crunch!”
In retaliation, the Kuishan Wolf bites down again, swallowing the priest whole and chewing him up.
“There’s no choice now, flee!”
The black-armored warriors shout, retreating in panic. Some elderly, weak, or injured individuals stay behind voluntarily, forming the final line of defense against the beast.
Though their greatest contribution is merely to sacrifice themselves, buying more time for their kin to escape.
Even if it seems cruel, it is necessary for the survival of the tribe.
If the situation continues like this, perhaps this small tribe will silently perish today, with the survivors wandering until they find a tribe willing to accept them—or until they die. The latter is far more likely than the former.
However, in this world, there are always unexpected occurrences.
Gurgle! Gurgle!
At the bottom of the abyss, the black pond boils increasingly violently, with large bubbles rising and bursting on the lake’s surface, creating ripples.
The ripples expand further, eventually forming a vortex.
“Who is… summoning… me?”
A mighty voice emerges from the lakebed, speaking in a divine tongue. Due to the nature of the laws governing this place, everyone understands its meaning.
Splash! Splash!
The lake surface suddenly boils, as though a hill had abruptly risen. Water sprays in all directions, revealing the colossal form at its center.
It resembles a two-headed dragon, with crimson skin covering its entire body. It lacks scales, and its wings are full of holes. One head bears a pair of horns, while the other is completely bald. Its tail, lined with spines, exudes an ancient and immensely powerful aura upon its arrival.
“Old friend… you called for me?”
The two-headed dragon roars, its voice waves rolling outward, visibly manifesting as ripples spreading through the air: “Do you require my power—Olyphes, the Void Devourer, the Chaos Reverser, the Dragon of Good and Evil?!”
Clearly, this is an evil entity, and a remarkably powerful one at that—so formidable that even the gods would find it troublesome to confront.
“Hmm?”
After unleashing his might, the two-headed dragon finally notices the circle of tiny black-armored warriors kneeling around the lake, and the small wolf further behind.
Given its size, the hill-sized Kuishan Wolf seems no different from a mere puppy.
“Descendants of divine abominations?!”
Olyphes’ left head sighs: “Never thought the bloodline of those two beings would become so diluted. Truly pitiful!”
“Pitiful insects… know true fear in this world!”
The other head laughs maniacally, suddenly opening its massive mouth.
Buzz! Buzz!
Terrifying air currents form, as though a gaping void existed within its mouth, endlessly devouring everything around.
“The wolf that devours gods, reduced to this? What a disgrace to your ancestors!”
The two-headed dragon targets the Kuishan Wolf.
Under the immense suction force, the small wolf howls in despair, its body shrinking rapidly before being sucked into the dragon’s mouth.
Crunch! Crunch!
The black-armored warriors watch in stunned silence as the top predator from moments ago becomes another being’s meal in the blink of an eye.
This stark contrast leaves their minds in disarray.
The aura emanating from the two-headed dragon is something they cannot resist, as if facing an innate superior being, crushed under the weight of a dominant bloodline.
Olyphes spits out fragments of bone and looks down at the ants on the ground: “The descendants of the True-Eyed Thousand-Horned King have fallen to such a state… mere insects.”
It opens its mouth, originally intending to sweep away these black-armored warriors, but suddenly stops: “Alright, alright, I get it! So annoying!”
Olyphes flaps its wings, stirring fierce winds, and soars upward into the sky until it becomes a mere black dot.
It takes a long time before the surviving black-armored warriors regain their senses, bowing reverently toward the direction where the two-headed dragon vanished, clearly regarding it as their guardian deity.
…
Worlds and planes are two entirely different concepts.
Although the Inner World serves as a vast prison and exile ground, its area is in no way inferior to that of the Prime World.
Olyphes, the two-headed dragon, swiftly passes through the atmosphere and enters the starry expanse beyond.
Surrounding him, the dark red void is filled with mystery. Scattered points of light resemble fireflies, occasionally revealing hidden among the stars, numerous stone platforms—some ruined, some magnificent—floating like islands in the sky, all exuding a faintly sacred aura.
These are the remains of deceased gods, each platform representing the fall of a once-mighty deity.
At the very center of this stellar domain, in a mysterious location, many floating islands combine to form a colossal aerial city.
“Why did you stop me?”
Olyphes lands skillfully and roars: “What of the descendants of the True-Eyed Thousand-Horned King? Even their ancestors were not spared my appetite!”
“Olyphes, you must remain calm!”
At that moment, a gentle female voice intervenes: “Although this world has bound us, the moment it opens will soon arrive.”
“The outside world is wonderful. To establish a foothold, we need more cannon fodder!”
A middle-aged man dressed in black clergy robes, with a cold smirk on his face, also steps forward: “Olyphes, long time no see!”
“Lord!”
Olyphes’ body radiates light, transforming into a muscular man with two heads, respectfully bowing.
“Hmph!”
The middle-aged man waves indifferently: “Find them weak? Actually, any being capable of developing civilization is worth nurturing… Besides, you underestimate this Inner World’s eruption.”
“The accumulated grudges over countless years are not only sufficient for our escape but also to empower all the natives… Even if they seem like insects now, at the moment of eruption, they will grow into dragons!”
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