The Secret of Potion Plants and the Death of Akmanmon the Second

【Divine Artifact: Seed Jar of Kurmis】

【Sequence Number 57】

【Ability 1 Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint: The Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint originates from the Mythical Authority of spirituality. This special seal imprint can combine one's spiritual power with other objects in nature, transforming them into one's own seal spirits.】

【Ability 2 Potion Seeds: Kurmis fused his own body and flesh into this jar. Since then, this magical jar can create special seeds. The seeds can be planted to grow potion plants with miraculous effects, and different potion plants have different effects. Kurmis can fuse his seal imprints into the seeds, transmitting his power to distant places. He can also catalyze potion plants into plant-type seal puppets and control various different powers.】

【Ability 3 Harvest Sacrifice: When potion plants are harvested, the Lizard People offer them to the Seed Jar through sacrificial rituals. The more mature potion plants they obtain, the more powerful the Seed Jar becomes and the more types of plant puppets it can control.】

【Ability 4 Spirit of the Feathered Serpent: The Seed Jar of Kurmis was forged using the Divine Grace Four-Part Secret Technique. He fused his Wisdom Divine Blood into the jar, hiding his spirituality, consciousness, and memory within it, waiting for the jar to become complete and for his next awakening. When the Spirit of the Feathered Serpent fully awakens, the four powers unite as one. The body of the Feathered Serpent will appear once more, forming a massive mental domain to manipulate and influence the surrounding weather, plants, and life. However, using this ability before achieving mythology will greatly damage this artifact.】

This was the record on the Divine Cup about the Seed Jar of Kurmis.

At this moment, the Divine Artifact unleashed its full power within the Volcano Forest.

The Feathered Serpent Kurmis held nothing back, forcefully reuniting the Divine Grace Four-Part power that he had once divided. He paid no heed to the consequences that would inevitably follow.

The true body of the Feathered Serpent emerged, no longer a mere possession by a seal spirit.

In the sky, a long, twisting giant serpent stretched across the heavens. Its elongated golden wings spread wide, blotting out the sun.

The massive head of the Feathered Serpent emerged from the clouds. It released a roar toward those below, a sound like thunder.

Boom!

Dark clouds loomed heavily overhead.

From afar, the clouds seemed to press down against the jungle, nearly touching the ground. This ominous sight made onlookers instinctively hold their breath as a palpable sense of suffocation and crisis washed over them.

Lightning bolts rained down in rapid succession, surrounding the Feathered Serpent's massive, coiling form.

Amid the chaotic storm, countless seeds scattered through the air. Each seed began to morph, transforming into a unique seed puppet.

Thick vines spiraled outward, giving rise to giant wooden puppets and delicate, crystal-like flowers. The diversity of these creations was striking. A corresponding plant puppet emerged for every type of potion plant Kurmis had once harvested, each one assuming its own distinct form.

The plants spread across the Lizard People's village, completely surrounding Akmanmon.

Vines surged alongside a sea of trees, while thunder and wild winds danced in unison.

On the other side, Akmanmon stood atop the massive cannibal worm's head.

At first, his gaze was cast downward, but soon he adjusted his posture and looked upward.

The Feathered Serpent towered over his cannibal worm, its immense body dwarfing the creature beneath him. The chaos it unleashed could only be described as earth-shattering.

"Acting now?"

"Isn't it a little late for that?"

Akmanmon unleashed his full power, directly confronting Kurmis's mental domain.

The signature mental domain of a Fourth-Rank apostle expanded outward from Akmanmon's body, clashing with Kurmis's domain.

The domain was silver-white, and within it, faint chanting could be heard. The voices brimmed with intense longing, as though they were praying and pleading with a divine being.

"Death is not the end, but a new beginning."

"Great God of Silver and White, please grant me immortality."

"I don't want to die, I want to keep living."

"Give me a perfect body, give me an immortal body."

"I will enter the cycle of rebirth, obtaining new life."

"Eternal deity, please allow me to enter Your kingdom."

The voices of the Silver-White Church's believers filled the air. They carried the desires of countless ghoul spirits and the persistent echoes of mortals' longing for immortality.

These voices reverberated throughout the domain, converging upon Akmanmon's body. Slowly, they condensed into a special power that began to manifest.

A massive seal imprint pattern appeared behind Akmanmon's back, radiating brilliant light that illuminated the surroundings.

Akmanmon's body became enshrouded in a layer of silver-white burial cloth. He seemed to transform into a "deity" who wielded control over the curse of immortality.

"Silver-White Domain."

Akmanmon raised his head. His entire face was wrapped in burial shrouds, yet a cold voice emitted from his mouth.

At that moment, Kurmis's power pressed down. Lightning from the sky continuously struck Akmanmon's domain. Fierce winds blew from all directions, seeming to endlessly wear away Akmanmon's power.

The Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint unleashed its power, manipulating various weather phenomena that crashed downward in an unyielding and relentless assault.

Inside his domain, Kurmis stood in control, shaping the weather with the might of a heavenly god.

The Plague Blood Curse and the Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint clashed fiercely, their powers contesting for dominance in the mortal world.

This was the moment to determine which of the two was the most extraordinary seal imprint.

As the Feathered Serpent revealed its complete form, Akmanmon could only offer passive resistance. "Kurmis, I have already obtained 'The Path of Wisdom.' My memories will synchronize with the Silver Insect."

He raised the stone tablet inscribed with "The Path of Wisdom" and said casually, "Even if you reclaim this stone tablet, even if you kill me, the next me to be reborn will still know this secret technique."

Raising his head, he asked, "What's the point?"

Kurmis's voice merged with the thunder striking from the sky. He had long made his decision.

"Regardless, you are not leaving here today."

The plant puppets, now fully grown and vast in number, began to strangle their way into Akmanmon's domain.

In response, Akmanmon spoke in a voice as cold and lifeless as a corpse, his words laced with mockery.

"Even if you win, all I have lost is this shell, but you have paid a terrible price."

"You used the Divine Grace Four-Part Secret Technique, barely preserving your consciousness within the artifact."

"You have not yet become a god, yet you directly reunited the four powers, breaking the original cycle."

"The price isn't small, is it? Will it affect your plans to become a god?"

"Moreover, are you certain you can win?"

Akmanmon, having obtained part of "The Path of Wisdom," had a rough understanding of the method Kurmis used to create the Seed Jar.

As soon as he finished speaking, the cannibal worm beneath his feet burrowed back into his body.

His form swelled to its limit, transforming into a massive divine corpse shadow. Strips of white cloth unfurled and danced outward in eerie, rhythmic motions.

At the same time, the seal imprint on his back opened a great door. From within, countless insects surged out.

These insects flowed down like a waterfall, colliding with Kurmis's plant puppets in a chaotic clash.

The insects relentlessly devoured the plant puppets, while the plant puppets responded in kind. They crushed the insects into pulp and absorbed them as nourishment.

The Feathered Serpent dove from the sky, engaging Akmanmon in combat.

Their struggle was fierce and unrelenting, with the entire Volcano Forest serving as their arena.

The massive Feathered Serpent drew upon the forces of wind, rain, and thunder. It whipped, bit, and struck with relentless energy, each movement a display of raw and untamed power.

Akmanmon transformed into a terrifying divine corpse, his white cloth strips continuously flying out and winding toward the Feathered Serpent.

Though they were apostles, their strength exceeded that of any ordinary apostle. Their power stood on par with reincarnators who had experienced countless cycles of rebirth.

The chaos they unleashed was terrifying, and the scale of their battle sent ripples of fear far and wide.

Even towns and cities far beyond the borders of the Volcano Forest became aware of the disturbance. The tremors and echoes of their conflict spread across vast distances.

The battle raged with incredible intensity. Akmanmon appeared to be at a disadvantage, yet he always managed to resist and endure.

As the fight progressed, Kurmis began to notice the peculiarity of Akmanmon's Silver-White Domain. It defied normal expectations.

No matter how many times Kurmis tore open the "divine corpse's" body, it would restore itself in the blink of an eye.

His puppets devoured countless cannibal worms, yet those same worms would reappear almost instantly. They emerged undeterred, swarming again with relentless vigor.

"The power of immortality?"

Within the domain, Akmanmon and his puppets gained special enhancements. Before his power was depleted, both he and the puppets under his control achieved a state resembling near-immortality.

Regardless of the severity of his injuries or the number of times he was destroyed and killed, Akmanmon could recover with astonishing speed.

This immortal power was not limited to his ability to resurrect. It also extended to the strength of his mental domain and the mysterious force of his seal imprint power.

"That's right," he declared with unwavering confidence. "Forget about killing me. Even if you just want to destroy this body of mine, it will not be that easy."

Akmanmon had initially wanted to proclaim that no one could kill him. However, when he recalled the immense power the Scarlet Goddess had demonstrated in the past, the words faltered before leaving his lips.

Kurmis, however, saw very clearly. "No matter how powerful the ability, it still requires power to support it."

"You are far from a true deity. How long can you sustain this?"

The Feathered Serpent launched another attack. It was even more ferocious than the previous one, with almost no expense spared.

He needed to drain Akmanmon's strength and ensure he did not escape. Under no circumstances could Akmanmon be allowed to leave with "The Path of Wisdom" stone tablet.

The forest lay in ruins as thunder roared above, igniting great fires that were swiftly doused by fierce winds and sudden rain.

White burial shroud strips carried an eerie, otherworldly power. They stretched on, seemingly endless, defying all limits.

The strips extended upward, reaching toward the sky. They intertwined with one another, forming dense, cloud-like layers that seemed to blot out the heavens.

"Anyone who wants me dead must be prepared to pay the price." Forced into a dead end with no retreat, the massive corpse shadow lunged directly at the Feathered Serpent. The Feathered Serpent and the corpse entangled.

"Someone like you can never become a god." Blood splattered from the Feathered Serpent's body, spilling continuously onto the earth, yet it held the King of Ghouls Akmanmon tightly without letting go.

Amid the entanglement, Akmanmon's Silver-White Domain began to shrink steadily.

The "divine corpse" he had transformed into appeared small and fragile, as if it were a little person being relentlessly battered.

The King of Ghouls' power was steadily fading.

At last, its massive form was reduced to only thirty to forty meters in height.

Even though it still resembled a colossus, it appeared almost insignificant beneath the Feathered Serpent's wings, which spanned the skies and concealed the clouds above.

Akmanmon claimed that he might not necessarily lose. However, unlike Kurmis, who could unleash his full strength, Akmanmon was unable to do the same.

He also could not summon the Silver Insect from the Dream Realm.

He could die, but he could not let the Silver Insect appear in the mortal world again. When Akmanmon the First created the Silver Insect, he set the condition that it could not leave the Dream Realm, not even for Akmanmon himself.

Therefore, he gradually fell into defeat.

Kurmis pursued Akmanmon relentlessly, driving him eastward. The battle led them to the interior of the volcano, where Kurmis finally cornered him, leaving no path for escape.

Thick vines coiled around Akmanmon's gradually diminishing "burial shroud divine corpse." The roots of the plant puppets penetrated his body, drawing out his essence. Bit by bit, Akmanmon's form was extracted and faded away.

Despite this, Akmanmon retained his dignified and imposing demeanor. It was as though he remained indifferent to the inevitability of his death.

"You are just like that King Osis, doing things that have no meaning."

"After you kill those ghouls, new ghouls are born."

"After you kill the ghouls of the Red Earth Territory, even more ghouls appear outside the Red Earth Territory."

"Ghouls cannot be killed completely. As long as death exists, ghouls will exist forever."

"And I am the same."

"I also cannot be killed."

The Feathered Serpent lowered its head from the sky, its massive eyes reflecting the ugly, soon-to-be-dead state of Akmanmon.

"Akmanmon is immortal."

"But that has nothing to do with you."

"You are just you, just this ghoul, just this one Akmanmon."

Having completely trapped Akmanmon, Kurmis was no longer in a hurry.

Although the price was considerable, he had succeeded.

Kurmis appeared intent on leaving a mark on Akmanmon, setting the stage for the future. He wanted the ghouls, born from memory projections, to grasp a semblance of the truth.

Through this, he aimed to confront the real Akmanmon, the true madman. This was the most terrifying version of Akmanmon, the one whose Life Dream lay dormant in the Dream Realm.

"Are you trying to make the Silver Insect a god?"

"Are you trying to make Akmanmon a god?"

"Or, are you trying to make yourself a god?"

Akmanmon let out a sneer, but it was a smile without warmth.

"I am Akmanmon. What is the difference?"

Kurmis looked at Akmanmon with pity.

"Do you really think you are Akmanmon?"

Akmanmon frowned. "What exactly do you mean?"

Kurmis said, "You are just a ghoul possessing Akmanmon's memories."

"The real Akmanmon is within the Silver Insect, following the Life Dream in eternal slumber."

"He uses his own memories to convince you that you are Akmanmon, that you need to find a way to become a god, that you must gather enough divine blood."

"That you must find a way to make the Silver Insect become a mythical artifact."

"You are nothing but a tool he uses to achieve his goal of becoming a god."

When Kurmis's words fell, Akmanmon the Second did not believe them at all.

"You think saying these things can shake me?"

Once the seed of doubt was planted, it began to grow wildly in his heart, much like the potion plants Kurmis had catalyzed.

Kurmis said, "Whether it is true or false, don't you already know?"

"Your so-called eternal life and immortality is fundamentally a fraud."

"You know how Akmanmon uses this lie to deceive those believers."

"But is he really only using it to deceive believers?"

"Could he be using it to..."

Kurmis paused. Even he seemed to feel the idea was too insane.

"...deceive himself, his so-called self?"

After hearing this, Akmanmon the Second suddenly remembered certain things.

Those daily moments where he always felt out of place, the conflicts between memory and reality, now floated back to his mind.

Those doubts emerged in his mind again.

"Why can I not empathize at all with Akmanmon's pain and despair?"

"Why do I feel nothing for the people Akmanmon cared about?"

"Why are the places Akmanmon visited so unfamiliar to me?"

Kurmis seemed to have given him an answer at last.

The truth was simple. He was fundamentally not the real Akmanmon.

To him, those memories were like images and text recorded in his mind. They felt like an autobiography titled Akmanmon, not a life he had genuinely experienced.

He possessed those memories, even the deeply engraved ones, the unforgettable moments, and the bone-chilling terror. Yet those experiences, the ones that could never be resolved, were not his own.

He had never truly lived them.

Even though the memories had been copied into his mind, they were placed alongside ordinary images, becoming nothing special.

The more Akmanmon the Second thought, the more horrified he felt.

A chilling realization struck him. He suddenly understood Akmanmon the First's fear of the Dark Moon.

It mirrored his own fear of the real Akmanmon.

That madman. Was all of this planned by him?

The muscles on Akmanmon the Second's face twitched. His body seemed to soften bit by bit as if drained of strength. The plant vines binding him tightened their grip, their dense roots tearing open his burial shroud and creeping over his neck and chest.

Akmanmon the Second continuously shook his head. "Impossible."

"I am the real Akmanmon."

"I am the real one!"

By the end, Akmanmon the Second was almost howling.

"I am the real Akmanmon!"

Fear gradually filled his face. It was an expression the real Akmanmon should never have worn.

Even if Akmanmon the Second refused to admit it aloud, his heart had already accepted the truth.

His panicked heart raced, whispering to him in frantic denial.

"I am not Akmanmon... Am I the original owner of this body?"

"What was his name?"

"No, what is my name?"

"What was my original name?"

Akmanmon the Second finally recalled an image, another face.

He remembered the scene before he first awakened.

Old Ghoul Xi had guided him to kneel in a shrine dedicated to the God of Silver and White, leading the prayers with solemn reverence. At that moment, he had not appeared as he did now but as someone entirely different.

Yet, almost as soon as the memory surfaced, he dismissed it again.

"No, I am not him either. I am just a newly born cannibal worm, a cannibal worm born from this corpse."

"I am nobody. I don't even have a name."

Akmanmon the Second looked toward the Feathered Serpent Kurmis as if awakening from a great dream. His body trembled involuntarily, then began to struggle frantically.

He wanted to break free from the opponent's restraints, his eyes full of fear.

"So, if I die, I am truly dead."

At this moment, he no longer had his previous composure.

He suddenly realized that if he died, he would truly be gone.

Even if someone else were resurrected as Akmanmon, perhaps as Akmanmon the Third, it would no longer be connected to him.

The promises of eternal life, the illusions of immortality.

All of it was a lie.

The Feathered Serpent Kurmis told him clearly and calmly.

"You will die, but Akmanmon will still exist. The name Akmanmon will still exist."

"The King of Ghouls will still exist."

Hearing these words, Akmanmon the Second felt no joy whatsoever.

Instead, his face showed intense unwillingness as he roared furiously.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"I am not the one who will be resurrected!"

"I will be dead! I will have nothing left!"

"So, this is a fraud?"

"A fraud Akmanmon set for us! He tells us we are immortal, making me think the resurrected one is still me!"

"In reality, we are not him at all. We are just newly born cannibal worms possessing his memories."

"He is just making ghouls filled with his memories into sacrificial offerings to support his ascension to godhood."

"What 'becoming the next Akmanmon'?"

"We are not immortal."

Akmanmon the Second's struggles grew more violent with each passing moment. Desperation drove him to use every possible method, summoning the last of his strength in a frantic bid to survive.

The intense desire to live was etched across his face, his features contorted with determination.

In a sudden surge of power, his arm broke free from the restraints and shot upward, reaching toward the sky.

His expression twisted in anguish and fury as he raised his voice, shouting toward the Feathered Serpent Kurmis soaring above.

"No!"

"Don't kill me!"

"I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

But at this moment, it was too late.

Kurmis showed no mercy. Countless vines engulfed Akmanmon the Second, draining the last trace of power from his body.

He was completely annihilated.

Thus, Akmanmon the Second's brief life came to an end.

The Feathered Serpent withdrew its power, circling once in place.

It picked up the stone tablet from the devastated ground and spat out a white light from its mouth, completely destroying it.

Kurmis, covered in wounds, returned to the pyramid that had been reduced to ruins. Before the altar beneath the pyramid, all the Lizard People were waiting for him.

A Lizard Person stepped forward and asked, "Feathered Serpent God, did you defeat that monster?"

Kurmis coiled his body on the ruined half of the pyramid. He mobilized his power, and the pyramid began to restore itself.

He lay down somewhat wearily, looking at the Lizard People below.

"The King of Ghouls, Akmanmon, cannot be killed. Or rather, the name Akmanmon cannot be killed. I only killed Akmanmon the Second."

"Only a special sealing method can prevent the King of Ghouls from appearing in the mortal world again."

The Lizard People looked at each other, their expressions fearful as they thought of the terrifying monster.

"Then what should we do?"

Kurmis said, "Before I acted, I notified King Osis. He has already prepared the sealing steps."

"Only after I kill Akmanmon the Second, completing the first step, can he begin the true sealing."

"Now that I have killed Akmanmon the Second here, he should be proceeding with the second step of the sealing on his side."

Kurmis looked toward the distance. "Now, it should have already begun."

The Lizard People erupted into cheers and jubilation. No one wanted an existence like Akmanmon to remain in the mortal world, especially when such a terrifying being was their enemy.

Amid their celebration, they failed to notice the Feathered Serpent's body gradually dispersing.

Its power divided once more into four parts, bit by bit flowing into the golden Seed Jar.

Countless fluorescent lights scattered in all directions, converging into a nebula that slowly descended. Within the nebula, a mysterious golden jar with a lid emerged.

"Feathered Serpent God."

"What's wrong?"

Kurmis's voice came from within the Seed Jar, growing softer and softer.

"This time, I must truly fall into slumber."

"Have Anu return. You must lead your people well and build this homeland properly."

"I hope that when I awaken, you will already be... a..."

Kurmis's dream-like murmur was interrupted before he could finish his words.

The golden jar began to lose its brilliance, its glow fading softly.

Slowly, the jar drifted toward the deepest part of the pyramid, where it was hidden away once more.

Just as Akmanmon had said, to completely kill Akmanmon the Second, Kurmis had no choice but to emerge from the jar.

By doing so, he interrupted the cycle toward godhood and paid a terrible price. His current condition was even worse than when he had just created the Seed Jar.

Despite this, Kurmis believed it was worth the cost. At the very least, "The Path of Wisdom," an extremely dangerous secret technique for becoming a god, would not spread to the mortal world as long as the King of Ghouls remained sealed.

What Kurmis had not anticipated, however, was that his slumber would give rise to another crisis. This time, it would be for the Lizard People.

Limestone Town

The town's residents, merchants, hunters, and mercenaries, along with some nobles and their guards from afar, all stared toward the depths of the Volcano Forest.

Their mouths hung open in shock.

They watched as the Feathered Serpent revealed its true form. They saw the figure wrapped in burial shrouds, its massive white cloth strips stretching upward, dancing toward the sky.

Thunder and white light clashed violently. Vines and swarms of insects surged, devouring one another in a chaotic frenzy.

As the battle raged on, it grew more intense with each passing moment. The Feathered Serpent and the King of Ghouls even ventured close to the edge of the Volcano Forest, drawing nearer to Limestone Town.

From this distance, the shadows of the two combatants became clearly visible to everyone watching.

"Is that a god?" someone asked, frightened and at a loss, thinking they had seen divine beings.

"The Feathered Serpent God! That's who the Lizard People worship!" another person called out. Having seen the Lizard People so many times, they naturally knew who they worshiped.

The other one, however, was unrecognizable to them.

They were familiar with ghouls and had heard tales of the God of Silver and White. Yet, they had never seen the divine statue of the God of Silver and White and could not identify it.

The battle grew increasingly intense. Insects died in droves, while the massive Feathered Serpent in the sky was also injured, golden blood spilling from above.

Afterward, they continued fighting toward the other side of the Volcano Forest in the direction of Lava Mountain, gradually disappearing from view.

"They've left." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had feared the opponents would bring their fight to Limestone Town and cause an unwarranted disaster.

"That's the direction of Lava Mountain." Those familiar with this area immediately discerned it.

"What on earth is happening?" Everyone was both excited and afraid, not understanding what had occurred or why two such powerful existences would battle here.

At that moment, different thoughts began to stir in some minds.

"Let's go have a look," one of the mercenaries suggested. Without hesitation, several of them stood up and made their way toward the spot where the Feathered Serpent had been injured, directly beneath that fierce aerial battlefield.

"What rank of existence are those two? Apostles? Divine beings?" a noble who had come from afar, also a snake person with abilities, wondered with great shock as he watched the power of the Feathered Serpent and the King of Ghouls.

He immediately remembered something and quickly gathered several guards to rush outside the town.

At the same time, many others in the village were having similar thoughts. The idea of scavenging in the aftermath of such an intense battle was enticing.

The power of those two beings was beyond comprehension, and whatever they might leave behind would surely be extraordinary. The allure was too strong to ignore.

How could anyone not be tempted? Even if it meant taking some risks, it was a chance worth pursuing.

Moreover, they had just seen the Feathered Serpent's blood spill on the spot. This near-mythological creature's blood had to be the highest-grade supernatural material.

After everyone arrived at the edge of the Volcano Forest, what they saw was only devastation and the terrifying radiation of power that remained.

Some weak ordinary people and hunters had barely stepped forward before they collapsed to the ground, choking and gasping for air.

Moments later, they turned into ghouls. Without hesitation, they lunged at their companions and anyone nearby. The area was soon filled with terrified screams.

Even scavenging in this place was impossible for ordinary people.

The mercenaries and the ability-user noble ventured deep into the Volcano Forest. They relied on their mental power to navigate around the dangerous areas.

Despite their efforts, they could not locate the Feathered Serpent's blood. Instead, they came across withered plants scattered throughout the forest, many of which bore seeds or seedlings.

The ability-user noble, who was dressed like a territorial lord, stepped forward at just the right moment. He witnessed a trace of golden blood being absorbed by one of the plants.

Almost immediately, the plant withered away, leaving behind a single seed.

The noble moved swiftly and caught the seed in his hand.

He had come to the Volcano Forest with a clear purpose. Having heard about the supernatural materials rumored to exist there, he recognized the significance of potion plants and their potential.

"A potion plant?"

"Is this a potion plant?"

Although the Lizard People never sold them externally, some people had still ventured into the Volcano Forest and either seen or obtained such plants.

But no one knew how these plants were born.

"How can ordinary plants transform into supernatural plants?"

Meanwhile, the mercenaries saw a wild beast devour a potion seed.

Immediately after, this wild beast fell into madness. Its body size increased several times, long manes grew all over its body, and it could even shoot the manes out like weapons.

The mercenaries were stunned. "How can an ordinary wild beast possess the power of abilities?"

The snake people saw the truth about potion plants and mutant beasts for the first time.

They suddenly understood that potion plants and mutant beasts were originally just ordinary plants and animals.

They began to think further. If there truly existed a power or method capable of achieving this, could ordinary people also harness it to gain the power of abilities?

The thought deepened. Could ability users themselves employ this method to enhance their own powers?

The ability-user noble roamed far and wide, gathering new potion seeds with relentless determination. Meanwhile, the mercenaries hunted down the mutant beast, carving out the crystal hidden within its body.

Their efforts bore fruit, bringing them plentiful rewards. Yet, the greed in their eyes remained unquenched, a hunger that could not be satisfied.

As they gazed upon the Volcano Forest, it was as though they had stumbled upon a treasure vault of unimaginable value.

This was no ordinary treasure vault filled with gold.

It was a vault that concealed the promise of infinite power.

Dream Realm, Unknown Coordinates

In the dark void where nothing existed, the Divine Artifact Silver Insect suddenly emitted light.

A power penetrated the Dream Realm, transmitting into the mortal world.

Akmanmon the Third was about to appear.

In a spacious palace, a large number of ability users surrounded a ritual formation. At the center of the formation lay a silver-white skull.

They watched as the skull at the center of the formation absorbed massive amounts of fresh blood, gradually regrowing flesh bit by bit and slowly forming a head.

But after growing the head, it stopped and did not continue, as if some power were restricting it.

Above the palace, the Plague Blood Curse appeared.

A large number of cannibal worms fell, burrowing into that skull, transforming its appearance, its brain, and its memories.

But the transformation was strangely smooth, as if no transformation was needed at all.

However, the Silver Insect was just an ordinary Divine Artifact and could not yet distinguish the difference.

Gradually, the newly born King of Ghouls, Akmanmon the Third, slowly opened his eyes.

But he suddenly shook his head in splitting pain, making strange sounds.

"I am Akmanmon."

"No, I am not Akmanmon."

"I am Akmanmon, but I am not the original Akmanmon."

In Akmanmon the Third's mind were not only Akmanmon's memories but also Akmanmon the Second's.

Akmanmon the Second's brief life, that pre-death despair and unwillingness, that shrill scream, now echoed in his mind.

"A fraud?"

"The real Akmanmon is deceiving us, using us as expendable materials?"

Akmanmon the Third's words were full of disbelief, but as he spoke, he suddenly sensed something was wrong.

There were no devout believers coming forward to greet him, not even a single ghoul.

And more pressing than that.

"Where is my body?" Akmanmon the Third cried out.

He discovered he only had a head. Everything else was gone.

Akmanmon the Third looked around, suddenly finding his surroundings somewhat familiar.

The place of his birth was the Red Earth City's lord's mansion.

Akmanmon the Third's expression immediately changed, because this place had long been occupied by Osis.

Akmanmon the Third's gaze swept rapidly and saw two people standing not far from him.

King Osis of Suinhor and the Lizard Person Anu.

At this moment, the two of them were bending down to examine the head on the ground, their eyes and expressions rather playful.

King Osis said to the head on the ground, "A new beginning is not only a beginning."

Anu spoke the latter half, "But also a brand new ending."

Akmanmon the Third was completely confused, still not understanding what had happened.

He opened his mouth wide, his eyes bulging as he stared at these two fellows before him.

"How am I here?"

"How did you know I would be here?"

"My resurrection location is random. Unless I prepare it in advance, how could you possibly know?"