The official announcement from the Angel was like pouring a ladle of ice water into a boiling pot of oil, making the undercurrents of the known Universe churn even more treacherously.
And that "unofficial" warning, which went straight to the Death Song Academy and was filled with the aura of iron-blooded slaughter, although top secret, had an impact that exploded like a thunderclap in the dark night in the hearts of a very few insiders.
Unlike the panic-stricken rage she felt after being intimidated by a million Angel, Morgana—or rather, Morganas true name—was now sinking into a deeper, colder fury.
Floating in front of her were several light screens, scrolling rapidly with various intelligence reports, analysis papers, and... a specially processed residual spectrum of energy fluctuations, intercepted from the edge of the Styx Galaxy, which was blurry but sufficient for her to decipher the core information.
"Bullshit! 'For the sake of civilization'? 'Dealing with future changes'? That bitch Keisha is trying to fool ghosts!"
Morgana kicked over the newly replaced command console made of dark alloy.
The hard alloy twisted and deformed under the terrifying power of the Demon Claws, emitting a harsh groan.
Her eyes were crimson, and her black smoky makeup seemed about to be melted by the rage spewing from her eyes.
"Over a million Ancient Angels, just coming back like that, for some bullshit inheritance and future? Does she really think I'm an idiot?!"
She paced anxiously in the messy hall, her high heels stepping on the shattered energy crystals, making a cracking sound, like her nerves which were about to snap at any moment.
"And that warning sent to Karl... 'Take a trip to the Styx Galaxy'? Ha! What a big mouth! Is it that crazy woman called Judgment, or that arsonist Blazing Wind?"
She stopped abruptly and looked at Ato, who was standing respectfully to the side like the most loyal Shadow, her voice sharp: "Is there any reply from Karl? That pervert, has he been scared into peeing his pants by those old antiques again? Does he want to be a coward again?!"
Ato lowered his head and replied in a deep voice: "Queen, God of Death Karl... has not yet given a clear reply."
"But according to the analysis of the energy fluctuations we intercepted from the edge of the Styx Galaxy, and the latest movements of the Taotie fleet... he seems to be... adjusting his deployment, but has not cancelled the original plan."
"There are even signs indicating that he may be... intentionally guiding the situation, adding stakes in the direction of Earth."
"Adding stakes?" Morgana's brows knitted together tightly.
She walked to the main screen and stared fixedly at that azure Planet.
"Earth... Power of the Galaxy... Super Seminary... and that fake body of Keisha... Damn it, what is Karl planning? The Angel has already put a knife to his neck, and he still dares to play with fire?"
She hadn't failed to consider that this might be a trap set by Karl and the Angel, aimed at luring her into the hook.
But she quickly dismissed this thought.
Keisha might tolerate Karl for a while, but she could never tolerate teaming up with him to trick her own sister—especially when she already possessed an absolute military advantage.
Keisha's self-esteem and the arrogance of "justice" would not allow her to do so.
Then, there was only one possibility...
"Karl, that madman... He is certain that Keisha won't really use those old antiques? Or... he is confident that he can achieve his goal before Keisha uses those old antiques?"
Morgana muttered to herself, her eyes flashing with crazy, calculating light.
"Kill Keisha... It must be the fall of Keisha's true body to satisfy the conditions for him to open the Void Era... He knows the Angel legion has returned and the risk has increased dramatically, but he still refuses to give up... He might even think this is a better opportunity? An opportunity of chaos?"
"Queen," Ato hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "How should we respond now?"
"Although the stealth protocol of Demon One is efficient, maintaining the highest level of silence for a long time is a huge test for our energy reserves and morale."
"Moreover, the arrangements on Earth..."
"Earth..." Morgana scratched her hair irritably, messing up her carefully styled look.
Earth was a key part of her plan, an important stage for her to oppose Keisha and spread the philosophy of fallen freedom, and also the core scene of Karl's script.
She was unwilling to give it up now.
Especially since Karl didn't seem to have given up yet.
Just then, the main control system of Demon One issued a low and secret alarm.
A top-level encrypted communication request from the Styx Galaxy, crossing the endless starry sky, penetrated the heavy firewalls of Demon One and appeared directly in Morgana's personal channel.
Communication ID: God of Death Karl.
Morgana's pupils shrank slightly.
It was here.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the irritability and suspicion in her heart, and waved for Ato and the other demons to retreat.
She was left alone in the hall.
She activated the communication, and Karl's eternal, ghost-like whispering voice rang in her mind.
"Morganas true name..."
"Say what you have to say, spit it out!" Morgana interrupted him rudely, her tone vicious.
"Karl, you better give me an explanation! That bunch of old immortals of the Angel are almost blocking your door, and you're still thinking about your shitty script?!"
"Do you really think those antiques that just crawled out of their coffins will reason with you? They will only use the Flame Sword to teach you physics!"
The other end of the communication was silent for a moment, as if digesting Morgana's fury.
Then, Karl's calm and waveless voice sounded again, as if he were just stating an objective fact:
"I have received their warning."
"You received it and you still—"
"But their goal is not to completely destroy the script."
Karl's voice was unhurried, carrying a suffocating calmness, "They are just... drawing new boundaries. Or rather, adding a... more stringent judge to this drama."
"Judge? What the hell are you talking about?" Morgana frowned tightly.
"They have tacitly allowed the plot to continue, and may even... be happy to see it happen."
Karl's voice held a faint, elusive meaning, "As long as the 'protagonist' and'supporting roles' of this play can 'act' in the way they expect."
Morgana was no fool.
She instantly understood what Karl meant, and a chill shot from her tailbone to the top of her head: "They... want to use us to train their little Angels?! Use my demons, use those cannon fodder Taotie, as sharpening stones?! Damn it!"
"It is very likely." Karl's tone remained calm, even with a hint of approval, as if evaluating an exquisite experimental design.
"Viewing the disputes of the known Universe as a trial ground for the younger generation."
"This is very... consistent with their philosophy, and also consistent with Keisha's style."
"It's just that she had scruples before, but now... she seems to have let go."
"So what? We have to obediently cooperate and be targets for their training? To be hacked by their little Angels for fun?"
Morgana's voice was cold enough to drip water.
"Cooperate, or be cleared out in advance."
Karl's voice had no ups and downs, but it was more chilling than any threat.
"Judgment, or Blazing Wind, the teams they lead may have already set off."
"The target is Earth, or... us."
"They are hiding in the shadows and will not easily make a move unless we cross the 'line' they have drawn."
"What line?"
"For example, causing irreversible damage to certain 'key figures'."
"For example, attempting to truly and completely destroy the'sharpening stone' itself, making this 'trial' meaningless."
"Or..." Karl paused, "Making Keisha's 'fall' not 'artistic' enough, or causing consequences they cannot accept."
Morgana understood.
Keisha's "fall" must be part of the script, but how she "falls", who causes it, and what impact it has must conform to the "aesthetic" and "bottom line" of those Ancient Angels.
This was simply dancing on the tip of a knife—no, dancing on the tips of a million Flame Swords!
"This is impossible! Karl! This is too passive! We are completely controlled by them!" Morgana growled.
"Yes, and no."
Karl's voice seemed to carry a faint, imperceptible temptation, "They have drawn the framework, but within the framework, we still have room to operate."
"In fact, this framework might even be more favorable to us."
"Favorable? Has your brain been swallowed by the Void?"
"Think about it, Morganas true name."
Karl's voice, like a poisonous snake, slowly crept into Morgana's mind, "If they are really just watching, just ensuring that the 'trial' proceeds, then as long as we don't cross the line, they won't directly intervene."
"This means that within the scope of the 'trial', we can... act more freely."
"We can even use their 'bystander' mentality to accomplish some things that were... originally more difficult."
"For example... actually killing Keisha?" Morgana's heart skipped a beat.
"Keisha must fall; this is the key to opening the Void Era and has always been your and my goal."
Karl's voice was extremely certain, "The return of the Angel legion has increased variables but also brought opportunities."
"Chaos has always been the best catalyst."
"When everyone's eyes are attracted by that million-strong army, and when Keisha herself thinks she controls everything... perhaps, that is exactly when she is most relaxed."
"Are you sure?" Morgana's voice lowered, full of suspicion and a hint of... reignited desire.
"I have a new plan." Karl said slowly, "Regarding the characteristics of Keisha's Sacred Body, her possible responses, and the possible interference of those Ancient Angels... I have performed 174,936 simulation deductions."
"The success rate has increased by 3.71% compared to before."
3.71%... sounds insignificant, but when it comes to killing the strongest main god in the known Universe, even a 0.1% increase is enough to drive people crazy.
"I need your cooperation, Morganas true name."
Karl's voice carried a rare solemnity, "On Earth, you are the protagonist."
"You need to follow the script and 'force' Keisha into that position."
"You need to withstand her fury and the pressure of the Angel legion."
"And I will, at the most critical moment, drop that... pawn that has long been prepared."
"What pawn?"
"A pawn capable of tearing apart the mutual positioning of Sacred Atoms, banishing her to any corner of the Universe, and making it impossible for her to re-aggregate and return in a short time."
Karl's voice was plain, yet contained madness enough to subvert the World, "A... Black Hole Singularity that fuses the Ultimate Void Fear with stellar collapse algorithms."
Morgana gasped.
A Black Hole Singularity?!
Karl, this madman, is he actually researching this kind of thing?!
And he wants to use it against Keisha?!
"Are you crazy?! That will destroy Earth along with her!"
"No, it's a miniature, controllable singularity, with precise range and controllable duration."
"It is enough to tear apart Keisha's Sacred Atom connection and banish her randomly, but it will not cause structural damage to Earth itself—at least not before the singularity dissipates."
"Moreover, Earth has the Power of the Galaxy, has the backup plan left by the God of Time Zilean, has the Super Seminary... They may not be destroyed."
Karl's voice was terrifyingly calm, "More importantly, doing so fits the'script'."
"A thrilling god-killing battle, a desperate counterattack by a powerful demon, an accidental, mutually destructive Void strike..."
"Keisha has 'fallen', the demons are severely damaged, the Power of the Galaxy bursts and grows in a desperate situation... What a perfect 'trial' climax, isn't it?"
Morgana was silent.
She was frantically calculating the feasibility of Karl's plan, calculating the risks, and calculating what she could gain.
Keisha's fall was her greatest obsession.
The expansion of the demons, the arrival of the Void Era... these temptations were too great.
Moreover, Karl's analysis was not unreasonable.
The Angel legion seemed invincible, but it also brought new rules and constraints.
As long as she operated properly, it was not impossible to have a chance...
"Karl," after a long time, Morgana said slowly, her voice hoarse, "If you lie to me, if you fail, if you treat me as an abandoned piece to attract fire... I swear, even if I fall into the eternal Void, I will drag you with me!"
On the other end of the communication, Karl seemed to laugh softly and silently.
"I guarantee in the name of... the Void, Morganas true name."
"Keisha will surely fall on Earth."
"And you will be the... lead actor of that grand performance."
"As for those Ancient Angels..." Karl's voice dropped, with a cold certainty, "They may be the most stringent judges, but judges never personally step into the play."
"As long as the drama is exciting enough and the ending meets expectations... they might applaud, right?"
The communication was interrupted.
In the main control hall of Demon One, only Morgana's heavy panting remained.
Her eyes flashed with madness, struggle, greed, and the light of a desperate gamble.
The deterrence of a million Angels hung over her head like the Sword of Damocles, and Karl's whispers echoed in her ears like the devil's temptation.
On one side was the abyss of destruction, and on the other was the throne of god-killing.
For a long time, she raised her head, and the last trace of hesitation in her eyes was replaced by complete madness.
"Ato!" She roared hoarsely.
"Queen!" Ato's figure appeared instantly at the hall entrance.
"Notify Earth, the plan... remains the same!" Morgana's voice was resolute, carrying the ruthlessness of burning the bridges.
"Tell Atai to drive Demon One to the periphery of the Chi Wu Star System and stand by!"
"Adjust the stealth level to the highest!"
"Without my order, even if Keisha puts a sword to my neck, you are not allowed to expose yourself!"
"Also," she licked her crimson lips, revealing a ferocious and eager smile, "Connect me to... the giant gorge."
"It's time to have a good 'chat' with that old stubborn Du Kao and those brats from the Super Seminary again."
"This play won't be a hit without us demons!"
The storm, in the end, chose Earth as its first stage for landing.
And the directors and actors were already in their positions, harboring their own ulterior motives, waiting for the "protagonist" and "chief judge" to... arrive as scheduled.
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