Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Perhaps people from other worlds, when facing the soul corruption of the Devil, would instantly surrender the desire to resist... From the very start, feeling trapped, and hence truly unable to escape.

But those hailing from Teraxil, even if Hill is not present, would never completely abandon hope.

What was said in the global live broadcast movie by the God of Time and Space, no one would forget.

It was not just about being corrupted, but directly possessing the soul of a devil... What is such damage from a potion compared to that?

Anyone from Teraxil would understand that if they fail to struggle out of the devil’s trap, it can only be because their will isn’t firm enough.

Or perhaps, they are the same kind of existence as the devil, with no principle differences at all.

Moreover, the mages of Teraxil also clearly understand another point... As long as they struggle out of this trap, they would actually achieve greater benefits from the soul’s consolidation realized during the process, possibly even transformative... The talents of the mage would leap to a new level.

Although no one would be foolish enough to attempt being tempted by the devil, wondering whether they would have a chance... Even people like the God of Time and Space nearly met their end, anyone with some brains, or any candidate deemed worthy of being tempted by the devil, certainly won’t be so stupid... But if they truly encounter such incidents, the people of Teraxil will not become flustered, not knowing how to solve the problem.

Hill glanced at the two women still arguing, shook his head helplessly... He feels this world isn’t without its advantages.

Even though traps are everywhere, and an apocalyptic atmosphere surrounds them, Asmodier goes to great lengths to ensure his absolute control over this world, and future Faith Power for Bisozeya’s ascension to godhood, concealing the presence of devils so not a drop leaks.

Having bad people in one’s own world versus a world tormented to destruction by devils from the nine layers of hell presents a completely different impact on humans.

Whether the enemy is tangible or a destructive existence makes humans feel entirely different: one still holds hope, the other leads to complete despair.

Take Felis as an example, had he known like those apprentices from Toril how terrifying devils from hell are, he wouldn’t have been so successful: making the potion’s erosion fail to overshadow the cleansing of his soul.

Hill puffed his cheeks in boredom, he can actually guess what’s happening and even agrees with the opinions of those two ladies, Felis will soon be expelled from Rolando’s Magic Tower... and will certainly encounter mishaps afterward.

However, he doesn’t believe Nanali could get away unscathed from all this.

The ones who made Rolando consume that potion aren’t fools... Did they go to all that trouble just to control a fool already in their grasp?

Their true intention is to create a display through Rolando’s grand performance to generate more desire, especially among the mages of the Nicholson Faction who’ve constantly clashed with the Kamente Tower Faction recently, for this potion.

As long as they take the bait, there might even be some from the Ruth Faction who follow suit.

That way, even if Kamente Tower remains marginalized and unable to gain real power in the Tower of Dark Enigma, it doesn’t matter.

Internal strife is the easiest way to destroy a faction, regardless of their original unity... All seemingly chaotic factions must inherently maintain a balance if not easily destroyed by external forces.

Once that balance is broken, even previously close allies will end up at each other’s throats.

Aislin performs such mad experiments, precisely hoping to identify the direst side effects of this potion before it arouses desire in her faction members!

Therefore, for her, this matter is no longer a threat.

Whether for power or the path of a mage, all is for oneself... A change in character doesn’t matter, becoming evil is often overlooked by many, but once their soul isn’t their own anymore, what’s the point?

As for those who couldn’t care less about such, Archmage Ruth will expel them from his faction upon discovery, without invoking any misplaced pity among his people.

As long as his own faction remains stable, Ruth, who prioritizes self-preservation, won’t intervene much... Whether to inform the Nicholson Faction is something Ruth needs to consider.

But Nanali is different.

In the eyes of those schemers, Felis is doomed to die.

Initially, within the Tower of Dark Enigma, two groups might attempt to kill Felis: one being the Helnarsen Family who felt utterly shamed by Felis’s illegitimate child status.

To put it bluntly, it’s Gilbert and his two disciples.

However, with ’Gilbert’ engrossed in secluded training, and his two disciples acting cowardly, even not daring to report as a mage... this blame can’t be placed on them.

Then naturally, that leaves the second group, despite not caring about Rolando’s frivolities, with Nanali’s child always showing a poor relationship with Felis, makes her the perfect scapegoat.

Moreover, with those two female students once threatened by Nanali, and Rolando prone to bouts of anger after consuming the potion... He could be easily led to believe his wife and child, fed up with Rolando’s ill treatment, and Felis’s sudden prowess, resorted to murder.

As for whether others believe it, that’s another matter.

All that matters is Rolando believes it, and during a certain period... prior to entering Sia Tower, displays enough strength.

Although apprentices fall swiftly after taking the potion, a mid-level magician like Rolando won’t have his soul thoroughly corrupted instantly.

If devils truly wielded such prowess, there’d be no secure world... even Toril would be doomed.

Hill thinks Aislin’s reluctance to take action, feigning an indifferent and timid façade, is precisely because she also deduced this point.

Moreover, this way, if she secretly locks up Felis, she would considerably reduce suspicion on herself.

Hill can easily detect Aislin’s curiosity in her words regarding Felis’s endurance... She only fears it’s due to something Gilbert did, thus daring not to discern cloud.

But if it truly were Gilbert, then Felis wouldn’t so easily be killed or captured by her, so despite having countless nasty ideas, Aislin will certainly strive to minimize her own suspicion.

So, Hill believes, once Ruth returns, he will likely seek out Gilbert.

This realization was Hill’s reason for quickly recovering upon noticing the meticulous thoughts among the Tower of Dark Enigma’s archmages... Therefore, creating the Standard Runes was indeed a stroke of genius on his part!

Without that excuse, Gilbert wouldn’t easily recover and advance.

A one in ten chance could be attributed to good luck.

But a one in a hundred chance would certainly garner numerous perplexed looks.

If at this time even a small character trait is discovered to be off... as long as there’s a feeling somethings definitely amiss, surely more flaws will be spotted.

A personal appearance could still raise doubts, let alone Hill indeed not being the person.

Contrarily, now, as long as Hill’s memories and aura roughly resemble those of the original Gilbert, with no drastic changes in conduct, most won’t harbor suspicions.

Especially, when the Tower of Dark Enigma is also facing the impact of Mental Power Potion.

This impact is unavoidable, even if none from Ruth and Nicholson’s legitimate line take the bait, outskirts mages and some less capable fringe people are bound not to heed warnings from inherently authoritative and powerful Inner Ring mages.

At times, authority inevitably becomes a monopoly deemed deserving overthrow by those devoid of power.

Even if they internally acknowledge the potion poses issues, they will self-rationalize... acknowledging problems exist, but definitely not as grievous as said.

Otherwise, why don’t they present evidence?

Yet, only genuine insiders would witness the likes of using apprentices for experiments, who would show outsiders?

So long as Rolando performs well, the potion will inevitably stir chaos within the Magic Tower.

Regarding his own, nothing severe will happen, Ruth might harbor slight annoyance at most.

Hill feels his days might actually get more comfortable, rendering it entirely reasonable even for the Hainarson family not joining the initial wave... during his seclusion, for the family to be so harried by internal and external forces of the Tower of Dark Enigma, Gilbert’s apprehension before securing stability seems quite normal.

For Hill, this issue requires little further thought, his true concern lies in why Fengo would suddenly withdraw troops.

Alongside a very plausible conjecture: Glaysia personally arrived.

The Succubus Queen’s character is highly self-contained, and frankly, she dislikes Fengo... Her first order of business upon arrival would involve making Fengo abandon the Red Dragon and visit her as the nominal World Master, something she’d undoubtedly do.

At present, Asmodier likely hasn’t yet shown intent to attack Heavenly Mountain, Bizesoya’s resurrection remains far off, thus Glaysia addressing her irksome fellows first seems rational.