The black sun hangs high

Chapter 357 Subtle
The new wave of mutations in the Black Sun has clearly presented a new opportunity for the Black Sun Society, which is based in Saint-St.

Beneath the dark dome covered with twisted patterns, in the cities where grand banquets were held, the Black Sun Ritual, erected at intersections and squares, was changing at an astonishing speed, guided and transformed by an invisible force.

Strangely, the residents who had been invited by the Black Sun Society to attend the banquet in the square seemed to have lost their original fear and panic at this moment. Faced with everything that was happening in front of them, they just stood there blankly, staring at the dome or the esoteric statue in front of them.

It seems they have accepted it all from the bottom of their hearts and are ready to become witnesses to miracles.

In a sense, a "miracle" did indeed happen.

People witnessed firsthand how the blasphemous sculptures, which had physical forms, quickly took on new shapes under the shadow of darkness. The limbs of the deities, which had been intertwined and piled up like mountains, completely merged into a mass of black fluid.

Among these gods, there was only one exception.

That was the goddess of magic, Mel.

She remained at the very top of the pile of corpses, her body intact, yet still appearing in a state of sorrow and misery, a state of "suffering."

Immediately afterwards, people saw black shadows gradually emerge from the chaotic fluid formed from the remains of gods. In an instant, they transformed into vines and leaves with a black jade luster, while the slowly trembling black fluid seemed to become the soil and nutrients that nourished these special "plants".

The vines slowly climbed upwards, growing continuously until they reached the side of the goddess of magic. They bound and entangled the sorrowful goddess like ropes and chains, making it almost impossible for people to see her figure and face.

After completely obscuring the figure of the goddess Mel, the black vines continued upward and successfully converged, revealing more details.

Thorns, leaves, flowers...

Everything was composed of that strange, somber color, and the roots that climbed everywhere looked like blood vessels drawn from the bodies of living creatures. Such vegetation should have been frightening, but for some reason, the residents who were just observing it could only feel an extremely amazing charm from it.

The black sun phantom that was originally suspended above the Black Sun Ritual has now become more concrete. It is constantly rotating and growing, and gradually transforming from a concrete sphere into an active black vortex, which seems to be exactly the same as the huge ominous presence above the dark dome.

However, now, amidst the low chanting of the Black Sun Society followers, and shrouded in the intricate patterns of the dome, the black vortex, framed by countless black roots and gradually expanding, has acquired a touch of sacredness.

Or perhaps it is not sacred at all, but rather a sense of insignificance felt by onlookers in the face of an irresistible force and an existence that is difficult to fathom or comprehend. And this ongoing ritual seems to have the power to transform this feeling of fear into worship and longing.

At this moment, people do not need to look up.

As long as they remain near the Black Sun Ritual, listening to the chanting or observing its changes, the alluring and enchanting scene naturally unfolds before their eyes: a vast, illusory, and distant building; a dark abyss where danger and mystery coexist; women; waiters; and food that is difficult to distinguish yet exudes a sweet aroma…

Everything was merging with the real scene before them. The waiters, whose figures were somewhere between illusion and reality, began to move again. Although they did not make any sound or say any words, as they moved, the residents who had stood up in shock were guided one by one to their seats.

At this moment, they seemed to have become honored guests specially invited to witness the ceremony. Although the scene before them was strange and distorted, it no longer made them feel the slightest bit panicked. People remained silent, their eyes filled with solemnity, and their expressions became calm and peaceful. They began to eat normally and smiled as they raised their glasses to celebrate with the familiar faces around them.

In such an environment, the occasional sporadic gunshots and explosions heard in the city seem rather insignificant.

It was even a little bit harsh.

Fortunately, people soon saw members of the Black Sun Society, led by those brave "dark dogs," rushing towards the direction of the explosion. They also saw the imposing "Asaru" soaring rapidly beneath the dark dome. It seemed that it wouldn't be long before the rioters were successfully captured and dealt with.

The banquet then continued.

The secret rituals were also changing rapidly.

The members of the society who were presiding over these grand magical rituals still stood around the rites, but their movements had changed. The stone tablets they had been holding were now scattered dust, and before these dust could fall from their fingertips, they turned into black specks of light, which floated up at the call of the rites and were absorbed by the now extremely large black vortex.

Thus, the ceremony entered a new phase.

As if mimicking the cycle of the black sun, the enormous black vortex suspended above the ritual instrument began to contract. As this process progressed, the Black Sun Society members standing around gradually fell silent—long, serpentine roots reached out towards them and gently pierced their chests, yet this did not bring them death.

A brighter light emerged from the winding roots that gleamed with the luster of jade. They became conduits, gradually channeling the power originating from the vortex into the bodies of these devout followers of the Dark Abyss.

And so the changes in the body began.

The members of the society trembled as the power was continuously injected, and as the shadows continued to pour in, a part of their bodies began to change—their eyes turned pitch black, looking like black jewels, and a part of their bodies began to transform into the state of the Dark Abyss Attendants.

Some are hands and arms, some are chests and heads, and some are half of the body...

Soon, this change stopped.

These society members, who had already received special "favors," slowly turned around, removed their hoods, and showed their new look to all the "observers," which earned them thunderous applause.

Yes, under the influence of this ritual, all the banquet participants have let go of their fear of the Black Sun Society and the power they admire and pursue, while the faith in Vane that was originally rooted in their hearts has been unknowingly crushed into dust by the huge millstone formed by the Dark Abyss ritual.

The ancient patterns on the dark dome gradually faded, and the ever-rotating black vortexes finally took shape.

The once blasphemous sculpture of the gods has now transformed into a giant flower composed of countless black vines and leaves. The figure of the goddess Mel is helplessly submerged in the vines, and above the petals outlined by these vines floats a giant eyeball that is like a work of art. Anyone who looks at it from any angle will feel as if they are looking directly at it and will be able to cast their thoughts into that distant palace filled with endless attraction.

Thus, the magical ritual that spanned most of the Kingdom of Saint Steel came to an end, and the bustling crowd returned to the square. It seemed that everything had changed, yet everything remained the same.

In short, the carnival hosted by the Black Sun Society has officially begun, but now, not many people are asking about the reason for this banquet anymore.

Everyone genuinely felt joy and happiness.

……

It's getting late.

The previously interrupted meeting has resumed, and this time, the Legislative Affairs Commission has implemented more stringent protective measures, with stricter control over the number of participants in the venue.

However, as an important representative of the Dawn Society, Hugh Ernst did not appear at the meeting. Only Verin and a few other members of the Dawn Society remained at the meeting with great concern.

It's understandable that Richard and the others were worried. Most of them were not monks, so they were naturally nervous and fearful about the possibility of an attack at any time during the night. At the same time, they had little confidence in the final outcome of this important meeting.

After all, in Vain’s history, there have been very few large-scale meetings that have been able to proceed normally despite such a serious accident.

The thought that the cooperation between the various forces might be destroyed made the members of the Dawn Society feel inexplicably uneasy.

The negative emotions were amplified by the absence of Hugh, who was considered the "backbone" of the group.

However, Violet, who was the temporary leader, had a different concern. She knew very well where Hugh had gone and that it was very necessary for him to make this visit at this moment. But as someone who knew Hugh fairly well, she was really afraid that Hugh would make an "explosive statement" in some special occasion and in front of some important people.

Of course, she was even more worried that the important figures residing at the top of the Baron Tower would harbor hostility towards Hugh.

Or, they might treat him as an important sample and experimental subject.

Thinking of this, she involuntarily turned her head to look in one direction, but there was only the brightly lit walls of the venue, and she couldn't see anything else.

"Hopefully nothing goes wrong..."

She silently prayed in her heart, then turned her head, gritted her teeth, unfolded the meeting outline in front of her, and forced her attention to the meeting in front of her.

"Hopefully nothing fucking goes wrong... well, something has already gone wrong."

As Verine was praying silently, Professor Weka, who was leading Hugh toward the top of the Tower of the Baron Mage, muttered a curse under his breath. Hugh, who was following beside him, naturally turned his attention to the document in Professor Weka's hand.

To be precise, it was an urgent esoteric letter.

After hurling a few harsh words, Professor Vika grabbed the mage who had brought the bad news and ordered, "Issue Order Twenty-Eight immediately... Report the results to me after the statistics are complete. It must be finished by eight o'clock, understand?"

The poor mage's lips trembled slightly, but he finally nodded and rushed off with the order.

Hugh easily found the relevant information in his mind regarding "Order No. 28," an order specifically targeting spies and agents active on the front lines or behind enemy lines. The direct purpose of this order was to "take a headcount."

Or, one could say it's for "taking stock of the losses".

Now that the open wars have ceased, the only ones who would need the Legal Committee's Emergency Affairs Office to issue such an order are clearly the mages lurking within the Kingdom of Saint Steel.

"Is there something wrong inside Saint Steel?"

"Ah."

Professor Vickers responded with a dull groan. He folded the letter and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he whispered to Hugh, "I can't show you the contents directly, but you're probably right... The Black Sun Society has launched a massive ritual in Saint Steel, and because of this ritual, many of our members hiding within its borders have lost contact."

"Is the Black Sun Society planning to investigate its spies within the country?"

"No, this is probably not their primary objective."

Vika shook his head solemnly: "One of our members used a hidden occult instrument to warn us. According to her description, it was no ordinary magical ritual, and it is very likely related to the recent changes in the Black Sun... Moreover, several observation posts set up in remote areas have also sent similar notices. It seems that the Black Sun Society has taken some special actions against the residents of Saint Steel."

At this point, he raised his hand and patted Hugh's shoulder heavily: "Let's go, we need to speed things up too, the enemy is leaving us less and less time to prepare."

As they spoke, the two arrived at one side of the spacious hall of the Baron Mage Tower, where a classic elevator, maintained by solidification magic and heavy machinery, was waiting in service.

As the two stepped into the elevator, the mage guard in charge of operating it immediately injected magic into the corresponding crystal button. A heavy, rhythmic mechanical sound rang out, and propelled by the magic, the huge elevator platform began to rise steadily toward the top of the Baron Mage Tower.

"Currently, a total of four deep-sea level mages have arrived here. After yesterday's events, they specifically requested to see you..."

Professor Wekka's voice, protected by magic, slowly and clearly entered Hugh's ears. He solemnly instructed, "In their presence, I am merely a slightly more important member of the Legal Committee, and one of them is notoriously conservative... Therefore, Mr. Ernst, please be sure to restrain yourself during our conversation."

(End of this chapter)