Chapter 116 Chapter 116: Even 'Taboos' Cannot Fill the Abyss
Chapter 116: Even 'Taboos' Cannot Fill the Abyss
"I hate war... I hate the Xianzhou... Why should such a prosperous civilization have innocent children bear the consequences?!"
"This place should have been destroyed long ago!!!!!!"
The maddened roar was so heart-wrenching. Clearly, this elderly Foxian was still completely consumed by hatred and eroded by another strange energy. Although his outward appearance still seemed normal at the moment, Kevin could sense that his mind had already been twisted into an utterly indescribable state.
Forget about him; even Aponia, who was most skilled in such matters, might not necessarily be able to restore him to a normal state.
And the mental distortion soon began to affect the physical level... The Foxian bloodline likely lacked influences similar to those left by the Ambrosial Arbor within the bodies of Xianzhou natives. The thing that originally caused their transformation into long-life species probably paled in comparison to the Xianzhou's Ambrosial Arbor.
Yet, just as his body began to show signs of shifting towards a 'beastly' form, the surrounding roots suddenly started rapidly climbing and attaching themselves to his body. Along with them, the Imaginary energy from the Fragmentum also began pouring into his form.
It felt as if something was deliberately trying to mold him into a terrifying monster...
"K-Kevin boss, what do we do now... Can you still help this old man?"
In Pardo's memory, the image of this elderly Foxian was still completely stuck on how he appeared when she first saw him—Kevin didn't know much about him, but he imagined that an old man willing to watch over those children for so many years couldn't possibly be a truly bad person.
"......"
"Step back a bit, Pardo."
Kevin didn't make any promises to Pardo about definitely being able to save him. After all, even in his perception, the real old man might have already passed away before he arrived. The erosion of beings by something like the Fragmentum isn't limited to just the physical shell.
An old man practically trapped in such a predicament would have had no resistance whatsoever against such things, let alone other torments like Mara-Struck and the Ambrosial Arbor.
Hah, this really is...
Boom—!
As Kevin's figure flashed, those thick Ambrosial Arbor roots entwined around the old man were effortlessly smashed apart by a single punch, revealing a form that was almost completely inhuman—
It still retained some Foxian characteristics, but most of its body was already covered by branches and twigs, resembling a bizarre fusion of human, beast, and plant forms.
"You damned people... How could you possibly understand!!!"
It was unclear what kind of persistence it was that made him, even after transforming into this state, never forget the hatred in his heart... Kevin had no doubt that if he were truly released, he might very well launch indiscriminate attacks against all Xianzhou people.
"I don't understand the hatred in your heart, but... I imagine the real you has already died. What remains here now is merely a shell sustained by hatred under the influence of the Fragmentum."
Kevin didn't know if he could understand his words now. So after saying this, massive ice crystals instantly froze the nearby roots along with his body, leaving only the head—the only part that could still be called 'human'—exposed.
Even though he knew it might not bring about any effective change, Kevin still gently extended his hand and bestowed upon him the recently mastered 'Taboos'.
'Taboo' One: Thou shalt not forget thy human essence.
'Taboo' Two: Thou shalt not be anxious or irritable.
'Taboo' Three: .......
Perhaps influenced by Aponia from the past, Kevin's use of 'Taboos' inevitably carried a bit of her feeling... But fortunately, this didn't affect his use of 'Taboos'; instead, it might even have enhanced it.
Finally, under the continuous binding of one 'Taboo' after another, his incessant roars gradually ceased. The only regret was probably... that his already corrupted body showed not the slightest change.
Under the influence of physical factors, even if his mental state was temporarily restored to a relatively normal condition, he would eventually fall back into his original state.
'Taboos' couldn't save those already departed, just as Aponia in the past was ultimately unable to change the fate she foresaw.
"Kevin boss... is it all okay now?" Pardo cautiously approached and asked softly.
Although they had only been together for a few short days, the image of her Kevin boss being nearly omnipotent had already deeply ingrained itself in Pardo's heart. If it were slightly more serious, she might have started puffing up like a pufferfish.
However, this time, her all-powerful Kevin boss regretfully shook his head: "Unfortunately, his obsession is too deep. He almost completely fell into 'Mara-Struck' the moment he was affected by the Fragmentum... I cannot save him."
Even Kevin, who had been entrusted with countless people's wishes more than once, was fundamentally just an ordinary person, not some omnipotent deity.
According to Xianzhou lore, entering demonhood through obsession... The stronger the grief and obsession, the easier it is to drag a person completely into an unfathomable abyss at such times. It's a mental state that even present-day Kevin sees as utterly irredeemable.
It's as if his memories and spirit have been utterly shattered into chaos; how can a broken mirror be made whole again?
That little dragon lady mentioned before—a pill that could block emotions and physically sever desires—that might actually be the best means for preventing and treating Mara-Struck.
Even if his condition was barely restored to clarity under the constraints of 'Taboos', he probably couldn't remember who he was at all now, nor why he was here, or what his purpose was?
Seeing the old man's eyes fixed blankly on the flower buds not far away, Pardo clearly felt somewhat uneasy. But just as she was about to step forward and try to say something to him, an unexpected event suddenly occurred—
Rumble—!
The entire hall... no, it seemed like the entire pocket realm suddenly began to tremble. At the same time, the roots within the hall churned and surged incessantly, as if brewing something terrifying.
Then came the golden flower buds within the hall... They bloomed.
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