Phantylia not only acquired a real, physical body forged from the plane's core—that enormous Golden Tree—but she also thoroughly integrated into the world's governing rule system, seizing the corresponding divine seat, or rather, the supreme authority within this world.
This culmination of power undoubtedly elevates her strength above the current state of Celenova.
However, Celenova's heart remained unperturbed.
As fellow Annihilation Gang Commanders under the Destruction Aeon Nanook, they each had their own paths and opportunities for enacting Destruction.
Phantylia had found her shortcut; Celenova naturally had her own method of advancement, but the time was not yet ripe, so she would concede for the moment.
"Thanks to you, the process was unexpectedly smooth," Phantylia said, lightly fanning herself with a tūanshan (round fan) and covering her lips with a soft, leisurely chuckle.
"After obtaining this body, which perfectly aligns with the laws of this realm, my perception is fundamentally different. I can now... clearly locate where the plane's will, the source, is hidden."
Her tone shifted slightly, carrying the playful mockery of a cat toying with a mouse.
"How about it? Shall we still follow our previous agreement: I guide you into the Sea of the Plane's Source, and you use the power of Harmony to incorporate and replace that nascent plane will, becoming the new Heavenly Dao of this world?"
This was the initial plan the two had formulated after being summoned to this world and quickly analyzing its universal laws.
The servant body had too many limitations: the Master, the rules of the Holy Grail War, the hidden hand that summoned them... too many fetters prevented them from spreading pure Destruction.
Breaking free from all this was the first step.
Now, Phantylia had transcended the cage using the power of the Golden Tree.
The next step was supposed to be helping Celenova acquire the highest authority of this world as well, using the entire Douluo Plane as a springboard and barracks. Then, the Antimatter Legion would descend en masse, pointing their swords at the distant Divine Realm, ultimately bringing Finality and Annihilation to the entire universe.
"No need."
Celenova slowly shook her head, her gaze returning to Mingdu below, where the confused fighting was ongoing, and to Feixiao, whose sharp eyes were firmly locked onto the location of her isolated dimension.
"The plan requires a slight modification. A variable has appeared. Besides the General of the Xianzhou, another troublesome individual is present—Herta, Member 83 of the Genius Society."
She paused slightly, seemingly choosing her words carefully.
"And she is... fundamentally different from us."
The moment she sensed Herta's presence, Celenova was almost certain that Phantylia's takeover attempt would fail.
The reputation of that Aeon of Erudition's Emissary was known throughout the universe.
However, contrary to expectations, Herta remained completely passive throughout, virtually standing by and allowing Phantylia to effortlessly seize the core of this world's life.
What concerned Celenova even more was Herta's state.
She exhibited an essential difference from the summoned Servants of this world, and even from the two Annihilation Gang Commanders themselves.
Herta was not a Servant, nor was she a typical memory projection or clone.
If she were the true body, the energy level she displayed seemed far too weak. But if she were a clone or a memory construct, her very existence emanated an unsettling sense of reality.
They had heard Herta's name after descending into this world, but at the time, they suspected it was merely a namesake.
After all, the stir Herta was causing in this world was too small; though she had a Simulated Universe, for the genius Herta, it was just minor tinkering.
Yet, they still included Herta's existence in their plans.
However, Celenova had previously thought Herta was summoned in the form of a memory construct, like them, but it now appeared she was not.
Under Celenova's observation, there was a subtle yet crucial difference between the native life of this world and the summoned Servants—the reality of their existence.
Including herself and Phantylia, they all had an intangible sense of being caught between reality and illusion, like rootless duckweed.
Herta, however, was different.
Although she hadn't made a move, when she used the Thousand-Wishes Plurality to open a spatial gate to transfer survivors, the slight power fluctuation that escaped was keenly captured by Celenova.
It was that mere fluctuation that confirmed the reality of Herta's existence, utterly different from any Servant or projection she knew.
It was because of this apprehension that Celenova chose acquiescence at the time, not intervening to destroy the spatial gate and allowing a large number of survivors to leave.
"Now that you've obtained a body shaped by this realm's Golden Tree and integrated into the local rule system, you possess a sense of reality similar to the natives," Celenova said flatly.
"This confirms my observation. That Herta is not like us. She is not a Servant; it is highly probable she is the true body. Of course, for unknown reasons, she is very weak."
The "very weak" in Celenova's mouth was, of course, relative to their original bodies. Compared to the Emissary-level combat power that could destroy planets and ignite star systems with a lift of a hand, the current Herta was indeed weak.
"Oh? Is that so..."
Phantylia's gentle fanning motion paused slightly, and a flicker of astonishment and amusement crossed her alluring eyes.
"She didn't intervene to stop me from seizing the plane's core? Heh... what a puzzling confidence, that Emissary of Erudition."
Prompted by Celenova, Phantylia belatedly realized that her plan had gone almost abnormally smoothly.
She had prepared for all kinds of resistance, even for total failure. After all, the initiator of the Holy Grail War, the mysterious power that summoned them, would never stand idly by and watch them easily escape control and overturn the chessboard.
This act was, in itself, a probing challenge to the behind-the-scenes manipulator.
However, the expected storm never arrived. None of the foreseen obstacles materialized, making her meticulous preparations feel like a fruitless endeavor of outwitting the air, a sense of the absurd.
"Regardless of what grand chess game that genius is plotting, she would never hand over the sovereignty of this planet, and letting you successfully seize the Golden Tree is probably the limit of what she can tolerate."
Celenova's mind was clear and bright as an ice surface, without a ripple.
Since Herta was in this realm, the entity orchestrating this Holy Grail War must know the origins and nature of them, the Annihilation Gang Commanders, inside and out.
And the goal of the Annihilation Gang Commanders has always been simple, direct, and undisguised—to spread Destruction to every corner of the universe and completely eliminate the constantly proliferating and expanding civilization, which they view as a chronic disease of the cosmos.
Wherever there is sentient life, civilization is inevitably born. And they are the natural enemies of civilization, the ultimate trial for all intelligent creations.
From any perspective, acquiescing to Phantylia's acquisition of the Golden Tree, the core of life, was already the greatest possible degree of indulgence in the opponent's strategy.
To push one's luck further, attempting to incorporate the plane's will and bring the sovereignty of the Douluo Star under the banner of Destruction... that would be nothing short of wishful thinking.
Therefore, Celenova decisively abandoned the most crucial part of the original plan.
She never relied on her enemy's oversight.
The alternative plan had already taken shape in her mind.
The path to greater strength was not solely the narrow, dangerous one of replacing the plane's will; she had other methods to seize the power needed to carry out Destruction.
"Heh heh... I will make that arrogant genius understand that allowing me to gain this Golden Tree will be the biggest miscalculation and blunder in her computations."
The usual playful, non-serious smile on Phantylia's lips slowly faded, replaced by a flash of icy anger deep within her eyes.
Herta's non-interference, in her view, was nothing less than utter contempt and insult.
Did they truly believe Phantylia was some harmless, easily manageable existence?
There were countless opportunities to intervene and even nip the threat in the bud when she and Celenova were still weak and hadn't fully adapted to this realm's rules, but the opponent deliberately chose the most unbearable way—acquiescence.
This condescending tolerance, was it not the ultimate expression of arrogance and disdain?
It was as if they were merely microbes worthy of observation in a petri dish, unable to escape the predetermined framework no matter how they struggled.
A long-unfelt, blazing anger surged within Phantylia's heart.
How many years had passed since she last experienced this feeling?
Since she was glanced upon by the great, wounded Aeon and promoted to Annihilation Gang Commander, who in the vast sea of stars would dare to belittle her so?
Apart from the Aeons seated atop the Paths, an Annihilation Gang Commander was a walking cosmic catastrophe, the end of civilized eras.
Even cosmic hegemonies like the Family, the Interastral Peace Corporation, or the Xianzhou Alliance, when facing the Annihilation Gang Commander's edge, needed to be on high alert. Who would dare show the slightest negligence?
"Hmph..."
Phantylia let out a cold sneer. The massive Life energy and deeply hidden Destruction aura around her violently churned, causing the isolated dimension itself to slightly tremble.
The next moment, her figure blurred and vanished without warning, having already left the observation domain Celenova had opened.
Celenova remained standing in place, her face unchanged, like one covered by ten thousand years of cold ice.
She naturally knew what Phantylia intended, but it had nothing to do with her.
Though they were colleagues under Nanook, what were "comradely bonds"?
What a ridiculous notion. On the path of Destruction, there was only the will and power of each to enact their respective Paths.
Phantylia was clearly a little overconfident after her sudden surge in power.
Having obtained the perfect body shaped by the Golden Tree, she had recovered a portion of the true might of an Annihilation Gang Commander, coupled with the nearly bug-like immortality brought by the Vidyadhara race, and the massive life energy support provided by the Golden Tree.
Her current immortality was likely on par with those Emissaries blessed by the Aeon of Abundance, Yaoshi.
After all, the Vidyadhara race was classified as a form of Abundance's spawn itself.
This reliance clearly gave her the confidence to directly confront the Emissary of Erudition.
Celenova was not worried that Phantylia would perish—that possibility was minuscule.
But taking a loss... was likely inevitable.
Since Herta chose to allow Phantylia to seize the Golden Tree, then that universally renowned genius must possess corresponding countermeasures, perhaps even ones sufficient to counter an Annihilation Gang Commander.
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