[Automatically absorbed Active Abyssal Substance, charging progress +0.5%]
[Current Energy: 17%/100%]
In this battle, Ron gained a deeper understanding of the puppet’s capabilities.
"The adaptability and combat power the puppet displayed in the Abyss environment is much stronger than it was at the Bloodline Altar."
He analyzed in his mind:
"Returning to the Abyss is like coming home for it."
Just as he was about to proceed further, Ron’s "Foreseeing Star" trait issued a strong warning.
An unprecedented sense of crisis surged in his heart, like the scythe of Death pressed against his neck.
"Immediately change direction!"
Without hesitation, he controlled the puppet to alter its course, fleeing at full speed away from danger.
The puppet had just changed direction when the originally calm sea area suddenly underwent dramatic transformation.
A terrifying vortex formed on the sea surface, resembling the open eye of a sea god.
This was no ordinary current but some incomprehensible force twisting reality itself.
The vortex’s diameter exceeded several tens of kilometers, with its center bottomless, like a portal to another dimension.
Even more frightening, all creatures around the vortex were undergoing rapid transformations.
The abyssal creatures, already exceptionally twisted, began extreme mutations upon contact with the energy emitted by the vortex.
A creature resembling a giant octopus had its tentacles grow infinitely under the vortex’s influence.
From the initial eight tentacles, they increased to hundreds, then thousands, eventually turning the entire creature into a writhing mountain of flesh.
But this transformation didn’t make it stronger; instead, it descended into chaotic self-destruction, unable to coordinate so many limbs.
Other smaller abyssal creatures exploded directly under the impact of the vortex energy.
Their flesh recombined in the air, forming new, even more terrifying life forms.
"An apostle has awakened..."
Ron, through "Extraordinary Recognition," glimpsed a terrifying truth.
The energy level at the core of the giant vortex was near the upper limit of his experience.
This horrifying power fluctuation seemed merely a byproduct of that being’s "breathing."
Its true power was far beyond imagination; even the slightest motion was enough to alter the ecological balance of the entire sea.
"I can’t look any further."
He glanced, then immediately disabled the "Extraordinary Recognition" function.
But even this brief peep dealt a massive shock to his spirit.
An indescribable fear began to spread deep within his consciousness.
It was like a speck of dust trying to comprehend the enormity of a mountain, like a firefly attempting to outshine the sun.
This disparity in power was beyond a numerical scale; it was a fundamental difference in existence levels.
Ron endured the pain from the spiritual shock and began to control the puppet to reduce all energy outputs.
The puppet’s "eyes" dimmed, its posture became stiff, once again camouflaging as an ordinary wooden doll.
At this moment, an even more terrifying event occurred.
The vortex began to expand, with its edges spreading outward at an alarming rate.
Sea water was drawn by the colossal suction force, forming spectacular water columns, then disappearing into the darkness of the vortex.
Even those floating islands began to be torn apart by this dreadful force.
Though the puppet had done its best to camouflage, it was still dragged irresistibly toward the vortex center.
Sensing this change, Ron decisively severed the spiritual connection with the puppet.
Maintaining the connection would only increase the risk of exposure, and with his current strength, he couldn’t oppose the will of the apostle.
The moment consciousness returned to his body, a severe mental shock struck.
Ron felt his brain being sliced by sharp blades, each breath accompanied by stabbing pain.
Even worse, fragments of memories that didn’t belong to him began to flash in his consciousness:
Immense tentacles writhing in the darkness, countless creatures wailing in distortion...
These were the "overflow memory" from the apostle, fatal spiritual contamination for ordinary people.
"Must cleanse it immediately."
Enduring the pain, Ron took out the silver pocket watch from his pocket.
As the pocket watch opened, the power of time began to flow through his consciousness.
Those foreign memory fragments were completely cleared in the state reset, and the spiritual wounds were healed.
"This is the gap between a Morning Star Mage and an apostle."
He leaned against the laboratory chair, gazing toward the abyss outside the window.
Even just a glance, even indirect contact from so far away, he still suffered such severe injury.
But this experience wasn’t entirely without gain.
Through the puppet’s exploration, he obtained first-hand knowledge of the environment in the Abyss Fifth Layer.
He also confirmed the great potential of the Stand-In Puppet in the Abyss environment.
If he could further develop its capabilities, this mystical tool might become crucial in exploring the secrets of the Abyss.
As for the puppet’s current predicament...
Meanwhile, an ancient and chaotic consciousness was slowly awakening.
The "Eye of the Abyss" Nari had slept for hundreds of years, filled with the craving for flesh and soul in its dream realm.
But now, a "fishbone" suddenly got stuck in its "throat," leaving it extremely uncomfortable.
It spat out this "fishbone," then suddenly developed a strong interest.
This small alien object emitted the aura of a wizard’s magic power, yet carried the essence of the Abyss.
This contradictory existence made it irresistibly want to bring it back to its nest.
As an ancient being naturally born from the Abyss, it had seen countless exotic treasures, but objects like this were its first encounter.
The chaotic mind couldn’t perform complex reasoning, but instinct told it that this little object might contain some special value.
So, it expelled a special pouch used for collecting treasures, carefully wrapping the Stand-In Puppet inside.