Chapter 362: Genetic Template of Lord of Horror: 100%
Ned’s eyes were sharp and resolute as he removed his armor and clothes and stepped into the energy pool. Almost his entire body was submerged in the wondrous, glowing liquid, with only his head remaining above the surface.
As soon as he entered the energy pool of the Xaos Tower, the scanning power of Overlord flooded his body and soul, reaching deep into the core of his mind and detecting even the slightest fluctuations in his emotions.
"Prime Master, the scanning is in place," Overlord communicated to Vlad through the A.I. Chip. From this point on, all crucial communication would be conducted through these channels, as they could not afford any disturbances affecting the middle-aged man’s mind.
Vlad nodded in response to Overlord’s words, then turned his gaze toward the small yellow cat. "Time for the mental test."
Jormungandr nodded, leaping to the edge of the energy pool and focusing on Ned. The man’s background and loyalty were well known, and they were confident in his commitment to the Xaos Kingdom. However, more than loyalty was required to become a Lord of Horror.
"Do not look away," Jormungandr intoned, his eyes beginning to glow with a devilish flame. Ned felt a creeping sense of dread as the eerie flames appeared in the cat’s eyes, but his resolve did not waver, and he maintained eye contact.
Suddenly, the world around Ned began to shift. The underground chamber of the Xaos Tower vanished, replaced by a desolate, nightmarish landscape. The sky was a swirl of crimson and black, with clouds twisting into unnatural shapes. The ground beneath him was barren and cracked, radiating a heat that seemed to seep from the planet’s core.
Shadows moved in the distance, seemingly alive. Distant wails and whispers echoed through the air, filling it with an aura of dread. Jagged towers of rock jutted out from the earth, and rivers of molten lava cut through the terrain, casting a hellish glow across the landscape.
Ned felt a shiver crawl down his spine, but he held firm. The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily on him, and the air was thick with the stench of sulfur and ash. In the next moment, he noticed a shift before him. The small yellow cat was gone. In its place, a colossal serpent emerged from the shadows.