The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1775: Return of the Weakest

Clank—!

Amanir recoiled, his chest heaving as he stood in the sudden silence.

His gaze was fixed on the treasure chest; the lock had finally yielded and sat open.

"I... I actually pulled it off?"

Back when Empress Morgana held him captive as a bargaining chip, he had vowed to seize the treasure chests the moment he escaped. However, bypassing the mechanism had proven far more grueling than he had anticipated.

The craftsmanship was bizarre, unlike any security he had encountered previously.

Amanir was no stranger to the locks used by the royal bubble.

He had practiced until his proficiency in lockpicking was undeniable.

Yet, this particular chest was reinforced with layers of protection far beyond his expectations.

It was clear now—Empress Morgana might have brought the items Rex demanded, but she never truly intended to part with them. Even if everything had gone according to plan and Rex were present, brute force alone would never have shattered this lock.

Without Amanir’s specialized skills, this day would have ended in disaster.

But now, the lid was ready to be lifted.

"I did it!"

Scrambling to his feet, Amanir leaned in close, pressing his ear against the chest as he prepared to open it.

Suddenly, he froze.

"Oh, no..." Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead. "Is this the one containing the Phoenix Feather—or is it the Maw of Oblivion?"

In his earlier panic, he hadn't stopped to verify.

Instead of identifying the correct container for the Phoenix Feather, he had instinctively targeted the largest chest. Now, uncertainty gnawed at him. "Please, please... don't let me have messed this up."

Amanir shoved the lid back and peered inside.

The moment he saw the contents, a massive wave of relief swept over him.

Held fast by four chains of energy within a glowing orb at the center was a feather that defied reality. Its heart was the ink-black of a dead star—a void devoid of light. Yet, from its edges radiated a corona of wild fire, so concentrated it resembled flowing liquid crimson.

Amanir watched the flames dance in a frantic, contained ballet against their translucent cage.

The sight was breathtakingly magnificent.

Given its legendary rarity, such a spectacle was only natural.

However, there was no time for admiration; Rex was in desperate need of his help.

Amanir grabbed the energy sphere and cast his gaze upward.

After ensuring no voidal monsters were lurking in the nearby gloom, he hurled the orb toward the heavens with all his might. Then, channeling a pulse of his own life energy, he reached out and crushed the sphere remotely.

Shatter!

Once liberated, the feather did not plummet.

It detonated.

A violent, radiant explosion erupted in the sky, looking like a sun being born in reverse.

A cataclysm of fierce crimson and molten gold washed over the firmament.

While every soul within ten miles could see and wonder at the celestial fire, Amanir ignored it. He didn't spare a glance for the inferno he had unleashed. Instead, he scanned his surroundings like a frantic bloodhound.

His eyes cut through the encroaching shadows, hunting for any sign of Rex.

Amanir had fled in a random direction earlier.

His mind had been entirely preoccupied with the treasure chests.

Luckily, his speed and the lack of pursuers had allowed him to put a significant distance behind him.

Now, he could only pray that Rex would notice the signal.

"Come on, Rex..." Amanir’s voice was nothing more than a strained whisper.

He clenched his teeth, eyes darting across the devouring Black Rift as his heart pounded against his ribs.

This was a massive risk. The display from the Phoenix Feather offered only two results: either Rex would arrive, or a horde of voidal monsters would be drawn to the massive release of power. Given the feather's potency, the creatures attracted would likely be Voidal Lords—or perhaps even a Voidal Prince.

Either encounter would be fatal for someone like Amanir.

Even if Rex made it first, they would still find themselves at the mercy of such monsters.

Amanir had to trust that Rex could somehow lead them to safety using his bizarre, unnatural magic.

"Show yourself," he hissed, his self-control beginning to fray. "I’ve done my part. Now, it’s your turn to claim the damn feather!"

"Amanir—!"

"Hmm?!" Amanir whipped around, catching a faint, distant shout that barely reached his ears. "Am I imagining things, or is someone calling me? Should I investigate? It might be a voidal monster capable of reading my thoughts."

In that moment, Amanir spotted a shifting silhouette within the dark.

Based on its massive size, there was no doubt—it was a voidal monster.

"Amanir—!"

The voice rang out again, more distinct this time.

It belonged to a woman, and she sounded both exhausted and desperate.

"Dammit, that has to be a voidal monster," Amanir muttered through gritted teeth, staring at the source of the sound, his eyes wide with doubt. "Is it a monster or isn't it?! Do I wait here or go help?! What the hell am I supposed to do?"

Suddenly, his eyes went wide as he caught a glimpse of flickering light.

It originated from the same place as the voice.

At the same time, the giant silhouette Amanir had been watching began to move.

Swoosh—!

Amanir’s pupils shrank in terror as the silhouette launched itself into the air.

He could hear the roar of the massive creature cutting through the air like a projectile.

"No, wait, the voice wasn't a monster?!" Shock jolted through him. In an instant, instinct took over. Amanir surged forward, becoming a blur of motion as he raced toward the voice. "I have to get there first!"

Cursing his own hesitation, Amanir tried to reach Alana and Rex.

But he was lying to himself; he was already several seconds too late.

Crash—!

A deafening, thunderous impact echoed from ahead.

Amanir didn't slow down; he pushed his pace even further, but his entire body locked up when he finally reached the scene.

"What...?" he choked out, his eyes dinner-plate wide. "Is that who I think it is?"

Just as he feared, the massive silhouette was a voidal monster—a gargantuan flesh golem sporting two oversized hands. It wasn't a mere Voidal Pawn or Knight; it was a newly ascended Voidal Lord.

One taste of its oppressive aura confirmed its rank.

Opposite the beast was Alana, who was propping up Rex, her face a mask of terror and bewilderment.

She was terrified of the Voidal Lord, but confused by the force that had just intercepted its strike.

The monster had plummeted like a meteor, intending to pulverize Alana and Rex with its massive fists.

However, a dark, freezing energy that billowed like smoke had surged from the earth to parry the blow.

Amanir watched in awe and horror as the dark mist coiled around the Voidal Lord’s arms.

The creature thrashed, fighting to escape the shadowy vapor, but its hands remained trapped in an ice-cold vice. It bit and kicked, but nothing could break the hold. With every passing second the smoke touched it, the monster's condition worsened.

The shadows began to dissolve its flesh, consuming its form and strength alike.

Even from his distance, Amanir could see the Voidal Lord’s massive fists withering away.

It was as if the dark smoke was literally drinking its life force.

Roar—!

The mighty Voidal Lord, which had come to claim the prize, was now whimpering like a frightened cur.

Its struggles grew weaker by the moment.

Then, a figure finally manifested from the ground.

Amanir, Alana, and Rex watched as the very earth seemed to let out a breath.

From the soil, a woman ascended slowly, like smoke rising through water. First appeared her hair—a cascade of black flames reaching upward like a silent crown. Then her eyes followed—two pools of imperial purple that locked onto the Voidal Lord with the weight of a death sentence.

It was a gaze so chilling it paralyzed the Voidal Lord with fear.

Swoosh—!

The figure rotated like a vortex, moving with a fluid, unhurried grace as she pulled herself from the earth's embrace.

Her form was a silhouette of pure darkness, a living shadow forged from black smoke. She possessed no face and no distinct features—only the elegant, lethal outline of a woman shaped from void and embers, standing there like a living mystery.

Everything about her was a deep, ink-black.

Only her curled lips, her glowing eyes, and her horns bore a trace of that imperial purple.

In retrospect, she looked like a phantom that had usurped the body of a demon.

"Is this... that thing?" Alana whispered, staring at the dark woman who had saved them.

She remembered clearly that an entity had been moving through the earth like a shadow, drawn by the trial Rex had endured. She had originally assumed this figure was just another monster sent to hunt them.

But she was wrong.

'I can't feel anything from her,' Alana thought, swallowing hard. 'It's as if she isn't even there. Like my eyes are lying to me.'

Meanwhile, the figure drifted toward the Voidal Lord like a ghost.

She tilted her head with an eerie, slow movement.

The mere sight of her drove the Voidal Lord into a panic.

It threw its remaining strength into one final, desperate attempt to flee, as if she were the only thing in existence it truly feared. But just like before, the dark smoke held fast.

Slowly, the figure reached out and cupped the Voidal Lord’s face in her hands.

The moment her dark fingers touched it, the monster’s eyes were flooded with that same violent purple light.

Its body went stiff. All resistance vanished instantly.

Then, it began to collapse inward. The figure drained it dry, consuming every drop of vitality and essence. The creature aged decades in seconds until it was nothing but a pile of ancient bones.

Once the Voidal Lord was gone, she turned her attention to Alana and Rex.

Sensing that piercing gaze, Alana instinctively gripped Rex’s hand tighter.

Alana didn't know what this being was, but she was certain it wasn't benevolent.

"Stay back!" she shouted, stepping back as the figure descended to the ground a few paces away. "I don't know who you are, but if you attack, you’ll be an enemy of the Divine Saintess!"

Alana was willing to die right then and there if it meant protecting Rex.

She was convinced Rex was the Scion the Divine Saintess required.

'No matter the cost, Rex has to survive today!'

"It seems you’ve finally found your strength."

Rex’s voice was exhausted but steady.

Alana looked at him in shock, realizing he seemed to recognize this entity.

Slowly, Rex met the gaze of the smoke-woven figure and stepped forward.

Despite the changes in her appearance, he knew exactly who she was.

He approached her and tried to stand tall, looking her in the eye without any fear, despite having just watched her turn a Voidal Lord into dust. A name came to his lips.

"You made the right choice by leaving. Now, are you ready to serve me once more?" Rex asked with a slight, questioning tilt of his head. "Linthia..."

Alana’s eyes nearly popped out of her head at what happened next.

"Your Majesty," the figure whispered, her voice a haunting mix of smoke and memory. She bowed her head and sank smoothly onto one knee upon the scarred earth. "I departed without your permission. I have now gained what I sought... and I have returned. I am yours to command."

She looked up slightly, her purple eyes meeting his.

"And this time," she declared with absolute certainty, "I will meet every expectation you have of me. Always."

"Good," Rex replied with a firm nod. "Dindora would be proud."