Previously on Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots...
Three Apostles, Kempes, Kro, and Delir, conspire to investigate Nari's growing power during an upcoming preheat match. They plan to exploit a large ritual being conducted by the Supreme Apostles to mask their actions. Meanwhile, Ron, using a puppet in the Chaos Arena, observes the structure and the surveillance methods of the Supreme Apostle Maggs before the preheat match begins. The first legion, Delir's 'Doomsday Gospel,' consisting of six Fallen Great Angels, enters the arena.
The once beautiful and hallowed visage was now contorted, resembling the most vile of demons, with eyes blazing with the fire of righteous hatred.
Clad in tattered holy vestments, the sacred emblem upon their chests had long been inverted, transforming into a mark of utter desecration.
"Delir..."
Through the puppet’s perspective, Ron observed the Apostle’s legion, gaining a profound grasp of the Abyss’s intricate nature:
"To corrupt angels to such a degree of depravity, this method of spiritual subjugation is indeed..."
Following the fallen angels were hundreds of contorted souls, once devout followers of religion.
Priests, Holy Knights, nuns, missionaries... They were servants of the Light in life but had now become a grim testament against faith.
Their souls seethed with an unquenchable fire of vengeance, a furious betrayal directed at the deity they once revered.
Creatures of the Abyss in the audience unleashed appreciative roars.
Within the Abyss’s ethos, such a complete perversion of light and sanctity was considered the pinnacle of artistic expression.
"Delir’s legion is always so… theatrical," a voice from the audience remarked.
It toyed with a human head held in its grasp, its tone laced with clear admiration:
"Observe the desolation within those angels’ eyes; they are living masterpieces."
"Ssss… I find the expressions on those priests’ faces more compelling," another voice hissed in reply.
"That absolute repudiation of former faith is more harrowing than any torture."
Maggs’ voice resonated once more: "Next, let us herald Kempes’ ’Dimensional Rift’!"
The second spatial tear materialized, yet the legion emerging this time instilled a deeper sense of unease.
Their forms were exceptionally peculiar, each entity existing concurrently across multiple spatial planes.
They appeared as fragmented pieces of a puzzle, their body parts phasing between divergent spatial dimensions.
Some soldiers’ heads occupied the primary space, while their torsos were dispersed across three other dimensions;
some soldiers’ weapons were anchored in a future timeline, only manifesting during an assault;
and certain soldiers themselves seemed to lack specific spatial dimensions, leaving void-like voids with every step they took in reality.
"A bizarre method of fragmentation…" Ron analyzed these unsettling beings via the puppet:
"Dispersing the soldiers’ existence across multiple spatial layers undoubtedly enhances their evasive capabilities and the unpredictability of their strikes…"
The audience’s excitement escalated.
Abyssal beings were visibly enthralled by such a transcendent spectacle, defying conventional comprehension.
"Kempes’ ingenuity never ceases to amaze!" a spectator exclaimed.
"I do wonder about the training these soldiers undergo."
Another voice, brimming with curiosity, inquired: "Existing in multiple spaces simultaneously, does their consciousness not fracture?"
Then came the third legion – Kro’s “Time Erosion.”
The dread invoked by this legion stemmed from its perverse manipulation of time.
Some soldiers appeared to have perished centuries prior, reduced to mere skeletal remains, yet exhibited the capacity for movement;
other soldiers were ensnared in perpetual cycles of destruction and rebirth, their bodies constantly decaying and regenerating;
and some soldiers experienced time that flowed entirely dissonantly from their surroundings.
Their every motion was sluggish, akin to a slow-motion sequence, yet their power was amplified manifold through temporal compression.
"The variance in temporal flow…" Ron mused, "If this ability were harnessed effectively…"
The subsequent legions similarly left profound impacts:
The “Corrosion Forest” legion, overseen by the Seventh Floor’s plant Apostle, “Root Toxin” Karola.
Hundreds of colossal carnivorous flora and mobile, decaying ancient trees comprised this grotesque arboreal army.
The terror they inflicted lay in their infectious nature; any foe felled by them would rapidly reanimate as a new plant warrior.
The “Flesh Fusion” legion, hailing from the eighth floor – the “Splicing Master” Nicholas.
Each soldier was a lethal construct meticulously fused from the organs of disparate creatures.
Ron could discern the heart of a dragon, the musculature of a demon, the bones of an angel, and even organs from Otherworld beings he could not identify.
The “Void Devour” legion, belonging to the ninth floor’s “Heart of Emptiness” Cecilia.
The most horrifying characteristic of these entities was their capacity to consume adjacent reality, trapping adversaries within a terrifying void.
Wherever they set foot, even the air vanished, leaving behind an absolute vacuum.
The final legion, “Mind Labyrinth,” originating from the Sixth Floor’s local Apostle, “Thought Parasite” Alpha.
Each soldier manifested as an activated labyrinth structure, possessing the ability to draw an enemy’s consciousness into an interminable spiritual prison.
Once the majority of legions had concluded their ceremonial entrances, the entire arena succumbed to an unusual quietude.
All Apostles directed their intense focus toward the final Teleportation Gate.
Anticipating the surprise that the recently ascendant “Eye of the Abyss,” Nari, would unveil.
A swirling vortex of pure chaos energy began to rip open at the heart of the arena. The sheer quality and intensity of the energy emanating from the rift clearly indicated it was far beyond the strength of any previous legions that had appeared.
The roar of the spectators gradually died down, all present creatures holding their breath in anticipation of the chaos entity that was about to emerge. However, as Nari’s form materialized from the rift, waves of unexpected laughter swept through the entire arena.
She had brought forth only three so-called "warriors": a nondescript mannequin, the Stand-In Puppet, which hovered silently in the air, devoid of any discernible threat; an enhanced bio-mechanical construct known as Explorer One, its surface shimmering with faint blue energy patterns but appearing utterly insignificant compared to the other legions; and a cluster of seemingly harmless, luminous jellyfish, the Sound Jellyfish, drifting lazily and emitting gentle, innocuous melodies.
Roaring waves of mockery instantly erupted from the assembled crowd. "Is that Nari’s legion? Three toys and a few pets?" "That lunatic must truly be insane! Does she think this is some kind of children's game?" "I wager a thousand soul essences she won't even survive the first round!" "Hahaha! Perhaps she intends to hypnotize her foes with music?"
Mocking hisses emanated from Delir’s formidable legion of fallen clergy. Kempes, with disdain evident even across multiple spatial dimensions, commented, "This level of legion couldn't even defeat a single one of my soldiers." Even Kro, usually stoic, didn't bother to conceal its disappointment; its time-eroding soldiers ceased their intricate temporal manipulations, implicitly deeming such weak opponents unworthy of any preparation.
The reactions from the other Apostles were similarly dismissive. Karola’s plant legion rustled with sarcasm akin to wind through leaves; Nicholas’s spliced soldiers relaxed their guard, some even taking a seat; Cecilia’s void legion paused its consumption of the surrounding reality; and Alpha’s mind labyrinth soldiers began idly conversing amongst themselves, completely disregarding Nari’s presence.
Only Maggs, observing from the highest vantage point, watched the seemingly ordinary puppet with deep thoughtfulness. His spider-sense tingled, assuring him that the situation was far more complex than it appeared. "Nari did indeed descend into madness due to chaos previously, but her combat instincts remain sharp..." Maggs mused internally. "Furthermore, recent intelligence suggests a notable improvement in her rational faculties. Given her pride, she wouldn’t allow herself to lose face on such a stage… unless…"
All nine of his eyes intently focused on the Stand-In Puppet, attempting to discern its true nature through profound perception. To his astonishment, the seemingly simple puppet completely nullified his probing. It wasn't a forceful resistance, but rather a refined 'absence of existence,' as if the puppet simply didn't occupy this particular layer of reality. "Intriguing..." Maggs' mask shifted slightly, a clear sign of contemplation. "To evade my perception, what a profound technique..."
Meanwhile, Ron experienced a different sensation through the interconnected consciousness linking him to the entire arena's reactions. "A perfect state of underestimation..." he analyzed quietly, nestled within Nari’s tentacles. "All opponents believe Nari is merely toying around this time, completely lowering their guard. This psychological advantage is far more valuable than any tactical maneuver." He could sense the immense power latent within the Stand-In Puppet. After Nari's meticulous cultivation over a period, the puppet's strength had surged dramatically, and crucially, it was now entirely under his command.
"Moreover..." A subtle smile graced Ron's lips. "I still possess certain advantages they cannot even conceive of."
