The Guardian gods-Chapter 264

After Phantom appeared, his facial features had changed about ten times. Ikenga could bet all his money that Phantom might not even recognize his own face anymore. Unlike Phantom, Ikenga could cut off the usage of the ability, but that was something he wouldn’t be able to do once he used the ability to go out and move around in the Abyss, as once he cut it off, he would be swarmed from all sides.

The isolation didn’t last long as Ikenga pulled back on the curse. Ikenga didn’t even dare think of the last effect if he had left it on.

Ikenga sighed, looking at Phantom. "Then you will be our scout. Use your chosen facade to move through the Abyss and gather the information we need."

The Phantom bowed deeply. "As you command, your grace."

Keles placed a reassuring hand on Ikenga’s shoulder. "We will find a way through this. Trust in Phantom’s abilities. We can strategize based on what he discovers."

Ikenga nodded, his resolve strengthening. "Very well. Phantom, prepare yourself. We need to know everything—safe passages, potential allies, and any threats that lie ahead."

Phantom’s form shimmered briefly, his features shifting as he activated the chosen facade. His appearance morphed into one of the gargoyles they saw before.

"I will return with the information you seek," Phantom said, his voice now a guttural growl that matched his new form. His wings flapped as he took to the sky.

As Phantom disappeared, Keles and Ikenga sat in silence, the weight of their situation heavy upon them. They had a plan, albeit a risky one, but it was their best chance to navigate this treacherous realm.

Right after, Phantom was gone. Ikenga stood up and waved his hand at the surrounding stones, commanding them to come together to form a house.

When the house was finished, Ikenga approached it and placed his hand on the stone wall. His cursed tattoo flashed as he uttered, "Veil of Oblivion."

As he opened the door to walk in, Keles moved to follow, but Ikenga stopped her. "I want to test the effect of the curse placed on this new house," he said.

Keles nodded and stayed behind, watching as Ikenga entered and closed the door behind him. Immediately, the house disappeared from Keles’s perception. The more she tried to focus on the house’s location, the more the memory of its existence seemed to slip away from her mind.

Frustrated, Keles stopped searching and let her divinity radiate around her. A cracking sound, like something breaking, echoed in her mind. As she turned back, the house reappeared before her.

Ikenga opened the door with a smile and gestured for her to enter. Keles walked in, and Ikenga closed the door behind her.

Ikenga knew exactly what had happened to Keles. As soon as she began searching for the house, he felt a significant drain on his divine power as it worked to combat and deceive her godly senses. When Keles used her divine power, Ikenga had the option to expend more energy to continue hiding the house, but he let it go. He had already obtained the answer he wanted.

Keles had only persisted in searching because she knew the house should be there. If others had been present, they would not have bothered to look for the house, as they would have no memory of its existence.

At the sametime Ikenga understood the price for this curse. If someone inside the house is seen leaving it, it would expose the secret of the house being there. Also if an active search was carried around the place, it would put a cost on his divine energy to prevent the house from being seen.

A large seat made out from darkness was crafted by Keles as she laid in it, her pale legs faintly visible. Looking at his sister, Ikenga noticed he hadn’t seen what she looked like apart from her bony facial feature hidden under the cloak hoodie covering her head.

A seat crafted with woods, Inlaid with the stones on this layer of abyss was crafted by Ikenga as he sat in it, enjoying the warmth it brought.

In the open air, Ikenga waved his hand. The surrounding of the house changed like it was covered by a huge screen. In the screen, the sight of a red cloud can be seen, which is the sight seen by phantom.

Keles watched intently, her eyes reflecting the crimson glow of the cloud. "He’s moving fast," she murmured. "Let’s hope he finds something useful."

Ikenga nodded. "Phantom knows the risks. He’ll be cautious. We just need to be ready when he returns."

As the minutes turned into hours, the screen displayed the harsh and chaotic landscape of the Abyss. Phantom’s form darted through shadows and crevices, avoiding larger, more dangerous entities while seeking information.

In the screen, Keles and Ikenga both squinted as they saw something like a mountain moving, Phantom saw the figure too as he swooped in to see what it was only to meet with a giant made of stone with cracked crevices that flowed with hot magma.

Phantom seemed to have caught the giant’s attention as its huge eyeball stared at him, Phantom overwhelmed immediately took to the sky with quickness.

Along the way he occasionally pauses to observe gatherings of demons. Phantom, disguised as a gargoyle, soon found a group of similar creatures perched on a rocky outcrop.

As Phantom landed among the gargoyles, he blended seamlessly into their ranks, his disguise perfect. The gargoyles, perched on the rocky outcrop, were engaged in a low, guttural conversation. Their eyes, glowing with a sinister light, flicked to him briefly before returning to their discussion.

"Did you hear about the two gods?" one gargoyle rumbled, his voice a gravelly growl. "Apparently, they’ve been spotted wandering our layer."

Another gargoyle, larger and more menacing, sneered. "Gods, here? They must be desperate or foolish to enter the Abyss. This is an opportunity for us. Think of the power we could gain by feasting on divine flesh."

A third gargoyle, her wings twitching with excitement, added, "It’s been ages since we’ve had prey worth the hunt. These gods will be no different. We need to find them before the other factions do."

Phantom listened intently, noting the eagerness in their voices. These gargoyles saw the presence of Ikenga and Keles as an opportunity to grow stronger, not as a threat.

"We need a plan," the first gargoyle said, his eyes narrowing. "The gods might be powerful, but if we catch them off guard, we can overpower them. Imagine the strength we’ll gain."

The second gargoyle nodded, his claws digging into the rock. "We should gather more of our kind. A coordinated attack will ensure our victory. Spread the word—gods have entered our domain, and we must be the ones to bring them down."

A gargoyle in a robe spoke up, silencing the others. "It seems you all are eager to meet your end, or have you forgotten about the two demon kings in this layer fighting for the throne of the demon lord?"

The gargoyle’s words struck a chord, causing their expressions to change as memories of the past flashed in their minds.

A female gargoyle stood up, a mix of excitement and fear in her voice. "An expedition?"

Murmurs began spreading among the gargoyles. The robed gargoyle conjured a fireball in its hand and shot it into the sky, followed by a loud explosion.

The murmurs quieted down. "Gods’ presence in the abyss is quite rare, but memories of the past have shown us that each appearance of a divine being is followed by the birth of a demon lord, depending on the abyss layer the divine being is found in."

"It can be said that the divine beings are a gift presented to the son of an abyssal layer by the abyss itself, to push this son towards the throne of a demon lord."

The robed gargoyle’s gaze hardened, and his tone grew more intense. "By now, the initial excitement brought by the appearance of the two gods will die down. The larger picture will emerge for all to see."

The air grew tense as the implications of his words settled. "Those two gods mean a great deal to every demon in this abyss layer, especially the two demon kings. For them, the gods are the key to securing the throne of a demon lord. For us ordinary demons, it represents a chance to rise to demon king status and even vie for the position of a demon lord."

The robed gargoyle’s demeanor shifted. His calm facade cracked as he began to chuckle darkly. "This abyss layer has already chosen its son, the ’Flaming Imp.’ According to the abyss’s law, he would be the one to first find the gods and take them under his wing, as the abyss wills it."

His eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "But this is a rare opportunity for us to stand against our father and creator, the abyss itself. An opportunity many demons have sought but never been fortunate enough to seize. Our father loves his disobedient children, and we would be a disappointment to him if we don’t defy, twist, and seize his grace forcefully from his hands."