Chapter 675: Dying Goddess

That night, after the exhausting mission, Clyde fell into a deep sleep. His body finally rested after a day filled with battles, but his mind soon drifted into an unfamiliar dream.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing inside the ancient pyramid again.

The room looked exactly as he remembered it. The gray stone walls, the scattered debris, the bloodstained altar, even the faint traces of Demonic energy lingered in the air. But there was no presence of the stone guardian.

Clyde glanced around before looking down at his hands. "A dream, huh?"

He could tell immediately that something was wrong with this place. Whoever brought him here clearly wanted him to understand that this was not reality.

Clyde’s gaze settled on the altar.

He remembered the crimson gemstone and the Demonic energy that flowed into his body when he touched it. He had absorbed only a small amount, yet something seemed to have noticed his presence and reached out to him in return.

"Is it because of the artifact?"

He approached the altar cautiously, keeping his senses alert. He had no idea what kind of entity resided within the gemstone, but he wasn’t about to lower his guard.

Suddenly, the air above the altar began to shimmer.

Green light emerged from the stone’s surface, spreading like roots through the cracks. Small leaves appeared among the glowing strands, followed by vines that coiled together to form a humanoid silhouette.

The figure gradually took shape, its body emerging from the altar.

Clyde watched without moving.

The silhouette grew more defined until it became a beautiful woman. Her skin was smooth and pale, delicate pieces of tree bark and layers of green leaves covered her chest and hips like natural garments.

Her long green hair flowed down her back, lush and vibrant, with tiny leaves scattered throughout its strands.

A faint emerald glow surrounded her, carrying the scent of fresh soil and rain.

She looked nothing like the Demonic creatures Clyde had expected.

The woman smiled at him.

Clyde studied her for several seconds, searching for any sign of hostility.

Her appearance suggested something closer to a nature spirit or a goddess than a Demon, but appearances meant little.

"Is this the entity whose energy I absorbed?"

That seemed unlikely. He had taken only a small amount of power from the gemstone, but the being inside it had somehow managed to manifest itself directly within his dream.

Unless the energy he absorbed served as a bridge.

"I don’t have much time," the woman said. Her voice was gentle, carrying a strange resonance that seemed to echo through the entire chamber. "So I’ll introduce myself first. My name is Seff. I am a goddess of nature and cultivation."

Clyde raised an eyebrow. "A goddess?"

"Yes." She lowered her gaze for a moment, and her smile faded. "I was defeated a long time ago. My body was destroyed, and my soul nearly perished. This place became my final refuge. The remaining fragments of my existence lingered here, hidden within the power left behind by the Demon I killed."

"Wait. Aren’t you a Demon?"

Seff shook her head. "No. The Demonic energy you absorbed came from a Demon I killed long ago. Its power remained inside this artifact, protecting the last traces of my soul from disappearing completely."

Clyde stared at her. He had assumed the gemstone belonged to a Demon, given the energy it contained. He never expected that a goddess was hiding within it.

"Then why did you bring me here?" he asked. "What do you want from me?"

Seff met his gaze directly. "I want to reside within your soul."

Clyde’s eyes narrowed. "That’s a rather bold request."

"I want to be reborn," she continued. "My existence is fading, and I cannot survive much longer in this state. Your soul, however, possesses something I have never encountered before. If I reside within it, I can preserve what remains of myself and eventually regain my former existence."

"And why should I let a stranger into my soul? Do you expect me to trust you?"

"No," Seff replied without hesitation. "I expect you to make a decision based on what I can offer you."

"Then tell me what you can offer."

"Because I know who you are. I know what brought you back from death."

His body went still. Clyde had spent considerable effort concealing the truth about his resurrection. But this woman claimed to know exactly what happened.

"Explain," he demanded, his voice turning cold.

"The Ancient One," Seff said.

The name echoed through the chamber. Clyde’s expression remained composed, but his mind was already racing.

Seff continued before he could ask another question. "I don’t know what happened after this world was destroyed by the Selection Stage. My soul was too weak to observe anything beyond this place, and much of my former knowledge disappeared along with my body. I cannot promise you answers to everything you want to know.

"But if you accept me into your soul, I can show you what I know about the Ancient One. I can also help you grow stronger. My authority over nature and cultivation has not vanished entirely, even if my current existence is only a fragment of what I once was."

Clyde remained silent. The offer was tempting. Information about the Ancient One was worth far more than the Demonic energy he had absorbed from the gemstone. If Seff truly possessed knowledge about the entity, she could become an invaluable asset.

However, allowing another being into his soul was dangerous. He had no guarantee that she would remain cooperative once she regained her strength. She might even attempt to seize control of his body.

"What happens if I refuse?" he asked.

Seff’s smile returned, though a hint of sadness lingered in her eyes. "Then I will eventually disappear. I have no other means of survival."

"And if I accept?"

"I will reside within your soul. I won’t take control of your body or interfere with your will. My existence will depend on yours, so harming you would be equivalent to destroying myself. You have my word."

Clyde considered her answer. It wasn’t an absolute guarantee, but it made sense. If Seff truly knew something about the Ancient One, refusing her would mean throwing away an opportunity he might never encounter again.

He finally looked at her. "Fine. I’ll accept."

Seff’s eyes brightened. "Thank you."

"But don’t misunderstand me," he added. "I’m not doing this out of kindness. If you know something useful about the Ancient One, you’ll tell me. And if you try to take control of my body, I’ll find a way to destroy you myself."

Rather than looking offended, Seff gave a soft laugh. "Understood. You have nothing to worry about."

Green light began to spread from her body, filling the chamber with a warm radiance. Her figure gradually dissolved into countless glowing leaves, which swirled around Clyde before gathering against his chest.

He felt a strange pressure enter his soul. It was as though another presence had stepped into a vast, dark room inside him.

The fragments of Seff’s existence flowed deeper, settling into a place where they could remain without disturbing his consciousness. A wave of energy followed, spreading throughout his body.

Clyde clenched his fists as the sensation intensified.

Then the green light swallowed everything.

Clyde opened his eyes.

He was back in his quarters, lying on his bed as the first light of morning filtered through the window. For several seconds, he remained still, examining the unfamiliar energy circulating within him.

A faint smile appeared on his face. Clyde sat up slowly, his gaze turning toward the window.

His plans had just taken an unexpected turn. He had awakened with a goddess inside his soul and another possible source of power.

This was an unexpected development but maybe this wouldn’t be such a bad development.

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