Wizard: Starting With the Knights Breathing Method Chapter 2978: 606: Quasi-Giant Nora!

The arrival of the Four Emperors sends shudders through the realm, causing Lord of Storm's face to shift in an instant. The Lost Monarch effortlessly unleashes a dark streak, tearing apart the fabric of space-time and obliterating all in its wake.

"Retreat!"

A massive elliptical barrier, woven from raging storms and crackling bolts, materializes before Lord of Storm. The dark streak slams into this barrier, fracturing it into myriad fissures as devastating blasts ripple out over hundreds of thousands of miles.

Lord of Storm inquired:

"Lost Monarch? Weren't you stationed at the Shadow Battlefield?"

At these words, the Lost Monarch's eyelids flicker with irritation.

Sure enough, here comes someone poking at the sensitive issue at the worst moment.

Without bothering to clarify, he responded icily:

"Scram; I'm not in the mood to clash with you right now. Your astral world is barely holding together like a fragile statue in a flood, desperate to save its own skin, so quit meddling in Nora's affairs by force. Greed like that will get you killed."

Lord of Storm, one of the elite ten gods whose renown and might stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nightmare Four Emperors, sneered contemptuously:

"Even amidst the Dark Insects' catastrophe, we of the astral realm aren't yours to bully, you Nightmare lot. Until next time."

The astral forces withdraw into the horizon, and the Lost Monarch turns his gaze to the Four Great Demon Lords: "Weren't you set to invade Nora? Why bother tangling with the astral world?"

Void Demon Lord replied:

"With the astral and abyss forces looming like predators at our backs, how could we risk a secure push into Nora? Sure, we've got fifty monarchs, but Nora's legendary powerhouses aren't easy prey."

"Fine, lead me to the Ignorant Monarch."

...

"Ignorant, why ignore my counsel? We've squandered the sole opportunity to crush Nora—what were you possibly thinking?"

Brimming with intensity, the Lost Monarch demanded, his face shadowed in anger.

The Ignorant Monarch stayed composed, exuding a weary yet sly aura, and declared confidently:

"Before you urged me to act, I made it clear: you handle the minor skirmishes; I steer the pivotal confrontations. In our past clashes against the astral world, didn't every triumph hinge on my plans? What's a single stumble in the grand scheme?

Unlike you, I must weigh the broader implications. If we charge ahead your way, even capturing Nora, how many of our fifty monarchs would survive to return to the Nightmare World? Would our gains offset the toll?

Glance at your own losses: three monarchs slain in a single day, another gravely wounded— with outcomes like that, how can you dare to challenge me!"

The two emperors clash in heated debate, refusing to yield, while the rest of the monarchs hold their tongues. The Ignorant Monarch's counter left the Lost Monarch at a loss for words briefly.

In truth, the Ignorant Monarch's approach holds merit; blindly storming forward, aware that the abyss and astral seek to profit from our efforts, would be foolish. Still, letting Nora slip away remains a regrettable fact.

The Lost Monarch stated:

"The Dusk Palace Master at level-10 may not equal our fighting strength, but his threat rivals that of a Four Emperor. Now, we must either call forth [Disaster] and [Death] or bring down the Master of Horror—nothing else will suffice."

The Ignorant Monarch answered:

"Invoking the Four Emperors demands immense effort, the Master of Horror is still mending from deep wounds and may not respond easily, plus the Supreme Will sleeps soundly, making departure difficult for him."

"Then what course do we take?"

"Don't you see? This defeat isn't on us; the circumstances are dire, with abyss and astral stirring chaos on all fronts.

Star stands as our eternal foe; alliance with them is impossible. But the abyss offers potential, for all their wild frenzy, their drive to dismantle Nora matches ours.

I intend to reach out to the succubus queen; together, with our combined forces exceeding 120 level-10 entities, we could ally briefly, conquer Nora jointly, and settle matters by strength afterward."

"What? Team up with the abyss? I'd rather storm in immediately—I won't accept that our eighty-plus can't claim Nora!"

"By all means, give it a shot yourself."

Abruptly, every Nightmare Monarch shifts their attention ahead; the Dark Deep Space housing Nora quakes fiercely, as a colossal shadow dwarfing Nora plummets down, warping the nearby space-time into a Zone of Emptiness.

Clearly, Nora swells like an inflating orb, devouring adjacent meteors and fragmented planes, integrating them into its form. Elements of Earth, Fire, Wind, and Water relentlessly shape new realms along the Nora Crystal Wall's borders, conjuring peaks and streams out of nothingness.

"What... what's happening?"

The faces of countless monarchs twist in alarm.

The Lost Monarch declared gravely:

"This can't be— the Shadow Will has descended fully, fusing directly into Nora alongside the Dark Side Will! Have all these shadow dwellers lost their minds?"

The Ignorant Monarch utters not a word.

From here on, events spiral even wilder; Nora, now fused with the Shadow World, qualifies as a near-giant tier world.

All it needs are ample resources, deeper foundations of power, and top-tier warriors; fulfill those, and the world's Fifth Pole will emerge.

It's finished—clearly, matters have spiraled far beyond control.

...

Nora Dark Side.

Atop Roger’s Peak, Wagner gazes skyward.

Vast shadow rivers numbering in the billions converge into the realm, ballooning the dark side at a pace beyond comprehension; as opposites unite, the current Nora forefront boasts more than forty level-10 presences, silently observing the shifting landscapes and terrains.

Edmund stands vigil over Sorren Continent by himself.

Charactus hovers at his side.

"Thank you, Lord Emmon."

"Gratitude in kind; we aid one another perfectly."

"Soon, you'll hold the front lines; Vic and I will secure the dark side. Oh, and with the shadows' resurgence, Wagner stands as the greatest beneficiary—as Nora’s Dark Side Dominator, his strength probably surges by two minor realms, a truly exceptional gain."