The abomination absentmindedly stared into the skies, its curious eyes roaming the calm heavens, unable to conceal its confusion, questions lingering on the tip of its numerous tongues.
Scott’s words echoed in its ears, but no matter how long it waited, the Throne of Madness remained absent—only Gluttony reigned above.
The abomination turned its attention toward Scott, its gaze narrowing. “Are you of the Throne of Madness or that of illusions?” its voice quaked slightly, doubt filling its countless eyes.
Scott met its gaze with a derisive smirk. “I’m disappointed,” he said. “Where did all your bravado go?” He taunted. “Were you shaken by only this?”
Scott stepped forward, and the abomination’s towering, bloated form instinctively recoiled, sending tremors through the land. Scott slowly shook his head, his gaze brimming with disdain as he quickened his approach. “Weren’t you supposed to bring me back to reality?” he quipped, closing the distance further. “Aren’t you too much of a coward to be a follower of Gluttony?” He paused, glancing at the floating throne, his eyes locking onto the flame hovering above its empty seat. Then, he continued, “Or is the Throne of Gluttony one that admits cowards into its fold?”
“Shut up!” the abomination roared, its many mouths trembling in fury. “How dare you insult the throne of the king, you insignificant swine!”
All hesitation vanished, replaced by an indomitable, aloof presence.
Scott chuckled, clapping softly. “Now, that’s the spirit. Show me everything you’ve got,” he said, stepping forward again. “This time, don’t disappoint me, okay?”
“Whether it’s the Throne of Madness or Trickery, Gluttony devours all!” the abomination fired back. “There can only be one victor in this bout, and it’s definitely not you!”
Yet, as its voice echoed, it subconsciously glanced at the skies. The massive, all-seeing eye had disappeared, but the rifts spilling foul-smelling murk and miniature abominations did not return.
The abomination’s grotesque form pulsed ominously as its many mouths and eyes devoured each other. At that same moment, the mouths lining the ancient stone throne roared in guttural unison, spewing blackened goo once more. If the previous deluge had been an unending rain, this was an apocalyptic flood. Yet, instead of falling, it gathered above the clouds, spreading like an endless plague, seeking to consume heaven and earth alike.
Scott’s gaze narrowed. Writhing forms—eerie and enormous—twisted within the swelling filth. He shifted his focus between the growing mass and the self-consuming abomination. His smirk turned more delirious, while the Chains of the Abyss beside him hummed with barely restrained anger.
I knew that was enough to rile him up, Scott thought, his grin widening. This should be the full extent of his connection to the throne. Let’s see just how powerful this freak really is… huh?
A system notification abruptly appeared before him, shattering his thoughts.
A Territorial Lord is invading your territory! Fight or be conquered!
Scott’s gaze flicked toward the abomination, whose surviving eyes now held an eerie sense of understanding. Simultaneously, both turned eastward. A new rift had torn through the land, and within its depths, a massive silhouette approached. Before either could confirm the invader’s identity, a booming voice rang through the territory.
“I, the Great Demiba, have come to claim this territory!” the voice announced with impudent arrogance. “Fight or surrender—it matters not! Your women shall become my playthings, and your men, my slaves! The world shall know—”
The voice hesitated as its owner stepped through the rift.
A towering humanoid clad in mismatched armor stood frozen, its mouth agape as it beheld the nightmarish scene before it. The skies dripped with blackened filth from a throne older than time itself. A monstrous abomination, its form warping the very fabric of reality, loomed menacingly. Though barely visible beside such horrors, the invader also took note of a massive cross radiating waves of pulsating energy into the corrupted skies. Even more unsettling were the numerous burning chains lingering around a lone figure—small in comparison, yet exuding an aura as terrifying as the cataclysms surrounding him.
“Um… I, the Great Demiba, shall spare this territory from my conquest! Carry on!” Without another word, the invader turned and fled at full speed.
It had taken no more than five or six steps when a colossal fist descended from the heavens, reducing the so-called Great Demiba to nothing but paste. Yet, as the fist retreated into the festering skies, not a single drop of blood nor shard of bone remained. All traces of the invader’s existence had been consumed.
Scott and the abomination locked eyes once more.
“Are you a candidate for the Throne of Gluttony?” Scott suddenly asked.
“Do not speak such blasphemous words in front of me!” the abomination fired back. “The king of feasts sits upon the throne, and I shall not be tempted by odious desires!” it roared, its form bursting with vigor. “It’s time for you to disappear from this world.”
Molten, ominous faces stirred within the blackened blanket covering the skies. Massive hands reemerged—tens of thousands in number—each powerful enough to bring the territory to its doom. The faces squealed, their shrieks forming a macabre symphony as they descended alongside the fists. A multitude surged toward Scott, while the vast majority of the gluttonous manifestations sought to ravage the very essence of the territory.
“Madness vs. Gluttony,” Scott chuckled softly as he watched the approaching onslaught. “Let’s see who comes out on top!”
With a silent command, the Chains of the Abyss wrapped around him in a thick cocoon, and nihilistic portals spread from his shadow, mirroring the blackened filth overhead. From the abyss emerged tens of thousands of tendrils, each racing to meet the gluttonous sentries.
Within seconds, both manifestations collided in midair, and a deafening hum reverberated throughout the territory. The echoes of shattering glass followed in succession as multiple regions of the battlefield simply ceased to exist.
The cataclysmic forces clashed in a titanic showdown, each canceling the other out, while new manifestations continuously replaced those obliterated.
Neither Scott, still obscured within the chains, nor the abomination had moved from their initial positions. Yet both remained far from idle. The abomination’s form continued to swell, towering over all of existence, while the chains encasing Scott multiplied, sinking and extending outward from countless nihilistic portals.
“You never learn,” the abomination suddenly declared, its voice shaking the very fabric of reality. “Gluttony consumes all!” it boomed, its massive midsection mouth the only feature left unscathed from its self-cannibalism.
The gluttonous manifestations wreaking havoc upon the battlefield threw themselves into the nihilistic abyss with even greater fervor.
Gradually, cracks formed across the enormous nihilistic portals, and the gluttonous masses began exhibiting traces of nihilistic corruption. Thunderous laughter erupted from the abomination’s maw as its form twisted into something even more grotesque, reality itself verging on destruction.
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At that moment, the chains shrouding Scott loosened, revealing his indifferent expression.
Hunger that is never satiated. Given enough time, Gluttony will consume all things, no matter how indomitable or abstract, Scott mused, his gaze lingering on the nihilistic manifestations slowly being overwhelmed.
Should I summon the Throne of Madness? He chuckled softly at the thought. No. He shook his head. This is merely a vessel, a worshipper of the god of Gluttony. If I can’t handle this fat freak without summoning the throne, then I stand no chance against those bastards.
Scott’s gaze sharpened as he focused on the abomination. The creature’s form now stretched toward the heavens, its gaping maw consuming the blackened sky itself.
The longer this drags on, the stronger Gluttony becomes. It’s time to show him my interpretation of Madness, Scott thought as he raised his right hand. The Chains of the Abyss screeched at his movement, then lashed forward. Instantly, massive annihilation zones materialized with each swing, erasing countless fists and grotesque faces. Yet, insatiable and unrelenting, more took their place.
“You think that would be enough?!” the abomination mocked. “Not even your chains will escape the great feast!” It cackled, shaking the battlefield.
Several colossal fists merged into one, hurling themselves toward the chains with reckless abandon. The annihilation zones remained active, yet the fists continued their advance, ceasing to exist upon contact—only for more to take their place. The Chains of the Abyss began to strain, the sheer magnitude of their adversaries threatening to overwhelm them. The annihilation zones, steadfast in their ability to erase all within their perimeter, had simply become too insignificant against the monstrous tide surging toward Scott.
“It’s too early for you to be happy,” Scott’s voice echoed through the battlefield.
At that moment, a pillar of light tore through the heavens, banishing the unfathomable filth. The darkness recoiled, desperately trying to consume the light, but it stood no chance against the overwhelming radiance.
The abomination’s laughter abruptly ceased, its remaining eyes fixated on the source of the light—the gigantic, all-seeing eye. The eye blinked, and reality itself reset to a moment before destruction had ravaged the territory.
“This again?!” the abomination roared. “No matter what you do, Gluttony will consume all!” It slammed its bloated form against the ground, and from the depths of its massive maw, it spewed forth another torrent of viscous filth toward the all-seeing eye.
The eye blinked again.
The enormous tide of filth vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed. Enraged yet unrelenting, the abomination continued its assault, spewing forth wave after wave of corruption. But with each blink of the eye, the abyssal flood simply ceased to be.
“There’s nothing my hunger cannot devour!” the abomination declared in a passionate cry as even more mouths ripped open its repulsive flesh, spewing forth the same filth. Yet, no matter how much murk they vomited, a blink from the all-seeing eye rendered it to naught.
“Do you think of this as reality?” Scott’s voice came as an ominous whisper toward the towering abomination, the grinding echoes of rustling chains filtering between his words.
The abomination’s gaze shifted away from the all-seeing eye, but it couldn’t find any trace of Scott within the restored territory. “Show yourself!” it roared, its eyes darting in all directions, lingering on the massive eye in the heavens. “Is this your interpretation of madness?” it quizzed, its eyes reddening with rage. “It’s pathetic! Like the others linked to the abominable throne, you too will meet your doom!” it vowed.
Once again, the mouths spewed forth more goo. Yet, a simple blink erased that reality. The abomination huffed and puffed, its rage intensifying by the second. Then, it suddenly began to laugh, its laughter deafening. Hundreds of kilometers of rock formations burst into fine particles while the earth itself quaked at the intensity of the creature’s cackles.
“I don’t think you quite understand your predicament,” the abomination began, managing to stifle its laughter. “The manifestation of the Throne of Gluttony assures my victory no matter what you do.” It bellowed in sickening jubilation.
“You call this madness?” It mocked, its laughter reaching a crescendo. “I have faced members of different Orders of the empty throne you serve—beings chosen as candidates to sit upon the throne. They and their servants embody the concept of madness far better than you do.” The abomination took a step forward, the ground quaking under its weight.
“You’re just a coward. But fret not, even cowards are worthy of being feasted upon,” it declared, halting. “Let me show you the difference between me and you!”
The abomination raised its obese, revolting arms, and filth spewed from the mouths lining them. This time, however, the blackened goo visibly twisted the air in the same way nihilistic portals did.
“How fascinating would it be to be devoured by your own abilities?” the abomination cackled, and the new sea of filth surged toward the all-seeing eye.
The eye blinked.
“That won’t work this time!” the abomination roared defiantly. True to its words, the sea momentarily faded from existence only to return larger and more ravenous than before.
“Be gone!” the abomination roared as the sea crashed against the massive eye.
A crack echoed, and like shattering glass, the all-seeing eye, the heavens, the fractured land, and reality itself fragmented. Then, a new world revealed itself—a world where murk reigned supreme, feasting on the essence of heaven and earth.
The abomination’s thunderous cackles echoed across the chaotic land. “See? I told you!” it taunted triumphantly. “Nothing—absolutely nothing—can escape my hunger!”
“It’s you who doesn’t seem to understand the predicament you’re in,” Scott’s voice returned like a silent whisper.
The abomination’s joyous laughter ceased; its numerous mouths stunned into silence. Its eyes roamed the region, doubt evident, yet no matter how much it searched, it found no trace of Scott.
“This is not possible. I shattered your authority and consumed your will,” it groaned. “This should not be… possible.”
The abomination paused, its gaze fixed on Scott, who had materialized from thin air. Unlike before, no ominous chains obscured his form, and even the otherworldly war hammer he once clutched had vanished.
Scott stood in midair, hands clasped behind his back, his hair swaying in rhythm with the elements. The descending torrents of muck from the fractured heavens failed to touch, let alone stain, his form.
The abomination regained its composure, its eyes laced with venom as it unleashed a devastating roar. Waves of filth surged above Scott, seeking to bury him beneath their foul embrace.
Scott shook his head, releasing a slight but audible sigh. “You really don’t understand, do you?”
As his voice echoed, the wave crashed onto him, his flesh melting, detaching from his bones while his organs and eyes exploded upon impact, blood spraying through the air.
The abomination burst into laughter, its eyes gleaming with excitement. Then—Scott’s scattered remains began to separate from the filth, reassembling under the stunned gaze of the abomination.
“Everything you see exists because I permit it,” Scott declared, a smile tugging at the corners of his grotesque face.
“Shut up!” the abomination roared, and another wave of filth devoured Scott’s form. The abomination opened its numerous mouths, swallowing the murk along with him.
“Your thoughts, feelings, actions—everything is governed by my whims,” Scott’s voice resounded.
The abomination’s many eyes darted to various parts of its form. New eyes and mouths—eerily familiar—had manifested among the others.
“Illusion or reality,” the new mouths questioned, while the fresh eyes fixated on the abomination, “can you truly differentiate between them?”
“Shut up!” the calamity roared, a sense of panic clouding its many eyes.
How the eyes and mouths resembling Scott’s had manifested upon its form, it couldn’t say, but it had no intention of allowing them to do as they pleased. With a silent command, the abomination’s mouths began devouring the newer eyes and mouths as swiftly as they emerged, consuming itself in desperation.
“You still don’t realize how futile your actions are,” Scott’s voice whispered once more.
“Shut up, you coward!” the abomination fired back. “No matter how long this takes, it will eventually end in your loss!”
“I see… you’re an idiot after all,” Scott retorted, his tone laced with derision. “Allow me to open your eyes!”
A sharp crack reverberated through the chaotic territory, and reality itself reset. All traces of the murk vanished, and tranquility returned to the land.
“How many times will you parade the same illusion? You think this is enough to best me?” The abomination roared defiantly. “As long as I have the throne on my—”
“What throne?” Scott interjected.
Another crack rang out, and reality reset once more. This time, the ancient stone throne had vanished, as if it had never existed.
The abomination’s countless eyes blinked simultaneously, its mouths opening in stunned silence. In that instant, Scott’s form materialized where the throne once floated.
“Do you understand your folly now?” Scott asked, a derisive grin playing on his lips.
The abomination’s eyes quivered, the very question it had thrown at Scott now echoing back at itself.
“I don’t know what you’ve done,” the abomination began, regaining a semblance of composure. “But, as long as I have this form, the…”
A crack interrupted its words, and reality reset yet again.
This time, the abomination’s colossal form had vanished, replaced by its refined state before its grotesque transformation. Its eyes roamed over its diminished body in silent shock, its mouths agape.
Then footsteps echoed through the stillness, and it raised its head.
Scott approached in measured steps, his smile bright yet unwavering.
“Thank you for showing me the difference between you and me,” Scott said, coming to a halt. “Sadly, you have outlived your usefulness. It is now time for your existence to be forgotten.”