Chapter 1133: Snatching Souls

Ciel?

Ciel!!!

Why the hell was Ciel here?!

Alice’s pupils constricted as she could still feel the terrifying lingering power of a Realm Ruler hovering around Ciel’s soul.

But that panic quickly calmed down.

If Ciel could truly do something in this moment, she would’ve tried to escape her predicament long ago.

Why would a Realm Ruler be willing to suffer this kind of humiliation and set back?

She was this close to obtaining a new Authority that’ll let her govern not just one but two Realms at once.

No God would be able to contend with her at that moment and she may even set her eyes on the Abyss.

Yet a single miscalculation caused Feris to go out of control and destroy everything around her.

And this was the result.

Alice exhaled a mouthful of air she didn’t even know she was holding.

No matter who was here, everyone was equal under Oblivion. If things had progressed normally, all of them would’ve been consumed and erased with no traces of them at all.

So the fact that Noah and even Ciel was here could be seen as a miracle.

But how? How was this precarious state maintained? Why weren’t they being pulled towards Oblivion?

With her power running out, Alice reached out with her hand, attempting to extract the souls with her.

But the moment her authority came close to the souls, it was shredded away by Oblivion.

’B*tch! Interfering with my good will! You’re not even a sentient thing so why are you protecting them!’ Alice cursed in her mind.

There was a barrier around the souls. One where just trying to reach out would earn the ire of Oblivion. Yet these souls who had already crossed that boundary wasn’t erased. They were suspended in motion.

As it stands, there was nothing she could do for these souls for now.

With her power now running out, Alice was forced to retreat from this strange space.

’B*tch you thought!’ Alice snapped back.

With her quarry laid out in front of her, how could she allow herself to take the step back?

Oblivion? She ate that thing before! So what if it’s blocking the way, she’ll have her dear children carve the way forward. With the power she had left, she’ll extract everything minus Ciel!

Turning back, Alice instantly framed the collection of souls between her fingers like a picture frame.

An overbearing energy erupted from her body, pushing her authority to the limits. Around her, the three weapons understood her intent and rushed out.

Keeping their distance from the barrier while also attacking it from different angles. An attack from four directions!

With all of the power at her disposal, Alice refused to believe that she couldn’t snatch these souls from under Oblivion’s watch.

Her eyes shifted. She was quite familiar with the energy of Oblivion at this point. She even ate it! What’s to say she couldn’t do so again?

She didn’t want to leave with regret. She didn’t want Feris to worry about her friends being held in suspension by Oblivion.

She’ll drag everything out in one go!

And if worst comes to worst and Ciel is extracted as well, so be it!

Better than letting Noah and others wait here for eternity.

Hell, even if Ciel comes then so what? She had Enris looking to curry a favour with her and even Gwen, the rising new star of the Sun Church to help purge this heavily wounded Realm Ruler if needed.

She didn’t even have a physical vessel! With just her soul, it made her a delectable meal for someone like Alice.

In that moment, in that instant, Alice’s mind was focused on a single task.

A single objective.

No alternative thoughts were floating in her mind.

One will, one desire.

A strange energy surged from deep within.

The aura of Oblivion yet clearly different from the one keeping these souls hostage.

A smile stretched from one side to the other. Her eyes radiated an ominous glow.

Calculations flowed through her mind, a familiar yet unfamiliar feeling rose up in her heart.

*Badum...

A heartbeat but not the same as the Abyssal Heart yet still a heartbeat.

Alice licked her lips.

She felt like she could do it in this moment.

She could ’eat’ the barrier around the souls. Consume the veil of Oblivion and steal everything back in the blink of an eye.

Or... perhaps...

Alice narrowed her eyes.

Saliva filled her mouth as she swallowed hard. She turned her gaze towards Ciel, then towards Oblivion itself.

’Should I?’ She questioned.

A temptation not unlike the allure of mead.

However, she quickly shook her head and turned back to the souls waiting for rescue.

She didn’t want to get too greedy. Not now...

Not yet.

But in the future? Perhaps.

Opening her mouth slightly, Alice bit down.

*Nom~

Her shadow twisted. A blackened maw burst out, sinking its teeth into the barrier at once.

Oblivion fought back but an equal force countered. Erasure met erasure and powers came to a standstill.

But Alice wasn’t done. Like a tough piece of meat, she tried again. Bite, rip, chew.

*Kashi kashi kashi~

The sound of the barrier slowly breaking apart echoed out in this darkness as cracks spread across the surface.

Alice’s body trembled.

How...

Fulfilling!

This fullness was different from eating with her physical body.

The satisfaction this brought was no less than that of mead!

Like a beast with its shackles suddenly broken, Alice’s pupils constricted as she revealed a toothy grin.

*CRACK!!!

Mirroring her desires, the maw grew bigger. Its fangs sunk into the barrier as she finally succeeded in breaching its protection!

*KRRRK!!!!

A harsh tear echoed out with Alice tearing off a large chunk and swallowing it whole.

"Ahh~" Alice let out a satisfied moan. Her fingers traced her own stomach.

This warmth rising in from below.

Delightful.

She could feel a soft blush spreading from her cheeks no different to that of being drunk.

She loved it.

She wanted more.

Her tongue cleaned her teeth, ready for a second bite.

Just as she was about to do so, she noticed some of the souls faltering.

The balance had been broken, the stability had disappeared.

The suspension was slowly fading away and they were beginning to feel the pull of Oblivion.

"What shame..." Alice pouted. She wanted to take her time in enjoying this meal but it seems like her feast had to be cut short. Now was not the time to indulge herself.

She still had self control after all.

Reaching out with her hand, Alice retracted the strange maw and scooped up all the souls that were being held hostage.

Most of them were thrown back into the river of reincarnation, souls who should finally be brought back to the world after an unknown time of suspension.

For Noah and the others...

Alice kept them close by her side for now.

Then there was the final issue.

Ciel.

Having destroyed the barrier, it’s clear that Ciel had regained some form of self. Using her power, she tried to escape but Alice was quick with her restraints, placing a new shackle around Ciel’s soul.

A barrier of violet flames, Oblivion and even Tiamat that constantly absorbs her energy to fuel said barrier. Thus keeping her energy low while also preventing her escape. Of course, there’s no such guarantee as this is just a temporary measure.

Either way, a decision should be made soon.

With everything achieved, Alice gave a middle finger to the centre of this strange realm, towards Oblivion, then retreated back to Feris’s side.

Meanwhile, during this entire exchange, Feris watched with bated breath as Alice suddenly stopped the organisation of the library.

She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, veins bulging by her neck. A clear indication that she was undergoing a mountain of stress while searching for Noah and the others.

Cracks started to form around the edges, certain shelves began to distort and the entire nightmare creaked under the pressure of Alice’s power.

Sweat dripped down Feris’s face as she was nervous about the success rate of the entire operation. She didn’t want to give herself hope.

She couldn’t take the pain if she was let down.

But... Alice had a strange way of making people believe in the impossible. That things would work out somehow.

So even though she was afraid of being let down, Feris couldn’t help but place her hopes in Alice.

’Please... Please find Noah...’ Feris prayed silently in her heart.

She didn’t care what she needed to do. Even if it meant sacrificing the Void.

If she could have Noah and the others back, she’s willing to give up anything and everything.

*BANG!!!

"!!!" Feris flinched.

The shelves shattered and disappeared, the realm repaired itself and Alice’s body was flung back.

She tumbled across the floor as blood splattered against the pristine white floor of the Nightmare realm.

"Alice!" Feris called out in shock. Rushing over, she paled at the sight of Alice’s face.

She looked worn out, haggard even. Her energy was low and it felt like her body was on the verge of breaking.

"Sh*t... why the hell is the backlash so big?" Alice grumbled.

The moment the authority she borrowed from Feris disappeared, the backlash of stacking so many skills and the pressure of accessing the Library of the Abyss hit all at once, flinging her back.

If her durability wasn’t off the charts, the scrambling of her organs right now would’ve killed her!

Regardless, she’s done what she wanted to do.

Forcing herself to sit up, Alice showed Feris a confident smile.

In her hands, held close to her chest, was a collection of souls.

"I found them for you. They were suspended with no where to go." Alice gave Feris a thumbs up.

Upon laying her eyes on the shimmering orbs, Feris felt her heart skip a beat.

Her lips trembled as her legs became weak.

Ah... How long has she been looking for them?

How long as it been?

Tears streaked down her face as she reached out for the souls.

Alice handed over the group, allowing them to drift gently onto Feris’s trembling arms.

Hugging them closely, Feris closed her eyes.

A silent sob that refused to stop as her shoulders trembled.

Feris cried.

She cried while hugging the people she thought she had long lost.