CHAPTER 486: CHAPTER 484 DIO’S NEW SETTING GOES LIVE_1

The wind left the room. Emily could only see the snow-white painted walls. There was no one behind the sofa anymore.

She maintained her duck-sitting posture, retracted her gaze, and looked down at the pass in her hands.

Emily pinched the pass with her small hands. The material was indeed very special, constantly exuding a cool sensation.

As for the pattern, it was circular on the outside. The interior featured a series of particularly complex, intertwined circuit-like lines. It was unclear what they were meant to express.

Wait, this pass looks so round?!

Emily lifted the pass and discovered it was slightly different from an ordinary circle. She thought about it and decided not to dwell on the pass’s roundness.

She jumped off the sofa and ran towards the bedroom, saying, "Katerina, I’m going to change my clothes first."

She had no idea when the creatures of the Shadow World might come knocking. Her current attire was clearly unsuitable for serving as a messenger, as it seemed too disrespectful.

Since the air conditioner was on in the house and she didn’t need to go out, she was wearing her winter pajamas, which were fluffy and comfortable but lacked the aura of seriousness for official matters.

Appearing in this attire would easily make others think her lazy.

As she ran, Emily used her cellphone to record a video of both the front and back of the pass.

The material can be studied later. I intend to preserve the pass’s appearance first.

The pattern inside the circle might hold some deep meaning. If copied, perhaps it could establish some connection with the Shadow World.

After recording, she entered the room, took a photo of each side of the pass, then exited the camera mode.

She threw her phone onto the bed and approached the wardrobe. Emily swiftly took off her pajamas, opened the wardrobe door, and her azure eyes scanned the hanging clothes inside.

She pondered which one to wear.

The shadows at her feet suddenly shimmered. Her mouth was covered from behind as a tall silhouette emerged from them and pulled her backward.

"MMPH!"

Emily could only watch the ceiling flicker before her eyes. She then felt her back touch something that wasn’t the floor, as if she had fallen into unset jelly.

The ceiling before her eyes was engulfed by pitch darkness.

Once her feet felt solid ground, the dense darkness still lingered, rendering her effectively blind.

She blinked and gradually adjusted to the darkness, finally noticing that she was in a grand palace.

The massive shadow pillars were at least several dozen meters tall, and the spaciousness of the palace interior was indescribable.

In Emily’s field of view, she saw pairs of crimson eyes hidden in the dark.

From low to high, pairs of crimson eyes were densely packed on the shadow pillars on both sides. Some, towards the back, were so high they nearly touched the dome-like ceiling.

Are these like an enlarged version of the Shadow Soldiers? Or are they monsters?

Emily took a deep breath. In terms of power, it’s hard to say whether the Shadow Emperor or Dio is stronger. However, judging by appearances, the Shadow Emperor seems more capable of destroying the world.

With a single decree from this person, the upper echelons of all the world’s nations would crumble.

"Are you the messenger chosen by Dio?"

An elegant voice cascaded from the high platform down into the hall. Emily withdrew her gaze from the great army before her, somewhat surprised. Is this Japanese?

She turned around, her eyes sweeping over the nine steps, and saw the Emperor on the throne.

His build wasn’t monstrously exaggerated. He wore a black crown, its color deeper than the dark palace around them, and his body was covered in a layer of fluid-like black fabric.

His eyes, however, were the same as the others’: crimson red.

So, this is the Emperor.

Emily made no attempt to cover her chest, standing there quite openly and saying, "I haven’t even finished dressing. Was there a need to rush to find me like this?"

"It doesn’t make much of a difference."

Aozawa sat there. His voice wasn’t his own; he had specifically used his Transformation Ability to assume Aizen’s appearance and had donned an overcoat created by the Shadow Emperor’s Ability.

The monstrous face, coupled with Hayami Sho’s refined voice, created an intense contrast.

From his voice, Emily judged that he was a person with a regal demeanor, making even his annoying remarks seem justifiable.

This irritated her, yet she was powerless. After all, the gap in their statuses was just that significant.

But there’s one thing I really want to argue about! People in this world *do* take an interest in flat chests!

Damn this accursed Emperor!

She grumbled inwardly, standing tall and saying, "Let’s skip the small talk, Your Majesty. That altar shouldn’t be of any use to you, so why did you take it away?"

"Dio choosing such a foolish person as his messenger is quite unexpected."

Aozawa raised his hand, and the Shadow Soldiers beside him seemed eager to step forward and seize her.

Emily’s heart skipped; she realized she had misspoken. This person clearly did not enjoy beating around the bush.

I can’t let them take me away. If I fail to complete the mission, it could very well fall to Kochou or other friends.

At this critical juncture, all she could do was look up and burst into loud, haughty laughter.

Aozawa raised his hand, halting the Shadow Soldiers’ actions. He looked down at her and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Emily stifled her laughter, her mind spinning rapidly.

She had bought some time. Her next words would determine whether she could make him stay.

Her azure eyes flickered, and her composure grew. "I’m just amused that His Majesty’s methods are truly incomparable to Dio’s. Being simple has its advantages. I’m just a messenger; is there a need to be so clever?"

Aozawa chuckled. "HAHA. To think you’d say I’m inferior to Dio. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?"

Emily stood tall. "I’m not the type to cling to life out of fear of death."

The next second, a black shadow lunged at her. Emily’s smooth, bare legs trembled, but she forced herself to stand her ground.

Aozawa descended from the throne and landed in front of her, raising his hand to grasp her small head.

Emily bit her bright lips, trying to look brave and unafraid of life and death, but the fear was deeply rooted in her soul, seeping into her marrow, beyond her brain’s control.

"Your body is shaking."

"That’s just a natural human instinct. It doesn’t mean anything."

Seeing her continued defiance, Aozawa laughed, stopped toying with her, and turned casually. "Go back and tell Dio I need the Aze Red Stone he possesses. As long as he hands it over, I can return the altar to him."

"What is the Aze Red Stone?"

Curiosity flickered across Emily’s face. That stone is clearly not a treasure from this world.

Aozawa looked up, as if reminiscing. "We, the Shadow Clan, have always lived in a world made of shadows. We cannot be exposed to strong light for extended periods. However, I’ve found a way to overcome this weakness to sunlight, provided I can obtain a unique treasure: the Aze Red Stone."

At this point, he looked at Emily. "I know Dio has such a thing. If he gives it to me, I will return the altar to him."

"Alright, I’ll convey Your Majesty’s wishes to Dio."

Emily nodded.

Aozawa asked, "What are you to Dio?"

"You could say we’re friends."

"HEH. Then you better be careful. Dio isn’t the merciful type. He’s different from the average Angel Envoy; he’s a dangerous being who has devoured the Tree of Life."

Aozawa casually added some new details.

Emily’s eyes instantly lit up, wanting to ask what the Tree of Life was.

Aozawa raised his hand. Shadow Soldiers quickly emerged from the side, grabbed Emily’s arms—one on each side—and then lifted her.

Emily’s vision shifted rapidly from darkness to light. She squinted instinctively, adjusting to the light before her, and found herself standing in her bedroom, looking at the open wardrobe.

Emily turned to look at her shadow and gasped. The Shadow Emperor is truly terrifying, able to move in and out of a person’s shadow at any time!

The only fortunate aspect was his inherent weakness: he couldn’t endure prolonged exposure to sunlight and feared strong light.

But that weakness would soon be remedied by the Aze Red Stone.

What is the Aze Red Stone? What is the Tree of Life? Did Dio devouring the Tree of Life have something to do with him possessing numerous powers? After all, the name ’Tree of Life’ seems related to life, possibly involving creation—creating life, creating powers. Creating Paradise?

Emily pondered these questions. Among the fourteen secret phrases, the Fig Tower was the one that might relate to the Tree of Life.

Was that the period when Dio devoured the Tree of Life?

She thought about it and glanced around her surroundings.

The pass Dio had given her had disappeared. Was it only for one-time use?

Emily wondered, unsure when Dio would come to look for her—it probably wouldn’t be so soon.

Dio likely didn’t expect that I’d be taken away by the other side just after obtaining the pass.

But the Shadow Emperor actually spoke Japanese. Had he spent some time in this world, or did his clan use Japanese in the Different World?

Emily couldn’t find the answer. She only knew that a golden-haired figure wouldn’t suddenly appear out of thin air.

She exhaled, took a dress from the wardrobe, and put it on.

Although to those Angel Envoys, her small frame offered nothing worth admiring, Emily still disliked standing undressed before others like a monkey—unless it was at the beach or in specific private situations at home.

After putting on her dress, she exited the bedroom.

Katerina had already made some tea and turned to ask, "Would you like a cup?"

"Yes, and bring out some cake. I need to properly console my startled heart."

"Isn’t that a bit exaggerated?"

Katerina didn’t know about Emily’s brief departure from the bedroom.

Emily retorted irritably, "I just had a Shadow Soldier cover my mouth out of nowhere and the Emperor grab my head, leaving my heart pounding with fear. By the way, we must install bright lights from now on. Those shadow creatures are afraid of light."

With that said, she sat down, deciding to make an online post and upload the photo of the pass.