Awakening：The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener

Sterl glanced at his status screen, and saw that the cheat had been refreshed.

Originally, he had planned to apply this point to Illusory Dream to raise its limit and enhance the Dream Power within it.

However, upon further consideration, he decided to put that thought aside for now.

The immediate priority was to create a powerful aura-type ability that could amplify a group, or perhaps a special title or talent.

Then, by using the cheat's evolution ability, he could push it to its maximum potential, ensuring he could maintain his identity as War Demon.

While Sterl was still deep in thought, the faint sound of metal scraping slowly reached his ears.

He raised his head and saw, under the power of the Marshal of the Mind's Nightmare·Walker, the long-dormant Colossal War Beast·Barbatos gradually waking up from the deepest part of the dream.

Clank… clank…

Thousands of sealing chains were being pulled taut by its immense body, emitting a faint groan.

The next moment, a pair of yellowish vertical pupils suddenly opened in the darkness, followed by an overwhelming, wild, and rugged aura of power!

Upon seeing Barbatos waking up, Walker calmly retreated behind Sterl, maintaining a serene and composed demeanor, lowering his head without uttering a word.

The other nine Marshals did the same, but the captain of the royal guard remained standing firmly behind Sterl, his indifferent eyes scanning the surroundings with an intense sense of readiness, as though he were prepared to sever anyone's head who dared to approach.

Sterl lifted his head and stared at the massive creature, and the creature's enormous eyes were fixed on him as well.

In that instant, Sterl understood clearly: his identity had been exposed!

As the exclusive mount of the War Demon, the Colossal War Beast of the Nightmare Legion, Barbatos was even more powerful than the Marshals. Despite being sealed for tens of thousands of years, it was only at one percent of its full strength.

Yet, it could still recognize its true master with a single glance.

However, Barbatos did not make any move. Its eyes had the ability to pierce through the most dangerous of beings. Staring at the figure in front of it, who resembled the War Demon both in appearance and aura, Barbatos vaguely sensed that the other's murderous aura was even more terrifying than that of the true War Demon.

Behind Sterl, it could also see a colossal creature shrouded in darkness, with pairs of crimson eyes piercing through the shadows as though they would devour it in the next moment.

After a long pause, Barbatos let out a deafening roar that shook the entire underground city. The sound carried a hint of excitement, as though it had finally seen its once supreme master again.

Seeing this, Sterl felt a slight relaxation in his heart.

Clearly, Barbatos had discovered his identity but chose not to expose him. Instead, Barbatos acted as if he were the true War Demon.

After thinking for a moment, Sterl quickly understood. At present, the Nightmare experts who had survived were all on the brink of 'deterioration,' in other words, they were hanging on by a thread and could fall at any moment.

So they needed hope—hope that they could break free from the nightmare prison.

And Sterl, who could manipulate Dream Power and break the sealing chains, was the very symbol of that hope.

Of course, no one knew that he was using Dream Power, but the unsealing of the chains was the true freedom they longed for.

This was also why none of the ten Marshals had expressed any doubts. First and foremost, Sterl's own immense strength was evident—their senses alone told them that his aura was no less powerful than the former War Demon, even stronger than the War Demon at its peak!

Secondly, there was hope that he would lead them out of Abyssal Prison and break the Eternal Light World seal.

These two factors combined made Sterl the War Demon in their eyes. Who would dare to question or oppose him? They wouldn't hesitate to team up and kill anyone who tried.

As for Barbatos, when it was awakened by Walker, it likely received some hints. Moreover, while Barbatos was the Colossal War Beast, it wasn't a simple-minded brute who charged forward blindly. It quickly analyzed the situation, weighing the pros and cons.

Besides, even if Barbatos exposed Sterl's identity and tore the mask off completely, what would it accomplish? The true War Demon hadn't appeared in many years. Together with the Nightmare Overlord, it was trapped deep in the Abyss of Eternity in Abyssal Prison. Whether it still existed at all was uncertain.

Furthermore, Sterl's strength was right there. Even if everyone united to suppress him, they would lose at least half of their forces in the process.

Having just escaped the seal and gained their long-awaited freedom, no one wanted to die so easily.

Moreover, the one who could truly liberate them was the mysterious powerhouse standing before them. Given that, recognizing him as the War Demon caused no harm.

On the contrary, once they left, the identity of War Demon could help draw fire away from them, preventing the Dream Spirit Empire from targeting and assassinating them.

With this realization, Sterl's previously tense heart fully relaxed. From the looks of it, his identity should be safe for now. Though there was a suspicion of being used, wasn't he, in turn, using them as well?

Of course, to be on the safe side, Sterl would not let down his guard. He would quickly figure out a way to acquire similar war-boosting abilities; otherwise, he would remain in a passive position, which would be highly disadvantageous to him.

Then, a thought crossed Sterl's mind, and an invisible thread of Dream Power extended to his palm.

The surge of vitality poured forth, and a large hand of blood-colored energy, enveloped with Dream Power, appeared. It looked like a blood-red crescent, slashing through the air, leaving behind a series of crimson streaks.

With a loud bang—

Under the weakening effect of Dream Power, the sealing chains were shattered like fragile thin ice, breaking into countless pieces that fell to the ground.

With the seals destroyed, Barbatos, on the dark, massive pillar, was finally freed from its bindings.

"ROAR!!"

A roar, akin to the sound of a dragon's cry, reverberated through the air. Barbatos opened its massive jaws, greedily drawing in the faint traces of Twisted Power of Nightmares that permeated the underground city. It absorbed it all, gathering the power into itself and swallowing it whole.

After consuming all the remaining Twisted Power of Nightmares, Barbatos' aura regained some strength. Its withered form gradually swelled, and the cold light in its eyes became even more chilling.

Sterl watched the enormous creature before him. Barbatos' body resembled that of a giant serpent, stretching nearly a thousand meters in length. Its black-scaled armor was thick and resilient, and on its back grew numerous sharp spines, adding to its menacing appearance. What was even more shocking was that a pair of large, fleshy wings had grown from its back, giving it a majestic, sky-shrouding presence.

Additionally, its head was not long and serpentine like a python, but rather had a more beastly, three-dimensional shape. Two horns, resembling those of a bull, curved forward. In comparison, the city walls looked as flimsy as paper before these horns.

This was the Colossal War Beast of the Nightmare Legion—a being that the Dream Spirit Empire both hated to the core and found utterly helpless.

Once, Barbatos had destroyed over a hundred cities and devoured countless lives from the Dream Spirit Empire. The title Nightmare that Devours the World was earned from such feats.

It soared freely in the air for several rounds before descending to the ground. Its body coiled, and its upper half stood tall, looking down at Sterl.

After a long while, Barbatos slowly lowered its body, its thoughts evaporating.

Because just moments ago, at least dozens of eyes were fixed firmly on it. If it made any aggressive move, these nearly-mad Nightmare experts would undoubtedly swarm it, tearing it apart without hesitation!

Yes, it was strong, but the people before it were either the Marshals of the Nightmare Legion or the Royal Guard Captain—lords and generals, none of whom were to be trifled with.

Moreover, the War Demon before it exuded an aura that sent a chill down Barbatos' spine. If a confrontation took place, it was certain to end in a gruesome death.

Seeing Barbatos' actions, Walker and the other ten Marshals withdrew the killing intent from their hearts. The Royal Guard Captain, Wood, also lowered his right hand from the hilt of the sword slung at his waist.

The Power of Star-Bone brewing within Sterl's body gradually calmed down, and the turbulent, surging vitality began to settle.

Barbatos lowered its head to the ground, just low enough for Sterl to walk up along its horns.

Once Sterl stood on top of Barbatos' head, his perspective slowly rose, and the figures of the thousands of Nightmare experts below grew smaller and smaller.

In addition, a layer of reddish-black light enveloped him, supporting his body while also providing powerful protection. Behind him, a dark red crystalline throne rapidly formed, perfectly sized for him to sit upon and gaze down at everything below.

This was Barbatos' innate ability, a skill specifically designed to serve the War Demon leader.

"Warlord, you will surely lead us to create new, immortal glory!"

"With the blood of the Dream Spirit Empire, we shall wash away our fury!"

"War! War! War!!"

The thousands of Nightmare experts, each of whom was at least at a high divine level, erupted in a deafening cheer.

Sterl gazed down at all of this, and in the depths of his being, a strange sense of destiny intertwined with his soul.

He had taken on the identity of the War Demon, and with it came the weight of the War Demon's karma—that was, to lead the elite of the Nightmare Legion, break free from their prison, ignite the last remnants of the nightmare land's fire, and make it boil and expand once more.

With a wave of his hand, Barbatos soared toward the deepest part of Abyssal Prison, followed by the thousands of Nightmare elites, like an invincible royal army, awakening from their slumber.

Soon after, a pitch-black vortex appeared before Sterl, deep within the underground city.

Without needing to ask, Sterl knew instantly that beneath this vortex lay the Abyss of Eternity, the very seal that trapped both the War Demon and the Nightmare Overlord!

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