1161-1166

Chapter 1161: Lava Lake

"There are three tunnels."

Rhode extended his arm and pointed ahead.

"One is connected to this place, the other is linked to the north and we're unsure of where it leads to. The last one goes straight through... I sense a dense elemental aura around here. I don't think the lava is natural. According to BoBo, we're very close to the tower now. I suspect the lava came from the Fiery Plains of the Seven Fantasy Boundaries, but I'm not too sure about that. So... I have a suggestion. In order to avoid further problems, we need to have a comprehensive plan."

Rhode said, came to a pause, and looked at the group.

"We shall split into three groups. One group will stay here, the second will check out where the northern tunnel links to, and the third will continue to move ahead and see if that tunnel leads to the tower as expected. We will make our decision after gathering our findings..." Rhode suggested, turning to Canary and Mini Bubble Gum. "... Both of you stay here, just in case. Perhaps the enemies will show up to check on the situation. When that happens, we will be in trouble if they discover us. That is why you two need to delay them as long as possible. Don't attack if you can't defeat them; just decisively run and inform the rest to get ready for battle."

"I object!"

Suddenly, Mini Bubble Gum raised her hand and yelled. Fortunately for them, the concealment enchanted field stopped her loud voice from revealing their position.

Upon hearing her response, Rhode knitted his brows.

"Why?"

Mini Bubble Gum stood to her feet instantly. She put one hand on her hip, pointed the other at him, and spoke righteously.

"This grouping isn't reasonable, Leader. Big Sister and I didn't come all the way to this world to hold you back! Don't even think about throwing us to the back. We seek fair and equal treatment! We don't want to do nothing in the back. Touch your heart and think about it—all this while in the game, how many DKPs (Dragon Kill Points) have Big Sister and I earned by slacking off?!"

"This isn't a game, Bubble..."

"I know this isn't, but Big Sister and I aren't ordinary players either. Back then, we have our share of battles with Big Sister Erin. You didn't witness it, but Big Sister Erin definitely did. There are no issues with our skills! Right, Big Sister Erin?!"

"Yes..."

Facing Mini Bubble Gum's question, Erin pondered for a few moments before nodding in agreement.

"Indeed. In terms of battle, both of them have high-level skills and are even stronger than many formidable beings in the Country of Darkness."

"But both of your attitudes aren't right!"

Rhode shook his head and continued.

"This is reality, not a game. You may die if you fight using in-game battle styles."

"Big Sister and I aren't that stupid. Besides, this environment is really suitable for us! Leader, you are also aware that not even you can go up against Big Sister in terms of the fire element! Also, we have to eventually face reality one day, so you can't possibly protect us forever. If we don't familiarize ourselves with this world, we're going to be dead sooner or later."

"Ugh..."

After hearing her rebuttal, Rhode hesitated. If Gillian, the fire elemental lord, were here, he could have refuted. But now, he had to admit that Mini Bubble Gum was right. In this fire elemental world, not even Erin and Lydia could grasp the fire element better than Canary. Not only that, but Bubble No. 2 also aggravated the situation.

"That's right, Big Sister. Don't worry and just be brave. Anyway, it doesn't matter if you die, since Leader can resurrect you as his card spirit like us. When that happens, we can forever be togethe—... Ouch!"

"Don't listen to her nonsense."

Rhode swung his right hand at the head of Bubble No. 2. Then, he gazed at both of them expressionlessly.

"You must know that death doesn't feel good at all. Besides, I can't guarantee that I'll be able to rescue you two. It is like insurance. You may not be insured when you get into an accident and the insurance company may even shrink responsibility on their end. All of that is simply because you didn't read the terms and conditions before signing the agreement. The conditions to resurrection are extremely tough, and even I am able to guarantee a 100 percent success rate. Don't risk your lives over something so meaningless. Alright... let's get down to the real business—..."

"I just don't care. I suggest carrying out the plan in a fairer way! This isn't fair! I strongly object!"

If a delusional brat were capable of listening to others, the classic quote of 'I'm not in the wrong; the world is' wouldn't have existed.

"Okay then."

After some serious consideration, Rhode convinced himself that this situation wasn't as serious as he had thought. More importantly, Canary who stood by the side also didn't object, which proved that she agreed with Mini Bubble Gum's suggestion. Of course, frankly speaking, Mini Bubble Gum also wasn't wrong. However, Rhode didn't agree with her due to considerations of safety. No matter what, this wasn't an easy task and humans like them apparently weren't suitable for such adventures.

But now...

"What kind of fair method do you intend to use?"

"Easy."

Upon hearing Rhode's doubt, Mini Bubble Gum revealed a delightful smile and extended her arm to grab a handful of toothpicks.

"Draw lots!" she said in a confident tone.

As they were going to split into three groups, they eventually agreed to form two groups of three and one group of four. The two groups of three would investigate the other two tunnels, while the last group of four would bring up the rear to deal with highly-possible troubles. After all, since the enemies were able to drill through the tunnels, there were no reasons for them to not pass through here. As soon as the enemies found out the 'large group of people' left behind by Rhode, it would be no laughing matter. Therefore, the group of four was in charge of cleaning up and preventing the enemies from discovering them. Of course, even though the enemies might realize that something was amiss after some time, it was best for Rhode's group to drag it out as much as possible because this time, their mission was to investigate and not start a battle.

Of course, that would also be based on the situation.

But before that, it was time for the results of their lots...

"... Why do I feel like this is a conspiracy?"

Rhode gazed at Mini Bubble Gum and Canary who drew the same-colored toothpicks, before shifting his gaze to Marybelle, Erin, and Lydia. Then, he looked at the final group of Gracier and Madaras, who were led by Bubble No. 2 and Canary No. 2. This allocation was overly... Even Rhode was at a loss for words.

"Are you sure you didn't use some underhand method?"

Rhode gazed dubiously at everyone, attempting to read the faces of Lydia and Erin who put up gentle smiles. He was certain that if something were up, those two would be his prime suspects. Despite their gentle and quiet appearances, Rhode clearly knew what type of personalities they had! He had initially summoned Gracier and Madaras to take advantage of their expertise in concealment, where they could perfectly maximize their strength. But now...

Upon hearing Rhode's doubt, Mini Bubble Gum stood upright and said loudly.

"Give it up and concede defeat, Leader. This is the choice of the Steins;Gate and the will of the universe! The melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya!"

Facing Mini Bubble Gum's proud words, Rhode could only nod helplessly in response. What else could he say... since... since things had already turned out this way. Fortunately, both of them were with him. As a Spirit Swordsman, manpower was never an issue for him. If the situation got out of hand, he could still summon card spirits for reinforcements.

But come to think of it, what had it got to do with the melancholy of who-who?

The mission for Rhode, Canary, and Mini Bubble Gum was to investigate the tunnel ahead. Even though Rhode was certain that this tunnel led to the tower, for safety's sake, he decided to still go ahead and check it out.

This didn't pose a challenge to Canary, Mini Bubble Gum, and him at all. It was especially so having Canary with him. She was adept in the fire and wind elements. As one of the top players, she received 'Supreme Privileges' of these two elements and her skill level was almost the same as an elemental lord's.

Of course, it was an entirely different matter with her human constitution.

"They've made their way there."

As Marybelle had a contract with Rhode, they could communicate with each other spiritually without any concerns. Rhode wasn't worried about her group either. The combined strength of the three of them surpassed the entire Dragon Soul Continent, where not even a devil lord or Chaos beings could hurt them. That was why Rhode was assured to leave it to them as he began his own mission.

"We have to pass through three towers here. Be wary to avoid the searchlights and..."

Rhode glanced at the fully-armored soldiers. He instinctively felt like there was something strange about them as though they were the ones eroded in Marybelle's memories. However, the aura they exuded was weaker. But Rhode wasn't worried about that. Those things could contaminate others, so who knew if they would do it again?

"Alright, Leader, what should we do next?"

Before Rhode finished his sentence, Mini Bubble Gum interrupted. She rolled up her sleeves for battle and widened her eyes at the enemies ahead.

"Should we go 'Call-of-Duty' style or charge in and clean them up with our overwhelming power?"

"None of that. We're going to sneak in."

"Tsk..."

Upon hearing Rhode's answer, Mini Bubble Gum's enthusiasm languished by a whole lot.

"Where's the fun with sneaking in? With Big Sister around, I thought we could simply crush them..."

"Alright, let's begin."

Rhode disregarded Mini Bubble Gum's grumbles. As a commander, if he were to respond to every complaint of his men before raiding a dungeon, he would need two hours before they could fight the BOSS. That was why Rhode neglected her meaningless grumbles and got right down to business.

"Remember, don't be discovered by them and follow me. I suppose you've seen it for yourself. They use lots of things from Earth, but those things have obviously been modified. We may not be able to confirm that they have the same effects as they do on Earth. They may even be much stronger now, so we're better off staying away from them..." Rhode ordered and turned to Canary.

"You know what to do, right?"

"Of course, Rhode."

Upon hearing his words, Canary smiled and extended her arm. Shortly after, the flowing lava around them surged all of a sudden like an erupting fountain. The lava widened its mouth like a snake and swallowed the three of them before flowing back into the lava lake. When the guards ahead turned around, the trio was already gone.

"I absolutely hate traveling this way."

Gazing at the rolling lava through the transparent barrier, Mini Bubble Gum curled her lips. If it weren't for this strong barrier, perhaps the trio wouldn't be able to reach their destination in perfect condition. But Rhode also didn't take the risk in passing through the bridge made of black steel. It was apparent that Canary understood his style pretty well. Even though this was equivalent to cheating, this wasn't a game, after all. There weren't any rules that made it compulsory for players to face the mysterious guards and enemies, before gaining EXP and spoils of war to face the final BOSS. Of course, Mini Bubble Gum disliked such an approach.

But it was a pity that her objection was invalid.

With Canary's help, the trio advanced through the lava lake. Not only that, but with the help of Mini Bubble Gum's spiritual spell, they also didn't need to worry about suffocation. Even though the surrounding temperatures were high, they were still under Canary's precise control. It went without saying that the journey was smooth, without any disruptions. But all of a sudden, Canary came to a halt.

"What's wrong?"

Upon detecting her strange behavior, Rhode twitched his brows and asked. Canary puckered her brows in response and answered.

"I feel like right ahead, there is something below."

"Something?"

Rhode and Mini Bubble Gum were taken aback, while Canary nodded. She possessed 'Supreme Privileges' for the fire element. The lava was as though an extension of her body, which was why she was able to distinguish anything among the lava lake.

"I don't know what that is. I'm not sure if it is alive or dead, but it definitely isn't normal. I think it shouldn't be there at all."

"What should we do, Leader? Should we check it out?"

At that moment, Mini Bubble Gum's eyes brightened because discovering a hidden item in the concealed areas of a dungeon was usually a sign of a bumper harvest!

"..."

However, Rhode didn't respond immediately. On the contrary, he pondered for a while, before turning to Canary and asked.

"Will we startle it if we head there?"

"I don't know. All I can do is to try and not let it detect our presence. Frankly, I don't know if it is a creature or not. But it definitely doesn't belong here because I sense an ice-cold chilliness from it through the lava..." Canary couldn't help but bite her lip. Upon hearing her response, Rhode and Mini Bubble Gum exchanged looks with each other. It was apparent that something wasn't right. For one to be able to release chilly air in such a blazing environment, it must be bothersome to deal with.

"Let's ignore it for now."

In the end, Rhode didn't take up Mini Bubble Gum's suggestion. But this time, Mini Bubble Gum also didn't object, surprisingly.

"Canary, move away from it and try to stay near the surface of the lava lake. Bubble, release another concealment barrier. Remember, if we're ambushed, we will move ahead quickly and leave the lava lake to avoid any accidents. Understood?"

"Okay."

Canary and Mini Bubble Gum nodded in agreement. Shortly after, Canary controlled the protective barrier and shifted it near the surface as they continued to move with the gradual flow of the lava lake. On the other hand, Mini Bubble Gum held her hands together vigilantly. A rune appeared between her hands, emanating a faint, flickering spiritual radiance. At that moment, her expression changed slightly.

"I saw it."

Without Mini Bubble Gum's elaboration, Rhode and Canary also witnessed the mysterious presence. It was right below the trio: a pitch-black shadow. Unsure if it was due to the flowing lava or something else, the shadow seemed to be a live-form. The trio stared at the shadow as they advanced in the lava lake.

They weren't attacked even until they passed through the enormous shadowy area. Canary and Mini Bubble Gum couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief. However, Rhode continued to scan the place. He lifted his head and glanced along the edge.

"We're here."

Upon hearing his words, Canary and Mini Bubble Gum raised their heads and followed the direction of his gaze. Then, they widened their eyes in astonishment.

Chapter 1162: Door of the Fantasy World

"What a huge door."

Looking at the door ahead, Mini Bubble Gum couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. At a glance, they were surrounded by pure, white walls like a barrier erected between heaven and earth. What caught their attention was the enormous door ahead. It was tens of meters tall, standing upright on a spacious platform connected to the pitch-black steel bridge. The defenses here were also seemingly the strongest. Not only were there four to five watchtowers, but there were also about 100 armored guards. It could be seen just how important this door was to them. At that moment, the door was closed and sealed entirely. But instead of treating it as a door, it was more like a carved mural that resembled one. If it weren't for the tight security, Rhode wouldn't have believed that he had come to the right place.

"What should we do next, Rhode?"

Gazing at the heavily-guarded platform, Canary asked softly. In fact, with their strength, it wouldn't pose an issue for them to eliminate everyone here. As long as Canary swung her arm and splashed the lava on them, the people on the platform would be scrambling for their lives. But this way, their position would be revealed immediately. This wasn't the biggest problem. Instead, Rhode didn't know how to activate and open the tightly-sealed door. But fortunately, he had some tricks up his sleeve.

"Wait."

Upon hearing Canary's question, Rhode gestured with his hand. Then, he contacted Marybelle spiritually, at the same time transmitting the image over.

"Marybelle, are you able to open this door?"

"Let's see... Yes, Your Majesty. That is indeed the entrance to the Seven Fantasy Boundaries. As long as we open it, we can head to the Seven Fantasy Boundaries. You don't need to worry about the door as deity wardens can definitely open it."

"Great."

After hearing Marybelle's answer, Rhode finally nodded in assurance. Then, he asked.

"By the way, how's your group doing?"

"No issues at the moment, but we didn't find anything useful as well... We're moving ahead right now. Those people seem to also be guarding something. I suppose we can reach the destination without wasting too much time."

"Good, keep in contact. Inform me immediately if you discover anything and head back at our starting point."

"Okay, Your Majesty."

Upon receiving her affirmation, Rhode came up with an idea. He lifted his head, gazed at the two young ladies, and said, "We need to head back and meet up with the others before making a decision."

"Alright, Rhode."

"Okay, Leader."

It was obviously pretty uneventful for Mini Bubble Gum since they sneaked in successfully and now, had to head back without taking out anyone. However, Canary didn't show any signs of discontentment. She nodded quickly upon hearing Rhode's command and extended her arm. Shortly after, the lava surged once again and brought them back where they came from. But this time...

"Ooo———!!"

Suddenly, an emergency siren blared, stunning the trio. Canary stopped her hand movement abruptly and proceeded to conceal their presence in the lava. Mini Bubble Gum and Rhode prepared themselves for battle as they stared at the surroundings. No one knew why the siren sounded all of a sudden.

Could it be that something happened to Marybelle and the rest? Or perhaps the follow-up forces got into a battle with someone else?

At this thought, Rhode pulled himself together and activated the spiritual communication quickly. But what surprised him was that Marybelle and the other group was completely fine. In that case, what exactly was that siren about...?

Shortly after, Rhode received his answer.

As soon as the ear-piercing siren sounded, the patrolling guards lined up by both sides of the path. After a few moments, the siren stopped. Rhode witnessed three figures being escorted as they sauntered ahead. Rhode made a hand gesture and upon seeing it, the dazzling rune in Mini Bubble Gum's hands diminished its radiance and a thin layer of mist erupted from it, shrouding the trio entirely in a faint red hue.

At that moment, Rhode got a clear view of the three mysterious figures.

Unlike the heavily-armored soldiers, the three figures could be said to be constructed by dark, shadowy flames. Be it their facial features, hairs, or bodies, they looked like human-shaped beings coalesced from black flames. However, Rhode sharply detected the aura of Chaos exuding from those strange 'people'. But for some unknown reason, Rhode felt like he had seen them before somewhere.

He didn't see them in Marybelle's memories, but rather from an even earlier period...

"Ooo... Ooo...!"

Shortly after, the emergency siren sounded yet again. Rhode witnessed the red warning lights by the edge of the platform flashing rapidly. Shortly after, the three people strolled toward the center of the platform and came to a halt in front of the black stone column. Then, they raised their arms in unison.

"...!"

Along with this action, a deep, unknown rumble erupted. The ground shook and lava spilled over. It sounded like the bellow of a certain beast, and even Canary and Mini Bubble Gum couldn't help but cover their ears due to this resounding roar. At that moment, Canary frowned.

"Rhode, that thing is moving!"

Without the need of Canary's warning, Rhode had witnessed it already. The huge mass of shadows lurking at the bottom of the lava that puzzled Canary earlier began to move. It constantly extended to both sides like a cell dividing into two. Looking at this scene, Mini Bubble Gum and Canary tensed up instantly. They couldn't care less about what was happening on the platform anymore. They stared at the constantly-squirming shadow and shortly after, the massive shadow passed directly under them as though it didn't detect their presence. The trio followed its movement and stared blankly after taking a closer look at the scene.

The swirling and flowing lava erupted all of a sudden. Two gigantic tentacles like burned skewers burst out from the lava lake, discharging a putrid smell. The layers of rotten flesh on them had revolting, grain-sized spores that made one's hair stand on end. Rhode couldn't look straight at them, not to mention Mini Bubble Gum and Canary.

However, the pair of tentacles apparently had no regard for others. It wriggled and wrapped around the door ahead. Shortly after, the pure, white walls darkened as though they were injected with pitch-black ink. Not only that, but the high temperature of the scorching lava was also seemingly overwhelmed.

"This is the power of Chaos..."

Rhode gnashed his teeth. He sensed the power of Chaos in the two gigantic tentacles permeating the pure, white door. The walls of the door were completely smeared in black. As Chaos invaded, the surroundings became unsettled. The scorching lava plummeted in temperature. The boundary between reality and illusion became indistinct. The door that resembled a carved mural shuddered and opened gradually to the sides with several golden rays escaping the gap. Looking at this scene, the soldiers raised their arms, bursting out in loud cheers. Amongst the cheers, the three people standing beside the black stone column stepped forward in large strides. Then, they vanished into the door that was forcefully opened. The door closed behind them and the pair of revolting tentacles that were wrapped around the door descended gradually, returning into the depth of the lava. As the tentacles withdrew into the lava, the black, contaminated areas on the white walls faded away. After a few moments, everything restored to its original state.

"Let's go!"

At that moment, Rhode's expression was no longer grim, but ashen instead. He swept a glance at the seemingly harmless shadow that shrunk back and lowered his voice to give a command. On the other hand, Mini Bubble Gum seemed to be terrified by the two tentacles. She simply nodded and didn't say anything. Meanwhile, Canary maintained her silence as she controlled the lava for their retreat.

Shortly after, the trio returned quietly to where they came from. Marybelle and the rest were already there, waiting for Rhode's command. They also realized the happenings, but didn't figure out the exact situation. Upon seeing the trio's arrival, they crowded over swiftly.

"Your Majesty Rhode, what happened?"

"We'll talk about that later."

Facing Lydia's doubt, Rhode shook his head and said. Then, he turned to Marybelle and Bubble No. 2.

"Update me on your findings."

"Okay."

Even though it was somewhat strange that Rhode didn't clarify the situation immediately, Marybelle nodded and described what she saw. What concerned Rhode was that the happenings Marybelle described were anything but reassuring. Marybelle's group headed north and arrived at the front of an enormous cave that was as huge as a plaza. But that wasn't the main point. Instead, they witnessed hundreds of what seemed to be egg-like, transparent, crystal vessels with several people trapped within! Even though their identities were still unknown, they resembled the primitive men they met earlier. If Marybelle guessed it correctly, the people imprisoned inside the crystal tanks were natives of this world.

"Not only that, but they also used a special device to inject the power of Chaos into those people. I think they are going to turn into Chaos's slaves soon!"

"... Can we find out where the source of power is?"

"Even though I'm not certain, we sensed that the power of Chaos was being abstracted from the lava by a mysterious black rope. As for where it leads to, I'm not too sure."

Although Marybelle wasn't certain, Rhode roughly understood the situation now. He exchanged looks with Canary and Mini Bubble Gum, before turning to the group of four.

"Alright, No. 2, how's the situation at your side?"

"Nothing much happened. Earlier on, some people arrived to investigate the situation but didn't enter the cordon, so I let them off. But judging from their behavior, they seem to have decided to gather manpower for patrolling or something afterwards. But it is a pity that I can't understand their language, so I don't know what they meant."

Bubble No. 2 said, spreading her arms apart and displaying a helpless look. However, Rhode wasn't too mindful and nodded in response. It seemed like his guesses were right. Those guys seemed determined to expand this place. This wasn't related to Rhode at all since they weren't in the Dragon Soul Continent, so it was up to them whether they lived or not. But the problem was that the situation now didn't seem to be as simple as he thought.

"The situation on our side is more complicated..."

Rhode said and quickly narrated to everyone what happened earlier. After hearing his descriptions, Marybelle, Erin, and the others turned pale. They knew exactly what he meant. The Seven Fantasy Boundaries was a product of Order and yet, not only did that creature defy the power of Order, but it also injected its power of Chaos into the door and forcefully opened it. It was absolutely uncommon to witness such a creature.

"Have you figured out its true identity, Your Majesty?"

"No, but I'm sure that it is so massive in size that it can penetrate the entire lava lake, at the very least. But this isn't what we need to worry about..." Rhode paused and pondered in silence. Rhode had already decided his plan after spotting the door that led to the Seven Fantasy Boundaries. He decided to regroup with the two groups first before returning to the platform. Then, the three groups would attack at once to surround the place, eliminate all resistance, destroy the area, and enter the door. But now, the existence of that huge, mysterious creature disrupted his plan. He had no choice but to reconsider everything...

Rhode let out a long, helpless sigh, shrugged, and said.

"Looks like we need to raid the place."

"Raid?"

Upon hearing this word, the eyes of the two Bubble and Canary glinted, while Erin and Lydia scratched their heads. However, Rhode had no intention of leaving them hanging either. Shortly after, he explained to the both of them.

"That's right. We shall gather everyone and overrun the enemies. But we need to change our current target. As of now, our main goal isn't to annihilate them, but to open up the door as quickly as possible and leave this damned place. After all, we shouldn't stay here for too long and I'm quite certain that that Chaos creature isn't easy to deal with. I don't know what that is, but I sense that its powerful strength may pose a huge problem for us."

Even though Rhode was known as a 'walking library', he didn't feel ashamed admitting that some things were beyond his knowledge. Well, he couldn't be blamed. Creatures of Order were more or less fixed. But it was entirely different for creatures of Chaos as there were infinite variants of them. Besides, not even the same Chaos creature would stay identical the next day. Although it might be a physical creature now, it could turn into a form of liquid or air at the next moment. That was why even if that creature had tentacles, Rhode couldn't be sure of what it was. But based on its massive power when it awakened, Rhode knew it wasn't one to be trifled with.

If Rhode only had a few members with him, there wouldn't be a problem for them to sneak past the enemies. After all, with the two Canarys around, there was nothing difficult in transporting soldiers. But now, Rhode also had to look out for hundreds of natives. It would be a real waste if they were to die here after surviving on Earth. That was why Rhode had to abandon his original plan. But this didn't mean his raid was sub-par in quality where they would rampage their way over. Rhode turned to his group and after pondering in silence, he made his decision.

'Gracier, Madaras, Erin, Lydia; we will form a group this time and eliminate the surrounding sentries as quickly as possible without getting spotted. I trust that this isn't hard for you."

"Sure, Your Majesty Rhode."

Upon hearing his command, Lydia nodded slightly. Rhode turned to the two Canarys after hearing their answers.

"Canary, both of you are in charge of standing guard and most importantly, check on that creature through the flow of lava. If you discover anything strange, inform me instantly. Got it?"

"No problem, Rhode."

Both of them accepted his command.

"Good."

Rhode said and turned to the remaining two Mini Bubble Gums.

"I want you two to reorganize the troops with Marybelle and be responsible for covering us. Remember, after we wipe out the sentries, you guys must pass through the steel bridge and bring everyone to the door as quickly as possible. There must not be any delay. Do not retaliate even if you face ambushes. Activate the defensive shield and hang on until then, understood?"

"Got it, Leader!"

"Good."

After hearing their affirmations, Rhode turned to the surroundings, extended his arm, and gave a decisive command.

"Let's begin!"

Chapter 1163: Ghost Under the Lava (1)

Boom!

The constantly-rolling lava erupted. Blazing, scarlet torrents of extreme heat surged and splashed all around at a rapid pace. Rhode flitted across in a flash, concealing himself entirely in the shadows of one of the towers. He narrowed his eyes to scan the surroundings, turned around, and extended his arm, where a black card flickered in his hand and transformed into a pitch-black sword the very next second. He stooped over, held his breath, and quietly listened to the activities around him.

Based on his investigation earlier, the five steel towers basically served as military towers. As long as he could take them down, the others could pass through the area and enter the door safely. The mission that Rhode gave the others was to take down the functions of the steel towers. If it weren't for the existence of that mysterious, shadowy creature at the bottom of the lava lake, Rhode wouldn't mind crushing his way through. But now... In order to not alert the enemy, he could only deploy another strategy.

Fortunately, based on the situation he observed before, there were groups of five heavily-armored human soldiers. Security was tight in this area. But luckily, Rhode had his way around them.

Stomp... Stomp... Stomp...

Rasps of clashing, heavy steel armor resounded. Rhode squinted at the scene and clutched the sword hilt. He was completely hidden in the shadow, waiting silently for the opportune timing to strike. Shortly after, a patrol team marched past him. The soldiers inspected the area, failing to notice the enemy lurking in the shadows beside them. After scanning the area for a few moments, they turned around and headed into another tunnel.

It was at that moment Rhode struck.

The instant the soldiers turned around, Rhode pounced. The sword in his hand metamorphosed into a dark radiance as he darted ahead. In a dazzling flash, the soldier at the rear was slashed into half like tofu. Rhode's sword trembled abruptly as black flames erupted inside-out from the blade. He turned around, withdrew his sword, and dashed forward again.

The next soldier ahead turned around subconsciously after hearing some strange movements. But he had only turned halfway before the razor-sharp blade penetrated his neck. Then, black flames exploded to devour that unfortunate soldier. Rhode continued his attack, positioning his sword in a slanted stance and slashing it downward in a straight line. This series of movements was so quick that it only lasted less than five seconds—from when he launched his attack to puncturing the third soldier's chest.

At that moment, the two soldiers at the front seemed to realize that something was wrong. One of them lifted his gun and pointed to the rear. But as soon as he turned around, he witnessed a flash of dark radiance and felt a chilly sensation on his neck. Then, he stopped breathing.

"...!"

Meanwhile, the soldier at the front turned around. After witnessing Rhode's presence, he widened his eyes and was about to scream, when suddenly, Rhode swung his right arm forward.

Kacha.

The razor-sharp blade grew in length, metamorphosing into a long whip that wrapped around the soldier's neck and stifled the scream that almost escaped him. Then, the black blade spun abruptly, severing the unfortunate soldier's head and sending it skyward before landing on the ground.

"Phew..."

At that moment, Rhode heaved a sigh of relief. He swept a glance to the surroundings keenly before lifting Succubus in his right hand and slashing it downward. Savage black flames erupted from the blade in this move, shrouding the lifeless corpses on the floor instantly. In just a dozen seconds, the scattered corpses and filthy blood were swallowed, leaving nothing behind. Rhode returned to the shadows and continued to sneak his way in.

After taking down three teams continuously, Rhode finally eliminated all patrols safeguarding the first tower. But he didn't let his guard down just yet as he didn't know how exactly the patrols communicated and rotated shifts. If he had annihilated the patrols that were taking over the current shift, perhaps the patrols might feel suspicious after some time. The most important thing now was to seize the timing. After taking down the three patrol forces and ensuring that no one discovered his presence, Rhode went up to the entrance of the first tower and peeked into it.

What made him heave a sigh of relief was that the entrance wasn't locked. However, the situation inside was nowhere better as heavily-armored soldiers and surveillance cameras were everywhere. Even though Rhode didn't know how they managed to set up such a comprehensive base, it seemed like the emergency siren would be sounded immediately if he were to barge inside.

When that happens, things might get out of hand.

At this thought, Rhode shifted his gaze away and dashed into the shadows of the tall, dark tower like a ghost, vanishing out of sight.

Meanwhile, the two Canarys stood at the side quietly, sensing the presence of that mysterious creature lurking deep below the lava lake. No wonder Rhode was anxious about it. That creature was almost 100 meters in length, and a dozen meters wide, which was rarely seen even in the Dragon Soul Continent. At that moment, their group was just above it. If they weren't careful, they might be thoroughly out of luck. It was due to this reason that Rhode was acting so cautiously. The two Canarys put up solemn expressions because they discovered earlier that the creature that was as stationary as a rock twitched as though it were awake. Although the frequency of its movements was low, the lava was like an extension of their bodies. The creature was like a fish held up by their hands, where they were able to sharply feel its movements.

"Should we tell Rhode about it?"

Canary knitted her brows and gazed at her projection who stood beside her. In fact, she admired the personality of her projection. Even though her projection was created based on Rhode's impression of her, if Canary were able to be exactly the same as her projection, perhaps she wouldn't have that much burden on her shoulders.

"..."

Facing Canary's question, Canary No. 2 pondered in silence before nodding gently.

"Okay, I'll inform Rhode. You tell Bubble about this and ask them to pick up the pace. I have a bad feeling about this situation."

"Got it."

Upon hearing Canary No. 2's response, Canary nodded slightly, turned around, and left quickly. Canary No. 2 gazed at Canary, let out a sigh, and shifted her gaze to the sea of lava before her. Then, she witnessed several streaks of red brilliance.

"There are movements?"

After hearing Canary No. 2's report, Rhode's heart sank. Earlier on, he felt like something was amiss. When he killed the soldiers, he sensed the presence of Chaos aura escaping their bodies and attempting to gather in a certain place. For safety's sake, Rhode activated the black flames of Succubus and devoured the Chaos aura. Now, it seemed like that apparently wasn't a bad move. Perhaps all the power of Chaos in this place came from that huge, mysterious creature skulking underneath the lava. Perhaps the strange activities reported by Canary earlier were precisely its instinctive reactions upon feeling its power depleting at a fast pace. Maybe the amount of power lost was just a drop in the ocean, but Rhode's group might attract its attention if they continued to slaughter the soldiers!

But now, he didn't have any other ways to pass this information to the others. After all, Erin and Lydia weren't card spirits he could communicate spiritually with. Right now, he could only take one step at a time, wipe out the defense as quickly as possible, and proceed on to the next.

Rhode pondered, but the speed of his swinging sword didn't slow down at all. Even though the entire steel tower seemed well-structured and heavily-guarded, it wasn't prepared for air raids. Rhode could easily conquer a tower that was tens of meters tall. He flitted up the tower like a shadow and emerged at the top. At that moment, two gun-wielding soldiers who were patrolling on the highest floor had their backs facing him and didn't detect his presence. In an instant, Rhode slaughtered them mercilessly and lit them on fire to remove all traces. Then, he opened the door and sneaked inside the tower silently via the stairwell.

The inside of the steel tower was dimly-lit. Perhaps due to the lack of electricity, not all the lamps were lit up; some of them emanated a fuzzy radiance along the walls at intervals. But this was to Rhode's advantage. He concealed himself in the shadows and killed his way through without being discovered. Along the way, he realized that the layout of this place was basically the same as buildings on Earth. However, some places felt out of place to him, just like previously, when he and Lydia entered the moon base eroded by Chaos.

Seems like I'm about to find out the true identity of that thing soon.

At this thought, Rhode picked up his pace. If that creature was like the one that had eroded the moon bases, he would need to go all-out with his group. But if that happened, he might also destroy this place and they would be buried alive, not to mention opening the door to escape.

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!

As soon as Rhode wiped out the soldiers ahead and was about to advance, he suddenly heard a series of hurried footsteps. He turned around, leaned to the side quickly, and fused into the wall, disappearing from sight. Almost simultaneously, a team of heavily-armed soldiers arrived at the scene. Their captain was a young man donned in a black uniform. He swept a glance at the surroundings with an ice-cold expression and let out a snort.

"What exactly is going on? Where are the guards? Why are they missing?"

"Maybe they went to patrol the place. After all, it's time for the next shift..."

"That bunch of useless trash makes my head hurt! Why are they running around all over the place at such a time?!"

Upon hearing his subordinate's response, the captain grunted. Then, he turned around, gazed at his subordinate, and commanded with a long face: "Get ready. We're going to start the fusion soon. Bring all experimental subjects to Experimental Lab One and give them an injection... By the way, how is Experimental Subject Three doing?"

Upon hearing his question, a man who wore a white coat, like a researcher's, replied immediately.

"Reporting, Sir. The condition of Experimental Subject Three remains the same. We've increased the dosage, but there are still no effects after injecting it into her body. Frankly, if it weren't for the apparatus indicating that everything is normal with her body, we would have believed that she is dead."

"Check her conditions right away. We need to turn her into a Chaos being before the Saint awakens! Remember, if we can't do it, the Saint's wrath will burn us all into ashes! Hurry up! Don't waste anymore time! Understand, you fools?!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Everyone nodded at his command before turning around to leave. But at the same time, a barrier of black flames erupted, trapping them inside, like a cage. It happened so quickly that some of them didn't detect its presence immediately and were instantly swallowed by the black flames and vanished into nothingness before letting out a shriek. The sudden emergence of the flames stunned the rest. They gripped their weapons and stepped back instinctively. At the same time, a dozen tentacles drilled out of the ground suddenly and bound them firmly. The whistling blade airflows extinguished the weak, dancing flames of the lamps. In an instant, there was nothing else apart from darkness.

After a few moments, the darkness dissipated.

Rhode emerged from the shadows. Around his feet were corpses, while the black flames gradually expanded to the surroundings, devouring and shredding the remains into bits. The young captain earlier was the only one who survived and escaped the tragedy. But now, his back was against the wall as he stared palely at the razor-sharp blade Rhode was pressing against his throat. A slightest movement and his head would be severed right off.

"W-Who are you?"

Widening his eyes, the man gazed at Rhode in terror. He couldn't imagine how someone was able to sneak into this heavily-guarded tower. Not only that, but he also annihilated the guards effortlessly.

Are any humans capable of doing that? What kind of sick joke is this? Isn't it just a bunch of primitive men on this land? Why is there someone so powerful here? Who exactly is he?

"I seem to have heard something interesting."

Facing his question, Rhode didn't answer. He narrowed his eyes and stared at the man instead. The corners of his lips perked up into a strange smile.

"Would you mind telling me more about the situation of this place?"

Under the threat of death, the young captain gave in immediately and confessed everything to Rhode.

It was just as Rhode had expected. These people were the descendants of Chaos who arrived from Earth. However, they didn't seem to be fully aware of the power inside their bodies, as well as their identities. They hailed from an organization named 'Heaven's Law'. All members of that organization were like him; 'abnormal ones' who possessed the power of Chaos. They believed that they were chosen by the Gods of this world to contribute to the evolution of humans. For that, they uncovered and awakened the power of Chaos in every corner of the world. The Akashic Slates in the moon bases were their main targets because according to the records of 'Heaven's Law', those slates bestowed on them miraculous powers. As a matter of fact, many of the higher-ups in Heaven's Law were the ones who unearthed the Akashic Slates. They claimed that they were enlightened by the slates during the excavation and also received special abilities. It was due to this reason that they were looking forward to taking away the Akashic Slates, bringing them to where they belonged.

However, after they failed to snatch the Akashic Slates, Heaven's Law changed their goal. They began working toward a 'brand new world', summoned subordinates to this new continent through the plane channels, and proceeded to expand the continent. This young man was one of them. He was just a small leader of Heaven's Law who was responsible for capturing the natives of this continent and injecting their so-called 'sacred powers' (in other words, the power of Chaos) into their bodies, turning them into their subjects and puppets. And now, they were in one of the bases of Heaven's Law. However, this base was only recently built and still in development.

Rhode also learned from that young man that after a period of time, they would send out selected candidates to the channel connected to the Seven Fantasy Boundaries. These people weren't aware of what was on the other end of the channel. But according to them, the selected candidates had accepted the will of the Saint and obtained the right to enter the channel.

I see.

After hearing the young man's narration, Rhode finally understood their background. It seemed like even though Marybelle dealt with most of the Chaos creatures back then, the Akashic Slates still left a relatively huge impact on Earth... Perhaps these guys were influenced by the Akashic Slates, which was why they turned to this.

"Good."

Rhode nodded with a smile and flipped the blade around.

"Next, I have a request."

He said, gazing at the pale young man.

"Could you tell me what that so-called experiment you mentioned earlier is?"

Chapter 1164: Ghost Under the Lava (2)

Even though Rhode was mentally prepared, his expressionless face turned ice-cold after witnessing the revolting rows of 'nourishment cabins' lined up before him. All of them were filled with a mysterious, turbid liquid that seemed to be mixed from knocked-over dyes. Submerged in the liquid were humans who looked like the primitive men that Rhode met before. However, they seemed weird as their bodies and limbs were as though some kind of biochemical, mutant specimens. If it weren't for their chests undulating slightly, Rhode would have thought that they were dead. But... even if they were alive, perhaps they weren't any different from the dead.

According to that young man, the reason why they captured the primitive men was so they could use the powers of the 'Saint' and modify them, turning them into loyal slaves. Rhode also did an experiment on him and discovered that the so-called 'power' in most of them was only stronger and faster in terms of strength, speed, and recovery rate. He also sensed an unusual presence in them. In the Dragon Soul Continent, this stage was only the initial symptoms of being infected by Chaos. Rhode couldn't help but lament that Earth was indeed just an ordinary world. If they were in the Dragon Soul Continent, they would be beaten to death by others with this little amount of power. Even if one were able to lift up a truck, a low-level mage could easily crush one powerlessly to the ground. And now, these guys hadn't figured out the characteristics of Chaos and were even dreaming of conquering the world? Did they really think that they would turn into Superman after surviving a jump from 60 floors?

Of course, not everyone had such ordinary abilities. According to the young man, the elders of Heaven's Law had much stronger powers. Not only could they listen to the teachings of the Saint, but they could also summon the Saint's apostles to battle as their stead, such as the massive shadowy creature lurking underneath the lava lake. Although the young man was unsure of its exact presence, according to him, that shadowy creature was summoned by the elders to assist them in accomplishing their mission.

"I heard you mentioning a woman who Chaos couldn't erode. What is that all about?"

All of a sudden, Rhode recalled about it and asked. Upon hearing his question, the man was taken aback and hesitated for a few seconds. But after shifting his attention to the blade pressing against his neck, he sucked in a breath of cold air and told Rhode everything he knew. That woman wasn't a native of this place, but was a spoil of war instead. They coincidentally discovered her when wiping out a tribe. Back then, she was sealed inside an ice crystal and looked seemingly dead. The elders sensed a powerful strength in her. They sent out men to dig her out of the ice crystal, brought her here and injected the 'sacred power' inside her. But what was strange was that unlike natives, even though they had injected the power of Chaos into her more than once, she didn't have any reactions. Other natives who were injected with the power of Chaos several times had mutated. But that woman was unaffected at all. Not only that, but even with the Saint doing it himself, he also couldn't affect her in any way. It was due to this reason that this woman was treated as a top secret. And now, they injected the power of Chaos into her at specific timings to observe her responses. What astonished them the most was that even though the woman seemed to be dead, her vital signs didn't disappear.

"Where is that woman now?"

After hearing the young man's description, Rhode swirled his eyes and asked. The young man swallowed his saliva and said in lingering fear.

"Experimental Subject Zero... is inside the restricted zone below the core central area. Only the three supervisors have access to that place..."

"Thanks for your cooperation."

Slash.

After getting the information he needed, Rhode slashed the throat of that unfortunate fellow before releasing a ball of black flame to devour him completely. Rhode narrowed his eyes and moved forward, disregarding the strange specimens around him. What he was most mindful and curious about now was the woman who resisted the power of Chaos. After all, no matter in which world, no such person capable of doing that had appeared before and even someone as powerful as Lydia had to flee from Chaos. But now, a woman actually defied the erosion of Chaos? That was something truly worthy of his attention.

Kacha...

Shortly after, Rhode reached the end of the 'specimen lab', tidied his clothes, and retrieved the ID card of that earlier young man. After allowing the sensor to scan the ID card, the large doors slid open silently. Rhode took advantage of this opportunity and accessed the room.

What presented before him was a wide, spacious, and circular room, which seemed to be the core area of this tower. Hiding in the shadows, Rhode spotted heavily-armored and weapon-wielding soldiers everywhere. Above the podium in the middle, there were three men clad in strange outfits. They discussed softly amongst themselves. They weren't donned in clothes from Earth, but the clothes were more like robes worn by spell casters in the Dragon Soul Continent.

"..."

Looking at this scene, Rhode stooped over and blended into another patch of shadows nearby without making a sound. He was certain that they weren't 'cosplaying' out of boredom because he clearly felt magical energy waves exuding from them. Despite that, their energy waves were different from that of spell casters in the Dragon Soul Continent. In the Dragon Soul Continent, the energy waves of spell casters were much more obvious. For instance, Mini Bubble Gum's energy waves were based on 'light', while Canary's was based on 'fire' and 'wind'. As long as one paid attention, one would sense the pure elemental aura coalesced around them. On the contrary, the magical aura around these people was impure. Drawing an analogy, it was as though they were the turbid sewage from industrial factories. Rhode investigated their aura further and was almost choked to death as though he were standing by an excessively polluted water source. It was apparent that these guys were on a higher level than those newbies earlier and in the Legendary Stage, at the very least. Rhode just didn't know if they were as masterful as spell casters in the Dragon Soul Continent in terms of spell usage...

Rhode pondered in silence. He had the intention of dragging this out, but he received news from Gracier and Madaras that everything was going well. Up until this point, these guys didn't realize anything fishy, which meant that the situation was also fine for Erin and Lydia.

But if this continues, we will be discovered by the enemies sooner or later...

At this thought, Rhode twitched his brows, took a step back, and leaned against the steel wall. Then, he merged into the darkness of the wall in a flash.

Using the advantage of the shadows, Rhode concealed himself in the darkness and successfully headed to his destination through blending into different patches of shadows. He went closer to the three men and they seemed to be having a fierce debate. However, Rhode couldn't understand their language at all. They were speaking a language that didn't belong to Earth or the Dragon Soul Continent. The language made the speaker sound like his throat was being smothered by flames and smoke, which sounded rather similar to the language of devils.

Could they be true Chaos beings?

Upon hearing their unknown language, Rhode puckered his brows. Chaos beings were the hardest enemies to deal with. Or perhaps, he should say that they were the toughest bunch to face. Even when dealing with devils, Rhode was able to read their moves to a certain extent, but Chaos beings were as though some sort of big-headed aliens. And now, these Chaos beings were essentially different from the ones he met earlier. For some unknown reason, he felt like these Chaos beings were much more bothersome to deal with than those in the game and the Dragon Soul Continent.

"...!"

At that moment, the debate between the trio became fiercer. When Rhode approached them silently, all of a sudden one of them seemed to detect something as he swept a glance toward Rhode's direction. Then, his expression changed instantly!

Sh*t!

Rhode was startled as soon as he saw the change in that man's expression. At that moment, he no longer cared about concealing himself. He leaped up and shuttled out of the shadows, swinging Succubus in his hand abruptly and scattering massive, scorching black flames at them. At the same time, he swung his left arm to the side, where a white trace of light traveled along his fingers and flew out of his fingertips. Then, a dazzling, holy light exploded. Celia emerged, raising her sword in a battle stance. She grunted and the sword in her hands metamorphosed into blinding thunders that struck at the enemies.

"...!"

Facing this ambush from Rhode, the trio was stunned. The man who seemed to be their leader widened his mouth and yelled, before pointing his finger forward. Shortly after, a transparent barrier appeared before them, stopping Rhode's attack forcefully. But it was a pity that Rhode had anticipated this response from them, which was why he released the black flames instantly. His blade ,tangled with black flames, slammed into the barrier heavily. At the next moment, the sturdy barrier shattered like glass instantly. Not only did it fail to resist Rhode's attack, but the magical power in it also lit up in black flames like fuel. In the blink of an eye, the barrier that protected them turned into their own death trap. Like a monster snapping its jaw open, the scorching black flames swallowed the trio entirely. Blood-curdling screeches resounded from within.

It seemed like the unfortunate trio didn't survive this attack.

But Rhode didn't slow down just yet. After dealing this attack, he rolled on the ground and flourished his black sword to the side immediately. At that moment, Rhode unleashed all of his strength. The black sword transformed into a pitch-black whip and erupted with twice its original strength. Black flames rolled and swept across the entire place.

Boom!

A deep explosion ruptured the room immediately. Before the guards reacted, they were sliced into half by that black whip and rushing black flames scattered to envelop the entire room.

"Phew..."

After the black flames dissipated like the receding tide, Rhode heaved a long sigh of relief, wiping away the beads of cold sweat on his forehead. He had unleashed all his strength on that earlier attack and yet, he wasn't able to wipe them all out at once. Fortunately, Celia was around to slaughter the fish that escaped the net. If not, perhaps the emergency siren would sound off and reinforcements would arrive to give them a harder time...

Rhode shook his head. He had never felt this exhausted in a while. After all, his swordsmanship wasn't geared toward facing multiple enemies. At that moment, he wished he were a spell caster instead. It was also a pity that he lacked spirit cards that could deal AOE attacks. If it were in the past, he would have used 'Casali under the night sky' to drag those people into another world. But after sacrificing it to demolish Agios of Chaos, he could only kill the enemies one at a time now.

Even though this attack from him was somewhat reckless, he discovered that due to some unknown reason, the soldiers scattered around the tower had all assembled in this place. No wonder Rhode felt like there were more soldiers here. Now that he thought about it, perhaps it was about this matter that the trio quarreled. However, he wasn't sure of what they were fighting about. He put this matter aside and checked in with the rest using spiritual communication.

As expected, everything was perfect with Gracier and Madaras. As white elf assassins, this mission was simply made for them. Of course, their luck was also much better than Rhode's as they didn't face any mysterious and odd characters. It seemed like Rhode's luck was on the down side. Out of all the towers, he chose the one with the strongest defenses, which was why he was so exhausted now.

Rhode dwindled his thoughts and commanded both of them to check in with Erin and Lydia after completing their task. If everything was normal, he would command Mini Bubble Gum to lead the rest away as quickly as possible.

After ensuring that everything was fine, Rhode turned around and headed to the middle of the hall.

As Rhode went all-out earlier, half of the hall was demolished. The large door and floors that were used to cover up the stairwell vanished, which was why Rhode spotted it easily. He couldn't help but feel curious about the information he received from that young man. He wanted to see what kind of person was able to resist the invasion of Chaos. Shortly after, he descended the stairwell.

The secret room below wasn't hard to find, especially after Rhode wreaked havoc above. He reached the bottom of the stairwell and saw an opened room with the woman he was looking for. Just like other primitive men, she was also imprisoned inside a nourishment cabin. The turbid aura was apparently much stronger than the rest. But what surprised Rhode was that this wasn't just the power from that mysterious aura, but from the woman instead.

Rhode thought she was also a half-creature like other primitive men. But after seeing her for himself, he discovered that she was like a perfectly normal human. She had smooth, pitch-black long hair and a fair complexion. Her exquisite facial features weren't any different from humans. At that moment, her eyes were closed as though she were dead. If it weren't for her slightly undulating chest, perhaps Rhode would have thought she was just a corpse.

"Hmm?"

Shortly after, Rhode felt like something was amiss. He couldn't help but twitch his brow curiously. Although the woman was right before him, Rhode couldn't feel her aura at all. He felt the power of Chaos and the presence of elements around her, but just couldn't sense her presence. It was as though a large hole was in the place she was in and apart from the feeling of nothingness, there was no other physical presence.

"What do you think about it?"

Rhode stretched out his arm, gazed at the woman, and said softly. Upon hearing his doubt, his younger sister let out a sigh.

"I don't know, Big Brother. This situation is really rare. I've never seen anything like this... But I think she must be one of the survivors back then."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing her response, Rhode twitched his brows. Just as he was about to question, Canary's anxious voice sounded in his head all of a sudden.

"This is bad, Rhode, that creature is starting to move!"

apter 1165: Ghost Under the Lava (3)

Rumbles...

Along with Canary's reminder, Rhode felt the ground quickly trembling. The Chaos aura underneath his feet was surging and becoming denser. It seemed like his outburst of power was eventually detected by that damned creature. Not only that, but Rhode also sensed the wild power of Chaos rushing constantly, bringing along an extremely dangerous aura!

"Bubble, how's the situation?!"

Rhode hesitated no more and contacted Bubble immediately. Upon hearing his concern, Bubble No. 2 responded quickly.

"We're making our way there. We need around three minutes to reach the door. There aren't any obstacles along the way, though..."

"Pick up the pace and pass through the door immediately... Argh, damn it!"

The instant Rhode commanded Mini Bubble Gum, he suddenly heard a series of 'crackling' sounds that startled him. He turned around and witnessed the dense power of Chaos encircling the cabins below, erupting wildly. Turbid liquid eroded the specimen-looking primitive men who began to struggle. Judging from their bulging trembling bodies and horns growing from their foreheads, these people apparently had no intention of gaining freedom after breaking free from the shackles.

"Argh, annoying as hell!"

Looking at this scene, Rhode curled his lips in displeasure. Of course, he didn't have the bad habit of game protagonists who only attacked after the transformation-animation of the BOSS was completed. The instant he witnessed the change, he dashed ahead with his sword. In a series of flashing blade rays and crisp cracks, the surrounding cabins shattered immediately. The specimens that were 'transforming' also collapsed to the assault. But this didn't assure Rhode just yet because he was aware that there were thousands of similar creatures like them above.

It seemed like Rhode was right. These Chaos beings had no intention of letting those idiots, who acted all high-and-mighty after attaining some power of Chaos, be their subordinates. Even if Rhode didn't attack this time, they would still be eliminated by the primitive men who were completely contaminated by Chaos. What was funny was that those guys actually thought the Chaos beings treated them as worthy and were unaware that Chaos beings didn't give a damn about kindness and shame at all. Even though they resembled humans, in the eyes of Chaos beings, they were nothing more than useful tools.

... Hum...!

At that moment, Rhode suddenly heard a strange sound that startled him. He turned around and spotted the woman imprisoned in the middle cabin emanating brilliant rays. The power of Chaos surged from above to below, surrounding the woman entirely and attempting to devour her as though it were conscious, turning her into a presence of Chaos. But what shocked Rhode was that upon facing the erosion of Chaos, that woman didn't have any reaction at all. On the contrary, the primitive men who couldn't resist the invasion of Chaos had as though turned into monsters injected by a virus. The surging power of Chaos encircled her violently and yet, failed to take over her body. Not only that, but the woman also erupted brilliant white rays from her body that instantly converted the turbid power of Chaos into Order!

Who is she?

"Do you know what that power is?"

"I-I don't know, Big Brother..."

Rhode's younger sister's voice was also filled with surprise. It was apparent that she was also astounded by what she witnessed.

"Only the five Creator Dragons have such power. But I'm sure that only five of us were born!"

"Could she be a new Creator Dragon who was born afterward? After all, weren't you guys born the same way?"

"It's different, Big Brother. Back then, we were born alongside this continent, so we obtained the ability to create the world. But now, there aren't any changes to this world..."

"Forget it, no matter what she is, let's head out first."

The trembles underneath his feet became even more violent. Rhode realized that the situation was turning worse. He no longer had the time to discuss with his younger sister about the background of that mysterious woman. However, since the woman was able to turn Chaos into Order, she would be considered someone on their side. Without much hesitation, Rhode smashed the cabin before him and swiftly rescued the woman. At that moment, he heard vague bellows from ferocious beasts. It went without saying that the creatures completely modified by the power of Chaos were ready to attack. Rhode concealed his strength no more. He dashed ahead in a ray of dazzling light, bursting through the steel wall of the tower with the woman in his arms.

"Your Majesty Rhode!"

"Leader!"

The instant he darted out, he spotted the others who were sprinting toward the door. By Marybelle's and Mini Bubble Gum's lead, the group was moving quickly. Meanwhile, the lava surrounding them was constantly boiling. The ground trembled and everything seemed like an omen of the end of the world. Rhode's group, which was searching for him, heaved a huge sigh of relief upon seeing him. Shortly after, Gracier, Madaras, Mini Bubble Gum, and the rest went up to him.

"Your Majesty Rhode, those people are being contaminated by the power of Chaos..."

Before Lydia finished her sentence, Rhode extended his arm and interrupted abruptly.

"I know, retreat immediately! Our goal isn't to fight. It doesn't matter to us what happens to this place. Everyone, head to the door now. After Marybelle opens it, we will leave right away!"

Rhode tossed the woman on his shoulder over to Erin. Erin caught the seemingly-asleep woman and couldn't help but feel shocked.

"This woman is already dead. Your Majesty Rhode, why are you..."

"There are some interesting secrets about her. Bring her along. We're leaving this place now!"

Upon realizing the terrible situation, Rhode gave his command and dashed toward the door.

The situation was horrible.

When Rhode arrived at the door, he noticed the two Canarys gnashing their teeth and raising their arms palely. Along with their actions, the blazing lava rushed continuously like vicious monsters. Under the scarlet and scorching lava, the huge, indistinct shadowy figure was seen moving. It was apparent to Rhode that the two Canarys were manipulating the lava to overwhelm and stop that terrifying creature. But it seemed like they couldn't hang on for much longer!

"R-Rhode!"

Upon seeing Rhode's arrival, the two Canarys felt relaxed instantly. But shortly after, they gritted their teeth again and made a few hand gestures. Along with their movements, scarlet runes appeared in their hands one by one, trembling constantly. It could be seen that they were under tremendous pressure. But now, the only thing Rhode could do was to let them hang on by themselves.

As Rhode's group wiped out the obstacles earlier, they didn't face too many hurdles now. Moreover, even though most of them weren't as powerful as Rhode and Lydia, they weren't too far behind in strength either. At full sprint, the group passed through the pitch-black, steel bridge and arrived at the plaza of the door. The guards around here were also dealt with by Gracier and Madaras earlier, so there wasn't anyone causing trouble for them.

"Marybelle, how much longer do you need?!"

"I need some time, Your Majesty!"

While raising the magic wand high in her hand, Marybelle knitted her brows and yelled.

"This door has been invaded by Chaos. I need to purify the power of Chaos and establish a connection with the door. If I forcefully open the door, it will break the barrier between the Seven Fantasy Boundaries and this world and cause even more catastrophes later!"

"How much time do you need?"

"10 minutes!"

Marybelle responded shortly. Then, she floated off the surface slightly, opening her mouth to chant a mysterious incantation. Shortly after, runes appeared around her one by one. As though corresponding with them, similar but larger runes showed up around the pure, white door in front of everyone. However, the speed of the larger runes was much slower than the ones around Marybelle. It was apparent that just like Marybelle had mentioned, this process required a lot of time.

10 minutes.

Upon hearing her response, Rhode stood before the steel bridge and gazed at the tower above. At that moment, it was completely destroyed. Thousands of creatures contaminated by Chaos shrieked and pounced on his group. Looking at this scene, Rhode snorted. The blade in his hand erupted a blinding radiance as razor-sharp blade airwaves burst forward. Facing the blade airwaves, the sturdy, steel bridge twisted instantly like a fried dough twist, letting out a series of creaks before breaking and shattering entirely. The Chaos creatures apparently didn't expect this to happen. After losing their footing, they fell into the lava lake instantly, letting out blood-curdling screeches before melting away in the extreme heat. Even though there were some Chaos creatures that struggled and continued to pounce on Rhode's group rashly, Lydia and Erin weren't ones to be trifled with either. They released a net of blade rays that flashed across the sky, smashing the brazen Chaos creatures.

Everything's going well.

Looking at the cut-off path behind them, as well as the crumbling base of Heaven's Law, Rhode nodded in satisfaction. It seemed like they most likely wouldn't face any more issues on this side of the bridge. And now, all they had to do was to wait for Marybelle to complete her task. If everything went well, they would need at most 10 minutes to leave this world through the door and arrive at the Dragon Soul Continent. This disastrous journey would then finally come to an end.

But... Would things really be that simple?

Boom!

All of a sudden, yet another wave of violent rumbles sounded. In an instant, gravel and sand fluttered in the air. In this enormous impact, the underground cave began to show signs of collapse. Rhode grimaced as he witnessed the white walls turning black under the erosion of Chaos. He was familiar with this scene because not too long ago, that creature also used this method to forcefully open up the door. And now, he wouldn't be that foolish to think that the creature was kind enough to open the door and let him escape.

Indeed, as darkness penetrated deeper, the runes appearing one by one and circling the door became slower in speed, where some had even come to a halt. Marybelle closed her eyes and her forehead was covered in beads of sweat. It was obvious that she was facing a huge and stubborn resistance.

That thing sure is smart, huh!

Looking at this scene, Rhode grunted and turned to Canary quickly.

"Are both of you able to hang on?"

"We're trying, but it is really strong!"

"In that case, stop restraining it and begin to attack!"

Upon hearing Canary's answer, Rhode gave a decisive command. He initially decided to let them manipulate the lava and restrain the creature until Marybelle opened the door for them to escape. Rhode couldn't care less about that creature since this wasn't a game. He wouldn't receive any EXP or equipment even if he killed it and had to waste time too. But now, it seemed like he needed to change his plan. If not, perhaps his group would be buried in lava before Marybelle succeeded.

"Canary, release!"

"Got it!"

Although Rhode's voice sounded rather unclear, at that moment, the two young ladies displayed their great camaraderie with him. They yelled in unison and raised their arms, extended forward! Along with this movement, the surging lava lake split to two. Then, the true identity of that mysterious shadowy creature lurking in the deep lava was finally revealed before their eyes!

"What in the world? That thing is so damn disgusting!"

Although Rhode had witnessed several types of tentacles and was more or less mentally prepared, after seeing the creature for himself, he couldn't help but feel nauseous. Fortunately, he didn't have any food earlier. If not, he would have thrown up by now.

What displayed before everyone was an enormous, black, slimy creature. At a glance, it was like a puddle of melted jelly that coagulated again. After being left untouched for a long time, it turned into rotten trash. It was so revolting that one had a hard time looking straight at its huge body of layering black and deep green colors. Not only that, but all sorts of eyes had also covered its body. The innumerable eyes widened from the slippery body, glaring at the group. The Chaos aura dispersed, causing their hearts to palpitate with terror.

"Ooo———!!"

In an ear-deafening roar, tentacles shuttled out of its body and lashed at the group standing around the door.

"Protect Marybelle! Get ready to battle!"

Facing this attack, Rhode brandished the sword at the enormous creature. Bright, shimmering blade rays turned into flashes of lightning bolts that exploded, striking heavily on one of the tentacles, smashing it into bits in the blink of an eye. At the same time, the two Canarys snarled and pointed their fingers forward. Two fire serpents coalesced from the lava burst out, widening their jaws and crashing onto the gigantic creature. But it seemed like this Chaos creature wasn't easy to deal with as even the all-out attack from them was only able to leave insignificant scratches on its body. Not only that, but in the blink of an eye, the wounds from the blazing heat vanished entirely.

Meanwhile, the rest had gotten to work. After all, they were also powerful; it was just that they didn't have the chance to showcase their skills earlier. And now, it was time for them to display their formidable strength.

The pair of elf sisters held each other's hand, chanted softly, and rays of lightning bolts emerged and struck the huge body of that Chaos creature. Standing beside them was a shriveled old man clad in a black robe. He waved his arms as though he were chanting a curse. Shortly after, a mysterious gray rune took shape between his hands. He clapped his hands together and with this action, the plain space distorted abruptly, shredding three to four tentacles into bits in the blink of an eye.

A man clad in battle armor turned into a lightning bolt as he dashed across the sky. He clutched a heavy sword that was taller than him, snarling and hacking the tentacles one after another. As the fluttering tentacles flew toward him, an enormous shield spun and descended from above, protecting the man from the menacing lashes. The two-meters-tall shield rolled away upon impact and a young lady with cat ears and a tail emerged and jumped out of it. She hurled a punch forward and the shield whirled frontward once again.

It seemed like there were lots of mixed-blood shield warriors around here.

But this wasn't enough.

Even though the strength of these people was enough to resist the attack of that Chaos creature, Rhode needed even stronger attacks to repel and stop it from continuing to erode the door. These attackers were Marybelle's subordinates, so Rhode had no idea how to command them in battle. Fortunately, he wasn't entirely out of ideas.

"Your Highness Erin!"

"Got it, Your Majesty Rhode."

Upon hearing his command, Erin flew skyward, lowering her head and gazing at the Chaos creature. Then...

The moon princess took a deep breath.

Chapter 1166: Door of the Fantasy World

Boom!

The exploded dragon breath blasted the body of that massive Chaos creature. This formidable might was so unbearable that it forced the creature to screech in retreat. Several tentacles that were about to attack Marybelle were burned to bits by the blazing heat. The speed of Chaos erosion decreased correspondingly. Marybelle's strength took the upper hand. Along with the impact of the dragon breath, the entire underground cave rumbled in violent trembles. The arm-wide fissures extended along the walls and grounds and huge stones fell from the ceiling. Looking at this scene, Rhode couldn't help but exclaim in shock. The reason why he didn't attack earlier was because he was afraid of causing too much damage to the place. If they were on the surface, he would have attacked however he wanted. But it was a pity that they were underground. If the place crumbled, perhaps they would be buried alive before the enemy had a chance to annihilate them. The only thing he could do now was to hope that his side was stronger than the enemy's and they could repel the enormous creature in the shortest time possible. As long as they were able to open the door of the fantasy world, he had nothing to be afraid of.

"Watch above you and don't get buried! Bubble, activate the enchanted field!"

"Aye-aye, Leader!"

Upon hearing Rhode's command, the two Mini Bubble Gums turned grim and chanted a spell together. Shortly after, the empty space around them flickered in a bright light, where hundreds of golden lines appeared out of nowhere, coalescing into an enormous, semi-circular barrier over everyone. Upon witnessing their actions, the other clerics stood to their feet and in an instant, blinding spiritual lights enfolded the entire underground cave, stabilizing the area on their side.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

However, the other areas weren't as fortunate. Rhode saw large stones collapsing from the ceiling, shattering the steel bridge and tower into bits. It was apparent that Erin's dragon breath almost destroyed the base of this cave. If they didn't open and get into the door in time, there would be huge troubles!

"How much longer do you need?!"

"Three minutes!"

Three minutes—neither too long nor short.

Rhode gripped his sword and zoomed ahead. The Chaos creature that was struck by Erin's attack slowed down and attacked steadily. Hundreds of blade-like tentacles drilled out of its body and swept across the plaza. However, the ones present on the plaza weren't hopeless fools either. Even though they weren't able to defeat the Chaos creature with their strength, eliminating the tentacles wasn't tough for them at all. Besides, with Rhode, Gracier, and Madaras providing support, they could help one get away from the entanglement of the tentacles immediately if needed. Therefore, facing the Chaos creature's attack, Rhode's side didn't struggle too much.

But the problem was that time wasn't on his side.

Due to the erosion from the Chaos creature, the 10 minutes that Marybelle needed were long over. 15 minutes were gone now. There was only one rune left circulating the door of the fantasy world. This was their final hurdle. Even though Erin's attack repelled the Chaos creature, the latter gained control over the power of Chaos, which hadn't subsided entirely, and once again stopped Marybelle's power.

"This is getting really troublesome."

Rhode grunted at the sight of the Chaos creature's swaying tentacles. Even though he could get Erin to release another dragon breath, they might get buried alive before the door was opened. However, they couldn't defeat the creature if their side wasn't strong enough. Rhode was caught in a tough spot now. His side clearly had formidable power and yet, he had to act cautiously. If Marybelle weren't occupied with opening the door and he had spell casters who specialized in the earth element to stabilize the crumbling underground cave, he wouldn't be watching helplessly now. But if Marybelle failed to open the door at this crucial moment, they would be doomed.

"Everyone, use all your strength to stabilize this place!"

Rhode made up his mind. He yelled and pushed his right arm forward as a card appeared in his hand. He turned to Erin and Lydia.

"Your Highness Erin and Your Highness Lydia, I'm going to attack now. You two, continue to stabilize the space!"

"Yes, Your Majesty Rhode."

Upon hearing his command, the two young ladies turned solemn. They exchanged looks with each other and simultaneously raised their swords high up. In an instant, the golden radiance of the sun and silver-whitish illumination of the moon exploded. The duo of blinding and gentle lights fused as one. In this all-out attack from them, the collapsing place instantly stopped rumbling. The falling stones from above also hovered in space as though time had stopped.

But the truth was otherwise.

The moment they attacked, the elves behind Rhode also gathered in a circle, raised their right arms, and drew an incredibly simple rune in midair. Shortly after, an enormous tree broke through the ground and grew upward in violent trembles. Countless thick, strong, green vines shuttled out of the branches and stabbed into the stone walls and ceiling that were on the verge of collapse. In the blink of an eye, a small, green world appeared in this underground madness filled with scorching, high temperature lavas. The brilliance of the sun and moon erupted, shrouding the Chaos creature completely in a sparkling brilliance. The Chaos creature shivered and its fluttering tentacles slowed down drastically.

What a perfect duo.

Looking at this magnificent view, Rhode couldn't help but lift his head and sweep a glance at Erin and Lydia. Of course, he knew that their strength was weaker than the Creator Dragons, but was still surprised that the combined forces of the sun and moon had reached the mightiness of the Creator Dragons, which wasn't easily achievable by anyone.

Come to think of it, shouldn't these two head back and do a test to see if they are long-lost sisters?

This thought appeared in Rhode's head for a split second when suddenly, he tossed the card in his hand. The black card exploded, releasing a circle of dazzling light. Shortly after, in loud, thunderous booms, an enormous steel cannon burst out of the ground and aimed at the Chaos creature ahead.

Boom!

At the next moment, a glaring brilliance erupted, causing even the radiance of the sun and moon to look dim in comparison. In an instant, it was as though the end of the world were here as everyone sunk into the illusion of complete darkness. Violent trembles and deafening explosions filled their ears as they engulfed the underground cave.

"Roarrrrr!"

Upon being struck by this lethal attack, the Chaos creature retreated quickly. At the same time, the underground cave that was on the verge of collapse began to crumble. Countless bits of gravel and stone broke off from the ceiling and in the blink of an eye, it buried the lava lake underneath, along with the enormous creature. Even though Rhode's group was prepared for this and wasn't impacted heavily, they also lost their footing as though they were on a boat struggling to stay alive in rough seas.

"———!"

At that moment, they suddenly heard the sound of bursting flames. As the Chaos creature retreated, the final rune was finally completed under Marybelle's lead. The pure, white door gradually opened with scorching aura slipping in from behind the door, metamorphosing into tempests that blustered across the land like a curtain of flames. In an instant, the ground around them withered. Looking at this scene, Rhode knew he had no time to waste anymore. He had already heard the booming rumbles of the cracking earth's crust. It was apparent that this was what Marybelle warned him about—not to use the power of the Creator Dragon as it would attract even bigger trouble.

Strictly speaking, even though Rhode didn't use the power of the Creator Dragon, Erin's and Lydia's combined attack was as though the power of a newborn Creator Dragon. It was obvious that there was something in the gap between Order and Chaos that sensed this power and was charging toward them right now.

"Everyone get in!"

Under Rhode's command, the group abandoned the battle and dashed straight for the opened stone door. Lydia and Erin also detected the mysterious and terrifying presence chasing them. They withdrew their attacking realm without any hesitation. After losing the envelopment of the sun's and moon's realm, the underground cave crumbled and the earth shattered, sending sand rushing downward. The ancient trees that the elves summoned barely lasted for seconds as it vanished upon down the mudslide. Just as the underground cave was buried completely, the white, heavy stone door finally closed behind them.

Boom!

Gazing at the stone door that closed heavily behind them, Rhode heaved a long sigh of relief. But he didn't let loose yet because he continued to sense the mysterious strength approaching them. Even though he wasn't sure if it was able to shatter the plane of existence barrier of the Seven Fantasy Boundaries, he apparently had no intention of confirming this doubt now. He turned around, gathered the rest, and left immediately.

The Fiery Plains.

As one of the regions in the Seven Fantasy Boundaries, the Fiery Plains could be considered the common border of the fire elemental plane and hell. Just as the name suggested, it was a plain burning in flames. The fire element here was plentiful, while other elements were pitiful and almost non-existent in comparison. At a glance, everywhere was covered in scarlet. Be it flowers, grass, or tree bark, they were all in a dazzling hue of red. The sky looked like a burning iron furnace, while the heat on the ground could scald one's hand. Most creatures that lived here were fire elemental creatures and some creatures from hell also resided here.

Of course, these elemental creatures couldn't match up to Rhode's group. Moreover, as Lydia's attribute was the 'sun', she was somehow related to this place, which allowed her to grasp the authority of the fire elemental plane to a certain degree. Marybelle, as the Presence Deity Warden, naturally wouldn't be affected by the elements. As long as she tapped her magic wand, she could create a fountain in the middle of the dry, burning plains to quench everyone's thirst. The harsh environments of the Seven Fantasy Boundaries also wouldn't affect Rhode's group too much.

But...

"Fortunately, we found ourselves at the Fiery Plains and not the Silver Ocean or Shadow Ravine."

Mini Bubble Gum shook her head and lamented, before lifting her head and gazing at the sky. Upon hearing her remarks, Rhode agreed. Apart from the harsh environmental conditions of the Fiery Plains, they could treat this journey as though they were walking in a desert. But if they were in the Silver Ocean or Shadow Ravine instead, they would be in bigger trouble. The Shadow Ravine was filled with aggressive and bothersome shadowy creatures who lurked in darkness and attacked anyone in sight. On the other hand, just as the name suggested,the Silver Ocean was a wide ocean. Rhode's group of around 100 people didn't even own a boat now, so they couldn't possibly dog-paddle their way to shore, right?

But it wouldn't be bad if they were to arrive in the Astral Temple. After all, it was under Christie's jurisdiction and Rhode had always wanted to meet the real 'Christie'. But according to the rest, Christie was unable to leave the Astral Temple for now, so Rhode felt like it was somewhat of a wasted opportunity.

After journeying for around half a day and ensuring that no troubles were following them, Rhode finally ordered everyone to take a break. At that moment, he received news from Lydia about the woman he saved earlier.

"What's the situation with her?"

As soon as Rhode arrived at the tent, he saw his group surrounding the woman, gazing at her with strange looks. Upon hearing his question, Lydia knitted her brows and turned to him curiously.

"Your Majesty Rhode, where did you find her?"

"This was what happened..."

Rhode had no intention of hiding the truth and explained the happenings inside that tower. After hearing his narration, Canary and Mini Bubble Gum were taken aback, while Erin and Lydia remained unfazed. It was apparent that they also witnessed the imprisoned primitive men, but since they were eroded by Chaos, they knew that they couldn't be rescued. Rhode also told them about what happened with the woman, and even Marybelle couldn't help but feel astounded. After all, subconsciously resisting the invasion of Chaos wasn't easily achievable by just anyone, and her body even turned Chaos into Order.

"By the way, what's the issue with her?"

Rhode returned to the main topic and asked curiously. Upon hearing his question, Lydia and Mini Bubble Gum revealed some awkward expressions. Then, Lydia took a step forward and said.

"This... Your Majesty Rhode, even though I don't know the exact situation with her... according to our observations, she is indeed dead."

"Dead?"

Rhode was gobsmacked.

"It's impossible. I clearly feel her heart beating."

"Her heart is indeed beating. But Leader, I'm sure she is dead... The system prompt also tells me that."

Even though Bubble No. 2 didn't clarify her words, Rhode understood what she meant. As a projection, she shared the same system with him, so it went without saying that she received the same information as him. It was similar to when a cleric healed someone. When the target was already dead, healing would be for nothing and the system prompt of [Target Is Dead] would show up before her eyes. But now... Rhode turned to the woman with an odd expression. Not only did he feel her heart beating, but her chest was also undulating in plain sight. No matter how he saw it, she seemed just like a person in deep sleep. Could it be that the system had an error? Even though it wasn't entirely impossible, Rhode felt like the possibilities were too small.

"She doesn't seem to be alive, Your Majesty Rhode."

At that moment, Lydia said.

"I tried it. Her body is completely healthy. No, rather than saying that she's healthy, I would rather say that she gives me a feeling similar to construct-vehicles. Everything seems normal, but it can't work without its core."

"In other words, it is a battle between clones! Leader, I suspect she's a clone of a driver-less, human-shaped robot, just that she doesn't look like one."

Facing Mini Bubble Gum's remarks, Rhode pondered for a bit and finally understood what she meant.

In other words, this woman is only a body without a spirit? Is her spirit asleep? Or is her spirit already dead?

Rhode considered the possibilities. But eventually, another thought appeared in his head all of a sudden.

"Let me give it a shot."

Rhode said and went up to the woman. He stretched out his arm.

Shortly after, a line of system prompt appeared before him.

[Activate Spirit Language]

A silver-whitish magical radiance emanated from his palm, metamorphosing into an intricate magical ritual. At that moment, everyone else stepped away, gazing at him curiously from the side. Rhode stared solemnly at the woman. After confirming his target, he switched his thoughts and along with his movements, the summoning ritual erupted in a golden brilliance! Then...

It disappeared completely.

"Ugh..."

Rhode laid down his right hand. He gazed awkwardly at the woman, looked at the group around him as they stared blankly, and forced a smile.

"It seems like I can't awaken her soul..."

Rhode said and couldn't help but gaze at the system prompt before his eyes. There was only one statement.

[Unable to detect target. Activation failed]