Chapter 1475: Change in Sky City
Hackzord ultimately chose to cooperate.
Rational thought alone made it the obvious choice — and yet to watch a senior demon lord be persuaded by a young witch, to see him reconsider and rescind a position held for centuries, was something that tightened every chest in the room and made people stand a little straighter.
His only condition was to confirm what Anna had described. It was granted.
Under close God’s Punishment Witch escort, Hackzord and Serakkas entered the bedroom and saw Roland lying still. The beam of light above him burned brilliant, wide enough to envelop nearly half the floating island.
“If this were half a year ago, I would have been overjoyed by this sight.” Hackzord put away his five-colored magic stone and exhaled. “Have you tried connecting to the Dream World?”
“Of course. We haven’t succeeded.” Phyllis answered. “Our souls are no longer accepted by that world, and our companions who were inside are also unconscious. There is no way to reach His Majesty Roland. The connection between the worlds has been severed.”
“On the brighter side — at least he has two witches with him.” Hackzord shrugged, then turned to Anna. “The Western Front plan spans nearly a century. Its purpose was to transport Red Mist from the Bottomless Land into human territory. It includes more than a Birth Tower — there’s a passageway concealed in the mountains, and its entrance is less than a mountain’s distance from Everwinter’s Northern Region. Sending your reinforcements to the Bottomless Land does not require anything elaborate from me. If you are willing to take the risk, I can open the Distortion Door.”
“That is ideal,” Anna said. “I trust that with Silent Disaster as escort, your subordinates will accept us using this shortcut.”
Letting a senior demon lord manage the demons in the passageway was a bold suggestion. The room felt it. But it was Hackzord who chuckled.
“An interesting young lady. It’s fine with me — but she will have to agree.”
Serakkas removed her black helm. Long hair fell free, completely at odds with the armor. Her face — strikingly feminine, surprising anyone who had never seen it before — took in Anna for a moment.
“I have a condition,” she said. “When you bring Roland deep into the Bottomless Land, I wish to enter with you.”
“Is it for Nightmare Lord?” Anna asked directly.
Serakkas gave no answer.
“I agree,” Anna said.
At the affirmative, Silent Disaster replaced her helmet and walked out first, leaving the rest of the conversation behind her. She had no interest in any of it.
Hackzord had long since adapted to her ways. “Let us move somewhere else and discuss how to approach Mist Island — and the Sky-sea Realm currently occupying it.”
Shortly after arriving at the base, Roland and Valkries were escorted by an attendant to a hall. Many were already gathered there — most clustered at the rear; Roland was led toward the front. The person seated beside him was a familiar face: Fei Yuhan, the celebrity martial artist prodigy.
Roland had accepted his entrapment in the Dream World with more calm than he expected. Perhaps he had already resigned himself to the possibility that an Oracle would not give up easily. If he were still in Neverwinter, the situation might have caused genuine damage; but humanity’s greatest threat, the Deity of Gods, had fallen. The floating island’s isolation, maintained by Eleanor, cut off most channels of information. His unconsciousness, from the outside world’s view, would not immediately unravel everything. As long as he dealt with whoever was behind this quickly enough, all would hold.
The three exchanged brief greetings. Even in those few words, Roland caught something — Valkries’s manner toward Fei Yuhan was notably warmer than toward him.
When did the senior demon lord get so close to this particular martial artist?
I’ve been the one supplying Peninsula coffee all this time.
Minutes later, Defender Rock entered the hall. The room fell silent at his first words.
“Everyone, we have a serious problem.”
He pressed a control pen. Images appeared on the screen behind him.
A collective intake of breath.
The pictures showed red holes opening in city streets — some large enough to bisect skyscrapers, some barely large enough to swallow a car. Martial artists knew what they were looking at. This was Erosion, the same phenomenon that had destroyed Prism City.
The people caught within those holes were already gone. But that was not the worst of it. Around the holes, in every picture, stood Fallen Evils — dozens of them, pressing toward the red voids as if offering themselves.
“Sacrifice,” Fei Yuhan said, barely above a whisper.
“That’s my reading as well.” Roland nodded. He had seen this before — during the mission to destroy the Fallen Evils, the enemy had used a large accumulation of cores to trigger Erosion directly, summoning pure magic monsters. What was happening now had simply bypassed one step.
The city they were currently in remained undisturbed. That only clarified the problem.
“These images came from Sky City’s outskirts,” Rock said gravely. “The invasion has left the area in extreme chaos. No one knows the source. No one knows the state of Headquarters. Cars fleeing, refugees everywhere. The martial artists who sent these pictures may no longer be alive.” He paused. “This is a war launched by the Fallen Evils. We must move to reinforce Sky City immediately.”
He glanced at Roland as he said it.
“Given the urgency, detailed plans will be briefed on arrival. Transporters depart in thirty minutes from the Association’s camp. There are no delays and no faction distinctions in this operation — it is also the best chance any of you will get to demonstrate what you can do.”
The meeting ended quickly. Rock kept Roland back.
“Mr. Roland… we were ultimately one step too slow.”
Ever since Roland had demonstrated his capacity to absorb cores, Prism City’s leadership had discussed turning over the remaining stored cores from each branch to him. Many had agreed. But Sky City — the Association’s center of gravity — had never given a definitive answer. And now this was what they had received instead.
Roland thought for a moment and shook his head slowly. “We may have been too slow from the very beginning.”
Rock went still, then caught his meaning. The color changed in his face. “How is that possible? Sky City has multiple Defenders stationed there — I was on the phone with the President not long ago—”
“I can’t think of another explanation for so many Fallen Evils appearing at once. Only Sky City holds that many Force of Nature cores.” Roland kept his voice even. “The red beam fired from the top of Sky City. The Fallen Evils swarming the streets. The sudden Erosion — none of this could have been set up on short notice. Looking back, the fact that nothing happened after Prism City was destroyed was always strange. Enemies don’t simply stop.”
”…”
“Which means the President you spoke to on the phone is either already dead—” Roland let each word land separately. “Or is the Oracle himself.”
Chapter 1475 - Change in Sky City
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Hackzord eventually chose to cooperate.
Even though all that was needed was rational thought to make the most reasonable choice, to see a senior demon lord convinced by a young witch and have him rescind his views bolstered everyone’s chest and left it burning. They could not help but raise their heads higher.
The only request Sky Lord had was to confirm the situation as Anna said, and it was permitted by her.
Under the tight security of the God’s Punishment Witches, Hackzord and Serakkas saw Roland in bed. The beam of light over him remained magnificent, nearly capable of enveloping half the floating island.
“If this were half a year earlier, I would definitely be overjoyed seeing this scene.” Hackzord put away the five-colored magic stone and sighed slightly. “Have you attempted to connect to the Dream World?”
“Of course, but we didn’t succeed.” Replying him was Phyllis. “Our souls are no longer accepted by that world, and our companions who were in there are also unconscious. This makes it impossible for us to pass His Majesty Roland any news. The connection between the two worlds are presently severed.”
“On the brighter side of things, at the very least, he has two witches accompanying him.” Hackzord shrugged and said to Anna, “The Western Front plan is a plan that has lasted nearly a century. It’s to transport the Red Mist from the Bottomless Land into human territory. Not only does it include a Birth Tower, it also has a passageway hidden among the mountains. And the entrance of this passageway is only the distance of a mountain away from Everwinter’s Northern Region. Therefore, sending your reinforcements to the
Bottomless Land doesn’t require me to go through repeated hassles. If you are willing to take the risk, I can open the Distortion Door for you.”
“That’s for the best,” Anna said with a nod. “I believe that with Silent Disaster escorting them, your subordinates will not mind that we are borrowing this shortcut.”
By letting a senior demon lord to keep the stirring demons in place was no doubt a bold suggestion. The others could not help but break out into a cold sweat; yet, it was Hackzord who chuckled.
“What an interesting young lady. It’s fine with me, but it will depend on her.”
Serakkas took off her fearsome black helmet and revealed her gorgeous long hair which didn’t match her outer appearance. Her extremely feminine face surprised all those who had never seen her true face. She sized up Anna for a moment before saying, “I have a condition. When you bring Roland deep into the Bottomless Land, I wish to enter as well.”
“Is it for Nightmare Lord?” Anna asked directly.
Serakkas did not answer.
“I agree to your request,” she said seriously in the end.
After receiving an affirmative reply, Silent Disaster wore her helmet again and walked out of the bedroom first.
Clearly, she did not wish to interfere with any of the subsequent plans.
Hackzord seemed to be accustomed to her way of doing things. “Let us switch venues to discuss on how we should head for the Mist Island which is occupied by the Sky-sea Realm.”
…
Shortly after arriving at the base, Roland and Valkries were invited to a hall by an attendant.
There were already many peers in the hall. Most of them were gathered in the region towards the back, while he was led to the front. The person sitting beside him was also a relatively familiar face, the celebrity martial artist genius, Fei Yuhan.
After learning that he couldn’t leave the Dream World, Roland appeared calmer than he imagined himself to be. Or it could be said that, he was already mentally prepared that the Oracle would not give up that easily.
If he were still in Neverwinter, he guessed that it would cause some worry, but now that humanity’s greatest threat—the demons’ King’s City—had fallen, and the floating island controlled by Eleanor made information flow isolated, the situation of him being unconscious wouldn’t result in too negative an effect. As long as he rushed for time and finished the Oracle who was secretly behind the matter, all would be fine.
The three exchanged simple greetings, and although only a few words were exchanged, Roland could still sense that Valkries’s attitude towards Fei Yuhan was a lot better than what he received.
When did the senior demon lord get so close to this celebrity martial artist?
I’m the one was always the one providing Peninsula coffee!
Minutes later, Defender Rock walked into the hall.
“Everyone, we have trouble on our hands.” His opening line immediately left everyone silent.
Following that, Rock pressed the control pen in his hand, projecting a few pictures on the screen behind him.
After seeing the pictures, everyone drew a gasp in unison.
Red holes had appeared in the city streets and they were of varying sizes. The large ones were enough to cut through skyscrapers, and the small ones were just enough to envelop a car. Martial artists were no stranger to such
things. It was a phenomena known as “Erosion” that had destroyed Prism City.
Clearly, the residents situated within the holes were already doomed, but this was far from being the worst situation.
The pictures showed many Fallen Evils. They were gathered around the holes, seemingly trying to cast their bodies into the red void.
“Sacrifice,” Fei Yuhan said softly.
“That’s what I’m guessing at as well.” Roland nodded. This wasn’t the first time he was seeing such a scene. While executing the mission to annihilate the Fallen Evils, the enemies had once used large amounts of cores to trigger Erosion, summoning pure magic monsters. What was happening now simply skipped one of the steps.
At present, the city they were in remained calm and peaceful, but the problem then became apparent.
“These are all pictures sent from Sky City’s periphery. The invasion has left them in extreme chaos,” Rock said gravely. “No one knows where they are coming from, nor does anyone know what the situation is like at Headquarters. There are cars fleeing and refugees everywhere. Even the martial artists who sent back these pictures might no longer be alive.” He paused before continuing, “This is a war instigated by the Fallen Evils. We have to immediately take action to reinforce Sky City!”
Upon saying this, the Defender deliberately glanced at Roland.
“Considering how time is of the essence, the actual plans and arrangements will be provided to you after you arrive at your destination. Thirty minutes later, the transporters will arrive at the Association’s encampment. At the appointed time, everyone will set off and there must not be any delays—this operation has nothing to do with faction. It’s also the best opportunity to prove your strengths.”
After the meeting came to a hasty end, Rock made Roland stay behind. “Mr. Roland… we were ultimately one step too slow.”
Ever since he demonstrated his ability to absorb cores, Prism City’s higherups had considered handing over the remaining stored cores from each branch for his handling. In fact, many branches had done so, but with Sky City being central to the Association, they ultimately failed to give an affirmative response. They never expected the news they suddenly received to be their worst nightmare.
Roland thought for a moment and shook his head slowly. “Perhaps, we were too slow from the very beginning.”
Rock was stunned for a moment before he realized what he was implying. He could not help but have a drastic change in expression as he said, “How is it possible? Sky City not only has many Defenders presiding over it, and I was even on the phone with the President not long ago—”
“Apart from that, I can’t think of any reason for the sudden appearance of so many Fallen Evils. Only Sky City is able to provide so many Force of Nature cores,” Roland replied. “The red beam’s sudden appearance from the top of Sky City, the enemy’s swarming of the streets, and the sudden Erosion that happened—all of this couldn’t have been implemented in short notice. On hindsight, it’s not hard to realize something. The fact that they haven’t done anything after attacking Prism City all this time makes it illogical.”
“…” Rock was momentarily at a loss for words.
“Therefore, the President you spoke to on the phone is either a dead man…” Roland enunciated each and every word. “Or the Oracle himself.”