Chapter 226: The Shadow Calamity III
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Thousand Mountains Lake, Shadow Continent.
The Demon Hunters reckoned that attacks had yet been resisted by the Amonros because this boundless sacred area situated in the middle of Shadow Continent—Thousand Mountain Lake—remained undefended by the Amonro Legion.
The water sources of the Shadow World were mostly undercurrents. Streams on the surface were rare. Therefore, the existence of the Thousand Mountains Lake of such massive scale was fascinating.
Considering Amonro’s worship of water, it was natural for them to choose this largest water catchment area above ground level to be the center of the Shadow Continent.
The Thousand Mountains Lake was irregular in shape. Its water body was always a little red. The strange stalagmite-like structures resembling fish bones poking out from the lake, ranging from tens to hundreds of meters was how the lake got its name.
Atop these strange stone structures sat red spherical flesh-based creatures, with pink antennas.
Unlike those found in Sorcerer World, these ‘flora’ of Shadow World constantly move about in search of a better source of nutrients in a similar way to animals.
Meanwhile, a school of native marine creatures with a peculiar look were swimming in the lake. They were no larger than the size of a palm. Judging by the looks of it, they were marine livestock reared by Amonro nobles.
Plop! Pop!
Sometimes, a few of the small underwater life forms jumped out of the water and hung onto the stone structure using their antennas to gulp on the red flesh-based plant before returning to their element with a splash.
The center of the Thousand Mountains Lake was covered by the abundant reddish flesh plants, so crowded that high and low, they covered every inch of the tiny island. Ten of them were hundreds of meters high oblong-shaped Camphoragate cave entrances.
These cave entrances themselves were measuring at ten meters in diameter each—significantly larger than the regular ones.
From time to time, several Demon-Hunters and Fallen Amonros made their appearance at the cave entrances. In the sky, more than ten voidships hovered in silence. Since the sunlight was blocked by thick shadow clouds throughout the year, the diffuse reflection from the radiant Pyrodust served as the only light source.
The Demon Hunters had spent ten years to establish total control over the Thousand Mountains Lake.
Not only that, their influence was so far-reaching to the point that the whole Shadow Continent was within the grasp of the Demon-Hunter colonizers. The next step would be to install a Shadow Imperialism power structure.
Once this happened, all hope would be lost for the Amonros.
However, on this fateful day…
In an underground Camphoragate den, the Hearkening Whisperer suddenly opened her eyes. Before her was a super Vaiduryarion made of multiple lesser ones. Her hypnotic eyes shone so wide and bright as if they could petrify a soul.
A higher being’s perception of the world.
“This feeling…”
The Hearkening Whisperer groaned. Her body floated into the air momentarily before she landed on her feet. Her lean and moist palms extended from her loose sorcerer robe. She then began to play with a crystal orb that appeared out of thin air with her hands. The crystal orb was full of magic power.
Bang!
The crystal orb exploded into millions of sparkles in her hands. At the same time, her body twitched as she went into a trance. The elemental giant incarnated in her briefly and let out a deafening roar before disappearing.
Before long, the crystal orb magically became whole again. The Hearkening Whisperer looked disturbed.
“A lifeform capable of changing the world’s law existed in such a primitive world? Impossible!”
Feeling anxious, the Hearkening Whisperer’s looked disorientated. Her face turned pale. For a moment, she was rushing for the cave lab’s exit. The next second, she paused and had her eyes fixated on the crystal orb, as if she discovered something important.
“No, it’s not changing the world’s law, but simply resetting it? ”
This prediction relieved her. She sighed and regained her composure.
To change the world’s law, one must reach at least Level 7. Something like a trump card, a hidden cache of power, this great lifeform had the potential to unleash the ultimate power, capable of affecting every single living being in the entire universe!
On the other hand, to reset the world’s law, generally speaking, if the law of certain worlds were too radical, Level 4 and above lifeforms can achieve this as long as they fulfilled specific criterias.
However, that was not to say that this was a risk-free endeavor for the caster.
In the event the existing world’s law was over-modified, it was very likely to cause instability to the law, and trigger some uncontrollable radical changes to the environment.
Simply put, a catastrophe!
“Apparently, this trick of modifying the world’s law matches the Infinite Enigmatic Seal our intel gathered fifteen years ago. Such radical measure, erm… our forces might suffer bigger losses this time, but it will expedite the conquest of the Shadow World.”
***
Buzz!
Its sound thundered before it was spotted. A silhouette slashed through the sky like a knife, flying amazingly fast. In the blink of an eye, it became a tiny black dot and disappeared beyond the horizon. The next moment, a mechanical bee landed in the Thousand Mountains Lake.
Clang!
As the mechanical bee’s hatch creaked open, the guarding Fallen Amonros and Soul Slaves shuddered and immediately lowered their heads, trying to present their most humble self.
At a distance, several Demon Hunters threw a glance at the newly-arrived mechanical bee with indifferent eyes. However, once they saw the figure who stepped out from the hatch, all of them stopped to show their deepest respect for that Demon Hunter. They could not hide their excitement and gave a proper sorcerer salutation. They too, looked humble.
All this fuss was for the Rank-1 Honor Badge that the Level 3 Demon-Hunter was flaunting!
Rank-1 Honor Badge, was a symbol of status. The bearer of this badge had successfully hunted a Level 4 otherworld lifeform, or Level 4 World Guardian with no holds barred at some point of time.
Although the battle capabilities of this type of Demon Hunter might be in question, what they lacked in this respect compared to Stigmata Sorcerer they made up with strength that ordinary sorcerers did not possess.
Generally speaking, getting a Rank-1 Honor Badge was the greatest feat a Demon Hunter could achieve. This was enough to have them be viewed as equal with Stigmata Sorcerers.
This was of the authority that came with the Sorcerer World.
As for the Rank-Superior Honor Badge…
Throughout the known history of Sorcerer World, its existence was just a legend. For such a prestigious award, only the Holy Tower was qualified to assign its exclusive mission.
The Superior Honor Badge would only be awarded to Level 3 Demon Hunters who saves the day in any expedition that was doomed to fail. This was indeed a despairing tall order for most sorcerers.
Ignoring everyone’s admiration, the Demon Hunter disappeared in a puff of white smoke, leaving no trace.
The rest of the Demon-Hunters were baffled at his sudden departure.
Meanwhile, under the layer and layer of magical arrays inside a Camphoragate cave, some sorcerer barriers were shielding the Third Battle Command. A sorcerer emerged from a puff of white smoke and broke the silence.
“You…”
Tens of elite Bright Sorcerers was surprised and turned their heads. The guarding sorcerers were on high alert. Their innate magic power boiled, prompting them to enter battle mode. The quiet men and women all revealed their true forms—hideous faces with fangs and claws, rattling madly, a stark contrast from their harmless look a split second earlier. Madness!
Within seconds, the unexpected newcomer was greeted with dozens of red target pointers.
Zoop!
A dark metallic cage was summoned to protect all the elite Bright Sorcerers from physical harm. This was the Battle Command’s final line of defense.
“This is a supreme combat order! Assemble all the Demon Hunters at the First, Second, and Third Battle Command at once! ”
The mysterious Demon Hunter who arrived without warning gave no hoot to everyone’s reaction and commanded them in an authoritative tone.
The First Battle Command referred to the Void Fortress.
The Second Battle Command referred to where the Shadow Empire’s city was.
And the Third Battle Command was exactly where they were as they spoke.
When the Bright Sorcerers of the Third Battle Command saw the Demon-Hunter’s Rank-1 Honor Badge and heard his bold words, they could not grasp what had just happened. They hesitated. Should they obey someone with an unknown identity? In fact, they were stumped, as if they were waiting for a proper explanation.
Notwithstanding the sorcerer is a Rank-1 Honor Badge holder or even a Stigmata Sorcerer himself, to give such a far-fetched command… The elite Bright Sorcerers were not fools, they were the think tanks of the Battle Command. They would never blindly follow any order, especially from a random stranger.
Nevertheless, the emergency alarm had been stopped. The Battle Command once again fell into silence.
Suddenly, the dimension distorted—forming a dark rift. The Hearkening Whisperer’s voice was heard from the other side.
“The Amonros had broken the Infinite Enigmatic Seal. The Shadow Calamity is in the horizon. Do as he says, announce the supreme combat order. ”
With the direct order from the Hearkening Whisperer herself, the fellow Bright Sorcerers immediately jolted into action. A gigantic crystal orb with a diameter of roughly ten meters was lowered from the roof. Immense energy waves continuously pulsed from the crystal orb, like shock waves from a series of explosions.
The Demon Hunter bearing the Rank-1 Honor Badge walked into the dimensional rift without spitting a word. The dimensional rift vanished right after he entered.
The three Battle Commands’ Demon Hunters who were within direct command’s range took out their crystal orbs at the same time. Despite having many questions, they dropped the task at their hands and started to congregate at the three Battle Commands.
The sky was filled with beams of light.
As for those Demon-Hunters who were too far away, they were forced to give up. To them, it was now every man for himself.
***
Three days later.
Poor Millie’s face looked very pale. She was nearly worn out. With a thud, she fell onto the border of Thousand Mountains Lake from the back of her Ice Phoenix. Several Demon-Hunters noticed her from a distance and led some Fallen Amonros toward her.
Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew…
The Prism Fortresses fired a barrage of energy beams. After a wide area sorcery spell bombardment, countless Amonros dropped from the sky. Millie, in a state of exhaustion, was rescued by some Demon Hunters at the last moment.
They narrowly escaped death.
After another two days…
The Third Battle Command’s Demon Hunters, Fallen Amonros, and Soul Slaves marched toward the Sorcerer World’s Void Fortress under the command of the Hearkening Whisperer. The air support of voidships and the bright aura of the Hearkening Whisperer Giant guided them through the darkest of shadows.
Millie, consumed by fear, was now one of the many Demon Hunter refugees. She felt sick with apprehension. Riding her trusty Ice Phoenix, she followed the other Demon Hunters into their uncertain future.
The Demon Hunters felt uneasy. They sensed something watching them deep inside the unknown darkness… something hostile. As if the whole Shadow World was laughing at these witless, ignorant, and pompous foreign beings who called themselves ‘Demon Hunters’. One misstep and they would be devoured.
Under the faintest of light, they could see the blurry images of something with claws and fangs twisted its body from a distance before blending itself into the Shadow’s Darkness.
Yet, this did not slow them down. The Demon Hunters had grown numb to the screams of some Fallen Amonros and Soul Slaves who apparently fell victim to the creatures of the dark. All they had in their minds was to reach the Sorcerer World’s Void Fortress as soon as possible. Other than the heavy breathing and some brief cries for help, the night was dead silent.