Chapter 796: A familiar icy aura I
Drifting amidst the vast expanse of darkness, punctuated by distant stars and planets, Carcel cast a wary glance at the shield enveloping the mass of energy that was once called the Forsaken Land. It was trembling violently and looked as if it would break at any moment, ready to unleash devastation upon the entire universe.
He closed the communication crystal, its soft glow fading into silence. Beside him, Mia floated, her calm yet grave expression reflecting the gravity of the situation.
Around the massive gray shield, the countless guards were in a frenzy, reaching out to every powerful individual they could think of. After all, if the shield broke, they would be the first to die from the sealed aura of the Realm of the Dead.
Carcel rubbed his temples, his eyes flickering with determination.
"Should I enter that place using the natural laws of space? At this rate, we won't know what the hell is happening."
Before he could act, Mia grasped his shoulder, her expression serious.
"The energy is too dangerous. It's not safe for you to go inside. Let's just wait-"
Her words were interrupted as the gray shield ceased trembling and tranquility returned to the area.
Immediately, everyone in the area collectively sighed with relief and wiped their sweaty foreheads, except for Carcel and Mia, who sensed a familiar icy aura. It was so subtle that if their senses weren't at the supreme rank, they would have overlooked it. Mia took a deep breath.
"That..."
Carcel wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, shaking his head. It was wiser to remain silent, especially since they weren't certain of the situation.
Moreover, he could sense that numerous ears were listening and watching their every move. He wasn't referring to the guards that James had stationed; he was talking about the other powerful people who had arrived in the area due to the commotion.
Mia understood his intentions and communicated directly in his mind.
'Let's act like we're leaving. We can linger nearby and keep an eye on the shield.'
Carcel took one final glance at the shield before he and Mia turned and vanished into the surrounding darkness. Just as Mia had proposed, they would linger and assist the planets in the vicinity of the shield. Still, as he thought how they had finally sensed the proof that Kyle was alive, Carcel's lips couldn't help but curve upward.
'If we can feel that cold aura, it means he's alright and will show up soon. I want to see just how strong he have become.'
Mia noticed his smile and let out a chuckle.
"I see someone is eager for a fight. He hasn't even returned yet, but you already want to test your strength against him?"
They entered a planet where a faction of the Lizard race that had pledged allegiance to the dark side in the past had attacked the demi-humans. Carcel glanced at Mia.
"Of course. I want to land a solid hit on him-just one would be enough. Creating a new body is taxing on a soul; he must have lost his soul rank. If he didn't use his soul power to create a new body, then he would have lost a portion of his physical strength. So, that means I have a chance, right?"
Mia suppressed her laughter by pressing her lips together and shrugged her shoulders.
"Who knows? I can only wish you the best. Just don't get too badly beaten."
She vanished, leaving Carcel behind, who blinked as the meaning of her words finally dawned on him. His lips twitched.
How unfair. Even Mia was saying he wouldn't be able to land a hit.
"Wait for me. Let's attack together."
A familiar blue spear materialized in his right hand. He had grown so strong, yet the spear Kyle had given him remained one of the best and easiest to wield. It seemed he wouldn't return this spear in this lifetime.
"Well, not many have the luck of that fortunate bastard, who can find great weapons just by walking around."
He chuckled, and his eyes glowed as a powerful supreme rank aura radiated from him. The lizard race, who had human-like bodies covered in scales, took notice of the two new arrivals, but they just snickered.
They were winning against the demi-humans; two newcomers wouldn't change the outcome. The supreme ranks on their side would handle them. However, they quickly realized their mistake when a shining blue spear descended, obliterating a massive section of the land and claiming many lives. This was followed by an thick shield that enveloped the planet, sealing it off so no one could escape.
Mia conjured another shield, but this time she formed it to seal the supreme rank who tried to attack Carcel. He smiled at her and called back his spear to fight. The two didn't create chaos, nor did they show off, but the level of brutal efficiency in their movements was quite painful to watch for many.
Each strike was executed with precision, and their coordination was seamless. The planet's already heavy atmosphere crackled with tension as they fought, sure that they would accept nothing less than victory.
While the duo was battling, many more people who were contacted by the guards around the shield enveloping the mass of energy arrived before it. However, seeing nothing wrong with the shield, they couldn't help but curse and feel angry at the guards for wasting the time they could have used to find the Celestial spirits.
The order around the shield was only restored when Odiak and Jane, two of the seven supreme-rank elders, arrived. They dismissed the crowd of irritating onlookers who had never contributed to the war but were always quick to use their tongues.
Odiak was asking the guards for details about what had actually happened to the shield during their absence when, suddenly, Jane rubbed her arms with a puzzled face and nudged his shoulder. The old dwarf turned to her in annoyance.
"What?"
Jane scratched her chin, her light gray hair pulled back into a ponytail. With her bright, youthful eyes, no one would guess she was over a thousand years old.
"Don't you think it's a bit chilly in here? You know I'm sensitive to the cold... The chill is not exactly noticeable, but I can sense it."
Hearing her words, Odiak immediately extended his senses to detect the chill. Indeed, he felt it—a subtle shift in the air that would go unnoticed by anyone who wasn't actively paying attention. His aged eyes widened immediately as he snapped his gaze toward the shield.
"This aura... it feels familiar. No way..."
Disbelief, shock, relief, and joy surged through him so swiftly that his expression remained blank. The old dwarf froze in his place, his mind processing everything as his heart pounded
in his chest.
Jane blinked at his hesitant, stuttering words, and realization finally struck her as well. Instantly, her mouth dropped open.
"Damn... he's alive!"
Her words were followed by an earth-shattering bang that violently rattled the massive shield before them, sending shockwaves through the air and causing everyone nearby to leap back in terror, their hearts racing wildly in their ribcages. They had just freaked out earlier when the shield trembled-now, what the hell!
Odiak jolted from his trance and moved closer to the area of the shield where the bang had resounded, trying to sense what was happening. But the shield blocked his senses, leaving
him in the dark.
Another deafening bang reverberated through the air, and this time it was clear that someone or something had slammed into the shield from the inside with a force that felt like a meteor
striking the land.
The countless guards surrounding the shield erupted into chaos. Not only them; even those who had yet to leave the area and were secretly watching while hiding in the darkness after Odiak had dismissed them panicked. All eyes turned to the elder nearest to them, Jane, whose gaze quickly darted to Odiak. But she yelped as Odiak's figure paced left and right in the air, his eyes even more frantic, his breathing erratic.
The old dwarf's brain seemed to short-circuit as he mumbled frantically.
"What should I do?? I can't go in there using the natural law of space since the aura of nothingness will kill me, nor can I handle it if the shield breaks. If that kid is really alive in there, why isn't he coming out using the natural law... what is he doing inside?!" Fortunately, Odiak's brain only overloaded for a short moment due to the sudden turn of events that happened too quickly. Once he steadied his racing heart, he whipped his head to Jane, causing her to flinch, a response that was involuntary.
She noticed his usually calm and serene face reflecting a mix of panic and joy. It was clear that he was struggling to understand what he was supposed to feel as he shouted toward her.
"Right, Jane! Contact James!"
"I'm going to reach out to the Will of the Universe! I don't know what's happening, but if he's alive, we need to find a feasible way to help him get out of there!"
A familiar, solemn voice scoffed directly behind him, causing Odiak to pause. He turned to
face the Will of the Universe, who had appeared behind him, but the latter's words sent a icy
chill through him.
"Have you finally lost your mind, old dwarf? How could that kid possibly survive in there,
engulfed by the aura of the Realm of Dead that can reduce even the supreme ranks to nothingness?! Even if his soul somehow endured against all odds, did you all forget that Azazeal is trapped in there too?!"