'So, there are Gold Grade existences in the Quip Clan.' Virala thought as revealed a casual smile and followed Zhya towards the appointed building. He didn't comment anything for the time being, calmly analysing Kenzar from time to time.
'That's the Violet Mystic Path, huh?' At the same time, Kenzar was observing Virala too, 'Dangerous, as Inala had warned.'
'He's a Gold Grade existence, but can transform into two Mystic Grade Pranic Beasts, one of which is the Empyrean Boar King.' Zhya thought, her expression placid as she thought, glancing at the two hundred Mystic Humans accompanying Virala, internally worried, 'Two hundred Gold Grade existences. If they were to suddenly attack us, we won't be able to win against them.'
Kenzar, Kenka, Zaihaya, and Zhya; the Quip Clan only had four Gold Grade existences. Individually, they were stronger than a Mystic Human due to their abilities. However, they could be ganged upon beyond their recovery and Prana absorption capabilities.
The population of the Zinger Aristocrats were steadily increasing over the years, not to mention the Quip Zingers who were being endlessly spawned by a dozen Mystic Biome Bombs attached to the Biome Lattice.
In a head-on battle, their side would win. But in the current circumstances, with their foundation right within the water underneath, a fight would only result in their losses. Moreover, once the Biome Bombs forming the Quip Clan Settlement get damaged and reveal the presence of the Quip Clansmen within, a horde of Phells would rush them, resulting in their deaths.
Billions of Phells lived in their region alone, not to mention all across the Ravaged Federation's ocean. The moment they sniff out the presence of anyone other than a Ravaged Tribesman, they'd swarm the target.
Even when the Biome Lattice released a different presence, it was a careful emission, controlled only to be slightly different from a Ravaged Tribesman's presence. This way, the amount of Phells lured in could be controlled and kept within the Biome Lattice's tolerance capacity.
'Even in such a situation where the enemy can impact our foundation, Inala still took the risk to invite the Mystic Humans here.' Zhya thought, analysing the situation from Inala's perspective. 'Indeed, using the Mystic Humans, we can trade with the Brimgan Empire. Considering their human supremacy characteristics, dealing with them through the Mystic Humans is better.'
Technically, the Royal Zinger was displayed as the Brimgan Empire's Guardian. However, that was only propaganda. The leaders of both sides were aware of the truth. They were only taking advantage of each other's reputation for their benefit.
If Inala were to approach the Brimgan Empire for a trade, there was a decent chance of success. However, that would create a situation where the Quip Clan bypasses the Mystic Humans to approach the Brimgan Empire.
There was only one trade route that could be traversed efficiently and with limited risks. Hence, Inala roped Virala into the picture, using the latter for the deal. This way, the Mystic Humans will cooperate, since as the intermediary, they were gaining benefits from both sides.
The house was two storeys high, sporting a large floor-to-ceiling hall surrounded by a flight of stairs along the edge. There was a balcony protruding inside, creating a viewing gallery for some of the Quip Clansmen to gather and observe the Mystic Humans.
"They seem weak." A Mystic Human commented as he stared at a Quip Zinger, "Most of them only have Iron Grade strength."
"Yeah, they seem lacking despite how much our Deity praised their Deity." Another Mystic Human said, staring at the Quip Clansmen with a superiority complex, "We're a thousand times better."
Their discussion was hushed but Virala was able to hear them all clearly. However, even he began to have doubts, wondering just what the heck was Inala planning, 'Is he focusing his efforts somewhere else? Maybe there's something else that I'm missing from the picture. Considering how he behaves, there's bound to be a hidden mechanism that makes his force stronger than what it seems.'
'After all, this is a guy who entered the Mystic Grade while constantly fleeing from Brangara while having to protect Gannala.' Virala thought, 'If he can do all that without much strength, his plans are bound to be more perverse now that he has Mystic Grade strength.'
He was right on the dot about that. It was just that Inala wanted the Quip Clansmen to act weak. That was why Zhya appeared in her human form, which was her weakest state. All the Quip Clansmen too appeared in their human forms.
Unlike Mystic Humans, they didn't need to transform. Their Pranic Beast forms were also their natural state, thanks to the effects of Mystic Royal Art. Moreover, Zingers were evasive units in the first place. Their powers weren't geared towards brute strength.
It was better to be on guard against even allies, not to mention a trading partner like the Mystic Humans. Hence, the Quip Clansmen with Iron and Silver Grade strength were the weakest of their kind.
Even among the Gold Grade Clansmen, only Kenzar and Zhya were dispatched. In her human form, Zhya seemed no different from a Quip Clansman in terms of the strength of her presence. Kenzar was strong, but his presence paled in comparison to an Empyrean Tusk. So, Virala didn't pay him much heed.
Only if there was an existence on par with an Empyrean Tusk on Inala's side would Virala take note. That existence was Zhya, but he couldn't see through the simple scheme.
"We have created a living quarter below," Zhya said as the Mystic Humans were served food by the Quip Clansmen. She ignored the tension in the air, acting nonchalant as she led Virala and a few Mystic Humans down a flight of stairs.
Below the platform was a line of Biome Bombs, modified to act as a flight of stairs. The space within wasn't compressed. They were condensed to be cylindrical in shape, sporting a height of 360 metres and a radius of 10 metres.
"It's a long way down," Virala commented upon hearing the rhythmic sounds created by the footsteps of him and the over dozen Mystic Humans following him.
"We've created a dwelling atop the ocean floor. So, there's some travel distance." She soon pointed at a divergence, "That path leads to the living quarters for the Mystic Humans."
At the end of the diversion hovered a Biome Bomb stitched sixteen times. It was situated in a part of the ocean that received sunlight, creating a pleasant dwelling inside. Zhya led everyone to it first, showing a series of stone houses, "We've kept things simple as you had asked. If you need anything, feel free to tell me about it."
"Alright," Virala observed a couple of houses at the entrance and nodded that they were more than enough to serve as a dwelling.
Zhya then led the group further downward, pointing at another diversion, "We have placed four open spaces like this for your use. You can do whatever you want in them. Anything you need to add there, we'll do it promptly."
Stitched Biome Bombs hovered at the end of all diversions. Zhya eventually brought the group to the end of the flight of stairs, leading into a network of Biome Bombs placed on the ocean floor.
The lower half of the Biome Bombs had been turned cylindrical and lodged deeper into the ocean floor, following which the bottom surface had been removed, allowing the person inside to make contact with the floor.
Externally, it appeared as a dome. Two tunnels stretched from each dome, connected to similar domes, numbering two hundred in total. Each dome spanned a radius of 150 metres, reserved exclusively for the Mystic Humans, one per each.
The tunnels stretching from a dome spanned a length of 15 metres each, joining with similar tunnels from other domes. Arriving at one of the domes, Zhya jumped from the flight of stairs and landed on the ocean floor, beckoning for a Mystic Human to give it a go, "See if this place is suitable."
"Yes," The Mystic Human stared at Virala for confirmation before landing on the ocean floor. Upon assuming Spirit Eater form, his roots dug into the ocean floor and began to suck up nutrients, nodding, "It's rich with minerals."
"If the place becomes lacking in the future, we can easily shift the setup to another region." Zhya smiled in contentment, plucking a Parute Fruit that formed on the Spirit Eater's branches and chucked it in her mouth. "Delicious!"
"Yes!" Nez nodded and began to run up the flight of stairs, his pace accelerating upon being boosted by psychokinesis.
"What about mine?" He stared at Zhya to ask.
"It's at the end," Zhya said and led him through a series of domes, at the end of which was a Biome Bomb hovering right above the ocean floor. A tenth of it was covered by soil, forming a comfy ground.
Grass grew on it, emitting a fresh scent full of vitality. A pond existed at the corner, serene in nature while trees covered its border. A large, open space was maintained in the centre for Virala to take seat.
Staring at the arrangement, Virala commented with a favourable tone, "I like it here."
"That will supply you with the necessary Prana." Zhya said and pointed at the string of Prana that hung from the ceiling, "Just touch it and Prana will pour into you. You'll be granted Prana equivalent to the number of Parute Fruits produced by the Mystic Humans."
"That's pretty fair." Virala nodded and caused his Minor Treasure of Mystic Human Stamp to occupy the open space. Once it bloomed, he sat upon it and used his tail to grab the string of Prana, feeling a steady stream of Prana enter his being.
"Want to accompany me?" He stared at Zhya and asked upon seeing that she hadn't left, extending his hand to invite her.
"Have a fruitful training session." Zhya turned around and left, her tone slightly cold towards the end.
"Hmm…do I?" Virala muttered as he stared at Zhya's back before shaking his head, 'Let's not trigger this bastard before I understand the extent of his strength. I have more to gain through this trade than anything else. After all, the ones working hard are my Mystic Humans. I can chill here and strengthen myself.'
He poured the supplied Prana into the Mystic Human Stamp, watching its influence flood his body in response, strengthening both him and his tool made out of Tratham. "An inexhaustible supply of Prana…impressive!"
"What exactly is he doing with this supply?" He thought, recalling the image of the Biome Lattice, "That monstrous entity must be amassing an unimaginable amount of Prana from the Phells."
'His plans take time, but once it starts rolling, his advantages rapidly pile up.' Virala thought and stared at the ceiling of the Biome Bomb, his expression hardening gradually, 'I shouldn't become overconfident, especially not against Inala.'
At the same time, the person in question was no different from a tailor, using Prana Stitch to stitch together various materials, rapidly accumulating experience.
'The Influenced Region of Hidden Eye uses the principle of cause and effect to erase anything related to flight. However, it received irrecoverable damage from three Bolts of Transcendence.' Inala was deep in thought, analysing as he shot his ideas as Piezo Slips onto the rock wall before him, 'But the Attributed Region wasn't destroyed even after tanking hundreds of Bolts of Transcendence.'
'Then, the answer is simple.' Inala nodded, 'There must either be more than one or the majority of its power is concentrated on its power to erase all means of flight through cause and effect.'
"The only way to know for sure is to test it," Inala muttered and threw two Biome Bombs in opposite directions, reaching the surface as he watched them arc through the air. Once both the Biome Bombs were two kilometres apart from each other, and had reached an altitude of four hundred metres from the sea level, they unleashed a soft thrust of air, generating a lift.
The moment they began to fly, the Hidden Eye appeared. However, there was just one. It first targeted one of the Biome Bombs, erasing it before appearing beside the second one to do the same.
Upon erasing both Biome Bombs, it vanished. Inala remained in his spot, waiting a few seconds until soundwaves slammed into him. They were Zinger Shrieks unleashed by the Biome Bombs right before they were erased.
As the relevant information popped into his mind space, a twisted smile appeared on his face, 'It's possible!'
'I can devour it!'