Between the sky full of red smog and ground full of red textured canyons, a hovercraft sped forward. Its surface was enveloped with a transparent energy coating, and as the hovercraft rushed forward, the clash of airstreams against the energy coating made the surface glitter.
Inside the hovercraft, Zed sat on the pilot’s seat, his attention on a set of five virtual screens. The hovercraft’s control was fully virtual, with not a single traditional button or joystick. Whether it was elevation, direction management, or the entire control wheel, everything was virtually managed.
After making sure everything was to his preference, Zed focused on the live feed from the hovercraft. The live feed was in the form of a holographic projection of 360° - that pretty much showcased everything from outside with crystal-clear clarity.
Presently, his focus was on the projection of two statues. As the hovercraft neared, the statues became more grandeur with an awe-inspiring feeling.
"If I’m right, the Royal Will of the World’s domain began from the statues... This would explain why every starting area has similar statues."
At the other extreme corner of the canyons, there was only a ripple-like screen that spanned throughout, like a never-ending wall.
It was the exit from the meteorite.
Just like the statues, such screens also existed in every starting point. The moment one touches the screen, they would be teleported back in the forest.
Zed focused on the statues and was surprised to see their surroundings were the same before Kiba fought with them. There was no crater or missing cliffs.
Even the spears were back in their original forms with no signs of any destruction. If one sees the statues now, they would seem completely lifeless but standing like two brave warriors.
Zed lowered the hovercraft and made it pass below the intersection of two spears. He was confident that no one could detect Cosmic Spark inside him, but still, he was a bit nervous.
After all, all his hopes on a possible cure for Felicity were relying on this.
If he failed, he would have no choice but to return to Delta City, and use a method he didn’t want to resort to: Section IV of Dream Rise House...
The hovercraft passed below the spears without any difficulty. The statues didn’t come to life nor there was any warning.
"Phew~"
Zed couldn’t help but berate himself for being so nervous.
Unlike the dangers he faced before he gained Cosmic Spark, the statues were nothing. They carried no risk for him given their nature, and yet, passing through them made him sigh in relief as if he has avoided a disaster.
"I must be acting like a normal human for once."
Zed mused while lying comfortably in the chair. He stretched his legs out and raised his head.
"Fear for loved ones can make a man act against his nature."
Before he entered the core region, he was fully relaxed, but as he stepped in, and started moving towards his goal for real, his heart was filled with a few negative emotions.
The hovercraft headed straight and the air buzzed with sonic vibrations...
After one passed the range of statues, one would step into what appeared to be a hot desert. This desert wasn’t just connected with canyons but other starting points as well.
Presently, a few miles into the distance there were dunes upon which about ten people were standing. They were separated into two groups.
On one side were two females: Sophia and her middle-aged servant Aileen!
On the other side, there was a group of six mercenaries who were eying the two females. This area was closer to the starting point, and as such, relatively safer than the zones that were ahead.
The group was more of bandits than mercenaries. They were the types who never participated in the trials that one must face in the main zones... So why did they stepped here?
It was simple.
They have heard about a golden-haired thief who stood outside a cave while others risked their lives to gain resources inside... Later on, when those exhausted people stepped outside, he robbed them clean.
He earned everything with the least bit of effort.
The group wanted to achieve the same success, and this was why they entered the core region.
But since they didn’t know much, and weren’t particularly smart about planning, they simply decided to just rob on what others brought with them. After all, people would enter the core region with treasures of their own. Stealing those treasures was also worth a fortune.
In a way, their initial plan changed since they lacked patience.
"Hand over everything you own and we can let you go," The leader said with a twisted smirk. "Otherwise, don’t blame us for being cruel."
Sophia responded with a smile and her fists crackled with energy currents.
"Bring it on," Sophia wanted to vent, and she was happy to see these guys giving her an opportunity.
In the morning, when she was in the village, she was pleased to find an opportunity to taunt that shameless villain. Alas, much to her dismay, she realized his luck was rather good and he was saved due to the arrival of Myiesha.
As such, she was happy to see this group of robbers. And as she looked at their clumsy style, she couldn’t help but remember that shameless villain again. It was like they were trying to imitate that scoundrel but without any success.
"As expected! People always try to imitate evil! And that villain is the personification of evil!"
Sophia’s body turned illusory and she appeared right in front of the leader. The leader was shocked but before he could do anything, she gripped his head with her hands. She pushed his head down, and her right knee moved upwards.
BANG
Her knee crashed into his face, and he was instantly knocked out. The people nearby were terrified, shocked by her explosive speed and strength.
Sophia looked at them, and said, "Mom always said people should take inspiration from good, not evil!"
As she thought of good, she couldn’t help but remember a black-haired man. He was so kind-hearted that he even defended people with whom he had antagonistic relationships.
"If only he was in the core region."
At the same time, as she moved to teach other robbers a lesson, some distance ahead, the dune broke apart.
Aileen’s eyes flickered as she saw sand splashing around, and the next moment, she detected a large shadow shooting out.
A humongous scorpion.
"Purple Shelled Scorpion!" Aileen called out in alarm. This scorpion was a predatory arachnid unique to the core region, and chances of meeting it were almost zero.
Aileen observed its venomous stinger and she let out a deep breath of hot air. The stinger was bulged out like an enormous canal, and based on the degree of mutation, she knew it was a Beta rank!
"How could it appear here?" Aileen couldn’t believe it. But then she thought of the incident with Demonic White Phantom Snakes outside the core region, and her heart thumped loudly.
Sophia too stopped in her path and turned around. Her pupils constricted in shock as she noticed more scorpions leaping out.
The robbers, on the other hand, were scared witless. They were internally crying and they gazed at their unconscious leaders with envy.
At least, he was knocked out, and as such, ignorant of his tragic fate.
But for them?!
"Save us!"