Gaia’s Disc
*Skree!* The gigantic bird of fire dashed out of the building. It opened up its wings in a flash of light, and glorious flames shot out from its body as it enlarged in the blink of an eye. Its humongous wings closed, wrapping up the entire city of Tylasus.
The drops of lava with over a thousand degrees of power fell onto its wings, being absorbed by the flames.
When the lava storm passed, the city had emerged unscathed.
A bright light flashed across Leylin’s eyes as he looked at the scene, ‘Such a transformation is very similar to that of an ancient Warlock. It looks like the body of this Emberwing Morning Star has the bloodline of the fire phoenix.’
Warlocks were always fond of high-level bloodlines. As for the fire phoenix, Leylin had already seen its incredible power when he’d been trapped in the illusion previously. It was likely at least as strong as the Snake Dowager.
This bloodline posed an irresistible attraction to Warlocks even if it was diluted through sacrifices and projections.
‘Before we launch our plan, I should try to get some of the bloodline of a Morning Star Emberwing. It would be even better if I manage to get it from their leader, Scarlet Eye.’
Just as Leylin’s eyes brightened, the phoenix soared down from the clouds in the sky, revealing several gigantic, hundred meter long silhouettes made of flames.
The fire elementals were the most powerful living beings in the Lava World, and the most populous. They did not have blood or flesh, and instead had bodies covered in fuming flames and rocks. Their eyes were like deathly white flames that arose from the very soul.
“Divineflame Empire! It seems like you lot didn’t learn your lesson at Death Grand Canyon!” Scarlet Eye’s voice boomed across the sky, and the humongous wings wrapped up the giant fire elementals, flinging them away.
Its body rumbled as explosions erupted all over it, but it did not seem bothered at all.
By the time the phoenix vanished, half the flames in the sky had subsided. Leylin widened his eyes.
‘They even have such a method? Are there still people undercover in the leader’s residence? And does that mean this was a ploy to lure the tiger out of its den?’
Hidden in front of him was Loke. He sighed in relief and pulled out a circular disk as he saw the phoenix leave.
On the surface of this disk were weird runes with countless interconnected crimson lines that formed a vertical pupil.
‘Haven’t I seen something like this before?’ Puzzlement crossed his eyes as he immediately checked with the A.I. Chip’s database. The answer showed up within a second. ‘A copy of Gaia’s Disc? Such a technique actually exists...’
Loke stopped at an empty ground in the building. He placed the replica on the ground as he showed a tinge of excitement.
*Ssshh!* The very moment the disc touched the ground, a large amount of sand split apart like it was a stream, revealing a pitch dark tunnel that led underground.
“Here it is! Now I’m at the weakest part of the entire building. Together with the power of Gaia’s Disc...” Loke’s eyes grew impassioned. He had endured a lot of humiliation during this mission, and now he could finally succeed in his task!
‘That was good cooperation, but I’m afraid it won’t be of help.’ Leylin saw the agitated Loke enter the underground tunnel, soon to be followed by a gloomy Bowens. This was the superior they had just met that day.
It seemed like Loke’s luck was at an end.
However, Leylin had one more doubt, ‘Since they wanted to coordinate between the inside and outside, why don’t they just send a Morning Star Magus in, isn’t that much simpler? They already sent so many just to attract attention, one more wouldn’t be too hard...’
He did not think much of it since that was a question that wouldn’t see an answer soon. Instead, he followed the two and entered just as the tunnel closed up...
*Boom!* Schiker entered Leylin’s room.
“Instructor!” ‘Leylin’ got up from the bed, bowing even with blurry sight.
Schiker first looked around with a cautious gaze, and he looked relieved that Leylin was still around. Soon, he reprimanded the boy, “You’re still asleep under such circumstances?”
“Master Bowens and so many of his colleagues are around right now. If they can’t solve the problem, what can I do? I might as well just continue sleeping...”
‘Leylin’ threw his hands up, seemingly helpless. With the support of the A.I. Chip, every action of this puppet was a perfect copy of Leylin’s behaviour, even its character was flawless. Forget Schiker, even Gilbert was unlikely to be able to notice the difference.
“You...” Schiker was dumbfounded, but the waves in his heart secretly calmed down...
Inside the underground tunnel, Leylin followed closely after Bowens. He had weakened his breath to the maximum, and not a single energy wave fluctuation broke out. Additionally, Bowens seemed to have put his full focus on Loke, and he did not realise he was being shadowed.
“Gaia’s Disc was used by the Hero Moncordol of the Emberwings’ legend to lift open the stratum, it is also the powerful weapon which slew the demon king Falsace; this can easily crack open a huge underground tunnel even if it’s just a replica.”
Loke’s voice trembled in agitation, “The organisation possessed such a precious weapon that let me avoid triggering numerous traps. Truly, this is...”
As he reached the bottom, blood vessels popped out from under Loke’s skin, his aura growing berserk.
“The final layer of defence!” Loke was frantic in excitement as he saw a crimson defensive membrane.
He suddenly attacked, and a huge amount of fire exploded forth from his hands, rushing into the spell formation.
Crackling sounds rang out as the spell formation shook. A terrifying wave of energy was returned in counter, and surged through Loke’s body. His skin peeled off, revealing the flames burning within.
Loke’s body had been completely shredded by the formation’s counterattack, revealing a two-meter tall fire elemental, composed of flames and rocks.
The flame surged in all directions, and Loke’s aura rose to the pinnacle of the Sky rank, the equivalent of a peak rank 3 in the Magus World.
‘Hmmm? Loke is a fire elemental?’
Leylin was rather surprised. He had always thought that Loke was an undercover agent of the Mobius Organisation, Jupiter’s Lightning’s operations here, but now it seemed like he did not know the length of it. Jupiter’s Lightning had also approached the Divineflame Empire, and had signed some terms of agreement with each other.
After recovering his original appearance, Loke marched up to the scarlet spell formation.
A dot of a golden flame shot out of his body, burning a round opening in the spell formation’s light shield.
Loke turned into a ball of flames, entering from that tiny opening in the spell formation and soon returning to his normal form.
“Hahahaha... All of Scarlet Eye’s treasures and secrets are mine for the taking!” As Loke laughed, he explored the chamber. His flaming legs left a black burn mark with every step he took.
He seemed rather familiar with this area, running straight towards the chamber in the centre.
The gigantic chamber was spacious, with nothing around except a large spell formation. Strings of runes interlocked with the energy circuit. It was so refined that a Magus would go dizzy simply by staring at it for a length of time.
In the middle of the formation was a weak red light, it’s energy as it flickered causing Leylin’s heart to palpitate.
‘This aura is so familiar... Yes, the firasource stones! Wait... it’s a living creature?’ The A.I. Chip had made a judgement that threw Leylin into confusion.
“Found it!” Loke celebrated in his excitement. He took out a big black key, walking towards the spell formation.
Just then, a membrane of light blocked his path of return, the surging wave of energy sweeping him onto the ground in an instant.
The gigantic fire elemental fell flat to the ground with a thud, causing the chamber to shake a little.
“What happened? Doesn’t this place just have a single defensive layer?” Loke touched his head, puzzled.
“Obviously it is used to guard against people like you.” Bowens sneered, exiting stealth and walking out from the dark.
“B–Master Bowens?” Loke was totally taken aback.
“Hmm! The leader knew long ago that there was something wrong with you. It seems you hid quite a lot from us.”
The fuming lava hand dropped onto the ground, and the black key was snatched from his hands.
“You are a very important captive. The leader and Schiker will take great interest in you.” Bowens spoke coldly as the flame on his hands turned into ropes which tied Loke up.
Loke could not fight back against the power of a Star rank. Rather, he was so flabbergasted that he did not even struggle or otherwise resist.
While both of them were unaware of their surroundings, Leylin snuck close to the membrane of light. The A.I. Chip scanned the formation, revealing the entry condition, [Aura of level 10 Fireplume required for access.]
Watching Loke being taken away by Bowens, Leylin followed them out of the basement. He recalled the shadow puppet after returning to his bedroom.
He had lots of questions, ‘What was that red orb in the middle of the spell formation? Bowens settled Loke so quickly, and obviously he wasn’t used as bait. Was it merely for Gaia’s Disc and that black bronze key?’