The world had been peaceful and tranquil, utterly devoid of conflict. But the moment disaster struck, one calamity followed another, instantly creating an atmosphere of impending doom.
This was no coincidence, but a premeditated assault. The Mother of Flesh seemed poised to launch a full-scale offensive against the world.
Tribios's thoughts flashed by in an instant. "It seems my premonitions were correct," she said grimly. "What's the situation with the All Nations Alliance and the Dragon Ember Empire?"
The soldier gasped for breath before replying, "I don't have all the details. Intelligence reports that a massive number of Corrupted have suddenly appeared within the All Nations Alliance, and several cities have already lost all contact!"
"As for the Dragon Ember Empire, nearly half its territory has been plunged into Eternal Night, likely the work of the the Child of Flesh. Though we don't know how he achieved this, fortunately, many regions of the Empire had already distributed the badges crafted by Dr. Ding Lang, allowing us to minimize casualties by warding off the monsters lurking in the shadows!"
After a brief moment of contemplation, Tribios asked, "Do you have precise locations?"
The soldier hastily pulled out a map from his uniform and pointed to two spots. "Roughly around these spots."
Without precise coordinates, Tribios couldn't open targeted portals. However, opening portals to random locations within either the All Nations Alliance or the Dragon Ember Empire was still possible.
"Understood," she said. "I'll dispatch personnel to handle both matters."
As for who to dispatch, she had her answer in an instant. Aglaea would go to the All Nations Alliance, having already been there once, making a return trip the most logical choice. Meanwhile, Mydei would go to the Dragon Ember Empire.
Although Mydei's sole connection to the Dragon Ember Empire was having utterly destroyed their entire legion with a single strike—a feat that might seem like a disadvantage—the reality was quite the opposite. The Dragon Ember Empire was a nation that revered strength above all else, where merit and power were the core principles.
Mydei didn't resort to any underhanded tactics. He annihilated an entire enemy legion through sheer, overwhelming force. This earned him their respect, making him the ideal candidate for assistance. With his proven strength, the Dragon Ember Empire would surely cooperate fully.
In other words, sending someone like Hyacine—a petite, seemingly fragile girl—would likely fail to command the respect of the Dragon Ember Empire's seasoned warriors. Even if Tribios had already smoothed things over with the Dragon Ember Emperor beforehand, his initial surprise at seeing Hyacine's appearance would be inevitable.
At that point, a demonstration of strength would become necessary—cumbersome and unnecessary. After all, her mission wasn't to show off, but to rescue people and save the world. Every moment mattered. Mydei was the perfect choice for the task.
Within a tailor shop and a restaurant in Okhema, two Century Gates materialized through Tribios's Authority. Aglaea and Mydei stepped through.
First, they arrived at the All Nations Alliance, arriving a few days before the Demon Axe discovered the disturbances in Layer Eighty of the Abyss. By this time, Layer Seventy-Nine had already been corrupted.
It's important to remember that the Arcane Federation isn't the only nation with wizards. The All Nations Alliance boasts the second-highest number of wizards in the world, and its governance is far more relaxed than that of the Arcane Federation.
Just a few nights ago, deep within a mountain cave, a group of adventurers cornered a waxen-faced Old Wizard. What should have been a routine, ordinary adventure was about to turn deadly.
The adventurers had accepted a quest in town to track down an Evil Wizard who had been causing trouble lately. Now, having finally located his lair, they were preparing for a final, desperate battle.
The Adventurer Team was well-balanced, consisting of a Warrior, Thief, Sorcerer, and Priest. With meticulous preparation and only minor injuries, they had driven the Evil Wizard to the brink.
"Damn you! Do you think this is over? My Magic Circle is complete! Prepare to pay the price, you wretched adventurers!"
The Evil Wizard bellowed his classic villainous Phase Two monologue while chanting incantations. Across from him, the Adventurer Team braced themselves, their expressions grimly determined.
"Everyone, be careful!"
"Your plan will never succeed!"
"We will stop you!"
The Adventurer Team delivered their classic heroic lines, the scene playing out with dramatic flair. However, while the three adventurers and the Evil Wizard were exchanging scripted dialogue, the Thief had already stealthily crept around behind him.
After all, they weren't fools. How could they simply stand by and watch the villain cast his spell without taking action? In reality, transformations don't grant invincibility frames—just strike hard while they're transforming, and that's all there is to it!
Soon, the Thief had closed in on the Evil Wizard's back. Bursting from the shadows, he plunged his enchanted dagger into the wizard's heart!
Thwack—
The enchanted dagger pierced through the wizard's weak magical shield in an instant, burying itself in his chest—a direct hit to a vital spot!
Yet with his dying breath, the Evil Wizard rasped, "Damn you! If I'm going down, you're coming with me! The ritual is complete!"
"Ha ha ha! Come forth, Demons of the Abyss! I release you from all your bonds! Slaughter freely—annihilate everything in sight!"
As he spoke, the Magic Circle before him erupted in a dazzling light, and a figure slowly emerged from within.
"Everyone, be careful!" the Captain of the Adventurer Team warned, this time truly on high alert.
However, when the blinding light faded, what appeared before them was a sickly-looking mushroom. Its face was gaunt, its eye sockets hollow, resembling a corporate slave who had pulled all-nighters for days straight.
"Ugh..." The mushroom wobbled forward two steps before faceplanting onto the ground with a splat, plunging the entire scene into an unprecedented silence.
A few seconds later, the Evil Wizard suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. "Th-this... this... ugh—"
After preparing for so long and expending vast quantities of precious materials to summon this demon, this was the result?
He hadn't been stabbed to death by the Thief; he had literally died of anger.
The Evil Wizard's eyes rolled back as he drew his last breath. As for the four adventurers, they stared blankly and bewildered at the dead mushroom on the ground. "So... what the hell is going on here?"