The aura of Safi'jiiva rapidly recovered at a speed visible to the naked eye as it absorbed the energy of the Everstream. Even the numerous wounds left upon its body by hunters fighting desperately were healing at an astonishing pace.
There was no time to think. With reddened eyes, the hunters charged forward at full speed, wishing they could grow two more legs at that very moment—anything to reach it instantly and interrupt its actions.
But in the end, they were still a step too late.
As an area where Safi'jiiva frequently lingered, the Everstream energy in this layer had already been nearly depleted. Before the hunters could reach it, it completely drained the remaining Everstream energy from this land. In an instant, the already desolate ground lost its last trace of luster, turning ashen and dim.
This land had died completely. All it would take was a gust of wind, an earthquake, or even a small explosion for it to collapse into sand and fractured stone.
Having finished all this, Safi'jiiva straightened its body with lingering dissatisfaction, cast a cold glance at the charging "insects," and without hesitation abandoned this now-useless land, leaping directly down from the edge of the area.
"Chase it!"
The tragedy of the land's death unfolding before their eyes drove the hunters' anger to its peak.
Thus, even before Darren spoke, hunters were already calling for wingdrakes to carry them in pursuit.
The Commander stared at the land that had completely died, his body trembling slightly.
If he had not long since neglected his training, and if this leg had been capable of supporting him in battle, he would have already raised his Sword and Shield and charged alongside these young men.
"Hoo…"
Letting out a long breath, the Commander issued his orders without turning his head. "Have the artillery team enter. Even if it's only ballistae, get them set up for me in the shortest time possible!"
As one order after another was given, the cats assisted the Fourth Fleet's logistics artillery team in transporting the hastily constructed ballistae into the Secluded Valley. At the same time, the first group of wounded, treated by Mother Chameleos, had already regained their mobility.
Fully equipped and resupplied, they rushed back to the battlefield.
The battle between the hunters and Safi'jiiva had completely entered a white-hot stage. The entire battlefield became a meat grinder, with hunters constantly withdrawing and joining, young lives meeting their end here one after another.
Even so, not a single person chose to retreat. This was destined to be a war in which only one side could walk out alive!
And deep within the most hidden Everstream corridor at the very bottom of the Secluded Valley—
After such a long period of remodeling, this first formal exchange between the two worlds finally came to an end.
The enormous crimson Terastal statue began to "melt." A colossal crimson dragon lay quietly within the flowing magma, eyes shut tight, rising and falling with the magma's movement.
Within the pitch-black spatial passage, the figure that had been maintaining the conduit with all its strength also began to slowly withdraw. The radiance of the white stone slab serving as a light source gradually dimmed.
At this moment, stone-slab fragments were no longer needed as world coordinates. As the carrier of both worlds' power, Logan—now, for him, simply existing was the best possible spatial anchor.
As the spatial passage closed, the gaze that had been fixed on Logan finally dispersed, and the magma that had been faintly arranged in a guarded posture gradually calmed as well.
Thump~ thump!
Thump~ thump!
A highly rhythmic heartbeat echoed through this space. Along with the rapidly recovering heartbeat, powerful energy fluctuations spread outward in ring after ring. Wherever they passed, whether in the ground or within the rock walls, crimson Terastal flowers sprouted one after another.
And at this time, the slumbering colossal dragon finally awakened once more. In his azure pupils, crimson-gold vertical slits flickered with threads of flowing energy.
Within his body, vast bioenergy flowed ceaselessly through every part of him, ultimately forming a perfect internal cycle with his heart.
From this moment on, he would no longer have the concept of a lifespan. Time would no longer be his enemy. No matter how heaven and earth changed, he would endure forever!
With a light brace of his crimson Terastal wingclaw, a massive Terastal platform manifested beneath him. Logan climbed out of the magma, letting the scalding molten rock slide off the perfect lines of his musculature.
In terms of size, Logan—having completed the final step of his metamorphosis—did not undergo any major change. There were simply more spines on his body, and the forelimbs that had previously been only wings now, at the joint of the third bone segment, had grown an additional pair of transparent crimson wingclaws.
The Flying Wyvern body type that had originally been shaped to better suit flight also underwent subtle changes.
Stronger muscles in his legs and chest made him better suited to his current bodily stance.
The internal cycle of energy made Logan's time unshakable; the leap in ecological niche also allowed him to successfully change from a "hired hand" into a partner.
At this moment, he was qualified to possess an ecological environment that belonged to him alone.
Of course, the most crucial change was that the "Sunlight" which had originally belonged to the ecological side was gone forever, replaced instead by the "Desolate Land" that symbolized destruction and judgment!
With Logan's breathing and the circulation of energy, in merely three minutes, the body that had grown weak from dozens of days of slumber was recovering to its peak state at an inconceivable speed.
At this moment, aside from the sense of ease that came after transcending his ecological niche, the only thing Logan felt was hunger.
Not the ordinary hunger of a living creature, but a craving for energy.
Constructing the perpetual energy cycle itself required an immense amount of energy. Not to mention that, in order to better adapt the Desolate Land Trait, Logan's body had instinctively participated in the Trait's remodeling while he slept.
As a result, he had consumed more than half of the energy reserves within his body.
And the Everstream energy of this land had long since been mostly absorbed by Safi'jiiva. The energy drawn from the planetary core during the earlier exchange had already returned to the core.
Therefore, this Everstream tributary—like a dead fish—was fundamentally incapable of satisfying Logan's current needs.
Sniff, sniff!
Logan's nostrils twitched slightly. Within his expanded perception, he detected the presence of a certain creature.
The commotion on the surface was also easily captured by him.
No wonder the world's will had chosen this place as the site of exchange. Perhaps it had calculated everything long ago. Safi'jiiva, who was fiercely battling the Research Commission above, was the gift it had prepared for Logan's breakthrough!
It had even drawn the Research Commission into the fray to ensure Logan's hunting success rate.
Without the slightest hesitation, Logan spread his wings, stirring waves of scorching heat as he flew toward the exit of the lava cavern.
...
The third layer of the Secluded Valley.
After a prolonged fierce battle, Safi'jiiva had even drained the Everstream energy of the second layer, yet still failed to eliminate the hunters.
It was, after all, not a Black Dragon—one of those taboos specialized in countering human civilization. When dealing with hunters, it was somewhat constrained.
Even so, the Research Commission had suffered grievous losses. Even Darren had already rejoined the battlefield for a second time, let alone the others.
From morning until now, the manpower lost by the Research Commission had already exceeded the total of the past several decades—and that number was still rising with the battle.
Staring at Safi'jiiva, which had once again entered a critical state after absorbing Everstream energy, even Darren felt a trace of wavering in his heart.
Was an existence like this truly something they could slay?