Chapter 738 Shelter Omega (1/2)

The Dark Domain was an extremely vast space at the edge of the Void Vortex, spanning dozens of oblong regions the size of Mycroft's region. Worlds one to eight were spread across within, with many more dead worlds scattered around them.

All worlds were dull and lightless within that region. Since it was unobservable from other regions and their coordinates indeterminable, they virtually did not exist and were hence known as darkness.

But now, the Northern Empire's External Exploration Department was dispatching signals of the strongest frequencies, calling out to the party in World Zero Three amidst that domain that did not exist, ordering them to cease exploration at once, stay where they were and wait for the return teleportation.

”Calling Third Party. According to the Empire's official researchers, you are now in proximity to a mortal threat and thus in grave danger. Please cease all exploration activities, activate the Restoration Beam, stay on alert for the teleportation beam. All intelligence you had gathered has been recorded—please do not worry about the issue of contribution. Repeat, please cease all exploration activities, activate the Restoration Beam and stay on alert.”

A Grancypher communications officer was linked to the Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds, channeling the power of that ancient wonder to execute the long-range communication. His expression was grim, for not only did the information mattered to the fate of five elite party members, but because four Legendary champions were conferring quietly behind him.

To be truthful, he was so nervous that his feet were numb.

”What happened? Why is the expedition called off?” Nostradamus was saying right behind the communications personnel. He had just received word from Joshua and rushed there from the East Barnett highlands, unsure of the current circumstances.

Then, beside him, Barnil and William who were conducting research in the Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds offered a kind explanation. ”Joshua had discovered the presence of an old enemy in World Zero Three. That was definitely a troublesome bastard, we should be careful.”

”That's right. It almost escaped even when we encircled it at the time.”

In response, Nostradamus glanced at Joshua sideways. ”An old enemy of yours? Are they not annihilated yet? That's unusual—doesn't seem like you.”

”Annihilated. The problem is that the enemy is a flock, not singular.”

Joshua shook his head at the tease. Nostradamus knew about the Black Fog's existence as well, and the old mage gestured that he was aware as he generally explained the current circumstances. ”You suspect that World Zero Three is a former hive of the Black Fog, or a battlefield against Evil Gods? That's definitely dangerous.”

There was no doubt that the Black Fog was a Legendary-tier combat force. As a collective runic creation of the microscopic scale, it possessed supreme erosive and devouring capacity, and would logically possess intelligence that surpasses humans.

Furthermore, beings below Legend basically had no chance against Legends, unless they had Legendary-tier techniques… And the dense remains on World Zero Three that actually piled into a desert proved that the Black Fog once poured like rain, being destroyed by the millions. In the opinion of the Legends present, those that can achieve something like could only be an Evil God, or multiple Evil Gods.

”I'm going myself to take a look.” Joshua decided the four Legends had generally understood the current situation. ”There is definitely value in dangerous places, and I might find special information about the Black Fog and Evil Gods in World Zero Three. They are all enemies, and the more we know, the better.”

”Then I shall monitor the other worlds. I'll get there myself as well if there's danger.” Nostradamus nodded lightly, walking towards the surveillance room on another side, while Barnil and William left as well.

The Grancypher, having been docked at the edge of the Multiverse Sacrificial Grounds, meant that the Commanding Will was nearby. As Joshua contacted it, the teleportation force of the ancient building quickly shone upon the warrior's body—a dark space unfurled at once, consuming Joshua's form.

***

Meanwhile, the expedition party on World Zero Three was staying where they were as instructed, refraining from any exploration.

”Was there any particular danger about the information we sent back?”

In front of the temporary camp, the team leader was looking around for anything unusual and murmuring to himself doubtfully. ”From how the communications officer spoke, it's like we may die at any moment.”

”It's for our own good.” Mage, who was standing by the rear and maintaining the camp's defensive barrier shrugged. ”This is a different world after all, it's normal for there to be dangers we can't observe.”

”I just find it a pity. There should have been more to be discovered…”

All five expedition members sighed at once. They had stopped all plans to explore further following the communications that came out of nowhere, and while there was nothing of note in the region several kilometers around them, would there not be information of value further away that would win them substantial contribution points? Although the team leader was clearly aware that the gains at present were rewarding, it remained disheartening for the entire Third Party.

”Forget the horse carriages. We're only walking when we return…”

However, before that thought finished, a tremendous rumble suddenly echoed from the metal desert that extended further beyond vision. The five expedition members who were already on their toes were jolted at once, quickly looking up toward the horizon, at the direction of the tremendous reverberation that echoed as if the world was breaking. All of them watched, frozen by what was transpiring, bewildered.

It was a wall of iron-red dust cloud that rose high above. Infinite minuscule metal dust was pulled into the skies by a profound power, blanketing heaven and earth… Still, that was not what astonished everyone. Instead, it was the ground that appeared to be collapsing beneath the dust cloud—as if devoured by a colossal maw, the desert of endless metal dust vanished by great portions over the horizon. Everyone could see that there was no longer any land in the distance, only darkness.

”What do we do? Our position wouldn't hold against a calamity!” The team's Alchemist burst in agitation. Although the Restoration Beam and the Mage's barrier would withstand Supreme-tier attacks together, they would not fare well if all of them fell into an abyss.

”What else is there?” Despite their initial shock, the expedition party quickly recovered, being elites amongst elites. After some thought, their leader came up with a solution at once. ”Rider, start the car and activate flying mode. We're all getting on!”

”What about the surface equipment?”

”Are those stuff more important than humans? Leave them!”

The well-trained party was all onboard the car in ten seconds as instructed. As spiral rotors and magical vents hummed, the flight-capable off-road vehicle had risen high above as magical energy rippled, while in the distance, the collapse from the horizon had reached where they had camped. Everyone looked down silently as their base was consumed by a great, dark crevice, vanishing amidst churning sand and dust.

'If we weren't alert…' the party leader quietly thought, and shuddered.

”On flight mode, the car would last two and a half hours even if both Mage and Alchemist keep charging it.”

Rider, on the wheel, watched the various meters at the front row of the off-road vehicle. ”All our energy stone reserves were at camp, and all gone now.”

”Let it go,” the Leader said and sighed. ”We're less than ten seconds in the air, but the collapse had already reached us. We could only hope that the teleporting would hurry up.”

As there were minute differences between worlds in all aspects, all expedition members were below Gold-tier on their first mission to avoid the clash of supernatural powers unique to advanced Extraordinary individuals. They would follow the plans of the Imperial External Exploration Department and complete their Ascension in the Void, molding perfect adaptability for the future. Still, that was precisely why amongst the party members, only Mage and Clergy could fly, needing the aid of magical equipment such as the off-road vehicle.

”Wait, look!”

Just as everyone rejoiced over their decisiveness albeit with complicated emotions, Clergy pointed to part of the collapse. ”Doesn't it look like there's a building there?”

Everyone turned at once to where Clergy was pointed, and then saw a colossal cluster of black buildings.