Chapter 83: Chaos |
Within the deep layers of space, a hundred kilometers away from the rift.
Kyle, using Alvaro’s vision, carefully observed the extremely unstable spatial rift.
An unknown force surrounded the rift, frantically tearing at the surrounding space, yet it was constantly repaired and blocked by the formation.
“What a strange power… it’s like some kind of twisted mental field. It actually possesses a certain ability to alter reality.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t get any closer to observe. Otherwise, it’d be hard to guarantee I won’t be discovered.”
Kyle felt a trace of regret. At this distance, the information he could gather was limited.
Fortunately, he had already confirmed the general situation.
As expected, things always developed in the worst possible direction—it was indeed something inside the secret realm trying to come out.
Luckily, things hadn’t reached an irreversible stage yet—if the empire could close that rift in time.
Kyle turned his gaze westward.
With the enhancement of his special talent, he could clearly see a Legendary female mage in a black-and-white robe rapidly traversing space.
Her speed was astonishing, and powerful magical fluctuations surrounded her. Wherever she passed, space itself trembled.
“What a pity—she doesn’t specialize in spatial magic,” Kyle assessed silently.
This Legendary mage was purely relying on overwhelming magical power to forcibly break through spatial barriers, smashing open a path rather than skillfully unraveling spatial nodes—it was brute force through and through.
Because of that, her speed was even slightly slower than Alvaro’s.
And Alvaro was only at Intent level now. If he were Legendary, he could appear anywhere on the continent at will.
“Seems like the chances aren’t great…”
Still, Kyle chose to watch, waiting to see her performance—perhaps there would be some unexpected turning point.
***
Within the Crescent Empire, in the imperial palace of the Aurelia Imperial Capital.
“Legendary Lila has already set out with the treasure,” a minister reported to the emperor.
“But according to the latest intelligence, spatial disturbances are intensifying. Even basic information transmission has failed.”
The emperor rubbed his brow, his voice heavy with fatigue:
“Do your best to notify the cities around the secret realm. Have them prepare to activate large formations to resist the impact—every bit they can block helps.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Those present exchanged worried glances.
Originally, they had believed the empire would gain control of a new secret realm and greatly strengthen its foundation. Who could have expected it to turn into such a massive disaster?
At this moment, Lila Field was extremely anxious. The teleportation arrays around the new secret realm had all been affected to varying degrees. She didn’t dare risk teleportation and could only rush over on her own.
Violent spatial turbulence carved fine cracks into the magical shield around her, only to be rapidly repaired by her continuous flow of magic.
As she advanced, her thoughts churned.
When she had first seen the report about the new secret realm months ago, she had thought it was a rare opportunity, even planning to personally explore it once she finished her current matters.
But who could have imagined that in such a short time, the situation would deteriorate so drastically?
That seemingly opportunity-filled secret realm had become a massive problem.
“If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have come to inspect it myself.”
Lila regretted it inwardly, but it was too late for such thoughts now.
She could only keep pushing her magic to increase her speed, hoping to arrive before the rift underwent further changes.
This time, she was treating a dead horse as if it were alive—if it proved impossible, she would do everything she could to push the secret realm into the depths of space. As for where the fragments would fall afterward, that was no longer something she could worry about.
It was still better than having it crash directly onto their own territory.
***
At this moment, Simon felt every second like an eternity. Although the rift above hadn’t continued expanding, the vortex within it was spinning faster and faster, its color shifting from dull gray to blazing red.
The pressure emanating from it had surged dramatically. The cigar in his mouth had long since turned to ash—he was now holding on purely by willpower.
Fortunately, the empire’s Legendary hadn’t arrived too late—or only after everything was over.
Lila Field’s figure appeared directly between the formation and the rift.
A circular formation several times larger than the spatial stabilization array rapidly formed, encircling the rift layer by layer.
Then her mana domain expanded, and a raging torrent of magical power began violently colliding with the energy vortex within the rift.
The imperial soldiers and mages below immediately felt the pressure lessen and looked up toward the sky.
The once-ferocious rift was now completely covered by a vast purple tide of magic.
The oppressive might of a Legendary enveloped the entire region.
***
Having just returned to Coral Thorn City, O’Brien turned his head once more toward the direction of the secret realm along the Greenfield Trade Route.
Even from such a distance, he could feel that heart-pounding energy fluctuation.
“This level of intensity… has a Legendary made a move?”
At this moment, Coral Thorn City had already descended into chaos.
Most high-level professionals had evacuated, leaving only civilians and a small number of low-level professionals within the city.
The harbor was packed to the brim, with countless ships hurriedly departing.
“Move aside! Let my child board first!” A woman cried out, clutching an infant tightly as she tried to squeeze onto an already overloaded passenger ship.
Clang—!
A sharp flash of sword light cut through the air. The woman and the infant in her arms fell into the waves.
A closer look revealed the infant’s purplish face—it had long since been dead.
Gann Cole stood high above the harbor, his expression cold.
This elderly man had already lost count of how many rioters attempting to force their way onto ships he had slain.
Now, some were even holding children of unknown origin, trying to sneak aboard.
“All passengers board in order! Anyone who forces their way through will be executed on the spot!” Gann’s voice echoed throughout the harbor.
Claudi Haines and Sarkhad Blackthorn had already departed with their family ships.
At this moment, Coral Thorn City was left with only one Intent-level powerhouse—Gann Cole.
All he could do was ensure that this final shred of order did not collapse.
With another swing of his sword, he killed a professional attempting to climb aboard via a rope.
He was utterly exhausted. The seawater at the harbor had been dyed red with blood, shimmering with an eerie glow under the moonlight.
“Heh… reform…”
Gann shook his stiff neck and forced out a bitter smile in self-mockery.
“In a world where even survival cannot be guaranteed, what meaning does reform have? Perhaps in the next moment, all efforts will end up like this—reduced to nothing but the instinct to survive.”
During the day, he had still been envisioning the flourishing future of Coral Thorn City. At night, he could only act as an executioner, watching helplessly as the city moved toward destruction.
Everything felt so absurd.
Just as he was lost in thought, a force completely different from the earlier spatial tremors swept across the entire area.
Gann suddenly raised his head, looking toward the distant sky:
“This feeling… has a Legendary made a move?”