"Are you sure about that?" Gaorath raised his eyebrow before a grin spread across his face.
"100% sure," the rat-tribe man snickered." I was the one who sent that information to Dark Sterling Valen's direct subordinate."
"You and your connections, Rat King."
Gaorath scoffed and slapped the table.
"If you know about that, then you should know their precise information. Give it to me."
"Now, that…that doesn't come free, hahaha," Rat-king laughed with a dark glint in his eyes. 'You better work as I am expecting you to, Gaorath.'
…
Erix's group became somewhat famous in the Fallen Land's city. First, the news of Reinala becoming their slave spread, and on top of that, a huge bounty also appeared in the Hunter's guild in their names and faces.
But the one who put the bounty was none other than Rat-king, the information broker of the Fallen Land.
When he found out that Reinala was missing, he dug deep and kept his ears open with his subordinates because it was one of the interesting things in his job.
But, a week after Lynia and Maleina were captured, the people who watched that show in the cavern obviously spread the news in the city when they returned, filling Rat-king's ears.
This information caused him to think of something he had been waiting for a few months ever since he stumbled upon it.
Another week passed by as the Rat King cooked up his plan. He sent this information to Dark Sterling Valen and tried to reach some Dragon folks as well.
But why? Only he knew about that.
Rat King watched Gaorath leave after he fed him the information about powerhouses arriving in the next few days, not knowing he was also a pawn in Rat King's scheme.
'Now then, let's check if I can manage to rile up those dragons and some of them come here,' Rat King stood up and called someone.
"How many are in the city, and how many are in the three famous spots?" Rat King asked while a crystal card (comm card) stuck to his right ear.
For a particular reason, Rat King wanted more Royal-order powerhouses to enter the Fallen Land, and he saw an opportunity to make this situation true.
'Hmmm, so the numbers haven't fluctuated much. Black Mountain has nine, Spada Valley has thirteen, and Skull Island has four since Gaorath and his slaves left.'
'And sixteen in the city,' Rat-king put away the comm card. 'Not enough. But, once Dark Sterling Valen' men arrive here, It can work.'
'And If only some Royal-order dragons also arrive here, that would be perfect,' Rat King thought and called another person with a maddening glint in his eyes. 'Once I succeed, I'll have the leverage to enter a Cosmic Faction despite my lacking raw capabilities and exit this damn Abyss.
Rat King clenched his fist. His condition to automatically leave the Abyss was reaching the Empyrean order, but he was having a hard time even reaching the Royal order.
Despite trying for years, his progress was slow, especially in terms of affinities, except for his main one, Shadow.
Due to limited capabilities, his path to power was also limited, so he was always finding a shortcut to power up or something that could make a cosmic faction accept him.
But when he encountered a temporary dimension slit a few months ago in Southwest of Fallen, and it spewed out a strange thing, the Rat King finally ignited his ambition and rush that was going to bring a calamity onto the Fallen Land…for nothing other than his benefit and his future.
… freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Two days passed by, marking their 33rd day in the Fallen land.
Rin and Erix were still in the deep trans that Lilith suspected could end anytime.
Klelia was on her Serene Spot, while Reinala, Lynia, and Maleina were also on Serene Spots with Lilith's permission.
Lily was outside hunting monsters and trying to grasp the concept of 'weave' by using her powers and consciously thinking about it all the time in her battle, using her imagination as a tool.
After all, acquiring concepts was a matter of using one's imagination, understanding that imagination, and applying it in reality with your thoughts to manifest it.
While Lilith was reading her book, her hand holding the book automatically shook out of nowhere. Her consciousness did not induce this action, but it represented something.
Lilith narrowed her eyes, a glint passing through them, 'Is it time?'
She put the book away and took out the route map that Granny May had drawn.
The first destination on the route was Fallen Land, represented by a piece of black land with red trees growing on it.
The trees started to glow, blinking with a dark-reddish pulse.
A second after that, Lilith sensed something and turned her head towards Erix and Rin, the phenomena around them slowly dissipating and their eye-opening.
"Perfect time," Lilith smiled.
Rin and Erix looked at each other and then at Lilith with wide grins.
"We did it!"
"Congrats. I believed you two could do it," Lilith chuckled and said, "But we can't revel in celebration. Take a shower and freshen up. We need to have a meeting."
"Eh? Is there any trouble?" Erix asked.
"It's a trouble and boon both," Lilith faintly smiled. "It is a challenge foreseen and set up by Granny May for us, but it won't be easy."
"Oh?" Rin was surprised. "Do you know what it is?"
Erix was also curious.
"Nope," Lilith shook her head. "But we know it is coming, so we can prepare. You two take a proper bath if you want to while I wake up the others and prepare some quick food."
"Alright."
…
Half an hour later, Lilith, Erix, Rin, Lily, and Klelia sat at a table, eating the food while talking.
"So that means something big is going to happen?" Rin asked before putting a piece of juicy Royal-order meat steak into her mouth as it melted with her few bites.
"Definitely," Lilith nodded. "You two also finished acquiring your Super Exotic Elements, so we must leave because my premonition and an indication of the route means we have to leave this place."
Lilith sipped a glass of wine before adding, "We'll prepare enough to overcome whatever's coming and benefit from that, but we can't do that from here. We'll go to a more famous spot in this Fallen Land.
"What are you talking about? Who is Granny May?" Reinala butted in while she stood beside Lynia and Maleina, watching the group eat and talk.
"That's none of your business," Lily snorted as she created a barrier around the table.
"This Scroll of Insight was useful, but we've spent sixteen days on it," Rin ruefully smiled and turned to Erix, "Sixteen days without our special daily training, but...it was well worth it."
"Worth it indeed," Erix laughed. Although it hurt them to miss out on sixteen days without entering Limitless Plane, the power they learned and acquired was worth it.
But they would only feel its actual worth when they put their new power into their combat arsenal and faced the challenge about to descend.
"Then show us the elements already," Lily eagerly said. "I've never seen a Super Exotic Element before."
"Me too," Lilith chuckled. "At least, I haven't seen one up close."
Rin and Erix grinned. They could barely contain their excitement whenever they thought about the Super Exotic Element's power and perks.
They shared the status of their newfound powers with Lilith and Lily, soon causing their eyes to shine with a distinct type of longing.
After all, wanting to have powers, be it in any form, was a forever desire in everyone on their path, no matter what path one was walking.