As twilight descends, their panther mounts gradually come to a halt, their eyes gleaming with curiosity as they inch closer to the vast shoreline. The wielders gently stroke their mounts before dismounting, their gaze fixed on the rolling waves.

Gwen "Well, this certainly evokes some unpleasant memories. Alas, our repeated encounters with the ocean now feel even more foreboding. So, Kanji, what's the plan?"

Kanji "I don't have one yet. I suggest we rest here overnight. I promise to come up with something. Oh, and we should bid farewell to these magnificent guys for now. They attract too much attention."

Claire "What?! Oh, man. You can't just leave Leana out there. What if those people try to hunt her down?!"

Gwen "No need to worry, Claire. Leana is a seasoned survivor, having lived on for so long even after her territory was taken. They just need to stay hidden until we return."

Dave "Yo, so like we have like a hidden squad of fucking panther assassins. Bro, that is sick!"

Azan "Hey, guys. Mina and I started a campfire. Join in when you're ready."

Claire "Wow, that was quick. Ha... Fine. Leana, this is goodbye. Make sure you and your sisters stay out of danger, alright?!"

Leana lets out a sorrowful purr as her pride follows her, disappearing into the forest.

The night passes by in peaceful silence as they enjoy some s'mores— All except Claire, who hasn't been seen all night. At dawn, Dave notices a worried expression on Amelia's face.

Dave "Babe, is everything alright?"

Amelia "Yeah, everything's fine. Just worried about Claire. She seems off."

Sarah "I wouldn't blame her. We just voted to leave Leana against her will."

Kanji "Yeah, I hope she understands and won't go on a tantru-

Claire "YES! I GOT IT!"

The group turns towards the sound of Claire's voice as she rushes out of the forest.

Claire "Guys! I did it! I experimented and figured out what the orange glow is."

Gwen "You were... experimenting? Never thought I'd see that day. What did you discover?"

Claire "There are three things I learned. First, the orange glow appears only when I focus on a single object, becoming more opaque the more I focus. Then I can absorb it. Second, I can only absorb objects that we own, though I'm not sure what counts as ownership exactly. I can't absorb rocks I just picked up, for example. Lastly, there's a limit to how much I can absorb, and it's set at ten which is my current creation capacity."

Kanji "Wow, that clarifies things. The ownership aspect might be tied to how long an object remains in our inventory, as indicated by the skill window. However... it would be overpowered if you could stack hundreds of rocks and absorb them. I doubt the higher beings would allow us to do that. The simplest conclusion would be objects we purchased or were gifted, as well as objects you conjured."

Claire "Alright, I'll keep that in mind. So, what's the plan, Captain?"

Kanji "It's going to be quite a labyrinth, so listen closely. I suggest we take a stealthy approach and avoid engaging with any creatures in the other biomes. We can use them to our advantage when we strike the cities. With Leana and her pride covering the forest region, we're safe there. Just make sure to tell them to be even more stealthy next time, Claire."

Claire "Okie dookie, Kaney. What about the ocean?"

Kanji "After reviewing Gwen's information, I've learned that the city is surrounded by three sections of islands, each consisting of ten islands of consistent sizes. Here, let me draw a diagram."

His finger skates along the sand, creating a circular y chart.

Kanji "The biome isn't actually circular and this is just for clarity. Anyway, the upper section has the large islands, the left section has the medium islands, and the section we're bordering has the small islands. I propose we go from small to large, and then medium. That way, we won't need to backtrack. Oh, and there are also a bunch of icebergs."

Noah "So, we like fight a miniboss, then the final boss, and then the boss. Sounds good to me."

Sarah "Dude, he said we're not fighting."

Noah "Oh, so it's a stealth mission."

Kanji "This operation requires some organization, so bear with me. I will be our platform, using my energy to freeze the ocean as we walk. Diana, I'll need your help to increase friction so we won't slip. It's also a good opportunity for you to practice using two law powers at the same time."

Diana "Got it, boss. You can count on me!"

Kanji "Next, I need Dave and Amelia. Dave, I want you to focus on maintaining the platform while we move, forming a large wall around us. Amelia, I need you to create an illusion of an iceberg alongside him. Unfortunately, this means the three of us won't be able to engage in combat. Finally, Adrian, I need you to gather information while everyone else remains on the defensive. And Noah, avoid using your anger stone."

All "Yes, sir!"

And so, the party sets out, making their way to the first section, edging closer to the upper border. From an outsider's perspective, they appear as a moving mass of ice gliding across the surface. A long, serpent-like shadow rises from beneath the water.

The creature's massive body collides with the side of the iceberg.

Fortunately, they all maintain their balance, their gaze fixed on the creature before them. With a length comparable to two sailboats and a snakelike form, the creature thrusts its rapier-shaped bill toward the iceberg, narrowly missing Gwen's right shoulder and Kanji's right ear. The group remains motionless as the bill retracts, followed by a splash as the creature returns to the depths. In her third-person vision, Amelia marvels at the majestic white undulating stripes along the creature's body before they fade away.

Azan "Whew! That was a fucking close call. You two doing alright?"

Gwen "Even if it had struck my shoulder, it wouldn't have been much of a loss."

Kanji "Same here. Losing an ear wouldn't make much difference. Adrian, what did you discover?"

Adrian "It's called a snake billfish. It has no affiliations and is completely wild. Its bill can pierce through steel like butter, and it harbors an intense hatred for humans who hunted its family."

Claire "Wow, and here I thought we could try taming it like Leana."

Gwen "Taming a real sailfish or any fish, for that matter, would be much more challenging unless you resort to a bit of manipulation."

Claire "Gwen! What the fuck?!"

Gwen "Relax, I was just teasing. Shall we proceed, Kanji?"

Kanji "Very well. Dave, Diana, Amelia, are you all ready?"

Diana "Not to worry, boss. This way less tiring than my pushup routine!"

Dave "Bro, that shit is tri-easy. No cap! Let's go!"

Amelia "The illusion is taking a bit of my bloody effort but seeing you two working hard. I can't give myself in. I'm ready, lad!"

Kanji "Alright, let us proceed."

They continue into the northern region when a sudden movement causes their platform to shift and rotate. Amelia's vision spins, causing a touch of nausea. However, with a bit of resolve, she steadies her vision and spots a whirlpool.

Amelia "Holy shite biscuits! That's a bloody whirlpool!"

Kanji "Everyone, start running! And you three, don't lose your focus!"

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

They sprint, deftly avoiding each whirlpool that comes their way. Amelia spots something in the distance— it's a massive vortex. She alerts the group, and with her guidance, they skim along the edge of the vortex, successfully making it to the other side just as they are out of reach—

The vortex is consumed by a massive maw.

Soaring into the air, a gigantic creature emerges— a blue whale. Its size surpasses that of any other whale, casting a shadow that would engulf an entire village. Gwen estimates its volume to be of that magnitude. The whale crashes back down, and the group gazes upon it in horror. Thousands of steel weapons, from harpoons to axes, pierce its body, covering its back. Nearly every imaginable weapon is embedded within its flesh. What's more, the creature appears to be shedding tears of pain, with blood trickling down its scarred sides.

The group turns away from the tragic sight and continues their march.

Claire "Fuck. Damn it. We will swear to avenge you."

At long last, they reach the last section. The ocean appears unusually calm... almost too calm. They walk westward until a stone-like structure catches their eye in the distance.

Kanji "Yes, that's it. Oh wait, Adrian, did you find anything about that whale?"

Adrian "The poor guy is known as an ocean child. It has no affiliations, but it's not as wild as the others. It's too injured to even harbor anger towards those who caused its suffering. Also, it seems that it protected someone at some point in the past."

Kanji "Oh, that's intriguing. Perhaps there was another escapee here as well. I would hazard a guess that this person retreated to the next biome. We won't know until we get there. Onward!"

As the imaginary iceberg draws closer to the stony shore, a massive claw emerges from the sea, blocking their path. Nine more claws surround the platform. At that moment, Amelia notices the absence of icebergs in this region.

Amelia "Guys! Brace for impact!"

The wielders are thrown against the wall as a gigantic crab emerges from the sea.

Its powerful claws latch onto the fake iceberg and hoist it up. The claws tilt backward— launching the fake iceberg towards the shore. Amelia, Dave, Diana, and Kanji release their concentration, the entire group leaping off just in time to land safely on the shore. Taking a moment to catch their breath, they observe the crustacean. It repeatedly slams its yellow-to-orange gradient claws into the water, creating chaotic splashes with no apparent direction or purpose. Their attention is then drawn to a large hole on top of its head.

Gwen "The creature must have gone insane from the seawater affecting its exposed brain."

Kanji "The pain must have been unbearable. Adrian, any insights?"

Adrian "It's a Decagon Crab. It used to reside peacefully at the ocean's depths, but some conflict caused the hole in its shell. Strangely, the damage appears to be inflicted by a single person."

Kanji "Could this be related to the escapee? Maybe they had to face off against the crab to make it here. But then again, if the creature was leading a peaceful life down there, there would be no reason to provoke it. We need answers quickly. With any luck, perhaps this person is still alive somewhere in this region, but perhaps not too far inward."

Mina "But why? Wouldn't it be safer to move as far away as possible?"

Azan "No, Mina. Think about it. Each city has the same shape, so there's a high chance they're collaborating."

Kanji "Exactly my thoughts. I suggest we follow the outline of this region, skimming along its border, until we find them."

Several hours pass, but they find no sign of the escapee.

The area they traverse is entirely constructed of stone, devoid of any wildlife. However, they do stumble upon large quantities of stones embedded with colorful crystals, such as ruby, emerald, sapphire, and amethyst. Additionally, there are abundant deposits of copper, iron, tin, gold, silver, and platinum.

After another hour of searching, they come across an ancient ruin.

The structure resembles a knife blade jutting from the ground. It is slim, made of cyan metal, with circuit-like patterns etched along its length. The strangest part is that all the lines lead up to the tip of the building.

Kanji "Well, well, what do we have here? Some sort of futuristic ruin."

Dave "Fuck, man. Don't touch it. It might be from Sky Net or some Terminator shit."

Kanji "A scientist shouldn't be afraid to explore new things."

As Kanji's hand makes contact with the structure, his mind is filled with flashes, and he senses a network running through the ground.

Kanji "This thing is connected to the center of the biome. Perhaps it's more of a generator than a weapon, otherwise, there would be guards present to defend it."

Mina "Hey, guys! I think I see something up there!"

She swiftly climbs the flat wall and reaches the peak of the structure, where she finds a note impaled and written in blood or red ink. Excitedly, she jumps up and down to the ground.

Mina "It's a note! It says...

Hello, fellow survivor— or hello, you city-dwelling savage, which I really hope you are not. Those Stogan bastards barely visit this useless generator anyway. So, I REALLY, REALLY hope you're a survivor like me. I won't reveal my name as I'm cautious, but I'll tell you why I left this message here. I sought to uncover the truth of this existence we live in and the suffocating illusion we endure. One day, I dreamt of the greatest sin we could commit, and I managed to escape by the skin of my teeth. This message is for you to find me. Heh. Even if you are one of those savages, only someone who knows true freedom could ever locate me. I genuinely hope we can meet.

Mina "... love, G. Kanji, looks like you were right on target. There was an escapee. This is so exciting!"

Mina twirls the piece of paper in the air with enthusiasm. Amidst her joy, Kanji notices that some of the letters turn blue.

Kanji "Mina! That's it! Your childish shake of the paper caused some of it to turn blue."

Mina "Hey! I'm not that childish, but... that was a little embarrassing. Alright! Here goes!"

With another vigorous shake of the note, all the letters are highlighted which are all the letter "S."

Gwen "S... perhaps it refers to the southern region along the biome's outline."

Sarah "Might as well try. But I still feel a bit suspicious about M guy. What does it even stand for?! Mark?"

Sarah "Might as well give it a try. But I still feel a bit suspicious about this 'G' guy. What does the 'G" stand for? Garfield?"

Noah "Oh shit! What if it is G as in The G spot!"

Dave "Bro, that would be next-level shit."

Diana "You guys should focus and don't let your guard down. Something about this feels too staged if you ask me."

Kanji "We've faced worse challenges. What can one person do to us?"

Gwen "Ignorance can lead to downfall, you know."

Kanji "And pretending to be ignorant is genius."

Gwen "Wha- that- Fine. I can't argue with that."

They venture south along the border, hoping to encounter further clues. Eventually, they come across three more generators. Upon discovering a fourth generator, they find it collapsed into a pile of rubble. Kanji examines the damage and concludes that it happened decades ago.

Kanji "Interesting. Yet, the people in the city haven't made any attempt to repair it. Perhaps losing one generator is barely noticeable... Wait, is that..."

Kanji shifts aside the metal plates and spots a hatch on the floor.

Kanji "Guys. Remain calm and try not to be threatening."

He opens the hatch with little resistance and the group jumps down. They land on a patch of wheat and are amazed upon standing up. There is a massive underground farming growing wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and cocoa. There is even a pen filled with cows, pigs, and chickens. At the center of this utopia is a barn house. Outside and rocking on a raggy hammock, an old figure rests peacefully. Her silvery beard covers his entire body.

He effortlessly opens the hatch, and the group jumps down. They land on a patch of wheat, amazed as they stand up. A massive underground farm stretches before them, with wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, and cocoa flourishing. There's even a pen housing cows, pigs, and chickens. At the center of this utopia stands a barn house. Outside, an elderly figure rests peacefully on a tattered hammock. His silvery beard covers his entire body.

A bubble of snot pops from his nose as he awakens.

Looking Startled, his eyes widen upon seeing the wielders, who wave toward him. Strangely, the old man immediately remains calm and invites them to a wooden desk. They sit on large, comfortable wooden logs.

Noah "This desk is amazing! And this log too! Old man, did you create all of this by yourself?"

?? "Yes, of course. But enough about me. Normally, when you enter someone else's house, the visitor introduces themselves first. However, this is a first for me. It's odd. You don't seem to be those savages, nor are you prisoners. Yet, the sense of freedom surrounding you brings tears to this old man's eyes."

Kanji "Allow me to introduce everyone. We are warriors sent from the stars to destroy this world."

?? "Heh. And here I thought you might say you're heroes or some horseshit. Based on your bluntness, I'd say you're honest. My name is Goral. I'm an escapee from Wata."

Kanji "So you managed to find a place to live here. Impressive."

Goral "Well, I couldn't have done it without the help of prisoners those stogans sent to fix this elliptical generator. They were great friends and I took them in. We build this utopia together but they eventually passed away. For decades now, it appears that stogans have forgotten about this generation. After all, they have thirty."

Goral "Well, I couldn't have done it without the help of the prisoners the Stogans sent to repair this elliptical generator. They became great friends, and I took them in. We built this utopia together, but they eventually passed away. For decades now, it seems the Stogans have forgotten about this generator. After all, they have thirty others."

Kanji "You keep mentioning 'Stogans.' I presume that's what they call the city and its people."

Goral "Yes, you're a bright one. Stogans, Watas, Foras... ever since the creation of this world, we've worshiped a figure known as the Ten-Legged Mother while living under the tyranny of the Guardian and his clones. There's one in each settlement. Everyone believes in her majesty to some extent, but some are more devoted than others. They've even gone as far as to give up their forms and undergo physical mutations. However, their obsession has turned ruthless as they seek to force their extreme beliefs on others. That's why I called those bastards savages. Ironically, this sows seeds of doubt in some of the people."

Kanji "That explains a few things. But how are you still alive? Didn't you mention the prisoners passed away?"

Goral "Yes, indeed. Have you ever wondered why they relentlessly chase those who attempt to escape? Why our cities are surrounded by dangerous environments? It's because upon entering another territory, you gain immortality."

Kanji "Holy shit. Does that mean you could have fought back?!"

Goral "Wishful thinking. I had that same idea, but the desire vanished as soon as I attempted it. For some reason, no matter how hard I try, I still revere the goddess deep down. I can't bring myself to insult her or attack her worshippers. It's been eating away at me all these years. It's as if this entire reality is designed solely for worshiping the Ten-Legged Mother. So... I did the only thing I could. I ran and hide."

Kanji "I see. You want us to put an end to it, don't you?"

Goral "Yes, I'll do anything."

Kanji "Very well, but first, we need more information. By the way, do you have a place where we can rest? My group is quite tired."

Goral "Thank you, young man. Come in. I'll whip up the best grub you've ever tasted!"

With smiles on their faces, they spend the night in the barn house, sharing stories and enjoying the company of the old man.

(To be continued)