Entering a new room, they noticed something different. The floor and walls were splattered with blood.

Dark blood was prevalent, but a bright red stain near the window stood out.

Flies buzzed around the blood. As they entered, the dark blood stirred, and several small, stitched-up faces emerged.

"Whose children are these?"

Elise calmly drew her blades. But before the stitched-up faces could move, a white energy flashed, severing their heads.

Mithra lightly swung the Abhorrence staff, absorbing the blood it had touched.

The small, stitched faces, after their heads were destroyed, remained still, no longer moving. They were truly dead.

Mithra didn't need to use her maw.

She had no idea how much flesh she had consumed in this dream.

But the maw had felt full, and her sense power had increased.

It was clear that even though this was a dream, this Dreamscape Gap was a form of reality.

Suddenly, a commotion echoed.

Bang!

It sounded like something hitting a hard surface. Mithra instinctively looked towards the bright red stain on the windowsill.

"You useless thing! Stay away from me!"

"I hate your eyes, you worthless thing. You'll only ever be food."

The voice, although young, was harsh and cruel.

After a moment of silence, the voice spoke again.

"Abhorrence, are you alright...? We came to see you. They bully us too. They learned miracles earlier and have eaten a lot of flesh. We can't fight back."

"We'll clean you up…"

"Want revenge? It's hard. But I heard they're looking for hosts for the arm, and the leaders want it. If you become a host, maybe you won't be bullied anymore."

The voice faded.

Mithra glanced at the bloodstains, and she and Elise left silently.

"They're raising the children they've collected," Elise said.

Mithra nodded. "Whether that's actually 'raising' them is debatable."

They continued their search, soon discovering a basement.

Elise frowned as soon as she entered.

The stench of blood and decay was overwhelming, enough to make anyone faint.

The floor was littered with dismembered bodies. Fleshy remains were everywhere, mostly children's bones, piled high.

Whether this was a realistic depiction or a dream-enhanced exaggeration was unclear.

A figure seemed to be selecting the bones, muttering, "So much wasted flesh. Too many bones to consume. Too bad. We'll use them for ritual materials."

Suddenly, the figure looked up, noticing Mithra and Elise.

It was, predictably, another stitched-up face, its eyes dark and menacing.

"You're…ah, the child with the missing limbs… You're special, blessed with the god's flesh. You might become one of the leaders…Why are you bothering with someone like me?"

"What? You want these bones? No way! These are mine! My work! You can't have them…I need them to become closer to the god,"

As the voice spoke, Mithra approached, wielding the staff.

"What are you going to do? Ha ha, are you going to attack? Even if you're talented, your Flesh Transmutation skills aren't..."

Mithra swung her hand, the staff transforming into a whip that entangled the creature's head, tearing it apart.

Returning the staff to its original form, Mithra looked at the pile of bones.

"...I can't even defeat a baby. Ugh... But why do you need so many bones? Even if you could consume them…ah? I see… ha ha… ha ha ha… You fool! You have friends! You want to help them! Friends in this place… ha ha ha ha! I was wrong. You're worthless; you'll never become a leader!"

The voice vanished. Mithra turned to Elise. "It's disgusting. Let's go."

Elise nodded silently.

As they walked, their hurried pace slowed to a leisurely stroll.

They passed countless scenes from the dreamscape, likely memories.

Escaping Hell was just the first step; struggling in Dreamland was the next.

If he hadn't met his friends, he might have given up.

He envied normal people's bodies. But because of the Chrysalis fragments he had absorbed as a child, his body couldn't regenerate normally, resulting in the growth of extra limbs. His life was abnormal.

He climbed towards them, towards his promised destiny.

He had already chosen his path, but his resolve wasn't strong before encountering those vulnerable children.

He had made them a promise.

He would become a Chrysalis arm, become a Chrysalis, gain a perfect body, immense power, and endless lives.

Then they would be his followers, accompanying him through Dreamland, escaping the frustrations of Planet Blue, escaping this hellhole.

Driven by this ambition, he followed his intended path, arriving that night...

After seeking Mithra's approval, Elise opened the last door.

Writhing arms enveloped the incomplete child.

His body was no longer incomplete, but more monstrous and unnatural.

Surrounded by stitched-up faces, the child trembled, letting out a shriek.

【Dream Sheng: You have witnessed his memories and experiences and brought about the end of his physical life. Grant him the peace of eternal sleep.】

Elise drew her blades. Mithra moved slowly, gently tapping the Abhorrence staff on the ground.

Dream Sheng looked at Mithra. His gaze lingered on her staff before moving over her body.

"Aah!" With a cry, he lunged at them, leaping high into the air.

...

"They failed. And their dreams…" Elise sheathed her blades, not bothering to wipe the blood.

"I did it," Mithra said, lightly tapping the scattered flesh with her staff.

"How do you feel, Ms. Passerby?"

Mithra glanced at the dissipating flesh, her expression unchanged. "Feelings? What feelings?"

Elise stared at her.

"It was just killing. For someone who fights so hard, losing is a common outcome," Mithra said, moving towards the damaged wall.

Elise followed. They left the orphanage, the scene shifting to a field of silver flowers.

"This should be the end," Mithra said.

As soon as she spoke, she felt drowsy.

The best sleep she had experienced in this world was when she had passed out from the pain of Lebaance's regeneration.

"This is the end of your journey, Ms. Passerby. It wasn't pleasant, but I hope you wake up happily," Elise said, walking towards the field.

"Can I come back? To this Dreamscape Gap?" Mithra asked.

"Is there anything here you want to remember? Don't. Spending too long in a dream can mean never waking up," Elise said slowly.

"No, it was fun, even if it was a bit troublesome," Mithra replied.

Elise turned, looking at Mithra silently. After a moment, she said, "Ms. Passerby, who are you? Why do you have my bell? Why are you so strange?"

"Just a worker...that's all…"

Mithra collapsed, her vision blurring.

…

Mithra opened her eyes again.

This time, she was back in the forge.

She had woken up.

Sitting up, she felt something in her right hand.

The pale Abhorrence staff lay in her hand, its hand-like hilt gripping her arm, unwilling to let go.

Diehl and Salomo rushed to the forge upon receiving Mithra's message.

They found Mithra sitting and eating dried meat. The forge was a mess; many tools were broken, the furnace was destroyed, and the walls and floor were splattered with dark blood.

Mithra sat with her legs crossed, the Abhorrence staff resting calmly on her lap. Its pale color stood out in the dim light.

"You...succeeded?" Diehl asked, surprised.

Mithra swallowed her meat. "Sorry. I dealt with some things and came back to this. I'll pay for the damages."

Salomo shook his head, embarrassed. "It's not necessary. It wasn't expensive."

Diehl's eyes twitched. Expensive?! Damn merchants!

He quickly refocused on the Abhorrence staff.

"Let me examine it," he said.

Mithra nodded. "You were involved, so you have the right."

Diehl produced a pair of special black gloves. According to Night Eyes, they were designed to block the influence of Wandering Gods, but the price was a significant reduction in sense power and sense.

Diehl took the Abhorrence staff and carefully examined it.

The longer he looked, the more silent he became.

He handed the staff back. "Have you tried using it?"

"Yes. It was difficult," Mithra said.

It hadn't been difficult to destroy a Wandering God's will in a dream.

Mithra casually demonstrated the staff's abilities. Salomo produced a lens and examined Mithra. Mithra recognized it; it was a device used by the Sanctuary to detect the aura of Wandering Gods.

【Miracle Appraisal Lens: A lens capable of detecting the unique characteristics of a Wandering God's remains. It can also assess the wielder's mental state to a certain extent. A very useful tool.】

She had been tested with it in Gross Town. At that time, she only had traces of the Night Hunter's presence, and none of the Stranger.

After a moment, Diehl asked Salomo, "What do you think?"

"No problems. Her mental state is excellent. The Chrysalis's presence is strong, which is unusual for a god-killing weapon wielder. This might be because it's only recently been used,"

Salomo turned to Diehl. "The results are clear."

Diehl adjusted his glasses and nodded. "It seems you've won our bet, Mithra."

"What bet?" Mithra asked, tilting her head.

"Well…"

"You helped me complete the weapon's framework. That's it. If I need more help, I'll contact you. It'll be free. Seems like you're also short on funds," Mithra interrupted, her usual blunt manner.

Diehl's eyes twitched.

He was happy she was satisfied, but her next words stung.

"Let me clarify. I'm not…I just…" Diehl tried to explain but was cut off by Salomo.

The wealthy ambassador was treating them to dinner.

Diehl didn't argue.

Being poor wasn't a big deal.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Mithra left, heading for a shower.

Diehl and Salomo stayed to clean up the mess.

The forge was covered in blood, shocking them both.

"Is this what crafting god-killing weapons looks like, Diehl?" Salomo asked.

Diehl shook his head. "God-killing weapons rarely directly attack the user; they usually assimilate. In most cases, even if the assimilation fails, it doesn't result in this kind of damage. Mithra's experience was far more difficult than anything our team has faced."

"Even though Ms. Mithra has exceptional regenerative abilities, those miracles always come with a price. She paid a significant one,"

They fell silent.

Mithra's image in their minds had grown. While showering, Mithra shivered, considering if she should have a hot bath.

...

Mithra ate without much enthusiasm, remaining silent.

"Ms. Mithra, do you have any plans for Dreamland?" Salomo asked.

"Not really. I'm curious about the Skyfall Mountains. Didn't skyfire fall there again?"

"The Skyfall Mountains are far from Sun City. Even with air travel, it would take time. It's good to be an Enchanting Land citizen," Salomo commented.

"The skyfire… We've sent a team to investigate," Diehl added.

"It's a legendary event, and these legends are usually connected to Wandering Gods. We need to be careful. But it probably won't be a problem. Many skilled Enchanting Land citizens have gone to Ember city recently; it's unlikely a regular Wandering God could threaten its security,"

Wandering God?

Mithra's attention was piqued.

She had to check this out.

If powerful believers were there to deal with the Wandering God, she might join the fight and count it towards her "Hunting Wandering Gods" quest. The patrons probably wouldn't mind; a assist kill counted, too.

"But anything connected to legendary skyfire is likely to be dangerous,"

"What do you mean?" Salomo looked at Diehl.

"Let me share a little-known secret," Diehl said, looking at Mithra. "Mithra knowing this shouldn't be a problem."

Salomo nodded.

"Skyfire created the Blazing Man during the era of the Pillars. He was a being inherently connected to fire. Some say he was fire itself, but that's disputed. The Sanctuary's research suggests that fire pursued him."

Mithra nodded, understanding. "So he's powerful."

"Powerful, yes. But the important part comes later. 'Blazing Man' Salutisas was one of the Forty-Four Pillars. His fire was stolen by the first user of fire miracles, becoming the source of all fire miracles, giving humanity a crucial advantage in the human-beast wars at the end of the Pillars' era,"

Diehl revealed this unknown story.

"So, even though there's not much public attention, the Sanctuary is likely taking this seriously. Because…" Diehl paused. "If this skyfire creates something extraordinary, that would be terrible."

...

After dinner, Mithra left for the university, adding Diehl's contact information to her communication tablet.

As an official Planet Blue citizen, she no longer needed to report her movements to the resettlement center. Even though she had been delayed by the god-killing weapon project, she wasn't worried.

She returned to Shuǐxiù University.

"Mithra, you're finally back," Matsuri greeted her at the entrance hall, having seemingly been waiting.

"I told you I'd be gone for a while," Mithra said.

"I know, but my new clothes are ready, and I was waiting for you,"

"Okay," Mithra nodded.

"Can't you be a bit happier?" Matsuri asked, noticing her expression.

"I'm in a good mood," Mithra said, her face unchanging.

Matsuri smiled, accepting her response.

Light footsteps approached. Mithra and Matsuri turned and saw a slender young girl with long, dark hair approaching the resettlement center.

She looked like a student, but students rarely came here unless they had a lot of free time like Nie Hong.

"Liyu? Long time no see!" Matsuri's eyes lit up as she greeted her.

The girl, who had been looking at her feet, looked up, her expression vacant. "Matsuri."

They seemed to be old friends, but Matsuri did most of the talking. The girl seemed shy, but she did respond to Matsuri.

Seeing them talking, Mithra turned to leave.

Matsuri pulled her back. "You shouldn't sneak off without saying anything,"

"I leave when I'm not needed. It saves everyone time," Mithra said seriously.

"No, that's just rude!" Matsuri insisted.

Then, she gestured to the girl. "This is Cái Líyǔ. She's also a returnee!"

Mithra glanced at the girl. "Nice to meet you."

Líyǔ nodded shyly. "Nice to meet you."

Matsuri continued. "But she's different from us. She's an ordinary returnee. She was missing in Dreamland for a year before being found. You're a fifth-year student now, right, Líyǔ?"

Líyǔ nodded.

Mithra nodded, indicating she was listening.

"She comes back for regular checkups, so we've become friends. Líyǔ, this is Mithra. She might seem cold, but she's a good person."

Mithra thought Matsuri's tone was like she was talking to a child.

Líyǔ nodded at Mithra, seemingly greeting her.

Suddenly, Mithra remembered something. "Fifth year means field trips, right? Are you back from yours?"

"Yes, we just got back today," Líyǔ replied, though Mithra had been asking Matsuri.

"I figured. Sounds like some drama is brewing."

"Mithra!" Nie Hong's hurried footsteps echoed.

Leo Duncan, looking refreshed, followed.

Leo Duncan greeted Mithra briefly, then his sharp gaze fell upon Líyǔ. "Huh? Isn't that Cái Líyǔ from the Fire Department? Here for a routine checkup?"

It was clear he knew her. Mithra wasn't surprised.

Nie Hong, however, was still clueless. "Líyǔ? Oh, that Fire Miracle prodigy,"

A prodigy? She seemed famous.

Líyǔ seemed a bit uneasy. She mumbled a farewell and left quickly.

Matsuri exchanged a few words with Nie Hong and Leo Duncan.

Then she reminded Mithra to pick up her clothes before leaving.

Watching her go, Leo Duncan said, "Remarkable. This small resettlement center has three such formidable individuals. Other centers don't have this kind of concentration."

"I'm not formidable," Mithra replied. "What do you know about them?"

Leo Duncan, even more knowledgeable than Matsuri, was the person to ask.

"Not much. Matsuri is incredibly powerful, her sense is almost superhuman. You can tell she's a powerful believer. Even my tutors couldn't match her physically. I don't know much else. She's secluded and not a student, but I'd love to spar with her," Leo Duncan said.

"I can't tell," Mithra said. She couldn't tell if someone was strong just by looking at them; she relied on Night Eyes to identify powerful opponents.

It was like seeing a boss's health bar.

"Why did you challenge me, then?" Mithra narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, you were showing off your skills, and you had a powerful presence, but your physical abilities were… interesting. So I wanted to test you," Leo Duncan said with a laugh.

"I couldn't tell," Nie Hong said.

Leo Duncan's arrogance returned. "Of course not, you idiot monkey! Do you think you'd still have a life lock if you could see?"

Nie Hong's face flushed. "I shared my humiliating experiences with you, and you're mocking me!"

"What about the other one?" Mithra interrupted, returning to her question.

"Cái Líyǔ. She's physically weak. She hasn't trained any special skills. But her Fire Miracle talent is incredible. How to describe it…" Leo Duncan started, then realized Mithra's lack of familiarity with the school and changed his approach, pointing at Nie Hong. "That guy was called the 'Cái Líyǔ of the Ki department' when he started,"

"I still don't understand," Mithra said dryly. She didn't know anything about Nie Hong's Ki aptitude.

Nie Hong's expression shifted. "I didn't know about that! She's really famous,"

"It's good that you didn't. Otherwise, you would have been targeted. Her reputation was well-established by the end of her first semester," Leo Duncan said dismissively.

Nie Hong whistled. "Alright then."

He wasn't in a hurry anymore.

"Did you challenge her?" Mithra asked.

"She refused," Leo Duncan said bluntly. "It's hard to believe someone would refuse. And I tried to be respectful and not provoke her,"

You were already being disrespectful, Mithra thought.

"She's definitely strong, but also aloof, not easy to get along with. Considering she was missing for a year, she might not be fully adjusted to life on Planet Blue," Leo Duncan said, leaning against a wall.

The conversation ended. Leo Duncan invited Mithra and Nie Hong to dinner, but Mithra refused.

She had just eaten.

So, only he and Nie Hong went. Hopefully, they would enjoy the meal.

Back in her room, after resting, Mithra looked at the "Hunting the Wandering God" options.

The system was mindless; her patrons seemed lazy.

Even if she didn't choose, the text kept appearing.

She had been interacting with this text since she had dealt with the Chrysalis, both in and out of her dreams, until she returned to the resettlement center.

As for her choice…

"Number three,"

Sorry, Lebaance. The abyss sounded interesting. Since she already had a bit of everything, she might as well explore the abyss again.

Sorry, I'm a glutton for punishment.

After making her choice, the text vanished, the information flooding Mithra's mind.

Along with the knowledge, she saw a strange vision.

Deep within Dreamland, an endless expanse of darkness existed. These ancient beings were calm because they were nothing.

As Mithra's gaze fell upon this place, the darkness stirred. Void gained existence, and the darkness began to flicker with light.

This wasn't true light. Light cast shadows; here, light was born from the darkness.

A jagged light screamed through the darkness, and Mithra's mind unconsciously associated it with something else.

Lightning.

This world didn't have a specific lightning sense or miracle system. Lightning's symbolism was scattered among the light, fire, and wood senses.

Abyssal Darkness was "lightning."

The fleeting white light illuminated Mithra, pulling her back to reality.

It wasn't what she had expected.

"Abyssal Darkness" had granted her a glimpse of the abyss's light, not the strange, material aspect of the abyss, like the Abyssal Hand.

Three miracles appeared in her mind.

【Abyssal Darkness: An Abyssal miracle. Those who gaze into the abyss form a connection and can draw upon its power, exchanging senses. It summons vast quantities of Abyssal Darkness, obscuring things. The sense power required for this miracle will be perpetually depleted.】

【Darkness in the Palm: An Abyssal miracle. Summons a small amount of Abyssal Darkness. After defining its boundaries, it can be applied to physical objects, temporarily imbuing them with the properties of darkness. The sense power required for this miracle will be perpetually depleted.】

【Darkness Diffusion: An Abyssal miracle. Abyssal Darkness can spread through real-world darkness. This miracle requires real-world darkness for activation. The sense power required for this miracle will be perpetually depleted.】

These were entirely new miracles, not Godly miracles as Mithra had initially thought. They were Abyssal miracles, a type she'd never heard of before.

Although they all involved "Abyssal Darkness," similar to lightning, their scale and properties differed subtly.

The most significant similarity was their perpetual depletion of sense power.

Although Mithra had absorbed additional sense power, giving her seemingly unlimited sense, she hadn't expected a miracle to directly cap it.

Fortunately, this "Hunting the Wandering God" gift was perfectly timed. She mastered these miracles almost instantly. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to practice and master them.

The first miracle was a large-scale skill, like a massive "lightning storm."

The second was a unique form of enchantment.

The third was the ability to unleash and even transmit lightning in darkness.

That was the gist of it.

After reviewing the information, Mithra didn't immediately try them. While she had abundant sense power, she wasn't going to waste it.

Especially since these miracles seemed quite powerful.

...

Mithra spent the next few days attending classes and socializing with professors. Her reputation at Shuǐxiù University seemed to be growing.

This was largely due to Nie Hong and Leo Duncan's gossiping about her exploits in Sun City.

In the resettlement center's library, Mithra used her laptop to search for information about the hospital and orphanage in Sheng's dream.

She quickly found a news report from years ago about a private hospital.

The hospital had been attacked by the Chrysalis organization, and many newborns and medical staff had been killed. The investigation had revealed a terrifying conspiracy.

The hospital and the Chrysalis organization had colluded for years, secretly selling organs. Their victims were largely vulnerable patients and countless newborns.

The brutal trafficking had lasted for years. Its exposure caused widespread shock and panic.

Although the manhunt for the Chrysalis organization intensified, they couldn't be completely eradicated.

This world seemed to have a high tolerance for violence; Mithra saw many graphic images online.

A reporter whose limbs had been severed and left in an elevator shaft, a pregnant woman whose abdomen had been brutally cut open, numerous human organs…

Footsteps echoed in the library, approaching Mithra.

It wasn't Matsuri, but Leo Duncan. "It's rare for you to seek me out. What's up?"

"Help me investigate this orphanage," Mithra said, pulling up an image on her laptop.

"Just a regular orphanage. What's the problem?" Leo Duncan sat down, looking at the image.

"There might be human-insect hybrids there, but it's been a while. I don't know if they're still there," Mithra said.

Information about the hospital was easy to find; the incident had been major news.

But there was almost nothing about the orphanage. Whether the Chrysalis organization had abandoned it or not was unclear, but it had likely served as one of their bases and hadn't been discovered.

Leo Duncan frowned, noticing Mithra reading a news report about the hospital attack.

"You're investigating the Chrysalis?"

"I have some information. Can you help?" Mithra asked.

"No problem. I'll give you the results tonight," Leo Duncan replied.

"Thanks,"

"But the compensation…" Leo Duncan drawled.

"Name it."

"Heard you're going to the Skyfall Mountains? We have a long weekend in early May. Come with us," Leo Duncan said with a smile.

Mithra was surprised. "It's almost May?"

"You don't pay attention to time, do you?" Leo Duncan sighed.

Mithra thought about it. She had been busy with Sun City, the assessment, and forging the weapon. A lot of time had passed.

"How did you know?"

"Nie Hong told me. He heard it from Matsuri," Leo Duncan replied.

A gossip network?

Mithra paused.

Speaking of Matsuri, she had forgotten to collect her clothes.

She only ran into Matsuri by chance in the library. Matsuri didn't have a communication device, so they rarely contacted each other.

She had completely forgotten.

It was a bit awkward.

"If we go to Skyfall Mountain, I'm in," she agreed. Her requirements for helpers were simple. It wasn't like she'd be in immediate danger, right?

She closed her laptop. After a few words with Leo Duncan, she went to find Matsuri.

...

"You actually remembered to find me,"

The door opened before Mithra could knock. Matsuri leaned against the doorframe, looking down at her.

"Sorry, I forgot," Mithra said calmly and sincerely.

Matsuri sighed. "I forgive you."

Entering the room, Matsuri found a dark grey suit and matching shoes.

The previous outfit was older but more imposing. This one had a more mature, conservative style.

The coattails were still long, a style Matsuri seemed to prefer.

It wasn't combat attire, more like formal wear.

The description indicated it possessed self-regeneration capabilities, and it also increased resistance to fire and had a unique additional effect:

【When the wearer is burned, the power of miracles is amplified in proportion to the severity and extent of the burn.】

"Impressive," Mithra said.

Two additional effects built upon regeneration. Most people would focus on the fire resistance, but the amplified miracle power caught her attention.

"Try it on. Now," Matsuri commanded, her legs crossed. Her earlier frustration hadn't completely disappeared.

Mithra used the bathroom to change.

Her previous outfit had made her look like a detective, but this one was more formal; it might even be considered stylish.

Matsuri, now calmer, examined Mithra.

"Not bad. Is anything uncomfortable?"

"No, it's surprisingly comfortable. It doesn't restrict movement," Mithra stretched.

"Excellent. Wear it out for me," Matsuri said.

"I prefer the previous outfit…"

"Hmm?" Matsuri's voice cut Mithra off.

Mithra paused. "Fine."

...

May Day arrived.

Mithra looked up information about May Day on Planet Blue. Although she had forgotten the specifics of May Day on Earth, it was a long-standing tradition on Planet Blue.

It was fortunate that Dreamland hadn't swallowed up this holiday. But it didn't concern her.

On this holiday, Mithra, Leo Duncan, and Nie Hong arrived in Ember city, a city nestled among the mountains of the Skyfall Mountain Range.

The first impression of Ember city was darkness.

Literally, the color black.

Due to the initial skyfire and the awakening of fire spirits, the Skyfall Mountains produced a unique mineral called "Erytic rock."

This ore was highly resistant to heat and fire, and had been widely used for construction and other purposes in the surrounding human settlements for a long time.

This was clearly evident in the architecture. Many buildings were coated with a dark, almost black material, which, despite its somber appearance, wasn't unattractive.

Erytic rock was also an excellent intermediary for fire and magma-based senses. This was a major industry in Ember city.

"It's hot, and there are a lot of people," Nie Hong wiped his brow, already in short sleeves.

Leo Duncan, wearing a sun hat, glanced at Mithra. "Are you sure about that suit?"

"It's hot, but tolerable. And I promised," Mithra replied.

As Salomo had mentioned, many people had come to the Skyfall Mountains due to the recent skyfire. While the city was a popular destination for Planet Blue citizens, especially those interested in fire miracles,

The Skyfall Mountains were home to unique fire spirits.

Whether they could be considered cursed creatures was debatable. But they were undoubtedly ancient entities, though generally less aggressive than cursed creatures.

Thanks to these spirits, the temperature in the Skyfall Mountains remained high.

They had arrived on a holiday, via teleportation, and were greeted by a dazzling display of what looked like a feast of human heads.

The heat from the skyfire hadn't dissipated. The locals said they had never seen such a large-scale gathering.

It was probably due to the ease of access via the teleportation point. Planet Blue citizens wouldn't miss an opportunity like this.

Typical Planet Blue citizens.

Mithra silently praised them again.

"So, where are we going?" Nie Hong asked cheerfully.

"To see the skyfire," Mithra replied directly.

"The skyfire seems to be contained. Ember City and the Sanctuary have restricted access to the mountain, but we can probably get a view from a nearby peak," Leo Duncan said, checking his phone.

They were taking advantage of the holiday.

But Mithra didn't mind. She couldn't be responsible for every incident.

Even if her patrons were testing her luck, they couldn't expect her to stumble upon a Wandering God every time.

She was just curious to see it; she didn't expect to find a Wandering God.

"Let's go there, then."

The three left the city and entered the mountains.

Along the way, they encountered some fire spirits—orange balls of fire with indistinct eyes. They were quite cute.

Apparently, some people kept them as pets, but they couldn't be taken back to Planet Blue.

After a while, they encountered a blocked mountain path, leading to the mountain where the skyfire had fallen.

From a distance, Mithra and her companions avoided the main peak, choosing a nearby one.

The path was challenging, but Reinforce Body made it easy. They passed many people along the way, making it a popular sightseeing spot.

Reaching the summit, they had a clear view of the mountain where the skyfire had fallen.

It wasn't difficult to spot; the massive, blackened crater on the mountain was hard to miss, regardless of one's eyesight.

They could see researchers working within the crater.

For a moment, they didn't see anything unusual.

Nie Hong quickly grew bored, when a noise came from behind them.

Boom!

As Mithra turned, an explosion erupted.

The flames were intense; those nearby were thrown back.

Chaos erupted.

As the dust settled, two figures were seen facing each other.

One of them was familiar to Mithra and her companions—Cái Líyǔ.