I hate that I can’t join you , - Catheya sighed as she leaned her head on his shoulder . - I’m just 4 , 000 Mana short . -
In contrast to Catheya , Zac was quite happy with how things had played out . She was powerful enough that she wouldn’t become a liability , but he’d still rather deal with this alone .
We still have the Everfrost Isles to look forward to . I’ll be relying on you then . - Zac smiled before turning serious again . - Can you do me a favor? Stay inside your manor while I’m out this time . They might target you and Ogras to get to me . This is doubly true if this matter is related to the heritage . -
Fine , - Catheya said . - But I’ll get the annoying shadow and do some research first . We’ll see if we can find anything out of place . Do you want me to ask for reinforcements? -
No , - Zac said . - For all we know . . . -
I get it , - Catheya sighed . - Be careful , alright? -
Catheya left a while later while Zac scoured the reports again . Normally , he’d travel the markets before heading into a Red Zone , but he was unwilling to expose himself and his recent gains in case someone was keeping watch . He was using his aura-hiding bracelets and the aura modulator , but you never knew .
Unfortunately , Catheya and Ogras came up empty-handed after half a day’s investigation . People were stirring , and the gate to the Stand of Saeward had been opened dozens of times already . It wasn’t hard to figure out this would become a bloody affair , even if you ignored the threat hiding in the shadows .
It was troubling not even to be able to narrow things down , but Zac couldn’t just sit around . The longer he waited , the more thorough his enemy’s preparations would be . He needed to move swiftly and drag his enemies out of the shadows . If nothing else , Kruta had already sent him three messages , proving the barbarian was getting impatient .
Since when were you so slow-footed? - Kruta complained when a hooded Zac finally appeared in his storefront .
Sorry , I had some things to deal with before we headed out . Besides , no one forced you to sit around . -
I’d rather be late than miss out on your uncanny luck , - Kruta said as the gate appeared . - Well , let’s do this . -
Zac nodded , and the two appeared in front of a simple hut standing atop a gargantuan skull . The skull had once belonged to a bloodthirsty Beast Emperor , and it still emitted fierce waves of carnage . It drenched the hut in a bloody aura , though Zac could tell it had been changed somewhat . It felt protective rather than threatening after being altered by the Mana domain . Not protective of Zac , though , but of Kruta .
A huge beast could have been eying him , ready to strike in case their ward was attacked .
Zac ignored the feeling and turned to his travel companion . - Is everything prepared? -
Don’t know how necessary all this is , - Kruta muttered as he took out two small bones .
Just humor me , - Zac said as he curiously looked at what the man was doing .
One of the bones looked like a fang , while the other was a densely inscribed plate . Kruta placed the fang on the plate , and the primal scribbles crawled onto the tooth . In just seconds , it was completely covered with a set of engravings .
You know , - Kruta said , grimacing as he pushed the tooth into his neck like a syringe . - Scurrying around like a rat might end with you getting targeted by the cats . -
Zac only smiled as green scales appeared across Kruta’s face as he transformed into a lizardman . The bone disk was an interesting transformation treasure that allowed the barbarian to take on features of beasts he’d felled . The tooth was imbued with a temporary array , and the array was then injected into Kruta himself . It allowed for a transformation beyond even what Million Faces] could accomplish .
There , - Kruta muttered as he looked down at his hands with disgust . - Should last two weeks . -
Sorry , this isn’t my style either . I’ve just created too many enmities over the past years , - Zac sighed .
That you have , - the orc guffawed .
It’s only temporary , I promise . -
So , do I pass inspection? Can we go? - the barbarian huffed .
In one hour , - Zac said .
It’s so weird , - Kruta snorted as he thumped down on a large shinbone . - Your path is straight , but you’re so crooked and paranoid . Is that why you grew a second shape? -
Maybe , - Zac laughed as he sat down . - I just want to make it harder for our steps to be followed . If the two of us emerge in disguises right after I enter your mansion , you could put two and two together . -
Whatever , - Kruta grunted . - So , you know about the Stand? -
Well , only what the reports are saying . The three dangers and all that . -
Right , - Kruta said . - Things are changing , though . Normally , I’d be confident talking down the Hero Souls , but I can’t make any guarantees any longer . I traveled the outer fields last week . The spirits are angry , almost descending into madness . It’s probably even worse in the depths . -
Did any of them hint at what’s going on? -
Well , - Kruta shuddered . - Few can communicate , especially now . But the few that do all say the same thing . - He’s coming . ’ Over and over . -
He’s coming? - Zac muttered . - Who? Saeward? -
Maybe , or whoever forced him to make his stand , - Kruta said . - Judging by the anger in the Hero Souls , I’m leaning toward the latter . -
The Hero Souls were the lingering spirits of Saeward’s armies . Millions had died during that ancient battle . And while the bodies had turned to dust , their will remained . It mixed with the environment , forming transient spirits called Hero Souls . Hero Souls often minded their own business , patrolling the lands as though they were still alive .
However , some had been formed with quite a bit of resentment and acted like vengeful ghosts . Others were mostly sane but still confused the guests with their enemies and attacked . Eventually , they’d destabilize and disappear . They weren’t true spirits like Spectral cultivators . It was more accurate to call them physical memories that had occasionally been twisted over the eons .
The Hero Souls were generally the least perilous of the three dangers , especially if you avoided emitting any killing intent around them . Someone like Kruta could even get help from their kind . Unfortunately , it looked like that old knowledge no longer held sway . The Hero Souls were the most numerous inhabitants of the Stand . If they were turning feral , they’d pose a huge threat .
What about the other two? -
I didn’t run into any of the puppets . But the energy of the land is rising . They’ll be able to absorb more power , unleashing deadlier force . Some buried under the earth might even wake up . I think the same will be true for the fortifications . -
That’s just great , - Zac sighed .
The puppets once belonged to the mysterious force that attacked and eventually defeated Saeward and his army . They were pure killing machines , some equivalent to Late Hegemons in strength . The more intact ones even possessed lethal skills .
There was only one puppet for every thirty Hero Souls at most , but you were probably better off meeting a group of hostile spirits . The puppets were apparently incredibly hard to deal with . They were made entirely from D-grade materials and thus extremely difficult to damage . Worse , they were seemingly immortal . Even if you managed to grind one to dust , it’d reform not much later . Incredible Dao attacks were required to destroy such an intangible repair array .
The final threat was the War Fortifications . All kinds of array towers and contraptions were strewn across a battlefield the size of a country . None of them were fully functional , but that only made them more unpredictable . A seemingly inert stone pillar could suddenly unleash a sea of fire that swallowed everything for miles in every direction .