It was like the vines had gone through a full Cosmic Cycle and improved a stage , yet Zac found it hard to be enthused by the transformation . Her powerup wasn’t the result of a real breakthrough . It was more like all the nutrients he’d provided allowed her to return to her former glory . But that came at the cost of her lifespan . Vivi was essentially pushing herself beyond her limits , hastening her demise .
When Zac got her , Heda said she’d live for another century , two if lucky . But her life force was like a flickering flame , and Zac doubted Vivi could live on for even half the lowest estimate . It filled him with a sense of powerlessness , as there was nothing he could do . He hoped to prove Heda wrong through his Luck and fortuitous encounters . To change Vivi’s destiny as he had Verun’s . It had proven futile . The treasures he’d provided only gave temporary reprieve and the strength to keep going at her current pace .
Not only that , but Vivi transmitted most of the nutrients to Haro .
The Heavenrender Seed , in contrast , was a seed no longer . Haro had finally transformed into a dual-affinity sapling after absorbing Zac’s Daos of Life and Conflict for over a decade , along with enough treasures to bankrupt a D-grade clan . It only reached his knees inside the Worldring and couldn’t yet utilize the vast amounts of energy stored in its body . Still , it emitted an incredibly fierce aura . Even now , it happily gobbled the Dao in the environment , showing no signs of being satiated .
A full day passed in this manner , and things reached a point where Zac wished someone would just attack him and get it over with . Had he overestimated his attractiveness as bait? Were they really planning to target him on his return , only sending some scouts to track his movements and report back?
An hour later , there were finally some developments , but not how he’d hoped . First , they found a second puppet army to their left , sandwiching them between two squads . When they decided to break away from the puppets that had trailed them for the past day , they realized these two armies weren’t the only ones . There were over five armies in front of them , one of which was over three times the size of the other ones they’d spotted .
And there’s another one , - Kruta said twenty minutes later , whistling as they observed an eighth puppet army walking through a canyon . - We might be able to pass them by , but we’re in trouble if we get discovered . The squads are too bunched-up . I fear they might be able to communicate . -
Even if we pass this squad , there’s probably another one waiting beyond , - Zac sighed . - Probably not worth it . -
I wonder how many squads there are , - Kruta muttered . - If the whole Stand is spawning them like this , we’re talking about an army in the tens of thousands . -
More importantly , we’re getting boxed in , - Zac commented . - We need to make a decision , or we might end up in the middle of a hostile legion . -
Kruta nodded and took out his map . - If we head to the right of the original group , we’ll enter the minefields after two hours . I doubt there’ll be puppet armies in there . Their energies would trigger one pillar after another . We should avoid that if possible . However , going left would put us closer to the Edge . We wouldn’t be boxed in by puppets there , but we’d end up with our backs against the wall . -
The Edge wasn’t an actual cliff but a vast river that could be considered one end of the Stand . The river itself was made from liquid metal and contained shocking amounts of deadly eruptions of the Dao of Conflict . There were even dangerous beasts hiding in the depths . As far as E-grade cultivators were concerned , it might as well be the underworld river since crossing it meant death .
The only reason the Edge wasn’t considered the fourth danger was that it was static , and cultivators could just avoid it . There hadn’t been any reports of surges or creatures emerging from the waters , so you could walk along its shores without issue . It was simply the edge of the Stand , hence its name .
Most Red Zones had these limiters , and the general consensus was that they were intended to keep the guest out of the far more dangerous sections of the Perennial Vastness . For example , the true dangers of the Calamity were far beyond what even Hegemons could withstand .
I have fished for treasures in the calm banks . Let me tell you , that water is no joke . In the inner regions , we won’t last more than a few seconds if we’re forced inside . -
The Minefield isn’t much better , - Zac muttered . - Especially now that the region is waking up . -
I think our safest bet is to slow down for an hour or two and let all these squads merge , - Kruta offered . - Then we can follow their tail . -
Zac grunted as he looked at the empty horizon behind them . They were roughly one hour ahead of the first puppet army , using them to shore up their rear . To stop and let them pass . . . was perhaps the most dangerous option of all . He could feel it . The main fate of the region was gathering ahead , but a dangerous wind of uncertainty was coming at him from behind .
Stopping is not an option , and the minefield is too unpredictable , - Zac said . - We’ll move toward the Edge . -
If you say so . -
They traveled diagonally toward the river for the next four hours , narrowly dodging one squad after another . There really were thousands on the move , all of them heading toward the heart of the zone . One wrong step would result in a cascade of deadly disasters . The two had tried to get a glimpse of what they were walking toward , but turbulent winds shrouded the central Stand .
Oddly enough , they met fewer and fewer Hero Souls as they progressed . Their best guess was that all the memories in the region had been dragged toward the center , possibly to stave off the puppet attack . Zac could only imagine what kind of war raged beyond the horizon . It felt as though they were walking through a memory where the ancient battle was being re-enacted .
Knowing the Edge was nearby filled Zac with a small sense of safety , and they sped up on their way to the center . Eventually , they reached the obscuring shroud , and they looked at each other hesitantly .
That’s it? - Zac asked . - Didn’t you say it was almost impossible to reach the inner reaches of the Stand? We just strolled here . -
I . . . I don’t know , - Kruta said . - I expected things to get worse , not better . Something in the center must be siphoning all the energy . I bet things are very different on the other side . -
Can you deal with it? - Zac asked .
Look who you’re talking to! - Kruta scoffed . - I am a future war chief . How could I lose my mind on the battlefield? -
Fine , should we check things out? -
What about your enemies? -
Looks like they’re not coming . . . - Zac glanced back .
Still nothing .
Then let’s fish in the muddy waters and deal with the rest later , - Kruta said eagerly .
The storm wasn’t deadly like what Zac encountered in the Calamity , but it was still extremely unsettling . Vision was only a hundred meters , and energy signals were completely muted . At any moment , they could run into a troupe of puppets . The barbarian eventually slowed down and looked around hesitantly .
This is a Warhaze Array , - Kruta said as he took out a bone . - Stay close or we’ll get split up . -
They continued for another hour , at which point the ground started rumbling . The vibrations were slight and erratic , and Zac could picture the source—powerful attacks colliding , making the whole world tremble .
War , - Kruta muttered with a mix of excitement and trepidation .
After another ten minutes , the haze started to give way . A sudden pang of danger made Zac drag Kruta out of the way , just in time to avoid a massive pillar of flames . It was over ten meters across and contained enough force to incinerate a Hegemon . The two shared a look before continuing .