The energy was a punch to the face , and Zac was forced to stop and enter a Void State . The killing intent alone was enough to drive one mad , yet it paled by the storm of Conflict that filled the air . A few steps later , the world came into focus , and even Kruta couldn’t help but gasp .
The world had gone mad , with hundreds of massive eruptions going off every second . There were tens of thousands of puppets storming a far larger army of Hero Souls , and the battleline stretched farther than Zac could see . Both sides were empowered by the environment , constantly unleashing powerful attacks that could pass as skills . Floating above the sea of puppets were hundreds of White Sigils , and Zac’s heart lurched upon spotting no less than ten Golden Champions .
Even then , the Hero Souls weren’t overwhelmed . The puppets had their champions , but so did the ghosts . Their battles shook the skies , and the fallout from one of those duels nearly incinerated them . And the Hero Souls were constantly getting reinforcements from an enormous , moated castle behind their lines .
There was no doubt about it . That was the command center . A cloud of Conflict so pure Zac couldn’t even look at it hovered above the towers . The energy in the castle was so dense it looked like a solid pillar . But how did that help them? Zac sighed and looked at the impenetrable wall of destruction between them and their goal . There was no muddy water to fish in here . There was only death .
Battlements roared and space itself cried , unable to withstand the unending fury . It felt like the dimension itself was barely hanging on .
Was this how a war between Hegemons looked?
What should we do? - Kruta whispered as they backed away . - That’s not a conflict we can get involved with . -
The Warhaze Array muted the deafening clamor , and the previously ominous shroud now provided a sense of safety . However , that only lasted a second before Zac’s eyes widened in alarm . If they couldn’t sense such a massive war through the haze , then didn’t that mean . . .
Wait , - Zac whispered . - We’re— -
The world shuddered as a huge pillar of light slammed down , sealing them in a cage two hundred meters across .
Trapped , - Zac sighed .
51
CANDOR
Zac swore as one rune after another sprung up around the shield , and he shot toward the closest wall . A herculean swing slammed into the wall of light , but Zac felt like he was fighting the whole world . His attack only left a discoloration that was soon washed away . Breaking through this thing would require far more energy . A moment later , the pillar had closed , forming a solid dome .
He should have expected as much—these people were obviously prepared . They must have scouted ahead to know there’d be such a good location to launch an ambush . Between the haze and the barrier , who’d notice even if they unleashed their skills to the fullest?
Zac’s eyes lit up at the thought . That’s right . They were only a hundred meters from the shroud’s edge . They’d been even farther in when they almost got blasted by the pillar of fire . It was only a matter of time before another attack from one of the Golden Champions or White Sigils reached this section , and the barrier was a huge target .
But just as the hope was born , it was murdered . The dome was moving , dragging them away from the edge of the haze .
This is new , - Kruta curiously muttered as he was forced to jog along . - Movable and sturdy . Should we break out? -
That question was likely what his enemies had planned . It would be troublesome if his captor planned to drag him over to the region through which the puppet reinforcements would arrive .
Can you tell what direction it’s moving? - Zac asked .
Kruta fiddled with a few bones for a couple of seconds before nodding . - Out and toward the Edge . -
So away from the puppets , - Zac sighed with relief . - For now , let’s see what they have planned . But if they move too far . . . -
Then they’re dragging us into a trap , - Kruta said before laughing . - Well , another one , I guess? -
You two are quite laid-back , - an unfamiliar voice drifted from the haze .
The next moment , a party of fifteen people appeared through the shroud , and Zac noted with interest that the dome opened a hole to let them inside . It separated bidirectionally , meaning wandering puppets would have to fight their way through . The pillar stopped , and the area was sealed as soon as the new group entered .
The one who had spoken before was a beautiful woman in the front . She was a human , and Zac was surprised to see her complexion reminded him of Karz . She had olive skin , golden eyes , and a mane of blonde hair . She was decked in gear resembling white templar armor , where only her head was exposed .
Her breastplate was made of solid white metal , while the other parts were protected by chainmail . Golden scripts covered every inch of her armor , all radiating a pure light that could only belong to the Peak of Taiji . A golden crown inlaid with seven jewels was atop her head , each emitting a frightful aura .
Her gear gave off a familiar feeling—like the black armor Uona wore during their final battle . It had proven incredibly difficult to break through , to the point Zac had been forced to kill her with the Remnants . And this armor gave off an even greater pressure . Was it a War Regalia? It was the first time Zac had seen an E-grade cultivator able to power such a thing . Even he couldn’t , at least not anything he could get his hands on .
With the large cape behind her back , she reminded Zac of his Arbiter of the Abyss] transformation . However , this woman held a very different aura . She emitted the pressure and air of an empress , and Zac was almost filled with a desire to kneel . The Conflict in the air was curtailed and turned into a sword against her enemies . She was a beacon of light in this world of falsehood , her mere presence showing the path .
Such a powerful Mana domain . She had to be a ninth-echelon guest , at least .
Behind her were fourteen people , ten of whom wore identical equipment . They looked every bit the part of soldiers in an army as the Hero Souls , and the runes on their equipment indicated they came from the same faction as the young woman . All of them had a glowing rune behind their back , where streams of power entered the leader .
A War Array , and a very potent one at that . When fueled by ten powerhouses at the same level , the effect likely eclipsed most Berserking Methods . It was also the answer to how she could use War Regalia without sacrificing much of her own energy capacity . The warriors were not just batteries , though . They all had auras that would place them in the upper tiers of all guests . One by one , they weren’t a threat to Zac . Together , they’d be a headache .
Finally , there were four mages or clerics hiding behind the meat wall . Their features were covered in hoods , but their hands were held in different mudras . Zac couldn’t be certain , but he believed they were chanting something under their breath . Most likely , they were responsible for maintaining the barrier , while possibly assisting with the War Array . After all , four runes floated behind their backs , matching the four runes that covered the cardinal directions of the dome .
There was also a string of energy connecting them to a fifth rune placed just beneath the tip of the dome . An identical , inverted version hovered outside the shield like a mirror image . Both emitted a powerful Dao of Conflict . Zac glanced at the runes suspiciously . Something about them was odd—it didn’t seem like the Dao of the guests . It was rather the path of the Stand . Had they stolen a corner of this realm’s Dao and used it to harmonize the domain with the environment?