Chapter 432: Investigation
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Two years later.
High up in between the thick clouds, six Void Fortresses moved side by side like a row of six crimson-red moons. Maintaining at the highest energy-saving speed, the fortresses cruised along the clouds as slowly and smoothly as the gentle high-alt.i.tude breeze.
This Demon-Hunting expedition was different from the ones in the past.
The six Stigmata Sorcerers ensured that the Void Fortresses advanced within the Infernal Spirit World at all cost. Setting the Void Fortresses as the foundation, their primary mission was to destroy the Five Kingdoms at full force which was then followed by the induction of a comprehensive abyss cataclysm.
Following the invasion of a crowd of Demon-Hunters, patches after patches of the Abyssal Moss had spread throughout every corner of the Dark Destroyer Kingdom and its surrounding Va.s.sal Kingdoms.
Their second plan would be considered successful when these patches of Abyssal Moss merged and turned into an unstoppable threat to the kingdom—partial catastrophic annihilation of the Dark Destroyer Kingdom.
By the time the Abyssal Moss had continued spreading to every corner of the world, boom! The abyss cataclysm!
The outbreak of the cataclysm would be enough to reduce the number of this world’s rulers, the Acraepoids, by more than half. The subsequent post-cataclysm effect included ninety percent of the offsprings’ death rate, the extinction of most species in this world and the sp.a.w.n of the deformation and evolution of certain creatures, also known as abyssal creatures.
According to the intelligence data that Grimm had obtained, he estimated that the partial annihilation of the kingdom would take about twenty to thirty years based on the World Guardians’ levels and progress of destruction, and it would take more than seventy years to achieve the abyss cataclysm of the Infernal Spirit World.
Based on his deduction, this Demon-Hunting expedition into the Infernal Spirit World would take more than a century.
On the Void Fortress.
Grimm overlooked the vast land of the world from high above. At the moment, the sun was setting, painting the sky with a breathtaking red and purplish dusk. Green trees and crimson-red pine trees swayed and danced along with the wind. Occasionally, a fiery red bubble appeared in the air, which was a seed sprayed by the Fire Bubble Tree. It was absolutely spectacular.
The cotton-like dandelions floated alongside the Void Fortress like a team of elves on their adventurous journey across the continent.
This harmonious sight proved that the interiors of this world had never experienced ma.s.sive destruction before.
Therefore, the ecological environment and law of nature formed a perfectly balanced circle of life even without the intentional protection on the continent. It was a stark contrast with the Sorcerer World, where the floors were patchy and b.u.mpy from the damages by the Necromancer crates, sorcerer crates and so on.
Grimm was standing on the edge of the fortress, planting his Sabbatic Goat Staff on the floor like a st.u.r.dy pillar. The skirt of his loose sorcerer robe floated in the air as a breeze blew by.
Under the Mask of Truth, Grimm could not help but feel regret as he looked at the Infernal Spirit World which was very similar to the law of nature in the Sorcerer World.
He heaved a sigh of anguish as he imagined the short-lived beautiful views that would probably sustain for another few decades and be eventually perished.
In a brutal war, strong and united Sorcerer’s Will would turn this world into a devastating world of purgatory.
“Coordinates 77460, 29982, 45451, Infernal Spirit World Guardians are spotted appearing in the Sangrun Gree Va.s.sal Kingdom, request for fortress support!”
Grimm’s Rank-1 Honor Badge sorcerer’s barrier received a Fortress Core about the mission Grimm paid special attention to.
It was as if the guardians of this world had picked up the signs of the invasive Abyssal Moss and they had begun to take precautionary measures. They went on the continuous hunt of the lurking Dark Demon-Hunters and utilized the World Force to destroy the Abyssal Moss in every stronghold corner of the Dark Destroyer Kingdom, putting forth their best effort to prevent the moss from merging.
As long as there was Abyssal Moss, there must be the presence of evil sorcerers.
The Acraepoids would try every means to find the trail of the sorcerers and notify the World Guardians through various channels.
“Thanks to the Void Fortress’s snail-like speed, it will take at least a year to reach the Darkglow Kingdom. In the meantime, I’ll spend some time observing the rate of Abyssal Moss’s spread and gathering intelligence information in various places. Do you want to join me?” Grimm asked abruptly in a deep voice without turning his head.
Claudia, sitting beside him, was studying a tricolor caterpillar specimen. She grinned at Grimm’s question.
“Of course!”
“Okay.”
As if he had a foresight about her reply, Grimm signaled for Little Myna who was playing with Enigma #1 in a distance to approach him while walking towards the stationary mechanical bee with his staff.
Little Myna kept Enigma #1 in a small bottle. He then flew over to Grimm and landed on his shoulder.
“Yes? Master, are we going somewhere?”
Grimm turned to Claudia instead. “This mechanical bee returned from a place where the Demon-Hunters were hunted mercilessly by the Infernal Spirit World Guardians. Right now, there is a murderous inferno there. If this task attracted the attention of the World Guardians, it can only mean that the Abyssal Moss cultivation mission has progressed very successfully. So, we’ll head over there to inspect in stealth mode.”
As he spoke, Grimm led Claudia towards the mechanical bee.
There were three Level-3 Demon-Hunters sitting inside the mechanical bee, waiting for departure at any moment.
Grimm took Claudia along and entered the mechanical bee as they crouched their bodies in response to the powerful whirlwind of the bee’s ultra-high frequency flapping wings.
Three sets of bewildered and confused glares were aimed at Grimm. The task of hunting the World Guardians was only issued to these three Demon-Hunters personally, why were they here?
“I’m sorry to bother you, but I need a lift for my investigation, to inspect the progress of the Abyssal Moss expansions that had attracted the World Guardians’ attention. It happens to be on the way towards your destination.”
Rank-1 Honor Badge?
The three Demon-Hunters came to understand the circ.u.mstances and nodded.
A Demon-Hunter with plump cheery cheeks who was sitting in the middle spoke up, “You need to be extra careful on the way to your sole investigation, it is best to investigate secretly or employ the combat camouflage sorcery. In this world, in addition to the Acraepoids, some ancient creatures are still hiding inside some relics. They are all very hostile to the sorcerers, and now they have come out to resist the Sorcerer’s Will.”
Grimm leaned back on the seat and nodded. “Thank you for your concern.”
Little Myna perched on Grimm’s shoulder and played a staring game with a giant eagle who was standing on the shoulder of one of the Level-3 Demon-Hunters. They shook their heads and exchanged glances without a word.
Buzz…
After departing from the Void Fortress Square, the mechanical bee pa.s.sed through the dense crowd of s.p.a.ce slave monsters, turned itself into a flash at an alarming speed and soared into the sky.
Nine days later.
Before reaching the capital town of Sangrun Gree Va.s.sal Kingdom, Grimm alighted the mechanical bee with Claudia in tow. The mechanical bee continued on its route.
“Lord Grimm, how do you plan to investigate?” Claudia asked with a seductive smile as she leaned her half-naked s.e.xy body towards Grimm.
“Ah-choo…”
Little Myna covered his nose after sneezing and growled, “Get away from me! What’s that awful smell on your body?”
For Little Myna’s sense of smell, human females’ fragrance smelled like stinky garlic.
Grimm scanned their perimeter carefully. He squatted down and sc.r.a.ped a layer of dusty powder off the ground’s soil and tree barks. He meticulously studied the powder before brus.h.i.+ng them off his hands.
After turning the azure blue flame under the Mask of Truth into the eagle eye technique, Grimm glanced at a far away distance.
“The plantation on the hill over there is very neat and well-kept, I a.s.sume it should be similar to the cultivated acres of the Sorcerer World. Let’s go and see if there’s an Acraepoid village nearby.”
Grimm had never traveled to the underground lair of the Abyss Dragon in the Sorcerer World, he did not get hold of detailed information on the exact pollution level of the Abyssal Moss, hence, many intelligence information in the Void Fortresses lacked crucial a.n.a.lytical data.
Whoos.h.!.+ Whoos.h.!.+
Grimm and Claudia flew towards the hill like greased lightning.
Soon, Grimm and Claudia stumbled upon a row of low-rise buildings. These buildings were only about ten meters high, decorated with red branches and leaves which made them look like mediocre commoner Flame Burrows.
Huh?
A distinct trace of Six Asterism Magical Array was apparent on the vast field, filled with the evil vibe belonging to a sorcerer.
The Acraepoids’ corpses had decayed and dried up. The Abyssal Moss had spread tens of thousands of meters wide around this village.
Wherever the Abyssal Moss diversified its expansion, it brought disastrous aftermath. The plants were dying, and the soils began to acidify.
Indistinctly, a dense cloud of black abyss breath gathered in the sky. The corpses of thousands of Infernal Spirit World’s small creatures, with bones corroded by the abyss breath, covered a large area on the ground.