2234 - What Happened
Clang
The corpse of the huge winged serpent fell from the sky in a shocking scene.
Its mere descent increased the atmospheric pressure on everything beneath it, as if a mountain were grinding the air to dust. The torrent of blood that preceded it raised the sea level, and the convulsions that wracked its body in its final moments inflicted pain on all the beasts and fighters nearby, forcing them to retreat in fear.
Even as a dwarf young space beast, that thing caused panic even in death.
Boom
The impact triggered a massive earthquake and a tsunami wave tens of meters high as soon as it struck the sea surface.
But the array quickly suppressed the tidal waves, and then three battalions of the Imperial Guard advanced, accompanied by three Royal Spirit Masters, to secure the corpse and explore what could be done with it.
As for Althera, she cast a quick glance with her cold eyes toward the corpse, then lunged toward the nearest cluster of nascent space beasts.
Swish
Swoosh
In moments, dozens of them were cut down, falling one after another without resistance.
“……” Robin followed her movements for about ten seconds. “Althera doesn’t seem like herself.”
Holak landed quietly in front of Robin, then took two steps forward and placed a box sealed with a sun emblem on his lap. "Here, I opened it a few times over the past months to fill it with more. The warehouses had reached a state of surplus and excess."
Robin cast a brief glance at it, then left it where it was and said nothing.
It was the box from which he used to extract Beast Crystals for sacrifices, and he had also instructed Father Tree Hofen to throw anything useful he collected inside the box.
He couldn't predict with 100% certainty what he would find, but at least it was now filled with Nascent Space Beast Crystals.
And since Holak mentioned filling it with more over the past few months...
Just how many crystals were inside now?
As for Holak, he didn't remain silent for long.
He happened to have heard Robin's question and saw it as an opportunity to speak:
"Hmm, Althera? She's been like this ever since she returned from The Other Side that day." He casually wiped the blood of the beasts he had killed from his hand. "She was the last one to come out of The Gate."
Then he slowly stepped forward to stand beside Robin, forcing Caesar and Peon aside and squeezing into a tight spot between them.
"After Blokan carried you out, with Morgana behind him guarding his back, Althera remained behind for hours to the point that we thought she wouldn't return, but we could clearly see her continuing to slaughter the beasts madly until her energy was completely depleted."
"His name is Lord Blokan and Lady Morgana, you tasteless commoner." Caesar pushed the massive Holak aside in annoyance.
"Get these trivial titles away from me, just like you." Holak shoved Caesar in the opposite direction as if throwing his son.
Baa
Baa
Baa
Baa
Baa
The next moment, five shadows landed before Robin—three men and two women.
They all immediately assumed a bowing position.
"We greet His Majesty and thank the heavens for your appearance before us."
"Hmm." Robin nodded with a smile toward the leaders of the five squads. "Rest."
Then he gestured for them to stand by his grandchildren.
He observed the field in silence for nearly a minute.
Before nodding.
"Alright, who can brief me on the headlines of what's happening here?"
"Allow me. No one has spent more time here than I have, or seen all the events as I have." Holak thumped his chest.
"After you lost consciousness, your Spirit Creature handed over the control seal of its Arrays to Morgana, who quickly grew accustomed to them and continued using them against the Space Beasts that kept attacking."
"Blokan went and protected your body, while Althera emerged from behind the wall of corpses and began a massacre outside. This lasted only a few minutes, until Morgana managed to create a safe path toward the location of The Gate, secured the route for Blokan to cross, evacuated all the royal Spirit Masters first, and then followed them."
"...Blokan then brought you here, then quickly returned to retrieve Althera before she could harm herself, while Morgana stayed by your side for a few hours, helping to stabilize your deteriorating bodily functions and assisting in setting up more defensive Arrays around the mountain, then returned to enter The Gate once again."
Then he continued with furrowed brows:
"By that point, The Nest was in a frenzy, attacking intensely and nonstop, as you see before you now and worse, and the reinforcements we have now had not yet arrived. So Morgana and Blokan were forced to help Althera fight on The Other Side to relieve the pressure, and this silent agreement among them is still ongoing to this day."
"But I see Althera here..." Robin followed Althera with his eyes as she tore through the beasts.
"They rotate every 6 hours. One comes out to catch their breath and helps us guards fight when needed, then returns to the Other Side and another takes their place, and so on. They've kept this up for the past three months, and the defense remains strong thanks to their efforts."
"Hmm, you don't have to acknowledge anyone else's efforts, but it seems I should thank them properly." Robin nodded a few times.
When he called the three of them to come, it never crossed his mind that things would escalate to this level!
"They undoubtedly deserve thanks." Holak nodded. "I sent a Royal Soul Master to inform Blokan and Morgana of your awakening, and they should be here any moment."
"Oh?" Robin smiled. "Do you think they'll be more excited to see me than this girl?"
"Althera?" Holak understood the implication. "We haven't had a chance to tell her yet, and we don't want to distract her focus with a spiritual message—you can see what's happening."
"She doesn't need a message." Robin showed a wide smile. "She knows very well that I've come out, and that I'm watching her."
Then his smile widened as he continued in a low voice:
"Isn't that right, Althera?"
"..."
The woman with the owl's eyes fixed on him mid-flight.
Her eyes exuded a hint of malice.