The Cornflower Witch

After helping resolve the crisis for the Azure Horn Tribe, Sylutia once again rose into the air, and then silver wings materialized on her back. This was a spell she had constructed using the theories of the Bionics School.

Although not as swift and instantaneous as directly invoking runes from the Chapter Page, the flight effect brought by these wings far surpassed simple "levitation movement."

The wings flapped, and streams of air gathered and dispersed between the feathers, propelling Sylutia's figure like an arrow shooting through the sky. She turned into a tiny black dot high above and vanished from sight.

Below, Azhelin once again bent his knee and knelt down, thanking the nameless girl for her salvation, reciting various words of gratitude in the beastman language.

Beside him, the Shaman also closed his eyes and softly chanted an ancient ballad, soothing the grief of the many fallen tribesmen.

After finishing, the Shaman found Azhelin.

"Though the situation is sorrowful, now is not the time to dwell in these emotions. The tribe's existing defenses have suffered massive damage. If other monsters break in, it will cause immense destruction."

"The chieftain is still unconscious and may not wake anytime soon."

"Disasters like the ones that have already happened—we all hope they won't repeat. But now, the combat strength the tribe can rely on is almost gone. You are the Azure Horn Tribe's greatest warrior. From now on, you must shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the tribe."

"Yes, Elder." Azhelin nodded heavily.

"Tomorrow, I will discuss with the others and pull manpower from the tribe. You will lead them to form a patrol squad to ensure no other powerful monsters approach near the defenses."

"Additionally, since the mission is dangerous, I am temporarily acting as chieftain. I will hand over that Savage God Antler Hammer to you for use. Make sure not to lose it."

"This..." Though it was only a weapon, in the tribe's traditions, that antler hammer symbolized the chieftain's authority. It hadn't changed in nearly a hundred years.

"In critical times, don't be wishy-washy. If the chieftain wakes up, he will understand my decision." The Shaman was very old; even the current chieftain had once been his student. This statement wasn't false.

"I understand." Azhelin took a deep breath and accepted.

Hearing his agreement, the Shaman relaxed. He patted Azhelin on the shoulder.

"Now, we can only rely on you."

"Though that benefactor said she would check in if danger arose, just think about it—she can't possibly stay nearby all the time. Look at the silk dress she wears, and you'll understand that she is not someone who lives in this wilderness."

"For her to help us even once is already an immense blessing. Don't put too much hope in that aspect; it will only make you weak."

"Still, though she looks young, she is undoubtedly a figure far beyond our reach. In just one morning, she helped you successfully step into the Third Tier and taught us the totem secret method that can serve as our tribe's core hidden treasure. This debt of gratitude is probably impossible to repay."

"I will slowly study this secret method afterward and implement it for the other young tribesmen as soon as possible. Once the tribe grows stronger, the crisis will be considered resolved."

"Work hard, Azhelin. I can tell that after the benefactor appeared, you've developed a lot of curiosity and anticipation about the outside world."

"In a few years, I'm afraid you won't be able to hold back anymore and will want to leave these mountains to venture out." The Shaman spoke from his experience as an elder.

"Elder..." Being seen through by the old man, the youth felt a little ashamed.

"It's fine. That's normal. In fact, I ventured outside in my early years, even to quite a few places. Otherwise, where do you think I learned all these skills, huh?"

"Crossing the Elyn Mountains, 'Crimson Fangs, Sotus's territory—I traveled through it well enough, but there wasn't much wisdom. Passing my territory and heading further east, there's a river bay marshland. Out there lives the 'Bay Crocodile Tribe,' accustomed to surviving in mud and water. Their chieftain is even fiercer than Crimson Fangs, Sotus."

"Keep going east like that, and you'll have to pass through six or seven beastman overlords' tribes before you can reach the smallest city in the mountains, 'Haragulong.' There should be a Seventh-Tier beastman warlord stationed there. I hear he even has a fighting force made of ogres. All passing travelers and merchant caravans must pay tribute to him."

"If you truly want to leave these mountains, without Seventh-Tier strength, it's extremely difficult."

"I understand." After hearing this, the vague thoughts Azhelin had immediately settled down.

Though he wouldn't think about it for now, knowing the vastness of the outside world also sparked a different kind of anticipation within him.

On the other side, after leaving the Azure Horn Tribe, Sylutia returned to the area where she had discovered the Shadow World's erosion and overlap. The environment here had undergone many bizarre changes. What were originally tiny spatial folding gaps had become huge and blurred, like faint wounds.

The Shadow World, as its name suggested, was the shadow of the floating continents in the sea of clouds. It came into being because of reality, allowing the formless, distorted sea of Aberrant Creatures to be influenced by the projection, forming similar terrain and environments.

In theory, anything that happened to the shadow could not affect the original object. But this was a world infused with supernatural forces. Though shadows were merely projections of the original, under the influence of the 'Nightmare' Aspect, they could conversely affect the original body.

Such phenomena were reflected in many ancient legends. For example, getting a strand of someone's hair or an item representing their identity, making that item into a voodoo doll resembling the person, and then causing harm to the voodoo doll would also manifest on the original body.

Nightmare possessed a power similar to a mirror's reflection—it could reflect the opposite side of things and cause mutual interaction. Many creatures, when first facing a mirror, would feel fear and suffer cognitive confusion. In truth, only a few creatures had enough wisdom to maintain a 'Luminous Moon'-like clarity and not be frightened by the mirror.

To cleanse this kind of erosion, the most effective method was to harness the power of 'Luminous Moon,' cutting off this reflection link. Once the power of the Shadow World was severed, the area would gradually return to normal.

Sylutia took out a bottle of 'White Moon Potion (Third Tier, Luminous Moon),' opened it, and poured out the liquid within.

Under her control, the glowing liquid transformed into clear, crystalline dew, scattering down into the land below.

The parts originally eroded by the Shadow World gradually shifted from hazy and blurred to clear, that ambiguous connection dissipating bit by bit.

If this continued, it would take about two more hours and consume three bottles of 'White Moon Potion' to soothe the erosion's influence over this area.

Sylutia continued her work, but halfway through, she sensed a strange force bursting out from the gap in the Shadow World.

The scene unfolded as if the world's curtain was being torn. A formless body squeezed its way out, ripping apart the surrounding light and shadow before stepping forth.

Its figure was bloated and massive, nearly five meters tall. It had no head, only an enormous, swollen abdomen. Four eyes grew on its chest, and a huge mouth split open below its belly, revealing rows of sharp fangs and crimson innards.

[Belly-Eating Beast] (Fourth Tier, Distortion)

A monster born from the depths of the Sea of Aberrant Creatures, headless, feeding through its abdomen. It is said to be an offspring of the Hour Being 'Aberrant Mother Nest'.

Hour Being [Aberrant Mother Nest] (Bloodline, Distortion, Beast Fang)

A monster from the deepest part of the Twilight Sea. Its true body is said to be twisted flesh and blood even larger than a floating continent. She gives birth to countless monstrous offspring, and her existence signifies that the 'Bloodline' Aspect has already become connected with 'Distortion' at its source. Any high-level being of the 'Bloodline' Aspect will be corroded by Distortion.