“Don’t even mention it, Mr. Midir. Those folks in Loka got so excited once they heard about Miss Aila’s identity that we had a hell of a time slipping away,” Blake said with a wry smile. He hadn't expected that Aila would become the center of attention even on his own family’s turf.
“Alright, now that you’re all here, let’s talk about those monsters.”
Seeing the three of them arrive, Ronald quickly shifted out of his idle chatter. He cleared his throat and began explaining his findings with a serious expression.
“You mentioned before that these monsters look very similar to creatures we see every day, right? That is indeed the case. Based on my dissections, their physical structure and characteristics share more than a ninety-seven percent similarity with common small animals. Biologically, they are essentially the same species.”
“The difference lies in their habits, which have become somewhat similar to the magic creatures we’ve seen in the past. However, it’s more like they’ve been altered by something. This change makes them grow to enormous sizes, and they become incredibly resilient, showing no fear of death.”
“Inside these red fleshy lumps on their bodies, I discovered a type of energy I’ve never seen before. For now, I’m calling it ‘Void Energy,’ and I’ve categorized these black monsters as ‘Void Demons.’”
“Living creatures that come into contact with Void Energy undergo massive changes in a very short period. For example...”
As he spoke, Ronald pulled a small flask from his metal suitcase. Inside the flask was a mass of black mist that constantly shifted its shape.
Midir could see that it was very similar to the black aura that dissipated when the Void Demons died, though the concentration was different.
Ronald then turned around, snatched a spider about the size of a fingernail from the city wall, tossed it into the flask, and snapped the lid shut.
Under their watchful eyes, the spider inside the flask began to writhe frantically. Its body started to swell and deform, turning darker and darker until it filled the entire flask.
With a sharp crack, the flask shattered into several pieces. By then, the spider had swollen to the size of an adult man’s fist. It dropped to the ground, struggling as it tried to scurry away.
Ronald slammed his foot down, crushing the still-growing spider into a pulp and ending its life.
“See? It’s roughly like that. Furthermore, once they transform into Void Demons, their bodily fluids strangely disappear. Killing them just turns them into a pile of dry fragments. As for why, I can’t explain that yet.”
Ronald shook his boot and pointed at the spider fragments on the ground for everyone to see.
“So, are you suggesting this magic calamity is being orchestrated? That all the Void Demons we’ve seen these past two days were once living animals?” Midir frowned, staring at the black fragments scattered across the ground.
“Void Demons are definitely transformed from living creatures; I’m certain of that. But as for whether this is being orchestrated, I can’t say for sure. You have to realize the sheer number of Void Demons that appeared this afternoon. Loka certainly isn't the only place in the Azure City-State under attack. If this were being done purely through human effort, I can’t even imagine what kind of operation that would entail.”
Ronald shook his head, indicating he couldn't fully explain everything yet.
“Mr. Ronald, can this... Void Energy affect humans? Also, is it possible this is a trick by the beastkin from the South Continent? I’ve heard since I was a kid that they have many types of witchcraft and creatures completely different from those on the Ryan Continent...”
Blake asked worriedly after watching Ronald’s demonstration.
Before Ronald could speak, Aila beat him to the punch.
“It shouldn't have anything to do with the beastkin race. Even if they could create something like this, they couldn't possibly transport it here in such massive quantities. As for your concern about the impact on humans, I don’t think it’s a major issue... Ronald, am I right?”
Ronald looked up at Aila, seemingly surprised, but he nodded and continued.
“It seems you’ve noticed too? Void Energy is more effective on simpler organisms. And I don’t know if you’ve realized, but so far, the only types that have appeared are small animals that live on the surface or underground. For creatures the size of humans or livestock, its influence is negligible. However, if the dosage were exceptionally high... then it’s hard to say.”
It was only then that the group recalled that the majority of the Void Demons they had encountered over the past two days were insects. Creatures like giant lizards and rats were only several times larger than normal.
In contrast, the spiders and cockroaches had swollen to hundreds of times their original size, to say nothing of those several-meter-tall giant mantises.
“Does that mean... all the small animals near the Azure City-State are at risk of demonizing? Eek!” Rosal shuddered at the thought and asked hesitantly.
“We can’t rule out that possibility. The primary goal right now should be finding the source of the Void Energy. But if we have to clean up the entire Azure City-State, the workload would be astronomical,” Midir said, scratching his silver hair in frustration.
“If it’s just finding the source... given enough time and materials, I could try to build a tracking prototype. But we certainly don’t have the conditions for that here.”
The group felt a slight sense of relief after Ronald gave his affirmative answer.
“Then we’ll head straight to the Azure Fortress first thing tomorrow morning. They have all the materials you could need there. If there’s anything else you require, just tell me now. I’ll notify my father immediately; we need to resolve this Void Demon issue as soon as possible!”
Blake nodded to Ronald, then pulled out his communication stone for the Grand Duke of Azure and sent over the requirements.
“Then... what about the reinforcement unit... and Mr. Ferdinand? Are we going on ahead alone?” Rosal asked softly.
Aila reached out affectionately and rubbed Rosal’s head, looking out at the dark night sky beyond the wall.
“We’ll have to split up for now. They still need to check the cities along the route to see if they’re in danger. But we don’t need to worry too much about them.”
It was true; even Loka had suffered such a fierce attack. If the group hadn't brought the reinforcements in time, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
If other cities were also facing large numbers of Void Demons, it would surely be a massive disaster.
Thinking of this, everyone’s hearts grew heavy, wondering what the situation was like in other cities under the night sky.
In the end, it was the sound of Aila’s muttering that brought them back from their contemplation. She seemed to have realized something and was whispering to herself.
“If Void Demons are really transformed from living things... then that nest we ran into yesterday... were those real cockroaches? What? No way... are there cockroaches in the cities ahead? Can I go back now... No, no! I can’t desert my post!”
Seeing Aila’s distressed and conflicted face, everyone couldn't help but feel caught between laughter and tears. However, the atmosphere lightened considerably because of it.
Soon, they left the wall and returned to the city. After all, they still needed to exchange ideas with Ferdinand and the others and re-plan their route for the next day.
As the sounds of the victory celebration in the city gradually faded, the night slowly blanketed the entire town. People returned home with the satisfaction and joy of having survived a brush with death.
On the streets, occasional laughter could still be heard in the distance, but it was soon swallowed by the silence of the night. This long day had finally come to an end.
Early the next morning, the group arrived at the wall where they had fought the day before. Standing outside the wall, the Mark XXIII was covered in a light layer of dew that reflected the morning light beautifully.
Aila gave a loud, sharp whistle toward the distance. Kiteclaw, who had been on standby outside the city, immediately flew over upon hearing her call and landed quietly beside them.
Last night, Aila had shared their plan with the reinforcement unit. Ferdinand and the others had unanimously agreed to let them head to the Azure Fortress first.
As for the reinforcement unit of over ten thousand men, they chose a new route that passed through more cities. They had learned from the City Lord of Loka that small groups of Void Demons had appeared around several nearby cities, so they were going to provide support.
After a brief farewell to Ferdinand and the others, the four of them climbed onto Kiteclaw’s back once more, while Ronald climbed into the cockpit in the chest of the Mark XXIII.
Accompanied by the thunderous roar and smoke from the giant’s back, they quickly took to the sky, leaving the wall behind. Like falling stars, they flew directly toward the heart of the Azure City-State—the Azure Fortress.
Rate on N.U.
