Volume 6, Chapter 35 – One Spatial Rift After Another

“You said you were setting a trap, but exactly how big of an area are you clearing out…”

“It probably has something to do with those elves over there. Just look at their clothes, they must be nobles with extraordinary status. With skin that white and tender, they must have never touched a hoe.”

“Forget hoes, they probably haven’t even seen what a hoe looks like.”

“Instead of wagging our tongues here, let’s hurry up and grab a good spot. If a great magic really hits the forest later, there will definitely be countless monsters waiting for us to take them back. Don’t let others beat us to it.”

Although the adventurer who spoke reminded his companions, his words were also heard by other adventurers watching the fun. Those who had only been watching from afar began to squirm, trying to seize the position closest to the forest. They planned to rush in immediately after the advertised magic ended to loot the unlucky monsters affected by the magic—much like elderly people squeezing at the entrance of a supermarket during a sale.

These adventurers, dressed in simple leather and iron armor, were almost all beastmen. Some of them had just been driven out of the forest by soldiers, while others were the type who had followed the army from the beginning to watch the show. Among them were many young-looking children, only eleven or twelve years old; they were adventurer apprentices.

The farming conditions in Cold Night were extremely poor, and the nature of beastmen led them to have several children in one birth. A family couldn’t support so many children with just the man earning money, so the older children shouldered the responsibility of helping to support the family. Although they couldn’t fight monsters directly, they could do chores like carrying weapons and monster corpses for adventurers. The adventurers who hired them would pay them a low wage, usually only one or two copper coins per trip into the mountains.

It must be said that while there was certainly an element of adventurers exploiting newcomers, it was mostly because being a low-level adventurer wasn’t a lucrative job. If they had better choices, most people wouldn’t choose to be adventurers.

The commotion caused by nearly a hundred adventurers attracted Fia’s attention. Waiting for the army to return from the forest, she looked at the adventurers dozens of meters away and sighed.

“Are beastman adventurers all this enthusiastic? But this distance is too dangerous; you should make them stay further away.”

“They just want to pick up scraps,” Nola answered subconsciously. Then, as if realizing something, she raised an eyebrow and looked Fia up and down in surprise. “Haven’t you seen adventurers? Most of them are mercenary villains. Normal people would avoid them immediately upon seeing them gather. You actually say they are enthusiastic.”

“I’ve seen them, but never interacted with them.”

If Anastasia hadn’t kept her back then, she might have embarked on the path of an adventurer. But there were no “ifs” in this world.

“What does Nola mean by picking up scraps?”

Nola’s expression was a bit speechless, as if saying, How does a educated princess like you not even know this?

“…Picking up scraps means following behind the strong to pick up trash. Even if a large group hunts a giant dragon, there will always be leftovers. Dragon blood, dragon nail fragments, or dragon scales left from the battle are all things that can be sold for money. Even if the dragon hunting team cleans up the battlefield, the bones of other monsters and even undigested dragon feces scattered around the dragon’s nest can also be sold for money.”

“So, they are waiting for my magic to end so they can rush into the forest to find monster corpses, and that’s why they are so excited?”

“Exactly. Adventurers are a bunch of opportunists.” Nola spread her hands. “But they can’t be blamed. There are too few opportunities in Cold Night, and no land to farm. They have no other choice but to be adventurers. All in all, blame me, the clan chief, for being incompetent.”

Rеаⅾ οո KatRеadіոɡСαfе

“No such thing. Since the Clan Chief took office, everyone’s life has been much better than before. We can’t thank you enough; how can we blame you?”

Tsukuyomi answered immediately, reaching out her hands toward Nola as if to hold hers. However, Nola avoided it without a trace and glanced secretly at Claire, as if observing whether Claire would mind.

Fia nodded thoughtfully.

“Is hunting monsters the last resort for survival…”

If so, she should try to avoid the choice of using orbital bombardment to flatten the Weeping Mountains. Fia originally thought that since the land near the Weeping Mountains was suitable for farming, very few people here should make a living by hunting. Now it seemed she was a bit too idealistic.

Orbital bombardment covered too wide a range. Completely exterminating the monsters here would cut off the economic source the residents relied on for survival. It was better not to use it if possible. The monsters in the Weeping Mountains only came out because of the earthquakes. According to Nola, monsters from the Weeping Mountains wouldn’t actively enter the city in the past.

Rumble—

Before Fia finished thinking, the earth suddenly shook left and right. A roar like thunder rolled from the distance. The surrounding leaves rustled, and the gravel on the ground bounced up and down. Everyone felt unsteady on their feet. The adventurers in the distance had to lower their centers of gravity to barely stand firm.

An earthquake.

It wasn’t Fia’s first experience. After the initial surprise, she calmed down. She first protected Liti and the others, then looked at Nola. She saw Nola’s profile with clenched teeth, looking as ferocious as a cat warning an enemy not to approach.

Even though an earthquake is something helpless, she still shows an expression like facing an enemy?

Fia gently placed her hand on Nola’s shoulder. The earthquake lasted less than ten seconds before ending, causing no damage.

“It’s just an ordinary earthquake.”

“I know.”

“Lord Holy Son, Princess, after an earthquake like this, monsters will soon rush out of the forest. Shall we temporarily give up setting traps and retreat to the plain behind to meet the enemy?”

Tsukuyomi suggested nervously. Not only her, but the soldiers blocking the adventurers in the distance also turned back to look at Fia and Nola, anxiety overflowing in their eyes. Even more obvious were the adventurers. After realizing it was an earthquake, they ran toward the city without looking back, fearing they would become monster food if they were slow.

As if echoing Tsukuyomi’s words, monster roars came from the forest, and flocks of birds flew up from the treetops. It seemed a large group of monsters was running toward the city. In addition, the soldiers who had entered the forest to drive away the adventurers also ran out, anxiously recounting to Tsukuyomi the fact that they saw insect monsters drilling out of the ground.

“Isn’t this an opportunity to level up? As long as we finish tomorrow’s share today, we can sleep all day tomorrow!”

Rеad οո КаtRеαԁіnɡСαfе

Feeling happy from the bottom of her heart, Liti waved her fist energetically. She had already taken out her magic wand, ready to use magic.

Tsukuyomi hurriedly tried to dissuade her.

“Princess Liti, the monsters in the Weeping Mountains aren’t as simple as you think.”

“With Sister’s magic potions, no matter how many come, we can eliminate them!”

“Er…”

Following Tsukuyomi, Fia also smiled and explained.

“Let’s take this opportunity to clear up Miss Tsukuyomi’s misunderstanding. Miss Tsukuyomi, please take your people and leave here. Move at least five hundred meters away, or the magic might affect you.”

“Five hundred meters—”

Tsukuyomi wanted to say this distance was too exaggerated, and if something happened, her group couldn’t provide support immediately. However, remembering what happened to her guard earlier, and considering Nola was right there to cover for any mishaps, she hesitated no longer. She immediately led her people, including the representatives from the Water Cat and Grass Cat tribes, away from the forest edge. It was worth mentioning that after receiving the instruction to leave, the Water Cat and Grass Cat representatives practically ran away. Additionally, Anastasia’s group followed Fia’s instructions and left as well.

Fia’s gaze finally fell on Nola beside her.

“Why haven’t you left yet?”

“Why should I leave?” First choking Fia with rude words, Nola then crossed her arms, turned her head away, and whispered, “If you don’t do a good job, I can help you improve the trap here.”

That’s unnecessary.

Fia couldn’t help but find it funny.

“If even I can’t do it well, let alone you. But protecting just you alone should still be doable.”

While answering verbally, Fia slowly flew into the air and began to set the boundaries of the magic area. Although casting magic directly on the spot was possible, using magic without a comprehensive view could easily cause it to deviate from the coordinates. This wasn’t a desert; she couldn’t act recklessly.

When she rose to a height of five hundred meters above the ground, she switched the [Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea] to her left hand. Coming out of Brinkat City was an endless plain, but as the terrain extended to the forest, it began to steepen. Using [Spatial Rift] to separate the connection between the mountains and the plain was the best choice.

Reаd οո ΚαtReαⅾіnɡСαfе

A [Spatial Rift] two kilometers long should be good.

Setting the predetermined coordinates, Fia aimed her empty right hand at the ground, then spat out cold, emotionless symbols.

“[Spatial Rift].”

In an instant, a pitch-black long blade that seemed capable of devouring everything appeared in Fia’s palm. It wasn’t a physical object condensed by magic, but a black void exposed after space was torn apart.

Almost at the speed of light, the moment the spatial rift appeared, the sky seemed to be torn open. Everything—airflow, clouds in the sky, even sand, stones, and leaves on the ground—converged toward Fia’s palm. Even light had to bend passing through here. In Nola’s eyes, Fia’s figure distorted as if sucked by a whirlpool in water. The whole world was windy and dim, as if a storm would arrive in the next moment.

But what amazed Nola even more was that while everything around was changing drastically under Fia’s magic, she felt no anomaly except for the tightness of her skin and the blue view in front of her, as if she were just a passerby in the world.

She immediately thought that Fia had protected her in advance and subconsciously felt dissatisfied with Fia treating her as a weakling. She reached out her hand, wanting to move a step toward Fia. But as soon as her hand crossed a certain boundary—that was the effect of [Celestial Aegis]; unlike the two-way blocking [Bee Shield Force Field], [Celestial Aegis] allowed people inside to go out—when Nola’s fingertips extended out of [Celestial Aegis], she immediately sensed something wrong.

Her hand seemed to possess a consciousness of its own, reaching toward the spatial rift by itself, dragging her body forward along with it. Although she withdrew her hand in an instant out of nervousness, she was even more terrified inside, her skin covered in a layer of goosebumps from fear.

With her seventh-rank strength, just exposing a corner of her body made her feel out of control. It was hard to imagine what would happen if she appeared directly outside. She couldn’t help but think of a water bird caught in an undercurrent; even struggling with all its might, it would eventually be torn apart alive by the vortex. It seemed she was completely a burden to Fia here.

If Fia had used this magic when dealing with the Demon Generals back then, not just the Demon Generals, but even the soldiers on the battlefield below would probably have been sucked alive into this black rift.

Not only can she kill an eighth-rank undead, but she can also use this level of forbidden spell empty-handed. Just how strong is this girl…

Cold sweat appeared on Nola’s back. She began to feel ashamed and embarrassed for her previous statement about wanting to help Fia. Just as she saw, although Fia picked up the [Cloud Moon of the Illusory Sea], she didn’t use it at all; it was just a decoration. What was more fatal was that she didn’t see Fia chanting at all. It seemed that with just a thought, the terrifying rift appeared in Fia’s hand.

But what Nola saw was just the beginning. With the downward swing of Fia’s right hand, the extending black rift plummeted, dragging an afterimage as it smashed ruthlessly into the ground. The cruel scene made one subconsciously close their eyes. When they opened them again, the earth was completely obscured by a tsunami of mud. The roar of rocks and the groans of trees snapping at the waist filled the ears. Even just looking, Nola could feel the suffocating sensation of dust rushing toward her face.

If the previous earthquake was a slight tremor, now it could be described as the earth cracking and mountains collapsing. Those adventurers and soldiers ran toward the city like frightened ants. Nola could even hear women screaming and men crying.

The entire mountain range was trembling.

Nola swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Her feet were completely swallowed by yellowish-brown smoke and dust. Now she just wanted to rise higher and ask Fia to stop. But before she could open her mouth, a second pitch-black rift appeared in Fia’s hand. This time, the sand and stones rushed toward Fia’s hand desperately, but Fia swung the rift out without thinking.

Then, the earth and forest howled in pain once again.

However, the border between Brinkat City and the Weeping Mountains stretched for more than ten kilometers. Casting [Spatial Rift] twice was simply not enough.

Rеαⅾ oո КatRеadіոgСаfе

A pitch-black rift appeared in Fia’s hand for the third time.

Doesn’t this girl need cooldown time to use magic!

Seeing the Weeping Mountains about to be destroyed by Fia, Nola, sweating profusely, finally couldn’t help shouting.

“F-Fia, wait a moment!”

Fia immediately cut off the magic power supply to [Spatial Rift]. The black rift in her hand began to shrink and disappear. Slightly worried, she came to Nola’s side, who was protected by [Celestial Aegis].

“Does Nola feel unwell?”

“No…”

I do feel unwell, but psychologically.

Nola didn’t know how to answer Fia. She actually stopped Fia because she felt fear and apprehension at the magic Fia displayed. She glanced at the sky still filled with dust below from the corner of her eye, stammering an answer.

“I think we should first… we should first see the effect…”

“Hmm… true.” Fia was stunned at first, then nodded thoughtfully. “Indeed, I should let Nola and the others see the effect first before making further decisions. Also, I have to confirm if the magic affected the people below.”

Even if it affected them, no one would dare speak ill of you.

Nola retorted in her heart.

Pity those adventurers; they won’t be picking up any scraps this time— although Nola felt they definitely wouldn’t be in the mood to pick up scraps anyway.

I hope Tsukuyomi and the others don’t feel too ashamed to face Fia again.