Chapter 1421: Return

"Living things... What do you mean?" Nightingale frowned. "Are you saying that the God's Stone in the mines can talk?"

"I haven't made any discoveries on this for the time being, but while conducting tests in the Hermes God's Stone mine, I accidentally found a few rats that had been corroded by God's stones." Isabella closed her eyes, as though recalling the memories of the past. "Maybe the rats somehow lost their way and scurried down after the collapse of Holy City. No one knows how rats were caught by the God's Stones, but after having a part of their bodies sink into them, it became as if... as if the two had fused together."

"Insect larvae wrapped in resin can also be viewed as one entity, but the amber isn't a living thing," Roland replied bluntly.

"I know." Fear flashed past Isabella's face. "If it was just that, I will never have made such an assertion. The problem is... the rat was still alive. When I got close, it squeaked at me, as though asking me to free it..."

Roland shuddered at her words.

He suddenly understood why she would feel fear.

It was the fear for the unknown.

And she was standing in front of an unprecedented domain.

"... Could it be that the rat was stuck not long before you entered?" Nightingale asked casually, a feint to mask her emotions.

"I observed them for three months and nine days. Their squeaks never stopped." Isabella sighed. "One day after that, I used a dagger to free one, but I discovered that its stomach and the rest of it was completely empty, so much that the body had withered severely due to the extended period of time. Yet, part of its veins and arteries had merged into the God's stone."

This means that for three months, the one supplying the rat with energy to survive was... the God's Stone.

Seems like I'm still viewing this too simply. Roland chuckled bitterly. His previous assumption of 'only living things can gather magic power' was an erroneous thought from his lack of understanding towards magic power, but Isabella's discovery had undoubtedly pushed their understanding a large step forward.

"I have seen a record of all living things in the Church once where a few rare plants were able to attach to animals and form an unusual symbiotic relationship. Although we cannot ascertain that the God's Stone are plants, they are at the very least living things. With this train of thought, the unique appearances of the demons are more explainable. For example the constantly growing obelisk, as well as the giant monsters beneath the steles. Maybe they are using this to structure their current civilization."

"The way I see it, demons really enjoy using those stones..." Nightingale spoke thoughtfully.

"It is a pity that my research barely scrapes the surface of this field. Most of it are superficial conjectures and I'm unable to provide you with any substantial assistance." Isabella lowered her head apologetically. "Not only is the reason for the fusion unsolved, even my transformation of the magic stones can merely turn them into low level magic stones like light stones or shrieking stones—"

"You are gravely underestimating your own discovery." Roland interrupted. "Ignoring whether the hypothesis on the effects of the 'wave' or 'frequency' is accurate, just the fact that a Witch is capable of creating a magic stone via her powers is enough to have your name go down in history."

To say that there were no regrets would be a lie. If Isabella was truly capable of producing powerful magic stones, that signified an unlimited supply and usage of powerful sigils, and Combat Witches would turn into an influential force on the battlefield. But Roland also knew that their exploration into magic power was definitely a long process, and Isabella's research and actions were merely opening a crack into the door of the field, giving them a glance of the new and broad study. Roland believed that so long as she continued on her research, there was bound to be results with the Witches' long life expectancy.

After Isabella's departure, Roland immediately picked up a pen and paper and drafted a telegram to City Hall.

The telegram was a simple sentence: Neverwinter cannot fall, activate all emergency protocols with immediate effect. We shall enter a phase of total war mobilization.

The contingency plans could only activate when the kingdom had sufficient food supplies for the soldiers at the frontlines. And aside from the need to supply the army's expansion outwards, the industry manufacturing arms also suffered from a food restriction.

Since the beginning of the Battle of Divine Will, he had ordered Barov to draw up a corresponding contingency plan, but to implement it was not easy. From an administrative perspective, only Neverwinter had the appropriate policies and manpower capable of sustaining and executing the plan. The other cities, on the other hand, would face a paralysis after that hard won restoration of order.

Secondly, even if the First Army expanded without restraint, the logistics department would not be able to support them. It was simply impossible to rely on sailboats and domesticated animals to transport goods for hundreds and thousands of people, especially in a cross-border campaign.

If the main battlefield was in the Western Region, the administrative and logistical limitations would not exist—Neverwinter was both humanity's last stand and the forefront of the battle.

Regardless of the price they had to pay, humanity could no longer take a step back. Even if the enemy were from Sky-sea Realm.

Because they had nowhere to go!

...

"Who's there?"

Immersed in the Red Mist Pond, Silent Disaster suddenly opened his eyes and looked towards the darkness.

A moment ago, he heard the faintest of movements.

If they were in an ordinary situation, he would definitely not ask any questions. He would attack with his weapon and figure out from there. If it was any Junior Demon or Primal Demon that dared intrude his resting place under such circumstances, being cleaved into two was a deserving outcome.

The reason for Silent Disaster's inaction was that his weapon was no longer by his side.. Only while in recuperation would he remove his armor and weapons.

A figure slowly walked out from the darkness.

"Don't do anything... It's me."

Silent Disaster was startled. The owner of the voice was someone that they had lost communication for a long time—Sky Lord, Hackzord!

Silent Disaster suddenly stood up from the pool and grabbed a piece of white cloth. "Where have you been! Was Mask right, that you had shed your responsibilities and ran?"

"Humph, I'm not surprised by whatever that abnormal freak says. That's the reason why I came to find you alone." Hackzord slowly walked into the pool. That was when Silent Disaster noticed that Hackzord had a large hole in the middle of his chestplate, revealing the flesh wound on his body. Although the bleeding had ceased, the wound had not healed.

"You're... injured?"

With Sky Lord's ability, it was not impossible for him to end up in this state if he had deserted the battlefield.

"I never thought that there will be a day where I will receive your concern." Sky Lord laughed and arduously climbed into the Red Mist Pond. "Rest easy, you will soon know where I have been. But before that, I need you to see something."

"What's that?"

"Focus your attention and relax, close your eyes..."

Silent Disaster wanted to instinctively reject the strange request upon hearing it, but upon staring into the other party's expression that did not leave room for doubt, he suddenly realized something.

It was a state in preparation to enter the Realm of Mind!

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately closed his eyes.

In that instant, a series of indescribable scenes surged into Silent Disaster's mind! The strange scene on the island, countless confidential letters, the white-robed fellow demon, the large beam of light, and the bottomless pit all flashed past. The final scene that appeared was a blade and a swarm of Nests...