Soul of Searing Steel

The Blood Sun of the Bloodmoon Abyss.

The sun’s light shone upon the broken scarlet world, granting a hint of life to the Abyssal realm.

Perhaps it was wrong to describe it as broken too: the shattered floating islands had gathered into a single massive continent, with other distant islands yet to combine in the distance slowly approaching the Blood Moon as well. A far cry from the deathly sceneries, this world that now hosts Lifetree and many critters had no Abyssal presence if one did not try to sense it deliberately.

Under the control of the Blood Moon’s will, the massive Lifetree had assumed a completely different form as well—if one were to say that the Lifetree gifted by the elves had a similar form to ordinary evergreen birches, the Lifetree of the Bloodmoon Abyss had greater resemblance to the banyan tree. Its great trunk pillared the skies, its crown absorbing all sunlight while its roots piercing the entire continent, even reaching other scattered floating islands.

Countless aerial roots hung, combining with the trunk and ground roots on various spots of the continent. Compared to the craggy topography of ravine and mountains on the continent, the large tree had branches that stretched over the continent, becoming one of the most convenient transport paths.

Such was the sight Joshua saw when he landed with Zero Three on the Bloodmoon Abyss.

The giant tree cared for by the tree gathered the continent into a single form, while countless critters hence made the tree their nest. For its part, the tree did not occupy all sunlight—sporadic radiance was spilling through the gaps between the leaves, creating spots of light upon the land that gifted the creatures heat and light.

Apart from that, even the tree itself was luminous. Beneath its trunk were faint sunlight where milder green light shone, bathing all life with the purest of Nature Power to grant comfort.

Presently, the luminous humanoid’s delighted cheers could be heard from the heart of the Blood Moon.

The luminous humanoid was actually Light, but it could not leave and accompany the warrior everywhere because its true form was simply gigantic and itself being the core of the Bloodmoon Abyss. That was why it split itself, creating a little bud that was Light—when the bud played Continental War with the Spirit Terminal, it was actually the true form playing as well. Now, having become the first to clear the entire game, Light was really happy, its consciousness stirring a tide of light in the entire Bloodmoon Abyss.

Amidst the tides, something could be seen assembling and being created in the bizarre scarlet sea of the Blood Moon… having seen through that, Joshua lifted his hand at once and snapped his fingers.

“Stop playing.”

As the warrior unleashed a portion of his power, the Blood Moon quickly noticed Joshua and the others, pausing blankly for a while before happily forgetting that it was creating something.

Joshua smiled and shook his head, before flying up to the Blood Moon.

“Impressive, the first to clear the game in the world. My dear Light is the smartest.”

Luminous tentacles reached out from the planet’s core when he arrived on the moon’s surface, seemingly intent on touching the warrior who patiently stroked them as he praised it, “I thought that Nostradamus and the others would be the first to clear. Really never expected it to be you.”

Continental War challenges a person’s general ability, their capacity to uncover problems and solve problems, and using the solutions on practical terms. If normal humans cleared the First Phase, it would prove that they have certain ability to realize a problem or what themselves lacked, and pick out the genetic components they needed in a complex environment.

Clearing the Second Phase would make evident that the player could think about what their race lack and what completes them. They must possess a concept in mind and would be an intelligent person even in the real world—it would be trivial for them to rise to Silver advanced if they have the talent, and with the Great Mana Tide now, Gold-tier would not be out of reach.

The Third Phase tests players in their ability to solve unusual situations—it would not be enough to discover and ask questions, since what good was flawed plans? Such was what the Third Phase tested: only those who could realistically get rid of the flaws in their plans counted as elites, and venture further in both reality and supernatural powers.

The Fourth and Fifth Phases tested one’s power in to compiling all questions and answers, and to carry out their completed plans under the severe pressure of otherworld invasion. While it was not to say that one would reach Supreme if they could accomplish that since it still depends on luck, but they would definitely not lack in Gold-advanced ability, or authoritative talent in the real world even if they do not have Extraordinary powers.

Naturally, since the servers were in the early service stages, Legendary champions could make mistakes under unfamiliar circumstances which made it unsurprising for them to be unable to clear the game.

Though it appeared to be mere entertainment, Continental War in truth picks the talented amongst civilization, helping Joshua to disintegrate Chaos while improving their powers, hence accelerating the birth and growth of Extraordinary individuals. That was precisely why all Legends did their best to help warrior complete that game.

In other words, it was a divergent set of assessments embedded in the Spirit Terminal, set outside of reality.

Light was the first to clear the entire game, proving its worth as a World Will even though it was partially because the rules were incomplete that it allowed Light to keep its fungal race in puberty for a long time. While it appeared ever in a haze, it had in fact absorbed substantial knowledge to cultivate an acceptable problem-solving mindset.

And aside from praising Light, Joshua had another purpose in visiting the entity.

“I say, Light.”

Patting its luminous tentacles, Joshua turned and gestured at the churning bubbles of energy in the blood sea and said forthrightly, “That fungi you used to clear the game isn’t suitable as your spawn.”

“Eh— ding-dong ?”

The luminous humanoid asked in panic. ” Ding ? Wh—why?”

“Although the game simulates the process of growing a species, which for worlds such as you and I are the process of growing our children and ‘spawn’…”

While Joshua was boorish and a man who had no interest in anything other than battle, he was rather patient with children since he had taught many younglings in his preexistence as the master of a martial arts dojo as well. Though it was too difficult, he weathered it alone… and now, he relaxed his face to speak gently.

“However, a game remains a game. It simplified a great many things, even accelerating evolution and mutation. Just think carefully, Light—if it were you who would grant a gift to a race, how long would it to adjust and perfect it? And how long does it take for the equivalent of switching a gene component?”

Zero Three stared in shock at Joshua and his present demeanor. Though she knew that Joshua had always been kind to those younger than him, but it was still…

Come to think of it, everyone around him including himself was not actually old… could he be…

Joshua was certainly unaware what Zero Three was thinking. He was simply brimming with the sense of duty of an educator and carefully explained things for Light, “The initial spreading and growth of Mobian fungi would take a few billion years in the real world, and no less than ten billion for them to rise onto land and spread around the globe. Just think about the gene components—could you be really become what you eat in this world, and at once adopt it for yourself? No, and it would be a long period for assimilation, alteration and adapting even if it was.”

From what Joshua could tell, the Mobian fungi was a superior species that could only be created in game, but it would be dozen billion years of development in the real world. The sun could well have died by then, not to mention that the fungi could develop so swiftly and fight so viciously because Light was controlling them. In fact, without the great threat and the assurance that they would not die to hostile environment and natural disasters, the fungi that had no desire would simply stay rooted at a single spot and breed in a smaller range.

In reality, special creatures would evolve, adapted to feeding on the Mobian and hence create a unique ecosystem.

Joshua would never be disinclined from letting Light create a race because fungi were ugly. It was instead because the Mobian was simply unsuitable—while not exactly without merit, it was as Joshua had said: the process in which they bred and assembled a collective will was too similar to the awakening of a Steel Python.

Cultivating and improving upon it might quicken Light’s maturing. Placed on another world, it might even create an artificial Steel Python!

Of course, that thought was a shallow concept even if it could be attempted.

Having been informed of everything, Light certainly found things regretful since it was a World Will and not an unreasonable, whimsical human child. Sighing, the creation bubbles in the scarlet sea vanished as it gave up on creating the Mobian fungi.

Soon, however, it emitted a series jingles mixed with a few words of the Common Tongue, as if throwing a tantrum.

“I should give you a few if I’m not letting make them? Light, don’t you already have many animals?”

Joshua smiled painfully and looked around across the Bloodmoon Continent. Many small supernatural creatures were flourishing over it, and the world appeared headed toward prosperity.

“Bigger… and intelligent!”

The luminous humanoid did not give up, garbling while its tentacles tugged and shook the warrior’s hand. Though he was scratching his head, Joshua had a few acceptable solutions in mind.

“Bigger and intelligent? Well, though you could create simple plants and animals, it is still too early for you to have intelligent animals, but it’s not like I can give you some of my spawn now—they are still diligently undergoing trials to rebuilt civilization, although I could put them here to enrich your ecosystem when they pass.”

“Right!”

It was then that Joshua suddenly remembered a matter he had thought of before. He had wanted to discuss it with the people involved, but now it appears that…

Blood Moon, Abyss, environment of Order, state of awakening…

“This place quite fits what Goliath asked for… the Demons of Order.”

The warrior’s eyes narrowed at the thought.

They were hostages as much a development for a better future. Soon, the Combined Fleet would depart for the other side of the stars, and that was when both sides should show some sincerity.

***

” Bleurgh !”

The scorching sun shone high above as untamed winds billowed. The yellow storm of the deserts blanketed sky and day, kicking up broiling winds.

Clark the Rider walked upon the broad sandstorms of the otherworld, irritated spat a mouthful of sun and quietly cursed at the skies. “Losing a bet? More like you’re not letting me on the Battleship and dumping me to carry out the quest alone in a foreign world… clearly finding my Crow’s Mouth a burden and fearful that some mishap the ship!”

Clark Elson, member of the First Elite Party of the Imperial External Exploration Department. To avoid various curses and hexes, the party would often call him Rider when on a different world, and his specialty was driving vehicles as the team moves around, a vanguard in battle who stops the enemy assault to create an opening for his party members.

And now, exploring a desert world all by himself.

The hot gusts struck Rider’s circular windbreaking energy shield, streaking past with a wide arc. However, having forced away from visiting the Void Battleship and to carry out a mission alone due to a lost bet, Clark now thought that the bet was a trip his other four members set up, and that himself was crazy enough to trust that they would treat him fairly!

“When I put the beacon at the established position and return after accomplishing my mission… I would… would…”

Unable to come up with any good payback even after thinking over half a day, Rider could only seethe viciously. “Bless them with happiness and health, and a peaceful life!”

***

On this occasion, the Elite Party had been assigned a very simple mission: they only need to place several beacons on the center at some of the sand plains in the desert world with the best signals. It was precisely because the mission was not challenging that the party would think about making a bet, so that only one of their own had to complete the quest while the others rested. Their commanders appeared fine with that since there had been no worlds worth exploring lately, while the Legends were conferring about some secretive matter that no one was there to point the direction of the explorations.

Rider thought that the mission was not difficult either—if not for the windstorm that prevented him from driving his flying car, he would have completed the task in a day or two. The raging sandstorm, however, delayed him considerably and kept him walking only step by step.

After all, it takes considerable effort even for a Gold-tier to resist a natural disaster directly—and Clark would rather save his strength in case of emergencies.

Though he insisted that he was no crow’s mouth ¹ , he grew to believe it a little after his friends had kept bringing it up.

Was it not better to believe the worst, and be pleasantly surprised, than to be optimistic and learn the worst?

Meanwhile, as warrior continued along the desert towards his objective.

Suddenly.

Amidst silent dimensional rippling, a small dimensional rift appeared behind him.

Seconds after it appeared, it stealthily gathered all elements and particles around it, before vanishing as silently as it arrived.

Rider naturally knew nothing of it, unaware that his own scent and elements of Extraordinary ability were absorbed by that rift and teleported to an unknown faraway place.

And that was not the only place where that mysterious and bizarre incident happened—it was happening to every Mycroftian who was journeying alone on foreign worlds exploration.