Suddenly, we saw a figure appear in the middle of our group. This "person's" body outline was slightly transparent and kept flickering - it was Special Assistant No. 5.
I really didn't expect that in the end, there was no need to completely destroy Beluto. Merely making him surrender was enough. After all, this was actually a trial space. Adrian cleverly grasped this key point and directly asked the opponent if he surrendered, avoiding a lot of trouble.
"Cleared it? You mean we can go back now?" Judith immediately understood. Of course, they had all heard Adrian and me explain the truth about this world before the battle, and had even witnessed us summon Special Assistant No. 5 (which they could not summon like us), so they naturally recognized the extra figure that appeared.
"Congratulations on clearing! Returning soon..."
Special Assistant No. 5 bowed plainly towards Adrian and me. After a pause, it reported, "The No. 3 **** trial space will disconnect from the main world in three minutes due to ** damage. The Xuthus Plan ** ends. Wish you can defeat the true God of Light Beluto in the main world and save..."
Before it could finish speaking, it suddenly disappeared like the line was cut.
"What did she mean? What's this about a main world connection and the Xuthus Plan?" Vivianne asked in confusion after hearing the incomplete explanation.
"That's not important now, we need to consider..." I shook my head. Special Assistant No. 5's sudden disappearance made me feel uneasy. Although it looked like it was about to run out of "power", it shouldn't have just vanished before finishing speaking...It also didn't explain how we leave this trial space...
As soon as I finished speaking, our surroundings changed again!
This time, all of us ended up in a huge cave, with an enormous unknown machine standing in the center connected by pipelines extending to the surrounding cave walls.
"What is this place?" Ron wiped his brow, unable to bear the hot feeling washing over us, as if we were in a furnace.
"This is...the 'Blazing Cavern'?" Adrian looked around and quickly recognized the environment. Of course, he wasn't referring to the "Blazing Cavern" from the trial space, but the real "Blazing Cavern" in the main world that we had also entered during the trials, except it was empty with no huge machine back then.
So it seemed we had left the trial space and were now in the true main world?
I couldn't help feeling apprehensive that our goal had been achieved so quickly and silently, making it feel unreal. As for the machine, maybe it was the main body of Special Assistant No. 5?
However, we didn't have a chance to study and observe the situation here, as before everyone could fully understand what happened, we soon heard Vivianne cry out in alarm.
"Lava!"
Bright red lava was slowly seeping in through the cave walls toward the interior, which explained the stifling heat.
This "Blazing Cavern" itself was located inside the Sulide Volcano, able to exist for millennia by continuously absorbing geothermal energy. But now it could no longer withstand the erosion of time and the internal volcanic pressure. And the lava was breaching from more than one area, so this cavern would likely be submerged very soon.
"Get out of here quick!" Mike yelled to us as he dashed first towards the only exit passage. We were familiar with this path, as we had passed through it in the trial space. Mike took the lead guiding us to move swiftly.
Along the way, I noticed a rather inconspicuous fork in the dim light – when entering from outside it was hard to see this path hidden in shadows, but leaving the opposite way made it obvious. Maybe it led to the labyrinth where Cysper and I almost got lost.
As everyone said, this path wasn't too long. Soon, we successfully reached the original large underground lake where we first entered.
When we came in earlier, it was clear this place showed signs of artificial construction, though its origins were unknown. But now we understood - it was likely the 'Dona' Situation Research Institute of an ancient civilization! Unfortunately, it was now almost completely ruined, with only the core "Xuthus Plan" still running until it ultimately reached its end.
"Who are you?" Some unfamiliar strangers were standing by the lake holding torches, staring bewildered into the cave we emerged from. But from their attire, they seemed to be followers of the True Church.
"Isn't that Lady Feliciana? You've finally come out of the labyrinth!"
While they may not have recognized Adrian, Judith or the two Star Glory knights under the Pope's direct command, they definitely knew me as an angel who had made public appearances in the holy capital Jethrobaines recently.
"Uh, of course! You...Cys...where is the Pope?" I nodded after a momentary pause. Explaining would be too complicated, so I let them think we really got lost in the labyrinth.
"The Pope is still waiting outside the cave. I'll take you to see him right away!" One of the followers plucked up courage to reply, immediately leading the way out.
"Why are people from the True Church here? And I thought the Pope couldn't leave the holy capital?" Judith was puzzled by our exchange and couldn't help questioning.
"When did you angels get mixed up with them?"
"Well..." I glanced back at her, suddenly remembering this woman was over a hundred "years old", giving me a headache - I didn't feel like explaining right now.
"Let's go outside first. Even if we return here, it may not be very safe since the lava could spread this way!" Mike cautioned gravely. Due to my presence, he and Ron didn't immediately reveal their identities. But driven by responsibility to protect the Pope, upon hearing Cysper was okay, their first move was naturally to go see him.
In truth, we had traversed this path from the cave to the outside entrance many times before. Yet for me, it was a rather distant memory of about a year ago, subconsciously evoking a sense of revisiting an old place.
But, I had returned at last!
"Feliciana, is that you? I'm so glad you're okay!" The moment I emerged from the cave into daylight, a figure immediately rushed over and hugged my shoulders tightly.
It was Cyra! Of course, not the so-called Saint Angel Cyra, but my good friend and high school classmate.
"Hey, hey, why are you suddenly so affectionate..." It took huge effort to get her off me - I felt overwhelmed.
"This doesn't seem like your usual demeanor at all!"
"Nonsense! Of the few of us classmates left, if something happened to you too, was I supposed to rely on that jerk Nicola?" Cyra blushed and immediately explained awkwardly.
"Besides, you know I only have two wings, so I'm basically useless in this world! But you...what's with those wings?"
She was pointing at my six blue feathered wings. It was only now that I realized I was still in "blue wing" form, unsure how to revert to my original appearance.
Due to the dim cave lighting, no one had paid much attention. But emerging outside immediately drew the gaze of a large crowd.
It really was a huge crowd! Dozens of tents were pitched on the clearing outside the cave entrance, easily accommodating dozens of True Church followers, most with tier 5 or above strength - these must have been the reinforcements Cyra brought from the holy capital.
"That's a long story, first tell me how long it's been since I entered the cave?"
I shook my head, not explaining for now. Seeing a follower rush towards one of the tents, I immediately asked Cyra beside me.
Based on appearances, it seemed a long period had passed. But the still-sleeping phoenix suggested otherwise.
"It's been almost a week!" Cyra answered with some helplessness after thinking about it.
"Actually, I didn't go very far to get reinforcements. When I flew halfway up the mountain, I ran into a squad from the Star Glory Knights, the Pope's personal guards. But under the Pope's special orders, they didn't dare get too close. So I told them the situation and they went to report it in the holy capital. Then I quickly came back here with everyone."
"Although Cysper also later came out from inside, there was still no news of you and the others after several days passed.Since the labyrinth inside was so bizarre, even filled with lots of spatial transfer traps, Cysper strictly forbade anyone from entering. We waited until today when you finally..."
Just less than a week?
I pondered silently, not feeling too surprised. It seemed the flow of time in the trial space was indeed much faster than the outside world - this was an important piece of information I had found from Special Assistant No. 5.
Actually, even before Cysper and I entered, the overall time flow in the trial space was a bit slower initially. But according to the security logs, since an enemy invasion was detected, not only was Cysper transferred out of the cave, but the time flow inside the trial space was also accelerated. So while Adrian and I "vacationed" and dawdled for over a year inside, less than a week had passed in the outside world.
I suddenly had a feeling of scoring a windfall...