"Overseer, as you can see, we have arrived at the platform suspended in mid-air," Raiden Mei held her communicator, observing her surroundings while leading her team forward.
"These bricks didn't exist originally. As we progressed, they fell from above and automatically assembled into steps for us to pass through... The other side should have noticed us, but so far, we haven't encountered any enemies."
Silence filled the communicator, unsettling Mei.
Unable to contain her anxiety, Mei tightened her grip on her weapon. "Overseer Theresa?"
"Oh, she probably can't hear us. Sorry, I should have mentioned it," a familiar male voice came through the communicator, furrowing Mei's brows as she signaled the team to halt.
Adam asked with confusion, "Otto?"
"Don't speculate," the voice sounded resigned. "I intended to remain silent, but you all are too slow. Caution is good, but rest assured, this path will be clear, leading you directly to me."
"So come on, I'm waiting for you."
The three exchanged glances.
Carole, feeling uneasy, said, "Hey, isn't this guy too arrogant? Are we really going up there?"
"We don't have any other choice..." Mei said helplessly.
The group climbed the gradually ascending steps and soon arrived at the floating structure known as the "Arcane Castle."
There, a familiar figure stood with arms wide open, awaiting their arrival.
Mei even almost dropped her longsword. She widened her eyes, murmuring, "Otto?"
"Welcome, children of Schicksal. Ah, you certainly kept me waiting," clad in platinum attire, with long flowing hair, the man wore a golden mask, hovering in the air.
This presumed Otto bowed slightly to them and spoke in an operatic tone, "I must express my gratitude to the three of you. Thanks to you, I finally succeeded in luring the Herrscher of Reason. From that perspective, the three of you did me a great favor."
"Then, Luceni, lend me your servant for a moment. Let it welcome our benefactors." He straightened up, gesturing as if inviting them.
After a shrill whistle, a huge mechanical monster appeared on the platform. With its bulky body and four armored legs, it wielded a weapon resembling a utility pole, swirling it around with great force!
[Code XXI - The World]
Mei flashed her figure, pointing her sword at the masked man floating behind.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The crimson shield bounced back all of Mei's attacks. The blonde masked man tilted his head and let out a low chuckle.
"Useless..." the blonde masked man shook his head, then turned to observe the other two.
Adam and Carole were coordinating their attacks on the giant mechanical monster. Adam baited The World into attacking, then dodged, while Carole seized the opportunity to strike the mechanical monster's body fiercely with her gauntlets, creating loud clangs as they collided with the armor plates.
"Oh, two new faces. Is Schicksal recruiting males now?" The blonde man stroked his chin, eyeing Adam's black hair with interest. "He doesn't seem like he's from the Kaslana family."
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The man turned his head, watching Mei still struggling to break through his barrier. He rubbed his forehead, seemingly helpless. "Long time no see, Miss Raiden Mei. I almost didn't recognize you... You're still the same, always trying to solve problems in one fell swoop. Raiden Mei, everything requires a gradual process."
Fearless, Mei retorted, "Stop pretending to be innocent. Besides, we're not acquainted!"
"Well, you reminded me... Luceni, warn your general to be careful," the masked man clapped his hands, ignoring the fluctuating shield. "The one in front of us is the former Herrscher of Thunder!"
"Tch!" Mei looked at the still resilient shield before her, finally giving up her plan to directly attack the masked man and turned to help her teammates who were gradually losing behind her.
Watching Mei leave in a flash of lightning, the blonde masked man even commented to the being called "Luceni," "Her energy is quite precious. Take advantage of this opportunity to absorb it for yourself."
Carole suddenly felt resentful. While pounding on the mechanical monster in front of her, she shouted, "Hey, why don't you comment on me too!"
The blonde man shrugged, not answering.
"Ah! This is infuriating!!!" Carole hammered harder on the mechanical monster in front of her, seemingly trying to vent all her frustration.
Mei took over the command of the battle. With the three of them cooperating seamlessly, they quickly dismantled the armor plates on The World.
Mei even used lightning attacks to paralyze the giant mechanical body, while Adam and Carole took the opportunity to fiercely attack the parts not covered by armor!
After a dozen seconds, The World recovered. It flashed to the other end of the field in a deep red light, constructing a deep red spherical shield to protect itself.
"It's restoring its armor!" Sharp-eyed Adam saw The World standing there, devouring the surrounding energy, its damaged armor wriggling and gradually restoring to its intact state.
Mei hacked continuously at the shield, feeling the fluctuations of the stabilizing protection. She shouted loudly, "Keep attacking!"
"Yes!"
The World had no intention of sitting still and waiting for death. It raised the "utility pole" in its hand, and the crimson energy cannon fired, but the three easily dodged it.
Before long, the spherical shield couldn't hold up and burst open. Before it could fully recover, The World suffered another furious blow from Carole, leaving deep marks on its body where her gauntlets struck.
Seeing this scene, the blonde masked man shook his head, chuckled lightly, and raised his hand.
"Well, you owe me a favor, Luceni."
Mei noticed the opponent's movement and warned loudly, "Be careful!"
The next moment, a golden shockwave exploded around him, and Adam and Carole were pushed out, rolling several times on the ground before stopping.
Mei, on the other hand, reacted swiftly. She plunged her longsword into the ground, stopping her backward momentum, then stood in front of her teammates.
"Are you okay?!"
"Ugh... Feels a bit nauseous..." Carole shook her head, unsteady on her feet, half kneeling on the ground.
As Mei watched the masked man leave the protection of the shield, floating closer to them, she aimed her sword at him. "Don't even think about harming my teammates!"
"Hmm, as you wish."
With a snap of his fingers, golden chains silently wrapped around Mei's body, and the decay within her body rapidly weakened. Her limbs also grew weak.
This feeling... Oath of Judah?!
"The most troublesome enemies must be dealt with first, right?"
The next moment, The World lifted its mechanical arm and stabbed straight into Mei's abdomen, extracting the deep red decay energy from her body, flowing it into the storage jar on The World's body.
The deep red energy shield unfolded once again, protecting The World as it absorbed the decay energy.
"Her Herrscher energy is quite valuable, don't leave a single bit behind."
Adam and Carole watched in stunned silence, unsure of what to do for a moment.
"Captain..."
Adam patted Carole's shoulder, carrying his greatsword as he charged toward The World.
"I'll leave it to you, Little General Luceni... Let's go, we'll open the Gate of Stars for the Sky People."
The blonde man smiled, then turned and left.
Unnoticed by him, the being he called "Luceni" hadn't responded for quite some time.
Blue, uncertain gazes crossed the void, converging here.
Shimmering quantum dots appeared out of nowhere, then gradually spread out like raindrops, silently infiltrating the interior of the Arcane Castle.
"...Found you," he said.