Rain sighed in relief as he successfully dissolved the first block of energy. He paused his meditation to check their progress and opened his eyes, noticing that the others were still meditating. Turning his attention outside, Rain watched the passing scenery along the dirt road. Towering trees blanketed in snow lined the forest, their imposing forms broken only by the occasional rustle of animals.
After some time, he noticed through the front windshield an old town coming into view. The buildings were ancient, overgrown with vines and plants, remnants of a world left behind. As the vehicle entered the town, Rain's eyes scanned the dilapidated structures on both sides, reclaimed by nature over the centuries. Within the ruins, he spotted rats the size of cats, their purple skin glistening as they scurried about. Cats with two tails prowled the streets, along with other mutated animals, altered by the lingering radiation.
The animals briefly observed the convoy, their glowing eyes tracking the movement, before returning to their own business. Once the town faded into the distance, the vehicle's dashboard beeped, announcing, "Five minutes from location." Rain straightened, mentally bracing himself for what lay ahead. The sound of the announcement roused everyone from their meditations.
Damian stretched and looked out the window. "Looks like we're almost there."
Sky turned to the group, his expression serious. "Everyone, be careful. Keep an eye on the Cressey family team. They might be with us for this mission, but remember, they only won the bid for this time. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, they could cause damage to the domain. Stay alert."
Rain nodded. "Yes, leader."
The others echoed their agreement. Soon after, the vehicle came to a stop, and everyone climbed out. As Rain stepped onto the ground, he took a deep breath of the radiation-filled air, though it didn't affect him. Like all genetic warriors, he had adapted to the world's harsh conditions. The higher his realm, the more his body transformed, becoming less human. If Rain could reach the True Body realm, his genes would merge completely with the super healing lizard's, forming a new genetic chain that would make him part human, part lizard.
He turned his attention to the sheep farm domain ahead. A large farm, encircled by a tall wooden fence, stood in front of them, its gate looming at the entrance. What struck Rain as strange was how untouched the farm appeared. While the concrete town they'd passed had been overtaken by nature, this farm—with its wooden structures—looked as though time had left it completely unscathed. It stood as if a thousand years hadn't passed, untouched by the devastation that reshaped the rest of the world.
Rain approached Siobhan quietly. "I'm feeling nervous," he admitted, this being his first time preparing to face monsters in a weird domain.
Siobhan gave him a reassuring nod, though her own voice carried a hint of unease. "Me too. That farm ahead must be the weird domain. But it's strange—there's no security around it, except for the energy shield at the front gate."
Rain glanced toward the farm as well. "Yeah, I noticed. It's possible that the rules of this domain only allow us to enter through the front gate. Weird domains are always unpredictable."
His gaze shifted to the other vehicle, where people dressed in combat outfits similar to their own were disembarking. The only difference was the distinct Spark Police insignia and the Cressey family crest emblazoned on their uniforms. As Helen approached Sky, Rain watched them begin discussing their plan. He overheard Helen saying they had nine people and that she would be entering the domain with them. It seemed the two leaders were strategizing the entry, coordinating their teams.
Rain glanced back at Siobhan. "There are over 50 people here with Helen, but only 10 will be going in."
"Maybe there's a reason," Siobhan mused thoughtfully.
Suddenly, Damian's voice came from behind them, startling them both. "Keeping secrets already?" he teased, causing both Rain and Siobhan to jump slightly.
Rain quickly composed himself, his nervousness still present but eased by the banter. They were about to enter something unknown, but at least they weren't going in alone.
Rain asked Damian, "Why did they bring so many people if only 10 are entering with us?"
Damian replied, "Only people who have opened their spiritual gate can safely enter weird domains. Otherwise, it's too dangerous—they could lose control at any moment, putting themselves and their companions at risk."
Rain nodded, processing the information. Siobhan added, "So under A-rank, only those who've opened their spiritual gate are safe?"
Damian shook his head. "No, B-rank can enter too. B-rank warriors have a natural field that offers some protection."
Rain and Siobhan exchanged curious glances, but before Damian could explain further, Sky interrupted, "Let's go."
Damian gave them a quick grin, "I'll explain more after the mission." He turned to follow Sky, and Rain and Siobhan fell in step behind him.
As they stepped through the gate and into the weird domain, Rain looked up to see a clear blue sky, clouds lazily drifting, and the sun rising over the horizon. If not for the strange sensation creeping into his soul space, he could have mistaken the domain for a normal world. He felt a subtle pressure against his soul, something trying to enter, but it was blocked. "Weird energy," he thought.
Sky's voice cut through his thoughts, "There's no time to marvel at the scenery. We need to gather all the sheep at the farm before evening—because that's when the wolves start attacking."
He quickly organized the group. "Everyone pair up. It'll be faster if we split into teams of two to gather the iron sheep."
Before Rain could react, Helen pointed at him and said, "How about I team up with him?"
Rain's eyes widened in surprise. Sky raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? He's only recently become a genetic warrior."
Helen smiled confidently. "We're only collecting the iron sheep, which are docile and at the beginning of D-rank. I'm at peak D-rank, so if there's any problem, I'll protect him. Don't worry."
Sky glanced at Rain. "Is that okay with you?"
Rain hesitated but then nodded. "Okay," he agreed, though curious as to why Helen had chosen him.
Helen turned to Sky. "Then you can divide the rest of the team. I'll take him, and we'll go."
Sky nodded. "No problem."
As Rain began to follow Helen, Siobhan suddenly reached out and placed a hand on his arm. "Rain, be careful," she said softly, her concern clear.
Rain gave her a reassuring nod. "You too."
He jogged to catch up with Helen, his mind buzzing with questions about why she had chosen him. As they approached a small herd of iron wool sheep, Rain hesitated, wanting to ask but holding back. Helen, sensing his pause, quickly gave instructions. "You go from the front, and I'll take the back. Try to stop them from running."
"Okay," Rain replied, moving toward the front where the iron wool sheep were gathered. His movements alerted the sheep, who began to make nervous sounds. These sheep were massive—twice the size of the normal ones from his previous life, with the leader of the herd towering even larger, three times the size of a regular sheep. Their white skin and black wool glistened, and their horns, thick and metallic like iron, curved menacingly.
Rain watched as Helen crept up from behind, inching closer to the herd. A few seconds passed before the sheep noticed her, turning to face her in alertness. Helen stopped, waiting. Rain took the opportunity to creep forward, but as soon as the sheep sensed him, they shifted their attention to him instead.
Helen resumed her approach, and the sheep, now more restless, turned back to her. Their hooves kicked up the grass, and the herd began spreading out, ready to bolt. Sensing their growing agitation, Helen called out, "Capture the leader! They won't run if you've got the leader!"
Rain, understanding the urgency, crept closer to the herd, focusing on the leader at the front. In a sudden burst of speed, he rushed forward and grabbed the leader by its iron horns. The sheep let out a deep, distressed bleat and struggled against his grip, causing the rest of the herd to grow more frantic. But Rain held on, using all his strength to keep the massive sheep from breaking free.
Helen, taking advantage of the situation, quickly moved in. She pulled out a rope and began tying the sheep together by their necks, one after the other. As she worked, Rain could feel the raw power of the leader trying to break his grip, but he held firm. After securing the rest of the herd, Helen finally tied up the leader as well.
Breathing a little easier now that the sheep were subdued, Rain glanced over at Helen. "Now what? Do we take them back to the farm?" he asked, but in the back of his mind, he felt that constantly going back and forth would be a waste of time. His gaze shifted, and he spotted a large rock nearby before Helen could respond. "How about we tie them to that rock?"
Helen looked at him, then smiled. "Yeah, I had a similar plan." She led the tied-up sheep toward the rock, securing the rope around it. Once the sheep were firmly anchored, she nodded approvingly. "Good."
Rain surveyed the field around them, noticing how the space within the weird domain seemed far larger than it had appeared from the outside. "This place is at least ten times bigger than I expected," he commented, shaking his head at the vastness.
"Let's move on," he added, spotting another herd in the distance. Helen walked beside him, and after a few moments of silence, she broke it. "You're probably wondering why I chose to team up with you."
Rain nodded, curious but unsure how to phrase the question without sounding too blunt.
Helen smiled knowingly. "You've probably felt it—the strange attraction between us."
Rain looked at her, stunned. How did she know? Was his expression that easy to read? His heart raced as he processed her words.
"I've felt the same pull toward you," Helen admitted. "It's strange, and I can't explain it fully. But I'm guessing it might have something to do with the super healing lizard genetic medicine we both used."
Rain's mind raced. As someone from an influential family, Helen would have access to more information about these genetic modifications than he did. "Does anyone else who's used the same beast genetics experience this?"
Helen shrugged slightly. "Maybe. I don't really know for sure. It could be something unique between us, or it could be a side effect of the genetic medicine. After all, the super healing lizard medicine is still new, and not everything about its abilities is fully understood."
Rain nodded thoughtfully as they reached the next herd of iron wool sheep. Whatever the reason behind their connection, there was something deeper at play, but for now, their focus remained on the task ahead.