The torches and oil lamps dispersed the gray fog, thinning it considerably. The newcomer stopped tens of meters away.
She held an oil lamp in one hand and a slender sword in the other, her silver combat boots treading on the cracked earth. Her attire was a white, form-fitting combat suit, adorned with patterns of swords and roses. Her dark red hair cascaded to her waist, and her hair and clothing were decorated with exquisite accessories.
She exuded an aura of nobility and splendor.
Even in this strange realm, despite her clothes being somewhat torn and dusted, she still strived to maintain elegance and dignity.
This was Anna’s first impression.
After all, she too sometimes tried to maintain a degree of elegance and composure… as long as it didn’t interfere with combat and training.
While Anna and her companions observed, Metisha, holding the oil lamp, was also cautiously sizing up the group before her.
Four girls, all dressed in the same style of clothing. Judging by their attire, this world possessed decent equipment-making capabilities, able to craft awakened armor. That was absolutely top-tier in a novice world.
Why was it definitely awakened armor?
Because their robes were slightly damaged, but largely intact. Ordinary clothing would likely be reduced to mere rags under the assault of these strange entities.
Furthermore, they carried torches to dispel the gray fog, suggesting they were likely human.
Not minions of some evil god.
With this thought, Metisha hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and placing her hand on her chest.
"Greetings, humans whose world has not yet been consumed. I am Metisha, from the City of Sword Blossoms."
The City of Sword Blossoms was a large oasis.
It was a prestigious power among the oasis factions. As for why she was here, that was a long story.
The full name of the City of Sword Blossoms was the City of Sword, War Song, and Roses, and it possessed three major academies: the Academy of Swords, the Academy of War Songs, and the Academy of Roses.
These academies were the rulers of the City of Sword Blossoms.
Metisha hailed from the Academy of Roses, an outstanding individual, an absolute elite of the City of Sword Blossoms. She had been dispatched to investigate the situation of this newly discovered world and establish contact with local forces.
And, depending on the circumstances, offer some assistance to this world.
However, when she descended and entered the target world, there was a slight mishap. She did not land within Blue Star but rather on its dark side, the shallow layers of the eerie realm.
Her tragic life began then.
After searching for a good half-day, she finally encountered humans from Blue Star. Metisha seemed on the verge of tears.
She expressed her hope to travel with the team for a while.
She also stated that she would represent the City of Sword Blossoms and bring mutually beneficial cooperation to Blue Star.
After hearing her story, Shi Yunxi exchanged glances with Peri and the others. As their eyes met, she mouthed her thoughts.
"What do you think? Do you believe her claims?"
The information presented by the woman before them was substantial. When she mentioned oases and large oases, Shi Yunxi did not interrupt, quietly listening to Metisha's tale.
Peri and Anna might not understand these things, but Shi Yunxi did. She had even seen information about the 'City of Sword Blossoms' faction in classified intelligence reports.
It was largely consistent with what Metisha had described.
However, that didn't mean everything else she said was true, nor did it prove she was from the City of Sword Blossoms.
After pondering for a while, Shi Yunxi stepped forward and said in Donghuang dialect, "Yes, but there will be a small condition."
This was her decision after careful consideration.
Bring this person back to the camp.
If they didn't, Metisha would likely follow them covertly, and it would be extremely difficult for their four-person team to shake off an expert capable of traversing the eerie realm.
As for the other option, Shi Yunxi would not take it; it was contrary to the principles of the Spark of Hope.
...
...
Under the shroud of gray fog, on a desolate and silent road, Metisha from the City of Sword Blossoms led the procession.
This was the condition for their companionship.
Seeing that her appeals for sympathy had failed, Metisha could only hold her oil lamp and sword and walk at the very front of the group.
The oil lamp emitted a faint orange glow, dispelling the surrounding gray fog and driving away the lurking malevolent entities.
Shi Yunxi noticed that the number of strange creatures they encountered had decreased, and the gray fog seemed thinner.
"Is it the effect of the oil lamp?"
"It seems more potent than the Bright Flame Torch?"
She mused, observing Metisha's every move while remaining vigilant.
She then discovered that the thing the girl from the City of Sword Blossoms did most frequently was tidying her appearance.
Shi Yunxi: "???"
She was puzzled. Did this action have some special significance? However, she always considered things thoroughly and wouldn't ask directly.
As she considered various possibilities, Peri spoke up, "Miss Metisha, does your appearance relate to combat power? Is there some mysterious ritual that enhances your strength the more resplendent your attire becomes?"
Peri's eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Hearing her question, Metisha was taken aback. After a pause, she replied, "Not at all."
She patted the dust from her clothes and slightly adjusted her hair, continuing, "If I had to say, it serves no practical purpose other than making things more troublesome."
"Then why do you still…?"
"Still care so much about your appearance, right? Because that is the philosophy of our City of Sword Blossoms. Elegance is the philosophy and pursuit of us Sword Blossom people."
A faint smile graced her lips, her expression elegant and sweet. She turned to Peri and the others, saying, "You might find it strange, but if we forget elegance, forget human etiquette, and become wild, powerful yet barbaric and bloody, then what difference would we have from the cultists who worship evil gods?"
Peri fell into thought.
Although she knew this was clearly specious reasoning, she inexplicably felt it held a certain logic.
Strange…
...
With Metisha as an additional combatant and her oil lamp, their passage through the dilapidated city became somewhat easier.
Just as when they arrived, Shi Yunxi's internal 'radar' would occasionally issue prompts.
Following the indicated coordinates, she directed the team to skirt around certain areas. Slightly leveraging Metisha's combat power, they had already collected the seventh material for their return journey.
Watching Anna crouch down and skillfully harvest a stalk of Netherworld Grass, placing it into a specialized container, Metisha could no longer remain calm.
"What, you found treasure again?"
"It's a Tier 3 special plant, too!"
A world that had only recently connected with the eerie realm should indeed have more mysterious materials, but not so many that they could pick them up every few steps.
This wasn't exploring the eerie realm; this was… this was picking up money!
Indeed, they were picking up money. Anna, of course, maintained an innocent facade with her acting skills, saying, "Isn't this all normal? Don't you do this when you explore the eerie realm?"
Metisha: "..."
She followed the team, and before even seeing any safe zones or hidden places, she had suffered repeated blows.
One, two, three items. These Blue Star humans seemed to have heavenly eyes, picking up riches all along the way, and none of it concerned her.
This was more exhausting than fighting against the strange creatures before.
And they still hadn't reached the hidden place.
These Blue Star humans had traveled too far!
Metisha mumbled, then suddenly stopped, her sword tightening in her grip.
Her extensive experience in the eerie realm told her, "Something's not right. Those strange creatures that appeared earlier were odd!"
In terms of experience and knowledge of navigating the eerie realm, Shi Yunxi was far inferior to Metisha, but the intuition of an expert also made her hair stand on end, sensing an impending danger.
She looked at Cen Jing.
Cen Jing had already closed her eyes, cold sweat beading on her forehead. "There are unusual monsters. No, not monsters, they are humans, blending into the gray fog… they are the cultists of an evil god!"
*Bang—*
Glass shattered as a figure in a black robe leaped down from a height of several stories. Their fingernails elongated, becoming like two blood-red blades.
The blades and diamonds collided, sparks flying.
Anna’s hands ignited with flames, but a figure burst from the fog, the blades aiming directly for her face.
At this critical juncture, Metisha’s sword lightly parried the blood-red blades and, in an instant, thrust out several times, causing blossoms of blood to erupt on the black-robed figure.
"They are followers of the Crimson Moon!"
These cultists possessed remarkably resilient vitality. Despite Metisha’s multiple stabs, the opponent seemed unfazed. The wounds beneath their tattered gray robes showed flesh and blood weaving, healing rapidly.
More cultists began to appear around them, and the commotion of the battle attracted more strange creatures.
This was becoming increasingly dire.
In the eyes of the strange creatures, they were delicious food, pouncing from all sides. However, the cultists, under normal circumstances, couldn't command these creatures, nor would they be attacked; they were treated as kindred spirits.
Metisha struck down a two-star strange creature with a single blow. She could no longer maintain her elegance. Her white attire was slightly torn, and her forehead was slick with sweat, sticking to her hair.
Her chest heaved as she panted, "This is bad, this is very bad."
Could she, the proud vanguard of the City of Sword Blossoms, an elite from the Academy of Roses, a genius with the potential to reach the 'non-human' level, really die here obscurely?
They not only had to face the attacks of six or seven three-awakened cultists but also deal with an ever-increasing number of strange creatures. Moreover, they had to protect the oil lamp and torches, or they would be torn apart by the swarm of strange creatures.
These were all unfavorable conditions.
Metisha saw no hope of breaking through.
The strong humans of Blue Star? She dared not count on them.
How could a world that had only just connected with the eerie realm possess special life-saving treasures!
Metisha gritted her teeth and resisted, hoping to carve out a bloody path.
Just then,
The offensive of the black-robed cultists paused slightly. From within the gray fog, a figure clad in dark red armor and wielding a broadsword slowly emerged.
Metisha’s teeth chattered.
What kind of predicament was this!
She heard the Blue Star strongman, Shi Yunxi, sigh.
With reluctance, regret, and despair.
Indeed, they were desperate.
Huh?!
A light circle suddenly appeared, and a brilliant blue glow enveloped their bodies.
The next moment, the stream of light vanished.
Metisha vaguely heard the armored man's roar, followed by a dizzying spin. When she came to her senses, she landed on her backside with a 'plop,' letting out a surprised yelp.