Chapter 401: Chapter 174 Declaration of War
The azure car plunged into the Abandoned Land, disappearing amidst the vast Sea of Mist. Before this, Bologue and Lebius lept from the vehicle, using the hook of the Arm of Adaptation to land steadily on the corner of the wandering crossroad.
The two stood at the corridor on the cliffside, gazing into the other side of the Sea of Mist, where violent Ether reactions were continuously transmitted, vaguely catching glimpses of figures fighting fiercely.
Bologue said, "Still a step too late."
Originally, he thought his actions were quick enough, perhaps he could find Teda and Aimou before the battle commenced, but still, Bologue arrived a step too late.
The battle had already erupted. In Bologue’s calculations, after the King’s Shield Guard ambushed Teda, Aimou and Teda separated, fled within the Great Rift, then ran into him, only to be captured again by the King’s Shield Guard.
Lebius leaned on his cane, frowning, staring intently at the swirling Sea of Mist.
"No... Aimou was likely forced to make a wish."
"Forced? You mean..."
Bologue looked at Lebius. Nominally, Lebius was assisting him, but this was also due to the number of times he had experienced Time Reversal. In terms of relevant experience, Lebius was the more professional one.
"Don’t you think it’s too coincidental? Aimou had just used Fantasy Species, and then the King’s Shield Guard ambushed her." Lebius questioned him.
"She was ambushed by the King’s Shield Guard, forced to use Fantasy Species, triggering Time Reversal," Bologue murmured, then suddenly realized, "So the beginning of Time Reversal..."
"From the moment Time Reversal was triggered, the King’s Shield Guard’s ambush had already unfolded. No matter what, we wouldn’t make it," Lebius said.
Bologue paused for a moment, then passed Lebius to lead in the front, "We need to hurry. Soon their battle will intensify, and Teda will conjure Calamity, destroying everything around."
His pace quickened, walking briskly through the corridor. In the previous Time Reversal, Bologue watched helplessly as this corridor was shattered by boulders. Now he moved faster, with many crumbling structures remaining intact.
"Leader, are you okay?"
Bologue turned back to glance at Lebius. Lebius always gave an oppressive and powerful impression, often making Bologue forget that his leader was actually a cripple.
"I have no problem."
Lebius’s eyes flickered with a gleam, overlapping with an ethereal phantom, making up for the disability of his limbs.
It was only then that Bologue noticed that despite Lebius leaning on a cane, his pace was as agile as his own. The cane hardly served any function, more like an ornament held in hand.
Bologue knew very little about his leader. At first, he only knew that Lebius was a survivor of the secret war and never thought about the existence of time offensives in the war’s later stages, not to mention Lebius was actually someone who turned the tide.
Moreover, Lebius’s Secret Energy, from every indication, showed that Lebius was an Overlord commanding a pack of wolves. This type of Condenser power was primarily reliant on his Domination Object for combat.
But now Lebius was far from his Domination Object, alone.
Due to trusting Lebius, Bologue believed he was prepared. However, even so, Bologue couldn’t help but doubt if Lebius could really stop those people?
"Right, their Secret Energy..."
Bologue recounted to Lebius the information he gained during the last Time Reversal.
Information about Secret Energy is extremely important to a Condenser. Once they understand the nature of their opponent’s Secret Energy, they can devise a strategy to counter them in battle, and even defeat them.
This was Bologue’s greatest advantage in this Time Reversal. With this information, even when facing the King’s Shield Guard’s attack, they would have the confidence to swiftly kill their opponent.
After hearing Bologue’s discourse, Lebius nodded and said nothing, maintaining his silence.
"We are almost there. If my calculation is correct, soon we will encounter Aimou... and them."
Bologue estimated the time. This Time Reversal, he didn’t seek out Belli, and therefore didn’t have the tracker.
"They don’t act together but dispersed. However, once the battle begins, they can rapidly reinforce each other."
Bologue recalled and continued, "The first to appear is that guy’s Secret Energy. It can create invisible defenses. Killing him quickly is somewhat problematic... but not impossible."
"Don’t forget one thing, Bologue. We have memories from the last Time Reversal, and so does Aimou. This Time Reversal won’t be that simple."
Lebius’s words brought Bologue back to clarity. Sometimes, overthinking leads to being stuck in a dead end.
"Alright, I understand," Bologue recalled a saying they often mentioned, "adapt accordingly."
"Yes, adapt accordingly."
Lebius agreed with a nod, and the two soon reached the site where they fought during the last Time Reversal, hiding nearby.
A few minutes later, a roaring explosion sounded, and they could see scarlet tendrils erupting from the other side of the Sea of Mist, throwing out boulders and destroying everything around.
In the constantly changing time reversal, the watch’s timing seemed somewhat unreliable, and the eruption of this limb became a symbol, heralding the development of the situation.
Bologue lowered his breath, and the light emanating from his body dimmed. He entered a state of Ethereal Concealment.
Only in a state of stagnation could he completely suppress his own etheric reactions. Bologue awaited the appearance of Aimou.
Bologue believed Aimou would appear again. She did not know he could also retain memories, so she would continue along this escape route, and with previous experience, her escape would become faster.
But... how did the King’s Shield Guards manage to pursue Aimou? They didn’t have any tracking devices.
The image of the Fantasy Species flashed before Bologue’s eyes, and the translucent, glowing tumor perched on Aimou’s chest was precisely the Fantasy Species.
Could the King’s Shield Guards detect the power of the Fantasy Species?
No, they could not perceive the power of the Fantasy Species but could sense the astonishing etheric reactions carried by the Fantasy Species.
Bologue closed his eyes. Based on the Ethereal Skills Bologue had currently mastered, Ethereal Perception could be considered his second most refined Extreme Technique.
He could detect the ether like tides and vaguely sense the presence of vortices in this Sea of Ether, some existing like storms, so immense, yet extremely distant from him.
As his perception kept expanding, Bologue faintly sensed a familiar etheric reaction. She, like a fox, was darting around. Just as he was about to reach it, a steady voice interrupted Bologue’s meditation.
"Aimou has changed direction. She ran the other way."
Lebius’s words startled Bologue back to consciousness.
Lebius pointed his finger towards the ground below, "She left from further down, and the King’s Shield Guards were misled to come here, but they will soon realize they’re chasing wrongly."
Bologue was stunned for a moment, then asked, "You can sense all this?"
"Mm, I’m proficient in many Ethereal Skills."
Lebius stood up as he said this, unhurriedly picked up his cane, and twisted it.
"Bologue, are you anxious?"
"Me?" Bologue didn’t understand why Lebius was saying these words at this moment.
"You are also about to be promoted to Prayer Believer. As your leader, I feel obligated to give you some advice during your promotion... do you think my auxiliary school is the Origin School?"
Lebius gazed forward. He had already sensed those increasingly close etheric reactions.
"Probably."
Bologue replied, considering that if the derivative auxiliary school was the Origin School, it would allow the Condenser to master numerous Ethereal Skills more swiftly. Bologue judged this from Lebius’s words.
"No, the path I walk is one of distortion, allowing oneself to have numerous possibilities, no longer bound by rules."
Lebius denied Bologue’s answer. He knew what Bologue wanted to ask and promptly answered.
"You want to say, so how have I mastered these Ethereal Skills?
In fact, every Condenser can fully master Ethereal Skills. After all, it’s just more refined control over Ether, even if you are entirely unrelated to the Origin School.
In other words, as long as you are focused enough, you can also learn all this, transcending the limitations of the Origin School."
Lebius unscrewed the cane, drawing a slender staff sword, and the dazzling sword light reflected on Bologue’s face, blinding him.
"Do you consider yourself an ordinary Condenser?" Lebius asked again.
Bologue did not hesitate and directly replied, "No."
To Bologue, ordinary Condensers posed no threat; even if the Prayer Believers weren’t careful, they could be slain by Bologue.
Hearing this answer, Lebius smiled and nodded.
"Just right, I am also not an ordinary Negative Power User."
With those words, the ether roared, scorching brilliance erupted from Lebius’s body like an explosive bomb, with etheric fluctuations mixed with airwaves spreading in all directions.
Lebius gripped the staff sword and declared war on anyone who could perceive his etheric fluctuations.
Soon after, like reverse sound waves, several etheric reactions rose and roared in response to Lebius’s declaration of war.