Chapter 97: She’s So Cute
In the Tide of Madness.
Without the crimson rune’s suppression, the entire pocket dimension was in chaos.
The tiered distribution of the crazed beasts, with the stronger ones in the deeper regions, had been a result of the rune’s influence.
Although the beasts had feared the rune, they had also been drawn to its immense bloodlust, a power even purer than that of the Wild God Altar.
But this purity had turned the bloodlust into a deadly poison.
Prolonged exposure would drive any beast mad.
But now, with the rune gone, the fragile order had collapsed.
The strong devoured the weak, a brutal, chaotic free-for-all.
In time, a single, powerful beast would have emerged, a being perhaps as strong as Queen Arachne herself.
But… that time would never come.
At the spot where the crimson rune had been, a new one appeared, a massive, swirling vortex of red, its light bathing the entire Tide of Madness in a bloody glow.
The darkness vanished, replaced by an unsettling crimson.
The crazed beasts, in the midst of their slaughter, froze, turning to face the rune.
They sensed a familiar aura, an aura they had feared for so long.
They bowed their heads, a gesture of submission to the being that was about to arrive.
A small, crimson figure materialized, stepping lightly onto the blood-soaked ground.
Among the massive beasts, she seemed so small, so fragile, yet she exuded an undeniable authority, the aura of a queen.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here,” Queen Shaya said, looking around. “It seems the Savage Lands have been using this place as a garbage dump.”
She sensed the teleportation circle connecting this pocket dimension to the outside world and, with a wave of her hand, destroyed it.
Then she looked at the trembling beasts, her brow furrowed with distaste.
Her gaze swept over them, and in an instant, they dissolved into pools of bloody ooze, seeping into the ground.
The few who tried to flee were also consumed, their bodies adding to the crimson landscape.
After cleaning up the “trash,” she walked to the spot where Bai had stood, closing her eyes, reliving the moment she had seen the “Dream Fox.”
At the same time, Bai, who was about to head to the tavern, felt a sudden sense of being watched. She whirled around, but saw only Eleanor, excitedly packing her things.
“What’s wrong?” Eleanor asked.
“Nothing,” Bai said, shaking her head. Why that strange feeling? And the gaze… it had felt familiar.
She didn’t realize that the direction she had instinctively looked was towards the Tide of Madness.
“…Neily? No, not her… could there be another Dream Fox alive?”
In the Tide of Madness, Queen Shaya opened her eyes, murmuring to herself.
She had used the residual energy of the crimson rune to catch a glimpse of Bai, to retrace her steps.
But the “Dream Fox” had sensed her, and she had quickly severed the connection.
The Dream Fox… along with the Illusion Fox, they were the most mysterious races of the Promised Land.
They were unpredictable, and their attacks were difficult to guard against, especially since they rarely had any malicious intent.
Even Queen Shaya was wary of them.
But besides this Dream Fox, she knew of another… an Illusion Fox, still alive.
…Or rather, barely alive.
She took a step, and in an instant, she was no longer in the Tide of Madness, but in the Dreadful Tomb.
The beings of the Dreadful Tomb, who feared even a Calamity Class being, cowered in her presence.
A single avatar could suppress them all. And now, she was here in her true form… they could only pray she had no interest in them.
And she didn’t. She passed through without a second glance, and a few steps later, she was in the Magnificent Illusion, the beautiful, fragrant meadow.
“Well, you’ve come,” a voice said.
Zi sat on a small hill, leaning against a large, ancient tree, a playful look on her face.
Her nine tails were curled up around her, like a soft, fluffy couch.
“I didn’t want to,” Shaya said, looking at the illusion. “After all these years, you’re still amusing yourself in this place?”
“Yes,” Zi shrugged. “I find it quite… entertaining. Although sometimes, some… uninvited guests wander in. Watching them struggle is quite amusing.”
“With your power, you could keep anyone here,” Shaya said, her voice low. “Including me.”
“But you came of your own free will,” Zi said, shifting her position slightly, her tails twitching.
She had no particular fondness for anyone, nor any malice.
“I’m looking for someone,” Shaya said. “A Dream Fox.”
“You know where she is. Just go find her,” Zi said, rolling her eyes.
She had sensed Shaya’s aura on Bai, and with Bai’s Vampire-like appearance, she knew they were connected.
“…You know that a Dream Fox, regardless of her strength, is dangerous,” Shaya said softly.
It was a testament to their power that the Abyss had been willing to trade such a dangerous being for Neily’s help with the sealing ritual.
“She’s very cute. You’ll like her,” Zi said, pouting slightly. She missed her fellow Dream Fox, but she didn’t want to leave her illusion.
Shaya was silent for a moment. “Thank you.”
With that, a crimson light enveloped her, and she vanished.
The answer had been enough.
