novelraw Chapter 239: Exploring The Abandoned Desert
Chapter 239: Exploring The Abandoned Desert
-----
Junk littered the desert in every direction, and as Timothy had mentioned earlier, the sight deeply irritated him as the bearer of the Spiral of Harvest.
To test his abilities, he did something bold: he drove his spiritual weapons into the soil and began spreading forests and vibrant plants across the barren ground.
To everyone's surprise, the more he worked, the stronger his Spiral grew. The conditions for its advancement proved far simpler than anyone expected.
Eventually they reached the first junkyard of the Sixth Layer—a vast mountain of scrap guarded by hundreds of Junk Beasts and Junk Bots.
The instant the group drew near, what had seemed like lifeless debris stirred to life and attacked.
These were Sixth Layer monsters; mercy was unnecessary, especially when the creatures struck the moment they were spotted.
Winged Junk Beasts soared overhead, launching missiles, while Junk Bots charged massive laser cannons scavenged from ruined spaceships and unleashed beams of raw destruction.
By now every foe had reached Level 3 as Anomaly-Entity hybrids, with the largest sub-bosses rivaling Level 4.
Louis ignored them completely. A powerful Divine Formation Array of Frost, Infernal, Soul, and Ashen Blades materialized around him—an on-the-spot fusion of several techniques he had mastered, reinforced by his Soul Treasures, Spirits, and Psychic Power.
It had no name; he had created it purely for defense.
He glanced at his Status.
♢♢♢♢
[Name]: [Louis Drakeheart Yggdrasil]
[Classification]: [Sinner (Dragon–Human–Anomaly)]
[Spirals]: [Hollow Spiral of the Ashen Wyrm (Core Spiral)] [Spiral of Sadism] [Spiral of Hope] [Spiral of the Justiciar] [Spiral of the Forger] [Spiral of the Beast] [Desecrated Soul Spiral Fragment] [Self-Flagellation Spiral Fragment] [Malevolent Plotter Spiral Fragment] [Entropy Spiral Fragment]
[Core Spiral Tier]: [Tier 7 – Hollow Flame]
[Core Spiral Ability]: [Fated Villain – Tier 7 (100%)]
[Fantasy Heart]: [Level 150/150] (Max Level)
[Cultivation Rank]: [Rank 5: Nascent Soul – Peak Stage]
[Vitality]: [41.144]
[Strength]: [41.015]
[Intelligence]: [40.217]
[Dexterity]: [40.335]
[Fantasium]: [409.000]
[Fantasium Affinity]: [91%]
[Madness Index]: [75%]
[Bonds]:
[Dragon Family Bond – Mother Benladra (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Bond of Love – Mirai (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Bond of Brotherhood – Cardoon Zorba (Bond Level 9/10)]
[Bond of Friendship – Melisa (Bond Level 7/10)]
[Bond of Friendship – Selene (Bond Level 6/10)]
[Bond of Friendship – Anastasia (Bond Level 6/10)]
[Bond of Friendship – Agustina (Bond Level 8/10)]
[Bond of Friendship – Timothy (Bond Level 4/10)]
[Bonded Entities]:
[Abyssal Mother's Large Caressing Hand – Handy (Level 5 Entity) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Adult Fairy of Celestial Light – Belladine (Rank 4 Spirit Familiar) (Bond Level 7/10)]
[Gardener's Memento – ??? (Level 5 Entity) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Abyssal Dragon Tree of Ruin – Nidhogg (Level 5 Grievance [Sealed]) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Primordial Frost Sword Soul Heart Divine Avatar Spirit – Niflheim (Rank 4 Spirit Weapon Familiar) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[One-Eyed Vermillion Gryphon Spirit King – Phenix (Rank 3 Spirit Familiar) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Abyssal Cursed Dragon Knight Spirit – Pendragon (Rank 4 Chimera Spirit Familiar) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Boundless Demonic Treasure Mimic King Spirit – Pandora (Rank 3 Spirit Familiar) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Immortal Mountain's Five Sects (Rank 6 Spirit/Entity Familiar) (Bond Level 10/10)]
[Soul Treasures]:
[Celestial Holy Dragon Spirit Soul Lance – Gungnir (Rank 4: 33%) (Slot 1: Rune of Slaughter) (Slot 2: Rune of Explosions) (Slot 3: Rune of Qi) (Rank 3 Spirit Orb: Celestial Serpent, Heaven Phoenix, Salt Warden)]
[Abyssal Demonic Spiral Sword of Death Chaos – Gram (Rank 3: 64%) (Components: Zorba's Desecrated Soul Spiral Stone & Mirai's Burnt Bones)] (Slot 1: Rune of Piercing)
[Cursed Demonic Katana of Infernal Soul Fire – Muramasa (Rank 3: 21%)] (Slot 1: Rune of Murder)
[Gardener's Crystalized Heart – Memories of Gazing the Moon (Rank 3: 1%)]
[Pocket Fantasy Realm Treasure – Immortal Mountains (Rank 6: 2%)]
[Primordial Divine Heart Shard – Loki's Last Message (Rank 10+)]
[Corrupted Immortalizing Liquid Gold – The Golden Judge's Tear (Rank 10+)]
[Elemental Affinities]:
[Ash Element: S Rank]
[Ice Element: S Rank]
[Void Element: S Rank]
[Dragon Element: B+ Rank]
[Ruin Element: B+ Rank]
[Time Element: SSS Rank]
[Limbo Element: EX Rank]
[Chaos Element: B Rank]
[Nature Element: C Rank]
[Fire Element: A Rank]
[Metal Element: A+ Rank]
[Divine Element: A+ Rank]
[Qi Element: S Rank]
[Sword Element: S Rank]
[Spiral Incarnation]:
[Gravewalker – Tier 7 (Growth: 17%)]
[Psychopath – Tier 8 (Growth: 6%)]
[Cherubin – Tier 9 (Growth: 1%)]
[Fencer – Tier 9 (Growth: 1%)]
[Blacksmith – Tier 9 (Growth: 1%)]
[Werewolf – Tier 9 (Growth: 1%)]
[Harvester – Tier 9 (Growth: 1%)]
[Necromancer Fragment – Tier 9]
[Pugilist Fragment – Tier 9]
[Dark Knight Fragment – Tier 7]
[Devil Fragment – Tier 9]
[Spiral Abilities]:
[Ashen Frost – Tier 7 (Growth: 18%)]
[Death-Sense – Tier 7 (Growth: 32%)]
[Breath of Ruin – Tier 7 (Growth: 41%)]
[Blood Feast – Tier 8 (Growth: 5%)]
[Harvest – Tier 9 (Growth: 7%)]
[Blessing – Tier 8 (Growth: 5%)]
[Pierce – Tier 8 (Growth: 5%)]
[Forge – Tier 8 (Growth: 5%)]
[Berserker – Tier 8 (Growth: 5%)]
[Pain Weaponization Fragment – Tier 8]
[Iron Body Fragment – Tier 9]
[Soul Enslavement Fragment – Tier 9]
[Malevolent Play Fragment – Tier 7]
[Devil's Soul Fragment – Tier 9]
[Esper Abilities]:
[Telepathy – B Rank]
[Telekinesis – A Rank]
[Mindscape Formation – B Rank]
[Psychic Aura Expansion – B+ Rank]
[Esper Spiritualization: Great Dragon King – A Rank]
[Psionic Consciousness Expansion – S Rank]
[Bonded Abilities]:
[Healing Prayer Fragment – Tier 7 (Handy)]
[Painless Curse – Tier 7 (Handy)]
[Light Element Affinity – B+ Rank (Belladine)]
[Holy Spirit Blessing – Tier 8 (Belladine)]
[Soul Essence Restoration – Tier 7 (Gardener's Memento)]
[Dragon Blood Forest of Ruin – Tier 7 (Nidhogg)]
[Divine Ice Dragon King Sword Style – Expert Realm (Niflheim)]
[Divine Sword Qi Heart – Grand Master Realm (Immortal Mountain)]
[Cultivation Methods]:
[Mana Breathing – Grand Perfection]
[Mana Body Reinforcement – Grand Perfection]
[Mana Consciousness Expansion – Grand Perfection]
[Heaven And Earth Essence Gathering – Grand Perfection]
[Heaven-Earth Harmonization Sutra – Grand Perfection]
[Five Elemental Spiritual Roots – Grand Perfection]
[Sword Breathing Technique – Third Step: Grand Sword Master Rank]
[Holy Dragon Spirit Soul Vein Technique – Grand Perfection]
[Fake Dragon Heart Creation Method – Grand Perfection]
[Spirit Bond Method – Grand Perfection]
[Nirvana Soul Flame Furnace Method – Grand Perfection]
[Void Meridian Sutra Method – Grand Perfection]
[Yin-Yang Rotation Core – Grand Perfection]
[Five Elemental Spiritual Body – Grand Perfection]
[Crystalized Spiritual Dragon Mana Heart – Peak Stage]
[Cursed True Dragonoid Rune Tattoo – Peak Stage]
[Heaven-Splitting Sword Intent – Fourth Layer (Grand Master Understanding) (Bond: Niflheim)]
[Nine Celestial Heavens Holy Piercing Dragon Spear Art – Fourth Layer (Grand Master Understanding) (Bond: Gungnir)]
[Mountain-Cleaving Mountain Axe Scripture – Fourth Layer (Grand Master Understanding)]
[Nine-Headed Serpent Devouring Heaven Blade – Fourth Layer (Grand Master Understanding) (Bond: Gram)]
[Abyssal Winter Heart Sutra – Fourth Layer (Grand Master Understanding) (Bond: ???)]
♢♢♢♢
Everything had changed dramatically.
His stats had skyrocketed after reaching max level and gaining nearly forty thousand total points through Nascent Soul cultivation, making him at least five times stronger in raw numbers alone.
Yet in every other respect, the Louis who had first entered this dungeon was unrecognizable from the one now soaring through the sky.
His true power far exceeded what the numbers suggested. Stats never accounted for abilities, cultivation methods, or magic. In reality he had surpassed his former self by thirty to forty times at the very least—perhaps fifty if he unleashed everything, something he had not yet attempted.
The immense strength he drew from his Bonds with his friends, sharing their Spirals, abilities, and incarnations, was only part of the reason.
The rest came from his Qi Cultivation. Rank 5 Nascent Soul cultivators were already considered demigods; they could survive the total destruction of their bodies and golden cores by escaping as souls or splitting them into decoys. Now, on the verge of Rank 6 Heavenly Being, his body stood at the threshold of a divine evolution that would elevate him into a true god among cultivators.
He still needed to reinforce his nascent soul a little longer before advancing.
Still, every aspect of his power continued to grow.
Above all, his Soul Treasures had all ranked up. He had poured every available material into their evolution. Agustina's Incarnation and unique ability allowed them to advance even when their growth percentage was far from complete, enabling constant refinement.
He had also raided the treasuries of every sect and the golden palace, claiming runes that he slotted into his Soul Weapons to amplify their strength.
All his Familiars had evolved at least once—some twice—rising well beyond their original levels.
The once-tiny fairy Belladine was now a full-grown Adult Fairy of Celestial Light, nearly Melisa's height, and she fluttered beside him with wide-eyed curiosity.
Handy had grown far larger and more imposing. Even the accursed soul-eating flower known as Gardener's Memento had bloomed into a mightier form, channeling even greater power into his soul.
New Elemental Affinities had awakened in him—Metal, Qi, Sword, Time, and Limbo among the most remarkable. He was already weaving magic from these rare elements to complement his cultivation methods.
As for those methods, he had advanced every technique from the five sects to the Fourth Layer out of ten and bonded with the compatible ones, merging their power for greater speed and potency.
"GRYAAAAHHH!"
A metallic roar shook the ground beneath Louis. A fifty-meter-tall Junk Beast erupted from a scrap heap and swung its colossal claws at him.
"Begone."
At a single word, elemental swords of Flames of Ruin, Ashen Frost, Holy Light, Divine Ice, Limbo, Time, and Void formed around his aura.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
In seconds the beast exploded, disintegrating along with everything behind it. Over two hundred monsters vanished in one strike.
The elemental blades pierced, detonated, and erased everything with such overwhelming force that it felt like divine judgment itself.
This was Louis's level now.
But what of his Dragon Lineage? Had it awakened further?
It had.
"KILL INTRUDER."
"KILL!"
"DESTROY!"
Hundreds of Junk Bots surged forward, fusing into a hundred-meter-tall junk mech that swung its massive arms toward him.
Even this "ordinary" monster radiated the power of a Level 4 Entity on the cusp of Level 5—the same tier as the Gardener.
Yet Louis only narrowed his eyes.
"Hm. Annoying."
He transformed in an instant. His refined cultivator form swelled into a muscular, enormous figure five times his original size. Broad ashen dragon wings burst from his back, knife-sharp white scales rippled across his gray skin, and his golden horns darkened to black and crimson. A complete draconic presence radiated from him.
This was the result of both the Crystalized Spiritual Dragon Heart and the Cursed True Dragonoid Rune Tattoo reaching Peak Stage.
He had needed no additional dragon materials. Using Qi and the Yellow Cloud Dragon Scripture—a special martial method—he had infused draconic qi directly into his body and soul. The process had slowly awakened his bloodline until the tattoo evolved from conceptual to fully realized.
He also possessed every treasure from the Immortal Mountains and Arthur Pendragon's vault, including the Holy Grail. When the time came, he would merge and evolve those two cultivation paths to awaken a genuine dragon form far beyond the temporary one he sometimes used.
For now, however, that goal could wait.
"Dragon Claws of Ruin."
He fused his martial arts with his new Cursed Dragonoid Form. His pale white claws tore through air and space alike. A colossal triple slash of white void struck the mechanical titan, cleaving it into three flawless pieces.
BOOOM! BOOOM! BOOOM!
The mech collapsed instantly, erupting in three successive explosions before it became nothing more than a pillar of burning scrap.
"Wow, that was way too fast," Timothy complained. "You didn't even let us do anything, man."
"You'll get the next landfill," Louis replied.
"Really?!"
After the junkyard fell, Louis retrieved the massive abandoned spaceship and transferred it into the Immortal Mountain Realm. He instructed the cultivators there to analyze it using the technical knowledge he had already implanted in their minds through Telepathy.
Everything else was ordinary scrap he ignored. He did, however, enslave several Junk Bots and stationed them inside the realm to assist the cultivators. He wanted to see whether the technology could be useful.
If the spaceship could be lightly repaired, he could refine it into a Soul Weapon. His soul had grown vast enough that he no longer faced meaningful limits on such treasures. A vessel capable of traversing realms, space, the void, and even the dimensional labyrinth would be an unmatched asset.
He had enslaved the bots by invading their consciousness with Psychic Abilities and Fantasy Aura—the same method Grievances used on people. Once their cores overflowed with his presence, they became obedient and could be refined into familiars. Because they shared identical designs, he linked them all into a single artificial hive mind for smoother coordination.
The cultivators were astonished by the new technology and "friends" their Emperor had introduced. Elders Kai and Ming had never enjoyed themselves so thoroughly.
The journey continued.
Louis scanned the horizon with narrowed eyes.
"How far until the Seventh Layer?" Mirai asked, flying beside him on blazing wings.
"An hour or two," Louis answered. "We still have two or three more landfills holding large pieces of technology I want. It shouldn't take long. Let's pick up the pace."
Mirai nodded eagerly, clasped his hand, and let their auras merge. The entire group shot forward like lightning across the clear blue sky.
A large cluster of Junk Bots watched the flying gods overhead. Their eyes glowed. One stepped forward, its gold-red gaze fixed on them.
"Kneel."
The command reverberated through their systems and fantasy-core batteries. Their optics flickered with error messages, but they ultimately collapsed motionless before rising again in perfect obedience.
A portal opened, and Louis guided all one hundred freshly refined Junk Bots into the Artificial Hive Mind he was constructing with Alchemy and Agustina's aid.
The Junk Beasts were too mindless to bother with. That task belonged to Timothy.
"Go have fun, Timothy."
"Heh…"
Timothy summoned a pair of axes. One was his Soul Treasure, forged from Martial Gold and Qi Mithril mined in the Immortal Mountains. The other was the fusion of his Spiritual Nature Shovel and Scythe, reshaped around the Mountain-Cleaving Mountain Axe Scripture.
As the Junk Beasts hissed, launched lasers and missiles, and hurled massive debris, Timothy charged like a golden-green axe of light and nature.
"Mountain-Cleaving Mountain Axe Scripture—Life Harvest!"
A single swing of both axes unleashed a devastating cleave that sliced through foes on either side. Dozens of Junk Beasts fell in seconds. He leaped and struck again and again, leaving the creatures utterly helpless.
He had fully awakened his physical power through relentless cultivation and brutal training from the elder brothers of the Golden Axe Sect. Though his cheerful personality remained unchanged, Timothy had become a different man entirely.
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Louis watched with quiet pride as Timothy spread his Domain of Qi and Spiritual Energy. Nature surged; colossal trees reshaped themselves into massive spiritual wooden axes that hacked through the horde.
He had weaponized his talents and forged them into a unique Farming-and-Harvesting-style Druidic Axe Warrior path.
When giant fused Junk Beasts rose to stop him, Timothy cut them down with effortless cleaving blows. His eyes burned bright, his Golden Core and Fantasy Heart synchronized, flooding his body with vitality and stamina that made him stronger, tougher, and more resilient with every heartbeat.
In barely ten minutes he had turned the landfill into a vast forest, just as he had done before. The more terrain he claimed as his domain, the mightier his druidic powers became.
Once the last giant Junk Beast collapsed into scrap and tremors shook the ground, Louis stepped forward. With evolved Telekinesis he lifted half of another abandoned spaceship and stored it inside his Fantasy Heart's Immortal Mountain Realm.
"Well done," he told Timothy. "How does it feel to be strong?"
"Hahaha! I've always been tougher than most kids back in my village," Timothy laughed heartily. "But this… this feels right. Those elder brothers were ruthless, but they really pushed me to grow."
"Good to hear," Louis said with a nod. "All right, where is it?"
After claiming everything useful, Louis spotted a treasure chest dropped by the area boss. The previous boss had given nothing, but this one had.
The gleaming scrap-metal chest hissed open, releasing steam and revealing glowing blue circuits from an ancient space-faring civilization that had crashed on this forsaken planet.
Inside lay a special Rune Stone—an Artificer Rune Tablet.
It functioned like a normal rune but carried unique mechanical properties that could be slotted into any Soul Treasure with an open slot.
"Apparently this rune mechanizes Soul Treasures," Louis explained. "They can transform, upgrade even after evolution, and much more. Timothy, you've earned it."
"Thanks!" Timothy took the tablet, infused it into his Spiritual Axe, and transformed the ethereal weapon—born from his Spiral, Spirit Magic, and cultivation—into a solid physical item. "There!"
FLAAASH!
The green-gold wooden axe surged with power. Metallic plates spread across it and fused seamlessly. Wood, nature, and technology became one.
"Awesome!"
The weapon was now fully solid. Timothy refined it as a true Soul Treasure, forging an unbreakable link between his Spiral, cultivation method, and the new mechanized form.
"I feel stronger already," he said with a confident grin.
"Nice!" Anastasia called. "Next one's mine, right?"
"Fine," Louis replied. "Let's move."
They reached the next landfill soon after battling a swarm of Sand Worms. Selene tore through them with her claws and devoured several along the way.
Louis repeated the same process—claiming Junk Bots and spaceship remnants—then let Anastasia unleash her power.
Channeling the Justiciar Spiral, her Fencer Incarnation, and the Pierce ability, she charged with dual swords forged from Frost Metal and Qi Ice Crystals.
When she reached the swarm, she activated the inner cultivation method she had been developing—the core of her new growth.
"Heaven-Splitting Frozen Blade Heart Method—Demonic Frozen Assault."
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
A single charging slash released dozens of strikes at once. Freezing flames spread everywhere, forming a freezing inferno. Ice bloomed into gardens of icy flowers and frost trees. Each falling petal sliced and froze its target simultaneously.
CRAAASH!
RUMBLE!
When the assault ended, Anastasia opened her eyes to a silent, frozen wasteland of her own making.
"Incredible," she murmured. "The power of cultivation merged with our Spirals… it's insane how strong I've become."
"You have incredible potential, Anastasia," Louis said. "You've already reached the Fourth Step of Sword Breathing—surpassing even me. I'm still stuck at the Third."
"Without the swordsmen of the Qi Sword Sect and Elder Ming, I never would have progressed so fast," she replied, smiling warmly.
"It was awesome!" Agustina cheered. "You're so cool, Anastasia!"
"Yeah!" Timothy agreed. "Maybe you can even rival my strength."
"Hahaha, don't get cocky, Timothy," Anastasia teased. "Everyone here knows I can beat you."
"W-What?! I'm pretty strong now too!" Timothy protested.
"We're moving," Louis cut in. "Let's hurry."
He allowed their playful bickering to continue while they pressed on. This time the boss also dropped a treasure chest.
A mysterious blue crystal shone like captured starlight inside.
Louis recognized it at once: a Star Fragment, the energy source the ancient aliens had used for their technology.
He stored it in his inventory via Pandora, planning to use it later to revive the spaceships.
Only one landfill remained, the largest yet, three times the size of the others, guarding the exit to the desolate desert mountains. It held one main boss, the Junk Titan, and three side bosses.
But when they arrived…
"Again."
Louis's eyes sharpened. The Junk Titan already lay destroyed on the ground, sliced apart by swords of light and spears of demonic flame.
"The boss! Someone took it down before us!" Timothy exclaimed.
"But who?" Zorba growled. "Is it the one who trapped us here, Master?"
"Maybe," Louis said. "No… definitely. The sub-bosses are still here, though. Agustina, Selene, Melisa—you three handle them. Agustina, you've been holding back. Find ways to use these scraps."
"Okay…"
The trio moved quickly and finished the sub-bosses without delay.
Selene shredded hers and a hundred lesser beasts with raw beastly fury.
Melisa rained beams and razor-sharp feathers of light across the field.
Agustina forged and assimilated the surrounding junk and metal, fusing it into a colossal steampunk golem powered by a spiritual core. She used the titan to smash her sub-boss into scrap, proving how far her abilities had come.
Two treasure chests dropped.
The first contained another Star Fragment. The second held a Small Growth Drone.
These mechanical spirits could be contracted. Once bound, they evolved by consuming metals, ores, crystals, and other materials. In time they could grow into larger machines, merge with their masters as armor or weapons, and eventually become giant mechas.
Louis considered keeping it for himself, but Agustina's affinity for technology and metal made her the perfect match.
"Keep it, Agustina. It suits your path perfectly."
"Oh?! Thank you!"
She celebrated as she contracted the small egg-shaped silver drone with its single red LED eye. It floated silently beside her.
"I wonder what you'll evolve into," she whispered. "Let's start feeding you."
Seeing her spirits finally lift, Louis decided they deserved a day of rest before entering the next realm.
They returned to the Immortal Mountain Realm, shared a hearty meal, and rested.
Meanwhile, with Mirai and Zorba at his side, Louis inspected the area where the spaceships had been stored.
Over five hundred Junk Bots now worked alongside the cultivators, directing the assembly of massive components.
Thanks to the realm's time dilation, nearly fifteen days had already passed since their arrival—far more progress than the outside world could have allowed. With his Time Element Affinity, Louis accelerated the dilation even further.
"From what we can gather," Yang explained, clearly fascinated by the alien machinery, "these machines use five giant batteries powered by Fantasium crystals and another unknown component."
Beside him stood the Artificial Hive Mind Queen—a female-form Junk Bot Louis had assembled from many units. She was both lethal and strikingly beautiful: a long centipede-like lower body, six articulated metallic arms, a flawless metallic face, bright blue eyes, and flowing hair of iron threads. For some reason Yang had grown quite fond of her.
"Master, the assembly is proceeding smoothly," the Queen reported, "but we need more materials. The cultivators' furnaces are insufficient. We plan to build factories here. May we also request additional metals from the desert?"
"Fine."
Louis stepped outside, scooped up the entire final landfill in one motion, and returned.
"Perfect! This is more than enough. Factories will begin construction immediately. We can produce additional parts for the spaceships."
"Here—use these as well."
He handed over the Star Fragments and a large supply of Fantasy Cores to fuel the operation.
"Why rebuild the spaceship at all?" Mirai asked. "And why haven't others investigated them? This is clearly alien technology!"
"I'm sure many have tried and failed because of the dangerous monsters," Louis replied. "Others who could have succeeded simply didn't care. I want the ship for obvious reasons: safe travel between realms, space, the void, and the dimensional labyrinth. Refining it into a Soul Treasure will make it even safer. That is my goal."
"I see… it does sound useful," Mirai said with a smile. "Though it feels a little extreme." She glanced at the hundreds of robots already constructing a massive factory under the Queen's direction.
"It will be fine," Louis assured her. "We must use every resource to grow stronger. Let's spend another twenty-four days here and keep advancing."
"Ah, fine," Mirai sighed. "Whatever we're about to face can destroy bosses this easily. It won't be a simple enemy."
"It definitely won't," Louis agreed.
"I wonder if I could integrate this technology into my undead," Zorba mused, interrupting them.
"It's worth trying," Louis said. "Ask the Hive Queen."
"Oh! I would love to befriend her," Zorba replied eagerly. "If I can add technology to my zombies, an entirely new level of power could emerge. My Rakshasa are already magnificent, but I want more."
Mirai felt a flicker of annoyance at losing time alone with Louis, but she remained friendly. Soon the three of them were immersed in studying the ancient alien technology together.
The archives revealed the race was called the Lefurians—tentacled beings with multiple eyes. They were not beautiful, yet undeniably fascinating.
Even more remarkable, the Queen had located a still-functional sealed section containing several frozen Lefurians.
Louis was uncertain whether the world's mutation into a Fantasy Realm had already transformed them into Entities. When they attempted to awaken the frozen beings, they discovered the Lefurians had simply died from prolonged stasis.
That did not deter Zorba or Louis. Using the Spiral of Desecrated Souls, they reanimated the aliens. Their souls had remained in a frozen state as well, making the resurrection straightforward.
The moment the Lefurians revived, however…
"Gryryryryryryryryr!"
They panicked, screaming in alien tongues, flailing blue tentacles, and unleashing psionic waves.
"They're Espers," Louis observed. "I think I can communicate with them. Stand back."
He raised a psychic barrier to shield everyone from the psionic assault, then carefully synchronized wavelengths with the half-sized beings.
After some patient effort on both sides, understanding finally flowed.
"A-Ah… Hello…"
"Sorry for attacking you…"
"We tend… to panic a lot."
"You don't say…"
Louis had successfully made first contact with an alien race.
He wasted no time. He shared everything that had happened and explained how they had arrived in this world.
The Lefurians quickly realized resistance was pointless and agreed to cooperate.
"We thank you for reviving us."
"If you wish to rebuild the spaceship, we will help."
"But we need time to study these new worlds, fuels, materials, and supernatural phenomena."
"Please understand."
"It's all right," Louis replied. "Take your time. Let's work together. Perhaps one day you will return to your own planets."
With that agreement, the operation to restore the spaceship surged forward at full speed.
Thus, another twenty-four days passed inside the realm.
-----