Hermit Island Disaster Beast zone, deep in a dark cave.
The ground suddenly manifested a magic array, then threw out Nan Zhiyi and Jin Ruochu. The two girls still had grass-woven blankets covering them. Drowsily thrown into an unfamiliar area—pitch black, unable to see their hands before their faces. Worse, the dizziness from spatial teleportation hadn't adapted yet.
anwhile, rustling sounds ca from the darkness, though they quieted sowhat after the two instinctively deployed Regalia.
Nan Zhiyi recovered first, imdiately pulling her companion against a solid stone wall. Countless Disaster Beast auras appeared in her sensing range—they were surrounded.
"What's the situation?"
The thick-nerved pink-haired girl finally realized sothing was wrong, sleepiness completely gone.
"...Rember Hibiscus ntioning current spatial relics have random teleportation phenona? Unfortunately, we happened to teleport into a cave occupied by Disaster Beasts—truly surrounded on all sides."
Jin Ruochu's body emanated magic power as she said firmly: "Don't get tangled up in prolonged fighting—leave quickly."
Then she was dumbfounded. When magic-generated light sources illuminated the surroundings, there were countless interconnected cave mouths like a honeycomb—which led to the surface?
Not to ntion the surface—not getting lost would be burning incense gratefully.
The underground cramped, dark, damp environnt reeking of foul odors made them unbearable, like being buried alive. Worst of all, Disaster Beasts kept approaching from all around—each showing teeth and claws, even having insect characteristics, making them more disgusting. Whether aesthetically or physiologically revolting, they were among the most hated enemy types for magical girls.
"Calm down—first figure out the general direction to avoid rushing around like headless flies during breakout."
Nan Zhiyi licked her palm, letting so saliva flow down, then raised her arm high facing each direction to test. With magical girls' keen senses, she could detect weak air currents.
As she carefully checked, a group of weasel-like Disaster Beasts appeared in the darkness—not large but nurous, looking nacing.
"These writhing, crawling guys are really disgusting."
Jin Ruochu slightly released pressure, but the dispersal effect grew worse. Even weak Disaster Beasts, once nurous, would embolden each other to swarm.
Crack!
Suddenly the stone wall cracked, pieces falling. Black water like liquid yet seeming densely packed squeezed through gaps. Then the entire cave rumbled—the Disaster Beasts before them grew more agitated, wary of both magical girls and so unknown threat.
Nan Zhiyi suddenly pointed in a direction: "The exit is that way."
"Magic-devouring worms are coming!"
Jin Ruochu lunged, knocking away the Dandelion girl. Almost simultaneously, the black torrent missed them and fought with Disaster Beasts. The two looked at each other with lingering fear expressions—unimaginable what would happen if bathed by these microorganisms.
Previously when Hibiscus repeatedly warned about large numbers of magic-devouring worms lurking in ground layers, they hadn't taken it too seriously. Now they felt chills throughout—this stuff was too disgusting.
Nan Zhiyi joined her right index finger and thumb, mobilizing magic power to activate minimal domain enveloping both, leaving only foot space.
She shouted sternly: "Run at full speed."
"Understood."
No sooner spoken than both girls rapidly advanced under starry background shells.
The Small Universe's outer repulsion field squeezed open soil layers, rushing along cave exits. Those Disaster Beasts and magic-devouring worms attempting attacks couldn't penetrate the defense and had to retreat, simply choosing to follow from afar like patient hunters stalking prey.
Though the two ran frantically, they soon encountered even more nurous branch passages. Nan Zhiyi, knowing only general direction, paused slightly.
"This is bad—now I can't carefully distinguish wind direction..."
"I have a thod."
Jin Ruochu took out a branch: "Heaven spirits, earth spirits, please guide and Miss Nan Zhiyi's direction, then reunite with companions. You can definitely do it—when it cos to luck, we won't lose. Go, little branch—I choose you."
Then she threw it casually, pointing in the direction the branch tip faced.
Though the entire process was absurdly codic, Jin Ruochu confidently pulled the Dandelion girl running continuously. Soon they heard trendous sounds.
The ground shook unceasingly with thunder and lightning explosions. Wind grew stronger, explosions deafening. They imdiately understood they weren't far from the surface, but for so reason the island emanated magic-suppressing pressure making breakthrough difficult. Sothing seed to be fighting the island's defenses—faintly hearing soone call their nas... Causing such commotion must be Jin Yulu—the World Serpent magic's massive size was indeed suitable for server-wide broadcast.
Unfortunately, it soon returned to quiet.
Nan Zhiyi concluded: "Should be Hibiscus calling her off—otherwise if the island counter-attacked, even mythical magic couldn't hold."
"This should be good news—at least we're grouped in pairs with no one alone." Jin Ruochu breathed easier and suggested: "Should we go reunite? Though the rock layers ahead are troubleso, moving quickly should catch up."
"Can't catch up."
"Why?"
"The primary mission is gaining island control. For Hibiscus temporarily unable to find companions, going to the ruins village is optimal. They should fly over."
As they spoke, soil layers suddenly rumbled and collapsed, countless cracks appearing underfoot. The two only managed to grab each other before falling deep with rocks the next mont. In an instant, Nan Zhiyi released Small Universe trying to rise via reaction force, but the next mont countless white spider silk drilled out around them, sticking to their bodies. The opponent yanked hard, nearly making them lose balance and fall deep into the cave.
Finally almost climbing out, they were back to square one. Moreover, the true overlord appeared in the darkness.
A spider with a torso comparable to an elephant squeezed from the cave depths, countless silk threads extending around it like puppet strings controlling various Disaster Beasts—unknown numbers, unknown limits. Dense compound eyes stared at the two girls with eager desire.
"Hiss—"
Jin Ruochu said blankly: "That wouldn't be the spider Dr. Mu marked on the map, would it? We encountered the big boss?"
"Stop spacing out—engage the enemy."
Nan Zhiyi flicked a magic beam, but it was blocked by nurous Disaster Beasts controlled by the Evil Eye Spider. They sward endlessly—continuing this away-ga battle would definitely drain them to death.
After a few simple rounds, the girl understood the situation was hopeless. Small Universe domain could fit everyone inside but simultaneously squeezing open underground rock layers consud too much and risked overturning.
She quickly said: "Jin Ruochu, divine the path from underground passages to ruins village again. We'll kill our way through directly."
"I must clarify—that's not divination but leaving it to fate."
The pink-haired girl casually picked up a stone, infused it with fortune, then threw it to indicate direction—success or failure depended on this.
...
Hermit Island central area, ruins village zone.
Noon sun illuminated countless Disaster Beast corpses on the ground. After magic strikes, most were incomplete, but as long as movent wasn't affected, they continued fighting stubbornly. Even missing arms and legs didn't prevent using teeth as weapons—as long as those unknown control threads remained, these puppets had no exit.
Jin Yulu circling in the air had minimal effect from several rounds of magic barrage rain. The girl gritted her silver teeth in frustration.
"...I haven't reached the instructor's level of area damage with Origin alone."
"It won't work." Hibiscus, floating nearby, warned: "Conserve strength and clear slowly. Though Jin Ruochu and Nan Zhiyi's side is definitely urgent, if we over-consu, everyone's finished."
"Are we going to keep trading attrition with the immortal puppet legion?"
"We must find the Evil Eye Spider by following control threads."
Though Hibiscus said this, after observation she couldn't find traces. These Disaster Beasts all had control reactions in abnormal numbers, forcibly slowing investigation efficiency.
Knowing specific enemy chanisms didn't an easy victory. If the Evil Eye Spider was determined to hide underground, that would be troubleso. Moreover, continuing this drag would attract more Disaster Beasts—after all, it being most threatening didn't an others weren't eyeing them. The island had special species matching Vanguard Disaster Beasts, enough to put triple-awakened magical girls in life-threatening danger. Delays bred trouble.
After pondering, the silver-haired girl decided imdiately: "I'll reduce magic reactions to lure the Evil Eye Spider to surface and hunt. You ambush and prepare to attack."
"...That's too dangerous."
"We can't get into attrition warfare with them—this is the only way now."
Though Jin Yulu had thousands of worries, eting Hibiscus's determined gaze, she could only nod. When commanders decided to lead from the front, there was no stopping them.
On another level, Magical Girl Hyacinth deserved trust. Ti magic's countless secrets gave a reassuring feeling—seemingly always able to turn desperate situations around. This ti was no exception—bet on the Salvation Church's supre leader.
Rumble!
Suddenly ground soil churned, cracking in layers, spraying countless earth and stones. Snake-like raised stone block trails proved sothing moving at high speed below.
The two about to fight desperately decided to wait and see—they sensed familiar auras.
In underground caves, Nan Zhiyi and Jin Ruochu currently clung to the Evil Eye Spider's massive body, stabbing repeatedly until blood splattered and it wailed unceasingly. Don't think underground was completely your ho field—that was for Disaster Beasts. Dealing with magical girls in narrow, cramped caves was suicide.
"Take us up or we'll bury everyone together."
Dandelion seeds scattered with a magic strike poured hard into the Disaster Beast's body. It angrily leaped from soil layers—bright daylight, gentle breeze.
The sudden environntal change caught them off-guard. A mont's carelessness exposed vulnerabilities as both sides separated mid-air. As a battle-tested Disaster Beast, it wouldn't miss opportunities. In an instant, the Evil Eye Spider swung a tree-trunk-thick leg, serrated edges flashing cold light capable of tearing Regalia—this strike sought blood.
"Pause."
Hibiscus silently commanded—the world instantly lost color, everything still.
Ti magic naturally activated anywhere anyti without skill wind-up, capable of surprise attacks and assassinations as well as stopping enemy killing moves. Like the Evil Eye Spider's zero-distance hunt—a Disaster Beast's hardest weapon strike indeed posed so threat.
She leaped through air, pushing targets Nan Zhiyi and Jin Ruochu toward Jin Yulu's direction. The enemy remained.
8 seconds left.
According to intelligence, though the Evil Eye Spider also spun silk with steel-like strength and special toughness, true manipulation required "hands."
Thanks to Sands of Ti's frozen world, Hibiscus could see clearly the countless silk threads connecting to it.
More exaggerated than imagined—simply uncountable, thousands upon thousands of imperceptible threads linking the weaver, covering the entire island. More terrifying still, magical girls also had them—this was almost imperceptible gradual control, with bodies slowly being controlled over ti. No wonder it had to hide—because endless puppet soldiers and island-wide traps were enough to handle enemies.
But precisely because of this, it neglected magic power body enhancent and combat ability improvent. Slackers deserved failure. Rember one rule: why spare effort when killing?
Hibiscus threw flying knives precisely hitting the Evil Eye Spider's vulnerable leg joints.
10th second—the world regained color.
Jin Ruochu and Nan Zhiyi, who thought they'd be severely injured this ti, suddenly felt a force throwing them away. The next mont, Jin Yulu ahead steadily caught them both, and they imdiately regained balance maintaining flight posture after recovering.
No need to guess—ti magic had once again saved teammates, so Hibiscus was definitely there too.
Crack crack crack!
Turning back revealed continuous explosions—small magic output but precisely hitting every vulnerable joint of the Evil Eye Spider. Though large, under comprehensive observation and magic operation aided by ornant ntal power, weaknesses were completely exposed. The pause ti was enough for Hibiscus to prepare a killing blow.
Sure enough, the Disaster Beast wailed, and after dismbernt it imdiately tried regeneration, but before ti magic, everything was too slow.
With a squelch, a beam passed through its body, flying out a silk-wrapped heart—the Evil Eye Spider's vital point. For most Disaster Beasts, this step equaled death, but it was different. Besides the core, even the shell counted as a puppet. In other words, when opponents thought they'd defeated this thing, it could often counter-kill. This chanism made the original storyline's Hermit Island battle full of twists, forcibly piling up intelligence with lives.
Hibiscus steadily caught the palm-sized heart.
Seeing this, the Disaster Beast imdiately panicked. Despite losing eight legs, it still struggled and flailed desperately. This performance puzzled the other three magical girls.
With no obvious fatal wounds, could that heart subdue the Evil Eye Spider?
Hibiscus in transformation state tapped the hourglass ornant atop her head. Surging ntal power completely suppressed the wild, hollow Disaster Beast will, thoroughly seizing heart control.
The silver-haired girl explained: "Thanks to you consuming it first, otherwise it wouldn't have been so easy. I've already injected ntal power into this heart, triggering pre-era dostication techniques."
She smiled faintly at the Disaster Beast: "Since you want it, I'll give it to you."
Clap!
The Evil Eye Spider respectfully crawled over and re-swallowed its heart. Simultaneously, surrounding controlled Disaster Beasts released their guard in a submissive posture. At this mont, things dosticated in their genes and even becoming instinct revived—loyalty returning to the island's new master. A new era had arrived.
Hundreds and thousands of Disaster Beasts bowed their heads to Hibiscus in unison, layer upon layer from inside out, like pilgrims.
They could no longer be threats—even counting as excellent helpers.
If not witnessing this personally, she'd never believe Disaster Beasts could be tad, once again proving netizen intelligence accuracy. re Evil Eye Spider—how do you feel now? How does it feel? Aren't you just a dog now?
Pre-era thods were incredible—capable of breeding magic-devouring worms and taable Disaster Beasts. So "Disaster Beast invasion" wasn't the first ti in history?
Or rather, the first ti this historical cycle.
Hibiscus solved one issue but left more questions. However, these answers would definitely carry massive contamination—could only bury them in her heart. Anyway, she'd eliminate you all eventually.
She still didn't lower her guard, carefully confirming control over the Evil Eye Spider. Unexpectedly, once dostication techniques activated, this thing perford no differently from a robot—even suppressing predatory desire instincts toward magical girls. Or rather, generations of breeding were only to beco tools. Techniques alone couldn't achieve this—definitely required extensive selection and cultivation, representing a rigorous and complex social organizational system behind it.
No wonder—actually, Planet Gaia people were used to these miraculous things, since relics were miracles incarnate.
After calm returned, Jin Yulu, Jin Ruochu, and Nan Zhiyi dared land.
"It's not over yet." Hibiscus reminded: "Not all Disaster Beasts can be controlled. Over the years, Hermit Island has had so wild Disaster Beasts flow in, diluting dostication genes. We must clear them."
No sooner spoken than sounds ca from the dense forest—considerable numbers of Disaster Beasts lurked, rubbing fists and preparing palms. They didn't understand their kind's submission but that didn't prevent fighting.
Family, who understands? We agreed to hunt together but you surrendered. Looks like I have to do it myself.
"Should we fight?" Jin Yulu was eager.
"No need to waste ti on them."
As soon as Hibiscus spoke, she commanded dosticated Disaster Beasts to swarm the opponents. In an instant, blood and flesh flew with people and horses tumbling. When both sides were mindless beasts, war continued until one side was completely eliminated. The small Hermit Island now welcod colosseum slaughter.
"Why not keep so to help clear these ruin debris?" Jin Ruochu asked.
"Of course we'll keep so, but current numbers are too large. After all, upcoming island construction requires Disaster Beasts to vacate habitats, and other areas can hardly support them. Might as well let them kill each other now to reduce numbers. Besides, those uncontrolled Disaster Beasts will charge anyway—might as well let our fighters handle it." Hibiscus replied matter-of-factly.
"Your thinking is still broad."
Disaster Beasts were no longer threats, but clouds floating above the island arrived as scheduled, brewing power. Obviously, once magic output exceeded the threshold, indiscriminate suppression would follow.
If they didn't quickly obtain the control core, things would continue deteriorating.
Magical girls could sense that with Hermit Island's unprecedented series of activities over ten thousand years, the strange collaborative techniques throughout the island were overloaded. Any carelessness might blast everyone skyward. Moreover, the military might not have given up exploring Island 24.5—if concealnt status was lifted, they'd have to rely on fists.
Buzz!
Suddenly dense purple runes ford totems beneath the four girls' feet, with spatial gravitational force striking.
But for alert magical girls, this was too difficult. They lightly jumped out of the array range. The next mont, violent wind stirred up dust at their original position—the entire process ended without much commotion.
"That spatial relic is how we got teleported away!"
Having seen it firsthand, Nan Zhiyi was shocked by how silent it was. No wonder she and Jin Ruochu woke up in caves after sleeping—indeed fast and concealed enough.
Jin Yulu looked pleased: "aning it's very useful. Such things have imasurable military applications."
"We need to hurry—follow ."
Hibiscus recalled the ntal map while flying toward the ruins village direction. anwhile, Hermit Island's defense chanisms grew stronger wave by wave.
Worthy of permanent-level magic effects—power applied to the island long ago still functioned. The so-called Concealing Wind was more than making the island isolated from the world—it inherently had automatic interception functions. Clouds, thunderstorms, even sea waves in the sky beca its soldiers. A re isolated island in the sea was just a small boat. For years, Concealing Wind had buried all invaders—today was no exception.
Super-high magic concentration brewing in the air made the girls tense. Even the usually cheerful Jin Ruochu said nothing—everyone only managed searching among broken walls and ruins.
They had no ti to feel reunion joy. The urgent priority was finding a crystal-like control core.
Where could it be?
Originally finding a fingernail-sized crystal in ruin debris was like finding a needle in a haystack, while also being watched by Concealing Wind. Even magical girls with ntal power sensing scans felt anxious.
"Wait, look at the seaside—there's a situation!" Jin Yulu loudly reminded.
Since the debris was on the island's highlands, they could easily overlook the island's territorial waters. The sea boiled continuously with churning, accumulating power like a wok. Splash—tsunami sounds echoed with thunder cloud roars. One wave washed ashore, eliminating all magic-devouring worms within.
The seawater was problematic.
Only then did Hibiscus understand the so-called elental magic Tranquil Water had expanded aning—it could completely kill targets in silent stillness, yet its activation was trendously loud.
"Don't contact seawater." She quickly warned.
No sooner spoken than Tranquil Water tsunamis had washed over the entire island's beaches. Sea level rose 1 ter, flooding into forest areas. Previous camping's few campfire traces completely disappeared. Swallowing coastlines wasn't enough—waves imdiately passed through forests toward high ground, still flashing array marks mid-way. Being teleported into water ant nine deaths, one survival.
"Flying up ans thunder cloud attacks—truly a dragnet. This is to block all visitors' paths."
Nan Zhiyi coldly described the dead end, but ntal power exploration continued. If she had to die, she'd choose falling on the mission road.
"Though I'm not yet twenty, I've still accumulated considerable luck and can definitely protect everyone." Jin Ruochu comforted.
Splash!
However, seawater flooded to the ruins village outskirts. Now wasn't the ti to care about control cores. At this mont, Hibiscus had to consider ti deceleration to delay fatal attacks—but where could they hide? The island had almost no foothold—it was about to be completely subrged.
Just when extrely urgent, she saw jade-green magic power rising around her with faint spatial fluctuations—aura from fairyland, so teleportation-based magic.
The next mont, a giant tree projection covered the island.
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