As soon as Rex heard the ssenger hadn't co back, he instantly scanned the bubble.
For many, the bubble is an absolute shield—almost nobody could shatter it or peer into it.
But that doesn't apply to Rex.
One command inside his head and the System's scanning feature instantly went to work, piercing even the absolute bubble with ease. His command was simple, to scan the people inside the bubble. Perhaps, he could find one that was out of place.
And he did.
On the outskirts of the Mahkam Ruin, facing the Forsaken Tower, were five people.
Since these five remained motionless, unlike the couple of dozens of people walking about near the border, Rex safely assud they were part of the ssengers Ferric had sent to notify the ruin of their arrival—he also beca more certain since one of them has a last na that was too grand for tribal natives.
"I think your ssengers are alive." Rex suddenly said.
Crimoria turned towards him in surprise, "How are you certain of that?"
"I have my ways," Rex shrugged nonchalantly. "The ssengers are on the outskirts of the ruin facing the Forsaken Tower. I'm sure they were alive, but they weren't moving. If I had to guess, the ssengers were bound to sothing, captured."
Upon hearing this, Crimoria quickly stepped outside.
"I have sharp senses," Rex suddenly said, noticing Viora was looking at him curiously. "That's all."
"Am I that easily read…?" Viora smiled acutely.
She was curious as to how Rex located the ssengers as easily as that, but she didn't realize her face was that telling. Clearing her throat, she then said, "I'm sure you knew this was Great Elder Rosa's test by now, but still, I'm not going to watch this one. I'll help."
Viora said that to assure Rex that he got help, but that wasn't assuring at all.
For her to readily offer her service, she must know how hard taking down the Forsaken Tower will be.
"Is the Saintess fine with that?" Rex raised a brow.
Viora is a priestess, and there might be a law that prohibits her from fighting carelessly.
If there was, Rex didn't want her to make an exception for him.
He didn't want any problem with the Saintess after all.
"Priestesses of Purity are not allowed to fight—for the house they were assigned to, but are allowed to fight for anything else," Viora answered firmly with a small smile. "If it's for an outsider or even to help a dying land like the Mahkam Ruin, we're allowed, as long as it is within reason."
"In that case, I'd appreciate your help." Rex nodded—this was a good thing.
At least, no matter how strong the Singing Lady turns out to be, he'd have a powerful healer on his side.
Since the ssengers were captured, the convoy had no choice but to march on.
Awaiting the ssenger was only a formality, a peace of mind and a warning, but whatever the ruin's stance was, the convoy would tackle the Forsaken Tower. Not so much for the ruin itself, but to test Rex, to test whether he was worthy of being helped or not.
Nearing the bubble, the banner representing the Aurelius Noble House was raised.
Then, a soldier on horseback pointed his sword forward.
He then fired a beam that pierced the air like a bullet, and when it hit the bubble, it left a gaping hole open that was big enough for their carriages to enter. Since the Mahkam Ruin would certainly not open the bubble for them, this was necessary.
Of course, the protection from the Flare Crystal kept the Black Rift away.
So this wasn't a reckless breach.
Once the carriages were inside, the hole would recover on its own without attracting Voidal Monsters.
Instead of heading straight at the ruin, the carriages made a sharp turn—and scoured the edge, heading for the ssengers who were captured. Soon, the ssengers ca into view. All of them are bound to long wooden stakes, facing the Forsaken Tower.
Crimoria got down from the carriage and instantly headed over to the ssengers.
Her hawk eyes scanned the surroundings and found multiple natives watching them from the shadows.
Sneering inside her helt, Crimoria gestured with her hand and sent several soldiers on the move.
All of them spread out and captured the hiding natives and secured the area.
"Get them down." Crimoria instructed.
Like robots, the other soldiers get to work and untie the ssengers from the stakes.
One of them was Kian—he imdiately scrambled to Crimoria once he was released.
Compared to his dignified appearance before, he was now rough and haggard.
His once-pristine silken tunic was now tattered and sared with dirt, as if countless hands had seized it before he was dragged through the mud. Even his face bore the gri of the earth, streaked with his own lifeblood.
"Thank you, lady." Kian grabbed Crimoria's hand with both hands.
"Who are you?" Crimoria asked.
"My na is Kian," Kian answered quickly. "I'm sent here on behalf of Lord Ferric, but got captured."
"You're lucky they didn't kill you." Crimoria shook her head.
Considering that Kian must've been here hours if not a day ahead of them, it was a miracle that he was still alive. But Kian begged to differ, "I'm not lucky because they spared . The natives staked us here so that once the dark tide ca, we would be the ones devoured first. I'm lucky because you ca before the dark tide ca."
"Savages…" Crimoria clicked her tongue before she turned around. "Bring them with us."
As Rex said, the ssengers were captured.
Crimoria was amazed at how Rex easily deduced the situation with nothing but a glance.
Just as she was about to return to the carriage, her eyes caught sight of Rex and Linthia standing on the border of the bubble, staring directly at the Forsaken Tower beyond. Seeing how massive the tower was and how mysterious it was, the task of subduing it was a stretch.
But since the Singing Lady was only a Master Immortal Spirit rank, it should be possible.
Extrely difficult but possible nevertheless.
"Lord Rex, we should move before the dark tide happens again." Crimoria said once she was near.
Rex remained silent—his gaze fixed ahead.
For a good mont there, he stayed there, stretching the tension that lingered in the air.
Then, he spoke, "I hope you won't restrain yourself, Crimoria."
Upon hearing this, Crimoria was taken aback, but she quickly recovered and shook her head, "I won't. This won't be like previously—you can rest assured. I will help you take down the Forsaken Tower as well as the Singing Lady."
Once she said that, Rex turned around.
His sharp crimson eyes gazed into Crimoria's eyes.
Crimoria felt bare and naked, those piercing eyes seed to be sharp enough to look through her.
"I'm saying…" Rex replied with deliberate slowness. "I hope you managed to integrate the Echo I gave you into your Spirit Genesis. I don't know the reason you're hiding your identity, even now, but I need you to perform."
"…"
For a second there, Crimoria froze, stunned at what she had heard.
She thought that she had misheard what Rex said, but she didn't.
Rex was looking at her with familiarity, his eyes showed no foreign sense that he would give to soone he had never seen, and that alone was enough to show that he really knew who she was, even through the helt covering her face.
"I think you misunderstood for soone, what Echo?" Crimoria forced out through a tight throat.
"I know that it's you, Casey," Rex answered nonchalantly. "So don't hesitate to use your Echo."
Now that Rex had already ntioned her na, there was no need to hide her identity.
From the very start, Rex already knew that Crimoria was actually Casey.
No matter what form or cover she took, the System would always be able to recognize who she was.
Initially, Rex was helping Casey because he assud that she was a part of the Aurelian Fortress since her power was abnormally higher than the rest. She was a Master Immortal Spirit, and if Rex got closer to her, then he might be able to enter the Aurelian Fortress through back channels.
Moreover, since Rex saved her from Rakha, who was a lot weaker, he beca more certain.
Casey was hiding her identity, and she must be from the Aurelian Fortress—and Rex was correct.
Realizing that her cover was blown, Casey took off her helt.
Rex nodded his head as the face behind the helt was certainly Casey's—even the mark underneath her right, which was shaped like an ivy leaf, was still there, she hadn't wiped it yet. However, other than that, there were also changes to her.
Unlike before, her hair was now deep red, and there were no deer horns on her head.
She looked normal, more like a warrior than a villager.
"My real na is Crimoria," Crimoria said and tilted her head. "How long have you known?"
"From the start," Rex shrugged his shoulders. "I have excellent senses."
Crimoria let out a wry smile, unable to believe that the armor—designed to conceal every trace of her own characteristics, had failed so effortlessly. Rex hadn't even treated it as an achievent, as if the simple fact of seeing through her disguise was second nature to him despite all the precautions she had taken to remain unnoticed.
"I was tasked to make sure the Verdant Ivy village is not disbanded." Casey explained.
Rex nodded his head, he already expected as much.
It would be bad for the villages to start bullying other villages to hog more and more quotas.
So, the fortress sent her to infiltrate and help the Verdant Ivy village.
"Regardless, help in this one—Da Crimoria," Rex finally said and walked past her with Linthia beside him. "Since, unless I missed my guess completely, the Forsaken Tower would be a near impossible task to tackle. A gut feeling of mine, and it's rarely wrong."
"As you wish, Lord Rex." Crimoria bowed a little and nodded.
Rex headed back to the carriage with a small smile plastered across his face.
It's not the wrong move to waste a Blue Echo Selection Ticket on her. She'll be a great help in this.
Monts later, the carriages finally headed to the Mahkam Ruin.
Upon arriving at its gate, the people were already gathered there, and standing on the way was a person, a man who was missing an arm, a leg, and also an eye. But despite his visible disabilities, the natives seed to revolve around him.
Surely, this man was the leader, Grant.
Crimoria stepped out first and scanned her sharp eyes around.
Despite her oppressive air, showcasing that she was nothing short of a Master Immortal Spirit, there doesn't seem to be any changes in the natives. All of them still looked at them with contempt, daring to even et Crimoria's gaze.
It was the sa when Rex, Linthia, and Amanir stepped out.
However, once Viora's figure ca into view, the contemptuous remarks died down instantly.
Most of them even lowered their gazes, the adoration mixed with fear quite them down in an instant.
Rex was impressed to see Viora's effect on normal people.
Her presence in this realm was akin to his presence—back to the Mortal Realm, and all of that because she was the Priestess of Purity, soone directly under the Saintess of Purity. The Saintess must be one hell of an entity—soone worthy of being a Scion. I guess the Fifthborn also have this kind of effect on people.
Crimoria ignored the onlookers and went straight to Grant.
"Prepare an accommodation for us, don't make this difficult." She demanded.
Upon hearing this, Grant stared at her blankly, letting her words hang in the air before shaking his head.
"No, anyone from the Aurelius Noble House is not welco here," Grant answered firmly, there was no fear behind his gaze, as this would certainly offend the lords who governed over them. "Don't make this difficult and leave, we, the people of Mahkam Ruin, don't need your help anymore."
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