Capítulo 2387: Chapter 2388: chanist Core
“What is she trying to do?” Nis noticed the direction No. 03 was heading and asked in confusion.
A water wizard suddenly rushed towards the area obscured by the fla magic rune, is she intending to seek her own death?
Or is it that she’s only faking a run and will turn midway?
While everyone was puzzled, No. 03 showed no signs of turning; she plunged directly into the fla magical ground.
As soon as she entered the fla magical ground, No. 03 felt the terror of the surrounding flas, the fierce blaze even scorching the space, repelling all forces.
In the fla magical ground, No. 03 couldn’t even gather the power of water.
Because of this, her crystalline dress, without the protection of water power, instantly turned to ashes.
The flas burned her clothes, invading her fair and flawless skin.
Under the protection of her bloodline, No. 03 could barely maintain a semblance of composure, but her skin started showing a pink hue. Remaining in the fla magical ground for a period of ti would surely cause devastating damage.
It could be said that the fla magical ground is a natural fiery cage, most restraining to ocean mages.
However, this restraint isn’t absolute; if the ocean mage also masters the rune power, the result might be different.
Unfortunately, the law of runes itself is extrely rare, and No. 03 hasn’t learned it. Facing such a terrifying fla power, she had almost no way to counteract, unless she left the fla magical ground.
However, No. 03 showed no sign of escape, her target was clear—
“The chanical head!” Nis: “She’s running towards that chanical head!”
As those words fell, No. 03 braced herself against the sweeping flas, rushing towards the vicinity of the chanical head. At this ti, under the control and burning of the fla magical ground, the outer shell of the chanical head had completely lted, exposing all the internal components.
So large gears and special chains were also burned to the point of rging into a lump, completely unrecognizable as the shape of a “head.” In its current state, Ferro’s nickna for it seems more appropriate: “iron lump.”
Looking at the almost deford Surge Alchemist head, No. 03 wasn’t too disappointed; her gaze even carried a hint of relief.
Because in her view, inside this piece of silver, fluid luminous “iron lump,” a familiar water vapor oscillation was gently releasing.
“Indeed, the chanist Core hasn’t been burned.” No. 03 sighed with relief. The reason she rushed into this “absolute dead end” was to bet on the core not being easily destroyed by fire.
The facts proved she won the bet.
“This is the first ti I’ve seen soone so eager to throw themselves to death.” Ferro’s voice echoed inside: “If you still wish to live, you’d better co out now. Don’t expect to retract the fla magical ground.”
“Actually, this is also quite good…” Nis swallowed: “I haven’t had enough of that white body just now, now it’s a bit pinkish, why do I feel even more excited?”
No. 03’s clothes were all burned to ashes; if not for the concealnt of flas, she was truly exposed.
No. 03 snorted coldly, not replying, but rather reaching out to touch the already “iron lump.”
Sizzle—
This was the sound of flesh tearing, accompanied by a hint of charred sll.
In such perilous circumstances, No. 03 completely ignored it, even extending her other hand forward.
Both hands slowly fused into the “iron lump”… Eventually, even her whole body embraced it, until she was entirely absorbed inside.
Ferro: “She… rged with the iron lump.”
“What do you an?” Due to the fla’s concealnt, Nis didn’t know what was happening inside.
Ferro carefully sensed the situation within the fla magical ground and then said: “She went inside that iron lump herself, now I can’t sense her presence.”
“She went into the fla magical ground just to beco one with that chanical head? What a strange hobby.” Nis muttered, then told Ferro: “Since she’s in that chanical head, continue burning.”
As long as that chanical head is thoroughly lted, No. 03 inside would naturally be exposed.
Ferro pondered for a mont and decided to go with Nis’s idea, starting to intensify the burning of the iron lump. Though he found it odd No. 03 went inside the iron lump, having no other strategies now, it seed burning was a first move.
Initially, it went well; the external chanical parts of the iron lump were easy to burn.
But once it ca to the interior, a surge of water force erged, resisting the burning of flas.
This puzzled Ferro, knowing that the interior of the fla magical ground repels all non-fire energies. Yet, there was water power inside capable of counterbalancing with the fla magical ground, indicating the energy level of the water power must be high.
Ferro continued to increase intensity, but the internal water power still remained unbreakable, as if a gently resilient force was protecting the core inside.
“Wizard Ferro, although energy is veiled, I know you’re outside.”
Suddenly, No. 03’s cold-toned voice ca from inside the iron lump.
“If the chanist Core isn’t controlled by anyone, it indeed can be easily burned, but I have now taken over it, and as long as my magic power does not deplete, it will exist always.”
“Even if you amplify the fla rune, you won’t quickly break through the external defense.”
Ferro squinted: “Are you provoking ?”
No. 03: “Not provoking. I’m rely stating a fact.”
“I entered the chanist internally only for self-preservation. My previous promise stands; when No. 01 and No. 02 return, I’ll explain to them and provide compensation then.”
“But now, I won’t leave the chanist internally.”
No. 03’s stance was clear; she’d rather hide within the chanist than be subject to external control.
Since neither side had a foundational trust, even if there was potential communication, lacking mutual trust and caution rendered everything futile.
Ferro kept burning and also tried probing No. 03 with words.
But it was all to no avail.
The fla magical ground was continuously counteracted by the water power, as No. 03 remained silent.
Under such circumstances, Ferro was also sowhat at a loss, turning to look at Nis, communicating through the Spell of Whispering: “What should we do now?”
Nis pondered for a while, not following up Ferro’s query with a direct answer, but rather asked in return: “Do you think she’s telling the truth?”
“You an about her promise?”
Nis shook his head, “I don’t believe in promises made by won. Without seeing the benefits, everything is just empty words.”
“I’m talking about what she ntioned earlier about the ‘chanist Core’.
Although what exactly the chanist Core is remains unknown, from No. 03’s tone, it’s basically inferred that the chanist Core is the central power source of that tal lump.
“She said that without anyone controlling it, the chanist Core is easily destroyed, but now that she is in control, as long as her Magic Power doesn’t deplete, she can keep it going indefinitely. Do you think this is true?”
Ferro: “If it’s true, she has essentially revealed the weakness of the chanist Core.”
Although Ferro didn’t say it directly, his words suggested that he didn’t believe No. 03’s statent.
Nis also nodded, “Whether it’s true or not, I’m sure she’s definitely hiding sothing.”
No. 03’s reckless rush towards this chanical head must have its plan. According to her, it’s just to find a place of refuge, but for Nis, this is highly likely to be a lie. The chanist Core’s Water Power, capable even of warding off the Fla Power, is described by her as a useless shelter; logically, this doesn’t add up.
“I’m guessing there are other secrets about the chanist Core.”
But what the situation is exactly, we can’t probe into yet. Only by breaking the water defense of this iron lump can we understand the truth within.
However, how to break it is a challenge.
Even the energy of the Fla Power can’t break through that layer of Water Power, and they couldn’t think of another way.
“Since she can’t co out for now, we’ll just wait and see.” Nis: “If that airwave appears again later, let’s see if she slips up.”
Ferro also nodded, as the Fire Law Ground is like a cage he’s been in control of from inside, noticing any little breeze or movent right away.
Instead of staying around the Fire Law Ground, they walked back into the depths of the Mist.
When they saw Angel again, he was talking with Nausicaa and Reynaud about No. 03.
“Are you sure there’s nothing hidden inside the base laboratory?” Angel asked Reynaud.
Earlier, No. 03 had implied they should enter the laboratory, which made Angel wary of it.
Reynaud pondered for a mont, just about to answer when the loud rumbling sound from afar interrupted him.
After the rumbling, the airwave appeared on cue. Confronting this irresistible force, everyone was once again frozen in place.
Dozens of seconds later, as the echoes of the airwave faded, Nis imdiately turned to Ferro, “What’s happening inside the Fire Law Ground?”
Ferro shook his head, “That woman hasn’t been forced out.”
“Even such a strange airwave couldn’t force her out; that chanist Core isn’t simple. Nis was earlier sowhat hesitant, but now he was very certain that No. 03 must be hiding sothing, she certainly isn’t simply using the chanist Core as a place of refuge.”
Angel: “Since she’s not coming out for now, we can ignore her for now. I’ve already had Earl Mi hiding near the Fire Law Ground, and as soon as she cos out, Earl Mi will take care of her.”
After saying this, Angel turned to Reynaud: “Do you know what this airwave is all about?”
With a face full of palpitating fear, Reynaud shook his head, “When I was in the laboratory before, I had never encountered such a situation.”
Reynaud knew nothing about the airwaves, so Angel had to give up and continued to inquire about the laboratory’s situation.
“Is there anything hidden in the lab? I can’t confirm for sure, but the lab has five underground levels, and I’ve been to each of them.” Reynaud paused, providing a simple description of the lab’s internal layout, “The first four levels include the experint center, materials library, storage room… and so on. Oh, and there was the showroom for us experintal subjects, as well as the dormitories for the sequence after No. 04. As for the fifth floor, I’ve only been there once; it has three rooms, which are the residences of No. 01, No. 02, and No. 03.”
“During my decades of living in the lab, I’ve basically figured out the layout of the chanisms. There are indeed many isolated chanisms with so degree of danger, but to say they are hidden… I really haven’t discovered anything. Besides, if there were, Nausicaa and I also went inside before, and we didn’t encounter any threats posed by the lab itself.”
Because Reynaud lived in the laboratory for decades without encountering significant threats, he ford a preconceived notion.
However, for Angel and the others, who had never entered the lab before, facing the unknown naturally filled them with caution and probing.
Nis: “Are you sure there are only five levels?”
Reynaud nodded, “I’m sure. Because the laboratory frequently moves on the seabed, I’ve seen the overall structure of the lab and can confirm there are only five levels.”
“Then it’s strange, as all the top sequence mbers have their own apartnts, what about No. 00?” Nis questioned.
Reynaud was also stunned. Yes, if No. 00 really existed, he would definitely have a separate residence as soone above the sequence, so where could he be?
Nis: “Perhaps in your perception, the structure of the lab is already clear. However, I suspect there might be a hidden place in this laboratory, and that so-called No. 00 is likely there.”
Regardless of whether Nis’s guess is correct, No. 00 can be confird to exist, and as long as such a sequence exists, he certainly occupies a certain position in the laboratory. But now, he’s almost like a hidden presence… perhaps, this is the reason why No. 03 quietly urged them to enter the laboratory.
Of course, everything is still a guess.
The real situation will have to be tested to confirm.
Angel looked at the anxious Reynaud, “Can you feel your physical body now?”
Reynaud shook his head, “No, maybe because the laboratory isolated my senses, it’s only by opening the laboratory that I’ll know.”
Angel was just about to say sothing comforting when the rumbling, accompanied by the airwave, ca again.
After the airwave passed, Angel didn’t seek further conversation with Reynaud but instead turned towards Ferro.
At this ti, Ferro was looking at the source of the rumbling sound with doubt; presumably, it was also the source of the airwave.
When Angel walked up, he just caught the conversation between Nis and Ferro.
Ferro: “The Nest… The Nest is over there. That group also went in that direction.”
Nis turned to Ferro with curiosity etched on his face, “I’ve been aning to ask, what exactly is this Nest you’re talking about?”
Ferro shook his head, “Actually I don’t know what the Nest is, it’s a term that soone else told .”
“Soone else?” Angel: “You’re saying apart from the base laboratory, there are others here?”
Nis was curious too, “Who is this person you’re talking about?”
Ferro: “Didn’t I ntion before, that I encountered soone nearby?”
Angel and Nis both nodded; at that ti, Ferro was telling them about “discovering signs of people in the vicinity and going to track them, only to encounter soone,” but the attack from the chanical head interrupted him before he could finish explaining who that person was, and later there was no ti to ask.
“That person was very strange. I was very sure that there was nothing around at the ti, yet he suddenly appeared in front of . He blocked , telling that if I didn’t want to die, I should stay out of it.”
“I asked him what exactly was ahead, and he just threw down the word ‘The Nest’ and then disappeared.”
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