Chapter 312: New Race

The Aethelorn front is under pressure, and various taxes have risen.

It is obvious that the nation has run out of money.

What Ona said about being unable to pay the reward might be true, but it should never have happened.

Aethelorn has conducted research on the Beast Transformation Plague and absolutely knows how dangerous it is for this virus to spread within the country.

Is it truly that they have no time to handle it?

Or is it done intentionally?

Or perhaps Aethelorn and Bahadur are in cahoots, attempting to create a god to turn the tide of war?

Rod does not know; his power is truly limited, and he is utterly unable to affect the current situation.

He sighed silently in his heart.

At the same time, his desire for the Seventh Tier grew even stronger.

"Then why has Ona come here?"

"Personally, I am quite interested in the Beast Transformation Plague. Since Lady Yulia is not around during this period, I am bored anyway, so I might as well come over to study it and help you along the way."

"Thank you,"

Rod smiled slightly.

As the two walked and talked, he conveniently bought all the supplies he needed.

"Of course, besides the Beast Transformation Plague, I have another reason."

Ona poked a small piece of crisp cracker from a small paper box in her hand and happily popped it into her mouth.

The crisp crackers in Shi Ying Town are added with herbs and spices unique to the mining area; they are more fragrant than those in other regions of the continent and have a hint of sweet aftertaste.

The rabbit-girl girl puffed out her cheeks, her face showing Tao Zui.

"You remember the eruption of the volcanic group in the Twilight Mountain Range, right?"

"Mm, it was said to be related to the Netherworld."

"It has little to do with demons. It belongs to the bards who spread the rumor that the actual cause of the volcanic eruption was dimensional bombs set by the Rat People. Who knows what these guys are thinking in their brains? They not only activated the super volcanoes in the mountain range but also blew out a maze dimension hidden deep within."

The two had finished buying their things.

They then headed together to Claw Valley Mountains.

Rod took out the ceramic swan and cast a 【Mass Flight Spell】 on it.

"Eh? It's actually a treasure? And this shape must have been given by a girl, right?"

Ona teased with a wicked smile.

"Indeed, but this was given by her runaway fiancé, and later he passed it on to me."

"Such a complicated relationship?"

Back to the main topic.

Facing the wind and sand in the sky, the two continued talking.

"A cosmic biological species we have never seen before lives in that dimension. They are extremely skilled in psychic abilities, or one could say Mental-type Magic, though slightly different.

The sudden influx of Spirituality rapidly transformed them; their previous food could no longer satisfy them, so they turned to feeding on the brains of humanoid creatures on the continent. Mages speculate that these brain tissues provide the enzymes, hormones, and spiritual energy necessary for their survival."

Uh...

Interested in brains and skilled in mental and psychic skills; isn't this the Igus race?

Rod felt a bit nauseous.

"Sounds a bit like the Igus race..."

"Not just in sound, but in appearance too. They have octopus-like heads, with four snake-like tentacles winding out from the head, while below the neck they are humanoid, and they possess considerable intelligence. They fled on a large scale. While their bodies were not yet stabilized by the Spiritual transformation, the Demon Control Union and local nations quickly took control, but a small portion still scattered across the continent."

"Did they also escape to Shi Ying Town?"

Ona's face showed a bit of embarrassment:

"They escaped to the Twilight Hills. The exact location is not yet clear. I need some time, so I plan to stay temporarily in the relatively stable Shi Ying Town..."

"Alright, I'm not surprised."

A cosmic biological species skilled in psychic abilities is indeed the specialty of Ona, the rabbit-girl who is also skilled in Mental-type Magic.

However...

A newly appeared maze, where the creatures inside were immediately transformed by Spirituality and could move freely across the continent.

Doesn't this mean a new race has appeared on the continent?

No, when did Spirituality become so generous?

Other cosmic biological species just wanted to retire on this continent, striving for thousands of years without success, yet you became one instantly?

Rod told Ona his thoughts.

Ona could only give a bitter smile.

"Since you have discovered it, I will not hide it anymore. In the Divine Struggle within the Netherworld, actually, one Duke of the Netherworld is currently leading. He was the first to obtain that drop of blood. The name of this Duke is Asmondil."

"Then is the outcome decided?"

Rod couldn't help but feel nervous.

If a Duke of the Netherworld were to become a god first, it would absolutely not be a good thing for the people on the land.

"Not yet. All the Ninth-Tiers are still in the process of a fierce chase and battle. Duke Asmondil cannot fully fuse with that drop of blood yet, but he has temporarily obtained a Divine Spark. Some scholars speculate that this is the first appearance of a 'suspected god' on the continent, so Spirituality seems to have undergone some changes as well..."

While speaking,

the two had already arrived at Claw Valley Mountains.

Rod's perception pierced through the thick haze, and from afar he sensed the Ghoul Pan Ni had assumed a kneeling posture to welcome his arrival.

After all, being a mage, Pan Ni's perception was also quite good.

However, when he and Ona appeared in the haze, Rod still clearly saw a hint of stiffness on her sycophantic face.

"Another one???"

"Be polite, Pan Ni. This is our guest, Ona, Deputy Director of the Magic Control Union's Containment Department. You should have met her before, right?"

Ona had visited the Wind Wall Forest during the Cutting Maze incident and should have crossed paths with the girl inside.

The rabbit-kin girl was quite straightforward.

She waved friendly at Pan Ni: "Hello, Young Lady Ghoulish, you've become even more beautiful!"

"Really, really?!"

Ghouls are very easy to please.

"Of course. Look at this skin, smoother than that of real living people. And this hair—Young Lady Pan Ni, did you get the recently popular Haster-style highlights?"

"Hehehe—A mage Young Lady skilled in hairstyling has arrived from Shi Ying Town. Besides, I've spent a fortune on skincare products. You might not know how difficult it is for a ghoul to maintain her skin. Previously, a Young Lady Zombie came to the forest. I thought I'd finally found someone with whom I could share common topics, but she turned out to be a magic dunce who hides in a wooden cabin every day."

Rod gives the girls pocket money.

He isn't very clear about their private little activities or small expenses; anyway, not much can be spent in Shi Ying Town.

He didn't pay attention to the two who had opened up the conversation.

Rod climbed up a watchtower on the side that was clearly newly built.

In just two short days, the mountain road defense line here had undergone very obvious changes.

Key mountain passes and high ground were all equipped with watchtowers and the 【Secret Art Vision】 spell, and invisible Xing De Mo Fa alarms were arranged around the defense line.

Furthermore, the defense line was no longer just a simple pile of stones; it featured sturdy city walls constructed using Tu Mu Fa, equipped with observation windows and casting ports.

Rod could see several unfamiliar-faced mages busily arranging various spell traps.

Tooth Fairy Rosalia leaped up and landed lightly beside Rod.

"The situation is quite good."

"Thanks to Mr. Rod, the figures active on the Koshi Plain the day before yesterday scared away many beast-men patients, giving us the opportunity to set up."

(End of this chapter)