Chapter 562: News and the First Source of Catastrophe

The residual ripples of Mistradon and the Weave still lingered.

The next day, Luo De went to Henry's farm to check the newspaper box and found it crammed full with extra editions from every news outlet.

Some wouldn't fit inside, so they were simply piled beneath the box, spreading everywhere.

Just like last night's Tiefling Saixier.

One could only say that a young girl fresh out of her shell was still just a girl—her stamina and skill might not match up, but her curiosity for new things never faded.

Or perhaps it was simply that she'd grown addicted.

Over the past two months.

Saixier had asked almost every day if Luo De was free at night.

Even when she saw him during the day, she'd sneak glances at his crotch.

Once she confirmed no one was watching, she'd sneak over to pinch him, then giggle and hop away.

It made Luo De wonder if he was being teased.

The Tiefling's fiery body, red skin, combined with the girl's unique innocence and inexperience.

Had provided the forest warden with quite a pleasant experience.

So besides dealing with Kali's frog-catching demands, Luo De mostly spent time with her.

After all, her stamina wasn't great.

Most nights, she'd be done by the first half, after which Luo De would slip away again.

He'd rush from place to place all night long.

The standout trait? Boundless energy.

Hmm.

This isn't decadence.

After gaining the effect of 【Creation Dew】, 【Alluring Fluids】 greatly benefited the girls.

Over the past two months, all those irrigated had made breakthroughs one after another.

Among them, the tree spirit Vivian had the strongest digestion, directly reaching the peak of the seventh tier.

The brass spirit-measuring sphere's reading had also surpassed the eighth-tier threshold of 300 marks, reaching 312 marks.

This was likely due to her possessing the 【Desire Mark】, allowing her to absorb this kind of energy extremely quickly.

"Master~~~"

Tally ran over from nearby, waving and shouting.

Today she wore a simple hunter's outfit, her hair tied high in a ponytail—a spirited elven archer.

Except she'd deliberately skipped wearing an undergarment.

Her two mounds pressed directly against the partial-enclosing breast armor, barely held in place, swaying wildly with each step.

Instantly transforming all her spiritedness into a succubus's seductive aura.

Luo De glanced at her and ignored her.

He continued reading the newspaper.

【BREAKING! First Deity Appears! The Weave Covers the Entire Continent!】

【The Life of Mistradon, Creator of the Weave—Though Filled with Betrayal, She Remained Kind at Heart!】

【On the Topological Structure of Mistradon's New Weave and Its Interference with Traditional Spellcasting—Greatness Speaks for Itself!】

【The Church of Mistradon, the Magic Goddess, Is Founded! The Great Secrets Behind the Weave's Transformation! Praise the Goddess's Blessings!】

Most were positive and filled with praise.

Completely different from the last time, when Luo De slaughtered the dragon and drove off the Infernal Duke, and conspiracy theories ran rampant.

Last time, some even claimed he colluded with Asmodeus.

In truth, most of the newspaper's poets were this kind of clickbait.

But now their target was a genuine goddess.

They'd dare not speak recklessly.

"Heh. Survival instinct maxed out."

"I wanna read too~~"

Seeing her master ignore her, Tally didn't mind.

She clung to him, wrapping her arms around his and reading together.

"You can hug, but don't touch randomly."

"I know, I know~~ Tally's been a good girl these past two months!"

"Not bad. You've indeed behaved well. Know where we're going?"

"The stiff-faced elf says she's giving us a full checkup to confirm the new magic's effect on our bodies. But I suspect she wants to sneak a feel at you, Master—you better be careful~~"

As she spoke,

Tally was nuzzling Luo De's shoulder when suddenly she spotted something.

She pointed to one headline on the paper.

It was from the Half-Deer Silverhoof Valley Gazette, marked as a new prophecy by the Half-Deer Grand Elder.

【The Hero Who Will End Chaos Has Not Yet Risen—The Ancient Enemy Has Arrived! Revealing the First Source of Catastrophe in the Hero's Prophecy—Ed Stevens!】

This should have been a front-page headline.

But clearly, it had been completely overshadowed by Mistradon's ascension.

"Ed Stevens… Why does that name sound familiar?"

Tally pointed to the detailed analysis beneath and read aloud:

"Ed Stevens, formerly squad leader of the Axe Beach Militia, learned after the Knights of Light overthrew the Shadowfen Syndicate's evil plot that its masterminds had conspired to murder Axe Beach's current lord, Wenna Pweir."

Oh.

Luo De remembered.

He was the third man, besides the half-elf Virgil and the cambion Kambion, whom Luo De had faced alone at Axe Beach—and back then, he'd been spared because of his status as a hero candidate.

Who'd have thought.

Now he'd been labeled by the Half-Deer as the first 【Source of Chaos】.

That made the Half-Deer and their hero candidates even less trustworthy.

Luo De resolved to prioritize the matter of the 【Hero's Curse】.

As he read and chatted with Tally,

They soon arrived at the White Elm District's medical treehouse.

Several girls had already arrived, gathering in small groups chatting.

Upon seeing Luo De,

The more clingy ones—tree spirit Vivian, ghoul Pan Ni, and the mare-girl Bond—immediately came over.

Not long after,

The physical examination, led by Kalist with Half-Deer Xiao Ke as assistant, ended quickly.

Nothing unusual happened during it.

Except that Xiao Ke, as assistant, flushed crimson every time she touched Luo De's body, lost her composure, and nearly overturned the array.

Xiao Ke really was something.

She'd already been completely naked with Luo De so many times, yet each meeting left her shy as ever.

As for the results:

Everyone's bodies had adapted well to the new magic—no major issues.

"Besides this, I have another discovery to share with you all."

Kalist read through each report in her hand as she spoke.

"The Weave now covers the entire reality dimension, and the magical sky vault has caused primordial spirituality to begin merging with magic. Based on my observations, this fusion will not stop."

The halfling Lily had clearly been researching this alongside Kalist.

She stepped forward in her leather boots and added:

"Meaning that gradually, magic will no longer be something that can only be generated through meditation—it will naturally exist across the continent."

Kalist nodded.

"Yes. And the Weave, now spanning the entire dimension, has expanded to accommodate everyone. Anyone who meets the requirements for spell focus and spellcasting capacity can connect to the Weave and enjoy instant spellcasting without incantations. I recommend those who qualify connect to the Weave—it's not a bad thing."

The elven girl's thinking had clearly shifted.

As a traditional elf,

She ought to have been a mage who despised new things.

Yet now she remained optimistically open to the Weave.

(End of Chapter)