Chapter 181: Throne Shift

At this moment, Naimi Xisi, who was researching spells inside the Mage Tower, suddenly spaced out.

"This feeling... how could it be? Throne?"

A half‑red, half‑silver gem suddenly appeared in Naimi Xisi's palm, the very mysterious Artifact—the Throne.

The Throne's red half emitted a dazzling light, twisted Mana boiled within it, and Naimi Xisi could feel the Throne being summoned by some entity; it wanted to go to that place.

As the Throne's host, Naimi Xisi also sensed this yearning; it craved that power.

He instantly teleported into the first‑level Probe Chamber, intending to use a prophecy spell to detect where the force attracting the Throne originated.

Naimi Xisi sat before the astrology table, a pale, sturdy arm extending from beneath a loose black robe; his long, strong fingers hovered over the prophecy crystal ball, pouring blue Arcane Power into it. Runes around the room lit up, and the mana pool continuously channeled mana through the wall‑mounted mana conduits to the astrology table.

Under these conditions, Naimi Xisi's prophecy spell received a massive boost.

Soon, a vague city scene materialized within the crystal ball.

The city's streets formed a grid, the cobblestone roads bearing smooth tracks left by pedestrians. A towering pyramid rose in the city center, its sun‑lit steps refracting countless golden rays, symbolizing the supreme authority of the divine.

It was a Maztek city that appeared far more developed than Tikarl City.

"Naska City?" the crystal ball revealed the city's name and location to the tower master in the Probe Chamber.

"Huakeli Alliance? How could they be linked to the Throne?" Naimi Xisi was somewhat surprised by the answer.

"Wait."

Naimi Xisi suddenly recalled that before the Throne's awakening, it had absorbed a massive amount of twisted Mana from a demon god, which might still be affecting it.

"Could the entity drawing the Throne also possess twisted Mana?" Naimi Xisi furrowed his brow.

He knew how terrifying the beings behind that twisted Mana were—so dangerous that even the Magic Net had to be handled with care—so how could these Maztek people be connected to them?

Regardless, Naimi Xisi decided to go see what was happening.

The Throne remained an Artifact he had yet to fully understand; he must uncover the reason before he can use it with peace of mind.

"Naska City, then? Let's go have a look."

——

On the other side, the three who had just emerged from the cave discovered that the rainforest was already in chaos.

Soil was overturned everywhere, littered with corpses and debris; the three, still bewildered, finally understood when another clump of earth shifted and a bulb‑shaped monster crawled out.

"These... are those monsters? How many monsters actually dwell beneath this rainforest?!" Xianai exclaimed.

Dieronaeu felt a chill on his scalp and wondered, was his own territory all beneath these disgusting brain‑eating monsters?

"Disgusting!" the Red Dragon spat, reverted to its true form, and with a single kick killed the emerging bulb‑shaped monster.

Saifaar looked into the distance and exclaimed, "Look, those monsters all seem to be rushing toward the same direction."

"Let's follow and see. It seems the masterminds behind these destructive vanguard forces aren't simple," Saifaar sighed.

The two immediately mounted the Red Dragon; the massive creature surged into the sky, soaring high to survey the forest from above.

In the dim, damp thicket, countless oddly‑shaped monsters surged forth like a tide. Their heavy steps splashed mud from the wet ground with each footfall. Their shells were incredibly hard, reflecting a dull sheen. As they advanced, low roars echoed through the rainforest, startling birds and beasts, and shaking the trees.

In the distance, a city could be faintly seen; brick‑stone walls glowed peacefully and solidly in the sunset's afterglow. The city's inhabitants were likely unaware, as a disaster silently approached. The monsters' steps quickened, as if sensing the impending feast.

They knew their deity was Summoning them, and that the flesh and blood would be the reward bestowed upon them.

Within the city, children still chased each other in the streets, lovers strolled hand‑in‑hand on the cobblestones, and vendors shouted their wares in a steady rhythm—a scene of harmonious tranquility. Yet the sky, thick with dark clouds, bore an approaching shadow that foretold the imminent shattering of all this.

"What—what is that?!"

The guards on Naska City's walls, originally holding spears and ignoring the tranquil morning scene, were startled awake by the sudden disturbance.

Their eyes widened as they witnessed the scene: countless monsters surged outward like a tide, their massive force terrifying all who saw.

The guards reacted swiftly, ringing the alarm bell; the sharp clang tore through the morning calm, bearing an ominous warning.

The wave of bulb‑shaped monsters moved at extreme speed, like a yellow tide pressing toward the walls, but oddly, the pyramid that usually steadfastly protected the citizens remained unmoving.

"Hurry!! Hurry!! Notify the Grand Shaman!!" the guard captain shouted, his eyes blazing, the bright feather atop his head dulled against the looming clouds.

!

His heart sank to the depths, for he saw the monsters' gazes—cold, merciless, brimming with murderous intent.

"Great Taizka, your humble follower begs you, protect your people," the guard captain knelt and whispered a prayer.

"Tsk tsk, looks like these slaves are about to meet their doom."

In the sky, the Red Dragon, soaring above, clicked its tongue in amazement at the scene below, while Saifaar's mood grew somber; watching the monster tide about to reach the walls, he was at a loss for words.

Naska's guards lit the beacon towers, flames shooting skyward, yet the monsters outnumbered the fire. Flaming arrows rained upward, trying to slow the monsters' advance, but they seemed oblivious to pain, continuing in a Berserk charge toward the walls.

Soon, the first wave of the monster tide reached the base of the wall.

Their spider‑like, agile jointed legs allowed them to crawl up the wall unhindered; the guards, left with no choice, drew obsidian longswords to prepare for battle.

From here the combat grew unusually fierce; the guards' blades clanged against the monsters' hard hides, producing a harsh metallic clang. Blood and sweat mingled, soaking the stone bricks of the wall. They fought bravely, but stamina waned and despair began to spread among the soldiers.

"Help! Help! Me!" *Splatter! *

A soldier fell to the ground, reaching out to his nearby comrade for help, but before he could finish, a bulb‑shaped monster thrust its jointed leg violently into his mouth, piercing him outright.

Another soldier, eyes reddening at the sight, raised his longsword to strike the monster that had slain his brother, but the bulb‑shaped creature turned and glared at him, a weak pulse of Mana flooding the soldier's brain.

The Mana affected the soldier for only a few seconds, yet that was enough; with a *splatter*, the jointed leg drove into his chest again.

Naska's defenses fell.

(End of Chapter)