"That's not something worth remembering," Henges said.
Lunami, standing beside him, clearly didn't care and simply began to tell the story.
"It was probably the second month after the demonic invasion, ever since that royal fool detonated the space and opened the teleportation rift to the Abyss.
Our defenses began to falter. After all, the demons were descending from within, so who would build defenses internally?"
"The crisis was so sudden that it took several days for us to maintain a decent defense. But the demons were too powerful, and we didn't have much to defend.
The Third Legion, the City Guard, and some of the Holy Machine Church's cult guards, along with a few scattered experts,
We followed the rear, gathering various stranded civilians. Finally, we had no choice but to enter the Green Forest Mountains."
The Green Forest Mountains was the former name for the Ghost Mountains beneath them.
But there was clearly no such thing as a Green Forest here anymore.
Naturally, the name no longer fit.
"The demons were chasing us closely. We fought and fled along the way, bringing more refugees with us and finally setting up a defense here, building a defensive structure."
This was the area they were currently in.
This was likely a former mine, with various facilities. Combined with the surrounding cavernous rock walls, it was actually easier to defend against the highly mobile demons.
"We had originally planned to hold out briefly here, treat our injuries, gather some supplies, and then leave... but things didn't go as planned."
Hearing this, Alka nodded.
They weren't the only ones thinking of running into the mountains under those circumstances; there were surely many others who shared the same idea.
In such a situation, gathering in a group was human instinct.
"However, more and more soldiers, escorting more refugees, gathered here, making it difficult to leave.
The target was too large and too broad, attracting more demons."
"At first, with the help of the Cloud Sage, we had no difficulty resisting the demons.
But as the defenses of various areas continued to fall, coupled with the Cloud Sage's reputation, the number of refugees gathered here has reached an incredible level.
Refugees from cities surrounding the mountains have all poured in here, and we can no longer escape."
"I'm sure you all know what happened next. The more refugees, the more demons. Without adequate logistics, we naturally became increasingly unable to resist.
In the end, we could only let as many civilians as possible escape, and we held out until the last moment."
After saying this, she pointed to herself. "As for the current situation, it happened after the death of the Cloud Sage.
He was powerful, and even to the very last man, he slew numerous demons. But he was only one man.
After his death, the scepter-level artifact known as the Cloud Staff fell into our possession, and we lacked the right individuals to wield it.
But we couldn't leave; we were surrounded."
"Under these circumstances, I used the Cloud Staff to activate a powerful ritual, one I had prepared long ago.
The souls of all the fallen soldiers and civilians emerged from their bodies and began to confront the demons.
Those damned demons, they wouldn't even think of dying so easily and returning to the abyss."
This was also done to continue resisting the demons and allow more civilians who hadn't yet escaped to flee. Otherwise, how could those civilians, with their speed, possibly match the demonic onslaught?
Her account was brief, offering only a general overview of the process.
But the inner journey and experiences involved were something only they themselves could understand. Sofia surveyed the surroundings and said, "So, in the end, you succeeded?"
"Successful, but also failed."
"The demons suffered countless casualties, and their souls were dragged here. Other demons are reluctant to return to this area.
However, although I have studied the undead and understand demons, I lack reverence for the aura of the Abyss.
Those civilians, those once-brave soldiers, have become evil spirits, beings even more bloodthirsty and brutal than demons. They seek to kill all living things."
At this point, Lunami sighed.
Nothing has only good sides, especially actions like this.
"Alright, I've satisfied your curiosity. It's time for you to turn and leave.
You are a saint of the Virgin Mary. You should clearly understand the best option now."
After saying this, Lunami stood up, and Engels quickly mounted the ghost's steed. Lunami floated onto the back of the warhorse, and the two of them rode out of sight.
Observing the two vanishing spirits, Sofia turned to Alka.
"What are you going to do now? Leave?"
Alka propped his head up: "I need to think this over."
He met their gazes: "Don't worry, I won't make a rash decision, nor will I completely abandon everything."
Several people nodded.
Alka sat down, the map from before appearing in his hand, and he gazed at the orange light on it.
[Cloud Staff]
[Difficulty: Soul Eliminator (Level 5)]
[Notability: 112,000]
[Treasure Information: The Cloud Sage's Treasure. In the ancient Saralan Empire, the Cloud Sage was known as the protector of the common people.
They held a staff surrounded by clouds, their bodies shrouded in white clouds like the sky. Walk throughout the empire. Provide aid to all its citizens.
The last Cloud Sage died in battle against demons during the empire's fall.
The area where the scepter resides is filled with fallen souls, willing to sacrifice their own souls to protect this final scepter.
Obtaining the treasure can bring unbearable consequences and present enemies you shouldn't face, but nothing is certain.
To avoid such consequences, you must address the problems that arise after obtaining the treasure. ](Perfect)
Alka looked at the latest piece of information about the treasure. Nothing is certain.
Of course, that's understood. The question is how to address the needs of all parties involved.
To obtain this treasure without causing serious consequences, Alka needs to accomplish three things.
1. Clear the demon souls. The souls of those who died in this area have also been dragged into this area. Taking the treasure will cause the demon souls to return to the abyss.
This was the easiest problem for him right now. His dream realm was gradually connecting to this area, and he could simply drag them into his dream and toss them into the furnace.
Ensuring the complete disappearance of these demonic souls would allow them to contribute even more to the world.
2. Protect those souls that still possessed their own will and hadn't been infected by the abyssal aura.
Alka's first thought was to use the ghost puppets, but the problem was that he didn't understand the state of these ghosts.
Becoming infected by the abyssal aura and becoming an evil spirit wasn't a quick process; it was a gradual process.
This method might work, but it might not. A deeper understanding would reveal the answer.
Of course, there was a good chance they would seek liberation. However, Alka had no intention of making decisions for others.
3. Prevent the countless evil spirits in the Ghost Mountain Range from venturing out to harm others.
This was the most difficult task, as these evil spirits weren't ordinary, common spirits. Rather, it's a creation created through ritual, the influence of the Abyss, and the treasure as a core beacon.
They won't completely vanish simply because they're eliminated, but will reappear from an unknown location.
Perhaps by removing the treasure, freeing them from their bonds, they could truly be eliminated. But by then, they'd already have escaped from Ghost Mountain.
Unleashing countless war spirits to wreak havoc across the World Scar's rear for a single orange treasure is utterly worthless, potentially even causing problems on the front lines and disrupting transportation routes in the rear.
No one can afford such a price.
Furthermore, neither Alka nor Sofia could possibly pull off such a feat.
After all, this treasure wasn't absolutely necessary.
Through his recent conversation with the two ghosts, Alka knew clearly that they weren't the first treasure-hunting team to arrive.
The previous treasure-hunting teams hadn't done anything like this. Firstly, they were no match for the evil spirits.
Secondly, they possessed the most basic common sense and weren't blinded by the scepter-level treasures.
After all, having reached the fifth stage of strength, there was no room for fools.
Collecting his thoughts, Alka couldn't help but ponder.
"What are you thinking? If it doesn't work out, we'll just turn around and leave," Lucilia said, having somehow leaped onto Alka's lap and leaned against his waist.
Alka reached out his hand, leaning against her, letting her hold him.
"But these problems must be solved, don't they? The trapped demon souls must be destroyed. The evil spirits lingering the mountains, pitiful as they are, must also be dealt with.
And those spirits who still retain their intelligence shouldn't remain here, awaiting a hopeless future. That's not the fate they deserve, is it?"
"Yes, you're right. If possible, we must help them. So, do you have any ideas?"
"The demon souls are easy to deal with, but what is the current state of this ritual they're performing? What is the connection between these evil spirits, this area, and this treasure?
If I can't figure that out, I can't think clearly."
Lucille fell silent at Alka's question.
After a long pause, she said, "I know. I know the type of ritual she's performing, and I have a general idea of the current state of the ritual and its connection."
Hearing this, Alka looked down at her. "You know?"
"Of course I do. I'm quite knowledgeable."
Arka nodded at this.
"Then tell me."
Lucelia nodded and recounted what she knew.
"To hold such an extravagant ceremony, she obviously couldn't do it alone. Furthermore, the various materials and preparations required were beyond their capabilities at the time.
That's why they used a scepter-level artifact as the core of the ritual. Only an artifact of this level could cover the majority of the costs and avoid the need for extensive preparation and materials."
"Remember the Dark Realm?" Lucelia suddenly asked.
Arka nodded at this.
Of course he remembered.
"That sea area was also caused by the detonation of a treasure. It seems, too, that this was caused by a ritual.
We know that the treasure destroyed its divinity, and its essence simply returned to the world. It was simply through that ritual that its true carrier and power were destroyed, allowing the treasure to burst forth with a single burst of energy.
That was also a ritual, fundamentally no different from the rituals in the area we're currently in.
The only difference is that one was a destructive, one-time ritual centered around the core explosion.
We're currently in a long-term ritual centered around the treasure itself."
Alka nodded occasionally as he listened to Lucelia's words. He understood some of them, but only the general idea, grasping at best what she was trying to say.
As Lucelia continued, Alka began to gather his thoughts and formulate a possible solution.
...
And so.
Alka and his companions remained in the camp for two full days and nights. Sofia had already completed a map of this area.
They were mainly here to discuss possible solutions to these problems.
With so many treasures at their disposal, they could always come up with enough solutions; they just had to take them one step at a time.
Sitting inside the stone house,
Alka said, "Let's build a solution around the Heart of Vastva."
The Vastva people within the Heart of Vastva had all been moved out when Alka left.
This meant it was completely empty, the treasure in its most pristine state.
This also allowed Alka to truly begin using and utilizing the treasure's true potential.
A small world under his control.
Hearing Alka's words, Sofia and the others looked at him and asked, "Do you have an idea for a solution?"
Alka nodded. "I plan to dig this area out and throw it in here."
A crystal appeared in Alka's hand. It was the Heart of Vastva.
"Dig it out? The entire mountain range?" Sofia asked, frowning.
After all, while the evil spirits are most concentrated here, their range of activity spans almost the entire mountain range. They can be found everywhere within that area.
For Alka to think that with his current power, he could throw the entire mountain range into the Heart of Vastva was a bit of an exaggeration.
Hearing this, Alka shook his head. "Of course not. How can it be so exaggerated?
I'm only planning to dig out this ruined mine, where the fighting was most intense. Isn't the core of the ritual using the treasure right here?"
As Alka spoke, he looked at Lucelia. Lucilia nodded. "Yes, I've observed the ritual these past few days, and it hasn't expanded beyond this area."
Alka began to explain his ideas and the entire process.
"Step one, we need to throw this area, along with all the evil spirits, into the Heart of Vastva. It's empty there anyway.
This will cut off the Abyssal Aura and prevent further infiltration. We only need to clear the Abyssal Aura from the area we've thrown it into.
After that's done, we can retrieve the treasure."
Alka briefly outlined his ideas and process, which sounded simple enough.
"Wait, how do we get all the evil spirits in at once? How do we make them submit?
And how do we clear out the remaining Abyssal Aura?"
Sofia asked directly, regarding the two most critical issues in this process.
"Right, that's why I laid out the whole process. We must first accomplish these two points. Let's think about this together."
"We can ask Lunami and the others for help. I believe they'd be willing to offer some assistance. After all, our efforts are also what they deserve."
They need it, don't they?
Let's wait until our idea is feasible before asking them to cooperate. They'll definitely not refuse then."
"...Alright, let's get started."
Everyone immediately took action.
First, Alka would go find Lunami and the others to learn more about the situation and get some help on whether it was feasible.
Lucelia and the others would stay at the camp and begin studying the evil spirits, trying to find a way to attract them.
Lucelia seemed to have some confidence and ideas about this.
Rockhorn, who had been following them, sat in the camp, unable to help, and could only watch Alka and the others busy themselves.
If all else failed, they could leave and return to Return Town, enlisting the help of Vastva's researchers and Jason.
They could even go to the front lines, to areas like the Anti-Magic Fortress, to seek help.
There were countless powerful individuals gathered there, always Someone will find a way.
Looking at the brand new map in his hand.
Alka passed by these evil spirits like a phantom, yet completely failed to attract their attention. He arrived at a collapsed cave.
From the surrounding areas and ruins, it seemed that this was once a mine.
And this was the entrance to a mine.
The surrounding area was filled with densely packed bones, and even on some of them, one could see armor and weapons that had not yet completely corroded away.
Passing these bones, Alka arrived at the entrance of the mine.
A soul, seemingly possessing intelligence, emerged from the ground.
The soul still wore armor and held weapons, dressed like a soldier.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"