Surviving The Fourth Calamity

Chapter 1424: Chapter 2: Seriously?

After settling the puppet, Hill, filled with curiosity, started searching the second universe.

Although all inhabited planets have been burned to ashes, in a fantasy world, there will always be those who enjoy building their own territory in the Stellar Realm.

Some star forts or self-built small satellites might just survive hidden near a Resource Star.

However, Hill remains very cautious. Even if he discovered some clues, he would resolutely avoid entering dangerous areas, those with only one escape route.

Having gotten into trouble due to curiosity since childhood, he’s mature enough now not to court disaster.

Of course, this maturity was also honed by too much shocking education from Toril... when you want to adventure and take a chance, you’re sure to be fooled.

Hill truly believes that if you’re not a chosen one, then in a world like Toril, don’t play the game of risking everything.

In a desperate world where even the universe is destroyed, traps and conspiracies are only more malicious.

He wouldn’t want to use his own life as a cautionary tale for future generations.

Hill finally stops at a planet... this planet is hidden behind several larger ones, although it hasn’t been hit by the burning flames, it’s struck by cosmic storms on the left side.

Unfortunately, planets rotate, so even those free to move in the starry sky can’t survive here.

Yet, just like Teraxil once did, this place brings a few pieces of Starry Sky Drift Iron every day.

Since Hill can’t create this material himself, he plans to stay a few more days, and in the meantime search in this planet’s deepest areas for traces of human survival.

Leaving Purwell there to collect iron, Hill sets up a trigger-point teleportation device in the Magic Tower, and flies lightly towards the planet’s south pole.

Upon landing at the pole, Hill knew he had found the right place.

Beneath thick layers of ice, a Magic Tower’s spire emerged.

The Ring of Winter on Hill’s hand glows faintly, causing the ice to recede layer by layer, opening a passage in the ice stairway for Hill.

As the spire of the Magic Tower is exposed above the ice, other nearby Magic Towers and some specially shaped buildings also show evidence of their presence.

Hill stands beside a Magic Tower and observes for a while, confirming that these towers have lost all power... even the Elemental Realm, which is the largest, wouldn’t connect with a universe about to be burnt to ashes by the Burning Element.

Hill retrieves some stones, using all his strength to throw them at the Magic Towers, even easily smashing much of the highest level tower’s outer walls.

It seems the universe’s destruction happened about ten thousand years ago, but since it hasn’t burned completely clean, it should not be too long... somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 years.

Uneasy, Hill shifted slightly... he’s genuinely sensitive to this time frame a millennium ago.

He specifically observed that this universe’s style has a Greek influence, definitely not like Enser or Mulholland’s style.

If the Magic Towers persisted until the end, it couldn’t be a world of Beastmen.

Thus, it probably wouldn’t involve Teraxil anymore.

Finally relaxed, Hill begins observing outside the Magic Tower.

From the cleanliness of the Magic Tower, it looks like the mages left on their own, including the ordinary mages living on the lower floors... although most items were taken away, some larger stone alchemy experiment tables remain.

Mages of a higher level generally wouldn’t use tables made of stone which serve no purpose besides being sturdy.

But, apprentices wouldn’t use such high-grade stone material either.

It seems this was indeed one of the mages’ last fortresses in this universe.

Logically, ordinary apprentices should survive inside a Magic Tower, but here there’s no trace of ordinary life, including in some regular towers and buildings... no kitchens, no sewers.

Hill sighed, the apocalypse for ordinary people was real, leaving not even a hope to struggle.

Fortunately, compared to the upper levels, where Archmages cleared out living space, the lower ordinary mages left more behind.

Though all magical items were taken, a few mundane books remained scattered in corners... probably forgotten while reading.

Using Hand of the Mage, Hill gathered these books and placed them in a purification-array-engraved box... even ordinary books needed more than 8 hours inside it.

After all, no one knows how this world was destroyed.

Even after purification, Hill chose to store these books in a small house ready for disposal, standing outside the Crystal Wall, letting a lowest-level puppet enter to browse.

Finally, he found some traces... a fairy tale book, seemingly whimsical, actually praising their world’s Main God: when children face danger, a heartfelt prayer and sincere praise would let the great Eosca open a door only they could pass through.

Hill had no intention to read further, quickly turning around and calling Purwell: ”Let’s go, quickly!”

Eosca is indeed a dead deity, always adrift in the Stellar Realm... but he isn’t unwilling to resurrect; his corpse is sealed by the Lady of Pain within an endless labyrinth.

Now, the Elf Deity System warring with Mark City might have some hope of releasing this famous strong Divine Power God of Portals... if only they truly release the souls of those two princesses.

Damn it!

He should have thought of it earlier. The God of Portals Eosca from ten thousand years ago was incredibly powerful, even the master of several star systems.

Eosca indeed didn’t need to make his Crystal Wall overly strong, since he didn’t need any natural magic assistance when opening portals.

To attempt an invasion of his world would mean being sent directly to another universe through a portal.

However, his downfall caused all the worlds composed entirely of portals to explode like blooming flowers.

But because his Crystal Wall didn’t have formal portals, these universes managed to persist without being thoroughly destroyed.

Was his luck ultimately good or bad?

While Hill was awkwardly escaping sitting on Purwell’s back, he couldn’t help but ponder this question... Speaking of materials, Eosca’s universe resources were indeed abundant.

Some materials even surprised Hill as to how they could appear on the same planet.

Yet, if this arrogant god liked to snatch things and resources everywhere, it could be understood; he was adept at transport.

Hill had already stored enough materials to refine at least three Mithril Energy Cores, and even had found several half-planes.

But danger followed like a shadow.

That Lady of Pain was always vigilant towards Eosca’s resurrection, and would keep a close watch on these universes.

If she hadn’t been busy battling with Coron, Hill might have been caught on the first day.

Hmph~

Seeing Purwell charge out of the universe at maximum speed, Hill exhaled slowly.

”Sir? What happened?” It was only then that List dared to speak.

”This is... the universe of the God of Portals! The fool who wanted to snatch Mark City from the Lady of Pain and got killed by her.” Hill looked at Purwell in the little light orb and said, ”You say, isn’t it your weird luck that led to this outcome, Purwell?”

The Otherworldly Whale was stunned, and instantly fell silent, his large upward-looking eyes appearing dazed as if really pondering the luck issue.

”Heh heh~” Seeing the sincere little whale, Hill couldn’t help but laugh, ”Don’t think too much! I always have good luck, I can share a bit with you!

So, Purwell, let’s go full speed ahead!

Let’s get out of this ghostly place!”

”Hill, it seems like we’re lost!” After frantically running for half a month, Purwell cautiously found Hill, who dared not move around in the crystal cottage on his back anymore.

”Hmm?” Hill was confused, ”We didn’t know the way to begin with. Haven’t we been creating our own path?

Did you forget to open the Star Map?

No worries, List will definitely open it.”

”I opened it, that’s why I’m saying we’re lost!” Purwell said anxiously, ”I flew at top speed for a whole day, but the Star Map is still in the same place!

Initially, I thought your Star Map was broken!”

”My creations can’t possibly break!” Hill reflexively denied any quality issue, then belatedly realized what was happening.

”How many Star Maps did you open?” he asked hesitantly.

”I opened all three you gave me.” Purwell said dejectedly, ”I even asked List, his Star Map is acting up too.”

”It’s my fault.” List appeared dejectedly, ”The Star Map actually moves constantly, you have to look closely to realize it’s looping in place.”

”It’s my fault for not assigning you this task.” Hill sighed, ”Indeed...

Freeloading easily leads to loss of reason.

I was too focused on thinking about how to use these materials, sigh!”

List couldn’t help but ask, ”Sir doesn’t seem very surprised?”

”I’ve been under the Lady of Pain’s nose for so long, it’s unexpected she doesn’t act on me.” Hill raised an eyebrow, ”However, it seems Coron is pressuring her greatly, she could only open a maze entrance ahead of us.”

He dropped the pen in his hand, returning to Purwell’s back: ”Hey!

Maze-solving is my expertise, okay?”

”Sir knows how to solve this maze magic?” Purwell was startled, ”This is the most terrifying unsolvable spell of the Lord of Mark City!

Everyone says that’s why she insists on suppressing the God of Portals, because Eosca’s Portal Magic is the only solution!

How could you... hmm?”

Purwell watched Hill with shock as he closed his eyes and began pointing randomly: ”Is that even possible?”