Death… And Me

Chapter 4477: The Group

The following day, several important figures arrived at the Godly Subjugation Guild branch in Jufafner Country. One of them was naturally the envoy from the Natak Region, Thery.

However, he wasn’t alone.

Accompanying him were two other members of the Thousand-Script Race. The first was a tall man named Sison, a Late Stage Zone God whose arms and neck were covered with intricate rune-like markings. The second was a woman named Haniala, whose cultivation had already reached the Peak Stage of the Zone God Realm.

As for Thery himself, he possessed the highest cultivation among the three. He was a Middle Stage Law God.

That fact alone demonstrated how seriously the Natak Region regarded this expedition. After all, Law Gods were exceedingly rare throughout the grasslands. Few regions possessed more than four or five of them, and every single one represented an irreplaceable pillar of strength.

Rean was already waiting for them near the landing platforms when their airplane landed.

”It is good to finally meet you face to face, Friend Thery.”

Thery smiled and nodded. ”The feeling is mutual, Friend Rean. Allow me to introduce my companions. This is Sison, and this is Haniala. They will be accompanying us throughout the expedition.”

Haniala immediately shifted her attention toward Rean. Since this was the first time she had seen him in person, she naturally examined his cultivation level.

The result left her rather disappointed.

”Senior Thery,” she said, ”is this really one of the experts who explored so deeply into the Godly Creatures’ Territories? He’s merely a Late Stage Aura God.”

”Oh, that’s actually inaccurate,” Rean replied before Thery could say anything. ”I was still at the Middle Stage when we carried out that exploration. I only reached the Late Stage recently, so I’m quite a bit stronger now.”

Haniala frowned slightly.

To her, the difference between the Middle and Late Stages of the Aura God Realm wasn’t particularly significant. More importantly, she and her companions knew very little about the twins’ group. Until the previous day, when Clasou had finally arranged the communication between the two parties, they hadn’t even known who had discovered the fortress. That said, they didn’t have the time to investigate Rean or his companions.

”So you were carried all the way there,” Haniala concluded. Looking directly at Rean, she continued, ”Little Friend Rean, perhaps you should reconsider joining us. Your leader will be more than sufficient. Anyone capable of protecting an Aura God so far inside the Godly Creatures’ Territories must possess extraordinary abilities.”

”That’s enough, Haniala,” Thery interrupted before she could continue. ”Our agreement specified that the original group would participate in the expedition. Besides, you shouldn’t underestimate Friend Rean. He is an ascender, and ascenders rarely reach their current level without accumulating an immense amount of experience.”

Haniala remained unconvinced, but she wisely decided not to argue any further.

Unfortunately for her, another surprise soon arrived.

Everyone turned toward the sky as a second airplane descended onto one of the nearby landing platforms. A familiar figure emerged from inside and immediately floated toward Rean.

”Oh, Rean!” Lukay exclaimed cheerfully. ”So you really did manage to break through. Going from fifty percent to seventy-five percent control over external energy should make a huge difference.”

”Hahaha!” Rean laughed in response. ”You’re right about that. I’ve already experienced the difference myself, and I’m looking forward to putting it to good use during this expedition.”

Haniala’s expression became even stranger.

An Aura God speaking so casually with a Late Stage Zone God already seemed odd enough. Even stranger was the fact that the latter appeared to be treating the former as an equal.

Before she could think about it any further, yet another airplane descended from the sky.

This one carried the reinforcements from the Besgol Region.

Rean’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw a familiar figure emerge from the aircraft.

”Senior Arcis?”

The demon bird nodded. Arcis, the Arctic Arcurio who had accompanied them during their first expedition to the other ruins, spread his wings slightly before folding them again. ”That’s right.”

Rean could immediately sense the difference. ”You’re already at the Middle Stage of the Law God Realm!”

Arcis laughed. ”Naturally. I had no intention of wasting the Godly Apex Crystal I received. Thanks to it, I finally managed to take another step forward.”

Rean tilted his head. ”Still, wouldn’t it be risky for Besgol to send one of its Law Gods so deep into the Godly Creatures’ Territories?”

”It can’t be helped,” Arcis replied. ”This expedition is far larger than the previous one. More cultivators mean a greater presence, and a greater presence means more Godly Creatures. Under those circumstances, sending stronger experts is only natural instead of more low-level ones.”

His enormous wings shifted slightly as he continued. ”Besides, your group has become extremely important to Besgol as a whole. Protecting all of you is now one of our highest priorities.”

Arcis then shrugged. ”There’s another reason as well. Thanks to your contributions, Besgol has gained two additional Law Gods. Even if something were to happen to me, the region would still have three others to maintain stability. That’s more than we’ve had in centuries.”

”I understand,” Rean replied. ”In that case, we’ll be relying on your strength again.”

Nearby, Thery exchanged glances with Haniala and Sison.

The three members of the Thousand-Script Race were completely baffled. They simply couldn’t understand how a single group of Aura Gods could have contributed to the birth of two new Law Gods.

Still, Thery quickly put those thoughts aside.

”It is reassuring to know that another Law God will be accompanying us,” he said. ”If necessary, I can also help protect Friend Rean. My airplane is exceptionally sturdy.”

”There won’t be any need for that,” Rean answered with a smile before turning back toward Arcis. ”By the way, Senior Arcis, who else is joining us?”

Arcis motioned toward the two experts standing behind him.

Rean immediately recognized the first. ”Senior Flugel!”

The old man snorted. ”Hmph! So you still remember me. That’s surprising, considering how often you refuse my invitations.”

Rean scratched the back of his head awkwardly. ”Sorry about that. I’ve been a little busy.”

”A little busy?” Flugel repeated. ”You practically disappeared! Every time I visited your residence, I was told that you were cultivating, working, exploring, or sleeping.”

Rean could only laugh helplessly. ”Well, things should be more interesting this time. I upgraded the airplane specifically for this expedition. I even created miniature cultivation arrays for the interior.”

Flugel’s eyes immediately brightened. ”Oh?”

”The efficiency is slightly lower than the original formations, but not by much.”

”Excellent,” Flugel declared. ”Then perhaps this journey won’t be a complete waste of time.”

As the Guild Master of the Arrays Guild, Flugel was naturally a Level Three Array Master. His cultivation had already reached the Middle Stage of the Zone God Realm, although everyone knew that his greatest strength lay in his knowledge rather than his combat abilities.

Rean then turned toward the final person. ”And who might this be?”

The young woman offered a slight nod. ”Kachia.”

Arcis smiled proudly. ”My daughter. I have several children, but she is the oldest among them. Obviously, she belongs to the Arctic Arcurio race, and she recently reached the Late Stage of the Zone God Realm.”

”Nice to meet you, Friend Kachia. Congratulations on your breakthrough.”

”Thanks. The pleasure is mine.”

A few moments later, Roan finally arrived alongside Kentucky and Celis.

Roan merely glanced at the gathering before asking, ”Are these all the participants?”

”They are,” Rean confirmed.

Roan nodded once. ”Good. Then let’s stop wasting time and leave.”

Haniala stared blankly at him.

She had met countless cultivators during her long life, but this was the first time she had seen someone completely ignore the presence of two Law Gods as though they were ordinary passersby.

For some reason, she had the feeling that this expedition would be far stranger than she had initially expected.