As the molten sea swallowed his entire body, a large dome emerged on its surface. From the dome, the head and shoulders of an individual formed from molten magma about 60 meters tall appeared to be standing on the sea of the molten magma before diving back in, his body melding with the fiery liquid around him.
He guided the momentum of the magma, directing it around the region of the barrier. Meanwhile, Aegis of the Arctic Deity's barrier continued to push outward towards the direction of the mountains.
In terms of total annihilation, it was a breathtaking sight. And in terms of power, it further solidified their positions as the Stronghold Leaders and the reason they were chosen for that role.
"We don't need to worry about the river; Queen Selene has already provided a way to draw streams of water from the ground. So, we sealed the river from the inside and continued with its production from there!" Stronghold Leader Seth's voice resounded in the air.
Orion maintained a composed expression when asked, "Is it the same method used to replace Fifi's position back in the Village?" He inwardly exhaled in relief, having nearly forgotten about their water source amidst the various matters he had to handle.
Fortunately, he had capable individuals around him to fix any issues and ensure the plan went smoothly.
Stronghold Leader Seth nodded. "Yes, but on a much larger scale," he replied.
Although the ordinary denizens of Orion's Cities still needed to fetch water from wells to avoid sickness, a running stream was essential due to the large population.
Orion acknowledged with a nod. "I'll go look at it later," he said.
Stronghold Leader Seth nodded. "One more thing," he added quickly, "while you are away, the Four-eared elves have been a nuisance to the Orion's Cities, even going as far as destroying a portion of a district close to their own."
Orion's expression swiftly turned serious. "What happened?" he asked.
Stronghold Leader Seth recounted everything that had transpired during Orion's absence.
The Village Chief glanced down at the two of them within his claws and exhaled inwardly. He had already spoken with Patriarch Rylan and decided on their punishment. However, considering the severity of their actions, Orion also needed to be present during their meeting to contribute to the decision on their punishment.
After Stronghold Leader Seth finished his explanation, Orion nodded in understanding. The god's chosens had mistakenly encountered Captain Seig and his lieutenant, leading to a confrontation between them and the village warriors.
Fortunately, Fifi had been passing through their district and intervened, defeating them effortlessly. Though they had already repaired the area, the Village Chief had postponed their punishment until his return.
"I understand. I will make arrangements to see Patriarch Rylan after this. After all, it would be detrimental if they were not punished for their actions; that would lead others to emulate them and begin to disobey the rules," Orion responded, a serious glint passing through his eyes.
Hearing Orion's response, Stronghold Leader Seth nodded and smiled inwardly. He had wanted to see how Orion would handle the issue, and fortunately, he found his response appropriate.
If Orion became the Village Chief with such character, he would gladly continue to maintain their current relationship.
....…
Second Border City
Seig was engrossed in his training in the backyard of his new home when he suddenly halted, his attention drawn to the sky, his expression turning grim.
"Is anything wrong, Captain?" Evadne asked, furrowing her brows. She observed Seig's expression change and realized that something was awry.
"There's something in the air... Vylkr energy. Can't you sense it, too?" Seig replied. He shut his eyes and swiftly activated his devourer's bracelet.
Seig's senses sharpened as he felt the pulse of his devourer's heart synchronizing with his own, enabling him to detect the Vylkr energy emanating from beyond the outer walls of the Third Border City.
He instantly leapt upwards and landed on the roof of his building. Squinting into the distance, he discerned vast billows of smoke ascending into the clouds, accompanied by various strands of inky Vylkr energy spiralling upward.
From below, a furrow formed on Evadne's brow as she heard Seig's words. She concentrated her senses and immediately detected the strange Vylkr energy disturbance in the distance. Observing the billows of smoke rising far away, she activated her devourer's bracelets to heighten her senses further.
The distant view clarified before her eyes, revealing the various strands of Vylkr energy rising amidst the smoke.
Evadne leapt into the air and landed on the roof of their building. "Captain, should we inform them?" she asked, surveying her surroundings and noticing the warriors vigilantly observing them from their concealed positions.
"No, it's too late to warn them now. Besides, it seems they're prepared for whatever is about to occur," Seig responded, shaking his head in disagreement.
"But..." Evadne began, but Seig swiftly interrupted. "I know. You think you're the only one worried here. Besides the commotion this will cause, as I've said before, they might already have a way to deal with this if something does happen, so we have nothing to worry about."
From the looks of it, the warriors here could protect their vast territory by preventing the Vylkr vines from passing through, using some unknown method, so Seig was confident they didn't need to worry about anything.
"But why didn't the Four-eared elves try to warn them about this and stop them from going through with it?" Evadne asked, furrowing her brows in confusion.
"Maybe, as we've surmised, the Four-eared elves lack a stable relationship with them. They may have leveraged their years of trade to secure a foothold for their race here, implying they were unaware of this until now, much like us, or were not given the opportunity to speak. So they couldn't intervene. Nevertheless, the leaders of this territory don't appear too impulsive to remain ignorant. , so I'm inclined to believe the former," Seig responded solemnly.
"Nevertheless, considering that they are a secluded race capable of surviving on their own, I think it's best they learn about one of the unspoken rules all races have to abide by."
