I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 689: Terror
Previously on I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality...
Varak remained frozen, but the eight crystalline eyes atop his canopy still replayed the events from mere moments ago.
His comrade.
The veteran officer who had personally shredded enemy armored beasts across three brutal border wars.
The instant he charged the 'bipedal anomaly,' everything had ceased to move. He was utterly paralyzed.
He couldn't possibly comprehend what had transpired. It appeared the opponent had employed nothing more than a single piercing gaze to bring all motion to a halt.
That officer remained suspended in mid-air, locked in his aggressive lunge, even the venom spewing from his tentacle tips frozen into static droplets.
Following the entrance of two colossal black figures, the 'statue' was unceremoniously removed, handled like mere cargo from a vast warehouse.
The entire procedure unfolded with such seamless, logical progression that Varak's tentacles began to feel numb.
Varak's gaze dropped. The silvery-gray hue at the extremities of his tentacles had not yet receded, and the intricate patterns etched upon his bark continued to quiver subtly—a clear physiological indication of profound unease.
At this precise juncture, a towering shadow halted directly before him.
It was a priest of the black giants.
The elongated form of the priest cast a partial obstruction over the dim, blue luminescence. The vertical, slit-like oral cavity situated at the center of its chest parted and closed slightly, emanating a deep, resonant vibration. Varak instinctively tilted his head upward, fixing all eight of his crystalline eyes upon the imposing figure.
“Proceed.”
The black giant priest articulated the command in the language of the Tentacle Tree people.
A retinue of black giants stood assembled behind him, resembling impenetrable city walls forged from darkness.
Particularly after personally experiencing the formidable combat prowess of these black giants, the sheer oppressive aura they projected far surpassed the fearsome might of warship artillery.
Having borne witness to the inexplicable temporal stasis experienced moments earlier, the Tentacle Trees harbored no inclination towards resistance. They obediently followed the black giant priest out of the confines of the laboratory. The corridor within was eerily silent.
A gentle, steady light emanated from the walls, devoid of any exposed energy conduits or apparent complex mechanical frameworks.
Yet, the very simplicity of the surroundings amplified Varak's growing unease.
This was due to his inability to decipher any aspect of it.
His tentacles, with an almost unconscious motion, grazed the wall's surface.
Instantly, the miniature sensors embedded within his wrist-mounted device sprang to life, registering a cacophony of data.
Unidentified minerals.
Unknown energy configurations.
Unrecognized stabilization fields…
An unrelenting stream of 'Unable to Analyze' notifications, rendered in stark red characters, scrolled relentlessly across the screen.
Varak's canopy, the upper part of his being, gradually constricted.
As they rounded a corner, Varak observed rows of black giants positioned on either flank.
An entire phalanx of these several-dozen-meter-tall beings stood sentinel, motionless as statues meticulously cast from obsidian steel.
Concurrently, the energy detector on his wrist began to emit urgent beeping sounds.
Beep.
Level Five.
Beep.
Level Five.
Beep.
Still Level Five.
One reading after another appeared, each confirming the same potent energy signature.
Varak's pace faltered involuntarily, the light within his crystalline eyes narrowing perceptibly.
Suddenly, another reading emerged, drastically different from the preceding ones.
【Exceeds Measurement Range】
The wrist device vibrated violently, its screen flashing erratically.
The characters blinked rapidly three times before settling on a single, glaring red line.
“Detection target exceeds current measurement limit.”
Varak's tentacles stiffened instantaneously. He slowly lifted his head, his gaze drawn towards the far end of the corridor.
The corridor appeared to debouch into a vast chamber, and standing sentinel at its threshold were two colossal black giants, each easily two hundred meters in height!
Sixth level!
Undoubtedly sixth level!
And beings of such immense power... were merely serving as guards in this location?!
A sudden, crushing weight settled upon Varak's canopy.
He recalled the initial reconnaissance report submitted by the fleet.
【Target Civilization: Primitive Level】
【Recommendation: Suitable for Conquest】
In what conceivable universe could this be considered primitive?
His tentacles commenced a light, uncontrolled trembling.
If more than two dozen fifth-level entities and several sixth-level beings were relegated to the status of mere corridor sentinels…
Then, what significance did those 'fierce engagements' they had endured in the void truly hold?
Looking back with this newfound clarity, Varak finally grasped the horrifying truth.
Their entire expeditionary fleet had, in essence, served as experimental subjects for the enigmatic master of this world.
At the corridor's conclusion, the black giant priest submitted a teleportation request to the sixth-level black giant guards stationed there.
Observing his own kin, several hundred meters tall, operating the immense display screen beside him, the black giant priest's thoughts wandered to other matters.
He mused that Master's palace and associated laboratories required further enlargement. He hadn't registered it during his approach, but now it seemed apparent that the utilization of solely fifth-level black giants due to the constricting corridor height was, in fact, undignified and detrimental to Master's prestige…
Moments later, the request received approval. The teleportation array situated within the hall shimmered, emitting a gentle, white luminescence.
Witnessing this spectacle, Varak halted his movement for an instant.
The black giants positioned behind him did not issue any prodding commands.
However, this profound silence felt infinitely more oppressive than any verbal urging could have been.
Finally, Varak took a deliberate step forward.
Buzz…
The very fabric of space began to distort.
In the subsequent second, the luminescence abruptly ceased.
Varak's gaze swept across the panorama before him, utterly transfixed.
The sulfurous sky that had previously dominated the horizon was conspicuously absent.
In its stead, a warm, faintly orange sun bathed the landscape.
A gentle wind rustled across the expansive plains.
In the distance, a river burbled, and vast expanses of yellow-green flora waved in the wind. "Spatial teleportation?!" Varak, fearing his voice might crack, could barely articulate this thought. He gingerly placed a foot on the nearby grass, just to confirm its reality. By all appearances, the environment wasn't a mere illusion. Yet, they had been indoors mere moments ago… He glanced back at his equally bewildered clan members. Experiencing that familiar spatial disorientation, there was no denying it – they had undeniably been teleported across space! Within the Tentacle Tree civilization, only the most formidable flagship-class warships possessed the immense power and energy reserves to execute such spatial transits, and the teleportation apparatus itself dwarfed the hall they had just occupied! This level of technology… "This is where you will reside for the foreseeable future," the voice of the massive black priest resonated from beside them. Varak’s gaze instinctively shifted to his wrist-mounted device. The environmental scanner began to fluctuate erratically, clearly struggling to obtain concrete data amidst the abrupt shift in surroundings. However, Varak had already deduced it. This must be another region within this world. Recalling the warship’s prior scan results, Varak cautiously turned his attention back to the imposing black priest. "My lord…" The tips of his tentacles curled into a gesture of deference. "The environment here… is not conducive to our race’s prolonged existence. Oxygen levels are insufficient, nitrogen is excessively high, and it lacks…" The priest remained silent. With a sudden motion, he reached out and tore away the life-support system attached to Varak's body. Snap! The device clattered to the ground. Varak and the other Tentacle Trees flinched violently at this abrupt action, their tentacles thrashing in panic, their crystalline eyes wide with terror. Deprived of the life-support system, in this atmosphere, he wouldn't last more than a few moments… Air flooded into his respiratory pores. It felt warm. It felt moist. It carried a peculiar, familiar scent that clouded his mind. His movements ceased. Just then, his wrist device finally updated its readings. The scan indicated exceedingly high oxygen concentration, minimal nitrogen content, and, most critically, the presence of 0.3% special aromatic hydrocarbons in the air. Varak’s eight crystalline eyes widened in unison. This specific ratio… It matched the atmospheric composition of the northern temperate zones of Harowen Prime during springtime precisely! The priest retracted his hand, his tone devoid of emotion: "The environmental conditions here have been altered. You no longer require life-support systems." Varak lowered his head, observing the shattered remnants of the life-support device on the ground, then slowly lifted it again to fixate on the sky above. At this very moment… Varak experienced a dread far profounder than when he had faced the phenomenon of time stoppage. Because while time stoppage was terrifying, it could at least be rationalized as "a type of ultra-high-tier weaponry." But this… The other party could actually recreate the spring air of their homeworld in an alien landscape. And they did so on a massive scale. This was no longer a mere disparity in strength; it represented a chasm in civilization levels! A gulf so immense that they could not even begin to fathom the other party's ultimate capabilities. Following the brief disarray, subsequent captives were systematically teleported over. Large numbers of Tentacle Trees emerged from the white light, stumbling unsteadily. Some still bore the terrified expressions from their capture. Others emitted short, sharp cries upon noticing their life-support systems had been removed. However, under Varak's steadying influence, they gradually regained their composure. A few younger Tentacle Trees even crouched down, using their tentacles to probe the soil for analysis. The results left them staring in stunned silence. "Trace elements within the soil…" "Identical to the agricultural regions on the homeworld…" "How is this possible?!" a young technician's voice trembled. Witnessing this, Varak let out a sigh beside him, forcing himself to remain calm. He was the fleet commander. Though the fleet's fate was sealed, he needed to maintain order, at the very least. "Everyone, fall into formation!" he commanded. "Assemble according to your original units. Logistics team, tend to the wounded. Technical officers, inventory equipment losses. Other units, divide into squads based on the fleet roster. One group will search for sustenance, the other will gather tools and materials. We must establish a camp before nightfall…" The familiar commands at last helped the crew regain some semblance of stability. At least… someone was still guiding them. Varak lowered his vibration frequency and added, "Remain vigilant." However… The instant his words concluded, the teleportation array flickered to life once more. The massive black priest had reappeared. All the Tentacle Trees instantly fell silent. Countless crystalline eyes turned towards him with apprehension. The priest wasted no time on preamble. He simply raised his hand. A flash of blue light ensued, and two machines materialized from the ether. One compact, one substantial, both featuring minimalist, almost unadorned designs, resembling two silver-white rectangular boxes.“These devices are classified as Type-3 biological reproduction units.”
The priest gestured towards the compact machinery, then pressed a groove on its surface.
A sweep of blue light emanated.
Buzz…
From seemingly nowhere, a pale green nutritional block materialized within the blue radiance.
“...These are capable of sustaining millions of individuals with nutritional supplies over extended periods,” the priest stated, his voice as placid as if he were describing common household furnishings.
Around him, however, the sound of countless sharp intakes of breath filled the air.
Millions.
From a device that fit in the palm of a hand?
This transcended mere technology; it was akin to a miracle!
Following this, the priest indicated another apparatus. “This is a matter printer.”
He placed his hand on a rune and then withdrew it.
The familiar blue light flickered. Within its glow, a holographic projection of a house simultaneously took shape.
When the blue light receded, the house remained, standing solid and tangible.
It was as if a mere image had been forcefully pulled into the real world.
An absolute hush descended upon the entire encampment.
Several thousand Tentacle Trees became unnervingly still, the light within their crystalline eyes flickering erratically.
Varak could even discern the peculiar, rapid leaking sounds of breath escaping from the pores of individuals in a state of extreme shock.
The priest calmly elaborated, “Operating both of these machines is remarkably straightforward. Simply press and hold the activation switch while visualizing your desire. They will interpret your spiritual fluctuations to generate the corresponding sustenance or tools.”
Amidst the stunned Tentacle Trees, Varak was the first to regain his composure. Observing his colleagues’ eager yet hesitant demeanor, he slowly advanced.
Emulating the previous actions of the imposing dark priest, he extended a tentacle and made contact with the rune.
The initial image that sprang to his mind was a steaming bowl of soup.
It was the seasonal soup his home planet’s northern temperate regions prepared during the spring.
His mother had made it annually when he was younger.
Since the commencement of the expedition, he had not savored its taste in a considerable time.
Buzz.
A flash of light occurred.
A bowl of warm soup materialized.
It was a shallow, hexagonal bowl containing a pale orange broth, with three slender mushroom slices floating within.
Steam gently rose from its surface.
With a sense of profound disbelief, Varak slowly lifted the bowl and inhaled its aroma.
Then, his tentacles began to quiver uncontrollably.
The scent, the flavor – it was precisely as etched in his memories.
In this moment, his comprehension became complete.
What they were confronting was not merely a “higher civilization.”
It was an entity that had fundamentally surpassed their entire theoretical framework!
Matter manipulation on this scale.
Environmental replication.
The power to halt time.
And these capabilities… were presented as mere everyday conveniences to captives on the other side.
A sudden realization struck Varak.
When their fleet initially entered this plane, they had detected no orbital defense systems, leading them to believe the location was entirely unguarded.
But now, he understood.
It wasn’t that defenses were absent; it was that the opposing party had simply made no effort to conceal them.
Or more accurately…
Whatever they could detect had always been precisely what the other party permitted them to perceive.
Then.
Varak’s thoughts abruptly turned to his home world.
His bark instantly tightened with dread.
The flagship’s database contained everything – the world’s coordinates and Harowen’s location.
And that bipedal entity had already accessed the entire database.
Varak lowered his head, gazing at his own tentacles.
Their silver-gray hue was swiftly draining, transitioning to white from the extremities inward.
This was his race’s most fundamental fear response, a biological signal indicating the onset of an extreme survival mode.
Behind him.
His young adjutant clutched the printed food, cautiously sniffing it, a glimmer of relief from the ordeal reflected even in his crystalline eyes. Adjacent to him, the elderly logistics officer trembled as he gently stroked the printer’s casing.
Pale green sap began to slowly trickle down the officer’s bark – a physiological manifestation of intense shock.
Varak slowly retracted his tentacles and lifted his head.
The sun still cast its warmth upon the plains, the wind rustled through the river valley, and the air carried the familiar scent of home.
Yet, within this familiar setting, an icy chill permeated his entire being.
He finally grasped the grim truth.
He had personally delivered the pathway to their homeworld into the hands of a monstrous civilization whose power was immeasurable!
Varak silently lowered his canopy, emitting a faint, barely perceptible vibration:
“It is finished…”
“All of it is finished!”