Chương 54: Book 2 - Fantasy World

Fantasy World - Book Two of Eternal Spark Synopsis: The Integration has begun. After the fusion of World 43 and World 31, Joe finds himself on a brand new battlefield, one brimming with danger, opportunity, and unimaginable challenges. But fate isn't done with him yet. A second destined soul enters his life, threatening to upend everything he thought he understood about purpose, loyalty, and legacy.

As the clock ticks down, Joe must navigate the ruthless challenges of the Integration, racing to earn enough points to propel his world into the top ten of the Multiversal Leaderboard. Enemies evolve. Alliances shift. And the cost of failure is annihilation. The road to greatness isn't walked… It's paved in blood.

"Any news?"

"None. He is growing restless." Geldred shook his head. Time was running out. It had been three years since the integration began, and at the very first hurdle, two of the 'Specimens' had vanished from within their Bloodline gates. One had died outright. The other, Geldred later discovered, had ended up on a failed world.

"Wait, we're receiving data now. There is an energy surge on World Ranked thirty-one. Awaiting more details." Geldred shot to his feet and rushed to the console. His fingers flew across the interface until he pulled up the screen he'd been obsessing over: the Specimen List.

Specimen: 01 - Female Level 144 Specimen: 02 - Male Level 142 Specimen: 03 - Prime Male Level 155 Specimen: 04 - Male Level 150 Specimen: 05 - Female Level 161 Specimen: 06 - Male (Missing) unknown Specimen: 07 - Male (Deceased) Geldred stared at the screen, heart pounding. It had to mean something. He closed his eyes and whispered a silent prayer to his God. The screen blinked. His eyes snapped open, and there it was. The second-to-last line shifted. A new reading. A confirmation. Geldred smiled.

__ Joe blinked as the teleportation ended and he found himself in a pitch-black room. Thanks to his training with Space Jump, it took him only a moment to orient himself. He scanned his surroundings, only to immediately lock onto the iron bars dividing the space into two distinct sections. One side was empty, save for a single door set into the far wall. The other side, his side, was not empty. Veda stirred on his shoulder as Joe's gaze drifted to the figure slumped nearby.

He wasn't quite sure what he was looking at. It was a small, green-skinned humanoid, bald, with a pair of curved, filth-covered horns jutting from its temples. Chains were wrapped tightly around the figure's rag-covered body, and a thick jet-black spike pierced through one of its legs, pinning it to the floor. But what caught Joe's attention more than any of that were the eyes. Two piercing purple eyes stared up at him, burning, not with fear, but with rage.

"I don't think she likes you," Veda said into his mind. It had been a while since Veda had used their mental link, and the sudden voice in his head caught him off guard.

"She?" Joe replied.

"How can you tell?" Veda's tail gave him a light flick.

"Right. Dumb question." He turned his attention from the chained green woman and surveyed the room again. Something felt wrong. Heavy. There was a pressure in the air, as if something unseen was weighing down on him. He tried to summon his quarterstaff from his storage ring… nothing.

"I can't access my ring," Joe said.

"Skills are locked. We're inside some kind of suppression array," Veda replied calmly.

"What? So, is this a jail cell?" Joe glanced at the woman. She coughed quietly, the sound muffled by a piece of wood strapped across her Mouth like a gag. Her chains clinked as she shifted away from him, the movement defensive. Joe crouched, but she flinched back, her restraints groaning under the tension.

"What are you doing? Leave her be. We need to focus on getting out of here," Veda said. Joe stood and approached the bars, reaching out to test them. Solid. He pulled, muscles flexing, but they didn't move an inch.

"Hmm," he muttered. He tried again, this time focusing on planting a seed beneath the bars. Nothing. Not even a twitch of response. He paced for a moment, thinking.

"Try jumping," Veda offered. Joe glanced at the salamander on his shoulder, then over a spot beyond the bars. With a breath, he activated Space Jump. He vanished and reappeared cleanly on the other side.

"How did that work?" he muttered, feeling the oppressive pressure lift instantly. He tested his storage ring. It responded. He had full access once more.

"Space skills follow different rules," Veda replied.

"They're much harder to block."

"Good to know." System Message You have been given a new quest! Save the Cheerleader, Save the World. Reward - Fated Encounter Joe blinked at the new quest notification. No description. No timer. Just… that. He turned toward the chained woman. She hadn't looked away from him once. The blazing anger in her eyes had faded, replaced with something else… something he couldn't quite place.

"I think we should help her," Joe said as he pulled Jingu Bang from his ring.

"No," Veda said flatly.

"She's here for a reason. We should find the others." Joe flinched as the woman shifted, and he caught a clear glimpse of her leg. It was blackened, swollen, and on the verge of falling off. His stomach twisted. Why was Veda so adamant about leaving her?

"She might be useful," Joe reasoned.

"For information, if nothing else." He stared into her purple eyes again. There was something there. Not desperation. Not fear. Something deeper. Something… oddly familiar, like he had seen those eyes somewhere before. Veda lightly nuzzled at his neck.

"Fine, do whatever. But be quick about it. I sense movement nearby. I think they know we're here." Joe nodded, closing his eyes to focus. He reached out with his senses. Auras, multiple, above them. Hard to read clearly from underground, but they were moving. Coming. He opened his eyes and tightened his grip on his staff. Then, without another word, he swung. __ Corel winced and shut her eyes as the bars around her exploded under the man's strike. The blast rang through the chamber like a thunderclap.

Was he insane? Who made that much noise in a place like this? Had no one taught him how to be stealthy? Footsteps approached. She peeked through slitted eyes and saw him, this human, kneeling beside her, pulling at her chains. He mumbled something in that strange human tongue she'd only heard a few times. Or was he talking to that odd creature on his shoulder? She couldn't tell. Her mind was fogged with pain and exhaustion. The chains fell away one by one. By the time he removed the last, her body gave out.

She collapsed. But he caught her. Strong arms wrapped around her, lifting her gently out of the array. She heard a soft splash of water before the cool liquid touched her lips. He tilted it carefully, letting her drink. A moment later, something surged into her. Energy. Warm, pulsing, familiar. A skill. He was healing her. Her eyes fluttered as her body began to respond. She recognized that energy. It was the same kind her own profession used.

She would've used Identify, but the damn spike was still lodged in her leg. Pain hit her again. Her stomach churned, and she coughed violently. Throwing up blood as the healing pushed through her failing body. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Then, everything went dark. She passed out in his arms. __ Joe gently pulled the unconscious woman up onto his back. She was little more than skin and bones. Malnourished, barely clinging to life.

Thankfully, his healing touch was passive, so she continued to heal slowly as Veda's tail wrapped around them both, securing the limp figure as best as she could.

"She's in rough shape," Veda muttered. Joe nodded grimly. It was probably a blessing she'd passed out. Things were about to get complicated. As Joe stood upright, two large, green-skinned, horned men burst into the room. They bellowed something in a guttural language, weapons already drawn. Joe's translation skill kicked in halfway through their shouting.

"Who are you? Human! Put the prisoner back!" the larger of the two barked, brandishing a heavy sword. Joe raised his hands slowly in mock surrender.

"Now, now, fellas. Let's talk this through. It's just a misunderstanding." The two green-skinned brutes exchanged a wary glance.

"You speak our language, human?" the second one asked. Joe smiled and used Identify. Natural Identify: Vark Geld (Grade E), Voldura - 102, Bloodline - None. Luuk Roth (Grade E), Voldura - 103, Bloodline - None. Voldura and Joe noted both were over level one hundred, which was unexpected. Also… no Class data? His Identify had changed again.

"I do," he replied casually. But before he could say more, Vark stepped forward with a growl.

"Put the prisoner down, Human, or I will kill you where you stand!" Joe sighed.

"Joseph," Veda said calmly, "more are gathering. We need to leave. Now."

"Yeah, I figured," Joe muttered. He shifted his stance. There was never going to be a peaceful way out of this.

"Sorry, fellas. Change of plan. I'm leaving now." In the blink of an eye, Joe surged forward. His sudden burst of speed caught them completely off guard. He moved like a blur between them, two sharp, snapping strikes to the chin and temple, and both Voldura crumpled to the ground, unconscious before they hit the floor. Joe winced; he had expected them to be a little bit stronger than they clearly were.

"Faster," Veda urged, her voice sharp with urgency. Joe dashed out of the cell room and up the first flight of stairs he spotted. Reaching the top, he burst through a door, only to find himself face-to-face with seven more Voldura, all with weapons drawn, waiting for him. Shouts filled the air, but Joe didn't even pause. A quick scan told him none were over level 105. That was all he needed to know. They shouted at him to halt, but Jingu Bang was already spinning in his hands.

Five seconds later, the room was still. Seven Voldura lay unconscious, scattered like broken dolls across the walls and floor. The woman on his back grunted at the rough movement but didn't wake. Joe stepped outside and froze. He was in the centre of what looked like a military outpost. Two buildings stood nearby, which, judging from their size and shape, he assumed were barracks of some kind. Everything else was open ground surrounded by a fortified wall.

Dozens of towers lined the perimeter, and every single one had Voldura stationed at the top. The outpost was crawling with them. He did a quick mental count.

"At least one hundred and fifty," Veda said, beating him to it.

"Er… this is bad, right?" Joe muttered.

"Really? Whatever made you think that?" Veda replied with dry sarcasm.

"Shit," he muttered, weighing his options.

"Should I just jump and run?"

"Only if you want your passenger to throw up all over you. You should also remove that blocking spike in her leg before you continue." Joe glanced at the spike protruding from the woman's leg. The flesh around it was swollen and bruised.

"Got it," he whispered, crouching. He gripped the spike and began to pull.

"Stop, Human!" a thunderous voice rang out. Joe looked up to see a massive Voldura shouting down from one of the walls.

"Release her now and leave this place!" Joe didn't stop. The spike finally came free with a wet 'shlick' and hit the ground with a heavy thud. That, apparently, was the wrong move. Every Voldura in sight sprang into motion, charging toward him with explosive speed. He was ready. With only a flex of his muscles, Nature's Barding flared into existence, wrapping around him, Veda, and the unconscious Voldura girl. Jingu Bang hummed in his hands as Joe launched forward, faster than any of the Voldura could react to.

Only now did some more seasoned soldiers around him realize this was no ordinary human. He was fast… too fast. And if they didn't respond to his actions correctly, there would be trouble ahead. Joe's mana surged as he activated Aura Shout. A wave of raw power erupted from him, blasting every Voldura within ten metres off their feet. Closer foes were launched outright, several smacked into walls or tumbled across the courtyard. Those farther away didn't fare much better.

The shockwave ruptured eardrums, knocking dozens unconscious as his Aura carved through the compound. Joe leapt into the air and slammed down onto the top of the wall. Two guards charged him instantly. He ducked under the first, twisted, and launched a sharp kick into the second. Bone cracked under the strike. Joe winced; he'd hit too hard. He was trying not to kill anyone. He jumped again as a hail of arrows and projectiles flew toward him. Jingu Bang spun in a blur, swatting the sharpest threats out of the air.

Joe landed lightly, feet barely touching the stone, then dashed along the wall and launched himself beyond the outpost. Twelve Voldura gave chase.

"Persistent bastards," Joe muttered as he sprinted toward the treeline. A sudden whoosh, then a boulder crashed down in front of him. Joe skidded into a slide, tucking and rolling right to avoid the impact. Before he could stand, three Voldura pounced from the flank. He spun, swinging Jingu Bang, two went flying. The third grabbed onto him with a triumphant snarl.

"I have you no…" Joe slammed his forehead into the Voldura's nose. The warrior reeled back, howling in pain, blood streaming from his shattered face. Joe bolted again, finally reaching the forest's edge. As he moved between the trees, he pulled up his mini-map and tried to zoom out, searching for any familiar areas. Nothing. Just a clouded-over screen, with only what was directly around him visible. It was all gone.

The planetary fusion had wiped everything, an entire year of mapping, progress, and reference points. Joe had absolutely no idea where he was.

"Fuck," he cursed as he ran through this strange forest, with close to fifty Voldura in pursuit. __ Veda stared at the unconscious Voldura nestled beside her, both of them wrapped securely inside Joe's wooden barding. With nothing else to focus on, her gaze lingered on the girl's taut, malnourished face. She looked barely alive, starved and fragile. She must've been trapped in that wretched cell for a long time. Veda found herself torn. She felt pity, genuine pity, for the girl.

But underneath that was something deeper, something darker. Fear. A quiet, primal kind of fear that curled in her gut and refused to fade. This Voldura wasn't dangerous in the usual sense. She didn't pose a physical threat to Joe or herself. No… this was something far worse. This girl's presence was a catalyst, a shift. Veda could feel it like pressure in the air. This was someone who would change everything. And that terrified her more than she cared to admit.

__ Corel's eyes fluttered open as a jolt of pain ran through her from the constant movement. She groaned. Where was she? What was happening? She tried to move, but something held her tightly in place. Warm and oddly comforting wood encased her like a cocoon. She stopped struggling and let her eyes adjust to the dim surroundings. Two tiny red eyes peered back at her. For a heartbeat, panic surged. Was she in some predator's den? Was this the end? Then she remembered. The man. The strange creature on his shoulder.

The cell. The rescue. The red eyes held no malice. Only… curiosity and a tiny bit of anger. But she was unsure if that anger was directed at her. She breathed in deeply. Strong and steady healing energy pulsed through her. It soothed her wounds, dulled the agony in her leg, and repaired her fragile organs. Then it clicked, she was being carried. The man was still moving, running, jumping, fighting?

It was hard to understand what was happening outside the cocoon, but she could feel him, his warmth, his strength, and the rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her. He smelled… nice. Safe. She relaxed against his back and, for the first time in weeks, let herself fall into a peaceful slumber. __ Joe felt the Voldura stir on his back, but he had no time to check on her. A flurry of attacks rained down from above the treetops, forcing him to weave and duck through the forest at full speed.

He had shaken most of his pursuers, but a few persistent ones had vehicles, and now they were firing down at him from above. He was getting pissed off. Who was this prisoner? Why were they so hellbent on recapturing her? A princess? A political pawn? A trophy? He had no idea. But what gnawed at him most was the state they'd kept her in. It was beyond cruel. Inhumane. He jumped, twisting midair as he unleashed a Mana Wave. It soared up and struck one of the flying vessels dead on.

The machine sputtered and spiralled before crashing into the forest behind him, exploding on impact. He didn't care anymore. The time for restraint had passed. He hated being hunted. Images of three pitch-black dogs flickered in his mind. Rage surged up so violently, but he repressed it, pushing down his inner demons. No more. He locked onto the next vessel and launched another attack, this one even more brutal. He didn't wait to see the result. He was done playing nice.

__ The final vessel pursuing Corel lay in a smouldering heap, shattered and burning in the eastern forests near Camp Valro. The human had been stronger than anything they'd expected. Unbelievably strong. Gorfos stood near the wreckage, fists clenched. Anger and dread warred in his chest. He had failed. And failure under Pathfinder… meant death. With shaking hands, Gorfos pulled out his communication device and gave his last report. His voice didn't tremble. He didn't beg. He knew there would be no forgiveness.

He ended the transmission, tossed the device aside, and waited. __ Joe stood at the helm of his flying boat as it glided effortlessly over the treetops. With no more pursuers in sight, he deactivated Nature's Barding.

"That's better," Veda said, stretching as she shifted to his back.

"It was quite cramped in there." Joe placed a hand gently on one of the arms wrapped tightly around him. The Voldura's grip was firm, surprisingly so, which was a good sign to him. She was still holding on. Still alive. She weighed next to nothing, though. His instincts kicked in.

"She needs food," he muttered. The urge to cook stirred in his chest.

"She's asleep," Veda replied quietly. Joe turned his gaze outward and, for the first time, took in the full scope of this new world. A vast forest stretched endlessly in every direction, thick with towering trees cloaked in shimmering purple leaves. The sky above was tinted violet, casting a surreal glow across the canopy. In the distance, two enormous mountains pierced the horizon, and Joe angled the boat toward the closer of the two.

Birds chirped and danced through the treetops, some trying to keep up with the boat before falling away. Joe smiled at the sight. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen birds, not real ones. Since the arrival of the system, wildlife has become a rare thing. But now… they were everywhere. He breathed in deeply, the air was rich with unfamiliar scents, lavender, cherries, something like plums. After more than thirty days trapped in that sterile white system room, the wild smells of the world hit him like balm.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and smiled. He was back in nature. Where he belonged.