Chương 286: Chapter 282 - Jurassic Valley (XXXIX)

I exhale. Even with the optimised pattern, it still took much longer than expected. 22 hours. Nearly a full day to steadily channel the EM energy from the Pillar and construct the mental subnodes. But it's done. After nearly a month since reaching the first, I've achieved it. The Second Pillar State. I send my pulses outward and immediately feel the stark difference. They're more nuanced than before. The maximum frequency and amplitude I can output have significantly increased.

And my control— I levitate my blades and focus on them. Using just my pulses, I guide them. I thrust with one, slash with the other. I merge one movement into the next. So this is what it feels like, huh. With this EM output, I should've already reached—no, surpassed —that of the three-tailed Xok'al. I stand up. My awareness of the surroundings has increased. My mental clarity is sharper. I activate Full Overdrive, and just as expected, my rational side still predominates over my instincts. Dual Overdrive.

The world sharpens. My pulses heighten. Smells assault my nostrils. And yet… I can think. I can think clearly. I observe my hands—the veins, the pores, the steady vibration of my pulse. I send out my waves and bring the blades to my grip. I direct pulses through them and practice my stances, synced with each breath. After several seconds, I stop and deactivate Dual Overdrive. I see … being in Dual Overdrive now feels like Full Overdrive once did. Perhaps even less. It no longer clouds my rationality. Interesting.

I reckon around 9-10 days have passed since I got trapped here. By now, I'm undoubtedly considered dead. How would Imani and Arjun have taken it? Hopefully, the others are on the opposite side of this stage with the Azcoyatl. If so, news shouldn't reach them anytime soon. Hopefully… If Ayu were to get the news— A tight pressure clamped down on my chest… I shake my head. Alright. Let's focus on what I can do now. The main exit I have leads directly into a Xok'al nest.

I know typical nests are guarded by several three-tailed Xok'al—and… they know I'm here. Plus, the door makes quite the noise when opened. So no stealthy exit. If I want to go out that way, I need to be confident enough in dealing with and escaping from multiple three-tailed Xok'al… which I'm not. The other option is returning to the underground water reserve. There are two other underground rivers wide enough for me to get through. But… yeah, no. Too much uncertainty.

And absolutely not an experience I want to repeat. Which means the most viable path out is… To perfect the Xayen mind-node to capacitor-node technique. Only two damn nodes left to complete the full pattern and reach the multinodal output stage. With that—coupled with the Second Pillar State—I do feel mostly confident in escaping the nest and reaching the Ajnal outpost. Yeah… let's get to it.

I cook some more Xok'al meat and take a quick nap to calm my mind, letting the mental strain from the 22 hours of reaching the Second Pillar State fade. Slow and steady, and— BAM! What the fuck!? I shoot upright and magnetize the blades to my hands. That sound. It came from the door. Are the Xok'al trying to break through again? But— BAM! BAM! The ground beneath me vibrates. I dash out of the chamber and stare at the metallic door at the end of the corridor. It's dented. It's caving in.

How the hell are the Xok'al that strong!? It doesn't make— Unless… I don't hesitate a moment longer. I turn on my heels and activate Full Overdrive. More bangs echo behind me—louder, faster. I leap into the pipe I came from and crawl as fast as I can, diving straight into the underground water lake. It's dark—pitch black—but I know the layout now. I dive downward and reach one of the other rivers—the one I think leads further south… probably. I start swimming toward it.

The flow's against me now, but I'm in a much better position than last time. I have my highly conductive blades and a far stronger EM output. I combine the propelling force from my magnetised blades with each push of my legs, gradually gaining speed as I move through the narrow gap, keeping my body as straight as possible to reduce drag. I still sense them—the faintest vibrations, echoing through the stone. Barely there… but still present. Good. That meant the door was still holding.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. And like that, I press on. Faster. Further. I keep pushing against the current, weaving through the narrow tunnel with all the momentum I can muster. My speed builds with each controlled burst of EM force, each kick timed precisely. Eventually, I reach a stable maximum—where my propulsive force balances the drag, and I maintain a constant velocity. And like that… I keep going. Breath held, mind focused, darkness all around…

hoping whatever is breaking through that door never reaches me. Imani set his hammer down with a heavy clank. Sweat poured down his brow, stinging his eyes, the heat from the forge behind him rolling in waves thick enough to choke. The air smelled of scorched metal, dust, and sweat. It had already been over a week since he arrived at this base, after a long, solitary trek across the barren lands of the North. He had been lucky.

Only a couple of stray two-tailed Xok'al and a handful of wild beasts had crossed his path. Nothing he couldn't handle. But from the moment he stepped foot inside this outpost, he knew—this wasn't like the one he'd left behind. It was massive. Not just in size, but in presence. The structure was shaped like a squat, metallic pyramid, anchored into the bones of a mountain.

Its surfaces were smooth—blackened steel laced with faint copper veins, etched with old glyphs and typical Ajnal markings that shimmered faintly under the shifting light. The outer walls were immensely thick, angled with precise intent. Stairs rose sharply along the edges, and sentries moved in disciplined silence across the upper platforms, their dark silhouettes outlined against the cold, pale sky of the North. Inside, the complex extended deep into the mountain.

Wide corridors descended with measured symmetry, the walls polished smooth and engraved with geometric inlays. The architecture was strict, almost mathematical. The tunnels coiled downward in an organised maze, each segment meticulously maintained. Every section was lit by crystal-lined conductive fixtures embedded in the walls, casting a dim, amber glow. The lower levels opened into vast mining shafts—still operational, echoing with the rhythmic ring of pickaxes.

Every tool, every corridor, every surface bore signs of constant use and disciplined upkeep. This wasn't just a base. It was a self-sustaining fortress. And here, Imani had slowly begun to settle in. Upon arrival, he had simply shown the token Noh had given him—someone Imani had later learned was none other than the legendary General Noh, one of the powerhouses of the Ajnal civilization and the head commander of the entire Eastern front. A man said to be capable of single-handedly defeating commander-level Xok'al.

But that only made Imani question things more deeply. Why had Noh been there? Why had one of the strongest entities in the entire stage appeared at that exact moment to save him? Was it just luck—or was it conveniently arranged by The Tower? After presenting the token, he had been welcomed openly. More than that—he had been apprenticed to a Grand Smith. A Grand Smith. A title of great prestige in the Ajnal empire—second only to the generals and the emperor.

These were people who had reached the realm of the Aj K'inil —translated in the Ajnal tongue as Bearers of the Sun —the stage that came after the Lord of Sparks. And there wasn't just one of them in this fortress. The commander, the vice commander, even some of the captains—each had reached that realm. They were beings capable of holding their ground against multiple three-tailed Xok'al at once—or joining forces to resist the four-tailed commanders.

In this fortress, Stone Jaguars were basically just miners—because the average squad member here was already at the Lord of Sparks stage. And the reason was obvious. This fortress stood directly on the border between Ajnal territory and the Xok'al region. The so-called Dead Zone. Which made Imani question how the hell he had made it here unscathed, when this region was said to be crawling with three-tailed Xok'al—entire squads of them. He still wasn't sure if he'd been lucky or unlucky. But either way, here he was.

He had even been granted guidance toward reaching the Lord of Sparks stage—a refined technique that involved a precise, intricate connection between mental nodes and capacitor nodes. He'd made steady progress with it, but it would still take more time. On the other hand, he had actively pursued advancement to the next Body State—one he felt was close now, and that somehow came more naturally to him than things involving too much thought or calculation. Maybe a week. Two at most. Then he'd break through.

Imani held the blade he'd been hammering and set it aside to cool, the smoke hissing as it curled upward into the air. He still couldn't be considered an official smith—not until he became a Lord of Sparks—but he'd been given the privileges of one. Possibly even more than that, thanks to his 'connection' with General Noh. He understood the way people looked at him. Noh wasn't just respected here— he was revered.

One of only two Generals in the entire Ajnal civilization, and the youngest in history to ever reach that stage. The greatest prodigy the empire had ever known. Yeah… the guy certainly had quite the background. Imani mused as he continued forging. It made up most of his daily routine, alongside a few free hours spent training along the Body Path, since he wasn't allowed to leave the fortress until he reached the Lord of Sparks stage. Just as he raised the hammer for the next strike, he felt a targeted pulse."

Come see me." Imani didn't delay. He set everything on hold, shut off the forge's heat, and left the workshop. He made his way through the narrow corridors until he reached a particular metallic door—one that slid open automatically as he approached. He stepped inside and offered a slight bow, performing the traditional Ajnal salute.

"Mentor." The elder nodded. His face was lined with age, but his body was far bulkier than it appeared at first glance. He wore thick metal armour etched with intricate carvings.

"We have received a message from the capital," he began.

"An emissary from the Azcoyatl will be arriving in three days." The Azcoyatl? Imani knew the name well. The other great civilisation sharing this stage with the Ajnal. Once rivals—now uneasy allies, ever since the arrival of the Xok'al had forced both powers to join hands. But what did that have to do with him?

"And… the emissary has requested a meeting with all outsiders who have joined our empire recently." What!? Why would they — unless… Imani's heart skipped a beat.

"Since the summit aligns with our strategic needs—particularly regarding the newly discovered High Nests in the southeast—we have agreed to the request. You will depart for the capital, Ka'tumal, at dawn tomorrow." The request to see outsiders… it had to be. It had to be them. His pulse quickened.

"Understood. I will do as instructed," Imani said, steadying his voice.

"Captain Yaxuun and his squad will escort you to the Broken Crest outpost. From there, a detachment from the capital will guide you the rest of the way," the elder said, holding his gaze a moment longer.

"If there is nothing else, you are dismissed." Imani nodded and left, the door sliding shut behind him. He was 99 % sure—it had to be Lukas, Chiara, Ayu, Wang, and the others. As he and Alonso had speculated before, they had likely been split between the two major civilizations: the Ajnal and the Azcoyatl. How they had managed to convince an emissary to issue such a request was beyond him, but somehow they had. And that was good… mostly. There was one thing that loomed over everything else.

One thing he dreaded more than anything. How was he supposed to tell them—that Alonso had died? How… how was he supposed to tell Ayu? Imani exhaled sharply, shoulders tense. His footsteps echoed through the stone corridors, each one heavier than the last. The path now felt that much darker. Tighter. Oppressive. Eventually, he found his shared room, unfastened his armour piece by piece, and tossed it to the side without ceremony. He dropped onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling for a long second. Dammit.