Chapter 817

【 SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST 】

“The Primordial Barrier? What’s that?”

Eve’s heart stirred slightly.

Upon hearing that word, she instinctively sensed a certain tremor inside her, something seemingly rooted deep within the soul of the World Tree.

“The Primordial Barrier…”

The Seventh Demon Lord, Azazel, parted his lips, yet an expression of confusion gradually appeared on his face.

“That’s right… But what exactly is the Primordial Barrier?”

He muttered to himself, his eyes wide with bewilderment.

Scratching his flaming head, Azazel spoke awkwardly.

“I… I’m sorry… Your Majesty, um, I… I don’t think I can remember.”

Evé: “…”

Can’t remember?

Can a Mythical being actually lose its memories?

At that moment, countless sarcastic remarks flashed through her mind. For an instant, she even wondered whether Azazel was deliberately treating her like a fool. But seeing Azazel’s confused and bewildered expression, Evé quickly calmed down.

No…

Advertisement

This was not simple forgetfulness and Azazel was most likely telling the truth.

Besides, he had no reason to lie.

If that was the case… then this so-called “forgetfulness” became rather intriguing.

Eve’s heart stirred slightly, and she had some guesses.

Perhaps… a portion of Azazel’s memories had once been sealed away—or perhaps even erased entirely—by an external force.

And among all the beings she knew, the only one who possessed the ability to accomplish such a feat was undoubtedly—

“—The Will of the Abyss?”

Evé pondered silently.

Watching the Seventh Demon Lord sink into visible frustration, she decided not to press him further.

Evé shook her head and decided to leave.

“W-Wait… Your Majesty!”

At this moment, Azazel suddenly called out to her again.

“Hmm?”

Evé turned around.

“Have you remembered something?”

She asked.

Azazel’s expression was still somewhat awkward.

He scratched his head and said nervously:

“N-No…”

Tch, why did you call out to me then?

Advertisement

Though Evé said nothing, the slight furrow of her brow and the displeasure in her gaze conveyed exactly that.

Azazel understood instantly.

“N-No… Your Supreme Majesty… I… I just wanted to say that I’ll work hard from now on. So W-Would you… perhaps allow me to become the manager of the Labyrinth again…?”

He spoke cautiously, his voice filled with apprehension.

Evé stopped, looked Azazel up and down, but said nothing.

Under her deep gaze, Azazel’s anxiety grew even stronger.

“Azazel,”

Evé suddenly spoke.

“Will you… betray me again?”

“No! I’ll never dare again!”

Azazel shook his head vigorously.

“Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river?”

Azazel: “…”

“Your Majesty, can we please stop bringing that up?”

He drooped his head.

Looking at the Seventh Demon Lord, whose face was utterly dejected, as if his dark past had been brought up, Evé chuckled softly.

She exhaled softly, her smile fading as she ceased her teasing and her expression returned to calm neutrality.

“Certainly, restoring you to your previous role isn’t impossible…”

Advertisement

“Thank you! Your Supreme Majesty! I will certainly do my best!”

Azazel’s eyes lit up instantly. He leapt to his feet as though he were a husky that had just been rewarded with a treat.

“However…”

Eve’s tone then shifted.

“I’ll give you one month. If you can somehow persuade that Shadow Demon to reveal information regarding the Primordial Barrier, then I will allow you to resume your position as the manager of the Labyrinth.”

She said with a smile.

Seeing that captivating yet chilling smile, Azazel opened his mouth, then deflated like a punctured balloon.

But quickly, he rallied and slowly nodded:

“Okay…fine…I will, I will try my best.”

“Mhm. I’ll await for the good news.”

With a light laugh, Evé turned and departed.

The Labyrinth needed someone capable of handling its day to day operations and as things stand, she hadn’t found anyone better than Azazel. Although she did not entirely believe his promises, she already possessed his Hell Core. So as long as that remained in her hands, there was little risk of betrayal.

This period of punishment was merely intended to remind him of his place.

As for that Shadow Demon…

It would be ideal if something about the Primordial Barrier could be learned from Naer, but even if nothing came of it, that was of little consequence since in the end, that demon was just another pawn.

There were plenty of old fogies sealed within the world of Seigues and Evé could take her time to gather information from these ancient beings.

Advertisement

Besides, wasn’t she about to meet Urinos?

This Ancestral Dragon from beyond the cosmos might very well know something.

For some reason, Evé had the feeling that this so-called Primordial Barrier was connected in some way to the golden divine blood she had obtained from Dorft, the God of Dwarves and Forging.

After settling the Shadow Demon and dangling the prospect of restoring Azazel’s authority, Evé left the Demon Lord Labyrinth.

Her divine incarnation returned to the supreme temple in Eden, while her primary consciousness returned to the player avatar disguised as Féng upon the Far Northern Arctic.

After all…

Her leisurely journey was still far from over.

༺⟐༻

The players slept well that night.

By the time they gradually logged back in the following morning, daylight had already flooded the outside.

Unlike yesterday, today was overcast, with pure white clouds stretching across the sky like a vast, drifting blanket.

On the ground, the lush grasslands still bore glistening dewdrops, looking vibrant and verdant.

By daytime, the players finally saw the magnificent sea of ​​flowers the golden dragon had described.

The alpine meadows were indeed beautiful, especially when the mountain winds blow, causing the boundless meadows and flower fields to surge like ocean waves, instantly bringing to mind the ancient chinese verse:

“When the wind bends the grass, cattle and sheep come into view.”

Advertisement

Of course, the Far Northern Arctic doesn’t have any cattle or sheeps. Instead, herds of ice deer and alpine musk oxen roamed freely across the meadows. Every so often, they could be seen bounding gracefully through the grass, adding even more vitality to the already spectacular scenery.

And in the distance, mist coiled around snow-capped peaks as an endless sea of clouds drifted among the mountains.

Accompanied by the grand, ancient, and majestic background music echoing in their ears, the entire scene evoked the atmosphere of a primordial world untouched since the dawn of time.

Faced with such breathtaking scenery, the players naturally filled their in-game photo albums with yet another wave of screenshots.

Incidentally, after logging out the previous evening, Li Mu had uploaded a video of the aurora and campfire to a video sharing platform and within just two hours, it had surpassed half a million views and been shared countless times. Seeing how well it was received, it was destined to become another viral hit.

The breathtaking scenery has always been a major feature of Elven Kingdom, and this morning’s meadow landscape was sure to continue captivating viewers.

It was easy to imagine that the Far Northern Arctic would soon become yet another famous sightseeing destination within the game, joining iconic locations such as the canopy of the World Tree, the lakes and mountain ranges of the Elven Forest, and the coastline of Mindel.

Of course, given the Arctic’s rugged terrain and immense size, only players who possessed flying magical beasts would truly be able to explore it freely.

After taking in the scenery, the players rekindled the extinguished campfire and began preparing breakfast.

With the Golden Dragon Romanus accompanying them, everyone decided to make the meal especially lavish, using the ingredients they had gathered throughout the journey to prepare a hot pot feast.

Overcast mornings were rare upon the Arctic, and the damp morning air made hot pot the perfect meal for keeping warm.

Advertisement

The hot pot’s stock broth had been developed by the Amway Merchant Group. In fact, Demacia had even specifically recruited several players from Sichuan to recreate an authentic Sichuan hot pot broth. It had reportedly become an enormous success in the Dwarven Kingdom, where the dwarves hailed it as the most delicious food in the world—the miraculous Elven Hot Pot.

This time, Romanus, drawn by the aroma, swiftly transformed into his human form, eagerly waiting in front of the pot with a bowl and the chopsticks he’d learned to use the night before.

Looking at the golden dragon’s drooling expression, as if it might involuntarily spill from his mouth at any moment, Evé seriously suspected that within a year, this hardworking golden dragon would follow in the footsteps of his dragon predecessors and also permanently settle in the Elven Forest.

However, this was exactly what she wanted.

Speaking of which… the reason she took the players to Dragon Island this time was precisely to let everyone unleash their charms and lure a few food-loving dragons back home.

Officially, the trip was meant as a gesture of gratitude for the dragons’ assistance.

In reality, however, it was little more than a dragon recruitment operation disguised as diplomacy.

The players were well aware of this fact.

In fact, many of them were looking forward to it even more than Evé was.

The hot pot meal lasted a full three hours.

Among everyone present, the golden dragon Romanus ate the most, devouring almost all the food the players had stockpiled for days.

If the players hadn’t needed to save some food for the rest of their journey, this golden dragon might have completely eaten their rations.

Even Romanus himself was surprised by his appetite.

Golden dragons usually prefer precious metals and gems—crisp, chewy, and good for replenishing energy.

Advertisement

But now, Romanus suddenly felt that the foods he once loved didn’t taste so good anymore.

Licking his lips, he suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for the coming year.

With their hearts full, the weather on the Far Northern Arctic changed from overcast to sunny.

The air on the plateau was much thinner than on the plains, so sunny days are more common. It’s perfectly normal for the sky to clear up now.

The clouds gradually dispersed, revealing a deep, azure sky.

It wasn’t the sapphire blue players were familiar with, but a deep blue.

This is also related to the atmosphere.

Not only that, the sunlight here is much harsher. Although the temperature isn’t high, it’s much more intense and dazzling.

“Look! The flowers!”

Apparently discovering something interesting, Little Salty Cat excitedly pointed toward the endless sea of alpine flowers.

Everyone looked over and saw that the vibrant flowers had turned their petals towards the sun.

Looking out, thousands upon thousands of colorful wildflowers bloomed facing the sunlight, a truly magnificent sight.

“The Far Northern Arctic enjoys abundant sunlight only during its brief summer.”

Romanus explained.

“Furthermore, because this region lies close to the edge of the world, the ambient mana is significantly thinner than elsewhere. As a result, plants make every effort to absorb as much sunlight as possible during summer, allowing them to grow and reproduce.”

Advertisement

“To better gather the magical power contained within sunlight, many magical flowers have evolved into cup-shaped blossoms.”

The players nodded.

This was very similar to the near-polar plants on Earth.

The only difference is that this world possesses magical energy.

Upon hearing Romanus’s words, Dōngdōng, who had always been quite interested in the climate changes of Seigues, had a sudden inspiration and asked:

“Lord Romanus, does that mean… the climate changes on the continent are also related to mana?”

“Indeed.”

Romanus nodded.

Then the golden dragon sighed deeply:

“Mana influences everything in this world. When the ambient mana is chaotic, the world’s climate becomes increasingly chaotic. This is why the climate in many parts of the continent has been unpredictable in recent years—because the magical power in the world had increased too rapidly, causing a decrease in stability…”

“Perhaps, only when the magical power of the entire world completely calms down will the climate gradually return to its original pattern. For example, this morning’s overcast sky is rare even in the far north.”

“However, once the ambient mana calms down, the climate in various places will probably be even more pronounced and extreme, after all… the concentration of magical power throughout the world has increased.”

“Different regions, with unbalanced magic attributes, create different climates. The higher the magical power concentration, the greater the difference…”

“Then, wouldn’t many places become uninhabitable?”

Dōngdōng asked, frowning.

Advertisement

“That’s one way to put it, but only for the creatures of the past. With the resurgence of mana, many living beings have undergone a transformation. After this transformation, they will gradually adapt to the new world. But those who cannot adapt will be eliminated by the times,” said the Golden Dragon Romanus.

Hearing his words, the players were slightly moved, recalling the anomalies around the world and the surge of individuals with extraordinary powers…

They knew that Romanus was referring to these things.

“Survival of the fittest…”

Li Mu sighed.

Romanus’s eyes brightened slightly, and he nodded approvingly:

“Exactly…”

As he spoke, he raised his head, gazing into the distance, his dark golden dragon eyes deepening:

“Survival of the fittest has always been the oldest law governing not only here in Seigues, but the entire universe.”

“Ancient races have declined because of this, and new races have risen also because of this, in an endless cycle, forming the history of the entire cosmos for billions of years…”

“And in the future, this cycle of change will likely continue, the old era ending, the new era beginning, until the end of the universe…”

Listening to the golden dragon’s seemingly profound words, the players were deeply moved.

Looking at the magnificent scenery, the players were filled with a sense of epic grandeur, the vicissitudes of history, and the ever-changing nature of the world.

“Alright, let’s continue our journey.”

The golden dragon Romanus interrupted the players’ thoughts, speaking with a smile.

Advertisement

After packing their belongings, the group embarked on their journey once more. Led by Romanus, the players flew over meadows, plateaus, and endless snow-capped mountains.

Under his command, a majestic snow-capped peak came into view.

It was an exceptionally magnificent mountain, towering high and overlooking the world, reminding the players of Mount Everest on Earth.

“This is the highest peak here in the far north, Mount Ister. Once we cross it, we can finally reach the Northwestern Sea,” the golden dragon said with a laugh, spreading his wings.

The mountain drew closer, gliding past the players, and the golden dragon continued:

“Of course, the Northwestern Sea is the name given by the elves during the Silver Era. Personally, I prefer its other name—Slutern, which was given by the dragons.”

“What does that mean?”

The players asked curiously.

“The end of the world,” the golden dragon Romanus replied.

At the same time, the group finally crossed the majestic mountain, and their view suddenly opened up.

An endless, boundless ocean appeared before the players’ eyes.

—

---

〘 PREVIOUS 〙

〘 NEXT 〙

— —

---