Chapter 82: Cris’s capabilities

Cris stood motionless before the enormous barrier, his eyes tightly shut as he attempted to sense the intricate structure of the formation.

At first, nothing happened.

The massive barrier continued to shimmer faintly in the darkness, its blue surface covered with countless ancient runes. Every rune seemed to contain a tremendous amount of energy, and the patterns connected to one another in a complex arrangement that even experienced formation masters would struggle to understand.

Cris frowned slightly.

He had studied formations for a considerable amount of time bought from the system shop, but this was the first time he had encountered something of this magnitude. The formation covered the entire capital of the Atlantian Empire, and its energy was connected to the surrounding ocean itself.

It was no ordinary defensive formation.

After a few moments, Cris finally opened his eyes.

"Big brother, this formation is much more complicated than I expected. It appears to have several layers, and each layer serves a different purpose. The outermost layer prevents unauthorized entry, while the inner layers absorb energy from the ocean to maintain the barrier."

Arthur nodded calmly.

"Can you open it?"

Cris hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I can try. However, I need some time to understand how the layers are connected. If I forcefully interfere with the formation, it might trigger an attack mechanism."

"Then don’t force it. Find the control mechanism and open it properly."

"As you wish, big brother."

Cris immediately returned his attention to the formation.

Behind Arthur, his other nine cousins watched the scene with varying expressions. They had witnessed Atlas’s transformation into a Shadow General and gave them an idea about how terrifying Arthur actually was. The experience had completely changed their understanding of Arthur’s strength.

However, Arthur’s attitude toward them remained the same.

He wasn’t interested in allowing them to become dependent on his power.

Instead, he wanted them to develop their own abilities.

If they could survive and grow stronger through their own efforts, they would eventually become useful allies rather than burdens he needed to protect constantly.

Meanwhile, Atlas stood silently beside Kaiser, his shadowy body radiating an oppressive aura.

Even after becoming a Shadow General, his memories and intelligence remained intact. He could still recall his entire life as the ruler of the Atlantian Empire, including the countless battles he had fought and the decisions he had made.

Yet, there was one significant difference.

His loyalty toward Arthur was absolute.

As Arthur’s subordinate, he would never consider betraying his king, regardless of the circumstances.

"Atlas," Arthur suddenly called.

"Yes, my king!"

"Tell me about the formation. How powerful is it, and what would happen if someone attempted to destroy it?"

Atlas immediately turned toward the barrier.

"This is the Imperial Ocean Formation. It was constructed by the formation masters of the Atlantian Empire several thousand years ago. At its peak, it could withstand attacks from multiple beings comparable to the strongest warriors of our empire."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"However, its greatest advantage isn’t its defensive strength. The formation can draw energy from the ocean and use it to replenish itself. Unless someone possesses enough power to destroy it in a single attack, breaking through it by force would be extremely difficult."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"How long could it withstand an attack from someone at your previous strength?"

Atlas considered the question carefully.

"If I attacked it alone, I would need several hours to destroy the formation, assuming the energy supply remained uninterrupted. If the formation’s core were damaged, however, the entire barrier could collapse much faster."

Arthur nodded thoughtfully.

That was precisely the sort of information he wanted.

The Atlantian Empire had existed long before humanity developed its present civilization. Its inhabitants possessed knowledge, techniques, and resources that the surface world might never have discovered.

If he could obtain that knowledge, his future development would become much easier.

More importantly, the upcoming merger between the Genesis Realm and reality would transform the world into a battlefield.

Humanity needed every possible advantage.

And Arthur intended to acquire as many of those advantages as he could.

"Interesting. Does the formation have any offensive capabilities?"

"It does, my king. Anyone who attempts to force their way inside without authorization can be attacked by the formation. Depending on the amount of energy released, it can restrain intruders, inflict serious injuries, or eliminate them entirely."

Arthur glanced at the enormous barrier.

"Then it would be a waste to destroy something like this."

He turned his attention back to Cris.

"Take your time. There’s no need to rush."

Cris nodded without opening his eyes.

Several minutes passed.

Gradually, the faint glow surrounding Cris’s body began to intensify. Threads of energy emerged from his fingertips and spread across the barrier like delicate strands of silver silk.

His expression became increasingly serious.

He could feel the formation responding to his presence.

At first, the energy streams merely moved around him, preventing him from establishing any meaningful connection. But after repeated attempts, he finally discovered something unusual.

The formation wasn’t completely sealed.

A tiny gap existed within its outermost layer, so small that it would have been nearly impossible to notice without carefully examining the energy circulation.

Cris immediately concentrated on that gap.

He sent a thread of energy into it, allowing his consciousness to follow the formation’s internal pathways.

Suddenly, countless complicated patterns appeared in his mind.

Each pattern connected to another, forming an enormous network that extended throughout the capital. At the center of this network was a massive crystalline structure buried deep beneath the imperial palace.

The formation core!

Cris’s eyes widened slightly.

He had finally found the key.

But the next moment, his expression changed.

A faint vibration passed through the barrier, and several ancient runes suddenly lit up around the point where his energy had entered.

A warning mechanism had been activated.

"Cris!" one of his cousins exclaimed.

The entire barrier flashed brightly, and a wave of energy rushed toward him.

However, Cris didn’t panic.

Instead of withdrawing his energy, he immediately redirected it along the formation’s existing pathways. He allowed the incoming energy to flow around his consciousness rather than collide with it directly.

The attack swept past him.

His body trembled slightly, but he managed to maintain his connection.

Arthur watched silently.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Cris had reacted correctly.

Rather than attempting to overpower the formation, he had used its own energy circulation to neutralize the attack.

That was the difference between someone who merely possessed strength and someone who understood how to use it.

"Not bad," Arthur murmured.

Hearing his words, the other cousins exchanged glances.

They understood what Arthur was trying to teach them.

He wasn’t going to solve every problem for them simply because he could.

They needed to learn how to overcome difficulties themselves.

Meanwhile, Cris had finally reached the formation core through his spiritual connection.

He carefully examined the crystalline structure and discovered an ancient command sequence embedded within it. The sequence appeared to recognize the authority of the imperial bloodline, allowing members of the royal family to control the formation.

Unfortunately, Cris didn’t possess that bloodline.

For a moment, he felt disappointed.

Then another thought crossed his mind.

Although he couldn’t directly command the formation, perhaps he could imitate the energy signature used by its original controller.

He began studying the command sequence, memorizing its rhythm and the manner in which its energy circulated.

It was an incredibly delicate process.

One mistake could cause the formation to interpret his interference as an attack.

Nevertheless, Cris continued.

He had already come this far.

He wasn’t going to give up now.

After another ten minutes, his eyes suddenly opened.

"Big brother, I found it!"

Arthur looked toward him.

"Have you figured out how to open the barrier?"

"Yes. The formation recognizes a specific command sequence. I believe I can reproduce it and temporarily convince the formation that an authorized individual is controlling it."

"Then do it."

Cris took a deep breath.

He raised both hands and began forming a series of complicated gestures. His fingers moved rapidly, creating one mysterious symbol after another.

The symbols floated in front of him before merging into a single luminous pattern.

He carefully pushed the pattern toward the barrier.

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then the ancient runes began lighting up one after another.

A deep rumbling sound echoed through the surrounding ocean.

The enormous barrier trembled as its surface rippled like water. The energy that had been circulating through its outermost layer suddenly changed direction, flowing toward the central gate.

Cris’s forehead was covered in sweat.

Maintaining the imitation required tremendous concentration. The formation seemed to be examining his command sequence, searching for any inconsistencies.

He gritted his teeth and adjusted the flow of energy.

Finally, a clear sound rang out.

Ding!

The enormous barrier slowly separated in the middle, revealing a passage leading into the capital.

Cris staggered backward, breathing heavily.

"I did it!"

His cousins immediately surrounded him.

"That was incredible!"

"You actually opened an ancient imperial formation!"

"How did you even figure out the command sequence?"

Cris smiled tiredly.

"I didn’t understand everything. I just discovered how to imitate the formation’s authorization mechanism. The barrier might close again after some time, so we should enter quickly."

Arthur nodded approvingly.

"You did well, Cris."

Those four simple words made Cris straighten his back.

He had always respected Arthur, but receiving direct praise from his powerful cousin felt different from simply witnessing his strength.

It reminded him that he could also become someone capable of contributing to their group’s success.

Arthur stepped toward the newly opened passage.

"Everyone, let’s go."

"As you wish!"

The group immediately followed him inside.