Night Ranger

Chapter 485: Cage

Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation

The Elemental Plane of Water!

One of the four Elemental Planes.

In Feinan, the four Elemental Planes were mysterious planes, even more mysterious than the Astral Sea, Hell, and the Abyss.

Even a powerful Legend Wizard would find it difficult to travel to an Elemental Plane.

Because the four Elemental Planes guarded themselves tightly against outsiders.

Even though many Wizards summoned some Lesser Elementals, these Elementals would loyally carry out their orders, but wouldn't leak anything concerning their Elemental Plane.

The Elemental Planes were ruled by four Sovereigns who were immortals and were said to have been born along with the Universe.

They guarded the heart of each Elemental Plane.

The power of the four elements was independent and chaotic, but when merged, it became the power of Order.

In other words, it was the Elemental Planes that supported the Astral Sea while also being the source of the power of Order in every plane, opposing Chaos power. It led to both sides reaching a balance.

The Elemental Sovereigns were very powerful and no one ever saw them act before. Marvin estimated that they wouldn't be weaker than the most powerful Gods.

Hell, the Abyss, the Negative Energy Plane… Regardless of which sinister existence, they didn't dare to covet the heart of the Elemental Planes. This clearly showed the planes' power.

In fact, based on the small pieces of information revealed in the game, it wouldn't be hard to deduce that the Elemental Planes should be the strongest force among all planes.

But the Elemental Planes were very conservative. The Elemental Sovereigns kept the oath made during the creation and wouldn't have too much interaction with other lifeforms.

Thus, the four supreme Elemental Planes seemed especially mysterious.

Even if Feinan were completely eradicated, as long as it didn't involve the roots of the Universe, the Elemental Sovereigns would just watch coldly.

Marvin hadn't thought that Kangen's so-called "friend" was actually the daughter of an Elemental Sovereign!

...

Louise looked at the shock on Marvin's face and seemed very pleased with herself.

She took off her disguise and her veil, revealing a beautiful face.

She looked like a Human woman, with only her light blue eyes displaying the appearance of the water element.

"Princess, your Shapechanging skill is very mighty." Marvin smiled bitterly.

"Shapechanging? No, this is my real appearance." Louise smiled playfully as she asked, "You really think the Element Sovereigns look the way they are depicted in the legends?"

Marvin couldn't help but reveal a strange expression.

A Water Elemental Guardian interrupted them with a cough, apparently unwilling to let Marvin and Louise keep chatting. "Princess, our King has been waiting for you for a long time."

Louise couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Since he waited for so long, can't he wait a bit more?"

"I'll return to my cottage first."

Shortly after, she ignored the unsightly expressions of the Water Elemental Guardians and pulled Marvin along before disappearing.

...

Louise's cottage was set up on the edge of the Elemental Plane of Water.

It was an enchanted cottage, and the whole building was built with shape-changing oak. It seemed very small on the outside, but it was like a completely different world on the inside.

Inside the cottage, Marvin was comfortably sitting on a blanket while drinking a mouthful of a strange hot drink Louise gave him. "Making someone like your father wait, are you sure it's alright?"

Louise shrugged. "He has time on his hands anyway."

"Moreover, before seeing him, I have to discuss something with you."

"I know a bit about Hartson's conspiracy, but not enough. I need you to tell me what you know."

"This is very important."

Marvin hesitated a bit, thinking.

He almost understood everything concerning Hartson. There was no harm in telling Louise. But the matter concerning the Fairy and Lance's seal... he didn't know if the Elemental Sovereign should know about it.

Especially the Crystal Statue.

Marvin was now in the Elemental Plane of Water. Even if Louise wasn't hostile, what if she wanted him to hand over the Crystal Statue?

No one could resist such a formidable power. Marvin didn't know where the Elemental Sovereign stood on the matter of the Crystal Statue, and thus, he didn't know if he should talk about it.

Deceiving Louise wasn't so good either. She had saved him, after all.

As if able to read Marvin's conflicting expressions, Louise quietly told him, "I only want to know if Hartson got what he wanted."

"My father is very concerned about this matter. He actually wasn't concerned about Feinan's rise and fall. Unless something happened to the entire Universe, he wouldn't act."

"But Dragon God Hartson is a very dangerous entity. Back then, Sir Lance actually defeated Hartson with the help of the four Elemental Sovereigns. Only they knew the power of Hartson at his peak, and thus…"

Marvin smiled bitterly. He then shook his head and glanced at Louise, assuring her, "Hartson definitely didn't get what he wanted, and he never will."

"Oh?" Louise looked at Marvin with interest.

Clearly, someone as smart as her already knew what Marvin meant.

"You aren't afraid I would steal it from you?" she suddenly said with a teasing smile.

Marvin was a bit distracted, before calmly answering, "If you really wanted to, then you wouldn't have brought me to your cottage."

"You could have directly taken me to the [Heart of the Whirlpool]. No one can resist the strength of an Elemental Sovereign, am I right?"

Louise snorted, "Clever."

Marvin let out a breath.

Marvin found Louise's actions very strange. The Water Elemental Sovereign was already waiting for her. But she still took him to slip away, ignoring it.

This was definitely a bit fishy.

Sure enough, Louise let out a sigh while showing a complicated expression. "The Crystal Statue is definitely in your hands."

"This isn't something ordinary people can handle. Many people covet the power within."

Marvin frowned, trying to see where she was going with this. "Including your father?"

Louise shook her head and said with hesitation, "Not exactly. I just have those kinds of worries. In the past years, he became different. He frequently tells me that he is very weary of his current life."

"He was born as a guardian of the Heart of the Whirlpool, a guardian of the power of Order in the Universe. His strength is incomparable, but he can never escape this duty."

"At one point… he even told me… something baffling."

The expression on Louise's face was clearly distressed.

Marvin asked, "What was it?"

It was safe to say that the will of an Elemental Sovereign should be very firm. They were originally born in order to guard the Elemental Hearts. They were the foundation to maintain the Universe.

If there was a problem with an Elemental Sovereign, then this news would be more terrible than the Universe Magic Pool shattering!

The Elemental Planes were there to keep the Universe in balance.

If the destruction of the Universe Magic Pool might lead to the fall of Feinan, then the Elemental Planes falling out of balance might cause the entire Universe to be destroyed!

Marvin felt an invisible pressure crushing him.

He came into contact with the core secrets of the Universe and hidden disasters one after the other.

Ordinary people would never be able to learn about these matters, so they could only worry about the disaster in front of them.

Powerhouses like Marvin actually had to consider the possible disasters in the distant future.

It might be better to live as an ordinary person sometimes.

As they say, ignorance is bliss.

...

Louise glanced at Marvin. She had heard a bit about the man in front of her.

After all, Marvin was famous in Feinan. He shot a missile at the Shadow Prince's God Realm and even the Elemental Sovereigns had gossiped about it for several days. She had been on the side listening to it.

She was very curious about Marvin. This man seemed to have a mysterious power and was able to accomplish many things that others deemed impossible.

Kangen admired him for his comprehension. Despite being a mortal, he killed Diggles, and then Dark Phoenix. Even her father couldn't help but be surprised at his potential.

Was it the right choice for him to have the Crystal Statue?

Louise didn't know. But she thought it might be a lot better with him than in her father's hands.

She hesitated before whispering, "He told me: [This world is like a cage... I'd like to take a look outside.]"

Marvin took a deep breath.

This world was like a cage.

These words felt like déjà vu.

Wasn't that what the Gods in their God Realms were thinking?

Hell's Archdevils, the Abyss' Demon Lords, the Wilderness' Beasts, wasn't that what they were thinking?

The power of Order wrapped around them all like shackles, forming a cage that confined them inside.

In order to break through the cage, they had to use a formidable power.

And in the process, it was inevitable that countless innocents would be sacrificed. Rivers of blood would flow.

The unease in Marvin's heart intensified.

When one of the peak powerhouses of the Universe was thinking like that, then Order was on the eve of collapsing.

Marvin originally thought that the problems were only limited to Feinan, only limited to the Universe Magic Pool. But now it seemed like he had still been thinking like a gamer and didn't have a profound understanding of the nature of this Universe.

An Elemental Sovereign, one maintaining Order, said those words. Although he might not act upon his words, it was still very frightening for him to express such thoughts.

Furthermore, something just occurred to Marvin. 'That Wizard God, does he also think that this world is a cage?'

'If he felt that way too, then what did he plan?'

...

The more Marvin thought about it, the more frightened he became. He even began sweating.

Fortunately, Louise interrupted his reflection before he could become too downcast.

"Time is running out and my father is most likely becoming impatient."

"I'll send you back to Feinan now. This is the Dark Blue Hourglass, you can use it to enter the Elemental Plane of Water at any time if someday you need a place to seek shelter."

"Protect the Crystal Statue. As for the other matters, Professor and I will settle them."

The next second, a Teleportation Gate suddenly appeared in front of Marvin.