Chapter 360 - 359: Shatterer

Chapter 360: Chapter 359: Shatterer

"What the fuck are these paths for the week?! Shadefen and Boiling Mycelium? Both are C-level? Is the system trying to kill us all?"

"I read the descriptions. Spiritual Pollution from Shadefen is common, but this is listed as *intense* Spiritual Pollution! And Boiling Mycelium has high temperatures and poison mist—it’s a physical hellscape. It feels like either choice is a death sentence."

"Can any of the experts break this down? Which one should we pick? I’m freaking out right now. I almost died in a D-level area last week, and now we’re starting with C-level?"

"I might go with Shadefen. At least with the Spiritual Pollution, if you have Protective Clothing or certain special items and strong enough willpower, you should be able to resist it, right?"

"I agree! My current gear can’t handle the high temperatures and shifting terrain in Boiling Mycelium. If I fall in or get hit by one of its eruptions, I’d be dead in an instant."

"Bullshit! You think you can just brute-force your way through Spiritual Pollution? You could die without even knowing how, go insane, or be lured into a trap by an illusion for an even more miserable death!"

"Exactly! At least in Boiling Mycelium, the dangers are visible. You can find heat-resistant materials for the high temperatures, wear a filter mask for the poison mist, and watch the terrain to dodge the shifts! I’m choosing Boiling Mycelium!"

"You make it sound so easy. Are heat-resistant materials that easy to find? The constant high temperature will drain your stamina and hydration extremely fast, and the poison mist might be highly corrosive—a normal filter mask might be useless. The mycelium also erupts; how are you supposed to dodge that? I think that while Shadefen is insidious, you might be able to scrape by as long as you stay extremely vigilant and don’t trust anything out of the ordinary. In short, I’m leaning toward the swamp."

"Waaaah... I don’t want to choose. Can I just not choose? This week’s paths are already agonizing, and we’ll have to face something like this again next week... What’s the point of living if it keeps going on like this?"

"Does the poster above really want to die? Give me a Writ of Challenge, and I’ll put you out of your misery!" ℯℯ𝑙.

"Just say you want their supplies. Can’t even cough up a single Writ of Challenge. That’s a new level of cheap."

The arguments and wails in the channel didn’t worsen Seraphina Sinclair’s mood; instead, they strangely calmed her down.

When a person faces a difficult problem alone, they can get consumed by anxiety, but realizing that everyone else is in the same boat brings a sense of relief.

She closed the channel, her gaze sweeping aimlessly around the room.

When her eyes fell upon the Black Fog Lamps again, an irrepressible thought surfaced.

’I can’t just wait around,’ she muttered, as if trying to convince herself. ’I have to do something, even if it’s just posting a trade offer!’

Waiting idly for death was not her style.

Even if hope was slim, she had to seize every possibility and create her own opportunities.

Seraphina Sinclair opened a private chat with Chrona. She started by sending over a few runes as a thank-you for the previous Unsealing Hammer. After Chrona saw the gift and contacted her, Seraphina carefully chose her words and stated her new request:

[Blacktiger Ford]: No need for thanks, as long as the item is useful. I’m looking for you this time because I hope you can help me purchase something else.

She didn’t specify what it was, nor did she say why she was looking for Chrona.

The former wasn’t important to Chrona, and as for the latter...

Chrona was well aware of her own value.

She had established a group chat accessible only to the top-ranked survivors in the Zone, making her information network far superior to that of any ordinary survivor. Naturally, people sought her out for resources and information unobtainable through conventional means.

Besides, this was Blacktiger Ford. As the saying goes, a tall tree catches the wind; it would be difficult for someone as famous as Master Blacktiger to haggle over a trade like an ordinary person.

Her thoughts paused there. Chrona replied quickly, "What do you need?"

Chrona’s reply was succinct, and Seraphina didn’t beat around the bush. "A Mist Beacon. And don’t make it a gift this time. Negotiate the best price you can; I’ll accept whatever they ask."

’Whether I can use it or not, I need to get one in my hands. No matter what, just having the option to try will be a glimmer of hope. It’s far better than my current situation, where all I see ahead is death!’

After she sent the message, Chrona went silent.

Seraphina assumed Chrona had never heard of it and was about to explain in detail when a reply came through.

[Chrona]: Master, you’ve come to the right person. Most people have probably never even heard of this thing, but I happen to know who has one.

[Blacktiger Ford]: Who?

[Chrona]: Artemis has one. Please wait, Master. I’ll go talk to her for you.

Seraphina Sinclair paused for a moment when she saw the name Artemis.

’Her again...’

After a moment of thought, Seraphina Sinclair replied:

[Blacktiger Ford]: Alright, I appreciate it. If you can, don’t reveal that I’m the buyer. We’ve had some conflicts in the past.

[Chrona]: Understood. Leave it to me.

Having delegated the task, Seraphina Sinclair felt a great deal of relief.

’Finding an Engraving Master or a higher-grade sunshine would be too difficult. Using the Mist Beacon is still the best-case scenario.’

As she thought about it, a wave of bitterness washed over Seraphina Sinclair again.

’Now that I’ve lost my stable channel for acquiring supplies, I can only drain my reserves. What’s worse, I have no idea how to solve this predicament.’

’Am I supposed to just wait for someone else to find a better sunshine and then spend a fortune to buy it?’

Seraphina Sinclair patted her cheeks, trying to force herself to stop thinking about things that were so far out of her reach.

’Right now, all I can do is take it one step at a time and fight with everything I have to survive.’

Her expression had only just eased for a moment when a notification panel suddenly popped up in front of her.

[Player "Shatterer" has used a Writ of Challenge on you!]

[Generating a completely enclosed arena space... Teleportation countdown: 10, 9, 8...]

’What?’

This was the first time a Writ of Challenge had been used on Seraphina Sinclair.

She was part of the radical faction; if someone provoked her or a situation escalated to the point of needing a Writ of Challenge, she was always the one to use it. But this was the first time someone had used one on her.

As for this Shatterer...

Seraphina Sinclair remembered him. They had argued briefly in the group chat over the second-place ranking on the hunter leaderboard.

After that, between the dungeon and Sunflower’s hunger strike, one thing after another had kept Seraphina too busy to deal with a matter that didn’t directly concern her.

And now, he had delivered himself right to her doorstep.

A cold smile touched Seraphina Sinclair’s lips as Water Dragon Roar materialized in her hand.

’Perfect timing!’

’I’ve been looking for a way to vent all this pent-up frustration.’

The light of teleportation enveloped her. After a brief sensation of weightlessness, the scene before her eyes changed completely.

The arena space was identical to the last time Seraphina Sinclair had been here.

Across from her stood a burly man clad in dark metal armor, wielding a heavy Double-bladed Battleaxe.

A scar ran across his face, and his eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, were filled with unconcealed killing intent.

This was Shatterer.

"Blacktiger Ford..."

He had barely spoken the name when his voice suddenly cut off.