Chapter 490 - 489- A state of disorder and frenzy

Meanwhile, within the Corroded Zone, Grey was still thinking of a way to escape the intangible gaze of the unknown hidden entity lurking in the depths of the Zone when he suddenly felt a profound change occur.

The entire Corroded Zone seemed to tremble ever so slightly.

Everywhere suddenly became colder.

It was as if an icy current of air had seeped out from the innermost depths of the Zone, slowly spreading outward and enveloping everything in its path. The temperature dropped by several degrees in an instant, and the atmosphere began to closely resemble that of a land buried beneath endless snow.

Even the bizarre trees and plants scattered throughout the surroundings seemed to be affected.

Their strange branches swayed gently as they leaned away from the direction of the cold breeze, as though they instinctively wished to distance themselves from whatever had released it.

The change was subtle, yet strangely terrifying.

There was no storm.

No violent fluctuation of energy.

No visible phenomenon.

Only an eerie, bone-chilling cold.

Iria, who had been busy recuperating, suddenly shivered.

Her eyes snapped open, and she instinctively turned her gaze toward the innermost parts of the Corroded Zone.

The moment she did, an intense chill crawled up her spine.

A deep-seated fear suddenly emerged from the depths of her soul.

She felt as if some great and insurmountable being had awakened somewhere within the innermost parts of the Zone.

It was almost as though the cold air drifting outward was the first breath that being had taken after an unimaginably long slumber.

The thought alone caused Iria’s heart to tremble.

Everything was eerily calm.

There was no roar announcing the awakening.

No earth-shattering explosion.

No terrifying pressure descending upon the surroundings.

Instead, there was only silence.

An unnatural silence that made Iria feel as though she had suddenly plunged into a pitch-black abyss with no bottom and no way of resurfacing.

Her breathing became slightly heavier.

Instinctively, she moved closer to Grey, who stood several steps away with a slight frown on his face.

The scythe spirit remained silent.

Yet Grey could already sense the solemnity within it.

Even the gloominess that had suddenly descended upon the surroundings seemed to have affected the spirit.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, the scythe spirit’s voice finally sounded within Grey’s mind.

’Master... I advise that we find a way to leave this Zone as quickly as possible.’

Grey did not respond immediately.

His gaze remained fixed on the distant depths of the Corroded Zone.

After a few seconds, he finally asked,

’What’s wrong?’

The scythe spirit’s voice became even more solemn.

’Master, I feel as if something is returning to this Corroded Zone.’

Grey’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Returning?

The spirit continued.

’And if we don’t leave in time, we may never be able to leave again.’

Its voice contained an urgency that Grey had rarely heard before.

’Hence, I say it again with the utmost urgency... We have to find a way to leave this place. Now!’

Grey’s expression gradually became solemn.

He could also feel it.

A faint and inexplicable trepidation had appeared within his heart.

Along with the bone-chilling cold emanating from the depths of the Corroded Zone, there was another sensation.

It was difficult to describe.

It was not merely the feeling of something awakening.

It was the feeling of something primordial returning.

Something that had once existed here.

Something that perhaps had never truly left.

Grey’s body instinctively shuddered.

Even the cocoon of shadow beneath his feet pulsed faintly.

The reaction was so subtle that an ordinary person might not have noticed it.

But Grey did.

The shadow seemed... afraid.

Grey’s pupils contracted slightly.

The shadow had existed with him for a long time, and although its origins remained mysterious, he had rarely seen it display such a reaction.

Whatever was coming...

Even it feared.

For a few fleeting seconds, Grey suddenly felt the invisible gaze that had been locked onto him from somewhere in the distance weaken.

The strange gaze became dull.

It was almost as if the unknown existence had suddenly entered a dazed state.

Then, just as quickly as it had weakened, the gaze returned.

But something was different.

The sharpness and terrifying awareness contained within it were no longer as intense as before.

It was as though its attention had been drawn elsewhere.

Grey’s eyes flickered.

It did not take a genius to realize that something was terribly amiss within the Corroded Zone.

Whatever had happened had even affected the mysterious existence that had been watching him.

Without wasting another second, Grey turned toward Iria.

’Get up.’

Iria immediately understood the seriousness in his voice.

She had only just recovered enough strength to move when Grey reached out and helped her to her feet.

"We need to leave."

His voice was calm, but there was an urgency hidden beneath it that Iria had never heard from him before.

She did not question him and did not hesitate.

The moment the silent chill had descended upon the Zone, she had already realized that something was wrong.

Thus, when Grey instructed her to start moving toward the direction where they could exit the veil, she immediately followed.

Yet, strangely enough, instead of feeling excited at the prospect of escaping this terrifying place, Iria’s heart began to palpitate.

Why was Grey in such a hurry? Why did he have such a solemn expression? What exactly was happening?

These questions continuously stirred within her mind.

She had a feeling that something was occurring far deeper beneath the surface of the Corroded Zone, something far beyond what her eyes could see or her senses could perceive.

And perhaps it was precisely because her level was too low that she remained completely unaware of it. Although she was technically in the same realm as Grey, the difference between their actual levels of strength was enormous.

It was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Grey stood in a world she could barely glimpse, while she was still struggling to reach the heights he had already surpassed.

The realization made her cringe inwardly.

How weak was she?

How many dangers had she been unable to perceive?

How many times had she relied on Grey or her master simply because she lacked the strength to face those dangers herself?

For the first time, these questions struck Iria with unusual intensity.

She did not want to remain like this forever.

She wanted to become strong.

Strong enough to stand beside powerful beings without trembling.

Strong enough to face terrifying creatures and unknown phenomena without instinctively fearing them.

Strong enough to protect herself.

And perhaps, one day, strong enough to protect others as well.

She yearned to possess enough power to induce fear in others rather than constantly being the one who feared every strange circumstance, foreign object, or unknown creature.

This desire had existed within her for a long time.

It had been nothing more than a tiny seed buried deep within her heart.

But recently, that seed had begun to grow.

And now, after everything she had experienced within the Corroded Zone, its growth had accelerated dramatically.

The tiny seed had already developed into a young sapling.

And perhaps, with enough time, it would eventually grow into a towering tree.

’I must become strong.’

Iria clenched her fists.

’I must increase my cultivation no matter what.’

That was the only thought occupying her mind at this moment.

Her eyes gradually became brighter.

Determination burned within them.

It was no longer the simple desire for greater strength that she had possessed in the past.

This was something deeper.

A burning desire that had been forged through fear, helplessness, and the realization that the world contained dangers far beyond her current understanding.

She wanted to break through.

She wanted to climb higher.

She wanted to possess enough strength to determine her own fate.

At this moment, a blazing fire seemed to ignite within Iria’s eyes.

Grey, however, was completely unaware of the transformation occurring within her.

He was far too focused on escaping the Corroded Zone to pay attention to the thoughts stirring within Iria’s heart.

Nevertheless, he could vaguely sense the subtle change in her temperament.

The way she carried herself had changed.

Even her gaze seemed different.

It was like a freshly lit flame.

Small and fragile, yet crackling with intense heat.

A flame fueled by an unwavering desire to become stronger.

Grey merely glanced at her for a moment before turning his attention back toward the distant depths of the Corroded Zone.

Whatever was happening there...

He had a feeling that they had not even begun to witness the true beginning of it.