Chapter 85: Domain

The massive civilian convoy settled seamlessly into the eastern cave network of the Alathoor mountain range without encountering a single logistical problem.

The Rogues were exceptionally efficient when it came to preparation and operational management, so the thousands of exhausted survivors simply had to follow instructions and reallocate into their predetermined residential zones.

Derrick personally managed the covert transport of Summer’s undead puppets, sneaking them deep into the caves under the cover of the moving supply crates.

Since ordinary survivors and military personnel alike were utterly terrified of the eerie, rotting entities and prudently kept their distance, absolutely no one dared to ask for a shared living space with Summer and her growing zombie army.

As a result, the little girl was conveniently assigned an entire spacious, private cave deep within the stone recesses, giving her all the privacy she needed.

At the very center of the cold, stone-floored cavern, Summer sat cross-legged on a folded military blanket, her dark golden gauntlets resting neatly beside her knees.

’Teach me how to make a domain,’ Summer stated mentally, her crimson eyes gleaming with focused determination.

She had already made up her mind to deliberately postpone her next core evolution until she figured out a reliable solution to the extreme scarcity of unpurified Lord cores.

The last thing she wanted was to push her body forward blindly, lose control over her fading humanity, and turn into a mindless, rampaging monster.

Therefore, learning how to construct and master a domain seemed like the absolute perfect way to continue progressing her power without stalling her overall strength or risking her sanity.

[First, you have to understand what a domain actually is,] the system’s soft, mechanical voice echoed inside her mind. [A domain is an independent spatial extension originating entirely from your own core, establishing an enclosed zone where you possess absolute control over its properties.]

’So it is just like using an element?’ Summer asked, tilting her head.

[Yes and no. When you merely utilize an element normally, you are restricted to using only a single property at a time. For instance, your shadow element currently only enables you to manifest and utilize your Chaotic Wings.]

[However, once you establish a true domain, you gain the ability to manipulate multiple advanced properties of that same element simultaneously within your designated boundary.]

’Huh?’ Summer raised her dark brows in sudden realization.

Her active mind immediately flashed back to her observations of her mother. She recalled several subtle moments during their long journey when Salma and Derrick had exchanged fleeting, silent glances without speaking a single audible word.

Summer was an exceptionally observant zombie girl, far more perceptive than anyone gave her credit for.

Through careful watching, she had quickly connected the missing dots and figured out the secret, encrypted method her mother used to communicate directly with Derrick across distances.

Furthermore, according to the system’s own past logs, Derrick was essentially her mother’s shadow.

He could literally submerge his physical form and travel inside Salma’s shadow. Just how useful and incredible would it be if Summer could learn how to do that exact same thing?

If she mastered that technique, her beloved zombie puppets would never have to stay physically separated from her again; they could travel with her anywhere tucked safely in the dark.

’This domain thing sounds remarkably useful,’ Summer noted mentally, a hint of genuine excitement coloring her tone.

[Of course,] the system responded. [Once you fully master the foundations of a domain, you can even augment that domain’s properties into a physical object or living person. That is precisely how specialized items like those spatial pouches are manufactured.]

Summer’s crimson eyes brightened noticeably as she heard that revelation. She suddenly remembered how her human friends had slowly started distancing themselves and ignoring her.

After doing a lot of persistent probing, Ilas had reluctantly admitted it was because they were desperately trying to become stronger to keep up with her.

If she could somehow use these advanced techniques to help or support them, maybe they would never ignore her again.

’Do you remember the Legacy of that woman from the Seven Palaces? Spatial augmentation works in a very similar manner to those lost Legacies,’ Shadow chimed in, its fat chicken form hovering within her mental realm.

’The only catch is that you have to re-augment the object every single time your personal domain progresses in tier, because the augmented properties inside the items cannot grow or evolve on their own.’

’Mm,’ Summer nodded her small head in acknowledgment. ’What should I do right now to start?’

[You must first attempt to project your elemental energy outward into the surrounding space, entirely unshaped and without assigning any specific property to it. It will be considerably difficult since—]

The system did not even get a chance to finish its sentence.

Without waiting for further instructions or safety warnings, Summer instantly willed her energy forward, projecting her shadow element outward into the cavern with absolute casualness.

In a fraction of a second, every single shadow in the vast stone room seemed to violently twist and snap toward her small figure like iron filings drawn to a giant magnet.

Her entire body was instantly swallowed whole into a dense sphere of pitch-black darkness. Even her bright crimson pupils were completely veiled and choked out by the heavy, impenetrable shadow energy.

’Like this?’ Summer asked innocently from inside the dark vortex, her voice echoing softly as if it were coming from a deep well.

Inside the mental realm, the system and Shadow abruptly fell entirely silent. The glowing interface text froze, and the fat black chicken stopped hovering, staring blankly into the void.

’She is simply incomparable when judged by ordinary terms and logical benchmarks,’ Shadow muttered under its breath, completely stunned by her absurd speed.

[True. It was entirely my fault for attempting to underestimate her learning curve,] the system admitted, its mechanical cadence carrying a rare hint of helplessness.

’You underestimated me?’ Summer’s voice echoed back, her eyes widening in immediate, childish accusation from inside her dark shroud.

[I was not speaking of it in that negative sense—]

’But you definitely underestimated me!’ Summer complained loudly, her tone dripping with mock betrayal as she crossed her small arms inside the shadow domain.

[Sigh...]

"Hehe..." Summer laughed softly inside the dark, swirling vortex, feeling immense satisfaction at the rare helplessness of the system.

After being constantly pinched, teased, and bullied by her mother all day—with her chubby cheeks being pulled and stretched practically every time she tried to act sly—Summer felt a deep sense of accomplishment.

She was finally satisfied to turn the tables and bully the system for a change. It was an exquisite victory for a zombie girl who rarely got the upper hand against the adults around her.

[You treacherous little girl,] the system muttered, its cold, mechanical cadence carrying a distinct edge of deadpan exasperation.

[Now return to our actual topic. You have already successfully projected the raw foundational canvas of the domain. Now you must project the precise property of your element in the exact manner you want this domain to operate.]

’Huh?’ Summer tilted her head inside the pitch-black shroud, her mind coming to a brief halt. ’What do you mean by how I want it to work? Can’t I just make it do everything?’

[No,] the system clarified firmly. [A domain without a designated rule or primary property is merely an unstable cloud of loose mana. It will collapse the moment you lose focus or enter active combat.]

[You must embed a specific property of your shadow element into the domain’s framework to serve as its governing law.]

’Like my Chaotic Wings?’ Summer asked, recalling her primary shadow manifestation.

’Exactly,’ Shadow chimed in. ’Your Chaotic Wings possess the distinct properties of wild turbulence, extreme corrosive friction, and unpredictable spatial acceleration.’

’If you infuse those specific traits throughout your entire shadow domain, anything that steps foot inside your darkness will be constantly sliced, corroded, and buffeted by chaotic shadow currents.’

Summer’s crimson eyes gleamed with interest as she visualized the scenario. A field of absolute, swirling darkness where enemies were shredded to pieces simply by breathing the air inside—it sounded devastatingly efficient.

’That sounds really cool,’ Summer admitted, a small, wicked grin spreading across her pale lips. ’So I just have to pour my Chaotic Wings energy into all these shadows around me?’

[Yes,] the system instructed. [Visualize the chaotic, corrosive nature of your wings extending out from your core, saturating every cubic inch of the dark aura enveloping this cavern.]

[Do not let it remain static. Force the shadow energy to fluctuate rapidly, establishing a violent resonance that obeys your direct will.]

Summer closed her eyes, turning her attention inward toward her dual core foundation. She located the dark, pulsing reservoir of her Mana-Shadow core, pinpointing the jagged, volatile threads of energy associated with her Chaotic Wings property.

With a deep breath, she drew upon those volatile threads and began pumping them outward into the surrounding dark sphere.

Instantly, the quiet, motionless shadows engulfing her small body began to stir. The serene, pitch-black sphere transformed into a violent, churning storm of pitch-black tendrils.

Tiny, sharp arcs of corrosive shadow energy crackled along the surface of the stone floor, hissing loudly as they ate through the rock and left behind deep, melted grooves.

The air temperature inside the cave plunged rapidly, filling the space with a suffocating pressure that made the surrounding stone walls tremble.

Summer maintained her cross-legged posture at the center of the tempest, controlling every single swirling current of darkness with a simple flick of her mind.

Within this space, she could feel every speck of dust, every microscopic crack in the cavern ceiling, and every movement of the air. It felt as if her consciousness had expanded to replace the entire cavern itself.

’I can feel everything inside here...’ Summer murmured, her voice carrying a haunting, dual-layered echo through the churning dark storm. ’Is this my domain?’