Bizarre Realm

Lightning Peak.

This area is perpetually shrouded in thunderstorm clouds due to elemental chaos. The high concentration of lightning elements occasionally leads to some crystallized stones appearing nearby. These stones possess certain magical traits and are often collected by treasure hunters to be sold at high prices to casters who enjoy researching electrical energy.

A forest is located approximately twenty kilometers from here, usually inaccessible, but occasionally, figures in Yin Yang Fish Robes can be seen passing over the forest canopy.

Most of these figures are Zhen Dan witches, alchemists, cultivators, among others. They are fond of the nearby Thunderstruck Wood, which they use to craft Dharma Artifacts. Under specific circumstances, Eastern witches can be observed summoning lightning to strike an animated Demon Tree, then quickly harvesting enough Thunderstruck Wood and departing swiftly. This area is an intersection on the Material Plane Continent Shelf, and although the legendary White Jade City remains out of reach, sightings of Zhen Dan people have become much more common.

"Stay alert!"

Rich, wearing heavy exoskeleton armor, walks at the front of the team. Behind him is a twelve-member squad of the Star Realm Army. After successfully completing the rescue mission on the Garden Planet, he was promoted to a member of the Pioneer Battle Group, currently holding the rank of Captain belonging to the Seventh Detachment of the Battle Group.

The Purgatory Roar III Grenade Launcher in his hand is loaded; since the expedition to the Garden Planet ended, members of the Mechanical Heart’s warband have switched to new weapons. These heavy firearms, known as grenade launchers, use Alchemy Rune Bullets. A single shot is comparable to a grenade, with a magazine containing six bullets total, requiring over 20 points of power to withstand its recoil. Currently, only warband members are equipped with the new grenade launchers, while ordinary members of the Star Realm Army continue using their previous weaponry.

This team is escorting a person named ’Paver,’ whose status is unclear, but he is said to be one of Shawn’s apprentices.

Occasionally, he boasts about a place called Mark City, claiming to be the capable assistant of a mighty Titan.

Rich is skeptical because Paver once attempted to escape, only to be captured (rescued) by the Martyr Battle Group members. He didn’t even make it past the high walls before his legs turned weak with fear. This individual hardly ever speaks the truth, as Brand of the Devil Path secretly probed his background, confirming he might be the legendary Otherworld Soul.

"We should be nearby."

Rich raises his hand and makes a fist. His comrades immediately disperse to keep watch and set up trigger traps—a peculiar little alchemy marvel capable of detecting slight ground tremors.

In the center of the team, the person named Paver looks up at the clouds gathering in the distance, where a thunderstorm is forming, and speaks: "Elemental chaos."

"We need to act quickly!"

"This area will soon be enveloped by a thunderstorm."

After speaking, he summons his magical pet, a bizarre small Eye Demon with four eye stems, and begins surveying the surroundings. Under the detection of magical power, he orders the team to dig the nearby soil, uncovering several tiny, faintly white glowing rhombic crystals.

——Thunder Stone [Curios].

These are used for crafting ’Rune Plasma Bombs.’ If not for the Warrior Path’s lack of mystic knowledge to excavate them, they wouldn’t need to bring such a burden along, as he is merely a level 6 Alchemist.

"Only pure crystals, reject any with impurities!" Paver instructs.

The process proceeds in an orderly manner, as Rich has led this team through many missions. As a level 15 Warrior, he has undergone three modification surgeries, enabling him to tackle any unexpected scenario. With the aid of the magic energy exoskeleton armor, they can even battle against Evil Objects.

Time unknown.

Suddenly, gunfire erupts in the distance, followed by soldiers’ furious shouts.

"Enemies!"

Boom - Boom - Boom.

An electric arc streaks across the sky, and before Rich’s team appears some creatures with partially elementalized bodies. They resemble light-shadow conglomerates, their skin flowing with plasma-like liquid. These creatures’ forms are unstable, seeming to blink as they move. Approaching them causes anomalies in the surrounding electrostatic field, providing everyone a tingling paralysis sensation as if electrified. These beings are not of the Material Plane; they are corrupted mutant Elemental Bodies.

Tat-tat-tat!

A fierce burst of gunfire breaks out.

Amidst the grenade launchers’ roaring, a figure resembling a ball of light shatters instantly, akin to exploding plasma searing nearby ground into charred marks.

"Prepare to retreat!"

Rich knows his mission well.

This operation isn’t about eliminating monsters but gathering materials and ensuring Paver’s safety. As the Mechanical Heart recently undertook significant moves, many powerful High Tier warbands have been reassigned.

But then suddenly.

BOOM!!!

A dull explosion reverberates across the battlefield.

When Rich bewilderedly looks up, he sees an enormous floating airship tearing open the Gate of Space. This airship, approximately sixty meters long, hovers several hundred meters above the ground. Its appearance is unaccounted for, with the keel engraved in complex mystical runes. When his gaze falls upon the deck, a magic energy cannon platform materializes.