Chapter 3: The Dark Mist Descends

“My fellow people, please look once more at our beautiful homeland.” As the elder’s steady and powerful voice rang out, the surroundings began to change. A planet resembling an aquamarine gem appeared before Mels and the others.

“Remember, this is our planet—a world occupied by demons. No matter how many years it takes, one day we must return to this beautiful homeland. And making that day a reality depends entirely on your efforts.” The elder spoke with deep emotion. Following his words, the surroundings plunged back into darkness.

After a moment, the elder suddenly raised a crimson gem from his palm and declared, “The reason we abandoned our homeland was this small gem. At a time when we believed technology would bring us happiness, our enemies instead weaponized technology to pursue their ambition of world domination!

“My fellow people, we have always regarded war as humanity’s greatest enemy. We never sought to instigate conflict, nor did we ever entertain thoughts of conquering others’ lands. We assumed this philosophy would be universally accepted—yet we were gravely mistaken. And the price we paid for that error was exile from our homeland!

“Today, as you dwell upon this new land and savor peace and happiness, never forget the errors we once committed. Only the truly strong can safeguard peace—and ensure that those we cherish may live joyful, fulfilling lives. Now, I shall begin explaining to you all…” Just as the elder was about to reach the crux of his speech, a faint buzzing sound abruptly filled the air.

As the lights flickered erratically, the elder’s figure gradually blurred, and his voice warped and fractured—until it became nearly unintelligible.

Approximately ten seconds later, a muffled explosion echoed from afar. Simultaneously, the earlier female voice replaced the elder’s, announcing crisply: “Central system power interference neutralized. Power and defense circuits restored. Central control center damage confirmed. Fourth emergency hatch compromised. Outer defense system in Zone F damaged. Non-member intruders confirmed. Central control center instructional protocol terminated. Emergency defense forces alerted to central control center. Repeat: Emergency defense forces alerted to central control center!”

As the voice continued, both the elder and the wondrous environment vanished completely—replaced only by pulsing crimson light flashing through the air.

At that instant, Mels and the others finally perceived their true surroundings. Glancing around, they found themselves in a vast metallic chamber—larger than the previous corridors they had traversed. What distinguished it was a massive metal platform at its center, atop which rested a spherical device encased in transparent glass panels. The elder and the breathtaking vista must have been projections generated by this sphere.

What astonished Mels and the others most was not the platform or the sphere—but the multicolored crystals beneath the platform, each roughly brick-sized and fully encased in protective glass. These crystals were currently emitting faint electrical arcs through specialized conduits, channeling energy upward into the platform.

Upon seeing them, Mels and Sol exclaimed almost in unison: “Divine Crystal?” If Master Hypnotist Shakba’s description was accurate, then these could only be Divine Crystals.

“Mels—grab the Divine Crystals now! Sol—immediately cast blast magic to breach these walls! If we don’t escape *now*, we may never get out!” Hearing the relentless alerts echoing throughout the chamber, Xiu Lante knew hesitation was fatal—and barked his orders without delay.

Spurred by Xiu Lante’s command, Mels and the other youths snapped into action. Mels and Rek rushed toward the platform, weapons drawn, shattering the glass encasing the Divine Crystals in preparation for retrieval.

Sol withdrew his magic staff from his back and began chanting a lengthy incantation—ready to obliterate the surrounding metal walls and carve an exit route.

“Demons lurking in the deepest shadows—heed my call! By the blood pact unbroken for a thousand years, I offer the ecstasy of annihilation. Grant me the power to borrow your arcane might—and reduce all ignorance and folly in this world to dust! Dark Mantra: Thunder Shatter Curse!”

Almost the instant Mels and the others secured the Divine Crystals, Sol unleashed a devastating lightning-based spell toward the opposite wall. A jagged bolt of black lightning erupted from his staff’s tip, melting a gaping hole over two meters wide straight through the metal barrier.

Witnessing Sol’s spell, Xiu Lante inwardly cursed his own oversight—even as he admired Sol’s quick thinking. He’d merely ordered Sol to blast open the wall for escape, but had neglected to consider that explosive magic like fire spells would generate a catastrophic shockwave in such confined quarters, endangering everyone.

Sol, however, had instantly grasped the danger—and adapted. Choosing a lightning spell capable of precise melting rather than indiscriminate detonation, he fulfilled Xiu Lante’s intent while ensuring their collective safety. That was precisely why Xiu Lante was so deeply impressed.

Unaware of Xiu Lante’s internal reflection, Sol turned immediately after casting his spell and called out to Xiu Lante and Bagina: “Bagina—you take Uncle out first! I’ll go with the boss and the others. This ship is enormous—I have no idea how many layers of hull my magic just pierced. Looks like we’ll need to improvise!”

Just as Sol prepared to join Mels and the others, Mels and Rek had already returned—each clutching several Divine Crystals bundled tightly within their garments.

“Don’t just stand there—everyone, move *now*! I think I heard heavy, thudding footsteps earlier. If those are the Metal Giants we faced before, we’re doomed!” Mels warned the group, voice taut with urgency.

Hearing his warning, the group wasted no time. Akafir—carrying Xiu Lante—and Bagina exited first; Mels and the others swiftly followed through the molten breach.

This time, fortune favored them: the direction Sol had chosen at random proved to be the shortest path outward. Even so, Sol still had to unleash his lightning magic five more times along the way—carving a continuous passage through the ship’s thick hull. When the final wall gave way, a brilliant shaft of sunlight blazed through the opening, bathing Mels and the others in golden light.

Stepping out of the dim, metallic confines of the vessel, the youths bathed in sunlight finally felt grounded again—reconnected to reality. Though this extraordinary adventure had yielded what might indeed be Divine Crystals, it had also cost Xiu Lante an arm. Honestly, such a trade-off seemed steep. Yet life often works this way: gaining something inevitably demands sacrificing something else—a simple, immutable truth.

Though the group had swiftly evacuated the ship’s hull and thus temporarily escaped immediate peril, a new challenge now loomed before them. Earlier, they had ridden Xiu Lante’s summoned Firebird to reach the valley. But now, without the Firebird, Xiu Lante could no longer effortlessly lift Mels and the others up the sheer cliff face. Scaling that precipice had become their most urgent dilemma.

Climbing such a vertical cliff unaided would be perilous enough for Mels and the others—but adding Xiu Lante, who had lost an arm, rendered it virtually impossible through sheer physical effort.

Sol initially proposed using flight magic—but quickly realized his mana reserves, depleted by extensive high-level spellcasting that day, were insufficient to lift everyone. Rek then suggested he and Akafir ascend first and lower a rope to haul Xiu Lante up. Yet Mels swiftly dismissed the idea: sourcing a rope hundreds of meters long was utterly impractical.

After all their grueling trials, none of them imagined they’d be stalled by a cliff. Exhausted discussions yielded no viable solutions—leaving them seated in a circle, staring helplessly at the towering rock face.

“Sigh… shame my Steel Ape can’t fly—it’d at least be useful now,” Sol muttered glumly, head bowed. His offhand remark sparked a sudden realization in Mels: *Right! Little One has evolved into a green dragon. Though smaller than Uncle’s Firebird, it should be able to carry one person at a time!* Without delay, Mels leapt to his feet and shared his idea.

Though everyone had seen Little One’s new form, doubts lingered about its capabilities. With no alternatives left, however, they reluctantly agreed to let Little One attempt the task. A flash of emerald light shot forth from the Summoning Gem embedded in Mels’s palm—and Little One appeared: winged, half a person’s height, and radiating quiet confidence.

At that moment, Xiu Lante wasn’t focused on Little One—but on the Summoning Gem itself. After a pause, he abruptly rose, seized Mels’s left hand, and scrutinized his forearm intently before asking, “Mels—if I recall correctly, your Summoning Gem was originally a white crystal, wasn’t it? How did it transform into an emerald?”

“Huh? Yes—Uncle, how did you know? Ever since I met you, it’s always been an emerald.” Mels, genuinely puzzled, voiced his confusion.

Xiu Lante offered no reply—only murmured under his breath, “Impossible… utterly impossible. Summoning Gems *cannot* evolve—unless…”

“Uncle—what’s going on? Doesn’t the Summoning Gem evolve alongside the Summoned Beast?” Mels pressed.

Xiu Lante paused—weighing his words—then replied deliberately, “Don’t you know a Summoning Gem is innate? Your Summoned Beast is predetermined at birth—and its potential hinges entirely on the Gem’s inherent rank!”

“That’s not right. My foster father, Rek, and the others all began with weak Summoned Beasts that evolved progressively,” Mels countered, perplexed.

“No—Summoning Gems *do not* evolve. Only Summoned Beasts do. For instance, Sol possesses a Yellow Dragon Stone Summoning Gem. Its naturally evolved apex form is the Earth Giant. The Steel Ape he currently commands must undergo *two more* evolutions before reaching that class.

“Yet no matter how many times a Summoned Beast evolves—the Summoning Gem remains unchanged! In battle, I absorbed three Sacred Beast Summons, elevating my Flame Beast—already the highest-tier class—to the super-sacred beast Firebird. Yet the Summoning Gem on the back of my hand remains a Fire Dragon Stone!” Xiu Lante explained with meticulous clarity.

“Is that really true?” Mels glanced uncertainly at Xiu Lante—then turned to Sol and the others, seeking contradiction. Instead, they all nodded faintly, affirming Xiu Lante’s explanation.

“Boss—I’ve always found it strange,” Sol said seriously, eyes fixed on Mels. “Your Summoning Gem *actually changes* as your Summoned Beast grows stronger. It’s unbelievable.”

“Perhaps *that’s* the anomaly. Normally, a White Crystal yields only support-type Summoned Beasts—it cannot produce an offensive Slime. Even if a Slime were classified as a low-tier magical beast, evolving into a King Slime would require years—let alone skipping multiple tiers to become a Green Dragon outright! Perhaps it’s because…” Xiu Lante trailed off, speaking as if to himself.

“Perhaps *what*?” Sensing Xiu Lante held vital knowledge, Mels urged urgently.

“Nothing. Perhaps it’s simply a miracle. Human evolution is inherently mysterious. Perhaps you’re a uniquely fortunate individual.” Xiu Lante smiled faintly—deliberately masking the secret burning within him.

Mels understood Xiu Lante’s reluctance to reveal what he knew—and chose not to press further. His trust in Xiu Lante now outweighed doubt. He believed, wholeheartedly, that if the moment demanded it, Xiu Lante would share everything.

“Alright—since my Summoning Gem poses no issue, let’s test Little One,” Mels declared.

“Boss—what exactly do you need me to do?” Little One asked, blinking innocently beside him.

“Heh—heh. I know you haven’t stretched your wings lately. I’ve got the perfect assignment for you. Our group can’t climb back to the cave on the cliff—so you’ll need to fly us up, one trip at a time,” Mels replied with a sly grin.

“Boss—what kind of ‘exercise’ is *that*? I can manage *one* trip—*max*,” Little One lamented, crestfallen.

“One trip? You’ll need to carry *all six* of us!” Mels assumed Little One misunderstood.

“Yes—*one* trip *is* enough for all six of you. Do you want me to make separate runs?” Little One asked, genuinely baffled.

Hearing this, Mels and the others exchanged bewildered glances—staring repeatedly at Little One.

When Little One noticed their scrutiny, it suddenly grasped their confusion—and grinned. “Oh… you think I’m too small to carry you all at once, right? Heh—heh—Boss, step back a bit. Let me show you the new technique I’ve secretly mastered these past few days—without even showing myself!” With that, Little One gestured for everyone to retreat a short distance.

Puzzled but compliant, Mels and the others stepped back several paces. Then, the half-human-tall dragon opened its mouth wide—and began inhaling vast quantities of air. Within moments, its body swelled like an expanding balloon—growing steadily larger. Over two or three minutes, it ballooned to roughly six times its original size—matching the scale of Xiu Lante’s Firebird.

Witnessing this astonishing transformation, Mels’s expression shifted from utter disbelief to radiant joy. Little One didn’t stop breathing—but its expansion ceased, and its proportions subtly adjusted into perfect balance.

Finally, Little One exhaled deeply—and, in its colossal new form, announced cheerfully, “Boss—how’s *that*? Pretty impressive, huh? Let me tell you—I can *double* my size *again*!”

“Haha—you’re truly my incredible Little One! Absolutely astonishing!” Mels cried, rushing forward in exhilaration. The other youths surged around Little One, equally captivated by its miraculous ability—half-expecting it to pop like an overinflated balloon.

Only Xiu Lante remained motionless, staring blankly at Little One—his mind reeling: *Impossible! How could the ancient laws governing Summoned Beasts—passed down unchanged for millennia—be fundamentally flawed? Could Little One’s evolution have followed an incorrect sequence? Yet what it’s using now is unmistakably ‘Primordial Qi’! It took my Firebird *ten years* to double its size—and yet it…*

A Green Dragon is merely a mid-tier Summoned Beast—it shouldn’t be capable of wielding Primordial Qi. Commanding *more than double* the standard amount should enable ‘Limitless Transformation.’ Limitless Transformation would be far more practical than Primordial Qi for ferrying us up the cliff… *My head’s spinning. I simply cannot fathom what kind of Summoned Beast Little One truly is!*

Just as Xiu Lante’s thoughts spiraled, Mels and the others had already scrambled onto Little One’s broad back.

Sol shouted to Xiu Lante, “Uncle—if you don’t hop on *now*, you’ll miss your chance! Once the prime spots are taken, Little One’ll have to carry you up by its claws!” Hearing Sol’s call—and the youths’ cheerful laughter—Xiu Lante smiled faintly and thought: *Forget it. No matter how Little One evolves, it ultimately serves Mels. That’s all that matters.* With that, he laughed heartily—and, answering Sol’s call, climbed onto Little One’s shoulder.

Everyone had climbed onto Little One's back, and at Mels' command, Little One immediately soared into the air. They all felt a brief moment of breathlessness as they sliced through the cloud layer floating halfway up the cliff.

Perhaps Little One's flying speed was simply too fast, or maybe because Mels and the others hadn't paid attention to the cave's location, by the time Little One reached the top of the cliff, everyone was still immersed in amazement.

"Boss, where exactly is the cave? I didn't notice it just now," Little One said after hovering in mid-air.

"Don't worry about the cave now. Since you can fly, we won't need to walk anymore! Hurry, fly forward, let's head straight back to Master Shakba's residence," Sol said excitedly to Little One. Meanwhile, Mels asked Little One with concern, "Can you fly that far? If not, find a gentle place to land, and we can walk back ourselves."

"Boss, don't worry. A few hundred kilometers is absolutely no problem for me. Just like you said, I haven't been out for a long time either—it's time for some exercise!"

With that, Little One flapped its wings, shouted to everyone on its back, "Hold on tight!" and then shot forward like an arrow from a bow toward Master Shakba's location.

Although the youths had seen warriors with flying-type Summoned Beasts soaring overhead many times, this was their first time actually riding a Summoned Beast on a long-distance flight. The novelty and excitement they felt now probably surpassed even when they entered the shipwreck ruins!

Flying through the air was indeed fast. An area that would have taken a day to reach on foot was now, with Little One's help, covered in less than half a day, nearing the quiet estate where Shakba lived.

However, just as everyone eagerly held the Divine Crystal, ready to treat Emma's amnesia, they suddenly noticed a thick column of black smoke rising near Shakba's residence.

"Little One, the destination is right where the black smoke is coming from. Drop down lower now. It's likely that enemies have attacked Master Shakba!" Mels calmly ordered Little One to descend. Already somewhat tired, Little One didn't ask any more questions and slowly descended as commanded by Mels.

As the distance closed, Mels spotted three massive metal robots firing at numerous human soldiers around the small lake! And the weapons they used were those deadly beams of light.

Swiftly passing over the estate, Little One circled once in the air to allow Mels and the others to clearly assess the situation before rapidly descending toward the ground.

The metal robots seemed to have noticed Mels and the others' arrival as well. One of them suddenly raised a huge metal short rod and fired a red beam directly at Little One.

"Watch out!" Before Mels' warning could fully sound, the beam pierced through Little One's right wing.

"Ah..." Little One cried out in pain, its body trembling violently. But the resilient Summoned Beast still didn't allow itself to fall uncontrollably. Instead, it barely managed to stabilize its posture and landed with a heavy thud about a thousand meters from the estate.

Seeing Little One severely injured, Sol and the others hurriedly scrambled off Little One, trying to reduce its burden. Little One looked at Mels, smiled weakly, and said, "Boss, I'm useless. I can't help you again."

"That's not true. If it weren't for you flying us back, we wouldn't have made it in time for the enemy's attack. Don't say anything now, just rest," Mels said, raising his arm to recall the enlarged Little One back into the Summoning Gem.

In truth, Little One was hit by the enemy's beam partly because the attack was very sudden, and partly because it was its first time being enlarged and wasn't yet accustomed to the stiffness that came with the larger body. Mels certainly knew the injury Little One suffered was severe—this was evident just from the faint red light glowing on the Summoning Gem.

"Boss, it's those bastards again! Let's go teach them a lesson!" Sol said indignantly.

"Don't rush. There are three of them this time, and the reason they found this place is likely because of Emma. We mustn't be careless; the enemy's strength far exceeds our imagination!

Bagina, your attacks aren't suitable against these Metal Giants, and Master Shakba needs someone to look after him. You stay here and take care of him! Sol, your movement speed is too slow to effectively attack the enemy. Later, you and Rek will be responsible for support, mainly using light magic to protect everyone's safety. Akafir and I will handle direct assaults on the enemy! Does everyone understand?" Mels said to the group, his eyes gleaming.

After spending so much time together, everyone understood that while Mels was usually very easygoing, once on the battlefield, his words became ironclad commands that no one could change. Therefore, even though Bagina really wanted to fight alongside Mels and the others, under the pressure of Mels' sharp gaze, she could only reluctantly agree.

Seeing that no one had any objections, Mels gripped his somewhat nicked longsword, secretly resolving in his heart: No matter what, I won't let the scum who attacked Little One get away! With that, he shouted and led the charge. The battle between the metal robots and the city guard forces near the small estate had temporarily ended. Although the human forces numbered over a hundred, the situation was still one-sided. Apart from the nearly hundred corpses left by the guard forces, they hadn't even managed to touch the Metal Giants' bodies. Meanwhile, the Metal Giants seemed to greatly enjoy the slaughter, continuously firing their beam weapons at the fleeing human soldiers.

Emma and Shakba, whom Mels and the others were most concerned about, were currently huddled in the corner of a destroyed wall. Judging by their expressions, Shakba seemed to have suffered a significant impact and was unconscious. Emma, holding a Beam Sword, had several wounds on her body but still had a determined look in her eyes, peeking through a gap in the wall to observe the situation outside. Clearly, they likely hadn't directly engaged the Metal Giants yet; most of their injuries were probably from debris caused by the massive explosions.

However, although Emma and Shakba's hiding spot was concealed, it hadn't escaped the Metal Giants' notice. After they had nearly lost interest in chasing the fleeing humans, one of the Metal Giants took large strides, shaking the ground with each step, and headed toward the broken wall where Emma was hiding.

"X613, as a soldier of the Federal Empire, your act of privately piloting a combat mech away from the Federation constitutes a serious crime of treason! As part of the pursuit unit, I now order you, by imperial law, to lay down your weapons and follow me back to the Empire. If you continue to persist in your delusion, I will exercise the authority granted by the Supreme Council to execute you on the spot!" the giant machine suddenly spoke.

After saying these words, the giant robot immediately aimed its metal weapon at the broken wall where Emma was hiding.

Looking at the dark, menacing muzzle of the robot's weapon, Emma turned pale and glanced back at Shakba, who had lost consciousness. She was torn by a difficult decision! Although she didn't understand the full meaning of the robot's words, she knew that all this disaster was because of her.

"Master, I can't cause you any more trouble!" Emma seemed to have made up her mind. She whispered to herself and prepared to stand up and walk out.

Just at that moment, a frail, aged hand grabbed the hem of her clothes. Turning around abruptly, Emma found that Shakba had actually regained consciousness, and it was the old man's trembling hand that held her.

"Master, don't worry. As long as I go with them, they won't trouble you. I believe Brother Mels and the others will return soon; they will definitely be able to help you," Emma said softly, gently releasing Shakba's hand. She then stood up resolutely, stepped over the low broken wall, and walked toward the direction of the metal robot.

At the same time, Mels and the others finally closed in to a distance where they could launch an attack. Originally, Mels wanted to proceed cautiously to avoid the enemy's line of sight, but when he saw Emma being coerced by the metal robot, he immediately realized this was no time for hesitation.

Mels rushed forward quickly, shouting in the direction where Emma was, "Emma, don't go up there! They'll kill you!"

But Emma had already walked onto the metal robot's lowered arm. It seemed Mels had arrived too late, warned too late—everything was beyond saving now!