Inside the Church of Our Lady of the Return City.
As the faithful left the prayer hall one by one, Brave, at the top, closed the holy book before him and hung it from its chain around his waist.
Although he had previously been a Wheatear Knight, he now temporarily served as the church's pastor.
For believers like them, the transition of status was effortless.
After all, they were pastors first, and knights second.
After the faithful had left, Brave descended and took a seat at the end of the prayer hall, where Alka sat waiting.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting."
Aarka merely smiled upon hearing this, and he also prayed to the Virgin Mary.
After a few pleasantries, Brave's expression turned serious, and he began, "After two months of low-frequency attacks, the demonic attacks have gradually picked up again, although still at a lower frequency.
The target you asked us to pay attention to has been appearing frequently in the Fortress of Demons lately."
Hearing this, Arka turned to look at him: "Kalande the Slayer?"
This was exactly the target he had asked Brave and his men to keep an eye on in the Fortress of Demons.
You should know that during the months of the demonic offensive two years ago, this demon was severely wounded by Greyvern.
As a result, Alka had heard almost nothing about him in the past two years, save for sporadic sightings of him at the outskirts of the city walls.
He was primarily a harasser, rarely appearing in locations of intense fighting, suggesting he was hiding.
Furthermore, witnesses reported that he was not in good condition.
At the time, Alka had simply asked Brave and the others to keep an eye on him, as his power had not yet reached the sixth level.
Given the strength of the time, staying in the Demon-Proof Fortress would have easily put him in too great a danger.
After all, it was closest to the Rift, with virtually no space or other restrictions. It was also where the fiercest fighting took place, and no one could focus on Arka under such a powerful attack.
Add to that the Devouring Mouth and the demons' current desire to destroy Arka.
If he had gone there before reaching the sixth stage, it would have been tantamount to seeking his own death.
So Arka never went there once. During the two years, the places they would defend were mostly concentrated in the surrounding fortresses, such as the Demon Hunter Fortress.
I hadn't expected him to hear about this demon just after he'd reached the sixth level of power, at least after the demon-proof fortress had gained the ability to defend itself.
It was hard not to think Alka was setting a trap.
At this point, Brave also said, "It's a bit of a coincidence. Given the damage Grayfar inflicted on him, it's impossible for him to recover so quickly.
Also, based on his recent performances, it's clear that his strength has declined, and he has very obvious scars.
He's not in good condition, and it's clear that his current activity wasn't intentional. After all, demons are reckless, but none of them at this stage are fools. They can only be described as insane at best."
Simply put, he was trying to lure Alka, a bit like seducing Alka's past targets.
Alka leaned back in his wooden chair, unable to help but think.
Should he go?
The main problem was that they had to go.
After learning about the process for repairing the world, he had already been thinking about the things he needed to do.
And this anti-magic fortress was definitely where they had to go.
It was a place they couldn't escape from.
Watching Alka ponder, Brave waited quietly beside him, not interrupting.
After a long while, Alka seemed to have figured it out and said, "Let's go, but our destination isn't Kalande. We're going to see where the fighting is most intense.
And see what they're up to."
Hearing this, Brave nodded without any further advice or words.
Because Alka was different from them.
Alka himself knew he had a trump card that would ensure he wouldn't be in mortal danger.
That was his ability to accept the power of his dream realm, which had already reached the mid-seventh stage.
He was still rapidly advancing towards the eighth stage.
Once he accepted it, he couldn't imagine how, with his strength and the treasure, he could be killed instantly.
Furthermore, he was only on the city wall. As long as he didn't set his sights on Kalande for the time being, he was unlikely to be lured into such a dangerous area.
And above the fortress, there were countless powerful beings around.
If Alka accepted the dream realm and his power reached the seventh level or above, he would still be under mortal threat in this situation, so there was no point in him hiding.
That's right, demons don't truly die.
The worst-case scenario would be Alka's physical death and his soul's return to the dream realm.
"I'll go alone." Hearing this, Brave looked at Alka with surprise.
Then, after some thought, he understood.
After all, Sofia and the others hadn't yet reached the sixth level of power, and that place was truly too dangerous for them.
If they can't target Alka, then targeting Alka's teammates is a very good option.
Don't assume those demons won't do this; after all, they've even gone to great lengths to attack the City of Return.
This kind of behavior, with almost no reward in return, proves they're capable of anything.
After saying goodbye to Brave, Alka returned to the building.
He shared some of his conversations with Brave with everyone.
"Are you going to the Demon-Proof Fortress alone?"
Arka nodded, then assured, "Don't worry, I'll definitely stay on the city walls. I mainly want to see and experience the intensity of the fighting in that area firsthand.
I won't take any dangerous steps targeting Kalande. Don't worry, the people around me will remind me."
Hearing this,
the people who had originally wanted to dissuade him nodded involuntarily.
It's already the sixth stage. It's a bit cowardly to be so timid when all the treasures except the crown are basically collected.
Eventually, we have to face the Devouring Mouth.
There's no point in running away.
No matter where it is.
Seeing that no one had much to say, Alka chatted with them for a while before starting to pack up.
The next morning, he followed a random convoy to the front lines.
The journey was peaceful.
No demon ambushes, no attacks from wild monsters.
A rare moment of peace and quiet, Alka arrived at the gates of the magic-proof fortress.
He gazed at the outrageous structure before him.
Or rather, it couldn't even be called a structure; it was a mountain.
It was a man-made mountain, arrayed before him.
From the surroundings, it was clear that these three peaks were not naturally grown, but rather man-made. A massive fortress was then built atop this mountain, leaning against the peak.
The rear gate alone was over ten meters high, with smaller gates of varying sizes flanking it for passage.
The gate was wide open, for it was the path to the rear, and a constant stream of goods and wounded were being brought in. Behind them, on either side of the gate, were a vast array of supplies and tents.
These items were clearly insufficient to transport into the fortress, indicating a lack of space.
Arka crossed the central path, surveying the supplies and tents on either side.
Inside, resting soldiers and mercenaries filled the area, most of them bound in bandages.
Apparently, all the residents here were wounded soldiers, all recovering from life-threatening injuries. Surprisingly, they were recovering right here in the back.
Aerka looked at the soldiers and saw that their injuries likely wouldn't affect their combat abilities; they simply needed rest.
Cargo trucks moved autonomously along the roads. The road leading into the fortress alone was wide enough for three transport trucks to drive side by side.
There was also piled up cargo around them, yet to be transported in.
Standing at the gate and around it were numerous members of the Church of Our Lady and the Seed of Life, apparently conducting tests. The security here was incredibly tight. Even before Arka even approached the gate, soldiers and personnel at least a few hundred meters away had already noticed him.
The gazes cast upon him were filled with scrutiny and assessment.
"Lord Arka?"
A nearby guard suddenly called out.
Hearing this, Arka turned to look.
Looking at the guard, he suddenly remembered that this was a soldier who had served at the Demon Hunter Fortress, perhaps here for a rotation.
"Lord Arka, you're actually here."
Although he greeted him, he didn't rush over, as he had his own mission to attend to.
Instead, the captain next to him exchanged a few words with him, then approached with his weapon in hand.
Looking at Alka, he said, "You are Lord Alka."
"Not Lord, but I am indeed Alka."
He looked at Alka and nodded respectfully, then said, "This must be your first time here. Do you need me to take you to the Holy Mother Church?"
Hearing this, Alka nodded and said, "Thank you."
"It's my honor, Lord."
He gave some orders to his team members and then led Alka towards the gate.
After arriving at the gate, he stepped aside and said to Alka, "Please allow yourself to be inspected. This is a necessary procedure."
Alka nodded and walked straight in. The person examining him was a pointy-eared guard wearing an emerald robe with dark green vines draped around his body.
He looked at Arka and nodded politely.
He then took out an emerald green crystal and gently placed it on Arka's chest.
Arka could clearly sense a movement scanning him.
He instantly sensed a wave of repelling aura from the abyss, an internal scan.
After the scan, the soldier looked at the crystal in his hand and gave Arka a strange look.
"Is there a problem?" Arka asked.
The guard shook his head. "No, it's more like nothing at all. You don't have a trace of the Abyssal Invasion's aura."
After all, he was in World Scar, battling demons. It was strange that there wasn't even a trace of the Abyssal Aura lingering within him. It was so clean it felt uncanny, as if he'd just arrived on this continent.
But it was clear that Arka hadn't just arrived.
But he'd also heard about Arka from the guard next to him, here in this demon-proof fortress, the name Arka. Aside from the new recruits and soldiers rotating in from more distant forts, everyone had heard of it.
He wasn't sure how to confirm it.
"Let me do it," a voice came from behind the Seed of Life member.
The figure approached, dressed in the style of the Church of Our Lady.
It was a woman.
She had long, flowing golden hair, and a striking, recognizable metal eyepatch. It was covered in rich religious motifs.
She wore dazzling, ornate metal armor, and on each side were two long swords of different styles.
On her head, she wore a metal laurel wreath woven from wheat ears, adorned with a brown gemstone in the center.
Aluka recognized her.
That long golden hair and metal eyepatch were unmistakable.
About six or seven years ago, on Twin Islands, Aluka sought the help of the archbishop, hoping to borrow a treasure related to autumn.
Aluka remembered that when he left the church, he saw the Holy Blade Saint leading several wheat-ear knights in prayer.
At that time, he remembered seeing the girl possessing two gold and one orange treasures, a total of three treasures, and her power had reached the sixth level.
Now, Alka blinked slightly.
This girl's strength had almost reached the perfection of the sixth stage, and it seemed she could break through to the seventh stage at any moment. Her treasures had also become three gold and one orange.
Compared to Alka, she only lacked one orange treasure.
"Saint Blade," the Seed of Life member said respectfully, then made way.
The Saint Blade smiled at Alka and said, "We met many years ago, right? I still remember you."
Alka nodded. "Back on Twin Islands."
Hearing this, the Saint's smile continued. She raised her right hand, covered in a thin metal soft armor suit.
There were even traces of blood and scratches on it. Judging from the freshness of the blood, she seemed to have been fighting for less than half an hour.
"Hello, my name is Annafiel."
Arka extended his hand and shook hers briefly, saying, "Arka."
Annafel nodded and said, "No problem. Are you going to the Holy Mother's residence? Come with me."
Arka nodded at this, then turned to look at the guard next to him and said, "Thank you for your help."
The guard captain nodded quickly and said, "No problem."
Then Arka followed Annafiel into the fortress.
Inside, the space inside the fortress was much larger than he had expected. He could even see a large training ground around him, where soldiers were warming up.
Soldiers were moving about, chatting among themselves. The air was filled with a murderous atmosphere, the thick stench of blood wafting from afar, lingering for a moment.
And upon entering the fortress, Alka could clearly sense the space solidifying, then weakening and nearly disappearing. It was as if he were outside the scars of the world, free to open the door to space at will.
All he could hear was Annafiel in front of him saying, "This is the most chaotic node in the entire world. Because of the scars of that world, it's incredibly chaotic.
Space is incredibly fragile, and everything is chaotic and disordered. Demons can unleash their greatest power here, and treasures can also perform better here, without too many constraints."
Alka nodded in agreement with Annafiel's words. He could already clearly feel it.
He could clearly sense how easily the elements around him were controlled.
Although the elements were chaotic and active, it also meant they were easier to mobilize, control, and master.
The same was true of space.
Even Alka felt that in this place, even the barrier between him and the dream world had become less thick.
Although it made no difference to anyone else.
The demons had grown stronger here, but they would only grow stronger.
A smile broke out on Arka's face.
Further in, past some stone buildings, Arka finally caught sight of the towering watchtowers and city walls.
This was supposed to be the wall facing the demons, yet it was fifty or sixty meters high. Could it even be considered a city wall?
It was like rows of tall buildings, tightly packed together.
It almost blocked out some of the sunlight, making the fortress appear dim.
The watchtowers were even taller, and Arka could see an extremely exaggerated gem above them.
He could even sense the power of the Holy Mother within the gem, but it wasn't just the Holy Mother's power.
A closer look suggested that the power of the Four Gods must be converging here.
It also slightly stabilized the chaos within the fortress, preventing it from being completely devoid of the order of natural forces.
In other words, the chaos Arka had just sensed was only within the fortress, where the environment was changing under the deliberate control of the Four Gods.
If it were outside the fortress, the extent of the chaos would be unimaginable.
In that case, the location of the demons might be only slightly different from the Abyss Road.
In contrast, I wonder if using treasures will still lead to higher levels.