Babata glanced at Rowan and saw no room to argue. Reluctantly, she followed his lead.
Immediately, she began to relay information.
"One point six kilometers from here, there is a deposit of Cosmic Crystals. Move quickly!"
"Sixteen kilometers away, five thousand six hundred meters underground, another deposit exists…"
Babata provided two locations. Without hesitation, Rowan's team set to work, harvesting everything in sight.
"Go! Magic Cloud Vines!"
"Forward, Magic Cloud Vines!"
Hong and Raif unleashed their Magic Cloud Vines. Instantly, countless tendrils shot out from their bodies, sweeping all the nearby Cosmic Crystals into storage.
As for Rowan, last time he had used a Reality Gem to replicate and cultivate a planet-level Magic Cloud Vine for Raif. Initially, he intended to give it directly to Raif, but worried that a replicated vine might vanish after a short time, he stored it safely in his space. Like Babata's own Magic Cloud Vine, plant-based life could be preserved in space storage.
Time had passed, and under Rowan's nurturing with the Muyo Crystal, the vine had grown to Planet-Level Rank Nine without any abnormality. Rowan had intended to hand it over to Raif, but in the rush, he had completely forgotten.
Now was not the time for gifts. Every second mattered. The goal was to secure all Cosmic Crystals and world ore before others could interfere.
"No… this is too many Stellar-Level warriors!"
Babata suddenly cried out, projecting a holographic map in front of the team. The map was dotted with countless red points, so densely packed it was dizzying to look at.
"My God… how many people are there?" Raif exclaimed, recognizing the red dots as individuals.
"It seems the news of the World Within a World has spread. Every major force has sent a large number of Stellar-Level warriors to grab treasure. But why haven't any Universe-Level or Domain Lord-Level forces come?" Babata frowned. For now, being underground kept them relatively safe.
"Up ahead in the World Within a World, there's a massive castle. That should be where the treasures of this Thunder World reside. We need to move quickly, or others will beat us to it."
Babata urged them forward, but Rowan held up a hand.
"Not yet. There are too many Stellar-Level warriors above. Even with our abilities, we cannot handle such numbers." Rowan's calm tone carried authority. Babata understood; his reasoning made sense.
"Fortune favors the bold, but survival is more important. For now, we wait. Once chaos erupts above, we blend in and act."
Everyone agreed. At this stage, moving onto the surface would be too risky. As the first to enter the World Within a World, they would be obvious targets, assumed to carry valuable treasures. It was wiser to wait for the right moment and move undetected.
Just as Rowan's plan was taking shape, a communication request arrived from Domain Shadow. Rowan saw an opportunity to gain a powerful ally; they were still outnumbered.
"Are you currently inside the World Within a World?" Domain Shadow began without preamble, confirming their location.
"Yes, Domain Shadow. We are currently inside the World Within a World. What are your orders?" Rowan responded politely.
"In this chaotic situation, the Three-Axe Mountain faction will provide protection. You can operate freely within the World Within a World under our shelter. I have already sent your comms to our faction members. Move to join them immediately. Remember, treasure is secondary; survival is primary."
"Thank you, Domain Shadow!" Rowan was surprised by the generous offer but bowed in gratitude.
Domain Shadow provided the location of Three-Axe Mountain's forces, about ten kilometers away, and urged them to join quickly.
"Domain Shadow is really looking out for us. Even as outsiders, he wants to protect us," Tienanhe remarked in admiration.
Hong and Raif exchanged a knowing glance. "He sees our potential. He doesn't want promising talent to be killed off, so he warns us. It's also a way to make us owe him."
Rowan, deep in thought, rubbed his chin. Domain Shadow's protection seemed unusually thorough. It almost felt like he was deliberately shielding them from any danger. Strange.
In the original timeline, Domain Shadow had struck a deal: protection in exchange for treasures that caught his eye. Now, it wasn't transactional; it was comprehensive protection.
Rowan chose not to dwell on it.
"Team, we move as planned. Three-Axe Mountain is about ten kilometers from here. Ascend from the underground. We will meet them soon and proceed together to the designated area."
The team followed Rowan's command, quickly rising to the surface and soon rendezvousing with the Three-Axe Mountain contingent. The faction welcomed Rowan's group warmly, having received direct orders to protect every member, no questions asked.
Soon, they approached the central castle of the World Within a World. As figures descended around the structure, its grandeur became apparent.
Everyone was exhilarated. They knew that behind those gates lay treasures to rival their wildest dreams.
A team from White Tiger Tower was the first to reach the gates. Without hesitation, they attacked some with blades, some with psychic weapons, and others with energy cannons.
Yet, just as their attacks neared the gate, a blue light flared across it, repelling everything.
The sudden defense stunned the attackers. Before they could react further, ten figures leapt ahead, blocking White Tiger Tower's advance.
"This castle and its surroundings belong to the Imperial Martial Corps. Anyone who dares trespass will be annihilated," a leader announced. He wore heavy armor and bore a vicious scar across his face. His presence radiated a terrifying Stellar-Level Rank Nine aura, on the verge of Universe-Level.
During the World Within a World, many forces sent warriors on the brink of Universe-Level. Though they hadn't reached Universe-Level before entry, any breakthrough within the world was not considered a violation. Opportunistic, yes, but permissible.
Among the two million Stellar-Level warriors in the scramble, many were at Rank Nine, capable of crossing into Universe-Level at any moment. Yet reaching Universe-Level was never easy. Many Stellar-Level warriors, no matter how powerful, would never reach that threshold, explaining why some galaxies might see only one Universe-Level warrior emerge.
"Damn the Imperial Martial Corps! They want to claim this for themselves!"
"No! We cannot allow it!"
By now, about three hundred thousand Stellar-Level warriors had gathered, all glaring at the Imperial Martial Corps.
At that moment, the Ninth Princess, Bryolin, appeared, floating above with nine weapon-wielding soldiers beside her.
"This area, including the castle, belongs to the Imperial Martial Corps. Any defiance will be met with death!"
Her claim infuriated other factions, but few dared speak up immediately. Those who did were swiftly obliterated by a terrifying blue beam. The attacks were instantaneous no time even to scream.
Fear spread like wildfire among the gathered forces.
"Haha, you all know this weapon well. Yes, this is a B-Class Level 2 Electromagnetic Cannon. One shot can kill a Universe-Level Rank Two warrior," Bryolin announced with confidence.
"I have nine of these. What chance do you have against us?"
The surrounding warriors seethed. Even if they reached Universe-Level, Bryolin's weapons could decimate them. One cannon was formidable; nine was unconquerable.
"What do we do now?" murmured several factions, panic creeping in.
"Don't give up yet. There may still be a turn of events," Rowan said with a confident smile.
Domain Shadow's autonomous intelligence, Lord Mist, had yet to appear. Once he did, the balance of power could shift drastically.
Sure enough, Bryolin's forces moved forward, but just as two Stellar-Level Rank Nine warriors attempted to breach the gates, two whips crackled with terrifying lightning, striking so fast the warriors disintegrated before they could scream.
"What!" Everyone gasped, initially suspecting a trap.
Then the castle gates opened, and fireworks exploded across the sky. The dazzling display drew everyone's attention.
Lord Mist appeared, gleaming silver, towering tens of meters, even exceeding the castle's dimensions. His eyes scanned the crowd, and he chuckled mischievously, drawing all eyes to him.