The Book of Calamity recorded a two-year gap between the Second and Third Calamity.
Now that the World Tree had appeared and been destroyed, the clock leading up to the Third Calamity had already begun to tick, and soon—
It would be time to leave the continent.
-
One month later.
* * *
Central Region, Western Cliffs—
Elena sat on the edge of the cliff, her legs dangling over the void.
Bandages still wrapped most of her body, but the majority of her injuries had already healed. It was only her foot that remained a problem. It was a lingering reminder of how far she had pushed herself during the final moments of their escape.
She was alone.
Below her stretched the western region…
The sky had finally cleared, but the devastation remained, and would probably remain for a long time. Every few days, pockets of emptiness left behind by the withering roots of the World Tree would collapse inwards, causing a thunderous boom.
Sometimes an entire city-sized area vanished, sometimes a mountain would flatten, and sometimes a massive ravine would tear open across the landscape, splitting the earth like a scar. Now that everyone had been evacuated, it was almost… interesting to watch.
Elena took a slow sip of water from her pouch.
Her green eyes flickered faintly with traces of golden light, and her blond hair swayed in the wind. Not long ago, she had broken through to the Third Realm and formed her Golden Core. The change still hadn't fully settled in her body, but it was a big step forward.
After listening to the reports from the survivors and scouts, a strange suspicion had begun to take root in her mind, and that was why she hadn't left yet.
She suspected that—
Petra was the so-called 'Green Alchemist' who had appeared during the early stages of the Second Calamity. Unfortunately, she couldn't find her...
Even now, Elena had no idea where Petra had run off to.
Ha…
She let out a quiet sigh and shook her head.
Although she had been given a way to contact the little imp, it was the same as always. Petra had handed her an ant to use as a communication node, but that ant had died long ago. Petra seemed to have completely forgotten about the short lifespan of normal ants...
Elena couldn't help but chuckle when she thought about it.
That was exactly the kind of thing Petra would do.
Her thoughts drifted to the artifact Felllilth had promised to forge for her, using the core crystal.
She pursed her lips.
She didn't know if it was ready yet. No, she didn't even know how long it would take…
In the end, it didn't really matter.
Her smile faded slightly as she reflected on everything that had changed in this lifetime.
The biggest change was the Mercenary Alliance.
They had vanished after the Second Calamity. Soon after, rumors spread that they had been seen crossing the central region, heading north. That route made sense. But instead of being hunted down like in her past lives, they had withdrawn on their own. With the southern region officially declaring the Mercenary Alliance unwelcome, after what they did to Rotell during the Grand Gathering, their retreat north was inevitable.
Still, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that something was different.
Something subtle…
Something she couldn't quite name.
She took another sip of water and looked back out over the broken land.
Despite everything, despite the destruction and uncertainty, things were moving in the right direction.
She only hoped they would stay that way.
* * *
Central Region, Path to the North—
A large group of cloaked figures traveled down the mountain pass.
Each figure was distinct, carrying their own presence and weight, their own armor and equipment, and an aura that made each of them impossible to mistake. They were the Mercenary Alliance, or at least, the core of the Mercenary Alliance, those that Hexfill had chosen to take with him.
They were heading north, towards Sevensen.
Pluto, Bouer, and Wana had already arrived ahead of the main force.
Anchor, Vellina, and Tepit walked together in a quiet silence, their voices low and hushed, and their attention never leaving the road ahead.
As for Tecelli, no one knew where he had gone...
At the front of the procession, Pillia moved a few steps behind a towering figure, her posture attentive, expression sharp, lively, like a diligent little secretary trailing a handsome CEO.
The man leading the group was Hexfill, the White Wolf.
If Elena were here to see him now, she wouldn't be able to recognize him.
Not from any loop, at least…
The current 'him' was very different. The arrogance that clung to him after the First Calamity was gone, and the suffocating guilt that had weighed him down during the Second Calamity had vanished as well. The man walking at the head of the Mercenary Alliance was someone entirely new, a version of Hexfill that could only ever exist in this loop.
He was just one more of those who unknowingly pursued the green star.
His steps were heavy and indifferent.
Each stride landed with the certainty of a pillar being struck into the earth, repeatedly producing 'something' that didn't match his size.
His armor was unchanged in design, yet it somehow seemed different, as if it carried more meaning, no, more spirituality, no… it was like a second skin. White fur lined the silver plates, flowing sharply in the mountain wind, while faint traces of spiritual energy flickered across the silver metal surface. A new sword rested at his hip, an artifact claimed at some point during the chaos of the calamity.
His physique was larger than before, broader, heavier, as if he had grown an entire head taller.
His black hair had turned snow-white.
His eyes, once hollow and distant, not in the literal sense, no, but more like those of a puppet, now burned with a fierce, unyielding light that seemed to almost liberate those around him. He had the look of a 'pioneer', someone who chose a path forward, regardless of the cost or destination.
The greatest change, however, was his aura.
It curled around his body in pale, mist-like wisps that shimmered faintly in the air. It was feral, predatory, and untamed.
It was an aura that watched the world like a hunter watching its prey.
The members of the Mercenary Alliance felt it too.
They all understood that this man was different.
It was an odd feeling, but…
Instead of feeling fear, they all felt more 'connected', like a pack of real wolves.
No one spoke.
In their hearts, they understood one thing clearly.
And that was—
Hexfill had stepped into a realm of his own!
-
Far behind the main procession, forgotten and struggling to keep up, a small mouse-kin sprinted down the rocky path, panting desperately as he waved his arms…
* * *
Western Region, Darkswamp Archipelago, Northern-most Island—
Arthur stood before a burning mansion.
The estate rose from the swamp on a half-sunken foundation, not unlike Darkwell, only smaller, its stone already cracking as astral fire consumed what the calamity hadn't already destroyed. The flames hissed wherever they touched the swamp, turning the air thick with steam and smoke.
To Arthur's left stood the boy he had rescued from the underground prison, Merlin.
The child's tangled blue hair had been washed and tied back, his clothes replaced with something clean and practical. Still, his deep blue eyes reflected the fire without any reaction. He stood straight, hands at his sides, watching the destruction as if it were a lesson. This boy lacked a certain 'something' mentally.
As for the other side.
To Arthur's right stood—
Pen…
His breathing was uneven, and his shoulders trembled with the restraint he was barely holding together. His eyes were bloodshot, locked onto the collapsing mansion as if sheer hatred might do something.
This was the 'Tibon Families Estate'….
Or at least, what remained of it.
This place was already burning before they arrived, Hitrit was dead, his sister had been taken right under his nose, and Kareth, along with the entire Tibon Family, had vanished without leaving so much as a trace. There were no bodies, no survivors, no trail, nothing!
Nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing-nothing¬, nothing¬!! DAMN IT!
They had almost erased themselves completely!
Pen ground his teeth together.
None of this destruction mattered anymore! Burning the estate didn't bring anyone back, nor did it loosen the grip around his heart, or quiet the screaming in his head.
Pot was gone!
And it was all his fault!!
Damn it!
He replayed it endlessly, that night he had been taken! The hesitation, the mistaken trust, and the false assumption! The moment he froze, and the moment he was knocked out!
It was all so clear in his head!
He was too weak, too slow.
What was the point in pursuing what you loved if you traded it for everything else!
Alchemy was useless!
He understood that now!
Pen's hands clenched until his palms split open, blood running between his fingers. He didn't notice, the pain didn't even register to him anymore. He was numb.
Arthur watched him quietly.
He didn't intervene, didn't speak, and didn't offer any comfort. He just silently looked at the shroud of light that was constantly changing. In Arthur's eyes, the 'future' of Pen Tibon was slowly 'deepening', becoming harder for his mono-eyed foresight to perceive.
Arthur had already told Pen the truth. He told him who had taken Pot, how they had done it, and what kind of power stood behind those people.
As for why they couldn't go get her…
The answer was simple.
Right now, there was nothing they could do.
Even if they discovered where Pot had been taken, chasing her with their current strength would be suicide. Even for a hero. That truth had broken something inside Pen, then hardened it again.
Arthur was the only thing Pen had left to rely on now, whether he liked it or not.
Both boys had agreed to stay and learn under Arthur.
Ka-kaka-Boom!
The mansion collapsed with a deafening crack, its central structure folding into itself as the astral fire roared with life. Embers scattered across the swamp like falling stars. The flames reflected in Pen's eyes, burning bright and sharp.
His gaze didn't hold grief, nor despair, no, it was something colder. Something that would not fade.
Arthur turned away from the fire.
"Let's go," he said quietly.
The estate burned behind them, and the swamp swallowed its remaining foundation, but what had been taken from Pen was not something that could be filled by this mere level of destruction.
No, not yet...
* * *
Central Region, Unnamed Location—
Kareth stood before the gathered members of the Tibon Family.
His hands were behind his back, and his face was peering through the window. A desk stood between the dozens of figures and himself. He listened quietly to the reports being delivered, nodding from time to time. They were in an unknown location, clearly some kind of large villa, or mansion.
The migration had been abrupt, but it had gone smoothly.
Everything had been moved in time.
His eyes sharpened.
He turned towards Myra, who was standing in the corner. "The missing family members?"
Myra stepped forward. The woman wore her bone-white butterfly mask as always. She lowered her head slightly and went through the list. "Pen's taken shelter with the Hero, and Hitrit is dead." She spoke. "We've confirmed it, and the other casualties are too low on the priority list to record."
Kareth didn't react.
He had expected this situation…
"Melllillyan was detected in the Western Region, but even after months of searching, we couldn't find her, even after the bloodline mark resonated," Myra continued, "but evidence strongly suggests she is with the northern region's suspected Heaven's Chosen… Petra."
A murmur spread through the room.
The name 'Petra' made people uneasy, not from fear, but because she was an unstable element.
Myra continued without pausing… "The twins have disappeared completely. The ant army was too strong, and we were unable to retrieve them in time."
Kareth's expression did not change, but his finger twitched slightly. "And the last one?" he asked.
Myra fell silent for a moment.
"That woman… There are still no traces. Not a single clue."
Kareth nodded.
He then turned towards Othell…
Othell Tibon, the 'Hollow Man', stood in the corner like a statue, almost appearing as if he had forgotten how to be human. His skin was pale like brittle stone, and his eyes were black and glassy. He did not breathe, and his voice never rose. The sight of him was unsettling, almost uncanny.
Kareth issued the order. "Find the ones on the list and bring them back."
Othell gave a silent nod. His body blurred like a sun-shown shadow and vanished.
Kareth then turned towards the other figure in the room.
Kain Tibon, the Bloodline Blade, or 'The Hunter'. Red veins coiled around his neck like living runes, and his blood carried a deadly poison that he had inherited through a lineage unknown even within the Tibon Family.
"The same thing," Kareth said. "Quietly this time…"
Kain nodded once and slipped away.
After issuing the remaining orders, Kareth listened to a few more updates, before—
'Something shifted'.
Everyone in the room felt it…
There was a strange tension that had suddenly appeared, like a predator in the trees.
Heavy footsteps approached from the corridor.
They were not normal footsteps. They were dense, metallic, and very strong... Each step echoed like a Warhammer striking an anvil.
Tong! Tong! Tong!
A strange silence hung over the room.
Tong! Tong! Tong!
Kareth lowered his head, as did the entire family, all appearing extremely submissive, almost scared.
The figure entered the room.
Tong!
Layered red cloth draped over 'his' simple frame, but unlike before, 'his' face was no longer concealed. The man stepped forward, and even without a mask, there was no mistaking his identity.
Shockingly, his face was almost identical to Mell's.
His eyes turned, moving with an unnatural smoothness.
He looked at Kareth.
Kareth immediately extended a folded package, a fully compiled report. It was exactly what he had just been working on.
The man, Tecelli Tibon, took it...
* * *
Southern Region, The Border Area—
Rotell looked out over the massive camp spreading across the border.
Not only had the vast majority of the western refugees followed her all the way to the southern region, but the remnants of the United Army had followed as well. Some of the forces that made up the United Army had dispersed, returning to their own regions, but many had chosen to stay.
And not just stay...
They wanted to formalize the United Army.
Because of this, Elena, for the first time in any of her loops, proposed the official establishment of the United Army as a permanent force, one meant to combat the future calamities. The suggestion shocked nearly everyone, and yet, it was met with overwhelming approval!
Elena had personally come to Rotell to deliver the proposal.
After a long discussion that stretched deep into the night, Elena, Arthur, and Kilemin all agreed to appoint Rotell as the 'Supreme Commander' of the United Army. As for themselves, they would each take the role of a 'Division Captain', creating their own small forces that collaborated with the United Army's main force.
Rotell accepted this instantly.
She didn't hesitate, not even for a heartbeat.
Her reasoning was simple. If she returned to the southern region as the First Princess, especially with so many refugees in tow, she would be thrown straight into the political arena. With the region already unstable, she would be forced to compete for the throne, at least publicly. She had no interest in that. As a tomboy, and more importantly as someone who understood the stakes, she knew that political struggles would only waste precious time while the next calamity approached.
She also had no desire to compete with her second sister for the throne.
Rotell smirked to herself.
She knew her father would be furious when he learned that she was now the Supreme Commander of the new United Army.
She could almost picture his expression, and honestly, that thought only made her grin wider.
* * *
Western Region, Dark Forest, City of Harnlum—
Petra walked through the empty streets.
This was not her Ant Avatar, no, this was the real Petra, in all her tiny, troublesome glory.
Looking around, the city was desolate beyond belief.
And it wasn't just this city.
The entire western region was practically empty.
Petra was one of the only living beings left within the region. Well, Petra and her servants...
As for what the maid girls were doing right now, each of them had taken a small unit from the ant army to sweep the region, and complete the looting process, across the entire western region. It was a large-scale operation, practically unmatched in the long history of little looting lords! They were stripping everything they possibly could from the western region, preparing for their next big plans.
-
Petra waddled alone through the streets.
She was very bored.
Her mind drifted back to the recent events.
The two sisters, Lithra and Lethra, had finally woken up. There had been a very emotional scene that was expertly skipped, mostly centered around the reunion of the three sisters.
After a long discussion, the two sisters decided to go explore the world and use their newfound freedom on their own. Petra didn't complain and let them go, even if it was a suicidal idea. Mell had been a little sad, but she was also happy to see her family doing well.
No—
That was bullshit…
Petra just didn't want another set of twins…
You all know it!
Ahem-ahem…!
It wasn't like Petra and the maids couldn't track them down if they really wanted to. Petra had implanted a special poison into their bodies for that exact purpose. It was an 'Earthly Technology', so the people of this world would probably have a very difficult time discovering it…
Mm… all the maid girls had this same kind of tracker.
After all, Petra was paranoid…
Fortunately, they didn't even need to run around. The two sisters collapsed immediately after leaving, giving Petra a perfectly reasonable excuse to pull them back and lock them in her research laboratory until she could figure out what was wrong with them.
There was clearly an issue with their souls, and this issue likely needed some kind of 'maintenance', maintenance that the two girls knew that they would need to return to their family to get. They probably planned to return to the Tibon Family if Petra let them go, even if it meant damnation.
They just didn't want Mell to be sad…
It was 'that' cliché.
Tsk, what a bunch of idiots!
Did they think lord Petra was the protagonist?? Bah! She could see it coming a mile away!
Couldn't you!? Dear Readers?
-
Anyway…
The western region arc was finally ending.
Petra felt extremely 'bloated'.
Not only from the crappy story, but also from the sheer surplus of treasures. She had also slurped up so much of the Poison Sea that her little tummy was practically bulging.
Mm, that was the chubby demon's excuse for not participating in the cleanup.
She was excited for what came next, but she was also excited for the trip down south for the next treasure hunt. Perhaps the only one more excited than Petra was Jillian. That little masochist. No, wait, the elven necromancer she had picked up, er, yeah, her… Big boobs, big scarf, and uh… Mm!
Petra hummed to herself.
She still remembered Jillian's reaction after being brought back.
* * *
First, she was shocked that the ant was actually a little girl in disguise.
Then she violently refused to wear the maid costume.
Then the 'twisting room' happened.
-
Then she was shocked again after discovering Petra's vast knowledge and unfathomable alchemy techniques from Earth.
Then, another violent refusal to wear the maid costume.
Then the 'twisting room' again.
-
Then she was shocked again by the amazing quality of the research lab in the Tower Spider.
Then, another violent refusal to wear the maid costume.
-
Then the upgraded twisting room.
Then the upgraded twisting room…
Then the upgraded twisting room…...
-
'Then she wore the maid costume.'
* * *
Petra hummed to herself as she skipped down the empty streets.
Over the past few days, she had learned a few fun things.
The most interesting was about her new poisonous Beast King, the Ash Fire Fairy. Not only was this thing extremely powerful, it was also disgustingly bad at directions.
She could tell it to go down the street to fetch some food, and somehow it would appear in the next city a few hours later.
This had happened…
Petra was positive that it was messing with her.
It had to be… right?
Just thinking about the little troublemaker made Petra puff out her cheeks.
"Hump!"
She swung one little foot forward, then swung it back, smacking the back of her hood with her toes. The impact hit the fat frog's butt and knocked it into the air.
It flew at a very precise angle and landed directly in Petra's arms.
Petra hugged the fat frog tightly and received a very annoyed ribbit in return.
Petra snorted proudly and disappeared down the street.
This stupid frog was still the best.
[End of the Fourth Volume]