Saria is excellent and also very young.
She admitted that although she had a high education, her experience was not extensive.
As a scientific researcher, especially in Columbia where technology is advancing rapidly, falling behind is a terrifying thing.
Therefore, even if others considered her rigid and stubborn, she constantly kept learning about new things.
Not only did she pay attention to academic papers and new patents from other research institutes and universities within Columbia, but even though Terra was severely fragmented, Saria also focused on the technological advancements and theoretical research of other nations.
There was Leithanien's Spell research, Victoria's steam technology, and even Kazdel, a non-state nation, had recently announced many advanced medical invention patents.
Saria knew that she had never been left behind by the rapid development of modern technology.
But... the image projected by the holographic projector in front of her—she had truly never seen it before.
"Roar!!!"
A Flame Giant, dozens of meters tall, burning with raging flames, and purely composed of lava, was crashing into hundreds of burning animated corpses and many primitive tribal warriors.
With every step, the red earth instantly melted into a huge pit, like molten steel splashing from a steel mill, exceptionally terrifying.
And on the Giant's body, there were two black figures, dodging and weaving, seemingly trying to stop the Giant's advance, but their own bodies were also burning fiercely, and it was unknown how long they could last.
Even through the holographic image, Saria could feel the power and scorching heat of this force.
If she were to face such an existence, how would she defeat it?
What good would more calcium do? Saria was, after all, just a person, not the Earth's crust that could Seal magma! And calcium compounds are often more flammable, aren't they?
Looking at the Flame Giant in the holographic projection, all the Directors except the Director were momentarily stunned, even someone as composed as Saria.
This was not strange.
After all, although Goki, Skadi, and Kaltsit knew that Terra had all sorts of strange and supernatural occurrences, and were accustomed to various giant monsters, treating them as prey that could be defeated.
But those hidden things, in the eyes of most people, were just legends and stories; this kind of plot where giant humanoids fought each other only appeared in Higashi's animations and comics.
Especially among the Rhine Lab's highly educated graduates from prestigious universities, within their common knowledge, they had never even imagined that such peculiar life forms could exist in the world.
No, was that really life?
"Is this the thing that killed Parvis? That would be reasonable—no, if that were the case, then the casualties caused by this Giant must have been enormous. Why are the other Structure Department personnel completely unharmed?"
Impossible. In Saria's impression, although Parvis's ice Originium Arts were powerful, facing this almost natural great power, the elderly him could not have lasted long.
"Hehe, truly, amazing. Even a splashing spark can melt a small pit in the ground, let alone a Giant. This creation should be called a God-Giant, right?—I do know that some Originium Arts can shape puppets from mud, but I've never seen one this big, impressive."
Her mouth agape, Muelsyse / Muir Sais's light yellow eyes sparkled as she looked at the Giant on the screen, as vast as a mountain range, roughly the size of a landship.
These things, as the Director of the Ecology Department, she had truly not been able to glean from those surviving Structure Department researchers.
"Parvis was the only casualty. Could that guy have suddenly had a change of heart and self-destructed to cover their retreat? That research-obsessed science fanatic had reason to kill himself, but no motive to save others' lives."
As soon as Muelsyse / Muir Sais said this, the other section chiefs couldn't help but nod.
Although most people, except for the stubborn Saria, admitted to being research fanatics, Parvis was clearly the most fervent and unreasonable among them.
And hearing everyone's remarks, the Director also nodded noncommittally.
"It seems you know Parvis well. His student said that in order to learn and understand the power used by the gods, he personally ascended to the core of this Giant and withstood a blow from a god—but now it seems he failed. We cannot, and dare not, master the gods' Spells for now."
God?
Hearing this, all the Directors, including Saria, frowned.
Although their views differed, these people were all talents from higher education institutions and had always been reluctant to engage with those mystical religions.
And Madam Director quickly understood the Directors' confusion.
"Don't look at me like that; 'god' is just a code name and a term. Parvis and I have been engaged in related research for years. It proves that our world does indeed contain creatures far beyond our attempts. The appearance of this Giant is just a small proof—in the local legends, he is merely a small part of those Great Ones."
The Director turned her head, her calm, water-like eyes looking at Saria, trying to persuade her old friend.
"We are just ants. We either sit and wait for death, or... we use their power."
But, just as she had expected, Saria still shook her head.
"Impossible. I will not allow you to forcibly add such dangerous power to a human test subject—Director, Rhine Lab should not play with living people. You are playing with fire."
Saria turned her head and quickly walked out of the conference room without hesitation.
She was going back to the Structure Department to stop the experiment that had crossed the red line.
"Ha... I don't intend to play with fire. What I care about is not that fiery power. In my opinion, there is another, gentler power, suitable for Ifrit."
But the next second, along with the Director's words, a moonlight appeared in the holographic image.
Pale as paper, white as sand, accompanied by that moonlight that made people feel exceptionally cold yet very reassuring, all flames ceased to burn.
The huge Flame Giant quickly extinguished as if doused with cold water, finally turning into a solidified stone sculpture.
"Ah... how beautiful. And it is the power of another existence—how many existences in this world possess such great power?"
Everyone, including the Director and Saria, marveled at this beautiful moonlight, and even her tense Dragon tail relaxed.
At the same time, they also saw the tall, thin, and slender black-clad hunter emitting the moonlight.
"Compared to this violent existence, I am more interested in the two hunters who defeated the Incarnation of the god, as told by the survivors—what a pity, no one remembered their appearance or names. Is this a coincidence, or was it deliberate?"
At this point, looking at the extremely blurry figure in the interrupted holographic recording, the Director's serene face suddenly filled with... longing.
The unknown of the world still made people curious and fearful.
"Can you believe it, in the ruins of Kazdel, I discovered blood as pale and cold as this moonlight—and many, many other remnants of supreme existences. I must study them, understand them."
And the Director, through years of research and the ultimate decisive evidence, had captured a glimpse of the true nature of this world's interior.
As for how to choose... she still needed to consider it carefully.
— — — —
"Ah, damn it! This is terrible!"
The moment he entered the lead-sealed radiation-proof door, Goki's ears were suddenly filled with countless wails and screams. The voices were faint but noisy, seemingly coming from countless different existences.
"Good hunter, these are—"
And Goki's Soul, along with the Nona puppet deep in his mind, simultaneously sensed many alluring, seemingly delicious auras.
Familiar, strange, familiar, strange—that was the power of heretical Great Ones, of average quality, but in a number so vast it was infuriating.
Starry sky, yellow sand, flames, ocean, ice and snow, thunder, and even deafening roars.
In an instant, a faint illusion flashed through Goki's mind, but this power was so weak that Goki only blinked before he regained his senses.
This confidential laboratory seemed to be storing something extraordinary.
"The experimental subject is out of control—retreat outside to the safe room! Go! Don't worry about him! The liquid nitrogen cooling System is burned out!"
And immediately after, Goki and Ptilopsis beside him saw a dozen researchers in white coats running out of the room like mad, towards them.
In front of the two, surging heat waves constantly churned.
"It hurts, it hurts, Silence, it hurts so much!"
In the vast laboratory, a golden-haired Sarkaz little girl, fixed on an operating table, had raging flames splattering from her hands, and her eyes emitted an unusual white light.
"Ifrit, calm down, I'm here, I'm always here! Relax, no one will hurt you!"
Beside the bed, Silence, wearing a long-sleeved cloak, was raising green light, trying to resist the surging heat waves, but the feathers at her hair tips had already curled and scorched under the high temperature.
"Silence! Ifrit!"
Immediately, Ptilopsis took out a slender, crescent-shaped staff from behind her, a hint of panic appearing on her face.
Her body muscles contracted sharply, causing her fluffy white hair on top of her head and her ear-like feathers to retract together.
This was just her Liberi species' instinctive behavior, but soon, Ptilopsis forced herself to calm down, making herself become—"wide" again.
Holding the staff upright in front of herself and Goki, Ptilopsis propped up a light green light membrane, relying on her not-so-proficient defensive Originium Arts to block the surging heat waves.
"The cooling System is broken, Researcher Goki, I'll cover you. We still have backup independent cooling Spellcasting units. As long as we find them, we'll have a chance to stop Ifrit's actions—You!"
But the next second, Ptilopsis's pale golden eyes widened as she watched the tall figure beside her, enduring the gushing heat waves, charge directly towards Ifrit.
When it came to dealing with "flame demons," Goki could be said to be... exceptionally experienced.
"Alright, Ifrit, now, look into my eyes!"
----------------------------------
I've already uploaded over 40 new chapters on Patreon!
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead, feel free to check it out.
Your support truly means a lot to me!
patreon.com/Kazenova223
Thank you so much for being here!
And if you're having fun with the story, don't forget to drop a Power Stone for me!