Arya fell silent as she examined the food Rogers had delivered this time.
The dish was enormous—about forty centimeters in length—and the muscle fibers clearly indicated it came from a creature that had been very active. Using her small screen, Arya quickly appraised it.
This was the thigh meat of a Water Arrow Baby. To put it simply, it was the leg of a giant magical frog capable of wielding Water Arrow magic.
Well. At least it was edible, and it would also add 2 points of Strength.
Arya extended her hand, ignoring utensils entirely, and tore off a piece to put into her mouth. She was pleasantly surprised.
The meat was perfectly roasted: crispy on the outside, tender inside, and slightly chewy, with a fresh, fragrant aroma. It was likely marinated with an herb resembling mint. She wondered where Rogers had found so much cumin, chili powder, and pepper, not to mention chopped green onions. Clearly, Rogers' cooking skills had been improving dramatically.
As Arya enjoyed the frog meat, Gang Emima also attempted to eat, though today's portion was far too large for it. Its small head tilted left and right, struggling to take a bite.
After finishing her portion, Arya wiped her hands and began tearing apart Gang Emima's original-flavor frog meat, feeding pieces directly into its mouth. Watching the little creature cautiously retract and extend its head while eating, Arya couldn't help but laugh aloud.
Suddenly, a voice rang out in her ear.
[Ding! Attention all residents of Blue Star. The first Mana Tide is about to begin. This tide will last for three natural days. Please remain inside your Shelter. Going outside will have severe consequences.]
Mana Tide? Three days? Arya's thoughts raced. Counting carefully, she realized it had been about twenty-seven days since the forced transmigration. Adding three more days would make it exactly one month.
This was like an end-of-the-month exam.
Arya's expression darkened as she adjusted her desktop panel to check the world channel. But before it could respond, Gang Emima reacted.
"Chirp chirp chirp—"
The little creature, previously enjoying its meal, chirped anxiously, flapping its wings as it rushed into Arya's arms, begging for comfort.
Arya froze for a moment, then frowned, shielding it with her hand. Something about this Mana Tide must be far fiercer than the previous Mana Turbulence. Even the Aurora Snowy Owls inside the Shelter seemed frightened.
Remembering that some animals were far more sensitive to natural disasters than humans, Arya's expression grew serious. Still, a small measure of relief washed over her. After all, she had a Tier 3 Shelter.
Tier 3. While basic materials were easy to find, not everyone had reached this level. No need to panic yet.
Cradling the trembling Gang Emima, Arya absently scrolled through the world channel.
"Oh God, I thought there wouldn't be any more extreme weather."
"Did you forget what Karim World's Will said at the very beginning? Extreme weather is inevitable."
"I'm in a Tier 3 Shelter. I'm fine."
"Envious! How did you upgrade to Tier 3?"
"Is there a connection between Mana Tide and Mana Turbulence?"
"Probably. Don't forget, this is a planet where even rivers and air contain magic power."
"This Mana Tide seems worse than the Mana Turbulence. Everyone, stay inside!"
"Great advice. My advice is not to give advice next time."
"The world will already said it clearly. Stop pretending to be experts."
"Why is the sky red outside?"
"Red? I would have said purple. Am I colorblind?"
"The wind is picking up."
"Looking at the ocean, the waves are massive. Will it turn into a tsunami?"
"Holy crap, a waterspout!"
"If a tsunami hits, my Shelter will flood!"
Arya glanced outside. The night sky, once dark, was now an unnatural purple. Purple lightning streaked through violent gales, and the world outside seemed unrecognizable.
Compared to the previous Mana Turbulence, that was merely a gentle breeze. This was a storm unlike anything she had seen.
"Damn! The runes on my Shelter are lighting up!"
"Mine too!"
"Why not mine?"
"What should I do?"
Arya looked at the runes inside her Shelter. Initially, they hadn't lit up. But in the next moment, they glowed green and began flashing repeatedly.
The Magic Shield had activated—a sign people had mentioned during the Mana Turbulence.
Could it be that even a Tier 3 Shelter couldn't fully block the Mana Tide?
Cradling Gang Emima, Arya's mind raced.
"The glow of the runes is fading!"
"Same here. Even Tier 3 Shelters can't stop it?"
Across the world channel, panic escalated. Messages of despair flooded in:
"Someone save me! I can't find my daughter! I don't want to die!"
"Blue Star people cannot be saved. Let's all die together!"
"I don't want to go yet! Please!"
Amid the chaos, a single piece of hope appeared:
"There is one rune in your room opposite to the others. Throw the materials you've collected onto it. The reverse rune will absorb their magic to replenish the Magic Shield!"
Almost immediately, messages of hope spread. People frantically searched their Shelters for the reverse rune, desperate to survive.
Arya joined the frantic search, holding Gang Emima as she examined every rune on all three floors of her Shelter. From the eighty-square-meter first floor to the forty-square-meter second floor, and finally the twenty-square-meter third floor, she carefully inspected each symbol.
Three hours later, Arya finally found it—a single rune in the corner of the third floor, opposite all the others.
At first, she doubted her eyes. Staring at a single rune for too long caused visual fatigue, but after blinking and rechecking, she confirmed it.
That was the one.
Relieved, Arya took out her appraisal glasses and examined it closely. The reverse rune's existence meant the previous advice was likely correct.
Now, it was a race against time. Arya needed to gather all available magical materials and feed them to the reverse rune to maintain the Magic Shield. She couldn't afford mistakes.
As she prepared, Gang Emima chirped anxiously in her arms. The little creature's instinctive fear reminded Arya of the stakes—they weren't just fighting for survival, but for life itself.
Arya steeled herself. Tier 3 Shelter or not, the Mana Tide was not to be underestimated. Purple lightning illuminated the sky outside, the wind howled through the Shelter, and she could feel the raw magic pulsating through the air.
Every step counted. Every piece of material added could mean the difference between survival and disaster.
As Arya began placing magical reagents onto the reverse rune, a strange calm descended over her mind. Fear was still there, but so was determination. The Mana Tide was coming—but she wasn't powerless.
With Gang Emima safe in her arms, and the reverse rune within reach, Arya knew one thing: they would survive this storm, no matter what.
The Magic Tide had begun.
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