The abnormal changes in front of me left me at a loss for words.
Sandora, who had been corrupted by the Abyss Power, was now levitating in mid-air, looking down at me. Black energy flames continuously surged outward, as if trying desperately to break free from some kind of restraint. Even someone as insensitive as I was to various energies could feel a kind of mad and violent will from these flames. But in stark contrast to all this, Sandora still maintained a warm and happy smile, as if completely unaware of the drastic changes taking place in her body.
Nobody could have imagined that Sandora, who had led the warriors in fighting against the Abyss Power for so many years, had long been corrupted by the Abyss and become one of them.
I tried to contact Pandora, and as expected, all my connections to the outside world were cut off.
It seemed today was going to be my end. Facing a Xyrin Emperor corrupted by the Abyss Power with only my basics of remote Xyrin attacks, even the most blood-pumping novels wouldn't dare to defy the odds in this scenario. What a pity this book ends here...
For some reason, my heart was instead calm at this moment. Was it that I had already mentally prepared myself for this before?
Qianqian, Sis, and Pandora, I am sorry, it seems I have to say goodbye to you all...
"Hey! Wake up! Why are you spacing out?"
Just as I was bidding my farewells to my loved ones in my heart, a voice, low and echoing yet familiar, suddenly sounded. I snapped back to reality, seeing Sandora, still in her blackened state, carefully pinching my collar with her huge transformed black claw, shaking me. The flames of the Abyss Power were almost burning my face.
"Ah—finally, you noticed me," Sandora happily said as I came to. "You are really something. You can ignore me even when I look so imposing, and still space out."
...I was scared out of my wits, OK!
Wait a minute; this situation seems a bit off, doesn't it?
I carefully observed Sandora's expression; there was no sign of her intending to harm me. If I ignored her terrifying right half, the current Sandora looked like a child proudly showing off a new toy...
The corner of my mouth twitched. All this time, was Sandora just trying to show off her Abyss Form to me? She treated this Abyssalization as her new toy?
"Isn't it interesting?" Sandora raised her claw (囧). "Even though I was corrupted by the Abyss, and even became half an Abyss Creature, I didn't lose my mind. Instead, I gained a new life. Can you help me research what's going on?"
Research... What I want to study the most right now is what on earth is going through your mind! Are you really the Xyrin Emperor? Should such a personality appear in someone full of imperial demeanor and queenly attributes like you? If you were a Little Loli like Pandora, I might be barely able to accept it...
"Sandora," I cautiously avoided her "claw," "you didn't bring me here just to tell me all this, did you?"
"That's exactly right," Sandora said nonchalantly, "only you can communicate with me here, right?"
"Huh?!" I was baffled by Sandora's words, "There are so many people here, why can only I communicate with you?"
Sandora gave me a strange look and said, "Their access level isn't enough. Only you and I are Xyrin Emperors here, so only you can communicate with me. The relationship between low-access and high-access is command issuance and reception; that's not called communication... Oh, right, to put it in simpler terms, it's complete information sharing."
It finally dawned on me why Sandora seemed so bizarre to me, completely unfit for the identity of a Xyrin Emperor.
The hierarchical privilege system of the Xyrin Empire was far stricter than I had imagined. Although their bonds were as close as family, their sense of hierarchy was so strong that in Sandora's eyes, those with lower privileges weren't even considered the same species for equal communication. Here, "communication" was more like information sharing. Obviously, a high-privilege entity couldn't possibly disclose all its information to a low-privilege one. Thus, in front of others, Sandora was the majestic and strategic Xyrin Empress. But in front of someone with the same privilege as I, she turned into a mischievous and adorable girl-next-door...
Understanding this, I realized that earlier was nothing but a false alarm. Sandora showing me her Abyss Form was merely an information-sharing activity between Xyrin Emperors. In Earth's terms, it was showing off a new toy...
"Who knows what's going on with you." How could I know the reason for Sandora's current state? So far, my understanding of the Abyss had only paused at the level of a fantasy story. I just knew there was such a dangerous thing in the Universe. How could I possibly analyze anything for Sandora?
Hearing my answer, Sandora nodded, somewhat disappointed, and said, "I see, lacking essential information, you can't analyze it either."
In fact, even with enough information, I couldn't analyze anything...
At this moment, an idea struck me, and I asked, "Sandora, have any of your soldiers ever gone missing?"
"Missing soldiers?" Sandora tilted her head, "All members of the Xyrin Legion are under my psychic connection control. Theoretically, there shouldn't be any missing soldiers... Oh, right, there was one!"
"Are you sure? How many years ago was this?"
"One thousand two hundred and thirty-five years ago, a Heavy Striker Mecha was damaged by a Dragon Clan member who used Space Magic, and the pilot was missing. How did you know we had missing soldiers?"
"Actually..." I then recounted the story about the ruins to Sandora, especially emphasizing the Spirit Beacon that brought us to this world.
"A Spirit Beacon and a tomb site with a Xyrin Defense System..." Sandora pondered, "It seems our missing soldier arrived in your world through space-time chaos. Due to the damage to the Spirit Beacon, he couldn't return smoothly, but he must have set the return coordinates to this world. So, when Pandora's Spirit Beacon resonated with the warrior's Spirit Beacon, you were teleported to this world. Apparently, that warrior did a great job. Once we're back in your world, I'll visit the ruins first... Wait, Chen Jun, Earth should be ruled by Carbon-based life, right?"
I nodded and said, "Of course."
"Their individual strength shouldn't be anything to boast about, right? At least from earlier, I could severely injure you with just a hit, indicating your species is quite fragile physically."
I replied awkwardly, "Human physical fitness indeed isn't great. Even on Earth, humans are quite a fragile species. But by mastering technology, we stand at the top of Earth's species."
"So, could humans from one thousand two hundred and thirty-five years ago possibly kill a Xyrin Warrior?" Sandora suddenly asked.
"Impossible!" I answered without hesitation. Even with today's human technology, killing a Xyrin Warrior would require a medium-sized regular army at least. As for a Xyrin Commander or an Angel Envoy like Pandora, no human army could possibly deal with them.
"So how did the Xyrin soldier who arrived on Earth by accident die?"
Sandora's words immediately reminded me. Yes, as a semi-energy, semi-material lifeform, an Angel Envoy's lifespan was almost infinite. Plus, their individual strength made them practically invincible a thousand years ago on Earth. That tomb we saw had to have had problems.
Just then, I saw a pillar of aurora-like light rising from the distant base: the Legion Transporter was ready.
"Let's put this issue aside for now," I waved my hand and said, "Let's leave this damned place first."
Sandora nodded and said, "It's also time to say goodbye to this place. As agreed, you go back first, and I'll join you in a few days."