The approaching spaceship was sleek and angular.
It boasted a dark, almost matte finish that absorbed the light around it.
It had multiple thrusters that glowed with fierce blue energy, propelling it forward at incredible speed.
The ship’s exterior was adorned with strange symbols and markings, hinting at a technologically advanced civilization.
“Of course, they have spaceships. Why wouldn’t they?” Aksai said to himself, watching the vessel approach. He could see various weapon systems and sensors on its surface, all pointing in his direction.
The ship slowed as it neared its location, hovering ominously above the abandoned township. A ramp began to lower from its underside, and Aksai could see figures moving within the ship, preparing to disembark.
“Looks like I’m about to have company,” Aksai muttered, bracing himself for whatever was about to come out of that ship. His mind raced, considering his options. He knew he had to be ready for anything.
Stepping outside, he saw the sleek, angular spaceship. Its ramp lowered, revealing two figures: a man who appeared to be in his early 40s and a woman in her mid-20s. Both wore grim expressions as they descended.
The man was tall and muscular, with short, graying hair and a stern face. His suit was a sleek, black exoskeleton that covered him from head to toe, leaving only his face visible.
The suit was etched with intricate markings and symbols that looked like Essence Equations, but Aksai noticed that the energy they used was different from Spirit essence or qi energy.
The woman beside him had long, dark hair tied back in a ponytail, and her suit was similar, fitting her lithe form perfectly. Both had a headgear attachment behind their heads in a disassembled format, ready to be deployed at any moment.
As they approached, the man’s eyes narrowed. “You are their pet monster, right?” he asked, his voice carrying a sharp edge. “Tell me, how did you escape through the net and get here? How long have you been here? And what are you planning?”
With a swift motion, he summoned a sword into his right hand, its blade gleaming ominously.
‘That sword… it’s different. It’s not made of real metal. Is it something like condensed energy taking a solid form? But what kind of energy is it?’
Aksai’s clone didn’t flinch, his shamrock green eyes meeting the man’s gaze.
Thanks to the language pack the subroutine neural link fabric had installed, he understood the man’s words clearly. However, he knew better than to answer.
Given their hostile demeanor, anything he said would likely be used against him. Besides, he didn’t fully grasp the path of power practiced by this world’s residents, though he could tell it was different from Spirit cultivation and body cultivation.
The aura around the two newcomers was potent, suggesting they were as strong as mid or late-stage Foundation Building Experts.
In contrast, Aksai’s clone, despite embodying the demon tree guardian, was only as strong as a Spirit Refining Perfectionist.
The woman’s eyes flicked over Aksai’s form, her expression unreadable. “He’s not going to talk,” she told her companion. “We’ll have to make him.”
‘They are planning to attack me without the round of interrogation? Damn. It looks like they have enmity with someone like me. Talking to them in this condition would be useless. Then… I can only…’
Aksai weighed his options. Running was the best choice; he was outmatched and outnumbered. With a quick calculation, he identified an escape route.
[Light Steps]
Without warning, he dashed to the side, aiming for the nearest alley. The man reacted instantly, slashing with his sword, but Aksai was faster thanks to his headstart and the aid of the neural link fabric. He dove into the alley, using his agility to his advantage. He could hear the footsteps of his pursuers behind him.
As he dashed around a corner, he spotted an open area ahead. It was risky, but it would give him room to use his Spirit spells.
He skidded to a halt and began to chant under his breath, summoning the earth-element spirits. The ground trembled and large chunks of earth rose into the air, forming a barrier behind him. He didn’t wait to see if it would hold them off.
Instead, he ran forward, chanting again to summon water-element whips. Streams of water materialized, lashing out in all directions, attempting to trip and entangle his pursuers.
The man and woman burst through the barrier, their movements fluid and precise.
The man’s sword flashed, destroying the earth chunks effortlessly, while the woman summoned a pitch-black giant falcon that screeched through the air, slicing through the water whips like they were nothing.
‘That sword and that falcon aren’t ordinary. They have been summoned using some sort of energy I am not aware of yet. And my 1st-order Spirit essence isn’t enough to damage them.’
Aksai’s heart pounded as he realized how formidable they were.
‘Damn it. This… this attempt of exploration is doomed. I might as well check the extent of their powers so that it gets recorded into data that can help the future Fragments.’
Thinking this, Aksai’s clone tried again, this time with wood-element spells. Thick vines erupted from the ground, twisting and writhing as they attempted to ensnare the two.
“Haah! He is indeed their pet. He uses the same type of powers as them. But this wouldn’t be enough to stop us, you woodworm. Haha.”
The man cut through the vines with ease, his sword a blur of motion, while the falcon tore apart the rest. Aksai’s attacks were barely slowing them down.
[Automated hand-weaving enabled]
[Parallel Spell-casting has been activated]
[Spirit spell output and execution speed have been boosted by 20 percent using the Blood Strengthening Art]
Frustration mounting, Aksai reached deep into his reserve of Spirit energy and cast a series of complex spells simultaneously.
The ground beneath the pursuers turned to quicksand, water surged up to create a barrier, and wood vines formed a cage around them.
For a brief moment, it seemed to work—the two slowed, their movements hindered.
But it didn’t last. The man slashed through the quicksand and vines with an effortless sweep of his sword, and the falcon screeched, its cry shattering the water barrier.