Chapter 1383
But when it comes to races, the Abyss has no such issue—only the Netherworld recorded the existence of cave goblins and red-skinned soul leeches.
Back when I first saw this record, my mind immediately jumped to those two races. I never considered whether this might be related to the Seventy-Third Deity.
Thinking about it now, the possibility is actually very high. So many years have passed—if the Seventy-Third Deity really did reincarnate, even without immense power, their talent would be utterly monstrous. Even with their advancement speed suppressed tenfold, they'd still become a famous prodigy.
If they reincarnated as a human, they'd surely be at least Tier Eight or Nine by now. If as a magical beast, their level would be about the same. Even if they became some exotic race, it's impossible that not a single rumor would've surfaced...
Now that I think about it, the Seventy-Third Deity probably reincarnated into the Netherworld beneath Northend. In that kind of chaos, anything can be hidden—and the more chaotic it is, the better for the growth of the reincarnated Deity. When they're strong enough, they could storm the surface world from below—a nearly flawless plan...
Back then, the Seventy-Third Deity probably never intended to reincarnate in the surface world of Northend. With their power, they could easily open a passage to the Netherworld, reincarnate there, and vanish in a flash. Anyone who sensed it would soon forget that strange feeling—no one would notice a Deity had reincarnated in Northend...
On top of that, the passage didn't last long—before any major powers could investigate, it was already destroyed. That was probably the Deity's doing as well.
After piecing all these clues together, Leon couldn't help but smile. This was probably the truth of what happened back then.
And honestly, reincarnating into the Netherworld comes with too many advantages—it's practically a stroke of genius...
Not only could they grow and develop in peace, but when the time came to invade the surface, they could simply disguise themselves as a Netherworld creature. That way, they'd drag all of Northend into the quagmire of all-out war—underground versus surface dwellers.
A war on that scale, with Northend as the battlefield—by the time it reached its peak, the conflict between underground creatures and surface mage factions would be beyond reconciliation. At that point, all the strongest powers would clash in Northend, and the devastation would be no different from a nuclear holocaust...
In just a few decades, Northend would be torn apart. By then, if the Seventy-Third Deity wanted to destroy Northend, no one would be able to stop them...
Just thinking about it made Leon break out in a cold sweat. God-demons are powerful, but no one ever underestimates their cunning. Sure, some are all brawn and little brain, but the truly clever ones would make even today's mages feel utterly inferior.
Take Constantine the Sage, for example—he's still called the origin of all wisdom. If the Seventy-Third Deity pulled this off, the disaster might not destroy Northend outright, but it would definitely speed up its demise.
Originally, I figured I'd just go to the Netherworld myself. After all, I was only looking for two not-so-powerful races—whether I conquered or abducted them, it wouldn't be much trouble. But now, with news of the Seventy-Third Deity, going alone seems a bit reckless.
So I dragged the snoozing Xuban out of the demi-plane, woke up Reina from her slumber in the far northern glacier, and rounded up the mage legion meditating among volcanoes—Lord Sean, Hughes, all of them came along.
Only Pabbet, who'd just ranked up to level forty-five, was left behind at the Gilded Rose to hold down the fort.
The Gilded Rose has reached new heights, especially since the release of the Azure Mana Elixir and Radiant Mana Elixir. Now, even the factions who can't stand us have to grit their teeth and buy both potions from the northern Odin Kingdom.
Plenty of people have tried to get their hands on the Azure Mana Elixir and Radiant Mana Elixir, but no one dares anymore. The Gilded Rose is strong enough on its own, and those potions are so potent that every mage faction treats them as essentials.
Anyone who tries to make a move on the Azure Mana Elixir or Radiant Mana Elixir has to guarantee the interests of every other faction. If they can't, no one dares to try.
Forcing a bunch of people used to feasting on meat and wine to go back to dry rations and cold water? You might as well kill them...
With so many mage factions gathered, even the Gilded Rose can't afford to offend them. Just one of these factions alone is stronger than us, and there are at least ten of them. Now that the Azure Mana Elixir and Radiant Mana Elixir are everyone's business, anyone who touches them is messing with everyone's share—and that's a recipe for disaster...
Plus, up till now, all the raw materials from the Monster Plane have been transported by Arcane Battleship, and they never enter Northend. Every time, a Gilded Rose expert uses the Stargate to appear in the Endless Void, and the Arcane Battleship delivers the materials right there.
Unless you just happen to find that spot in the Endless Void and know the exact delivery schedule, it's impossible to even see an Arcane Battleship. And even if you did, catching up to one in the Endless Void? Dream on...
The Monster Plane is basically impossible to expose—at least not right now. Only when the Gilded Rose grows even stronger, and Leon's power reaches the point where no one dares meddle, will the Void City outside the Monster Plane be built. Only then will the Monster Plane have nothing to fear from exposure, and at that point, Leon might even reveal it himself.
By then, the Monster Plane's big boss will have been tamed—nobody else can take it. And with a Void City as a resupply station in the Endless Void, the profits will dwarf everything the Gilded Rose has in Northend. Most importantly, it's the first stop for rare materials, where you can collect the best and most precious resources. That's what really can't be replaced...
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We left Neverwinter City without a sound, heading south—right to the spot where the passage to the Netherworld once appeared, smack in the center of Odin Kingdom.
Unfortunately, the area isn't rich in resources—and it's the most chaotic place, especially since the Seventy-Third Deity's reincarnation. It's the epicenter of all the chaos in central Odin.
Even now, this place has no real power—if a Title Magus sets up a mage tower here, that's considered strong. Most of the small factions are just puppets for the major powers of Odin Kingdom. If our operation isn't discreet, the big players will catch wind of it in no time.
That’s something Leon absolutely can't tolerate. If a major faction follows us into the Netherworld, the chaos down there will spiral out of control—especially with the Seventy-Third Deity already reincarnated. Who knows what fools might invite disaster, or try to exploit the situation if they learn the truth...
We made it smoothly to central Odin Kingdom, where Thorned Crown members were waiting to receive us. Without alerting anyone, we quickly reached the ruined Nether Passage—only to be greeted by bad news...
"Archmage Merlin, we've noticed something unusual here in the past couple of days. Three minor families in the area have suddenly become active, investigating matters within a hundred-kilometer radius. According to our intel, they're now searching for the exact location of the destroyed Nether Passage.
These three families are just puppets for the major factions—the Sanctum of Light, Chester Family, and Storm Tower. We can't get inside their circles; their defenses have tightened and there are powerful figures guarding them in secret. All we know for sure is that big shots from these factions have arrived."
The Thorned Crown contact relayed the report, and Leon's expression darkened.
The Sanctum of Light is no surprise—those mad dogs could do anything, and nothing they pull would shock me. If it were just them, Leon probably wouldn't be too concerned.
But now the Chester Family and Storm Tower have shown up too, and they're hunting for the exact spot where the Nether Passage was. That makes things a lot more complicated.
Strictly speaking, the Netherworld is beneath Northend World, but it could be considered a plane in its own right. Digging a tunnel down is impossible.
The fact that a passage appeared here means it was the real route. Near the passage, the surface and Netherworld spaces overlap—only here can you reach the Netherworld. Without precise coordinates, this is the only option.