53 Gates

Gaius watched how the headless turtle of calamity collapsed on the ground. They were relieved that Chang Xiuying was the one fighting those monsters and not them. However, they wouldn't be able to do anything to her anymore. Since her prowess were clearly shown to them all.

Suddenly, when they were close to defeating this one Primordial panther, it howled and its Qi covered its body and their attacks weren't effective as last time. The panther's eyes became red due to rage and attacked them violently. Gaius ordered the others to defend the group tightly as they prepared for the last resort to kill the panther.

Before they could consolidate a plan, Jude came and slashed the monster's neck and left a deep scratch. His attacks didn't end there. He continuously slashed and stabbed the panther until it collapsed as it heaved.

"Sir Jude!" They exclaimed.

Jude breathed deeply, wiping away his sweat, then turned towards the students. "This is not the time to talk. We need to protect Lasirion with all our might."

"But sir! We can't possibly kill hundreds of monsters before they breach the wall!"

Jude sighed then looked at Chang Xiuying who was fighting those Calamity monsters. He finally recognized her. The one he had been looking for in this world. The common enemy of mankind, yet she was saving them and even risking her life to protect Lasirion. What was her goal? However, he put those thoughts behind his head and focused on the matter at hand.

"We have a powerful backer this time. Be at ease and fight for your homeland," he said then slashed the incoming bird monster on its neck. Blood spurted out as the bird thrashed in the air. Jude gave one more deep cut on the same wound and he beheaded the monster.

Akira released a highly concentrated blue flame from her hands and burned some that was coming on their way. The weaker monster howled in agony as the flames continued to burn their skin until their flesh melted. However, the stronger monsters remained calm and even used the flame to their advantage.

"What in the world?!" She exclaimed in irritation.

Those monsters burned the surroundings and used it as their playground.

They were partly relieved that the weaker monsters couldn't go through the flame wall, but it was still a disadvantage since they have to face monsters with high defensive and offensive capabilities. Now, they were grateful that Chang Xiuying was holding back those monsters of Calamity.

Despite the words and actions they spit out at Chang Xiuying, she still faced herself in front of grave danger. Even if she was branded as a demon, they would treat her better the next time they would meet.

Leovanni froze the monsters until they couldn't move anymore. However, his mana was depleted once he froze around six monsters.

"Leovanni, get some rest and restore your mana," Gaius said as he heaved.

When he slumped down, Akira also slumped down next to him. He saw that she had wounds all over her body.

"Akira, here," Leovanni said as he handed her over his mana potion.

"No. I'm good. It's just the backlash of using a higher level of power. Use that for yourself---haaa---I need to stop talking. I'm tired as heck."

Fortunately, they were pretty lax since there were a lot of people that came to help them.

Suddenly, Caine came back to them with a few broken bones and slumped next to them. He overestimated himself since he defeated over two Primordial monsters with the support of the other students. That was his biggest achievement since he joined Lasirion Academy.

Leovanni quickly retrieved a lot of recovery potions and made Caine drink them as his wrists were all broken.

"Thanks," Caine said.

Akira exhaled heavily then stood up. "I'm pretty much recovered, time to head out."

Leovanni waved his hand and sent her away. Next, Gaius came to them and said, "There's no end to these monsters..." then sat down and circulated his Qi to recover.

"At least Xiuying is holding most of them down… we are basically dealing with monsters that escaped her attacks," Caine said as he tried moving his aching wrists.

Leovanni looked around and saw that the monsters were decreasing and a lot of exhausted people were resting as the stronger ones kept on fighting. Mostly the adventurers had so much energy to fight higher beings.

A lot of time passed and Jude came to them, covered in sweat.

"Sir Jude," they greeted despite the exhaustion they felt. A little longer and they would want a long rest.

"The monsters decreased and we have a lot of death counts," he sighed then continued, "We can't keep on continuing like this..."

Meanwhile, when the numbers of monsters going out of the tear were falling, Chang Xiuying could feel her oceanic life energy depleting. Moreover, she was exhausted beyond relief.

The Calamity monsters were nowhere in sight as she stored them all in her item box. She slumped down on the ground and collapsed. She heaved until she caught her breath. When she looked inside her body, her filled oceanic life energy was close to being empty. She expended that much energy just to protect Lasirion. She couldn't help but be bitter about it.

Chang Xiuying sighed as she gathered energies around her. She was in front of the tear, so an endless amount of mana and Qi forced their way into her body. She fell in a state where she couldn't feel, see or hear anything around her.

However, the tear had no intention to close. It remained open as if there were still monsters coming out of it.

Jude came and saw Chang Xiuying in deep meditation. His heart trembled and fell in a state of dilemma. This young girl risked herself to protect a mere city, yet she was their enemy; the enemy of Blanche along with her entire family. Not her family on Earth or in the Central Marsh, but her family of origins.

She was so vulnerable right now and he could kill her right this instant. He grabbed the hilt of his sword that was sheathed on his waist. His hands trembled. He could do it now… or not.

He could do it now… or never. Since this existence will only get stronger than she is right now.

Before he could decide, a storm of mana and Qi came out of the tear as it enveloped the whole atmosphere. He became dizzy from too much mana and a breach of another force into his body. Before he knew it, he collapsed and felt his consciousness slipping away from him.

Not just him, but all of the people in Lasirion and neighboring countries fell into a coma. Soon, it reached Thelorion and the energies they exert were merged and the atmosphere became thicker than it was before. In that instant, everybody collapsed and no one was seen awake.

Months passed until Chang Xiuying woke up from her meditation.

She could feel the cores swirling in her body as it slowly merged with her bloodstream. Now, there weren't any more cores floating above her filled oceanic life energy.

"Xue..." she called.

[Yes?]

"How many days had passed?"

[Exactly 265 days.]

Chang Xiuying looked around her and saw Jude lying unconscious just near her. She equipped her limiter and approached him. There were grasses and leaves on his body as if it never moved even an inch. She carried him until she also saw people lying on the ground.

"Xue… what happened?"

[The tear exerted a vast amount of mana and Qi and multiple more tears came out in the expanse of 265 days. In this situation, they would be called 'Gates'. They were permanent and would lead to different worlds when you pass by it.]

Chang Xiuying touched her chin and mumbled, "Interesting..."

[Though monsters from different dimensions will come out.]

"But why did the people collapse? Is it the influx of power?"

[Yes. Their bodies couldn't handle the sudden increase of mana and fell into a state of coma. Don't worry though, they'll eventually wake up. Once they do, they'll be stronger. The people who have more potential to grow will wake up first than everyone.]

"I see," she said then started picking up people to bring them into Lasirion. Since she was the only one who was awake, she felt obligated to bring the people, who helped her fight those monsters, to a place close to a hospital.

She didn't find any place that was close to a hospital, but she did find dorms and inns. Those would be a good choice. She laid people on beds then went out to look out for the Gate of Lasirion. She tried touching the liquid like surface of the Gate. Her hands passed through then she saw how the hidden bracelet on her wrist glowed.

She retreated then stared at the item she obtained back in Central Marsh---which she forgot.

Anyway, since she could pass freely, she would try it sometime. But first, she had to wait for the people to wake up.