Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 315: The Inner Region

Act 1: Blue Ocean Pavilion - Chapter 315: The Inner Region

Oscar rushed together with the mass crowd of Lower and Middle Elite Exalts. His ears rattled from the sounds of hundreds of rapid footsteps from the great host of all of his surviving peers charging through the middle region. Only a few noncombatants and guards remained behind to watch over the camps.

Their formation was set up so the Middle Elite Exalts surrounded the Lower Elite Exalts to prevent them from being picked off or losing their way in the harsh middle region. Though, with their great numbers, not a single Exalt Beast moved close to them. Oscar noticed all the birds flying away and the sounds of insects fading into the distance—a sign of a fierce battle about to happen.

No one spoke a single word. Oscar could feel the tension rising as he came closer to the inner region. He glanced at Frederick and Erik by his sides, their faces stern and eyes focused ahead. With a firm nod, Oscar kept his gaze straight ahead.

Then suddenly, he felt the air change. The ends of his hair rose, and his lungs expanded and heaved more than before, struggling to breathe properly. As he kept running, his feet grew heavier until it was like dragging his body through a swamp. The shift in pressure meant one thing, the inner region.

'What a fearsome pressure...' Oscar used Adamasreis. The boost from the empowerment of Reis lifted some of the pressure, and his feet began to feel lighter. They were still heavier than before, but an improvement. The same could not be said for the others around him. The Lower Elite Exalts suffered the most as their faces reddened like ripe tomatoes.

"The inner region is far different. Even though the barriers have been lifted, the regions didn't change at all." Frederick said softly—an obvious attempt to start a conversation to take his mind off the pressure.

"Are you struggling?" Oscar happily obliged and chuckled. "You're sweating a river over there. If you have to take a break, I can carry you the rest of the way."

His little joke made Frederick scoff and bump Oscar on the shoulder. Having enlivened his friend back to normal, Oscar gazed ahead. The Pavilion's base camp should be close by, near the border, they just crossed. After a few more minutes, a stone wall came into view.

Then several Eins burned brightly in front of the camp, unleashing the full might of Greater Elite Exalts. The fearsome powers would have suffocated Oscar and the others, but everyone smiled and felt relieved. In front of the entrance, Celestina flew above with her rapier in hand; her emerald eyes scanned the crowd and met Oscar's. A slight smile formed on her face, and Oscar smiled brightly back with a thumbs-up.

The sounds of their feet stopped all at once when facing her. Oscar released his Adamasreis quietly and let out a sigh. He gripped his knees with his hands and leaned forward to relax for a moment. Relaxation was the key to clear thinking and good condition of the body, his master and Elder Saul's favorite lesson.

"Thank you. I thank you all for risking your lives so far and risking it further for this next week." Celestina's voice echoed through the crowd. A small flicker flashed across her eyes. She counted the number of people. Oscar understood her well enough to know she was grieving for the lost and the dead.

"All of you rest up well in the base for two hours. The temple will open in four hours, and we have a short journey ahead of us." Celestina flew back into the base.

"The map of the inner region showed how it was the smallest one, so the battles between the factions must have been more frequent and fierce." Frederick guessed.

"She did look tired," Oscar said. "I wish I was stronger." Again, he was too weak to carry on some of her burdens. He frowned as he watched her figure retreating into the distance before she descended into the camp. He was too weak before, but now he finally had the power to make a change.

Slowly, he made his way into the base camp as everyone was funneled into the entrance. The walls were tall and sturdier than the previous base camps. Signs of attacks littered the walls: claw marks, dents, and cracks. Just how many attacks did they have to fight off? The Exalt Beasts were far more daring and wild in the inner region.

"Maybe." Oscar smiled. "What about you?"

"Well, first, can I meet Gol-4?" Celestina asked. Her interest in Gol-4's knowledge was natural. The amount of knowledge had saved Oscar on multiple occasions. Gol-4 might be helpful to their efforts in the temple.

Oscar reached into his space pocket and pulled out Gol-4. The golem's glass eyes glimmered with a rising blue light. Gol-4 levitated and snapped to Celestina's face with a tilt, a sign of confusion.

"Oscar, why are you in bed? Who is this fair young maiden? What a nice setting you have here." Gol-4 said flatly.

"Gol-4, this is Celestina, the leader, and princess of our expedition here." Oscar gestured to Celestina.

"Hello, Gol-4. I heard about you from Oscar." Celestina bowed slightly. Then she lifted her head with narrow eyes and a serious face. "How much do you know about the temple?"

"Central palace! It's the main palace of the Divine Stone Clan. I only know what it was like beforehand and not as it is now. Sorry, my fair lady." Gol-4 said.

"Gol-4....Don't be so rude." Oscar frowned.

"Don't worry. For a golem who is thousands of years old, it's natural to see me as some child. However, you can still help, isn't that right?" Celestina reached out for Gol-4. However, the Golem flew back to Oscar's side.

"I have been attached to Oscar. If we enter the central palace, I will only talk to and help Oscar, not you." Gol-4 said.

"Gol-4!" Oscar got up from his bed and squeezed Gol-4's head. His strength wasn't enough to squash it.

"Hmm." Celestina gazed in wonder; then, she started to laugh. "Thank you, Gol-4. Take care of Oscar."

"Are you sure? He might be of use for getting to the divine essence."

"He doesn't want to help me, only you. There's no use taking along someone who is unwilling." Celestina crossed her arms. She said it was fine, but her slightly furrowed brow expressed the opposite. Before she turned to leave, Celestina said softly, "Good luck and stay alive, Oscar. I want to read some books in the Neptune Archives later."

Oscar smiled and saluted her. "That sounds good to me."