Chapter 543 Ashenreach Island, Information About The Heretic Village

"...Heretic Village!" Leon immediately spoke up. "Do you know anything about it?!"

"No," the guard shook his head. "I only heard that it’s in the deepest part of this domain, and that traveling there is impossible in any normal way. Even if you managed to reach it, those fanatics are so powerful they could wipe out this entire domain if they wanted to, especially their king, so we leave them alone."

That was all the information the guard had. He soon returned to his duties, leaving Leon and the girls standing near the entrance.

However, just as they were about to enter the city, Violet smiled.

"We got information," she said. "A lot of it, actually."

"Yeah," Leon nodded. "I’m not sure we can trust everything he said. The servants of the gods could still be hiding here, but if his information is true, then the second, third, and fourth islands should be safe."

The fact that the guard openly spoke about the gods with such hostility was already a good sign.

It was possible that some of their servants had infiltrated the city, but there was no reason to assume that everyone here was connected to them.

Leon, Celeste, Violet, and Emilia entered the city and began looking around.

Unlike the settlements on the first island, this place was built almost entirely around the sea.

Tall buildings stood along canals connected to the ports, while bridges linked different sections of the city.

Large ships were docked beside crowded markets, and several elevated walkways allowed people to move above the water.

The entire city seemed to revolve around maritime trade and travel.

Leon decided to ask a few more people about the [Heretic Village] and the gods, hoping someone might know something the guard hadn’t mentioned.

Unfortunately, the answers were practically identical.

Most people knew about the legendary battle between the three gods and believed it was responsible for transforming the domain into its current state.

As for the [Heretic Village], they had only heard that it existed somewhere in the deepest part of the domain, and that reaching it was extremely difficult.

None of them knew its exact location or how to get there.

After asking several people, Leon finally concluded that there wasn’t much reason to continue searching for information here.

Either the servants of the gods were hiding themselves extremely well, or there simply weren’t any important groups operating in this city.

In either case, it didn’t seem worth spending more time investigating.

"It does feel weird, though," Leon said later as the group sat inside a nearby seafood restaurant.

They had ordered a few dishes while discussing the information they had gathered, and the restaurant’s location near the water gave them a clear view of the boats passing through the canals.

"Based on that legend, the gods battled here and changed the entire domain," Leon continued. "But from what I know, the gods cannot interact with the Higher Domains..."

"Maybe that specific battle made the system change the rules?" Violet suggested.

"Do you think the gods would follow a system?" Emilia laughed. "They’re gods, they’re the ones who make them!"

"They would follow what the system says actually," Leon replied. "The [Heavenly One]’s power is too much for even them, after all."

He wasn’t sure exactly what had happened during that battle, but the story was strange enough to make him curious.

If the gods had truly fought inside this domain, then something must have allowed them to do so, despite the restrictions Leon already knew about.

Perhaps there was more to the story than the inhabitants understood.

He would have to investigate if he encountered another situation like this, but there was no reason to dwell on it for now.

After finishing their meal, Leon and the girls continued through the city until they reached the port area on the opposite side.

From there, they could clearly see the next island.

It was absolutely enormous, even larger than the one they were currently standing on.

A massive volcano occupied its center, rising so high that it dominated the entire view.

Even from a considerable distance, the mountain was impossible to miss.

Several people had gathered near the port, with many of them looking toward the island.

"I wouldn’t go if I were you," one of the men said with a grin as he noticed Leon and the girls examining it.

He was holding a camera-like item, which he seemed to be using to capture the distant island.

"The next cycle is happening soon. That island is basically uninhabitable, and there’s nobody living there. Only those who want to level up go there to get stronger."

"...Next cycle?" Leon tilted his head, ’Right, every Higher Domain has its own mechanics. This must be something that happens here.’

He looked toward the enormous volcano again, wondering what kind of challenge awaited players on that island.

It was strange to think about how many people lived across all higher domains, each with their own lives, struggles, and reasons for remaining here.

But if Leon didn’t get rid of the gods and their servants, many of those people would eventually die because of them.

That thought only strengthened his determination.

Leon didn’t pay much attention to the so-called cycle, nor did he particularly care what it was supposed to be.

The only information that caught his interest was the fact that the third island was considered uninhabitable by both players and natives because of the dangers it presented.

After all, there was little reason for anyone to settle on an island like that when Ashenreach Island, a proper city with plenty of resources and opportunities, was located so close by.

Leon had no intention of wasting time there, so he turned toward the man who had spoken to them.

"What about the fourth island?" he asked. "I’m new to this domain, so I haven’t had the chance to explore much."

"It’s a massive dungeon," the man replied while keeping his camera-like item pointed toward the volcano, which had begun rumbling more violently. "The moment you step through the portal, you’ll be sent inside. There’s no way to leave until you find one of the exits, and each exit will take you directly to the fifth island."

He paused briefly to adjust the angle of his camera, seemingly unwilling to miss even the smallest detail of the approaching eruption.

"I wouldn’t recommend going there unless you’re Level 90 or above, though. It’s the only way to reach the fifth island, and depending on your strength, leveling up to get through the dungeon could take months or even years. Most people aren’t willing to risk it, but those who make it through supposedly find an incredible place waiting for them. Anyway, just enjoy the cycle!"

"Alright, thanks for the information. When exactly is this cycle supposed to happen?"

"Anytime between now and the next ten hours," the man answered with a cheerful smile. "I’ve already been waiting here for five hours to get the best possible picture, so it should happen soon!"

"Damn."

Leon had no intention of waiting another ten hours just to witness a volcanic eruption.

He glanced toward the port and noticed that none of the boats were leaving.

The people responsible for operating them had apparently decided to remain on the island until the cycle was over, fearing what might happen if they were caught in the sea during the event.

Leon and the girls, on the other hand, had no reason to share their concerns.

"Let’s go," Leon said.