Chapter 434: The Hidden Base in the Abyss

Scott extended the spatial sphere toward Alexander. He took it and inspected the creature, a gelatinous being covering a glowing object inside.

"Can you tell what’s inside?" asked Scott, looking at him.

"Is that an Awakening Stone?" said Alexander, narrowing his eyes.

"That’s right," said Scott with a smile. "That’s how they’re obtained. If you kill these mist beings, you can get the stones. Did you think we dug them out of the dirt?"

"Honestly, I thought you were archaeologists digging around," said Alexander, eyeing the glow through the slime.

"No, it’s not like that," said Scott, waving his hand. "Squeeze that slime and it’ll pop. The stone you’re holding is low-tier. These mist monsters get stronger the deeper you go; if you want the strongest ones, those are inside the undead. Let’s move."

Alexander squeezed the slime until it burst, revealing the crystal underneath. As he held his first Awakening Stone, he felt a spark of excitement, though coupled with disappointment—the mist beings weren’t as formidable as he had believed.

After flying for hours across a sky painted in shades of gold and purple, the group arrived at a zone where landmasses floated in midair.

"Welcome to our base," said Stephen, slowing his flight speed.

"Here?" asked Alexander, glancing around in confusion. "There doesn’t seem to be anything here."

"That’s the point," explained Scott, stepping through the floating rocks. "We need to stay under the radar."

Leaping from island to island, they approached the central cluster. There, concealed within the crevices of the largest floating rock, lay the entrance to a natural cave, hidden from outside view.

Crossing the cave entrance, the space expanded to reveal an underground haven equipped with technology. In the center of the room, Stephen approached a metallic pedestal and activated an interface, projecting a holographic display that illuminated the dimness with shades of blue and crimson.

"Take a look, Alex," said Stephen, gesturing for Alexander to approach the pedestal.

"A tactical map," observed Alexander, looking at the projection of a structure made of overlapping layers.

"It’s not just a map, it’s the anatomy of The Breach," said Stephen, pointing to the top section glowing in blue. "This area where we are right now is the Periphery. The mist beings you saw outside are the local fauna; they are wandering creatures holding lower-tier stones."

"And the undead you mentioned?" asked Alexander, pointing to the lower strata marked in red and black.

"The undead are a different species," said Scott, lighting a cigar and exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Those bastards are carnivorous. The moment they spot a mist being, they hunt and devour it to absorb its energy. For that reason, as you go deeper down, the mist beings disappear, leaving hordes of undead."

"In the Intermediate Domain dwell the warrior-class undead, keepers of Level 3 and 4 stones," explained Stephen, sliding the interface down toward the abyssal floor. "And in the Deep Abyss reside the ancient undead—beings possessing full intelligence, led by the Kings of the Breach. That is where the Level 5 stones lie."

"Sounds like the place to see what I’m capable of," concluded Alexander, cracking a smile.

Scott reached into his coat, pulled out an object, and tossed it to Alexander.

"Here," said Scott.

Alexander caught the object. It had no screen or buttons; it looked like a piece of cold, polished rock.

"What is this?" asked Alexander, examining the piece.

"A locator," said Scott, taking a drag from his cigar. "The closer you get to this place, the harder it will vibrate. It’s the only thing that can guide you back to this base. Location devices don’t work here, and don’t trust your memory. This place shifts every moment; what you saw a second ago might be there or it might not."

"Impressive," said Alexander, slipping the metallic stone into his pocket. "What do we do now?"

"You can explore," said Stephen, adjusting his shirt cuffs. "We have to finalize organizational arrangements, submit stabilization plans, and we might need to head back to the main base to defend it."

"You’re leaving me here alone?" asked Alexander, narrowing his eyes.

"Kid, you need to temper your body," said Scott, looking at him sternly. "You’re still weak and haven’t grasped the depths of your power. You don’t have your Domain yet; you need more combat. So, in the meantime, stay here."

"I understand," said Alexander, cracking a smirk. "I’ll stay and train, and I won’t be a burden. When I see you again, I’ll be stronger than both of you."

"I look forward to that," said Scott, letting out a laugh. "One more thing: swing by this place occasionally. We’ll notify you when the empresses arrive at our shelter or if they decide to come here. Treat them well; they’re the ones who declared war on the federation for us."

"I understand," said Alexander. "I will be gentle with them."

"That’s what we’ll tell them—to be gentle with you," said Scott, letting out a laugh as he blew out a puff of smoke. "You have no idea how starved those Platinum-level women are. They haven’t had sex in years, and their bodies are so strong they snap penises like pencils. Don’t overestimate yourself; yours will probably end up looking like a twisted little twig after a few rides, too."

Stephen let out a chuckle, shaking his head.

"Don’t scare the kid," said Stephen, patting Alexander on the shoulder. "I’m sure they won’t be that harsh on him."

"I appreciate your concern," said Alexander, looking at both of them with a serious expression. "I only ask that you take care of my aunt and my women. Don’t let anyone attack them while I’m away."

"Don’t worry about that," promised Stephen, nodding. "I’ll go to Sandoria for her and take her to a safe place."

Alexander gave a nod of farewell and stepped out of the cave, venturing back into the golden and purple sky of The Breach.

Scott watched him vanish into the distance from the entrance before turning back to Stephen.

"Are you sure you want to leave your protege here by himself?" asked Scott, crossing his arms. "You showed him the weakest ones; you didn’t tell him how to fight in the depths."

"Gold does not fear fire," stated Stephen, adjusting his glasses. "If he cannot handle this test, then it’s time for him to die."

"I know that," said Scott, letting out a chuckle as he shook his head. "But you are harsh with the people you train."