Chapter 208: The Surface Comes Knocking

After a few more attempts, Cindy finally managed to produce a successful batch.

The liquid inside the vial had settled into a clear, pale green color, with a faint glow that suggested the potion was stable. Cindy carefully lifted it away from the flame and examined it from several angles before letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Finally! A successful result."

Gray glanced at the potion.

"So, it doesn’t explode when you shake it?"

"Don’t even think about shaking it!"

"Just checking."

Cindy rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t hide the small smile on her face. Despite the initial failures, the experiment had turned out well enough. More importantly, she was beginning to understand how to control her mana and handle the alchemy equipment in her current body.

She placed the finished potion safely aside.

Then, a faint movement caught their attention.

The dark cocoon nearby began to tremble.

Both of them immediately turned toward Lily.

The violet patterns covering the cocoon grew brighter before gradually fading away. Its elongated shape contracted, and the outer layer peeled apart into wisps of dark energy that scattered through the air.

At its center floated a familiar figure.

Lily had emerged.

Her appearance had changed considerably. She was still a dark, star-shaped entity, her body resembling a tiny piece of the night sky. However, a pair of small wings now floated independently beside her, composed of dark energy with faint violet patterns running across their surfaces. Unlike ordinary wings, they weren’t connected to her body at all.

For a brief moment, Lily remained motionless.

Then, she suddenly darted through the air.

She zipped around the chamber, performing several loops before flying straight toward Gray and Cindy. Her tiny wings flapped rapidly, propelling her through the air with surprising speed.

"Lily!" Cindy exclaimed.

The little star stopped in front of her, tilting from side to side.

Cindy swam closer, relief washing over her face.

"You really made me worry, you know?"

Lily bobbed up and down, then spun around to show off her new wings. Apparently, she was far too excited about her transformation to pay much attention to Cindy’s scolding.

She shot toward the ceiling before swooping back down in a playful spiral.

Cindy could only sigh.

At least Lily seemed perfectly fine. In fact, she appeared more energetic than ever.

Gray watched her performance with interest, his golden eyes following the movements of her new wings.

"How exactly do those things work?"

Lily stopped midair and turned toward him.

Gray pointed one of his claws at the floating appendages.

"Your wings. They’re not even connected to your body. How do you fly with them?"

Lily seemed to understand his question. She immediately began flapping her tiny wings, demonstrating how they moved independently of her body.

Then she shot forward, circled Gray’s head, and returned to her original position.

Gray stared at her.

"...That’s not an explanation."

Lily bobbed happily in the air and flapped her wings again, as if demonstrating their effectiveness was more than enough.

After making sure Lily was in good condition and collecting the successful potion, they decided it was time to leave the chamber.

Gray retrieved the remaining alchemy equipment and stored it inside his ring. Cindy, meanwhile, returned to her water container, settling comfortably inside.

"I can swim on my own, you know," she remarked.

"I know. But carrying you saves your mana, doesn’t it?"

Cindy blinked before giving him a small nod.

"Well... yes."

"Then let me carry you. We might need that mana later."

She didn’t argue further, allowing him to carry the container as they made their way back toward the upper levels. Lily happily flew alongside them, occasionally darting ahead before circling back to check on her companions.

The journey back was considerably less eventful than their earlier battle.

When they finally reached the area where they had previously gathered the medicinal herbs, Gray set Cindy’s container down somewhere safe.

"All right. I’ll gather the remaining herbs while you get started on the Essence of Tartarus."

Cindy nodded from inside the container.

"Be careful. Don’t wander too far."

Gray gave her a reassuring nod before turning toward the surrounding vegetation. He began collecting the herbs they had found earlier, carefully storing each one inside his ring to avoid damaging the more delicate specimens.

Lily hovered nearby, occasionally fluttering her new wings as she watched them work.

Gray continued gathering herbs until he had collected everything worth taking. Once he was satisfied, he returned to Cindy.

Cindy spent the next several hours experimenting with the Essence of Tartarus.

She carefully combined the ingredients, adjusted the temperature, and repeatedly used her mana to neutralize the unstable reactions that emerged during the refining process. However, every time she thought she had succeeded, another unexpected problem appeared.

Sometimes the liquid would become cloudy. Other times, a strange residue would form at the bottom of the container, indicating that the impurities hadn’t been completely removed.

Cindy frowned as she examined yet another failed attempt.

"...Why is this so difficult?"

Gray, who was nearby sorting through the herbs he’d collected, glanced at her.

"Didn’t you say you were a genius?"

"I am a genius!"

"Yeah, right."

"Gray, don’t give me that look!"

He turned back to his work, deciding that arguing with her would accomplish nothing.

Cindy took a deep breath and returned her attention to the mixture. She carefully reviewed the refining process, reconsidering each step and the interactions between the ingredients. The problem wasn’t the strength of her mana. It was the way the Essence of Tartarus reacted to the impurities. Simply suppressing the side effects wasn’t enough. She needed to neutralize them without diminishing the essence’s potency.

Once she realized that, her approach changed.

Instead of forcing the unstable energy to settle, she gradually adjusted the flow of mana and guided the impurities toward the bottom of the container, separating them from the concentrated essence.

Minutes passed before the liquid finally began to change. The murky mixture gradually cleared, transforming into a brilliant golden potion that glowed softly inside the container.

Cindy’s eyes widened as she examined the result.

"I did it!"

She raised the container proudly, her tail swishing with excitement.

"See? I’m a genius!"

Gray glanced at the golden potion and gave a small nod.

"Good job, Cindy."

Her expression brightened even more at his straightforward praise.

"Hehe. Of course I am!"

Gray couldn’t help but smile faintly at her reaction.

After admiring her work for a moment, Cindy carefully examined the potion again.

"I want to absorb this as soon as possible. However, I might need some time to process it. The Essence of Tartarus is too potent to absorb carelessly, even after I’ve neutralized its side effects."

Gray considered this for a moment.

"Then we should find somewhere safe first. The last thing we need is for something to attack while you’re unable to move."

Cindy nodded.

"Agreed."

With that settled, Gray picked up her water container and began searching for a suitable place to rest. Lily fluttered alongside him, her little wings moving independently as she followed them through the surrounding terrain.

They eventually discovered a cluster of dead trees. Their trunks were thick and twisted, and several had hollow cavities large enough to provide shelter. The surrounding vegetation was sparse, and the area offered enough cover to keep them out of immediate sight.

It wasn’t a perfect hiding place, but it would do.

Gray inspected the nearest hollow before placing Cindy’s container inside.

"This should work for now."

Cindy nodded. She then carefully lifted the golden potion with her water magic, bringing it toward her mouth.

"All right. I’m going to start."

The little axolotl raised her head above the water and swallowed the potion.

Then a golden glow spread across her body.

Cindy’s eyes widened slightly as the energy entered her system. She quickly settled back into the water, closing her eyes as she began absorbing the Essence of Tartarus.

The glow gradually intensified, and faint golden ripples spread through the water around her.

Gray watched for a while before stepping back.

"Looks like she’s started."

Lily floated beside the container, her star-shaped body tilting toward Cindy. Her little wings fluttered occasionally, but she remained quiet as she watched their companion absorb the potion.

Gray crouched near the entrance of the hollow and considered their situation.

’Cindy would need time.’

There was no point in simply sitting around while she absorbed the essence, especially when he could use the opportunity to gather more resources.

"I’ll look around for a while. Keep an eye on her, Lily."

Lily bobbed once in acknowledgment.

Satisfied, Gray left the hollow and began searching the surrounding area for herbs. He revisited several patches he’d passed earlier, carefully checking beneath dead leaves and around the roots of the trees.

He found a few more medicinal plants, along with some unfamiliar herbs that might prove useful later.

’I might as well collect everything I can. I don’t know when we’ll have another opportunity like this.’

He stored the herbs inside his ring and continued exploring, keeping the hollow within a reasonable distance.

Then, suddenly-

RUMBLE!

The ground shook beneath him.

Gray immediately stopped moving.

Another tremor followed, stronger than the first. The dead branches overhead rattled, and loose fragments of soil tumbled from the nearby slopes.

His golden eyes narrowed.

’What was that?’

The Great Tartarus was an island-sized creature roaming the sea. A disturbance of this magnitude couldn’t be ignored, especially when they were resting on its body.

Gray quickly climbed one of the dead trees, gripping its rough bark with his claws until he reached a sturdy branch. From there, he peered toward the distant coastline.

What he saw made his expression turn serious.

Three enormous ships had gathered around the Great Tartarus.

They were positioned at different angles, their dark hulls cutting through the waves. Strange markings covered their sails, and several figures could be seen moving across their decks.

But the ships weren’t approaching the island freely.

A vast barrier surrounded the Great Tartarus, its surface shimmering faintly as the three vessels remained trapped against its outer boundary. Every so often, the barrier rippled as though something on the other side was attempting to force its way through.

Gray watched carefully.

The Great Tartarus’s barrier was supposed to prevent those with evil intentions from entering.

Yet these ships had come all the way here, and whatever their purpose was, it didn’t appear to be peaceful.