Chapter 569: Probing Summoner Haina (Part 2)

He could even sense the auras of several at the Level Three Peak, patrolling within the Nest.

Ian stopped five kilometers away, his Gravity Perception piercing through layers of rock and extending downward.

One hundred meters, three hundred meters, five hundred meters… Deep underground, the earth had been hollowed out by the Insect Race.

Countless tunnels crisscrossed, like an inverted labyrinth. Massive quantities of ore had been mined and stockpiled, waiting to be transported to the surface.

And in the deepest part of the labyrinth, at a position about eight hundred meters below the surface, a natural Energy Node appeared.

A flicker of joy sparked in Ian’s heart. ‘I finally found it.’

At least a thousand Crystal Core Insects were densely clustered around the node.

They were slightly smaller than Mating Bees, but their Shells had a translucent, crystalline texture. Inside their bodies, the dark purple Energy was so dense it had condensed into a liquid-like state.

Yet these Insects seemed tireless, constantly gnawing at and converting the Origin Energy that seeped from the node.

Each Crystal Core Insect was like a living, breathing energy battery.

On the periphery of the Crystal Core Insect swarm were four exceptionally powerful auras—members of the Level Four Insect Race.

They were even larger than Swift Beasts, their Shells covered in vicious Bone Spikes, and their compound eyes gleamed with a distinct spark of intelligence.

They remained motionless, standing guard silently around the Energy Node like the most loyal sentinels.

Ian withdrew his Perception, a thoughtful look in his eyes. ‘Forget it. I won’t make a move on them for now…’

‘A thousand Crystal Core Insects are guarded by two from the Level Four Insect Race. Forcing my way in isn’t impossible, but it would definitely alert the Void Nest.’

‘Once the Nest realizes someone is after the Origin Energy, any subsequent plans will become much more difficult.’

He needed a more reliable plan. He would check out the stronghold of the Essoke People first.

Ian’s figure became a gray streak, shooting toward the energy explosion on the horizon.

His interest in the abilities of these “Summoners” was growing.

「Three thousand kilometers away, in a hidden valley.」

The valley was flanked by steep rock walls, their surfaces riddled with excavated caves and fortifications.

Several simple watchtowers stood at the entrance, manned by figures in tattered Leather Armor.

The atmosphere was tense. The air was thick with the smell of blood and herbs, and occasionally, an injured member of the Essoke People could be seen lying on the ground while a companion tended to their wounds.

They were humanoid in appearance, but a few Tentacles swayed from their necks or chins. Most were gaunt, their faces etched with exhaustion and fear, yet a flicker of stubborn fire remained deep within their eyes.

In the deepest part of the valley stood a crude wooden hut built from logs and stone.

The inside of the hut was dim, with only a single candle flickering on a table.

Haina sat on a wooden stool. His body was ashen, a faint halo of Spiritual Energy flowing across its surface, and a psychic mist shrouded his form.

His head was featureless—just a blurry mass of fog with a single, closed, vertical pupil at its center.

The dozen or so black tentacles on his chin writhed unconsciously, their suckers opening and closing with a faint SSSSSS.

The tentacles that served as his hands rested on his knees. He was in a foul mood.

About half a year ago, within a Void Rift, he had sensed a Will—vast, gentle, and brimming with Life Force.

That Will was like a great, growing tree, its roots delving into the Void, greedily drawing in Energy.

Haina had immediately realized that their opportunity had arrived!

He attempted to communicate with that Will, sending out a carefully crafted “distress signal.”

In the signal, he described the “tragic plight” of the Esok World: a world invaded by the Insect Race, where life was being extinguished and the natives were fighting a losing battle despite their resistance…

He conveniently omitted the fact that the Essoke People were “Spiritual Devourers,” instead painting his race as “innocent victims.”

He hoped the Will would send powerful warriors to fight the Insect Race—ideally, until both sides were grievously wounded.

Then, he and his people could reap the rewards.

He might even… Devour the Souls of the “warriors” sent by the Will to replenish his Spiritual Energy and restore his strength.

But to his disappointment, the Will was extremely cautious.

They had only exchanged a few words; after confirming the coordinates of the Esok World and the threat of the Insect Race, the Will had severed the Link.

It left no promises, nor did it reveal its own origin. It was as if… it was only there to gather intelligence.

‘Damn tree roots, don’t let me find your world!’

The tentacles on Haina’s chin tightened abruptly, their suckers clamping onto the edge of the wooden stool with a soft CLICK.

His vertical pupil slowly opened, revealing a scarlet, malevolent eye. ‘Those Insects… what in the world are they?’

The question had plagued him for an entire year.

The Essoke People called themselves “Void Hunters.”

For tens of thousands of years, they had used their Summoner Talent to wander between the Rifts of myriad worlds.

Like silent specters, they would select a world and project psychic ramblings through the Rift.

They would beguile the intelligent life of these worlds, cultivating worship and inciting Chaos. When enough Soul Sacrifices had been made, they could tear open the Rift and achieve True Body Descent.

They would then corrupt the entire world with Spiritual Energy, Devouring every Soul to strengthen themselves.

They had always believed that, aside from the terrifying “Abyss Will” from millennia ago, no existence in the Void was more powerful than them.

That is, until a year ago, when the sky tore open without warning, and an endless horde of Insects poured through.

Unlike the creatures of other worlds, they had no Souls, no emotions, no desires.

They possessed only the most basic instincts: Devouring, reproduction, and expansion.

The “psychic corruption” at which the Essoke People excelled was completely useless against the Insects.

‘Damn it, those Insects don’t even have minds to corrupt!’

They shared a single, unified ‘terrifying consciousness’—one that was cold, vast, and impossible to Erode.