The so-called "Abyss of Horns" was, in fact, a high peak shaped like a horn. At the very top of the mountain was a hollow cavity, bottomless and unfathomable, like an abyss—hence the name.
At this moment, Ebner and Xio had already flown to the summit of the mountain.
"Ebner, you know… it's one thing that Edwina robbed money and books, but why did she also abduct that 'Queen' along with them?" Xio asked after glancing down into the "abyss."
"I'm not too sure either… maybe that 'Queen' herself represents wealth and knowledge?" Ebner wrapped an arm around Xio's waist and answered as he slowly guided her downward.
He wasn't worried about Edwina, who was still mentally confused by this "world," attacking him. Although his "Insight" ability was greatly restricted within the "Ghost Empire," it wasn't to the point where he couldn't sense danger in advance right before an attack.
Xio was about to say something more when a sudden "dragon's roar" rang out beside her ears. Immediately afterward, a torrent formed from wind and snow surged forth, instantly coating both sides of the "abyss" walls with a thick layer of frost.
The power of this breath of "dragon's breath" was terrifying, even carrying traces of the authority of "catastrophe." Compared to another "Frost Dragon," the "King of the North" Ulyssan, it was stronger by an unknown margin!
So this is a level-25 legendary dragon? Truly terrifying!
Seeing such a dreadful attack and comparing it with her current only finishing move, the "Flame Sword Aura," Xio deeply realized the gap between them and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
However, she wasn't panicked, because after this breath of "dragon's breath" reached the area around her and Ebner, it suddenly "changed direction," as if it had passed through to another "world," and vanished.
"The power of this skill even exceeds Edwina's own baseline… this 'world' itself is giving her a certain boost…
"Is it because, as a 'catastrophe'-oriented 'world,' it favors this kind of 'villain role' more?"
While pondering, Ebner also looked toward the source of that "dragon's breath"—
A gigantic dragon, ice-blue all over, flew out from a cave on the other side of the mountain wall. It hovered in midair, fixing him with its vertical pupils.
"She still hasn't broken free from this 'world's' 'identity.' Looks like we'll have to help her out and knock her awake!" Xio recalled how Ebner had flicked her forehead earlier, her eyes now filled with eager anticipation.
Ebner, however, rejected Xio's "plan" without a moment's thought. It wasn't that he was unwilling to let Xio attack Edwina—rather, at Xio's current level, she couldn't even break through the defense, and "awakening" memories itself was a technical task, not something that could be done by simply "beating" someone.
On the other side, the "Frost Dragon," seeing that the two humans trespassing on its territory dared to look down on it so blatantly, immediately let out an enraged roar. Several magic arrays instantly appeared out of thin air around it, as terrifying power continuously gathered toward its body.
As a level-25 "Frost Dragon," it possessed a level-15 racial level and a level-10 "Grand Arcanist" profession, making it extremely adept at all kinds of ritual magic.
Seeing this, Ebner also stopped chatting idly with Xio. Directly "borrowing" his own "Miracle Invoker" abilities, he reached forward and grabbed, pulling the "Yellow Saintess" Natalia and the "Black Saintess" Medea—two "Demonesses of Catastrophe"—out from the "gaps of history" at the same time.
"Seers" were best at "prying" power into their own use, and prying at one's "own" power was even simpler, saving even the need for rituals and preparation time.
The moment the two angel-level demonesses appeared, they activated their "Petrifying Demon Eyes" under Ebner's control.
In an instant, the Frost Dragon's originally sapphire-like beautiful scales were dyed gray-white, and its movements gradually stiffened. Even the already-formed magical patterns could no longer be maintained and dissipated into the air.
Only its head could still move, staring in terror at the two demonesses who had appeared from nowhere.
It could sense that everything below its neck was already immobilized. If not for the man opposite using fierce winds to support its body, it would probably have already shattered into pieces upon falling.
"Are you the new Hero?" The dragon wanted to ask this aloud, but the muscles connected to its mouth had also petrified, to the point that it couldn't even make a sound.
Thus, it could only watch helplessly as that man leapt onto its body and pressed his palm against its forehead, unable to do anything at all.
Believing itself about to be controlled by some kind of "enslavement" magic, the dragon shamefully shed tears of pain.
But moments later, when its eyes regained clarity, a distinct look of embarrassment appeared within its vertical pupils.
And at this time, it—no, she—had already realized that her "petrification" had been lifted. She hurriedly used her innate "transformation" ability, changing into Edwina's appearance.
—"Transforming into a human" was an innate ability of legendary dragons.
Edwina deliberately avoided looking at Xio's somewhat teasing gaze. Taking a deep breath, she temporarily returned to her usual state and nodded, saying, "Thank you for coming to awaken me… otherwise, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to recover my memories on my own… the way this 'world' bestows 'information' is extremely overbearing."
"It should be that strange ability recorded by that 'Planeswalker.' It's indeed different from 'Spectators' and 'Secret Peekers,'" Ebner nodded, though inwardly he thought: strictly speaking, this method actually resembles the ability of a "Memory Theater."
—"Memory Theater" was very likely a manifestation of an authority that an even earlier "Liu Bo," predating the "God of Luck," had collected for the "Unknown." If not for Bernadette probing Liu Bo's secrets through the "Pale Death," Ebner wouldn't have discovered that such a thing was hidden deep within the "Land of the Unknown."
According to Ebner's speculation, that thing was probably connected to the "High-Dimensional Overseer," and might even be one of that being's authorities.
Add to that the clearly "hacked" "Mist of Uncertainty," the "Primordial Hunger" corresponding to the pathway of the "Goddess of Wealth," and the "Ring of Fate" promised to the little snake Will…
Sometimes, Ebner couldn't help but wonder: could it be that all of these existences had once suffered losses at Liu Bo's hands, and that among the ring of Old Ones outside the Earth today, half of them had come to demand the return of their "authorities" from him?
"Forget it, overthinking is pointless… unless there's another reckless fool like Bernadette who actively goes looking for death, at the very least I'd need the status of a 'true god' before I could explore the depths of the 'Land of the Unknown'…"
Pulling his drifting thoughts back, Ebner shook his head and returned his attention to Edwina.
At this time, Xio had already relayed the general situation Ebner had just told her to Edwina. After slightly nodding, the latter took the initiative to say:
"The reason I abducted that queen was because there was an aura of 'knowledge' on her."
(End of the chapter)