This was an entirely different world, where the energy fluctuations pervading the heavens and earth were completely unlike those of the Wizarding World.
It was nighttime, and thick clouds blanketed the sky, enshrouding the land in darkness. The oppressive gloom swallowed everything, rendering even the stars invisible behind the suffocating veil.
Suddenly, a silver radiance sliced through the void like a bolt of lightning, piercing the oppressive night.
Following this, the laws of space began to distort, and a massive teleportation array emerged out of thin air. The array flickered with cryptic runes and surged with immense energy fluctuations.
As the formation activated, one by one, formally attired wizards stepped out of the teleportation array. Their figures flickered like phantoms emerging from the abyss of night.
However, the moment they set foot in this unfamiliar realm, an overwhelming pressure descended upon them.
Boom!
A low, rumbling sound resonated through the heavens and earth as the atmospheric pressure shifted abruptly as if an invisible force was pressing in from all directions.
The weight in the air intensified, akin to the oppressive depths of a bottomless abyss. Breathing became arduous, and the suffocating force seemed capable of crushing everything in its grasp.
The environment of this world was extremely hostile to these wizards from the Wizarding World. Every step forward felt like walking upon the edge of a blade.
Yet, as formally recognized wizards, the permanent magical imprints within their bodies activated. These imprints ceaselessly consumed their internal energy factors, allowing them to barely resist the overwhelming pressure of this realm.
Despite the difficulty, they did not falter in their mission.
This team of over a hundred official wizards moved with practiced efficiency.
Each of them retrieved a peculiar pillar from their robes. These pillars were engraved with patterns that burned like the sun and shimmered with the depth of the starry sky.
"We are the ninety-seventh node. Begin the installation of the Otherworldly Purification Device immediately!"
The leading third-level Grand Wizard narrowed his eyes and issued the command with a calm, unwavering tone.
At his words, the wizards swiftly arranged the pillars according to a precise layout and formation.
As each pillar was positioned
Crack!
Crack!
A deep, resounding noise echoed through the land, reminiscent of thunder rolling through the heavens.
When all the pillars were finally set in place, a faint light began to flicker across them, emitting a unique energy wave.
These lights not only illuminated the surrounding darkness but also seemed to alter the balance of energy and laws governing this world.
The radiance emanating from the formation resembled a lighthouse piercing the void, its boundless glow shifting the very fabric of reality.
At the same time, the wizards noticed that the energy they had been rapidly depleting was beginning to replenish. The crushing pressure that had weighed upon them was gradually dissipating, as though it was being purified by this mystical light.
This energy felt like a restorative force, stabilizing their magical imprints and granting them a moment of respite.
The third-level Grand Wizard observed the unfolding scene, his expression resolute as he murmured,
"The previous ninety-six nodes all faced attacks. Be prepared for an imminent assault. We only need to hold our ground for half an hour. Once the purification device fully stabilizes, everything will be under our control."
However, just as he finished speaking, the dense clouds above suddenly tore apart like a colossal shroud being violently ripped open.
In the next instant, dazzling beams of light shot forth, illuminating the entire world!
These luminous streaks originated from seven orbiting, spinning stars each radiating a brilliant blue-white glow as if infused with the essence of heaven and earth.
The Seven-Star Formation is the signature weapon of the Goddess of the Weave!
Of course, this small squad was unlikely to warrant a direct strike from the goddess herself. These seven celestial orbs were merely a one-time offensive measure.
As they flared into brilliance, the oppressive sky was instantly flooded with blinding light. The once-shadowed world was now bathed in artificial daylight!
"Be careful!"
The voice of the third-level Grand Wizard suddenly rang out, a trace of vigilance flashing in his eyes. He immediately issued an order, commanding his squad to quickly contract and attempt to resist using a formation.
However, before the defensive formation could fully take shape, the seven stars suddenly converged, rapidly forming a massive circular ring.
In the next moment, the stars burst forth with dazzling radiance, condensing into a brilliant pillar of light that shot down toward the ground.
At the center of this light pillar, a dense, deep-red mist was abruptly released. Like a raging thunderstorm, it surged toward the wizards in an instant!
Boom!
The red mist swept through everything like a violent tempest, its speed so overwhelming that the wizards barely had time to react.
The mist carried a corrosive force, quickly seeping into the bodies of every wizard, reducing their skin, bones, and flesh to ashes.
In the blink of an eye, the entire wizard squad was annihilated, with no chance of survival.
The third-level Grand Wizard had hoped to hold out for at least half an hour. Unfortunately, his luck was poor he had encountered an exceptionally powerful enemy force.
As the red mist dispersed, the seven blue-white stars also vanished from the night sky, as if they had never appeared.
At that moment, figures swiftly emerged, slicing through the darkness.
They wore identical uniforms long blue robes with white-trimmed edges, draped with deep blue cloaks that gave them a solemn and mysterious air.
On their heads, they wore wide blue hats embroidered with a single blue-white star.
Leading them was a middle-aged man who retrieved an exquisitely crafted emblem from his robes.
The emblem was inlaid with a blue-white star the sacred insignia of the Goddess of the Weave!
These individuals, dressed in matching attire, were none other than the followers of the Goddess of the Weave!
"In the name of the divine, grant them peace and rest," the leader murmured a quiet prayer with a serene expression, seemingly offering his respects to the fallen wizards.
But before his prayer had fully ended, he turned to the people behind him and coldly commanded:
"Dismantle these structures. Prepare for the next phase."
"Yes, Bishop!"
The devotees rushed toward the interdimensional purification devices...
Scenes like this were unfolding in many other parts of the world as well.
However, most wizard squads were not as unfortunate they had not encountered a task force personally led by a bishop.
Through years of relentless expeditions, the Wizarding World had developed a standard procedure for its conquests.
The most critical step was to send personnel to modify the world, installing interdimensional purification devices infused with the Wizarding World's essence, thereby establishing logistical support.
Typically, a single interdimensional purification device would suffice for an expeditionary force led by a Morning Star Wizard.
Deploying over a hundred of these devices, however, was a measure reserved for beings beyond Morning Star Wizards an approach used for hunting deities!
As one purification device after another was installed, the Wizarding World seemed like a venomous serpent, sinking its fangs into the flesh of this world, injecting its poison deeper and deeper...
Nightmare Grand Rift – City of Machines – Research Division
The Research Division was located on the sixth level of the City of Machines, suspended in midair at the city's very center. It appeared as a massive, square iron box solid, imposing, and severe.
There were no windows anywhere; the entire structure was tightly sealed, as if cut off from the outside world, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.
The building was surrounded by countless mechanical defenses and magical formations. Even the slightest anomaly could trigger an alarm, and the only entrance was the front gate.
Lynn rode a flying vehicle resembling a motorcycle, effortlessly gliding toward the gate. With a skillful flick of his wrist, he executed a smooth drift and came to an elegant stop.
This flying vehicle was something he had "borrowed" from Darwin without permission. Since Darwin rarely went out, Lynn had taken the opportunity to use it for himself.
"Shrink..."
Lynn muttered softly, waving his hand. The flying motorcycle instantly shrank to the size of a palm. He then deftly tucked it into his spatial ring.
By integrating a shrinking function, the vehicle had become far more convenient to carry.
After all, installing a shrinking module in a limited space required not only advanced technology but also incredibly intricate design.
This was precisely the secret of the Warhammer Master almost all of his crafted equipment came with a built-in shrinking function.
Earlier, when Darwin crossed the Atlas Mountains, he had relied on this very technique, shrinking his armor for easy transport. Even without a spatial ring, it remained highly practical.
As Lynn approached the entrance, he noticed that there were no guards only two fully armored mechanical sentinels staring at him coldly.
Although no living beings were stationed there, these constructs stood as ever-vigilant sentries, ready to respond to any threat.
Lynn was undeterred. He simply retrieved his citizen identification token and waved it lightly.
In that instant, the massive gate rumbled with a deep mechanical hum as it slowly opened. The sentinels' gaze shifted away from him, vanishing into the shadows.
The doorway led to a corridor extending into the main hall.
Lynn recalled his appointment with the head of the Research Division, who had agreed to meet him on the first floor.
He had barely taken a few steps when a figure appeared in his path.
The person wore a pristine white robe, their frame tall and slender. Their entire body seemed to have undergone extensive modifications, making it impossible to discern whether they were male or female.
The only thing evident was an aura of cold precision and unyielding rigidity.
"You must be Lynn. Follow me," the person spoke in a low, metallic voice, introducing themselves as Kark.
The tone and appearance of Kark instantly reminded Lynn of a certain adversary he had once faced in the Atlas Mountains the third-level Grand Wizard Silver Ash of the Forge Stone Order.
Silver Ash had undergone full-body modifications, bearing a striking resemblance to Kark.
The Research Division was vast in scale, yet eerily deserted.
The hallways, corridors, and even the elevators were empty of life.
The entire space was eerily silent, as though abandoned only the crisp echoes of footsteps against metal floors broke the stillness.
As Lynn followed Kark, he encountered almost no one along the way.
Even on the rare occasions when they did pass by some staff members, their gazes were cold and emotionless, showing no interest in engaging with anyone.
Each person hurried past, entirely absorbed in their tasks, making no effort to acknowledge others.
To most, this eerie lack of interaction would feel unsettling.
But to Lynn, it was nothing short of delightful.
A workplace where colleagues remained indifferent to one another no unnecessary socializing, no pointless small talk was perfect for him!
After walking for some time, the two finally arrived at a room on the 32nd floor.
"You have a one-month probationary period. If no issues arise within that time and you pass the evaluation, I'll extend your contract."
Lynn nodded, unsurprised.
Wasn't this exactly the internship period he had anticipated? He was already mentally prepared for it.
"We're working on refining the directional interdimensional purification device here. Since you've just joined, start by familiarizing yourself with the relevant information."
Kark led him into a small private room, activated his citizen token, and transferred several documents to Lynn.
After completing this task, Kark seemed to consider his duty fulfilled and turned to leave.
Lynn was left alone in the room, beginning to adapt to his new environment.
Shaking his head, he closed the door and looked around.
The room was furnished simply, with only a single work desk.
Despite being called a private room, the space was so cramped that it almost felt suffocating.
"Looks like I'll have to pass the probation period to truly understand what's going on here," Lynn thought to himself. "For now, I'll probably be focused on studying the interdimensional purification device… Hopefully, I can get a permanent position soon and settle in properly."
Rather than diving straight into work, Lynn took a moment to compose himself, then activated his citizen token and began carefully reviewing the documents.
In the Mechanical City, the citizen token was an incredibly convenient tool, capable of handling almost all daily affairs.
This reminded Lynn of his past life at the Spirit Eye Furnace.
Most likely, the citizen tokens used by the Spirit Eye Wizards were inspired by the ones from the Mechanical City.
After all, for a Morning Star Wizard, the distance between the Nightmare Rift and the Spirit Eye Furnace was hardly an obstacle. The latter had likely studied the tokens here long ago.
The interdimensional purification device, as its name suggests, is designed to extract and refine the essence of other dimensions.
The documents before Lynn straightforwardly outlined this function.
Typically, a formal wizard like Lynn would not have access to such technology unless they joined a Morning Star Wizard's expedition team.
This is because the Wizard World enforces strict hierarchical divisions when it comes to interdimensional expeditions, with each level requiring different levels of expertise and resources.
Depending on the level of the world being invaded, the necessity of using an interdimensional purification device also varies.
These devices are not only highly valuable but also have a limited lifespan.
As their effectiveness diminishes over time, they must be periodically replaced or upgraded, which is one of their major limitations.
The interdimensional purification device serves two primary functions:
First, once activated, it gradually alters the laws of the targeted world, shifting them toward alignment with the Wizard World's rule system, eventually generating various energy factors usable by wizards.
Second, it forms a powerful protective array, shielding wizards within from the ambient pressure of the foreign world and preventing harm.
Depending on the level of the target dimension, the application of interdimensional purification devices varies:
Sub-worlds are the lowest-tier dimensional worlds, almost entirely depleted of resources, devoid of life, and lacking any exploitable materials.
More importantly, they have no resistance or will of their own, making purification devices unnecessary, as these worlds hold no value for exploration.
Zero-level worlds are slightly better. They consist of resource-rich planets without advanced supernatural civilizations.
While some may have traces of low-tier supernatural forces such as Third-level wizard apprentices or great knights their overall strength remains negligible.
A single formal wizard could effortlessly conquer such a world, so interdimensional purification devices are unnecessary here as well.
Formal worlds contain somewhat developed supernatural civilizations, with their strongest individuals ranking below Morning Star Wizards.
Since these civilizations cannot initiate interdimensional contact on their own, a single Morning Star Wizard can easily subdue any resistance, making purification devices unnecessary.
Above formal worlds are Morning Star worlds those that have produced at least one Morning Star-level powerhouse.
These worlds are strong enough to independently interact with other dimensions and possess an inherent resistance to external invasions.
To conquer such a world over a prolonged period, interdimensional purification devices become essential.
However, this only describes the basic application of purification devices. Their fundamental principles involve a deeper understanding of interdimensional laws.
This is because their operation relies on gradually assimilating other worlds into the rule system of the Wizard World.
As such, they are deeply tied to the wizards' understanding of existence itself.
What is the true nature of the Wizard World?
What lies beyond the boundaries of this world?
How does the Wizard World carry out interdimensional invasions?
Lynn widened his eyes as he absorbed the information Kark had provided.
After all this time in this world, this was the first time he had gained such a clear understanding of its structure.
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