However, El remained silent, not showing the slightest reaction.
Shana buzzed loudly, as if annoyed at not getting a response. After a moment, that sword buzzed again in a different tone, as if to say, "There is no other choice."
With a flash of light, that sword stepped out of the scabbard and began to hover slowly around El, that blade vibrating as if preparing for an unseen threat.
Moments later, El's eyes finally lit up again, his focus sharp after successfully digesting all the information provided by Avatar Preta.
"So... is that it? That time the Heavenly Flame Trail led him to the Mysterious Space Runes and directed him to the Ancient Ghost Poison Swamp?" he muttered softly.
El recalled the information he had gotten.
In order to absorb the Ghostly Poison Flame, Avatar Preta created a Sky Pearl Poison Imitation by utilizing the murky water from the Ancient Ghost Poison Swamp, the birthplace of the Flame.
Of course, in this process, Other Path: Creation of All Things played a huge role.
In addition to the Heavenly Flame, the information shared also mentioned that Avatar Preta had reached the 1-star Dou Wang Realm on his journey.
"Overall, I understand." El said as he nodded slowly.
Kring... Kring... Kring!
Suddenly, the crystal bracelet on El's arm vibrated violently, sending out a series of message notifications in rapid succession.
[Avatar Deva]: "Hey, I have something to report."
[Avatar Human]: "Right here."
[Avatar Ashura]: "I want to report too!"
[Avatar Hell]: "Coincidentally, me too."
Seeing the messages from the Avatars who wanted to report simultaneously, El felt cold sweat running down his temples.
"Damn, if they all share their experiences at once, I'll be overwhelmed!" he thought quickly.
Wasting no time, El immediately replied to their messages in the group chat.
[Adrian]: "Hey, wait... Don't share your experiences right now. I want to focus on something that bothers me in this world, something that keeps catching my attention without me understanding why."
[Adrian]: "I'll call you guys after I finish this."
Kring!
[Avatar Deva]: "Got it."
[Avatar Human]: "Alright, see you later."
[Avatar Ashura]: "Stay safe!"
[Avatar Hell]: "Good luck."
El breathed a sigh of relief. "It's a good thing they didn't send their experience right away," he muttered as he relaxed his shoulders.
However, in the midst of that relief, he realized something, Shana had been hovering around him.
El raised an eyebrow and said, "Shana?"
The sword had stopped spinning slowly earlier, and was now hovering right in front of his face.
From its gleaming blade, there was a subtle hum, as if expressing annoyance.
For some reason, El immediately understood why the white sword was upset.
"Yes, yes, I understand. I'm sorry for worrying you by suddenly wandering into this forest," he said in a soothing tone. "I warned you to stay alert, but I was careless."
El smiled warmly, his eyes soft as he looked at Shana. "Please don't get angry, okay? My Beloved Sword, Shana," he added in a teasing tone.
Shana, who had been buzzing with annoyance, suddenly fell silent. The white blade trembled subtly before reddening slightly, then quickly slipped back into its sheath, as if sulking.
El could only let out a long sigh, staring at the scabbard with an expression that was hard to interpret.
"Why does this beloved sword of mine look more like a spoiled girl who is self-centered and a bit narcissistic, anyway?" he muttered resignedly.
"In fact, I'm strong enough without the need for protection, even Dou Zong would find it impossible to kill me."
"Never mind. I'd better focus on my goal. After all, that sound is still quite far away," El said, continuing his steps.
***
"Who is that handsome man," whispered a woman wearing a long shabby dress.
"Kya... He's my type!" exclaimed another woman from across the street, her eyes sparkling at the sight of the man.
"Mommy..." a little girl tugged at the hem of her mother's dress, her voice innocent and curious. "Is that man my father? He's so handsome."
The little girl's mother could only cover her face with the palm of her right hand and sighed before saying, "Maybe he is, dear..."
Meanwhile, the man who was the center of the girls' attention continued to walk calmly, though a sigh escaped his mouth.
After a long journey, climbing mountains, passing through valleys, crossing small rivers, and facing several monsters to collect Mana Cores, El finally arrived at a town.
Instead of utilizing the effect of the Air Walk Shoes and running to speed up the journey, El chose to walk.
This way, El could collect more Mana Cores crystallized in the bodies of monsters, an invaluable resource for adventurers.
However, something felt strange.
For some reason, throughout the journey, he rarely encountered monsters.
In fact, currently in Sky Pearl Poison there were only 10 Mana Cores, and 5 more were in Animal's hands, to be extracted into Pill materials.
But, forget about that because right now, El was walking in the middle of the main street, observing the cityscape that lay before him.
To avoid unnecessary attention, before entering the City, El deliberately deactivated Rinnegan.
Looking around, El observed the crowds along the street. People passed by with various appearances, each busy with their own purposes.
Some wore ordinary clothes, while others were clad in adventurer's armor or warrior uniforms.
This scene reflected the hustle and bustle of city life, where various individuals from different backgrounds gathered.
On the side of the street, small stalls selling everything from food to adventure gear are lined up.
Conversations between adventurers can be heard here and there, discussing their travels, hunts and even summoned Heroes.
It is not uncommon for vendors to try to offer their wares to visiting tourists, creating an atmosphere full of bargaining and negotiation.
El recalled the information that was still fresh in her head, about the World: Arifureta Shokugyō de Sekai Saikyō, or rather the World of Tortus.
The city was called Horaud, a small town surrounded by a large cliff.
In the center of the city, where El now stood, lay a main road that was heavily traveled by many people.
This road became the main axis of movement in the city, filled with adventurers, merchants, and residents passing by.
It led directly to the Great Labyrinth of Orcus, the main attraction that brought many people to Horaud, a city under the Heiligh Kingdom.
The Labyrinth of Orcus is one of the most accessible compared to other labyrinths in the world of Tortus.
Many people utilize it for a variety of purposes, from hunting for precious materials to training to improve their stats.
Originally, the Orcus maze was believed to have a total of 100 floors. But in reality, the Maze is divided into two parts: Upper Level and True Labyrinth, each of which consists of 100 floors.
Inside, various magical traps are scattered along the pathways, while monsters of varying power levels lurk around every corner.
The deeper one enters the maze, the more powerful and deadly the threats that must be faced.
Of course, the difference in strength between the monsters in the Upper Level and the True Labyrinth is drastic.
Upper Level (initial 100 floors): Used by many adventurers to farm resources and increase strength.
True Labyrinth (100 floors deeper): Much more dangerous, with much stronger monsters.
For example, a team that manages to conquer all 100 floors of the Upper Level could easily be slaughtered by monsters even on the first floor of the True Labyrinth.
This labyrinth was created by Oscar Orcus and grants knowledge of the wonders of creation to those who make it through its trials.
The basic concept of the maze is: "To give challengers the strength and experience to go beyond their own limits."
The maze is built within the Greenway Mine, which lies beneath the capital of the Velka Kingdom, Velnika, and has stood for over 2,000 years.
In fact, the Orcus Maze was originally designed as the hardest of all mazes, which was supposed to be conquered last.
However, something that had caught El's attention since arriving in this world brought him to this place and that calling grew stronger as El stepped closer to the Orcus Maze.