System S.E.X. (Seduction, Expansion, eXecution)

Chapter 762: Chapter 762: The Great General

Ethan and Isabella boarded the White-Sea Dragon via a ramp covered in runic force fields. The ship’s interior was as impressive as its exterior: wide corridors of polished metal, mana crystal panels, and elite royal guards stationed every few meters, exhibiting flawless discipline.

Upon reaching the command bridge, King Alaric’s presence was already felt. The monarch wore ceremonial silver armor that accentuated his Spiritual Transcendence aura. Beside him stood the Southern General, who greeted Ethan with a respectful nod.

However, what immediately caught Ethan’s attention was a solitary figure standing beside the main viewport.

He was a tall man with gray hair and simple robes that stood in absurd contrast to the ornate armor of everyone else present. He emitted not the slightest fluctuation of spiritual energy; he appeared to be just an ordinary old man. But to someone with Ethan’s perception, the complete absence of presence at that level meant only one thing: the man was entirely fused with the space around him.

”So this is the brat everyone’s talking about?” the man asked without turning, his voice raspy and indifferent.

”Watch your words, Vaelen,” King Alaric intervened in a calm yet firm tone. ”Ethan is our Deputy General and Isabella’s Protector.”

The man named Vaelen turned slowly. His eyes were a dull gray, but as he locked his gaze on Ethan, the youth felt a light pressure, as if an invisible mountain had descended upon his shoulders.

Ethan didn’t back down, instead, he smiled calmly and adjusted the hilt of his sword.

”The Great General, I presume,” Ethan said in a quiet voice. ”It is an honor to see the realm’s legend in person.”

Vaelen studied Ethan closely for a few seconds before letting out a hmph.

”You’ve got guts, kid,” Vaelen commented, withdrawing the pressure as quickly as he had sent it. ”But guts won’t save you in the Imperial City. With your cultivation only at the Dao Manifestation Realm, you’ll just be one among the crowd. Monsters at that level are no rarity out there.”

”Enough,” Alaric interrupted. ”Initiate the spatial jump.”

The ship hummed softly as its runic engines flared to life. Before the main window, the structure of space began to distort until a colossal rift tore open. The White-Sea Dragon surged into the spatial anomaly, leaving the kingdom behind.

Inside the void dimension, the landscape was mesmerizing. It felt like navigating through a colossal, dark violet river speckled with iridescent flickers that glowed in fleeting hues. For most of the crew, the spatial distortion caused a slight heaviness in their chests, but Ethan felt strangely comfortable, as if submerged in his own element.

Suddenly, the Great General stepped forward, gazing into the abyssal flow through the bridge’s main window.

”Prepare the defenses,” Vaelen ordered in a grave voice. ”We are about to enter the Void Worm zone.”

At that exact moment, Crul’s voice echoed directly in Ethan’s mind.

[Master, if those creatures attack us, you must do everything possible to devour them,] Crul warned severely. [The primary source of power for Void Nightmares comes from devouring other void-born entities to strengthen their lineage. Currently, your control over void power is leaned toward matter absorption, but if you wish to evolve your core, you must devour them.]

Ethan’s eyes gleamed with a calculating glint upon hearing the explanation, locking his gaze onto the dark violet expanse surrounding the ship.

Outside the protective viewport, the violet current began to thrash violently. From the depths of the distorted dimension, dozens of colossal silhouettes emerged. Though referred to as ”worms,” each beast was as long as a freight train, featuring pitch-black chitinous hide and thousands of saw-like teeth arranged in spiraling rows within their circular maws.

The creatures swarmed the White-Sea Dragon, spitting jets of a dark, highly corrosive liquid that made the ship’s force fields sizzle and pop.

”Report!” the Great General ordered in an implacable voice.

”Shields are down to thirty-three percent!” the bridge officer shouted, panic lacing his voice. ”There are too many of them, Great General! At this rate, we won’t survive the transit!”

”Damn it...” Vaelen muttered, clenching his fists as his robes began to hover from his rising internal pressure. ”Open the main hatch.”

”But General, it’s too dangerous!” the Southern General intervened, taking a step forward. ”The unprotected void flux will shred anyone—even those in the True Spirit Physique Realm!”

”And what do you expect? That I sit here and watch us all die?” Vaelen roared, snapping his head around with fierce resolve. ”Open the hatch!”

”I’ll go with you, Great General,” Ethan said, stepping forward with his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.

Vaelen paused for a second and looked him up and down with disdain.

”Stay here, brat,” the old man spat coldly. ”This is no place for weaklings.”

Without waiting for a reply, the Great General marched resolutely toward the decompression corridor.

Ethan bolted after him without hesitation.

”Ethan, wait!” Isabella shouted, reaching out her hand to stop him.

”Wait, brat!” King Alaric warned as well, attempting to grab him by the shoulder.

However, Ethan nimbly dodged both of their hands and dashed down the hallway, as his black sword materialized directly into his right hand, enveloped in an aura of oppressive gloom.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor and stepping through the open hatch, Ethan saw the Great General hovering steadfastly in the middle of the violet abyss. Due to the overwhelming spatial pressure and external turbulence, Ethan had to anchor himself onto the ship’s armored hull to keep from being swept away. The flux of the void wind was nothing short of terrifying.

Although his body, imbued with the void inheritance, allowed him to endure the dimension’s inherent corrosion, that did not mean just anyone could bear it easily. Observing the Great General, Ethan noticed light, subtle cuts forming on the old man’s exposed skin from the spatial stream’s friction, which regenerated at a staggering speed but clearly demonstrated how dangerous this place truly was.