Seeing Serie acting as if she were facing a formidable enemy, Zenith blanked for a moment before sighing helplessly. "No, obviously I wouldn't do it here. I'd only try it out if I ever found a completely hopeless or uninhabited world."
This kind of world-ending event most likely meant obliterating a planet; it was still far from reaching a universe-level destructive force.
The crafting recipe for the Non-Euclidean Cube wasn't complicated. The only annoying part was that the various materials required had to be looted from chests in dungeons across different Minecraft dimensions.
In other words, he had to go map-running himself.
The timeline on Frieren's side spanned a very long period, so there was absolutely no rush. He could just find some free time to gather the materials later.
"So, when are you planning to head back?" Zenith couldn't help but ask as he stared at the soles of Serie's feet dangling back and forth in front of him. What a weird elf, not liking to wear shoes.
"Oh? It seems you aren't particularly welcoming of me."
Serie tilted her head, revealing a smile that suggested she had seen right through him.
"Your goal in seeking out Frieren is to learn magic. Yet, when faced with an elf whose magical talent far surpasses hers, you show resistance. Could it be that you're trying to woo her?"
*'???'*
*What kind of mental gymnastics is that? Which eye of yours saw me liking Frieren! Liking white-haired twintails is an instinct carved into my very DNA! What would an old, undying blonde mob like you understand!*
"Nothing of the sort. It was just a chance encounter."
"A chance encounter that involves deliberately running to the vicinity of the forest where Frieren lives and spreading rumors about a grimoire just to bait her?"
Zenith took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to slash her on the spot. "Alright, not another word. You used the Goddess's Monument to come back just to be a peeping tom, didn't you! Is it fun secretly hiding on the sidelines to watch Frieren and me?!"
Serie didn't reply. Her gaze drifted to the monitor next to them, her meaning self-evident.
Zenith was speechless.
*I'm so tired,* he thought, unable to refute her because he was doing the exact same thing right now.
"Ah, Orcini is fully loaded and preparing for his return journey. I hope he makes it in time, considering the South Hero has already set off."
Zenith also turned to look at the screen and chuckled shortly after. "He'll definitely make it. The South Hero headed straight for my dungeon first too. However, he chose the safer route and went to the Sky City."
The South Hero was the absolute pinnacle of a true man in this world, an existence with off-the-charts combat power. Facing off against the Seven Sages of Destruction plus the demon seer, he fought one against eight, fiercely killing three of them before taking down the supposedly omniscient demon seer, Schlacht, in mutually assured destruction.
He was an absolute beast!
The South Hero was a dual-wielding hero who also possessed magic capable of seeing into the future. This was the source of his strength; it allowed him to effectively train his own weaknesses and foresee his enemies' abilities and traits ahead of time.
To be honest, Zenith felt that a talent like this shouldn't be charging into the front lines, but rather serving as a tactician or commander.
Perhaps everyone had their own choices, and it couldn't be forced. Maybe he just felt that fighting was thrilling! Or perhaps he had seen a future where he accomplished nothing as a commander, which led him to choose the path of a warrior.
The guardian defending the Sky City was Saber.
Unlike Joseph, Saber's nature as a Heroic Spirit allowed her to quickly analyze this world's language, becoming proficient in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Originally, she had been wandering the Overworld looking for territory to rebuild Great Britain, but she later bumped into staff from the SPW Foundation. After some communication between the two parties, she handed that task over to the SPW Foundation, while she herself took on the position of sword instructor for their combat division.
Yes, the SPW Foundation had developed a combat division. The connection between worlds and Zenith's existence had caused this massive conglomerate, which previously focused on scientific research, to evolve on the spot.
Now, in addition to the original research department, they had added an Overworld Construction Department, an Otherworld Exploration Department, a Combat Department, a Logistics Department, and even a Zenith Service Department.
The Block Demon God's prestige was maxed out.
"Are the magic items in this dungeon... I mean, Sky City, similar to the Seven Curses?"
"No, no, no, it wouldn't be fresh if they were all the same." Zenith waved his hand. "The stuff in the dungeon is so cursed, so the things in the Sky City definitely have to be a bit more wholesome. Everything inside is top-tier loot with zero side effects, but the guardian is much harder to beat."
The loot placed in the Sky City all came from the Baubles mod. Zenith was still using many of the items from this mod himself.
The default accessory slots were limited. The fact that Zenith still reserved slots for the Baubles mod even after acquiring the Artifacts mod just went to show that these items truly had their merits.
Through the monitor, Serie saw Zenith's guardian in the sky. Unlike that old sly fox Joseph, Saber was truly dedicated to her duty. Regardless of whether anyone came or not, she stood at the entrance of the Sky City, leaning on her sword.
Fortunately, Zenith had told her this was an eight-hour workday. The Sky City was only open from 9 AM to 6 PM on weekdays, with a one-hour lunch break in between.
Otherwise, this stubborn girl really would have stood there 24/7 without a break. After all, she didn't lack mana, so the necessity of eating had decreased; she mainly ate just to satisfy her cravings.
"I don't think this woman can beat the South Hero in the realm of swordsmanship. That guy's sword skills have already reached the absolute pinnacle."
Zenith chuckled. "Just keep watching. Saber's swordsmanship isn't something those mediocre amateurs can compare to."
It was obvious that Serie was highly intrigued. What kind of skills did this blonde little girl in armor have that could match the South Hero?
The Sky City wasn't as high as Zenith's aerial base, but it still floated thousands of meters in the sky. The South Hero had expended quite a bit of effort to finally tame a flying monster capable of carrying a person, which was how he managed to set foot on the grounds of the Sky City.
As if expecting this, the South Hero intimidated the flying monster with his aura, making it stay put and wait. He then straightened his clothes, walked forward, and gave Saber a swordsman's salute.
"You are strong, but I will defeat you and take what I desire."
The South Hero had always been confident, and equally courageous. He possessed the resolve to march firmly forward and embrace death, even knowing it was inevitable.
The paean of humanity is the paean of courage. Undeniably, the South Hero also possessed a noble golden soul.
Saber returned the salute and assumed a combat stance. With the pride of a king and the dignity of a swordsman, Saber would not go easy on him. If he wanted to pass, he had to genuinely defeat her in swordsmanship.
Dual swords. As swift as the wind, as silent as the forest, as fierce as fire, and moving like a thunderbolt!
Saber's sword was enveloped by Invisible Air, rendering the blade invisible to the naked eye—a massive advantage against ordinary warriors. But the South Hero was also a master; the flow of the wind would tell him the sword's location.
They clashed rapidly. There was a giant plaza at the entrance of the Sky City, designed specifically to serve as a stage for challenging warriors to show off their skills.
Only the sounds of their clash could be heard, but their figures couldn't be seen. Their speed had already exceeded the maximum capture frame rate of the nearby cameras. High-speed cameras weren't exactly convenient to set up in this day and age.
There was only the audio feeding back to them, but relying on just that, Zenith and Serie could roughly determine their positions.
"This isn't fun to watch at all. It's supposed to be television, but they forcefully turned it into a radio broadcast."
Serie rolled her eyes. It was such a spectacular duel, yet Zenith's commentary completely ruined the mood.
Power Stones, reviews, and comments— really helps a lot
Want to read ahead? Get access to 50+ extra chapters on my Patreon:
👉 patreon.com/Aragai_Sama