[CH598+ Continued] Dungeon Diver: Stealing A Monster's Power

As a negotiation between Bri, Alveron, and Monk begins, many moving parts are shifting into place in the Upper Realm as well. Millions of kilometers from the Ellipsia Citadel, two Red Ogres stand in a translucent fast-travel orb flying above a sea of endless green clouds.

Syl, the slightly smaller bodyguard hired by Torvak to watch over Ember days ago, turns to Randel with a nervous expression.

"Everything turned out just like the boss said... He really faked his own death, or, at least I hope that his words are the truth."

Randel nods, staring forward at the clouds on the horizon that haven't changed much for hours as they've been traveling at maximum speed for quite a while.

He holds a small black access card in his right hand that appears older than anything from the Citadel they just left, other than a few old structures remaining from before the Vermillion Family took charge.

In his ether storage, a piece of an ether crystal has been separated into half a dozen parts. Torvak split the remaining medium-quality ether crystal Ember gifted him upon arrival, as they're going to need every bit of it to bribe their way into the place they're heading.

Randel tightens his grip on the access card as the dark outline of strange, seemingly random cubes appears on the horizon of clouds.

It's as if planet-sized black and green cubes have been stacked on top of one another, varying from hundreds of kilometers wide to tens of thousands, jutting out in strange and unpredictable patterns.

It almost looks like a cubic crystal structure that has grown out of control.

However, a light layer of invisible ether surrounds every centimeter of this structure and keeps it floating, elevated above the clouds.

As the front-facing portion comes into view, more dark shadows emerge from the green clouds behind it, making the monstrous size of whatever this structure is unfathomable.

From a glance, it is easily tens of times larger than Ellipsia, but its true size is still hidden behind the clouds.

A strange, cool sensation vibrates through the two Red Ogres once they pass through the first wall of an invisible thin ether orb security surveillance system surrounding the entire floating structure. Notifications even ring in their ears welcoming them to the Fortress Citadel as they continue to fly closer.

Randel reflexively gulps and replies to Syl's last comment.

"I hope so too... I've never actually been to the Fortress. I hope we have enough to make our way into the long-term storage rooms."

Syl takes a deep breath in and out. Whatever wave of cold just hit her dulled her senses for a moment.

Her mind double-checks to ensure the small containment case with unknown items inside is still there. Torvak's order was to leave it behind in the same storage unit they are retrieving his crafting items from. Feeling reassured when she feels it, she shivers and nods.

"I hope this goes smoothly too."

–

Back on the Ellipsia Citadel, there are a few old standing structures from similar eras as these cubes, that have not been demolished and rebuilt by Andras Vermillion in the last 12,000 years. Roughly 4,000 kilometers closer to the central tower than the High Orcs' tower, there are 10 large ancient buildings on a block of the city full of 2nd and 3rd Class Berserker Giants.

Within the oldest of these structures, with a similar cloaking mechanism that blocks those inside from interfering with the outside realm, Ember and Zashen have begun training.