Free Web Novel"So... should we go look for her?"
Frederick von Ashford suggested to his classmates. "Even though this is her void realm, I'm still a bit worried just leaving her alone like this..."
Reinhardt looked up and glanced at him.
In those eyes, sunken in shadow, there was a hint of hesitation that Frederick rarely saw.
"...I want to go too."
Reinhardt said, his voice low. "But now is not the time."
"Why?"
"Haven't you seen the situation outside?"
Reinhardt pointed towards the cave entrance with a branch. "Deserters and mech wreckage are everywhere. Everything in the void realm is real. Those bullets can kill people, those mechs can crush people to death. The few of us have no mechs, no weapons. Running around recklessly in this environment is just asking to die."
Frederick fell silent.
He knew Reinhardt was right.
Although he was Sequence II of the Path of the Chariot.
His ability was to transform spirit into exceptional control over vehicles.
But he currently had no vehicle.
Thus, his ability had become simply enhancing his own impact force and resistance to damage.
Under normal circumstances, he could withstand the shockwave of a medium-caliber shell and only suffer minor injuries.
But that was under normal circumstances.
In this void realm, his abilities were greatly diminished.
This was not his domain of The Way Back; the laws of the Path of the Tower were suppressing all other powers.
His current state was probably only slightly stronger than an ordinary person.
Reinhardt's situation was similar.
The only one who could relatively freely use her abilities in this void realm was Alicia.
The illusion ability of the Path of the Moon could function in any void realm because the essence of illusion was to distort perception, and perception was not divided by The Way Back.
But Alicia's physical condition prevented her from engaging in high-intensity combat.
Maintaining this illusion barrier had already consumed a significant amount of her energy.
Therefore—
"The best method," Reinhardt said, "is to release this void realm as soon as possible."
"After the void realm is released, even if she truly has lost her sanity..."
He paused. "At least when we return to reality, there will still be a way to pull her back."
Frederick bit his lip.
"...You're right."
He turned his gaze towards the depths of the stone cave.
"General, the method to release the void realm—"
"Don't rush."
Margaret von Oppenheimer's voice came from behind the floating light screens, calm and steady.
Her fingers moved between the light screens, superimposing several topographic maps, then separating them, rearranging them.
"The method to release a void realm depends on The Way Back that triggered it."
She said, her pace neither fast nor slow, as if lecturing students—in fact, she was indeed lecturing students, only the classroom had changed from the second underground floor to a stone cave in a blizzard.
"Each The Way Back's void realm has its own characteristics and its own release conditions. Although each void realm has slight differences, those of the same The Way Back always share some commonalities."
She raised a hand, her index finger lightly tapping.
A new light screen unfolded in the air, displaying an exquisite Tarot card pattern—the third Major Arcana, The Empress.
"The void realm of The Empress's Way, also ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) known as the 'Garden of Abundance'."
"When a Nurturer loses control, her void realm transforms everything around into a wildly growing primeval jungle. Plants spread at a visible speed, vines entangle buildings, moss covers steel, flowers bloom amidst ruins. Everything is growing, everything is reproducing, everything pursues 'life' in an almost violent manner."
She paused.
"The release method is to find the 'Tree of Life' at the center of the void realm and uproot it. The Tree of Life is the manifestation of the Nurturer's spiritual power; removing it is equivalent to severing the connection between the void realm and the primordial sea."
"It sounds simple, but that tree is usually tens of meters tall, its roots extending for hundreds of meters, and the entire jungle protects it—every vine, every leaf is its weapon."
Her index finger moved to another card.
The first Major Arcana. The Magician.
"The void realm of The Magician's Way, also known as the 'Box of Myriad Forms'."
Her tone shifted slightly—very subtly, probably unnoticeable if Frederick hadn't been paying attention to her expression. freewēbnoveℓ.com
"A Transmuter's void realm transforms the surrounding space into an ever-changing labyrinth. The forms of matter lose stability; walls turn into water, floors turn into ceilings, iron turns into glass, fire turns into ice. Everything is transmuting, everything is flowing; nothing is fixed."
"The release method is to find the only unchanging thing in the constantly changing labyrinth—the 'Primordial Box', a container representing the Transmuter's core will. Opening it releases the void realm."
"The difficulty lies in the entire labyrinth interfering with your judgment, making it hard to distinguish what is changing and what is not."
Frederick listened intently, almost forgetting he was still shivering.
"What about the Path of the Tower?" he asked.
Margaret's finger stopped.
The floating light screens trembled for an instant, then stabilized.
"The void realm of the Path of the Tower."
She said, her voice lowering. "Is the most direct in terms of release method among all The Ways Back."
She looked up, her dark green eyes gazing at Frederick through the gaps between the light screens.
"Kill the incarnation of destruction born from the void realm."
Frederick blinked.
"...That's it?"
"That's it."
"It sounds... quite simple?"
Margaret did not smile.
"Direct does not equal simple."
She waved her hand; the light screens concerning other The Ways Back dissipated one after another, leaving only a few topographic maps and troop records floating in the air.
"The incarnation of destruction is the core of the void realm, the manifestation of the Path of the Tower's power. Its strength is directly linked to the sequence of the void realm's owner."
Her gaze swept over the three students present.
"Pavela von Schwartz, Path of the Tower, Sequence V."
These words fell like stones in the stone cave.
Frederick's Adam's apple moved.
He certainly knew what this meant.
Sequence V.
Sequence V of the Path of the Tower. There were only three in the entire continent.
It just so happened their new classmate was one of them.
"This means," Margaret continued, "the incarnation of destruction in this void realm possesses at least Sequence V level combat capability."
The temperature in the stone cave seemed to drop another few degrees.
"Moreover."
Margaret's gaze returned to those topographic maps. "The form of the incarnation of destruction is not random. It draws material from the void realm's setting, using the image of 'destruction' most deeply imprinted in the void realm owner's mind as its shell."
Her finger traced over a topographic map, circling several key landmarks.
"Pavela's void realm presents an Eastern Front battlefield—snowstorm, mech wreckage, deserters... These are her most deeply rooted memories in the depths of her spirit. And the incarnation of destruction will use the most powerful existence from this battle as its template."
Her brow furrowed even tighter.
"That's why I need to confirm as soon as possible exactly which battle this is."
