While the Canglan Tournament was still underway...
Shenzhou City.
A large number of black-robed figures had gathered atop a building.
If anyone from Magic City who had lived through the previous Evil Cult invasion had seen them, they would surely have shouted, "The Evil Cult is back!!"
The woman codenamed Spider held a flower glowing with a dim blue light. It was Blood Charm's Soul Flame.
Wearing a seductive expression, she said softly, "Blood Charm, the Ninth Seat entrusted your Soul Flame to me. I hope you won't let me down later."
"Of course, I don't mind if you say something nice to me now. I could do you the favor of giving your soul a little pleasure."
Blood Charm's expression was ugly. His black-gloved hands made cracking sounds as his bones rubbed together.
Without his Soul Flame, he was like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. But if he had refused to surrender the flame, he would have died at the Ninth Seat's hands long ago.
A burly man nearby suddenly sneered. "Heh... Cut the crap. We'll start the pincer attack from the south. As for Pandora's Box, its location has already been confirmed. It's on the other side of Canglan."
"Canglan Academy is holding its tournament, so this is our best opportunity. Besides the Special Affairs Bureau, which can give us some trouble, there are also quite a few powerful fighters in Shenzhou City."
"Still, Lord Ninth Seat will personally take part in the Shenzhou mission this time, so let's try to move quickly."
With that, he leaped into the air and began jumping across the rooftops ahead. The black-robed figures followed, flowing over the roofs like a black stream.
One could imagine just how many Evil Cult servants were taking part in the operation.
Elsewhere.
The Special Affairs Bureau had detected the Evil Cult the moment it appeared.
After all, the Special Affairs Bureau had unique advantages in every city. Its members were the guardian gods of their respective cities, and only with them around could organizations like the Evil Cult be suppressed.
The speaker was a young woman holding a high-tech tablet computer. It displayed a freshly uploaded video showing the Evil Cult's movements.
She turned to a man beside her, who wore the Special Affairs Bureau's distinctive uniform. "Boss Ren, the Evil Cult has appeared."
"They're in the southern part of Shenzhou City. We can't estimate their numbers, but there are more of them than there were in Magic City last time!!"
The man called Boss Ren frowned slightly and said gravely, "Be ready to sound a level-two alert at any moment."
"Notify the 12 Zodiac. Have whichever squad is closest to Shenzhou City get here as quickly as possible."
"This time, we can't let the Evil Cult slaughter the people we protect like they did in Magic City!!"
After what had happened in Magic City, people in Shenzhou, the Imperial Capital, and elsewhere had all learned just how terrifying the Evil Cult was.
In particular, a Calamity Realm monster had actually been brought into the city, causing unacceptable losses.
The young woman spoke up. "Boss Ren, I've notified Horse Squad. They're on their way."
"Good." Boss Ren nodded in satisfaction, though there was still some worry in his eyes.
This was an Evil Cult invasion, after all. Casualties were inevitable, and Shenzhou City was so large that his Special Affairs Bureau couldn't protect every part of it.
The young woman beside him seemed to see what Boss Ren was worried about. "Should we notify Canglan Academy?"
Boss Ren didn't answer. If they did notify Canglan Academy, it would mean that their Special Affairs Bureau had the current situation under control and needed to ask for help.
After hesitating for a moment, he said, "There's no need. It's too early to notify them, and Canglan Academy seems to be in the middle of the Canglan Tournament, doesn't it?"
"As the guardian gods of this city, we must create a city free of danger for the children who are still working hard."
"Although our Special Affairs Bureau isn't as great as the Strange Pavilion, everything we do is also for humanity, for the human race!"
"Let's begin this purge."
Canglan Academy.
In the Battle Institute's waiting area, Li Chen and his teammates were resting. They had been through several battles, but none had been particularly intense. Some teams had even forfeited outright when they learned they were facing Li Chen's team.
Li Chen sat in a waiting chair, his eyes narrowed slightly.
But suddenly, he felt a burning heat. He had felt the same thing a month ago, when that incident occurred in Magic City.
"Very close." Li Chen opened his eyes and gripped his chest. The sensation was stronger than last time. He looked out a nearby window. Although the day was bright and sunny, he could feel a chill growing.
Luo Lin, who was beside him, seemed to notice that something was wrong with him. "What's wrong?"
Li Chen shook his head. A few seconds later, he asked, "About how long until today's Canglan Tournament ends?"
Luo Lin paused, then looked at her Student Badge.
"Sometime this afternoon, probably. Today's just the elimination round. The finals aren't until tomorrow."
Feeling the burning heat, Li Chen nodded slightly, his mind on something else.
The last time the burning sensation appeared, a Calamity Realm had appeared in Magic City. Would it be the same this time?
Or was it merely a coincidence?
But his consciousness had already sunk into darkness.
The same great doors stood there, but this time Li Chen walked straight to a spot not far from the pitch-black door.
He could clearly feel that the burning sensation in his chest was caused by this door. Perhaps even the Calamity Realm that had appeared in Magic City last time had something to do with it.
As if noticing Li Chen, the door began to radiate a seductive aura, and wisps of black mist seeped through its crack.
It was deeply eerie, but Li Chen's face remained expressionless. Ever since he learned of this place, the course of his life had changed completely. It wasn't that he hadn't investigated it, but the result was evidently nothing but a mystery.
Perhaps he was the only person in the entire human world who knew about this strange space.
The pitch-black door had been sealed by the red door that had stood not far away, but now the seal had visibly begun to fade.
Perhaps the door's opening last time had weakened the seal.
Li Chen stood still and watched quietly. He didn't move forward, instead looking at the carving on the pitch-black door.
For some reason, whenever he came here and stood before the carving, he always felt an impulse to look at it up close.
But the black door was clearly too terrifying.
"Why is this happening? Could the Evil Cult be about to appear in Shenzhou this time?" Li Chen narrowed his eyes slightly as he speculated.