In the distance, the injured Authority Holders, who had already been suppressing pained groans, now erupted into a chaotic wave of terrified, furious, and despairing cries.
"Here they come again! Those damned things!"
"Defend! Get the defenses up!"
"Lord Alvin! Lady Lilith!"
"The rule field is fluctuating! It's about to collapse!"
Outside the repair pod, the outer rule field of the Mechanical Divine Domain, which Alvin and Lilith had only just barely stabilized with great effort and which still flickered with unstable light, was now suffering a fierce assault!
Countless dim, twisted, shapeless shadows emerged from the void in every direction like hyenas catching the scent of rotting flesh, madly lunging at that tottering protective membrane.
Every impact sent violent ripples through the membrane, scattering great showers of rule sparks and an icy aura of deathly silence. The Divine Domain's entire metallic structure groaned beneath the strain.
Even more chillingly, the Beyond-World Undead that had appeared this time seemed far more violent than before.
They were no longer merely scattered individuals attacking independently. In some areas, several undead could vaguely be seen twisting together as though fused, forming larger, more distorted masses of shadow that gave off even stronger corrosive fluctuations.
Inside the Mechanical Divine Domain, the Authority Holders who had just escaped disaster and had yet to recover from their fright were now filled with terror and despair.
The few who still had strength left desperately poured their power into the rule field, trying to reinforce the defenses, but it was far too little.
More of them simply slumped where they were, their eyes vacant, or stared with hostility and fear at the dense shadows battering the Divine Domain from outside, as well as the rule field that seemed ready to shatter at any moment.
The air was thick