The Domain Unfolds

Setting rank aside, under what circumstances could one contestant fail to show up, and another contestant be unable to come either?

It sounded strange, but when you thought about it, it wasn't impossible—for example, the second contestant had both legs broken and could only be carried there.

Of course, that was just a metaphor. The odds of someone breaking a Second Order's legs aside, even if all they had left was a head, it probably wouldn't affect their mobility much.

In short, some special reason had left it in this state: it had to rely on another person to move, or even to exist—

Fu Qian suddenly thought of an explanation for why he and Su Gao were being treated differently.

And how the other party was lowering its presence.

The one lurking in the shadows might be hiding in an unusual way.

He had once guessed that the other party's way of keeping him from noticing it might be to not notice him.

But if it was simply sticking its head in the sand, it was hard to imagine that working so well while it was sitting right here.

Unless it was taking a more abstract approach—sitting only in the living room as Su Gao perceived it.

It sounded absurd, but Fu Qian had encountered something like this before—Crow Feather.

This mysterious demigod of the Native Council had appeared in much the same way. Fu Qian had been completely unable to detect its presence, while Weihle had clearly been able to communicate with it.

He'd had his doubts at the time, too, but he'd been busy with the mission and hadn't looked into it further.

Thinking back now, Crow Feather's rank was the same as his own, which almost ruled out the possibility that the effect came from suppressing