The entire base trembled. Its metal walls screeched as they twisted, and the ceiling lights burst one after another.
Outside came the startled cries and shouts of human soldiers, mingled with a dull rumble from far away.
Benjamin did not hesitate. He turned and headed out of the base.
At the base's lookout, Benjamin gazed at the distant scene and sighed helplessly. "Trouble..."
On the distant horizon, enormous tentacles that blotted out the sky reached down from the clouds. Countless others spread like a strange forest growing before his eyes. They were somewhat smaller than those the Sacred Spirit had displayed when it erupted at the Northern Theater base half a year ago. Layer upon layer of gray carapace covered them, etched with flowing runic patterns.
Between the tentacles, a huge sphere covered in compound eyes slowly rose, radiating suffocating pressure.
The Spirit Race.
Benjamin narrowed his eyes and quickly sensed its energy level. It was probably Level 6, roughly on par with an elite Level 6 Lifeform. Clearly, the Spirit Race had learned from last time.
The upheaval in the Northern Theater more than a year ago had taught them one thing: summoning an individual too powerful into this plane would draw the attention of that rank-18 Transcendent. It was tantamount to courting death.
So this time, they had limited the summoned individual to the level of an elite Level 6 Lifeform. It could crush the combat power Anvil Base had shown so far without crossing the threshold that would prompt humanity's strongest to intervene.
"No, they've probably arranged other descents elsewhere to draw that strongest human's attention. Still... it's a clever scheme." Benjamin rubbed his chin, feeling rather helpless.
That kid Jack was still a little short of bringing his physique up to the level of a Level