In the divine room, Astraea said gravely: “I suspect that the monster incidents are artificial…”
Xia Jia’s expression turned solemn, his pupils contracting: Artificial?
Astraea pulled out the magic stone Xia Jia had previously confiscated and analyzed it: “Monsters on the surface have mostly degenerated due to reproduction, so the probability of a reinforced variant suddenly appearing is very low.”
“Leader-class monsters possess the ability to command lower-level monsters.
Once discovered, a request for subjugation is usually issued immediately.”
“I know that,” Xia Jia nodded…
Those Goblins were already capable of using simple tactics, establishing encirclements, making rational use of existing weapons, and calling for their leader when they couldn’t win—it had nearly caused him great trouble.
Furthermore…
The appearance of a reinforced variant near the village was indeed too dangerous.
It implied that a massive herd of monsters might exist in the vicinity.
Thinking of this, Xia Jia’s expression darkened, and he placed a palm-sized purple magic stone on the table:
“This is the magic stone.
Could you take a look and see if there is any issue with it?”
Astraea picked up the magic stone, held it up to the light of the magic lamp, and after a careful inspection, let out a sigh of relief.
“Did you find anything?”
“No,” Astraea replied, sounding reassured: “I have temporarily ruled out the possibility of it being a modified monster.
Currently, I can only determine that someone used a large number of magic stones to ‘feed’ the monster.”
Feeding?
Xia Jia mused: “In that case…”
“If the mastermind cannot even control the monsters they are cultivating, that tells me…”
“The opponent is weak!”
He stroked his chin and continued his analysis: “If it were me, and I wanted to create powerful monsters, I would definitely keep them in cages and proceed slowly.
How could I possibly let them roam freely?”
“The fact that the monsters went out of control either means the mastermind is unable to capture even the most basic monsters, or the reinforced monsters lost control and completely escaped the black hand’s restraint.”
“Regardless of the reason, it tells us that the mastermind’s strength and influence are not very powerful.”
Drawing on her years of experience fighting the Evilus, Astraea concluded:
“In any case, we cannot leave this alone.
If they have subsequent plans, things might become difficult to handle.
We should find the mastermind as soon as possible.”
Xia Jia wrinkled his nose:
“That may be true, but to investigate this matter, we need to know what their purpose is in doing this.
Simply creating panic?
No matter how much surface monsters are reinforced, their ‘vessel’ cap is at most Lv.3, right?
Wouldn’t just sending a request to Orario make the whole effort futile?”
Astraea sighed: “Their target is likely me.”
“Lia-sama?”
Xia Jia was startled at first, but then came to an understanding…
As one at the forefront of the fight against the Evilus, Astraea was well-liked among the gods, but she was also deeply despised by those remnants.
Although the Evilus had been crushed, most of the remaining members and accomplices were still active outside of Orario.
While these individuals were mostly a disorganized mob without a leading god, they were numerous and integrated into the general population, making them impossible to manage.
It was much like the Tiandihui, always thinking about overthrowing the Qing dynasty to restore the Ming.
Astraea pondered:
“I go out to search for spirits every so often.
They must have targeted this, hoping I would accidentally die at the mouth of a monster.”
Even the Evilus would not actively kill a god; their previous methods were limited to indirect tactics like setting traps or creating chaos, as the gods they served behind the scenes were the ones who truly took action.
Beyond that, there was only one other way…
“Sending” a monster.
That was their specialty.
And now…
“Just because there are no monsters on the surface capable of threatening a god, they’ve gone ahead and raised their own?
What a painstaking effort.”
However…
They were too naive.
Times were different now; Astraea had a brand-new familia!
“What should we do?”
Astraea shook her head with a faint smile: “This matter, I’m afraid, can only be left to you, Xia-chan.”
“Me?”
“Yes.” Astraea wore an apologetic expression: “Sorry.
I can only rely on you right now.”
“Cecil has only just received my blessing and is still a logistics member; it would be too dangerous to rashly send her to fight those people.”
“But you are different.
You have powerful skills and possess basic combat experience.”
Xia Jia’s expression turned solemn, and he placed his fist over his chest:
“I understand.
The moment I joined the familia, I swore to the Sword and Wings of Justice that I would offer my heart to this cause.” Xia Jia did not intend to shirk his responsibility!
Ultimately, he was the one writing the story of this world.
If the [Gate] size remained insufficient for Xia Jia to travel to other worlds, then sooner or later, he would have to challenge the Black Dragon for the sake of this one.
Either he would die, or he would live.
“It’s not that dramatic.
If you find yourself overpowered, I still hope you will choose to run, Xia-chan,” Astraea comforted.
“Haha.” Xia Jia laughed and asked: “In that case, I will take Dekomori and Kuroneko with me…”
Before he could finish, he was interrupted.
Astraea shook her head again: “Don’t involve them in this…”
Xia Jia stood frozen, his face filled with confusion.
Astraea ruffled Xia Jia’s hair and said softly: “I know what you’re thinking, but those two children are still too green. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
They shouldn’t have to bear these burdens so soon.”
“Listen, Xia-chan.
Sometimes, the pursuit of power is a good thing, but don’t let power blind you.”
Astraea recalled the golden-haired elf from her past—she, too, had been righteous, stubborn, and firmly believed that without power, one could not uphold justice.
But now…
The Goddess saw similar innocence in the eyes of Dekomori and Kuroneko.
Unlike Alise and the others, who had carried tragic fates from a young age, Kuroneko and her companions were closer to Ryu.
Fragile hearts were easily crushed by external blows, leading to total despair.
Astraea looked at Xia Jia earnestly and continued: “In the eyes of those two children, I see a yearning for this world, and I see happiness.
If possible, I hope that happiness in their eyes can be preserved forever.”
“Promise me, do not let your guard down just because their bodies are mere summons that won’t truly die.
Sometimes, the most real injuries do not necessarily come from the flesh.”
“Don’t let carelessness lead to regret.”
Xia Jia remained silent for a long time, then nodded heavily: “I have taken note of this.
In that case, should I restrict them from taking risks in the future?”
Astraea gently touched Xia Jia’s face, guiding the lost child like a mother:
“You are a gentle child.
Didn’t you protect Ruri-chan well before?”
“I only want to tell you: do not let your eyes be covered by what is right in front of you.
Try, appropriately, to look behind you.
Some things are more important than power.”
Xia Jia still didn’t fully understand, but he began to reflect.
As the guide who had brought them into this mysterious world, ensuring the mental and physical well-being of his little “players” was naturally a part of his duty.
From now on, he should adjust how he selected subjects and issued invitations.
Xia Jia thought: “Considering the various realities of their world, I will keep the game company shell to maintain the tranquility of their daily lives.
Internally, I will adopt a strategy of not being proactive, but not hiding the truth either.”
“Actually, just referencing how Kobayashi interacts with her neighbors, or Tohru and her friends, is fine.”
“Once the relationship reaches a certain point, they will naturally learn the truth.”
“However, whether I tell them about the other world or not, the necessary insurance measures must be in place, such as pain threshold adjustments and mental limiters.”
“I need to process the loggers so that the moment a summoned body sustains a fatal injury, loses consciousness, or suffers mental shock, the magic is instantly severed.
This will effectively create a ‘network disconnection’ effect.”
Next was the question of who to recruit.
He had transmigrated, and desiring power was understandable, but he also hoped that in this process, he could fulfill the divine will of the Goddess of Justice and truly help some people.
Having somewhat cleared up his future direction, Xia Jia nodded firmly.
“I will resolve these issues as soon as possible.”
Astraea nodded slightly: “I believe you can handle it well.”
Xia Jia asked: “Then what about Cecil?
Should we hide this from her?”
If that girl were to find out, she likely wouldn’t sit idly by.
Astraea said mysteriously:
“The ‘School District’ is coming, right?
You two still have a wager, don’t you?
I will have her become a familia recruiter, traveling with the ‘School District’ to Orario to recruit members.”
This was both protection and balance.
Compared to Xia Jia, who could summon members without a second thought, Cecil was at a huge disadvantage.
The Goddess wanted to give Cecil a slightly fairer way to compete, so that even if she lost, she would do so willingly.
As for Xia Jia, his eyes flickered.
The School District…
He remembered it as a talent-nurturing institution belonging to Orario that traveled around the world year-round and returned to Orario every three years for maintenance.
Its purpose was to scour the world for talent to be brought to Orario, nurtured, and eventually become fighting strength for the city.
I recall that this time, the School District is staying in Orario for an exceptionally long time—a full year and a half.
Perhaps I can let my own familia members go through some systematic training as well.
“Still…
‘The School District,’ huh,” Xia Jia said with longing: “I would very much like to see the magnificent giant ship that was once used to counter the Leviathan.”
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught “Equilibrium”?
l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220)
“Is this chat group even serious?” (Chapter125)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(This matter is completely finished.)
Can Playing Games Save the World?
65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I’m Grinding Proficiency Like 46
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 145
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 120
I Can Copy Unique Skills 115
Summoning an Evil God, but the 75
Supernatural Multiverse 110
My Harem Is Indescribable 100
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105
“I’m just a Valkyrie passing through.” 67
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 80
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85
What Should I Do After Switchi – Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon?
55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 80
Checking In in Demon Slayer 85
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85
My Best Friend Into a Slime?
80
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
75
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 85
Why did they assign me to Uma 75
MYGO Beauties 70
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 75
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80
Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
100
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 60
The Uma Musume Who Became 60
I’m Definitely Not the King of 80
After Maxing Out Every Class 80
Naruto: I’m Konoha’s Local Men 44
Honkai: World Modulation Mode 57
I, the Elden Sword Saint 50
Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 43
No One Knows Pokémon Better 50
I, Sakazuki, Won’t Go Down Tha 45
From Trilobites to Titans 45
Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 55
DanMachi:
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught “Equilibrium”?
l (Chapter 80) Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178) Zenless Zone Zero: I’m a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 165)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 ) TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110) Yu-Gi-Oh!
— Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter220) “Is this chat group even serious?” (Chapter125) I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal!
(This matter is completely finished.) Can Playing Games Save the World?
65 Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77 From Junkman to Wasteland 66 Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31 I’m Grinding Proficiency Like 46 From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 220 Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42 Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65 Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 185 From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/20 The Way the Umamusume Look at 68 Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 248 Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65 Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76 Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66 My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65 Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 230 Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154 I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/40 The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 125 Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67 Uma Musume: From Beginner 145 Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85 Uma Musume: I Want All 120 I Can Copy Unique Skills 115 Summoning an Evil God, but the 75 Supernatural Multiverse 110 My Harem Is Indescribable 100 Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 105 “I’m just a Valkyrie passing through.” 67 Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105 Still playing traditional Honk 80 The Most Filial Son Under Heav 85 What Should I Do After Switchi – Volume2/3 Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 78 Hell-Difficulty Dungeon?
55 Transmigrated as Sukuna 80 Checking In in Demon Slayer 85 The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 100 I Refuse to Become a Heroic 85 My Best Friend Into a Slime?
80 A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 90 What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero?
75 Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 85 Why did they assign me to Uma 75 MYGO Beauties 70 DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 75 The Gacha Merchant Who Started 80 Honkai’s Otherworld?
Wait—Who Are You People?!
100 Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 60 The Uma Musume Who Became 60 I’m Definitely Not the King of 80 After Maxing Out Every Class 80 Naruto: I’m Konoha’s Local Men 44 Honkai: World Modulation Mode 57 I, the Elden Sword Saint 50 Dio Brando Is Challenging FGO 43 No One Knows Pokémon Better 50 I, Sakazuki, Won’t Go Down Tha 45 From Trilobites to Titans 45 Chainsaw Man: Contracted with 55 DanMachi: