Boom!
As the spatial entrance behind him completely closed, the silver light that had been enveloping Asher’s body rapidly faded. The brief sensation of weightlessness caused by crossing through space also disappeared the instant his feet touched solid ground again.
Asher did not move immediately. He remained where he was and surveyed his surroundings.
Before him stretched a black forest that seemed almost endless. The sky was covered by thick, dark red clouds. There was no sun, nor were there any stars that could be used to determine direction. Only a hazy blood-colored moon hung deep within the clouds, casting cold and eerie light between the twisted giant trees.
The air was filled with a strong stench of decay.
The soil beneath his feet was an eerie color close to blackish red. In many places, the remains of magical beasts that had clearly been lying there for an unknown amount of time were scattered across the ground. Dark purple plants growing between the bones slowly opened their serrated, mouth-like leaves as they sensed the presence of nearby life.
This was definitely not a normal E-rank Spatial Gate.
At least, according to the knowledge left behind by the original owner of this body, although E-rank Spatial Gates also contained magical beasts, they would never possess such a dense magical environment. Nor would merely standing near the entrance cause his Danger Perception to continuously issue warnings.
[Host has entered Spatial Gate No. 7.]
[Current Area Danger Level: C-Rank.]
[Abnormal spatial interference continues to intensify.]
[Return passage has closed.]
[Estimated reopening time: Unknown.]
System notifications appeared before Asher’s eyes.
Immediately afterward, another series of information rapidly appeared.
[All suppression on the Sacred Aphrodisiac Body has been removed.]
[Special life aura is spreading into the surroundings.]
[Four adult females detected within the area of effect.]
[Establishing Life Resonance.]
[Target Nova Valderis’s life signal has been locked.]
[Distance from Host: 147 meters.]
This was the real reason Asher had deliberately removed all suppression before entering the Spatial Gate.
The Sacred Aphrodisiac Body could not only influence the bodies and emotions of adult women. Once its effect reached a certain level, it could also form an extremely faint Life Resonance between both parties, allowing Asher to sense the target’s position and life condition within a certain distance.
Something had already gone wrong with Spatial Gate No. 7.
The examinees could very well have been teleported to different locations while passing through the entrance. Since Nova had entered before him, Asher had released the power of his physique in advance to bring her within his perception range.
As for the additional influence mentioned by the system, as long as there was no prolonged contact, it was temporarily insufficient to truly alter her judgment.
"Southeast."
Asher looked into the depths of the forest.
The signal transmitted through Life Resonance was extremely stable.
That proved Nova had not suffered any serious injuries for the time being.
Aside from her, the life signals of three other adult women were scattered throughout different nearby areas. As for the other male examinees, the Sacred Aphrodisiac Body could not lock onto them.
At that moment, a sudden stabbing pain came from Asher’s chest.
Danger Perception activated.
Without the slightest hesitation, he abruptly moved aside.
Whoosh!
A black vine as thick as an arm burst from the ground where he had just been standing. The flower bud at its tip, filled with sharp teeth, snapped shut, producing a grating sound that made one’s scalp tingle.
Asher stomped his right foot heavily against the ground.
Life force rapidly gathered.
"Life Burst."
Bang!
His body instantly appeared beside the black vine. His right hand grabbed its base, and with his strength temporarily elevated to D-rank, he violently pulled upward.
A large patch of soil exploded apart.
A dark purple plant shaped like a gigantic heart was forcibly ripped from underground. The instant it left the soil, dozens of smaller vines simultaneously wrapped toward Asher’s body.
Asher gave it no opportunity to counterattack.
His right fist descended.
Boom!
The dark purple plant exploded on the spot, spraying foul-smelling black liquid everywhere.
[E-Rank Monster killed: Corpse-Eating Vine.]
[No extractable system resources discovered.]
Asher glanced at the several small holes that had already been corroded into his sleeve, then quickly left the area.
The disturbance just now had likely alerted nearby magical beasts.
Moreover, judging from where thel Corpse-Eating Vine had been hiding, there probably wasn’t any truly safe area within this forest.
A distance of 147 meters was not far.
In less than a minute, Asher heard intense sounds of battle ahead.
Rumble!
A bolt of purple lightning illuminated the gloomy forest.
Immediately afterward, several black trees more than half a meter in diameter exploded simultaneously, scattering burning fragments of wood crackling with lightning in every direction.
Asher passed through the gaps between the trees.
In the clearing ahead, Nova was fighting six black magical wolves, each more than two meters long.
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