Rise Of The Infinite Sovereign-Chapter 448: Expedition End

"I’ve pushed myself far enough for today," he mutters. "Time to shift my focus."

Although, even if he didn’t, he wouldn’t have much time to do much anymore, since the three days or 72 hours given for the exploration is almost up.

Calming himself, Ezra reiterates his plans, rearranging the sequence in his mind for better efficiency.

The journey ahead would surely be daunting, but Ezra is ready.

With the expedition coming to close, Ezra heads towards the exit point.

A startling silence accompanies Ezra as he glides across the secret realm, filing his eyes with the dazzling array of islands sprawled all around.

His body throbs ever so slightly, still recovering from the intense strain of cultivation and combat.

Despite the exhaustion lingering in his muscles, his senses remain sharp, or rather, they feel much sharper than before.

This startling discovery grabs Ezra’s attention.

’Is this the serum’s additional ability?’ Ezra wonders, when suddenly forced to a halt.

Unknowingly, he had arrived at the converging point where other higher beings had gathered, awaiting the opening of the exit.

It seemed he hadn’t been the only one to have thought of this—not by a longshot.

Glancing around, Ezra notes the various cultivators moving with urgency to treat wounded members, their eyes betraying the weight of their own gains—or losses—within the realm.

Some groups had joy on their faces as they conversed amidst themselves, while others looked crestfallen and defeated.

The atmosphere was charged with a cacophony of emotions.

As the three-day timer approached its end, every participant seemed to have their own agenda to complete before the gates sealed shut.

Ezra, however, is calm.

His gains far exceeded his expectations, and his primary focus now was to leave without incident.

Getting himself a corner to stand in, Ezra uses the time to observe the others.

He sees the group of blue dragons who had taken the nova refinement manual back at the fire Island, stirring a slight annoyance in his heart.

But that is it, he had already emotionally detached himself from that unfortunate circumstance.

Instead, amidst his silent observations, someone calls out to him.

"Sylvester!"

Turning his head, there lay Musaduval, the muscle obsessed orc and the rest of his group.

Their faces betray their fatigue, but within their eyes lay a light determination.

Their pristine armour now dented and cracked in multiple places while their skin now coloured red because of multiple wounds.

Some were bandaging wounds, others quietly meditating to enhance their recovery speed.

Even though Musad wasn’t unscathed, Ezra could tell that his axe had shouldered significant damage.

Well, probably anyone could.

"Hahaha! You were here?"

None of these things seem to faze Musad as he radiates an aura of vigor as though he’s fully energized even though a trail of blood lay on his face from a cut on his forehead.

Despite his injuries, the orc radiates an unshakable confidence that makes Ezra shake his head in amusement.

Chuckling at the nature of his uncanny orc friend, Ezra stretches out his palm, initiating a handshake.

*Dap*

"So. How did it go?" Ezra questions. "Gain anything worthwhile?"

"Hmph!" flaring his nostrils, Musad brings his biceps into view, while his battle-worn axe gleamed faintly under the ambient glow of the secret realm "Who do you think I am? Of course I did!"

"That’s good" Ezra nods.

To this, Musad suddenly narrows his eyes, looking at Ezra top to bottom before saying...

"Why did you change clothes?"

"Oh. That"

Ezra blinks, scratching his head as he rapidly works out an answer.

"I tried clearing the first section of an island by myself to test my abilities and my clothes got burned"

It was Musads turn to be dumbfounded, to which he burst into laughter.

"You tried to clear an island?! Haha. It’s amazing that it’s only your clothes that got burnt. So, how did it go?"

Ezra makes a dismayed expression, shaking his head. "It was a nightmare. I barely managed to take down only one beast"

"This is why you should have joined us when I invited you" Musad responds, smirking.

Ezra shakes his head. "I would have held you back. Besides, it was a good experience"

"If you say so" Musad shrugs.

Ezra narrows his eyes. "Look at you talking like you’re not covered in wounds"

"Wounds are a man’s pride!" Musad exclaims, feeling insulted. "It is evidence of a hard won battle! And this much is to be expected after clearing three islands"

"Eh. Three islands? You sure bite off more than you can chew"

Musad laughs, his tone booming loud enough to cause nearby cultivators to glance their way.

But the duo didn’t even give them a glance.

"Chewing is what we orcs do best! The stronger the challenge, the sweeter the victory"

"....I see" Ezra replies, he could see a madness within Musad’s gaze, one that made him feel apprehensive being at such a close distance.

"Are you sure they agree with you?" Ezra continues, pointing at the rest of the orcs.

"They might not look like much now, but they pulled through the trails like the warriors they are"

"Hmm..."

The conversation pauses momentarily as a subtle shift in the atmosphere draws everyone’s attention.

A low hum reverberated through the secret realm, a precursor to the realm gate’s activation.

"Looks like it’s almost time," Ezra noted, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the gathering crowd.

Cultivators began to move with purpose, forming ranks or tightening their grips on their weapons.

The tension was palpable. Even though the exit was near, the possibility of last-minute skirmishes hung in the air.

As the minutes ticked by, the realm gate’s hum grew louder, its form materializing like a rippling mirror in the air.

The shimmering portal pulsed with energy, drawing the attention of everyone present.

Ezra felt a subtle pull in his core, a natural resonance between his refined organs and the portal’s energy.

It was as if the realm itself recognized his progression and was urging him onward.

The first to step forward were the cautious ones, smaller groups that clearly wanted to avoid confrontation.

They moved quickly, slipping through the portal with minimal fuss.

"Ezra," Musaduval’s voice brought his focus back. "Let’s keep getting stronger!"

"Hehe. That’s for me to say" Ezra retorts. "The next time we meet, I will have surpassed you in strength"

"Is that so?" Musad grins. "I will look forward to our next meeting then"

The orc claps Ezra on the shoulder, the force of it almost knocking Ezra forward. "Take care, Slyvester. Until we meet again!"

With that, Musaduval and his group moved toward the portal, their battered forms brimming with the resilience of those who had faced death and lived to tell the tale.

Ezra stays back, watching as more groups filed through the portal.

The tension in the air began to dissipate as the crowd thins, though a few individuals still linger, their eyes scanning for potential targets.

As the last few cultivators move toward the portal, Ezra finally steps forward.

The portal’s energy surged as he approached, the hum resonating with his refined organs in a way that felt almost welcoming.

Taking one last look at the secret realm, Ezra allowed himself a moment of reflection.

This place had pushed him to his limits, tested his resolve, and rewarded him with strength he hadn’t imagined.

But it was only the beginning.

With a deep breath, he steps through the portal.

On the other side, the world came rushing back into focus.

The secret realm’s surreal landscape was replaced by the harsh, stark reality of the outer galaxy.

The cool metallic floor beneath his boots, the faint hum of distant machinery, and the murmurs of gathered cultivators brought him back to the present.

The officials managing the secret realm’s expedition moved with practiced efficiency, approaching the returnees and cataloging their findings.

Ezra avoids their scrutiny, blending into the crowd with practiced ease, and joins with the red dragon party who had exited moments before.

Even with his abilities, following protocol in such situations would avoid unnecessary issues later on.

Ezra finds the Elders to be in a much worse state than Musaduval had been, much to his surprise.

Greeting the elders, they exchange pleasantries for a bit with Ezra telling them the same tale he told Musaduval, to which they chuckle.

Though, Ezra could see their scorn through their gazes.

Kovar drags Ezra to his side and the two exchange stories while heading to the spacecraft.

"You gained something, didn’t you?" Kovar’s voice cut through his thoughts. "Something significant. I can feel it in your presence."

"Huh? Really? I only absorbed a few essence shards though" Ezra replies, acting clueless, though he was spooked.

’Sharp perception is scary!’

Kovar scrutinizes Ezra from top to bottom, asking once again. "Is that really all?"

Ezra nods offhandedly. "Well...I killed three beasts rather than one"

"Hmm, then it’s fine" says Kovar, tossing his suspicions aside.

Getting into the spaceship, they are easily cleared and soon allowed to leave Centra.

Entering hyperdrive, the elders quiet down, making the trip back a quiet one.

Taking in the present moment, Ezra smiles.

Just as it had begun, the expedition had come to a close.

Sitting right beside Kovar, he begins to ask questions.

Basically, he and a few other elders would give a full report of their experience and encounters within the secret realm, and the artifacts gathered will be catalogued.

Here lies the third reason why the majority of nascents took years to completely refine their body.

With the elders venturing through islands throughout the three days, none of them had time to absorb any of the essence shards.

Instead, they would receive the largest shares while a portion would be given to the other elders who couldn’t come because of other responsibilities.

’Thankfully I don’t have to go through that’ Ezra rejoices.