Stepping back onto the soil of Cadia, the lingering scent of sulfur no longer haunted him.
For the personnel working on Mariatus, the gap between retirement age and the age of death was shockingly only one year.
It truly wasn't a habitable planet; it was more like a furnace burning itself out to provide fuel for the war.
Zeke turned back to look at the spot where he had just materialized.
He was in the rear cargo compartment of a Taurox carrier. Beside him was the stasis field that had confined the Ender Pearl; it had ceased functioning.
Apart from himself, the compartment was empty.
"I thought I'd get a welcome party," Zeke muttered as he stepped out of the Taurox's rear hatch.
Zeke looked up at the sky of Cadia. Beside the Eye of Terror, another wide, pitch-black object had appeared.
It looked like a gigantic black widow spider crawling across the firmament, slowly approaching Cadia.
The Blackstone Fortress was advancing on Cadia.
This war machine was so colossal that it was clearly visible even from the surface.
At its current speed, it would arrive very soon.
At Kasr Kraf, almost everyone's gaze was drawn to that unidentified object in the sky.
It seemed there was a guest whose entrance was a hundred times more dramatic than his own, stealing his thunder.
Castellan Creed stood on the ramparts, silently gazing at the Blackstone Fortress.
Zeke did a rough count; an Iron Golem was stationed every hundred meters or so along the wall.
Castellan Creed had clearly taken the matter to heart.
He looked much more haggard than the last time Zeke had seen him. Standing on the windy ramparts, he wasn't even wearing his signature greatcoat.
"Cadia Stands!" He was still giving a speech into the vox-caster, trying to lead the troops in a chant.
But as the Blackstone Fortress in the sky drew closer, these rallying cries seemed increasingly thin and forced.
"You're back, Zeke." Castellan Creed lowered the vox-caster handset and turned to face Zeke.
He took a few extra moments to study the enchanted, glowing Netherite armor Zeke was wearing.
It looked even tougher than the armor he had worn when he left. Creed lit a cigar and slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"Kell says my cigar consumption has gone up more than threefold recently. If this keeps up, I'll smoke myself to death sooner or later."
Castellan Creed took a deep drag on the cigar.
"I need to get a few more puffs in while he's not around. Can't let him catch me, or he'll start nagging again."
"Your Iron Golems are very useful. They've reduced the casualty rate of our Cadian troops by more than half. Also with your Iron Golems standing guard, plus the Null Field Matrix that Magos Klein is activating, we are fully capable of facing the Blackstone Fortress."
"I also have some good news." Zeke spread out a blueprint, showing him the super-sized Nether Portal.
"I've solved all of Cadia's logistical problems, and I've even developed some miraculous potions."
–
Zeke stood in the center of Kasr Kraf.
After asking Castellan Creed about the coverage range of the Null Field Matrix, he chose to build the super-sized Nether Portal right there.
"Don't be too surprised, Castellan Creed," Zeke warned beforehand as he activated the blueprint.
A colossal Nether Portal rose from the ground, towering so high that even straining one's neck, it was difficult to see the top of the frame.
The attention of most people in Kasr Kraf shifted from the Blackstone Fortress in the sky to this spot.
The Nether Portal, emitting an ominous purple glow, caused a bit of commotion among the crowd.
Zeke took out a flint and steel, activated the Nether Portal, switched to the Webway Shard, and connected it to the portal on Mariatus.
[Durability dropped by 15%]
The Nether Portal transformed into a transparent film of water and a figure Creed never expected to see stepped out from the portal.
It was Wolf Lord Bloodhowl.
Bloodhowl looked around at the familiar Cadian architecture and the stoic face of Castellan Creed.
Just a moment ago, he had been at the entrance of the Refinery on Mariatus.
"Wolf Lord Bloodhowl, weren't you off to raid the Blackstone Fortress? Why are you here?"
"Castellan Creed, I should be asking you that. Is... is this Cadia?"
Wolf Lord Bloodhowl and Castellan Creed stared at each other in bewilderment.
Behind them, more people and supplies swarmed out of the Nether Portal.
Squads of Cadian soldiers and Skitarii were transporting goods.
Crates of Golden Apples were hauled out;
Potions sat on racks, the glass clinking as they were pulled along;
And Iron Golems, like a white sea, filed out of the Nether Portal one after another.
The soldiers of Kasr Kraf momentarily forgot about the Blackstone Fortress overhead.
They didn't know what the Golden Apples and potions were, but they recognized the Iron Golems.
Those cute white guys had been very conspicuous in recent battles, preventing the deaths of many Cadian soldiers.
Castellan Creed watched the traffic flowing in and out of the Nether Portal, convinced this was some kind of teleportation technology connecting Mariatus and Cadia.
"Zeke, you've really brought me a massive surprise. I'm starting to suspect the Emperor sent you to save us."
Castellan Creed reached into his pocket, wanting to pull out another cigar to calm his nerves.
It was snatched away by Kell. "Castellan Creed, please no more smoking."
Deprived of his cigar, Castellan Creed's attention shifted to the Golden Apples and potions.
He picked up a potion from a basket. "What is this?"
"These are the good stuff, Castellan Creed. Things that can increase your soldiers strength. Are you ready for your wallet to bleed?"
Speed, Strength, Weakness, Poison—unprecedented methods.
Zeke explained the effects of each potion to Castellan Creed.
"These must be very precious," Castellan Creed carefully placed the potion back into the basket.
He signaled the porters to be careful.
"Of course, Castellan Creed. However, I've established a fully automated production line on Mariatus, so the output is decent."
Zeke walked to the portal, pointing at the blurry image of Refinery No. 1 within the water film.
Castellan Creed walked up to the massive Nether Portal and tentatively reached his hand inside.
After testing it a few times to ensure it was safe, he grew bolder and stuck his entire head in.
His head appeared on the planet of Mariatus. He saw the fully automated factory Zeke had mentioned, as well as countless large holes leading straight underground—the work of the mining machines.
Pulling his head back, Castellan Creed focused his attention on the Nether Portal.
The value of this gate was immense. Drawing on his past experience, Creed realized the portal's potential in war.
"It can transport infinite troops behind enemy lines, catching them off guard."
Wolf Lord Bloodhowl was thinking along the same lines as Creed. "No wonder the kid told me to return to Cadia first. He had a better method of attack up his sleeve."
"So, Castellan Creed, about my proposal to take the initiative—ready to reconsider it?" Wolf Lord Bloodhowl's eyes gleamed. He sensed that this time, he wouldn't have to storm the Blackstone Fortress alone.
As long as a portal to the Blackstone Fortress was built, the entire military force of Cadia could raid it directly.
Now, no matter how great Abaddon's skills were, he couldn't possibly withstand the full wrath of Cadia.
"Of course." Castellan Creed nodded.
Realizing the miraculous nature of this portal, it would be idiotic of him not to choose an offensive strategy now.
Abaddon had ruthlessly destroyed countless planets in the Cadian system, killed countless numbers of his people, and now sought to destroy Cadia itself.
Thanks to Zeke, he finally had the means to fight back.
"I will make them pay," Creed raised his head. The Cadian soldiers present followed their leader's motion, raising their heads as well.
Their eyes glowed violet—the brand left on every Cadian by the Eye of Terror, a mark that could never be erased.
Witness the fury accumulated over generations, Despoiler. We will return it all in full.
--
Next Goal: 200 Powerstones
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