Chapter 3: Dead Zone Experience
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In a flash of starlight, Elwin materializes on one of the Leviathans' colossal spines, stretching for millions of kilometers. His third eye blinks twice as he surveys the distance, leagues out, to detect any disturbances or abnormal hollow energy signatures around him.
Looking around, Elwin pauses briefly, then points his index finger outward, spinning it around to form ten different stars made of his hollow energy spread across the serpent's spine.
Using his conjuration ability, Elwin teleports to the farthest star he created. When he materializes, he spots what appears to be another port in view, where all kinds of trade happen, including weapons trading, drug trafficking, and red spice production.
Soon after, Elwin lands on the pathway, where two guards carrying kinetic rifles and wearing heavy body armor lead him into the port's inner area. Observing his surroundings, Elwin takes in various trades and items for sale.
The main reasons Elwin came here are twofold: to gather more information about the calamity he's been tracking influence through the dead zone, and to meet locals to learn about the cult called the "followers of the shadows," a group created by the calamity that has been gaining strength lately.
Elwin, however, keeps his identity secret, despite being a well-known threat in the underworld because of his ties to the federal alliance and bounty-hunting programs. His biggest secret is that no one knows he's a noble weaver—only that he's a powerful bounty hunter who can use light-based abilities, or that he's the son of Noktus, the great hero of the weavers.
From this moment on, Elwin will only use his bounty hunting alias, "the sparrow," with his main trigger abilities dismissed, except for a single compact star he keeps in his hand, just in case he needs to create some distance.
Next, Elwin looks up to see a weapons shop sign reading "Tondo Emporium of all things deadly," written in bright-red neon lights.
Ting!
A bell rings as the Tondo shop door opens. Elwin walks inside, looking around, his eyes flicking between racks of automatic rifles, superheated laser guns, and high-grade armor meant to fight powerful irregulars.
Making his way to the front desk, a middle-aged man with streaks of thick gray hair and deep brown eyes steps out from a nearby room to greet him. Before Elwin can speak, he hears:
"Ohh if it isn't Mr. Sparrow, I wasn't expecting you to show up here of all places, especially since you know that That! group still hangs around, and it's been getting a lot worse." Tondo rubs the back of his neck with a slight look of discomfort.
"That's exactly why I came here. I chose to patrol this dead zone not only for my own goals but also because I've heard tales of a powerful, maddened irregular cult worshipping some kind of shadow devil." Elwin refers to the calamity as a devil, not using its usual term, as most calamities are either trapped in the chaos realm, killed during the golden age, or gone into hiding. If anyone could hide, it'd be an adept at shadows like the calamity he's been tracking.
"Hmm, I've heard of the devil you've mentioned, but only in whispers and partial reports passed through this shop over and over," Tondo says, his voice firm and steady.
Elwin studies him closely, watching the outline of his soul flicker to gauge his honesty.
"Alright, then. Tell me what you've heard about this shadow cult," Elwin says, with quiet authority.
Tondo nods slightly and begins to speak: "For the past two months, there have been reports of a group called the Hand operating within this dead zone. They've been kidnapping groups of people and sending them to the farthest reaches of the zone."
"Hmm, are there any other reports of disappearances in the past five weeks?" Elwin asks, his tone sharp.
Tondo pauses, then replies: "Two weeks ago, there was a man dressed in black robes with a strange symbol etched onto his clothing. I don't know what language the mark was in, but from sensing his hollow energy, I knew something was very wrong with that man." Tondo's face suddenly breaks out into a cold sweat as he continues.
"Honestly, I didn't want to pry—at least not in a way that could get me killed. If I'm being honest, the cultist's hollow aura was oppressive and thick, as if someone was dropping quicksand onto your body continuously without fail."
"Okay. Did this person give a name or a possible alias?" Elwin asks.
Tondo thinks for a moment, then, with sweat trickling down his face, looks back at Elwin nervously.
"He called himself the Shadow Marked."
At this, Elwin recognizes the term from Tono's details. This matches what he's been hunting—it confirms the shadow calamity has entered this dead zone and is building strength for some purpose.
Thanks to his connections with the weavers, Elwin had already researched more than enough beforehand and came here with a clear focus.
Elwin lightly nods to Tono once more and thanks him for the extra info.
Shortly after, Elwin leaves the weapons shop and decides to explore a bit more of the dead zone, taking in the area's environment and information, through his third eye glimpsing all around him.
He notes that not only does this dead zone exist as a whole world in itself, but most importantly, the place is covered in thick smog that wafts through the atmosphere, which the locals call the "black smog" due to its deadly air quality. However, for someone like Elwin, this is inconsequential because of two factors: his hybrid physiology and natural hollow energy reserves, and the near Weaver-tier restoration at full output.
For others living here, they have managed to adapt and develop a heightened resistance to the toxic fumes, even showing slight biological changes—like irregulars, who are much leaner and skinnier, for easier travel between the massive bones where they reside, creating an almost living ecosystem despite the deadly environment.
Elwin jumps to the top of one of the nearby buildings, his third eye scouting for any abnormalities or hollow energy fluctuations but to no avail, he sensed nobody.. or so he thought until a spark came into his senses almost instanly.
"Found you cultist, lead me to your master and this hunt will begin." Elwin body splits into small fragments of stars dashing through the air at inhuman speeds to track this group down.
As a weaver of balance, By his hand alone will this calamity meet its end.