-"That's right. I need to prepare weapons for everyone, which is why I had to rush to make these. They may look a little ugly, but don't underestimate them. These things have some real bite!"
As Chen Luo spoke, he raised an arm and deliberately struck a pose, showing off his muscles. Unfortunately, his current build was hardly impressive enough to make the gesture convincing, and a few people couldn't help laughing. The tense atmosphere eased a little as a result.
No one asked any further questions, but their expressions had grown more relaxed. At least Chen Luo had remembered to prepare weapons for the people around him instead of focusing solely on his own plans. Firearms could deal with most threats from a distance, but if monsters closed in or guns became ineffective, a suitable melee weapon could determine who lived and who died.
With the Blood Moon approaching, having another means of protecting themselves could never hurt. No one knew how the coming event would unfold, but one thing was certain: when real danger arrived, nobody would regret having prepared too thoroughly.
After finishing the Alchemy Furnace and several essential workbenches, Chen Luo did not remain outside. Instead, he submerged his consciousness into the system space. There was one more important task he had to complete before the Blood Moon descended: opening a portal to the Hell Cauldron. This was what would truly affect his plans for future development.
To open the portal, he had to gather the materials, complete its structure, and activate it in the proper sequence. Even the slightest mistake could make all his previous efforts go to waste, and the time remaining did not allow him to experiment carelessly. As soon as he entered the system space, Chen Luo got to work.
He processed the stone and water in turn, placing each layer of material in its proper position before carefully adjusting the parts that did not quite fit. As the structure gradually took shape, the remaining procedures became increasingly complicated, forcing him to inspect every detail repeatedly. Even so, he had no intention of giving up halfway. The resources waiting on the other side of the portal were exactly what he needed most at the moment.
The lava in the Hell Cauldron could provide the Alchemy Furnace with an abundant heat source, reducing his reliance on ordinary fuel. By contrast, most of the lava on this planet lay deep underground. Extracting it would not only require considerable effort, but also equipment and conditions he might not have. Rather than digging deep into the earth himself, opening a portal to a place where the resource was already available was clearly the more practical choice.
Outside the system space, everyone could only see Chen Luo sitting motionless. They assumed he was thinking about the Blood Moon preparations or handling some important matter, so nobody approached to disturb him. After a while, the others gradually dispersed, returning to their training, checking their equipment, and finishing the tasks they still had to do.
The base returned to its usual busy rhythm, though people occasionally glanced in Chen Luo's direction. His return had already put everyone somewhat at ease, even if nobody knew what he was preparing. In circumstances like these, sometimes simply knowing that someone was quietly dealing with problems beyond their understanding was enough to restore their confidence.
Time passed slowly, and the sky outside gradually darkened. It was not until night had fallen that Chen Luo finally completed his work. A massive archway made of obsidian stood before him. Its surface was covered in intricate patterns, each line carved deep into the black stone, making it look like an entrance to an entirely different world.
Chen Luo did not activate the gate immediately. He first walked around it to inspect the structure, confirming that every component had been placed correctly. Only then did he take out the lighter he had just purchased from the system shop. A soft click sounded, and a small flame appeared between his fingers. He watched it for several seconds before slowly closing his eyes, steadying himself, and beginning to recite an ancient incantation. It was a language whose pronunciation and meaning only he understood.
-"O departed souls from the depths of Hell, the Hell Cauldron is a blood-soaked battlefield. Blood becomes lava, flesh becomes land, and the bones of enemies become fortresses. Bricks stained a deeper crimson than the blood of the Lord of Hell; sinful souls dragged here to nourish the death swamps; cold blue flames carrying the stench of filthy spirits. Now I am the one who has descended. I step into Hell to become its ruler. I entrust my soul to these gates, tear my soul apart as the price, and use the flame as my guide—HELL CAULDRON, OPEN!!"
The moment the final syllable faded, Chen Luo immediately felt a powerful force pulling from within his body. His mana dropped almost instantly, half of it being drained away in one go. A sudden sense of emptiness washed over him. He frowned slightly, but remained standing, his eyes never leaving the gate.
The flame on the lighter began to change, shifting from its original orange-yellow to an eerie blue. It did not go out. Instead, it floated upward toward the top of the gate, leaving a faint trail of light in the air. Immediately afterward, an invisible surge of energy burst outward, making the surrounding objects tremble.
The obsidian gate slowly shifted, as though an enormous hand were pushing it against the wall behind it. A golden structure gradually appeared above the arch, its surface engraved with a skull surrounded by flames. Almost simultaneously, the patterns across the black stone lit up one after another. Purple light flowed along the grooves before converging at the center.
The space in front of the gate began to distort. A vortex appeared among the glowing patterns. At first, it was only large enough for one person, but it quickly expanded, sending out waves that seemed to compress and warp the surrounding air. Chen Luo instinctively took half a step back. It was not fear; he simply saw no reason to stand too close to something releasing energy at such intensity.
Suddenly, a pillar of light shot straight into the sky.
The dazzling radiance tore through the night, followed by a shock wave that spread in every direction. The ground trembled slightly, and powerful winds swept across the surrounding area. Even those at the base had to look up toward the source of the light. People far away could also sense the appearance of an extraordinary source of energy.
Looking at the vortex that had now stabilized, Chen Luo couldn't help smiling. He had spent several hours preparing for this moment, and at last, all that effort had paid off. The portal to the Hell Cauldron had truly been opened.
However, what brought him joy was an unsettling signal to others. Far from the base, on the upper floor of a tall tower, eight elders were seated around a round table. Almost simultaneously, they stopped what they were doing. The teacup in one elder's hand trembled slightly, while the person opposite him slowly set down a chess piece and turned toward the window.
-"Hey, did you feel that?"
No one answered immediately. One elder raised a hand, his fingertips curling slightly as though probing for some change in the air. The person beside him frowned and quietly watched the others' reactions. Their movements alone were enough to show that nobody in the room could afford to dismiss the energy that had just appeared.
-"Looks like some fool has opened the forbidden land, doesn't it? In the end, there are still people who worship that place."
An elder dressed in white spoke. His tone remained calm, but his hand, which had been tapping the table, had fallen still at some point. He did not look at the person who had spoken earlier, but kept his eyes on the fading light on the distant horizon. People who insisted on approaching the forbidden land were nothing new to him, yet the timing of this incident made it impossible for him to relax completely.
Another elder slowly lifted his teacup, only to pause before taking a sip. He glanced at the white-robed elder, seemingly trying to determine whether the man was genuinely calm or merely concealing something. The room remained quiet, but the ease they had shared earlier was gone, replaced by a silent sense of vigilance.
-"And it just had to happen right before the Blood Moon. Looks like that person has something in mind."
An elder in a blue-green robe spoke, a thoughtful look flashing across his eyes. He tapped the tabletop lightly with one finger, keeping a steady rhythm. Yet the moment he mentioned the Blood Moon, his tapping slowed. The others said nothing. Only one of them tilted his head slightly, his gaze passing over the seats around the table as though weighing something.
The timing of the portal's opening was indeed far too sensitive. However, until they confirmed the opener's intentions, any conclusion could prove mistaken. As soon as the blue-green-robed elder finished speaking, the elder seated to his left slightly clenched his fingers, then slowly turned toward the brown-robed elder, who had remained silent since the meeting began.
-"But, from what I can sense..."