Author's Note: Unedited Chapter
Gustav noticed the periphery of the footage displayed another lineup of beings who were an entirely different species from the ones taking most of the view on the holographic display.
'Zonpaktu,' Gustav said internally while squinting his eyes.
From the looks of things, these giant-headed beings were keeping an eye on Siefiling's universe.
As he inspected them, theories appeared in Gustav's mind.
'Zonpaktu is linked to the spacecraft which is why there is a control room for it. This confirms our suspicions about Siefiling not having the universe constructed with his abilities like how Endric can bring his universe into physical existence… but is it powered by the space vessel or something else? It looks like it exists within the spacecraft but I can't sense its location with my perception.'
If it was truly a control room for the Zonpaktu, maybe he could find a way to gain access to it.
Gustav completely concealed his presence by stamping an invisibility button on his forehead and also activating Cognitive Concealment to make sure every bit of him was hidden.
He proceeded to walk in and look around the place. It was fairly large with the cauldron-sized-headed beings all attending to one task or the other within the space.
It didn't take long for Gustav to figure out that it was just a surveillance room. A lot of the controls there could only show other locations within the Zonpaktu and from what Gustav was seeing, the numbers were way higher than what they anticipated.
They thought the extraterrestrial species Siefiling had abducted were only millions in number but Gustav realized just how wrong they had been. There were billions of beings in there. To think that Seifiling hadn't even completed his goal of getting every single species in the universe.
Who knew how many they'd become when he finally completed his goal?
Gustav also noticed that besides the power to expand places within the Zonpaktu, this surveillance room had no true power. He couldn't gain access to the Siefiling universe from there.
One major issue he battled with was, even if he did gain access, how would he find the Ozis that were abducted? There were just two many beings in there and the vast lands that were strewn for hundreds of thousands of miles. He was unaware of how he would also be affected if he gained access so it was truly a disturbing issue.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt'I need to figure out their exact location within the Zonpaktu so the extraction can be simple and smooth,' Gustav thought as he moved closer to one of the heads floating before the projected footage.
Gustav didn't care about the other species since he was only there for the Ozis. Not to mention that they were in billions so he really couldn't come up with a method to save billions in just a short time frame.
Gustav peered forward. He could see panels and buttons with unreadable diagrams plastered across them. They depicted different meanings but Gustav immediately understood what they meant.
'To think they labeled the species to make them easier to watch with a tap of a button… this makes things a lot easier,' Gustav thought while slowly reaching out to touch the area which vividly depicted the word OZIS in a different language.
The moment Gustav tapped on it; a loud voice rang out…
< "I have lost sight of Gustav Crimson." >
It was the voice of Siefiling.
'Hmm?' Gustav paused to listen.
< "He escaped the lightless space… although it is strange that I cannot sense him but since I cannot see him, he must have taken the Rakio route. Which means, he is headed to your location. Detain him while I send support your way." >
The transmission stopped after Siefiling finished speaking.
'Oh? So there are blind spots within the vessel where his senses of perception may not function properly,' Gustav came to this realization.
Chuurrhh~ Chuurhhh~
Loud chatters rang out within the space as the cauldron-sized-headed beings instantly became alarmed. Unlike PO, they were speaking a different language but of course, Gustav could understand them.
They were a bit dissatisfied with Siefiling asking for them to detain Gustav while he sent reinforcements because they felt he undermined their capabilities. Recalling how swift PO was, Gustav didn't doubt that they were forces to be reckoned with. However, even Siefiling was smart enough to know that the only thing they could succeed in was delaying Gustav for a bit.
Gustav stared at the holographic projection of the Ozis before him which displayed them working. It looked like they were transferring and transmitting energy from different sources. It was a magnificent sight and from what Gustav could tell, it seemed like they were very much needed in the Siefiling universe, but he didn't care.
He now knew where the captive Ozis were located within Zonpaktu. He had gotten what he wanted and it was time for him to leave.
Gustav didn't intend to engage the cauldron-sized metallic-headed beings. He knew he would be giving out his location to Siefiling if he did that so he decided the best course of action would be to leave as quietly as he came.
What he needed to do, however, was find how to gain access to Zonpaktu. Their initial plans had been completely annulled since they didn't have a clue as to what they would have encountered upon meeting Siefiling. It was a truly unexpected experience.
….
"It has already been a day," Milox muttered while walking out of a crop field bathed in scarlet rays of light.
What lay ahead of him was a massive silver wall. He seemed to have reached the end of the space.
'Could Gustav Crimson have left already?' He wondered after realizing that the one-week time frame they were given was already up.
'Well… If he has, I will have to save my people by myself,' Milox steeled himself and continued stepping forward confidently.
He wasn't in any way disappointed by the thought of Gustav leaving because, on the bright side, he did help them get to Siefiling. Was he scared of facing such a scary being on his own? Yes. However, he decided that for his people, he would use everything at his disposal to make sure he freed them.
He arrived before a passageway and wasted no time before stepping into it. There was no doubt that the space vessel was incredibly massive so it would be difficult for him to find where his people were but Milox sped forward.
If it was going to take him hours, days, or months, he would make sure he found them.
Milox soon arrived at two intersecting stairways and found it difficult to decide in which direction to head.
After a brief contemplation, he picked the right stairway and headed forward with speed.
At the end of the stairway, was a path that led to a few entrances. Milox instantly picked the first one but the moment he stepped in, he regretted his actions.
'Uh oh…' He said internally the moment he arrived in an all-white massive space.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmWithin this space was an army of dark metallic cauldron-sized heads. Milox counted at first but soon stopped when he noticed they weren't just beyond thousands of them… there were millions.
The eyes of the head-shaped beings lit up as they all turned to stare in Milox's direction. He felt a chill permeate his spine as their stares had him rooted in place with a wary expression.
"Just pretend I was never here," Milox voiced while turning around.
Chuurrhh~ Chuurhhh~
Loud screeches rang out as the head-shaped beings ascended into the air and sped after him the moment he stepped out of the space.
"Damn it," Milox cussed under his breath as he ran as quickly as he could not daring to look back.
Tens he could handle…
A hundred, he could manage…
Thousands, he might have difficulties but he could come out on top…
But millions was where he drew the line.
These head-shaped beings were incredibly fast, almost like PO so he needed to find a way to lose them before he lost his limbs due to them.
….
Within a tube-like space, a young man with curly black hair could be seen ascending with incredible speed.
'I am closer to it now,' Endric said internally as he closed in on a bright light above.
'You need to be careful. I would advise joining up with your brother,' Husarius suggested.
'I would but I still can't sense his presence. I can only head for Siefiling himself now. Since he asked for a chat then I shall give him one first,' Endric responded internally as he arrived before the light.
Zhhhinnn~
As he phased through, he arrived at another pathway with incredibly massive doors at its end.
Endric could already sense what lay ahead due to the light shimmering from the doors in the distance. He strode forward with an expression of seriousness and arrived before the doors in just a few moments.