I don't want to be an elf!

Swan was clearly taken aback.

Black Candle Master snorted twice, giving me the impression that he would only give me the answer if I begged him.

Swan's eyes twitched twice. He picked up the pills on the table, poured out two, and swallowed them.

The next moment, a cool sensation rushed into his brain, giving his overloaded nerves a chance to breathe and rest.

Using the medication to force himself to stay alert, he began to summarize today's experimental data.

To date, they have constructed many different models to test the structure and stability of the spirit crystals, and hope to obtain a model that flows as naturally as the spirit crystals within Tohka Yatogami's body.

However, none of the many models succeeded.

Regardless of which magic circuit is used, the spirit crystal will eventually go berserk.

"and many more......"

As if sensing something, Swan frowned: "Why do different models and magic circuits produce the same berserk data?"

"You finally realized it too."

Black Candle Lord shook his head, indicating his agreement: "The only answer is that the Spirit Crystal did not go berserk."

"If it's not a berserk mode, then what is it?"

“It will return to its original state,” Black Candle Master said confidently. “The spirit crystals we see now are products that have been refined countless times, and under our constant stimulation, they tend to revert to their original state.”

"Wait, how is this possible?" Swan exclaimed in astonishment. "How can the most primitive state be stronger than the refined state? This just doesn't make sense!"

"Perhaps we have fallen into a logical fallacy."

Looking at the pure and quiet spirit crystals in the container, as if he had found the truth, the Black Candle Lord's soul fire flickered with excitement: "So-called refinement does not mean stronger, it only means more stable."

"I see!" Swan's eyes lit up. "If that's the case, then the power contained within that can distort life forms can also be explained."

"Um......"

Upon hearing Swan's words, the flame of his soul dimmed slightly in Black Candle's eyes.

If every time a spirit crystal returns to its original state, it causes a distortion of life, then the price to pay for refining it from its original state to a stable state is self-evident.

His gaze toward the spirit crystal was filled with complex emotions.

This crystallization, resembling a work of art, may have been achieved through the sacrifice of countless lives to finally reach such a stable state.

Who exactly made it?

Is it Tohka Yatogami?

But even a girl like that wouldn't seem capable of such a cruel thing.

"never mind......"

With a sigh, Black Candle Master put these thoughts out of his mind.

These are not things he should be thinking about.

His job is to analyze the refining methods of spirit crystals.

Now that we have a clue about how to refine spirit crystals, it's time to move on to the second stage.

"Do we really have to continue?" Black Candle asked. "I have a feeling that we are about to enter a forbidden realm, and once we step into it, we will be cursed by it for eternity."

"At this point, there is no turning back."

"There has always been a way out, you just don't want to choose it."

That's for you.

Swan plopped down in a chair, his voice tinged with barely concealed weakness: "For me, there is no turning back."

He was a man who should have died five hundred years ago.

However, because he planted a curse on himself, he changed his life form and was able to prolong his life.

But the curse is not eternal.

Swan placed his hand on his chest, on the spot where the dark scar was.

He could sense that his time was running out.

However, he did not feel regret or sadness.

Instead, a pleasant smile curved his lips.

When he embarked on the path of slaying gods as a hero, he no longer feared death.

What he feared was that he would not be able to fulfill his ideals before he died.

Five hundred years ago, he feared the extinction of humankind.

Now, he fears he will never be able to return to his hometown.

The appearance of Tohka Yatogami and the existence of the Spirit Crystal gave him a chance to fulfill his long-cherished wish.

He was a man burdened with the sin of killing a god.

Therefore, opportunity is not a gift from the gods.

Perhaps it's a curse from hell?

However, whether it's a blessing or a curse, it doesn't matter anymore.

He was already cursed, so he didn't mind having a few more curses.

Moreover, he has already accomplished so much in just two weeks.

He tirelessly recorded data, created magic circuits, and modified plans, making his already aged body even weaker.

Unlike Black Candle Lord, who can continue to live, just as he himself said, he has no way out.

Success or failure, it all hinges on this tiny spirit crystal.

He closed his eyes to rest for a moment, then opened them again.

The voice was also infused with power, containing an unwavering will to never back down.

"Let's begin the second phase of the experiment."

Black Candle Master gave him a deep look.

After a long silence, still unable to accept it, he said in a complicated tone, "I'm sorry, I won't interfere with the experiments anymore. The purity of the spirit crystal is based on the filth of countless lives, and I cannot harm any pure life."

"Then, how about we use life forms that are inherently corrupt for the experiment?" Swan asked with a smile. "For an old man like me who is a collection of curses, the power to distort life is utterly insignificant."

"If we were to conduct experiments directly on you, you might not live to see the day when the ground is reclaimed."

“It doesn’t matter,” Swan said calmly. “As long as you can help me bury my ashes back in my hometown on the day of victory, that will be enough.”

"...As you wish, stubborn humans."

Black Candle Master sighed deeply.

Manipulating magic, he opened the container holding the spirit crystal, and the spirit crystal, enveloped in magic, slowly floated in front of Swan.

Looking at the spirit crystal so close to him, Swan's smile widened even more.

He has never changed in the past five hundred years.

He is willing to accept any cost as long as it protects what he wants to protect.

Whether it's the Star God, the Golden Fairy, or himself.

"Please, Lord Black Candle."

Swan took a deep breath and said firmly.

"Let's begin the final experiment."

Chapter 52 The Beast Tide Arrives

No wonder Swann and Black Candle wanted to create the floating continent archipelago.

This ground is no place for humans to stay.

Having been on the ground for only three days, Yatogami Tohka quickly grasped the dangers of the surface world and the necessity of the floating islands.

After defeating the last attacking beast, she shook off the purple blood from the blood-soaked beast and looked at the beastmen who were still in shock from the previous wave of beasts.

In just three days, they experienced nearly ten waves of attacks from beasts.

On this vast land, she will have to deal with more than just the Sixth Beast that has sunk deep into the earth.

The Seventh Beast of Rock Devourer has an incredibly hard shell; the Eighth Beast of Iron Hammer can shatter mountains and steel with a single blow; and the Twelfth Beast of Rift lurks beneath the sand, devouring life.

On this stretch of yellow sand alone, Yatogami Tohka has already slain three different beasts out of the Seventeen Beasts. Adding to the Sixth Beast and the Fourteenth Beast of Light that she slain in the Battle of the Fifteenth Floating Station, she has now slain five different types of beasts.

We are only about two-thirds of the way from perfectly completing side quest three.

Seeing that the surrounding beasts had been cleared out, the golden fairies from other directions gathered around.

The beasts attacked from almost all directions, spreading out so widely that even with Tohka Yatogami's astonishing combat power, she could only barely hold back a quarter of the beasts.

The remaining three-quarters were handled by five golden fairies together.

“We’ve been here for almost a week now.” Landoruk put down her holy sword, looking slightly tired. “The number of beasts attracted here has increased significantly since the first day. This is not a good sign.”

"It's alright, if Ran is tired, she can go and rest more." Nafde said quite easily. "Besides, Chtholly and the others, as well as Tohka, have come to support us, haven't they? All the adult Gold Fairies of the Fourth Fairy Warehouse are here, guarding it for a week or two shouldn't be a problem."

“We can hold out, but it will be difficult to hold out without any casualties.” Chtholly pointed to the orc warriors who were injured in the previous beast tide. “Next time, they may not just be injured.”

"Speaking of which, we've been here for three days. The rescue operation should have been over by now, right?" Tohka Yatogami asked. "Why haven't I seen anyone preparing to retreat?"

Although the variety of beasts encountered on the ground is far greater than on the floating islands, she has killed almost every type of beast living in this area in the past three days.

The seventeen beasts each have different habits and lifestyles, making it impossible to find all of them in one area.

Encountering three kinds of beasts on this desolate yellow sand is already the limit.

If you want to continue advancing the mission, you'll have to try your luck in different regions.

For example, places like forests, swamps, and the sea.

In other words, there are no new species of beasts here, and this desert has no value for her to stay any longer.

“I heard from the orcs that the commander of the Tiger Ear Grass wanted to salvage as many relics as possible before leaving,” Athena said with a headache. “Because he lost a survey ship, he could only make up for it by collecting more relics.”