Chapter 42

That curtain, like an inverted sky dome.

As it enveloped the mountains, it also suppressed the pitch-black afterthoughts rising from the temple.

No matter how violently those afterthoughts collided, they could never cross the curtain that reflected the brilliant Milky Way.

After several attempts, they were defeated in the silent struggle and fell to the ground.

In the mountains.

Ken and Sivir were far from their previous calm and confident demeanor.

They were certain that the terrifying afterthoughts descending from the sky, which emitted a fearsome aura, were undoubtedly the power attached to the "King's Scales."

But the intensity—

was far from what was reported in the intelligence.

Could it have grown?

And what was that curtain reflecting the brilliant Milky Way?

There was no time to think about these things, and Ken and Sivir exchanged a quick glance.

"Leave this place!"

They instantly reached a consensus.

The idea of seizing the "King's Scales" and eliminating the obstructive "Twelve Earthly Branches" was now secondary to getting away from here.

Ken and Sivir decisively abandoned their mission and sprinted toward the foot of the mountain.

However—

The speed of the star-studded curtain descending from the sky and the afterthoughts falling into the mountains was much faster than theirs.

"Futile struggle."

Hawk watched Ken and Sivir fleeing in disarray, and with a twitch of his lips, he repeated Ken's words.

Then,

he struggled to lift his head and looked at the beautiful and enchanting star-studded curtain.

"Irena... your 'thought' has grown stronger again..."

The mountain was still, and the insects were silent, making the barely audible murmur travel far.

Under Hawk's gaze, the star-studded curtain fell straight down.

The unbreakable boundary, from that moment on, not only isolated the entire scenic area but also severed Ken and Sivir's will to survive.

The Clearlin Team, a legendary hunter group that revered the strong, had been operating in a low profile and secretly accumulating strength for nearly several decades after breaking away from the Hunter Association.

The Ten Heavenly Stems, the core members of this group, could be said to be the counterparts to the Twelve Earthly Branches of the Hunter Association.

Thirteen years ago, the Clearlin Team, in an attempt to obtain the "King's Scales," dispatched two of its Heavenly Stems members, but unexpectedly—

the operation ended in failure, and both Heavenly Stems members were sacrificed.

Now,

with the star-studded curtain enveloping the entire scenic area, the outcome of thirteen years ago was replicated.

The Clearlin Team suffered another heavy loss.

The bowl-shaped, giant black curtain stood silently, with the brilliant Milky Way flowing over it, as if time had stopped, suddenly freezing in place.

At the foot of the mountain.

Moyu and Kido, who had been thrown out of the straight passage, both stared in shock at the black curtain that enveloped the entire scenic area.

The frozen Milky Way made it look like a night sky dotted with stars.

"Hawk..."

Moyu gritted his teeth, his heart a tangled ball of emotions, and suddenly pushed against the curtain.

Squeak—

At the point where his palm touched the curtain, black currents suddenly surged, and a powerful repelling force sent Moyu flying.

Having already used up his chance to dispel the afterthoughts, he no longer had the absolute power to suppress them.

The afterthoughts standing before him, in terms of intensity, were no less formidable than the "King's Scales" trapped inside.

Seeing Moyu being thrown back, Kido quickly darted forward and caught him, helping to stop the impact.

"It's no use, Moyu..."

Kido tightly embraced Moyu and whispered,

"That's Irena's 'Thought Space,' and it's the type that can only be entered and exited under certain conditions. Now, because of the afterthoughts, it has become even stronger, and the original rules no longer apply. Probably... only a dispeller can open it."

After saying this, Kido silently watched the frozen stars on the curtain.

Seeing her friend's thoughts again after several years made her feel very complex, and she couldn't help but think of Hawk's final act.

Given the situation at the time, it was indeed the only decision that could protect Moyu.

"I was wrong."

Kido muttered to herself.

She reflected on her previous prejudiced and harsh judgment of Hawk.

At the same time, she also pondered whether it was really a good thing to recklessly use up memory capacity and talent for the sake of achievements in one's field.

"..."

After listening to Kido's explanation, Moyu remained silent, then broke free from Kido's embrace and approached the thought space formed by the star-studded curtain again.

"Chirp..."

Suddenly, a weak and feeble cry from Rat宝 sounded behind them.

Moyu and Kido's expressions changed, and they quickly turned around.

They saw the plump Rat宝 lying on the ground, with the aura surrounding its body in an extremely unstable state, as if it could dissipate at any moment.

"Rat宝!"

Moyu's eyes lit up, and he quickly rushed over, gently picking up Rat宝.

Kido also came over, looking at the still surviving Rat宝 with surprise.

This meant—

Hawk's "aura" was still there!

"Chirp, chirp..."

Rat宝 looked up at the star-studded curtain, its large eyes seemingly filled with indescribable emotions, but its tail could no longer form gas expressions.

Its cries were clearly becoming weaker.

Moyu deliberately ignored this, holding Rat宝 a bit tighter and murmuring, "You're still here, which means Hawk is still alive..."

"Chirp..."

Rat宝 withdrew its gaze and looked into Moyu's eyes, as if looking at something familiar.

It slowly raised its small paw and gently placed it on Moyu's chest.

Then—

like a bubble bursting, Rat宝's plump body dissipated into scattered light points.

Moyu's arms, which had been holding it, suddenly became empty.

His heart felt as if a piece was missing.

Kido watched the dissipating light points, opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything, and could only silently look at Moyu.

Ding, ding ding—

A clear blue, crystalline bead fell to the ground, making a pleasant sound.

Moyu, in a daze, looked at the blue bead and subconsciously clenched his fist.

He knew exactly what the leftover item meant.

Kido also looked at the blue bead, realizing it was something left behind after Rat宝's body dissipated, and naturally thought of the conditions for the formation of "afterthought remnants," which made her look at Moyu with concern.

Moyu silently picked up the blue bead, and at the moment he touched it, he seemed to sense something.

He lowered his head and gazed at the bead, which he found more beautiful than any gemstone.

"Kido."

Slowly cupping the bead in his palm, Moyu suddenly looked at Kido with a calm, unrippled tone, "Tell me more about 'Irena' and the 'Clearlin Team.'"

"Moyu, you..."

Kido's brows furrowed, hesitating.

Then,

she noticed Moyu's eyes and was taken aback.

It was a—

look that brooked no interference, a look that was determined to destroy something.

"..."

Kido was momentarily speechless.

If she could read minds, she would have heard Moyu's voice in his heart at that moment—

The bead left behind by Rat宝 is not an afterthought remnant!