She turned to look at those who called themselves "Autonomous Machines" in the Hundred-eyed Giant Industrial Park. Though they moved stiffly, they seemed also to celebrate victory and freedom.
If the Cyber Specter spread the plague worldwide, humans could never trust robots again! Tsuchigumo sighed as she checked the message from Renwang Security Company.
Standing Black Hat: "Tsuchigumo, we are preparing to explore The Scar of the World; if you can make it in time, come and join us as soon as possible."
Tsuchigumo: "Received, President! Please send me the coordinates, I’ll catch up soon,"
Standing Black Hat: "[Click to view attachment]"
Standing Black Hat: "Storm Princess is chasing us, Netherworld Thunder God is trying to cope with her, we need to resolve this before Storm Princess realizes our main force."
Tsuchigumo: "Resolve what?"
Standing Black Hat: "We need to shatter the Golden Soul and end Ottovan’s atrocities in Zanges."
Tsuchigumo: "Understood!"
To avoid interception of their communication, Standing Black Hat immediately cut off the signal.
Tsuchigumo checked the coordinates and found that the destination was 300 kilometers away. The partners from Renwang Security must have driven there.
If she were to walk, it would take at least eight days to reach the rendezvous point!
She would need to carry sufficient weapons, ammunition, and supplies to avoid getting lost in the uninhabited areas of Hot Tree Continent. The journey through desolate Hot Tree Continent was perilous—this was no urban area where one could simply find a highway straight to The Scar of the World.
Tsuchigumo had to immediately prepare to set off, lest she miss the chance to support her teammates.
They were going to search for the Golden Soul at the bottom of The Scar of the World...
According to ancient legends, Golden Soul contended with the Fifth Empress, and the aftermath of their battle created The Scar of the World. Afterwards, both vanished as if buried in their own battlefield.
If what the President said was true, then the Golden Soul was now at the bottom of The Scar of the World, releasing its malevolent Power.
It was its Power that turned Zanges into Golden Township, Sin City, turned Ottovan into little golden men, and even turned the Black Panther Society into a bunch of lunatics and butchers!
Destroying the Golden Soul would at least quell the chaos.
But before leaving, Tsuchigumo had to find Sally first.
She arrived near Rat Village; Sally was sitting by the fire, and the other Ratmen dared not come near her, only Tsuchigumo sat opposite Sally.
"Hey! I’m Tsuchigumo, remember me? I was the one who took you on the train and brought you here," Tsuchigumo tried to ease the tense look on Sally’s face.
"Of course I remember." Sally sighed slightly.
"Do you think I’m stupid?" Sally asked Tsuchigumo.
Despite efforts to salvage the situation, over fifty Ratmen died in the conflict.
Other Ratmen were digging graves on the dry highlands, learning to bury their companions instead of dissecting them for food.
"Ah, no way! You’re not stupid!" Tsuchigumo tried to comfort Sally using the "soothing technique" from her Ninjutsu training, starting with flattering her, "You are the strongest, fiercest, most violent giant rat I’ve ever seen! You’re bigger than ten, no, nine elephants combined and bulletproof!"
"Is that so..." Sally’s expression changed.
The Tsuchigumo noticed some humans lingering in the distance, leaving behind some souvenirs, as if to appease the Ratmen.
"Why are those survivors wandering around here?" the Tsuchigumo asked.
"Since the life force I released has blessed them, their organs have undergone beneficial changes," Sally said.
"I too..." the Tsuchigumo scratched the itchy spot on its back, "want to check again."
"The changes might not always be beneficial; this surge of life force is random. You could end up as a muscle-bound, bulky spider beast," Sally warned.
"Then, okay..." the Tsuchigumo at least needed to stay human-like.
"As for them... they believe it’s a miracle and are trying to strike a deal with me to do some work in the human world. They are corporate people," Sally gazed distantly.
"Be careful of corporate people," the Tsuchigumo said seriously, "They are shortsighted, selfish, and duplicitous."
"Of course, I know; I have dealt with them before. So I plan not to engage with them. But how can I face the Ratmen around me? I can’t lead them; I’m not a qualified leader," Sally sighed.
Her disheartened demeanor diminished the Power emanating from her.
The Tsuchigumo originally felt an invisible threat by Sally’s side, but now that threat seemed to dissipate. Although this reassured the Tsuchigumo, it still hoped that Sally would retain the destructive power of turning into Ratzilla to protect the Lake Shore Sanctuary.
"I already know you well. Is there anything you want to know about me?" the Tsuchigumo asked.
"You... have you ever done something... that you are very proud of?" Sally hesitated to ask.
"I passed the Mid-level Ninja exam!" the Tsuchigumo said proudly, a story it could tell for a lifetime, "The first test was a very difficult written exam. My Spider Sense helped me foresee dangers, and failing the exam meant death; so I panicked whenever I wrote an answer incorrectly, but felt at ease when I wrote it correctly, and thus passed the written test. Then, in the Forest of Death, I was the first to pass through the forest using spider silk webs with my companions; finally, in the Mid-level Ninja combat exam, I efficiently sliced my opponent into four pieces and was shortly declared a Mid-level Ninja!"
"Then... can you become a Ninja Master?" Sally listened intently, envisioning the Tsuchigumo navigating numerous challenges.
"It’s complicated; I betrayed the village," the Tsuchigumo took off its chipped forehead protector to show Sally, "Or say... I chose to be an enemy of the village."
"How so?" Sally was curious.
"Before accepting the selection for Ninja Master, Ninja Master Lukano Masato hinted to me that if I agreed to certain conditions, like accompanying him for a few years, I could become a Ninja Master. Well, I look rather good, you know; I outright refused, knowing from then on I would be targeted by him, so I fought desperately to escape from the Hidden Ninja Village, I killed the ninjas who came after me, many of whom were my comrades, but I had to kill them," the Tsuchigumo said coldly.
"That’s too dangerous!" Sally exclaimed.
"So, I only started doing odd jobs everywhere for many years and then joined Renwang Security, which was somewhat successful. Later, I heard that Lukano Masato got injured in an operation against Nestor Corporation, and I had the courage to return to the Northern Archipelago. And now it has turned into what it is today, the most recent mission being to bring you here by the lake and keep you safe temporarily," the Tsuchigumo nodded.
"It’s a pity you couldn’t become a Ninja Master because of those damn humans..." Sally sympathetically said.
"It’s just missing some advanced Earth Escape Scrolls. Yes... if I could use Earth Flow Rampart or Mountain Earth Technique, I could protect everyone directly! Staying here for a lifetime wouldn’t be a problem," the Tsuchigumo confidently said.
"You are much more powerful than I am, knowing Ninjutsu... and having Magic Power..." Sally lay back on the ground.
The Tsuchigumo also lay back, looking up at the sky where stars moved.
In the Hot Tree Continent without large city’s light pollution, one could discover that many beautiful stars filled the sky.
"I say, you are a god, right." the Tsuchigumo looked towards Sally.
"Ah?" Sally turned her head.