Death... and me

Kafan then brought out the Spatial Ring... or was it? Everyone looked at the Spatial Ring, which was covered in runes none had seen before. "Is it really a Spatial Ring?"

Kafan, who was back to his humanoid form, narrowed his eyes. "I think so... I can feel the Spatial Power and Laws within it, just like other Spatial Rings. Yet, I can't seem to be able to access it. The Ring rejects both my Divine Sense and Energy."

Rean approached the ring and looked up close. "There is no doubt. I was there in the Ruins of the Stars and saw many of their Circuitry Runes. These are all Circuitry Runes, very similar to the runes used in the communication system I invented. It's just that they are much more advanced, making my own runes look like a joke."

Xude took it from Kafan's hand, but no one stopped him. There was no way Xude could escape with it anyway. "These runes... I think I can get it open."

Immediately, everyone remembered the reports from the Ruins of the Stars. Back then, it was revealed the Vruves had brought someone into the Ruins of the Stars who seemed to have some control over the Spaceship. The twins even saw that guy during the fight in the area with the foreign Universe Foundation Fragment, although he was just a soulless body. Naturally, the Vruves must have had some knowledge of that technology in advance.

"Then go ahead," Kafan and the others didn't try to probe, even because Xude wouldn't tell them anything anyway. They just wanted to find what was inside.

Xude nodded and took a few items from his own Pocket Dimensional Realm. Rean recognized similar Circuitry Formation Runes on those items, understanding they were used for very precise work on runes. His System Sect had created quite a few Circuitry Formation Machines for such works... although they were enormous.

Rean and those familiar with the Circuitry Formation Runes watched Xude working from up close. Even though Xude didn't like it, he knew no one would let him work on the Spatial Ring alone. It took several hours, which everyone used to also recover their strength. Some of the Semi-Celestials, who lost some of their comprehension towards the laws, used the Chaos Laws in the place to recover it, especially with the help of Space-Time Realm subordinates who accelerated time around them.

*Click*

Finally, everyone seemed to hear a sound coming from the Spatial Ring. As soon as it happened, the Divine Senses of everyone watching it easily penetrated the interior of the Spatial Ring, revealing everything inside. They knew they would probably be surprised by what was there, but it was still unexpected when it finally happened.

*Zush, zush, zush, zush...*

Immediately, four bodies appeared outside. They were the Golden Drohares they had just defeated and had their bodies explode... or so it was supposed to be. Yet, here they are.

"Red!" Rean immediately identified one of the bodies. It was Red, their friend.

Gragatou and the others identified the Divinity Realm Middle Stage Drohare instead. It was Flan, Red's master. "It's Flan and his Golden Drohares... So they weren't traitors?"

Indeed, they seemed to have been captured. There were many runes around their bodies, seeming to keep them in a suspended animation state.

Rean quickly worked on Red, using Roan's Dark Element to destroy the runes. Those runes were not made to resist attacks from outside, so they were easily undone. The other Semi-Celesitals used their own methods to get rid of the Runes covering Flan and the others, too.

Flan was the first one to open his eyes before he jumped back from everyone and circulated his cultivation. "Fuck!"

Yet, he quickly noticed that the enemy wasn't present anymore. Instead, there were only the Semi-Celesitals around him, so that display of strength was quite laughable. "Uh? This... What happened?"

"That's what we want to know," Kafan was the first one to ask. "You were trapped inside this Spatial Ring, which, by the way, is quite impressive in that it can hold life. How did you get like this?"

Flan quickly calmed down, not willing to offend the Semi-Celestials. "I... My group was suddenly attacked when we were exploring some ruins to the east of the entrance we used."

Ruins weren't anything new for the experts there. After all, this planet once had many races and countries, so there were more ruins than just the ruins of the Loporrits' city. Quite a few of them found some during their explorations.

The Semi-Celesitals already expected that response. "So, who attacked you? Do you know why?"

Flan tried to think about the event, but his head was a mess. "It's... hard to say. They weren't exactly experts like the rest of us. It was so weird. We were captured, so I tried to call more of my Golden Drohares to help. Unfortunately, only these three answered my call. Even worse, they were easily captured as well."

"Master!" Red then woke up, looking at Flan. He also noticed everyone else. "This... what is happening? Where are those things?"

"What things?" Everyone asked back.

Rean touched Red's shoulder, smiling at him. Red also seemed somewhat confused. He quickly used his Divine Sense to explain the whole situation so that Red could understand. Naturally, Flan also received the same treatment.

"I wasn't able to see much," Flan explained. "By the time I was attacked, I was already captured. I only had time to use our Race's tracking method to call for help."

The other two Golden Drohares nodded. "The same happened to us. As soon as we arrived, we were captured. We had little time to see anything."

Everyone looked at Red after that.

Understanding their gazes, Red quickly spoke. "I wasn't able to see much either. However, those things didn't seem to be expecting my arrival as they were preparing to leave. They... didn't really have a physical form. Or perhaps they did? They covered Master and the others' bodies with weird runes, taking their shape. It was very weird."

Rean pondered a bit and extended his hand. Right after, a small pat of his System Armor detached from his body, surprising everyone. "Was it something like this?"

Red was just as surprised. "Yes! It was very similar to this thing that came out of your body!"

"System Armors... The experts from outside are truly much more advanced than us..." Rean couldn't help but lament.