Chapter 4404: Curse

On the way back to Besgol, which naturally took about as many weeks as the journey out, the group didn’t manage to learn much from the spider. Every attempt to question it ended with the same answer. Its access to information about itself had been restricted back in the Nexus Core, so there were many things it simply wasn’t allowed to disclose. Just some bits here and there at most.

Still, constantly calling it "the AI" or "the Nexus Core" quickly became annoying. After asking whether it at least had a proper name, they were surprised to learn that it actually did. "You may call me Nomo."

"Nomo?" Everyone looked at the tiny winged robotic spider. "That’s... quite a cute name..."

Nomo showed no reaction whatsoever. "Nomo was the designation of the project that gave birth to this AI. This AI is incapable of determining whether the name is cute or not."

Roan thought of something else. "Since Nexus isn’t your name, does it have any special meaning?"

The spider gave a small nod. "It refers to the Comprehensive Celestial Plane Network. This AI lost contact with that network a very long time ago. Cause unknown."

They could only imagine how long "a very long time" truly was. Whatever the answer, it was undoubtedly older than the entire history of the Besgol Region itself.

"Can you tell us more about this network?" Celis asked.

Unfortunately, the answer remained the same. "This AI avatar is not authorized to disclose further information at this time."

Well, that was more or less what they had expected.

The days quietly passed...

Eventually, the airplane entered the communication range of the Besgol Region once again. Everyone’s RCs reconnected to the regional network, including the airplane itself. Naturally, Nomo immediately accessed it.

At that point, Rean could hardly even be called the airplane’s owner anymore. If Nomo wished, it could freely operate every function of the vessel whenever it pleased. It was good that it at least assured it would give control back to Rean once they landed.

While Nomo silently examined the Besgol Network, Rean and the others simultaneously received a transmission from the Godly Subjugation Guild.

-Welcome back. Please proceed to Sonfey Country to report the results of your mission. A representative of the Godly Subjugation Guild will be waiting for your arrival.-

Kentucky tilted his head. "Is that normal?"

Harksha nodded. "Yes. Elite Exploration Groups receive the highest priority once missions are completed. One of the first things we must do is submit our discoveries so the Besgol Region’s map database and other records can be updated."

"Senior Harksha," Senkiyu suddenly said, "shouldn’t we tell the Godly Subjugation Guild about Nomo?"

Before Harksha could answer, Nomo spoke first. "This AI requests that its existence remain undisclosed until a sufficiently high-ranking representative of the Besgol Region is present. This AI wishes to avoid unnecessary confrontation caused solely by its existence."

Harksha frowned. "That won’t be easy. Even I can’t suddenly request a meeting with one of the Region’s highest authorities without a convincing reason."

"Already done," Roan calmly replied.

"What?" Harksha blinked in confusion. "Already done?"

"Someone will be waiting for us in Sonfey," Roan explained.

Harksha stared at him.

She already knew how important the twins were to both the Godly Subjugation Guild and the Arrays Guild, but this still felt unbelievable.

"You’re serious?"

Roan didn’t even bother turning toward her.

"You’ll see soon enough."

"This AI appreciates your cooperation," Nomo added. "It has been confirmed that this AI’s existence was not mentioned during the communication requesting the meeting."

Rico’The couldn’t help but ask another question. "Can you also monitor our RC communications?"

"Correct," Nomo answered without hesitation. "The communication technology employed within this region is as primitive as the technology used in this airplane."

For some reason, Rean didn’t find the spider that cute anymore...

Nomo continued. "Although some time was required, the previous several days were sufficient to bypass the security of your RCs."

That answer made everyone aboard the airplane rather uncomfortable.

Then again... considering the technological gap between them and the Nexus Core, perhaps it would have been stranger if Nomo couldn’t do such a thing.

---

Sonfey Country’s capital possessed its own Teleport Arrays.

Only a week earlier, however, a new teleport array had quietly been installed there. Very few people knew why it existed. Even some Arrays Guild members found the decision rather puzzling. After all, Sonfey already had a perfectly functional teleport array, and constructing another one required an enormous amount of resources, not to mention teleportation itself was just as expensive.

So why build it?

Today, that brand-new Teleport Array suddenly activated.

A flash of light filled the platform before two figures emerged from it.

One was a monk.

The other was a humanoid demon beast.

"I think this goes without saying," the demon beast remarked, "but is it really appropriate for the two of us to mobilize just because those twins asked us to?"

The speaker was none other than the Law God Arctic Arcurio—better known simply as Arcis.

Standing beside him, Tobao shook his head. "The only times they’ve ever contacted us, it has always been for something important. They’ve never abused this privilege, and every meeting has benefited the Besgol Region or us greatly."

He folded his sleeves together.

"Roan didn’t explain the reason this time either. He only said we would absolutely want to be here when they arrived. Would you rather ignore that?"

Arcis let out a long sigh. "I suppose not..."

A moment later, he rubbed his forehead. "Still... why do I have this terrible feeling we’re about to end up buried under another mountain of work?"

Tobao couldn’t help smiling bitterly. "Somehow... I know exactly what you mean."

"Amitabha... Amitabha..."

Several hours later, Rean’s airplane finally arrived over Sonfey.

Tobao and Arcis personally came to receive the returning exploration group. The instant Harksha saw them, her eyes widened. "S-Senior Tobao! Senior Arcis!"

Roan had told her that he had contacted some higher-ranking officials. Never in her wildest imagination had she expected both Law Gods to appear in person.

Meanwhile, Tobao and Arcis looked at the unfamiliar woman with equal confusion.

"...That would be us."

Only then did they remember something rather important: This wasn’t only the twins’ group. They had returned together with their entire Elite Exploration Team.

"And you are...?" Tobao asked.

"Harksha, sirs!"

She immediately stepped forward to greet them properly.

Or at least she tried to.

*Bzt!*

A tiny electric shock traveled through her body.

Harksha instantly froze.

Right...

Nomo was still sitting there.

Tobao’s attention shifted toward the small metallic spider. Oddly enough, he couldn’t sense anything unusual coming from it. Instead, his eyes naturally drifted toward Harksha’s missing shoulder and arm. "Did something happen to you?"

"It would probably be better if we discussed everything somewhere private," Rean interrupted as he stored the airplane inside his Spatial Ring. Nomo truly gave his airplane’s control back in the end.

Roan and the others nodded in agreement.

If one ignored the twins’ usual calm expressions, Tobao and Arcis could clearly see the tension written across everyone else’s faces. "...Very well."

Tobao began to walk away with Arcis. "Follow us."

A meeting room had already been prepared beforehand. Powerful arrays isolated it from every kind of Sense or external surveillance, ensuring complete privacy.

The moment everyone took their seats, Tobao got straight to the point. "So? What is it that you wish to discuss with us?"

Arcis crossed his arms. "It had better be worth dragging the two of us all the way here."

Harksha became noticeably nervous under the gaze of the two Law Gods.

Without even realizing it, she turned toward Rean. Rean merely shrugged before extending one hand toward the robotic spider.

Nomo remained motionless for a brief moment. Then it silently climbed from Harksha’s shoulder onto Rean’s instead. Its internal calculations had concluded that Rean currently possessed the highest conversational priority.

Rean smiled. "Seniors..." He pointed toward the tiny winged spider resting on his shoulder. "I’d like you to meet Nomo."

Arcis frowned. "What? That puppet?"

"Not exactly." Rean shook his head. "Nomo is merely an avatar. The real Nomo is an artificial intelligence that has remained operational since long before the discovery of Besgol Region’s Sacred Relic."

He paused for just a second before casually adding, "Oh, by the way, this avatar alone is definitely stronger than a Region God Realm expert and could probably kill everyone here in a matter of moments."

"...Well, this last part isn’t particularly important right now."

Tobao and Arcis froze where they stood.

Not important?

The two Law Gods cursed inside their own minds.

’IF THAT ISN’T IMPORTANT, THEN WHAT HELL WOULD BE?!’

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