Chapter 52 Removing the barrier
The moment the barrier vanished, a violent pressure surged outward from within Oxmeadow, like a tide that had been restrained for far too long. It did not explode outward, but instead spread in a heavy, suffocating wave that pressed down on everyone standing near the entrance.
Vandal stepped forward first.
The instant his foot crossed the boundary, his body stiffened slightly. The air inside felt entirely different. It was thick, almost viscous, and every breath carried a weight that pressed against his chest. At the same time, an invisible force bore down on his body, testing the limits of his bones, muscles, and internal organs.
Behind him, Anwar followed without hesitation, his guard echo manifesting faintly around his body like a thin layer of hardened green light. The pressure bent against it but did not break through.
Sabine and Yazmeen entered next. Sabine’s aura stabilized quickly, forming a defensive blue layer that reduced the strain on her body, while Yazmeen exhaled slowly and adjusted her stance, her control allowing her to disperse some of the pressure rather than resist it directly.
She was holding an echo beast core in her hand, the energy transferring into her and coating her skin with a sickly purple color.
Hutrar stepped in with a grin that did not last long. The moment he crossed over, the grin faded as the pressure pressed down on him heavily. His muscles tensed, veins bulging slightly, but he remained standing, his body gradually swelling as he increased in height and mass, though not completely.
Chan watched them all quietly as he sat down, bringing out a bag of fried potatoes.
Jaden entered last among them. His expression changed drastically as the sudden gravity forced him to nearly plummet face first into the ground, but he activated his thunder echo, causing electricity to crackle across his skin. His breathing slowed noticeably as he adjusted to the oppressive environment, and he gradually pushed himself upright before trudging forward.
Mael stepped forward as well, clearly unwilling to be left behind. The moment he entered, his body trembled slightly, though he quickly masked it and straightened his posture. He activated his light echo, his skin radiating as if touched by sunlight and giving his posture a reflective sheen as he stepped forward slowly while maintaining a composed expression.
Outside, Jaclynn watched them with narrowed eyes, but she did not move.
Other people, sensing that the barrier had vanished, rushed in. Some began to gasp for air before suddenly exploding. After a few unexpected deaths, a small number of people were able to activate whatever treasures or tools they possessed to protect themselves from the pressure and enter cautiously, although these individuals were pitifully few.
Within a few seconds, the opening behind them flickered and closed once again, sealing them inside.
The difference was immediate.
Silence.
Not the absence of sound, but a heavy, suffocating stillness that seemed to swallow even the faintest noise. The sky above Oxmeadow had a dull gray tint, and the land itself was barren, with cracked earth stretching as far as the eye could see. In the distance, faint distortions shimmered in the air, as if space itself was unstable.
Vandal slowly exhaled and adjusted his stance. I do not want to use my left eye, but I feel like I need to. Closing both eyes briefly, he opened them again, his left eye focusing instinctively as it scanned the surroundings with greater intensity.
“This place is worse than I expected,” Sabine said quietly.
“It will get worse the deeper we go,” Vandal replied.
As they began to move forward, each step felt heavier than the last. The pressure was not constant. It fluctuated subtly, increasing and decreasing in irregular patterns, making it difficult to fully adapt.
After a short distance, Vandal suddenly stopped.
“There is something ahead,” he said.
The others halted immediately.
“There you go again, how do you know that?” Mael asked.
Vandal did not reply. As long as Mael was not looking directly at him, he would not notice the subtle changes in his left eye.
At first, there was nothing.
Then, the ground ahead shifted.
A patch of cracked earth trembled slightly before collapsing inward, revealing a dark hollow beneath. From within it, a distorted figure slowly crawled out.
It did not resemble a human completely. Its body was malformed, its limbs elongated and twisted unnaturally. Its skin had a grayish tone, and its eyes were hollow, yet faint traces of something lingered within them.
“What is that, and how is it even able to survive in this environment?” Yazmeen asked in awe.
“Why are you asking? Do you think any of us have been here before?” Sabine replied with an annoyed expression. She could clearly guess who that question was meant for, and she knew what Yazmeen was trying to do.
“I did not ask you,” Yazmeen said irritably.
“I know, but Vandal does not know what they are either, so I do not understand why you are asking such a baseless question,” Sabine said, placing her hands on her hips.
“Enough, both of you. It is about to attack,” Vandal said, his expression slightly confused as to why they were arguing in front of an unknown creature.
The creature let out a low, distorted sound and suddenly lunged forward.
Vandal moved instantly.
His body shifted forward, and he struck with a controlled motion. The moment his fist connected, he felt something unusual. There was resistance, but it was not physical in the usual sense. It felt as though he had struck something that existed between matter and energy.
The creature was thrown back, but it did not fall apart. Instead, it twisted mid air and lunged again, this time moving faster.
“Physical attacks are not enough,” Yazmeen observed.
Anwar stepped forward, his guard echo expanding outward. The moment it made contact with the creature, a sharp reaction occurred. The creature’s body trembled violently, as if something within it was being suppressed.
“It seems to be affected by my echo ability,” Anwar said.
Vandal narrowed his eyes.
“Then do not let it get close,” he said.
Hutrar rushed forward with brute force, his strikes carrying enough power to push the creature back repeatedly, while Sabine supported from the side, maintaining their formation.
Jaden watched briefly before stepping in. His movements were precise, and when he struck, the electricity surrounding him sharpened his attacks, giving them a piercing quality.
Within a short time, the creature let out a final distorted sound before collapsing completely, its form breaking apart into faint particles that dissolved into the air.
Silence returned once more.
However, the atmosphere felt heavier than before.
Malouf’s expression grew more serious.
“I have heard about creatures like this. I read about them in our ancient library. They are called echo remnants, souls that were trapped and became corrupted.”
“This one appears to be a weaker type,” Malouf added.
“The weaker type? You mean that creature was weak?” Vandal asked, somewhat astonished.
Just then, he noticed a faint light glowing in the distance, and his gaze shifted in that direction.
It was not bright, but it was distinct enough to stand out in the dull environment. He had already seen it, but the others had not, and since he could not explain how he noticed, he chose not to mention anything yet, waiting until it became visible to everyone.
“The altar,” Malouf said as it gradually came into view.
As they continued forward, Vandal’s expression began to change.
The terrain ahead started to form patterns.
At first, it seemed random. Cracks in the ground, scattered stones, and uneven surfaces. However, the more he observed, the more deliberate it appeared.
He slowed his pace.
“This is not natural,” he said.
Mael frowned. “What do you mean?”
Vandal did not answer immediately. His left eye focused more intensely, tracing the layout of the ground, the positioning of the cracks, and the spacing between certain points.
“It is a formation,” he said finally.
“How do you know it is a formation?” Mael asked.
“Shhhhh, you ask too many questions,” Vandal said, beginning to grow annoyed with Mael’s constant interruptions.
Malouf’s eyes widened slightly. “A formation? After all this time?”
“It has weakened, but it is still active,” Vandal said. “If we step incorrectly, it will trigger.”
Hutrar looked down instinctively. “Then how do we pass?”
Vandal remained silent for a moment.