Chapter 605: Flying Mutant Rats

Shortly after Leon disappeared inside the spatial portal along with Darlene and Duna, the teleportation array did not deactivate on its own but remained operating—even after they left. 

"So this is how a portable teleportation array works, huh?" Elizabeth studied the runic device by turning a rotating pad. 

In a short instance, the new sets of runic lines disconnected, immediately short-circuiting the energy flow and deactivated the teleportation array. 

The spatial portal closed up and vanished without trace after losing its supply of energy. 

After another turn of the rotating pad, the runic lines realigned and activated the teleportation array as the spatial portal was opened.

"How fascinating. Our son invented this?" Heinrich marveled at the teleportation array's functions before curiously asking, "Where does this spatial portal lead us?" 

"This one should lead us to the Western Frontier," Elizabeth said before turning the rotating pad again back to the original spot, "And this one will lead us to where our son is."

"Oh? Seems like this teleportation array has up to four different locations according to these rotating pads. What about these other two points? Where do they lead?" Heinrich inquired with interest. 

However, Elizabeth shook her head. 

"This one will open the spatial portal connected to the portable teleportation array I was given by our son, while this last one is a dummy without any spatial coordinates recorded. It's used to deactivate the teleportation array," Elizabeth explained. 

"I see… It seems like our son has introduced us to quite an amazing mode of travel. It's even more effective than the high-speed airship travel I plan to implement in the Grassland Region after building our the New Capital…" Heinrich praised. 

"Un." Elizabeth nodded in agreement.

"However, this method of travel has a fatal flaw. We cannot make it public and known by everyone. It must be well-guarded and can only be used by people we trust," Heinrich added with furrowed brows of concern. 

"Right." Elizabeth agreed before stating with a solemn look, "If any of these portable teleportation arrays are lost to our enemies, they would be able to use it against us and strike us while we least expect it."

Elizabeth rotated the rotating pad once more to deactivate the teleportation array and save energy.

Shortly after, Elizabeth continued, "Even if this teleportation array is deactivated, anyone can jump to this location if they have any teleportation array with this teleportation array's spatial coordinates recorded."

"True. Although I don't think anyone can rival our son's knowledge in runes, can't we deactivate the teleportation completely by removing the power stones embedded in the sockets?" Heinrich wondered. 

Elizabeth recalled her son's previous instruction before she shook her head, "They teleportation arrays uses its own energy to create the portal for the spatial jump. As such, it does not need another teleportation array's activation—only its spatial coordinates." 

Suddenly, a spatial portal reopened before Heinrich and Elizabeth were startled with alarming expressions. 

"Someone is coming!"

Not long after, Duke Ignis's figure could be seen walking out from the spatial portal before he looked around with a wondering expression.

"Oh?" 

Heinrich exclaimed with pleasant surprise after recognizing the person before he approached Duke Ignis and patted his broad shoulders.

"Well, if it isn't Brother Ignis? What brings you back here? How's the situation in the Western Frontier?" Heinrich inquired with a smile.

"The Western Frontier's situation is stable for now, but there's no telling what will happen in the future. Leon dropped by in the Western Frontier and suggested that I should get familiar with using these teleportation arrays—And so, here I am."

After Duke Ignis answered casually, he continued to have a look around before speaking, "Judging by the surrounding, this place should be the inner palace?"

"Un." Heinrich nodded. 

"Since you are already here, we might as well take this chance to catch up, Brother Ignis, and you can also tell me about the Western Frontier's situation in detail."

"Alright." Duke Ignis agreed. 

"Then I leave you to men to have some time together. I need to get back and prepare for the trip to the Grassland Region," Elizabeth spoke, seeing it was not appropriate to stick around while there were still matters to settle. 

"Alright, dear. I know you don't need me to say this, but be careful on your journey. There's a lot of unpredictable elements and danger during this Cataclysm," Heinrich said out of concern. 

"I know, Heinrich." Elizabeth smiled before smirking, "But you should concern yourself in dealing with those Demon Worshippers. Don't worry about me. I will come back to visit after I set up the teleportation array in a secured location in the Grassland Region." 

"Right, we still have those Demon Worshippers to worry about…" Heinrich immediately felt a headache regarding this matter. 

However, Heinrich recalled Leon's act of cleansing the Capital's foul atmosphere before his expression slightly eased up shortly after.

Nevertheless, it was the first time Duke Ignis heard about this matter as a puzzled look shortly appeared on his face. 

"What are these Demon Worshippers you are talking about, Brother Heinrich?" Duke Ignis turned to Heinrich with knitted brows. 

"We can also talk about this over tea, Brother Ignis. Come," Heinrich urged Duke Ignis with one hand but failed to make the person budge, causing him to raise an eyebrow before looking back at Duke Ignis with surprise.

"Is it just me, or have you become much stronger physically? Your muscles are hard as a rock, and your stance is stable and firm like a mountain. I cannot budge you at all!" Heinrich exclaimed after a few more attempts at moving Duke Ignis.

Duke Ignis immediately cracked a smile before chuckling softly, "Ohoho, you just noticed? I made a small breakthrough in the Western Frontier." 

Swoosh~!

At the same time, Duke Ignis flexed his strength in front of Heinrich and Elizabeth by making a punch at empty air, resulting in a strong gust of wind swirling into the distance.

"Small breakthrough, my ass." Heinrich rolled his eyes in doubt before asking, "Quickly tell me what happened in the Western Frontier." 

"Hahaha, this is all thanks to Leon. I would not have been able to achieve this kind of breakthrough without his help. Also—" 

Duke Ignis began explaining with a smug look when he suddenly froze upon recalling a certain event, causing his expression to take a quick turn into gloominess.

"Also what?"

"Haiz, forget it."

…

Meanwhile, Leon had only returned to Soft Feather's side in the Wildlands for a brief moment. 

After seeing they were still en route to the Desolate Crow Clan, Leon decided to make a quick stop in the Western Frontier to check on the situation. 

"Are you leaving again, Your Highness?" General Marquis Hendrick inquired at Leon's side near the Western Frontier's teleportation array. 

"Yeah, since everything is still stable here, I will be returning to the other side." Leon nodded before saying, "I'm about to arrive in the Desolate Crow Clan's territory. I need to be present to tackle any danger that may arise upon arriving."

"Then… please be careful, Your Highness," General Marquis Hendrick said. 

After Leon nodded, he stepped into the spatial portal and returned to the other side, where he had left the others. 

However, he was immediately stunned upon his return.

"Lilith, make sure you do not leave Soft Feather's side! Soft Feather, please protect Lilith! I will handle the rear!" Aria shouted while fending off a large group of berserk flying beasts with 36 ice-lightning swords. 

"Begone!" 

Duna took on the vanguard position and waved her hand, sending out a wave of darkness that swept away the numerous mutated rats with grotesque-looking wings made of blood and bones ahead and blinded them. 

"Awrooo!" 

The Transcendent-level silver wolf's howl was heard below while it was similarly getting swarmed by a sea of mutated rats in the berserk state.

"What's the situation?" I was only gone for a few minutes. How did we get ourselves surrounded by swarms of rats so suddenly?" Leon quickly inquired after deactivating the teleportation array on Soft Feather's back and storing it inside his Worldspace.

"Leon, you're back!" Lilith exclaimed with joy even though her eyes were red and teary—choke-full of emotions and on the verge of crying.

"I don't know! When we arrived at my clan's territory, the place was already overrun with rats! I don't think anyone is still alive around here! My parents… they might already—"

"It's too soon to jump to conclusions. Let us deal with these rats first, then figure out what happened here," Leon interrupted with a frown before withdrawing his Tier 4 Bone Spear from the Worldspace. 

"Alright…" 

Lilith stood up on Soft Feather's back, but she was shortly forced back down by Leon. 

"I wasn't talking to you, Lilith. You still haven't reached the Transcendent level yet. It'll be too dangerous for you to participate in this level of battle. Just hug close to Soft Feather's back with Darlene and sit this one out." 

"We will handle this."

Shortly after Leon spoke, he immediately took a big leap off Soft Feather's back before making a mighty sweep to the side.

Swoosh~!

Numerous mutant flying rats that managed to latch onto Soft Feather's wings as she was vehemently trying to shake them off were immediately blown away by the wind pressure!

Shortly after, he made another powerful sweep of his spear, immediately blowing away the mutants rats latching onto Soft Feather's other wings before he inquired, "How are you faring, Soft Feather? Are you alright?" 

"I'm alright for now, but you better do something quickly! I don't think I can hold on for much longer if this keeps up!" Soft Feather cried while flapping her blood-soaked wings with many bite marks and several feathers missing. 

"Sorry, Soft Feather… You wouldn't be in this state if you did not have to protect me." Lilith was filled with guilt. 

At the same time, Darlene also wore a guilty expression. Perhaps, she should not have come—for she was holding everyone back.