406  405: The Mountain of Metals (Bonus Chapter)

    Beyond the shifting sands of The Morphing Expanse, Corey and Selene gazed at the towering and sky-piercing mountain of metals with fascination.

    Instead of rock and dirt, The Mountain of Metals was made out of countless layers of metallic ores, alloys, and crystalline minerals. Its jagged cliffs gleamed in the dim light, casting reflections that seemed to shift and ripple, as though the mountain itself was alive.

    Copper veins threaded through silvery steel, blackened iron, and gleaming gold, while some sections were made out of bronze, cobalt, and platinum.

    The mountain''s surface was uneven, with sharp ridges and jagged outcrops that jutted out at odd angles, creating a maze of treacherous peaks and deep ravines. Some areas were smooth as polished steel, while others were coarse with rusted metal shards that crunched when stepped on like brittle bones.

    Along the mountain''s spine were towers of twisted metals that rose high into the sky, some were bent and warped as if they were melted by intense heat, while others were sharpened into spires that pierced the heavens.

    As Corey and Selene gazed at the mountain of metals, they were both awed since they had never heard of a mountain completely made out of numerous types of metals.

    The value of the mountain was immense!

    It was a gold mine.

    NO!

    It was a resource mine... A mine of countless resources!

    What made the mountain of metal more valuable was the fact that they had not entered the mountain, who knew what rare ore, metal, and mineral they would be able to find inside the mountain.

    Selene''s eyes blazed with visible greed and desire.

    Corey was no different, however, there were two different emotions in his gaze.

    Joy and Anxiety.

    [An Infinity Crystal is inside the mountain.]

    Nina''s voice resounded in his mind, and he nodded subtly.

    Approximately four hundred meters away from both him and Selene, the desert filled with countless Aqualapides.

    Corey could still see the Aqualapides fighting, butchering, and killing themselves while the rain poured down on them with reckless abandon.

    Corey shifted his gaze to the sky above them, and his pupils reflected the sight of a blood-red sky filled with silver clouds.

    To Corey''s bafflement and intrigue, there was no sun in the sky.

    ''This is not the first time I''ve noticed this, but if there''s no sun or moon in the sky, then what is the source of light that shines upon this shattered dimension?''

    An intrigued light flashed in Corey''s eyes, and after trying to figure out an answer for a minute or two, he gave up with a light shrug.

    He gazed at the desert once again, and then he glanced at the mountain of metals in front of them.

    ''I don''t know why, but luckily for us, that bizarre rain does not reach this place.''

    Corey glanced at Selene who was sitting beside him, and when he saw her sitting in a cross-legged position with her eyes closed, he spoke through the slave seal,

    ''When you''ve fully recovered your mana, tell me so we can start moving.''

    Selene''s eyelids trembled slightly, and then she nodded.

    Corey nodded, and then he looked around once again before resting his back on the gigantic rock they were currently hiding behind.

    Corey closed his eyes, and his breathing became extremely faint.

    If one were to see Corey, one would think he was sleeping since he was not sitting in a cross-legged position.

    However, Corey''s mind was on a lot of things, especially everything that Nina told him after he killed the abomination of the temple, and also what dangers he might come across in his attempt to acquire the Earth infinity crystal.

    -----

    Time went by, and approximately five hours later, Selene told Corey she had fully recovered and was ready.