Just as Leon put on his blindfold and happily drifted into dreamland on the Sky Clipper, the Sky Clipper he was on slowly flew over the border of the two countries and reached the Northern Kingdom's territory.
And just as this critically important Sky Clipper had barely crossed the hexagonal mountain range at the border, the Northern Kingdom's signature storm disaster conveniently arrived, wildly wreaking havoc on the airship's flight path.
However, as a Sky Clipper that regularly traveled the Northern-Traveling Thrush route, the crew of this airship naturally had preparations for the common disasters of the Northern Kingdom, and their response measures were extremely well-prepared.
Under the captain's command, the Sky Clipper only released some fuel and lowered its flying altitude. Then, by intermittently navigating along the leeward mountain foothills and avoiding overly turbulent airflow areas, it successfully stabilized the airship and mostly avoided the storm.
Moreover, because the whole process was so skillful, most of the passengers, like Leon, who were soundly asleep, didn't even feel any turbulence and hadn't woken from their dreams, completely unaware they had just been through a minor disaster.
It was just that...
...
No way... why is he here?!!!
Through that small disaster, sensing a familiar aura, the Raven Masked Man, who was advancing towards the Earth's core via the Hot River, couldn't help but shiver instinctively.
The reason he accepted the mission in the north, aside from the fact that causing massive natural disasters matched his authority over "Calamity" and "Chaos," was mainly to avoid that deadly "Food God."
According to the intelligence provided by the Aquarius Director, it was the war initiated by the Northern Kingdom that led to the death of the Food God's parents from the Clean-up Bureau. With his grudge against the Northern Kingdom, he was unlikely to be sent by the Clean-up Bureau to the north, allowing me to avoid a confrontation with him.
After all, during Aquarius' ascension to the palace last time, if it hadn't been for the backhand left by the Aquarius Director which unexpectedly saved my life, I would probably already be lying dead in his stomach.
Recollecting the terrifying sensation of being swallowed whole by Leon and having my entire soul eroded and worn away, the Raven Masked Man's heart chilled suddenly, and he began to uncontrollably exude cold air.
I've been the God of Calamity for so many years and have sparred against numerous chiefs and directors of the Clean-up Bureau, but I have never encountered such a crazy human!
In the past, many of those Cleaners from the Clean-up Bureau were stronger than the Food God, some even capable of easily killing me, but none of them gave me a feeling as terrifying as this overly young Food God.
Those Cleaners, when facing me, displayed anger, fear, hatred, and disgust... but no matter their specific emotions, they always "cared" about me. However, this Food God...
He genuinely only wants to eat me!
Recalling the bizarre "anticipation" hidden in Leon's eyes when he looked at me, the Raven Masked Man's scalp tingled, and he instinctively halted his steps.
Compared to any fear or anger, in that damned Food God's heart, the temptation to tear me to pieces and swallow me whole, savoring the taste, far outweighed the desire to simply kill and eliminate me.
In his eyes, rather than being an enemy that must be killed, I am more like a delicacy that delivered itself to his door. Like a pig foolishly breaking through a fence only to find itself in his vegetable patch munching on his cabbages, simply driving me away is not enough; he must catch and thoroughly enjoy me first.
But those in the Slaughter King Association have never truly faced the Food God and simply can't understand how I feel! They think I have been wounded by the scattered authority of "Fear," leading to uncontrollable dread towards the Food God, but the actual situation is nothing like they imagine!
No way! I need to change my task! I must stay far away from him!!!
"Dongya?"
Noticing his companion had stopped, the figure ahead with the white wolf head mask turned around, casting a surprised look at him.
"What's going on with you? And why does your condition seem so chaotic? Has your soul not recovered from the damage of the Fear authority last time?"
"My soul is not the problem!"
Upon hearing the inquiry from the wolf head mask, the Raven Masked Man couldn't help but respond angrily:
"I've told you all many times! While my soul has been worn away a bit, it has nothing to do with that damned Fear authority!"
"Yeah, yeah, my bad."
Glancing at the terror-filled eyes of the Raven Masked Man, the figure with the white wolf head mask didn't argue but responded noncommittally, then slowly walked over, kindly inquiring:
"So what's your situation now? Can you still accompany me into the Molten Path?"
"I..."
Hesitating for a moment upon hearing the question, the Raven Masked Man then replied:
"Xuebei, I'm thinking, should we abandon this mission? After all, the Witch Kingdom and Thousand Sails Maritime Country sides have already progressed quite a bit. With them as our fallback, even if we abort ours, it should not affect..."
"What nonsense are you talking?"
Interrupting the proposal made by the Raven Masked Man, the frowning Xuebei couldn't help but reprimand:
"Although preparations have been made on the Witch Kingdom side, the Great Witch King's daughter has been hiding cautiously for years. If she remains patient, enduring until the Great Witch King passes away without returning for a final visit, we might not be able to capture her!
It's the same with the Thousand Sails Maritime Country. Even if the Sun-Corpses Curse Ritual becomes irreversible, missing only one more exposures to kill all targets, the Clean-up Bureau may yet have methods to prevent the sun from breaking through the Moon-covered sea fog!
Therefore, our current position is the most recently successful group. If we achieve success, and any other group succeeds once again, the Watcher's Palace will be unable to prevent the True God from entering or exiting. We are the ones meant to be the safety net for others!"
...
The statement makes sense, but that Food God is coming soon, and I'm worried we can't hold this position!
"Dongya!"
Looking at the tongue-tied Raven Masked Man who remained anxious, Xuebei frowned, guessing aloud:
"Did you discover something that made you suddenly propose abandoning the mission?"
"I have indeed found some things..."
Nodding upon hearing the words, the Raven Masked Man quietly replied:
"In a small storm, I spotted a Sky Clipper coming up from the south, having crossed the hexagonal mountain range, and inside..."
"From the south? Is it the Clean-up Bureau's Food God?"
"Yeah..."
No wonder you're so flustered; the primary wielder of "Fear" who injured you is about to arrive.
Seeing the Raven Masked Man, who has harbored a deep psychological shadow after nearly being eaten last time, and who fears Leon like the devil, Xuebei couldn't help but shake his head before confidently proclaiming:
"That Food God is indeed a bit problematic, but while it's difficult to kill him, if it's just about stopping him from causing trouble, that's much easier!"
