Primordial Expanse: I have the Strongest Talent! - Chapter 327

Chapter 327: Back, again
Liran seemed to be considering the implications, but Alex could tell this was news to him.

Alex continued speaking.

“I don’t know exactly how they did it, but I could feel it when I entered this area. It was like the space itself was sealed off until recently, preventing anything from entering or leaving through anything to do with the spatial element. The lock must have just been lifted, or we probably wouldn’t even be having this conversation either.”

Liran frowned, clearly troubled by the revelation.

“If they have the ability or technology to create a spatial lock that strong, they could be planning something big. With enough time and planning, maybe they could even lock down the entire star system!”

It seemed Liran had thought bigger than Alex had considering this situation.

If the Red Demons locked down the star system, any reinforcements or simply supply ships wouldn’t be able to enter warp, not to mention they would be slowed down drastically even while using their regular engines.

This would essentially cripple the entire infrastructure of the Federation’s entire military might in the Telorn system.

“I don’t know about all that. I’m just here to get someone back. If my suspicions are correct, then this spatial lock also affected the Floodgate, allowing it to have two way teleportations, rather than one way, only allowing beasts to come over from the other side.”

Liran’s frown deepened as he absorbed the information Alex was relaying to him.

The implications of a spatial lock were far too severe for him to just leave alone.

If the Red Demons even had a remote chance of affecting something on the level of the star system, he had to report it. The entire balance of power in the Telorn system would shift dramatically if this were the case.

“They could cripple our entire operation…” Liran muttered. “If they manage to lock down even a single Planet, we’d be cut off from reinforcements, supplies, everything. We’d be sitting ducks.”

Other than that though, Liran’s curiosity was piqued.

He couldn’t help but wonder who this ‘someone’ was that Alex was so determined to find. The young awakened was risking his life in a potentially hostile territory, facing down B tiers like Karosh, all for this person.

But Liran decided no to press the issue, recognising Alex’s mission was personal, and pressing for more details would be inappropriate at this moment.

“I see, this mission is personal to you. That explains your determination.” Liran said, nodding.

Alex didn’t respond, and Liran chose not to pry further.

“If what you’re saying is true, then this situation is more serious than I anticipated.”

Liran continued, his tone now all business. “We need to reinforce this area immediately. I’ll have to report this back to command and request some B tier awakened with a focus on the spatial element to come over. If the Red Demons are planning something on a larger scale, we can’t afford to be caught off guard.”

He paused, considering whether he should continue, but decided to hold off in the end.

He was going to ask if Alex was willing to help with this, considering he was the one who discovered the spatial lock, so he was clearly qualified.

But he understood that Alex had his own mission to focus on, and he didn’t want to interfere with that.

“Just know that your information might have just saved countless lives.”

Alex appreciated Liran’s understanding, though he could sense the underlying tension in the older awakened’s voice.

The stakes were indeed high, and Alex’s own investigation had suddenly become a critical piece of a much larger puzzle.

With that, Liran turned away, pulling out a communicator to relay the critical information back to the federation’s headquarters on Earth.

He needed to ensure that this information reached their ears, and that reinforcements were on their way, and fast.

Alex watched him for a moment until he completely disappeared from his view.

But while Liran had gained some potentially incredibly valuable information, Alex was stuck at a roadblock.

He had potentially located the exact point where Mira and the other’s drop pods had gone missing, but that left him in somewhat of a dilemma.

How was he supposed to pass through the Floodgate?

The spatial lock had already been lifted, so the Floodgate was no longer a two way portal and had resumed its previous one way door status.

Without the ability to enter through the Floodgate, Alex had no way to find Mira in the Primordial Expanse.

There was one thought that kept on repeating in his mind every few minutes, but Alex couldn’t quite bring himself to believe it.

‘What if I entered the Primordial Expanse myself, the usual way?’

This kept on ringing throughout his mind, not letting him get a moment of peace to properly examine any other possible methods.

Entering the Primordial Expanse of his own will to enter was a huge gamble, as he was betting that he would just be thrown into another random location again, just like he had been the second time he entered.

Well, it wasn’t really random, as he had swapped locations with Mira…

‘Wait!’

Suddenly, Alex felt like he had a massive brainwave, sending a wild theory throughout his mind.

He had never heard of anyone else exchanging locations with each other in the Primordial Expanse, which meant that there was some sort of special link between Alex and Mira.

What if, hypothetically, this link between him and Mira still existed?

The last time they entered the Primordial Expanse, they did so at the same time, and while he didn’t know the exact mechanisms behind why they were switched, he suspected it might not be the same this time around.

There seemed to be some sort of pattern going on between them whenever they entered the Primordial Expanse.

First, they entered completely different locations, not even aware of each other’s existence as they had only met after both of them had already finished their first experience in the Primordial Expanse.

Then, their second time, they had inexplicably switched locations, which they had only found out had taken place afterwards after convening with each other.

What if this third time, something different might happen?

Alex had no clue, but just the fact it was the only idea he could think of that could possibly allow him to find Mira was enough to spur him on.

‘Let’s do it!’

He steeled his resolve, then had an interesting thought.

‘What if I enter the Primordial Expanse while in direct vicinity of the Floodgate?’

The idea was an interesting one, to say the least.

Alex couldn’t recall if anyone had ever tried this, but after becoming much more attuned with the space element following his rank up to C- rank, he could instinctively feel that something interesting might happen if he did so.

Perhaps, with both portals so close to each other, Alex’s destination may be directly altered to be near that of the Floodgate?

Who knows, but now he had two theories to go off of, and the good thing was that he could experiment with them simultaneously.

The only thing was that if he did happen to land somewhere close to the destination of the Floodgate and find Mira, then he wouldn’t know whether it was the first or second theory that was the reason for it.

Either way, he didn’t care.

All that mattered was that he was presented with even the slightest chance to find Mira again.

With his mind made up, Alex was presented with that same looming question so many awakened across the universe both feared and treasured.

[Would you like to enter the Primordial Expanse?]

Alex naturally said ‘yes’ in a heartbeat.

***

The swirling vortex of energy closed behind Alex as he stumbled slightly out of the portal.

The transition from the dizzying portal to solid ground caught him off guard every time.

No matter what, entering a portal to the Primordial Expanse was a sensation he would never get used to, it got no less disorienting with time and even as he grew stronger, it still remained.

But he quickly regained his balance and took in his surroundings, his heart pounding with anticipation.

He was in a forest.

The air was cool, crisp and filled with the scent of leaves and earth.

The trees towered above him, the underbrush was dense, and the entire place was eerily quiet.

For a moment, Alex’s heart sank.

‘Did something go wrong?’

The forest looked identical to the ones on Eldaris.

Had he somehow ended back where he started? Did he even enter the Primordial Expanse at all?

But as he looked closer, he began to notice subtle differences.

The most notable being the complete lack of any ambient sound whatsoever, no rustling of the leaves in the wind, no birds chirping. Nothing.

It was almost complete silence, save for Alex’s own footsteps.

But the most startling thing came next.

He activated his spatial perception, and found that there was not a single living being within 20 kilometres!

Not sentient, but living!

There was nothing at all…