"Before we embark on this cosmic journey, we'd better prepare our supplies first," Aria remarked, checking her gear bag.
"Agreed. We have no idea what kinds of obstacles we'll be up against," Von replied, his voice brimming with anticipation.
The team sprang into action, double-checking logistics, dimensional trackers, and spiritual protection devices. Only Chloe remained still in the corner of the room—unmoving, unburdened. She had brought nothing with her since the beginning—only her body and a quiet resolve more unshakable than anyone else's.
As the only other woman on the team, Aria watched Chloe's silence with a mix of curiosity and sympathy. She approached her gently, hoping to open a bridge between them.
"Chloe, come get ready with me. I brought some extra clothes—you might like something," Aria offered warmly, her voice trying to break the ice.
Chloe looked awkward, uncertain of how to respond, but before she could utter a word, Aria had already taken her hand with soft insistence.
Eventually, they prepared together, and a few hours later, Chloe emerged in new clothing—simple yet refined, far more elegant than the worn garments she had arrived in. Despite its modesty, her appearance now radiated a quiet strength.
Yoru and Von froze at the sight, stunned by the transformation. But Arsh remained unaffected, his mind immune to such distractions.
"Arsh, where did you meet a girl that beautiful?" Yoru whispered, half-joking.
"Yeah, man," Von chimed in, nudging his shoulder. "How'd you end up bringing someone this cool and gorgeous?"
Arsh turned briefly, answering with flat finality. "That doesn't matter. What matters now is ending this chaos."
Yoru and Von exchanged a glance, shaking their heads. Arsh hadn't changed one bit.
Once everyone was ready, Arsh stepped into the center of the room.
"Alright. Preparations are complete," he declared firmly. "Chloe, where do we go first to find the Cosmic Stones?"
Chloe opened the book and skimmed its pages with swift precision. "According to the coordinates here, the two closest locations to us are... Mount Everest and the South Pole."
"Then we start with the closest—Mount Everest," Arsh responded without hesitation.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—on the far side of reality, in the depths of Below Existence—Lovecraft remained imprisoned within an incomplete boundary of power.
Only about one percent of his strength had seeped into Earth—yet it was already enough to begin distorting reality.
"I must escape this abyss soon," he murmured, his voice echoing like hollow thunder. "Before that girl ruins the plan I've crafted over trillions of years…"
Arsh and his team now set off toward Mount Everest. But the path ahead was anything but easy. The mountain stood at the edge of a tightly isolated international border. Official routes had been sealed. Extreme weather formed a natural wall, nearly impossible to penetrate. And worse than all of that... something was already waiting for them in the heights above.
To be continued...