Chapter Ninety-Two: A World Transformed, On the Eve of the First Public Beta

With the successful binding, Morningstar felt a pitch-black cubic space. At this moment, he sensed himself as its master, able to adjust the sky within and to summon items out with ease.

He opened his eyes and looked once more at the small cubic box. The binding with the Traveler’s Box was complete, and its functions were now clear to him. As a storage box, it could absorb items into the dark space within, and, with only a thought, return them to his hand.

Without the aid of the New Sun game, Morningstar casually picked up a pen, silently commanding in his mind: “Store.”

Instantly, the Traveler’s Box floated in the air, and the white dove engraved on the black surface opened its mouth. Black patterns enveloped the pen, and it vanished. In his mind, he saw the pen drop into the pitch-black room inside the cube.

An excellent storage space, he thought. However, just like its counterpart in reality, this ability to transmit objects was strictly limited. He could enter the Traveler’s Box, but not the New Sun World. He could not put himself into the box and return to the New Sun World, nor could he bring living people from the New Sun World to Earth.

The Traveler’s Box functioned almost identically to its real-world version, with rigorous rules that prevented any mischievous tricks. In short, Earthlings could not enter the New Sun World, and citizens of New Capital could not step onto Earth; an insurmountable wall remained between them.

Even with these restrictions, it was still remarkable. It meant that from now on, his journeys would be akin to traveling with his home, greatly enhancing convenience. The cubic space was spacious enough to transform into a cozy little base.

Lost in thought, Morningstar sensed a sudden idea. Contracted beasts were not subject to these limitations! In other words, he could summon the Shadow Fox to Earth through the Traveler’s Box!

Bringing Shadow Fox to Earth would vastly strengthen his combat power in reality.

“Perhaps I can give little Shadow Fox a surprise…”

Morningstar prepared some delicious food in the kitchen and set it on the table in his room. After this journey, Shadow Fox had been running tirelessly and deserved a good reward.

Once ready, Morningstar summoned Shadow Fox to Earth.

A furry black fox tumbled out of the Traveler’s Box, spun around twice, and looked utterly confused. The black fox hopped on the sofa, its puzzled gaze fixed on Morningstar.

Stare—

Morningstar was taken aback…

Logically, the game character was a reflection of his soul, their spiritual aura should match, and the contract power should allow recognition.

Shadow Fox tilted its head, sniffed him, then suddenly leapt into his arms, fearfully scanning its surroundings: “Master? What is this place!”

It recognized me!

Even as a world traveler, Shadow Fox was instinctively uneasy seeing such a radically different environment, seeking out the one it trusted. The fur’s touch was delightful… Morningstar patted the fox’s fluffy little head, reassuring it with a few casual words that this world was safe and free from bad people.

Shadow Fox’s intelligence was not high; a few comforting words were enough for it to accept this world. Certain it was safe beside its master, the fox climbed onto the table, sniffed the feast, and drooled.

But it quickly shook its head, refusing the food. Shadow Fox had its rules: it would not eat bloody things, only shadow-aligned items. Stir-fried beef and the like were forbidden.

Eating foods with the wrong nature would harm the fox’s body.

With the fox now summonable to Earth, Morningstar took out the Shadow Dagger as a kitchen knife. He brought out the Shadowbone Flower, and with the precise power of the Bloodblade Fruit, tossed the flower into the air and sliced it in one smooth motion.

He plated the Shadowbone Flower, sprinkled cumin and chopped scallions for extra flavor and ritual. Though doing such a thing to a shadow-infused flower seemed a bit silly, it indeed enhanced the taste.

Shadow Fox sniffed, opened its little mouth: “Master is a super chef—there’s always delicious food when I’m with you…”

It devoured the Shadowbone Flower, the best shadow-aligned delicacy it had ever tasted, then rolled onto its back and fell asleep.

Once Shadow Fox was sound asleep, Morningstar returned to his desk. With a thought, he changed the Traveler’s Box scenery to a grassy plain beneath blue skies and white clouds.

He picked up his pen and, sitting at the desk, began to sketch a simple plan for his future new home—the Traveler’s Box. With more and more props and materials expected, basic organization was needed: storage for materials, weapons, a resting area, bookshelves…

With the Traveler’s Box, he could truly make a home anywhere in the world. This thing was nothing short of a super RV!

After finishing his plan, Morningstar took up five pages and examined them. Among these sheets was a powerful spell—Blackfire Walk.

In essence, Blackfire Walk allowed one to vanish and reappear within black fire, greatly enhancing agility within it—a tremendously potent skill. As a virtual technique, its learning requirements were once impossible. But with the support of the Remaining Fire and the Phantom Pendant, mastering it was no longer out of reach!

…

Dusk gradually rose.

Morningstar put the pages away, returned to his senses, and looked at the New Sun game; the giant raven was still flying. The cold wind had slowed its speed considerably.

He exhaled a breath of warm air; it felt a bit chilly… The cold wind was blowing outside again.

Morningstar drew open the curtains and was startled by the scene before him!

This was—

Outside, the wind howled. The distant mountains and forests were coated in a thick, silvery layer; heavy snow blanketed the entire road.

The whole world was a vast field of white, and all this had changed in just one day.

It wasn’t as though he’d never seen such heavy snow before, but the crucial thing was—it was summer!

Snow in midsummer!

This, an event as rare as a solar eclipse, made Morningstar take a deep breath and quickly accept the reality. After so many strange occurrences, even something so bizarre was not beyond acceptance. He could even tolerate poisonous frogs falling from the sky.

To find out what was happening…

Morningstar opened the forum and the New Sun game’s help group; their speed at spreading news was astonishing.

On both the Day Tour Guild forum and ordinary video sites, information poured in ceaselessly! Tens of thousands of posts appeared in rapid succession!

It wasn’t just White River District; to be precise, most regions of the world were experiencing severe and bizarre weather phenomena!

Top player Seabird saw a giant ghostly steel ship at sea, filled with people laughing madly…

Armors in ancient tombs began to move…

A giant woman in Antarctica crushed one iceberg after another, followed by a strange one-eyed giant stag…

Volcanoes emitted snake-like black smoke…

Spider silk drifted constantly from the sky…

The depths of mines were pitch-black, immune to all light…

A city was shrouded in mist, impervious even to satellite observation; every rescue team sent vanished without a trace…

Figures in famous gallery paintings disappeared…

In the rain, people saw beautiful, charming ghost girls…

…

The world was a dance of demons!

Previously, such phenomena existed, but only in isolated pockets. Even without the odd cognition-altering effect, they could be concealed.

But judging by the internet now, the situation felt like the eve of apocalypse.

First, minor calamities were overlooked, then disasters grew ever more severe…

At this moment, the abnormal phenomena had intensified at least tenfold—no, a hundredfold!

Morningstar took a deep breath, struggling to remain calm!

A message appeared on the forum.

It was sent by Angler.

Angler: “Night Wanderer, if nothing’s wrong in the New Sun game, please come to the conference room before six o’clock. There’s a major matter to discuss.”

(End of chapter)