Temporary Spacial Realm

Puppet gradually became more proficient in controlling the Puppet Sprouts. Two of them could now be controlled to move with great agility, but when skill usage was added in, there was still room for improvement. After Ariel finished her productive discussion with the doctor, she joined him too. Aura handed her the spirit stone left over from building the pool for her Cleansing Bubblefish to use. With the water element spirit stone, its experience growth would rapidly increase for a short period of time.

Their training continued, and during a break, when Puppet was playing with the Bubblefish, Aura received a mental message from Lydian.

"Lydian arrived at the location, it'll be a few days before she contracts the monster and rejoins us," he told Ariel. Aura looked at the date. The spacial realm he had been waiting for should be opening soon. The second monster he planned on contracting should be in there.

The following day, Aura left the laboratory for the airport. His destination this time would be quite far away. On the plane, he finally had a chance to relax. After he returned to the past, he had never really stopped moving. Now he could have a brief respite, Aura leaned back and listened to the conversations going on around him.

Across the isle from Aura were two teenagers who looked a bit younger than his current body.

"Schools starting soon. I heard monster training is going to be a class. Are you going to get a monster soon?" one of them asked the other.

"I think I'll go contract a Stone Rabbit or a Tangleweed Sprite. I don't have much money and I heard those two can be found in the nearby mountain."

"One website I saw recommended beginners to start with a more durable monster, as there is more room for error. Although a contracted monster won't die, when its health reaches zero, it can regress in levels and cause damage to the trainer's soul."

"Can't you just recall it when it's about to die?"

"You can still be caught off guard by burst damage or unforeseen circumstances, which is why it recommended more durable monsters."

"If only I had more money. Your Lava Claw Lobster looks so cool."

The first teenager laughed. "It was caught near a volcano in the Phoenix Empire and auctioned off here. I had to spend a lot of spirit jade to buy it."

Aura shifted his attention to a middle aged couple next to him.

"I heard the Grand General has a monster that reached level 10! Most people don't even have ones half of that level."

"Bah! If I had enough spirit jade and those booster potions I would be able to have one too."

"I still don't understand why you chose the Sharpreef Island as the location for our anniversary, wouldn't going to a tropical island be more romantic?"

"I heard the monsters here were strong. We can kill two birds with one stone by going here. Anyways, the plane ticket was cheaper."

After losing interest, Aura closed his eyes and fell asleep. He awoke to announcement that they were landing. He looked out the window and saw the vast expanse of ocean. A thin, craggy landmass was below them, matching the unattractive name of the Sharpreef Island.

The plane landed and Aura left towards the edge of the island. The waves crashed against the protruding rocks, and the white spray of water splashed against Aura's face. He compared the scene before him with the pictures he remembered of where the space crack had appeared previously.

The space crack he was looking for was a unique one. It was a temporary one, one that would only last for a limited amount of time. If Aura remembered correctly, the space crack that had appeared off the coast of Sharpreef Island lasted five hours and would be appearing not long from now.

Aura intently observed the space above the ocean. The violent waves showered freezing cold water over him, and Aura wrapped his raincoat tightly around his body. As Aura was watching, the air above the raging waters began to vibrate. It started with a slight distortion, then escalated to where ripples could be seen in the air, until the air was forcibly torn apart and a pitch black entrance materialized, hovering just above the ocean's surface.