Starting as Cipher-The Flame-Chaser Identity System(Honkai Star Rail)

Unlike the naturally formed cave outside, this hidden chamber behind the Phantom Rock Wall was clearly created artificially using magic. The space was vast, a perfect square with a diameter of at least twenty meters. As Feidric entered, he was immediately assaulted by an indescribably foul stench of decay.

Countless corpses were piled together, forming a grotesque "hill." The majority were rotting and maggot-infested, a writhing mass of white worms crawling over the putrid mound. Feidric noticed a few relatively intact corpses, clearly recent arrivals.

"Ugh—!" Feidric couldn't hold it in and vomited on the spot, partly from the horrifying sight and partly from the overpowering stench.

Feidric was already sick, his sense of smell impaired. For this stench to make him vomit despite that, it was almost unimaginable how utterly revolting it must be.

Feidric even suspected that a Third-Level Necromancy spell, Stinking Cloud, might be permanently active in this place. The spell had little offensive power, but it was utterly nauseating, releasing a cloud of super-concentrated stench far beyond any biological limit, driving enemies to hysterical vomiting. Those with weaker constitutions might even faint from the overpowering stench.

Feidric had once heard a story about a group of fully armored knights who marched to confront an evil necromancer. The necromancer ended the battle with a single Stinking Cloud. Instead of fighting, the knights ended up vomiting inside their own plate armor—a scene too disgusting to imagine.

Hearing the commotion, Cipher, Aria, and Douglas approached to investigate, but Feidric immediately stopped them. "Stay back! Ugh—!"

He was particularly worried about Cipher. He remembered how even a faint whiff of the stench in the Underground Tomb had overwhelmed her. With her extraordinarily sensitive nose, stepping inside might kill her instantly.

Gritting his teeth, Feidric forced himself to focus on the Death Array hidden beneath the pile of corpses. As its name implied, this Territorial Magic spell required time to set up, but its effects would be far more potent than other spells of the same level.

This Death Array had been meticulously prepared for a full five years. Initially, its area of effect was less than five hundred meters, barely large enough to encompass the Low Mountain. Now, it had expanded to cover the entirety of Stone Pine City and numerous surrounding towns and villages.

"This is no longer Sixth-Level Magic," Feidric muttered. "With such a vast range, it's practically Seventh-Level Magic."

Due to their differing specializations and the array's high magical level, Feidric likely wouldn't have been able to destroy it at all if Franklin hadn't specifically mentioned the method in his diary.

Territorial Magic isn't the kind you can casually scuff away by rubbing your foot on the ground. It's not that simple.

In other words, this approach might have worked when the array was first drawn, before the magic had been activated. But once the spell began to function, with massive amounts of Magic Power flowing through its channels and completing the first wave of circulation to form a self-sustaining loop, destroying the array itself became pointless.

Feidric retrieved Franklin's diary, extending his arm to hold it at a distance, lest he vomit on it. After several bouts of retching, his stomach was empty, and he was now heaving up acidic bile.

Following the diary's instructions, Feidric swiftly disrupted the Death Array's operational structure with his Magic Power. Despite his overwhelming nausea, he'd never felt so efficient. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could escape this "hell."

Finally, after circling the area and destroying the last node, Feidric fled without looking back. The moment he emerged through the Phantom Rock Wall, he saw the deeply worried expressions of his three teammates.

For a fleeting moment, a warm feeling washed over him.

Then, Feidric watched as Cipher's tail fur bristled violently, her entire body going rigid. With speed barely perceptible to the eye, she stumbled backward several steps, her earlier concern replaced by instant nausea. She began dry-heaving violently.

Though Feidric had escaped that "hell," he still carried its stench with him.

To be honest, Cipher had been genuinely worried about Feidric. If he hadn't been retching intermittently, proving he was still alive, she would have charged in to rescue him. Now, however, she mentally breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't.

Aria's reaction wasn't as extreme as Cipher's. She stepped forward, her voice filled with concern. "What's in there? ... Ugh—"

Then she promptly threw up as well.

It was clear that this stench couldn't be overcome by willpower alone. It was like getting pepper-sprayed in the eyes—any human would tear up uncontrollably. It was a primal, physiological response.

Only Douglas managed to maintain his composure. He cast Calm Mind on himself, forcing himself to remain calm, and helped the weakened Feidric to his feet. He had never imagined his divine magic could be useful in such a situation.

Feidric said weakly, "Anyway, I've destroyed the Death Array. Let's get out of here before that Necromancer returns."

If Feidric had been in better shape, the four of them might have considered ambushing the Necromancer. But with him so weakened, it was wiser to retreat for now.

The others naturally agreed. Douglas scooped up Feidric in a bridal carry—his full plate armor would have made carrying him on his back too bumpy for the long journey back to Stone Pine City, likely killing him along the way. Aria followed at a distance, with Cipher trailing even farther behind.

Left alone in the cave, Lucien's furious magical projection screamed curses in silent rage.

Lucien couldn't begin to describe his fury. If he hadn't already transformed himself into an undead creature, he felt this wave of rage alone would have killed him outright.

Every single material in his home had been smashed, and all his books and scrolls had been stolen.

"Damn it... damn it, damn it! All four of you will pay! You're all doomed!"

His rage burned hottest toward the Catfolk. Lucien recalled the creature's smug expression as it brazenly smashed his belongings right in front of him, his fury nearly exploding. "Aaaaargh!!!"

Notably, due to the projection's limited perspective, Lucien hadn't witnessed Feidric's entry into the Phantom Rock Wall. He remained unaware that the Death Array he had meticulously prepared for five years had been destroyed.