‘It’s almost over.’ [Fire Storm]

‘Once we block Skull Mask’s plan, all preparation will be complete.’

All of the things that Desir elaborately prepared in order to hinder Skull Mask’s plan corresponded with his preparation for clearing the Shadow Labyrinth.

All of the countries across the continent had pulled together and the best people showed growth that exceeded their capability in his previous life.

While all of the preparations were progressing favorably, Skull Mask was the only obstacle. ‘We need to quickly suppress him for the sake of minimizing the damage.’

*Baaang*

A heat wave exploded. The chimeras that were obstructing his way were all swept away. There were no military troops mobilized in the palace, almost as if they had too much confidence in the chimeras’ abilities.

Desir and Adjest were able to safely enter the palace proper without any particular problems. “Adjest, wait.”

Desir arranged a spell and started to identify the inner structure of the palace.

He was soon able to locate the enormous facility which he had not been able to perceive during the Great Council. The size of the facility, which was located below the palace, was as big as the entire city.

Desir assumed that this was either the power source itself, which had been revealed after the four towers were destroyed, or a facility to operate the power source.

“This way.”

After confirming the path towards the source, Desir led Adjest and quickened his pace.

‘There’s still enough time.’

The communication pad continuously warned of the emergence of the Shadow World and though time was running out, according to Desir’s estimation, they still had time on their side. The sound of their footsteps echoed throughout the long stretch of empty corridors.

‘… … They’re not going to allow us through this easily.’

After a long walk, not chimeras, but human soldiers stood blocking their way. They were the subordinates under the command of Pierrot Mask and knights of Divide.

They used all means available to them, closing corridors by demolishing the ceilings, sudden attacks out of nowhere and so on. All in order to grab at Desir and Adjest’s ankles.

It was extremely frustrating to deal with those without scruples, who would use everything in their means to achieve their goal of stalling them.

“Adjest, could you could set up a blockade here?”

“Understood.”

Adjest nodded and a spell arranged itself in front of her. [Web of Ice]

*Crrraaacck*

An ice creation in the form of a spider web stretched out in all directions. It kept expanding endlessly.

Soon after, it blocked all the paths behind them except their route forward.

With the ice web in place, the possibility of being flanked or interrupted by anything other than a head-on fight was greatly diminished.

*Pggghh*

The ice web would instantly convert into the form of a spear when someone tried to penetrate it forcibly. This did not eliminate the possibility of it being destroyed, but the time required to do so would be such that everything should already be over by then. With this, they succeeded in reducing a considerable number of potential enemies.

The only thing left was the enemies on the path before them. “Kill them!”

“For His Majesty!”

It was impossible that they did not know who Desir and Adjest were. They must have been well aware that they would not be able to stop the two of them with their skills alone. However, in spite of knowing this, they attacked without hesitation. They were indeed loyal knights.

Desir’s arranged a spell aimed at them. [Gravity Control]

A powerful gravity field weighed down the knights who were approaching Desir and Adjest. *Crack*

*Crraacckk*

They simultaneously either kneeled or fell down on the ground. “Keukk… !”

“Kaharghh!”

The corridor was filled with the sound of screams.

The sound of armor crumpling.

The sound of bones snapping.

All sorts of sounds merged together and formed a grotesque symphony.

Desir and Adjest started to tread past those on the floor.

To those who were struggling to stand up while watching them pass through, Desir left a threat.

“If you resist any more, I’ll make sure to double the force.”

“… … !”

After hearing his cold voice, the voice of someone that lacked any feeling, there was no longer anyone brave enough to try blocking their path.

Desir and Adjest overcame the situation while trying their best not to kill anyone, instead aiming to simply neutralize them. It was unlikely there were any foes, other than Skull Mask, that were powerful enough to stop them. The majority of the opponent’s elite forces had already been deployed outside.

Before long, Desir and Adjest arrived at the King of the Divide’s bed chamber. According to their intel, this place had an entrance that led towards the power source. Desir was easily able to invert the defensive spell that had been placed on the chamber entrance. If one wanted to stop him, they must prepare physical means to even have a chance at doing so.

After Desir entered the bed chamber, he scanned the bookshelf and pulled out specific books in a deliberate order. If not for Crow Mask’s cooperation, they would have wasted an immense amount of time.

With a groan, the bookshelf moved towards the side and revealed an endless number of stairs leading somewhere deep underground.

“… … ”

“… … ”

Desir and Adjest exchanged looks and nodded.

In the end, it was only the two of them who were able to arrive at this place. Though they were both vastly more powerful than when they first met, it was likely that the upcoming events wouldn’t be easy to handle without the rest of the Starling Party.

But this was the situation they were in, so this was what they would work with. The two of them steeled their resolve and began walking down the stairs.

As they proceeded, the musty smell in the dark space became thicker and the erratic sounds of machines became louder.

Shortly after, the space used as the Outsider’s meeting room appeared.

Only, this part of the palace was completely different from before, not just in structure but also the dark feeling that hung in the area.

Desir examined this enormous, maze-like area that lay before them. At that moment, the communication pad gave off a warning sound once more.

[-The global reversal phenomenon’s progress has exceeded 80%.]

[You now stand within the potential range of the Shadow World. Evacuate as soon as possible… ]

He was flustered. He did not expect the chamber under the palace to be within the Shadow World’s range of influence.

Clearly this was the place they needed to be.

The power source, the core of the plan that Skull Mask was proceeding with, would certainly be hidden in this place.

But why would he willingly put this place, with such an important object, in range of a Shadow World?

‘But wouldn’t all of the things around this area erode away if the Shadow World wasn’t cleared?’

Desir struggled to find the rationale.

There was not enough information for him to draw a conclusion. It was difficult to make conjecture about Skull Mask’s ulterior motive.

“Let’s hurry, Adjest.”

They had a clear idea of their goal, something that they had to achieve regardless of the work required to do so.

There were only a few hundred meters left until they reached their destination. Desir and Adjest picked up their speed.

However, the notification sound rang once again, before they even had the chance to take five steps.

[-The global reversal phenomenon’s progress has exceeded 80%.] “… … !”

Suddenly, the Shadow World was brought to completion, finishing at a rate far faster than it had started. The area around then started to distort.

Desir never heard of any other worlds that suddenly sped up like this. Skull Mask had clearly pulled off some kind of trick.

“This… … !”

All of a sudden, everything turned dark. [-You have entered the Shadow World.]

The last notification sound was not from the communication pad.

Desir had long grown tired of that sickening voice, having heard it for years on end.

Even still, he didn’t need years of experience to realize this Shadow World was different from the ones he was familiar with.

‘What the hell is this… !?’

He looked around, but all he saw was darkness.

No matter how long he waited, there weren’t any other notifications.

Pitch-black darkness.

There was nothing. Desir felt as though he was trapped within an eternal feeling of futility. While he was making an effort to grasp the situation, he heard a voice next to him.

“Is this really a Shadow World?” It was Adjest.

Desir was secretly relieved at the fact that she was next to him. “Not sure… We’ll just have to see from now on.”

They both arranged detection spells, simultaneously confirming that there was no issue using their mana, but they found nothing around them.

“Seeing as there are no other lifeforms detected, I think we may be the only participants in this Shadow World.”

Adjest seemed quite flustered, unlike her usual composed figure.

“… I don’t know what to do. I’ve never heard about a Shadow World like this existing.” However, it was undeniable that they had entered a Shadow World. The first notification sound they heard proved this fact.

Adjest fell into deep thought.

‘The setting of this Shadow World must be a place that used to exist.’

At least with her knowledge, considering the fact that the Shadow Worlds reproduced the history of humankind, this place had to be somewhere that humans had existed at. However, no matter how much she strained her eyes, there was absolutely nothing here.

It was a world of nothing, a place of absolute solitude, and it made her think that the world itself may have looked like this before it was created.

At that moment.

[-The Biggest Breaking Point of Humanity]

[The materialization of ‘The Beast of the Revelation’ has been permitted.] ‘The Biggest Breaking Point of Humanity?’

After hearing another notification sound, Adjest was once again lost in thought.

It was a phrase that even she, who had read obtained all sorts of esoteric knowledge from reading books arranged in the Imperial Library, had never heard of.

“Desir, what do you think the Biggest… ”

Adjest’s voice came to a halt as she turned her head towards Desir. *Drop*

Something dropped down.

It was a bead of sweat. Desir had broken out in a cold sweat.

[-Warning. This is the breaking point where restructuring history is impossible, considering the level of human civilization during this period.]

[-System interference.]

[-Ignoring warnings and enforcing the Materialization Phase.] “This… No, it cannot be… ”

It was a sight one would never see from Desir, a person who always kept his composure in the face of all situations.

With a pale look on his face, he murmured something.

[-Warning. Error in the transmission of commands. Maintaining the Materialization Phase.] After the notification, a speck of light appeared. Then, starting from there, it became a line, the lines ultimately forming the outline of something and finally, a form appeared.

It was an impressive process that resulted in the creation of a world.

It was a wonderful sight.

However, there was no sense of wonder reflected in Desir’s eyes.

Instead, there was only fear.

As the world reached completion, Desir and Adjest were left standing at the end of a soaring building.

This structure was different from the cold, black towers that Skull Mask had constructed, different from Wolfgang Tower in the Magic Kingdom of old, and different from the Magic Tower of the present.

Desir was completely unaware of the materials used to build it, or the technique responsible for such a creation.

The view below seemed more like a future civilization than that of the past. ‘Clearly, this is… ’

Desir knew the city before his eyes.

There was no way he would forget.

No, it was impossible to forget.

That view was a memory that he had retained in such detail, almost as if it were a mark left by a branding iron. It was something which could not be erased from his mind.

‘The Shadow Labyrinth.’

[-The Biggest Breaking Point of Humanity.] You have entered ‘The Beast of the Revelation’.