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A ‘foreboding presence’ that even Hixson, with countless experiences, had never encountered, was there. Having played the role of an adopted daughter too well, Chapter 189, Hixson was so startled that he took a few steps back.

A black void was visible.

It was an endless ominousness, consuming everything around it.

Bit by bit.

It felt as if something alive was slowly approaching.

‘It’s consuming the world.

Like a microbe that eats away at the world.

Everywhere it touches loses its life and crumbles.

‘Rocks, grass, water.

Even the air and mana.

Everything was disappearing.

To Hixson, this felt like the perfect aura of death.

‘I must avoid it.’

Hixson quickly stepped back. Fortunately, the expansion speed of that ‘black void’ was not very fast.

“Zeno, get up.”

Zeno, with the strength of steel, soon regained his senses and stood up. “What’s going on?”

“We need to get out of here.”

Zeno didn’t ask much. “Where do you plan to go?”

“I think we need to find Kaiser.”

“The Mercenary King?”

“Yeah.”

Hixson was worried about his friend Kaiser. “That guy, he’s terrible with directions.”

Of course, he had somewhat improved while searching for Viola, but still, from Hixson’s perspective, he was directionally challenged. “He always has a knack for wandering into dangerous places.”

If that’s a talent, then it’s one of a kind. He always ended up in places filled with adversity and hardship.

Zeno smiled lightly.

“Then let’s just wait here.”

“Here?”

“If he has a talent for finding dangerous places, wouldn’t he come here?”

Zeno couldn’t see the situation inside, but judging from Hixson’s attitude, he was sure that the suggestion carried danger. “Thinking about it, that might be true.”

Hixson shouted loudly. “Kaiser!!!”

However, there was no sign of Kaiser. When Kaiser comes charging in, it feels as if a rhinoceros is stampeding through.

Right now, there was no such vibe at all.

“This won’t do.”

Hixson decided to use his last resort. “Hey! Cute Kaiser!”

Hixson’s booming voice spread widely through the once ‘Place Where the Eye Shines.’

Zeno chuckled lightly.

“Looks like cuteness does get a reaction.”

Far away. Really far away, Hixson sensed Kaiser’s presence.

“I’ll go bring him. Where should I go?”

“Well, for now, let’s head to the Winter Castle. Heron might know something.”

“Understood.”

Zeno moved first. “I’ll bring the Mercenary King. Let’s meet at the Winter Castle.”

*

Selbin was clutching her neck.

Blood was pouring from her nose. “It hurts.”

Her consciousness was fading. She couldn’t tell how long she had been in there. Smash, break, and break again.

In the meantime, Brandia’s body had been strengthened, and her power had noticeably grown. But in front of her stood a formidable enemy that made even that strength pale in comparison. “Is this all you can muster?”

“Mother…”

Aselda’s illusion turned into endless darkness, enveloping Selbin. Selbin trembled in the presence of that immense existence.

“If you can’t even overcome me, how can you be the heir of Brandia?”

She heard her mother’s voice. “Get up, Selbin.”

If you can’t get up, you aren’t my daughter. Is my daughter capable of only this much?

Tears welled up in Selbin’s eyes.

“I’ve done my best.”

She had done her best. That was the one thing she could be proud of.

There wasn’t a single spot left on her body that was unharmed. She had truly fought desperately to survive here.

“But what should I do if I still can’t surpass my mother?”

Aselda was too great and a wall that Selbin couldn’t surpass. “What do I do if my mother is just too powerful?”

Blood dripped from her eyes and ears. She felt like she was suffocating.

As if she were sinking in heavy water.

“I’m scared.”

“My daughter must not know fear.”

“No, I’m scared.”

Selbin yelled! “I can’t do anything because I’m scared. Mom, please hug me.”

A cold reply came. “Just die.”

Hearing that, Selbin decided to simply give up everything. She had endured a lot up till now.

It was becoming too hard to keep holding on.

“If that’s what my mother wants.

She bit her lip.

She had endured in the ‘Sacred Ground of the Ancient Warriors’ for a long time.

She didn’t realize that the situation unfolding was a trial of the ‘Sacred Ground of the Ancient Warriors.’

“I will die! That’s all right, isn’t it?!”

At the moment she was about to give up on life, just before becoming a tribute to the ‘Sacred Ground of the Ancient Warriors,’ Selbin felt something.

‘What is this?’

She saw flower petals. Purple flower petals.

‘This is….’

A storm of purple flowers was swirling around. It was when Tundra had carved the world.

What fell down from the heavy water surrounding her created small whirlpools everywhere.

Selbin hurriedly collected herself and opened a spatial pocket.

‘It’s my sister’s flower.

Only then did Selbin realize where she was.

The Aselda that was tormenting her wasn’t her real mother.

“Our mother is…”

Heat began to rise from Selbin’s body. Hiss!

The ‘heavy water’ surrounding Selbin evaporated.

Her body turned red.

Brandia’s innate characteristic ‘Lava Transformation’ was taking place.

“Love me.”

Even if I can’t surpass my mother,
“Because.”

Selbin clenched her fist. “My mother is my mother!”

Bang! Bang!
Selbin punched repeatedly.

She shattered the darkness that surrounded her and broke the world that had been eating away at her.

“And I…”

There was something she had forgotten. Upon seeing the purple flower petals, it came to mind.

“I decided to become as strong as the person who gave me flowers.”

So,
“I can’t die here.”

Light began to emerge from the once dark place, and the blood that had been seeping from her body stopped.

“So, I decided to overcome this trial.”

To not be ashamed in front of my mother. And my sister. “So, I will!”

She threw her final punch. “I will survive.”

Jeremy exhaled roughly. “Huff… huff…!”

He was half-kneeling now. Now there wasn’t even a sword left to support his body.

All the blades were damaged, and they would soon break.

Shuffle.

The opponent walked toward him.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Jeremy struggled to raise his body. “With that little strength, you think you can stand by my lord?”

Though the face was unseen, it was Tundra’s voice. Jeremy, having gotten to his feet, slumped down once more.

He had no more strength left.

“You don’t deserve to be next to my lord.”

As he approached, he trampled Jeremy’s body. “Princess Viola’s place is mine.”

Tundra raised his sword. It looked poised to stab Jeremy in the neck, holding it in reverse grip.

“I alone am enough, Jeremy.”

Tundra chuckled. “You even think you’re a friend of the princess when you can’t even surpass me?”

The moment he swung down his sword, the world cracked.

Jeremy snapped to attention.

‘This energy is…!

It was a familiar energy.

But it felt more potent than the energy Jeremy remembered. ‘Tundra.

The energy of Tundra he was feeling now was far stronger than the one from his memories.

The energy of Tundra seeping into the world approached Jeremy like a colossal power.

‘The reason I came here.

It wasn’t grand.

He simply wanted to be a good friend of Viola.

To do that, he wanted to become a martial artist stronger than Tundra.
Purple flower petals were swirling around.

‘Is Viola here?’

He sensed it.
Jeremy stood up.

He summoned his will to break all the illusions that were gnawing at his mind. “The real Tundra is not someone like you.”

For an instant, Jeremy’s body vanished. It felt different from the ‘Storm Blade’ that pushed back the opponent based on oppressive energy.

His body moved swiftly. He rapidly maneuvered to corner Tundra from four directions.

The wind of the spirit of wind ‘Storm’ was blowing.

“You’ve finally come to your senses, contractor!”

The movements of Jeremy, the heir of the Storm Blade, became light. He shed unnecessary strength to surpass Tundra. Because he couldn’t overcome Tundra with mere strength.

Instead, he chose swift speed.

“Sorry, Storm, it took me a while.”

“I’m glad you came to your senses, even if it’s now.”

A point emerged for Jeremy.
Tundra’s neck looked like a huge dot.

‘Thrust.

Then,
‘Slice.

Tundra’s illusion began to crumble.

At first glance, it seemed like a single thrust and a single slash, but in truth, it was twenty-eight cuts.

Crackle—

The world began to crack.

‘I’ll go, Viola.

My friend will be waiting on the other side.

*

Darkness descended around Viola.

It felt like being lost in the universe.

A voice echoed.

“Thank you for waking me.”

His form wasn’t visible. The surrounding darkness felt like ‘Bahakarun.’

He didn’t possess a form.

Viola calmly opened her mouth.

“Are you the king of evil spirits, Bahakarun?”

“Humans tend to call me that.”

The dark world expanded. His energy spread throughout, creating black holes everywhere. It was the identity of that ‘foreboding presence’ Hixson had sensed.

“But that’s not quite right.”

Bahakarun continued to speak slowly. He said his purpose was not to push the world into a void of despair. “I was merely born out of God’s will.”

God created this world. He set the configuration, crafted the storyline, and clothed the world in its environment.

“This world was originally a blank slate. An absolutely perfect world of nothingness. But as the will of God was inscribed, the world was born.”

That wasn’t inaccurate. This world had been birthed through the writer’s storytelling.

“When someone intervenes to forcibly create, a counterbalancing force must definitely be needed. That’s nature.”

The writer created the world. According to Bahakarun’s words, this world was an ‘artificial’ world.

The essence of the world was nothing, and as artificial forces emerged, creation took place, so a counteracting force was bound to arise.

And that was Bahakarun. “So I merely return everything to nature.”

And ultimately himself as well. His goal would ultimately be to consume all worlds and be the last one to devour.

“That is the reason I was born.”

In the midst of darkness, a deeper darkness began to surround Viola and Tundra.

The darkest of darkness began to encompass them.

“So you shall perish first and wait. I will follow too.”