Chapter 41: A Leviathan's dream
Rhys took a deep breath. He never liked swimming for long periods. No, he never liked swimming at all. So going into a sunken city was surely a hell of a challenge.
Yuki clenched his hand, noticing his unease.
What a caring girl.
"Juice box, are you afraid of bathing?"
...Not so caring.
He stepped into the water. The moment he was submerged, he felt it. The pressure. It felt like a giant was squeezing him from all sides.
He felt his bones ache. It was hard to move his arms and legs. His Void-Tempered Immortal Body was working hard to resist the immense weight of the water. It was slowly adapting as the System started analysing.
Then he felt something else. His energy was leaving his body. The water itself was pulling his Qi out of him. The draining feeling got faster as he dived deeper.
He knew he could not stay down here for long. He peeked at Yuki, who was swimming beside him with an effortless grace.
He was a little annoyed that the pressure and Qi drain did not seem to affect her at all. She looked as comfortable as a fish in the water.
Suddenly, the water moved as a strange current appeared. His body was jerked to the side, away from the city, like an invisible hand had grabbed him.
From the deep darkness below, countless eyes opened simultaneously. Rhys gasped.
[Seriously host? You gasped under water!]
'Crap..'
A mouthful of water entered his lungs. He felt a desperate need for air.
He kicked his legs and moved his arms, trying to swim, but he felt that the current was too strong. He saw a large, half-crumbled stone pillar nearby.
He used Low-distance Jump, anchoring himself to the stone. He felt his body get pulled through the water with a sudden burst of speed.
He slammed into the pillar and held on tightly with his hands and feet.
He looked around for Yuki and groaned silently when he saw her floating a short distance away from him.
Her brows were curled, and a smile graced her lips, which she hid when he looked at her.
Rhys rolled his eyes as the pressure of the pulling increased. His body moved up and down, spinning around and around.
He tried his best to hold on to the stone and move his body with the current, hoping it would disappear. But even after a few hours, it never ceased.
He finally stopped fighting. Relaxing his body, he allowed the current to move him. He tried to feel the flow of the current, to note its rhythm.
[System has started analysing the flow of the current...]
[Burning lifespan to learn the fundamental principles of water flow...]
[Your understanding of flow has increased a hundredfold...]
[You have deeply studied the Water element. Bonding with the Water element is a success!]
[You have seen water as endless current...]
A cool sensation spread through his body as a barrage of laws and principles was imprinted into his brain. Rhys now understood the water as much as he understood his own constitution.
[To use your bonded elements, you need a foundation. You need a place where you can form a root for your bonded element to use its power.]
'I see,' he thought. Another notification appeared in his mind.
[Host is under sustained environmental pressure (deep water) and magical stress (disorienting currents).]
[The Void-Tempered Immortal Body is adapting to the aquatic environment...]
[A new lifeskill is being formed...]
[Lifeskill [Gills of the Void] has been acquired.]
[About: Allows the user to extract breathable essence directly from water, eliminating the need to breathe air while submerged.
It also grants a basic level of hydrokinesis, allowing the user to manipulate the surrounding water to create small currents, which can be used to grip or push objects.]
Rhys felt a strange change in his lungs. The desperate need for air that had been building in his chest was suddenly gone. He took a breath.
The water rushed into his lungs, but it did not feel like drowning. His body pulled what it needed directly from the water, and he could breathe.
The journey became easier after that. He could still feel the heavy pressure of the water. He could still feel his Qi being slowly drained away.
But without the need to breathe, he could focus all his energy on swimming. He learned to use the magical currents, pushing and pulling himself towards the city.
Finally, after a long descent through the dark, silent water, his feet touched solid ground. He was standing on an old, stone street in the heart of the Sunken City of Aethel.
Yuki was already there, leaning on a broken wall and waiting for him. All around them, silent, ruined towers erupted from the lakebed.
Their dark windows looked like empty eyes, watching them in the deep.
They began to explore the silent, underwater city. The only light came from the strange, glowing plants that covered the ancient stones.
The city was in ruins, but it was also beautiful. Rhys felt a sense of awe. He also felt a deep sadness for the people who had once lived here.
As they walked down the main street, Rhys noticed that the city was filled with lifelike statues. They were statues of people: warriors holding spears, merchants carrying goods, children playing in the streets.
They were frozen in everyday poses. It was as if the entire city had been turned to stone in an instant. The detail on the statues was perfect. They looked too real. It was very unsettling.
Rhys started to hear whispers again, just like in the bat caverns. But this time, the whispers were clearer.
They seemed to be coming from the statues themselves. He could not understand the words, but he could feel the emotions in them.
He felt sadness, fear, and a deep, endless longing.
'What are these statues?' Rhys asked in his mind. 'Are they just decorations?'
[System analysing...]
"They are the people. They... people... how?" Yuki clung to his arms, trembling.
[...They are not decorations. They are the watchers.]
'Did they die?' he supported Yuki, making her face him.
Cupping her cheeks in his hands, Rhys asked, "Yuki, tell me... what are you really? Are you even alive?"
[They do not appear to be alive, but they are not dead. It is almost as if they are living through alien lives...]
"I-I..." Yuki stammered, her eyes showing growing confusion.
[...It all pinpoints one thing. They are connected to...]
'...someone else's consciousness?'
[Yes.]
Rhys recalled the strange feeling of his energy being lost as he dived into the water. Then he thought about the countless eyes that had opened in the darkness. He gulped.
'Who is the owner of that consciousness?'
[System analysing...]
This time, he asked it to analyse the water, the currents, and the city as a single entity.
"They are waiting..." Yuki trembled.
"Waiting for what?"
[System analysis complete.]
[Entity: The Leviathan's Dream.]
[Bloodline: Tyrant.]
[Status: Deceased.]
[Description: The entire sunken lake is not a place; it is the lingering consciousness of a dead Tyrant-grade monster. The city, the statues, the magical currents, and the whispers are all fragments of its dying dream.
It is not alive, but its will remains, endlessly replaying the last moments of its city. It instinctively drains the life force of any living being that enters its dream to sustain itself.]
'A dying dream...' Rhys muttered to himself.
A dream? This sunken city is a dream?
His eyes suddenly widened. What would a monster of that calibre dream about when it was dying?
[What would the Host dream about in this situation?]
'Of course, about my midnight snacks...'
[That's it.]
'Oh...'
'Ohhhhh.'
The city started to tremble.
Chapter 42: A Leviathan's dream - 2
The city started to tremble. The ground beneath Rhys's feet shook violently. The silent, ruined towers around them began to crumble.
Large pieces of ancient stone fell into the dark water, sending up huge clouds of silt. The whispers that filled the water grew louder.
They turned from sad murmurs into a single, deafening roar of hunger. Rhys instinctively grabbed Yuki, pulling her close to protect her from the falling debris.
[Yu swhuld ttink abwt yurself hos...]
'What?' he thought.
The System's voice was garbled. It did not make any sense. Everything started to become vague in his eyes. He thought he was hugging Yuki, but he was not hugging her at all.
He felt nothing in his arms. He blinked, trying to focus. But when his eyelids opened, the place where he should have been was gone.
The focus of his eyes changed.
He was in a small, simple room. The walls were made of rough, dark wood. A single, square window let in the bright morning light.
Through the window, he could see the masts of tall ships and hear the distant sound of seagulls. The air smelled of salt and fish. He was lying in a small, narrow bed.
The blanket was thin and scratchy. He sat up. He felt a dull ache in his head. Confusion gave way to clarity, but the clarity felt artificial.
A female voice sounded from the other side of the door. It was a familiar voice, but the familiarity also felt artificial.
"Rhys, wake up! It's time for you to go to work!"
A new set of memories flooded his mind. They came in a sudden, painful rush. They fogged up his real memories.
His head hurt very badly. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he understood who he was.
He was Rhys, an orphan. He had grown up in the bustling port city of Aethel. He did not have parents.
He had been raised by a kind but strict woman who ran the local orphanage. He was now a young man, and he had a special job.
He was a Trench Guide.
The city of Aethel was an island. It was surrounded by a dangerous stretch of sea called the Endless Lake.
For the ships from the mainland to reach the city, they had to circle the lake and move with the northern waves. There was another way. It was called the Leviathan's Trench.
It was a strange path where the northern and eastern waters separated from the lake, creating a strange rift.
By crossing through the Leviathan's Trench, ships could neglect thousands of miles of travel. But the currents in the trench were wild and unpredictable.
They could smash a ship against the sharp rocks in an instant. Only a few people, like him, had the special, innate ability to feel the currents.
They could guide ships safely through the treacherous waters. He was a rare and valuable person.
He walked out of his small room. He saw a fat lady standing in the kitchen. She was his adoptive mother.
She had taken him in after he left the orphanage. She turned to look at him. Her face was set in a familiar expression of disgust.
'It seems she isn't that kind,' he thought.
"You are so lazy these days," she said, her voice sharp. "You are again late for your job. Do you want to lose the best job in the city?"
Rhys sat down at the small wooden table. He did not say anything. He felt a familiar mix of duty and resentment. This was his normal life.
He ate the simple food she had prepared for him. It was a piece of dry bread and a small, salted fish. Then he stood up and went to the door.
"I am going," he said, without looking back.
He walked out of the small house and onto the cobblestone street. The city was full of life. Sailors with tanned faces and rough hands walked past him.
Merchants shouted, trying to sell their goods. The air was filled with the sounds and smells of the port.
He got onto a horse-drawn carriage. The city streets went by in a breeze. He saw the familiar shops and houses. He saw the people he had known his whole life.
Everything was too familiar. But why did he feel like it was all artificial?
Rhys had no idea. It was like he had forgotten something. Something that made him who he was now.
'Strange...'
At one busy intersection, the carriage stopped. In the centre of the square was a large, strange decoration. It was in the shape of a giant, golden beehive.
On the sides of the beehive were statues of strange, crystal ants. Rhys stared at the decoration. A strange memory came into his mind.
It was a foggy image of fighting things that looked just like those ants. The memory was confusing.
It disappeared as quickly as it came. It left him with a dull headache. He shook his head.
'I have to lessen my alcohol intake...'
The carriage started to move again.
He finally reached the port. It was the busiest part of the city. The docks were filled with ships of all sizes. There were small fishing boats and large merchant vessels.
Then he saw a ship.
It was the biggest, most magnificent ship he had ever seen. Its wood was a dark, polished red. Its sails were as white as snow.
It was the "Emperor's Pride," the greatest ship in the entire empire.
'Don't tell me...'
His captain was a big man with a friendly face and a huge axe strapped to his back. He saw Rhys and smiled, patting him on the shoulder.
"Boy, you are lucky," the captain said, his voice a loud, happy boom. "The empire's greatest ship is now under your guidance."
Rhys looked at the huge ship. He felt a mix of pride and confusion. Why did the greatest ship in the empire need to go through the Leviathan's Trench?
The trench was a dangerous shortcut. It was usually only used by smaller, faster ships that were in a hurry.
A huge ship like this should take the long, safe route around the island.
His confusion grew as he entered the ship. There was no cargo in it. There was just a huge iron cage. It was bound with thick chains.
It was covered with a thick, black cloth, so he could not see what was inside. A group of heavily armed soldiers stood guard around it.
They looked serious and dangerous. He had no idea what the cage was for. His new memories told him that he should not care about the cargo.
'New memories?' he asked in his mind, waiting for an answer back.
But only silence continued.
'Waiting for whom?' Rhys felt a headache.
What did he forget? Or was there anything he should have forgotten?
'Whatever. I will go to a physician after this ride.'
His job was just to guide the ship. He was a simple guide. He tried to ignore the cage, but he felt a strange sense of unease.
The ship started to move. The sailors shouted as they raised the huge, white sails. Rhys stood at the helm, his hands on the big, wooden wheel.
He could feel the currents of the water. It was a strange and wonderful feeling. His innate talent as a guide took over.
He knew exactly where to steer the ship to avoid the hidden rocks and the dangerous whirlpools. The ship sailed out of the port and into the open sea.
The city of Aethel became smaller and smaller in the distance.
Rhys felt tired. He asked the captain to take the helm. He lay down on the deck, looking up at the pale blue sky. He felt like he was forgetting something.
Something very, very important.
The feeling was like an itch in his brain that he could not scratch. It was a frustrating feeling.
He rubbed his brows, trying to remember. But there was only a fog. A fog that covered a different life. A different him.
"What did I miss?" he whispered to the empty sky.
Chapter 43: A Leviathan's dream- 3
The ship continued sailing. Rhys stood at the helm, watching the ship tear through the waves. The empty feeling in his head did not go away.
He was sure of one thing: he had forgotten something.
'What could it be?'
He could feel a deep sadness coming from the water itself. It was a strange feeling, a low, constant melancholy that seemed to rise from the depths.
His memories had no explanation for it. The sea was just the sea. But his instincts, buried deep under the fog, felt the sorrow in the waves.
The other feeling was stronger. It was a pull. A constant, nagging desire that was not his own. It came from the back of the ship, from the huge iron cage covered in a black cloth.
It felt like a deep, desperate hunger. It was a feeling of need, and it was directed at him.
He had a sense of déjà vu from this feeling. Another strange fact was that whenever he tried to pinpoint where he had experienced this same feeling, his mind told him to ignore it.
The cargo was not his business. He was just the guide. But the feeling was so strong it was hard to ignore, even with the constant nagging in his mind.
The captain came and stood next to him. He was a big, friendly man with a loud laugh. He was always kind to Rhys.
But Rhys was sure there was something strange about the captain today. Everything about him screamed fake. Artificial. And above all, an illusion.
"How are the currents, boy?" the captain asked, his voice a happy boom. "The trench is not far now. Are you ready for the real work?"
"The currents are strange today, Captain," Rhys said. "They feel... sad."
The captain laughed. "Sad currents? You guides have a strange way of seeing the world." He patted Rhys on the back.
"Don't you worry. Just get us through the trench safely. There's a big reward waiting for you when we get to the other side."
Rhys nodded, but he felt a sense of unease. The captain was friendly, but his eyes were sharp and watchful. He did not look like a simple sailor.
He stared at the captain's retreating back, then at the sailors as they moved about the ship. They were always on edge. Even a small disturbance in the waves made them tense.
'They look like warriors...'
He used his job as a guide as an excuse to walk around the ship. He needed to check the ropes and the sails, he said. But his real goal was to get closer to the iron cage.
The pull from it was getting stronger. It was a desperate, silent scream for help. He walked to the back of the ship.
The heavily armed soldiers stood guard around the cage. They looked at him with cold, hard eyes.
"The guide has no business here," one of the soldiers said, his voice flat.
"I am just checking the rear mast," Rhys said, trying to sound casual. "The wind is changing. It will put a lot of stress on it."
The soldier grunted but let him pass. Rhys walked past the cage. As he got closer, the feeling of need intensified. It was a raw, desperate hunger for something only he possessed.
He felt a strange connection to whatever was inside. It wanted something from him. He had no idea what it was.
He pretended to inspect the ropes on the mast. From his position, he could hear the soldiers talking in low voices.
Despite them speaking in quiet murmurs, his senses were acute enough for him to accurately hear what they were saying.
"The mother should be close now," one of the soldiers said. "The signal from the egg is getting stronger."
"Good," another one replied. "Lord Randel will be pleased. A Tyrant-grade core, even from a weakened beast, will be a great treasure for the Royal Family."
"She is only at the Elite level now," the first soldier said.
"Laying the egg has drained most of her power. Still, she is strong. Luckily, we have her egg in custody; she will never dare to use her full power."
Rhys felt his blood run cold. An egg. A mother. A Tyrant-grade core.
The pieces of the puzzle clicked into place in his mind. The cage contained a monster's egg. They were using it as bait to lure the weakened mother.
Their true mission was to kill her and harvest her core. The entire ship, the friendly crew—it was all a lie.
He felt a surge of anger. He did not know why. His new memories told him that this was just business.
Monsters were killed for their cores all the time. But he felt a connection to the creature in the cage, and to the mother who was swimming into a deadly trap.
The pull from the cage became a desperate, painful cry in his mind. It was not just a feeling of need anymore.
It was a feeling of pain. The egg was weak. It was dying.
He had to do something. He did not know why, but he felt a powerful urge to help. He had to see what was inside the cage.
He waited until night. The ship was deep in the trench now. The water was dark and dangerous.
The soldiers were all on high alert, watching the sea for any sign of the mother Leviathan. This was his only chance.
He used his knowledge as a guide to his advantage. He told the captain that a dangerous cross-current was ahead.
He said he needed to be at the back of the ship to feel the vibrations properly. The captain, focused on the hunt, agreed without question. Rhys walked to the back of the ship.
The guards were still there, but they were looking out at the dark water, not at him. He moved into the shadows near the cage.
The feeling of desperate need was overwhelming now. It was calling to him. He knew he had to open it. It was an illogical, suicidal thought, but the instinct was stronger than any logic.
He used a small knife he kept in his belt. He worked quickly and silently, his hands moving with a skill his new memories could not explain.
He picked the heavy iron lock on the cage door. It clicked open with a soft sound. He pulled back the thick, black cloth.
The cage was filled with soft, glowing seaweed. In the centre of the seaweed was the egg. It was huge, about the size of his head.
Its shell was a beautiful, deep blue colour, with swirling patterns of silver that glowed with a soft light. But the egg was damaged.
There were thin, dark cracks running all over its beautiful shell. The silver light was weak and flickering. It was dying.
He felt a deep, unexplainable sadness. He reached out his hand, his fingers trembling slightly.
The moment his fingertips touched the cool, smooth shell of the egg, it happened. He felt a powerful jolt.
A surge of his own life energy, his lifespan, flowed out of his hand and into the egg. It was an automatic, instinctual reaction.
The egg was hungry, and he was the food. The cracks on the shell began to glow with a golden light.
The weak, flickering silver patterns became bright and strong. The egg was healing.
And as his life energy flowed into the egg, the fog in his mind shattered. His real memories came flooding back in a painful, overwhelming rush.
The Labyrinth. The System. The Ash Plains. The dead Titan. The crystal ants.
Yuki.
He remembered everything.
[Host! You are finally back...]
'System, the dying dream of the Leviathan isn't about its midnight snack. It's about its child...'
He now knew how to escape this dream.
'I have to satisfy its dying wish.'
Chapter 44: End of the Leviathan's dream
He looked at the glowing, healing egg in front of him, then at his hand, which was still pouring life energy into it.
He finally understood the desperate pull he had been feeling.
The egg had not just been hungry; it had been calling to him. It had been calling for the one thing in this dream world that could save it: his infinite lifespan.
He now knew how to escape this dream. He had to satisfy the Leviathan's dying wish. He had to save its egg.
The golden light pouring from his hand into the egg was bright. It lit up the dark deck of the ship. The soldiers guarding the cage finally noticed that something was wrong.
"What is that light?" one of them shouted.
"The guide! What is he doing?" another one yelled.
The captain, the big man with the friendly face, turned around. His friendly expression was gone. It was replaced by a cold, hard look.
His eyes were sharp and dangerous. He was no longer a simple captain; he was a powerful cultivator.
"Boy," the captain said, his voice low and threatening. "Step away from the cage."
Rhys slowly pulled his hand back from the egg. The flow of his lifespan stopped. The golden light faded. He stood up and turned to face the captain.
His own expression had changed. The confused, simple look of the Trench Guide was gone. His eyes, visible even in the dim light of the deck, were cold and sharp.
The captain, whose real name was Lord Randel, felt a sudden sense of danger. This was not the simple, easily manipulated boy he had hired.
This was someone else.
"Who are you?" Lord Randel demanded.
Rhys did not answer. He just looked at the cultivators who were now surrounding him. They had all drawn their weapons.
They were all ready to fight. Before anyone could move, a new analysis from the System flashed in his mind. It was urgent.
[Warning: Tyrant-Grade entity detected in the immediate vicinity. The mother Leviathan is already here.]
[The mother's life force is directly linked to the fragile state of the egg. Any powerful energy she unleashes could create a shockwave that would shatter the egg. She is unable to attack the ship directly without killing her own child.]
[The Leviathan's dream will not end until the egg's safety is absolutely secured. The Host must remove the egg from the field of conflict to satisfy the dream's primary condition.]
Rhys now understood everything. The mother was waiting. She was helpless, forced to watch as these hunters used her child as a hostage.
His path was clear. He could not just fight them; he had to secure the egg.
"It does not matter who he is," Lord Randel said, his voice full of anger. "He has seen our secret. Kill him."
The cultivators attacked. A man with a long spear lunged at Rhys. The tip of the spear glowed with a sharp, white light. Another cultivator threw a ball of fire.
The air grew hot. The attacks were fast and powerful. They were aimed to kill him in an instant. Rhys did not move. He just stood there.
The attacks hit him. The spear slammed into his chest. The fireball exploded against his back. But nothing happened. His simple guide's clothes were burned away, but his skin was completely unharmed.
There was not a single scratch. The spear tip, which could pierce through steel, could not even break his skin. The cultivators stared in shock, their faces filled with disbelief.
"What is he?" one of them whispered in terror.
Rhys looked down at the spear tip pressed against his chest. He reached up and casually pushed it away.
"My turn," he said, his voice calm. He used Shadowed Dive. His body dissolved into a black blur. He was moving with impossible speed.
The cultivators could not even track his movements. He appeared behind the spearman, breaking his neck without looking back.
The sound of scattering bone was exhilarating. Without him noticing, a grin appeared on his face.
Activating Low-distance Jump, he pulled one cultivator towards him and used him as a shield against attacks from the captain.
Splat.
Human body parts rained down on the deck. Lord Randel roared in anger.
"He is a monster! Use the formation!"
The other cultivators moved into a formation. A net of glowing red energy appeared in the air. It shot towards Rhys, trying to trap him.
Rhys pushed a dead guard back into the cage, ignoring the formation that had already formed around him as he hugged the egg to his heart.
"NOO!" Lord Randel shouted in a panic.
As Rhys held the egg against his chest, a powerful connection formed. The egg, now filled with his life force, recognised him as its protector, its new parent.
It glowed with a brilliant, golden light. It then dissolved into pure energy, flowing into his body. He felt it settle inside his dantian space, a warm and living presence now bonded to his very soul.
At that moment, the entire ship lurched violently. The sea began to churn. The dark water of the trench started to bubble and foam.
A massive shadow appeared beneath the waves. It was huge, larger than the ship itself. The mother Leviathan had arrived.
She surfaced with a great splash. She was a creature of immense size and sorrowful beauty. Her scales were the colour of the deep sea, a beautiful, dark blue.
Her body was long and serpentine, but she was covered in old wounds and fresh scars. Her movements were slow and tired. She was clearly weakened.
Her massive head rose from the water. She looked at the ship. She saw the cultivators. And she saw Rhys, standing where the cage used to be.
She could feel that her child was safe, no longer in danger from the battle.
She opened her mouth and let out a roar. But it was not a roar of anger; it was a sound of happiness mixed with sorrow.
Rhys also felt sadness. It was coming from the egg. He sighed. The cultivators faltered.
They clutched their chests. The raw sadness of the mother's cry hit them hard. They felt a moment of pity, a moment of doubt.
The mother Leviathan used that moment. She used the last of her strength. She slammed her huge tail against the water. A massive whirlpool began to form.
The "Emperor's Pride" was caught in its pull. The ship began to spin, faster and faster. The wood of the ship began to splinter.
The huge masts cracked and fell. The cultivators were thrown from the deck into the chaotic, swirling sea. The ship was being torn apart.
The mother Leviathan ignored the dying cultivators. She moved closer to the broken ship. Her massive, light blue eye focused on Rhys.
It was an eye filled with an ancient wisdom, a deep sadness, and a profound gratitude.
It was an eye that looked exactly like Yuki's.
A voice spoke directly into his mind. It was a voice that was both old and beautiful.
"Protect my child... son of the creation."
Before Rhys could even begin to process the strange words, the dream world shattered. The mother Leviathan's massive body began to dissolve into a million particles of blue light.
The sea, the broken ship, the dark sky—it all broke apart like a giant mirror. The world went white.
Rhys opened his eyes. Yuki was leaning over him. Her face was filled with a strange, unreadable expression.
Her hand was resting on his forehead. It was cool to the touch. Rhys looked into her light blue eyes. The Leviathan's final words echoed in his mind.
'Son of the creation.' He looked at his hand.
Clutched tightly in his fist was a small, smooth, blue-scaled object. It looked exactly like a miniature version of the Leviathan's egg.
Chapter 45: Yuki is jealous
'The egg came out of the dream?' Rhys was flabbergasted.
It was solid. The faint pulse from it proved it was real; a gentle warmth came from it, slowly strengthening his soul.
The more bizarre thing was that it pulsed in the same rhythm as his heart, almost as if they both shared one heart.
[You have bonded with an unknown egg.]
[System analysing...]
[...]
'What? Don't tell me you can't analyse it. Remember you analysed its mother!'
[...]
"Human, are you still in the dream?" Yuki shook his shoulders, moving dangerously close to his face.
Strands of her silver hair spilled onto his face, itching his cheeks. Looking deep into her light blue eyes, his mind reeled back to the thought of the Leviathan he had seen in the dream.
'Was it...?'
[I do not think so.]
'Why?'
[She was not present in the dream...]
'What do you mean?'
[Look around.]
'This...'
He pushed Yuki aside softly. They were no longer in the sunken city of Aethel. The dark water, the glowing plants, and the army of stone statues were all gone.
The feeling of immense pressure and the constant drain on his Qi had vanished. A vast, endless desert of fine, white sand stretched in all directions.
He stood up and looked around. The sky was a pale, washed-out blue. There was no sun, but a bright, even light filled the sky, casting no shadows.
The heat was so intense it felt as if it sucked every bit of moisture out of his body. The sudden shift from the cold, deep water to this baking heat was jarring.
"Where are we?" Rhys asked.
His voice sounded rough in the dry air. He tried to put the egg back into his body, but it resisted vigorously against that decision.
'Throwing a tantrum already?' Rhys sighed.
Hugging the egg to his chest, he shaded it with his robes, fearing the heat would affect it. He felt a strange, protective instinct towards the small object.
[That is because both of you are bound by soul. If the Host dies, it will also die. Vice versa.]
'Those last two sentences were unwanted, you know.'
[I am just being practical.]
'Whatever,' Rhys shrugged.
"Yuki, where do we—. Why are you glaring at me?"
He almost recoiled when he saw her darkened face. She seemed to be on the verge of breaking down as she ground her teeth.
Her long eyelashes cast shadows under her eyes, giving her a ghostly aura.
[She looks like she wants to break your egg.]
Rhys involuntarily clenched his legs, taking a step back.
[...]
[Not that one...]
'Ohhh...'
"Juice box, where did you get this glutton? Let's make it into an omelette," Yuki said in a neutral tone.
What? No. Rhys took another step back, agitating the girl further.
"It is bonded with my soul. Do you want me to die?"
"But I don't want to share you with it."
"Share me?" he furrowed his brow.
Yuki said nothing, only showing a grieved look. Only then did his brain light up with comprehension.
'Is she jealous of my 'egg' because it also absorbs my life energy?'
That was too absurd and childish. His poor Eggy, who had lost its mother before it was even born, was now being hated by someone for no reason.
The egg in his arms moved slightly. He could feel its emotion through the connection between their souls. It agreed with him, in deep sorrow.
[...]
The egg moved again.
'System, what did you mean by those dots? Are you bullying Eggy?'
[...]
He did not want to make Yuki angry yet. She was too useful to make an enemy of her, at least until he exited the labyrinth.
"You don't have to worry about my life energy running out. I could even feed every disciple of the great families and it would never deplete."
After all, he had an infinite lifespan. Strangely, that further agitated her.
"That human girl?..."
"Oh... yes."
Rhys had no idea why she specifically mentioned that girl. Anya Sterling, right? Now that he thought about it, she did look hot.
"She smelled nice, right?"
"Yes."
The Sterlings were famous for alchemy, after all. Their heir might have some strong perfumes in stock.
Did Yuki like her smell? Rhys looked at his spatial pouch, searching for any perfumes in it.
"I wanted to eat her."
"What?"
"I will eat her next time," Yuki finished, turning around, but not before looking deeply towards his chest.
If Rhys had not calmed the egg, he was sure it was ready to go to fight.
'Calm down, you can't win against her.'
[Hmph.]
'What was that?'
[I just translated for Eggy.]
"Are you coming?" Yuki called from a distance, slowing a bit. Rhys hurriedly caught up with her.
"The next place..." The hot wind brushed past them. The heat did not seem to bother her at all.
'She is hotter than the heat here.'
[...]
"...The Rolling Sands."
"Rolling Sands?" Rhys stared at the endless dunes stretched out on the horizon. She just shrugged as both of them continued walking.
Even after walking for hours, they did not find anything. At some point, Rhys believed there were no monsters in this area. He started to think about the labyrinth.
Unlike dungeons or secret realms with a fixed pattern of completion, a labyrinth did not have any set order to complete its challenge.
That was why everyone who entered here was transported to different areas. Also, the challenges were not always about killing the strongest monster.
Finding what the challenge was could be difficult, probably more difficult than winning the challenge itself.
He replayed the experiences he had had after entering the labyrinth. The stone forest. The stone golem.
The ash plains.The whispering caverns. And finally, the Leviathan's dream. Now this desert.
Each of these places differed greatly from the others; he failed to find any connection between them.
Also...
'System, do you find it odd that the monsters I killed when Yuki was with me never revived?'
He could point to the reason being Yuki absorbing their life energies, so they could not revive. But if that was the case, why did they drop lifespan crystals?
He should have noticed these oddities before, but with Yuki's presence nearby, his mind seemed to be fogged by...
[Her mind control...]
'Yeah.'
The 'harmless' mind control she had appeared to be affecting him bit by bit. If he had not bonded with Eggy, he could have continued in the same way.
Rhys tilted his head to stare at the silver-haired girl. She continued leading him without showing any abnormalities.
'How could she show any abnormality when she is an abnormality in the first place?'
Rhys recalled how he had found her. The subtle marks she had left behind now appeared like a perfectly crafted trap for him to find her.
And like a fool, he had jumped right into it.
But... what was her agenda?
If it was to simply kill him, he was sure she did not have to go to this extent. She could have easily done the deed. But that was not her goal.
Despite the System not replying to him, Eggy agreed with him. It even asked him to allow it to fight the traitor.
'You are just a child. You can't fight her. Do you want to become an omelette?'
Eggy stopped moving.
They continued for another hour. Rhys started to feel bored. The silence was absolute. There was no wind. There was no sound of insects or animals.
The only sound was the soft, rhythmic crunch of their own feet on the fine sand. It was a lonely sound in a vast, empty world.
Chapter 46: The Tempest Djinn
The Crystalline Hive had been full of constant action. The Sunken City had been full of mystery and danger.
This place was just... empty. He also felt on edge. The emptiness felt unnatural.
Even for a Labyrinth, this was too quiet. It felt as if the world was holding its breath, waiting for something terrible to happen.
He thought about the new powers he had gained in the sunken city. He had bonded with the Water element.
He could feel its potential sleeping inside one of his micro-dantians, waiting for him to reach the next cultivation realm to awaken it.
He had also gained the Gills of the Void lifeskill. It was useless here, in this dry, waterless world. Still, it was good.
"Is this entire place just sand?" Rhys asked, breaking the long silence. He was getting tired of walking and seeing nothing but the same endless view.
"For now," Yuki replied. Her answers were as cryptic as always. Rhys felt a familiar wave of frustration.
"What does that mean?"
"It means the sand is not all there is," she said.
She stopped walking and pointed towards the horizon. Rhys looked in the direction she was pointing. In the far distance, he saw a dark shape.
At first, it looked like a low mountain range on the edge of the world. But it was moving. It was a solid wall of black clouds.
It was growing larger, and it was moving towards them with incredible speed. It was a massive hurricane.
A swirling vortex of black sand and dark energy. It was so big that it touched the pale sky. It moved across the desert like a hungry god, swallowing everything in its path.
The ground beneath their feet began to tremble. A low, rumbling sound reached them. It was the sound of a thousand storms at once, a deep and angry roar that shook his bones.
Rhys felt a surge of adrenaline. His boredom was gone, replaced by a thrilling sense of danger.
Yuki pulled him down.
She created a huge cage of ice around them. The hurricane was almost upon them. The wind was so strong it felt like a physical wall.
Even with the protection of the ice cage, it tore at their clothes and filled the air with stinging, flying sand that felt like tiny needles against his skin.
The sky turned black. The world became a chaotic mess of wind and noise. Rhys felt the immense pressure of the storm trying to crush him.
[System analysing...]
[The Tempest Djinn detected.]
[Bloodline: Tyrant.]
[Cultivation: Stage 1 (Peak).]
[Status: Deceased.]
[Description: This entity is a walking storm, the memory of an army of wind elementalists.]
Rhys rolled his eyes. A Tyrant? Nothing special, I have seen a Titan.
'Why the fuck is every dead monster wandering the labyrinth rather than resting eternally?'
The owner of this labyrinth had a strange kink, that was for sure. This Labyrinth was a graveyard of ancient, powerful beings.
The Titan Golem in the Ashen Plains. The Leviathan in the Sunken City. And now this Tempest Djinn in the Rolling Sands.
He finally understood where the Wind Element Ball he had found had come from. It was a piece of this creature's very soul.
The crystal ant had somehow found a tiny piece of it and bonded with it, gaining its sound-based powers.
How had it reached the whispering caverns?
'Maybe there is another path.'
That was it. But the System's next analysis was even more shocking.
[Cross-referencing energy signatures with previously analysed entities...]
[Conclusion: The Tempest Djinn is in a state of perpetual, instinctual flight. Its movement pattern is a direct reaction to the path of the Titan Golem from the Ashen Plains.]
Rhys felt his mind trying to process the incredible information. The two dead monsters were locked in an eternal, unconscious chase.
The Titan Golem walked slowly and unstoppably across its domain. The Tempest Djinn, a creature of pure wind and air, felt the heavy, oppressive presence of the Titan and instinctively fled from it.
Its path of escape created the hurricane. The hurricane was not hunting. It was running.
And in that moment, Rhys understood everything. The desert was not empty. The monsters were not gone.
They were just like him and Yuki. They were hiding. They were waiting for the storm to pass.
The storm raged for what felt like an eternity. Rhys and Yuki stayed hidden inside the ice cage. The wind and sand roared over their heads.
He could feel the ground shaking. It was like being at the bottom of an angry sea. Then, as quickly as it had arrived, it was gone.
The hurricane passed over them and continued its endless journey across the desert. The wind died down. The black clouds disappeared into the distance.
The pale blue sky returned. The desert was silent once more. But it was no longer empty. The landscape had changed completely.
The dunes had been reshaped by the powerful wind. Old dunes were gone, and new ones had been created. And from beneath the new dunes, the monsters of the desert began to emerge.
The sand all around them started to shift and move. A chorus of strange, chittering and scraping sounds broke the silence.
It was the sound of hundreds of creatures digging their way to the surface. Rhys and Yuki stood up. They looked around at the shifting sands.
They had survived the storm, but now they were in a nest of hungry monsters.
The creatures that emerged were like scorpions. Their bodies were made of a cloudy, semi-transparent glass.
Fine, white sand was visible inside their glass shells, swirling around like the sand in an hourglass. They had six sharp, glass legs and a long, curved tail with a sharp, pointed stinger.
Their pincers were like shards of broken glass.
[Glass Scuttler detected.]
[Bloodline: Ordinary.]
[Cultivation: Stage 1 (Low).]
[Description: A desert predator that lives beneath the sand. Its glass-like exoskeleton is brittle but very sharp. They are simple-minded pack hunters that attack any source of life they detect.]
The first Scuttler let out a high-pitched chittering sound. It was a signal. In an instant, hundreds of the glass monsters swarmed towards them.
The desert was no longer silent. It was filled with the sound of scraping glass and hungry clicks.
"There are too many," Yuki said, her voice calm but serious.
"Just a warm-up," Rhys replied, a grin spreading across his face.
He used Shadowed Dive. His body became a black blur, and he shot into the middle of the swarm. His dagger moved like lightning.
With every strike, a Glass Scuttler shattered into a cloud of sand and broken glass. He was a whirlwind of death in the centre of the monster pack.
Yuki acted at the same time. She did not waste energy on big attacks. She waved her hands, and sharp, black ice spikes shot up from the sand.
They impaled dozens of Scuttlers, freezing them in place before they could even reach her. The fight was a chaotic dance.
Rhys was the fast, close-range killer. Yuki was the long-range defender. They worked together perfectly. For every Scuttler Rhys killed, Yuki killed ten more.
But the monsters were endless. For every hundred they killed, two hundred more seemed to crawl out of the sand.
The ground was covered in broken glass and purple lifespan crystals, but they had no time to collect them.
'How about we run?'
Chapter 47: The Desert Wanderers
'How about we run?'
Sure, his constitution was Transcendent, but he was merely Tier 2. Even if his constitution could handle it, his energy would never be enough.
Only because of his 108 dantians did he have the energy to fight this continuously. If it was a monster or two, he could continue fighting for as long as he could.
But this was hundreds of monsters. If it were anyone else in his position, they would have been overwhelmed by now.
After a few hours of constant fighting, Rhys started to feel tired. The intense, dry heat of the desert was draining his stamina faster than usual.
His movements became a little slower. His arms ached from shattering the endless waves of glass monsters.
Despite his flawless regeneration healing every injury he sustained, a few scratches started to form all over his body, as the energy required for healing increased and his body could not supply enough to meet the need.
He felt his body reacting to the new, extreme environment. He was under constant pressure from the scorching heat and the physical stress of the long battle.
His Void-Tempered Immortal Body was adapting once again. A notification from the System appeared in his mind.
[Host is under sustained environmental pressure (extreme heat) and physical exhaustion.]
[The Void-Tempered Immortal Body is adapting to regulate its core temperature more efficiently.]
[A new lifeskill is being formed...]
[Lifeskill [Heat Acclimation] has been acquired.]
[About: Allows the user's body to regulate its core temperature more efficiently, greatly reducing the negative effects of extreme heat and slowing the rate of stamina loss in hot environments.]
Rhys felt a subtle change inside him. The oppressive heat of the desert seemed to lessen. His body felt lighter, and the feeling of exhaustion began to fade.
The new skill was already working, helping him endure the harsh conditions. But it was not enough.
A Glass Scuttler managed to get past his guard. Its sharp pincer entered his chest, narrowly grazing his heart.
The pain was intense. For the first time in his new life, he could not hold back a pained cry.
"Aarh!"
[Host is advised to obtain a new lifeskill for pain control.]
'How?'
[Of course, by constantly experiencing it.]
'By making me a masochist?'
Rhys made a mental note to do that. Pain was salvation after all. He urged back the intent of his body to go another bloodthirsty mode.
The cut was shallow, and his regeneration healed it instantly, but it was a clear warning. He was getting overwhelmed. He looked at Yuki.
She was also showing signs of strain. Her beautiful face was pale. The black ice spikes she created were smaller now, and they shattered more easily against the glass bodies of the Scuttlers.
She was using too much of her energy.
He stared down. Her legs... they had become skeletal.
"We can't keep this up!" Rhys shouted over the noise of the battle as he moved closer to Yuki.
"There are too many of them!" Yuki accepted his support as she absorbed his life energy, rejuvenating her legs. She looked tired.
Eggy started to throw more of a tantrum in his mind.
'What now?'
[Eggy is saying she is acting. And has called her a coquettish bitch.]
Rhys was taken aback. Who taught such dirty words to Eggy?
'Eggy, a child can't speak like this. Who did you learn that from?'
'Don't tell me it was you. You are corrupting Eggy!'
[Technically, the System knows nothing on its own. It always analyses and decodes data it obtains and learns from new data. So, a source material is always needed. Of course, except for a few things...]
'Are you saying you learned that from me?'
[It is what it is.]
Eggy defended himself in his mind, threatening to eat the System and so on. Rhys was finally glad there was someone with him to bully the System.
He asked Eggy to always pester the System as he looked around, his mind racing to find a plan to escape.
They were completely surrounded. There was no clear path out.
"I have a plan," he said to Yuki.
"I'll use a big attack to clear a path. When I do, we run. Don't stop for anything."
Gathering all his leftover energy, he prepared to use a fully powered Spark Fist.
Despite him mastering it to perfection, he had only used it one time. At that time, he only had one dantian. But now it was 108.
Although his energy was heavily depleted, it was still more than five times the amount from that initial time. So he could not wait to use the strongest attacking skill in his inventory.
He was sure using it would create a huge explosion, which would potentially kill hundreds of Scuttlers and give them the opening they needed to escape.
But it would also attract more monsters in the vicinity.
'Whatever, better just think about the current problems for now.'
Just as he was about to unleash the attack, a new sound cut through the chaos. It was a loud horn. A deep sound resonated through the air, like a giant seashell being blown.
It was not hurting to the ears or threatening to the soul; rather, it was a command. A command to bow down. The effect on the Glass Scuttlers was immediate and absolute.
They stopped attacking. They let out a collective chitter of pure, primal fear. They turned away from him and Yuki. In a panic, they began to burrow back into the sand.
In less than ten seconds, the entire swarm was gone. The chaotic battlefield, which had been filled with the sounds of battle and scraping glass, was suddenly completely silent.
Rhys and Yuki were left standing alone in the empty desert. They were surrounded by the broken bodies of the monsters they had killed.
They were both breathing heavily, tired from the long fight. Rhys lowered his hand, the Spark Fist he had been preparing fizzling out into nothing.
He looked around at the now-empty desert. He was confused.
'System, what the hell was that?'
[Analysing sound source...]
[Sand-Striker's Resonating Horn.]
[Origin: Harvested from the remnants of an Elite Sand Striker, an extinct natural predator of the Glass Scuttlers.]
[Effect: The sound triggers a deep, instinctual fear response in the Glass Scuttlers, causing them to immediately cease all aggression and burrow into the sand to hide from their apex predator.]
[Status: The object is non-magical. It is simply a tool crafted from a monster's bone. Its effectiveness is based on biology.]
"We have new company," Yuki said.
She now stood without the exhaustion she had shown before. Eggy was still calling her names, which Rhys did not want the world to know he had taught an unborn child.
As both of them were lost in different thoughts, a group of people emerged over the top of a large sand dune. They were riding strange, bug-like animals.
The creatures were like giant, flat beetles, and they moved smoothly over the sand. As they got closer, the creatures dived under the sand and then re-emerged right in front of them, showing they could travel underground.
The leader of the group was a burly, middle-aged man. He had a thick, brown beard and a weathered face.
He wore simple, sand-coloured leather armour. He looked strong and serious. Rhys immediately asked the System to analyse them.
[Analysing new group...]
[The Desert Wanderers.]
[Species: Human.]
[Status: Deceased.]
Rhys was not surprised that they were dead. Everything in this Labyrinth seemed to be a memory. But the System's next analysis stunned him.
[Unique Cultivation Method detected: Monster Bonding.]
'Monster Bonding?' Rhys thought.
'Is it what I think it is?'
Chapter 48: Salvation
[Analysis: Monster Bonding is a cultivation path where a human forms a mutual, soul-level contract with a monster. They do not just tame the monster; they share its core.
The monster's core becomes a part of the cultivator's own energy system. Their life and death become linked. If the cultivator dies, the monster dies, and vice-versa.]
[Limitations: Both monster and human cannot live apart more than a hundred metres.]
A new screen popped up, showing more detail.
[The most significant effect of this mutual bond is the sharing of Traits. The cultivator gains direct access to the monster's innate Trait, allowing them to use it as their own.]
This new information hit Rhys like a lightning bolt. He thought of the small, blue egg in his spatial pouch.
'Eggy...'
The feeling of intense pride from Eggy was instant. It was beaming with happy waves, one after another, trying its best to show off to the System and Yuki.
Yet, apart from the System, Yuki did not even know of its existence.
'System, I have a soul-bond with Eggy. Can I do this too?' Rhys asked the important question that had appeared in his mind.
[The Host's bond is a true soul-bond, not a simple contract. The connection is deeper. The Host can not only access the bonded creature's Trait, but also its Bloodline.]
Rhys felt a surge of excitement. The Monster Bonding technique was already a secret, at least in the province.
Within this secret, the ability of his own bond was a bigger mystery. The Wanderers could share Traits, but he could share a Bloodline too.
He had a hunch that this would be a huge power-up for his future. He just had to wait for Eggy to come out for it to happen.
'Eggy, when will you come out?'
[It is unknown how much life energy it needs to be born. The amount might be abysmal, as Eggy is always absorbing life energy, yet it has not shown any movement apart from its noisy mouth.]
Rhys completely muted his mind as Eggy and the System started their argument again. It seemed like both of them were surely going to have huge fights in the future.
His life of peacefulness had ended. Rhys did not know if he should cry or laugh. Yuki pulled his hand, snapping him out of his reverie.
The burly man, the leader of the Wanderers, dismounted from his bug-like creature. He walked towards Rhys and Yuki. His expression was cautious.
"Who are you?" the man asked. His voice was deep and rough, like grinding stones. "We have never seen you in the Rolling Sands before."
"We are just travellers," Rhys replied, his voice calm. The man looked at the field of shattered glass monsters around them.
He looked at Rhys, then at Yuki. He could see they were powerful.
"Travellers?" the man asked. He took a step closer. "Are you... from the outside?"
Rhys saw a bright spark of hope in the man's tired eyes. It was the desperate look of someone who had lost all hope and had suddenly found a reason to have it again.
[System analysing..]
[The Desert Wanderers are trapped within this domain. Their primary cultural goal is to find a way to escape the desert. They believe people 'from the outside' might hold the key.]
'Key?'
Before Rhys could get an answer, a young woman from the group ran forward. She was energetic and had a friendly smile plastered on her face.
"Bael, don't be so serious!" she said to the leader. She turned to Rhys and Yuki.
"Wow! You two killed so many Scuttlers! That's amazing! My name is Zara. What are your names? Your clothes are so strange. Where did you get them?" She talked a lot, and her friendly energy broke the tense atmosphere.
It was strange...
"Zara, be quiet," Bael said, but his voice was not angry.
...more stranger after the leader showed obvious approval disguised as disapproval.
Rhys looked at the girl, Zara. She was looking at him and Yuki with wide, curious eyes. He asked the System to analyse her.
[Zara. Trait: Farsight.]
[About: A rare and conditional Trait that allows the user, Zara, to perceive the potential future pathways of other individuals if that individual is friendly.]
That explained why she was trying her best to appear friendly, obviously failing as Yuki was eying her coldly.
Either way, Rhys was surprised. A Seer-type ability was too rare. He looked closer and saw a small, hawk-like creature perched on her shoulder.
It was made of crystal and sand. Its eyes were like two large, clear gems.
[Sand-Gem Kestrel detected.]
[Bloodline: Ordinary]
[Cultivation: Stage 1 (Low)]
[Trait: Hunter's Foresight]
[About: The monster is capable of seeing the immediate future pathways of its prey if the prey is unaware of its presence. After this woman bonded with this monster, she obtained its trait, though the trait was tweaked a little as per her human nature.]
This was the second seer-type ability he had encountered in this Labyrinth. The first was Anya Sterling's Eye of Veridian Insight.
He was beginning to realise that powerful and rare abilities were more common here than in the outside world.
'After all, this labyrinth was from another world. Maybe the owner is someone from the higher worlds...'
Bael looked at Rhys and Yuki. Either because he saw they were powerful or was intrigued by their appearance, the hostile intent Rhys had felt from him had completely disappeared.
He and Zara locked eyes and, although it was only for a few seconds, Rhys could understand they were communicating.
"You have fought a long battle," Bael finally spoke after a few seconds, his voice now more friendly.
"You must be tired. Come with us. Come to our settlement. You can rest and eat. We can talk more there."
Rhys looked at Yuki. She just shrugged, her expression indifferent. Rhys looked back at the group of Wanderers.
He was faced with a choice: follow these strange, dead people and learn more about this place, or continue his journey alone.
[How can there be a choice when you have already decided what to do?]
'True.'
"Okay," he mirrored the same friendly smile. "We will go with you."
*
* *
Zara followed just behind the outsiders, her heart beating with a fast, excited rhythm.
Outsiders. Real outsiders.
It was a story the elders told, a dream the children whispered about, but she had never truly believed it until now.
The two figures in front of her were proof that a world existed beyond their endless, white sands. She felt a surge of hope, so strong it almost made her dizzy.
This is it. This could be our chance.
She had to be sure. She focused her will, activating her Trait. The world around her faded into a grey blur. Only the people in front of her remained in colour, their potential futures waiting to be seen.
Her bonded Kestrel on her shoulder let out a soft cry, its gem-like eyes glowing as it shared its power with her. She looked at the silver-haired girl first.
The excitement in Zara's heart turned to cold disappointment. She saw nothing. A complete, empty blankness.
It was the same void she saw when she looked at her father, at Kael, at every single person in her tribe. A deep sadness washed over her.
This beautiful, powerful girl was just like them.
With a heavy heart, she turned her gaze to the masked man. She expected to see the same empty void. But she did not.
Her breath caught in her throat. His future was not blank. It was an explosion of light and colour. It was a vibrant, chaotic storm of branching pathways.
She had never seen anything like it. The joy she felt was quickly replaced by a deep, primal fear. His future was not a single, clear path. It was millions of them.
Every word she said to him, every step she took, created a million new futures for him. He was completely, terrifyingly unpredictable.
He was a force of pure chaos. The power he held, the potential to change his own destiny at any moment, was horrifying to her.
She wanted to run.
She wanted to tell Bael to send them away. This man was too dangerous. He was a storm that could destroy their small, fragile world.
But then she saw it. Amidst the chaos of his millions of branching futures, there was one single, shining point. It was a bright, distant star.
All the millions of chaotic pathways, no matter how different, all eventually led to that one, single point. It was a shared outcome.
A single, unavoidable destiny. And in that shining point of convergence, she saw it.
"What did you see?" a male voice sounded in her ears, as if it had appeared out of thin air.
"Salvation..." she muttered involuntarily, then opened her eyes wide, locking with pupils of complete darkness.
The man turned and continued his walking, muttering.
"Salvation... so that's what you all are after."
Chapter 49: Heaven grade Formation!
The moment Zara tried to use her Trait on him, Eggy had already warned him, even before the System.
That was why he had tilted his head to ask what she had seen. Her answer surprised him.
"Salvation... so that's what you are all after."
His words were a quiet murmur, meant only for himself, but in the silent desert, they carried. Zara's eyes widened in shock, realising he had heard her.
[System analysing the concept of "Salvation" within the Labyrinth's parameters...]
[Analysis Complete: The core theme of this Labyrinth is the fulfilment of a final wish. Every Echo of Life within this realm, from the weakest monster to the most powerful, is a memory bound by a single, powerful regret or desire.
This desire manifests as a need for salvation. Only by satisfying that final wish can the Echo be truly put to rest and its existence completely erased.]
Rhys felt a deep understanding settle in his mind. The challenge of this Labyrinth was not just to kill monsters. It was to understand them.
To understand their final wish and, if possible, to grant it. The entire Labyrinth was a place of salvation.
He looked at the Wanderers. Their final wish was to escape the desert. That was their salvation.
The journey to their settlement was quiet after that. Bael walked beside Rhys, explaining more about their tribe.
"We have always lived in these sands," the man said, his voice filled with a deep weariness.
"We are born here, we hunt here, and we die here. Our enemy is the Great One, the storm that brings only destruction."
He was talking about the Tempest Djinn.
"It is a curse," Bael continued. "A curse that keeps us trapped. But we believe that one day, a hero will come. A hero who can defeat the Great One and lead us out of this prison."
He looked at Rhys, his eyes filled with a desperate hope.
'Does he actually think I can defeat a Tyrant?'
[...]
'He is joking, right?'
[What do you think?]
'Fuck.'
No wonder these people were still wandering in the desert like lost ghosts. Their salvation was almost impossible to achieve. Rhys felt a bit uncomfortable.
How cursed did someone have to be to wander with such an intense thirst for their wish, yet be unable to achieve it even after dying countless times?
Wait...
"Why are you guys so sure that defeating the 'Great One' will let you out of this desert?" he asked.
"The Elder will explain about it," Bael murmured mysteriously.
After walking a bit and riding the Dune Skimmers, they reached an unremarkable sand dune. Bael went to the front and placed his hand on the sand. He muttered a few strange words.
[Hidden formation detected...]
[Burning lifespan to analyse...]
[Formation type: Concealment Array.]
[Grade: Heaven (High).]
[Description: A localised formation designed to subtly conceal a specific area of the landscape, making it appear unremarkable and preventing detection by any cultivation below Tier 4 or Stage 4. Activation requires precise Qi manipulation and a specific incantation or ritual.]
Rhys was shocked. This was a high-level formation, far more complex than the simple arrays he knew how to create. To build something like this required a true Formation Master.
Presumably seeing his surprise, one of the Wanderers in the group stated proudly, "It was made by our Elder..."
He had not completed his sentence before Zara kicked his knees, forcing him to fall silent. Yet it was enough to deeply horrify Rhys.
'They have a formation master capable of making a Heaven-grade formation!'
The quality of formations is divided into four: Common, Spirit, Soul, and Heavenly.
To make a Heaven-tier formation, one not only needs to have a profession core for formations, but they also have to have a cultivation of at least Tier 3.
[Wrong. To create a high-quality Heaven-grade formation, one needs to be in Tier 4, Aura Manifestation.]
'Fuck...'
The sand in front of them began to shift and swirl, revealing a dark, hexagonal tunnel leading down into the earth.
The bug-like creatures, which Rhys now knew were called Dune Skimmers, crawled into the tunnel without hesitation.
Rhys was now riding one, with Yuki sitting behind him, her arms wrapped loosely around his waist. He had already analysed the creature.
It was a simple, Ordinary-grade monster that the Wanderers had tamed over generations. It was their only way to travel safely under the sand.
His mind wandered to the possibility of a Tier 4 powerhouse being within reach.
'How is that even possible? Doesn't the labyrinth have a level cap... no, wait.'
His eyes widened as a realisation struck him. He instinctively peeked at Yuki, who for some unknown reason seemed to be in a daze.
'Is there a possibility the natives of this labyrinth do not have a level cap?'
[It cannot be proven accurately, unless we meet the person in question.]
'Well, we are going to do that anyway,' Rhys slumped back, putting his back against Yuki, forcing her out of her daze.
"Can you fight that 'Elder'?" he muttered in her ear. To onlookers, it looked as if the two of them were hugging.
Zara, riding behind on her own Skimmer, yelped in a low voice.
Rhys ignored the snickering and gulping voices of the single peasants behind him as he waited for Yuki to speak.
"If you allow me to nibble a bit more of yours..." her reply was a bit louder, causing a few men riding their Skimmers to tumble to the ground.
Rhys's mouth opened wide enough to touch the ground.
'Where did she learn to flirt?'
[...]
'Don't tell me it was also from me.'
[What the Host believes, that is it.]
The tunnel they moved through was narrow and twisted, branching off in all directions. It was a complex maze. Without a guide, anyone would be lost here forever.
[Hidden formation detected...]
[Burning lifespan to analyse...]
[Formation type: Illusion Array.]
[Grade: Heaven (High).]
[Description: A simple illusion magic that mirrors every path into thousands. Unless one has a formation identifier, they cannot find the way out.]
Bael was smart, as he made them walk through the dark tunnels for a long time. Finally, they reached a large hall.
The hall was huge, and the walls were filled with hundreds of small, dark holes. As they arrived, people began to emerge from these holes.
Rhys looked around. The settlement was filled with women and children. There were very few men. Bael motioned to his men as they dropped the crystal shards they had collected into the centre.
The women and children formed a quiet, orderly queue to collect their share. Bael led Rhys and Yuki through the crowd.
"Our tribe is small," he said sadly. "Only fifty of us are strong enough to fight. The rest... they depend on us."
He led them to the deepest part of the hall. There, sitting on a simple stone chair, was an old man. He was so old that he looked almost like a shrivelled corpse.
His skin was thin and dry, like old paper, stretched tightly over his bones. He was bald, and his eyes were closed. He looked as if he was asleep, or perhaps already dead.
"Elder Solon," Bael said, his voice full of respect. He bowed deeply.
Rhys felt a sudden, intense sense of danger. It was a feeling he had only felt a few times before. Once when he faced the god-like cultivators, and once when he met Yuki.
This old man, this shrivelled corpse, was incredibly dangerous.
'System, analyse him,' Rhys commanded in his mind.
The System's response was terrifying lines of glowing text that made his blood run cold.
[Solon.]
[Race: Human.]
[Cultivation: Law Initiate (Tier 8), weakened to Aura Manifestation (Tier 4).]
[Status: Alive.]
'Alive?' His eyes locked with the pair of lifeless pupils, which gained a bit of a spark as they stared at each other.
Chapter 50: The last man alive!
The Law Initiate was the last tier of cultivation in the mortal world. The old man before him was such a powerhouse.
And he was alive. Rhys arched his brows.
'To think that I would see a living man in this group of dead people, how interesting,' Rhys thought.
The shock of seeing a Tier 8 cultivation level was immense, but the fact that this man was alive, unlike the other Wanderers, was even more surprising.
'But how did his cultivation fall from Tier 8 all the way down to Tier 4?' He was very interested to know the reason for this.
[The entity is classified as alive because its soul is still active,] the System explained in his mind.
[However, he has nothing that a living being is supposed to have. His physical body has almost completely disappeared. He is just a soul living under a shell of skin and bone.]
'So he is a living corpse?'
[That is an accurate, if crude, description.]
'What could cause something like that?' Rhys wondered.
[Analysing the entity's unique Trait...]
[Trait: Sands of a Thousand Years.]
[Description: The Sands of a Thousand Years is a powerful Trait that allows the user to sacrifice parts of their own physical body to manipulate the flow of time in a small area.
Every time this power is used, a part of the user's body stops working and begins to decay, which is the reason for the Elder's current weakened and shrivelled state.]
'Time manipulation... Can it be considered the use of a conceptual element?'
[No and Yes. No, because him having a conceptual element in his Trait does not cause a 'reality move' or a 'crash'. From a technical point of view, it is not against the heavens because he was born with it. Yes, because of that same conceptual element, he has to pay a price. Here, it is his body parts.]
'I have Void in my constitution. The price for that was my lifespan, right?'
'If I did not have an infinite lifespan, I could not have this constitution, or my lifespan would be dried out by it, right?'
[...]
'Then what will be the prices for the rest of the conceptual elements?'
Only time could tell. In any case, conceptual elements were too powerful. Only if someone had enough capability to pay the price.
Elder Solon had a profound look, staring at him. An immense, invisible pressure suddenly washed over Rhys.
He felt as if his body was being buried alive in mud, but in his brain. This was the spiritual probe of a Tier 8 powerhouse. It was a force that should have instantly shattered the soul of a Body Tempering cultivator.
Rhys felt his own consciousness start to buckle under the strain. The world began to go dark at the edges of his vision. But then, his constitution reacted.
His Void-Tempered Immortal Body was not just a physical shell; it was a vessel forged from a concept that stood outside the normal laws of the world.
It resisted the mental pressure, its innate nature refusing to be dominated. A new notification from the System appeared in his mind.
[Host is under sustained pressure from a high-tier mental and spiritual probe.]
[The Void-Tempered Immortal Body is adapting to the conceptual pressure to protect the Host's soul...]
[A new lifeskill is being formed...]
[Lifeskill [Will of the Sand] has been acquired.]
[About: A mental attack skill that floods the target's mind with the overwhelming sensation of being buried and suffocated by sand. This causes confusion, disrupts concentration, and can paralyse weaker-willed enemies with terror.]
The moment the skill was acquired, the terrifying pressure lessened. It did not disappear, but it no longer felt as if it was crushing him.
It was now like a heavy blanket, uncomfortable but bearable. A surprised expression appeared on Elder Solon's face.
[Eggy is saying it wants to break the old man's nose.]
'Same.'
[It is also saying the two corpses are the same; both of them should be beaten.]
Rhys glanced at Yuki and shook his head.
Elder Solon looked past Bael. He looked past Rhys. His ancient eyes focused directly on Yuki.
"Leave us," Elder Solon said. His voice was weak and raspy, like the sound of dry leaves skittering across stone, but it was filled with an undeniable authority.
Bael looked surprised. "But, Elder..."
But the Elder's eyes were not on him. They were on Yuki. Rhys could feel a coldness sweeping into the surroundings.
Time itself appeared to be freezing as visible ice started to crack the atmosphere. Rhys held Yuki's hands, shaking his head.
The dangerous atmosphere melted away the same way it came. Bael breathed a sigh of relief, wiping his forehead, and gasped upon seeing ice stains there.
"You go," Rhys muttered in her ear. "But..." "Shh," his fingers touched her lips. He leaned closer and looked straight into her eyes. "I will let you eat me as you like after this." "Cough!" Bael choked on his own saliva after hearing his words. Meanwhile, Yuki happily nodded with a smile, having no idea how beautiful it was.
[Host, we have other urgent priorities now.]
'A man can't neglect his primal priorities.' Bael bowed, looking eager to run away from here.
"As you wish, Elder." He turned around and waited a few seconds for Yuki to follow. Yuki nodded at Rhys and went out with him.
Now, only he and the Elder were left in the room.
"Do not be afraid, child of the outside," Elder Solon said. His voice was weak and raspy, but it was surprisingly calm.
"If I wanted to harm you, you would already be dust."
Rhys had a strange expression on his face.
'When was I scared?'
[Let the old man live in his delusions.]
"I am Solon," the old man said. "The last living person in this forgotten place."
His words confirmed that he knew everyone else here was dead. Rhys was surprised.
"Don't be scared, child of the outside."
Again? What was that for? He wasn't scared at all!
"Those people," Solon continued, "they are echoes. Memories of the people who once lived in my tribe, long ago. They are trapped in a cycle, forever repeating their final days, unaware of their true nature. They are a part of my long, lonely prison."
"Prison?" Rhys asked for no reason.
"The labyrinth," Elder Solon said, his gaze distant.
"You know it is a labyrinth?"
"Don't be—"
"I am not scared anymore," Rhys cut off his words. "When did you know it was a labyrinth?"
"When you came here," Elder Solon said as a matter of fact.
"Ohh..."
"Don't be—"
"I am really not scared."
"Ahem." Elder Solon cleared his throat while Eggy laughed through their bond. The little egg was very happy to hear the funny corpse's words.
[Eggy is saying let's kidnap this old man and leave Yuki behind.] The System sounded as if it was agreeing.
'You hate Yuki now too?'
[...]
"I was trapped here thousands of years ago," the reminiscent voice of the Elder woke him up.
"Trapped by whom?"
"A being whose power is beyond that of a god. I have been here ever since, watching my people fade into memories, watching the world outside change in ways I can only imagine."
Rhys felt a sense of pity for the old man. To be trapped for so long, alone with only ghosts for company... it was a terrible fate.
"Why are you telling me this?" Rhys asked.
"Because you are an outsider," Elder Solon said, his sharp eyes focusing on Rhys again. "You are not a part of this cycle. That means you are the only one who can break it. I have a plan to defeat the Tyrant storm, a plan I have worked on for centuries."
"Then why don't you try it yourself?"
"I will die if I try."
"Then you want me to die?" Rhys almost cursed the old corpse.