"Please confirm your identity, sir," a guard requested politely.
Ghosty's Barrier was already active, masking his features.
A moment later, his Barrier communicated with the guard's Barrier.
"Welcome, special Agent," the guard said.
Naturally, the identity the Barrier displayed was fake.
The older man beside Ghosty also showed his credentials, which identified him as another special Agent.
Ghosty had handed out new Barriers after talking to everyone.
The older man's true identity was Ferdinand Helix, and he was here to see the proof.
For just a moment, he thought about exposing Ghosty to the guard.
There were bound to be Protectors here, and Ferdinand knew that he could most likely escape.
After all, Ghosty abducted the three researchers.
He didn't believe all this garbage about the Champion being a traitor.
However, Ferdinand was somebody who always gave others an opportunity to prove their claims.
Ferdinand was interested in the proof that Ghosty was constantly raving about.
If Ghosty had actually spoken the truth, Ferdinand had a duty to work for him.
There was nothing more that Ferdinand wanted to do than to free humanity.
If he wrongfully exposed Ghosty, he would never be able to forgive himself.
Not even his death would be able to pay for his transgression against humanity.
Additionally, despite Ghosty's wild claims, there was some proof regarding some of his claims.
For example, these new Barriers, the machines, and the gate were proof that Ghosty had the support of the Technician.
Nobody else could create these things.
However, it was still possible that the Technician was simply planning on usurping the Champion of Light just to get more power.
The two researchers entered the stronghold.
Naturally, Nick was with them, but he didn't expose himself.
The two researchers traveled down several hallways before stopping in front of a Containment Unit.
The doors to the Containment Unit opened, and the two of them came face to face with a floating black cloak.
The Fiend of Darkness.
The Fiend of Darkness had been transported to this stronghold under the Left Arm's orders.
The Fiend of Darkness wasn't moving or attacking.
That was because Nick was in the Containment Unit, and he ordered it not to do anything for now.
Ferdinand knew that Ghosty's mysterious friend was still with them, and it made him quite nervous.
No matter how much he searched, he couldn't find Ghosty's friend at all.
"It will now swallow us," Ghosty said. "Remember what I told you."
Ferdinand nodded, and his heart rate shot up.
He knew that he had to survive several seconds of the most aggressive torture the Nightmare had ever bestowed upon him.
"Are you ready?" Ghosty asked.
Ferdinand nodded with conviction.
For humanity, he would gladly accept this torture!
The next moment, the Fiend of Darkness approached them and enveloped them.
Ferdinand was plunged into a world of pain, torture, and misery.
His dead friends and family were tortured as the vilest acts were performed on him.
Everything was so real.
It was indescribable.
He wanted to die.
He wanted to die so badly!
But he couldn't!
And then, his eyes opened.
He found himself on a white plane, surrounded by darkness.
For a while, his mind didn't recover.
BANG!
The next moment, he felt something slap him, and he shot to his feet.
BANG!
Then, he got kicked and fell over.
That was when he felt a motionless body beneath him.
Ferdinand's advanced senses immediately identified the body as Ghosty's.
He immediately realized what had happened.
Ghosty had lost consciousness and needed Ferdinand's help!
Ferdinand immediately used one of the devices Ghosty had given him in case any of them lost consciousness.
Ghosty had told him several times that they shouldn't wake the other person up the normal way.
They were only allowed to use the device.
Ferdinand activated the device, and it released a needle, which buried itself into Ghosty's neck.
Several complex fluctuations came out of the device, and some seconds later, Ghosty opened his eyes.
"Are you ok?" Ferdinand asked with worry.
Ghosty realized what had happened. "Wow," he said. "Seems like I'm not as resilient to torture as you. Thank you."
Ferdinand nodded. "I still want to see your proof. I don't want you to die yet."
Then, Ferdinand realized something. "Why didn't your friend wake you?"
Ghosty smiled with embarrassment. "He probably wanted to test you."
Ferdinand didn't like that.
He didn't like it when people tested him.
"So, where's your proof?" he asked with a bit of annoyance.
"We have to walk for a bit," Ghosty said as he walked in a certain direction.
Of course, it was Nick who told him where to go.
Ferdinand followed Ghosty, and after a while, Ghosty stopped.
Then, he pointed forward.
"There's your proof," he said.
Ferdinand looked forward and focused on a distant speck.
The two of them continued approaching, and Ferdinand realized what he was looking at.
A rotting corpse.
Neither of them spoke a word before they reached the corpse.
This was also Ghosty's first time seeing the Nightmare's true body, and he was just as shaken as Ferdinand.
It felt so… tragic… sad… simple…
"This is the Nightmare," Ghosty said.
Ferdinand's mind shook.
He didn't know what Ghosty's proof would be beforehand.
It was the Nightmare's true body?
"The Nightmare used to be the strongest human in the era of the Enlightened Ones. After almost winning, the enemy turned him into the Nightmare."
Ghosty bent down and touched the corpse. "You can touch it. It's just a machine at this point."
Ferdinand hadn't answered yet.
Instead, he also bent down to touch the Nightmare.
It felt massive!
The flesh that looked like it would collapse at any second actually felt just as hard, if not harder, than the walls of Aegis' headquarters!
Next, Ghosty took out a device.
It was a tiny camera on the end of an incredibly thin tube.
Ghosty put the camera into one of the rotting holes, and a bit of mist came out.
Nick was already inside the Nightmare and pulled the camera through the gaps.
Ghosty looked into the camera and saw the machine in the Nightmare's neck with his own eyes.
He couldn't help taking a deep breath.
It was so strange!
It was so different!
He couldn't even begin to understand how this machine actually worked.
However, he could tell what the machine did.
It kept the Zephyx Synchronizer spinning and forcefully activated it.
Ghosty handed the camera's visor to Ferdinand, who also looked through it.
He was just as shocked.
"This is our true enemy," Ghosty said. "Do not ever try to tell anybody else about this. Not even your new colleagues. They will see these things with their own eyes."
"The enemy's identity can't ever be unveiled or named. You can only see it with your own eyes and keep it in your heart."
Ferdinand was insanely nervous.
He could tell that this was extremely advanced and alien technology.
This was nothing like human technology.
Several guesses appeared in his mind, but he didn't dare to utter them.
"How did the Ancient Ones die? Why is there such advanced technology? What could possibly resist weapons that could destroy planets? You're a brilliant scientist, and I know that you will find the right answer yourself."
"But never speak of it. Trust that the others will come to the same realization," Ghosty said.
After a couple of seconds, Ferdinand nodded silently.
While the Nightmare's identity didn't technically prove that the Champion of Light was a traitor, it showed the true enemy.
In a way, it didn't even matter whether or not the Champion of Light was a traitor.
The true enemy would never allow such information to get out.
Because of that, Ghosty couldn't possibly work for the true enemy, which meant that he was on humanity's side.
Ferdinand only wanted to help humanity.
He didn't care whom he followed as long as the person he followed had the same goal as him.
"We will now synchronize with the Nightmare and gain its ability," Ghosty said.
Ferdinand was shocked once again, but a question quickly popped up in his mind.
"How is that even possible? This is not a Specter," he asked.
"What are Specters?" Ghosty asked. "What are humans? If you break it down, both of these things are just complex biological machines. They only differ in how they are made and how they work."
"While this is not a natural born Specter, its power and the way it is utilized is no different from a Specter's way to utilize power."
"Our Zephyx Synchronizers will still be able to attune to it since it works like a Specter."
Ferdinand couldn't find an argument against that.
A bit later, the two of them started to advance beside the Nightmare.
This was the key.
The Nightmare would be the key to humanity's freedom.
With its power, the researchers could research in darkness, away from the Sun's influence.
The Champion of the Enlightened Ones gave an invaluable present to the next generation.
A way forward.
tg://resolv?domain=Kill_the_Sun_fastes