Chapter 427: More secrets (1)
- Frey Starlight’s POV -
"Hoooff..."
Letting out a deep breath, I took a sip of water while sitting on a fallen tree trunk.
Once I quenched my dry throat, I wiped away the blood that stained me from the battles, then cast a quick glance downward.
There, beneath me, lay a horrifying number of Nightmare Beast corpses .. the aftermath of my journey.
It had been five days since I set out on this journey to the Shadow Sect.
This trip had taken much longer than usual, since I was forced to take the hard way, crossing the entire Nightmare Lands from one end to the other.
"I guess my father must’ve done the same thing once."
But the difference between us was staggering. He had to face one of the Nightmare Lords back then, and thanks to that, the road was now paved for me.
After a long journey, I was finally about to reach the Shadow Sect .. the starting point of my next path.
If I wanted to save Danzo, I had to leave Earth and search for a way to save him elsewhere.
Within just a few days, I had realized that the answer I sought wouldn’t be found among humans.
Unwilling to accept a fate where I’d have to kill one of my closest friends, I was now heading into an adventure where I had no idea what awaited me.
All I knew was that I had to move faster.
Leaping from tree to tree, my body was wrapped in a glowing violet aura as I dashed at full speed.
Cutting through the eastern Nightmare Lands, I finally reached my destination.
If I wanted to leave Earth, the sect was my only option.
I was still far too weak to leave on my own, so once again, I had no choice but to rely on the System.
Once I left Earth, I figured Ada would panic. The device she had linked to my heart wouldn’t work anymore.
"Sorry, Ada... But this is the only way."
Unlike every other journey I’d taken before, this one was completely reckless.
It wasn’t forced on me by the System, and I had no idea what awaited me on the other side.
The odds of dying were terrifyingly high. Even though I was strong by Earth’s standards, I was still nothing but an insect compared to those who lived beyond.
A mere speck in a vast universe filled with countless horrors.
To save Danzo, I would probably need the help of one of those monsters who defied logic itself. Which meant, sooner or later, I would have to face them.
In the end, all I could do was pray I’d somehow succeed .. and return in time.
After several more hours of running nonstop, lost in my thoughts...
I finally reached the place I had been searching for.
The Black Mountain.
Long ago, humans had built the sect within this mountain, but now it had become home to beings far from human.
Step by step...
I climbed the marble staircase, heading upward.
I expected the place to be empty as usual. I’d gotten used to that by now.
But to my surprise...
I stopped climbing as I neared the summit, finally spotting them.
"You two..."
At the top of the stairs, they stood like silent sentinels.
Two statues .. one with a smiling face, the other with a sorrowful one on the verge of tears.
Smiley and Sad were there, radiating a crushing dark aura.
"...SS rank..."
I narrowed my eyes at both of them.
Back then, I couldn’t grasp the full extent of their strength. But now, having reached a comparable level, I could finally estimate their true power.
"You two were holding back against me, weren’t you?"
I felt slightly embarrassed. I had trained with them for a whole year and only now did I realize how much they had been going easy on me.
Cautious and fully prepared, I approached them.
Were they standing guard over the sect? Or were they here for me?
I wasn’t sure. Their stone-like faces showed no emotion, and the purple light glowing in their hollow eyes gave nothing away.
"Will you let an old friend pass?"
I spoke cautiously, ready to fight if I had to.
Unlike before, I now had enough power to take them on, even if it would be a brutal battle.
But my fears were unnecessary.
After a few tense seconds, the two of them exchanged glances, then silently stepped aside, clearing the way for me to pass.
Suspicious, I paused, wondering if they really intended to let me through so easily.
Standing between them, I glanced at each of them in turn.
"You’re not going to attack me the moment I turn my back, are you?"
"..."
My question was met with gloomy silence, but their eyes stared at me with what could only be described as silent irritation.
As if they were saying, "Get lost already."
"How rude..."
Ignoring them, I turned my attention back to the sect.
And then I froze in place, my eyes wide in shock.
"What the hell happened here?!"
Lifting my gaze toward the sky, I saw dark skyscrapers piercing the clouds, built from the same mysterious black metal whose origin I still didn’t know.
Hundreds of new structures filled the landscape, and the sect was now several times larger than when I last saw it.
"It’s barely been two months..."
And yet, the place had transformed into a vast city rather than a mere sect.
It looked like a dark fortress fit for an evil lord from the medieval ages, prompting me to turn toward the statues again.
"Did you two build all this?"
"..."
In response, they simply stared at me in silence before turning away, clearly uninterested.
"Guess I’m not getting any answers from them..."
Sighing in defeat, I took my first steps deeper inside.
As I took in the new architecture, I couldn’t help but feel a strange awe for the place...
But at the same time, a deep sense of dread filled me.
The dark aura the sect now radiated sent chills down my spine, warning me that something ominous was going on.
"What exactly are they trying to build here?"
Was it a city? Some kind of grand sect?
No matter how much I looked, it didn’t feel that way.
The way it was built... it looked more like a...
"Fortress."
A stronghold. Whoever was behind this place was preparing for war, reinforcing the entire sect with relentless determination.
Trying to ignore all that...
I followed the System’s direct advice, focusing on the plan I came here for.
Despite the ominous feeling growing inside me, I tried to push it aside and finish what I came to do quickly.
The System’s hint had led me here, but strangely...
The usual obstacle it would place in my path never showed up, making me uneasy.
Still, I had no choice but to press on.
Step by step, I made my way past the towering buildings.
And after several more minutes of walking...
I finally arrived at the temple where it had all begun.
"This is where I got this strange body, alongside Balerion. And where I left for Londor for the first time."
But the temple looked very different now.
A giant gate, over ten meters tall...
The place was far grander than before, covered in strange, dark engravings.
Standing before the door, I pushed with all my strength, forcing it open...
Eager to see what was waiting for me on the other side.
The door was incredibly heavy, but I managed to open it, casting light onto what lay within.
The inside was pitch black and empty...
But unlike last time...
The altar where I had once lain still stood there, and sitting upon it was a familiar figure, clad in black, with piercing blue eyes staring straight at me.
"You’ve finally arrived."