Chapter 331: Unexpected Encounter
(Time-Stilled World, Surface Plateau, Leo’s POV)
As soon as Leo opened the Codex, a new string of words began etching themselves onto the aged parchment, glowing faintly in the ambient twilight like soft ripples on still water.
> "You have now perceived the third glimmer."
> "Sky Blue— a color born from the harmony between joy and hope."
> "This is the hue of optimism, born between the joy of triumph and the hope of a brighter future, the true ideal state that all men chase."
> "It marks the end of a burdened breath. The stillness after a storm. The faintest hint of light after enduring long shadows."
> "Unlike frustration and killing intent, this color neither lingers nor stains — it visits, then leaves and must be cherished, not chased."
> "To become a true leader, you must understand what keeps it alive. For the strongest leaders are not those who command fear or respect... but those who inspire hope and joy in their subjects."
The text shimmered faintly, then faded into stillness once more.
Leo said nothing. His fingers lingered on the page, as his thoughts trailed back to the sky-blue hue he had seen just moments ago.
’It was... fleeting,’ he thought. ’But it felt good.’
And maybe that was the point.
Not every emotion was a weapon to sharpen.
Some were just reminders.... Indicators that perhaps the worst times were behind one and that there was hope for better times ahead.
"The color of joy and hope.... I hope to see you more often...." Leo mused, as a soft smile spread on his face.
Of the three colors he had seen so far, blue was definitely the one he wanted to see more of, however, he had a strong feeling in his heart that blue would also prove to be the hardest color to see throughout his life.
—---------
After returning to the surface, Leo slowly began making his way towards the mountain ridge, which was roughly 300 kilometres away from the canyon, and was a journey through a mostly arid desert.
Having entered this world with enough supplies to last him 1500 days, Leo had already run through about 250-270 days worth of supplies since being separated from the team, meaning that roughly 3 days had passed in the outside world since he had entered this realm.
According to his approximation, he could cover the distance of 300 kilometres to the base of the mountain in about 4 days if he travelled non-stop, however, if he paused to hunt and eat, it would take him anywhere between 8-12 days to do the same.
’According to historical warnings, this desert is home to countless giant sandworms, ranging from Master to Transcendent tier in strength. So it should be good fun to hunt them...’ Leo thought, as he began making his way west toward the mountain range, carefully moderating his steps to avoid making unnecessary noise that might draw the attention of sandworms that he wasn’t ready to fight yet.
But less than an hour into his trek, he suddenly spotted a cluster of human footprints etched into the sand—too clean and recent to ignore—which immediately alerted him to the presence of nearby assassins.
Kneeling to inspect them, he noted the precise heel impressions and intact tread patterns at the toes, all of which pointed towards the fact that their gear was still in good condition.
They hadn’t been in this world long enough for their soles to lose grip or wear down just yet, indicating that they weren’t here for more than a hundred days yet.
The footprints were fresh, pressed lightly into the surface, with even spacing and clear tread from intact boots. That alone told him these weren’t the prints of aimless madmen, but a group of well-equipped assassins still in their right minds.
’Interesting...’ Leo crouched down, inspecting the tracks more closely, as he noticed how there were no palm marks after each step, indicating that they were walking on just two feet and not all fours like beasts, and how the spacing between each person was tight—barely an arm’s length apart which meant that their team chemistry had not broken down just yet.
The close gap while walking meant that everyone in the group trusted one another as unlike Raiden’s group, where everyone kept distance from one another out of fear of betrayal, this group moved as a unit.
’A stable group? It might be worth talking to them... it’s been about 250 days since I’ve spoken to another human being, and they might have some insights about this world that I don’t’ Leo thought, as he rose from the sand and began following the footsteps.
He trailed the footprints for nearly five kilometers, his steps light and calculated as he weaved through the open dunes, eyes never leaving the trail ahead.
The sand was soft, the air dry, and the environment eerily still, until it wasn’t.
*Shing!*
*Clang!*
"Spread out— fan formation!"
Suddenly, the stillness cracked. The sharp clang of steel echoed through the air, followed by the barking of combat commands and the unmistakable rhythm of weapons clashing.
Leo’s pupils constricted, as without hesitation, he broke into a sprint towards the source of the sound.
His assassin cloak fluttered behind him, boots kicking up shallow plumes of sand as he pushed forward, his heart rate steady, his mana ready to spike at a moment’s notice.
’Who are they fighting? Is it a sandworm? No—the sound was definitely metal clashing against metal, as if they’re fighting another human...’ Leo assessed, as he arrived near the source of the conflict, and hid behind the peak of a low dune.
What laid before him was a sight he never expected to see, as for a moment he lost control of his emotions completely, until [Monarch’s Indifference] reminded him to breathe again.
Before him, a small party of adventurers seemed to be locked in a desperate struggle, trying to contain the erratic, jerking movements of a single opponent.
A lone man—cloaked in torn robes, limbs twitching with disjointed aggression, and thick strands of drool trailing from his cracked lips, as he moved like a rabid animal, swinging wildly but with precision that came from sheer, unnatural instinct.
Leo’s jaw clenched.
’Karl...’
Even from a distance, he could recognize that disgruntled face, those half-mad eyes, and that evil grin that had haunted his nights many times since he had fallen from the floating islands.
Only now, something about him was off.
Utterly off.
As if he had one foot in reality, and the other knee-deep in madness.