Chapter 374: New Chessboard

Meanwhile, far away from Atlas and Seraphiel, beyond both Eliomor and Asgradron, there existed a place within the void where nothing but darkness prevailed. There were no stars, planets, or any other recognizable celestial bodies in that region, as though the entire space had been stripped of everything that could define its existence.

The darkness was so absolute that neither sound nor light could enter or escape, leaving the entire region isolated from the rest of existence.

Within that darkness, two figures sat opposite each other on floating seats formed from the darkness itself. Their appearances were barely visible, illuminated only by the strange radiance emanating from a small object floating between them.

The object released an unknown energy that faintly illuminated its surroundings, revealing its true form to be nothing more than a chessboard. Despite the simplicity of the object, the two figures appeared completely absorbed in the game unfolding before them.

On one side of the chessboard sat a female figure with a slender body and refined features that seemed to gleam beneath its strange radiance. Two horns protruded from her forehead, clearly indicating that she belonged to a different race.

Even in that lightless environment, her beauty was unmistakable. If an ordinary person were to lay their eyes on her, they would likely fall head over heels for her at first sight. However, rather than paying attention to her surroundings, she quietly extended her hand and moved one of the chess pieces.

"What’s the news, My Lord?" she asked, her eyes drifting toward the calm face of the man sitting opposite her. As she spoke, she briefly licked her lips, seemingly curious about what he was about to reveal. The man did not immediately respond, keeping his attention fixed on the chessboard as though the game demanded his complete concentration.

"It’s about the new pieces that have appeared in the grand board I’ve been organizing." As he spoke, he extended his hand and moved one of his soldiers a single step forward. The woman lowered her gaze toward the board, studying his latest move before reaching out to move another piece of her own.

She then looked at him again, her curiosity growing with every passing moment.

"I see...May I know who these new pieces are, My Lord?" The man tilted his head slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on the chessboard, as though he were analyzing every move she made. A moment later, a faint smile appeared on his face as he extended his hand and moved another piece. His next words immediately caught the woman’s attention.

"It’s the Eternals, the only faction capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Conclave." The woman paused for a moment, seemingly processing the information, before a smile gradually appeared on her face. She then resumed the game, moving another piece across the board as amusement entered her expression.

The news had certainly caught her interest, though it seemed she was more intrigued by the circumstances surrounding their appearance than by the revelation itself.

"That is strange, My Lord, don’t you think?" she asked, her voice carrying a hint of amusement as she examined the board. "After all, the Eternals haven’t come into the light for millions of years." The man nodded in response and moved another of his pieces, seemingly agreeing with her observation.

However, rather than dwelling on the Eternals, he offered a response that made her pause once again. "That would have been strange to me if not for the other piece I was going to reveal to you." The woman’s hand stopped just before she could make her next move, and she turned toward him with a confused expression.

After a brief pause, she moved her piece and finally asked the question that had formed in her mind. The man responded with a grin, appearing to enjoy her curiosity.

"Who is this other piece?" she asked.

"It’s a single Human. An anomalous Human who survived the Harbinger." The moment those words left his mouth, the woman’s eyes widened for the first time since their chess game had begun. Her previous amusement disappeared, replaced by genuine surprise at the revelation.

For a brief moment, she remained silent, seemingly trying to process the significance of what she had just heard.

Before she could say anything, the man spoke again, uttering a single word, "Checkmate."

The woman frowned and immediately lowered her gaze toward the chessboard. Only then did she notice that her King had already been surrounded by four different pieces, leaving it with no possible escape.

She had failed to notice when he had arranged the pieces into that position, despite having been carefully observing their game. After studying the board for another moment, she arched an eyebrow before exhaling and allowing a smile to return to her face.

"It seems I truly cannot win against you, My Lord." The man shook his head with a faint smile, seemingly unconcerned by her defeat, before finally lifting his head to look at her. His expression remained calm as he began explaining the situation surrounding the newly revealed pieces.

However, his words soon made it clear that the appearance of the Eternals and the anomalous Human was only the beginning of something much larger.

"The Weimbrons are accelerating their plans to get rid of the Conclave using that anomalous Human, but..." He paused briefly and lowered his gaze toward the chessboard once again, as though considering the next stage of the game.

His fingers hovered above the pieces for a moment before he continued speaking. The faint smile on his face suggested that he had already anticipated the direction in which events were moving.

"That won’t do, would it?" With a casual wave of his hand, every chess piece on the board fell except for a single soldier that remained standing. The woman looked down at the lone piece, and her expression gradually changed as she began to understand what her Lord was implying.

A grin spread across her face as she thought, ’My Lord truly is the most genius being in all of existence.’

After a moment of silence, the man spoke again, his attention still fixed on the remaining soldier. "But that won’t be possible if the Weimbrons succeed in their plans. From what I can see, their plan is solid enough to bring down the Conclave this time. However..."

His expression shifted into a grin as he raised his eyes toward the woman, revealing that he had already considered the possibility of their success, "That would only be possible if the Weimbrons succeed without any intervention."

The woman couldn’t help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. The more her Lord revealed, the more eager she became to hear the rest of his plan, yet he seemed content to leave her waiting. She watched him closely, hoping to understand how he intended to turn the Weimbrons’ impending victory into something that would benefit his own objectives.

Eventually, he continued, his tone as calm as ever.

"The Weimbrons will succeed. That is out of the question. However, when the metal is hot, the hammer strikes. It is that simple to break the metal at that moment, wouldn’t you agree, my princess?" The woman nodded, understanding the basic meaning behind his words, though she still couldn’t fully grasp what he intended to do.

Her Lord, however, seemed more than willing to explain the next part of his plan, and his smile widened as he gestured toward the chessboard.

"We know that a chessboard usually has two opposing factions, don’t we? But what if we create a chessboard with three factions instead?" As he spoke, he snapped his fingers, causing the chessboard between them to glow. Its appearance gradually transformed, and the pieces rearranged themselves into three distinct groups, each occupying a different position on the board.

The woman stared at the altered chessboard, her eyes widening as she began to grasp the implications of his idea.

"Once one faction checkmates another, a third will arrive shortly afterward and checkmate the victor. But that final faction won’t remain untouched either, will it? There are bound to be variables." His voice remained calm as he moved several pieces across the board, demonstrating how the conflict could unfold.

With every movement, the relationships between the three factions became clearer, yet the outcome remained uncertain because of the variables he had mentioned. The woman followed each movement intently, trying to comprehend the full extent of what her Lord was planning.

As he finished speaking, two pieces belonging to the same faction began to glow. One was the King, while the other was the Queen, their radiance setting them apart from every other piece on the board.

The woman immediately noticed the distinction, her gaze moving between the two before settling on the Queen. Unlike the King, whose significance she could begin to understand within the structure of the game, the Queen’s presence raised a question she could no longer keep to herself.

"Who is she, My Lord?" she asked, her eyes fixed on the glowing Queen.

The man finally looked directly at her, a calm smile resting on his face. Anyone who could have seen him clearly would have immediately recognized his identity as none other than the Black Arbiter.

Without offering any further explanation, he answered her question with the same composure he had maintained throughout their conversation.

"Oh, she is the most important among all these factions... Her name is Seraphiel Rosaria."