Chapter 688: Can We Finally Get Some Rest?

[ Abyssal Maw ]

[ Armored Constriction ]

[ Devouring Spiral ]

He looked at the three options he had been given for a moment, he practically already had a better version of the first skill.

The second skill was also a defensive skill, and he already had enough layers of defense.

So the third option remained, which had actually caught his attention.

[ Devouring Spiral — Common (+) ]

[ Description: Releases a concentrated spiral of mana that applies successive destructive pressure to the point of impact ]

Lian read the skill information for a moment.

Devouring Spiral.

Unlike his powerful fists, which mostly relied on releasing a heavy force in a single moment, this skill could focus destructive pressure on one point through several successive impacts.

He selected the skill and then closed the window.

For now, it was better to leave the Halls of Stillness.

Considering that one of the powerful prisoners had managed to escape from confinement, there was no guarantee that the other damaged seals would remain stable.

Before leaving, however, they discussed dividing the corpse, at least if they could not take the treasures, the monster’s corpse itself could still be valuable.

Unfortunately, they were not like Seris, who had no need for monster corpses, and in the end, the corpse was divided among all four of them.

"Well, let’s go."

Rindo adjusted his spear on his shoulder.

"I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at ordinary worms without worrying again." Noah sighed.

Lian laughed.

"Don’t worry, most of them can’t swallow a whole person."

"Most of them?!"

A short laugh from Alicia echoed through the hall, and the four of them started moving again.

Hours later, the group reached a higher part of the prison.

There, a narrow passage separated from the main path and led to a large platform beside one of the huge pillars.

Lian examined the area with [ True Sequence ].

There was no suspicious movement near the platform, and only one main path led to it.

It was a suitable place to rest.

"It’s been almost eight hours since the Seventh Judgment, I think it’s time we got some rest." Rindo made a simple calculation.

Vorhelm also nodded.

"I agree."

He raised his right hand.

Hive Dominion.

A few moments later, One and Two appeared near the platform.

The huge ant stood in front of the entrance with its six powerful arms.

The Eight-Disaster Wolf also jumped onto a higher part of the pillar and settled there.

Lian looked at both of them.

"Watch the paths."

One lowered his head slightly, and Two turned his ears toward the passage.

Noah laughed when he saw the wolf.

"I really still don’t understand how these two are so obedient."

"I’m a very good trainer." Lian gave a small smile.

Rindo shook his head.

"I can’t agree with that one."

"Why?"

"Because you still haven’t managed to teach Noah to talk less."

Alicia laughed.

Noah looked at them in disbelief.

"I’m not even a member of the Colony!"

Young Vorhelm shrugged.

"Maybe that’s the problem."

For a few moments, the laughter of the four echoed through the stone area, but after that, each of them began preparing to rest.

Rindo looked at his panel, and Alicia also put her sword aside to rest for a while.

Noah prepared some simple food to eat.

And after making sure the area was safe, Lian sat on a stone across from his companions.

He looked at all three of them for a moment.

’I think it’s time they knew a little more.’

He already knew what was being held in the center of the land, and considering the danger of White Oblivion, continuing the journey without informing his companions would not be a wise decision.

Of course, there was no need to reveal all his own secrets either.

"Before we rest, there’s something you should know."

Noah, who was drinking water, raised his head.

"Please don’t tell me you found another monster."

He glanced at him.

"Unfortunately, this one is probably much worse than an ordinary monster."

The young Frenchman’s smile slowly faded, and Rindo also turned toward him.

"What do you mean?"

Lian thought for several seconds.

Hiding the true level of danger could cost his companions their lives.

"I think there’s a creature being held in the center of this land whose power is far greater than most of the things we’ve seen so far."

Alicia frowned.

"The same creature that’s pulling the Withered toward the center?"

"Yes."

Lian pointed toward the dark path ahead.

"And I suspect that if it gets free, the danger won’t be limited to this land."

The student council president remained silent for a moment and then asked.

"How dangerous?"

Lian looked at his friend.

He knew Rindo was one of the few people who could understand the scale of such a threat.

Because he had personally faced one of those creatures.

"Rindo, do you remember what we saw in the Special Area?"

Rindo’s expression changed, and he looked at Lian for several seconds... then he said in a low voice.

"You mean... that creature?"

He nodded.

"I think we’re dealing with something of the same level here."

Rindo said nothing more, but from his expression, it was clear that he understood what his friend meant.

The memories of the Special Area were still very clear to him, what he had seen there was not something that could be compared to an ordinary powerful monster.

Noah noticed the change in his behavior.

"Wait, what are you two talking about?"

Lian turned toward him.

"We encountered a creature whose power was far beyond known monsters, although not in the way you’re thinking, but creatures at that level can even pose a danger to an entire realm."

Alicia looked toward the darkness of the path ahead for a moment.

"And you think one of those creatures is imprisoned here?"

"I’m taking that possibility very seriously." In fact, he was certain.

More important than knowing the creature’s name was being prepared for the dangers it might cause.

"There’s something else."

He looked between his three companions.

"If any of you feel that you want to go to the center for no clear reason, or if your thoughts and behavior change in an unusual way, tell the others immediately."

Noah paused for a moment.

"You mean it might affect our minds?"

"I don’t know to what extent."

Lian thought for a moment about Roderick’s insane behavior, that young man had refused to stop attacking even when death was approaching.

And now, Lian suspected that White Oblivion might have played a role in changing his behavior.

"But I don’t want us to notice the danger only after one of us has lost control."

Rindo nodded seriously.

"Then we should also watch each other’s behavior."

"Exactly."

Lian continued.

"And if someone shows unusual behavior, first try to stop them, don’t attack them until you’re sure they’re really an enemy."

Alicia slowly nodded.

"Understood."

Noah also thought for a moment and then said with a faint smile.

"Well, I hope that if I start acting strange one day, you won’t immediately decide that I’ve gone crazy."

Young Vorhelm looked at him.

"Don’t worry, for you, noticing a change in behavior will probably be very easy."

Rindo laughed.

"He’s right."

"Seriously, have you all decided to make fun of me tonight?!"

This time, Alicia also laughed, but after the laughter faded, Lian looked toward the central path again.

He had managed to prepare his companions for the danger to some extent, and now, at least if something unusual happened, they knew what to watch out for.

Of course, that did not mean they were safe.

"But how do you know all this?" The young Frenchman then asked.

"Let’s just say it’s based on all the information I’ve gathered during this time, and also the memories I saw from that Withered."

The others looked at each other and nodded, they had no reason to doubt him, especially since he had already shown how trustworthy and reliable he was.

As the hours passed, the prison became quieter.

Rindo was the first to lie down and rest, and Alicia also fell into a deep sleep after several days of physical and mental pressure.

Awakened, especially after their First Evolution, did not need sleep and rest like ordinary people, their mental and physical strength was so high that they no longer became tired for simple reasons.

But during these past few days, they had been under so much stress, pressure, and so many different events that even their bodies had become somewhat tired.

Noah sat near the entrance for a while and tried to stay awake while watching the dark paths, but eventually, he also rested.

Lian remained alone for a while.

One was stationed in front of the passage, and Two was watching the surroundings from a higher position.

Young Vorhelm leaned against the stone pillar and closed his eyes for a few moments.

’Well, I’d better organize everything again.’

Many things had happened since they entered the Land of the First Dawn.

A place that had initially looked like a paradise full of treasures was actually an ancient prison.

The Hollow Sun was the judge of that prison, a creature that could identify and punish prisoners.

But in the past, for unknown reasons, it had fallen asleep.

Even so, the sealing orders had remained active, and the prisoners had not been able to escape.

So the judge falling asleep alone doesn’t cause a problem.

Lian thought about the white network that extended throughout the prison, he now knew that those strange roots were actually energy transfer channels.

Part of the energy from the Judgments was transferred through them into the depths and strengthened the prison structures.

But in the current situation, even with the sun awake, many parts of the prison were damaged, and thousands of Withered had escaped from confinement.

So the main problem was not just whether the judge was asleep or awake, the sealing structures also needed to return to a stable state.

On the other hand, White Oblivion was located in the center of the land.

One of the Five Ancient Calamities.

A creature that was calling the Withered toward itself against their will.

Lian still did not know the true purpose of this call, but he suspected that the creature was preparing a plan to destroy the Hollow Sun.

And the system had also warned that the judge’s death could have catastrophic consequences for the Ruined Realm and their world.

Because the Calamity that was the main cause of the destruction of the Fifth Ruined Realm, and possibly the First Ruined Realm as well, would be released.

And he knew very well what kind of abilities a Calamity possessed.