Chapter 529 The Fourth Temple

Hum——!!!

In an instant, massive 6th-Tier Magic Circles covered the sky above Bongisto.

“……Thank you for all you have done for this world. Leave the rest to us. Now……

Rest in peace.”

Light enveloped all of Bongisto.

The lingering grudges and curses of this battlefield, where countless lives had perished in brutal slaughter, all scattered into nothingness at this moment……

When the light faded,

Hulim silently put away the Seven Luminaries.

She cast one final glance at the former Bongisto,

then flew east without looking back.

……

After an unknown stretch of time,

Hulim arrived at a desolate canyon.

Bitter winds raged through it year-round, leaving the canyon utterly devoid of life.

Of course, the more likely reason for its lifelessness……

was the labyrinth deep within the canyon.

Whoosh~.

Hulim landed gently before the sealed gate of the labyrinth.

Layer upon layer of impossibly tight seals seemed to bar all who would dare explore its depths.

This was the Dark Coffin Labyrinth—the most dangerous labyrinth in the world,

and the only S-Rank Labyrinth in Bongisto.

“A labyrinth only S-Rank beings may enter……

I suppose I should have realized this sooner.”

A labyrinth of this nature was an extraordinary existence in its own right. It was only natural for it to be built atop the core of the leylines in the eastern part of the continent.

So it made sense that the sensation she’d felt came from deep beneath it.

Boom!

The labyrinth’s gate, sealed for ages, creaked open slowly.

This gate, which had turned back countless seekers, swung open easily at the arrival of an S-Rank being.

This was a domain only S-Rank experts could step foot in—

a place only they had the power to open.

……

Tap. Tap. Tap……

In the dim labyrinth, the sound of a single pair of footsteps echoed endlessly,

shattering the long silence.

In the darkness,

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slumbering beings opened their eyes one by one.

They moved silently toward the intruder who dared to trespass.

“Grah……”

An A+-Rank Abyss Goblin, oozing vile malice, watched the intruder’s back from the shadows.

After a long stare, it finally gave in to instinct, baring its venom-tipped claws and lunging for the intruder’s spine.

But before the feeling of impact could reach it,

blinding light stole its vision first.

“Gah——!!?”

The Abyss Goblin let out a shrill scream.

Its piercing cry echoed through the silent labyrinth like a signal.

The monsters that had planned to ambush cast aside all stealth.

They roared and charged at the intruding figure as fast as they could.

“The numbers really are absurd…… How many years has it been since anyone came down here?”

Hulim muttered calmly to herself.

“But……”

She slowly raised her right hand.

“I didn’t come here for you. Please don’t get in my way.”

Boom……

At that moment, the labyrinth shuddered as if struck by an earthquake.

When the tremor passed,

the labyrinth fell silent once more.

And the footsteps sounded again.

Tap. Tap. Tap……

Steadily advancing deeper.

Before long, the labyrinth erupted into noise once more—then fell quiet again.

This cycle repeated.

At last, Hulim reached the lowest floor of the labyrinth.

Creak——!

The gate of the Labyrinth Lord slowly opened, and dark-purple mist poured outward.

“Groooar……”

A low growl rumbled, accompanied by a spreading S-Rank aura.

Thud!

The massive body of the Labyrinth Lord appeared before Hulim.

“Poisonous mist, is it……”

Hulim carefully sensed the mist around her, then cast a simple Purification on herself.

She slowly lifted her gaze and met the enormous scarlet eyes hidden within the fog.

Then——

“ROAR——!!!”

A terrifying roar unleashed a storm, blasting the poisonous mist straight into Hulim’s face.

“……”

Half a minute later,

Hulim walked silently through the hall and reached its deepest point.

Behind her,

the Labyrinth Lord’s massive body lay motionless on the ground……

Hulim felt along the wall for a moment.

“Found it.”

Click!

As she triggered the mechanism,

Rumble……

A hidden passageway slowly opened.

A room leading to the Labyrinth Core appeared before her.

Before long,

Hulim passed through the long corridor and stepped into a sealed chamber.

Every corner of the walls was covered in profound, ancient runes—

their complexity far exceeding the limits of the mortal realm.

This was clearly a creation of the Celestial Realm.

As the world’s most dangerous labyrinth, this was its final chamber.

But…… it was not Hulim’s destination.

Hulim approached the enormous Labyrinth Core and reached out her right hand toward the sphere brimming with terrifying energy.

Several minutes later,

she obtained the answer she sought.

“So it was hidden here after all……

To think they used the Labyrinth Core as a key. Did they not fear I would understand none of this? No—they probably meant to seal these forbidden powers away forever from the start.”

“So…… they never intended for anyone to find this place?”

“……”

“Ahem…… Anyway, since it isn’t completely sealed, that must mean I’m allowed to enter. Then I’ll be going in.”

With that,

Hulim triggered the hidden mechanism inside the Labyrinth Core.

Hum——!

The Labyrinth Core radiated light and began to float upward.

It rose until it reached the ceiling, then hung suspended in midair.

Once still, its surface shifted, revealing a gem that steadily absorbed energy from the core.

When the energy reached its peak,

Whoosh——!

A beam of light burst forth and struck a spot on one wall.

Boom.

The wall trembled softly.

A round doorway slowly opened before Hulim.

“……It’s in here, all right.”

Sensing the presence coming from the circular passage,

Hulim hesitated no longer and stepped inside.

……

Another long, winding path.

So long it seemed to have no end…… But just as that thought crossed her mind, the light ahead finally changed.

Hulim quickened her pace.

Soon, a vast underground space unfolded before her eyes……

A bizarre scene where sky and earth were inverted.

The ceiling was carved into a colossal ancient metropolis—prosperous and mysterious, evoking memories of the underground ancient city of Mogalia she had seen before.

No…… what lay before her was far grander.

The floor was a vast mural of the sky:

a single massive, seamless sheet of translucent blue glass that glowed with the soft light of daytime, illuminating the entire underground space.

At the center of the mural, where the sun was depicted, stood a temple—aligned perfectly with the very heart of the city above.

“……Incredible.”

Hulim couldn’t help but marvel at the unprecedented masterpiece before her.

“Even in a place no one would ever come, no one would ever see—God of Wisdom Visos still shaped such a magnificent sight.”

“Hmm…… So why?”

Setting aside the obvious signs of Visos’s handiwork, Hulim had not come merely to admire art.

She pushed all questions to the back of her mind and looked toward her final destination.

The Fourth Forbidden Temple.