Chapter 168: A Dangerous Deal (4)
83Yv1ZE“Ah…”sFvJC9
uja23xHearing Shirone’s words, Amy also realized the truth. How could she have missed it? Harvest was a magical creature that inherited all of Arcane’s memories.8HF
2ejx8LThe Archmage Victor Arcane, who once ruled the world.3KlPa
C3lvdY1If anyone knew the hidden secrets of the Kergos Ruins, it might be him.ju9ARfK
Te8pQShirone and Amy looked at Canis with newfound certainty in their eyes. But Canis remained noncommittal.Rm0osrb
QjW“Hmm, half of what you’re thinking is correct and half is wrong.”
“Half and half? What do you mean?”gKh
1onGCanis hesitated. It wasn’t time to reveal everything. The secrets of the Kergos Ruins were much more serious than Shirone imagined.sPm
FwdAmy leaned in closer and said,KV21G4
W49E9zC“Are you going to keep being vague? If you’re going to tell us anyway, just do it now.”m2wo
hyyx1P“I don’t understand. Why should I? You’re not seriously going to argue over the cost of a meal, are you?”Z3ToNNG
WgQ“That’s part of it, but you’ll have to reveal more for another reason. You need us. If not, you wouldn’t bother negotiating.”mWgGKs
7qmgullCanis closed his mouth and took a deep breath. He had expected this outcome, but timing was crucial.QWmRYT
p22mh“Fine. To be honest, I need something from you as well. In that sense, we both have what the other needs.”8aH
8Q2dG6I“What do you want from us? Are you talking about the pass?”SaN7sVy
1JO“That can be easily solved. With mental magic, we can just hand over a piece of paper. Arin’s mental resonance ability can control the realm of language.”uzQlCX
5jGeGYD“Oh, I see.”tCW
JA0Shirone understood why they could enter the altar without an interpreter.Kclvi
jLIFt“Even so, we didn’t choose that route because one person must pass the trial gate. But as you know, we failed, and that’s why we need your help. In that sense, I want to negotiate.”YsVR
tCopQIAmy analyzed Canis’s words. Then a random question struck her.LGhP
7B3“By the way, what score did you get?”GNS
7NaCanis blinked at the unexpected question, then averted his gaze.OvA5P
Rkz4“I don’t want to say.”3l4
3iTSm0Z“Oh, why not? How much did you get? Hm?”csPrV
I7ol“Why should I tell you? If you want to know so badly, you tell me first.”pOXHn
EY7M“No, you first. Then I’ll tell you.”8XTfnD
8uQMEO“I refuse. You go first.”IhGu0DE
xDikpShirone, frustrated, interjected to prevent a never-ending loop.bPt4p
6m4Uq“Enough. Let’s get back to the point.”YiFwxS
ExGS2xGBoth Amy and Canis promptly closed their mouths.Vpy
MDPO7cdWith the situation resolved, Canis, now more haggard, spoke again.Y2pORLv
ocfgYGi“Anyway, what I propose is this: if you pass the trial gate, the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice, then we can discuss further.”vJfd7b
wE46ne5Amy frowned.RzA2
SaoJ“That’s a bit strange, isn’t it?”ODC
Tj21gKh“What do you mean?”qSVmQ
IKZnG“You failed the trial too. If Shirone passes, there’s no need to take you with us. You need to offer something to make the deal worth it.”GT51g
GbzFS“That may be true for now, but trust me, this deal won’t harm you.”vMGKFWi
tR4RM“Then prove it. Even without revealing everything, you can show us. Otherwise, the deal is off. We can’t risk being used.”IZpusr
fXTjCanis glanced at Arin, unable to decide alone.iU0K
ZgnwYAfter Arin gave her approval, he reluctantly spoke.L0Tr
avuWh“Fine. Here’s the deal. You’re trying to enter the self-governing district to learn about the Labyrinth, right? Is it imperative for you to get there?”xHS
UsC“Yes. We want to understand the Labyrinth better.”bWkWppG
Fvb“Then… my information might save your lives.”7K1Vvg
Wjre4QShirone’s heart pounded. Save their lives? What was in the self-governing district to warrant such a statement?67qfE
ofCsIav“I’m telling you, without my information, approaching the Labyrinth of Time means you will almost certainly die, but if you team up with me, you might survive. Essentially, I’m trading your lives for this deal.”FnD
yMLyo“What…!”XfjTt
BU51Amy jumped to her feet, shouting.oGox6
YbsJC“Do you think threats will work? This isn’t proof. It’s just fearmongering. The Freeman Organization frequented that place. No matter how dangerous, it’s not a matter of life and death.”2uamK
3yUhxo“I told you, the self-governing district itself isn’t dangerous. The problem is entering through the trial gate. And Shirone.”NdTJH
HrtICanis turned to Shirone.vVwFC5
wrFrf“I know what you’re planning to do in the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice. You’re thinking of unlocking the Immortal Function in the Labyrinth of Time, right?”5jxccU
LDEAll eyes were on Shirone. After a long silence, he finally spoke.IVi
W7S“Yes. The structure of the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice was unique. I thought it was unnecessary to rotate the Labyrinth of Time in eight directions just to test a warrior’s prowess. The atmosphere was too serious for mere decoration. So, I suspected something else. I thought the Angel’s Eyes might be watching for something other than brute force.”QwHb64
oSQqaiCanis nodded approvingly.CHPsEAl
q2inFOB“For now, we can only hope that method works.”dV2uww
FqZI“What? You don’t know for sure?”grSXkH
9ABlUzM“I said half and half. But I suspect it’s related to the Immortal Function. It might be wrong, though.”NEmKhQg
rHx“So, what do you want, Canis?”68DHS
bjUQEe“Let’s discuss that after passing the trial gate. I’ve shared this much because you’re an Unlocker. I gave you substantial information, hoping you would succeed.”9w6SbyB
uzuJ“Hmm, what should we do?”9pjtD
MDoYhMoAmy nodded at Shirone. They had planned to attempt the trial gate before meeting Canis, so agreeing didn’t put them at a disadvantage.MVGQp
ZIEe0ejAmy gave directions to wrap up the situation.hjiNz4y
OsY0UW“Alright. Shirone, you go into the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice. We’ll use the pass to enter the self-governing district. No problem, right?”aOVxyyC
BjG2lkvAmy confirmed once more, emphasizing the importance of Canis’s offer.nu17z
ieY“No problem. The smuggling route is just a convenient way. Only one person needs to pass the Labyrinth of Time’s trial.”pkpgKcZ
kjGAmy’s head throbbed. She had a vague understanding but lacked clear information.dib
SWTvO“Sigh, I don’t understand any of this. If Shirone passes, we’ll figure it out. Let’s go now. If we leave now, we’ll be on time.”maoeMjx
TV5YAThe group left the pub and split into two. Amy’s group merged with Canis’s, while Shirone headed alone to the altar.6xJn
ENJJunY“Shirone, do your best, but don’t overdo it.”R4u2eVq
iCdTyOFAmy was worried. Shirone had once opened the Immortal Function and nearly vanished forever.QxN8sG4
fDO“Don’t worry. If it doesn’t work, I’ll give up. You be careful too. Unexpected things might happen.”LwjZ
2JOIPTalk of life and death was unavoidable. Amy glanced at her party. Rian’s strength, Tess’s agility, Canis’s defense, and Arin’s mental skills—despite past animosities, she felt assured they would handle any crisis.go65q4a
wt0“We should be fine.”DeadEZd
jqTZp“Haha! True. Our strength is reinforced.”eeL
7QaAmy couldn’t laugh it off. Shirone sensed the task might be more dangerous than anticipated.8RkA
a1mFJTJAs Shirone left for the altar, Amy led her friends westward.4foH
K2OOtj“Arin, let’s go.”Lu2QQL
ynx7As Amy’s group moved away, Canis looked back at Arin, who was staring at Shirone.Y87
5Fe“Arin? What’s wrong?”COi
NwteIh“Hey, Canis… Is Shirone blonde?”Ah2v
YVxzArin perceived things differently. She couldn’t merge the form and name of an object, making it difficult to distinguish real forms.gNvhIL
GgFW33So identifying Shirone as blonde was unusual.KlkXrB
tABV3j“Shirone? Yes, he’s blonde. Why? How does he look to you?”ORv
4AZArin blinked and then turned away.2FDF6io
Iv1Hj9“No, it’s nothing. Let’s go.”RrpAo1
Ps6Hf3NCanis shrugged and followed Amy. Arin also walked quietly, lost in thought. Suddenly, she seemed to realize something and looked back.0PX
zMsnbnX‘Ah, so that’s it. That child…’Y8e50w
8NhArin couldn’t take her eyes off Shirone for a long time.HtN
yGdev***X4tvan
hrvfrpShirone arrived at the western altar and approached the glaring native, reciting the password.BPWYPdk
3JHTs“Kertia, Ro Hoima. Acrasia, Widmia Benjen.”tSS
l82k8tThe native nodded and activated the mechanism to open the door. Entering the dark entrance, Shirone found a spiral staircase lit by torches.KvbqjIe
ajTuHe descended slowly. Though he had been here before, the atmosphere felt different alone.DWhDY
vN5n6NvAt the bottom, familiar passageways appeared. Natives spoke to Shirone, guiding him.9hYpFd
dajeXHe couldn’t understand them but guessed the context. It seemed to be ritualistic formalities requiring no further communication.GuxY
ZwNjRPast the iron door at the end of the passage, the familiar sight appeared. The eight orbs floating in an octagonal pattern on the broad altar. The Labyrinth of Time, known as the Angel’s Eyes, awaited Shirone.q6eO
GLv5WbThough the gatekeeper had changed, the man with the white face tattoo was the same as before. Or maybe not. Shirone couldn’t distinguish the faces of Kergosnians yet.hFiFQiN
5sQVdv“May I take the test?”QXl
24MC“This is the Room of Achievement and Sacrifice. The Angel’s Eight Eyes will judge you. To enter Kergos, you must pass the Labyrinth of Time.”SOOk
B57LzVUAfter the man finished explaining, Shirone climbed the altar. Before testing the Immortal Function, he decided to strike the Labyrinth of Time with his laser.HISM
QbJsResolute, Shirone focused his laser ahead. The crimson light startled the stoic, tattooed man.VIx
cKCzgWith all his might, Shirone fired the laser. The Labyrinth took longer than usual to display numbers, likely due to continuous impact.ubH8t
S7wFinally, numbers appeared. The initial number Shirone saw was a mere 200. Then it began to change by the second, increasing steadily.tprk
W7BFrom 400 to 782. From 1,311 to 2,643. ItHtOhffO
x218IYeven soared past 4,874 to 6,822.FWmD
7AY7DkHopeful, Shirone clenched his fist. But just then, the numbers reset, starting again at 72.bErU
wdAMThe Labyrinth seemed to have a time limit on energy accumulation. After two cycles, the final maximum score was 6,822.WHSWJ
pKfA1The Labyrinth emitted a red glow, signaling Shirone’s failure.SEBI
8pmLrms“Phew.”OcS
ShVKHShirone exhaled dejectedly. The laser had an effect, but the Labyrinth anticipated energy accumulation and imposed restrictions.jml8
ip9nKWoThe most frustrating part was that despite recording his highest score, he didn’t pass.a0l
RMA6OShirone recalled Canis’s warning about potential death. What had the headmaster foreseen when permitting this exploration?uOH
Aq0RMAs he pondered, the tattooed man spoke sternly.1NDSW
4OGyzt“Will you leave or stay? If you want to prove your skill, pass the Labyrinth of Time.”pdY
y1j91Shirone shook his head to dispel his fear. He couldn’t give up now. His friends were already in the self-governing district.TxLitGk
PqsR3A“I’ll try once more.”Exu
fc5The man crossed his arms and waited. Assuming he had permission, Shirone positioned himself in the center of the altar.dXHgAqF
ixkeGImmortal Function.ToEHH
VXL7GfIf this didn’t work, it was over. He didn’t know what Canis knew, but he was ready to give up if this failed.9HGkw1
5Bw“Phew.”s09Wrd
b5OsRCalming himself, Shirone entered his Spirit Zone. His defensive zone expanded, enveloping the Labyrinth of Time in eight directions.4zctcyE
21rAfter checking the boundaries of his Spirit Zone, Shirone opened the Immortal Function.0EEbe
ZET“Gasp!”nvX
alJMqAn incredible event occurred.wgbi
Y5AgvwXUncontrollably, his mental power surged, pouring into the Labyrinth of Time.pj5cL
4scZ‘Th-this…!’TPKBbX
GeTIZThe rate of absorption was astounding. Normally, his zone would have collapsed instantly. But as much power as was absorbed, equal force flowed from the infinite realm, barely maintaining balance.JEsK
PkwEK8KShirone feared losing control. It felt like his value was vanishing, turning him into a mere gate between two forces.Jr7SHf
Kqh‘No! Stay focused!’yeWGS83
4n3JIf this continued, his consciousness would disintegrate. There would be no luck of reconstruction by the Labyrinth this time.XwxGs
zWQ“Ughhhh!”OANUlo
sxK6zNKShirone maximized his defensive frame, pulling the zone taut. Despite the tension, the form remained due to the immense mental release.Uxf70
4LqOmwDesperately, he entered the Indomitable Diamond state, clinging on.8MwUt
NZZKVuLHe couldn’t think. He only prayed for it to end quickly, for him not to disintegrate.UWPq1
CryNAt that moment, the eight orbs of the Labyrinth shone brilliantly. Eight beams of light converged on Shirone, forming a white sphere around him, engulfing the altar.y5cov
xEBC“Gasp!”98w
LsDzShirone shuddered with intense deprivation. It felt like the first time he opened the Immortal Function.auE7b8
VdE13“O-Ohhhh!”1Yb7N
6wNQuThe natives, seeing Shirone enveloped in light, shouted in amazement.Utk
4CQBzShirone’s body floated to the ceiling.kFQ8IeV
qqDFIt was as if a vision unfolded. His eyes were unblinking, pupils trembling with shock, seeing something unknown.zBs
3H1JSThe Labyrinth of Time, absorbing near-infinite mental power, conveyed information back to Shirone.D0IxQo
K5KiSBIt was undoubtedly something the orbs could only reveal after absorbing their maximum capacity.paoCIt2
cntK9cThe natives screamed at the top of their lungs.XJwov
QkH“La! Anke! La!”geU
fInVA blinding light filled the room, forcing the natives to turn away and shut their eyes.sYeVJGK
BwxaWhen the light faded, Shirone stood on the altar, panting heavily.YqypJ3t
8EfH8“Gasp! Gasp!”clq55vG
s6eJGpFShirone struggled to regain his senses. He couldn’t even tell where he was.neF
wTkgpWhat had he seen? Was it real? Why had the Labyrinth created such a device and waited for an Unlocker?2HGD
f4PRN‘Was it an illusion? Or real? I have no idea. What does this have to do with the Immortal Function?’nVc
XokvGIZBreaking from his thoughts, Shirone looked around. Every native had knelt on one knee, heads bowed.1tM6g
tJpfT“W-Why are you doing this?”kknn44W
hhhShirone asked in a bewildered voice. The natives remained silent, holding their submissive posture.ko8C
imLUepRThe tattooed man looked up at Shirone and spoke.vqjTQ
a778“Convey the will of Ra, messenger of the gods.”yepu
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