1225 Parallel Decisions

Varian frowned as he noticed something minuscule after observing more than a million doors.

The 1st spiral was related to chaos, 2nd to Order. So, this one, the 4th spiral belonged to Order.

So, out of all this doors, there was one door with a specific rule that allows them a path to exit.

But there are strong anti-identification laws on all doors preventing anyone from gaining any information about these doors.

That's why they all looked the same to Varian's senses. There wasn't a difference even in their microscopic runes.

'However, the number of doors are increasing. The number of laws needed to keep them are also increasing.' Varian's eyes shone.

This whole structure was formed long ago. The spiral's settings were already set. The amount of energy and laws it could deploy were fixed.

Of course, this was done by very powerful beings, perhaps beings equivalent to gods or close.

So, it's very hard for even a rank 9 Order or Chaos awakener to spot the 'Exit' Law and identify the right door.

However, what if the law gets stretched?

Not just to a million doors, but a billion, a trillion, a quadrillion or a quintillion?!

"Hahahahaha!" Varian threw his head back and burst out laughing.

It was so intense that he fell onto the ground, his stomach hurt, but he clutched his abdomen and didn't stop.

"Yes! That's it! You fucking bastard! I won! Not you! You can't trap me!"

Like a madman who worshipped cosmic evil, like a scientist who made the vilest virus, he cackled.

Bella who was grieving looked up at Varian with a mix of sympathy and regret. Seeing him being so focused until now, she thought at least he could find a way.

Even though it's shameful to throw her hopes onto a stranger, Bella was desperate. Varian's feats in the short time she knew him created a sense of trust in him she didn't realize until this moment.

But when even he went crazy, all her hopes were crushed.

Sohan only felt ashamed for calling Varian here. He harmed his brother's benefactor.

Maria, on the other hand, dashed to Varian and shook his arm. "Tell me, what did you find out? Tell me!"

Unlike the two, she was confident in him. It was to the point she believed him more than she believed herself. But Maria couldn't really help it.

On several occasions when it should've been impossible, Varian made it happen and defied common sense.

"It's simple." Varian took a few quick breaths and ran to a door. "Just keep going!"

Click!

"No. They're still strong."

Click!

"More!"

Click!

"Not enough!"

Click!

As Varian chased a dream only he could see, the three heirs followed.

Click! Click! Click! Click!

"Yes, this is it! This is it!"

— — — —

The fifth spiral was a bit interesting.

The trial was simple: You bet.

A rank of your divine path or two.

If it's heads, you can go to the next spiral.

If it's tails or some other weird tilt, you'd have to bet again.

Your powers would be gone for 1 day for the 1st bet, 1 year for 2nd, 1 century for 3rd, and forever for the 4th.

Even though it was intriguing, neither Slaughter Shade nor Hollow wanted to play by the rulers.

Hollow raised inconspicuous scepter. The space distorted and the invisible all-ruling rules of the space began to distort.

The scepter's power, by sheer aura, was not enough to overturn the entire spiral. But its quality was enough to supersede the existing rules in a small place for a moment.

That was enough.

With a single jump, Hollow and Slaughter Shade left the fifth spiral and made their way to the sixth.

The final spiral had the test of opening a seal.

Slaughter Shade came forward and rolled a dice into the air. The seal opened up by itself and they moved forward.

As they reached the edge of the final spiral, a stunning sight of a cosmic disc—borne from a mix of light and darkness presented itself.

It reminded Hollow of the yin-yang fish. The concept of contrasting yet complementary duality. Order, Chaos, and the Harmony that results from them.

The two didn't step forward immediately. Instead, they sat down and rested.

Even though using they only used the artifacts to pass the spirals, using the artifacts was a heavy burden in itself.

Moreover…

Hollow and Slaughter Shade both looked at their respective treasures. Compared to when their first usage, they had greatly dimmed. They could barely last another use.

But it didn't matter. One more use and their mission would be fulfilled. The two Jai Empire minions walked straight, without looking at each other.

As for anyone following them up and messing things up?

Heh!

This place had gone into an ultra-high difficulty mode for the past 500 years thanks to a certain divine ranker. The difficulty would come down in a few years. But until then, there's no way anyone would be getting this far.

— — — —

Sarah opened her eyes in confusion.

She was in a…

"What the—"

She was standing on a disc-shaped land that stretched out to edges she couldn't perceive.

All she did know was that the ground she was standing on—if it could even be called ground—was made up of twinkling stars floating in a sea of darkness.

In a sense, it looked like the 2-D version of the galaxy printed into the floor. Except it was real.

Sarah tried to look around, but the blinding brightness and engulfing darkness that existed simultaneously rendered her helpless.

But somehow, even in that state, she was able to feel something.

Something from deep within. A call that came from primordial times to the depth of her soul.

A cry of joy, a lament of sorrow, and a sigh of relief.

Emotions she couldn't understand flooded her mind. The closest thing to it was a long-lost relative finding her and venting her emotions.

Sarah bit her lip and forced herself to calm down. She asked Oob to send her here for an important reason.

Sia and Enigma were fighting an uphill battle they could lose at any moment. Varian wasn't there to help. She's the only one who could do something.

"I, the Scion Of Devas, am here to receive the inheritance." Her words echoed, but no response came.

Sarah gave it some thought and changed her words. "I, the Scion of Ares Tribe, the successor, and inheritor, am here to receive the inheritance."

A response came from the void. It was a voice that didn't have a gender, but it was old, indifferent, and…dead.

[The time isn't up yet, Heir Of Ares.]

Sarah's heart nearly leaped to her throat. She couldn't sense anything outside. The brightness and darkness were all around, no, they were around her. Like armor, they were enveloping her, messing with her perception of the outside world.

She could only perceive the most basic of things. The galaxy-like floor, the empty space around her, and a few…

"Huh?"

A cluster of light, twisting violently, distorting the space-time fabric by its mere presence. It was standing just in front of her, just at arm's reach.

[But so is the time of removing the restrictions. Since the existing conditions were broken, new conditions shall be brought into place.]

The light cluster gently reached her and attached itself right above her heart. Then, it dissolved inside.

Sarah could feel the light cluster right with her thumping heart.

[The inheritance has recognized and chosen you. It had no right to be free a few years before the agreed time, but it will be considered as the new condition.

You are allowed only a spark of inheritance. The restriction shall be lifted if you pay the corresponding price — stay in this place and survive.]

A surge of power swept through Sarah, pushing her power to levels she didn't know were possible.

The space around her distorted and cracked apart as the sudden power proved too much to bear.

Sarah didn't bother trying to suppress it and instead fell into thought.

[You can leave safely, without the inheritance if you wish to.]

The voice said.

Sarah closed her eyes. Fear enveloped her, and drowned her heart and mind. She didn't know this strange, eerie place.

It was unlike anything she'd seen or heard. It screamed of danger. She wanted nothing more than to return to the solar system and her warm home.

But…

'I'm scared of dying…but I'm more scared of living doing something I'd never forgive myself for.'

Sarah's voice was determined. "I'm staying, but how long do I need to survive?"

[Two full breaths of Ares.]