Chapter 592 - 591: The New Era

"Where are we?" Kiro couldn’t help but ask in the darkness. Hearing this, Keith also stood up and looked around, but it seemed his vision was completely blocked. All he could see was pure darkness. But at least he wasn’t alone. It seemed he and Kiro had both fallen into this... place. "I don’t know, man... Can you see?" Keith asked. "No..." Kiro answered as the two fell silent. Was it that their eyes had been injured, or was this place simply this dark? If they couldn’t see, they wouldn’t know where they were, let alone be able to protect themselves from any danger. Just as the two were trying to make out where they were, a bright light suddenly filled the surrounding space. "Welcome to the Longchan Civilization." A male voice suddenly echoed through the area. It took a moment for the two to adjust to the sudden light, but what they saw shocked them. Tall grass, taller than a human, covered the surrounding area. But more than that, a thick fog of energy filled the region, indicating that the energy concentration here was off the charts. In the distance, they could see rolling hills, buildings that had been reduced to ruins, and multiple Rank 0 auras belonging to beasts. "Longchan Civilization? Have we stumbled upon a lost ancient ruin?" Kiro couldn’t help but ask, excitement appearing on his face. Seeing the surroundings and hearing the mysterious voice, he realized that falling into the unstable space wasn’t a bad thing after all. It was a fortunate encounter. "Ancient ruin? What’s that?" Keith asked. Kiro slapped his forehead before patting Keith’s giant shoulder. "According to the supposed history, the Mortal Realm was once far more powerful than it is today. It was said to have even been greater than the Upper Realm. During that era, civilizations like Longchan flourished and ruled over entire eras. They weren’t the only ones either. There were various civilizations like this one, but the problem is that these ancient ruins were supposedly lost after something happened. It seems time and space were disrupted, and the history of the Mortal Realm was cut off." "So what changed? Why has it appeared now?" Kiro asked, though this time he wasn’t speaking to Keith but to the owner of the mysterious voice. But there was no answer. Instead. "Reach the core, complete the trials, and gain control over the Longchan Civilization and all of its wealth and resources." The voice finished speaking before its presence suddenly disappeared. "Wow... So the Mortal Realm really has such a history. And now we have to complete its trials?" Keith couldn’t help but ask as Kiro sighed. "Yes... But from the energy concentration alone, you should be able to tell that this civilization isn’t simple. And this is after years and years of energy depletion. They came from the era when the Mortal Realm was at its absolute peak, meaning they are very likely far beyond Rank 1. The benefits we could obtain could make us..." Kiro didn’t finish, but Keith understood what he meant. "Alright. Let’s reach the core and complete the trials." Keith clenched his fist. He wouldn’t miss any opportunity to become stronger. But more than that, the attack they had just experienced had left him with a deep sense of dread, reminding him of just how weak he was. This was a massive opportunity. Reaching the peak of Rank 0 would be the bare minimum. But it wasn’t going to be that easy. Ji ji ji ji! The grass suddenly rustled violently as several creatures sensed the arrival of the two newcomers. They looked weak. And to the creatures, Keith and Kiro were nothing more than suitable prey. So they attacked. Their legs tore through the grass as dozens of them rushed toward Keith’s position. "Incoming," Kiro said. The two immediately stood back-to-back, their auras erupting as they took their fighting stances. They swallowed nervously as they waited for the terrifying creatures to approach. Each one possessed a High-Level Rank 0 aura. --- Outside the world... "Hahaha... Finally." BOOM! The entire Mortal Realm seemed to recoil at that instant as space shattered, becoming even more dangerous for its inhabitants. An overwhelming pressure descended upon the world. Everyone below Rank 0 fainted instantly. From Early-Level Rank 0 to Late-Level Rank 0, every single one of them collapsed to their knees beneath the pressure. Peak Rank 0 beings began bleeding from their noses, while Quasi-Rank 1 beings developed solemn expressions one after another. High in the sky, the being grinned widely. Its true form was finally revealed. Dark scales covered its body. Emerald eyes stared down at the world. Two horns protruded from its head, while two enormous wings stretched from its back. A long tail covered in spikes swayed behind it, and sharp fangs protruded from its mouth. A chaotic aura surrounded its body. Everyone who sensed it felt their bodies scream in fear, instinctively telling them to run. The clouds were dispersed. The active volcanoes died down instantly. Tsunamis rolled across the oceans in terrifying waves. Earthquakes erupted, some reaching a magnitude of nine, as buildings collapsed and countless lives were lost every second. "I..." The demon grinned slightly. "I am back." Yes. This was the mysterious leader of the organization. And he was also a demon. At least, a Lesser Demon. That was the reason for his emerald eyes. During a battle with the humans in the Upper Realm, he had been gravely injured before eventually being swallowed by space and somehow finding himself in the Mortal Realm. Before that, rumors had already been spreading throughout the Upper Realm that something extraordinary was going to happen to the Mortal Realm. Only those who took control of it first would benefit from whatever was coming. That was all they knew because of their limited realm. But everyone in the Upper Realm knew how difficult it was to descend into the Mortal Realm. Yet because of his opponent, he had somehow managed to do it. And that was when he realized that pathways between the Mortal Realm and the Upper Realm were already beginning to form. To him, however, the Mortal Realm was like a dried-up lake. He couldn’t use its energy to heal himself. There was energy here, yes, but for a low-level Rank 1 being like himself, it simply wasn’t enough. On top of that, the Mortal Realm was still limited to Quasi-Rank 1. Injured and with his power suppressed, he had no choice but to rely on the organization he had created by exploiting humanity’s greed for power. But now... These fools had ripped apart the fragile space of the Mortal Realm. And with the terrifying energy pouring into the world, he had finally been able to heal his wounds. Not only that... The Mortal Realm could now accommodate a Rank 1 being. The demon’s grin widened. "I, Nekro, will control the Mortal Realm from now on." "Whether you are allies or enemies..." "You will all bow to me." His voice spread across the entire Mortal Realm. "In three days, I want your leaders to come to the Ynvashi Kingdom and pay their respects." "Anyone who refuses..." "Will have no reason to exist anymore." The demon declared, his voice echoing throughout the Mortal Realm.