In the dark world where only void remains.
"Hm…"
The heart demon hummed, smiling while looking at the board. He raised his head and stared at Lucas before continuing:
"There's no more moves left. This is checkmate, alright. It seems I lost."
Hearing that, Lucas also smiled with an uncanny similarity to his heart demon. Bowing his head slightly, he replied:
"That was a good game and a fruitful and beneficial conversation at that. I've enjoyed this short time we had, more than I should have."
The heart demon chuckled at his response.
"It was the same for me. I'm satisfied with your resolve and determination, I have no qualms of you going forward anymore. At first it was to my advantage, but you turned the tables at the very end. You're truly one of a kind, myself."
Lucas waved his hand in dismissal.
"Stop the praise, isn't this considered narcissism?"
"Since when weren't you an arrogant narcissist in the first place, huh?"
"Good point."
Both of them stared at each other for a moment before laughing loudly.
"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!"
Their ecstatic chuckles filled the world of void, taking over the blank, dark world with their own existence.
After a while, their laughter finally died down.
"...I suppose it's time to go. I still have a lot of issues to solve outside."
Lucas abruptly said to the heart demon while preparing to stand up.
"Right. Just wait a second, I'll consider you as passed."
As though checking something, the heart demon tapped its own wrist before turning to stare at Lucas.
"...Do you have any last words before going?"
Lucas thought for a moment before shaking his head.
"No. None at all. Most of my questions were already answered by the conversation we had."
"How hurtful of you. Not even a question for where I would go? Nevermind.. as for me, I have some last words for myself…"
The heart demon smiled, shaking his head.
Under Lucas' gaze, the heart demon abruptly pushed off the pieces on the board, making a mess of the chess board.
"Go wreck havoc and chaos, Lucas."
At that moment, Lucas vanished.
***
In the most top above layer of the temple, a flash abruptly blinded the whole room. As the light gradually dimmed, Lucas could be seen standing in the middle of the room.
Lucas rubbed his eyelids.
…So far, it's been a common occurrence for him to just suddenly get transported somewhere else. But at least he was prepared this time.
While he was thinking, an overlapping voice echoed in the place.
[...Seeker of the Soul, congratulations for passing.]
Hearing that, Lucas raised his head and observed the place he was currently in.
Around him, countless statues similar to the guardians in the first and second test were situated.
But the difference was thatbhere were no more tests to supervise. Evident of that was that there were no more stages in place, only a dusty room that was rotting in time.
However upon further inspection, the countless statues were not the most notable part—but in the middle of the room, a huge silver altar made of primordial steel took all of his attention from everything.
At the center of the silver altar, a glass container kept hold of a book.
The book appeared ancient outwardly, but its ancientness didn't decrease its value. But increased it as though it possessed secrets that were kept from the past.
Even at this far, Lucas could already feel the power and overflowing knowledge that was well contained within the woven leather.
He could feel his soul tremble. Desiring. Hungry for whatever knowledge or information the book held.
Undoubtedly, it was most likely the Book of the Soul that the guardians were mentioning in the first test.
To prove his point, as though guarding the altar containing the book in the middle of the room, most of the statues in the room were standing by near the altar.
"I take it that's my reward?"
Lucas asked while pointing at the altar.
[That's right, Seeker of the Soul. That's the Book of the Souls in its truest form… do not be fooled by its outward appearance. That book contains all of our Master's research, study and comprehension about the Soul.]
"I keep hearing about your Master, care to tell me about them before I take that book?"
Lucas asked off-handedly in a curious tone.
[...We suppose there is no harm in telling you a little bit about him. Our Master is a legendary myth… he is someone that stood above all and everything else. Similar to you, he's obsessed with knowledge.]
"Where is he now?"
[We don't know. Even the gods and greatest seer won't be able to find Him if he wants to hide. That's how powerful he is. Only know that he's still alive, observing beyond time.]
"Interesting. I'd like to meet him one day."
Lucas held up his chin in fascination. Rather, he was sure they were going to meet someday. Afterall, his intentions and goals remain the same.
To reach the very top and destroy destiny itself. If that man was truly powerful… surely they will meet.
Shaking those thoughts away from his mind, Lucas smiled ruefully before standing up properly.
There was still a long way to go before he thinks of matters like that.
He patted his clothes and shoved away any dust or dirt that came from suddenly being transported.
After a few seconds, he walked towards the silver altar. It didn't take long before he reached where the book was contained.
[Put your hand on top of the glass, and the Book of the Souls will recognize you as its master.]
On top of the glass, a hand print eerily similar to that of hand print from the entrance to the temple was carved.
Lucas frowned and hesitated a little.
No matter how many times he looks at it, it feels odd. The hand print was perfectly fit for his hands.
Thinking for a moment, Lucas decided to trust the statue's words and reluctantly dropped his hand on the carved hand print.
Woosh—!
At that moment, the air around the altar went to a sudden chaotic rage. Lucas held on his body tightly, not letting his guard down.
After a while, the wind finally calmed down.
However, just as he was about to sigh in relief, a bright all-devouring light suddenly erupted from the glass container he was putting his hand on.
Boom—!
The light completely took over the room, by proxy even his figure.
Woop—!
In the process, a suctioning sound resounded. Lucas felt his body get absorbed into the light and be transported somewhere else.
He tried to resist, however soon… he was completely sucked in by a weird force.
As soon as he disappeared, the all devouring light also went away, as though finishing its job.
In the glass container, the Book of the Souls in the glass container was also gone along with Lucas.
The book which was contained for decades, millenniums and unknowable years beyond… had now released itself to the world.
For better or for worse, the taboo and terrifying knowledge written down on the woven leather would surely change the world.
But that was a story for the future.
At that moment, as though its eternal duty has been accomplished… the altar broke down.
Then the countless statues.
Rumble—!
And soon, the temple started to break down too.
***
Outside, in the entrance of the temple, a black haired man with pale ashen white skin abruptly appeared along a sudden light.
"Huh?"
Lucas rubbed his eyelids before raising his head to observe his surroundings.
"I'm back?"
He was transported back in where he originally entered from. The entrance of the temple where he got sucked in from inside.
Lucas stood up properly and patted his clothes, just as he was to move—something on the ground made him abruptly pause.
Without hesitation, he instantly activated Void Plunge.
As Lucas disguised himself in void, he looked at the dark lithe corpse of the Corrupted Leopard on the ground.
The familiar little cat he mercifully kept was dead on the ground, its forehead bursting with dark blood that sizzled on the ground.
'..It's been killed by someone.'
Upon seeing the deep and stretched wound on its head, Lucas arrived on a conclusion; someone other than him killed the Corrupted Leopard.
And this other person at the very least possessed some intelligence and weaponry, evident from the wound that was bursted by a sharp edge.
The assailant was most likely using a bow and arrow. He was familiar with weaponry to know that much.
But if it killed the Corrupted Leopard in the temple…
'Did the assailant also see me enter the temple too?'
While he was thinking about that crucial detail, a loud rumbling suddenly came from the temple.
Rumble—!
"Not good!"
Lucas expression changed, applying aura in his body he abruptly dashed to the pathway while disguised in void.