"This place looks very familiar... Hmm... Especially those pictures on the wall."
Finally, the portal took shape, allowing Atlas to glimpse what lay on the other side. But seeing the other side was a surprise because the room was quite familiar.
"No doubt about it... I've seen those illustrations before... but where exactly?"
Atlas struggled to remember where he might have seen them, and it took him quite a while to come up with an answer.
"The image with that army of strange creatures is exactly like the one hidden in the underground room of the stronghold... there's no doubt about it."
Finally, he remembered where he had seen those paintings before and was delighted because if it was the same place, then his return journey would be much easier. After all, the underground room was only a couple of days away from the Village of Nevery.
"I have to make sure it's the same place..."
Unlike the other portals, this one was definitely the safest after the one heading to Falgnis' island, so he placed the girl on the ground and crossed the portal with the hope of finding a secure path.
Ohm...
In an instant, Atlas found himself on the other side, awash in piles of precious materials, minerals, and chests of various sizes. All those riches had a strong attraction for the young man, but the energy barrier just a few steps away from him provided the answer he was looking for and took away all his attention from that golden world.
"Unbelievable... this is definitely the room under the throne. I can finally go home..."
The discovery of a safe way out had made him jubilant. All that was left for him to do was cross over the barrier and return home, but before that, he had to go back to the Nihility Dimension and settle a few things.
The young man was ready to turn back when his eyes landed on a book with an ancient cover, much like the greenish skin of those lousy goblins.
"Mhm?! That strange language again... what a shame."
At the top were some symbols divided in a specific order.
Unfortunately, Atlas could not understand their meaning, or at least that's what he thought because all of a sudden, the same grayish cloud seen earlier in the Nihility Dimension appeared above it, turning into some words.
"For the heir of the Nihility..."
The young man's heart throbbed frantically from the unexpected words, and he could not contain himself anymore. Opening the tome, he found the page covered with unrecognizable symbols, but there was no problem because the translation for that language arrived almost instantly.
"Holder of the Aether Primeval Stigma... within your hands lies an ancient power. Even I, after hundreds of years, have not been able to fully reveal all its secrets, but I hope that what follows will be able to help you on your journey to the domination of this world..."
Atlas read the contents very carefully and was astounded.
"... As you may have noticed, the Nihility Dimension is a unique and mystical place. Although I do not know its origins, throughout my life, I have discovered some tricks to make the most of some of its secrets. You will notice the first changes only after a while because the connection with various places left behind by me will slowly refill the dimension after you get accepted by that world, making it a safe haven for you and an optimal place to advance further in the cultivation path. Just give it some time if you have found these notes before the dimension could turn what was once. As the portals will make that place..."
Finally, Atlas got the answer to one of the many questions in his mind, "So that's why the portals to the other worlds have remained open... Thank you then!"
"As soon as the amount of energy inside the realm reaches a satisfactory level, the impoverished soil will become fertile again and practical for all kinds of herbs. Honestly, I have never walked the Alchemy Path, yet I found this possibility useful along my Cultivation Path, especially for my companions. I trust you will be satisfied with the results..."
Another exciting possibility had just presented itself, but like the previous owner, Atlas was also reluctant to delve into the Alchemy's World but preferred the one related to Crafting instead. However, it could be helpful in the future, so he never dismissed the idea.
"... As for the Heart of the Realm, where the statue is located, I leave it to you to discover its secrets. After all, that place is directly related only to his destinated one."
The following few pages explained various uses of its final potential, and the young man became more amazed as he read on.
The only negative note was that some parts were poorly detailed or not explained at all. This may have been intentional, but it was still a questionable choice.
Atlas was wholly engrossed in the book's contents. He devoured every page, marking the information in his brain in a few minutes.
The value of this little tome was far greater than any treasure left behind by the previous owner.
"Hmm... unbelievable... There is nothing about the dagger, shield, or heart, not even a little statement, but at least I got some important information. Including this..."
Atlas looked around with a bizarre smile, to say the least. With a simple movement of his hand, the treasures inside the barrier vanished into thin air.
"Hahahaha... having unlimited space at your disposal is amazing. Undoubtedly, it's even wider and deeper than Nihiliste..."
Tons of precious stones and materials ended up in the Nihility Dimension, causing the young man to obtain personal assets that were only his own.
The only object left inside the barrier was a modestly sized wall fragment. It might have looked like a trivial object, but as the book reported, it was one of the two pieces needed to control the barrier.
In fact, Atlas could safely leave, but he couldn't come back inside once he had crossed that protective veil. The book did not explain why this was so, but it was certainly strange. After all, one could only enter the barrier with both shards. So why was one of them inside it?
It just didn't make sense...
For the time being, he decided to leave it where it was and return to the Nihility Dimension for final preparations.
First, he had to find a more suitable place for Drunkum and explain the situation to him.
Fortunately, it did not take him long to solve this problem, partly because the old man was still in a strange state, half-conscious and half-awake from the excruciating pain caused by the curse. So, he simply took him to the central part of the main island and left him a letter with some information.
Unfortunately, he could do nothing else at that time and certainly could not wait inside the Nihility Dimension, wasting his precious time. As for the promise made for the Black-Clawed Crab Village, he had already thought of a plan.