CHAPTER 172: SERAPHINE KNOWS, SO WHAT?

Sam didn’t know exactly when the second mission had been completed.

It might have happened only a day after he first entered the [Dimension of Time].

Or perhaps it was right before he left.

In truth, it didn’t matter anymore.

What mattered was not when the mission ended, but how far he could still go and how quickly he could move forward.

’The beings said that clearing this realm and actually reaching the last one will be nearly impossible.’

That was what they had told him, and maybe they believed it.

But the reality in front of him was different.

In less than two to three weeks since their arrival in this world, two missions had already been cleared.

Nobody knew the exact number of missions except for Sam, but the fact that there were only seven meant they were making terrifying progress.

’At this pace,’ Sam thought, his gaze steady, ’in less than a year all seven could be completed.’

But even as the thought formed in his mind, he knew it couldn’t be so simple.

There had to be more to it.

There had to be something waiting once the last mission was reached.

[For some reason, you have the feeling bad things are coming soon.]

Sam let out a quiet sigh.

"Really now? Fine. Either way, it doesn’t change much. As long as I can reach the end and keep getting stronger, it’s enough."

His training had reached its conclusion.

His tier 2 skills were not only unlocked but fully maxed out, leaving nothing unfinished.

With that accomplished, the time had come.

Sam stepped out of his apartment and wandered through the streets of the [Forsaken] kingdom, his path clear in his mind.

Today, he would face the [Tower of Fate].

Today, he would advance.

The journey through the kingdom was slow but steady, and the closer he came to the massive gates, the thicker the crowd became.

By the time he reached the outer gate, hundreds of awakeners from every race were gathered, preparing to leave or arriving from their own battles.

Sam was just about to step through the exit when it happened.

[Sam Walker.]

A voice echoed in his head, sharp enough to stop him mid-step.

He froze, though his expression didn’t change, and instinctively turned toward the source of the presence he felt.

And there she was.

Seraphine.

Sam’s lips curved into a faint grin.

"Hah. Of course."

The elf walked toward him alone.

She was without her usual entourage, none of the noble elves that often shadowed her steps, none of the powerful allies of her race who usually lingered near her.

For once, it was just her.

Sam expected her to attempt some meaningless conversation.

Perhaps she wanted to talk about pointless matters, or worse, try to suggest they work together on clearing missions.

But as soon as she drew close, something different filled the air.

[Hell-Mode Analysis: A Primordial doesn’t falter, no matter.]

Her expression was calm but serious, her beautiful features focused solely on him.

Sam remembered she had already reached the peak of [Forsaken] by completing the first mission, and from the energy surrounding her, he could tell she was close to advancing once she finished her task.

Her voice was low but steady when she spoke.

"The [Tower of Fate] is dangerous. I don’t know all the details, but I know enough. It’s deadly."

Sam’s gaze didn’t waver.

"Ok, and?" he asked, his tone flat, his eyes burning with faint light.

He was already half-turned, ready to walk away.

Seraphine was a heroine of [Forsaken], a figure admired by countless people, and undeniably strong.

But what did that mean to him?

What did her status or power have to do with him?

He wasn’t here to play the role of protagonist.

And even if he somehow was, what difference would it make?

The reality of being a Primordial meant that almost everything in existence was already set against him.

He didn’t have the luxury of pretending otherwise.

Even if he chose to make friends, how long could those bonds possibly last before they shattered?

As he began to turn away, Seraphine’s eyes narrowed, and for the first time her expression shifted.

"I know what you are," she said, her voice trembling slightly, though she forced it steady. "No... I can feel it."

Sam stopped.

[=)]

Slowly, he turned his head back toward her.

His eyes flared, and it took deliberate effort to suppress the power within him.

If he hadn’t forced control, his aura and affinities would have leaked into the world around him.

Seraphine froze as his gaze locked onto her, her body stiffening under the weight of something she could barely comprehend.

"Ok, and?" Sam repeated, his tone identical to before.

Her lips parted. "Huh?"

"What if you know? Does it change anything?"

His calm unsettled her.

Even being discovered in such a way, Sam felt no panic.

And as he considered why, the answer came to him.

If Seraphine wanted to expose him, she could have told the others immediately.

She could have called the attention of every powerhouse in the kingdom.

The moment the word "Primordial" was spoken, the entire realm would hunt him, truth or not.

But instead, she had come directly to him.

Alone.

"I don’t know what you TRULY are," she said at last, taking a slow, steadying breath.

Then she extended her arm toward him.

"But I hope you don’t do anything you will regret."

Sam’s gaze fell on her hand.

[How foolish of her.]

[Does she think we won’t kill her?]

[Or maybe she’s gambling on the hope that we’re ’good’.]

Thoughts flickered through his mind, but none could give him the real answer.

At last, he reached out and shook her hand.

"I don’t regret anything," he said. "I just want to keep going. That’s all."

And with those words, he turned away again.

Without hesitation, he walked toward the gate and passed through it, leaving the [Forsaken] kingdom behind without looking back.

Seraphine didn’t follow.

She didn’t call after him or try to stop him.

But as he left, her voice brushed his mind.

[Good luck.]

Sam blinked, realizing she must have some form of [Telepathy] skill.

Still, he didn’t linger on it. His focus was forward.

Outside the gates, countless awakeners were fighting monsters to grind levels, but Sam ignored them entirely.

In less than thirty minutes, he reached the [First Barrier].

Thousands of awakeners were gathered there, pushing forward, preparing themselves, or failing in their attempts.

Sam didn’t spare them a glance.

He simply phased through the massive wall of dark flames.

Ding!

[You have arrived at the "Second Zone."]

[The corruption seems to be even stronger here, but you also sense that you are moving forward.]

The difference was immediate.

This zone felt hollow compared to the first, with only a handful of awakeners scattered across the corrupted land.

The sky above was pitch black, while the grass below had turned just as dark, as though life itself had been drained from the ground.

The corruption wasn’t subtle anymore.

And far in the distance, Sam saw it.

The [Tower of Fate].

It loomed high above everything, so tall it pierced the corrupted sky, visible even from where he stood.

This zone was smaller than the first.

That much was clear from a single glance.

Sam rushed forward, but just as his speed increased—

Fwish!

ZAP!

Bolts of lightning slammed into the ground around him, cutting off his path and forcing him to halt.

The air vibrated with crackling energy, and from the heart of the strikes, forms began to emerge.

Just like before, the lightning gave birth to monsters.

Only this time, their power was much greater.

One after another, more monsters materialized, their eyes glowing with unnatural hunger as they closed in on him.

For anyone else wandering alone, this would have been overwhelming.

Even now, level 75 monsters were a dangerous threat.

But Sam’s expression didn’t waver.

"Get out of my way," he said, his eyes flaring with light.

The monsters, which had been snarling with bloodlust, suddenly froze.

They trembled as though a god had descended before them.

Sam didn’t give them time to recover.

He closed the distance in an instant, his primordial sword already raised.

’I’m reaching the [Tower of Fate],’ he thought, ’no matter what stands in my way.’