CHAPTER 264: THE CELESTIAL GROUP, THE SECOND MYSTERY BOX REWARD

BAM!

The [Primordial Clone] leapt from one of the nearby buildings straight into the center of the kingdom’s main square.

And the moment it landed, a dark aura rippled outward, chilling the air and striking fear into anyone close enough to feel it.

Even those far beyond the kingdom’s walls, the ones stationed in the [First Zone], sensed the disturbance and felt an ominous pressure settle over them.

But regardless...

"=)"

The clone stood there, its twisted smile unchanging, as if frozen in place while its crimson eyes scanned the surroundings.

It was waiting.

Waiting for the [Eternal] group to arrive, just as Sam had ordered.

It wouldn’t attack first, not unless someone was foolish enough to strike at it.

And judging by the trembling and hesitation among the crowd, no one seemed eager to test their luck.

Many awakeners, the moment they caught sight of that dark aura and eerie grin, ran for their lives.

They had seen images of the Primordials in the past, and this creature looked far too similar to take chances with.

But others — the braver or perhaps more desperate ones — stood their ground, readying their weapons while silently praying they wouldn’t be the first to make a move.

’They think the clone is the real Primordial,’ Sam thought with a faint grin. ’Probably because of how it looks.’

That worked perfectly for him.

It meant he could keep his real body hidden while still watching everything unfold.

It also gave him the chance to strike when he chose, or disappear entirely if things went wrong.

For now, Sam simply watched through the clone’s eyes, observing every movement, every reaction.

"I-I didn’t think he’d actually show up here..." someone stammered.

"Who cares? If we complete the [Ultimate Mission], we’ll literally become gods!" another shouted, clutching his weapon tighter.

"With enough of us, there’s no way he can win."

"=)"

The clone’s expression didn’t change.

It just smiled, amused by their words, by their hope, by their foolishness.

But then...

BOOM!

An explosion erupted beneath its feet, blasting the clone upward as a massive shockwave tore through the square.

The air rippled, buildings cracked, and dust swallowed everything in sight.

But the clone wasn’t destroyed.

[Primordial Barrier: 99/100]

The barrier had taken the hit, reducing only a single point of durability.

Through the haze, the clone’s eyes flashed crimson.

It activated [Aura Radar].

A red pulse expanded outward in a hundred-meter radius, mapping every lifeform nearby in glowing outlines.

It instantly spotted the silhouette of the attacker.

Without a moment’s hesitation, it twisted its body midair and dove down.

SLASH!

Its blade tore through the air, and through the figure.

But when the mist cleared, there was nothing.

Only silence.

"=)...?"

The clone tilted its head, glancing upward toward Sam’s real body in the distance.

Even Sam frowned slightly, unsure of what he’d just seen.

The clone didn’t miss, it was stronger than any single awakener in the kingdom.

There was no way something could have dodged that so effortlessly.

The clone steadied itself again, preparing to land, but—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

More explosions erupted beneath it, throwing it higher into the sky as the ground shattered below.

Primordial Wings!

Crimson, radiant wings burst open from its back, flapping violently to steady its flight.

The shockwaves scattered debris across the square, and every observer within sight froze in disbelief.

The aura intensified.

And deep down, Sam felt it too.

A chill that wasn’t from fear, but from recognition.

[You have a bad feeling about this.]

"...?" Sam stared at the floating panel blankly for a second, then shook his head. "Weird..."

But before he could think further—

"WE FINALLY MEET!"

A booming voice echoed from below.

Sam’s gaze snapped downward as the smoke parted, revealing a group stepping into view.

Each of them radiated immense power.

Different appearances, different weapons, but all of them bore the same mark.

A radiant halo hovering above their heads.

[They are here.]

Sam’s eyes narrowed.

The [Eternal] group.

They had arrived, believing the clone to be the true Primordial, and they wasted no time confronting it.

Lucien, their leader, stood at the front, lightning sparking around his arm.

The others, Damon, Seris, and Maeva, flanked him, all ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

Lucien raised his head, glaring up at the floating clone.

The clone looked right back, smiling as always, its expression calm and unreadable.

"We’re going to kill you now," Lucien said with a wild grin spreading across his face.

’Attack,’ Sam ordered silently. ’I’ll join you soon.’

The clone nodded, wings flaring as it dove toward the [Eternal] group.

Fwish!

Its sword cut through the air like a flash of darkness.

Lucien reacted instantly, summoning his [Thunder Spear] and intercepting the blow with a thunderous crack.

"Use the thing!" Lucien shouted to his team, barely holding against the repeated strikes. "We end this NOW!"

Damon nodded sharply, pulling something from his inventory, a strange, glowing device that looked nothing like any weapon Sam had seen before.

[You have an extremely bad feeling about this.]

Sam’s eyes narrowed again.

’Wait a minute...’

His mind raced.

’The [Eternal] group completed the first and second missions before I did.’

That meant they had received two [Mystery Boxes].

Sam had obtained every other one since then, but those first two had been theirs.

He’d always known that the mystery box rewards changed based on the user’s intentions.

When he opened his, he received exactly what he’d needed most, the [Realm Map], the evolved skills [Supernova] and [Primordial Lightning], and the ability [Primordial Prediction].

He got them because that was what he wanted at the time, to grow stronger, to survive.

But the [Eternal] group... What did they want most?

Power? Glory? Or perhaps something simpler: to destroy the true Primordial.

That was why one of their rewards was the [Primordial Compass], to be able to know where Sam was.

And the other...

’Oh shit.’

Sam’s eyes widened. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning.

The reason for his growing dread, it wasn’t instinct or paranoia.

It was because the [Eternal] group’s second reward was about to be used.

And it was something designed specifically to kill him.

Without hesitation, Sam flared his wings and dove down from his vantage point, descending like a meteor.

Fwish!

He gripped his primordial sword tightly, crimson energy bursting from its edge.

His only thought was to end this before whatever that device was could activate.

[They are our final obstacle. Let us end this.]

Sam nodded grimly. The clone’s aura synchronized with his.

Their combined power surged, flooding the entire kingdom in overwhelming pressure.

No one else dared to move.

Even the other celestials, those from the same race as the [Eternal] group, stayed frozen in the distance, unwilling to interfere.

They all knew what kind of battle this was.

A fight between the Primordial and the strongest group of the realm.

The outcome would decide everything.

Whoever won here would ascend beyond the [Upper Realm].

If the [Eternal] group triumphed, they would complete the [Ultimate Mission], and one of them would rise to godhood, crossing into the final realm.

But if Sam won...

Then he would proceed to the [Seventh Mission], face the last two Monarchs, and ascend to the [Soul Realm] himself.

Either way, the end of the [Upper Realm] was coming.

Fwish!

Sam’s eyes blazed with crimson energy as he descended.

The clone mirrored him, wings outstretched, the air screaming from the sheer force of their movement.

Lucien gritted his teeth, sparks flashing from his arms as Damon’s device began to glow brighter.

Maeva chanted something under her breath, forming a barrier to contain the upcoming impact.

The sky itself seemed to split apart.

Sam’s expression hardened. This was it.

The collision that would decide who would rise, and who would fall.