Chapter 145
“As expected… something like this isn’t enough to stop him. Still, I managed to hold him back for quite a while—so I suppose I achieved my objective.”
Demian muttered as he stretched.
The Spectrum Prison was, as the name implied, a prison of light.
It decomposed the negative mana supplied by the Spirit King’s Crown through a spectrum.
The decomposed mana manifested as seven different colors of light.
These seven negative lights fundamentally amplified hostility in living beings. At the same time, each one affected the mind in a different way.
Red amplified anger.
Orange lowered mental defenses, making one careless.
Yellow induced lethargy.
Green caused one to forget everything.
Blue made one see desired illusions.
Indigo stirred deep longing.
And finally, violet mixed all of these together, creating chaos.
This prison of light drew out all the negative emotions rooted in humans, causing them to slaughter each other—or to give up entirely.
What made it even more terrifying was that time flowed differently within each color.
The outermost red light flowed the slowest, while the innermost violet light flowed several times faster.
EvenDamian didn’t understand the principle.
Dungeons were, by nature, things that defied human logic.
So he had given up trying to understand them.
As long as he could use them effectively, there was no need to dig into their workings.
In any case, it would take Zeon quite a long time to reach him.
To get to the core of the Spectrum Prison—whereDamian stood—Zeon would have to pass through the remaining six prisons of light.
“By then… everything will already be over.”
“Graaah!”
At that moment, space tore open with a monstrous roar.
Brixton, who had been trapped in the violet space, appeared.
“You bastard! What the hell did you do? What did you do?!”
Brixton bellowed.
Covered in blood, eyes wide and feral, he looked terrifying.
ButDamian showed no fear and replied calmly,
“You’re quite late.”
“Don’t even get me started. It felt like fighting some giant flaming gauntlet bear.”
At that moment, someone appeared behind Brixton—Alexandro.
Like Brixton, he was drenched in blood.
The only difference was the victorious smile on his lips.
Brixton didn’t react to Alexandro’s presence behind him.
More precisely, he was in no condition to react.
His side had been torn open as if bitten by a beast, his entrails spilling out.
No amount of potion could heal such a wound.
The one who had dealt that fatal injury… was Alexandro.
When the Spectrum Prison had activated, Alexandro, some Awakened from the White Bear Caravan, Brixton, and the berserkers had all been transported into the violet metaphysical space.
Despite being suddenly moved there, Alexandro and the White Bear Caravan Awakened didn’t panic.
They had prior experience breaking the Spectrum Prison while assisting Damian.
They knew how to use the violet space to their advantage.
Inside the violet space, they engaged in a fierce battle against Brixton and the berserkers—
And ultimately emerged victorious.
“Haa… haa…”
“Damn… I’m dying…”
The condition of the White Bear Caravan Awakened who emerged behind Alexandro was horrific.
Even though they had secured a favorable position, it had not been an easy fight.
That was how terrifying the berserkers were.
Many of the caravan’s Awakened had lost their lives to enemies who charged forward without fear of death.
Those who barely escaped the metaphysical space were also in terrible shape—but they forced themselves to stand through sheer willpower.
Because they knew they were the last remaining shield protecting Damian.
***
At that moment, Brixton approached Damian.
Thud. Thud.
With each heavy step, blood and entrails spilled from his torn abdomen.
Demian smiled brightly as he watched him.
“As expected of someone who believes in a god. Your will is incredible—moving even with injuries like that.”
“Do not mock my god, unbeliever!”
“Who is your god? The one above that yellow sky? Or that man named Johan, who sucks the lifeblood of the slum dwellers?”
“Grrrk!”
“That’s enough. I have no interest in hearing your answer anyway.”
“You—!”
Brixton grabbedDamian by the collar with both hands.
But there was no strength left in his grip.
Thud.
Still clutchingDamian’s collar, glaring at him—Brixton’s massive body finally collapsed.
Alexandro let out a sigh and approachedDamian.
“He’s a monster… I’d rather fight a dungeon boss alone than deal with someone like that. That insane recovery of his…”
He shook his head.
Even he was shaken by Brixton.
If not for the violet space, it would have taken far more time—and sacrifice—to bring him down.
After staring at Brixton’s corpse for a moment, Alexandro turned toDamian with concern.
“Are you alright?”
“I can still hold on.”
“Demian.”
“I’m really fine. I was prepared for this.”
Though he forced a smile,Damian’s face was deathly pale.
“…Haa. If it becomes too much, say something.”
“Alright.”
As he answered,Damian looked toward Neo Seoul.
The strain on his face began to fade, replaced by a hint of vitality.
“Finally…”
“What?”
Alexandro followed his gaze with a puzzled expression.
The gates of Neo Seoul had opened, and a group was rushing out.
Though they were too far away to recognize their faces—
Demian instinctively knew exactly who they were.
“Finally… you’ve been dragged out. The great queen of the other races…”
Serian couldn’t understand the current situation.
“So you’re saying the Thorn Assault Unit moved on its own?”
“I’m sorry.”
Borin replied with a troubled expression.
She had only just received the report that the Thorn Assault Unit had acted independently.
That was how secretly they had moved.
“Who ordered the Thorn Assault Unit to move?”
“Well…”
“…Was it Eli?”
“I’m sorry.”
“…Ha. Why are you apologizing, Borin? It was Eli’s order. Where is she now?”
“She is believed to be in her quarters.”
“Bring her here.”
At that moment—
“There’s no need.”
A cold voice rang out as Eli entered.
“Eli!”
“I’m sorry. But I had no choice.”
“What do you mean you had no choice?”
“For everyone’s sake, we needed to secure the Spirit King’s Crown before anyone else.”
“For everyone?”
“Yes. For us—and for all the other races with us—we had to obtain the Spirit King’s Crown. That’s why I moved the Thorn Assault Unit without Your Majesty’s permission. I do feel sorry for that… but I hope you understand it was an unavoidable choice.”
“So you’re justifying it as a decision made for everyone?”
“That’s correct.”
Eli answered without the slightest hesitation.
At her bold justification, Serian frowned.
She had always known Eli was aiming for her position, but she hadn’t expected her to move troops so recklessly.
“…Ha. Eli.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Can you truly take responsibility for saying you mobilized the Thorn Assault Unit and the elven warriors for everyone’s sake?”
“Of course. I am not someone who runs from responsibility.”
Eli did not avoid Serian’s gaze.
Now that Serian knew everything, she understood that avoiding it would solve nothing.
Borin could only swallow nervously between them.
They were, after all, the queen of the Northern District and her second-in-command.
If their relationship fractured further, the entire Northern District could be shaken.
The Northern District was the last stronghold of the other races in Neo Seoul.
If it faltered, their very survival would be at risk.
Both Serian and Eli knew this, which was why they usually compromised before things escalated too far.
Borin could only hope that would happen again this time.
At that moment—
Both Serian and Eli suddenly stood up.
“…!”
“What is this?”
Shock spread across their faces.
They could feel a disturbing wave that unsettled their very spirits.
Without a word, they rushed to the rooftop.
The first thing they saw was seven beams of light rising from the distant desert.
Serian murmured,
“Could that be… the Spectrum Prison?”
“What is that?”
“Then the Spirit King’s Crown… came from the Spectrum Prison…”
In that instant, Serian’s face turned pale.
Eli, not understanding, could only look at her.
Serian spoke urgently,
“If the Spirit King’s Crown was truly excavated from the Spectrum Prison, then the Spirit King isn’t inside it. That means…”
“What is it, Your Majesty?!”
“There’s no time to explain. Everyone, follow me!”
Serian leapt straight from the rooftop.
Borin, the Blue Leaf Special Unit, and the elites of the Northern District followed behind her.
Left alone for a moment, Eli muttered,
“The Spirit King isn’t sealed inside? Then… what is sealed in there?”
Her face was filled with conflict.
Judging by Serian’s urgency, it was clearly no ordinary existence.
After biting her lip briefly, Eli chased after her.
Regardless of the reason, things had escalated this far—she had to help resolve it.
***
“Damn it!”
“Help me!”
“Please!”
Cries of agony echoed everywhere.
People lay gravely wounded, hovering on the brink of death.
But Zeon ignored their desperate pleas and outstretched hands.
They were all scavengers.
People who had rushed toward death like moths to a flame, blinded by greed for items.
He had no sympathy for those who sought others’ possessions and ended up fatally wounded.
“Damn it! If you’ve got potions, share some!”
“Hey, you bastard… just a little—”
The scavengers cursed as Zeon passed by indifferently.
They tried to reach out and grab him, but it was futile.
They didn’t even have the strength left to fully extend their arms.
Zeon suddenly glanced back.
He had sensed an overwhelming presence from afar.
“The Queen of the Elves.”
LikeDamian, he didn’t need to see her to know.
The mana she possessed was that distinctive.
A refreshing mana, like a lush blue forest.
Even among elves, he had never seen someone with such vast and pure energy.
In the distance, Serian was rushing forward with dozens of other races.
Even at a glance, they radiated an extraordinary aura.
They were clearly the elites of the Northern District.
“So everything is unfolding exactly asDamian intended…”
Zeon shook his head slightly and continued walking.
Ahead of him still lay six more metaphysical spaces of light.
He had to pass through all of them to reachDamian.
“I’d better hurry.”
As Zeon moved, the sand surged behind him like waves.
A tidal surge of sand.
KWA-KWA-KWA!
The sand wave crushed everything in its path as it advanced forward.