Shadow World: Throne of Wind, Snow, and Thorns

Devil King Tomb.

The petals drifted in the wind, bringing a faint fragrance.

These pristine, full-bodied Demon Realm plants are like gauze, like a dream, like mist, yet they seem not to flaunt themselves, silently waiting there.

Beautiful, yet full of mystery.

It's unknown what happened to the Devil King Tomb in history that led to its current dreamlike appearance.

Dekan was like a boy hiding in a flower field, stealing a moment of leisure, immersed in this sea of flowers.

This Devil King Tomb no longer has the Demon King's tombstone.

The tombstones that were originally the tombstones of the demon kings have been stacked by someone into a black Stone Stele Throne, as if he were going to sit on top of all the demon kings.

And this is a spacious mausoleum.

Two more wooden houses made of the Demon Realm trees have now been built, and a field has been cultivated in the flower field, where edible Demon Realm plants are grown.

Half a year has passed since Dekan and Sion arrived at the Devil King Tomb.

This Devil King Tomb seems to be an absolutely closed world.

With the [Spatial Leap Gate] broken, they were unable to find any way to leave.

"Creak..."

I heard the sound of a wooden door being pushed open in the distance.

Dekan stood up and looked into the distance.

Sion, yawning and still half-asleep, pushed open her door.

"Your daily routine is really regular."

Dekan greeted his neighbor.

However, it seems it's not "good morning," but rather "good afternoon."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Sion asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Of course, staying an hour or two later each day only shows that a ninth-level expert is not afraid of sudden death and does whatever they want. It's a pity they're not serializing novels."

Dekan smiled approvingly, as if praising Sion.

It seems he's been waiting for Sion for quite some time.

Sion was already used to Dekan's sarcastic remarks and rolled his eyes.

However, Dekan was unaware that she did indeed have a serialized novel published in the Kingdom Association, but it had probably been forced to take a six-month hiatus...

Besides, Dekan was waiting for her, simply because he wanted to learn magic from her.

It's just a way to kill time.

It's funny, actually.

Although Dekan was cool when he killed Agamemnon, he was imprisoned in this Devil King Tomb and became a Demon King without any troops.

He is probably the first demon king in history to spend his days farming and growing flowers in the Devil King Tomb.

It emphasizes a tranquil state of mind.

Actually.

Six months ago, when Dekan realized that there seemed to be no way to leave, he was so anxious that he went almost crazy.

He explored and studied the Devil King Tomb day and night, showing no sign of stopping even when there was no progress.

Until the Master worried that Dekan would ultimately be nothing more than self-torture.

So I talked with Dekan for a long time, telling Dekan about my mental journey in a long period of loneliness before I met Dekan, and how I finally chose to accept the facts and wait for a turning point instead of constantly exhausting myself.

It wasn't until then that Dekan gradually chose to listen to his Master and slowly began to accept life in the Devil King Tomb.

It's like running for a long time and then suddenly stopping.

Looking back on the past year, it seems like I've experienced so much.

Sometimes, in just one day, one has to go through a series of tasks, including participating in the examination of a top- Card Crafter, attending city-state celebrations, screening city-state Terror, rescuing an eighth-tier Card Crafter, organizing Amusement Park celebration, defeating the Cardinal the Resurrection Church, and signing contracts with two eighth-tier idols.

Fulfilling, and authentic.

This intense workload left Dekan completely unaware that he was actually exhausted, both physically and mentally.

For him, the biggest gain in the past six months has probably been his state of mind.

He also needs rest.

Since it has been determined that there is no way to leave the Devil King Tomb on our own.

Why not take advantage of this rare opportunity to bide our time and conceal our abilities?

Waiting for a turning point.

Dekan felt he had regained the ease he had felt when he first left the border town.

Seeing that the best magic mentor Sion, had resumed business, Dekan walked over and asked without any politeness:

"Master Da Zhan, do you have any other useful spells?"

"What else do you want to learn, you fifth-tier kid? And can you use a different way of addressing me?"

Sion was pleased that Dekan was willing to address her as his teacher.

But she always felt that "Teacher Da Zhan" wasn't a very nice term.

After six months of magical training, Dekan was a tiny bit closer to the sixth rank.

However, in the eyes of the genius magician Sion, his magical learning was still a complete mess.

For Dekan, learning magic was originally the least efficient thing to do.

Although after learning spells, you can cast spells on your own without using the cost of Magic Card.

However, learning magic has a high time cost.

For the vast majority of spells, it's more convenient to just buy cards.

And Card Crafter like Dekan would rather spend their time developing new cards than learning how to skillfully use spells.

But in the past six months...

Without card-making tools, Dekan can't make any cards in this Devil King Tomb.

So I had no choice but to learn some magic.

It just so happens that both Dekan and Sion are supports.

The spells that Sion excels at can also be useful and practical for Dekan.

Thinking back carefully, the card production was also forced to stop for the past six months.

Dekan would often, consciously or unconsciously, recall his card-making journey over the years.

I found myself constantly running at high intensity.

Let's stop and take a break.

Perhaps it's also a good digestive process.

"You're such an idiot, I don't want to teach you anymore."

Sion said speechlessly.

She taught Dekan for almost half a year, and Dekan only managed to learn one third-tier spell.

From the perspective of a ninth-tier mage like her, a talent worthy of being recorded in history, teaching Dekan was truly exhausting.

"I'm naturally an academic research talent, and besides, not everyone has such outrageous magical talent as you!"

After all, how many people in this world can break through the limits of humanity and cultivate to the ninth level?

Dekan rolled his eyes, mimicking Sion's gesture.

His talent and effort lie in Magic Engineering, not in practical magical skills.

"What you say makes some sense. I really am a genius that comes along only once in a millennium... By the way, is there any follow-up to what you said last time about 'fate will stay tonight'?"

Sion also gets bored sometimes.

One time, when Dekan was free, he told Sion the story of the Holy Grail War, Sion found quite interesting.

What Dekan said about the difference between him and Sion is quite similar to the difference between a magician (scientific research) and a magician (practical application) in this story.

"Tell me first, why is there a problem when I use your [Miracle Irrigation]?"

[Miracle Irrigation] is a third-tier spell created by Sion, and there is also a version made into Magic Card.

[Miracle Irrigation]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Grade: Purple Rare]

[Class: 3]

[Effect: Consumes mana to accelerate the growth of plants within the area.]

[Note: This is a limited-edition commemorative item officially released by the Kingdom Association.]

Dekan did not choose to prioritize learning some of the spells that Sion used to support his teammates.

Because Dekan doesn't have a casting time, his spells are too slow to be cast, and many spells that are useful in actual combat are useless to learn.

So, to pass the time, I simply learned this magical spell that could make flowers and plants grow quickly all around me.

Sion doesn't need cards to use this magic.

Once it's made into a card, it allows other people to use the spell quickly.

The price to pay is a 3-cost card slot.

"Try it once so I can see."

Sion gave Dekan instructions with considerable disdain.

She always taught with this attitude.

Or rather, there are very few people in this world who can get her to personally guide them in magic.

Dekan nodded and began casting the spell on the surrounding plants.

However, after a few seconds, almost nothing happened; there was no sign of plant growth.

When Sion released it himself, a few seconds were enough for a large patch of flowers and plants to grow around it.

"I've told you so many times, your Magic Power output is too conservative, increase it."

"Sion commanded."

Following Sion's instructions, Dekan increased his output, but seemingly inadvertently began to use the Demon King's Magic Power.

Suddenly, the plants began to grow wildly, and even gradually transformed into Terror Demon Realm plants.

Sion looked speechless and casually killed the mutated plants, which had become aggressive.

"Your control over actual combat Magic Power output is too poor, but these fundamentals cannot be learned overnight."

Sion shook his head and said.

Dekan wasn't unlearned of the magic; he simply lacked proficiency in the entire practical spell system.

Dekan can quickly grasp complex magical principles and possesses an unparalleled precision in manipulating subtle Magic Power.

However, he is still too unfamiliar with directly outputting his own Magic Power circuits.

"Why is even a third-tier spell so difficult?"

Dekan practiced diligently while complaining, trying to find a balance.

Seeing Dekan's expression, Sion nodded slightly.

That's already pretty good.

He's learned it, no matter what.

Although it's called [Miracle Irrigation], a third-tier spell, it's actually not easy to learn.

The higher the rank of the spell, the harder it is to learn.

The difficulty of learning a spell is related to its level after it is crafted into Magic Card.

For spells at the White Common level, those with high comprehension and good compatibility may learn them quickly.

Learning the Blue Precious level will take some time, and if the compatibility is poor, it will be even more difficult.

For Purple Rare to be obtained, one must first have Magic Power affinity, and the learning period is also very long.

Orange Epic are almost equivalent to innate spells, similar to Blood Race powers. They are difficult to learn later, even with the best compatibility, unless you use special methods.

Seeing that Dekan had found something to pass the time, Sion sat cross-legged on the flower field, somewhat bored, and asked, resting his chin on his hands:

Why are you so determined to learn this magic?

Upon hearing this, Dekan hesitated slightly, thought for a moment, and replied:

"This spell is the foundation of your support magic series, and also a good way to practice Magic Power control."

Aside from information-gathering spells like divination, most of the support spells Sion uses in battle involve converting his own mana into buffs for his teammates.

While [Miracle Irrigation] is a life-related magic, it represents the very foundation of the basic principles of Sion's magic.

Perhaps after several years or even a decade of practice, Dekan could truly become an excellent support mage without relying on Magic Card.

However, before reaching the end of his journey as Card Crafter, Dekan had no intention of training himself to become a true mage.

As for trying to master this magic...

He would never tell that big mouth, Sion, that he learned this magic because he wanted to make Cornelia happy.

He made Cornelia wait so long.

Even though Dekan pondered every day in the Devil King Tomb, he could never have imagined what it would be like to see Cornelia again.

How will Cornelia react? And what should he say first?

Dekan didn't know.

Some answers can only be known when you meet them in person.

But.

Regardless.

If I could show Cornelia how the grass on the ground could miraculously transform into a small field of flowers, perhaps it would be surprisingly nice?

When Dekan was transformed into Little Gray Cornelia took him back to her dormitory, Dekan remembered seeing many flowers and plants in Cornelia's house.

She'll definitely like it.

As Dekan pondered this, he glanced helplessly at the sea of flowers at the Devil King Tomb.

Although the Devil King Tomb has beautiful scenery, even the path leading to the Ninth Floor has been blocked.

They also couldn't contact other levels of the Demon Realm Prison.

They were unable to detect anything about the outside world of the Devil King Tomb.

Dekan didn't know why the Devil King Tomb in the real world had become like this.

To get out, we'll probably have to rely on spatial magic.

Although many useful parts can be extracted from the Artificial Shadow World Initiator.

However, repairing the [Spatial Leap Gate] requires crucial materials.

Moreover, there were some parts that Dekan didn't know how to repair.

I'm afraid we'll need Mie's guidance.

Even if the [Spatial Leap Gate] is repaired, energy will still be a problem.

The special demonic Magic Power within the Devil King Tomb is a sealing power integrated with the barrier, and cannot be used as a pure energy source in conjunction with the [Spatial Leap Gate].

The energy required for teleportation is directly proportional to the strength of the teleporting unit. If they wanted to teleport a ninth-tier Sion, Dekan wouldn't know where to find the energy.

It seemed that neither of them had any hope of leaving this closed-off world.

But.

Both Dekan and Sion reached a conclusion.

They still had a sliver of hope.

So they kept waiting, waiting for an opportunity.

If I can't wait, I'll be stuck here for the rest of my life.

"I wonder how things have been outside these past six months."

Dekan couldn't help but sigh.

Logically speaking, the Kingdom Association's theoretical contribution this time isn't that significant.

That is, if Dekan and Sion can go back.

However, in reality, if Dekan and Sion cannot return, it's practically the same as being killed in action.

From the outside perspective, the Kingdom Association has likely suffered a severe blow after losing these two individuals.

"Hope the Kingdom Association has not been destroyed yet."

Sion also sighed.

Is that something you should be saying?!

Dekan thought that if the people of the Kingdom Association knew that Sion was still alive and was making such remarks, they would be heartbroken.

"Hehehe, if you're so capable, record this and expose me."

Sion stuck out his tongue without any sense of identity.

She seemed to have a lingering regret about not having video recording equipment to document the battle between Dekan and Agamemnon.

"Now I know how you managed to train someone as outstanding as Clay."

Dekan shook his head helplessly.

This guy, who puts on an incredibly dignified act in front of others, is actually heartless and carefree.

But Dekan got used to it.

She is a person with two sides.

During his time with Sion, Dekan also learned some of Clay's story.

Although Sion stated that he would not reveal any of Clay's private information to Dekan without Clay's permission.

But he also told Dekan some little stories.

Clay was actually a prince of a small duchy.

That country no longer exists.

He was later rescued and mentored by Sion, and participated in the "Unicorn Plan," eventually becoming the final candidate.

"Unicorn Plan" is a meticulously planned operation by the Kingdom Association to infiltrate the Resurrection Church. The Kingdom Association spent more than a decade preparing just to create a perfect false identity as "Kingdom Renegade".

Thus, Clay, now known as "Unicorn," took over the false identity created by the Kingdom Association and infiltrated the Resurrection Church as the Kingdom Association's top intelligence agent, eventually becoming the Bishop of Frenzy.

As for other matters...

Sion simply told Dekan, "Go ask Clay yourself; he'll have a lot to say to you."

Even Sion admitted that he couldn't understand Clay's intelligence.

Although she would provide Clay with intelligence support, the two rarely had the opportunity to communicate, so most of the time, Clay would take the lead in developing specific action plans.

Although he always succeeds in achieving his plans, while you might say Clay is smart, he also seems to act on impulse in many ways, sometimes by sheer chance, making it impossible to guess his thought process.

But while you might call him stupid, he never makes a foolish mistake in crucial moments; on the contrary, he demonstrates exceptional intelligence.

It's as if he possesses both the attributes of a genius and a fool at the same time.

The dual nature of gods and demons is inherited from the same lineage.

Just as Dekan and Sion were having their usual chat.

"Sizzle!"

Suddenly, near the two of them, accompanied by dark arcs of electricity, a door of blue-purple-black color that twisted and flowed continuously was born.

"Finally, it's here!"

Dekan and Sion exchanged a glance, both unable to hide their excitement!

What appeared beside them was a small entrance to the Shadow World, Void Gate!

Their only hope of escaping this enclosed world is to enter the Shadow World to collect materials to repair the [Spatial Leap Gate].

Once inside the Shadow World, Dekan will have every opportunity to contact his companions and seek help!

If he had card-making tools, he could turn some key materials into cards and then bring them back to the Devil King Tomb in the mortal world to dismantle them!

This might allow us to repair the [Spatial Leap Gate] and leave the Devil King Tomb.

And wanting to enter the Shadow World.

Besides actively entering through a fixed and stable "Void Gate" like the one in the Havenlit Academy.

There's another way!

That is when the team members and the Shadow World choose each other and create a strong resonance.

There must be other closely related individuals involved for the Shadow World to be successfully opened.

An unstable, temporary Void Gate will appear near the chosen person!

The last time Morion and Clay were summoned by the Shadow World, the Demon Realm Prison, Void Gate appeared in the wilderness.

This time.

Morion must have deduced Dekan's predicament.

So they gathered the other members to form a team and repeatedly tried to encounter the Holy Kingdom's Demon Realm Shadow World.

And at this moment, this Shadow World has finally appeared!

"Sion, try to see if you can get in."

If Sion manages to enter the Shadow World, Dekan would feel much more at ease bringing his father along.

Additionally, if Dekan enters the Void Gate...

The demonic Magic Power of the Devil King Tomb will lose its master's control, and according to the rules of automatic operation, it will seal away Sion, who is human.

However.

After a brief attempt, Sion discovered that he was met with resistance from the Void Gate.

Unable to pass.

It seems that this time, the only one the Shadow World is calling for Dekan.

"I'll wait for you to come back and save me."

Sion shrugged indifferently.

"It might take a long time."

At this moment, Dekan's eyes had completely changed.

It was no longer the leisurely experience of slow living I had felt before; instead, it felt as if I had been transported back to the moment of the decisive battle against Agamemnon.

He was unsure of the duration of this Shadow World.

In previous instances, the time limit for the Shadow World was less than one month.

However, as the level of the Shadow World increases, the overall duration of the Shadow World will increase accordingly.

This time, Dekan was unsure whether he would enter the seventh or eighth tier of the Shadow World.

If it were an eighth-tier Shadow World, the challenge could last anywhere from ten days to over a year.

Sion is very likely to experience the same long-term sealing treatment that the Saintess of Darkness received back then.

"Go ahead, don't worry about me."

Sion stretched and waved goodbye to Dekan with a smile.

Dekan nodded and stepped into the Void Gate...

What followed was the familiar darkness and silence.

Unlike usual.

The field of vision quickly became clear and bright, which meant that Dekan was the last to enter the Shadow World.

The others must have been waiting for him for a while.

She hasn't opened her eyes yet.

The information about the Shadow World was then imprinted in my mind.

[Shadow World: Throne of Wind, Snow, and Thorns]

[Level: 8]

[There are 4 challengers]

The war between the Holy Kingdom and the Demon Realm is nearing its end after the balance was broken, and the Holy Kingdom's victory is about to be recorded in history.

[But strange phenomena seem to be occurring on the northern border; something seems to be imperceptibly approaching a critical point.]

[But not everyone is unaware of these lurking anomalies in the shadows. Even the slightest clue will be magnified like a crack, eventually breaking down the barrier to the truth.]

[For the sake of promises, for the sake of faith, for the sake of righteousness, for the sake of the people, the stories of four epic heroes intertwine once again...]

[Mission Objective 1: All challengers must reach the territory of Cardinal Lunn Lunn the Holy Rite Church Holy Kingdom's northern border, within 60 days, and gain his trust.]

[Mission Objective 2: Unlocked after completing Mission Objective 1.]

[Mission Objective 3: Unlocked after completing Mission Objective 2.]

[Note: Recklessly harming the native inhabitants of the Shadow World, or severely damaging their favorability, may lead to mission failure and trigger unimaginable consequences.]

[Remaining time: 179 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes.]

[Due to the large size and open-world nature of this map, the starting point may vary depending on the challenger's assigned role.]

[Note: In this Shadow World, your assigned identity is -- Delois.]