Shadow World: Legend of Undying Echoes

Even after the golden-red hues of dusk faded, the streets of the Royal Capital, illuminated by lights under the gradually darkening sky, still revealed a beauty no less striking than before.

Deckhami, having just emerged from the Norton capital's underground prison, was on his way home.

For convenience, Mie also chose to locate his residence near the Happy Group.

She spends most of her time in the pharmacy and laboratory of the Happy Group, and occasionally even stays at the Happy Group's mansion.

Therefore, the three of them lived relatively close to each other, and even after finishing work, they would travel together.

"So, Clay, it's time for you to go back to your old ways again."

As Dekan walked, he turned his head to look at Clay and said...

After careful consideration, he decided that it was safest to send Clay to investigate Adair's whereabouts, rather than discussing the process and only the outcome.

After all, if we only look at the results, Clay can indeed be considered the most reliable man.

Besides the fixed Shadow World Gates that the kingdoms can coordinate, there are also a few unstable Void Gate that can appear anywhere.

To gather intelligence as quickly as possible, professional investigators are indispensable.

Clay, who already had numerous connections within the Kingdom Association and had previously served as a top-ranking secret agent, was undoubtedly the best candidate.

"No problem. I wanted to kill Adair back in the Philoven Kingdom, but unfortunately, I was too badly injured after killing the Bishop of Silence."

Clay readily agreed.

To this day, he still harbors resentment towards Adair for the crimes he committed in the kingdoms.

During the decisive battle in the Philoven Kingdom, Clay, who defeated the Bishop of Silence, had analyzed the odds of capturing Adair.

Firstly, his recent loss of sight greatly increased the difficulty of tracking him.

Secondly Clay, in order to kill the Bishop of Silence, who was originally of similar strength, as quickly as possible, even though he had plenty of experience in dealing with such situations and had prepared countermeasure cards in advance, he was still seriously Severe Injury in the end in order to end the battle as quickly as possible.

Forcibly tracking Adair was in near-full condition, not only had a low success rate, but could even lead to being killed. Therefore, Clay chose a safer strategy, first reuniting with Morion and the others for backup, and taking over the work of Dekan and Sion to prevent the Philoven Kingdom from being attacked a second time at its most vulnerable moment.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Clay."

After emerging from the underground prison, Mie, who had been somewhat depressed, finally broke into a smile.

Although she still couldn't figure out the principles behind Clay's mysterious wisdom, Mie, as the former head of Imperial intelligence, highly recognized Clay's professional abilities.

"Just remember to give me a raise."

Clay hooked his arm around Dekan's shoulder and grinned.

"No problem, I'll give you as many as you want."

Dekan gave a helpless, bitter smile.

Since we've already been ripped off, as long as Clay gets things done and achieves practical results, then let Clay be happy.

Next, Dekan will have to figure out a way to help Clay get his eyes treated.

However, it wasn't difficult, because the Magic Card Clay obtained at the end of his time in the Shadow World of the Demon Realm Prison was the curse spell of Azukasa of Silence, the Seventh Floor Jailer whom Clay had killed.

[Wail of Resentment]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Rarity: Orange Epic]

[Class: 8]

[Passive Effect: When attacked, there is a chance to seal one of the attacker's five senses. The probability and duration are affected by the difference in mental attributes between the two parties. When the user is killed, one of the killer's five senses is forcibly sealed, and the seal cannot Purification, dispelled, or removed.]

[Note: Why? Why did you hurt me!]

Originally, once this card triggered the final curse, it was almost impossible to counter.

Even the strongest person can have a key sensory ability robbed of them for life.

But as long as Croix is present, there is a possibility of triggering a miracle.

If Dekan can decipher the principle behind this eighth-tier epic and modify it, he can combine it with the divine blessing on Kloisco to forcibly remove the curse that permanently blinded Clay!

"Then just give me a check, I'll fill it out myself."

Clay said something that sounded rather absurd in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Okay, okay."

However, Dekan simply agreed without any hesitation.

He knew that Clay was always short of money, but he was always very proper when it came to money matters and never asked for an extra penny.

This led Dekan to complain about Clay, saying that this guy is clearly a hardcore gambler, so why does he have such amazing self-discipline?

"..."

Mie seemed thoughtful as he watched Clay and Dekan interact.

"Speaking of which, I feel like Dekan, if you were a girl, you'd be Clay's ideal rich woman..."

Mie suddenly covered her mouth and said, as if she had discovered something astonishing.

She couldn't help but instantly imagine the scene in her mind where the Little Succubus Dekan, who looked like a little devil, had finished teasing Clay and then suddenly crashed and was caught by Clay.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Dekan immediately made a gesture with the back of his hand to shoo Mie away, his face full of disgust. He felt that Mie had serious problems with his thinking!

"You have the nerve to talk about others like that, Mie! Have you ever considered that if you became a handsome man, at least one of Alice and Ikatinos would cry! How many girls could resist your charm?"

Dekan shrugged and shook his head.

In his eyes, Mie was practically a queen of ten thousand.

Add to that her unparalleled looks and charisma; if she were of a different gender, even the original Demon Realm Prison boy band probably wouldn't have been able to outshine Mie in terms of charm.

"Hmph, transformations like your Blood Mimicry are easy for me. After all, I infiltrated the Resurrection Church as a male Minos... Wait, what are you talking about!"

Mie was also prepared to proudly recount his glorious story of infiltrating the Resurrection Church and gradually becoming a bishop.

Suddenly she realized that Dekan's words were not right.

What do you mean either Alice or Ikatinos has to cry?!

When it comes to making girls cry, Teacher Da Tong is the least qualified to say that!

Moreover, compared to Dekan, who is always making mistakes, Mie is very clear-headed.

She has absolutely no connection to those Terror battlegrounds!

"Let's make a bet. Tomorrow, you'll transform into a man and approach either Ikatinos or Alice. See how they react. I bet you 1000 Magic Crystal Coin that they'll blush within ten minutes. Uh, ten minutes for Alice, and half an hour for Ikatinos."

After thinking about it, Dekan decided that Alice was the least desirable character.

Having been the empire's emperor for so many years, Ikatinos still possesses a powerful aura and is not so easily defeated.

1000 Magic Crystal Coin are equivalent to 1 million Gold Coin. This gamble is not a small amount for Dekan and Mie.

"No, I refuse! You're definitely thinking something very bad!"

Mie waved his hand dismissively, refusing Dekan's offer without hesitation.

"If you feel you're at a disadvantage, then let's bet the other way around. If you can make them blush, you win."

Dekan added.

The more complex the circuit diagram, the more enjoyable it is.

Having experienced numerous setbacks, Dekan believes he has become a skilled healer through long experience.

He will never make a mistake again.

"Your wicked thoughts are written all over your face!"

Mie questioned Dekan with a look of utter shock.

So you're not even going to act anymore, huh?

Even dropouts from the Demon Academy wouldn't be so blatantly bewitching humanity.

Does he despise humans or demons?

"Heh, do you really think you can win? Or are you just narcissistic, Mie, that you actually believe Alice and Ikatinos, both girls, might fall for you?"

Seeing that Mie still showed no intention of agreeing, Dekan looked at Mie with disdain and asked.

"Wait, your logic..."

For a moment, Mie couldn't figure out whether Dekan was using reverse provocation or a reverse provocation tactic.

"Or we can skip the bet and you can give it a try. I'm also very curious about just how powerful Minos's charm is."

Dekan began whispering again, tempting Mie to do bad things.

"Well, it's not that unusual..."

Mie started to feel guilty as he spoke.

When she joined the Resurrection Church as Minos, she did indeed attract a lot of trouble that she herself hadn't anticipated.

--For example, many female believers became inexplicably fascinated by her, which even caused considerable trouble.

Later, out of necessity, Mie gradually resumed her feminine posture.

As a result, various rumors circulated among the Resurrection Cultist: "There is a bishop who likes to cross-dress."

Mie was spared a lot of trouble after the gender of the Shadow Bishop Minos was made ambiguous.

"Tsk tsk, that's what people who like to show off are like. They're clearly very capable, but they always like to say things like 'I'm just an ordinary person' or 'I'm just an office worker.'"

Dekan immediately started chatting with Clay next to him.

"Yes, that's absolutely true. They don't even seem to realize it, it's quite outrageous."

Clay nodded in agreement.

Hearing Clay's words, Mie felt both annoyed and amused.

"Alright, Dekan, you like gambling too, right? Let's bet on whether I can make Alice and Ikatinos blush! If they do, you'd better give me 1000 Magic Crystal Coin!"

Mie found Dekan's Taunt somewhat amusing.

The dog-eater boss insisted on giving her money, so she wouldn't be polite!

The three of them were chatting and arguing noisily on their way home.

Suddenly, Dekan's communication magic was activated.

Once he reaches Tier 6, Dekan can not only use the [Forced Dispel] he had longed for, but also use many convenient life and function Spell Card.

For example, [Ultra-Long Distance Communication Magic].

"Croix is calling me."

After Dekan discovered that it was a communication request from Chloeux, he told Miekre and answered the call.

Subsequently, during the conversation, Dekan's initially relaxed expression gradually became more serious.

The communication ended quickly, and Dekan informed Mie and Clay of the situation.

Originally intending to go home, they changed direction and headed together towards Croix's house, which was near the Havenlit Academy.

As the son of an earl, Croix's mansion looked much simpler than that of ordinary nobles.

He disliked extravagance and did not pursue luxury.

Upon arriving at Croix's house, they found that all his friends had already gathered in the living room.

Morion lived relatively close to Croix, while Cornelia and the Cat Teacher lived in the Havenlit Academy.

As a result, De Cammieux and Clay were the last to arrive.

The reason why everyone is gathered here is obvious.

An unstable Void Gate appeared beside Croix.

Even in his own home.

They had seen this several times before, indicating that the Shadow World was actively seeking out challengers who were connected to it.

However, Croix dared not rush in to take on the challenge. If he couldn't go in with his companions, he would most likely fail, as he lacked the ability to fight alone.

So he immediately gathered his companions.

"Huh... didn't you three see the Void Gate over there either? We should all have temporary Void Gate, there's no need for everyone to make this trip."

Morion, who had arrived early, sat on the sofa, chin in hand, looking utterly bewildered.

Dekan and Miekre nodded in agreement.

They had assumed that, apart from Croix, everyone else would also have Void Gate nearby.

Generally, even if such a small Void Gate appears, it will open around a few scattered individuals.

But so far, it seems that this time the Shadow World is only calling for Croix.

However, while others found this situation strange, it wasn't entirely unexpected.

After all, Croix was the only one in their team who possessed both divine blessing and curse.

In some ways, he was even the man closest to a god.

The curse of misfortune that he carries often interacts with the Shadow World, just as his entire being can influence the selection of the Shadow World.

After some discussion, everyone gradually came to understand the situation.

But then, everyone's expressions quickly turned strange.

When Mie and Clay, who are most capable of fighting alone, enter the Shadow World.

They were all rejected by this Void Gate.

This time, the Shadow World will not accept their participation!

Even Morion, at the sixth rank, was hesitant to attempt the Shadow World triggered by Croix, at the seventh rank, alone.

Even if someone goes in alone, there's no guarantee he'll be able to pass through smoothly.

Dekan was even more hesitant to let Cornelia try. If she weren't with Dekan, Cornelia wasn't really suited to challenge the Shadow World's opponents beyond her level, unless she could reach the eighth or even ninth level in the future, in which case she could just punch through any mechanism.

"Alright, I'll try to see if I can enter this Shadow World."

As he spoke, Dekan approached the Void Gate.

If the Shadow World is left unattended, it will bring disaster.

However, Dekan was very uneasy about sending Croix, who had no offensive capabilities, to risk fighting a Shadow World of at least Tier 8 alone.

Before being forced to let Croix touch the Void Gate, Dekan decided to give it a try first.

At this point, Dekan suddenly felt quite regretful.

If Croix didn't have that terrible "damage healing" blessing, his combat power would be immeasurable.

Even though Croix is only at the seventh rank now, with his monstrous Magic Power and his ultimate talent for controlling Magic Power, he is even comparable to an eighth-rank mage.

If Croix were to reach the ninth rank one day, he would probably be the strongest mage in a thousand years.

Unfortunately, all of Croix's fighting abilities were nullified by this divine blessing.

Forced to become the ultimate healer.

"Sigh, I really don't know which of the blessings you receive is a blessing and which is a curse."

Dekan stood Void Gate, turning back to Croix with a wry smile and teasing her.

Croix shook his head with a wry smile as well.

Before he met Dekan, these blessings and curses had already caused him immense suffering.

However, in the very next second, the moment Dekan earnestly touched the Void Gate...

Not only was there no resistance, but it was as if an irresistible force was drawing Dekan in!

At the same time, the Void Gate also seemed to be showing signs of disappearing.

It gradually shrank, and the dark blue color gradually became transparent!

What should have been Croix's Shadow World has now become Dekan's solo challenge!

"Dekan!"

Amidst shouts, the other companions tried at the last moment to force their way into the Shadow World and fight alongside Dekan.

But without exception, they were all rejected.

Even Croix can no longer enter.

All indications suggest that this Void Gate is very likely a single -Shadow World.

But for some reason, the triggerer is Croix, while the challenger seems to be either Croix or Dekan.

Of everyone, Cornelia and Cat Teacher- sensei gradually became the most uneasy, even somewhat panicked.

"It shouldn't be a big problem. The Shadow World triggered by Croix should be of the eighth rank, and an eighth-rank Shadow World is no problem for Dekan at all."

Seeing Cornelia and Cat Teacher's anxious expressions, Morion quickly explained.

"... Yes."

Clay was about to say something, but seeing Morion's reaction and Cornelia's expression, he stopped himself.

By simply agreeing with Morion's explanation, Cornelia was put at ease.

In fact, Morion and Clay both knew this.

If this Shadow World is not an ordinary Shadow World, but rather the final chapter of the Holy Kingdom...

Then the final enemy will likely be the Chaos God.

If there is a final, powerful enemy of the level of Chaos God, the Shadow World will likely be at the ninth rank!

After some discussion, Cornelia and Cat Teacher gradually calmed down.

So they all went home.

Once Dekan finishes his challenge in the Shadow World and returns from the original entrance, Croix will naturally notify everyone immediately.

Only Clay and Mie, who were traveling the same way, headed back towards the Happy Group.

Clay glanced at Mie, Mie expression, as expected, was not good.

Although she maintained a calm expression while comforting Cornelia.

But in reality, Mie is probably the person with the clearest understanding of the dangers of the Ninth Order Shadow World among all of them.

In the history of humankind, only a handful of ninth-order Shadow World have been recorded.

The most well-known one is--

The Salon Empire suffered a natural disaster caused by the failure of the Ninth Order Shadow World, resulting in the destruction of four provinces and the loss of a full third of its population.

As for the other ninth-tier Shadow World, even if you complete them...

This would also lead to the near extinction of half of the current ninth-tier powerhouses!

The Ninth-Order Shadow World is a symbol that truly approaches the brink of annihilation.

Each one is an unavoidable calamity for the present world.

If Dekan has indeed entered a ninth-tier Shadow World, no matter how strong Dekan is, the others cannot help but worry.

"It's a pity, this bet can only be fulfilled when Dekan returns."

Clay, with his hands behind his head, said in a leisurely stroll.

It seems they wanted to shift the conversation to something lighter.

However, Mie remained silent, and her mood still seemed heavy.

"On the bright side, if it's the final chapter of the Holy Kingdom, even a single ninth-tier Shadow World wouldn't be a big problem. Even without us, there were Lunn, Morpheus, and Ray to help him back then."

Clay finally sighed.

He certainly understands how everyone feels.

"Clay, Delois is an immortal being, right?"

Mie stopped in his tracks, no longer hiding his worry, and asked Clay beside him.

"..."

Clay remained silent this time.

This occurred after the fifth Shadow World [Throne of Wind, Snow, and Thorns].

Many years have probably passed between the Holy Kingdom and the Demon Realm.

Unlike the demon Delois, who has a very long lifespan.

Delois's other companions ultimately only had, in Delois's eyes, a brief human life.

If the timeline of the final chapter of the Holy Kingdom is too far removed from [Throne of Wind, Snow, and Thorns].

It's very likely that Dekan's companions are all gone.

Even on a positive note, the time gap isn't that long.

However, Delois's strongest partner, Lunn, was already 49 years old in the previous timeline of the Shadow World.

If several decades had passed...

Even if Lunn were still alive, he would be a hero past his prime.

Morpheus and Ray, who are only about ten years younger than Lunn, are probably in no better shape.

Delois may still be in his prime.

But his friends were gradually becoming unable to defy the inevitable laws of nature.

After a moment of silence.

"Don't worry, the current Dekan is the complete Delois. A mere ninth-tier Shadow World is no challenge for Delois."

Clay ultimately maintained an optimistic attitude, he said.

After hearing what Clay said, Mie finally nodded.

"Yes, in any case, the Saintess of Darkness will be Delois's friend."

Mie muttered to himself with certainty.

On Dekan's side.

After being drawn into the Void Gate, Dekan felt an unusual silence, as if he had been isolated from the world.

What followed was the familiar darkness and silence.

Unlike the first few times.

The field of vision quickly became clear and bright, which meant that Dekan was the last to enter the Shadow World and could begin his Shadow World there without waiting for anyone else.

Of course, there is also a possibility--

He was the only challenger in this Shadow World.

We haven't had time to investigate the situation yet.

Information about the Shadow World was then imprinted into my mind.

[Shadow World: Legend of Undying Echoes]

[Level: 9]

[Number of challengers: 1]

[The story of the Holy Kingdom and the Demon Realm marks the end of one chapter of history, and also a brand new beginning...]

[Several omitted chapters remain, as if carved into the Holy Kingdom.]

[The Epic of the Holy Kingdom, Part One: Throughout the history of the Holy Kingdom and the Demon Realm, heroes have upheld their Holy Kingdom and faith, averting the world's impending doom and ultimately paving the way for a new life for the Demon Realm.]

The gap between benevolence and the power of justice is called faith, called courage. The Holy Emperor, as the people expected, brought peace to the world.

[But the strange events in the Holy Capital and the decline of the Holy Rite Church remained unforgettable for the Holy Emperor. No matter how hard he investigated, the vanished and hidden evil spirits never reappeared.]

[...]

[The Holy Kingdom Epic, Part Two: Time has passed, and the world has undergone earth-shattering changes, bringing both blessings and calamities.]

Day after day, everything is moving in a positive direction.

[Just when everything seemed calm and peaceful, no one knew what happened that night; everything happened so suddenly, and disaster struck in an instant.]

[In this hellish scene, people felt as if they were trapped in a nightmare from which they could not awaken. Under divine punishment, the weak had nowhere to hide, and in the end, only despair remained. No one left, and no one had the strength to continue.]

[A cunning merchant in prosperous times amasses wealth and wields it in his hands; yet, in chaotic times, he upholds loyalty and righteousness, giving away his entire fortune to save the suffering from dire straits.]

[...]

[The Holy Kingdom Epic, Part Three: However, compared to the real crisis, this was merely a signal; malice once again began to spread in the shadows at an unpredictable speed.]

Even if everything has changed beyond recognition, the motives behind the crime will never disappear, and the persistent detective will not overlook any clue.

The significance of the bloodshed in the Holy Capital back then can never be forgotten.

[The resurgence of malice, clashing with an undying belief, will surely bring countless moments of dawn.]

[...]

[The Holy Kingdom Epic, Part Four: It requires a solitary soul to dedicate themselves, a person chosen from among thousands.]

[His eyes showed no fear, but that wasn't courage or fearlessness.]

[A promise, a close friend, and the tranquility of sunset.]

He never needed to fight, but his battle never ended.

[Because it was a prophecy already engraved on the wall.]

[...]

[This Shadow World is the final chapter of the historical story of the Holy Kingdom and the Demon Realm; no more Shadow World of this series will be opened in the future.]

[Mission Objective 1: Understand the supreme magical barrier of the Demon Realm and increase the completion rate of the modification to over 50%.]

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

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

[Note: Recklessly harming humans, demons, or many native races in the Shadow World, or severely damaging their favorability, may lead to mission failure and trigger unimaginable consequences.]

[89 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes remaining.]

[This map is extremely large and open-world; challengers may spend a significant amount of time traversing it. Please plan your mission progress carefully.]

[Because you are blessed by the Goddess of Reincarnation and Fate, even if you perish in this Shadow World, you will remain in ghost form until the Shadow World ends.]

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

******

Author's Note:

Happy New Year everyone! Thank you all for your company in 2022!

The best book of the year award has been won! Thank you all again for your support! Now my only goal is to finish this book and make it a complete story! I'll try to finish the main story before the Lantern Festival, and then start writing free side stories (or maybe the actual story?).

Today's update is an extra effort for Xi Zhi New Year, but my sleep schedule has been really messed up, and I feel it's getting dangerous if this continues. I've had a mysterious low-grade fever all night, and I'll probably have to take the day off tomorrow to adjust my schedule. Sorry in advance...