The sky was pitch-black, and dense black mist hung in the air.
It was as though crossing that Barrier had brought them into a world embedded within another. The plains lay shattered, and enormous rusted chains stretched across broken cliffs suspended in midair, extending into a towering hall within the black mist at the center. The air reeked of decay, and the wind howled in their ears, sounding like the mournful cries of rotting ravens.
"This is..."
Lynn looked up, gripping the Trident tightly as he sensed the terrifying, heart-rending aura that permeated this place.
The golden figure's eyes blazed as he said:
"The third level, the Nightmare King's Hall. When he built this fortress, he refined a Divine Kingdom and brought it here, embedding it within the fortress to serve as his residence."
"And this is the fortress's true front gate."
Far off in the sky.
Nightmares and shadows swept across the heavens in overwhelming numbers.
It seemed that every nightmare they had encountered outside had come from here.
Without hesitation, the golden figure leaped onto an enormous chain within the black mist. At the same time, the golden light around him swiftly faded, replaced by deep darkness. He completely suppressed the aura of his laws, giving off a heavy stench of decay instead.
"Perch on me. Without a special disguise, no one can make it through here safely."
He spoke quietly and calmly.
Lynn instantly transformed into a black raven, spread his wings, and landed on the figure's shoulder. The corrupted aura around the figure immediately turned into a thin veil of smoke that covered Lynn's body.
There was no doubt.
Over the thousands of years he had spent here, he had already secretly planned everything.
All he had lacked was an opportunity.
Under his disguise, the figure