Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

Not to mention it also had the key and was standing at a distance that was relatively safer from the assault of Simon.

Staking everything on it, Simon decided to use all of prowess to clear a way towards that zombie.

Fighting the horde of more than six thousand zombies which continued to spawn endlessly without the aid of his magic, was extremely strainful and exhausting. Nonetheless, he was still able to reach that peculiar zombie standing at the back of the horde.

The zombie staying true to its instinct, attacked him the moment he approached closer but was ultimately fell at is hands after an attack or two.

When the zombie was dismembered by his claws, Simon intensely observed his body which expelled no curse energy not even after a few seconds. Holding onto the key, Simon was now sure that this was the key.

He had the urge to roar and thunder out loud in triumph. However, when he saw the timer which only had 3 minutes remaining, he made haste and bolted towards the exit of the hall.

Simon did not stop even while the zombies attacked and endured their every assault with a steel like willpower and resolve.

<strong> BANG</strong>…

Simon kicked open the door without minding about any manner right now, looked at the mark on the key and the corresponding door.

The door the mark on the key matched with, was the one that was currently positioned in the top left corner and the door that he came out with was positioned directly at the middle.

BADUM… BADUMP… as he approached closer to the door, his heart started beating faster and faster. He had two tries remaining but he had staked all of his time and tries into this one key which would ultimately decide his fate.

Pushing the key into the keyhole, the door unlocked with a click and without waiting, Simon pushed it open.

DING… at that moment, a notification prompt up in front of him.

[You have opened the third Vault of numerals where Yela's crypt lies. Ozy's subordinate Fifth Finger, is on the pursuit of the crown. Defeat it before it destroys the crown].

PHEW… Simon who holding his breath until now, released a deep breath of air. The first few line had almost scared him to the death but when he read the next para, he was finally relieved.

The time limit had stopped and he was successful in locating the correct door leading to Yela's crypt.

His guess was right, the zombie with the key that did not have the curse energy within it, was the correct one. His overconfidence for thinking that the third tomb will turn out to be just like the first and the second tomb led to his negligence and almost to his failure.

It was too naïve of him to think that he had the the trails of the forbidden ground in the palm of his hand even if he could make use of some of the flaws and cheat a little.

This horrible experience had woke Simon up, there was no way he was willing to make the same mistake underestimate the trails anymore. Thinking so, Simon stepped forward and found himself in a long narrow passage that led deeper towards the tomb.

He proceeded with care and checked for any traps or setups that could possibly be there. When he reached the hall at the end of the passage, it turned out that his worry was for nothing as there was no traps placed there.

Still maintaining his vigilance, Simon stepped inside the hall and the moment he did, his whole body froze and he couldn't make even a tiny movement.

It was as if time had stopped.

Simon had felt this sensation before too, and it was none other than on this forbidden grounds, the third trail to be exact.

While he was lost in his thoughts, another notification window popped up in front of him.

[The Historia- Wrath of Ozy will now begin. Time Remaining- 2minutes 59sces].

It was another historia, a powerful advanced tier time magic that showed the events that had happened here in the past.

That is to say, whatever he would be shown, was relevant to the trial. Seconds ticked away and before long, the time was up and Simon felt his body become illusory, just like a ghost.

When he shifted his attention in the front, he saw an ethereal like beauty with shiny golden hair and pearl like skin, hastily run to the depth of the shall.

She was wearing a speckle less white dress, no it would wrong to say that since there were bloodstains on her beautiful white dress.

From how blood was coming from her mouth, it was clear that she was injured.

Multiple people wearing priestly robes, ran towards her and immediately started channelling their light or holy magic to heal her wounds. Nevertheless, a strong negative energy that held an intense aura of madness and brutality, exuded out of her body and clashed with the incoming light and holy magic.

<strong> CHIII</strong>… the moment the two energy came in contact with each other, they started eroding one another.

But it seemed that the negative energy was clearly much stronger and denser than the magic of the priests and hence was able to completely dominate them.

PFFFT… a few of the priests fell on the ground puffing out blood from their mouth, a similar negative energy could be seen on their face and body as well.

'Çurse Energy?!!' Simon muttered internally, the moment he saw the negative energy come out of the pretty woman, he was able to immediately recognise it.

However, the curse energy that was coming off the latter was on a completely different realm than the one he had come in contact with in the tomb. Whether it be in terms of density, power, or profoundness, the residue curse energy released from the body of that women was extra-ordinary to the point where Simon felt all the hair on his body stand on air.

"Leave me be, I was exposed to the curse energy for far too long, it has now invaded deep inside my body. Conserve you mana, there is no point in using you magic on me".

The woman said, her beautiful face was slowly being masked with the anguish of the negative energy. A golden crown sat on her hair complementing her beauty to a whole new level.

It had three bright gems fixed on it. When Simon saw it, he had doubts in his mind that the gems on it was the glistering crystals he had been searching for across the tombs.

"If they really are the glistering crystals, then that means that woman is" as if answering his query, the priests that had fallen on the ground, raised themselves up and said weakly.

"Even if that is the case, we still must try, Your Eminence, Cardinal Yela. You are the only one who is capable of holding back that monster. If you fall, the entire Empyrean Empire will collapse, there will no longer be anyone who can stand up against it".

The priest that spoke up, was the youngest one amongst the all, he had curly blonde hair, thin charming face and lively hazel eyes. A gentle atmosphere surrounded him and he gave others a comforting and friendly feeling.

The pretty woman who was addressed as cardinal, looked at the boy who seemed no more than fourteen years old and said:

"That cannot be allowed to happen. This empire was left in my care after master left this place, I cannot let it fall in my watch. Listen to me carefully Royce, as the other student of my master, you must take care of the empire in my stead".

Yela said holding the cheeks of the boy whose eyes streamed with tears. She then collected her breath and stood up with a resolute expression on her face and handed him an insignia that had a golden staff and six pair of wings carved on it.

Seeing her Eminence handing out the insignia to Royce, the rest of the priests were shocked: nonetheless, no one doubted her judgement and simply accepted it.

"Elder Sister this… don't tell me you are going to…" Royce asked, his face was a mess with tears and unwillingness.

Yela knew what Royce wanted to say, when they were both under master's care she looked after him as if he was her own brother.

She understood his pain but no matter she had to do it, or else the empire her master had created would be destroyed by the hands of that Monster.

"Go now, this place is deemed to fall. Take Royce with you and use the teleportation circle at the bottom of this mausoleum, he is your Cardinal and ruler now. GO…".

Yela said with a stern voice, she turned around and refused to face her little brother.

The priests had devastated face nonetheless, they obeyed her orders and performed a last final bow before dragging the unwilling Royce away with them.

"This is good, this is the only way. With me gone, you have to charge of this beautiful empire that master had built" Yela muttered, her pretty figure painted a lonely scene.

Simon who was observing everything from a distance, narrowed his eyes when he saw the boy being dragged towards the other room of this hall.

There was no pity on his eyes and only a cold ruthless look. There was no way he would forget the name Royce uttered by that woman in white dress.

Although he looked much younger, that face wasn't something that Simon would forget, especially after what he had seen on the third trial.

What confounded him though was what this woman was trying to do and what was going on. However, it seemed that he did not have to wait long to understand what was going on.