Max remained still, hidden within the dense canopy of the trees, his mind processing everything that had just unfolded.
He was stunned by what he saw.
This wasn't what he had planned.
Not by far.
His original strategy had been simple—use his Lightning Shadow Clone as a diversion, then eliminate one of the Seeker Rank assassins in the confusion.
Then taking care of others.
But then—everything changed.
Jessica was dead.
Jonas had been sent away.
And now, Uncle Ron—the true danger, a Peak Seeker Rank expert—was carrying away his clone, thinking it was him.
'He'll figure it out soon enough when my clone turns into lightning.'
The mont Uncle Ron realized he was carrying nothing but a body made of pure lightning, everything would fall apart.
'That's my cue to leave.'
Max didn't hesitate.
He was alive.
Abby was dead.
Jonas would soon follow.
Aron?
He was lucky. Whoever the "mystery killer" was, they weren't after him.
For now.
Max's body flickered, his lightning-infused movent allowing him to vanish from the scene.
***
Max flew silently, his body moving effortlessly behind the black flaming leaf.
Two hours.
Non-stop.
After escaping the Monarch's forces, Max took a mont to assess his situation.
He was stranded.
The thick, untad wilderness of the Outer Circle stretched in every direction. Towering trees with gnarled, twisted roots lood over him, their dense canopies blocking out even the faintest slivers of light.
The air was thick, heavy with the scent of damp earth and blood. Strange whispers of movent rustled through the underbrush—monsters lurking in the shadows.
But Max wasn't worried about them.
He was more concerned with sothing else.
His destination.
The Black Lotus Guild.
That was where he needed to go.
At least it was the only place where he was welcod in the East Region.
And so, without hesitation—he set off.
However… there was just one problem.
A massive problem.
His gaze remained locked onto the leaf, watching as it drifted through the air like a silent guide—never stopping, never slowing down.
"Damn, just how deep is the Black Lotus Guild hidden in the Outer Circle?"
A slight irritation crept into his thoughts.
The Outer Circle was vast, but he hadn't expected this.
Along the way, he had seen monsters rampaging in the forest, so engaged in brutal battles, others lurking in the shadows.
So had taken flight—massive winged creatures, their bodies blotting out the sky.
Dungeons were scattered across the land, their entrances glowing ominously, beckoning explorers toward unknown horrors and treasures.
But none of it mattered.
Because the leaf never stopped.
Not once.
Not even for a second.
Max sighed.
At this rate, he wasn't just traveling deeper into the Outer Circle.
He was heading into a place few ever returned from.
Beyond the Outer Circle.
The Valora Continent was vast.
And beyond its known territories, beyond the Outer Circle, lay two great unknowns.
On one side—the endless sea.
A vast, uncharted ocean stretching into the unknown, leading toward the mystical Lost Continent, a place spoken of in hushed whispers and old rumors.
On the other side—a land of absolute terror.
A place no sane warrior would dare to tread.
A place even the strongest forces of the Lower Domain feared.
The Forsaken Wilds.
A realm where monsters ruled, where ancient horrors stirred, where death was the only certainty.
And—
That was where Max was heading.
Unknowingly.
Unstoppably.
The black flaming leaf guided him ever deeper, pushing him toward the very edge of the known world.
And with every passing second, every mile he crossed—
He drew closer to the most forbidden land in the Lower Domain.
Just as Max was wondering how long it would take—
Its pace increased drastically, no longer drifting through the air, but diving toward the surface at breakneck speed.
Max's eyes narrowed.
He didn't hesitate.
He followed.
The wind howled around him as he descended, his body cutting through the air like lightning.
Then—
The leaf reached the surface.
And—it vanished.
Max's body froze midair, his mind processing what just happened.
'Where did it go?'
Before he could fully grasp it—
His Three-Dinsional Body flared.
A sensation. A shift in reality.
Just below him.
And without a mont's hesitation—
He shot toward the ground.
Faster. Faster.
Then—
Everything changed.
One mont, he was hurtling toward solid ground—
The next—
He was falling.
Not onto the earth—but through a light gray sky.
His breath hitched. His vision adjusted.
And then—he saw it.
Below him.
A city.
A breathtaking, impossible city.
The buildings bore the essence of a bygone era, their structures reminiscent of a ti when craftsmanship reigned supre, and technology had yet to take hold.
Towering stone fortresses stood firm, along with many castles like structures while wooden beams and sloping rooftops spoke of an age rooted in tradition.
Yet, beneath this dieval charm, subtle traces of modern innovation wove seamlessly into the design—glass-like panels embedded in stone walls flickered with faint energy, and lanterns that should have burned with oil instead pulsed with magical black flas.
The past and future did not clash here—
Instead, they intertwined, creating a city that stood on the boundary of two worlds.
As Max descended, he took a deep breath, his eyes sweeping across the breathtaking sight before him.
A city unlike any he had ever seen.
'There is such a magical city in this world?'
His heart pounded.
The Inner Circle had its share of traditional structures mixed with modern advancents, but there, the fusion was subtle—almost hidden, barely noticeable.
Here?
Here, it was unapologetic. Unrestrained. A perfect symphony of the past and the future.
This city was one of a kind.
Then—
He stopped midair.
Figures bathed in black flas shot up toward him, moving with precision.
Max's expression shifted.
He had expected them—mbers of the Black Lotus Guild.
But what he hadn't expected—
They weren't wearing masks.
His eyes flickered in surprise.
'They aren't masked?'
It was unheard of.
Every encounter he'd had with the Black Lotus Guild, they had been faceless, hidden behind their signature masks.
Yet here, in this hidden city, they moved freely, their faces fully exposed.
The second volu has now co to an end. The third volu will start from next chapter.
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