“If you trust me…”Liam looked from Rhys to Sophia.“You should go.”The room fell silent.Neither of them answered immediately.Rhys wasn’t refusing because he doubted Principal Liam’s intentions.That wasn’t the problem.The moment Liam mentioned the possibility of losing their sanity, every instinct in Rhys told him to be careful.The reward was unbelievable.If three months of training could really give him the strength of a Twentieth Floor Ascender while he was only on the Third Floor, it was an opportunity that most people would kill for.Even so, the risk sounded just as terrifying.He wasn’t ready to answer without hearing what Sophia thought.Sophia remained quiet for a few moments.Unlike Rhys, her hesitation had a different source.Ever since the day Liam slapped her in front of everyone and shattered her pride, she had never truly forgiven him.The humiliation still stung.Deep inside, she wanted revenge.One day, when she was strong enough, she fully intended to settle tha

“So?”Liam folded his arms and looked straight at Nagini.“What’s it going to be?”“Peace…”“Or war?”Nagini narrowed her eyes before letting out a long hiss.“Hisssss…”“You really do have the foulest mouth, Liam.”She shook her head.“I’m honestly amazed no one has buried you six feet underground yet.”Liam merely shrugged.He gestured lazily toward the thousands of Spectres drifting through the throne room.“It’s not like people haven’t tried.”That answer actually drew a laugh from Nagini.She turned away from Liam and fixed her gaze on Rhys instead.“You, Champion of Sol.”“I have a question for you.”Rhys straightened instinctively.“If Kartikeya refuses to help me in the future, will you swear on your honor that you’ll recover my family’s ancestral jewel once you’re strong enough to negotiate with him?”Rhys stared at her blankly.He hesitated before answering.“Your Highness…”He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.“Would you mind explaining what’s happening first?”“I ho

The moment Rhys stepped into the ancestral chamber of the Snake-Men, an odd feeling washed over him.It felt familiar.Not because he had been there before, but because every corner of the place reminded him of the strange vision where he had met Dreavon.The same endless silence.The same empty space.The same feeling that something ancient was watching from somewhere beyond sight.For a brief moment, Rhys almost expected Dreavon to appear before him again.The chamber was completely white.The ground beneath his feet was white.The distant walls were white.Even the sky overhead was a blank sheet of white that stretched on forever.There wasn’t a single splash of color anywhere.Rhys looked down at himself.To his surprise, even his academy uniform was changing.The vibrant colors slowly faded away until every thread of fabric became completely white, blending perfectly with the endless world around him.“Welcome, Champion of Sol.”A soft, pleasant voice echoed through the chamber.R

By the time Rhys entered the main residence, it was already past five in the evening.According to the Chamber’s rules, that meant he wouldn’t be taking part in any of the scheduled activities until the following day.Instead, the rest of the evening was dedicated to helping him adjust.As they walked through the residence, Nubi answered the countless questions that kept popping into Rhys’s mind.One thing she told him surprised him more than anything else.There were five people staying inside the Chamber at the moment, including him.Only one of them belonged to the Snake-Men.The other four came from different races and different religions.Seeing the confusion on Rhys’s face, Nubi explained why.Long ago, after the Snake-Men’s progenitor ascended beyond the Tower, their clan had been left dangerously vulnerable. Their strongest protectors were gone, and countless enemies had tried to erase them before they could recover.The clan’s previous leader had made a difficult decision.Ins

The satisfaction Rhys had felt during sword training disappeared the moment he stepped into the breakfast hall.The room was filled with voices.Not normal voices.There was something unsettling about them.Some sounded excited.Some sounded exhausted.Others carried the edge of people who had been trapped for far too long.Before Rhys could even find his seat, someone called out to him.“Well, well, we’ve got a new one.”The man’s rough laughter echoed through the hall.“Another poor fool chasing power.”“So, handsome, what did the Chamber take from you?”“What flaw are you trying to fix?”Rhys didn’t answer.He quietly followed the sound of the chairs until his hands found an empty seat.Another voice spoke up before the first man could continue.“Leave him alone, Gerald.”This voice was younger and calmer.“For all you know, he could be deaf.”Rhys remained silent.Not because he wanted to ignore them, but because he had no idea where any of them were sitting.That frightened him mo