Somewhere Beyond the Realms — The Golden Temple
Far beyond mortal perception, beyond space, beyond even the system itself—
A temple of **endless gold** stood suspended in the void.
Pillars carved from divine light stretched into eternity.
The air shimmered with authority.
This was **Heaven alliance**, Observers of Earth Region.
At its center, seated upon a throne forged from celestial law—
Sat the ruler of this domain.
**Leader of Heaven alliance — King Kivasa.**
His presence alone bent reality.
Below him stood countless divine beings—princes, messengers, observers—each radiating power enough to erase worlds.
They were watching.
Observing.
Their apostles.
---
Kivasa's voice echoed across the temple, calm yet absolute.
> "Tell me… which of my sons' apostles has achieved the greatest contribution?"
A divine attendant stepped forward, bowing deeply.
> "Your Majesty… all princes stand equal in merit. However—"
He hesitated.
> "—the First Prince and Second Prince have chosen… human apostles. A brother and sister. Both possess exceptional talent and extraordinary potential."
A faint murmur spread across the hall.
Humans…?
To these beings, humans were nothing more than fleeting dust.
Yet—
Before the whispers could grow—
---
## ⚠️ BOOM—
A **pressure descended**.
Not from above.
Not from below.
But from *somewhere beyond the system itself.*
---
The entire temple froze.
Time itself seemed to hesitate.
Even the Princes—beings who commanded stars—stiffened.
Kivasa's eyes narrowed.
For the first time—
He leaned forward.
---
A wave of **holy power** surged across existence.
Not refined.
Not controlled.
But—
**Overwhelming.**
---
The divine attendant collapsed to one knee.
> "T-This… pressure…!"
Several princes instinctively released their own aura to resist—
And failed.
---
Kivasa spoke again, his voice heavier now.
> "…Impossible."
Silence fell.
Then—
A slow, amused laugh echoed through Heaven.
> "Hahahaha…"
It wasn't madness.
It was *interest.*
---
> "The System has not even announced the beginning of Stage 3 within the solar system…"
His gaze sharpened.
> "And yet—this level of holy power is already being used?"
The entire temple trembled faintly.
---
> "Such energy… cannot be handled by a normal player of the early stages."
A pause.
Then—
His smile deepened.
> "I am proud of you, my children."
The princes looked up in shock.
---
> "To discover such a… gem."
The air grew heavier.
---
> "Tell me."
His voice dropped into something dangerous.
> "Whose apostle candidate is it?"
---
Silence.
---
No one answered.
Not because they refused.
But because—
They didn't know.
---
Confusion spread among the divine ranks.
The First and Second Princes exchanged glances, even communicating with their apostles—
Yet no answer came.
---
Kivasa's expression darkened slightly.
That alone was enough to shake Heaven.
---
> "…Strange."
He closed his eyes.
Searching.
Tracing.
Following the fragments of that holy power—
Something far beyond ordinary divine constructs.
Far beyond something like a mere **Holy Lance**.
---
Then—
---
## ⚠️ [Authority: Ignored by Universal System]
## ⚠️ [Trace Failed]
---
Kivasa's eyes snapped open.
For the first time—
There was something unfamiliar in them.
---
…Uncertainty.
---
## 🌊 Back to Nikas — The Collapsing Stage
---
The world was ending.
---
The once-great city of Nikas had become a collapsing abyss.
Reality itself cracked.
Fragments of the **World Eater's body** rained like falling stars—ancient relics, broken weapons, cursed artifacts spilling into the drowning city.
---
And in the center of it all—
---
Suho laughed.
---
A broken, distorted sound.
> "Hahahahahahaha—!"
---
A whirlpool formed around him, dragging everything into its core.
His body radiated power—
Yet—
---
> [MP: 0]
---
Completely empty.
---
His body should have collapsed.
Should have died.
But instead—
He stood.
Laughing like something that had forgotten what it meant to be human.
---
Veno appeared behind him.
Silent.
Decisive.
---
**THUD.**
---
With a precise strike—
Suho's consciousness faded.
---
His laughter stopped.
---
## 🧟 Escape
---
All around them—
The undead moved.
Even without orders.
Even without mana.
---
Because this was no longer simple control.
---
It was **resonance**.
---
Dark mana surged unnaturally.
Necromancy pulsed at a level beyond logic.
---
Hogwords raised his staff, forming a shimmering barrier around Suho's unconscious body.
The skeleton army gathered.
Tamed beasts followed.
---
They began to swim upward.
Toward the exit.
---
The world glitched.
Fragments of reality flickered.
---
Behind them—
---
The **World Eater** moved.
---
The ocean itself twisted.
Its massive presence closing in.
---
## ⚔️ The Last Stand
---
Veno didn't move.
---
He stood alone.
At the rear.
---
His gaze shifted once—
Toward the city.
Toward the battlefield.
Toward the countless skeletons—
Some intact.
Many shattered.
Bones drifting through the water like silent graves.
---
Then—
He looked forward.
---
At the approaching calamity.
---
The World Eater.
---
Silence.
---
Then—
---
His body ignited.
---
A **blue flame** erupted from within.
---
His stance changed.
---
Not as a servant.
Not as a subordinate.
---
But—
As a warrior.
---
## ⚡ Final Strike
---
The collapsing world roared.
Reality cracked further.
---
Veno raised his weapon.
---
For a single moment—
Everything became still.
---
Then—
---
He struck.
---
A single slash.
---
But that slash—
Cut through everything.
---
The ocean.
The pressure.
The stage itself.
---
## ✨ CRACK—
---
The entire dimension split apart.
---
The collapsing world couldn't withstand it.
---
The barrier shattered.
---
And—
---
## 🌊 SPLASH—
---
Like water bursting from a broken dam—
Everyone was thrown outward.
---
Out of Nikas.
---
Out of the hidden stage.
---
And into—
---
Stage-2 Again.
[Reward -## has been transferred to inventory]⚡
**End of Chapter 23**
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