Chapter 299: The Real Name of the Ancient Ruins Is Revealed!

Another crack followed.

Then the shackles shattered.

The magma-like transformation disappeared from his hands, which returned to normal.

Next, his legs underwent the same transformation.

Molten energy flowed across them, turning them into magma-like limbs while retaining their original shape.

Marrec planted his feet and pulled once again.

Crack!

The shackles around his ankles shattered as well.

"Well, there goes my fifty percent energy."

Seeing this, Luke could only sigh.

It wasn’t that he was disappointed in the seal.

Quite the opposite.

The Seal of Restraint had performed remarkably well, especially considering that Marrec was a mid-B-rank and had been forced to use a special transformation merely to break free.

And there was another advantage.

’I am the Voidheart Titan, meaning I don’t lack either Void or cosmic energy.’

A faint smile appeared on Luke’s face.

With that, his Cosmic Heart immediately began pumping more energy throughout his body, replenishing his reserves at an extremely rapid pace.

After the fusion, he could even generate the energy of his other Titans through the Cosmic Heart.

Like currently, he could also generate void energy.

That had been impossible before.

Unfortunately, the Nexus Titan ability still had a limitation.

It allowed him to use the abilities of his other Titans regardless of the form he was currently using, but it didn’t grant him their inherent characteristics.

In other words, if Luke wanted to directly control Void energy, he still had to transform into the Void Titan.

Otherwise, he could use the abilities he already possessed, but he couldn’t simply gain basic Void elemental control.

’Maybe my Nexus Titan hasn’t fully developed yet.’

Luke considered the possibility.

’Or maybe it’s related to my Titan Knight Origin Skill.’

He was still thinking about it when Marrec’s voice pulled him back to the present.

"You have called upon your death, oh, Hero of Light."

Marrec’s expression remained angry.

He had just failed to protect a key member of the organization, someone whose survival was important to their future plans.

His gaze moved across Luke’s body, and his expression became more serious when he saw that Luke was still standing there without any obvious injury after taking the full force of his aura release.

’Seems like we have to take this seriously.’

If the battle continued here and Luke used that strange chain ability again, Marrec feared that he might be restrained once more, allowing Luke to escape before he could stop him.

"You forced me."

Upon hearing this, Luke’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

The words immediately reminded him of something.

’Villains normally say this dialogue when they’re about to do something out of the scale.’

Unfortunately, he realized it a little too late.

Marrec reached into his belongings and pulled out an ancient scroll.

The scroll looked old enough that its surface had darkened with age, but before Luke could determine what it was, flames suddenly spread across it.

The entire scroll burned almost instantly.

"Hahaha."

Marrec’s laughter returned.

At the same time, the ten Platinum Knights slowly recovered from being blasted into the walls and began moving back toward him.

Once they had regrouped beside him, Marrec looked toward Luke.

"Oh, Hero of Light. Now you will see the real truth of this place."

"Hahahaha!"

His laughter echoed through the ruins.

As he laughed, his transformation began to progress further.

The remaining human portion of his face twisted as the demonic characteristics spread across it, gradually replacing the last traces of his human appearance.

His face became completely demonic.

At the same time, the black horns on his head grew larger.

Once the transformation was complete, Marrec spread both arms wide, his posture resembling someone welcoming an audience into a grand spectacle.

"WELCOME TO THE COLOSSEUM, WHERE YOUR GODS SAW MORTALS FIGHT AND ENJOYED THEIR MISERY!"

His voice grew louder, echoing through the ancient ruins.

Isaria and Kiki immediately moved closer to Luke.

Neither of them knew exactly what was about to happen, but something about Marrec’s words and the ancient surroundings made the situation feel increasingly wrong.

"WELCOME TO THE HEAVEN’S CRUCIBLE!"

The instant Marrec finished speaking, the entire ancient ruin shook.

RUMBLE!

The vibration traveled beneath their feet and through the surrounding walls, growing stronger as the ancient structure began to awaken.

The dark pathways, which had remained motionless for countless years, finally moved again.

Massive sections of the walls began sliding away from their original positions.

At first, the movement was slow.

Then another section shifted.

And another.

The enormous walls began separating from one another, moving farther apart while each section slid into a different position.

It looked almost like a gigantic jigsaw puzzle being taken apart and rearranged piece by piece.

The dark pathways that had once formed a maze-like network were gradually losing their original arrangement as the walls moved into a circular formation.

An arena was taking shape.

"Luke."

Isaria reached out and grabbed his hand.

Her fingers tightened around his as she looked around anxiously, clearly unsettled by the movement taking place around them.

Luke didn’t answer immediately.

His attention remained fixed on the location where Marrec had previously been standing.

It was empty.

Four dark walls had closed around them, separating their section from the rest of the ruins.

Even the ground beneath their feet had changed.

As the structure continued moving, Luke noticed that the ground itself was made from the same dark material as the walls.

The movement also pushed away the dirt and sand that had accumulated over countless years, forcing it toward the edges of the hall where it gathered in thin lines.

Everything was being rearranged.

It was almost as though the ancient ruins themselves were carrying them toward a predetermined position.

"Kiki?"

Kiki nudged Luke’s leg, apparently trying to draw his attention.

However, Luke remained focused on the moving walls.

His eyes traveled across the enormous structure as he calculated the changes taking place around them, trying to understand what the ancient ruins were doing and where exactly they were being taken.

Neither Isaria nor Kiki knew what he was analyzing.

’I have to find Selene.’

Luke kept his expression controlled as he continued observing the transformation.

He couldn’t afford to become worried and rush into action.

If he allowed his concern for Selene to make him act hastily, he could easily overlook something important.

So, for now, he waited.

There was nothing else he could do.

He, Isaria, and Kiki could only remain where they were as the ancient arena continued rearranging itself around them.

The violent shaking gradually began to weaken.

The enormous walls slowed as they approached their final positions, and one by one, the moving sections settled into place.

The vibrations beneath their feet finally diminished.

The ancient ruins slowly became quiet again.

The Heaven’s Crucible had awakened.