Chapter 300: Fate Has Led Luke Into an Impossible Trap!

Author note: I’ve gotten a fever, which has resulted in a delay in the Chapter.

Sorry for the inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding.

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Luke had already returned to his normal form when his body collided with the dark wall.

Then, finally, the vibrations stopped.

Luke, Isaria, and Kiki slowly looked straight ahead.

The dark walls that had previously surrounded them from every direction had disappeared.

Instead, an enormous empty space had appeared before them.

The dark walls were still present, but they now stood roughly a hundred kilo meters away, forming a circular boundary around a massive arena.

The arena itself stretched for nearly one hundred kilometers in diameter.

Countless spectator seats had also appeared around the battlefield, rising in circles.

Yet not a single person occupied them.

Luke and the others were standing on one side of the arena, attached to a strange structure that resembled another set of elevated spectator seats.

And they weren’t alone.

The others who had entered the ruins had also appeared there.

Selene, Estelle.

The members of the Horizon Astralis Academy.

Even the black-robed man and the people standing beside him.

Luke’s gaze, however, didn’t remain on any of them.

Instead, it moved toward the opposite end of the structure.

An ancient gate stood there.

Luke’s eyes widened.

’What the fuck?!’

It was the exact same ancient gate he had encountered during his first Origin Fragment quest.

At that time...

The System had also appeared.

[Fate has played you again.]

Before Luke could even ask what those words meant, another screen appeared before him.

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[SSS+ Rank Chain Quest Triggered!]

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[SECOND ORIGIN FRAGMENT]

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Description:

Rather than you finding the Origin Fragment...

The Origin Fragment has found you.

Fate has once again played its role.

A coincidence?

Or was it merely another piece moving according to a plan that had already begun long before you arrived?

No one can say.

But there is one thing even Fate may have failed to understand.

Even Fate can make mistakes.

When even forgotten existences, stronger than Gods, could not escape their conspiracy...

When even those ancient beings, whose names have already disappeared from the memories of countless worlds, were trapped within their calculations...

Then how dare Fate believe it could make a perfect calculation?

Those beings have already woven their web far deeper than she can imagine.

Every possibility and variable.

Even the beings that should never have been discovered...

They were already within their calculations.

And now...

You have unknowingly stepped into that same web.

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[QUEST OBJECTIVE]

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[PATH I — ESCAPE THE ANOMALY]

Do not confront what lies beyond the Origin Fragment.

Do not attempt to uncover what they have hidden.

Because the moment you escape...

The consequences will not end with you.

Selene, Estelle, and Isaria will be destroyed.

Even the Eldric Sunborn Kingdom will be destroyed.

And you will lose one of your most precious parts.

That will only be the beginning.

From that moment onward...

The countdown toward the doom of you and your wives will begin.

You may survive today.

But you will lose everything tomorrow.

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[PATH II — FACE THE ANOMALY]

Enter the place where the Second Origin Fragment awaits.

Uncover what lies beyond the ancient gate.

Discover why the Origin Fragment has found you instead of the other way around.

However...

Be prepared to die.

Because this Origin Fragment...

is not what you think it is.

The existence behind it is not what you expected.

The truth hidden within it is not something that should have been discovered this easily.

And the conspiracy behind it...

has already succeeded.

Their web was created long before you arrived.

You were not the only one who discovered their scheme.

You merely stepped into a position they had already prepared.

Even worse...

Fate itself unknowingly assisted them.

What you believed to be Fate guiding you toward the Origin Fragment...

may have been nothing more than Fate helping their plan move forward.

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[WARNING]

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The first Origin Fragment was a trial.

The second Origin Fragment is different.

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[QUEST REWARD]

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Rather than receiving a single-rank evolution...

Your Origin Skill will evolve by TWO ranks.

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[FINAL SYSTEM NOTICE]

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Fate may have brought you here.

But Fate does not understand what is waiting beyond that gate.

Those beings do.

And that is what makes this situation dangerous.

Quest Difficulty: Peak B Rank.

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Luke stared at the quest for several seconds.

His expression gradually became more serious.

This quest was clearly telling him that what waited beyond that gate would not be simple.

Far too many uncertainties had already appeared.

’Uncertainties?’

That thought immediately reminded Luke of those hidden beings.

The beings that had trapped the Origin Titan.

The beings that had even corrupted his fragments.

Before he could think any further—

"Luke!"

Selene’s voice suddenly rang out.

Luke turned his head.

Selene was already moving toward him.

She crossed the distance between them and hugged him tightly.

Her body trembled slightly as she held onto him.

"You are safe..."

The relief in her whispered voice was obvious.

Luke’s expression softened.

He gently placed a hand against her back.

And the tension that had been visible in his expression moments ago had eased slightly.

Nearby, Isaria clenched her fist quietly.

Yet, she didn’t say anything.

On the opposite side, Marius gritted his teeth.

His gaze remained fixed on Luke and Selene.

The sight clearly irritated him.

Luke ignored him.

For the moment, he chose to put the strange quest aside.

There was something far more immediate to deal with.

His gaze shifted toward the opposing group.

"Infernal Choir..."

Zeyr and several others also followed his gaze.

The black-robed group stood there without any apparent concern.

Instead, they looked strangely calm, as though they had already expected this situation.

Then everyone’s attention shifted toward the fifty B-Rank warriors standing beside them.

Several expressions immediately changed.

Fifty B-Rank members of the Sunborn Kingdom.

Traitors.

Estelle’s face became especially cold.

She had never expected so many traitors to have been hiding among them.

Several other Sunborn warriors also stared at the group in disbelief.

Before anyone could say anything—

BOOOOOOM!

A thunderous sound echoed through the entire ruins.

The enormous arena trembled.

Then a gigantic blue figure suddenly appeared near them.

The being was nearly one hundred meters tall.

A blue spirit.

"Welcome..."

His thunderous voice spread throughout the entire arena.

"...to Heaven’s Crucible!"

The sudden appearance startled almost everyone.

Even the more experienced representatives couldn’t hide their surprise.

Only the Infernal Choir remained calm.

The blue spirit looked around the arena with a faint smile.

"It’s been a long time since so many people have gathered for this arena."

His gaze swept across the participants.

Then it stopped.

"Hmm?"

His expression changed slightly.

"A Champion Representative."

Several people immediately looked toward the black-robed group in confusion.

The blue spirit didn’t explain.

Instead, he calmly continued.

"Since you are a representative of Iveron, I will allow one High B-Rank participant and two Mid B-Rank participants to present."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s pupils contracted.

Because, only an Early B-Rank should have been able to enter these ruins.

Yet this spirit was openly allowing the enemy stronger beings present.

A High B-Rank.

Two Mid B-Ranks.

And they were clearly on the opposing side.

Several people exchanged uneasy glances.

Then someone noticed something else.

Ivar was missing.

The realization spread quickly.

Some began wondering whether the Infernal Choir had already killed him.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Infernal Choir simply bowed towards the blue spirit.

"Thank you."

The blue spirit merely waved his hand.

He didn’t appear particularly interested in their gratitude.

Instead, he looked toward everyone.

"Since Heaven’s Crucible has already been activated..."

His voice echoed across the arena.

"...then let us finish this competition as well."

He smiled.

"You may choose your own teams."

Several people immediately began looking toward their allies.

The blue spirit continued.

"There will be three rounds."

"Each round will test something different."

His gaze slowly swept across the two sides.

"Once all three rounds are completed, a victorious team will be decided."

Then he raised one hand.

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[ ROUND ONE ]

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THOUSAND BEASTS

Type: Survival Trial

"One thousand Early B-Rank beasts will be released throughout the arena."

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A low murmur immediately spread among the participants.

One thousand Early B-Rank beasts.

Even for the strongest people present, that was not an insignificant number.

"The two teams must fight the beasts and survive until the trial ends."

"The beasts will attack both teams indiscriminately."

"All beasts will be Early B-Rank."

"You may cooperate freely with your teammates."

"Leaving the designated battlefield is prohibited."

"Every beast you defeat will contribute toward your team’s score."

"The round will end once the required survival period has been completed."

The blue spirit paused.

"The team that defeats the greater number of beasts will win the round."

Several people exchanged serious looks.

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[ ROUND TWO ]

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WAR OF FLAGS

Type: Territory / Strategic Trial

"Several divine banners will be scattered throughout the battlefield."

"These banners cannot be destroyed by ordinary attacks."

"Capture them."

"Hold them."

"Protect them."

"Or take them from your enemy."

His voice remained calm.

"A team gains points for every banner under its control."

"The longer a banner remains under your control, the more points you will receive."

"Any team member may capture a banner."

"Captured banners can be stolen."

"Combat between participants is permitted."

"The round will end when the designated time expires."

He looked at everyone.

"The team with the highest number of points will win."

The atmosphere became slightly more tense.

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[ ROUND THREE ]

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WAR OF THE CHOSEN

Type: Individual Death Match

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"This is the final round."

"Every participant will receive the blessing of Heaven’s Crucible."

A faint blue light began spreading throughout the arena.

"This blessing will allow every participant to fight at the absolute limit of their current realm."

Several people immediately focused their attention.

"After receiving the blessing, both teams will select their warriors."

"One warrior from each side will enter the battlefield."

"The two warriors will fight."

"The winner remains."

"The defeated warrior is removed from the current match."

Several people exchanged glances at that rule.

Then the blue spirit continued.

"The winning warrior will be completely restored before the next battle."

That caused several expressions to change.

A powerful warrior wouldn’t simply be worn down through repeated battles.

They could recover after every victory.

"The winning warrior may continue fighting as long as they remain undefeated."

"Either side may surrender before receiving a lethal blow."

"Once a participant surrenders, they are considered defeated."

His voice then became colder.

"However..."

"Death is permitted only for third round."

"As for first and second round."

"If a warrior dies, then their body will transform into light."

"They will then be revived at their team’s camp."

After that, The blue spirit immediately continued.

"The battle will continue until one team has no undefeated warrior remaining."

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The blue spirit raised his hand again.

"That is not all."

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[ VICTORY BONUS ]

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"Every time a warrior defeats an opposing participant, five enhancement choices will appear."

"The warrior may choose one."

"The selected enhancement will remain active for the remainder of the round."

"And every new victory..."

His smile widened slightly.

"...will provide another selection."

The meaning was immediately understood.

A warrior who continued winning would gradually become stronger.

The participants would need to decide carefully who they sent into each battle.

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"Finally..."

The blue spirit spread his arms.

"Each completed round will provide rewards."

"Round One will reward the team according to its survival and number of defeated beasts."

"Round Two will reward the team according to its accumulated points and captured banners."

"And Round Three..."

He paused.

"...will determine the ultimate victor."

"The victorious team will receive the greatest reward."

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The blue spirit slowly lowered his hands.

"These are the rules of Heaven’s Crucible."

"Form your teams."

"Prepare yourselves."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Once the first round begins..."

His gaze passed across everyone present.

"...Heaven’s Crucible will not care who you are."

"Only whether you can survive."