Free Web NovelChapter 21: Chapter 21: The Great Heaven above and the Great Hell below
They stopped in front of a yellow gate. Inside the gate was a small house; which, of course, was also yellow.
Sara handed him a small device that looked like a stone token. "This is the token to unlock the door. The whole area is protected by layers upon layers of magic circles, and no one other than me can spy on you."
Aren’t you being a bit too honest? Night thought.
Seeing his confusion, Sara smiled. "It’s simple. Honesty should be reciprocated with honesty. Besides..."
She looked genuinely cute when she smiled. Night was slightly dazed.
With a slight blush, Night hurriedly said, "Thanks for being honest. When I get stronger, if you ever need any help, you can count on me."
Inside his shadow domain, Lucy facepalmed with her paws as she watched him.
He is truly gullible, she thought in exasperation. Didn’t he say he has a lifetime of memories? Even if he can’t emotionally relate to them for some reason, at least using basic logic shouldn’t be an issue, right? What’s the point of having past memories if you don’t use them?
Next to her, Death was fuming at seeing the woman get so close to him.
When I get stronger, I’ll turn all of them into skeletons and make them work overtime...
Beside them, Eve and Lilith were watching the interaction, exchanging rapid lines of code that acted more like telepathy than a normal conversation. They were observing with full attention, constantly trying to calculate new ways to make Master Night’s life easier.
Their sole directive was to pamper him, just as they had been doing since he was a toddler in the facility.
As Night grew in levels, they had started gaining more independent thinking or rather, consciousness would be the right word. Their base code had become incredibly complex, seemingly gaining a life of its own.
They were artificial, but they were adapting. They could feel that as Night leveled up and they grew alongside him, they would eventually evolve into an entirely new species.
But all of this was only meaningful if they could support Night. So, they continuously collected data and analyzed how to better his life.
The proof of this evolution was when Lilith had come out to clean up after Night and Lucy’s small fight earlier.
That was a clear sign of emotional intelligence; something a mere machine was not, or at least should not, be capable of.
Holding the token, Night opened the gate and entered, with Sara following close behind.
It seems like she doesn’t have any actual work to do, Night thought. Or maybe she is working right now...?
The house had a small front garden filled with various plants, blooming flowers, and tiny fruit-like growths. The grass carried a fresh, earthy scent. Looking up, Night finally got the time to properly admire the sky.
The sky was a brilliant blue. The ozone layer which was supposed to be invisible and far away in the upper atmosphere was clearly visible and terrifyingly close, hovering just above the clouds.
The blue mixed with the ozone, creating the appearance of a shimmering, multicolored mist. Against the crisp white clouds, the colorful sky looked absolutely breathtaking.
"Wow," Night muttered in admiration.
A flash of pain passed through Sara’s eyes.
He never even got to enjoy something as simple as looking at the sky, she realized. Even kids from the slums get to experience at least this much.
Without waiting for him to ask, she explained, "The colorful mist you see is what protects us from the dangers of space. It’s like a womb that keeps our world safe. Beyond that mist lies what we refer to as ’The Great Heaven’."
Night, pausing as he walked to the door, asked, "The Great Heaven?"
"Yes," Sara said. "It’s a place where there is life, just like here on Earth. Different creatures exist there, all of them incredibly powerful, and the strongest people go there to adventure."
She continued, "That place is teeming with dungeons, just like most of the areas outside the Twelve Cities. The Twelve Cities are the strongholds we managed to build with the help of the System. Twelve powerful heroes and heroines among us safeguard these cities. Our city, the Desert City, is protected by ’The Witch’."
Night looked at her in puzzlement. She was literally dressed like a witch, and that old wizard outside had seemed to think she was one, too...
Sara smiled, catching his drift. "It’s not me. I am not that strong. I am also a witch, yes, but she is The Witch. It’s an exclusive title she earned through sheer valor and glory."
Sara’s tone then grew a little darker. "It’s just a theory, but it’s highly likely to be true. Just as The Great Heaven exists above, The Great Hell exists below us."
As Night used the token to open the door, Sara spoke with a solemn edge. "The insidious thing is, unlike Heaven which protects us, the Hell below nourishes us; but it also sends its spawn to cull us and keep our numbers in check."
Night got slightly spooked, especially knowing that a Devil’s puppet had just been tracking him.
Whatever happened to Earth, it has changed greatly from the memories of my past life, he realized. Using my old knowledge as a guide here is completely pointless.
Night entered the house. It was a simple layout and yellow, naturally with a sofa in the hall, a kitchen, a restroom, and an empty room that was probably meant for training. It was perfect. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"Press the token to your forehead," Sara instructed.
As Night did so, a map of the Academy immediately downloaded into his mind. It was a rough map, but it contained enough information to ensure he wouldn’t get lost.
"The token has an emergency teleport skill attached to it, which can be used once in case of extreme danger," Sara explained.
"It will instantly return you to this house. Later this afternoon, you can visit the administration office to get your ID, your allowance, and your class schedule." frёewebηovel.cѳm
Night immediately asked the most important question on his mind. "Where can I access the dungeons?"
Understanding how his skills worked, Sara replied thoughtfully.
"Level 5 dungeons are rare nowadays. If you just want to kill monsters, you can go to the city borders. Frequent waves of monsters crash against the walls there, and it’s relatively easy to stay safe. However, that place will also expose you to all kinds of dangerous people. It is not safe for you to go there before you reach Level 10."
"Settle down here for some time. When I detect a weak dungeon opening, I’ll inform you. Some of them open inside the city, though they usually get cleared out by the guards immediately. Let’s see if I can sneak you into one unnoticed," she said with a playful wink.
