Free Web NovelChapter 240: _A Disease Worth Eliminating
Meanwhile, as the members of the Pantheon went through a mini existential crisis moment—the Guide they were fussing about found his consciousness drifting into somewhere totally unexpected.
His eyes opened slowly, allowing him to take in his surroundings.
Which was utter darkness as far as his eyes could see.
But the darkness was familiar, hence why he didn’t immediately begin panicking. Instead, he decided to test something.
’Aura are you there?’
Silence.
As expected.
This was the black mask’s dimension.
Soon memories of what happened before he passed out came running through his mind. From Leon’s friendly smile... to the way it shifted into something almost predatory as he made him look into those glowing eyes.
"That should be impossible," he shook his head. "How could a C-Rank Esper possibly knock me out? So discreetly too."
Unless... Aura’s so-called ’error’ readings weren’t errors at all.
Leon was in fact beyond C-Rank all this while and somehow managed to mask his true potential from even the system. And to him that was far more terrifying than knocking him out.
Because it brought a lot of questions.
Did the Esper somehow know about the system? Or his true Rank and all that he is?
Was that why he knocked him out?
Fuck—was he working with Josiah?!
"I’ve got to wake up." He spun his neck around, thinking of an exit. "How am I here anyway? The only way I’m supposed to end up here is if I wore the black mask."
"I brought you here."
That sharp voice made him freeze.
He turned around, body tensing when he saw who it was.
The alternate future version of himself. Or more accurately... Ambrose Hale.
The man’s black cloak whipped around him like ink given life. His version of the black mask sat ominously on his face—glinting with a sheen that made Ambrose take in a deep breath.
"I should’ve known," he managed to straighten his posture, lifting his chin by just a bit. "What do you want from me now?"
The future Ambrose chuckled. "That’s no way to speak to the man who saved your life, otherworlder."
"You mean the man who gave another soul his fucking burdens," Ambrose sneered. "Now this crazy ass Esper who’s at least an S-Rank or even more has me captured."
"The person who has you captured is an SSS-Rank." Future Ambrose didn’t even bother hiding it. "Yes—a member of the Pantheon. And right now he and the others have gathered together for one purpose only."
His eyes narrowed on the Guide. "Understanding what makes a certain ’C-Rank Guide’ tick. And your potential connection to the Void Entity."
Ambrose’s frown deepened.
Seeing this, his future self scoffed. "Don’t be surprised, Benji Foster. You should’ve already noticed something by now," he placed his arms behind his back. "The nightmares about the Void Entity. The looming dread you feel as though it’s going to come to you any day now."
Somehow all those words only got Ambrose more confused. "So... you’re saying they’re right? That I’m connected to the Void Entity?"
"I’m saying the Void Entity is connected to YOU," the revelation made Ambrose’s heart beat stutter. "That’s why I said it’s the very least of your worries. Your very existence in this timeline fundamentally changed a lot of things due to the universe’s efforts to correct itself."
"So how the fuck do I change that correction?" Ambrose snapped. "Last time you told me what you did—you replacing your past self’s soul with mine—is the reason why things are changing faster. If all this was supposed to happen eventually then WHO the fuck is actually behind it?"
Future Ambrose’s gaze darkened beneath the mask.
For the first time since the conversation began, he looked almost... frustrated.
"I don’t know."
The answer hit Ambrose harder than he expected.
"You don’t know?" He echoed. "Are you fucking serious?"
"I never got the chance to find out," his future self admitted. "Do you truly think I spent years watching my world rot and didn’t search for answers? I searched every ruin. Every hidden Federation archive. Every dungeon deeper than common sense allowed. I hunted gods, monsters and truths alike."
A bitter laugh escaped him.
"And in the end? I died with theories."
Silence stretched between them.
Then Future Ambrose lifted his head toward the endless darkness surrounding them.
"What I did discover is that our universes aren’t alone."
Ambrose’s stomach twisted as the man went on.
"There are things outside it. Beings. Entities. Intelligences far beyond Hunters, beyond dungeon creatures, beyond even the Pantheon."
His voice grew quieter.
"And some of them might be responsible for what’s happening. Or at the very least know why it’s happening."
"Outside the universe..." Ambrose repeated.
"Yes." Future Ambrose nodded. "They may have even created the system itself."
That immediately caught his attention.
The system?
Aura?
Future Ambrose continued before he could ask further questions. "The universe is dying, Benji Foster. It was dying long before you arrived. The Emergence. The first appearance of Hunters, dungeon Rifts. Monsters."
His hand swept outward.
"They were never the disease." A pause. "They were symptoms."
The words settled heavily between them.
"And the Void Entity?"
Future Ambrose’s expression hardened. "The Void Entity is an immune response."
Suddenly Ambrose understood.
Or at least part of it.
His eyes widened. "The Echo Rift."
Future Ambrose inclined his head as the memory resurfaced instantly.
The colossal flying whale creatures that monitored the Rift—back when he, Valentine, Devon, Viktor and Gabriel raided the place.
They’d acted as antibodies at the time, conjuring multiple situations just to get rid of them.
"The Void Entity comes from beyond this world," Future Ambrose said. "Following similar principles isn’t surprising. It searches for contradictions. Things that shouldn’t exist."
Then he pointed directly at him.
"Essentially... you."
A chill ran down Ambrose’s spine. "So I’m basically a disease? An anomaly worth eliminating?"
"In a sense."
The darkness around them suddenly trembled.
Cracks spread across the black void as Future Ambrose looked upward.
"Looks like you’re waking up."
The fractures multiplied. Entire sections of darkness shattered like glass.
Before Ambrose could speak again, his future self stepped closer.
"One last thing." His voice turned grave. "A woman from the Pantheon dug into your past. But I stopped her before she uncovered too much."
Ambrose’s breath caught. "... You can do that?"
"Barely." A dry laugh escaped him. "There’s only so much I can hide from inside this prison. I’m practically dead, otherworlder."
More cracks exploded around them.
The dimension shook violently.
Future Ambrose’s outline began fading. "So whatever happens next... you’re on your own."
Ambrose’s jaw tightened. "The Pantheon."
"Yes." His future self pointed toward the growing light pouring through the fractures. "Convince them you’re not their enemy."
The world broke apart completely. "And try not to get yourself killed."
Then the black dimension shattered into countless pieces.
