Chapter 444: A voice

Alex approached the massive black sphere cautiously. It hummed with an ominous energy, its dark surface seeming to ripple like liquid as he got closer.

The Celestial Orbs, which he originally sought, were somewhere beyond this barrier—yet the sphere itself felt like something far more dangerous.

Before his hand could make contact, a deep vibration pulsed through the chamber, and Alex recoiled. A crack in the black surface widened slightly, revealing a dull red glow deep within.

"Foolish mortal..."

A voice, deep and filled with contempt, echoed from within the sphere.

Alex's muscles tensed.

He instinctively gripped his blade, scanning the chamber for any new threat, but saw nothing except the ominous sphere before him.

Alex's eyes narrowed as he took a step back from the sphere, his pulse quickening.

"Where is that voice coming from?" 

He muttered, gripping Virtue's Edge tighter tighter.

"Right in front of you."