章 334: Mission 1 Completed

After a brief moment of contemplation, Ebner examined the vast hall that he and his team had struggled so hard to reach. It spanned approximately half the size of a football field, with two rows of pillars on either side. One row was gold, the other silver, divided neatly by a central axis line, a distinct hallmark of the ancient Solomon Empire.

Intricate engravings adorned the pillars—abstract patterns on one side and realistic depictions on the other. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that these carvings formed star charts, with each constellation symbolizing a unique image.

At the end of the hall, a grand mural stretched across the wall, depicting the vast cosmos, clusters of galaxies, and spiraling arms of star systems.

The two dead knights stood near the mural, each on opposing sides of the central axis. They weren't looking at each other; instead, both had their heads turned, staring intently at a specific point in the mural.

This eerie sight, combined with the fact that all valuables had been looted and even the extraordinary characteristics of the two knights taken, made it clear that their bodies had been left here intentionally.

Ebner quickly theorized that this was more than a mere battle scene; it appeared to be part of an unfinished ritual. Given that this place had remained undisturbed for over a millennium, it seemed likely that the ritual was still ongoing. Otherwise, even a lackluster Loen monarchy would not have left the loyal remains of its knights here to rot.

"Someone's already been here? And they left nothing behind? Does this mean I'm not the protagonist of this era?" Roselle muttered disappointedly after using his "Archaeologist" abilities to search the surroundings.

But his spirits quickly returned, and he mused aloud, "No, there must be other secrets here. I'll keep searching."

With this resolve, he turned to Ebner, who was deep in thought, and asked with a hopeful look, "So, our 'Doctor Strange,' any discoveries?"

Ebner snapped out of his thoughts. Deciding to complete the sixth level's first task, he cleared his throat and proceeded to recount his findings on Baron Korg, eventually gesturing to the silver-armored knight. "That should be the original Baron Korg. Unfortunately, after giving his life for the Loen royal family, they had someone impersonate him to cover up the truth… and later poisoned his closest friend, Baron Ramed…"

Just as Ebner finished, he received a message from the "Dream Labyrinth Tower" indicating that Task One had been completed and he could leave the scene at any time.

So it really was as simple as finding "evidence" to confirm my deductions, without needing an explanation for every step…

This means that Mr. Gaston, in the "Resident Evil" scenario, could likely complete his Task One simply by uncovering evidence from either the "Hive" or the "Mansion" that pointed to Umbrella's misdeeds and making the case against them…

Thinking about it like that, it doesn't seem too hard.

Though… it's probably only manageable when you know the outcome and work backwards from there. After all, the distorted paths in this scenario or the monsters and weapons in "Resident Evil" would be hard to deal with… especially if one's powers and items are sealed beyond Sequence 7.

The only reason it seems relatively easy for me is that I already know the plot, and I've got the cheat that is the "Pure White Eye"…

Lost in thought, Ebner ultimately chose not to leave immediately. For one, Task Two—discovering the secrets of the mural—was literally right in front of him, so why not give it a try?

Secondly, he was genuinely curious about the mural's secrets, especially how Roselle eventually managed to gather all the materials for the "Black Emperor."

However, Task Two likely had an implicit time limit. Although Roselle's diary did not specify the duration it took him to solve the puzzle, given that he documented his findings on the same day as the exploration, it couldn't have taken long.

I probably only have a day at most, maybe just a few hours.

With this in mind, Ebner ignored Grimm and Edwards, who were fuming over the story he'd just told, and also Roselle, who was now vowing he would never treat his followers the way the Augustus family had. Ebner walked over to the mural and activated his "Pure White Eye," beginning his analysis.

…

In Empress Borough, inside Sodela Palace, King George III sat on the throne, crowned and with a neatly trimmed mustache, listening as an Earl from the Privy Chamber, who held a secondary position in MI9, delivered his report.

"So, the Church of the Evernight managed to thwart the True Creator's descent?" George III asked calmly after the Earl finished.

"Yes, Your Majesty… Although, technically, MI9 was the first to uncover this case, thanks to one of Lady Vera's subordinates. Unfortunately, it seems that…"

"Enough, my Earl," George interrupted. "If the outcome was favorable, there's no need to trouble our loyal soldiers and spies further. Let's not pursue the matter."

Sensing the king's resolute tone, the Earl dared not press further. He lowered his head and replied, "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Once the Earl had exited, George III directed his gaze northward toward the Church of the Evernight, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he thought:

After this, the Church is likely to support proposals for reform in the Eastern Borough, Docks, and Factory areas, addressing the people's welfare…

Reform is good… especially when I'm not the one initiating it.

He glanced down at the report the Earl had delivered and tapped the name Vera with satisfaction, murmuring, "It seems you've learned to compromise, my dear sister."

…

In a detached house in the Bridge Borough, Dunn stepped into the living room, his hand on a metal suitcase, and saw Ms. Closfia reading on the sofa.

"You used the power of 'Twilight'… I recall I gave you instructions when I handed over the armor." Closfia glanced at him and remarked.

"Yes, ma'am, I remember… This armor can only draw on the power of 'Twilight' three times, with each use shortening my lifespan… and the third time would result in being completely consumed by 'Twilight.'" Dunn's reply was firm.

"Is it worth it?"

"It is," Dunn replied with certainty.

"As long as you won't regret it in the future…" Closfia nodded without further comment. Though she wasn't part of an extraordinary team, as someone from the Church of a True God, she deeply understood the bonds and camaraderie these guardians shared.

After a moment's pause, Closfia set down her book and observed, "You don't look particularly happy, even after avenging yourself."

"No… I'm glad Lanevus is dead. I just find myself curious about the man who killed him…" Dunn thought briefly, then continued, "He seemed to be a fellow avenger."

"So, you want to find him and recruit him to your Avengers League, Captain Iron Man?" Closfia teased with a smirk.

"No, that would serve no purpose…" Dunn let out a self-deprecating chuckle and shifted the topic, "Thank you, ma'am, for your help in exacting my revenge. Even though I wasn't the one to kill Lanevus personally, I'll still keep my promise."

"So, ma'am, what is it you need from me?"

"Good… I like a gentleman who keeps his word." Closfia's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she continued with a playful tone, "What I need you to do is simple—make 'Iron Man' a notorious nightmare for criminals throughout Loen."

"What?" Dunn's gray eyes widened in bewilderment, utterly confused by her intentions.

…

Not far away, Mr. A, who had fled by "flight," was forced to land due to his injuries. He dove into the shadows, intending to rendezvous with his subordinates at the nearest safe house and set up a ritual to request his Lord's intervention.

But luck was not on his side. No sooner had he entered a nearby district than he encountered an envoy from Intis, whose escort included a "Marionettist" of the Hermit Order. Sensing Mr. A lurking in the shadows, the escort mistook him for an assassin, forcing Mr. A to reveal himself.

Though unwilling to engage in a prolonged battle, Mr. A traded blows with the Puppet Master before quickly retreating. The opponent, wary of Shepherd's abilities, did not pursue.

Bloodied from the encounter, Mr. A slipped into another street, only to run into a "Mysticism Magister" on their way to investigate the incident at the Docks. The resulting fight left Mr. A in even worse condition before he finally managed to escape.

Completely spent, Mr. A sought refuge in a nearby house, intending to replenish himself. But as soon as he stepped inside, he was paralyzed by a single glance from an innocuous old man seated on the sofa.

"No need to worry. Your misfortune ends here," the elder said with a smile. "But, since you barged into my home uninvited, I'll need a little something in return…"

With that, the elder reached into Mr. A's chest, extracting his "Soul Assurer" characteristic and remnants of his spirit, ignoring Mr. A's twisted expression.

"Consider this 'Soul Assurer' characteristic in your payment. You're free to leave now."

In an instant, Mr. A found himself back outside, as if everything that had happened was nothing but a dream.

Not daring to linger, Mr. A fled, eventually reaching Erin's safe house without further incident, just as the elder had promised.

…

Inside the Dream Labyrinth Tower's hall, Ebner stood before the mural, shutting down his "Pure White Eye." He glanced at the two knights with swords driven into each other's chests, a hint of sympathy crossing his expression.

"So, you two served as 'beacons'…"