Sofia silently followed Saria through the wide trees of the spirit forest. She had to be careful to keep her aura and mana senses in check, to prevent the creatures above from noticing them. At the same time, she was able to notice just how many of the smaller trees in the forest were fake. The Hallowed Purifier tree monsters were absolutely everywhere, the higher level ones were just very hard to notice, but Sofia had a better eye for it now than she had on her previous visit.

At least they’re not attacking, unlike the ones in the dungeons. Since they feed off of curses it makes sense I suppose, they would only attack when we get close to whatever they feed on.

Still, since they’re still here even after Zerei is gone, there’s got to be more cursed things around.

Sofia brought up her false lord sub-class’ quest.

[Class Quest: Find the missing skills!

You picked an experimental sub-class not meant for use, but managed to recover one of its three missing skills. Two more remain.

Hints:

* One of four skills was discovered in a labyrinth.

* One of four skills was discovered in the deepest trenches of the ocean.

* ‘Paradise Toybox’ was discovered on the warped moon. (LEARNED)

* ‘Singularity Edict’ was discovered in ruins of the lost epoch beneath an unholy cathedral. (LEARNED)]

Are we actually heading to the maze of Zar? I always guessed that it was probably under the spirit forest. Cecless said she was the one who discovered the ring, and knowing the ring itself was related to the Annihilator, it would make sense if it was actually found there. Probably alongside his skill.

And considering the ring’s true nature, if someone can survive the remains of a corrupted god to explore a place… It would surely be Edrazeketh’s marked one. It all fits into place very well.

What I’m scared of is that this would mean father’s skill is the one in the ocean…

It better not actually be under the damn Leviathan… Even I am not crazy enough to get anywhere near that thing outside of the toybox.

Still… Ideally I would finish feeding the ring, get enough essence to progress to the next realm of the venerable physique, and get all four False Lord skills before I go for the fifth trial.

All that while building the city and coaching the others for their tournament ark.

Might be biting off more than I can chew this time.

I’m glad I have a lot of people I can rely on.

Saria stopped suddenly, looking back at Sofia.

“Hmm?”

“It felt like you were staring holes through my back,” Saria said with a hushed voice.

“How do you even feel that…” Sofia answered at a similar volume, wary not to make too much noise that could alert the monsters in the canopy.

“Call it the older sibling’s intuition,” Saria said, turning back, “How much do you know about the spirits above here?”

“Just that there are some above level 400, and how to avoid getting their attention…”

“I was curious so I asked around. Even Zephir didn’t know much, but I got a possible answer from the weirdest place…”

“Zoth?”

“Ahah,” Saria giggled quietly, “no, humans. An old couple from the Behrzut kingdom.”

“Behrzut?” Sofia repeated the unknown name.

“The former name of the region west of the forest, including your swamp, before the Empire dismantled it. They’ve lived here their whole life and came to check out the commotion you were making with the city. Basically, they only live a few kilometers west from the swamp.”

“Oh… I think I know where they are from, yes… I did see that village to the west. Hopefully the city isn’t going to bother them too much…”

“I don’t know about the other villagers but these two seemed to consider moving in, actually, after they saw the new city center basically pop out of nowhere in a few days.”

“It’s nowhere near done… But interesting. I’ll go greet them ifI have time… What did you learn about the spirits then?”

This content has been misappropriated from NovelBin; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Well,” Saria said, stopping for a bit to tell her story, “It’s an old legend apparently, that there’s some kind of wish-granting divine beast living somewhere in the forest. And the beast is supposed to be so pure and strong, that its energy is what attracts all the evil spirits of the land. But because they fear the beast as much as they are attracted by its power, they hide within the leaves where the beast cannot see them.”

“... A few years back I might have laughed it off, but at this point, there’s a good chance that it’s real... At least right now there is a beast they should be wary of in the forest.”

“There sure is. A ‘cute’ beast full of love.”

“We’re almost there,” Saria warned some time later.

“Already? Didn’t expect things to go so smoothly, we didn’t have to hide once.”

Saria shrugged, “Maybe a lovely senior cleared the path for us.”

A few minutes later, the trio was at the base of a particularly huge black primus tree, its trunk large enough to fit a small castle inside.

“That’s the one,” Sofia confirmed without a doubt, “the hole should be right there behind these bushes.”

“After you.”

“Stay close, the ring doesn’t have that large of a range, it won’t protect you if you get far.”

“Will do.”

The sisters both jumped into the dark hole under the gigantic tree. The hole was not particularly large, barely enough for the two to fall side to side, but it was quite deep. The fall lasted for about forty seconds, until they landed at the bottom of the dark hole, on a circular stone platform in front of a large stone gate.

The glowing trails of Sofia’s demon form were the only source of light, illuminating the ominous gate in a warm yellow glow. It looked to be a singular block of strange green-ish stone with various carvings on it, and no apparent way to get it open.

Saria let the Abereth down, “Should be fine to leave it here right?”

“Yes, I doubt the things in the canopy will sense us so deep anyway. We must be at least two kilometers down.”

“Good, my shoulder was starting to feel sore,” Saria said, stretching, “Any guess of what’s in there aside from the obvious?”

“If my guesses are correct… The maze of Zar, and maybe creatures from the deep. Hostile ones.”

“The trial maze? I can see why you’d think that I guess. Should be easy if so, we already know the layout.”

“Assuming they copied it one to one. I have my doubts. And getting touched by deeplings is generally bad news, so you have to assume that if they touch you, you die.”

“I know, I know, you told me all I need to know about them already. Speaking of which, did you ever find out what that big thing you saw under the academy was?” Saria asked.

Sofia shook her head, “No. But I have learned a few things recently, since you also have the mark I can tell you. I wanted to wait for Alith to be here too though.”

“She’s not left the workshop once after we failed that thing last time. Surely she must be about done now. She’ll probably need my help again right away when we’re done here.”

“You better drag her here with you even if it fails this time.”

“Ahah, sure. Let’s go in then, should I break the door? Mana isn’t piercing so I don’t think you’ll be able to ghost us through.”

“Better not, there must be a proper way to open it. If there really are deeplings inside we don’t want to set them free.”

“Fair. I’ll search around, you examine the door itself,” Saria decided, and immediately got to work.

Sofia placed her palm on the door.

Let’s see… Mana can’t even penetrate the surface… The sides are the same… It’s almost certain the Nymphs won’t be able to get through.

The carvings are a bit strange… Crowded silhouettes around three small and one big circle. They’re supposed to be humans I think, but it’s hard to tell, with how crowded the carving is.

Hmmm..? It’s subtle but their heads…

“Saria,” Sofia called out.

“Found something?”

“Look, at the small people in the carving, doesn’t it look to you like… They’re all looking in the same direction?”

“Huh… Hard to say when they have no face… But it does seem like they’re more or less all facing toward the upper right corner. Maybe there’s a hidden button to press around there?”

“I’ve pressed enough mana against the door that if there was any gap around the sides of a button I would have felt it,” Sofia answered. “But there must be something with that corner up there.”

“It’s just as crowded as the rest… Hmm, actually the ones in the very corner are looking back, no?”

Sofia took a few steps in the air to be at eye-level with that part of the gate.

“You’re right, they’re actually not looking at the corner… They’re looking… At this guy,” Sofia said, touching one of the silhouettes with a finger. “But touching it doesn’t do anything, it looks like. Not a button. Can’t send mana in from there either.”

“Pesle no see anything…”

“Hmm… It definitely feels like the carving is the clue to opening the door…” Sofia mumbled.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds. Saria took a few steps back to have a good view on the entire carving, a slight smirk appeared on her lips. “I got it.”

“Raria is genius?!”

“She’s always been the smarter sibling. So, how does it open?”

“Oh, I don’t know that just yet. But I get the carvings and what to do next. I’ll give you a hint, the image is not quite as stylized as you think.”

“Some twenty years later we’re back to playing riddles?” Sofia quipped, “Not quite as stylized…”

The circles can hardly not be stylized, they’re circles. So it’s the people…

They’re…!