CHAPTER 142: THE UNSEEN CONSPIRACY

Nolan was about to speak, but closed his mouth again when he saw the Singularity of Light suddenly vanish from the scene.

Tsk... That guy’s such a coward, he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

He had actually intended to tell the Singularity of Light that a great reward awaited him in the Halveran Capital.

But the man had simply walked off—leaving Nolan no chance to provoke or intimidate him further.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Nolan turned his gaze toward the Singularity of Flame and offered a polite smile.

"Thank you for your help, Singularity of Flame," he said, clasping his hands together. "Your assistance won’t be forgotten. If you ever need anything from me, don’t hesitate to ask."

The Singularity of Flame let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "You’re welcome, Singularity of Chaos. This was nothing more than a small favor."

His eyes drifted to the spot where the Singularity of Light had stood moments ago. "To be honest, I’ve never liked that guy. Too arrogant. Always trampling the weak just to benefit himself—and the Holy Empire of Valtanir."

Had the Singularity of Light witnessed their conversation, he might’ve exploded on the spot.

What the Singularity of Light didn’t know was that the appearance of the Singularity of Flame had been part of Nolan’s plan all along.

Even before bringing the Singularity of Light to this place, Nolan had already contacted the Singularity of Flame, asking him to play the role of a mediator between them.

And the four hundred million Solaris he demanded? That, too, was part of the act—just another move in their plan, one that left the old man with a heavy loss.

"Well then, I’ll take my leave, Singularity of Chaos," the Singularity of Flame said with a lazy yawn.

Nolan didn’t reply. He simply gave a faint nod.

Before his eyes, the giant face gradually faded, dissolving into a gust of wind that melted into the night breeze.

"Well then..." Nolan stretched lazily, his gaze drifting toward the distant figures of Arnold and Malverna. "Time to head back."

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, he vanished—leaving no trace behind, as if he had never been there at all.

...

Ten thousand kilometers west of the Great Velmora Empire stood a colossal volcano.

Towering at seven thousand meters, it appeared both majestic and imposing. On its southern slope, various vegetation thrived—trees, shrubs, even a lake.

Yet behind its tranquil facade, the mountain harbored countless powerful monsters not to be underestimated.

Anyone who ventured inside rarely returned. Their fate was almost always the same: death.

Deep within the mountain lay a vast and terrifying sea of magma.

Its temperature reached a thousand degrees Celsius—hot enough to incinerate a human body in an instant.

And yet, amid that searing sea of magma, a man floated. His body was wrapped in a red cloak that concealed his entire form.

He was short and small—far below the average height of a human.

He remained silent for a moment before finally whispering, "The Singularity of Chaos..."

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heartbeat.

How can that man be so powerful? His control over spatial power is terrifying... especially that damned black hole—it’s horrifying, he muttered, his voice heavy with fear and helplessness.

Had Nolan been here, he would have laughed and said, "So this is where you live, Singularity of Flame. Isn’t your residence both luxurious and terrifying?"

Indeed, this man was the Singularity of Flame—one of the Seven Singularities of this world.

Given his affinity, it was only natural for him to live in such a scorching place—right in the middle of a sea of magma, deep within the mountain.

"This world has truly changed. Could it be that this era really belongs to the younger generation?" The Singularity of Flame let out a quiet chuckle as he rose to his feet.

Although he had never seen the true face of the Singularity of Chaos, he knew the one behind the mask was a young man.

After all, the original Singularity of Chaos... had long been dead.

"Huft..." He exhaled deeply, his eyes fixed on the churning magma below.

Then, he reached down and pulled a red sledgehammer from the molten bed beneath his feet.

The hammer was massive—about a meter long. Its head glowed with red streaks, like smoldering roots crawling across its surface.

With a small shake of his hand, the Singularity of Flame caused the sea of magma to split apart, as if struck by a violent storm.

He gently rubbed the side of the hammer and whispered, "Even after hundreds of years, this hammer’s power hasn’t waned."

His gaze drifted upward—to the stone wall above, where thousands of weapons were displayed. Swords, spears, bows, and more filled the entire surface like a grand arsenal.

A playful smile tugged at his lips. "Perhaps... if I gift the Singularity of Chaos a weapon, he’ll be grateful. And naturally... it would work in my favor. Hehehe..."

***

Ten kilometers from the Halveran Capital...

Whoosh!

A streak of light tore through the sky—the Singularity of Light. The face that once radiated pride and arrogance was now contorted with exhaustion, hatred, and bitter resentment.

"Singularity of Chaos... I swear I’ll have my revenge. Sooner or later—it’s only a matter of time!" He growled, clenching his fists tightly.

Although he feared the Singularity of Chaos, that didn’t mean he would accept being humiliated.

Beneath that fear, a deep-rooted hatred smoldered. They had once faced each other in a fierce duel—and he had suffered a crushing defeat.

Even after unleashing fifty percent of his strength, he couldn’t land a single touch on his opponent’s cloak.

That memory haunted him, which was why he remained constantly on guard—going so far as to warn Adalen, Daniel, and even several of his descendants never to provoke the Singularity of Chaos.

And yet, at the party... he had been reckless—blinded by impulse.

He had assumed the Singularity of Chaos’s protection of Elina Lorian was nothing more than a rumor—nothing to take seriously.

But unexpectedly, that man had kept his word... and was even willing to go to such lengths to protect her.

Now, he truly regretted giving in to his foolish daughter’s request.

If only that hadn’t happened, he wouldn’t be facing this kind of misfortune.

Suppressing his anger, he shifted his focus forward. Yet suddenly, his brows furrowed—something felt off.

"Wait a minute..." he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Why does something feel... wrong? Or is it just me?"

After a brief moment of hesitation, he decided to investigate in person.

His figure vanished, reappearing ten kilometers ahead. But the moment he saw the scene before him, his eyes widened. His face turned pale—as if all the blood had drained from his body.

What lay before him was no ordinary ruin. In fact, calling it a ruin didn’t do it justice.

A crater, two to three meters deep, stretched endlessly into the distance.

And within it... lay millions of bodies, unconscious, as if caught in a deep and unnatural sleep.

The Singularity of Light froze. His throat tightened.

"What the hell... is this...?"