Chapter 51: Nine Years Later
The underground workshop was filled with shelves of carefully organized materials.
Monster bones.
Soul Crystals.
Spirit Iron.
Ghostwood.
Rare ores.
Ancient runes.
Everything Kaiser had collected over the past six years had been neatly sorted.
He quietly looked around the room.
"I have three days."
"That’s enough."
He began preparing for the journey to the front line.
...
Three years passed.
During those three years, Kaiser remained on the front line.
He participated in countless battles.
He fought against the armies of the Light Church, the Fire Church, and the Earth Church.
His Specter Legion continued to grow stronger.
His combat experience increased with every battle.
His name slowly became known among the younger generation of every Church.
Many people began calling him the Ghost Commander of the Death Church.
Now, three years later, Kaiser stood before an enormous stone gate.
The gate stretched hundreds of meters into the sky.
Ancient white runes covered its surface.
Although countless years had passed, powerful Light Mana still radiated from it.
Even standing several hundred meters away, Kaiser could feel the pressure.
Around the gate stood thousands of experts from the two Churches.
Light and Death.
Normally, they would have been trying to kill one another.
Today, however, both sides remained unusually calm.
No one attacked.
No one provoked the other side.
Weeks earlier, scouts had discovered this hidden Secret Realm beneath an ancient mountain range located exactly where the territories of the two Churches met.
After careful investigation, they reached an unbelievable conclusion.
The Secret Realm had belonged to a legendary Tier 10 powerhouse.
The Knight of Radiance.
Henrich Lightheart.
One of the strongest champions the Light Church had ever produced.
He had disappeared thousands of years ago without leaving behind any inheritance.
For generations, the Light Church had searched for his Secret Realm.
No one had expected it to appear on the border between the territories of the Light Church and the Death Church.
Neither side was willing to give it up.
If either Church tried to claim it by force, a full-scale war would begin.
After several weeks of negotiations, the two Churches finally reached an agreement.
Both sides would send the same number of participants.
Everyone would enter the Secret Realm together.
Whatever treasures they obtained would belong to them.
No Tier 8 or Tier 9 expert was allowed to interfere.
Only the younger generation could enter.
Outside the massive gate, dozens of powerful elders from both Churches stood silently.
Their terrifying auras filled the entire valley.
Although neither side moved, everyone knew they were watching each other carefully.
Any mistake could start another war.
Kaiser stood among the Death Church disciples.
He quietly looked toward the opposite side.
Hundreds of disciples dressed in white robes stood there.
Each one radiated strong Light Mana.
Many of them were clearly elites.
Near the front stood a young man wearing silver-white armor.
A radiant greatsword rested on his back.
Golden hair.
Blue eyes.
His calm expression made him stand out immediately.
Magnus noticed Kaiser’s gaze.
"That’s Lucas Lightheart."
Kaiser looked at him.
"A descendant of Henrich Lightheart?"
Magnus nodded.
"His direct bloodline."
"He is considered the greatest genius of the Light Church’s younger generation."
"He awakened the Divine Mark of Radiance five years ago."
"It’s like an Divine Matk of same level as yours Mark of Tomb"
Kaiser quietly observed Lucas.
At almost the same moment, Lucas also looked toward him.
Their eyes briefly met.
Neither spoke.
After a few seconds, both calmly looked away.
Neither considered this the time to fight.
An old man in white robes stepped forward from the Light Church’s side.
"The agreement remains unchanged."
"Fifty disciples from each Church."
"No elders may enter."
"What happens inside will be decided by the younger generation."
A Death Church elder stepped forward as well.
"We agree."
The old man nodded.
With both hands, he formed several seals.
The enormous gate immediately began glowing.
The ancient runes covering its surface lit up one after another.
A deep rumbling echoed throughout the valley.
The tightly sealed stone doors slowly began to open.
A vast world filled with brilliant white light appeared beyond the entrance.
The Secret Realm had finally opened.
A powerful wave of ancient Mana flowed out from the entrance.
Everyone instinctively became alert.
The elders from both Churches carefully examined the gate one final time.
After confirming that it was stable, one of the Light Church elders spoke.
"The realm will remain open for one year."
"After one year, the gate will reopen automatically."
"If you fail to reach the exit before then..."
"You will remain trapped inside."
The Death Church elder continued.
"Remember."
"This is a Tier 10 Secret Realm."
"There are places even we know nothing about."
"Don’t underestimate anything."
Many disciples nodded.
Magnus walked over to him.
"Remember what I taught you."
Kaiser nodded.
"Never enter an unknown place first."
"Always let someone else trigger the traps."
Magnus smiled.
"And?"
Kaiser continued.
"Never chase obvious treasures."
"They’re usually bait."
Magnus laughed.
"You really were listening."
He handed Kaiser a small black crystal.
"If something goes wrong..."
"Break this."
"It won’t save you."
"But I’ll know where you are."
Kaiser accepted it and put it inside his storage ring.
"I understand."
A loud voice echoed across the valley.
"Participants."
"Enter."
Without hesitation, disciples from both Churches began walking toward the gate.
From the Death Church, Kaiser led the group.
From the Light Church, Lucas stood at the front of his own disciples.
As both groups approached the entrance, Lucas glanced at Kaiser.
"Try not to die before I find you."
Kaiser smiled calmly.
"You too."
"I’d love to add a fallen Holy Knight with a Divine Mark to my collection."
Lucas simply smiled before turning toward the entrance.
Without another word, both leaders stepped into the Secret Realm with their respective groups.
Kaiser opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a half-submerged ancient hall.
Broken stone pillars rose from the water, while cracks covered the walls and ceiling.
He looked around and sighed.
"This bastard realm..."