In a room well out of reach from the rest of the noisy palace attendees, ten men sat at a round table, each dressed in green robes. These men were the representatives of Varadna. The men behind every decision made regarding the country. Their collective opinions were stronger than the entire population of Varadna put together.

  It had been an hour since the demons bled through the sewer system and started to lay waste to the Undying City. Since then, demons still roamed the streets in large numbers; however, Councillor Daggerlo had noticed something during one of the messengers' reports coming from their neighbouring city.

  "Breakridge City has sent messengers reporting a sudden increase in demonic sightings at their walls. Whilst the Undying City's demon numbers are still large, they are dwindling. Does anybody understand why?"

  The man waited to see if any of his fellow council members were seeing what he was. Eventually, Councilor Prevush spoke.

  "The civilians of our city who didn't make it to the palace are fleeing to other nearby settlements. The demons follow the scent of food; therefore, it will only be a matter of time before the demons are at low enough numbers for us to wipe them out."

  Councillor Brand suddenly rose to his feet with aggression. Spittle flew from his mouth as he roared. "What are you suggesting, Daggerlo? Have you fallen so low that the people of our country no longer mean anything to you?"

  Daggerlo wasn't bothered by the words. He remained calm, as his age had allowed him to hear many such words before.

  "I care for the people of our country. However, the Undying City is a pillar of our country. We are the ones with direct contact with Pentagon and thus, the Emperor. We are the ones who have worked hard to develop our city so that it might someday rival the capital of our empire... Most importantly, we are home to the Varadna Academy, the future of our country."

  Councillor Brand seemed stunned by the words. His jaw remained hung open, but nothing came out.

  "I..." he eventually stuttered, but failed to say anything of meaning.

  Another council member butted in at that moment.

  "So, we are all in favour of waiting for the demons to follow the civilians out of the city, until there is a small enough remaining number for us to use our forces to wipe them out?" Councillor Tolin asked.

  Daggerlo nodded his head. "And to go a step further, we will fortify our city walls even more. No one who leaves without permission shall re-enter, and any demon spotted within a kilometre radius of the walls will be wiped out by a new battalion dedicated to this. I'm sure the great Emperor Alom will give us funding to make this happen, so long as we keep our good relations with the man."

  The plan was cold, harsh, but Daggerlo deemed it necessary. He looked around at the nine other men dressed in green.

  "Those in favour, raise your hand."

  Seven of the men raised their hands without hesitation. Just like that, the decision had been made.

  Daggerlo let out a triumphant sigh.

  The world is truly changing. I refuse to be left behind.

  "Then let us get to work."

  When the news of the council was delivered to those in the city palace, Leox listened in utter disbelief.

  The ten men in green hadn't shown their faces, but they sent knights to deliver their words for them. They had sentenced the rest of the country to death to save their own city and weren't even brave enough to declare it themselves.

  The palace erupted into chaos. Some were relieved that their chances of survival had been increased, whilst others screamed in anger, knowing that they had loved ones in other settlements around Varadna.

  The chaos was brought to a halt by the guards. Those who had issues with the council's decision were told that they should leave the city if they wished to be of help to the rest of the country, but were told that they would not be allowed to return if they decided to turn back.

  Leox sat around a lounge area with his allies, though it was Ivy Graceful who stayed closest to him, with her head leaned up against his shoulder. Laughter seemed to be talking to his sister Rosie on the sidelines, whilst Samson and Marybetha wrestled with their own thoughts in their heads.

  "Who knew that the council could be so cowardly?" Leox's voice quivered as he whispered beneath his breath.

  Ivy didn't answer at first. She seemed to be deep in her own thoughts as well. Eventually, she spoke.

  "The council has always been incompetent. Think about it, how did such a large scheme from the Hawkings manage to develop? Someone should have figured out what was going on."

  Leox's mind wandered to the words of Grave Hawkings. If what he said was true, then was it possible that this was all a ploy crafted by the Emperor himself? He didn't want to believe this. He now lacked faith in the Varadna Council, but he did not want this to extend to the greater world.

  He still had not told Ivy about this. He looked around to see if his allies were close enough to hear their conversation. When he realised they weren't, he leaned close to Ivy.

  He opened his mouth, prepared to speak. Before the words could leave his mouth, everybody in the council palace disappeared.

  Leox didn't react. At first, he assumed delusion. So much had happened in the past hour that he suspected that its toll had finally caught up to him, and he was now going crazy. He was prepared to accept this as a fact and leaned his head back on the chair. Then, a voice broke him from his trance.

  "Leox."

  He looked straight ahead to find Gutaru standing across the hall from him. The man didn't look like he had before, as his clothes had been torn and his hair was more dishevelled than usual. Dried golden blood streaked across his face, and his black suit, and the man had an unsettled look on his face that seemed completely unlike him.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Leox's brows rose. I've been brought into the Judge's Realm... Why?

  He rose to his feet, then drew his sword.

  Gutaru looked at him from across the hall, shaking his head. "I am not here to bring you harm, boy. Lower your sword."

  Leox didn't listen. At this moment in time, he truly believed he could trust no one but Ivy.

  The Judge eventually let out a sigh, realising that the boy had been traumatised too much. There was no way that he could convince him that he was an ally unless he started to explain himself. So he did.

  "I know that you're an immortal, Leox. I know that the Hawkings did what they did because they discovered your secrets. I know of Doctor Frost, and it is because of him that I have come here."

  The more the man spoke, the tighter Leox's grip clenched around his blade. The last time he had heard such words from another, he was tortured for half a year. However, it was Gutaru's final words that managed to convince him.

  "What do you mean? How do you know Doctor Frost?"

  "Because Doctor Frost is here in the Undying City, hunting you down. He intends to bring you back to hell, where he believes you came from."

  Leox finally dropped his sword. Bring him back to hell... What did that even mean? Hell did not exist.

  It didn't make any sense. Was Doctor Frost not exploring the world in hopes of uncovering the secrets of immortality?

  Had the man discovered something that placed him on the side of those who would cause harm to Leox? Was the man that Leox had been chasing now just another enemy?

  For the first time in a while, Leox felt the urge to cry. Of course, no tears came. They hadn't since the sewers. Still, Gutaru was able to notice the boy's sadness. He made his way over and stood in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder and looking him deep in the eyes.

  "You must leave this city. It isn't safe for you," Gutaru said bluntly.

  After hearing of the Council's decisions, Leox had already planned to do this. However, he would now have to leave for completely different reasons. But where would he go? Was anywhere safe for him? Would he not be hunted down for the rest of his life, no matter where he travelled?

  "You are strong. If I had to guess, you are close to the third awakening stage. In your battles, you should have become ever stronger."

  For the first time in a while, Leox checked his Overview. The man was right; it had changed.

  [Awakening Overview]

  [Leox Lether]

  [Awakening Stage: Second Stage]

  [Awakening Stage Progress To Next Stage: 76%]

  [Classes:]

  Grandmaster Immortal

  Expert Monk

  Adept Telepath

  Adept Fire Mage

  Adept Swordsman

  Apprentice Wind Mage

  Novice Water Mage

  Novice Earth Mage

  [Class Skills:]

  Deathless Rebirth (Immortal Skill)

  Rapid Cleave (Swordsman Skill)

  Arc Strike (Swordsman Skill)

  Perfect Overheat (Fire Mage Skill)

  Whiteflame Coating (Fire Mage Skill)

  Flame (Fire Mage Skill)

  Perfect Counterstance (Monk Skill)

  Purity Of Body (Monk Skill)

  Greater Realm Expansion (Monk Skill)

  Thought Authority (Telepath Skill)

  Wound Resurface (Telepath Skill)

  Greater Tempest (Wind Mage Skill)

  Mud Wall (Earth Mage Skill)

  Weave Current (Water Mage Skill)

  [Fusion Skills:]

  Stormblade (Wind Mage/Fire Mage Skill)

  [Discard Skills?]

  [Rank up for increased Overview complexity...]

  During his battle with the Hawkings, Leox's Adept Monk Class had progressed to the Expert rank. He could feel that his Overview wished to awaken new monk and fire mage skills, but being stuck at the three-skill limit per class, he would have to wait until reaching stage three to do so or discard one of his skills to make space. He had also unlocked an entirely new class, called Telepath.

  Its first skill, Thought Authority, seemed to allow him to implant thoughts into the minds of those weaker than him. They would be forced to believe these thoughts as long as his skill remained active, as he had authority over them.

  Wound Resurface seemed to allow the Telepath to explore the recent wounds of others and force them to relive the pain of said wound, even if it was already completely healed.

  This was only the basic understanding that he had gathered from briefly focusing on the skills. When he had time, he would explore them on a deeper level.

  Leox looked back up at Gutaru. "You're right. I've become stronger."

  The man nodded his head in response. It was clear from the look on his face that, for some reason, he truly cared for Leox.

  "Then run, Leox. Once I collapse this realm, run away from all of this. Find a small village and live quietly. Create a new identity for yourself. Use your powers to fight for a good cause, and never, ever reveal your immortality to others. You may live a life where you are constantly hunted. In a way, we all will be. Not by the Humans, but by demons. With time, this may all come to an end anyway. Fate says that the Fourth World must eventually give way to the Fifth, as the Third did for the Fourth."

  As Leox listened to the man's words, he felt pessimism that he had never felt before. For the first time in forever, everything truly felt hopeless. Everything that he knew and wished for seemed to have shifted. The life that he had intended to live was no longer what it once was.

  "I wish that I could have done more for you, Leox. I wish that you could have lived a normal life in the academy. Or at least as normal a life as that would have been."

  Gutaru seemed prepared to collapse the realm. His words were rushed, as though he suspected they were running out of time. Yet Leox still had so many questions he wanted to ask.

  How did the man know that Doctor Frost was here, searching for him? Could he possibly be lying? Was he aware of what the Hawkings thought about the Emperor's scheme? Why hadn't he captured Leox himself? Why was he doing all of this to help him, when he had hardly shown him any kindness in the past?

  He only asked one question, though. The one he was most curious about.

  "Gutaru, how did you know that I was an Immortal?"

  The man paused for a moment, hesitating. After a while, he realised there was no point in hiding the truth.

  "Whoever enters the Realm of Judgement can no longer hide evidence from me. During your academy trial, yours and every other student's entire Overview was laid bare before me. I knew since then. Many years ago, a classmate of ours had gone crazy in search of the secrets of immortality. He told me, and a few others, of the boy he had discovered, yet none of us believed him, not even his sister. I never expected that the boy would turn up at our academy years later, proving us wrong, and Frost right."

  Just like that, one of the mysteries was explained. Yet still, it left so many more questions unanswered. Answers that he would not yet receive.

  Still, Leox felt genuine appreciation towards the man. It turned out that he was one of the few men who could somewhat be trusted.

  "Thank you, Mr Gutaru. Once you collapse this realm, I will leave the city."

  Gutaru paused for a second, surprised that the boy actually listened to him. "And where will you go?" he eventually asked.

  "I don't know."

  It was a lie. Deep down, Leox knew where he wished to travel next. But for his safety, he would tell no one but the person whom he hoped would travel with him. Ivy.

  "Wherever you travel, may the Allfather walk alongside you."

  With that, Gutaru collapsed his realm, and the world returned to normal. Leox was once again surrounded by the bustling noise of the crowd, and it was only Ivy who had noticed that he had become momentarily unresponsive.

  "Leox, what happened?" She became agitated and worried once her friend had returned to his senses. The look on her face showed Leox why she was the only one he could ever trust.

  He loved her because of it.

  "Ivy, I have to leave the city and travel to Pentagon. Will you come with me?"