Sam left the [Forsaken Kingdom] in a blur of motion, using [Primordial Rush] to vanish into the distance before anyone even noticed he was gone.

The world stretched and twisted around him as he ran, his body almost flickering with how fast he was moving.

In less than half an hour, he was already back in the [Fifth Zone].

The transition between zones was almost seamless at this point, like his body had learned to cross those boundaries without effort.

As he passed the [Fourth Zone], he caught sight of the altar again, but this time, hundreds of awakeners surrounded it.

They were crowded around, forming long lines and groups as they tried to take their turns entering the [Maze of the Damned].

It looked completely different from the last time he had been there.

’So word spread fast,’ Sam thought, slowing slightly as he passed above them.

The maze had become more manageable after the [Pale Monarch]’s death.

The monsters inside were weaker, calmer, and less aggressive than before.

Even the deadly pits that once guaranteed instant death were now safer, less violent, their shadows not as deep.

In a way, Sam had saved more lives than he realized.

’They’re lucky,’ he thought. ’Most of them wouldn’t have made it otherwise.’

Still, the moment he crossed through the [Fourth Barrier], the number of awakeners dropped sharply.

Within seconds, he couldn’t see anyone else at all.

The world grew quiet.

He kept his [Primordial Rush] active, streaking forward across the endless terrain of gray stone and drifting mist.

It wasn’t long before he spotted a few silhouettes ahead.

They were standing near a massive pit, one that stretched endlessly downward, glowing faintly with a yellow mist that rose and curled in the air.

Sam stopped for a brief moment, watching.

’I guess that must be where you enter the [Land of Judgment] from,’ he thought. ’When I came here, I met the judges directly. They forced me in through a different entrance.’

The scene didn’t hold his interest for long.

Whether those people lived or died wasn’t his concern.

As its name implied, the [Land of Judgment] changed its difficulty based on how guilty you were deemed to be, and Sam doubted any of them were ready for that.

He resumed moving, pushing toward the outer edge of the zone.

When he finally came to a stop, he released his [Primordial Rush] and let the world slow back down to normal.

’Alright,’ he thought. ’Let’s start killing.’

He drew his weapon.

The [Primordial Sword] shimmered faintly, resonating with his energy as if alive.

The next few hours blurred into a rhythm of death and motion.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Monsters fell before him one after another, [Judgment Guardians], [Mist Reapers], and even the eerie [Judged Spirits] that floated through the mist.

They were strong, far stronger than anything found in the earlier zones, yet none of them even forced him to use a skill.

Slash!

Each strike of his blade cut through them with ease.

The [Primordial Sword] devoured their essence the moment it connected, leaving nothing but silence behind.

It was almost funny, really.

These creatures were level 95, the kind of enemies that no ordinary awakener could even dream of defeating right now.

And yet here was Sam, the lowest-ranked being in the [Upper Realm], mowing through them as if they were training dummies.

It showed the difference between a normal awakener and a primordial clearly.

Even more so when he remembered that the other primordials didn’t seem impressed by his power at all.

If that was the case, then all of them had once been this strong, or even stronger.

’But if that’s true,’ Sam thought, frowning as he sliced a [Mist Reaper] in half, ’then how did they die?’

He paused briefly, his sword dripping with black smoke.

’If the [Forsaken Lords] and the Monarchs weren’t strong enough to beatme, then how did they kill the primordials who were stronger than me?’

The question dug into his mind like a thorn.

The [Pale Monarch], the [Judge Monarch], even the other Lords, all claimed to have killed at least one primordial in their time.

But that made no sense.

How could a being at level 50 kill someone at level 100?

’There’s something I’m missing,’ Sam thought, narrowing his eyes as he crushed another monster’s core beneath his foot.

’Either they’re lying... or I still don’t understand the full picture.’

He sighed and shook his head.

Regardless, he had work to do.

The questions could wait.

He continued cutting through everything that moved, absorbing the cores of the fallen monsters as he went.

The hours passed quietly, a steady rhythm of death, energy, and silence.

And then—

Ding!

[Congratulations to Sam Walker for leveling up to Level 4 of the Forsaken Rank!]

Sam grinned faintly.

’Finally.’

It had taken time, longer than he wanted, but he’d done it.

He had officially reached Level 4.

Of course, that also meant the next level would take far longer.

The stronger he grew, the slower the progress became.

Still, it was progress.

And thanks to the countless monsters he had slain, his [True Primordial Spirits] were now completely filled.

[True Primordial Spirits: 100/100]

’An army,’ he thought. ’If I really wanted, I could wipe this whole zone clean.’

He didn’t summon them though.

Not yet.

He preferred to fight alone.

Still, a thought crept in.

’Maybe I should summon the [Judge Monarch]. See what it can do.’

Having synergy with his strongest spirit could make future fights easier, especially with how unpredictable the next barriers might be.

So he decided to try.

Ding!

---

[Which spirit do you wish to summon?]

[→ Judge Monarch (Level 95)][→ Judgment Guardian (Level 95)][→ Mist Reaper Leader (Level 95)]...

---

The list continued endlessly, names of all 100 spirits he had claimed flashing before his eyes.

He scrolled briefly, then focused his intent.

The [Judge Monarch] materialized beside him in a swirl of shadow and light.

Its towering form stood motionless at first, its presence heavy enough to distort the air.

Three sides of its head faced different directions, each with a carved eye that stared at Sam.

Then, slowly, its body turned toward the same point, the massive wall of black fire at the end of the zone.

The [Fifth Barrier].

Sam frowned, following its gaze.

"What’s wrong?" he muttered.

The [Judge Monarch] didn’t answer.

Its heads began to rotate, slowly at first, then faster, and faster still.

"What the..." Sam took a cautious step back, eyes narrowing.

The air grew colder, the mist around them trembling from the pressure.

It wasn’t attacking him, but something was definitely happening.

He glanced toward the barrier again, half-expecting it to react, but it didn’t.

Instead, the [Judge Monarch]’s head continued spinning until it was almost a blur.

Dark tears began to leak from the eyes etched into its three faces, streaming down in thick, viscous lines that glowed faintly as they fell.

"What the hell is happening..." Sam muttered.

And then—

[Hah... I see that you fell too.]

A voice echoed.

It didn’t come from the spirit, but from a floating dark panel in front of Sam, one surrounded by writhing white tendrils.

’A new panel!’ Sam thought immediately. ’That means a new being.’

[But do not fret, my old friend.]

[There is nothing to fear.]

[Your fate was decided long ago, from the moment we began all of this.]

The [Judge Monarch]’s spinning intensified.

Its body trembled violently, the tears of black light streaming faster, splattering onto the ground like oil.

Then the spirit took a slow, heavy step toward the barrier.

"Hey!" Sam barked. "Stop."

But it didn’t.

[Come to me.]

[There is no need to be afraid... the end is near.]

The voice sounded distant, ancient, and it wasn’t speaking to Sam.

It was talking to the monarch itself.

The spirit took another step forward, its movements jerky and unnatural.

The eyes in its head flickered rapidly, switching colors with every rotation.

[The ’King’ is protecting us, even as we fall.]

[It is all... so pathetic, don’t you think?]

Sam’s patience snapped.

He extended his hand and focused his energy.

"Unsummon," he commanded sharply.

The system should have obeyed immediately.

The spirit was his, bound by his will, there was no reason it shouldn’t vanish at his order.

But instead—

[A stronger force is taking hold of the spirit. You cannot do that.]

Sam froze.

"What?" he hissed.

He tried again, forcing his energy outward, but nothing happened.

The [Judge Monarch] kept walking.

Step by step.

Closer and closer to the dark wall of flames.

"What the fuck is happening..." Sam muttered under his breath, his grip tightening around his sword.

His expression darkened, fury and disbelief twisting across his face.

"Just how much does this world want to fuck me over?"

The [Judge Monarch] didn’t answer.

The barrier burned silently, the yellow mist quivering in its presence.

And somewhere beyond it, something stirred.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com