Chapter 454: Traumatic Breakdown In The Inner Ring

Past the enormous gates, the scenery took the Lords for a loop.

Literally.

The streets were unnaturally bent, twisted into spiraling formations that made it hard to see where they were going.

The curved paths did not lead where they were supposed to, often ending where they started.

Buildings were not exclusively erected from the ground up. In places, the land was angled like a wall, and in extreme cases, it even looped toward the sky.

Michael looked up only to find more landscape stretching above him.

He looked down and saw the cosmos itself, as if the world beneath him had vanished entirely.

Notably, the golden fountains often found in the outer district were present in the inner ring as well.

The Lords had not paid them much attention initially. However, now they saw that the plasma they expelled flowed directly toward their reservoirs, ignoring gravity entirely. It neither spilled sideways nor fell downward, even though the structure’s orientation should have dictated otherwise.

Essentially, they were in a gravity-manipulated field that defied one of the supposed laws governing the universe.

Even more bizarre, golden paintings of varying shapes and sizes were arranged chaotically, without any sense of order.

Some portray beautiful landscapes, others portraits of shapeless beings.

The already long and harsh expedition had become even more complicated.

"It’s like being on mushrooms, but only with the downsides..." Persephone murmured.

"My head is starting to hurt." Gloria winced.

"Unbelievable. More trouble ahead." Emanuel exclaimed, crossing his arms, not amused one bit.

"Do you see now why confronting the Titan by ourselves is a pipe dream?" Francesca’s voice echoed. "One of us is already dead, and we aren’t even halfway done. The closer we get, the crueller the influence of MSAP-8 becomes. Better leave it to the more capable."

Since Francesca’s loyalty was first and foremost with the Emperor, it was no surprise she attempted to dissuade the Lords from their plan. They just had to hold out and ensure the Iskra Titan did not act on its own until someone more capable came to deal with the threat.

Her argument was logically sound. Nevertheless, the Lords remained unwavering.

"An opportunity like this might never present itself again." Nicole spoke calmly.

"Normally, ascending to the next realm would require the cooperation of the Emperor or the Kings and Queens, which are basically all under his control."

She paused briefly, letting the silence settle.

"Frankly, I would rather die than ever be indebted to that man."

Having inherited the family technique of Blood Manipulation through brutal means, and with the crimson hue of her hair and eyes marking her as one of the Cursed Children, there was not a single person present who did not know that Nicole was one of the Emperor’s offsprings.

Offsprings... Not children.

Despite the supposed connection Nicole shared with that man, she never once called him "father," refusing to associate with him.

That alone spoke volumes about the Emperor’s treatment of his heirs.

Other than the accursed technique that caused her unique... mostly intimidating presence, Nicole did not believe she shared anything in common with that man.

’He is mad.’ She thought, repulsed at the very core.

The very idea that humanity’s existence relied solely on the presence of that monster was sickening.

Nicole’s skin crawled, overwhelmed by a nauseating, utterly revolting sensation.

Very few had the displeasure of knowing the Emperor personally. She was one of the few who knew just how unpredictable and unreasonable the man tended to be.

Heck, she would not be surprised in the slightest if one day he began to slaughter his own heirs merely because he was dissatisfied with their rate of progress.

Ironically, Nicole did not realize how accurately her paranoia, born from severe trauma, was predicting the events of the future.

Nor did she know that the man who understood her better than anyone else in the world was standing just a few steps away.

Subconsciously, her aura leaked, more of a natural defense mechanism she had developed since childhood, when she had been forced to battle to the death with her siblings all just for the right to live.

Francesca grimaced, realizing her mistake far too late. Nicole’s presence as the strongest Supreme Lord in existence made those nearby take an involuntary step back.

Nicole’s fists clenched further, not noticing their reaction.

’Leave it to the more capable? Miss my one and only chance? What a joke!’ She thought, her anger boiling. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Nicole had to surpass the Emperor at all costs.

Her life wasn’t merely her own anymore.

Not after what she had done.

She owed it to the countless siblings the Emperor had forced her to slaughter in order to obtain his family’s technique.

Nicole had emerged victorious, but now she bore the heavy burden of innocent lives on her shoulders.

Albeit a child at the time, she had committed the greatest sin possible...

Survive.

For her to live, others had to die.

Her conscience would never truly let her rest until that agonizing guilt was atoned for in full.

Regardless of the method, she had to make sure the Emperor met his end.

No one would get it.

They weren’t plagued by nightmares each time they slept. When they closed their eyes, they didn’t suffer visions of their desperate crimes.

Gaining power in search of redemption was the only thing that kept her going.

It was fine, even though no one could ever understand her.

No one. No one. No one—

"Take it easy." A calm voice broke her daze.

Feeling a hand over her shoulder, she slowly glanced to the side.

The Lords were staring at Nicole’s back cautiously, except for Michael, who had walked over to check her condition.

Her lips parted, releasing erratic breaths as the relentless heat of the sun did nothing to ease her hyperventilation. Strands of hair clung to her face for a moment, damp with sweat. While her hands trembled ever so slightly.

Pant... Pant... Pant...

"Forgive me, I’m not sure what came over me." She confessed, speaking barely above a whisper. "I’m fine now."

Michael begged to disagree, though he was aware of the only thing that could provoke such a reaction from Nicole. He didn’t probe deeper, letting her dictate the moment when she would share her burdens.

"Francesca, stop pestering us." Persephone said out of the blue, taking the lead. "Especially now that one of us has died, we aren’t letting the Titan get away with it."

Her remark brought the others out of their daze, and they moved forward.

Back to her usual self, Nicole observed Michael from the side.

’Again.’ She noticed silently, unsure what to think.

No matter how much pressure she exerted, Michael always remained unshaken, being the only one to treat her without fear.

She had almost forgotten that he possessed that trait... which must have been why she had been so worried for his safety during the battle with the serpent.

Deep in reflection, she ventured deeper into the kingdom with the others.

Unknown to them, the painting’s frames clustered along the path shuddered.

The portraits residing inside seemed to come alive.

Their eyes tracked the Lords’ studying every move.