**Chapter 420. Truth-Grade Rewards**
—
The Golden Mask’s body slowly began to vanish.
Then it all turned to ash.
Leaving behind only a single gem, glowing with a violet light.
Moments later, a name appeared above the gem.
《Essence of Annihilation (Primordial, 2nd-Grade Truth)》
It was the Essence of Annihilation embedded in the Golden Mask’s heart.
But something about the grade notation was strange.
After the Primordial rank, there was an added label: *“2nd-Grade Truth.”*
Was it because this essence belonged to a being influenced by Truth and Heaven?
I lifted my gaze.
Whooo—
A *door* appeared in the void.
The Gate of Truth.
“Do you wish to retrieve the essence?”
I rose from where I stood and quietly peered inside the Gate.
On the *Island of Gods*, I had once made use of the Gate of Truth.
By resetting the events that occurred there, I reclaimed Isabella.
At that time, I had clearly seen *Truth*.
And through it, I realized something.
That Truth was nothing special.
It simply existed there, and anyone could partake of it.
But the *Truth* before my eyes now was different.
“……Heaven.”
A weapon wielded arbitrarily by Heaven.
From beyond Truth, they manipulated Truth as they pleased.
But I could see it clearly.
I could distinctly sense the heavenly beings that existed beyond Truth.
They were likely those called the Celestial Gods.
Just as I had noticed them, they must have noticed me as well.
“Get lost.”
Boom!
I forcibly shut the Gate.
Because I knew they were not the kind one could reason with.
And also because I could not allow them to retrieve the essence so easily.
Still—
“……”
Holding the Essence of Annihilation, I looked around.
The land was completely destroyed.
The once-peaceful labyrinth was nowhere to be seen.
The only thing remaining was the land adjacent to the *First Flame*.
Everything was gone. Many were dead.
This was war with Heaven.
If a full-scale war broke out, nothing would remain on this land.
Even if we were to win—
What good would victory be, if everything had already been lost?
“We’ll have to move the battlefield.”
That was my conclusion.
We would wage war not on my land, but on *theirs*.
To do that, I needed far more thorough preparation.
This war was not the end—it was the beginning.
The beginning of the counterattack.
And the first step of that counterattack was—
Crunch!
I crushed the Essence of Annihilation in my hand.
Everything was contained within it.
All the powers that had once completed Annihilation.
At the same time—
Fwoooosh!
Black flames erupted as everything sealed within burst forth.
But their existence was vague and indistinct.
Unless I called their names, their souls could not reclaim their existence.
Slowly, I spoke their names aloud.
“Baal, Lilith, Despair, White King, Black King, Extinction King……”
Each time a name was spoken, a black soul regained its own color.
However, even if their souls returned, without bodies they were useless.
The Four Calamities were closer to summons than living beings, so that was fine—but Lilith and the others clearly had physical bodies.
Still, I wasn’t overly worried.
“Thank you, Master. And… I’m truly sorry. Because I was too weak……”
Lilith, now revived, approached me.
As long as even one of the dolls she controlled remained, she could revive.
Originally, she had been a doll manipulated by a Forgotten God, and after gaining a *soul* through me, that soul became her true self.
That was why she had hidden dolls in many places—and revived through one of them.
“It’s fine.”
“You are truly… truly… merciful……”
At my forgiveness, Lilith choked up.
But without her, the First Flame would have gone out long ago.
I didn’t mind.
I turned my gaze again.
Baal and Despair stood beside me.
Among them, I looked at *Despair*.
Despair.
The moment Annihilation was destroyed, Baal and I gained dominion over it.
And then I saw something.
“Death King. It’s been a while.”
……
The Black King had mounted the soul of the Death King into that giant body.
The enormous skeleton that had once been the core force under the White King—Death King.
The only one in northern Cramdel who had been friendly toward me.
The one who had gone south in my stead.
After a long journey, we finally met again.
“How have you been?”
—……You… Corpse Crow Randolph. Fifth Main Pillar?
The voice flowing out of Despair.
It was unmistakably the Death King’s casual tone.
As Despair became bound to me, it seemed he had also sensed the presence of the Fifth Main Pillar.
I shrugged.
“Yeah. It’s me.”
—Amazing. No, more than that… I remember being captured by the Black King while conducting the southern exploration… did my soul end up pawned to Despair?
“Where’s your original body?”
—I don’t know. It might already be destroyed. But… thanks to this, I think I vaguely understand what *Despair* is.
“Land.”
—……Hmm, yes. Despair seems to be *land*. The earth itself.
The Death King spoke with surprise.
But he had already sensed it faintly.
Now that Despair had been bound, it became clearer.
About the Four Calamities.
About their true purpose.
“Become the new land of the labyrinth.”
—……I suppose I must. I never thought the labyrinth city would end up this empty.
Soon after—
Ruuuuumble—
Despair’s massive body began to fall through the air as if collapsing.
But the moment it touched the First Flame, the vanished land began to restore itself.
In the end, Despair’s body became *land*.
A land larger, sturdier, and more beautiful than before.
Grass spread instantly, and trees shot up from the soil.
The labyrinth itself regenerated as well.
At the same time—
《The “Labyrinth City” has been fully restored!》
《Land Power increases.》
《The “First Flame” burns more fiercely.》
《All life growing within the “Labyrinth City” gains a 50% growth bonus.》
《Additionally, the probability of generating “Hidden Traits” based on birth conditions increases greatly.》
《“Racial Traits” are strengthened.》
《“Limit Level” increases by 1.》
《The probability of masters emerging in specific fields greatly increases.》
《The 12 Towers of Destruction erected by Annihilation are transformed into “Towers of Trial.”》
《Those who visit or reside in the Labyrinth may climb the Towers of Trial to receive quests, obtain rewards, and grow rapidly.》
……
……
《The battle with “Annihilation” has ended.》
《The system is restored.》
《Achievement Score +30,000.》
《You have obtained 5 complete Golden Scales.》
《Destruction Points +15.》
《By exploring “2nd-Grade Truth,” access to “Lands of Prophets below 2nd Grade (Garden of the Outer Gods, Baramyl Nebula, Asura Domain, Infinite Abyss, Dragon God Council…)” has been unlocked.》
《Existences across the universe become aware of your presence.》
……
……
《“Death King” has been chosen as the Guardian Spirit of the Labyrinth City.》
《The “Guardian Spirit” is the administrator who manages the Labyrinth.》
Countless messages appeared.
Just checking them all would take some time.
Still—wasn’t it astonishing?
That *Despair* became land.
That had been Despair’s intended purpose from the start.
‘Despair is land. Baal is existence. The other Calamities are sky and sea……’
The Four Calamities conceptualize and construct a world.
They weren’t mere vassals—perhaps Destruction had intended to *create a world itself*.
I still couldn’t grasp Destruction’s ultimate goal.
What it truly wanted.
What was certain was that the Labyrinth City was now stronger than ever.
—Hahaha! I feel much freer!
The Death King, now in the form of black flame, flew around me freely.
He had escaped the confinement of Despair and regained his freedom.
‘Lands of Prophets below 2nd Grade…’
My attention returned to that line.
Familiar terms stood out.
And every one of them carried weight.
If exploring higher Truth expanded the territories one could access—
‘Does that mean I can eventually reach Heaven?’
That was why Heaven had tried to retrieve the Essence of Annihilation, which contained 2nd-Grade Truth.
To prevent me from ascending to Heaven.
I nodded slightly.
I now knew how to reach Heaven.
Higher-grade Truths could likely be obtained in those regions.
It was undoubtedly good news—but I couldn’t smile.
Because not everything had returned to how it was.
The White King and Black King separated and returned to their original states.
It was only possible because I invoked both of their souls at once.
Had I called only one, the body would have collapsed.
Even so, there was a reason I couldn’t smile.
—My lord. We’ve brought those who fell into the Abyssal Zone.
The Golden Goblin King emerged from the ground.
After the labyrinth vanished due to Annihilation, he had retrieved those who had fallen into the Abyss.
Among them was Albino.
“……Albino.”
But Albino’s condition was different from before.
In the end, he did not return from death.
Albino, the legendary druid.
The Golden Mask could not absorb him.
He was simply too powerful.
Realizing that killing him was the only way to ensure safety—
Perhaps because of that—
Albino met a perfect death.
Both body and soul.
……
My mouth tasted bitter.
Albino—the Grand Elder of the Eight Families, guardian of the World Tree of Honor for countless years.
Alongside Raiga, my most dependable ally.
Though we hadn’t fought together long, an indescribable sense of loss washed over me.
Still, I hadn’t lost everyone.
“One more……”
Hana, the Blade Dragon God.
Driven into frenzy and rampage because of me, she was still barely alive.
The problem was that her wounds wouldn’t regenerate.
Even though I had returned, her consciousness remained unstable.
She had already survived once—miraculously—after a berserk state.
Perhaps there would be no second miracle.
Even with my power, her wounds would not heal.
If left like this, she too would soon leave my side.
“She is losing all qualifications and fading away.”
That was when—
A warp opened, and someone approached me.
“……Basara?”
Basara, one of the Seven Demon Lords of the Demon Realm.
Normally an enemy, yet I felt no hostility from her.
In fact, I knew she had helped me in the Abyss.
The first ripple.
The reason I could rise from death, the reason I could recognize myself—
Was because she had been the first to throw a stone into me.
Basara spoke.
“Do you want to save her?”
“I do.”
“Even if it means turning another world into your enemy?”
“Even if it means turning *all* worlds into my enemies!”
I didn’t want to lose anything more.
I swore it.
And if Hana died, the young Issera and Lucaria would not endure it.
“……I’m jealous.”
Jealous of what?
Basara met my gaze and continued.
“Then come with me to the Dragon God Council. If you formally obtain the qualifications of a *Dragon God* there, she can live.”
We’re getting close to the end 💪🏾🔥