Chapter 54
Duches Elleena Rothchester younger sister of King Deryth Cererindu also saw and witness he fall of the Evolve Drake, this was seen to be a new achievement of their expading kingdom, as the the land were the city of Lúthien stood on was vast and know to be very fertile and can produce large amounts of produce, which could sustain the growing population.
the question of to whom this land should be managed and how to best utilize its resources became a topic of debate among the royal council. Elleena knew that securing this land would be crucial for the future prosperity of their own family but due the situation of her clan slowly falling apart was making it difficult for her to focus on the opportunity at hand. She realized that she would need to navigate the political landscape carefully in order to secure a future for her family in this fertile land.
She still mourns for the loss of her only son; her four daughters could never hold and inherit her title, as they were fathered by a different man, as Duke Seaton Rothchester had passed away after getting stabbed as their son was kidnapped and never seen again. He was just two years old. If Duchess Elleena Rothchester's son were still alive , he would be at a legal age of 20 years old, as her oldest daughter from her second husband with no title was 18 years old, and next was 16, then 14, and her youngest daughter was 10.
By succession, her oldest daughter would be the next in line , but the burden and responsibility of finding her missing son still weigh heavily on Duchess Elleena Rothchester's heart, despite the passage of time. The mystery surrounding her son's disappearance continues to haunt her and her family, leaving them with unanswered questions and unresolved grief.
The duchy's land and estate are located outside the enclosed wall of the main kingdom of Solnara Cererindu. The 4,000 acres are divided into ten districts, and each district is managed and overseen by a king's trusted steward. It's a city inside a much bigger city.
Each district is vast enough to have open fields where small patches of forest and farmland could be found, creating a sense of tranquility and seclusion within the bustling main kingdom. The geographical seating of the landscape is protected by a wall that is actually the first district. The main gate was not as large as the tower exit, but it was huge enough to be the standard size in which most people would establish their homes, connecting to the actual wall surrounding the main city itself.
And because it's a merchant kingdom, countless merchants enter the city nonstop, criminal organizations flourish and establish their own dominion, and the registered people in
The vastness of the kingdom provides ample opportunity for all the people coming in and out and conducting business, as it is a merchant kingdom. Solnara Cererindur has around 5 million people, but looking at it now, people will assume the number is much higher.
The open marketplace that most travelers used is connected at the back gate going to the other regions. The south region is under the dominion of the beast people, who are dragons. It's a harsh landscape filled with rugged mountains and treacherous terrain. Despite the challenges, the kingdom thrives on trade and commerce, with merchants from all corners of the realm converging in Solnara Cererindur to exchange goods and services. The bustling marketplace is a testament to the kingdom's prosperity and its ability to adapt to the diverse needs of its inhabitants.
The first floor was enormous since the eastern region, where the kingdom of Solnara Cererindur was founded and situated, was twice as large as China as a whole. The now-fallen city of Lúthien was the furthest land still under its control. Beyond the enormous chasm separating east and west is another enormous country, Karion, which may contain the Empire of Graves. Three more unexplored and unrecorded domains are still waiting to be discovered beyond that cursed city.
The boundaries of Solnara Cererindur's empire extended far beyond what was known, hinting at even more mysterious and unexplored territories waiting to be revealed. The rulers of Solnara Cererindur were constantly seeking to expand their empire, driven by a thirst for power and conquest. The uncharted lands beyond the known territories held the promise of untold riches and resources, tempting adventurers and explorers to push further into the unknown.
But unlike her brothers , Duchess Elleena Rothchester was more focused on strengthening the existing territories and ensuring the prosperity of her people than on seeking out new conquests. She believed that true power came from stability and unity, rather than constant expansion into uncharted lands.
She established her own little city outside of the royal capital, which served as her primary jurisdiction. The 200-acre land is once fertile and produces a lot of food and resources for her people, allowing them to thrive under her rule. Her dedication to the well-being of her subjects earned her the loyalty and admiration of many, solidifying her position as a respected leader in the realm.
But after the kidnapping of her only male son, she lost the will to continue ruling with the same strength and conviction. The loss of her heir left her vulnerable and uncertain about the future of her kingdom, leading to a period of instability and unrest among her people.
And losing her husband to an injury he gained from the adductors made her feel even more isolated and overwhelmed, as she struggled to navigate the challenges of ruling alone. The combination of personal tragedies ultimately tested her resilience and ability to lead, as she faced mounting pressure from within and outside her kingdom.
Reports that her son might have been taken to Karion were especially devastating, as it added another layer of uncertainty and fear for the duchess. The rumors sparked panic and distrust among her subjects, further complicating her efforts to maintain control and stability in her realm.
As she constantly hired mercenaries to enter the west region by surviving the gore and after the cursed swamp, hoping to gain any information about the reports that a young boy with the same identifying marks as her son was roaming the land of Karion.
But after many attempts and numerous failed missions, the duchess was no closer to finding the truth about her missing son. Desperation began to set in as she realized the extent of the challenges she faced in uncovering the mystery surrounding his disappearance.
But no adventurer has even passed the Empire of Graves. Until now, the fallen city of Lúthien will be revived again if the players and other groups could clear the problem regarding the Empire of Graves.
Many nobles were debating a question about obtaining the right over the land. Lúthien would bring them immense wealth or ruin them, as the player didn't actually kill the Dragonoid. but merely wounded it, but the person that actually turned the table and gave the players the upper hand was the sudden appearance of the Netherborn.
Adding to the complex situation they are now in, they never expected the quest would be played out in this manner. The scenario and storyline change, but this inconvenience was a bigger matter for the tower administrators , as they never expected the Netherborn would come out, as it was a character created if a very particular scenario branch would happen. They never expected it would lead to such a major change in the tower's main storyline. had such an impact on the overall narrative.
But because it was still within the boundary of the thousands of possibilities within the main story, the tower administrators could not remove the unexpected emergence of Netherborn. This forced them to rethink their approach to the other character created by the sentient AI called the World Forger that the 12 creators created.
It was a complicated matter, as the tower laws are contradicting their own rules and limitations. The administrators had to carefully navigate this new development while ensuring the integrity of the tower's main storyline remained intact. Despite the challenges, they were determined to find a way to incorporate the Netherborn into the narrative without compromising the essence of the world forger and its creators.
The tower's main system could not find any anomaly or errors of the Netherborn's existence as it was still within the parameters set by the original creators. So they did not see any reason to send notification about its existence and continued with their plans to seamlessly integrate the Netherborn into the tower's story. As they worked diligently to weave this new element into the fabric of the world forger, they remained confident in their ability to maintain the integrity and authenticity of the overall narrative.
Ward and Miko knew this would happen as the two manipulated and used the owners' own law against itself. All this information is stored inside Dane's mind. As the sole remaining designer of the Arcane Crusade main system, Dane gave the two full control over what they thought was important; they were created that way. Dane has accepted his new identity and just goes with the flow and lets fate take its course. As Ward and Miko continued to navigate the complexities of the Tower of Chaos, Dane's unwavering trust in their abilities allowed them to make decisions with a sense of purpose and determination.
They were happy with the outcome; now they opened the path where Dane would slowly climb the tower until he reached the very top.
While resting at the open field filled with tall grass, a peculiar situation alerted Ward and Miko: the hill area Dane was sleeping in was near the forest at the edge of the enclosed mountain range, and about half a mile away was actually a burial site, as the citizens of the city had placed and buried their dead in that location for many generations, and the hill was manmade. Until the council decided to establish a crematorium for practical reasons .
Dane just coincidentally chose that location because it was visible from where he was standing. The open, flat terrain of the land was a perfect location for farming, and the forest at the edge was also convenient for hunting and foraging. The moment he saw the hill next to the forest opening, he fixed his eyesight and designated it to be his escape route, so after he used the burst spell he learned from the dwarven forger Siglorr Bouldergrove,
The burst teleportation spell is truly a game changer, as he just needs to focus on the target point, no matter how far it might be, and instantly bends space to shorten the length of each activation. I had no idea how this magic spell language could have changed the course of the first floor.
Miko examined the hill and found out it was the fallen city's former burial site, as nearly ten thousand people were buried there. These people were former residents, and they were victims of the elder council governing the city. And because the city of Lúthien was a few weeks' travel from the main capital of Solnara Cererindur, news of their daily life was never heard, as they were all totally isolated and cut off from the eyes of the current king and the nobles. .
The city had faced many changes in the course of its history. As it encountered many land disputes and wars, the numerous farming families were forced to surrender their land by force as rich merchants that gained power and wealth from doing business with the North made them greedy. Nobody knows how huge the flat, fertile land was; everything was based on old documents and memory. But Dane has the official size of the land, as he tasked Daniel Simmons with the land design of the entire map and vast geographical look of the virtual game.
The landmass of each floor is different. The first floor was the most normal-looking, but as the players move up the floors, the terrain becomes more challenging and unpredictable. Dane wanted each level to offer a unique experience for players, with varying landscapes and obstacles to overcome. This would keep the game interesting and engaging, ensuring that players kept coming back for more.
And Daniel Simmons delivered the most eye-catching look of all the 100 floors. The first floor alone has a landmass five times the size of Earth, and it's just divided into four regions. It was created to be the main receiving area for those who wanted to earn money and just casually play the game. Daniel Simmons knew that people would definitely establish settlements on the first floor, and he didn't want players to feel crowded, so he created the widest and largest map.
Solnara Cererindur alone has a landmass similar to Texas, while the enclosed city of Lúthien
It has a flat landmass of 10,000 acres. The mountain range alone separated and became the city prison, was thousands of miles long and had different elevations and countless inhabitants living on it.
As the far corner of the west, where the lowest part of the mountain ridge is located, is connected to the north going toward the forest of Rithakwood, and on the west was toward the 500-meter-deep and almost more than a kilometer-long gorge.
Many players obtain information by word of mouth, but Dane knew this and just gave Ward and Miko the access to scan his memory of his past life. Detail varies concerning the demon's mouth or the gore connecting the west region of Karion.
Since Daniel Simmons was instructed by Damon Lazarus to have three different sizes of gorge connecting the west part of Karion, several players have even mentioned that the gore's actual size changes. As a result, planning ahead based on prior information will be pointless as the landscape changes. Planning ahead based on prior knowledge may be challenging due to the unexpected nature of the gorge's fluctuating size. Damon Lazarus requested that Daniel Simmons have three sizes available for the terrain.
No player knew about this, so this setup was really hard. Even if the evolved drake was killed in the virtual game, many players had a hard time crossing the gorge. The monster at the bottom of the gorge was also a challenge to overcome. The unpredictability of the evolving landscape added an extra layer of difficulty for players attempting to navigate the gorge and defeat the monster lurking at the bottom, while the thick fog on the top of the gorge was created to be like a constraint limiting the monsters from spending longer above and outside of the gorge.
All these information should be consider especially the Empire of graves is now open , many guilds will eventually challenge the quest because the reward is related to the second floor and every player all around the globe could final move forward and not remain stagnant at the first floor and live their days as if they were trapped in a never-ending loop.
While the remaining survivors of the Evolve Frak Hunt took this time to comtemplate and honor their fallen teammates , Sebastian and the other Lazarus clan members conducted a small prayer and paid their respects to those who had bravely fought alongside them. They knew that in order to succeed in the quest, they would need to stay united and honor the sacrifices made by their fellow players.
Mary Kaye apologizes to Charlotte for asking Sebastian for help, but Charlotte just gives her cousin a hug and thanks her, as she sees Mary Kaye's vulnerability and willingness to seek assistance as a sign of strength. She reassured Mary Kaye that they were all in this together and that asking for help was not a sign of weakness but rather a display of trust and unity among the team.
Charlotte was known to be strict with rules; she never asked for any help if she was able to do it herself. She grew up independently. She respected her older brother but hated being protected all the time. Among the three siblings, Charlotte was always the one to take charge and handle things on her own, but deep down she appreciated the support and concern from her team. Despite her independent nature, she valued the unity and trust that came from seeking assistance when needed.
As they took time to gather their thoughts , manage their emotions, and heal their wounds, the remaining White Devil Guild were already preparing to set up camp in the burned city, as nothing was left to salvage. There were buildings that were still standing, but Natasha and the remaining players under her command were too exhausted to even consider anything else.
Jacob , Cody, and a few knights search for any supplies they can find in the rubble, hoping to provide some relief for their weary comrades. The sense of resolve and camaraderie among the group , meanwhile, Dane was still asleep under the now night sky. Some parts of the small city were still burning from the fire the Dragonoid created, but the wind blowing from the northern region was slowly helping to extinguish the flames. As the night grew darker, the group knew they had to find a temporary shelter, as monsters might still be roaming in the area.
The two artificial companions of Dane manage his well-being like the parents that they were programed and took inspiration from. Ward and Miko were growing. They were learning to adapt to their surroundings and the dangers that came with it, becoming more efficient in protecting Dane, who they now considered their son.
The two took it upon themselves to gather all memories of his parents. There they notice the sstem that recreated his dying body manipulated his human body , they didn't want to alarm Dane, but the two knew the system also blocked some of this information and made him just openly accept the things that had happened to him,
Memories from his younger years were protected, and the memories of the Damon Lazarus, who were sad and angry, finally subsided and just became a floating past memory. Dane's mind now is represented by a library. The two were able to manifest their own subconscious look.
Miko was still lovely and was wearing a kimono, and the Obi that was warp around her waist had a long ribbon at the back that became somewhat like her wings.
She is as elgant and graceful as ever, embodying a sense of peace and serenity that calms Dane's troubled mind. While Ward wears a formal military uniform that exudes authority and strength, symbolizing his role as Dane's protector and guide through the chaos of his thoughts. Together,
The library within Dane's subconscious now holds the key to unlocking their shared memories and emotions, allowing them to move forward together in a reality that can change instantly, most of his memories were carefully place on a book and stored on the shelves most were information from all his accuired information, from all manner of experiences and knowledge that they have accumulated over the years. As they navigate through the library,
Miko and Ward are able to piece together the fragments of their past and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their connection to each other. The momories od Danes Parents were at the center on the liblary it was the thickest and most detailed book on the shelf, filled with stories of their adventures and life lessons.
Dane's true personality was within this book, the reason why Edwardd andMiyako trained theirr son with the utmost care and diligence until he reached the age offifteen.,Those yearss molded him and gave him control over his true instinct. He was born with savant syndrome. He looks normal, but when he was young, he never interacted with other people. He was interestedin parents' training regimens, as he saw them sparring and training with their figthing technics at home, many times at a very young age.
As Miyako Azai was a devoted sword master and Edward Lazarus was a skilled close combat specialist, their son absorbed their teachings like a sponge. This upbringing ultimately shaped him into controlling his primal instincts as he learned to channel his energy and focus into disciplined martial arts practice. This unique upbringing not only allowed him to develop exceptional combat skills but also taught him the importance of self-control and discipline in all aspects of his life.
He was a normal boy that loved to read, play with his cousin, hunt, spar, and train in their backyard beyond their farmland near the mountain range. These adventures and risky activities helped him to further hone his combat skills and instincts.
His parents' guidance and teachings instilled in him a sense of responsibility and determination that would serve him well in his journey towards becoming a master martial artist. made him dream of creating a world where he could hunt freely and enjoy the thrill of fighting a strong opponent, as he had never beaten his parents in a fair spar. Even in those moments he sparred with his older cousin , he always felt a sense of excitement and challenge. This desire to improve and test his skills fueled his ambition to become a skilled warrior in his own right.
He loved those moments and treated his parents like his mentors, always seeking their guidance and approval in his quest for greatness. Through dedication and hard work, he hoped to one day achieve his dream of creating a world where he could truly thrive as a hunter and fighter.
Even when he was studying he never forgotten to train and always commnunicate with his parents, as ward and miko flip the page regarding the momries when he was creating and developing the main system for the virtual game of Arcane Crusade the writting were bluured and smudged some of the information was readable but relitively lacking in so many vital details from the countless hours of work and emotional momories put into it, and some pages were also missing the part were his parents passed away and he didn't knew and gain confimation of this tragedy , this were all the bad momories the old Damon lazarus remain psyche mentioned that he took out and hid these sad and painfull memories from the new and younger version of himself as a way to protect his mental health.
This coping mechanism allowed him to focus on building a better life in his second life as the 23-year-old Dane. These suppressed memories began to affect Dane's mind as he wasn't sure and always questioned his decisions. But when the old memories resurface, he openly accepts it and regains the pain and sadness of losing an important person in his life. His instinct to protect his remaining and only known family was stronger than ever.
He realized that facing his past and accepting his pain was the only way to truly move forward and find peace within himself. This new understanding allowed Dane to finally let go of his coping mechanism and embrace his true self, scars and all. The information on the main book was gradually returning as Ward and Miko continued to scour Dane's subconscious library mind..
Miko was roaming inside the library and was checking all the memory books Dane had accumulated in his past. His knowledge was vast, but he doesn't show off, maybe due to his personality. As she explores even further, she sees a corridor with three doors. Miko was amazed at how Dane perceives and represents his mind.
Even the silent caretakers of his library were seven beings wearing a suit and having a faceless head just wearing a kabuki mask with seven facial expressions. The corridor was wide and seemed to be expanding based on what Dane actually imagined.
The three frosted glass doors have a sign placed on them. The first door was actually Miko's workroom, while the second room was Ward's forging room. and the third was for Dane, Miko's eyes widened with delight as she smiled, she reach out and touch the frosted glass door and feel the letters that was engrave on it. it was her name, she was happy and at the same time excited to gin such a wonderful gift .Dane created another amazing place that they cant free used, they were not just his assistants and guard , they were the representation of his parents,
they were created to honor them and a testament to to hi love and resolve. complicated emotions were the core motivation in why he meticulously created them in the likeness of his parent, he lost the when he turned 23 , those were the moment were the virtual game of Arcane Crusade gain popularity among the consumers and this was the most critical stage as many companies were trying to ruin his creation and destroy his dream. his pride could not let this happen even the very moment he heard his parent died, the sadness in his heart what pushed him to drown all his emotion and let this pain be the force, it the only reason why he had to for it to show his parent he created something that he designed and made it his mission to do so.
seeing what Dane created for them. Miko knew he was moving forward and not letting the past dictate the things he wanted to achieve now, as They will no longer work in an endless blank space inside Dane's mind; he created this safe place the moment filled with a sense of hope and chance for the the better while , he was sleeping and dreaming of a place where he can rest while they work behind the scenes.