After the first few nights, the panels in Sam’s dreams started to change.
Not all at once, but gradually, one by one, over the course of the two weeks.
[You can feel it getting closer.]
Two days later, another.
[You know it’s coming.]
Three days after that...
[They are all dood.]
Then ca a series of them, new ones appearing every night, as if building to sothing.
[Here it is.]
[They’re gonna do it soon.]
[The beginning is coming.]
And finally, on the last night of those two weeks, when Sam laid down to rest once again, one last panel appeared in his dream.
This panel was the one glowing with the most malice and sinister aura out of them all, as if warning him.
[Tomorrow is the day, Primordial. Are you ready?]
As soon as he saw that, sothing stirred within Sam.
A weight in his chest, as if sothing ancient had just awakened.
But the feeling passed. And just like that, he opened his eyes.
Only to find a panel floating before him, this ti, in the real world.
[Hell-Mode Analysis: It’s ti.]
"Ti for what?" Sam muttered, tilting his head.
Nothing had changed. At least, nothing obvious.
He hadn’t entered the Fifth Layer yet. He hadn’t encountered the Forsaken Lord that ruled it.
No big plans. No big events.
He was still figuring out a way to level up and increase his [Hatred Bar], but after 2 weeks, he realized that it wasn’t cutting it anymore.
Because to feel hatred... he needed to actually advance and et those that wanted him dead.
Whether he was ready or not, it didn’t matter.
Today, Sam was going to enter the [Fifth Layer].
The monsters there would be level 60, at the peak of [Ascendant] Rank.
The kind of enemies no human in this world could handle alone.
Even David with his [Union Guild], as well as the top guilds in the north region, were currently only setting up teams to try and beat the fifth layer.
But Sam?
’I guess I’ll be the first to complete that layer, then,’ he thought with a grin, stepping outside his hotel room.
And then...
[They did it. It’s over.]
A new panel appeared as he opened the door, and Sam frowned.
[Sothing is coming, Primordial. It’s going to get worse, especially for you.]
"Worse than this? Would love to see it," Sam muttered, sighing.
He still didn’t understand what these panels were, or who was behind them.
They’d gone from just being in his dreams... to being everywhere.
[Good luck.]
And just like that, the panels vanished.
Leaving Sam with a quiet, creeping feeling in the back of his mind.
He tried to shake it off.
After all, today was the day he was going to attempt the [Fifth Layer].
That ant probably facing the fifth [Forsaken Lord], just like he had with Asmodeus.
He wasn’t expecting anything special. Things were going well.
Humanity was making progress with the [Forsaken] realm. He was getting stronger.
The only real threats now were the [Forsaken Lords] and the other races—
’Wait,’ Sam paused. That’s when it hit him.
[Weren’t the Beastkin on the sixth layer? Do you realize it now?]
"I—"
Sam was about to speak, but the very exact mont he stepped outside of his hotel...
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A flood of notifications. But not just around him, everywhere. Throughout the city. Across the region. Across the world.
"What the hell is that?!"
"Is that another global ssage?"
"Did Sam Walker do sothing again?!"
"No, this one’s different! Sothing’s happening!"
Sam looked up.
He hadn’t done anything yet, which ant these alerts weren’t about him.
So...
Fwoooosh! BOOM!
The sky exploded.
A massive vortex opened in the atmosphere, spreading across the world like a tear in reality itself.
People everywhere stared in disbelief.
"WHAT THE—?!"
"What is that?!"
Sam’s eyes locked onto it, his brows furrowing. Sweat started to gather on his forehead.
[It is here now, Primordial.]
[We are fucked.]
And then... they appeared.
Ten massive shadowed figures began to descend from the vortex.
All anyone could see were their eyes, glowing, ancient, and all-knowing.
They looked down at the world from above. And the world looked up at them in fear.
And then a colossal golden panel appeared in the sky, visible to every living being on Earth.
[Hello.]
The voice that ca with it was so overwhelming, so majestic, that everyone who heard it froze in place.
Sam remained still, his gaze unwavering.
’What are these things... is this why I was being warned?’
[Do not panic.] the first voice continued. [We have appeared in all seven worlds to deliver a ssage.]
Another voice took over, this one softer, almost feminine.
[It is finally happening.]
[The Beastkin have successfully completed the Sixth Layer.]
[Which ans...] said a third voice, deeper and gruffer, [Only humanity remains.]
Every human on Earth stood frozen. But as they said it, so did the other races.
The demons, angels, beastkin, elves, dragons, and even that seventh race Sam didn’t know yet.
They all stared up at the ten beings in the sky.
[We won’t lie to you,] one of the figures said. [We are extrely excited to know that this is finally happening, as every world but one managed to conquer the first part of the "Forsaken" realm.]
[But... that also ans that the humans are stalling the progress of the others.]
The air itself began to vibrate with energy. And pressure slamd down onto the Earth like a hamr.
[Here is what we are going to do, humans.]
[Humanity has six months to conquer the remaining layers.]
[If you fail... your world will be erased.]
Panic spread instantly.
"WHAT?!"
"There’s no way!"
"Are they serious?!"
The humans began to spiral into chaos.
What had just been a regular morning now turned into the announcent of a doomsday countdown.
Other races were quiet, so cautious, others indifferent.
But they all understood one thing clearly: If this was how powerful these beings were... none of their worlds were truly safe.
And these ten had just said this was only the "first part" of the Forsaken realm?
Sam stood still. He kept staring up at them, unblinking.
Sothing about them pulled at him. A distant connection he couldn’t explain.
One of the beings then raised its hand and snapped.
A massive tir appeared across the sky.
[179 Days, 23 Hours, 59 Minutes, 47 Seconds]
The countdown had begun. The end had a schedule now.
[We understand this may be shocking,] said a fifth being, his voice gravelly and ancient. [But it must be done. We hope to see you reach the "Universal Stage".]
They had said their piece. Now they were getting ready to vanish.
They’d thrown all seven worlds into chaos and were about to disappear into the vortex they ca from.
But Sam’s eyes hadn’t moved. He was staring right at them.
And then, he activated [Hell-Mode Analysis] to inspect them.
---
[Na: ??? (Forsaken)]
[Rank: ???]
[Level: ???]
[Description: ???]
---
He couldn’t see anything concerning these beings, as if they outclassed his analysis.
Even their appearance were hidden, aning that these being, though imnsely powerful, didn’t want to reveal themselves just yet.
Maybe they’d show themselves during the later stages of the Forsaken Realm. Maybe not.
But right as Sam lowered the panel, another one appeared.
[Hell-Mode Analysis: They noticed you.]
And that’s when Sam felt it. All ten pairs of eyes locked onto him.
Through the skies. Through the worlds. Even in a sea of billions, Sam Walker could feel it, like he was being marked.
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