Cursed Immortality

In the center of the deadly forest, an endless whiteness bloomed at a speed impossible to follow with eyes before it enveloped everything. 

'Bbooooommmmmmm…' 

A second later, a world-destroying sound that could make anyone deaf reverberated far and wide, and within that whiteness, a yellow fountain of destruction rose, and shockwaves turning everything into dust followed suit. 

Even miles above the sky, Jacob felt the might of his creation as terrifying heat that could even make him feel threatened enveloped him as the feeling of being burned alive overcame the giant. 

Still, it was not enough to burn his skin, and he only turned crimson with radioactive heat. 

The destruction continued for a few minutes before things started to settle down, and what was left of the once clear, overgrown forest was thick radioactive smoke. Jacob managed to endure it all with some skin burns before his body began to heal with his powerful ability. 

Still, the temperature was over 3800 degrees Celsius, which was the case for the outer area of the terrifying explosion. The core was literally turned into a molten lava pit. 

'At this temperature, even the diamond would not survive, much less anything living. But I need to get that piece… yet it's madness to go in the center even for me. Let's get out of here for now. I don't think anyone would survive this place or go anywhere near the core area. I'll get that piece from another beast…' Jacob mused grimly as he stood in the blinding smock. 

He didn't let himself be blinded by greed; the legacy pieces were not his primary goal but to clear the trial before anyone else, so he started to fly in the other direction. 

At this moment, the hateful voice that he had been waiting for rang, making Jacob grimace,

"Congratulations, Faceless Ancient, for clearing a Trial Condition!" 

He only scoffed and looked at his star watch,

"Congratulations on killing the Beast of West: Earth Calamity Tree!

"Your glorious deeds have been spread far and wide!" 

'Two more to go…' Jacob thought with shimmering eyes as he continued to fly.

--- 

At this moment, in the golden desert, the flames have been completely extinguished after Jacob clears the trial condition.

A tall elf in a white robe and cape appeared, and she heard the unexpected announcement.

"Congratulations, Faceless Ancient, for clearing a Trial Condition!" 

An icy mist exploded from her, turning a hundred-meter area around her into an ice field, "Just how in the world is he doing it so quickly?!" She yelled in frustration.

The next moment, a vermin transponder surfaced in his hand before it connected, and another woman's voice rang, "Did you manage to enter without problem?" 

The elf bit her cherry lip as she replied, "Yes, mistress, but I just heard another announcement about the Faceless Ancient clearing another condition!" 

"What!?" The voice on the other side rang in shock before she asked, "Are you certain? Didn't this make it the third one so far?" 

The elf grimly replied, "Indeed, it has not even three days since we received the news about him clearing the second condition from the President. I don't know how he's doing it." 

"This is very bad for us." The gloomy voice rang, "I'll send more people in and, in the meantime, find the president. He said he's in some dark swamp, and I'll contact the chairman. Remember, we can't let that hateful rebel achieve the solo championship, or our entire organization will be shuffled, and the current authorities will be punished heavily. 

"Furthermore, if you find any dark beings' higher-ups, try negotiating with them. At this point, I don't think they will try to pick up a fight with us since they would be as desperate as us. Tell them we're willing to form a temporary truce until we or they claim another condition." 

The elf's eyes widened with shock before she regained her composure, "As you command, mistress!" 

--- 

Within the dark swamp, a towering dark being emerged donned in menacing dark armor and a long crimson cape, and the eye sockets of his dark helmet were ablaze in crimson flames as he looked like a harbinger of carnage. 

One after another, more and more dark beings appeared behind him. 

At this moment, the voice rang. 

"Congratulations, Faceless Ancient, for clearing a Trial Condition!" 

The crimson flames in his eyes suddenly burned high, and a terrifying aura of carnage enveloped a massive area. 

"Is this some kind of mistake, Dead Minster?" His husky, eerie voice rang, filled with terrifying killing intent. 

A ghost face dark being behind him trembled as a quavering voice sounded from his empty mouth, "I… I don't know your majesty!" 

The King of Dead, Onyx, stood there as his crimson flame eyes burned fiercely, and he finally spoke, "Go back and tell Prime Minster to come here with reaming forces. This is not a time to hold back. This Faceless Ancient is far more capable than we gave him the credit for." 

'Clap…clap…clap…' 

Suddenly, clapping sounds rang as the King of Dead and the army behind him became alert as they looked in the direction of the sound with death glares.

At this moment, a tall figure clad in pristine blue armor walked from the darkness like a phantom. He was a middle-aged man with purple skin and long blue hair, and his astute was filled with wisdom as he gazed at the towering King of Dead fearlessly. 

Onyx's eyes flared up slightly as he said coldly, "You are… the Wise Monk of living side, Nelsen?" 

Nelsen's pale lips rose slightly as he nodded, "It's an honor to be remembered by the King of Dead." 

"Hmph, I was under the impression you like scheming behind walls. But now you deliver yourself to me? Don't tell me you're here to pled fealty?" Onyx coldly said with mockery as his aura locked on Nelsen. 

However, Nelsen remained smiling, "Now that would be a sight to behold, wouldn't it? But I'm afraid we won't be able to make it happen anytime soon. Today, I'm here to form an alliance against our common enemy." 

Onyx's flaming eyes blazed fiercely, "You mean Faceless Ancient?" 

Nelsen smiled darkly, "Indeed, and that's why I applaud Your Majesty because you know the threat this person poses. I'll be blunt and sincere with Your Majesty: there is a shackle in this place, and I'm willing to support you to clear it!" 

"Is that so? How did you discover this place?" Onyx questioned. 

"Heh, just a trifling ability of mine. Trust me, I want the Faceless Ancient dead, and I'm willing to ally myself with you to achieve that. This person is far more terrifying than you can imagine, and it's in our best interest to get rid of him before we continue our traditional game." Nelsen smilingly stated as if everything was under his control. 

Onyx's coldly replied with killing intent, "And what made you think I'll agree to this insignificant alliance with a livestock?" 

Nelsen's expression went icy as he declared, "Because I have the same weapons as the Faceless Ancient, and I'll give you 100,000 Epic Rank living to do as you pleased afterward!"