“Are you sure we’re safe now?”

Marcus breathed heavily and looked around with wide eyes. Not even the three-meter tall, colossal [Monk] felt comfortable after what had just happened.

Lucianus, breathless, replied, "We should be." He paused, regret evident in his voice. His Mana was almost completely drained.

Whatever they had met inside the pyramid wasn’t something he’d ever want to encounter again. All their people had died on the spot just by virtue of that thing’s presence. That thing had almost killed them both, too, just by looking at them. “I should have known better,” Lucianus whispered.

The pyramid had revealed itself not to be one of mankind’s ultimate resting places but something much greater.

“Fascinating,” a haunting voice, echoing from the depths they believed they had long since left behind, whispered into the cold air.

That was enough for Marcus to pass out on the spot and fall to the ground, crushed by that being’s Soul Pressure.

Lucianus screamed. He clutched his ears. The pain was absolute, unbearable.

A pressure like he had never witnessed before bore down on his soul, threatening to crush it.

The most talented [Healer] of the Church, the youngest Patriarch of the Gens Claudia, stumbled forward, blood pouring out of his every orifice.

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Dozens of people had just died. He and Marcus were next. 

The pursuit of knowledge had ruined them.

How?! My [Meditation] is...

“How low have your people fallen,” the voice said. Its tone was mild, but it might as well have been daggers stabbing right into Lucianus’s ears. Lucianus fell on his knees, already suffering the first signs of brain damage. As his vision blurred, he noticed an inscribed symbol on the palm of the mysterious being – a circle with a cross within, entwined by two serpents. A symbol he had seen in one of the ancient tomes that had led them there. But what did it mean?

“First, tend to your wounds,” the being made an inviting gesture with his marked palm outstretched.

Lucianus wasn’t a man known for his hesitation. Immediately, he felt the great pressure that had cut off his magic removed, and his own Light Magic enveloped him, repairing the damage.

Sneaking a glance to the side, he also cast [Major Healing] over Marcus, the only one still breathing. Whatever thing they had awoken didn’t complain about it, though, filling Lucianus with relief. I couldn’t let Marcus die.

“Impressive healing for a dweller of a fallen continent. Still, transgressions shall be punished,” the being spoke chilling words that froze the blood in his veins.

Lucianus opened his mouth, but he couldn’t speak. The air was too thick, too dense to transmit any sound. He felt as if he was underwater.

The being’s gaze bore through the mortal, feeling like a thousand nails had been driven through him.  

Lucianus's mind raced. Is this the end? After everything, will it all end here?

“I can see you consorted with the children of the pages to find my shrine. But only I remain above the Abyss, and only because of my simple yet inevitable nature. Lucianus Claudius, tell me, would you like to live?”

Lucianus felt his body seize, and blood poured from his eyes, but he still nodded eagerly. But… he’d never told him his name.

“Then, we shall have an exchange of old. Three lives for three favors. Do you accept?” 

Lucianus hesitated, every fiber of his being screaming at him.