Chapter 257: Deciding time

Chapter 257: Deciding timeNot only that, but he also felt a massive improvement in his Eternal Sword World. Although the mysterious energy explosion stopped, the broken sword seemed to have anchored itself in his internal world and was slowly improving his internal world and his strength.

Apollo now just needed to practice, and he would slowly improve not only his internal world but also his understanding of Sword. Apollo also had a feeling that he would be able to create a new sword move after seeing the unimaginable images shown by the sword.

He closed his eyes, letting the images replay in his mind. The sword movements in those visions were not just attacks; they were expressions of a profound understanding of reality. Every slash seemed to cleave not just space but the very essence of laws ruling the world.

Apollo’s fingers unconsciously mimicked the movements he had seen, his body attempting to internalize the rhythm. Each motion felt natural yet required precise control over his energy and intent. As he moved, he could feel his internal world responding, harmonizing with his actions and sharpening his perception of the sword’s essence.

But after that, he stopped, as even with his understanding, it would take some time to create a brand new sword move, so it was better to stop now.

He then took out the second item that was the main reason for the chaos he experienced today, the ’Key’ of the legendary Forbidden Realm. The moment it rested in his palm, he felt an overwhelming wave of energy emanating from it. The horn pulsed with power, each beat resonating through the core of his being like it was alive.

The horn appeared ancient yet unscathed, its surface smooth and obsidian-like, etched with intricate, glowing runes that seemed to shift and writhe as if alive. Its shape was elegant yet primal, curving slightly as though carved by the hands of a higher existence. As Apollo held it, he couldn’t help but marvel at its weight—not physical, but the immense presence it carried.

He closed his eyes and focused his senses, allowing his consciousness to probe the horn’s essence. Instantly, he felt two distinct energies radiating from it, both overwhelming and enigmatic.

The first was the Law of Space, its presence so profound that it seemed to bend laws around the horn. Apollo could sense the vastness and intricacies of this law, its power far beyond his current comprehension. Even though he already reached the world level in understanding space law.

The other law was none other than the mysterious and arguably most powerful law in direct confrontation: the law of Destruction. If there is a beginning, then there is an end; if there is creation, there is destruction.

It is one of the supreme laws. By understanding the law of Destruction, one can destroy anything—even space and time itself. The horn seemed to embody a deep, mysterious essence of destruction.

Not to mention being the key to the Forbidden Realm, but just the presence of these two laws made this a valuable treasure that is hard to come by.

But right now he was not going to understand that; instead, he wanted to know which among the ten forbidden realms it would lead to and how to open the gate of that realm.

Apollo’s gaze lingered on the horn, his fingers lightly tracing the glowing runes as if trying to decode the secrets etched into its surface.

He activated his spiritual senses, carefully channelling his energy into the horn. The runes began to glow brighter, their movements becoming more erratic as if responding to his touch. A deep hum resonated through the air, vibrating in sync with the horn’s immense mysterious energy.

A voice—ancient and commanding—suddenly echoed in his mind with some broken information appearing in his mind about how to use it to open the Dimension Gate to the Forbidden Realm.

"Infernal Destruction Realm."

Apollo quickly opened his eyes as he finally knew which of the ten forbidden realms this key would take them to.

Knowing this, he came out of his room and went to Serena to learn more about the Infernal Destruction Realm. As a transcendent force, Sky Tower must have some information about it.

Serena looked up as he entered, her silver eyes narrowing slightly as she sensed the urgency in his demeanour. "Lord," she said, her voice calm yet curious. "What brings you here so suddenly?"

"I wanted to ask something," Apollo replied without preamble. He placed the black horn on the table between them, its surface shimmering faintly with arcane patterns. "About the Infernal Destruction Realm. This key... it seems to be connected to it."

For a moment, Serena’s expression remained unreadable. Then, a flicker of recognition passed through her eyes.

"The Infernal Destruction Realm," she said, her tone thoughtful. "One of the ten forbidden realms—a place even gods tread carefully. It is said to be a realm of endless demons, where infernal energies saturate the land, and ancient entities of destruction vie for dominance. The Sky Tower’s archives hold fragments of knowledge about it."

"Those entities of destruction are called ’Infernal Lords.’ They are being born from a fragment of the auras of unique flame from the beginning of time known as the ’Black Lotus Flame.’" One of the naturally bred flame breeds by the universe itself."

"So the infernal lords, as being born from the aura ’Black Lotus Flame,’ are not typical physical beings, as they are more of elemental life forms. They are the masters of fire laws and have also received some blessing of destruction law of Black Lotus Flame, making them extremely strong."

Apollo’s gaze sharpened at Serena’s explanation, his mind immediately analyzing her words. The Infernal Destruction Realm was no ordinary realm, and its connection to the mythical Black Lotus Flame elevated its danger to unparalleled heights.

"So," Apollo said, his voice calm but tinged with intrigue, "these Infernal Lords are essentially sentient flames infused with destruction, wielding mastery over the fire and destruction laws. It makes them nearly unkillable, doesn’t it?"

Serena nodded, her silver eyes reflecting a faint glimmer of caution. "Yes, ordinary methods won’t suffice. Their elemental nature allows them to reform unless completely annihilated with more powerful law and can only grind them to death after destroying them many times."

"Interesting," Apollo muttered, his lips curling into a faint smile. "It seems they would make tricky opponents."

"But lord, don’t underestimate them or the dangers in the Infernal Destruction; they are for no reason called the Forbidden Realm." Serena quickly said as she hoped he remained cautious.

He nodded and then asked the main question, "Serena, I can now open the gate to the Infernal Destruction Realm whenever I want. However, once I open it, the gate will remain open for five years, allowing anyone to enter."

"But wouldn’t this make it too easy for others to access it without effort or cost? From the information I gathered from the key, the opening of the gate would cause quite a commotion, making it hard to keep hidden. So what do you think I should do?"

"Actually, it is quite easy to solve the problem," Serena said with a smile.

"Oh, then tell me."

"Lord, you can post a mission in the Sky Tower with your authority. The Infernal Destruction Realm is a forbidden realm and certainly worth the attention of the Sky Tower. Let them send people, not only to barricade the area after it opens but also to assemble a group of warriors to join us.

This way, not only will the gate be protected, but you can also earn points as a commission when the group exchanges the items they find within the realm for points in the Sky Tower."

Apollo listened intently, his sharp gaze fixed on Serena as she laid out her suggestion. Her idea was practical and would solve multiple problems at once—securing the gate, controlling access, and generating resources from the venture. He tapped his fingers thoughtfully before nodding.

"Clever Serena. Your suggestion has merit," Apollo said, a faint smile curving his lips. "If the Sky Tower oversees the gate, we’ll ensure order and mitigate the chaos that could follow. And the points... well, I won’t refuse additional benefits."

Serena bowed slightly, her expression pleased. "Thank you, my lord. Shall I begin drafting the mission proposal for the Sky Tower? I recommend specifying that only individuals of sufficient rank and capability be allowed to participate. This will minimize risks while ensuring the quality of participants."

Apollo nodded. "Do it."

Serena’s silver eyes gleamed with approval. "As you wish, my lord."

"Then let the opening time be six months later so that more nearby guys can come here." He quickly decided on the opening time six months later, as he could take the time and fully understand and create his new sword move from the broken sword to improve his strength and the Eternal Sword world.

Serena nodded firmly. "Consider it done, my lord. I’ll prepare everything and submit the proposal before the day ends."

Apollo then left and went back to his room. The Infernal Destruction Realm was a dangerous place to venture, but with careful planning and the right people, it could also yield unimaginable rewards.