Chapter 192: Adam’s Reflection
Adam immediately shook his head.
Without hesitation, he activated both [Authority of Invincibility] and [Authority of Disconnection], forcing his mind away from that dangerous line of thought while strengthening his mental resistance.
’Something is wrong with my head...’
Every time he started thinking in the direction of the "truth" behind this universe, his mind and entire body would suddenly become blank.
It felt as if something was actively preventing him from continuing, corrupting his thoughts before he could reach the conclusion.
Was this because of the "secret" that [Nawh] had told him?
Or was it because of the sticker that he had kept inside his pocket?
No...
Wait.
Could it be both?
After Guin’s Reflection gave Adam the sticker, it was strange how [Nawh] immediately chose to reveal a "secret" to him afterward.
Both things seemed connected...
Both involved information that Adam was previously unaware of...
Information that could potentially change his understanding of reality itself.
However...
[Nawh] was definitely not hostile towards Adam.
He had helped him multiple times. He had protected him, guided him, and even gave him gifts to aid him throughout his current journey in the Tower of Yxthar...
So why would he attempt to corrupt Adam’s existence?
Following this line of thought, Adam formed a hypothesis.
The sticker was dangerous.
It contained corruptive information that Adam did not understand, and learning the truth behind it could potentially harm him.
[Nawh], who seemed to be extremely aware of this danger, knew that keeping the sticker with Adam would eventually put him at risk.
And because of that...
He chose to give Adam a "secret."
But that secret was also dangerous.
It also seemed to contain corruptive information that Adam was not meant to know.
Was [Nawh] helping Adam fight one form of corruption by giving him another?
Was he intentionally introducing a second dangerous piece of information to counteract the first?
Or was there another reason behind his actions that Adam still failed to understand?
’The matter behind sending me back in time is definitely not as simple as I originally thought it to be...’
The more Adam investigated, the more complicated the truth became.
Every answer only seemed to create more questions.
Not to mention...
Despite already reaching the [Gold] rank of existence, an existence that should have surpassed countless ordinary beings, he still could not fully withstand the "secret" told by [Nawh] or the strange power contained within the sticker given by the future reflection.
Just knowing a small fragment of those truths had already placed an unbearable strain on his mind.
If even he, someone who possessed multiple Authorities and had reached such a level of existence, could barely endure it...
Then what exactly were those things?
What kind of information could be so dangerous that simply understanding it could damage the mind and existence of the person who learned it?
Adam clenched his thoughts as he realized how far beyond his current understanding this situation truly was.
If only he could consult someone knowledgeable about these sorts of things...
Someone who understood Authorities, concepts, and the hidden laws that governed reality itself.
Elaric would’ve been the perfect option...
After all, he possessed the [Authority of Omniscience]. There should be very few things in existence that could escape his knowledge.
However...
Adam did not trust him.
Knowledge was not the same as trust.
Even if Elaric truly knew the answer, revealing these secrets to him could create an entirely different problem.
There was no guarantee that someone who knew a lot of things would necessarily have Adam’s best interests in mind.
Not to mention, O-3 and Leila had already warned him to be wary and careful of Elaric...
Perhaps he could consult O-3 instead?
Compared to Elaric, O-3 was someone Adam understood far less about, but strangely enough, he felt less threatened by him.
The main problem was that Adam had no way of contacting him.
That fellow seemed to only appear before Adam during specific moments, almost as if he preferred observing from somewhere beyond Adam’s reach.
’I’ll ask about how I can contact him next time...’
Adam silently decided.
[Due to certain difficulties, the next Reflection will be delayed]
[Mother of Reflections is currently discussing a solution with the Tower of Yxthar]
[Mother of Reflections is requesting compensation]
[The Tower of Yxthar is listening]
[Countless viewers are extremely intrigued by the development of the current tutorial floor]
[An agreement has been reached]
The moment the announcement ended...
The "room" suddenly began to distort.
The boundaries of the space stretched outward as if the very concept of distance was being rewritten. The ground beneath their feet trembled before slowly losing its original form.
The solid surface began to soften then melt...
Then transform into something resembling a liquid.
A crimson liquid that seemed to be stained with something far more sinister than simple color.
The ground eventually disappeared entirely, replaced by an endless sea of red that extended beyond the horizon.
Black sand slowly piled up across the surface, forming a strange and unnatural landscape. The sky above was dark and empty, devoid of clouds, stars, or any indication of life.
There was only the color of black and red along with silence.
A world of darkness illuminated by the faint glow of the crimson sea.
The smell of the air itself felt odd, carrying an unbearable stench.
The foul smell of blood filled every corner of this world, causing even Adam’s instincts to warn him that this place was fundamentally different from the previous reflection areas...
[Hidden Conditions Triggered!]
[Mother of Reflections has activated True Body status.]
[Floor 8 Authority has been distributed.]
[Preparation Time Has Ended.]
[The Next Reflection Is Being Selected...]
[Chosen Reflection: The Chosen Conduit]
The moment the system announcement disappeared...
The endless red sea began to move.
Within the depths of the red sea, a figure slowly emerged.
A figure that looked exactly like Adam.
However...
Unlike the previous reflections, this one felt different.
It was not an imitation or a distorted copy created from memories or a fragment of existence glimpsed by the [Mother of Reflection].
This one was real.
No... It was truly "Adam".
Every detail was identical.
His appearance, his presence, his existence itself...
It was as if the entirety of Adam had been perfectly reflected without any imperfections.
An exact copy, and exact reflection...
A reflection so precise that even his state of existence had been replicated.
Adam stared at the figure emerging from the red sea, his expression slowly becoming more serious.
There was only one conclusion he could reach.
This reflection was not the "Adam" of this current timeline.
This was the reflection of the Adam who existed before he traveled back in time.
The Adam who had yet to experience the events that shaped him into his current self.
The figure opened his eyes and looked around the unfamiliar world.
Confusion appeared on his face.
Then, after a brief silence, he spoke.
"Where... is this?"
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