"We need some people to watch over the fort and protect Aloe," I said, preparing to transport the team to see the problem with Kuzon.
"There's no need. This place is protected by your Magic, as well as mine. If they can break through this place, then there's no one we can put in charge that'll stop them."
As always, Neron made another fair point. But we couldn't just leave Aloe in her comatose state without any protector.
"I-I can stay!" Asa raised his hand.
I couldn't allow that, considering he wouldn't be strong enough. But then again, who else would volunteer?
Perhaps Edward or Ciara? But the former would rather help Ana, and the latter? Maybe—
"Just leave your Automatons here and help Kuzon! Can't you just teleport back when the barrier is breached? Neron has time powers, doesn't he?!"
Ana's loud voice brought me back from my deep realm of thought.
After properly going over her suggestion, as well as the very heavy gazes of everyone around me, I decided to go along with it.
"Fine. We'll do that."
*
*
*
>VWUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH<
The blue portal opened wide and we were all instantly sent to an odd-looking place.
Neron, Serah, Asa, Ivan, Jerry, Lemi, Ana, Maro, Ciara, Edward, and then me.
I did as Ana suggested, so no one was left behind.
We were met with a small room—well, not too small, but considering our number, it wasn't exactly very spacious either.
A chair—which was similar to a throne—was displayed in front of us, and behind it were many wires. I deciphered that this technologically advanced setup had some relation with Beruel, though I couldn't be fully sure.
'Where are we exactly?' I had only analysed the trajectory based on Ana's previous coordinates, so I was clueless.
"It's my Fort, but... it's different."
The entire place seemed just like how Beruel would like his fort to be. After all, everything around us was layered completely in gold. I felt like it was a bit too extra, but who was I to judge?
"This way." Neron spoke, floating away from the room where we appeared.
He left through a large hole in the wall, a hole I deciphered was probably caused by the walls being destroyed by forceful entry.
Just by looking at the cracks and the formation, I could guess that much.
'But breaking through pure gold... hmmm...'
We all followed Neron out of the hole, experiencing a different setting from the more clustered room.
It was a large hall—probably used for showcasing or keeping several items. However, it looked incomplete for some reason. What seemed like several glass tubes and pipes filled the damaged area.
"T-this is..."
My eyes, just like everyone else's, caught something at the centre of the hall. It had the form of a person but was completely covered in gold—like everything else around us.
"You really are an odd one, Beruel." I murmured as we drew closer to the golden statue.
I didn't expect him to decorate his place with the statue of a man who was not himself. Besides, I was amazed that the statue seemed so out of place—standing at the center of everything that surrounded it.
'It also doesn't have any scratch on it. Strange.'
I calmly observed the statue, but Beruel and Ana seemed to be in an excitable state. Their highly pitched voices told me that something was indeed up with the figure.
"T-that's him! The one who attacked us."
"His name is Kido, the Second Seat of the Cult."
'That means he's powerful, right? Hold on... this is the actual person? Did Magic do this to him?'
I was even more intrigued at this point. It indeed had all the details a normal person had. But was that enough proof that this was the actual person?
I mean, Magic could achieve the same effects.
"Neron, could you—"
"I already used Time Immersion to check the events of the past."
At this point, I stopped staring at the statue and looked at him. Ana, Beruel, and literally everyone else, looked at him.
"Ana was right. Kuzon was in terrible danger." He sighed.
'A-ah...' Realizing the blunder I'd made, my expression turned sour.
For a moment, a solemn silence filled the air. I knew it was possible for me to be wrong, but I always prepared for the worst. It wasn't like I regretted my actions, but—
"Wait, you said he 'was' in danger! What about now?" Ana's voice rang of desperation.
Her wide eyes pleaded for hope, but Neron's solemn expression didn't seem to insinuate that. Even I felt my heart race at this point.
"Yes. It has been a difficult battle, if I could call it that. Kuzon had been on the losing end. In the end, this person used Magic to transport him to a place by using Original Magic. A place he clearly mentioned to be within himself."
According to Neron, this man named Kido was far stronger than Kuzon and took him somewhere else. However, not long after, he began to become petrified and turned into gold.
He turned into gold, and the element spread all around us, transforming everything else into the same substance.
'So that's what Beruel meant when he said this place is different.'
"S-so, you're saying Kuzon won the fight?" Ana's eyes widened even more.
"He did."
However, even with Neron's affirmation, why didn't he seem very happy? He looked a little at a loss for words, and that couldn't be good.
"I resonated with the statue when I was in Timeless World. It's nothing but gold now, but I sensed two traces of energy mixed within. One belongs to Kuzon."
'H-hold on... what is Neron... saying?'
My current expression had to be that of an idiot, because I didn't understand where this was going. No, I probably did, but I didn't want to admit it.
I couldn't!
"Just as Kido died, Kuzon met the same fate. That's what I've been able to deduce from everything I've seen and investigated."
No way! Just... no way!
Neron had no motive or reason to lie. He was most likely even right, but... I just couldn't believe what I just heard.
"Kuzon... is dead?"
*
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*
[A/N]
If at this point, you've still not added the book to your library, then... wow. I respect every reader's taste, but you're definitely missing out.
https://www.webnovel.com/book/chuunibyou-challenge!!_25760893305800205
Just give it a try.
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