Chapter 913: Chapter 914: Education With how much of the world the lich knew, Damon was certain he would know the world was sealed. This was something Damon had heard in his travels. At one point in time, the goddess had sealed away the world. It was most likely as a result of Lazarak’s rebellion in the Zero Epoch. It was not about keeping them trapped in it. It was to keep the Unknown God out. Which was pointless, or perhaps of too little effect. The Unknown God was doing whatever he pleased, and so far, from what Damon could glean, he was gaining the upper hand. If Damon had to choose who was more terrifying, then the answer would without a doubt be the Unknown God. Nevertheless, he could not be certain, since the goddess had not really made any moves yet. The lich’s hollow gaze made Damon close his eyes, not because he wanted to. In fact, he had to. It was the cold, icy presence in its hollow sockets that exerted a strain on him. "I’m surprised such information would allude you, Amadeus, especially one as learned as you." Amadeus planted his staff on the ground, placing his hands on the table. "Knowledge is a vast and bottomless sea. The more you know, the more you understand the vastness of your ignorance. Therefore, only a fool would believe he has reached the end of knowledge, or a god." Damon nodded. That was an interesting philosophy. Was this what drove him to ask them questions? "This world is sealed off and broken in a way. A long time ago, a god defied the goddess in his first rebellion. She stripped the world of free magic, casting all who existed here within a law that only allowed them to use a single attribute of magic. The next is a bit vague, as I do not know what it means. From what I have learned, she also took away the true names of all who dwelled within this realm." When Damon said that, even Seras shifted. She had not known this at all. It was like he was an encyclopedia of ancient secrets. She clenched her sword. These were dangerous secrets, ones that would warrant the execution of the entire expedition force if they ever leaked to the public. She could see the looks of horror on their faces. However, that was not a problem. They had all signed the oath scroll. If they broke the oath, they would die, assuming they could even break it. Paths signed under one’s free will were very powerful. Amadeus was focused on Damon’s words as he continued explaining. "There was also a restriction that prevented us from reaching the realm beyond the seventh class and ascending to the higher realm. In the Zero Epoch, the lesser gods took the role of suppressing us, so no one ever reached the seventh class before Lazarak’s rebellion. After his rebellion, no one could reach the eighth class because the goddess sealed the world." Amadeus listened carefully. "I see. If the goddess wants to keep something out, in this case the Unknown God, then it must mean there is something of value here in this world. Surely it cannot be us." Damon took a sip of his drink. As expected of an old monster, the damned lich had deduced the existence of the Pillar. "I believe I have satisfied your thirst for knowledge. You must honor your word." Amadeus’s aura rose slightly, causing the world to darken. Damon was unmoved. He remained calm. "Hahaha. Of course. I will. This is merely an exchange between friends. Perhaps I should tell you what you will encounter next in the Evil Forest. The terrain is treacherous and full of horrors." Damon considered dismissing him until a voice in his mind reminded him that in this death zone, knowledge was the difference between life and death. Even if the lich knew about the Pillar, he would not be able to find it anyway. And if he did have any clue, Damon would benefit from knowing. He glanced at Renata, who gave him a subtle nod. She had been standing by his side the whole time, refilling his glass, a mildly worried expression on her face. It was hard to tell for people who did not know her. Damon was not one of those people. He was close enough to have figured her out through her body language. "Very well then. Why don’t you go first," he responded. The lich nodded slowly. His hollow sockets took on a purple glow, then he spoke. "In no specific order, the forest does not remain the same. It changes. It grows. It dies. It exists in a constant cycle. From your path, I imagine you wish to take the route to the sea." Seras nodded slowly behind Damon. "We do." The lich, Amadeus, waved his hand as a projection appeared. "Within the next hundred steps, you will enter the Hungry Ground." He glanced at Seras, seeing her frown. The Hungry Ground was another name for a region of the inner forest where the black soil began to suck out vitality. He glanced at Seras again. "You know the rules of the Black Roots." Her expression was calm as she recalled from memory. The earth is pitch black and soft like wet ash. Footprints sink deeper than they should. The ground feels warm, like living flesh, almost like touching a living person. The rule was simple. The longer you stay still, the more the ground wants you, and the quicker you die. From last time, the Black Roots slowly wrapped around ankles when people rested, so you needed to remain mobile at all times. The roots fed on vitality and mana, inducing a weakening effect. Victims felt intense hunger and exhaustion before being dragged under, the soil pulling like quicksand. Her hands shook at the thought of what happened next. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚 Those swallowed did not die immediately. They were kept alive as nutrient nodes, half buried, still conscious for days, months, or even years. Their screams traveled through the roots and lured others. The trick to survive was simple. Never sit directly on the ground. Floating magic drained stamina faster here, making it ill advised. Corpses had to be burned immediately, or they would root and become undead or Black Root monsters. Seras experienced this as a third year student in the academy. It felt so long ago, but the dread and scars never healed. She nodded at Damon. The more information he could get, the better their chances. He closed his eyes. "It’s called the Pillar of Conflict."