Cursed Immortality

In the center of the dark swamp, there was a massive dark mountain. But at this moment, over half of the mountain was blown entirely off as radioactive smocks were spreading through the dark waters. 

A half-burn copse of a massive pitch-black snake was lying there lifeless, while the corpses and bones of thousands of dark beings were scattered all over the place. It was like a site of genocide. 

The King of Dead, Onyx, stood before the snake's corpse, and a gigantic crimson skull covered him like a shield. But the skull's jade-like surface was filled with cracks. 

"Congratulations, Amenable Wizened Monk, for clearing a Trial Condition!" 

The crimson flames in Onyx's eyes burn with rage and murder as his eerie voice reverberates in the entire silent vicinity filled with death like thunder, "Nelsen, you, treacherous livestock, it's either you or me!" 

---

Miles away from this scene was located at the exit of the trial plains. Nelsen's figure appeared like a phantom as he wore an astute yet cold smile. 

"Forgive me, O' King of Dead, but you have yourself to blame for your stupidity. If you manage to get out of there alive, I hope you'll learn never to trust others." He snickered with disdain. 

"Now that I've completed the task, there is no need for me to remain here any longer. Faceless Ancient, I must say, you almost had me, but a small tidal wave can't stir an entire ocean. 

"Now, I'll wait for you to clear the remaining conditions and reap the benefits of a champion slot. In the end, you still got used by us, such a pitiful fate of lowly being…" 

Cackling full of glee, Nelsen exited the trial plains as if it no longer mattered to him if Jacob claimed more trial conditions or someone else. He had accomplished what he had come here to accomplish, and what happened next, he doesn't care!

--- 

Stunned, Jacob stood there in front of the beheaded Jazlynn, having absolutely no idea how to react. All he could feel at this moment was disbelief, shock, helplessness, and seething anger…

What he feared the most has ended up happening. While he was aimlessly wandering, wasting his time, someone else really managed to bring down a beast of direction, the Beast of East, Lesser Basilisk. 

Although he didn't know how they did it, one thing was clear: he was bested by none other than one of his enemies. Nelsen really proved that he was a terrifying son of a bitch, and now he had cut off his way to go towards the Unique Plains!

At this moment, something unexpected happened: the ice lands, the forest, the desert, and the dark swamp began to shake, and the barriers that divided these four different plains vanished! 

The gloomy gray sky started to lose its luster and begin to dim and turn dark. Tombstones begin to emerge all over the trial plain. 

Jacob didn't have time to wallow in defeat as he used his disc to fly off the ground and observed with murderous eyes. 

'The Beast of Necropolis…' This name came into his mind as he knew only after killing the four beasts of direction would the final beast emerge, and it seemed it was happening. 

'Do I really need to care anymore?' Thought Jacob with a hint of defeat before his eyes shone with cruelty, 'But was this the only way towards the Unique Plains? Since this door is closed, this doesn't mean there aren't any others… the three hegemonies, the dark city… they are affiliated with powers of the higher plains. Then they might have ways to acquire what I'm looking for…' 

Jacob wasn't the type to give up that easily, especially when his life was on the line. If he drove into a corner, there wasn't anything he wouldn't do to make sure he got what he wanted, even if it meant to destroy everything!

'Since you're the one who messed things up, you'll be the one to make them right again…' Jacob's mind became serene as he started to plan Nelsen's doom!

But first, he was going to finish what he started. Since the medallion was out of the question, he would take the best, the legacy pieces! Furthermore, the champion shop was on its own an opportunity. 

The transformation of the trial plain lasted for a short while, and now it looked like an old graveyard filled with tombstones. The atmosphere was silent and creepy, and the ground covered a faint mist. Now, it really looked like a necropolis. 

Jacob begins his hunt for the Beast of Necropolis, but he doesn't go on foot because those tombstones give him a bad feeling. 

Not only him but everyone present in the trial plain were uncertain about this sudden change. 

A few hundred miles north of Jacob, the small figure walked between the tombstones with a deep frown. He was still in the middle of Ice Lands when the change happened, and now he really wanted to get out of this place. 

A vermin transponder appeared in his hand, and an old voice sounded, "I just heard the news about the President?" 

He confirmed it, "Yes, it seemed we don't need to intervene anymore. But the entire place had gone through a strange change after the President cleared the condition, or it might be the result of something else." 

"Hmm, since it's a hunting trial, and four conditions have already been cleared, I suppose the change is either because the final condition has arrived. Nonetheless, we don't need to bother ourselves with it anymore. Return. The Faceless Ancient can do as he pleases now." The old voice solemnly stated. 

Nodding his head, he replied, "I'm also planning to, but I don't think it'll be easy. Still, since we don't need to intervene anymore, I can stay out of trouble until it all ends. I nearly got killed a few days ago, and I don't even know why." 

"What?" The old voice sounded concerned, "There is someone who can pose a threat to you?" 

"It was quite strange, I'm telling you, gramps. I've encountered a 10-meter giant, and the next thing I knew, my life talisman was activated on its own while I lost consciousness." He told with a grave tone. 

"Was it Faceless Ancient?" The old voice solemnly asked. 

"I could be. His height didn't match the description, though. But one thing is sure: soon after that incident, another condition was cleared, so I'm 90% sure it was him." 

"Hmm, if you reencounter him, just run. From my point of view, he was after the medallion, and if he knows that he can't get it anymore, he won't be pleased at this moment." The old voice stated. 

"That's why I'm hurrying to leave…" 

The small figure was about to continue when he suddenly stopped because a two-meter tombstone in front suddenly started to tremble, and the next moment, a bronze bone hand emerged from the ground!