Chapter 228: When Refusal Meant Nothing…

Sophie watched silently as he cut his palm and let a single drop of blood fall onto the stone.

The moment it touched, the Labyrinth reacted.

A towering pillar of brown light erupted upward, formed from compressed mana and ancient will. The core pulsed violently. The Labyrinth howled, its consciousness recoiling as something far deeper was disturbed.

Then…

The sound rang through Bruce’s mind with perfect clarity.

The Akashic Codex had responded.

[Your blood has been absorbed by the Labyrinth Rune Stone.]

[It has been detected that this Labyrinth has not been cleared and is already owned.]

[To proceed with claiming it, you must engage in a clash of will against both the Labyrinth itself and its current master.]

[Do you accept?]

[Y / N]

Bruce did not hesitate.

“Yes.”

The moment the word left his will, the world vanished.

His physical body remained inside the Labyrinth, standing silently beside Sophie, but his consciousness was ripped free and dragged into the Labyrinth’s inner domain. A bleak, hollow expanse stretched out before him, a space made of condensed mana and ancient sorrow. It carried the same eerie, depressing atmosphere as the previous Labyrinth, but there was something heavier here, something more resentful, like a wounded beast still clinging to its master.

This was the Labyrinth’s will.

Meanwhile…

Far away, within Zorvak’s hidden domain, his eyes snapped open as a familiar chime rang through his mind.

<Ding.>

The Akashic Codex unfolded before him.

[An external existence is attempting to claim a Labyrinth you own.]

[The claimant has agreed to engage in a clash of will.]

[Do you wish to proceed with the clash of will?]

[Do you accept the challenge?]

[Y / N]

Zorvak stared at the glowing words in silence.

Then his jaw tightened.

“…Of course it’s him.”

There was no need for guesswork. No need for doubt. The only being in this world arrogant enough and powerful enough to keep ripping Labyrinths out of his grasp like candy was that damned native. The same one who had humiliated him before. The same one who had devoured his will and made him feel what it meant to be truly powerless.

If he accepted this challenge, the outcome was obvious.

He would lose.

And worse than that, his will would be eaten again, strengthening his enemy even further.

His pride screamed at him to press yes. To fight. To prove that he was still a higher existence. But his mind, sharpened by countless failures and schemes, knew better.

This was not fear.

This was damage control.

Zorvak exhaled slowly, his fingers curling into his palm as he willed his answer.

’No.’

The Codex responded instantly.

[Your Labyrinth will attempt to defend itself.]

[You will be informed of the result after the clash of wills concludes.]

“…Try not to embarrass me too badly,” Zorvak muttered bitterly.

Back inside the Labyrinth’s consciousness space, Bruce received another notification.

[The owner of the Labyrinth has refused the challenge.]

[Devour the Labyrinth will to claim it for yourself.]

Bruce smiled.

“Of course he refused,” he murmured. “He’s not stupid.”

The next moment, the clash began.

The Labyrinth’s will surged forward like a vast tide, thick with resentment and loyalty toward its absent master. It was far stronger than the previous one, heavy and oppressive, pressing down on Bruce’s consciousness with crushing force.

But against Bruce…

It didn’t matter.

His will erupted like a roaring ocean, swallowing the Labyrinth’s resistance whole. The Labyrinth howled, its form twisting and collapsing as Bruce’s will tore into it, devouring its essence piece by piece. There was no prolonged struggle. No dramatic back and forth.

Less than a minute later, it was over.

[The Labyrinth has failed to protect itself.]

[Its will has been devoured.]

[Ownership has been transferred.]

[The previous owner has lost all authority over this Labyrinth.]

Far away, Zorvak felt it.

A sharp, hollow pain tore through his mind as another piece of his domain was ripped away. His face twisted, not in surprise, but in pure, bitter frustration.

“…I knew it.”

He let out a dry laugh.

“I expected it. I prepared for it. And it still feels like getting kicked in the teeth.”

That Labyrinth had been his personal asset. One of his carefully prepared cards. A piece of his long term plan. And now it was gone, swallowed by that monster of a native.

Zorvak’s gaze slowly shifted to Vexor.

“With this new being joining the fray, we’re going to lose the rest of our cards soon,” he said quietly. “One by one.”

Then his eyes hardened.

“This SSS Ranked Labyrinth is our last sure hand. We have to make it count.”

A cold glint flickered in Zorvak’s gaze.

“We must secure the body and the soul required for the refinement… no matter what.”

And just as he predicted, everything began to fall apart.

One Labyrinth after another was torn from his grasp.

Bruce and Sophie moved like a reaping storm across Reignland, stepping through portals, entering corrupted domains, and claiming them with terrifying efficiency. Zorvak’s carefully prepared assets vanished one by one. Four Labyrinths became three. Three became two.

Then one.

Inside the final Labyrinth, Sophie stood quietly beside Bruce’s unmoving body, her hand clenched tightly as his consciousness battled within the domain. She could feel the pressure through him, the immense wills colliding beyond sight, and when his body trembled slightly, her breath caught.

Then his eyes opened.

Bruce exhaled once and turned his head toward her, a faint smile forming on his lips.

“Another victory,” he said softly.

That simple smile made her heart flutter.

“I’ll go see if I can help your father, Bane.”

Sophie hesitated. “Shouldn’t I come with you?”

Bruce’s gaze grew serious. “The chances of those beings being above SSS Rank are very high. We have to be careful.”

She nodded slowly, understanding the danger.

She was about to speak again when Bruce’s eyes shifted, studying her more closely.

“…Your aura,” he murmured. “You’ve advanced again.”

Sophie froze, then blushed. “Yes. I’m half S Ranked now. I wanted to tell you before I proceed with generating my mana core.”

Bruce smiled, warm and reassuring. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. I’ll help you with that.”

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