Balwin and Athan were both at a level that few could ever hope to reach. Athan was a Super Vampire, an existence beyond normal vampires, while Balwin was the Demon King, the highest rank among demonkind. Because of that, their senses were exceptionally sharp, far surpassing even the highest-ranking demons or vampire lords.
However, something was off. Their senses weren't working like they did at their prime. While they could still detect things far beyond what ordinary people could, it felt diminished, as if something was interfering with their abilities.
They continued traveling through Balwin's shadow, using it as their mode of transport. At its normal speed, his shadow could cover distances in mere moments—where a fast horse would take 9 to 10 days, Balwin could arrive instantly. If he used high speed, he could travel from the Red Moon Empire's capital to the Asuha Empire's capital in less than half a day. Normally, even with a beast horse—which was six times faster than a regular fast-speed horse—it would take at least six months to cover that distance.
But despite using very high speed, after entering the forest area, they had been traveling for over four hours, yet they were still in the labyrinth. It was shocking how vast this place was.
Worse, there was no sign of life—except for the endless trees. Even then, many trees were dead, creating an eerie, lifeless atmosphere.
As Balwin and Athan continued their casual conversation while moving forward, something suddenly changed.
With their weakened senses, they picked up an unusual energy—something so strange that even the mighty Demon King and Vampire Lord found it unfamiliar.
It wasn't a beast.
It wasn't anything they had ever encountered before.
But after analyzing it further, they came to the conclusion that it must be related to the labyrinth—perhaps a labyrinth beast or something even stranger.
Following the traces of this energy, they arrived at an open clearing within the deep, dense forest. Here, the trees were sparser, allowing for better visibility.
And then, they saw them.
A strange new type of creature.
It resembled a wild cat, but stronger, bulkier, and far more menacing than any feline beast Athan had ever seen.
Instead of fur, its pitch-black skin looked thick and powerful, almost as if forged in battle.
But what truly stood out was its bizarre bone markings.
On its face, the bone structure formed something eerily human-like, yet not quite human at the same time.
Covering its back was a strange bone armor, reinforced with mysterious engravings.
Despite their feral appearance, these creatures weren't mindless beasts—they were fighting in an organized manner, moving like a clan rather than wild animals.
Their attacks weren't random swipes or bites.
Every move was calculated.
They had techniques.
They had strange abilities.
One of the beasts suddenly leaped high into the air, as if its body was unnaturally light.
As it opened its mouth, a small, rotating purple energy ball formed, slowly growing in size.
By the time it landed back on the ground, the energy ball had become massive.
And then—it fired it.
The moment the attack was launched, the opposing beast didn't dodge.
Instead, its backbone armor suddenly shifted, rising like a shield. The bone structure started glowing white, releasing strong gusts of wind.
The moment the purple energy attack clashed—
BOOM!
A violent explosion shook the battlefield.
Instead of mere dust, white snow-like particles filled the air, hovering like sand.
But it wasn't sand.
It was ice.
---
"Ath, they're impressive, right?" Athan said, watching the creatures.
"Yes," Balwin replied, his gaze fixed on them.
"So, what's on your mind?" Athan asked.
"Nothing much… just wondering what level they are," Balwin muttered, inspecting them more closely.
"King-tier?"
Balwin nodded slightly, observing the battle unfold.
They couldn't go too close.
It wasn't just a fight.
It was a full-scale battle—a war between creatures unlike anything they had ever seen before.
After watching the beasts' intense battle, Balwin and Athan came to a few conclusions.
First, these creatures were far more intelligent than beasts from the outside world.
Second, when a beast was defeated and killed, its body disappeared within moments—something that didn't happen in the outside world.
It was unnatural.
"Doesn't this feel like something straight out of a fantasy novel?" Balwin muttered, watching the beasts dissolve into thin air.
"Fantasy novel?" Athan scoffed. "Oh, you mean those romance books from that world called Earth? The ones where there's no magic, no powers, just some stupid drama between a guy and a girl?"
Balwin shook his head. "No, Athan, I'm talking about action novels."
"Action novels?! What the hell? I can't believe someone like you is the Demon King!" Athan clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"Oh, come on," Balwin chuckled. "If our world were like those stories, wouldn't it be a lot more peaceful?"
"Peaceful? Ha! A world like that doesn't even make sense. Who would be stupid enough to imagine a world without magic? Where people depend on laws instead of strength? Where the entire story is just about two people getting together to create a family? Or worse, just proposing to each other? A country ruled by laws? Where people are the main power of the state?!" Athan threw up his hands in frustration. "I'm still regretting the day I even read that book."
"You don't get it, Athan," Balwin sighed. "Laws create stability. Anyway, if my guess is correct, those beasts' bodies are dissolving into energy automatically."
Athan frowned. "So if we go with your theory, it makes sense for a labyrinth... but for some reason, I've got a bad feeling about this."
"Bad feeling?" Balwin asked, still observing the remaining beasts clashing in combat.
Ignoring the question, Athan suddenly said, "Balwin, I know a shadow travel skill used by shadow users. It allows one user to connect with another's shadow. Try reaching your sister. See if you can connect with her."
Balwin immediately looked down at his own shadow.
A deep frown appeared on his face.
"Athan... I can't connect with my sister. I can't even sense her shadow," he said, his voice unusually serious.
Athan didn't respond. Instead, he sat down on the ground, folding his legs.
He rested his face on his knees, silent, deep in thought.
Balwin said nothing, watching his friend.
After a while, Athan finally spoke.
"Balwin... this might sound stupid coming from me. But, you know... I never really believed in the whole idea that there are multiple worlds out there."
He lifted his head, his red eyes filled with something unreadable.
"But now? I think we're in another world."