Lord of Mysteries: Starting As A Reader

After stepping into the portal at the dome's apex, Ebner barely had time to take in his surroundings before a notification rang in his ears: Task 1 complete. You may now choose to exit at any time.

So, only by completing the "Trial" does one officially enter the "Ruins"…

Ebner felt a slight relief, though he remained vigilant. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was now inside a palace seemingly constructed from coral.

Every detail of the palace was intricately ornate, and the overall structure was grand and imposing. However, it appeared submerged under layers of deep blue water, with no sky visible, making the atmosphere dim and oppressive.

Inside, massive coral pillars supported an exaggerated dome, with walls and ceiling adorned with murals depicting the terrifying power of storms.

Silver-white arcs of lightning coursed along the murals and coral structures, as if alive, following a set path before converging at a nine-tiered staircase embedded with pearls, diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.

Atop these steps rested two massive thrones seemingly formed of pure lightning. One, positioned at the center, exuded an aura of dominance, as if it were the ruler of the palace and this entire world. The other, set to the left, was less prominent.

Seeing this scene, and recalling details from the original narrative, Ebner tentatively deduced that this was likely the Elven Court, or at least its projection.

Perhaps the elves who passed the trial were transported to the court in ancient times to receive rewards from the Elf King and the Queen of Calamity. Now, lacking such conditions, the temple must have activated a backup mechanism. Even in the Second Epoch, the Elf King couldn't personally meet every successful trial-taker… Perhaps a projection stood in their place during times when the king was occupied?

Unfortunately, with the Elf King's demise, even these projections no longer exist.

Activating his Pure White Eye, Ebner analyzed the surroundings briefly and confirmed his guesses.

At that moment, a curtain of water unfurled before him, revealing numerous fantastical objects, clearly meant as rewards for successful trial-takers.

Using his Pure White Eye, Ebner examined each item. Most were mid-sequence artifacts with severe side effects comparable to sealed artifacts. Several low-sequence items were more practical and had minor drawbacks, but Ebner, with his ability to simulate their powers, had little need for them.

After some thought, he selected a gauntlet forged from the characteristics of a Dream Stealer. It offered most of the abilities of that sequence but came with significant drawbacks: intermittent memory loss, to the extent that the wielder might forget their own identity.

Even sealing it was challenging since it could steal the very thought of sealing it.

The Elf King's original solution had been straightforward yet crude—imprisoning it with divine lightning.

Ebner chose this artifact not for use but to "learn" from its abilities.

As soon as he picked it up, a cascade of notifications rang in his ears:

"This item is a 'Trial Reward' and can be taken to other 'Dream Labyrinths,' but cannot enter reality.

"This item has been added to the point exchange list.

"Exchange value: 50,000 points.

"Would you like to send this item to your exclusive resting chamber immediately?

"If not, the item will no longer belong to you if lost in this scene."

This tower is getting more and more like a video game… Is this some kind of bound item? Was Old Huang a game developer in his past life? How is he so familiar with game mechanics?

After a bit of internal grumbling, Ebner opted to secure the item. He didn't want his hard-earned prize to disappear.

Once the gauntlet vanished, Ebner turned his attention to a water-mirror descending abruptly from the dome above.

He knew this was the real reward—what the Life School of Thought councilor had called an opportunity to "foresee a future fortune."

The mirror, roughly five meters tall and three meters wide, rippled like a flowing stream. Soon, a clear image emerged.

A colossal Sagus Sea Monster burst from the ocean. Its appearance was peculiar, with countless black eyes covering its body, and behind it in the void floated enormous shells containing strange "seaweed."

Some of the eyes were closed, while others were open, each brimming with an aura of madness.

The "camera" in the vision pulled back, revealing a small island nearby. On the island's western shore, a massive five-masted ship lay stranded on the beach. A group of sailors was gathered, slaughtering bound natives in what appeared to be a ritual offering to some higher existence.

As the ritual progressed, the Sagus sea monster's condition visibly improved. The shells in the void vanished, and its myriad eyes slowly closed. However, the aura of madness surrounding it did not completely dissipate.

The vision ended there. Ebner narrowed his eyes. The hints were too blatant. Even without invoking his Pure White Eye's predictive ability, he could deduce that this Sagus was the sea monster that had absorbed the Prophet characteristic separated from the God of Luck, or perhaps a direct descendant that inherited its traits.

The flag on the five-masted ship gave away the identity of those conducting the ritual. It bore the emblem of Admiral of the Deep!

Admiral of the Deep, Haal Conston—rumored to possess traces of sea monster blood. Could he share a special connection with this Sagus?

The island in the background offered even more clues. The vegetation on its shore included Blatcher trees, which only grow on islands in the western portion of the Southern Continent near the Fury Sea. The trees were in bloom, indicating the scene took place between April and May, as they only flower during those months unless genetically modified.

So, in April of next year or some later year, I can locate this sea monster by tracking the movements of the Admiral of the Deep in the western Southern Continent's seas. Is that my so-called "opportunity?"

No… this place is no longer the Trial Temple overseen by the God of Luck. It's a "0"-level Sealed Artifact fused with the corrupted Prophet characteristic!

The adventurers who approached this place only to be plagued by misfortune make it clear: this temple likely "rewards" successful trial-takers with even greater misfortune.

While the scene here is only a simulation within the Dream Labyrinth Tower, how faithfully it replicates the original remains uncertain.

Perhaps everything shown in the vision is true, but something critical is certainly being withheld…

Ebner recalled how, in the original story, Leticia met a tragically grim fate. She likely saw the Book of Calamity in this mirror, mistaking it for her destined opportunity.

Little did she know, it marked the beginning of her doom.