Chapter 262: Inheritor

Chapter 262: InheritorHis name is Kronos; although he is only half-god, in the realm of his strength, he is better than most void gods, and now coming here directly without facing trouble means his luck is also extraordinary.

Kronos’s life was quite legendary. He was born a slave, rose through the ranks with numerous opportunities, and became what he is today. He was also lucky enough to come to Astral Void Station and have a chance to enter the Infernal Destruction realm.

The moment he entered the realm, he was quickly transported to the shrine and found this place after some travelling.

The shrine before him was ancient, with ornate carvings etched into the stone walls depicting scenes of forgotten gods, titanic battles, and cosmic events. Its energy pulsed faintly, resonating with a strange but undeniable allure. Something about it felt like an invitation but also a warning—like it beckoned him closer yet reminded him that the price for knowledge here could be steep.

Kronos took a deep breath, letting the heavy aura of the Infernal Destruction Realm wash over him. The heat and oppressive atmosphere were nothing he couldn’t handle, though the realm’s aura did suppress his full power.

He had trained extensively in environments of extreme adversity, and this realm was no different. His physical body was tough, hardened by countless battles, and his spirit was tempered by years of rising from nothing. Even with the realm’s oppressive pressure, he felt confident.

Approaching the shrine’s altar, Kronos studied the symbols carved into the stone. It was unlike anything he had seen before, a language not even the greatest scholars of his homeland could decipher.

His fingers brushed against the stone, and suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled. A low hum vibrated through the air, and a bright light burst from the shrine’s centre.

Kronos instinctively stepped back, his heart racing for the first time since entering the Infernal Destruction Realm. Was this a trap, or had he unlocked something significant?

A voice, ancient and powerful, resonated through the air. It was neither male nor female but something in between, a presence beyond time and space. The voice spoke with a weight that pressed down on Kronos’s soul.

"You have found the Shrine of Sacred Flames. The trial of flames and heart will begin. If you clear the test, you will receive the seed of sacred flames and the chance to receive the inheritance of Infernal Destruction Realm."

Kronos stood still, his mind working rapidly. He had heard that opportunities like this came once in billions and had represented dangers. But his ambition burned hot, and the chance to obtain an inheritance that could elevate his future was too great to resist.

He then bravely proceeded and stepped on the altar at the centre, and the entire shrine burst with fiery flames and disappeared with Kronos.

Similar things happened around the different corners of the Infernal Destruction Realm, which, although it was too massive, somehow lucky different people from the universe seemed to find different shrines and accepted the test.

Each shrine, unique in its design and purpose, resonated with an ancient power, calling out to those deemed worthy.

A young woman clad in crystalline armour found herself before the Shrine of Frost Flames, her eyes narrowing as she stepped into the burning yet chilling flames that surrounded it. Her trial began with a sudden descent into a cold abyss.

In another corner, an imposing figure wielding a massive greatsword approached the Shrine of Earth Core Flame. The ground trembled beneath his feet as he stepped into the seismic temple.

Just like that, different lucky geniuses found shrines and accepted their chance or dangers.

Apollo, after facing different beasts of flames, also found a shrine, but the shrine he found was different as it was many times smaller than the other shrines.

The shrine exuded an aura vastly different from the fiery chaos of the Infernal Destruction Realm. Instead of radiating intense heat, it pulsed with a subtle, restrained energy—like a dormant volcano waiting to erupt.

He approached cautiously, his sharp eyes scanning its unique design. The structure was made of blackened stone veined with faint silver lines, as though it held a hidden vitality. The air around it was eerily calm, a stark contrast to the searing hostility of the surrounding land.

As he stepped closer, the faint silver lines began to glow, and the shrine responded to his presence. A low hum resonated, growing louder with each step he took. Suddenly, a sharp whisper—neither male nor female, but ancient and enigmatic—echoed in his mind.

"Welcome, inheritor of the Lost World."

"What, inheritor? Lost world?"

"What it means by that."

Apollo was confused as he couldn’t understand how suddenly he became the Inheritor of some lost world. He didn’t remember inheriting something like that. Even though he received some secret techniques or items, nothing seems to be related to the so-called Lost World.

Apollo clenched his fists, his expression hardening. It seems he was going to learn something he didn’t expect.

"Fine," he said, stepping onto the shrine’s altar.

The moment his foot touched the altar, the world around him shifted violently. The oppressive heat of the Infernal Destruction Realm faded, replaced by a swirling void of darkness. In the center of the void, a massive, fractured sphere hovered, its surface covered in glowing runes that pulsed erratically, as though on the brink of collapse.

Apollo stared at the sphere, his instincts screaming that this was no ordinary thing.

The fractured sphere began to crack, and streams of light burst forth, and he immediately felt a surge of pain, and everything around him seemed to disappear for a moment, but the next moment he seemed to appear in a large hall.

Apollo blinked, disoriented as the searing pain in his chest began to subside. The oppressive void was gone, replaced by a vast hall that seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions.

The architecture was ancient and otherworldly, with towering pillars etched with glowing runes that pulsed in different patterns. The air was dense, carrying an aura of immense power and time.

He steadied himself, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. The floor beneath him was smooth and reflective, like polished glass, but faint silver lines coursed through it, forming linked patterns that shifted with every step he took. Above, a ceiling of swirling starlight created an almost surreal sense of vastness.

"What... is this place?" Apollo muttered, his voice echoing faintly in the emptiness.

Before he could ponder further, a different whispering voice echoed in the hall.

"Finally, after countless eons, inheritors have finally appeared. We were waiting for you."

As the voice ended, the hall started to change as suddenly ten thrones of different types seemed to appear, representing different kinds of power.

His sharp gaze locked onto the newly materialized thrones. Each one radiated an aura so powerful, mysterious, and distinct that it seemed to reshape the very atmosphere around them. They hovered slightly above the ground.

The throne on the far left was carved from solid red crystal, veins of fiery magma pulsing through its surface, exuding overwhelming heat. Beside it stood a throne of pure, crystalline ice, the air around it freezing, tiny snowflakes drifting lazily.

Another throne appeared to be constructed from gnarled roots and vines, brimming with the life force of a primaeval forest, while a fourth shimmered with metallic brilliance, emitting a mechanical hum as though it were alive with gears and energy.

As Apollo’s eyes swept across the others, he saw thrones that seemed to embody concepts rather than elements: one wreathed in shadow, tendrils of darkness writhing about it, and another that gleamed with pure, blinding light.

The throne of lightning crackled and sparked, arcs of energy dancing chaotically, while its neighbor radiated an eerie stillness, the throne itself seemingly constructed of void-like blackness, as though it devoured the light around it.

In the centre, towering above the others, stood the largest throne, forged from a blend of all the aura—a chaotic yet harmonious swirl of power. It pulsed like a beating heart, commanding unknown attention even from him.

The centre throne seemed to contain the universe, and it wasn’t just one; he seemed to see countless dimensions in that single throne.

It attracted him like it was calling for him and was waiting for eons just for him. Although he didn’t know why he felt that, this feeling was increasing with time.

"Come... Come..."

He heard the voice like that throne was calling him. He felt confused; he didn’t ever feel like this. His rational mind was telling him to be careful, but his instincts were ready to follow its words. He remained standing for a few seconds, not knowing what to do.

As he was in trouble to decide, a mechanical voice appeared in his mind to awaken him from his thought.

[System Segment is found... Scanning the environment...]

His heart skipped a beat. "System Segment?" He muttered, his gaze darting toward the central throne.