205: Chapter 205 Our own people, wait a minute!

"That sounds amazing!"

Chen You's voice carried a hint of curiosity, and just as the trailing sound faded,

Buzz—

A faint hum, almost imperceptible, instantly spread throughout the entire [The Path of the Monarch] dungeon.

Time seemed to be forcibly paused at that moment.

Inside the Kings Arena.

Tai Pi, the leader of the second team from the Titan God Clan who had just been defeated, was preparing to regroup and queue up again.

He was stunned to find that the flag bearer npc responsible for guidance seemed to have frozen.

Its arm, holding the banner, was suspended mid-air, completely motionless.

"What's going on? Did the NPC crash?"

A Berserker from the Titan God Clan reached out and waved his hand in front of the flag bearer's eyes; there was no reaction.

At the dungeon entrance.

A twenty-five-person pioneering group, temporarily cobbled together by unaffiliated players, was locked in a fierce battle with two kings royal guard.

"Healer! Quickly heal the Tank! The Tank is about to fall!"

"No good! It silenced us again as an AoE! I can't use my skills!"

Just as the team was about to collapse, the fists raised high by the two imposing kings royal guard, standing five meters tall, froze in mid-air.

The shadow flames burning on their bodies also stopped flickering, like a frozen picture.

The entire battlefield fell into an eerie, dead silence.

"...Uh, did we win?"

A timid mage tentatively asked.

"Win my foot! Look, the monster's health bar hasn't moved! This must be the server lagging!"

The team commander cursed loudly.

At the same moment, within the "Realm of True Sight" where Chen You was located.

The surface of the bronze ancient mirror, rumored to reflect the inner heart, cracked with a 'Kacha' sound.

Immediately after, the crack spread like a spiderweb, but it abruptly stopped halfway through its spread.

The broken scene was thus locked in place.

"What about the teleportation?" A hint of confusion flashed through Chen You's mind.

Logically speaking, he should have already been teleported to the source of that aged voice.

Is this... a conflict between the teleportation command and the server's underlying logic, causing the entire dungeon to crash?

The lag did not last long.

Only about three to five seconds, then that strange, delayed power suddenly erupted, like an invisible large hand, enveloping Chen You's body.

Dragging him fiercely towards a coordinate point in the endless void!

Almost at the same second Chen You's figure vanished.

The sky of the entire Source Realm was once again enveloped by that familiar blood-red glow.

[World Announcement: Congratulations to player 'Chen You' for being the first to clear the Mythic dungeon [The Path of the Monarch - Realm of True Sight], achieving the unique achievement [Insight into the Human Heart]!]

As soon as this announcement was issued, the entire Source Realm fell silent.

All the players who were confused inside the dungeons raised their heads in unison.

Inside the Kings Arena, hundreds of elites from various major guilds looked at each other.

"Realm of True Sight... Was that the third stage?"

"Let me check the time... How long has it been since the announcement for him clearing the second stage?"

"It seems... less than a minute?"

"????"

After a brief silence, the major main cities completely exploded.

"What kind of interstellar joke is this! Clearing a stage of a Mythic dungeon in one minute? Does he think he's strolling through a back garden?"

"Are they serious! We are still studying the mechanics of the first boss, and he's already finished the third one?!"

"I just heard from my friend that the server lagged just now. Could it be because of him?"

"Friend, be confident. Remove the 'could it be'."

"Logic Master upstairs, please take a seat! I strongly suspect this Chen You is a living BUG! The system went into chaos the moment he entered the dungeon!"

"Standard procedure, everyone settle down. I said long ago, don't use our Adventurer experience to speculate on that Lord's behavioral patterns, or you'll just look foolish."

In the Roman God Clan's guild channel.

[Ao Bi]: Strategist, analyze quickly! Analyze again!

[Ao Doghead]: Don't panic, this likely means the next stage, [Realm of True Sight], isn't difficult. No big problem!

[Ao Doghead]: Guild Leader, what do you think?

Oro did not reply.

...

On the other side.

Chen You only felt light and shadow shifting before his eyes, the stars and constellations moving rapidly.

However, the system prompt that popped up before him remained as clear as ever, though his attention was not on it at the moment.

When his feet touched solid ground again, he found himself inside an incomparably magnificent hall.

[You have entered the [Shadow Throne Room]!]

The hall was impossibly tall; the dome seemed to be the deep cosmic starry sky.

Countless massive pillars, constructed from luminous metal and obsidian, supported this space.

A faint golden light illuminated the entire great hall, making it appear sacred and solemn.

A black carpet burning with golden flames extended from his feet to the deepest part of the hall.

There, a throne forged from the skeletal remains of a giant dragon and solidified shadow energy stood quietly.

Seated upon the throne was a figure.

He was clad in a set of intricate and magnificent full-body black armor, which flowed with a luster akin to liquid shadow.

Behind him was a wide cloak, seemingly tailored from the blackest night.

He wore no helmet, but what was revealed was not flesh and blood, but a mass of pure dark energy constantly shifting in form.

One could only vaguely discern two points of crimson light within, like burning stars.

[Shadow Monarch Dai]

[Level: ???]

[????]

A string of question marks proved that this was an existence Chen You currently could not fathom at all.

"You..."

The figure on the throne slowly spoke. The voice was the same aged and ethereal one from before, but now it held a trace of astonishment and uncertainty.

"How did you... arrive here directly?"

Evidently, even the final BOSS of the dungeon found it incomprehensible that he had suddenly appeared before the throne.

"Don't you know?" Chen You looked on calmly.

"My special privilege includes pick-up and drop-off service."

As he spoke, he cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

This place did not look like a psychological counseling room; it looked more like the final BOSS's lair.

His skill seemed to have sent him to a rather significant location.

"Pick-up and drop-off service?"

Shadow Monarch Dai seemed completely bewildered by this term; the mass of dark energy even showed a momentary stagnation.

Silence reigned within the hall.

According to the normal procedure, he should have delivered some customary lines.

For instance, "You are indeed very capable to have passed my trial..."

Or perhaps, "I admit you possess the qualification to stand here..."

After saying that, he could then display his power and annihilate all these Adventurers.

But...

The burning crimson light points of Shadow Monarch Dai locked firmly onto Chen You.

He remained silent for a full dozen seconds, seemingly conducting some form of overloaded calculation, attempting to fit this illogical intruder into his predetermined program framework.

Finally, the shifting dark energy stabilized once more.

"I see..."

The aged and ethereal voice sounded again. This time, there was less astonishment and more realization and... majesty.

"You bypassed the trials and tore the rules... You are an interesting variable."

Chen You secretly nodded after hearing this.

To think you looped back on your own—that's fantastic!

Rumble!

As Shadow Monarch Dai's voice fell, the entire magnificent hall began to tremble slightly.

Countless ancient runes on the giant pillars supporting the starry dome lit up one by one, emitting a terrifying pressure that made one's heart palpitate.

A pure aura, originating from death and finality, permeated from the throne.

Like an invisible tide, it instantly submerged the entire space.

[System Prompt: You have entered the 'Monarch's Majesty' domain. All attributes reduced by 30%.]

Chen You raised an eyebrow.

Good heavens, delivering a full set of debuffs right at the start. Truly worthy of being the final BOSS, very particular.

The figure on the throne slowly stood up, his armor emitting a grating friction sound.

"Regardless of what means you employed, since you have arrived here, it signifies you possess the qualification to challenge the throne."

Shadow Monarch Dai's voice became grand and indifferent, like a high-and-mighty deity proclaiming the final fate of a mortal.

"Come, challenger. Prove to me whether your power, capable of twisting the rules, can also shake... death itself!"

"Defeat me, or become another pile of dry bones beneath my throne!"

Just as the confrontation was about to begin, Chen You suddenly raised his hand.

"Wait a second!"

"Friend, hold your fire first!"