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360 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
360 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Chapter 304: A Map"
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slug: "ch-304"
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novel: "Dimensional Keeper: All My Skills Are at Level 100"
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number: 304
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views: 0
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likes: 0
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wordCount: 1044
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createdAt: "2026-04-13"
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---
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"Let's go!"
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Old Man Grey didn't wait.
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He stepped into the spatial gate, his body swallowed by the swirling mist.
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Max followed.
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As his foot crossed the threshold, a strange pull tugged at his very being.
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A feeling of being sucked into an entirely different world.
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Then—
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Darkness.
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A chilling mist wrapped around him, and the Divine Palace vanished from view.
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Then—
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One by one, more squads stepped forward.
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More figures disappeared into the hazy void.
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Each squad containing exactly ten geniuses.
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Each one vanishing into the Mourning Depths.
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Until only the leaders were left behind.
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Palace Master Hugh looked around at the remaining leaders of the various regions.
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A faint smirk played on his lips.
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"Hehe, only we are left."
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His tone was casual, but there was an underlying weight to his words.
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His gaze flickered over the assembled kings, guild masters, and top-ranked warriors.
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Then—he stepped forward.
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"Let's go as well."
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But just as the leaders prepared to enter, a voice interrupted them.
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Azula.
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She spoke slowly, deliberately.
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And her words?
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They stopped everyone in their tracks.
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"The Mourning Depths is very old… perhaps the oldest forbidden land in the Lower Domain."
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That alone wasn't surprising.
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But her next words?
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They sent a ripple through the air.
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"Don't you all wonder how this came to be?"
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Silence.
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"How the Mourning Depths was created?"
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Her golden eyes gleamed.
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"What history led to this?"
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The question hung in the air.
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It was a question that held far too much weight.
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A question that, if truly pursued, could change their entire understanding of this place.
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And yet—
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Few reacted.
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Because the Mourning Depths had always existed.
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Since the beginning of recorded history, it had been a constant.
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It erupted every three years.
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It devoured those who failed.
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It rewarded those who conquered it.
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And so—
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It had simply become part of their world.
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A cycle. A tradition.
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Something no one questioned.
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Because in the end—
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They weren't here for answers.
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They were here for treasures. For Bone Frames. For Domains.
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Most of the leaders dismissed her words.
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What did it matter how it began?
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It existed. That was enough.
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But still—
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There were some who couldn't help but wonder.
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Some who felt a strange pull.
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Because what if—
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What if the truth of the Mourning Depths was far more terrifying than they had ever imagined?
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And what if—
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They had been blindly walking into something they never truly understood?
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King Magnar's eyes gleamed.
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He was one such person.
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Unlike most of the other leaders, he cared.
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The Mourning Depths' mysteries had always intrigued him.
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And it wasn't just curiosity.
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It was frustration.
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Every three years, he and Envoy Lucas ventured deeper than the others.
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Every time, they stayed longer. Explored more.
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And yet—
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They never found anything new.
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The same ruins. The same dangers. The same unknowns.
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Their efforts had been meaningless.
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No matter how deep they went, they never uncovered the truth.
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So now—
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When Azula spoke those words, his focus sharpened immediately.
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"What do you suggest?"
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His voice was calm.
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But everyone could feel it.
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The weight behind those words.
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Azula smiled.
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She knew she had their attention now.
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And then—
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She simply said three words.
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"I have a map."
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The moment the words left her lips—
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The entire hall froze.
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Silence.
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Then—sharp intakes of breath.
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Not just surprise.
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Shock. Disbelief. Suspicion.
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Because what she was claiming—should be impossible.
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For millennia, the greatest explorers, the strongest warriors, the most brilliant minds—
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They had all tried.
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Tried to chart the Mourning Depths.
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Tried to create even the vaguest of maps.
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And they all failed.
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Because the paths always changed.
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Every eruption shifted the terrain.
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Every route twisted and altered itself.
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Even the most advanced formations, the most precise tracking artifacts—
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Nothing worked.
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A map was simply impossible.
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So now—
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For Azula to claim she had one?
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It was unthinkable.
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It was absurd.
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It was—dangerous.
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The leaders' breaths grew shallow.
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Their minds raced.
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Some wanted to call her bluff.
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Some wanted to demand proof.
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And some?
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Some were already calculating.
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Because if this was true—
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Then everything they thought they knew about the Mourning Depths…
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Was wrong.
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Because a map of Mourning Depths simply couldn't exist.
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Envoy Lucas's eyes narrowed.
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His voice was calm, but his words carried sharp intent.
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"How accurate is this thing? And what is your source?"
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The weight of his question hung in the air.
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This wasn't something anyone could ignore.
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A map of the Mourning Depths was unthinkable.
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If she truly had one, it would change everything.
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But if she was lying…𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
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There would be consequences.
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Azula smiled.
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Completely unfazed.
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Her golden eyes glowed with amusement.
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"We will know about the accuracy once we are inside."
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A simple, evasive answer.
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But her next words carried even more weight.
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"As for the source? I trust my source more than any of you here."
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A pause.
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Then—a cold silence.
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Her statement made everyone frown.
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Because if her words were true…
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Then this wasn't just some fabricated scheme.
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This was something real.
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In truth, there was no benefit in lying.
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No one would gain anything by falsely claiming to have a map of the Mourning Depths.
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It was useless as a deception.
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If it was fake, they would know immediately.
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So then—
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If Azula was so confident, then…
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Did she really have a genuine map?
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King Magnar remained silent for a long moment.
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His mind processed everything. Calculated the risks.
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Then—he made his decision.
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"Alright."
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His voice cut through the tension.
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Everyone turned to him.
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"Once we enter the 1000-mile area, we will follow your lead."
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A sharp warning followed.
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"But only after we confirm the authenticity of the map."
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A flicker of approval passed through Envoy Lucas's gaze.
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A wise approach.
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A balance between opportunity and caution.
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Azula's lips curled into a smirk.
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She had expected this.
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"It's a deal then."
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Her voice was pleased. Certain.
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Palace Master Hugh exhaled.
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He had been waiting long enough.
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"Let's get going then."
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Without another word, he stepped forward—vanishing into the entrance of the Mourning Depths.
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One by one—the other leaders followed.
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And then—
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The hall fell silent.
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The Divine Palace, once filled with tension, was now empty.
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Because now—
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The true expedition had begun. |