All Lies crack like glass eventually

During the fight in the Poor Districts, Nobles and citizens bore the brunt of the clashes from a distance, their emotions a mix of fear and uncertainty.

From the sound of thunderous blows to the monstrous gushes of wind, each passing second felt like a ticking time bomb until the parting clouds sped to their direction, easing their anxiety.

Anita stared at the sky with widened eyes, a feeling of emotions rushing through her. The fight was over, and Black's mana still remained, which gave her a sense of glee, but...

"What the hell is going on in Hadon!" She shrieked, bursting out as she staggered.

It wasn't just her; all the Nobles were struck in awe, unable to divert their gaze from the large dark cracks. Civilians clenched their hands tightly in fear, trembling where they were.

"Don't tell me... it's happening," Sylzao muttered in a low tone, reversing his steps, almost tripping over his own feet.

Meanwhile, in the Poor Districts...

The grim atmosphere brightened, ash clouds made way for sunlight, scorched materials cooled, allowing the fresh breath of clean air to dwell once again.

Hyosung remained laying flat on the gravel, staring up at the hideous sky with an expressionless face, his consciousness flickering in and out.

The screen hovering right beside him.

"I'm so exhausted, what the hell," the words escaped his lips like sighs, barely audible.

[Current status: Background character #1]

[Editor's remark: Well done, Mr. Slay. You've met up with your schedule; keep up the good work!]

"I can't believe all I did was fruitless. The only good result is I didn't have any of my gifts revoked," he rubbed his left hand on his drowsy face. "To make matters worse, I'm still a convict. They might take me back into custody and carry on with the execution after this."

He placed his hand on his jaw, stroking it as he introspected, "And then... there's Sylzao. After reading his character info along with a few of the upcoming chapters, a sense of respect dug its way into my heart."

"Whatcha up to, little kid?" White remarked, shooting a strange glare, as though she tried to read him, an eerie smirk hanging at the edge of her face.

'Oh, shit, it's her!'

She chuckled oddly, as if forced out of her throat, "Don't move, or I'll hack you into meat cubes."

'That's how she chuckles? I don't think she's normal. Maybe I shouldn't have saved her as well.'

She pointed towards the sky, her smirk still plastered, expecting Black to understand without saying a word, her stained cloak swaying towards the opposite direction from her rigid figure.

At first, he didn't understand until the realization struck him like an electric shock, jolting him from where he laid, narrowing his eyes in disbelief.

White's smirk stretched further into a pleased grin, firmly plastered on her face, glaring at him with a hint of malice.

He didn't notice until now, despite literally staring it in the face. The sky held dark cracks, small purple lights glimmering vaguely within, like stars. Squinting his eyes, just to see, it's similar to the ones that lit up the prison.

The arrival of a foreign enemy, the disappearance of Urane, Hadon's mass destruction, and now... this. A series of unfortunate events kept unfolding since the arrival of one person, an outsider standing in their midst.

"Hyosung Slay..." White unsheathed her blade once again, placing its razor edge at the tip of his skin with a mad grin, "you're beyond screwed as hell, bro."

Black felt the cold blade pressing against his warm neck, the sharp edge biting his skin. One wrong move, and he'd be the next Adeysus. Even then, he replied to her sentiment with an unphased expression, his eyes cold like ice.

"I don't care," he let out, tilting his head to view her reaction. "Because I know you're all bark and no bite. You can't harm a hair on my head."

Tightening the grip on her sword's hilt, she pressed it further until drops of red blood ran through its glistening edge. "Would you stake your life on that bet?" Her voice coldly low, hiding annoyance.

"I would, actually," his shoulders broad with confidence, replying with an equally icy tone.

Their eyes locked on each other, the heated tension between them almost palpable in the air.

"I can't find Urane!" Black cut in, his body clearly strained, breath hoarse from exhaustion.

'Where the hell did he even come from?'

"She's not dead, at least. I can still feel her mana lingering in the air," White replied, returning her blade, shutting both eyes and exhaling to calm her tension. "Urane's not a child who easily gets lost. If she's not here, then she's doing something else," she reassured.

Her words felt more like fuel to the flames burning within Black, but he composed himself, masking his anxiety with a relaxed sigh, shrugging his shoulders before stepping towards Hyosung, placing a comforting hand on his shoulders.

Hyosung read through his act with ease, yet refused to utter a word, simply playing along, acting like Black's efforts gave him comfort. "Does this mean I'm free from my charges and won't get killed?" He leaned closer, eyes gleaming with hope for a positive answer.

"Unfortunately, no, you're still a wanted convict," Black replied, leaning backward, trying to avert his gaze, his reassuring hand sliding weakly down Hyosung's shoulder. "Come to think of it, how'd you get out of the prison? And how'd you come here? In fact, what are you doing here?"

Hyosung tensed, his lips twitching, scratching his head intensely, trying to rack his brain for an answer, but nothing came. He'd low-key been trapped in a tight corner.

"I brought him here," White intervened in the nick of time, her sharp voice drawing both their attention. "I was hoping to see how involved he was with the enemy, but unfortunately, I couldn't find the answer," her face sincere as the lies left her lips.

'Damn, she's an insanely good liar,' Hyosung's mind remarked.

CRACK!

The heavy sound of glass breaking swept through Hadon, reverberating through the serene atmosphere, making the hearts of many throb in their chests.

The cracks were expanding, some parts of the sky hung at a dispatched edge, about to weaken and fall off.

"I never thought I'd see this again," Black dazed, looking at the sky with furrowed eyes, bitter memories flooding his mind. "This is bad. Where's Urane when we need her most!"

"We'll have to report back to Sylzao," White responded swiftly, her expression stiff, as though plastered to look uninterested.

Without warning, White grabbed Hyosung's collar, pulling it until he lost balance, then catching him mid-fall, holding him like a Gucci bag.

"I'll return him back to his cell until his execution tomorrow. Go find Urane," she ordered, her tone strict as she crouched, refocusing her gaze, her cloak still suspended by the breeze.

Hyosung shoved, pinched, bit, and kicked White, trying to resist, but her body was too sturdy, her grip unyielding, putting her stubbornness on grand display. Black tried to protest as well, but was turned on deaf ears until she vanished, carrying Hyosung with her.

The place felt vacant after her departure, the life-like howls of the breeze coldly sweeping across were far from reassuring. The battle was won, but at what cost? The lives of many were already lost, homes and livelihoods in shambles.

Definitely, this was something they could recuperate over time, but the bone-chilling passage of the concept only held skepticism for their futures.

In a quick flash, White arrived at the Rich District, coursing a path towards Sylza Tower, composure etched on her face, while Hyosung's stomach spiraled from nausea, about to erupt.

Releasing her grip, White dropped him on the floor like luggage, gazing at the path blocked with wounded people on stretchers, few already on the other side, many at death's door. Nobles scampered to aid as best they could, their appearance drenched in sweat and weary.

"This is such a pain," White let out in a low tone, pulling the nauseated Hyosung from the ground. "Best brace yourself. I'll have to leap until I reach the top of Sylza."

"Huh?" Black exclaimed, his lips curled up in disgust, clenching his stomach tightly. "Could you please repeat that la..."

WHOOSH!

White launched her body like a rocket, maneuvering through various rooftops like a cat, bolting through the walls of Sylza Tower like she ran a race until she reached the top, Black like a chain dangled on her palm.

She tossed him forward, her expression visibly uncaring, before going on one knee. "Sylzao, sir! I've come to the conclusion the imposter Hyosung Slay is involved with the reason for our current circumstances," her words coordinated as she bowed her head in respect.

Pasting his body on the cold floor of the Impera, Hyosung covered his head, disguising the focus his eyes had on the invisible panel.

'I'm still not mentioned anywhere in the chapter? What the hell! It must be because I'm still a background character. The fact that White's here means the chapter was altered along with the future, so that's good, even though some of the things here don't occur word-for-word, it's still the same.'

"Hyosung, you bastard, stand on your feet like a man and look me in the eye," Sylzao strained his voice, speaking, squeezing both his palms tightly on each other, staring daggers at him.

"No, thanks, I'm good," Hyosung replied, his words a slap to Sylzao.

Redirecting his gaze at White, he shot up from his seat, an ugly scowl drew on his face, clenching his fists tightly until his nearly bones tore off, grinding his teeth in rage. "Why the hell did you bring him here, Mintugakye!" He roared, veins pulsing on his neck.

White lowered her gaze, unable to face Sylzao nor the others who stood anxiously in wait, the reply hesitant to escape her lips. "I... uhhm," she quivered.

"I've had enough of all this drama. I'm ready to make a deal with you, Sylzao," Black rose, his aching bones resettling.

Heating up the intensity with one sentence, broadening his chest in confidence. The others kept silent, simply spectating from the sidelines, at the edge of their seats, as if watching a movie.

"What is it?" Sylzao answered in a calm yet frightening tone.

'I don't know why I didn't do this from the start.'

"I'll give you 2 options. The first is that I'll let you kill me IF you confess to everyone here the truth behind Hadon's current state and how it came to be, OR you just let me off the hook," he remained calm and composed.

Sylzao was struck, overcome by an increasing sense of unease spreading throughout his body. "Just who the hell do you think you are to make demands!" Spit sprayed from his mouth like an open shower. "HYOSUNG SLAY..."

Hyosung felt the air around him burn, Sylzao's malice flowed through his body like blood. His hands shivered, but didn't shake. Stabbing pains coursed through, but he didn't flinch. His eyes felt like they were dipped in acid, but he didn't blink, still keeping them locked on him.

"Your intimidation skill won't work on me, Sylzao. You'll have to do better than that," his head stood higher above his broad shoulders, speaking calmly with a mocking grin.

Flabbergasting Sylzao in the process, his words barely coming out in stammers.

"What the is he talking about, Sylzao!"

Yadohabi's question left him numb in shock, dazing at the shattering sky as if in a trance, sadness reflected in his eyes like a mirror.

"Sylzao, answer the question," the first Elder shot up from his seat with force. "You and Urane told us the rest of Earth was destroyed by an SSS Rank monster. That's why we sealed ourselves, right?"

The second sat calmly, rubbing his long grey beard. "Sylzao... were you both lying?"

The third Elder just sat there, glaring with a piping hot cup of tea.

Sylzao's expression was clearly visible to all, his sweat and shock merged with the air. The steady winds, along with his cold silence, formed a suspenseful atmosphere.

"It's over, Sylzao. This is checkmate. The truth was bound to come out eventually, even you knew this," Hyosung's tone shriveled, hints of pity lingering in his tone.

'Black was meant to expose Sylzao, but the next chapter made reference to 'the death of an innocent stranger' without specifying the name, clearly me. So I had to step in.'

'It should take him a few hours from now, during his search for Urane, to find Ein Hel's diary, where he wro...'

[Spoiler detected]

[Spoiler tag active]

[Please do not reveal any vital plot info]

'I still don't know why the system restricts my thoughts as well.'

"Well done, Hyosung Slay. You trapped me in a tight spot," Sylzao's voice hitched, his face pale.

Hyosung's head fell below his broad shoulders, a wrenching pain struck his heart, clinging to his jeans as tears welled up in his eyes. 'I don't know if I can hate Sylzao for all he's done. After reading his backstory with my own eyes, he seems more human than he did before.'

"Sylzao, you refuse to speak in your defense nor raise any arguments against the intruder's claims. Does that mean he speaks the truth?" The third Elder asked calmly, sipping his tea.

But before anyone else could utter a word, Yadohabi cut in with a question, stepping closer to Sylzao, leaning his ears for an answer. "What the hell did you and Urane do, Sylzao?" His wrinkled face deceptively calm.

Sylzao tried to dodge his question, darting his eyes away, but the question weighed on his aging head. The truth couldn't be kept hidden any longer; there wasn't any point to it.

Lowering his head to meet Yadohabi's gaze, "It began 20 years ago. When Hadon was still just another state in Belton..."