HBWnovel Chapter 483: 91st Floor: Ouroboros (4)
Chapter 483: 91st Floor: Ouroboros (4)
“I can’t send you directly into that place. As I mentioned earlier, we can’t interfere with it.”
The Wizard opened a portal, revealing the vast expanse of the cosmos beyond.
“So instead, I’ll create a pathway that leads near it. You shouldn’t have much trouble finding your destination.”
“What exactly am I supposed to locate?”
“The reason Ouroboros devoured the world.”
The Wizard’s tone was serious.
“What broke the cycle’s mechanism? You don’t need to be overly specific. A general understanding will suffice. Find the reason, and I’ll reward you accordingly.”
“Understood.”
Taesan’s reply was brief. Without hesitation, he stepped into the portal the Wizard had created.
What greeted his eyes was an endless universe, a vast expanse devoid of life.
To most, such an environment would be hostile, but not to Taesan. He moved freely, unhindered by the absence of gravity or atmosphere.
It didn’t take him long to find Ouroboros.
Or rather, it wasn’t something he found—it was something that dominated his vision the moment he arrived.
[Oh.]
[That... That can’t be real...]
A low groan, laced with disbelief, came from Bardray. His ghostly voice quivered with a mix of shock and denial.
[Is that... really it?]
There, in the vastness of space, was a serpent.
Not a metaphorical serpent, nor an abstraction. It was a snake, unimaginably massive, coiled in the darkness. Its dark, obsidian-like scales shimmered faintly as it occupied an incomprehensible portion of the universe.
[It has no end...]
Even Akasha, calm and rational, couldn’t suppress her astonishment.
It was as if the snake formed a wall in space, its sheer size rendering its boundaries invisible. It seemed capable of consuming galaxies, perhaps more, with ease.
The serpent’s body moved slightly, almost imperceptibly, but the motion carried an ominous weight.
[You have discovered Ouroboros.]
‘So this is the Serpent of Cycles.’
The mechanism governing the cycle of all things. Its size was fitting for its role. Even Taesan, with his enhanced senses, could only grasp a fraction of its form.
[And you have to go inside that?]
[A creature of this size... Even the faintest motion would tear the universe apart.]
Bardray and Akasha contemplated the approach with unease.
Then the serpent stirred.
Its colossal body twisted slowly, deliberately, as though guided by an unseen purpose.
Both Bardray and Akasha fell silent, watching in awe.
Given its size, even the slightest motion should have unleashed devastating physical forces, ripping through the very fabric of space. Yet, nothing happened. Some unseen law seemed to suppress the consequences of its movements.
The serpent’s motion ceased.
And then, Taesan felt its gaze.
[Ah.]
The faint sound of a sharp inhale echoed.
Its head wasn’t visible, but there was no mistaking it—the Serpent of Cycles had noticed him.
It was watching him.
Taesan instinctively realized that if Ouroboros bore him any hostility, there would be no escape. As long as he existed in the universe, the serpent would be able to pursue him.
His body tensed, ready to deploy Boundary Line at a moment’s notice. If Ouroboros made even the slightest threatening move, he would respond immediately.
But the serpent did nothing more.
After a long moment of observation, it shifted its massive body again, turning its gaze away from him.
[Phew!]
[What... What is that thing?]
Bardray exhaled heavily, trying to laugh off his lingering fear.
“It’s not hostile. It’s not even defensive.”
If anything, its gesture seemed almost like an invitation.
“Then I’ll accept.”
[If that’s what you’ve decided.]
[As you wish, Master.]
Bardray and Akasha didn’t protest, fully entrusting themselves to Taesan’s judgment.
The man’s transformation through Ouroboros was beyond divine recovery.His mind had existed in this state for so long that it had become his new normal.Both reasons were true.Taesan began walking through the city. Despite his otherworldly and distinct attire, no one paid him any attention.
The ones acting out in madness were only a minority.
The majority were sitting or lying down, staring blankly into space, doing nothing.
Their eyes were devoid of light. Though alive and conscious, they seemed no different from the dead.
Taesan entered the castle. The guards who should have been protecting it were nowhere to be found.
He walked through the dilapidated corridors until he reached the highest point of the castle.
Behind a grand door was a throne.
Sitting on it was an old man.
The man’s face was weary as he looked at Taesan.
“...An outsider?”
His voice was thin and broken, as though even speaking took all his energy.
And this was strange.
The man before Taesan was an immortal.
Immortals were beings who never aged or decayed. Without external interference, their strength and mind remained unyielding.
Yet, the old man looked as if he had been worn down by the passage of time.
“...It’s been a long time since I last saw someone. A woman, I believe. Or has it not been long at all? Perhaps it was just a few days ago?”
The old man mumbled incoherently, unable to distinguish between past and present, as though gripped by dementia.
Taesan observed him silently. The man’s rambling slowed, and a faint spark of awareness returned to his eyes.
“...Forgive me. It’s shameful to appear so weak before a great being.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Then... may I ask you for one thing?”
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing grand.”
The old man ran a trembling hand over his face.
“Could you... kill me?”
The old man’s voice trembled with desperation.
“I’m so tired. I can’t do this anymore. Please... please, end this eternal cycle for me.”
His plea was genuine. He longed for death.
“...I apologize,” the old man said, swallowing his words.
“It’s foolish of me to ask. No one can grant me such a thing—not even you.”
“What happened here?” Taesan asked.
“You’ll see for yourself soon enough.”
Taesan turned to look out the window at the city below.
The chaos was overwhelming. Nothing remained intact, and everything had descended into madness.
‘...Now that I think about it.’
Something felt off.
The people here were worn down by time.
Their minds had shattered, their spirits broken.
It wasn’t the result of a short period. This must have been the consequence of an unimaginably long passage of time.
And yet, the world itself was pristine.
It looked as if it had been cleaned just yesterday.
This was strange.
Fweeeeeeng!
A massive tremor rippled through the universe.
The force originated from somewhere deep within and spread outward, engulfing the planet.
Taesan instinctively activated his Chaos Barrier, shielding his body. Ouroboros’s influence tried to intrude, but the barrier rejected it.
This allowed Taesan to witness what happened next.
The dead began to rise. Blood that had spilled re-entered their veins, and broken bodies were restored to their original states, like a film rewinding.
The shattered market stall reassembled itself, returning to its previous form.
The woman who had been laughing madly while swinging her blade regained her composure, her face calm and dignified.
‘This...’
The world was resetting itself.
And Taesan recognized this sensation.
It was the same feeling he’d experienced when he used the gastric stone to rewind time.