Chapter 78

Drip, drip, drip.

Crimson blood flowed across the floor, trickling over the edge of the railing and falling into the pit below.

Wrapped in a gray cloak, Riku stepped over the bodies of the goblin guards, making his way out of the facility.

"Let's go, Vanir."

Following beside Riku, Vanir looked at Riku's stoic expression and asked softly, "Are you alright?"

Riku shook his head lightly, looking at the black and red sky revealed through the exit. He said calmly, "After watching the Fate Archive, I realized that avoiding sacrifices was impossible. Since that's the case, I want my enemies to be the ones to sacrifice."

Vanir's lips curled up slightly, and he smiled. "If that's the case, then let's set off."

Whoosh.

Pulling up his mask to cover his face, Riku's cloak flapped in the wind blowing in from the exit. He stepped out of the goblin laboratory, glanced back at the door that had been violently torn open by the beastmen, took a deep breath, and turned to look into the distance.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

In the dim, fantastical forest, Riku and Vanir moved swiftly across the treetops. With Vanir's perception and abilities, the two avoided one warning barrier after another, heading deeper into the forest.

In a place that seemed like something out of a fairy tale, a spring bubbled and flowed gently. Luminescent plants illuminated the surroundings.

White mist floated in the air. Sink and Nina were soaking in the hot spring, relieving the fatigue of the day.

Suddenly, the two of them sensed something.

Sink waved his hand, summoning his clothes onto his body. He turned to Nina, who looked tense, and said, "Hide here. I'll see who dared to break into our home without permission."

"Be careful."

"Mm."

Heading towards the place where the magic barrier had been destroyed, Sink's eyes glowed as he extended his palm, instantly activating a six-layer spell.

"Who's there?!"

"This? It's just a ghost."

The detection spell activated fully, analyzing the humanoid figure before him. Multiple offensive and defensive spells were simultaneously prepared.

Bang!

Sink's consciousness seemed to plummet into the deepest part of the world in an instant, as boundless darkness surged around him. A flash of magical light appeared next to him, instantly pulling him out of the dark space.

His alertness immediately peaked. Watching the two figures emerge from the shadows, Sink said warily, "Since when did those who hide in the corners become so powerful?"

"Why have you broken into my residence without the owner's permission?"

Extending his palm, Riku pulled out a chess set from his spectral storage. Smiling at Sink, who looked astonished, Riku said, "I simply want to play a game with you. The wager is information. If I win, you tell me what you know. If I lose, then I'll do the same."

"Though I don't know who you are."

Looking at the chess set in Riku's hands, Sink lowered his raised hand and said with apparent disdain, "But do you think I, Nina Claybur, would bet against an unknown ghost?"

"Is that so?"

Hearing those words he had heard countless times, Riku's lips curled beneath his mask. He looked at Sink and said, "The goblins already know about the Void Zero Blessing, Sink Nierbalen."

"What?!"

Sink was stunned. He glared at the figure before him, shrouded in black mist. In his pupils, six-petal patterns flickered.

Seeing the change in Sink's eyes, Riku placed the chess set on a table beside him. He made a gesture of invitation towards Sink.

"And besides, isn't the theoretical founder of the Void Zero Blessing, Nina Sinreib, secretly watching from the side?"

"Fine. What are you wagering?"

Seeing Riku lay all his cards on the table, Sink reluctantly agreed to Riku's terms.

Facing Sink across the chessboard, Riku picked up a piece and placed it on the board.

"My wager is the reason why the goblins are still confident, even though they know the elves possess the Void Zero Blessing."

"What did you say?! Impossible!"

Sink shouted at Riku. He had assumed that the goblins had only obtained partial information about the Void Zero Blessing. He never expected that they knew everything and remained unfazed. However, since this so-called ghost was saying it so confidently...

"Exactly as you think."

Picking up another chess piece, Riku said calmly, "The goblins have developed weapons that rival or even surpass the Void Zero Blessing. And I've obtained detailed information about this technology."

"Is that so? Seems like I can't afford to lose. You won't be using magic to cheat, will you?"

Chuckling as she picked up a chess piece, Sink stared at Riku's face and asked.

"Don't worry."

Riku smiled at Sink, who looked a bit anxious, and said, "I wouldn't dare cheat in front of the world's number one spellcaster, except perhaps for the God of the Forest. And as a player, cheating in a game makes it no fun at all."

"Heh, you sure are modest. But a player, huh?"

With a light laugh, Sink picked up another chess piece and placed it on the board.

The two of them, now fully engrossed in the game, kept their eyes on the board, their lips curling in concentration. They used all their intellect to understand the other's strategy and guide the game in their favor.

As time passed, piece by piece moved across the board. Sink's face showed satisfaction, and she wiped her forehead, squinting at Riku with a smile. "Game over. I win."

"Yes, you won."

Putting down his chess piece, Riku smiled and said, "So, what do you want to know?"

"This is quite a tough choice."

Gazing curiously at Riku's masked face, Sink seemed conflicted. "I want to know about the goblins, but I'm also interested in the two mysterious beings before me. Which should I choose?"

"Heh, that decision is up to you."

Riku smiled nonchalantly, reorganizing the chess pieces and gesturing at Sink, who was biting her nails.

Seeing the chessboard set up once again, Sink fell silent, staring at Riku's face. After a long pause, she gritted her teeth and said, "Tell me about the goblins' weapons."

Putting her personal curiosity aside, Sink ultimately chose to learn about the weapons of their enemies. Though she didn't care much about her own race or the creators, Nina was still among them. For Nina's sake, she could put aside her curiosity.

"Is that so? You made your choice quickly."

Picking up a chess piece, Riku placed it down and began explaining the secret of Marrow Burst, looking at Sink's resentful expression.

"The goblins' secret weapon is called Marrow Burst. It's a bomb created through a technique that detonates inactive divine marrow. Just one bomb is enough to erase an entire continent, a weapon capable of even killing gods."

"Marrow Burst, huh."

Resting her chin on her hand, Sink picked up a chess piece and placed it on the board, muttering with surprise, "The strongest spiritual technique I've created with all my spiritual power, the Void Zero Blessing, has been surpassed by those short-statured mushrooms."

"But now that I know about the goblins, are you ready to reveal your identity to me?"

"Ah, I look forward to it."