Scott's brows shot up. Oh? Is she a demi-god too?

He scrutinized the champion, but no matter how closely he observed her, he couldn't tell if she had begun the journey to godhood.

"So, you're a demi-god?" Scott probed.

The champion shook her head softly.

Scott frowned. "Then what are you?"

"I'm an incarnation of a former lesser god candidate," she answered without hesitation.

Scott stared at her, trying to detect even a flicker of deceit. Is she bullshitting me?

Gods could have incarnations—he knew that much. So it wasn't a stretch to believe lesser gods or even candidates could do the same. Whether she was telling the truth, though, he couldn't say for sure.

Then her voice came again, cutting through his thoughts. "Another reason I approached you… was because of the curse of extinction on your body."

Scott remained indifferent. "What about it?"

He'd nearly forgotten about that. If she hadn't brought it up, he might never have remembered that brief moment—when he'd glimpsed the gods' memories and been cursed for it. A curse he had devoured without consequence.

But how the hell does she know I was cursed?

The marks had long vanished into his body, yet she could still perceive it.

Is she afflicted too?

"How did you know I was cursed?" Scott asked. "And you still haven't told me where the 'incarnation of a lesser god candidate' ranks among mortals, demi-gods, and gods."

"Forgive me," the champion bowed. "I don't know the exact rankings. But I do know I'm above mortals, on par with some demi-gods, and beneath gods and lesser gods."

She paused, then added, "My class is Curse Widow. I can perceive the nature of all curses and instantly understand their origins."

Scott didn't react outwardly, but he began mentally sizing her up.

Another rare class. Sounds like a nightmare to deal with.

His gaze drifted toward the unconscious champions still lying on the ground.

"Next question," he said, eyes still locked on the group. "You mentioned the curse—so I assume that's how you're able to control them…" He trailed off, then shifted his gaze back to the silver-haired champion. "…and your current host."

She raised her head. Her eyes trembled slightly. "It seems you've seen through my curse," she said with a quiet sigh.

Scott remained impassive, though inwardly he was unsettled. So curses can do this?

He wasn't well-versed in curses, but the way she could control people reminded him of someone. I'm sure that a variant of that yellow-eyed freak is roaming freely on the Endless Bridge.

His expression darkened at the thought.

"I'm assuming your current medium—clearly a mortal—can use the earring because of your curse, correct?"

The champion nodded without delay. "Yes."

"So… where's your real body?"

He was beginning to wonder why she was being so cooperative, especially when she wasn't even here physically.

She must think—no, she's sure—I can still hurt her, Scott guessed.

And she's right.

If he wanted to, he could easily inflict madness from a distance. With his Authority, he could force her to come to him. But it would take time.

"My main body is in the Silent City," she said. "But I've spread several curse avatars across different active and silent zones."

Scott narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"I don't know if you understand how the trials work, but I'm searching for the Primary Target—"

Scott chuckled softly, cutting her off. "You want to gain automatic access to the Fifth Zone."

Surprisingly, the woman frowned and shook her head. "That's not the true purpose of becoming the Primary Target."

She paused abruptly, as if she'd said too much.

Scott's expression hardened. He stepped forward.

"What do you mean?"

The champion instinctively stepped back—then froze.

A billow of darkness unfurled behind Scott, coiling around them like smoke. But her eyes weren't on the dark mist. They were on what awakened within them.

Eyes. Yellow, ancient, unhinged. Countless eyes blinked into existence within the gloom—eyes of madness, of originless terror. They gazed upon her, infinite and alive, like stars cursed to stare.

Stolen novel; please report.

The woman's breath hitched. Her eyes widened unnaturally. Her mouth opened in slow disbelief. Cold sweat streamed down her face. Her earring jingled and trembled as if panicked by the storm of darkness and madness.

Scott stepped closer. She was taller than him—but in the face of those eyes, she felt impossibly small.

"I'll repeat myself," Scott said calmly. "What do you mean?"

Silence followed—deeper, heavier than before.

"Abandon all thoughts of escape," he added, his voice laced with quiet threat. "The fact that I let you see them means I have no reservations about ending your life. It's up to you to give me a reason not to."

He folded his arms and waited.

Ten seconds, he thought. If she doesn't speak—

The champion's voice broke through his thoughts, trembling slightly. "Those who finish the trial as the Primary Target earn the qualifications to join the—"

A system notification suddenly appeared in front of her—and her features steeled. Scott caught the shift in her expression instantly.

"I'm sorry," she said abruptly. "I can't speak any further."

The message vanished as quickly as it came, but the tension on her face remained. She looked petrified.

What did that message say to terrify her this much? Scott wondered.

If we were anywhere else, I'd assume the Administrator stepped in. But he relinquished control of the Endless Bridge to the champions and the examiner committee.

In this place, only one being has ever sent me messages.

The Overseer.

Scott took a slow breath, masking his thoughts behind a blank expression. "Was that from the Overseer?"

The woman nodded mutely, eyes still fogged with fear.

No point pushing her further, he concluded. Even if I threatened to torture her soul for eternity, I doubt I'd get anything useful. She's obviously more terrified of the Overseer than me.

He sighed and stepped back. The swirling darkness began to fade. The infinite yellow eyes within it blinked out, one by one, until the void fully receded.

Scott returned to his earlier position and crossed his arms again.

"What can you tell me," he asked, "that wouldn't draw the Overseer's wrath?"

The champion didn't respond immediately. She lowered her head, visibly weighing her words.

Scott didn't interrupt.

Eventually, she looked up, the fear wiped clean from her face. "I'm sorry," she said, shaking her head slowly. "There's truly not much I can say without…"

She trailed off, then repeated softly, "I'm sorry. I really can't."

"But you're still going to search for the Primary Target, aren't you?" Scott asked, his tone unchanged.

"Yes," she said firmly. "I want to claim the mantle of Primary Target for this round."

Scott smiled faintly and spread his arms. "You're in luck."

The woman blinked, confused—until his next words hit her.

"Here I am," he said with a grin. "Come get me."

Her eyes widened, mouth falling open. But instead of panic or disbelief, a self-deprecating chuckle escaped her lips. Then she began to laugh—quietly at first, then harder, tears streaking down her blue-tinged cheeks.

Scott watched her without a word, mildly amused.

She thinks I'm joking?

He didn't clarify.

Eventually, she regained her composure and wiped her tears. "I apologize," she said, exhaling. "After searching so long, it's ironic to run into the Primary Target when I least expected it."

"Oh?" Scott said. "So you believed me."

"I do," she replied with a small nod. "At first, I thought you'd be a dangerous competitor… never realizing you were my goal all along."

She shook her head, wearing a wry smile. "Now that I know you hold the title, I've no hope of becoming the Primary Target. I might as well leave and return for the ninth round."

"Wait," Scott said, interrupting. "You have a way to leave this place?"

She looked up and nodded. "I possess several exist talismans from previous failed attempts."

Those could be zone treasures—or artifacts from higher zones, or even the 9th and 10th zones, Scott mused.

Even though the 10th zone appears as a desolate wasteland, there's no telling what ancient secrets lie buried within it. And the 9th zone… I left too early. It's likely there are some unique treasures within The Silent City.

"Do you have one on you now?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, no."

Expected, he thought. She wouldn't hand something that valuable to someone she's controlling.

"What's the furthest zone you've reached in past rounds?" he asked.

"The fifth zone," she answered. "That's as far as one can go without being the Primary Target."

Scott offered a faint smile. Even if she won't reveal the truth about the Primary Target, I can still gather intelligence on the other zones.

"Can you tell me about the zones above the eighth?" he asked casually.

"I'm sorry," she replied with a bow. "I'm forbidden from speaking of them."

Of course, Scott sighed internally.

Then her voice returned. "However, while I can't speak on their details… I can tell you their names. Will that suffice?"

That's better than nothing, Scott mused, offering a slight nod of approval.

"The Seventh Zone is called Stormforged. The Sixth, The Hollow Earth. And the Fifth is known as The Banquet," the woman recited in a single breath.

Scott nodded slowly, committing the names to memory. He hoped they'd at least offer some insight into what awaited in the deeper layers of the twisted trial.

"Concerning your ego—"

Before he could finish, the woman bowed deeply, her voice interjecting, "I'm not permitted to speak on that either, due to what occurred earlier. I sincerely apologize."

Scott's gaze lingered on her bowed form. He sighed.

"You may leave. I've no further questions," he said flatly. "But I'd advise you not to keep spying on me."

Her head remained lowered. "Thank you. I'll take my leave now."

She turned toward her still-frozen companions. But just as she began to walk towards them, Scott's voice halted her again.

"Since you answered my questions honestly, here's a tip," he said. "The world you once knew outside the Endless Bridge… may not be the same one you're returning to."

The woman snapped her head back, her face contorted in alarm and confusion. A storm of questions twisted in her expression.

Scott didn't speak further. He simply leaned back against a tree, arms folded, gaze calm and unreadable.

Silence stretched between them.

Then, after a long pause, her voice finally broke the quiet. "How much time has passed?"

Scott raised an eyebrow, impressed. She figured it out that quickly? That's… remarkable.

He shrugged, keeping his tone casual. "Maybe decades. Maybe more. I stopped keeping track a long time ago."

Her lips parted slightly. Her eyes widened in shock.

And in that moment, Scott noticed something shift—the motionless bodies behind her began to tremble faintly, a purplish fog leaking from their nostrils. The haze coiled toward her, drawn like mist to gravity, and then slowly dissipated. The bodies stilled once more.

"Thank you," the woman finally said, voice low and pained.

She's still trying to accept it, Scott thought. But she's doing better than most would.

Then, unexpectedly, she asked, "May I know which territory you control? I'd like to visit you in person after this ends."

Scott chuckled softly. "And how do I know you won't raze the place before I return?"

She frowned, then reached for her earring and removed it. "If you'd allow me, I can—"

"That won't be necessary," Scott cut in. "I'm not even sure I want to see you again."

He pushed off the tree, smiling faintly. "If we do meet again, it might be because I've come to take your territory. We can talk then. Since you've been unusually cooperative today, I'd spare you—and your people, if you have any—so long as you hand it over willingly."

The woman returned a sardonic smile but said nothing. She slipped the earring back on and bowed once more.

"Thank you for sparing them. I'll be going now."

With that, she faded from sight—silent, invisible, gone.

Scott remained where he stood, eyes scanning the path she'd taken. I always suspected there was more to being the Primary Target… and it seems the Overseer won't let anyone else reveal the truth.

His gaze drifted to his folded clothes resting on the branch.

Nothing in this place is ever straightforward.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.