"Why do you care about the old rulers so much?" Noah asked, even if the question was relatively self-explanatory.

The old Heaven and Earth were a powerhouse in the higher plane. Their knowledge about the rulers was only one of their strong points. They also had an entire city full of powerful inscriptions at their disposal, and their experiments with the magical beasts had only increased their overall power.

Moreover, Noah could guess that Cursed Reality would be interested in how the old rulers kept the orange city hidden from Heaven and Earth. An alliance would benefit both sides, even if the experts had to sacrifice the Labyrinth to achieve it.

"Are they dangerous?" Emperor asked.

"Of course," Noah announced. "They have even retrieved a personality. They might easily become the real final enemy."

"How did you even make them cooperate with you?" Queen questioned.

"Because I probably had something to do with the return of their personality," Noah laughed.

"Why are you so reckless?" Cursed Reality sighed.

"What can I say?" Noah shrugged his shoulders. "That bet turned out to be fine. The old rulers have been more than useful up until now."

"What happens when they betray you to take over the world?" Emperor asked.

"I kill them, obviously," Noah stated without any hesitation. "Still, they are rather promising. I'm only scared about a potential reunion with Heaven and Earth. They must also aim at something similar."

"I still have to test their lightning bolts," June reminded.

"Right," Noah exclaimed. "You might be able to reach the liquid stage if the old rulers create the right environment."

"I can do the same with the worms," June continued. "The higher plane doesn't lack chunks of the sky that we can steal. It shouldn't be hard to create the perfect training area."

"That beats chasing after Tribulations," Noah announced. "Though I'm sure something will happen once we leave the Labyrinth."

"Maybe Heaven and Earth will throw some avatars at us," June commented.

"Not really at us," Noah responded while glancing at Vesuvia. "They won't let her reappear so easily."

"Can you even fight?" June asked.

"I will challenge you if you put your partner at stake," Vesuvia chuckled.

June's eyes lit up, but her expression turned into a pout when she noticed Noah's glare. She limited herself to sigh before placing her head on his shoulder.

"Was she really going to accept?" Queen asked.

"Never give the chance to fight to a battle maniac," Noah stated. "So, I guess we have a deal. You'll dismantle the Labyrinth, and I'll lead you to the old rulers."

"You sure can't wait to leave," Emperor said.

"And you can't wait to meet the old Heaven and Earth," Noah laughed, "Even if you have yet to tell me why."

"They are valuable assets," Cursed Reality explained. "I bet every real expert would like to talk with them."

"Or add them to their army," Emperor continued. "They have definitely earned a spot as cannon fodder after putting all of us in this mess."

"You can handle all of this with them," Noah declared. "It's time, isn't it?"

Noah and June instinctively moved their gazes on Cursed Reality, and the other experts did the same. It was clear that the expert had an important role in that matter, so it was up to him to say the last word.

"Give me some time to prepare," Cursed Reality sighed. "I'll also need Pellio. I will be easier to separate the two worlds with him ready to receive his power."

The meeting ended on those lines. The experts didn't need to say anything else after everyone was on the same page. The Cursed Labyrinth would crumble, and the group would leave to find the old rulers.

Cursed Reality and Pellio had important matters to handle, so they left right away. Emperor and Queen didn't expect the departure to arrive right away, so they abandoned the ninth floor to prepare.

Vesuvia, the Foolery, the pack of turtles, and the other experts took the chance to bond a bit during the wait. Artamo's dimension and Vesuvia's city contained many cultivators, hybrids, and magical beasts that had been away from the higher plane for too long, so it didn't hurt them to exchange information with their new companions.

Noah and June didn't stay with the rest of the army. Assessing everybody and starting to influence the group's growth was probably the best option, but they wanted some privacy now that they could get it. Moreover, Noah had yet to recover completely, and June's arms were his favorite spot for that.

The couple didn't end up caught in their passion. Noah and June didn't suppress their urges, but they avoided destroying the ninth floor. The sudden appearance of the dark world told everybody that they were up to something, but no one investigated.

Time passed. The ninth floor was peaceful, but the Foolery managed to ruin it. Its resources fell in their stomachs, and blue bushes soon covered the previous variegated environment.

No one cared about that transformation, and Noah didn't bother to address the matter either. His drawbacks vanished quickly after experiencing Cursed Reality's drink, so he could focus on improving his level.

Noah knew that the breakthrough was close. Time or a relatively important feat would make him cross the narrow gap that separated him from the liquid stage.

June was in a similar situation. Her level depended on what her body could endure, and she had managed to improve it significantly in the dimension with the worms. She only needed a little more before triggering the breakthrough.

Needless to say, both Noah and June couldn't wait to get out of the Cursed Labyrinth. They liked having moments when the problems in the higher plane were only a distant thought. However, their worlds had urges, and they couldn't appease through their passion.

Emperor and Queen were the first to return to the ninth floor. Nothing had changed in their aspect, but they appeared lonely and nostalgic. It was clear that abandoning the Labyrinth was a big deal for them, but they did their best not to show that.

With the Foolery keeping Vesuvia and the others busy, Noah, June, Queen, and Emperor finally had the chance to have an earnest conversation. A few jokes still flew among them, but most of their topics remained serious.

Emperor and Queen were far different from Noah and June, but both couples had managed to make their relationship survive for countless years. That feat alone made them similar and created a friendly atmosphere.

The four spoke about their paths and shared some funny stories. It turned out that Emperor and Queen had initially been enemies in the Mortal Lands. Their feelings for each other had developed through multiple battles, leading them to establish a relationship as soon as the political environment had put them on the same side.

Emperor was relatively laid-back in the couple, while Queen liked to nag him about small things. The jewels in his lace came from her, and the same went for the matching colors of their robes.

Their worlds also had matching features, but they didn't reveal much about them. Noah and June didn't try to probe either since they felt sure that the departure from the Cursed Labyrinth would force the two experts to show their power.

The casual and relaxed conversation ended when two figures appeared in the sky. Cursed Reality had his arms crossed as he inspected Pellio. The latter wore a surprised smile, and his curious half-closed eyes ran through the transformed environment.

"I only need to complete one last step, and the Labyrinth will open," Cursed Reality exclaimed, and his words resounded throughout the ninth floor.

"There is no need for that," Pellio chuckled. "I have already dreamt about the destruction of the Labyrinth."

As soon as his line ended, cracks filled the ninth floor, and everything began to shake.. Even the starry sky started to fall apart as chunks of its blackness crumbled to give birth to a rain of shards.

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