Jacob fled while the horde of Crawling Earth Skeletons chased him like a menace. His target was the Inheritor Checkpoint, which was now just around the corner. Immortika summoning time was also over, and he had lost the all-seeing eyes, which wasn't good news.
He was planning to wait before he could summon Immortika again, but this unexpected situation has put him at a huge disadvantage. Now, all he could do was move forward, at least until he got rid of those hundreds of Crawling Earth Skeletons.
At this moment, Jacob finally reached his destination. There was a gray door with the same symbol as the entrance, and he dashed towards it without hesitation.
The static voice rang at this moment,
"You have discovered the hidden Inheritor Checkpoint!
"Please insert the Witch Queen's Key to move forward!"
'So, without the key, it's impossible to move forward?' Jacob was surprised, 'That Vile Witch really had laid massive traps in this place. Just one wrong decision, and you'll be killed.'
Jacob grimaced just thinking about it, and he felt hurry to quickly acquire sufficient Inheritor Points to get out of this death maze.
The Witch Queen's Key appeared in hand at this moment, and he inserted it into the keyhole in the center of the door before it clicked open. The only comfort was that at least he didn't have to decrypt another array to search for this keyhole.
The moment the door opened, Jacob jumped in without hesitation, and the next moment, a few bone hands emerged where he stood a moment ago. He thought those guys would follow him, but to his surprise, they didn't, and the door closed.
'So, they can't follow me into the checkpoints? That's a relief, at least.'
Sighing, he finally saw where he was, and his eyes widened even so slightly because it was a huge, empty, dark hall. He was just wondering what he was supposed to do when magic torches started to lighten up.
Thereafter, Jacob saw a faint blue light column suddenly descend in the center of this hall, and the next moment, a holographic image of a hooded petite figure materialized within the light column.
'Could it be…' Jacob's eyes narrowed in trepidation.
A hoarse voice suddenly sounded from the hologram, "I'm the owner of this place, the Witch Queen, Margret!
"Whoever you are, since you're seeing this projection, it means I have spread the three maps and three keys of the Witch Palace, and I'm no longer in this world or in the Epic Plains.
"Since you were able to reach this point, this could only mean you are capable enough to find both the map and key. I've left my entire life research and treasures in the Witch Palace.
"But to acquire them, you have to pass the death maze first since only the worthy have the right to be my successor.
"To become my successor, you need to have three traits. First, high proficiency in magic runes. Second, strength to explore the Death Maze at least a peak epic tier. Last and most important, you need to have a magic core related to curses!
"Without anyone, you will die, so I suggest you return from wherever you came from and leave the map and key to someone else. I give you 30 seconds to leave this place because, after that, there is no return…"
Thereafter, Jacob saw the same kind of mirror portal appearing on the left wall that he destroyed at the entrance. He was shocked since it was now confirmed that it was extremely high-level magic.
"Time before the exit portal closes 58 seconds…57…56…"
The static voice started the countdown.
However, Jacob didn't budge from his place as he stared at the silent projection with many thoughts flashing past his mind.
'So there were three such maps and keys spread by her, and what does she mean she will be either dead or had already left the epic plains? I was just wondering how in the world she had time to build this ridiculous place while she was dying.
'She clearly built this beforehand. This could only mean she was either already dying or was preparing to leave the epic plains. But then, why was there a need to build this inheritance palace and leave her research and all her treasures if she was departing?
'It could only mean she was dying, or she had other intentions to leave this place behind.
'Furthermore, giving an escape route didn't match up with her known personality, and for someone to appear who possessed a magic core related to a curse should be a once-in-a-blue-moon event.
'Not to mention that person getting the map and key. What was her goal in making his huge gamble? There is clearly more to this than meets the eye. By the looks of it, she had gone beyond the limits of epic plains and both magic and technology.
'Is it really possible to kill someone like her who had ruled the epic plains with terror and had so much attainment in magic?' Jacob wondered, as he was quite confused at this point.
Like everyone else, he also thinks that she had perished under the hands of the first alliance chairman. But now, he started to doubt it.
The minute quickly passed, and the portal vanished just as it appeared.
The projection suddenly warped for a moment before her voice rang again, "If you're hearing this, then this could only mean you either have all the qualifications to be a successor, or you're too greedy to think that you can pass the death maze.
"Well, whichever it is, let's find out, shall we?
"After this projection ends, a magic scroll will have appeared. All you have to pass is to open that magic scroll and let the magic spell hit you. If you don't open it within 60 seconds or dodge it, you will fail, and this place will turn into your graveyard, for all the dark beings in the death maze will be released here.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, the lifeline protocol won't work in the Inheritor Checkpoints! Don't disappoint me, or only death awaits you…hihihihihi …"
The light column vanished with her sadistic laughter, and right on that spot, something started to emerge from the ground.
It was a one-meter tall stone column, and on top of it was lying a crimson scroll.
Jacob's expression went dark at this sudden, unexpected turn of events as he looked at the crimson scroll with circumspection.
Snapping him out of his stupor, the static voice rang again, "Time before failure 59... 58…57…!"