“It’s the ability of the first-ranked Grim Reaper, Grand Duke Bael,” Veldora explained.
“First-ranked… You mean the oldest Grim Reaper?” Neo questioned.
Grand Duke Bael was a legendary figure.
He was called the Sword of Night.
And the Bastard Grim Reaper.
No one had seen Bael in centuries.
He had disappeared long ago, leaving behind myths of his unmatched power.
“If not for the [All-Seeing Eye] that hangs in the sky of the Underworld, everyone would’ve thought Grand Duke Bael had perished somewhere,” Veldora said.
Funnily enough, no one was concerned about Bael’s absence.
He was so strong that it was impossible for him to be defeated.
Everyone assumed that his disappearance was voluntary.
They predicted he had gone missing as he didn’t want to work and was hiding somewhere, hence his infamous title: the Bastard Grim Reaper.
Veldora continued to glide smoothly through the dark skies of the Underworld.
As they traveled, Veldora explained about a lot of things to Neo.
“We call the continents of the Underworld ‘Houses.'”
Neo listened intently.
“The Forest of All Beginnings is the name of the [House] connected to Luminera, the supercontinent where you live on Earth.
“Anyone who dies on Luminera comes to the Forest of All Beginnings.”
Neo wasn’t surprised.
Thanks to the novels he had read, he knew about the existence of the other supercontinents.
“Those who die on other supercontinents of Earth come to different Houses in the Underworld,” Veldora elaborated.
He continued his explanation.
“Souls from different supercontinents come to a different House.
“In fact, each House of the Underworld is connected to a different planet.
“The smaller Houses are connected to Earth’s supercontinents, while the larger Houses are connected to other planets.”
Neo’s eyes widened slightly at the revelation.
“Even a small House is larger than the supercontinent Luminera where you live.
“They’re called small only because the other Houses are much larger,” Veldora explained.
“Our Underworld is connected to other planets too?” Neo asked, surprised.
Information about the Underworld was rarely told in the novel.
Most of the things he knew about it came from what other Grim Reapers had told him.
“Indeed, more than a dozen otherworlds are connected to the Underworld,” Veldora said. “Earth’s Underworld is… unique.
“We judge the mortals belonging to our home and the ones from outside too.”
His words made Neo’s curiosity grow.
He couldn’t help but wonder: how could Hades rule over so many worlds?
How strong must he have been to accomplish such a feat?
While Neo was lost in thought, the ancient dragon opened his mouth again.
“If the prince wishes to visit other worlds, you can do so by going to a different House and using your Grim Reaper badge there.
“The Gate of the Underworld will open in the World of the Living connected to that House.”
Neo nodded.
The two continued to talk until they reached Styxhaven.
The continent of Styxhaven was immense.
Its borders stretched as far as Neo’s eyes could see, merging with the horizon where the unending night of the Underworld met the endless sky.
The ground below was a barren wasteland of blackened soil cracked with deep fissures that glowed faintly with an ominous red hue.
Along the continent’s borders stood towering gateposts.
Each gatepost was spaced a few hundred miles apart.
The gateposts were massive structures carved from obsidian, etched with runes that shimmered faintly with a spectral glow.
Nether Ships from different Houses docked at the own gateposts.
The souls of the dead disembarked from the ships.
Neo watched as the souls formed unfathomably long lines, stretching endlessly toward the horizon.
Grim Reaper disciples patrolled the area.
They made sure no soul caused trouble or attempted to escape.
Veldora flew over the land, casting a shadow over the blackened soil.
Neo’s gaze swept across the landscape.
Unlike other continents, Styxhaven was devoid of any vegetation or infrastructure. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire
Veldora flew toward a location where all the lines of souls seemed to converge.
“That’s the Colosseum of End,” Veldora said.
They stopped before a massive, majestic colosseum.
The structure was carved from a material darker than night.
Its towering walls were adorned with intricate carvings that seemed to shift and writhe continuously.
Since the top of the colosseum was open, Neo could everything below.
The center of the colosseum was a massive pit surrounded by tiered seating, where countless souls gathered, waiting for their turn to be judged.
Veldora made sure he wasn’t flying directly overhead the colosseum.
Flying over it was considered disrespectful.
He hovered slightly to the side.
Neo’s gaze fixed below.
The Three Judges, collectively called the Jury of End sat atop high, throne-like platforms.
Dark cloaks obscured their figures.
Each Judge radiated an overwhelming aura of authority and power.
Each moment, a soul would step into the center stage of the colosseum.
The Three Judges would delve into the memories of the soul before them.
The process was quick but thorough.
Judgment led to one of three outcomes: punishment, reincarnation, or true death.
As Neo watched, the Three Judges paused their work briefly.
Their heads tilted upward.
They gave a slight bow before immediately returning to their tasks.
Neo raised a brow, curious.
“Please do not be angry, prince,” Veldora said. “The Judges do not have time to rest. They cannot spare more than a few moments to greet you.”
“They don’t have time to rest…?” Neo questioned.
“Only a few are capable of watching the memories of thousands of souls every hour and staying sane,” Veldora said.
Neo looked down at the Judges again.
He knew how difficult it was to maintain ego after looking through memories of hundreds of souls.
“Those three below are the only ones who can do it. That’s why they work without rest, or the flow of souls will be halted,” Veldora said.
There were countless souls waiting to be judged.
And there were only three Judges.
In other words, the Underworld was short-staffed.
‘Their mental resilience must be insanely high if they can work for centuries without rest,’ Neo thought.
After he had watched the process for a while, Veldora flapped his wings, taking to the skies once more.
The air around them shimmered faintly with the residual energy of the colosseum as they moved away.
They flew toward the back of the Colosseum of End, where no lines of souls were present.
The barren land below stretched endlessly, broken only by occasional cracks that glowed faintly with a crimson light.
Hours passed as they continued their journey.
Far into the distance, a massive structure began to take shape on the horizon.
A giant palace emerged.
Its sheer scale left Neo momentarily speechless.
The structure was made entirely of black marble and its surface was polished to perfection.
The palace stood tall and imposing, its spires piercing the dark heavens.
Ornate carvings adorned its walls, depicting scenes of judgment and the flow of souls.
“That’s the palace where the Monarch rests,” Veldora said, his tone carrying a hint of reverence.
“It’s beautiful,” Neo muttered.
“That it is,” Veldora replied.
He landed at the foot of the palace.
The ground beneath them was paved with smooth, obsidian tiles that reflected their forms like a dark mirror.
