Chapter 90 – The Human Legacy

Jax approached the book on the pedestal with caution. A thin shimmering barrier enveloped it, like liquid crystal rippling at his presence. He extended his hand to touch it, but the resistance was immediate, repelling him. He frowned, tried again... And then it happened. A sharp crack, like glass shattering, echoed through the hall. The barrier fragmented into countless ethereal shards that dissolved into the air. The book was instantly absorbed into his right hand, vanishing without a trace. "Shit..." Jax muttered, staring at his palm in panic. "Where is it? What the hell just happened?" He turned toward the Ethereas, apologizing over and over, convinced he had just stolen something sacred. But none of them paid attention to his words. Every gaze was locked on his hand, filled with awe and reverence. One of them trembled as she stepped closer, brushing his skin with her translucent fingers. "Incredible..." she whispered, eyes wide as moons. "You are the Divine Heir... That book was never ours. It has rested here since ancient times, awaiting the chosen one. No one... no one has ever been able to break the seal—until you." The other Ethereas bowed, their movements solemn, as if they had awaited this very moment for countless ages. "The book is yours," the same Etherea added, her voice trembling with emotion. "You are the only one worthy." Jax shook his head, still confused. "I don’t understand. I can’t feel it. It’s like it entered my hand... but it’s not with me. I can’t sense it at all." "If you are the chosen one, it will reveal itself to you in time," another Etherea said softly, reverent calm in her tone. "Do not fear. What has happened is only the herald of a greater destiny. When you uncover the secret of that page, we hope you will share it with us. You will have our eternal gratitude." Jax inclined his head in acceptance, about to step away—when the air of the chamber shifted. A golden radiance emerged from the back of the hall. A figure unlike any of the others approached, her steps graceful and deliberate. Unlike the others, who shone with blue and white, her body glowed with pure gold, filling the hall with majesty. She knelt before Jax, lowering her head. She took his hand and kissed the tip of his finger in a gesture of humility and submission. "I am the Matriarch of the Ethereas," she declared, her voice melodic yet heavy with authority. "I have traveled from the other side of the world for this moment—to meet the chosen one. When you broke the seal, the ancient alarm system activated, summoning me here." Jax blinked in disbelief and instinctively appraised her. [Etherea Queen, Lvl 98] The Matriarch produced a small box, etched with symbols that shimmered like dancing stars, and extended it toward Jax. "This is the legacy left for you. With it, I fulfill the pact of my people." In that moment, the collar around her neck unlocked and disintegrated into dust. She touched her bare neck, smiling with relief, then rose to her feet. Her body shone brighter, until an explosion of energy erupted from her form. The shockwave hurled everyone across the chamber, while she stood untouched, radiant like a living sun. "Forgive the disturbance. Allow me to take my leave." Jax quickly analyzed her again, his heart racing. [Etherea Empress, Lvl 99] She turned, and just before vanishing, gave him a playful wink. Her lips moved soundlessly, yet Jax understood her message: "Don’t say a word." A chill ran down his spine. He had just glimpsed one of the greatest secrets of the world—how an Emperor was born. The group returned to the elevator in silence. But as soon as the doors closed, the girls swarmed around Jax like a hive of curious bees. "What was in that little box, Jax?" Anya asked, her eyes sparkling. "Open it already, I can’t stand the suspense," Karely pressed. Even the quietest among them leaned in, craning their necks to get a look. Jax sighed, pulling the small box into view. It didn’t look like much... until he analyzed it. The object floated gently above his palm, revealing itself as a strange cube, like a Rubik’s Cube—but instead of colors, its sides were etched with ancient symbols and shifting geometric figures. "A puzzle..." Jax murmured, intrigued. With deliberate patience, he began turning the pieces. Memories of solving Rubik’s Cubes in his old life guided his hands: first the cross, then the corners, then the middle layers. His fingers moved in familiar sequences, each turn clicking into place with crystalline precision. At last, the final figure locked into alignment. The cube shone brilliantly, bursting open in a flare of azure light that filled the elevator with heat and magic. [Transfer complete] Then a voice spoke in Jax’s ears—a deep male voice, weary, strained. "If you’re hearing this... it means you opened the legacy. Either you’re human, or those damned monsters managed to crack the cube. Though, if that’s the case, it should’ve self-destructed unless it detected a human signature..." A long sigh rattled out, followed by coughing fits. Jax couldn’t see him, but he was certain the man was at death’s door. "I’m glad another human made it this far. My name doesn’t matter anymore... just know that, as far as I recall, I was the first hero summoned from Earth to this cursed world." The girls exchanged nervous glances, watching Jax stand motionless, his entire focus locked on the unseen voice. They could hear nothing, but they didn’t dare interrupt. "Let me warn you, compatriot... never trust the gods. They are not our allies—they are our jailers. I was on the verge of ascending, but they stopped me. They slaughtered me like a dog for daring to defy them. They control this system, but they are not omnipotent. They didn’t even create it. That’s why I hid this legacy here, waiting for someone like you." The voice faltered briefly, then regained strength. "I wish I could tell you more... but they can hear when you speak too much of their true nature. So I’ll say it again: never trust them. Find your own path. And if you can... find a way home. This is my last advice, my last will. I entrust it to you, brother of my world... May your fate be better than mine." The cube exploded into shards of light, and a blue sphere darted straight into Jax’s mind. It felt like a cool breeze washing through him, refreshing every cell in his body. In front of his eyes, notifications began to flood his vision: [Massive EXP attained] [Level up] [Level up] [Level up] [Level up] ... The messages poured in endlessly, one after another, as the energy surged through him like an unstoppable torrent. Finally, the cascade ended. Jax opened his status and froze. [Jax, Lvl 98] EXP: 76% → Next level: 99 A heavy silence filled the elevator. No one dared to breathe too loud. The girls stared at him with awe and fear all at once, sensing how much stronger he had become. His very presence now pressed against them like an overwhelming weight. Jax clenched his fists, still trembling from the hero’s dying words. A compatriot from Earth... murdered by the gods. And now, that same fate loomed over him. He shut his eyes, letting the last spark of blue fade from his mind. His breath was heavy—not from exhaustion, but from the burden of everything he had just learned. The Demon Empress’s words echoed like venom in his skull: "The gods are not what they seem. They fear those who draw too close to their power." And now, the message of that forgotten hero said almost the exact same thing. Both had ascended to Emperor. Both had grown to hate the gods. Both had warned him not to trust them. Both claimed the gods could even read his thoughts if he lingered on their true nature. Jax reopened his status, and the numbers chilled him to the bone. [Jax – Lvl 98] EXP: 76% But the experience needed for that last 24%... was more than everything he had gathered since arriving in this world. A shiver ran down his spine. "Then... what the hell is Level 99?" he whispered. His mind pieced together the clues: every Demon King he had slain had been Level 97. Manaia’s ancestor, the White Stag Demon King, had broken through Level 98 to become an Emperor. The Ethereas had revealed the same truth. And the Demon Empress... she herself was Level 99. It all made sense. Level 97–98: Kings. Level 99: Emperor. So then... what was Level 100? The dead hero had been close to reaching it, before the gods cut him down. Everything pointed to that level meaning transcendence—becoming something that could rival the gods themselves. Jax looked down at his hands, clenching them tight. If he wanted to protect them—Anya, Karely, all of them—he had to reach that level. No matter what it cost. Yet doubt gnawed at him. The Demon Empress... did she truly seek his help to open a barrier? Or was it bait, a trap laid by the gods to lure him in? Part of him wanted to believe. Another part feared he was nothing but a pawn in someone else’s game. He raised his eyes to the ceiling of the elevator, taking a slow, steady breath. "Either way... if the gods are my enemies, I won’t rest until I prove they’re not omnipotent." His gaze burned with fierce determination. His destiny was already marked: one day, he would reach Level 100. And when that day came— It would be him who set the rules of this world.