The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 596: Epilogue 11 - Welcome To A New World (1)

"Leon, where are you going!?"

Rose's voice rang out, laced with urgency and fear. Before I could take another step, her fingers latched onto my arm, gripping it with desperate strength.

I could feel the slight tremble in her hands. She was trying to stop me, trying to keep me from walking further into the unknown.

"I'm going deeper," I said, my voice steady, unwavering.

"Why? Didn't you see how dangerous this thing is!?"

I turned my gaze to her, meeting her worried expression with firm resolve.

"That's exactly why," I replied. "I want to see what lies ahead… what she was trying to protect."

The automata had spoken of guarding a portal.

If my assumption was correct—if this really was a gateway to another world—then turning back wasn't an option. There was no telling if it would remain here, if it would still exist by the time I returned. I had to confirm it with my own eyes, no matter the risk.

Rose's lips parted slightly as if she wanted to argue, but the look in my eyes must have told her there was no changing my mind. I felt her grip falter, her fingers loosening ever so slightly.

Without hesitation, I pulled my arm free.

"Huh?"

She let out a small, startled noise, but I didn't stop. Without looking back, I pressed forward, my steps echoing through the dim cavern.

But I should've known Rose wouldn't give up that easily.

"Leon, wait!" she called, her voice firm despite the hint of panic. I heard her hurried footsteps behind me. "I'm coming with you! I can't just let you march into something like this alone!"

Her breath hitched, but she kept going.

"If you're going to be reckless, then at least let me be reckless with you!"

So, instead of stopping me, she had chosen to follow—to keep me within reach, to make sure I wouldn't face this unknown danger alone.

I sighed. Well, that was better than having her hold me back.

The deeper we ventured, the heavier the air became.

The mana that filled the dungeon was thick, oppressive—pressing down on us like an invisible weight, making it harder to move and harder to breathe. It felt as though something vast and unknowable was watching us, its presence coiling around us like unseen tendrils.

The further we went, the worse it got.

Rose staggered beside me, her breaths turning shallow. Her movements grew sluggish, as if the very air around us was draining the strength from her body.

"I... I can't... breathe..." she gasped, clutching at her chest. Her face was pale, her legs trembling beneath her.

She wouldn't last much longer.

"You should turn back, Rose," I told her, stopping in my tracks. "I'll be fine on my own."

She gritted her teeth, shaking her head stubbornly. "I... I don't want to lose you..."

"You won't lose me," I assured her.

But before she could say another word, her knees buckled.

Her body lurched forward, collapsing like a marionette with its strings cut.

I caught her before she hit the ground, pulling her into my arms. Her breathing was faint, her body dangerously light in my grasp. She had pushed herself too hard.

There was no helping it.

I hoisted her up, cradling her against me, and made my way back to the inn. There was no way I could take her further. She would only end up suffocating.

Once I ensured she was safe, I turned back—alone.

And finally… I found it

At the very depths of the dungeon, hidden within the last stratum, there it was—

The portal.

My breath hitched.

A massive vortex of swirling energy lay before me, a churning mass of deep blue and violet hues. Its surface rippled like liquid, yet there was an undeniable force pulling toward it, as though it were a living thing—hungry, waiting.

I scanned the cavern. The walls were lined with glowing gemstones, their eerie light casting long shadows across the ground. But unlike the red and purple gems I had seen throughout the dungeon, the ones nearest the portal had turned black.

A black gemstone.

Corrupted.

I had never seen one before. It was clear—the closer they were to the portal, the more they darkened, as if being consumed by the very energy that radiated from the vortex.

I clenched my fists.

For nineteen years, I had lived in this world. Never had I imagined I would stand before something like this. I had thought it would take decades, maybe even centuries, to find proof that such a thing existed.

But now, I was here.

And I was one step closer to my goal.

The goal that had burned within me since my past life.

For the ones who had wronged my sister.

For the ones who had taken everything from me.

And now… now, it was only a matter of time.

There was no telling where this portal would lead.

No certainty that it would take me to another world.

No assurance that it would bring me back to Earth.

No way of knowing if I would even remain on the same plane of existence—nor if I would ever find my way back.

A dark abyss swirled before me, its surface rippling like liquid midnight, pulsing as if it were alive. The air around it felt heavier, charged with an energy that made my skin tingle. My heartbeat drummed against my ribs, a steady reminder that I was standing at the edge of the unknown.

Yet, despite the uncertainty, there was no other choice.

I had to step inside.

Gritting my teeth, I moved forward, allowing the void to consume me.

The sensation of crossing the threshold was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

For a brief moment, it felt as if I were weightless—adrift in nothingness, my body suspended in an endless void. My vision blurred, colors twisting into unnatural shapes, my senses distorting as if I were being unraveled at the seams. Then, in an instant, it was over.

I stumbled forward, my feet meeting solid ground once more.

Blinking rapidly, I struggled to adjust to my new surroundings. The air was thick with dust, the scent of damp earth filling my lungs. The space around me was dimly lit, the walls jagged and uneven. It resembled the dungeon I had been in earlier—except for one crucial difference.

The glowing gems that had once lined the cavern walls were gone.

"Where… am I?" I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

I turned to look behind me.

The portal was still there.

That meant I might still have a way back.

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Still, the uncertainty gnawed at me. There was no way to be sure if stepping through it again would take me to where I wanted to go. For now, I needed to focus on my immediate surroundings.

"I guess the first step is finding a way out," I muttered, my voice steadying.

I pressed forward, my footsteps echoing softly against the rocky ground. Shadows stretched across the cavern walls, shifting eerily with every step I took. A strange sensation prickled at the back of my mind—an awareness that something about this place was different.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally saw an opening.

Stepping outside, I found myself on the peak of a towering mountain. The wind howled around me, biting against my skin as I gazed down at the landscape below.

A sprawling city stretched out before me.

At first glance, it looked like any other metropolis—towering buildings, lights illuminating the streets below. But something about it was off. It wasn't a city from the world where I had been reborn.

And it certainly wasn't Earth.

This was somewhere entirely different.

I exhaled slowly, a mix of disappointment and intrigue settling in my chest. The possibility of returning to Earth had felt closer than ever, but now… it seemed just as distant as before.

Still, this world was unlike any I had seen.

Descending the mountain, I took in the details of my surroundings. The level of technology here far surpassed both Earth and the world where I had been reborn.

Vehicles hovered above the ground, sleek and efficient. Towering skyscrapers reached into the sky, their surfaces shimmering with advanced materials that seemed far beyond Earth's capabilities. People moved with purpose, seamlessly interacting with technology that felt almost otherworldly.

And then, there were the automata.

Mechanical beings, their bodies crafted with precision, moved alongside humans. They weren't mere machines—they were aware, responding to their environment with an uncanny fluidity.

"So… this is the world that automaton came from," I murmured, watching them carefully.

But before I could gather my thoughts—

A sharp, gut-wrenching sense of danger crashed over me.

A split second was all I had.

Instinct took over. My hands moved on their own, summoning Guardian.

But—

The attack tore through it effortlessly.

My eyes widened.

For the first time, Guardian—the ability that had shielded me from countless threats—had failed.

I barely had time to react before a voice rang out, authoritative and unyielding.

"Otherworlder."

I looked up.

A figure loomed above me, their presence heavy with power.

"Surrender now," the voice commanded. "Or face immediate execution."

Otherworlder, huh?

I slowly raised my hands, keeping my posture relaxed. "I come in peace," I said, my voice steady.

The figure didn't falter.

"People from your world seek anything but peace," they countered coldly. "We have been watching your world closely, preparing for the inevitable invasion. Countless realms have already fallen to your people's conquest. We will not be next."

It was clear—they saw me as a threat.

"I'm not here to invade," I stated firmly. "If you guarantee my safety, I'll go with you willingly. And if I can prove that I mean no harm, will you let me go?"

A moment of silence.

Then, the voice responded.

"That depends on how you intend to prove your innocence."

I had no intention of leaving just yet.

There was something here—something I needed to uncover. If this world possessed the technology to create portals, then perhaps I could learn how to open my own. If I could do that… I wouldn't have to rely on chance anymore.

For now, I had to play along.

"I surrender."

The moment the words left my lips, the world around me shifted.

The figures moved in, securing me with precision. Cold, metallic restraints locked around my wrists. The air thrummed with an energy I couldn't quite place, and for the first time in a long while—

I felt truly trapped.