Birth of the Demonic Sword

'Emperor, Queen, and Cursed Reality,' Noah thought as he tried to see the three experts hidden among the starry sky. 'They must be in the solid stage too.'

The sole fact that Noah couldn't sense the three experts clearly stated that they were stronger than him, at least when it came to their level. Moreover, Cursed Reality had admitted that he had created the Labyrinth, so Noah's interest had inevitably converged on him.

Still, the three experts seemed to have no intention of reaching the surface. They had observed Noah's group and achievements inside the Labyrinth, but they didn't want a meeting. They just stood in the sky, waiting for someone to talk.

"Do you plan on getting down?" Noah eventually asked.

"What's the point?" Emperor responded. "I'm not going to lie. You and your bunch are interesting, but you remain too weak. All the talk about Heaven and Earth and the sky is pointless if you can't back it up with proper power."

"And what is the issue with your relationship?" Queen continued. "We can go wild at times, but your intercourses resemble deadly battles. Slow down, kid. He isn't going anywhere."

June frowned, but sparks soon started to run over her skin. Queen had spoken to her, but she didn't know how to take her words. Part of her took that statement with pride, but she also felt that Queen had insulted her.

"I'm sorry that you can't get your partner to do what mine does," June eventually mocked. "Are you sure he still feels attracted to you? You must be pretty old."

Vesuvia had to cover her mouth to suppress her laugh, and a chuckle also came from the starry sky. Cursed Reality couldn't hold back in front of that comment.

The reaction from the army wasn't as happy. The Foolery were too busy drinking Pellio's tea to care about those events, but the others remained speechless. They had understood that the experts in the sky were powerful, but Noah and June were addressing them without showing the slightest respect. June had even openly offended them.

The matter worsened when June made herself comfortable in Noah's lap and stretched her legs to reveal them. Everyone noticed how Noah's pupils shrunk at the sight of her bare skin. When it came to relationships, it was clear that the fire between the two was still intense.

"I'm starting to like seeing our relationship challenged," Noah teased.

"You will always prefer to be alone with me," June replied.

"Undoubtedly," Noah stated while pulling June closer, "But it's still nice to make other couples jealous of us."

"Only the two Demons have a chance at beating us," June exclaimed.

"Well, Demons are always the best," Noah joked.

"I know that firsthand," June giggled as the two ended up kissing without caring about the many stares on them.

Emperor had to clear his throat as soon as he saw Noah slipping a hand under June's robe. He knew what would happen if he let the two continue, so he interrupted them and claimed their attention.

"He must know you are right," Noah whispered to June's ear before moving his gaze to the sky.

June and Noah were still inside the Cursed Labyrinth, so the three experts in the starry sky heard everything they said. Of course, Emperor and Queen didn't like their words, but they didn't take them to heart.

"You can mock us all you want," Emperor announced. "It won't change the fact that you are too weak."

"And what will you do about it?" Noah asked.

"Nothing," Emperor exclaimed, "But you won't get past the ninth floor until you gain your approval."

"Which became harder to get since you like joking so much," Queen continued.

Noah remained calm under those threats. He had no intention to become another Artamo, but he didn't know enough about the ninth floor to decide how to act. The place probably didn't have conditions or requirements, but understanding its functioning might reveal a flaw that he could exploit.

"Is this the whole purpose behind the Cursed Labyrinth?" Noah asked. "Do you lock experts inside it and wait for them to become valuable assets? That's simply stupid."

"It doesn't matter if you find it stupid," Emperor declared. "We make the rules, and you can't escape it. Enjoy spending the next era under a scenery that you can't achieve with your own strength."

Silence fell in the area, and Noah felt his instincts grow quieter. They still confirmed the presence of dangerous beings in the starry sky, but it seemed that someone had left after the conversation.

"Did you turn the Cursed Labyrinth into a prison?" Vesuvia shattered the silence. "I didn't think you would have steered so far from your initial idea."

"It's not a prison," Cursed Reality explained. "You have yet to see how Heaven and Earth have evolved. The higher plane is different from how you remember it, and Defying Demon is probably to blame for the latest developments."

"So, you lock me up to avoid doing more damage?" Noah wondered.

"You misunderstood," Cursed Reality responded. "The Labyrinth is a place that Heaven and Earth can't see nor affect. It's perfect for nourishing experts with the potential to join the final battle. Remain here. Become strong. All of you will fight in the end."

"This place will only lead to stagnation," Noah contradicted.

"Rank 9 experts only need to expand their influence," Cursed Reality exclaimed. "The ninth floor gives you a direct connection to the universe. You can test your weight and its growth without Heaven and Earth shining on your head."

"What about my underlings?" Noah asked.

"Most of them are magical beasts," Cursed Reality pointed out. "They only need energy to grow, and the Labyrinth won't run out of it as long as I exist. As for the others, we can create different trials to make sure that they will continue to feel challenged."

'That's why he called it "Labyrinth",' Noah understood. 'It's possible to remain stuck inside this structure for countless years, and the trials can change depending on the experts' personality. This place is a massive and potentially endless training ground.'

"Can I help you do it?" June asked when Noah's eyes flickered.

"No, I might need to go past my limits," Noah announced, and June calmly left his lap.

Noah straightened his position as his swords appeared in his hands. He activated the unstable substance, but he held back from using his potential for now. Still, his blades unleashed their abilities and mustered power as he shot toward the sky.

The starry sky didn't have a clear limit. It was boundless, with no ceiling or edges. However, Noah felt that advancing grew harder as he kept flying toward the stars. The very laws of the ninth floor made his attempts more difficult.

Noah waved his blades when his physical strength became unable to bring him any further. A giant slash flew forward without suffering from the floor's suppression, but it disappeared after crossing a specific area.

The disappearance felt abrupt and strange. Noah didn't sense any energy attacking his slash. His blow had simply vanished without requiring any teleport, formation, or defensive array.

Noah attacked a few more times to inspect the event, and an idea slowly began to take form in his mind. His slashes created a faint reaction in the starry sky when they disappeared. There seemed to be waves hidden among that blackness, and they felt oddly familiar.

"I get it," Noah whispered after his offensive led to answers. "Pellio! Do you want to know where your world is?"