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"I’ve met some wanderers permitted by the System to sell products in the living world," Yaga explained. "They experienced time moving much faster here while they were gone... so technically, I believe that due to the massive size of our world compared to Arcadia, time passes faster. A year in the living world equals ten years here, I think. Though I’m not entirely sure that’s the exact rate of time dilation."
"So a year has passed?" Elayne asked. "Then it shouldn’t be possible for them to come out yet... this isn’t right... damn it."
"He must have freed them. But where did he get so much power?" Mark wondered. "I just don’t get it... we were winning before—ah."
"...Hmm? You were winning, you say? What’s going on?" Yaga asked, raising an eyebrow.
"...?" Sailor looked confused; he had mostly been listening in silence.
Little Hope was nibbling on a roasted mushroom skewer, but she overheard the conversation and glanced at her adoptive mama with curiosity.
"Um, well..." Elayne sighed. "It’s something we’d prefer not to talk about right now."
"Hmmm..." Yaga nodded. "Alright. Everyone has their secrets."
"Indeed," Elayne agreed. "Sorry... we just don’t feel comfortable discussing it yet."
"It’s fine. It’s not like I’ve shared everything about myself either," Sailor said. "Anyway, it was because of that Demon King of Flood that I died... my whole port town drowned, my beloved included..."
"That’s heartbreaking," Yaga sighed. "Well... if you two were fated lovers, perhaps you’ll find each other again someday. So don’t lose hope, young one."
"I won’t. Thank you, Granny Yaga," Sailor replied.
"Granny..." Little Hope walked over and sat on her lap, hugging her.
"Ohoho, what’s wrong, little one?" Yaga giggled, showing her soft spot for children. "Feeling sleepy? Among everyone here, you’re the one who works the hardest. Don’t push yourself too much, alright?"
"Hm..." Little Hope yawned and then fell asleep in her arms.
"I-I’m sorry..." Elayne said. "I’ll take her to a bed or something..."
"No, it’s alright," Yaga replied. "She’s visited me a few times, asking if I was her grandma... I told her many times I wasn’t, but she insisted I was. Poor child. To die so young... when people die young and become Undead, they tend to remain stuck at the mental age they had when they passed. It takes a tremendous amount of willpower and strength to grow as a person after death. Your existence becomes defined by grudges and trauma, forever trapped in the same mental space, unable to escape."
"...Yeah, you’re right," Elayne sighed. "That’s exactly what being an Undead is like..."
"Hm..." Mark nodded quietly.
"But you two have shown incredible growth and talent," Yaga said. "You’ve changed so much, even after becoming Undead. You truly are unique. Perhaps the only ones who can lead others not through tyranny and fear, but through compassion and strength."
"Oh, you speak too highly of me," Elayne giggled.
"Me too. I’m not that incredible..." Mark added with a modest smile.
"Oh... well, that humility only makes you more fitting," Yaga said warmly. "It’s rare to find people who are humble and strong. In this world, power corrupts—even among the living and noble races. Kindness is almost a myth, nonexistent to most. Nothing is done without expecting something in return... yet you saved these people simply because you wanted to. Because you felt it was right, didn’t you?"
"Yes..." Elayne nodded. "I could’ve run away on my own... but that felt wrong. I wanted to give a second chance to those suffering alongside me. To show those struggling to survive that there’s still hope in their lives full of despair."
"And that’s why I plan to follow you from now on—until the day this old granny croaks!" Yaga laughed, revealing a smile with only a few teeth left.
"Thank you, Granny Yaga," Elayne smiled. "Now, um... about this region. There’s the Surface, then the Middle Layers, the Deep Layers, and the fabled Core, right?"
"Yes," Yaga nodded. "It’s said that whoever seizes the Core of the Labyrinth will gain supreme power over it—and the authority to control everything within. They could expel or invite others at will. Of course, it’s just an ancient myth. Even now, after hundreds of millions of years since the Labyrinth’s creation, no one has ever found this ’Core.’ There are only stories."
"Hm..." Elayne nodded. "The son of Gaia..."
For some reason, Elayne felt something stir inside her when she heard of such a being. Though she had never heard of Hecatoncheires, she suddenly felt the urge to cry—but suppressed it.
"Why did I feel that way when I heard that ancient name? He has no connection to me..."
She clutched her chest for a moment, then shook her head, trying not to dwell on it.
"What’s wrong?" Yaga asked.
"No, it’s nothing," Elayne replied with a smile. "I’d like to know more about the other regions too... could you tell me how many there are, Granny Yaga?"
"Sure thing. Well, there’s the Abyssal Cavern Labyrinth. Just outside of it, you’ll find the Poisonous Nether Wetlands. To the west of the wetlands is the Hollowed White Bone Desert, and to the east is the Eternal Shadow Forest. From there, if you head straight north, you’ll reach the Soul Ash Mountains. Beyond that lies the Azure Nether Ghost Sea, where the Nether Bone Archipelago is located. That archipelago divides the sea from the Black Nether Ghost Sea, which surrounds the Abyssal Demon Continent. South of the continent is the Crimson Blood Ghost Sea, where the Coagulated Blood Islands are found. Lastly, beyond the Blood Ghost Sea, space and time begin to distort, and you arrive at the dark and strange Chaos Realm. If you dare go even further, you’ll reach the Colorless Void Realm."
"Wow... and all of these are Regions?" Elayne asked. "How big are they?"
"As big as the Labyrinth—some even larger. The seas are hundreds of times bigger, making up around seventy percent of the Netherworld. The Abyssal Demon Continent is massive. As for the Chaos Realm and Colorless Void Realm... I have no idea. But it’s said they’re immeasurably vast. Old monsters who’ve visited those realms have traveled for hundreds of years without ever finding the end."
"..." Elayne was stunned. The sheer scale of the Netherworld was beyond comprehension.
"And each Region has many biomes," Yaga continued. "Some even have countries, kingdoms, and empires. Just like the Labyrinth has three layers, the other regions follow a similar structure."
"Now listen closely. I’ll explain each region in detail. Make sure to engrave this information into your soul so you don’t ask me about the same things over and over again. I hate repeating myself!"
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