Chapter 445

Outside the Azure Sea Royal Family's luxurious palace, Michael waited to report. After seven or eight minutes, he was summoned. He entered, bowed, and said politely, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"Speak," a dignified voice boomed from above.

The speaker, the Azure Sea King, was a majestic man in his seventies, his eyes sharp despite his age. Michael, standing tall, reported, "Your Majesty, someone is challenging the Treasure Pavilion. They've reached the sixth level!"

"Really?" The King seemed surprised. Reaching the sixth level was rare, even with exceptional luck. However, his surprise was fleeting. He said, "Very well. Proceed according to the rules. Reward them after they complete all levels."

Michael hesitated. "Your Majesty," he began, "one of the challengers is a blind girl."

"Blind?" The King mused. "That's… unusual."

"I wanted to ask if you wish to witness her progress," Michael continued, a hint of pride in his voice. "Many were stopped at the maze. This girl, blind, navigated it effortlessly! She completed the fifth level in under three minutes—unprecedented in the Treasure Pavilion's history."

The King's pen stilled. A shadow crossed his sharp features; a flicker of regret in his eyes. "Not unprecedented," he corrected.

Over a decade ago, the King's own three- or four-year-old princess had treated the Treasure Pavilion as a playground, effortlessly conquering all its levels. Her intelligence had promised a bright future for the royal family. But during a time of war and chaos, she vanished without a trace.

The King closed his eyes, a wave of desolation washing over him. Michael, sensing the King's sorrow, remained silent, fearing to upset him. He bowed low. "Your Majesty, I'll take my leave."

His attempt to pique the King's interest had backfired, triggering painful memories instead. Michael sighed inwardly; he'd done all he could. The outcome was now out of his hands. He left the palace.

Meanwhile, on the Treasure Pavilion's seventh floor, Kenneth rubbed his temples. Before him stood a giant chessboard, each tile a piece. He knew nothing of chess.

He confessed his predicament to Tiffany. "I'm not good at this," he mumbled, embarrassed. He wasn't good at any of the challenges. He'd only escaped the illusion thanks to Tiffany's intervention, and his success on the single-plank bridge was pure luck.

Tiffany tilted her head. "Chessboard? Let's try something. Throw something and see what happens."

Kenneth, picking up a vase, rolled it across the board. When it hit the wrong path, fire erupted from all sides, intense and real.

Tiffany smiled faintly. "Ruthless." Yet, she stepped forward, unharmed. Her actions indicated the correct path. She moved steadily, confidently, as if she’d traversed this path countless times.

The security personnel watching, expecting her to fail, were stunned. Their anger flared as they saw her easily progressing. They grabbed Jack by the collar, shouting, "Is this Hell Mode? Did you leak the route?"

Jack protested his innocence. "I don't know the solutions! We're not authorized to know!" He marvelled at her abilities, echoing her incredibly fast maze completion.

The subordinates, still furious, observed Tiffany’s progress on the monitor. Only two levels remained. Failure meant dire consequences from Morwen.

"We need to increase the difficulty!" they insisted.

Jack shook his head. "Impossible. This is already the hardest setting," he said. A blind girl navigating effortlessly? It was simply fate.