Inside the protective barrier of the Timeless City, the city's streets pulsed with strange veins, glowing runes flickering beneath transparent black stone roads like heartbeat rhythms in a living organism.
Buildings were never the same shape twice. Some floated upside-down, others folded like pages of a forgotten book, and lanterns hanging from invisible threads cast light with no warmth.
The city buzzed with forbidden activity. Strange cloaked shadows walked like phantoms, masked merchants, and silent assassins in dream-cloaks passed through smoke-filled alleys like ghosts.
A crooked bazaar stretched through the central market, where one could purchase anything. This spooky haven was for the members of ATLAS!
In the distance loomed the most stable structure of all—a monolithic black tower that never changed shape, no matter how the rest of the city twisted around it.
The Timeless Tower was both anchor and throne, piercing through the chaotic ley lines of the Rift like a temporal needle. Formed from obsidian time glass and etched with runes no mortal could decipher, the tower stood motionless amid chaos.
Inside, silence reigned. The interior walls gleamed like polished mirrors, but no reflection ever showed true. Each floor contained a different scene and design—one ancient, one futuristic, one dreamlike, one apocalyptic.
At the pinnacle of the tower, past countless illusionary floors, was a surreal library, where countless wisdom tomes like stars hovered around a tall antique hourglass filled with neon black sand that flowed backward.
A small figure in black robes and a head covered in a long hood stood in front of this hourglass and seemed frozen at the moment. But suddenly, another figure appeared right beside this frozen figure like a ghost—it was Jacob!
Jacob was astounded when he saw the surreal library and the tall hourglass. But at that moment, he suddenly felt an oppressive force emitting from the hourglass, and runes began to emerge on the floor.
'A formation!' Jacob knew he had triggered some protective formation and quickly transferred Constant Baron-0's soul out of his mind.
Under the Eyes of Judge, he could clearly see the truth and how it instantly pulled the frozen small figure in front of the hourglass.
The moment the true soul returned to the Constant Baron-0's body, a static yet powerful voice rang, "Intruder detected!"
Constant Baron-0, who had finally regained her body, was elated, but she didn't have the chance to celebrate before that unexpected warning was heard. She also felt the protective formation had been activated.
She instantly turned around and saw a 'ghost' standing there. He was currently the target of the formation, yet he appeared very calm. The first thought came to her mind: someone had broken through all the Timeless City's protective measures and successfully infiltrated the heart of the city, which was impossible for even a Quasi-Myth.
But then that ghost said something that made her shudder, "I'm the Lord's proxy directly sent to you. The Lord told me you'll be my helper."
Instantly, everyone started to make sense when Constant Baron-0 thought about the Lord's power, and only the Lord was capable of bypassing these trivial formations.
Furthermore, with Nyx's 'education,' she had already 'known' this would happen, but she wasn't expecting it to happen so fast.
Nonetheless, she instantly responds before the formation obliterates the 'proxy' and draws the wrath of the 'Lord' into the entire Timeless City.
An hourglass appeared on her forehead, and she coldly ordered, "I'm the Timeless Overlord of the Legendary Plains, Constant Baron-0! I use my authority to grant this person Iron Constant level access to the Timeless City!"
The moment she spoke, the formation suddenly came to a halt, and the static voice rang.
"Identity confirmed!
"Please give your final confirmation!
"Warning: This person does not have the 'Timeless Hourglass' and shouldn't be anywhere closer to the Timeless City!
"Warning: If you gave your final confirmation, any damage or exposure to the Timeless City will be your responsibility and will have severe consequences!
"Warning: To ensure the welfare of the Timeless City, it is strongly advised to plant a 'Timeless Parasite' into this person's soul!
"Warning: …"
Jacob was astounded when he heard those warnings, and he was also impressed by how meticulous this Timeless City was and how powerful its defensive system was.
Furthermore, all those precautions against a non-member or someone without a 'Timeless Hourglass' were unimaginable. He finally understands why Timeless City was never exposed to the outside world, and people only knew about ATLAS. Even then, they thought that ATLAS was the name of Star Hackers' ground, while the truth was that it was a mere branch of true ATLAS!
After hearing around 20 warnings, Constant Baron-0 replied without hesitation, "I give my confirmation!"
Once she gave her final confirmation, the oppressive pressure on Jacob finally vanished, and the static voice rang the next moment.
"The 'unknown personnel' has been registered under Constant Baron-0's authority and will be temporarily given an Iron Constant level access to the Timeless City!"
Thereafter, a black mass suddenly appeared in front of the hourglass, solidifying into a palm-sized hourglass-shaped token and hovering in front of Constant Baron-0.
She dismissively took it before she handed it to Jacob and solemnly said, "Please keep this 'City Pass' on yourself all the time. Since you are the proxy of the 'Lord', I don't think I need to warn you about the rules of the ATLAS."
Jacob took the token and nodded, "Much appreciated!"
Constant Baron-0 also nodded in acknowledgment before she deeply looked at Jacob and asked, "I think I've seen you before? Are you really the Faceless Ancient?"
Jacob impassively admitted, "This is a disguise from the Ghost Race, but I am the Faceless Ancient. However, I can't show you my face, it's instructed by the 'Lord'."
Constant Baron-0's eyes shimmered in realization as she quickly nodded, "Of course, of course, forgive me. I was just curious. Now, I told you to help you to the best of my abilities to complete the task of the Lord. How should we proceed?"
'She seemed in a hurry to prove herself…' Jacob's eyes flickered as he asked, "Can I access the knowledge bank of the Timeless City? Especially anything related to Alchemy Professions."
"It's a small matter." Constant Baron-0 didn't even hesitate before she agreed instantly.
Jacob then made another request, "I was also searching for the Law Essences of different elements, which are the core of the Lord's plan. It'll be invaluable if you can help me search for them or give me their whereabouts."
Constant Baron-0 was surprised for a moment before she nodded, "Tell me which elements you are looking for, and I'll get back to you as soon as I find them!"
'This suddenly reminds me of my days as the richest person of my old life…'
Jacob suddenly felt like he had been wasting his time all this time, while he should've just done this much sooner!