Lord of the Karmic Fate

The item in front of Raven was a small silver crown, seemingly made out of a unique silver alloy that glowed with a gentle silver light akin to a star.

Just looking at it made one feel that whatever power it seemed to grant to its wearer was anything but weak!

"Isn't that the same..." Luna beside Raven glanced at her brother, thinking about the same thing as him.

"Very likely, yeah." Raven nodded and grabbed the crown, watching as its description popped up before his line of sight.

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[Fragmented Artifact: Monarch's Crown]

• Grade: Legendary

• Form: Shattered

• Description: A fractured Artifact that now only holds just a fraction of its true power. Once whole again, it can grant its wearer strengths akin to a real Monarch!

<You need to wear the crown to gain access to its abilities!>

<You need Artifact Fragments (4) to restore all the Artifacts' abilities!>

~~~

° Monarch's Domain: Anyone coming closer than 50 meters to you with a wicked intention will feel immense pressure.

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"Huh?" Once Raven finished reading the description of the crown his body froze and his eyes widened.

Fragmented Artifact? Wasn't the Monarch's Crown when he first used it a Relic. Also, didn't it possess more and different abilities than what it was currently showing?

This just made no sense at all.

"This is not the Relic you have used that time, is it?" Luna seemed to immediately tell from Raven's puzzled look the crown was not the same one he used during the Special Event.

Raven shook his head before nodding and saying, "It is the same yet at the same time not the same."

Then, after taking a deep breath he explained, "The previous crown allowed me to summon a knight. With it, in exchange for some Mystique, I was able to slay anyone within a 50 meters radius."

"Its first ability was the same as now, Monarch's Domain, but the power it granted me was different. Furthermore, it was a Relic, not a Fragmented Artifact."

"What is a Fragmented Artifact, to begin with?" Luna frowned as this was her first time also hearing about that concept.

Raven shrugged, but when he felt a little trembling in his pocket he took out his small book and opened it.

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[Artifact Information]

...

• Fragmented Artifact: True Artifacts that in the past through unknown means were either shattered or were stopped created! With enough Artifact Fragments, it is possible to repair them completely!

^ Artifact Fragments can be obtained through either Realm Games, Realm Domains, or by shattering others' Artifacts!

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After reading the description of Fragmented Artifacts Luna and Raven looked at each other, none of them talking for a small while.

"...Why don't you try it out?" Luna proposed the idea after a few seconds of silence.

"On you?" Raven raised a brow.

"Why? It says it is just pressure. Even so of it pensions the word immense, it can't be that 'immense', can it?"

Raven felt a little hesitant, but he was also curious to see just what his Fragmented Artifact was truly capable of doing, he sighed and placed the crown on his head.

Bam!

In the very instant, the crown was placed on his head, Luna's face went completely pale, and even before Raven could have reacted she fell to the ground.

"Lulu!" quickly taking the crown off, Raven jumped beside his little sister and watched with anxiety as her body trembled while her skin lost all color.

"HAAAA!!!" gasping for air as if she had just emerged from deep below the sea, almost suffocating, Luna started to breathe quickly while her beautiful face slowly regained its natural colors.

"Lulu... How are you feeling? Do you need me to call for help?" Raven felt guilty and worried both at the same time as he watched his little sister lying on the ground with a face holding scarce pain.

After breathing heavily for several seconds which included a few rough coughs Luna sighed deeply and looked up at Raven before she pushed herself up.

"I-I am fine..."

"You sure? You didn't look like you were fine just a few moments ago." Raven asked Luna as he helped her gently up.

"I am really fine. It's just, the moment you have put the crown on I felt as if... as if someone just began to choke me. It felt hard to breathe and even my body became cold for some reason."

"Choked?" Raven raised a brow to which Luna nodded.

"Yeah. It became even worse the longer you stared at me, but luckily you didn't kill me." Luna laughed awkwardly, touching her throat to make sure she just hallucinated being strangled.

Hearing Luna trying to break a tense atmosphere sighed and looked at the crown.

'Is this thing that powerful?' Raven thought inwardly before he shook his head, 'No, I bet it highly depends who I try to use it on.'

Like, For Luna currently was below him in Rank and overall strength, so Raven believed if he were to use the crown on others with either a higher Rank or an Artifact that protected them from the pressure things will be different.

Of course, there was also the possibility that the crown was truly this powerful, but he didn't put so much hope into it. He had to first test it to see.

'However, as literally, everyone watched the Special Event it is not hard at all to identify this item. I should be careful when I use it.' Raven sighed and put it into the small bag he brought with him beforehand.

"Now then, there is only one last thing I have to do." Raven showed a small smile and grabbed the thin strong around his neck, pulling out a unique-looking key.l from below his shirt.

[Backroom Key had been recharged!]

Looking at the appearing panel beside the key, Raven shifted his gaze to the side where a door was located and walked before it.

Seemingly, the door was the entrance into a small storage room of some sort.

"What kind of item do you want me to bring you?" standing before the door, Raven glanced at Luna beside him and asked.

"I don't have anything specific in mind, but if you what have just said is true and the items from the Backrooms can indeed be used in real life, something that I can wield to protect myself."

She then quickly added, "Yeah, especially how more and more people gain powers through these Avatar Imprints, I think something that can protect my safety is a must."

"Understood." Raven nodded and once he placed the key into the keyhole he turned it clockwise, immediately causing his body to be engulfed in black light and vanish from sight.

Whoosh!

In an instant, the scenery around Raven changed and he quickly found himself in the familiar environment of the Backrooms, a massive room filled with various objects and items.

"What a surprise indeed. So it seems it was you who have killed that poor Guardian all along, huh?" Dinas' usually calm and playful voice appeared in the air, seemingly happy to see Raven again.

As for Raven, while he felt relaxed upon hearing the familiar and friendly voice of Dinas, his brows still furrowed with confusion.

"Guardian? Are you talking about that black statue?"

Dinas laughed softly and giving Raven a feeling as if he was nodding he replied, "Yes, that black statue."

"And why is it called a Guardian? I thought it was just like any other creature from Realm Games and Realm Domains." Raven asked while his eyes began to examine items around him.

For some reason, he became carefree around Dinas despite the two of them only meeting for a single hour in total!

"As always, you are curious as ever, which can be both good and bad." Dinas laughed and after remaining silent for a split second he continued, "Artifact Keepers or on their other names, Guardians. They are usually found in the depth of large and complex Realm Domains, also known as Realm Dungeons."

"But wasn't the Special Event in fact a Realm Game?" Raven asked, raising a single brow at that statement.

"Oh, you know so little, no wonder you are thirsty for knowledge." Dinas laughed and added, "Realm Games are happening within Realm Domains to which you can gain access only if you or others have completed the challenge."

"Also, just because we've known each other for quite a while and I somewhat like you, let me share with you a piece of little interesting information."

Holding a small silver mirror in hand Raven raised his head and perked his ears, waiting for Dinas to continue.

"Haha, good! Well then, listen carefully..." Dinas spoke and after clearing his throat he spoke, "Have you ever wondered if there is any other life outside in the cosmos?"

Raven was confused by the sudden question, but still nodded and said indifferently, "Yeah, I did. Even before you guys 'invaded' our planet I still believed that there are other beings out there. Like, For the cosmos is just too vast for us being the only ones alive."

"Exactly!" Dinas exclaimed out with joy before his voice became excited and asked, "And what if I say that the Realm Gates are in truth bridges, actual portals between your world and others, ones that exist somewhere outside there in the vast cosmos? Would you believe that?"