Chapter 317: Ancient Paradox Formation

The entire Black Market shook violently as the metallic walls and floor shifted with a deep mechanical rumble. Panels slid open, and from within, countless turrets, mana cannons, and missile pods emerged, glowing with deadly light. The air filled with the mechanical whine of charged energy and the sharp hum of mana circuits coming alive.

Ash only gave a single glance to the chaos around him before turning his attention back to plundering.

More than half of the warehouse had already vanished into his Soul Vault. Only a small section remained.

The barrier surrounding the metal compartments made everything easier. He didn’t need to dodge or defend himself. He simply continued collecting everything in sight.

Still, he kept his senses sharp, scanning the surroundings carefully. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe things would stay this way forever.

If they somehow managed to disable the shield, things could turn dangerous quickly. But so far, judging by their panicked shouting and frantic actions, it was clear they couldn’t. Still he was cautious.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, YOU BASTARD!!!"

The voice exploded through the air, shaking the warehouse.

Ash froze for a brief moment and turned. A middle-aged man was soaring toward him, his body radiating intense killing intent.

He hurled a spear covered in a blinding aura straight at Ash. The weapon ripped through space itself, its speed almost impossible to track.

Ash’s eyes narrowed as he felt the world itself bend under the pressure of that attack.

Power of Domain...

He immediately recognized the sensation. The spear was wrapped in the power of a domain.

Unsure if the barrier could withstand that level of force, Ash didn’t take chances. He teleported instantly, taking another metal compartment with him.

The Security Head saw Ash vanish again and roared in frustration. Flying through the air, he swung his arm sharply, and the spear changed direction mid-flight, now chasing Ash relentlessly through the air.

Seeing the spear closing in, Ash gritted his teeth and pushed his skill further. Mana rippled around him as he flickered between locations, teleporting again and again.

A heartbeat later, the spear crashed into the barrier around him.

At that exact moment, the barrage began—dozens of tracking missiles, mana beams, and laser cannons converged all at once.

-BOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!

The world turned white.

The explosion thundered through the entire underground complex. The walls shook, the ground cracked, and shockwaves tore through the air.

For a few moments, Ash couldn’t see anything. His vision was filled with blinding light, his ears ringing. But through it all, he felt no pain. No heat. No pressure.

The barrier held...

Relief passed through his mind. With a faint smirk, he didn’t wait for the light to fade. In the very next second, his body shimmered and vanished again, teleporting away before the smoke and light cleared.

When the glare finally dimmed, the Security Head’s expression was a twisted mix of rage and despair.

The legendary barrier that the Black Market had prided itself on for years—the almost impenetrable one—was now being used as a tool for theft.

Even the Human Association had failed to breach it for decades.

That barrier could block all attacks below Saint Rank and could endure ten full-powered strikes from a Saint before collapsing.

Of course, the Black Market had always hidden this weakness. They never allowed the Saints to strike more than five or six times. If the Human Association or the other organizations ever learned that the barrier could break after ten strikes, the entire organization would face calamity.

This formation wasn’t even created by anyone present in the world of Akumia.

The technology and people were not that advanced.

It was something the black market team found in a dungeon—technology that was far beyond what humanity could replicate.

Damn it... this is useless.

The Security Head clenched his fists tightly. He knew better than anyone how powerful the barrier was. He had personally tested it many times.

Only one person can disable this barrier... but that person is far away. It will take time for him to get here, and I don’t have that time...

His eyes darted toward the warehouse as he watched the metallic shelves vanish one by one.

Despair clawed at his chest.

We’re running out of time...

Suddenly, his senses flared. Multiple powerful presences appeared nearby.

Turning his head, he saw figures emerging from a teleportation circle that had formed behind him. One after another, they flew through the air, their numbers increasing rapidly.

Every single one of them carried the overwhelming pressure of a Grandmaster or higher.

Within seconds, a single figure appeared in front of them all—a man whose mere presence twisted the air itself. The aura around him was suffocating, vast, and heavy.

A Mythical Rank powerhouse.

The Mythical-ranked man appeared beside the Security Head, his face dark and unreadable. Even without speaking, his aura carried clear anger and frustration.

The Security Head felt the same despair spreading through his own chest. Just standing next to that man, he could feel how tense and unstable the situation had become.

The Black Market hierarchy was extremely strict. Even if someone wished to join and become a core member, they first had to reach the Grandmaster rank. Without that, no matter how talented or ambitious they were, they would never be allowed to touch the inner workings of the organization.

Those ranked below were treated as disposable assets. They never received highly confidential missions and could be replaced or discarded at any time if the situation demanded it.

The hierarchy began with Grandmaster, followed by Legendary, then Mythical. Above all of them stood the Black Market Head, the one who oversaw everything from the shadows.

His rank was uncertain.

There were many smaller ranks in between, but this was the basic structure that formed the Market’s foundation.

Every member was required to sign a mana contract upon joining, one that bound their life and soul to the Black Market. This contract not only ensured loyalty but also allowed members to use their abilities even inside sealed formations or restricted layers, such as the fifth layer, where normal mana usage became impossible once the emergency protocol triggered.

And now, at this very moment, all those guards who once stood proud were forced to watch their treasury being robbed right in front of their eyes.

Many more guards arrived one after another, but no one could do anything. They floated midair, their faces filled with frustration as their fists clenched tightly.

No matter how much they wanted to intervene, they couldn’t do anything.

Kyle, the branch head of this whole place, stood among them. As a Mythical-rank, he was supposed to safeguard this entire division, but right now, the entire treasury of the branch was being stripped bare under his watch.

"When will that person come..?" Kyle asked, his voice hoarse and heavy, as if each word carried his frustration and guilt.

The Security Head beside him replied in a low, strained tone, "Five minutes."

"DAMN IT! HE WILL ESCAPE BEFORE THAT!!!"

Right now, the Black Market’s most prized treasure—the —which once protected the organization like an impenetrable shield, had turned into a curse.

This formation was the reason for the Black Market’s arrogance. It could repel even domains, making infiltration nearly impossible. But today, that same formation had become their downfall, trapping them in their own fortress.

While despair filled the air, Ash calmly stored the last metal compartment. His gaze met Kyle’s and the Security Head’s for a moment. Surrounded by thousands of Grandmasters, he still dared to smirk behind the cloak, raise a thumbs-up, and disappear into thin air.

Kyle’s entire face turned red, veins bulging as his rage boiled.

That thief... that fucking thief!!!!!!!!!

Never in his life had he been humiliated like this. Never.

Before he could even curse Ash further, the alarms blared again.

"WHAT!!!!" Both Kyle and the Security Head shouted in disbelief, their faces paling as the words sank in.

"DAMN IT! WHEN WILL ’that’ PERSON ARRIVE!!!!!" The Security Head roared toward the control room, his voice trembling with panic.

"S-Sir... t-three minutes... just three minutes more..." a nervous voice stammered through the earpiece.

The Security Head’s hands began to shake uncontrollably.

I’m done for... this is the end...

He knew what that meant.

3 minutes were enough for the deed to be done.

No one—not even high-ranking officers—had permission to enter the storage vaults. Only a few select individuals could do so, and their number could be counted on one hand.

Now everything inside will be destroyed... and I’ll be the one blamed for it all...

He let out a hollow laugh, accepting the grim reality that awaited him.

Kyle stood silently beside him, his eyes trembling with a mix of fury and despair. Deep down, he knew the same truth—the responsibility for this disaster would fall entirely on them.

Meanwhile, Ash, who had just appeared inside the first vault, was greeted by an overwhelming sight. Mountains of gold coins reflected the faint light, their brilliance almost blinding.

Every corner of the vault shimmered with wealth and history, the air itself thick with mana and the faint metallic scent of magic-infused gold.

But the beauty of it all lasted only a moment. The soft golden glow filling the room suddenly turned red, washing everything in a dark hue that screamed danger.

The repeating alarms echoed through the vast chamber, but Ash paid them no mind. He had already grown used to it.

His expression remained calm, almost indifferent, as he began to store the treasures one after another.

Yet, this time it was slower.

The vault was different.

The treasures were not grouped in the large metal compartments like before, but arranged individually, so one needed to touch them individually.

The air trembled, and before Ash could react, a thick, colorless barrier surged up from the floor, spreading outward like rippling liquid light. It hit him with immense force, throwing his body against the far wall.

Cracks split through the wall behind him, and a sharp pain ran through his body. The force pressing on him thickened with a crushing intent. Without wasting a second, Ash teleported, his figure flickering before reappearing inside the barrier.

He barely managed to take a breath when another barrier burst from the ground. This time, his reflexes moved faster than thought. He teleported again, vanishing just as the new barrier sealed itself.

Behind him, both barriers overlapped perfectly and came to a stop, forming a solid cage of translucent power that hummed with silent tension.

The voice of the AI was cold and emotionless, yet Ash felt a chill run down his spine. A bad premonition coiled inside his chest like a serpent.

He tightened his grip, channeling mana into his hand as he focused on the heaps of gold piled high.

With a sweep of his hand, all the coins vanished into his storage. But despite that, the vault still held countless treasures.

Hearing that, the faint trace of a smile that had been on Ash’s face disappeared. His eyes turned cold and sharp. His instincts told him something far worse was coming.

-THUD!

-THUD!

-THUD!

A deep echo filled the vault as several locks sealed into place. The walls pulsed with red light, and from above, a glowing timer appeared near the ceiling, counting down from 30 seconds.

Shit...

Ash muttered under his breath. He didn’t move recklessly. Instead, his eyes narrowed, and his mind began to burn with intensity.

The world around him slowed until everything froze in place—the falling dust, the flickering light, even the small particles in the air stopped moving.

In that gray stillness, Ash exhaled slowly.

He had pushed to its limit.

Time had not truly stopped, but his mind was processing at such extreme speed that it might as well have.

In the beginning, when he first created , using it even briefly would knock him unconscious.

His brain simply couldn’t handle the strain. But after everything he had gone through, after countless battles and carrying the burden of Dark Ash’s memories, his mind had become far stronger. He could now sustain the technique for hours without losing control.

Yet, now pushing it to its maximum, his head throbbed as if it were about to split open, his blood ran hot, and every thought felt like a spark bursting in his skull.

Still, Ash stayed focused.

What should I do now...?

Should I just take what I can and leave the rest?

Should I risk everything to grab more?

Even if I can’t die... these treasures might still be destroyed.

His gaze drifted to the barrier surrounding the vault.

The shield is meant to protect the vault, not the treasures. That means... they’re planning to destroy everything inside if someone tries to steal it.

His thoughts turned faster.

Wait... could this be a trick? What if there isn’t going to be an explosion at all? What if it’s just a psychological trap meant to make intruders panic and flee?

For a moment, his expression softened as logic kicked in.

No... the Black Market is too rich. They can afford to lose what’s here. The true treasures would be with the Black Market Head, sealed in his own spatial ring. These are just... offerings compared to that.

29 seconds.

Ash vanished and appeared inside the next vault. The same red light greeted him, the same cold ticking sound filled the air. The timer floated above again. He checked two more vaults, confirming that the countdown was active everywhere.

28 seconds.

Reappearing back in the first vault, he ran his fingers through his hair. His head was burning, veins standing out across his temples, but his expression remained calm. His mind refused to slow down.

25 seconds.

He searched every inch of the vault for explosives or hidden triggers. He phased through the floor, scanned the mana flow inside the formation’s circuits. There was nothing.

20 seconds.

No signs of explosives or hidden formations. Still, the timer kept ticking, the glowing red numbers reflected in his eyes.

Even then, there was no fear in him. His breathing stayed slow and steady, every heartbeat measured.

15 seconds.

He had found no solution, no path to take everything at once. Regret began to creep in slowly, sinking into his chest like cold water.

Maybe he had been too greedy this time.

If only he had been more cautious, more patient, maybe things would have gone differently. He could have stolen far more than this without getting caught in such a trap.

Perhaps he had been too arrogant.

14 seconds.

If only I could take the whole vault...

His eyes widened.

Wait. Can I actually take the whole vault?

He had never once considered trying to store something this massive inside his soul space. The thought was ridiculous... yet possible. His Soul Vault allowed him to store anything that existed in reality—living beings, artifacts, even Runes.

Then another thought surfaced, one that froze him where he stood.

Even if it works... I still haven’t found the source of the self-destruction. What if the explosion happens inside my soul space?

The answer was simple.

If that happened, his soul would shatter completely.

And this time, Ash would die for real.