Entering Apocalypse in Easy-Mode-Chapter 498: Bad News

Clyde frowned deeply at Graemory’s words. Beside him, Asqa’s eyes widened with concern. She glanced at him but chose to remain silent, waiting for his reaction.

"How do you know that?" Clyde finally asked.

"There are whispers everywhere," Graemory said, her tone low but urgent. "All of Hell realm is preparing to march at full-scale. I don’t know about the other realms, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re mobilizing too. Morvius’s claim stirred everyone. So... what will you do now?"

Clyde clenched his jaw. The news was worse than he expected. He was powerful, yes—but if all the Higher Realms descended on him at once not even his strength and Asqa would guarantee survival.

Before he made any move, he had to answer one question: how had his location been discovered?

It couldn’t be Asqa. She had been by his side the entire time, shared his cause, and had already received the Ancient One’s power directly. Her resolve against the Higher Beings was unwavering.

It couldn’t be Graemory either. She was the one who had arranged his sanctuary in this hidden Ruin. She had too much to lose and nothing to gain by betraying him. If she wanted him gone, she wouldn’t have come all this way to deliver a warning in person.

That left only one potential suspect. It was Agatha. The World Master was cunning, manipulative, always playing her own game. But even she stood to gain more by siding with Clyde, not exposing him.

So who?

"...Is it Sonya?" Asqa asked hesitantly.

Clyde looked at her. She was worried—not just for their safety but for what it would mean if it was Sonya. He could see it in her eyes.

But he shook his head. "No. She’s our friend. And she never knew where we were. I teleported her into our mansion myself through the Ancient One’s channel. She couldn’t have leaked it."

Asqa’s posture eased slightly, visibly relieved.

Graemory, who had been silent all this time, watched the exchange. She didn’t know who Sonya was but from context, she assumed another of Clyde’s hidden agents.

"Do you have another spy that might’ve turned on you?" she asked, voice calm but pointed.

Clyde considered it for a while then said, "I do have another... but they don’t know where I am. I only contact them when needed. They couldn’t have told anyone."

Graemory tilted her head. "So... I’m the only one who knows the coordinates to this place."

"Yes," Clyde confirmed, locking eyes with her.

She sighed and placed a hand on her hip. "It wasn’t me. Why would I betray you now? You’re the strongest piece on the board. I gain nothing by switching sides right now."

Clyde nodded slowly. "Exactly. Betraying me wouldn’t elevate you. You’d still be a Duchess at best."

Graemory gave a small, almost sardonic nod in agreement.

"There’s only one more person who knows the coordinates, it was Asmodeus," Clyde said. "But he’s no threat. He’s completely under the Ancient One’s influence now. I transformed him myself. He’s incapable of betrayal."

A heavy silence fell between them.

Finally, Clyde stepped forward. "The communication link between us is failing, right? Give me another artifact so we can stay connected securely."

Without a word, Graemory handed him a small obsidian shard etched with her Demonic sigils.

Clyde accepted it and pressed it against his palm. The link sealed instantly and he put it inside his Inventory.

"We separate for now," Clyde said firmly. "No contact unless necessary. Too much attention is already on us."

Graemory nodded in agreement. "Stay hidden. And stay alive."

With that, she summoned a portal. The crimson rift split open behind her, casting her in a glow of flickering light.

Then, without another word, she stepped through and vanished.

Clyde and Asqa remained in silence for a while, standing amidst the hollow echoes of a long-dead world.

The wind whispered through the fractured towers like a sigh that carrying with it the scent of old blood and death that somehow never quite faded even when this world was decaying for so long.

Asqa’s eyes flicked toward Clyde. He hadn’t moved, still deep in thought, his frown carved deep into his face.

She didn’t speak. She knew that look when he was calculating, planning, and preparing for what came next. She didn’t want to disturb him.

Clyde’s thoughts swirled like a storm. One thing stood above all right now, and that was they needed to become stronger. Much stronger.

"I need to contact the Ancient One first," Clyde finally said, voice calm but edged with determination.

"Right here?" Asqa asked, scanning the empty ruin cautiously.

"Yes."

"But... what if someone comes? What if they’ve already found us?"

"I don’t think anyone will," Clyde replied with a small, reassuring smile. "But if something does happen , you wake me. We can’t afford to go back to the mansion now. After this, we’re heading to another Ruin. We need to keep grinding."

Asqa nodded. She understood. Every second counted now.

Clyde lowered himself to the ashen ground and closed his eyes, crossing his legs.

The world around him faded and he focused inward down into the depth of his own soul where the essence of a slumbering Ancient god rested.

He hadn’t spoken to the Ancient One in a long time. He could feel the presence within him was quiet and distant. Not gone but... still. As if Conserving its power for something greater later.

Clyde sensed it instinctively—the Ancient One had been entering a deeper sleep to prepare for His eventual resurrection. Matters in this world had been left to Clyde alone.

But now, that silence was no longer an option.

Clyde reached deeper. And the moment he did... something stirred immediately, answering to his call.

Not long after, a vast, timeless, and alien presence responded.

"Clyde."

The voice echoed directly into his soul, like thunder spoken in whispers.

"What is it?" The Ancient One said.

"I need to become stronger fast. The Higher Beings are preparing to attack. They have found my hideout."

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This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺