1341 Goal?
Ryu didn't say anything, but Empana's gaze immediately became sharp. It seemed as though he wanted to see through Ryu completely. But when he looked back toward the formation, his eyes could only narrow. The fact that Ryu could be the center of such a formation definitely meant something, but...
Leah, Satra and Kritcsz felt like they had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
It was true, Demons were quite poor in aspects related to secondary professions. Whether it was alchemy, black smithing, formation mastery, or anything of the like, they were wholly lacking. Another reason why they wanted to take advantage of the Dream Asura Race so much was to benefit from this, but given that they were so powerful even without such backing, it wasn't enough for them to treat the Dream Asura Clan any better.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say a middle of the road Ruin Master from the True Martial World could step onto the Nether World and immediately become the best they had... but a so-called middle of the road Ruin Master would have to be well into the Sky God Realm. The idea tha such a person could not even be in the Sky God Realm at all was far too ridiculous.
If Ryu's cultivation were to be measured and placed against the standard of Ruin Master, he wouldn't even have the right to call himself a Ruin Master, let alone be middle of the road.
Those three felt that they were in the right for directly dismissing the idea. The only reason Empana didn't was because for one, he thought that he had guessed Ryu's identity, and second he trusted lanjor. But even with these two things on Ryu's side, he didn't have full confidence at all.
"Are you serious?" Empana finally asked.
"Of course," lanjor said with a grin. "If you can find one better, I'll help you out for free. I won't even ask for a part of the reward."
Empana's brows jumped. He might trust lanjor, but he also knew that this guy didn't like to get himself into trouble without reason. In fact, Empana was surprised that he had managed to invite him at all. For him to be willing to put that on the line to vouch for Ryu...
Empana gave Ryu another look, but the latter's expression was cold and unreadable. It looked as though his mind was elsewhere and he wasn't focused on this matter at all.
"... Alright, but you should know that my father has invited many others. Even if I agree, that doesn't mean he will. There'll be trouble, especially since... I skepticism he'll be working for free."
Empana spoke meaningfully, his stare shifting from Ryu to the garbage units following him and eventually Mae. It was clear that he may very well have guessed much of the reasons why this was happening. But in reality, he didn't care much. If he could secure his Birth Right, then whether or not the Dream Asuras came to this Plane or not had nothing to do with him, he would return to the Eighth Plane soon with enough strength to be able to strive for a place in the Ninth. Nothing would be able to stop him.
Ryu, who had been deadpan, suddenly frowned. He hated being tested, to the very depths of his bones. However, the hint of Empana's words was that he would have to prove himself. Even with his Dao Heart shattered and his former and current personalities merging, the base of his character was still the same.
He seemed to be about to say something but lanjor interrupted him, very clearly on purpose.
"Good, good, he won't disappoint you!"
lanjor's hilarious laughter stopped Ryu from having a chance to speak at all.
Ryu's stare flickered with dissatisfaction, but in the end, he didn't say anything else and simply took a leap, landing on Little Silk's back.
"Ryu?" Mae asked. She had some guesses about the situation as well, but without knowing what was happening, she could only trust Ryu. This wasn't too hard for her to do, but the problem was that while she was certain that Ryu would protect her, what about everyone else?
Ryu smiled. "It'll be alright."
Mae's shoulders relaxed. "Okay..."
**
The situation progressed smoothly and very soon Ryu was stuck in a perpetual forward tide that he couldn't free himself from. It was hard to tell how much of this was planned by unluckiness and circumstance versus how much of it was perpetuated by this so-called friend of his.
Ryu was finding more and more than it was difficult to see through Ianjor's intentions, but it made sense. He was a man who had experienced both almost a billion years of life, and the rigors of the Real Battle World. He had gotten the best of both worlds and his mind was operating on a scale that most would never be able to touch.
Even Ryu was finding it a bit unfathomable.
It wasn't long before Ryu found him standing in a throne room, facing the Patriarch of the Lizard Demon Race with Mae by his side. But he wasn't alone. Aside from the Patriarch's wife, there was still Empana and a small number of much older, wrinkled men.
Ryu stuck out like a sore thumb as the only individual outside of Empana with such youth in the room. His presence shrouded Mae entirely, making her seem quite forgettable in the grand scheme. If it wasn't for the situation, he would have sent her inside to the Frost Clan's ring to be with the little woman, but given the situation, it didn't seem that Empana had any intention of letting either one of them be out of his sight. Ryu even wondered if the only reason Empana had agreed so readily was because he had already seen through Mae....
After Empana finished speaking to his father, a heavy stare fell onto Ryu before it shifted to Mae and back again.
"What is your goal here?" The Patriarch asked lightly.
His presence alone should have crushed Ryu, a heaviness that could only come from years of cultivation and the burden of rule descending.
Ryu sighed inwardly. He really didn't know what this lanjor had gotten him into.
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