Chapter 1118 Last Meal
The granite statue was lean and athletic, leaping through the distance between them with a single step. It rivaled Whisker in speed, who was among the fastest in the group. However, Seraphine activated her blood barrier instantly, letting it defend her.
Splash!
The white statue seemed confused, although its detailed facial features did not reveal anything. The weapon it held, a long and thin sword, was covered by a pool of blood twirling midair. Then, it jumped backward and retreated from the battlefield before blending back into the mist.
"This entire bridge is a creature of some sort," muttered Arthur as he looked at the ground beneath them. "This mist and statue were created by the bridge, which acts as a natural defense against challengers and monsters alike."
"A bridge with consciousness?" muttered Ilia with shock as he looked down at the mist hovering over their legs. "This tower has everything to offer, huh? Should we attack this bridge itself?"
"This bridge is smart enough to know that it doesn't need to prevent us from entering, only to make things more difficult," said Ramiel as he grabbed the spiked club for a weapon and advanced forward. "As long as we defeat incoming statues, we should be fine!"
As he finished his words, a giant statue of a minotaur demon rushed from within the mist. The bridge seems to have handpicked this statue for Ramiel because of his species or past experiences. However, the demon was unfazed as he swung his club, his muscles swelling like balloons.
Foosh!
Boom!
A gale of wind turned the mist into a hurricane that swirled around Ramiel as he slammed the statue with his club. The fake minotaur had no chance to react before it turned to smithereens, with nothing but a lower torso remaining.
"Damn!" shouted Sarohan as he slapped the fragments away as they flew toward them. "This man does not joke around! Demons are really scary…"
"You are a demon too," said Arthur with confusion as he turned toward the red Waiga, who looked like a tall monkey with crimson fur. "Seraphine told me what happened, and you have clearly told the gods to piss off after drinking her blood. That made you a demon."
"Are you crazy?!" asked Sarohan with wide eyes, forgetting that he was addressing his king. Seraphine jumped high and kicked him in the head, sending him flying toward the half-statue that Ramiel has demolished.
Boom!
Another explosion occurred as Sarohan went straight through the giant demolished statue, turning into nothing but a pair of granite feet. The Waiga flew far away until he could no longer be seen even before Seraphine landed back on the ground.
"You might have crushed his spirit," said Arthur with a chuckle. "I don't mind what he said. You should tone it down too, Seraphine."
"I mind the impudence," said Seraphine with a frown as she dusted herself off with rage. "If the king I chose to follow gets disrespected, how am I to stand with a straight back?"
"Is that the only reason?" asked Arthur with a smile, which made Seraphine freeze. "You have yet to explain the reason he looks so different now, right? Is it embarrassing to admit that you feel grateful toward him?"
"As if I would feel something like embarrassment," said Seraphine with a huff of rage. "I just can't believe that idiot wasted my precious blood, which should have given him immense powers, just to become a demon like me.
"Gods would only bless those who worship them, so what did you expect?" sighed Arthur before he heard Sarohan shouting from a distance. A few seconds later, he came back running with a dozen granite lizards behind him.
"This monkey is about to be eaten! Help me!"
"Does he not realize how strong your blood has made him?" asked Arthur with a speechless face as he watched the Waiga jump around while avoiding the man-sized lizards.
"…he will always be a coward."
Although she said that, Seraphine carried a smile. Arthur also smiled as he stepped forward as well, slashing with his sword. The lizards exploded to nothingness as a result, letting the Waiga return with a bleeding head.
"How dare you kick your uncle, little Sera?!" shouted Sarohan after catching his breath. As her face contorted with annoyance, Sarohan jumped back to stand behind Ilia Perli, the second strongest after Seraphine.
"How about we establish a hierarchy?" suggested Arthur to the rest of his team. They looked confused as he pointed at the monument. "As we walked earlier with the woman, she mentioned that the Trial of Heroes has a ranking known throughout the universe. Those who rank in the top one hundred are considered to be among the strongest."
"So, the hierarchy is going to be according to the ranking?" asked Koby as he rubbed his chin. "That sounds like a good idea. At least it would lessen our confusion in battle about whose orders to follow."
"Always follow my orders," said Lian with absolute confidence. "I would always have a vantage point over the battlefield, so my orders are best followed."
"Unless you feel like running," said Jonathan with a frown as he reprimanded Lian. "I saw that you did not bow to our king earlier, so how could we trust your orders if you don't even consider us your comrades?"
"I don't know anything about any of you, so why would I consider you as my comrades?" asked Lian while glaring at him. "I don't consider Arthur as my king, but I do view him as my benefactor for sparing my life."
"As if that would be enough," scoffed Jonathan as he looked toward Arthur. "I suggest we kick him out, my lord. You have saved many people before, and he is the only person who doesn't show you loyalty."
"Excuse me for not being a mindless sheep," said Lian with a smirk. Jonathan glared at him with rage, almost drawing out his sword. Tattoos shone on the tamer's face as he looked at the knight, prepared for battle.
"Enough with this," said Arthur, his voice authoritative and cold. The two stopped bickering as they turned toward him. "I never asked Lian to follow me, and I never will. I will march forward. Those who follow, shall follow. Those who turn away and do as they desire will not be cursed or labeled traitors. As long as you stay away from my path, then no one is my enemy."
Arthur then walked forward toward the monument; his aura having lost the friendliness from earlier. The eight stared at each other before following after him, killing monsters as they attacked them.
It took them three hours to reach the monument, which was nothing but a white wall. Challengers camped at the gate before going into the monument, passing through the white wall and disappearing forever.
Their surprise came when they realized that a market was built near the monument, with bustling merchants seeking to sell skills, weapons, or abilities. A restaurant, which also acted as a bar, was also opened on the side of the bridge.
As the nine entered without a scratch on them, the entire market froze. People looked at them as if they were monsters, not understanding how anyone who walked out of the mist could look so unscathed. Arthur walked forward under their watchful gazes before heading toward the restaurant and picking the biggest table.
"Good sir, what kind of currency do you take here?" asked Arthur the owner with a smile, making him flinch from his daze. Then, he stuttered out a reply, inaudible to most except Arthur. Then, Arthur nodded with a smile. "Then bring me the best you have to offer, enough to feed my eight friends and me!"
The owner did not hesitate to start cooking, and the eight smiled as they each pulled a stool to sit. The round table was filled in an instant, and the market slowly returned to its bustling noises, although their eyes could not leave the group.
"What did the owner say about the currency, my king?" asked Whisker with curiosity. Arthur smiled and then grabbed a drink from what the waiter brought to their table, drank it all, and then placed it on the table.
"It seems they take reward points for payment, which I don't lack," said Arthur with a smile as he raised a finger. "I
want you all to start addressing me by my name, nothing else. If you're talking to someone else, so be it. However, I hate being called titles."
"But…" muttered Jonathan with concern.
"It would not make me any less of a king, although I'm still not," said Arthur with a grin. "We need a kingdom first, right? At that time, we can think about it. But calling me a king while we look nothing other than gangsters is embarrassing."
No one could reply, and plates began being served. Arthur flicked his finger, and the plates flew to arrange themselves in a neat order in front of his comrades.
"This will be our last meal before we enter the fifth floor, and I feel like it would be the last before the great battle, so eat all you want!"
Foll𝑜w current novels on fre(e)w𝒆bnovel