The attentions of thousands suddenly settled upon Ryu. Although the rules seemed fairly simple – a single person receiving three actions per turn to either attack their own steps or that of someone else's – there was a reason the Headmaster described them as complex. There were many moving variables and plenty of opportunities to be sabotaged by others.
In addition, there was a hidden rule that only the intelligent picked up. When the Headmaster emphasized the randomness of the teleportation arrays. On the surface, it seemed that he was speaking about which of the Sect's Small Realms you entered, but there was another matter he purposely neglected to make clear.
While he said the stairs were grouped into sets of three, each corresponding to a respectively higher Order of beast, he never specified the exact strength of this beast. This meant that if one was unlucky, they might meet three Peak First Order beasts in all three of their first steps. If one was even more unlucky, this same matter could occur during your fights with Third Order beasts.
Due to this randomness, it was particularly important how the Princes allocated their resources considering their subordinates could only enter a maximum of three times. And, it was especially important to take this into consideration when conquering the steps of another.
If, for example, you attempted to attack the 7th, 8th or 9th steps of an opponent, you had to be weary of coming across powerful Peak Third Order beasts. At the same time, it was also a form of luck to run into such a powerful beast. After all, who would dare to attempt to challenge a beast stronger than a Peak Third Order beast? Because the Headmaster specified one tier higher, this meant you wouldn't be fighting a Half-Step Fourth Order beast. You would be fighting a Lower Fourth Order beast!
"Grandpa," Yaana gripped her grandfather's sleeve, "Brother Ryu has subordinates, right? If he doesn't, can you lend him some?"
The old General almost fell off his chair. Did this little girl already forget about her cousin? Whether or not Jedrek became King would decide if you could live your life as you pleased, or if you'd become a pawn for marriage. Shouldn't you be more supportive of him?
Ryu smiled lightly. Subordinates? Helpers? Sabotage? What did any of these mean in the face of absolute power? Without so much as a nervous breath, Ryu stepped upon his first steps.
As no surprise to anyone, the jade pendant had the secondary function of recording the happenings of the Small Realm. Everyone watched as Ryu appeared on a grass plain. After what seemed like decades of growing in an unfettered matter, the green grass had grown over a meter tall.
"Your grandson was teleported to quite a troublesome area, Brother Amell. We spent a lot of time vetting the beast territories over the last few years in preparation for today, this one is the territory of the Middle First Order Grassland Serpent. They're known for their cunning, stealth and speed. Even Pulse Opening realm experts wouldn't wantonly stroll into those high grasses." An elder commented passively.
Completely oblivious to the worry of others, Ryu calmly felt the wind part along the lines of his handsome face. His countenance made the women in the crowd swoon, but they couldn't help but underestimate him due to his blindness. Should he really have been so bold to enter alone?
A slight rustling caught Ryu's attention. It was so faint that he was certain even he would have missed it had he not had his eyes closed.
'The stealth of this beast is quite good. My senses actually can't pick it up immediately, this will be slightly troublesome. But, as long as it attacks, it will lose.'
The tension of the crowd grew. The minutes ticked by, but Ryu didn't move a single step. He simply stood with his hands clapped behind his back, slowly circulating his blood to keep his body in peak condition.
Suddenly, a two-meter-long snake leaped into the air silently. It had coiled itself so tightly that it was able to spring toward Ryu at blinding speeds. All those spectating could see was a blur of green.
Those of the Tor Clan felt an inexplicable complex feeling. They couldn't decide whether they truly wanted to see this Fourth Prince fall or not. The only individuals who seemed to have no qualms whatsoever were King Tor and his two sons-in-law. It seems they had made up their minds – wishing for his death.
Ryu's light smile didn't fade. While others believed there was no way he had heard the Grassland Serpent launch an attack, he could see an image of a long shadow in his mind. It opened its mouth wide, still not making a single sound as it snapped toward Ryu's neck.
"Grandpa!" Yaana hid her delicate face away, unable to watch.
However, it was at that moment that Ryu suddenly moved.
He stepped forward. The movements couldn't have been more basic, but they carried an air of elegance that couldn't be described. His actions were perfectly timed, just when the Grassland Serpent believed it had him, Ryu's step had caused it to miscalculate. But it was too late, it was already in the air. This move was none other than [Advance] of the Basic Stances.
Ryu brought his two fingers together, tilting his head to the side just enough to avoid the fangs of the serpent. With a thought, he pierced them upward. His actions carried a simplistic perfection with them. He struck just below the open jaw of the snake with his extended fingers, causing it to be knocked upward several dozen meters.
An instant later, a bland wooden bow appeared in Ryu's hands. He calmly aimed at the serpent that had only just reached its apex.
Pu!
No one saw when he nocked an arrow, nor did anyone see when he drew his bow. But, in the end, a bloody rain fell from the skies even as the wooden bow splintered in half, unable to withstand Ryu's strength.
In the next moment, Ryu appeared, standing firmly on the first set of stairs, already taking his next step forward.. Before anyone could grasp just what had occurred, Ryu had already completed his third action, sitting leisurely on the third step without so much as a flushed face.