While Almond was spending months inside, Gelato was waiting outside for him.
Shortly, another figure appeared near the temple before a question echoed at Gelato.
“How long has it been?”
Gelato laughed as he turned to the owner of the voice.
“It’s been five minutes so far, boss.”
“Five minutes, eh? Then he must have reached that point by now,” Liam faintly smiled. ‘Let’s see what you accomplish there, Almond.’
…
After toiling for five months, and brushing past deaths many times, Almond was finally going to sit on one of the thrones of the Underworld Kings.
Underworld City, Hall of Kings.
The Hall of Kings was dimly lit, casting long shadows over the ancient obsidian table that stretched across the center of the grand chamber. Each throne exuded an aura of power, adorned with intricate carvings that reflected the essence of its occupant.
At the head sat Valithar Duskshade, the Elven King of Shadows, his violet eyes sharp and calculating. Cloaked in black and silver, his presence was cold and commanding.
Beside him lounged Garrok the Ravager, the Orc King of Carnage. His battle-scarred armor and bloodstained axe spoke volumes of his brutal reputation.
Therrin Ironbeard, the Dwarven King of Ingenuity, sat amidst mechanical contraptions. His mechanical arms and glowing devices showcased his mastery of technology and magic.
Opposite them, Maeltris Threefold, the Beastly Tri-King, loomed with three animalistic heads—lion, serpent, and jackal—embodying primal strength and cunning.
Next was Lyrintha Auric, the Gilded Queen of Ruin, her gem-encrusted body radiating a regal but dangerous allure.
At the far end sat Vrex Whitefang, the Rat King of Secrets. Small and wiry, his sharp red eyes hinted at a mind steeped in manipulation.
Finally, Kendrick Vale, the Human King of Chains, was shrouded in a dark cloak, the faint rattle of chains his only accompaniment.
The Kings sat in tense silence, their eyes shifting to the empty throne at the far end of the table. The air in the hall grew heavy with anticipation as murmurs of curiosity filled the void.
“Where is the newcomer?” Garrok growled, his deep voice reverberating through the chamber. “I’d rather test his strength than waste time waiting.”
“Patience, Ravager,” Valithar said, his voice as smooth as silk. “If he managed to claim one of the eight thrones, he must have earned it. Let us see what this… Almond Crowshade is made of.”
As if on cue, the heavy doors at the entrance of the hall creaked open, revealing a figure cloaked in shadow. A chilling gust swept through the chamber, extinguishing half the torches and sending ripples of unease through the Kings.
Almond Crowshade stepped into the room, his steps deliberate and his posture exuding confidence.
His attire was a mix of sleek black leather armor and a dark, flowing coat that billowed dramatically with each stride. His eyes, glowing faintly with a golden hue, seemed to pierce through the dim light, radiating a quiet but undeniable authority.
In his right hand, he carried a sleek black blade etched with glowing crimson runes, humming faintly with suppressed energy.
Almond paused just before the obsidian table, his gaze sweeping over the assembled Kings. Then, with a faint smirk, he spoke, his voice calm yet resonating with the weight of his newfound power.
Stay tuned to empire
“Apologies for the delay,” Almond said, his tone laced with a subtle challenge. “I had to ensure my entry was… memorable.”
The Kings exchanged glances, some with amusement, others with annoyance. But one thing was clear—Almond Crowshade was no mere pretender.
“Take your seat, Crowshade,” Valithar said, motioning toward the empty throne. “Let us see if you truly belong among us… or if you are destined to be dethroned.”
Almond’s smirk deepened as he moved to claim his place at the table. As he sat, the torches in the room flared back to life, casting an ominous glow over the chamber.
Just as he sat on the throne, a notification appeared in his mind, causing his eyes to flicker with surprise.
[You have achieved a 100% completion rate. You can now either complete the trial here and guarantee an S-rank awakening of innate talent or continue your journey and reach a new height in this city, changing its order and structure and becoming its new emperor to achieve the best awakening.]
‘Wonderful…’ Almond’s eyes glinted.
“Almond Crowshade, you may have become one of us, but there is someone out there above all of us,” Valithar calmly said as he gazed upon Almond keenly. “The one that dictates the ultimate fate in this city.”
“You may have gained the throne by defeating Harakula and uprooting his faction, but that doesn’t mean we acknowledge you,” Vale voiced out as soon as Valithar finished speaking, his eyes narrowing at Almond. “To truly become an Underworld King, you must visit the one who dictates this city—Underworld Emperor Abysslam.”
Therrin laughed with gusto as the dwarf caressed his thick beard and said, “For your information, the entire city is built upon the body of Emperor Abysslam.”
The dwarf demonically grinned at Almond as he said, “To gain our respect while making us acknowledge you as our equal, you must visit Emperor Abysslam and return with his seal of approval.”
‘Are they scheming or what?’ Almond internally frowned.
He had reached this step with his unbending iron will supporting his cold and calculative steps that made him progress each month with a suitable skill as he selected targets while raising his position, and uprooted an entire Underworld King along with his faction.
He could tell whether these seven Underworld Kings were serious or not, and it seemed former as he looked at them.
“Here’s the location,” Lyrintha, the female alien made of stone and crystal, said as she waved her hand as a small crystal manifested and flew towards Almond. “Infuse Mana, and you’ll find the map.”
“Go and return with the seal. Otherwise-” Gaorrok wildly grinned as he crushed the meat in his hand along with the bone, “-I will crush you.”
Almond formed a deadpan smile on his face as he swept his glance at everyone.
‘Well, I guess It’s time to change the game.’
He came holding his sword in his hand not just to show off but to establish that he usually held his sword in his hand.
However, the real reason was that he wanted to take the initiative if anything happened or if he decided to make a move.
And he did decide after reading the notification of this trial because he was going to continue and become Underworld Emperor!
*Slash! Slash*
A mind-numbing hum rang in the hall as two wide slashes blindingly streaked from under the table Almond swung his sword and a ‘V’ shaped slash unleashed instantly at Valithar Duskshade.
In that split second, Valithar’s body split into pieces as the ‘V’ slash cut him, along with the hall, as it extended outward, creating a V-shaped gap in the structure as lights invaded the dimly lit hall.
Everyone was dumbfounded at the bold move and sudden lethal attack on Valitha, killing an underworld king.
But before they could recover, darkness descended in the hall as Almond selected the most powerful skill in Valithar’s possession—Ruler of Darkness.
This skill was also the best one that would help me escape because he wasn’t powerful enough to entangle with multiple Underworld Kings at the same time.
He only managed to kill Valithar because of the sudden-unexpected-attack tactic.
Now, with Valitha’s skill in his possession, he could easily escape from here and start his steps towards the new goal—Underworld Emperor!
“Underworld Kings! Do everything in your power to stop me, but you will still fail, so make sure you provide me enough difficulty to make me enjoy this hell, hahaha!”
Almond’s words echoed before his laugh reverberated briefly.
The darkness soon vanished and the Underworld Kings looked at each other with mixed expressions, but all of them had one emotion in common—wrath towards Almond.
…
“It’s been ten minutes,” Gelato muttered. “Ten months inside. Boss, that’s the same as you.”
Liam nodded, his expression complicated as he muttered, “Underworld Emperor Abysslam…I was close yet far.”
“Does that mean you got SSS-rank talent?” Gelato blinked. “Come on, it’s been years, and you’ve never shown your talent to anyone.”
Liam had acquired the talent long ago, and nobody had seen his power before his ascension as the guild leader, so the guild executives knew about his powers and specialties, but not his SSS-rank talent in detail.
“You don’t need to know,” Liam dismissed Gelato as he faintly smiled, “Admiral Rudra told me not to reveal it to anyone. As his former student, and according to recent events, I’ll keep a lid on this information, especially because it needs to be kept secret.”
Gelato shrugged, “Well, it’s fine. I killed this curiosity long ago. But now…”
“Turning to the temple,” Gelato grinned. “I am eager to find out what this little fellow gains from this.”
Two more minutes passed by before the temple faintly shone.
Gelato and Liam’s eyes flickered as they saw it, their anticipation rising visibly.
“He is finally here,” Gelato grinned.
Liam simply nodded and soon saw the temple door opening, revealing a whirlpool from which Almond walked out, his eyes unfocused as if he was looking at the air, but they contained a hint of thrill as it was clear he was reading the notification of his trial completion and reward.