Finally, after much difficulty, the group arrived at the core of the desolate world, gazing at the pillars of glory with expressions of utter shock and relief. They were elated that their journey had finally come to an end.
Arthur had amassed a total of 42 gemstones, while the others possessed around 25-30 each. They had long surpassed the amount needed to pass and were simply collecting gemstones to exchange for goods.
At that point, they didn’t feel the need to fight for each gemstone and simply opted for a more casual option. If they encountered a gemstone, they would grab it. However, Arthur and the others did not actively search for them anymore.
Under the intense heat that seemed to eat away at their sanity, they could only clench their teeth and walk.
Finally, their destination had arrived.
“Let’s go,” Dino announced, walking forward. His injuries prevented him from going all-out during the battle against Neon, but the recovery was quite rapid, and by this point, he could use a majority of his total power.
However, power wasn’t his concern, anymore. There was no need to display his power, now that they had arrived. ．
As they approached the altar, four terrifying auras pounced from behind. It seemed there were still newbies left. Many had already become players, but a few camped at Level 3 to scam those who arrived late of their gemstones.
The tactic was quite efficient, and although it hovered over the moral boundary, it truly did not matter.
The four newbies were dressed in crude clothing, while their expressions resembled those of third-rate villains. With devious smiles and the overused motion of rubbing their hands together to display their greed, the four villains approached Arthur and the others.
“Hand over your gemstones,” said a silver-haired, lanky man who looked quite similar to Dino. Everyone’s gaze shifted towards the navy-haired, lanky man, who scrunched his eyebrows in indignation.
“I don’t want to hear it,” said Dino, grumbling.
The silver-haired man seemed perturbed by the lighthearted attitude of those he was robbing, and unsheathed his sword in a grandiose manner, baring his fangs. His face contorted to reveal an expression of anger.
His fingers tightly clutched his longsword, and the stance he assumed was similar to Itto-Ryu, a classic one-sword style well-renowned across many planets. It was simple and effective, making it a powerful sword style.
However, simplicity also had its downsides. A simple movement was bound to have counters, and spotting openings in its strikes was quite easy. Against an experienced swordsman, Itto-Ryu was virtually useless, unless paired with a stronger style.
‘Well, as they say, there is no bad sword style, but bad swordsmen,’ thought Arthur, shrugging once.
Randy was about to rush forward when Arthur placed his hand on his shoulder before shaking his head. The crimson-eyed man stepped forward, and an icy atmosphere contrasted with the heat running through the area.
Arthur’s eyes burnt, yet chills shot down the silver-haired man’s spine.
“How about you give me your gemstones?” Arthur asked as his shadow encompassed the silver-haired man’s tiny figure as if threatening to swallow his entire existence. Gazing into the blazing, crimson eyes, the third-rate villain couldn’t help but gulp.
He suddenly regretted camping.
‘But I didn’t have enough gemstones…’ the silver-haired man clicked his tongue. The reason for the robbery was a lack of sufficient gemstones to become a player. That was why he wished to rob Arthur and the others.
Who knew it was a party of devils?
Usually, those who arrived late were the weakest of the bunch, allowing the more powerful ones to prey on them. However, who knew Arthur and the others were anomalies? Who knew that they had recently contested with a system admin?
Who knew the crimson-eyed man was the future/former ruler of the tower?
“I give you three seconds,” said the crimson-eyed man. His gaze demanded respect. It didn’t ask for it, or suggest it. It ordered those who were entrapped by it to kneel and pay their respects to Arthur Solace.
The silver-haired man shivered under the crimson eyes, which seemed to contain a shroud of darkness within. From an abyss, they seemed to gaze at his soul. It was as if he were a lowly being standing before a God.
It was terrifying.
The being who stood before him was absolute, and couldn’t be refused.
Immediately, the silver-haired man, alongside his comrades, retrieved their gemstones, piling them up in front of Arthur’s feet. The crimson-eyed man watched apathetically, smiling once all the stones were piled up.
“Good. Skofnung will receive a good meal.”
With those words, the heads of the newbies flew into the air. A common expression was plastered over their faces; shock. With a loud thud, their bodies collapsed on the ground, bleeding profusely.
Silences descended upon the battlefield. Arthur grabbed the gemstones, tossing a few to the others before keeping the majority to himself. It was only natural, considering he hunted the foes.
At that point, Arthur possessed 53 gemstones, a massive amount.
The others possessed 30-32 gemstones each, which was still an enormous number compared to the requirement. It was safe to say that the group had aced the second trial without any casualties.
The achievement was monumental.
Arthur and the others headed towards the altar. Only Harry stayed behind, gazing at the desolate world with a faint, helpless smile plastered over his face. His morals had shattered during the span of the tutorial.
‘The life of humans is as cheap as grass.’
The words of his father resounded in his head. At the time, he adamantly refused, arguing that humanity triumphed over such vile statements. He was certain that such devilish words could not contain truth.
But as he stood before several decapitated corpses, his ideals shifted. Gazing at Arthur, he noticed no change in his demeanor. The crimson-eyed man hadn’t felt anything as he sliced their heads.
Feeding his sword was his ultimate priority.
Not the life of humans.
Sighing once more, he took one last look at the horizon.
“It is truly the survival of the fittest. It is wrong to remain weak. The strong do not protect the weak and instead spit on them. Protecting the weak is simply dependent on their mood, and is an act of charity…”
“There is no humanity left in this universe.”