Chapter 77: Battlefield

"They're waking up."

"Should we do something?" Luna asked.

I paused, considering. I could launch the needle at her, but then I'd have to make another, and my energy was already stretched thin. Sure, she was ruthless toward her own family, but I hadn't seen her attack anyone else.

I mean, what about the others? The only reason I wasn't more wary of Synthia was because of Callum's words, but in reality, she had killed more people here. Maybe I should be more cautious, but still, I wanted to talk to her at some point. Another Bloodless, if that's even what I was, making it this far… She had to have her own special methods.

The princess was still climbing quickly, but I had a head start. At least for now, I wasn't worried about her catching me. And unless she had some ridiculously long-ranged skill, I was safe. Not to mention, if she was the one causing the pressure, what would happen when a third person got on? Or a fourth? Everyone?

"I think we should just focus on climbing. Can you handle more speed?"

Luna shifted slightly on my wrist. "The pressure isn't too strong yet. Let's try to make it to the top."

She said that, but I could tell she was struggling under the weight to manage everything. Still, we had no choice but to move forward.

With renewed effort, we pressed on, slower than before, another pursuer steadily closing the distance.

But after some time I noticed an edge. "I can see the top, Luna, just a b—"

A stinging wind blasted from the side. It wasn't just air. It was like razor-sharp blades, tiny shards of energy slicing into me as I clung to the wall. I focused all my strength on maintaining my grip, while also keeping the needle intact.

For a few moments, my feet slipped. The wind was so strong that I could barely see faint scratches forming on the rock. If not for my Body Refinement… wouldn't this be like putting my body through a blender?

"You good, Luna?!"

I had tried to shield my wrist from the worst of the wind, but I still had to hold on. I had to yell over the constant roar of the gale. My body was tough enough to withstand it but Luna wasn't the same.

"I—I do—Peter, I'm sorry." She cried out in my mind.

We'd have to experiment more with her transformation later and figure out how her cultivation path even worked and what other abilities she could develop.

"Don't worry about it." I dissipated the needle. There was no choice unless I wanted Luna to turn into trimmings, so I summoned my gauntlets. "I'll be able to climb faster like this. We're already near the top."

I felt her relief as the armor encased her.

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

I lifted one hand, testing my grip as the other, now armored, sank into the stone like it was molded clay rather than solid rock.

As I climbed, I glanced down to check the others. The princess was still moving but had slowed significantly. She was nearing the flat section, and as I expected, she was already shifting to the path I'd created.

Great.

Further below, another climber, one of the strangers, had started his ascent. He looked rough, even from up here I could see his form flickering from the winds, dangerously close to dissipating. 

Just the idea of scaling this thing, with the crushing pressure and cutting winds, had to be enough to make anyone reconsider their life choices.

Sweat slicked my back, my palms, and well, everywhere really. I mean, in this state I didn't really sweat, but oddly enough, I still could feel the unpleasant sensation.

My legs trembled with exhaustion, and at some point, I stopped paying attention to where I was going, just moving on autopilot.

Then my hand met something flat.

I blinked up at it. "Luna… we made it."

Summoning another bit of energy, I hauled myself up onto the ledge, and thankfully, there was no immediate test, but instead an actual chance to breathe.

"Nice job… thanks for bringing me up." Luna grumbled with self pity.

"Well, not much else I could do. Who else is gonna teach me to increase my plantyness? Maybe one day I'll even surpass you." I panted out.

She didn't respond, but judging by the hues shifting along her form, I could tell she wasn't too bothered from her lack of ability in the last section. Just a bit bothered.

I mean, I was only able to use the gauntlets at the end from how much energy I saved up thanks to her.

I checked below. Two were climbing and both had picked up speed. Was the difficulty lowering when people got off? If that was the case, everyone should be climbing one at a time, right?

Then, two more stirred. Synthia and Callum. The moment they started their ascent, the climbers above them froze.

And then I felt it. A deep, violent rumbling that rattled my bones from the inside out.

"They have to climb like that?!" Luna shouted.

"Not if they work together."

I gave up trying to make sense of it. Either they'd figure it out, which seemed obvious enough, or they'd waste time racing each other for no reason. "But considering we can still move up here, maybe they'd be too worried about sabotage from above to even try."

"So… do we just wait?"

"I don't know."

I turned and froze. At the center of the plateau stood the path to the third layer. But it wasn't a climb. Instead, a massive staircase stretched toward the sky.

Just a normal, ridiculously tall staircase.

"Guess we go to that."

I moved forward cautiously, scanning the stone pie-slice platform for anything unusual, but I still jumped when the old man materialized in front of me like a ghost.

"I'm not a ghost. I'm an avatar," he corrected, reading my thoughts.

Right. I glanced past him at the stairs. "Any reason you're blocking my way?"

"Yeah, we're so far ahead! I don't want to fall behind now!" Luna chimed in.

The old man smiled. "Of course. I need to ask a question… and give a warning."

I raised an eyebrow.

His grin didn't fade, but something about it felt heavier. "You will be given a task and another illusion to be a part of. You must pass to proceed."

Again?

"You will know that you are in an illusion," he continued. "But… you will not know the task. And if you fail or—" he paused, his expression turning serious "—die, you will never leave this place."

"You'll trap us?" Luna asked.

He shook his head.

I frowned. "You mean we'll actually die… at least in spirit or something? Why not just be clear?"

"Theatrics are important, Peter," he interjected.

"Oh." Luna's colors dimmed slightly. "…That's not fun."

The old man's smile returned. "But, seeing as it would be impossible for Luna in her current state, I will allow you to bring her."

He held out a hand. "It will not be easy, many have failed at this point. Now, the question. Will you proceed?"

"Luna?"

"Obviously."

I nodded. "Send us."

The world shifted, darkness creeping in from the edges of my vision.

"Good luck." The old man's final words faded into nothing as the colors around me blended into black. My eyelids grew impossibly heavy, slamming shut against my will.

"Why're you shaking, rookie?" The world grew lively with the sound of chatting and a stranger's voice.

"What?" My eyes snapped open to find a broad-shouldered man standing beside me, his thick, braided beard swaying slightly as he spoke.

Nice.

He was clad in battered leather armor, the worn straps barely holding together over his muscular frame. His voice was gruff yet amused. "Relax. We all got like that on our first charge. But don't worry."

A massive hand clapped down on my back. I lurched forward, barely catching myself before face-planting.

"Since you joined the Quake Group, I'll watch out for you."

I froze. My heart stopped for several long beats. That, umm… that's an army.

Rows upon rows of soldiers stretched out before me, banners whipping in the wind, armor gleaming beneath a sky heavy with impending bloodshed.

I searched inward. "Luna?"

"I'm here!" She pulsed a bright blue against my wrist.

Something was different.

I wasn't the avatar this time. No translucent purple body, no strange detachment from reality. Just flesh and blood. Even Luna had returned to her usual blue grass form wrapped snugly around my wrist.

And the army ahead?

It looked just as real. Every boot planted in the dirt, every flicker of movement, every breath of wind rattling through the ranks.

And especially the weapons. A mixture of swords, spears, staves, and other magic tools.

I tested my energy. Still the same. My Spiritual Gauntlets were there too. But… then how the hell did that guy just shove me with enough force to feel like I'd been trampled?

*HOOOONK!*

A war horn blared behind me.

"Get ready, kid." The bearded man's grip tightened on my shoulder.

Another voice bellowed from somewhere in the ranks. "CHAAAAARGE!"

The hand on my shoulder shoved me forward.

Straight into the battlefield.