Imperial Capital

"Maldorai has a capital?" I asked, dazed.

Angstige gritted his teeth and replied, "No time for questions, we've got to hurry!"

As we began to dash to the Imperial Capital, a message window jumped out.

[Objective #3 will commence!]

_______________________

Objective #3: Selection of Kings

Info: At least one member from each team who cleared a dungeon will enter Honokaido's King Selection. Selection will be decided whenever one group remains.

Clear Rewards:

- King of Honokaido

_______________________

I froze in my tracks, and so did Alexei. Angstige and Gulhart looked back at us with puzzled expressions. Damn it, why now?

"What's going on, you two?" Gulhart asked in a shaky voice.

"An Objective is about to be underway. Since it only requires one member, I'll go." Without a second thought, Alexei bolted off.

"Alexei, wait!"

"I'll be fine, Iron! Just make sure I get to see your face again once you're back!"

There really is no convincing her. The Gevagens shouldn't be too far apart in power, so if she gets targeted by two at once, then it'll be certain death. Someone needs to be with her, so why? I'll just have to believe in her for now.

I remained still, unable to take my eyes off her figure as it slowly vanished. A bitter taste formed in my mouth as I watched. Angstige jerked my arm, snapping me back into reality.

"Worry about her later!"

_______________________

The Imperial Capital was engulfed in a spiteful blaze. Residents of the capital were clinging to life, hopelessly attempting to escape with rash wounds over their bodies. Their pleading screams were drowned out by the crackling flames. Gulhart let out a flinch at this atrocity.

"The castle is unscathed…" Angstige stared at the looming pale castle in the distance. He turned his attention to us, quickly devising a plan. "Gulhart will help out the people. Kairon and I will go to the Imperial Castle. They might be the ones responsible for this Spire slop."

Gulhart nodded and rushed to assist the wounded civilians. I was reluctant, however.

"Why do you need me? You alone should be capable of that. I need to get back to Alexei."

"Fool, you lack the knowledge of the power upon us."

"You guys don't have any power! This doesn't even concern me anyway. Alexei could end up dead without me."

My hair was tugged roughly by his hand. Angstige kept his head up at the castle with that dirt-eating smile of his.

"Hang tight, fool," Angstige slyly warned. He threw me on his back and held onto my legs as he got into some sort of stance. He bent his knees like a frog and added, "With that mindset, you'll end up dying before her."

He rocketed himself, sending us toward the castle with a burst of wind tearing past my ears. We were soaring through the air at extreme speeds. Ascenders are capable of this? I thought being an Ascender made them powerless humans, but it was quite the opposite. Seems I underestimated their true strength.

Angstige took me from his back to holding me by one hand, dangling me in the air.

"You'll be assessing the lower floors. The third floor is where the generals hang around, so pray that they're there."

"And if not?" I questioned, not realizing my body was now freefalling in the wind.

Below me was a row of guards lined up in front of the castle's doors. What I assumed were knights were spread across multiple training grounds, swinging their swords on extremely durable logs. That bastard wants me to fight this bunch despite how outnumbered I am? His intuition better be right, or I'll be a prisoner.

["This reunion is getting more chaotic than I thought."]

"All this just to forge items, no less."

Oblivion snickered.

I'll be there soon, Alexei. Just hang in there until this is over.

_______________________

[You have entered the war-zone!]

Alexei entered Honokaido's objective fully equipped with black combat armor and leveled stats. She ran into Conflict with Gevagens passing by, helping her sharpen her universe's skills along the way. Each battle filled her with a strange zeal she didn't even understand. She continued to ponder the question: was she enjoying this?

A cherished memory began looping with those thoughts.

Back at work, there was a student who would come to class covered in bandages every day. One time, she even ended up hospitalized. Alexei made efforts by asking about her situation, but that student would refuse to speak each time. However, Alexei stumbled across her being pushed around by some girls in the gymnasium after school.

Alexei threatened the girls with expulsion the next time her student came to school with bandages. The girls scurried off, and her student was gobsmacked by the interference. All Alexei could do was smile, watching the waterfall of tears flood down her student's face. That reward of bliss after protecting a poor soul was something she would never forget. Maybe that could be what she strived for.

[4 heirs remaining.]

Currently, she was scoping the area in search of opposing heirs in the province. She made calculations based on the numbers she had.

"If there are only four heirs, then that means only one team has two members. Each of them has gotta be searching for one of the loners," she murmured to herself while using a perception skill on top of a towering building.

The skill enhanced her field of view. Even with the generous amount of vision she was given, none of the heirs were nearby. Just as she considered resting it out, something tapped her shoulder.

"Check your blind spot, deadman."

Alexei swung a sharp kick at the source of the arrogant young voice, missing ever so slightly. The boy held his hands up, wearing a sly expression.

"Calm down, lady. You wouldn't want to hurt a shy sixteen-year-old like myself," he scoffed.

"You trying to make a fool of me?" Alexei tightly gripped her Universe that materialized in her hand.

"No introduction, eh? You're no fun." He sighed. Drowning in blood was a changdao firmly resting in both hands. Light dripping noises sounded out with each droplet of blood that trickled from the sword. The boy stared between Alexei and the blade before adding, "Your name will be etched into this blade, so there's no need, I guess."

"Wow, edgy. I had a student like you once." Alexei giggled, pulling back the bowstring.

The sword deflected the darting arrow. A grimace of amusement spread across the boy's face. Alexei's brows furrowed, faintly smiling at his expression.

"You piss me off just as much as they did."

[You have instigated Conflict with Heir Kuáng Xiào Xuè!]