The system’s notification pulsed in silence as Scott silently deliberated his next actions. The offer was tempting, but 2000 kilometers more of walking and numbing silence was too many than he could handle. And there were no guarantees he wouldn’t face dangers along the way. Then again, was there any chance his remaining rations would even survive the journey?
“Slim, where are you guys now?” Zara’s voice echoed through the party’s channel.
“My leader, I've missed you. I'm about 4 km away from Togan, what about you?”
“I’m at the front gate, been here for a couple of hours. What about Scott? Have you heard from him?”
“Nothing yet. I kind of feel bad for him. He’s the only one without a sponsor among us. He’s bound to be traveling alone right now,” Slim said after a momentary pause. “I can only hope he chose the right path because even someone like him would go insane if he took the wrong one.”
“Something tells me that won’t be the case with him,” Zara suddenly said. “I don’t know what happened in your sanctuary, but I’m sure a lot of devotees must have mentioned how lucky you were to have passed the first series of trials, right?”
“Now that you mention it, something like that happened,” Slim whispered, seemingly in a daze. “They kept looking at me like I was some kind of oddity. I had to convince myself that they were just blown away by my rugged handsomeness.”
“Not now, Slim,” Zara interjected.
“Wait, let me finish. I wasn’t going on a tangent about my looks,” Slim hurriedly said. “As I was saying, they were especially nice to me because of how fast I progressed through the trials. Apparently, such speed is unheard of amongst new trialists. What’s more, I heard most people from our batch are still stuck in that desert. Can you imagine that?”
“I personally have never been considered lucky, but I have a feeling our supposed luck has something to do with Scott.”
Slim interrupted the tense atmosphere with a straightforward question, “My leader, what are you suggesting?”
Silence permeated the channel before Zara resumed speaking. “In essence, I have confidence that Scott will arrive unharmed. However, you and I need to be prepared for the challenges ahead. In my experience, those blessed with extraordinary luck often attract immense disasters.”
Zara paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing, “I'm not planning on abandoning any of you, but I can understand if—” Slim's laughter abruptly cut off Zara's words.
“My leader, what in the world happened to you in your sanctuary?” Slim struggled to contain his laughter. “Even if you tried to force me, I wouldn't leave. Our buddy might be eccentric—I hope he doesn't hear me say that—but I believe he has our backs, no matter what,” Slim chuckled again.
Scott couldn't help but smile behind his mask, feeling a bit embarrassed. He debated whether to reveal he could hear them, but before he could decide, Zara spoke up again. “I feel the same way. By the way, I'll be expecting my bribe if you want me to keep quiet.”
Slim nervously laughed, “I have no idea what you're talking about. There's no proof I said anything. Also, for some reason, the connection is breaking. I'll see you at the gate.”
“Wait,” Zara called out. “I just remembered, there are some individuals at the city's entrance searching for someone. They're going to ask you to reveal your status screen to them.”
“What? Who the hell do they think they are?” Slim interjected.
“Calm down. They really aren't people that either of us, or anybody heading to Togan, can mess with. They're only searching for individuals with a unique class related to envy. Since you're a necromancer, you should be fine. Scott, too, should be fine since he's a hammer warlord,” Zara explained.
“It still doesn't sit right with me. Who gave those guys the authority to do something like that?” Slim grumbled.
“The Celestial Blades, I heard,” Zara whispered.
Silence loomed in the party channel; unbeknownst to the feline and skeleton, Scott's countenance had turned hideous. A set of familiar faces flashed through his mind, his hands balling into fists. If Omar and the others are the creators of Celestial Blades, then it would make sense why they're searching for people with classes related to envy. Scott's countenance darkened even further as his repressed memories from the fateful encounter flashed in his mind.
Come to think of it, that militia bastard could still be alive. Scott's frown deepened as his gaze lingered on the system's window.
“Thanks for the heads up. I don't think we have anything to worry about,” Slim said. “I'll see you soon. We're getting closer.”
Scott clicked on the pulsating system window, and it disappeared. At that same moment, the diverting path visibly crumbled, as if it had never been there to begin with.
You have decided to remain on your current path!
I have no reason to be worried; after all, it’s likely that they won’t even be able to see my real class; and even if they did, I don’t have any classes relating to envy. This is the right decision, Scott thought to himself.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Saying nothing further, he continued his lonely trek within the vacuum. Although Togan was only 80 km away, he had no intentions of rushing; intending to conserve as much energy as possible.
Several hours passed in a flash, and Scott found himself standing at the end of the hollow pathway; on the periphery of an underwater waterfall. A majestic city, boasting towering structures and encased by reflective walls, floated just a couple of feet away from him at the center of this circular oddity.
You have found Togan! Exp: 300!
A cacophony of powerful noises, causing tremors, echoed from beyond the citrine barrier, yet not a single living being could be seen within the intimidating city's surroundings.
The path ended abruptly. Scott turned from side to side, but no other path revealed itself. Frowning, he stared intently at the waterfall, but like everything else, it seemed normal; only it didn't bask in the same yellow glow of the vacuum.
He opened his inventory, retrieving a turquoise elemental shard. The gemstone shattered as soon as it appeared, and the dust gathered around Scott's body before he could react. A crack lined the vacuum, spreading like spiderwebs. In a flash, the barrier exploded. However, at that very moment, an emerald beam originating from Togan struck the dust particles, and Scott disappeared.
“Please maintain an orderly line and avoid causing any trouble. Fighting or any kind of disorderliness will not be tolerated,” announced a man in silver armor.
Tens of thousands of people, varying in age, physiques, and races, stood in line under the searing heat. In front of them was a towering steel gate with carvings of mythical creatures on its sleek surface. Several people in silver armor manned the entrance, carrying dazzling swords either strapped to their backs or hanging from their waists. Each armed individual had the depiction of twin crimson blades amidst a cluster of blackened stars on the right side of their chest plate, while some had the same insignia tattooed on different parts of their bodies. The boisterous crowd silently obeyed the armed group, who exuded a domineering spirit sufficient to subdue anyone present.
Among the large crowd, Scott observed in silence while contemplating his surroundings in disbelief. Verdant trees and other vegetation covered the large area surrounding the majestic walls. The air was cool and fresh, leaving a somewhat minty aftertaste. Despite the scorching heat, neither of the champions sweated nor felt fatigued.
“Why do we have to queue like we're attending a concert or something?” a young man in leather armor grumbled. “Surviving that dark place wasn't easy, and now we have to wait here without any reason.”
Like many other champions in the area, the man, along with others, either covered their eyes or simply lowered their heads. Weeks to months spent on the treacherous Syman road had left most of their senses restricted. The bright lights, cool winds, and chatter from the surrounding champions overloaded their senses, with some handling the situation better than others.
“Oi, shut the heck up, will ya? You're not the only one waiting. If you've got something to say, go over there and tell 'em. No one wants to hear your nonsense,” a short man with a thick accent replied. A dirty washcloth fell over his bald head, partially covering his eyes.
“Shut up, you two,” another man interjected from the side. “Do you idiots have any idea who those guys are? If you want to die, then go off from the line. Don't drag us into your mess.”
“Look at Rambo over here,” the short man turned toward the spearman. “Who are you telling to go off? I dare ya to say it again.” The man slung his silver ax over one shoulder, his gaze focused on the slender spearman.
Irritated, the spearman stepped out of the line, and so did the ax wielder. However, at that same moment, a figure in silver armor appeared in between the two.
“Fighting or any sort of conflict is not permitted. Violators will be strictly punished,” the knight announced, her soft voice filling the ears of the surrounding champions. “Please proceed to the back of the line since you have already lost your place.”
The spearman shot a brief glance at the soft-spoken knight before letting out a sigh. Without uttering a word, he made his way to the back of the line, where a constant stream of people emerged from a cluster of multicolored dust clouds. Meanwhile, the short champion maintained his position, hazel eyes fixed on the armored knight.
“What if I don't feel like doin' that? What's a wee lass like ya gonna do?” he smirked, strolling back to his now-occupied spot.
“Please cease your actions and return to the back of the line,” the knight reminded. Ignoring the request, the champion snorted and attempted to force his way back in. The person now occupying the vacant spot adjusted, and the short champion returned, his derisive smile wider than ever.
“This is your last warning. Go back to the line or face the consequences of your…”
The champion sniggered, mocking the knight with gestures. “Blah, blah, blah. Stop ya yapping, sweetheart. I heard ya the first time, and I…”
A colossal finger descended from the heavens, pressing down on the champion. His body exploded instantly, drenching the surroundings in a mix of blood and unidentifiable liquids. A pulsating, transparent screen shielded the soft-spoken knight from the filth eruption, but the other champions in the vicinity weren't as fortunate. The singular finger causing the mayhem silently disappeared, leaving behind a small, bubbling, bloody pool in the earth.
Silence took hold. Several champions struggled to maintain their composure, a few frozen in terror.
“Once again, I advise all of you to adhere to the rules and avoid causing any trouble,” the knight reminded as she deactivated the shield. “If you leave your spot for any reason, no matter how brief, kindly return to the back of the existing line. Unless, of course,” she paused, glancing at the bloodied pool.
No one retorted. The finger acted swiftly and decisively, leaving the champions no time to think, let alone react. The knight scanned the group, believing her task was complete. She turned to leave but quickly reversed her steps. Her keen gaze focused on a man, studying his surroundings.
Unlike everywhere else, smeared with filth, not a single blemish marred the torn clothes of the champion, let alone the surrounding grass.
The soft-spoken knight approached, her right hand resting on the hilt of her sword. She stopped a foot away from the man. “Please step out of the line and show me your status screen,” she said.
Scott nonchalantly turned toward the woman, locking gazes with the knight. She took a step back, her grip firm on the hilt of her longsword.
“If I do that, will I be allowed to proceed to the city afterward?” Scott folded his arms across his chest, waiting for the woman's response.
The knight took deep breaths, regaining her composure. “That depends on what I find,” she said. “Now, for your own good, please step out of the line.”
Scott and several other champions instinctively raised their heads. Only the plain heavens were visible to the naked eye. However, Scott's gaze lingered on the massive cracks covering the skies, and a monstrous entity of unknown origin lowered its chained fingers slowly in his direction.
Scott lowered his head, a hidden smile playing on his lips. Silently, he moved out of the line, and the monstrous anomaly in the sky vanished.
“I'm not sure what you're searching for, but I assure you, I'm no troublemaker,” Scott said in a hushed tone. “Feel free to inspect my status screen.”