"Fine, then. It's better not to waste any more time," Aurianna declared as her eyes glowed. Avriel's eyes began to bleed before a white circle appeared within them.
"Hmm, Aurianna, I'm totes confused by this eye thing of yours. I've seen you use it quite a few times now. Do the shapes signify some kind of ranking?" Avriel asked, her curiosity piqued as she rubbed her eyes before blinking a few times.
"No, it's just random," Aurianna replied bluntly.
"Really?" Avriel raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"I guess so," Aurianna shrugged.
"So, the next person is Jade Havensworth," Jugi interjected, his expression serious.
"He’ll be difficult to convince. He’s totes not as easy-going as me and Jugi," Avriel said, pointing to herself and Jugi.
"Definitely. I don’t even want to meet him again," Jugi frowned, crossing his arms.
"Ahaha, brat! It’s been too long. Once we get out of here, let’s go on a date!" Avriel suggested, draping her arm around Jugi's neck and laughing heartily.
"I don’t want to date someone like you!" Jugi yelled angrily.
"Shut it. You should be totes grateful!" Avriel yelled back.
"You’re not my type!" Jugi shouted, wriggling free from her grasp.
"Tch, you missed your chance. When I get out of here, I’m totally finding a super handsome boyfriend!" Avriel declared, her eyes shining with excitement.
"I’m starting to wonder what crimes she committed to end up here," Aurianna thought, a nervous, wry smile crossing her face as she watched Avriel.
"Kidnapping handsome men," Jugi replied nervously.
"What???" Kiana and Aurianna gasped in unison.
"Yes, and going on a rampage and killing women. What she did with those men… that’s something we’ll never know unless she tells us. Because she killed all the men she kidnapped too," he revealed coldly, frowning.
‘Aurianna, do you truly want to work with people like these?’ Kiana wondered, her gaze fixed on Aurianna.
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[ Welcome to the First Trial. One of the five great heroes, Jade Havensworth the Human Chimera. Be careful, and good luck. You may not be able to kill him, but we hope at least he becomes your servant. After all, you can kill your servants. ]
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
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"I’ll try my best, I guess," Aurianna muttered nervously as she quickly surveyed the trial area. Compared to the other trials, this one was the largest. The room was so vast that Aurianna felt a bit disoriented.
"Interesting indeed. I've never seen a woman make it this far into these ruins. Or anyone at all," a cold, mature voice, filled with amusement, echoed through the room.
"So that’s Jade," Aurianna said, looking ahead. Several miles away, she could see him.
Before her stood a middle-aged man, his right foot slightly forward as if ready to advance. He had a pair of sleepy golden eyes with black sclera, adding a menacing contrast to his cold, scarred face. His unruly mustache curled above lips, and his skin had a reddish colour. Despite his muscular build, he was fit, his broad frame clad in a normal suit, draped with a large coat.
‘Just seeing him alone is enough to send shivers down my spine. But I can't help but smile in excitement,’ Aurianna thought, her heart racing.
"Hah, I’ll never forgive those two sisters for putting me here. The Saintess of Peace and the Saintess of Light! The world was about to be mine, yet I’ve been stuck here for years!! I was promised everything!!!" Jade bellowed, his voice so powerful that the entire room trembled as though an earthquake had struck.
"What is he blabbering about?" Aurianna wondered, confusion flickering in her eyes.
"This ruin room of mine is as large as an entire continent, so when we fight, there will be no need to worry about space," Jade stated calmly, his tone laced with confidence.
"Fight? I came here to make a proposal!" Aurianna declared, trying to steady her voice.
‘The last thing I want to do is fight this man. My body is already screaming to run away,’ Aurianna thought nervously, feeling the weight of his aura pressing down on her.
Jade’s eyes narrowed as he studied Aurianna, his expression unreadable. "A proposal?" he repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. "What could someone like you possibly offer me?"
Aurianna took a deep breath, willing herself to remain calm. "You may know already. Since I heard you've been keeping an eye on me ever since I started. But basically you’ve been trapped here and isolated. But I can offer you a way out," she said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides.
Jade let out a bitter laugh, the sound echoing ominously through the room. "And why would I trust you? The last time I believed in promises from your world's people, I ended up in this prison."
‘You probably won't have ended up here if you didn't do evil stuff,’ Aurianna thought nervously.
"I’m not asking you to trust me blindly," Aurianna replied, meeting his gaze. "But think about it. Do you want to stay here for the rest of your life? If you join me, we can work together to kill those who you want to kill and you would also help me kill those whom I want to kill as well. You’ll have a chance to regain your freedom, well a portion of it. You'll no longer be a prisoner of this Ruin but rather working by my side."
Jade was silent for a moment, his eyes staring at Aurianna as if trying to pierce through her. "And what’s in it for you? No one offers help without expecting something in return."
Aurianna hesitated, knowing she needed to be careful with her words. "I’m looking for revenge," she began, choosing her words deliberately. "Revenge against the goddess of beauty. My kingdom and anyone who would dare to help them would be crushed. In return, I offer you freedom and the possibility of vengeance."
Jade remained still, his expression unreadable as he mulled over her offer. Then, slowly, a cold frown formed in his face. "Interesting. Very interesting. You speak with conviction, but conviction alone won't sway me."