Chapter 459: Their Arrival
The moment that pop-up appeared, Rael felt a strong pressure envelop him as the ground beneath his feet crumbled, revealing several dozen miniature black eyes. At the same time, the entire sky was painted in a crimson color, the moon completely vanishing from sight.
Rael bore through the pain and glanced up at the sky. To his surprise, there were six people, three of whom he recognized very well.
The Hollow King, Kareth.
The Ancient Mindweaver, Evelyn.
And lastly, the Beast, Zarkul.
It was the first time Rael had seen the Beast’s human form, and it was clear where Alune got her looks from. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NoveI~Fire.net
He had medium-length blue hair and crimson eyes, just like her. However, from his cold gaze that radiated killing intent, Rael knew that none of the people in front of him knew about him.
Well… except for Kareth and Evelyn, who stared at him with faint smiles.
It seemed like Evelyn had something to say to him, or that was what he gathered from her gaze, but he could only leave that for later.
Anyway… Who are the other three?
The first, a man with long golden hair and a stern expression.
—Chronos, the Monarch of Time [Grade 9 Calamity Class | Level -1] – Vitality: Tier 45 [100% / 100% HP]
Time? Huh… That’s a little… Rael gulped, then moved on to the next. It was a fiery red-haired woman who stared at him as if she was going to eat him.
—Vatyra, the First Phoenix [Grade 9 Calamity Class | Level 52,840] – Vitality: Tier 52 [100% / 100% HP]
Seeing a phoenix was even more surprising than encountering a Monarch of Time, since, from what Rael remembered from Sketa Online lore and the general books, they were creatures that had pretty much gone extinct long ago.
Well… She doesn’t look like someone I’d get along with very easily. Anyhow… The last guy…
—Minos, the Grand Puppeteer [Grade 7 Calamity Class | Level 1,984] – Vitality: Tier 35 [100% / 100% HP]
Minos? Is this the same guy I met in the Memory Record? If Jane is the Colorless Goddess, then he’s definitely—
“You are very brave for someone so weak,” Zareth said, slowly hovering down. “Though I am curious, how exactly did you manage to eliminate so many strong individuals?”
“Well, obviously it’s because he’s a filthy dragon,” Vatyra chimed in with a scoff. “Feel his heart. He has that foul Draconic Heart. Tsk… Should we just gut him now?”
“Quiet down,” Kareth interjected with a frown. “He, along with another woman, is responsible for summoning us. Chronos, can you bring her here?”
The moment Kareth finished his words, Chronos bowed slightly, then snapped his fingers.
In an instant, Melina appeared in front of Rael, holding a pillow. She had her eyes closed, almost as if she were sleeping a moment ago.
“Uh… Am I dreaming?” Melina mumbled and stashed away the pillow. “Are you the monsters?”
“They are,” Rael replied, then raised a brow. “Were you sleeping?”
“I sleep with my clothes off. I was napping,” Melina said matter-of-factly, then nodded at the monsters above them. “So what now?”
“Now you listen to what we have to say,” Vatyra stated coldly. “Gosh, do these humans not respect us? Why aren’t they kneeling? Are we no longer considered supreme and holy to them?”
“You’re very loud, red pigeon,” Chronos said, his voice oddly calming. “Please. Let Kareth take care of this. We are only here as spectators.”
“Haaa? Don’t tell me what to do, bastard. How are you even here, anyway, huh?” Vatyra snapped back.
But before she could utter another word, the Beast, Zarkul, raised a single hand and emitted a fierce pressure that stopped their conflict in an instant.
“He is a prize,” Zarkul said slowly. “After my daughter and I laid siege to the primordials of the Transcendental Realm, we managed to take back a few. Chronos, as I’ve already told you multiple times, is someone whose value extends far beyond his origins. He may not be like us, but his strength is formidable enough to stand among us.”
His gaze darkened. “Especially after we lost one of us.”
The moment he finished speaking, an uncomfortable silence descended. Not even the hot-headed Vatyra dared to break it.
Kareth exchanged glances with everyone, then let out a sigh.
“That’s enough of that. We are not the subjects in question.” Kareth glanced down. “But you two are.”
Since Rael was used to that strange fear effect because of Adam, he didn’t react. However, Melina froze slightly, her expression turning pale.
“Normally, the tradition is a series of duels. But that’s only the case if you successfully reach the end of my Hollow Throne trials,” Kareth explained. “You didn’t do that. Instead, you skipped that process entirely and jumped straight to the end. That is why I’ve taken the liberty of changing it up.”
He pointed at all the people he had brought, then turned back to Rael and Melina.
“You are to pick one of them and beat them,” Kareth stated, shocking Rael.
“Beat them? Are you serious?” Rael’s brows twitched. “How are we supposed to beat you people?”
“Hmm… the tip of my blade is looking very welcoming right now…” Melina mumbled, but everyone ignored her.
Kareth nodded. “We will limit our strength to your Grade and level. We will match your stats as well. All you must do to win is land a solid hit on any one of us. It doesn’t matter who. It could be me, or it could be the harmless Zarkul. It’s really up to you.”
Hearing that, Rael fell into thought for a moment.
Yeah… So I don’t think I’m going to be able to beat them. Though, maybe? I do have foresight, and my specialized stats are off the charts as well. I have two laws, the Fate affinity, and my pay to win second phase.
Rael’s gaze steadied. Maybe I can do something?
“You may choose now. Since you’re at a heavy disadvantage, we will give you both ten seconds to land a hit. We will not attack you until then,” Kareth said and extended his arms forward.
“Malinali Liesa, you shall be the first to choose your opponent.”