The atmosphere was lighthearted, and the streets of Gargo Village were merry. Lights illuminated the streets, and the story-sharing event around the bonfire had finally come to an end.
The Elders returned to their residences, while the residents and tourists continued their night, drinking and partying continuously. The times were relatively peaceful. The First Floor was truly the best.
"Look, mom! The mountain is covered in black goo!"
A particular child pointed to a certain mountain in the distance. It was true. The entirety of the mountain was encompassed in what could only be described by those words. The sky seemed to reflect the darkness.
Due to the lack of illumination, the particular mountain seemed invisible under the night sky, increasing the majesticity of the other mountains.
The mother glanced at the mountain, causing a frown to unfold on her face.
*
"When is the competition, Elder Feyright?" A certain man cloaked in darkness asked, kneeling before the Elder's feet. Elder Feyright glanced at the other Elders, who smiled devilishly at him, conveying their thoughts wordlessly.
"The competition will be held in 7 days," said Elder Feyright. "This time, we will destroy Gargo Village."
Despite what one might assume, Elder Feyright and the others did not originate from Gargo Village, but were residents of Lijkao Village, the former's rival. In seven days, a competition would be held between the two rivaling villages.
The competition involved battles between the younger generation, which would eventually inherit the crowns from the Elders. The younger generation was the future, and would decide the village's fate.
The Elders were mere caretakers, and had already passed their prime. Their positions were merely based on their involvement in the villages' establishments. The younger generation possessed the fighting power.
Without power, one couldn't defend their village.
Basically, the competition that would be held in 7 days was one that would decide the inheritor of both Gargo and Lijkao Village. The strongest fighter of the respective villages would then inherit the crown.
However, Lijkao Village was not satisfied by simply determining their future leader. Power-struggles were inevitable, and were incredibly common among organizations or–in this case–villages.
Their objective was to diminish Gargo Village's forces by decimating the contestants.
*
Arthur's cervical spine burst with intense pain, causing the crimson-eyed man's face to be drained of color instantly. The terror that coursed through his mind couldn't be described using words.
The cervical spine was the top of one's spine, and was directly connected to the neck. Arthur immediately understood the consequences of continuing the fusion, but he didn't get the opportunity to think it over.
As soon as the intense pain coursed across his body, Arthur repeatedly smashed the ground, desperately trying to distract himself from the pain. Sobs escaped his lips… the pain was too much to bear.
Usually, one would have passed out by now, and would have escaped the excruciating pain.
But Arthur?
The Smooth Mana Pills were forcefully maintaining his consciousness by smoothening his mana circuits temporarily. He was subject to a hundred percent of the pain. The crimson-eyed man wasn't certain whether his cervical spine had snapped, or if there was still a chance to retain the ability to walk.
It wouldn't be impossible, but it would be incredibly difficult to recover from paralysis.
'It's of no use…'
Arthur sighed internally, releasing the fusion, which was almost complete. If he continued any further, his bones would snap. The matter about his mana circuits would gradually occur, while the breakage of his bones was instant.
In an instant, dawn arose.
The floor of the hut was covered in more blood. Arthur's expression was dark, while his skin was entirely pale. If a single more ounce of blood was lost, the crimson-eyed man's life would have been in danger.
Thankfully, he survived. Empty-handed, though.
He sat in a meditative position. Arthur's mind was blank, while his body was entirely still. The feeling of loss corroded his mind, eating away at his self-esteem. Suddenly, a chuckle escaped his lips.
He raised his head, directing his abyss-like eyes towards the Sun.
"Fuck…"
"Should I just switch over to magic, again?" Arthur asked no one in particular, scratching the back of his head. His expression was blank, and he was genuinely considering treading along the same path as his former life.
Knowledge should be enough to propel him to the level of the Demons and Angels, right?
What was the need for swordsmanship or any other path? Attainments? Blessings? Paths? Why were those necessary if the crimson-eyed man was not well-versed in them? Why take the difficult path if it was not necessary?
Arthur stood up, cleaning up the area before exiting the hut. He walked along a designated path, simply observing as the breeze caused a pleasant sensation to arise in his chest. The scent of the laurels was nice.
His boots were caked in mud, but he did not pay mind to that.
His eyes remained on the Sun. He refused to avert his eyes, as if fighting an intense battle with the round sphere of energy. "Why do I wish for strength? Why does anyone wish for power, if we all end up in the same place at the end?"
Was it for longevity? Influence? Simply power for the sake of gaining power?
It was difficult to answer the question, but for Arthur, his purpose was revenge. Revenge against those who had wronged him.
Revenge?
Why was revenge necessary? Why did one wish for another to suffer? Why did one wish for the perpetrator of a heinous crime to suffer the same fate as the victim? What was the purpose behind it?
A mortal was not God.
A mortal could not judge. A mortal could not determine whether one entered Heaven or Hell.
On Judgment Day–if it ever came–a mortal would not judge other mortals.
The one to judge was always someone above a mortal. Mortals were weak, mortals were useless.
They served no purpose.
But that was their purpose.
The reason one entered the tower…
To surpass the title of a mortal.
To gain power.
And…
To become God.
