The Guardian that descended from the pillar of light resembled a humanoid raccoon and seemed to be a hybrid of the two species. He seemed to be famous, as his appearance attracted the attention of almost all the players.
His fur was mainly a mix of red and brown but also contained thin streaks of white running across. The white formed various patterns and seemed to represent his identity through complex lines.
He was quite lanky and short–about five feet tall. His face was akin to that of an actual raccoon, with a pointy snout, black fur near his beady, black eyes, and a bushy, ringed tail with about five black rings.
Standing upright, the Guardian was clad in a formal, black suit and a beet-red tie. His furry arms were crossed, and his authoritative gaze caused a sense of power to emanate from him, despite his comical appearance.
'A truly established Guardian,' thought Arthur. The entity held himself with pride and seemed to be an influential figure. Arthur recognized him, too. How could he not recognize the true Conquerer of Viesca?
The raccoon was not ordinary and was an established High Ranker before assuming the position of a Guardian. During his tenure as a player, the raccoon–also named Hudson–managed to conquer an entire civilization on the 34th floor, establishing his position as a true legend.
The civilization was then named Viesca and was–to this day–under Hudson's rule.
In his former life, Arthur had conversed with Hudson once and was left stupefied by his shrewd nature and sheer intelligence, combined with his destructive power and ability to control the masses.
He was a true leader.
"Welcome, players," said Hudson in a somewhat high-pitched voice, which would have sounded comical, had it escaped someone else's lips. However, no one dared to mock Hudson's voice, no matter how unusual it sounded.
Well, everyone, except one very arrogant woman.
Her laughter resounded across the field, striking the ears of all the players. The players turned pale, and a few directed cold glares toward the woman who seemed unaware of what Hudson symbolized, and who he was.
With blazing red hair that flowed like a waterfall down to her waist and eyes that resembled a crimson-colored cherry, she seemed incredibly domineering in her own right. She wore tight clothing that seemed to highlight her curves, while a greatsword was strapped to her back, which caused her appearance to look downright terrifying.
"Can you shut up?" A silver-haired elf woman asked rhetorically, locking eyes with the red-haired woman. In her eyes was unmasked hostility, while her expressions displayed her annoyance.
"No," replied the red-haired woman, approaching the elf while releasing a faint killing intent. A smile hung on her face, and she let out short bursts of laughter as if still mocking Hudson's laughter. "Can you?"
The elf didn't back down and stared stoically at the red-haired woman.
"Is a fight going to break out?"
"No, Hudson would never allow that! When is the trial going to start, man?"
"When the fuck is Hudson going to interfere? Also, who the fuck is that red hair bitch? She's going to get killed for sure."
"Yeah, that bitch is too much."
The red-haired girl sneered at those who insulted her behind her back. However, her gaze remained on the elf. Her eyes darted from place to place as she observed the elf, refusing to act before that.
"What is it? You want to fight?"
The red-haired woman didn't respond. Suddenly, she unsheathed her greatsword, infusing it with a terrifying amount of mana. The surrounding air bent to her will, and a thick layer of flames suddenly ignited, wrapping around the sword.
The silver-haired elf sneered, summoning a storm of wind while spilling an enormous amount of mana, causing a disturbance. The two sized each other and were almost about to unleash their initial attacks.
However, at that moment a terrifying pressure bore down on the two women, causing their expressions to crumple. In mere milliseconds, their bodies gave out, and they collapsed on the ground.
"Save the fighting for after the trial begins," Hudson spoke in an indifferent tone, levitating in the sky. "Eleanor, if you do something like this again, I will be forced to report this to your father. Think before you act."
At those words, the red-haired girl gritted her teeth, nodding. It seemed her name was Eleanor.
'Wait… Eleanor?' Arthur wondered as his expression darkened. Eleanor… The only Eleanor he knew was the daughter of the King of Dragons, Bahamut. Bahamut was a Divine Ranker, and the current ruler of the Celestial Peaks, a Kingdom outside the tower.
The Kingdom was located in a dimension connected to Heaven's Spire, so it was technically within the tower. However, it was not located on a floor, nor in the Outer District. It was 'outside' the ecosystem of the tower.
King Bahamut was incredibly strong, and Arthur suspected he could even rival his former self if given the opportunity. Eleanor was her daughter and inherited his position in the future. Was this the same Eleanor?
'Her features were similar to that of Bahamut… Is she truly?' Arthur let out a bitter chuckle at his luck, cursing the heavens for sticking her with such a woman. He couldn't antagonize Bahamut yet.
That meant he couldn't murder Eleanor, even if push came to shove.
But it was fine if Eleanor was on his team.
The elf's eyes widened as she, too, realized whom she had argued with. Immediately, she bowed, paying her respects to the Lady of the Celestial Peaks. The Celestial Peaks was equivalent to the high-ranking clans in terms of power.
No matter what the elf's identity was, offending the Lady of the Celestial Peaks was beyond her. Resisting would be utterly impossible. If Eleanor willed it, the elf's entire bloodline would vanish within the span of a single day.
'Fuck…'
Eleanor cast hostile looks at the elf while walking away, snorting in a very crude way. She did not seem like a princess.
'She's trouble.'
