"...Y–You're Arthur Solace…" The guard muttered, pointing at the crimson-eyed man while struggling to release words from his mouth. Petrified, he was unable to maintain his balance, colliding with the cold, hard floor shortly after.
The shock was overwhelming, considering Arthur Solace had never cared to reveal his appearance.
But then why now? Why was he revealing it to a mere guard employed by the Ganghan Guild? What was his purpose? Perhaps he wished to join the Ganghan Guild? But why? Why not a high-ranking clan?
They certainly sent offers…
"You recognized me quite quickly," Arthur muttered to no one in particular. "Do you think others can recognize me this easily? Or, are you an exception? How rare is my appearance? Do you think I can be mistaken for a regular person?"
The guard struggled to process such information but eventually calmed himself down. "Everyone knows about your appearance. Those who met you tried to hide it, but were unsuccessful."
"Did the princess reveal anything?"
"Princess of Celestial Peaks? You met her?" The guard was visibly shocked by the words that flowed out of Arthur's mouth. No one was aware of that, since the princess couldn't be seen on the leaderboards.
However, a few suspected something, but their claims were entirely absurd.
It turns out they were–in fact–correct about their assumptions.
Arthur remained silent, unwilling to affirm the guard's rhetorical question. "Can I enter?"
"Of course," replied the guard before suddenly adopting a hushed tone of voice. "Please don't tell anyone I obstructed your path or doubted your identity. If you do, I'll get fired, perhaps even killed."
Arthur couldn't detect any benefits in doing so and simply sighed while nodding in acceptance. He wasn't fond of ruining lives and only did so when he could reap the rewards. It was too much work, otherwise.
Arthur patted the guard on his shoulder, entering the branch office of the Ganghan Guild. The building's exterior was quite modern, with pristine, white walls with the occasional addition of stark black pillars.
The interior–too–was incredibly lavish and luxurious, judging by the marble flooring, along with golden chandeliers that seemed to be heavy enough to demolish the ceiling through its own weight.
The chandeliers weren't the sole source of illumination, as most originated from the various blocks of mana placed in each corner.
The golden monstrosity was simply for decoration.
The branch office was akin to a house, as it featured a massive hall at the entrance, leading to several tinier offices and cubicles that Arthur assumed belonged to lower-ranked members of the Guild.
The set-up of the branch office was quite unique.
"How did you get inside?" A man in a black suit suddenly approached the crimson-eyed man, annoyance vivid in his gaze. However, when observing the crimson-eyed man, he quickly realized his true identity. "Arthur Solace!?"
Arthur nodded.
"I'll call my superior this instant!"
*
It wasn't long before Arthur sat on a rather comfortable chair, facing a coffee table. On the other side of the table was a man renowned for his contributions to the tower, a devil revered or feared by all.
The Leader of the Ganghan Guild.
Arthur was rather surprised when the man in the black suit was able to contact the leader of the guild so effortlessly, arranging a meeting within a few hours. It definitely exceeded his expectations, but then again, his reputation had soared in the past few months.
His name was being compared to the likes of Lucas and Aditya, both of whom had already passed the fifteenth floor. Their whereabouts–for the time being–were unknown, but it was suspected that they were comprehending a secret art.
For now, Arthur was focused on the man before him. He was dangerous.
With curly, white hair and refreshing, blue eyes, the leader of the Ganghan Guild was a rather handsome man. His title was the "Saint Sealing Devil," which meant exactly what it sounded like.
His true name was Felix Valard.
Felix had been causing quakes and tremors across the tower since the day he stepped into the Spire to Heaven, and was a leading figure of the tower's ecosystem. He was essential to maintain its balance.
'It didn't take long for me to meet someone almost at the pinnacle of the tower,' thought Arthur, clicking his tongue. Felix may only be a High Ranker, but he had almost climbed up to the 98th floor.
He was only a few floors away.
Of course, the gap between each floor was vast when one arrived at the higher floors, but that was not a reason to doubt Felix's heaven-shaking skills.
'It's a pity he died,' thought Arthur. His old, arrogant persona returned for a single second, and the change in his demeanor didn't go unnoticed by the Saint Sealing Devil, who smiled at such a reaction.
"You're quite tenacious… and prideful," Felix announced.
'Perhaps only Hermes and Nux can compare to his power… at least, of those I've met in this lifetime.'
"Of course," replied Arthur, flashing an expression that conveyed the words, "Who do you think I am?"
Using the knowledge amassed through experiences in his former life, Arthur was aware of the personality of almost all influential figures. Felix was like a devil and enjoyed watching tenacious, arrogant youngsters.
He believed that if one did not possess pride, one was not worthy of their power.
Dignity and pride mattered most, regardless of safety.
Arthur simply had to take advantage of such an ideology.
"You're quite bold," said Felix, narrowing his eyes while observing Arthur's capabilities. "You're interesting… As if you know my personality."
Arthur didn't respond, but judging by his cold gaze, it seemed Felix's assumption was true. Suddenly, the latter began laughing, grasping his stomach while wiping tears from the corner of his eyes.
"All right, I'll give you the time of day… Speak, what do you want?" Felix inquired, leaning forward while forming an expression of anticipation.
Arthur finally revealed a faint smile, resting his chin on his palm. "Now, we can talk."
