Drakar's smile widened slightly while exuding a sense of disappointment, "This Tower has remained unconquered ever since its existence, dating back to the creation of our world. Since the devils themselves placed these towers in our realm, I, as the king of this kingdom and a devoted man who worships the devils, wish to see someone from our world conquer it."
Asher inwardly scoffed as Drakar added, "And this person need not be from my kingdom. I would be more than happy if someone worthy could conquer this tower. People have been saying that you are quite the rising darkness of our world to the point some of them believe you have been favored by the devils themselves. So…this tower can't be that daunting for you, can it be?" he asked, his eyes glinting with a mix of challenge yet hidden ridicule.
"What in the name of the devils…He is trying to provoke our king," Leonidas slammed his fist against the armrest of his seat after hearing the draconian king's words.
Asher felt like shaking his head upon seeing how Drakar was purposefully trying to stroke his ego and not even hiding his intention.
However, he pondered on the choices laid before him.
He understood that, like the Tower of Hell, the Tower of Torment might also offer rewards for it.
It seemed likely that Drakar's proposal was a calculated move, ensuring that regardless of the outcome, he would emerge victorious.
If he chooses to spar with almost 100 of his sons, then he won't definitely outlast every single one of them back to back.
He would be cornered and would have no choice but to admit defeat and be titled the cowardly king who brought the downfall of his kingdom.
On the other hand, this Tower of Torment was quite the infamous tower among the 3 towers that exist in this world.
The third one was managed by the werewolves, but as far as he knew, only a very powerful figure called the Moon Guardian used it as a seclusion resort.
The last time people saw him come out was a long 200 years ago, and nobody knows if this guardian was still alive inside that tower since he was old already when he went into seclusion.
But thinking about the Tower of Torment again, Asher knew it was probably more dangerous than the Tower of Hell since nobody in history ever cleared it.
It was as if it was built to prove how futile it was to give a try at this tower.
However, he believed that the devils couldn't be so bored that they would place a tower with impossible difficulty in this world.
There was no point to that.
Asher wanted to believe that there was a good reason for whatever shit the devils do.
However, if he dies there, then Drakar and especially his queen consort would still be pleased with the outcome, and they wouldn't be breaking the pact in any way.
He initially had a somewhat risky plan, even if Drakar was going to put forward a very unfair spar.
But now that this Tower of Torment came into the equation, he fell into a dilemma, especially since there was the fact that when it comes to rewards for conquering these towers, they were always very generous.
It was a very difficult decision since he knew he may not get such an opportunity again, especially if, on the off chance, somebody managed to clear it before him. Nothing was set in stone.
Leonidas, visibly anxious about the situation, turned to Lady Naida and said in a respectful tone, "Lady Valentine, can you please advise him not to enter that tower? It seems like he is really considering it."
Naida let out a sigh, her expression becoming slightly serious, "How can I advise him when the alternative isn't much better?" she replied, "Fighting all sons of their king without a break is as perilous as it gets," Her gaze then shifted towards the distant tower, "But... the tower... nobody knows what will happen inside. We know it's because nobody has survived with a sound mind to tell the tale. But since our king is the only one who conquered the Chamber of Hell, we can't dismiss the possibility of his success, right?"
Her words hung in the air, reflecting the dilemma they all faced.
"She has a point. There is no right advice or option here," Caelum whispered to Leonidas, who rubbed his forehead.
As Asher stood in contemplation, the scornful looks from the draconians grew more intense.
Rhygar, seated close to his mother, leaned in and whispered with a hint of smug malice, "He is already getting scared, mother. We might get to see him fall sooner than expected."
Lysandra, her expression unreadable, turned towards her husband. In a voice tinged with sharp concern, she posed a question, "If, by some miracle, he happened to conquer the tower, wouldn't that be a problem? I still would prefer you take back the offer you made and let him spar to death."
Drakar, his gaze shifting, replied with confident assurance, "Lysandra, when you take revenge, make sure you benefit something out of it. Otherwise, we will only be making a martyr of him and etching his face in the history of this world. We wouldn't want his name to echo even more, would you? Believe me... No matter what happens, we will get what we want. I will see to it as I promised you. You know I never disappoint you, right?" His gaze was intense, and a sharp smile played at the corner of his lips.
"I know..." Lysandra responded in a low mumble before turning her head away.
After a moment of deep thought, Asher opened his eyes and addressed Drakar with a calm determination, "I have decided. I will try to see if I can conquer the Tower of Torment."
His declaration caused a ripple of reactions across the crowd.
Most draconians were shocked that he actually agreed to it. Was he that foolish or too scared to die at the hands of one of the princes before everyone?
Even then, they would have picked the latter one if they were in his shoes.
But this felt quite amusing and fun to them, and they couldn't help but shoot scornful smiles while imagining how pathetic and broken he would be when he came out.
Leonidas, watching the king's decision unfold, couldn't help but express his apprehension under his breath, "Devils... He really knows no fear..." he mumbled, his voice a mix of admiration and concern.
Silvan, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully, added a different perspective, "Or maybe, considering his record so far, he is the only one who is qualified to take on such a challenge," he observed.
Leonidas started to voice another worry but stopped himself midway, "But what if he ends up..." he trailed off, not wanting to verbalize the fear of the king becoming 'soulless again,' a concern that was both deeply offensive and potentially ominous.
Naida, sensing the growing unease, chimed in, "Let's believe in our king. That's the best we can do for him now. But no matter what happens, our duties will never change," she said, her light smile conveying both hope and resolve. The others around her nodded in agreement, feeling she was right.
Drakar allowed a brief smile to cross his lips as he looked at Asher, "Impressive," he acknowledged, "As expected from the one with the title of Hell Prince, the only soul to have earned the favor of the great Hell Maiden herself. I can't think of anyone more suitable to enter the Tower of Torment."
As the crowd watched intently, Asher calmly stated his condition, "I have just one small request. I would like a week's time before I enter the tower," he said, his voice even and measured.
Rhygar, unable to contain his disdain, scoffed and muttered under his breath, "Is he already pissing his pants or trying to delay his fate like a fool?"
Lysandra's eyes flickered with hidden annoyance at Asher's request, but she remained silent, her gaze fixed on the unfolding scene.
Drakar, his expression unchanging, responded with a slight nod. "Of course. That won't be a problem. You are welcome to stay here until it's time," he said, his voice betraying no hint of objection.
Then, Asher, as if struck by a sudden thought, snapped his fingers, "Ah, I forgot to mention. I would prefer if you could grant me a residence within the royal palace. I've heard there's a great view and favorable air that could help me prepare for what's coming. I'm sure this little request won't be too much trouble."
"What are you thinking…" Naida mumbled to herself with knitted brows.
Rhygar's barely concealed anger spilled over, "What bullshit is this. How dare this bloodburn pig be so brazen?" he mumbled, his expression a mix of shock and anger.
Lysandra frowned deeply, her displeasure evident, while the surrounding Draconians' expressions turned openly hostile.
The audacity of the Bloodburn King to request accommodation in their sacred royal palace was an affront to them.
However, Drakar, after a moment of contemplative silence, surprised everyone with his response, "Since you are already a guest to us, I will allow you to stay in our royal palace. But I am afraid this is the extent of hospitality I can offer," he declared, his narrow eyes scrutinizing Asher, making it clear he won't be entertaining any more of his nonsense.
The crowd erupted in murmurs of surprise and disbelief. Letting a mortal enemy into their royal palace was unprecedented!
Why was their king being so lenient and kind to someone who didn't even deserve a fraction of it? They can't even remember him being this agreeable to their own people.
Rhygar was visibly taken aback, and Lysandra shot a questioning glance at Drakar, though Drakar gave her a quick, confident nod, making her maintain her silence.
"Then there is nothing more to discuss. I will be standing before that tower within a week," Asher declared as he pointed to the tower afar. But he could feel that Drakar was looking forward to getting him into that tower more than forcing him into an unfair spar.
There must be something very tempting hidden inside it.
