A few minutes later…
Kieran stopped and stared at a magnificent temple roughly ten times larger than the temple in Aeredale City. The temple sat upon a mountain that felt eerily similar to a volcano.
As Kieran turned around, he noticed a winding road of igneous rocks shaped into a passageway. Some parts of the winding road seemed unstable enough to induce the most petrifying fear, while other parts welcomed safe travels.
The War Deity Council opted for this design to convey the notion that only the brave should consider approaching this esteemed location. It was a lofty belief, but the War Deity Council possessed the esteemed and physical might to support this decision.
Afterward, Kieran glanced at the small building they walked out of and voiced a question weighing heavily on his mind.
"How come we didn't teleport directly inside the main temple?"
"That luxury is only extended to members with a status above a Captain. Plebs like myself can only continue the short journey on foot. We should already consider ourselves lucky that we don't have to travel upon that."
Captain Liam pointed to the winding passageway that Kieran had noticed moments before. Many wanderers were turned into unfortunate souls after falling into the depths of the abyss beneath.
Unlike the temple in Aeredale City, the War Deity Council sat in unclaimed territory surrounded by a genuinely harsh environment. If one wasn't privy to their current location, it could be mistaken for an area in the Wildes'.
The treachery of this location simply knew no bounds.
After revealing the reason behind their current location, Captain Liam led them to the grand doors of the main headquarter.
The immensity of the dual doors made everyone feel like little ants. Not even an empire's imperial palace could justify the lavish expenditure required to build a door of this magnitude.
Furthermore, after touching the door, Kieran estimated it was forged from Mythic and possibly even Ancient metals. 'Could these doors be formed from mithril? If so… I can't even begin to fathom how extravagant the insides are.'
In his previous life, Kieran had never once stepped foot inside the War Deity Council's main headquarters, so it was all uncharted territory to him.
However, the edifice's grandeur stimulated something deep within Kieran—the desire to obtain something like this of his own.
The large gate opened, revealing a palace-like interior with arched walkways adorned by lavish carpet. The carpet led up to a few steps, and deeper down the walkway, the hall diverged into many paths.
Depending on the one taken, one could end up in several sites in the headquarters. However, each path required a minimum status within the War Deity Council.
Anyone caught wandering where they weren't welcomed would be punished.
The War Deity Council valued its order and moved to uphold its strict regulations. Besides no cowardice, another cardinal rule was abiding by the rules set by the founding members.
"The path leading to the coliseum is this way. We should hurry because I believe we're one of the last groups to arrive. Tardiness isn't tolerated," Captain Liam.
Everyone glanced in Kieran's direction after Captain Liam spoke, but he returned a clueless gaze. "Don't blame me; blame Scar."
'Hehehe. You deserve to shoulder the blame for playing all those tricks on me. Besides, it's not like he'll be penalized for it.'
"Commander Scar does have a tendency to go overboard, so I don't doubt you. But that's beside the point. I'm simply happy that you turned up," Harlan expressed.
Scar was somewhat famous and infamous within the War Deity Council's ranks. Stories of his past actions circulated through the council's ranks and occasionally appeared in conversations.
Two minutes later, Captain Liam pressed his hands against a door that exuded a cold sensation and pushed. The doors parted, revealing a stone walkway leading up to a tremendous coliseum construct down below.
〈System: You have entered War Deity Council's «Gladiator's Coliseum»!〉
〈System: You have gained 350 World Fame.〉
The amount of World Fame given upon entering an unvisited location depended on the area's renown. Entering this place was already a task deserving great fame.
As Kieran looked around, he noticed there were several layers of seats arranged in a ring shape.
Above the coliseum was an announcer podium situated on a stone walkway. The walkway protruded from a platform similar to a balcony reserved for higher members.
Kieran leaned toward Harlan and whispered. "Who are these seats for?"
"You'll see in just a moment. The War Deity Council tends to broadcast their glory, so many people have been invited to watch the annual event," Harlan responded.
As if sensing eyes on him, Kieran turned his head slightly and looked up, laying eyes upon a grinning Scar.
"You little runt, I expect to see great things from you. Otherwise, I will be personally responsible for your suffering during our next training," Scar shouted.
At the end of his shout, Scar released a peal of uproarious laughter, loud enough to gain the attention of every person seated above.
It didn't take long for them to realize the target of Scar's comment. After all, Kieran's current attire possessed traits similar to Scar and Agrianos' style.
"Is that your boy, Scar?" A large man with spiked black hair and wild eyebrows asked. His eyes were the color of flickering flames as he glanced in Scar's direction.
"Indeed. That's my body, Ezrath," Scar proudly announced.
Ezrath, who also held the position of a Commander, scoffed after hearing Scar's confident tone. "He seems awfully weak for someone who has accepted the legacy of a Barbarian like you. Will your presence in the year's coliseum also be a letdown?"
"Hehe," Scar chuckled and decided not to entertain Ezrath's petty banter. "Don't worry. I'm sure my twerp will surprise you."
Meanwhile, Kieran shook his head. 'He's embarrassing, like a proud father in the stands of his son's football game, cheering them on when they score.'
Harlan noticed Kieran's faint smile and commented. "The morale boost from having someone cheer you on in the audience is invaluable during an event like this. Do your best because this is where we part ways."
While Kieran continued following Yashua and Azahara down the steps, Captain Liam, Harlan, and Alythia walked into the stands and took a seat.
A few seconds after they joined a sea of more than 10,000 contestants, a man dressed in gold-outlined, silver armor that exuded an air of superiority stepped to the podium and looked down.
"The number of members we accept yearly is finite in number, but rejoice! For you are the stars of your generation that have shined brighter than the rest. For this, I would like to say congratulations."
A wave of applause rose in the gradually filling stands, consisting of royalty, Royal and Imperial Families, and strong characters of great renown on the Continent of Slazoya.
The applause persisted for a few seconds until this man silenced them.
"For those who don't know me, I am the War Deity Council's First General, Zeig Draknar.
Kieran's pupils constricted to the size of needles as he looked at the information that surfaced in his gaze.
「 Lv.??? First General, Zeig Draknar (Mythic NPC)
Class: ???
Health: ??? (100%)
Affiliations: «War Deity Council» 」
Another Mythic NPC!
Not to mention, it was an individual with a ranking above Scar inside the War Deity Council! A General not only commanded great authority but great strength as well.
"The Gladiator's Coliseum is a brutal event designed to test your mettle and strength. For this reason, under no circumstances is an official member of my War Deity Council allowed to interfere in the proceedings of the event."
A few people clenched their jaws after hearing this.
Could they be forfeiting the safety of their candidate by allowing them to participate in this event? Some understood the risks, but reality often hit harder than one could prepare for.
However, General Zeig continued after a brief pause. "That being said, this is not an event that allows the death of its contestant. Even if you fail to qualify, you are still a force to be reckoned with. Therefore, you do not deserve an early death, not here."
Many people released a sigh of relief as obtaining this reassurance.
"Now, let me announce the rules. The first stretch of this event will seek to reduce the number of contestants present quickly. It will be a large-scale free-for-all battle royale happening in ten batches. Your main objective? To remain within and standing on the platform after ten minutes."
Murmurs filled the stands.
A battle royale structure was known to bring chaos because everyone vied for the opportunity to remain standing. Temporary alliances also weren't uncommon between people with history.
"The final number is irrelevant for the most part, but those who don't fight at all will be immediately disqualified unless it's your opponents who avoid you."
This rule naturally existed for those contenders of monstrous might whom no one wanted to approach. In a sense, they were known as seeded contestants—people with prospects considerable enough to enter the War Deity Council.
Although it was somewhat frowned upon, contestants avoiding individuals of this regard was common.
No one wanted to ruin their chances by going against an impossible monster from the jump.
"The end of this event will determine the number of individuals we accept into the organization. I now instruct you to do your best and fight to your heart's content! Prepare. For the event begins in five minutes."
