SSS Ranked Shadow Monarch: Summoning Infinite Shadows-Chapter 206: Blade Blood
The second stage of the tournament finally came, and everyone that had made it through the first stage was filled with eagerness as to what was to come.
This stage of the tournament was extremely simple in words, but would be one of the hardest stages to complete. Everyone that made it through the first stage were all gathered at the very bottom of the stairs of the black tower, all of them waiting for the doors to finally open.
The aim of the tournament was simple, get to the floor where the Arena was set, but to do that, they would have to climb up a flight of stairs all the way there, while facing the pressure of several level hundred figures that were at the top.
The figures would constantly unleash their pressure while watching the stairs and the competitors. Their job was to make it as hard as possible for everyone.
Unlike the first tournament where the Chosen were selected to do another task, this time they had to participate, and not only that, they had less time to complete it than the others.
Everyone else had a total of four days to make it to the arena, but the Chosen had only two days total. Every floor had resources, but not only that, respawning monsters that would fight them and try to stop them.
Unlike the first stage, there was no crystal for giving up, so you either climb up or down, or wait for the time to run out.
Aren stood amongst the crowd with his group as well, but this wasn’t really a group attempt, he had less time and didn’t know what to expect, so he couldn’t really hope to carry anyone along, he had to focus on his win.
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to his side and it was Aiden.
"Hey bro, in case you are thinking about helping any of us going into this, then don’t. You have two days and we have four, if anything we should help you." Aiden said.
Aren forced a smile, "Am I that predictable?" he asked.
"Yeah pretty much." Kira replied, she walked to his side, "We can’t always do things together, and you can’t always carry us." She said, then faced forward, her eyes turning cold, "I also have a lot to prove to myself."
Seeing all their resolve, Aren nodded, "Fine then, I’ll see you all at the top." He said.
"I’ll probably be there before you." Aiden said.
As they spoke, the doors opened slowly, once they stepped in, a magical formation drew the timer on their arms, allowing them to see how much time was left.
Everyone trooped in quickly, their timer starting, and their journey to the top beginning, the floor of the Arena was on the hundredth floor, which meant they had a lot of climbing ahead.
Aren moved with the flow, and the moment he managed to step in, he already saw tons of people on their knees sweating bullets, shaking and some crying, the pressure slamming hard against them so much that they couldn’t move.
"It’s that bad huh?" He muttered and then stepped on the first stair, and instantly, he felt it, it came like a rushing wind and slammed into him, but he was unmoved.
"Hmm, so this is it?" he muttered, not to mock the pressure, but after seeing the awakened on the ground, he pretty much expected a bit more.
He took the next step and the pressure increased, though it was barely an inconvenience.
"Don’t start rushing ahead just yet." Aiden, who was right beside him, said. Aren let out a chuckle and the climb continued.
[... ]
The skies were dark, with several stars shining in them, as well as streaks of different colored lights shooting through the sky. The wind blew heavily, pushing the grass and trees at the base of an extremely tall mountain, its tip covered in snow. Sitting at the top of the mountain was a figure. He sat on a rock, eating a sandwich.
His long red hair blew in the wind, beautiful and luscious. His size was pretty huge, easily far above six feet, bulky with toned muscles. He only wore pants covering his lower body. Even his feet were barefoot. His chest was exposed. His face showed that he was easily in his sixties, an old man, yet still extremely good-looking, handsome, and powerful.
On the ground beside him was a great sword stabbed deep into the earth. It looked like an average great sword, yet it radiated so much power that if someone came near, it would kill them instantly.
He took another bite of his sandwich, closing his eyes to savor the taste, and then he called out.
"What do you want, Kai?" he asked.
From the shadows of the mountain, a figure appeared, his son, Kai Blade. Kai immediately went down on one knee.
"Greetings, Patriarch," he said, not referring to the man as father or grandfather. He took a formal tone.
The man sitting there was the patriarch of the Blade family. He turned his head slowly and looked at Kai.
"If you came all the way here to find me, then I’m guessing it’s for good news, right?" he asked, before taking another bite of his sandwich. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
Kai nodded his head and then rose to his feet.
"I’m bringing news concerning the child," he said, and immediately the patriarch’s interest was piqued.
He faced forward and looked into the distance. All there was was darkness covering the forest that spread for miles and miles. This place was still inside the God’s Domain, but it was so far out that even time itself seemed altered, making it night in this place.
"I recall someone being sent to find someone they believed might be the child, they failed though. Is the child you are speaking of the same as the one they went to find?" The Patriarch asked.
"Yes she is, but I have seen her myself, and she is the one for sure, the Blade blood resonated."
