SSS Ranked Shadow Monarch: Summoning Infinite Shadows-Chapter 220: Gaurds
After what happened, Aren basically removed himself from the tournament, completely forfeiting it. He let the others compete, but as for him, he wasn’t interested in it anymore.
In the beginning, when they had all started the trials, he remembered telling himself that he would never feel bad over killing someone, because it was definitely for his survival, but now that he did kill someone when it wasn’t for his survival, he wasn’t sure how to feel about that specific one.
He could easily blame Loki forever and say it was because of what Loki did, but that was all a lie. The real reason was because he was weak. If he wasn’t weak, he wouldn’t have fallen into the illusion and taken someone’s life.
Aren decided to leave the tower after he forfeited, now no one could tell him anything, after all, this was no longer something controlled by the wargod city, but the system.
As he left, Athena decided to follow as well, she didn’t want to participate either, which Aren figured was kind of a good idea, after her attack and them not knowing who for certain wanted to harm her.
"So where do we go now?" Athena asked as they walked through the gold section of the city, the place was a bit deserted due to the fact that a majority of the people were watching the tournament.
Only a few businesses and a few guards were busy patrolling the city.
"I don’t know yet, maybe we can get to the Bronze section and then get something to eat there, I feel their food over there is far more authentic than what they serve here." Aren said.
Athena let out a smile after that, "I’m pretty hungry actually." She said.
This was the first time in a while that the both of them had actually been together alone. Athena liked Aren’s presence, her mind had subconsciously connected him to safety, so whenever she was closer to him, she felt safe.
"Have you left the domain ever since you entered?" Aren casually asked her.
She shook her head, a sad look in her eyes, "I never really saw the need to, and now, the only thing outside there for me is his family, but now he is dead.
I want to go and tell Ron’s parents what happened, and apologize to them, but I’m not ready, I’m scared of it, the very thought cripples me." She said, her voice getting shaky and quieter with every word.
Aren looked at her, and then stretched his hands, holding her hand, she felt the warmth of his hand and it immediately calmed her down.
"Whenever you are ready for it, tell me, and I’ll be right beside you that day." He said. She nodded slowly, her racing heart calmed, she clutched his hand tighter.
They made it to the bronze section, and immediately Aren started thinking of where they would get some food first, but then suddenly, three city guards in full black decked armor came before them.
"Halt!" One of the guards barked immediately, Aren and Athena immediately stopped.
"The both of you, please come with us." The center guard said.
"What for?" Aren asked instantly.
The guard looked at Aren, his face was hidden behind the helmet, but he was surely making some sort of expression.
"We can’t inform you of the issue now, but if you come with us, we’ll be able to tell you." The guard said.
’Talk about suspicious, these dudes literally came out of nowhere and now want us to come with them?’ Aren thought, his shadow sense already scanning the area for anything, and that was when he picked up more guards surrounding them in the alleys and hidden corners.
’Oh shit, something is up.’ Aren thought, he clutched Athena’s hand even tighter, and then the next moment he pulled her into an alley, the only one that had no one watching.
"What’s happening?" Athena asked, looking back behind her, that was when she saw the guards chasing behind them.
"Someone is after us, and they have lots of numbers, we have to get away." Aren explained.
He was constantly scanning the entire area, he could see each one coming from each direction, each one of them somehow knew where Aren was running toward.
’They are definitely communicating with themselves right now, that’s how they are all converging at the same time. I can’t think of why they would be attacking us, we just have to escape first.’
"Stop running." One of the guards barked, he pulled out a whip and lashed out with it, it curved through the air, erupting in powerful flames, moving towards Aren.
"Shit." Aren cursed, he pulled Athena to the front, then turned around, planting his foot into the ground and throwing a punch, his fist collided with the whip.
BOOM
The air shook violently, flames exploding in every direction, Aren was pushed a few feet back, but ultimately he was unharmed because he equipped the wolf guard.
"Aren watch out." Athena called out, because he was still suffering from the knockback, he couldn’t recover fast enough for the second attack that was already coming for him.
Athena stepped forward and then her eyes glowed red as she unleashed a chaos attack that slammed into the flames and destroyed the attack, pushing the whip back and also proceeding to slam into the guards, throwing them back.
"Nice." Aren said, then grabbed her hand, shadow tendrils wrapped around them, throwing them onto the roof.
"Let’s go." He said, holding her hand and running, they leaped from roof to roof, but not long after, the guards leaped onto the roof, coming at them from all directions.
’Tch, fighting is inevitable, these guards are definitely everywhere, and they have probably made sure to cover all ends, the issue is getting somewhere where we can fight properly, or maybe hide for a bit.’
"I SAID HALT." The leader guard roared, his voice thundering through the air as he lashed with his whip, the flames exploded out, larger than the last attack.
