Level Up Legacy

Chapter 1452: The Sovereign of Death - Part 5

Undead monsters began appearing as the two approached the city. Most of them were humanoid monsters who minded their own business unless harassed.

Loyalty seemed knowledgeable about their characteristics and habits. For instance, he shared with Arthur that most undead did not rely on their sight, but on spiritual energy to see.

"This reminds me," Loyalty paused while scouting from behind a tree. "The first time we met, I didn’t even notice you. Your spiritual energy... is either nonexistent or you are doing one hell of a job hiding it."

"I had some extensive training regarding that before I came here," Arthur said with a smile, remembering Master Guffaw. "It seems that the person who sent me here knew it would help me to hide my aura."

"He trained you well," Loyalty said. "For me, the training that I received from Lady Gala was the only thing that I learned about spiritual energy."

"She trained you?"

"How else would I be capable of traveling between worlds?" Loyalty asked with a chuckle as he left the hiding spot and embarked on the main road. "There aren’t any undead monsters around. We can travel ahead."

Arthur followed after the knight through the winding path that climbed to the palace ahead. The city on the edge of the cliff was the last stop before they reached the Death Palace, which was rumored to be swarming with undead monsters.

"I think my goal in this trial is to kill the Sovereign of Death," Arthur told Loyalty. "The Path didn’t give me specifics, but it told me to rescue this world."

"And you came to the natural conclusion that the sovereign is the target?" Loyalty asked, but Arthur felt like there was a hidden meaning behind his words. "I came to this place a month ago. I never had a problem with an undead monster."

"You have been living here for a month?" Arthur asked with surprise.

"I did waste a few weeks after I had a bar fight with a giant," Loyalty said with a grin. "But overall, I have had enough time since the Path allows me to train without caring about time."

"Just like in the trial," Arthur said. "You said that King Solomon will return to Earth during the second trial. Why then, and why return now?"

"My king has his own plan. We have created a reliable army with the artifacts that he has created. But more than anything, he believes that our world is in danger, and the sooner we establish ourselves there the better."

"In danger?"

"Devaheim, the calamities, or even you."

"Me?"

"Words about your wrath reached Alka, although it didn’t travel far. My lord had to prepare for the worst-case scenario of you, the creator, losing control to the Sin of Wrath."

"Well, that’s reassuring."

"Sarcasm?"

"It’s the opposite. At least I know that our world has someone who cares about it enough, even when I’m gone," Arthur said. "It was the only reason preventing me from participating in this Sovereign Path."

"Inside the trials of the holy crown, time moves at a snail’s pace because these realms are incomplete, just like this one. However, in higher worlds, time flows differently."

"I know. If I want to visit higher worlds, it would mean abandoning my world for thousands of years."

"But it would change once you reach the end, right? You can control time then and rewind."

"You mean the end of the Sovereign Path?" Arthur asked.

"Of course. It should have a proper reward, for a set of trials that lead you to the kingdom of gods. I imagine whatever lies at the end of these trials is none other than absolute control over the entire universe, and the ability to reshape it."

"And who says doing that would create a better life for us?" Arthur asked. "If you had that kind of power, what would you do with it?"

"That’s a good question," the man said with a nod. "I would erase all desires that created the calamities. You know how every Lorius is a manifestation of human sins? I would want to erase that."

"Would that bring peace?" Arthur questioned with enough skepticism to make the knight ponder an answer. "If you erase the sins, doing good would be the natural thing to do."

"Isn’t that better?"

"From the outside, it is. But when you examine it more closely, you would simply see a puppet show that lacks free will. If you want to see the good in humans, you have to give them the chance to be evil."

"But... this world is too cruel," Loyalty said. "We fled our world in hopes to survive the countless calamities it threw at us. And now, wherever we go, we are seen as invaders — parasites and leeches feeding on other worlds."

"The problem is the game itself," Arthur said. "If humans can evolve beyond their mortal bodies, then they would do anything to achieve that. I’m sure that you have met other challengers who killed all who stood in their path of sovereignty."

Loyalty nodded.

"It seems that no matter how many years pass, or how much stronger I become, my disdain for this game remains the same. People shouldn’t be forced to kill each other for the promise of power."

"There would still be wars. You cannot end them by removing only the ability for humans to evolve," Loyalty disagreed with him. "I have seen worlds that don’t have an ounce of mana. People still killed each other."

"I don’t have an answer to that yet. I just feel like our very existence in this place is absurd," Arthur said, as the walls of the city appeared from beyond the canopies. "It seems we’re here."

Loyalty turned and bolted in the direction of the city. Arthur followed suit, and the two reached a small hill that they used to look at the end of the valley. Arthur had finally reached the other end, where the giant black palace loomed over this realm.

"For the time being," Loyalty said as he grabbed the hilt of his sword, "we have to figure out how to pass this trial."