The Innkeeper

Chapter 2230: Can’t wait for Lex

"I don’t think we’ll be able to wait for Lex," said Alexander as he got up, unwilling to waste anymore time. "No one inside the Inn has any idea when he’ll return, and we’re on a tight schedule."

The rest of the group looked hesitant, while Giselle just seemed disappointed. The whole reason she got involved in this whole mess was because of Lex. She was hoping to hand off this mess to him, and also get his help. Although she had devised a growth plan of her own, she had to admit the opportunity of that unusual realm in the Suerra galaxy hinted at a far greater opportunity.

Rafael was oddly indecisive. The reason he’d been such a good leader so far was because he always knew what to expect from the future. Often enough, when his knowledge of the future lapsed, the challenge he faced was within his means to handle. Yet this quest promised to be far more challenging than anything he had ever faced, or was ready to face for that matter.

The problem was, if Vera was to be believed, he didn’t really have a choice. This wasn’t a quest he could just skip. The second problem he was facing was that he did believe her. After all, she was the reason Lex had sent Giselle to help them out!

The third problem... Rafael looked to his side and then saw his third problem.

A behemoth... a mountain of muscles in the shape of a man, meditating in silence in a corner. Rafael’s third problem was his father, Marlo, who had embarked on a rare and unique cultivation path called the path of the Prime.

Once he stepped onto the path properly, he had attained the Mark of Prime which let him sense and communicate with other Primes across the universe, each one from a different race. The Primes did not communicate with each other to participate in a cricket club or something like that - nope, they only ever contacted each other to challenge each other to a fight to the death, pushing their bloodline and limits beyond what should have been possible, thus attaining a higher realm.

Rafael’s problem was wondering how to keep his father from getting into absolute, unavoidable trouble. So far, he was failing at it tremendously!

"The final challenge of the Champions tourney has been announced," said Anakin, ignoring the subtle gravity field Marlo’s body exuded. "The Henali have released the names and locations of over five million Demon Sects which have to be eliminated. The number of sects destroyed, the performance and the process will all act as contributing factors in determining the final score.

"Of course, winning just the final challenge won’t be enough to make one champion. Previous scores will also be taken into account. However if we-"

Marlo’s eyes flashed open, and with them came a wave of sudden pressure so intense that Anakin stopped talking.

"I won’t make a decision on behalf of others, but Rafael, you must go and complete the tourney. The day you start making decisions based on fear instead of conviction is the day you lose yourself as a man. There is nothing in this life without risk, and uncertainty is something we have lived with from the moment we were born.

"Don’t tell me a little danger will stop you now when it couldn’t stop you back when you were a mere mortal? Or are you more scared now of death than when you actually had a lifespan?"

Rafael opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. When his father got like this, there was no use arguing with him.

Marlo grinned, then roared into laughter as he got up from his meditative pose.

"As for me? I have received my first challenge, and it seems to be from someone from the Gon race - whatever that is. So, I won’t be able to accompany you all. I hope, when I return, you will all have made great progress in your cultivation path."

Alexander looked at the man who had once been his teacher, and got a very bad feeling. He knew for a fact that Marlo was not as crazy or mad as everyone thought he was. He only laughed out loud like crazy when he was in a lot of pain - at least back when his golden core was shattered. As for why he was doing it now... he could not say, but it couldn’t be good.

What he didn’t know was that Marlo’s bloodline had entered a state of rapid growth, devouring everything in its path to grow stronger. This was a path bordering on a demon technique itself - the only actual difference being that Marlo had to choose what to feed his bloodline with. If he couldn’t find sufficient nourishment for his bloodline regularly, it would begin to devour his own body until he died.

As long as he got that nourishment through orthodox ways, he’d be fine. If he opted for things like mass sacrifice, considering souls were often thought of as excellent fuel, then he would truly enter the Demonic path.

Fortunately, he knew one very simple way to get sufficient nourishment! As long as he fought, and defeated stronger opponents, his bloodline would draw from their strength to feed itself. Conveniently, the Mark of the Prime gave him an infinite number of challengers to face, making things easy for him.

With that unceremonious end, the group decided to split up. Most of them returned to complete the Champions tourney, while Marlo went to face his challenger. As for the location of his challenge? It was naturally the Dream realm.

But Marlo did not go alone. Instead, he brought with him an old friend who was looking to run away from his very pregnant wife - Brandon Morrison.

Thus, a walking meat patty and a soon-to-be-father-again tattooed grandpa entered the Dream realm together to set off on an adventure. However, something unusual happened when they entered the Dream realm.

They appeared in front of a giant gem, atop which slept two Drama-cats.