ã€ŠWhite - Infiniteã€‹


 Chapter 1

    White. The first color that one would see in a certain, vast expanse of emptiness. It was easy to think that it was the only color one could see in this realm. However, endless specks of black appeared above and stretched out in all directions. It seemed as though the black bits were stars juxtaposed with a white sky.

    That''s what he saw when he arrived. He was a dashing youth, to put it simply. Short, curly blonde hair and lustrous, golden eyes that glowed faintly were his most prominent features. He wore tight-fitting golden armor that accentuated his toned muscles. At his side, a lavishly decorated scabbard hinted at the powerful weapon he possessed. He was not too bulky or too skinny, having the perfect physique that nonetheless exuded great strength. It was the picturesque image of a hero, and that he was.

    The youth''s eyes hinted at confusion towards his new surroundings, but there was no fear or shock evident in his countenance. After all, he had lived a substantial part of his life in a similar setting before.

    Soon, however, he wasn''t alone. A different youth appeared before him. His build wasn''t as impressive as the blonde hero. He wore a simple, white t-shirt and white pants that almost seemed to blend with the whiteness that surrounded them. The lack of an impressive aura contrasted greatly with the gold-eyed youth''s imposing presence.

    He was, to say the least, very normal-looking. That is, with the exception of the very, very white mask that completely covered his face. So white, in fact, that it somehow stood out against the white surroundings.

    "Who are you? Tell me, otherwise I¡¯ll rip your tongue out," the blonde youth threatened and narrowed his eyes. The brutal nature of his words, however, held a slight tone of caution towards the sudden appearance of a stranger.

    "Jeez, calm down, man. I am simply a traveler!" the young man proclaimed, crossing his arms and holding his head high. ¡°And what if you didn¡¯t allow someone enough time to respond? Would you rip their tongue out? How would they answer the rest of your stupid questions, then, huh? You have to think carefully about your threats to maximise the amount of information you want to extract next time. You also gotta work on your greetings, dude. If it were someone else, they would¡¯ve crapped their pants by now...¡±

    The masked madman continued to ramble on while making wild gestures, much to the increasing chagrin of the blonde youth. He wondered how someone could make communication feel so encumbering and sickening.

    "Also, don¡¯t you think the title ¡®traveler¡¯ is a bit inaccurate? It''s doesn''t constitute what I do very well. I can be called an ¡®observer¡¯ too. But I''m no longer just observing,¡± the masked youth mulled.

    Then he ruffled his dark hair in frustration.

    ¡°Argh, damnit! My ambiguous nature makes it quite difficult for an introduction. No matter. Oh yeah, welcome to the White Realm, by the way!"

    The masked youth laughed and continued with his utterly nonsensical tangent.

    "Seriously, though, don''t you think it''s funny to see someone so calm after battling the Demonic One for a few thousand years? I bet if it was any other lad, they''d go insane and have a major screw loose in their head!

    He pointed at the blond as if accusing him of an act of unspeakable horror.

    ¡°I mean, sure, you''re pretty mean and profane for a hero, but it''s still tolerable! Well, it''s more likely that any other lad would die while fighting in that place, especially considering what that thing is able to do and all... And what''s with your appearance? Looks as if you never saw a day in battle! And those looks... I guess they''re okay? Well, a lot better than mine I suppose-"

    "Shut your bloody face hole! How long do you intend to talk?!¡±

    The blond was going mad. There¡¯s chatty, but this masked youth took it to a whole new level.

    ¡°And how do you know of the Demonic One!" the hero released a suffocating bloodlust before spitting out a series of questions. "Who are you? What is this ''White Realm¡¯ you speak of? I must get back and finish off that bastard."

    Whoops, looks like I let some of my thoughts slip. Man, I should really tone down that habit of speaking out loud... and being too chatty...

    The masked youth mused to himself.

    The blonde youth quickly calmed himself after his outburst and soon his glowing, golden eyes darted around. After a few moments of observing the new environment, he came to what would normally be considered an outlandish conclusion.

    "You must be a deity," he said simply. "How else could someone like me be brought somewhere without my knowing?"

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    The masked traveler, as he regarded himself, listened and nodded his head in approval.

    "Oooohhh, smart man. Yup, definitely a hero! Astute, calm, with a hint of arrogance! Though, I''m not exactly a deity you know..." the young man replied. He held his head and tilted it in contemplation.

    "No matter if you are a god or a demon! Bring me back from where I came," the blond threatened, unsheathing a long, golden sword, "or I shall end your life here."

    It didn¡¯t seem, however, that the masked youth was impressed this time. He even shook his head.

    "Hey, man, that''s kinda stupid. Some random dude brought you to who knows where, without you even knowing it happened. Then you threaten him and throw any sense of caution out the window!¡± the masked youth chuckled. "Now, why would you do that?"

    "None of your business," the blonde snarled coldly and charged at a speed which could easily surpass a god.

    Which was, of course, pretty fast.

    The hero appeared immediately in front of the masked youth as though he teleported to him. He swung his blade downwards in a wide arc. The weapon sung its tune of death as it neared the mask of its intended recipient. The opponent, however, didn''t even flinch as the sword rushed to meet him.

    "Ha! As expected of a hero!" the masked youth laughed heartily.

    The hero raised his brows in alarm as he witnessed the masked youth''s right arm disappear. Two fingers pinched the edge of the blade, stopping it just moments before it made contact with the mask. Even with his monstrous cognitive abilities, the action went far beyond what the hero could perceive.

    "How the hell," the blonde youth began. All the while he pulled back his sword and hastily made his retreat. He knew from that short exchange that his opponent was not to be underestimated. He had battled minor gods before, but not one with speed to the extent of what was shown in front of him.

    So is he a major god? No, it doesn¡¯t seem like it. He seems to be holding back¡­

    The hero thought that as he looked at his opponent. However, the person himself had his hands in his pants and seemed to be in the middle of scratching his balls.

    What the bloody hell?

    Of course, the hero was surprised and disgusted, to say the least. Who¡¯d do such a thing in the middle of battle?

    Ignoring the weird masked youth, "Supreme God" was the one possibility that emerged in the blond¡¯s mind. However, he quickly dismissed the idea. He knew of their existence from his realm, but he never encountered such a being. For some reason, they had rarely, if ever, interfered with the affairs of other gods, much less that of higher mortals or mortals.

    Though I haven¡¯t fought one before. Either way, I will still beat him to death.

    The hero resolved with unyielding mettle and confidence. For someone who had long broken through the limitations that bound mortals and even that of higher mortals, common sense could not apply to him. Powerful is an understatement regarding he, who was not a god, yet far surpassed them in unadulterated strength and combat prowess.

    And contrary to the masked youth¡¯s previous statement, the hero had his guard up the whole time when confronting the peculiar stranger. He hadn¡¯t exercised even a small portion of his full capabilities yet. He wanted to probe his enemy.

    He had been fighting for a long time a being, he believed, could easily surpass a Supreme God. In fact, he almost vanquished the being before he was abducted and dumped here.

    But before he could launch another offensive, the hero suddenly froze in place. His right leg was behind his left, and the left leg was bent forward. Both hands held the shaft of his golden sword in a ready striking position. The tip of the blade pointed away from his body, indicating that the hero wanted to hide his sword from the masked youth''s line of sight.

    These were all clear signs of a position for a counterattack despite the considerable distance he made between him and the masked youth. Even though a fraction of a second hadn''t even passed yet since the hero''s retreat, his rapid preparations and positioning were a testament to his astounding skill and technique.

    "Wow, he''s pretty fast, isn''t he?" the masked youth praised the hero''s display of speed.

    "One attack and I''m already impressed. He would''ve launched another attack had I not stopped him," the masked youth pondered out loud.

    After a a few moments of contemplation, he sighed.

    "Might as well bring him back. It''s only right. After all, who''d like someone interrupting their little skirmish?" he decided with a cheerful gait, making his way towards his supposed adversary. ¡°I¡¯m not a very good planner, am I?¡±

    Then he paused abruptly and contemplated some more.

    ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll bring him with me, then bring both of them back here. Then, they can finish their business.¡±

    He continued skipping happily. The youth stopped in front of the frozen hero and picked him up with one hand. He held the poor blond over his shoulder like some life-sized toy. The hero didn''t move or retaliate, making it seem as if the masked youth was carrying a statue.

    Soon, they blinked out of existence, leaving nothing but the white space and the specks of black above in their wake.

 Chapter 2

    Black. The color that one could generally attribute to negativity. To evil. To all-encompassing and terrible death. Though it could also represent the unknown and the ambiguous.

    That was his favorite color. He was born in ¡®black,¡¯ molded and nurtured by it. He took comfort in darkness and relished the shadows. He was enamored with the night, with closing his nonexistent eyes, and with seeing things burnt to the color of charcoal.

    The Supreme Gods would have disagreed... quite vehemently at that, considering who he was... but he didn¡¯t really like the sight of blood. It was too red and vibrant for his taste.

    So, he decided ever since the first time he killed, that he would color blood according to his preference. It was quite the easy process.

    He would simply crush the soul of the being he slayed. Next, he would sprinkle it on the blood and poof! His beloved color would appear!

    There were other ways to do that, but he found them to be too much of a hassle. Plus, what''s great is that he could use this method to turn most things black!

    Actually, he didn¡¯t really like the sight of any color other than black. It¡¯s not that he hated the other colors with a great passion. It¡¯s just a matter of preference or convenience, per se.

    If he were to come across, say, the apples of the Everlasting Tree, he would turn both the apples and the tree black. He found that the easiest method to carry this out was by incinerating them.

    Or if he were to encounter a Supreme God that wore a vibrant, colorful robe, he would find the urge to change the colors. Sure, the god would resist or whatever, but once the god was out of the picture, it was a simple matter of turning the robes black with the soul of the god!

    In the end, he was quite a misunderstood being. Black can certainly be equated to evil, but he wasn''t naturally evil. He didn''t have any inherent violent tendencies either. He was simply someone that altered the world as he saw fit. He got rid of those that annoyed him and transformed all things he came across.

    His form was black (as one would guess) and very incorporeal. But even though he was mostly immaterial and bodiless, he still needed something to host his consciousness. Therefore, he had a core that served this function. Overall, however, there¡¯s no use perceiving, much less touching, such an intangible and fleeting being as himself.

    His home was a black void. It used to serve as the splendid and vibrant home of the Supreme Gods. The Demonic One, as many called him, was incredibly satisfied as he was in the humble abode he made for himself: devoid of any life, and where everything colorful ceased to exist.

    So when that thing intruded upon his dwelling a few millenniums ago, the first thing the Demonic One felt was very mild annoyance. Tens of thousands of years of peace and quiet were suddenly interrupted by a tiny, supposedly insignificant, golden light. He assumed that everything would go back to normal once he snuffed out the light.

    But that vexing pest refused to yield. He had come across a myriad of beings. Their fates always ended in the same way¡ªone ultimately of his choosing. Usually, their death. But no matter how much he tried to squeeze, crush, warp, strangle, or put out the light, it still remained. Its golden hue never dimmed.

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    And it eventually fought back.

    For the first time in eons, the Demonic One found something he couldn¡¯t do anything about. Despite his incorporeal form, he somehow winced in pain at the light''s violent opposition. Despite his normally apathetic and calm bearing towards worldly affairs, he tasted the discomfort of frustration and the bitterness of failure for the first time.

    At first, it felt like an itch he couldn''t scratch. But the itch progressed to the point of pain and suffering. He became more ardent in his efforts to resolve what he previously assumed to be a trivial matter, which was getting rid of the nuisance.

    There were times when he thought he had succeeded in vanquishing the damned thing, only to find the blinding light penetrate a little deeper into his sanctuary of darkness.

    Light and dark, gold and black. The two opposing forces struggled for supremacy. It¡¯s as if one were witnessing a classic tale of good versus evil unravel.

    But the reality of the scenario was not quite so simple.

    It was but a conflict of interests between two sides, one that eventually developed into a fight for their lives.

    Between a being who felt that his home was invaded unjustly.

    And an individual who retaliated accordingly.

    It eventually grew to the point where he constantly and recklessly lashed out in wild rage against the light. He charged time and time again, finally losing the bearing of one who had once carried out a reign of dominance and terror. Indifference turned to desperation and irritation turned to madness. He couldn¡¯t kill that light. That damned, despicable light. Its gold and luster provoked him to no end.

    To the Demonic One¡¯s horror, his black dwelling slowly diminished in size, engulfed by the increasingly vigorous golden shine. The Demonic One had found himself backed into a corner, one he would never have expected to find himself in. The gold slowly ate away at his precious color of pitch black that previously inhabited the entirety of the realm.

    The light inevitably approached the core of his being.

    ¡°You sick, bloody bastard.¡±

    Words that dripped in stifling bloodlust filled the Demonic One¡¯s head and seemed to clutch his nonexistent heart. The first words that he had heard from the light¡ªsavage and vulgar. Very unlike the pure and divine aura of the being who spoke them.

    Seeds of unbearable futility, hopelessness and despair, of haunting and oppressive fear, all of which he had not experienced nor was familiar with, planted themselves deeply into the recesses of his mind.

    He didn¡¯t want to die. He didn¡¯t want to part with the dark and his home. He didn¡¯t want to lose his beloved black.

    A dying flame roared back to life within his numbed soul. He wanted to live. He simply wanted to live in the absolute comfort and safety of his home.

    Fortunately for this black being of the dark, his ambitions would never have come into fruition had the light not suddenly disappeared. Before it could completely wipe out his existence, the light abruptly vanished. The obvious absence of golden light and the return of the void were clear intimations of this unnatural development.

    Was the golden menace gone? Was that millenniums-long nightmare he experienced but an illusion?

    The black being felt wary and suspicious. How could his peril end so suddenly? He peered into the darkness that returned. Nothing.

    Then shock and pleasant surprise emerged. He continued to closely observe his surroundings. After a considerable amount of time had passed, he finally sighed in relief with nonexistent lungs. A flame of hope and spark of ambition appeared.

    He wanted to be stronger. Strength that would allow him to live in peace and freedom, surrounded only by his favorite things. Strength that would stop beings like the hero of golden light from obstructing his goals.

    The Demonic One didn¡¯t notice these peculiar developments and changes in his mind. He had emotions so simple and intense that they could be easily defined.

    That¡¯s why shortly after when a white-masked person holding the golden youth suddenly materialized before his core, he paled and nearly fainted. Even though both actions were physically impossible to carry out, that¡¯s what the Demonic One felt like doing considering his new, sensitive emotions.

 Chapter 3

    ¡°Damn, who turned off the Iights?¡± the masked youth commented while scratching his head.

    Strangely enough, the Demonic One could clearly see both intruders in the pitch blackness, and this was not a good sign for him. Usually, foreign entities die under the influence of the void.

    It was something that became routine for him when confronting all kinds of creatures that intruded his home. That is, until he encountered that stupid, hateful, abominable golden light.

    Is it another one?!

    He panicked at the thought and the possibility that the golden light had brought a comrade.

    Am I going to die, after all? Are they going to double-team me? No! I refuse to cease from existence in such a manner!

    The pitch black void suddenly darkened in large areas, outlining what seemed like silhouettes of black tentacles.

    Indeed, innumerable tentacles, each somehow many shades darker than the surrounding void, squirmed and snaked everywhere like thick, black vines. They expanded, contracted, and contorted in a repulsive manner, painting a very messy, grotesque image of appendages.

    ¡°Why tentacles?¡± the youth mumbled and grimaced at the assumed form of the incorporeal being. ¡°Every time, it has to be tentacles. Like, can¡¯t those of your type take on the form of animals, or something?¡±

    In response, a few tentacles flew straight at his face. The youth ducked and the black tendrils shot above his head. He twisted his body, dodging a few more afterwards. He took note that the speed of the tentacles were much, much faster than when the hero had swung his sword. Though, that was when the blond was restraining himself.

    ¡°Hey, chill out. And as for the answer to your previous worries, I won''t do anything to your home,¡± the masked youth assured nonchalantly.

    ¡°I have a very important question, though. Like, would you be considered a man? I don¡¯t really get the chance to confirm directly with your kind. Well, anyway, whatever the heck kinda thing you are, I have no interest in your dwelling.¡±

    But the Demonic One had already stopped caring for his words and began hurtling even more black tentacles towards the masked youth from all directions. They shot forth rapidly in an attempt to stab and pierce through him.

    Yet even during his rambling inquiries and comments, the masked youth was adroit in weaving through the tentacles. The blond was tied to his back as the youth danced through the mass of black tendrils.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s kinda gloomy and drab here? Like, I can¡¯t even get to my bed during night time without stubbing my toe, much less here. But that''s besides the main point. Aren¡¯t you technically genderless? You know, because you can''t call color a man or a woman. Can I just call you ¡®he¡¯, though? I don''t care if it''s wrong. It''s just easier for me to say.¡±

    Even under the onslaught of tentacles, the youth once again flew off on a tangent concerning something utterly useless and irrelevant.

    At some point, he had started using the frozen blond as a batting stick to block and deflect all the tentacles. The black tendrils harmlessly bounced off the hero¡¯s golden aura. The masked youth continued swinging his human weapon wildly with glee. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Haha, this is much more fun than I expected!¡± he exclaimed and continued bashing the tentacles.

    The Demonic One lashed out unceasingly with his countless tentacles. Each attack was more fierce and filled with anger than the last. Likewise, the youth remained in the center of the storm of tendrils, evading and deflecting each attack.

    Note that the exchange was on a planetary scale, one that could easily destroy a world, as ridiculous as it sounded. It just comes to show just how strong these beings were. But the White Realm seemed unaffected by the Demonic One¡¯s onslaught.

    Thump.

    ¡°HAHAHAHA-¡±

    Thwack.

    ¡°Woah that was a close-¡±

    Whack.

    ¡°How does sound work here again-¡±

    Fwip.

    ¡°Jeez! Can you sto-¡±

    Crack.

    ¡°You know what, I¡¯m freakin¡¯ done!¡±

    BOOM!

    The rhythmic tune of battle continued for a quite a while but abruptly ended with a large, deafening explosion. The black tentacles disappeared completely from the void. The normal shade of black returned.

    ¡°Okay, I got bored, so I ended it early. Nice, there are no scratches,¡± the masked youth yawned while examining his trusty human weapon. ¡°Guess that explains why he looked fine after battling you. Seems he has some kind of natural defense against you or something.¡±

    Then the masked youth pointed towards a black spherical core floating off in the distance of the void. Large cracks snaked down its sides. As for how the masked youth could tell where he was in the pitch blackness that surrounded them, the Demonic One didn¡¯t know.

    There were a few moments of silence. The Demonic One dreaded what his enemy would do. He stared at the strange youth holding the hero over his shoulder.

    ¡°Are you a masochist or something?¡± he finally questioned with a straight face.

    Well, he had a mask, so the Demonic One couldn¡¯t tell for sure whether he had a straight face. But the stoic tone of the youth¡¯s voice told him enough.

    ¡°I mean, you got this whole tentacle gig going. So I thought you¡¯d be weirdly obsessed or something.¡±

    What the hell is he talking about?!

    Anger, shame, curiosity, fear, and most notably, confusion, coalesced into a crazy storm within the Demonic One as he thought this. He felt like slapping the masked youth in the face with his nonexistent hands.

    The being of white was irritating, to say the least, but in way that¡¯s quite different than the golden light. While the golden light felt threatening, the masked youth was vexing in the sense that the Demonic One felt like being he was being played a fool!

    He had never met a being so annoyingly talkative, so frivolous in their antics, nor so brazen with their words.

    And not so powerful.

    He was clearly more powerful than the hero. The Demonic One didn¡¯t dare take any more action in fear of provoking the powerful being into using his true strength. That explosion somehow wiped out all the tentacles in the void, and the Demonic One was most proud of the number he could produce (nearly endlessly).

    He had a nagging feeling that he hadn¡¯t even been able to scratch the surface of his opponent¡¯s abilities. He was pretty sure the masked youth didn''t need to dodge his tentacles. It seemed more like he was just playing with the blond¡¯s body under his attacks.

    ¡°Alright, enough playing around, big guy. Yeah, I¡¯ll call you a guy from now on,¡± the masked youth nodded as if deciding on something important. ¡°I think we¡¯re all good now.¡±

    The stranger dressed in white stretched his arms and legs for a few moments. Then he perked up.

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait! You guys will be the first ones!¡±

    The Demonic One felt a shiver travel down his nonexistent back when he heard those words.

    His newfound sensitivity to emotions was not something he particularly liked. It felt like having a body that reacted too easily to his thoughts.

    You know what, do whatever you want. I don¡¯t even care anymore.

    Although he couldn¡¯t see it, the Demonic One was sure that the youth hid a savage, toothy grin behind his mask.

 Chapter 4

    A blinding white light exploded in a certain realm. Three silhouettes appeared soon afterwards.

    ¡°We¡¯re baaaack!¡± a certain masked youth sang.

    White, empty space replaced what had been a black void. The black specks once again appeared up above, painting the image of an inverted starry night.

    The youth started to skip cheerfully in a random direction. However, with the desolate surroundings, it seemed to lead nowhere.

    A blond who was exuding a divine aura was tied to his back. Even with all the abuse he¡¯d taken recently, the hero seemed in fine condition.

    Behind the merry masked youth trailed a large, floating sphere. Its pitch black color contrasted sharply with the White Realm. However, if one observed closely, they would see large cracks on it.

    How did you even travel from the realm of the Supreme Gods? It was essentially the quintessence of a home for omnipotent beings.

    A raspy yet archaic voice spoke from the floating sphere. It gave off a feeling of power and malevolence. The masked youth, however, continued to skip forward without answering.

    I didn¡¯t even realize we left. It would usually have a greater attractive force when I travel.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t care,¡± the masked youth replied before halting abruptly. He turned towards the black sphere.

    ¡°FYI, calling them ¡®omnipotent¡¯ is far too much of a stretch. What I¡¯m more interested in is how you mustered up the courage to talk to me. Especially after you, uh, metaphorically got your ass beat when I decimated your tentacles.¡±

    The entity within the core shrugged his nonexistent shoulders.

    No, you¡¯re not wrong. To be honest, I¡¯m scared shitless of you. But my sense of futility and curiosity are more pervasive right now.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I see,¡± the stranger in white commented with a snort before starting to skip again. ¡°Both you and Mr. Blond over here are weirdoes.¡±

    The youth in white, the blond, and the black sphere traveled in the direction that the youth in white skipped towards. The blond was still as frozen and unresponsive as a statue, while the masked youth started humming a strange tune. The black core maintained a good distance from the masked stranger and the blond.

    After a long period of silence, the sphere spoke up again.

    So, uh, where are you taking us?

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a battle to finish with the golden hero dude? I¡¯m trying to find a suitable location for your tete-a-tete.¡±

    What?!

    The black sphere shot off to an even further distance away.

    What the hell are you talking about! I¡¯ll die if I have to face him again! And what do you mean ¡°suitable location!¡± It¡¯s literally just empty space here!

    ¡°Hmmmm¡­ yeah! I guess you¡¯re right!¡± the masked youth exclaimed stupidly. ¡°Okay then, since you clearly have the upperhand in logic, I¡¯ll release him here.¡±

    The masked youth began to untie the blond from his back, which caused the Demonic One to start to panic. But before he could do anything, the hero landed with a thud and the masked youth dusted off his shoulders. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± the blonde youth groaned the moment he made contact with the ground.

    His frozen state became instantly dispelled as his eyelids fluttered open. He held his head with a splitting headache.

    ¡°What? What the bloody hell happe-¡±

    Suddenly, pitch black tentacles greeted his face.

    A second later, the hero was blown far away with a deafening bang. In the distance, one could see his body land with a plop. It rolled many times before coming to a stop.

    ¡°Pfft, hahahahaha!¡± the masked youth laughed hysterically as he witnessed the comical scene.

    Shut up! This is all your fault! I have to take the initiative or he¡¯ll kill me instead!

    The blond didn¡¯t move on the ground. Soon, though, he slowly started to pick himself up, seemingly unfazed by the violent assault.

    However, on his face, one could see that his eyes were bloodshot. The hero gave a beastly growl and released an unbearable murderous intent when he saw the cracked sphere in the distance.

    An immense mass of black appendages surrounded the sphere, writhing and pulsating in a repulsive manner.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you bloody bastard!¡±

    Nooo, no, no, no, nooo! My ambush didn''t work at all! If I die, Mr. White, I swear I¡¯ll come and haunt you!

    ¡°Hehe, I like your naming sense,¡± the masked youth chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll hope for your survival then, Mr. Black!¡±

    The masked youth disappeared and reappeared a long distance away from the erupting fight.

    A snap of his fingers caused a striped, foldable long-chair to appear. A table with a dark brown, bubbly drink and what looked like a bowl of small balls of crispy, yellow fluffs appeared next to it. The masked youth nestled down comfortably with snacks in hand.

    ¡°Yup. Soda and popcorn, man,¡± the masked youth sighed in satisfaction. He lifted up his mask slightly and began gorging himself with food and drink.

    ¡°Best snacks *nom nom* when you¡¯re spectating *crunch* something *glug glug* entertaining.¡±

    At some point, the blond unsheathed his shining, golden sword and charged wildly towards the black tendrils. Strangely enough, one could still see the white space beyond the sea of tentacles, which indicated the vastness of the realm.

    ¡°I¡¯ll rip your bloody tentacles apart!¡± the hero yelled as a warcry.

    He twirled his body crazily, dived into the sea of appendages, and started to hack and slash the tendrils that shot at him from every direction.

    ¡°He sure loves using ¡®bloody¡¯ a lot,¡± the masked youth said as he took a swig of his soda.

    Despite his seething rage, the hero skillfully dodged his way through the stormy offense of the Demonic One. Every tentacle was met with a jab, slice, or strike. Every time the Demonic Once tried overwhelming the hero with his numerous tentacles, the hero retaliated with destructive waves of pure swordsmanship.

    The battle was fierce. The blonde youth crazily chased the core of the Demonic One, yet the Demonic One defended unyieldingly.

    The tentacles and the hero moved at terrifying speeds and their clash resulted in an imperceivable blurr. The hero displayed speed and power that made his previous exchange with the masked youth pale in comparison.

    He maneuvered through the mass of appendages adroitly, slicing them off and cutting them apart from one moment to the next. His footwork, form, and handling of the sword reached beyond the conceivable limits of refinement and technique.

    Of course, the Demonic One would not bow down so easily. His snake-like appendages were full of power and traveled at great speeds.

    He varied his attacks and manipulated his tentacles to skillfully evade the destructive assaults of the hero. The Demonic One was cautious and determined this time in defending his core.

    Even so, it looked as if the Demonic One was slowly losing his edge.

    Mr. White! No, Sir White! No, wait, Master White!

    BOOM.

    ¡°I¡¯ll shred your bloody tentacles to pieces!¡±

    Please, I¡¯ll serve you!

    CRACK.

    ¡°Bring out your core, you coward!¡±

    BANG.

    ¡°Haha! You guys *crunch* are funny!¡±

    ¡°Come over here, you bastard!¡±

    CHING. FWIP.

    My tentacles will serve you in any way!

    ¡°Ew, no. Sorry, but I¡¯m not into that kinda kinky *burp* stuff dude.¡±

    BOOM.

    Saaaave meeee!

    The tune of battle, along with the shouts of the participants and the one spectator, continued.

 Chapter 5

    ¡°Let me go! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± a certain blonde youth screamed as he struggled to free himself.

    Metal chains tightly wrapped around his entire body. He seemed to be in a cocoon with only his head sticking out. The metal cocoon lurched back and forth as he tried to escape.

    ¡°What the bloody hell are these chains! I can¡¯t break them!¡±

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re chains that I made,¡± the masked youth commented through a mouthful of popcorn before smacking the hero in the head. ¡°And can you stop saying ¡®bloody¡¯? It¡¯s getting annoying. What are you, a Brit from Earth?¡±

    The masked youth sat cross-legged on top of the blond. He indifferently munched on his snacks, somehow ignoring the thrashing cocoon underneath him.

    A black sphere floated a distance away in front of them. It was covered in many more cracks than before.

    I am very thankful that you ended the battle before I was completely obliterated. But why did you decide to take action, though?

    ¡°I only said that I would let you guys finish your fight,¡± the masked youth explained, ¡°and in my mind, to finish a fight is to see clearly who¡¯d win and lose. And clearly, you were about to lose.¡±

    Seriously? That¡¯s your only reason?

    The Demonic One asked in a frustrated voice. He didn¡¯t want to accept that he of all people was so pathetically weak.

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m just kidding. I don¡¯t know!¡± the youth laughed. ¡°I just thought it¡¯d be a shame to lose one of my first ¡®inhabitants¡¯ so quickly.¡±

    Yeah, what do you mean by that? Wait, that¡¯s not what I should be asking. Where even is this place? Who are you? Why¡¯d you bring me and that blonde abomination here?

    ¡°Huh, now that I think about it, you seem pretty docile for a being called the ¡®Demonic One,¡¯¡± the youth said on a totally irrelevant topic. ¡°Anyway, to answer your questions, I¡¯d have to do some basic info dumping.¡±

    During this whole conversation, the hero never stopped releasing a barrage of curses and screams. He flailed around in his cocoon like a snake with its head cut off.

    ¡°Release me from these chains, and I¡¯ll give you both quick deaths!¡± he yelled while trying to shake off the masked youth.

    ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s retarded. Let me do something reeeaal quick, Mr. Black,¡± the masked youth apologized to the Demonic One as he got off from the noisy, struggling blond.

    He picked the blond up and set him in an upright position. The masked youth went behind the blond, and after placing both hands on the sides of the blond¡¯s head,

    CRACK!

    he turned it 180 degrees towards him.

    What the hell! Why¡¯d you do that!

    The black sphere shuddered before distancing itself even further from the masked youth.

    However, the masked youth didn¡¯t respond and didn¡¯t stop. He only broke the chains of the bond and stabbed his hands into his stomach. By sparing the gritty details, the following scene would best be described as a shower of blood and entrails.

    The result was a person who seemed to have hidden a small bomb in his body and the bomb went off just recently.

    ¡°Yuck, if this were a cartoon, you¡¯d only see a bunch of mosaics.¡±

    But you were the one to carry this out! Why did you have to slaughter him?!

    ¡°Huh? I thought he was your enemy though?¡± the masked youth questioned.

    Miraculously, there were no blood stains on him.

    ¡°This much is necessary if I want him to stay quiet for a bit. Plus, he wouldn¡¯t die with just this. His regenerative capabilities are good enough. It¡¯s just that you¡¯d never damage him enough to see it.¡±

    Ack!

    It was a harsh, yet true statement.

    ¡°Anyway, info-dumping time! Mr. Blond would never be cool-headed enough to listen to some lovely info-dumping, so I could only stop his yapping.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    The Demonic One¡¯s fear of the mysterious youth raised by a few levels. He realized how lucky he was to still be alive. He resolved to never earn the masked youth¡¯s ire.

    The masked youth, acting as if he didn¡¯t just commit an act of carnage, gestured towards the white space around them.

    ¡°I already told Mr. Blond before, but this is called the ¡®White Realm.¡¯ It¡¯s obvious why it¡¯s called that. And, you guys are going to be the first ¡®inhabitants¡¯ of this realm.¡±

    The sphere slowly returned to his previous location in front of the youth. The Demonic One realized it was futile to run away after seeing the masked youth¡¯s overwhelming display of power, so he decided to listen instead. Also, for some reason, he felt he couldn''t leave the White Realm without the masked youth''s help, anyway.

    ¡°You two have achieved the relative maximum potential of your world, universe, dimension, whatever you want to call it. To put it simply, you and Mr. Blond are the strongest beings in your realm. You¡¯re weaker than him, though, and if you didn¡¯t come here, it would¡¯ve remained that way for all of eternity.¡±

    The Demonic One shivered at the masked youth¡¯s offhand statement.

    So it was inevitable that I would fall to his hands?!

    ¡°Yeah. You wouldn¡¯t know based on how hot-headed the dude is, but Blondie is insanely strong. His sword can slice through space and time and blah blah blah. You know, those really grand descriptions of power. In that sense, although you¡¯re much much weaker, you can pretty much do the same.¡±

    Yes, I have a decent understanding of our capabilities. But please! No more saying that I¡¯m weaker! It¡¯s making me feel bad!

    The masked youth shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s just the truth, my dude. Anyway, you guys reached maximum potential, yeah? No matter how many years you would try to increase your power in the realm of the Supreme Gods, it wouldn¡¯t raise substantially anymore. Well, the beings in this realm have their potential unlocked to become ¡®infinite,¡¯ meaning, you could grow ¡®endlessly.¡¯¡±

    Impossible. That sounds absurd.

    While the Demonic One was shocked at the masked youth¡¯s words, he was also confused after hearing that his power wouldn¡¯t increase no matter how much he tried.

    Why can I not become stronger in my own realm?

    ¡°Potential that a realm offers is relative to the highest levels of comprehension that the beings that inhabit the realm have. For example, if gods think that creation and destruction are the strongest powers that they could comprehend, then their potential can only reach that extent.

    This also applies to you and Blondie over there.¡±

    I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing...Then, what are you supposed to be?

    The youth smirked before putting his hands on his waist and puffing out his chest.

    ¡°Hmph, I¡¯d be a representation of infinity, I guess? Does it sound absurd to you? Don¡¯t care though. I just wanna have fun!¡± the masked youth declared and giggled afterwards.

    The Demonic One was skeptical of the being before him. A being that represents infinity? Nonsense. The concept of infinity is already elusive in itself.

    ¡°By the way, you could call me ¡®Em.¡¯ Emmy, Emre, Empty, whatever. And so, what¡¯s your name, Mr. Black?¡±

    The Demonic One hurriedly gave his answer.

    My real name is Itim Nigreos.

    ¡°Ooohhh, fancy name. I¡¯ll just call you ¡®Tim¡¯ though. Hm, seems like your full name has some meaning behind it in another language or something.¡±

    Huh?

    ¡°Nothing. And do you know Blondie¡¯s name?¡±

    Charles, I believe? He said something along the lines of ¡°I¡¯ll bloody kill you, or my name isn¡¯t Charles!¡± before he tried to kill me.

    ¡°Charles? Jeez, even the name sounds a bit¡­¡± Em mumbled before trailing off inaudibly.

    ¡°Okay, so Tim and Charles. Both of you are lucky to be here. You can grow in any way you want, endlessly!¡±

    Charles didn¡¯t respond as half his body was still meat paste. Fortunately, the other half recovered enough so that you could see it without mosaics.

    As for Tim, he was still doubtful of the masked youth¡¯s actions and the implications of living in the White Realm. It baffled him how a realm could offer such inconceivable power.

    And if binding the hero and slaughtering him like a pig had intimidated Tim, then the question of Em¡¯s true power and his bold, self-proclaimed title of ¡°representative of infinity¡± made him feel insignificant.

    Suddenly, Em turned around and kicked the blond in the stomach.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Charles groaned the moment the masked youth¡¯s foot made contact with his side.

    Charles had miraculously regenerated his entire body into a pristine condition while they were talking, with the exception of his shredded golden armor. It was as if he was never disemboweled and censored in the first place.

    Wait, this scene seems familiar¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s just your imagination,¡± Em retorted before clapping his hands.

    ¡°Okay! It¡¯s time to kick the progression of things up a notch! You two must train here! Go through whatever means to improve your power, whether it¡¯d be fighting each other or eating food! You can create anything in this realm according to your power and ability!¡±

    Then he paused abruptly while staring at the sphere and the still disorientated blond.

    ¡°You guys, will be the first ¡®Guides¡¯ as well,¡± he declared before saluting. ¡°That is all! I am a very busy man, so I must go!¡±

    Em disappeared, leaving only Tim who was dazed and Charles who groaned in pain.

    The serenity didn¡¯t last long, however, as Charles turned his eyes towards the black sphere. Although he was in a pitiful state before, he now looked like a ravenous beast.

    That ¡®infinite¡¯ potential thing better be true. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to die here!

    Round two between the first inhabitants of the White Realm, a hero and a demon, had begun.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Master, are you sure we should leave it behind as is?¡± a white-haired youth inquired cautiously.

    His skin was ashy and he had a considerably gaunt build. However, his sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and other refined facial features created an otherworldly kind of beauty.

    The youth looked imposing yet dreary with his dark, buckled long-coat. Its color seemed to clad his tall, skinny figure in a shadow. What was most notable, though, were his long ears which elongated to a point.

    ¡°Eh, let¡¯s just leave it, Dun,¡± the other youth responded with a yawn. ¡°I''m here to have fun and take care of a few things, not clean up after trash.¡±

    It was hard to notice under the dirty, beige hooded outfit, but the other youth wore a white mask that covered his entire face.

    It had been about a week since he left the two weirdoes in the White Realm.

    Well, that was according to a random estimate he made because dimensional travel liked to screw with time a lot.

    ¡°With all due respect, Master Em, my name is not ¡®Dun¡¯ but ¡®Dunmer,¡¯¡± Dun whined again.

    ¡°Well, I still think ¡®Dun¡¯ fits you better. In other languages, Dun can mean dull, gloomy, and dark. Exactly like you are!¡± Em giggled.

    He came up with the name thinking of it as a stroke of genius. Em was proud that his naming sense was coming along quite nicely.

    It was clear that his Master wouldn''t budge on the matter, so Dun could only sigh, true to his depressing aura.

    The two were walking through a forest of dead trees. A thick fog blanketed the whole area and the place seemed desolate and creepy. The cracking of twigs or rustling of leaves accompanied their every step.

    In the distance behind them appeared a gargantuan black castle. However, what was once a magnificent structure was now on fire and mostly collapsed.

    ¡°How could the castle of the Dark Elves fall so easily?¡± Dun muttered to himself as he took a peek at the carnage behind him and recalled his recent experiences.

    He marveled at how a leading superpower fell in one night all because they pissed off an unlikely traveler.

    ¡°Jeez, didn¡¯t you see for yourself? I was on vacation when I found this pretty gem. But some disgusting bugs refused to hand it to me, so I crushed them. Simple, no?¡± Em summarized with crossed arms.

    ¡°Comparing the Dark Elves to bugs, huh.¡±

    Dun let out his ninety-fifth sigh since he met and swore fealty to Em on his own accord. And that was only yesterday.

    ¡°Only Master could think on such a scale, ¡± Dun commented dryly.

    Then he asked with a haughty tone and a glimmer in his eyes, ¡°Was I the gem that you referred to?¡±

    ¡°Nope! It was that crystal ball-thing at the top of the castle!¡±

    The Orb of Obscurity? So Master really did want such an artifact?

    Dun¡¯s ears drooped down as he thought that. The already thick, dark aura became stronger.

    ¡°I''m just kidding, dude!¡± Em exclaimed in exaggerated hand motions in an attempt to cheer up the depressed elf. ¡°I was very appalled to see the way they treated their own kin!¡±

    ¡°Just because you have some amazing potential or whatever doesn''t mean they should imprison you! That''s totally a waste, ya know!¡± Em continued.

    Hearing that, Dun¡¯s ears twitched in delight. His switch was clearly flipped as he perked himself up and was in a better mood.

    ¡°I appreciate your acknowledgment, Master.¡±

    ¡°Don''t sweat it. I destroyed it anyways,¡± Em chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d take a ''Dark Elf Shadow Assassin¡¯ over a stupid orb any day.¡±

    Ignoring Em¡¯s offhand words that would make anyone else dumbfounded, Dun instead expressed his confusion about his Master¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Why did you destroy the Orb of Obscurity, Master?¡±

    ¡°Is that what it''s called? Well, I thought it¡¯d make things more exciting,¡± he explained cooly. ¡°Yeesh, seems like some grade-schooler named that. Clearly, my new title for you is much cooler, huehehue.¡±

    Dun gave a small smile at his Master¡¯s willingness to give him a title. However, his ashy cheeks slightly reddened at its embarrassing description.

    Dun could finally see the end of the dead forest after having walked for a few hours. In the distance, there was a lush sea of green forest trees and other plant life that seemed to be bursting in vibrancy and vitality.

    Originally, no one could enter, much less escape, the Dark Elves¡¯ territory under the influence of the Orb. But now¡­

    No, not just that. The very balance of powers in Solvenheim could change drastically.

    Dun pondered the implications of the Orb¡¯s destruction.

    ¡°Woah, a green forest full of exotic plants! I''ve always been wondering this, but do other worlds have plants that make you high?¡± Em questioned with anticipation. Stolen novel; please report.

    Dun stared at his master with a deadpan expression, not knowing what he was talking about.

    Dun could only think of one thing in that instant.

    And such a change is due to someone like Master....

    The Dark Elf sighed for the ninety-sixth time that day.

    ¡°I must apologize, Master, for I lack general knowledge of Solvenheim due to having been imprisoned for so long. Unfortunately, I only know of poisonous plants because I''ve been force fed them before.¡±

    ¡°Oof, sorry ¡¯bout asking,¡± Em rubbed his head at the unexpected response. ¡°By the way, how old are you again?¡±

    ¡°I am 1,067 years young.¡±

    ¡°And how long were you in that cellar for?¡±

    Dun paused and tried with great difficulty to recall how long he¡¯d been in that drab, gloomy place. However, as his mental state had been quite out of sorts during that time, he failed to remember.

    ¡°Master, my memory is a bit fuzzy so I¡¯m not sure. But if I were to give a number, I¡¯d say 1050 years, give or take?¡± Dun replied with clear uncertainty in his voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. And how about those Elders or whatever they called themselves?¡±

    ¡°At least 100,000.¡±

    ¡°Dude, you''re like a fetus compared to them!¡± Em exclaimed, amazed, as he visualized the significant disparity in ages. ¡°And imagine, a fetus that could beat up a grown man! Cooool. Okay, let¡¯s keep going.¡±

    Em pointed towards the distant forest and walked faster.

    After a while, the dead trees became fewer and fewer and dark green patches of grass appeared more frequently. Finally, the two stopped before the outermost edges of the lush forest.

    ¡°That was fun, but I think we should travel faster next time.¡±

    ¡°I agree, Master. It would be much more efficient when going to many places, correct?¡±

    Em shook his head and began stretching his legs and arms. He twisted his body here and there and did little hops before bending over and stretching his back as well.

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s just kinda boring. And it feels like I¡¯m letting out pigeon-sized droppings when I really want to take a massive shit.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Dun asked. ¡±Pigeon?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I think I went overboard with that analogy. I don''t think you get what I mean anyway so don''t take it seriously,¡± Em advised.

    ¡°It just means I don''t like holding back.¡±

    After finishing his warm-up, he looked towards the forest in search of an interesting location. What entered his vision first were generic fantastical marvels of nature.

    Mountain ranges, giant trees, plateaus, mountain ranges, plateaus, giant trees, more giant trees.

    Em¡¯s vision suddenly honed in on an obscene-looking structure in the distance that one would easily notice, especially amongst the faraway landscapes. It was made of a metallic material and began to reflect some of the blinding light of the now rising sun. The thing was humongous and stood proudly erect in an otherwise aesthetically pleasing environment. The rounded top had a slit and reached a height where one could barely see it, which was both impressive and disgusting considering what the entire structure looked like.

    ¡°Oi, elf-boy. I have a few questions about that. You know, the medium of copulation?¡± Em said as he pointed towards the structure. ¡°First, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Master. It''s the Dwarves¡¯ Palace Tower. I don''t know much except that it helped create the biggest and most prosperous establishment of the Dwarves in Solvenheim. It''s an architectural masterpiece crafted with the finest metals,¡± Dun answered swiftly. ¡°However, the Dwarves don''t live in it. They gaze at its ¡®beauty¡¯ from afar.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. ¡®Biggest architectural masterpiece,¡¯ huh? My god, now that I look at it closely, they even added veins!¡± Em screamed and shuddered when he further scrutinized the structure. ¡°Okay, next, why is it so close to the Dark Elves¡¯ territory?¡±

    ¡°The Dwarves don''t, well, hadn''t known, that the territory existed due to the Orb of Obscurity. They built the tower in the forest not knowing there were Dark Elves nearby,¡± Dun explained. ¡°They''ll probably be alerted soon, though.¡±

    ¡°Why would the elves let them build something so close?¡±

    Dun shrugged.

    ¡°Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer, as they say. It may be difficult for Master to understand due to your strength, but the Orb is more powerful than you think. This is especially true when it comes to mass concealment. That¡¯s something every race and nation would covet.¡±

    Em nodded his head absently, clearly not listening.

    ¡°Uh-huh. I see. Final Question.¡±

    Em made a sweeping up-and-down motion towards the structure.

    ¡°Now, why is it shaped like a penis? No, wait, I¡¯m pretty sure it was intended to look like one.¡±

    There was no doubt about what the structure looked like. It was far too detailed and textured to be something else. Even the two ¡°eggs¡± sat at the foot of the ¡°tower¡± in all their glory. Such a vulgar sight would not make youths feel the majesty and wonder that fantasy worlds would normally evoke.

    Dun winced at the question. He looked like he wanted to cry. But he took a deep breath anyway before giving a beautifully articulated answer.

    ¡°The Dwarves are known for admiring the external male genitalia. Men view it as a symbol of their...dominance. Women call it the ¡®P-Peak of Pleasure¡¯ amongst other...n-names,¡± Dun responded hurriedly with a trembling voice.

    Shiny pearls of tears trickled down his cheeks. Explaining the rationale behind the single and most embarrassing man-made construct of Solvenheim was not an easy feat, even for the hardened elf.

    ¡°What? So they''re perverts?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    Despite his mask, one could tell Em was making a face of utter disbelief.

    ¡°Do they want to compensate for their size or something?¡±

    ¡°No, Master. It''s the opposite,¡± Dun said, now aware that his Master lacked more in terms of common knowledge than him. ¡°The Dwarves are also known as ¡®Horsemen¡¯ in Solvenheim.¡±

    Em threw up his hands in exasperation.

    ¡°What the hell! This isn''t what I¡¯d imagined the first Dwarves I''d ever see in person to be like!¡± he exclaimed somewhat unintelligibly and angrily. ¡°At least the Dark Elves were pretty much what''d you''d expect!¡±

    The Dark Elf who heard that was confused yet amused by his Master¡¯s tantrum. He''d never seen him act this way before. He was also glad he didn¡¯t have to provide further explanations.

    ¡°Alright, enough of this disgusting conversation about the Dwarves,¡± Em proclaimed as he set himself up in a crouched running position. ¡°I''m going to destroy that abomination first and then continue my otherwise fun and pure adventure.¡±

    Before Dun could react, Em pushed off against the ground and shot towards the tower!

    A vast, deep crater formed from where he jumped, enveloping nearly the entire forest! The shockwaves caused trees miles in every direction to fall. Giant cracks snaked everywhere and a vast expanse of roots were upturned. Sonic booms rang out every second as the human projectile sliced through the air.

    Dun had already escaped into the shadows far from the affected area and looked towards the direction his Master shot off to. A horrifying and deafening explosion rang out a split second later. The whole forest shook and there was the sound of creaking metal that was accompanied by a second mini-earthquake.

    As the Dark Elf witnessed the destructive spectacle, he could only sigh once more in defeat. However, his voice was shaking in anticipation.

    ¡°Indeed, Master will flip Solvenheim on its head¡­¡±

 Chapter 7

    A human with a tanned and chiseled body sat on a lustrous, golden throne. He wore opulent, red-and-white furred robes with a sturdy chainmail underneath. A crown studded with precious jewels rested on his silver hair. The fact that both the crown and the chainmail were glowing accentuated his already kingly image. However, he wore a grimace on his face as if he was constipated while looking at some white parchment papers in his hand.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me, that although the Dark Elves¡¯ elusive territory was finally discovered after countless eons,¡± the man said as he rubbed his brows together in frustration, ¡°their Black Castle was found in ruins and the Orb of Obscurity was found shattered? And there were no signs of the Elders? Those stubborn cockroach-geezers?¡±

    The retainer who kneeled in front of the king nodded his head vigorously. Sweat could be seen dripping down the side of his face.

    The whole of Solvenheim went into an uproar after the concealment of the Dark Elves¡¯ territory was dispelled. Legends say that the lands there could bring a nation or race that occupied them to unimaginable heights. The resources were rumored to be overflowing and the mana concentration was astoundingly high.

    If it weren¡¯t for the Dark Elves¡¯ national artifact, the Orb of Obscurity, or the power of the Elders, Solvenheim would today have been in a constant state of war over the priceless lands. However, the Orb had distorted space and cast a strong concealment to cut the vast territory off from the rest of the world. This let the Dark Elves monopolize the lands¡¯ great resources and become one of the most prosperous superpowers today.

    But now that the lands were revealed and the Elders vanished, a state of high tension had suddenly developed. Plots of war and belligerence from the various races and nations meandered throughout Solvenheim.

    Many nobles of the kingdoms, societies, and clans of Humans, Daemons, Orcs, Beast Kin, Dragon Kin, mythical beasts, and many more were already preparing for armed conflict in a bid for the territory. Countless Dark Elves began to flee after hearing of the Black Castle¡¯s destruction and the disappearance of their leaders.

    ¡°Yes, King Atlos. But that was not the only thing that happened,¡± the retainer confessed meekly.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    The retainer licked his lips as if he was hesitant, but a glare from Atlos forced an answer out of him.

    ¡°The Dwarves¡¯ capital landmark, the Palace Tower, which was near the Dark Elves¡¯ territory, was completely¡­ obliterated.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± the king exclaimed and stood up abruptly from his throne.

    His eyes flashed and his face crumpled after realizing the severity of the situation. The retainer flinched at his king¡¯s sudden outburst.

    Certainly, Atlos was surprised that the Palace Tower, which was known to be virtually indestructible, was destroyed. After all, despite their weird fetishes, the Dwarves were still master craftsmen and they had top-tier materials to construct the tower.

    However, what alarmed him was that the capital establishments and landmarks of two major races were decimated so easily, and in the same area to boot.

    If it were just the Black Castle that were destroyed, it was more likely to have been due to a fallout between the Dark Elves or something of similar nature, considering that no foreign influences could interfere with their affairs.

    However, after a second landmark was destroyed and it was that of another race, there was now a possibility of an external force being at play. He suspected that the broken concealment of the Dark Elves¡¯ territory, the destruction of their castle, the missing Elders, and the destruction of the Palace Tower of the Dwarves were all connected in some way. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Y-Yes, it¡¯s true! Three-quarters of the Green Forest were even upturned! It¡¯s as if a giant monster passed through to get to the tower!¡± the retainer explained.

    Yes. This was what worried Atlos. Was there such a monster that could bring ruin to the Dark Elves and at the same time deal a heavy blow to the Dwarves within a short time? Or was it due to a clandestine group of powerful individuals? There were some secretive ancient powers in Solvenheim, but they wouldn¡¯t care about something so trivial.

    ¡°Tsk, those damn kingdoms. What are the other races doing?¡± the king admonished and clicked his tongue.

    If there really is such a being, shouldn¡¯t the Human kingdoms and other races bolster their defenses and raise their guard? Instead, the nobilities were drooling over the vulnerable territory of the Dark Elves while not knowing what caused its appearance in the first place. It seemed as though the powerhouses wouldn¡¯t take action anytime soon either as long as their homelands were not invaded.

    ¡°Warn the other races and kingdoms. We may be going after free food while a predator is looming behind us,¡± the king ordered his retainer before adding darkly.

    The retainer bowed his head and hastily made his exit. King Atlos sat back down with slumped shoulders.

    He sighed before closing his eyes, contemplating the general state of the world.

    ¡°Jacquelin, Raphael! Come out. I know you two heard everything,¡± the king called out suddenly towards one of the pillars in the throne room.

    A few moments of silence passed before two youths with mischievous looks on their faces walked out.

    They looked very similar as they both had the same distinct blonde hair and were equally attractive. One was a young man with emerald green eyes, sharp facial features, and a smirk that just added to his charm. The other was a slender beauty with long, flowing hair that was tied in a ponytail and a fierce yet alluring face. The young man wore a lavish green tunic and the young woman wore tight-fitting armor. Side by side, they looked like a prince and princess, and that they were.

    ¡°We can never escape Father¡¯s eyes,¡± the young man, Raphael, chuckled. ¡°I must say, though. It was quite interesting to hear that the Palace Tower was destroyed.¡±

    ¡°¡®Palace Tower¡¯ is too pretentious for that thing. Don¡¯t you mean Mother Nature¡¯s pleasure stick?¡± the young woman, Jacquelin, added snidely. ¡°For all other women, it is too disgusting to lay their pure eyes upon.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, Mother Nature is not that obscene! Also, I heard that Dwarven women brag about it and call it the ¡®Horseman¡¯s Dong,¡¯¡± Raphael retorted, ¡°amongst many other titles.¡±

    ¡°If I recall, the Dwarves¡¯ kingdom is also called the ¡®Procreation Nation,¡¯¡± Jacquelin continued scornfully. ¡°How fitting that their capital symbol was a giant penis.¡±

    ¡°Please, enough!¡± the king sighed as he rubbed his face once more.

    Atlos was somewhat helpless when it came to these twins, who were the eldest yet most troublesome of his children. However, they were also the most capable when it came to affairs like these. Even their personal strengths were just second to his own in the whole kingdom. To put it simply, they were geniuses. Magic when it came to Raphael and swordsmanship for Jacquelin.

    ¡°But why do they have to have such messed up personalities¡­¡± the king brooded quietly before regaining his previous commanding tone.

    ¡°You two, go and investigate the latest incident with the Palace Tower. You¡¯re the only ones competent enough to do so. Also, I know that you understand this already but¡ª¡±

    The king released a bit of his aura to convey how serious he was. The twins flinched, albeit very slightly, knowing that their Father regarded the current events as dangerous.

    ¡°¡ªdon''t be too rash. If you guys encounter the thing that caused this whole conundrum, you must prioritize your lives.¡±

    Atlas peaked his aura before making it subside. His fierce gaze turned gentle as he looked at his children.

    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± the twins obeyed with renewed seriousness. They liked joking around, but they also knew when it was time to work.

    As for the monster that had thrown Solvenheim into disarray¡­

    ¡°I''ll take two orders of nuggets, some fries, and a coke, please!¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry to say, sir, but we don''t serve foods by those names here.¡±

    ¡°Master, I don''t think we even have enough money. I only salvaged 10 silver coins back when I searched through the entire Black Castle.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me. I can''t do anything with an empty stomach, you know! Curse those Elders and their lack of a materialistic lifestyle! Please tell me that we could at least order something with those coins!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Slime meat!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Only 7 silver coins for two orders!¡±

    ¡°How does ¡®slime meat¡¯ even work?¡±

    ¡°I know not, Master, for I had been imprisoned¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, whatever. We¡¯ll take the slime meat.¡±

    ...Well, the monster was enjoying himself for now.

 Chapter 8

    Dunmer Elvrios.

    He was a member of a minor branch family, Elvrios, of the Black Castle. However, when it was revealed that his growth rate far surpassed that of the children of royal descent, especially those of the Elders, he was quarantined on the basis of ¡°tainted blood.¡±

    The nobles of the Dark Elves claimed Dunmer was a spawn of the Daemons¡¯ experiments, which explained his abnormal development. They called him a potential calamity to their kind.

    Of course, that was far from the truth.

    He really was just ridiculously gifted. As a one year-old, he could instinctively manipulate the forces of darkness at a level that 100 year-old Dark Elves could barely reach.

    By ten years old, he had escaped the cellars of the Black Castle at least thirty-four times and caused hundreds of deaths when they tried to bring him back.

    By one-hundred years old, even the Elders began to fear his endless growth. They considered killing him if he would potentially undermine their power in the future.

    But they had kept him alive to experiment on him in order to find out the reason behind his strength. Alas, they couldn¡¯t find out anything. They could only bind him with countless mana-restricting chains and throw him in a cellar. They decided to only use him as a weapon should the need arise.

    By his one thousand, sixty-seventh birthday, he had undergone many deadly ¡°tests¡± and was strained both physically and mentally. The only thing that kept him alive was his own monstrous mana pool and astounding innate abilities. Amazingly, the tests didn¡¯t have any side-effects besides ¡°minor¡± emotional ones.

    It remained that way until his soon-to-be-Master came.

    ¡°Hey, can I have this ball? Seems pretty nifty,¡± a masked youth had asked at the entrance of the castle, casually playing with a glass ball pulsating with a violet light.

    ¡°Who are you? How did you come into these lands?¡±

    ¡°What the, he has the Orb of Obscurity!¡±

    ¡°An intruder! Kill him and take it back!¡±

    ¡°Yeesh, fine, I¡¯ll give you back your stupid orb. No need for violence,¡± he said before setting the orb down. But then, he looked towards the direction from which Dunmer was observing in the shadows.

    After a while of feeling uncomfortable from the gaze, Dunmer realized the masked youth was staring right at him. Dunmer¡¯s suspicions were confirmed with the next words of the masked youth.

    ¡°Looks like I found a pretty good gem. Hey, do you want to leave this place and accompany me?¡±

    Were those words directed to him? If so...there was only one obvious choice for Dunmer.

    Yes!

    There was no hesitation in Dunmer¡¯s response when he heard the masked youth. Even though he replied immediately and he didn¡¯t know whether he could be heard from the cellar, that one answer held all the pain, suffering, desperation, and willpower of the last millennium for him. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The masked youth laughed in approval and faced the belligerent Elders.

    "Sorry, ya old geezers. I lied."

    He placed his foot on the orb before stepping down and easily crushing it. Then, he disappeared the next second. The upper halves of the Elders vanished. Before their remaining halves started to spurt a rain of blood, they vanished as well.

    ¡°Yeah, I think getting rid of the whole thing is cleaner,¡± the masked youth decided out loud when he reappeared in the spot he was in before, as if he never moved.

    Even in mana-restricting chains, Dunmer heard and saw everything through the shadows. He could still do at least that much with his overwhelming power, even with it restrained. He watched, amazed, as more and more Elders came and pounced on the masked youth. It was literally a carnival of darkness and destruction as the Elders tried to overwhelm the youth with pure magical might.

    Soon, the other branch families, nobles, and royal descendants arrived to stop the masked youth. The damage was unimaginable, and the Black Castle was in shambles. Their magic and spells were ultimately useless and it ended for them in the same, simple way.

    They all vanished. Even Dunmer, who spectated the whole event, was unsure what the masked youth did.

    In the end, the masked youth destroyed his way towards Dunmer and effortlessly ripped off his chains. Dunmer was in complete and utter awe at the being¡¯s power. The Elders, especially as a group, could contend with the ancient powers of Solvenheim. Yet the masked youth made them vanish without even a hint of blood.

    Dunmer was not sad that he witnessed the elves of the Black Castle disappear in droves. Even when his original branch family, Elvrios, was swept in the tide, his spirit never faltered. Even when he knew that he was not normal, both physically and mentally, he wanted to accompany the masked youth and serve him.

    ¡°My name¡¯s Em. What¡¯s yours, dude?¡±

    ¡°Dunmer Elvrios, Master Em.¡±

    ¡°Jeez, why are you calling me ¡®Master?¡¯ I only said you could accompany me. You don¡¯t have to serve me, you know,¡± Em chided the Dark Elf.

    However, when Em caught the fiery glint in the elf¡¯s eyes, he could only sigh, ¡°Haaah, whatever.¡±

    He went silent as he contemplated something before snapping his fingers.

    ¡°Got it! You¡¯ll be ¡®Dun¡¯ from now on!¡± he exclaimed proudly. ¡°Boy, am I a genius or what?¡±

    Em could only let out a sigh himself at his new name. But under the facade of gloom, there was a wild energy within him and peculiar thoughts in his head.

    I shall serve this man, in hopes of living like him.

    Hence, when Dun heard of his Master¡¯s purpose, he could only smile.

    ¡®Gather those with the greatest potential, even if you have to turn everything on its head to find them.¡¯

    Dun was truly exhilarated when given his first assignment. What he didn¡¯t expect was that he would do this job on a much, much wider scale.

    But, that would be far in the future.

    A month had passed since then, and Dun was faithfully completing the task given by his Master. That¡¯s why, at the moment, he had come to the Human kingdom Aquaria, which was known for their royal family. It was full of young martial and mana-attuned talents.

    As a being of shadows, Dun was the perfect choice for completing the mission of kidnapping ¡°potential inhabitants,¡± as his Master called them. He was a master of concealment and covert operations. Of course, he could easily deal with powerhouses on his own as well. He didn¡¯t know what his Master¡¯s goal was nor why he called the kidnappees that peculiar title. He didn¡¯t know what ¡°potential¡± his master referred to even though it could be anything. He didn¡¯t care. Regardless, Dun was excited at the prospect of doing things like this with his Master.

    Currently, Dun was sitting cross-legged in an alley. He was in a town far away from the royal castle of the Aquarios family.

    This is the last human kingdom to infiltrate. Targets of interest include King Atlos Aquarios and his children Jacquelin, Raphael, Sebastian, Arthur, Amelia, and Boros. Wow, that¡¯s a lot. Wait, does he have a wife?

    Dun suddenly took out a few papers. On them, there was information and background concerning the most powerful individuals and families of Solvenheim.

    Deceased, huh?

    Dun smiled in spite of himself.

    Then, it¡¯ll be less troublesome to take the last three in one fell swoop. It¡¯ll be harder than the previous ones. But it wouldn¡¯t be interesting otherwise.

    The Dark Elf smirked before his figure melted into the shadows of the alley.

 Chapter 9

    Raphael was explaining their findings during the past month to his father in the royal castle of Aquaria. Besides him, Jacquelin wore a hardened expression on her face. On his throne, Atlos looked grim as well. This was because of the strange developments that the twins observed in kingdoms, clans, organizations, and strongholds near the Palace Tower and beyond.

    ¡°Powerhouses, talents, and geniuses are disappearing around Solvenheim?¡± Atlos asked for confirmation.

    ¡°Yes, Father. Although they were few in number, royalties of various kingdoms disappeared. Even some monarchs went missing. Powerful mercenaries and those who were rising in prominence could not be found. Warlords, Archmages, and talents training for those titles vanished. There were many others as well,¡± Raphael explained with a somber tone.

    ¡°The nobilities of the kingdoms are only focused on the Dark Elves¡¯ territory. Those brain-dead fools were sending soldiers to the lands and fought like a pack of wild animals for the past month,¡± Jacquelin added coldly. ¡°They apparently don''t think much that the true powerhouses, literally the linchpins of society in Solvenheim, were slowly disappearing.¡±

    ¡°Father, I think you were right that an external force is up to something,¡± Raphael revealed his thoughts and frustrations. ¡°Landmarks are not being destroyed, but this is still a major development. Powerful individuals are possibly being kidnapped. This was done so easily and quietly too! How powerful must one be to do that and not be caught?¡±

    Atlos mulled over their words.

    Strength was the most important factor that determined one¡¯s position in Solvenheim. Although the domineering mana-wielders and combat specialists represented their kingdoms, they were rarely involved in their kingdom¡¯s actual political affairs.

    Powerhouses usually focused on refining and developing their own arts or fields of research. They didn''t care much for worldly matters and materialistic gains. This was especially true of the ancient powers who no one would see or hear of for centuries or even millenniums.

    That''s why the nobles who didn''t necessarily have absolute strength but were wealthy and skilled in wielding political power generally ran the activities of the kingdom. However, although they could control armies, they were still not as powerful as individuals with unparalleled strength.

    There were very few kingdoms like Aquaria that were purely combat-oriented. In the other kingdoms, those with strength acted sparingly and discreetly, protecting their homes from outside threats only if it was necessary. It was the nobles and common people that acted as the drive towards material prosperity.

    That''s why the nobles were excited over a land rich in resources. Yet they didn''t notice that their hidden protectors were disappearing.

    The three silently contemplated what these developments might imply, but they were at a loss.

    ¡°What are the motives of those behind these events?¡± Atlos sighed. ¡°Raphael, Jacquelin, it is too dangerous now to leave the kingdom. We must put our borders on lockdown, increase our defenses, and raise our guard against possible¡ª¡±

    I believe it''s a bit too late for that.

    The throne room suddenly darkened to an almost pitch-black level. The lights dimmed yet the shadows somehow grew and flickered wildly. The three then felt a stifling pressure set upon them.

    Raphael quickly struck his palms together and pulled them apart to create an arc of green electricity. Sparks flew out from his body and currents of electricity flowed around him as if he was a god of thunder.

    Jacquelin pulled out a rapier from the scabbard by her side. The weapon glowed with an orange tinge that exuded deadliness. Although her appearance was not as eye-catching as her brother¡¯s, her aura indicated that she was just as powerful.

    As for Atlos, he quickly stood up from his throne and lifted his fist before smashing it to the ground! The marble floor cracked everywhere as if it were an eggshell hit by a giant hammer. A huge shockwave repelled the encroaching shadows. The throne room rumbled violently and the pillars began crumbling apart. The whole place was on the verge of collapsing. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    However, the shadows soon coalesced again as if mocking Atlos.

    Master would¡¯ve been highly entertained by these meager displays of power.

    Black spikes budded, grew, and spread everywhere from the shadows. They soon became giant, deadly protrusions extending from the edges of the ceiling, walls, and floor. Raphael lifted his hands above his head and humongous beams of electricity formed and shot at the spikes. Jacquelin dashed rapidly towards the spikes and thrusted forwards with her rapier.

    However, both of them soon became surprised. It was no exaggeration to say that they could easily decimate the armies of the nobles with their power. Yet, the electricity instantly made contact with the spikes but dissipated just as quickly. The tip of Jacquelin''s rapier bounced off harmlessly. The black spikes were ridiculously hard!

    Atlos realized that whoever created such spikes from the shadows had monstrous mana control and raw magica strength, even greater than that of Raphael.

    The twins realized this as well and hastily retreated to where their father was. All the while, the spikes became bigger and bigger, slowly but surely closing in on the trio.

    ¡°Are you the one behind all this?¡± Atlos asked calmly but with a thick murderous intent.

    The mastermind? No. The kidnappings? Yes.

    The silky voice laughed and answered simply.

    I¡¯m here to carry out my Master¡¯s orders, though I am not the one to decide your fates.

    Before Atlos and the twins could react, the black spikes extended out rapidly! Atlos felt a sharp pain, and then another. Soon, he felt innumerable sharp pains. The spikes had easily penetrated through his chainmail and holes were made in his body.

    Atlos was shocked at their speed and power and he soon felt that his consciousness was fading at an abnormal rate, but he struggled violently. He smashed and bashed at the spikes, but they only shook and didn¡¯t even crack. He looked desperately towards his children.

    Raphael and Jacquelin were no better. Black spikes had pierced through their bodies in various locations, and they were pinned like butterflies to a wall.

    Despair and rage wallowed up within Atlos. He never would¡¯ve thought that they would be ambushed right before they realized who the perpetrator was targeting! The being they were up against was definitely a Dark Elf, but his power was ridiculous!

    Is he one of the Elders? But even I could beat a few of them.

    A thought flashed through Atlos¡¯s head before he closed his hands together into a double fist and imbued them with some of his mana. He roared mightily and smashed downwards on the spikes. There was a deafening boom as if a bomb went off.

    The strike was simply catastrophic. The castle was leveled and the ground split for miles in all directions. All that remained was flattened land where the castle originally stood, with the exception of a giant sinkhole below where Atlos had delivered the blow! It was alarmingly deep and the bottom could not be seen as if it were an endless abyss. It was clear how strong he was with just a double fist strike imbued with mana!

    This was also one of the reasons why it was dangerous for normal people to live within a certain vicinity of the Aquarios family. It was fortunate that only the royal family lived in the castle and that there were no nearby towns.

    However, only a miniscule, thin crack slithered down each of the spikes that held Atlos and the twins in the air above the gaping hole. They still remained intact despite that monstrous strike!

    It''s my first time having such trouble to do my job. I better knock you all out before you actually break free.

    The black spikes that pierced through their bodies quickly pinned them to the ground. They expanded and enveloped them in dark spheres of shadows. A split second later, the shadows receded and the unconscious trio plopped down. However, what was strange was that no injuries could be seen. There were only holes in their clothes and armor where the spikes were previously.

    Soon, a tall, gaunt figure with ashy skin emerged from the shadows.

    ¡°Sorry if I was a bit rough. Master told me not to kill, but sometimes it¡¯s very difficult to take the targets alive without fatally injuring them,¡± the Dark Elf apologized to the unresponsive trio on the ground. ¡°And...I think I might be different or more¡­aggressive when using my powers.¡±

    Good thing he was a genius and had ridiculous healing capabilities as well. That way, his targets wouldn¡¯t lose their lives so easily.

    ¡°King Atlos, you and your children are somewhat decent in power. If the others hadn¡¯t been in separate locations, I would¡¯ve had to make a slight ruckus and take them in a fairly rough manner like I did just now.¡±

    The handsome, gray-skinned youth let out a sigh.

    ¡°This is fun but,¡± he said out loud and made a bitter smile, ¡°kidnapping is also a tiresome job, you know.¡±

    He flicked his hands and the three bodies melted into the shadows.

    ¡°And there¡¯s still so much work to do.¡±

    The youth disappeared into the shadows himself soon afterwards.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°...two hundred twenty-five, two hundred twenty-six¡­or was it twenty-seven? Tsk,¡± a certain white masked youth clicked his tongue in frustration. ¡°Hey, can you guys stop moving? It''s hard to count.¡±

    The youth was currently in a huge, dimly lit cave. The rock walls were gray and rough and small patches of moss grew in some areas, indicating that slivers of sunlight had occasionally slipped in. Long, stone spikes threatened to fall from above. The sound of dripping water reverberated incessantly and intermittently. Besides the rhythmic plops and drops of water, only the youth¡¯s voice and the constant clanking of metal rang out.

    In front of the youth were piles of cocoons wrapped in metal chains. Like the bondahed blonde hero from long ago, they lurched back and forth chaotically. But unlike the hero, their heads were also wrapped in chains and their screams and curses could not be heard.

    ¡°I have to start all over again. It''s all your fault,¡± Em blamed the cocoons which squirmed and hopped like jumping beans.

    Suddenly, a tall, handsome youth with gray coloured skin arose from the shadow besides the masked youth.

    ¡°Master Em, I''ve finished collecting the last ones,¡± he reported before the shadows spit out tens of bodies.

    Em flicked his hand and metal chains quickly appeared, covering the bodies entirely.

    Gets annoying if I don¡¯t do that.

    Em thought and turned to the tall youth.

    ¡°Great job! It''s a good thing I found you first, Dun,¡± Em extolled the Dark Elf as he patted his back. ¡°Otherwise, if I did it, I would''ve destroyed three-quarters of Solvenheim trying to find these guys!¡±

    ¡°Haha, you must be joking, Master!¡± Dun laughed nervously even though he knew his Master could''ve actually done so.

    As one of the strongest beings in Solvenheim and a master of stealth, it was truly fortunate that Dun carried out his Master¡¯s goal in his stead. His Master was too whimsical and lazy to do things in a relatively quiet manner.

    ¡°Okay, I don''t know the exact number, but I got at least 200 here,¡± Em changed topics and pointed at the cocoons.

    Then he explained to Dun, ¡°Since Solvenheim has a population in the trillions, this is really not as much as I expected.¡±

    Dun made a bitter smile and said, ¡°With all due respect, Master¡¯s standards of ¡®those with potential¡¯ were really too high for Solvenheim.¡±

    He went on to repeat the things his Master told him before.

    ¡°Those who could lift mountains with pure physical strength. Those that could decimate entire armies of the nobles with their spells. Those known for peerless comprehension and achievements in the scholarly, martial, and magica arts,¡± Dun continued as he recalled the criteria Em gave him, ¡°amongst many others.¡±

    Dun glanced at the squirming cocoons and sighed as he realised that these kinds of people were now rendered helpless. He was also very impressed by the strength of those chains.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Eh, okay,¡± Em reluctantly agreed and realized he might''ve gone a bit overboard for his first world. ¡°Haah, then I guess I got a good harvest? This''ll probably be the first batch those two will have to train.¡±

    ¡°For the White Realm?¡± Dun remembered the purpose that his Master told him about just recently.

    He now knew a little more of Em and his goals.

    ¡®Training those with potential in an environment where they could grow endlessly.¡¯

    Dun learned that his Master was not from Solvenheim and was from an entirely different dimension. It sounded absurd even to Dun, but it was the only explanation for Em¡¯s ridiculous display of power, even if he didn¡¯t display much. How can such a being exist in Solvenheim? But Dun didn''t care either way. He just wanted to be by his Master¡¯s side and was actually even more excited by what awaits them in the future.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m almost done here,¡± Em said nonchalantly. ¡°But, I''ll go out with a bang! The state of Solvenheim is so much more interesting now, after all.¡±

    A cocoon happened to lurch and hop all the way to Em before bumping into his legs. Em gave an empty, cursory glance before swinging his leg and kicking it dead center! The poor cocoon bent at an angle and was blown away before embedding itself deep into the stone wall. This resulted in a loud boom and a rumbling through the whole cave. The cocoon twitched once before going totally still.

    ¡°Hold on, Dun. Let me just take care of this first,¡± Em said with a lilting voice as if he were taking out the trash.

    He reached out in the air and made a grabbing gesture with his hand. Then, he pulled down and there was a deafening sound as if something was being ripped apart!

    The tearing sound hurt Dun¡¯s ears terribly and he held his head in pain. A sudden, splitting headache threatened to break his mind. The unbearable pain was as if his very soul was being ripped apart! His breathing became ragged and large beads of sweat dripped from his face. The more Em made the tear bigger, the more terrifying the pressure became for Dun. He felt the familiar feeling as if his internal organs were slowly being crushed. Even with all his power, the Dark Elf gnashed his teeth to keep himself from passing out.

    Fortunately for the Dun, his suffering came to an abrupt end when Em finished making the giant rip in space. The opening was just a little taller than Dun and it was wide enough for two or three cocoons to pass through. Beyond the tear, one could see that there was a boundless, white space.

    ¡°Get used to this soon. You¡¯ll experience it more often if you want to accompany me,¡± Em chirped.

    The groaning elf nodded hastily and rubbed his body to relieve the pain. His Master began to kick the metal cocoons into the now gaping hole. Dun watched absently each time his Master swung his leg and a cocoon flew into the opening as if he were playing a game of soccer. Sometimes, he threw one like a spear and let out a satisfied grunt whenever it¡¯d reach the target. Finally, Em jumped and dislodged the cocoon that he had struck into the wall before hurling it towards the tear. Em¡¯s little game with the unfortunate captives soon ended and the cave quickly emptied out. The Dark Elf knew very well that his Master didn¡¯t have to go through all this trouble. However, Dun remained silent at the scene because he didn¡¯t care about Em¡¯s sadistic tendencies.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to a few of my friends, Dun,¡± Em explained cheerily. ¡°I need them to do a few favors for me.¡±

    Dun once again nodded absently and Em jumped into the giant tear himself. Soon afterwards, the tear mended together as if it didn¡¯t exist in the first place. Now, only the sound of water droplets and Dun¡¯s breathing could be heard.

    The Dark Elf stared at the space for a long time before plopping down to the ground wearily. He waved his hand weakly and the shadows gathered and clumped together to form a big body pillow. Then the shadows combined until a bed materialized.

    ¡°I...need a little break, I think,¡± he decided out loud.

    He hugged the pillow to his chest and laid down on the conjured bed. The shadows coalesced into a soft, silky blanket that fluttered over Dun¡¯s body. In the comfort of a dimly lit cave, he reminisced about his recent experiences and his new life before dozing off. Being a servant was certainly tiresome.

 Chapter 11

    A handsome youth in a white robe with a glowing, golden pair of bloodshot eyes stared intently at the available options in his hands. The option on the far right was the last one that would allow him to take no damage at all but could only be used for one turn. However, he didn¡¯t know whether his opponent would take a conservative approach and use something weak or go all out for a final attack. Should he use it now? Or save it for a stronger attack later on? He growled and bitter frustration took his mind by storm. There was no way he would lose to that slimy bastard again! He looked up sharply at his opponent.

    The opponent flinched when he felt the blond¡¯s murderous gaze lay upon him. The opponent¡¯s pitch black body clearly outlined his human-shaped figure in the white space that surrounded them. No bodily features could be seen on him. He didn¡¯t have a face, clothes, or nether regions. He looked like the silhouette of a grown human with pitch black arms, legs, a torso, digits, and a head.

    ¡°H-Hey Charles, I think it¡¯s your turn?¡± the black figure questioned meekly.

    ¡°Shut up! I know that already!¡±

    The one named Charles gave one last glance at the cards in his hand before picking the one on the far right and slapped it loudly on the table that was between them. There were already a few stacks of cards with illustrations of monsters, demons, heroes, and gods.

    ¡°There! You happy!¡±

    The black figure gave a sigh of relief. With his core now taking on a new form, Tim was able to do things he couldn¡¯t before. He felt much more comfortable being able to express his emotions this way as well.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy,¡± he responded before picking his own card and placing it on the table.

    On it, there was a picture of a small goblin with a ¡°+5 Damage¡± below.

    Charles stood up and threw his hands up in the air in anger before grabbing at his blonde hair in a frenzy. His golden eyes became even more bloodshot and he spat out a slew of unintelligible curses.

    ¡°BLOOOODY HEEEEEEEEELLLLL!¡± Charles howled. ¡°I WASTED MY LAST DEFENSE CARD ON A BLOODY GOBLÒ»¡±

    He wasn¡¯t able to finish his sentence as a humongous pile of cocoons wrapped in metal chains crashed down on their table. The black figure floated a distance away having already felt a spatial fluctuation. As for the blond, he had had the misfortune of being distracted by his rage and was quickly buried under the pile. Soon, however, a golden light shined from underneath and the mountain of cocoons exploded!

    ¡°BLOOOOODY COOOCOOOOONNNNNSSSSSSS!¡± Charles shouted, but this time out of panic instead of anger.

    His particularly brutal experience with chains had instilled in him a deep-rooted phobia of them now.

    Fortunately, the chains were strong enough to withstand the blast, but the poor captives were blown in all directions and their bodies rained down from above. Their bodies landed with loud thuds like hail falling to the ground. At some point, a figure dressed in an unkempt, beige cloak had appeared behind the still-panicking Charles. He raised his hand and swiftly chopped down on the blond¡¯s head.

    That little action had miraculously caused Charles¡¯s head to explode as if a watermelon were being smashed apart by a metal bat. The brain matter flew in a grimy arc and blood spurted everywhere like a broken fountain. Charles¡¯s white robes were stained crimson and his headless body dropped down to its knees before collapsing. Amazingly, the muscles and blood vessels on the neck where the head used to be squirmed soon afterwards. It was already starting to regenerate!

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that to your trainees, fool,¡± Em scolded. ¡°And how come you still use ¡®bloody,¡¯ dude? I thought that by now you¡¯d overcome that habit of yours.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Em!¡± the black figure descended rapidly and gave his greeting before he started to cry out. ¡°Where have you been!? I had to go through so much suffering with that guy while you were gone!¡±

    ¡°Nevermind that. At least you¡¯re still alive, Tim, right?¡±

    Tim shook his head, feeling betrayed and lied to.

    ¡°No! I died 1,247 times before he started calming down!¡±

    ¡°Oh! So you ended up finding out that those in the White Realm are essentially¡ª¡±

    ¡°Immortal! How is that even possible!? I experienced my first death on the day you left me by the way. Although Charles and I have decent regenerative capabilities, we could still ¡®die¡¯ once our soul is crushed by a being of similar or superior power,¡± Tim explained bitterly before mumbling. ¡°So I thought I died, but...I somehow regained consciousness somewhere else in the White Realm...I thought I wouldn¡¯t ever have to meet him again¡­but I did after one year...and died again¡­ and again¡­and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hold up. How long has it been since you last saw me?¡±

    ¡°16 years and 8 months.¡±

    Huh, since I wasn¡¯t here for about 2 months, the time axis deviated by around 100 times¡­not bad¡­

    Em thought that before he asked another question with a mischievous tone. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°So, were you ever able to kill the blond?¡±

    Tim¡¯s black figure straightened and he puffed out his chest.

    ¡°Yes, actually. 352 times, too!¡± he boasted and his forlorn mood disappeared. ¡°Although that golden abomination is a monstrosity when it comes to swordsmanship, once you die enough times by his sword, you can see a certain pattern! Plus, although he didn¡¯t die after our fights, he¡¯d sometimes incur injuries and I could finish him off when I revived!¡±

    Although it seemed like a grand achievement after considerable work and strategy, Em summarized, ¡°So you just took advantage of the White Realm and killed him by luck?¡±

    At that, Tim¡¯s haughty stance deflated and he sighed, ¡°Yes, I know.¡±

    Em smirked but was satisfied knowing that Tim was now able to take down the hero who he didn¡¯t even have a chance with before. It was clear that battling with an opponent of a much higher league had strengthened Tim tremendously. The White Realm was doing its job just fine.

    Em then revealed the reason he came back in the first place. He waved his hand towards the squirming cocoons scattered all over. Truly, those chains were the epitome of what one would call ¡°durable.¡±

    ¡°Tim, I want you and Charles to train these noobs. They¡¯re from a world called Solvenheim. It¡¯ll take some time, but I want them to at least reach a quarter of the power you had 16 years ago in the next¡­ half-millenium? Yeah. Let¡¯s do that,¡± the hopeless planner, Em, commanded.

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Em,¡± Tim sighed.

    Tim complied without much thought. There were a bunch of reasons for this. One, he was a being who had crushed many existences to oblivion before. It was a nice change of pace to actually witness and contribute to how weaker beings would consolidate their inferior strengths.

    Two, he wanted to understand the different ways one could cover for their faults and weaknesses when pressured by an overwhelming strength, especially because he was currently in that position himself.

    Three, he was was very interested in how they would grow in the White Realm. Em claimed that inhabitants would have ¡°infinite¡± potential, as absurd as it sounded. True, he had grown much in the past 16 years, but he didn¡¯t know to what extent. Maybe observing others can yield some clues that would intimate the nature and mechanics behind the White Realm.

    Four, he simply suspected Em would force him to train the beings in the cocoons anyway.

    ¡°Tsk, I wish I didn¡¯t have to see you ever again...bloody white-masked bastard...one day, when I surpass you, I swear I¡¯ll¡­¡± a voice grumbled.

    Charles appeared besides them with his head back in one piece and voiced his grievances. Even his white robes were sparkly clean. However, he averted his gaze and looked down at the floor when Em turned his head towards him. After all, who wouldn¡¯t be irked by someone who had easily bondaged you, turned you into meat paste, blew your head apart, and displayed exponentially greater strength?

    ¡°Nice having you back Charles! I¡¯m guessing you already heard everything. So, you in?¡± Em laughed and slapped Charles¡¯ back who flinched at his sudden touch.

    Charles grumbled more before begrudgingly nodding his head. For him there were also four reasons: he was bored, he didn¡¯t have a place to go back to, he also suspected he¡¯d be forced to, and he wanted to beat the crap out of the masked youth one day by staying in the White Realm. The last two were self-explanatory, but the other two were reasons he had ascended the worlds in his previous realm.

    He was an orphan. Charles was essentially the rags-to-riches type of a hero. He didn¡¯t have a home he was particularly attached to. Although he was regarded as a legendary figure wherever he went, he didn¡¯t have any friends due to his reclusive, belligerent, and snappy-old-man personality. He was a battle maniac, always wanting to beat up monsters, demons, and other strong beings. Honestly, beating up Tim was the most infuriating yet gratifying experience for him. It was difficult to battle the black being in the beginning until he got used to those endless tentacles. He was ecstatic by the end when he could beat Tim up easily.

    Charles had always pursued lofty heights of technique and strength until now. He loved the exhilaration of a fight, the development of his swordsmanship, and other manly, strength-related things. Note that beating up a few weaklings to train them was also on his list of things he wanted to do for fun.

    ¡°Perfect! Remember what I said last time? You guys will be called ¡®Guides¡¯ from now on!¡± Em explained happily. ¡°The first order of business is to beat some sense into those struggling noobs. You know, tell them what¡¯s going to happen to them. Where they are, stuff like that.¡±

    Em snapped his fingers and the cocoons gathered in one area. He snapped his fingers again and the chains disappeared, revealing a bunch of bewildered and angry Solvenheimians.

    ¡°Charles should take this. I think it will teach him to better control his strength,¡± Tim suggested, already floating a distance away from the disorientated bunch.

    Charles sent a sharp glare towards Tim and looked down at the new inhabitants. There were over 200 of them and many were of different species, with Draconians, Dwarves, Beast Kin, Humans, Lamia, Elves, Faeries, Lycanthropes, Orcs, and Daemons amongst numerous others.

    ¡°Some fresh meat, eh?¡± Charles muttered and licked his lips.

    <hr>

    Atlos and his children also happened to be there. The Human king shook his head and searched wildly for his children before quickly finding that they were alive. Although he was relieved, he was no doubt alarmed being taken to such an unfamiliar environment, as were many of the others from Solvenheim. They all looked towards the three figures in the distance.

    Two were on the ground. One of them wore a beige hooded cloak that hid their face in a dark shadow. The other was a handsome, blond youth in white robes. The third figure was human-shaped but totally pitch black and lacked any distinct bodily features except for the limbs, torso, and head.

    Atlos suspected that they were the ones most likely responsible for their current predicament. Those from Solvenheim realized this as well, and overwhelming hostility grew and was directed towards the trio in the distance.

    ¡°Who are you!¡± Atlos shouted boldly, fitting of his proactive nature.

    ¡°Oh yeah, try not to kill them, alright? I¡¯m too lazy to search and collect them all once they revive,¡± the figure in beige spoke leisurely to the youth.

    When Atlos and the others heard that, they quickly drew their weapons and prepared their magic for battle. They increased their murderous intent until it was suffocatingly palpable. It was obvious that the beings before them held ill intentions.

    ¡°Fine, you bastard. I¡¯ll go reeeaaal bloody easy on them,¡± Charles whispered venomously before he suddenly grabbed a scabbard that appeared in the air.

    He unsheathed a long, golden sword and the scabbard disappeared. The abnormal luster of the sword, the glow of the youth¡¯s golden eyes, and the aura he released suddenly made those from Solvenheim feel as if a whole continent was placed on their blacks. What kind of pressure was this?

    Charles walked towards the group slowly with a stolid look on his face. The group tensed as this being who held power never seen in Solvenheim approached them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go easy enough so they don¡¯t die,¡± Charles smirked.

 Chapter 12

    The first to rush forward was Atlos. He decided to go all out from the beginning after feeling the bone-crushing aura of the blonde youth. It was as if he were confronting a divine being with limitless power. Nonetheless, he charged knowing that he had to protect his children. He had hurriedly told them to escape and intended to serve as a distraction.

    However, his children were just as aggressive and protective as him.

    ¡°Father!¡± they screamed and were the second to run after him with surging killing intent.

    The others from Solvenheim were not stupid. Although they were peerless talents in their own world, they felt instinctively that the youth with the golden eyes was far beyond them. They guessed that even the ancient powers did not have an aura as overwhelming as him! So as with any creature with survival as their number one priority, a few already started to flee from the scene.

    Unfortunately, Charles was not so generous as to allow them free passage. He disappeared before reappearing in front of a shocked Dwarf. Charles glanced at the bottom part of the Dwarf¡¯s armor that was crafted to look like the long trunk of a small elephant.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never met a Dwarf hung like a bloody horse before!¡± he spat disgustedly. ¡°What the hell¡¯s with that armor, are you trying to show off or something?¡±

    The Dwarf in question didn¡¯t respond. Instead, the Dwarf regained his composure and swiftly swung a huge hammer that further dwarfed his small size [A/N: His overall size, I mean] towards the youth¡¯s head. Charles looked expressionlessly at the incoming hammer and didn¡¯t move.

    BOOM!

    The Dwarf smiled after hearing that his weapon made contact. However, his eyes widened at the youth who looked down coldly at him. It seemed as if the Dwarf had swung a foam hammer at a metal statue! Charles didn¡¯t move from his spot one bit!

    ¡°Weak.¡±

    That¡¯s what the Dwarf heard before his vision went black. The youth had lightly kicked the Dwarf¡¯s side and his body was blown horizontally. It travelled a far distance before rolling violently. The body stopped rolling after a while, twitched, and went limp.

    Those who were in the middle of making their escape stopped dead in their tracks and stared wide-mouthed at the scene. That Dwarf was one of Solveneheim¡¯s powerhouses, yet was defeated with such a light kick! Considering the speed and power of the youth, they realized it was futile to try and escape. So there was only option left.

    ¡°Kill him!¡±

    ¡°Surround him!¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Such a predictable mindset of weaklings,¡± Charles sneered.

    Atlos had also witnessed the scene and was similarly dumbfounded. Dwarves were known for their physical strength, and the one that was blown away like a rag doll was a legendary mercenary who possessed only slightly inferior physical strength to Atlos himself. Although that was only when Atlos didn¡¯t use mana, he was still not sure if he could deal a significant blow to the youth.

    ¡°And that speed¡­¡± Atlos marveled at how quickly the youth had positioned himself behind their group.

    ¡°Father...¡± Raphael called when he noticed his Father¡¯s grim expression.

    Meanwhile, Jacquelin and Atlos¡¯s other 4 children remained silent and tense as they watched the erupting battle in the distance.

    A Faery hovering in midair had summoned a giant shard of ice the size of a mountain and sent it hurtling towards Charles. At the same time, a Draconian sprinted blurrily behind Charles with his chest expanded and blew a giant, scorching stream of fire towards him. Two Beast Kin with deadly claws, a Lycanthrope, and another Dwarf rushed forwards after they saw that the ice shard and the fire was about to hit their target, intending to take the youth by surprise.

    However, Charles, still showing no interest, lightly flicked his wrist twice and the sword created two arcs of wind. One sliced the shard in half and the second split the fire straight down the middle! The Faery screamed in pain as both her wings were somehow cut off and she plummeted to the ground. The Draconian reacted slightly faster and sprinted desperately to escape the wind. Alas, the terrifyingly quick arc of wind caught up and detached the Draconian¡¯s feet from his legs, causing him to flip over and face plant into the ground.

    Charles next sidestepped and grabbed a mace that swung past where he was just a moment before. He pulled it forward and punched the face of the Dwarf who came with it, causing the Dwarf¡¯s body to let go of the weapon and shoot forward like a missile. The two Beast Kin, who had already arrived, jumped and pounced with their claws, but Charles twisted his body to dodge them. He didn¡¯t want cuts in his robe, after all. He roughly grabbed their heads in mid air and brutally smashed them against each other. When the two dropped to the floor unconscious, a looming shadow cast over Charles¡¯s head. He tilted his head upwards and saw a Lycanthrope with gaping jaws. But the snarling beast was abruptly jerked to a stop. The dastardly creature whimpered as an unbearable pain sprouted from his stomach and spread through his body before he was blown upwards by a punch from Charles. It was only a while later that the monster landed with a thud.

    This first exchange occurred in less than 3 seconds. It was clearly a fight between monsters of power. The mob continued gathering and bombarded Charles with attacks and spells that could collectively ravage a whole continent on Solvenheim. However, Charles continued smashing their attacks apart effortlessly and incapacitated them. He twisted and pivoted his body quickly to avoid getting his clothes messed up. It was as if he were dancing through a carnival of blood and destruction. Sometimes, he¡¯d grab parts of their body, whether it was their wings, claws, fangs, heads, or limbs (he always attacked the Dwarves from afar) and ruthlessly smashed them to the ground or towards each other. Other times, he¡¯d use his sword to make arcs of wind or skillfully slice apart non-vital areas of their bodies.

    Screams and explosions rang out everywhere. The mighty Dwarves were surpassed in strength. The spells and natural abilities of the Faeries, Elves, and Draconians were obliterated by impossibly sharp and fast winds. Daemons, Beast Kin, Archmages, Warlords, and countless other powerhouses had their famously versatile, strong, and tenacious attacks rendered useless.

    It was a brutal, one-sided clash of one versus many. However, it progressed to a point where the many were being swept away by a single battle-maniac.

 Chapter 13

    Atlos looked on evermore gravely. He tightened his fists and declared with his back towards his children.

    ¡°You must run. You must survive. Your mother would never forgive me if you don¡¯t.¡±

    Raphael and Jacquelin stood still and bit their lips before nodding reluctantly. This was far too different from when they faced the Dark Elf. In this case, the situation was utterly hopeless with the presence of the incomprehensible blonde youth. They turned towards their siblings who already knew what they had to do and resolved themselves with trembling eyes. They all held out their hands and Raphael began to feel mana surge within him. His finger sparked with green electricity and he began drawing a spell circle around the children on the ground. After he was done, he nodded his head towards his Father before he spoke only one thing.

    ¡°Fast.¡±

    And then they disappeared. It was not a teleportation circle, but one that increased their speed tremendously such that an enemy, no matter who, could not catch them for a specific time. It was an unbelievable spell only engineered and usable by Raphael, but it came at the unbelievable cost of all the children¡¯s mana and their inability to use it for a month, which was devastating considering how much of their strength was based on it.

    Atlos sighed in relief when he heard the spell go off. He was satisfied with himself. The only thing he could do now was hold back the enemy for as long as possible. When the number of conscious and able fighters whittled down to the tens, Atlos imbued his whole body with mana. His thick muscles bulged and he crouched before shooting straight forwards like a cannonball towards Charles who had just thrown away the limp body of a minotaur.

    Charles raised his brows slightly after feeling a wild energy quickly honing in on his position. The person with this energy was much faster than those he fought so far. After fighting such a boring battle, he was somewhat hopeful that someone could actually entertain him.

    So he stood there without moving an inch, intending to take the attack head on. Atlos appeared quickly right in front of Charles and madly swung his fist. A gigantic shockwave blew away the clusters of bodies that had collected around Charles. Those who were still conscious but unable to fight looked on at the scene, awestruck. They only knew one person with that kind of strength, and it was the one who was called a genius in close combat and mana manipulation: Atlos Aquarios, rumored to be only below the overall strength of the Dark Elves¡¯ Elders and the ancient powers of Solvenheim.

    But they were further stunned by the subsequent scene. Atlos¡¯s arm and fist was trembling and was locked in place against the face of his opponent. Charles didn¡¯t even flinch! However, instead of the usually cold expression, this time, Charles wore a little smile and stared straight at Atlos whose eyes held unyielding mettle and fighting spirit.

    ¡°Now this guy...he seems like he might be worth training,¡± Charles said before casually removing the fist on his face and gripped it firmly. ¡°Though I¡¯m restraining my aura and strength to an extreme degree right now, it was still somewhat decent.¡±

    Atlos didn¡¯t listen. With his remaining mana and willpower, he had quickly swung his free fist towards Charles¡¯s face. However, the fist stopped just before it made contact. Atlos¡¯s arm dropped down and he instantly blacked out. His body collapsed on a fist that was buried deep in his stomach.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°But that blow was still as light as a bloody feather to me,¡± Charles laughed and let Atlos¡¯s body fall to the ground.

    Charles quickly took care of the remaining stragglers and the general vicinity quickly became silent. That is, with the exception of crunching and drinking noises. A distance away from the fight, a black figure and a figure with a beige cloak were relaxing on two striped long chairs. There was a table of snacks between them. Charles gave an annoyed look to the duo before disappearing in search of the ones who had managed to escape from before.

    ¡°Hmm, it seems we''ve been forgotten. That was a somewhat lackluster exchange, as well. Mr. Em, couldn¡¯t we have just tied them up and then inform them of their current circumstances?¡±

    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s too boring.¡±

    ¡°I see. Also, what are these edible substances called? Good thing I created taste buds for myself, or I wouldn¡¯t have been able to partake in such delicacies!¡±

    ¡°Soda and popcorn.¡±

    ¡°Amazing!¡±

    Charles appeared in front of the two a while later with Atlos¡¯s unconscious children slung over his shoulders.

    ¡°Oi, Tim you bloody bastard. I only have self-regeneration,¡± he explained before roughly shoving them to the floor. ¡°Heal these brats. They¡¯ve overexerted themselves but I don¡¯t know how.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah, the concept of ¡®mana¡¯ doesn¡¯t exist in your realm, doesn¡¯t it!¡± Em recalled while munching on popcorn. ¡°Tim, heal the others too while you¡¯re at it and gather them up in one place. You¡¯ve got some work to do too, you know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mr. Em,¡± complied Tim before getting off his seat and floating towards the battered and bloodied bodies.

    Charles promptly took his place in Tim¡¯s seat and grabbed a handful of popcorn before throwing them into his mouth. Em titled his head and stared. Charles turned away.

    ¡°That bastard seemed to like it. So...Don¡¯t judge me©`Oh! this is bloody good!¡±

    Em smirked under his mask and asked, ¡°How¡¯d you and Tim come to peace anyway?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t. We came to a temporary ceasefire after I killed him for the 1,247th time. Although I¡¯d never admit it to the bastard, but it was partly my fault for overreacting. After all, I¡¯m the one that loves battle but he just wanted to defend his home,¡± he explained. ¡°By the way, what was the point of beating up those weaklings? I didn¡¯t get as much of a kick out of it as I expected, besides that one human.¡±

    ¡°To prevent them from acting up later on,¡± Em explained sagely and added with a chuckle, ¡°but mostly for my own enjoyment.¡±

    Em got up from his seat and stretched with a satisfied sigh.

    ¡°It was nice seeing you guys, but I¡¯m going back for a bit. Tell Tim to do the talking. And,¡± he said before dusting off his cloak, ¡°be prepared for more ¡®inhabitants¡¯ in the future.¡±

    Em disappeared, leaving the nonchalant Charles who continued ravaging the snacks. The bodies already returned to their previous states, courtesy of Tim, with the exception of damaged clothes and armor. However, the bodies were all piled up messily and Tim continued to throw on more ruthlessly, treating them like sacks of potatoes.

    ¡°Is that all of them!¡± Tim shouted to Charles.

    ¡°How the bloody hell should I know!¡± Charles yelled back.

    You were the one to beat them black and blue¡­

    Tim thought and looked towards the mountain of unconscious creatures and peoples of various races.

    ¡°Also, the masked douche said to talk to them when they wake up!¡± Charles called out before gulping down some soda.

    For those who were forcefully taken from their world on the whim of one masked madman, it was soon going to be the start of training under a hellish hero and a docile demon.

 Chapter 14

    He struggled futilely against the countless chains and tried to scream. But the only thing that came out of his mouth was a gurgling, distorted screech. Black blood spurted everywhere, flooding his windpipe, streaming down his face from his eyes, and oozing slowly from his pores. But they wouldn¡¯t stop. No. They even smiled deviously. Those old, wrinkly bastards never stopped poking, prodding, warping and manipulating his insides, trying to find the reason for his power.

    And the only thing he could do was let out a scream, a scream that he himself could only hear.

    ¡°NO!¡±

    Dun sat up from his bed in a panic with thick lines of black tears flowing down his face.

    ¡°You good there, buddy? Seems you had a little nightmare,¡± a voice softly cooed from besides him.

    Dun blinked his eyes a few times in a stupor and groggily turned his head. His eyes widened at the man in a beige cloak who was tilting his head. Dun hurriedly wiped away the tears and drool. He jumped out of the bed and with wave of his hand it disappeared into the shadows.

    ¡°M-Master! I, I apologize for my appearance, it was just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine,¡± Em dismissed and started walking towards an opening in the cave. ¡°Seems you built up quite a bit of stress. I¡¯ve got the perfect solution for you.¡±

    Dun blushed with his head held down but quickly walked after him. The opening lead to a long tunnel that sloped upwards.

    The duo then began to trek their way up leisurely. The higher they went, the brighter the tunnel became. A calming silence and stillness permeated the atmosphere. Gradually, green moss appeared more frequently. It was obvious that the cave they had been in was at least hundreds of feet underground. Their shadows danced and the musty odor of the underground world filled Dun¡¯s nose. Regardless, the two advanced forward while enjoying the pleasantries that the tunnel could offer.

    ¡°Hey, how long have I been gone?¡± Em suddenly called out as he strolled along with Dun following behind.

    ¡°I believe it was about only about 5 hours.¡±

    Since Em was in the White Realm for a little over two days, time had deviated by about 10 times.

    ¡°It changed¡­¡± he muttered under his breath.

    Then he shrugged and continued on in silence. Finally, the brightness intensified considerably until they exited the tunnel and the two found themselves in a familiar forest of dead trees. What was noticeably different, though, was the absence of the gray fog that had previously covered the entirety of the land. The giant, red sun beamed down relentlessly on them and the cracked, rotting limbs of the trees were clearly illuminated, creating a fallow color. However, if one observed closely enough, they could see thin, green trees, saplings, and little patches of grass starting to take root here and there. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Em and Dun were standing at the top of large hill. In the distance, they could see a a ruined black castle and a chaotic sea of creatures clashing against each other like giant waves. They looked like a huge mass of tiny, swarming ants.

    ¡°The nobles are so obstinate. They¡¯ve been fighting for a month now,¡± Dun snickered to himself once he saw the scene in the distance.

    ¡°Good thing we made a base here or we wouldn¡¯t have been able to join in on the fun!¡± Em exclaimed mischievously.

    ¡°What¡ª¡± Dun started but was abruptly rendered speechless.

    Em had grabbed Dun¡¯s arm and sprinted forward. He made large strides and deep imprints were made in the soil wherever he stepped. They sped forward while Em laughed with glee. Dun couldn¡¯t shut his eyes and mouth because of the sudden and ridiculous wind pressure. The skin of his face flapped comically and his body flailed wildly. In the span of a few seconds, Em arrived at the edges of the battlefield with an elf who was desperately gasping for air. When Dun calmed down, he could finally see the nitty gritty details of the battle up close.

    Warcries, screams, and the sound of explosions rang out deafeningly. Just near them, a soldier¡¯s head was chopped off by a huge waraxe held by a giant, furred beast. It gave off a mighty roar before swinging its weapon and beheading a few more of its enemies. Shards of ice summoned by Faeries, but much smaller than the one seen in the White Realm, were flying around like homing missiles. Tornadoes of fire enveloped soldiers from many races and kingdoms in bursting infernos. Red, human-like creatures with malevolent smiles, horns, and huge bat wings flew down and pounced on fleeing prey. Those who killed were eventually cut down, burned, or crushed themselves. Severed limbs and entrails drenched in bodily fluids scattered throughout the surrounding forest of dead trees. Blood of all colors soaked the soil and created a repugnant, sticky mush.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Em took in the scene as if he were gazing upon a field of flowers. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go off and have me a bit of low-key fun. You should too, dude!¡±

    Em slapped Dun¡¯s back before adding, ¡°And once the big fishies come, it¡¯ll really be your time to shine!¡±

    Em waved his hand to the dumbfounded Dark Elf and sprinted once more into the chaos. Dun stared at his Master¡¯s back until it disappeared into the raging sea of blood and gore. A warm feeling enveloped his heart knowing that his Master acknowledged his abilities. After all, the ¡°big fishies¡± referred to the ancient powers of Solvenheim. Even Dun ventured that he could only take on 40 or 50 such beings at once.

    The ancients of Solvenheim were legends whose names reverberated throughout history. They were considered individuals who reached levels far beyond that of the modern powerhouses and their accomplishments were mind-boggling. Some were even considered the progenitors of certain races or the pioneers in specific martial arts and magic fields. However, they were very reclusive and clandestine. Dun was unable to find the ancients because he was skilled in stealth, not detection. He was only able to kidnap the powerhouses who were famous across Solvenheim, but the ancients hadn¡¯t appeared for centuries and some for thousands of years. That¡¯s why in the end, the ancients didn¡¯t become ¡°inhabitants¡± like others.

    It seemed that Em decided not to take the ancients to the White Realm and instead leave them in Solvenheim anyway even though they fit the criteria for ¡°those with potential.¡± As for the reason, Dun guessed it was because he himself would have to battle them. Maybe as a form of training? The Dark Elf didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°That means¡­¡± Dun observed the turbulent crowd from his hiding place in the trees for a long time. ¡°Master will do something to lure them out.¡±

    Dun stared at the spectacular scene for a while longer before two black blades popped out from the sleeves of his long-coat.

    ¡°Y-Yeah, I think I¡¯ll go. If Master were to word it, this would be like ¡®the appetizer before the main meal,¡¯¡± he laughed nervously as he thought about the upcoming battle and disappeared into the shadows.

 Chapter 15

    Em¡¯s beige cloak flapped wildly in the wind as he pivoted his body and drove his fist deep into the face of an Orc. Its two, jutting tusks shattered like brittle candy and its body was blown into a bunch of Human soldiers. They couldn¡¯t react in time to the sudden appearance of a huge projectile and they toppled down like dominoes.

    He moved on to his next opponent, a tall, zombie-like monster with peeling flesh and long, sharp nails. It used its nails to cut apart its prey and it was abnormally dextrous and fast for a creature so large. This didn¡¯t stop Em, however, as he charged at the monster with reckless abandon. The creature snarled and swung its machete-sized nails at Em who in turn rolled and dodged and ended up just underneath the creature. Before the zombie could react, Em grabbed its legs and pulled in opposite directions, causing it to cry out in a horrid screech as its legs were ripped off. Em threw away the legs and went on his way, abandoning the squealing abomination.

    He continued these little skirmishes and left all his opponents incapacitated. At one point, a Daemon had thought that Em was easy prey as indicated by his unkempt, ragged beige cloak. Of course, Em sidestepped and caused the demonic creature to miss when it swooped down. He had grabbed its bat wings and tore them right off. When a Draconian tried punching at the nimble masked madman, Em caught its fist easily and broke its arm. When a Faery annoyed him by sniping with shards of ice from afar, Em used a little of his speed to chase after the little bugger and some of his leg strength to jump a few miles into the air to promptly rip off its wings. His battle performance was certainly eye-catching and those who faced him were left in pathetic states. Of course, in such a hostile environment, not many survived because of the injuries they incurred.

    But after Em crippled his umpteenth victim, which was a Dwarf he kicked in the balls out of pure vexation, he stopped his rampage and took out a crystal ball with violet, pulsating light from his cloak.

    ¡°Hehe, good thing I created a copy in the White Realm. This¡¯ll draw those fishies out¡­¡± he whispered before he rubbed the ball and the light intensified.

    The surroundings were brightened so suddenly and to such an extent that the few belligerent creatures that were still near Em screamed as they went blind. Em laughed as he felt a powerful presence from afar.

    ¡°Now this seems like it¡¯ll be a blast!¡± he exclaimed with a jolly tone. ¡°Dun, you better be ready, the first big fishy has come!¡±

    <hr>

    Meanwhile, Dun was leisurely enjoying himself in a different part of the battlefield. Unlike his flashy Master who left his opponents alive, the Dark Elf leaned towards brutally assassinating his targets.

    Dun gave a soft groan of elation as he pulled out his black blade from the neck of a Beast Kin he had just slayed. Its furry head fell to the ground and the body dropped into a pool of its own blood. Dun¡¯s eyes were now pure black and his whole body twitched in exhilaration. Hundreds of piles of bodies with cut off heads, slit throats, or holes pierced in their hearts surrounded him. He smiled creepily at his handiwork and prepared for another satisfying hunt when suddenly a blinding, violet light erupted a distance away. Dun felt a shiver down his back and his eyes went back to normal as he instantly realized the source of that light. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°The Orb of Obscurity...no, it feels more powerful somehow...¡± Dun wondered, stupefied, before he came to a quick conclusion. ¡°It must be Master. He somehow created something that only those with great power would feel attracted to. Even I¡¯m slightly compelled to go... With this aura, they¡¯ll most certainly come¡­¡±

    Sure enough, soon, a terrifying aura emerged and came gradually honing in on the position of the Orb. The battlefield which had been a mess just a moment before froze at the approach of this aura. The creatures who could control mana felt an inexplicable sense of crisis. The Beast Kin and monsters gave out frightened whimpers before turning tail and fleeing the battlefield. Even the Human armies stopped their fighting. Nobilities of the different races became slowly horrified by this increasingly overwhelming aura and came to a dreadful yet unthinkable realization.

    ¡°An ancient¡­¡±

    ¡°Impossible! It¡¯s been centuries since the last one appeared!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the Orb of Obscurity! I thought that had been destroyed!¡±

    ¡°Men, we must flee! This territory...it¡¯s a lost cause.¡±

    Cries and commands rang out through the battlefield. But before all the different creatures could act on their decision to evacuate, a deafening roar made them freeze in place. A giant dragon with shining, ruby scales appeared in the horizon. The Draconians began trembling and some even collapsed on the spot. The other races muttered in a stupor or shrieked hysterically.

    ¡°O-our progenitor¡­¡±

    ¡°Impossible¡­¡±

    ¡°The Great Dragon of Blood, Dugo...¡±

    ¡°Why the hell is an ancient like that here!¡±

    ¡°R-Run! We must run!¡±

    The battlefield which covered a vast expanse of the Dark Elves¡¯ former territory, starting from the ruins of the Black Castle, went into an uproar. The combatants shook themselves from their dazed states after having felt the inconceivable aura of an ancient up close for the first time. Daemons, Humans, Monsters, Beast Kin, Elves and the rest of the previously belligerent creatures resumed their hurried escape in a panicked manner. They trampled over each other with no regards to allies or enemies and scattered in all directions like giant tidal waves.

    Dun observed from a hidden location in the shadows. His mouth stretched in an even wider, creepier smile than before and displayed two rows of salivating teeth. His eyes returned to a pitch black color and drool dripped down his chin. The Dark Elf¡¯s body was shaking and he giggled maniacally. It was very clear that something snapped in Dun¡¯s mind once he felt the aura of the ancient. A surging bloodlust, uncharacteristic of Dun, bubbled and boiled around him.

    ¡°Show them. I¡¯ll show them,¡± he whispered seethingly and shadows from everywhere began collecting rapidly to where he was.

 Chapter 16

    The shadows gathered and clad Dun to form a dark, incorporeal armor around his cloak. He looked more and more like a black specter of death rather than a Dark Elf. He didn¡¯t have an aura like the approaching dragon, but he was an assassin. Stealth was a given when it came to him. And he was going to employ that advantage to slice the neck off that overgrown lizard.

    The blood-red ball of scales soon arrived to the battlefield and crashed into the ground with tremendous speed. The shockwaves were strong enough to send waves of upturned dead trees, mushy soil, and stone spreading in all directions. The fleeng belligerents screamed as they were overwhelmed by these waves of destruction. A humongous, cracked crater, kilometers wide, marred the landscape. The dragon gave another ear-piercing roar before a booming voice rang out in the minds of the remaining creatures nearby.

    The Orb of Obscurity. I had not known it contained this much power. Those Elders had hidden something quite powerful. Now, which one of you ants has itÒ»

    The snarling behemoth was suddenly stopped when a giant black blade emerged from the shadows underneath his long neck. It rose rapidly and drove itself into the neck before becoming obstructed a few meters in. The blade had easily sliced past the hardened, ruby scales but receded after having entered the lizard¡¯s neck. Dugos, the Great Dragon of Blood, roared in pain and a viscous red liquid gushed out. The beast started to flap its gargantuan wings to escape the sudden ambush.

    The wind pressure ravaged the already decimated land and pulverized the remaining debris of stone and soil. The survivors that remained in tens of kilometers all around were blown away like twigs in a raging storm. However, countless black, hooked spears flew out with black chains attached and pierced into the wings, jerking Dugos to a rough stop and rendering him flightless. Dugo was shocked at such a sudden attack, and one directed to him no less! Dugos¡¯s slitted eyes dilated and he quickly blew out a red miasma from his mouth. Dun¡¯s black creations, which had only taken damage to the extent of a crack so far, now rapidly corroded!

    Suddenly, a figure in misty, black armor rose up from the shadows underneath the Great Dragon¡¯s underbelly. Wanting to slowly savor a battle with a being more powerful than he had ever faced, Dun used a portion of his gigantic mana pool to summon a giant black hand holding a butcher''s knife. The hand swung from underneath and the tip of the knife dragged along the lining of the belly, slicing it open and spilling a mass of blood.

    Dugos¡¯s overwhelming anger was tempered by a mild anxiousness towards this enemy¡¯s power. His regeneration rapidly mended his stomach but the surrounding shadows spat out hundreds, thousands, and millions more hooks! They pierced his wings, his stumpy legs, his tail and his neck. Innumerable spasms of pain sprouted throughout the dragon¡¯s great body and he struggled ever more fervently, spitting out more red miasma.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The giant black hand swung a second time and the healing belly was once again sliced open! Dugos roared again and again as the blade gutted him repeatedly. Two more giant, misty hands emerged with butchering knives and joined in on the fun. Dun¡¯s attacks and Dugos¡¯s regeneration competed with each other. Dun stood there with his hands high in the air like some conductor of death. He teleported through the shadows whenever Dugos swung his tail or his claws, much to the dragon¡¯s annoyance.

    Finally, Dun decided to stop playing around and withdrew the hands, spears, and chains. Dugos was hovering high in the air and was left in a pathetic state. Patches of cuts and large holes could be seen throughout his once majestic body. However, they had already begun to rapidly regenerate. He had been taken by surprise and was furious that someone would dare ambush him just when he arrived.

    You bastard¡­who are you! I¡¯ll kill youÒ»

    Dugos was once again rendered speechless when a giant black guillotine shot up from the ground and trapped him midair. He was stunned by how fast it appeared and it was far harder than before. He once again spat out the red, corroding miasma but it failed to melt the black thing. Dugos flailed his body wildly but was unable to escape and his giant head was protruding outwards, like a prisoner being put to death. The dragon tilted its head upwards and saw a large blade just as wide as his neck.

    No! I¡¯ll kill you and erase your bloodline, your family, yourÒ»

    ¡°I have no family, lizard!¡± Dun had finally spoken for the first time in their clash and laughed maniacally. ¡°This was too easy.¡±

    Dun stopped Dugos¡¯s rambling for the third time as the blade fell, cleanly slicing off his neck! The Dark Elf decided to use a bit more mana and end it quickly after detecting tens of auras like that of Dugos. The dragon¡¯s eyes dimmed and its upper and lower body dropped down separately from the guillotine in opposite directions. They tumbled down through the air like giant boulders and rains of blood accompanied the severed body. The bisected beast landed with a crashing thud and a dust of pulverized dirt and stone flew everywhere from where the body parts landed.

    The first ancient to appear in such a long time had died in such a ridiculous and quick fashion. The Great Dragon of Blood, Dugos, never would have expected that he would be sliced in half in his appearance in Solvenheim after thousands of years.

    Dun recalled his guillotine and faced in the direction of the arriving opponents. The whole time he had been salivating and trembling in excitement throughout the battle. His pure black eyes were wide open as if he had taken drugs.

    ¡°Stress. Yes. I need to vent it. Master is right. Kill. I, I need to kill,¡± Dun stammered with drool and frenzied anticipation, very unlike his usually dull nature and composed bearing.

    Meanwhile, Em sat comfortably in his iconic striped seat with his trademark snacks in hand. He had witnessed the brutal battle from a distance. Em gave a long whistle when he saw Dun¡¯s abnormal state.

    ¡°The dude¡¯s not right in the head. Glad I got rid of those disgusting Elders. Don¡¯t wanna know what they did to him. I think fighting with the ancients of Solvenheim will clear his mind a bit,¡± he thought out loud.

    He took a handful of popcorn and stuffed it into his mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fun to watch too.¡±

 Chapter 17

    ¡°Dun, I thought you were supposed to be a freakin¡¯ assassin!¡± Em shouted from his seat, dumbfounded by the scene from afar.

    Amongst the arriving ancients, there was a voluptuous Faery, a savage Lycanthrope, a Woodland Elf, and many others. There were tens of them emerging from the sky and the ground. However, they were being bombarded by hundreds of millions of black spikes that shot from all directions. Dun was clearly not taking a covert approach! But as expected of the ancients, they stood their ground and retaliated with ridiculous attacks of their own. Each time the Lycanthrope swung his claws, the land was sliced for tens of kilometers and a lot of the spikes were split apart. A Dwarf had smashed down on the ground with his hammer and a disastrous shockwave blew away Dun¡¯s attacks. The Faery summoned tornadoes of wind and fire and multiple mountain-sized ice shards to completely engulf the spikes. The others responded accordingly and absurdly as well. One could go on and on to describe the calamitous level of this battle.

    Eventually, Dun appeared himself in his black armor. He stopped going with quantity and decided to go with quality. Namely, himself. He shook his arms and two black blades with ominous auras extended outwards. It was only a while until the ancients spotted him and attacked. However, Dun quickly melted into the shadows again as if he was taunting them.

    ¡°Coward! Give us the Orb, and we will leave you with your life!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be arrogant, stupid Dwarf. He killed Dugos, remember?¡±

    ¡°There are many of us. We will emerge victoriousÒ»¡±

    The Woodland Elf couldn¡¯t speak anymore because a black blade had pierced through from the back of his neck. It seemed that Dun tended to interrupt his opponent when they spoke in the middle of battle. No one had noticed a figure in misty armor emerge from the shadow of the elf. Dun pulled his blade down and sliced all the way to the elf¡¯s heart. He imbued a bit of mana and the blade branched and expanded and the elf¡¯s body soon had spikes protruding everywhere from the inside out. The spikes rotated like drills and the body was shredded to bloody bits of flesh. At least this much was necessary to kill an ancient with high regeneration.

    This all happened in a fraction of a second and Dun quickly receded back into the shadows after his little assassination. The other ancients were too late to react. They were alarmed by how powerful and quick this being was, and were also alarmed by the fact that such a being could be anywhere within the shadows¡¯ reach. It was a Dark Elf, no doubt, but there were no ancient Dark Elves in existence with the exception of the Elders. Even they shouldn¡¯t have this much strength, though.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    The bombardment of black spikes began once again and the ancients responded quickly. However, this was a feint. In the midst of their defensive actions, three more ancients were chopped to innumerable pieces in quick succession. In the process, the land became even more ravaged and looked as if hundreds of hydrogen bombs went off at once. At one point, the Faery was caught by a chain that shot from the shadows and she was instantly dragged into the shadows. A moment later, the shadows spat out a huge pile of blood and entrails. The Lycanthrope had swung its claws wildly and split apart a few mountains for despite its power, it was unable to sense Dun¡¯s presence. No one could. Its body was likewise sliced apart by a pair of black blades soon afterwards. It seemed ridiculous that the ancients, beings of incomprehensible ability and power, could not detect Dun. But reality was not so kind and Dun simply defied common sense, even by the ancients¡¯ standards.

    A few black daggers that were harder than the spikes had caught a few of them by surprise. Distraction was fatal in a battle against an assassin, so their eyes had consequently been gouged out by a pair of blades popping out from their own shadows. Their bodies were promptly sliced to bits soon afterwards. It was as if no matter where they attacked or searched, Dun would always find a way to divert their attention and ambush them from behind. The ancients couldn¡¯t help it because Dun¡¯s spikes and other sudden attacks varied in strength. Sometimes, it would be a weak attack that would act as a feint followed by a strong ambush. Other times, it was a quick yet overwhelming assault. Dun was unpredictable and undetectable, truly befitting of an assassin. Still, Dun would get an occasional cut or two due to the scale and number of attacks he would receive when he appeared.

    Soon, only a few ancients remained. The rest were left sliced and pierced and shredded apart into oblivion. The Dark Elf assassin was ruthless and didn¡¯t allow anyone a chance to revive. After all, although they could regenerate lost limbs and minor bodily organs, how could they regrow vital parts like their whole head or their hearts when it was cut to pieces? [Unless you¡¯re a regeneration freak like Charles]

    Dun emerged once again, taking deep, raspy breaths. Sweat drenched the cloak that was hidden underneath his armor. Some of his armor was chipped and cracked. There were small cuts here and there on his body that healed slowly. He felt lightheaded and was inclined towards hurling on the ground, but he held it in. Although he considered the ancients weak by themselves, they were still a hassle to kill when many of them came and attacked together. Bombarding them constantly with spikes, distracting them, and making sure to completely obliterate vital points of their bodies over and over again with powerful assaults would no doubt strain even his mana pool.

    Dun stared at the three surviving ancients scattered in different directions. There was an angry Lamia, a middle-aged Human with a spear, and surprisingly, an unscathed Light Specter.

    Three more¡­

    Dun thought and decided to kill the Lamia. He wanted to take care of the easiest-looking prey first.

 Chapter 18

    The Lamia hissed and charged rapidly when she saw Dun, dislocating her jaws and opening them a few feet wide. However, Dun melted into the shadows again and reappeared just behind her, stabbing a blade into her tail. She jerked to a stop but the Lamia quickly turned around to spit a ball of venom. Unfortunately for her, Dun disappeared once more and arose right in front of her open jaws. His shadow spat out hundreds of black spears into the gaping hole, piercing holes into the Lamia¡¯s head like a honeycomb and eventually blowing it off completely. The headless, woman-snake corpse fell and more black blades appeared only to slice it to bits.

    The Human had sprinted rapidly towards them from his position a few kilometers away after having noticed the Lamia¡¯s fluctuating aura. The moment he saw Dun, he threw his spear and it shot off in a straight path, right at the Dark Elf¡¯s head. Dun wearily turned to the incoming attack and barely tilted his head to dodge the weapon. However, a part of his ear was blown off. Of course, it started to regenerate, but somewhat slowly. Dun had virtually no mana left. If he didn¡¯t rest soon, he wouldn¡¯t be able to recover anything.

    Although the Human had missed, he sprinted forwards at a monstrous speed, as expected of an ancient. He soon came face to face with Dun in the span of less than a few seconds. The Human suddenly withdrew two daggers and swung madly at Dun. It seemed the Human wasn¡¯t a spearman but a weapons master! Dun could only look up and summon two black daggers of his own to block them. It was the only thing he could materialize right then, and he didn¡¯t have enough mana yet to enter the shadows. Only a head-on fight was left!

    Dun was no longer smiling and laughing creepily and instead wore his original expression of hardened indifference. The battle thus far had successfully vented his stress and memories of pain were subdued by inflicting pain upon others. It was twisted kind of mentality, but it was one that Dun had to live with nonetheless.

    The two danced and clashed with their blades in hand. The Human was clearly in the upper hand, however, as he was specialized in combat that involved weapons. Dun was more skilled in taking his enemy by surprise and using quantity to overwhelm them. Unfortunately, his depleted mana pool wouldn¡¯t allow him to do either of those things.

    Dun twisted his arms upwards to block an incoming strike but winced as the opponent had swung his free hand and made a gash in the weakened black armor. Dun was quick and nimble and he did a few back handsprings to escape the incessant assault. But the Human chased after, not wanting Dun to catch his breath, and threw his daggers at Dun¡¯s head and heart. Dun promptly blocked the projectiles but allowed the Human to come close and charge into his chest! At some point, the Human had pulled out two short swords and one plunged into Dun¡¯s chest while the other pierced where Dun¡¯s neck was. Black blood spilled out and the Human smiled in victory before letting out a ragged breath.

    ¡°Been holding my breath, damned monsterÒ»¡± the Human began but the rest came out as gurgling sound.

    A single thin, black blade had pierced his neck before it turned sideways and sliced the Human¡¯s head off. Once more, a headless corpse dropped to the ground. A naked youth with ashy skin was holding the blade before he plopped down to the ground. Dun tiredly chopped the body to pieces. He had ended the battle spectacularly and with an ambush that interrupted the enemy in the middle of a sentence no less. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Fake blood and a single blade. Good thing my armor had covered my body entirely,¡± Dun gasped for air. ¡°But now I really have no mana, no armor and just one sword.¡±

    He turned his head towards the Specter of Light. It was tens of kilometers away but was rapidly honing in on his position. It would arrive any second now. The incorporeal ball was leaving a trail of scorched land in its wake. Even from afar, it was a painfully blinding sight which Dun didn¡¯t like one bit. He weakly propped himself up with his blade and staggered slightly before regaining his balance. Dun made a bitter smile thinking that he, a being of the shadows, might die by the hands of light.

    ¡°Sorry Master, I wasn¡¯t able to take them all down,¡± he said and his eyes flashed with a glint of determination. ¡°But I will not fall here without a fight.¡±

    But before Dun could charge forth, a hand pulled him back roughly and he fell flat on the ground. He turned around in surprise and saw a man with a black suit, a red tie, and a top hat wearing a white mask.

    ¡°Nah, Dun, you did good job! I¡¯ll take care of it from here. You just rest up, buddy,¡± Em assured. ¡°I need you alive to come with me to the next world anyway.¡±

    Tears of relief and joy dripped down from Dun¡¯s face. His Master was truly a considerate person. This battle bore much fruit for Dun, both in terms of his mental state and his combat prowess. He felt much stronger physically and held better control over his magic. His mind wouldn¡¯t go berserk anymore when he used the full extent of his power either. Now, his Master came to his rescue, regardless of the reason, and intended to take Dun with him. Dun was truly glad to have met this being.

    Em turned to the Specter which had just arrived. Hundreds of beams of light started to form, intending to vaporize the two targets below. However, Em just looked up and gave a snicker before flicking his fingers. A horrifying, deafening shockwave rammed into the Light Specter and made it dissipate instantly. The clouds up above were blown away and the sky became instantly clear of any obstructions. The beams disappeared as if nothing was there in the first place.

    ¡°Now that that¡¯s taken care of, let¡¯s go Dun,¡± Dun said and walked back to Dun.

    ¡°Right now, Master?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Dun looked around. All that was left of the Dark Elves¡¯ territory was a desert. The ground was pulverized to dust and nothing of importance remained except for the rotting carcasses of the ancients. Even the nobilities, armies, and other belligerents vanished, having long been caught up in the battle.

    Dun realized that he and his Master had just toppled this world¡¯s hierarchy of power to an extreme degree. The powerhouses were kidnapped and sent to the White Realm. The nobilities and soldiers died as a result of catastrophic battles. Most of the remaining ancients fell by Dun¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Master...what will happen to this world?¡± Dun asked out of pure curiosity.

    Dun wasn''t particularly attached to Solvenheim, anyway, having spent most of his life in a cellar.

    ¡°I harvested the good crops and pulled out the weeds. New, better crops can take their place...I guess?¡± Em ventured offhandedly. ¡°Remember, there''s still the common people and not all combatants participated in this war. Anyway, that¡¯s besides the main point. I''ve decided to go to a pretty cool world next, Dun! It has, like, mafias and hit men and stuff...!¡±

    Em flew off on a tangent while Dun nodded his head. After a while, Dun plopped down to the ground and his eyes closed slowly. Soon, he started snoring. Even when Em continued rambling and started to tear the fabric of space again, Dun remained in a peaceful slumber. After all, it was the kind of sleep that he hadn''t had for a long time.

    Em picked up Dun roughly under his arm. Before jumping into the tear, he gave one last look at the vast desert of sand.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going now, Dun. Say bye-bye to Solvenheim.¡±

    He chuckled when Dun responded with a snore and waved his hand before jumping into the portal to another world.

 Chapter 19

    ¡°When I look back, I had a pretty bad blabbermouth, didn¡¯t I? I went on and on and on when I first talked to Charles. It makes me cringe just thinking about it. I think I also got a great naming sense now. I mean, who doesn¡¯t want a great naming sense? I named two dudes you know. Tim and Dun. Pretty nifty stuff, eh? Actually, why don¡¯t I call you Rob? It¡¯s perfect!¡±

    The masked man who still clearly retained his blabbermouth knocked his fist against an open palm in triumph. He was sitting atop the beaten body of a giant man with tattoos and piercings covering various parts of his muscled physique. The man had seen Em loitering around their territory. As a thug, it was only right that he sought to rob the stupid-looking individual in a black suit and a top hat. Easy prey, easy money, he thought. It didn¡¯t go the way he expected though.

    The thug coughed out blood and in a hoarse voice threatened weakly, ¡°M-My boss...will cut...your throat!¡±

    Em just looked down on him silently. His clean, white mask somehow gave the thug the creeps. Em leaned in slowly and the thug tried to struggle and escape but his battered body wouldn¡¯t move an inch. Soon he came face to face with the mask and the thug held his breath in trepidation.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your boss?¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°Tell me where he is! He seems like a fun guy,¡± Em laughed.

    The thug was hesitant about revealing his boss¡¯s name. He¡¯ll get lynched if the crazy man before him actually troubled his boss! Em seemed eccentric enough to do so. However, Em casually gripped his neck and squeezed hard, choking an answer out of the thug.

    ¡°H-He¡¯s Atahualpa, crime l-lord of the 5th District!!¡±

    ¡°How should I know where the 5th District is?¡±

    ¡°What!? But it¡¯s so close... I-I mean, yes, it¡¯s just a short distance eastwards. T-There¡¯s a huge skyscraper, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Rob! I hope we meet again soon.¡±

    Em brought down a swift chop on ¡°Rob¡¯s¡± head. Luckily, Rob only passed out on the ground and there was no bloody mess. Em got up from his place on the thug¡¯s back, dusted off his suit, and fixed his top hat. He leisurely walked out of the shady alley he was in while whistling an off-key tune and joined a streaming crowd of people in the main street. Strangely, no none seemed to mind that he was a wearing a white mask.

    Towering skyscrapers surrounded the people. Vendors were calling out loudly in a bid to attract customers and fragrant aromas meandered through the air. The main street was jam-packed with many people of many backgrounds. Unkempt hobos with shaggy hair loitered in the alleys and pitifully asked for donations on the street. Once in a while, there was a person with a suit or expensive clothing like Em who hurried on their way to their destinations, remaining a distance away from the poor. Sometimes, there were shady individuals with tattoos like Rob who growled whenever someone met their eyes. Other times, there were throngs of bulky men in black suits and shades. They surrounded important-looking people, indicating that they were bodyguards. Everyone avoided these intimidating bunches of guards. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Em gave a few slips of paper currency he found on Rob to a vendor selling kebabs. He thanked the vendor, walked away, and opened a hole in his mask where he could stuff his meat. When he took a bite, the juices, tenderness, and spice of the meat surprised him and he quickly downed the rest of the kebab.

    It truly was what one would envision as a bustling, metropolitan area. Em smiled under his mask, clearly enjoying himself in a new environment. He continued on his way until he arrived at the giant skyscraper that stood much taller than the surrounding skyscrapers. It was covered entirely in clean, tinted windows. The structure reflected the sunlight spectacularly. One would think that this was a place like New York City on Earth, had it not been for the fact that there were three, red suns and that the color of the sky was an abnormal shade of orange. The overhead scene was a clear reminder that this was a fantasy world. Em was truly curious as to what this new world would offer. But first¡­

    ¡°Helloooooooo!¡± he screamed at the giant metal gates of the skyscraper.

    Strangely, the crowd whittled down to almost nothing around this structure. The atmosphere was tense and foreboding as if it threatened encroachers and told them to turn back. The giant, metal gates were shut tight. Only a dreadful silence responded to Em¡¯s call.

    Em didn¡¯t notice this peculiar silence and screamed again, ¡°Anyone hoooooooome!¡±

    This time, a communication box on the side of the gates crackled and spoke.

    Identify yourself. If not, you will be considered a threat and will be removed promptly.

    ¡°Uuuhhhh, lemme see...Oh yeah! Your friend Rob recommended that I, Em, meet...Ata Kappa? Atar Hoolpa? Ala Poolpa? Yeah,¡± Em explained having difficulty recalling the name.

    We do not know anyone named ¡°Rob¡± and Mr. Atahualpa would not know a rude fool like you. Leave, or you will be removed.

    ¡°Aww, come on! I just want to get information©`¡±

    Em was cut short when turrets rose from the top of walls. With the distinct clanking of metal, they adjusted themselves and pointed their large barrels towards the intruder. A whirring sound filled Em¡¯s ears and continuous lines of bullets started bombarding his position from all directions!

    Em jumped back and dashed in a zigzag path, dodging the lines of fire. The turrets oriented themselves towards his direction constantly, spitting out a stream of bullets and destroying the ground and nearby trees and walkways. If it was any other person, they would have been pumped full of holes by now.

    But fortunately, or unfortunately, it was Em that these turrets were up against. He took his time weaving through a shower of projectiles and enjoyed his first real experience with automated firearms. The turrets couldn¡¯t catch him. Em picked up stones from the destroyed pavement and leisurely threw them at blinding speeds towards the turrets. One by one, they were hit with stones and exploded in a blossom of fire. Finally, Em stopped when all the turrets were taken out.

    ¡°Hey, can we talk now? I just want information, pleas©`¡±

    Em was again cut off when the destroyed turrets descended downwards and new ones, all in pristine condition, took their place. The familiar whirring sound started up once more and the barrels pointed towards their target.

    ¡°Fine. I didn¡¯t want to do this but¡­¡± Em muttered.

    He walked to two nearby trees and deemed them of sufficient size. The ground split and roots were upturned as he casually ripped them from the ground. He threw both of them like spears, and with the speed of tactile missiles, they destroyed tens of turrets in an instant. Em threw a few more trees, quickly wiping out the rest. He walked leisurely and stopped in front of the metal gates, and with a light tap, they crumpled and were blown away as if someone smashed an aluminum with a hammer. The gate shot forward and crashed through the entrance of the skyscraper with the accompanying sound of glass shattering. Scores of bulky men in suits and shades and assault rifles spilled out straight afterwards. They lifted their weapons and pointed them at the man in a top hat.

    ¡°State your name, affiliation, and intention, or we will fire!¡±

    ¡°Em. White Realm. Information. There, you happy? You won¡¯t shoot, right?¡± Em asked hopefully.

    Of course, the guards decided to pull their triggers anyway. Unfortunately for them and Atahualpa, this was the biggest mistake they could have ever made.

 Chapter 20

    Neon signs blinked everywhere along the sides of high rise buildings. There were no street vendors or poor people begging for money on this particular street. Instead, there were women who wore revealing clothes and thick layers of makeup on their faces. Drunk men with lustful expressions, rosy cheeks, and unfocused eyes had their arms wrapped around these women as they strolled into the various ¡°love-making¡± inns. The three red suns were now replaced with three shining moons which beamed down on the crowd below.

    It was the dead of night in the 7th District, but that wouldn¡¯t stop those who sought the excitement and comfort of nightlife. A tall, handsome young man in a black tailcoat walked with a refined gait and with his hands behind his back down the main street of what was known to be a notorious red light district. His hair was white and his skin was abnormally pale. Brothels and ¡°special¡± pubs were packed tightly next to each other. The man gazed upon these unfamiliar sights with a puzzled look. He observed the strange men and women. He didn¡¯t know that they wanted to drown their sorrows in the satisfaction of copulation and the warmth of another human being. From where he came from, pleasures of the flesh were foreign concepts, after all.

    Suddenly, a woman with at least a pound of makeup on her face approached the youth. She wore a red, silk dress which accentuated her womanly curves and cleavage. A slit on the side of her dress revealed a long, slender leg that would provoke the manhoods of any other man.

    ¡°Hey there, handsome. Want to have some fun?¡± she swooned and licked her lips seductively.

    The young man just stared at her with a bewildered look. The woman thought he wasn¡¯t interested in her invitation so she crossed her arms and pushed up her breasts. She bit her lips in a bid to make herself even more appealing. This instead made the man¡¯s face scrunch up even more in confusion. After what seemed like a few more moments of deliberation, he decided to leave and walked past the weird woman. The woman gaped, shocked that her seduction had failed.

    She pouted and angrily shouted after his receding back, ¡°Fine, you bastard! I bet you wouldn¡¯t even satisfy me, anyway!¡±

    The woman grunted once more and stomped off.

    I wonder what that female human wanted from me.

    The man thought and continued on his way down the street. More women in spiffy and revealing outfits called out to the handsome young man but he just ignored them. The language in this world was was not something he was used to yet so he wasn¡¯t sure what they were saying anyway.

    He was only told three things about what to do and what not to do. One, he had to refrain from acting out and catching any unwanted attention...well, for now. Two, he had to collect as much information as possible about this world¡¯s tenants, power structures, and other such trivialities. Three¡­

    I recall that Master told me to restrict my strength extremely...Now I know why. Strangely, there are only humans here and I sense that they¡¯re all so weak¡­This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    He shrugged and looked for a place that could potentially offer some useful knowledge. He didn¡¯t know what such a place would be though. The man was specialized in stealth, not the collection of information. Plus, how could he do his job if he can¡¯t even understand what the humans are saying?

    More brothels and pubs appeared. The high rise buildings became increasingly eye-catching and bright down the main street of the 7th District. The man weaved through the drunk and lustful crowd, but listened attentively to their conversations and unfamiliar words.

    ¡°Sexy...little butterfly¡­I¡¯ll pin you...the wall...¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡­you have... protection¡­?¡±

    ¡°Call me...horseman¡­¡¯cause...hung like one...¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s have...fun¡­in there...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pump...full tonight...baby¡­¡±

    Horsemen? Are there Dwarves here?

    The man¡¯s brain was far more capable than any ordinary human one. At lightspeed, his mind worked to infer the meaning of the words based on the context they were spoken in and compared them with other conversations. Sometimes, he understood snippets of the conversations of the humans. But the things he could hear were somewhat disturbing. After a while, he decided he listened for long enough and shut out the conversations.

    When he turned a corner, the man was surprised when he found a long line of people. Most were opulently dressed, which sharply contrasted the shady men and women who went into the brothels. The line was at least a few football fields long, and the man directed his gaze towards the cause. It was a large, squarish building with even brighter and more colorful lights than in the street he was in before. The golden sign read ¡°Queen¡¯s Casino¡± and a red carpet lead into the entrance. Two, bulky men in black suits and sunglasses guarded the marble double-doors. One of them held a clipboard and checked off a list as each person went in after the other guard checked their body for weapons.

    I need to learn the language first. Listening to humans¡¯ conversations in there may prove useful. I¡¯d rather not go in those places that excreted that disgusting smell of bodily fluids¡­ What are they doing in there...

    The man wondered about the brothels as he joined the line. He listened calmly to the bickerings of the rich men and women around him and waited. After an hour of repeated stepping forwards and stopping as the line slowly inched forward, he suddenly came to an epiphany.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯m on that list¡­

    He scrunched up his face after realizing that important fact.

    Master wouldn¡¯t mind if I use a bit of my power¡­ It¡¯s for the mission, anyway.

    He broke off from the line with inquisitive eyes trailing after him. The other guests wondered why the man in a tailcoat had left after waiting for so long. They then quickly lost interest and continued talking in excitement about the casino.

    The man strolled a few blocks away from the casino and found a nice, dark alleyway. He hid in the shadows, and the mirage of the man shuddered and faded to reveal a gaunt yet beautiful youth with ashy skin. The ears grew back to their original elongated point and the shadows squirmed happily as their master returned to his true form.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite troublesome that I need to do this to travel,¡± the Dark Elf shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll change form again when I enter that place.¡±

    Dunmer Elvrios melted into the shadows, just as he had once done in Solvenheim. This time, however, he was in a different world; one where monsters and magic didn¡¯t exist and where crime and mafias ran rampant instead.