1436 Beginning
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" The old woman who seemed to be on the verge of kicking the bucket anytime displayed too much enthusiasm. "Why are you here alone? Where is Miss Calamity?"
Varian didn't find anything wrong with an old woman living her life properly. But Seraphina trying to speak like an enchanting young woman in that groggy voice gave him goosebumps.
"She wanted to kill a bunch of rank 9s who are…as strong as you, I guess? I didn't stop her." Varian bared his teeth and flashed a grin.
"Hah. This little…" The old woman muttered under her breath but she soon smiled, showing none of the hostility simmering in her heart. "Little Varian, I am your well wisher."
"If you are my well wisher," Varian raised a brow. "Then I am your dead mom's daddy."
Boom!
A green tornado manifested for a moment before it was struck down by the defensive mechanism of the place.
The initiator of the tornado stepped forward along with her four teammates.
Her bobbed red hair visibly turned into a darker shade, as if it was reflecting her emotional state. While her purple skin grew multiple shades lighter, as if it's about to lose color.
'Anger. Anticipation?'
The emotions Varian sensed from her were worrying. Anger was fine but anticipation was not.
Princess Xeola.
Fiance of Prince Merov. Head of his current faction.
Granddaughter of oldest duchess Seraphina.
"Respect the deceased. If you can't do that, I can teach you how."
The earrings on her four elf-like pointed ears started to glow.
'Sensory deprivations. Son of a bitch!'
Even though he didn't lose to her last time, seeing her overflowing confidence was troubling.
"Please." A morbidly thin and pale woman in tight black clothes stepped forward, standing between Varian and Xeola.
"Princess, going any further would be disrespect to the Tradition."
"Don't tell me what to do," Xeola sneered but withdrew her rising aura and stepped back.
Duke Kriad and Corinthian stood on another side. And Varian saw a familiar face leading their faction's team.
'What the fuck is that guy doing here?'
Compared to the last time, he'd grown over half a foot in height, now reaching a whopping 7 feet. His lean muscles were now bulging out and one could only feel sympathy for his stretched out clothes.
And his skin, which previously resembled the sand of a desert, now turned into the color of a rainy forest's soil.
His once bright, black hair was now completely gone and he was bald as fuck.
In short, he looked like a fusion of a steroid bodybuilder and a sumo fighter.
Robert's gaze turned to this side and their eyes met. He flinched for a moment before flashing a grin at Varian. And then he made a lecherous expression glancing at the women behind him.
Veins popped on Varian's forehead and dust rose around him due to the heavy breaths he started to take.
Like an ancient beast that was waking up from a deep slumber, he hinted at the destruction that would follow.
"I hope you are well prepared." Duchess Serenthia greeted them as she approached with quick strides.
Following her was a woman with white skin, white hair, and even white eyelashes.
Princess Samantha Snow.
In a white combat dress that resembled her skin color, she stood out without even doing anything.
"Please take care of me." She bowed with a polite greeting.
Varian's team did not reciprocate.
Only Sonya responded in a flustered voice. "Let's do our best."
The backers of each faction stepped toward the vortex and took out a red gem. The fast-spinning vortex slowed down before slowing altogether.
"The mission must be finished at all costs."
Every team was told the same statement.
Before they left for the vortex, Duchess Serenthia stepped forward and ruffled Enigma's hair.
There was a loving smile on her face. A smile in which, even Varian's soul power couldn't find any hint of lie.
"Dear Enigma, I have so many things to tell you. So many places I want to show you. Your sister was lively when she was young. But she trained too hard…even though it's also my fault that she did. But you, I wish you can enjoy your life."
Enigma's indifferent expression broke for a moment and confusion was visible in her eyes.
Compared to everyone here, Enigma was the most sensitive to emotions even though she herself showed the least of them.
Perhaps that's why, she was able to sense the intensity and integrity of Serenthia's emotions.
The love she held towards her children…even the sister of her daughter wasn't a lie.
Enigma glanced at Varian and like always, her eyes showed what she was feeling.
Varian quickly grabbed her hand and said. "We'll get going then."
Without waiting for permission, he strode toward the vortex and disappeared into it.
Serenthia pursed her lips and a small sigh escaped her lips. "Alas, the final goodbye is too short."
As if she heard her words, Samantha, who was about to enter the vortex, turned around and gave her a smile.
Even though her lips didn't move, what she wanted to say was conveyed through her eyes.
Samantha nodded.
If a soul awakener was here, he could easily tell.
The thing they were both thinking was the same statement.
'For Equality'.
"Hey, hey, what the hell is happening?"
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
Cradle, the synthetic world, was a place filled with mists. White mists, red mists, pink mists—every color in the spectrum was found.
The natural beauty of this place—rivers, mountains, forests, valleys—was overflowing.
When Varian just entered and was appreciating the scenery, the sky started to rumble, as if it was about to fall.
Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
It continued for a few more seconds.
Sarah and Enigma prepared themselves for a dangerous situation while Sonya panicked.
Only Samantha seemed fine. But to not look suspicious, she put on a confused expression.
'Cradle has become too fragile. A bunch of rank 8s entered and it's already shaking this much. No wonder the duchess refused to send a rank 9 for her mission.'
But this intensity of disturbance made one thing clear.
She's not the only rank 8 who entered.
Every time had a rank 8. And a strong rank 8 at that.
They too should've realized this by now.
The only ones who didn't know the danger they were in were Varian and his teammates.
