Chapter 554 - Ascent

As the referee announced the beginning of the duel, Emma's heart clenched and almost leaped out of her throat. She knew more than anyone how strong Arlo Starli was with his manipulation of steel.

His ability gave him a special status in his home country, Orlan, which were known for their technology. In addition, he was also the son of the prime minister, whose resources were enough to keep Arlo in the first place all this time.

"Are you worried, my love?" whispered Caleb in her ear with an unhidden glee. Emma closed her eyes to avoid seeing the sight before her, as her heart was torn apart. But then, she remembered her first and only friend.

Arthur Silvera was the only person she met who didn't judge her, nor did he seek to make use of her. When she was with him, Emma felt at ease, and there was nothing he said that made her feel unsafe. This was quite the opposite to her fiancé Caleb.

However, after she lost her friend most unexpectedly, Emma fell into dark feelings she had never had before. It was then that her ability evolved, and the darkness was replaced by unwavering belief.

Now, however, she was not sure about what to do, contrary to the case of Arthur Silvera and her unwavering belief of his return. Then, finally, the sound of countless swords screeched as they rose from the steel floor, and Emma snapped her eyes open.

"Stop this madness," she jerked his hand away from hers as she shouted. "Otherwise, I will never help the Yalen Family again."

"Are you ordering me?" Prince Caleb stared at his hand before glaring at her. His eyes were wrathful, as if a disobedient dog had bitten him after feeding it. "I need you to remember that we hold the fate of countless people that you care about."

Emma bit her lips as the prince threatened. Even though she told herself that she needed to be a queen to make a difference, it didn't feel like she would be more than an enslaved person at this rate.

"Furthermore," smiled Prince Caleb. "It is too late for me to stop it."

His words sent her to the most bottomless pits as she turned toward the arena. The crowd was cheering as the fight began, and Arlo raised his arms toward the sky. The swords he created hummed in resonance while floating to surround him.

"I will not let you forfeit!" shouted Arlo as he brought his hands down. The countless swords all answered his wishes and darted toward Alexie, who was standing there with a smile.

"I was not planning to do so, kiddo."

After that arrogant sentence, the tens of swords descended simultaneously toward the unmovable man. Emma took a step forward while reaching her hands out, but Caleb appeared beside her to hold it.

"This was meant to be from the moment he opposed me," said Caleb with a smile while pulling her toward him. "All those who stand against me will meet their deaths."

"This will be the end, Alexie!" shouted Arlo as he grinned. "Your foolishness will be the death of you!"

The swords descended on the arena, and the wave of destruction shook the coliseum. A dust cloud rose as the floor caved in, blinding everyone's view. The crowd was silent as they realized that the fight was over.

"I am not a cruel man," said Caleb while pulling her face toward him instead of the arena. "I am only cruel to those who touch my woman."

"Are you sure about that?" a voice came from the arena, and the two snapped their heads toward it. A figure landed in front of Arlo, who was steeled to the teeth, without a speck of dust on him. "Fly for me, metallic kid."

A whistle rang in her ear as Emma stared at the two fighters. Then, something flashed before a powerful force pushed her back. The floating room began tilting to the side as the sunlight slipped inside the cabinet.

The sound of a crumbling wall falling to the ground made her snap out of her daze as she opened her eyes. Emma watched a metallic stack to the wall in front of her, looking like a silver ball. Then, the surface tilted forward before falling to the arena.

Emma and the Prince stared at the hole that appeared in the wall in front of them. As they looked down, they found the culprit of this attack looking at them with a smile.

"I apologize for interrupting," waved the man with blonde hair at them, his smile dazzling. "It just so happened that you were sitting there."

"...this disrespectful bastard..." Prince Caleb was fuming with anger as Emma tried to hold back her laugh. However, it was then that Arlo landed on the ground like a cannonball, creating a deep crater in the arena.

The crowd was speechless, and no one cheered or shouted. The silence was too much to be a coincidence as if everyone had agreed beforehand to shut their mouths.

Alexie Linan seemed unaware of the shock he created as he started walking toward the crater in the middle of the arena. As the dust settled, it revealed Arlo trying to rise from the ground.

"Cough..." he coughed blood from his steel-covered mouth. "I... don't understand... how did you..."

"There is no need to understand, Arlo," said Alexie as he jumped into the crater to land in front of him. "You are weaker. That is the undeniable truth."

"You are cheating..." said the metallic man as he glared at Alexie with bloodshot eyes. "There is no way that you are this strong!" he shouted with a hoarse voice. "I am the first ranker!"

"Because I allowed you to be," sighed Alexie as he crouched down and grabbed Arlo from his hair. "Admit defeat, or you will suffer."

"I..." Arlo glared as he gritted his teeth, "will never yield."

A sword flew from the side to pierce Alexie through his neck as he finished his words. The crowd gasped as they leaned back in their chairs, but the attack reached him in an instant.

The sword's tip was about to cut Alexie's throat cleanly when it stopped. The blonde man gave a wide grin while maintaining eye contact with Arlo.

"Is this the attack you were going to defeat me with, Arlo?" he asked while holding the sword from the blade, but the sharp edge did not cut through his skin. "True strength comes from unbreakable resolve, unlike this sword."

Alexie tightened his hand around the sword, and it broke in half as if it was made of stone. Arlo stared at the scene with trembling, confused eyes because he knew better than anyone what it meant.

"I want to know if this was worth what you have been promised, Arlo," sighed Alexie as he grabbed the metallic man's neck before raising him through the air. "You have tainted your path with cruelty and dishonor, and I wonder if it was worth it."

"Let... go..." demanded Arlo as he started struggling to break free from his grasp, but it was futile. Alexie Linan walked out of the crater while holding a man high in the air as if he was a chicken.

"This is the first ranker that all of you expected to defeat me," said Alexie as he stood in front of the crowd, his opponent still struggling. "I am tired of this place and this world."

Emma felt her heart shake as she heard his words, and her tears gathered in her eyes. His voice was broken and tired, and it made her wonder what he has faced.

"I will try to make the world a better place," he declared as his eyes rose to look at the crowd and then at the cameras broadcasting this fight around the world. "For this, I will leave Jerano to create a guild."

The announcement made Emma tremble, and it resonated with her desire to change the world. However, like many others, no one tried to do it as Alexie did.

"All of the guilds here can bear witness to my words," smiled the madman. "I will dethrone you. However, I cannot do it alone. I need allies who want to make tomorrow a better place. I want allies who want to rise higher than the untouchable gods."

"Don't do this, Alexie," a figure jumped on the arena to land in front of him. It was none other than the Divine Swordsman, Yurirl. "You are making an enemy out of everyone. There is no need to offend every guild."

"You are invited too, Yurirl," smiled Alexie as if he did not hear his words. The Divine Swordsman stared with shock. "You are a good man, and the worlds need you now more than ever."

"...this man is crazy," a guild captain said aloud, and it began the uproar from the crowd. The quiet coliseum turned noisy that Emma couldn't hear her thoughts anymore.

Alexie stared at the crowd before he raised Arlo high in the air and brought him down, slamming him to the floor. The impact forced the public to close their mouths, and Alexie finally let go of his opponent.

"I am not crazy, and I don't mean to offend the other guilds," grinned Alexie as he raised his hand. "However, the strong respect ambitions and bravery. I want to prove my ambitions to those who wish to join me.. My guild is called Ascent, and it will become the strongest existence in the world."