Chapter 699 Call Me Ai

Chapter 699 Call Me Ai　　The Ilios Empire was different from the Theocracy of Shon. While there were some similarities, the empire was different in its culture. It was the south region of the continent, bordering the Yalveran Union and Janea.

Its cities were all built in the shape of a ring, with great walls protecting them. It was said that these walls were created by the emperor, who used unimaginable strength to erect them. However, no one knew for sure.

Ilios had another name that befitted it: Land of Strength. This empire was built solely on individual strength. Therefore, when Amelio appeared, it caused quite a stir because the man who defeated him was recognized and respected by the masses.

Men and women training daily to grow stronger were now admiring a criminal, so the empire had to make an example. Therefore, it announced that whoever had such thoughts or cooperated with Arthur Silvera would be executed. A series of public execution took place as a result.

A certain area north of the capital, Selene, was a rocky path infested with dungeons. It was called the land of trials, visited by knights, guilds, and whoever could lift a sword. It was said that whoever reached the other end would be invited to join the Holy Knights.

A young woman stood at the beginning of this path, wearing nothing but light leather armor. She had a helmet over her head that covered her face. However, she stood out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the warriors.

A man approached her as she was staring at the giant hole in the rocky path. Her body turned toward him when he walked her way, and she was prepared to strike at any moment. However, the slithery man stopped while raising his hands and sticking out his tongue.

"Take it easy, bearer," said the man who looked anything but trustable. "I just wanted to warn you that inside these challenges, there is no one to save you, not even that old holy knight. A group of these men doesn't mind striking down an old foe."

"As if you would warn me out of kindness," the woman unsheathed her sword as she glared at him. "I still have to take back what you took from me."

"You are a fool for making an enemy out of everyone you meet. I have one word for you:  compromise. Lower your head when it needs to be lowered, and be a good girl. Not all of us are as kind as me."

"Leave, rattlesnake," spat the woman at him, and the man's smile disappeared. Then, he walked away while shaking his head. The woman lowered her sword, but she could feel the eyes of the rest turn her way.

"As if I would lower my head to any of these scums," muttered the woman to herself. But then, an earthquake started shaking the ground they stood upon, and the warriors knew it was time for their first trial.

All of them dragged their weapons toward the giant hole in the small mountain. It was the first trial: Swords of Stone. The woman rushed to enter the trial, where she found giant swords that appeared from the ground.

This was the first of the dungeons this path had. It was a gateway to the rest of them, as the ones who could break the swords were the only ones allowed to advance past this point. There were almost fifty swords in general, and there were fifty warriors.

This rule of the trials made it impossible to access by the public. Therefore, the guild that bought the rights for this dungeon organized some sort of a lottery to access the trials for a certain price.

As she stood in front of one of the swords, the woman knew that this was her chance to be a part of the Holy Knights. Then, the entrance closed behind them, and water began to gush from the holes in the walls.

The warriors didn't dilly-dally and began attacking the sword. The water started filling the giant cave, and the big swords in front of them were the only exit. A few swords broke as soon as the entrance closed, and the warriors began teleporting out of the dungeon.

As for the woman, she was still standing in the same stance. Her style differed from the others, which could raise their stats for long periods. She could only do that when her attack connected and she needed to prepare.

"You carry a scary face, Layla!" shouted a voice behind her. The woman named Layla turned toward the source and found the slippery guy from earlier walking toward her with his gang. She gnashed her teeth as she remembered the events of the day before.

"Fights inside the trial grounds are punishable by death!" shouted Layla, but the men stared at each other and laughed. "Are you out of your minds?!"

"Shush, woman," said the leader as he took out a dagger and licked it. "We are simply serving justice. Furthermore, the dead cannot talk. Everyone here agreed that a bearer of weakness is an eyesore on the trial grounds."

Layla paused as she looked around. None of the participants gave her a second glance, even though she was targeted. It seems to be an agreement to eliminate her.

"I may fall, but not without a fight. Prepare to lose your lives, criminals!" shouted Layla as she rushed forward. The men snickered and surrounded her, each attacking from a different side.

***

Layla lost.

As her tears streamed down her face, stinging the wounds on her face, Layla floated atop the water. It had already covered the sword she was supposed to break, but it remained standing. It was the only one among the other fifty.

"Why is it always me?" she asked in the empty cave, slowly filling with water. "I trained, gathered the money, and challenged my fate. However, I always seem to lose. Is this mark… truly a curse?"

The water was raising her body toward the ceiling. After a few minutes, there won't be any air left for her. Then, Layla would drown. As she realized her imminent death, Layla wiped away her tears before taking a deep breath. Then, she dived straight toward the sword.

Her body could barely move, not to mention swim. The goal of this trial is that it became harder to clear the more she wasted time. Those bastards knew that. However, she refused to die– not yet, at least.

Layla dived toward the sword, and she gripped her broken weapon. There was a slim chance that she could still do this, but she had to try. Otherwise, that old twig would never forgive her. He was waiting for her.

Her mana made the water sizzle, and Layla closed her eyes. Of course, since she was underwater, her powers would be half as strong as they are. First, however, she had to try.

Layla opened her eyes and slashed with every mana she had left. She attacked for survival, the sunflower fields and the old hand that picked her up from death.

Her attack created an underwater slash that traveled to the sword. The wound on her shoulder gushed blood as a response, and Layla's vision turned blurry. The water shook as her attack landed on the sword, but all it left was a crack.

'Have I… failed?'

The crack began growing as it ran across the stone sword. Layla watched as her consciousness slipped away, begging for the sword to break. However, the crack almost reached the ends before it stopped.

Layla could no longer hold her breath, and water began to fill her lungs. The water pulled her down deeper as she struggled to float toward the surface. She watched the stone with hatred for its refusal to break.

As she sunk to the bottom of the cave, a burst of light came from the sword. Layla opened her eyes slowly but couldn't see what was happening. All she could feel was her body being dragged across space, taking her out of the water-filled cave.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Layla started coughing the moment she left the cave. She was sprawled on the ground, trying to remove the fluid from her lungs. As she was gasping for air, someone walked toward her.

"Are you alright?" asked a sweet voice from above her. Layla raised her head with confusion to see a veiled woman looking at her with concern. Layla waved her hand as she fell backward. Although she found air, her wounds were still bleeding. "You are going to die at this rate. May I repay you?"

"I… did… nothing…" said Layla as she stared at the blue sky. Then, she smiled. "But the stone sword broke."

"That is what I'm repaying you for," said the veiled woman before she raised her hands and crouched beside Layla. Mana came out of her hands to cover Layla's wounds, making them heal rapidly.

Layla opened her eyes with surprise before she snapped at the woman. The strength that was leaving her was now recovering at an alarming pace. It was a minute before her wounds were gone, and she was back to how she was.

"Who… are you?" asked Layla with confusion. She used her elbows to raise herself, looking more at the woman who suddenly appeared.

The woman seemed to be wearing white robes with golden sleeves. However, her aura was radiating with life. Layla questioned whether she was meeting a goddess, but she could not see her face.

"You can call me Ai. I'm a healer," said the woman sweetly. "Is this place…. Earth?"