Chapter 441: Road To God II
Emir slipped through a narrow gap between the crumbling outer walls, avoiding the main door, which was blocked by a pile of debris.
Though he could've easily torn through the obstruction, he knew doing so would bring the entire unstable structure down on top of him.
The place was barely holding together as it was, and even the slightest disturbance could send it crashing to the ground.
Continuing to drag that headless body behind him, he searched around the building's basement, looking for a trap door.
It didn't take him long to find it.
There was no one guarding it, and that daughter he mentioned was nowhere to be seen.
As he expected, the "filthy bastard" lied.
Emir's hate for the pitiful man was a bit unwarranted, but it was also understandable.
They used his name on a man who looked like that-filthy, disheveled, and completely beneath him.
His obsessive need for order flared, but so did his pride.
It was an insult to him on every level.
But, as always, he had already calmed down, this time even faster, before even stepping inside the building, his mind quickly refocusing on the task ahead.
After checking the trapdoor for any threats, he pulled it open without hesitation.
He then stepped back and threw the filthy man's body down the hole.
A moment passed and he closed his eyes, focusing on his ears.
Thud...
They picked up on the faint sound of a body hitting a solid floor, its bones cracking slightly due to the impact.
He waited a few seconds longer and once he heard no other sound, he started to move, slowly descending down the ladder while his eyes checked for any traps on the way.
Even though dropping the body revealed there to be no traps, he wasn't sure, perhaps they had something attached to the ladder itself.
The hole was a tight squeeze, especially for a body his size, but he got through safely and eventually reached the bottom, dropping next to what remained of the homeless man.
Emir was about to pick him up but paused, surprise coloring his face.
His new surroundings differed completely from before, it was as if he had stepped into a different time period, an old era.
The place screamed gothic, even though it technically was just a long and wide hallway.
Its walls were rough and uneven, lined with old, tarnished metal sconces that held flickering torches, casting wavering shadows that danced on the ground. The air was musty, carrying the scent of damp stone, wood, and decay.
The floor was made of cracked tiles, some missing entirely, revealing stone covered in dirt and grime. The ceiling was high, arched with ornate carvings that had long since lost their original luster.
Cobwebs hung in the corners, presumably made by the designers themselves, and there was the occasional drip of water from somewhere above, adding to the atmosphere.
'Damn... at least she's got taste.'
Emir didn't let this new environment distract him for too long, snapping out of his wonderment with a single thought.
He picked up the headless body once more, not putting an end to his suffering just yet, and began dragging it along the cold floor.
"I see."
With that all-familiar word, Emir pulled his hands back, unsheathing his twin swords, and
took a stance.
"Thanks for waiting. I'll let you have the first move."
Chuckling, Blanc placed his hand inside his cloak and took out what appeared to be a green
incense cauldron.
He raised it up, wiggling it towards Emir.
"Judging by how you already have your shield up, you smelt the poison inside this."
There was a small leaf in the middle, which was green in color, almost highlighted.
"As you must've guessed by now, it's a holy relic."
Before Emir could reply, he continued:
"I know, rare right? Can't believe I have it either."
Blanc tossed that in the air, and it paused, floating for a moment.
His smile dimmed and he chanted:
"Aetheric Shield."
Just as his shield formed, the holy relic dissipated, green gas replacing it and wafting in all
directions, smelling of heavy poison.
Emir, uncaring for his performance, glanced behind him, and sure enough, the entrance on his side of the room was blocked; a new door replaced the broken old.
'Hm, they researched my abilities quite a bit.'
It was obvious what the poison was for, forcing him to use his Aetheric Shield ability.
His opponent had that ability as well, so the situation required him to use Aetheric Blades. Nothing else in his arsenal of abilities would penetrate it, leaving him with one ability use
slot.
Of course, Author's Strings could disrupt Blanc's Aetheric Shield, allowing his own poison to kill him, but that would reveal his ability.
Emir couldn't have that happen, not yet.
Now, he could only wonder what they would force him to do next, but he didn't need to wait,
not even for a moment.
The second the poison reached him, it began to leak inside the shield, corroding it.
He jumped back in alarm, smacking into the door, his eyes widening as he barely escaped
death.
'AETHERIC OVERLOAD!'