Chương 94: The Great Grand Master Skeleton

"You found the kid." In the blink of an eye, Stacy appeared beside Freddie. However, before Freddie could respond, Toni rushed forward, coming to a halt just a few meters away from the group. Under the morning sun, silence permeated the massive crater. Everyone exchanged silent glances, carefully assessing one another as if analyzing a potential enemy. Yet, before any conversation could begin, their gazes simultaneously shifted toward the direction where Arthur was hiding.

"What was that?" Geoff asked. He had instinctively sensed a powerful presence abruptly materialize near Arthur's location. This presence was incredibly strong, instantly forcing everyone into a state of high alert and battle readiness. They were certain, however, that it was not anyone from the Safe Spot; they would have easily detected if someone had teleported into that region. Therefore, it was clear that this presence was something else entirely, potentially a Skeleton.

Although Toni discerned this possibility, he could clearly perceive the difference between the Skeleton that entered inside the Safe Spot and the entity here. There was a stark contrast in the terrifying pressure it emitted. Realizing this, he knew they had to handle the situation with the utmost skill; otherwise, matters would undoubtedly escalate.

"Let me speak to the kid. I know him somewhat," Toni stated. Although they had never actually met, he had heard about the incident in the Old Mining District through Edgar. If he were the one to step forward and speak with Arthur, it would be much easier to calm the situation down.

"I hope you have no malicious intentions towards the kid," Stacy said.

"Please rest assured, I am here to help him," Toni replied, drifting toward Arthur's location. He came to a halt as soon as he reached a safe distance where Arthur could hear him clearly.

"Arthur, I am Toni from the Outer Sector. Don't be afraid; I am here to help you," Toni spoke slowly, immediately bringing up the Outer Sector. Mentioning their shared origin would undoubtedly build a degree of trust.

"I am a friend of Edgar Bergen. I hope you remember him from Outer Sector B. He told me how you helped him during the hunt." Bit by bit, he revealed Edgar's name and his involvement in that hunt.

"Edgar is also in this Trial and is currently heading this way. So rest assured, we are friends, not enemies." Toni once again reassured Arthur that they were there to protect him, not attack him.

"Would you be willing to talk with me?" Toni asked when he received no immediate response. Toni did not rush. He waited quietly, giving Arthur time to think and digest the information. Even if Arthur remained unwilling to speak, Toni had no intention of forcing the issue; he was prepared to step aside and let someone else try, perhaps the lady. However, before he could consider alternative ways to convince Arthur to speak, he noticed movement behind the rock.

From behind the rock, a figure stepped out, his face pale. It was Arthur.

"You know Edgar Bergen?" Arthur asked, looking at the small figure hovering motionlessly in the air before him.

"Of course I know him; he is my junior. He will be here soon. Do not worry, are you feeling alright?" Toni revealed a pleasant expression upon seeing Arthur. However, his gaze was currently fixed upon Arthur's head. Above his head, Toni noticed a strange object hovering. It resembled a halo colored purple or gray, though he could not clearly discern it in the minimal light. Not far away, the hovering trio let out a sigh of relief.

At the very least, they had avoided an initial misunderstanding that would have complicated matters. If people from the other powers within the Safe Spot were to arrive, the situation might easily escalate. However, now that they had successfully established initial contact with Arthur, they could handle the rest of the issue easily.

Thirty seconds ago. [Worker Status] Name: Repp Designation: Sorcerer Specialty: Barrier Professional Status: Great Grand Master Monthly Maintenance Cost (MMC): 135, 000 Credits Contract Payment: Faunite Crystal Arthur's trembling hand selected the Skeleton Sorcerer with the Barrier Specialty. Although his mind was clouded by fog, his instincts told him this Skeleton would definitely prevent him from being killed. Left with no time to select a more suitable option, Arthur instinctively chose to hire Repp.

The Faunite Crystal, which he had spent the entire time mining, suddenly vanished. Immediately, a message appeared before Arthur's eyes. [Contract Payment Successful.] Pressing his back tightly against the rock, Arthur willed the summon. On the ground before him, a diagram constructed of black symbols materialized. Having observed such symbols numerous times over a long period, Arthur immediately recognized that this diagram was completely different.

Once the diagram formed, a skeleton began to rise from within it. The skeleton's entire figure looked entirely different. The glaring contrast lay in its attire; this was Arthur's first time seeing a Skeleton equipped with a cloak and a long coat that obscured its bony face. Moreover, he could see multiple gem-encrusted rings adorning its bony fingers and a necklace hanging low across its chest. It did not look like a regular Skeleton with a Master status, which typically arrived bare-boned.

This Great Grand Master was draped in ornaments. What was the use of these flashy items? Would they actually aid in protecting him from his enemies? Although these questions flashed through Arthur's subconscious, his immediate survival took precedence. With a trembling voice, he ordered Repp to protect him.

"Protect me," Arthur muttered, looking at Repp as he felt the approaching presences drawing closer. In the next moment, Repp pulled back its long sleeves, bringing its bony palms together at its chest. Suddenly, a purple energy began to radiate from its entire figure. Once the purple light completely enveloped it, the skeleton broke its initial stance. It extended its right hand toward Arthur while keeping its left hand firmly against its chest.

Maintaining this posture, it pressed its ring finger and thumb together, forming a new gesture. With the activation ritual completed, a strange energy gathered into the shape of a halo a few inches above Arthur's head. Simultaneously, the same purple energy began to coat his entire figure, clinging closely to his skin. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Arthur looked down at his own body, observing the energy enveloping him; he realized the Skeleton had cast some kind of barrier upon him. This barrier was meant to protect him from external strikes, completely covering his form. He did not know if it possessed the strength to defend against the terrifying presences rapidly closing in on him. He could only hope that it would be enough. Just as he was praying for the barrier to withstand the impending attacks, he suddenly heard a voice calling out to him.

Startled by the sudden shout, Arthur held his breath. It was only after he heard Edgar's name and the mention of the hunt in the Old Mining District that his heartbeat slowly returned to a normal pace. He felt a wave of relief wash over him upon realizing that people from the Outer Sector had also arrived. This undoubtedly gave him a shred of hope. These people might offer their support merely because he, too, belonged to the Outer Sector.

Similar to how wealthy individuals banded together when a crisis arose, he now had people who could speak on his behalf. With this mindset, he calmed his mind and heart, deciding to converse with them. Since the countdown was nearing its end, establishing a dialogue would undoubtedly aid him once the timer reached zero and the next phase began. However, when his gaze landed on the figure who had just spoken to him, he was left entirely dumbfounded.

The person suspended in the air a short distance away resembled a patient recently discharged from a hospital. He possessed a short stature and a small build. He felt completely out of place, as if he did not belong in a dangerous Trial where even an ordinary Alpha Standard monster could easily kill him. Yet, despite these initial assessments, a feeling in the back of his mind warned him that this man was not as simple as he appeared. Arthur's gaze then shifted toward the three figures floating further away.

By merely looking at them, he felt they also appeared ordinary rather than like powerful people. If so, why had he felt as though a horrific predator was chasing him? Just a minute ago, the presence radiating from these people had felt suffocating to the point of choking him. Yet now, observing them with his bare eyes under the sunlight, they did not seem impressive at all. Damn it. I actually spent all my Faunite Crystals just to hire a Skeleton.

Arthur felt he had made this decision in great haste, costing him a fortune that would be worth a billion Credits if properly sold. He inwardly cursed himself for his choice. However, what Arthur failed to realize was that the terrifying presence and pressure radiating from these people remained exactly the same as before; he simply could no longer feel it due to the barrier protecting him. He assumed the barrier only offered physical protection, not mental defense.

"I have never seen you in the Outer Sector. Are you telling the truth?" Breaking out of his internal dilemma regarding his choices, Arthur asked.

"That is because I am from Outer Sector D," Toni said as he stared at Arthur's head.

"Where is Mr. Edgar?" Arthur wanted to know if Edgar had truly entered the Trial, or if this man was simply using his name to lure him in.

"Edgar will be here soon. Do not worry about it. Let us discuss a few things before it gets noisy around here," Toni replied, his gaze shifting toward Stacy's group. Seeing that the conversation between Toni and Arthur had initiated smoothly, the trio slowly glided toward them. Watching them approach, Arthur did not panic. Since they appeared to be ordinary people, he did not feel any pressure like earlier. Then why had he felt as if he were about to be devoured? That question lingered in his mind.

Perhaps he had overreacted and made things worse for himself. Every time he thought about this incident, his mind automatically drifted back to the Faunite Crystals he had spent. Sigh! The trio arrived beside Toni. Upon seeing them, Arthur could easily identify them; they were the researchers his group had come searching for. Why were they here? This question suddenly surfaced in his mind.

"Hello Arthur, how are you feeling? I am Ashley," Stacy introduced herself once she had settled into position. She used her fake name; under no circumstances could she reveal her true identity.

"I know you. Ashley. A specialist in Plant Ecology." Arthur had read her information in the Quest details.

"Yes, how do you know that?" Stacy was truly shocked to hear Arthur state her disguised profession. Not only was Stacy taken aback, but the other two were also shocked.

"I was part of the team on the Quest to rescue your group," Arthur replied. Suddenly, he realized he had almost forgotten about his own party members.

"Are my party members safe? Did that guy do anything to those who came with me?" Arthur asked, knowing these people had stayed within the Safe Spot the entire time.

"Do not worry about them. They are safe, and their family members came to their rescue," Freddie answered. Hearing this, a massive weight was lifted off Arthur's shoulders. It was a great relief to hear that their families had arrived, though he had half-expected this after learning that Susanne and Nickolas were heirs to wealthy families. Now that it was confirmed, it was one less thing to worry about. Instinctively, Arthur looked up at the Trial countdown. There was exactly half an hour left until it hit zero.

"What is this countdown?" Arthur asked, curious to know its purpose.

"That is..." Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! However, before Stacy could explain the Trial countdown, three figures suddenly appeared in the air above them. It was the trio from Pleasence. Looking up at the new arrivals, Arthur could not recognize them. However, his gaze quickly locked onto their silver hair. The only other person Arthur remembered having silver hair was Victor. Suddenly, Arthur gulped hard. Are they from Victor's family? A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind.

"Arthur, come near me," Freddie said, his eyes beginning to glow a sinister red. However, Arthur could not understand why Freddie was asking him to approach. After all, Arthur did not feel any pressure or a strong presence radiating from any of the three. Arthur looked the old man dead in the eye, who also stared back at Arthur with a calm face.

"Everyone, please leave this place. I would like to have a word with this kid," Dejan calmly said, shifting his gaze toward the four.

"Listen carefully, you three, I will not repeat this again. I want you all to go back to the Safe Spot and wait for the Trial to start. If not, your heads will be severed from your necks," Toni gave a heavy threat from his petty figure. However, the strange thing was that after hearing his threat, the trio did not laugh or do anything else; they merely maintained their calm looks. If Arthur had been in their place hearing the threat, he would have rolled on the ground laughing.

After all, how could someone take a threat from a small man?

"Since we already made a contract to not fight each other, breaking the seal of the [Kloser] contract would be unwise. We wish to avoid conflict, since that will definitely put everyone in an awkward position," Dejan stated, looking at Toni and Stacy's group. While the tension built between the two groups, Arthur suddenly asked the old man, "Are you all related to Victor Pleasence in any way?" The area suddenly went into a complete silence.

"Yes, kid. He was my grandson," Dejan thought for a second and answered.

"Did he tell you that he beat me to death, healed me, and then killed me by cutting my throat?" Arthur asked. Once again, the spot fell into a deadly silence. Stacy's face changed, since she had stood at the front of the group and personally witnessed the killing of Arthur.

"Yes, he told me," Dejan said.

"Okay then, what do you want to ask me?" Arthur had expected that Victor must have ignored the incident, as him being killed held very little significance. However, hearing that the man had actually spoken of it left him slightly surprised. Dejan stayed silent for a while. Meanwhile, Stacy and her group also exchanged looks, contemplating whether to get involved in Arthur's conversation, since it would definitely not lead to a better outcome.

"Since my grandson killed you, how did you come back to life?" Dejan, taking his time, finally asked. Toni, Stacy, and the rest of the group looked back at Arthur's face with looks of expectation. They were also holding great interest in hearing of this new phenomenon of a person coming back to life. Hence, they wanted to know Arthur's answer, as it would provide some clarity for the decision they would make here.

"That is an easy question. I was resurrected by a god," Arthur stated. Hearing this statement from Arthur, Sabin, the second son of Dejan who stood behind, widened his eyes. With a pale look on his face, he drifted near his father and whispered,"He is telling the truth." Immediately, everyone's eyes shot back to Arthur, even Toni, Stacy, Freddie, and Geoff. They were shellshocked to the core. Seeing everyone's sudden reaction, Arthur himself was left dumbfounded.

He had just given a vague answer, thinking they would not ask any more questions if a god's name was involved, because only a god was capable enough to bring a dead man back to life. Thus, this sudden, strong reaction made him somewhat uncomfortable.