Chapter 503 - 499: Under Attack
"What do you mean I should try again after three years? How did I fail?" Ryder asked, frowning.
He genuinely couldn't understand it. He had killed hundred people from the Royal City of death domain. The color of the item that decided his success had already changed. He had seen that with his own eyes.
He couldn't understand. How did he fail?
"You didn't reach the Royal City, let alone kill their people. And you already needed our help," the High Duke said. "I had told you before. If you take help from Demon Realm before finishing the trial, you fail."
"Why are you confused now? Did you forget that?" he asked.
"Huh?"
Ryder looked at High Duke Oris with a wry smile on his face. This guy, he genuinely believed Ryder didn't reach the Death Domain Royal City?
"I already went to the Royal City and finished the Trial. Even if I take help now, that doesn't change the fact that I finished the trial," Ryder said as he waved his hand and showed the evidence to High Duke Oris. It was the artifact that saw if Ryder achieved his target.
Looking at the changed color, High Duke Oris was shocked. His mouth opened wide in surprise as he found it hard to believe it.
It hadn't even been two weeks, and Ryder not only went to the Death Domain Royal City, but he also liked the people there?
How? He successfully killed hundred people from the Royal City, and there happened to be no commotion? He wasn't caught? Not only that, he even managed to successfully escape the city?
"Do I qualify now? Am I the King?" Ryder asked, enjoying the stunned look of the High Duke.
He found it fascinating. Even though the High Duke was shocked, he couldn't deny the truth.
"I'm amazed. You really succeeded. That too in such a short time. Amazing. As expected of the disciple chosen by His Majesty Salem himself," the High Duke said, praising Ryder.
"You didn't answer. Am I the King now?" Ryder asked again.
To his response, High Duke Oris shook his head. "You're not the King yet, but you fulfill all the criteria to be one."
"Then what else do I need to do to become the King?" Ryder asked.
"You need to do nothing. You already did what you needed to. All that's left now is the Coronation which we'll have soon enough after we go back. We need all High Dukes to be present for it, after all. It'll be done in the Royal Palace. So within a few days at best, I suppose," High Duke answered.
"Alright," Ryder replied.
Waiting for a few days to have everything under his control was worth it. Once he was the King, he could do anything, and no one was going to stop him. After that point, he didn't need to sneak out of the Demon Realm. Instead, he could openly leave with his Royal Guards. He could even declare war on the ones that so much as annoyed him.
Both Ryder and High Duke Oris watched Rale beating the barrier again and again at the same place, trying to break it.
He had attacked almost a hundred times already, and finally, Ryder could see the shine of the barrier weakening.
The shine kept getting weaker and weaker the more Rale attacked until it couldn't even be seen.
"This should be enough. One more attack, and it's over," Ryder muttered as he gazed at the new change.
Rale punched one last time towards the skull of the Hybrid. This time, the barrier didn't appear. The fist landed on the skull of the Hybrid.
Blood spilled everywhere as the skull was crushed like a watermelon smashed by a baseball bat.
"Strange. With how pale it was, I thought there would be no blood in it. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Now my shoes are bloodied," Ryder muttered as he smiled wryly while gazing at his feet. "I should've stepped back while I had the chance."
As blood spilled everywhere, some of it happened to land in his shoes as well.
Rale stood up after dealing with the thing that didn't move anyone. Grabbing the Armor, he pulled it out.
No one was able to stop him this time. The corpse didn't move. Rale took the Armor with him and handed it over to Ryder.
"Well, thank you," Ryder replied as he took the Armor.
He started looking around the Armor to find the fragment that was supposedly embedded in it. Unfortunately, he couldn't find it.
"Rale, where is the fragment? I mean, where is the crystal that you said was embedded in the Moon Armor?" Ryder asked Rale, unable to find it.
Was it just a rumor? Was there actually no fragment here?
"That crystal? It should still be inside the Armor. There's a formation on it that makes it invisible. It was done to make sure the Armor looked a bit decent and not stand. If you move your hand inside the Armor, you should be able to feel it," Rale replied.
"Ah, so that's what it is. That's why I can't see," Ryder muttered as he inserted his hand inside the Armor and started moving it.
His fingers grazed over the smooth surface of the Armor, amazed at how smooth it was.
As his fingers moved slowly so he could feel when there was a chance in the texture, he did find it.
There was one spot where he could feel a change in texture. But he didn't need to guess if it was the fragment or not. Because as soon as his finger touched it, he heard a notification resound in his head.
[Fragment of Bracelet of Immortality found]
[Fragment: Life Fragment]
<Would you like to embed it into the Bracelet of Immortality?>
<YES> <No>
Within waiting for Janus to ask him twice, Ryder clicked on yes.
The bracelet which was in his hand started shining, whereas the bright silver color of the Armor became dull.
<Another seal unlocked>
<Skill Received: Ruler of Life and Death>
<Description: A skill said to originate from the Goddess of Life and Death. It is said to be one of the most unique skills only possessed by the one who can rule over both life and death>
<Sub skill 1: Dead Revival>
<Sub Skill 2: Locked>
<Sub skill 3: Locked>
Ryder gazed at the screen before him, trying to understand. It seemed a bit similar to last time.
'Dead Revival? It sounds a bit similar to what I already have. Another passive skill? Is this trying to make me a meat shield? I want to be on the offensive, not defensive,' Ryder thought as he frowned.
'I'm actually going to be pissed if this skill is what I think it is," he muttered as he opened the description of the skill.
<Skill: Dead Revival>
<Description: Allows the user to revive any dead body with its old strength intact. The revived dead body would have all old memories and will do any task given by user>
<Limitation: Revival only lasts for one day. It can only be used once on a body. After the skill is used, the dead body will turn to ash>
'Oh, so it's different. It's not very passive. It's not much active either. I need dead bodies to use it. And strong bodies are impossible to.. wait a minute—that Luke guy. I should be able to use him,' Ryder thought as he rubbed his chin.
He remembered Janus telling him that Luke was strong. If that was the case, he could be really useful in dangerous situations.
'Not bad,' he nodded his head with satisfaction. This skill wasn't bad. At Least not as bad as it could have been.
"Should we leave?"
While Ryder was lost in thought while looking at the screen, he felt a hand tap on his shoulder.
He gazed back only to notice High Duke Oris.
"That's right. I'm ready. Let's go back home," Ryder nodded his head as he held the hand of High Duke Oris.
The other hand was caught by Rale.
As soon as the two of them caught his hand, he disappeared with them.
The both of them reached the Royal Palace again. They were standing inside the throne room.
High Duke Oris was about to say something when he heard a commotion outside.
He walked out of the throne room. Ryder and the others also followed him to see what this whole commission was about.
"Why are you all making so much noise?" High Duke Oris asked, opening the door.
"Ah, High Duke. We apologize for disturbing you. We didn't know you were inside. It's just that we heard the news about the Demon Realm being under attack. So we... I apologize again," the guard replied, apologizing repeatedly.
"Huh? We're under attack? So dares?" The High Duke furiously roared in rage.
"Is it the Death Domain?" Ryder asked, wondering if they realized that their citizens went missing because Ryder killed them.