Noon.
The west outskirts of the Capital City were now packed with hundreds of thousands people, mostly young, between 18-20 years old, as it was already known that those over 20 could not enter the Ancient Treasure Land. Still, a few older individuals attempted to try their luck, hoping to find a way in.
The place was in constant chaos, with occasional brawls breaking out among rowdy groups.
At one farthest corner, stood Aria, Drake, Yona, Princess Delilah (wearing a mask), and two unfamiliar young men, forming a small group.
Though Aria’s group was distant from Aengus, if he had wanted to, Aengus could have spotted her using his All-Seeing Eyes. However, he was preoccupied, focused on the arrival of various powerhouses and had no interest in anything else.
Meanwhile, Aria and her group chatted. The young man standing beside Aria, who shared similar features to Princess Delilah—golden hair and tall stature—was attempting to flirt with her. He carried a regal air, his handsome face radiating royal confidence.
Despite the young man’s persistent efforts, Aria remained unmoved. Her pretty face was filled with annoyance.
“Prince, I beg your pardon, but please leave me alone. Why don’t we rethink our strategy instead?” she replied hiding the annoyance, attempting to be as polite as possible.
Prince Mikail felt a bit embarrassed but maintained his composure. “Oh, of course, Aria, we should,” he said, backing away slightly. His tone was affectionate, as if they were close friends, the lack of honorifics of his address spoke the rudeness of it.
Basically, he was like a fly that started bugging around her a lot.
Princess Delilah, witnessing this exchange, shook her head helplessly.
“Brother Mikail, Aria is right. We should focus on how to regroup after the separation when crossing the gate. That should be our first priority. If we can use that to our advantage, we can hope to stay ahead and stronger than others.”
“Ah, okay,” Prince Mikail responded, though his eyes never left Aria’s profile.
Delilah wanted to say more, but their attention quickly turned skyward suddenly hearing flapping sounds and air pressure.
Two figures appeared floating in from the direction of the King’s Castle.
“Oh, it’s General Leon and General Felix,” Drake muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear, his face brimming with admiration.
Aria watched as the duo approached, riding magical wyverns, their powerful aura overwhelming the crowd.
On the other side, Aengus observed General Leon’s arrival but remained silent. He wasn’t in a position to introduce himself to the general just yet. He could sense the invisible pressure they exerted, a clear sign to remain quiet.
The crowd immediately hushed as they recognized the famous Ice Guardian and Fire Guardian. Their reputations were legendary, spreading far and wide, and the nearly million-strong crowd now waited in tense anticipation for the gate to open.
General Leon and Felix landed gracefully at the front of the crowd, their presence commanding respect from all.
“Leon, you finally showed up with that pathetic face of yours,” the purple-haired man sneered as he arrived, his tone dripping with disdain.
It was Zillion, the Hero of Lightning, and his words drew the attention of many powerful figures, including the Fire Dragon King and other influential leaders from the five empires. They gathered, anticipating a brewing confrontation.
General Leon’s expression turned ice cold, and the very air around him froze into tiny shards, glimmering like ice particles in the sunlight. His voice, however, remained steady.
“Zillion, as the Hero of Lightning, I expected more than such trash talk from someone of your rank. It doesn’t suit you,” Leon responded with a calm, authoritative tone, almost as if educating a junior.
Zillion remained unfazed, his smirk never leaving his face. “Is that so? But I heard a little bird say that our esteemed Ice Guardian couldn’t even protect a city of a hundred thousand lives, right under his nose. That’s quite the reputation you’ve earned, wouldn’t you agree?” he said, locking eyes with Leon, his words like venom.
Despite the insult, General Leon maintained his composure. But General Felix, standing beside him, was less patient.
“Oh, and where were our esteemed Lightning Heroes and the other so-called protectors of humanity when Beelzebub attacked the city?
Leon fought valiantly while a few attempts were made to destroy our Kingdom while you heroes stayed silent. Where were you all?”
“Hypocrites, all of you. Don’t tell me you didn’t sense Beelzebub’s presence. So, where was your precious aid when the city needed it? Is there something happening in the Hero Empire that you’re keeping from us?”
General Felix’s voice rang out, cutting through the tense atmosphere, his eyes glowing with a fiery intensity.
Zillion’s smirk faltered for a moment, but he said nothing. The crowd watched in silence, feeling the tension rise as Felix’s power flared, casting a visible pressure around the area. His gaze narrowed, daring anyone to challenge him.
“You don’t need to teach us how to conduct our matters, Felix,” Zillion snorted, choosing to say nothing further. He was fully aware that now was not the time to escalate the confrontation.
General Felix clenched his fist in anger and retorted, “But you people certainly don’t have any shame, do you? Why are you demanding the key then? Just because Emperor Kairos is a coward, doesn’t mean we are. If you want a fight, I’ll fight till my last breath. If you continue to insult us and rub salt in our wounds, no one will leave here unscathed.”
His voice was cold and loud, ensuring that everyone could hear him.
At that moment, a queen from the Phoenix Empire stepped in gracefully.
“Now, now, there’s no need to go that far, General Felix. Although we don’t agree with Zillion, we aren’t here to make unreasonable demands,” she said. Her beauty and grace captivated everyone as she continued in her smooth, calm voice.
“We simply seek entry to Dwarvania and want our younger generation to fight fairly. We’ve already provided ample compensation to Emperor Kairos, and this is for the good of humanity as a whole.”
“I agree with Sky Phoenix Queen. The Great Holy War is upon us, and we must seize every last chance we get,” one of the S-Ranks said, with others echoing the sentiment.
As for the SS-Ranks like Zillion and Sky Phoenix Queen, who were fewer in number, they seemed to care little for the Araknis Kingdom.
