Death… And Me

Chapter 3968: Being Called Out

Not everyone in the Runia Continent’s group came with Rean and Kentucky. Just like Roan and Celis, they decided to look for information their own way, so their group separated there.

Rean, Kentucky, Zutuzoto, and another seven Space-Bending Realm experts of their group followed them into the crowd. Of course, Hose and his companions were there too.

”Hey, what is happening there?” Rean noticed a big commotion near the equipment and formations.

Hose knew the answer. ”Oh, it’s the Von-Hais Alliance. They always find trouble with the Riquicious Empire. The elder back in my clan was here last time the Future Realm opened, telling me that this kind of thing always happens between the big powers.”

The experts gathered around to watch the fun as two guys argued.

”Hmph! You say too much shit for someone relying on our Riquicious Empire’s Future Realm. Nontux, shouldn’t you act more humbly? It is a greatly gracious action of ours to even let the likes of you try to enter it.”

Nontux snorted in response. ”You were just lucky that the Future Realm appeared here, other than somewhere else. Besides, it is not truly yours, but the Werdlem Empire’s. Or could it be you forgot even you have to follow their rules, Tridaz?”

”Is that so?” Tridaz smiled in response. ”So how about this? We can give it a try in the Temporal Resistance Spire. If you lose, you will withdraw from the Future Realm Selection. If you win, I will do the same. This will show who will really be ready for the Future Realm. Do you dare?”

Nondux narrowed his eyes. The Future Realm was too important, but because of his face, he couldn’t back down either. ”Why wouldn’t I? It will be good to get rid of the competition ahead of time. However, let’s throw a wrench in the works. We can’t have you, someone who lives here and has access to the Spire all year long, taking part in it, right? How about we choose some random guys around? Someone from a small continent that definitely wouldn’t have been here before. The guys we select just need to be in the same Realm, that’s all. Now, it is my time to ask, do you dare?”

Tridaz’s smile disappeared. Of course, he was relying on the fact that he knew the Temporal Resistance Spire and had used it many times before. It was an equipment formation designed to simulate a little of the Future Realm’s environment, using the Future Realm’s power. Because of this, it only existed here in the Empire.

Everyone knew about it, though. It has been in use for many years, and as long as you applied, you could come here and try it.

As for the equipment itself, it was a tall column that emitted localized time-distortion waves, mild versions inspired by the Future Realm itself.

Participants approach the spire and try to maintain perfect control over their movement as the flow of time around them wobbles, accelerates, slows, or splits into illusions.

It tested one’s reaction, mental stability, and resistance to the temporal phenomena of the Future Realm.

Tridaz looked around, and everyone was waiting for his response. ”What kind of bullshit is this? That wouldn’t be a comparison at all. It would all be based on pure luck. Besides, who can guarantee that you haven’t hidden someone within these ant continent powers just for this moment? Are you afraid of challenging me yourself?”

Sure enough, he did not take the bait. Once again, the slot to the Future Realm was too important.

”I didn’t expect you to be that paranoid,” Nondux shrugged. ”But then again, that’s your typical Riquicious Empire Expert. You are all afraid of your own shadows, so I won’t blame you. I, on the other hand, understand that luck is part of one’s strength, so I don’t mind giving it a try.”

”You!” Tridaz wouldn’t just swallow his anger.

”Hey! I have an idea!” However, Kentucky suddenly jumped out of the crowd, raising his wing and stopping the two.

Everyone looked at Kentucky with weird expressions. Why would he jump in the middle of those two powerhouses? Is he crazy?

Well, Kentucky couldn’t care less, just speaking his mind while having fun. ”Little Tridaz there is afraid of little Nondux selecting someone he planted ahead of time, isn’t he?”

Little Tridaz? Little Nondux. That Demon Bird was absolutely trying to buy a fight.

Kentucky didn’t stop, though. ”Then why don’t you let Tridaz select someone for you and vice versa? That way, neither Tridaz nor Nondux will be able to select someone they already know to have experience with this Spiral something. Don’t worry, to make sure no one will think I’m in cahoots with either side, I will not take part in this either. I just want to watch the fun.”

Tridaz and Nondux were both about to give Kentucky a beating for calling their name in that manner, but they stopped when they heard Kentucky’s idea. Indeed, if they were selecting a competitor for the opponent, the opponent definitely couldn’t pick someone they knew to have the advantage.

Nondux smiled again. ”So you have it, Tridaz. I don’t know who this bird is, but he gave an excellent idea. I obviously know which continents your Riquicious Empire has ties to, and you know the same about my Van-Hais alliance. Now then, do you have any other excuses, or do you still dare not?”

Tridaz gritted his teeth as no excuses came to his mind. ”Who said I don’t dare?”

Tridaz turned to the crowd. There were plenty of experts from small continents there. But then, he noticed one thing, and a smile appeared on his face.

In this selection, the various continents would obviously send their absolute best participants. That said, everyone in the Space-Bending Realm was in the Peak Stage. Those in the Elemental Space Realm would also be in the Peak Stage, and the same happened for the Space-Time Realm experts. The only exception was for the Divinity Realm ones, as the Future Realm wouldn’t be of much use for Peak Stage Divinity Realm Experts who already reached the limit before the Celestial Realm.

That said, when Tridaz looked at the crowd, he found a certain someone who was NOT in the Peak Stage of the Space-Bending Realm... Rean! ”You over there!”

Rean pointed at himself, surprised. ”Who? Me?”

”Who else?” The sea of experts opened, revealing Rean in the middle as Tridaz pointed at him. ”You will be Nondux’s proxy.”

Nondux was taken aback, only now noticing there was indeed someone in this selection who was not in the Peak Stage. He quickly looked around, trying to find someone with his Divine Sense who was in the same Stage or below. Yet, the only one available was actually the bird who gave the idea earlier.

There were others, but they were not there, but far away, like Roan, Celis, or Foliana, who went to other places and couldn’t be called there in time.

In the end, Nondux gritted his teeth and made his choice, picking up a Spirit on the back. ”You, take Tridaz’s side.”

The Spirit was called Zonwikui, from a continent called Artufik, which also took part in this selection on its own. ”Sure!”

Zonwikui was quite happy. His opponent was only in the Middle Stage of the Space-Bending Realm. Even better, he will be taking this test for the sake of a member of the Riquicious Empire, so he might even get some big reward later.

Tridaz smiled. ”If you win, I’ll give you a hundred Rank Thirteen Divine Stones.”

”Rank Thirteen!” Everyone was surprised by Tridaz’s words. Rank Thirteen Divine Stones in the A1 Universe would be your Rank Six back in the Lisan Universe when it comes to difficulty of acquiring. Rean, for example, didn’t have a single Divine Stone of that level.

Nondux looked at Rean, still not giving up. ”Win this, and I’ll give you a thousand!”

*WOW!*

Such a reward would be hard to pay, even for Nondux, but he was willing to give it all so he wouldn’t have to withdraw from the Selection.

Rean scratched the back of his head, looking at Kentucky. ’Did you expect that?’

Kentucky shook his head. ’Not really, but it is definitely fun, and the reward is even better.’

’Well, that’s true...’ Rean could only go with the flow.