The Path of the Strongest Mortal, page 7
The Exorcist wiped the blood from his cheek and took a Ring out of his pocket, from which he retrieved a slave collar. The trio didn’t know which was more shocking, him having a Ring, or him using his ki without issues.
“I’m Urus. And she’s my slave.” He pointed at the elf. “She deceived us and got rid of her collar, and then tried to escape. We chased her down, after which I used my legal right to punish her. But then these three appeared, and decided to attack me and my men.”
“I see.” The guard nodded and turned to the accused. “You three shall be arrested, placed into custody, and trialed.”
The pressure that had pinned the trio to the ground was gone, replaced by body control. The collars made them rise and then dutifully follow the guard.
***
That evening
Three prisoners, chained to the wall, lay on the floor of a prison cell. They were all lost in thought until the loud creak of thick metal doors broke the silence. Two people entered.
Alex and Ghim.
Hearing footsteps, Kai opened his eyes, staring at the newcomers. The prisoners and their visitors were separated by a large grate, strengthened with an array.
“How are you?” Alex asked.
“Oh, y’know, just peachy,” Shacks joked.
“Do you understand that you’ve fallen into a stupid trap, like children?” Ghim asked.
“We do now!” Shacks sighed and grinned. “No guards or other townspeople... A woman screaming at the right time and right place... A guard appearing at the last moment. Also, those three didn’t resist when we attacked them. Yeah, we’ve got it, all right...”
“Well, we don’t get everything,” Kai added. “Why would anyone set us up? Who was that dorgan and why was he able to use his ki even though he had a collar? Where did he get his slaves? And what will happen to us now?”
“That’s why we’re here,” Ghim said.
“And by the way, where did you go?” Kai asked.
“They knew I’d be with you, but they weren’t gonna let me get involved,” he explained. “So, when you left, they used an artifact that created a barrier that cut you off from me. That’s why I didn’t have time to stop you.”
“And they’ll go unpunished?” Shacks asked, raising his eyebrows.
“The maximum penalty will be given to them for violation of public order,” Alex replied instead of Ghim. “But you should worry more about yourselves than about them.”
“What can we expect?” Kai asked calmly as if this didn’t concern him.
“First of all, Urus, the man you attacked, is a slave of the first rank, which is why he’s allowed to freely move within Udin, have his own property, including slaves, and use up to twenty-five percent of his ki. His status is much higher than yours, and given the fact that the bribed guard saw everything, it won’t be possible to justify your actions. Second, you attacked them,” Alex explained. “Now about the punishment. Normally, you’d be charged a certain amount of Crystals, but in this case, Urus demanded a duel with each of you in turn. A duel to the death. Luckily for you three, I was able to influence the court. The duel will take place with your collars on, and only one of you will have to participate in it. The rest will face Urus in a battle of honor. Killing in those is prohibited.”
“But what’s the point then? He’s a peak Exorcist; only Malvur can match him,” Shacks said. “The collars will make us all equal. Why would he participate then?”
“You don’t seem to understand who Urus is at all.” Ghim shook his head. “He belongs to the Fighting Pits. He’s been in the top twenty strongest fighters for seven years in a row. And they always fight with collars on. So he has an advantage. Lots of it.”
“Exactly.” Alex nodded.
“But why is he doing all this?”
“They want to kill you three.”
“Who wants to kill us?!” Shacks exclaimed.
“Zirx. The overseer of the Sixth Abyss,” Alex admitted. “He blames you for the recent incident. And although everyone, including Lord Starks, understands that even a peak Holy Lord couldn’t do this, Zirx still stood his ground. And given that he was severely punished for his carelessness, his desire to take revenge isn’t surprising. But he’s weak, so he can only plot revenge against you. Which he did by bribing Urus.”
“What incident?” Shacks inquired, narrowing his eyes.
“It’s none of your business,” Alex snapped. “Since you’re Resilient and the First Squad needs you, I couldn’t ignore this matter, so I intervened. I suspect that those of you who end up fighting in a battle of honor will be poisoned. This way, they won’t be breaking the rules, since the poison is unlikely to be fatal, but it’ll still hurt like a bitch. They can poison not only your body but also your soul, and in the end, damage your cultivation.” He paused and took a breath. “Tomorrow, before you’re taken to the Pits, Ghim will meet you and wound you with a dagger dipped in a sleeping potion, which you will have to resist at first. Once it’s your turn to fight, you’ll take a few hits from Urus just for show. Make sure you avoid his poisonous claws, and then stop resisting the potion. After that, you’ll be knocked out almost immediately, and be considered defeated. It’s the best we can do on our side to get you out of this mess; they won’t be able to prove anything.”
“Got it,” Malvur said with a nod.
“So, should we choose which one of us will participate in the duel?” Shacks asked.
“No need,” Alex said, surprising them. “I’ve already chosen. Kai will do it. Of the three of you, he’s the weakest, so, it won’t be a huge loss.”
“But isn’t that—”
“It’s okay,” Kai interrupted Shacks. “I’ll do it. It’s the best option.”
“That’s all.” Alex turned around. “I hope next time you’ll think twice before running headfirst into a trap.”
“Can I ask something?” Kai said before Alex could leave.
“Go on.”
“What happened to that girl?”
“You mean the slave? I believe she was already dying when you arrived. Urus beat her up good. He probably feared that you’d notice if her injuries were fake.”
“I see.” Kai sighed.
“If that’s all...” Alex said, nodded, and left, leaving Ghim alone with the trio.
“Kai,” the dwarf began. “Although we’ve known each other for a short time, you seem like a good guy. And I feel responsible for what happened. So, if you have a last wish, let me know. You still have that pill and two more Crystals. If you want, I could return the pill to Borne and give the Crystals to someone.”
“Don’t worry,” Kai said, a thin smile touching his lips. The Cold Void bottled up his emotions in an instant. “Save them for later. I’ve no intention of leaving you guys just yet.”
“A fighter, that’s good to see,” Ghim grunted and turned to leave. “Good luck, Kai.”
“Buddy, you sure about this?” Shacks asked in a slightly worried tone when the door closed behind the dwarf.
Malvur also glanced at Kai.
“If they let me fight,” he began, remembering the promise he had made, but Kai stopped him.
“You heard them.” He shook his head. “And besides, you underestimate me. Now excuse me, I’m going to sleep. I have a fight tomorrow.” He lay down on the floor and closed his eyes.
True masters usually didn’t need sleep, but Kai was still a human. Also, his body was being constantly suppressed by the collar, so he needed some rest.
No sooner had the sun rose when the doors to the cell opened, awakening Kai and snapping Shacks and Malvur from meditation.
“Get up! It’s time to go to the Pits!” the guard growled.
***
There were many arenas in the Pits, and they were divided into two types — open and closed ones. Everyone could come to the open arenas, including citizens. Accordingly, the security measures were higher.
It was in one of these arenas that Kai was to fight with Urus. Both cultivators were already standing on the sand, waiting for the judge’s signal, as the crowd cheered them on.
“My sensitive nose allows me to sniff out emotions my enemy is experiencing,” Urus said. “Do you really not fear death?”
Kai continued to silently stare at him.
“You don’t wanna talk? All right. If you don’t move, I’ll take your head off with one neat hit. It won’t hurt.” He licked his lips, and then suddenly frowned. “It’s a pity that you were in the Abyss. Otherwise, I’d eat you. I’ve never eaten human flesh before.”
Kai just continued to stare at him, silent as a grave, and emotionless like a statue.
“You think he can win?” Malvur looked at Shacks.
“I don’t know,” Shacks replied gloomily. “Kai’s strong but against a peak Exorcist...”
“As if!” shouted a dorgan sitting nearby, and burst into laughter. “You’re a funny one! You think my boss will go easy on your friend just because he’s a Resilient? Ha! You’re a bunch of idiots if you think that! Let me tell you a little secret. The collar prevents you from controlling and absorbing energy, but some of it still remains in you. This means that the Energy Cover doesn’t disappear! It increases the physical capabilities by ten percent! So even with collars, the difference in strength is still present. Your friend doesn’t stand a chance!” He crossed his arms and gave them a gloating grin. “Not to mention that my boss has been fighting here for over twenty years. He’s a pro!”
He would’ve probably continued to gloat had the judge not announced the beginning of the fight. To everyone’s surprise, Kai dashed forward as soon as the signal had been given.
“What are you doing?” Urus asked, confused, but Kai said nothing, only got closer. “Hey, answer me! You fucking bastard, I’m tired of your silence! Say something or your death will be slow and extremely painful!”
He was met with silence and a stern glare of violet eyes.
Urus licked his lips again.
“So be it. Then, for a start, I’ll cut off your hands...”
Kai’s leg flew up with great speed. Urus managed to intercept the kick at the last moment by grabbing Kai’s shin. Although he stopped the attack, the shock wave still pushed him slightly to the side and made his hands shake.
What the fuck?! he thought, staring at his hand.
But that was just the beginning.
Kai pulled his leg out of Urus’ grip with one sharp movement and attacked again. His fist rushed forward, but it was stopped by his opponent’s forearm. Urus was about to counterattack with a knee to Kai’s stomach but the latter managed to dodge by jumping back.
But his quick reflexes weren’t what shocked Urus. He had seen those before. It was the fact that Kai didn’t seem to be tired at all even though he had put a lot of strength into the attack and still managed to efficiently dodge.
How can he be so strong?!
Having landed, Kai leaped at his opponent. A short fight ensued. The two exchanged blows without causing significant damage to each other, until the moment when Kai decided to put an end to this charade. His strength, speed, and stamina increased exponentially, making Urus quickly realize that he was about to lose.
Impossible!
“You’re just a human!” he shouted in anger but instantly fell silent. There was a loud crunch, followed by a gasp, and a thud.
Urus was strong, there was no denying it, and he did have a chance to block the attack. But he was also hotheaded. Giving into his emotions, he lost sight of the course of the battle, for which he paid dearly.
***
As soon as the judge announced the beginning of the fight, the attention of all but three people was on Urus. Almost everyone expected to see another amusing show, with the dorgan as the winner. But Ghim, Shacks, and Malvur prayed to the Heavens and the Gods for their friend to come out of this fight, if not victorious then at least alive.
The stands fell silent when the beginning of the fight was announced. The silence only deepened as the people watched in surprise as Urus was being forced to give it his all, fighting someone who was a whole stage lower than him.
His opponent displayed incredible mastery of body control, colossal strength, and speed, which a human couldn’t... shouldn’t have had. At least, that’s what most of them believed.
Their surprise became even more apparent when the human grew stronger before their eyes. And then the real show began. Inch by inch, he turned this battle to his favor, until he eventually had the upper hand.
And then Urus made his first and final mistake.
The audience watched, holding its breath.
The human suddenly disappeared, despite the fact that no one should’ve been able to do this under the influence of the collar. A wave of ki didn’t leave his body, so his speed had to be tied to his physical characteristics.
In the next moment, the human found himself in front of Urus. A loud, eerie crunch filled the air, and Urus’ body flew backward, crashing into the stone wall of the arena.
Shacks observed his friend tossing the dorgan around the place like a ragdoll with a wide smile on his face. It was as if he had returned to the Celestial Plateau and was now watching Kai during the Grand Tournament.
Next to him, Ghim sat with his mouth hanging open and his eyes as wide as plates. Malvur seemed calm, but his darting eyes gave away that he, too, was dumbfounded.
The fight ended rather quickly. Kai finished it by breaking Urus’ skull with his fist.
The arena was silent for a couple of seconds. The judge was the first to come to his senses, declaring Kai’s victory. The stands were almost filled with cries of excitement when everyone quieted down abruptly, seized by a strange panic.
A moment later, an incredibly powerful aura filled the air, enveloping the entire arena, and someone landed on the sand with a crash. The stands shook slightly. When the dust settled, in front of Kai stood a half-naked elf at the peak of the Holy Lord stage.
“It’s Lex the Unbreakable Rock!” someone whispered. “He’s the second strongest master in Udin!”
“What’s he doing here?”
“Gods, why’s the overseer of the Pits here?”
Looking around, Lex’s only eye settled on Urus’ body. Frowning, he headed toward it, while everyone, including Kai, watched.
“He failed,” the elf said, and turned to face Kai.
What’s going on here? he thought. Did he notice that I opened the Body Gate to win?
“No. He couldn’t have sensed it. You didn’t release ki from your body, so he’d need to have the ability to sense divine energy to detect such a thing,” Rune’Tan said. “This is something else. But, judging by his behavior, he’s not going to kill you... I think. I hope so.”
Lex stopped in front of Kai and looked down at him.
“You killed one of my men,” he said in a low and monotonous voice. “Now you’ll take his place and become my new fighter, grasshopper.” He then grabbed Kai by the collar of his shirt and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “He was supposed to participate in the Fist Fight of Udin, but now you’ll have to replace him,” he added, heading toward the exit.
“Hey, hold on! Put me down! Hey! I didn’t agree to this!” Kai shouted, not afraid but annoyed by the fact that people just kept tossing him from one fight to another. “I said: put me down!”
Lex froze in surprise. But after a second, he continued to walk toward the exit.
“Nobody asked you,” he said. “You’re strong. You suit the purpose. Now you’ll be a slave of the first rank. Rejoice, human.”
Kai grimaced, realizing that resistance was useless. This was the overseer of the Pits, judging by the whispering that came from the audience, so he had every right to do whatever the hell he wanted.
“If you want me to be your fighter, you’ll have to take those two as well,” Kai said and pointed to Shacks and Malvur.
The elf looked in their direction.
“You have balls to demand anything, grasshopper. Fine. I’ll buy them, too.”
Fuck! Looks like I’ll have to change my escape plan now. Kai frowned. I didn't expect this...
Chapter 8
THE DAY BEFORE THE BATTLE
The Fist Fight of Udin was a grand event that took place every few decades. To participate in it, hundreds of slave owners and traders came to Udin from all over the continent, bringing with them their strongest fighters.
And it just so happened that the next Fist Fight was this year. The year that Starks was finally about to try and reach new heights of his cultivation — the Divine Stage, beyond which lay stages and levels yet unseen.
No race had a cultivator who had gone over the peak level of this stage living among them. Not in Nikrim nor in thousands of other neighboring middle worlds of the Ecumene. Because of that, many people thought that such a level didn’t exist at all, falsely marking the Divine Stage as the peak of cultivation. Only geniuses among geniuses could reach this stage, and there were only six of them on the continent.
And Starks intended to be the seventh.
He had been preparing for this moment for the last three centuries. And when, seventeen years ago, he realized that he was almost done preparing his body and soul for a breakthrough, he immediately began to build up his power.
He was aware of the fact that his breakthrough would disturb the balance of power on the continent, that many wouldn’t like it, and that some would probably even try to prevent him from doing it. That was why he had spent the last decade working hard on making connections with even more powerful organizations, hiring even more masters, and also buying various combat and defense artifacts of Royal rank and above.
One of the reasons why everyone would be aware of what he was doing was the fact that his level of ki would skyrocket. Second, such a breakthrough would take him at least two years to complete. So, wherever he hid, his ki would guide his enemies to him like a beacon. A person like him couldn’t but be constantly monitored by both friends and foe alike.
Therefore, he decided to ascend in what he thought would be the safest place — in his own city. And that was why, along with the slave owners, dozens of craftsmen hired by Starks and his people, had already arrived in Udin.
