Chapter 306: First Opponent [1]


    ?


    Rumble-!


    The za continued to tremble as the worn-out statue finally emerged in full view for everyone to see. Major portions of its structure were torn away, with fragments dangling down, revealing the skeletal framework beneath.


    It was an imposing sight that left many of the onlookers breathless.


    For the first time since the creation of Grimspire, theplete form of the ''Hand of Liberation'' was unveiled to the world.


    The za was silenced.


    The Empires were silenced.


    The World was silenced.


    All eyes were fixed on the majestic statue that stood at the heart of the za.


    Rattle! Rattle-


    In the silence, only the rattling of the chains echoed through the air.


    The cracks that had formed on the ground began to mend, and gradually, everything returned to its original state.


    All except for the statue which now stood proudly and imposingly at the center of it all.


    "This is crazy."


    "....How could it be like this?"


    The faint sound of whispers quietly spread throughout the entire za as everyone started to talk about the statue and its possible origins.


    At least, that was what I managed to gather.


    I couldn''t focus properly.


    My thoughts were a jumbled mess that I couldn''t organize. The only reason I was able to keep calm was because of the lock that was sealing my emotions.


    But even that was rattling wildly.


    ....This was still a new ability that I had developed and needed more time to master. I was certain that it''d soon turn into an original spell.


    But it was just not quite there yet.


    I once again brought my thoughts back to the statue. The lock rattled with each nce that I took, forcing me to look away for good after a few sparing nces.


    ......Can this be a game setting?''


    The thought of the Mirror Dimension being Earth had crossed my mind multiple times.


    I wasn''t stupid.


    The thought had crossed my mind from the moment I learned about [English], and how it had been found in the Mirror Dimension.


    It was just that I didn''t want to believe in such a possibility.


    I denied the reality and associated it with the thought of it being an easter egg for the game. The thought crossed my mind for a brief instant as the statue appeared, and I wanted to believe that to be the case, but...


    "Hooo."


    I was reminded of a certain grave.


    ''Emmet Rowe.''


    Why would the game have my name be associated with one of its ''Gods''?


    I never yed the game nor had I ever imputed my name in it. The answer was obvious. This was no easter egg. It was real.


    The lock rattled fiercely.


    "There''s a chance this isn''t a game.''


    Certain elements pointed out at this being a game. The quest system, the experience gains, and the strange medieval world, but there were other aspects that made it seem as though this wasn''t a game but real life.


    A very distant life with an uncertain history.


    Which one is the truth...?


    And if that was the case, what about my real world? What happened to it? Could I even go back?


    ''No, does it even matter?''


    From the start, my goal was simple. Go back to my brother. Even after almost an entire year in this strange world, my goal hadn''t changed.


    ''Gods, and unrecorded.''


    I carefully mused over the words.


    I needed to find out more about them. There was little known about them, but all the clues


    and pieces hint toward their involvement.


    In order for me to get to the bottom of this, I needed to find out more about them.


    Thankfully, I wasn''tpletely lost in this regard.


    There were the seven main churches and the diary that once belonged to the Emperor of Nothing. I had yet to move past the first page. With everything that had been going on, I hardly had the time to sort through the diary.


    The hardest part was sorting through the handwriting which was somewhat difficult to read.


    Rumble!


    Shaking me out of my thoughts was another rumble.


    This time, the sensation seemed toe from directly beneath my feet. Before I could even process what was happening, arge chunk of the ground cracked and split apart. I nearly lost my bnce as I felt a force pushing up from below.


    It lifted me off the ground and moved up, almost like an elevator.


    "....."


    Seeing the ground shrink before my very eyes, the lock that sealed my emotions shattered, and I stumbled a couple of steps.


    "What''s going on?!"


    Ducking down, I pressed my hand against the makeshift tform to steady myself. Looking around in confusion, I saw several other tforms emerging from the ground.


    Thick chains beneath each tform were slowly lifting them into the air.


    Several participants appeared on each tform.


    I was the only one on my tform.


    It was strange since there were also people beneath, looking up in our direction in confusion.


    As I was wondering what was going on, a figure shed right next to me.


    "!"


    He was dressed in dark robes that clung to his body. With blonde hair, faintly greying at the sides, and thin brows, he stood by the edge of the tform. A faint and oppressive aura


    lingered over his body as he stood in silence.


    But that silence didn''tst for long.


    His lips parted open shortly after as he announced,


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Carmen Rivaline of the Aetheria Empire."


    My expression shifted as I noticed figures flickering in and out on each tform around me. The ground beneath the tforms began to restore itself once more, while several small floating objects orbited around our general area.


    "You have five minutes to get prepared."


    ***


    Carmen Rivaline stood tall at 1.90 meters, towering over most participants and gathering


    their attention with his intimidating presence.


    His brown hair, blue eyes, and well-proportioned features made him objectively handsome, drawing the gazes of those around him.


    Out of nowhere, several tforms emerged from the ground, thrust upward by thick chains adorned with strange purple runes. These tforms ascended and settled in the sky,


    suspended high above the za.


    "They sure didn''t skim on the visuals."


    With a smirk, Carmen crossed his arms and looked at the tform as well as the statue that


    was surrounded by the tforms.


    It was an intimidating sight.


    "Julien Evenus of the Nurs Ancifa Empire versus Carmen Rivaline of the Aetheria Empire."


    Hearing his name called out, he instinctively looked up, scanning the tforms with a calm


    look. Shortly after, a small cube appeared before him.


    He knew that he''d be transported to the tform the moment he pressed it.


    Carmen was just about to do so when a hand pressed against his shoulder.


    "Wait a second."


    A calm and smooth voice followed suit.


    Carmen felt a chill run down his spine as the voice reached his ears.


    Every hair on his body stood on end as he slowly turned his head, locking eyes with two deep yellow orbs that glowed with an intensity rivaling the white sun above. The unsettling calm smile on Caius''s face only heightened the tension, making his body grow stiff.


    ".... What do you need me to do?"


    "It''s nothing big." Caius slowly looked up, fixing his gaze on a certain tform.


    "Your opponent is an Emotive Mage. Be careful when fighting him. Try applying the


    technique you''ve used on me when sparring."


    "Ah, yes."


    The number of people that could rival Caius in his age group was almost non-existent.


    Carmen had once had the ambition of beating him but ultimately failed. And it wasn''t even close. In order to defeat Caius who was proficient in Emotive Magic, he developed mental


    techniques tobat it.


    But even then...


    It was useless.


    ....He was unable to defeat Caius.


    That monster.


    "Test the limit of his Emotive Magic. If you can block it, then test the limit of his Curse Magic.


    It''s okay even if you lose."


    Caius peacefully patted his shoulder.


    "....What matters is that you let me see better." Top of Form


    He quietly left right after that, leaving Carmen standing by himself with a nk expression. It


    took a moment for Carmen to snap out of it, his face slowly contorting in the process.


    Extending his hand, he grasped the cube that materialized before him. As his fingers tightened around it, his vision blurred and then refocused-he found himself standing on top


    of the tform.


    His eyes immediately set on the figure that stood in front of him.


    He was shorter than Carmen, appearing almost tiny inparison. His ck hair was neatlybed to the side, and he wore a ck suit typical of those from the Nurs Ancifa Empire. His


    hazel eyes were calm, like a still, rippleless well.


    Standing before him, Carmen''s expression cooled.


    ''It''s okay even if you lose.''


    Caius''s words once again echoed in his ears.


    ''Does he think there''s a chance I''d lose...?''


    Clench.


    His teeth tightened as he looked at his opponent. He felt his blood boil as the two stood in


    silence on opposite ends.


    Carmen was well aware of his opponent. Ranked in the thirties he was someone that he


    needed to keep an eye on. In particr, he was a strong Emotive Mage ording to the


    reports. But Carmen wasn''t afraid of Emotive Mages.


    In fact, he thrived against them.


    He refused to believe there was anyone on Caius''s level when it came to Emotive Magic.


    It was for that reason that he felt his blood boil.


    ''....I may not be able to defeat Caius, but that doesn''t mean I can''t defeat an inferior version of him.''


    Focusing on the referee, Carmen tensed his entire body and assumed a ready stance. As he closed his eyes, an enormous snowy mountain appeared in his mind, towering majestically and reaching toward the clouds.


    Rumble!


    The mountain rumbled faintly, sending a subtle tremor through the snow-covered peak.


    Despite the distant rumbling, Carmen remainedposed, holding the visualization steady


    in his mind.


    And then...


    "Begin!"


    The moment the referee''s voice echoed across the tform, everything came crashing down


    as a massive avnche formed.


    With a fierce expression, he leaned into his shoulder and charged toward Julien, the tform


    cracking under the force of each step.


    Crack! Crack-


    At the same time, another image appeared in his mind.


    As he charged forward, another image surfaced in his mind: a calmke, its surface nearly


    still, reflecting the moon that hung serenely in the sky, evoking a deep sense of peace.


    It was a stark contrast to the crumbling mountain.


    And as he raised his head, Carmen''s eyes locked onto Julien''s.


    ''Come...!''


    He shouted in his mind, his lips curling into a smile.


    ''....Try using your Emotive Magic.''