Return Of The Strongest Player

[1. Lucas Festus: 74 Gemstones]

[2. Eve Holton: 63 Gemstones]

[3. Jessica Holton: 62 Gemstones]

[4. Arthur Solace: 53 Gemstones]

[5. Aditya: 49 Gemstones]

The rankings were quite unexpected, as three of the five people who placed in the top five were of unknown origins. Arthur Solace along with Jessica and Eve Holton were people the players were not aware of.

'Lucas Festus…' Arthur clicked his tongue. A troublesome figure seemed to have secured first place. 'He was the son of the leader of the Paragon Of Vengeance, I believe.'

The Paragon Of Vengeance was a high-ranking clan, similar to Asgard, Olympus, and the Devas. Their influence was equally as massive, and they, too, were a controlling force on the 98th floor.

'That guy's son could be an obstacle,' commented Arthur as his irises shrunk. He directed a slight glare towards Lucas, who was indifferent to everything, and didn't seem to notice the crimson-eyed man.

Jessica and Eve Holton were currently unknown to the others, but to Arthur, they, too, were potential rivals. The two eventually rose to the position of Divine Rankers, although weaker ones.

Aryan was the son of a Divine Ranker of the Devas, Surya.

As Arthur observed the rankings, he noticed that the others were between the 15-20 ranking range. Even though Dino and the others far surpassed regular newbies, their ranking proved the sheer competition.

One had to perform greatly to even be average.

Once the dokkaebi welcomed the players and explained a few facts about the tower, the crowd dispersed. A few players headed straight towards the first floor, while others headed towards a nearby inn.

Arthur and the others were part of the latter group.

Attempting to conquer the first floor with such fatigue was basically equivalent to begging for death. Those who went towards the first floor were either overconfident, or hadn't experienced fatigue.

"Can't believe I'm finally a player," said Harry, allowing a smile to blossom on his face. The others nodded, as if empathizing with his words. It was truly ethereal, as if they had accomplished something impossible.

Only now would their true journey begin.

Only now would they embark on the journey of their lives.

As the group walked through a dark alley towards the nearest inn, a shadow suddenly obstructed their path. The group halted their steps. Their eyes narrowed, and with a swift motion, they unsheathed their weapons.

Silence.

Suddenly, a sigh emerged from the lips of the shadow. The figure crossed his arms, walking forward with a tired yet amused expression. His hair was pearly white, and he wore a bronze helmet.

His attire was quite revealing, and beneath his feet were shoes that sprouted wings. His gaze immediately fell upon Jenny, who froze as she realized whom she was in the presence of. Her demeanor shifted.

From a cold, indifferent beauty, to that of annoyance.

She quietly walked forward, passing the white-haired man, who remained still. The others stood in their former location, warily observing the white-haired man as if he were an enemy. However, the man did not pay attention to their gazes.

'What the fuck…' Arthur muttered internally. His eyes were wide, and his heart beat rapidly as a sense of… fear arose in his chest. The man whom the Lord of Sins could squash under his feet… was causing Arthur to feel fear?

It was preposterous, but also natural.

A Divine Ranker could squash a player with a mere gaze. It was already surprising that Arthur hadn't fainted under the pressure. Suddenly, Randy, Dino, and Harry fell to the ground, unconscious.

Jenny stood at the end of the alley, turning around to face Arthur. "Are you coming?"

"Are you really going to ignore me, Jenny?" The white-haired man asked, turning around to face the woman. His eyes shone, and his grin widened. "Father told me to recruit you, and if I don't, I'll be disappointing him."

Silence.

"You don't want me to disappoint him, do you?"

"I don't give a fuck what you do, Hermes," Jenny replied, shooting a cold glare towards the white-haired man, who grabbed his chest as if extremely hurt by the woman's words. Jenny snorted.

"That's so rude, princess."

Suddenly, a chuckle escaped Jenny's lips. It wasn't hearty; the contrary, really. It was cold and indifferent… it contained a hint of loneliness, which Jenny desperately tried to mask under her tone.

Soon, she erupted into laughter, clutching her tummy.

Hermes remained silent, watching her with a faint smile on his face. Finally, he took a step towards Jenny, under the notion that the woman had relented. He took another step, and another.

"Rude… It's comical."

Step!

"My father didn't call you rude when you bastards ripped his comrades to shreds."

Step!

"When you ripped his legacy, his court, his wife…"

Step!

"And him, to shreds."

"Do not be difficult, Jenny," said Hermes, taking another step. He was now within arm's length of the woman, who stared at the ground with a defeated expression. Her expression was dark, and her body was limp.

Hermes placed an arm on her shoulder, raising her head by pushing her chin gently. "You will find peace in Olympus."

"Peace… among those who murdered my father?" Jenny asked. Her voice was weak, and faltered. Suddenly, she let out a chuckle, spitting on Hermes's face. "You might want to wipe that off."

Hermes's expression didn't change. He was immune to such petty tactics. Suddenly, the wings that sprouted from his shoes fluttered, and the white-haired man attempted to lift Jenny in order to carry her.

Jenny had practically given up at that point. Her face was cold, but the cries of what lay inside her were vivid.

"Divine Rankers shouldn't be arrogant," an unknown voice reverberated across the area, striking Hermes's ears. "Even the largest predators are prey to something or someone else. One just has to discover their weakness."

With those words, Skofnung shot towards Hermes.

The Divine Ranker of Thieves grabbed the sword, and was about to crush it. However, at that moment, intense pain assaulted Hermes's chest.

Beside Arthur was a Guardian.