Ch. 2401..2410
Chapter 2401 The Ruins Are Real
If the ruins were recently fabricated, there would be more clues upon closer investigation once excavation began.
In fact, they might be able to find out who was the one responsible for creating the fake ruins.
By discovering the mastermind behind the scenes, they might have a chance to locate the enemy’s hideout.
Levi sent the Erudian Alliance to search the ruins at once.
By then, news of the ruin’s appearance had spread far and wide.
Thus, Garrison Industry and many other Erudian factions headed there at the same time.
Even Kirin and the others wanted to try their luck when they heard the news.
Many of them gathered at North Hampton and prepared to plunder the ruins.
Even Queenie’s interest was piqued. Hence, she decided to go over with Azure Dragon.
“Don’t waste your time. It is definitely a fake.”
Levi stopped them just when they were preparing to leave.
Based on Levi’s recent conclusion with the Sacred Organization, the ruins were highly likely to be a sham.
“Hmm? A Fake?”
Stunned, everyone looked at him in disbelief.
“That’s because many of the recent ruins are all fakes. Anyway, it’s just too complicated to explain in such a short time. No matter what, just trust me on it. If you go, you would have taken the bait!”
Levi looked at everyone earnestly.
By then, Zoey and the others no longer believed Levi. Instead, it was Queenie who suddenly remarked, “Fine. Let’s trust him this one time. My father insists that he is someone extraordinary. Hence, I want to see if what he says is true.”
Queenie wanted to find out what was so special about Levi, and this was a wonderful opportunity to do so.
“Edmund, what do you think?”
Queenie looked toward Edmund.
“Fine. It’s just a bunch of ruins. Let’s take Levi’s advice and not go there. We will then see if the ruins are really fake.”
Given how authoritative Edmund’s words were, everyone dropped the idea of plundering the ruins.
As all the major factions withdrew their soldiers, Kirin and the others changed their mind about going.
Instead, everyone was betting on whether Levi was telling the truth.
“Damn it, they finally believed me for once.”
Refusing to let any single person or detail slip, Levi ordered his men to investigate the ruins still.
Soon, it was the day the ruins were about to be excavated.
What surprised everyone was that neither the major factions of Erudia nor other powerful warriors participated in it.
The powerful fighters that came from overseas to plunder it laughed at them.
They had assumed that they didn’t stand a chance. Instead, they didn’t face any competition at all.
Soon, word spread that the Iron Golem Technique contained within the ruins was stolen by the Raysonians.
All the other treasures and techniques inside were also shared between the other plunderers.
A detailed analysis conducted later concluded that the ruins were indeed genuine, contradicting Levi’s presumption.
“Master, there are still some genuine ruins scattered around the world even though most of them are fakes,” Death Fiend remarked.
“However, among the plunderers, this time was a mysterious group. The energy they emitted was different from everyone else. However, by the time my men arrived, they had already gone,” Death Fiend explained.
Levi was puzzled. “Does this mean the mastermind was targeting the ruins too? Or at least knows what was inside it.”
“More or less. That’s why I need to continue my investigations. That aside, I heard the Iron Golem Technique is super strong. I expect whoever got their hands on it will soon start attacking,” Death Fiend lamented.
Levi too let out a long sigh.
Contrary to his expectations, the ruins turned out to be real.
However, he took comfort in finally getting a lead.
Bam!
Suddenly, his room door was kicked open.
Queenie and the others stormed in angrily.
Chapter 2402 Losing The Iron Golem Technique
“Levi, didn’t you say that the ruins were fake? Why did it turn out to be genuine?”
“Yes! You owe us an explanation!”
Everyone piled on their criticisms.
Levi was indeed caught off guard by the matter as all the previous ruins turned out to be fakes.
Not only was their time wasted, but they had also been used as pawns.
However, he didn’t expect it to be real this time.
“I suspect that there’s something amiss,” Levi replied.
“Hahaha.”
Queenie and the rest burst into laughter.
“And yet, Father claims that you’re extraordinary. Now, what’s so special about you? I even believed you once, and where did it get me? We ended up being cheated by you. I have been a fool to trust you when you claim that the ruins were fake without any evidence. I even got my brother and the others to trust you.”
Queenie was outraged.
“Levi, do you know what the consequences of your actions are? Your lie has caused most of the major factions in Erudia not to go there. Even I and Garrison Industry didn’t send anyone. In the end, we allowed the spoils to be shared among the overseas factions!”
“Those treasures belong to Erudia. How could we have allowed them to fall into the hands of others? Do you know how many people are mocking us right now? In fact, it has become a black mark for me and Garrison Industry!”
“Also, you allowed an ultimate technique to be stolen by others. It’s all your fault! Do you know how big of a loss this is to Erudia?”
“Can you imagine how serious it is to have the Iron Golem Technique stolen by overseas warriors? In fact, they will even use it against Erudian’s own citizens. When that happens, countless men will die under its power.”
“And all this is Levi’s fault. He is the one responsible for giving us false information about the ruins, causing the Iron Golem Technique to be lost to our enemies overseas. Therefore, we have to hold him responsible for the treason he has committed to Erudia!”
Behind Queenie, Edmund and the others hurled accusations at Levi and pinned all the blame on him.
Feeling indignant, Azure Dragon couldn’t help but protest, “Sir, I’m sure it isn’t that serious.”
“Not that serious? Let me give you a dose of reality. Whoever possesses the Iron Golem Technique will be able to defeat everyone on the Divine Leaderboard. In fact, the Dark Emperor and my father wouldn’t be able to penetrate the Iron Golem Technique with their attacks,” Edmund explained.
Everyone gasped in shock.
“Is the Iron Golem Technique really that powerful?”
“Mmm-hmm. Once the technique is used, one’s body will become indestructible just like a golem. One can then withstand any kind of attack. Even the Skyward Sword and Terra Blade are useless against it.
“So far, I have not heard of any attack that can penetrate the Iron Golem Technique. Even the mutated zombies at Maya Industries pale in comparison. Also, once one unleashes the technique, one’s attack will become so devastating that nothing can withstand it,” Robed Slayer explained in detail.
“Therefore, if one trains in the Iron Golem Technique to its highest level, one would be strong enough to challenge the Dark Emperor and divine brigadier!”
Upon hearing the explanation, everyone realized how massive the loss was.
The Iron Golem Technique is simply terrifying. With it, one can potentially become the strongest warrior of all. It is certainly more powerful than weapons such as the Skyward Sword and Terra Blade.
Edmund sighed. “It’s my fault too. Given how powerful the Iron Golem Technique is, I didn’t believe that it could be excavated so easily. That was why I listened to Levi and assumed it was fake.”
“Sir, how is this your fault? Levi is the one who spread falsehood and lied to everyone. Even Divine Brigadier was tricked, he had given orders not to participate in the raid on the ruins.”
“Exactly. It’s all Levi’s fault. He must pay for what he has done!”
Chapter 2403 Overconfidence
Edmund’s subordinates continued to blame Levi.
“That’s right. If not for him, the Iron Golem Technique would still belong to Erudia. At the very least, Erudia will have another warrior in the top three places of the Divine Leaderboard.”
“Levi has not only caused us to lose the Iron Golem Technique, but also to allow it to fall into the hands of the enemy. Soon, they will use it to kill us!”
“Levi, you will soon have blood on your hands. Erudia will suffer because of your actions!”
Everyone stared daggers at Levi.
They, especially Zoey and the others, were kicking up a big fuss because Levi truly made a mistake.
It was Levi who stopped them when they wanted to search the ruins.
After that, he told them a whole load of crap.
What’s the point of all this? Do they only know how to create a ruckus and behave like clowns?
“I apologize for my incorrect judgment. If there are any problems, I will personally take responsibility,” Levi replied.
“Levi, I don’t want to hear your excuses. Tell me, what should we do now?” Queenie demanded.
The others piled on the pressure. “That’s right. Tell us what you are going to do about it?”
“There’s nothing to do. Isn’t it just the Iron Golem Technique? I’ll just kill whoever dares to cause trouble in Erudia.”
Levi was a sea of calm.
What Iron Golem Technique? It’s nothing but b*llshit. There’s no way it can withstand a punch of mine. Even when I wanted to teach you invincible techniques, you refused to learn them and thought that they were useless. Instead, you swoon over some technique that just sounds fancy. What an ignorant bunch!
“Everyone, stop blaming Levi. Even though he has made the wrong call, the consequences aren’t that dire. In the event Erudia is threatened, Levi will kill whoever dares to do so,” Mia defended Levi.
“Huh. That’s ridiculous! Do you think he can kill someone who masters the Iron Golem Technique? He is ranked a thousand on the Divine Leaderboard and not first place. Even the first placed warrior can’t do that!” Edmund roared.
“All right now, Edmund. What’s done is done. There’s no point crying over spilled milk. We bear some responsibility for it too. Anyway, we have to start preparing ourselves. Once the enemy completes their training in the Iron Golem Technique, they will definitely come for us in Erudia,” Queenie suggested.
Edmund and the others nodded. “Mmm-hmm. You’re right. I will send men out to monitor our enemies. Once there’s any movement, all of us will do it together.”
With that everyone left.
Zoey, Azure Dragon, and the others gave Levi a look of disappointment, as his careless words had caused Erudia to lose a powerful technique and face a major threat.
However, Queenie stayed back instead, as she had a plan of her own.
Levi had failed the first trial she set for him.
If he failed another one, she would have enough reason to get her father to change his mind.
By then, her father would have to let her have her way.
“Sometimes, I don’t know where you get your confidence from. Even my father, who is invincible, isn’t as confident as you are,” Queenie sneered.
“That’s because I have beaten it out of him. How do you expect him to feel confident still?” Levi replied plainly.
Worried that the conflict between both of them would escalate, Mia pulled Levi away.
“All right now, Mia. You should train hard too. After some time, even you can bust a Golem’s indestructible body,” Levi tousled her hair.
Mia didn’t doubt his words at all.
Currently, she only trained in the basic techniques that Levi had taught her.
When Queenie saw that both she and Cyrus were training such techniques, she scoffed, “What a bunch of fools!”
Meanwhile, Levi continued to analyze the situation with Death Fiend.”
“I think I might know something. Didn’t you say that there was a mysterious group that infiltrated the ruins? Also, the most valuable item was the Iron Golem Technique? In that case, it might be…”
An idea flashed across Levi’s mind.
“What is it?” Death Fiend asked.
Chapter 2404 Next Target Erudia
“It has something to do with the mutated zombies. The management of Maya Industries had mentioned before that mutated zombies were part of a project left behind by Dr. Erebus at the Lab of Gods. Initially, the experiment was supposed to be used on large beasts. Its objective was to create a body that is undying and indestructible. The mutated zombies were already quite the achievement, but they had yet to be perfected.”
Having heard Levi’s analysis, Death Fiend instantly understood what was going on.
“Therefore, they went to the ruins to obtain the Iron Golem Technique. If they managed to incorporate it into their experiments, they would be successful in creating something invincible. Hence, by getting their hands on the technique, they intend to strengthen their creation!”
“You’re right! Let me head to Maya Industries and check with them.”
Disguised as the Dark Emperor, Levi headed to Maya Industries to enquire.
The answer he received was that the Iron Golem Technique couldn’t be applied to mutated zombies.
However, the same couldn’t be said of the Lab of Gods’ project.
Considering how diabolical Dr. Erebus was, he might be able to find a use for it.
A clue! We finally found another lead!
From his investigations, Death Fiend found out that the people who caused the energy disturbance might be from the Lab of Gods.
“Continue with the investigations. I believe we will be able to find more clues soon!” Levi ordered.
The next few days that followed were uneventful.
Everyone was busy training with high intensity while Queenie stayed by Levi’s side.
From her observation, she didn’t find anything extraordinary about him.
As for Mia and Cyrus who were focused on training the basic techniques, they made no progress at all.
Cyrus, in particular, seemed to have grown weaker instead.
It felt as if he was about to die soon.
However, there was no way she could have known that it was a sign of progress. His situation was similar to when Levi was in the Prison of Darkness.
Therefore, Cyrus was already one step closer to success.
However, from that day on, news kept flooding in.
The warriors who obtained the techniques and drugs from the ruins earlier had finally trained and digested them.
Consequently, their strength increased significantly.
When they began to gradually appear in all corners of the world, the rankings in the Provisional and Divine Leaderboard went through a drastic change.
Levi who was placed last on the Divine Leaderboard had been suddenly relegated to seventeenth on the Provisional Leaderboard.
That was an indication that there were many new warriors who had leapfrogged ahead of him.
In truth, there were only thirteen fighters who entered the Divine Leaderboard.
The thirteen that were replaced fell back to the Provisional Leaderboard.
With some unable to make it into the Divine Leaderboard, they spilled into the Provisional Leaderboard and pushed Levi down to seventeenth place there.
It was a shocking development to everyone.
They were cognizant that this was the result brought about by the techniques and treasures found in the ruins.
In a blink of an eye, thirteen warriors were elevated to the Divine Leaderboard, while countless others were promoted to the Provisional Leaderboard.
The most terrifying development of all was that Hirai Musashi, the warrior who seized the Iron Golem Technique, was going around challenging Divine Leaderboard warriors all over Bayview.
By then, he was already ranked fiftieth on the Divine Leaderboard and was still rapidly ascending the ranks.
After challenging the Divine Leaderboard warriors of Raysonia, Keerea, and other neighboring countries, he finally broke into the top thirty.
By then, everyone was astounded.
Those in Erudia in particular knew how frighteningly powerful the Iron Golem Technique was.
Within a short span of time, Hirai had been catapulted over thousands of warriors in the Provisional Leaderboard into thirtieth place on the Divine Leaderboard.
In spite of that, everyone recognized that his true power went beyond the top thirty.
He was just taking his time with his challenges.
As time went on he would grow more familiar with the Iron Golem Technique and would naturally rise up the ranks.
Therefore, his true strength was comparable to the top-ranked fighter on the Divine Leaderboard.
Naturally, Hirai’s next target was Erudia.
Chapter 2405 I Am The Guardian
Everyone in Erudia panicked at the news.
The matter escalated much faster and was a lot more terrifying than they expected.
Even though the Iron Golem Technique was easy to master, the time that Hirai took to progress was still shockingly short.
However, most people didn’t know that the more terrifying figure was Hirai’s master, Kuroki Takiya.
He had emerged in Raysonia recently as a powerful master and was ranked sixteenth on the Divine Leaderboard.
In truth, he was the one who had gotten the Iron Golem Technique first.
As of then, his disciple had relied on the Iron Golem Technique to secure his position within the top thirty.
With regards to Kuroki, he was truly the one meant to challenge the top-ranked fighter of the Divine Leaderboard and also Divine Brigadier.
As they took down their opponents one by one, their exploits shocked the entire world.
Soon, news of Kuroki and his disciple entering Erudia and challenging the Erudian warriors, especially those on the Divine Leaderboard, began to spread.
The powerful Erudian warriors on the Divine Leaderboard such as Kirin, White Tiger, Floyd, etc were outside the top thirty.
Within the top thirty was Zoey, who was twenty-seventh, and Tyrone, who was twenty-fifth.
Those placed twenty-third, twenty-second, twenty-first, and nineteenth were all Erudian warriors.
Within the ten major factions of Erudia, the head of the Chillshire Ancient Clan was ranked seventeenth.
Raiden of the Northwest City Ancient Clans was ranked sixteenth… so on and so forth.
Ronnie Hawke of Bananville was ranked fourteenth.
Queenie was ranked tenth, while Donald Garrison was ranked eighth.
Edmund was ranked sixth, and the monastic Dragofriar was in fourth place.
Evidently, the top thirty was populated with Erudian fighters.
Hence, they were Kuroki and his disciple’s next targets.
“Levi’s karma is here. Our enemies have completed their training in the Iron Golem Technique and have arrived in Erudia!”
“The Iron Golem Technique belongs to Erudia. But now, someone else is using it to kill Erudians, challenge our warriors, and ultimately humiliate us!”
“It’s all your fault! If not for you, Erudia would already have another warrior that is just as skilled as Dark Emperor and sits at the top of the Divine Leaderboard.”
“Levi, do you know what your mistake has cost Erudia?”
Just as everyone anticipated an impending disaster, all of them laid blame on Levi.
It was undeniably his fault. If not for him, all these wouldn’t have happened, and Erudia would have produced an invincible champion.
Staring at Levi, Queenie sneered, “Is this what makes you special? That is to cause trouble and attract disasters?”
Many were disappointed in him.
After all, listening to him had landed them in their current predicament.
Now, the entire world was ridiculing Erudia.
They had not only given away a legacy of their forefathers but also allowed their enemies to use it against them.
It was a humiliation for the nation, and Levi was the culprit.
“Don’t worry. The challenges are no big deal. Just let them go ahead. If they pose any threat, I will personally slaughter them. Whether it is the past, present, or the future, I will always be Erudia’s guardian! Hmph!”
Levi’s expression was calm, as he didn’t see the enemies as a threat at all.
“Pfft! Hahaha!”
Suddenly, everyone burst into laughter.
Erudia’s guardian?
“Hahaha!”
What a ridiculous joke!
Erudia’s guardian? What sort of misconception is that? He thinks he is fearless and can deal with all of Erudia’s threats? Even Divine Brigadier doesn’t dare make such a claim.
The real guardians of Erudia are The Cardinal Hall and Eragon! How can Levi declare himself the guardian when he’s just one man? Isn’t it absurd?
“Levi, we have to go back to our work. If this escalates into a disaster, you will be the first to be offered up for slaughter!”
With that, everyone began to make preparations.
However, it was strange that Divine Brigadier ordered The Cardinal Hall and Eragon not to interfere in the matter.
Chapter 2406 Wiping Out Erudian Fighters
His decision intrigued everyone.
It appeared that Divine Brigadier took Levi’s side when it came to the two matters.
Thus, Queenie was puzzled as to what her father saw in Levi.
Is he really extraordinary? But no matter, this is another wonderful opportunity still.
In the end, she would put Levi out there to face Kuroki and his disciple.
After all, she really wanted to know if he could defeat the enemy or was just boasting all the time.
If he really could, that would prove how special he was.
Or else, he would be killed in the process.
With that, Queenie made her decision to use the circumstances as a trial for Levi.
Soon, Kuroki and his disciple entered Erudia and began their challenges.
Hirai challenged those who were ranked higher than thirty on the Divine Leaderboard.
His opponents included Azure Dragon, Kirin, etc.
Having been challenged, Kirin and the others agreed without fear.
Soon, news began to broke.
Azure Dragon, Phoenix, Kirin, Venom Fiend, Sword Fiend, Kinsley, Floyd, and many others were all defeated.
Armed with the Iron Golem Technique, Hirai wiped out many of Erudias champions from the Divine Leaderboard.
All those related to Levi were also defeated.
Even those from the Erudian Alliance, such as Asura, Minka, Zar, and many others lost their challenge too.
Furthermore, many others whom Levi didn’t know were also trashed.
Kuroki and his disciple’s objective in coming to Erudia were to defeat all its champions on the Divine Leaderboard.
With an intimidating aura, Hirai was the first to challenge.
He had swept through those ranked higher than thirty on the Divine Leaderboard with ease.
Every single one of his opponents was defeated.
None of them could withstand the power of the Iron Golem Technique.
In fact, the world was shocked that it wasn’t even a contest.
At that moment, Erudia had faced its biggest crisis in the new era.
Although there were other challengers who preceded them, none were so overwhelmingly powerful.
After all those ranked above thirty were soundly beaten, Kuroki began to focus on the top thirty warriors of the Divine Leaderboard.
Among them was Zoey, who had recently been promoted from thirty-fourth to twenty-seventh.
Hence, she was the first to be challenged.
However, in the face of the invincible Iron Golem Technique, she was no match at all.
In fact, she felt that Kuroki was more powerful than the mutated zombies who had impregnable defenses.
Unlike the mutated zombies, Kuroki’s attack was just as powerful as his defense.
All Zoey could feel was despair the moment she was defeated.
Next on the list was Tyrone.
He too was defeated without a single chance to counterattack.
One by one, the warriors fell until Donald, who was ranked eighth, was challenged.
Unfortunately, he too was finally defeated.
By the time Edmund, who was ranked sixth, went into battle, he had spent the previous night strategizing with The Cardinal Hall’s elites on how to defeat the Iron Golem Technique.
Therefore, he managed to stand his ground longer than anyone else even though he still lost in the end.
Despite unleashing his ultimate technique, he was unable to make a dent against the Golem-like indestructible body.
Finally, Dragofriar, who was ranked fourth and trained in Golem techniques, was challenged.
The Impregnable Body technique he trained was similar to the Iron Golem Technique.
Although they share similar defensive attributes, Dragofriar’s offense wasn’t comparable to the Iron Golem Technique.
Consequently, he too was overwhelmed, which came as a shock to both Erudia and the rest of the world.
With Edmund and Dragofriar defeated, Kuroki looked unstoppable.
Erudia was utterly humiliated and had become the butt of everyone’s jokes.
After all, the Iron Golem Technique belonged to Erudia in the first place.
“That’s right, we missed out Queenie, who is ranked tenth. Let’s go challenge her.”
Kuroki had set his sights on Queenie, who happened to be with Levi at that moment.
Chapter 2407 Struck By Fear
At that moment, all those from the Divine Leaderboard who were defeated were gathered at Levi’s manor.
They were laying the blame on him.
“Levi, have you seen what you have done? The consequences are playing out right in front of you!”
“Erudia has been humiliated and everyone feels ashamed!”
“All its champions on the Divine Leaderboard have been wiped out. There’s no one left to stop them now. Today marks the darkest moment in Erudia’s history!”
Even Edmund and his men had hurried over.
“Levi, do you now admit that this is your fault? If you hadn’t stopped us by saying it was a fake, the Iron Golem Technique wouldn’t have fallen into the hands of others. Now, outsiders are using it to trash us and humiliate Erudia. They are trampling on our pride and the martial arts of Erudia!
“Don’t forget that the Iron Golem Technique belonged to Erudia. We were the ones who were supposed to wield it. But now, it’s being used by our enemies to kill us!”
Everyone continued to criticize Levi.
They vented the anger, frustration, and shame they felt from their defeat onto him.
Although the matter was indeed Levi’s fault due to his erroneous judgment, the blame shouldn’t solely rest on him.
If they were powerful enough, none of this would have happened.
The crux of the matter was their own incompetence.
And yet, they even dared to complain and vent their frustrations on Levi.
All of a sudden, Levi smiled.
It’s not a bad idea for all of them to know their place. Or else, they may continue to assume that they are invincible. All this while, they have gloated incessantly about their ranks to the extent of being obsessed with themselves. But after being defeated, they seemed to have known their place. Their rank on the Divine Leaderboard didn’t seem to make a difference in the face of the Iron Golem Technique. Also, haven’t they constantly extolled the virtues of modern era techniques? But now, their techniques have proven to be useless against the Iron Golem Technique, which is an ancient one to begin with.
Consequently, Levi felt that their defeat was a valuable reminder for them to stay humble.
However, there was no way Edmund and Donald could accept the humiliation of being thrashed.
Despite Edmund’s defeat, The Cardinal Hall still didn’t interfere. All they did was swallow the shame.
However, Donald couldn’t bear being ridiculed.
Hence, he had ordered the ancient Garrison clan to provide reinforcements.
As for the rest, their situation was the same as Edmund’s. All they could do was swallow their pride without any chance of revenge.
“Levi, you have to take responsibility for what is going on right now. Even your death isn’t enough to quell the anger of the masses!” the crowd clamored.
“What if I kill them both?” Levi asked with a smile.
“Kill them both?”
Everyone laughed.
After all, they had personally experienced how powerful Kuroki and his disciple were.
If the Dark Emperor, who was top of the Divine Leaderboard, and Divine Brigadier didn’t show up, no one else could do anything against these two foes.
Even the second and third-ranked warriors of the Divine Leaderboard failed to stop them both. And now, Levi proclaims that he will kill them? What a joke!
“Oh no! Kuroki has issued Ms. Birmingham a challenge and is heading here right now!” someone reported all of a sudden.
“What? Kuroki is coming?”
“Quick! Run!”
“Let’s hurry! We cannot bear to see him again!”
When the ones who were defeated heard about Kuroki’s arrival, they began scurrying away like rats that had seen a cat.
They couldn’t bring themselves to stay a moment longer, as they didn’t have the guts to face Kuroki again.
After all, their defeat had traumatized them so badly that they were living in fear and couldn’t raise their heads up high anymore.
That was the fear that Kuroki had beaten into them.
The terror he inflicted upon them was seared into their soul.
Chapter 2408 Trembling At His Name
Edmund was no different as he too was traumatized by the beating Kuroki gave him.
That was also the first defeat he had ever experienced in his life.
He had unleashed all the techniques of The Cardinal Hall, including the organization’s secret moves.
Unfortunately, everything he did was futile in the face of the Iron Golem Technique.
Having been utterly thrashed by Kuroki, the only emotion he felt was despair.
The moment he heard Kuroki’s name, his body shuddered in fear as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
“Queenie, don’t worry. Kuroki is here just to spar, not to kill you.”
The moment he finished, Edmund fled.
The rest of the warriors were in more miserable conditions than Edmund was. Their faces had lost all color while they were drenched in cold sweat. Many of them were even hobbling as they fled.
Kuroki’s name alone was enough to scare the living daylights out of them.
In a blink of an eye, everyone who came to lay blame on Levi vanished because they no longer had the courage to face Kuroki at all.
If they ever saw him again, they would likely be traumatized for life.
Therefore, all of them fled at the mention of Kuroki’s name.
Meanwhile, Levi was shocked by their response.
“Hey, don’t go. I’ll show you how I’m going to whoop their ass. Don’t leave…”
Levi tried to grab those he knew.
Unfortunately, all of them bolted like horses that had been let out of the stable.
“You can go ahead and die alone. As for us, we are terrified of Kuroki.”
With that, all of them ran, leaving only Queenie and Levi at the scene.
Mia and Cyrus were also present. However, they weren’t aware of what was going on outside given that they were in solitary training.
“Why are they so terrified? This is hilarious!”
Levi was amused.
Stroking his chin, he remarked, “I’ll need an excuse to kill both master and disciple later. What should I say? Are they wreaking havoc in Erudia? However, they have only gone around challenging others and haven’t killed anyone nor caused any suffering yet. Hence, this excuse doesn’t seem good enough. Wait, I have it…”
Levi finally thought of a good reason to take out Kuroki and his disciple.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Having not heard a word from her, Levi realized Queenie had been quiet the entire day.
When he turned to look, he saw that she had already turned pale and was trembling uncontrollably as if she was beset by a serious disease.
Evidently, she was terrified by everyone’s response, especially that of her brother.
Edmund was a proud man, who had never been defeated before. Therefore, his reaction made a big impact on her.
Other than their father, Edmund didn’t see anyone else as his equal.
In fact, he didn’t even know what fear was.
Hence, when she saw how scared he was of Kuroki, Queenie could deduce how terrifyingly powerful Kuroki was.
Consequently, she was equally seized by fear.
As the last person on the Divine Leaderboard to be challenged, she had inadvertently become Erudia’s last line of defense.
If she were to be defeated, it would mean all of Erudia’s champions on the Divine Leaderboard had been wiped out.
With such a heavy burden on her shoulders, and the fact everyone else was frightened to death, Queenie felt as if she would collapse under the immense pressure.
In fact, she felt as if her soul had already left her body.
Levi was dumbfounded.
Kuroki isn’t even here, and you’re already panicking? What happened to that arrogant character of yours? Aren’t you extremely powerful? Isn’t your father invincible? Why are you so terrified? Furthermore, your father instructed The Cardinal Hall not to get involved because he knows that I’ll deal with it sooner or later. Even he realizes that Kuroki isn’t a threat at all. That’s why he isn’t worried. What a bunch of ignorant fools.
“You’re not the one who is being challenged. Of course, you’re not afraid. You have no idea what we’ll be facing after all!” Queenie retorted.
Soon, Levi and her could sense that something was approaching.
Boom!
An intimidating aura suddenly enveloped the surroundings.
Just like a crashing meteor, it felt as if it could obliterate North Hampton.
Having heard the noise, Queenie trembled with greater intensity.
Chapter 2409 How Dare You Come And Go As You Please
She felt her knees buckle as cold sweat drenched her entire body.
Seized by fear before the battle even began, Queenie had already surrendered mentally.
In fact, she would undeniably lose to Hirai if they were to fight, let alone Kuroki.
“Is… Is this the fearsome power of the Iron Golem Technique?”
Queenie shuddered fearfully.
Just as expected, Kuroki and his disciple, Hirai, had arrived.
Consequently, there was no one else in the vicinity of Levi’s manor. Not a single soul even dared to watch in secret.
Everyone was cowed by the power of the Iron Golem Technique.
Moreover, they were sure that Queenie would also be defeated.
Given how one-sided the battle was expected to be, it wouldn’t have mattered if they watched.
Everyone felt fearful of the impending humiliation of Erudia, where all her champions on the Divine Leaderboard were wiped out.
Meanwhile, the Divine Leaderboard was just updated. Kuroki was now in second place, just as expected.
Evidently, his next target was the first-ranked warrior on the list.
Despite the unpredictability of the future, he was truly the second most powerful warrior of the Divine Leaderboard currently.
Boom!
Following the thundering sound, the two Raysonian warriors arrived in the samurai gear.
“Ms. Queenie Birmingham, tenth-ranked of the Divine Leaderboard! I, Kuroki Takiya of Raysonia, hereby challenge you!” Kuroki declared belligerently.
Just when Levi wanted to speak, Queenie shoved him aside angrily.
“I… I accept your challenge!”
Even though she was afraid and knew that she was no match for her enemy, Queenie bravely stepped up to the plate.
Under pressure from her intense fear, Queenie could only unleash half her strength and was easily defeated.
Looking at Queenie who was puking blood on the ground, Kuroki scoffed, “You can’t even take one blow, you loser! All of you are useless! Despite being the darling of The Cardinal Hall and trained in Erudia’s traditional techniques, you are still nothing but trash!”
Hirai joined in the mockery. “Is there no one else in Erudia? Truly no one else? We have defeated every single warrior on the Divine Leaderboard and yet, didn’t even encounter anyone who could put up a fight. You’re nothing but garbage indeed. The next time you see a Raysonian warrior, remember to grovel in submission. Otherwise, we will beat you up again every time we see you!”
Kuroki nodded. “Mmm-hmm. From now on, I proclaim that everyone in Erudia has been trampled underneath my feet. After all, I have defeated every opponent on the Divine Leaderboard.
“The Cardinal Hall and Eragon cannot interfere of course. If they do, they would have broken their word. If anyone wants to compete, they have to be warriors from the Divine Leaderboard. After all, this process is recognized by the entire world,” Hirai added.
“It is my intention to beat Erudian warriors into submission with Erudia’s own techniques. I want them to be petrified and pee in their pants at the mere mention of my name, Kuroki Takiya!
“In fact, I want my name to become Erudia’s nightmare, to the extent it citizens feel fearful to say it. Going forward, whenever I come to Erudia, everyone will lock their doors and hide in their homes. The streets will be deserted, while the children won’t even dare cry,” Kuroki declared in an intimidating manner.
“Master, you have already done it! Just a while ago, The Cardinal Hall General and other warriors were here. However, when they heard that you were coming, they fled for their lives at once. Once the news gets out, you will be known as the terror of Erudia!” Hirai gloated by the side.
Meanwhile, Queenie was shedding tears of humiliation.
At that moment, all of her dignity had been trampled, and she couldn’t bring herself to face anyone anymore, let alone Kuroki.
“Let’s go. Erudia is simply too weak. There’s isn’t anyone here who can put up a good fight.”
Just when Kuroki and his disciple were about to leave…
“Wait! Do you think this is your home? How can you come and go as you please?”
Levi’s voice suddenly rang out.
Chapter 2410 Showing Mercy
Both Kuroki and Hirai were stunned by it.
There’s still someone there?
Since the time they arrived, they didn’t notice Levi’s presence, as they were only focused on Queenie.
In fact, they were oblivious to Cyrus and Mia’s existence too.
After all, the aura they exuded was so weak that it was no different from an ordinary person.
As for ordinary folk, they were nothing but insects to Kuroki.
Hence, he wasn’t even bothered to look.
Therefore, he treated Levi as if he wasn’t even there.
After all, Levi wasn’t even worthy of being ridiculed by them.
When one was insignificant, others wouldn’t even notice one’s existence.
However, when Kuroki and his disciple heard a sound, both of them were caught by surprise.
“Hmm? There’s actually someone else?” Hirai asked curiously.
Kuroki began to scrutinize Levi.
Even Queenie, who was still sprawled on the ground, looked at Levi in astonishment.
By stepping out now, does he have a death wish? He could have escaped this unscathed. What a fool he is!
“Master, I remember now. He is Levi Garrison! Back then, he slaughtered our people in Raysonia. Also, he was the one who humiliated all the warriors of our nation!
“However, in this new era, he has turned into a useless piece of trash. As of now, he is ranked seventeenth on the Provisional Leaderboard,” Hirai revealed Levi’s identity after observing him for a while.
Given that Levi was Raysonia’s much-hated enemy. Many of them had his impression seared into their minds.
In fact, they even designated him as someone their descendants were duty-bound to eliminate.
“It really is him! The one who is past his prime. However, warriors on the Provisional Leaderboard are just like insects and don’t deserve to be killed by me.”
Kuroki didn’t see Levi as a threat at all.
Hirai looked at Levi and asked, “Hey, what do you mean by that?”
“This is my home. Did you get my permission before you enter? Also, are you going to leave just like that after beating someone up?” Levi questioned.
Hirai’s eyes sparkled.
He could sense the demanding tone in Levi’s voice.
“What do you want?”
“Based on my rule, you have to leave something behind,” Levi replied.
“And what would that be?”
Kuroki was intrigued as he wanted to know what the insect wanted.
“Your pathetic lives!”
Just as he spoke, everyone present was stunned.
Does he want to take Kuroki’s life? What has gotten into him? Why is he behaving so brazenly?
Queenie was about to lose her mind.
Idiot! Absolute idiot! Kuroki is so strong that he has decimated all of Erudia’s fighters on the Divine Leaderboard and become the nightmare of our nation. And yet, Levi wants to provoke him? Isn’t that suicide?
Despite her father’s comments that Levi was someone extraordinary, Queenie just couldn’t see it.
Instead, he had made many stupid decisions.
And now, he was behaving like an utter idiot.
“Haha, you want to take our lives?”
Kuroki and Hirai didn’t expect Levi to utter such words.
Hence, they were shocked by him.
“Mmm-hmm, trespassing into my home is punishable by death. That’s the rule I have set!”
Evidently, that was the excuse Levi came up with after giving it a lot of thought.
“Who’s going to die first?”
Levi stared at both men.
“Insolence!”
Without another word, Hirai charged forward.
Since he was only going to kill someone from the Provisional Leaderboard, he didn’t bother using the Iron Golem Technique.
After all, Levi was nothing but an insect to him.
Thus, Hirai attacked as a Raysonian samurai. He launched himself with lightning speed and devil-like finesse, with the aim of killing Levi with a single blow.
However, Levi simply smirked.
The moment Hirai was about to strike, Levi launched a punch.
Crack!
Bam!
Hirai’s body exploded into a mist of blood right in front of Kuroki and Queenie.
His entire being evaporated just like that.