5 minutes ago.
Standing atop the windows, Zypher was still watching them.
After the sudden stop at the banter, he saw that there is no way that he can fight the Deviant.
[Marcuz (Deviant)]
Level 120
This was something that he can't fight.
Aside from his titles, and stats, his skills and abilities are still low, compared to this monstrosity.
It is like him facing a dragon already.
And dragons in this game, are dragons.
In other games, dragons are symbols meant to be overcome. They are species that can be beaten once the hero is strong enough.
But the dragons here, exhibit a high cap of intelligence, and not just pride.
Because pride only works when you are strong.
And the dragons in the game exhibit that same attitude: haughty and mighty, but intelligent and cunning.
All of them are programmed to have a fair mindset:
"If I, a dragon, can attack a human in three different ways in one second, why would I attack once in the name of pride. I am proud that I can do that, because this is about me, and not the d**n human."
And so, when players and natives faces dragons, they will just run and die.
In his past life, Zypher did encountered three dragons, two of them were slain by him, but the third one became Caelestia's guardian.
But, that dragon is a Book Dragon, which is a dragon that only writes and rewrites books, and does experiments.
As to what it really does, only Zypher knows.
When they fell, he released the contract of the dragon, and it flew to he doesn't know where.
Until the end of his past life, he did not see the dragon again.
"Kid, use your wish."
He was awakened from his daydream.
"What?"
"Now, right now."
He looked at Old Dev and looked back to the ground, only to see Cirei stabbing Marcuz in the chest.
"Yo? Are you that hurried to go? Aren't they winning now?"
"Dumbass! That's Marcuz, The Blood Monger."
"Blood Monger? What's that?"
"Listen here, you sh*t."
"There are three known Deviants that made the empire lurch back to their shell."
"One is Inna of the Morning Sun. She is the Deviant that controls fire and heat, and she is known for her brutality in burning people. She then takes their bodies, put them in poles, and makes them like barbecue. That made her the Fire Deviant."
"The second us Ludis of Mist. He is the only Deviant I haven't heard that much because when I came here, he was already retiring, but people said that he is too terrifying that his opponents vanish into thin mist when they are defeated, thus earning his name."
"And the last one, is Marcuz the Blood Monger, which becomes stronger the more he eats humans. He eats the brains, and all their memories and skills, which makes him also a good spy because he can mimic and know everything."
As Old Dev finished speaking, Zypher then took out Charity.
"Dagger Form."
Clutching the dagger in his hand, he jumped down and threw it towards Marcuz.
"Pace! Boost!"
He then used Boundless Pace and Boundless Boost, which is now all at Rank 2, so he can now use their short versions to cast the same skill.
He stepped forwards and ran through the wall, adding the force of gravity on his body as he accelerated.
"Chakram!"
He threw it and used the momentum as a starting point.
"Step!"
He changed his momentum as he took Cirei out of Marcuz' hand.
He arrived in front of Anjelo, which was suprised by his sudden arrival, but he just took Cirei down on the floor.
CLANG!
The dagger and a sabre met, but what made it so surprising is that Zypher managed to parry Marcuz' attack.
With that, he spun around, and use stab, but was dodged by Marcuz, and the rest was history.
"You're too young to be my father!"
"And you're too old to be my son."
He said as he brandished the dagger in his hand.
"D**n you!"
Marcuz said, and he jumped towards Zypher. The place he jumped at created a small crater, which made the platform crack a bit.
Swinging downwards, he sent a massive attack towards Zypher, which the opposition just adjusted himslef and used the tip of the dagger to stop him.
"Shortsword Form."
He said as he flipped how he handled Charity, and kicked Marcuz straight in the face.
"GRRAAAAARGH!"
He shouted and lunged again, this time, swinging the blade from below.
Zypher then jumped, and received the attack, but what Marcuz did not expect is the distance.
"Chakram!" He pulled the chakram out of thin air and threw it towards Marcuz.
"Do you think it will work twice?"
He readied himself, but then, the chakrams became two scythes mid air, which Zypher took.
One scythe redirected the sword, and one scythe took his hand.
"ARRRGGHH!" Marcuz shouted, as he saw his amputated hand that fell on the ground.
"Youuu!"
Marcuz said with full contempt. He used his energy to block the wound, but it was not stopping.
"Me?"
Zypher said as he took the hand that was cut off cleanly.
"Hey, Old Dev, how many minutes more."
He said as he took the arm and pushed it towards his chest.
Suddenly, a light engulfed the hand, which looked like something ate it up.
"You still have...5 more...minutes."
"Thank you."
He said as he then took the dagger and the chakram, which ate up the dagger.
"All Mine."
"Scythe Form."
A scythe appeared in his hand.
"Split."
Then, it became two.
"Let's continue to dance, shall we?"
"YOU DA*N HUMAN!"
Marcuz shouted has he picked up his sword and swing towards Zypher.
He then dodged it, and did a small swing, enough to wound Marcuz' body.
"RAAAAH!
He swung and swung, but all Zypher did was dodge.
He didn't hit Zypher once, and in a minute, he exhausted himself.
Panting, he saw an after image, which turned to be an attack that suddenly hit his head.
The hilt of the scythe hit him, and the next moment, the one who threw it appeared above him.
He ducked down to avoide being decapitated, but what happened next shocked his core.
SPLUURT!
Fountains of green blood dyed the platform as his other hand flew away.
In that moment, he felt it.
Fear, anxiety and stress.
It steadily crept up to his mind, filling the void in it that homed his killing instincts.
When he was the one doing it, all he felt was joy, ecstasy and jubilation that he is stronger than anyone he faced.
But now, he is in the same pedestal which his victims once stood, receiving the same punishment he once dictated.
BANG!
A kick sent him down the platform.
He rolled a few more distances before halting, as he hit something.
Coughing, he stood up, and saw what he hit that saved him from disgrace of being a bowling ball.
There, his eyes met the eyes of the dead.
The ones he did not eat, but mutilated until they die, and bored him to death, but now, boredom is not the one driving him to that endgame.
Zypher is.
As he looked back to the platform, he saw Zypher, at the edge, looking down at him.
Suddenly, all the dying flames of the place started to rekindle.
Just like a stove being opened, each torch suddenly bursted into flames, starting from the entrance of the octagon.
Clear flames started, illuminating the once dim room.
Then after the torch flames opened in the platform, it went up to the seven thrones.
The first ones to be filled with lights were the thrones nearest to the entrance.
The entrance is the south gate, so the ones who had lit up now were the southwest and southeast thrones, and the flames were colored yellow and green respectively.
The next thrones to completely line up were the west and east thrones: blue and red.
White and black flames appeared on the northwest and northeast thrones, which made the place almost explode in beauty.
But then, the last one lit up.
The gray throne.
Simple, yet the power that was radiating from it is mightier than the power of Marcuz when Zypher first came here.
As the colorful flames woke up, a cold, creepy chant began to start.
Drums began to play, and there is a type of stringed instrument that is being scraped which made the air filled with horror.
The chanting grew louder and louder, making the air thicker, which made Marcuz, and even Cirei and Anjelo, fall down to their knees.
The others also clutched their heads in pain, but the one who remained standing was Zypher.
The chanting went on for a full minute, making the music go higher and higher, until it stopped.
Silence permeated the air, and even the gentle crackle of the flames became quiet.
"All rise."
A gentle, cold, yet powerful voice said.
The seats of the theatre began to light up, and there, were entities that wear hoods that matches the color of the throne they were sitting on.
And then, suddenly, seven figures appeared in each throne.
But, the figures are disfigured people.
The one who sat on the yellow throne is a person, yet his head, are two ears. No eyes, no nose, no mouth, just ears.
The next one, in the green throne, is a person with a head of a mouth.
The blue throne's entity is a person with a head of a nose, and the red's head is an eye.
The black throne's person's head is a brain, while the white throne has a heart.
The gray throne is the only one who is complete, or rather, the most incomplete.
He has a face, but no eyes, no nose, no ears, no mouth. His head is open, and his chest has a hole in it.
"Wha-wha-wha-what is.."
"WELCOME, TO THE SOUL TRIAL COURT!"
The voice said, and all of the entities under the hoods sat down.
And there it happened.
Marcuz ran towards the door of the court, but then, a heavy wind forced the doors shut.
"WE WILL NOW JUDGE THE DEFENDANT."
The voice once again said, seven chains were sent out.
All chains contain one color, and each chain wrapped around Marcuz' body.
"THE DEFENDANT IS MARCUZ MARKLAY; ALSO KNOWN AS MARCUZ THE BLOOD MONGER."
"JUDGE! JUDGE! JUDGE! JUDGE!"
The hooded ones began to chant.
Facing the pressure, Marcuz shouted and screamed.
"SILENCE!"
The green judge said, and suddenly, a heavy air made everyone silent.
"LET THE DEFENDANT SPEAK!"
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Then, a hooded judge, one that wears a green hood, went down.
"We will start the seven trials!"
It said as seven hooded judges went down the platform.
They created an encirclement, and looked towards Marcuz.
"The First Trial: Trial of the Tongue!"
BZZZT!
Electricity flowed through the platform, raising up the place where Marcuz is held.
"Marcuz' the Blood Monger! Did you say that killing a human is just?"
The hooded green judge said, as he placed a nail to the ground.
"HA..."
A sudden burst came out from Marcuz' mouth.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
He laughed for a good minute before coming to a halt.
The green hooded judge just stayed put.
"Again, Marcuz the Blood-"
"Hey, do you think it's just to kill a mosquito?"
Marcuz said, making the whole place silent.
"It's the same, isn't it? You kill something because you are stronger than it."
"And I am stronger than humans!"
BANG!
The nail hit the platform, and hammer struck it, pinning the chain down, making Marcuz' head stick to the ground.
"VERDICT: GUILTY!"
"GUILTY? WHAT MADE ME GUILTY? I AM STRONG-"
BANG!
A hand flew to punch Marcuz' face, and in one hit, he lost his consciousness.
"Then what do you think of me? A monster?"