He remembered clearly that there hadn't been such a giant sinkhole here.
The answer was obvious: the tremor from before had been caused by this pit.
As the group approached, the scene at the bottom of the pit unfolded before their eyes.
A monster, forcibly cobbled together from dozens of fragmented skeletons, rusted armor, and twisted spirits, was roaring in the center of the pit.
It had no fixed form, resembling a mass of churning, swelling sludge. New bones constantly merged from the pit walls and floor into its bloated body, only to be blown apart by violent force.
Fighting this constantly regenerating undead amalgam was a blazing orange figure.
The person was exceptionally tall, covered head to toe in bright orange armor that was currently covered in fine scratches and signs of corrosion.
He swung a wide-bladed greatsword nearly as tall as himself with both hands. The blade was heavy, letting out a whistle as it tore through the air.
Every hack and slash carried immense power, slamming hard into the body of the undead amalgam and exploding into large clumps of bone fragments and splashes of eerie green ichor.
His fighting style was savage and direct, a pure venting of power without any bells or whistles.
However, every time his terrifying strikes tore a massive wound in the amalgam, more undead would drift out from the shadows of the surrounding ruins.
They were like iron filings drawn to a magnet, wailing as they threw themselves into that mass of death. The wounds would then writhe and close at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In contrast, the orange-armored warrior's offensive remained fierce, his roars spirited, but the corrosive slime seeping through the gaps in his armor added new injuries.
Compared to that seemingly infinitely regenerating amalgam, as one side waxed and the other waned, defeat seemed to be only a matter of time.
Yet, far from showing any intent to retreat, his fighting spirit seemed to burn even more vigorously beneath the face covered by the helmet.
Bai Xuan stared at the figure shining amidst the foul death.
He could tell that this person was very strong—and very much enjoying himself.
Is this how people from prestigious families with deep foundations approach combat?
He focused what little mental energy he had left, locking his gaze on that blazing orange mass.
【Banner Mulan】
【Class: Heavy Blade Guard Lv. 7 (Practitioner)】
【Status: Minor injuries, high fighting spirit】
【Health: 860/1200】
【Mana: 198/430】
【Potential: 4-Star (Crown)】
Just as he expected, he was also Level 7.
His talent had reached the staggering 4-Star Crown Rank, the same as the Grand Duke.
With such a level and potential, combined with that clearly expensive armor and a fighting style that squandered power...
He thought back to his own pathetic struggle with a Dreadboar, his careful calculations for a few silver coins in healing fees, and how he had used every trick and bit of luck to seal a powerful enemy in the tomb.
Is this the gap between classes?
No, I just lack time. Given enough time, whether it's Crown or Skycrown, they will all be nothing more than stepping stones for me.
Bai Xuan continued to watch the battle in the pit.
When Amelia saw the figure at the bottom of the pit, her fingers, which had been clutching the edge of her skirt, loosened.
She crossed her arms, tilted her chin up, and snorted, “So stupid! He’s fighting so sloppily!”
But her eyes remained fixed on the churning battle below, never once looking away.
At that moment, Frank’s voice rang out calmly: “The nature of this opponent happens to circumvent the fighting style Master Banner is best at.”
“Pure power collisions are very inefficient here. If this continues, the Young Master's stamina will be exhausted first.”
Amelia pouted upon hearing this. “Fine, let's go help that idiot who only knows how to use brute force then.”
Frank raised a hand that looked no different from an ordinary old man's and traced a line in the air with his index finger.
The movement was casual, but a simple, faint silver trail appeared in the air along the path his fingertip had crossed.
The trail flashed and vanished, making no sound and emitting no blinding light.
However, the situation around them changed instantly.
The massive undead amalgam let out a sharp hiss that was far more confused than angry.
The gravitational field it used to constantly draw skeletons and spirits from the environment to replenish itself seemed to have been quietly snipped by a pair of scissors.
Scattered bones and grayish shadows that had been pulled from the surrounding ruins and were flying toward it suddenly lost their direction.
The undead clattered to the ground or stalled aimlessly in mid-air, returning to their wandering state.
The amalgam's own movements became sluggish and uncoordinated, as if some command maintaining its existence had been disrupted.
This change was extremely subtle, nearly invisible, yet Banner, who was in the thick of the fight, noticed it almost immediately.
He repelled his opponent with a savage horizontal slash and took a few steps back to create distance.
His helmet quickly scanned the surrounding edge of the pit, his gaze swiftly locking onto the group watching from the rim.
In the next second, Banner’s fighting style suddenly shifted.
If he was previously a war machine seeking maximum destructive efficiency through power...
Then now...
Banner had become a gladiator performing with all his heart on a stage.
His steps took on large-scale rotations, and the trajectory of his greatsword became ornate and full of arcs, trailing a dazzling orange light.
Every slash was accompanied by a deliberately low-pitched shout, striving for the ultimate visual effect.
He no longer simply attacked the amalgam's core but used flashy sword techniques to carve exaggerated wounds into its massive body.
It was like he was putting on a grand performance.
Finally, he took a deep breath, bent his legs slightly, and then kicked off the ground with all his might, instantly leaping dozens of meters into the air.
He raised the wide-bladed greatsword high above his head with both hands as surging mana gathered frantically.
The mana condensed on the blade into a giant, heart-stopping orange light blade outline several times larger than the sword itself.
“Hah—yaaa!!!”
With a battle cry from the depths of his lungs, the light blade followed his descent and slammed violently into the very center of the undead amalgam!
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion rang out as chaotic air currents, laden with bone dust and ash, surged into the sky, forming a small mushroom-shaped cloud of dust.
Under this ornate and violent finishing move, the undead amalgam completely fell apart, turning into fragments that scattered across the sky.
A deep, wide depression appeared in the ground.
The scale and nature of this commotion were quite similar to the ground tremor that had drawn them here.
Except the power was clearly much weaker, and the form of the light blade was not very stable.
Bai Xuan could see it.
This guy probably lets himself go when no one is around but immediately straightens his posture and shows off his cool side once he has an audience.
With the dust of battle settled, Banner didn't even spare a second glance at the dissipating enemy. He turned and broke into a sprint toward the edge of the pit.
The greatsword in his hand vanished in a brief ripple of space, clearly having been stored in his equipment.
As he rapidly approached, his image became clear.
Banner was exceptionally tall and burly, standing well over two meters tall by estimate, covered in a suit of full-body armor dominated by bright orange.
The armor was ornate and flamboyant; even though it was currently covered in stains and scratches, one could still sense the extraordinary quality of its material and the exquisite craftsmanship of its forging.
He raised a hand and removed his helmet, tucking it under his arm to reveal a head of brilliant short blond hair.
His facial features were rugged, his jawline square, but a slight resemblance to Amelia could still be seen in his eyes and brows.
Banner reached the group in a few strides, the pressure brought by his tall frame being immense.
With clear displeasure on his face, he looked down at Amelia and said in a booming voice, “I told you not to come looking for me! I was just getting into it! Sister, you’re always such a killjoy!”
“You muscle-brained log!”
Amelia looked up, even standing on her tiptoes to bolster her presence.
Then she hopped up and—pop—expertly gave Banner a flick on the forehead, not too light but not too hard.
“If Grandpa Frank hadn't helped, you would have been worn down sooner or later! You have some nerve saying that!”
Bai Xuan stood there, feeling like he might have misheard.
Sister?
This blond-haired youth in armor, over two meters tall and built like a mountain...
Was calling this pink-haired girl, whose height barely reached his chest and who looked as delicate as a doll, “Sister”?
Was it the wind here distorting his hearing, or did the kinship terms of this world have special rules he didn't yet understand?
His gaze moved uncontrollably between Amelia and Banner, the surprise on his face not entirely hidden.
Amelia seemed to catch his confusion and turned her head.
Then, with a habitual sigh and a hint of a boastful tone, she explained, “This is my younger brother, Banner! Don't be fooled by his size; he’s actually only just turned fifteen. He’s still a reckless little brat!”
Listening to Amelia’s soft, sweet voice, Bai Xuan mentally complained: “You're the one who looks more like a little brat!”
Then, Bai Xuan's gaze fell once more on Banner’s frame, which was nearly two heads taller than himself and almost twice his shoulder width.
He began to develop a new understanding of the growth and development patterns of humans in this other world.
Immediately after, a startling deduction surfaced in his mind: if Banner was fifteen and Amelia was his older sister...
Then Amelia’s actual age was likely nowhere near the fourteen or so years her appearance suggested.
What... was the reason for this?
This thought caused a mix of questions to involuntarily enter his eyes as he looked at Amelia again.
But Bai Xuan quickly reined in his outward astonishment, a polite smile returning to his face.
He then said to Banner, “So it is Master Banner. The battle just now was truly impressive and exceptionally valiant.”
Hearing “exceptionally valiant,” Banner was very pleased, and his previous annoyance vanished instantly.
He puffed out his chest, which was covered in ornate breastplate, and announced in a booming voice, “Of course! I’m going to participate in the Hero Assembly and win the title of Chosen Hero in the future!”
“A battle of this level is nothing more than a warm-up!”
“Hero Assembly? Chosen Hero?” Bai Xuan showed curiosity and confusion; these were terms he had never heard before.
Anna took over the conversation from the side. “The Hero Assembly is a long-standing grand ceremony of the Kingdom of Eluria.”
“Unlike many other countries, our kingdom’s assembly is built on the foundation of openness. In principle, it is open to all qualified practitioners on the continent, regardless of origin, race, or faith.”
“The final winner will receive the honorary title of Chosen Hero, which is one of the highest honors within the kingdom.”
Hearing this, Bai Xuan became even more interested.
This sounded like...
An opportunity for an outsider of unknown origin like him to break through the inherent class barriers!
A burning desire instantly surged from the bottom of his heart.
“What are the requirements to participate in such a grand event? When is the next one held?” he pressed, his tone carrying an urgency he hadn't even noticed himself.
Banner’s answer was a bit stumbling: “Uh... requirements? Let me think... the age seems to be eighteen to... to how many years again?”
“Anyway, a few months before the competition starts, just go to the designated city to sign up. But you have to prove you have the strength, like showing your Adventurer’s Guild rank badge or something...”
“Idiot! It’s eighteen to forty. Other races can calculate their age based on our human equivalent!”
“You can't even remember that, yet you talk about the Hero Assembly every day!” Amelia couldn't help but criticize Banner.
She turned to Bai Xuan. “The next Hero Assembly is scheduled for the Harvest Moon in three years, in the Augustus Capital.”
“At that time, powerful guys from all over the continent who are qualified will find a way to squeeze in. It’ll be very lively! Oh, right!”
She suddenly thought of something, her gaze scanning Bai Xuan. “How old are you, big brother? You should be the right age by then, right?”
“You must come to Myriad City first! When you arrive, you can come straight to me, and I’ll take you to the Royal Capital!”
That “big brother” fell on Bai Xuan’s ears now, but it made his mood exceptionally complex.
Before, it had only felt like a polite and slightly close form of address from a young noble lady.
But now that he knew the real age and size of the brother beside her, combined with his guess that Amelia might not be the age she appeared to be...
The meaning of that address suddenly became subtle, making him feel a bit of an indescribable awkwardness.
He could only maintain his surface smile and nod in response. “In three years... I’ll remember that. Thank you very much for the invitation, Miss Amelia.”
Banner swung a hand forcefully. “We’ll be rivals then! I won't let you have that honor; it’ll be my best coming-of-age gift!”
He finished speaking, only to feel something was off after his voice trailed off.
Banner turned his fluffy blond head, his eyes looking straight at Bai Xuan.
Then his eyebrows bunched up in confusion. “Wait, you... who are you?”
Only now did he dully realize there was a stranger in the group.
“You—big—idiot—!”
Amelia’s sigh was drawn out long.
Banner got another flick on the forehead, neither light nor hard.
“He’s been standing here for ages! Are your eyes only able to see monsters that move?”
Bai Xuan watched from the side, feeling like his eyelid was twitching.
Could it be... that Banner was like this because he was hit like this year-round...?
Amelia introduced him in a concise tone: “This is Bai Xuan, a Healer.”
“His previous team ran into trouble, and he’s now under my employ, traveling with us for the time being.”
Her tone carried a faint pity, naturally leading the listener to think of misfortune.
The way Banner looked at Bai Xuan changed immediately, that simple confusion replaced by a simpler emotion.
It was the common sympathy for those who had met with misfortune.
He raised his large hand and slapped his front, which was covered by his ornate breastplate, forcefully.
Then he said in a booming voice, “Don't be sad! Those who survive are the strong! Follow us, and you’ll be absolutely safe!”
Bai Xuan lowered his head slightly, responding politely, “Thank you for your consolation.”
Amelia looked at Banner, her gaze sweeping over the few fresh scratches and corrosion marks on his armor.
Her amethyst eyes lit up instantly.
“Oh, right, Banner, you’re injured~”
Rate on N.U.
