Han Sen looked around carefully. Aside from the glowing silk, there was nothing else he could see.
The sound of a heartbeat lasted for about a minute before it came to a stop.
“There must be something bad about this place, for the monsters to bring us here. Perhaps they are using us as a sacrifice to some creatures that reside here. We shouldn’t walk in too deep, and we should head back the way we came,” the bird-faced man said to Rocks Fall Duke and Vic.
“Hawk Wing, you think too much. The cocoon has been put back down, and an exit is no longer possible. Even if we were able to escape this place, the monsters outside would surely not let us go free,” Rocks Fall Duke said. Then, he turned to Han Sen and Yisha, and said, “Arguing like this is wasting time and getting us nowhere. So, why don’t we compete to see who will become the leader?”
“You want us to kill each other in order to co-operate?” Yisha laughed.
Rocks Fall Duke smiled and said, “My contest does not consist of fighting. I have a hard metal, so let’s see who can inflict the deepest mark upon it. Whoever does can be our leader.”
“That sounds fine to me,” Vic said.
Hawk Wing had no opinion, and Yisha just nodded. Han Sen didn’t say anything, so everyone pretty much agreed.
“Who wants to go first?” Rocks Fall Duke pulled out a sheet of metal that was about as big as his hand.
Everyone knew that their powers were being suppressed by Demon Grave, so the difference in class did not matter much. Whatever the case might have been in the outside world, their powers would be similar here.
Leaving a mark would all be down to the weapon used and the wielder’s proficiency with it. This wouldn’t be a contest for pure strength.
“You suggested this, so you first,” Vic said.
“Sure,” Rocks Fall Duke agreed. He’d already known that he’d be the first to strike.
He pulled out his long knife and slashed it. The blade came against the metal, and it emitted a purple spark.
A dong noise was heard, and afterwards, a mark was left upon the metal plate. It was around one inch deep.
“Teeth power. You have practiced the Rebate elder’s skill Teeth Blade?” Vic looked at him in surprise.
Rocks Fall Duke looked on cockily, and he said, “Mister Vic, you are smart. You recognize a skill that belongs to the elders.” “Back then, the Noble elder used Teeth Blade and teeth powers to light up a lantern and grant the race its higher status.
Everyone knows this. But Teeth Blade requires a lot to practice. Not many Rebates are able to cast it, so I cannot believe you are so talented and have managed to,” Vic said.
“It’s a minor achievement.” Rocks Fall Duke lifted his lips. He was very happy to hear such gushing praise.
Han Sen found it funny. Rocks Fall Duke’s Teeth Blade was clearly beginner level. He didn’t have a pure cast of the Teeth power. How Han Sen had learned enough of Teeth Blade to know that, though, he was not sure.
Han Sen’s Teeth Blade was just beginner, as well. But his Teeth power was definitely stronger than what Rocks Fall Duke could do.
Rocks Fall Duke wanted to use this power to achieve leadership over the others. It was a great idea, but the reality was far crueler than he expected
Han Sen had seen Yisha, who he guessed was a real heir to the grand power of Teeth Blade. As such, she did not have any thoughts to share over the demonstration.
“Who is next?” Rocks Fall Duke looked at them all.
Hawk Wing waved his hand and said, “Do not mind me. I don’t mind having you or Mister Vic as our leader.”
“I’m not interested either; let him try,” Yisha said, nodding at Han Sen. Why Yisha kept rooting for Han Sen was perplexing. Han Sen was not moving yet, though. And Vic smiled and said, “Let me do it, then.”
Rocks Fall Duke gave Vic the sheet of metal. Vic held the metal and smiled. “I can use whatever power I possess to leave a mark on it?”
“Yes. If you can leave a darker mark than me, then you will be our commander.” Rocks Fall Duke still sounded confident about himself.
The destructive ability of Teeth power was the best in the entire universe. Demon was good at Sky-Demon powers. They did not miss, but they also did not destroy like the Teeth powers could.
“Okay.” Vic smiled and unsheathed a dagger. Then he swung it at the metal.
There was a katcha noise, and the metal broke.
Rocks Fall Duke was in shock. Even Yisha looked surprised.
All the power from the outside had been suppressed there, and even the King class treasures would suffer suppression. For Vic’s dagger to be able to cut through the metal, it meant that he could easily kill them all if he so wanted.
With the Sky-Demon power, Vic seemed to be the strongest there.
“Now I am the commander! Does anyone have an opinion about that?” Vic said coldly.
The others did not speak. Rocks Fall Duke’s face had turned all red, and he couldn’t bring himself to say a word.
“What dagger is that? And why does it have that raw power in Demon Grave? It is stronger than the wooden weapons built from the plants that reside here,” Hawk Wing asked as he looked at Vic’s dagger.
Vic put the dagger away, smiled, and said, “I found this weird dagger by chance. It’s only a Viscount weapon outside of here, so even I was surprised to find out that it was not suppressed upon being brought inside.”
Nobody else believed him. He had brought the dagger here intentionally, that much was certain.
“Do you want to try leaving a mark?” Vic asked Han Sen.
“No thanks.” Han Sen shook his head.
He knew nothing about this place, so commanding would not do him any favors. If Yisha did not want this position, then there was no point in him taking it, either.
“In that case, I will lead.” Vic smiled. He issued a formation for their travel, and then they set out.
Han Sen and Rocks Fall Duke were up front. Vic and Hawk Wing were in the back. He allowed Yisha to simply walk in the middle.
They walked for a long time, but they never did feel right. Nothing appeared, but as they went, they could tell there was something residing inside the silk. It was like lightning.
As they went forward, the lightning became more active. Eventually, it leaped out of the silk and landed on Han Sen. He felt very numb.
