Chapter 7 – A Blaze

Book 19, Metamorphosis – Chapter 7, A Blaze Above the Bloodbath Arena. Many people were chatting amongst themselves, and the topic was virtually all related to Linley, currently standing above the Bloodbath Arena. Because just now, Linley had successfully gained his hundredth victory. But his success caused them to all understand…that most likely in the future, it would be hard for them to see Linley fight again. “Hey, just now, you were shouting so excitedly, ‘Boss’, ‘Boss’. Do you know Lord Ley?” A silver-haired young lady glanced sideways at Bebe. “Of course I know him. He’s my Boss.” Bebe rubbed his nose and said confidently. “Yeah, sure. And he’s my elder brother.” The silver-haired woman snorted, and then continued to look at Linley with a rather worshipful gaze. The silver-haired woman grew up in Tartarus and was affected by the local environment. The admiration the people here felt towards experts was even stronger than in the other parts of the Netherworld. “She doesn’t believe me.” Bebe was speechless in the face of the silver-haired woman’s disbelief. Right at this moment… A deep voice echoed in the Bloodbath Arena. “Everyone!” The voice continued to ring out as the person’s figure flew to the air above the Bloodbath Arena, standing next to Linley. This person was dressed in a long golden robe, and had a head full of long, dazzling gold hair. He was laughing while saying clearly, “Today, yet another victor of a hundred battles has emerged from our Bloodbath Arena. He is…Ley!” Linley smiled and made a nodding gesture towards the golden-haired man. Linley was waiting to be given his proof of having won a hundred battles…the ‘Bloodbath Emblem’. With the Bloodbath Emblem, he would truly have the qualifications to go challenge a Lord of Tartarus. “Everyone, quiet!” The golden-haired man said in a clear voice. Instantly, the spectators of the Bloodbath Arena all halted their conversations and looked over. “Right now, I will give this medal of honor, the ‘Bloodbath Emblem’, to our victor of a hundred battles, Ley!” As he spoke, the gold-haired man withdrew a six-pointed star-shaped red emblem and, with a smile, gave it to Linley. “Ley, from today onwards, your name and your victories will be displayed within our Bloodbath Arena.” Linley laughed and accepted it. “So this is it?” Linley lowered his head to give it a glance. The reason he had fought these hundred battles was for the sake of becoming qualified to challenge a Lord of Tartarus. “But of course, this Bloodbath Medallion also represents that you now are qualified to go challenge our mighty Lord of the Redcliff Region!” The golden-haired man said with a loud, clearly laugh. “Mr. Ley, I ask you this. Are you going to go challenge our Lord of Redcliff Region?” These words caused the entire Bloodbath Arena to once more turn rowdy.” “Challenge his Lordship!” “Challenge him!” “Ley, challenge his Lordship!” Many of the spectators in the Bloodbath Arena began to cry out. However, everyone understood that this was a question that would be asked each time the Bloodbath Medallion was handed out. As for the spectators, they were just shouting to be rowdy. Everyone hoped to see a battle over the position of Lord of Tartarus. But they all understood… This was just a formality. It was extremely rare for someone to actually challenge a Lord of Tartarus. Generally speaking, it would happen only a few times every hundred million years. Each time someone dared to challenge a Lord of Tartarus, that person generally had a certain degree of confidence as well as some special skills to rely on. Although Linley seemed quite good, as the spectators saw it, he was still quite a ways off from the level of a Lord of Tartarus. After all, whether it was Pam or Sheppard, compared to a Lord of Tartarus, they were like infants compared to an adult. “You said Ley is your Boss. Then tell me, will Ley challenge the Tartarus Lord?” The silver-haired lady laughed while looking at Bebe, and Bebe nodded with absolute certainty. “Without question, my Boss will definitely challenge the Tartarus Lord!” “Haha…” The silver-haired lady immediately began to laugh softly. “You don’t even know how to lie properly.” “If you don’t believe it, just watch.” Bebe said. “To tell the truth, the reason I have come to the Bloodbath Arena to fight…!” Linley’s voice suddenly rang out. The conversations around the Bloodbath Arena suddenly lowered in volume. Linley had a smile on his face. “…was precisely for the sake of becoming qualified to challenge the Redcliff Lord!” Instantly, everyone fell silent. Everyone looked towards Linley. The golden-haired man by Linley’s side looked at him in disbelief. “No way. This Mr. Ley…can it be that today, he really is going to challenge the Redcliff Lord? Too crazy, too crazy!” Although victors of a hundred battles were powerful, there would be one every so often. But someone who would challenge a Lord of Tartarus? This was something which would happen a few times every hundred million years. “No way.” The silver-haired lady grew nervous. She couldn’t help but glance sideways at Bebe, who just laughed confidently towards her. Everyone listened carefully and eagerly. “Now, I have finally acquired the necessary qualifications.” Linley stared at them. “Today, in front of everyone, I publicly proclaim! That I…am formally issuing the Redcliff Lord…a challenge!” “CHALLENGE!!!” His voice echoed throughout the Bloodbath Arena. Everyone was silent for a long time. This was the first time in the past ten million years that someone within the Redcliff Region had issued a challenge to the mighty Redcliff Lord! The Redcliff Lord was exalted and powerful! Everyone who challenged him had perished. But the many experts amongst the spectators wouldn’t give up. For the sake of their dreams, their goals! Even if they had to die, they would constantly challenge themselves, constantly clash…there would eventually come the day when they would defeat the Redcliff Lord and become the next Redcliff Lord. However, on this road…many, many would die! More than a million spectators were present, and they were staring at Linley, in the center. In their eyes, Linley was a fearless warrior, a new challenger for the position of Lord of Tartarus! “Ley!” The silver-haired elder was the first to call out solemnly. “Ley!” Immediately, a large number of people in the surrounding area called out as well. “LEY!” The entire Bloodbath Arena reverberated with this unified chorus. It was like a thunderclap splitting the world. These people used whatever methods were available to them to express encouragement to Linley! In their eyes, everyone who dared to challenge a Lord of Tartarus was a hero! A fearless hero! Everyone in the Redcliff Region wished to challenge a Lord of Tartarus and become the next one, but they all knew that their own level of strength was insufficient, and so they didn’t have the courage to do so. But deep in their hearts…they still had this desire. For Linley to now go make the challenge…this group of people very naturally came to feel that Linley was their representative. They hoped to see Linley win! Even though deep in their hearts, they believed that Linley would die, just like the previous challengers to the Redcliff Lord. Within the Bloodbath Arena, in front of more than a million people, the winner of a hundred consecutive battles, ‘Ley’, thus publicly issued his challenge to the Redcliff Lord! This news quickly swept through the entire Redcliff Region, like a blazing wildfire burning through a desolate, dry prairie. The hundred million people populating the Redcliff Region all were discussing this. They were all eager to watch it! Eager for Linley to duel the Redcliff Lord! Redcliff City. Within a hotel’s courtyard. Linley and Bebe were casually sipping wine. “Bebe, tell me, the Redcliff Lord should have heard of my public challenge by now, right? There’s no need for me to go in person to his door to challenge him again.” Linley said with a hint of uncertainty. “Enough, Boss. Just wait.” Bebe said casually. “The Lords of Tartarus…what sort of status do they have? They are like the Lord Prefects or Purgatory Commanders of the Infernal Realm. They are exalted figures. In terms of status alone, they are beneath only the Sovereigns themselves. How could someone with that sort of status possibly ignore your open provocations?” Linley laughed as he looked at Bebe. “The way you put it is really…” Linley suddenly turned, looking towards the courtyard door. Bebe looked as well. “Knock!” “Knock!” The sound of the door being knocked. “I imagine his Lordship’s men have arrived.” Bebe hurriedly ran over and opened the door. A black-robed, silver-haired youth was standing outside, looking towards the courtyard. When his gaze fell upon Linley, he revealed a smile on his face. “Mr. Ley, I am Ganmoly, the steward for the Redcliff Lord.” “Please come in.” Linley said with a calm laugh. Bebe laughed while winking towards Linley and sending mentally, “Boss, I was right, eh? His people have come.” Ganmoly laughed while walking in, then said, “Mr. Ley, I have come to represent the Redcliff Lord in issuing you an invitation to make a trip to the his estate and discuss your challenge to him.” “Discuss?” Linley raised an eyebrow. “Discuss the time and place?” “That’s part of it.” Ganmoly laughed. “No need to discuss it. You can just proclaim a time and a place. That will suffice.” Linley said with a calm smile. “Mr. Ley, there are other matters as well. It’s best to make a trip.” Ganmoly said. Linley and Bebe exchanged glances, and then Linley rose to his feet, smiling. “Since Steward Ganmoly and the Tartarus Lord invite us, then we two brothers will follow you, Steward Ganmoly, to make this trip.” Bebe revealed a smile on his face as well while sending to Linley, “Boss, the Redcliff Lord isn’t going to try and assassinate us secretly, is he?” “He shouldn’t. If he wants to kill us, it is better to kill us publicly. To secretly assassinate us would not be keeping with his stature.” Linley sent back. “Right.” Bebe sent in reply. “Boss, your words make sense. Forget it. If he does try anything funny, I’ll immediately use my ‘Godeater’ against him.” Under Ganmoly’s guidance, Linley and Bebe quickly arrived at the residence of the Redcliff Lord. The Redcliff Lord’s estate was surrounded by a large number of Highgod patrols. Linley swept them with his gaze. “Quite a few people. The outer perimeter has nearly ten thousand people, all Highgods!” The population of Tartarus wasn’t very high. The vast majority of the people here, however, were Highgods. The patrolling warriors at the Redcliff Lord’s estate naturally were all Highgods as well. The Redcliff Lord’s estate was extremely large. Linley and Bebe followed for quite some time before they arrived at an empty martial training field. Here, a muscular youth dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and long trousers was standing, ramrod straight. Although he was a ‘youth’ whose height and body shape seemed similar to Bebe’s… However… This person seemed o emanate a vigorous, mighty aura. “Your Lordship, they have come.” Ganmoly said respectfully. Linley couldn’t help but narrow his eyes as he looked carefully at this short-sleeved, muscular youth. “So he really does look just like he did in the scryer recordings.” “Whoosh.” The Redcliff Lord turned to look at them. His two vertically oriented, violet pupils caused Linley and Bebe to feel startled. Although they had seen scryer recordings, there was a limit to the clarity of the recordings. Linley was only able to see two figures fight, and wasn’t able to see the pupils clearly. “Your Lordship.” Linley said. The Redcliff Lord, just by looking at Linley and Bebe, had the feeling that these two shouldn’t be weak. He said calmly, “Today, I have invited the two of you over because I can’t be bothered to go enter some battle for them to watch. At the same time, I have no interest in killing you, ‘Ley’. Thus, it’s best for you to openly proclaim that you are giving up your challenge. Go back and keep training.” Linley and Bebe were stunned. “Hey…why are you saying this?” Bebe couldn’t help but speak out. “Redcliff Lord, no need to say anything further. I am eager for the chance to battle you.” Linley said. The Redcliff Lord frowned as he looked at Linley. “Hmph.” The Redcliff Lord thrust his hand out. “WHAP!” It seemed as though a whip had viciously lashed the air, striking space itself. This simple swipe of the hand, where the fist just punched into empty space… “BOOM!” “BOOM!” “BOOM!” “BOOM!” One hole in space after another exploded forth, repeatedly giving birth to more, like a series of rings, one ring after another. Dozens of holes exploded forth into space, creating a giant tear in space which was more than ten meters long. Only after some time did they fade away. “What a terrifying punch.” Linley’s pupils suddenly contracted. “Throbbing Pulse of the World. Essence of the Earth. Profound Mysteries of Strength. Vitality…from this simple punch alone, I can sense at least four types of profound mysteries. I can’t be certain whether there weren’t actually five profound mysteries. Too powerful. No wonder he was able to easily shatter Highgod artifacts with a simple punch.” Linley had to admit, the level of understanding the Redcliff Lord had with regards to the Laws exceeded Linley’s. “If you are confident in being able to withstand this punch of mine, then choose to continue challenging me.” The Redcliff Lord said calmly. The nearby Ganmoly was chortling while watching this. He believed that Linley would definitely give up. “Then Redcliff Lord, please tell me the time and the place for our battle.” Linley gave his response.