CHAPTER 53: THREE HOODED FIGURES.

INSIDE MISTY PEAK.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MAGIC FORMATION.

*VROOM*

"Huh? So, the magic formation was also a teleportation circle?"

Helena thought in her mind after being teleported into a large hall. She glances around the hall and notices something familiar about the architecture.

"Unlike the medieval architecture of the Giggadon Empire, this hall's architecture looks really similar to ancient Rome. How is it possible for two different civilization architectures to exist on the same land?"

Helena wondered in her mind. But could not find an answer. As a result, she decided to ask Grace.

"Grace, why does this hall's architecture look different from the Giggadon Empire?"

Helena asked in a curious tone.

"I also don't know much, My liege. But, from what the former dark knight guild master told me. Before the Murla Kingdom, which later became the Giggadon Empire, was built, there used to be a civilization that occupied this land, thousands of years ago. And they are the ones who built this place inside the Misty Peak."

Grace explained.

"So, what happened to them?"

Helena asked curiously.

"I am sorry, my liege, I don't know any more than that."

Grace said in an apologetic tone.

"Don't worry about it."

Helena said as she continued to observe the hall. After walking through the center of the hall with Grace, they arrived at Hall's exit.

*CREAKING* *HEAVY DOOR OPENING. *

"Urgh…"

Grace grunted as she pushed open the heavy stone door.

*WHOOSH*

After Grace pushed open the door, a strong gust of wind came rushing in, pushing off Helena's hood, and revealing her face.

"!?"

Surprised by the gust of wind, Helena raised her hand in front of her to block it. After it dispersed, she puts down her hand and walked through the door, exiting the hall.

"Woah..."

Helena could not believe her eyes, inside this mountain was an entire ancient city.

"Building a room inside a mountain was already unbelievable, but building an entire city is just insane. How did a second-rate assassination group like the dark knight guild find this place?"

Helena thought in her mind, fascinated by the sight.

"Hehe… I knew my liege would like to see this view. Choosing the entrance that led straight to the Palace Hall was pretty smart of me."

Grace said in her mind while smiling.

*SWOOSH*

Helena flinched after feeling a cool breeze brush past her, she looks in the direction the air was flowing from. And noticed that the inside top of the mountain had a hole.

****************************************

TWO MINUTES LATER.

"My liege, would you like to see the training grounds before evening comes?"

Grace asked.

"Oh, yeah, almost forgot the reason we came here."

Helena said with a blushing cheek, embarrassed by her childlike behavior.

"So, where are you training those kids?"

Helena asked.

Grace raised her hand and pointed at a building in the distance before saying.

"They are being trained in that elliptical structure made of stones."

Grace replied.

"Huh? Isn't that a colosseum?"

Helena said in an excited tone. It was the first time she had seen a real colosseum, though she had seen pictures of them on the internet back on Earth. It was nothing compared to the real thing. And out of excitement, Helena carries Grace off the ground with one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back. It was the legendary 'princess carry.

"Huh?... my liege, what are you doing–"

*BOOM*

But before Grace could finish speaking, Helena leaped 300 feet into the air from the palace hall towards the Colosseum.

—-------------------------------------------

INSIDE THE COLOSSEUM.

*PITTER–PATTER*

"Hey! Don't forget that anyone that falls behind would have nothing to eat tonight."

Standing in the Colosseum Cavea, Gunter yelled at the children who were running in a circle in the Colosseum arena.

"Tsk, I wonder why I am training brats like this? instead of hunting new prey… If not for wanting to meet the new leader that took out Mr. K, I would have joined another Guild."

Gunter said in his mind with an annoyed expression.

"Hey carrot top, why does your expression look like shit? Do you want to scare the kids?"

A grey-haired man who looked to be in his sixties said in a mocking tone.

Gunter looks behind quickly after hearing the familiar and annoying voice.

"Heh, I see your voice hasn't changed. You still sound like you are choking on something, one-legged old man."

Gunter said in a rude tone as he stared at the old man's prosthetic leg.

"Ho- ho ho, I see your mouth is still as rude as ever."

The old man said while laughing with killing intent as he pulls the head of his cane, revealing a blade.

*SCHWING*

"Do you think I'm scared of you, old man? I heard that people your age forget things easily, but I hope you still remember that we are both 3rd-class grandmasters."

*CLANK*

Gunter said as a chain with a double-edged blade fell out of his wrist.

They both stared at each other with the intent to kill, but they were both waiting to see who would make the first move.

*WHEEZE*

Everyone in the Colosseum stopped what they were doing after hearing a loud but also silent whistling noise coming from the sky. They looked up and saw two black dots that seemed to be dropping.

"What the fuck is that-"

But before Gunter could finish his words, the object landed in the middle of the Colosseum Arena.

*BOOM!!!*

*RUMBLE*

—---------------------------------------------------

AT THE SAME TIME.

THE OUTER AREA OF THE MISTY MOUNTAINS.

*WHOOSH*

A person wearing a hood appeared at an inhuman speed.

"Sniff… sniff… ugh, what the hell is that smell?"

The hooded figure said in a disgusted tone.

*WHOOSH*

"Hey, Aered, why did you stop?"

One of the two other hooded figures that arrived asked curiously.

"Can't you smell the disgusting stench?"

Aered asked while covering his nose with his arm, trying to block out the smell.

"What smell are you talking about–Urgh… what is that wet beast-like smell?"

The second hooded figure said in a disgusted tone after picking up the smell.

"Hey guys, get over here. There is an unconscious human here."

The third hooded figure said while staring at something lying on the ground.

"Huh? When did you move over there?"

Aered and the other hooded figure asked simultaneously as they walked over to where the third hooded figure stood.

"Look… it's a female human."

The third hooded figure said after the other two arrived.

"Huh, a female human?"

Aered and the second hooded figure said simultaneously, as they look down to see what the third hooded figure was talking about.

"Woah, it really is a human…Do you think it's still alive?"

The second hooded figure asked.

"Sniff…sniff. From the smell of its blood, it seems to still be alive."

Aered said after smelling the human blood through an open scratch it had.

"Hmm? Did you think that was her doing?"

The second hooded figure asked in a curious tone as he stared at the Drake kin's corpse.

"Pfft! Hahahaha…"

Aered and the third hooded figure laughed at the second hooded figure's words.

"Did you forget what 'Lord' said? Female humans are much weaker than male ones. So, there is no way it could kill a Drake kin. If I guess it right, the beast that left that disgusting smell killed it."

Aered said.

"Is that so? So, what do we do with this human?"

The second hooded figure asked.

"We could just feast on her. Because I am thirsty from all the running."

The third hooded figure said.

"No. we cannot let such an excellent opportunity pass us by. Since our mission is to infiltrate and gather information about this empire, why don't we capture one of its inhabitants and use it as a guide?"

Aered suggested.

"Hmm… are you sure about this, Aered? The Lord did warn us not to trust humans, they betray quite easily."

The third hooded figure said in a worried tone.

"Who said anything about trusting a human? We are just going to use it until we gather enough information, then we get rid of it."

Aered said.

"If you say it that way, then I have no problem with it."

The third hooded figure said.

"Ok then, since we agree, you take the female human with us."

Aered said to the second hooded figure.

"Huh? Why do I have to carry the human?"

The second hooded figure asked in an unhappy tone.

"Because you are the youngest."

Aered and the third hooded figure said simultaneously, as they continued on their path towards the Giggadon empire capital.

*WHOOSH*

"Humph, why do I have to listen to them, just because I was born ten minutes later than them?"

The second hooded figure complained as they carried the female human on their backs and moved at inhuman speed in the same direction as the other two.

*WHOOSH*