So Mydei has a past like this as well?
It seems this journey isn't just about uncovering Nikador's secrets. It can also unearth quite a few stories related to Mydei.
The audience outside the screen all pricked up their ears.
After that. The group continued deeper...
Along the way, listening to the conversations of passersby. Castorice gradually grasped the current point in the timeline, the late stage of the Chrysos War.
It seems they had traveled back to the last years of the Chrysos War, a time when Castrum Kremnos grappled with both internal strife and the Titan's waning divinity.
In such a turbulent environment. Everyone had no choice but to adopt a more cautious approach.
Blending into the rules of Castrum Kremnos.
Coincidentally. There seemed to be a festival being held. Even as outsiders, they could still sign up to participate. As long as their registration was successful, they would be able to enter the inner city.
The group followed the main road all the way to the end, arriving beneath an enormous and oppressive suspended structure.
Here, quite a few people were already lined up here.
"That should be the place to sign up." Castorice said softly.
The two lined up. And during the wait, they also witnessed just how crafty the profession of merchants truly was.
Even within the imposing Castrum Kremnos. Many merchants had spotted the business opportunities brought by the flow of people.
Around the long queue of registrants, some had set up tents, selling drinks and fruit. Others placed high-quality weapons and shields at their feet, shouting loudly to attract customers.
Of course. Those who came here to register were surely aiming for victory in the arena.
So these weapons drew an exceptional amount of attention.
Just as Stelle was about to step forward to take a look.
She was stopped by Castorice.
"Miss Stelle, those weapons… it's better not to get involved with them."
Castorice advised in a low voice.
"Why?"
"The stall owner said these are weapons forged by Hatonus."
Stelle was quite curious.
After all, encountering a familiar name in such ancient times was an especially interesting experience.
Castorice shook her head. "They are indeed weapons forged by Chartonus, but... Those weapons reek of blood. He made an effort to conceal it, but traces of death aren't something you can easily erase... I shudder to even consider where he got his goods from."
She didn't continue.
Stelle looked at the weapons with a frown. When she looked at the weapons again, the curiosity in her eyes had already vanished.
The group waited quietly where they were.
Time passed, second by second. Finally, it was their turn to register.
As soon as they approached, they heard the loud voice of the registration officer.
"...Such a pity! Those three warriors were so close to completing the trial, to emerging as victorious Kremnoan warriors, and to earning an audience with our glorious King Eurypon!"
"And yet, they collapsed at the final hurdle! The Furiae Praetor swiftly hacked them down, reducing them to mere mincemeat... May Nikador recognize their valor and embrace their heroic spirits."
Upon hearing the registrar's words, Stelle's eyes widened instantly.
The audience outside the screen reacted almost the same way.
Reducing them to mere mincemeat? That brutal?
When Stelle turned to look at Castorice, she saw a trace of reluctance flash through Castorice's eyes.
Still, judging by her expression, she seemed to have already accepted this through her understanding of the laws governing death.
....
: Huh? Chopped into minced meat?!
: Wait, that direct?!
: The meat in my hand suddenly doesn't smell so good anymore…
: The glory and rules worshipped here are built on real blood and bones underneath…
: This feels way more hardcore than Penacony.
: Castorice is clearly affected. She governs death, but the moment life vanishes must hit even harder.
: That registrar's tone… he even sounds a bit proud? This atmosphere really is ferocious.
...
Seeing the bloody side of Castrum Kremnos. The audience secretly smacked their lips in astonishment.
And in the scene. That registrar was still proudly proclaiming the cruel fates of those who failed in this festival, treating it as a form of honor.
After a long-winded speech. The registrar chanted loudly:
"...Next! Do we have any more warriors ready for the challenge? King Eurypon awaits, longing for the first brave soul to survive and stand before him!"
Perhaps because of his impassioned speech just now.
The many people in line all looked at one another, hesitant to step forward. Until a gladiator stepped out from the queue.
Stelle and Castorice focused their gaze. It was the same silent gladiator they had encountered before.
Earlier, when Castorice asked about the festival, this man had responded with muffled, barely intelligible sounds.
So why was he signing up now? The silent gladiator ignored the looks from Stelle and Castorice and walked up to the registrar.
Before he could speak. The registrar frowned and scolded him loudly, " Why, it's you again, inarticulate fool! Pfft, unarmed, and yet you dare to think you can join the Kremnos Festival? That's an insult to the Lance of Fury!"
"I've told you before, this is a trial for three! This is a trial that requires three people! If you can't even gather enough comrades to stand by you in life and death, it's time you went home and took up herding!"
The gladiator spoke, "...Let me through."
But the registrar was growing impatient.
"Hmph, so you're not just inarticulate, but also hard of hearing... Keep up this act of nuisance, and I'll be sure to show you how uncivil we can get!"
As the atmosphere grew tense. Stelle and Castorice saw an opportunity.
Before coming here, they did not know that three people were required. Dan Heng had gone to support Phainon.
And now, with this gladiator right in front of them, perhaps they could take advantage of the situation and enter together.
"Sign us up. We'll be his teammates!" Stelle suddenly shouted, raising her hand as she stepped forward.
"...You two" The silent gladiator turned his head, looking at the two with a trace of doubt.
He remembered them. But he didn't know why they were standing on the same side as him now.
This festival was no child's play. The registrar sized up the two slender girls from head to toe.
Then suddenly let out a cold laugh. Yet he didn't reject their request, instead, he accepted it.
"As you wish! Good for you, you now have allies to court death with. Come on up here, fool!"
"The adrenaline-pumping scenes are becoming a bit tiresome, so adding a wildly mismatched "interlude" would make for a refreshing change and spice things up."
"Let the trial begin, then! Your only goal is to survive! As long as you still hold the breath of life, you'll either triumph over every trial and claim worldly glory, or leave your soul in Kremnos to become fuel for Strife!"
"Give me your names, warriors."
Stelle planted her hands on her hips and shouted, "Galactic Baseballer!"
Castorice answered calmly, "Castorice."
As for the silent fighter, after staring at the two of them for a long while, he merely turned his head toward the registrar and spoke his name in a low, heavy voice.
"...Gnaeus."
Just like that, through a dramatic coincidence, the three of them became a team.
After the registrar officially confirmed their identities, the people behind him fixed their eyes on the heavy, oppressive gate.
Once inside the city.... Castorice looked at Gnaeus, who was deliberately keeping some distance from them, and asked, "Lord Gnaeus, may I ask what is it you are fighting for?"
This time, Gnaeus did not remain silent. He replied in a deep voice, "Fighting needs no reason. I seek only to crush foolishness."
After that.... Castorice asked a few more questions.
But Gnaeus once again fell into silence. And so, the three of them entered the city in wordless quiet.
Castrum Kremnos Inner City.
At this moment, it was steeped in a grim, murderous atmosphere. Within the festival.... traps and enemies lurked everywhere.
This, too, was part of the ritual. Perhaps at the next corner, one of the Furiae warriors would burst out, trying to hack them into minced meat.
Along the way.... Enemies were everywhere. Stelle and Castorice, naturally, were not afraid.
What shocked the spectators was that even Gnaeus, the seemingly ordinary fighter, possessed terrifying combat strength!
"Reduced to ashes. Not worth a single blow."
Accompanied by these slightly overbearing words.... Gnaeus knocked down the charging Furiae warriors again and again.
It even looked easier for him than it was for Stelle and Castorice.
....
: Holy shit, are the guys from Castrum Kremnos really this fierce?
: His movements are so clean and decisive.
: I thought he was just a normal NPC, now he clearly has a backstory!
: He's fighting even more effortlessly than Stelle and Castorice.... Who exactly is this guy?!
: He mocked the festival as "absurd and laughable" earlier, yet still joined, there's obviously something else going on!
: Could he also be here to investigate Nikador or the truth behind Castrum Kremnos?
: Don't tell me he's a Chrysos Heirs disguised as an ordinary fighter? Or some other special existence?
....
Speculation ran rampant among the audience.
Meanwhile, the three pressed forward like an unstoppable force. They were about to break into their destination.
But just before reaching the end.... Castorice stopped.
"Lord Gnaeus, before we move on... there is something we must explain to you."
They were about to enter the very core of the place. Yet her and Stelle's goal was not to meet that king fated to die.
Instead, it was to uncover Nikador's secrets. Along the way, although they had barely spoken with Gnaeus, through battle alone.... They could at least be considered half-comrades.
Something like this needed to be explained clearly. Just as Castorice was about to lay out their objective, Gnaeus suddenly spoke:
"...Hm. You're not here for this foolish competition."
Castorice froze. "How did you...?"
Before she could finish. From within the helmet that completely covered Gnaeus' head, it seemed as though a sharp, piercing gaze flashed forth.
"You've been fighting to suppress your true thoughts within you all this while... You cannot deceive me."
Shock appeared on Castorice's face. Gnaeus spoke indifferently, "I know you have no care for that fatuous king's contrived glory. You can keep your motive to yourselves, so long as you stay out of my way..."
Castorice forcibly suppressed the turmoil in her heart. The moment Gnaeus pointed out the truth they were trying to suppress....
She had already carefully searched through all the history she had learned in class.
Yet no matter how she thought about it, she could not recall such a figure ever existing in Castrum Kremnos' history.
But since the other party had clearly stated his stance, there was no need to worry too much.
"So, you're not interested in the festival either, right?" At that moment, Stelle crossed her arms and asked, "So, what is your motive?"
"I've said it before: To obliterate the deeply entrenched roots of foolishness within Castrum Kremnos." Gnaeus said coldly.
It had to be said. This guy really carried an overwhelming, indescribable presence. Though his attire was simple.... Standing there, facing Stelle and Castorice.
In the eyes of the audience.... It was Gnaeus who radiated the most domineering aura.
...
The group continued on their way. Originally, Castorice and Stelle both thought the three of them would part ways here.
But instead.... Gnaeus followed them without hesitation, cutting through enemies like slicing melons and vegetables, charging straight into the deepest parts.
The place that concealed Nikador's most profound secrets. The very center pointed to by The Blade of Fury.
When the three stepped into the core area.... Castorice finally couldn't hold back anymore.
Ordinary people would have stopped long ago, yet Gnaeus clearly intended to go even deeper.
"Lord Gnaeus, now that we're at the very heart of Castrum Kremnos... it's time to let you in on our goal here."
"While we do not expect you to work with us, we do not wish for conflict either."
After first explaining her and Stelle's position, Castorice spoke frankly, "We came here to find a way to destroy Nikador. We received... intel that the Titan of Strife had lost their reason and is now trying to create an immortal vessel for themself."
"If we do not stop them now, they will pose a grave danger to the future generations of Amphoreus."
To attempt to slay a Titan.... No matter which era of Amphoreus this was placed in, it would be shocking beyond belief.
Yet Gnaeus didn't even turn his head. Instead, he let out a cold laugh.
He turned and looked at Castorice, his voice icy. "Our goals are not in conflict, girl. Find the Titan and we can both get what we came for."
As his words fell. Castorice and Stelle looked at each other.
The spectators, too, sucked in a sharp breath. This seemingly ordinary, cannon-fodder-looking guy....Was actually this ruthless?! He was also gunning for Nikador?