Chapter 570: The Second Level Points Competition System
While the other members of the Seven Flames whispered among themselves, Geno approached Asara.
"Asara, is it really you?" he asked, his voice trembling.
Asara didn't respond immediately.
From beneath the large hood concealing his face, a pair of pale golden pupils studied Geno's excited expression.
After a moment, Asara spoke and said, "Geno, I didn't expect to meet you here."
Hearing the familiar yet distant voice, Geno laughed, but his expression soon turned sorrowful.
"Why? Why did you join an organization like the Seven Demons?" he asked.
"Don't you know how cruel they are?" he added.
Seeing Geno's pained look, Asara smiled and said, "Your a naive guy, Geno."
He stepped forward, slightly brushing past Geno, and said, "You, of all people, should understand. I'm no longer the person I was."
"From now on, there's no connection between us." he continued.
"Or perhaps you want to enforce the Blazing Sun Sect's doctrine? That might pique my interest a little." he teased.
Hearing the playful words, Geno's face paled.
He had never felt such a strangeness in Asara.
"Asara, what's wrong with you, you bastard?" he asked.
"It was fine before. Why have you changed so much now?" he pressed.
"Why? It's simple. I was just pretending before." Asara replied.
"Understand this: I don't have the patience to play house with you." he said.
"Don't get involved in the future. I hate people with no sense of boundaries. I usually send such people to hell." he warned.
"If you're not afraid of death… go ahead and try." he added softly in Geno's ear.
His calm tone carried an undeniable certainty, as if he meant every word.
Da da da!
Asara spoke his final words and turned to leave without hesitation.
His shadow stretched long in the setting sun.
A gentle breeze stirred the scattered leaves of nearby green plants.
Geno watched the figure, reaching out a hand.
In the end, he didn't try to stop him.
He stood dazed for a moment, then his expression grew resolute.
"How could it end so easily, so senselessly, so suddenly? I won't give up." he vowed.
"You've gone astray, Asara. I'll bring you back." he declared.
Hearing the determined voice behind him, Asara's departing figure paused briefly.
Then he continued walking, leaving only one sentence behind and said, "Fool! You only live once."
As Asara vanished completely, the resolve on Geno's face turned to loneliness.
The other Seven Flames members, seeing Asara leave, approached.
"Geno, I don't know what's between you and that envious one." a gentle man in glasses and a black suit said, adjusting his glasses.
"But that man has the blood of many innocents on his hands." he added.
"You should let it go." he advised.
"Otherwise, as the leader of the Seven Flames, associating with him harms the Blazing Sun Sect's image." he concluded.
Seeing him speak so seriously, an enthusiastic young man nearby grew upset.
"Mylas, how can you talk so harshly?" he asked.
"Geno's hurting, and instead of comforting him, you rub salt in the wound. That's too much." he said.
Mylas adjusted his glasses again and said, "It's not that I don't care, but the situation is different. Don't be reckless."
"Otherwise, we'll ruin the Blazing Sun Sect's reputation." he warned.
At those words, a young man in a white turban covered his ears and shook his head.
"Mylas, you're so annoying! Always preaching about image all day." he complained.
"I'm just a fighter. Don't talk to me about reputation. I just want to be free." he added.
"Simple-minded fool, you're such a headache." Mylas retorted.
"Careful, Mylas, or you'll go bald from overthinking." the turbaned youth teased.
Watching the two bicker, Geno's heavy heart lightened.
He wouldn't give up on Asara so easily.
Time passed quickly.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Sand City buzzed with life again.
People flocked to the ceremony with high anticipation.
"Kwahahaha! Dear audience, welcome back to the Demon Hunting Ceremony!" Morgans announced, holding a golden microphone.
Bang bang bang!
Salute cannons boomed in the sky, and colorful ribbons danced in the air.
It felt like a festival celebration.
Morgans, visibly excited, spun and jumped on stage before speaking.
"Very well, let's not waste words." he said.
"We now move to the second stage." he announced.
"This will be the most crucial part of the Demon Hunting Ceremony." he added.
Hearing Morgans' words, the crowd buzzed with discussion, some muttering inwardly.
This guy wasn't going to show off again, was he?
True to form, Morgans didn't disappoint.
"Before we proceed." he said.
"Let me first congratulate all the teams who passed the first stage. You're one step closer to generous rewards." he cheered.
With that, Morgans danced on the spot to rile up the crowd.
Though his leaping dance was irritating, he stopped after a minute.
The audience had never felt time drag so slowly.
Boos erupted, but Morgans ignored the jeers.
He was carefree, dancing whenever he pleased.
"Yesterday, forty-two teams passed the first stage." he announced.
"Today's competition will be a points-based race." he revealed.
"Before explaining the system, let's welcome the referee for the second stage." he said.
"One of the Twelve Holy Knights of the Kingdom of Miracles." he continued.
"Bee Master Sakamori!" he shouted.
As Morgans called out, the crowd cheered loudly.
Though Sakamori, a Holy Knight of the Kingdom of Miracles, had less presence than others, his title as a Holy Knight sparked enthusiasm.
Amid the cheers, a buzzing sound filled the air.
Buzz buzz!
A short-haired man in a sharp black suit descended from the blue sky.
Beneath his feet, a giant bee flapped its wings at high speed.
Surrounding him were several human-sized bees.
Their presence was intimidating.
Not only due to their size but also because their forelimbs bore one-meter-long steel spines.
The cold, gleaming spines on the bees' forelimbs were a startling sight.
Even with their size, the steel spines made them seem otherworldly.
Seeing this, people couldn't help but question their understanding of reality.
(End of this chapter)