The Grand Duelist

Standing in front of the door, Joseph held his breath into his heart. Anxiety and apprehension could be seen on his face as he paused, thinking about what could possibly happen and what were the ramifications of the actions that he would take once he took a step into the outside world...

From what I heard from Alice, outsiders are pretty much incredibly rare here due to the All-Encompassing Barrier of Spirituality Separation which anyone from exiting and entering this place.

Now that I think about it, I still do not know about how I managed to enter this place when it is being protected by that barrier.

Joseph suddenly realized that there were some strange inconsistencies from the story that Joseph heard from Julie about the All-Encompassing Barrier of Spirituality Separation.

He opened his Main Menu and tapped on the [Logs] button.

Inside the [Logs]. He saw several system notifications that he didn't manage to read.

[An unknown overwhelming force filled with Divinity is forcing you out!]

[Under the effects of your title, "The Sun that Overlooks Everything".]

[You have resisted.]

[You are on an unknown land.]

[Due to the effects of the All-Encompassing Barrier of Spirituality Separation. Communication to the outside world and vice versa is forbidden and cannot be done.]

[Congratulations for being the 2nd person to enter this unknown land!] 

[As a commemoration for this achievement, you will be given a random reward...]

[Congratulations, you acquired Exp Boost x5!]

[Exp Boost x5: A five-fold increase in Experience gained from all sources. This effect lasts for a week but does not stack with any other Experience Boosting effects.]

An Exp Boost, eh? The last time I acquired a random reward, what I got was the Grand Duelist class. It seems like there's also a limit to how lucky I can be. Or could it be that the greed sensors were triggered and they gave me this kind of a reward as a slap to my face? 

Joseph chuckled and he dismissed the system notifications that told him about his reward and its description. His gaze then landed on the other system notifications and he couldn't help but be astonished.

I am the second person that entered this unknown land?

Who was the first? Alice? Wait, are NPCs even considered as a person in this game? Joseph couldn't say for sure about what was the answer to his question of his. In this game, people like Alice weren't listed as people, they were listed as NPCs.

Only players were categorized as people...

Does that mean that another player managed to enter this place before me? But that doesn't make sense, there's the All-Encompassing Barrier of Spirituality Separation covering the entire place.

How could any player just enter here? Oh, wait... What if that player had a passive that could ignore abnormal statuses like what I have...

This sounds plausible, but the only player that I know that could resist abnormal statuses is Kayn with his Shadow Domain...

Joseph felt himself falling deep into the depths of self-contemplation, but he was suddenly awakened by a fierce shout that came from outside.

"Julie! Hulie! I know that both of you are in there! Listen to me! Just come out and we will talk about everything together!"

Jacob's pleading voice reverberated outside awakening Joseph from his reverie. 

It seems like I still cannot escape the fate of acting like a tough charlatan in order to fend off these guys. But how am I going to send them away without actually fighting them? Yeah, without actually fighting them... Joseph revealed a wry smile.

When Joseph stared at Julie through the use of his Character Scrutinize, he found out that Julie was at Level 200.

If a child like Julie was at Level 200. How strong would the elders be? Just the thought of fighting such horrifying monsters as a Level 15 sent shivers down Joseph's spine and he couldn't help but feel regret about his recent life choices.

But does this mean that he was giving up? 

No!

Yes, Joseph wasn't giving up.

He just needed more time to think of plans that he could use for his subterfuge.

An idea suddenly came to his mind, and he opened up his [Skill] tab. He scrolled through the list of skills that he had available and a sly smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

He didn't feel afraid of facing these monsters anymore.

It doesn't make sense that I'm afraid of them. They should be the one that should be afraid of me! After all, I am an outsider and people that could enter the All-Encompassing Barrier of Spirituality Separation aren't people to be trifled with.

If the City Chief has some brain cells then he should understand that fact. 

Joseph walked towards the disc-like stone that barricaded the cave from the outside world.

He placed both of his hands on the stone and pushed it sideways. 

As soon as his hands landed on the stone, his expression changed and one couldn't find any trace of anxiety and apprehension on his face anymore.

Instead, there was a confident look on his face and a sly smile plastered on his lips as he opened the entrance of the cave and stared at the strangers outside.

"Oh, Julie! Hulie! Finally, you listened to..." Jacob excitedly cried out when he saw the disc-like stone moving. But his words got stuck in his throat when he found out that the person standing in front of them wasn't Julie nor Hulie. It was a stranger clad in a dirty tunic.

[Your dignity can never be lower than those who stand before you.]

A system notification floated in front of Joseph and his smile widened even further as he said.

"So you are the one that kept barking in front of this one's residence? And as for those old geezers right there. I suppose that they are your owners." Joseph swept his gaze at the strangers.

"A good dog doesn't block a person's road. Now that I am here, hurry up and scram!"

Jacob's pupils constricted, the person right in front of him seemed to be shrouded with a mysterious and surreal authority that he couldn't possibly deny nor object.

However, when he heard what the man had said. Anger surged in his heart and he gnashed his teeth, fighting against the oppressive air that the man was emanating as he said.

"Who are you? Did you just call me a dog? From the looks of it, you are an outsider. Even if you may be strong outside, you are in the territory of us, Vampires! How dare you be so disrespectful as to call me a-"

Bang!

Jacob couldn't even complete his sentence.

An invisible attack tore through his head and made it burst like a watermelon crushed by a sledgehammer. He didn't even manage to scream. He just died, just like that.

How ruthless! How decisive!

Joseph inwardly screamed.

But on the outside, he remained steadfast, cold and detached as if he wasn't disturbed by the sudden and unexpected death of Jacob.

The City Chief, First Elder, and the Second Elder stared at Joseph with furrowed eyebrows. It was because the outside standing in front of them was far too calm than they had expected! Even after the City Chief attacked, not a single ounce of reaction came from his body.

It was as if an attack coming from a person with the City Chief's caliber wasn't enough to enter his eyes!

Just who is this outsider? Where did he come from? In fact, how did he even enter this place when the All-Encompassing Barrier of Spirituality Separation was present? Could it be that the barrier broke?

No, that's too far-fetched!

The Barrier remained standing for at least ten thousand years, and if it did break down, how could there be such a good coincidence in the world that it would break just in time for this outsider's visit?

Not only that, if that Barrier really broke. We would be the first ones to notice its abnormality.

The Elders glanced at each other, and the City Chief nodded. Afterwards, he moved forwards and respectfully greeted the unknown person emanating such a dangerous and oppressive aura.

"This one does not have a name, but I am respectfully called by everyone as the City Chief. Yes, this one is the City Chief of the one and the only city within this place that's perpetually hidden from the sun. May I know your name, kind sir?"

The City Chief even slightly bowed his head as a sign of respect towards Joseph.

But Joseph merely nodded his head before arrogantly saying, "Damn this place really is eerie and dark. Could it be that Vell is the one that did this? He really is trying so hard to hide the traces of his Divinity..." Joseph revealed an amused smile as he swept his gaze in the area.

"Hey, you... I heard the barking of that brat that you killed earlier. You seem to be looking for those two sisters, right?"

The City Chief's eyes flashed with a barely imperceptible light. The word, Vell seemed to be familiar to him, but he couldn't remember what the name meant and where he heard it.

"Yes, kind sir. We are indeed pursuing those two sisters. May we receive your permission so that we could retrieve them?" The City Chief politely said.

"Hahaha..." Joseph suddenly laughed, "You said that you want to retrieve them? You're talking as if they are not a member of your kind in the first place. I really didn't expect that after descending in this place, I would find such interesting news!"

"To think that the arrogant and noble Vampires would become like this..."

The City Chief's pupils constricted when he heard the words descending. But his eyebrows furrowed for he couldn't believe the idea that he had right now in his mind.

"As for your request, I am denying them. I am quite interested in the affliction plaguing those two sisters. Their attributes feel like they came from that eccentric old geezer Vell, but it feels more like the curse came from the Compassionate God."

This time, even the other Elders reacted.

Their eyes widened in shock when they heard the name, Compassionate God.

This name was the other name of the God of Everything that Moves and Exists. How did he know about this?

Wait, since he's an outsider, there's a huge chance that he heard this name in the outside world and it was also possible that the God of Everything that Moves and Exists is widely known as the Compassionate God out there.

Nevertheless, they felt an abnormal sense of trepidation when they stared at the unknown person in front of them. The arrogance and haughtiness along with his overbearing demeanor that contrasted the simple tunic that he wore made them feel somewhat afraid of him...

It was as if he was someone that they shouldn't offend at all costs.

[Your presence alone incites fear to your enemies while increasing morale to your allies.]

Although feeling somewhat afraid.

The City Chief suppressed his apprehension as he said, "With all due respect, kind sir. But those two sisters are indeed residents of my City. It is my duty to recover them before they are corrupted by the curse that plagues their bodies. That is why I cannot obey what you said, kind sir."

Joseph's expression turned cold, "It seems like I really have been too leisurely in my Tenebrous Heaven that people do not know my name anymore and my presence alone does not strike fear in their hearts anymore..."

"Today, it seems like I, Tryndamere still have to move and teach others a lesson."

Joseph stretched his neck and even cracked his knuckles. He was raring to fight.

But the elders were staring wide-eyed at him. The words, Tenebrous Heaven thoroughly astonished them. Even the City Chief who couldn't believe what he was thinking earlier now had second doubts...

Especially when he heard the word, Tryndamere. 

The God of Fighting!

Yes!

Tryndamere is the God of Fighting who stood side by side with the Creator!

But is he really Tryndamere? Why can't I feel any ounce of that extremely oppressive and overwhelming divinity coming from a deity? The City Chief's eyes narrowed, he glanced at the other elders and found that they all had the same thoughts.

It was impossible for a deity to not have any trace of Divinity inside their bodies. Even a strand of their hair had enough Divinity that could turn an ordinary person into an idiot.

But this unknown man claiming to be the God of Fighting, Tryndamere doesn't have any trace of Divinity coming out of his body. In other words, it was most likely that he was a fake! It was highly probable that he was merely acting as a deity to scare them off their wits!

But if he was fake... Why do I feel afraid when standing in front of him?

The Elders thought to themselves, but they soon reached the answer that they unanimously agreed upon.

He should be using an item!

Yes, he should be using an item right now that had the effects of inflicting fear to his enemies...

The City Chief revealed a confident smile, "Kind sir, are you saying that you are the God of Fighting, Tryndamere? That God whose Tenebrous Heaven is similar to the Arena of the Gods, Colosseum?" 

Joseph was momentarily taken aback when he heard the familiar words, Arena of the Gods, Colosseum.

But he never revealed any trace of his inner emotions.

On the outside, he merely maintained a tepid smile as he said, "Oh, it seems like I am still not that unknown, yet. To think that someone in this forsaken place actually recognizes my name! Hahaha, if we were not enemies then I would've invited you for a celebration!"

A deity inviting an ordinary mortal for a celebration was something unthinkable for anyone.

But the God of Fighting was known to be an eccentric god.

Acting like this in front of someone that knew about the God of Fighting was completely normal and inline to how the genuine God of Fighting should act.

But...

"It seems like, you lot are still not convinced about who I am." Joseph took the words out of the Elders' mouth and accurately read their thoughts.

The Elders were astonished by his words, but they kept their silence.

They only stared at Joseph with meaningful smiles on their faces.

It was clear that they didn't believe anything that Joseph had said so far.

"I did say that I would teach you guys a lesson, but I don't want to be called by that old geezer Vell as a bully once again if I did fight you all right now..." Joseph swept his gaze at the three before he continued.

"How about the three of you fight against my avatar? If you lot managed to fight against my avatar without dying within thirty seconds then I can consider it as your win."

Joseph stretched his hand forward and chanted, "Divine Authority Summoning."

As soon as he completed his chant, an arrogant chuckle rang out...

The chuckle carried with it an indescribable heaviness, and it seemed to come from an ancient age.

Accompanying the chuckle was a boundless and indescribably majestic might that instantly filled the heavens and earth, swallowing everything including the three Elders.

The City Chief, the First Elder, and the Second Elder felt their breaths seize up in their chest as this might that wanted nothing but obedience fell upon them.

They felt like a mountain range was pressing down their chest. They even forget about breathing for their bodies turned rigid. Every cell in their bodies shuddered and trembled uncontrollably, and their trembling couldn't be stopped no matter what they did.

They raised their heads with difficulty and their pupils constricted as they looked at the figure that appeared out of thin air and was now standing right in front of them...

His simple, dirty tunic didn't make him awful, for his boundless, terrifying aura and incredibly sharp Divinity made up for it. A seemingly ethereal fog covered the entirety of his face, but the elders could faintly see his arrogant sneer behind that fog that they didn't dare to penetrate with their eyes.

The aura of this man clad in a simple tunic was so strong that they couldn't even describe it nor imagine. They swore to themselves that such a terrifying, yet incomparably pure aura cannot belong to a human, but a deity!

Yes!

Right now, this man in front of them had the aura of a complete and undeniable deity!

What was scarier was that while his aura felt incomprehensible and majestic, it was neither violent nor fierce.

It was completely calm as if the man was merely walking on his backyard and the aura that accompanied his body was something natural that he always had...

It was not a deliberate show of force to scare them off!

This was his natural state! 

The natural state of a deity!

"Behold, my avatar! It possesses a mere tenth of my strength, and if you can defeat it. Then, I will bestow upon you the two sisters as a reward. It would be a shame that I wouldn't be able to continue on my experiments on them, but since I have spoken, so be it!"

Joseph who stood behind the avatar that he summoned lightly chuckled.

"Now, what will you guys do?" He then proceeded to ask the three Elders.

"Uh..."

"We..."

"We?" Joseph's smile turned somewhat cold.

The City Chief forcefully gulped a mouthful of saliva as he exclaimed.

"We concede!"