I will be the Strongest

Chapter 32

"Is that... a mana stone...?"

Rising with raised eyebrows, Ji Yoo, along with Tae Hyun and Jung, looks at the three glowing stones in Alyia's hand.

"How...? No, what do you plan to do with these...?"

"What I plan to...? Lior talked to you, didn't he? This is the start of your training."

"He did...?"

The three turned, looking at Lior sitting under a nearby tree.

"You didn’t speak with them?"

"They didn’t want to listen," Lior shrugged with his eyes closed. "They just accepted it, so..."

"Dammit..."

As Tae Hyun gritted his teeth, the tree shifted, but before the branch could fall, Lior moved aside, raising his hand to catch the apple trapped among the leaves.

"Tsk...!"

Alyia sighed. She looked at the three standing before her and, after a moment's thought, asked:

"Do you understand what this really means?"

"Sorry...?"

The three glanced at each other, all unsure.

"By accepting this," she extended her hand again, showing them the stones, "you will no longer be the same as before. Your individuality will remain, but your desires will no longer be the sole consideration in decision-making. At this moment, our word will prevail."

"So you’re saying that... we would become your slaves, is that it?"

Ji Yoo clenched his fists and, looking at Alyia, his firm and resolute gaze did not waver.

"Who would be crazy enough to accept something like that?"

"Who...?"

Alyia smiled. Her laughter was followed by the appearance of those who had been training near the waterfall.

"Isn’t it obvious? Those who understand that power is the only thing that truly matters."

"Power is important, I know. But are you putting it above your own humanity?"

"Humanity...? Ha..!"

Smiling, Alyia closed her fist and crushed the stones she had created. Her eyes were completely resolute... There was no more reason to argue, and she knew it.

"Alright then, it seems I’ve really messed up again."

"What? No, wait!" Tae Hyun tried to rise. "You..." but those eyes left him powerless.

"You missed your chance, kid. But don’t worry." Her eyes wandered, and, looking directly, they targeted Ji Yoo. "Since apparently humanity is so important, I’ll make sure all of you remember this decision during your final moments."

Wide-eyed, Ji Yoo felt a cold shiver run through his body like a lightning bolt. The urge to flee was overwhelming, but greater than that was the pressure keeping him silent and glued to the ground. Not atmospheric pressure. Something stronger, purer, something more... mortal...

Trembling, Tae Hyun bit his lip and, forcibly turning his gaze, looked at his sister. Veins appeared from this minimal effort, and blood trickled from his eyes like tears. Ji Yoo felt a painful squeeze in his chest as he recognized that look... the same look given to the corpse of the creature that killed their parents, after seeing its limbs scattered on the snow-covered street... a look filled with deep hatred.

Struggling to raise his hand, Ji Yoo tried to retract his words, but it was too late. A snap of fingers was heard, and, like magic, they were no longer facing those people.

"You... wasn’t that a bit too harsh...? Not everyone is like him..."

Their eyes met, but even after a few moments, no more words were exchanged. With the others approaching, a leap was made, and, with the appearance of a hole in the ground, Alyia soared through the sky toward the floating castle.

"Hey, Alyi... What happened..? Did she run away from us?"

Closing his eyes again after the castle doors shut, Lior shrugged before lying on the grass under the tree.

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

"Ugh!"

Tae Hyun woke in his bed, quickly placing a hand on his back and realizing that the pain extended throughout his entire body.

"But... Damn, I went to a dungeon and don’t remember...?"

Leaving the room, he looked over and saw Ji Yoo in the same state as him, moving slowly and leaning against the wall to avoid falling.

"This can only be a..."

"Aaaaaaahh!"

The scream from Jung Hyun’s room immediately jolted them awake, and despite the pain and their struggles, they hurried toward the sound.

"Hyung!"

The door opened, and Jung Hyun lay on the floor, vomiting a large amount of blood, surrounded by what he had just expelled.

"Hyung!"

Releasing the door frame, the two tried to run to him, but both collapsed. Tae Hyun crawled to Jung, while Ji Yoo rushed to the phone on the desk. The sight of the blood on his brother's lips wouldn’t leave her mind, and now, with all the pain and blood, as she dialed the emergency number as quickly as possible, only one question remained in her mind...

'Why is this happening..?!'

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

"A mountain... What could the next creature be...?"

Creating a hole in the rocks with her fingers to continue climbing, Samantha observed the surroundings as she carefully ascended the fourth floor of the mountain, waiting for any lurking creatures.

"I can’t think of any that live at such a high altitude..."

The mountain stretched for miles, crossing the clouds in the sky, and, looking up, Hye saw what might be the answer.

"Hmm... eagle wings, it seems to be a flying creature."

"Where did you see that?" Samantha quickly searched around but found nothing. "Is it nearby?"

"No, it’s flying among the clouds."

Raising her head, Samantha forced a smile.

"It was..."

"What?"

"It was flying among the clouds... The monster of this floor is a griffin..."

With the constant approach of the creature, Samantha moved her hand and, with a single punch, created a massive hole that cut through the entire mountain.