Timeless Prominence

Many eyes in the plaza were drawn to Lyne’ beauty, but many eyes also spotted the individuals in chains on the following wagon.

“That’s… that’s one of the devils on the wanted list!” From behind the wooden stall, the two could hear most of the crowd’s reaction, even if slightly muffled in their position.

The crowd cheered, fully convinced that stepping onto the side of the avenue was their natural course of action. It was well known that devils were advancers that had gone off the orthodox path, and more often than not, consumed other humans in one way or another to increase their own strength. This was not an uncommon trait with demon beasts as well.

The sound of the black stallion’s hooves rose in crescendo then fell as Lyne trotted past the two’s hidden location. This was followed by the sounds of marching guards-- not just one squadron, but multiple.

Peeking out again from behind the stall, Rein confirmed that other than Beincen, there were numerous nobly dressed young men and their guards marching in tune. A guard that made a slight misstep for a heartbeat instantly got shoved out of their squadron and dismissed with a single glare by the scions of the city’s families.

Oddly, Rein thanked the heavens for Chirh’s cowardice. Word of His and Beincen’s confrontation might have already begun spreading, and if there was one thing he knew from his merchant days, someone like Beincen was sure to lash out, especially if he was to believe Rein was at fault for Lyne developing a bad impression of him. At least, based on Chirh’s words, all these noblemen in the procession must be suitors of Lyne.

It was inevitable that Lyne would learn of that incident. But at the very least, it would be in a slightly less public situation, and any potential retribution would likely be considerably of a lesser degree.

The two stayed hidden until the sounds of stall keepers advertising their wares echoed throughout the Avenue of Transcendence again. Only then did they repeatedly kick out their legs to loosen the tightness from crouching for too long, gingerly stepping back out into the sun.

“So… who has the best chance?” Rein was rather curious about all these suitors of Lyne. Perhaps one was the headrunner. His mind was already whirling with schemes. If he were to develop good relations with a suitor that saw Beincen as a competitor…

“None,” replied Chirh. With the presence of the nobles gone, this scaredly cat had calmed down and even adopted a somewhat prideful demeanor. “Supposedly, a scion of the ruling Dingien Clan has already been rebuffed by Lyne. You think these other fools have much of a chance?”

Progress in the shell realm slowed significantly. Lyne, having reached mid-shell realm at what Rein assumed to be low twenties, placed her as one of the youngest mid-shell advancers with a boundless future.

Rein opened his eyes wide at these words. The Dingien Clan did have ties to the nobles of the Green Trout City. This scion of the Dingien Clan… surely he hasn’t given up? If he were to visit Green Trout City to woo Lyne of the Xuere Clan… If he could force an encounter with a scion of the Dingien Clan…

Half-senior Chenhr’s investigations had revealed that the scions of the Dingien Clan had begun competing for the ruling seat of the Minhr Nation, and at least one had attempted to seek assistance from the devil sects in the western wilderness.

Should he ingratiate himself to Lyne…? Would those suitors of Lyne see him as an enemy or just some random inconsequential lackey? Rein preferred the latter-- he had come to the Hall of Heroes for a goal, and he saw Lyne as but a means to an end. Anything else was but a distraction.

“Have you crossed any of those other scions of the city’s noble families?” Rein was also rather curious as to how much Chirh had-- or hadn’t-- done in the six months since the man had entered the Hall of Heroes.

Chirh guffawed. “I’ve tried to avoid the lot of them this whole time. Unluckily for me, somehow, Beincen’s younger brother decided to… approach me.”

Chirh’s approach isn’t without merit. The man’s a bit too much of a wuss, but it would be for the best if he remained off everyone’s senses as well. Rein reconsidered his position. Although the original plan had always been to remain hidden, he now realized he could not remain absolutely hidden. He needed to put himself in a position to come in contact with the scions of the Dingien Clan pursuing Lyne.

He also reversed his opinion on Chirh. Even if Chirh couldn’t be trusted at critical junctures, the man clearly had a good nose for detecting trouble.

“Well. It would definitely be best for us to avoid such troublesome matters. Still, I have to keep my promise to Overseer Jeahz to take on those dangerous missions, and in turn that will give us a degree of protection against Beincen.” Chirh may have warned that those who offend the nobles sometimes simply vanish on such missions. Yet, at the same time, the Hall of Heroes very much valued results.

Rein gave Chirh a pat on the back. “I’m sure you can play a supportive role instead and perhaps avoid the most dangerous of situations?”

Chirh begrudgingly nodded, his shoulders slightly slumping upon hearing Rein’s words. Frankly, at this point, it was unavoidable for him as well. He would have to make himself worthy of the Hall of Heroes’ intervention against actions that Beincen might take against him in the future, minor though they may be.

Now united in goal, Rein and Chirh walked shoulder-to-shoulder--though Chirh’s shoulders seemed much heavier and rounded-- the remaining distance to the Hall of Heroes’ central structure.

The true scale of the building was only apparent now that Rein stood directly in front of it. All the architectural components were simply supersized. The pillars were thick red with repeated gold bands at the top and bottom end, supporting a triangular white stone roof on the top. The steps leading up to the entrance were double the height of a normal step, requiring one to raise their foot as high as the knee to step upwards.

This is the Hall of Heroes, a place made for giants amongst men.

As the two ascended the knee-high gleaming white steps, Rein gradually found it harder and harder to ascend to the towering doorway.

Chirh’s legs were also somewhat shaky under his own weight. He still sounded rather dejectedly about his future prospects. “These steps are magically augmented to test the strength of newcomers. Not too much of a hassle for any that has raised themselves above the mid-inner realm.”

In some ways, this could be considered a test, though it was more of a baseline. Normally, promising individuals are expected to have reached the shell realm--able to form a complete aurae-skin armor-- by adulthood. These individuals were often snatched by sects immediately. 

Although the Hall of Heroes was more than willing to have meatbags to throw at the demons and devils, in their eyes, if one was unable to even reach the mid-inner realm when close to adulthood… one could basically be considered a lost cause. Hence, these steps.

Rein was, of course, fully aware that it was only thanks to Blacksmith Tiehr that he had a chance at being an advancer-- and revenge. He had yet to fully understand the progression of his origin skill he had wondrously gained. Yet that was just a skill, and had little-to-no impact on his ability to absorb aurae and climb the advancer realms.

These steps he had just ascended reminded him of his debt to Blacksmith Tiehr. It was a thought that had increasingly occupied his mind as he gained more knowledge of the advancer world.

He would not have been able to climb these steps without that bead accelerating his advancer through ‘demonic’ means. Blacksmith Tiehr himself, too, deserves to have his revenge as well… in some way or another. This is a debt. A fair trade for the bead. Rein very much remembered Blacksmith Tiehr’s request to visit the crow realm.

As for the magic that augmented these steps he was currently ascending? Rein surmised that it was likely some sort of gravitational type of advancer art.

When he reached the top with a bit of a wobble, he saw five guards lining the left side and another five lining the right of the imposing doorway, a gargantuan arch. They were dressed in tight pure white and gold patterned robes and cowls, and the center of their chests the Hall of Heroes emblem.

The robes seemed flimsy, but with his understanding of inscriptions, Rein knew the gold patterns had a strengthening effect. Not to mention, underneath the tight robes and cowls, one could see that these ten guards also wore metallic silver armor that covered the guards faces and glinted out at the wrists and feet.

As the ten guards turned their robotic heads onto the two entering the structure, Rein felt that for a single heartbeat, a dangerous burning heat coursing through his veins. But then the ten guards' attention turned to another behind them, and that heat instantly faded.

He had no doubt that if those guards deemed him a danger, he would have become melted flesh in the blink of an eye. And those guards would not have even needed to lift a single finger.

“Decorated freaks that, against all odds, survived numerous certain-death missions. They don’t even have any unique magical abilities! The survivors that have unique abilities are in the pantheon of heroes instead… These are just survivors forcibly transformed and elevated into a death guard squad by magical means.”

Indeed, Rein knew of these guards from his readings in Master Yirn’s towers. The Hall of Heroes would transform weak but loyal survivors into these guards. These guards will never be able to rise in advancer realms as a result of said transformation, ever again.

Though Chirh described them as freaks, his gaze lingered wistfully on the guards, dreaming of becoming one, disregarding any fear of the burning sensation that attracting the guards’ attention would bring.

As Rein listened to the tidbits that Chirh dropped here and there, he increasingly lambasted his elder disciple Chenhr as well as Master Yirn--partially-- in his heart. That Chenhr was meant to instruct him! Yet most of the information he gained were of the ‘big picture’ or oddly specific topics such as inscriptions, weapons and strategic planning…

Then again, it had really only been a short six months of cramming knowledge and skills before Master Yirn sent Rein to the Green Trout City with zero specific instructions, expecting him to do as he saw fit. Rein figured that Master Yirn must believe in the concept of trial by fire.

The two were greeted by a grandiose hall that was split into a central hallway and aisles on either side by two rows of round white stone pillars. Etched onto the pillars were images of humanoids taking up arms against beasts and devilish humanoids that appeared to Rein’s eye as something in between human and beast, and also depicted to be more jagged and crooked in nature by the artist of these images.

He turned his eyes to observe the ground that seemed to shimmer and sparkle beneath his feet. It was a depiction of mountains and seas, from some coastal region, created by the combination of the same white stone of the structure’s exterior and a new pearl quality marble surface. The intertwining of the two materials was enough to give life to the ground.

This whole piece of art was a giant system of inscriptions! Rein had failed to notice this initially-- who knew that the representation of nature painted by two materials, stepped on by millions daily, could be a source of magical effect for the whole structure?

Rein stared with concentration at the ground, hoping to decipher the magic within, only to find his vision tilting as he staggered and found himself on one knee, to the bemusement of the other advancers close-by.

It was Chirh’s turn to haul Rein up by the shoulder. “Please… we need to keep our eyes away from… high-end stuff. Attempting to comprehend these magics with our lowly strength is but a death wish. Be they people or special arts… I’ve been told that the one who created this was an ancient grandmaster so skilled that he could craft illusions and create art as inscriptions. Please… just don’t...” The man was literally whimpering as he found himself the center of many gazes attracted by Rein’s actions.

Rein acknowledged Chirh as his muddled mind gradually cleared once he kept his eyes firmly glued to the registration counter in front, disregarding the shapes on the ground as simple decorations.

Fortunately, Rein fully recovered before reaching the white stone counter-- it would have been embarrassing and disrespectful to stumble like a drunk for an application for membership.

But his blunder had long been recorded. “An applicant that has some knowledge of inscriptions, enough to catch a glimpse of the profoundness of the depiction of mountains and seas? A basic degree of understanding then.” The lady dressed in a form-fitting light gray robe behind the counter beamed.

“And willing to take on life-threatening missions?” She clapped with delight as she reached behind the counter to bring forth a crystalline orb.

This was the orb that had detected Rein’s complete lack of elemental affinity back during his childhood.

What would it detect now…?

Rein placed his cool and sweaty palm on top of the orb. Who was to know how the orb might react to the draconic metamorphose bead? Or the origin skill within him?

His concern was, however, unfounded.

The orb glowed a palette of colors. Yet there were specific brighter stars that lit up-- obvious dots of dense blackish purple color, as well as slightly softer but still solid whitish-yellow color and murky green dots. As for the remaining range of colors, they were near-transparent.

Back when Rein was tested as a child, all the colors were near-transparent.

“A solid affinity for spatial, decent connection to lightning and wood. And pretty much zero for all else.”

The necklace Master Yirn had hidden within the skin around Rein’s neck must be suppressing the beastkin lightning and wood affinity of the draconic bead.

The lady knitted her brows briefly before finally shrugging her shoulders. “An odd combination… and heavily tilted to specific elements. But rest assured. Our Hall of Heroes aren’t picky like all those sects! We do have locations heavy with the wood element for your purposes. But obviously, locations with rich spatial or lightning do not naturally exist in the world.”

“Force your aurae into it, please,” She said as she handed over an aspen wooden tile to Rein. 

Afterwards, she snapped the wooden tile into two. “The broken ends as well as the unique combination of your aurae-- your aura signature-- is now trapped within the tile. This will be your identification.”

“And you?” She looked toward Chirh.

Chirh brought forth his own snapped tile-- though his wooden tile was of a slightly deeper shade --maple brown. “I’d like to transfer to… providing support for red diamond missions.”

“Already done.” The lady beamed and returned Chirh’s tile. “Overseer Jeahz has already instructed that transfer. Are you sure you don’t wish to become a full-on participant?”

Grumbling under his breath, Chirh ignored the lady’s query as he pocketed his maple-brown tile.

“That was almost too easy…” Rein muttered. He was a member of the Hall of Heroes, just like that?

“Like I mentioned. We are meatbags.” Chirh shook his head at Rein’s ignorance. “The Hall of Heroes throws us overaged lowly and unblessed inner advancers at the demons and devils in hopes of finding a rare gem. That is all.”

“And you all are desperate enough to agree to said deal.” Mocked the lady in charge of registration.

Chirh muttered something incoherent to himself and dragged Rein to the side.

“That lady always gives me the creeps. Outside of the first instance, every single time I make a request, it’s as if she already knows of it beforehand.” Chirh shook his head in disbelief. 

“Well, I will be hiding out within my quarters. Please come find me in a few days, after your entrance ceremony. We better stick together to deal with any potential trouble that Beincen and possibly House Larne will cause for the both of us sooner or later. The Hall of Heroes won’t bother interfering for minor stuff I’ll be on the receiving end of...” His eyes beseeched Rein to promise him that.

Rein nodded in agreement and Chirh trudged away toward another archway door while suspiciously examining every single person he passed by on the way, fearful of retribution as he was. The sidedoor was significantly smaller in size compared to the main entrance of the hall-- at the end of the transept that cut across the main hall. It probably led to private locations only available to the members of the Hall of Heroes.

As Rein retraced his footsteps out of the Hall of Heroes, he made sure to keep his mind clear and avoid analyzing any of the decorating art in his surroundings. He found Chirh’s actions excessive. Surely, it would at least take Beincen a few days to take any proper action against them.

The lady’s words had no effect on him at all. Naturally, he would struggle to make any advancement if he relied only on the most common of elements. These were the wood affinity that he had, water, fire, earth and to a lesser extent, metal. All these other elements are most common to find in nature, and advancers that had affinity to all these had the easiest time gathering aurae into their bodies.

Anyhow, Rein had been transformed by the draconic metamorphose bead. Sure, environments rich and stable with lightning or spatial elements were close to non-existent. Yet, unlike a normal human, he simply needed to hunt demon beasts that were birthed with these two elements and consume their core!