Randy was standing rooted there as he looked at the man in the black cloak. First, the man in the front of him was strong, far stronger than him. A hundred meters away and the man in the black cloak could manipulate wind to get him over him, the most important thing as he was helpless against the wind as he could not break free.
Second, the contradiction between the voice and its look. Its look so young but his voice was an old man's voice. Also, he called him kid which evident the man was really much older than him.
Third, he was sure the man in the front of him was neither people from Jakarta City nor East City. If the man wore a black cloak was from East City or Jakarta City, he was sure this man had been famous thoroughly with his strength, but he was not. So, where this man came from? Also, he recognized all people in the top 29 of Level Ranking and there was no name called Hermit Varikh.
"Hey kid, do you hear me?" The man spoke again with his old voice, he seemed annoyed as he thought Randy ignored him. So he flicked at Randy's forehead.
"Ouch!"
Randy let out a pained voice while covering his forehead with his two hands.
"What?"
"Tsk, kid nowadays, no manners," Hermit Varikh twitched his mouth, "I said, I wanted to make a deal with you, but before that, we shall know each other first so it would be easier to talk. You can call me Hermit Varikh or Old Man Varikh, you?"
This time Randy's mouth twitched, even though Hermit Varikh's voice was like an old man's voice, but his face was young, about thirty or so. It was awkward for him to call him Old Man Varikh.
But he was sure now that Hermit Varikh won't harm him. If Hermit Varikh wanted to, he was dead already. Also, he was curious what a deal Hermit Varikh mentioned.
"My name is Randy Christian, you can call me Randy. So what deal are you talking about?"
"All right, Randy is it?" Hermit Varikh held his chin as he scanned Randy, after that, Hermit Varikh nodded his head, "Good, pretty good. I don't expect you have dragon bloodline,"
Hearing Hermit Varikh's remark, Randy shocked. His mouth and eyes opened wide. Only with a glance and Hermit Varikh could discern his bloodline.
"Even though I don't know what dragon it was, but look like I will have a great harvest," Hermit Varikh mumbled before saying to Randy, "All right, I have a deal for you, I will activate this thing, and you will go in,"
Hermit pointed toward the Gateway Trial.
Hearing what Hermit Varikh proposed, Randy's eyes shone. But soon, he frowned as he looked at Hermit Varikh. Hermit Varikh could activate the Gateway Trial, but why asked him to enter it?
"Why don't you enter yourself? Why me?" Randy became suspicious as he looked at Hermit Varikh.
He remembered Shana told him this Gateway Trial could make him grow stronger and gave him a fortune, but why this Hermit Varikh won't enter but asked him to?
"Tsk, if I can enter this thing why would I ask you? I can't, I can't enter the Gateway Trial, there's a restriction which forbid me to enter," Hermit Varikh clicked his tongue as it was his habit.
Randy didn't believe at Hermit Varikh's words. Instead, he was thinking there was a hidden danger behind the Gateway Trial and Hermit Varik wanted to take him as the bait, to test the water.
Looking at Randy which didn't believe him, Hermit Varikh also fell silent. He didn't know how to convince Randy what he said was true.
No one spoke for a while as both were staring each other before finally, Hermit Varikh gave in, "I'm not from this world, I come from…" Speaking of here, Hermit Varikh stopped, "I can't tell you where I come from, but I'm not from this world. That's why I can't enter the Gateway Trial of this world,"
Hearing Hermit Varikh absurd explanation, Randy's mouth twitched, 'Can't you tell a reasonable lie, at least?'
Of course, Randy didn't say it out, he won't expose Hermit Varikh's lies lest he angry at him, and would kill him. After Hermit Varikh manipulated wind to move him here, he was sure this man was far stronger than him.
"Sigh!"
Hermit Varikh let out a sigh after knowing Randy didn't believe at him. Closely after that, Hermit Varikh raised his two hands upward to the sky.
Looking at this, Randy retreated a few steps before finally there was the same wind which restricted him earlier, locking his movement again.
Randy helpless and could only look at Hermit Varikh, hoping he won't kill him.
"Don't worry uncle, he won't kill you. Also, you should accept his proposal earlier, he won't harm you and can't harm you. Also, what he told him to you earlier was right, he was not from this world," Shana popped out on his right shoulder.
"Ugh!?" Randy left speechless by Shana's words. "Why don't you say it earlier?"
"Tehee-peloo," Shana stuck her tongue out, "I'm not sure at first, but look at the current him, I'm sure now,"
"Look!"
Hearing Shana's voice, he looked back at Hermit Varikh. The sky darkened, thunderclap after thunderclap was rumbling before finally, a thunder descended to Hermit Varikh.
Verbboom!
Randy shocked the sudden thunder and wanted to run away from here, but he could not as the wind still locked him. He could only look at Hermit Varikh who received the thunder strike.
But to his surprise, nothing happened to Hermit Varikh. Instead, there was lightning covered all over his body. Also, after the thunder strike, the sky brightened as the black cloud disappeared.
"How is it, kid? Do you believe me now? I'm not from this world," Hermit Varikh said proudly as he noticed the amazed look on Randy's face.
Hearing Hermit Varikh's words, Randy awakened from his dazed state. Nevertheless, what shocked him was the thunder and how Hermit Varikh could change the weather only with his two hands.
Not the lightning which covered his body. He too could do the same thing, but the difference was his element was fire, not lightning.
"All right, I believe you," Said Randy, but he believed Hermit Varikh because of his power which Hermit Varikh showed him, but because of Shana's words.
Shana said Hermit Varikh could not harm him even he wanted to, so Randy put the worry aside.
"Good, good, good," Hermit Varikh nodded his head before muttering, "If you still don't believe me or even reject me, I will just throw you to the Gateway Trial,"
"How about my offer? Have you considered it?"
"Do I have other choices?" Randy said in a bitter tone.
"Of course not," Hermit Varikh grinned ear to ear, "Don't worry, I won't be stingy with you, also this Gateway Trial will benefit you a lot,"
"All right, what I need to do is to enter the Gateway Trial, right? But why are you insisting me to enter this Gateway Trial, it serves no benefit for you, right?" This what was puzzling him the most.
"Of course there will be a benefit for me. After you are entering the Gateway Trial, you will get many rewards within the trial, and I will take one after you finished the trial…" After that, Hermit Varikh explained the deal.
Basically, he would get many rewards from finishing the Gateway Trial and this Hermit Varikh wanted to take on of the rewards for himself after the trial finished.
Also, in the last of Hermit Varikh explanation, the Gateway Trial was dangerous, and he could die within the trial if he was careless.
"What if you kill me after finishing the trial, with that, you will take all rewards," Randy wanted to agree the deal immediately, but he remembered Hermit Varikh's strength, he was far stronger than him.
"It's easy, lets we make a death contract," After saying that, Hermit Varikh took out a black scroll and a brush. After a few minutes, Hermit Varikh handed the black scroll to him.
"Here, the death contract. You only need to drop a drop of your blood on the bottom contract, within your name. Of course, you can read it first," Hermit Varikh instructed Randy.
Randy read what was written within the black scroll. He found no problem on the contract and dropped a drop of his blood to his name in the bottom scroll. After dropping a blood, the black scroll dispersed into smoke, and the smoke entered Randy's right hand and Hermit Varikh's right hand.
"All right, the contract has been set up. It's time to make preparation for you, please take off your plate armor. I will repair it for you, also show me your weapon too. I need to gear you up to increase your survival chance," Hermit Varikh said as he looked at the part of his Infernal Visage which had been caving in.
Randy took off his Infernal Cuirass before handing over it to Hermit Varikh along with his Darkness.
"Woah! It's Legendary Grade, not bad not bad," Hermit Varikh surprised a little after receiving the Infernal Cuirass. After that, he checked the two swords before nodding his head.
Afterward, Hermit Varikh tossed back Darkness to him while taking the Primeval Nether Claymore along with the Infernal Cuirass.
"You have decent equipment, I will upgrade your other sword and repair your armor first before I activate the Gateway Trial,"
Hermit Varikh took out a sphere and threw it on the ground.
Plop!
A small house popped out. Hermit Varikh entered the small house while bringing his equipment.
"Wait for me here!"
After Hermit Varikh entered the small house, Randy took out a Silver Steel Alligator for his lunch. With his Fire Elemental Power, he doesn't need to look for the firewood or matches to light the fire for cooking, he used it for cooking.
An hour later, Hermit Varikh came out from the small house while bringing his equipment.