"What do you want?" Magnus asked.
Scarlet's smiled turned to into a frown but it soon became a serene expression and she seriously said. "I want your help...Help me take my revenge upon the Queen and I will give you plenty of Cultivation materials."
"Hmm..." Although Magnus didn't know the full story he felt that he quest for revenge was a genuine one and something that he could relate to.
He was about to accept when he heard Gula in his head saying. "Ask for other things as well, this deal is too good for them but you won't get as much as they do."
Magnus thought about it and said. "I want two other things as well..."
"What is it?" Scarlet didn't find it weird that Magnus demanded for other things.
"One...I want weapons, forge according to my...design." Magnus said, he had to think about that last bit since he wasn't sure if it was the right word.
Scarlet didn't need to think much about it before nodding. "Done. And the other?"
Within Magnus' head, Gula quickly spoke. "Let me speak in your stead."
"How?" Magnus quickly asked, though he was pretty stunned that she could do it.
"Just let me take over for a moment." Gula said.
Magnus nodded mentally and it that moment, his whole persona seems to have been pulled into a dark abyss but he could still see through his own eyes and yet it didn't seem like reality but a movie.
Outside, Magnus had closed his eyes and to the others it seems like he was thinking but then his eyes opened and it had a strange violet glow. His aura seemed to have change as well but since it was not Gula who was in control, she made sure that nobody would notice it that much.
"For the last one, I only request this...any enemy you slay, don't kill them but instead give them to me. Whoever you have to be executed let me do it, lastly...let me fight in the fighting pits." Though it still sounded like Magnus' voice it was Gula who really spoke.
When Scarlet heard this demand, she found it weird but when he was about to ask why she realizes that she should just accept than question him since they won't lose anything anyway.
"Alright..." Scarlet agreed. Then she continued "Let's meet the best blacksmith in the Yellow Rock Fort for your weapon."
Magnus closed his eyes again and without the others knowing, Magnus and Gula switched. Magnus was in control again and since he still saw how things progressed he didn't had a hard time to make his next move.
He grabbed the chest, full of cultivation materials and walked back to his room. When he got there, Magnus quickly devoured them all without the fear of overeating himself. The [World Devouring Art] was designed specifically for devouring and it wouldn't have a hard time to consume and refine these low-class cultivation materials.
"They might be low-class cultivation materials but they are what you need for now. Devour them and grow stronger, when you reach the entry level of both the [World Devouring Art] and the [Great Leviathan Body] you would be able to use the Darkness for an hour or more even when forming two swords."
Gula's voice echoed in his head again and this reassured him as he willed the darkness to devour everything that is inside the chest whole.
Once the Darkness consumed them all, an automatic refining method from the [World Devouring Art] was activated. Though it was automatic, it's speed was slower than when Magnus was focused on refining them.
Magnus had a clear grasp on why Gula asked to fight in the fighting pits and to receive the corpse of every enemy that they kill in the future. It was for their Stigmata, these were the best material to eat for the Darkness and his own Stigmata.
He then changed into a set of blue clothes and when he came out of the villa, Scarlet was waiting beside a Carriage. They boarded the carriage and road for the blacksmith in the fort.
...
When they reached the blacksmith, Magnus quickly saw the dozens of weapons mounted on the wall and those that was being displayed.
"Welcome!" A girl was handling the counter and greeted Magnus and company.
The Girl bowed to each one so she didn't recognized Scarlet but when she finally got a good look, she quickly bowed again and greeted.
"My Lady."
Scarlet gestured towards her and said. "Is the master around?"
The Girl then nodded and said. "Yes, Father is at the back with my brothers."
She then led Scarlet and the others to their forge which was two rooms wide with four forge and anvils, numerous grinding tool were stationed at the side. Five men were currently working on their own piece of metal. When the Girl entered with Scarlet and the others, the men inside noticed them and stopped to look.
"Andrea, what did i tell you about walking into the forge without permission?" The oldest of the men raised his voice.
The girl, Andrea didn't seem to be offended or angry, instead she pouted and said. "I know dad but you have a visitor."
"A visitor?" The old man asked before removing his goggles.
"You're still dedicated to work as always, Gerald." Scarlet walked forward and greeted him.
The old man, Gerald, squinted his eyes but it was soon replaced by a shocked look.
"Lady Scarlet? Is that you? Wow! I haven't seen you in seven years, you've grown into a fine woman, my Lady." Gerald then was full of smiles and complimented Scarlet.
Scarlet chuckled and said. "We can catch up later but I have a job."
Gerald then asked. "A job?"
William then cut in and explained. "Yes, my lady was sentenced in the Capital to be executed in the Viridian Forest."
"You were what?! That little bitch! I knew there was something wrong with her mind." Gerald flared up.
William spoke then to calm him down. "Luckily, this boy over here..." he pointed to Magnus. "Saved the lady and now, to take revenge on the Yellow Queen, he'll be an important piece so we'll need you to build weapons for him.
"Weapons?" Gerald asked but you could see the anger and interest mixed in his eyes. He then said "Here, draw the kind of weapon that you want. Anything, to help you aid the lady."
Magnus walked forward and picked up the pen. Then started to draw three weapons, when Gerald saw this he was most interest with the first and third weapon.
"This first one...A Jian sword eh? Or to be specific, a modified Jian with a wider shoulder and guard. With it like this, it's more likely to be called a Broad sword. Now, for this third one, a gauntlet...the intricate design ain't my specialty but I'll do it."
Based from the design Magnus drew on the paper, the shoulder of the Jian sword was about six or seven fingers wide and becomes narrower towards the tip, it almost looked like the Goujian sword of King Yue. It had the length of a meter and was to be made with Dark Steel alloy.
The second weapon Magnus drew was just a simple dagger, wide as two fingers and had the length of a palm. The third was a a gauntlet, primarily made of Silver Spider Silk and steel alloy overlays, on the fingers were claws for shredding.
"How long?" Scarlet then asked how much time would it take to make.
Gerald began to think and after a while he spoke. "Only the gauntlet would take some time, a week at best but the Sword and the dagger can be made immediately, an hour or two at best."
Scarlet nodded and gestured to William, who then took a bag of gold out to pay Gerald but was rejected.
"No need, if this boy needs these weapon to help you in your revenge then it will be my pleasure to forge him these weapons."
Scarlet was surprised but it was then replaced by a smile as they exited the shop. They then began walk around the town, they saw a lot of stores with different products. They treated Magnus to some food and they had some fun along the way.
After walking for a while, Magnus heard a commotion and seeing his curiosity, Scarlet and William headed towards the source.
William whispered to Scarlet. "My Lady, to road leads to the fighting pits."
Scarlet was then interested because she had a feeling that Magnus wanted to fight.
And she was right...Following the road and going down a few flights of steps, they saw the underground fighting pits were battles to the death are held. Countless people who enjoyed this entertainment would come to see and bet for their favored fighters.
Scarlet saw the strange gleam of delight from Magnus' eyes and knew he wanted to participate. She then thought that it could be a good opportunity to see what Magnus was really capable off.
She ordered William to find the ring master and register Magnus. Scarlet then asked Magnus.
"You want to fight, yes?"
Magnus then turned to her and smile. "Certainly."
Scarlet seemed to have seen a violet glow from Magnus' eyes but at this moment Magnus didn't switch with Gula.
After a while, William came back and said to Scarlet. "My Lady, the ring master has agreed and said the since Magnus is a new combatant he should fight next."
"Alright." Scarlet nodded. She then turned to Magnus and said to him. "Your up next, do your best."
Honestly she was a bit worried about Magnus since she knew he was weaker than her in terms of cultivation levels but she had faith that since he was able to beat those three knights then this should be easy for him.
A few officials guided Magnus to the pits and Scarlet was left with William, who appeared nervous and asked her.
"My Lady, are you sure about this?"
Scarlet didn't turn to him and instead continued watching the current fight then she asked.
"William, what are the levels in cultivation?"
William found her question to be weird but he answered nonetheless.
"My Lady, there are six mortal levels which are Topaz, Amethyst, Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby and Diamond. With each of them having five minor levels."
Scarlet smiled at him and said. "Yes, I'm a 5th Level- Topaz realm cultivator and the Knights who were tasked to kill me were definitely 1st Level- Amethyst realm cultivators. Yet, Magnus, who's clearly at early levels of the Topaz realm killed them. Granted of course, that they didn't use any techniques but even then it defies all logic."
William didn't speak in shock. True, even if those knights didn't use any techniques it is still logically impossible for an early Topaz realm Cultivator to penetrate the body of an Amethyst realm cultivator's tempered body which is said to be stronger than steel.
Scarlet was fascinated by the enigma that is Magnus and the power he possess. But that is merely curiosity and nothing more. They then continue to watch on as the ring master entered the pits to announce Magnus's participation.
"Now then, Ladies and Gentlemen...we have a new challenger..."
"What?"
"Now this is interesting..."
"A new challenger..."
The Audience all had different reaction and they then watched in interest and curiosity at who this new challenger be.
The ring master continued. "On my left, is a convict tried for murder and requested a trial by combat, The Butcher!"
From the west gate, a burly man with a shield and a Mace.
The crowd then went wild, they wanted nothing more than to see convicts struggle as they fight. But the ring master then said. "Now on my right, don't judge him by his looks, inside his small build is a fierce fighter...Magnus!"
The crowd was quiet and waited for this mysterious competitor to come out.
From the east gate, Magnus walked out with two steel swords, not made of darkness, on both hands. The swords themselves were longer than Magnus' height and the contrast it made with his small build made the crowd react in a weird way.
The crowd went silent, they didn't know what to say. To pit a child against an adult was plain suicide!
"Hahaha...They sent a child to meat out my sentence?! Those nobles really have fallen low." Magnus' opponent, The Butcher laughed as loud as he can.
He then walked towards Magnus and his height towered over Magnus, as his shadow covered Magnus he spoke.
"I'm going to enjoy ripping you to pieces kid."
"Yeah! Go home boy, this is where grown men play." Someone from the crowd shouted.
Another one howled "Go home before you piss yourself, brat!"
Seeing the reaction of the crowd against Magnus, William nervously turned to Scarlet.
"M-my Lady...maybe we should-" But before he could finish his sentence Scarlet smiled at him and said.
"Wait for it..."
Shing...
And at that moment, a silver light seemed to shine from the pit before disappearing. The whole crowd grew silent and it took them a while before they processed what happened.
Drip...Drip...
"Wha?" The Butcher seemed to have felt something warm trickling down his right cheek. He moved his hand to check what it was and though it took a whole he suddenly realize that he could no longer see from his right eye.
When he checked his hands, it turns out that it was blood that dripped down his cheeks. At that moment his brain registered the pain that he was oblivious to.
"Ah! Ah! My eye!" The Butcher began to scream in pain as he held his bleeding eye socket.
Seeing this the audience didn't know how to react, they began to ask one another.
"Huh? what just happened?"
"Why did he suddenly lose his eye?"
And at that moment, one of them shouted. "Over there! On the tip of that kid's sword."
Everybody looked over and saw that there was indeed an eyeball on the tip, sitting neatly on it. For a moment, they thought their minds explode. They couldn't process how Magnus moved so fast that they couldn't even see it.
But in truth, Magnus move at his natural speed, it was just they were busy booing at him that they couldn't see his simple yet precise move.
Magnus slowly walked forward, dragging his two swords to The Butcher who was squirming and screaming on the ground. He then said with a disturbing calm look.
"Come on, stand up...make this feast fun... for me..."