Around the world, the cities that humans had gathered up in at the initial stages of the disaster were the only population centers that were spared from the beasts attacks. After that, every time the humans tried to establish a new city, waves of beasts would overrun the place, up till its destruction. Hence, for the past few decades, no new city was established, and the humans had to squeeze themselves within the old cities.
However, after countless attempts of trail and errors, a way was found. It was by building cities underground.
These cities are usually built when group of powerful outcasts or powerful organizations are chased away from the old cities for any number of reasons.
The city that Cyril was taking Ramie to was such place.
It was built few decades ago when a powerful clan that was ruling an old city lost their position to an even stronger force. So, and to avoid the fate of total annihilation, they escaped with their foundation and wealth, then sought the help of a powerful magician to help them build this underground city.
However, after building this city, ironically, the clan didn't manage to escape their fate, as they fell later on to one of the emerging forces in their city.
Anyway, the underground society flourished under the new rule and expanded many times.
Now days, the underground city is inhabited by over 3 million residents, and it is the place at which Cyril lived.
This underground city was built near what used to be the national borders of the country. As for the country itself, it had already become a thing of the past. Now, in its place, there are three cities. One located in the far north, one located where the capital was, and one located not far from the underground city.
The city at which ramie's country capital was used to be was not something reachable on foot. According to Cyril, the only way there was by spending a monstrous amount of wealth to be escorted there. Even powerful rank-2 mages and lv.2 warriors weren't capable of traveling there by themselves.
This made ramie wonder if he was under some sort of curse that prevents him from ever getting there.
Anyway, ramie decided to go to the underground city, to understand things and paint a full picture to the situation before making any decision.
He didn't even think of trying to go to the capital all by himself. After all, Cyril was under the contract that was recognized by the artifact, and he couldn't lie to him. This was something ramie had tested by forcing Cyril to reveal his shameful secrets and misdeeds.
At first, ramie had decided to let Cyril go once he gets the information he needed, and abort the contract. However, and after knowing the type of fate that would await him if others know that he had an artifact in his possession… he had decided to forget the idea of setting Cyril free.
Ramie had no qualms about making Cyril his 'follower' at all. As after forcing Cyril to speak of his secrets, ramie was utterly shocked at what type of person Cyril was!
In short, there was no type of crime, an atrocity, and a sin, that Cyril hadn't committed. His crimes were literally over the chart. He couldn't even remember the number of people that he had killed. Women, men, elderly, children, and people of all ages had had fallen to his schemes, manipulation, and blade.
Cyril was the type that believed heavily in the saying that people were either wolfs or sheep. And boy was he hell bent in becoming a full-fledged wolf. In short, he was unscrupulous person that saw morality as a limitation, as a weakness. Others in his eyes were merely tools for him to achieve his goals.
Truth be told, ramie felt the strongest killing intent that he had ever felt in his lifetime to end this person. However, in the end, he didn't. After all, he had no idea what type of world this Cyril was born to, what type of life he had, and what type of hardships he suffered through to become this ruthless. Taking this into account, ramie felt that he didn't have the right to judge him, or exact punishment on him.
Reaching next to a particularly large tree, Cyril let out a sigh of relief: "Finally. We have arrived, and didn't encounter any deadly beasts. The city's entrance is located two kilometers in that direction. This is a charted area; the worst we can encounter from now on is weak beasts."
Ramie nodded, and gestured for Cyril to keep walking.
It was indeed as Cyril had said, as after some time, many warriors and mages passed by him and Cyril. They walked either alone or in groups. Apparently, all of them were hunters heading out in missions.
After walking for a short while, Ramie sensed a powerful auras belonging to two mages and two warriors walking toward his direction.
Shortly afterward, the group of four walked from behind a dense vegetation, walking in opposite direction of ramie and Cyril.
Seeing them, it was as if Cyril activated his servant mode. He quickly lowered his head toward the group and displayed an expression akin to a lowly individual meeting the head of the state.
At the forefront of the group, was a girl that didn't exceed 19 of age. She had a face like an angel and was wearing a long yellow cloak that completely concealed her clothes beneath. A distinguished insignia could be seen embroidered at the chest area of the cloak. She was of average height and was holding a short wooden staff in her hands, with bright gem resting at its top. The girl had a curious expression, as she gazed with high spirit at anything and everything along the path. It was as if this was her first time going out.
Behind her, walked the figure of a woman. Her face stated that her age didn't exceed 30. She wore the same colored cloak as the younger girl, and the same insignia could be seen embroidered at the cloak. Her features were very similar to the younger girl, and she had a warm look on her face as she looked at the curious girl.
Behind the two, walked two warriors. The one to the right was a middle-aged burly man who stood at 2 meters tall. He had broad shoulders and a muscular body. He was clad in green leather armor. Two massive axes were strapped at his back. Although his aura was rather reserved, however, he gave off a feeling of someone containing explosive power.
The warrior to the left was a strong young man with a perfectly fitted and well-balanced body. He had a pair of green eyes, a somber face, and was wearing a similar armor to the other warrior. His face betrayed an age similar to the younger girl.
Like royalty, and passing by ramie and Cyril, whom stood to the side as a form of respect to them, the two women didn't spare even a glance at them, nor to the others in the path, whom, acted with similar respectful postures.
The two escorting warriors scanned everyone on the path with eyes that was sharper than swords, as if warning everyone to learn their place. Needless to say, the two didn't put anyone in their eyes.
As the group walked away, ramie was shocked inwardly.
The younger girl had the stats:
- Rank-1 magician
- Path: Bloodline Magic
- Class: Flame-feeding wasp
- Magic Energy: 209
-Artifacts in possession: 2 low-grade synthetic artifacts, 5 low-grade inscriptions
The stat of the older woman:
- Rank-2 magician
- Path: Bloodline Magic
- Class: Flame-feeding wasp
- Magic Energy: ???
-Artifacts in possession: 1 mid-grade synthetic artifact, 27 low-grade inscriptions, 2 mid-grade inscriptions
As shocking as these stats were, they were only responsible for part of his shock. Most of it had come from the frightening aura that the rank-2 mage was emitting, and the two warriors behind her.
This female mage aura was a world apart from the one ramie had felt from the wind mage and the earth mage that had attacked the compound. The pressure brought about from gazing at this woman alone was making him uncomfortable.
Her powerful and oppressive aura was no different from any tier-2 beasts that he had ever met.
As for the two warriors, needlessly to say, the pressure exuded from their presence alone was like a tangible weight to his senses. Their wild auras were like violent storms contained within enclosed narrow space.
Based on the tyrannical presences, Ramie could feel that even if he casted ghost glare at them, the effect would be minimum to none. This made him feel wary. Thus, he decided to be very cautious inside the underground society.
As if understanding his thoughts, Cyril spoke: "Master, this is the aura of those that had broken though using the traditional accumulative way, through their efforts, and not the beasts' cores. Each one of them can easily demolish a dozen of those that that had advanced using the easy way."
"The two women you've seen are members of the ash clan, one of the strongest forces in the underground city. The escorting warriors are working for the clan. They have probably gone out to train the younger girl, to allow her to see the outside world."
Cyril spoke with a passionate tone. Envy was brimming within his eyes.
With intensely glowing eyes, ramie thought to himself: 'So, this is the power possessed by those who advance using the slow accumulative path…! Interesting…!'
…