"Why are you here?"
A euphonic voice came from behind. Bruce turned around and saw a beautiful angel looking at him.
"Ariel, are you here to try out Hell Spire as well?" Bruce was surprised to see Ariel.
"Indeed, how did you know about this place?" Ariel was also surprised to see Bruce. She thought that he would spend his time to breakthrough into Divine Emperor.
"I asked the receptionist for a place to battle against others and she recommended this place" Bruce replied.
"I see… I'm surprised that you are not using all the rewards to breakthrough"
"I want to gain battle experiences first before I breakthrough" Bruce shook his head.
"Hmm… Smart…" Ariel muttered.
"Have you been here before?" Bruce asked.
"This is my first time as well. I heard about this place when I first entered Nether Realm"
"I joined the Eastern Faction because I want to progress through the Hell Spire" Ariel looked at the tall tower with determination.
"Looks like I'll be taking your first time" Bruce laughed and entered Hell Spire.
Ariel took a few moments to process what Bruce just said to her. Her face turned red as she finally realized what he meant.
"Come back here, you shameless pervert!" Ariel started to chase after Bruce.
"What are you talking about? I meant I'll be entering the Hell Spire for the first time with you as well" Bruce looked at her in confusion.
"You you you!!!" Ariel started to hit him on the chest with her small hands.
"Ariel, perhaps are you thinking of something else more perverted?" Bruce gasped as he took her punches.
"Shut up!" Ariel started to walk away.
As he watched the beautiful angel angrily walking away, Bruce boldly grabbed her hand preventing her from moving forward.
"What?" Ariel tried to shake off Bruce but was unable to do so.
"I'm happy to see more emotions from you"
"I'll gladly be your friend if you need someone to talk to" Bruce smiled and let go of her hand.
He walked forward and entered the Hell Spire. Ariel looked at his disappearing figure and felt her heartbeat slightly faster. She shook her head and entered the Hell Spire as well.
"Move to the left if you want to participate in the Hell Spire"
"Move to the right if you want to spectate the matches"
Standing center of the first floor, a gargoyle spoke the two sentences on repeat. When he looked closely at the gargoyle, he found it to be a living being. Originally, he thought it was a doll created by someone.
Bruce deduced that the gargoyle was probably stuck in some sort of eternal illusion. Bruce sighed and walked to the left.
A long corridor appeared in front of him with lights at the end.
BADUM BADUM BADUM
The loud noise made Bruce raise his guard. He walked slowly through the hall as the noise got louder. He mentally prepared himself to encounter the being at the end of the path.
After Bruce came out of the corridor, he was surprised to find the creature in front of him.
Big red nose. Outrageously large shoes. Makeup everywhere on its face.
It's a fucking clown.
"Hello newcomer, my name is Bobo" The clown introduced his name.
Bruce couldn't help but be bewildered by the clown. How could someone like this make it to the Nether Realm?
"Why are you a clown?" Bruce asked.
"Why are you a human?" The clown retorted.
'Motherfucker, you're a human too!' Bruce cursed.
"My apologies, I was just wondering how you came to the Nether Realm" Bruce was seriously curious about the clown's backstory. He almost forgot his objective in the Hell Spire.
"Isn't it obvious?" The clown blew his horn that appeared out of nowhere.
"No, not really…"
"I was murdered by my apprentice!" The clown's makeup began to fade as tears dropped from his eye.
"My talent as a clown was truly magnificent"
"The world has never seen a clown like me"
"Every parent wanted me at their children's parties"
"Everyone adored me and yet I received envy from my colleagues"
"In other words, I was murdered by my own talent"
Bruce wanted to smack himself for wanting to know the backstory of a clown.
"Hey, don't walk away from me!" The clown stopped his story when he saw Bruce walk past him.
"I'm truly sorry for you, but I need to get to Hell Spire" Bruce wanted nothing more than to get away from this ridiculous clown.
"How will you get to Hell Spire if you don't know the rules?" The clown snorted.
"What is the rule of Hell Spire?"
"To enter Hell Spire as a contestant, you must succeed in answering a riddle from me!" The clown proudly stated the rules with his hands wide open. It was as if the entire area was his show.
"What's the riddle?" Bruce played along with the clown.
"I'm tall when I'm young, and I'm short when I'm old. What am…?
"A candle" Bruce answered before the clown got a chance to even finish his riddle.
"You! Wait for me to finish the question!" The clown was furious at Bruce's impudence.
"Did I get it right?" Bruce answered with an annoyed look.
"Yes you did, but you have to answer another one of my riddl…"
"Shut the hell up!"
Bruce smacked the clown down to the ground. It was obvious that the clown was messing with him. There was no way this stupid clown is a gatekeeper to Hell Spire.
"How dare you!" The clown began to cry.
"Where's the entrance to the Hell Spire" Bruce raised his hand threatening to slap the mischievous clown again.
"It's down there to the left you devil!" The clown cried loudly.
"Should have told me sooner" Bruce mumbled under his breath and began to walk to the entrance of Hell Spire.
Ariel arrived on the same floor and found a clown crying on the ground. The clown saw her and started to complain.
"Beautiful angel, you must take revenge for me"
"That devil over there bullied me" The clown pointed to Bruce who was hastily running toward the entrance once he saw Ariel arrive at the floor.
Ariel was curious and asked the clown what happened. The clown began to tell her the entire interaction he had with Bruce and how Bruce treated him with no respect.
Ariel empathized with the clown because it was his bad luck to mess with Bruce.
"Beautiful angel, will you carry out my grievance?"
Looking at the crying clown beneath her, Ariel didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Mhm" She nodded and moved to the entrance.
"Thank you, beautiful angel, I will work for free if you want me at your children's parties!" The clown got up and thanked Ariel earnestly.
Ariel almost tripped when she heard what he just said. She let out a soft giggle and moved onto the entrance. She had always thought her life would be surrounded by darkness until she obtains her revenge. Yet, Bruce managed to somehow bring some light into her life.
When she walked into the light, she saw countless beings in the area. Divine Kings and Divine Emperors were everywhere. Luckily, no fighting can occur inside Hell Spire outside the arena.
"Did the clown say anything weird to you?" Bruce came to her side.
Looking at his face closely for the first time, she found his face to be quite handsome. It was comparable to the people of her race.
"He told me to take revenge on you" Ariel replied with a much softer tone than the one she usually used on Bruce.
"Don't listen to that stupid clown! I'll make sure to teach him another lesson when I see him again" Bruce huffed as he remembered the clown.
"Don't you dare bully the clown!"
"Can't you see that he's very pitiful?" Ariel truly did not want Bruce to bully the poor clown anymore.
"Fine, if my future wife says so" Bruce raised up his hands in defeat.
"Who's your future wife you shameless bastard!" Ariel blushed and started to hit Bruce.
"Why are you blushing if you're not my future wife" Bruce smirked.
"I'm done talking to you" Ariel turned around and registered herself as a contestant. If she talked with Bruce any longer she had a feeling that her blood pressure would explode.
"Ariel, I hope I don't face you again" Bruce caught up to Ariel after registering as a contestant as well.
"You're afraid to lose again?"
"No, it's because I can't bear to hurt you" Bruce grabbed her hand and walked to an empty seat.
Surprisingly, Ariel let him do whatever he wanted. Ariel closed her wings and gracefully sat down.
"Bruce, what are you really after?" Ariel looked at Bruce who had his hands behind his head.
"Just like you, vengeance" Bruce closed his eyes to take a nap.