"Tickets please." The formation operator in this new area suddenly said, the two immediately responding.
After showing him their ticket, they were finally left out, Minos immediately noticing a chill as he exited the formation room.
Passing by the guards and the receptionist, the two finally stepped outside, no longer the familiar warm temperature of the Blue Line Continent, instead replaced by a deep chill and snow covered floors.
Looking out at this vast white world that had suddenly replaced his warm oceanic one, Minos couldn't help but think deeply about the wonders of the world.
"Welcome to Grand Alp City." Hyth said with a smile, taking the first step into the deep snow.
"I'm not used to this kind of weather…" Minos said, the snowflakes melting as they hit his warm body, soaking him.
"Yeah, most people aren't fans, which is probably why the Mountainous Abyss Continent is mostly uninhabited. Of course the landscape also plays a big part in that." Hyth replied.
"It definitely has its own charm though, as if the endless white is capable of covering any stain, any mistake, any flaw…"
"Well it isn't called the Erased Land for nothing. This white snow can hide anything, the continent with the deepest secrets."
"Erased Land, huh? The name suits it… So where are we heading now?" Minos asked, turning his attention from the snow back towards Hyth.
"We'll go to the Grand Alp Hotel first, that's where everyone's waiting. After that we'll probably spend the next few days confirming our plan, then we'll hopefully head out before the week ends."
Nodding, Minos followed behind Hyth, his feet sinking deep into the snow with every step, the snow nearly coming up to his knee, which was incredible considering how tall Minos was.
For the average person, this thick snow came closer to their waist, and for some children, they'd likely get covered in completion.
As he walked around, he looked with interest at the people that seemed to inhabit this land, a bit surprised to find that they looked quite a bit different from Blue Line Continent people.
They were quite a bit taller, the men averaging at 180cm or so, the women about 10cm shorter.
They also all had extremely thick hair, the men with fluffy beards that covered most of their face, and the woman with long hair that came down to their waist.
Their skin was also quite pale, similar to his own, and if Minos didn't already know better, he may wonder if this land is where his true roots lie.
Of course Minos was a bit taller than even the men here, not to mention his hair was white, or at least it was white before his age loss, which was another thing that made it clear that he was still different.
"Surprised, huh? The Moubyss people are pretty different compared to the ones you'd see on the rest of the continent, quite a bit taller than average."
"To be honest, I actually thought you were one of them when I first saw you, I was just wondering how you ever ended up on the shores of the Blue Line Continent."
"I'm not, but they look quite similar to me." Minos replied.
"I thought as much… I really do wonder where you come from, you look like a Moubyss person, but your a bit taller, of course not everyone fits the mold, so who knows, maybe you have Moubyss ancestry?"
"Maybe." Minos replied nonchalantly, though he already knew the truth.
"Anyways, don't stare too much, the Moubyss people are quite aggressive given their living conditions, and even though their numbers are small, there are no lack of legendary cultivators from among their midst."
"I see." Minos answered, turning his attention back on the road.
After a bit more walking, which felt even longer given the conditions, the two finally arrived at a large hotel that's true appearance was unknown due to the thick snow that covered it.
Stepping inside, the two stomped heavily on the matted floor a few times to dispel the snow from their body before stepping inside.
It was much warmer inside here, and it was clear that these buildings were built with some sort of heating system, which couldn't help but cause Minos to think back to the Lukalu people.
"Give me a second." Hyth said, walking up to the receptionist.
Turning away from him, Minos looked at the walls filled with interesting art-work, his eyes scanning for a bit before they paused at a certain figure.
The man in question was tall and dashing, long black hair that reached his waist, holding a spear as tall as he was at his side.
'The Moubyss Madman? What kind of title is that…'
"Here's your room card." Hyth said, suddenly noticing the picture Minos was looking at.
"The Moubyss Madman, huh? This guy is quite the figure. I can't recall a single force he didn't manage to piss off." Hyth said, breaking out into laughter as he thought about it.
"What did he do?" Minos asked curiously.
"It's better to ask what he didn't do. Challenging the strongest villains on the Red Earth Continent, snatching the Divine Maiden's Empresses first kiss, killing his way into the core of the Demonic Beast Continent and killing one of their kings, carrying his severed-head back on the tip of his spear."
"It's a shame that walking by the river, one is destined to get their shoes wet… While he was a bit older, if he was still around, I really wonder if he could have become an Emperor."
"I thought you said it was impossible for those over a hundred to become Emperors?" Minos asked.
"Hey, that's normal people, but this is the Moubyss Madman! He's done plenty of shocking things, so who knows? Anyways, take a seat in the lobby, I'll head up and call the others." Hyth said before heading off.
Looking back at the portrait of the Moubyss Madman, Minos was caught in his thoughts for a moment.
Every place he went seemed to be filled with legendary characters of its own, each continent filled with endless stories.
And with the Golden Generation coming up, these legendary figures would begin popping out of the earth like wild weeds.
For a normal person, the thought of such would fill them with such despair that they'd likely give up on the title of Emperor before the battle even began, but Minos was unaffected.
As legendary as these people may be, no one was comparable to him, and he didn't believe that out of arrogance, rather this was his Path.
Ultimate Freedom meant that no one was allowed to override him, and no matter how powerful a figure was, Minos would overcome them.
He dared to fight the heavens itself for his freedom, so how could a few humans ever possibly scare him?
Pulling his eyes back from the picture, Minos took a seat in the lobby, his murky eyes looking over the other guests in the hotel.
"Jeez old man, you sure are tall!" One voice suddenly said, catching Minos's attention.
Looking over, he saw a young boy, about 12 or 13 years old, his mother at his side looking down at him with annoyance.
"How many times have I told you to watch your tone! Sorry about that, my son doesn't know any better." His mother quickly apologized.
"It's fine." Minos replied, not bothered.
"Now apologize to him" His mother scolded.
"Why should I apologize? Did I lie! He's the tallest Moubyss person I've ever seen!" The young boy fought.
"Apologize!" His mother kept saying.
"No!" Her son replied firmly.
"I'm so sorry, I don't know what to do with him…" His mother said, her eyes slightly red, as if disappointed and ashamed at herself.
"If you don't mind, how about you let me have a word with your boy." Minos suddenly said, noticing her sad eyes.
"Really? Well, go ahead." She said, willing to try anything.
"Come here son."
"Hmph, who are you, my dad?"
"I said come here." Minos repeated, his murky eyes sharpening as a dense killing aura washed over the boy, causing him to shiver, a chill he had never experienced before despite the cold environment he lived in.
"O-Okay!" He said through grit teeth, his body quaking slightly.
"You've only got one mother in this lifetime, and let me tell you something, the entire world could turn on you, those you've trusted, those you've loved, those you've protected, but only your mother will be on your side forever."
"So treat her with respect, because I promise you one day she will leave you, and when that happens, all you will ever be able to think about is all the ways you've disappointed her."
"Don't be stupid son, I know you're trying to act strong, but true strength comes from inside, it's not an act you can put on, rather it's a reflection of your soul, and most importantly, it's the way you treat your mother."
"Treat her well, because no one knows the future…" Minos said, his eyes peering out of the window onto the snowy streets, thinking about his own parents.