Chapter 366: This One is Called... (1/2)

Arthur stared at the gatekeeper dissolving into nothingness in front of his eyes. He thought his journey in the Spirits Realm would be an uneventful one, but it seems some higher-beings were watching him.

”The Spirits Sovereign, huh?” Arthur muttered as he stared at the sky. ”I wish that I won't get into some mess out of this.”

There was nothing for him to do here other than killing Gala for her to turn into a spirit. Of course, if things like the Spirits Sovereign noticed him, things might not go as planned.

After all, he was committing a forbidden act by killing Gala in the Spirits Realm. Even the witch knew that. Arthur would have to do it without the Spirits Sovereign noticing.

”Infra, Earthen, and Skyey World,” Arthur counted. He needed to ascend the stairway twice to meet Gala. However, even then, he would need to keep searching for her in the Skyey World. ”I guess I need to find the bookkeeper that Mr. Hopper mentioned.”

Mr. Hopper helped organize his thoughts, so his absence made Arthur talk to himself. Using the chains earlier consumed a lot of his energy, so he had to walk back toward the stairway.

The sky was sewed back into normality by his chains. This time, he won't strike the bell with all of his strength. Instead, he simply tapped it, and the bell began ringing melodiously.

”Is my spiritual energy that powerful?”

Arthur knew this was supposed to be a test, but he didn't know how difficult it was supposed to be. He looked at the gates of the stairway that ascended toward the sky open in front of him.

He took the first step on the stairway and kept walking up until he passed it. As soon as he passed the gate, he felt a presence behind him. Arthur turned to look at the ethereal man that arrived in front of the bell.

”What is this giant thing?” The man muttered as he stared at the bell with a blank expression. Arthur turned with interest to see how the man would perform. ”It must be a test of my strength.”

The man spoke in an ancient matter as if he came from a previous era. However, Arthur didn't hear this accent in Alka before, so this person must be from a different dimension or a different timeline.

”Very well. Let this be a test for me!” The man shouted and took his stance. Arthur was amused by his antics and kept watching, even though he could now ascend to the next world.

”For everyone waiting for me!”

'Just do it already. Why is he so talkative?' Arthur yawned. 'This guy looks like he came out of a historical drama.'

”Come!”

The man shouted and punched the bell. The bell barely moved, but it was enough to give a small 'ding' that opened the gate again. The man huffed and began ascending the stairs.

”Wow, that was anticlimactic.” Arthur was amused as he waited for the man to ascend the stair. When the man finally saw him, he stopped walking and looked at him warily.

Arthur gave a greeting nod which the man returned with hesitation. Then, seeing Arthur turn and leave without saying anything further, the man followed after him.

After you enter the gate, which the two did, there was a long tunnel. They walked through the cosmos until their bodies became one with the surrounding, and Arthur felt his consciousness rise to a higher state.

When his awareness returned, Arthur found himself standing in an endless plain with willow trees scattered here and there. Beside him was the man from earlier, as white as snow.

”Is this heaven?” The man said in a daze.

”No, just the Earthen World.” Arthur smiled and answered. The man seemed to snap out of his daze when Arthur talked to him.

”You speak my language?”

Arthur nodded in response. The man spoke in the ancient Veran language, which existed before the merge of the three kingdoms. Thus, even though there were some archaic words in his speech, Arthur could still understand them.

”Are you a seeker as well?” Arthur asked with interest. He wasn't suspicious of the man even though he might be another disguised Spirits Sovereign's follower.

In this realm, he was at peace for some reason. As if his physical body was the one who doubted others and their motives.

”I am indeed as such,” The man said. ”Are you a spirit?”

”No, just another seeker,” Arthur said with a smile. ”How high do you want to go, friend?”

”As high as my fist gets me.” The man said with determination as he clenched his fist. ”If only I had my wooden sword, I would have pierced the heavens!”

”Oh,” Arthur said blandly. ”Are you here to contract a spirit?”

”I am indeed!”