Chapter 34 - Reason to Fight (1/2)

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Hao Xuan chose a Brute beast for his first fight. Its body was that of a lizard with the head of a cobra. It used a paralytic poison on its enemies and then would slowly gobble them up alive. As a brute beast, it wasn't too hostile and rarely fought any monster stronger than it. Its main prey were the young of other beasts that were incapable of defending themselves and that was why it was despised by all other beasts and even attacked on sight.

”Please wait, when an arena opens up you will be called,” said the prompt.

Hao Xuan had no choice but to wait. He was really excited about this upcoming battle. There would be tens of thousands watching his every move. How glorious would it be to stand there with his head raised as they showered him with praise, he dreamed.

A sound woke him up from his delusions, another person had entered the locker room. A bald guy, about the same age as Hao Xuan with brown skin, but there was something wrong with him. He gave a very strong and deadly feeling to Hao Xuan, as if he wasn't human but something else.

He looked like he had just lost a loved one, extremely depressed. There was no light in his eyes as if he was dead. He went up to the screen and registered and then sat down on the other side and closed his eyes, paying no attention to his surroundings.

After a few seconds, Hao Xuan also stopped paying attention to him and looked at the mask First had given him. It was completely white in color with no marks or blemishes on it at all, as if brand new.

Hao Xuan bit his finger and put a drop of blood on it and it changed color from white to green, to blue, to crimson red and then back to white. Its structure also slightly changed and now looked to be an exact fit for his face.

Not expecting this sudden transformation, he put the mask on and his eyes glowed brightly for a few seconds and the mask started giving off a sudden burning sensation. Surprised, he tried to take it off but it wouldn't budge in the least which made him panic a little bit.

But when he remembered that First had given it to him he calmed down a little. If First wanted to hurt him, there were much easier ways, especially for someone as powerful as him.

The burning sensation got stronger and stronger for about 30 seconds and then it vanished completely. Hao Xuan couldn't even feel the mask anymore. He touched his face and the mask was still there, but it had absolutely no weight or feeling.

If he didn't remember putting it on himself, he probably wouldn't even be able to tell he was wearing it unless he looked at his reflection.

”Is it a spiritual item?” he thought but then gave up on the idea. Items like that were rare and needed a really strong bond to their owners to gain spirituality.

He closed his eyes and thought about taking the mask off without even touching it and it vanished from his face and appeared in his mind. With his eyes closed, he could see the mask as clearly as day and could even reach out and touch it.

And as soon as he did, masks entire history and functions appeared in front of him.

”Made from the face-bone of a half 'Sominare', an illusion demon, it changes appearance according to the user's wishes and can hide aura and presence against similar leveled or weaker opponents.”

Hao Xuan was taken aback after reading that. First said this was made from the first beast he had killed, but according to this it was from the demonic race. Had First actually killed a demon and was wearing its skull as a mask? It gave him shivers just thinking about it. Good thing First was on his side.

*Bing*

”Soldier Hao Xuan, please proceed to the gate number Six,” said a feminine voice in the locker room, waking him from his stupor.

He got up and walked to the door that had 'Six' over it and pressed his hand on the screen beside it.

”Please choose an alias,” a new prompt said and an empty field appeared on the screen.

He thought for a few seconds and a word appeared in his mind out of nowhere, ”Ira”.

”Hmm?” he furrowed his brow, there was a strange sensation his brain like something was vibrating. He closed his eyes and the three books appeared. It was Wrath of Deimos that was vibrating and a red 'smoke' was coming out of it.

Hao Xuan hesitated for a few seconds but then put his hand on top of it and his eyes turned completely red. It felt like he was transported to another world.

He saw a cute little boy playing with his mother under a tree. They were living in the outskirts of a small village near a forest. Everyone avoided them because of the horns that were growing out of the boy's head. They called his mother a witch, and the child an abomination.