Chapter Thirty - Two
"Are you okay?"
Ren completely ignored Xen’s question as he gently put Monica back on her feet and stroked her swollen cheek. "It seems like the Young Family and Loaine Family no longer care about the Reisa Family’s stand for neutrality. Slapping and bullying a candidate."
The sudden cold statement left Xen frozen on spot as he kept staring at Ren’s masked face. ’Hah... maybe I’m thinking too much. There can be a lot of people named Ren on the Seniah Continent. It can’t be him. A scaredy mouse like him would never dare to threaten other people.’
"This seems to be a misunderstanding, Mr. Ren. The Loaine Family did not physically harm Miss Young in any way. It was the Young Family would did it." Xen smiled, offering an explanation as slithered two steps back like a snake from the scene.
However, before Ren could have said anything further a bodyguard came running in their direction, stopping right before Xen. "Young Master! Old Master is calling you back immediately. The Hunter Crystal Test is about to start. All candidates have begun to enter the Crystal Realm."
[Countdown To First Mission: 1 Hour 11 Minutes]
[Reminder : Please Enter The Crystal Realm Within One Minute and Start Streaming, Host. Or, this will result in an automatic failure of the first mission.]
’Haah. I can’t delay it, right. I have to deal with this situation after the test.’ Ren sighed in frustration as he ran his hand through his hair watching Xen walk away with the Young Family, trailing behind him.
Sian clenched his fists in anger as he stared at Ren, feeling a sense of injustice. "How could you let them go, broski!? You should have submitted the video you made to the Reisa Family. They hurt Miss. Monica."
"Sian–"
Before, Ren could have explained the situation anymore. A red siren began to ring in his head as a pulsating red screen appeared in front of him.
[Countdown To Streaming: 54 Seconds... 53... 52...]
A shot of pain thundered across Ren’s head, making his breath quicken and eyelids contract. ’Ugh... I need to enter the Crystal Realm as soon as possible.’
"Ren, why aren’t you saying anything?" Sian probed yet again while Ren pressed his palm against his mask, trying to suppress the growing migraine.
"Because we don’t have time for revenge right now, Sian." Alex’s voice cut through the tension like a blade.
She stepped forward, pulling something small and gleaming from the inner pocket of her jacket. Two crystals, each no larger than a thumb, pulsing with faint inner light.
"Time and strength are everything inside the Crystal Realm," Alex continued, pressing one crystal into Sian’s palm, then another into Ren’s. "You need to go inside now. The Young Family matter can be dealt with afterwards."
Sian stared at the crystal in his hand before clenching it tightly in his fist."Got it."
Alex turned to Monica, her voice softening slightly. "Ica, you’re going to brief them on the basic rules while you walk. You’ve studied the guidebooks, right?"
"Yes." Monica nodded.
[...10]
Panic coursed through Ren’s veins as he watched the countdown on the pulsating red screen in front of his eyes. "We have to go in now."
[...9]
Monica and Sian turned in Ren’s direction as they nodded before clenching the crystals in their palms and closing their eyes along with Ren.
[...8]
A rainbow coloured light swirled around the trip as their feet lost all contact with the ground.
[...7]
Alex watched the scene with a heavy heart as she watched the trip being pulled towards the portal at the speed of light. ’Ren... Please bring Monica alive.’
[...6]
The wind roared in Ren’s ears as the portal swallowed them whole. Rainbow light exploded behind his eyelids, piercing through flesh and bone straight into his skull. He tried to reach for Monica’s hand but his fingers closed on empty air.
’Where are you, Monica?’
[...5]
The world turned inside out for Ren as his stomach lurched and his lungs burned. The crystal in his palm grew hot, then cold, then hot again, as if trying to anchor him to something real.
[...4]
BAM!
Ren’s body was thrown by the vertex on the ground as pain shot through him. ’What the hell?! Can’t you be gentler?’
[...3]
"Ren! Wake up! We’re here!"
Monica’s excited voice rang through Ren’s ears as his heavy eyelids parted open only to see Monica and Sian, hovering over him like a specimen and a neon pink sky that reminded him of Elena.
[...2]
"Ren, are you okay?"
Sian’s question made Ren immediately jolt him as he shocked the duo. "Get up. Let’s go. Everyone is already gone."
[...1]
"Yes, team leader!" Sian jumped on his feet, saluting Ren while Ren looked around taking in his surroundings.
’System, begin streaming.’
[0.]
[System Notification: Live Stream Initialized]
[Current Viewers: 0]
[Status: Online]
[’GREED’ has joined.]
[’PRIDE’ has joined.]
[’ENVY’ has joined.]
[’WRATH’ has joined.]
[’SLOTH’ has joined.]
[’LUST’ has joined.]
[’GLUTTONY’ has joined.]
Ren’s breath hitched as he watched the names appear on the screen in abyssal violet that stung into the edges of his vision.
"Ren? Your eyes..." Monica whispered, stepping back. The reflection in her pupils showed Ren’s left eye slits glowing with a faint silver light. Ren immediately covered his left eye with his hand before taking in a huge breath as he shook his head.
"It’s nothing. It’s probably due to the Crystal Realm."
Monica sighed as she nodded in understanding before gently pulling Ren’s hand off his eye. "You don’t need to hide it. I’ve seen worse things before."
A small laugh left Ren’s lips as he remembered his first meeting with Monica.
"You sure have."
The blue screen pulsated as new information began to appear on it.
[Current Viewers : 7]
[Stream Chat Unlocked!]
[Sloth: Gluttony, where is the fucking popcorn?]
[Gluttony: Go ask your non-existent girlfriend!]
"Ah look who’s here, Brother!"
Before, Ren could have paid more attention to the pulsating blue screen that was filling with comments from the seven sins, a familiar voice sliced through his thoughts bringing him back to the Crystal Realm and the young lady from the beach who had insulted his girlfriend.
’Clara Young.’
Clara Young stood at three hands feet from the trio as her ruby eyes gleaming with malicious delight. Her curled hair was now tied back in a high ponytail, revealing the sharp lines of her face.
Beside her, Liam adjusted his cuffs, a smug grin spreading across his features as he held a well adorned spear in his hands.
"Well, well, well!" Clara grinned, closing the distance between her and Ren as her heels clicked against grassy ground. "The little whore and her masked sugar daddy with their little assistant, huh. Are you planning to have a threesome here, Monica?"
"Clara... What do you want?"