*****“You—do you actually have some kind of supernatural ability that lets you find gems?” Sofia, who had been left speechless numerous times by Williams' consistent gem discoveries, finally asked in exasperation.It Was barely just 2 hours since the beginning of the competition, yet, she had already lost count of the number of times Williams had discovered the supposedly difficult-to-find stones known as Gems, yet, he was still casually digging them up as though taking water from his backyard pound, lazily and casually.Williams, hearing the serious question thrown at him smiled playfully. “How did you know?” He asked and Sofia frowned with confusion, looking so cute.“Know what?” She inquired and Williams pointed at himself.“That I have a supernatural ability that helps me discover gems?”“You—you actually do?” Sofia asked incredulously and Williams nodded his head with an earnest expression.“It’s an ability that allows me to see through any hard surface and discover anyth
*****‘This he just…” Sofia, who had only acted in the spur of the moment mumbled blankly after a moment and then she slowly looked to the side, she swallowed hard.‘He really did just catch a flying arrow,” she mumbled and raised her head, only to see an aggressive face staring coldly straight ahead.Although the gaze wasn’t meant for her, Sofia felt her heart freeze in fear for a moment and the sweat that had oozed out of her earlier, thinking she was going to lose her life for someone she had barely known intensified before she quickly tore her gaze away.‘So scary!’ she thought subconsciously, unable to relate the arrogant and playful Williams in her head to this scary entity.She swallows hard once again before abruptly looking straight ahead, her face turning to a furious glare.“How dare you launch a sneak attack on us?!” She yelled ferociously, snapping the other party back to his senses.The person, who had been stunned by Sofia’s earlier action and Williams catching t
*****Williams was stunned for a moment after hearing Sofia’s words before slowly looking at her. “Are you seriously pleading for him?” He asked with disbelief but Sofia hurriedly shook her head.“No, but his—his background is not ordinary,” she explained, but seeing Williams’ unimpressed expression, added. “He is the only son of two legendary figures in our country whom even the likes of Damien and his people dared not offend.”Williams, “_”His brows abruptly furrowed as he contemplated Grace’s words, but just then, a cold snicker sounded on the ground.“You heard that, huh? Let me go this instant or you and all your loved ones suffer the wrath of my parents even if you guys run to the end of the world!”The voice was filled with arrogance, fierceness, and above all, murderous intent.Williams looked for a moment before a playful expression crossed his face. “And who told you I’m letting you go?” He asked, making both the young man’s and Sofia’s face change significantly.“Y
*****"Which of the contestants do you believe could bring pride to our country in this competition?" In a VVIP lounge far more spacious and luxurious than the VIP section of the stadium in the capital city, the president of Betic Country, seated at the head of the room, between the various nations' leaders, quietly asked the elderly man sitting beside him, casting a glance in his direction.The elderly man, Old Man Pu, who appeared to have been lost in his thought was jolted back to his senses upon hearing the question directed at him, and then his brows tightly furrowed, seemingly to be thinking about the question he was just asked.After a moment, he sighed and glanced ahead, his eyes appearing to be seeing through space. “If my instinct isn’t wrong, I think that boy would likely be the dark horse who would bring us pride in this competition,” he mumbled, making the president, hearing his expected response smile.“I think your instinct might be wrong this time,” he responded pl
***** “Is—is that still our country?” In the leaders’ room, Betic President, seeing the scene he had never witnessed before in his entire life gasped with shock, trembling all over as he gaped. “What so special in that?” A lazy voice abruptly sounded and upon looking, realized the speaker was the Matic Country representative, they swallowed, knowing only he dared utter such a statement. The middle-aged man was still leisurely drinking his tea, showing that his country’s nonstop moving up was within his expectations. Betic President wasn’t mad by this obvious rudeness, instead, his smile widened. “This is the highest position my country had ever reached in years and even if it were to stop moving up now, the entire world would remember my tenure in years to come,” he uttered. “Great that you know then “ the Matic Country’s representative uttered and then continued sipping his tea just leisurely as before, oozing out a strong arrogance that couldn't be feigned. Just
*****“I say, seniors, do you think the god’s eyes have begun to show the rankings of this competition?” Inside the secret realm, a young boy who doesn’t seem to be above fifteen years yet, walking excitedly amongst his group suddenly inquired with two shiny eyes.“It should have,” a twenty-seven-year-old young man, presently scanning a purple gem in his hand with an excited expression responded and the young man, upon hearing this smiled and his face reddened.“Given the number of gems we’ve gotten today already, do you think our country would gain a high rank?”“We should have made our country proud now, right?” He asked hopefully, his innocent fact making all the ladies around him feel like squeezing it.Upon hearing his question, everyone around the young boy gave him a smiling and prideful face.“Thanks to you, our little junior who is very talented in the act of seeking gems, I don’t think our country would take the position of the first few, starting from the bottom we us
*****“Run!!!” The eldest screamed and then picked up the young boy, his priority, and dashed off, wanting to escape.Seeing them like this, the people in red didn’t panic and their expressions did not change, instead, they watched with evil smirks on their faces.“Perhaps, you guys would have been able to escape if you hadn’t entered our trap, but since you had, then all I had to say is…sorry,” the leader slowly uttered, further scaring the already horrified group.Subsequently, their faces changed after which they fearfully lowered their heads.They realized they were all standing on the gems that had likely melted their comrade.“We…” They exchanged petrified gazes and wanted to speak, but then hellish roars left their mouth in unison and their bodies began to melt starting from their legs to their heads at a speed visible to the eyes.It was such a horrific scene, but the faces of the people in red did not change at all, instead, they watched as though they were seeing an i
*****Although Williams heard Sofia’s question and felt her strong nervousness, he did not look at her nor even pay her any attention, instead, he continued studying his surroundings with a full alert, looking as though he was watching out for a really strong predator.And with this, a moment of silence and stillness envelopes the entire area which lasts until;"Could it be that you were just being overly sensitive?" Sofia, noticing that the serenity and stillness in the environment remained unchanged even after so long looked at Williams and inquired, her confusion evident on her face.It was only after this that Williams spared her a severe glance, shaking his head seriously.“No,” he responded with the level of seriousness Sofia had never felt from him since they began their adventure together.“We are already in a grave trap,” he added after a moment before once again looking at his surroundings.To be honest, it wasn’t that Williams’ instinct was particularly strong, no.Whil