Chapter 51: Let's make a bet
..................................................(Asher's POV)
The end of the Murim world was brought about by a monster that appeared out of nowhere.
"The Heavenly Demon."
This person came and took over the entire Demonic sect, creating an extremely powerful force and waging war against the entire Murim. All of the Murim gathered together, but they couldn't win, and the most powerful person in the Murim had to come and finish the whole war. And now, that person whom I, Chung Bung, killed myself, was standing right in front of me.
"Does that mean I am not the only one who was reincarnated in this world?"
The shock and disbelief lingered in the air as I stared at the boy with red eyes and black hair before me.
"How are you here?" The words slipped out of my mouth, surprise and confusion evident in my tone.
"Do you know me?" he asked, his voice tinged with confusion.
"Do I know you? No, you bastard! I loathed you in our previous life."
"Well, that does not mean we have any enmity in this life."
"Nothing?" I scoffed. The memories of our past life flooded my mind—the battles, the loss.
.......................................…(Alex's POV)
"Nothing."
A simple yet cryptic answer escaped that person's mouth.
"Asher Grey," I thought, recalling the tales about the most talented individual in the current era from my master. And now, the person whom I wanted to meet was right in front of me.
"But it seems he knew about me beforehand, but how? Nobody should know about me in this world except for me and my master."
His eyes held a glint of something I couldn't quite decipher. It was as if he was carrying the weight of something substantial on his shoulders.
"Alex, isn't it? Interesting name," he mused, his gaze never leaving mine.
I clenched my fists, conflicting emotions swirling within me. "What is your purpose?" I managed to ask, my voice composed but resonating with tension.
He smirked, sending a chill down my spine. "Purpose? What kind of purpose are you talking about?"
I scoffed, rejecting the audacious notion in his words. "You're asking what purpose? The purpose of helping us while pointing your spear at us."
Hearing my words, he looked at his hand and saw his spear pointing at me.
"Hah ha ha ha."
Looking at his spear, he made a face of disbelief, and after a short silence, he started laughing like a madman.
Hearing the laughter, I felt a hand clenching my shoulder. I looked in the direction and saw purple eyes looking at me in worry.
"Don't worry, I am here," I tried to reassure Eve, but the answer that came out of her mouth made my whole body shiver.
"You can't win against him."
..........................................…(Nova's POV)
"What is he doing?"
I thought as I looked at Asher. I proposed to tag along on the trail as we were transported to the same place. And he let me take the lead until we met this boy named Alex.
As we were going, I saw Eve being surrounded by these five guys. To help her and also check on her. But now things are going out of line.
"I should have not helped her, shit," a curse escaped my mouth. But how would I know this bastard was a psycho.
"Miss Nova," suddenly I heard my name coming out of his voice.
"Y-Yes," I answered. "Shit, why am I stammering in my words."
"I believe that's enough of tagging along."
"What?" I asked as I don't understand what this bastard was talking about.
But without giving an answer to my question, he pointed his spear toward Alex and said,
"Let's make a bet."
..........................................…(Eve's POV)
The tension hung thick in the air as Asher proposed the bet. I looked at him, confusion etched on my face. What game was he playing?
"A bet?" Alex narrowing his eyebrow in confused.
"Yes, a bet," Asher affirmed, his eyebrow raised in amusement.
Nova, standing opposite me, exchanged a worried glance with me. The stakes were high, and I could sense the gravity of the situation.
"Let's make it interesting," Asher continued, his tone measured. "I will hit you 5 times and if you are able to withstand my attack you will win. And if you die before that you lose. If I win, your friend behinds you dies. If you win, well, you get to keep both your and her life in this trail."
Hearing the bet my whole body shivered. It wasn't a bet that was for Alex to win; it was just a play that a predator was playing with his prey. I clenched my hand and whispered at Alex's eyes,
"Let's run"
But Alex just looked at me and smiled then he looked at Asher, his eyes narrowed in determination, and he sheathed his sword. "Very well, Asher Grey. I accept your bet."
As the words settled, the atmosphere crackled with anticipation. The forest seemed to hold its breath, as if aware of the impending clash of wills.
Inside the Elders council.
All the elders were looking at the monitor as Chung Oji entered and said in confusion,
"What is happening here, why are all the elders looking at only one monitor?"
Hearing Chung Oji's question, Carlos came to him and said with a worried face,
"Alex and Asher are going head to head."
"What"
..........................(Alex POV)
Thump, Thump, Thump.
The rhythmic beats of my own heart echoed in my ears. Gripping my sword with a determined resolve, I braced myself for the impending onslaught.
"Here I go, Alex."
The ominous proclamation from my opponent, Alex, resonated in the charged air. With swift precision, I assumed a defensive stance, ready for the clash that would unfold. In the fleeting moment before the battle commenced, my inner thoughts urged him to come at me.
But before the syllables could escape my mind, a sudden eruption of black light enveloped everything.
"BANG."
Abrupt darkness descended, shrouding the arena in an eerie silence.
"What happened?" I questioned my disoriented senses. Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced through the void. It was Eve, frantically calling out for Alex. As I regained my bearings, I glanced toward the sound and witnessed my sword acting as a last line of defense, the tip of an enemy spear lodged into its surface.
"My mana-coated sword was pierced through," I muttered in astonishment, realizing the perilous situation I was in. The owner of the spear, unfazed, declared the first strike with a smirk.
"1st strike," he proclaimed, reveling in his momentary victory.
Before I could articulate a response, an involuntary shiver crawled down my spine. Reacting on instinct, my hand moved to the right, and my sword intercepted another strike aimed at my vulnerable neck.
"When did he pull his spear from the hole in my sword and target my neck?" I marveled at Asher's skill, but there was no time for contemplation.
"Lightning, hah," he taunted, revealing a sinister satisfaction. "2nd strike."
To my surprise, my own hand, now aglow with Lightning Mana, revealed an unexpected activation of my unique ability.
"Hah, when did I activate my hidden ability? What will I do it was supposed to be hidden, you bas—" My words were cut short as a sudden, unexplained force took control. Once again, that chilling sensation gripped my left neck, rendering me powerless. This time, however, I didn't move. Instead, I witnessed a momentary blackout, only to find myself abruptly transported to the midst of the coliseum, surrounded by a sea of watching students.
"3rd strike," I muttered in disbelief, realizing how powerful he really was and a word came out of my mouth without me knowing,
"MONSTER"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone