The Devil's Cage

"I am Knight Eden of Dovetail Land! I am the new champion of the competition in Yort Fields. I am here on behalf of Yort Fields to pay a visit to Priestess Atrina and Outpost Master Nelson of Arya Outpost. We want to discuss the monster invasion of our lands."

An armored, arrogant-looking young man spoke loudly in front of the Arya Outpost gates.

He lifted his head ever so slightly, his nostrils enlarged, and his eyes didn't even scan his surroundings as if the soldiers around him were an insult to him.

Likewise, the soldiers on guard duty at the gate felt insulted too.

Knight?

This kind of bastard can be knighted?

Just look at the armor on him!

Although glaring, all the other knights on the spot were sure that the armor on this Eden's body was only for show. That thin layer of steel couldn't even block a little knife stab. As for the longsword on his waist…

Hahaha, even with the sheath as a cover, the knights with sharp eyesight could tell that it was a wooden sword.

"Uh… Knight Eden. I am Nelson."

The Outpost Master had a hard time squeezing the word 'knight' out of his mouth. He swore in his heart that he would rinse his mouth after he returned to the camp. It was disgusting to call this wimp a knight.

"En. Are you Outpost Master Nelson? I've heard that you are the strongest one in Arya Outpost. I demand a fair duel."

Eden nodded, lowering his head for a bit, and he no longer looked at the people with his nose held high anymore, but his chin facing Nelson instead.

"A duel?" Nelson was baffled. He never thought Eden would request to duel him.

As for calling Nelson the strongest person in Arya Outpost?

Nelson didn't deny it.

Kieran?

He was already crowned Majesty, a God, and no longer a mortal that could be trifled with mortal affairs.

"What? The famous Outpost Master Nelson dares not to accept my invitation for a duel? Or… hehehe… you are just a guy with looks?"

"You bastard!"

"Shut up!"

"I'll teach you a lesson!"

...

The moment his words subsided, the soldiers around scolded him in succession.

The soldiers and knights of Arya Outpost loved and respected Nelson, as he possessed the true qualities of a knight.

When Eden insulted Nelson, the soldiers and knights couldn't swallow it anymore.

However, even when he was greeted with scoldings, Eden wasn't frightened. Instead, it fueled his delight.

"Hahahaha! So this is the famous Arya Outpost? You people want to gang up on me? Come on! Come! I really don't know whether that rumored Hero—Ryan, was it?—is as cheap as you…"

Pak!

A loud slap later, Eden's words were forced to a halt. A few teeth flew out of his mouth, and he spun like a spinning top before falling down to the ground.

"If you insult His Majesty again, you won't be losing just teeth," Roffu said coldly.

When the insults came out of Eden's mouth, Nelson's hand was already on the hilt of his sword, was ready to teach this wimp a lesson, but he was stunned by Roffu's action. He then looked at the scene in shock and sheathed his sword.

Roffu was so quick! So quick that even with Nelson's strength, all he saw was a shadow striking Eden down.

Since when did Roffu become this strong?

Could it be?

A rumor suddenly came into Nelson's mind. He unconsciously turned around and looked at the spot where Kieran was standing.

Kieran was also watching the scene, but his eyes weren't looking at the so-called knight who fell to the ground with a single slap. Instead, Kieran was looking at a white-haired elder behind the wimp.

The elder was looking at the toppled cart with a dull face.

The sand on the cart was spilled all over the ground.

"No! No! NO! My five years of effort! All gone! It was on the verge of completion!" the elderly man said in a trembling voice as he cried out loud.

He was genuinely crying like a baby, snot, and tears rolled down his cheeks as if his son had died before him.

The soldiers and knights in the area were stunned, and some knights even thought of a particular rumor about the elderly man and showed a strange look.

"The Sand Counter, Luphus. He was a famous wise man from Yort Fields. But one day in his dreams, a God gave him a test: he must count the sand in front of him, and when he finished counting, he would be granted a wish."

Atrina walked over to Kieran, who was looking at the crying elder, her expression somehow showed sneers and disdain.

"I was wondering what kind of methods the lords would use to resist us. Who would've thought, it would be him."

Atrina then walked over to the crying elder, Luphus. Kieran followed as his interest was piqued.

"Who is that God that tested him?" Kieran asked.

"Who knows. It may be some unknown pagans or Demonic Gods."

"The former has a higher chance, though. If it's a Demonic God, the old man would have died a million times without an intact body." Atrina shook her head; she didn't know who the God that tested Luphus was.

Besides, she wasn't too concerned about the God anyway, or more precisely, she thought the old man was lying from the start.

As for why?

Wasn't it because of this particular moment?

A trick from the higher rankings and the so-called 'wise man,' it was nothing but chips on the negotiating table.

"Pay me!"

"You people must compensate and pay me!"

"I could have used it to revive my dead wife!"

Luphus, the 'wise man' rolled on the ground like a child whose toy was taken away.

The soldiers and knights would never retreat against a mighty enemy or even ferocious monsters. Still, against this kind of elder who'd cry on the ground, they looked at each other with puzzled expressions, not knowing what to do. In the end, they threw their gaze at Outpost Master Nelson.

Nelson then diverted the gazes to Kieran, as if he was calling for help.

Naturally, everyone in the scene turned their attention to Kieran, including Luphus, who was rolling on the ground.

The elderly man crawled over to Kieran.

"Pay me! Compensate me"

"You people made me lost count of my sand!" ranted Luphus loudly.

Atrina frowned, she wanted to end this farce right away, but before she could do anything, she was stunned.

Kieran walked over to the toppled cart, he picked up a speck of sand and went back to Luphus.

"One grain of sand," he said.

"Huh?" Luphus was confused, he looked at the speck of sand with a puzzled look.

Then…

Foooom!

The Devil Flame burned hot and engulfed the cart and the sand entirely within a breath's time.

Everything was burned to nothing.

No! There was one speck of sand left!

That one speck of sand on top of Kieran's right index finger, it was exceptionally obvious under the sunlight.

"One grain," Kieran said again with a smile on his face.

At the same time, the Devil Flame rumbled on his left hand, the scene alone was terrifying enough.

"Y-yes, one grain."

Looking at the speck of sand on Kieran's right hand and the burning fire in Kieran's left, Luphus twitched his lips for a while before nodding firmly.