Galaxy's First Ruler

The beats were on; the music was in the air, and the twelve dancers-cum-backup singers were ready. Even the Disco Light, hovering in the air, focused its yellow light on the lead singer, Viscount 'Lil Sugaar'.

"Hey Yo… Yo…

Here it goes…

One day four Dreamers came to me,

I fucked two and hanged the third upon a tree…

The fourth one gave me a Shock!

Fuckin' bitch had this thing called Boombox…"

"Yeyyy… Boooomboxx…"

*

Aldrich couldn't handle it anymore. The last sentence was like stretched-out lyrics. And the coarse voice of the twelve combined old women turned it into an annoying screeching sound, irritating and riling up the Mana within him.

The Broken Faith in his hand turned to the Stone Splitter and Aldrich changed his maximum Attribute from Defence to Agility. He had already wasted quite an amount of time by climbing over the stairway one step at a time. Aldrich wanted nothing but to flatten the entire mountain in one move.

The only thing that troubled him was the ability of the Crawler to vanish like being a part of the wind. It would be disastrous for Aldrich if, even after using the Mountain Crusher, he won't be able to kill the Viscount. Aldrich looked at the twelve pillars and then at the twelve dancers, and he couldn't help but think if they were related somehow.

So he decided to take care of this unknown factor first.

"Sha, keep your eyes open."

"Okay… Daddy. But… I… not… have… eyes… in… this… form."

"Tsk! I meant, be on alert."

"Ohhhh…"

Aldrich dashed towards the nearest limestone pillar, keeping himself at the edge of the mountain. He made sure to not enter the space within the platforms. The Crawler kept rapping, ignoring Aldrich's action altogether. Even the disgusting dancers kept twerking and slapping their butts, following the rhythm of the beats.

Before nearing the pillar to destroy it, Aldrich scanned it, using his Divine Sense, and made sure that it wasn't an illusion. He kicked a pebble and sent it flying towards the pillar. As the stone bounced off the pillar, making a ticking noise, Aldrich lunged at the pillar. And without using the Skill, he raised the Sword high and smashed it into the pillar.

BOOM!

The limestone pillar burst apart as if a stick of dynamite had exploded within it. Aldrich landed on the ground and marveled at the sight of white dust, but soon his eyes became wide with utter disbelief and shock. Beyond the pillar where the Viscount and the platform should have been, there was a layer of dense dark clouds full of lightning and stormy winds. Somehow Aldrich had ended up within the platform as if the entire mountain had slid a few steps towards him.

Without looking back, Aldrich jumped off towards the edge of the mountain and the clouds.

Bang!

HAHAHA!

Aldrich's head buzzed as he ran into an unseen wall and the distance of one step felt miles away from him. He stood up and tried to grip the sword tightly in his hands as he heard the burst of resounding laughter behind him. But the Stone Splitter couldn't be seen anywhere. Even the pillar he had just destroyed resurfaced anew over the rubble at its foot. A notification soon appeared in front of him, as if answering the bewilderment on his face.

[…

You have entered the space of Sorginak's 12 Fortune Pillars

Use of weapons is prohibited in this space

…]

"You know, why do I look down on my fellow Crawlers from other Plazas?"

Aldrich turned around, following the voice, and his heart thumped, seeing the Crawler. Its hissing voice kept echoing in the enormous space of the platform.

"The reason is very simple. They are afraid to take risks. Tch! They don't understand the key to killing the Dreamers doesn't lie in Skills or Items, but deception. In the service of the Ruler of Valencia, his lordship, El Cid, they can't even sacrifice a few Skills?! Tch! But then again, not just anyone can become an Elite."

Despite the ringing words, Aldrich couldn't take his eyes off the Stats over the Crawler's head. All the values and even the Rank were the same. But a word had been added.

A word that made Aldrich doubt the invincibility of his Passive Skill, Shared Vision.

[…

Record of Elite 'Lord of Storms and Thunder' Sugaar

Status: Healthy

Level: 35

…

…]

Zooom!!!

The entire space within the platform quaked, making Aldrich take his eyes off the Stats. Many ethereal voices reverberated atop the mountain from all around as if chanting a spell.

"We aren't, we are true,

Twelve thousand here we are…

Under the heavens and over the earth…"

Aldrich looked around and noticed that the twelve old women in bikinis had vanished and were now sitting at the top of each pillar. Their appearance hadn't changed, but the expression on their faces had turned to that of reverence and fanaticism. Their chants seemed to be superimposed on each other, making the space ripple within the platform.

"Sorginaks, the witches from the court of Goddess Mari. I had to sacrifice a whopping five levels to get them. But well worth the effort. Ah! Why am I telling you that? You must have got to know by now, right?"

Aldrich looked at the slithering long tail of the Crawler and the evil smile on his face. His eyes went downwards towards the boombox, which hadn't stopped playing the beats.

"Oh, this? Like Goddess Mari, these witches feed on negation and affirmation, i.e. falsehood. So I need to keep acting against my true nature to use them whenever I need them. It's not that bad, I quite enjoy it. It's been hundreds of years since anyone has passed me. Things can get lonely even for us Crawlers, huh!"

Aldrich knew why the Crawler was explaining so much to him. He could interpret it by the look it was giving to him. A look the same as the butchers used to give the chickens before slaying them.

But Aldrich was calm, calmer than his calmest moments.