Return Of The Strongest Player

"I apologize for this girl's mistakes."

As the words escaped his lips, Arthur let out a sigh of relief. The man was not aiming for his life but was instead here to rescue Heather. The crimson-eyed man was indignant but didn't openly reveal his feelings.

Randy seemed to share Arthur's emotions, but he, too, could sense the beast caged behind the old man's gentle gaze.

'High Guardian, Nux,' Arthur said internally, directing a piercing gaze at the old man who stood before him. His physical stature was quite large, judging by the fact that he towered over both Randy and Arthur by quite a large margin.

High Guardian Nux was one of the oldest Guardians in the Tower Administration. His reign could be dated back thousands of years, towards ancient times. No one was aware of his birth date, not even him.

Nux usually answered the question by stating "I have existed since time immemorial." However, no one believed his words, as he treated his own words as a mere joke. His life was quite mysterious.

However, one thing couldn't be doubted; his loyalty to the Administration.

He swore loyalty to the Administration long, long ago while stating, "As long as a single breath exists within my lungs, I shall serve the Tower Administration in handling the tower's affairs eternally."

"It seems the red-eyed one recognizes me," said Nux, bowing elegantly. "I am High Guardian Nux, one of the original Guardians of the Tower Administration. It is my pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Randy was uncertain of how to respond and simply prostrated before the old man. Nux chuckled, explaining proper courtesy to him. It seemed Nux had no qualms with educating juniors.

When Randy executed the proper greeting, Nux clapped in appreciation.

Suddenly, Arthur turned around. His irises shrunk, and his gaze hardened. Neon, Jenny, Harry, and Dino were frozen in time, their bodies still. Even their breathing had halted, displaying the sheer extent of Nux's abilities.

"You're quite sharp, young man," said Nux, stepping forward. "I will resume their time once I leave. I do not like revealing my presence to strangers, but I felt it was only appropriate that I showed myself to those whom I am practically robbing."

"Robbing?"

"I shall be taking this girl with me," he announced. Arthur and Randy wished to protest, but their words got stuck in their throats. Nux's smile deepened. "I believe I owe you an explanation. However, I do not have the time."

Silence.

"Meet Blaire at the Outer District," said Nux. "Someone will show you Blaire's location, eventually. At her shop, you will receive an explanation for my activities alongside a few items in compensation. I will now take my leave."

Nux took Heather and stepped into the portal. Before leaving, he winked at Arthur and Randy, who shivered due to his gaze.

Once the portal faded, the two let out sharp breaths. Nux's presence, although he masked most of it, was still overwhelming. It seemed the old man was aware, yet didn't attempt to lower the intensity of his aura.

'He's just as I'd heard,' thought Arthur. The crimson-eyed man was uncertain if he, at his peak, could have contested with Nux. Although Guardians were mostly former players, Nux was an ancient existence.

He was not bound by any rules or regulations aside from his loyalty.

Once his presence had completely faded, Arthur and Randy turned to face each other. They were still indignant about the loss of their prey, but neither of them mentioned it. They communicated wordlessly.

A few seconds passed, and time resumed for the others.

Klang! Boom! Crash!

Their battle continued for a few seconds before they realized that Heather had disappeared. Neon's eyes widened, and he rushed towards Arthur and Randy. His eyes were bloodshot, and only a single thought lingered in his mind.

'Kill.'

However, before he could close the gap, a system message appeared before Arthur's eyes, causing a smile to blossom on his face. The shroud of uncertainty vanished, and the crimson-eyed man reverted to his former self.

[System has rebooted.]

[All restrictions have been lifted. The circulation of mana has resumed.]

Immediately, a wave of mana spilled from Arthur's body. The others also displayed devilish expressions. At that point, Neon was but a sitting duck, awaiting his inevitable, torturous, and untimely death.

Arthur quickly activated [Judgment Regeneration].

Massive de-buffs were placed upon Neon, after which Arthur thrust Skofnung into the man's sternum, causing a shrill scream to escape his lips. Blood spilled from both the wound and his mouth, dying the crimson soil a deeper shade of red.

Neon could only hold on for a few minutes. However, due to the aggravated, combined assault of several people, he was forced to relent. He perished soon after, rage visible on his face even after death.

Gazing at his corpse, the group felt no remorse. Instead, they snatched the gemstones stuffed within his pocket, splitting them among themselves.

"What happened to Heather?" Dino asked, scrunching his eyebrows. For a second, the lanky man felt his world spinning, and the next moment, Heather had disappeared, while Arthur and Randy were in different locations.

It was instant.

He was utterly shocked by the development but decided not to mention it until the matter was resolved. However, now that their foe had perished, it was the perfect time to ask such questions.

Arthur and Randy glanced at each other. The former nodded.

"A Guardian came to find trouble with Heather," explained Randy, scratching his head as he explained the situation. The group listened intently, and their expressions underwent several changes.

They were shocked to hear that a High Guardian had personally come.

Also, the domain of time… how could one control it so effortlessly?

The thought was mind-boggling.

Once Randy finished his explanation, the group headed towards Level 2 of the desolate world. Now, it was time to begin the grind.

Their foe had been dealt with, and the group was now united.

Now, it was only a matter of time.

A race against time.