The Dawn Of The New World

1374  Lord of Pain

Some scenes were of great wars that Hao Xuan could barely wrap his mind around and many others were of strange creatures convening gatherings so grand that it made no sense.

Out of the thousands that could be glimpsed he could only recognize two. Those events had indeed occurred somewhere in the past and he had first-hand knowledge of them.

In fact, he was present for one of them and even played a key role in its undoing.

[The fall of Luna Empire??] he muttered under his breath. (Ch 1065)

"It knowssss!" a voice came from his immediate left.

"There you are, I was looking for you on the other side!" Baba Jedza called out impatiently.

Hao Xuan peered in its direction only to see a 4-meter-wide brass shield being pulled out from under the bridge by an army of slimy tentacles.

There were at least a few hundred thick tentacles flopping around but he couldn't see what they attached to since the shield blocked his view.

Hao Xuan stepped back, giving enough room for this slimy creature to make its way up.

Baba Jedza walked over and tapped her walking stick three times to make the bridge tremble.

"Hurry up, we are in a rush. This one needs to be tested so I can take him into the Halls."

"Aaah, another one. Ssssso ssssoon?" the voice came from somewhere underneath the shield.

It sounded like that of an old man but that was obviously not real.

The tentacles moved to the side raising the shield into the air until it was facing Hao Xuan. There was a strange face engraved in the middle. It had features of both a frog and a snake but in the shape of a human face.

Its eyes began to glow and a green light fell on Hao Xuan's body. The very next moment most of the tentacles retreated into the shield's mouth and from the other side a humanoid figure slowly crawled out.

It was around 7 meters tall standing straight while the brass shield was attached in place of its right arm.

There were still dozens of tentacles slithering out from underneath the shield but nowhere near as many as before.

This newly birthed figure belonged to some kind of an ancient warrior with a gold mask and a cross above its helmet. (Image posted in discord and Authors notes)

The warrior stretched a little before turning to face the old witch.

"Jedza, I thought for certain you would have died by Maymun's hands a long time ago. Still fighting a losing war, I see?" he looked at Hao Xuan at the end, "Have you finally lost your mind? Bringing a mortal in HERE?!"

His left hand suddenly reached into the shield and pulled out a giant red blade. He pulled it back aiming to cut Hao Xuan in half but the old witch scoffed, not even bothering to step in between.

"Enough of your games! He has been chosen by the mistress herself..."

Every tentacle of his almost retracted into the shield at once, "B-By the mistress??! You lie!"

Hao Xuan could see the shock and fear in its eyes.

"That's why we are here. He will undertake the examination and we will move on, stop wasting time."

It was obvious she did not hold this being in high regard but neither did she push it too far. She kept her distance and waited for it to respond after finishing its query.

The warrior stood there gawking at Hao Xuan for almost a whole minute before coming to its senses. It fixed its posture before speaking up again.

"I am the first guardian and the Defender of the Halls of Austerity! I was born in the 183rd layer of the abyss and climbed up here after spending an entire age gathering my strength! I see all and sense all! Where I go only death follows!"

He swung the blade around him in a circle creating arcs of blood-curdling red flames before pointing the blade right at Hao Xuan's face.

"You, mortal, speak your name now and be reborn! Who are you?! Who dares stand before me, the Lord of Pain?!"

Hao Xuan only had to think about it for a few seconds before the only appropriate title presented itself before him.

[I am...The Emperor]

The warrior's eyes widened for a moment, "Hmph, the audacity! So be it, I shall see for myself if you truly have been blessed by the Mistress, and if not, you too will taste my blade and become a new puppet for my darlings!"

He swung the blade overhead before slamming it into the bridge to create a powerful shockwave.

***