Speed Is King

“While I truly admire your goal of breaking through to Emperor level with an unprecedented ten million runes, Ascendant Runes are not the way to do it. At our current abilities to manipulate it, using it is nothing more than suicide! Do you want to commit suicide?!” Director Sands almost shouted at Jessica.

“No, but-“

“No buts! Elliot, I will be sending you back. Your games is still going on, and you still need to reach to the end of it if you want to participate in the final Battle of Kings tournament to win Earth for yourself. Focus on that.” Director Sands said.

“I will. Thank you for your advice. Please do not forget to send me my cut of the things you find.” Elliot smiled at Director Sands who immediately turned sour at being reminded of the “robbery” that just happened to him.

“The rest of you, I’ll send you back to your Diamond Sponsor VIP Room. Make sure you stay there! If I find you roaming about in this sensitive time…” Director Sands warned them. Well, Jessica, mostly.

“Fine. I won’t go anywhere.” Jessica sulked.

“Alright, let’s-“

“Wait! I owe Elliot a boon.” Jul’Taras shouted.

“A boon? Ah yes. Go ahead.” Director Sands said.

Jul’Taras stepped forward and pointed at Elliot’s forehead with her slender finger.

Elliot took in a deep breath sharply. He couldn’t feel any power up within his body. But he felt… safer, somehow.

“Blessings of the Elven Warrior Princess. Nature is now your ally.” Jul’Taras smiled at Elliot and said very mysteriously before turning around to take her place by Director Sands’ side.

Elliot didn’t know just what exactly he received, but he had a feeling that it was incredibly powerful, so he shouted his thanks to Jul’Taras without hesitation.

“Just win the Games, that would be compensation enough for me.” Jul’Taras replied.

“Alright, enough chatting. I have a lot to do. Let’s go!” Director Sands waved his hand and with a powerful WHOOSH! They all disappeared from the island.

Director Sands thought he was putting a clean end to their discussion on a very dangerous topic. But little did he know that he had completely failed.

Because before he returned from his short trip, Jessica had very sneakily given Elliot a Void Communicator. It was her own totally self-modified item, and it had no equivalent in its complete ability to remain undetected. With that, it would allow Elliot to communicate directly and stealthily with her to resume their discussions on Ascendant Runes!

Elliot, Jessica, Monkey King, and Jul’Taras had, as of that moment, officially become a group of close-knit friends. Although they were currently separated by Elliot’s situation, they had no doubts that he would soon graduate from the Games, and join them in their adventures within the known universe!

Still, fate is extremely fickle. Would things turn out the way they expected them to?

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

As expected of Director Sands, his power was beyond sublime.

Elliot opened his eyes and found himself in the cave where he left Jessica earlier that day!

“EEEKK!!” Jessica Musk screamed when Elliot suddenly appeared near her.

“Oh! Big bro, its you! YOU SCARED THE HECK OUT OF ME! DON’T DO THAT EVER AGAIN!” She roared at him.

Elliot merely chuckled and quickly apologized to her even though it wasn’t his fault.

“Why are you so edgy anyway?” Elliot laughed.

“It’s that stupid Hegemon! He broke free of my skill, and he is now creating havoc outside! I could hear him roaring in anger a few times already, and each time he roars, he gets closer and closer!” Jessica said half panickingly. “He seems really angry!”

“Oh? The Gaming Commission actually allowed him to do as he pleases? That’s strange. Especially with what I just told the Director about the value of his living armor.” Elliot muttered.

At that moment, Second senior brother’s voice suddenly sounded from outside their cave.

“Well well well. So this is where you’ve been hiding…”

CRASH! RIP!!

The camouflage of plants and bushes covering the entrance of the cave was ripped apart by a powerful force as though they were mere pieces of paper.

Blinding light entered the cave and a powerful force locked them up completely once more before they could do anything!

The full force aura of a Hegemon was so powerful, and so far above them that it locked them up even to their internal energies. There was completely no wiggle room for them to execute any of their skills. Elliot could not even blink, much less summon his Apostles.

Through the harsh afternoon sunlight, the two of them could see Second Senior Brother’s hated figure!

A sinister smile was upon his face as he looked at Elliot and Jessica the way a wolf would look at two fat and juicy goats.

“I have to say, you both are really good at hiding. If it wasn’t for that burst of space energy earlier, I would have never detected your presence here in this cave.” He chuckled lightly and then looked at Jessica.

“You have given me a lot of trouble, girl. And for that, you will get the privilege of dying last, after you take a good look at how I dismember the boy and use his gut to strangle him.” Second Senior Brother said with a chilling smile on his face.

“And you… You will tell me your secrets. By the time I am done with you, you would be begging for me to kill you.” He snarled at Elliot hatefully.

Elliot merely stared at him with a blank look on his face. In his mind, he was replaying the vision of Wu Kong smashing apart Aunt Hillary’s powerful Hegemon aura while he was in his Feral Judgement transformation and unleashing his Darklight Energy at full blast.

He knew that if he could somehow figure out the theory behind how it all worked and implement it, he would be able to break free from Second Senior Brother’s lockdown and escape with Jessica!