Nameless King

Alice lowered the scythe, and the blade sliced through the monster's flesh like a red-hot knife through butter. The wolf didn't fight back. It had no more strength left after Ern's flick.

The wolf's severed head rolled on the ground, and Alice dropped the scythe to the ground.

"I did it..." Alice muttered, looking at her hands. They were as clean and smooth as any girl's, but Alice saw blood on them. It was hard for her to realize that she had killed someone.

"It's okay." Ern squeezed her hand tightly, "You did good, but this is only the beginning. Look, it belongs to you now."

Ern pointed to the blue soul slowly flying toward Alice.

"What is that...?"

"It's your power." Ern smirked, and the soul penetrated Alice's chest. Her eyes glowed, and a powerful stream of energy burst out of her.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing bad. You're getting stronger, though the amount of energy is unusually high. You might even be in a little pain, you've absorbed Third Chronicle Soul, and your body is trying to absorb that energy. Just focus."

Alice nodded, and after a few seconds, the energy flows calmed down, and several messages appeared in front of her.

She was mesmerized and read everything in detail.

"Well? Can you feel the power?" Ern smiled.

"Yes... Damn, that's incredible... I have to try it!" Alice exclaimed, and streams of wind appeared around her feet. She smiled and ran forward at breakneck speed.

She ran from side to side for a while until she got tired and ran back.

"Ah... Ah... Ah... This is harder than I imagined." Alice muttered, trying to catch her breath.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Not bad." Ern clapped his hands, "You've just activated your Soul Altar, and you've already been able to use your new abilities. Your speed is really impressive, looks like I'm going to have to do a little rework of my scythe."

"Okay, let's move on. I want to get to the auction as soon as possible." Ern tossed the scythe to Alice and headed for the exit.

"Yes!"

...

Crackle.

Erza thrust the stone sword into the altar, and a massive portal opened before them. She strode forward confidently, and Wain followed her.

They found themselves in a massive auction hall, where the second phase of the auction would be held.

"Hmm? Where is everyone? Are we the first?" Erza looked around, but all the seats were empty, and there was absolute silence in the hall.

"That's right." Suddenly the White-Eyed Spirit came onto the stage, "Settle in and wait for the others. In a few hours, all the trials will end."

The Spirit smiled and disappeared.

...

Whoooosh.

A few minutes later, another red portal opened, and out came the ever calm Ern and a cheerful Alice.

"Oh, looks like we're not the first." Ern smiled.

"Looks like you've made some progress." Wain looked at Alice.

"Yes! These abilities, it's incredible! Look what I can do now!" Alice exclaimed and ran toward Wain with the speed of the wind.

Alice almost reached Wain, but suddenly Erza appeared beside her and stopped her by grabbing her arm.

She looked at her menacingly and said, "Go back."

Alice flinched in fear and ran to Ern.

"Ahahahaha, looks like your friend is jealous of you, and your relationship has taken a new level."

"Don't be ridiculous. It's just like before. We were just temporarily on the same team." Wain said seriously.

"Sure." Ern smiled and sat down at the edge. Alice sat down next to him and occasionally looked back at Erza. She had never seen such a formidable woman before.

As time passed, new contestants appeared, and soon all the trials were over. The hall was only half full, only fifty teams could pass the tests, and the rest failed.

"Great, looks like everyone is in." Someone's voice sounded, and a white portal opened on the stage. Artur and his assistants emerged from it. Then the space shuddered, and seats for spirits and seven thrones appeared in the air. On six of them sat the main Spirits, but the white throne was empty.

Artur stepped aside, and the White-Eyed Spirit appeared in the center of the stage.

"I am pleased to welcome you all. You've managed to get here, which means you've all proven that you're strong enough. Some have demonstrated great teamwork, and some have swept through the ordeal like a mighty hurricane." Spirit looked at Ern.

"As the person in charge of this part of the Temple, I declare the auction open, but you must get what you deserve before seeing the Phantom Treasury."

The Spirit snapped his finger, and many coins appeared in the air.

"Depending on your success, each of you will receive a certain amount of Void Coins. The team that got here first will get a hundred Void Coins!" The Spirit spoke, and the coins went to Wain and Erza.

Both got fifty coins each, which was equal to half a million Void Souls. It was a huge amount even for those who were in Third Chronicle. You could buy a few villages or a whole town with that money.

"What? Elf and Inerian were the first? How is that possible?"

"Huh, that's amazing. I thought Elves were sissies and incapable of anything." Red Demon said.

'Half a million? Damn... compared to that, the money I made before the auction is nothing.' Wain thought and moved the coins into the ring.

"Now it's number two's turn." The Spirit smiled and ninety-eight coins headed for Ern and Alice.

"They were number two? But she's useless, she's weaker even than Primary Chronicle!"

"Ahahahaha, Alice, looks like you're suddenly rich." Ern laughed.

"Hmm? Is forty-eight coins a lot?" Alice looked at the Void Coins and didn't understand what was special about them.

"Of course. You'd have to kill a few million monsters equal to you to get that kind of money. Don't waste it. You'll need it."

Ern was pleased with the reward, but he was most interested in the treasury.