Return Of The Strongest Player

'I just realized that she called it lunch, even though it was supposed to be breakfast…' Arthur muttered internally, scrunching his eyebrows as he stuffed the last of the meal into his mouth, savoring the pleasant flavors as they assaulted his tongue.

Ever since he entered the tower, such peaceful moments only amounted to an unattainable dream. During the tutorial, he was constantly worrying about the future, honing his skills for the tribulations up ahead.

The peaceful moments–in which he could calmly feel the cold breeze sweep across his skin, causing it to tingle–were rare. Immediately after entering the tower, his time was invested in preparations.

'But I cannot spend too much time here,' thought Arthur, collapsing on his bed, allowing a faint smile to blossom upon his face. 'My headstart–compared to my former life–cannot be wasted. It is my greatest advantage, along with my knowledge.'

'But I can stay for a bit.'

The window was wide open, allowing the soft breeze to tickle his body. However, despite enjoying his vacation, his guard was always up. The entire village was inhabited by former players.

Players couldn't be underestimated, as they had undergone several tribulations simply to enter the First Floor. 

They were not like the humans on Arthur's planet.

Their senses were refined through years of gruesome training, while their psyche was developed through difficult training. Many had more experience than Arthur after combining both of his lives.

The crux of the matter was that Arthur couldn't let down his guard at any moment, no matter how comfortable he became. Comfort was the seed of downfall, and excessive relaxation meant the person was begging for another to backstab them.

After a few minutes of blankly staring at the ceiling, Arthur pushed himself up. Grabbing his bag and his scabbard, he exited the hut. A few familiar faces greeted him, wishing him "Good Morning."

Arthur reciprocated by forming a faint smile and nodding. The village, although quite old, was bustling with people. Many roamed across the village. Their expressions were of joy and excitement.

A few people visited Gargo Village solely for the purpose of viewing the majestic scenery. Gargo Village was placed directly in the center of a massive valley that stretched for several hundreds of kilometers.

On each side, massive mountains rose from sea level, piercing the clouds up above as they acted like the pillars of heaven. 

The First Floor's Residential Area was massive, like all floors. However, each floor varied vastly in terms of size. The First Floor was as large as several star fields, while other floors were only the size of a mid-scale planet.

Scaling the First Floor was incredibly difficult, and most human civilizations were near the center. Even Gargo Village–although considered to be on the outskirts of the entire floor–was comparatively close to the center.

It was only about a two day walk, or a twelve-hour run from the center.

The mountains on each side were truly massive, and were created out of sturdy rocks, boulders, and ice. The top half of the mountains were entirely coated by a thick layer of snow, which seemed to reflect blinding light as the rays of the Sun fell upon it.

During dawn, the scene was mesmerizing; a feast for the eyes.

However, Arthur simply glanced at them. He seemed to be wandering across the village, but his aim was resolute. By feigning that he was simply wandering the streets, Arthur could escape the sharpened senses of the inhabitants.

The matter about the Baron Of Death was widely known, yet no one could calculate the true location of his inheritance.

Even Arthur had only discovered it through sheer luck, the reports of the future, and the retold legends of the Founding Ancestor of Necromancy. However, he still couldn't enter the inheritance ground.

He was trapped in a predicament.

Arthur's footsteps were soft, while his speed increased several fold after escaping the village without attracting attention. His meetings with Isabella occurred a few times a day, and were fleeting, and Arthur was usually back before her arrival.

The crimson-eyed man had been visiting the inheritance ground every day for a week, but hadn't gotten his hands on any leads. This outcome caused the hope in his heart to lessen, and caused him to wonder whether the inheritance was real.

However, he had come to Gargo Village for a reason.

After a few short minutes of walking, Arthur arrived before an opening in one of the massive mountains. The area was covered in lush greenery and thick vines that could block all light from sneaking in.

Since darkness encroached upon the area, Arthur was forced to use mana in order to boost his vision. Pure mana was not connected to illumination, and could act as a wonderful means of achieving night vision.

Of course, it wasn't perfect.

But it was something.

The nearby scent was unpleasant, since the soil was damp. The airflow was restricted, causing a build-up of a squalid scent. Arthur ignored it, approaching the tiny opening of rocks; a tiny cave in the middle of nowhere.

The cave was dark–incredibly dark.

Arthur carefully navigated through the dark space, taking frequent breaks while observing his surroundings. The cave was cramped, and could only support the entrance of a single person. It was incredibly difficult to locate it.

'Thankfully, the person who found the inheritance noted the exact location down,' Arthur praised the person who had received the inheritance previously. His records had assisted the crimson-eyed man in achieving half of his goal.

The other half was entering the inheritance ground, which seemed almost impossible.

After a few minutes of navigating through the cave, the opening branched off in four directions. After a few hours of trial and error, Arthur had discovered that the second trail led to a wide space.

The wide space was covered in icy-cold water which reached Arthur's knees. The air was thin, while the space was eerie. It was entirely silent, except for the occasional sounds of crickets, which slipped in often.

This was the inheritance ground of the Baron Of Death.