65 Chapter 64

As white light faded from his vision, Zuyuan found himself standing right atop the small lake in front of the shrine he had seen before. Same environment, same moss and surroundings with one slight difference. 

"Where's XB11?" Asked Zuyuan as he moved his gaze around to search for his companion.

~"Well.. About that.."~ 

The woman's words were trailing off on his mind as if she was about to bring bad news. 

~"The moment the System decided to be hostile with you, it tried to get rid of your summon as well while at it."~ 

Those statements had made something heavy fall on Zuyuan's heart. Flashing cold glint in his eyes, Zuyuan spoke while he unknowingly clenched both of his fists, "So.. XB11 has died?" 

~"Kuku, death would be better than for one to have their existence erased completely. That child had sold its soul to the System, so there would be no way the System would let it go from its grasp, even in its death, it would still become the slave of the System."~

Staying silent as to try to understand the implications behind the woman's words, Zuyuan said, "So the System wanted to eradicate XB11 completely? Because of me?" 

~"Exactly, but don't worry about that child, for there's a way for it to accompany you again."~ Replied the woman while she let out a chuckle in amusement. 

~"Instead, you should be worried about yourself."~ 

"Myself?" Zuyuan asked back in a confused tone. 

~"That's right, hehe."~ Saying it with a giggle, the woman continued. 

~"They have noticed you."~ 

**** 

In one of the deepest parts of the Sanctuary, there was a dark room with a huge chamber on top of polished, snooty marbles for the floor. Noises of millions of squeaks sounded at the same time, creating an atmosphere where one's scream would be drowned in the commotion.

*Kiek!* *Kiek!* 

Around one million rats had their fur scrapped off in some parts along with bloodshot eyes on each of them placed in this room. Greenish liquid came out from their teeth as their breath was thick with a rotten smell, because they had been eating their own siblings most of the time and even had to fight for decayed corpses that were thrown from the ceiling once in a while. 

*Munch!* *Munch!* 

However, at this moment, thousands of them were munching on the silhouette of a person who had half of his body submerged in the mountain of rats while the rest of them were crawling on his face, upper body, arms, and any parts that could be chewed. 

Six clear injection tubes were injected in both of the person's wrists, right below the chain and handcuffs that bind the person's movements. The injection tubes were special durable items that were made of damage and corrosive resistant material. 

Coupled with another round of chains to tie up both of his legs, a blindfold, and a ball gag on his mouth, the man had little chance to escape as he was hanged from the ceiling above. Making him suspended in the air right until the tip of his feet three centimeters away from the sea of rats under him. 

Shortly, he wouldn't be hanging anymore as the tide of rats charged to his legs with berserk manners and started to eat his flesh like a creature which was dying in hunger. 

'He passed…' 

A slimmer of thought passed on his head while the man tried to open his eyes. Unfortunately, it was an impossible feat for the rats to have been chewing on his flesh nonstop. Although the Spring of Rebirth liquid had miracle properties to even regenerate someone's flesh nonstop no matter how bad the injury was in a matter of a seconds, as the regeneration speed was matched with the pace of the rats, it was like a never ending cycle of pain that the person had to bear. 

However, hope has been ignited on his bloodied heart and a smile formed in his half chewed face. Even though he had to deal with this endless torture where seconds feel like an eternity, everything seemed to be worth it. 

~"What a tenacious child."~ 

The woman's voice that was speaking with Zuyuan in the world of Ragnar now sounded on the man's psyche. As loyalties and adoration sprout out in this hell of a place he was in, the man, Astar, spoke in his mind with worship. 

'Oh.. Goddess..' 

Replying right on the next heartbeat, the woman's voice sounded again in a question. 

~"Would you be able to do it? To be his guide?"~ 

'The moment this one will finish his punishment, then it would be no problem.' 

~"Very good."~ Seemingly satisfied with the answer, the voice said once more. 

~"It won't be for naught. He had all the criteria you had mentioned."~ 

**** 

On a very far away place, atop of a desolate planet with its landscape destroyed by hundreds of blows coming from the star breaker level cannons, billions and billions of creatures with humanoid features along with their physique being six feet tall, they were roaming on the ruins of the once magnificent civilization on this planet. 

They were the species called Rograst which Zuyuan had encountered on his trial world. However, their quantity alone was in mind boggling numbers. Not to mention, hundreds of gigantic beings with a height of a hundred meters were traveling the planet's surface like a playground or in a park. Their stomps were able to flatten any rows of houses with ease and their one and only eye on their face was able to shoot out energy beams that could cause damage to any medium sized spaceships. 

Sitting on a floating throne, a being with six arms, one head, and a statute of thirty feet was opening his eyes slowly, as if he had just woken up after a very long slumber. 

"Krriiihhhk!" 

Following behind his obsidian throne were a humanoid chimera, a mix of many lifeforms that were made into one. He had the head of a lion, a pair of fangs that were protruding from his mouth as long as swords, bulged and trained muscles on his upper body, as well as four snakes attached on his back which moved as if they were his limbs. 

Realizing that his lord has been awakened, the creature said, with a voice full of respect, "Your majesty, the colony we left behind on that nameless planet of construct lifeforms has been wiped off months ago. 

"Hmm." Grunting softly without any emotion, the monster which had utmost control in his vast armies and civilization spoke in short words. 

"New champion." 

Hearing the reply of his lord, the being pondered for a while and asked with a bow, "Shall we get the hunt done?" 

As the monster's eyes shone in crimson light, the floating crown formed by varieties of metals on his head spun while electricity crackled around them. 

"Eliminate him. Lay waste on everything in front of us."