Emperor's Reckoning

Chapter 1287: Absolute

From below, the crowd stood in anxious anticipation. The peak of Mortal Mountain was hidden in mist, but they could all sense it. Something was happening up there, something monumental. However, their eyes were fixated on the remaining six young masters, who were all standing at the same level on the mountain path. One by one, the six figures had slowed their climb, their backs hunched forward, their breaths coming out in heavy rasps. They were struggling, each step now a monumental task, each breath a battle against the invisible pressure pushing down on them.

"Only six..." someone in the crowd muttered, eyes scanning the ridge.

"Where’s Lyon?" another asked, panic edging into their voice.

Even though the mists veiled the summit, the absence of Lyon was glaring. His bold, carefree demeanor was nowhere in sight among the hunched figures of the young masters.

The matriarchs and patriarchs exchanged glances, their seasoned eyes narrowing with concern.

"The pressure is crushing them..." Alistair Skyblade, patriarch of the Sky Clan, muttered under his breath, watching his son Mavis gasp for air on the mountain. His fists clenched tight, knuckles white as he fought the urge to intervene.

Beside him, the other clan leaders could see the toll this climb was taking on their successors. Ning’s face was pale, sweat dripping down his brow as he struggled to keep his footing. Esmeralda, usually so poised, was gritting her teeth, the proud aura of the Ouroboros Clan’s young master faltering under the immense weight. Yuri’s once-calm demeanor was cracking, his eyes darting around, looking for any sign of relief.

The crowd murmured in agreement, realizing the same thing. They could count six figures, all at the same height, all locked in the same place. Yet, there was no sign of the seventh—no sign of Lyon.

"Where is he...?" Lady Kalani, Esmeralda’s mother, whispered under her breath, her eyes sharp and scanning the mist-covered peak. She could sense something was off. Lyon was no ordinary contender, and his absence was as telling as his presence had been earlier.

"That boy is up to something," she said to herself, her lips curving into a faint smile.

Cecile, standing with Lyon’s group, didn’t share the same concern as the others. Her eyes were fixed on the mountain, her sharp gaze cutting through the mist as if she could see what was happening beyond. Kesya and Ian exchanged knowing glances. They, too, felt no worry, only anticipation. Lyon was Lyon, after all. If he wasn’t among the six standing at the same height, it meant he was already beyond them.

"Lyon’s already passed them," Kesya said with a smirk, crossing her arms. "He’s probably up there smirking at whatever challenge he’s got."

Ian grinned, "Yeah, he’s probably messing with whatever ancient beast is waiting at the top."

Assid, ever-stoic, simply adjusted his glasses. "As expected, the boss isn’t bound by the same limitations."

The crowd, unaware of Lyon’s ascent, grew restless. Their focus remained on the struggling young masters. The pressure they faced was visible in their shaking legs and heavy breathing. Every step they took seemed like an eternity, yet no one could break free from the invisible shackles holding them at the same level.

The patriarchs watched in silence, their hearts sinking as they saw their heirs falter. None dared admit it, but the truth was in front of them. There were only six at the same level because Lyon, wherever he was, had already surpassed them.

On the steep slope of Mortal Mountain, the six young masters found themselves locked in a grueling battle against an invisible force. The pressure was relentless, squeezing every ounce of strength from their bodies with each passing moment. Their backs were hunched, their legs trembling, breaths coming in ragged gasps as they struggled to move forward. The climb was unlike anything they had ever faced. Each step felt like carrying the weight of the heavens on their shoulders.

Mavis clenched his jaw, his hand gripping the rough earth beneath him. His normally confident expression was strained, veins bulging from his forehead as he fought to stay upright. "Damn it... this mountain... it’s... something else," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. His eyes darted to the side, where Ning was kneeling, struggling to rise. "How are you holding up, Ning?" Mavis grunted.

Young master Azleid was present among the six, his body tense from the strain of the mountain’s pressure. He stood alongside the others, struggling like them, though his resolve was evident. His broad shoulders heaved with each heavy breath, but his determination didn’t waver.

As the others exchanged brief remarks, Azleid remained quiet, his eyes fixed ahead. His muscles bulged under the immense pressure, and though beads of sweat rolled down his temple, he was far from giving up.

"I’ve come this far," Azleid muttered, his voice a low growl. "No way I’m stopping now."

His inner strength was evident as he took a grueling step forward, forcing his body to continue despite the relentless force pressing down on him. There was no conversation from him, no banter—just the sheer focus of a man who wouldn’t accept defeat.

Ning gritted his teeth, his fingers clawing at the ground for support. His face was pale, and his breaths were shallow. "Barely..." he gasped, managing a faint smirk. "But... I’m not going to let you... get ahead of me... not now."

"You’re welcome to try," Mavis chuckled weakly, though there was little humor in his voice. The competitive fire between them had not died down, even in this brutal test of endurance.

Esmeralda, standing a few feet away, let out a frustrated breath, her long dark hair sticking to her sweat-drenched skin. She glanced at the others, her green eyes sharp despite the strain. "This... this is ridiculous. We’re not even close to the summit, and it feels like we’re being ground into dust," she said, her voice edged with frustration. She glanced over at Lyra, whose hands were shaking as she tried to catch her breath.

Lyra nodded, pushing strands of her golden hair away from her face. "I’ve... trained in the depths of the Frozen Abyss... but this is worse. This isn’t just about strength. It’s... like it’s testing everything. Our spirit, our will... everything." Her voice trembled, but her resolve didn’t waver. She bit her lip, refusing to give in to the mounting pressure.

Yuri, usually composed and calculating, let out a strained chuckle. "Hah... we’ve been through trials... but nothing like this. It’s as if the mountain itself wants us to quit." He glanced at Esmeralda, his expression betraying a hint of desperation. "You still holding on?"

Esmeralda shot him a glare. "Don’t worry about me, Yuri. Worry about yourself." Her tone was biting, but even she couldn’t hide the strain in her voice.

The six young masters looked at one another, each understanding the weight of the moment. They had faced countless trials, had climbed their way to the top of their respective clans, yet here they were, all equal, all struggling to survive against a force none of them could overpower. For the first time, none of them felt superior, none felt untouchable.

"We’re all stuck at the same level," Lyra said between heavy breaths, her eyes scanning the line they had unwillingly formed. "No matter what we do, we can’t push past it."

Ning growled, his fists clenching. "I won’t... let this mountain stop me. I didn’t come this far to be crushed by some invisible force!" His resolve flared, and he attempted to take another step, but his legs gave way, forcing him to catch himself before he collapsed entirely. "Damn it!"

Mavis, watching Ning struggle, grinned despite the exhaustion weighing him down. "You’re a stubborn bastard, Ning. But I get it... we’re not going to let this thing break us."

Esmeralda, her emerald eyes narrowing with fierce determination, spoke up. "This is a test of willpower. The mountain is trying to crush us, trying to see who will give up first. We can’t let it win."

Yuri, panting heavily, nodded.

The group fell into silence for a moment, each young master lost in their own thoughts. Their muscles screamed, their spirits frayed, but not one of them was willing to surrender. Their pride as the chosen heirs of their clans wouldn’t allow it.

As the six young masters stood at the same height on the mountain, their bodies trembled under the immense pressure. Each step forward felt like dragging a boulder, and their breathing was labored.

Mavis wiped the sweat from his brow, his chest heaving. "Who would’ve thought... Lyon’s still ahead of us."

Esmeralda glanced sideways at him, her sharp eyes glowing with a determined glint. "He’s not just ahead, Mavis... he’s on a different battlefield altogether."

Azleid grunted as his foot sank deeper into the ground, struggling to push himself forward. His muscles tensed under the strain. "We’ve come this far. I’m not stopping until I reach the top."

Ning’s cold gaze swept over the others, his face unreadable, but there was a hint of respect in his voice. "This pressure... it’s testing us. Every breath is a battle."

Lyra’s resolve was ironclad as her fists clenched tightly. "I refuse to be left behind... I will reach it, no matter what."

Yuri, sharp and calculating as always, glanced at the group with narrowed eyes.

The six exchanged glances, each realizing the weight of the challenge they faced. Their pride, strength, and convictions carried them this far, but they couldn’t help but wonder, speculate... what was Lyon facing at the summit? What could possibly challenge the man who seemed untouchable to them?

At the summit, the tension between Lyon and the Red-Eyed Tiger, Raja, was palpable. The wind held its breath, the world itself seemed to pause in the presence of these two figures—one a mortal, the other a ghost of unyielding might. They stood in silence, the towering tiger gazing down at Lyon with a smirk that betrayed years of history between them.

Raja’s deep, rumbling voice broke the quiet. "I can’t believe you died, just like that."

Lyon’s lips curled into a wry smile as he shrugged. "Looks like I was lacking."

The tiger’s eyes narrowed, glowing with an intense red light. His body tensed, as if remembering the days of their past battles. Without warning, Raja let out a roar that reverberated through the mountains like the clash of thunder, shaking the very ground beneath them.

The power behind that roar was so immense, so raw, that even though the six young masters were far below, they felt the tremor in their bones. Their fingers tingled from the sensation, their skin prickling as the echo reached them. The air around them quaked, as if the mountain itself was being torn apart.

"Oh no!" they shouted almost simultaneously, each in their own distinct way. Mavis’s eyes widened in shock, while Esmeralda clenched her fists, trying to brace herself. Ning muttered a curse under her breath as the others staggered. Yuri’s cold gaze flicked upwards, and though he didn’t say a word, his tight grip on the rocks spoke volumes. Azleid gritted his teeth, and Lyra let out a gasp as the shockwaves came crashing down on them.

The impact knocked all six of them off the mountain slope, sending them tumbling down, unable to resist the sheer force of the blow. Rocks and debris scattered in all directions as they fought to keep themselves from being thrown too far. Their struggles, however, were futile, and the mountain seemed to laugh at their attempts to remain standing.

The crowd below was stunned into absolute silence. The roar from the summit had not only shaken the mountain but also the hearts of everyone gathered at its base. The air was thick with disbelief as they looked up, unable to see Lyon but fully aware of the overwhelming power that had been unleashed above them. Conversations died mid-sentence, and even the boldest among them found themselves frozen.

Far above, on the summit, Lyon stood still, unaffected by the roar’s force, watching as the mountain continued to tremble. His smirk deepened, and his gaze remained locked with Raja’s.