My SSS-Rank Class Is Blood Monarch!-Chapter 376 - - God’s Gate (Part 14)

For the next hour or so, Arthur gave the group some time to mourn the death of the man and say their farewells to him. As much as time was a crucial aspect of their entire trip, he wasn't a heartless monster not to let these people at least say goodbye to their friend.

One by one, they all stood before the man and talked to him for a moment, sharing their heartfelt words as everyone else cried silently. Arthur couldn't understand what they were saying, but he could understand the tone, and it only made him feel even more for that man and for these people.

He completely forgot that he was playing a game and that these people were supposed to be just code on a screen. Yet, that idea was completely erased from his head the moment he stepped foot into this world for the first time.

He had seen how this world worked and moved, how the people living in it behaved. Each one had their life, their story, and their motivation. He never felt like anything was driven like a game. The world simply moved in its fated direction, and he was but another gear in this big machine.

That gave Arthur the sense that the Divine Realm wasn't a game and instead was a second reality… A second earth. That was how it was promoted by the Divinity Corp, and it has only been proven again and again.

This world was simply another Earth where the limits were broken and the rules were twisted beyond comprehension. The human limit doesn't exist here, and power can reach levels unimaginable even for the most brilliant minds.

He had lived in this world, and he could firmly say he saw these people as humans like him. If one of them died, it would feel exactly like a real death would, and that idea alone confused Arthur, and yet it was real.

As he watched the scene, a thousand thoughts crossed his mind. This was a moment for Arthur to learn how it felt to be a leader and someone who carries the responsibility of many lives on his shoulders.

Even when he wasn't aware of it, the moment was a huge opportunity for him to learn and experience the bad and good of being a leader. The pain of losses and the sweet sensation of victory.

Being a leader was a very cruel and hard job, mentally and physically. But Arthur felt like he was capable of learning and becoming a better, wiser leader with time and effort.

After the mourning was over, the group finally started digging the ground to bury the man. Sadly, the shovels they brought with them came to be useful against their will.

With cooperation, they were able to dig the hole and then put the man in it gently before burying him again while his family watched. The others moved away to give them space to bid their loved one farewell. They didn't have much time to actually sit there and take it in, but that was how the situation was, and everyone readied themselves to face it beforehand.

Arthur looked at them before he stepped forward. His face was dark but he couldn't just stay silent.

"Hey…" He whispered, making the family turn around. He found it extremely difficult to face them properly. The guilt from his failure was still there, as strong as ever. But, as a leader, Arthur believed that he had to do this.

"I just wanted to say… I'm truly sorry for your loss." As he said that, Arthur bowed. "I am deeply sorry. I couldn't figure out what was wrong in time. I am very, very sorry."

"..."

The entire place went completely silent for a good few seconds. That made Arthur suck in a small breath. That was one of the longest few seconds of his entire life.

But, eventually, the mother of the children opened her mouth and spoke. Her voice was still wavering, filled with sadness. However, Arthur couldn't feel any anger directed toward him.

"Sir, she asked you to raise your head." Germa translated.

"What?" The boy frowned.

"She says that she doesn't blame you for his death. Nobody knew what this black substance was before this time, and it came to all of us as a shocking revelation. You have done your very best to save him but… It was not meant to be."

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"..."

"She also says that she and her kids trust that you will truly bring them to the outside world. Everyone here trusts that you will do that."

Every single word Arthur heard hit him hard. Instinctively, his gaze shifted to everyone around him and he realized that nobody was disagreeing or saying otherwise. Even when they heard the woman's acceptance, they didn't show any anger or blame Arthur.

In fact, in the past several hours, their trust toward him had risen quite a bit. He had shown great leadership and power. He was able to kill many monsters and control every situation with great accuracy.

The momentum they gained gave them even more confidence in themselves, and it was all because of him. They couldn't deny the huge effect he had on them. This loss was devastating, but it was far from the end.

"We will be behind you, sir," Germa added.

"You guys…" Slowly standing up, Arthur stared left and right dazedly. He never expected this reaction, and he would be lying if he didn't feel immense warmth from it.

'These people… They trust me with their lives completely.' He mused. 'They don't even think I could fail… Wow, it's… weird to feel this.'

Touching his chest, he could feel his heart race. A very intense feeling filled his mind that he had never experienced before. This level of trust and belief from so many people. The boy had lived his entire life discarded by everyone and looked down upon by everyone.

He never had anyone look at him and say that they believed in him before, other than his grandmother. Now, he didn't only have Isla and the others who did that, there are now hundreds of people who felt the same. All of Arthur's world had been flipped upside down in a matter of a month.

"Huh?" At that moment, Arthur felt something wet trickling down his face. He blinked before he touched his cheek, only to realize that those were tears.

"Why… Why am I crying?" He muttered as he tried to wipe the tears and yet they kept coming out. He then wiped them again, and again, and again.

"Dammit, this isn't the time to be sentimental." He muttered. But, the feelings he experienced at that moment were far too strong to ignore.

"Thank you, everyone. I truly appreciate your trust. For his sake and for our sake, let's get out of this hell!!"

The entire crowd yelled at the same time, firing up their desire to continue. The journey will continue with one less person amongst their lines.

***

*15 hours later*

The time passed quickly for the entire group and yet also felt as slow as all hell. The trip continued as before, except the battles they faced became more and more frequent. The monsters attacking them increased in number and aggression.

It put them in several bad situations, almost getting another person killed in an ambush by the Human Chimeras. However, that was where Arthur came into the light. Using his newly acquired Exo-Burst, he was basically everywhere at the same time.

Like a brutal killing machine, he obliterated the monsters with full force. The more he killed, the stronger he got, and the easier it became for him to take on not just one or two but several Human Chimeras at the same time.

His anger and desire to get revenge fueled him to take

All alone, he was an entire army with a vast arsenal of skills under his belt. Singlehandedly, he kept everyone safe, and the group was able to take care of the rest splendidly. They avoided getting injured for fear of getting the same fate as their dead friend.

The system they created was extremely efficient and successful, making them a very strong army capable of taking down any monster.

Hours and hours of fighting and moving, tough battles and near death experiences later, the group was closer than ever to their destination. Even in this blinding darkness, they could feel it… The dark, suffocating feeling in the air announcing their arrival to the island.

***

"I really hate wherever we are right now. The fair feels like it's almost murky… I can barely breathe without experiencing a chill." Arthur frowned.

His senses were completely tensed and active. If he had to describe this place, it was immensely dark and immensely unnerving. He felt like there was danger just around the corner, ready to pounce on them.

'If this is how it feels here I wonder what it would feel like when we reach the isla-'

"Sir! We're here!"