Tale Of The Lone Petal

It doesn't matter if it's a day when the blazing red sun it was at it is peak or a night where not even a single star shines upon this cursed land. Every day at the White City is always the same, they hunt and kill creatures collect whatever remains of their prey then sell it for whatever little they will offer for it. The age of the 7th lord wasn't so pretty, it was desperate if you put it lightly and grim dark if you say it without holding back.

The 7th lord of the city, the man they only know as the Master Of All That's Golden or simply Master Gold was a cruel and degenerate tyrant who ruled over the city with an iron fist. Even though it didn't hold much value here gold was the biggest currency in the city, this shiny molten metal was considered more priceless than food and water in the city.

Why you might ask, well for simple reason really, just because the lord said so. He possessed power over gold, he would spy through it, fight through it, kill through it, and reward through it. He made sure to the people in his city that gold was everything therefore as the Master Of All That's Golden, he was the master of everything.

Elion didn't share the same ideal as most of the citizens of the White City. She didn't fanatically worship Master Gold the most, because different from them she had power. Power equals freedom here which means you will have a choice and she had one, somewhat limited but still a freedom that the lower class could only dream of.

As an artifact possessor, her body automatically went beyond normal human limits, she could crush rocks and tear apart flesh with her bare hands, immunity system allowed her to shrug off many diseases that were lethal to normal people and all that. Which isn't considered that great in the artifact possessors as a whole. In truth, even with whatever little power she had she was still a small cog in the machine called the White City.

She can complain about the Master Gold however she wants but in the end, she wouldn't be able to do anything that will make a real change. She simply wasn't strong enough, the Master Gold or even his Golden Guards were more powerful than her by miles.

As long she didn't go to one of the 12 Guardian Paths and find some real artifacts like the Master Gold and the other two city lords she had no choice but to remain silent so she wouldn't attract much attention. In the end, all she could do was silently hunt beasts and exchange them for some gold and live quietly till her death which will be either because of the creatures of this cursed land or by the hands of other humans.

"Damn it! I don't wanna live like this! I would rather die while trying than live like a nobody!"

That was her exact words before heading to the one of the Guardian Paths even ignoring the dangers of the night and the dark sea that comes following the night. She somehow managed to reach one of the guardian statues, the headless statues that represent the entrance of each pathway. Her plan was originally to wait till the morning on the statue before going down, well now? Scratch that she just wanna leave this place as quickly as possible.

A young man in crudely made shell armor was fighting against the most terrifying creature she had ever seen in her life, it looked like a huge shark at first but now, after shedding its disguise it was hard to describe. Probably some kind of hybrid between worm and hydra? Or does it have any form in the first place?

The young man was powerful, monstrously so, he could fight against this creature simply using those crudely made tools of his and some strange artifact that allows him to control the wind. He kind of reminds her the Master Gold, awe spiring figure with control over certain elements.

'Why does my artifact must have to be, some stupid bow that can only shapeshift into a spear?'

"Storm Piercing, First Type: Arrow And Empty Bow"

'It already reaching its climax?'

Elion couldn't help but be amazed by the young man's powers as he used the air to create a strange wind halo and spin the spears around it before sending it in high speed, spear spun like a drill in the way easily piercing through the monster's flesh tentacle and ending it's life. The creature tried to dodge those attacks by twisting itself into various shapes but the young man already predicted that move as he moved his hand those spears changed their directions.

Soon, the spear seems to hit the vital points as it stops moving and melts into the dark sea soon the spear returns to him and several small crystals are hanging from the spear. Elion's eyes opened in shock as she saw the familiar crystals held in the young man's hands.

"S-Soul Shards?!"

She couldn't help but scream which caught the young man's attention, he turned around in her direction.

'W-WHY ARE YOUR HEARING SO GOOD?!'

"Hello there."

The young man's figure which was standing on the water's surface about hundreds of meters away from her was now in front of her, in a blink of an eye he was standing on the top of her boat with a warm smile on his face.

"Ehh! I didn't mean to sneak peek at you! Please forgive me!"

The young man tilted his head as he saw the girl going on her knees begging for mercy. He was kind of stunned even in his previous life not many people had gone to this degree to beg for their life. After thinking this was a little bit fun the smile on his face grew wider.

"Who are you?"

Elion's eyes started tearing up, if he was asking for her name that meant he was surely going to report her to his superiors. This pathway is under Master Gold's supervision, if he reports her trying to enter without paying the fee then she is done for.

"M-my name is Elion! I-I am a humble Rank-1 citizen. I work as a solo hunter, I have a sickly sister at home that needs to be taken care of. Please for my family please don't report me to the Master Gold!"

The young man is smile grew colder and he cupped her face and made her look at him. Seeing his handsome yet creeping smile she couldn't but shiver, she was sure of it. She is going to die tonight. She shuts her eyes in fear and starts saying her prayers.

But all that came to an end when the young man asked something truly unexpected.

"Who is this Master Gold you are talking about again?"