Mercury City.
At last, they had arrived.
Vergil’s gaze swept across the bustling streets.
At first glance, everyone appeared human.
At second glance, countless differences became apparent.
Some possessed silver skin.
Others had golden eyes.
Many had pointed ears.
Some had unusual pupil shapes, facial markings, or naturally colored patterns running across their skin.
Yet none of them felt truly alien.
They were human.
Just…
different.
Vergil recalled what he had learned from the books inside the library.
The difference originated from the Saint Realm.
Unlike every realm below it, advancing to the Saint Realm produced a qualitative transformation.
The cultivator themselves changed.
And that change could be inherited by their descendants.
Entire bloodlines could be altered.
Entire races could be born from a single Saint.
The Mystic Silver Clan was one example.
The Spider Elves were another.
The Blood Giants.
The Crystal Humans.
All of them ultimately traced their origins back to Saint Realm ancestors.
As for why such races rarely appeared on the surface, the answer was simple.
Magic energy.
The concentration of magic energy on the surface was far too low.
For descendants of powerful bloodlines, living on the surface felt similar to an ordinary human climbing a mountain where oxygen gradually became thinner and thinner.
Survival remained possible.
But it was uncomfortable.
And cultivation became much more difficult.
Eventually, the group followed Sierra toward the city gates.
Standing guard were several silver-skinned warriors wearing polished armour.
Their silver eyes glowed faintly beneath their helmets.
The old man who constantly shadowed Almus stepped forward and discreetly placed a small pouch into the guard captain’s hand.
The guard weighed the pouch briefly.
Then he nodded.
The gates opened.
They were allowed inside.
The moment Vergil stepped through the gates, his senses were assaulted.
Noise.
Voices.
Shouting merchants.
Laughing cultivators.
Grinding carriage wheels.
The scent of food.
Alcohol.
Perfume.
Smoke.
Blood.
Sweat.
The city exploded into his senses all at once.
His enhanced Star Master perception only made the experience worse.
Without hesitation, he formed thin layers of inner energy inside his ears and nose.
The noise immediately dulled.
The overwhelming scents faded.
Only then did he feel comfortable enough to properly observe his surroundings.
The streets were packed.
Shops lined both sides of the roads.
Cultivators moved through the crowds openly.
Unlike Rock Hill Town, where powerful cultivators were rare, Star Masters appeared everywhere.
The city felt alive.
Dangerously alive.
Soon, they boarded another carriage.
This time the journey through the city was much shorter.
Eventually, the carriage stopped before a four-story building.
The structure reminded Vergil of an apartment building from his previous life.
Everyone was assigned individual rooms.
The moment Vergil entered his room, exhaustion struck him.
For three days, he had remained seated inside a carriage.
Even with a transcendent body, his joints felt stiff.
He closed the door.
Walked to the bed.
Then immediately collapsed onto it.
Sleep claimed him almost instantly.
While Vergil slept, another carriage entered Mercury City.
Unlike ordinary visitors, this carriage passed through the city gates without being stopped.
The guards merely saluted as it rolled past.
The carriage travelled through several major districts before finally stopping before a towering spire.
A group of people already waited at the base of the structure.
The moment the carriage arrived, they hurried down the steps to welcome the guests.
The driver jumped down first and opened the door.
An older man stepped out.
His hair was silver with faint strands of crimson mixed throughout.
His ears were long and pointed like those of an elf.
The waiting officials immediately bowed respectfully.
A moment later, another figure emerged from the carriage.
A young woman.
Loose strawberry-blonde hair fell around her shoulders.
Distinctive navy-blue eyes observed the surroundings calmly.
Her face possessed soft almond-shaped features.
Long pointed ears extended through her hair.
If Vergil had been present, he would have recognised her instantly.
Aurora.
After Aurora descended from the carriage, another figure followed behind her.
A young man wearing simple blue robes.
Sam.
Unlike before, he remained completely silent.
He stood behind his master and listened as the adults discussed accommodations, schedules, and the upcoming competition.
Several minutes later, the formal greetings finally ended.
Aurora and Sam were escorted to a luxurious mansion that would serve as their temporary residence during their stay in Mercury City.
That evening, the two found themselves alone in the mansion’s living room.
Sam hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Aurora…”
She looked up from the book resting on her lap.
“Yes?”
Sam’s expression turned serious.
“Did the divination really show that Vergil is here?”
For the first time since arriving in Mercury City, Aurora’s cheerful expression disappeared.
She slowly closed the book.
Then she looked toward the distant city outside the window.
“Yes.”
Her answer came without hesitation.
“I asked Daisy to perform the divination.”
Sam’s expression changed slightly.
“You mean Daisy?”
Aurora nodded.
“You know how highly the academy values her.
They call her a once-in-a-century genius in divination.”
Sam fell silent.
He knew exactly how terrifying Daisy’s talent was.
When it came to ordinary people or minor events, her divinations were seldom wrong.
If Daisy had seen Vergil in Mercury City three separate times, then there was a very good chance he was truly here.
The question was—
What had happened to him?
Meanwhile, Vergil spent the next two days inside his assigned apartment.
From dawn until late at night, he could hear the city outside.
Crowds.
Carriages.
Merchants.
Cultivators.
As the competition approached, the commotion only grew louder.
Yet Vergil never left the building.
Aside from collecting meals, he remained inside his room.
Preparing.
Training.
Meditating.
Adjusting his condition.
The competition represented the greatest opportunity he had encountered since arriving in this world.
Freedom.
Nothing mattered more.
If necessary, he had already decided to reveal his Origami Skill.
Previously, he had hidden it carefully.
But what was the point of possessing a trump card if he remained a slave forever?
Without freedom, every secret would eventually lose its value.
He could not afford to let this opportunity slip away.
Not when he had no idea when another chance might appear.
This time, he would give everything he had.
The evening before the competition, a knock sounded on his door.
Knock.
Knock.
Vergil opened it.
An armed guard stood outside.
“The Master is waiting for you in the office.”
Vergil nodded.
“I’ll be there shortly.”
The guard moved on to the next room.
Vergil stepped into the hallway and watched him knock on Gregory’s door.
A few moments later, Gregory emerged.
Then Cedric.
Sean.
Ricky.
Soon, the five of them followed the guard through the building.
The office was brightly lit when they entered.
Inside stood several familiar figures.
Almus.
Sierra.
The old bodyguard who constantly shadowed Almus.
And an unfamiliar middle-aged man.
The stranger wore expensive robes and carried himself with the confidence of an experienced administrator.
Almus waited until everyone arrived before speaking.
“Tomorrow morning, the competition will officially begin.”
The five youths immediately straightened.
Even Cedric’s normally indifferent expression became serious.
Almus gestured toward the unfamiliar man.
“This is Mister Renauld.”
“He will explain the competition rules.”
Five pairs of eyes immediately focused on the man.
Renauld stepped forward.
“The first event is the Elimination Trial.”
His voice was calm and professional.
“All participants will be transported into the Wild Secret Realm.”
Vergil’s eyebrows rose slightly.
Secret Realm.
The term sounded familiar.
In his previous life’s novels and games, Secret Realms were isolated spaces detached from the main world.
Could it be the same thing here?
Renauld continued speaking.
“Inside the Wild Secret Realm, you will earn points by hunting magical beasts and defeating other contestants.”
“The top one hundred participants by total points will advance to the next round.”
Several expressions tightened.
Thousands would enter.
Only one hundred would advance.
The elimination rate was brutal.
“The second event will test comprehension.”
Renauld paused.
“A cultivation technique will be provided.”
“You will have one week to study and practice it.”
“The top twenty participants in comprehension will advance.”
Gregory’s eyes narrowed.
This round clearly favoured talented cultivators.
Renauld nodded.
“The final event is known as the Ring Battle.”
No further explanation followed.
The room remained silent for several moments.
Then Ricky cautiously raised his hand.
“Mister Renauld.”
Renauld looked at him.
“What is a Secret Realm exactly?”
Several others leaned forward slightly.
Clearly, they wanted the answer as well.
Renauld folded his hands behind his back.
“A Secret Realm is an isolated space separated from the Underground Realm.”
“Think of it as a miniature world.”
“The smallest may only cover a few hundred square kilometres.”
“The largest can rival entire kingdoms.”
Vergil listened carefully.
The explanation matched his expectations surprisingly well.
Renauld continued.
“Each Secret Realm possesses its own environment.”
“Forests.”
“Deserts.”
“Mountains.”
“Lakes.”
“Ruins.”
“The Wild Secret Realm used in tomorrow’s competition is an ancient forest filled with magical beasts.”
The five competitors nodded.
The rules were simple.
Survive.
Earn points.
Advance.
Almus finally rose from his chair.
Clap.
Clap.
He brought his hands together twice.
“That’s enough.”
His gaze swept across the five youths.
“Go get some rest.”
“Tomorrow will determine the course of the rest of your lives.”
Nobody argued.
The meeting ended quickly.
One by one, they left the office.
As Vergil walked back toward his room, his thoughts remained fixed on the upcoming competition.
Tomorrow.
After more than a year of preparation.
More than a year of slavery.
The opportunity he had been waiting for would finally arrive.
Tomorrow, he would step onto the stage.
And he intended to leave his mark on it.