The Supreme God

As the days passed and as Austin and his companions pushed forward up the divine mountain, they continued to encounter more of the puppets, always a hundred-strong in number each time.

Fortunately, Austin's array skills were powerful enough to trap all the puppets every time, so there was never any need to fight.

By this time, they had already encountered more than three hundred puppets in total.

It began to dawn on the group that this meant there were more than three hundred gods of chaos guarding the divine mountain.

A sense of trepidation began to take hold of the group.

Finally, they arrived at the top of the mountain.

They gazed up at a magnificent palace, towering higher and higher above them.

It seemed the palace pierced right through the skies.

Austin and his friends felt infinitesimally small in the face of such grandeur.

"From what I know, the fruits of supreme enlightenment are in this palace.

It is said that there is a terrifying creature guarding it.

But no one knows what it is,"

Anakin said to Austin in a small voice.

Austin gave it some thought before nodding.

"I'll go on ahead first and take a look around, then."

He had already gotten this far. He couldn't back down now.

"All of you can wait for me here. There's no need for us to risk danger together,"

Austin said to his companions.

They all voiced their protests at once. "Out of the question! We made a promise! In exchange for saving Braden, we three brothers would help you get the fruits of supreme enlightenment.

And so we shall. We always keep our word,"

Anakin declared stubbornly.

"Yes. No matter how dangerous it is inside, the three of us will accompany you,"

Braden and Cayden chimed in, firm in their position.

"Austin, it will be better if we go inside together. The more people there are, the more powerful we will be,"

the old monk put forward sagely.

Austin nodded and smiled, finally coming around to his friends' point of view.

"You're right. Let's go, then."

He took the lead and walked toward the gates of the palace.

ray of light suddenly burst

the light took the shape of a middle-aged man in

sinister, his red pupils stark against his

man met Austin's gaze

array skills are

he drawled.

and cautious. The man had that

Austin responded carefully, remaining on

this was probably the legendary creature

master was still alive, he was most appreciative of young people as exceptional as

no doubt he would have taken

looking Austin

was taken aback

"Your master?"

the master of this

legendary guard of this palace

my master. This is my

you didn't know that, then I do wonder

the man replied curtly.

come here for

now I'm wondering if they're even here

help but

The man nodded.

"I see.

Yes, they're here.

planted by my

my master has died, the tree that grows the treasured

It seemed to happen every

hearing that, Austin felt relief wash over

by a

all this way to look for the fruit

confirmation

supreme enlightenment, sir. Can you help

respectfully to the

tree was planted by my

its fruits, you must ask him

man told Austin after a moment's

"Ask your master?

didn't you just say that your master has passed

Austin asked, confused.

But he left

converse with him through

said the middle-aged man.

"I see.

take me to

Austin answered reverentially.

any challenge to get

The man nodded.

you

is hallowed ground. Not everyone can