The Innkeeper

Lex was more than ready to punch something hard in the face when the next challenge began. But instead of a monster or foe, he faced the weight of responsibility. Since the challenge had occurred as a result of a human kind being crowned, the foe Lex faced was the abstract challenge faced by the first ever human king in the face of an uncertain world, and uncertain future.

Oddly enough, Lex found the sensation he faced to be a familiar feeling instead of a formidable foe. It was the feeling of having the weight of countless lives in the palm of his hand. It was the weight of knowing that every word he said could ruin the future of countless lives if it was the wrong one. The feeling was one of measuring someone, and finding them guilty of death - of making that judgment over another life and then carrying it out as well.

The weight of that feeling was not solid or quantifiable, yet it was enough to shatter worlds. It could break backs and bend knees, it ground grind stone to dust and empires to dirt. It was an abstract weight that could cripple even the most capable of minds. But Lex was already used to carrying it.

Without any extra effort at all, Lex passed the level and continued onto the next, yet once more the foe he faced was not one he could punch. Rather, he faced the obstacle of famine. Then came crime, greed, and then poverty.

He faced every literal and metaphorical challenge that the human race faced in its rise, and despite his intense urge to speed things along, he was forced to move at the pace dictated by the tower.

Slowly, he saw humanity evolve, and from the stone ages they moved, step by step through the ages. The more this happened, the fewer Lex got chances to fight personally, though at some point Lex fell into a sort of trance.

Though he seemed to be watching the rise of the human race of a certain realm, Lex in his mind began to see the future of the Inn. He foresaw a time when he would eventually become strong enough that he would no longer be constantly worried about facing a stronger enemy than him. Instead, it was the unseen, abstract foes that nearly shook and devastated the human race that would become his enemies.

Of course, such a time was far in the future, but in that moment the future seemed to be laid out in front of him. He saw how humans faced the decline of resources, the changing of the seasons, the falling of empires, cultures and traditions.

He saw how they moved from one age to the next, eventually surpassing the humans from earth in terms of technology! He saw how, instead of cultivation, the humans of this realm went down the path of genetic enhancements to grow stronger, and through them approached all the same barriers as cultivators.

He saw how, instead of Earth Immortals who could control laws, the humans went down the path of assimilating a part of a law into themselves, forever binding themselves to a single law, yet gaining a significant power boost as a result.

He saw the human race reach heights he found hard to believe, and just when Lex thought that he was done facing actual foes, the realm war began. Lex laid his eyes on a creature he had already seen, but was not expecting to see here of all places.

He saw a Kraven tear open a hole in the fabric of reality above a capital of the human empire, and unleash a flood of devastation unto the race. It was one of the rare, complete defeats that the human race faced.

When the fight began, Lex was once again faced with the monster covered in black goo as it stood on the ground in front of him with both his hands and legs, like a gorilla.

Lex recalled all he knew about the accursed race. They had gray, tough skin though it was not visible under the thick, viscous black slime which covered their bodies, which they could control as if it were an extension of their very bodies. The slime was also absurdly dangerous, as it was extremely poisonous.

They were also stronger when they stood on land, for the ground acted as an external sensory organ for them, as well as a well of power. Their muscles were formed in a weaving structure, which allowed them to use much more strength than it actually seemed, and they were not limited in how they could move any limb.

Lastly, and most importantly, it was basically immortal until the energy core hidden within its chest was destroyed - although Lex strongly suspected he could come up with many ways to kill it now. It was only back then, when he was weak, that he was limited to destroying its core to kill it.

Oh, right, it also had an ability similar to Dragons Might which was called coercion. It was extremely effective on him back in the day, though now he actually didn't even register it since it barely affected him.

Was it a coincidence that this same race was now invading another realm? What role did they play in the realm wars? These were questions Lex didn't have an answer to right now, nor was he interested in knowing.

"Die," Lex said, and filled his voice with his Mindmeld ability. As the emotionless voice carried over, the once mighty Kraven, a foe that had literally frozen Lex still to the point where he could not move at all, died. Or rather, its spiritual energy was erased. But curiously, Lex could feel that its energy core in its chest immediately began to recover spiritual energy in its mind.

He walked forward and with a single flick destroyed the energy core. Lex was reminded of the Kraven prince who had attacked him back in the Crystal realm. Maybe after all of this was over, he should return and settle that grudge himself. He had not forgotten that the Kraven prince's attack caused Big Ben to lose his unborn child.

Though Big Ben and his wife did not hold the Innkeeper responsible, and got over it, Lex did not. After all, the weight he bore on his shoulders was akin to that of a king.

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