Realm Lord
Chapter 136: The Same Streets...The Same Man

Chapter 136: The Same Streets...The Same Man

As the golden hues of sunset began to paint the sky, Arthur found himself wandering aimlessly through the familiar streets of the city. The approaching nighttime cast long shadows between the towering buildings, and the streetlights flickered to life one by one, creating pools of warm light along the sidewalks. Unlike his companions who had clear destinations awaiting them, Arthur had nowhere urgent to be. Lara and Kay had their respective guilds to report to, with responsibilities and people expecting their return. Aziel had the warm embrace of family waiting for him, a home filled with familiar faces and comfortable routines. But Arthur? Arthur didn’t really have anywhere to go, no one expecting him, no place that truly felt like home.

So instead of heading to any particular destination, he simply walked, letting his feet carry him wherever they chose to go. The city streets held a strange mixture of familiarity and alienation for him now. Everything looked the same as it had before his journey to the second realm, yet somehow it all felt different—smaller, less significant than the life-and-death struggles he had recently endured.

His wandering steps eventually led him past the narrow alley where he used to sleep, curled up against the cold brick walls with nothing but thin blankets and cardboard to shield him from the elements. The memory of those harsh nights seemed like a lifetime ago now. He paused for a moment, staring into the shadows of the alley, remembering the hunger, the cold, and the overwhelming sense of hopelessness that had once consumed him there.

From there, his feet carried him to the old fountain in the central park where he used to wash himself in the early morning hours before the crowds arrived. The ornate stone structure still bubbled with the same gentle sounds of flowing water, its carved angels and decorative elements unchanged by time or his absence. He remembered the embarrassment of those desperate moments, trying to clean himself as discreetly as possible while maintaining what little dignity he had left. The cold water had been shocking against his skin, but it had been the only option available to him during those dark days.

As he continued his aimless journey through the city, Arthur found himself walking the same streets where he used to look up at the massive screens mounted on the sides of skyscrapers. Those screens had once displayed the faces and achievements of the chosen. He remembered the bitter taste of envy and spite that had filled his mouth as he watched their interviews and victories, knowing that he was nothing more than a forgotten nobody struggling to survive another day.

The irony wasn’t lost on him now. He was a chosen one himself, having survived what many considered impossible in the treacherous second realm. He had developed some of the rarest abilities on the planet, powers that others could only dream of possessing. His core pulsed with energy that marked him as fundamentally different from the ordinary humans around him. Yet as he walked through the crowds of people bustling along the city streets, he realized with a sinking heart that nothing had really changed.

People still bumped into him as if he didn’t exist, their eyes sliding past him without recognition or acknowledgment. Conversations continued around him as if he were invisible, just as they had before. The crowds parted and flowed around him like water around a stone, completely indifferent to his presence or his newfound abilities.

Walking through these lonely streets so filled with life and energy, Arthur found his thoughts turning inward. ’Will they see me when I’m stronger?’ he wondered, his internal voice carrying a mixture of determination and desperate hope. ’When I’m powerful enough to have my face on a screen mounted on one of these buildings? Will I exist to them then? Will they finally acknowledge that I’m here, that I matter?’

The questions haunted him as he continued his solitary wandering, weaving through the evening crowds.

After what felt like hours of aimless walking, Arthur finally found his way to a modest hotel nestled between a convenience store and a small restaurant. The neon sign flickered intermittently, advertising reasonable rates and clean rooms. The school had provided him with some money to last the week while he waited for his first paycheck from the government. It wasn’t a lot, barely enough to cover basic necessities, but it would allow him to secure a decent room for the week. After that, he would need to start looking for a more permanent place to call his own.

The hotel lobby was small and utilitarian, with worn carpeting and fluorescent lighting that cast everything in a slightly greenish hue. The desk clerk barely looked up as Arthur completed the check-in process, handing him a plastic key card. The elevator creaked as it carried him to the third floor, where his room awaited.

Arthur’s small hotel room was surprisingly reminiscent of his old dorm at the school, with a similar layout that brought back memories of his time there. The space was cramped but functional, with a single bed, a small desk, and a bathroom that had seen better days. Despite its limitations, it represented a luxury he hadn’t experienced in far too long—a private space that was truly his own, even if only temporarily.

The shower he took that night might very well have been the best shower of his entire life. The hot water cascaded over his tired muscles, washing away not just the physical grime of his journey but also some of the emotional weight he had been carrying. He stood under the spray for longer than necessary, savoring the simple pleasure of unlimited hot water and privacy. When he finally emerged, he felt more human than he had in months.

After carefully folding the clothes the school had provided him and setting them aside, Arthur slipped into the surprisingly comfortable bed. The sheets were clean and soft against his skin, and the mattress, while not luxurious, was far superior to anything he had slept on in recent memory. He was ready to turn in for the night and fall into the deep, dreamless sleep his exhausted body craved, but curiosity got the better of him. Instead of closing his eyes, he reached for the remote control and turned on the small television mounted on the wall opposite the bed.

He flipped through channels until he found a news station, genuinely curious to see what was being reported about the current situation in District 3.

The news anchor’s professional voice filled the room as images of destruction and rescue operations played across the screen. "This past night in District 3, hundreds of people were saved by the skin of their teeth by the famous chosen known as the Lightbringer herself, Cara Lenning, leader of the Golden Hearts guild," the anchor reported with obvious admiration. "The Lightbringer continues to push the boundaries of what’s expected of chosen. Her core has been filled for months now, yet she refuses to accept her core’s call to the third realm until her job in District 3 is completely finished. She is truly an inspiration to us all."

Arthur’s eyes widened as he sat up straighter in bed, his previous exhaustion forgotten in an instant. The name hit him with shock, and he found himself staring at the screen in complete disbelief.

The report continued seamlessly, "The Pure Wings guild has also managed to liberate a small city, giving the humans one more crucial stronghold in the ongoing battle against gates in district 3"

But Arthur barely heard the rest of the broadcast. His full attention was focused on the photograph that had appeared on screen—a clear, professional headshot of a young woman with determined eyes and an expression of quiet strength that he recognized all too well.

Arthur now found himself fully awake and no longer tired, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at the image of the so-called ’Lightbringer’ displayed on the television screen. He rubbed his eyes vigorously, certain that exhaustion was causing him to hallucinate or misinterpret what he was seeing.

’Cara Lenning!?’ his mind screamed in disbelief. ’The girl from school? She filled up her core months ago? That’s absolutely insane! And wait... did he just say LEADER OF A GUILD!?’

The implications of what he had just heard crashed over him like a tidal wave. ’How the hell is that even possible?’ he wondered frantically. ’The government and the Council of Guilds Committee both have to approve and allow the creation of any new guild. The process is incredibly complex and requires extensive vetting. And she’s just a chosen one, no matter how powerful she might be. There’s absolutely no way they would allow something like that to happen... right?’

Arthur wasn’t able to get much sleep that night. Instead, he spent the hours until dawn using the basic smartphone the school had provided him with, frantically searching for every piece of information he could find about his old stoic classmate, Cara Lenning.

A/N: Hello, abtho here! I just wanted to let you all know that I will only be uploading one Chapter a day for the next four days as I will be on vacation! Normal schedule of two posts a day will resume once I’m back!

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.