Chapter 574 How have you all been?
Kyle's feet lifted off the statue surface as he started to float, with Bia sitting on his head, his floating form entered the space within the towering walls.
The two young men sitting before the demon's statue were strangely fixated on him with amused expressions. Not just them, but he also noticed another group of individuals in cream-colored robes sitting before the mermaid statue, all looking at him with various expressions.
A pensive look crossed his face as he grasped that the people positioned above the audience in front of the statues are the ones supervising the Arena. However, as he descended towards the crowd, his eyes moved to the area beneath the demon's statue where the demons and other dark beings were seated. Even without his scent perception skill, he could feel the heavy dark energy filling the air in that region.
Kyle unconsciously wrinkled his nose, yet his expression remained impassive as he landed above one of the stages floating within the towering walls.
"What are the people from the dark side doing here? Can it be... they are also allowed to join the Arena?"
Bia cocked her head to glance back at the demons and the other two races she knew were from the dark and nighkin race.
-"Does it matter?"
She sneered and turned her gaze away because even a glance at them disgusted her. A cold glint flickered in her eyes as she recalled the challenges she, Jian, and Xavier had faced because of them.
-"Just take them out when they are up against you. They won't play fair against the others without cheating anyway."
Kyle hummed. At that moment, an illusionary figure of a woman clad in white paused before him and asked if he intended to join the Arena or simply observe.
"I'm here to participate."
The woman passed him a square nameplate, and he inspected it, unsure of its purpose. He looked over at the familiar group of people silently watching him from the audience and waved the nameplate at them with a smile that appeared on his face as he caught Yue's gaze.
Bia moved and peered down at his face, nearly blocking his view.
-"Why are you just waving? Let's go join them! I missed Mia, and even though the others are a bit idiotic, I missed them too. Let's go! I know you told me you don't remember them just like you forget me, but they do. So, don't get on my nerves."
Kyle let out a sigh at the pair of round eyes staring at him and gave her a nod. But he didn't forget to complain as he made his way toward the group.
"Just trying to avoid physical contact. You know, it's not really my thing."
Bia rolled her eyes at his words. He was okay hugging Jian even though he didn't remember the red-haired man, so what's the issue with others? Kyle moved toward the group and noticed the numerous onlookers staring at him and inexplicably trying to avoid his direction as if he had done something terribly wrong.
His feet touched the ground in front of Yon and Susan, who stared at him in silence. He let out a smile as he gazed at every face around him, trying his best to recall anything about them.
"Hey... How have you all been?"
There was silence for a few seconds before Nine stood up from his seat and fixed him with a serious look. Kyle blinked at the seriousness as the golden eyes scrutinized him from head to toe, but before he could say anything, Nine broke into a relieved smile and opened his arms wide.
"I see, your knack for attracting danger hasn't changed, huh? Still the same old Kyle! Get over here, you good-looking rascal, let me give you a hug!"
Kyle was taken aback by the warm gesture, and before he could react, Nine had already embraced him. He reciprocated the hug but was surprised when everyone around them burst into laughter, and his eyes widened as many others joined the brown-haired man. He almost stumbled but was steadied by the blue-haired man who grabbed his shoulder with a chuckle.
He really wanted to break free from the crowd surrounding him, especially the pair of wings belonging to the demi-human wrapped around his body, by using instant teleportation. However, for some reason, he refrained and took a deep breath. The furrows between his brows smoothed out as he allowed the group of people around him to do as they pleased. Bia had already left his side to go towards the blue-haired woman when Nine approached him.
Kyle let out a breath when he finally wriggled free from the hugs.
He went along and answered everyone patiently when they nudged him to sit down in the middle and bombarded him with questions about his well-being. His gaze drifted towards the white-haired elderly man who took the seat to his left and he spoke up in the phoenix's head.
'Who's this...?'
Bia, who had made herself comfortable on Mia's lap, looked back at the silver-haired man upon hearing his question. She then followed his gaze.
-'It's Susan. Didn't Yue inform you about the tower Guardians?'
Kyle gazed at the old figure who tsked at him and labeled him a troublemaker who had pushed the old man to work day and night, only to vanish into thin air when the time for repayment arrived.
'Oh, Yue did tell me, but she didn't tell me everyone's appearance.'
Bia shook her head and, to make sure he didn't blurt out wrong names while calling others, she reluctantly left Mia's side and went back toward Kyle.
-'Ugh, just tell me whose name you want to know, then I will go to Mia.'
But to her surprise, he managed to get everyone else's names right, except Zron. He even got Yon's name right. At that moment, Sinon, who had sat down on the seat in front of Kyle, reached out and grabbed the nameplate from his hand.
"Ohoho, what title are you going to write on your nameplate? We have all finished, and you are the only one left. How about 'the silver-haired deity'? Haha."