Chapter 549 Up! Up! Up!!
“Disgusting.” muttered Jayna in a low voice.
Noticing his girlfriend’s meaning and attention at some part of the city, “*Sign* Don’t bother about it. It is not our problem.” said Angus.
Since Nirvas are very conservative and often sacrifice their women casually during the Maroon Eternity Festival, they strongly prejudiced female Altras. As a result, Female Altras have a very low position in the Nirvas kingdom.
They even heard a rumor that in the past, no one would care if a female Altras died. If it were not for the need of reproduction, the female Altras would not be able to live normally in this kingdom. Still, it didn’t mean their status was equal to the male Altras in society.
Some male Altras still treat female Altras like playthings or worse. The lack of privacy in Altras culture makes this practice worse. Even during their exploration, Angus could find many female Altras who are forced and raped by the male Altras.
Oddly, this practice only happens to female Altras and not outsiders. Unlike the female Altras, every male Altras treat other female races normally like the other outsiders. They didn’t disdain other female races like their own kind.
Angus knows all these problems happen because Nirvas keeps adopting their norm to the extreme without changing or improving it.
“Angus… Big sis… It’s so big and cool. Anna really wants to burst all of it. Hehehehahaha…” laughed Anna maniacally.
The couple could feel a little bit of dreadful aura leaking from Anna. They know Anna really wants to cause total destruction to the city. Still, they weren’t surprised at her extreme reaction.
They already know every time Anna finds something very beautiful or wonderful, she has the urge to destroy it. It is similar to when she wanted to destroy their Windshire Fort’s wall before.
Before Anna delves deeper into her chaotic emotion, the couple rubs her small head and wakes her from her evil maniac laugh.
“Ohh.. Ahh.. Warm!!” said Anna as she enjoyed the two hands in her head.
Anna already completely forgot all her previous evil thoughts.
“Anyway, should we continue climbing? I notice this place is good to train your body.” said Angus.
“Sure. I could feel my muscles and body getting stronger under this pressure.” said Jayna.
“Then, let’s go. Anna, let’s climb again.” said Angus.
“No… Anna, bored. Piggyback.” said Anna while gesturing for being carried.
“*Sigh* Sure. You have really become more spoiled and lazy lately. Did you imitate Mira?” asked Angus while putting Anna behind his neck as she sat on his shoulder.
“Huh?? Mira? Anna doesn’t know what Angus is talking about. Angus, hurry!! Up!! Up!!” said Anna trying to change the topic.
“Tch.. This girl is too mischievous.” commented Angus while Jayna giggled from the side.
While they climbed up, they didn’t realize many people were looking at them curiously. But the one that surprised the most was their guide Tylie who is still far below. She didn’t expect Angus and the two girls to reach the middle area easily and still wanted to climb higher.
After a few minutes of climbing, the couple starts to have a ragged breath while Anna cheers them from Angus’ shoulder.
“Huff… Huff.. this is starting to get harder.” said Angus while still carrying Anna.
“Yeah… Huff.. I think I need to Huff.. rest for a few seconds to let my body adapt to this.” said Jayna.
“Ehh… No. Don’t stop. Up! Up!! Keep going!!” urges Anna from Angus’ shoulder.
The couple looks at each other for a moment before nodding and climbing again but at a slower speed. At this moment, the three get everyone’s attention, especially Angus, who is still carrying Anna with him.
Since he is carrying Anna on his shoulder, he is also burdened by Anna’s pressure. Yet, he didn’t complain and kept climbing up slowly. At this point, the stone slab is almost reaching their waist, making their climbing more difficult.
They notice that no one is above or even nearby them. They also felt their surroundings become quieter. It is like inside a soundproof room. Yet, Angus couldn’t feel any barrier or rune nearby. He didn’t even feel like entering a barrier or special place.
It is just the higher they go, the quieter the place. Some of the Red Guards below are trying to say something to them, while a few are trying to catch up to them. Unfortunately, Angus and Jayna didn’t stop and kept going under Anna’s urging.
“Up! Up! Up!” cheered Anna.
Anna may like to prank mischievous girls. But she never hurts the couple and always brings benefits to them. They believe they will get something beneficial once they reach the top.
“Urgh!!” groaned Angus as he struggled to stand and move.
The same thing also happened to Jayna. They feel like their body is a thousand times heavier. The only one still fine is the happy Anna, still on Angus’ shoulder, cheering them happily.
Despite the heavy pressure, they still try to move and walk normally without crawling. When they are trying to crawl to lessen the burden, Anna stops them and urges them to walk normally, making their move harder and slower.
During this moment, everyone keeps focusing on them as entertainment. Some passersby below even set up betting games.
“Did you think they could reach the top?” asked a passerby.
“Nonsense. Even that seventh-grade beastman was unable to reach the top.” responded the other.
“I bet 100 Nir they will stop in five more slabs.” said another person.
“I bet 50 Nir….” As more people start betting when Angus and Jayna stop.
While this is happening in the lower area, ‘Just who are they?! I know they are not older than twenty when we talk. Do more monstrous people like them exist outside like what he said?!’ thought Tylie as she remembered the advice she had heard long ago.
However, Tylie immediately shakes her head and focuses on the couple that is still climbing higher. The Red Guards nearby already give up following Angus and Jayna when they reach the high area.
To reach the high area from the middle area, they usually need at least a few days before their body adapts to the pressure. If they did like Angus and Jayna’s way, they would only hurt themself. Moreover, their injury will be permanent since they used their proper form.
Many people didn’t know, but Altras have a true form with an appearance similar to humans but with red skin color. In their true form, their body is stronger and sturdier. But, if they get hurt in this form, it will permanently scar them.
Fortunately, they could always shapeshift and hide their true form when attacked in the moment of danger. Since the Monument pressures forced them to stay in their true form.
Any of their shapeshift and ‘false’ appearance will be destroyed under the monument pressure like a balloon.
Ignoring everyone below, Angus and Jayna keep climbing slowly but steadily. *Bam* *Bam* *Bam* Each step they take releases a loud thumping sound. Still, the whole monument is not affected by it.
At this moment, a few old people wearing traditional tribal clothes approach them from the air. They try to say something to them from a small distance without touching them or the stone slabs.
Unfortunately, Angus and Jayna couldn’t hear any sound coming from their mouth despite them talking slowly. Still, Angus could read their lips and know these people wanted them to stop climbing up.
“Hmph… Annoying!! Angus, Big Sis, ignore them. They are just flies that couldn’t touch us.” said Anna with a pout.
The elders show some anger at Anna’s rude remarks. But, they didn’t do anything to them besides trying to persuade them slowly in the hope of stopping their advance.
Noticing Anna didn’t call them bubbles, Angus knows these people are at least sixth grade and should be the Nirvas elder. He also realizes what Anna said is correct. These people also couldn’t touch them since they would receive sudden pressure from the monument.
“Huff… What should we do? Huff.. Should we continue?” asked Angus to Jayna.
Before Jayna replied, “Of course, continue. Up! Up! No need to mind the flies.” said Anna cheerfully.
“Huff… Let’s keep going.” replied Jayna slowly with determination.
“Sure.” said Angus while keeping his vigilance to these elders.
Although they couldn’t touch them, they may have used other methods to stop them. Angus didn’t know if mana or magic would also trigger the Monument’s pressure.
‘Judging by their lack of action, I guessed that little mana from them was enough to trigger the pressure.’ thought Angus.
*Bam* *Bam* *Bam* They ignore the elders’ persuasion. Soon, they reach the following slabs, almost reaching their chest height. Putting their hand on the next stone slabs, they climb up with difficulty before trying to stand up like before.
During this moment, Angus heard another system notification.
“Strength increased by 1. Strength: 58 -> 59.”
Suddenly, Angus feels like his whole body is a little bit lighter. He feels his perfect body control is a little bit messed up but still enough for him to use all his delicate skills. Still, this surprised him as he didn’t expect his strength to increase even by one point.