"Contestants, welcome to the 4th floor, Alliance City. In three days, the aliens will lay a siege to this city, please defend its inhabitants to gain points.

The gain will depend mainly on your kill count. Join hands and cooperate to protect the weak and purge the evil."

Arthur heard the voice of the Red Tower just as he appeared in the middle of a busy street. Apparently, all the participants were randomly placed across Alliance City, which was big enough to house at least a hundred thousand people.

In this unfamiliar environment, Arthur was about to wander around to learn a bit about the military power of the city, however, he took one step then fell on the ground, his body refusing to obey him. His skin turned blurry and his vision unstable, moreover, all sensation vanished, leaving him with a certain numbness that felt very uncomfortable.

It was the same feeling that he experienced when he was banished to Riarravar. As he supported himself with a nearby wall in order to stand up, Arthur remembered something Timos told him.

…

"My dear invitee, do you think parasites are hated because of their infinite potential?"-Timos

"They can possess anything and gain their stats, isn't that the reason?"

"Not all parasites can do that. Zaarae's children or the Calypso Parasites are able to possess anything that breathes, however, the other races abhor parasites because of their fast evolution. In terms of potential, every one is equal and that is proved by the current, still living powerhouses, which most are humans or elves. Yes, parasites gain the host's techniques, skills, stats, etc… but what's really fearsome is how fast they can progress. With enough corpses, a Parasite can become an Overgod overnight and that's a feat feasible only by them. Of course, I'm still talking about the higher-variations."

"What exactly do you want to say?"

"You're a Soul Parasite hence your non-existent physical body, but everything that lives has a body and a soul, each one has important functions. Spirits and ghosts are drastically different so you can't be categorized with them… one reason is because your still vibrant and lively soul while theirs merged with their very being. Much like how a Godspirit fuses with their user in the Sovereign Realm. You must have experienced it, right? The feeling of nothingness? No pain, no anger… no love. Unlike what others think, the body is an essential think to be considered a being that's able to feel."

"…"

Arthur listened without giving any reply, choosing to listen till the end.

"Soon, you'll be largely dissociated from feelings of sincerity and vulnerability- emotions which are central to forming strong romantic bonds. That is the one and only downside of being a Soul Parasite, which, in my opinion, is one of the strongest races in existence, if used correctly, that is. You get double the stats of the hosts and no longer need to actual bodies to transform from one appearance to another. That, and many other benefits… just for the sake of abandoning the ability to feel.

My dear guest, I know what you're thinking. For you, family is more important than power but how can one protect their close ones without enough strength? It's a bit contradictory, nevertheless, it's the plain truth. The more time you spend in your current form, the sooner you'll become an empty shell."

"What am I supposed to do, then?"

"Have you ever heard of the Garden of Words? You have? Fantastic! Go there and ask for the path you yearn for, I'm sure you'll get a good answer. Though, be warned, when the last emotion disappears, there is no coming back."

***

A few minutes later, Arthur's state recovered but he was sure he lost something. an Emotion vanished but he had no idea what it is since he can no longer recognize it or experience it. With a dumb look and absent-minded, he remained in that position for an inordinate amount of time and only snapped out of it when a passerby bumped into him.

He looked around before choosing a random direction and starting to walk while inspecting the merchants and stores. He saw many races such as dwarves, elves, humans, and even demons, furthermore, they surprisingly got along with each other, seemingly very peaceful and easy-going.

His powers were sealed but Dark Magic was available which made him feel a bit more secure as he can defend himself if the need arises.

'Lucy must be somewhere in the city too…'

Even after fifteen minutes of walking, he didn't meet any of the participants, though it's not like he had met all of them.

While it's true that their skills and techniques were disabled, this case wasn't like Riarravar, which turned them into mortals. This means that Arthur won't feel hunger or fatigue as his stats were indeed lowered but, considering his how high they previously were, the difference wasn't much.

As everyone was dramatically weakened, Arthur's is more or less the strongest person on this floor. His physical strength alone is able to pulverize anyone, and that is without taking into account his ominous Dark Magic.

Speaking of Dark Magic, the parasite was startled as his eyes landed on small black fog under his feet. After a further inspection, he found out that it was a purposely made trail created to lure him into someplace.

The mere existence of Dark Magic in the Red Tower deeply shocked him so Arthur followed the black fog without any hesitation whatsoever.

The more he looked at it, the surer he was of its authenticity. It felt and looked the same but its concentration was a lever higher than his, making him unable to absorb it as his own or immediately figure out the source.

In the end, he walked for around an hour before arriving at the slums, where he was getting hostile gazes, which he ignored, of course. The black fog led him to a shack that seemed to have been burned a long time ago.

Amidst the rubble and ash, there stood a dark silhouette with its back facing the curious and surprised parasite.