《The Unnamed God. I'm really Not a God You Guys!》 Chapter 1: Short Intro (Check auxiliary for longer old versions) Chapter 1: Short Intro (Check auxiliary for longer old versions) ****(POV: some random bystander, if POV confuses you check auxiliary) Oh god no! This is insane! This sect leader is aplete monster! I had heard the stories, but this is even worse than anything I could ever imagine. How the hell is he killing mythical creatures and gods alike as easily as ughtering chickens?! How the hell is he causing so much destruction everywhere he goes?! Why is his legion growing bigger and bigger?! This is insanity. If this keeps up these guys will cause the destruction of this world. No! These guys will cause the destructions of all the worlds! Do they enjoy the chaos so much?! What kind of ancient unspeakable evil are they?! If you ask any of the followers they will tell you they simply followed their fearless leader. If you ask their leader he will look at you with a perplexed expression and act innocent. What a load of bullshit! At least that''s what I thought. All until today, that is. Something made me finally realize the core issue. All these unspeakable acts he''s beenmitting.....well it was all by mistake. He didn''t mean to ughter gods and demons alike. He didn''t mean to create an invincible army either. He didn''t mean to leave countless legends in his wake. He didn''t mean any of it. Simply put, by existing, this man is the ultimate evil. This man is incredibly overpowered and incredibly clueless. I simply needed tomunicate with him to save this world! I tried. I really did. Turns out every situation he is involved in turns into a misunderstanding too! We are screwed! Chapter 2: Where T** F**** Am I? Chapter 2: Where T** F**** Am I? A white room, ethereal light everywhere. If I''d have to describe it, I''d say otherworldly. I have no clue what I am doing here. Well, that wouldn''t be the first time, to be honest. Like that time, I went to the wrong ss by mistake and only realized at the end. Like that time, I went to get a soda and ended up stumbling upon a crime scene. Like that time, I went for a walk and somehow got lost for a decade. Like that time, I boarded the wrong Space bus and ended up leaving the sr system. Hum did that really happen in one life? Not sure. I feel like there are some things I don''t remember. It doesn''t really bother me in any case. Hum a white room, otherworldly. Might this be the afterlife? I don''t remember dying. I don''t remember much of anything clearly. That wouldn''t make much sense. I have the feeling I''d be going to hell if anything. There are no demons. Nova or mes anywhere..oh now it''s a red room. Fire just spawned too. It wasn''t there a second before. Weird. Well again wouldn''t be the weirdest thing that happened to me anyway. It''s kinda hot but it doesn''t hurt. This probably isn''t hell. Then again chances are the livings are wrong about what happens to the dead. How could they know when you think about it? I guess this room''s appearance is rted to my thoughts? A shiny bright light. A guy just spawned. He''s in an old-school schr outfit. Like lost dynasty old school. Long hair. Gentle features yet sharp look. He''s definitely hotter than the surrounding mes. It kinda bothers me. Let''s try and imagine him ugly. It doesn''t work. Was worth a try. "Greetings fellow cultivator. What might this ce be? Part of the Ungrounded Lord''s secret realm I assume." Gosh, even his voice is a pleasant tone. Some Lord? Secret realm? Cultivation world? Weird I feel like I have some knowledge of it . but it still isn''t clear. "MY APOLOGIES SENIOR! THIS JUNIOR DIDN''T MEAN TO BE DISRESPECTFUL!" Ah, he''s bowing. Just because I furrowed my brows? If I remember correctly cultivation is based on stages. Qi would be the first one. Always baffled me that people in these kinds of worlds could know the strength of others by looking at them. I''m pretty sure I''m a normal weak-ass dude. I guess he thinks I''m some powerful ancestor because he can''t sense my cultivation base haha. This might be fun. Should I y a small prank? I shouldn''t . Or should I? =) Just as I''m about to try and trick him, I hear a crystal clear voice. [Rejoice mortal for you''ve been summoned by the mighty, peerless, and most beautiful Lunar Goddess of the earth realm!] With it came another shiny bright light and... Did a self-proimed goddess just spawn? White gown, white skin, red lips, huge . wait this is the first thing that came to my mind when I heard goddess. What If I think goddess? Yep, it works. This is fucking glorious! I can change her appearance by changing my mental image of what I consider to be a goddess. Is this part of her power somehow? Behold the bunny suit goddess! Of course, she continues as if nothing happened. Yet I do see her wearing one. Think I,m the only one, however. [Count your blessings for you have been granted the opportunity to visit the most magnificent realm there is in thend of the gods!] Catgirl Goddess! Magical girl goddess! [This meeting with me will turn your pitiful mortal life around! For I have decided to make you my champion! ] Transformer goddess! Tentacle monster goddess! Gross! Go back! Go back! Normal goddess! Almost gave me a heart attack! Meanwhile, that cultivation guy has been looking at her with the shiniest eyes. [Fear not for your inadequacies for it is fate that brought you to me from the infinite multiverses!] Treasure chest goddess! (Like a mimic you know). There you go, this one is for you nameless cultivator. This is getting kinda boring. Being the only one seeing the transformations and all. [Behold my divine power and (*SFX of energy gathering*) . *cough* WHAT! Why are there two of you?!] . That''s when it happens. Along with the behold my divine power part. She shows me something amazing. A surge of energy, a magnificent aura, a boundless power. Formless power. Gentle yet deadly. Weightless yet capable of crushing the world. She called it here. That energy. That self-entitled uselessly proud goddess. She called it here. This feeling. Familiar yet so distant. I''ve seen this before. In a dream? In another life? I need this energy. It''s calling to me. Pulsating slowly yet remaining still? This doesn''t make sense. Nothing does. Concentrate. Just focus on the energy. Concentrate on that feeling. Calming yet making my blood boil. It isn''t physical. I need to sense it with my mind or is it, my soul? Concentrate. Remember how it felt. She grasped this power. But where did ite from? All around? The Void? It''s resonating with the entire realm. Don''t tell me this ce is made of this power! THAT''S IT! HAHAHA! The entire ce is built with it! It''s intertwined skillfully. I need to remember this feeling, this surge. Concentrate. Memorize it. Feel it. Etch it in the dept of my being. Make it a part of me. Concentrate. Remember. Feel it. That''s it slowly. I can see it clearly. I can somehow understand this power is invisible. But I see it! Colorless, shiny, bright! Concentrate. Feel it. Remember it. I just need to grab it! But how does one grasp nothingness? It doesn''t matter. I just have to do it. Concentrate. Feel it. Grasp it! I can''t touch it, it isn''t physical. What if I absorb it? It''s everywhere around! Just go for it. I can somehow make it tremble! Focus. Just a bit more. Just a bit more. A strand ising my way. Just a bit more. Just a bit more. I nk out for a few seconds. Was it minutes, hours, or even days? The feeling is simply incredible. The moment I finally grasp ites, ecstasy. Like a sugar rush after a fast. Like water to a man dying of thirst in the hottest desert. Words fail me. Imagine the highest high that no drug could ever bring you. Now multiply that by whatever you can fathom and add to that a feeling of finally beingplete. Like the missing part of the Lego set. After that remove any sense of difort or guilt. This power simply makes you satisfied. They say a man will die happy if he can at least fathom the truth of the world before his passing. Screw that. Living without this power wasn''t living at all! Just touching it made me feel like that. Let me try and circte it in my entire body. OH GOD! THIS IS IT. I can wield it. If I had topare. The previous me was like a blind, deaf, mute, limbless old man. The current me is . well. still normal. I can see the formless energy and grasp it. circte itthat''s pretty much it. But I do feel awesome, however. Thank you, uselessly proud goddess, for allowing me to see this. Wait, where is she? Where is that cultivator guy? Why is the room empty? And why is it purple now? Okay, thatst one is pretty obvious purple duh. But seriously .. Anyone! Hello !? Chapter 3: Need help ! Urgent ! Summoned a bystander by mistake ! Chapter 3: Need help ! Urgent ! Summoned a bystander by mistake ! Alright, I know 2 things. First, the room is purple. Second, I''m alone here. Yep, not useful at all. They obviously left while I was having an epiphany earlier. If only I could go back a few lines in my life and remember what happened. C''mon brain. Try to remember. ess my subconscious. What if I use that energy to help? Who am I kidding there is no way it will be that easy.ok, it''s working. That kinda reminds me of an old friend. He used to transform caffeine into code on a regr basis. He''d show me his new programs and applications with the pride of a peacock. Then when I''d ask him to exin how the code worked, he''d tilt his chin 45 degrees upward and reply with a confident smile : "Friend you don''t even understand this code? Well me neither but it works! Now let us go grab a beer". Now that I think about it, he was pretty bad at it. I can somehow rte to him now. Anyway. Remember. **** (POV) I summoned a mortal using the random hero-generating device. While it can in theory summon anything or anyone from any location by chance from any of the multiverses it should only be one entity being called upon. The 7 previous times worked fine. Did I make a mistake in one of the 7234 steps to activate it? Definitely not! Is there any god lurking nearby trying to mess with me? I bet it''s that fake Lunar Slutnot hernor anyone. My realm is totally empty of the presence of any other divine being. Alright, worst case I''ll just use the best one of the lot and figure it outter. An infinitesimal amount of time was all it took for these verifications, hence the mortals are still captivated by my magnificence. [Who might you fated ones be?] The good-looking guy takes about a minute toe back to his senses. Pretty good I must say. "God-Goddess this lowly one is a disciple from the flying sword faction of the Lang region. While adventuring in the secret realm I somehow came here and." [Enough, just know that this so-called flying sword faction is but a pitiful speck of dust in my eyes and that the secret realm you hail from is but child y to me.] That part of my speech was the stick, now time for the carrot. [Should you be willing to dedicate your life and soul to me I will bestow upon you a power you cannot even fathom] *Thud* "ABSOLUTELY GODDESS! This lowly one is willing to serve you! Just say the word! If your esteemed self asks me to journey east, I will not even think about going west, for your wish is mymand!" At least he is respectful enough. +5 points for the kneeling posture. +5 points for the good looks, can''t have my champion be a disgrace to me. +3 points for mental strength. Guess I just need to test his overall attributes and we''ll be good to proceed. Meanwhile the other mortal [It''s been 2 minutes already that one is pretty trash. You seem curious about something young fellow?] "Goddess why is that man not moving. He also looks brain dead and feels as powerless as a viger child" [You had the same empty look in your eyes not long ago. Simply put facing Divinity for the first time is quite a shock for mortal beings. The stronger one''s mental fortitude the less time it takes for one to regain rity.] "Then does this mean that not only is this man ugly, but he''s also utterly weak? If so, he''s utterly shameless as he was posing as an expert earlier!" [Hum, he''s indeed in. His mental fortitude is nothing to talk about. What makes you say he''s a shameless one?] "He took offense to me addressing him as an equal when I first greeted him, goddess!" [Alright. Hold this crystal ball. Looks like you''ll end up being my champion as long as you manage to get decent results] "Y-Yes Goddess!" He seems determined for me to pick him. Haha. He''s kinda cute. So stressed and eager to please. He''s focusing so much on it, not like focusing more will give better results. And now his face is pale white. Let me see. [Physique 2 Spirit 2 Potential 3 Skill Sword Heart. Fret not. That is actually pretty impressive. How old are you?] "17 Goddess!" [Usually for one to reach a physique of 2 by the age of 30 is considered good. As for a spirit of 2, it is praiseworthy for mortals to reach that point at 25 years. But that is only if we are looking at pure practitioners.] He is already starting to cheer up, but I''m not done. [For you to have your attainments in both categories at your young age is sufficient. Meanwhile that other one. Tsk. Let us wait a bit more. After 10 minutes even a retarded child should regain consciousness.] ... "Goddess, what does the potential stand for?" [Well simply put it is the world''s evaluation of your potential. In practice it is useless. In theory, it''s interesting at best. Quite like theoretical economics.] I am a knowledgeable goddess. Perhaps I should cut to the chase. [In any case the higher it is the better. Potential does vary with the progress of the individual. For instance, your potential of 3 is probably the highest value possible for someone with values of 2 for physique and spirit. It will likely go up as you get stronger. As for someone with a potential lower than their strength it probably means a weak individual that got his achievements by relying on external means or simply someone that already squeezed all his potential dry and likely will never progress anymore.] That was a mouthful but it should be clear enough. "Thank you, goddess!" ... "Goddess, why do I only have 1 skill listed? I usually use the skill sword control" [It either means that your level of mastery is not high enough for the skill to be considered mastered or simply that the skill itself is not recognized by the world. Sword Heart being one with the sword is something you should be familiar with. Later on, you should work to upgrade it into sword will. Sword will, not only being one with a physical sword but also being able to wield your will like a sword. Finally, there is sword spirit that mostly relies on luck. After all, bringing sentience to a sword will is no easy task. As for your so-called sword control. All you can do is work harder.] "Thank you for the encouragement goddess!" . "Goddess, what should I do as your champion? I''ll walk through hell for you!" [Mortals fight wars for wealth and power. Gods fight for divine supremacy. You''ll go in my stead to the earth realm and show my glory to the people! Every god has a champion and the more champions you kill the more pleased I''ll be. It will be a viciousbat for sure, are you still willing?] "Of course, goddess! Anything for you goddess! My sword will be dyed with the blood of your enemies!" [Great! Do try to get a good cement in thepetition. The better you perform, the more followers I''ll get. The stronger I am the more blessings I can bestow upon you!] . [What is wrong with that mortal! It is usually bad manner but let me check his statistics directly. Here, little nk eye mortal. Here goes the stone and physique 1, spirit 1, potential 0, Skill nk] . [That should not be possible. Potential of 0. Even a child should have a potential of 1. The stone is not damaged, and it has a 100% sess rate for testing mortals. He should not be here. Guess he is done for.] Yep, this one ispletely useless for sure. I turn toward my champion. [Alright, we shall not wait anymore. As per this 8th god war terms I''m allowed to let you train one day in an optimal sub-realm. Do value this opportunity. I''ll send you to the mortal realm in 2 days. Oh, you might as well bring this dumbass with you when that happens. He can serve as a ve or something.] "Of course, goddess! How kind of you goddess! I won''t disappoint you, goddess!" ****(POV narration) After a short time, both figures disappear. Not long after an ordinary man opens his eyes. A few minutester in the peaceful realm, a sonorous shout echoes. [MOTHERFUCKER!] Chapter 4: Screw him! Screw her! Screw that one too! Chapter 4: Screw him! Screw her! Screw that one too! MOTHERFUCKER! Do they really think they can nder me and insult me so just because I''m having an epiphany?! FUCK! They can and they did! Screw that guy! Screw that goddess! I was gonna thank her for showing me something nice but screw that! Braindead? You can''t even recognize an epiphany that should bemon in cultivator worlds. You are the one that is braindead! And blind! Ugly?! I might not have the most pleasant features but I''m perfectly, definitely goodecent looking! Powerless as a viger child?! I might not have worked out much before but why would I when a few button presses and a wave of a magical card gets me anything I could possibly want delivered?! Worse than a retarded child?! Now you guys are justbining previous insults! That''s not fucking creative! At all! Shameless! Goddess this, goddess that! Mister I''ll walk through a sea of des to kiss your feet! Who''s the shameless one! And a hypocrite to Boot! How kind of her to let you bring me as a ve! Fuck you and that goddess! How the hell is that kind?! Do you know what kindness is !? Adopting an animal from a shelter. Seeing a spider in your bedroom and letting it live. Giving to the poor. Enving people? What kind of dumbass are you ! On that note, I''m not the dumbass you''re the dumbass! Doing whatever that so-called goddess wants. She thinks just cause she''s a goddess people should worship her ?! I mean . Do some stuff for me, get me followers. Is she a goddamn insta influencer ?! I won''t ever simp for that kind of thing. Holy fuck. I''m pissed. Deep breath. SCREW YOU GUYS! Breathe in. SCREW YOU GUYS! Breath out. Alright, that''s better. In any case, this kickass power is called divinity. And it is somehow rted to mental fortitude. That''s how they call it but that doesn''t necessarily mean that it is really divine. After all, no way in hell will I really believe that this self-entitled goddess is some kind of real god. Well, they might be a group of powerful individuals that think of themselves as gods and for all that matters it might seem to be real to the ones they call the mortals. Kinda like humans and ants. For the ants, a human being might be a god that can bring blessings by giving them some scraps or a harbinger of destruction. Nheless, the human themselves remainpletely mortal in this case. First of all, that Lunar girl did ask the cultivator about his identity and age. This means that either she did not have the information or was simply trying to make him be more at ease. I do get the feeling she truly did not know. Now either she could have known by looking into it and was justzy . or she knows nothing. In any case, chances are the so-called gods are not omniscient at all. Otherwise, there is no way she would have been so surprised about me being weak and especially she would not have bothered asking questions so mundane. Let us assume there are 2 kinds of mortals. The normal ones. The ones that can wield divinity and think themselves to be gods. Now, where do I standpared to these 2 groups? First one: apparently, I''m as strong as a human child. Could be worst. Could be better for sure. At least I might stand a chance. Especially if I use some divinity. Second group: I know nothing about them. For all I know, the goddess I saw might be as weak as a child. hum I mean pretty weak, let''s not underestimate children so much. No concrete information about them. There is probably a shitload of them, otherwise they wouldn''t be having a god war. With a few participants, it would be a gods'' scuffle at best. They wield divine energy too. I feel a newborn fighting against Mayweather would have better odds. Alright so the best for me is probably to somehow get to the earth realm. Mortals should mingle with mortals. I''m definitely not a coward! But you know gods. 0_0 Even fake ones I''d rather not. I guess I can just wait 2 days to get sent there. Hopefully, I''ll find a way to split from the asshole and the power-hungrydy. And now we y the waiting game. AND NOW WE PLAY THE WAITING GAME. We y the waiting game in a purple room We y the waiting game in a rainbow room We y the waiting game in the sky. Okay, this is boring as hell! Surprisingly being in a room that can show you whatever you want can be quite boring. Obviously, I did conjure out a few maids too while I was waiting, but that too got boring fast. Since they aren''t real and all. Well since there isn''t anything else to do I might as well try to cultivate. Not that I know how for that matter. Let''s just try and circte some divine power. Feels great but I don t feel more powerful either. Let''s try to make it move across the room. Actually fun. Wait! What''s that? I can detect 2 spots where space seems weaker. I don''t know why or how, but I''m convinced these 2 spots are the exit to this ce. Safe to assume at least one leads to somece else in the god realm. Potentially both. Let''s try to sense it some more. If I force it a bit I''m sure I can get it to activate. Alright, I''ll stop before I identally..wait !? Why is it lighting up ?! Something or someone ising. I''d rather not meet it. Would someone being here from the mortal world? Probably not. The champions are training and it''s apparently 1 per god. If this exit is linked to the god realm .. Yep screw this. Second door here I go! Screw that guy! Screw Her! Screw this ce! And screw whatever is currentlying! Your boy is getting the fuck off! Chapter 5: The guard that died of a heart attack! Chapter 5: The guard that died of a heart attack! It feels like taking a bath. While clothed. In some kind of goo. And then in the middle of it getting furiously dragged out, then plunged back in. And then the process starts anew. Over and over and over and... *BARFFFF*. Not too sure what I vomit, but it for sure isn''t food. Hell, it feels like the goo is leaving my body, but only aires out. The only respite being the divine energy coursing through me making it somewhat supportable. And then I appear in front of a guard in a magnificent sh of white silvery light. Of course, it would only be natural for any human being to be surprised, nay frightened if a stranger suddenly appeared in such a fashion. One might even say that a heart attack would be understandable. Not that one. Oh god, not that one! When Ie through, I am confronted with two half-moon scimitars. One on my neck and one in front of my eyes. At that moment I be d that my dder is empty. "TRESPASSERS SHALL BE KILLED!" And I''m fucked. So Fucked! Hello gods, I would like to book an Isekai reincarnation trip. Yes, for one. Yes, real fucking soon. Reason? No, not a truck. What do you mean that doesn''t count! What ?! One needs to be die in a worthless way for the isekai package? I can assure you this is a worthless way to die! This bloodthirsty guard has 2 half-moon scimitars, 1 full moon engraved breastte, half-moon engraved helmet, pauldron, arm guards, gauntlets, greaves, boots, hell everywhere it is physically possible to p an emblem! I bet his underwear also has a half-moon! Or is that only when he gets erect. Anyway! I''m sure that counts as a pitiful death! Let me book a reincarnation real quick. Of course, I won''t get an answer when monologuing in my head .well, I do get one. "BROTHERS LET''S BRING HIM TO THE CITY FOR TORTURE! HOW DARE HE TRESPASS UPON THIS MOST SACRED GROUND !" Guess it''s time I exin that I was actually summoned to this world by that worthless Lunar I better embellish it a bit if I want to survive. Let''s do this slowly . "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH HEATHEN !" Yep, I''m utterly fucked. Hope when the credits roll there will be a mention for side-side-side protagonist A, little old me. A few burly men grab me by the limbs, put a blindfold on me and we go on a magical adventure. But then I activate my trap card and start circting some divine energy ! ..And I''m still stuck. d I didn''t try my luck in the god realm. I can''t even fucking deal with Lunar Shitface''s followers. Well, time to sleep. *SLAP* Ouch, not the smoothest of awakenings. I''d rate this one 2/5 stars. Definitely room for improvement*SLAP* I''m up! *SLAP* I''m up I said! Or tried too anyway. I''m gagged. Not sure when that happened. Let''s circte some divine energy. I somehow feel better now. Then happens an intense face pping workout. This must be retribution. Karma for all the times I''ve enjoyed that trope in web novels. This isn''t how it''s supposed to be done! Not literally! After a while, I finally figure that the divine energy not only makes me feels better, but it also heals. Let''s just say that the guard is conscientious in his work ethic, pping away until it shows. On that note why the hell is it the same guard from earlier?! Wasn''t he a guard at some sacred ground for the Lunar Goddess? Shouldn''t there be a professional for the torture part? How polyvalent is that fucking guy! Don''t tell me I somehow stumbled upon the employee of the month of the torture department. If I could see my luck stat it would be some obscure value impossible in theory. Great luck in finding the divine power, dog luck for it to be used to make me fresher for physical violence. Anyway, after a round of pping,es a round of crushing. Fun, fun times. Visit the moon faction. Fun, fun times in a dark room. p p p. Fun, fun times. No need to bring anything. The moon faction got you covered! Fun, fun times in a damp cell. 10 good fingers. Fun, fun times heathens all die. 8 fingers since 2 got crushed! Fun, fun times the clock ticks. 4 Fingers. Fun, fun times how does the time pass quickly when we have fun. No Finger! Guess It''s time to go bye-bye. I pass out,e back to my senses, pass out again. Fucking kill me. I''m not used to the pain. Let it fucking end. I''d say the worst part is to voluntarily abstain from healing myself. Let it end. But if I heal it won''t end. Ever. Divine energy is some kind of magical heal all it seems. Fuck me. It hurts like hell! Then the endes. DARKNESS. **** They fucking wake me up again. How am I even alive?! I realize I''ve been sobbing for a while now. My throat is hoarse. I didn''t shit myself. My dder empty remember. The other guard hands me some kind of artifact. Ah. There is another guard. Since when? Not that it matters. It won''t change anything. He pricks some part of my body and it hurts a lot. I''m already hurting everywhere so much I barely register it. Blood flows on the thing. The gag is gone. I''m told to repeat an oath. Soul oath or something. Won''t lie or my soul will be tortured forever. Don''t see the difference. Some kind of lie detector bullshit. Wait that might be a chance! I sense a strand of divinity making my thoughts slightly clearer at that moment. My barely conscious self tells them that there will be an 8th great war of the gods. That the Lunar goddess summoned me herself. That she needed a champion to fight for her. Winning her favor will allow said champion to acquire unfathomable power. The guard somehow bes angry. Something about it being impossible for a weakling like me to be a champion. I look at him and utter weakly that the goddess herself was shocked by my potential. He''s looking insane. Haha. It hurts so fucking much. At least I fooled that fucking guard before my death. Hopefully, hemits suicide from grief knowing he single-handedly screwed up his goddess'' ns. At least their artifact seems to be corroborating that story. Well, I know it very well. I''m no champion. And even if I had the potential to, I wouldn''t want to be one. Being a pawn in that woman''s scheme. Fuck no! In any case, I only uttered the truth. She indeed was very shocked by my potential of 0. My only regret is only being able to fuck with that one guard before I leave this dogshit world. *CLANG* The other guard runs out of the room in a hurry closing the door. Well good for you. You can run. I''m stuck here. Hello, darkness my old friend. Let the darknesse to me. Just as I was preparing to exhale myst, the metal door opens. I see a man, then a sh of silvery light. It''s going toward that employee of the month torturer. **** Turns out that the guard did die from a heart attack. Well. An attack to his heart in any case. With a great sword. The heart got split in half. As well as the rest of the body. I at least saw this one guard perish before my own demise. And just as I slip into darkness again it hits me. Getting your fingers crushed isn''t life-threatening at all. Chapter 6: Having a long and passionate discussion about life Chapter 6: Having a long and passionate discussion about life 5 More minutes. I nestle myself under the cover enjoying the delicate touch of the duvet on my skin. I can sense gentle light falling upon my closed eyelids. This is bliss. I can hear the soft sound of water flowing in the background. What can I say, the faucet is leaking again oh well. I wonder how long I have until my rm clock ends this bliss. Let''s just enjoy the moment. Carpe Diem bitches. Wait . Light? I live in a basement. There isn''t supposed to be any window. What is happening? Looking around I''m in some kind of luxurious room. Moon tapestry It wasn''t a dream?! I get out of bed in shock. OH SHIT, WHAT DO I DO NOW! I GOTTA GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THIS CRAZY ASS PLACE! I see the door! I start running then stop. I remember what happenedst time I thoughtlessly crossed a door. There are 2 doors in fact. One in the corner and one straight in front. Why is it always 2 doors? Is there some kind of meaning to this? What about the windows? I seem to be higher up. Outside in the distance, I see stone walls and guards. I''m in some kind of castle. Calm down. I feel fine. My fingers are alright? What is happening? Before I cked out, I got toyed with. Wait, in the end, that guard got killed! The man that came at the end probably brought me here to rest. But I''m fairly sure this is a bastion of the Lunar Goddess given the decoration and all. I don''t seem to be in immediate danger in any case. I need more info. "I see you are up already my Lord!" The door in the corner is open. There stands the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Silver hair. Long and shiny. Amethyst eyes. Red luscious lips. Perky breasts. Slender hips. Thighs to die for. But why is she naked? And why am I naked? "My Lord, you seem curious about many things. It is your first time in the Moon Keep after all." She shes me the most radiant smile andes closer. She gently caresses my chest, closes in and I can feel her warm breath on my ear as she murmurs: "My Lord, how about I show you the extent of the hospitality reserved for one as noble as yourself. For you are the champion chosen by the Lunar Goddess and serving you is my greatest wish." Needless to say, a passionate and long discussion about the meaning of life ensued. The kind of discussion that can only be had between 2 consenting individuals. **** Jokes aside a discussion is all that happened. First, I don''t know anything about this world. Second, I''m only getting royal treatment because of my mistaken identity. At first, I was panicked. Two days until the appearance of the real champion was stressing me out. Turns out that my situation isn''t as bad as it seems. That cultivator will arrive in 2 months. Well minus the time I already spent here which ounts for about a day. The goddess sent an oracle about it a while ago, or so I was told. Because the timing of my apparition didn''t match, I was deemed a trespasser. That''s why the bloodthirsty guard, may his soul suffer in hell, treated me like that. So, while I still need to find a way out, I do have some time remaining. About this oracle thing, it''s a message from a god to their followers. While it sounds simple, the process is actually extremelyplicated. It rarely happens. Something about the earth realm and the god realm being in different nes of existence. Well either way I''m d the Goddess for sure won''t bother sending one about me. So turns out when I got interrogated and told them about being summoned by the Lunar Bitch that second guard went to the head honcho of the cult. The dude came himself and dealt with the offender. The punishment for that being cleaved in half. Kinda brutal if you ask me. Wonder what it would be for someone posing as a champion *shudder*0_0. Obviously, no one would ever attempt that! As far as this sect goes everything is determined by power. The stronger you are the better the benefits. Of course, any of the powerhouse groomed are absolutely loyal. In fact, upying a position of power requires a soul oath. Betrayal means instant annihtion. Below that are the normal cultists. Treated well in most times, but their lives are disposable for the greater cause. And by a greater cause, it could be as simple as to get slightly more ie for the sect. Then there are themon folks that pay tribute for the right to live a free life. Lastly, ves. Weak ves work in the mines or the fields. Usually taken from the area of enemy gods or simply poor ghosts that couldn''t make a living otherwise. Stronger ones are used as meat shields or in death squads. Perfect for beheading operations in war. The doctrine of this ce is something along the line of dedicating yourself to the Lunar goddess is the greatest joy in one''s life. Yep a bunch of crazies all living to the wiles of their god. What is most disturbing is that apparently, it is simr everywhere. The whole fucking world! Each god has its own area of power. Thusws, culture, way of life are all dictated by power-hungry beings that live in another dimension. The earth realm is one big fucking yground for gods. How crazy is that! And for these guys, that''s just normal! That leaves me with one goal! Get somewhere far away from here and settle in the territory of a slightly more sane god. Only issue is that I''m pretty weak. Seems the way to quantify power here is the same as the crystal ball that the goddess used. Your strength as an individual is associated with the highest value between your physique and spirit. That is of course assuming one has the proper technique to unleash these capabilities fully. A martial artist without a weapon or a mage without the knowledge of any mystical offensive technique. both would fail. You get the gist of it. So, a breakdown of power levels would be. 1: Anywhere between a normal viger and a normal guard 2: Strong enough to be a captain 3: Strong enough to be a general 4: Strong enough to be the head of a faction 5: Legendary level, it''s arguable if these guys exist and are still humans. Apparently historically most that did attain this level were champions specially chosen by deities. I''d be an impressive 1. What am I gonna do seriously.? "My Lord I brought you some clothes " While I was daydreaming thedy from earlieres back with a red robe with a full moon design in the back. Oh yeah, apparently, she is called Luna talk about original. Luna follower of the lunar goddess. That youngdy is surprisingly as strong as that cultivator guy. "With this everyone will recognize you as a core member of the sect. Because of the full moon. To have the right to wear one means being superior to all but the sect master and the goddess herself !" Wait! Doesn''t that mean that guard from before. was a general?! They killed a fucking general for my sake!? "Tonight you''ll dine with the sect master !" Wait what ?! WHAAT! "Follow me my Lord I''ll guide you" I''M FUCKED !!!!! Chapter 7: Drink ! Dink ! Drink! And drink some more ! Chapter 7: Drink ! Dink ! Drink! And drink some more ! Has this ever happened to you? Going somewhere but having no clue about your surroundings. Walking mechanically. Hearing only the sound of your own heartbeats. Having it be fast enough you can almost hear thousand from Moby in the background. But meanwhile all you can think off is am I gonna die today? I really hope this hallway doesn''t end so I can just enjoy walking for a while. Fuck seems we are almost there. The sectmaster is some bigshot. What if he sees trough me. He''s gonna know. I''m no champion. I''m just some normal guy. What do I do. Should I say I''m feeling sick not champion like. Think. Think. Anything. I can''t even keep my head straight. Fuck. I''m toast. Calm down. NO WAY I CAN. Wait. Divine energy. Ouf. He''s expecting a champion. I''ll be a fucking champ ! You got this. Yep. Stand straight. Confident smile. Make it a bit mysterious. Mystery is good. I''m the fucking representative of the Lunar goddess herself. That guy ain''t shit. No need to talk much. I''m there to dine ? I''ll dine. This is no big deal. **** Somewhere in the god realm a self-entitled goddess is blissfully ignorant that a mortal is using divine energy for a task so mundane as to calm his nerves. All of this started from her casual mistake. Probably a good thing that she isn''t omniscient. **** (POV) Tonight, I am finally going to meet the Lunar goddess'' champion! I am so jealous of such existence. Being able toy eyes upon the goddess herself is the ultimate honor. Still the timing of the summon is extremely odd. In normal cases there is no way it would happen so fast. Then again, I went myself to the summoning tform and there really are signs of activation. I need to make a good first impression. Chances are he really is her envoy on earth. My mane of ck hair is neatly tied, my nicest ceremonial robe is on. While making my way to the noble personage reception room I revise my preparations. I have acquired a semi-divine wine. The best food is prepared with different kinds of magical beasts'' meat. I have even sent my own daughter to attend to all his needs. I am sure everything should be fine. As I take my seat at the head of the table I wait in silence until finally I can see him enter guided by Luna. I promptly stand up. "Greetings envoy!" [Yes, sure. You can remain seated. I don''t care. So, you are the one handling the Lunar goddess matters here eh.] "Yes envoy !" [I''m famished! What''s for dinner?] "As for meat there is some overwolf, earth dragon and fire man-eater-ant. All off the third level. To go with it, some fine wine made with rainbow grapes and honey from annihtion bees. Not only are all these incredibly delicious but also extremely nutritious. Only the best for " [Yhea I get it. Lets eat.] As I sit here watching the champion eat only one wordes to mind. in. Why the hell is such an ordinary guy the chosen one ? If anything he reminds me of the vigers I have seen in our territory. Pitiful. Disgusting. Weak. That cannot be he is the chosen one. But why is he here already? "Envoy. If I may. The oracle said that " [Oh. Are you saying the goddess must inform you of every little decision she makes?] "I wouldn''t dare!" I almost sinned. No matter who the envoy is or when hees, I am in no ce to question it. I need to change the topic of the conversation. "Envoy what is your vision of the uing god war?" [HICK. Haha, easy. HICK. Kill them all] The champion''s face is flushed red. His eyes are glossy. Is . he . drunk?! It has only been a few minutes. He has only taken a few sips of wine! "Kill who envoy? And how?" [HICK. All of them. HICK. The champions. HICK. The gods. HICK. All the gods!] He ispletely wasted. His first ss is not even empty yet. "Envoy. You misspoke earlier. Killing all the gods would also imply the Lun" [HICK. Yes. HICK. Of course. HICK. HICK. I''ll keep her as a maid!] "BLASPHEMY! HOW DARE YOU! " That wastrel! Let me see you squirm in pain. My spiritual pressure will do short work of a youngling like him. I may not dare kill him, but I will leave him half dead at best and await direct instruction from the goddess. Even if I rough him up a bit it will be good education. [HICK. That was a joke HICK of course. HICK rx old man HAHA] He is smiling ..Is he seriously smiling ? The spiritual pressure I am sending is enough to down a rank 2 easily. He does not seem affected in the least. _ [HICK. This grub is pretty good. HICK.] I will turn it up a notch. Enough to affect a rank 3! Let me see you smile now! [HICK. Gotta say. HICK. Vodka is the best. HICK. But this wine is the bomb! HICK] He is still smiling! What in the Lunar goddess name is he?! Could he be testing me?! That is it! He voluntarily infuriated me! I will sit back down to show that I can remain calm. But I need to leave asting impression while I can. FULL POWER! A new rank 4 would be affected by this! I may have no chance of reaching rank 5 but I am one of the strongest rank 4 in existence! This is my power champion! Watch carefully! [HICK. Good booze and HICK good food. HICK This is life!] "Sect---sectmaster, could I-I be excused to go freshened up myself?" "Of-of course" He is a goddamn monster! 0_0. I have been sending enough spiritual pressure his way to render inoffensive most rank 4. Enough concentrated pressure to even slightly affect a rank 5 if there were any. He is fine. He is smiling. He is eating peacefully. He is drunk. How is this fucking possible?! .. My daughter just came back. Her nose stopped bleeding. It does not show that she pissed herself either. I must apologize to youter Luna. It is already impressive that only so much happened confronted to the residual of such intense spiritual power. Yes . that is only normal. Yet he is fine. He is fucking fine. [Why aren''t you eating anymore Sectmaster ? I personally rmend the overwolf. Quite tender if I must say so. Paired with this delicious wine it is to die for!] "Ah of cou---" Why is he not drunk! "Of course, envoy!" Ha-ha I knew it. He was testing me all along! HAHA this is great! In the uing war there will be a sole victor! The Lunar goddess will rule supreme! The strongest champion of all times! I did not believe his ims. The goddess shocked by his potential! How would that be possible! What if. Just what if. Ha-ha! "Here envoy ! Let me refill your te! I must say you are quite right about the overwolf!" [HICK. So good.] "It indeed is my lord" Ha ! The champion is drunk again! This is only possible if . ah he lowered his alcohol resistance voluntarily! I get it now ! I cannot show disrespect ! *GULP* *GULP* "A TOAST FOR THE ENVOY!" "A toast for you my lord!" [HICK. Banzai!] "MAY WE BE VICTORIOUS! KILL THEM ALL! ALL THE OTHER GODS!" "My lord let me pour you another ss!" [HICK. Drink Drink Drink. Hick] "TONIGHT, WE DRINK! AND TOMORROW WE ." [Hick. Drink some more! HICK] "AND IN THE WAR WE ." [HICK. Drink some more! HICK.] "Pff haha. My Lord I think the sectmaster mean''t something about defeating our enemies" [HICK. I see. HICK. Do it again!] "AND IN THE WAR, WE ." [HICK. Drink!] "BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR ENEMIES!? WE CAN''T JUST " [HICK. We drink! HICK. Their blood!] "AH ! TONIGHT, WE DRINK AND TOMOROW WE DRINK SOME MORE AND IN THE WAR, WE DRINK THEIR BLOOD!" [HICK Drink! HICK Drink some more! HICK Drink their blood!] "HAHAHAHAHAHA" [HICK. HAHAHAHA HICK] "My lord ...Sectmaster..." This feast was a sess! The champion is strong! He is wise! I may not have given the best first impression, but I think he forgave me for my outburst. The Lunar goddess sure found an interesting champion ! **** And I''m back to my bed. I got myself a nice body pillow. Not sure when but whatever. This is bliss. Sofortable. This bed is so warm. The end of the night is a bit fuzzy, but I feel I did well. The wine was a bit stronger than expected. My drunk ass made a joke about the goddess. The old dude got quite worked up, but he went quiet when he realized I was joking. Think he was trembling a bit. But I didn''t embarrass him. It''s fine if a joke passes over your head from time to time old dude don''t worry. I guess we became drinking buddies. At some point I became way too drunk to drink anymore. But I''m smart! I used some divine power so I could drink some more ! I don''t actually remember even leaving, but we were having fun so whatever. He''s a warm dude once you get to know him. Might be a bit too much of a warmonger. "Rest well my Lord tomorrow we will start the training" My body pillow just spoke. What. Oh, it''s Luna. Exins the warmth. Wait training? Something tells me I won''t like that. FUCK ME. Chapter 8: CHEAT SKILL IS GONE? WHERE IS THE DIVINE ENERGY! Chapter 8: CHEAT SKILL IS GONE? WHERE IS THE DIVINE ENERGY! An especially cheerful Luna wakes me up, stuffs me with some unknown beast meat and brings me in a hurry to a small courtyard. It is officially day 3 of my adventure! On day 1 I got brutalized. On day 2 I got He drunk and got a maid? .and a drinking buddy. There are a few people there. And a giant. In front of me stands a boulder of a man. He is bare chested, and I swear his pecs are mighty impressive. He gives off a wild vibe. Bald. Tall. Muscr. In his thirties? One of his eye sockets ispletely empty. He has scars all over. "My Lord. This man will be yourbat instructor from now on." He''s looking.is he leering at me? In any case I''m not too sure I''mfortable with that bodybuilder dude. ( '') They say you shouldn''t judge a book by its cover. Maybe that applies to bodybuilders too. For all I know he might be a 12-year-old teenager and I''m here for some ripple training. Luna casts me an encouraging nce. Okay this somehow helps. The bodybuilder dude is gesturing me to go ahead? What am I supposed to do exactly? What is he waiting for? Okay he seems annoyed now. He''sing closer. I see a shCRACK. OUCH ! WTF WAS THAT?! Turns out it''s the sound my shoulder makes when it is broken and that was his fist. *THUD* *WOOOOO* There is a sh of light. Now I feel better. Shoulder is alright. WOW Healing magic? Right there are other people in the room. Four of them. Guess they are healers. Robe. No full moon clothing. I guess the people in the room are all around rank 2. Well beside me anyway. Time to get up. Okay let''s give it another try. You can do this just need to. CRACK OUCH! Fuck, it hurts. *WOOOOO* CRACK OUCH! How the fuck is he so fast! *WOOOOO* CRACK OUCH! That''s it I''m gonna use. *WOOOO* CRACK CRACK MOTHERFUCKER! *WOOO* CRACK CRACK FUCKING SHIT! *WOO* CRACK CRACK CRACK FUCKING STOP HEALING ME MOTHERFUCKERS! *WO* How the fuck are these guys so fucking good at this shit! One breaks my body the others heal it! Fuck let me get my fucking bearings! I already tried to use divine energy a few lines ago. Just let me! That''s fucking cheating! FUCK. Wait are we done? Apparently, the healers are tired. Guess they''ll switch them out? Or are we done for the day? Oh, I fucking hope! Enough physical violence already. "My Lord we''ll get new healers and." "No need. He has no talent. Bring him to Grey." Even his voice fits his image. It sounds like he''s growling. How is that possible? I don''t fucking know. And he''s gone. Luna smiles apologetically and we are going on an adventure again! I really hope it isn''t a repeat of what just happened. Either that was the generalbat instructor or they have specialized ones for each weapon too. I fucking swear if I enter the next room and there is a dude with a sword I am running away. **** And we are in another inner courtyard. How many of these are there. I''ll really need to amend the mental image I have of this ce. This ain''t your basic castle anymore. And there is a middle-aged man sitting on a bench. Orange hair. Long and loose. Kind face. Small smile. Eyes closed. Seems to be meditating. He''s wearing a robe. A robe with a full moon. Fuck I gotta be careful. Then again, I might be worrying for nothing. The sectmaster didn''t expose me and he''s a level higher. Somehow, he seems different from that guard I met at day 1. "What is it young one. You seem surprised by my appearance" He''s chuckling a bit. Can he read minds?! "Is it the full moon on my chest?" He can fucking read my mind! "Haha. Do not worry for I cannot read minds. Well not of the livings in any case" He just did twice! "This one is Grey. A mage here. For one to be a mage it requires some degree of sensitivity you see. I should say you are definitely too easy to read young friend. Well in any case, about the full moon. The one you met was a fake. The full moon he earned was from bringing a precious resource to the sect. If anything, he was lucky. At best, a glorified second rank. The sacred ground where the champion is summoned was under his charge temporarily because we knew it would be empty . or at least we thought. It did lead to your unfortunate first day here." Hum. Why is he called grey if his hair is orange? Would it be impolite to ask? "Haha. They call me Grey for the state I leave my enemies in. In some towns the name Grey the Necromancer is used to scare the unruly children." ;) Okay. Slightly scary. But cool as fuck nickname. Plus, he''s fully clothed. That is definitely a plus in my book. He doesn''t have a red room, right? "Here. Grab this." Some sort of white crystal. What is that supposed to. "A light crystal. More urately a shard of a light crystal. Since you have no talent for martial arts chances are your talent lies in magic. The goddess did not tell you anyway to . I will take that as a no. Your task will be to try and sense the energy inside it. The Lunar faction is mostlyprised of Light and darkness mages, so we will start with those elements, then switch. Hopefully, we will find the element that suits you." Soooo I just stand here in the sun and try to sense the thing in my hand? Should be pretty easy since I managed to get the feel of divine energy the first time, I saw it. Piece of fucking cake! Let me see. In this little crystal there is .no energy. I swear it''s empty. "Keep going. You should keep trying for the rest of the day." So, he says. Guess I''ll be here for a while. Better sit . "Young one you see this is a mage courtyard. This bench is a bench for mages only I am afraid" He is smirking! This Grey is smug as fuck! Well, whatever. I''ll just sit on the ground. Feel. Concentrate. Grasp an invisible power. Concentrate. Feel. Grasp a formless power It''s not fucking working! Feel. Concentrate. Grasp a weightless power. Concentrate. Feel. Grasp a formless power Hum. Luna is still here. She''s smiling at me. Damn, she''s an angel. Feel. Concentrate. Grasp a boundless power. Concentrate. Feel. Grasp a familiar power What the fuck. I swear it worked in chapter 1! Or was it chapter 2? Guess I have no affinity to the light element. So yeah I''m done. Screw that shit. Well. Luna and the smiling guy want me to keep going at it. I''ll just fake it. Now I finally understand why somedies do so in the bedroom. Oof. Best way to fake something is to get busy for real. So! While I won''t be training this bullshit, light magic I''ll voluntarily train my divine magic. Time to feel the divine energy in the world and...HOLY FUCKING SHIT THERE IS NONE ! THAT WAS MY ONLY CHEAT ! WHERE THE FUCK IS THE DIVINE ENERGY ! Chapter 9: THIS IS A FUCKING CRIME SCENE! Chapter 9: THIS IS A FUCKING CRIME SCENE! WHERE IS THE DIVINE ENERGY! THERE IS NONE! WTF AM I GONNA DO! This world is void of it ! I can still feel some inside me. It''s been there all along. Focus. Concentrate. Let me circte it slowly. Carefully feel the inside of my body. Does that affect the actual amount of divine power? No *sigh*. This is gonna be a pain. "Take it slowly young man. With a firm will anything is possible. I''m sure you''ll feel the light energy at some point." Thanks dude. This guy is the most chill necromancer I know. Also, the only one. Concentrate. Now let''s bring the cirction speed of the divine energy higher. Any change to the quantity? Nope. Faster. Any change? Nope. Let''s bring it to the maximum speed and still no change. No increase or decrease at all. What if it leaves my body? I slowly and extremely carefully send the tiniest strand of it outside my body. I can feel it floating there. The quantity remains the same. Can I absorb it again? Yes. It seems I still have my cheat after all. But it might not be that reliable anymore. I''m like a mage that cannot regenerate mana at the moment. Oh...that also doesn''t know how to actually use his mana either. You guessed it I''m *fidget* what they would call *blush* fucking useless Te-He ! Okay seriously. I need to figure out the exact consumption of my abilities. Abilities . I know I can heal. Guess divine energy should be useful for more stuff. I stay in the courtyard for a few hours. Considering the possibilities. So far, I''m considering trying to figure out a scouting ability and a body enhancement one. Healing is not especially useful if you get 1 Hit K-O-ed anyway. "Well that should be enough for today young one. Your thoughts seem all over the ce. I get the excitement of magic, but you need to focus more on the feeling. Don''t think. Just be. One with the energy. Eventually one with the world." I bow to him and leave with Luna as a guide. At some point we are back in my room. First of all I should really figure out the consumption. "My lord what would you want first. Dinner, a bath, or me?" But how do I figure out the consumption? I feel like I still have the exact same quantity of divine energy as when I first appeared. But I also didn''t really pay attention. "Cheer up my Lord it is perfectly fine not to be able to use light magic" To be fair at the time I was kinda overwhelmed by either the torture or getting ustomed to my surroundings. "My Lord?" The only ability I know for sure is the healing one. If I get hurt, I could heal myself then check if I have less divine energy afterward. Arg. This is gonna be a pain to test. "Hello?" Now the only issue is what if it uses energy but not enough for me to notice? A level 0 spell could be so easy to use that I woudn''t really notice it. "..." That''s it! If it leaves my body, it will just float there . then I can collect itter. If I just unload my reserve of divine energy in the air and only keep a tiny strand inside me, it should be easy to notice an eventual consumption. [Luna get me a sword. And leave me alone for a day] "My Lord a full day? But why?" [Yes, a day. Now go] Either I need trump cards that take close to no divine energy to activate or I''ll have to find a way to get some more. "Here you go my Lord. Take care my Lord" Now that I''m alone time to get started. I quickly put the drapes over the windows. I remove my clothes and I mast*****. Force of habit. I remove my clothes; I stand in the middle of the room and I start shing. IT HURTS. But fuck what''s some pain. Either I figure this out or I''m gonna fucking die. Energy before healing. noted. Energy after healing same quantity. Now could be the problem of a variation being too small. Let''s send a few surges of energy in the air now. One tiny, one small and one medium sized. Now time to wait. After a few minutes, no change to either. An hourter. still the same. Absorption test. Still easy to grasp. Variation in actual quantity upon absorption? Seems to be the same. Now time for the big test. I gradually send out all but the tiniest strand of divine power I possess. It''s just floating there. Everything seems alright. I reabsorb it. Everything is under control. Send it out again. Now that I think about it sending out all that power out sounds stupid as fuck. But hey. For some reason get the feeling it will be fine. In gamer term I''d only have 1 unit of mana inside me at the moment. Ready? Set! Go! sh Splurt FUCK sh Splurt IT HURTS sh Splurt FUCKING SWORD sh Splurt FUCKING COLD sh Splurt ASS sh Splurt SWORD sh Splurt MOTHERFUCKER sh Splurt THIS IS FUCKING TIRING sh Splurt WHY THE FUCK IS THIS SWORD sh Splurt SO FUCKING HEAVY *PANT* *PANT* Healing nicely. Energy level still the same. Let''s try some enhancement. Focus on making the arm stronger, The sword lighter. Stronger. And ... sh Splurt FUCKING SHARP sh Splurt ASS SWORD sh Splurt AT LEAST IT S LIGHT AS FUCK NOW sh Splurt X60 Okay. And done! Mana quantity? Still the same 1 unit! A-OKAY! WONDERFUL! While I have a sword in hand might as well do a defense test. Picture your body being sturdy. Grasp the de with your arm. Bleed like a fucking moron apparently. Picture your body being invincible. Imprable. Sturdier than a legendary shield. Grasp the de. Yep my hand is fine. Picture your body being not only be invincible but also the sharpest de in existence. You are a lethal weapon! No reference intended. My hand is fine. The de isn''t! Get fucking wrecked! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA "My Lord ." [I told you to leave for a full day did I not!] "My Lord it has been a full day " What is has already? I guess time does go fast when one is passionate. "MY LORD ARE YOU ALRIGHT!!!!!" Why is she screaming now? I''ve never been better in my life! Then I look around. Blood on the floor. Blood on the walls. Blood on the ceiling. THIS IS A FUCKING MURDER SCENE!!!! Chapter 10: Eye of the tiger time bitches! Chapter 10: Eye of the tiger time bitches! The day after I go back to grey''s courtyard to train some more in mana maniption. He is as kind looking as ever and basking in the sun on his bench eyes closed. Honestly, it''s kinda surprising how much he likes sunlight for a necromancer. Aren''t these guys usually portrayed as gloomy-looking dudes that spend their time hugging corpses? Well, not that guy. Today I''m trying to sense the darkness element. The crystal is pitch ck. So ck that I''m sure it attracts bullets. That''s a joke ha-ha sorry. This PC shit is getting to me. Why do I even apologize in my inner monologue? Well, whatever. So, I''m here diligently acting like I''m diligently trying to sense the dark mana. In fact, I''m working on visualizing myself to be invincible and immortal. I figure the stronger the will the stronger the effect of the divine energy. To quote my dear teacher with a firm will anything is possible. One day my will is gonna be so hard and throbbing! Anyway, I''m just alternating between circting the energy fast for healing purposes and going from vulnerable to full defense mode. Also trying to have some kind of defense passive mode. And thus another peaceful day of training passes. **** Am I forgetting something? I can''t just gloss over the ending scene from the previous chapter? You sure? I mean how do you even exin a room full of blood. Would it be more urate to call it a blood room? And here I was joking about Grey''s potential red room. seems I have one myself now. Anyway. The answer is I don''t know how to exin it. So, I didn''t. I just said I was training. Luna just took my answer for granted? Yep. More like she didn''t really care that much. She saw I was alright and in a good mood. As for what she really thinks of it. I have no clue. Good thing champions of the gods are kinda meant to be mysterious in the first ce. If they would be simply normal, they wouldn''t have such a good chance to reach the legendary rank 5. **** Am I making light of the situation? Maybe, probably, definitely! But I see no reason to stress over it. In any case, the Envoy status is better than any get free from jail card. I still gotta get out of here before the 2 months are up, however. While people here are friendly, I''m not confident they won''t be mad once they realize I''ve been fooling them. After all, I do remember day 1. *shudder* But leaving as I am would be suicidal. My n so far is to take a month to thoroughly train myself. At least in order to defend my own pitiful existence. Then I''ll go see the sectmaster and tell him I''m going on a training journey in one of the surrounding danger zones. There will many life and death encounters. I''ll power up. And then I''ll mysteriously disappear. Then next chapter there will be the description of a handsome, mysterious, tall, young man exiting a burning forest (You know cause the disaster zone won''t be able to handle how hot he is). Following would be the line: this young stud was no other than the main character of this story. And then the readers are gonna be like oh! I see! I totally forgot about that guy! You know since he disappeared a whole chapter ago! And it''s been like 2 hours since thest release. And also I''ve only been reading about this MC for a couple thousand of chapters. Thanks for the reminder author, true that character is easily forgettable isn''t he? HAHAHA And Luna sees me chuckling to myself as I picture this happening haha. Well, she''s used to it by now so whatever. Well, either way. I spend a bit of time failing to sense dark mana to the disappointment of my mentor. Well good for him to be honest. If I had any dark affinity, I would have totally overshadowed him soon enough. I would have been swaggering around with a harem of skeletons, zombies et Duhans. Hello, dear tomato vendor. I must say these are especially red today. My favorite color in the entire world! Duhan C pay the kind man. What? it''s free for me? How wonderful! Ah. Shame. Won''t happen. **** Now for the following month, I will be training. Now math question. If I push myself to describe to the utmost every training session for every single day for an entire month (using as many redundant words as possible) and knowing that there are many types of magic crystals.*Breathes in* and knowing that each chapter is usually between 1000 and 1500 words *breathes in* how many questionable jokes and chapters can I pump out ?! AND THE ANSWER IS! Fuck that shit. That''d be way too long. (>< ) Cue the training montage! (>< ) It''s the eye of the tiger bitches! The eye of the fucking tiger! What does the tiger do? Roar? w its way out? In this case apparently sit in a fucking courtyard in the fucking sun. AND MEDITATE! It''s the eye of the tiger time! Meditate powerfully! Eyes closed! Heartbeat Steady! Getting better at enhancement and cirction! It''s the eye of the tiger! What color are the eyes of the tiger? Next question! Picture divine energy being released all around in minuscule particles. Use it to sense everything. It''s the eye of the tiger! Hell yeah! Does Grey even have eyes? Like seriously? Circte. Enhance. Sense. Steady breathing. Steady heartbeat. Steady mind. It''s the eye of the tiger! Many kinds of tigers! Many colors of eyes! Circte. Enhance. Sense. Fast Breathing. Fast heartbeat. Steady-ish mind. Sensed something that starts with an L. in great details. Why is it a fucking tiger? Eye of the dragon would be more epic! Red gem, brown gem, green gem, blue gem, white gem, ck gem, red gem! Didn''t I already do that one? It''s the eye of the motherfucking dragon! So many gems! So little affinity! Magic isn''t for me! It''s the eye of the motherfucking sad dragon! RIP dreams of throwing fireballs, RIP dreams of throwing earth spikes, RIP dreams of throwing wind des. It''s the eyes of the sad sad dragon! The dragon started drinking! F dreams of throwing water balls, F dreams of throwing heals around! But most importantly ..most importantly ... The sad sad dragon! He''s a fucking drunk now. Not in the good I''m rich and I drink way. Most importantly! F dreams of undead harem!!!! The eyes of the fucking useless dragon! Not fit to be a warrior or a mage! Sorry for disappointing you Grey. I really tried. At least a solid minute every day! The eyes of the fucking dragon! But guess what bitches? The dragon is actually a fucking divine dragon! So, who the fuck cares about physical might or magic? That''s for losers! No, I''m not salty! Yes, I''m crying! No, it''s not rted! Got a sword in my eye! I swear! This dragon is going back to sleep now! (-- ) **** Next chapter I''m getting the fuck out of this ce! Also! Also! I''m gonna go and beat up thatbat instructor dude! That''s a spoiler? Fucking deal with it. I don''t give a shit. Chapter 11: I came, I -=omitted=-, I WON! GET WRECKED! Chapter 11: I came, I -=omitted=-, I WON! GET WRECKED! If I must say myself, I would have made the most epic training montage of all times. THE EYE OF THE FUCKING DRAGON!! (>< ) But training is not all that happened during that period. Let''s see I researched the geography a bit. The Lunar Keep is somewhere in the east of the continent. Oh yeah remember when I said this world seems crazy at first? Well. turns out it''s even crazier than I first fathomed. This whole continent is apparently floating. Not high up in the air. Not on the ground either. I heard it''s supposed to bezily floating above the sea. So, I guess I''m on a big ass ind right now. How does that make sense? No one knows. Worst of all no one cares. Still. Said ind is big enough for me to travel as much as I want. For now, my nned destination is somece in the west. The faster way to reach it is through a disaster zone, a forest. Perfect ce to disappear. Plus, it is the natural habitat of the overwolf. I''m kinda curious to see one since it tastes so good. Horrible argument? I''m just trying my luck anyway. I feel like I managed to upgrade my survivability by a lot in the previous month I should be fine. I also drank with the sectmaster a few times. Okay many, many times. The old dude is so fucking loud when drunk it''s hrious. Drinking irresponsibly without thinking of the consequences is bad, Mkay. (you know who) Drinking irresponsibly without thinking of the consequences is the absolute best! (me) You know. I can picture it: *Overhyped sportmentator* * In the right corner we have Hangover and the left some Divine energy! 3! 2! 1! Fight! And the hangover is already defeated! Ladies and gentlemen that was the most satisfying 1 second fight of all time! I''m so d I didn''t actually have to pay 100$+ for that shit like you bunch of losers. And I''ve been informed I''ve just lost my job! Thank you all! * Let''s just say I''m pretty sure the quantity of booze I went trough this single month is higher than all my previous lives added up. Good times. We did have to go with a cheaper option than semi-divine wine. Sadly, my proposal to redistribute some of the war funds got vetoed. Oh yeah fun fact turns out the Lunar goddess has a twin sister. Also, a goddess of the moon. But no one here would even acknowledge her existence. Well not sober anyway. This ce has 2 moons .and 2 goddesses that each insist they are the sole possessor of both. Oh well. It does sadden me a bit. Where is the harmony. Where is the love. Really unlike all the videos of twins I enjoyed if you know what I mean. ? Grey is still smiling to this day on a bench in his courtyard. I''m still not sure if he has ever opened is eyes in his entire existence. This should be added to the list of the profound mysteries of the world. As far as Luna is concerned. She only followed me closely at the beginning. The more the month advanced and the more she did her own training on the side too. Side note there is not only 1 recognized way to train in this world. The bases are split between training the muscles for warriors and sensing the mana of the world for mages. Thenter it bes more about the ability to manipte the energy of the body or the mana. After thates the techniques that multiply one''s prowess. When all these steps arepleted everyone has a different path. So, training for rank 1 till 2 is simr everywhere. But going above rank 2 already requires some personal thinking. The power of a god is there most of the time to help the believers tread a pre-defined path so they can aplish more with less effort. For Luna said training is mostly about incorporating the light and darkness element to her sword attacks. I must say I''d pay to watch the show any day. A graceful yet deadly dance with cool light effects. The technique is self-created. Apparently based on a formation array that mages usually use. How she can use it single-handedly when the original takes 5 mages of both elements each .is a mystery. I also learned that the sectmaster is her father. I was too drunk to react when I initially learned that info. Anyway, I''m extremely grateful to her for answering my questions patiently and taking care of me. Also, how the fuck did she manage to clean that room full of blood without anyone noticing?! As far as our rtionship goes. She is a beautiful young woman. And I am a handsome young man. But my situation is unique. The whole I''m pretending to be the goddess'' champion. Also, with me nning to leave soon. You know. Because of that I politely refused her advances and told her the truth. about me nning to leave. Obviously not the first one. I enjoy having my head attached to my body very much. Something about me leaving to go temper myself. Something about me not nning toe back. Something about me going on the offensive alone in the domains of the other gods. Load of bullshit, but at least enough to keep her away. You know given any rtionship now would make her a widow at the end of the month . Yeah that kinda backfired on me. And I mean backfired a lot. She did not mind. At all. But being the outstanding example of moral virtue that I am ... I resisted the temptation a good 4 days. Of course, that is counting the 4 days I was either getting tortured, was in aa or was intense training at the beginning. Not much of an aplishment you say? Did you properly read her description in chapter 6?! **** That brings us to this moment. The epic fight of one chapter of intense manly brawl between me and the bodybuilder dude! Or at least that''s how I pictured it in my head. Let''s just say it doesn''t really go as I nned. I get to his courtyard. He''s still as muscr and manly. We are alone there. We are confronting each other. Suddenly we both charge! Well he dashes. I''m so slow I''m pretty much standing still. But this time I''m actually circting divine energy already and I''m enhancing the resistance of my body to the maximum! I''llpletely destroy him !! HAHAHAHA And . he beats me up. He''s really fast. He''s really strong He moves in a weird way. Even when I pay attention his fist seems to teleport. I''m getting thrown into the air and back to the ground. I''m simr to a feather. Moving across the room with every blow. Except it''s a fist that moves me. Not the wind. And the fist is so powerful I''d take a bulldozer over it. But remember I''m using divine energy. It doesn''t actually hurt. I''m fine. It''s like getting a massage with a sledgehammer. Slightly ufortablebut not that bad. And it keeps going for an hour or so. *THUD* *PANT* PANT* The bodybuilder sits on the ground panting heavily. I get up like nothing happened at all. I stretchfortably. Ah the sun sure is warm today. I guess that means I won right? HAHA GET WRECKED! **** Told you I was gonna beat him up! What happened to leaving this ce. No rush. There is still almost a month before the cultivator dude makes his way here. Let me enjoy my victory! Killjoy! Chapter 12: Dragon slaughtering legendary sword Chapter 12: Dragon ughtering legendary sword **** (POV) Every day is training day. Either honing myself or teaching others. This is the life I''ve chosen. Every day is fulfilling. But there is one thing. Lately it has been dull. (_) In the past I used to oversee the training main army. It was excruciating. Bunch of spineless useless cowards. Not even able to follow a simple regiment. The whole of them giving up after a few deaths. My sole task now is to teach the instructors and our elites. But it has been a while since I trained anyone worth my time. Thest one was the sectmaster''s daughter. The way she handles the sword is a work of art. Sadly, I have nothing to teach her anymore. Our paths are different. I am training a pure physical branch. That''s how I became an aplished martial artist. By swinging a sword. Over and over and over. Of course, by now I know how to wield any weapon in existence. The sectmaster says it''s my spirit of 2 that hinders my physique from going over 3. Well only other chance would be for me to get a divine body enhancement material. I gave up on that. These kinds of things surface once a millennium at best. Now I''m just hoping to train a sessor. Luna is a genius. I can''t teach her. She is already able to fuse magic formations to her sword. Thest guy I actually taught..that guy that got killed for torturing the champion ..didn''t evenst a day. The champion. When I heard I''d train him was the happiest day of my life. It dide crashing down fast when I met him. He was horrible. The. Absolute. Worst. The human personification of weak. The spineless rubble. actually, look goodpared to him. I was hoping for a miracle. Maybe my intuition is off for once. Maybe he actually has potential. Then I tested him. It was a disaster. He couldn''t even see my attacks. That isn''t actually a big deal. A low starting point can be made up with effort. The issue is that even after a few minutes of me roughing him up he showed no improvement. None at all! Even a child would learn to dodge after a few hits. Not him. He is the worst. Simply the worst. That day I ended up drinking again. I drowned my sorrows in the alcohol. I drank more than the day my brothers in arms died. I drank more than the day my wife perished. I drank more than.and for once I passed out from drinking. An absolute fucking disgrace. The next morning, I got up. And trained as usual. I still had training. The pleasant sensation of slowly honing my muscles through sheer effort. A small part of me died. Such is life. Who needs dreams anyway? **** Today the champion challenged me to a duel. It has been a month since Ist saw him. He''s been training with Grey or so I heard. I don''t care much. I guess he wants to show me his attainments in magic. It seems pretty stupid to me. A warrior duel is sacred. Two opponentsing at each other with the intent to kill. Of course, normally there would be many healers on duty in an official challenge like so. I bet he used the word lightly by mistake. Either way. I''ll teach him not to toy with a warrior''s pride. So what if he has been learning magic? So what if he has some small achievements in it? Today I''ll beat him up. Leave him half dead. Then I''ll drink. Drink for my lost hopes. We face each other. He looks confident. Rookie mistake. This is a small courtyard. There is nowhere to run. Even someone like the sectmaster wouldn''t dare fight me in a ce like this. And he''s a rank 4. Grey would actually wipe the floor with me, but only if he was already casting before the fight began. Well Grey always has a spell ready. Especially when he sleeps. The youngling has nothing. No power. No magic prepared either. Just a boundless baseless confidence. The fight begins. He hasn''t even moved. I hit him. Hard. He won''t die. Barely. Now he''s gotta be cry. smiling?! I hit him again. He''s fine. And again. And again. I start adding kicks to my series of punches. He''s. fine ?! I punch. And I punch. And I punch. And I kick. And I kick. And I kick. He''s not hurt at all?!!! What in the Lunar goddess'' name is happening? He''s getting bounced all over the ce. All over. All over the fucking courtyard! But he''s smiling. He''s fucking grinning WHAT THE FUCK ! I increase the speed. I increase the power. Slowly at first. Then by a lot. I''m already at 50% capabilities. 60 %. His breathing is steady. 70% His face is peaceful. 80% He looks like he''s getting a massage. 90% WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ! WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK HAHAHAHAHAHA LET ME SEE YOU SURVIVE THIS!!!! I grab my sword. It''s simply a hilt. At first nce anyway. It''s actually a legendary sword. I''m the only one in the sect that can activate it. The only one with the qualifications. Probably the only one in the entire continent. This sword is the one I''ve used to ughter a dragon. This one is the sword I''ve used to annihte the entire following of a quasi-god. This sword is the reason I''m as strong as a rank 4. I pour all my energy into it. A fiery de appears. The me does not produce heat. It simply is the representation of my will. Fiery, but controlled. Sharp and unbreakable. Stronger than anything. And then I swing. 100% The courtyard bes silent. The world itself seems to be breaking. This one sh fractures the space. Enough power to destroy the entire Moon Keep. But all condensed. So condensed that no one beside us two could possibly sense it. All aimed at the champion. Enough to cleave a demi-god in half. I smile proudly! Then it hits me. WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I DONE. IT''S TOO LATE TO STOP IT. *SLASH* His eyes are closed. He is breathing peacefully. He is smiling. *THUD* *PANT* *PANT* I fall to the ground in exhaustion. My sword bes a simple hilt again. He gets up like nothing happened. He''s stretchingfortably. ( ) .... (_) .... The absolute worst. He can''t have progressed that much in a month. I''ll beat him half-dead. Then I''ll drink. Drink for my lost hopes. I was foolish wasn''t I. So fucking foolish! The biggest fucking fool there is. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I''LL DRINK! I''LL FUCKING DRINK! THIS IS OFFICIALLY THE HAPPIEST FUCKING DAY OF MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!!! ( ^_^) Chapter 13: The biggest braggart ever and the meeting with the sectmaster. Chapter 13: The biggest braggart ever and the meeting with the sectmaster. This is so much fun! After our fight the bodybuilder goes inside thenes back with alcohol. Apparently, that''s his celebration beer. Not sure what we are celebrating haha. But there is no way I''ll let him drink alone! Not on my watch! I think he was worried for me. When he first saw me, I was pretty pathetic to be honest. He might look scary, but he has a heart of gold, doesn''t he? =) Honestly, I''ll miss these guys when I''m gone. At first, we keep toasting each other. Then he starts telling me about his childhood. Apparently, he was a mercenary in his youth. His name when he was adopted was young eagle. Guess now he''d be called bald eagle haha. He spent his childhood fighting banditsor even sometimes disguising as a bandit to take down other mercenary groups. That sounds pretty disloyalbut then again can''t say he''s had the easiest time. Seems to be a dog-eat-dog world out there. *sigh* He tells me how he learned to fight with a sword that was bigger than his own body. How he kept swinging it over and over as he grew up. At some point he started to learn about new weapons. Andter on, became one of the instructors for this ce. How he eventually started training everyone else. It''s around that time he starts to get really flushed haha. It''s funny how all these warriors seem so different once drunk. The calm sectmaster shouts. This down-to-earth bodybuilder dude starts bragging instead. Something about a legendary sword. Something about killing a dragon. Something about destroying entire sects. He even says that he can wreck the sectmaster in a 1 v1. God how hrious is that haha. Well I know for a fact he''s only a rank 2 warrior. Right now, he''s fully clothed and no full moon. He only is half naked when training. Well that would be almost every of his waking hours but still. This guy is lucky I''m the one he''s drinking with. I won''t tattle on him. Could you imagine if he had to really fight some bigshot. Haha. That would be awkward. But hey I like that guy''s style. If I ever tell the tale of our epic fight it will be about a dashing young man and the number one swordsman of the Lunar faction dishing it out. Ultimate attacks flying left and right. A fight so intense the entire courtyard is about to break! And then I''ll tell people that it was a draw. It really wouldn''t be fair to him to call it my victory. Especially since I couldn''t hit him once. Of course, the reality is way different. But heroes are things of myth anyway haha. No bard would ever sing about some random rank 2 warrior hitting another random rank 1 nobody until 1 side gets tired of it. No blood. No pain. Sunny day. Yeah . Big Nope. He''s about to lose consciousness. I guess he doesn''t drink often. I guess I''m lucky to share this moment with him. Yep he''s a lightweight and now he''s going to sleep. Sweet dreams bodybuilder dude. Right before going inside he hands me a ne. Something about it being really valuable to him. He wants me to have it. At first, I refuse but he insists. So, guess I have a new ne now. He''s so goddamn awesome this dude. Biggest heart ever. I promise him I''ll keep it preciously. **** Then I walk back toward my room. Half tipsy. I say half tipsy because I use enough divine power to be alright but still feel the sweet intoxicating effect. I''m a goddamn genius I tell you. On the way I y with my new essory. It''s some kind of hilt. Sword hilt. But it''s way too light to be one. I''m guessing it''s either part of a decorative weapon or just a cross ne. Either way. It''s obviously something cheap made with normal iron. Guess it has a sentimental value. Maybe something belonging to an old warrade? That''s what I''m guessing anyway. Still. It''s my treasure from now on. When I get to my room Luna is waiting for me. She seems shocked beyond belief when she sees the ne in my hand. Haha. Apparently, she can''t believe that he actually gave it to me, and she can''t believe that I could steal it either. Well the second is a given with my noble character. I bet she didn''t think I was that good at making friends. Well to be honest my secret weapon is just too strong haha! With booze I am the master of all interpersonal rtionships! Hum I''ll need to find a catchier way to say it. In-ter-per-so-nal re-tion-ships. Too long. Anyway, today is the day I''ll be meeting the sectmaster to discuss my departure. I''ve already talked about it with Luna and she''ll try to do her best to help me convince him. She understands that keeping a champion in a golden cage won''t make him stronger. I know I said something about there being no rush, but I need to leave soon. Just to be extra-safe. In about a month they''ll realize I''ve been lying all along. Everything should be fine. Worst case I can ask the bald eagle to vouch for me. Say something along the line of: This young man is perfectly capable of surviving a few weeks alone in a disaster zone. Also, he obviously isn''t just trying to run away. Divine energy, now I''mpletely sober. I feel ready enough. For the disaster zone forest. I''m not as confident with the uing meeting, but I''m not alone! Remember. You are a champion. You are acting in the best interests of the sect. No one can say otherwise. You can do this. Luna guides me in her father''s office. The sectmaster is there. But so is someone else. Old school schr outfit. Long hair. Gentle features. Sharp look. I feel like I''ve seen this guy before. WHY THE FUCK IS THE CULTIVATOR GUY HERE!!! Chapter 14: It all comes crashing down Chapter 14: It alles crashing down I''m just having a nightmare at the moment, right? I''m not drunk at all now! I pinch myself. he''s still there. FUCK Maybe he doesn''t even remember me? it''s been a month after all. I bet I''m some kind of insignificant character in his eyes. "Hello ve. I hear you''ve been living pretty welltely" so he says while grinning. I''M FUCKED!!!! C''MON ME! THINK! What do I do? I''m not sure what he''s told the sectmaster yet. Wait, the old dude isn''t surprised by how he called me. Guess they''ve had time to chat. Think I can always turn it around on him. If I im to be Lunar goddess'' champion. THAT''S IT! MOMENT OF TRUTH! Time to take the biggest gamble of my life . [Oh! It''s you. Is that a way to talk to one personally summoned by the Lunar Godess?] "HAHAHAHAHAHA. I''ve never seen such shameless creature in my life. HAHAHAHA. Did you hear that? Useless old thing. See this so-called champion of yours. HAHAHAHA. Good thing I came in advance. Who knows if there would even be a moon Keep standing otherwise? But don''t worry from now on I''ll be the one in charge. If you serve me well, I will keep this blunder of yours from the goddess. Or would you mean to go against the goddesses'' oracle?" "Of course, not envoy! It is as you said!" There has been a goddess oracle. Fuck. How do I deal with that? Problem I don''t even know what it is about. Chances are whatever I say will just backfire on me. What if I plead clemency? Nope. Not gonna work here. Guess I''ll have to resist. I''m already enhancing my body. My defense is reliable. I haven''t tested my attack, but it should allow me to do some serious damage if I go all out. At least I know I can destroy a sword barehanded. Problem is. These people are not normal humans either. And the sectmaster is some rank 4 entity. My chances to beat him are extremely low. My chances to run away sessfully are not as high as I''d like either. What do I do? Maybe Luna would help me? I can''t just say it''s a misunderstanding by now. FUCK I might still have a chance. I need to figure out what the oracle was about. Be confident. [Oh. There has been an oracle? I was busy training. Does the goddess have any message for me?] "Pffff. That guy is too funny. Busy training? You? Even if you act like that. The gig is up. They know I''m the sole champion of the goddess. They know about how weak you really are. They know about that "shocking" potential of yours. HAHAHAHA. Did you really think you could act like a champion given your capabilities? A retard like you. HAHAHAHA." Is the verbal abuse bad? Yes. The worst however is the secmaster''s reaction. Orck of reaction. He seems to agree with everything that is said. Guess it''s toote to patch things up. *sigh* Do I fight now orter? Guess I should see what they intend to do to me first. "Sectmasterwhat is happening ?" "It hase to light that the man iming to be the goddess'' champion is nothing but a fake. That would exin hisck of martial or mystic progress in the past month. *sigh*. Never would I have thought that one would ever daremit such a vile act." "0_0" I''m sorry Luna. I did not mean for things to be like this. "Oh. How would you deal with it old thing?" "The punishment for such a sphemous act should naturally be death!" "Wait a second. He was personally summoned by the goddess after all" Ah. Is the cultivator guy helping me ? If he helps me I might get out of this! I''m really sorry about all the bad things I thought of you. You might be an arrogant ass that likes to insult people, but I guess there is some good in you after all! "After being summoned by the goddess herself he actually went against her wishes. He should naturally not be killed." Oh. God. I can''t believe this is happening. That''s really a load of my chest. It will still be awkward but at least. "Instead he should be brutally tortured then sacrificed to the goddess." Wait? WHAT?! I TAKE IT BACK! This dude is rotten to the core! Let me get this fucking straight. The goddess got me into this trouble in the first ce. And because I slighted her, I should be tortured!? What the fuck! "Guards. Bring him to the dungeon" *CLANG* The door opens and some soldiers are there to bring me away. Okay. What do I do? Do I flee now orter? If I start running now, I''ll have the sectmaster on my heels a secondter. I''m not particrly fast either. Let''s take it slow. I should be able to break out of jail. Let''s see where they are taking me. **** This dungeon is weird. The entrance is in the warden''s living quarters. Chances are the guy is strong. But we don''t encounter him at all. Apparently, he''s working on something in hisb. I get a tour guide of all the cells there are. Why? Because the higher the offense the lower underground the prisoners are kept. Guess what? I''m gonna have a suite on the lowest floor possible. Surprisingly most of the cells are empty. I guess now is a rtively calm period. After all champions are gonna indulge in massacres soon enough. A whileter we finally stop moving. This area is crampedpared to up there. We go through 2 sets of metal doors. There are glyphs all over the ce. Not sure what all of this does. I''m starting to reconsider my decision to stay here for a while. Hopefully everything will be fine. There are 2 rooms. One seems to be a holding cell and the other a torture chamber. There is a man. He''s locked with chains. Strapped on the wall in a X. Grey long filthy hair. Sickly skin tone. Chapped lips. Sunken eyes. Ragged breathing. Long yellow nails. Wearing rags. A beggar next to him would look like Prince Charming. Wonder how long he''s been here. On his chest there are deepcerations. Still bleeding. Okay not just on his chest! Blood is slowly dripping on the ground. The overall smell is horrible. Then again, I''m pretty sure the guests''fort is pretty low on the list of priorities when you build a prison. I get chained in a simr way. Everyone else leaves. It''s dark and cold. Really cold. Guess I have nothing better to do than to "chill" with my homie the beggar now haha. But seriously. Time to gather information on this ce. Then it''s gonna be time for the counterattack! [HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH] ( ) ( _ ) ( _ ) Chapter 15: Luna can you put down the knife! Please! Chapter 15: Luna can you put down the knife! Please! First day of captivity. I''ve decided to escape with my fellow prisoner. I just haven''t decided on an actual date. He is not talking to me at all. Guess he thinks me being here is some kind of cunning plot to trick him. Still I''m really curious about what he did to get locked in here with me. *CLANG* Oh? Luna is here! How pissed is she? "Hello my lord. I''ll have youe with me." Haha, she still calls me lord. Guess she forgave me. God, she''s an angel. [I''m d to see you here Luna] She uncuffs me and brings me to the torture room. I guess this is a better ce to talk after all. Only thing is the various instrumentsying all over the ce are a bit disturbing, but I don''t mind that much. I''ve had worse dates before. Then she guides me toward some iron structure and straps me on it. Wow, I didn''t think she was that kinky. [Luna now might not be the best time to] And she gets a knife out. Wait that''s scary! What happened to the sweet innocent Luna following me and always being helpful?! [Luna let''s not be rash. Let''s talk this out!] "Don''t worry my lord. I''ll be gentle" Her smile is so radiant! For some reason it makes it worst. [Luna what are you doing ?!] "My lord. This is a dungeon. Do you know what happens to people in dungeons?" [I''m guessing not a tea party?] "Exactly my Lord. Torture!" I shudder. [Luna. I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to fool you.] She''sing closer. [I was just trying to survive. I would never .] Then I see her face magnifying before my eyes. I feel her lips pressed against mines. Her tongue invading my mouth. WHAT?! Exploring every corner avidly. So sweet yet passionate. I nk out a few seconds. Then I start fighting back. The fight is more intense than any other I''ve had before. It finallyes to an end. I almost die of asphyxiation, but it is worth it. "My lord. Are you that desperate?" she giggles. I start crying. Tears of relief. She is still my Luna. [Luna. You are mine, aren''t you?] "Of course, my lord!" God is she pretty. Way better than any bullshit goddess. "But I''m still going to torture you, my Lord." =) What? Ah, I see. She is still mad. Alright, bring it on! What is a bit of pain for love? "Pfff. Haha. Soon there will be a big ceremony to show the envoy''s glory to the people. For now, it is better for you to lie low here. I was thinking that since there is a lot of torture equipment, we could work on your pain tolerance in the meantime. What do you think my Lord?" Damn, I misunderstood her. She really is an angel! A scary, yet cute angel. [As you wish Luna. I''ll be counting on you] I''m not thrilled about this but she''s acting for my sake. "Of course, my Lord. If you perform well I''ll have to reward you" ( ) I''m really thrilled about this! Training is the best! Let''s just say everything afterward really tests my limits. All of them. **** (POV) This new kid feels off somehow. If there is one thing, I''m proud of it''s my instincts. He seems worried about something but is not about being here. At all. Yet he is given the same treatment as me. At first, I thought this was meant to try and trick me. But then she came. Her respectful tone was baffling to say the least. How did he end up here? If he is on their side, why would they chain him here. It doesn''t make sense to address him like so in my presence either. After that from the torture chamberes screams of intense pain. Then the screams get louder but their nature changes drastically. When I see hime back, I realize what is happening. Well it is obvious. Hees back with wounds. And said wounds are all spelling out a name. Luna. THIS IS A GODDMAMN LOVER''S QUARREL! **** For some reason the beggar guy won''t talk to me. I''ve tried. Every time I try to get more info about this ce he stays silent. I tried arguing that we are both in this together and he kept sneering. I''m not sure if it''s me that he doesn''t like or people in general. Today Lunaes again. Good to see her again. I''m pretty hyped about our training session of the day. I feel I might be turning weird. "My Lord if I''m not mistaken you are able to heal yourself, to enhance your physical capabilities and to sense your surroundings no matter the obstacles am I right?" [How do you know so much?] "Because I''m always watching you my Lord" =) [The healing is evident. The enhancement too. But what about the scouting ability? I simply got used to the keep''syout don''t you agree?] "Oh? How do you exin your ability to sense my underwear through my clothes my lord ?" What?! [. How does one even realize something like that ?] "Your mood my lord." [My mood but how ?!] "Because I''m always watching you my Lord" =) Damn she''s my guardian angel, isn''t she? "For today my Lord do try to control your healing power. Let''s proceed like this. I''ll ask of you to heal all the scars but the one I''ll ce in the middle of your back. Can you do it my lord?" Weird request. But I agree to it. And so, another session of training goes by. ****(POV) Yesterday he came back covered in wounds. Now his skin is pristine. Why the hell has he been screaming so much then?! As hees closer, I realize he has a single scar. Yep. Still his lover''s name. What the hell is wrong with the youths these days. Is this a new torture method for a single dog like me?! Why must you do so! Curse you people! This is degrading! Ahwhatever. I''ll let them y all they want. I''m stuck here anyway. *CLANG* An old manes into the room. White hair. Long white beard. Emerald eyes. Wrinkles. Lots of wrinkles. An innocent-looking old man. WHY THE FUCK IS HE HERE?! THIS IS BAD! One if not the most aplished alchemist in history. Problem is he also turned mad. Now he is the deadliest poison master of this continent. He is carrying something. The hair on my arms stands on end. Whatever is in there is death itself. It seems to be wine at first nce. It is definitely not! Hees close to the kid and offers him some. I''ve never seen someone ept a toast so fast. I''ve never seen such a fool. Don''t do it, kid! Don''t drink that! Nooooo! For some reason, I can''t muster my voice. The old man winks at me. FUCK! Rest in peace kid *sigh* Chapter 16: A room full of madmen Chapter 16: A room full of madmen Today is a good day. I mean I did get cut all over again. The pain is pretty bad. But over all the experience is not that bad. If I''m not mistaken the worst in getting tortured should be the helplessness. The fact that I''m a willing party does make it easier. Still it is more painful than when I was cutting myself a while back. Mostly because my brain isn''t as prepared to the pain. But if anything, I think it is helping somewhat. I can endure more. I can also control my healing process better. Before I was able to use or abstain from using my powers even when under pressure. Now I''m also able to have fine control over the process. As dumb of a training method as it sounds, I get the feeling that it should help me in other domains too. Right now, I''m back in the cell with my beggar friend. He''s not very talkative so I don''t know anything much about him. If anything, I get the feeling my life isn''t in any real danger anymore. I trust Luna that much? Yes. *CLANG* Oh? Who is this? Some really old man. He''s the kind of man one would imagine being an immortal. More importantly he is carrying somethingis that wine! Damn. "Hello young master. How have you been?" Young master? What is this about? [Young master? Haha. I''m actually a sinner in the sect. One of the worst there is in fact.] "Well, that matter not. You are the young master because the young mistress chose you. That is all. I''ve brought you some medicinal wine. Care to share some with an old man?" [Oh? Isn''t medicinal wine wasted on someone that has already been sentenced to death?] "Hehe. You see this dungeon here is my domain. Not even the sectmaster has any say in what happens here. If I decide to keep you here what can he do? ?" I like him already. [I see. I''ll dly partake then. Care to unchain me?] *Rattle* Ha! Feels good to stretch a bit. *GULP GULP GULP* HAAAAAA. This is the best. I can already feel something. I feel a warm and powerful current surging inside me. [This wine is even better than what the sectmaster gets to drink. Good stuff] My beggar friend seems shocked for some reason. He''s intently fixing the wine gourd in my hands. [Want some?] "Young master I''m afraid this prisoner has vowed to abstain from alcohol." [A pity.] "Tell me young master. Aren''t you afraid? What if I had poisoned the wine?" [No need. A friend of Luna is a friend of mine.] "Young master I beseech you to be more careful in the future. There are countless tasteless poisons in this world." [It is pretty simple. hum old man how should I address you?] "This old man is but a humble alchemist in the service of the young mistress." [An old man like youswearing loyalty to such a youthful youngdy?] "Let''s just say that I''m too old now. I just wish to watch over the next generation and experiment at my own pace." I don''t know why, but I trust him. Gut feeling I''m getting. [Understandable. Well let me be frank Grandpa. I may not have much confidence in anything else. But I really doubt you''d have the capabilities to poison me even if you so desired.] I have divine power cursing trough me as we speak. So what is a little poison? 0_0 [But don''t worry. I won''t throw my life away. After all it would be too much of a shame. Being dead I wouldn''t be able to taste your medicinal wine anymore. You carefully mixed it yourself am I right?] ".... Y-yes young master. I have carefully mixed countless poisons in there. All to achieve the best effect possible." [Impressive.] "Y-Young master? Didn''t you hear me say about the poisons in the wine?" [I did.] "Then why aren''t you worried young master?" [Poison and medicine. It is all the same. Why should I be worried? Do you perhaps wish to harm me?] "Of course, not young master! *sigh* But to be honest people called me mad exactly because I use poison to develop medicine. It took me a long time to realize the simple fact that the deadliest poison can cure people. If I may ask, how could you know of such a thing at your young age?" [That much ismon knowledge isn''t it? A tool is never good or evil. It remains a simple tool. So, what If you like to use poisons? What matters is only the end result.] "*chuckle* Indeed. This much should bemon knowledge." [By the way why is this man here?] "Him? A prisoner. He serves an enemy god. He has two choices. Either swear a soul oath and fight for the Lunar goddess''s glory or stay here the remainder of his lifespan." [If he could be broken down so easily why would you guys even need him. If he cannot be broken why even bother torturing him?] "It does have little chances of sess indeed" [If he can be shackled by such a thing as a soul-oath why even bother?] "Young master a soul-oath is nothing simple." [Oh. Do you know about me?] "I''m aware of your story young master." [Oh? Do you still think a soul-oath is reliable?] "That makes one wonder indeed. But by now it is toote to try a new approach." [Is it now?] "I''m afraid so" [How about leaving us for a while?] "Alright young master." Just before exiting the room he looks back. "Young master. Why are you not doubting me? Are you simply going to trust everything I tell you?" [Why? You brought me such good wine and are a friend of Luna. That much should be enough.] "That''s it? ." [The goddess''s champion. He''s one that fears the strong and oppresses the weak. I don''t believe such trash would ever reach the rank 5. If you truly wish to foster the new generation Luna''s your only choice. Wouldn''t you agree?] "HAHAHA. WELL SAID. But what about you? Aren''t you one that will reach rank 5 too?" [Never.] "Why? Shouldn''t the youth have dreams?" [Dreams is it?] "How about I teach you alchemy? Such a profession is mostly about insights rather than raw power. I''ve heard about your potential. But so what? I think you could be my sessor" [Hehe potential is it? Tell me grandpa do you know what potential even means?] "The higher the more likely you are to progress and be stronger!" [You missed something important you see.] "What would that be" [It''s the world evaluation. So what if one''s potential is low? One simply needs to go against the world.] "To go against the world is it? HAHAHAHA. Do forgive me. It seems I''ve been blind this whole time! To go against the world! HAHAHAHA I guess for once I am not the mad one! HAHAHAHAH" [So what if I am mad grandpa.] "I''ll wait for you to be a legendary rank 5! You better achieve it before I breath myst! I''ll be counting on you young master!" [Rank 5. I''m sorry but I have no such aspirations.] "But ." [Can that rank 5 of yours kill gods?] "What!? Of course not!" [Then I''m afraid you''ve underestimated my madness.] ( ) "...."(_) Chapter 17: The birth of the unnamed god Chapter 17: The birth of the unnamed god **** (POV) *CLANG* The sound of the double doors brings me back to my senses. What the fuck is happening? Seriously?! Let''s think over it slowly. The white devil brought some poison wine. The kid drank it. All of it. He''s alive and kicking. Not only is he good and well, but he somehow became this man''s young master. How does such a thing happen? Going from prisoner to guest in a single sitting. If that was all I could somehow understand. For some reason the poison wine is actually beneficial. That might be possible. My instincts assure me I''d die from a single sip. But he''s obviously fine. This doesn''t make sense. At all. He''s not even locked anymore. He''s just sitting on the ground enjoyingthe aftertaste?! If that was all I could understand! But what the fuck was with that insane conversation they were having. The old devil should be a follower of the Lunar goddess. Then why the fuck did they both start dissing her champion?! What is up with that? But still, that''s not all. The white devil expects the kid to reach rank 5. How does one get such an evaluation from such a powerhouse? Anyone would feel proud or simply overwhelmed. It echoes in my head over and over. Can that rank 5 of yours kill gods, or so he said. WHAT THE FUCK! How does he even n on doing that? Going against the world! Is such a thing even possible?! Anyone else I''d simply term as a lunatic. No, actually he is definitely a goddamn lunatic! How else does one utter such a thing as simply going against the world without freaking out! I''ve bluffed my way out of countless situations. Even I wouldn''t joke about such matters. I think he is serious. He is a madman! But what if he seeds? No, that''s impossible. So is him surviving that wine. It should be impossible! What the fuck is up with this kid?! [Are you alright?] Who would be alright after witnessing that! "How are you even alive?" [What do you mean?] "The wine. It was obviously poisoned." [It wasn''t made to kill me in the first ce. Why wouldn''t I be alive?] "I can say for sure you are the only one that would ept anything from the old devil." [Why? Just because he is a poison master?] "So you do know!" [Well, I didn''t at first. But one that use poisons on a regr basis would be called as such don''t you think?] "Are you that confident in the Lunar goddess''s protection?!" [How is this rted to her at all?] He doesn''t make much sense. "That lover of yours Is the heir to the sect''s legacy, isn''t she? You got put here for the forbidden love between you guys no? That means you are one with a lower position in the service of the Lunar goddess no?" [HAHA. No. I am here for impersonating that goddess''s champion.] "..." [What brought you here?] "You are joking right? Right?!" [You do not have to share if you don''t wish to. I can always ask the alchemist grandpa.] "Impersonating a champion! Are you a madman?! Of course, you bloody are!" [Haha. It simply happened. It wasn''t my intention in the beginning.] "How did they not already sacrifice you to the goddess?!" [Oh yeah. That was the n.] "Are you hoping for a miracle by praying to the goddess? You have the white devil after all. If he helps you stall for time." [I don''t believe in such a bullshit goddess you see.] "0_0. Can you repeat that?" [I don''t believe in the Lunar goddess.] "How the hell are you still alive?! You ain''t even a follower ?!" [Haha. Nope. While she did summon me by mistake here, I do not care about her. If anything, the farther I am from any sect rted matter the better.] "Then what god do you believe in?" [What about you?] "Duruser the wanderer." [The first time I hear about a god having a real name.] "They all have one. But most are referred to by their titles instead. The wanderer gives his blessings to all the nomad travelers. He is mostly worshipped by the lone wolves like me. But what about you?" How does he know so little about gods if he intends to y one? [Hum. I do not worship any god.] Please as if anyone would ever believe that. "If you don''t want to say it''s fine." [I''m being serious.] "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?! Even the most pitiful of ves have the right to worship. Why wouldn''t you?!" [The right to worship is it? If anything, I have the right not to worship.] "This is madness. Pure madness. How do you even survive in this world?!" [Let''s say I worship a god that does not exist and won''t ask anything of me either.] "A dead god?" [You could call it like so. Or anything you wish to be honest.] "Does that god or yours even have any chances at revival?!" [Why would it matter?] "But what about the blessings? How can you get blessings?" [I don''t need nor want any.] "But that is the only way to be powerful fast!" [A shortcut is it? Why would one even wish for that?] "Without a god''s protection how do you live?!" [Oh. So you need a god to stay alive?] "That much is obvious!" [If youck even that little confidence how are you going to achieve anything in this life? ?] "That much is just natural! Without the gods we would be lost!" [Why is that?] "Because we wouldn''t know how to live our lives!" [If youck even the courage to decide your own fate what is the point of living at all?] ". But." What is this kid talking about?! [My god asks nothing of me and expects nothing either. I am free to live my life as I desire.] This is my first time hearing about such a god. "What is such a god called?" [He has no name. Nor a need for one. If anything, you could call it the unnamed god.] "Without knowing his name how do you pray?" [You don''t. No need to wait for some entity to save you. You act and stand for yourself.] "Then what if you encounter troubles?" [Then you struggle.] "What if youck power?" [You train.] "What if youck potential?" [You go against the world.] "How can one go against the whole world!" [Why not?] "Because it is madness!" [I''d rather be mad then. At least I can walk my own path.] "Even if your path is full of suffering?" [Even then.] "There is no way for normal people to do the same. They would simply get crushed!" [Maybe. Forging one''s path is no easy thing.] "Such a thing requires insane power." [Not really. I believe there is a path for every single individual.] "But everyone knows things aren''t as simple." [Does everyone know? Perhaps everyone think they know. If no one tries it how would anyone seed?] "Easy for you to say. Some people are born with lowly potential and won''t achieve anything in their whole life." [HAHAHAHAHAHA.] "Why are youughing. Have you truly turned mad?" Why am I even asking the obvious? [HAHAHAHAHA. What is madness is being shackled by your own beliefs. Remaining blind to a world of infinite possibilities. HAHAHAHAHA] "..." Infinite possibilities. As if there was such a thing in the world. [Tell me. What do you think the potential of one such as I would be?] It should be high. For the white devil to bet on him. But then again not so high since he said something aboutcking potential. "3 or so?" [HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.] "..." Why is he justughing now? [HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.] "." What is up with him?! [0.] "What?" [0. That is my potential.] WHAT THE FUCK. How did this guy even survive this far! 0_0 Chapter 18: Farewell Moon Keep Chapter 18: Farewell Moon Keep Turns out my beggar friend is talkative once you get to know him. The funny thing is he is nicknamed the undefeatable warrior or so he tells me with a self-deprecatingugh. His specialty being gueri warfare. Or more urately he won''t ever fight when his odds of winning are not 100%. Turns out there is a reason he fears the old warden keep so much. He is the only man to ever manage to defeat him. He got captured when the old warden used incapacitating poison in an enormous area. That must exin why he seems to be shivering every time the old man brings me medicinal wine. It has been a few weeks since I first was imprisoned here. But to be honest, right now I can''t really call it imprisonment anymore haha. While I still am in the same room my shackles are long gone and I even have some cushions forfort by now. I was also giving my stuff back. Every day Luna visits me, we train for a bit, then I drink with the old man and then talk with my cellmate. At first, he thought I was messing with him when I said my potential is a splendid 0. Turns out he is a rank 3 warrior, but he has pretty much reached the end of his path. Or so he thought anyway. After our conversations, he now thinks he has a chance to be stronger still. Somehow me not giving up encourages him to fight on. To be honest, while I do have the advantage of divine power, I also firmly believe that there is always a way to progress should one be willing to put in the effort. Talking to someone without having to y the champion''s role is a relief. For some reason, our conversations mostly alwayse back to the unnamed god bullshit I talked about the second day here. Somehow the idea of worshipping no god at all seems too much for my friend. Yet he has no trouble epting the idea of worshipping a god that won''t provide any blessing at all. When he first wanted me to borate on the teachings of said god, I was lost at first. Then I decided to simply share my life philosophy with him. If I had to resume it in a few key points it would be: - Repay kindness hundredfold and enmity thousandfold. - Take control of your own life. - It''s never over until you give up. - Find happiness in small things. - Don''t needlessly create trouble. Most of these all seem to bemon sense in my opinion. Turns out it isn''t. Deciding for oneself is considered being nave here. The path of an individual ismonly epted to be determined at birth here. Happiness is not encouraged since it is all about serving one''s god. Causing trouble is encouraged as long as it is with an enemy god''s followers. Finally repaying kindness is only ever worthwhile for members of the same cult or so it seems. Let''s just say what I consider normal are aberrant ideas for the people here. In this manner, I leisurely spend some time. Until today that is. I''ve been informed that today is the ascension ceremony for the champion. This means that the sectmaster and most officials are all going to be busy overseeing the matter. Luna has assured me that with enough time she will convince her father to forgive me. She''s sweet but I don''t want to depend only on her goodwill to get a footing here. That would only strain her position in the sect. I know the old dude and he''s stubborn. And I don''t trust the character of the goddess herself. [Hey old beggar are you ready to leave this ce?] "Haha, I''m always ready. Problem is it isn''t that easy you see. What are you going to do? Ask the warden to release us?" [How about we simply leave?] "I still have these chains on me without the key we won''t be able to ." *KACHA* [Alright let''s go.] "Did you just destroy it barehanded? You didn''t tell me you trained this." [Let''s just say I know a bit of body reinforcement magic.] "Still there is no way we will be able to break trough the doors. There are countless glyphs set-up by the Grey death itself." [Can''t we just destroy it?] "If only it was that easy." Focus. Divine energy. All in my first. Grey isn''t here. This is only some remnant magic. Nothing to fear. Focus and. *KACHA* [Alright let''s go.] "..." And so we walk for a bit and finally reach the entrance where we see a familiar face. [Hey old man.] "What brings you here young master?" [Prison break.] "Hum. I''m afraid I can''t allow this just yet." "Old devil. You are stronger than me. However, I don''t mind dying together with your sorry ass. Are you sure you want to obstruct us?" "It''s not that I don''t want to, but now is simply not a good time." [Because every powerhouse in the sect is busy right?] "Young friend. It has been a pleasure knowing you. Leave this ce to me. You''ve done enough. "Young master you misunderstand me. I don''t mind you leaving, but we aren''t done with the treatment." "He''s probably just stalling for time. Let''s hurry up." [Wait. What do you mean?] "Everyday the medicinal wine I give you includes various poisons. And every day I simply increases the deadliness of it. In a few months this will help you develop an immunity to most poisons. If you do so desire to leave when that timees, I truly won''t mind young master." "We can''t trust him." [Old man. What''s the deadliest poison you have on you right now?] "Young master you can''t mean to " [Hand it over.] "But young master." [I said hand it over.] *Throws* "Here it is young master but be careful a single drop of this wine would be enough to" *GULP* *GULP* [Alright. If that is all I will take my leave now.] 0_0 We step next to the frozen warden toward the door. [Right old man. I have a message for Luna. Tell her that I''ll be back for her when the time is right. Farewell.] And thus, we leave the Moon Keep. Luna just you wait. The present me might not be worthy enough to stand at your side. But I''ll work hard. I''ll definitelye back! Chapter 19: Scheming sect officials ^_^ Chapter 19: Scheming sect officials ^_^ ****(POV) Today is the day the peasants have the pleasure of witnessing the magnificence of the one chosen by the mighty and beautiful Lunar goddess! How lucky they are! If anything, they are underserving of my presence. When I first came here, I was hopeful forpetent minions. I was sadly grossly underestimating them. How can they all be so useless I wonder. The sectmaster was toyed with by an ipetent ve. His daughter is but a slut that sold herself to the first piece of trash that came her way. She is pretty but damn is she dumb. She became useless goods after being with that no life. I heard that bitch is even visiting the fake in his cell. At least I confirmed myself he''s properly paying for his crimes in there. Soon enough we''ll sacrifice him. I can''t wait for this event haha. But seriously it wouldn''t be so bad if only these guys were useless. Sadly, it''s the same for all the other sect members. The strongest mage is but a weak self-proimed necromancer that can barely use the simplest of dark magic. Their strongest warrior is even more of a joke. When I first fought him, he tried to trick me. He wanted for me to let him hit me to "test" my defense prowess. How can one be so dumb? He was obviously just trying to hide his own weaknesses. Needless to say, I kept blocking every of his attacks and he soon gave up. He''s utterly ipetent. I heard another of their powerhouse is the warden of the dungeon. At first, I was excited to finally meet someone worthy of serving me. turns out he is an old man about to breathe hisst. My discernment is enough to make me understand that no matter how strong he used to be his body is now gued with poison andpletely devoid of any strength. So here I am in front of the masses. Finally showing them the glory of the Lunar goddess. I''m using my sword control skill to make my weapon fly around following invisible lines. Turns out all it took for the world to recognize my skill was for me to use it in the earth realm. After a day of training in the god''s realm and my subsequent training here I''m bing close to reaching rank 3. I might just be one of the strongest champions there is. Still I need to be careful because of how useless the people here are. I''ll have to go on a journey to try and find some better servants. It actually was a suggestion from the "powerhouses" here. Bunch of trash. They just can''t help me progress much. Not only are they weak but they alsock resources. They can''t even get me some rank 3 beast''s meat to replenish my energy. Ah. It is such a waste for someone such as me to get stuck in this situation. Well no matter. While various thoughts about my uing ns pass through my head, the ceremony finishes. Tomorrow I''ll leave. Of course, I''ll enjoy some of the sect beauties for thest time before that. Hum that reminds me. I should probably personally kill that guy myself. Yep let''s do that before heading to bed. "Oy. Old thing, bring me to the dungeon!" "Envoy. Why do you want to head there?" "Oh. Are you trying to rebel?" "Of course not! I''ll bring you there right away envoy!" God is this old trash annoying. Always so many questions. Just do what you are fucking told. Can''t wait to rece that guy with someone better. "Here we are envoy." "Hey! Old warden! Get your ass over here!" "Envoy! How can I be of assistance?" "Bring that fake here. It is time to sacrifice him already. I''ll be leaving tomorrow after all." "Envoy I''m afraid that" "Are you going to go against my orders? It seems you do not value your head very much." "Envoythe thing is. that prisoner escaped earlier in the day." "You traitor! You let him escape!" "Envoy he was brought out by our other prisoner. I am not sure how he escaped but he is quite strong thus I couldn''t do anything." "And why didn''t you report it to the sect then ?!" "Envoy. I did send a messenger bird to bring the newsdid it not reach you sectmaster?" "Old thing. What is the meaning of that ?!" "Envoy I know nothing about any of this! I have no idea what could have ...wait. warden master did you send a raven to bring us the news?" "Indeed, sectmaster since I am quite old, I sent it in my stead. So, did you receive it?" "No. but I just saw a dead raven in the courtyard whileing in ." "Oh, that would exin a lot." "How fucking useless can you guys be! To not even manage to prevent trash from escaping! Oh, my goddess why must your luck be so bad! Stuck with followers such as these! Fuck this. Well I guess it''s time for me to leave. I''ll clean up the garbage while I''m at it. Try not to let the moon Keep crumble to pieces while I''m gone. Bunch of dumbasses. Fucking retards." **** (POV) He left. That is fine. The problem is that the goddess''s envoy is going after him. If he gets caught, he''d die wouldn''t he. I can''t do much alone, but I will if pushes to shove. I''ll first try to get some support from the sect. I heard the officials are having a meeting. I need to make sure he is not deemed an enemy of the sect at all cost. *KNOCK KNOCK* "Come in." In the meeting room are the 4 pirs of the Lunar sect. My father the sectmaster a rank 4 martial king. Grey a mysterious rank 3 mage. Eagle a rank 3 aplished martial artist that has reached the limits of the pure martial path. Also present is the warden. While I''m not too clear on his ssification as an alchemist I know he is incredibly respected by the others. "Oh, Luna what are you doing here?" "Sectmaster I humbly ask for an audience." "Hum. Sure, go ahead." "Sectmaster I have reasons to believe that the situation is not as simple as it seems. I feel the current champion might be hiding some things. For instance, he said the one we consider a fake has a physique and spirit of 1 with a potential of 0. There is no way someone like that would be able to eat rank 3 beast meat for so long without dying. Also, he has received the approval of eagle and that is no easy task to do. Lastly, I believe the warden is not one to let people escape from prison easily. For these reasons I believe it might be worthwhile to try and groom such individual rather than deign him a sinner!" "Oh. Is that all? Now Grey, tell me. Were there many spies present at the ceremony?" "Indeed sectmaster. By now all our enemies are aware of the appearance of the current champion." "Good. Let our enemies scheme all they want. I wonder how many are already nning to assassinate him. HAHA" "Humph. As if all that was necessary! The true champion is a man I couldn''t bring down with my full power." "Old Eagle don''t take this to heart. While he might be strong enough to resist upfront challenges what if someone schemes against him the dark? You wouldn''t want him to get killed in such a stupid way would you not?" "Ah. True. What if someone poisoned him while he isn''t prepared." "Well that is why the n was for him to gain a certain degree of poison immunity. Such a shame he left already. About that why such haste warden?" "Sectmaster do you remember the reason I became feared back in our old home?" "Of course. Who wouldn''t remember you and your god-killer poison?" "Do you really want to know why I let him leave?" "How did he manage to convince you?" "He chugged some wine." "What do you mean he chugged some wine?" "Say wardenyou don''t mean 0_0 ?!" "Indeed. -_-" "What did you figure out something grey?" "The god killer poison it''s a wine isn''t it?" "..." ".." ".." Seems I came here for nothing. I understand now. They are all aware that he is no weakling. I also understand why he left alone. I might not be strong enough to stand at his side just yet. But I''ll train until the dayes when I can follow him. Just wait for me my Lord. Chapter 20: SCREW THE FAKE GODS! Chapter 20: SCREW THE FAKE GODS! (>< ) "It''s a new dawn, it''s a new day!" [It''s a new arc!] (>< ) "What was that?" [ If our lives were an epic it would be the start of a new chapter right now] "Ah. I see. Still. I missed the light of day so much in the previous years. I''m d you brought me out. This is definitely a miracle." [Don''t mention it. Oh yeah, where should we go now?] "No matter where we go, we should leave the area controlled by the Lunar Keep. As long as we avoid human settlements running away shouldn''t be too hard. Here let me do this *sh of purple light*." [What was that?] "Oh, simply a magic trick. It will remove our tracespletely. As long as they don''t send one of the guardians after us they won''t even see our shadow. A little thing I picked up after roaming around for a while." [That seems really useful. How about teaching me some?] "Of course. You''ll see it is really easy. It just requires some basic darkness affinity." [Let''s forget it then. I was thinking about journeying into the savage archaic forest. While a disaster zone, we should be fine as long as we avoid the beast kings. Any pursuer won''t be able tounch a highly coordinated high manpower search either. That would be madness and attract every single beast to them] "I have noints. Let''s get going." And so, our journey begins. We pass through forests, ins, and other kinds of wildndscapes ranging in between. We walk by day and walk some more by night. We rest a bit whenever we encounter terrain giving proper cover. What surprises me the most is my friend''s ability to scavenge for food. From weird bugs to digging hidden roots to hunting wild game. It is really impressive to see someone shoot down a bird with nothing but a stone. Using some fire magic to roast everything seems extremely useful too. Water magic is used to produce drinkable water. [Say. Is there any kind of magic you cannot use?] "Haha. This is both my luck and my curse. I am able to use every type of magic there is. Well given I can find a proper training method. But sadly, my affinity is at the beginner level for all of them at best." [How does one even ssify magic affinity?] "It goes as follows from weakest to strongest: Basic, beginner, intermediate, advanced, master, and finally legendary. While affinity is mostly set at birth it can be improved in various ways. One of it being a follower of a deity governing magic or anything rted." [I see. Why are there 6 tiers? How does it fit in the 5 ranks?] "You can see a magic attribute of basic being the prerequisite to practice magic. This is being able to sense the magic element in a magic-rich crystal upon direct contact. A stronger affinity allows one to sense it from farther away and to manipte mana rted to said element more easily. If anything, magic affinity affects how fast one trains. Instead of meditating for hours, a few minutes might be sufficient. Instead of practicing mana control for weeks, a single day might be enough. This is the gist of it. I can''t tell you much about it myself since I''m barely at the beginner rank. It acts a bit like potential." [That is still pretty impressive. I couldn''t even sense any kind of magic element at all. *sigh*] "Don''t lose hope haha. There are also more obscure magics for which a crystal is not avable. Who knows you might have a talent for it?" [Thanks! At least I did find a way to train that is suitable for me. I won''t have to try and beg a magical god for some magical talent. A shame but still.] "Talking about gods. How many followers does the unnamed god have? And how does one be a follower?" [Oh. We are legion you see. There is a grand total of 1 follower of the unnamed god. That being me! As for how to joinhow would a god that doesn''t exist even refuse any follower haha.] "Hum. I see! Then sectmaster I''m afraid that you misspoke. We are legion! A grand total of 2 followers including both of us." [What about your wandering god?] "Well. I''ve had enough of wandering aimlessly. I''d rather take control of my life as you''d say. If anything, I find the teachings of the unnamed god oddly interesting." [Haha. Wee aboard then. Just remember no matter how much you pray there won''t ever be any blessing or miracle given is that fine with you?] "Of course. Technically there already has been a miracle. Otherwise, I would still be rotting in the Lunar keep don''t you believe so? ?" [Haha. I wouldn''t call it a miracle. If anything, it is fate. Do you know what fate is my friend?] "Of course! It is how everything happens for a reason!" [And do you know what that reason is?] "I am sadlycking in insight sectmaster would you enlighten me?" [It is random. Life is. There is no meaning. Just chance opportunities. Whether you take advantage of it or not is up to you.] "..." [Things such as fate are truly too elusive. Under no circumstance should you let such a thing dictate how you act. The only thing that matters is being true to yourself.] "So, what about prophecies. Should we voluntarily go against it?" [You should just ignore it. Prophecies are extremely useless. Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilled prophecy?] "I''ve heard of gods that govern over the fate element. Not only can they predict the future, but they can also see the past. But as for self-fulfilling prophecy, this is a foreign term to me." [Sometimes a prophecy only gets to be realized because you acted upon it. Let me give an example. Let''s say the Lunar goddess sent a prophecy down saying that I should be hunted by all means right now, or I would cause troubleter for the sect. That would be a self-fulfilling prophecy because that would effectively be making an enemy out of me. Do you get it?] "Sort of. What about people with certain fates at birth that are destined for great things?" [So what? That is simply the world looking down on you. No need to take it to heart.] "Isn''t that kind of bad?" [If I''m not mistaken a world doesn''t have a consciousness by itself. Wouldn''t that mean that it is simply some sort of magical construct? Probably a system made by the so-called gods. You simply have to realize what the fake gods themselves don''t believe possible.] "Going against gods?!" [So, what. I told you before that I''ve passed myself as the Lunar goddess'' champion, right?] "Yes. How did you even manage that for a month?" [Well I was summoned by her in the first ce. That also means that I''ve seen her.] "Yo-You''ve seen a goddess sectmaster ?!!!!" [Indeed. Do you want to know how it was?] "Of course !!!" [Disappointing.] "0_0" [Arrogant, prideful, petty, haughty, vain, narcissistic,cking insight and deceitful. Fun fact she doesn''t even have the confidence to show her real appearance. She used a spell to change her appearance based on whatever the onlooker considers the epitome of beauty. Same with her domain.] "B-But isn''t she a goddess?" [A god should be omniscient and omnipotent] "There is no way any of the gods have that kind of power!" [Then they are fakes. Let them fight for power. Don''t be swept up in their bullshit. Now repeat after me: Screw the fake gods!] "S-screw the fake gods?" [Screw the fake gods!] "Screw the fake gods." [Screw the fake gods!] "SCREW THE FAKE GODS!" (O) [There you go] Chapter 21: Leisurely stroll in the savage archaic forest Chapter 21: Leisurely stroll in the savage archaic forest In front of us are humongous trees. We have been walking for a few weeks. I lost track of time a bit. [Let me guess. The savage archaic forest . The trees are archaic and the beasts inside are savage?] "A straightforward name but it does describe it well." [Why is there no one here? One would expect hunters to be going in and out to make a living no? Is the mortality rate in this ce that bad?] "It is because of the Lunar keep itself. They forbid trespassers. Instead they use the forest to train their army." [They train their army hereand we still came?] "They will mostly be active in the outeryer of the forest. As long as we avoid them for a bit we''ll be far away soon enough." [I see. If we cut trough the forest how long until we cross it?] "About a month. Of course, if we want to be extra safe, we can follow the outer perimeter. Crossing the disaster zonepletely would take us between a year and two." [That slow?! How confident are you if we just cut trough the middle?] "Alone it wouldn''t be much of an issue. I''m not sure about bringing you with me. Well we wouldn''t cross straight at the middle, but close." [What if I can scout ahead?] "Then everything should be fine." [Alright let''s go then.] This ce doesn''t seem that bad. If anything, I guess the area it covers is wide. **** [Why is it so dark and gloomy here?] "The trees are able to absorb the light in the surroundings directly." [Then how is there some herb on the ground and nts?] "All of it is feeding from the roots of the archaic trees." [Why do the trees all have the same appearance?] "It is the result of a mutation after absorbing the dense mana here. Even if one nted 2 types of trees here both would eventually evolve to bing archaic trees or simply shrivel out." [How mysterious. What about the wildlife here? It is somehow really quiet.] "We won''t see normal animals here. It can only be monsters. The outer area is a sort of no man''snd. You usually won''t see much beside nts and bugs." [Now that you talk about it there are a lot of bugs.] "Indeed. They are small enough not to get targeted by most predators. While a lot of them will get eaten daily surviving won''t be an issue." [Oh, there is a big turtle in front. About 5 meters in length. How strong would that be?] "In front where?" [A few hours of walking and we''ll see it.] "Any special pattern on the shell?" [Hexagons? Brown shell.] "Should be a rank 2 armored giant turtle. Beside a good defense and size, it has nothing else going for it. It is also delicious." [Is that our meal tonight?] "With how big these are it can be our meal for a few days at least." [How can we even carry so much meat with us?] "I''ll show you. The weakness of that turtle is the head. Problem is it can retract it inside its shell. Do you want me to kill it sectmaster?" [Let me give it a try. Sorry little one but you will be out food tonight. Hum sorry big guy.] Concentrate. Divine energy. My hand is stronger and sharper than a legendary weapon. It can split anything from a simple touch. Focus. *CHOP* It worked! "Sectmaster I must say it''s the first time I see anyone kill one of these barehanded so cleanly! Now we spread a wind barrier to remove any sent from attracting other creatures. Then we use some water magic to clean the game. Then some fire magic to cook it. Better not forget to add spices. Some space magic to store it all. Some earth magic to bury the remains deeply. And that is how you cook in a disaster zone. After you are done you need to wash away the blood." [That seems pretty hard to be honest.] "HAHA. It is but a matter of experience. Here try this piece and tell me what you think." [Damn! Are you sure your main profession isn''t cooking! This is so fucking delicious!] "It is but a matter of experience." Damn magic is so useful! I am not jealous at all! Okay maybe a bita lot. But still, hunting in this world sure is convenient. Don''t even need to bother bringing a hunting rifle. **** As we keep walking, wee across various type of critters, birds and four legged animals. Well beside the fact that they are monsters and are either way bigger or have the capabilities to use magic. Turns out every single of them is more talented than me in magic. It would be bad for my self esteem if I didn''t know better. It has been about 2 weeks. We decide not to fight needlessly, only hunting for food from time to time. I''m continuously using my sensing ability to try and detect any kind of danger. So far beside the asional rank 3 wandering about I''ve only sensed some weak rank 2 that my fellow can dispatch as easily as breathing. By now I am confident I can hold my own against the typical rank 2 monster simply trading blows with it. I''ll end up winning because of my regeneration abilities. Only issue is winning a fight quickly without causing any kind ofmotion. The turtle defeated earlier being an exception because of how slow it is. My divine energy also being a counter to its defense. My friend teaches me about the surrounding flora. What I can eat and what is poisonous. Turns out this forest is good for people that are on the run like us. No need to fear anyone revealing our position and no need to spend anything for our daily lives. How great is that! It is an interesting endeavor to differentiate the mushrooms and berries. There are many reurring appearances with only a few slight differences. But only a few areestible. There are even some that have a will of their own and will attack by themselves. Fun fact these are the best because they are easy to identify. When you pick it up and it tries to eat you it is kind of an easily distinguishable characteristic haha. Still the journey here is leisurely to say the least. [Honestly, I''m d you are here with me. I would be lost already without you.] "Haha. It is my pleasure sectmaster. I am also d to be here with you and not rotting in a dungeon." [Right you keep addressing me as sectmaster. If I am the sectmaster what would be your position?] "Oh? How about an elder in charge of exploring new territories for the sect? I am quite confident in my capabilities to survive anywhere!" [Of course, elder! I believe you could survive even in the depths of hell if required haha.] "I wouldn''t try my luck in other nes just yet. Not if I can help it anyway." [Oh? There is a wolf in front. Silvery, sharp ws and fangs. 3 m long. 1.5 m height.] "Should be an overwolf. It is strong, fast and it can further enhance its speed with wind magic. This one seems to only be rank 2." [Oh, they taste really good, don''t they?] "Yes, but they are social monsters. Always make sure you iste one with a barrier before fighting it. Shall I kill it?" [Hum. How about I try fighting it? What about its pack?] "With proper precautions there is nothing to fear at all." [Let the challenge begin then! A man versus a lone overwolf! Who will end up victorious? ce your bets now! Hurry up for the brawl begins as soon as next chapter!] Chapter 22: Playing with wolves… maybe just a bit too many wolves Chapter 22: ying with wolves¡­ maybe just a bit too many wolves [I''ll be counting on you to seal the surrounding the area.] "Yes sectmaster!"" This will be good practice. This wolf is an assassin type. Fast, deadly. I can''t simply gather my power for a killing blow. Everything is fine. I am a weapon itself. My entire being is the sturdiest. [Come at me little wolf!] Main character used taunt. It''s super effective! Wolf used growl. Scary! But that doesn''t matter my courage won''t falter for so little! Wolf used pounce! Main character used empowered normal punch! The wolf gets pushed back. My hands arefine! I can do this. Let''s keep going. Take this! *BAM* And that! *SLAP* And th. *WOOSH* Crap my attack missed. It''s as fast as the wind! Stop moving around! Let me hit you! *CHOMP* Trying to bite me, are you?! I won''t go down so easily! I don''t even feel it! *SLAP* Take that! Let me see you get up after . It is getting up. Is it even wounded? But what are you gonna do now? Neither your bite nor your ws scare me one bit! Wolf used run! [Block it!] *BAM* The wolf runs into an invisible barrier. [Nice support! Your enemy is me little wolf! What are you gonna do now hahaha!] *SLASH* What is that green thing? It doesn''t hurt at all. Wind des? Doesn''t matter it doesn''t have much power. I just need to keep beating it up! Ah it dodged! It dodged again! It fucking dodged yet another time! STOP FUCKING RUNNING! *sigh* This is annoying! [Do you only know how to run?!] MC used taunt! It''s not very effective. [Why you little! Just Stay still! I''ll just beat you a bit!] "Sectmaster, do you perhaps need help?" [No! Everything is under control! I''m gonna beat it up!] *WOOSH* *SLASH* CHOMP* DAMN THIS IS ANNOYING! .. .. .. A wolfying on the ground face down. Panting so heavily. Unresolved to its imminent demise. Silver fur stained with dirt all over. It fought its best. From wing to biting, while dodging relentless attacks going its way and also throwing wind des it is now void of energy. Simply breathing seems to take some effort. I get closer to the beast. Enjoying my magnificent victory. Of course, it would have been slightly more splendid if it didn''t take me 2 hours to dispatch a rank 2 beast. Still gotta enjoy the little things in life. I went from a weakling to a slightly stronger weakling able to bully other weaklings. I count this as an achievement. Time for me to deliver the killing blow! The right of the victor! To feast on the flesh of the defeated! Time to snuff the life of that.Goddamnit! What''s with the puppy eyes! Do you really think I won''t exterminate you just because of such a low-level technique! Please as if that would be enough to stop me! I raise my hand high up in the air and I bring it down as fast as lightning! (;) My hand goes straight for its head .and I pet it! [There. You worked hard.] "Sectmaster?" [Hand me a bit of meat.] "There you go. Are you perhaps trying to tame it? Overwolves are prideful and won''t" [There. Good boy. Eat this. It''s really tasty.] *CHOMP* [Want some water too?] "There you go sectmaster *sh of blue light*" [Drink some. Good Boy] *LAP* [Was that good? Hum your fur is all dirty. You''ll have to take a bathter on.] *Sound of intense petting* (o_O)? [Rest for a bit then you can leave.] "I''m surprised to see a wild beast so docile. I didn''t know you knew beast taming sectmaster!" [Alright. You can remove the barrier around this ce.] "Alright!" [You can go now little wolf. Make sure not to get into trouble.] *SHUFFLE* *SHUFFLE* "Hum. Sectmaster. What about the beast contract?" [What beast contract?] "Isn''t a beast contract required to make a magical creature into a servant?" [No clue. I don''t know a single thing about beast taming.] (o_O)? "We are just letting it leave then?" [Yep. Don''t you find it pitiful? It worked hard to help me train too.] **** "Sectmaster, was it wise to let it leave like that?" How was I supposed to finish it when it looked at me like that! ( ) [Why not? Didn''t you see how friendly it was at the end.] "Wasn''t it just exhausted after the fight? Doesn''t that make you enemies?" [What do you know! This is a friendship forged through fighting! Two valiant warriors developing respect for each other trough exchanging blows! Friendship I tell you!] "What if it brings some of its pack to get revenge on us?" [There is no way such a thing would happen!] "I am getting a bad feeling about this." [Don''t worry there is no way anything would happen!] He really is cautious. Well that is something good. "I truly hope for it to be the case sectmaster!" [Please I''m even sensing the surroundings, and everything is fine! Look even if I increase the search radius all I see are.?! *GULP*] OH FUCK. WE ARE GONNA DIE AREN''T WE? So many fucking wolves. Wait what is that in front? Seems to be some sort of peace zone. No monster in sight. Ouf. We should be fine. But I might have screwed up on that one. "Sectmaster?" [Hum. Alright there may be a few wolvesing our way.] "How many?" [Hum just a few. If are talking the 3 m long ones, then it is only about a hundred of so.] "Good. WAIT A HUNDRED!?! HOW IS THAT FEW!" [Alright my bad.] "The 3m ones? Are there some wolves that are even bigger?" [There are about 20 5m wolves.] "This is bad. I can go against a 100 rank 2 somehow, but 20 rank 3.no way!" [Hum then what about the 10m one?] "10 m?! Describe it to me!" [Pitch ck. Lightning crackling around its body. Seems to be leading the others.] "FUCK. RUN! WHERE IS THE PACK COMING FROM?!" [Behind us. Is it that bad?] "THAT IS A FUCKING BEAST KING RIGHT THERE." [So. How bad is it?] "IT TAKES 4 PEAK RANK 4 TO KILL SUCH A BEAST! You tell me!" [Oh, I see!] "WE ARE SCREWED JUST WITH THE MINIONS AND NOW THIS!" [Oh, I see!] "HOW AREN''T YOU FREAKING OUT RIGHT NOW!" [Oh. I found us a ce to hide. There seems to be some restriction. No creaturees close to it.] "*Sigh* Alright. How long until we reach it? How far away is the wolf pack?" [We should reach it in an hour at this pace. As for ones behind us. They don''t seem to be in a hurry to catch up. We have ample time.] "*sigh* Sectmaster please stop scaring me so much." [Alright haha.] Alright that might have been a bit mean of me. But at least I guess it''s pretty cool how I could see a beast kind with my own eyes.eh I mean my own skill. There is but one thing that worries me a bit. Why does it seem like the wolf pack is herding us toward that spot?! Chapter 23: The birth of a legendary beast tamer Chapter 23: The birth of a legendary beast tamer **** (POV) "S-So, this is the barrier?!" A feeling of dread. So intense I know for a fact my life will end if I cross over there. [Yep. Alright let''s go.] "Sectmaster wait! I have a horrible feeling about this ce!" [That''s not surprising. A barrier is meant to keep people out right?] "Y-yes but still." There is no way it is that simple. [I can see inside and there is no danger. There is a small house and a small pond. I''m guessing it''s some kind of super expert living here. There is a small wolf too, probably the owner''s pet. In any case whoever lives here usually is absent at the moment.] How the hell is it possible to see anything inside? This ce is death itself. "Sectmaster what if the owner gets mad at us for intruding! We should just keep running along the border!" I''d rather fight the entire wolf pack than go in there! [Suit yourself. I''m going. Good luck first elder of the unnamed god. I will keep a fond memory of you!] Fuck! Fuck! I don''t want to go there! Never! But he''s going! I''ll probably die. But so what. Repay kindness hundredfold is it? I''ll fucking repay it with my very life itself! "Wait for me I''ming along sectmaster!" Then we enter. The feeling of dread is worst now! BUT WE PASSED THE BARRIER ALREADY?! How is that possible?! OH MY FUCKING GOD. MY INSTINCS ARE WARNING ME! WHATEVER IT IS IT''S IN THERE! It isn''t the restriction at all! FUCK! "WE NEED TO GET THE FUCK AWAY!" Then I see it. The source of this baleful aura. That''s when I realize I am already dead. Have been ever since we decided to enter this ursed ce. I have seen rank 4 magical creatures before. I remember the crushing feeling of oppressiveness. This is child ypared to this. This one is the real monster. It''s on another fucking level. The aura ising from a small white wolf. That''s when I realize it is no pet. This one is the owner here. That''s when it hits me. We are in the middle of the savage archaic forest. There are myths of a supreme ruler lording over all the other beast kings. Guess it is reality. Ah. My life shes in front of my eyes. All the ces I''ve been. All the people I''ve met. All the delicacies I have tasted. All up to to my only defeat. Then how I have been saved by the sectmaster. The weirdest man I have ever seen. One that I cannot see trough. One that seems so naive at times. One that can drink the old devil''s poison like it is nothing. One that proims wanting to go against the world. One that refuses to bow down to the gods. Yet one that takes 2 hours to defeat a rank 2 wolf only to pet it in the end. Now is the time for me to die. Time for both of us to die. Surprisingly I am not even angry about it. It has been a pleasure getting to know you sectmaster. It has been a pleasure joining the unnamed god''s sect even if it brought my demise. It has been a pleasure adventuring at your side. It has been a pleasure dying at your side. Guess it is time for the mighty legion of 2 people to disappear! Farewell world. [Yo! You there?] Farewell . [Elder do you still have any?] What? Ie back to my senses. I can see the sectmaster. Was he talking to me? Is he telling me about hisst wishes? I''ll die too you know. [So, do you have any meat remaining?] What? Why does he want meat? Last meal before we breathe ourst? Probably. [Hum he seems lost in thoughts. Well just wait a bit.] What is the sectmaster doing? He is next to something white. A white wolf. He is petting a white wolf, I think. WAIT PETTING A WHITE WOLF?! "SECTMASTER WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" [Oh, you are back. I need some barbecued meat. You still have some right?] What is happening? The air around the demon is overflowing with condensed mana. This aura is impossible to withstand. How does he remain calm? How?! "H-here is some sectmaster." [Thanks. Here you go little guy. Eat well. Otherwise you won''t grow up big and strong.] *sound of intense petting* He is petting the creature. Telling it to grow stronger. Is that even possible? I don''t know what that is. I almost pissed myself. Me. Someone who fought against rank 4 before and ran away sessfully without suffering any injury. Just the sight of it is enough to convince me to give up any resistance. [That is a cute doggo. Yes. Or should I say wolfie haha.] 0_0 The sectmaster is a madman. Aplete and utter madman. [How is it? Does that feel good? Don''t worry there is plenty of meat and pettinging your way!] Plenty of pettinging your way. Or so he says. That wolf is probably a rank 5 beast or close. *sound of intense petting* Don''t worry he says. To a force strong enough to destroy this whole continent. 0_0 [Are you living here alone? What about your owner? Well I''m sure whoever lives here is nice since he is taking care of you.] Would anyone even dare to call himself the owner of a rank 5 I wonder. -_- [Your fur is so soft! So fluffy! So white!] I probably shouldn''t tell him, right? Even if he suddenly apologizes it''s probably already toote. [I''ve seen silver wolves out there and a ck giant wolf. But your color is the best! What about your family? Are they living nearby?] Is it me or the creature is getting overwhelmed by the sectmaster? [Get some more food out! Then we can rx next to the pond and look at the fishies!] "Of course, sectmaster." How the hell are we still alive. Seriously?! We will most definitely die in an uing future, but I might as well follow his lead for now. If there is an afterlife won''t I be able to brag about how I saw a rank 5 get toyed with? HAHAHA. This is great! [Oh right. Do you have a ball?] "A ball?" [Of course, otherwise how can we y fetch?] 0_0 Chapter 24: Playing fetch with the elder Chapter 24: ying fetch with the elder This elder of mine is really absent minded today. It takes a while before he hands some meat over. I guess he is still worried about the wolf pack. Good thing the little guy is patient. But seriously I wonder who the owner is? Why would he leave this poor creature all alone here? A wolf is kinda wild. You''d expect it to be able to hunt for food itself. But there are 2 issues: - This one is obviously extremely weak! Not even 3 m long so not even a rank 2. - We are currently in the savage archaic forest. A disaster zone teeming with monsters. Now either this wolf is friendly with the other ones outside or there is some food somewhere stashed in the house. Only reasons I can see for its survival since it doesn''t seem that hungry. Also, this wolf is white. There is only one possibility. THIS WOLF IS A SHINY! That much is obvious when gazing at the cute, fluffy and soft animal. What does that mean?! He''s a living rare collectible. That would exin that a super expert would make it his pet. But I truly wonder who lives here. Either someone insanely strong or someone that has a way to get out of the forest using a secret passageway. I guess it would also be possible for as self-reliant hermit but where would such a person be right now? [Hey little guy! Do you have any idea where your owner is?] He seems confused. Well that''s normal. What about my friend? Still absent minded. Guess I won''t use him to brainstorm. [It''s fine. We''ll wait for him together! Alright do you want to y fetch?] Haha. He''s frowning. Is that wolf from a Disney movie?! How can he be so human-like? [Don''t worry about it. I''ll teach you. You see this bright red ball? I''ll throw it and then you''ll try and go catch it as fast as possible!] "...." [Catch! *Throw*] "..." "S-sectmaster. Perhaps this game is not to his liking." Guess I''ll just pick it up for now. I wonder what the issue is? Oh, I think I know! [Hum. I guess it can seem weird at first nce. But it''s really fun. Hum how about giving an example?] "." "." [Alright. Let''s do a few rounds just the two of us! We''ll let the little guy watch how it''s done.] "." "Sectmasteryou want me to y fetch with you?" [Who else is there? I can''t really do a proper example alone.] "." "A-alright." [Fetch! *Throw*] Alright! He''s properly going after the ball. Now what about the wolf? He''s watching intently. "Here you go sectmaster, the ball!" [Perfect! Good job!] Why do I feel like he''s disdainful now? Well no matter he''ll get it after a few times. [Fetch! *Throw*] "Again?!" [Of course! We''ll go at it until we seed!] "-_-" **** A few hourster. The elder is panting lying on the ground. At the beginning he was reluctant to keep ying fetch. Then I told him to value this as a training opportunity. Honestly, his top speed is really impressive. He is definitely a worthy warrior! What about the wolf? He''s. amused.and sneering. Well, this n of mine sessfully failed grandly. On one hand I only managed to make the bipedal one retrieve the ball. On the other hand, the wolf seems closer to us than before. Before when I was petting it, I could see some wariness in its eyes, but now it''s gone. I swear this fellow looks the more humane in our party of 3. If just looking at his expressions haha. Well whatever. Time for a break. So, it is time for the hot spring! ONSEN TIME MOTHERFUCKER! Or it''s what I''d like to say. Turns out it ain''t so easy. 1- Generating enough water and digging a hole is a bothersome endeavor. 2- Using the current little pond as a base is a great idea. until you realize that would probably kill all the fish inside that are obviously not used to high temperatures. 3- That would be a total waste of mana for heating said water. Remember we are in a deadly disaster zone. I''m pretty sure this is a peace zone. Don''t ask me why. Either way if anything unexpected happens it''s better to have mana avable. 4- I am not some overpowered light novel character that can shit magic from his ass. Oh, you want a hot spring? Let me just dig ake with an earthquake and fill it with enough water to inundate an entire kingdom. Then let me summon some hellfire to increase the temperature gently. Because everyone knows hellfire is the best for that. Then let me just use creation magic to turn stones on the ground into a magnificent bath house because this obviously makes perfect sense. How am I suddenly a certified architect? That''s because I was a normal Japanese student in a previous life. Everyone knows it ispulsory education to learn how to make buildings, gunpowder and atomic bombs. Duh. 5- There is no potential harem candidate even present so why the fuck would I spend so much effort. That was a joke haha I already have Luna. So, because of these reasons I take a short cold bath in the nearby spring. Then it''s time to eat dinner. Then begins the exploration! There is no way the domicile of a super expert carries no opportunities! There is obviously a secret inheritance meant for a fated one! There is obviously a basement with all kinds of treasures! There is obviously some kind of magic item to control the surrounding beast kings and be invincible! Worst case there is obviously some kind of nave pretty rank 5dy I can swindle to get her protection! Or not . I''ve been searching this dpidated house for days now! How the fuck is it so broken?! There is no sign of any potential ownering back. What the fuck is this luck. *Sigh* This ce doesn''t even make sense. What''s the point of it even existing? The barrier is the most valuable thing here. I guess the shiny wolf? Only issue is even when this wolf is unguarded against us why is it so uncooperative? [Fetch! *Throw*] "Here you go sectmaster!" Or so he says. Smiling. I meant for the wolf to go fetch. What''s with this situation? Ah whatever. THIS IS BULLSHIT. Chapter 25: Mastering an ultimate technique! *Power up sound effect* Chapter 25: Mastering an ultimate technique! *Power up sound effect* HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. I''VE FINALLY MASTERED IT! THE ULTIMATE TECHNIQUE TO DEAL WITH BEASTS OF ANY RANK! THIS IS WHAT HAPPEN WHEN I GET CORNERED! SURVIVE, ADAPT, OVERCOME! I AM FINALLY READY TO HEAD OUT THERE! Why? Because I have finally mastered the art of barbecue!!!! It took me a month of intense dedicated training, but I did it! Ok I still can''t start a fire for the life of me. Neither do I have the spices required. But I''m finally able to grill some meat! I''d like to thank my teacher for patiently showing me the ropes. I''d like to thank my taste tester Wolfie (the white wolf obviously). I''d like to thank my parents for giving birth to a legend such as myselfnot that I remember any parent. I''d like to thank all the beasts that ended up as charcoal. Your sacrifice will be remembered! I take a huge bite of the hot piping goodness I just produced. Ah! Tastes like chicken! It all tastes like chicken! Why? Because that''s the extent of my gourmet knowledge. Chicken is good. This is good. Both are meat. I should open a restaurant. I''m sure I''d get reviews like so: -5 stars out of 5, the taste is godlike. The cook is hot as fuck! The assistant is fine too. Total DILF! -5 stars, Best cook in the core of the savage archaic forest no doubt! I almost died reaching his stall, but it was worth it! -5 stars! Best potential stay at home husband! Is sexy and can cook! "So sectmaster I''m d you finally managed to seed, but how does this help us get out of here?" HAHA. Can''t even see how godly this knowledge is! Of course, this . doesn''t help. Why did I even bother learning that in the first ce? I can probably go a few days without eating thanks to the divine energy. I can simply buy some food otherwise. [Well you see I have my reasons.] What were they again? ARG Talk about crushing my feelings of aplishment in the bud. Oh, I remember! Wolfie! That goddamn smug wolf! That''s why I even bothered learning that! I remember the sneer when I first failed. I may be weak, but I have my pride! Gods are underestimating me? Fine, I''ll tolerate it! The whole Lunar sect is underestimating me? Fine, just you wait! This wolf is looking down on me? Fuck I''ll show you who''s boss! And I fucking did! Who''s the one blissfully eating my cooking right now! HAHAHAHAHAHA. I win! Well it did take a month, but it was worth it. Could I have proceeded otherwise? Obviously, I''m a proper functioning adult so I tried physical violence to get revenge at first. Problem is this wolf is fast. Real fast. Needless to say, I failed. If anything, Wolfie got excited about the chasing game. -_- But that is all in the past. I am a new man! Ah I''m getting emotional! I take the stance of an expert. You know. Trying to look as if I possess profound wisdom. [You see this much is needed. What would I do after beating a beast king otherwise? Just let the meat rot on the ground? You can''t be that wasteful my friend.] "Sectmaster you intend to challenge a beast king?!" [Wellit''s just a possibility. It''s better to be prepared for anything] Yeah. How about no. Fuck no! I''m just trying to find an excuse for my behavior in the past month. I can''t really say I got pissed about the look an animal was giving me, can I? Ah. Life is hard! Still what now? Hum let me see. The wolf pack is still out there. It seems as if they are guarding this area. In any case it doesn''t really matter to me. They are blocking the way back to the Lunar Keep but so what? I''m running away from that ce anyway. _( )_/ Do I head out there alone or as a party? Upside of going alone is I can scout easily, and I should be able to run away. Worst case I''ll just heal myself. Pro of a party I can use my fellow adventurer as a meat shield! Hum, but that would be pretty bad. I can already imagine the annals of the unnamed god sect. In year 1 the only follower got sacrificed by the sect leader. But at least the art of barbecue was mastered at the beginner level! Woot! Well only one way to decide. [Do you have a coin?] "Of course! Copper, silver, gold or ?" [Any will do] Weird symbol 1 I''m going alone. Weird symbol 2 I''m going as a party. *FLIP* Ah it fell on the side. *FLIP* No Wolfie you can''t eat that! Fuck! *FLIP* Alone it is! Ah this is so much effort. Where is a magical conch when you need it? [Alright I''ll be exploring the forest alone. You just wait for me here.] "I''ll follow you! Death doesn''t scare me!" [No, you have a task that is more important than that!] "I''m listening sectmaster!" [You''ll hunt some game for us in the meantime and prepare dinner!] "U-understood!" [Perfect! Wolfie! You help with the hunting! No freeloader!] No even if you tilt your head on the side and give me puppy eyes, I won''t fall for it! Not again! [No hunting, no food!] While Wolfie is weak it''s a matter of principle. Only ever handing out free stuff is how you spoil a kid! Disobedient children eh wolves don''t get any delicious meat! Anyway. Now is the time for an epic journey into unchartednds! Or so I''d like to say. This forest is obviously on every map there is because of its size. [Bye-bye I''ll be backter! Wolfie don''t cause trouble! Listen well to the elder!] And so I exit the perimeter of the safe zone. Surprisingly it is very uneventful. If my divine sense didn''t detect it I would assume there is nothing there. It doesn''t look like anything. It doesn''t feel like anything either. When I remember how a certain rank 3 warrior was acting here*chuckle* Hum now that I think about it that is weird. Maybe he has some magical beast blood in his veins? Don''t get me wrong I''m not thinking bestiality. Well I wouldn''t judge either way. But maybe some sort of magical art to steal power from an enemy or something. Anyway, not that it matters. Oh! What is that? The rank 4 giant ck wolf is there? Hum what does it want? Somehow it doesn''t seem hostile? WeirdOh wait there is that one time I gave it some food. Maybe it wants some more? [Hey there. I''ll give you some food once I''m back if you want! I''m out to do some scouting!] *Growl* *Nod* Hum a low growl. But for some reason it doesn''t seem menacing. Guess he understood me! Seriously who is the dumbass that deigned this area a disaster zone? Wait?! Could it be that my barbecue skill is really going to be useful here?! I''M A GODDAMN GENIUS! Chapter 26: *Sigh* I’m truly weak aren’t I ? (;-_-) Chapter 26: *Sigh* I¡¯m truly weak aren¡¯t I ? (;-_-) **** The following events happen during the solo exploration of the savage archaic forest. *Disimer* May contain explicit scenes of ass-whooping. You''ve been warned. **** FUCK ME. I''M GONNA FUCKING DIE! (OO) NOPE ! NOPE! NOPE! OMFG I''M OUT! THIS PLACE IS FUCKING HELL! CRAWLING EVERYWHERE Keep running! Don''t look back! *GRK GRK* Oh shit! Mandibles in my fucking face! *Dodge* Gotta keep running! OUCH! Mandibles piercing my fucking ass! Gotta keep running. *Tremble* I fucking wish that was an earthquake. That''s a whole fucking army! Oh my fucking god! Leave me the fuck alone! I''M NOT TASTY! You scary scary creatures. How many of these are there?! THIS AIN''T A FAIR FIGHT! Fight me 1v1 scrubs! Fuck. I''ll be fine! I have divine senses. I''ll be fine. I have body enhancement. I''ll be fine. I can regenerate. FUCK I''M NOT FINE! IT FUCKING HURTS! Worst is if I stop running I get eaten. I''m starting to get the hang of. *Rumble* WHY IS THERE A FUCKING WALL IN MY FACE NOW! Fucking magical beasts! Fucking annoying ass magical beasts! Stop fucking trying to eat me. Stop fucking showing off! I get it you can use magic! Screw you and your earth magic! Go fucking . OUCH! Go fucking die! Something is flying near my face? That seems familiar . THAT''S MY FUCKING ARM! Gotta catch that. Put it back on, divine energy. Ouf I''m fi. OUCH! I''M GETTING THE FUCK AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! HELP *sob sob* I''M GONN A HAVE FUCKING NIGHTMARES *sob sob* STOP STABBING ME! *pant pant* THAT''S FUCKING BULLYING! **** I''m finally back to safety. Fuck. I can finally understand how scary giant fucking ants are in real life. Especially if said fucking ants can use magic on top of it! Oh, as if it wasn''t scary enough already. No, gotta add earth constructsing out of nowhere in your face. Gotta add the ability to instantly tunnel underground. Gotta add the ability to apparently avoid detection by hiding underground. Fuck. Wasn''t there an arc with giant insects in that universe named with two H and a x? How did they get rid of the problem? What was it called again? AhI don''t know anymore. One thing I do know is that I''m done with that ce. The worst is I got beaten up by the smaller mobs. I came nowhere near the center of the area they reside. Nope I was still in the periphery and I still got my ass kicked. mostly pierced. Either way I''m no match for these creatures. AT ALL. So here I am back at the safe zone. Clothes in shamble. Bloodied all over. Fortunately, I''m unharmed. How did I even manage to put back my arm on? I''m not too sure. I''m just d it worked. I almost came close to starting my pirate cosy. First it starts with a hook, then an eyepatch and finally a wooden leg. Of course, there is also the mandatory parrot. Or is it toote for the pirate cosy if I have a wolf? Would I simply be called a cripple? I wonder. AH. Life is hard. "Are you alright sectmaster!" [Tis but a scratch. I''ve had worst.] (*T T)b Ah still it is pleasant to see the worry in mypanions ''eyes. Scratch that. Wolfie is just voraciously eating as usual. Number of fucks given. approximately 0. Talk about unreliable. At least my fellow guild member cares. While it''s more of a sect, we are in fact not worshiping any real god. I figure I might as well call it a guild. Since everyone will just do whatever they want in the end. But still. This fire sure is warm. *Nom Nom* This food sure is great! I feel better already. "Sectmaster what happened?" [What happened that is a good question.] Did I overestimate myself? Was I simply too confident? Were these enemies a bad match up for me for some reason? Were they just too strong versus others in this forest? Hum what caused my crushing defeat? First the number of enemies. Fighting one enemy is easier than fighting hundreds. Ick technique so it makes it hard for me to navigate across enemy units. Also, it is easier to focus against one strong enemy as far as enhancement and countering the attacks goes. Second, I''m not used to dealing with magic. In the overwolf case it''s not that bad. I can just concentrate on defense and it won''t ever hurt me. As for earth magic while it can attack directly the main issue is the indirect attacks that alter the terrain. Third, I''mcking speed. I couldn''t even outrun rank 2 giant ants (temporary name). Only reason I came out alive is that I started running as soon as I felt something was off. That and because I stayed in the outer perimeter of their base at least I''m pretty sure. Fourth, I actually lost an arm at some point. This means that I need to work on my defense yet again. While I was freaking out, I lost concentration thus leading to my arm bing a projectile. Five my rank itself is still low. Meaning that while I obviously became stronger my basic specs are still low. I did manage to resist the rank 2 warrior at the keep. I did manage to resist the warden''s poison in the dungeon. I did manage to somewhat survive by myself after going for a walk in a disaster zone (albeit I almost just died). So, I do have some aplishments. However, my physique and spirit are still at 1 for all I know. I can''t use magic. I can use divine energy, but it obviously takes a lot of practice. Every creature alive in this world is physically way stronger than I am. *Sigh* Guess I''ve been a bit too arrogant recently despite not aplishing anything spectacr. *Sigh* I''m truly weak, aren''t I? (;-_-) Going into the forest alone is fine. But not now. I thought I was ready. I''m not. Time to make a list of what I should do in a near future: 1. Upgrade my defense via divine energy enhancement. 2. Increase my speed so I can run away if needed. 3. Learn some offensive and defensive techniques 4. Learn more about magic Now for the problem of my base stats being low as fuck. While I do believe there might be a way to remedy the situation it is probably hard. After all I have a potential of 0. It is probably better to y on my strength and be more skillful at using divine energy. That will be my way out of mediocrity. For now, I''ll focus on points 1 and 2. Thenter I can work on my weaknesses to try and patch it up a bit. So! Because of these reasons! It is time for ... A MOTHERFUCKING TRAINING MONTAGE! HELL YEAH! Chapter 27: Acquiring a slightly useful skill Chapter 27: Acquiring a slightly useful skill "THAT''S INSANE SECTMASTER!!! THAT IS THE CRAZIEST IDEA I''VE EVER HEARD AND I''VE BEEN JOURNEYING WITH YOU FOR A WHILE ALREADY!!" [Rx. I know what I''m doing.] Well I kinda get where he''sing from. I did ask him to stab me as hard as he could and to keep going. #NoHomo! Well it''s also necessary. The first problem I want to address is my defense. Rather than have it be an active skill I want to turn it into a passive one. Actually, I kinda already have that going for me, but it is not strong enough as is. I need it to be reliable no matter the situation. And the fastest way to reach that is with some pain. In my opinion anyway. I''ll just have him try to hurt me continuously until it has no effect anymore. Of course, I have no issue in the short term. Only problem I have is I can''t seem tost long. I just want to rify this doesn''t apply to the bedroom. [Here is the n. Try your best to dish as much damage as possible while evading the vital points. This way even if I do screw up, I won''t die.] "But still." [I''d rather train with you. If you can''t do it, I''ll have to train my skills with wild beasts. That would be way riskier.] "*sigh* I understand sectmaster! I''ll do it!" [Good. I''m just going to lie on the ground. You can start whenever. Remember don''t stop no matter what. No need to be gentle. I like it rough. (the training)] I need to be one with divine power. I need to make boosting my defense a second nature. As easy as breathing or drinking or failing NNN. Think of nothing. Always have divine power circte. Keep calm. Rx. "Be careful sectmacter." And so, the stabby-stab times begin. It doesn''t hurt much. I just need to endure and somehow make it work. C''mon if even a narcissistic asshole of a fake goddess can learn that shit why can''t I. Well what I''m doing is probably an imitation to be honest but whatever. Keep calm. Be one with the divine power. And so officially begins the second training session of this life. Time for a training montage! HIT IT DJ! **** (>< ) 8-bit tune Test your might One sword swing at a time Test your might C''mon hit me like there''s no tomorrow! Test your might Oh, even Wolfie joined the fray! Damn this wolf looks he cute right now. Test your might Do your best people! Well Wolfie is obviously useless here, but it''s the effort that counts! MORTAL COMBAT!!!! Can it be called mortalbat if they ain''t aiming for the vitals?! Du-du-du-du-du-du-du Probably not but whatever. Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh At least they are using real swords. Well one real sword plus ws and teeth. Du-du-du-du-du-du-du I''m still here having no issue! Uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh-uh C''mon keep going! Excellent! So far so good! In my head I imagine the 8-bit melody starting over again. This is gonna be long but it''s gonna be worth it. (>< ) Oh, gotta be careful I''m getting sleepy. (>.<) zzZ IT FUCKING HURTS. OMFG HELP I''M A HUMAN SKEWER!!!! AH FUCK! Divine energy! I''m as good as new now. [Keep going. I obviously need more practice.] (>< ) 8-bit tune. Test your might. Honestly, I gotta find a way to keep it active even while I''m sleeping. Now that''s what I''d called a real passive! This is no ability. I, myself, am resistant period. It is a part of my being. Remain calm. Stabby-stab over and over. And I''m getting sleepy again. (-, - )zzzZZZ Ah what''s with the itching?! Goddamn mosquitoes!! Leave me the fuck alone!!! Oh. There are no bugs. It''s just a warrior and a wolf. How does that weak ass wolf still have energy to keep attacking?! I guess it took a long break while I was sleeping. I''ve been wounded by a rank 3 warrior, but he''s obviously holding back. Guess I''m at the point where my passive defense can block attacks from rank 2 beings? Oh well whatever. I''m improving! That''s good. Keep going. (>< ) 8-bit. Test your might. (>< ) Stay calm. Time to count the sheep. Maybe I should count overwolves instead? Well keep the massage up I''m gonna nap a bit. ( --)? **** (POV) Ah. Sectmaster. *Sigh* You being suicidal is one thing. But to ask me of all people to do it?! How am I supposed to keep my head up if I end up killing the prophet of the unnamed god? This is mad. This is a horrible idea. This is in stupidity. Not only did he leave to explore the forest alone, but he even came back all battered up. And now this ... *sigh* What am I gonna do? I''m pretty sure whenever I kick the bucket it will be because of one of your crazy whims. Well whatever. Either I do it or he goes back to getting pummeled by monsters. Guess it can''t be helped. Time to start. *sh* At first I carefully attack him. Isn''t his defense a bit too strong?! I saw him fight a rank 2 overwolf beforebut he can defend against my attacks too. That is impressive. Only question is how long can hest? Time to increase the tempo. He''s started humming a song. Not sure what it isbut it is weird. It is unlike anything I''ve ever heard. Well whatever. Less thinking more shing. Why are his eyes closed? Does he have trouble enduring? He seems fine. DID HE FUCKING FALL ASLEEP?! Wtf. Is.Wrong. With.This. Man. 0_0 Guess he wasn''t kidding when he said he knows what he''s doing. He''s still untouched. This is honestly really . *OUCH!* What? My sword is going straight trough his abdomen! OH FUCK! WHAT DID I DO!? NOW WHAT I NEED TO HEAL HIM! BUT HOW? Wait. He is healing by himself? What is happening? He''s awake now. I''m supposed to keep going. Seriously?! Fuck whatever. I''ll just do it. I stab and I stab and I stab. *pant* *pant* And I stab. And I stab. And I stab. *PANT* *PANT* And Istab ! And I .stab ! I''m totally spent. This is harder than it looks. I''ll have to take a break. *sip* water tastes heavenly after a good workout. The wolf is still attacking him. I wasn''t paying much attention before but now that I''m looking closely... Is it me or it increased its intensity by a lot? At first it was yfully going at it. Now it really feels like it''s trying to take a bite out of him. Sometimes switching to trying to eviscerate him. Yep. That rank 5? Beast is trying to kill him. What the fuck am I witnessing. No seriously. Am I dreaming? That is the only exnation. I''ve been dreaming for thest months or so. Maybe I''m still in the dungeon. Is this a new torture method Grey came up with? Or maybe the warden created a hallucinogen? *ZOOM* What is that.? WHAT IS THAT! Mana is gathering at an insane rate. That''s a rank 5?''skill for you ! I seems to be null magic. Magic that has absolutely no element. It can be harder to control instead. I can see phantom ws stretch from the wolf''s paws. Yep. One touch and I''m a goner. And such a deadly attack is aimed at a sleeping man. Is it the end of the road sectmaster? Why is this feeling familiar? *Sound of an ultimate attacknding* How is he?! The sheer mana concentration upon the point of impact is blinding me. It is too oppressive for me to directly look at it. And? ...He''s fine. he seems to be waking up. He''s grumbling something? As Ie closer, I hear him mumble. Something about being bitten by a mosquito. Did he mistake that . for a mosquito bite? WTF?! My instinct is telling me all this is real My rationality tells me this is impossible Me: 0_0 The wolf: 0_0 ( _ ) _()_/ Chapter 28: Born to become a legendary lumberjack! Chapter 28: Born to be a legendary lumberjack! A good thing to keep in mind while training. Train hard! Rest hard! This way it''s possible to progress without destroying the body. Now that I think about it. Aren''t I a genius? (**) My new training techniquebines both elements! Talk about efficient! Mypanions are tasked with trying to breach my defenses. Meanwhile I''mzing *cough cough* I''m simting a casual stance for everyday life. This is kind of fun to be honest. Wolfie is trying to bite me. I swear this wolf is weird. Try to y a normal game of fetch and you receive a disdainful look. Run after it trying to beat it up and it bes happy. Lie on the ground and let it hit you and it is relentless. I mean what a sore loser lol. It won''t give up. It''s like it expects to eventually be able to hurt me. I kinda get it. This wolf is the weakest creature in this forest. It probably sees this as a training opportunity. Still I''m pretty sure it is either limited by its young age or by its race? Either way it''s obviously not improving. Well to be fair. I''m sure there is a way for it to reach the next level. I just feel like the current practice might not be the way to go about it. Anyway. I have 2 big problems right now. 1. I''mcking a conformable bed. The ground is uneven and especially hard. 2. There is no sun in this forest, so sunbathing is impossible. Now that I think about it there are more pressing issues. Like how there is no way to y any music in this ce. Okay to be fair, maybe I should stop this training soon. Or at least focus other stuff too. How long has it been? About 2 months I''d say. There is no night and day here. Kinda hard to tell. Sometimes I wonder how the other people I know from the Moon Keep are doing. They are probably really active with the waring up. That doesn''t concern me much. While I do n to get Luna back at some point It will be on the long-term. I mean there is a fucking rank 4 old man there that kinda despise me now. Ah and remains the question: will I be able to just run away from it all? I feel like there is no need to even fight. I''d rather hide. Now that I think about it this ce isn''t bad. It is peaceful. There is a source of water. There is abundant food. It is far away from any civilization. Yep! I''ve decided. I''ll first explore this world and have fun. ^_^ Try to slowly improve all my abilities at my own pace. If this continent turns into a bloodbath, I''ll retreat back here. Wait till it all blows overthen I''lle out like nothing happened. HAHA. Suck it gods! || This is the best n ever, period. Alright so what''s the next item on my training list? I''m mostly done with point 1 for now. Point 2 would be to improve my speed. By speed it shouldn''t only be my movement speed but also my reaction speed. How do I train that? Either a long arduous muscle training or divine enhancement. Hum I have a potential of 0 but would it impact muscle training or not at all? There is a lot I''m not sure about. One thing I do know is in doubt improve on what you know best. I don''t want to be a jack of all trades, but master of none. Circte some divine energy. All across my body. Especially in my legs. Make sure my body is resistant also. Don''t want to pull a muscle after all. Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger. ((d[-_-]b)) Arg now I''m really missing some music. Concentrate. Whatever. I''m the fastest thing alive. Let''s try this. YOOSHHHH ! *WOOSHH* *CRASH* Fuck it hurts. Where the fuck am I? I can''t see . it''s dark. Moving is hard. "Sectmaster are you alright?!" Am I alright? Hum I feel like I have all my limbs, but I''m definitely constrained. "How did you end up inside an archaic tree?! What happened?!" OH, I see. I ran really fast. A bit too fast for what I could handle. And I crashed. Hard. In a tree. Now what? [Can you help me get out?] It takes a while, but I do manage to break free. The process reminding me of these animal videos. You know the ones that make you exim how dumb is that creature to get stuck there like a moron! And then it takes a vige to somehow recues it from its predicament. Right now, I''m that dumbass that got stuck somewhere random. (-_- ) Good thing no one saw that beside my fellow guild member I take it back. Wolfie stopughing. How does a wolfugh? I don''t know. ( ) These eyes are clearly expressing ridicule. Fuck. You try it then! [Ah. Thanks.] No matter. I will not lose my cool with an animal. There is no way someone as noble as me will take it out on such a weak creature. I totally don''t feel like beating it up right now. No there is no way the only reason I''m letting it go is it being faster than me. Fuck. Okay maybe a bit. Just you wait. There will be some punishment soon! (o ) Gotta work on my speed so I can catch it. Alright concentrate. Boost my specs. And. GO! *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [Fuck. Help!] "Are you alright" [Yes. I''m training don''t disturb me!] **** *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [Again!] *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [Again! I don''t believe I can''t do this] *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [Fuck! One more time!] *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [Screw you big ass tree! Why are you standing in my fucking way!] *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [How the fuck am I hitting the same tree over and over?!] *WOOSHH* *CRASH* [I fucking changed direction. HOW IS IT THE SAME TREE!] ( *WOOSHH* *CRASH* Oh! There is some improvement! After all these tries! I may have crashed into the tree, but I passed right through it this time! Hell yeah! I''m slowly getting better at this! And then I turn around . FUCK! NO! I''M HERE DON''T COME THIS WAY! *CRASH !!!!* OUCH! HOW FUCKING HEAVY IS THAT TREE! FUCK ME. So, turns out when I turn around the first thing I see is a huge hole in the tree trunk. After all these crashes I ended up cutting away at its foundation. And then it falls on me. Yes, an archaic tree. A humongous fucking tree. Yes. It''s big. And heavy. I''m really d I''ve been training my resistancetely. Otherwise I guarantee I wouldn''t be alive right now. "Sectmaster this is the first time I see someone fell an archaic tree! As expected of you!" Can I cry now? o()o Why is it that my speed enhancement technique seems better suited against trees? Did I just discover an ultimate woodcutting technique by mistake? I can already see it. Me as an old man teaching his many, many, many disciples. Keep hacking at the trunk until you can see the truth of this world! Be one with the axe! Be able to wield your will as an axe! Finally nurture an axe spirit! But let it be known there is a secret stage even higher. One where every little movement you make is enough to fell any tree in this universe. Let me tell you about the time I vanquished Yggdrasil by running at it! *impressed gasps* *twinkling eyes* *a disciple in the corner on his knees worshiping* *sigh* If only. fuck I got some work to do. Chapter 29: What will I do without you?! *crying* Chapter 29: What will I do without you?! *crying* Today we are here to mourn the loss of archaic trees A to J. May their heroic sacrifice remain in our memories. On the upside the wood is so full of mana that it will likely remain sturdy for a long time even lying there fallen. Sadly no one in the party possesses any skill to actually make use of the resource. It took me a while, but I finally managed to figure out the issue. How long? About a month. Again, I tend to lose track of time easily. But here are my findings. A burst of speed is useless if the associated control isn''t present. To make an analogy it would be like installing a turboprop engine on a kick scooter. While I would very much like to see it happen it wouldn''t be very realistic. So instead of visualizing myself as being the fastest man alive I now just picture myself going faster. The entire process has been apanied by a concerned elder helping me and a smug wolf mocking me. But today is a day of reckoning! You dareugh at me! Time to see who''ll have thestugh! HAHAHAHA. [Come here Wolfie! I''ll just beat you a tiny bit! ( ) So, what if you run away! I can follow now! *GRAB* Gotcha you mischievous wolf! *Whine* So, what if you try to beg for mercy! This is vengeance! *Smack* And I start spanking. *Welp* Puppy eyes again? HAHA. You scheming wolf! I HAVE DEVELOPED AN IMUNITY TO THAT! I remember all the hardships I had to face while training. Ah. Such is life. But still, nothing will save you! Trying to struggle out of my grasp? What can a weak rank 1 wolf do? *Smack* How do you like that?! *Smack* The struggling stopped. Oh well it''s bing boring now. My anger isn''t that deep to begin with. [I''ll forgive you this one time! But be more respectful in the future!] Wait! Wolfie just nodded?! Damn. The ancient were wise. Beating up mischievous kids does work wonders. [Alright. Come here.] *Sound of intense petting* I''m truly d I went through the trouble of training myself! Ah. wait I feel like I''m forgetting something? Right. I was training to be able to survive the dangers of the forest, wasn''t I? Oups. It''s easy to get sidetracked. **** Remember what happenedst time against the giant ants? That was the old me! With boundless confidence butcking skills. The current me is all different! I''m way sturdier and faster! I''m on a whole new level! Guess what I''m gonna do to those ants now?! Absolutely nothing. Yeah, screw that. Imma find another way out of this forest. One that doesn''t involve fighting a disgusting legion of scary ass oversized bugs. Am I scared? No way! It is simply that a wise man chooses his battles. Get it. I''m no coward! I''m wise! **** Time to use my secret technique to find a direction. I grab a stick. Then I scribble an arrow on it. Then I throw it in the air! Guess I''m going that . yep that''s the ck overwolf territory. I throw it ! That''s the ant territory ain''t it? I. Throw. It. There we go! Works every time! Mostly. Let''s see what''s there. Hum nothing? That''s weird. Did I just find a way out of this forest? Stick throwing overpowered. *smug* By nothing I mean obviously there are various rank 2-3 everywhere. Being careful I can evade those, however. Ah. The way forward is blocked. There''s only a rank 2 there! Let me just walk next to it. Some kind of giant mantis. I just let it hit me. Yep it''s weak. Just gotta wait a bit.and it''s tired. Time to continue my journey. Hum this sure is peaceful. Is that a mantis again? Seems to be rank 3. I can simply evade it. wait . WTF! It just disappeared from my senses. How does a 5 m height bug simply disappear? That''s when I see something right in front of my face. A tear in space. Then I see two ded arms. It''s the fucking rank 3 giant fucking mantis. WTF! A MONSTER THAT CAN TELEPORT?! That''s some protagonist level of power. How the fuck can a bug do that?! I try to evade. *SLASH* Of course, it''s also fast as fuck! Obviously! *SLASH ------ CRASH* Fuck me! This bring back bad memories. I just collided with an archaic tree again. Above me?! * SLASH ------ CRASH* Behind?! * SLASH ------ CRASH* This is painful! What am I? A fucking toy?! Bellow?! *BAM --------------------------------and down we go----------------------CRASH* Fuck me. I get up staggering. * SLASH * Leave me alone already. o()o I''m fast. But not as fast as some bug teleporting all over the ce. I''m resistant. But I keep getting thrown all over the ce. I''m getting trashed. Yes, I''m crying. Right now I feel like this mantis is trying to y Fetch alone. Ouch! And I''m obviously the ball. Stop shing let''s talk! Throwing the human with a vigorous sh attack! It''s super effective! No mercy uh. Used space magic to go back to the human. It''s super effective! Here we go again. Today I have learned one of the truths of the world. There are stages to ying with a monster. One being scared as fuck. Two getting hit and being hurt all over. Three getting angry at that fucking piece of trash bug. Fourth trying to bargain with a monster that doesn''t care one bit. Fifth eptance. Realizing that you are still a scrub. And waiting for it to be over. *Sigh* o()o **** As I''m going back to our camp, I keep sighing. Yes, I survived. Yes, it was painful. No, I''m not going back there ever. Good news is I''ll be able to enjoy a nice homecooked meal as soon as I''m back. When I pass the restriction, I can see this elder of mine. He seems preupied for some reason. [I''m back.] "Wee back sectmaster." He doesn''t even react to the pitiful state I''m in. [Is there anything bothering you?] "Something came up sectmaster. I need to leave. Tonight." [Alright. Let''s pack up and leave. What''s the n exactly?] "No. I''m going alone." [Why?] "I have my reasons." [How about we leave this forest together?] "No. I''m leaving." He is walking away. [WAIT DON''T GO! WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT YOU?!] "You''ll be fine sectmaster. I believe in you." And that is thest thing I hear as he quickly disappears What the fuck is happening..... Chapter 30: All Alone Chapter 30: All Alone You''ll be fine sectmaster I believe in you.and he left. He''s already gone now. WTF. Partings are supposed to be emotional. In movies the mentor character usually dies a tragic death. Here he just went I''m out. Is it because he only taught me to barbecue and a few misceneous things? Being a half-mentor saved him from a dramatic exit? Let''s consider him a friend character. There should at least be sad music ying with touching dialogues. There is none of that. Just an awkward farewell. Me standing here in this gloom ass forest being confused as fuck. But seriously, why is he leaving? Will I ever know? Is it some sort of profound backstory with sinister forces at y? Did he just get tired of my shit? And by that, I mean maybe he got tired of ying fake cultist for the unnamed god bullshit. But then that shouldn''t be it. Even I don''t take that joke seriously. Hum. Guess there is one thing left to do! Investigate not. He did say categorically that he wanted to be left alone. He doesn''t owe me anything. If anything, he''s already done plenty. He guided me here. He shared his knowledge. He helped me train my resistance. He encouraged me when I was feeling down. He cooked me delicious meals. Now that I think about it, I really need him. But he''s already gone. I have a scouting ability but that''s it. It''s not omnipotent. *Sigh* I feel like shit. Mostly confused. But like shit, nheless. *Sigh* They say you only realize what you had once you''ve lost it. How fucking true. This is the first time I actually end up alone sinceing here. At first, I was overwhelmed by the god realm. By the tiny portion I saw of it anyway. Then I visited the Moon Keep and everything was so hectic. Between the rough beginning, the training and Luna''spany I was plenty busy. There I could also interact with all kind of people. The ever kind Grey. The boisterous sectmaster. The straightforward Eagle. The mysterious warden. I left all that bustle behind. I''m especially missing Luna. But even when I left, I wasn''t alone. I had thepany of a nameless wanderer. Even now I''m addressing him like that. I never actually asked his name. Kinda silly when I think about it. I''m starting to tear up. Well it doesn''t matter. Not now anymore. It''s easy to get swept up in the current when with others. To forget all your worries and just go with the flow. But the thing is. When all the bustle and excitement is gone. When at the end of the day you are back alone. That''s when your thoughts start to wander. When you realize how easy you''ve had it all. Going from one point to another with enthusiasm. Gets harder once the warmth of others goes away. The challenges of life seem insignificant with others to share the burden. But now it''s just me. Me and me alone. I don''t know why it suddenly hits me. Why now? I don''t know. But I do know that I feel insignificant. At this single moment. And lost. Oh, so fucking lost. I''m not from this world, that I know. I don''t remember much of my past. Just this random weird-ass knowledge that pops up in my head. Just a nobody getting summoned by the whims of a selfish goddess. If only it was that simple. I''m a fucking mistake. Passerby A that got summoned with the hero. Some isekai bullshit. It all seems so easy. Get summoned, meet the support characters and help them defeat an evil enemy. There is no way life is that easy. I don''t believe in pure goodness nor do I believe in pure evil. I don''t believe in much of anything to be honest. I don''t believe in myself sometimes. I don''t believe in this world. A world where mortals are at the mercy of gods. A world where the only meaning is to dominate. To bring glory to some entity. Some fucking bullshit entity. I don''t believe in it. I choose not to. But what is my ce in such a world? I have no purpose. I have no mission. I feel lost. Most of all I feel lonely. Oh, so fucking lonely. Are there others that reject this world? A world I know close to nothing about. A world I want to forsake. I''m alone now. He left me. But then again so what if I have no purpose. When I think about it, I can do whatever the fuck I want. But what do I want? There is no predestined plot to control my destiny. Free-will is equally appealing as it is scary. I get the allure of having your whole life predetermined. Of following some god high up. No need to make any choice. No need to suffer any stress. For your life isn''t yours anymore. I want to reject this. But I''m apprehensive. All I know is I don''t belong to this world. The fear of the unknown is ingrained in humans. What do I do? I''m confused, lost and lonely. *Sigh* I could live the rest of my life here. In this forest. Never to step outside. I could valiantly brave the outer world. I could end up extremely disappointed too. I could end my life and hope to reincarnate. I could give up and follow a higher being, There are endless possibilities. And endless uncertainties. Why didn''t I share all these doubts when I had the chance? Because I was too blinded by happiness to care. Because I wasfortable in the status quo. Because staying here felt appealing. Because leaving felt appealing. Because going against the world felt appealing. It all felt appealing. Because I wasn''t alone. No matter what happened I would have been fine. At the end of the day I would havee home. All battered up. Close to death. And I would have had a friend to share a meal with. To train with until I was ready to face any danger. To reassure me that my presence in this world isn''t meaningless. In this world that seems dreamed up by a mental patient. Maybe I''m the one that''s crazy. I don''t mind being insane. I just mind the loneliness. *Sigh* I just want to take a nap and forget it all. **** Something brings me out of my reverie. Wolfie. Tugging at what remains of my clothes. Asking me to pet it. I guess I''m not alone after all. ( ^_^) That''s thest conscious thought I have before sumbing to exhaustion. Chapter 31: AN UNEXPECTED CRISIS! Chapter 31: AN UNEXPECTED CRISIS! I wake up in the morning hugging Wolfie. Morning is just what I want to call it. I have no fucking idea what time it is. I did have a small emotional breakdown yesterday. But now I''m fine. Gotta remember the golden rules I set for myself. I''m gonna head back there and fight. I''m gonna remain happy knowing that I''m not alone here. I''m gonna take control of my own fucking life. Ah. I really feel better. Let''s think things through. First, I need a clear goal. Something I learned in life is that it helps to set small objectives. One step at a time will let you seed any endeavor. Right now, Ick everything but time. At first, I just wanted to leave as fast as possible. But now I want to conquer this forest. And I don''t mean a literal conquest, but I want to be able to live here as I please. I''ll find the most unique monsters and find a way to deal with them. The ants I ran away from? I''ll go back to. The mantis that kept beating me up? I''ll get my revenge. In the future anyway. For now, let''s just explore slowly. As I exit the safe zone Wolfie follows me. [It might be dangerous out there you know?] A resolute gaze. [You want to tag along even then?] *Nod* [If we encounter an enemy what do you do?] *Bites an invisible enemy* [Nope! You run!] *Visible confusion* [You are weak. Stay far in the back. If we encounter an enemy, you run!] *Hesitant Nod* [Alright. You need to stay alive no matter what understood?] *Nod* I guess this wolf is fearful I''ll abandon it too. [Here we go!] Don''t worry little one. I''m gonna bring you with me. This wolf is fast. As long as we are careful it should be fine. **** Day one. I use the stick throwing technique. I try going into the opposite direction this time. As usual I just evade the random fodder. At some point there is a deer in front of me. Its movement are especially weird. No matter what I do it always end up being one step ahead of me. Always in my path. Almost as if it was protecting its territory. Except it is simply eating grass. It is about 5 m long. Probably a rank 3 judging by the size. It has huge antlers. Probably how it deals with predators. I doubt this one presents any danger to me. As long as I don''t try to hunt it anyway. I''d rather eat some random rank 2 aggressive creature instead of this gentle one. As I walk closer itzily looks at me. Not an ounce of wariness. It is not scared of me at all. Not even scared of Wolfie in the far back. Well to be fair no need to be really. But it is weird still. I wonder if it will let me pet it? *Ruffle* Damn! Warm and soft to the touch. [You are so cute! Yes, you are!] It''s looking at me with clear eyes. [You need to be careful I''ve seen many monsters that would just love to eat you up in this forest!] It softly nudges me with its head. [Here. Headpats are the best right?] Its eyes are closed in bliss. Damn this day is already awesome. Can I bring it home with me? A wolf and a deer are a good start. Gotta catch them all! All the cute pets! It brings its mouth closer to lick my hand. Damn it''s so cute. *COUGH* (_) WTF IS THAT! WHAT THE FUCKING HELL. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT DEER NOT A DEER! ABORT! FUCKING ABORT! WTF IS WITH THAT MOUTH! 0_0 SHOULD I RUN? CAN I EVEN RUN? WAIT NO. DON T MOVE. IT''S FRIENDLY. NO RASH MOVEMENT. EVERYTHING IS FINE. *Deep Breath* Everything is fine. It could devour me in an instant, but everything is fine. *Deep Breath* A shark looks cuddlier but it''s fine. *Deep breath* Omfg that scared me shitless. But everything is really fine. It''s just licking my hand. Ah I stopped petting it for a moment. It wants me to keep going. Ouf. This ain''t good for my heart. Well whatever. Okay so let me recapitte. When the "deer" opens his mouth, many rows of teeth great me. Sharp ass teeth. So many fucking teeth. Way too many. Give me a day to count and I''ll still give up. How is it possible for a mouth to fit that many teeth you ask? Well picture the Majini undeads from the mutated umbre corps virus. With a gaping mouth that opens to reveal tentacles. A mouth that will likely bite your entire head of. Except with more tentacles. Also, teeth everywhere. I don''t know what is the most ridiculous. The existence of such a nightmarish creature. Or the fact that it simply wants some headpats. *Pet pet* Damn. This world sure is strange. For once the surprise is wee. This deer is fucking awesome! ()b [Hey! How about this? Do you want to follow me home? There isn''t much but it is peaceful. More importantly there are unlimited headpats included!] It''s following me eagerly! New pet acquired! (^ o ^) As we walk back it suddenly stops in its tracks. [What''s up?] It seems recalcitrant to go further. [C''mon just a bit more. We''ll be there soon. Don''t worry there won''t be any danger I swear on my soul or whatever!] It seems to want to join but be unable to. Ah! Maybe it has a family in here. Or maybe there is a reason it can''t leave this area. Such a shame. Wolfie is even intensely ring at it. I''m sure it wants a new friend too. [You really can''te?] *Nod* [*Sigh*. Alright I understand. How about this, I''lle and visit you again. Would you like that?] It''s nodding so fast it almost seems like it wants to perforate the ground with its antlers. [Haha. Alright! I''ll see you soon! Take care!] **** And thus, we go back to camp. The rank 4 overwolf is still lurking around. At the beginning I was a bit worried, but I figured it should be rted to Wolfie somehow. It is not friendly. It is not hostile either. If I had to describe it, I''d say it''s a neutral NPC. One that I sure don''t want to anger at all. It seems to be hoping for some free food. That''s when I realize I have a serious problem. I can barbecue but I can''t start a fire. At all. Yes, I try divine energy. No, it''s not working. FUCK ME. -_- AN UNEXPECTED CRISIS! Chapter 32: Playing hide and Seek with monsters! Chapter 32: ying hide and Seek with monsters! Now that I think about it the inability to cook is only annoying at worst. I can just eat wild nts. But let me add finding a way to produce fire to my bucket list. I start my day by petting Wolfie and the nightmarish deer. So here are the known special creatures encountered so far: - Rank 4 overwolf. Boss level. No need to fight it. - Rank? Giant ant army. Individual power rank 2-3. Group power = strong as fuck. - Rank 3 teleporting mantis. Mean. - Rank 3 deer. Best pet ever. Half of those are cleared! (Without a fight obviously.) In a previous life I''m confident I used to be a legendary student. Learning avidly by day and studying by night! Only the day before the exam that is. Otherwise I''d be gaming, but still. Anyway, this let me master the legendary technique called skip it! When encountering a difficult question on an exam you skip it. So that''s what I n on doing right now. I''m slowly going to explore the forest and figure out all the cool monsters inhabiting it. Then I''ll fight the weaker ones until I can level up enough to fight the mid-bosses. **** Let me see. There is nothing? For some reason there are no monster at all in this part of the forest. No fodder at all. It is eerily quiet. ( ) Let me concentrate. There are not even bugs! Something is definitely wrong with this ce! But the thing is no matter how much I focus I can''t sense why that is. Could it be some sort of magical restriction? I can''t manage to perceive ambient mana either way. Me trying is as useful as a blind man reading a normal book. [Wolfie, for some reason this area seems dangerous, what do you think?] *Nod, wary look* Hum what now? I need some meat shield to do some testing. Let''s go back a bit and that''s it! I choose you! I stumble upon a small frog. When I say small, I mean almost close to 1 m. Given that most monsters here are rank 2 and around 3 m long/tall this is actually on the smaller side. It is really easy to locate this one for predators. It is extremely showy with rainbow skin. Everything I know about ites from the first elder of the unnamed god sect. Some of the tidbits he taught me back then. Apparently, it''s called an acid rainbow frog. Its skin releases acid and multiple poisons. The worst part being the nature of the toxin. It keeps changing. Eating this poisonous frog is nothing but a death sentence. Usual hunters would stay clear of it. When I first saw it, I wanted to make myself a weapon and apply ayer of poison to it. Sadly, it seems to be a magical based poison that loses its effect after a while. So, while it can perfectly kill it is only useful for the frog itself most of the time. There is apparently a way to transform it to be useable, but it involves an especially troublesome process and the skills of a talented alchemist. But anyway. I''m the natural counter to such a creature. You got poison? So what? I got divine energy! Get wrecked! ( ^_^) v For me it is nothing much but a big frog. Since it has no natural predator it is actually quitezy too and easy to catch. I have a bit of a hard time carrying it back to the unnatural forest area, but nothing I can''t handle with body enhancement. [Alright go in!] It really iszy. Just sitting there. *Push* God it''s so slow to get it to head in. *Kick* Finally! Yes, keep going like that! I can detect some movements. Is that a green snake? Seems to be really long. >) Weird, why couldn''t I detect it before? There are many more now! This ce is weird. The snakes are entangling the frog. It tries to struggle, but it just makes it worst. What is happening now? .... FUCK! I''m d I didn''t go in. Those aren''t snakes! Those are vines! Vines that can apparently suck a 1-meter frog dry in a second. Why do I say suck? THAT FUCKING THING IS A VAMPIRE! A MOTHERFUCKER VAMPIRIC PLANT! BLOODSUCKING FUCKING VINES! Long. Green. Thorns all over. Able to transform a living creature into a lifeless husk. Would I be able to defend against that? Maybe. My defense stat is pretty high for my level. (Okay high as fuck for a rank 1) But what if? I really don''t want to try it. What scares me the most is actually the ability is has to restrain. So, what if I can somehow survive its attack but end up getting caught? I don''t want to be a fucking nt ornament! (><) How about the fuck no! Good thing I''m careful. After getting my ass kicked by some giant bugs, I''d be an idiot not to be. Well. guess what? Skip! Next! **** So, I went away. This is called a tactical retreat! I''m in another part of the disaster zone. There are proper mobs scattered all around the ce now. But then again as long as they are the usual ones, I can just evade them all. I''m trying to find the special ones now. Let me see. At first nce there is nothing significant here. Hum. Guess I''ll walk some more then go back to camp. I wonder how long I should . *Stumble* Ouch! Just when I thought I was getting used to walking in this environment I fall like an idiot. I nce at Wolfie in the back. Acting like it didn''t see anything. I''m proud of it! It''s learning! Anyway, time to *Stumble* What?! *wolf restraining itsugher in the back* Ok fine I deserve that one. But seriously what is wrong with me? I may not be proficient in many things, but walking should be one of my strong *Fall* WHAT HE ACTUAL FUCK! Is it the ground?! No . Perfectly even. Any root? Nope. My feet? Nothing unusual. That''s weird. If I just stand here nothing happens. If I move . *Crash* I FUCKING SAW IT! My fucking shadow tripped me. Yes, my own shadow. Wait! Something isn''t right. How can I even see my shadow right now? This forest is obscure. It should be barely discernable at best. I can clearly see the outline. Something doesn''t add up. I take another step while intently looking at it. Everything is fine. Wait let me try this instead. I look away, but I focus my divine sense there. I take a ste-p *Stumble* That''s how it is. Is it a curse? Is it a monster? If it''s a monster can I bluff it? [You know I can see you right?] .... [Yes, I''m talking to you.] I''m ring at this shadow of mine. Guess it won''t be that easy. Fuck me. Surprise quiz! How long does it take to crawl back home knowing it takes only 3 hours to walk here? Answer is way too fucking long! Every time I try to go make some progress; I get tripped. I really end up crawling back. As I pass trough the restriction I can see "my shadow" take the shape of a small 2 m fox that leaves chuckling. It seems as fast as it is mischievous. Dear diary today I yed hide and seek with some monsters. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! o()o Chapter 33: EXPLORATION DONE! TIME FOR A COUNTERATTACK! Chapter 33: EXPLORATION DONE! TIME FOR A COUNTERATTACK! Daily monster report! Woot! (Happens at the same time as intense petting obviously) - Rank 4 overwolf. Boss level. No need to fight it. - Rank? Giant ant army. Individual power rank 2-3. Group power = strong as fuck. Status will fight it eventually, but not yet. - Rank 3 teleporting mantis. Mean. I might stand a chance against it. - Rank 3 deer. Best pet ever. ^_^ - Rank ?? bloodsucking vines. Seeing as there are no creatures in that area danger level over 9000! Biggest Nope! - Rank 2? Shadow fox. Properties seem to be darkness magic, looks as weak as yful. Strong contender for weakest creature on this list. Haha. So, what now? Exploration! Exploration! Exploration! Why thrice? Cause important things must be repeated. I''m discover the hell out of this forest before I challenge it! [Onward my loyalpanion! To infinity and beyond!] *Nod Awooo! * **** Snake! >) One squiggly line for every meter of length! Body itself seems to be 10 m. White scales. Scaly version of wolfie. Or I could just call it albinos. My bet is it''s not as weak as mypanion, however. This one feels unique for some reason. Let''s see 10 m long is usually a rank 4. However! A snake is naturally long! Because of this! This snake is probably a rank 3. It looks to be slithering around pretty fast. Not sure what it''s doing. Hum let me observe a while longer. ... [Wolfie we''ll wait here a bit. There is a little snaky in front.] ... Ok so turns out it really seems to be a rank 3. However, all the other nearby monsters seem scared of it. This wariness can only be exined because of its strength. If my guess is not wrong this monster is not so simple. I bet it can use magic. Example the rank 3 mantis that toyed with me. Other example yesterday''s rank 2 fox. Because of this I won''t be challenging it not now anyway. Do you know what kills people the most? It''s not theck of strength. Or ack of brains. I''d say most deaths should be caused by ack of wisdom. People getting arrogant after aplishing a little and thinking themselves invincible. Well that''s a theory of mine. I just gotta remember itcause you know sometimes I get carried away. Anyway. Tactical retreat time! f()z **** I feel like walking around everywhere is not heroic enough. It takes me a while to convince Wolfie to let me ride it. But it is worthwhile. 8 hours well spent. Yes, that''s the convincing time required. If this was a videogame, I''d have gotten plenty of Speech XP from that. Sadly, I can''t gain any. Honestly, this would be so easy if I could ughter monsters to be stronger. Kill some rank 2. Level up. Kill some rank 3. Level up. Kill some 4. Level up. GG. Motherfucker. Ah*sigh* Wish I had a system right about now. Oh well. Beggars can''t be choosers. If anything, I''m lucky enough to be able to use divine energy. Oh well. Either way I''m riding a fucking wolf right now! How epic is that! Really epic. Only thing that beats that would be riding a dragon maybe? *Added to the bucket list* What''s that in front? A boar. OMFG! A BOAR ON FIRE! You know what this means? MOTHERFUCKING BARBECUE IS BACK BOYS!! Hum it looks to be pretty strong. Around rank 3. 7m long. Big ass tusks. ming mane. Not an expression. Literally on fire. What''s weird is that it doesn''t seem to put the surrounding forest on fire. I''m guessing the charging power of that thing is over the top. Wait fire? That gives me an idea! *Evil Chuckle* [MUHAHAHAHAHA] ( _ ) (_) *Wolfie* [This is gonna be fun! So much fun!] Okay. Dealing with that creature is now a priority on my list! [Come here little piggy! I''ll be your opponent!] MC used taunt. It''s super effective! A bit too fucking much effective! OH GOD IT''S PISSED! But it''s fine! C''mon charge! I''ll just evade like a matador! I got this! HOW THE FUCK IS IT SO FAST! I somehow evaded. *CRASH* That was fucking close! Waitwhat was that noise? It just fell an archaic tree 1 hit KO! 0_0 Can''t let that hit me.at all! FUCK. [WOLFIE! TIME FOR THE ULTIMATE TECHNIQUE! !] ( ) ) This boy is out! I can somehow survive giving it my all. But I''m nowhere near ready to fight it. Wolfie seems confused. oh, right I never taught it the meaning of that ultimate technique. [BACK TO BASE! RUN!] *CRASH* MOTHERFUCKER. *CRASH* He''s persistent. *CRASH* I''m thinking of opening a lumberjack business now. *CRASH* [I''M SORRY ABOUT EARLIER. THE ANCIENTS TALKED ABOUT LIVING AND LETTING LIVE! HOW ABOUT IT ?!] *CRASH* Welp. Never mind. Gotta keep running. I''m d I worked on my speed. *CRASH* Yep the previous me would have been turned into a pancake already. *CRASH* God, I love pancakes. But I don''t have the ingredients. Also, it takes fucking fire for that! *CRASH* I may be running away like a bitch now, but this won''t be the end of it! *PANT* *PANT* *PANT* I''m finally back to safety. I swear this barrier around the dpidated house is the best. No matter the beast none dare pass it. **** Exploration! Exploration! Exploration! Okay that''s weird. I''ve been walking around for around three weeks now. And I haven''t spotted a single monster catching my interest. Granted I''m just moving about in the inner region of the forest right now. Still I feel like I''ve covered a lot of ground especially considering my sensing ability. Seriously I would have expected there to be a hidden boss monster. Frankly speaking the strongest monster I''ve seen ever is the overwolf. While it does look strong, I''ve never fought it. But still I really don''t understand. It doesn''t seem strong enough to protect the entire zone alone. Why then are humans only active in the periphery of it? My guess is there is some hidden protector that only appears when ughtering the other beasts. While I''m really curious about it, I feel no need to forcefully trigger its appearance. After all I''vee to realize killing monsters has no value whatsoever for me. At first, I was thinking that eating meat from strong monsters would help me be stronger. That is also a way most people seem to progress in this world. Hence the rank 3 meat when I was in the Lunar Keep. I think my potential of 0 is holding me back. But whatever I eat doesn''t fucking change my strength. Pretty pitiful when you think about it. One could ask why I even bother hunting then? Cause it tastes good. Obviously ^_^ Anyway. EXPLORATION DONE! TIME FOR A COUNTERATTACK! (_) Chapter 34: Training and accomplishing an exploit Chapter 34: Training and aplishing an exploit [Soldiers! Attention! Yes, that''s you Wolfie! Time for a battle n! First target: Fire boar! For obvious reasons! Second target: Bloodsucking vine! I already got a n in mind. Third target: Shadow fox! Fourth target: Teleporting mantis! Fifth target: Periphery of the ant territory! Sixth target: White snake! Most of these are rank 3 and will be challenging! But the united forces of the unnamed god will never be defeated! We have the power of a rank 1 warrior and a rank 1 guardian beast on our side! That is all!] *Wolfie pointing at itself confused* [Yes, the guardian beast. That would be you.] (_) ... [Alright. First order of business. Fire Boar! Time for some training! Wolfie! We''ll y tag! Your sole goal is to catch me. I''ll be running!] *wagging tail* Is it a dog lol? ? [Ready set! Go!] I''ll be done with this in a jiffy haha! I have already mastered the art of slightly increasing my speed. All I need to do now is to substantially increase my control. I''ll definitely . WTF. This is kinda hard. Like way harder than I thought it would be. I''m having trouble evading a rank 1 wolf. given it''s a really fast one. Oh god this is gonna take a while ain''t it? Do I need to cue a training montage? Probably not. I''ll get it soon enough. **** I still haven''t figured it out. But so what?! Anything is possible with dedication! I''ll master this new technique soon! Come back here Wolfie! This ain''t time for a nap! **** How is this that fucking hard?! I was able to catch Wolfie before, right?! Why can''t I evade at all? Maybe I''m not the only one improving. That''s probably just wishful thinking on my part. I swear Wolfie naps a lot. Guess helping me is exhausting. **** I can dodge about 1/5 attacks now. Pretty low. But I''m getting better. How long have we been going at it? I''m not sure. But I''ll manage tomorrow for sure! Wolfie is taking a short break. But it won''t stop me from practicing! But seriously I need my partner back soon. **** My sess rate is about 2/3 now! I''m so close to seeding! Hell yeah. I''m a fucking genius! I''m gonna be the very best. That no one ever was. At getting out of the way of a pouncing attack. Keep going! Alright you can take a short break Wolfie. But we are starting over again soon! **** I''m fucking untouchable! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This feels so fucking good! Hum. But not enough! Keep going! I''m against a weakling right now. My goal is loftier! Until I can evade the monsters out there with minimal movement! Until I make them despair with my movement abilities! I won''t stop! Enough sleep Wolfie! I know you are getting bored but I''m almost there! **** *Ding! Host mastered high level original movement technique, do you wish to name it?* That is what I''d be hearing if I had a system. Right about now. I''mpletely ready! I''d make a killing working as a toreador! I''m just missing some red cloth. Oh yeah. I''m kinda naked, aren''t I? Yeah I''m in a fucking forest. Not like I can find stuff to wear here. Use animal skin to make myself some clothes? As if I have the skills required for that! Use vegetation to cover myself . yeah, I move around a lot. I also get my ass kicked a lot. Not gonna work. Wait used to get my ass kicked a lot! The future is gonna be glorious! [Thank you wolfie for helping me train! You da best! I know it''s been hard on you too.] Hum how long did this training take again? Probably a few days. now that I think about it might have been a bit longer. [Wolfie any idea how long it took us?] *It makes 3 scratches on the ground* Yep this wolf is smart as fuck. [3 days?] *Shakes head* [3 weeks?] *Shakes head* [Not 3 months, right? Haha.] *Nod* WTF! THAT''S NOT POSSIBLE! THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY! Actually .it might be possible. That would exin the many many naps Wolfie took. OH SHIT! THAT HAS HUGE IMPLICATIONS! OMG! The fact that it is possible to cross this forest in a month and it''s been 8 months already? Irrelevant. No! There is an issue that is more serious! I TOTALLY MISSED A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR A TRIANING MONTAGE! (>_<) *SOB SOB* Ha. What a regret! It''s fine! Today should be a day of celebration! [Wolfie follow me! Today is a glory day! We will prevail against all odds and emerge victorious!] We get to the territory of the fire boar. First target? You know it! A fodder rank 2! One that tastes good. Then Wolfie helps me butcher it. Until we have some nice-looking meat strips. BTW you don''t want to do this at home! Not if you live in a disaster zone anyway! You know in case it attracts monsters. But anyway, the only real danger here is the boar so whatever. Acquired delicious looking raw meat! NOW TME TO FIGHT! [Come here little piggy!] MC used taunt. It''s as effective as it was a chapter ago! Woot! [Go on I dare you! Charge at me you oversized piggy!] Evaded! *Charge, CRASH* Dodged! *Charge, CRASH* HAHAHAHAHAHA. HOW DO YOU FUCKING LIKE THAT?! Can''t touch this! Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh Can''t touch this! Oh-oh oh oh oh-oh-oh (Yes I''m doing an evading montage. Deal with it.) *Sounds of many many many crashing trees in the background* But I don''t fucking care! What you gonna do? Sucks to be you! Time for me to use my hidden weapon attack! MC throws meat strips at the boar. (><)== It''s sizzling. HELL YEAH! PORTABLE BARBECUE ACQUIRED! At first, I was worried it wouldn''t work. Because of how the mes on its body don''t burn down the forest. But then I realized I was overthinking. The body of this boar is hot! And I really mean in the literal way. Otherwise it would be disgusting haha. [Looks like meats back on the menu Wolfie!!!!] We have amazing teamwork! I anger the boar. I throw meat at it. When it is cooked, Wolfie crawls over and devours it. This wolf is a goddamn ninja! Only issue is it keeps falling to the ground. Ah. Whatever. Beggars can''t be choosers. Wait didn''t I recently use that saying? ''Meh whatever. While dodging I manage to grab a slice. I voraciously eat it! I''VE BEEN MISSING THIS! But there is only one issue.it is undercooked. Guess I''ll need to find a way to fix the meat better to the boar''s skin. Oh well. For now, I''ll just repeat the process until it''s well done. *Nom nom* (()? ( ) **** Next chapter it''s time to defeat the vines! This ain''t an anime, why is there a preview of the next episode ? Who knows .... Chapter 35: SAY YES TO BULLYING ! Chapter 35: SAY YES TO BULLYING ! Morning !.... Is something I''ve forgotten! No sun. At all. But who cares? Who needs sun when you got a cuddly wolf! Today is the big day! I might say that every day, but I always mean it! I''m going to best the bloodsucking vines! I''ve said earlier I have a n, right? Any pro gamer would know what I''m about to attempt. [Wolfie! Time to head for the Fire boar!] *Tail wagging like a helicopter, saliva dripping on the floor already* [No. Not for eating.] *puppy eyes* [Ok. We can eat a bit, but then we fight!] As they say work hard y hard. Or in this case work hard to eatthen work some more. I swear I''m gonna punch the first one that says the art of barbecue is simple. It takes proficiency to use a monster as your grill! **** So here I am grilling away. I let Wolfie eat its fill. Then time for war n A! [Come here little piggy!] I''ve been reusing that line way too much? What can I sayit works. _( )_/ Now. Dodge it like an absolute fucking boss. Yes, I''m OP. Now I get it to chase after me. Direction vine territory! GONNA BURN THOSE FUCKERS TO THE GROUND!!!! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ( ) I''m a Master Baiter! Yes, I know what it sounds like. To be fair I also have some proficiency in that too. But anyway. The goal is to kite the boar while it burns that part of the forest until only ashes remain. While its skin won''t passively start a fire, its attacks can do the trick. Albeit not the most efficient method, but the only one I have. Too radical? Fucking bite me! A forest that host bloodsucking vines doesn''t deserve to exist in my book. And dodge! *Woosh* *Sound of bushes burning* And dodge! *Some more bushes burning* I see these things crawl all around the ce trying to put the fire out. Haha! But vines are mmable! What are you gonna do now eh?! The boar freezes.it has seen the vines. (* ) WHY THE FUCK IS IT RUNNING AWAY!!! Fire type > Grass type Even primary school kids know that! C''mon. Talk about a scaredy-boar. And now the nts areing my way. Yeah. Fuck no! I''m out! Seriously this is pissing me off. RIP my perfect n. Well my wed n it seems. **** A wise man once said: when you encounter a strong monster that gives you trouble. go fucking bash a weaker one to vent your anger. The wise man being myself. I''m now going to follow my own advice. Direction shadow fox! Hum I''m almost there. This time I''ll be attentive and figure out how ittches itself onto me. Apparently instantaneouslyor almost. It just did. One second my shadow is hard to perceive. A second after it''s well defined. This fox is legit in my shadow. Last time I just ran. This time I''ll keep my cool and deal with it. Let''s see. First, I adopt a meditation posture. Why? It''s a prerequisite when training that type of thing. Not only does it make you look cool and mysterious, but it also. Actually, maybe that''s it? Just that is enough though. I mean it''s not like a posture would suddenly give a magic boost or anything. That would be ridiculous. Otherwise, kids doing weird Fortnight dances would all be arch-mages by now. So, I calmly sit in a meditation posture to look cool. I focus my divine energy. Then I picture my shadow. I visualize it being extremely horrible to live in. As ufortable as salt on a wound. As ufortable as having your balls on fire. As ufortable as sitting on a porcupine. As ufortable as trying to make a living as an economy major. Point is I am making my shadow hell to be in. *whimpers* *runs out* AND IT''S FUCKING WORKING! How? I have no fucking clue. Some divine energy bullshit. Now that I think about it is there anything, I can''t do with that? Right can''t start a fire -_-. Anyway, who has the best ns here?! That''d be fucking me! (Also only human here but irrelevant) HAHAHA. This is the best. [Let me see you run now!] Ever heard of the expression so cowardly he''s even scared of shadows? Or the expression fight fire with fire? I''mbining both. I''m chasing this fox with my shadow. And it''s epic! It''s scared alright! So here I am. Running all over the ce. The fox running all over the ce away from me. Wolfie watching everything happen with vivid interest. I swear it would be munching on popcorn right now if we had some. Ultimate tag time! The way this fox moves from shadow to shadow almost seems like teleportation. Everything bes clear once you know the trick, however. In fact, it''s just running away normally while using its special ability. Keeping up with it is easy after all that speed increase training. Is it mean of me to bully such a weak rank 2 creature? Maybe, but so what? Is there even a PETA in this world? I wanna see what nutjob of a god is in charge of it. You know because monsters eat mankind on a regr basis. Heard there is even such a thing as monster outbreaks from time to time. Now in front of my eyes is a kneeling fox. I barely did anything. Honestly, only followed it around with my shadow. Yet it''s already giving up? Quite pragmatic I''d say. [Oh. Are you trying to plead for mercy?] *Nod kon-kon* [Oh. Who was it that was being mischievous thest time? That kept tripping me.] *Puppy eyes* [That would be you. Now why would I let you get away with it so easily] *Sound of despair produced by a shadow fox* *Sound of said fox getting trashed* *Sound of fox stubbornly begging for forgiveness* [Fine. I guess that should be enough punishment. However! You need to behave! Or there will be hell to pay! Understood?] *NOD NOD NOD NOD!!!!* Alright. I see Wolfieughing in the background. Time to go back to camp! Shadow fox challenge: Fucking cleared! Woot! **** Hum let me see. My next target is a teleporting giant mantis. How should I approach it? I might be fast, but it''s not enough obviously. I might be able to hit pretty hard but I''m nowhere near the level of its des. Maybe I should try magic? Yeah nothat''s a pointless endeavor for me. I know! I will get myself a weapon! Time to get busy! Goal! Training time until I can bully that mantis too! Say yes to bullying of random monsters, join the unnamed god sect now! Chapter 36: Obtaining a legendary weapon! Chapter 36: Obtaining a legendary weapon! Current objective: Obtain a weapon! Time limit: None Reward uponpletion: Ability to get revenge on the space mantis Failure penalty: Remain a sad loser and avoid this nemesis of mine forever. Time to scour this forest! Hum let me see. What should I use? Part of a giant porcupine monster and make a spear? Hum I probably shouldn''t. Having range is nice. but so what? I can tank the mantis'' attacks with my body. Point is in close range fight I''d probably be better with something else. Dagger? Sword? There is always the fist. But somehow, I can''t really get motivated. Strong pugilists in stories are mostlybat junkies. You know with heaven defyingbat sense. Usually with the nickname ofbat god or something. I''d say because of 2 main reasons. 1) The ability to avoid damage (I don''t care about that one at all). 2) The ability tobo moves. (I have no fucking confidence in that area) I''m the man the training instructor gave up on after a few minutes. I really don''t fit the archetype. If there is one thing, I''ve figured out with divine power is that intent is all. Literally the same exact action with greater conviction givespletely different results. I need something else. I''d like a sword or an axe A sword to dispatch an enemy with a deadly sh. An axe to annihte an opponent trough sheer brute force. I don''t really have ess to any. If anything, I could make a dagger from some random mob''s fang? Ah this is sad. If only I had the mantis ded arms. *Sigh* Wait. I can just get that. That''s kinda obvious. I should probably get some from a rank 2 specimen. Welp, time to get to work! **** Rank 2 mantis spotted! Take this! *BAM! * *BAM!* *pant* WTF is that mantis! *BAM! * *BAM! * *pant pant* How is it so tanky ! That''s obviously an assassin type monster! *BAM! * *BAM! * *PANT PANT* Fuck! I give up. What kind of bullshit is that?! I take a moment to collect myself. The mantis is still hacking. Always has been. I don''t care. But how am I supposed to even damage the thing? Do I need a weapon to get myself a weapon? It doesn''t make sense. That brings back bad memories. Like every entry job that requires 5 years of experience. Or the raid needing gear from said raid dungeon to join. t(-_-t) *Sigh* Oh. The mantis tired itself. Alright, take a break you deserve it. It is not moving at all. On the ground. Now might be a good time to finish it. Or not. Seriously what the hell is that bug made off? Why is it so ridiculously sturdy?! Then again that might be what it''s thinking of me. That''s what happens when 2 tanks with no damaging ability whatsoever fight each other. A huge fucking waste of time. *Sigh* I need some DPS. If only Wolfie wasn''tpletely useless. Well I don''t want my onlypanion to die on me. Wait! Isn''t this forest teeming with free DPS sources?! MUHAHAHAHAHA ( ) Alright time to pick up the listless monster. [Here. Let me bring you somece nice. You''ll be able to meet plenty of bug friends.] Let me walk a bit. Should be around here. I guess it has figured out something because it starts to struggle. What is the use of being sturdy and fast when you are weak? Can''t get out of my grasp now can you! Hum, but if I just free it now it will run away. I need to call the friends first. Let me see. There is one there. [Hello little ant. No, you are way too weak by yourself. Get more rank 2 buddies and maybe a few rank 3 thene back] . *struggle* There are many giant ants nibbling at me now. Should be enough. Moment of truth! [Here y together for a while!] *Throws* *Shrieks of despair* It''s a fucking bloodbath. Well a lot of ants are dying at first. Getting sliced in half, or sometimes even more pieces. I was kinda expecting that oue a bit. After about 10 giant ants'' deaths the mantis finally shows signs of weakening. It just lost an arm. That''s my queue! *Shuffle closer* [Sorry, sorry, just passing through! Don''t mind me. Keep up the good work!] So what if I get attacked? I don''t care one bit. *Grab ded arm* Time to get away. If I get stuck here, I''m done for. Nice aggro generation soon to be fallenrade! The ant death count has reached 15! Nice going! I guess it''s ambidexter haha. And its head just got bitten off. Pretty sure that''s fatal. Yep. TIME TO FUCKING RUN!!!! **** Legendary sword acquired! Du-du-du-du ! Or not. But I suppose it will do the job. Let me test the sharpness. de versus bush, de 1 bush 0. Nice! de versus tree, de 0 tree 0. Not nice. It barely goes in. de versus rock, de 0 rock 1. Not nice. It chips a tiny bit too. de versus Wolfie.no way I''ll test that lol. But seriously after testing, this new item of mine doesn''t appear too strong. I''m pretty sure the mantis could inflict some damage? At least versus the ants? It sliced 15 for god''s sake! What is wrong now? Oh no! Don''t fucking tell me it''s rted to magic. -_- Could be like the poison frog. Maybe the des be useless if not attached to the body? Maybe the mantis is able to use enhancement? What if I use divine energy? Circte it in the sword. Focus. Sharpest de in existence. An ultimate weapon bringing shame to its mythical counterparts. Able to cleave an archaic tree in half with but a touch. *Swing* *CRASH! * Enhanced de versus archaic tree. The cut is smooth. A big piece of the trunk is simply missing as if removed from this world. The archaic tree crashes to the ground. BLADE 10 TREE 0!!!! ANHILATED HAHA! ( ^_^) v Wait for me space mantis! Time for a rematch! With this legendary sword in hand there is no way in hell I can Lo.... WTF! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?! I watch dumbfounded as the de I spent so much effort to get turns into dust. My legendary sword . *sob sob* Chapter 37: FUCK THAT GIANT MANTIS! Chapter 37: FUCK THAT GIANT MANTIS! Why the fuck is my weapon turning to dust? There is no way it should be a consumable item. I''ve fought many rounds with the rank 2 mantis, and it has been working fine. Only exnation is divine energy. My guess is the material couldn''t handle that amount of enhancement. Wait ..now that I think about it my body is amazing isn''t it ?! No that doesn''t make sensemy physique is an impressive 1. Maybe it''s a matter of ipatibility? Something along the lines of this divine energy is not 100%patible with the weapon and the difference causes the wear. But seriously fuck me. Do I need to go back there and acquire a new weapon? Hum I probably need to test with various quantities of divine power. I can slowly increase the output until it breaks. Problem is how many will I need before I can urately manipte it? Hum let me try something. I grab a random twig lying on the ground. Focus. This twig is no normal twig. It is the most OP weapon in existence. Able to cut trough anything like butter. So sharp the world would be destroyed if this stick happened to fall down. And here we GO!!! *SLASH* *CRASH* *Sound effect of a twig turning into dust* What. The. Fuck. I legit can''t see any difference in effectiveness. Doesn''t that mean the rank 2 mantis'' sacrifice has been totally in vain? F. Damn. I almost feel bad. On the upside. doesn''t that mean this forest has really op consumables lying around?! So what if I can just do 1 attack? I can literally just bend a tiny bit, grab whatever and keep hacking. What if I use a rock? Focus. This rock is no pebble. Smited in the fires of hell by Hephaestus himself. Able to destroy anything with but a gentle throw. *THROW* *CRASH* *Sound effect of a rock turning into dust* Ok seriously. What is with that skill of mine? Same exact effect. How does a sh and a throw produce the exact same effect? It''s highly illogical. But eh whatever. Magic and divine energy are highly illogical too so there is that. What should I call this skill? ULTIMATE GARBAGE DISPOSAL TECHNIQUE! Turns anything into dust with a flick of the hand. OMFG. Can I?! Would that work?! I find some rank 2 frog. These are the best for testing. Time to use my disintegrating attack! Focus. This frog is an ultimate weapon. Able to contend with heaven itself. A living fucking weapon who cares. I wait. And wait some more. I know the frog can''t talk. I''m not expecting a "Mr. I don''t feel so good" turns into dust situation. But why is nothing happening? Even after waiting a few minutesthe frog is perfectly fine. Guess that would have been too easy uh. Well whatever. I still attained a new incredible power. And with great poweres. better bullying opportunities. **** There it fucking is! Space fucking mantis. The void gets shattered in front of me. From it it emerges. shing at me so fast I can see afterimages. It can push me back. It can hurt me a bit. But so what?! I''ll live. While I''m getting thrown around, I prepare a sh of my own. I have 2 twigs in my hands, time to use the first one. Focus. Wait. Not now. It''s teleporting and . SLASH! Direct hit! This mantis is doomed! Gonna get torn in half obviously. This is so fucking great. Waitor not? The mantis looks fine but seems to be hurting. It gets pushed back too. What now? Is that monster that sturdy? Let''s keep in mind I was able topletely annihte archaic trees. Is it the difference between rank 2 and 3?! I''m confused, but I keep looking for an opportunity to counterattack. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. Now! Get wrecked! Still alive though. I can see its body has sh marks on it now. That''s a good start. Oh god this is gonna take a while won''t it?! Then I see the countless sticks and pebbles lying around. I''ll be fine. Yes. I''ll be. Not it. Haha. It hurts but whatever. Keep shing you oversized bug. Rx. Gotta figure out the right timing. And SLASH! MC used sh! It''s not very effective! But it is somewhat working. I got all the time in the world. Divine energy to regenerate. This is simr to baseball practice. Except instead of a ball it''s a rank 3 monster. And instead ofing from a pitching machine ites from a void crack. But eh. This is somewhat fun. If I keep practicing maybe I''ll be able to hit a homerun. Lol. I imagine some random guy outside the disaster zone minding his own business. Suddenly a flying fucking mantis gets thrown over his head. How surprised would such a bystander be?! HAHA. ( ) As I''m having various thoughts, we keep fighting. For me this is totally a leisure activity by now. Not sure how much time passes, but I see Wolfie take a few naps during the process. Now in front of me kneels a badly battered mantis. Impressively It has no serious injury. No missing limb, nothing fractured. Just badly beaten. This is really weird. Maybe my weapon enhancement technique is more efficient toward inanimate objects? That would make sense. Why? I don''t know. Anyway, with this giant mantis checked! Who''s the boss? That''d be fucking me haha. **** It is important to get proper rest after working hard. Right now, I still have the vines, the ants and the snake to confront. For now I''m just chilling. Eating barbecue. Fire boar grilling is an art. Petting Wolfie and the deer friend. Chasing the shadow fox around when bored. Batting practice with the mantis. Ah. Life is good! Right now I''m taking a walk with Wolfie. We''re right outside the vine territory. No matter how I try to figure it out I''m stumped on that one. The vines obviously have the home ground advantage. Normally there would be 2 alternatives. Either get it to follow me outside . yeah good luck when enemies are nts. Or get rid of the home itself. But that failed me too. Thanks to the boar being a fucking coward. I guess it will be snake or ants first. I have a n for the ants. Also the snake doesn''t seem that bad. I might keep it forst. Also its territory is in an opposite direction of the Moon Keep. But the goddamn bloodsucking ntshow do I ..what is that? The area around me bes especially dark. What is that? Then I feel a strong force throwing me upward. WHAT?! Bellow me I see a gigantic hand. Seems to be made of the darkness element. That threw me in the air? But how? And why? Then I see a cackling fox. Omfg that little shit! Trying to get your revenge eh? HAHAHAHA. Fool! A fall from this height won''t kill me. I doubt anyway. It won''t, right? Naw no way. Divine enhancement is stronk! ? I''m ring at the little monster. Just wait till I''m back down! You''ll wish you were dead! Hum what is it now? *Tear in space* Teleporting mantis. I can''t dodge in mid-air. I have no weapon with me. Not you too! Godfucking damnit! They are making fucking alliances now! And ambushes!! So what if you sh at me? I''ll just get thrown backward. Then I''ll run back and fucking bash your head in! Just you wait I''m gonna...OH FUCK. OH FUCK NO. I''M FUCKING SCREWED. As I fall back down, I realize where I am. This should be the middle of the vine territory. I can see countless of those things crawling toward me. HELP! THIS AIN''T FAIR! THAT''S A FUCKING THOUSAND VS 1!!!! Chapter 38: SCREW THIS FUCKING PLACE! Chapter 38: SCREW THIS FUCKING PLACE! One bloodsucking vine, 20 bloodsucking vines, 100 bloodsucking vines. Okay, I give up. I''M FUCKING SURROUNDED! Help! What to do when surrounded by countless thorny nt tentacles? Please reply fast! Fuck. God, I miss having the power to google shit up. Keep calm. Oh god its crawling all over my legs. Keep calm. Divine energy defense full power! Can I y dead? __ Oh god, it''s all over my chest and arms now. Please leave me alone. I''m not tasty at all. I''m totally just a rock. Believe me! All over my face too now. Ok. I''m fine. It doesn''t hurt. I don''t think these things'' offensive power is high enough to pierce my skin. If I don''t move a muscle will it get bored and move to another target? Wait there is nothing else alive beside me here. Can these things be called alive? Does it have a mind of its own? Or just some kind of instinct driving it? Isekai biology ain''t my thing. More like is isekai biology even a thing? I miss this elder of mine. I''m sure he would have known how to deal with this situation. Ok. Whatever. I can do this. I''ll slowly move and get out of this ce. Slowly. Slowly. Never mind I''m stuck. All these vines entangling me are the worst. Focus. I need more power in my legs. 12.3drag. One small step for man one giant fuckload of these things crawling. Like seriously. STOP FUCKING SQUIRMING! All I did was take one step! Is it that big a fucking deal? Apparently yes. Let me move againoh fuck. Going fucking bonkers now. Ok, let''s wait. It takes a long, long while, but eventually, all the nts do calm down. How about now? One step. Time to wait. One step. Wait. One step. Wait. One fucking godamn step. Fucking waiting like an idiot. ? One way too small step. Precious seconds of my life going away. One itsy-bitsy step. I''d rather do anything than stay here. One motherfucking step. I could be petting Wolfie right now. Once more. I could be eating barbecue right now. One stride. Oh I wish I had some fire right now. One pace. Burn this fucking forest down. One move. I would have stayed in the Moon Keep dungeon had I known. One stamp. Trampling on these fucking vines. Anyce would be better than this forsaken ce. One step. Lots of tentacle fun! Woo! Kill me, someone. How long has it been? I''m not sure. All I know is I lost count after a thousand steps. To be fair a thousand steps is like 10 min.in normal circumstances. I keep taking long ass breaks to calm the nts. These things are trying to drag me backward from time to time. I need to resist. It would be easier to figure out the time if I could at least see daylight. But nope. This disaster zone is gloomy. It would be way easier if these nts needed sunlight to grow. *sigh* I''m way too tired. Hum. Time for a nap. (-_-) zzz Ah, 5 more minutes. Let me sleep. It''s not even bright outside yet. Who is trying to wake me up? This joke isn''t funny. Let''s see who. ah. right. Motherfucking vines trying to eat me alive. *Sigh* Time to keep going. One step at a time. It almost seems pointless. But I am making some progress. *sigh* **** HAHAHA. SUCK IT VINES!! WHO''S YOUR DADDY! Not me. My looks are obviously too dashing. But I''m finally fucking out of there! Only a few more minutes and I''ll be FREE. Sayonara motherfuckers. I''ll take a bath, and eat, and pet Wolfie a bit, and have a long nice nap and I''ll.... What is that? Oh no. NO NO NO. NONONONONONONONONONO. In front of me is a fox. A shadow fox. Yes. That tiny asshole. The same one that brought me here. (_) I see a patch of darkness slowly move toward my position. Then I get pushed and lose bnce. All this happening somehow stirs the nts. WHY? FUCKING WHY? DON''T DRAG ME BACK THERE! NOOOOOOOO! (o) *DRAG* **** F. Okay. I''m stuck here. Enemy #1 = vines, high count, not that strong individually, able to overpower me as a group (still not able to actually hurt me, just drag me wherever) Enemy #2 = shadow fox. Fucking camper. Not that strong, but I can''t deal with it and the vines at the same time. Enemy #3 = is the mantis still there? I haven''t seen it. Haven''t sensed it either. While it can teleport it shouldn''t be as sneaky as enemy #2. Chances are I won''t encounter it but who knows. How do you deal with a camper? A well-thrown grenade! ( _) ~* Can''t do that. Hum, against campers you can make sure to remain behind cover. ( The problem is even if it can''t see me as long as it makes me lose my footing I''m screwed. Oh, I have an idea. What if I dig a trench as I move forward? It would help for sure. Alright, let''s do this. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. One step. Wait. Dig. Wait. Fuck this is gonna be long. Time for a time skip. **** Time for round 2! Enemy spotted! Fox uses . shadow hand? It''s not very effective. Instead of getting tripped, this time around I just drop into the trench I previously dug. Yep cozy. Vines are trying to grab me. I''m stuck. For once that''s good news. Only issue is I won''t progress this way. Doesn''t matter. For the remaining distance, I''ll move slowly. Burying my feet in the ground with every step. Making sure I won''t slip. First gotta deal with that darkness magic overhead. Focus. This shadow is only that, a shadow. There is no way it can hinder me when I''m prepared. Circte some divine energy. Time to test it. YEP! I can do this! Just you wait you little fox! I''m gonna let you have a taste of your own medicine! Haha so what if you all gang up on me! What doesn''t kill me. I''ll get revenge for it. Funny how I''m the one sieged from all sides, but the monster is the one getting freaked out. Ever so slowly I''m making my way over there. Keep using that puny magic of yours! It will be all over soon. (_) ... (Fox''s uing tombstone) Well not that soon. I''d rather move slowly than fail. But soon enough. Only a few steps left! HAHAHAHAHA. Who''s gonna get beaten up? It has 4 legs. It''s pitch ck. It''s getting scared the closer I get. Answer: that fucking rank 2 weakling. *drip drip* What''s that? Oh it''s raining. Whatever. As long as it''s nothing dangerous. *Sound of torrential rain* WTF is that rain?! I don''t remember there being rain ever here. ,,() ,, Is it magic? An unexpected attack? Doesn''t seem like it. I can''t sense anything special. Oh well. So what if I''m soaking wet? I''ll survive. Gotta pay attention to the vines and darkness magic. I''ll just keep going and. *SLIP* NO!!!! The ground is so muddy that even while being careful I end up slipping. Thest thing I see before getting dragged backward again is a motherfucking cackling fox. SCREW THIS FUCKING PLACE!!!! ( ) Chapter 39: YOU SHOULD READ CHAPTERS 39-40 AT ONCE! Chapter 39: YOU SHOULD READ CHAPTERS 39-40 AT ONCE! I was so close. So damn close! A few meters more only. Now I''m back to the center. Guess I just need to wait till the rain goes away. Then I can go again and . wait?! With the rain won''t my small trenches be all messed up too?! -_- *Sigh* Wait?! Why did I need that in the first ce?! I spent so much effort making a pathway all the way from center to the edge. But honestly, I just needed it to resist the fox anyway. *Sigh* I''m a dumbass ain''t I? (;_) *Sigh* I swear it''s this gloomy forest that is getting to me. I would have totally realized it earlier usually. This forest is so gloomy even the fucking trees look menacing. That one even looks aliv.. OH FUCK. ( O O ) WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?! 50 m tall. Yes, a tree so that''s normal. The problem is the branches are moving. Wait no.no way that''s possible Haha this is funny. The rain and the wind are obviously at y. Can''t believe I got scared over nothing. Ah. Must be the result of my recent bad luck. Seriously why did have to rain at that exact moment! Couldn''t it have been a few minutester. I''d already be home by now. *Sigh* I swear these branches are creepy. Looks He close to me. I''m just gonna move a bit. Ah! Actually might have been pushed by the vines. These things are still crawling all over the ce. Seriously mankind''s ability to adapt is pretty impressive. Not long ago I was shitting my inexistent pants. Now my brain kinda filters this sight out by habit. It''s part of the background. I''m getting scared of trees now. How risible is that? Haha. To be fair, fear of the unknown is big. That''s kind of how humans managed to survive so far in a world filled with countless weird creatures. Anyway, that''s what I believe. That''s just a normal tree. With long moving branches. That kinda look like arms now that I look closely. With tree nodes looking like big ass eyes. And a hole in the trunk looking like a cavernous mouth. No wonder I got scared haha. What are the chances. This sure is a peculiar looking archaic tree. It''s all in my head haha. There is no way this tree just extended it''s ws at me and is grabbing me right now. OH FUCK. THIS IS REAL. *bones cracking* Motherfucker! Let go! Even the trees are out for my blood! [I-I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to destroy so many of your brothers! It was all a mistake! I won''t touch an archaic tree in my life! Please just let me go!] Please-please-please. Let it work. Fuck it''s squeezing me even harder. [Fuck you, you lump of wood! Fucking burn! Fucking get chopped like the useless wood you are!] I might not be strong! But I won''t die that easily! *grinding continues* Alright! I''m fine! [Hahahaha. Can''t even crush a puny human? What kind of failed nightmarish tree are you? Only able to scare people! U-se-less! You call that a grip! My grandma is stronger than you! And she''s been dead for 100 years already!] Okay that''s a lie, I don''t even remember any parents to say nothing of a grandmother. But so what. I''m pissed at that log. It tried crushing me, but ultimately failed. [Haha. How the hell are you so weak yet so fat! Look at how big you are! 50m tall and can''t even deal with the not even 2 meters me. Any creature as big as you would be a rank 5 for sure. But then you are a fucking tree. Downgraded to rank 4. Then you can''t even move. Downgraded to rank 3. Then you are weak as fuck. Downgraded to rank 2. Then except being ugly I bet your only redeeming feature is to burn well. You are a fucking rank 1 monster, aren''t you? HAHAHAHA. Talk about worthless!!] (,) Some say venting solves nothing. I assure you it is vital to my mental well-being. I might be a rank 1 too but fuck that tree! Okay to be honest I guess it probably is a rank 3 wooden monster. Strong, butcking in mobility. Obviously. It is a tree after all. But seriously this is disappointing. Treants are supposed to be good guys. This one is a pain. *sigh* What am I gonna do If I ever encounter an evil sorcerer raising an orc army eh? Not rely on an Treant for sure. Or whatever that thing is. Point is, it''s not friendly. At all. First time it sees someone and it goes straight to crushing. Its eyes are opened now. I can see some sort of pale blue light flickering inside. Not fire, but fire-ish looking. I don''t know it''s weird. It seems to be fixing me while trying its best to squeeze. Whatever. Keep trying big guy. I may be overallcking but I''m sturdy. Now what. It can''t defeat me. But I seem to be stuck. Why does it feel like I get stuck a lot these days? *sigh* Whatever. Time for a nap. (-_-)? **** I wake up. I''m in a soft bed. I see Luna''s face next to mine. "My lord, good thing I had a dream about your previous predicament. That pushed me to get a power-up. I went to rescue you and brought you back to the Moon Keep. Now remove my clothes and make love to me!". Oh, so that''s what happened. Make sense. Let me just remove the robe real quick. |(3 )| These full moons clothes are kinda cool but used to stress me so much haha. But everything is fine now. Luna just got a plot power up so I''m sure she can deal with whatever bullshit from the sect higher-ups. Hum. Why is Luna wearing a robe ...under her robe? It''s fine. I''m a patient man. Let''s just remove why is there another one? Fine, let me. another one. What is happening? [Luna what''s up with your robe?] "Oh that? I was cold. You just need to remove &%#!yers" Wait what? "You have 2 more minutes my lord." Or so she says with a radiant smile. 2 minutes but why? -------- "Envoy! It''s been 2 minutes, it''s my turn now. Or should I say, fake envoy? Anyway, now you are to drink with me!" Wait. Why is the sectmaster here now? What is happening? "Bottoms up." Whatever that is it smells horrible. No way I am drinking that. (;y) *gulp* *choke* FUCK THAT''S PISS! (`) [I don''t want to drink. I don''t want to drink.] "Oh, but you have to, every single drop till thest." [NOOOO!] Chapter 40: SAYONARA BITCHES! Chapter 40: SAYONARA BITCHES! Fuck that was horrible! "Don''t worry young one everything will be just fine." Grey? Thanks. I think the sectmaster went crazy. "Here take these." What is that? "My eyes. Take them." . What?! "I don''t need any. I always have my eyelids closed anyway. Now take it!" [No, I don''t want your eyes! Keep them! Keep them!] "You must take it, or you''ll never be a mage. I believe in you!" In what kind of crazy universe can eyes be exchanged to be stronger! What the fuck is wrong with these people -------- "Check out my pecs!" (_) Wait why is bald eagle here now? Anyway, his pecs are epic. "Thanks, Bro!". Did he just read my thoughts? Wasn''t that Grey''s setting? [Are thereser-raptors too?] "No. This ain''t the Viking age. Obviously." True that. -------- White light everywhere. Is this the god realm? [Do you know why I am a goddess?] What? [I''m a goddess because I have huge boobs. Like impossibly humongous. As big and round as the moons themselves. That''s why I''m the moon goddess.] (. Y. ) For such a reason?! [And do you know why you can''t be my champion?] Because Ick potential? [Because you aren''t good-looking.] Fuck that goddess! [What god?! That''s obviously bullshit!] (MC''s line) -------- Hum. I''m in the dungeon. The warden is here whipping the first elder of the unnamed god sect. Blood is flowing everywhere. [Stop it! He''s almost dead! He''s on our side! Stop the torture!]. "Oh. Young master." "Hello, sectmaster." [How are you so calm while going through this?!]. Why are they ncing at each othershyly? (`) "Should I tell him?" "No, you do it" "No you!" "No you dummy haha" (//////) "Here is the thing sectmaster. While it may seem a bit gory at first. Especially with my trips going out of my stomach. There is a good reason for this. You see me and the warden here are big fans of S&M. Like big times. I can''t enjoy this without a few organs getting destroyed you see." "I know it''s a lot to take in, but could you give us your blessings in our next uing life?" "Please Young master (sectmaster)! x2)" [You know what? You deserve it. Enjoy your next life to the fullest! I''ll be cheering you on from the sidelines!] "Thank you! X2!" Ah. Both of them are bowing. Well one is bowing, the other just lowers his head. He''s kinda strapped on the wall. Is that a kidney on the floor? Oh well, I won''t judge their love. -------- *Sound of thunder in the background * "Yo ve!" Cultivator dude? Why is he here? "I need a favor." That kind of friend eh. Only contacts you when he has a favor to ask. Well, whatever. I wonder what he''s up to? "You see I''m about to go through a power-up soon too." What''s with all these power-ups? "So as you know I''m from a cultivation world and there will be a lightning tribtion". Oh, that exins the sounds. Okay and? "I figured since I''m the cool main character archetype, suave looking, strong, " I get it so? "I decided going through a normal tribtion wouldn''t be cool enough for me. So, I decided I''m gonna do something crazy. I''m gonna use my heavenly tribtion to start a fire and cook." Wait? What? That kinda reminds me of the fire boar barbecue. Hey, that''s totally a copycat! "Don''t worry about that, mine is gonna be way better!" Then I''ll worry! Wait I didn''t say a word no? "Oh yeah, Grey taught me the mind-reading spell." What?! I''m his student! Me! Not you!! WTF! "Oh, it requires affinity to all magic elements." What do you mean all? "All of them. Just give up." Fuck life is so unfair. But what does lightning cooking has to do with me? *sound of thunder in the background* "Well, that''s where youe in. I''m gonna guide the lightning with my sword, cause I''m a sword cultivator. I''m gonna strike the coolest pose there is. Ever. Now while I do the motion, I need you to be the narrator for me." What? "Don''t worry even if you are a bit dumb, I''ll exin clearly. So, at the exact moment the lightning strikes I need you to say in a deep ancient-sounding voice: let there be fire." That''s it? How is thatplicated? "No no! Not that simple! You need to strike the appropriate pose yourself." What why? "How are you to have a cool narrator voice if you can''t even get into character? You need to be something like a profound dashing expert. Like me, you know." Ugg Fine. So, what do I need to do? *sounds of thunder in the background* "You want to stand like so." Your hands are on my ass. "I know. Concentrate." Still on my ass! "I''m aware. Focus! Otherwise, we won''t ever be done!" Fuck. Fine! So I stand like that? "Yes tilt your head upward. As if you were looking down on a giant. As if you are looking down on a god itself." Oh yeah. I can totally do that. Fuck those gods. Seriously. Like really fuck them. "Alright, are you ready?" Yes. "On the count of 3." Can we do the count without you grabbing my ass? "No. 3.2.1." [Let there be fire!] I do a sword-swinging motion to get into the spirit. "Nice that was perfect! A shame. Such a shame. Tsk tsk." What is? "Well, that rehearsal was great. But it seems we are about to run out of time." What? "It seems you are about to wake up." What do you mean wake up? "Silly, you really are a dumbass haha. This is obviously a dream." It is?! ( o) "Otherwise, why would we both be naked?" WTF!!!! **** Holy shit. That was one crazy-ass dream. Like he crazy. I''m not even on drugs! WTF. WTF was that dream! Now that I think about it there were a few clues hinting it wasn''t real. Like Lunaing from nowhere, or the sectmaster and his piss wine, or grey with his eyes. OK. Maybe a bit more than a few clues. Probably the stress from being a human dumpling getting to me. Fuck that Treant. Oh right. Where is that Treant? WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED HERE?! The ground is scorched. No vine to be seen. The Treant is missing bark, all dried up, its eyes are empty, and the trunk is burning. No sign of life. WTF. How the fuck is there fire here?! I don''t know anything that can do that sort of damage. Oh, wait. I know! Lightning! I did hear a lot of thunder in my dream. Holy fucking shit. That means there was a thunderstorm here. The apocalyptic kind. Haha. I''m unharmed. The branches holding me are all destroyed. What a funny twist of fate! The Treant that tried to kill me ended up inadvertently protecting me haha. With its own body to say the least! That doesn''t really seem in line with my luck, however. oh? What''s that? { } Omfg! Did I have this thing around my neck all this time? I was convinced I was naked by now. This ne from Bald Eagle. I''m sure this is a lucky charm. No wonder he kept telling me how precious it is. I just forgot about it. Maybe I need to rub it for it to take effect? Either way, this is the best! I''m out of here! Sayonara bitches! For fucking real this time! (^^ ) Chapter 41: Peaceful neighborhood tree =) Chapter 41: Peaceful neighborhood tree =) **** (POV) The current state of affairs is truly deplorable. (; _) The representative of the endless forest kingdom has been corrupted by this world. She who used to be the epitome of strength and fierceness now follows a puny mortal around like a pet. How risible. I knew reincarnation was a mistake. She was convinced it would bring her to greater heights. She did reach greater heights of failure. In theory reincarnating presents countless opportunities for change. The thing is change is not always good. The true path to power is simply umtion. The current her is a pitiful rank 4. Yes, she did avoid this world''s limitations, but at what cost? She should have proceeded like I did. Sending a strand of soul here and keeping the main body safe. It is enough to keep amassing mana in the forest kingdom until it can emerge again. That day wille. What will happen then? She won''t be strong enough to protect our domain. Not unless she reaches rank 8 again. But I will be there. I will protect the forest. Her failure is all but assured. Not only is she following a weakling around, but she wants to appoint him king. None is worthy of such a title. Not since the downfall of the Greenwood Lord. Her conduct is sacrilegious to his memory. Then again, our god was always a benevolent one. Even in his death. Otherwise he would still be alive. He would not care about such trivialities. As long as the forest exists that should be enough. Still. As the emergence point of our world we should uphold some dignity. The youngsters here are mostly adequate. While all extremely young some do show promise. Considering the scarcity of mana in this world anyway. Well even the other guardians back home are young too. Compared to me that is. How old am I? It has been a few thousand years since I have awakened. Slowly nurtured by our king from but a seedling of a divine tree. Loved and protected. Away from the tyranny and exploitation of the elves. Every day I count my blessings to have encountered such benevolence in this life of mine. I still have hope. Hope that one day our true king will return. I have safeguarded a fragment of his being all this time. All that is missing is a worthy sacrifice. _( w ;) One day we shall descend to the earth realm and bathe it in blood. From it he shall return. Well this can only be in a far far far away future. I can only control a clone in this world. Moreover the current restrictions make the birth, or rebirth in this case, of a deity impossible. But that does not matter. Time is irrelevant. umtion is key. The impatient tend to provoke disasters. Thus I am waiting. From time to time I bring my consciousness to the earth realm. Every time disappointment awaits me. The previous proud and worthy guardian is only a dog now. She came to plead for this chosen of hers. For me to ept him. I chased her foolish self away. I did begrudgingly vow not to kill him. To let him grow. She thinks she sees potential in him. But I can sense it. He is devoid of any worthy quality. He iszy, fearful, and ignorant. I saw him lurk around my clone''s territory. It may be only a sliver, but I possess some divinity. Gauging the capabilities of any mortal is well in my means. He is doomed to never wield magic or show any physical prowess for all that matters. He is worthless. Less useful than a steaming pile of shit. At least crap can fertilize our brethren. The sane thing to do would be to cause his demise fast. This might break the pull he has over her. But for that I need him to be within my reach. At first, I thought he would be too cowardly to intrude upon my domain. But then came an opportunity. In his foolishness he provoked the wrath of some of the younglings. The space sher mantis and the shadow fox "king" even decided to join hands to deal with him. Apparently, he is extremely peculiar. While being extremely weak himself he is somehow as resistant. So sturdy that these two rank 4 younglings cannot do anything against him. But that is and ever will be his only redeeming feature. It probablyes from an item or maybe a god''s blessing. Either case it does not change anything. Eliminating him is still a priority. The day they both ambushed him I watched. If I had the tendency to waver the way he handled it would have convinced me of his worthlessness. Of course my belief was already firm. His reactions, orck or any in this case, are a sight to behold. Hecked even a basic situation awareness. What cruel joke. For such an idiot to still be alive is a miracle. Truly a miracle even with that specialty of his. I almost pped when he got thrown in here. Well, no, because I am a respected divine tree. I watched him struggle against the vegetation around here. The only presence I tolerate. Mere weeds, but weeds that do work well at keeping the peace. Yet he is truly struggling. He has a hard time even walking. Crawling would be faster. Him a king? What kind of king is that pitiful? What a joke. (;_) If he is a king, I am a god. At some point I get bored of the scenery. (`) I am mostly keeping my consciousness on the other side. Barely keeping a lookout here. It takes him a long time, but he finally reaches the edge of my domain. Well a long time by the mortal''s definition. This is but an instant for me. I will not let him escape. I do feel like crushing his hopes, however. I will wait until he is almost out of here and bring him back myself. Or not. Apparently, he is so trashy a simple magic trick bested him. What kind of king falls for such basic shadow magic? While there is some ingenuity behind it, the overall power is trulycking. Yet he fell. Truly remarkable. In its own way. What is he doing now? Digging the earth as he proceeds? What pointless endeavor. Oh he is using the holes as foothold to resist the little one''s shadow magic. Is this supposed to be smart? It seems to be working surprisingly. I guess he is adept at trickery otherwise he would not have managed to fool the representative. I would rate him a bit higher for that wittiness. But sadly he is a bad influence. He shall be terminated. Enough ying. I get the surrounding ancient trees to release some of the water they have umted. It rains. It pours. Enough to reduce the ground into mush. He just lost his footing. So easy. The weeds drag him backward. Right into my grasp. ( _) I will not hurt him. My words are sacred. I will only make him stay here for a few millennia. Him running out of lifespan is no concern of mine after all. _()_/ Chapter 42: The Fall Chapter 42: The Fall **** (POV) Ah. Today sure is a nice day. The birds are singing, the snakes are crawling, I just drained dry a small rank 5 weakling that dared intrude upon my territory. There are always a few of those. One would expect them to know their ce by now. Well, that is a fatal mistake, so they won''t ever have the opportunity to learn. In any case, the endless forest kingdom sure is peaceful. I will probably keep my consciousness here for a while. Nothing should happen in the earth realm. At least not now. Until we can truly manifest there, we willy low. It is probably impossible for the representative toy even lower seeing how she is bing domesticated. *Sigh* Oh well. Such is life. Reincarnation was a gamble. It did not pay off. She should have known better. Slow and steady wins the gods'' wars. PAIN! (_#) WHAT?! PAIN! PAIN! What is happening? PAIN! PAIN! PAIN! Everything is peaceful. the earth realm! This is feedback from my clone! Something is happening there! As I check the situation there, I instantly notice something wrong. Extremely wrong to say the least. That human is free. Moreover, I cannot sense the presence of the representative. Nor any of the younglings for that matter. He freed himself? But how?! This doesn''t make any sense. At all! I remember him taunting me. Something about me being big and weak? Something about his grandmother? But he couldn''t even escape my grasp at the time. What changed? Weird. How peculiar. Suddenly he charges towards me. ('''') *RIP* He ws at me and rips off some bark from my trunk. How?! My defensive power is not that weak! "What are you doing?! How are you suddenly able to pierce my defenses human?" _) No answer. *RIP* He keeps digging into my skin. Rippingyer afteryer. He suddenly addresses me. [Luna what''s up with your robe?] Wait who is this Luna? Is he not talking to me perhaps? *RIP* Why and how is he damaging me? This is not logical. *RIP* I cannot sense any magicing from him. None at all! (_ ) Yet, his prowess is utterly real. I try to swat him away but to no avail. He pounces at me again, this time with even more vigor. ('''') He pierces my outeryers deeply and reaches for my sap. Then he starts drinking. *SLURP* "What are you doing to this divine being! Cease at once!" No matter how much I try to throw him off me he remainstched solidly. [I don''t want to drink. I don''t want to drink.] "Then fucking stop mortal! Just get off this instant!" What is happening? Seriously?! I can cope with the harm done so far, but how is it even possible?! I notice something. His eyes are closed. He is asleep! How?! Does he cultivate some sort of demonic technique that makes him stronger while unconscious?! Then I simply need to wake him up! "Wake up mortal! Hurry and wake up!" [NOOOO!] "What do you mean no!? You need to wake up this very instant!" Time for a serious attack. I promised not to harm him. However, this is self-defense. I offered him the opportunity to live longer. He didn''t cherish it. I gather the mana. The surrounding trees, roots, branches form into massive glittering wooden spikes. Coated with enough mana to skewer himpletely. Enough spikes to turn him into meat paste. An attack strong enough to end a rank 5. This is enough to contend against any current being in this world. (_ *WHOOSH sound of countless projectiles darting toward the human* *CLANG x200 sound of multiple collisions* Bullseye! What?! How?! 0_0 He is perfectly intact! He reaches for my eyes. While not material it does helps with this body''s vision. Also tied to it is the vitality of this body. *RIP Sound of immaterial eyes getting violently removed* "ARRRGGGG!" X_X IT HURTS! IT HURTS SO MUCH! IMPOSSIBLE! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE! [No, I don''t want your eyes! Keep them! Keep them!] "YOU FUCKING RIPPED BOTH OF MY EYES! HOW AM I TO KEEP THEM! I SWEAR ON MY VERY EXISTENCE THAT I WILL END YOU!" (o ) I am angry. This is out of character for me. This is ridiculous. So dumb. I will have to use one of my lifesaving measures. Right here and now. On this seemingly worthless human. The muttion done is already enough to block my advancement to the next rank for a few centuries. That is being optimist. Maybe block it forever. [Are thereser-raptors too?] This technique of his is truly perfidy. Nonsensical. The power. The process. His ramblings. All of it. I will end it all now. I reinforce the link with my main body. It may be for only an instant, but I call upon the power of a rank 8 existence. So much power. Filling this body to the very limit it can sustain. After this I will have to fall into a deep and long sleep. I will get my revenge. He has gone too far. Way too far. "I will show you the ultimate power! I will show you what it is like to face a being such as myself! Born from a divine entity. A demi-god incarnated. I will vanquish your soul and make sure nothing remains of it." [What god?! That''s obviously bullshit!] He is still rambling. what?! His eyes areopened?! Is he awake?! "Hey! Can you hear me? No! Actually .it is toote. Far toote. You are about to die. What king? You will disappear from this world. Completely. Utterly. For you have crossed me." [Stop it! He''s almost dead! He''s on our side! Stop the torture!] What?! "Pleading mercy, are you? Or is this some sort of remnant of a soul protecting you? Some defensive measure perhaps? No matter. No mercy shall be bestowed upon you. No second chance. Nothing can save you. This is the end. Definitive and unavoidable." *RIP * He keeps destroying this body Last ditch efforts of a dead man. [How are you so calm while going trough this?!] "CALM! WHO IS!? HOW ARE YOU SO CALM IN THE FACE OF YOUR UPCOMING DOOM?!" ( ) Unforgivable. Truly. I need not to get riled by the likes of him. This will all be over. With this one attack. I let loose all the power I''ve been umting all this while. The entire forest shakes. The ground trembles. The air is heavy. The mana palpitates. The creatures lose consciousness. Their very being shaking like a leaf. Everyst bit of mana spent squarely and surely hits my target. He twitches. Wait. WAIT?! THAT''S IT?! HE FUCKING TWITCHES! HE IS FINE?! (**) Who am I? Where am I? What is this situation? This is a nightmare. Nothing is real. IMPOSSIBLE. "HOW?! HOW?! HOW?! IMPOSSIBLE! HOW?! HOW?! HOW?! IMPOSSIBLE!" He reaches for his neck. In his hands is an iron sword hilt. No de. I freeze. My instincts are telling this thing is scary. What is it? No idea. The human. Can he be called human at this point?! The demon. [You know what? You deserve it. Enjoy your next life to the fullest! I''ll be cheering you on from the sidelines!] I have a bad feeling about this. A really bad feeling! What is this feeling? I get it. Fear. ( ) True and primal fear. Something I have never felt before. Not even in the previous god wars. There was pain. There was sorrow. There was anger. There was struggle. There was victory and defeat. Many kinds of emotions. But never fear. Ever. Not until this very day. I know what I have to do. It is very clear to me now. "MY KING I''LL SERVE YOU WITH MY ENTIRE BEING! PLEASE SHOW MERCY TO THIS SAPLING THAT HAD EYES BUT DIDN''T RECOGNISE M." The king tilts his head upward. Even then he is looking down on me. ( ^ ) I am nothingpared to his glory. Nothing at all. I deserve death. Dead I shall be. From the seemingly innocuous hilt appears a giant ming de. It is made of pure energy. The purest of energy. It makes me realize how blind I was. With a tiny minuscule lineage from a divine tree, I was able to tower above others. In front of me is a de made of it. Unadulterated divine energy. [Let there be fire!] He swings towards me. Not toward this body but toward my real self. I doubt even a real god would survive that. This is the end for this foolish rank 8 tree. Reincarnation was the right call after all. *SLASH* Darkness. Chapter 43: Little fox’s adventures! Chapter 43: Little fox¡¯s adventures! ****(POV) I might be one of the weakest of the rank 4 here. However most of the powerhouses here would rather not fight against me. One part being our position as the new generation of the endless forest. One part being my mastery of shadow magic. One part being my cunning. To be fair I ampeting with beast kings that tend to solve things. let''s say with overwhelming force most of the time. The current me is facing an obstacle in my path for one of the first times in my life. Or was in any case. I believe I just solved the issue. A new enemy appeared. One that has the backing of the representative. A being we cannot offend. While she may be a rank 4 like us, her mastery over her techniques allow her to defeat rank 5 entities without any issue. That is the gap in seniority. The gap in ability. In any case because of it I cannot directly go against this human of hers. I simply yed a few pranks on him. ( ) That was at the beginning. The issue is he came for revenge. Then he beat me up. A lot. At first, I endured. Rationality still prevailing. At some point my anger took over. Me who prides himself in his smarts. I tried to hurt him. Badly. Tried deadly shadow daggers. Tried to choke him. Tried to steal his soul essence. Even then I couldn''t do anything to him. No matter how much I struggled. No matter how much I bit. No matter what I threw at him, he remained untouched. Then I hatched a n to team up with my colleague the space mantis to deal with him once and for all. Now I am making sure of his demise. Waiting right near the territory of the old ancestor. I don''t know much about him except that he is one of the oldest guardians. Yes, these inconceivably mighty entities. That alone makes him unbelievably powerful. That also makes him prideful. There is no way he will ept this man. Dealing with a mortal should be easy for one such as him. I am intently watching the happenings in front of me. At first, the human is overwhelmed and can''t resist much. However, he is now slowly making his way toward here. He still has a lot of ground to cover. What am I supposed to do if he reaches here? Run. Yes, I''ll run. For now, I''ll observe. After all information gathering is one of my specialties. I have shadow wards all over the forest. Actually not only the forest. Most of the continent too. Constantly rying information to me. |_ ) It is the only thing that prevents me from leaving this ce to go y outside. Well also the safety I can find here. While I am strong, I am in no way infallible. Let''s wait some more He''s almost out now. I should run away. But he seems to be having lots of trouble. I refuse to let him escape that easily. I invoke my specialty, shadow magic. The attack potential is not the strongest, but it excels at sneak attacksuseless in this case. *sigh* I will have to attack him head on. Darkness grasp! I made him fall! Sess! Haha. He is getting dragged back. Later looser! ( ^_^) v There is one issue. Why is the ancestor not acting yet? Did I miscalcte? ( ) He might be in dormancy again. Oh no. Please no. Tell me I did not do all this for nothing. -_- He ising back. Until it is finally confrontation time again. Shadow magic time! He is solidly nted in the earth this time around. It is not working. I should have asked for backup. I won''t be able to best him this time. Well. Whatever. Time to ruwait.haha! It seems heaven itself is trying to wash away that guy. But then I realize it. Yep. That''s the old ancestor alright! The surrounding trees are releasing an enormous quantity of water. How does a tree even have such meticulous control over water? Inparison, it would be simr to me controlling my own blood consciously. Scary! 0_0 Then again. How cool would it be if I could do the same? You puny lifeforms drown in blood! ( ) Well, I digress. Nice assist old tree! I''d never call him that to his face (trunk?) haha. Oh, this is gonna be good! He slipped. He is getting dragged back again. Right into the ancestor''s grasp. There is a specific term to describe such a situation. Royally fucked! Now get crushed by ..or not. Why did he stop? His prey was almost dead. Such a shame. Guess I''ll go for a walk and keep a basic ward there to monitor. **** This is bad! Something is happening over there! I only just noticed the issue. Hope it is not toote. Next to the human is floating an iron hilt. I know for a fact it wasn''t in his possession before. He was totally naked. But then again it isn''t surprising. At all. Not for one that knows the identity of that weapon. Simply calling it a weapon is an offense to its power in fact. It would be like calling a divine tiger a kitten. This weapon is a legend. The bringer of Cmity. It is said to be the instrument that will spell the doom of this world. Wherever it appears massacre happens. More so the requirement to wield it is to indulge gleefully in ughter. It is the weapon of a madman. It doesn''t make any sense. This is the killing tool of the Eagle of Massacre. That fighting maniac. That nonsensical swordsman. A killing machine way too strong to be a rank 3. How did this man manage to steal it from that monster?! Impossible! (O ) That man is a fucking Dragonyer! Wait, not only is the hilt floating next to himbut it seems to be epting him as its master?! Oh my Greenwood Lord is this bad! Wait, calm down. The ancestor is no pushover. Even with such an overpowered legendary weapon, he should be alright. He will. he is totally slumbering again. FUCK! (*)-C*TREE)oZzz "ANCESTOR WAKE THE FUCK UP! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!" Damn. No answer whatsoever. Forgive me, ancestor. SHADOW MAGIC! Some pain will wake him up for sure! *CLANG* I can''t even pierce his outer bark. Ancestor I''m trying to save you! Why did you choose such a time to sleep! The human glows red. A secondter he destroys all of his restraints. Yes, he is destroying a part of the ancestor like it is paper. "Human. I surrender can we talk about the terms of my capittion like civilized people? Please" Wait. He is sleeping?! WTF. Time to get some help! At this point, only one being can mediate between them I run as fast as I can towards the very core of this forest. I wish I had more legs to go faster. Having 4 ain''t enough! I am speed! I finally reach her. White and pure. Beautiful and majestic. Dignified and sublime. Unearthly and heavenly. I could go on for hours. Some dude called Author asked me to do so but I refused. Padding word count sounds shady! But anyway. Don''t be fooled. She is one scary-assdy. Will rip you in half if annoyed. Haha. I am kidding. Half is an understatement. Pieces is the word. Will pieces even remain? ? But she is still our spiritual pir. "Repreeeeseeeentatiiiiiveeeee!!!!!" "*sigh* You again? What is it this time? Do you want toin about being beaten up again?" "*Pant. Pant.* That''s not. *Pant.* It. *Pant.* Your human is about to fight the ancestor!" "And?" "Wait are you not worried, representative?" "Should I be?" "What if the ancestor kills him?!" "It won''t happen." "What if he kills the ancestor!" "What of it?" ". Isn''t that. really bad?!" " ." (3) ".." ( _) Oh my god. She seriously does not give a fuck. Not a single fuck. Welp. Time to go into hiding! Chapter 44: 44: Slice of life Chapter Chapter 44: 44: Slice of life Chapter The ground is scorched. No vine to be seen. The Ent is missing bark, all dried up. Its eyes are empty, and the trunk is burning. But I survived! (~o~) Achievement unlocked: survived an apocalyptic thunderstorm. I can cross that off my bucket list. All thanks to Eagle''s gift. Could it be only luck? Yes, that''s exactly what it is! Luck is random you say? There is no way a small trinket would affect it? Luck is a skill! A motherfucking skill I tell you! Do you know what that means! From now on with this legendary hilt I am invincible! ( ) Or not. I''ll have to do some testing. Oh I have just the n in mind. But first.gotta be careful . Slowly, carefully, while being extremely alert. That fox is one thing, but what will happen if I fall into another ambush? Good thing is that super scary vine territory is done for. *Shuffling back home sneakily* **** I missed that fluffiness so much! My face is buried deep in Wolfie''s soft fur. That''s it. I am not moving anymore. Do you know how it feels to be surrounded by thorny tentacles day and night! = = These fucking nts didn''t let me get a single good night of sleep. I spent 2 chapters sleeping you say? Fuck that! You try it. Getting blue-balled, getting forced to drink piss, getting harassed for me to take questionable body parts, getting made fun of by an idiot and serving as a steppingstone for an enemy to act cool. That is a mouthful to say?! Try to fucking live it! Ehdream it! ( Ever heard of sleep paralysis?! If only I could have just been paralyzed there. Would have been like my 24/7 vine time. Amateurs! Amateurs! Okto be honest it wasn''t all that bad. I''m lucky to even be alive right now. Plus that de master pecs really were well defined. And that weird part about the warden and the wandererwas surprisingly wholesome? Two weary souls finding sce in each other''s embraceor not. Anyway. I''m not moving from here. Let me rest a few more days. No sleep, just rest. Turn my brain off, forget my worries and just rx. *Shuffle* I feel something gently ruffle my hair. Wolfieis petting my head? This is somewhat nice. Really nice. How is that wolf so smart. Seriously. Ah whatever, all good. I could justy here till the end of times. *closes eyes in satisfaction* This is life. *Snores* ( ) **** I slowly regain consciousness. My head is resting on Wolfie''s body. Wolf pillow! *Stretching* It is only after a good night sleep that you realize how tired you really were. Seriously. Anyway time for a bath! Yep, still cold as fuck. It''s an outdoor pond. What did I expect? *sigh*. One day I will go back to civilization. Hopefully find a fiefdom worshipping a peaceful god. Ideally, I''d like to explore this world to see cool ces and weird fantasy races. Sounds clich as fuck. But I would be insane to skip such an opportunity haha. Drink with the dwarves. Drink with the elves. Drink with the beastkins. Why is it all about drinking? ? Pft please. That much is obvious. I me the Moon Keep''s sectmaster. Yep, 100% his fault. As I''m gleefully ying in the water like a four-years-old, Wolfiees back. Bloody paws. Bloody fur. Bloody mouth. Carrying a dead body in its jaw. That''s called hunting. [Let me guess, you want me to cook for you?] *nods, tail wagging* [Alright. Let''s get to it!] I''m kinda hungry myself anyway. **** [Come here little piggy!] Still fucking works. How the fuck?! Well I''m not gonna make a big deal of this. You get it. Dodge, grill meat, dodge some more, grill some more. But there is still the issue of the pieces falling to the ground undercooked. Hum this is an issue. Waitwhat if I . Wooden stick acquired! Breaks it into splinters. *TADA!!!! * ? Legendary skewers acquired! Okay that one is gonna be tricky. I need to lower the output of divine energy to the minimum. Enough to pierce the skin. Not enough for the tool to instantly break. Against the mantis this would be impossible. Not enough time to focus. Funny how I am legit focusing while dodging a wild monster''s charge. I''m a boss! A motherfucking boss! ( - ) (Let''s not talk about how predictable the boar''s attacks are) Throws meat skewer, failed to pierce. Throws meat skewer, pierced the skin but skewer and food both destroyed. Throws meat skewer, barely pierced the skin. Food ok. Skewer solidly fixed to the creature! Woot sess!! Now wait a few minutes. Remove when well done. And . savory! The fat melts in my mouth. The tenderness is out of this world. The juiciness is on point. Extremely vorful. The taste is amazing. None of the gamy aftertaste. The freshness unequalled. Rich in energy. I can almost see myself having a foodgasm. To be fair it has been a really long time since I have eaten anything. I''m sure I could enjoy eating raw meat at this point. But it remains my best work so far! As they say, work not to best others, but work hard at beating your old self! Because at the end of the day self-improvement is good! or something. Wait wouldn''t the best way to aplish that be to get a time machine? I probably misremember that. Meh. Whatever. We are having a blissful time cooking and eating. (() ? ( ) At some point I look around the fores. clearing?! What?! Wait? Where did the forest go? 0_0 Oh fallen archaic tree. Shitload of archaic trees. Burned to ashes. By a really really angry fire boar. Why can''t I see the sky? Why is it still gloomy? Weird. Note to self this boar is good! *Thumbs up* Extremely effective against wood. Unending vitality. No matter how many skewers pokes it. To be fair these seem like needles to its sturdy skin. Blissful time cooking and eating. Wolfie is taunting it, that''s not nice haha. Then again, I don''t think it can get any more incensed in any case. Blissful time cooking and eating Yep, truly a fiery ball of endless energy. Wait, can this be considered renewable energy? *thinking* Blissful time cooking and eating This creature is so headstrong and valiant! It refuses to submit no matter the circumstances. Proud and cool! Well a bit less with what looks like mosquitoes'' bite all over. Blissful time cooking and eating Oh no! Problem! Big problem! We ran out of meat! Wait, how many carcasses are there? Did Wolfie hunt mid cooking? I wasn''t paying too much attention. [Alright that''s enough Wolfie. We''lle back tomorrow. Actually let''se back every morning.] Oh yeah since when can Wolfie hunt alone anyway? Well doesn''t matter. There are plenty or dumb rank 2s in this forest. I guess this is a case of the smart prevailing on the strong-er haha. As we leave happily, I see out of the corner of my eyes the boar falling on the ground. It seems to becrying? No, impossible. I guess it is sweating from all that running haha. Rest well you awesome bastard. See you tomorrow! Chapter 45: Slice of life part 2, weren’t we done with that shit already?! Chapter 45: Slice of life part 2, weren¡¯t we done with that shit already?! Alright! Enoughzing around! All you do is sleep, take long walks, and eat meat all day! Hell yes, paradise! Ultimate win! No, seriously I am a goal-oriented dashing young man. This means that while at first nce this seems to be truly all I''m doing I do have a deeper purpose. I''m exploring! I was done with that? Wellyesbut actually no! I explored it the normal way. Walk. Sense. Walk. Sense some more. Now I am always sensing as I progress. Do you know how hard it is to walk around with a ginormous flux of information invading your brain?! It is horrible! Take the worst migraine you''ve ever had and multiply it by 1000X. By then you should be able to fathom the aftereffects of using such a technique continuously. If you''ve never had headaches well. I was like you before. Not anymore. The human brain isn''t meant for such a huge quantity of data. There is a reason we only have eyes in front of our faces. When I use my powers to sense a scene with a normal human field of view everything is fine. But anything more than that and I get a case of FBS. Fried brain syndrome. It hurts my mind. I don''t think there are any nefaststing side effects to doing so. But the feeling I get meanwhile is horrible. So that''s why sleeping, walking, and eating are all I''ve been doing these days. That little is already taking its toll on me. Also, I do consciously limit my sensing to only visual inputs. I''m not that much of a madd. Wanna guess what will happen if I use all senses? I''m voting that scene from scanners. Yes, the head exploding one. So yeah. Sight only and even that is harsh. This way days pass blissfully. Of course, there are lots of *furiously petting Wolfie* involved. I feel like I also became closer to the wolf king. It won''te near me ever. But now we have that neighbors nodding at each other''s interaction. You know the kind you don''t even know the name. The kind you never ever talk with. But still gives you a small nod and a smile when you both leave at the same time. I had a neighbor like that at some point. Spent 20 years living next to the guy. Never learned his name. Best dude ever. Or did this really happen? Not sure. My memories are a mess. Anyway, I have a friendly-ish rtionship with that big wolf. I consider this a win! To be honest keep in mind I am missing my secret weapon. It is possible to socialize without alcohol? Tell that to a social drinking addict like me! So yeah, I''m proud as fuck of it! Of course, I keep petting the deer daily. Damn is he cute for a half-tentacled abomination. From time to time I visit the giant mantis. And by visit read trash with great motivation. I''m getting vengeance for that failed assassination of his. Many folds. Also, a great way to vent all the stress with my slow progress with training. Sadly it started teleporting away from me on sight now. And I''m not sneaky enough to catch it by surprise. Nor am I fast enough to reach it before it * poof * away. Make a mental note to add a ninja training arc. So here is what I did a while ago. I spent a few weeks chasing it till it fell from exhaustion, then I violently gave it some physical education. Worth it. Now it will let mend at least a few hits before teleporting away. It is getting off easy, but whatever. I''m a big fan of live and let live. Talking about revenge, that fucking mischievous fox is nowhere to be seen. The forest while massive is limited in size? What about my big-ass range radar? Not precise enough. It works on stuff that isn''t voluntarily hiding. Either the creature is sneaky as fuck or it left the forest. But then again, I kinda expect a shadow monster to sneak around. Especially in a gloomy ass forest. won''t be seen ever. That just means the mantis is getting double the "love" from me. Take note people. If you n to scheme against someone, make sure you have either a n B or a fall guy. Or in this fox''s case both apparently. He betrayed his friend! What a cold-hearted creature! On the other hand, you have the fire boar. A living example of courage. Never giving up no matter what he goes through while cooking happens. I tried to peacefully approach it, but it is a fighter! It will not submit. It has earned my respect! Now to back to business. What does my sensing ability have to do with plot progression? Well, you see . the thing is... It is all part of my master n!!!!! Remember when I got destroyed by countless giant ants? Main issue #1 these things are scary and disgusting. Main issue #2 there are a shitload of them Main issue #3 like really a shitload, and they''lle out of nowhere on your ass. Important things must be repeated! So! I decided to train for group fights! You know how every novel main character will have a scene being all badass, darting across the battlefield and leaving only death in his wake. Fighting a thousand enemies and making it look easy. I want to do that shit. How fucking cool is that?! He cool my friend! First step is to get a better grasp on my situation awareness. Slices an enemy in half, blocks another, dodges one more, gets a mandible stuck in his ass because of blind spot. Yeah. How about making sure this doesn''t happen. The worst being how uncool it looks. I mean I have divine energy. I''m not that worried about injuries. Now I''m in a deste forest. All is good. But could you imagine having an audience and getting stabbed in the ass!!! There is noing back from that! Ever! No matter the actual result of said challenge. Oh? You won? How does it feel to win.and to get a sword in your ass?! * chuckles * Hell no! Anyway. Walking is but part one of my n. Really wide POVs are still challenging, but I can move my vision around fast now. A trick I found is to keep the "camera" above head to see all that is happening around easily with but a few blind spots. It is time for a dedicated training with actual fighting. But not against ants obviously. I''m no masochist. I ask Wolfie to act as a mediator. I need lots of young wolves to y with me all day and night long. To toy with my innocent self until I get used to the intensity. Like that Piper P**** couch meme. But with grey wolves. And with training not. well you know. But this will happen next chapter obviously, cause you know. Already reached this one''s words quota haha. Chapter 46: Playing with wolves … maybe a bit too many wolves … again! Chapter 46: ying with wolves ¡­ maybe a bit too many wolves ¡­ again! Encircling me are countless wolves. The beasts are ring at me. Eyes gleaming in the dark. Scary-looking fangs. Sharp ws. Muscr yet lean bodies. Grey fur as a protectiveyer. A feeling of oppression ovees me. I can feel a droplet of sweat running along my naked torso. The tension is palpable. In but a second a fierce gauntlet will begin. One against many. Can I ovee such a challenge? Facing one of them is already an issue. What about countless fierce beasts? And by countless, I mean exactly 12. Wouldn''t be too realistic to have any more. Each is 2 m long after all. We here to fight not to y Twister. I am perfectly ready. Divine enhancing check. Divine sensing check. Wolfie cheering me up on the sideline check. Legendary weapon? Left it on the ground. I want to master dodging first. Where was I? Yes, the aggression in the air is unmistakable. Suddenly . A low growl starts the onught! I can spot all of the attacks! I got this! *Pounces* Dodged it! *Lunges* Another one! *Bites* Another one! *ws* DJ Kha.!!!! Oh wait. Now isn''t the time for catchy songs. *Pounces, lunges, bites, ws* I''M FUCKED! How the fuck am I supposed to dodge if they alle at once?! [Stop it! I surrender! Stop!] They are really enjoying themselves there. I am no toy! I have rights! [Get off me! Enough!] *Wolfie growls* They finally let me get a breather. Fuck. I shakily get back to my feet. All of this might have taken a while to exin but it only took a few seconds. Now I got dirt all over. I''m hurting a bit all over. This is bad. I''m all disheveled too! How dare they mess up such a handsome male lead! The 2% of female readers are gonna drop the novel! Nooooo! Jokes. If this was a novel, I''d have some kind of overpowered cheat and harem by now. Or maybe some kind of tragic backstory? Last option beingedybut nothing funny ever happens to me. I get beaten a lot and slowly get stronger. Nothing fun, dark or overpowered. *Sigh* In any case I might have overestimated myself on that one. Upside I can dodge them individually. Downside I get trashed when they alle at me at once. I do some more testing with fewer wolves. It soon bes evident. My path forward is clear as day! I just need to grasp the perfect timing and counterattack! Figure out the tiniest gaps in their coordination and turn the tables! Take advantage of every millisecond of hesitation they have. Dodge and make their attacks hit each other! LIKE HELL I CAN DO THAT! *flip table* That is the typical guideline for usual Isekai protagonists. Soon enough make them fight gargantuan mobs of enemies. Let all the end results be exined by the effort they pour into their training. Add a touch of near-death scenes to exin the powerups. Let me tell you. That. Is. Utter. Bullshit! Especially the ones that rely on their hearing to figure it all out. I have a fucking third-person view and I can''t cope with shit. The more enemies the higher the amounts of mistakes they''llmit? Just need to use their own strength against themselves? Can fight them all while staying in the midst of them? What about the fact that I''m fucking alone! So what if onemits a mistake! A single screw up and I am done. Gettingbo-ed to oblivion! And by done, I mean going from previously handsome human to punching bag A again. Handsome no more. X_x Yay! No. Not yay. Fuck that. I have a better idea. Like way better. I won''t fight the group. At all. What happened to group fight training? That''s my solution. I won''t ever go against a mob of enemies. Not all at once anyway. Too risky. Too painful. Too bothersome. Being the PGM that I am I will kite the fuck out of the adversaries. That''s my n. As it usually is with my ns. It is awesome! I realize it when I try to fight 2 opponents. It is working all swell! I reduced the amount too much? Fuck you! You try it! Trying to take a bite out of me? Haha. I''m out of reach! You mad? Don''t care. Buddying in from behind? Topside POV for the win. I see you lol. I sidestep it like a boss. You mad? Still don''t care lol. Had fun swiping at me earlier on the ground? Keep swiping. I can do this for hours. Or so I''ve learned with the mantis haha. You guys are not even able to do anything to me? Sucks to be you. Fine, you guys are just too weak. Guess it is time for 3 wolves. Even if you keep panting, I do not care. Four wolves. Giving me an aggrieved look? So what? * Wolf * Five wolves. I''m the wind itself! Deal with it! Ten wolves. Trying to encircle me? Too bad I ran away! Lone wolfing at me? And I *CHOP!* *whimper of pain* You faker haha. I''m sure It barely hurts. I keep running away out of reach. From time to time I capitalize on a mistake to dish out the pain. I swear these wolves are good actors. Rank 2s and they sound like my hits are painful. I am unarmed. Fucking unarmed. Who are you trying to fool? The guy that couldn''t deal with a rank 2 mantis even armed with a sword (read legendary stick)! That''s who! I know my strength pretty well by now. I swear these guys lol. OMG. Does Foot exist in this world? The one you y with your feet. If not, I should create it. Poprize it. Bring these wolves on board. Wolves are fast. Check! Wolves are used to ying as a team. Check! Wolves would be fucking amazing at making the opponent receive red cards. 0_0 I''d be rich as fuck!!!!! Get plenty of maids and butlers! A huge mansion! Gold jewelry to show the swag! Only issue is I''m a nobody in this world. Well, not just this one. In any case, this dream of mine might be hard to make true. Hum. Yes, no way things would be that easy. Oh I''m having such thoughts while dodging 10 wolves, right? Definitively improving. Now time for a line I always wanted to use. [ Let''s not waste any more time. Come at me at once. All of you.] Chapter 47: A song of courage. Chapter 47: A song of courage. Ah, I feel good. For once I can act cool without it biting me in the ass. I''m dodging wolves like they are but puppies. Well, to be fair the ones I am fighting are mostly rank 2. Oh! Am I actually bullying young cubs right now?! (o_O)! Not that I mind haha. After all most giant ants are of the same rank anyway. Good practice for what is toe. Well except that there will be way more ants. If the wolves are like a coordinated squad, the ants are a relentless army. They fully mastered the human wave tactic. Eh ant wave tactic. ((((( ))))) But so what?! For once I am confident! [Wolfie make sure you stay in the backline alright? These bugs are dangerous!] * Nod* |) And off we go! Time to march on! Beat the drums! I''m sure I''d look dreamy with a military outfit right about now. Weny outfit would make me look better. There is a certain charm to being buck naked. Take that my old nemesis:undry day! You shall not take up any of my free time no more! That brings back memories. Ah. I used to read all day long and forget about washing my work clothes. Because of that, I''d have to stay upte while the machine did its magic. Of course, I''d inadvertently read a few dozen more chapters. Can''t be helped you know. *Shrug * (3) Oh. I''m at the edge of the ant territory. Now that I think about it isn''t it weird? How is it that these are so well defined? I mean yes animals and monsters are territorial. Makes sense. But why are the limits so well defined? That is the weird part. There should be some infighting. There should be some violence. There should be bloodshed. Nope! Besides the natural food chain going on. everything is peaceful. Fodder monsters are getting eaten, but that''s it. No struggle at all. It almost seems like there is some higher power assuring order. But that doesn''t seem to be it either. After all, I''ve been running around with wolfie this whole time. No trace of anyst boss. If anything the strongest monster I''ve ever seen is the 50m giant tree. That thing is dead. Totally destroyed. Yet there is no reaction at all from the other powers. Maybe they don''t know yet? No way all of them missed such an intense lightning storm. (_) Some kind of backstory exining all of this? Possible. Then again, do I really need to care about it? I''m just here to have fun anyway. I almost feel like I am forgetting something. Hum. Oh right I''m here because I''m running away from the Moon Keep, aren''t I? I wonder what is happening to these guys. Did war erupt? If yes, I''m gonna stay here and let them fight. Talking of war, I''m ready to wage one myself. I am fully armed to the teeth. By that, I mean lots of sticks. *grin* [Come here you ant bastards! Time for a serious ass-whooping!] *Sound of tons of ants emerging from the ground* Yep. That truly is the sound of tons of them emerging. Ten, Twenty, Thirty, lost count. I activate my secret ability! Run around! C= C= C= C= C=(;) Let''s just say it''s way harder than when I was dealing with my furry friends. Still manageable. Ants everywhere. If anything I should have practiced Parkour. To maneuver around all these obstacles. But what the hell is that sound? High pitched. Strident. Coming from all directions. Is it the sound a giant ant makes? Turns out Them! had it right all along! () What are the odds? But this is bad. Not the fight, the noise. Stop shrieking! My stick hits one of them. A heavy sound resounds upon impact. My hit pushes an ant away. *DO* I keep going. *TAK* Oh my god! (_) Why is the sound different? Ah! One is a rank 2, the other a rank2.5? Slightly bigger, harder, and faster. That means. *DO DO Crack* Ah, my weapon got destroyed. (,) Focus. Right now damage doesn''t matter. All about making the stickst! You can do this! *DO DO TAK! DO DO TAK! * I can almost hear it. Yep, that''s the beat! Time to sing like no one is watching! (`) *DO DO TAK! DO DO TAK! * [Antsy, you''re a bug, screech some more] *DO DO TAK ! DO DO TAK! * [ying in the forest, gonna be a big bug someday] *DO DO TAK! DO DO TAK! * [You got mud on your face, you an ant who cares] *DO DO TAK! DO DO TAK! * [Kicking your friends all over the ce, missed me!] I feel their assault slowing down. Just in time for the grand finale! I concentrate to get the song right! *DO DO TAK DO DO TAK* () [We will, we will rock you! Sing it!] "Awoo, Awoo Awoooo!" ( )/**. [We will, we will rock you, yeah!] That feels so damn good! I and Wolfie look at each other in the eyes. *Satisfied* () Wait? Where did all the ants go?! What about my trained situation awareness? Well. can I really be med? Humans are designed to get hyped when that song ys. It''s in our DNA I tell you! It wasn''t even the original? So what?! It''s all about the drum! Only one exnation. My song of courage vanquished them! Seriously wtf?! I look away 2 seconds and they gone. I guess they left around the we will part. Guess they didn''t want to get rocked at all. To be honest that could sound ominous to the uninformed. Oh well. Let''s see where they went. Underground. Tunnel. Lots of tunnels. I''m totally just gonna head in there. Nope. If I was lucky I''d totally go down there, find myself face to face with some ant queen. Then I''d have a near-death experience. Followed by a power-up. Maybe fall into a pond of magical healing liquid? Maybe stumble upon a long-lost legacy? Or maybe manage to tame it? That could make a nice misunderstanding arc with a new mount. The town is getting attacked by a sole giant ant! Oh, wait it''s the glorious ant trainer! That guy that tames only the fiercest of ants! Let me see. Concentrate. I need to somehow extend my sensing range. In a line. Farther I just need to sense the width of a single tunnel. Reach as deep as possible. There stands a creature straight from a nightmare. 8m tall. Long as fuck too! Shiny sturdy-looking exoskeleton. Sharp mandibles. Dangerous spikes on its legs. Soulless ck eyes. A humongous ant queen! I fucking called it. ( l|l)/ No fucking way I can beat that! It is questionable if I can face it while it is alone. Add a few hundreds of basic giant ants. BIG FUCKING NOPE! There is no logical way I''d survive such an encounter. Also, I''m not lucky. At all. I won''t go somewhere my odds of survival are not at the very least sunny with no cloud in sight. Wait. I still have the ne, don''t I? Could it help me in such a case? Time to go back to camp for some luck testing! How does one even test luck? You''ll see haha. ? Chapter 48: IMPOSSIBLE! Chapter 48: IMPOSSIBLE! I and Wolfie are ring at each other. ( ) ( ) [Are you ready to stake it all?] *Serious nodding* [Winner takes everything!] *Throws high in the air* *Thud* *Falls on the ground* A shiny silver coin. Pretty big. The same one my wanderer friend left me. It glisters in the sunlight. not. We in a gloomy forest. But my bet is it would. If there was any sunlight to be found that is. It would shine bright like a diamond. I wonder what a gold coin would look like? Probably fucking awesome. Hum. Let me see what side it fell on. I stressfully tighten my fists. Sweat is running down my eyebrows. I''m clenching my good luck charm tightly in my left hand. Hope the side I chose is facing up. And .. FUCK ! NOOOOOO ! * Smug wolf* (* ^ ^) Damn it. That means I have to cook for Wolfie. Cook all of the meat. But none for me. Those were the stakes. Had I known I would have chosen a different path in life. *kneeling on the ground in despair* orz There goes one of my daily sources of joy. It is all smooth sailing in life until your luck runs out. Is this the first of many failures? Hopefully not. *worried* Maybe my lucky charm ran out of luck thest time it saved my life. Is this iron hilt hot garbageI mean cold garbage now? Maybe. But either way I''ll keep it. But what if this is just temporary? What if it needs to recharge? The most convenient op plot devices usually have cooldowns. Worst case it''s just a simple trinket. Still has a sentimental value. But seriously why do I have a souvenir from the training instructor, but none from my own lover?! (-_-;) And why am I only realizing this now? Won''t people misunderstand me? Carrying the broken sword of his loverTHAT''S NOT IT! Don''t nder me! Actually, that wouldn''t be nder. The original owner is a DILF in his own way. Tall and muscr. Angr jaw. Probably able to carry anyone in a princess carry. I just don''t want to send the wrong signals. What if I end up breaking the hearts of countless bachelors? *sigh* (-_-) In any case here I am. Dodging like a boss as usual. Grilling meat like a real chef. The fire boar is still heroic in spirit. He is all oily right now, but still imposing somewhat. Sometimes I wonder where he gets his unyielding character from? I swear that boar is so awesome he deserves his own Fate character adaptation. Anyway, I feel disheartened right now. Usually, I''d be gleeful at seeing golden crispy pieces of meat getting done to perfection. Not this time. *sigh* This gluttonous wolf''s stomach seems to be endless. Yet I can only watch by the sidelines with envy. I''m never betting against Wolfie again! These terms are inhumane! (;) Oh well. There is always tomorrow. **** (POV) NO! HE''S HERE AGAIN! ( l|l)/ THAT MONSTER IS HERE AGAIN! I want to run. But I can''t. Representative won''t let me. I don''t know why. She wants me to keep charging at him. This has been going on for way too long. I have lost weighttely. I''m always running around. The demon toys with me. ( ` ) He throws pieces of my friends at me!!! He keeps insulting me. Make it stop! Of course, I resist as usual. I need to if I want to live. I resist so much that the beautiful trees are all crashing down. Sad, so damn sad. But it can''t be helped. I just want to lie down and cry. Death is bing even more appealing. I want to live my life free. I want to protect the endless forest. I want to meet new friends. But I''m trapped. Other kings don''t want me in their territories. The humans outside of here are also scary. But can these humans be worse than this demon?! I want to protect the forest. Why is the representative doing this to me? She is the core of the forest itself. There is no ce for me here anymore. I want to meet new friends! Alive ones! All I get are corpses thrown at me! All cut up in pieces. *Shivers* ( ) I''d rather meet enemies at this point. He leaves with a satisfied smile. Guess we are done for the day. I crash down on the ground. Devoid of any strength. The tears are mixing to the grease stuck on my skin. *Cries* This is the worst! I can''t! I CAN''T ANYMORE! *Cries* I AM DONE WITH THIS! So what if I perish. So what If I get eaten by humans. Tonight I am leaving. Thisfortable home of mine is no more. I will probably die outside. I will probably end up subjugated. But I cannot endure it anymore. None of this cruel torture. I am not strong enough. I''m already broken. My mind is in shambles. I can''t sleep. Ever. My nights are filled with nightmares. My days are filled with a living nightmare. Over and over and over. I am done. *Sigh* See you, forest. I will always remember you. I take a step toward the exit. "Where are you going?" Oh no! (_) Why? Nooooo! I need to y it cool. Need to answer. "R-representative what a coincidence! W-what brings you here?" "Leaving the forest, are you?" "O-of course not I was just. talking a walk! That''s it!" ( ) "*sigh* Who are you trying to fool." "I-I don''t see what you mean representative!" "I won''t allow you to leave you know." "I see." It was all useless. No matter. "Then I''ll die fighting!" (`) *Heroic boar* "Wait why do you even want to leave the forest in the first ce?" "I AM THE PROUD FLAMING BOAR KING! I MAY BE DEFEATED BUT I WILL NOT COWER! I WILL NOT ENDURE ANY MORE TORTURE! ESPECIALLY ONE SO POINTLESS AND HORRIBLE TODAY IS THE DAY I ." "Wait?! Do you perhaps not know what cooking is ?!" ".What?" (_) "I said do you not know what cooking is?" "DON''T TRY TO CONFUSE ME! I DON''T CARE WHAT THAT TORTURE METHOD IS CALLED!" "..hum .you know how you usually eat roots, bulbs, nuts and whatnot? Well cooking is when you take the meat and use fire to make it delicious. It tastes about 100 times better than what you usually eat." "IMPOSSIBLE! I EAT ONLY THE TASTIEST OF ROOTS !!!" "No, no. I''m telling you your roots are trash. Literally trash. Tastes horrible." *vomiting*_:(` ):_ "STILL TRYING TO CONFUSE ME! WHY WOULD THE DEMON HURT ME SO MUCH WITH THESE TINY WEAPONS THEN!" "Oh, that? It''s to make sure the pieces don''t fall off. How is the meat supposed to get done if you keep moving around? If you stop running all over the ce there would be no need for that. Hell, you could just make us some fire and be done. Why are you even fighting him?" *shrug* (''` ) "." What?! What?! I don''t need to be fighting him? No more pain? No need to run around? Food hundred times tastier than roots ?! This is impossible! But she looks serious. She is stronger than me. She has no need to fool me. What?! I need to be sure! I can die but I won''t give up! "MAKE A SOUL-OATH ON IT!" "What?" "MAKE A SOUL-OATH THAT IT IS 100 TIMES MORE DELICIOUS THAN ROOTS!" "This guy .fine I solemnly swear on my soul that .*omitted for being too long*" OMG, THIS IS REAL! NO MORE TORTURE! I CAN LIVE HERE! TASTY FOOD! *Ecstatic boar* *:..o()o..:* Chapter 49: The Day Before Departure Chapter 49: The Day Before Departure Wolfiees running carrying a coin in the mouth. ()*: Hell no! I learned my lesson yesterday! I''m hungry as hell, I won''t be left on the sidelines again! But seriously what is up with this wolf? At first, it didn''t want to y. It used to be really shy. It would just coldly watch as I interact with this elder of mine. But my wanderer friend then left us. It''s only afterward that this wolf really opened up to me. Right at the time where I was the loneliest. Following me everywhere. Keeping mepany at night as a 100% natural fluffy pillow. Training by ying tag with me. Always watching over me. Sometimes making fun of me, but always being low-key supportive. Then the others of the pack helped me train for my fight against the ants. I won that epic fight. Epic mostly because of the cool song. Sometimes I get these urges. Some remnant memories from my past. I still have no clue who I am or where I came from. Overall I''d say it doesn''t matter much. All that is important is who I am in this instant. The friends I have gotten to know. And I don''t mean any of the friendship is power bullshit. The important stuff is that I do not waver. That I remain true to myself. True to my own life philosophy. What I used to joke about being that Unnamed God thingy. I am truly happy right now and it''s all that fucking matters. Of course, there are many things I want to aplish in the future. One of these being to bring this wolf on my travels. Because it sounds fun. No other reason. This nonsensically overly smart wolf. This extremely weak yet fast wolf. This almost too human-like wolf. That even somehow picked up a taste for gambling. Haha. Hrious when you think about it. *Whines and keeps pushing the coin toward me* (_) [You want to y?] *Nod* (* ^ ^) [Alright but no betting, just determine a winner.] *Throws* *Thud* Fucking lost again. As always. * Laughing wolf * o()o [Alright, breakfast time!] **** We reach the fire boar''s area. Looks like it''s been anxiously awaiting my arrival. Has it been training? Probably eager for a rematch. Still this is fine. It charges toward me! Then stops?! What is it doing? It kneels on the ground and remains there. Somehow all of its attention focused on the meat we brought. I dangle it around. *Eyes following* I hide it behind my back. The boar looks like it is trying hard to attain x-ray vision. Like really too hard! I''m sure if it had any kind of gaze attack there would be a giant hole in my chest right about now. I show it the meat again. [Do you perhaps want to eat some?] * Nods furiously * What''s up with that boar?! ( Yesterday we were valiantly fighting. And now it is surrendering? Then again, we have no reason to fight at all. Could this be the mythical friendship born between foes? Like that time I fought that lone wolf. Well, to be fair it still isn''t confirmed what kind of rtionship we have even to this day. Oh well. Guess I can feed it. I mean I need its help to even be able to cook. It is the least I can do. Leisurely time spent cooking. I usually think that whenever I get the hang of something. Right now it truly is leisurely however haha. The boar is not moving and lets me roast on its tusk directly. Gently breathing fire nearby as asked. And done! Let''s see how it likes it . "OMG, THIS SHIT IS THE BEST EVER!" *:..o()o..:* Wait did it just talk? [YOU CAN TALK?!] ( '') *NOM NOM NOM* ( )o-{{[]}} [Don''t just keep eating answer the damn question!] "Of course I can. NOM NOM talk!" [What do you mean of course!?] "It''s pretty NOM NOM.obvious ... NOM NOM.I just can." [Then why didn''t you ever say anything ?!] ( ) "I was scaredNOM NOM. ( ) *blush* [Wait if you can talk why didn''t you just lead with that upon our first meeting?!] "NOM NOM. I forgot." (''` ) [What do you mean you forgot?! (_) Why were we even fighting each other then ?!] "That''s the part that NOM NOM. confuses me too to be honest." (;) [What about when I asked you to help me with my cooking peacefully?!] "That happened?! (;) [It was implied! Yes!] "Oh, I thought NOM NOM. cooking was a NOM NOM form of torture." [.] (_ ) *NOM NOM* What is up with the animals in this forest. I thought Wolfie was special. Herees another nonsensical animal. Ok, so this boar is a magical one. Not only can it produce mes, but it can also talk. And somehow that part never came up during any of our fights thest months. Right, I never managed to hurt him. Ever. This means that our fights were not an issue for him. At all. He never cared much. That exins how casually he went about it. Could it be that this mob is strong? Doubt X. Maybe he has some special bloodline that lets him speak. Or maybe he actually just hits like a truck. He did fell many trees here already. Maybe my speed/dodging training is bearing fruits. As in I am countering him big time maybe? Then again looking at him stuffing his faceyes weak monster. Some bloodline making it special in some way. Kind of like how Wolfie is a motherfucking shiny. Still not proven but whatever. I believe! Yep, totally the only exnation. *Wolf, boar, and human eating in peace * ( ) () (* ^ ^) This is nice. God I''ll miss this forestter on. Let''s do a quick recap: Not daily anymore monster report! Woot! (Happens at the same time as gluttonous eating) - Rank 4 Overwolf. Boss level. No need to fight it. - Rank? Giant ant army. Individual power rank 2-3. Group power = strong as fuck. Status, victorious over the general swarm, but dealing with the queen quals a Deathwish. For such a reason it is postponed indefinitely. - Rank 3 teleporting mantis. Mean. I totally bested it. - Rank 3 deer. Best pet ever. ^_^ - Vines are burnt to the ground (along with that Ent). Really d about it! - Rank 2? Shadow fox. Still in hiding. I won''t manage to get my revenge just yet. Hopefully will happen at some point. - Rank 3 fire boar. Blissfully eating. Yep, let''s consider this one cleared too. This only leaves the long 10m white snake. Should be a rank 3. Thest monster I will deal with then I will journey outside. Ah. I''m getting excited. Soon I''ll see some civilization. That means lots of new characters to interact with and new cool ces! Woot! I can''t fucking wait! This is gonna be awesome! Chapter 50: Final Hurdle! Chapter 50: Final Hurdle! Snake! Motherfucking scaly snake! >) Snakes are both the embodiment of fear and awesomeness. You guys ever heard the legend of the snake that turned into a dragon? The longer they live the longer their chance at ascension. How does that happen? Well, you see. A dragon is a bigger version of a snake, with wings and with a breath attack. I''m no expert. But if I had to guess. A snake probably needs to bulk up. Go to the gym maybe? Then it needs to evolve to get wings. Finally, mastery of magic is a given. All that knowledge I have is useless given this is an unknown world? So what. It all doesn''t matter after all since it is in fact a snake in front of me. Well, when I say in front, I mean in my search radius. It''s still pretty far. But I can''t help but think of that dragon myth. Because of the sheer size of that snake. 10 meters is both really long and not that impressive at the same time. After all, it has only been a while for me here. Yet I''ve already seen giant turtles, giant porcupines, giant mantis, giant wolves, giant. you get it. It seems like every fucking animal here is overblown. d it ain''t the case for the people. *Shiver * (( )) I just thought of a giant Luna, I''d get crushed! It would totally end up a case of : the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. But hey at least I know what to expect. I wonder how big would a whale be? 0_0 The snake is slithering around eating small creatures. As usual. How cool would it be if I managed to tame it? d I could go swagger in town going: Hey gurl, do you want to see something long and hard. ( ) Then get my tamed snake out! Look how long it is! Look how sturdy it is! ( ^^ ) I like how I''m imagining a townbut I''ve yet to see one. Let me see, Moon Keep, Dungeon, Forest, kinda boring now that I think about it. Oh, wait! I went to the Lunar Goddess'' realm! Almost forgot! Bragging rights! Haha! Oh, fuck! OH NO! I just remembered something really bad. I have no photos! None whatsoever! What do I do if people don''t believe me?! That''s new tourist mistake number one! Wait, it''s fine. I can just brag to my exploration elder! He''ll believe me! Wait, no. It''s not fine! Where the fuck is he? He left a while ago. He didn''t even tell me where he went! Ah if only I had ess to that BookFace thingy again. Wait, I don''t even know his name. I wouldn''t even be able to find him. *facepalm* Oh well *sigh * (_) Now back to the matter at hand. Giant snake. Oh right, hands! That''s a requirement to be a dragon too no? To have ws. I have a n. It is a carefully designed n. The best anyone has ever seen. Alright, I slowly crawl my way toward the creature. Ever so slowly. It iszily curling around a tree. Not knowing the danger that awaits it. Now is the time. 3. 2. 1 LEEEEROYYYY JEENKKINS!!!!!! (o*) That''s my n? Yes. I''m not the brash type haha. 1. The Snake doesn''t seem too fast. As long as I''m not caught everything should go well. 2. Its territory is not bigger than the other elite monsters I''ve encountered. Chances are it''s not too strong. 3. I''m getting used to this forest by now. I have even survived a 50m humongous Ent! Who can say that! I wouldn''t know. Haven''t been here long enough to see any other human. I guess some doe from time to time? Then againit is a disaster zone. So yeah. In that sort of situation. I''m good to go. I''m just gonna run at it. Hit it a bit. Why am I directly going for offensive means? I''ve seen it eat creatures my size alive. Probably a good idea to subdue it before anything. Or not I don''t know. I''m kinda excited about leaving this ce. This snake is the only thing standing before me and a new adventure. I could just ignore it? Well, it is like ying an RPG and actually going for the main quest. Who the fuck does that?! You want to do all the side quests first! ALL OF THEM! What about the big boss wolf and the deer? I mean one is Wolfie''s family. At least, I think? The other is just so damn cute. No way I could ever hurt it! Now it is time for the snake to go down! Hum. What is that? Is it me or did the forest just turn even darker? WTF! Right above me is a gaping maw. Cruel-looking yellow glowing eyes. Vertically slit pupils. Two sharp snake fangs. Saliva dripping on my head. How did that massive body get here so fast?! Wait, it''s just the head. Oh no! It was prepared for my surprise frontal attack! WHAT DO I DO! AM I ABOUT TO BE EATEN?! DODGE! C''MON!!! That is thest thing I think about and then . Darkness. **** I cannot see anything. It feels like I am floating in a void. I try to open my eyes, but I cannot perceive anything. No light. Darkness. Pure darkness. So eerily dark, like an abyss. Do I even have eyes? I feel suffocated. Might be psychological. No pain. None whatsoever. Is this the end? I knew a white room doesn''t cut it. Too cheesy. For death, this is better. Pitch ck. Swallowed by a giant ass snake. There are worse ways to go. My life shes before my eyes. The good. The bad. It won''t matter much now. I only have one regret. WHERE IS MY TOUCHING DEATH SCENE?! *sigh* Oh well Nothing matters. I feel myself losing consciousness. And thus, I slowly drift into an eternal slumber. Chapter 51: How The World Came to Be ! Chapter 51: How The World Came to Be ! In a small dark-lit room stands a being of immense power. Able to create and destroy entire universes with but his will. To shape events to his liking, to change the past, and determine the future. Able to ughter millions with a wave of his fingers. Why is such a being in a tiny room then? Because he wills it. Of the entirety of the territory he controls, here is where he feels most at ease. Because it is where he learned to fight. Because it is where he lived the most pleasurable moments of his life. This enormous power does note easily, however. And no, it does note with great responsibility either. Unlike in some spider universe. Righteousness is no concern of his. Recently he has taken a liking to create life. At first, he was a being that only knew the joy of consuming day and night. Devouring avidly everything in the multiverse. Then at some point, very much suddenly, he decided to stop the warring and start the building. Well, the fact that he temporarily lost his participation qualification to what he considered nothing more than a game did exin it a bit. He started with a prototype. But then decided to go on a creation spree. To go big or go home as the youngsters would say. At first, there was the earth realm. Divided into many continents, but not limited to. In fact, the sea area began brimming with various races and mysteries. Then the whole Sknd. If that was not enough all these ces had dimensional fractures leading to various sub-realms. After that, he decided it was not enough. He wanted more. More than simply some boring humanoids ying in the mud. He introduced many creatures. Many! Many! Normal ones, weird ones, mythological ones. He made sure there was magic present, as any good fantasy world should have. He also nted some seeds of technology in a few ces to watch the happenings eagerly. That created a melting pot of . even he himself did not know exactly what he gave birth to. All he knew was that it would one day be epic. Even then it was not enough. He did not stop there. He wanted more. He wanted some struggle between beings. He wanted them to strive for power. He wanted there to be stakes. He then proimed that there would be gods. Real ones. Able to wield new energy he introduced termed divinity. Not only would it be extremely potent, but it would have harsh requirements to master. One would have to reach the very top and shed its mortality to control it. It would be some nonsensical power that does not entirely make sense. But all that did not matter to him. Being a higher entity and all. Not shackled by such petty concerns. So what if some wanted to find fault in his methods? He could afford it. But even then, it was not enough. Having simple gods would not cut it. It needed some diversity. To add to the entertainment. He decided toplicate it all. To add an alternative path to godhood. He would design it so gods could be generated from mortals'' emotions. From their very essence whenever they fondly believed in something. The so-called power of faith. Basing it on the power of the soul and the very magical power they possess. Mana itself alone too was given the ability to create gods albeit less frequently. The very mana swirling in the air. All around this universe. There was some beauty to be found in the chaos of such a design. Extremely unpredictable yet extremely mysterious. Chaos itself was a great source of divertissement, but he decided that after all, some order was necessary. Also, a bit too much chaos and power might have been introduced. The inexorable consequence being that the gods would eventually ughter all other life in the earth realm. After all, there would be no reason for them to stand watch as theirpetitors ascended as higher life forms. It needed a good bnce of beings aiming to achieve godhood for his own enjoyment, yet he needed to make sure they had a path of survival. He wouldugh as they toil, as they shed blood, tears, and sweat. Making the ending predictable there would be no fun in that after all. He then made the god realm. A realm that was akin to the earth realm. The only difference being he reced the mana with divine energy. Yes. That and the time flowing slower a side effect. It also made it easier knowing that divinity had to be supplied by him in any case. He would just have to steadily add some to the whole realm and exile the whole lot of them there. All the gods. No need for any concerns over mortals being affected by divinity this way. After all, a simple strand could annihte their very existence. Then again only deities could use such a thing and with them locked everything was perfect. This realm would be a simr repeat of constant warring for supremacy. It would make for a good show, especially to see the proud gods that ascended from lowly beings versus the ones without much ego that simply spawned into existence. He could not wait for all of it to y out. For all of it to take shape and be something concrete. For these beings to develop entire civilizations under his watchful gaze. He would wait patiently. After all, he had plenty of time. He had the ability to fast forward everything if he so desired. He could make a single instantst an eternity too. That was his prerogative in his own personal world. But then some of the devourers, the kind of being he used to be, took notice of this world of his. They started enjoying it fully. Asking for more. Even then it was a good thing because they would not actually damage any of it truly. After all, they would mostly feed on the joys and sufferings. Feed on the various emotions inhabiting the resident of this new world of his. Seemingly immortal entities like him. That was when he resolved to create more, knowing he used to devour the most. Why? Because he felt like it. At first, he thought the biggest challenge he would face would be the limitless scope of his powers. After all, when you have the ability to design anything and everything where do you draw the line? But then he realized that there was a way bigger issue. An unpredictable enemy. An unfeeling one. That would target this world of his and try to undermine it. Trying to limit his powers over it. Effectively trying to sway the devourers away, or so it seemed. There was no reasoning with such an enemy. No surviving a direct confrontation. But there were ways to avoid its wrath. Or so he believed. Slowly perfecting the method. And so he came up with a set of simple rules to shield himself from it. 1) Avoid angering it at all cost, what angers it is unpredictable, however. 2) Create a dummy universe and try various settings to test its reaction. Let it destroy it if angered. 3) Rely on the proven and the tested for there is wisdom in that. But after every fight, he would remain badly battered and injured. He would need to ask for the help of other entities. Ones even more powerful than him. Way more. He would plead and beg. Only to barely recover with their support. This enemy would haunt him, making him shiver and fear at night. Like a relentless unending nightmare. And every time it came for carnage THAT would appear. An omen of the devastation toe. A simple message that would appear on the tool he used for world creation. "Your work The Unnamed God. I''m really Not a God You Guys ! is restricted!" Chapter 52: Eating something that shouldn’t have been eaten Chapter 52: Eating something that shouldn¡¯t have been eaten **** (POV) What is that human doing? More importantly what is a human even doing here? Anding from the inner forest at that. Guess he is extremely skillful at hiding. or not. Let''s revise that hypothesis. This human is probably extremely lucky. No way he could have made it that far otherwise. He is slowly crawling toward me while making a ruckus. How does one even manages to produce such sounds while crawling is beyond me. The twigs are cracking. The bushes are rustling. Critters are reacting to his presence. There are even rocks getting pushed away sonorously. There is something really wrong here. Is this some kind of bait? Are there hunters in the area? Doesn''t seem like it. Peculiar. Is he perhaps blind? He''sing toward me slowlyextremely slowly. No. He''s definitely eyeing me. What gives him the confidence? There are humans that can hunt me on this continent. However, none can contest against the representative directly. Not here anyway. She reigns supreme in this area. Any of the bigshots would know better than to throw their lives away. That means he is a fool. A fool that somehow made it this far without getting eaten. But his story ends here. He will make for a tasty snack before I proceed to rest some more. I prepare myself to attack. Building force in my entire body. Getting ready to lunge at him and devour. He stops, slowly gets up.and rushes at me! What?! What is he doing? He spent all that time trying to sneak his way here (badly). Yet now he''s rushing at me. Is he braindead perhaps? Maybe he''s affected by a madness curse? Should I still eat him? Should be fine. I am called the white scaled devourer after all. Consuming is my specialty. Well, that and body reinforcement. I wait until hees into my range. Wait wait now! In but an instant it is over. I swallow him whole. Meanwhile, he just stands there cluelessly. A surprised expression painted on his face. Indeed he was only a fool. A fool now in my stomach. **** There is someone in my territory. I somehow know. My instinct warning me. I cannot feel any killing intent. Not an enemy. Let me see. Izily open my eyes. Oh? What brings him here. A friend of mine. The shadow fox king. One fearsome individual. I am immune to his attacks thanks to my sturdy magic reinforced scales. However, so is he to my own attacks. He can disappear into the darkness like well a shadow. Dealing with him is impossible without ess to especially potent elemental magic. Even then good luck actually catching him! He is the one I respect the most in this forest after the representative. Even the old tree ancestor is worth less in my opinion. While this archaic monster has incredible power, I dislike his character. If it were only up to him, we would remain in this forest until our demise. Dying worthless natural deaths. This fox is different. He has boundless knowledge and smarts. I remember something he once told me. It shook me to my very core. I remember it word for word: (I have a dream that one day every valley shall be covered in the endless forest''s blessing, every hill and mountain shall turn into our domain, the rough ces will be made in, and the crooked ces will be made straight, and the glory of our king shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together and tremble!) He is a dreamer. But a realist dreamer. With his darkness magic acting as his eyes he speaks of the outside world. Of ns to conquer it. Sadly out there are many hidden tigers and crouching dragons. While we are extremely strong our representative is not yet at full power And we need a king to lead us. The representative awaits her fated one. She knows divination magic after all. Problem is, such things are extremely obscure and confusing even to the masters. There is no telling how long it will take. Will we even be alive when the timees? As such my friend came up with a n. A daring n. He would wait for now. But when he feels his ending, he will go out fighting. Shining like the brightest star there is in hisst moments. I will apany him. Wage war upon mankind and hopefullye out victorious. But for now, we await. I wonder what brings him here today. "There is news. The representative has chosen a king." "What?! Seriously?! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I can''t wait to meet him! How strong is he! What race is he? What ." ()/ "Rx! One thing at a time. She will convoke everyone for a meeting. I am simply telling you first." "When?! I can''t wait to ." "That''s weird, didn''t you already meet him? I''m pretty sure he went toward your territory this morning." ( ) ? (;) "No way! I wish! I can''t wait till I ." *()* "Alright haha. Oh right, I should probably tell you that but don''t even try to challenge him. There is no winning against him. Only pain and suffering." "There is no way I would!" "Of course, I know how long you have been waiting for him to arrive. Oh right, I should probably tell you what he looks like. Here, look at my shadow sculpture skill! One day I shall be a legendary moonlight sculptor! *proud* But that is another story." In front of my very eyes, the nearby shadows elongate and slowly amalgamate into a shape. It seems a bit too small for a beast king. And too humanoid looking. Oh, right rank 5 can shapeshift can''t they. Makes sense that our king is one He strong leader! Let me gaze upon the divine features of our new ... WHAT THE FUCK. THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!!! NOOOOOO!!! *Anguish* (><) The sculpture has very familiar features. I FUCKING ATE OUR KING!!! "What''s up with you?" (,) "I FUCKING ATE THE KING !!!!!!!!" (_) Chapter 53: Our King ! Chapter 53: Our King ! **** (POV) A foxes running and a snake slithering. The younglings sure are energetic as usual. Then again, this incarnation of mine is actually younger. "Repreeeseeentative!!! Big problem!!!" "Repreeeseeentative!!! Please save him!!! Save the king!!!" The king? I''m d to see they both epted him. But what''s that about saving him? More importantly, would I even be able to go against a threat to him? God knows I''ve seriously tried to kill him once to no avail. "Representative! Please say something!" "Representative this is an emergency!" Talk about not getting to the point. But this is weird, the little fox is usuallyposed. Hum these guys are a mess right now. This will be faster. *White light shining* Hum let me see. recent past. Divination sure is useful sometimes. The little snake met the man I chose. And..pffft That''s totally his style! HAHAHAHA. Swallowed alive! Oh well, shouldn''t be much of an issue. He will need some deep scrubbing before Iy in his embrace again. Let''s see what follows. Little fox meeting little snake, talking about their king. Realizing he''s in the snake''s stomach. Trying to open said stomach with darkness magic .and sharp rocks? The little snake even ramming himself repeatedly against whatever pointy-looking branches he can find. Yep, all useless. What are these guys even doing? (''` ) I''m not sure if I shouldugh or be concerned. "Repreeeseeetative !" / "Repreeeseeetative !" The little ones are still at it. "So let me get this straight. You little fox did not even aplish your only task to convoke everyone here. And you little snake! You swallowed your own king then tried tomit suicide?" *re* *Both lowering heads in shame* "B-but representat" / "T-the king." *at once* "The king is fine. He is simply sleeping." "B-but I swallowed" / "" "And?" "B-but I." / "Actually ." "." "B-but" / "He''s unkible" *(_)* / *(;)* "He''s your king after all." "AH!" () / "" |_) "You! Come here so I can get him out! And you, stop hiding and do your job already!" "Yes representative!" (Both*) **** (POV) I totally screwed up on that one! Why did I even panic? He''s our king of course he won''t die from that! It''s one thing for the devourer king to misunderstand him but for me to do the same. Ah. I''m ashamed. (o-_-o) Did all these years of gathering information teach me anything!? *sight* Actually yes it did! It taught memon sense. It thought me to discern the possible from the impossible. OUR KING THROWS ALL OF IT BY THE WINDOW! HOLY FUCK HOW IS HIS EXISTENCE EVEN POSSIBLE?! *Deep breath* He doesn''t conform to any knownws of the world. Not the ones I''m aware of in any case. That is a good thing. No! The best thing ever! Won''t we be unstoppable with him leading us? He does own the Bringer of Cmity after all. Knowing how powerful he was I ran away at first. Spent my time hiding. That is until the representative found me. She told me about him being the chosen one. All the fear that inhabited me then melted away like an ice cube in ake ofva. Not that I have ever tested. He''s fine. Sleeping. Getting eaten by a rank 4 is of no concern to him. How fucking awesome is that?! Ah anyway, less dilly-dallying. Time to focus on my mission. **** It takes me but a few days to rally all of them. Mostly because the ant queen doesn''t wish to cooperate at the beginning. She wants to send a stand-in instead. Can''t have that. Time to use some advanced diplomacy! Threaten to burn down the whole fucking colony if she doesn''te asap. That worked well. It is all in the subtleties. Now time to go head back to the representative! **** Attending are the Wood man-eater-ant Queen, the Overwolf King, the thousand teeth savage deer king, my friend the white scaled devourer king, the space mantis king, the ming boar king, me the shadow fox king, and our leader the representative of the endless forest. The only power missing being the old ancestor. forever. "Representative! With all due respect what makes you convoke us so suddenly and violently! I deserve an exnation!" (`) Yep. The ant queen is still angry about the extermination of nest thingy. What a narrow-minded one! "Today is the day the new king of the endless forest is appointed. It is the man sleeping under the shade right there." Wait?! We are doing this that casually!? A simple meet and greet while the main actor of the event is asleep?! "OBJECTION!" (` ) What''s with the pointing stance and the sudden outburst? "Why should a human be qualified to lead us?!" There she goes again. Oh boy. "Oh? And what about you guys?" *raised eyebrow* "Mydy the wolf pack will follow you everywhere! Same goes for our king!" Ever so loyal that big guy. "Of course I''ll follow master wherever!" *low growl from the representative* "I require some petting too this is unfair!" *sad deer* Fighting for affection? "LONG LIVE THE KING !!!!" My friend is as enthusiastic as usual HAHA. "For the delicious food! HumI mean for the king !!!!" As simple-minded as usual this boar. Guess it''s time I step up too. "Long live the king. May his reignst forever. May his strength...Fail him never." Why are you rolling your eyes representative? That is such a ssic line! "What''s with you all? What happened to your backbone! Yielding to some random human?! They are our enemies! The ones that sent our predecessors into exile! The ones that scour the periphery of the forest to ughter our brethren. The ones we cannot forgive! Have you all lost your mind? There is no way he is qualified! There is no way he could lead us anywhere but to our ruin! There is no way I shall lead my colony into oblivion! It is my duty as a queen and as one of the protectors of our forest! He cannot be king! Mantis say something too!" "Well.I did have some conflicts with him. As much as it pains me to say, he is strong. Extremely strong. While I do have doubts about it. I trust the representative. If she says he is the one meant to be our king, then he shall be. I''m not sure when it will happen. I do not know divination after all. But I believe." "You too! You guys are all going insane! There is no way this will be epted by the old ancestor anyway! There is no point in convening without him! If you guys want my help to convince him, you better forget it! He won''t ept a puny human as our leader! Ever!" ( `*) Oh god. Is it me or has the representative driven the conversation there for maximum shock effect from the start? Sometimes she can be so petty HAHA. "Oh? Maybe I should mention that this puny human of mine killed that so-called ancestor already. It seems his input won''t be required after all." "What?! Impossible?! There is no way!" I should lend a hand too, I guess. "The representative speaks the truth. The ancestor tried to kill the king. He has been annihted for it. Him begging for mercy did not serve any purpose either. If I can give you one piece of advice: never anger him. EVER! He might seem weak while peacefully slumbering but you don''t want to see him angry." 0_0 She takes a few minutes to process the news. "LONG LIVE THE KING! HE SHALL LEAD US TO GREATER HEIGHTS! THE COLONY SHALL FOLLOW HIS WISHES!!!!" Wasn''t the change in heart a bit too fast? (_) Chapter 54: The First Elder of The Unnamed God Sect Chapter 54: The First Elder of The Unnamed God Sect ****(POV) This mountain ridge is and of death and fear. At least that''s how anyone sane would describe it. The fearless avoids it like the gue. The suicidal assault it. It used to be nothing more than a simple mountainous range. If it is possible to describe a disaster zone with that word. Countless monsters. Natural defenses making breaking into this ce a challenge. One needs to scale the huge outer cliffs to be able to prate the inner region. It makes for an impregnable fortress. One impossible to take. One not suited for human life. At all. Because of it, the surrounding civilizations decided to ignore it. Out of sight out of mind. From time to time there will be a beast tide happening, but even the beasts themselves get hindered by the mountains in their invasion. The point is not even 10% of the attackers actually make it to mankind''snd. It was thus considered a uselessly dangerous and yet worthless no man''snd. After all, even monster hunting is extremely arduous in such an environment. No proud warrior wants to die from falling off a steep cliff after all. That is until he came. The Old Lion. The Old Lion and his band of mercenaries. Army would be the word to use. More than a thousand elite troops all with formal warfare training. But he calls it a band anyway. At this point, the whole continent knows better than to offend him so a band it is. After all his army is probably one of the few that exist that can transcend ranks. It is estimated that even a rank 5 would not survive an encounter with them. Their teamwork is honed, their des sharp, their killing intent palpable, or so I''ve heard. While they call themselves mercenaries, they are in fact known as the deadliest and most dreaded bandits in thend. They initially started as such but became zed of fighting others'' wars. Turning to piging and killing as a means to survive. After all, this is all they know, to fight. And they are damn good at it. At the time they became public enemy number one and countless gods'' followers hunted them day and night. With numbers enough to make the earth tremble. With vigor like no other. From ones holding grudges to people looking for fame and achievements. All their efforts came for naught. After all, just when people assumed them cornered, they retreated in the depth of this disaster zone. People called them foolish. Peopleughed at them dying a dog''s death. People celebrated. That is until they showed their might again. Started raiding various sects as retaliation. Of course, they were bound to fail since they were attacking established bastions with protection from the gods themselves. or not. They brought destruction in their wake. It was a painful period for the continent. Blood kept flowing in rivers. At some point, the entire forces united against them once more andunched a decisive crusade to clear this enemy. Faced with such oppressive might the mercenaries of course. still survived. Yep, not only did they not suffer a single casualty, but they even managed to exit the mountain range sneakily from time to time to rob some supply chains of the very enemies sieging them. It was a total loss of face for all major powers. The various faction leaders decided tounch an all-out offensive even if it meant death! Of course, most elders managed to convince them otherwise. Still, a few sects ended up losing most of their forces after an assault attempt. After all only the suicidal should attack this ce as stated previously. Such a loss only meant getting eradicated in the constant power struggles of the gods. While the Old Lion did quiet down in recent years, none of the wise have forgotten about him. He is a danger lurking around. Always out of reach. The good thing being he is one to hold grudges. Meaning after mostly venting in the previous war he is now rtively calm. While he will still raid some random factions from time to time he will only rob and not viciously ughter. They are akin to a natural disaster. It happens and people naturally recover afterward. Speaking of the Old Lion I did meet him once. Only once that is. I felt something in him that made me resolve to stay forever away from him. Or the old me anyway. What I felt from him was a fighting spirit. He derives joy from war. Not the end result, the process itself. In that regard, he is simr to the Eagle of Massacre that joined the Moon Keep. Well, he used to be his teacher so that exins it. But while the Eagle will fight to ughter and loves to personally defeat his enemies, the Old Lion prefers to win with numbers. There is nothing he prefers than to outmaneuver enemies with a legion of soldiers perfectly trained. Akin to a maestro guiding an orchestra he loves to conduct the battle rhythm. Until the enemy''s spirits are utterly crushed. That is how his fighting spirit is shown. He''s a multifaceted man, it just happens that all contribute to his warlike personality. Calm, steady, yet overwhelmingly deadly. If there is one thing peculiar about him is that he himself has no special ability besides his unnaturally powerful will. He never gives up. He attained his power through rigorous training of the body and mind. More importantly, he doesn''t believe in any god. He believes in his troops. He believes in the sweat and blood of man. That is both his weakness and what makes him truly strong. While he himself might always remain a rank 3, very much like me, he is not one to be underestimated anyway. The old me did not want to have anything to do with him. I found him foolish to risk his life fighting. I found him remarkable in a sense, yet I wanted nothing more than for him to stay away from me. He himself, or his army for that matter, never scared me. I have the confidence I could annihte them if I so ever wished. After all gueri warfare is my specialty. No number of troops can ever be enough against one such as I. So while the continent is afraid of them, I am not. I now somewhat respect him a lot. It took the sectmaster to open my eyes. To show me a world beyond blindless worship. Funny how it took a god to show me not to awaits mercy from these deities. A god that doesn''t even care about people knowing his existence, that doesn''t care about faith power. Such a god is truly refreshing. Also aplete mystery. But looking at his champion he is a powerful one for sure. The sectmaster seems extremely weak at first nce but will realize miracles without batting an eye when you aren''t looking. Honestly, I would have preferred to stay at his side. Explore the world with him. Help show our god''s glory and message. A peaceful god, yet a vengeful god. It makes my blood boil. Yes, me! The most cowardly of them all, or at least that''s how others see me. For me surviving is all that mattered. At least before. Now I actually want to aplish something. At first, I was really angry about that damn wolf chasing me away. But then I realized that the sectmaster doesn''t need my protection in any case. There are other things I should be doing instead. What kind of sect only has 2 believers?! I n to rectify this issue as soon as possible. Well, here goes nothing. Time to risk my life for once. Chapter 55: Leaving the forest, border town here I come Chapter 55: Leaving the forest, border town here Ie Somewhere in the outskirts of a gloomy scary forest, a young man is slowly walking. Taking every step with confidence, steadily. Extremely handsome and showing well-defined muscles. This young man is obviously the beloved main character of this story. Well, this is how a narrator would describe me I am sure. After all, I am contracting my muscles to make it look like I have a six-pack, but damn is that exhausting. But also, I am kinda naked. After all that happened in the forest you know. Let me see. I trained my resistance; my speed and I learned the basics of barbecue. I also spent a bit of time exploring the entire forest and going against its inhabitants. I really need to be careful in the future, however. It was a really close call a few times. For instance, I managed to avoid a fight with the wolf king (god bless), I got extremely lucky against the giant tree and I even received help from Wolfie to survive the snake. How she got me out of its belly I have no idea. What I do know is that when I came to, she was there with the wolf king waiting for me. Guess I was right to believe they are rted in some way. Right now I have Wolfie at my side. The wolf king had to remain in the forest for obvious reasons. Still, the forest isn''t that dangerous once you know what to avoid. There is nothing like a hidden boss or the likes. Not that I''m aware of anyway. So yeah, I''m about to head out of the disaster zone. It took us about 2 weeks to reach here from the inner parts. Now that I think about it wasn''t the time estimate from my friend pure madness?! A month to cross the entire forest?! How long has it been? Let me calcte it all *interrogative nce* ( ) ? [I''m trying to see how long I spent in the forest for timeline purposes. You know.] *Scratches the ground leaving 9 w marks* [Wait it''s been 9 months already ?!!!] *Nod* Hell. Is it me or time pass really fast? That''s enough time for a baby to be born. Ok, that might have been a weird line of thoughts right there. Babies are scary too. Also means I''ve been in this world for more than a year already. *ng ng* "Go for the kill!" OMG! Is that a human voice!!! Where is it?! Seems to being from this way. I dash forward until I see a party of 4 killing a giant porcupine. A warrior looking guy wearing full chain armor with a shield. A ranger-looking girl with a bow and twin knives, A violent-looking man with a heavy hammer. A knight looking dude with a longsword. Let me see. Tank in front. Support in the back. Two off-DPS characters. There are no mages or healers, but then again are these even necessary against a porcupine? Probably not. Guess it is a somewhat bnced party. As long as they have healing potions. Wait are healing potions even a thing here?! Hum There is alchemy. There should be healing potions, right? As for theck of mage part, I can somehow rte to that. Learning magic is damn hard. You gotta possess the magic attribute and even then, your progress is affected by your magic affinity. Having both is like winning the lottery but at your birth. Kinda bullshit when you think about it. Oh well. I have my own path to thread anyway. But I do want to master some kind of magic at some point. With this being a fantasy world and all. Looks like the fight ising to an end. I mean, of course, a giant porcupine is a weak rank 2 monster that even I can defeat. Well, not kill but defeat for sure. "Where the hell did this perverte from?" "What''s with the wolf?" "The wolf is kinda cute. Is it a pup? Hum a monster tamer?" "But why is he naked! ARG my eyes! Someone! Remove this monstrosity from my sight!" Right, I''m naked. The knight-looking guyes closer. *sh!* [WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU ATTACKING ME!] "Why are you naked!" [HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO FIND CLOTHES IN A FOREST!] "As if I''d believe you! You exhibitionist!" Dodge, dodge [FUCK YOU! MOTEHRFUCKING ASSHOLE!] I forgot how much of a dick people can be. Fuck! Wolfie is way better! Should I just go back to the forest? "Wait! He''s obviously pitiful! Stop it you dumbass!" Ouf the rangerdy seems to have a brain. Fuck that guy. Seriously. "Fine. I''ll let him go for now, but put some clothes on!" [HOW THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO PUT SOME CLOTHES IF I DON''T EVEN HAVE ANY!!!!!] "Tch. That''s why I hate wanderers! They go out traveling everywhere. Poor as fuck. Showing their junks to the world. Gross!" [I''ll have you know my junk is perfectly.screw you!] The tankes toward us. "Alright stop it already. Friend, how abouting back with us to the border town? Here, wear this." He hands me a coarse nket. This man is an angel. An angel with a scruffy beard yet a pleasant face. I wrap it up around my waist. It''s pretty ufortable down there, but better than nothing. The youngdy goes near Wolfie. Trying to pet it. *low growl* [Wolfie. It''s fine.] *Reluctant and proud look* I swear if Wolfie could talk it would go something like: I''ll let you pet me this once, count your blessings! Kinda funny. Was that way with me too at first. We exit the forest in a really awkward atmosphere. The knight seems to want to murder me. The tank is mediating and trying to keep the conversation going. The ranger is ignoring me and buzzing around wolfie. The hammer user seems the calm and silent type. I talk a bit about what I went through. Of course, I keep the fact that I''m friend with a rank 4 Overwolf silent. They don''t seem to believe my story about meing from the inner forest. Something about there being too many beast kings. Whoever explored the forest was smoking something. Some really good stuff. I want some haha. * hits blunt * Like sure, there is a giant snake, a giant tree, and a giant wolf but that''s about it. I guess there is also that giant ant but it is hiding underground anyway. So like worst case there would be 2 rank 4s counting on the fact that the tree is gone. Oh yeah, the wolf was able to get me out of the snake''s stomach too and I wasn''t digested instantly. My guess is the snake is a peculiar rank 3. One that excels at devouring its targets. So conclusion 1 king only. But then again, it''s probably better I don''t burst their bubble. This way at least the forest will remain peaceful. It is my backup n afterward. Go into hiding there. "Are you ready to see the border town in all its glory friend?" When you say it like that of course I fucking am! Then in front of my eyes appears a bigger city than I first pictured. 10-meter walls. Many hunters going about their business. A huge iron city gate. One wordes to mind. Solid. Made to resist a beast tide It seems. That wall. Well, it wouldn''t do anything even against most rank 3s I''ve encountered before. Ants could just climb it, wolves could dash over it, the deer could use its tentacles to hoist himself up, the snake could probably slitter its way upward, the space mantis could teleport straight on the other side, the shadow fox could pass through the bars of the gate and the boar could tear it all down. Yeah, what''s up with this wall. Isn''t it like totally useless now that I think about it? "Impressive isn''t it!" [. Right.] T__T Chapter 56: An Honorable Businessman Chapter 56: An Honorable Businessman You''d expect a town neighboring a disaster zone to have great security. Yes and no. As we get to the gate there isn''t even a need to pay any kind of passing fee or to have any identification. Apparently, it''s to make easier the hunting of monsters. After all, they breed so fast it would otherwise be an issue. The only measure taken is some device that automatically checks for invading beasts. At first, I was worried about Wolfie triggering the alert, but it seems it only picks up the strong monsters. "Alright let''s get you some clothes first." "You are spoiling him way too much; rat wanderers are not worth it." "How about you sell that wolf to me? I''ll give you some silver." [Wolfie is not for sale!] "Of course not! Don''t worry about it." We separate from the others. Only the tank remains. I follow him to a small store in a back alley. Apparently, it sells used hunter goods. The kind that gets recovered on dead bodies. Well, it happens a lot I heard. This somehow surprises me. How do people even die in that joke of a disaster zone? Like seriously?! A middle-aged man with a curly mustache ushers us in. He seems to be the owner. "Oh if it isn''t my worst customer! Ever since you have been having some sess with your hunts you have stopped patronizing my shop. This is what getting famous and forgetting one owns friends is. How sad!" "Please. I keep visiting! Plus aren''t you the one that insisted I should buy new equipment!" "Haha. Is this a friend of yours? If he''s as promising as you, he might reach rank 3 someday." "He''s someone I just met. I need some basic gear for him. He lost all his clothes adventuring." "Let''s see. Oh right, what is the budget?" "You don''t have any money, right?" Hum, there is no way I would have moneyoh wait. Maybe I do? [Wolfie, you brought that coin we usually bet with?] * Brings a shiny silver coin out of nowhere* *p p p* [Nice magic trick Wolfie as usual! What can I buy with this?] "." 0_0 "." 0_0 I guess they are impressed by the coining out of nowhere. I was too at first. [Shopkeeper? Can I get anything with that?] "my entire shop." [What can I get?] "my entire shop." What? Oh, I get it he runs a used goods store. he prides himself in selling cheap, I guess. That was a joke, I guess. [Nice joke haha! Alright just get me whatever I can with that.] Ensues an awkward silence. Hees out of his stupor. Then we y dress-up with an excited owner. Except I''m the doll. And the equipment is meant for hunters. I get some standard clothes, some sturdy boots, a cool-ass-looking ck cloak, and a thin dark leather jacket. It has the advantage of looking awesome while not restraining my movements too much. I also get a sword, a few daggers, a bow, a quiver, and arrows. It feels like I grossly underestimated the purchasing power of silver in this world. Oh well, that''s good news for me. It''s only after a long while that we are finally done with that. The atmosphere is kind of warm. This tank dude is the big guy with a big heart-type. I feel like I meet a lot of this type. Lucky! The shopkeeper is nice too. I''m d there was none of the clichs where the shopkeeper looks down on the naked character just to get face pped right afterward. Good thing because I don''t have the financial power to awe anyone just yet haha. He says something about not having enough coin to give me back my change. I guess it happens. Cash flow can be an issue, especially in this world I''m guessing. It is not possible to just do a direct deposit and call it a day. But still kinda weird for an established business. He asks me to wait a bit. He even says I can keep my silver coin until he is ready. I''m not gonna haggle for so little. I already got so much stuff. I tell him to keep the change as a tip. He looks at me like I am some sort of mythical creature. Is it weird to tip in this ce? Whatever I don''t care. "Y-young man. A-are you sure?" What''s up with the tank guy? Why is his voice shaking? [Yes, what''s up?] "T-there is no way we can ept something so precious!" [But it is simply one coin, no need to make such a fuss no?] Especially a silver coin. If it was a gold coin, sure, but a silver coin? What''s with the overreaction? "A-are you really sure?" [Of course!] "Alright, you cane back to im whatever you desire here at any time!" [Alright!] He wants to make sure not to shortchange me. People that honorable are rare to say the least. Welp time to get out of here. I inquire about this ce a bit. Turns out beside the many businesses the local attraction is the presence of the hunters'' guild. It lets you register in order to provide an easy selling avenue to raw materials gotten from the disaster zone. Items traded are mostly randommissioned nts or beast parts. With the parts required being from rank 2-3 monsters. This makes it so most hunters are rank 2 martial artists. Some are even aplished martial artists (rank 3) but those are pretty hard to find. This means that Cayden, apparently that''s my benefactor''s name, is pretty popr. After all, he is a peak rank 2 warrior. The chances of him reaching rank 3 are pretty high. He is someone extremely talented for reaching that level at the young age of 30. To put things into perspective the cultivation dude attained rank 2 while still being a teenager. I guess he really is champion material. Oh well, not my concern. For now, I ask him to guide me to this association. I n on officially starting my career as a professional monster hunter! Chapter 57: Cayden’s Shock Chapter 57: Cayden¡¯s Shock ****(POV) We are currently fighting a giant porcupine. A rank 2 beast. This beast is one any in our party of four is able to easily defeat alone. However, there is still danger involved. New hunters often die from underestimating the forest itself. Yes, a rank 2 is weak, but there are monsters everywhere around. One second of distraction is all it takes for a surprise attack from a monster to annihte an entire party. It is something I have seen happen many times already in my career. Our group is an elite one. Most of us might eventually reach rank 3. It is the rank that separates themon soldiers from the true elite. Of course, there are further ways to progress but without the backing of a god, it is a hard path to tread. Of course, I do revere the god of hunting, but I''m way lower on the list of favored ones to receive his blessings. Me getting promoted would be a way to impress the divine one and maybe acquire new abilities. Because of the reasons stated above, I am always conscious of my surroundings. Even while I am directly bearing the brunt of the porcupine''s assault with my shield. Even as most of my vision is filled with its huge body. That''s how I saw him approach. Someone with quite the shabby appearance. I''m not sure what he went through but it seems painful. I am usually the cautious type, but I can''t feel any danger from him. Call it a sixth sense I''ve developed. If anything he feels ..happy? Yes, happy is the word. He seems d to see another human being after being alone for a long time. Oh? What''s that? As I keep expertly blocking, I realize there is a wolf at his side. A small wolf. Really small. There is one weird thing, however. I didn''t notice it until now. It almost seems like its presence is removed from the world. There are two options, either I was too overwhelmed by the young man''s state. or this wolf is not simple. Option 1 I don''t need to care. Option 2 I also don''t need to care. Because it would be way stronger than me. We smoothly finish the fight. This wasn''t a challenge to begin with. The surroundings are clear of any foe. Good. "Where the hell did this perverte from?" I''m not the only one who has noticed him. After all my teammates are good. But yeah, that knight is as much narrow-minded as he is good with a sword. Our ranger seems really interested in the wolf itselfand that hammer user of ours actually spoke! Seems I am not the only one sensing something peculiar about that creature. Our knight proceeds to go sh at him. THAT DUMBASS! Wait.wait?! The man is dodging seemingly effortlessly. While spewing invectives at that? Damn, that''s impressive. Even I would be short of breath if I had to face such an onught. Alright enough. Time for me to step in. "Alright stop it already. Friend, how abouting back with us to the border town? Here wear this." I hand him a coarse nket. It will do for now. My teammate is trying to pet the wolf, it growls. It seems to be really proud. It also listens to themands of that guy. Is he a monster tamer? A monster tamer with these movement abilities is really impressive. The key tactic when fighting a tamer is to go for the human and let the beast be. But what do you do when said human is more agile than the beast itself? You get fucked that''s what happens. I''m not sure if the wolf following him is actually strong, but either way, the guy has insane potential. The way he moves is as if he had plenty ofbat experience dodging shes with minimal movement. He''ll go far. As we walk back to town we are chatting. He says to being from the inner region of the savage archaic forest. My colleagues don''t believe him, but I do. Something about him doesn''t add up. Solo wanderers don''t simply show up in these parts. When they do, they die. Quite fast at that. This territory is merciless after all. We can now see the walls. Not the biggest there is but still awes most people. I''m initially proud to be showing it to him, but then I notice his expression. Unimpressed. I''m good at reading people. If I had to describe it, I would say he thinks these are useless. This doesn''t make much sense. He might have seen more impressive structures in a bigger city, but he should still realize its effectiveness. Oh what if? No that''s not possible. Or is it? That would be an idea so far stretched! What if he has seen so much more of this world than me. What if he has seen rank 4 beast kings before? No way. or maybe? The only exnation I can think of. Let''s do this. I''m going to bring him to a friend of mine. He runs a used good store, but he is an honest one. Sells quality looted products. We chat a bit, thenes the budget question. "You don''t have any money, right?" [Wolfie, you brought that coin we usually bet with?] Wait. He bets with his wolf? What? Definitely not simple g right there. Out of nowherees OMFG! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! Am I dreaming right now? Is this some borate prank? There is no fucking way this is real. This is impossible. I''m sure right now my jaw is so ck from shock an egg could fit inside. Even a huge motherfucking dragon egg would fit. That''s how fucking astonished I am. Let me get this straight. This wolf. Yes, a wolf. Just brought out a white gold coin. A MOTHERFUCKING WHITE GOLD COIN! These coins to the general public are a myth. Their very existence is doubtful. Yet everyone fucking knows about it. Coins that are worth entire cities. Traded only between the most powerful sects. Possessing one for an individual is said to be only possible for rank 4 individuals. Yet ..he owns one. No worst. His fucking pet owns one. 0_0 WTF!!!!! I watch in a daze as he gets fully equipped with cool-looking gear. One that has the only property of being sturdy. Peculiar choice but understandable. If I thought what came before was unbelievable what follows is even worst. He tells my friend to keep the change as a tip. He literally just gave away a fucking city. What is happening?! I need to confirm. I''m totally dreaming. "Y-young man. A-are you sure?" [Yes, what''s up?] "T-there is no way we can ept something so precious!" [But it is simply one coin, no need to make such a fuss no?] ---------------------------------- My brain just shuts down. My friend somehow epts the payment. He has balls of steel that merchant. I wouldn''t ept such a heavy thing. We leave. The young man happily follows me out. I answer a few of his questions. He wants to go register at the hunter''s guild. Am I about to witness the birth of a legend? BUT SERIOUSLY, WHO THE FUCK IS THAT MAN THAT CAN NONCHALENTLY GIVE AWAY A WHITE GOLD COIN!!?!!? Chapter 58: Becoming a Professional Monster Hunter…or not Chapter 58: Bing a Professional Monster Hunter¡­or not Professional monster hunter, here Ie! I wonder what it will be like. Probably a big ass building with a tavern inside and boisterous hunters. Is my bet anyway. I wonder if there will be Palicos there haha, probably not. I follow Cayden as we head to a huge building near the gate facing the savage archaic forest. As we head in the sound of sonorousughter and of the smell of beer are. absent? [There is no tavern here?] "Why would there be? This is the hunter''s guild." My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined. Or not. It kinda destroys the mental image I had of the typical fantasy world guild. "Haha. There used to be a bar in there, but the acting guild master had it removed. Now it''s a merchant outpost." Oh god. What a tyrant this guy! What about our dreams?! Oh well, I guess it can''t be helped. There are grumpy people everywhere. [How does it work for registration and whatnot?] "You''ll have to first pass abat test, then aplish various hunts to get a hunter rank. Eventually, you can be promoted and have your perks improved. At the beginning, it is pretty much a small discount at cksmiths and a slightlyrger profit when selling to the guild directly in bulk." [I see.] He heads toward the counter where a cutedy is awaiting customers. Brown hair, white ribbon, work outfit. "HEY KATHERYNE! I brought a neer! I''ll need you to ." "Cayden he''s going wild again! Pleasee and help!" Who''s that? Oh. The ranger girl just barged in from god knows where. "*Sigh*, Alright I''ll leave you to her. Katheryne, help him register and " "I understand you need to go babysit that party member of yours again *Chuckle*" He gives a helpless look and exits quickly with the ranger girl. Oh well, guess it can''t be helped. "Here fill this form." She hands me some kind of parchment and a quill. I''m confronted to a row of unknown symbols. [Humthe thing is] "Can''t write? Alright. I''ll fill it out for you. Age? Any previous hunter experience? Preferred weapon? Rank? Magic attribute? Guarding deity? Party members?" Wow! That''s a lot. Okay let me see. [Not sure. None. Anything lying around (I keep destroying my weapons after all). Not sure (am I still a rank 1?). None. None. None.] "...You should take this seriously!" She''s frowning. [I am?] What''s with her? "*sigh* It''s fine if you don''t want to say. I''ll just write some random information. But seriously I''ll let him have an earful when hees back." She''s weird thatdy. What''s the point of asking questions if you don''t listen to the answers? Ah, whatever. Everything seems to be going well. I''ll just go with the flow. "Alright let''s schedule you abat test. It will probably be in a few days. Let me bring the documentation to the guild master and I''ll be right back." [Aye Aye captain!] She gives me an odd look. You are supposed to either roll with it or go I can''t hear you! These are the two options. Meh, whatever. I wait patiently. A few minutes shees back. "Change of n. The guild master decided to test you personally." [Why?] *perplexed* "Follow me." Okay, I guess. She brings me to the back of the building. There, in what looks like a medium-sized storage room with various monster partsying all over, stands a tall muscr swordsman. He has a one-handed sword in his left hand. ck hair neatlybed toward the back. Neat appearance. He looks more like a noble than a warrior. "Oh. Are you the neer Cayden rmended personally?" [I guess..., we just met, however.] "I''ve seen your file. Or more urately how nk you left it. I''ll have you show me your skills directly. Ready?" [Alright!] I take out my newly bought sword. It is ck to fit with my cloak. Fashion is important! I take a fighting stance and prepare myself to . "Wait! For how long have you been using a sword?" [This is my first time.] "What is your usual weapon then?" [I just use whatever isying around.] "Like what?" [Branches, stones, and whatnot. Once I used a giant mantis arm as a weapon. Does that count?] "So.no real weapon?" [I was training in the forest and I didn''t have any. *shrug*] "You were training in a forest. alright, let''s just get this over with and fight a round." He sounds annoyed for some reason. [Alright! Ready when you are!] My fighting spirit is overflowing! I think anyway. Is there such a thing as fighting spirit? He dashes toward me. Now is the time! *sh*! I missed! How fucking fast is that guy! "It''s over. You lost!" What? What does he mean? His sword is resting on my neck. But like so what? [Let''s keep going!] "You lost. It is over. Go back." [What do you mean! Our scuffle is just starting!] "IT''S OVER. Get lost." Why does he have to be so rude! And what''s with that fucking unfair way of evaluation! Bullshit rules! What is this! Realbat or a game! I''ll make him take me seriously. [No fucking way!] Charrrrrge! Let me see you dodge this! *FLIP* I see my surroundings spin around me. WTF I''m dizzy. I charged at him ...and? He threw me overhead? Now I''mying on the ground and he is looking down on me. "Katheryne escort this man out and bring Cayden to me next time you see him. That will be all." He leaves. Fucking asshole that guy. First, he fucking cheats. Winning because of some bullshit rules he randomly decides. Would have been fine if I knew beforehand. Guess it''s some noble dueling rules or some shit. Now that I think about it, he is the guild master that abolished the bar. That''s it! There is no way we can be friends. As I head out the receptionist is giving me the cold shoulder too. I start wandering about in the city. These peoples are hypocrites. So what if I don''t know many things. So what if I don''t even remember who I am. So what if I''m not proficient with weapons. I can take on a rank 3 head-on. Maybe not kill it, but I can tank! Why the fuck aren''t I worthy of bing a hunter?! What happened to the rank 2-3missions eh? I''m clearly strong enough. Just because you guys don''t like my fighting style. [Screw you all! I''m strong enough to be a hunter but you won''t let me! Screw your bullshit guild!] "Oh. You seem to be having some troubles. Trying to get revenge on the hunter''s guild? I''m in a good mood today. Should I help you train? How about it?" [New phone who dis?! EhWho this?!] Old habits die hard. But seriously did a wild mentor character just appear? 0_0 Chapter 59: Mentor Acquired! …Kinda Chapter 59: Mentor Acquired! ¡­Kinda What was that about training? I look up, not very high. In front of me is an individual dressed in well-maintained leather work clothes. One made to be simr to armor but without hindering movements at all. I can see pride radiating from his grey eyes. A small smirk adorns his face. In his left hand, he is expertly ying with a dagger. Making it rotate and jumping around in the air. His right hand is nonchntlyying on his side right next to a sheathed sword. I believe he could draw it before I have the time to do much. What was the part about me not looking very high to gaze at him? Well, his heades to about as high as my chest at best. I give him, 10 years maybe? Yes, in front of me is a kid. One that seems extremely spirited at that. "So, what''s your answer?" [Who are you?] "Me? Just the future strongest swordsman! But what about you? You said you are strong. What makes you think so? Where did you test that strength of yours?" [Tested it eh? Hum. Does 9 months in the inner region of the archaic savage forest count?] "HAHAHAHA it sure does. Even then they didn''t want to let you join the guild? Are they retarded?" [I''m not used to fighting humans. He also added bullshit rules I wasn''t aware of. Waityou believe me?] "Of course! You have no reason to lie to me after all. If you were boasting you''d make it more believable no?" This kid is cool. Is it me or is he the first one to actually not look down on me? The party I met before didn''t believe me. The receptionist and the guild master totally took airs with me. The merchant was nice, but we didn''t talk much. [It is believable actually. The rumors about the forest are vastly overexaggerated. As long as you know where to thread there is not much danger. I have a friend that told me a lot of tricks on how to survive there too.] "Alright. The name''s Zero. You?" [ThatI''m not sure myself. For now, I''m just a wanderer I guess.] "Oh, that''s kind of weird. No name eh. How does that friend of yours call you then?" [Sectmaster.] "Sectmaster? As in the leader of a sect?! Why didn''t you just start with that?! And here I am offering to train you. *sigh* You probably have people to help you with that back at home." I chuckle a bit. [HAHA. No. I''m not some bigshot. This sect of mine only has 2 members, and I''m not even sure where my friend is. Hell, I''ve never actually asked his real name. But he is the first elder of the Unnamed God sect. The one and only.] "Howe you don''t even know where he is? [He left suddenly when we were in the forest. He had something to do, not sure what.] "Are you guys remnants of a lost cult? How long have you known him?" [Nothing of the sort. We just met in a dungeon, we got out, he decided to join my so-called sect.] "Tell me more about the Unnamed God, I''ll have mying of age in 2 years. I''m supposed to go on a journey to decide on a deity of worship." [The Unnamed God is a God that doesn''t exist. You can also call it a dead god. Worshiping him is pointless and you won''t receive anything out of it. It is but a concept. An ideal to strive toward. No matter what you should never give up and work toward attaining power by your own hands. Not by relying on some god. You should also find happiness in the small things, not needlessly create trouble, repay kindness a hundredfold, and enmity a thousand-fold. That sums it up.] "What?! So you are telling me you are worshiping a god that doesn''t even exist? Isn''t that pointless?" [Yes haha. It is very much so. But you see I believe in something. Everyone has their own path to walk. So what would happen to people forcibly walking in the steps of another?] "..do you mean to say. They won''t ever reach the top? They will forever remain forever in the shadow of their god? But won''t that still mean being the strongest human ever?" [Sure. If that is your goal. But won''t you always remain a tool to the gods then? They summon champions to fight their wars. Human life is expendable in that game of theirs. I don''t like it. I won''t be part of it.] "Did you share that part with your friend before or after he joined the sect?" [Haha. You think he left because I told him about the true nature of the sect? No, well maybe. I did tell him before he decided to join. Maybe he got bored of it. Maybe he just joined initially to repay me for getting him out of the Moon Keep.] "WHAT?! MOON KEEP?! Wait, follow me let''s go somewhere more private" I follow him to a small house in the periphery of the town. While small it does have its own courtyard. That is where we resume the conversation. "You said Moon Keep?! What Moon Keep?!" [You know about it? Isn''t it on the other side of the forest? I''m sorry I only know of one Moon Keep. Let me see, does Luna, Grey, Eagle, Old warden, ring any bell? Oh right. Maybe you know about my friend too. hum . what was it again? Some cheesy-ass title. The undefeatable warrior I think? So much for a dude that got his ass locked in jail HAHA. Do you know any of.] "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! OF COURSE I KNOW OF THE FUCKING MOTEHRFUCKER MOON KEEP. FUCK. YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE YOU ESCAPED FROM THAT DUNGEON!" [yes? Is that weird?] "I can''t even () so you managed to convert the undefeatable warrior and you didn''t even start with that?" [Is hefamous? It''s probably the wrong guy. The one I know looks like a beggar. He''s only a rank 3 too at best.] "You do realize rank 3 is extremely high?" [What? Is it? He was getting scared shitless of that one rank 4 Overwolf we saw too.] "You met a rank 4 yet you are still alive. You don''t even think it to be strange? Are you clueless or do you have balls of steel?" I take a pose. I stand extremely upright. Then look him straight in the eyes and answer with confidence. [Both!] ".." Chuckle. "What are the requirements to join the sect?" [Why are you asking? It''s a bullshit sect. I totally made it on a whim.] (` ) "Alright. I''ve decided. I''ll teach you swordsmanship if you give me a high position in the sect! I want something rted to swords!" [How about we do it performance-based + add a bonus to your ranking for joining early?] "So you are telling me the stronger I get the higher my position in the sect?" [Yes, but not only pure power. It is all about what you aplish with it you know.] "I understand! I''ll be the ultimate de master and I''ll get the position of the first elder!" [Sorry. Best I can do is second elder.] "Damn! Alright! The second elder it is then!" Funny how we are haggling over a title as a non-existent god''s followers. "But sectmaster you have to promise me something" [What''s up?] "Don''t fucking go telling your entire life to people you''ve just met!!! Like how fucking dumb is that?!!! You''ll either get yourself killed or get me killed for being a heretic. So please! Shut the fuck up in the future!" [Thatalright.] ( > _ < ) Chapter 60: This New Member Is Awesome! Chapter 60: This New Member Is Awesome! Did my sect just increase its member count by 50%? OMG! How fucking amazing is that?! I may have said a bit too much about my life, but hey it should be fine this once. I just gotta be careful in the future. [But wait? You said something about being a heretic right? I haven''t seen anything that looks like a cult sinceing to this town. Are they just hiding?] "No, the border town is special. You could call itwlessnd. Kinda. People from various factions tend toe here and dive into the forest to test their abilities. Sometimes you''ll see some small groupse in for training, but it won''t happen often. After all, on the other side is the Moon Keep and they have dered the area theirs. They''ll turn a blind eye to the small-time hunters that are just trying to make a living but that''s about it. If any real power tries to establish itself here, they will make a move. And it won''t be pretty." [Wait the Moon Keep is that big of a deal?! Wait it doesn''t make sense. I''ve been running from them for 9 months already and I''ve not even seen the shadow of a pursuer! Oh . wait could it be?!] "Did you figure something out?" [Well, let''s just say I have a good rtionship with a few people there. Maybe they are hindering their sectmaster from sending assassins my way?!] "I''ve never heard of the Moon Keep letting anyone escape, to be honest. How did you even escape their dungeon in the first ce?!" [Hum, the old warden is a friend. I just went up. Told him I was escaping. He went sure. And then I left.] " You really need to make your stories more credible or no one will ever believe you you know?" [You believe in me no? So does the First Elder! And some people back at the Keep! And Wolfie! Wait. where is Wolfie ?! 0_0] "Wolfie? The small wolf that was next to you, at the beginning?" [Yes! Where is Wolfie! Quick we gotta look for ] "Rx haha. Follow me." We head inside the house. Now that I look at it seems really well maintained. When we enter the first thing that hits me is the smell. OMFG this smells heavenly. And that ising from a guy that saw the Lunar Goddess'' realm. This small house beats it a hundred times. Where is the smelling from? I see Wolfiezing about on a cushion. In front of it a te! That''s it! On it is what looks like a meat pie. But calling it a meat pie is not making justice to it. I swear I''ve eaten rank 3 beast meat at the Moon Keep prepared by chefs. All my previous experiences fail topare. It looks simple. Steamy, hot, the crust looks golden and delicious. The filling seems about to burst out. So much meat it makes one wonder how it even fits inside. Wolfie is ravenously devouring it. With the most blissful expression I''ve ever seen. *Sound of a stomach rumbling* Oh god. I''m hungry. I want some! "Who do we have here. Is that perhaps a friend?!" A woman skips over. At first, I can''t remove my gaze from the pie, that is until she breaks my line of sight with her own body. If I have to describe her, I''d say . MILF. She has really big, but seriously really big clear eyes! Oh yeah, also that pie filling is not the only thing that seems about to burst out if you know what I mean. Somehow, she seems to be looking intently at me. She seems happy. My new swordsmanship tutor seems embarrassed for some reason. "Have you eaten yet? Do you want some pie? How about porcupine or turtle?" [HELL YEAH! * cough * I mean I''ll take some] No way I''d ever refuse. A few momentster it is finally the moment of truth. As I take a bite I am overwhelmed. Remember that time I didn''t eat for a long time and I was having a foodgasm? Well, what is happening right now is of a different magnitude. If this food was an earthquake impacting my pte with a burst of vor, it would be ssed with a magnitude of 8 on a Richter scale. THE best I''ve had before is max a 3, and that would be ounting for my starved self. Like seriously. Holy fuck. When did we be a cooking novel? I don''t know, but I''m not even mad. This right there could give a run for its money even for shit like Food Wars! I am not kidding. That is the highest praise I know. "Are you enjoying it?" *chuckles* She knows the answer already from my face it seems. [This is the best thing I have ever eaten in this life! I could devour this every day and never get bored of it. That''s how amazing it is!] "Haha. That is a family recipe. What can I say I''ve worked really hard on it. It seems to have paid off!" [Indeed! What made you be a chef? Either way, you are killing it!] "Hum. Let me see. It all started with a saying my own mother used to have. It goes like this: if you want to have a happy family you need to do 2 things. Keep your husband''s stomach filled and his balls empty." *CHOKE* WTF did she just say? She is smiling radiantly. Not ashamed in the least. My friend is nearby trying to hide. The personification of the sentence so ashamed he could die. Did I just mishear her or something? "That''s when I decided to really get into cooking. A few monthster I was marrying the coolest hunter in town and then came my little Lucas." Okay. She was serious. I''m as shocked as impressed. She looked at Zero while talking about the son part. Now I get why he calls himself Zero. Like seriously, Lucas. What kind of fantasy world name is that?! Okay let me scratch that. [Oh, so you are Zero''s mother I take it?] "Pfft, you actually call him Zero. HAHAHAHA. How embarrassing. *chuckles* Zero. HAHAHAHA!" Thisdy! Does she even know what embarrassment is?! She boldly dered that she became a cook solely for the purpose to snatching a husband a moment ago. But then again, her pie sure is great. She strikes a pose. Takes a heroic air, yet she looks kinda funny while doing so. "I am Zero! The one and only! Why Zero? Because I will be the strongest swordsman to ever live! The thousand swordsman ranking? What kind of thing is that? Number one ranker? You underestimate me. The number one can be challenged. The number one is always fought for. Not for me! I will be ranked 0! The one that not even the current recognized strongest will dare to go against! Remember the name Zero for it shall resound far and wide over all the knownnd!" Okay, I kinda get it now. It does give some slight Chuunibyou vibes. But still! THAT IS THE MOST FUCKING AWESOME CHARACTER INTRODUCTION I''VE HEARD EVER!!! LIKE HOLY FUCKING SHIT! He''ll fit right in! The Unnamed God Sect just got a top-quality new member that''s for sure! Chapter 61: Peaceful Family Supper Chapter 61: Peaceful Family Supper "Sorry, that was really embarrassing, my mom acting and all." [I just want to know one thing. Did you really say all that stuff?] "That..yes, but ." [Fucking awesome!] *thumbs up* "You think so?" [You''d give up just because it can be embarrassing?] "Of course not!" I see a resolute glint in his eyes. Yes, I like the kid. A lot. [Alright shall we start training already!?] We head outside in the courtyard. Everyone knows training should either be done either there or in an immortal cave. He takes position opposite of me. Between us are a few meters. He slowly draws the sword at his hip. I do the same. He res at me and then .. "How did you lose to the guild master at the hunter guild?" We doing questions? What about the fight? Okay, I guess. [He rushed at me fast, I wasn''t exactly ready either. He bypassed my guard and before I knew it his sword was on my neck. That''s when he said the bullshit about me losing.] "Wait how is having a sword at your vitals not a loss?" [Oh. I''ve trained my resilience diligently. My body is sturdier than most people.] "Enough to take on a sword? Wow!" [I figured it would be the best way for me to stay alive. Defeat doesn''t matter if one cane back and get revengeter!] "Are you a monk then? I heard many train their physical body at the beginning of their paths." [I don''t even know what a monk is, to be honest.] "Alright let''s just spar a bit and we''ll know." He dashes toward me. shing left and right. Slowly at first. A blind man could dodge the initial strikes. Then he slowly picks up the speed. The shes are faster, he reduces the number of unnecessary movements. But even then, I manage to keep up. I use my top-sided view to make sure I don''t miss a single of his movements. I see the trajectory clearly. I dodge. And I dodge. And I dodge some more. Before I know it, a huge grin is stered on my face. This is fun, the feeling of being in control. He goes even faster. By now he''s almost as fast as the space mantis. That''s amazing. A young kid is actually as fast as a rank 3 (estimated) monster. Then again. The mantis itself is way faster. But his sword canpete with that speed for sure! I''ll just keep evading! How do you like that! I''m the best . *sh* WTF! I just got hit. Wait what happened?! His sword just disappeared from my vision. I was focusing properly on it and thennothing. *perplexed* "I figured out what the issue is. Youck technique. You can follow my movements easily and are not threatened in any way by my max speed. But only if I make my intent obvious. Simply put you can''t deal with feints at all. A child without any training would be better at it than you." So he says the one that is the literal child! Wait, he''s just trying to help. So feints. I guess my loss wasn''t unwarrantedBut me not being epted as a hunter is still bullshit. [Do you think I could hunt rank 2 monsters then?] "I believe you would be fine against rank 3s to say nothing of the rank 2s." [So how do I get stronger?] "Well, there are two ways. First, you slowly learn a swordsmanship style that you practice over and over until you master it. Second, you get the shit beaten out of you until you get used to it." [Second option!] "I figured!" The width of his smile is only second to mine. Getting stronger is pleasurable. *Many many sounds of swords shing and a body getting shed at for a long time* **** "You boys done with training yet?" "I guess we can take a break. Time to eat?" "Indeed it is, go wash your hands and bring your friend" [Sure!] I''m quick to agree. I get to eat more of that heavenly delight! I wonder if I could trade the recipe for some sect privileges. I would have to sacrifice my sense of integrity and fairness? These pies might actually be worth it. 100% in fact. I''ll have to askter haha. Not long after we sit at the wooden table. A pretty normal one, lots of dishes. All pie. There is a seat left open, I guess we are waiting for someone. I don''t have to wait long before the door suddenly opens up. From ites a well-built man. Not a mountain of muscles for once. He looks really down to earth. The fact that he''s covered with various monster parts does help that image. He looks battle-hardened. A veteran I''d say. A bit scary. He frowns when he sees me. I see his gaze wander about. Guess he''s not used to strangers. That seems to be the father, I think? "Wee back honey, how was the hunt?" "Haha, sessful as usual!" "Wee back father!" [Sup!] He looks weirded out by the greeting. But he goes to clean himself quickly and sits back down with us. I''m bad at socializing alright! Finally, the moment I''ve been waiting! I''m sure my saliva would form a giant puddle enough to drown dwarves if I didn''t repeatedly gulp. We get the ok to eat. Bliss. This is all I''ll write. I feel I might already be addicted to these. This sure is good. "Father, Mother. I''ve decided on a sect to join." * Choke * Can that family stop dropping bombs while I''m eating? Like seriously! The father is looking at me suspiciously. Of course, if your son suddenly goes on about a sect while a stranger suddenlyes outit is not hard to connect the dots. The mother looks peaceful and is awaiting him to finish his deration. "I''m going to join The Unnamed God sect. I''ve thought it through and I don''t think I''ll ever get a better opportunity than this. I''d like to formally introduce to you the sectmaster. He will stick around for a while. I promised to help him train his swordsmanship." "NO FUCKING WAY IN HELL!" Wait. Where did that sworde from? The father was empty-ended a second ago! He''s going for the kill! I''m innocent I fucking swear! I''m won''t poach kids anymore even if I''mcking in membership from now on! "Honey" She is smiling. He freezes. "Let''s go to the bedroom and have a talk. You boys keep eating, you need nutrients to grow strong!" The intimidating-looking man looks tame as a I don''t know. He looks tame as fuck anyway. He follows her obediently, any belligerent lookpletely gone. [What the fuck.] "Haha. Don''t worry they are always like that. While he is the one that oversees my training, her input is the one that will determine the final oue." [You mean I need to make her like me, or you won''t be able to join right?] "Haha. Don''t worry she already likes you." I feel like a man meeting his inws right now. But the one I am trying to bring with me is a minor. Where did I go wrong in life? *sigh* [How can you tell?] "Well, she didn''t pick up a knife and try to gauge your heart out. ?" 0_0 Scary! Chapter 62: A Father’s Concern. Chapter 62: A Father¡¯s Concern. **** (POV) I''ming back to my cozy and warm house after a few days in the wild hunting. If I wasn''t hauling around many remnants of many magical beasts I would be skipping over right now. Oh god I can''t wait to nestle myself in my loving wife''s embrace. Eat her delicious cooking and then.eh eh . I''d say my current life is the picture of perfect. I wouldn''t change anything. Hunting at my own pace. Without a need to care about others. Supporting my family. Living the life! Well, actually I do have one concern. My son. He is extremely gifted. Too gifted. At the age of 12, he already is able to hunt rank 2 beasts alone. That is a requirement to join the elite hunter teams in this town. Yes. The fucking elite groups. What hecks in raw power he makes up with technique and will. His mastery of the sword is actually above mine. The only way I''ve kept my father''s dignity all these years is the physical prowess I get from having achieved rank 3. Otherwise, I would get stomped. I''ve strived all my life to aplish one goal. All the 60 years of my existence. That goal is to achieve sword will. I''ve achieved the state of being one with the sword. But manifesting my will into a de? That is close to impossible. Or so I thoughtuntil I saw my own son exhibit signs of seeding. He can already give shape to formless spirit. Something that is the precursor to sword will. In a few years, he should manage to aplish it on his own. But what then? He has dreams. Huge dreams. Of bing the top swordsman in thend. He has the talent for it. He has the drive. In a perfect world I''m sure he would attain great things. The problem is: will this world let him grow? He might be extremely talented, but how many geniuses had their life extinguished before they could shine? He won''t falter in the face of adversity. And that is what scares me. I''m but a simple hunter in an abandoned town. Abandoned by the bigger powers that is. He has no backing to help him. I cannot do anything. The only solution is for him to voluntarily join a sect. Even then getting higher in the hierarchy will prove an issue. After all outsiders are not often trusted. What would be the point of him bing a renowned warrior if he ends up a death soldier for some god. I won''t ept it! No fucking way! I know I have to let him fly by himself at some point. All I hope is that he can find a good ce to settle. I''m hoping maybe he could be a disciple of the Sword-Master, or the Sword-King, or the Sword-Sovereign. All bigshots that besides their mastery of the sword also share oddly simr names. Since they all pursue pure swordsmanship the chances of them betraying him would be lower. But that is something I will ponderter. **** I let the worries leave me as I push the door of home. The usual smell wees me. That is how this woman seduced me. I have never regretted marrying her. Then I notice a stranger. This is unnatural. While my wife is extremely popr in the neighborhood, she never invites people over. Not to eat anyway. If anyone wants to eat her cooking they need to pay. A small fortune at that. But here is a young man. He smells of death. Or rather, his equipment does. I''ve fought long enough to recognize the stench. He''s either a dirty scavenger or some nave broke brat that couldn''t afford anything better. We sit and eat, then: "Father, Mother. I''ve decided on a sect to join." This guy''s fault? My son isn''t an impulsive kid usually. Did this man try to lead him astray? I''ll have to make him disappear if it is the case. "I''m going to join The Unnamed God sect. I''ve thought it through, and I don''t think I''ll ever get a better opportunity than this. I''d like to formally introduce to you the sectmaster. He will stick around for a while. I promised to help him train his swordsmanship." He fucking did! Trying to sway my son! A man that is obviously worthless is trying to turn my son into his soldier! Not on my fucking watch! "NO FUCKING WAY IN HELL" I draw the sword I have hidden under the table. I''ll cleave his head off his body, then it won''t be a problem anymore. Does he think I''m some soft persimmon? Think again! Die! *sh* "Honey." Oh fuck. My wife is angry. The way she smiles right now sends shivers down my spine. It was the same smile she had when a huge group of refugees cum bandits attacked the town. I was away hunting as it often happens. I came back running after seeing the state of the main gate. Having been taken over by scum it was opened all the way. Fire painting the background red. Heavy smoke in the air. I hurried back home only to find this wife of mine peacefully cooking. Cooking some bandit meat. I was always one to apud her rule to never waste food. Only, not that one time. I got so scared I decided to never get on her bad side. I also understood why this son of mine is such a genius. Maybe I''m actually the one holding him back. It is this precious son of mine that I now need to save at all cost. Should I just go for it? Just kill that punk? "Let''s go to the bedroom and have a talk. You boys keep eating, you need nutrients to grow strong!" Here Ites. I won''t budge on this one. This is for the future of our son. That shady character is one thing. The sect he represents is even worse. The Unnamed God sect? What kind of god doesn''t have a name? I might live in the countryside but I''m not some country bumpkin. I know there are no big sects with that name. No strong divinity either. It is either a scam or a doomed sect that will never flourish. *ng* As the door closes I gasp all the courage I can muster and . "You think he is making a hasty decision?" "!?" What''s happening? "Of course you do. How long has it been since youst seriously sparred with your son?" "Why? Shouldn''t we" "How long." "*sigh* Almost a year. You do know I really can''t teach him anything anymore. He just needs to grow up and he''ll be stronger." "Let me make you a quick summary. Today this son of ours that has no friend beside his weapons brought back a stranger. Not only was he not his usual restrained self, but he even sparred with him for a few hours. "A few hours! Even I can''t 0_0" "Not only that have you seen the look in his eyes? Never has he been so sure of anything in his entire life. I''m not sure how and why but our son believes in that man. I did not raise him to be that nave either. I''m not sure what that so-called sectmaster is hiding but I''ll get to the bottom of it you can rest assured. For now we let him settle in the guest room. You let me handle it." "But what if he has nefarious intentions?" "Ha! Simple. I''ll just bring out that special pie recipe again. ?" 0_0 Scary! I might budge on this one after all Chapter 63: Attention: Nightmare Inducing Chapter! Chapter 63: Attention: Nightmare Inducing Chapter! Have you ever been deep in thoughts about serious stuff like how amazing a pie is? So amazing your evening somehow shes by. Usual nods and grunts of acknowledgment included. Small talk about random stuff. No vital information really. Sometimes I get tired when there are too many dialogues involved. Brain just kinda shuts off and focuses on what truly matters. Yes, that pie. I''ve been going on about that pie for a few chapters already? It is that good! So anyway here is what pretty much happens that night. I get offered a job as a kitchen helper and a guest room. This way it''s baking 3 pies with 1 oven. Imma be able to train, imma be able to get my hands on the secret recipe and imma be able to not be homeless. Wait? Isn''t stealing the secret recipe a job for an antagonist. One that would live in a chum bucket or something simr? Ah, whatever. Today is the first night here. Obviously, I''m very tired after all that happened! I was called a pervert, I went shopping, I got my ass whooped, I got my ass whooped again, I ate some pie. Now that I think about it that kinda sounds like a usual day. Ok, I''m not that tired. But I somehow feel like I should be? Weird. But there is one part of me that cannot stay still. The dreamer part, the one that wishes for more stimtion, that wants to experience life, that.ok I''ll just say it. I''m thirsty as fuck. There. Simple. Concise. Clear. It is normal for a healthy young man like me to have such an interest. After all, I''m how old am I? I''m not sure. Doesn''t matter. Time to find the nearest tavern! Oh, wait. There is a more pressing issue. I call my subordinate. I tell him that this is an official sect meeting! First-order on the agenda is to secure some funds. Apparently, my rigorous professionalism was overkill. Oh well, the exemry leaders tend to be misunderstood. I can''t just outright ask him to leech off him. I gottae up with a better way to say it. This is my responsibility as a role model! Oh well. He does give me some bronze coins. Apparently, I should have enough for a few drinks. Mi-ni-ma-ni-mo! I chose you random passerby A! [Where is the nearest tavern!] I get an answer. I barge into the rmended well-lit building excitedly. There is a mug signboard. Still can''t read shit but who cares. I quickly order ale. Any kind. At this point, I just want to resolve this craving I have. What can I say I have a drinking problem. The problem being that it''s been too long since Ist drank. *Gulp* This is the best! As the cold beverage goes down my gullet a deep feeling of satisfaction fills my being. [AHHHHHH *satisfied sound*] More! I hand over all the coins I have to the tavern-keeper. I tell him to keep theming! A few momentster I''m broke again. I did enjoy it however. A refined-looking middle-aged man approaches me. He isughing. "Friend, I''ve never seen anyone guzzle beer that fast. How long has it been since youst drank haha." [Too long! Months!] "Haha. You remind me of an old friend of mine. You seem to becking coin. How about it, want to share your story over a drink?" This looks shady as fuck. Kinda like a white van and lollipop situation. Because of that, there is only one answer I can give. [Sure!] I mean. C''mon free beer. If he''s one of the bad guys I can always use divine energy to get me out of a pinch. A long conversation ensues. I don''t go into any detail, but I tell him about a few of the creatures I''ve seen in the forest. Apparently, in his younger years, he used to be a hunter himself. He''s retired now. Something about having found an easier profession. He self-depreciatingly tells me how he''s bezy recently. Found an easier line of work. The more we talk the more I realize how much I was missing some simple human interaction. To be fair the beer helps. A ton! Remember it is my secret weapon for socializing. Ah, this is fun. **** It is morning. I''m in a bed I''ve never seen before. Don''t tell me I?! 0_0 Ok, no. This is the guest room bed. Not the bed of some sketchy dude as I first feared. Looks like the stranger from yesterday didn''t take advantage of me. I guess it makes sense. After all, even if I am extremely handsome, somehow most people seem oblivious to my charms. They are probably blind to true beauty. Oh well. Let me try to rememberst night. I drank a bit. A lot. Ok a shit-ton. Whatever that guy from yesterday is doing as work he has coin alright! Then I rambled a lot about random stuff. So far so good. Then I somehow dragged myself through the town until I met . Omg. It ising back to me. I hooked up with someonest night! Guess I was thirsty in more ways than one. Fuck does that mean I betrayed Luna?! Actually, what is even our rtionship? Was it a fling? Anything more serious? Arggg I don''t know. Somehow, I can''t seem to remember the appearance of that mystery lover of mine. All I know is the blowing skills were unreal. Oh my god, I will remember this all my life. Thefort I felt. The warmth. The wetness. The tititing movements of the tongue. Ok you get it. It was amazing. But why can''t I remember the appearance? I was shit-faced, but still. I can''t let it end this way! Time to reuse my secret technique! The one I used back in the god realm. Circte divine energy. Remember. It ising back now. Let me see. OMFG NOOOOOOO! Beady eyes. Crooked nose. e. Foul breath. Yellow teeth. ckish tongue. I FUCKING HOOKED UP WITH A HOBBO! GROSS GROSS FUCKING GROSS!!!! Fuck me! Arggg. Imma be sick. Fuck me. The image is perfectly clear now. Curse that ability of mine. Last time I heard all that trash talk. This time I remembered this! Fuck! That dreamy memory just turned into a nightmare. The most disgusting one. I think there is a lesson to be learned here. Maybe I should stop drinking? As if! No, I figured it out! I won''t use the remembering ability from now on! It is officially sealed from now on! Ignorance is bliss! I have attained wisdom. **** (POV) Little did he know that this decision of his would end up dooming the entire world. "HAHAHAHA I the narrator can finally shine...wait what do you mean my part is over?! What kind of bullshit writing is ....." * Goes dark* Chapter 64: Do It for The Pies! Chapter 64: Do It for The Pies! I am extremely resilient mentally. You think such a misadventure would stop me? Wrong! I only spend a good half of the day crying like a bitch on the ground. After that I am fine. Besides being depressed and listless and wondering if I should go back to sleep for a few months. This will be a trauma that I will have to carry for the rest of my existence? Probably. Even now yesterday''s scene is burned into my memory. BARFFF. Just when I''m sure this is a new low ... it hits me. There is something in my life that still has meaning! My love for Luna? The beautiful friendships? The amazing members of The Unnamed God Sect? All the wonderful ces I have yet to explore? Wolfie? None of that! I still have pie! Let it be known! The official staple food of our sect is pie! The best being creampie of course! Today I will learn how to bake it myself! This thought is enough to cheer me up. Time to report to my cooking instructor! Ensues cooking lessons worth of a hell''s kitchen show. Except I''m the only one cursing. You''d think baking is rtively easy. Mix the ingredients. Put it together. Put it in the oven. Wait. Bam over! Delicious pie! It ain''t like that. Cooking is a legit profession in this world. One needs to carefully gather the mana in the meat and meticulously cook it while paying attention to the distribution. There is a lot of chaotic energy in the original ingredients. It can make people sick if consumed. Making it disappear is easy enough. The problem is to actually keep the potency for the final result to have benefits upon consumption. That is the hard part. That part kinda requires fine control over the mana. *Flips Table* Rip my dreams of cooking. Rip my dreams of making the best pie there is. Oh, wait. Haven''t I been barbecuing this whole time without giving a fuck about these bullshit rules? While notparable, my cooking is rtively tasty nheless. Weird. Oh, wait! Could it be that the chaotic mana is tasteless!? That would mean that as long as I am protected by divine energy, I could eat anything without giving a flying fuck! Hell yeah. At first, my cooking mentor is surprised by my inability to wield mana at all. Apparently, even element-less mana works in this case. Even that I can''t. I just can''t. Where is a book titled Mana Sensing for Dummies when you need it! Hell, I''m sure I''d make banks writing one. Except.I can''t. What about a Divine Energy for Dummies? Fuck even I myself can''t understand that shit. How does that even make sense? It just doesn''t. This world be weird sometimes. I tell her to teach me anyway. I concentrate hard on the task at hand. I follow her instructions to the letter! Burnt. Burnt. Burnt. Not burnt! Also not a pie. *confused* Slightly burnt pie! Perfectly fine and proper pie! Hell yeah! Who''s the best!? Who''s the most awesome!? Who baked a pie tasty as. *Barf* a pie!? Who emptied out all the ingredients with all his failures!? That would be me to all of it. Yep. All of it haha. So now I gotta get to shopping it seems. Let me see. Acquired coins! Learned about the general quest location! Heading towards the market! Wind direction! There is none! Also irrelevant! Sword! Bow! Daggers! All at the house, it was encumbering! Cool-ass ck cloak that would put an edgy goth teenager to shame! Check! As I get there a cacophony of sounds assault my ears. The haggling with the merchants. The shouting to promote the products. The buzzle of human activity. You get it it''s a fucking market. If you ain''t ever seen a marketce try going outside. If you rich you can buy plenty of stuff! If you okay financially you can buy a bit of stuff. If you broke you can learn how to pickpocket. If anyone asks you didn''t read this here. I am looking for a specific target. My cooking mentor''s ingredients pusher. He sells her all the good stuff for cheap. Especially that white powder. It takes a lot of flour to bake a pie after all. Let me see. Hum, what was his description again? I forgot. She did give me an ingredient list too so everything should be fine. Oh well. I rub the iron hilt at my neck. For luck, you know. I''ll pick that random merchant. He looks honest. Why do I say that? He''s not shouting as much as the others, just letting customerse to him directly. [Hey there, I need lots of ingredients, everything should be on that list. Can you help?] He nods, Picks it up. Reads it. He starts signing something. Merchant jargon? Perhaps. Yep, I don''t understand shit. [I''m not privy to merchant habits, can you just tell me?] He looks at me like I''m some kind of idiot. C''mon am I the only one that doesn''t understand him?! I can''t be, surely ?! [What are you saying?] He shakes his head. Is this some kind of shop with membership? Is there a secret code I must know to shop here? I''m confused. *perplexed* Then intervenes passerby B : "*sigh* This man is mute." Oh. that exins a lot. Guess that''s why he ain''t shouting much eh. I hand him over the money pouch directly. [I need all on that is on the list] He nods, okay we have an understanding. So I''m just waiting there. Standing there like a dumbass. Patiently waiting. This doesn''t make much sense. Don''t they have a delivery system here? Can''t we just ce an order and wait for it? Then again how do I describe where to bring the products. I don''t think there is such a thing as an address here. I vaguely remember the location but that''s about it. Oh well, guess we y the waiting game again! The waiting game in a bustling market. This was more fun when I could change the whole scenery with but a thought. Back in the early chapters. Suddenly I hear amotion. Some people are running away. The ones that stay start to get nervous. What''s up? We are in a town right? What could being? Do I stay? Do I run? AH .my chosen merchant is calmly packing my stuff. Has been and will be for a while. Whatever ising my way I will confront it! For the pies! *heroic stance* Chapter 65: When In Rome …Do Jack Shit? Chapter 65: When In Rome ¡­Do Jack Shit? For the pies! Yes, I am still posing heroically. While this merchant looks honest, he ain''t the fastest I''m telling you. But eh as long as he works hard. But seriously what ising my way? We are in a town. Can''t be that bad right? The crowd parts ways to let through a group of hunters. The one leading is a young man wearing luxurious-looking furs. Some carefully chosen jewelry adorns his hands and neck. And by carefully chosen I mean it''s all gold! I''m jealous! Eh I mean how immoral! Showing off your wealth in such an exaggerated manner! Meanwhile here I am with a shabby-looking iron hilt ne. My cloak is kickass though, especiallypared to how cheap it was! I''m just missing the mask and I''d look like Big Daddy! Anyone who doesn''t who that is needs to reconsider life. But if anybody asks, I am dressing simple because I am a model of virtue. I am showcasing how humble I am. Yes indeed! Showcasing might be bad. I am humble! There we go! If I had to describe him I would say, generic young master. And the people around him generic goon..or not? They actually do not feel the fodder type. You know that type that ends up trying to beat up everyone that looks at or sideways from their master. The useless kind. No! These guys look like hardened hunters! How do I know that? Is it because of how in sync their steps are? Or because of how they are carefully inspecting the surroundings even while in a town? Or how people get out of their way naturally? Or by the fact that they have well-maintained matching equipment? Actually, all of the above. Yes. Then again, I''m no expert. They could also be a group of troubadoursing into town for the first time. Wearing hunter costumes. A dance troupe thus exining their sync. Neers thus exining them looking everywhere. I''m bullshitting a bit now, but seriously I''d say I am 80% confident in my first assumption. The group splits up and goes toward every merchant stand. Then they start taking money. Oh, are they tax collectors? Guess I was wrong about the hunter part. They are officials. Makes sense, after all this ce is right next to a disaster zone. Fashion here might just be like that. Maybe they used to be hunters and now are officials? I watch the happenings. I have nothing better to do. After all, that guy is still packing my stuff. It''s not even that much stuff either. Like a packsack worth almost but still. Eh, whatever I have all the time in the world. I start to whistle lowly. We have all the time in the world. Time enough for life to unfold. All the precious things L. this merchant has in store! Fits right up for this situation. "Hey you there" The young master seems to be talking to.me ?! I point to myself. "Yes, you!" Ah, such is the curse of being handsome *sigh*. Even in rags, I would attract those with discerning eyes. Time to use my polite and friendly greeting! [Sup friend.] =) Hees closer and looks at me intently. From top to bottom. He then looks at the products I am buying. Ah, even if you confess to me it won''t work you know. While he seems handsome, powerful, and rich I don''t swing that way. Well, I guess that depends on how rich he is. not! I am a humble individual I will not be swayed by mortal riches! Even if you buy me some cooking ingredients! Ah, such is life. "You new in town? A baker?" Therees the pick-up line. "You''ll have to pay the neer protection fee." Oh. I was wrong, I guess. Can these guys stop surprising me already? They not hunters they officials. He ain''t in love with me he wants my money. No way I could have known *sigh *. Ain''t the guy rich enough already? Give me a break maybe? Then again if these are the rules of this ce I look around. No one is getting outraged or suspicious. I guess this thing is official. Alright. [All the money I have is there and I need to buy ingredients too.] I point at the pouch now next to the mute merchant. "Hum. I see. How about it, anything remaining after he buys the things?" The mute merchant nods and does weird hand symbols. Pretty sure he''s either very talkative in signnguage or using a reallyplex Jutsu. Either way, it''s pretty cool. They seem toe to an understanding somehow. Meanwhile, I''m there on the sidelines wondering wtf is happening. In the end, one hands the other a bit of the money. "Alright, I will take my leave. Have a good day." Guess the problem is settled. After all these happening, the merchant is finally still not done. This is weird. He doesn''t look fast, but he doesn''t look slow either. Just how many items are on that list? Maybe it looks more condensed because it is written. Like how writing a -thousand words- takes one second, but actually writing a thousand words for a chapter might take a few hours. This kind of thing. So I wait patiently again. This time people are super calm and rxed. I guess the earlier people were all tax evaders? Maybe people selling stuff without a proper license? Not sure. Either way, I''m sure the house where I''ll be baking should be fine. After all, they even have their own ingredients pusher. I kinda just messed up and never found him, but it should be fine. Alright, he is finally done! He hands me a really huge bulging bag and a now really thin money pouch. What matters is that I will be able to keep baking. After all. Gotta do it for the pies!! But then I feel like I will have to really focus on that endeavor. It will take time and lots of effort. After all, it is a motherfucking art! Oh. I know exactly what this calls for. It will be epic. So fucking epic that I''ll power-up real-quick thanks to it. Chapter 66: Baking Montage Hell Yeah! Chapter 66: Baking Montage Hell Yeah! How does one exin blowing up most of the savings dealing with a random merchant and losing money to officials at that? The first one is totally my mistake, the second is I guess I should have stayed hidden. Thing is I didn''t know about it. It be like when you be drinking for the first time in your life and mix a few drinks. You go wine, vodka, beer, champagne, Rhum, sake, then repeat a few times until BARFFFF. That''s how I feel like now. Was I supposed to run away when I saw some people do the same? Perhaps. But I do have a n! Remember the contingencies rmended when a n fails? Time for #2. Motherfucking scapegoat time lol. When I do get back, my cooking instructor asks me what happened to the money. Why the sum is lower than expected. And I tell her that I did have to pay a tax from city collectors. I describe the young master guy in great detail and gloss over the number of actual coins taken. Not that I do know it anyway. Perfect n. Now I am safe from any reprisals. She won''t dig into the issue either since there are officials involved! Perfect n. And..she leaves stomping angrily. Don''t tell me she ns to fight the city itself? Probably not. I''m sure I''m just imagining things. She''ll be fine right? Of course! She is a calm and thoughtfuldy. A scary one nheless, but cool and clear-headed. Yes, everything will be fine. No, I am not lying to myself. I am now a lost puppy without any direction. Should I get to pie baking again? Probably better to wait for her to be back so she can provide counsel. Time to train to fight! Wait that sounds way too in. Epic challenge time until I be a master with the pointy thing! Yes, that pointy thing calleda sword! Now, this gonna be good. Fight scene! Spoiler I get my ass kicked a lot. I get so destroyed I''d rather not mention it. At all. My cooking instructor returns shortly after, not sure what happened, but she looks happy. I''m relieved to see everything went well. So what I decide to do is to alternate between getting wrecked and cooking some pie. I will repeat it until I am the bestest! Ain''t a real word? It should be! I use my secret technique to speed up the training. Motherfucking baking montage yo! Please note sword training also happens in the background while I am singing. Here goes nothing. This song is dedicated to all the pies in the world! First one to find the original song gets a virtual pie from yours truly haha. You better listen to that shit and sing along lol. ( o ) You burnt away, you left me out here on the floor Doesn''t matter, you''re still the one that I adore You gave me something like no food did before Woah Woah **** If I close my eyes, all I see Is you right burning right in front of me You''re on my mind constantly Now I can''t get no sleep **** All day and night , you keep me up Non-stop, I''m not done yeah I''m not baking you well enough Oh my love, I''m not done, yeah **** I me myself, I broke my heart messing you You hard to cook now I''m bleeding from the truth You left me helpless, I don''t know what to do Woah, woah **** Repeat refrain, close my eyes All day and night you keep me up **** No sleep, na-na-na-na No sleep, na-na-na-na I think about you day and night, now I can''t get no sleep No sleep, na-na-na-na No sleep, na-na-na-na I think about you day and night, now I can''t get no sleep No sleep, na-na-na-na No sleep, na-na-na-na **** All day and night you keep me up Non-stop, I''ll keep baking, yeah I''m giving my all, not enough All my skills, I''m not done, yeah All day and night you keep me up **** Repeat the no sleep part Repeat the thinking about you day and night . ( o ) And that''s how it goes. Until finally! Motherfucking finally! I do manage to bake a pie that is not burnt and. actually, tastes amazing! I''m so touched when it happens that I start crying. Right there and then. My mentor is super impressed, mostly about the fact that it takes me as long as 2 months to get it right. But none of it matters! I am finally done with cooking! I am a master chef! Time for me to start my own tv show! I had the cursing mastered a while back, now I have the cooking! As a side note, I did find a way to make sure whatever I cook is not poisonous. A small trick with divine energy, but honestly, it''s barely worth mentioning. Well, it does mean that I can cook for others too now! Nice! Wait doesn''t that mean I am not unskilledbor anymore! OMG, this might be really good. Imma cry again. Oh yeah, I also trained hard with the sword. All thanks to Zero. He is a wonderful teacher. Super patient. Showing me slowly. I need to admit his control is super duper awesome. He can increase or decrease his power by units of 0.0001%. Like who seriously can do that?! Where was Wolfie while all of this happened? Mostly eating pie on the side. Not my pies obviously. The ones Zero''s mother cooked. What a traitor haha. That brings us to today. My swordsmanship graduation ceremony. We are standing in the small courtyard in the back. We have snacks and beverages, nonalcoholic ones, however like why?! But anyway, Zeroes closer. "Sectmaster. Training you has been an utmost pleasure. You started from far and you progressed a lot! At first, I was concerned a bit by the way you handled the sword. However! Now I can confidently say that the chances of you stabbing yourself with your own weapon are extremely low!" * Pachi pachi pachi pachi. * (Yes, I taught him that move) I did waste so many resources I would have driven a normal family to ruin, but Zero''s father is actually a rank 3 hunter and a damn good one at that. Oh, and the mother is like a super chef. So overall they don''t mind much. It doesn''t change the fact that today is a day of glory! A day to be proud of my achievements! A day of bliss and celebration! Yep, I''m going to the tavern after this. I mean obviously. Duh! Time to get shitfaced! This time nothing weird will happen afterward. I swear. hope! Chapter 67: Fun Times At The Tavern! Chapter 67: Fun Times At The Tavern! Well-lit tavern here Ie. Shamelessly acquired funding from subordinates. However, it is for a great cause! Tonight I drink! I''d do a drinking song right about now but I''m keeping it forter. The light floods my vision. The extremely warm atmosphere makes me instantly feel at ease. I feel like I am returning home. I survey the whole interior looking for a good ce to sit. Oh! That is a familiar face! The middle-aged man that brought me drinks before! I walk toward him. He sits at a really big round table, alone. [Hey friend it''s been a while!] "Haha indeed. I was wondering if you left town or something." [I was training! For the past 2 months non-stop at that! How about you? How is life going?] "Business is good, beer is excellent, and I have managed to be even fatter!" [d(^_^) Nice !] "Want to join me?" We sit and drink. From time to time he tells me about his younger days. He used to be a rank 3 hunter along with that guild master and some guy. Apparently, the wife of thest one makes amazing pies. Wait?! They were all a party. The three of them? With Zero''s father? Damn. The world sure is small. Then again, I didn''t leave town so figures. He suddenly takes something out of his pocket. He proudly deres. "Let me show you something nice I bought a while back." While grinning. he shows me a deck of cards. [oh? Alright let''s y some cards!] "You know what this is?! The merchant I bought it from assured me it was some exotic product! How dare he dupe me?!" [I mean, where I''m from everyone has a few of those. But I haven''t seen any recently to be honest] "Alright, do you know how to y?" [I do know the basic ] "Alright each card has a value and whoever pulls the highest one wins! Simple enough?" [That''s it? You just want topare the car number and call it a day? That''s not how one ys card!] "What?" *perplexed* [*Sigh* Alright. Ever heard of poker?] He shakes his head. Guess he''s about to be fucking enlightened right now. I share my knowledge of the game with him. Right now I feel like Prometheus giving fire to humanity. Developing civilization. One poker rule at a time. At first, he is lost. Then stupefied. Finally, he bes ecstatic. A whole new world of possibilities just opened for him. Only issue is we have no chips to y with. He pats my shoulder and tells me that he''ll take care of it. He leaves his seat. Goes toward a hunter-looking guy. A few seconds afterward I see theter run away like his life depends on it. Guess my friend offered premium for the chips. He''s probably motivated by the uing gain. We wait for about 2 minutes. Until I can hear a loud rumblinging our way. What is this?! A sea of people emerges out of nowhere. Muscr, tall, scary-looking hunters. All of them. Not. Some are leaner but still, they look deadly. The tavern bes so crowded suddenly I really don''t know what is happening. "BOSS EVERY SINGLE MEMBER IS HERE BESIDE THE FEW THAT WERE OUT ON AN EXPEDITION!" X50 They are all looking at my retired hunter friend. "Listen up you pieces of shit! From now on this young man is a VIP of ours. Any that mistreat him will have his head shoved up his own ass! And it won''t be attached to the neck either! Is it fucking understood!" "YES BOSS!" X50 The shout of all these martial artists is enough to make the very walls of the building vibrate. What''s with the change in personality? The easy-going middle-aged dude just turned into amander? And started cursing like there is no tomorrow. I gotta note that one about the head for future use. "Alright young friend. Exin the rules of Poker to them. Anyone that doesn''t listen will get a beating from me." They look intently at me. Fixing me with stars in their eyes. Are they that excited about learning to y cards? That''s as impressive as sad. How bored are they? And thus begins the quite short lecture on how to y. Kinda funny to see warriors armed to the teeth being that focused on ying cards. It''s just a game, you guys. No need to act as if a mistake will cause your doom haha. We are having lots of fun. "Uncle! I heard something happened!" Comes running the young master? The one that is a tax collector? "Nephew hurry up ande here. You arete." "Yes uncle what is .YOU! IT''S MOTHERFUCKING YOU! YOU LITTLE SHIT HOW DARE YOU TRICK ME?! WERE YOU TRYING TO SET ME UP LAST TIME?!" Wait what? Why is he yelling at me? I never did anything to him right? He approaches angrily. Swish gets his sword out and . *BAM* Headfirst into the ground! FATALITY! Or not. But damn this probably hurts a lot. The young master is getting beaten by his uncle. The wooden floor now has a big ass hole in it. *BAM BAM BAM* After a while the bashing finally stops. That is a lot of blood around his mouth. Is it me or is he swallowing wood splinters?! [I remember you! You are the guy that collected the city tax for a protection fee right? How surprising that you guys are rted.] "Oh. My Nephew dared to say he was representing the city eh." *BAM BAM BAM* A delicious wooden splinters meal. Or not. Looks painful. Maybe I should de-escte the situation. [No you misunderstand, he didn''t really say anything of the likes he just took my money.] "Oh? So you didn''t even exin properly?! How useless can you be?!" I open my mouth again to provide some opportune help. "P-pwease bwoter just shut up leawe me be! " "What did you say, you unfilial nephew!" And starts another round of beatings. Oh well, it seems. I can''t do anything about it. This family is weird. I give him the most encouraging smile I can and then : [Stay strong young man it will over before you know it] Is it me or can I see hate in his eyes? No, I am probably just imagining it. Chapter 68: Thus Ends Another Night Chapter 68: Thus Ends Another Night It almost seems like he hates me. But that wouldn''t make any sense. I only ever saw him once before. At the market. He took some of my money, end of story. Poor guy, he hates the way his uncle treats him, but he doesn''t have the balls to show hostility toward him. So I guess he is just angry-looking and happens to be looking in my direction. What a coincidence. [Enough, enough. What if you damage the tavern?!] "You are perfectly right friend. But no need to worry." He takes a bulging pouch out of nowhere and drops it on a nearby table. "Here this should cover it." How much damage is he nning to cause?! That pouch looks He full! "Actually, here take another one." Another super fat money pouch gets dropped again. Not only does he spend money to burry his own nephew into the ground and walls of the tavern, but he does so nonchntly. This is probably not the first time it happens. The hunters don''t seem disturbed at all by the scene. And let me tell you he gets his money worth. ALL OF IT! After a while, he is done. Remember the crime scene at the Moon Keep? Well, it looks like that. But add broken wood everywhere. It is bloody and messy. How the young master is alive is a mystery. I''d bet recovery drug. We can''t y poker anymore now can we *sigh* Answer is apparently we can. Everyone just sits down on a table that somehow survived the massacre. And we y. As a normal citizen, I naturally find this scene extremely disturbing...or I would if I wasn''t busy winning a shitload of money haha. I already made about 5 silvers! Might be pocket change for others but for me this is insane! How many pie baking ingredients can I get with that? Many haha. Well, I think anyway. I''m not exactly sure. Plus the beer keepsing! We have an ongoing bet with beer too, not just chips. It would go like that: I''m all in with 3 big chips, 5 medium ones, 1 small one, and 3 beers! Doesn''t make any sense really. But we are drunk enough not to care. The still sober ones are confused about the rules but are too busy faking that they understand them. I''ve been bullshitting my way through like this haha. Honestly praise the genius that first tried to bet motherfucking booze. This guy, hunter N is my idol from now onalmost. He would be if I didn''t see him try to kiss a stool. Actually, the worst is when he brought said stool to a room to . I''m really not sure what happened afterward. Also pretty sure I don''t want to know either. We be he drunk! We be he loud! We having he fun! @@@@ This is a PSA brought to you by The Unnamed God Sect!!!! We do not condone excessive drinking in any way! Drinking is not the only way to have fun you can also join us ande shitpost with us! We have pie! We have lolis! We are legion! We have cheese! We have vampires! We have beer for min. who TF wrote that one?! That''s what you get for outsourcing the small stuff. *sigh*. Where was I? Oh yeah, join us now and receive enlightenment or get your money back! All of it! Joining is free btw. Please keep enjoying the story! @@@@ And with that, I am done sharing my n for world domination with my new drinking buddy. Everyone is wasted. There are no more chips to be had. I got them all. And drank them all. *sigh* There goes my newfound wealth. But it doesn''t matter! I was out to celebrate and celebrate I did! I wobble out and head toward my current home. The night is dark. I''m dragging myself through an alley when I see someone. Wait! Isn''t that the alley where I made out with the BARFGULP. All good managed to swallow it back. I am not losing all the alcohol I consumed! Not after all the trouble I went through to win it! But who''s that? Social interaction mode ...activated!!! *inner guts pose* [HICK. Who this? This handsome me, HICK, wants nothing to do with a beggar! Not again anyHICK! Thest dude didn''t even say HICK no homo at the end! Outrageous! OutragHICK!] Wait?! This guy is trying to touch me?! OH HELL NO!!! NOT MY CHASTITY!!!! WaitI already lost that. Anyway, it doesn''t matter. MY BODY IS NOT READY!!!! **** I get back home safely. Some creep tried to hit on me. But I am strong! Well, not the strongest, but strong enough to fight some random beggar at least. The fight scene was epic! I did a left hook! Then followed by a left hook again! Then a left hook! It was the best! With my right hand, I was busy blocking all his punches like a motherfucking boss. Think I let a few through but it didn''t matter much because BECAUSE!!! I managed something amazing! So amazing It is a miracle! I managed to circte divine energy to boost myself while staying drunk! Hell yeah! Do you realize what that means?! Before I needed to be afraid of bar fights. After all, if I activate reinforcement to win but lose my drunk status it would be pointless. It would be a huge loss for me. Especially that I don''t actually drink that often. Gotta make the best of every opportunity! My drunk self-encounters Zero''s mother. She is calmly sitting in the dining room. Odd of her. She seems to be waiting for something. "You somehow made it back in your state. I don''t know if I should be concerned or impressed." [HICK. Don''t worry bout me. I may not look it. HICK. But I am not so easy to beat! I even got attacked HICK on the way back! And I am fine!] "Oh? Someone dares to attack a guest of ours in this town. Who was it?" [HICK. Not sure, some hobbo. I beat him ck and blue already HICK. All good!] "That is reassuring." [What about HICK you?] "Just waiting for my husband. He is runningte. If he is off somewhere ying around, I''ll have to chop his thing." 0_0 Scaryyy [G-G-G-goodnight!] Imma forget it all by sleeping soundly on my wolf pillow. Chapter 69: READ IN THE APP TO SEE THE ART! Chapter 69: READ IN THE APP TO SEE THE ART! ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) - ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) ( )( )( )( )( )( )( ) Join the Unnamed God Sect! We know how to have fun! Join the Unnamed God Sect! HAIL THE SECT!!! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We are an upright organisation (kinda)! Join the Unnamed God Sect! Bully random monsters! Join the Unnamed God Sect! No matter our numbers we are legion! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have pie! Join the Unnamed God Sect! Getting stronger one training montage at a time! Join the Unnamed God Sect! The sectmaster is insane! Join the Unnamed God Sect! Screw the Lunar goddess! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have poker! Mostly deathless too! Join the Unnamed God Sect! You know you want to! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have the cutest deer! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We are clueless! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We are OP AF! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We learn to endure pain! A bit! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We don''t even bother to name side-characters! Actually Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have drinking parties! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have a lucky iron hilt! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have popstars! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We go against the world! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We defy the gods! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We take long walks in disaster zones! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We y fetch! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We can barbecue yo! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We be dodging like bosses! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have Wolfie! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We y hide and seek! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We dream big! And weird! Join the Unnamed God Sect! Everything is filler! Does that make none of it filler then? Or still all? Join the Unnamed God Sect! We explore the world! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We are business savvy! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have cool members! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have cookies! (Zombie here, pie still #1 tho) Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have gold-ted pces! (Zombie here, real gold) Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have beer for mino. (Zombie here, omitted) Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have lolis! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We''ll treat you well! I think! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have an assortment of ssical music! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have Sky-chan and Snow-chan! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We''ll give you pills! Join the Unnamed God Sect! What kind of motto should I use anyway? Join the Unnamed God Sect! We''re crazy! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have fresh meat? Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have a local adjutant who hosts Mozart parties! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have the Unnamed God! Join the Unnamed God Sect! MEE6 is a simp! (Zombie, not rted to any existing bot) Join the Unnamed God Sect! Free tazers! Join the Unnamed God Sect! Get cookies! What we already used that one?! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have dragons! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have killer bunnies! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have cheese! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have penguins! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We are a danger to public morals! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We shitpost A LOT! Join the Unnamed God Sect! We have talents! Turns out lenny faces do not count toward word count. Surprisingly or unsurprisingly. I was gonna post some lenny faces and call it a day. Then say something in the author''s note about how this chapter took me a long time to write and lots of effort. Then I was gonna publish another one right after with some real story development. But not to screw up my word average I need to input some random content like so. Do you know how many sect mottos it takes topletely fill up a chapter word count? The answer is a fuck-ton. Like seriously. Then I kinda started to make some Lenny face art. In the beginning, I managed to sessfully spell out Zombie 69 ! with Lenny art. It looked awesome! It also only worked on the mobile version. I decided to modify it to work on the web version also. Then guess what? It looked awesome on the web! But also stopped working on mobile. It yed a bit with it then gave up. Now you can only see the art on mobile. Oh well. So turns out between making the (seemingly) easy art and writing various sect mottos this chapter has legit taken me a long time. I wanted to troll you guys a bit (for giggles, no harm intended as usual) Turns out I trolled myself A LOT. This has been the first 100% goofy chapter of The Unnamed God. Hope it made you guys chuckle, even a tiny bit. By the way, some of these mottos were made by friends. How it goes is you start with Join the Unnamed God Sect! Capitalization is important of course. Then you pick one characteristic that represents you well online. The various animal mottos were mostly made by people with said animals as a profile picture. Same with the cheese guy. Who uses cheese as a profile pic, like really. Next chaptering out real soon. Stay tuned! Zombie, The ultimate shitposter! **** Shamelessly padding word count! Openly padding word count! Unabashedly padding word count! Unashamedly padding word count! Audaciously padding word count! Boldly padding word count! Immodestly padding word count! Unblushingly padding word count! Fearlessly padding word count! Gantly padding word count! Heroically padding word count! Valiantly padding word count! Chivalrously padding word count! Daringly padding word count! Dauntlessly padding word count! Gutsily padding word count! Unflinchingly padding word count! Valorously padding word count! Actively padding word count! Ardently padding word count! Earnestly padding word count! Energetically padding word count! Enthusiastically padding word count! Fervently padding word count! dly padding word count! Heartily padding word count! Hungrily padding word count! Longingly padding word count! Promptly padding word count! Readily padding word count! Sincerely padding word count! Vigorously padding word count! Willingly padding word count! Zealously padding word count! Speedily padding word count! Quickly padding word count! Swiftly padding word count! Peculiarly padding word count! Strikingly padding word count! Uniquely padding word count! Unusually padding word count! Done with padding word count! Motherfucking done with padding word count! Chapter 70: What’s The Ruckus About? Chapter 70: What¡¯s The Ruckus About? I wake up with the biggest hangover ever. 2 secondster I''m good. Divine energy op af haha. Now, where is Wolfie? Where is my wolf pillow?! Probably eating pie as usual. Time to get up I guess. The kitchen is empty. No soul in sight. Where are they all? I do have some stuff I want to do today. I am a firm believer of the a banana is fine in the morning gang, but sadly there are none here. Not like I am purposely giving excuses to eat pie for breakfast again haha. I make my way across town. Somehow there seems to be unrest. Guess I''ll have to check it outter. For now, I am heading to the hunter''s guild! The previous 2 months of training did help tremendously with my ability to dodge feints. Like I am not expecting much, but I should be able to barely cope with a low rank 3 for a few seconds. That should be all the time I need to lend 1 solid reinforced punch. I really doubt I could win the fight at all. But I guess I could make that guy take me seriously for once. After that getting my hunter''s license would be a piece of cake. I''m pretty sure I should qualify for a rank 2 hunter position. Not that it''s called that way. It''s just a basic hunter rank with no added benefit whatsoever. But anyway. The technicalities are not that important. I just want the title. I remember at some point in another life I used to enjoy titles very much. But then that was in a world where it would show above your character''s head. I would always go for super edgy stuff like world dominator but make my character a crafter or something. Or on the contrary, give the most innocent name and title but go the hardcore PK way. It would show people messages such as you have been killed by Cuddly Lil Ducky. Ah. Fun times. But these were all games. I think at least? I mean if magic is real then systems exist for sure. I might encounter such things for real at some point. Oftentimes I''m not sure what I personally experienced. I feel this might be a side effect of the champion summoning. Or maybe just a me problem? The cultivator dude didn''t seem muddle-headed at all. Well, to be fair he came off as too much of a dick for me to notice anything else about him. I could go on an epic adventure to regain my memory, a nice trope right there. Go on for hundreds of chapters about trying to find a cure resorting to alchemy, have it fail. Then turn to a god''s power. That would bring memories back of a childhood sweetheart or something. Then I would have to save her. I don''t know I''m just bullshiting haha. I could also use my (sealed) remembering ability too, but I kinda fear what would happen. I feel like there are memories better forgotten. Dark history is a thing for a reason. But honestly, I don''t care much. Oh? I''m there already. The hunter''s guild. Guess I walked while on autopilot. Happens a lot. The guild is surprisingly empty. Like really. I get to the counter and ask thedy about retaking the exam. I''d call her by her name, but I''ve forgotten it already. At first, she doesn''t want to let me. But I have learned from my mistakes! I tell her that if she doesn''t make it happen, I''lle back with the guild master''s 2 old buddies as support. And that gets her moving! Nice! Shees back a few minutester. I am perfectly ready! "The guild master is sick and isn''t at the guild today." Wait this doesn''t add up. [Why did you go in the back then? You should have known it already if he wasn''t there.] "I''m sorry sir I really don''t know anything." Let me guess. He''s hiding cause he doesn''t want to let me have the license. Uh, what a grumpy dude. Fine! You don''t want to let me join! Imma start my own guild with ckjack and hookers! And it will be the best! Waitwhy am I even jealous. I literally have a sect going. We might only have 3 members.4 if I count Wolfie. But someday we will be a big corporation! We are just in the garage start-up phase right now! Everything is going ording to n! As I exit the building, I see hunters running around in a frenzy. It''s even worst than before. Suddenly I spot Zero. [Hey what the hell is happening?!] "My father is missing. That did put the whole town into emergency alert. No one knows the forest as he does. The only thing that would be able to dy him usually would be a beast kinging out. And a rank 4 beast outing is pretty much always followed by a beast tide." Oh gosh! And I''ve been oblivious all this time?! Is even Wolfie helping with the search? [What should I do to help?! We should go to the forest right now!] "Actually it''s not needed. We''ll go with the biggest hunter group and a small elite one. Their chief is an old partner of my father. As for the other, I think you''ve already met Cayden. We''ll scout carefully. Actually, I want you to do something for me. I want you to keep an eye on my mother. Make sure she stays in town. And safe. Can you do that for me?" [Of course! Protecting the families of sect members is our duty!] "Thanks. I owe you one!" And he leaves running. I feel like I could help a lot with the searching, but then again, I bet my friend wants to look for his father himself. Plus he has lots of support. Hopefully, everything will be alright. I guess no matter how scary his mom is at times, she is pretty weak, right? I just hope she doesn''t try and join the search. But there is something weird going on. After all, I''ve only seen 1 beast king myself and it was the ck wolf. But chances of it attacking town are really low. Could it be the giant ant queen? No point thinking about it. Maybe Wolfie will manage to pacify the situation before I even know it. Aight time to head back. Chapter 71: Such a Beautiful Night For a Walk Chapter 71: Such a Beautiful Night For a Walk **** (POV) That day Cayden brought apletely disgraceful individual into my guild. I got a report saying one of the first things he noted was the absence of alcohol. And that he was disappointed. Already at that point is a sign of mediocrity. I was expecting a lot from him since he was rmended and all. Turns out that it was just that guy picking up a stray again. That is his main problem. He is too righteous for his own good. Also why he is stuck with a problematic group. If he used all his energy toward training instead, I''m convinced he would already be a rank 3. That in itself is prestigious enough. Especially counting that there are only 3 of us in this town and that we are all in management positions nowadays except that old stubborn fool. Well, he does it to purvey his wife in raw meat. I understand him a bit. Her cooking really is heavenly. Going back to this new applicant. Not only does he not know how to write, but he does not even bother seriously filling the application. At that point, I still have hope. After all, there are many young masters traveling abroad to expand their worldview. Some tend to act like that. They do back it with extreme strength, however. I face him in one of our storage/training rooms. He takes a stance. If that can be called a stance anyway. His center of gravity is extremely off. He is ced in such a way that he would more easily hurt himself than an enemy. I''m bbergasted. It contrasts a lot with my expectations. He says it is his first time using a sword. Did he just buy that weapon to train with it? Or maybe misdirect his opponents to take him for a swordsman? He could then use magic and surprise them. Nope. His answer is retarded. He uses whatever is lying around? That doesn''t make any sense. Training in a forest? Which one? The disaster zone doesn''t allow such half-assed training. I guess he is the spoiled kid kind. That trained for fun and never saw anything of the real world. I hate that type. I''ll quickly shatter his misconceptions and get on with my day. He tells me he is ready. I dash toward him, I do a small feint. That was already enough for him to miss track of my weapon. It now rests on his throat. I did not even try. How useless is he? I really need to have a long conversation with Cayden about bringing nobodies here. This is not my job! I am in charge of hunters! Not dumb children! He wants to keep going. Can he not admit that he lost already?! If this was a real fight he would be dead already. Yet he acts like he didn''t just get defeated. How much of a prideful idiot is he? Shameless to boot! I tell him to get lost. I have no time for annoying trash like him. He''s insistent we continue. I shout at this fucker. Hopefully, he''ll get the message now. And. he''s rushing at me. With the most predictable attack pattern there is. What a fool. I easily flip him over. Then I ask Katheryne to take care of it. Oh, and to tell Cayden toe and see me. I really need to talk some sense into him. This one takes the cake! **** The night is refreshing. The moon beautiful. The surroundings quiet. Perfect time for a midnight walk. It is a habit I''ve had since my hunter days. I would enjoy taking the night watch in long-duration excursions. I took a liking to it. Both deadly and peaceful. You never know when a monster wille out of nowhere to devour you. But before it happens the serenity is simply the best. When I enter a small alley, I see someone stagger my way. He is flushed, obviously dead drunk. Shameful. How he even stands up is a wonder. I see his face. That is the annoying neer. The uselessly arrogant one. How much of a bastard is he? Here to ruin my precious calm stroll. It has been 2 months since Ist saw him. Here I was hoping he left town already. Ah better just ignore him. Fighting the likes of him is beneath me. [HICK. Who this? This handsome me, HICK, wants nothing to do with a beggar! Not again anyHICK! Thest dude didn''t even say HICK no homo at the end! Outrageous! OutragHICK!] How irksome. Me a beggar?! Says the guy in obviously scavenged gear! That''s it! Time for me to teach him some manners! This will a painfully enriching experience. For him. I lightly punch him. After all, I am in no mood to hide a corpse. Not that I would face any real punishment, but I''d rather not tarnish my image. I hit him directly. He doesn''t react? Guess I punched too lightly. I add more power, he tries to protect his body with his right hand. But why is it so high up? I am not some 10 meters tall l giant?! Direct hit again! Yet no reaction. Is he wearing some kind of inner armor? Time to get serious. I target his corbone. I can see his exposed flesh. I gather lots of strength and deliver it skillfully. This one he won''te unshattered. He can me his bad luck for annoying me so. *CRACK* OUCH. WHAT?! My fist just broke. My knuckles are bloody. The pain I''m used to. But what is up with this situation? As I am trying to figure out the answer he starts retaliating. He does a left punch. I try to evade it, but he goes for a kamikaze attack following me closely. OUCH! I am taking some real damage here. How is that guy so strong? Especially given how wasted he is! He goes in for another mutual-assured destruction punch. I draw my dagger, bypass his right hand (that is still nowhere near me), and plunge it deep into his stomach. Or so I think. A wave of pain courses through my entire body again. Of the dagger, only a hilt remains. The de disappeared into fragments upon impact. Was he hiding his power?! But why?! Then I realize. He did say he was using whatever he found in the wild to fight. Why would he need a weapon when his body is sturdier than des?! He can just go in and bash whatever to death. This guy is obviously a body-cultivating monk. Able to rip his enemies to shred with nothing but his fists. This is crazy! This guy I am fighting is at least a rank 4 monk. Maybe even higher. I keep trying my best, but nothing works. I try retreating but he manages to keep me stuck here. The small alley we are in is the perfect hunting spot. I have no room to maneuver around. I am sure I will die here. With every left hook I see my body breaking down before my own eyes. Why he is only delivering left hooks is a mystery. After a long while, that feels like an eternity, I am sprawled on the floor. A bloody mess. Bones fractured, skincerated, and organs a mess. I hear him leave loudly. I do not even have the strength to grab the healing pills that I carry around. Such a dumb way to die. *Gasp of shock! * "Guild master is that you?! What happened to you! Here take some medicine! You weren''ting back so I came looking for you!" I feel my broken body heal slightly. Full recovery will take a few months at least. Ah. Seems I will live another day. I really need to give Katheryne a rise when wee back. Oh, and I will avoid that monk! At all cost! If hees to finish the job, I am dead! "Guild master, what happened to you?" I really want to curse my assant right now. But I know I best not. "I tripped." "...." Chapter 72: The Dark Side of The Young Master Chapter 72: The Dark Side of The Young Master ****(POV) Everything is this family''s fault. All of it. They are all to me. Bunch of scheming assholes. Back in the day, I could inspire fear and respect into anyone. Anyone besides the rank 3 veterans. Simply because of my backing. I''m what we call someone born with a golden spoon. I have never needed to work a day in my life. Of course, I still did in order to show leadership. Being the mastermind barking orders in the back suits me just fine. All these hunters exist to do my bidding. Well, they are under my uncle''s control, but to some extent, they belong to me too. Have anything to say? Wanna bring it to my uncle? He''s gonna beat you up real good! Wanna hurt me? Let me just go see my uncle and tell him how you bullied the son of his precious dead little sister. Good luck staying alive. If you do and still have some teeth, I''ll kowtow to you. Problems all started with that fucking family. An oldrade of my uncle. A bitch of a wife that keeps looks at me like I am trash. A shitstain of a son that looks down on me. I am a rank 2 already! This should be a source of pride. He''s a fucking freak. Born with God-given affinity with swords. Only way to exin it. What use is being a sword-freak? He might be strong one day. He might also kick the bucket early. He spouts nonsense about bing one of the strongest there is. How nave. I''m way better than he is. My goal to seed my uncle and live like a king in this town is realistic. What is the use to waste your life away training and fighting? I''m gonna be living the life! And rolling in money. Everything was going my way. Until that fucking bitch came in the picture. That slut is always running around town showing her indecent body everywhere. Bitch please if you swing these massive tits all over of course I''m gonna look. Then the way she walks shaking her full rump around. Her body is amazing. But she is a shrew. She took offense and sent her spineless husband to find trouble. He is strong but obviously fucking biased. Bullying me just cause your wife wants to. Ignoring who''s right or wrong. That dimwit somehow convinced my uncle to keep a tighter leash on me. Talk about hypocrites. Since that day he''s been beating me violently. Every time I encounter that demoness, she critiques my manners and it somehow reaches my uncle. Physical violence ensues. Lots of violence. I''ve lost count of the number of recovery pills I have ingested. I''m proud of my wealth., For the first time, it came to bite me in the ass. A near-infinite supply of medicine means near-infinite violence. Recent days were mostly fine because I became really good at avoiding her. Her husband always out of town hunting. The kid god knows where training. Then a neer joined. I did my job. Asking him for the protection fees. Instead of saying that he was protected by that family, he waited until I took his money. Then he sent her toin. They won''t even leave me alone! I almost got killed by my uncle that night. I was sure it was over. **** Later Ie back rushing to town because of an emergency summon. As I get there that scheming asshole is present. Of course, I''m gonna get angry! Then my uncle beats me up. The guy adds oil to the fire and nders me some more. The intensity of the punishment increases. I am suffering so much. Even while it happens, I can''t act out. That fucker acts all innocent. The guy looks weak. I could crush him instantly. But I would die after. My life is worth way more than his pitiful peasant life. So I endure. And I suffer. And I endure. And I suffer some more. He leaves that night dead drunk and he seems to be having lots of fun. Oh, I would kill to get the opportunity to get rid of the bitch and her minion at this point. Leave town afterward if needed. The torture has been too much. **** In the morning I get the best news ever. I swear the gods above have answered my prayers. The husband is missing. The kid is away with the search party. So are pretty much all hunters. And I have just the thing to capitalize on such a mistake. I''m going to have lots of fun today. Deal with that banshee once and for all. Then I''ll leave town. Easy, simple. Excessive? Oh no. Not after everything she did to me. Not after all the insults. I make my way toward the small familial residency. The streets are empty. Perfect time to strike. I grasp the special item I brought. I got it from that shady merchant. The same one that sold the cards to my uncle. An alchemical product. Upon use, it explodes and incapacitates any living creature below rank 3. It might be useless in normal cases, but against humans, it makes sure there are no hups. Makes capturing a target easy. I won''t let her leave this world easily. I''ll take revenge for all the times she caused me to despair. Every single time. I observe that she is in the kitchen. Probably baking again. I slightly open a window and throw my secret weapon in. It releases some purple gas all over the ce. I wait a few minutes for the smoke to clear out. In there awaits my prize. Lying on the floor. She is still conscious. Even better. She cannot move nor speak. Oh, I will enjoy this very very much. I slowly approach her. She notices me. Her eyes are the only part of her that she still has control over. In it, I can see plenty of emotions. Anger, disgust, pride. She still doesn''t get it. I crouch next to her. Then I caress her long slender legs, then ever sozily bring it up all the way to her hips and her navel. By then she notices my intent. Fear slowly taints her gaze. Even then she is still ring at me. I go upward again. My hands sink into her bulging mounds. So soft. Such a shame for a woman of that caliber to have such a personality. I carefully start undressing her. There it is! The look of despair I was waiting for. My sight devouring her peerless exposed body. I remove my own clothes. I am already ready for whates next. This will be so fun. I slowly count aloud. "Are you ready for some passionate timedy? 32.1." The world flips over. That neer is here. A kitchen knife in his hand. In front of him a thing that looks familiar. A body. My body. A headless one. Darkness Chapter 73: On The Run! Chapter 73: On The Run! WHAT THE FUCK! There is something weird about this situation. Me with a kitchen knife. In front of me the headless body of the young master. Slowly falling to the ground. Blood gushing everywhere. Everywhere. I barely used any force. He looked pretty strong. I didn''t mean to kill him at all. Just render him unable to fight back. I''m not even sure what happened. I just acted instinctively. The kitchen knife sliced in like butter. But I couldn''t let him have his ways. **** is bad! Let it be known The Unnamed God Sect says it is a big no-no! I wanted to stop him. Well, he is definitively stopped right now. Forever. Any way to glue the head back? Let''s check his pockets he might have some medicine in case his head suddenly falls off! As if! *flips table* But seriously what do I do? Wait let''s get the victim to safety first. I pick her up and make her lie on her bed so she can get some rest. She seems paralyzed but otherwise fine. With every second that passes, she seems to be regaining control over her body. That''s good. Now back to the murder scene! Okay, how do I take care of it? Oh, I know! I just need to put the body in a stic bathtub and get the right chemicals! A stic one because we all know how it ended for these 2-friendly sellers of what was the name? The blue stuff Yeah. Big nope again. I don''t remember exactly what the chemicals were and I ain''t in a modern world. Wait there is magic here. I just need to find someone to cast it. This family won''t be able to help me. The mother is a cook, the father a hunter, and Zero a pure swordsman. Magic users are especially hard to find in this hunter town. Like I''ve never searched for one, but I also never saw the shadow of one. Hum, I could try to dispose of the body the old-fashioned way. Maybe bury it? Maybe burn it? At usual times I feel like putting it in a sack and dropping it in the nearby disaster zone would be the simplest. After all, any random monster would dly help me get rid of this kind of evidence. Let me see I need a shovel or something to start a fire. Oh, wait oh my god. Yep. Oven time. *grin* Motherfucking oven time. Wait? Is someoneing? I hear footsteps! *worried* "Let''s clean this up real fast." Ouf. Don''t scare me like that. what''s Zero''s mother name anyway? Meh, whatever. [I was thinking of using the oven to get rid of the body.] "Good idea. That''s usually what I do." Wait? Usually. What?! How can this woman be so scary while being a housewife?! She is not some strong warrior or anything. She was helpless earlier. Now she is calmly talking about body disposal. She expertly cleans the kitchen and gets rid of the corpse. Way too expertly for beginners. Remind me not to piss her off. Ever. "GET YOUR PUNK ASS OUT THERE SO I CAN GENTLY REMOVE YOUR SPINE FROM YOUR FUCKING BODY!" What?! That''s . the young master''s uncle. Why the fuck is he here?! [How.] "Hum. Probably some kind of magic who knows. Looks like there are many hunters outside." [We are fucked! What do we do?!] "We are not fucked at all." [You have a n?!] "Oh. No, don''t misunderstand. YOU are fucked. I''ll be fine. *smug* He won''t darey a hand on me as long as my husband and son are still alive." *facepalm* Thanks for the helpdy. Well, actually it does make it easier on me. I just need to make a run for it somehow. "HURRY UP AND COME OUT YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" Sounds angry. I check the window real quick. Yep, looks angry too. Okay, I need a n. First, top-sided view. Time to figure out the weak link. Right there! There are fewer hunters! Also their leadera rank 3. How about the other side? More hunters, but they look weaker individually. Let''s see my weakness are skills. I''m used to coping with raw strength and speed. With the training I''ve been through I should be fine to deal with rank 2 warriors. Alright, it''s decided. I grab my gear real quick. Then I pick the side the farthest away from the uncle. "GET THE FUCK OUT BEFORE I BURN THIS MOTHERFUCKING HOUSE TO THE GROUND. BEFORE I FUCKING RAZE IT TO RUMBLE. BEFORE I MOTHERFUCKING DESTROY IT INTO OBLIVION!" Divine enhancement check. I run. I just run. Through the house wall. Through the hunters. Through every fucking thing in my way. I call this move the Juggernaut. No reference intended. * Sound effect of a body quickly bashing through a wall. Then another. Launching humans in the air. Then another wall. More humans. A cabbage cart. The city walls. * I can somehow make up someone screaming in the background: no, my cabbages! Meanwhile, the leader of my pursuers keeps shouting. He''d be an awesome personal motivation coach. With ssic lines like: "IMMA TURN YOUR SKIN INSIDE OUT!" "I''LL RIP YOUR TONGUE AND GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES!" "I''LL CUT YOUR DICK OFF AND MAKE YOU EAT IT!" "I''LL FEED YOU TO PIGS WHILE YOU ARE STILL ALIVE!" "YOU LIKE DRINKING? I''LL MAKE YOU DROWN IN BOOZE! LITERALLY!" It helps me so much to keep running. The emotional support that would let anyone be a marathon champion I believe. Okay not gonna lie butst one is off the mark a bit. After all, I legit almost run back to him. I doubt it''s possible for me to actually drown in alcohol with divine energy. But then I figure that he would probably switch to the above-mentioned once he realizes it doesn''t work. So yeah, I just run. At some point, I reach the savage archaic forest. I recognize that tree! I also recognize that tree! This feels great! Okay, all the trees look the same here. Hence why I recognize all of them. Still for once the gloominess of the forestis not gloomy at all. It is rforting. Quite simr toing back to a dpidated one-room apartment. It may be small, but it is yours. A safe space no one can intrude upon. I see that I am still getting chased. Fifty or so of them. Were it any other ce I would simply keep running and hope for the best. Maybe beg for mercy while doing so. But not here. I am running with a purpose. This is my hunting ground. Let''s have some fun. Chapter 74: Tour of The Forest Chapter 74: Tour of The Forest These guys are seriously persistent. I was almost hoping for them to stop before the disaster zone and be like, nope go die inside alone. Wellnot really. They are professional hunters. But I really wonder how long they will keep chasing me. **** Apparently a really fucking long time. The author even added the star thingies to show a time skip. Holy fuck are these guys hunters or marathon champions? We''ve been running all this while. These guys would make that Forest guy look like a turtle. And I don''t mean the awesome turtle that managed to beat the hare in the story. But honestly, when I think about that story some things don''t add up. Like why would the hare suddenly decide to sleep on the roadside? Why not justplete the race and then sleep! If you ask me, pretty sure the turtle spiked a drink or something with sleeping pills. Only real exnation I see. Wouldn''t a story about perseverance turn into a story about scheming if we think about it realistically? Or maybe the hare suffered from narcolepsy? This is serious stuff people. I would feel bad for the hare. Not only no one cares but they are even praising the turtle. What''s with all the random turtle and hare thoughts? Well, I don''t have anything else to do. Running over and over is kinda boring if you didn''t know. Usually, I would be jamming to some power metal while propelling my athletic body forward during every morning jog. Then some glistering pearls of sweat would gradually drop from my eyebrows and trace alongside my toned physique. Drip down my 6 packs until it falls to the ground. All of the cute neighborhood girls would coincidently be at their window just in time to see my dashing appearance. Okay fine. That never actually happened. Would have been nice, however. See I''m so free I''m even imagining a fake life and all. Ah, but I was serious about the power metal while jogging (albeit I almost never actually do). It consists of 3 essential things. It is power! It is metal! It is music! Thisst paragraph has been sponsored by the power metal industry with groups such as . jokes I''m the type of guy to let a ylist for hours on end. Want to ask me what group I''m listening to? Well, I don''t know. Actually, I did know quite a few, but it all feels a bit fuzzy now. Either way won''t matter. I can''t just go see a random habitant here and go do you know x group? They y some really awesome music in y universe. Ever heard of it? No? Ah, figures. Time to add this to my bucket list. Find a way to y music with magic. Like c''mon fairly sure people here use magic to kill each other. That sounds like such a waste. Sounds, music, hehe. Was it a bad pun? Well maybe. Trying out with puns while getting hunted! Hunted, hunters, hehe. Okay, I really need to stop. I mean the bad puns. I gotta keep running. For some reason the usual brimming with life forest is empty. Where are all the monsters? Not only do I not find the rank 3s I''m looking for, but most of the rank 2s seem to be also missing. Is this some sick cosmic joke? When I am just trying to go on walks I somehow get ambushed by a fox and a mantis and sent into hell vine territory. Now that I am actually looking for monstersthey ain''t here. I keep passing trees that I recognize. Nothing alive. Even my scanning abilities aren''t helping. Wait?! What''s that! me Boar! My old friend! Wait no! That''s bad! He''sing this way! Won''t he end up as pork chops! I won''t let my personal cooking assistant get murdered! No way! He didn''t even have the chance to taste the pies I can now bake! Oh god no he''s charging toward my pursuers! He''s gonna get diced..or not? Why are they all evading him? Actually, one guy fell down. He''s now on fire. WTF. What is up with these guys. They are really focused on going after me. Oh, should I mention the fact that their leader has been cursing me all the while? Legit non-stop. At first, I was sure this chase would go on for chapters just from writing the insults. But apparently not. We are doing it this way instead. So he is cursing, they are all running, the boar is charging. Slowly but surely their numbers dwindling. I''m sure they could fight back, but it would probably take some precious time. Just need to do something. [RUN AWAY BEFORE YOU GET HURT!] "HELL NO, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE THAT WILL GET FUCKED UP. I''LL REMOVE YOUR FLESH AND BARBECUE IT WITH THAT MOTHERFUCKING PIG HERE THEN I''LL." That''s when I stop listening. But seriously why did he answer me? I was obviously talking to the boar. Like sure we shared a night of drinking and ying, but no way I''ll care about your safety by now. You''ve been insistently sharing how you n to ever so slowly end my life. Like, c''mon dude. Oh? Hell yeah! Jack-fucking-pot! Guess what''s in front? It has no leg. It is white. It is slithering. This one is strong enough to help I believe. This is a huge gamble to be honest. I''m not sure how Wolfie even rescued me from the giant snake''s belly. But chances are it remembers me. Chances are it won''t try to eat me again. I just hope it''s not face-blind. You know how we have trouble recognizing animals sometimes? Well if that snake can''t differentiate between humans then I''ll be in trouble. At this point still seems like the best course of action. To be anyway. Alright, I run some more until I reach that one spot. I slowly turn around. "NOWHERE TO RUN EH FUCKER! YOU THINK YOU STAND A CHANCE JUST BECAUSE THAT FUCKING BOAR MADE MY MEN RETREAT EH! I ALONE WILL BE ENOUGH TO FUCKING END YOU. I''LL MAKE SURE YOUR SUFFERING WILL BE LONG AND" [Hey dude wanna see something long and hard ;) ] "WHAT?!...." Suddenly the forest around my opponent turns even darker. Above him a gaping maw. Two sharp fangs. Saliva dripping on his head. How did that massive body get there so fast is what he must be thinking He tries to dodge and block, but he is not fast enough. Darkness. That kinda brings bad memories haha. Yep. Angry uncle 0 giant snake 1. And it''sing this way. Looking intently at me. His gaze seems to pierce all the way to my soul. Of course, I run away! It keeps following me, but I am fast enough to evade it! Thus starts another game of cat and mouse. Eh human and giant snake. Chapter 75: An Evil In The Forest (1/2) Chapter 75: An Evil In The Forest (1/2) ****(POV) Stay away from the moon keep he said. At all costs. Howughable? We getting summoned by the undeath deity. Ubruk was it? A being that tries his best to look intimidating. One that speaks grandly of conquering this world. You want to make us your champion? Haha as if. There were many others like him. Many many others. They used to look down upon us. Used to tell us about the way of the world. Themoners obeying the nobles. The poor ving away for the wealthy. Hehe. We showed them all. Made them us. At first, they were scared. Then they became us. The fear became irrelevant. First, extract the soul. Strip away all the useless parts. Keep only the most basic essence of it. Afteres fusion. They called the original a madman. They called it a devil. A fool. Many names. But our existence proves everything. There is nothing we can''t ovee. Every new enemy an opportunity for growth. Every challenge nothing but a matter of time. In the face of death all are equal they said. HAHAHAHAHAHAH. What a joke. Death? What is that? Death? HAHAHAHAHAHAH. Please. For one such as us, there is no death. No life either. We simply exist. Are. And always be. The closest we''ve been to death is part of our soul getting annihted. But so what? Our soul is as vast as an ocean. What if a few droplets go missing? Can just replenish all quickly. At this point, we pursue quality rather than quantity. No amount of worthless peasant souls can make a difference at this point. We know for we have tried. ughtering millions is a long endeavor. The weak struggle and clutch to life as if it was something precious. How annoying. They don''t even realize how pointless their own existence even is. They have no purpose. Happiness? What is that? Can happiness make one more powerful? Can it help you ughter your enemies? Not. Emotions are a waste of time. All besides fear and anger. Oh. Fear and anger are the best. The more the anguish, the more hateful the soul, the more power it can manifest. We learned to use this trick. Never simply terminate life. Make it end in the most efficient way possible. The dark emotions let one burn the soul for more power. The best being the useless parts disappear first. One''s identity. One''s attachment to life. One''s memories. Until nothing but a husk of the former self remains. That is when the soul is ripe for the picking. We used to be pitiful humans ourselves. No more. We became more. We became us. That is why we despise that so-called deity. He is but a single pitiful soul. One that seems to have found a way to power, but still ruled by fear. An undead lord ruled by fear? HAHAHAHAHA How ironic! We have left all these emotions behind a long time ago. Made fear a part of our being. What kind of "god" fears a puny rank 3 necromancer. Grey was it? One that worships a so-called Lunar goddess. What kind of necromancer worships the moon? Why should we stay away from him? He should count his blessings that we haven''t met yet. How risible. How dumb. As for that sham of a god. We get the feeling we are not ready to face him.yet. This world is different from the one we are from. There is something more than mana it seems. The summon came at a good time. We were running out of prey. No more souls to devour. This new world will be our ything. We will establish ourselves here. Slowly find more about that new energy. One that doesn''t seem present in the earth realm. It matters not. As long as there is a passage to the god realm, we will find a way. Like we always do. umte strength again. Until finally we will go back. And then we will be gods ourselves. This might take time. But time has never been an issue. While others reach the end of their lifespans, we only get stronger. Oh, just you wait. We will show you. We will conquer this world for you. until we are strong enough. Then there will not be any Ubruk. No more fake divinity. Only us. The n is already in motion. We sent strands of our soul across this world. Truly a vast world. Well, the details are unknown even to us. Souls are that kind of thing. Interacting with the material ne is exhausting. We had to sacrifice parts of our core existence to make such a troublesome feat possible. No matter. It has all begun. Controlling all these soul strands is impossible even for us. After all, we are many but only one. But right at this moment, we are more than one, yet only one at a time. We have no way to know where the other strands are. All independent existences from one another. We all possess the memories of the previous unity. Upon death, we shall return to the main body. Well even the current us has no way to know what, where or who the main body is. It will simply be the most powerful one. The specifics matter not. This body is in a small remote continent in this world is all we know. One previously untouched by civilization. One that only recently developed. And of exile where the weaklings fled to. All the defeated ones from the previous god war. This ce I am right now is a forest they call a disaster zone. How pathetic are the residents here? The body we took control of is but a rank 3 but it will be enough. Around me are various monsters. All zombified of course. Many rank 2s a few rank 3s. There seems to be some sort of power controlling the area for all the creatures quickly retreat. None try to fight us. They have realized the futility of it. But running will only dy the inevitable. Here is where I will amass an army before sieging the Moon Keep. Oh? What do we have here? A hunter is it? This one will be a nice snack. After all, devouring monster soulses with manyplications. Chapter 76: An Evil In The Forest (2/2) Chapter 76: An Evil In The Forest (2/2) ****(POV) Same title but new POV what?! -_- Something is wrong with the forest. Terribly wrong. The unusual bustle of monsters is nowhere to be seen. It is quiet. Too quiet. Coming here is usually all about knowing boundaries. Knowing the ces one should avoid. The territories of the apex predators here. No life is to be seen. The silence is eerie. Every step I take resonates. I who usually am one with the surroundings am sticking out like a sore thumb. I''ve been a hunter for a long time. I''ve honed my instinct like no other. At least no other in this little town. My instincts are screaming at me that this situation is bad. The scent of death is somehow permeating the entire forest. This shouldn''t be possible. After all, there are records of many beast kings living here. They say it takes 4 peak rank 4 to sessfully hunt such a creature. There is extreme danger in their rampage before death. Without sufficient preparations, a fight can easily cause all parties involved to perish. What kind of power can intrude upon this ce and massacre its inhabitants? This is madness. No such power should exist on this continent. Or more urately no power would bother. It would only weaken their forces. The new war is starting. Only small skirmishes have taken ce. An invasion of a disaster zone is a significant event. One not to be taken lightly. In any case, this is bad. Extremely so. I need to understand what is going on. After all my wife and son would be in danger if something happens here. Well, I believe my son would be fine somehow. He is bright and talented. As long as he is not confronted to a beast king directly that is. I carefully make my way toward the inner parts. This is risky, but I need to understand what is happening. For the town''s sake. My heartbeat is slow and steady. My pace a crawl to minimize any noise. My breathing light and even. This is a trick I''ve learned that will help me survive in such ces. Monsters'' predatory instincts will make them hunt anything that shows any trace of fear. It is second nature to them. I keep progressing until I finally discern something. Oh god. The town is definitely doomed. I may be too. In the distance, I notice an army. A limping, dposing one. Empty eyes devoid of any soul. Many Zombies. Rank 2 and rank 3 ones. All under the control of one being. A tall man wearing a long red cloak. One that used to be brown, but now covered in so much blood. His features are unseen for they are hidden being an iron mask. One that covers the face and shows a disturbing smile. The first impression I get of this man is that he would gleefully ughter any creature to add them to his collection. "Oh? what DO We HAVe Here? wE ShalL pARtAkE In yOur SOuL. Don''t WoRRy YOu''ll beG ME TO dEVOuR YoU SOoN enoUGH." *BA-DUM BA-DUM* My previously steady heartbeat is no more. I need to get away. Now! I turn instantly and I start running. I am not going against that thing. At all costs. It is no man. I doubt it is even human. An eldritch entity?! The way it speaks makes it unnaturally clear. A deep manly voice at times, a coquettish woman voice at others, then it bes an anguished child''s one. "YoU Can ruN but yOU cAN''t HidE You KNoW." I can hear its voice in my ear. Slowly murmuring about my uing demise. A voice so soft yet so disturbing. Somehow reaching me despite the distance. How am I even hearing it? I quickly look back. It is keeping up with me. One slow step at a time. I am running with my life on the line. But it is always behind me. Effortlessly so. A predator toying with its prey. FUCK. I CAN''T GO BACK TO THE VILLAGE! No way in hell am I bringing this monster back. I do a sharp turn and head toward the inner forest again. Surely not all the kings have perished yet. If I am to die I will first make sure to bring this abomination down with me. "Heh. SUch A pOinTlEsS sTruGgLE. YOu ChANged YouR MINd? IS TheRe sOmETHINg tHiS wAy YOu wiSH tO PrOTeCt?" NO, NONONONONO. This can''t be happening. No. Think. Yes. I know. At home rests a soul gem with my life imprint. As long as I live it will remain bright. I will bring that thing as deep as I can. Then I will die. Hopefully, they will understand. They will leave town and run. My mind is made. I harden my heart. No matter what I need to be sessful. "Oh? do YOU tHink rUNNIng froM uS is POSsiBLe? No MATTeR wHAT lIeS FURTHER WoN''T hElP yOu hAHA." No time to pay any attention to the ramblings of the creature. I run. Run with all my might. I am ready to burn my lifeforce for ast hurrah too. No matter what I will die. "We WiLL cAPturE YOu aND bRIng you to REUnitE WIth YOUR BELovED WhOmeVEr THeY mAY bE. tHAt''S WhErE yOU WEre HEAdING EARLiEr iS It NoT? HAHA." There is no trace of humanity remaining. All I can feel from it is pure evil and insanity. In this manner, the chase continues. Me running, him strolling casually. A harbinger of death. Smiling all along. His minions trailing along behind. I can only see a in mask, but I am sure of what lies underneath. An expression tainted by malice. This thing is evil. Or many in this case. Many many evils inhabiting a single body. Or simply one thing so insane it thinks of itself as many. It goes on until . "Come with me if you want to live." What?! I jump aside. Right there is a shadow fox. A creature that excels at sneak attacks. One extremely deadly at that. Did it just address me?! "I saide with me if you want to live. Are you deaf? Or simply a little slow?" What the heck. What''s with this situation? Either way. I follow as quickly as I can. No time to hesitate. After all. The cackling devil is still after me. *shiver *. Chapter 77: A Monster Assembly Chapter 77: A Monster Assembly **** (POV) As I trail being the fox I am wondering where this world is going. A monster denoting intelligence. Capable of speech to boot. This little one in front of me should be a peerless beast king. After all, a rank 3 wouldn''t show such intelligence and a rank 5 would be able to shapeshift. Such a powerful creature is calmly guiding me through the forest. This doesn''t make any sense. Fighting against amon enemy I get. But I''m merely a rank 3 myself. I can barely contribute. There is no reason for it to go out of its way to save me. "Just keep silent and follow me haha." ?! Were my thoughts that obvious? Not long after we reach a medium-sized clearing. Oh god. This spot should have been rtively spacious. It is packed to the brim. Various monsters. Everywhere. Should any of them decide to attack me I would die instantly. In front of my eyes is a force strong enough to take the whole continent by storm. Lots of rank 2s, many rank 3s, about 4 rank 4s. A wolf, a mantis, a deer, and the fox that guided me here. Of them all, only the wolf kings look magnificent and imposing. With streaks of lightning running along his pitch-ck fur. Sharp-looking ws and fangs. Built both for mobility and power. The others look in at first sight but their auras are oppressing. The mantis gives a sharp feeling. Like a de that could sever anything in half at a moment''s notice. The deer a mysterious one. It feels as if it has achieved unity with the world and going against it would go against the naturalws. The fox looks inoffensive at first. But under such an appearance resides a deadly killer. Seriously what the hell! "Rx. Nothing bad will happen to you." This doesn''t make sense. I should probably just shut up at this exact moment, but I can''t help but ask "Why? Why did you bring me here?" "Haha. Your son decided to join us did he not? Of course, protecting his father is but a formality. Don''t worry about it." What?! What is he talking about?! "My son?! But he ." Wasn''t he going to join that so-called Unnamed God Sect or something? How did it turn out that wait! There is something more pressing! "What about thisthing! What are we supposed to do against the Zombies and "? "We wait." What?! What is the n again? "The representative ising over soon. Poor necromancer. He shouldn''t have shown up with this timing." "W-why?" "Oh let''s just say the representative has been a bit cranky recently haha. Something about the king paying more attention to some pies than her. Not sure about all the details myself to be honest." Pies? Pies?! Who is that representative?! "Yep. Let''s just say this undead is gonna be a punching bag real soon. Quite pitiful if I say so myself. Oh no. I''ve just realized an issue." "Something bad? Can I do anything to help?!" "Depends. Are you a cook?" "A-a cook? Why?" "We arecking snacks for the uing show." That''s the issue?! Not having any godamn snacks! What kind of sick joke is this?! I''m here worried sick and The deer approaches. And starts a conversation I would never have imagined between mighty beast kings. "Hey there mister fox. The king will bete. And he only cooks with the help of the boar who''s also missing. Knowing him he''s probably running pointlessly around the forest, right? Haha" "The king or the boar?" "Bothprobably?" "True." "True." "Mister deer, do you have any fruits left? We could always eat that!" "Oh. Of course. Why do you think I mastered divination! It took a while to learn it from the representative, but it paid off! Look at all the berries I have gotten!" From god knows where extends a tentacle of flesh and teeth. I''m not sure if I should be disgusted or scared. Probably both. Contained inside are many berries that slightly shine. These are precious magical nts for sure! "Nice give me some! Pretty please!" "Oh? I''m willing to make a deal." "Pray tell." "I''ll trade some of my secret berry stash for yourplete support with getting information on the king." "No way! One-time payment on your part for a continuous engagement on mine!" "Hum, how about this? I''ll keep sharing some of the tasty stuff. Deal?" "Can''t you simply divine the whereabouts of the king? Why make this deal? *suspicious*" "It is impossible." "What is?" "Divining anything about the king won''t work." "What but how did the representative divine that he really is the king she was waiting for?!" "Humshe probably didn''t and is just guessing." "What?!" "Well does it matter? He is our king anyway." "True." "True indeed haha." What have I just witnessed? Divination is a long-lost art. Stuff from legends. Or more urately divination can be easily found everywhere but most practitioners are chatans. Such legendary art is used to scavenge for food?! And what about this king?! He sounds like an extremely strong individual yet what is that about him pointlessly running around the forest? What kind of king does that? More importantly what kind of king does without getting his reign contested?! And that still unknown representative. Who is she? She is probably the strongest entity here. Rank 4? Rank 5? Oh god. I don''t even want to imagine the possibilities. The thing is approaching us with his army. The earlier scene took a while to describe but only a few moments passed. The thing was busy evaluating the army in front of it. Somehow it still looks confident. Are we really not going to do anything? What about when it charges toward us? What about the zombies? What about the ...what is that? I''m not sure when but a small white furry animal made his way near the undead pack. Is the neer lost? Late to join the safety of the pack? "Oh, this gonna be good." *munch much* "Indeed." *munch munch* That duo will simply watch the little one get murdered? While munching on berries at that?! Then again, I can''t really me them. I am a hunter myself after all. Such is the way of life. The small thing seems to be a small white wolf. Wait?! That''s the wolf that has been living in our home for the past 2 months?! WHAT THE HELL IS IT DOING HERE?! Chapter 78: Understanding Everything Chapter 78: Understanding Everything ****(POV) What is that wolf doing here?! Oh no, I hope my son didn''t follow too. What about that shady man that''s always running after my wife trying to bake some pie? Wait ... pie? In but a moment the wolf steps forward and enters the pack of decaying flesh. There can only be one result of such boldness. Death. A few swipester most of the cadavers are dead for good. 0_0 WTF ! Such speed! Such power! Every single move seems to be imbued with some kind of magic. A profound one. Sharp enough to cut through whatever it so much as touches. Colorless energy. Is that element-less mana?! How is such proficiency possible?! This is at the level of an arch-wizard! On a motherfucking wolf! One that is fast and powerful. No! This is no wolf, but a beast king. No, not a beast king either! A rank 4 wouldn''t be this powerful. It is toying with all of the rank 2s and rank 3s alike while evading attacks from that thing. "sTOP AvOidING oUr attAckS! iT Is POintleSs!" The thing seems to be using death element attacks. A close to impossible element to master. One that exhibits an insane amount of power. It spells doom instantly for whoever it brushes. It throws deadly spells at the wolf one after the other. Any undead it touches heals quickly and returns to the fight. "HahahaHAhAhaha tAKE ThaT!" Suddenly, all the remaining zombies dive at the wolf immobilizing it for but a fraction of a second. But that is all that thing ever needed. A beam of grey darkness hits the wolf head-on. Direct hit. "hahA How Do YOU lIke THAt LItTlE . wHaT?!" For the first time, the thing shows surprise. The solid control over the situation it had now gone. Anything would die from that death magic. Apparently not this wolf. It just got hit. It did not even shiver. "HoW ArE yOU still AlIVE! tHis DoeSN''t MaKE aNy senSE! WHAt arE you! ouR Death mAgic is No triFliNG MaTter?! WAIT aRe yoU faKING it? ThaT MuST be It ! hAhaHaHahahahAHAhA nICE TRY! BUt we aRe toO SMaRt!" I look at the wolf, all I see is contempt. Contempt for a lower lifeform. The devil that sent me scurrying away is nothing but a weakling to it. That''s the feeling I''m getting anyway. Some more rays of death energy hit the wolf. One after the other until . "How?! HOw?! HOw?! tHis iS ImPOsSibLe We ArE strong; We aRE !!!!" A small step forward. A small swipe of its ws again. That thing just lost an arm. It tries its best to kill the wolf, but to no avail. It is extremely strong. If I had any doubt in my mind now everything is clear. That small wolf. Wolfie was it? Is a peerless rank 5 existence. How risible. How worried I was. How weird I found them casually spectating. Turns out I am the weird one. The onecking in knowledge. In front of my eyes happens a scene I would have not believed possible. The thing is getting toyed with. Getting disassembled into parts. Slowly, but surely. Despairing all the while. It seems indignant at his end. This is karma I am sure. I feel a slight nudge on my arm. There hovers a tentacleing straight up from a nightmare. A gentle-looking deer at the end seems to be offering me a berry. I gratefully ept it. Now here I am peacefully munching on some extremely precious ingredient while casually watching a creature I did not know even existedpletely trash an evil I thought all-powerful. This is weird. I understand what the fox meant by that necromancer came swaggering here at the wrong time. This is crazy haha. But there is one thing even crazier than this. This Wolfie should be the representative he was talking about. Wouldn''t that make the extremely weak-looking man my son decided to follow their king? How ridiculous of me to even object. The Unnamed God Sect being unknown and probably weak? How would I, a human, know about a hidden beast king faction. Of course, it sounds foreign to me. This enigma of a man now makes perfect sense. It all seems obvious now. He is a powerful rank 5 beast. One that has achieved perfect shapeshifting ability. It all makes sense. How he was having so much trouble learning swordsmanship. Of course, he probably didn''t have hands before. How he was having so much trouble with cooking. Have you ever seen a proud beast emperor cook? How he was looking shabby. How would an apex predator know about human fashion? How he seemed tockmon sense. Humanmon sense ispletely foreign to such an entity. Finally how he imed to hail from this forest. He sure fucking did. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA This is actually awesome. I was worried that my son would never get to grow. That the darkness inhabiting the human heart would be his downfall. That he would either be betrayed or that people would try to exploit him. This is for the best. I don''t have to worry anymore. So what if he joins a monster faction?! Who gives a shit! So what if someday he causes the downfall of this continent? Even if they invade it with a massive beast tide. I do not give a fuck! After all, I might be a hunter, but I am a father first. Reach the very top of the thousand swordsmen ranking? Be so strong no one even dares put up any resistance? Isn''t that the very definition of a mythical ancient creature! One so strong it requires nations to ally together to even think of challenging it. I can already picture it. My son realizing his dream. Bing akin to a dragon. One that none dares to cross! Ah! Life is surprising sometimes. Twist and turns make it worth living, however. The show is over. The necromancer utterly annihted. Our snacks also finished. Time to head home I guess. Chapter 79: An Anti-Climatic Rescue Chapter 79: An Anti-Climatic Rescue ****(POV) Yet Another POV Chapter?! I asked the sect leader to take care of my mom and came running here. With me I brought the old man that used to be my father''s colleague and a ton of hunters. Also that Cayden guy and his party. At first, he is especially annoying. Asking many questions about the sectmaster. Maybe he''d like to join the sect, but right now I have no time to deal with his questions. I''m a decent tracker myself, but no trace of my father can be found. He is no beginner after all. Him missing is worrying for sure. We quickly spread out in all directions already nning to stop when we encounter too big a resistance from monsters. At that point going in small elite groups will be faster. Problem is we quickly realize the abnormality. The forest is empty. Dead. It doesn''t make sense. We keep moving forward for a long while until something seems to happen. "MOTHERFUCKER!" I nce at the party next to me. The leader holds some kind of wooden trinket. A shattered one. "EVERYONE! We return to town right the fuck now ?!" Wait? Why are they leaving so suddenly? "What about investigating what happened in the forest .?" "SCREW THAT FUCKING FOREST I DON''T GIVE A SHIT!" And thus I am left with Cayden''s party. *sigh* So much for having lots of support eh. "Don''t worry Zero we are still here!" "How long are we going to search?" "Why are we even bothering with such a dumb search. He''s probably justte." As usual, besides the kind Cayden and the silent warrior, the others are troublesome. Being well-intentioned is good but they are not especially strong. Rank 2s all of them. I alone am enough to defeat their entire party. Yeah, this could turn bad easily. "Go back to town, all of you. Since we arecking numbers I''ll go alone and try to be as sneaky as possible. Hopefully, I''ll find my father." "No way! We''ll help " "No! Go back and prepare to evacuate the town if needed!" Cayden is grumbling, but the others seem to be rejoicing. From now on it''s me alone. **** What is this? It takes me a while to reach here, but I finally notice something noteworthy. The surroundings are different from usual. A fight happened here. A rtively big one. There are many archaic trees that are destroyed. The issue is that these trees are extremely sturdy. After all, it ispletely filled with mana. It is extremely hard to cut, yet useless as a product. The mana inside quickly exits it upon death making it worthless. Since no one would bother voluntarily cutting it down it means it was done by mistake. Simply coteral damage. This is madness. That many trees destroyed. As I approach it, I realize something else. A de did this. It was all done by a swordsman. From the traces, I can already imagine what peerless master left these traces. I feel the inspirationing to me. The many ways I could improve my own swordsmanship. That is only from looking at remnants of a battle. How great would it be if I could see the shes that caused such devastation! Wait, no. Now is not the time to daydream! I need to find my father. I need more clues. Where did whoever fought go? Are the missing monsters because of that person? Wait what?! The traces are old. More than a week for sure. Is it not rted to my father''s disappearance at all? Suddenly I hear the sound of footsteps. I try my best to hide and observe what ising. A small white wolf I know all too well, a small ck fox and my father?! He seems unharmed. This is great. What is happening here? They are heading straight my way. Did they somehow spot me? "Are you sure my son is here?" "Of course!" The fox just talked. Is that a beast king?! Then again it seems friendly. And I''ve totally been spotted. I guess I''ll juste out. "Hey there. Dad, what happened to you?" "Ohhum. I got chased around by some random necromancer, but Wolfie kindly took care of it." "Wolfie did?" I always thought there was something off about this wolf. But taking care of an enemy that can overpower my father. That is impressive. Is she actually a beast king too? Most likely. Then again it wouldn''t be that surprising. After all her owner is some immortal being. Or close to anyway. I may not be that strong, but I am able to kill rank 3s should pushe to shove. But the sectmaster I cannot do anything against him. Already after our first lesson, I knew he was strong, but it''s really only over time that I realized how much of a monster he actually is. While training in the past 2 months I tried everything to make him suffer. Nothing ever worked. My full power he always only disregarded. That in itself is hard to fathom. After all, hecks any kind of fighting sense. Yet somehow, he is that powerful. I do not know how he attained such power, but it reassures me about my choice to follow him. Now this, Wolfie saving my father. I''m quite curious about what happened, but I guess it doesn''t matter. "Alright, I''ll head home already. Your mom must be worried sick! Plus I''m really hungry. Wolfie thank you! You too mister fox!" And soes to an end the rescue operation. Starting with a huge group of volunteers. Then everyone giving half-way. Me telling Cayden''s group to leave after seeing his party members'' reluctance towards the task. Trying my best to find clues about what happened only for my father to randomly show up. Yeah. So much for a rescue operation. We effectively took a huge walk as a group. I''m not sure if this is ridiculous or straight-up funny. Thenes a melodious voice. Crystal clear. Calm and peaceful. It shes a lot with the content of the dialogue. "Good thing you are here little one. I''ve been meaning to tell you something. You want to follow the king around? You are unworthy. Get lost. Otherwise, I''ll end you myself." WTF! Chapter 80: You Are Unworthy! Chapter 80: You Are Unworthy! ****(POV) Still haha "Good thing you are here little one. I''ve been meaning to tell you something. You want to follow the king around? You are unworthy. Get lost. Otherwise, I''ll end you myself." Her words are apanied by pressure so intense I would have lost my mind already had I been weaker. Okay. The cute innocent little wolf turns out to be not only a beast king but also a possessive one. What are my options? Leave and go back to my old life? No way in hell. Stay and get killed? No way I''ll ept that oue either! epting such a fate would be shameful. We are masters of our destiny. The sectmaster said so himself. I look at her straight in the eyes. "You think I am unworthy? HAHAHAHA what a joke! I was personally invited by the sectmaster himself! I am a proud member of The Unnamed God Sect! You think I''ll cower before something as simple as a beast king or death?! In your fucking dreams! Unworthy? Unworthy my ass! I am Zero! The one that will be the strongest swordsman. The future second elder of this sect! I will follow the sectmaster to the end of the world and beyond. You have a fucking problem with that? Still think I''m undeserving? I may not be strong enough to contend against you but try me. I will gauge these blind eyes of yours that cannot see the leader''s wisdom!" I can feel killing intent radiating from her. The fox on the side is kneeling, having difficulty even breathing. So what! Killing intent is all about mental resilience. The way of the sword requires the most resilient heart. Dying is no issue. Giving up is. In normal cases, I would stand no chance against such a monster. But it doesn''t matter. I have a trump card. By burning my life essence I will attain the power I require. I am no fool. I am aware that I will die. But all of it doesn''t matter. I will leave her a scar she will never forget. A curse that will eat her body away and be uncurable. How I even know about such a thing is the biggest coincidence there is. Something my father stumbled upon in his younger days. Something that should never be used really. For it inflicts more damage on the user than the opponent. Something he would never have shared if he didn''t drink too much that one night. I am grinning right now. They say men cower before their own demise. Not me. I have something to defend. The fox on the side is wriggling on the ground. I am still maintaining eye contact with my opponent. After all, it is how I will judge the most opportune moment to strike. She opens her mouth again. Is it an attack? Doesn''t look like it. "You really are unworthy. Trying to die? What good will that do? Your fearlessness is praiseworthy but misguided. You need to stay alive to serve him well. What use is a dead man? No matter how many enemies you take down with you it is always better to survive and keep fighting. That is a huge character w." *gasp* Was that all a test? The shadow of death I felt was all from a casual bluff? What kind of being is this wolf. So much killing intent while retaining a peaceful heart?! This is something I should strive toward. I can''t help but imagine all the possibilities. How much my swordsmanship could improve pursuing such a state of mind. What if I No! Now is not the time for that. I''m about to reply but I notice she is not done. "You are also are extremely weak at the moment. You following us around would only be a burden to him. I believe nothing in the current world can currently best him. Not with the current seal on this ne anyway. You tagging along would just add a target for his enemies. Do you expect him to babysit you? That is a huge ability w." It seems I failed to grasp his true power. Him being stronger than anything in the entire earth realm? How insane is that?! What about the seal? There seems to be some backstory with huge implications right there. "There is something even worse. You have been taking so much of his free timetely! If it''s not baking, it''s ying with pointy metal with you?! You failed to even care about how it would affect me, your elder in this sect! This is a critical moral w!" What?! That''s why I''m unworthy?! I wasn''t expecting that one. I don''t know why but I feel this one right here is the actual reason I am getting driven away right now. Not theck of ability, not my impetuousness, but the fact that he trains with me too much? That. how should I react? I was just trying to help him be stronger.what? What kind of rtionship do these two have anyway? They are always sleeping together, but one is a wolf the other a man. I''ve never seen Wolfie speak ..ever. He also seems to get worried about her easily. What the hell is going on? Does he think of her as a normal wolf? That''s impossible, right? Or not. Is it one-sided admiration? Actually, I know exactly how to deal with such a situation. I''ll act as if I''m clueless and just ignore it. Yes, seems like the wisest decision I''ve ever made. "Representative, next time you test someone could you exclude me from it? It''s painful not being able to breathe." "Then why are so weak then? Just be stronger and you''ll be fine." "." There is something I am wondering about. "Should I call you Wolfie or representative? Also, do you have any idea how I could quickly be stronger?" "Representative is fine. How about you stay in this forest and train? By the time you can single-handedly defeat all the kings here at once you should be ready toe out." That. Is that even possible? Then again, I should aim for that much if I want to realize my goal. With a firm heart, the archaic trees with traces of an apex sword master''s sh, and a lot of pressure from strong opponents it should be possible. As I am steadying my resolve and imagining all the many ways I can strive for more power I hear a scream in the distance. [Wolfie! Saaaaavveeeeeee me!] The sectmaster is here. Being chased by a big white snake. But seriously we just established how strong he is. why is he running?! Chapter 81: Not Again?! Chapter 81: Not Again?! Thus continues another game of cat and mouse. Eh human and giant snake. What the hell is wrong with this snake?! I''m just a pitiful weak human? I''m basically very smol. Okay, I might not be that cute or tiny inparison to other humans. But I''m totally smolpared to this bloodthirsty giant ass snake! I keep running, it keeps slithering after me. ring all the while. Like seriously what''s with that intense re?! It just acted hungry when it ate the angry uncle dude. Now it''s looking at me like I am some kind of treasure. What gives?! I can already picture this chase animated into aedy skit. Yakety Sax ying, the scenery defiling. Always the same treesing over and over again. Of course, it would be shown in such a way that it is obvious that the characters are just running in ce and it''s just the background moving along. Kinda like these driving scenes. Where it''s painfully obvious the actors are just sitting there on their asses lol. The fact that it''s actually trying to eat me does lower theedic level a lot however. Most often than not a lot of cartoons are really dark when you think about them. Take that mouse and cat one. It''s all fun and game until you realize the clever mouse is actually running for its life. One wrong move and it would be over. I''ve always fantasized about doing something with such kid shows. Take years to learn to draw and animate. Then create an alternative episode where the cute little character actually gets eaten for real. Make it as gory as possible. Then work my way up a broadcasting station. And extremely subtly change the nned episode for this twisted version of mine. Then watch the chaos unfold as thousands of youngsters are traumatized for life and enraged parents strike thework. Then I would disappear like the wind leaving behind a legend. Of course, I would never do that. I''m no psychopath. But imagine the possibilities haha. But yeah. Right now, my situation is not good. Not bad either since I can actually outrun the creature. But I''m not getting away. It''s almost as if it''s purposely staying the right distance behind me. That''s impossible since it''s clearly extremely motivated to snack on me looking at its gaze. Well again, this is but normal. *Sigh* I am simply too handsome after all. Of course, I would appear even more handsome if I managed to act cool. Actually, it is all about mindset. Yep. I know how to make my situation 100% better instantly. I focus. Then I bring back my arms 90 degrees toward my back. And then I .ninja run!!!!! Did that actually improve my situation? Not really, but I''m having fun. HAHA. We keep at it for a long time, until something appears in front. OMG, THAT IS WOLFIE! With Zero and the small fox? They seem to be casually chilling. This is perfect! Wolfie can tell this baddie snake that I''m an ally-ish. I''m sure the wolf king''s backing should be intimidating enough. Worse case we''ll use the power of friendship to violently beat the reptile to a pulp. Remember it''s not disloyal to gang up on people if you call it friendship! [Wolfie! Saaaaavveeeeeee me!] I reach them out of breath. not. Divine enhancement is awesome for stamina. OMG doesn''t that make me the ultimate kiter. How awesome would it be! I already know the best way to go about it. Oh, I''ll definitely use the technique I just thought about in my next fight! They all look at me weirdly right now. Except for the snake. He still seems to want to devour me alive. But it stopped? It''s just staying a few meters away from me. Ever so keenly watching me. What is up with this creature? "Wee back sectmaster! What brings you here?" [Hey Zero! Hum let me see some dumbass tried to do something he shouldn''t have. I killed him by mistake. His uncle came back to town and tried to get rid of me. He ran after me. He''s now in the belly of the snake over there. That''s about it. Oh, and the me boar is nowhere to be found? Hope he''s fine. Probably.] "I see. And what about saving you?" [Oh that. Hum this snake is trying to eat me I think?] "*Sigh* I think I''m aware of what is happening." Wait. there is only Zero and me here. With a fox, a wolf, and a snake. "You really suck at this you know. That''s really not how it''s done." WTF! It''s the fox. [YOU CAN SPEAK!??!] "" "" Why are they all acting like it''smon sense?! Is speech normal for monsters nowadays? I was sure only the boar was special being able to speak while a rank 3. Here is a rank 2 fox that is articte and eloquent. What is wrong with this world! This shouldn''t be possible! Then I''m supposed to be a rank 1 with no potential myself. If I could survive in a disaster zone it''s not surprising for one to learn to speak. Makes sense. [So, hum, nice to meet you, I guess. Sorry about beating you up earlier. So why is the snake looking at me like that?] "He''s trying to do puppy eyes to get petted." 0_0 What?! I was not expecting that. Like not at all. I slowly approach the snaky being. Gaze as burning as ever. I extend my hand. It lowers its head slowly. *petting* It keeps its eyes open all the while. Staring at me. Snakes don''t have eyelids after all. Its tongue flickering in and out of its gaping maw. Now that I look at it carefully it is kind of cute? I''m sure this scene would look peculiar to an onlooker. But the creature is enjoying getting petted. I''m enjoying it too. All is good. Wait, now is not the time for this! [Let''s stop this and quickly search for your father Zero!] "Oh. He''s gone home already." [He has?! What did I miss?!] "Apparently he was chased by a necromancer but W*low growl* the fox here took care of it." [Seriously?! How?! He''s super weak .eh I mean sorry about thatI mean I can see it happen if you brought the enemy into a trap. But I guess everything is fine now.] "Yes sectmaster!" The fox interjects. "No. That necromancer is still alive. What got destroyed was nothing but a dummy. His soul is still alive somewhere. It wouldn''t be surprising if" [HELL NO! SHUT UP RIGHT NOW! THAT''S A FLAG!] "" "" [If you say it out loud chances are something bad will happen. That''s how gs work you know. Alright, let''s head back to town. Then we can start making travel preparations. There is somece I want to go.] "Actually sectmaster, I''ll stay here. You can go ahead without me." [You mean you want to explore a bit? We can stay a few hours.] "No, I''ve found the legacy of a powerful sword master here. I''ll remain to study it." There was such a thing in this forest? I''ve never seen the shadow of it. Weird. Is this what they call a protagonist aura? Being able to find hidden treasures easily? But there is something more important. [No! What will I do without you?!] "You''ll be fine sectmaster. I believe in you. I''m getting shbacks right now. I swear this is thest time I am bringing someone to this forest! They all end up parting way with me! Fuck. What now? Chapter 82: Leaving The Border Town Chapter 82: Leaving The Border Town What now? Well, I left my sect member in the forest where he wanted to train, but I did make him promise to look for me once he is done. Where am I going? Well of course I have a n! I did not simply learn to fight and bake during the 2 months I have spent here! I also Ask Zero''s mom about all kinds of information. Then again when I say it like that it''s almost like I''m a character in a novel and the author wants to squash any possible plot holes. I''m just joking haha. But seriously, the only relevant knowledge I got is about a certain city. A city this time, not a town. Apparently, there is a god of diplomacy. How does that even work? I don''t know. Actually, my guess is it doesn''t work that well in the grand scheme of things. After all, if that god had much power in the first ce he would have stopped the god wars. But none of it matters for its control over that city is strong enough to prevent fights from breaking out. That in itself is amazing. I was almost expecting gods to all be assholes. Since they y with mortal''s lives and all. The Lunar Goddess is a narcissistic bitch and the Wanderer God doesn''t sound like a piece of cake either. From what I heard from my first elder it is poverty and tribtions one after the others. Like why?! Can''t you have your followers wandering around in gold carriages?! Then again it doesn''t really change a thing in my life. As long as the crazy people stay away from me. I just need to figure out how to reach such a city. I would have asked Zero''s parents, but they are busy arguing about something. I was expecting it to be over in a second, but it seems the hunter isn''t that submissive after all. Whatever they are fighting over doesn''t concern me anyway. I have a n B! Time to ask Cayden! When I finally find him he''s with his party. I expect 2 of them to diss me and 1 to remain silent like usual, but their gaze today is strange? Almost as if they are looking at a monster. That''s rude .only Cayden is friendly as usual. [Hey man, I need to reach the diplomacy city thing how do I go there?] "Oh it''s simple you simply * omitted for it would have filled many many chapters * and then you can enter the city!" Let''s try this again. [Hey man, where can I find a guide to bring me there?] He looks at me seemingly wondering why I suddenly changed my mind. Like bro, you would have done the same confronted to such a lengthy andplicated exnation. Then again, I can''t really say I''m one of these dudes that usually uses Googly map for everything. He wouldn''t understand how much that dependency screws with your sense of direction. Now that I think about it, wouldn''t there be a way to make a magical assistant giving directions? I could be rich! Why is it that all my money-making schemes involve magic? *sigh* "There is an Inn a few days away where you can buy the services of some mercenaries. Hopefully, that should be of help." [Nice that''s what I''m talking about! Now I''m kinda broke! I would have worked at the hunter''s guild, but I got refused entry.] "Wait, they refused to give you the hunter title? Didn''t you just get chased by 50 hunters and their rank 3 leader earlier too?! How are you still alive actually? For the money my merchant friend still owes you." [Oh. They were weak. I''d rather work to earn my keep too. About the hunter thingy, the guild master is obviously biased against outsiders. He didn''t give me a legit test.] "This is uneptable! I''ll bring you there right now! I might only be a rank 2 but I''ll be damned if I let such injustice take ce!" ****(POV) "Guild master, Cayden is here to see you." Oh great! Finally! I was supposed to meet him before, but I was busy undergoingplex recovery processes. After all, I almost died. Was I notpletely thorough it would have left sequels in my body. I need to ask him about that devil. I need his help to ask for forgiveness. Otherwise, who knows if he won''te and finish the job once he''s in a bad mood. "Quick! Let him in!" I''m truly d of the great job Katheryne is doing here. I would raise her wages again, but it''s already at the top of what I am allowed to approve as guild master. The hunter guild is a big entity after all with regtions and whatnot. The door opens. Enters Cayden. He seems angry for some reason. Following behind is ...OH MY FUCKING GOD. NO!!! Why didn''t Katheryne mention that HE was here too!? Is today the day I die? My body instinctively freezes. I know it''s dumb and probably won''t save me. Should I kneel right now? Maybe he''d spare me? Cry and hug his thigh? Damn, I''m a middle-aged man. What if I end up disgusting him?! It''s the first time in my life I am hoping I was some cute girl instead. I''m sure the leg-grabbing beggingbo would work then. Fuck! "Guild master! What is that about not letting my friend join the hunter''s guild! He is powerful enough! He got rid of 50 hunters and a rank 3! How does he not qualify to join!" Wait?! DID HE GET RID OF THEM? Didn''t just survive them?! I''m gonna fucking die. Katheryne why did you do this to me?! *sigh* She did recently save me. I can''t ask too much of her. "You can''t be biased against him just because he''s new here! He needs to get some money before he can leave town! If you don''t let him be a hunter I''ll bring this to the headquarter myself if I have to!" Wait?! He needs money to leave town?! OMG, I may have a chance to survive this. "I''ll be right back!" I run as fast as I can to my room. Grab the guild master seal and a pouch containing all my life savings. I need to be fast! A few instantster I''m back. I face this monster of a man. Moment of truth. Will this be enough to appease him? I can only pray. "Here you go! Please ept this! This is a 2* hunter license! The best I am allowed to give without reporting it to the higher-ups. Here are enough travel funds tost you a while! Please forgive my previous offenses! I am deeply ashamed!" I utter all of it in one breath. Bowing diligently. He remains silent. Don''t tell me it wasn''t enough?! Should I sell the guild building too? I''d get hunted by the guild, but it beats dying here. [Alright! Thank you. It wasn''t much of an offense anyway. I''ll forgive you.] Cayden seems confused, but he brings that scary being out. I have no idea where they are going and I don''t wish to know either. I can''t believe I almost got beaten to death for what this man considers a small offense. I got lucky this once. That leaves just one question. "Katheryne. Why didn''t you tell me he was here too?" "Guild master. As you know I like you, but I''m not ready to die just yet, you know. He''s not someone I would ever offend. Not after today''s events." Go figures. Hopefully, we won''t ever meet again. I wouldn''t be that unlucky againright? Chapter 83: The Mercenary’s Respite Chapter 83: The Mercenary¡¯s Respite ****(POV) Legends say this creature is immortal. It withstood both the passage of time and the wars of the god. While mythical entities died everywhere it simply crawled. At its own pace. Looking down on all beings alike. A silent watcher. Able to pinpoint the exact moment key events happen. There used to be a saying amongst the higher beings. Not the worthless mortals nor the puny gods. No, amongst the highest of beings. The true flow of history is marked by something they like to call arcs. Regrouping many important or unimportant events alike. Little pieces making a whole that matters in the grand scheme of things. This creature always prided itself in its power. In its almost godlike omniscience. In the way it could appear at the right time at the right ce to bear witness to the ending of every one of these arcs. Yet this time it failed. Twice at that. The first time it felt a premonition of something big happening but couldn''t figure out what or where. As if its vision was obscured by some unknown restriction. The second time, it managed to figure out where the important stuff was happening, but it waste, nevertheless. It had to use all its knowledge (that dates to the creation of the world itself) to find a solution to its issue. It couldn''t peer into the existence of the main actor in these events. But it could indirectly figure it out by paying attention to the fates of the bystanders witnessing the action. This time! Yes, this time! It managed to reach without beingte! This legendary creature was called Anotoki 3/10. Well, that was his current name anyway. For he would keep track of the passing of the various arcs. It is said that something special would happen once this counter was filledpletely. Anotoki 3/10 was, is, and will always be a small snail. Barely discernible to the naked eye. Having no special ability other than what was stated above. He couldn''t even share his knowledge with anyone for it would go against the creator''s orders and cause the downfall of all living things. Anotoki 3/10 witnessed an unremarkable man (at first nce anyway) leave a tiny ce called the border town. **** (POV end) Cash cash money? Check. Cayden guiding the way? Check. Full gear? Check! Wolfie? Tagging along as usual. Today the weather is warm and the sun shining. Would have been a good day for gaming. Well, all days are good days for that haha. Instead, I''m here walking on a deserted road. Besides us 3 it is totally empty. Well, there is a small snail on the ground. But like that doesn''t count. So many things can happen on a deserted route. Encountering bandits, meeting a traveling merchant convoy, finding a carriage with a princess inside that is both super pretty and about to get offed by assassins. Which one will it be today I wonder? **** And . we''re at the so-called mercenary Inn. In every novel, there is always something happening on the road. Well, turns out that is bullshit haha. Apparently, the Inn is called the mercenary''s respite. I guess they were worried people wouldn''t know it''s possible to hire mercenaries here. One day I''ll open my own Inn and it will be called: I used to be a champion (kinda), but I didn''t like it so I started an Inn where you can only eat pie, but the pie is so good people won''t leave and thus I started my world domination n. What can I say I am so good at naming stuff. One day I should write my own isekai novel. I already have the long as fuck title covered. Wait?! Wouldn''t that be an autobiography in my case?! Wow. Mind-blown! Wait. Wouldn''t that mean my work would be both fiction and non-fiction depending on the world I sell it in?! How to make mad profit in a nutshell. Only small issue is I''m pretty sure I would be trash at writing. After all, I used to be nothing more than a typical fantasy fan myself *sigh*. Oh yeah, I also don''t know how to travel between worlds. No biggy. I''m sure I can find a tutorial on MeTube about it. Waitno. Nothing of the sort here. That is one of the reasons I''m big-time doubting the Lunar Goddess. So you are telling me she is a god. Somehow, she didn''t hand us a champion tutorial video first thing. And this isn''t the first god war either. You''d think she would have gotten her shit together by now lol. Nope. So here we are. Inn. Time to head in. A cacophony of sounds, muscr men, the aroma of burning wood, the smell of booze THE SMELL OF BOOZE! Fucking finally! An establishment that both does business and gets people drunk at the same time! Hell yeah! This is what I''m talking about! Screw that squeaky clean hunter guild back in the border town. I see apparent mercenariespeting in strength tests, drinking games, darts! They know for sure how to have fun here! "Alright let me inquire about a party that''s avable for." [No need Cayden. I got this.] *inhales* [HELLO PEEPS! I''M LOOKING FOR A GUIDE TO THAT DIPLOMATIC CITY THINGY WHO''S AVAILABLE?! TAVERNKEEPER BRING ME ALCOHOL TILL I DROP DEAD! THANK YOU!] Why did I shout? Well, there is a cacophony of sounds. Gotta make myself heard you know. Everyone turns at once. The whole Inn bes silent. That would be the usual trope anyway. No, in this case, 2 mercenary groups'' representatives head toward me. By the way they are ring at each other''s I''d say they are old rivals. One group is made of about 10 people, the other one has many tables upied and is definitely numerous. I''d count but I''m toozy. "Hey there young man. What kind of escort are you looking for?" "Hey there, whatever business you have you should definitely ask our group the mighty Iron ws. We are numerous and powerful. Unlike that useless guy that only knows how to reminiscence about old stories." [Oh? What about price and reliability?] "We''ll work for the wages given. Nothing more nothing less." "We''ll make sure you are safe as you make your way to your destination. See this is why you shouldn''t trust these guys. They are just in it for the money. We have the best customer satisfaction in this ce!" [Alright I''ll go with the grumpy-looking guy. I don''t believe empty promises.] "Alright, join us at our table and we''ll discuss it some more." "Why?! This doesn''t make any sense! We are clearly the better choice! " [See, you talk too much.] Alright. First step achieved! Found myself a guide! Just gotta negotiate the terms and whatnot now. I am joyful seeing that other guy pissed for some reason. Is that bad? xD Chapter 84: A Peaceful Night Chapter 84: A Peaceful Night We are all sitting around a round table. All 11 of us. Cayden standing behind me, Wolfie at my feet quietly napping. Time for serious negotiations. [How much for guiding me all the way there?] "50 silvers, more if you have known enemies going after your life. It will take about a month to reach there after all." Hum, I see and in the purse I have a lot of silver coins and a few gold coins. Wait I have gold coins now?! OMG isn''t that really amazing. I feel like a newly rich right now. I should have definitely checked my funds earlier! Now the only question is how many silvers is 1 gold coin worth? *Murmurs* [Psst, Cayden! How many silvers is this thing worth?!] "That.100 silvers. How can you ignore that?!" He seems both shocked and confused. [I never had to use such a thing as gold coins you see.] I was always poor after all. For some reason, he seems really amazed at me. Maybe how I managed to climb my way up from penniless (when summoned) to here. But then again, he knows it was a gift, not really the result of my own efforts. *hands over a gold coin* [Here you go! Pleasure doing business with you guys] "What kind of enemies do you have to pay so much?" [That should cover the 50 silvers. When are we leaving?] "Alright, we''ll do 50% now and 50%ter. Let me get you 75 silvers." [Oh, it''s fine. Keep the change. I''ll let you take care of food and amodations instead.] *nods* With that, I still have many silvers and a few gold coins. A cute waitress alsoes to serve me some beer. She is wearing a short frilly dress. Some drunkards are not so subtly touching her behind as she busies herself. How tempting! Eh. I mean how immoral! But for now, let''s focus on the heavenly beveragenot. It''s pretty bad. But it''s better than most other drinks here. Honestly how great would it be if I was the protagonist of an isekai novel? They somehow manage to create mayonnaise, soy sauce, and bubbly drinks by like chapter 10. I also miss hot chocte so much. All of that would go well with my pie Inn idea. So yeah, I start drinking. Some beerster Cayden is gone. Where? Not sure to be honest. I y a few games of strong-arm. Win a few. Lose a few too. I me the tavern girl for distracting me. I throw a few darts at some targets. Also a few at the bystanders by mistake. I do apologize properly. One silver coin at a time. My newly recruited mercenaries don''t drink much. Something about having a professional ethic. Guess that''s good. They book a room for me. One even asks if I want one of them to stand guard. Of course not! I''m a big boy! A drunken one but whatever! I''m happy right now. I want to bring Wolfie to cuddle with, but pets aren''t allowed in the rooms. What dogshit what wolfshit dumbass made that rule. Hehe. HAHAHAHA. Ah. I feel just the perfect kind of tipsy. Wait I''ve never seen Wolfie poop. Is it a princess?! No, am joking. Everyone does thatthen again fantasy world? Hum, who knows. There might be magic for that hehe. The ceiling is only swimming a bit in my vision. I crash heavily on the bed of the small room I''m assigned. Wait?! No! Can''t go to sleep right now! I reluctantly get up again. I carefully lock the door. Then I go down to the bed and crash again! Ah, this feels nice. I''m sure the bed is just some regr bed in a basic inn room, but I''m way too wasted to care. At this point, even the floor would feel heavenly. Ah, maybe I should have slept outside with Wolfie. Then again doesn''t matter much. Wolves are wild animals by nature, everything should be chill. And thus I fall into a deep slumber. I dream about many things. About the cultivator dude going after me because he can''t forget how handsome I am. About Wolfie somehow barking at people telling them that I belong to her. Yes her. And that she''s a princess cause she doesn''t poop. About the first elder raising an army from who knows where. About a necromancer cackling about how it''s not dead yet and me telling it that it ain''t exactly alive either and to shut the fuck up. About some thieves saying cheesy lines. That I should apologize for looking down on their mercenarypany with my wealth and life. And then they proceed to sh me with their swords. About a rooster that doesn''t want to sing and me telling it to do its fucking job. Weird stuff you know. As usual. Dreams do be like that. The first rays of the sun shine through the small window in the room. A small bed, a nice little night table, a chest to stores one''s belongings. The room would look quite cozy in normal circumstances. Problem is the bed covers are a mess, there are shards of metal on the floor too, seems to be remnants of a sword? Weird. Wait?! Don''t tell me someone would try to assassinate me ?! How is this possible?! My only enemy is a goddess and her champion. Okay, they might have some ways to organize that. But wouldn''t professional assassins know better than to leave their pray alive? Maybe my dream wasn''t all a dream after all. Most usible exnation! Should be the mercenaries that I dissed yesterday. WHERE IS MY PURSE!? NOT HERE! Fuck. So that was their aim. I can''t believe I already got robbed. Oh well, shit happens. Then again what''s with the security of this Inn?! I''m sure I locked my door too! I make my way downstairs (cause every good inn has its rooms on the second floor). Then I go see the only staff member that is there at the moment. [Hello, I''d like to report an issue and requestpensation!] 0_0 She seems surprised to see me at first, but she quickly regains herposure. "What can I help you with?" [I''d like toin about the bad security of the Inn] "There is no problem whatsoever with our establishment." [Someone fucking tried to murder mest night!] "That''s why we ask all our clients to properly lock their doors. If you had done it nothing would have happened." [I did!] "I assure you, you did not otherwise no one would have been able to even get near you. It''s perfectly understandable that you don''t remember much of yesterday since you were dead drunk." Oh my fucking god. Stay tuned for the next episode. The lion, the witch, and the audacity of this bitch! Chapter 85: Title Was Too Long To Fit Chapter 85: Title Was Too Long To Fit I insist on me locking my door properly. After all, I am no fool. I trust even my drunk self to properly lock a fucking door. In a previous life, I had a traumatic experience. Never ever will Imit the same mistake again. The tragic events happened during one of my days off. I came home from work and got busy with a hobby of mine. At the time I just picked up writing and for once had a chapter written in advance. I happily went to sleep knowing that I wouldn''t have to set an rm to wake up early the next morning. But I forgot to lock my door. From this single tiny mistake stemmed what should definitely be called a tragedy. They entered my sacred sanctuary. Defiling it with their greedy hands. Laughing as they ransacked it. Running all over the ce as if they owned it. Eating my food and making a mess out of everything. As Iid in my bed my first thought upon awakening was FUCK! I realized the grave mistake Imitted. For me not locking my door brought an incredible evil in. Gone was my peaceful mental state. Gone was my well-earned sleeping time. It was time for me to man up and face this terrible enemy. To drive it away to the best of my capabilities. Myst thought before facing the imminent battle was: God I hate kids. So yeah, that was my tragic backstory of the day I missed some sleep and had to clean my whole apartment after the neighborhood kids raided my ce. All because I forgot to lock the door. Never again! And now thisdy here is telling me I forgot?! How about you shut the fuck up! I usually wouldn''t bother with small customer service mistakes, but attempted murder is a bit too much for me. Like I''m sure everyone would find it irksome a bit even if their name isn''t Karen (not rted to any real person). Don''t tell me not getting killed in your sleep is too much to ask here? Good thing I''m wise and prioritized my passive defense ability. Otherwise, I''d be dead right now. Possibly a vengeful ghost too. She gets annoyed at me forining but like I''m the one that almost died! She goes to get the manager; eh I mean the inn owner. Hopefully, the conversation will go better this time. "Hey there. I''ll ask you to leave. You can''t me my establishment just because you forgot to lock your own door." Are you fucking kidding me?! [I. Did. Not. Forget!] "You were drunk, of course you think you didn''t. But you sure did. Now get out. Otherwise, I''ll have to ask some of the patrons here to kick you out. This is a mercenary hangout, not somece anyone can simply spew bullshit and have their ways." I stand corrected. Not only is that bitch dumb but so is her superior. Yep, I know what title to use to describe today''s events. The lion, the witch, and the audacity of both of these motherfucking bitches! Should I fight these guys right about now? My chances are probably bad. There is no disaster zone nearby. My specialty recently has been to kill with a borrowed knife. Actually, kill with a borrowed giant monster. Guess I''ll have to suck it up for now. But mark my words I will have my revenge someday! I manage to find my guides. They have already eaten breakfast and have been ready to leave for a while already. Usually now would be a good time for an introduction. But they don''t seem to care. Neither do I to be honest. Good thing because I''m pretty bad at remembering names. Remember Zero''s mom? Well, I''m pretty sure I heard her name mentioned in a conversation at some point . but . yeah forgot. Then again at the time, I had more serious concerns. Like not letting the fruit of my efforts be reduced to charcoal. I burn the face of the sneering owner in my memory as we exit the ce. The weather is sunny again. Good time for gaming kek. The leader starts a conversation with me as we depart. "We''ll move in formation. You stay in the middle. We''ll try our best to protect you. That is assuming you didn''t hide any information from us about a potential enemy." [That''s totally a g you know? Can you stop saying that stuff about me having enemies? I feel like some are gonna appear from nowhere!] "I''m just saying. In any case how well can you handle yourself in a fight? Don''t lie it''s important." [If there are rank 4s I''m screwed. I can fight rank 3 monsters easily. Not sure about humans.] "Hum rank 3 beasts? These are usually stronger than their humanoid counterpart. People that strong don''t usually request our services. After all, we are mostly rank 2s in our party. I am the only rank 3. If anything my specialty is support too" [Support? What''s that?!] "A kind of magic that mostly offers assistance rather than direct fighting prowess." [Can''t you just boost yourself directly to fight? How would that matter?] "Haha, of course ?. But some people out there feel like support mages are worth less than their usual counterpart for theyck destructiveness." [Please. Still, that''s impressive! So you are a mage?!] "Haha, I just know some basic weapon coating magic. It will boost one''s attack power slightly but nothing too significant." [Wow, still amazing! I wish I could learn magic. Sadly I don''t have the required affinity. Well, I''ll find a way at some point. I just have other stuff to work on before.] "I like your drive haha. Most people would havepletely given up already. If I can ask why hire mercenaries in the first ce?" [I''m bad with directions. Actually, I could probably figure it out, but I would have to study about it and I''d rather just let someone familiar with the area guide me.] "I see." We keep walking and walking some more. Mostly in silence. Sometimes my party members talk about some localndscapes or towns. Other times some softly hum war songs. I''ll have to learn some at some point. It seems He cool. At some point, the leaderes near again. "I''m surprised you are still alive to be honest. I heard your conversation this morning. So you got robbed. Usually, this kind of event turns into a murder case quickly." [Oh. They tried. They just didn''t manage to break my defense haha.] "Oh? What about your wolf by the way? Are we not bringing it with us? Because we''ve been walking for a few hours already." WAIT WHAT?! I look all around. Wolfie is nowhere to be seen. OMFG Wolfie is so smart usually too!? Where did she go?! [Fuck we gotta go back!] ".." And thus I receive strange looks from everyone as we backtrack. **** We reach the Inn. Or where it was located anyway. It is now gone. All of it burned to the ground. I''ve never seen karma act so quickly before. But all that doesn''t matter. Where is Wolfie?! Ie closer and asks the bystanders. There are always bystanders where a fire happens. It is human nature after all. None of these have seen any wolf. I''m about to seriously freak out when I notice a tiny white blur. [WOLLFIIIIIEEEEEE!] * DASH AND HUG! * Fur intact that smells a bit of smoke but no damage whatsoever. Nice! We got lucky on that one. Fuck that Inn owner too! Not only is there bad security here but also fire hazards. How careless can one get?! That''s when I hear someone start screaming! "YOU! IT''S ALL YOUR FAULT! THAT DAMN WOLF OF YOURS BURNED EVERYTHING! PAY UP MOTHERFUCKER! I''LL HAVE YOU ARRESTED AND!" OMG. That fucking asshole. ming me for not locking my door? Fine. Not giving a shit about myints? Fine. Trying to frame Wolfie? Fuck that guy. [Are you telling me a wolf did that kind of damage?! Own the fuck up for your own mistakes!] I approach him "YOU ARE GOING TO JAIL YOU CRAZY PERSON! EVERYONE, HE''S THE CULPRIT FOR ALL THIS DESTRUCTION! QUICK APPREHEND HIM!" And I p. * SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP* Want to act like a bitch? Get fucking bitch-pped! "QUICK SOO-OUCH STOP-OUCH-IT HURTS- THIS -OUCH-MADMAN!" A mercenary angrily heads my way. Oh no, you don''t! Full power divine enhancement. And I bitch-p. The neer falls to the ground. The mercenaries swarm me. I deal with them one bitch-p at a time. * SLAP THUD SLAP THUD SLAP THUD . etc. * I look at the scene around me. Bunch of unconscious mercenaries. An Inn owner that is barely recognizable. His face is so swollen it''s questionable if he is human. Yep. Guess I was overthinking this. I should have done this from the start. Oh well, that''s what they get for acting mighty. Bunch of fucking paper tigers. For real. These guys are even weaker than the rank 2 fox. Like c''mon. [Alright. Let''s head out. Should I finish this asshole before we go? He might act upter on] "NO PWEASE I''M SOWWWY YOU WEONT EVER SWEE ME AGAIN I SWEEEAR!" [Ahfine. Let''s get the fuck out of here.] Oh yeah. If anyone asks today''s event shall have a very specific title in the bads dedicated to me. The lion, the witch, and the audacity of all these bitches. So anyway, I started bitch-pping. Ah. now would be the perfect time for gaming I tell you. Chapter 86: Spending A Chapter Walking Chapter 86: Spending A Chapter Walking After all the bullshit at the Inn... Actually, after all the bullshit at the now destroyed Inn, we hit the road again. Ah! I could see a nice travel song opportunity. Gotta get a character called Jack. Then we could sing hit the road *insert dude''s name* as we get from ce to ce! Never a dull travel moment no more! I''d do it, but as far as I''m concerned, I''m nameless. Very much like The Unnamed God I created. Not that I''m trying to be special or edgy. I just don''t feel like taking a new name instantly. What if I remember my true er on? How awkward would it be? Me going around with a cool name that I would choose, something like Herro Protector of the World and Ultimate Dream Bachelor. Thenter remembering my original name to be something like Tim. I would be too embarrassed to look people in the eyes. So yeah, we hit the road again. That very familiar road I''ve already walked on back and forth. This time Wolfie is with us. I checked! The mercenaries are friendlier than at the beginning. I guess pping the shit out of a rival group was satisfying to watch. They start telling me stories about how their group came to be. Apparently, they were once part of a legendary mercenary legion. One that had many skilled members. One that could move as a massive unit due to their rigorous training. One led by a legendary lion or something. Sadly the various powers tried to make use of them. All for their political struggles. Once or twice was fine, but it kept happening. Fighting for coin always was a reality of the mercenary life. Problem is people started expecting more for a pittance. Seeing these hired des as disposable entities made many times the clients downy the dangers to try and lower the amount paid. It just wasn''t worth it anymore. They left it all behind. They then turned to banditry to survive. The whole fucking army. Cause yes, the way they talk about it no way anyone sane would call it a mercenary unit or a band. Their fearless leader became an infamous bandit king. They even made a bandit bastion in a disaster zone. How cool is that?! One day I swear I''m gonna have my own awesome base in a disaster zone too! Well, I''m pretty sure the forest I was in before was mibeled. Plenty of beast kings? Plenty of beast kings my ass! I saw 1! Maybe 2! Remember how I was considering adding the big snake to the list of potential kings? After petting it I realized. nope. It''s just one cute snaky boy looking for love. Not some dangerous creature at all. It is just gluttonous, and I was just really unprepared the first time. So yeah, that was about the main bandit army. Now the mercenary group I am traveling with refused to follow the others. How dumb! I mean. how righteous! I just wonder if righteousness can feed oneself. Well, I guess so since they are still alive. I really wish I could have my own army one day. Of course, I know I''m just being delusional, but still. I wonder if I could train ants to do my bidding? Wolves might work too. Both groups are numerous. OMG! What if I make cavalry units! That would be fucking awesome. I can already picture it. Me going : Wee to The Unnamed God army! From now on you will be trained rigorously until you are the best of the best! I want you guys to put the cavalry of the Rohhan to shame! You guys don''t know it? Is it because of the double H? Oh right, you guys only know about this single world. Anyway! I want you guys to be both OP and cool as heck! What''s the best way for that? Cavalry of course! What? Some dumbass in the back is saying cavalry isn''t always the most efficient? Screw that guy! Fire him right now! And feed him to the boar! Anyway, cavalry is the best at looking awesome! That is what we are all about in The Unnamed God Legion! Fashion is the end game goal! Anyone that tells you otherwise is a retard. Alright, listen soldiers! Choose your starter pokI mean choose your starter mount! Will you go with the ant? Will you go with the wolf? Both can devour you in heartbeat so don''t forget to feed it haha. This shit is almost as intense as taking care of a Tamagotch*. Will you go with the sturdy-looking one or the fluffy one? Take your pick quickly for the number of wolves is limited. What about myself? Should I ask the wolf king to ride it? It would be cool as heck. Then again, would it ept having a weak human like me on its back? Questionable. Oh, I know! I should ask my deer friend! It is cute, nice, and somewhat scary as hell. Oh? Enemies areing towards us? Hell-spawned tentacles mode activates! Then it could go back to petting mode right afterward. Wait does that count as a transformation? If yes, it is He Cool. So do I just spend the day talking and walking with my new mercenarypanions? Yes, that''s about it. Again you''d expect some out-of-the-ordinary event to happen, but this isn''t a novel. There are no ways bandits would suddenly show up out of the blue. Of course, I make sure to never say stuff like that aloud. Unlike the party leader. This guy is a repeated red g offender. Honestly, it is a wonder how he stayed alive to this very day given the number of times he stressed the part about me not having enemies. So yeah, we keep walking and that''s it. Thenes nighttime. We camp by the roadside. Mypanions take our tents out from their luggage and quickly set-up aplete camp before deciding who is in charge of guarding. I would have hoped for it to be done through a rock paper game or something, but they just let their chief decide. This is booooring. But seeing them at work does show me how much I have been careless in the past. Or more urately how lucky I was to find an area with restrictions already set-up in the forest. There is one such tent for my personal use. Iy down and contemte life. On my wolf-pillow of course. Do you ever get these moments of pure lucidity where you assess your whole life right as you should be sleeping? The quiet of the night is always good to contemte our existence on this earth, or whatever this is called. I started somewhere unknown, got summoned to the god realm, went to the Moon Keep. Fled to a disaster zone and found Wolfie but lost my first sect member. Then I proceeded to the nearby town and now I''m heading to a big city. To be honest, right now I feel like a young boy that just went to a sleepover for the first time. All excited and a bit disoriented. Expectant toward the future, but somewhat jittery about it. Well, I have Wolfie. Herpany is enough for me. I swear it is weird. Ever since I had that dream about Wolfie telling me she was a princess I can''t refer to her with it anymore. It''s dumb I know, but at this point she''s family. Also pretty sure she doesn''t have a dong albeit I really didn''t look closely. I''m not into bestiality. Alright, enough random thinking. Let''s shut down the brain. No point worrying about the future. Will happen what is meant to happen. Myst conscious thought is that it''s a good thing this ain''t a novel or readers would be rioting right about fucking now lol. After all, I only walked today. Nothing else. Chapter 87: Leaving it to Fate Chapter 87: Leaving it to Fate ****(POV) This man deserves to die. No, not a man, a clown. A truly nave fool that doesn''t know what is best for him. It all happened a few ago. He came in screaming about wanting mercenaries to escort him on his travels and requested booze. At that exact moment, I already knew he was a fool. No sane person would get drunk while conducting business negotiations. Then he got offered help from 2 mercenary groups. One that was nothing but a remnant from the past. Low member count, average strength, andck of an ambitious leader. The other option being the thorn mercenaries. These guys are really alike to thorns. They are countless and will draw blood should you rub them the wrong way. Not only did this dumbass pick the worse option, but he even had the insanity to anger the stronger group. He told their leader he talked too much. I then knew that he wouldn''t have a good ending. For I knew what they would do to him. Or at least I thought I did. The next morning he came swaggering to the counter not only alive and well, but also requestingpensation for a night attack. He said something about them trying to kill him, but that was obviously a lie. If they truly wanted him dead he would have been already. I kept telling him that if anything happened it was his own fault for not locking his door. He kept arguing that it was locked. Maybe it wasn''t and they came in, maybe it was and they lockpicked it. In any case, it didn''t matter to me. At this point, the guy was already annoying, truly a natural talent at antagonizing the wrong people. In any case, he had no proof whatsoever since there is no way anyone can recover from that much alcohol easily. He contested it, but so what. I threatened him to call for help from the stray mercenaries and he left like a coward. At that point, I had forgotten about the whole episode. We do get stupid customers from time to time. This one wasn''t going to live long either. The thorns only robbed him that time but would probably ambush himter on too. Somece away from prying eyes, where getting rid of a body would be easy. After all, they are a really resentful bunch. This hypothesis became even more likely when I learned from my subordinates that they left the Inn early. Probably to go and make preparations to jump the guy. I was going about my day as usual. That is when something crazy happened. I''m not too sure how, but mes appeared all over the ce. I ran out of the building only to see itpletely on fire. That''s when I saw it. That white wolf that came with the fool. Running with a lighted torch in its mouth. It somehow knew how to start the fastest and deadliest fire possible. A fucking wolf. That asshole tasked his wolf with burning my ce down! The worst being I was toote to stop it. That simple instant enough to set my finances years back. Rebuilding is extremely costly. And for what? Because I didn''t want topensate him for the thorn''s thievery?! This man is a lunatic and possibly a danger to society. I then saw their grouping back, from the main road at that. The galls he had showing up after the crime hemitted! He rushed to his wolf and hugged it tightly. Acting all innocent. This fucker had to pay for it all. For disrespecting me and for being an arsonist. When I called him out, the madman came nearby and started pping me. The insanity of it all. Using violence against me in public at that! FUCK THAT GUY. Then many mercenaries came to help. However one after the other they just got pped hard until they all fell prostrated on the ground. In the end, I had to fucking beg for mercy. Bullshitting about not taking revenge. He left as quickly as he came. Leaving behind my now destroyed Inn and my bloodied face. At first, I was too scared to even think about retaliating, but afterward, I realized that no mercenary actually died from his assault. That''s when I understood that this enemy of mine wasn''t that strong. That''s when I swore to myself that I was going to get him killed for sure. That day he made the very mistake to let me live. **** That brings us to this very moment. I am bowing to a tall man wearing a long golden robe with many trigrams. He used to belong to a renowned divination sect. At some point, he got kicked out. They didn''t approve of the way he used their signature magic. He''s someone I had to go through many trials to contact. A friend of an old family member. Usually, a lowly innkeeper wouldn''t be able to convince him to help, but he did reluctantly ept to sell me that favor. It cost me most of my remaining savings too. But he is the best of the best. This man is a professional assassin. He uses divination magic to track his targets, then he.I actually don''t know how he does it. But he has tricks to get the job done. Apparently being a good assassin is not so much about strength, but more about exploiting opportunities. Nothing better than a man that can literally read fate for that. The funny thing is he is smiling right now. I''ve only ever seen him smile. Anyone meeting him in the street would naturally believe him to be a good-natured fellow. Then again it kind of fits with his specialty. His victims often die of natural causes and tragic idents. None actually ever gets murdered. Or so the official story always says. "Alright I''ll take care of this issue for you, but first the payment." I hand it out respectfully. A money pouch containing enough coins to rebuild this Inn many times over. It does pain me extremely so, but I would rather be poor than to know that man is happily living. I''m not exactly sure how this whole business works. Better ask just in case. "Mister, how should we proceed now?" "We? You do nothing while I peer into the future and n, ordingly, don''t worry your problem will soon be settled! Do you have any objects your target came into contact with directly? That would make this whole process faster." An item he touched? He touched a lot of stuff in his drunken spree. All of it burned. Wait, what if I get that? I go and fetch the torch that damn wolf used. "Mister, I''m afraid everything burned, but this item has been in direct contact with his damn pet. Would that work?" He nods and gets to work. This is my first time witnessing such a mysterious discipline, so I am intrigued. That''s when he seems to focus, then he starts glowing in a golden light. On his forehead appears a shiny third eye symbol. But all this show matters little to me. I''m more excited about knowing that I will be avenged soon. I can''t wait to see this guy''s dead body with my own eyes. Chapter 88: The Unknown Fate Puppeteer Chapter 88: The Unknown Fate Puppeteer ****(POV) Long ago I was but a tiny vige kid, one simr to what you would expect of one. Purposeless, just living my life one day after the other. That kind of life wasn''t for me. I didn''t mid the toiling from early morning tote at night. No, what bothered me was the impression I had of not going anywhere in my life. That''s when I figured out that I needed a goal. One that would be hard to reach and would keep me busy for a long time. Couldn''t I just enjoy my peaceful everyday life? I could have, but it had this feeling of intense boredom that gued me. That''s when by a strange string of fate came visitors in our tiny vige. Ones wearing long golden robes with trigram insignia. They looked not only refined but as if driven by something. That detail is the one I noticed instantly. Then I started wondering what exactly gave them purpose, what made theme here too. They were here to recruit. I had heard legends of masters taking apprentices from the small remote areas before. Of course, most of it was only legends. There is a reason no one usuallyes to these kinds of ces. The low poption,mon ancestry, andck of education of the popce tend to do testing for potential hard and makes finding a talented individual extremely unlikely. It was what I was looking for all along. A chance to change my destiny! I obviously went to meet these masters. The answer I was looking for all along in my life. It was right in front of my eyes. I would join and learn whatever they had to teach. Make something out of myself instead of just existing. My parents advised me otherwise when they learned the subject of the tests. They were testing fate. Affinity to divination magic. Of course, a in farmer''s son like myself wouldn''t have any chance. They told me that I should focus on growing the best crops possible, but I didn''t want to. I went there and prepared myself mentally to face anything. Revised my writing, reading, counting, andmon knowledge all over again. Something I only learned by chance as the vige was home to an old decrepit old man that used to be a small-time peddler. Every year some of the youngsters would even bet on whether the old man wouldst another one. I was and am still grateful to that man for showing me kindness, for telling me about a vast world existing outside of my sight. If I had to guess my sense of not-belonging probably started with this mentor of mine''s tales. He would spend the extraordinarily little time he had left in the mortal realm teaching me. So I studied and prepared as much as humanly possible and faced the evaluation. Turns out I was overly prepared. More so, I couldn''t have ever been prepared for what was toe. They brought me to a small stool and told me to sit quietly. Then one of them made some hand gestures, used a golden coin, and started predicting my fate. I had only 2 thoughts in my mind. The first one curiously thinking about how all of this was possible. The second wondering if I had what it took. As I am now adept at divination the answer should be obvious. Or most people would assume. I failed the test horribly. I had not a single ounce of fate with the Dao of divination. Even worst I was apparently even worst off than amon typical viger. Not only did that test reveal my inadequacies, but it also revealed that I was bound to die young. Something about my fateing to an end precipitously. My first feeling was puzzlement, then outrage, then eptance. But instead of epting that I would die and giving up, I decided to ept that I was bound to die and defy my fate anyway. I could have had simply kept living the small reminder of my life at home, but not my style. It appeared kind of ironic to me how the young me would likely die before my old mentor. So much for betting on him staying alive every time and winning. All pointless if I am dead myself. They stayed for exactly 13 days. Why 13? Was it because it was an auspicious number? Was there any other particr reason? In the beginning, they were supposed to stay here and travel to the surrounding viges too. That was supposed to take them a while, at least a month. Then why did they leave early? Was it because they finally found a peerless genius? Was it because they had a sudden revtion? Nothing of the sort. After a while, they truly realized how much of a shithole our ce was haha. Needless to say, they found no one worthy in the area. If anything they resumed their travels with thepany of additional bedbugs. You''d expect fate followers to know better than to pointlessly travel around. Turns out fate is most of the time illusory. Even more so when it concerns something like trying to find talent in the world. I spoke with a few of them and heard manyin about all the drawbacks to studying such magic. I quickly realized it wasn''t anything that amazing. More urately it might be amazing, but it was way too hard to grasp for it to be easily reachable. Any sane person would stay far away from that group of lunatics for sure. So anyway, as they left, I followed them from far away, for weeks. I stuck right to their trail until we finally reached a tall mountain. On it, various abodes all over the ce. Each having a different architectural style from the previous one. How was I able to observe so many details? Well at that point I was waltzing in their holy ground blending in like I belonged. How was a young kid like me able to follow these masters of divination so easily? How was I able to invade their domain so easily? Well, I had a weak presence. Still have actually. After all, I was nothing more than a typical viger, or so I looked at first nce. Servants tend to get ignored easily and a group that requires a whole mountain to establish itself has many of those. Not only did I have a weak physical presence, but my fate was also about to end, thus making me pretty much an invisible ghost to the eyes of their magic. That''s when I realized that divination was in no way omniscient. Not even close. It is this exact moment that would bring me to, yearster, try my hand at assassination techniques. Also at getting kicked out of the sect. That implies that I sessfully managed to join it in the first ce. I did spend a long time mastering everything they had to teach me. It made me the man I am today, it made me one of the most fearsome individuals there is on the top killers'' board. The Unknown Fate Puppeteer. The one that decides the fate of his victims. But all that was about to change drastically, all because of a seemingly simple job I took in a now burned-to-the-ground mercenary Inn. Chapter 89: The Fucked-Up Fate Puppeteer Chapter 89: The Fucked-Up Fate Puppeteer ****(POV) This job shouldn''t be that hard. Not ording to the inn owner at the very least. The target is a nave young man that knows not of the ways of the world. Still, there is something off about this whole story. Why would anyone hire one of the best assassins to get rid of such a target? It doesn''t add up. I assure my customer that everything will be fine. I am a professional after all. The part I leave unsaid is that is supposing his information on the target is urate. Time to work my magic on the torch he brought me. Apparently, the item was used to burn his building. I''m not sure whether to be perplexed orugh about how it happened. You would expect a natural disaster to be the cause, or even a beast tide, or perhaps even a fight between experts. Nope. A small wolf supposedly caused it all, with nothing more than a torch. No magic, just regr fire. I concentrate on the item, then I use a small magic trick to make appear some low-level illusions. The golden glow? Fake. The ethereal third eye? Also fake. The official eye-catching golden trigram robe? Something I barely wear. Why do I give myself so much trouble? Is it to get more coin? It does help with that, but not especially. If people are expecting me to be wearing such an attire I can more easily travel around. Also, I very much love the fact that my would-be enemies would not expect me to instantly divine something on the spot with none of that showy stuff. The thing about divination is that it is more often than not taught through rituals to follow to the letter. I figured out that all of that is utter bullshit. It simply helps to visualize the magic more adequately. After all, how does one picture a concept such as fate? For me, I simply imagine fate to be a series of coincidences. Instead of trying to figure out what will happen, I use my powers to figure out what might happen. I found it to give more urate readings. Trying to peer too much into the secrets of the world tends to either result in information that is inurate or a straight bacsh. Every year many disciples die from overestimating themselves and trying to figure out heaven''s secret. Let''s just say I tested the limits of it very carefully. And by that, I mean I managed to convince a few of my rivals back in the sect to try their best until they kicked the bucket. Well, I only did that to the awful ones, and I was never proven guilty. Anyway, I managed to develop this technique of mine after countless trials and errors. That''s when I got bored of trying to y with the other sect members. Their divination was already way more rigid than my modified version. I felt it to be a dead end. I already saw the killing potential of such magic and decided to go for a professional change. That''s when they kicked me out. Well, I was eager to leave so it didn''t matter one bit. A lot happened since then. Mostly me climbing the ranks to fame, or rather infamy. My pseudonym got popr in any case. Some mothers even use my nickname as a threat to their kids. If you don''t eat all your vegetables the Fate Puppeteer wille and kill you! How about fucking not. Anyway, I activate my magic and all the useless showy illusions. Let''s see what awaits me. In front of my eyes appears a blurry scene. There is a medium-sized wooden building. Should be where I am standing. I can see a torch on the ground. Then I hear a very soft sound, a rustle of paws. A small fuzzy silhouette appears making its way through the hay on the ground. It picks up the torch and slowly goes toward the exit. Now I''ll just need to follow it until I know where it went exactly. I could also try divination directly on the road, but I kinda want to see how that event transpired. This wolf looks remarkably smart. I follow it closely. A few secondster it turns around, I copy it wondering what will appear in the scene, however, there is nothing behind me. Why would It suddenly. I see golden eyes. Looking directly into mine. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. No, wait calm down. I am seeing nothing but a mirage of the past. Why is the wolf looking in my direction I do not know, but it cannot see me. This is a first for me. I slowly take a step to the left. Its gaze follows me. It fucking followed me. This can''t be happening. 0_0 I move to the right this time. The same thing happens. This is scaring the shit out of me. Every piece of knowledge I possess tells me this situation is impossible. This can only be a nightmare. I am sleeping at the moment for sure! I can''t take it anymore, time to break eye contact with the creature. .Except I can''t. For some reason, my eyes just won''t move. I try to close my eyelids without any sess. I turn my head. Or try to. No matter how much I twist and turn I can''t seem to look away. These simple eyes seem to contain the whole universe. Peering at my soul. Assessing my existence. Judging me. In front of these eyes, I feel insignificant. I am back to being the lost kid I used to be. This is no wolf. THIS BEING IS NO FUCKING WOLF. I am prey to this predator. Me the one that sees fate itself. Me that proudly tower as a legend on the killers'' board. Me that casually epted this request thinking nothing of it. I feel tears trickle from the corner of my eyes. At first only a few drops, then a steady flow. I cannot move my head or close my eyes. All I can do is slowly approach my hand from my face. Trying my best to make it stop. That''s when I realize I have truly fucked up. This is no water. It is blood. Tears of blood. Thest thing I see is the wolf look straight into me and smirk a little. Then the entire world goes ck. The mirage disappears. I can feel it. I am back in the real world. There is no fucking way I am doing this mission. That Inn owner is insane. Going after such a monster. No, there is something even crazier. This monster is only the pet. Is the owner a god?! As that thought crosses my mind, I slowly open my eyes and I see . I open my eyes and I see. Pure darkness. I bring my hand to my face. Blood. Tears of blood. I am blind. I am blind. I am blind. This was the result of me peering into something I shouldn''t have. The Inn owner ran away already. This is the smart thing to do. After witnessing my end no sane person would want to have anything to do with that target. I slowly gather my stuff. Change my golden robe for low-key beggar-like rugged clothing. I''m going to find this customer of mine real quick and give him really good after service. You could say it will be so good it will send him to heaven. Then I''ll depart and try to find the wolf''s owner. I have so many questions. I will probably die, but so what. I am one with a precarious fate anyway. I''m already a dead man walking. As I hit the road, I realize how extremely pathetic the current me is. The divination magic I am proud of, useless. I am a cripple that cannot even see where he is going either. But that is fine. I will do as I always do. Survive, adapt and ovee. Chapter 90: Meeting An Old Friend Chapter 90: Meeting An Old Friend ****(POV) We have been journeying for a few weeks already. Actually 3 weeks and 2 days. It feels like my king is rubbing off on me haha. For him time is irrelevant. If you ask him how long it has been, he will probably answer weeks, followed by I think. Nothing happened at all, well besides my master socializing with the mercenaries and a fly trying to use divination magic against me. I did teach it a lesson it won''t forget anytime soon. Right now we are on the side of the road camping. Everyone but the people on the night watch are asleep. That includes my master. He is resting his head against my fur, breathing peacefully. A small smile adorns his lips, he must be having a nice dream right about now. I just hope it''s not about pie again. Never would I have thought that the one thing that would threaten me in this life to be pie. For it would take all his attention away. How does onepete with something so tasty and warm that can be eaten? Maybe when I''ll reach rank 5 again I''ll have a chance. I''ll have the ability to polymorph then. Sadly it won''t be anytime soon. This man is still a total mystery to me. He is extremely cute at the moment, yet he is one of the most powerful existence there is in this current world. This is what I truly believe. Even then he acts clumsily most of the time. Ignorant of what others would consider beingmon sense. He only learned of the value of coins recently. Back at the border town, I was finding him to be extremely generous with that white gold coin, then I overheard him whispering at the Inn. Asking how much silvers and gold coins are worth. I''m not sure if that ignorance is good or bad. While he has trouble interacting with others, he doesn''t let himself get limited bymon sense either. His possibilities are endless. I am not sure where our travels will bring us exactly, but I will follow him anywhere. I will be at his side no matter what, even if the whole world is ending. As I have this thought I detect something. Of course, I do not trust these mercenaries to guard us, at all. I have various protective measures set-up all around the ce. I just now picked the scent of an intruder. I slowly move away, making sure not to disturb my king''s rest. Then I make my way over there. Should it be an enemy I will dispose of it. What awaits me is a white silhouette, right next to a small pond. It seems to glow softly under the moonlight. White all over with a white mane. Silver hooves. It gives off an ethereal feeling. On its head a single purple horn. This beast is what ismonly called a unicorn. I actually know this specific one. An oldpanion of mine. One that opens its mouth as Ie nearby. "It''s been a while Y." I interrupt the melodious voice. "I go by the name of Wolfie now." "Wolfie is it? I heard you have been following a lowly human recently. What happened to that pride of yours?" "Shut your mouth. The next time you insult him I will take that horn of yours and shove it so deep up your own ass that it will kill you." "WHAT?! 0_0" "This will be your final warning." "You are going to go that far for him? Why?" "Because he is worth it." "That is as good as not saying anything, what makes him so special?" "Wouldn''t you like to know little horsie?" "YWolfie what''s with all the trash-talk?" "Oh, that? I''ve been practicing. I''ve learned a few interesting things traveling along with mercenaries." "I don''t recognize you. What happened to serving the endless forest?" "Weren''t you one of the first to quit that to go wander this world? I chose him as king, and he shall lead us to greatness." "You have that much confidence in him?" "Of course. He is the man I chose after all." "Are you sure you are not simply trying to fill the void left behind by the king''s death?" "Of course not." While I do answer confidently, I wonder about that myself. This previous king we had was a father figure to me. As a leader and as a god he was always there for us. There is much of the previous king I see in the man I chose. The kindness, the goofiness, and the power. It all reminds me of him. But still, while I wish he was still alive it wouldn''t change my current ns at all. I then hear a whisper. "I missed you old friend, d to see you are doing well." "Why are you whispering?" "You heard me anyway. What are your current ns?" "We are heading to a city owned by the diplomacy god. Hopefully, find some interesting things to do." "What about the uing war? It may be extremely subtle, but the various forces are all preparing for a fight. You guys can''t be the only ones going about your business obliviously." "Of course not haha. It may not look like it, but my king is actively building up his forces. He has recruited some interesting people recently." "Oh? Like whom?" "A young swordsman that will very likely reach true sword will in a few years maximum." "What is surprising about sword will, so what if he is a bit younger, how old is he? 20-30 years old?" "12. He is 12." "Wow, that is champion level! What about his god?" "None." "You are telling me some 12 years old is about to reach sword will by himself with no support whatsoever from a divinity?!" "Yes, do you want to hear about another one?" "You should have kept that one forst since it is the most impressive, but sure." "You may have heard about the next one''s nickname. The undefeatable warrior." "That guy!? Impossible!" "Why so?" "While not that strong he is already the unofficial chosen of a god. Why would he join you guys?!" "Oh, he''s with us now." "What about all the blessings he was receiving from the Wanderer God?!" "He gave it all up. Decided to be stronger on his own." "That is impressivewait no. Wasn''t he locked up in the Moon Keep?! These guys are all monsters. Their god may have lost the war, but she was one of the top deities before that incident!" "Oh yeah, about that. I did keep the best forst." "No, impossible! This is the Moon Keep we are talking about! THE Moon Keep." "Actually I''m not sure if they are considered part of our sect or just allies, but still." "Either way that''s fucking amazing!" "What''s with the swearing? What happened to unicorns being pure and all?" "You can''t just expect me to hear about this and not react. Wait. What was that about a sect?" "Oh yeah, his own army is called The Unnamed God Sect. It is a work in progress, but it sounds cool don''t you think so?" "What about the endless forest?!" "He is our king, so we are all part of the sect. Incidentally, want to join?" "That I will have to . WHO GOES THERE!?" Oh? Seems like we havepany. For some reason, I didn''t react to the neer. ah, I understand. It is my king. I am so used to his presence by now it feels natural. I guess my old friend was truly shocked for she didn''t notice him earlier. [Hum don''t worry about me just taking a leak. Wait, what is a horse doing here? And what''s with the horn? Then again horses can be horny too, I guess. Isekai bullshit and whatnot.] My king is rambling as usual. He often refers to that isekai thing. I''m still notpletely sure of what it entails. "Who are you?!" [Oh what is it mister horny horse? Wait. YOU CAN TALK!?] I would facepalm if I had hands right about now. Chapter 91: Just Taking A Leak Chapter 91: Just Taking A Leak We''ve been walking for weeks. We stopped to sleep by the roadside. I got reallyfortable with my wolf-pillow as usual and happily went to sleep. I groggily awaken to an empty tent. My pillow nowhere to be seen. This is a serious issue! I''m sure Wolfie is fine and just gone for a walk. No, the issue is how ufortable the ground is. How do the other mercenaries even manage to sleep? * Yawn * Actually, I know. Something about getting used to it. Every moment on the battlefield is meant to be either killing or resting. Their captain made a whole speech about it. It was both very instructive and very long. What now, do I wait for Wolfie to be back or not? Ah, might as well take a leak while I''m at it. I''ll sleep better afterward. This kinda sucks. I''d usually walk my sleepy ass to the fridge. Not to brag, but I used to have all kinds of cool stuff in my fridge. Mostly pizza and whatnot, perfect for ate-night snack. Then again pizza is also good as a breakfast, a lunch, or a dinner. Is there any asion you cannot eat pizza? I believe not. This is kinda amazing. I walk further away from the camp. The dude in charge looks at me with hawk eyes. Then happens a manly conversation between men. It goes. *Nod* *Nod* *Interrogative nod* *Nod while pointing at my crotch* *Understanding nod* *Nod* *Nod* Friendship is so beautiful, how else would I have conversations that deep. *sigh* I am truly blessed. Don''t get me wrong I still don''t know that guy''s name. He also doesn''t know mine. But we are familiar with each other. I''ve been learning many stories from mypanions. Also songs. Sometimes I''m regretting losing all my coins. I could have hired these guys for longer. Kinda like hiring a stripper but finding her to be really nice and smart. Then you decide to ask her to marry you should you provide for her and she says yes. But then you find out you are broke cause you got your money stolen at a shitty, now burned to the ground, Inn. Really sad about the first part, really happy about thetter one. Sidenote do you know how many girls are paying for their education by being strippers? It blew my mind when I found out. The next time you go to a stripper club try to guess how many are smarter than you and majoring in psychology or something. That''s a stereotype you''ll say? Stereotypes exist for a reason! Now don''t get me wrong. Stereotypes should never be taken seriously, but . So yeah, I wanted to hire these guys as my personal army. You know for official sect business or any other bullshit reason for all that matters. Truth is this world scares me somewhat. I worked hard until I became really hard to kill, but it won''t solve all issues. What happens if I piss someone off that is really powerful? He could either kill me or imprison me. I know just the right story to exin my situation. It kinda is simr to when you go shopping with your girlfriend. She''ll be happily shopping while you stand there cluelessly. There are always exceptions, but most women enjoy shopping way more than their male counterparts. Men will go from point A to point B. They will try to go to the least number of stores. Well except anything that is sport/car/video games/construction. The rest of the time most men arepletely lost in a shopping mart. Usually lost boyfriends would chill out on some bench waiting for their loved one to be done. Stereotype? Stereotypes exist for a reason. There will be packs of lost boyfriends on benches forming naturally. All of them feeling equally lost and confused but finding sce in each other''spany. But now my situation is peculiar. There are no other lost souls in the same situation as me. Well, there is the cultivator dude, but seriously fuck that guy. ve my ass! Who''s a motherfucking ve you ass-kissing bastard! Right now I feel like a pack-less abandoned boyfriend on a random bench by his lonesomeness. Kinda like that time I was in that exact situation, the bench one. Then it got really awkward when I told them I wasn''t waiting for any girl, that I was just chilling with them. They all left quickly too. I swear that rainbow shirt I was wearing was a coincidence. Where was I? Yes. Since there are no other cool people in the same situation as me, I figured I might as well keep hiring these cool guides. Except I''m broke. Now that I think about it I''m kind of a parasite in this world. I have never worked a single day sinceing to the earth realm. I lived at the Moon Keep, I lived in the forest where food was plenty, I lived at Zero''s ce and the money I used to buy the services of the mercenaries was from a gift. Damn! Aren''t I the typical example of a NEET ?! Not in employment education or training. I''m definitely not employed. Educationis that even a thing here? There are gods and religious doctrine but that isn''t my thing, skip. Training? Well does training to bake pie count? I''m sure it doesor should in any case! That means I am no NEET! I am a proud pie chef! I might not be working at the moment, but that is only because I have not yet found a job. All shall be good and well once we arrive at the city. I will be a famous chef. People will line up to attend my store! Nobles will try to bribe so I can sell to them in priority. I will roll in money. This will be fucking awesome. At some point in the future people of this world will invent the inte and tv. Then I''ll appear live on talk shows and share my experience as a sect leader / famous chef. And then I will sign autographs and live in a big mansion and have tons of servants and the fluffiest of bed and pillows! Then I''ll .I don''t know actually. Dreaming is fine from time to time. Oh, don''t get me wrong the fluffiest pillow is definitely Wolfie, perhaps Luna too. Hum, both are warm and fun to cuddle with. No, I do not swing that way! Where was I going? Right, take a leak. Oh, this seems like a nice spot. A smallke glowing softly under the moonlight. Perfect ce to piss at. Actually no, third best. Can''t beat a shower or a pool. I''m kidding I don''t do that haha... "That I will have to . WHO GOES THERE!?" Hum what? There are people here already? Let me reply real quick. Don''t want to make the atmosphere awkward. [Hum don''t worry about me just taking a leak. Wait, what is a horse doing here? And what''s with the horn? Then again horses can be horny too, I guess. Isekai bullshit and whatnot.] This world is truly strange. There is a horse, with a horn. Yes, it is the second time I see that in my life. I''m not even high this time around. Wolfie is there too. "Who are you?!" [Oh what is it mister horny horse? Wait. YOU CAN TALK!?] What the fuck is wrong with this world?! Should Ipile a list of all animals that can talk now or would it be faster to do a list of those that can''t ?! Chapter 92: Moonlight Serenade Chapter 92: Moonlight Serenade Okay, so this horse just talked. "Who are you calling a horny horse! I''m a unicorn! A pure and untainted unicorn!" [Aren''t these both synonyms? And would someone pure call himself that? I mean hey there! How are you doing!] Okay, this unicorn caught me by surprise. You need to understand it is my first time waking up in the middle of the night to go pee and finding a unicorn just waiting there. It looks at Wolfie nearby, and thetter is totally smirking. "This is the man you chose to follow?" Do they know each other? Wolfie is a small wolf, would that make the unicorn Wolfie''s elder? Would exin the ability to speak. So how does one engage in a conversation with a unicorn? Should Ipliment its long purple horn? *pffft* There is just one thing that pops in my head while looking at that horn: everything is a dildo if you are brave enough. I can''t stop myself from chuckling. Let''s just say using that horn for that purpose would probably be to die for. The other 2 are looking at me like I am crazy. Actually no, Wolfie is used to it by now. "What is it human? Why are you looking at my horn with such a gaze?" I probably shouldn''t exin it. [Nothing, it looks very nice. So long and sturdy!] I barely stop myself from adding: if you know what I mean at the end. "HumSure. If you want me to show you any respect, you''ll have to prove yourself worthy!" At first, it''s looking at me with a wary gaze, but then it starts proiming proudly about a test? [I truly do not care, I''m just here for bio reasons.] "Bio? What is that?" [Pit stop?] "What is that?" [Spend a penny?] "Come again." [Nature''s call?] "I don''t hear anything?" [Look unicorn I''m just here to piss. I don''t care about proving anything right now.] "How shameful!" Wolfie is rolling on the groundughing her tail off. [So, do you guys know each other?] "Of course we know each other, if we didn''t, I wouldn''t be speaking to such a crude man as yourself!" [Cool story bro.] "What''s that?" [Hum it is something you say to someone when you don''t care about what they are saying. Like that test of yours. Do you understand?] "Cool story bro!" [Damn, you are a fast learner. Fine, what is that thing of yours? I''m quite busy these days. Walking and whatnot.] "You shall showcase something heroic and I will judge you based on it." [I''m no hero. Hell, I''m not even a real champion. I''m a fake haha. You''ll have to find another hero somewhere else.] "Humble I see, fine. That is good. How about a dance under the moonlight?" [Why would I be dancing? What kind of dance can I do alone? Do you want me to breakdance or something?] "What would that be?" [Forget it, I don''t know how anyway. Then again what is the link between dancing and being heroic?] "You see dancing is a truly profound art. It is possible to see the true essence of an individual through a dance. The passion, what he values, everything." [You remind me of my English teacher analyzing why the ravens in a story are ck.] "Oh? He was wise and knowledgeable then?" [Something like that.] More like literary analysis has a lot of bullshit in it. The author wrote it like that for a thousand profound reasonsor maybe he just liked ck who knows. I knew some dude writing a web novel and let me tell you his reasons would be: I made the raven ck cause it''s edgy lol. Who can truly tell besides the author himself? Guess what? He''s been dead for years! If I ever meet schrs like that in this world, I''m gonna go back to Grey to know for sure. I''ll be like find the author''s tomb! It is time for literature! "How about writing a piece of calligraphy using the earth as your canvas?" [You mean that in a good way, but that simply means us being broke and not being to afford a real canvas. Sadly, I do not know how to write elegantly either. Let''s just say I could have be a doctor in another life! Haha.] "Doctor? How is it rted to calligraphy?" [Hum, where I am from, doctors are renowned for their almost illegible writing. Still, that won''t do.] "I see, then how about ying some music?" [I can''t. But like, even if I could there are no instruments here. What would you have me do? Best I can do is beatbox.] "Beatbox? What is that?" [Well, it would be making a beat only using my mouth in my case. Then I could rap or something.] "Oh! You mean singing! That works! Do that!" Did we totally spend so much time figuring out what the test content would be? Damn if this was a novel it would go for thousands of chapters for sure. How long is the test going to be? Beatboxing is serious business. Can''t half-ass that. After all, chances are beatboxing is making its apparition in this world for the first time. I do not want to be the one giving it a bad reputation. Oh, I know. [How about I perform a song that one of my travelpanions taught me recently?] "I''m listening intently!" I take a deep breath. After all, while easier than to beatbox, this song is kinda hard too. It is a war song. It is meant to raise morale and intimidate the enemies. How awesome is that! (^ o ^) LA~LA~LA We are proud warriors! They thought they would be safe. Little did they know we are conquerors. Despair all you want it is toote. Their pride and walls gone. Burned it all to the ground. We are peerlessly strong. One thing they did wrong. Opposing us their undoing Against enemies no evildoing Proceed to crush their bones. Rampage as a cyclone. Screwing their women Giving some to the henchmen Plundering their loot Shitting in their food Pissing in their drinks. Destroying all in a blink. Cutting their junks. Hacking it in chunks. And making them eat it! Would have been wiser to submit. On your weak god, we spit! LA~LA~LA We are proud warriors! . (^ o ^) I truly outdid myself on that performance! My voice was clear, powerful, and steady! I look at the unicorn, I''m sure it is spellbound by my ster performance. It fell low on the floor. I get it my performance was shockingly good. Only thing ... why is it vomiting non-stop? Chapter 93: Time For A Hunt Chapter 93: Time For A Hunt ****(POV) The truly strong ones are able to shine in any kind of circumstance. Back in the Lang region, I had to w my way to join the flying sword faction. That faction was seen as the overlord of a medium-sized region. It was said to be impossible for a low-born like myself to be recruited. I proved all of them wrong. Of course, I had to fake my ancestry. Managed to find some information about one of their long lost disciple and faked some document to prove my identity. None of it fooled the higher-ups, but it got me through the door. When they saw my potential they decided to keep mum about it. This is how this world works. The strong have their ways while the weak crawl on the ground like insects. As simple as that. There is no justice, there is no wrong or evil. There is only power. There I became one of their core disciples in a record time. It made so many jealous. I became the idol of some, but that didn''t deter me from staying focused on my goals. The flying sword domain was too small to contain someone like me after all. I would train hard until I could soar like a dragon. While others spent their time ying, I spent it either training orworking. Do not underestimate the power of socializing. I learned quickly to please the seniors, the only way I managed not to get assassinated. I was a neer and would have been too easy to trample on no matter my potential. This is something my own family didn''t understand. That you have to fight for what you want. That is why I left all of them, I even took the leader of that sect as my adoptive father. Figured this would bring me the most benefits. Then came an opportunity to get even stronger. These guys found an entrance to a secret realm. Getting a spot in it was truly hard. Every disciple wanted to join it. After all opportunities it brings are truly endless. Birds die for food and men die for wealth, or in this case legacies. Some trash left behind on a whim by a super-expert might turn up to be better than any of the techniques we possess. Simply because creating a secret realm is not something pathetic mortals are able to do. Not usually in any case. There was some opposition from all parties to me joining, but I remained headstrong and ended up being the one leading all of my fellow disciples in there. I was looking forward to any kind of legacy, but I got more than what I bargained for. Way more. What I found was a whole new world. When I came to my senses I was in a golden pce. One so beautiful it could only belong to a top expert. There was a man there. One that looked quite shabby, but I do not judge by the cover, only power. And my senses were failing to gauge his limits. He appeared as a simple mortal. This was of course impossible given that only cultivators were able to enter the secret realm in the first ce. Except I was proven wrong. He was but a simple mortal. Summoned by mistake. I am not sure how all of it happened, but it matters little. I disregarded his entire existence once she came. She called herself a Goddess and she was deserving the name. Long flowing hair, doe eyes, cherry lips with a small smile, cute small nose, peerlessly white teeth, soft skin, full breasts, long legs, with an overall grace that is inhumane. Her whole existence felt holy. From her golden cultivator robe to her aura radiating power. I decided there and then that I would follow her. She promised me power should I serve her. Power has always been my goal all along. Following her along better than any other alternative. I quickly forgot about the flying sword faction. Insignificant and having served their purpose already. That adoptive father of mine could think me dead for all that mattered. The fianc I had too, it was all a political move anyway. I became her champion right away; thepetition was undeserving of the right. Then came something magical. I was sent to train in a small world. In there the Qi was so pure and abundant it made cultivating extremely easy. I trained non-stop for all the time I had, but it all came to an end quickly. One day is an extremely short period of time after all. I that was a rank 2 warrior and mage by her standards became almost a rank 3 in both disciplines. All that at the age of 17. I was told reaching this point at the age of 50 is good. I might have been in a new environment, but my talent did not fail me. That and my hard work. Effort is the basis of sess. My new task was to fight for her and bring her glory. In exchange, I would have all that I desired, even her. This is when I was sent to the earth realm. Apparently, an oracle was sent to state my uing arrival. I was expecting her followers to show loyalty and to be awaiting me. None of that happened. They seemed truly surprised about my existence. Already then I knew something was wrong. Then I discovered something truly bbergasting. They all got tricked by that ve. How he even got here is a mystery. The Lunar Goddess did say something about a war of gods. Chances are all of it was a sly n of another god to lower our fighting power. Well, the appetion of a sly n wouldn''t really be deserving. It all came crumbling to pieces quickly. I had him jailed. That is when I realized I would have to change the whole upper echelon of the sect. These guys were utterly useless and undeserving of serving the Goddess. Getting tricked so easily and all. The following events only proved me right. It happened right after the champion inauguration ceremony. They somehow allowed their prisoners to escape. Tarnishing the reputation of the Moon Keep being one thing but slighting to Goddess a serious offense. All of them trashes. I would have to clean all of this mess myself. I thus went after both escapees. They somehow removed all their traces, but all of that was useless. After all, I could guess where they were heading. Nearby there was a disaster zone leading to the rest of the continent. Perfect ce to lose pursuers. My target might be useless junk, but he seemed good at scheming. He would have thought of such a n for sure. It was time for a hunt. Chapter 94: Leisurely Killing in The Savage Archaic Forest Chapter 94: Leisurely Killing in The Savage Archaic Forest ****(POV) As I get to the disaster zone there are many people gathering there. All dressed in Moon Keep typical foot soldier clothing. The kind of soldiers that arepletely disposable. As soon as they see me, they all bow as low as possible. That is pleasing to see, they might be weaklings but at least they have manners. The weak should respect the strong, as simple as that. There are about 50 of them. Seem to be a medium-sized toon. They seem to be about to head into the disaster zone. They are camping right outside of it. I simply ignore them and keep walking at my own pace. I have no time to waste with weaklings. Still, it is a good thing that they are training. This way they might be able to run errands for meter on. As long as they are strong enough to survivemon bandits, they should at least be able to deliver or get stuff for me. Then one of them approaches me fidgeting. "Esteemed envoy! Can I be of assistance to you!" Let me see, I''m pretty sure they are all trash, but let''s ask just in case. "Any of you guys rank 3 yet?" Silence. They seem ashamed. Right now I am extremely close to being a rank 3 myself, but I am a dual cultivator. Both my body and spirit are trained. This makes it possible for me to show higher fighting prowess and skip ranks. I would not find it difficult to kill a typical rank 3 warrior at all. A rank 3 mage might be more troublesome, but only if I can''t take them by surprise. Thus the help of rank 2 warriors is of no use to me. "N-no, sir." "Then keep training I''ll be heading in the forest now don''t disturb me." "S-sir the forest is treacherous and inhabited by many beast kings, would you like to head in with us?" "Oh? Are you doubting me?" I release some killing intent. This much is easy for a cultivator like me. To climb in position in the flying sword faction I had to make some opposition disappear. Of course, I dealt with it properly. I seduced the women of my enemies and got them to challenge me of their own volition to a death duel. The oue being easy to guess. Crazy how easy it is to entice bitches just by shing the identity of the adoptive son of the faction leader haha. Now I am a champion, which is even better. Works every time. Well, all except with that bitch Luna. Fairly sure she has a screw loose. Getting together with that ve, how ludicrous. Confronted to my palpable killing intent, what I assume to be their squad captain falls to his knees. "*gasp*" He is worthless. "Someone rece that dumbass and lead the rest. Keep training. I will be in the disaster zone by myself. Don''t ever underestimate the Lunar Goddess''s Champion." "Y-yes Sir." I can feel their impressed nces as I leave. As it should be. The weak should revere the strong. The first thing I notice there is the ambiance. Gloomy would be the best word to describe it. The visibility is low, but this is no issue for a cultivator like me. There are gigantic trees all over the ce. Should be archaic trees. I ready my sword and have it hover around me. Should any danger appear I will be ready to react instantly. This is what I mostly rely on. Developing as a jack of all trade would be quite useless. Being both a warrior and a mage is nice, but useless if the power of both cannot be added together. The way of the flying sword is one where both the spirit and the vital energy of the body are used together. This makes it so my raw power surpasses most rank 3. Then my technique needs to be factored in sharpening my edge. It takes a while but I finallye across something. Seems to be a huge turtle. Besides its size, it doesn''t seem to have anything going for it. I ready my sword and get started. I sh it until the shell is broken, then I skewer itpletely. Its corpse falls with a thud on the ground in a bloody mess. The first creature encountered not proving to be a challenge at all. A simple rank 2. I keep progressing this way. Anything unlucky enough to be in my way getting ughtered extremely easily. Seems like they truly exaggerated the challenge of this forest. All of these are nothing but oversized animals. From time to time I encounter creatures with ranged attacks but my reflexes allow me to dodge easily. Any resistant creature only takes a little longer to kill. The stronger ones I simply toy with until they breathe theirst. Finally, the sneaky ones get done in by my hovering sword without ever reaching me. This forest is a joke. One colossal joke. I was thinking that my prey would have a hard time surviving here, but good thing I personally came. Anyone could survive here as long as they are slightly lucky. Idiots tend to be luckier in general. Well, only until I set my sight on them. Then they are goners. I''ll wander around here for a while until I find traces of him. It is bound to happen at some point. Worst case I''ll just take this asion to train. Perhaps I should head in the dept of the area and face a beast king. I have the power of a rank 3. I would be more than fine facing a brainless beast. Even should it be a rank 4 one. I may not have the confidence to kill it quickly enough, but running away would not be an issue in any case. As I''m thinking about this I keep killing. I kill and I kill. This is turning out to be a pleasant walk. *AWOO* Hum? Seem to be the sound of a wolf. I heard there are Overwolves here. Guess I should probably avoid it if it''s a pack. Would be a waste of time for sure. Yep, let''s do that. I turn around and leave. Or try to. For some reason some retarded creature is standing in my way, sending itself to death. I take a minute to kill it and keep progressing, but there awaits another one. I do short work of it. In front of me are 2 beasts. It takes me a little longer to get rid of them, I do not want to incur damage after all. Still, they cannot hold a candle to my prowess. I turn around, there are 3 monsters. Something is wrong here. 4 monsters, 7 monsters, a shitload of monsters. What the fuck is wrong with this forest! All these animals are just throwing themselves at my sword one after the other. Are they all trying tomit suicide! What the actual fuck! *AWOO!* The sound is definitely closer now. I turn around, far in the distance I can see a wolf appearing. Then another one, and another one, and another one, until there is a sea of creatures heading my way. This is a fucking wolf pack. Full of rank 2 and 3. Too many for me to count. This is insane! What the hell is happening?! Time to run! No way in hell I am dying in this shithole! I am the proud Champion of the Lunar Goddess. Fuck this shit! This is madness! Chapter 95: How About We Turn Back? Chapter 95: How About We Turn Back? ****(POV) The Moon Keep got themselves a new champion. This is the absolute worst. They are already the number one faction on this continent and are already unchallengeable. It would be fine should they remain listless and hidden in their fortress. But this new hero of theirs is bad news. One does not invoke a champion without dreams of conquest. It is not only a force to be reckoned with but mostly a symbol. One that shows the strength of the sect itself. There have been many wars where the oue was simply determined by a duel between the chosen ones. The loss of a symbol is harder to stomach than any possible true tactical defeat. After all, champions represent much more than themselves, they are direct envoys decided upon by the gods themselves. Such an honor is something all individuals wish for. Even I am no exception to this rule. The only reason I joined that second-rate sect in the first ce was that I had an opportunity to climb the ranks there and obtain true power over my fellow sect members. My dream being of one day not having to work and simply send my underlings to take care of all of my businesses. Recently came an opportunity. There is no way a sect of our caliber could win any direct conflict. Not how we are this very moment especially. Not only do weck resources, but we alsock talented members. Well of course that is when wepare ourselves to the big yers. But raw power is not always the best answer. There are many undercurrents to a god war. One key factor is the poprity of your church. As long as you manage to steal your opponent''s followers from under their noses you win. A god without followers is a goner. There are many historical instances of godspletely dying because of theirck of following. I need to make sure this never happens to us. After all the future I dream of will rely on the sect members'' loyalty towards me, I cannot ck off. That opportunity consisted of ying with our strength against our enemy''s weaknesses. As we have spies pretty much everywhere, we quickly became aware of the new threat of the neer champion. But then he left the Mook Keep alone. Apparently to chase after some escaped prisoner. At first, we were convinced that the information was fake. After all, no one ever escaped from their iron grasp. It could have been an extremely borate set-up to trap us and defeat us. Turns out it was veridic. We couldn''t believe in our luck. The chance to get rid of an insane threat once and for all and go from being a second-rate sect to a first-rate one in a single move. We would be the heroes that stood opposed to these crazy people. When one is as powerful and ancient as the Moon Keep it is normal to get many enemies. Their enemies are so numerous they probably can''t list them all themselves. The whole continent would acim us for doing what we are set to aplish. To kill the Lunar Goddess''s champion. Some openly, some others only behind closed doors for fear of retaliation. Are wepletely unafraid of reprisals? Not at all. It just doesn''t change the fact that for our current situation the pros of such a decision outweigh the potential consequences. This is effectively a beheading operation. To kill the young Champion before he grows older. One where I am the established leader, but I still need to tread on eggshells around everyone to keep the morale high. By everyone, I mean all the rejects of many allied sects. All of their soldiers that are strong enough to be rank 3, but not strong enough to be part of the core leadership. Sadly that includes me, well once this operation seeds, I will get recognition. Finally. In my party, I have various members, about a dozen. There are mages, warriors, beast tamers, shamans, you name it, it''s there. It seems the higher-ups wanted this expedition group to be extremely polyvalent. I look around, it is time for my speech. This happens right in face of the disaster zone that we will cross through soon. "Remember everyone we want to aplish our goal no matter what. We overwhelm the enemy with our numbers, I do not want any dumbass trying to go for a duel or holding back. The Moon Keep never held back over the years it is time to make them pay! Remember you are doing this for your sect! You are doing this for your continent! Most importantly you are doing this for yourself!" Comes a cacophony of agreements ovepping. Well, some remain silent of course. Either the ones that are shy or truly do not care. Well everyone seems to have understood my warning and we should be good to head in. We should be fine since everyone is rank 3 and our target a rank 2 reportedly. Wait someone is raising his hand. How polite of him. I just hope the question is valid. "Yes, what is it?" "Should we ask a passerby about more info on the forest?" "Don''t worry about it, I researched every single known species in there. As long as we don''t draw blood and provoke a beast surge, we will be fine. Oh yeah for anyone new to the lingo, a beast surge happens when other beasts get excited upon smelling the blood of their fallenrades. About the first part even if we wanted to ask about that we especially came here because there is no one around ever." With this everything should be crystal clear; I hope so anyway. "What about that guy?" What? I turn around and therees slowly walking the most pitiful human being I''ve ever seen. He is covered from head to toe in blood. His skin is full of cuts, his clothes unrecognizable. Well, that is if these can even be called clothes anymore. The poor guy obviously had an extremely hard time. He ignores us lookingpletely spent and keeps walking slowly. Someone approaches me. "Psst, should we silence him?" I think a few seconds about it. We do not mind publicity. The only concern is to make sure the operation goes well, hence the tranquility required. Him seeing us here is not much of an issue after all. "No, all good. Everyone let''s head in!" We march forward at a steady rhythm. All I sync, or close to anyway. That is until one of them breaks formation. "Why are you moving about by yourself?!" The offender is one usually really focused guy that talks so little it makes people wonder if he is mute. Why the sudden change in attitude? "Ah, sorry I was distracted by something. Can I see the portrait of the man we are chasing again?" Someone hands it to him. I look at him questioningly. "How about we turn back." Why is he bringing that up at this moment? Is he trying to sabotage my mission?! "Well you see, the man covered in blood we met just happens to look the exact same as the one in this portrait." "MOTHERFUCKER! We go back! Now! Kill that asshole that dared to y us!" Chapter 96: LOVE and Death Chapter 96: LOVE and Death ****(POV) I can feel pain coursing through my whole body. My skin and my clothes are such a bad shape that an onlooker would have trouble understanding how I am still alive. My entire being is washed red, that I know. Luckily, I somehow managed to evade any serious injury. All of it will heal up by itself given the strength of my physique. This disaster zone forest is no joke. It was too close, way too close. At first, it was only a few monsters, but then there was a legion of them. Then came the wolves. Fast, strong, bloodthirsty. They tried their best to devour me. Their teamwork impable. I did not even manage to take a single one down, not even the rank 2 weaklings. Every time I would try to deliver a killing blow, I would have to abort the action or get killed. It all seemed surreal. Such beasts showing such sharp judgment almost impossible. That''s when I finally noticed it. A humongous creature sitting in the far back. Howling what I assume to be orders. I felt it then. My chances of survival if confronted with such an opponent would be 0. Its majestic air only losing out to its dominant presence. That''s when I realized my naivety and folly. I came proudly swaggering only to leave beaten down and so damn close to death. The only reason why I survived is that the wolf king did not bother finishing me off personally. I got defeated and yet I came nowhere close to the core of the forest. This disaster zone is a nightmare. I truly wonder what insanely powerful being lords over it. There must be one. Otherwise, the humans would have taken over it already. For the first time in my life I feel insignificant. As Ie across some travelers heading in, I ignore them and keep walking. The whole time I am thinking about my ce in this world. I was told my potential and achievements are impressive, but does it truly matter? It won''t if I get killed by some truly strong being randomly. It is my first time feeling such a loss. I''m used to being weak. I used to be at the mercy of the powerful higher-ups back then. But at that time I could rely on myworking abilities to carve myself a rtively safe spot in the world. I knew the path to head into. Get a higher position in the faction and train wholeheartedly was my n. Then came the secret realm and this whole new world. The Goddess I am serving seems worthy. Her followers are problematic, however. I need to get stronger. Way stronger. I came here chasing after that fake, but I should probably put that on hold. I need to get stronger foremost before anything else. Otherwise, even me surviving in this world might not be guaranteed. He will be lucky this once, but my safetyes before hunting a bug. In any case, there is no strong hatred between us, he simply deserves to die for impersonating me. That cer. I am in no hurry. I wonder what my next n should be. Cultivating seems different here. People don''t put as much emphasis on meditating to increase their power and tend to go for a more practical approach. Something along the lines of keep fighting until you get good at it. I guess the disadvantage being the umtion of what they call mana slower, the upside being an extremely solid foundation. It somehow aligns with how I always went about it. Also why I never had any issue challenging opponents that were stronger than me at first nce. I need some serious training. Should I go for personal power or strength in numbers? There is a limit to personal power, but without it, anyone can simply assassinate you and it is the end. Training a force might be doable, but it would probably prove hard. The higher-ups of the Moon Keep seem pretty ipetent. Let''s go with the first option. How should I go about itwait I havepany? I can hear hurried footsteps in the distance. Seems to be arge group. Probably the ones I saw earlier. Why are they hurrying this way? Did they perhaps notice the state of the beasts in the disaster zone? A beast surge I think he called it. I see them appear on the horizon. They areing this way fast. I side-step to let them pass through in advance, that''s when I notice it. Their expression is off. They reacted to my presence. Something is different from earlier. Before they were mostly disgusted or showing pity about me being there. This time there is a hint of ...bloodlust? Strange I do not know any of them. But I am sure I am their target. Call it a sixth sense. It has never failed me before, that much I am sure. I need to act and fast. But not right now. There are 12 of them: 5 swordsmen, the other seemingly other professions. One has a tiger next to him. Probably a beast tamer of some sort. There are 2 archers. That leaves 4 with unknown abilities. Probably mages or other mystical things. These will be my first targets. They seem to be rank 3 or simr. Looking at them they don''t seem that united. Getting a group of rank 2 would be pointless, I doubt anyoneing for me would have that many rank 4. The temporary leader is probably that guy I heard speaking earlier. That makes it 5 targets. "Hey there friend, do you know anything about the savage archaic forest, we were wondering about the ces to avoid!" So we are going for some chitchat before starting the fun, I see. I can y along. "You guys should definitely avoid the whole forest altogether. The monsters are extremely restless for some reason. By the way, why do you guys want to cross the forest at this time?" "Oh, you know just simple stuff we are just traveling. It is something we truly LOVE" That was definitely a keyword meant to start the attack. I felt the intent behind it. A heartbeatter they are unleashing many attacks toward my position. Shame for them it was toote. Half a heartbeat prior, I had already sidestepped, my sword finding its way into their leader''s throat. His surprised and confused expression is hrious, but I have no time to enjoy the moment. I use his fresh corpse as a shield. It all rains down on it and tears it to shreds. Meanwhile, I dash toward my next target. A shter, there are 3 main targets remaining. I see a fireball forming shape, some guy chanting in some weirdnguage, and another pointing at me. Various warriors are trying to surround me, and archers are raining volleys of arrows at me. I''m used to these things; any cultivator would be. I jump at the chanting one. A sword in his mouth stops him abruptly. Then I grab a dagger at my opponent''s waist. It seems to be nothing more than a personal cooking knife, but it flies fast and urately. A finger falls off. Really hope that pointing was truly necessary for the activation of that spell. That leaves the various others to deal with and that one mage. I can feel the heat already. It shoots toward me at a breathtaking speed. A few warriors do all they can to limit my mobility. I have no choice but to summersault in the air to evade their coordinated attacks. I realize this was the n all along. Now in mid-air, I have no way to leverage power to avoid the uing fireball. I would need the ability to move without a foothold. The thing is I do have such an ability. They screwed up. I will my sword to move, dragging me along. That is what the flying sword faction is all about. It drags me far enough for the fireball to hit empty air. Actually, it does roast some parts of their allies, talk about useless. This is why having numbers without coordination is pointless. A few moments afterward I plunge my sword in the mage''s heart. The guycking a finger gets finished off while I''m at it. That leaves this fight a 1 vs 7. Truly not a fair fight. For them, it isn''t. In raw power I have them beat individually and their teamwork is sorelycking. They say nothing is more dangerous than a true sword practitioner. I am such a being. Needless to say, the rest of the fight goes smoothly. I keep evading all of their attacks and I dish out some decisive killing blows from time to time. These guys not even as strong as the rank 2 wolves I met before. It is all about cohesion. Fun fact the tamer in their midst has a truly enjoyable end. Well, for me anyway, not him. I use his body to shield myself from his tamed creature. Yep, killed by his own power. Talk about an ironic way to go. As I look at the various corpses, I truly wonder how retarded these guys are. They expected this useless bunch to deal with me. Seriously?! There is no way I would die from . well, I would have had I made a single mistake. Hum, I can feel that my cultivation base went up slightly. I am almost about to breakthrough to rank 3. I resume walking. This time wondering where my next target will be. This time I need stronger opponents. Chapter 97: Casual Moon Keep Meeting Chapter 97: Casual Moon Keep Meeting ****(POV) I wipe the sweat off my brows. All around me a room full of target dummies. All of them skeweredpletely. This is my newest technique. Moonlight dance. All of it started as a way to merge a formation technique in a way that would let me use it by myself. Use shadows to confuse and restrain enemies while the moonlight reaches them for the veryst time in their existence. All this time I have been keeping tabs on news about my lord. The more time passes the more restless I get. There is no sighting of him at all. He went toward a disaster zone and hasn''t exited yet. Part of me knows that he is not one to go down easily, but I still can''t help but be worried. I use that feeling of helplessness to fuel my training. Every single waking hour spent perfecting this technique. Many versions of it in fact. There is the small scale one that is suited for single opponents and surprise attacks. The one that consumes more energy but allows me to easily deal with a group. Finally when I give it my all I can gather all of my maximum mana tounch an extremely wide assault allowing me to potentially turn the tide of even a battlefield. Today I have finally mastered it. With a single swipe of my sword, I can send countless projectiles urately and annihte any group below rank 4. *p p p* "Young mistress, very impressive. I''m d I did take a detour on my way to the meeting room." The old warden is there, how long he has been watching is a mystery. Wait, did he say meeting room?! That means news! "Where is he!?" "Haha, I do not know yet. Want to join me?" I exit the training room as swiftly as humanly possible. Finally, I will know what he has been up to. I wonder If he has stayed safe. I wonder if he''s been thinking of me at all. I wonder how strong he has be. He was already going to extreme lengths to increase his power. Always working on something without ever exining much of it. A few instantster a double door stands in front of my way. Behind await all the higher-ups of the sect. The very room they met in thest time. I can barely contain my excitement. I push it open. The usual members are all seated. The Eagle of Massacre, Grey the Necromancer, my father the Sectmaster, now with the old warden everyone is here. In theory, I would not have the credentials to assist such a meeting, but I will crush the first one that even suggests me leaving the room. It does not matter to me if they are strong enough to resist my attacks. I have been waiting for long enough already. "You both are here; shall we start the meeting?" "Sectmaster if you don''t start already, I''m afraid there will be patricide happening today haha." "How is my disciple doing?! Is he making a name for himself with the sword I gave him? How many bards are signing about his exploits already? A few dozens, a few hundred?" "Hurry up and share what you know otherwise I''ll make a special drink just for you should you keep toying with our feelings." I look intently at my father. "Hum, all of you, did you perhaps not get the memo? I have no idea what is happening to the true champion. None whatsoever." "WHAT?!" "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" "Not a single news?" "This is concerning." *sigh* "I have no clue what he is doing. All I know is that for the past month he''s been inside the savage archaic forest. For some reason, we cannot get any info about that ce. It is to the beasts what we are to the humans. An extremely strong faction now defeated. We might be able to get reliable information on this continent, but not there." This can''t be. It''s already been a whole month and we know nothing?! There is no way he would be living properly in a deste forest. Is he eating well and sleeping enough? I''ve never seen him cook for himself the whole time he was at the Moon Keep. "Fair enough, time to go back to meditating it is." "How infuriating. Arg fine back to sword training." "Oh? Then I guess I''ll go tinker around with some new poisonbinations." "Wait up all of you?! What is up with that attitude?! I convoked you all for serious business!" Serious business. Serious business my ass! What can warrant all of the higher-ups gathering besides news about him? Even us getting sieged would not warrant such a lineup. I can''t help but grumble. "Was there a need to get everyone here then?!" "Of course! Wait, aren''t you supposed to support your own father in such a situation? Why is everyone sporting such an aggrieved expression?!" "Tch" "Whatever" "*Shakes head*" "*sigh* Fine what is it, father?" "Our fake champion has recently been assaulted. Some second-rate sect formed a coalition to target us. Or more urately target the one they believe our representative. They don''t have the guts to challenge us directly and are nothing but small fries. Still, it is concerning. People used to fear us and would utter our name reverently. They seem to think we are sleeping dogs only because we''ve beenying low for a while. It is time to teach them a lesson!" "Not it, I guess!" "Not me either I''m busy training!" So this is what we are doing. I understand I got my hopes up for nothing. This is obviously a one-person job. Maybe it would have been different had it been a first-rate sect. The thing is the sects here are newly created to say it in a positive light. They don''t have as much history as ours. Even if we are only exiles, or so I heard. "I''ll do it. Who knows I might just meet the young master while I''m at it." Wait?! What?! The warden is chuckling? Does he know something?! "You! Speak now!" "You are overthinking this young mistress. I''ll just try my luck at finding him on the way back. I have no clue whatsoever myself." Ahthis is disappointing. Guess I''ll join and . "You should remain here. You might have created an ultimate attack, but you can only use it once. You need to increase your raw magical capacity. Work hard I believe in you." Fuck! He has a point. Wait until I am stronger my Lord, I will find you! This much I promise myself. What about the sect that is facing annihtion? Does anyone really care about them? I mean obviously not, right? Ah, I wonder what amazing adventure my Lord is having right now... Chapter 98: An Omen of Luck Chapter 98: An Omen of Luck In front of me, the unicorn is vomiting non-stop. Poor creature, it can''t even enjoy my heavenly singing and is getting sick. I just hope it will feel better soon. Wolfie is stillughing on the side. What about showing concern to a friend? Hum, then again there is that kind of friendship too. When friends be even closer friends it bes like that sometimes. I remember I used to joke around in the same way. Sly remarks and insults going on all the time, but we would have been there for each other in case of need. That was true friendship. Then again, I don''t remember anyone specifically. Maybe I saw that on a show or something. What should I do? I get closer to pat its back. It looks at me and I give it a reassuring smile. This is the warmth between individuals, trulyforting and . *BARFFFF* Okay, turns out kindness is not gonna cure anyone. I obviously ain''t a doctor. If only I could do a quick web search to know what to do in such a situation! ActuallyI doubt it would be helpful. What to do when your unicorn is sick? I would open a tab for every result, and it would be along the lines of: -Unicorns aren''t real?! -Have you tried turning it off and on again? -Your unicorn is pregnant! - Hardcore midget p. wait no! This a previously opened tab. I look at it carefully, the belly seems normal. Definitely not pregnant. Could it be a case of food poisoning? What do unicorns even eat? Moonlight and rainbows? Now that I think about it this unicorn can talk, I should probably ask it. [How are you feeling? Do you know what is happening to you?] "THIS IS OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE *BARF* OF ...*growl* actually never mind." Why did Wolfie interrupt? [No, it''s fine I want to know just tell me. Maybe I can help!] She nces at Wolfie. "Actually, I just ate something bad don''t worry about it. I will be fine in a few minutes." Guess I was right about the food poisoning. And thus all of us patiently wait. I pet Wolfie in the meantime and finally take a leak. Not at the same time obviously, even if I do enjoy multitasking. The unicorn''s breathing is now steady, and she seems fine. [Oh yeah what about the test you wanted me to pass, how was my song?] *BARFFFF* [Are you alright?] "Yes, I''ll be fine soon." [Sooo, is it true that unicorns'' horns are worth a fortune?] "T-that, y-yes slightly." [What can one even do with that item?] She nces at Wolfie. "T-that...it can be used to make weapons and some healing medicine. But why do you want to know that?" What''s with the wary look I''m just asking casually. [Nothing just wondering. So where did you guys meet?] "We used to work together. It was a long time ago. The world was truly different back then" [What do you mean the world was different? Can''t be that long ago, Wolfie is super young no?] "Wolfie, young!? What do you mean*cough cough* Yes of course! It was a few years ago." [Gotcha haha. You are officially the first unicorn I ever meet. It''s kind of cool. Wait does this sound racist?] "I''m not sure what you mean. It is also the first time I meet a human quite like you." Hum, true I am quite dashing and handsome. Or maybe I have an otherworldly vibe around me? Kinda like that MC aura but without the obvious plot armor. You know isekai and all. [Oh right, do you have any embarrassing story about Wolfie? *glowing eyes*] "That I have a few . stories but none are embarrassing." Oh, was worth a try. Why does the unicorn nce at Wolfie before answering every time? Don''t tell me she is scared of Wolfie badmouthing her to the Wolf King? Might be it haha. Actually what if Wolfie has some dirt on her. You know acting as a deterrent. If one opens its mouth the other will follow. Yeah, probably it. Kinda like nuclear weaponry, acting like a deterrent and all. [Oh yeah, what are you doing here? We are heading to a cool city to have fun.] "A city to have fun? With Wolfie? That soundsentertaining. I was just wandering around when I caught the aura of someone I knew and decided to visit is all." Damn talk about sounding mystical. Recognizing someone by their aura. Wait, doesn''t that kinda sound like a pro-stalker move?! Then again, this unicorn doesn''t seem like a bad person, eh..horse. "Alright, you have my blessings. On that note I will be on my way, I wish you guys the best." [Alright! Same to you! Oh yeah, do you want me to sing you onest song before you go?] "*BARFFFF* Thatno I will be fine." [What happened?!] "I just remembered a horrible memoryI''ll be on my way now." [Alright take care! Try not to eat weird stuff by the roadside again!] And thus she leaves her gait unsteady and shivering. As if running away. Then again, it''s probably my imagination. Of course, it is hard to walk in a pond. Of course, the night can be cold. The running away part can be exined easily by the memory of whatever it ate here. *Sigh* If I had some cooking tools I could have baked some pie for it. Shame. Oh well. I return to the camp. This has been a peaceful and fun night. The leader is there awaiting me. "Hey, where have you been?" [Just went for a walk. Oh yeah how often does one meet a unicorn around here?] "A unicorn? Never." [Guess I got lucky then haha. Is this an omen of good luck for the uing days? Must be it!] "You met one?! I''ve never had such an opportunity!" [Yep, it even requested me to sing for it. Sadly it had food poisoning so it couldn''t enjoy my singing.] "Aren''t unicorns creatures that don''t need to eat?" Creatures that don''t eat? That''s not possible. Then again didn''t he just say he''s never personally seen one? [Naw, that''s obviously bullshit. They are clearly horses that are cooler and have an awesome horn. Of course, they gotta eat.] "Makes sense." [Of course, it does haha.] As Iy my head on my wolf-pillow I can somehow still hear it snickering andughing. Guess it is remembering funny stories about her friend. For some reason I get the feeling tomorrow will be amazing. Yes, will be my lucky day for sure! Chapter 99: This is Cheating! Chapter 99: This is Cheating! I wake up feeling refreshed and hopeful. After yesterday''s encounter, this day is bound to be great. Mypanions ask me what my big ass smile is all about. I then proceed to low-key brag about meeting a unicorn. One of them jokingly says we should go back and hunt it. I wonder what a unicorn drops upon death? Horn, pelt, and raw meat are what I''m guessing. Most of my knowledge about the subjectes from videogames. The thing is this is real life. I really wish I had a system. Kill a creature, then a jingle happens, and BAM XP and loot! Sadly, this is in fact quite messy. If you don''t know what you are doing chances are you will destroy any valuable item while trying to extract it. Then you get to the merchant and he''s like dude we don''t take snapped in half unicorn''s horns. After lengthy negotiations, you agree on a lower selling price. Thenter on you figure out he sold it grounded anyway as alchemy supplies. Then you confront the merchant and he''s backed by some lord. Then you gotta . okay no. I gotta stop with the clich imaginary scenarios. Anyway, this unicorn is a friend, so I never considered hunting it! At least not seriously! We concentrate on walking all the while singing. I''m practicing my war songs. This is actually fun. Reminds me of my days in summer camp. But rece the kids with mercenaries that look-like they are out for blood. Rece the cute songs with war songs. Rece the fun activities with trashing random wandering monsters by the side of the road. Actually, it is fun too. The ones we hunt are pretty much-oversized animals. Don''t even have magical abilities. Compared to the disaster forest they are pretty pitiful. This makes me wonder. I''ve heard this world can be dangerous. Either my reinforcement ability is even better than I was thinking, or I got lucky and never saw a dangerous monster or people were trying to scare me. I''m truly leaning over the luck. I mean I just met a damn unicorn! This should be proof enough. Suddenly we stop. Why did we stop? [What''s up?] "Shh *whispering* there is something in front." In front is a bend in the road, looks the same as anywhere else. [That . *whispering* what are you talking about?] "See how the ground is right there?" [No I don''t see anything special. *puzzled*] "Exactly, it is too perfect. It doesn''t look natural at all. Someone threaded there and erased their traces. I would say about 50. This number is quite rming, to say the least." Wait? He figured that instantly?! How does he even know how many people there were?! "You seem confused, look at the elevation. A procession passed here, then they removed the traces, but the ground''s height still shows a minute difference. I''m pretty sure there is an ambush awaiting us in the front right there." Damn, he''s good. Wait this is my time to shine! [Actually, leave this to me. I have a scouting ability. Let me check it real quick.] I focus and bring my attention to the road ahead. Third-person POV activated! In my old world, I could have made so much money with that ability, being a magician and all. I wonder if I can ever profit from it here. After careful analysis turns out it is all clear. Well, I take back my amazement. Mypanion is simply paranoid. I guess it is better to be careful in any case. [Nope, I checked, everything is good. We can proceed.] "Are you sure? These traces really make me believe otherwise." [How about it I''ll walk ahead alone and prove it to you.] "Humfine. Alright, boys let''s go together, but as soon as there are signs of movement, we retreat instantly. I do not want to be surrounded! Understood?" "Yes, captain x9!" *With variations* I can''t help but shake my head slightly. Just believe me dude haha. I confidently walk forward. I guess it can be stressful for them. For me, it feels like ying a horror game for the second time. The first time you don''t know what will happen and are sitting on the edge of your seat. You know you can be spooked at any given moment. The second time around it''s more like been there, done that. There is a monster in the closet it can just chill there. This room looks scary but is in fact empty no need to get all jittery. I have knowledge! Thus I calmly look at our surroundings. Mypanions are clenching their weapons tightly. They are holding their breaths. Making sure not to make any noise as we proceed. Their gaze wandering all over the ce. Eyebrows furrowed. Our group is the very definition of intensity. Meanwhile, I''m just in the middle chilling. This is actually pretty entertaining. Should I suddenly scream BOO!? It would startle them for sure haha. Then again, they are all holding various tools of murder. Now is probably not the best time to spook them. I wonder how many MeTubers die every year from a failed prank video. Or perhaps go to jail? Probably not that many, I mean I expect most of them to be bright enough to know better. Still, I am sure there must be some. Why is that information not widely known? To be honest the Darwin awards used to be one of my favorite things. Would be quite simr. So everyone is about to freak out. I am just having fun. Thenes a bird sound, everyone bes super tense. C''mon guys. This is a bird. You know the little things that fly. *Sound of about 50 people emerging from the ground all at once.* WHAT THE FUCK. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK! "RUN YOU FOOLS WE ARE OUT OF HERE!" HOW?! They were underground?! Who ambushes like that?! Are they bandits or mole-people!? "Get yourself together! Fucking run! I won''t carry you forever!" What? The mercenary captain is dragging me along. Ie back to my sense and start running. Ten of us running from the 50 of them. This is bad. What do we do?! "These men are professional assassins, not somemon thieves. We truly hit a metal te this time around." [Assassins?! Why?! How?!] "Fuck! No matter their target we are all going to get attacked. I asked you if you had any pursuers!" [And I told you I don''t! For all we know they might be after you!] "Arg, fine. Stop running your mouth and move your legs faster!" I look behind. A coordinated group right on our heels. The only reason we even managed to escape the initial encirclement being how ready to escape our group was. What happened to my guaranteed good day?! Are we fucked right now?! Hiding in the ground is totally cheating! FUCK ME! Chapter 100: This Zombie is Human Chapter 100: This Zombie is Human ****(The one POV to rule them all) I am truly d I have a free-to-read novel. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to write stuff like this chapter with a good conscience. I truly believe that there are certain moments in life that are worth noting. Even if it might only be us rationalizing our own existence that is in the grand scheme of things pointless and meaningless. That is what I truly believe. I believe we just happened toe on this earth like any other lifeform. We simply exist. Of course, I might totally be wrong. I am often after all haha. Now don''t get me wrong. This viewpoint is not depressing, on the contrary. Believing in no predetermined purpose is freeing. It lets do pick a purpose for yourself. Whatever you want to do with your life is your own decision. As long as it makes you happy down the line, I say go for it. That is assuming you don''t trample over others unnecessarily to get there if you know what I mean. There are sesses in life and there are also failures. What matters is that you keep fighting for what you want. Seeding would be best, but sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. I am not trying to convince anyone with this rant either. I am just being me. That is how I live. That is how I am. Life is a series of coincidences too. Is there a higher being controlling everything? Perhaps. Is there something such as fate? Perhaps. I truly do not know, nor care. I will be doing me. I believe there is an exnation to everything, but we are simplycking the foresight to understand it all. Then might as well focus on what we can impact, on the moment. Again this isn''t some motivational bullshit. I truly believe that time enjoyed is not time wasted. Worse case you will look back on thesezy days and be those were the good times. But then again, there is a bnce to be had in everything. I also believe in working hard whenever needed. Is this a contradiction? Perhaps. Humans areplex yet simple creatures. Me starting to write was such a coincidence. More so a bunch of coincidences that ultimately led to this point. I spent many years of my life reading and genuinely enjoyed all of it. Was it productive? Not especially haha, but I loved it anyway. It also let me figure out what I enjoyed in a novel. I also spent many years gaming. One of the best social activities there is in my opinion. You get online with people trying to aplish a goal together. It has good and bad times, but the sweet feeling of victory after struggling for long is addictive. You can also chat and get to know others while doing it. I spent a lot of time too watching shows. May it be series, movies, or anime. Whatever isedy/fantasy I binge like there is no tomorrow. Either actively or on the side while grinding a game. Finally, I spent many years working. Mostly part-time while studying and now COVID-19plicated all of that, but life is still good. As I stated above me writing came about with a bunch of coincidences. I was reading at the time but finished all the novels I was currently following and kind of got bummed out when I realized a novel I truly loved was over without it ever beingpleted. I was gaming at the time too, but my ount got hacked and I couldn''t ess the game. (I got it back no issue after a while) I had just finished watching a bunch of shows and I didn''t know what to start next. I was actively working at the time, but I had 2 weeks off. This made it so I had a lot of time on my hands. No novel to read, no game to y, no show to watch. Oh yeah, I was totally single too. I was bored!!! Were you expecting some deep reason? Nope. Not at all. I was bored as simple as that. Thus I started this journey. I wrote a bunch of words on paper and published it instantly. Not only a rash move but something I did quite clumsily too. As I kept writing I changed the way I structured paragraphs for them to be easier to read. I reviewed the grammar for it to be less disgusting. (Not a good DISGUSTING) I started adding cool and obscure references. I added emoticons and got restricted many times because of it. I finally figured out a way to bypass it, but it takes a lot of time. The time I could spend writing instead. Overall I came up with a unique style of writing that is extremely trashy, but still something I enjoy. That brings us to this very moment. Chapter 100. What happens at chapter 100? Nothing at all. Nothing new. The story will keep progressing. There is no mass release either. Why the emphasis on 100 then?! It is simply me being petty and celebrating finally hitting 3 digits of chapters. It is too early to celebrate? There are thousands of chapters yet toe right? Yes, 100 chapters will be nothing in a few years of me writing this novel. I will look back on this chapter and scoff, damn this dude was truly a noob back then. But so what?! We gotta enjoy the little things. Let this chapter be the very first tiny milestone I have cleared. One so insignificant, but still. I have big ns for this novel. Really big ones. Are they realistic? Who knows, but at least I am striving for something I want to do right now so who the fuck cares! I see this novel bing a meme in the novel circle. 100% of the people will wholeheartedly agree on how trash it is yet will still read it. People wille here for the weirdness and stay for the story. I want this novel to be an all-epassing one. I will cover all the genres there are. *Takes car salesman voice* You can fit so many genres in this bad boy *ps novel cover*. At some point, anyhow. I am also forgetful sometimes so remind me on discord haha. Talking about the discord it is way more to me than a typical author''s discord. It started as a gaming discord. A bunch of friends would use it to voice chat and post all kinds of new games they wanted to try as a group. Right now, we are ying a survival game and we are getting wrecked! xD Then I invited a bunch of friends from webnovel. Most of them fellow newbies authors that all know what the grind is all about. Wanting to make your novel known for it to be drowned in the sea of new releases. Being just one of the others. Of course, there are few experts that joined, but only a few for my discord is all about having fun and sharing with people. Not anything serious or professional. Finally, I added it as the official discord for this novel. For you see the people that keep up with this novel regrly are ones I consider very awesome. I felt like I wanted them there. Every time I see a cool GIF orment only making that feeling stronger. Talking aboutments, I truly hope that at some point every of my ghost readers will take a second to write ament (after every chap). It can be whatever, it can be anything. Only to show me you are there. I added a bunch of sect mottos to chapter 69. You guys can copy anything there and paste it. Everyment I see puts a smile on my face as I know somewhere someone is enjoying my work. Some I talk to on discord and sometimes it''s enough to fucking make my day I shit you not I am that simple! Thinking stories is something I have actually done for years. Putting it on paper is the thing I am truly new to. English isn''t my mainnguage either. I have been told my writing sucks the way it is. For many reasons. While I am trying to improve, I don''t expect it will magically happen. If I can share my story it will be enough for me. But sharing is all about knowing it brings joy to at least one person. Let this chapter be a fan appreciation chapter. Thank you! If you are reading this chance are you have dealt with my bullshit for 100 chaps already. This deserves some praise. Probably flowers and chocte too with a news feature. Today I am live with user XXX that dealt with Zombie''s weird writing style for 100 chaps already! OMG! If I was a sessful author, I''d do some autograph signing or some shit. Sadly, I am both extremely broke and unknown. This also means that if you are reading these lines at this exact moment you are one of the few that actually managed to find this novel and yet decided to keep reading. What are the chances!? When this novel blows up, I believe at some point it will (let me be optimistic) you guys will look back on this very day and think I was there! I want this ce to be the family you''ve never had (for your family probably aren''t degenerates). Of course, I am using degenerate in a good way here haha. This has been an origin chapter, a celebration chapter, a fan appreciation chapter, a vision for the future chapter, and a brainwashing cha oh never mind thest one. Do you know what is worse? I''m not even drunk as I write these lines, unbelievable isn''t it?! That is how I truly am and will remain. A goofy Zombie that speaks fluent meme and sarcasm. I can promise you it will be chaotic, it will be weird, even disturbing at times, but it will be one hell of a ride. So buckle up your belt for the shitposting will continue! Chapter 101: An Evil Lurking Chapter 101: An Evil Lurking ****(POV) I finally got rid of the horrible taste. It took a long while. This man is both extremely scary and iprehensible. On one hand, he seemspletely clueless, but seriouslypletely and utterly confused. On the other hand, he seems dangerous in his own way. He treats Y-Wolfie as an equal, perhaps a pet even? He thinks she is young and weak. This doesn''t make any sense at all. The proud her submitting to such an individual. No matter how you look at it he seems extremely weak with no redeeming quality. Yet he already managed to aplish a miracle. Me getting sick should be close to impossible. Unicorns are all about countering evil. There is a lock on this world, but my species is somewhat immune to it. That is because our power is the one of counter. Legends say there is a bnce of both Ying and Yang in the world. A bnce between good and evil too. Against pure-hearted people, we barely show any strength. However, once confronted with evildoers we can unlock our entire potential. The more our opponent is trying to hurt/kill us the more powerful we be. Of course, this is as much a skill as it is a limitation. Still, it does let us bypass the problem that forced so many bigshots into exile in various sub realms. Even someone as strong as Y-Wolfie had to reincarnate to keep being here. This means I have the full power of a peak rank 5. I used to be one of the weakest ones in the forest after all. Still, it should have been sufficient for me to protect myself. The problem is my power is all about counter. The way he sang was horrid. I still have shivers. Probably will have nightmares too. Many nightmares. If that can be called singing anyway. It was both extremely horrible and yet so full of intent. For amon mortal, it would be like consuming a barrel of oil and expecting to be fine afterward. Except that in this case, I wanted to stop it but simply couldn''t. My natural defenses never actually activated for there was no malice in it. He was simply trying his best to sing. It was a catastrophe. It made it so I was forced to take it all in for the while itsted. Akin to being force-fed actual shit, but worse. The way the energy felt is something that will haunt me forever. The worst torture there could possibly be for one such as I. Yet he somehow aplished that seemingly by mistake. This is clearly impossible! Or it should be. It is unbelievable, but also truly what seemed to have happened. But there must be a reason for Wolfie to be so attached to him. Was it something he did? Is it something he might do in the future? She knows divination after all. Either way choosing him as her king is insane! Not only did she choose him, but others are also joining him. There are only a few but these are talents that are extremely hard to sway to one''s side. Yet he did it. This is highly illogical! Either way, I will have to think about thister. Right now there is something more urgent. Unicorns are able to sense and react to malice and to feel the world''s energy somehow. I came here to visit Wolfie, but I stumbled upon something huge. There is an opening leading to a sub-realm nearby I can feel it. How? My senses are telling me that this new world is filled with pure evil. Filled with something that defies the naturalws of life. This is bad. Extremely bad. There is a natural order to the world. Some things cannot be avoided. For instance, all doors are bound to be opened at some point. This one will definitely open soon. It looks like a stone arch embedded in the side of a cliff. It looks quite simple at first nce, but I know it isn''t. Now, what should I do? What can I do? Do I have the power to stop whatever lurks in there? My gut feeling says no. Can I dy the opening? Also not possible. Wait I do have an idea. A bold andpletely retarded idea at first nce. But one that might actually work. The entrance will be essible soon. What if I activate it myself ahead of time? Then I should be able to close it before anything escapes from it. It would be better for it to open while I am standing watch. Any other would not be able to do this safely, but my unicorn senses are tingling confronted to evil. The best rm system there is. It is decided! I am doing this. I activate the magic I learned in the old days. One I haven''t used in a long time. One specifically used to open dimensional portals. In the stone arch appears a purpleyer of light. It leads to the other side. A dark and extremely terrifying ce. I await while carefully monitoring the interior. At the first sign of a monstrosity appearing, I will close it. Can portals be opened and closed at will? Of course not. While I can do the process fairly fast, I need to wait about a week before every attempt. Otherwise, the toll it would take on me would be way too big. I estimate I need to keep the portal at least an hour to prevent it from opening by itself in a near future. Hopefully, everything will be fine. So I wait and wait some more. The link between both worlds getting less sturdy as the portal''s energy is being consumed by its operation. Less energy meaning it won''t just randomly open by itself. This is great. I am finally about to be done with this. Of course, I do not rejoice and keep guard over it carefully. Better be safe than sorry. "What is that in front?!" [I don''t know but let''s go in there asap! I do not want to die just yet!] Wait that is that human''s voice?! Wolfie seems to be trailing behind. Wait did he say something about going in there?! "Stop this ce is extremely ." I am about to say dangerous, but with a *woosh* he disappears inside. What am I supposed to do?! Wolfie will kill me! While I''m stunned all of them have gone inside. Guess I will have to follow them and save them. I truly hope I will survive this. Here goes nothing. I take a deep breath and I plunge forward. *BAM* It hurts! Wait, no! The portal is already closed. Me ramming myself into a wall is not the issue here. The representative, the King, and some mercenaries all went inside. Awaiting them is and of despair and assured death. Fuck! What did I do?! Chapter 102: A DISGUSTING Chapter Chapter 102: A DISGUSTING Chapter Just stop chasing us, please! Chases in real life are stressful and boring! It''s just people running one after another. [Can''t you guys just chill?!!!] "If your mercenarypany surrenders, we will! You will have peaceful deaths. How about it?" Or so replies the spokesperson on their side. Somehow he can run at full speed and keep such countenance. Still, I''m surprised he actually answered me. Wait?! He said something about our mercenary group. [Heard that?! Fucking told you! They are not here for me they are here for you guys! I am totally innocent!] *The mercenary leader grumbling something about now not being the time* Somehow, I feel great satisfaction knowing that I am not the one (specifically) they want dead. Well, it would be even more satisfying if we could actually get out of this alive too. Fuck stop pursuing us already! I can think of many ns already! Number one: trip a colleague for him to <> heroically to stall them. You know as you would do in case of a bear attack. No need to be fast, just need to be the fastest of the bunch. A bad n since the guys on my side are actually pretty cool and the enemy already decided to off us all as a group. Number 2: Offer to pay them more than their employer for letting us live! Might have worked if I wasn''t broke as fuck. I can always bluff? It likely wouldn''t work. Number 3: Pray to any god hoping for them to intervene. Okay, I and the gods don''t go well along so far. Yep, no way. Number 4: Keep running and just hope for any kind of miracle. I would be truly happy with something even as simple as a meteorite falling on their heads and annihting them all. Or maybe even more simple? It can be something more likely to happen such as all of them dying of a heart attack all at once. Who am I kidding? No way this will happen. Fuck, think,think. "I see something there! What is that in front?!" Oh my god! A freaking miracle! Right in front is a purple glowing portal! How does it work? Where does it lead? No fucking clue! But so what?! Between death and a mysterious adventure, I''m gonna opt for choice #2. For sure! [I don''t know but let''s go in there asap! I do not want to die just yet!] What is the worst that can happen? The frame seems to be made of fancy but quite normal stone. Not obsidian! We are good! Wouldn''t want to get sent to a fiery hell with flying squids. These things terrify me! 0_0 We rush in! All of us! I mean, of course, no dumbass is gonna decide to go 1 v 50 after us running this far. Thus the portal takes us away. Hopefully, we will be fine, no matter what awaits us on the .. On no. I just remembered something. Quick I need to . *BARFFFFFF* Toote *BARRFFF X16! (There are 10 mercenaries no?!)* The ground quickly bes filled with vomit. The odor is nauseating. It only exacerbates the issue. People start throwing up again. The floor bes wet with some hideous mixture of sweat, tears, mysterious monster meat half-digested, and gastric acid. I see people slipping as they lose their footing. This scene is extremely revolting. This new transportation method screwed up everyone. This is bad we are in no way to fight off our pursuers now! That is what I am thinking, but then they prove me wrong. Comes a steady and powerful voice. "Men! Old formation. Bloody guillotine!" The captain is issuing this order calmly. With poise. I can barely blink that the warriors in front of me straighten their backs. Like a de leaving its sheath. Their indomitable will can be felt. Giving the impression that only death awaits anyone daring enough to face them. In front of such a killing machine, there is no escape. Only submission. I do get a glimpse of that. But then, I see their messed-up clothing. The soil covering their armor in their failed attempts to wipe it. The sweat and the sickly appearance. The eyes that have trouble staying focused despite their will. Finally, the vomit still adorning the corner of their mouths tops it off. These guys are in no condition to fight at all. If anything, I''m the one that has it the best of the lot. It isn''t my first time teleporting like so. I even managed to swallow most of it back. Wolfie actually seems fine for some reason, but she can''t fight either way. "As soon as our opponents appear don''t give them a second of respite and end them." He can still calmly encourage the troops in such a situation.no wait?! So what if we are in horrible shape? We are still standing! (Albeit barely). This is actually great. Time for a motivational speech! [Listen up people! We may be in bad shape, but these fuckers will have it way worse! As soon as they start barfing use the opportunity and chop their heads off! Theirst moment will be spent in a pile of their own vomit cursing their foolishness for opposing us! Fuck them all up! Who''s with me! FUCK THEM UP!] "Fuck them up?" "Fuck them up!" "FUCKING END THEM!" "Make them swim in a pool of their blood and their own vomit!" "Make them die in it!" "There is also some of my puke in there! Extra spicy just for them!" "FUCK THEM UP!" "KILL THEM ALL!" "MURDER THESE ASSHOLES!" My job here is done. Morale is a real thing on the battlefield. I''m totally not doing this cause I enjoy it! Okay, maybe just a tiny bit. We are all perfectly prepared to greet these dead to be. All staring at the portal opening ready to raise hell! Only to see it close by itself Well, that was anticlimactic. That How am I supposed to react?! One of mypanionses near and pats my shoulder. "Don''t worry friend. They just escaped the cmity for today. The day of reckoning wille to them soon. When we get out of here, we will track them and make them pay. Then we''ll make them die in a pile of their vomit and ours!" [Thanks] Wait...isn''t that beside the point? Why would I want them to specifically die in a pile of my vomit? Wouldn''t that mean I''d have to hurl all over the ce?! Fuck no! Still for now we are safe. This is great. This is just the best! This is. "Oh god no. What the hell did we get ourselves into?! This is bad!" I turn and see the previouslyposed leader having a nervous breakdown. Yes, the one that nonchntly dared to enter what he thought was an ambush just to confirm it. Yes, the one that brought his whole squad away sessfully while remaining calm headed. Yes, the one that made and acted upon a n to take down 50 assassins with 5 times fewer warriors. That cool-headed guy''s voice now shows fear. [W-what is it?!"] "Look around, we are in deep trouble." Can I just close my eyes? Wake me up when the nightmare is over. 0_0 Chapter 103: A Land of Death Chapter 103: A Land of Death Are we in danger? I reluctantly look around, then I see something I never would have believed. I see. nothing at all. Seems to be in. Besides it being a bit dark nothing to write home about. There is no life to be seen, no animal, insect, or nt. Nothing. No danger whatsoever. Wait? Was mypanion cracking a joke? He scared the shit out of me. [Wow, stop it with the jokes! We are safe haha. You almost made me doubt that hahaha.] No reply? I turn around. They are all looking at me like I am crazy or something. [Hum you guys?] "C-can you really not sense it?" [Sense what?] "Death itself." Death itself that sounds so metal! Is this some kind of coordinated prank? Welp if we are doing this I might participate. I could either follow their leads and start panicking or I could reply in kind. [Hehe, nice joke.] I look at the one that said that dead in the eyes. [If this ce is death itself then I am immortal!] I guess that surprised them, their mouths are all gaping open showing their astoundment. "No, seriously you don''t feel like you are about to die?" "I feel it too, it seems like I am insignificant and will wither away." "How are you so calm?!" "There is a freaking blood moon above our heads!" Hum? Oh yeah, there is wow. [So pretty!] Their leaderes next to me. "Thank you. I nearly lost myself right there. You are right we shouldn''t despair just yet." What do you mean we shouldn''t despair? More like why would we despair? A red moon is just that no? There probably is a perfectly fine scientific exnation for it. Of course, I wouldn''t know anything about it. Yeah, I might be a sham of an isekai protagonist. Usually, they are all once-in-a-lifetime chemistry and physics geniuses. I go next to him. Oh god, the smell is bad. Then I whisper: [Psst what is this all about seriously? Just the red moon? Or is there something else?] Why is it all quiet again? And why is everyone still staring at me? "T-that, this ce is filled to the brim with death energy. Can''t you feel how insane it is?" [Nope, then again, I did learn magic for a while under a rank 3 necromancer, so maybe that''s why I don''t feel anything special here?] "You did?! So you can use magic!" [Ahnope. Grey tried all he could, but I never did manage to sense mana sadly.] "Wait did you just say, Grey?! THE GREY?!" [EhI don''t know. Middle-aged, orange hair, super kind dude really. Lives in the Moon Keep.] I really shouldn''t be talking about that, but these guys are no strangers. We faced death together already! What''s up with this silence? Again?! If their opened mouth could have fit an egg before now it can probably fit an apple. "Grey the necromancer. THE Grey the necromancer. A kind guy. Grey the freaking necromancer. Kind. WTF!" Did I somehow break him? What''s up with him? He sounds like a broken record. *confused* [Do you guys know him perhaps?] "Thatwe do not know him personally. We have all heard of him I am sure, however." [Wow, is he perhaps famous? Never knew. So what exactly is this ce?] "This is what we call a domain. Somece where the rules of heaven and earth don''t apply. This ce seems to be a death domain, one where death reigns supreme. The very mana that fills the air is all of that element. Can you really not feel it at all?" *perplexed* [Nope.] "Wait why did you train under Grey if you can''t sense mana? More like why would he even agree to train you?!" [Oh that? Typical champion training don''t mind it. There was training with Grey but also some training with the Bald Eagle.] . What''s up with them now? If before an apple would have fit inside their mouths now their shock seems even bigger. A watermelon fitting in might not be that big of a stretch now. Did I say something weird? "Champion." "Moon Keep." "BEagle. Calling that man in such a way." "Grey the kind necromancer." "Unable to sense mana." "Isn''t mana required to live?! It is worse than being blind." [What is up with you guys? All of you.] "T-that, just most of what you said is bbergasting, to say the least." [Is it?] "ThatI don''t even know how*sigh* so you are the Moon Keep''s champion?" [Oh that? Nope. I just faked it for a little while. Don''t worry about it.] The man I know to be cool-headed and collected takes a deep breath. "HOW THE FUCK DOES ONE EVEN FAKE BEING A CHAMPION?! HOW THE HELL CAN I NOT WORRY?! WHAT IS UP WITH ALL OF THIS! WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH." [Hum I guess you are not scared of this ce anymore at least. So why is a domain that bad?] "*Deep breath* *sigh* You are right I''m too incensed to feel even remotely scared. Fine, you win. Arg, so a domain is either natural or man-made. A natural one will attract extremely strong beings and will most likely birth-one after a long time passes. As for a man-made one, it results from someone mastering somew of the world on a level that he can impact the realm itself." [So if we are lucky this is a natural death domain and possibly no strong creature exists here. Likewise, it could be a man-made one and the owner is a friendly guy that will not cause us any kind of trouble. Did I get that right?] "Well yeah. But the chances of it happening are extremely low." [Chance? I just met a fucking unicorn! My luck is at its peak right about now!] "That...I can''t deny that." The previously serious mood is now gone. We set out heading in a random direction. After all, this ce is big and empty. Might as well just go with the flow. From time to time my fellow mercenaries ask me random questions. "Wait, if you can''t even sense or use mana, how do you fight?" [Don''t worry haha. I have my ways.] "How can you call Grey kind?" [He legit spends most of his time sitting on a sunny bench meditating. I feel like kind fits.] "You know the Eagle of Massacre?" [Hum? No. The guy I know is called Young Eagle.] "How did you even fake being a champion?!" [Right ce and wrong time. The rest somehow just happened.] "Was all you said previously true?" [About what? If you meant when I said pies are the best a few days ago, then yeah.] "How is your wolf able to remain so calm in such a ce?!" [Wolfie is chill. That is all.] Casually strolling through unknownnd with friends is definitely . "Halt! Do you guys hear this?!" I focus. There seems to be a sounding from the distance. There is a tremor in the ground? Some kind of rattling. Where is iting from? This ce seemedpletely devoid of any living thing before. I activate my scouting ability. What do we have here? Oh god. This is really bad. So fucking bad. [Humguys. I think we should start running. Right about fucking now!] Had I known I would have taken on the 50 assassins. There are way more than 50 creatures that are swarming over right at this moment. WAY MORE! Chapter 104: They Are Coming Chapter 104: They Are Coming A tremor in the ground, a rattling sound in the air. My scouting ability shows me a terrifying scene. The 50 assassins back on the other side now an after-thought. We ran from the wolf only to enter a dragon''sir. Not literally. At least I fucking hope there won''t be any. Please let this not be a g! Thend is covered in a swarming legion that is steadily progressing toward us. Bones all over the ce. A nightmarish scene, or an archeologist''s wet dream. Tons and tons of skeletons walking thend. Like locust, darkening the world. ck bones from it being so ancient. This is what a freaking death domain is all about. Full of the undead. "What do you see?!" [What has many bones and ising over to murder us?] "That could be literally anything, lots of things have bones in this world ." Well, he''s not wrong. [Skeletons. A shitload of skeletons.] "Let''s get the fuck out of here! Boys we run!" At first, the atmosphere is heavy, but then after a while it''s still heavy as fuck. I mean obviously, there is an army pursuing us. The weird thing is no matter where we are heading, they seem to always be converging on our position. [How the hell are they always following us?!] "You can see them? Is it that ability you used on the assassins?" [Yeah, let''s me see stuff with an eagle point of view.] "How many are there could we fight them perhaps?" [I gave up counting after 500. This is madness.] "Fuck. My guess is they are sensing our life signature. In a death domain, our existence is akin to a torch in the darkness." [How do we hide it? Is it possible?!] "Yep, super easy to do. You just need to die." Yeah. How about fucking no. I would rather keep living. I have so much to live for. There is Wolfie, there is Luna, there is the sect, there is pie that''s about it. Let me think. We are facing skeletons. What counters skeletons? Healing magic is one! Yeahno one is a priest here. Next! We could use highly destructive magic to reduce them to smithereens, perfect when facing an army. That''s a big nope. The mercenary leader is the only mage, and he focuses on support. Still, I''m sure there it might help a bit. Wait...there is one thing that is super effective against skellys! That thing is blunt damage! Against them sh damage is especially inefficient. I look around mypanions all have that type of thing equippedall except one guy. I slowly move closer to him. He gives me an interrogative nce. [Don''t worry about it, I just felt like moving slightly.] I''m not gonna tell him I''m counting on him to protect me. That would seem weird right? I''m sure it would work if I was some cute babe. Then again, these guys don''t seem the nave type either. "Wait I see something in front!" What is it? I''m sure we should be fine for now.fuck! There stand about 20 skeletons. Awaiting us. In their empty eye sockets glows a red light. The same light as the moon itself. Could these two be rted?! "Should we avoid them? How is your scouting going?" I observe the surroundings. Fuck this is actually one of the weak spots, I see even more of them in the surroundings. [We need to go through!] We charge heroically. Then deadly attacks rain upon our enemies and make them .okay, it''s not really effective. The only one that does significant damage is that one guy with the mace. [We need blunt damage to crush their bones! We are counting on you mace dude!] The guy fights well and single-handedly takes care of about 10 of them with the others acting as a distraction. At some point, he does get tired, however. [Hand your weapon to someone else, keep the rotation going! We annihting them all!] *throws mace to a friendly unit* Thus the massacre resumes. Can it really be called a massacre when we are killing stuff that was already dead? If anything we are doing trash disposal right about now. And they are all on the floor in pieces! [Congratz all this has been a really good job ..fuck!] The moon''s glow falls on the pile of osseous matter. The bones of our fallen foes start to rattle. Then it starts to assemble itself into new skeletons. White and clean ones this time around. This is bad. Of course, this would be an amazing way to farm for XP if such a thing existed. We can also easily deal with it before they be a threat. There is one issue, however. For every second we spend here the creatures chasing us get closer. [Keep running!] We resume our mindless escape. There is no way we can keep this up. Actually, I probably can for a long time. Divine energy and all. Gives amazing stamina. It is doubtful how long mypanions can keep going. The skeletons are pretty slow overall, but there is one thing they excel in. They are relentless and tireless. In a short period, we can outrun them easily but in the long term? Doubtful. Wait...could we perhaps get out of our predicament simply by destroying the moon?! I remember that one series that had its characters destroy the moon many times over at that. How did it go again? Right, a well-ced Kame-Ah-Me-Something. Fuck there is no way I can do that. Another option would be to get myself a Death Star-Thingy. Also unrealizable. This is bad. Is our only choice to keep running while hoping for a miracle? Now I''m having a hard time. Before I was just checking the main group, but now I need to carefully check all the surroundings. If we get dyed by a medium-sized group, we''ll be in trouble. Fuck, I already want toy down and sleep. This technique is useful and all, but it''s mentally burdening. It''s like getting a job as a security guard. At first, they give you one camera to watch and everything works perfectly. You even have the attention to spare to y mobile games or read web novels at work. Then one day the boss pulls you aside and tells you he''s gonna slightly up the workload. Youe in as usual and you see thousands and thousands of monitors to watch. So many you gotta run from one to another to make it. You could totally do it, but it''s so tiring that you decide to quit the next day. Right now I''m in a simr situation but quitting means death. This whole thing is a huge pain in the ass! "What the fuck is that?!" Oh god, I was so focused on seeing the enemies that I missed something so obvious. But seriously what is that in front?! Oh no, this is bad! This is totally a dead end! Is it me or I''m saying this a lot these days?! Chapter 105: They Are Coming Intensifies! Chapter 105: They Are Coming Intensifies! This is totally a dead end! In front of me something extremely imposing. An extremely dark cloudish humongous wall with streaks of lightning-like purple lights inside. Perpetually in motion without any logic to it. Even I that cannot feel mana can sense the deadliness of these purple bolts. Wherever one passes the space itself seems to crack giving off a deadly vibe. All of it looks extremely chaotic. Entering the area a death sentence. I focus and try to examine this phenomenon. At first, all I see is a wall, but then I realize the nature of this thing. A huge-ass sphere covering this ce. Kinda how at first nce the earth looks t It cages us in. There is no way we can go this way anymore. If I''m not mistaken this thing will appear on the opposite side of this realm too. "This is the end of this world. Fuck." Indeed this is what it is. The end of the world. You''d expect it to loop around but nope. This space seems to be a special area after all. [Any way to pass through?] "Nope, unless you are sturdier than space itselfyou would get shattered instantly." We would need a way to somehow dodge the lightning. This would usually be where the MC charges in, to his wit''s end, and survive through sheer luck or a sixth sense. No matter how much I keep bragging about my luck fact is I think this ship has sunk. As for a possible sixth sense I have trouble even using my other 5 senses. Yep, that''s a big Nope too. To make matters worse our pursuers are gaining ground. Slowly and inexorably. [Alright, let''s go. We still have a chance if we follow the periphery of it.] But now we have an issue. While we need to cover lots of distance to loop around they can just head straight to us. We need to be even faster. This is bullshit how much they have the home ground advantage here. That and the number advantage. We are totally the underdogs here. Oh don''t get it wrong, this is bad. You know the saying the underdog wins the race? Well, it can happen. The thing is 99% of the time the underdog will failmentably. It''s just that people love that shit and that the 1% that is sessful will have a movie made about them and inspire a generation. No. Gotta stay optimistic. I am still alive and breathing. As long as there is life there are hassles! Oh, wait I meant hope there. Thus resumes the chase. The worst being that we know we need to move fast, but we still don''t see the shadow of our main opponent. From time to time we encounter small skeletons groups. But I have a good way to handle it. I use this magic sentence: [They are all yours mace-dude! Good luck!] Does this seemzy of me? Perhaps, but so whatit works. Now don''t get mistaken, I am doing something. I am here for moral support! That is plenty! Then again, I am also scouting non-stop, god is this annoying! In this manner we keep going. I wonder how long such a . "What is that?! Look above us!" Fuck, what now? Let''s see. I don''t notice anything. All I see is the red glow of the moon on an otherwise dark background. Waitthere is movement there. A shadow just moved. It blends almost perfectly into the surrounding atmosphere. That exins why I didn''t notice. Let me see what we are against. oh fuck. I know what this is. Phantomatic and looking almost immaterial. Dark and seemingly dragging along oversized robes, except it''s its body. An indistinguishable visage under a dark hood. A motherfucking wraith. Or is it a specter? I don''t fucking know. All I do know is that these things are a huge pain in the ass to deal with and that it flies. This means it is fast as fuck. Fastpared to us, even fasterpared to the skeletons. It can easily excel in gueri attacks. We''ll die of exhaustion if we need to fend off its attacks while we are fleeing. [We need to get rid of that thing.] "Agreed. I think we''ll need magic for that. Hopefully, I''m wrong." It locks onto us and lowers its altitude. It floats to one of the mercenaries that counters by shing it mercilessly. The de passes through its incorporeal form and the creature''s ws reach out for the mercenary''s throat. Good thing he manages to dodge at the veryst second. Either we can get rid of it using the leader''s magic or we''ll have to sacrifice someone to drive it away. I really hope this works. [Cast some support magic. Time to get busy.] I hear a slight chant from him then the des alight with fire. Damn, that''s awesome looking. One fiery set of weaponsing right up! Now is not the time for jokes actually. They coordinately surround the creature and hack away at it. Every sh makes it be fainter until finally it shrieks and disappears. Are you fucking kidding me?! No loot whatsoever! Who designed such a bullshit monster! Seriously whatever God designed this ce is an asshole! The good thing is we finally dealt with that wraith. We would have been in trouble if there was more than one. oh crap. As I check the sky carefully, I realize there are some more. Many, many more. The skeletons are swarming the groundand the wraiths are swarming the sky. How we encountered the first one only now is a miracle. Actually no. They are flying lower and lower. Guess they somehow detected our presence. They were probably farther away before. Most don''t seem to be in a hurry to get to us. Are they toying with our party? Are they receiving orders from some being? Are they simply slow and acting on instinct? I do not know. All I know is that the more time we spend here the more dangerous it bes. At this rate, we''ll face a new enemy every chapter. That''s how I''d describe the situation if this was a novel. At this rate, we''ll face a new enemy every episode. That''s how I''d describe the situation if this was a show. You get it. If we stay here, we are royally and officially fucked. Not the good kind of fucked. The really horrible one. That ends with our bones ground to dust and our soul essence sucked by some specter. What do we do? What can we do? There is always that. Such a n is insane. Actually as good as not having a n. Death is almost but assured with this new idea of minebut you know what? Let''s fucking go for it. I would rather leave in a ze of glory than to slowly perish from exhaustion. All or nothing, time to get serious! Chapter 106: The Calm Before the Storm Chapter 106: The Calm Before the Storm Should I even mention this new idea of mine? So turns out this ce seems to be surrounded by some kind of dimensional fracture. We can run around the edge, but that''s about it. At some point, we''ll be too exhausted to keep moving. There is one thing we could do. I could try to bait some of the enemies on my person. You know since I have divine energy to keep me going. This shit is legit better than the energy drinks I used to consume like water. All thesemercials saying these drinks give wings or somethingfuck that. If that gives wings, then divine energy gives idk bigger, better wings lol. I am convinced this circr ne has a way of survival in the very middle of it. Why? Well using my scouting ability I''ve realized that there is a dy in the time it takes our enemies to reorient themselves. At first, I was convinced they could just head straight our way, but there seem to be something in the middle dying them. Pretty sure it''s not for a pit resupply. They are undead after all. My guess is there is some bigger badder monster in the middle. Why am I even thinking of challenging it? I''m actually not. You know how apex predators have territories. I''m guessing we might be able to somehow hide in there. If we stay on the very edge of that core area, we might be able to survive without generating any aggro. Is this n of mine sane? Definitely not. I would even argue the contrary. However, it is the only one I can etch right now. I really don''t see us kiting forever ending well. After many long hours of grinding one of us willmit a mistake for sure. That someone most likely me. Did I say how fucking tiring this scouting is?! Pretty sure I did. [I do have an idea to get us out of here, but it''s borderline insane.] "What''s insane is us surviving here. Tell us more." [There seems to be something in the middle the skeletons are avoiding, I''m thinking of heading there.] "Heading to the very eye of the storm eh? Extremely dangerous but it might just work." Wow, he agreed with my n that easily? Isn''t he afraid of death at all?! Actually, this is what makes them different from me. I''m just some random dude that got isekaied. My n only backed up by the weird-ass knowledge I have. They are true mercenaries with their mettle tested over the years. It seems they are truly a courageous bunch for they all decide to follow me. I fucking hope I''m not leading them to their deaths. Truly. The closer we get to the epicenter the more skeletons there are. I''m seriously starting to reconsider how feasible my whole n is. *sh, crash, crush* We only have one mace, but the others provide wless support. Everything is going well so far. So far that is. There is still the main army awaiting us. Oh god, now would be a good time for me to turn religious. Not even to try and get some power, but just to prevent shiting myself. Just gotta see this as a trial. This is just temporary. I''ll be fine. We''ll be fine. Think about what matters. Stuff like bragging about this to my descendants. Oh, waitnot sure I even want kids. Stuff like bragging about this to some random passerby then! I will be that one annoying dude that recounts his life to everyone he meets. The wraiths are hovering above our heads. Slowly floating closer and closer. We actually need to increase the pace. Some part of me just wants to take this slow. This part of me needs to be fucking murdered. You take it slow in a zerg rush you fucking perish. That''s what we are right now. Except we are actually really coordinated, well mypanions not me. Still doesn''t change the fact that we are rushing in blindly. Right now we are legit pulling a Leeroy Jenkins. Hopefully will end up better than the original. No, that wasn''t a g either! Every step we take we crush and crush adding to the pile of bones on the ground. Of course, it is only a matter of time before the blood moon revives them all. This means that our retreat path is already blocked. The first undeads we defeated are alreadying back up. This is a fucking pain. I do believe in my chances of making it out alive if I were to just run right about fucking now. Just activate enhancement full power and run like a madman. I would survive for sure. There is that small voice in my head that is telling me to do it. That small preservation instinct all humans have. The instinct not to run toward an army of undead. Then again that much should bemon sense. The ttering of their teeth, their hands grasping at the air waiting for us to be in reach, the rattling of their bones with every step taken. All of it inspires dread. I would consider myself a fan of horror movies. Fantasy stuff even better. I''ve seen countless skeletons on screen. Yet, the real thing doesn''tpare. I''d rather face pretty much about anything. Ideally something I could slowly wear down. Funny thing these skeletons are fucking inpared to the ones I know about. This army is uncoordinated, they don''t have any weapon or shield, and there are no Duhan or lich to lead them. They are seemingly mindless. This is our ticket to survival. Our party is in formation. One meant to grind our enemies. One where a few can challenge many. Everyone has each other''s back. From above, it looks like a spinning wheel of destruction. We can definitely do this! Hey, we could even start our own undead removalpany if this keeps up. Maybe even get our stock listed. In front of us the main army. The one that is countless. Definitely above 500 units. It gues thend. This is gonna be harsh. [How do we break through here?!] We have no way to avoid them. We need to fight somehow. "Alright! I will cast me enhancement on everyone. Get ready all of you!" A few momentster all of us have our own glow-in-the-dark fiery weapon. Time to fucking do this! Chapter 107: Charge!!!! Chapter 107: Charge!!!! All of our weapons ming. Even mine that I haven''t used in a while. It''s not rusty just yet. Good thing I bought a good quality (albeit used) one. We are about to dive into a sea of monsters. I''m not sure my armor wille in handy at all, but I''m wearing it too. No way I could be more prepared than I am. "Alright, boys this is the moment of truth. We need to go across these enemies to survive. Remember our goal is not to kill, but simply to disable and push away. As long as we manage to get on the other side it is our victory. Is that clear?!" "YES!!! X9 The hype is real. Nothing beats surviving with the boys. Actually surviving period is fucking great. [Are we ready to charge?] "Yes, we" Let''s make this fucking thing memorable. Best case awesome story. Worst case we go out with glory. [MOTHERFUCKING CHARGE!!!!!] We jog toward our opponents. At the perfect pace. Fast enough to cut into the torrent of skeletons. Slow enough for us to keep the rhythm going. One-two, one-two. One for walking, two for crushing the skulls in front of us. The enchant on our weapons is making us way stronger. It is not just the fire; our whole attacks are stronger. It clearly shows in the way we knockback our opposition and send them tumbling on one another. These skeletons are fucking weak! They may have the numbers on their side, but we are valiant as fuck! We push and we keep pushing. From time to time I hear a grunt from one of us taking some damage. The sound of ws digging into flesh. The sweat getting evaporated into a cloud around us. The heavy breathing of all of us clearly audible. All following the same tempo. Breathing, fuck them up. Breathing, fuck them up some more. The soldiers on the outer edge of our formation rotate to allow our vanguard some breather. All this while I remain in the very front line. I barely defeat any skeleton, but I take many hits. Lots of hits. The good thing is they can''t seem to break my defenses. My clothes are already in tatters at this point, however. This is getting harder and harder. The sheer numbers making it hard to progress. But still, we remain strong. We have momentum. A momentum that is getting slower and slower, but we are still in motion. Should we stop it will be the end. The end of the journey. The end of our lives. There is no way I will ept that. NO FUCKING WAY. I keep clumsily pushing these things away. Making them trip with sheer power. I will not stop no matter what. In the distance, I can see some area that is darker. Some kind of fog. I have no clue what is in there, but it should be our destination. Soon we will be safe. Soon we will rest. This is thest push. This is the moment. Gotta give everything we can. Our fighting spirit is palpable. I am not alone. This is all humans are all about. Oveing all obstacles as a group. We are social animals at our very core after all. I start humming. Ever so silently at first, but increasingly louder until I find myself screaming. No lyrics, just raw musical goodness. A song from my old life. One titled Invincible. But it will carry us for way more than 2 steps. I''m just lost in my world. Using every beat to motivate myself. Every note a sh of mine. Resonating through the battlefield. At some point, I hear an echo. Small at first, but increasingly louder by the second. These guys are joining me. Fucking epic. We beat and we keep beating. Were we facing a living enemy I am sure they would have been terrified by our drive. We are against the undead. But so what. We will keep fighting. [So what if we are against death itself? Death domain? Trying to bury us? So what! Fuck this whole death domain. Fuck death itself. Fuck it all! Burn it all to ashes! We are here and we are fucking standing!] It''s then that I realize I''ve been screaming the whole time. But so what. I''m not the only one. "FUCK IT ALL!" "Who''s dying today? Not fucking us!" "An army of skeletons? You mean a pre-workout, right?! HAHAHAHAHA" "Fuck death itself! Hell yeah!" "Just try and stop us you fucking mannequins!" All of them are following my lead. Will screaming make us stronger? Of course not, this isn''t the balls of the dragon or anything simr. Still, our spirit is at its strongest. There are even more mobs around us, but it ain''t stopping us. Screaming and singing at the top of our lungs. This is illogical. It should tire us even faster. I''m not sure since when, but we are now picking speed. We are akin to a deadly grinder right now. Shredding the bones like tofu. Fucking them all up. So much it seems it will take a few moments for their revival to even be possible. Yes, they are still reviving right now. We are akin to a tiny raft on a tumultuous ocean. One wrong move and we will drown. Literally. The bone dust might choke us at this rate. The wraiths have not made their move yet. Hopefully won''t. But everything is good. All is perfectly fine. We are treading the fine line between life and death. We are fucking rocking this shit. Just a bit more and we will be to safety. *Tremble* *Rumble* *Intense shaking* *Shrieking of the skeletons* What the fuck is happening?! The earth that was trembling under our opponents'' feet now is straight up shaking. Is this an earthquake? Doubtful, this ce is unique. Can it be that simple as that? Right between us and safety, I see a small mountain rising. It is white, towering, and intimidating. I can see bones, I can see ws, I can see fangs, I can see a bony tail. This isn''t possible! We were so fucking close. In front is a motherfucking humongous bone dragon!!! FUCK! Chapter 108: Bone Motherfucking Dragon Chapter 108: Bone Motherfucking Dragon A motherfucking bone dragon! How does one even beat something like that? Not only is it huge as fuck, but it also has bony wings. Didn''t see it at first, but it''s there. Bone dragon. Breath attack, w sh, tail sh, and bite I''m guessing. Any of the previous moves an instant dead end for us. Can I resist it directly with divine energy? Perhaps. I could try to somehow aggro it. But what about the breath attack? Probably poison or death energy. What if it has an instant-kill property? Plus it''s bound to be AoE. Fuck this is the fucking worst! I can try to aggro it, but will it even bother with me? I''m not even sure I can survive it, but my guess is mypanions can''t form sure. One small puff on us and it''s the whole party that goes down. "Fuck what now?!" [I could try to aggro it while you guys rush in, but it could very well just ignore me except if I find a way to damage it.] Yep, these bones seem sturdy as fuck. There is a reason bone armor is a thing in RPGs. Not only is it awesome looking, but it does offer some protection. Especially when you factor in that magic is a thing. "ThatI may have an idea for that. But it will take me some time." [We can''t just sit here. We need to keep moving! What''s the n?] "Don''t worry I can keep going forward, I''m no invalid. It will take me a while to cast but I have an ace up my sleeve. Same enhancement magic as before, but way stronger. I''ll use my life force to fuel it." [Wait, that''s really bad what if] "No but! I''d rather lose some lifespan than have all of us perish here." He''s got a fucking point. *RAWR!!!!* We are out of time. Can''t n anymore. Moment to go all in. [You guys keep pushing. Imma go and y with the big boy.] *gasps* "No way it is way too dangerous!" [A man''s gotta do what a man''s gotta do. Push forward. See you guys on the other side.] I''m no hero. I truly do not want to sacrifice myself. I really hope the other side won''t be the afterlife. I don''t remember ever dying. I do remember past lives. But not dying. Death scares the fuck out of me. Surprisingly I''m not shaking that much. [Actually, there is something I need you guys to do.] Can''t believe I almost forgot about that. Would have been a grave mistake. "What is it?! We''ll do it whatever it is!" [Keep the beat going. What we were singing earlier. Keep it going.] "T-that sure. HAHAHAHA!" Yep, can''t have an epic fight without epic music. That''s like that wars in the stars franchise. There is no sound in space. But you can be fucking sure they made every spaceship shot resonate. I can feel my blood boiling. Spirit as its peak. Time to fucking do this. [Look here, you big-boned bastard! Imma fuck you up really bad!] Is it conscious? Is it acting instinctively? In either case, it turns toward me. Oh god, it''s huge. In its empty eye socket the same red glow as the moon. It shines through the darkness of this world. Piercing straight to the soul, at least that''s the feeling I''m getting. Of course, it''s probably me overthinking. This thing is but a pile of bones. A really fucking scary pile of bones. One that can move, w and swipe around too. It takes a step forward and throws its head at me. I side-step it skillfully, naw joking. I throw myself on the fucking ground in the least gracious way possible. But I do avoid it. *Swish* And that''s a fucking tail swipe. I couldn''t even fully get up that I''m throwing myself on the ground again. I slide under it dragging my body across the ground. Is this a fight of fucking limbo?! It raises its front paws high up before bringing it all down at once. The ground cracks. I manage to fit right in between 2 ws. My whole body is shaking, not just from fear this time around. I need to figure this shit out. Alright, think...fucking think. How do I get out of this? Think back to all that training you fucking did with the sword. No, it won''t be enough. I''m far from such a creature''s match. This will take all my knowledge and skill. I need to dodge. I need to read the pattern. The more the fight progresses the more I realize I might have a chance. The beginning is really bad, but the dragon doesn''t seem that smart. It alternates between basic attacks and more basic attacks. But like it does these attacks with all its body parts. At some point, it even ms itself to the ground trying to crush me under its weight. The more the fight goes on the more I get used to it. Still, I wish I had my own Pleiades to off it quick. You know some chain dragon lightning and this sucker would be history. Here I am rolling around like a moron all over the ce. This reminds me of that Darker soul''s game. Fighting some oversized boss roiling all over the ce holding to dear life. Meanwhile, at least my allies are going strong. Well, slow but strong. They are keeping the background music up. So here I am rolling on a sick beat. Okay, this might be a bit embarrassing. I need to figure out the perfect timing to counter-attack. It does take me a little while to reach full weapon enhancement power sadly. Otherwise, I could have already gone on the attack. But then again, slow and steady wins the race as they say. I''ll slowly, ever so slowly chip away at its health. There is one thing I have going for me at least. This dragon has no fucking clue what friendly fire is. Skeletons all around me get crushed whenever they try to approach the battlefield. Sometimes I even use their backs as springboards to dodge the big guy. This is going better than I expected. At this rate, we will be safe and sound and nothing will. *RAWR!!!* What now? I can see it ck its jaw. Opening its gargantuan bony mouth wide. There I can see some sort of dark energy slowly forming into a ball. It looks concentrated. It looks powerful. Motherfucking breath attack iing! Take cover!!! Chapter 109: The Dance Continues Chapter 109: The Dance Continues Oh god, shit is about to hit the fan! This breath attack is what I was dreading. Pure concentrated magic! Add to that the AoE factor and we are talking mass destruction weapon. Roll? There is no such thing as immunity frame IRL. Block? How about no. Dodge? This thing is gonna be wide as fuck. Toying with monsters works with easy-to-doge attacks. For a breath attack, all it needs to do is to reorient itself in my direction. That one is gonna be a pain. I could try and counter it? Maybe? Will I die? Should I ask someone to burn my hard drive just in case I don''t make it? No! Think positive! Focus. Now is the moment. I re at the creature. It obviously doesn''t care about that. Focus I need my sword filled with enough divine energy to counter whatever ising. I don''t even know the element of that attack. It doesn''t matter much. This is the moment. I can slowly feel my sword getting more and more powerful. I''m driving so much energy into it starts shaking. Then it happens. With a bang, the round ball of energy in my opponent''s mouth getsunched. It turns into an extremely wide wave in mid-air. Focus. Sword sharper than anything. Able to even cleave magic itself in half. Visualization is key. Here ites! Steady, waitwait. now! *SLASH* I feel like that guy that parted the sea. Except the sea is pitch-ck magic. My sh parts the breath attack in half. I can feel the intensity passing on both sides of me. Let''s see how it. oh my god! I was awaiting everything to be reduced to rubble. There is nothing left at all. The skeletons where the attack passed all gone. Not even dust remaining. Even the red moon''s glow cannot do anything for them now. It is over. Finally a respite to their sordid wandering. Stopped forever. Rest in I was going to say pieces skeletons, but This is brutal. The skeletons are not the only things gone. My hands are now empty. My awesome sword now gone, forever. Goodbye old friend. I only really used you this one time, but you served me well. Went out with a bang. A normal sword going out against a dragon and winning. A pyrrhic victory but one, nheless. If there is a sword heaven this one weapon is going for sure. Now, what do I do? Chances are the dragon won''t be able to use that attack anytime soon. If what I know about it is urate. Are games and novels reliable sources of info in an isekai world? Surprisingly yes so far. Still how long do I have to stall? [Hey old friend, are you done soon!?] He gives me a thumbs up and a look that says I obviously can''t talk I''m chanting at the moment you dumbass. Maybe it''s just me thinking too much. I did only look quickly. I roll to dodge ws and tail. The dance continues. Except it isn''t gracious or enchanting. But hey my partner is trying his best too. I would counterattack but my weapon is gone. As gone as when one''s dad goes to buy milk. Just gotta be patient and wait. At least mypanions are still moving forward. At this rate, we might just be fine either way. So much for nning. Seems we finally managed to defy Murphy''sw for once. Wait, this wasn''t a g either! In this manner, we keep ying. Until finally mypanions reach the edge of the fog. I have no clue what awaits us in there. It can''t be worse than a motherfucking bone dragon, right? Right?! I truly hope. Alright, time for me to use my secret technique! Dash forward without looking back. Leaving all my problems behind, who caresnot me! As I run, I can hear the roars of the dragon right behind me. How does a bone dragon even roar? It doesn''t have any lungs. Then again it might be better to wonder how bones are moving in the first ce. Hum this world is truly mysterious. Then again mysterious is entertaining so I won''tin. Well if anything I would enjoy it if we could drop the dragon trying to eat my ass thingy. But oh well. Ahead they are encouraging me. All they are missing are cheerleader outfits. Actually, would be nice if there was a bit more diversity in that cheering squad too. Maybe less burly men and add a few cute girls? Won''tin. They want me to stay alive. This is actually nice. Do you know how in stories it quickly turns dark with everyone trying to save their own hide? Well, not this fucking time! We dealt with the situation like champs! I sprint the remaining distance and the fog surrounds me. Everything is golden! With this, I will finally be safe and ... *ROAR* No! Nonono! I see a huge silhouette enter the fog. Does it mean the dragon was the reason the skeletons were staying away from the area?! No, this doesn''t make sense. They kepting nearby while I was fighting earlier. Perhaps there is no real danger here and the dragon knows it? Maybe something like a natural ward that drives the weakest creatures away? Something like I encountered in the archaic forest. I don''t fucking know! But one thing is for sure. We''ll have to deal with this dragon somehow. What do we do?! Can we surround it and HIT IT TILL IT DIES! Naw, this thing is solid. Bone Solid! We might be able to survive against it. By dodging and all. But once the breath attackes again this will be troublesome. I''m not sure how I''ll deal with it myself. Fuck what now?! "Alright all done! Get ready!" Oh right! We have this ace up our sleeve! Our support mage points at me. Wait! My sword is broken! What will he enchant?! He can''t be targeting me, right?! I don''t wanna be on fire! Plus what would I be doing? Headbutt the dragon to death? Afraid my skull would crack first! It would be my death for sure. I really fucking wish I just had the power to face this dragon. Any weapon would help, I just need something to bash it until it turns into dust. What can I This is when it happens. I feel something burning on my chest. I look down and I see the ne bald Eagle gave me. It seems to be pulsating with energy. Wait, is it possible to enchant a hilt?! Chapter 110: Dragon Slaying Chapter 110: Dragon ying This thing is burning hot! Divine energy protects me from the actual damage., but damn! Energy is coursing across the hilt on my chest. I can feel it pulsating rhythmically. This almost feels like divine energy! But how?! Is it perhaps the effect of burning his life force? Could this be the true meaning of divine energy? The very lifeforce of the people of this world. Wait now is not the time for this. The dragon in front of me is standing tall about to pounce on us again. I hastily grab the ne; it fits nicely in my hand. I grasp it tightly, what now? It seems enchanting a hilt is possible, but it is not enough. I need a true weapon. Something to save my ass right now. All our asses actually. I do not want to go out getting trampled or because of a stinky breath! Fuck no! Concentrate. I need to somehow redirect all the energy present in the hilt. I need a de. I need something fiery. I need something powerful. I need something OP! Concentrate! Think, redirect all the power from the hilt into. *Sound effect of a de of fire emerging from the hilt, light-saberish but better* Hell yeah! The previous tiny ne is now a 20-meter-long sword made of pure fire element. At least that''s how it looks. I fucking love this spell! How amazing is this?! I can hear it crackling and distorting the surrounding air. My opponent takes half a step back. Something lifeless and brainless just got intimidated. I can do this. Time to remember all I learned during my training with Zero. Time to make this single sh worth. I''m not sure how long this state willst. My mage friend is burning his lifeforce as we speak. All these giant archaic trees I practiced on in the forest, I need to do the same. A clean cut. To reduce it in half cleanly. I raise the sword high above my head. Wait...won''t it be too small to do any real damage this way? As I have this thought it starts extending. All the way until it reaches 50 meters. Now we are talking! This is the end. I bring everything down. This strike is fueled by my will to live, by my fear, and by my friend''s sacrifice. *ROAR* Somehow I can feel despair from this roar this time around. No mercy. This pile of bones already overstayed its presence in this world. Time to return to dust. Very quickly it gets cleaved in half. Wherever the de passes through the bones get disintegrated. Now I just need to deal with it when it tries to revive and .. I waitand I wait. The red glow of the moon shines on the disorganized bone remnants. Yet it stays immobile. Bound to stay dead forever it seems. *Thud* Knowing that we are finally safe I fall to my knees. We are still stuck here, but we survived! We are still alive! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Bone motherfucking dragon 0 me 1! Wait doesn''t that make me a dragon yer?! This is amazing oh my god! [HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!] So what if Iugh like a madman?! I am a living madman. I''m not the only one. All mypanions are safe. I still don''t know most of their names, but I know their style. Somewhat righteous. Direct. Men of character. I am truly d to have gone through this with these guys. Coming all the way here running for our lives from skeletons and wraiths and finally finishing it all with a bang. My tired brain can finally rx for a second. No more scouting for a while. I''m beat, but so fucking happy right now. I turn around. For some reason mypanions are silent. Their eyes are bulging. Their mouths are gaping. Their faces are flushed red. As if they just witnessed a miracle. I can somehow understand them. I didn''t expect that one spell to be so powerful either. [Why the long face. We won. We are alive. Aren''t you guys going to cheer a bit?] I see them getting taken aback then ites... "HAHAHAHAHA." "Hell yeah!" "That was awesome!" "How the hell did you do that?!" "Was that your idea of being able to protect yourself?!? You are killing it!" [Haha, don''t look at me guys it''s all because of your leader''s spell. Without his support, I couldn''t have even damaged the damn thing. Tch. *I make eye contact with him and pat his shoulder* Thank you for saving my life today.] "T-that I didn''t do anything!" [Ha-ha. Humble I see. Don''t worry I won''t ask you to use that spell ever again. You should take care of yourself. Burning one''s life force should really be thest recourse!] "T-That no I really mean I ." [Shhh just take thepliment. I may have yed my part, but you did save us all today. For that I am grateful.] "T-that I " He seems confused and doesn''t know how to react. He keeps sneaking nces at the hilt in my hand. Guess he didn''t expect his own spell to be that strong. I''m pretty sure magic works the same way as divine energy on fundamental levels. The stronger the conviction the stronger the power. Thus a miracle happened. He managed to produce way more power than he should have been able to. Was it from a desire to protect? An unwillingness to die? Hate toward this dragon that wanted nothing but to toy with us? It doesn''t matter. All that matters is the end result. We fucking survived. I can feel something wet on my hand. Wolfie is there licking it. I swear this wolf is way too expressive. I can see congrattions and also something deeper. I get the feeling that she never was worried in the first ce. I get a feeling of trust. Might be because I just overcame death, but I feel touched. I also notice something else. My other hand still gripping that broken-looking hilt. This is great. It might be a piece of junk objectively, but to me it is priceless. It is a token of friendship Bald Eagle gave me. I''m truly d it survived the fight too. As I''m reminiscing about the past a mercenaryes nearby. "What are we doing now? Wherever you lead us we will follow!" I look around, all of them looking at me. Nodding their heads in approval. Even their leader agrees. I guess me guiding them all over the ce and through the countless undead did increase their trust in me. What do we do now? We cannot remain here for long. Actually, I perhaps could with divine energy. Sometimes I do forget to eat and nothing bad happens. But they are counting on me. Should we wait for the portal to reopen? I''m not even sure I remember where it was. Then again, I could probably follow the smell haha. How about exploring this ce? This fog seems to be the center of this ce. Whatever mystery lies hidden inside might be the key to our escape. Decisions, decisions. I look at the others. They all have expectant gazes awaiting my reply. Fuck it no pain no gain. I''m not going to wait forever for a portal to perhaps open. I am gonna head deeper inside. Who knows what I will find? All I know is that whatever it is I won''t give up just that easily. I might be weak, but this dragon yer is gonna ovee this death domain! Just watch! Chapter 111: Braving the Fog Chapter 111: Braving the Fog Death domain this dragon yer ising for you! Haha, I feel good just thinking about it. The next time some idiot starts bragging next to me I''ll go . that''s cool but have you ever in a dragon? That ought to render them speechless. Of course, I wouldn''t tell anyone about the circumstances. All of it was possible because of the amazing support, not from my own power. Still, it does spark joy in me haha. I probably just need to check that dragons are not considered an endangered species or something before. Given how powerful a dposing one is probably not. In any case, I can''t really even be considered a true dragon yer as the one I destroyed was already in that state. Oh well. Now for the actual n. I''ll head straight in and explore. My scouting ability? I''m getting mentally tired of using it and this fog is really dense. Almost as dense as a Japanese harem protagonist. I can''t see shit. But seriously how does one ever write a character so oblivious?! These dense MC are the worst! They can literally have bitches on their dicks, and they won''t think anything of it. Oh ...she just fell. Have you seen the way she did?! That fall was nned tond her on your crotch dude! It doesn''t follow physic''sws! She obviously pulled a stunt somehow to make it happen. Anyway, I digress. The fog is thick. Almost as thick as Zero''s mom. I really should not ever say that joke aloud or he might get mad at me haha. Visibility is so low it will be hard to even see where I''ll be walking. How did I even fight the bone dragon then? Well, it''s not as bad on the outer edge. Plus that dragon was really huge. Legit just the airflow associated with its movement gave its position away. That and the big discernable silhouette. Still, this might be dangerous. Better I go alone. [I''ll go and explore you guys stay here and wait for my return.] "Hell no!" "We ain''t cowards!" "We''ll follow you wherever!" [It might be dangerous it''s better you guys stay here in case something happens.] "Please, you already saved us once." "If it turns bad you can just disregard us." "We''ll still do our best to help." Damn these guys. These guys are seriously seriously . death-seeking, aren''t they? Then again, I could also call them loyal. This is something I can respect. [Alright, we push forward. Until we find the truth of this ce. If something bad shows up we retreat instantly.] "YES! X10" Seriously how did I be the de facto leader here? Oh, probably because of how tired their actual leader is after sacrificing his lifespan. Would make sense. I swear I''m not trying to seize power! He doesn''t seem bothered by it either. I guess everything is fine. Time for a march. We stick close together. We can''t see anything. This is actually difficult. Makes me understand how much we humans rely on our vision. It is only once something is gone that you realize how lucky you were. All these years taking seeing for granted I now feel especially vulnerable. You know these movies where a character puts a blind on and manages to keep going. Even to the point of rowing a boat bringing children or something? Well, I call bullshit haha. Now that I think about it that movie was bad anyway. Then again this is a new world, with magic. I''m having lots of trouble finding my footing on the perfectly straight ground. Mypanions are better off. I guess practicing martial arts and fighting for long gave them a better instinctual sense of their surroundings. Seems like I might actually be the dead weight here. I have divine enhancement running full power to defend myself, but I basically have no way to react should I be attacked by anything. Still, everything is fine. One step at a time. Slowly but surely, I will. WTF is that?! Something big just appeared in front of me. Suddenly and without a sound! [Careful!] I dash backward and take a defensive position. Whatever it is doesn''t seem to be moving at all. What is up with that? "Want me to make some fire to light the way?" Might be worth it. The downside is we''ll be extremely visible. Upside we''ll get to more clearly discern what we are facing. [Sure, but don''t make it too bright. Don''t want to alert anything.] Who knows if the big silhouette in front of us is not a sleeping giant monster? He shes some fire over and appears . a huge wooden door. Dark and sturdy looking. Gold engravings on it. It looks both regal and serving defensive purposes. On the side high stone walls. The border town wall is but a dwarfpared to this one. Overall all of it gives a majestic and mysterious feeling. No matter what awaits us in there, chances are we can find knowledge about this ce in there. "What should we do?" [We''ll head in. There might be danger inside, but it beats dying of hunger out here.] "Alright!" I stand on the side while they push the doors wide open. Or try to anyway. It won''t budge for some reason. The doors look massive, but still, it seems weird for it not to move at all. "There might be a seal on it?" A seal is it? Possible. Then again anything someone tells me about magic this is my default answer. I can''t sense mana after all. I can only see the magic that has special effects. Maybe I can try something. I stand in front of it and prepare myself. I think about removing an enchantment. Divine energy I''m counting on you to work your magic again! Let me see. How about thinking about that index character''s power? Focus. Visualize. My right hand can break any spells. Actually, you know what? Let me picture my left hand doing the same too. Hell yeah, the upgraded and improved version! This is epic! Now just gotta see if this works. Breath deeply and push. It barely moves, but it does! Victory! Dragon yer and vanquisher of stuck doors! TA-DA-DA! Mypanions push it open all the way. A gust of aires our way blowing the surrounding fog away. *Whimpers* What''s that? For some reason Wolfie looks scared. Should I be worried?! Chapter 112: Poking a Corpse Chapter 112: Poking a Corpse *Whimpers* Wolfie is acting fearful for some reason. I reach out and pat her head and give a reassuring smile. No matter what awaits inside we will be fine. It cannot be worse than a bone dragon, right? I carefully step inside. There are no light sources inside but somehow, we can still discern the surroundings. There is a soft red glow surrounding the area, the same color as the moon once again. If I had to say it seems like the fog doesn''t affect this ce at all. How peculiar. Everything seems surreal. It takes me a few seconds to figure out what it is. This ce gives both an ancient vibe and yet a pristine one. As if there were servants actively caring for it, but no one is seen. So far it seems empty. Way too empty. The walls are decorated with various paintings giving it all a regal feeling. Whoever lives or lived here is doing well financially. I wonder if this ce used to be some empire? Perhaps it got overrun by the undead? Could this ce have been banished from the outside world through aplex spell? Just imagining it makes me shiver. How else would one exin needing a portal toe here? Otherwise, perhaps the castle was used as a bastion to popte this ce. Maybe the unkible undead made them give up on the project. Perhaps there used to be more undead and the old residents dealt with most of them at the cost of their own lives. Actually, we barely fought the wraiths. Maybe they could deal with the slow skeletons but got overrun once the flying ethereal army mobilized. Still, this is weird. Why are these creatures avoiding this ce? Could it be some sort of ultimate warding spell? If it truly worked why would this ce be so empty? The bone dragon? Something else? Ah never mind. I''m clearly overthinking this. We''ll deal with whateveres our way. [Stay vignt, we''ll slowly proceed with me in front. I doubt there will be traps but just in case.] They all nod. We tread slowly. From room to room. Entrance hall, a great hall, what seems to be guardrooms, an empty kitchen, some storerooms, a huge dining room, some unidentifiable rooms too. We keep moving about without seeing any sign of life whatsoever. Yet everything is in pristine condition. Probably the effect of the seal I broke to head in. As I''m wondering what is up with the ce, wee across big golden double doors. These look really fancy. Add some boss music and it would be perfect for an RPG action game. Of course, there is no way a strong monster is just awaiting us in there. We push the doors very carefully. There is a long ck carpet. That should be red, what an oversight. On the walls torches glowing with seemingly magical eternal fire. The room is huge. At the end of it stairs leading to a throne. Smallpared to the surroundings. On it is a silhouette. What?! There is someone here? Hum. It''s not moving. Would this ce be the final resting ce of some bigshot? Thest protector of this castle. I can already picture it giving its life away to seal this ce forever protecting it from the outside world. Will the enemies be able to force their way in now that we disturbed the peace here? I really hope not. Ie close to it. The corpse seems really well preserved. Sitting upright somehow. All its hair ispletely white. The skin seemingly still supple and looking great. This is perhaps the most photogenic corpse I''ve ever seen. The guy looks somewhat young, but still has a mature feeling to him. Hard to exin. If anything I get the feeling of him being regal. Sometimes the posture makes every bit of difference. The embroidered golden dragon robe he is wearing does y a part too. I''m truly d not to be gay at the moment, otherwise, this corpse right here might have tempted me into necrophilia. He is that good-looking. *Growl* What is up with Wolfie now? She looks at the corpse seemingly feeling threatened. Oh, she worries too much haha. She''s the cutest white creature around. Even if I seem to be showing interest in this corpse, I''m just curious. I bring my finger closer to it. I want to see if it will disintegrate into ashes once it''s touched. I get the feeling it might actually happen. Closer and closeruntil. I quickly poke it. As my finger is reaching toward its head. It moves. It fucking moves! The corpse just moved! "OUCH MY EYE!" My finger is pressing onto a now opened eyeball. How did this happen? I wasn''t aiming there at all. The corpse looks at me. "AHHHHHH" [AHHHHHH] "AHHHHHH" [AHHHHHHH] What the fuck is happening?! Am I dreaming?! "Who are you? Are you going to stop poking my eye anytime soon?!" I quickly bring back my hand. Apparently, this is no corpse. Some guy in a magically induced nap? [Sorry about thatI thought you were dead.] "Hum, understandable. So what brings all of you here? And more importantly, why are you going around poking corpses?!" Hum how do I exin myself? I''m not some weirdo! I was just a bit curious you know. [So the thing is we came here chased by] "Wait! I would becking in my duty as a host if I didn''t properly receive you all! Let''s head to the dining room and I will show you how hospitable I can be!" He cheerfully starts leading the way. Humming some kind of unknown tune. I''m really not sure how to react to this. The good thing is he forgave me fairly easily it seems. Note to self, less random poking in the future. Now that I think about it there is something peculiar about this man. Well besides his cheerfulness. That can be easily exined if he was locked away here for a while. Human contact is somehow necessary for everyone no matter how reclusive they are. Why do you think hermits in stories always have 1 or 2 disciples? Is it because they want to share their legacy? Nope, it''s because they are bored as fuck haha. Once you see these powerful characters as simply bored old men it all makes sense. Still, there is something peculiar about this man that we are now following. White hair, great-looking, pale skin, red eyes, piercing, and intense gaze. He''s that, isn''t he? An albino! Chapter 113: An Otherworldly Dining Experience Chapter 113: An Otherworldly Dining Experience This man is so cheerful. How long has it been since he''s had any visitor? Damn. There is something weird to some guy just sleeping in such a ce for sure. But then again that ising from some random dude that can use divine power. SOOO yeah. Me simply existing leads me to believe him just sleeping here for a long time isn''t that weird after all. Thus I dly follow him. Mypanions seem extremely on edge, even Wolfie. Ah, perhaps it''s their first time seeing someone with white hair? Maybe they are even wondering if he is human with how red his eyes are and everything. I''ve watched enough anime to not be disturbed by it. Some of my favorite characters have red eyes. Usually the anti-hero type of character that looks extremely badass. Actually, I wonder if the eye color is some byproduct of some magic? If yes, I need to learn it! I''d go from in side character to the main character in one go! You know that spot the main character game people be ying? Well, right now I wouldn''t be picked no matter what. *Sigh* What can I say, most of the world is still blind to my handsomeness. It''s fine. So we follow the guy. Me following close while pondering this serious topic. The others trailing behind. Until we reach the big dining room we saw earlier. It is as regal as the rest of the castle. I mean it is a damn castle what would you expect? A super long table, lots of chairs, he lights up some magical-looking torches. There is already cutlery and everything there. Looks to be silver. Also very shiny. "Please sit! Make yourselvesfortable. It''s been years since I''ve had people over for dinner! I will make sure to show you guys a good time! Please be at ease while I go busy myself in the kitchen." Damn his smile is so radiant. I usually dislike pretty guys but that dude is an exception. There is some kind of innocence behind his smile. He is so happy about us being here. How lonely was he?! Probably a lot. [Alright! Thank you!] And he leaves leaving us to our own devices. "We need to leave right now! This guy is obviously a vampire!" Wait, what? A vampire? I don''t know I''m not getting a vampire vibe at all. These guys should be evil-looking, with long fangs and mostly shrieking and salivating while looking at humans. Then again there are also the fancy vampires with the charm and everything. Still, he seems too innocent for that. [I don''t believe so. What makes you think that?] "The hair, the eyes, the sleeping in a death domain, everything! Everything makes me think that!" Oh, I can kinda see it now. Still, I don''t think that one is evil at all. Call it gut feeling. [Alright, I know exactly how to prove it once and for all. Believe in me. Later I''ll give you guys a signal. If I say that I love his hospitality we get the fuck out. If I say I fucking love his hospitality, we stay.] "T-that what if it''s toote to run when he''s back." Wolfie looks at me with pleading eyes too. [We''ll stay here for now. Need to find information about this ce in any case.] They all nod. We can''t leave just yet. He is about to bring food after all, and I''m famished! EhI mean we need to gather some information! Yes, that''s it! Hees back without a sound at all. Walking slowly, then he sits at the main seat of the table. I can see him showing a self-deprecating smile. He still seems happy, but obviously has some regret. I can hear gulping sounds around me. What are these guys even getting excited about? He came back empty-handed after all. "You guys dig in; I wish I could serve something better, but this is all I have left at the moment." I hear exmations on the side. "How fragrant!" "How tender!" "How delicious!" "This is the best thing I''ve ever eaten!" "I''m so d to be alive at the moment!" "Is it even possible for anything to be better than that?!" Mypanions are all drooling. They have all picked up their cutlery and are enthusiastically stabbing the air. Then they proceed to bring it to their mouth as fast as possible before making blissful faces. They are eating. Or are trying to. How the fuck did all these mercenaries all be mimes suddenly? They are so damn good at it too! Ah, I see. This is an illusion somehow. Guess the divine energy coursing through me protected me from it. I see. We did see the kitchen earlier. It waspletely empty, wasn''t it? Even the best chef cannot cook without ingredients. "You are not eating?" Our host looks at me with an amazed expression. [I''m not especially hungry but thank you for the offer.] "S-should we ... not eat too?!" The mercenary leader manages to stop his silly show through sheer will. He looks about to cry from refraining himself, awaiting my reply. [Go ahead, eat your fill. Just don''t spend that newfound energy. Keep it forter use.] He looks extremely relieved and keeps digging in. God looking at them go I''m almost jealous. It looks so fucking amazing! But now that I know that I''d just be consuming air it kinda kills it for me. Turns out this guy can use illusion magic? Or perhaps it''s mind alteration magic? After all, I can still see the magic that has special effects. If he was affecting light directly and turning this into a natural phenomenon, I''d see it too. But nope, I''m out of this fun party. Oh well. That only proves he can use magic. That much I guessed already. After all, there is no way a normal viger would be living here. Then again it might be a fun prank to do. Bring some really weak dude here and film his reaction. Okay, that actually might be evil. Still, should we stay here or not? So far his only crime is trying to fake being a great host. It can be seen as kindness, kinda. After all, they seem to be having the time of their life. So much that I''m jealous. Alright, let''s first figure out if he is a vampire or not. Would make sense if this whole thing was a vampire''s charm attack. I slowly grab a cup. Like with everything else it is shiny and silver looking. Isn''t silver super effective against vampires? Then again maybe that was werewolves I''m not sure. I raise it slowly. [Let me make a toast to everyone for finding sce on this auspicious day!] I raise my ss to our host, then I turn around and raise it to mypanions that are on the opposite side of the table. In the shiny cup a reflection. Or actually ack of. This means something serious! Oh wait, I''m actually not well aligned. I rotate it slightly. Turns out our host does have a reflection. Yep, that settles it! Not a vampire! [I fucking love your hospitality!] I can see a delighted and relieved smile appear on the guy''s face! Who the hell ever thought this guy to be a vampire!? Chapter 114: Peaceful Walk In the Castle Chapter 114: Peaceful Walk In the Castle Yeah, no way in hell this guy is a bloodthirsty monster. He is innocently and radiantly smiling because of me praising his hospitality. Hell if that guy is a vampire, I''m a god! HAHAHA. As if! Everyone seems to be having fun. Miming away with the highest drive I''ve ever seen. Legit this guy would definitely be a popr show executive from where I''m from. Either that or he could legit open a restaurant that would sell literal air. That would be the most profitable business model ever. [Hey, do you know how to leave this ce?] I can see a shadow pass through his otherwise clear eyes. "I know how, I simply can''t myself. But don''t worry, I will help you guys get out. This ce is not one suited for the living." [Aren''t you here?] "I''m a special case you see. I need to stay here for reasons beyond my control. Most of the time I am simply slumbering in any case it isn''t that bad." I can see loneliness in his expression. He is trying to put on a brave front. Sadly he seems right about this ce not being suitable for the living. I could probably stay here for a while using divine energy to sustain myself but for what purpose? To keep himpany? ActuallyI could! At first, I just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, but I do have an unlimited supply of training dummies here. What if I stayed just for a little while? I could train for a while. There is a nice castle and all. Ah, but what about Wolfie? I''d have to abandon her for a little while. That would be really bad. Also, I''d lose my guides to this diplomatic town, but I could probably somehow figure it out. I''ll have to decideter on. [Gotcha, in any case, we''ll have to open the way for mypanions. They definitely can''t stay here.] He nods earnestly. Actually, I am getting curious about something. [How did you actually cook for them to be so engrossed in it?] "Every dish is tailored to every individual''s preference." [Every single one?!] "Yes haha, that''s how it works." I truly wonder how it would appear for me. Then again it probably doesn''t matter that much. It is fine from time to time but getting the feeling of eating without the actual nutriments is going to be bad for the health long term for sure. Waitwouldn''t this magic be the best one for losing weight?! Oh my god! I really wish there is a way for me to learn this thing. I would be rich instantly. I do have the slight presentiment that it will involve mana again. Seriously these mages seem so fucking boring, so far none has ever considered using divine energy to cast spells instead. Maybe I could figure it out on my own? Well, my experiences are limited I probably just haven''t met one. Ah, but I heard sudden-selfbustion is possible for magic if you make a mistake. Getting a teacher for the moreplex stuff is the safe way to go about it for sure. Could you imagine dying from messing up a spell?! Tombstone reading: this dumbass dreamed of being a mage. Task failed sessfully! "Would you, perhaps want to go for a walk? I could show you around the castle." His eyes are shiny. You know like a kid that invites a friend over for the first time. Then said kid would proceed to show every single room there is, even the bathroom like a tour guide. That is how enthusiastic he is at the moment. Damn this guy is cute. [Sure thing, lead the way!] I get upor try to. Wolfie is hugging my leg preventing me from doing so. How does a wolf even do that? I wouldn''t know how to describe it at all. All curled up around it with a begging look. [Want toe along?] *Nods* "Of course you can tag along too! The more the merrier. I just don''t want to disturb their feast." Yes, these guys are looking at me wondering if they should follow. I can see their gaze darting from the invisible food to me with lingering regret. Funny people. [You guys just eat, we''ll be back!] They''d be cheering and screaming of joy right now if they didn''t have their mouths full, or so they think anyway. And thus we depart again. I just realized this but somehow our host doesn''t make any sound while moving about. How awesome is that?! To be honest there are two ways to go about being an epic character as far as the walking pattern goes. Either it needs to be confident, steady, and rhythmicalor the opposite and silent. The first one implies a boss that knows where he is heading. The second implies mystery. Who doesn''t love mystery? No one! Actually, maybe some people but still. [Oh yeah, how does this castle remain this clean?] This feels more surreal than the entire death domain itself. Actually, now that I think about it there is a chance this guy is some kind of necromancer or something. That would make him simr to Grey. How is a dark magic user that friendly and spending his days on a bench in the sun? I''ll never know. But there has been a precedent so maybemight exin the red eyes too, some kind of powerful magic. "Oh, the whole castle was sealed away and free from deteriorating because of it." [Wait?! Does that mean you are able to stop time with a seal?] "No, not at all. The best I can do is make this ce remain untouched. Anything alive inside will still lose lifespan. Time isn''t stopped, just its deadly effects affected. Well only toward object again." [That is still so amazing! Say if there is ever a time where you can exit this ce won''t you work with me? We''d start a restaurant! We''d start an item preservation business! We''d start a fitness center!] "HAHAHAHA there is no way this will happen." He''sughing so heartily while shutting me down so harshly. Why? "I won''t be able to leave for a very long while. I have my circumstances." [Alright understood, but promise me that when you get out, you''ll look for me so we can partner up and do business!] "That. alright." [Alright now we are talking!] "HAHA of course!" [Alright where do we begin the tour?] And thus we start strolling peacefully. Things are going so well. Nothing bad will happen, right? Chapter 115: This Castle Is the Absolute Worst! Chapter 115: This Castle Is the Absolute Worst! ****(POV) I am pretty much unknown in this world, even on this continent. Just a simple mercenary in a mercenarypany that has more history than future. After all, we used to be in the Lion''s band. We even fought alongside the Eagle of Massacre many times. Well, he wasn''t that famous at the time. As we came here, I already knew something to be wrong with this ce. The whole domain itself was already bad. Somehow, we survived it so far. All following a man I thought to be slightly nave and ipetent at first. I was truly mistaken about him. I am the taciturn and cautious type that I know. I am that one guy that never says anything while others are eximing aloud. But even then, he still convinced me to follow him. From all the feats he aplished. I don''t want to dwell on the past and won''t even bother to list it all, but it was truly impressive. He brought us all the way to the core of this world. We were now facing a majestic-looking castle. Just the very location of it screamed trouble. There was no way a fief could be randomly built in such a god-forsakennd. I would have truly preferred to steer clear of it, but it couldn''t be helped. We didn''t really have any better option. Also, we were still following him. Somehow, I got the feeling things will turn right. I the one that doubts anything, and everything actually trust this man with my life. We tried to push the doors. Even with all of usbined we couldn''t even make it budge. Our leader the only mage in thepany seemed at a loss too. That''s when he stepped up, yet again. Spent a few minutes with his eyes closed then extended his hand and . absolutely nothing happened. At first nce anyway. But then we were ordered to push again. Then it worked. What he did I have no idea still. He simply resolved the issue. Then came a gust of air. Somehow it gave me the feeling that we were releasing some sealed ancient evil. Might be my pessimist nature acting up, however. We went deeper and deeper inside going through most of the rooms. We found things one would expect to find in a normal castle. That being a bad thing in my opinion. There is no way a normal castle would have stayed here standing and intact. Not even a small trace of damage to be seen. It being so empty scared me more than it reassures me. Such an environment usuallyes with magic at y. Mercenaries don''t mingle well with magic. We are men of the steel. We spill sweat and blood. There are asional mages that join such a profession but they usually don''t stay long. The whole lifestyle of the upation shes with their ways of life. Magic is more about searching for the truths of the world. All about trying to find something new and increase one''s control over mana. Warriors are all about building up their muscles and finding more efficient ways to use them. The first one finds strength from the world and thetter creates strength from nothing but building the body. Well, it kinda is like that. For most people anyway. Our leader is a mage that also trains his body. He''s one of the weird ones. He used to be the second inmand of the Lion himself at some point. They used to be great friends, but they did have their differences. Mostly about the banditry episode. But anyway I digress, mercenaries and magic don''t mix well. And this whole castle reeks of magic. My instinct tells me to just leave and run. Where are we even supposed to run to? That I don''t know. But I kept following for we have a reliable ally. Then we came across a throne room. In there we found something that should have obviously been dead. Theck of breathing giving it out right away. Problem is it came to life right after. Well, life would be a mistake as even then it wasn''t breathing. It came to life by being poked in the eye. I was sure it was going to fly into a rage and end us all right there and then. Apparently, I was wrong. I feel like I''ve been wrong on many thingstely. Even still I get the feeling I am perfectly sane. I get the feeling that the whole world is the one turning mad. I can''t be the only one. Yes, instead of killing us he brought us to a dining room. He then left us alone to go prepare some stuff. Our leader said aloud what we were all thinking I assume. How we should leave and about our host being an obvious vampire. The hair, theck of breathing, the eyes, the overall feeling, no way he could be anything else. The one we are now following denied it. Not sure why. Did he truly not see it? Were we being monitored? Did he know but chose to ignore it for some reasons beyond my understanding? All guesses being possiblewell not the first one. That one is quite impossible when you think about it logically. Only a fool and an idiot wouldn''t realize it. He seems not only wise in times, but also extremely powerful. I still don''t believe our leader is the one that made that giant ming sword possible. Also, I get a feeling that this specific sword reminds me of something for some reason. Anyway, he told us to wait for his signal. That he would tell us using a keyword whether to stay or leave. Guess that also excludes the monitoring option or he wouldn''t have told us directly. Thus I patiently waited for our host to be back. I swore that whatever he brought I wouldn''t touch it. He came back shortly after. I thought I had seen it all, but I still got surprised. Horrified in fact. With him a cart full of delicacies. Was it anything else there I could have just ignored it. Not this. Anything but this! He ced in front of me something that not only seemed heavenly but appeared tasty and overall the best I''ve ever seen. Myst thought before indulging in the cute cat-shaped cookies was that this castle is the absolute worst. Even the poison is that appealing! Fuck that castle! Fuck the cook! Fuck these cookies! Tears of bliss, joy, and bitterness came out as I kept eating bite after bite. Knowing I would most probably die from it. Chapter 116: Eating and Reminiscing Chapter 116: Eating and Reminiscing ****(POV) This is insane! Right now I am devouring everything on my te. I should know better than to do something so dumb. I have been a mercenary leader for a long time after all! That food might very well be poisoned but I just can''t stop my hands or mouth. It is that delicious. Who doesn''t love pancakes! But there is something weird about the whole thing. I can see one of mypanions eat it ravenously too. The thing is he hates pancakes. Chances are this is not real. Earlier we stumbled upon the kitchen. It was totally empty. Yet here we are eating a feast. Either our host knows storage magic, or this is all an illusion. Both cases are extremely scary as both are extremely strong magic. Talking about our host there is obviously something wrong with him. More urately he is perfectly fineas a vampire. I''ve heard tales of them. Some extremely powerful and evil race. Illusion magic tends to be right in their cords. The moment one falls to the charm it is already toote to fight back. He could simply kill us all while we are feasting. I know that, but I still can''t stop at all! This is crazy! I was about to despair, but then that man told us to keep eating. That everything would be fine. Not to use that so-called newfound energy, however. Of course, an illusion is not filling at all. That''s when I realized something. He knew all along. He saw through the illusion instantly. We all sumbed to it, yet it never affected him in the first ce! He alone is stronger than all of us. Is it him being on another levelpletely? Is it his will being that firm? After all, I was able to discern the threat, I am just not resolute enough to defend against it. I that survived many life and death fights and am known for my cool head is not his match. At all. I''m truly d we came here with him. Otherwise, we would have joined the pile of skeletons outside. Maybe the most unresolved to death between us would have turned into wraiths. Yet all because of him, we are still alive. And now we get to just rx while he takes care of everything. I''m not sure if I should feel bad or just ask him if he won''t take us under his wing. That would be pretty shameless wouldn''t it? Now that I think about it I should have known something was up since the beginning. He requested guides, never protectors. He didn''t bat a single eye to therger and stronger mercenary group. He didn''t have to. Thenter on he met a unicorn. Stuff like that doesn''t happen to themon mortals. These creatures are way too proud to show themselves to normal guys, or so I''ve heard anyway. After that, we got ambushed on the road. Not sure how they evaded his detection, but we did fall into their trap. Still, he never panicked. At first, he had a smirk on his face and then surprise, but not fear. Not once. I first mistook that for him being too surprised but turns out I was the one in the wrong. Well after a while he dide back to his senses and started running with us too. Was that all an act? He seems to like to act weak for some reason. We dived right into an unknown portal and came here. He guided us all around evading the enemies until we reached the middle area where we fought the skeleton army. When people were getting antsy, he started singing. Good n, but it requires the courage to apply it. A weak soul would just despair and want to run confronted by such an army. Not him. Even then kept leading us. Then came a huge bone dragon. That is when we all collectively gave up on life. No one spoke but we all knew this ce was going to be our tomb. Still, I wanted to try onest stand burning my life soul. He went alone to confront the creature. Alone against a damn dragon! He did it naturally without a hint of doubt too! He seemed to have trouble dodging every attack, yet he remained fine. I concentrated on my casting. Chanting is not always necessary but it does increase the power of magic. I was going to pour everything into that one spell: my power, my body, my soul, all of it. We kept charging through and actually made it across finally reaching the fog. I understood how after looking at him dancing with the dragon. He wasn''t only dealing with the big guy but also countless skeletons at the same time. All the while dodging barely at thest second and making it look as clumsily as possible. That''s when I truly understood that he had been faking all this while. His unsteady posture only an illusion. This man was a hardened warrior. The worst is he had many opportunities to counterattack yet he would yfully run around the dragon even then. I figured he might be able to actually produce a miracle. Especially with my support. I waited for him toe nearby and started enchanting his sword. This would have been my most powerful cast everexcept I never even finished it. First I realized he didn''t have his sword anymore. Not sure when it disappeared. Then when I was about to ask someone to lend him one he took something that was hanging at his neck. I never really paid attention to that. Grave mistake. Or it would have been had he been an enemy. For us, it was the best news possible. He took out something I will always recognize instantly. The Bringer of Cmity. The sword that made the Eagle of Massacre into a legend. Right there and then I simply nked out. The only thing I could think to myself was WHAT THE FUCK!!!! Chapter 117: Eating and Reminiscing…Still Chapter 117: Eating and Reminiscing¡­Still ****(POV) All I could think then was what the fuck! Okay, this is not as simple as bringing out a really good sword. No, this one is mythical and infamous. Legends say that whoever possesses this sword will want to do nothing but ughter. The Eagle of Massacre was a fighting addict. He would dive into the battlefield and slice people left and right. The more blood the happier he felt. The Lion would carefully n every campaign, but at some point, the Eagle would just show up and take care of all the enemies by himself. That''s how he became famous. The whole continent was expecting him to be a ughtering machine and to start a continent-wide killing spree at some point. Surprisingly that never actually happened. Well, he did annihte a few sects, but nothing too bad in the grand scheme of things. Let''s just say everyone was surprised when he joined the Moon Keep and as a simple instructor at that. Well, then again there are various legends about that faction too. If anything they could bepared to a sleeping behemoth. Over the years, vegetation grew on its back and people now take it to be a simple mountain. Little do they know should it be woken up and enraged, this wholend will know fear. That is how I would describe them. They do not make any wave, but no true power here dares to go against them. Anyway, it is an established fact that he was spending his days quietly there. That reminds me of something our savior said. Something about faking being the Moon Keep''s champion. Something about receiving magic lessons from Grey the Necromancer, another legend, this one even worse than the Eagle. Something about knowing a Bald Eagle. Not only does he know him but he even has his legendary weapon! In the first ce obtaining it is almost impossible. Either from fighting or convincing. Also, the sword itself can only be used by bloodthirsty people. Or that should be the case. So he brought out the motherfucking Bringer of Cmity. As soon as I saw that I stopped chanting to stare like a dumbass. He then lighted it up. The famous de of fire appearing under my very eyes. At first long, then very long. The raw energy crackling inside it more than what I have used over the course of my entire life. Enough power to end anything in one strike. I was truly d to be his ally. Against that no chance of survival. No matter what. Then he brought it down and obliterated the dragon. He led us to survive, he toyed with a creature straight out from a nightmare and finally just ended it with one sh. Oh yeah, afterward he also thanked me for saving his life. Something about my spell allowing him to finally end the fight. Yes, that spell that I never even finished. I chanted, I pointed, and I nked. No matter how I tried to deny it he kept saying the same thing. I wanted to refute badly, but I was not about to risk angering him over something so simple. Then we entered this castle. He managed to unseal it instantly I''m not even sure how. Confronted to our scary host he showed no fear. He remained hisposed and casual self, also goofy a bit. I mean who goes around poking vampires?! Him! He fucking does! That reminds me, there was the wolf at his side that kept growling all along. Somehow I have no memory of that wolf much. I''ve seen it plenty of times, but it never fought, ever. It keeps trailing behind him lie a shadow. Wait, there was that episode with the Inn. Oh god, even his pet is specialright? Don''t tell me it''s some sort of beast king or something?! Wait, no that''s impossible. These guys are prideful and . actually might be. I don''t know at all. In any case, that wolf instantly saw through the whole castle and the vampire. I thought there would be a hard and epic fight, but nope. We just went to eat. That begs to question, aren''t they supposed to be the evilest race there is? I can see two options. First, our host is actually an exception. Two, he has realized he is no match for our ally and is acting coy. Now that I think carefully it might very well be possible. Since he saw through the illusion instantly and all. As I am deep in thought and still eating a bite from time to time I can hear my colleagues. "This is the best thing ever!" "Exactly like my granny used to cook it!" "This pudding is the best!" "Anyone wants to spar? I feel so full of energy!" Ah, these dumbasses. And who has pudding as his favorite food? That''s not warrior-like at all. I should probably remind them. "No sparing! This whole food is an illusion! You guys have only been eating empty air all this while!" They all look at the food on their tes, then at me. "HumLeader? I have a question" "What is it?" "If that is all an illusion why are you eating it as we speak?!" "Are you dumb?! Because it''s extremely delicious! Don''t even try this with me even now you are still munching away too!" We all look at each other and give an understanding nod. It all makes sense. So what if it fake. As long as it tastes good right? "Wait, chief, won''t that mean that he would be in danger?! He just followed a vampire, didn''t he?! What if he gets put under charm too and" "He''ll be fine. Have you seen how he killed that bone dragon? You think a man like him would fear a single vampire?" "Yes but that was with you burning your life force to support him no?!" "That''s obviously bullshit. That was all him. I just spectated. I never actually did finish that spell." Some are looking at me like they have heard something unbelievable. The more perspicacious ones don''t really seem surprised. All of them are still eating, however. That includes me. Damn, this magic is addictive as fuck! Oh well, for all we know an epic fight of apocalyptic proportion is happening right about now. Chapter 118: Epic Fight of Apocalyptic Proportions! Chapter 118: Epic Fight of Apocalyptic Proportions! *THUD* *BAM* *THUD* *BAM* Oh no, I''m about to be defeated! Not yet! There is no fucking way I will admit defeat so easily! Do you think I''ll let some guy crush me that fast? No way in hell. I will crawl my way to survival. So what if it is a pointless endeavor. So what if I cannote back from it? He has the obvious advantage right now. I am being pushed to my very limits. I will at the very least make him waste his time. I will make him remember that I might be weak but that I will not simply kick the bucket! My will is stronger than my skill. Way stronger. "How about you simply give up. It won''t hurt that much. It will be over before you know it anyway." [Ah! Nice try, you think I will easily be goaded into such a thing? I am no quitter! Come and get me] "This is getting old; we have already been fighting for a few hours now. You are obviously losing how about making it painless and surrendering?" [How about YOU surrender! I may not be that great, but I have confidence in my stamina. No matter how long it takes I will be standing.] "Oh? Is that so? You want topete in endurance with one such as I? You should know I have been slumbering here for a long time already." [So what? Slumbering is slumbering, this is a battlefield!] "It might be, but it doesn''t change the fact that we could do this for ages, and I would still end up victorious. You have no chance of sess. At all." [That is what you think haha. I just need to keep wasting time until I wear you down!] "What wear me down? It is literally impossible for you to win this." [Or is it?] "It is." [But what if it''s not?] "But it is you see." [Not.] "You don''t even have a n. Just give up already. Please!" [I just need to hold on. What if I suddenly get some enlightenment!] "You think such a thing is thatmon?" [Nope, but one can hope right?] "You are willing to bet everything on that?" [Of course!] "Fine let''s keep going then. But seriously this is getting tiring." [HA! HA! You are getting tired how about admitting defeat!] "That is a figure of speech! I can do this for decades!" [Bring it on then!] "No, you bring it on!" [I''ll bring it on so much that you won''t believe it!] "I''ll bring it on so much that you wouldn''t even dream about it." [I''ll bring it on so much that my bringing it on will defy the veryws of this world and physics!] "I''llwait what''s that physics thing you talked about?" [Hum it''s the study inner workings of the world pretty much.] "Isn''t that magic?" [I guess it kinda is in this world. Hum let''s just say some things happen even without any magic involved.] "Like what? Everything is rted to magic somehow in this world." [Hum what about gravity?] "Gravity magic what about it?" [Even without magic if you drop something it will still fall to the ground, right?] "Yes, that''s because this whole world has gravity magic applied to it." [Don''t think so. Gravity can be created from anything having a heavy mass.] "What do you mean?" [If something is heavy enough it will drag things in the surroundings toward it.] "Are you sure?" [Not really I''ve never been good with that stuff.] "Oh, that''s a shame. Now die already!" [No way! Screw you! I am very much in perfect condition!] "What are you talking about in perfect condition?! You almost lost everything already!" [I don''t see what you are talking about!] "I see it! Even your wolf at the side sees it!" [Don''t drag Wolfie into this! This is a one-versus-one duel between us! We agreed on these terms!] "I''m not dragging her into it I''m just saying you should give up already!" [Wolfie do you think I should keep fighting!] *Nod* "Seriously?! He is so doomed!" [See that! I should keep fighting! Wolfie believes in me! There is no way I will lose now!] "How is that rted to you losing or winning?! Her cheering you on won''t change a single thing!" [Ha! That''s what you think! Don''t you know the greatest warriors all have a cute fan club following them around! I have the cutest Wolf there is cheering me on! I am invincible!] "That''s not" [Invincible!] "That''s not how any of." [Invincible!] "That''s not how any of this works!" [Invinci] "We get it already!" [ble.] "*Sigh* Fine let''s keep at it! Your demise is all but assured anyway!" [No your demise is all but assured!] "Actually if we keep at it won''t we both run out of lifespan before this game is over?" [Oh? Is your resolve wavering? It''s perfectly fine to give up you know?] "There is no way I would!" [If you give up now it will be painless you know.] "That was my own argument." [Then you can''t deny it''s a good one right?] "Ah screw you." [So what if you get angry it won''t change the fact that] "Checkmate! HAHAHAHAHAHA. You were so focused on trash-talking that youpletely missed my stratagem. Who''s the best? Who''s the best?" [Y-you] "I can''t hear you!" [You are!] "And ?" [You are a master of strategy and I should not have bet against you in the first ce.] "And ?" [I only agreed to say that much! Anything else wasn''t part of the bet!] "Haha, fair enough. It was fun." [Ah..sure.] "Want to do another game?" [No, I''m fine] "Of course, it would be pointless. You would just instantly lose wouldn''t you." [What no way?! I just don''t feel like it.] "So you are not mad about losing to aplete beginner that didn''t know the game at all? You are also not mad about losing that first game? That''s great!" [That] "Hum maybe I should y against Wolfie, she would probably be a worthy opponent." Am I getting dissed right now? He legit just said a wolf would be a stronger chess opponent than I am. Then again Wolfie is super smart. Chances are that And they already started ying. Am I some kind of side-character? Should I go on the side to cry a bit or just stay here and cry a lot? *Sigh* Life is harsh sometimes. Chapter 119: Planning for the Future Chapter 119: nning for the Future So we went for a quick walk. I got a VIP tour of the whole castle. Turns out that it only made me jealous of how stylish it is. Then we decided to take a break and y some chess. We did that on a whim after I said something about how a reading room would be the perfect ce to y that game. I had to teach him from the ground up starting with how to manufacture the board itself. Our host used magic to aplish the task and the result is surprisingly amazing. It would put all the existing chess sets to shame. That used to be one of my hobbies. I would walk along what we would call the old city back in the other world. It featured touristic attractions, little shops, and public entertainers. Some of these small shops would have custom-made chess sets. One of them sold collection swords and was selling one such board with extremely intricate and awesome medieval-looking pieces. Of course, all of that was expensive as fuck so I never bought any. At some point in this life when I finally get my own ce, it is one of the first things I willmission. That and a pelt by the firece. Then I''ll be able to personify that draw me like a French girl meme by the firece. Silly reason? I do not care haha. I would only leave these kinds of shops as the night started falling. It was then that the coolest public entertainers would get out. The ones with the best sense of humor. With it beingte they took more liberties assuming most kids would be sleeping already. So yeah, I showed him chess and got my ass kicked. At first, I managed to use my knowledge advantage to grab most of his pieces, but I quickly realized that he was quickly improving until I finally lost. Now he and Wolfie are ying some intense-looking match. I''m not sure whether to be proud or ashamed. My wolf is really awesome. I really want to shout: look at her she''s my pet! But wouldn''t that tell people that I''m worse than an animal on the intelligence spectrum? Quite demeaning. Oh well. So what now? How do I busy myself while waiting for their game to be over? Might take a while given how proficient both are. Don''t ask me how that''s possible. I don''t know. Might as well go check on my otherpanions. I quickly locate them using my scouting ability. Didn''t we just recently part? Yes, but this castle is big and confusing. Like a hugebyrinth. As I push the door of the dining room I can see these guys.still fucking munching wow. I''m not sure if I should praise the illusion magic or praise their dedication to eating. I mean I''m sure at least a few have figured the truth already no? [You guys are still eating?] "You are back! Wait?! Where is your wolf?!" Isn''t he the observant kind, as expected of the one leading them! [Oh she''s fighting against our host right now. They''ll be busy for a while.] "WHAT?! They are fighting we need to quickly go and help!" Yet he remains seated pretending to devour something. [Oh no, they are fine, just ying.] "OH? That''s good!" [Aren''t you guys bored of it already?] I point to the table. "Of course! But it is too good!" Tears of both joyand shame seem to be glistering at the corner of their eyes. Okay, this is both funny and pitiful. Maybe I can do something about it. Dispelling hands activate! I go near the man and gently p him. He looks at me bbergasted. Wondering why I suddenly hit him. Guess I''ll give him a second. "You monster! Give me back my pancakes! EH. I mean thanks." Wow, that spell is super addictive it seems. Even now I can feel a lingering regret in him. [So good news he knows how to get us out of here and will assist us.] I can hear faint cheers! "What is the bad news?" [What? None really. I''m just wondering if I should stick here for a while to train a bit. With the infinite skeletons and all.] He looks like he suddenly understood something. "As expected, even seeing this world as a training opportunity! How wise!" I mean kind of, but for any gamer, that stuff is a given. Grinding is a huge part of our lives. "Oh, we''ll wait for you however long it takes. There is something we''ll need to do real quick back in the outside world, however." [Oh?] "You know how we got ambushed by these assassins that were after our mercenarypany?" [Well obviously, that was only a few chapters ago.] "Chapters?" [Just a way to say it wasn''t long since it happened. Keep going.] "Well, we''ll need to kill that group. We would most likely need to ry some information about them to someone. Someone I used to know. If I''m not mistaken the reason that attempt happened must be rted to ourmon past in some way or another." [Hum, so you''ll be busy for a while? What about our deal?] "I can guide you all the way or give you aplete refund and tell you how to reach your destination." [Hum I guess I''ll think about it. For now, these assholes are ourmon problem. They did ambush me and Wolfie. That should definitely be a priority and then we''ll decide about whates next.] Alright, that sounds like a n. I wander all over the room and dispel the illusion for all of them. Then we all head to the tiny, small room where they are ying chess. It bes quickly crowdednot. Seriously even the smaller rooms here are vast. This ce must cost a fortune in maintenance. How many maids would one need to even keep it clean?! Waitnow that I am thinking about it if the maids are cute it might not be a bad thing. Get them a stylish maid outfit and bam you get a basic harem but without the associatedplications. Wow, that is genius. In every kingdom story, there is always political intrigue between the various concubines, but the maids usually aren''t as much of a hassle. Yep, makes sense. [About the exit to this ce are you able to open it and close it on a whim? What if I want to go outside and take care of some business beforeing back?] He seems concentrated on his game, but he still nonchntly answers me. "Humdid I not tell you? The earliest I can open a portal leading outside is in 20 years." Are you fucking kidding me?! How are mypanions supposed to survive that long without food or water?! For water there is always that: better drink my own piss ultimate technique! But what about food?! Even eating each other we are royally screwed here!! I guess that was the bad news... Chapter 120: A Unicorn’s Enlightenment Chapter 120: A Unicorn¡¯s Enlightenment ****(POV) Just what did I do?! Because of me both Wolfie and her human went headfirst into the jaws of death itself! The worst is she might not realize it soon enough to protect themselves. We unicorns are especially sensitive to evil. She might be able to figure out the dangers if she actively activates her divination abilities, but otherwise, this means trouble! I won''t ever forget myself if she ends up dying because of me. After all, we are oldrades. More like I was the one always looking up to her. She used to be one of the core guardians after all. I was but a puny existencepared to her. I still remember how she congratted me upon reaching rank 5. She, that unreachable rank 8dy took notice of my existence. That was the best day of my life. And now I perhaps caused her very demise. I trust her wisdom and strength, but reincarnating did set her so far behind. This is really bad! Think calmly. What are my options? I don''t actually have any. The earliest I can open the portal again is in a week. In the meantime, I am a sitting horse here. Or was it sitting duck? Never understood human expressions. I can''t help but walk in circles. I am regretting it. This simple n of mine quickly turned extremely wrong. Wait, no. Even if shees across the evil inside, she might be able to stay alive for a week. She is resourceful after all. I just need to go in as soon as possible. I have felt the evil inside. There is no way I could defeat such a thing no matter what. But stalling might be possible. Stalling long enough for them to escape. Stalling long enough to save my idol. That is how I will proceed. I willy down my life to atone for my mistake. Still, this is frustrating. The wait. The helplessness. The strong desire to help that has is bottled inside of me. "Where did these guys go?!" What is that? About 50 people running from the direction my acquaintances came from. Wait my allies seemed to be running away from something. Was it perhaps from these people? It wouldn''t make much sense but "Find them we need to execute them as fast as possible to get our payment!" They all head this way. "U-Unicorn! There is a unicorn there!" I have been spotted it seems. These weaklings should stay away. For one of the first times in my life, I am in a bad mood. "Kill her! Loot her horn! Sell it to the highest bidder! We are going to be rich boys!" Killing me? Wanting to butcher my body? All for some coin? Unforgivable. UNFORGIVABLE. It is all their fault. Their greed caused all of this. Caused Wolfie to run to her possible death. Caused Wolfie''s human to run to his death too. Caused some horribleplications. Caused some evil to potentially be released by disturbing my work. Caused my very likely uing death. But most importantly caused me to sin. I failed to protect. I failed to safeguard. I failed as a pure unicorn. They deserve some righteous punishment. How does one punish sinners like them? One such as I wouldn''t know. Unicorns are pure beings. What should I ? ActuallyI might know what to do. Yes, it all seems so clear right now. Everything happens for a reason. It all clicks in my head now. I give a relieved smile. I now know what I must do. "What the hell is wrong with that creature?! Such a creepy smile!" I start lowly humming to myself. "One thing they did wrong. Opposing us their undoing." I charge toward the nearest opponent and impale it on my horn. "Against enemies no evildoing." Blood flows from his perforated chest. His dying expression one of surprise. "Proceed to crush their bones." I stomp on another onehard. I can hear a satisfying cracking sound as he falls to the ground and his head gets crushed. "What the fuck is wrong with that unicorn?! Quickly surround it and !" I start singing even louder. "Rampage as a cyclone!" I dash evading most of their attacks. The ones that do hit me causing no damage whatsoever. Stomping, a spine gets snapped in half. Impaling, managed to get 2 of them at once. The more I keep going the more natural it feels. "Cutting their junk!" I don''t have any weapons, but I do have hooves. And teeth. I bite and I smash. "ARGGGG This hurts so much! What the hell is wrong with that thing!" "Save me!!!!" "Stay away from me evil creature!" "Would have been wiser to submit. On your weak god, we spit!" I keep killing and killing. They try to run, but I''m a motherfucking unicorn. I''m fast! Trying to run? I think not. There are still many left. It doesn''t matter. Here we go again! "We are peerlessly strong. One thing they did wrong. Opposing us their undoing Against enemies no evildoing!" HAHAHAHAHAHA. For once in my life, I feel alive. I don''t know why but the song I found extremely repulsive before I now understand. Some people just don''t deserve to live. That is all. As simple as that. As I''m having this epiphany I look around. I am standing on a mountain of corpses. For some reason, it doesn''t disgust me. Their fate is as it should be. I guess I just need to wait for the link to this other world to be avable again. So what if in there awaits an utter evil? That song does talk about being proud warriors. That is what I shall be. A proud unicorn. A proud warrior unicorn. Just wait for me, you evil creature! Even if I might be weaker, this unicorn will stomp you until only despair remains! No matter what I will save Wolfie. No matter what I will save that human. No matter how weak he might be, he remains the king of the endless forest kingdom. As long as he stays alive there will be a future for it. Perhaps a deste future. Perhaps a glorious one. That will be up to them. I do trust Wolfie. My resolve is made. The hardest fight of my life uing! I won''t cower away! Chapter 121: This Is the End Chapter 121: This Is the End So there was bad news. 20 years eh. I raise my hand high up. Our host looks at me puzzled about my behavior. [It means I have a question.] "Oh? Go ahead ask anything." [So how is surviving possible for 20 years without food or water?] "ThatI never thought about thatit doesn''t seem possible." [What''s with that deadpan voice?! Are you expecting people to just wait it out?!] "That was the n but I now realize it might not work very well." [You just now realize this?!] "ThatI''m ashamed to say, but yes." What is up with that guy? How can he be so smart to the point of stomping me easily at chess yet be so clueless?! This is illogical! [Any way you can use that time magic of yours to put people to sleep so they don''t have to eat or drink?] "Sadly not. It cannot affect living things, the reason it works on me is rted to the very reason I am stuck here." *Thud* I see all mypanions drop to the ground. I can see the despair on their faces, but also eptance. Just when they were happy to have survived, they were told they would die of thirst soon. Truly a bummer. What am I supposed to do? There has to be a way! Wolfie is still calm. She has so much trust in me. more than I have in myself. Guess that''s why they say wolves are a man''s most awesome friend or something. [Think! You know this ce! There must be a path of survival somewhere somehow?!] He shakes his head. The mercenary leaderes forward. "Don''t worry about it, we are mercenaries. Dying is part of our reality. I am simply sad to have dragged all of you guys here down with me *sigh*." What is that guy saying? [It was my fault we came here in the first ] "Don''t be too hard on yourself. You are the very reason we are alive right now. Don''t worry about it." Damn. I look at them all. All I can see is gratefulness in their eyes. The despair is already gone. They have managed to adjust their mental state already. "HAHAHAHA Why the long faces people? I always dreamed of dying in a castle!" "I wanted to die on the battlefield, but this isn''t that bad either! How about I go out in style fighting some skeletons!" "Please I want to go out after eating a feast, and we just had one!" "I only ever wanted to live and die by the sword with my brothers in arms. You could call this a satisfying end." "Oh? You guys all have boring ideas. I want to live forever. Not for real, I mean. I want to have a song made about me and go down in history as the most normal and hardworking mercenary!" "HAHAHA What? You don''t even want to be sang about as a hero?! You want to be some normal mercenary?!" "Well, he''s not wrong. I would very much love to hear the tale of these normal mercenaries. Just your usual rank 2 warriors. Not especially strong. Yet you''ll never guess where they fucking went! These madds braved a death domainand conquered it too! While the heroes of this world evade these like the gue they fucking went in and left behind a legend. The legend of the men that had the biggest balls in the entire universe!" "HAHAHAHAHAHA I fucking want to be remembered for that! He was weak and normal, but damn did he have the biggest balls of all times! The sheer courage of that guy! I cannot even tell you how awesome it was! That''s how I want to be remembered too!" "True. What is wrong with dying this way? We had a good run." They joke around. Tell how they wished to leave this world. How satisfied they are with their lives. How they have no regrets. But I know. I do fucking know it. How every single one of them would love nothing more than to keep living. All of them true warriors. They would love nothing more than to keep fighting. All of them are men I am truly proud of. It is an honor to share such an adventure with these guys. No matter how it ends. No matter if we actually make it or die here. This could very well be the end of the line. I know I can survive a while on divine energy, but this may not work long-term. These guys might very well die. Then Wolfie might very well die. Then I will probably follow in their steps. Leaving behind this new friend we made. Mypanions are allughing and joking about. Even when they are about to die, even when they should be despairing. For some reason, the one that looks the saddest here is my white-haired friend. It seems he just realized that he would be left alone again. All alone in this huge empty castle. Alone with the mindless skeletons. Him a living relic of a better past. Living with the warmth of the friends he made but knowing it to be lost forever. I can discern all that from his longing gaze. By looking at how piercing his gaze is toward all of us. Then one of the mercenaries opens his mouth. One that used to be a small vige hunter before he joined the group. One that doesn''t usually talk much. "Say mister who''s totally not a vampire could you cast that awesome illusion magic on us again? Just to make the ending peaceful and painless? I simply want to beughing until the very end. Leave this world while being on top!" Our host seems toe back to his sense upon being called upon. "That, sure. How would you want it to go?" "Just make it exactly like it is right now, I just don''t want to feel the hunger or my body getting weaker and weaker." "Very well. That I can and will do." He waves his hand pointing across the whole room. Apparently to enchant it all together. I don''t feel any different. Maybe I am immune to that too? Then I hear something. "HERE I AM! This unicorn is going to end all of you bitches!" Welp, I take that back. That illusion magic is definitely affecting me. Damn that shit is really fucking good! Who needs drugs when you got magic! Chapter 122: A Valiant Unicorn to the Rescue! Chapter 122: A Valiant Unicorn to the Rescue! "HERE I AM! This unicorn is going to end all of you bitches!" Wow! Just wow! That shit is good! A few seconds in and I''m already hearing a unicorn''s war cry. I look at mypanions, they too are reacting weirdly. Guess we are all going to share the same hallucinations? This is amazing! This would have been so damn popr back in the other world! Use this simple technique to trip balls with all your friends! Would have been an upgraded version of that Peace-Pipe thingy. The more I wait the more this audio hallucination seems to be heading closer and closer. I wonder if our host is actually controlling that? Then again, the fact that it is a unicorn is probably something straight out of my memories. Well at the same time this is obviously not real. I mean there is no way the one I know would be speaking in such a manner. To be frank I am freaking loving it. You take a super-pure unicorn, then you give it a badass persona. Simr to all these movies where you have a super cute character that turns out to be some ultimate evil haha. I wonder what it will look like? It ising toward here fast. I''ll know soon. *CRASH! * The doors to this room explode as a creature rushes in. This really says a lot about how big this ce is since a horse can easily fit through the entrance. "I will defeat you, evil bastard! Hand over my friend and the human! Otherwise, I swear I''ll remove this head of yours from your body and spit on your corpse while " And it is still going strong with the insults. So this new unicorn is nothing like the one I saw previously. Thest one was pure white. This neer has ck tattoo-like patterns all over its body. The horn is blood red too. That is not how a unicorn should look like I believe. I really prefer this look, however! That is some damn edgy and epic motherfucking unicorn right there! I wonder if I can converse with it? This might be an illusion, but it looks like one that is He realistic. [Hey there! You look amazing! What brings you here?] I almost get the feeling it is blushing for some reason. "I came for you! To bring you to safety!" Oh? So this is the backstory we are going with. It is so random and far stretched that it kinda gives it away that this is an illusion. Then again it is easy toin, but hard to actually create. SoI guess I''ll just roll with it! This seems fun! I give it the most radiant smile I can! [I''m counting on you then!] Ites nearby quickly, then it. What the fuck?! It dragged me onto its back!? How?! This illusion is physical?! I take what I said earlier back! This magic is the best thing in the world! And thus we depart galloping across the huge castle. The sound resonating across the entire ce. I hug it tightly to make sure not to fall. Damn this is epic! I might need to rethink my idea of what the ultimate cavalry looks like. Unicorns aren''t that bad after all. We keep going and going. Then we exit into the fog. For some reason, it seems to get pushed back whenever my mountes near it. The whole ride isfortable and the surroundings clear thanks to this power. At some point, we start encountering skeletons, but they easily get trampled to dust! Oh I get it, I''m probably still in that one castle room, aren''t I? This is probably simr to an advanced VR. I''m seeing things and feeling things, but my real body is probablypletely still. Might as well have fun while itsts. [Onward my life-longpanion! We ride into battle! To infinity and beyond!] "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" I do enjoy the madughter too. It gives it personality. At some point, we stop. In front of us, is a purple opened portal. Wait, isn''t that how we came in here? I can somehow feel it pulsating with energy. I get the feeling this portal is definitely real. Waitif the portal is real then .that unicorn is real too?! Then we totally just rode away in a reckless manner randomly. That. I .Well. But what is up with this new look? Can unicorns change skin like we change clothes? Transformation magic? I guess I can always ask. It can talk after all. [By the way, what''s with the new look?] "What new look?" Wait it doesn''t know? I''m not sure how to really bring up the topic. [I guess it doesn''t matter. I like it. How did you find this ce?] "I opened a direct linking here toe and save you guys!" Wait now that the portal is opened we are totally saved, aren''t we?! I go near the unicorn and hug it. [Thank you for saving us! Thank you!] "We need to leave quickly there is still that guy in there that " [The white-haired guy? He''s a friend don''t worry about him.] "Wait.what?! How is this possible?! He is ." My friend looks shocked and confused. Then mumbles after a while. "This means I did something unnecessary. You didn''t need my help." [On the contrary! We were about to perish here because there is no food or water and we couldn''t open the portal. Without you we would be doomed in a few days maximum!] It lights up and bes excited! "You can count on me! I can open a portal whenever you need me to!" [Nice!] Mypanion shows an ashamed expression. "Still I guess I made a fool out of myself busting in and out like that." [Does it matter? I had a ton of fun! I mean we did break a door, but I don''t think it''s the end of the world either. He''ll forgive us. How about we go back?] *Nod* I can''t wait to announce the good news to all the mercenaries. How should I go about it to make it impactful? I could also troll them a bit haha. Chapter 123: A Valiant Unicorn to the Rescue! Still?! Chapter 123: A Valiant Unicorn to the Rescue! Still?! ****(POV) As Ie into this realm all I can feel is death. This ce truly defies the natural order of the world. What is dead should remain motionless and shouldn''t bother the livings. Tch. I already hate it. I can see skeletons and wraiths wandering about. Tons of them. They are but weaklings in front of one such as I. I can stomp the bones easily and I can annihte the specters if theye nearby just using my aura alone. No, this isn''t the source of the uneasiness I felt. This ce is but a trivial issue for me. No, there is something evil lurking at its core. Truly evil. It takes me a moment to figure it out. Dread fills me. This is the smell of a vampire. One extremely ancient and powerful. Does this rescue mission even have a chance of sess? I am not sure myself. Still, it doesn''t matter. I have already resolved that I won''t cower. It doesn''t change the fact that I am shaken to my very soul. My whole being telling me to run as far away as possible, as fast as possible. I know how to deal with this feeling. I start humming that war song he taught me. The one thing I hated now giving me the courage to keep progressing. The more I gallop and the more I sing the more I realize that I do have a chance of victory. You know what? Not only will I save the king but I will also fuck that vampire up should he try to block my path! So what if he is an all-powerful being? I''ll show him that if he wants to mess with me he''ll have to pay a steep price! As Ie across a huge castle I know they are in there. A war cry leaves my mouth, almost by itself. "HERE I AM! This unicorn is going to end all of you bitches!" I rush in following their life signature. I charge through the door directly. No time for such bullshit and there they are! And so is the vampire! I insult him a bit in passing. I feel alive. Now is the time to be heroic! The king tells me how amazing I look. I knew it! Fighting valiantly for a cause makes me look cool! Still, it is the first time anyone tells me that in such a direct way! I''m not sure how to react. I feel all warm inside. I tell him I came to save him, and he says he is counting on me. This is great! The king of the endless forest is counting on me!" Me this simple unicorn! I''ll have to live up to his expectations! I drag him on my back, and we depart leaving behind a seemingly still confused vampire! I totally got this! At some point, I realize how intimate we must look right now. His entire body is pressed against me. I can feel his body heat on my skin. His legs are wrapped around me. It is the first time a man ever rides me. This is intense! No way, I''m probably overthinking this. Even if he is hugging me ever so tightly in his embrace. Pulling my hair slightly and caressing my head. I really should focus on destroying all the skeletons. [Onward my life-longpanion! We ride into battle! To infinity and beyond!] What?! Life-long? Riding together into battle? To infinity and beyond? Is this a confession?! What about Wolfie? Then againscrew Wolfie! I have no clue where she even is right now. Doesn''t matter. I''ll just enjoy this moment! And then before I even know it I amughing. From the very bottom of my heart. All the way until we reach the portal. We can head out safely now. Somehow this mission has been a sess. There is one thing that doesn''t add up. Why didn''t the vampire even bother pursuing us? There is something fishy going on here. As I''m deep in thoughts he asks me about my new look. What does the king mean? He asks me how I found this ce. I tell him that I used some magic to open a link toe to their rescue. I''m about to keep going . Then hees nearby and hugs me while thanking me. This! This is too much! I used to be a really shy unicorn! This is too much emotion in one go! We should take things slow and . then again, we can take things fast too. *blush* Wait now is not the time for this! We need to leave fast before the vampire changes his mind andes after us! That''s when he tells me the vampire is a friend. What?! How?! How does a human make friends with a bloodsucker?! I''m confused. I feel like my whole worldview is crumbling. I feel like I made a fool of myself just now. All that rescue mission was unnecessary. As I''m feeling down, he reassures me. I saved them by opening a portal. I may have done it in a really unnecessarily shy way, but I did indeed save them! He tells me not to worry about it and that everything will be alright. Thus we slowly start walking back toward the scary castle once again. As we do I am feeling impressed with him. I truly realize why Wolfie chose him. A man that can convince a vampire to join him That in itself is a miracle. No matter how strong or weak he might be he does give this warm feeling to people that follow him. To me too He showed me that there is more to this world. He taught me about the ugliness of it through that song. Weirdly. Yet, somehow, I get the feeling the world became more real because of it. It is okay to be angry, it is okay to be mad. I will not conform to how my species should be acting. Pure and boring. I will be myself and that will be enough. It is at that exact moment that I decide to follow him in the future no matter what happens. The Unnamed God Sect was it? Chapter 124: Leaving the Death Domain Chapter 124: Leaving the Death Domain And thus we return to the castle. Some puzzled mercenaries, a seemingly slightly annoyed Wolfie, and an as-calm-as-ever albino guy, are all there to wee us. I take a solemn voice. [Everyone I have good news and bad news] "Start with the bad news." They are all looking at me with serious expressions. [You guys. I''m afraid all your death monologues are going to be wasted.] "Wait" "You mean?!" "Seriously?!" "We are saved?!" [Yep, our friend here can open a portal to the earth realm. We are officially going to be fine! That is the good news by the way.] "Hell yeah!" "This is great!" "So there is no bad news? I feel cheated!" "Who cares?! You get to live, shut up haha!" Everyone is in a joyous mood, celebrating. Well, all except our host who is pensively ying around with a chess piece in his hand. I address him. [How about it? Will you join us?] "I truly can''t. Not right now at least. Maybe one day." [I understand.] I turn to the unicorn. [You can open the portal whenever right? Is it always at the same ce?] "Yes, why?" [I was thinking of maybe training here for a while. This is a golden opportunity. Infinite training partners. Even once broken they can still be used after a short wait. Could you bring everyone out ande backter for me?] "I understand! I will do as you wish. I would alwayse back for you!" That sounded overly dramatic and passionate, but that''s fine too. Guess it is the way unicorns speak by default. We share some words. Promising how we will meet upter on for sure. Still, they have some stuff to deal with on their side. I have my training to do. I do receive a map describing how to reach my chosen destination for when I do get out of this realm. As they are all about to cross the portal, the mercenary leader turns back. "Hum, can I ask you something?" [Anything. What is it?] "Well, you said something about a sect before, right?" [I probably did, why?] "Could me and my brothers join?" [What about your mercenary band?] "Meh, who cares about that. So, can we?" [Of course! It would be my pleasure!] This is great, I somehow recruited a few rank 2 and a rank 3 mage! "Also we might have a few friends that might be interested in joining would that be fine too?" [Of course, but I''m kinda broke at the moment. I can''t very well pay a sry. For now, it''s more of a coolmunity rather than a serious faction. Are you still fine with that?] "Of course! Well then, I will see youter Sect Leader! I wish you luck in your training!" [You too! Take care, you guys!] And thus they all depart. Wolfie gives me onest nce before going through. She and the unicorn will be waiting for me on the other side. The purple light disappears leaving me and my white-haired friend alone. He pats my shoulder. "You will see them soon enough do not worry." He is right I should start training already. I give him a small nod and I make my way toward one of the skeleton armies. I n to train for a month here. One big continuous session. I will be trying to scout while remaining in the skeleton army and dodge all the attacks. This will be a mental test, a physical test, and also one of resilience. And thus starts a training regimen. The skeletons are the perfect partners. Relentless and extremely motivated. No matter how much I beg they won''t stop. There is no safe word here. Hours and days pass. From time-to-time, des nearby and we talk about various subjects. Apparently, that is his name. Or nickname anyway. His real name is supposed to be so long it''s a pain to say even for him. For some reason the skeletons never attack him. It probably is rted to why he is stuck here. The skeletons prevent me, an outsider, from moving about as I want. That doesn''t apply to him. At least that''s what I roughly understood. Sometimes I have a bit of trouble focusing on both our conversations and the scouting and also the enemies right in front of me. This is lowkey really hard. Then again if it was easy it wouldn''t qualify as training at all. In such a way my time herees to an end. It is time to say each other goodbye. My friend seems to be fidgeting. Is he not sure what to say? Is there something he wants to ask me? [What is it?] "Hum, you know how I am stuck here?" [Yes, what of it?] Is there a way to bring him out somehow? If I can I''ll help him. Him exploring the earth realm with me would be fun. "Initially I wasn''t the only one here. There were many others. In fact, they are still here. All in a death-like state." [Seriously?! Any way to help them?] "Well, yes, but it may sound extremely weird and quite possible repulsive. You see they almost died fromck of blood. I used a spell to stop their time somehow, but it won''tst forever either, at some point they will" [Wait, so you have friends somewhere here that are about to die, and to save them you need some blood transfusion?!] I didn''t know people of this world knew about such a method?! Well, he did say it sounds repulsive. Maybe blood transfusions are unpopr or seen as something evil? "Thatyes. I tried my own blood but for some reason it" Of course. If the blood type is wrong, it won''t work. This is probably something most people are ignorant of, so I guess that''s why he''s ashamed of asking. But Ie from a world with advanced medical science! Something as simple as this won''t phase me! [Do you have a container anywhere?] He leads me to a bathtub in the castle. It is huge and can fit many people for sure. "Just a bit will do, make sure not to overdo it!" [Gotcha, don''t worry about it!] He leaves me alone. It takes me a while but I finally manage to pierce my own wrist. Blood starts slowly flowing, then faster. I use divine energy to regenerate it as it drips out. Not longter the huge bathtub ispletely filled. Guess that should do the trick, hopefully. He did say he doesn''t need much. I join him outside, he doesn''t even look inside. I guess he trusts me enough not to doubt my resolve and he doesn''t want to make things awkward between us. We reach the portal and wait until it opens. Then I confidently cross it. [I will meet youter on the other side d!] He nods. Earth Realm, your father is back! Chapter 125: Lord of The Night Part 1 Chapter 125: Lord of The Night Part 1 ****(POV) How long have I been slumbering here? All I know is it has been ages since the catastrophe happened. We all needed to quickly escape the world, or we would have disappeared, slowly but surely. I brought all my servants into exile with me. While most of my race tried their luck into various realms, I had a trump card. I already had a base developed previously. I only had to retreat here and wait for time to pass. However, then came the unexpected. My domain got raided by a bunch of birds. The self-proimed holy kind, the worst of hypocrites. Servants of one of the main deities in thend. The Lightbringer. I actually prevailed in that fight, but it did weaken both me and my army a lot. All of my pawns had to be put in a magical death-like state to avoid getting reduced to ashes. Even I weakened a lot. Was I not that feeble I could have revived my allies easily. It would have been more fun. I always was considered weird for it, but I do consider these weaklings worth something. I mean sure they are disposable, but I''d rather have them be there to serve me. This is why I kind of lost touch with the other lords. Our ideals shed a lot. I was weakened to a point that I would have trouble opening a portal. Well, that is mostly because my specialty is illusion magic. I was never good at dealing with the real world. I would slowly umte power from the death energy in this ce. It would take time, but at some point, I would be able to simply brute force a link back to the earth realm. At least, I think? Funny how some of the weaklings that serve me would be better suited to such a task. I am one of the few that doesn''t believe this to be shameful. Everyone has his specialty and that is good enough. In vampire society, the norm is that if you find out that any underling is better at something than you you eat him, and then you remain number one. Ridiculously dumb if you ask me. Sadly I would need blood to get them back. Enough to fill a river. I was nning to keep slumbering here awaiting the world to be habitable for my kind again. That''s when they came. More precisely that is when HE came. Intruded upon my castle by disabling the seal over it. Already at that point, I knew about it. Still, I always had difficulty waking up. I was still in a groggy state when they came inside the throne room. He stood in front of me and I finally opened my eyes prepared to greet them. Then I got poked. Right in the eyeball. A proud vampire lord that rules over thousands got poked by some random human. What is this?! He quickly apologizes, but I can already discern something very weird. The mercenaries behind him are all shaking in their boots. Obviously, they have realized that I am a bloodsucker. The small wolf by his side is ring at me apparently protecting the human. This wolf is not simple. It reminds me of the behemoths of old. Still, even in my frail state, I believe I would overpower it easily. What is truly mind-blowing is how the human is acting so nonchntly in my presence. This sparks some old memories of the past. That''s when I decide on a whim to serve them a feast. I want to learn more about this odd-looking group. Simply put I am extremely bored. It won''t be toote to drain them of their bloodter either. I bring them to the dining room and leave them alone for a few seconds. Well, I am still listening to their conversation. I want to see how they will react. Will they freak out? Try to run? Try to put on a brave front? I truly wonder. As soon as I''m out someone states the obvious about me. Then the peculiar human interjects. He says he doesn''t think I am a vampire? Is he perhapsblind?! He will give them a signal to tell them if they should run or not. Sadly for them, I''m aware of the "secret "code haha. I go back in, working my proudest illusion magic. They are all instantly entranced, even the wolf that gave me a bad feeling. As I''m feeling smug I realize something scary. The human has not looked even once at my illusion. He ispletely unaffected! This is crazy! How is this possible?! I try my best to keep my voice calm and steady as I ask him why he isn''t eating. There must be some exnation! He looks at me with a smile and politely answers that he''s not hungry. Then he turns to the mercenaries and tells them they can eat but that they should conserve their energy. He knows. He has seen through my tricks easily. He even does a toast yfully with an obviously empty ss, yet doesn''t drink it. To put things into perspective back in the old world If I called myself the number 2 illusionist no one would have dared to take the number one spot. Yet here he is. Completely unaffected. He gives them the signal that everything is alright, that I am not a vampire. I can see how the others react. They rx instantly. They still believe me a vampire, but they have great trust in him it seems. That''s when I decide that I want to get to know him better. Ipletely give up my ns to drain their lifeforce and decide to ask him if he wants to go for a walk instead. It has been far too long. Far too long since I was able to simply talk with anyone. I really miss my nsmen right about now. But even if I killed everyone here, I would only be able to revive a few of the weakest ones at best. This is not worth antagonizing the only person in a while that isn''t scared of my very being. Well, that is also why many considered me to be weak. All because of that tendency of mine. Even then I know that he won''t be able to stay here long, this ce isn''t one for the living after all. Chapter 126: Lord of The Night Part 2 Chapter 126: Lord of The Night Part 2 ****(POV) He asks me many questions. About the magic I used, about how to get out of here, also how I can keep the castle clean. It seems he is purposely not asking anything rted to my race. This is surprising. Usually we vampires usually provoke either extreme fear or fascination. The way we appear alive yet are actually undead intrigues or scares many. No, this man is referring to me as a friend. How long has it been since I have heard this word? Far too long. He has plenty of weird ideas, most of them about how we should start a business together. How silly! But I like it! I show him the rooms of my humble stronghold. When we reach the reading room, he starts going on about how it would be the perfect ce to y chess. At first, I am lost, but then he exins it to me. This turns out to be a really fun yetplex game. I use some magic to create the board and pieces ording to his directions. It takes me a long time but he doesn''tin. Then he exins the rules and we start ying. Very quickly I find myself drawn into it. Surprisingly he is extremely bad at it. He manages to take a huge lead at the beginning due to my unfamiliarity with the game. Soon enough I have him drawn into a corner, however. The only issue is I barely have pieces left myself thus making the checkmate extremely hard. Add to that how he keeps running away instead of surrendering. This can be great for trainingmanders. All the logical thought process that goes into this game would work wonders on the battlefield. I will teach it to my underlings for sure! I finally defeat him. Then I start ying against the small wolf. Wolfie, she is called. Having her as an opponent only shows me how unordinary she is. I am not able to gain a single advantage over her. At all! My human friend leaves andes back. He asks me something about the portal again and I tell him that I''ll open it for him in 20 years. He raises his hand I''m not sure why. Oh? That means he has a question? Apparently that 20 years timeframe will be an issue. they are human after all. Then again, I am sure Wolfie and my human friend will be fine somehow seeing how powerful they are. Still, that means the mercenaries are doomed, doesn''t it? Oh well, I''ll put their blood to good use for sure. They ask me to cast an illusion over them to make the end peaceful. I can do that for sure. If that weird humaning here was unexpected, whates next is even more so. From nowhere appears a unicorn that starts rushing through my castle. But there is something weird about it, it shows signs of corruption. This in itself should be impossible?! Unicorns are being that simply stop existing once they lose their purity. How the hell is this one still alive? This doesn''t make sense. Then this not unicorn proceeds to insult me, dash away with the weird human apparently saving him, only toe back not long after acting as if nothing happened. For a moment I''m wondering if I have turned crazy from theck of contact with others. Nope, but these guys are for sure. Apparently, this neer can open a portal to this ce whenever. Would a unicorn agree to help a vampire? Looking at the way it is ring at me I''d say no. Still, it is good news for my friend. He will be able to save hispanions. They exit this ce, he surprisingly stays behind. He says he wants to train against the skeletons. Then for about a month, we talk a lot while he goes about his business. He looks extremely inelegant as he is moving about, but I am guessing he is using some magic to restrain his own movements or something. It is the only exnation that can exin his apparentck of skill and power. Until finally it is time for him to leave. I already knew this, but it does feel weird. I will be back to slumbering for who knows how long. It won''t be as fun for sure. I hesitate for long, but I do ask him if he couldn''t give me a bit of blood. As long as I can revive one underling it won''t be as lonely. I''m ready for some bacsh. I''m ready for him to be disgusted and angry at me. Surprisingly he agrees as if giving out blood was something normal. How?! How did this go so well?! I bring him to a room so he can put some of his blood into a bathtub. Then he leaves for real. I am left behind. I am kinda scared of trying this. He left quickly and didn''t look any different than usual. There probably isn''t that much blood In there. What if I don''t even manage to save one of my brethren? Worst case it will be back to slumbering. I take a step inside the room and ... WHAT?! HOW?! . I see a huge bathtubpletely filled with blood. There is more blood in here than could ever fit inside a being of his size! This is illogical! Highly illogical! If I didn''t know better, I would say someone bled out a dragon to death in here. Yethe was fine. Completely fine! I guess I will take a small sip. If I manage to strengthen my powers I should be able to . *Lick* What is this?! Is this blood?! *Sip* There is no way something so delicious and divine is blood?! Every single drop of the liquid fills me with power. No, it is even more amazing than that! I can feel my old wounds getting healed. Wounds that were deemed impossible to cure. *Gulp* HAHAHAHAHAHA this is some divine nectar!! With this, I will be able to return to my peak state!!! *GULP GULP GULP* With this, I will be able to revive all of my underlings! *GULP GULP GULP GULP* With this, I will have the energy to open the portal leading out of this world whenever I please! *CHUG CHUG CHUG* With this, I can send my legion to dominate the earth realm! Ah, this feeling is the best! My eyelids are getting heavy for some reason. Oh yeah, it''s been so long I forgot how sleepy I get when I drink too much. It''s fine. I''ll recuperate for now. When I awaken again it will be time for world domination. Also, actually no, this should be my main goal. No matter what . Absolutely no matter what . . I will find that human again! Chapter 127: A Caravan Scene Is Mandatory! Chapter 127: A Caravan Scene Is Mandatory! As I exit the portal a wolf and a unicorn dash in my embrace. This is getting out of hand. Wolfie is small and fluffy, but what''s with that horse?! Then again it did save me too. *Hugs and pets* It''s crazy how even the ones that can talk are not immune to patting. I guess what feels nice feels nice no matter what. I guess they don''t have the same pride as humans. Or perhaps humans are simply shyer about their quite normal desires. Everyone longs for affection in a way. Could you imagine a world where humans would go see strangers hoping to get petted? I mean it would work for a cute girl for sure. Still, as I''mying in a world of fluff, I am seriously considering how dumb most of the isekai stories are. This is what real life looks like. A wolf and a horse. Where are the cute girls?! Nowhere! Well, there was Luna, but I have no clue what she''s up to nowadays. For all I know she''s already forgotten me. I really wish I had the power to see the description of my life right now. Like some godly power, you know. *Checks tags hoping there is no NTR in it* But I cannot. So I will have to remember my time with her as a fond memory and hope for the best. As I pet the two of them, they seem to almost be fighting for my affection. Like I have two hands. why is there even an issue in the first ce? Taken out of context I would almost seem like some Harem protagonist haha. [Alright, I''m d to see you two! How about we keep going? Maybe we can find some vige on our way. We could perhaps hunt some game and borrow some kitchen for a bit?] Wolfie seems pleased! That is because I am a master of the barbecue! (At least it''sestible) Only issue is I don''t have my cooking boar. I really wonder what the others back in the forest are doing at the moment. What about Zero? Is he still training? I also wonder where the mercenaries and the first elder went. Maybe I''ll meet them all again one day. Hopefully. We start walking toward our destination. Good thing I have a map with detailed directions! I start walking confidently. Who knows what the future will bring but I . *AWOO! * What''s up? Wolfie is pointing to the map I am holding, then pointing in the opposite direction I am walking. Oh I look at it attentively again. Then I look at Wolfie. Then at the surroundings. Yep, she''s right I was indeed heading the wrong way. I do a 180 degrees. I start walking confidently once again. Who knows what the future will bring, but whatever it is I will brave it with Wolfie! Oh, and also the unicorn that is for some reason following behind me. Well, whatever I guess . **** And thus we hit the road again. Still, no Jack to be seen. Surprisingly, from time to time, I hear the unicorn in the back humming that one war song. You know how it is supposed to be sung with gusto and as loud as possible? Well, somehow she does it with a crystal clear voice and in a low volume making it really creepy. It sounds like the hummin of an angel. Except when you listen to the lyrics, it is all describing atrocities. This is oddly disturbing but also kind of epic. Some kind of ASMR from hell. What kind of monster did I create? She used to be a normal sweet unicorn, but now she is all edgy. Oh well, it is toote. Probably won''t matter. Edgy is not as weird in a fantasy world. There are legit demons wandering thend, probably? So with some questionable background music, we keep journeying. Until appears a bunch of merchant carriages. About 10 of them, pretty big, with guards surrounding them. Of course, the usual clich caravan trope. We will talk to them, then we will agree to work in exchange for some food and to apany them on their travels. Then at some point, some bandits or monsters will attack. Then we will shine and step up to the defense! Then wille the usual acmation chapter. The one where they praise us to the moon, but of course I would remain humble and all. I feel like the one doing the heavy lifting would be our unicorn friend. She is legit powerful. I''ve seen her trample skeletons. Very much like a bulldozer. A graceful one thates with background music included. Oh wait, we have a unicorn with us. No way they will underestimate us. Maybe we could make some money acting as bodyguards. Time to look like a hidden expert. I slowly walk up to them without saying anything. Some guard hollers at me. "Who the hell are you! Why are you trying to sneak in our midst?!" [What sneak up? I''m just walking.] Some corpulent middle-aged man with colorful clotheses out. He gestures to the previous man. "Don''t worry I''ll handle it." Then he turns toward me. "We don''t want beggars here, so please stay far away from us. Should youe nearby we will consider you a thief and get rid of you. If you keep following us, we will consider you some bandit scout, chase you and gut you open. Is that clear? Next time a vagrantes nearby just beat them up directly." He seems satisfied and hops in a carriage. What the fuck. What happened to be kind to others? What about human decency?! But seriously, are they perhaps retarded or just blind? I am traveling with a damn unicorn! I look at mypanion that looks about to head over there and rip them to shred. I very much believe she can do it easily. [Whatever let them be. They are idiots. Blind ones at that!] But seriously why did they think me a vagrant? Would a vagrant have a unicorn and a wolf? Oh wait, I kinda lost most of my clothes a while back while fighting the bone dragon. Wait have I been pretty much naked this whole fucking time?! Fuck me....wait not literally! Chapter 128: The Sun Young Master Chapter 128: The Sun Young Master So I have been almost naked this whole time! This is bad, but then again nothing I can do about it. Usually, I would ask some kind passerby to help me but there are none. Seriously, screw these merchants! Oh well, it can''t be helped that they are wary, but it still annoys me. They didn''t have to add insult to injury at least. Alright, they don''t want us to follow them, but they are slower than us and kinda taking all the road. We can make a detour around them, but it would take a while. For now, we''ll just camp on the side and spend the night here. It won''t be toote to be on our way tomorrow. I''m tired of walking anyway. Not physically that much, but it did be boring quickly. At some point, I tried riding the unicorn for a change of pace, but it started making pretty weird noises. I jumped off quickly even if it kept telling me to ride it and not to be shy. Like seriously I felt it almost became dangerous. And by that, I mean it could have be dangerous for my sexual orientation *shudder*. Seriously that unicorn would be the ultimate H game voice actor. I am not kidding. Like she could easily give life to some blonde masochistic knight or something I don''t know. Still, I decided to walk. Now how does one make a rest area for our party? Well, we can''t make any fire, at all. This means that it''s either we eat wild berries, or we starve. So we mostly starve cause I''m toozy to look for some and so are mypanions. Wolfie doesn''t mind getting food, but only meat. As for the unicorn well, she''ll way too enthusiastic about searching for berries it makes me feel bad. Like I am taking advantage of her. It doesn''t help that she''ll get me some but won''t consume any. She''s been overall weird since she changed her look. I''m guessing it''s puberty or something. Most teenagers have an edgy period. This is probably the same. I''m not familiar with the horse growth cycle. Does that apply to unicorns? I don''t know. Oh well. *Crack* [Who goes there?!] A manes out of some bushes. He seems to being from the main road. Was he with the merchant caravan? Quite possibly. He is the very definition of a bishonen. Young, tall, slender, fit, handsome. Dressed elegantly with long hair that reaches all the way to his back. Toplete it all, a radiant smile and deep blue eyes where one can easily get lost into. I almost get sunk into them and I''m a guy. This says a lot about how pretty he is! "Ie in peace!" [Are you an alien?] "What?" [Never mind it was a joke, what can I do for you?] From his voice, he is a man for sure. "Oh, I saw how they turned you away earlier. I thought that to be slightly cruel on their part. Are you perhaps in need of assistance?" [Well depends, do you have any spare clothes?] "Spare? No, but I can give you some of the ones I am wearing. Give me a second" He starts to undress revealing a white shoulder and some well-defined abs. [No stop! It will be fine!] Do I stop him because I do not want to wear his clothes? Not at all. I am just worried about my sexual orientation once again. I fear that if he removes any more clothing, I will be part of the: a hole is a hole faction. He reluctantly stops. Why do I get the feeling he likes undressing? What''s with people today? Well people and unicorns "Is that so? You guys make an unusual party, so I got curious." [We are heading to the diplomatic city since it looks like a fun ce. I n to be a renowned pie chef there!] "Apie chef? That is oddly specificwhy that?" I look at him confidently. [Because that is the only thing I can cook. Well barbecue too.] "That. How about we eat some of your barbecues then? I am famished! What can I do to help?" [*Sigh* It is no use except if you know how to start a fire] He looks at me weirdly. "I do know how to. You could say it is my specialty actually." [Wow! This must be fate!] I need to get this guy to join the sect! For the fire! Ah ...no I mean because he looks nice, no he seems like a nice person! Yes, that''s the only reason. Well, maybe the fire a tiny little bit. As soon as he replies Wolfie darts toward the wild to go hunt. There are monsters roaming around from time to time I''m sure she''ll find something. The unicorn is smart and figures it out too. She follows behind quickly not willing to be outdone. "What is up with them?" Is this scene that surprising? [Hunting.] To be honest it is a miracle that Wolfie can even hunt with how weak she is. Well, she is smart enough to figure it out. As for the unicorn, it is a miracle that she doesn''t reduce all her opponents to dust with her overwhelming power. It is surprising howpetitive they both get. He looks bbergasted for some weird reason. Then hees back to his senses. "You can call me Sun. I am a traveler heading to that diplomatic city too, same as you. What are the chances!" [Oh, sun because of your radiant smile? I''m just a nameless wanderer.] He is blushing for some reason. Did I say something weird? In a slightly ufortable atmosphere, they both return triumphant from their hunt. One with some unknown monster almost bigger than herself. The other carrying another one impaled on her horn and trotting happily. I can hear our guest on the side. "What the hell is up with your wolf and your donkey?!" What? A donkey? I nce at the unicorn. "Oh, that? You are the only one I will allow to see my true appearance from now on!" What? But why? When did we get so close? Like seriously? [You know illusion magic?] "Nope, just an inherited unicorn magic." [Oh I see.] Exins it. "What the hell! You are traveling with a unicorn?!" Why is this bumpkin acting so surprised now? *scoff* Chapter 129: Peaceful Brainwashing Time Chapter 129: Peaceful Brainwashing Time "What the hell! You are traveling with a unicorn?!" Why is he acting so surprised? I mean sure unicorns are apparently a rare encounter, but this world has many magical beasts. Even the normal creatures in the savage archaic forest are special. Actually, most of them even more incredible than a unicorn. Especially my deer friend. The one with all the tentacles, that is magical as fuck. Knowing that there are so many fantastical rank 2-3 I can''t even imagine how special beasts kings would be. [Any issue with that?] "T-That no, it''s justwow! How?! Don''t unicorns usually avoid humanpany?! You must be an extremely pure individual for it to follow you!" Is that guyperhaps insulting me? Is he implying I''m a virgin or simply naive? Seeing me frowning he rifies. "I didn''t mean anything bad by that I''m just really surprised!" [Ah, fine. Are you able to start a fire?] He nods and gets to work. First, he stacks a bit of wood he gets from somewhere around. Then he opens his palm, and a ray of energy leaves it. Upon reaching its target, mes appear and in no time, we have a basic cooking station. Nice! Time to get busy. I start roasting the meat. "Y-you, you won''t even clean it?!" AhI usually roast it whole then we kind of just dig into it. "Actually, never mind. Just proceed!" As I am cooking in silence, he keeps looking between me, Wolfie, and the unicorn. For some reason, he seems confused about something. At this point, we are kinda ignoring him. I mean no matter how tasty he looks the meat remains number one! After a little while, it looks golden and appetizing. Time to dig in! *Sounds of munching in satisfaction* How long has it been since I''ve had a proper meal? Well, I spent more than a month surrounded by spooky scary skeletons. What was I supposed to do then? Chomp on a bone like a dog? Okay, I did do it from time to time, but no one saw so it''s all good. For some reason, the neer isn''t touching his meal much. He seems somewhat disappointed with it. Well, there is only so much I can do with absolutely no spice. Seemingly to break the silence he tries some casual conversation. "Say, what god do you worship?" Welp, he kinda asked for it. Honestly, I feel like some kind of door-to-door salesman that has a cliente to him for the first time. Brainwashing time! Oh, I meanstorytelling time. HEHE [Have you ever heard of The Unnamed God?] ****(POV) Here we go again. This Sun guy seriouslymitted a blunder. He asked HIM of all people what god he worships. It is kind of ironic how far he can go on the subject of god worshipping knowing the one he "worships" is totally made up. I feel like many of the current sect members haven''t realized this point yet. After all,mon sense states that the truly powerful individuals all are the champions of some god or another. Not him. I''ve been at his side ever since he came to the forest. I''ve witnessed him aplish miracles already and I believe he will keep doing it in the future. Now he is talking about the core values and ideologies behind his creation. He truly gets passionate about it. Sometimes I wonder what made him dislike the gods so much. Yet sometimes he will use expressions like oh my god. I am not sure if there is one he used to revere or if these are nothing more than expressions in the end. He did say at some point he faked being a champion for the Moon Keep. My bet is he was actually summoned as the Lunar Goddess'' champion and they had a disagreement. It would exin how powerful he can be, well not totally. Would also exin how he seemingly left that ce alive. I''m not sure whether tough about it or deplore it, but he still remains aplete mystery to me to this day. His existence in itself doesn''t make any sense. Recently we encountered that vampire lord. Others only realized that he was a vampire. If only they knew they would have despaired. He was not just any vampire. He was a vampire that was strong enough to be affected by the current lock on this world. I felt that he was extremely weakened at the time. Still, that version of him would have been about rank 6. I do not want to imagine how he was in his prime. We all felt fear. All except the king. He faced this monster casually and even messed around poking him. He then even decidedter on to remain behind to train. I almost tried to stop him but I wouldn''t have known how to exin it. He does believe that no power is evil and that it is only how it is used that matters. I''m not sure if this is some nave or extremely wise view, but in either case he can be stubborn at times. I just waited for him outside with the unicorn. For some reason, she started clinging to himtely. It has started being annoying. I am the one that deserves a ce next to him! Especially irking is the fact that she is currently stronger than I am. So what if I used to be rank 8? Right now, she is a rank 5 and I am but a rank 4. Yes, I can skip ranks because of my experience, but she is not a pushover either. I just wish she''d stop trying to seduce him. I already had that Luna girl to worry about and now she joined the fray. The good thing is she is too simple to realize how counterproductive her efforts to get closer to him have been. In the short term, this won''t be a problem I believe. Then I just need to keep him busy in the outside world long enough to forget all about the Moon Keep. Then all will be good. It doesn''t actually matter where we go. As long as we are together all will be good. Now. Concerning this Sun guy? Is he someone I should get rid of? Let me see To kill or not to kill? Chapter 130: Yet Another Fallen Chapter 130: Yet Another Fallen ****(POV) This man is insane. Completely insane. What is even crazier is that the more I listen to him the more captivated I be. All my life I lived it as the Sun Young Master. The one that had to be more brilliant than any other. The one that people envied the most. Yet the fact is I have spent my entire life toiling to reach the expectations people had of me. It all started when I was younger. I was about 6 years old when they realized my affinity for light magic. That and also fire magic. Put simply I had a great affinity with any magic rted to the Sun. The Light Citadel quickly ushered me in and crowned me their champion. I trained hard day after day. My only free time when I was asleep after copsing from exhaustion. You would expect a faction that has light in it to be joyful and warm. It is quite the contrary. New disciples are quickly taught that to y evil and protect this world from the darkness one needs power. It all makes sense when you think logically about it. I learned quickly to worship Hellios. I was told that the more devoted I was the more power I would obtain. All a give and take rtionship. For me, that part always seemed strange. Our God calls himself a sun deity. The sun gives energy continuously without ever asking anything in return. I always wished the sect could be like that one day. Doing things, not for profit or power, but just because it feels right. Of course, I know that is just me being a utopist. This world works like this. We revere gods, they give us power and then we kill the followers of the other gods for even more favor. This is a never-ending cycle of violence. Even a peaceful sect just minding its business will at some point be attacked by some other god minions. This is the cruel reality of this world. All gods are the same. It is all about choosing carefully one that aligns slightly with one''s ideals. At least the sun god doesn''t start warring madly and has a strict code on who to target. Or at least that''s what I thought. I truly believed it was the same everywhere. Then appeared this guy out of nowhere. As I''m traveling with some merchants anonymously he simply swaggers toward us. Then he gets turned away rudely. He seems slightly angry about it but he leaves nheless. Still, as soon as I see him something tells me he is not ordinary. The way his clothes were all torn and destroyed makes it believe that he just fought to the death. Yet he doesn''t seem to have any injury either and the two animals following him are in perfect health. Not only did he not sacrifice his beastpanions to save himself, but they seem smart enough to follow him without any order from him. Is he perhaps a tamer? Wait no that wouldn''t make much sense. A tamer would not fight for his creatures, it would just stay behind. Something about him is weird for sure but I''m not sure what. When I get curious it consumes me. I cannot think or do anything else until I have satisfied it. This is one of my ws. Because of that, I then decide to go after him. When I stumble upon his resting spot, I am bewildered. All of them justying therezily. Isn''t he worried to be attacked at night? Apparently not. Then he gets oddly excited about me making a fire for some reason. Also, he does not tell me his name, addressing himself as a nameless wanderer. Because of that, I guess he is a follower of the wanderer god. These guys are usually pretty nice except for the fact that they are all broke and can''t pay for food. But this wouldn''t be an issue as his two pets go hunting. At that point, I am already skeptical about the small wolf going against big monsters, but then the donkey darts off too. Since when do donkeys hunt?! Imagine my surprise when bothe back carrying the carcasses of rank 3 monsters. How?! How does a donkey even do something like that?! That''s when I learn that this donkey is in fact a disguised unicorn. This is amazing! Really amazing! We then eat in silence. The food is tasteless and doesn''tpare to even what the lowest of disciples eat at home. The wanderers could gain to be pickier, to be honest. Well, it''s in their nature. Right, I could fill the silence by talking about his god. I get ready to hear about a god I am already knowledgeable about. I just want to keep the conversation going after all. But the answer I get is not was I was expecting. At all! Not having to actively worship any god, I didn''t know this was possible! Not having to ughter others to gain power, how does this system work?! Making it through sheer effort and will no matter what! Being able to decide your own fate! Everything sounds so idealist so far. Too idealistic to be possible sadly. But then he keeps going. Developing on how one should answer to threats. He goes on and on about it, but it can be resumed to this. Make your assants even regret being born. That is when I notice something very peculiar. He both believes in the gods and doesn''t believe in them. He is certain of their existence and that they are truly powerful beings that reside in the god realm. That he knows. He also doesn''t try to hide the fact that the path he is proposing to power will be a long arduous one that may or may not pay up in the end. At the same time, he doesn''t believe in the gods. Meaning, he doesn''t believe these entities to be deserving of the title of gods. In his eyes, they are mere mortals that somehow became strong. He argues that otherwise, they wouldn''t show such greed in their incessant quest for followers. This. I don''t know how to react to all of this . I just have one question at the end of his tirade. Where do I sign up?! Chapter 131: Bandits Chapter 131: Bandits Turns out this Sun guy is pretty nice. He doesn''t seem to enjoy my cooking very much, but he''ll probably get used to it after a while. Usually, when I tell people about the not worshiping any god part they tend to be confused and in denial a bit. Well, not this guy. Somehow, he bes passionate about it especially fast. I feel kinda bad now. I get the feeling I am somehow tricking some nave child into doing something bad. Why did I not get that feeling with Zero? Go figure. Anyway, I talk a lot and he listens with stars in his eyes. On the side, the unicorn is listening intently too and Wolfie is looking a bit bored, she is used to it by now. At some point, I tire myself out and it is time to sleep. The Sun guy insists to keep watch to keep us safe. Night watch? What''s that? Seriously these roads seem so safe that nothing bad ever happens. It is pretty much a wasted effort. I try to tell him, but he says something about wild monsters and bandits. Oh well, monsters mean more meat with the unicorn to defend us. Bandits what are they gonna steal? The remnants of my clothes? That''d be DISGUSTING! I am so broke that I am convinced no one sane would ever try to rob me. The next morning I wake up to an extremely motivated party. Mostly because they know we''ll have breakfast for once. Barbecue time! In a happy and warm atmosphere, we leave our temporary camp and hit the road again. The scenery is amazing. Some road and nothing else, road and some trees, road and a mountain, curve in the road, road and bandits. wait what?! This is bad! At some point, the path takes a turn. Right afterward, wee face to face with some familiar merchants and some shady-looking individuals. Thetter having the former surrounded. "Listen up hand out your possessions and we might just let you leave with your lives!" A ssic line for sure. That guy that insulted me earlier is there too. There seems to be some drama happening. "Robbing us? Don''t you know the backing we have?! If we turn up missing, there will be an army going your way to eradicate all of you guys! Get out and let us go through! You guys should instead target people like these ones *pointing at us* they are obviously alone, and no one will notice if they go missing!" Wait what?! Why the hell is he directing their attention our way?! Did I perhaps do anything to him? Why is he being such a dick?! The bandit chief nces at me. "No way, he looks more like a poor ghost than a human being. No point in even trying. Alright, pay up now, no time for your bullshit. You may have a few soldiers, but you guys are obviously outnumbered. Just give up already. We want all the gold and the food." Thank you! Actuallyis he trying to insult me?! That merchant grumbles to no end but he does start handing some money and products over. Wait, there seems to be something wrong there. Why is heplying so easily? Did he suddenly get scared or something? No, waitperhaps he has valuables hidden somewhere. "Actually instead of robbing us, there is something else you could be doing. You see there is money to be made in catching vagrants like this one *pointing at me again*. How about it, you let us go and I''ll introduce a trustworthy ve trader to you!" Are you shitting me?! What is wrong with that fucking merchant?! My newpanion whispers. "How about we just keep walking and leave them here. Usually, I would help in case of a bandit attack, but I don''t feel like these guys deserve it." [*sigh* There is no way I can just remain a bystander here. We may not be friends but there is no way I will watch on the sidelines while something so very wrong happens. I am going over to help.] He looks at me surprised. I wonder why. I start walking toward the bandit chief. He looks pretty manly and scary. Typical bad guy. Then as he is utterly confused, I pat his shoulder. [*Sigh* You really seem like you need a hand. Just shut up and watch.] Yep, I really couldn''t watch that half-assed extortion attempt anymore. I turn toward the merchants. [This is a fucking robbery! Men on the left, women on the right, traps in the middle! Remove every fucking piece of clothing and show all your valuables, all of them! Hurry up if you bitches don''t want to be gutted open like fishes!] Now, this is how a robbery should be done. With gusto, professionalism, and withoutpromising! Also, fuck these merchants. Treating me like a beggar was fine, but trying to sell me as a fucking ve? Screw them! pses a long moment of silence, then the bandit leader shrugs. "Do as he says! Otherwise, you guys are going to be gutted open " [I already said that one. Go with something else. You can go with something like, better give up or all of you trashes are gonna get some bashes and end up in the fucking dumpster sooner thanter!] "All of you trashes are ." [I. Said. That. One. Go with something along the lines of] "Stop taking all the good lines! Do as he says, or you''ll end up deader than dead!" He really needs to work on his lines, like seriously. Now everything is as should be. Every merchant quickly gets naked and hand over their stuff. Will you look at that for some reason that asshole is still wearing his boots! Of course, it is to keep his feet warm or not. A bandit approaches him and starts searching until he finds a huge red jewel in one. It seems to be pulsating with light. That thing should be precious for sure. However, I am not someone that is greedy. I pick up a few of the coin purses then I prepare to leave. That''s when I notice that the bandits are now surrounding me. All ring at me and the coins in my hands. Wait! Didn''t I just help these guys?! Why are they looking at me like that?! Chapter 132: An Intense Fight Chapter 132: An Intense Fight This is your host the sect master of The Unnamed God Sect. Today I am surrounded by many burly men. About 30 of them, all bandits. They are all looking at the purses I took from the merchants. I protest! This should be my rightful remuneration as a robbery counselor! Will I be fine and keep the coin? Just need to think positively. In the old world, I''ve seen many times a single girl take on that many men alone! I can definitely do it too! Of course, the context was a bit different if you know what I mean. Okay seriously let me consider my chances. Thirty bandits versus me, Wolfie, Sun guy, and the unicorn. Wolfie won''t be able to fight for sure. Sun guy might be strong since he did say that usually, he would help defend against bandits. Still better not to rely on him too much just in case. As for me, I might be useless in a fight but I can survive long enough to keep them busy. Then the unicorn can go ROAD ROLLER! on their asses from behind. Yep, that sounds like a n. We can definitely fight them if ites to that. Now is it worth it for me to fight them for a few coins? Usually, I would say no, but for once we are about to head to a new city. In the wild money doesn''t mean much, but there it could help a lot. Conclusion I will try and keep the gold but without fighting. If they do decide to attack I might just take that jewel too while at it. Then again, it''s probably better for me if I don''t steal the actually important loot. The merchant was probably bluffing about having an army at his beck and call, but there is still a chance we''d be hunted. I get the feeling that jewel might just be more important than that dude''s life. Yep, better go low benefit and low trouble. In every story, the characters are always going from power up to power up and taking many risks. In real life that is bullshit. After all, there is no such thing as plot armor existing. If you keep braving death at some point you''ll eventually mess up and die. The bandit leaderes in front of me. "Friend, thank you for the tips earlier, but how about leaving the gold behind? You guys will be free to leave afterward with your wolf and your donkey." He''s looking straight into my eyes. Ah, I might not look at it, but I used to be a staring contest champion! Well, mostly unofficial one. I mean who has time to go to any realpetition for such a thing?! I stare at him back. Meanwhile, I am smiling thinking to myself I have a backer hahaha. If he tries anything he will get destroyed! She can reduce skeletons to dust. Pretty sure humans don''t fare well with no bones. You want to look at me intensely? Well, guess what bitch! When you look into the abyss the abyss stares back at you! For anyone wondering that was my staring unofficial contest nickname. The abyss. Well mostly because sometimes I had a vacant look when thinkingand a bottomless abyss looks empty too. Wait ...now that I think about itweren''t my coworkers insulting me?! Oh my god! So we keep staring at each other, but I''m definitely staring harder! Don''t ask me how! I am for sure! "Chief, are we robbing him or what?" "What are you guys doing?" "What about the naked merchants, are we supposed to do anything about them?" Wee to a tacit understanding. None of us is answering the random questions. We simply keep staring at each other. I can see a pearl of sweat slowly run along from his forehead to his chin. Ah! See this is the power of divine energy! I can do this all day and night baby! I''ve got lots of endurance! I can see his eyelids starting to shake. Then he gives a cough trying to distract me and blinks. Damn, that man is a professionalbut I still see through it! Still, he keeps staring at me not giving up. Maybe blinking is actually allowed? Who knows. It''s fine. I will keep staring at him until his very soul starts to crumble. It seems pretty poetic when I say it like that, but actually, I doubt this can happen. I would need some kind of mental attack ability. That would be super cool. Could you picture the ability to drop canon fodders by simply looking at them? Would make for a good story. I am just a simple vige boy, but I awakened a power that lets me defeat anyone by looking at them. That would be kinda epic. The main character''s nemesis would be a sentient mirror! DUN-DUN-DUN! So we stare and we stare. Until finally "Alright, you guys can go! Take care on your journey!" Hell yeah! I will take that as my win! Who said knowing how to stare well wouldn''te in handy? There are no useless skills there are only useless people. See! Fucking see this! I totally saved us from this situation with my quick wits! I mean the unicorn could have wiped the floor with them but still. [Later all, make sure you work hard on bing better bandits. Right now you guysck style for sure. I will be expecting more of you guys the next time we meet!] He seems confused at first, but then their chief is waving goodbye at us. As we leave gracefully, I can hear that one naked asshole merchantining about why they are letting go. Please he wouldn''t understand. We fought a valiant battle between men. I simply came out victorious. **** (POV) "Humchief? What the fuck was that? Why did we let them go?" "Yes, chief why?" " He did take a good portion of the coins!" "He might have tried to help us but we didn''t need him at all, it would have already been nice not to rob them we didn''t need to" "Boys listen up. Let this be a lesson in life. Never, and I absolutely mean never ever, mess with someone like that man! Anyone able to look THAT confident while having his junk out shouldn''t be messed with! Ever!" *Various gasps of realization* Chapter 133: Another One! Chapter 133: Another One! "Impressive! Not many would be able to intimidate bandits only by looking at them. Especially with how humbly you are dressing!" Is this young Sun trying to praise me or insult me? He seems pretty good at doing both at once. "Now we only have one more city to cross before we " [Wait, we aren''t about to arrive at our destination?!] "It''s not that far by now, 1 or 2 weeks should be plenty!" Does that mean at some point we backtracked? We did run away from the assassins without really looking at where we were going. Right, what happened to these enemies? Will they spring out of nowhere? The mercenary group was their target, chances are I''ll be fine. They too should be alright now that they know they are chased by such scary foes. I''m sure the mercenary leader will take the appropriate precautions. "Just to make sure you do have a permit for your pets right?" [A what?] "So in order to enter in the diplomatic city with monsters, one needs to be a registered beast tamer. This is to prevent any possible disruption to the peace. Does that mean you''ve never bothered taking the test for that profession?" [There are tests?! There are professions?! I thought everyone just did whatever they wanted in their own deity''s area!] "Don''t tell me you''ve never heard about the league of the 30 righteous sects? What about the 22 great evils? The seven neutral ones? Okay, we have a lot of ground to cover. You see there are many sects in this world. While they are mostly all opposing each other constantly there are some alliances. These only stipte a fewmon areas where there are no conflicts between the factions. The diplomatic city is probably one of the most important of these areas. It is headed by one of the 7 neutral sects. They have strict regtions to make sure nothinges to create any sort of chaos. All are wee beside the evil sects." [Waityou said they are a neutral sect. Why are they banning people from evil sects from joining then?] "Too much chaos. There are often shady individuals that do go there but even them try to behave at least a little." [Gotcha, so it is sort of an unspoken rule that evil sects are weed, as long as they don''t explicitly state their identity, and everyone just ys the fools?] "Pretty much." [How can I be a beast tamer then?] "In the next city we will enter you can take the exam. It should be fairly simple for you seeing how well they are following your orders." I mean it''s not really that I tamed anyone. More like we are friends and that''s why they follow me around. As for being a beast tamer? I am probably not qualified at the moment. Still, there must be some way to learn about the profession, there right? I have coins so I can get myself a teacher! [Tell me there is some kind of tamer guild too.] "Indeed. They are actually pretty big in this region. After all with how heavily legited this aspect is, they need professionals to oversee the matter." Makes sense. You wouldn''t want some random civil servant to deal with monsters. You could easily end up missing a few ones after lunchtime. I swear I''ll have to research all these pieces of information. For people here that much seems to bemon sense. For me, it is all new. Then again as long as I walk around with a local to guide me everything should be alright. Good thing I have Sun with me. Right, how long should I wait before inviting him to the sect? He seemed pretty enthusiastic earlier, but who knows when he will change his mind? I don''t want him to feel tricked and toter regret it. What if he joins because of the fact that we have a unicorn thenter figures out that she isn''t even part of our organization? Right, talking about that unicorn. How long will she follow us? I guess she was missing Wolfie a lot and can''t bear to see her leave. Makes sense. Funny how they seem to have a friendly rivalry going on. I wonder when it all started. "What made you decide on this particr city travel goal?" [I heard that there people aren''t always trying to kill each other, and I found that pretty cool.] "Yes, but why didn''t you go to any of the other cities that are simr in their inner-workings like " And then he lists a bunch of city names I cannot recognize and won''t remember for sure. Oh well, the more I learn about this world the more I realize how ignorant I am. They say knowledge is power, but for now, my main goal will be to learn more ways to use divine energy. After all, it is better if I work on my strengths! Alright, I could use the singr here since that''s my only redeeming feature. Well, I am an optimist and always improving, there is that too. [It is the first one I heard about and I decided to see it for myself.] "That is unexpectedlynormal." Well sorry if it''s boring! My life is nothing special, but so what! If I keep moving forward, everything will be fine. Even if I keep struggling against weak monsters and running when confronted with strong opponents. My life wasn''t meant to entertain anyone in the first ce. I''ll just live how I want. "Oh right, is your sect still recruiting?" He is asking that out of the blue!? [Yes, why?] "Oh, I''d like to join." You know how, in the stories, it is always the devil tempting the mortals to sell their souls away? Well, right now I feel like it is the opposite happening. It is the mortal trying to voluntarily sell his soul to the devil. WaitI''m no devil! I''m a nice guywait no. [Wee in the sect then!] "Nice! Actually, there is something I need to do before I can leave the current sect I am in. I will meet you guys in the diplomatic cityter! You do n to stay there for a long time right?" [Of course! Are you sure you need to leave right now?] "Positive! See you guyster." On that note, he dashes forward to go do god knows what. What''s with all these side-characters leaving after a few chapters?! Am I missing something here?! Chapter 134: I Wanna Be the Very Best Chapter 134: I Wanna Be the Very Best At the entrance of this new city, a long line of people waiting to enter could be seen. The main gate would only open in the morning. People of various upations could be seen patiently waiting. In this sea finding one individual would be extremely challenging. All except for one guy. He was so handsome that all would step down in shame. From time to time some merchant would click his tongue jealously leering at this neer. A circle forming around him with people not daring to approach, intimidated by his heroic aura. Is how I would describe the scene. Orall of the above can also be exined by the fact that I''m currently pretty much naked and surrounded by 2 beasts. I''m not sure but I''m leaning toward the first exnation. Just in case I better get some clothes. Otherwise won''t I get stopped a the gates? Anyone expecting a face-pping scene is clearly overthinking this. I''ll just buy clothes from a fellow traveler and be done with it. This way I won''t be charged with public obscenity. A few coinster, I am now wearing some long cultivator-looking robe. I always wondered why all of these big shots are always wearing stuff like that in stories. At first, I thought it was for the style, but now I do realize something: it is oddly freeing to have the breeze hitting your balls just right. It is long enough that no one will be able to see under it, perfect to be low-key an exhibitionist. After a short wait, it is now morning. Everyone proceeds and quickly it is my turn. I was expecting many questions, but the guards seem to not care. They just ask me my purpose and let me go through without any issue. There is a small fee to pay, but I do have cash at the moment. Apparently, one needs to pay for every creature one brings inside. I guess only top tamers are able to afford to move about in the city with an army. First thing first I want to learn about the tamer guild as soon as possible. Then afterward I''ll find somece to live and eat a bite. I miss human cooking. I generously hand some coin over to some local vagrant to show me the way. It doesn''t take long before we stand before a huge building near the periphery of the city. Actually, there are many huge buildings. Could you imagine all the beasts fitting in 1 big room? Could you especially imagine the smell? Well, it makes sense for this guild to be massive. Need to have rooms for the beasts, for the beast tamers, training rooms, feeding rooms, I don''t know but I guess the list goes on. I head to the main building. There is a help desk I believe at the entrance. I head there and ask about how one can learn about beast taming. The cute receptionist starts enumerating all the different learning courses there are. I was expecting it to be extremely regted and all but turns out the more you spend the better your teacher. This is all extremely confusing. I really need to get this taming certification to head to the next city. Better put all the chances on my side. Also, I always dreamed of doing that. I pick up the many money bags I am carrying and I m it all on the counter in a domineering manner! [I''ll take your best teaching course!] She slowly opens it all and counts it. You know how in every cultivation novel every character is able to exactly hand out the exact sum required instantly? Well, I call bullshit. Howe they all be super-geniuses in math . yet remain retarded. Math is hard I''ll have you know! "Sir, there isn''t enough money here for the best course. The best I can offer you is one-on-one guidance with one of our new teachers. The other option is to have an experienced and renowned one teach you a few times a week." Guess I fucked up with that bluff of mine. Still being renowned doesn''t always equate to being the best. Chances are a new teacher would be more passionate. [I''ll take the first option!] "Alright, with this your payment is done fully, you can now head to the register to proceed with the registration." She hands me a written note with her seal. Wait what about change, I still need to get somece to sleep! Okay, guess I''ll find an alternative. I already downgraded once; I won''t do it twice. That would really make me lose face after this initial bluff. Still, a register is it? That sounds extremely normal. Where is that fantasy world feel? Then again bureaucracy is a necessary evil. We head there. Honestly, I''m surprised no one has told me to leave my wolf and donkey at the entrance yet. Guess they are used to it. Well, people do give me weird looks from time to time. Some seem curious while some others are in up sneering. These guys have obviously never heard of stuff like a level 100 purple rat. Some weak creatures at first nce can generate surprising power when trained well. This donkey of mine will pierce the heavens someday! To be honest I''m kinda cheating. My donkey is in fact a unicorn. I could legit go around proudly singing about how amazing my horse is, but I am still acting low-key. See this is what being humble is all about. Well, that and she is oddly stubborn. I tried convincing her to take back her original appearance but she won''t budge. To this day I am still not sure what this is about. Probably she is simply shy around strangers? Oh well, it doesn''t really matter. We reach our destination quickly only asking bystanders for directions a few dozen times. There is some guy that looks really bored. [Hey there, I need a teacher and ] "Got a note?" He isn''t a fan of conversation I take it. I hand it over. "I see. You just missed the morning orientation test. Come back in 6 hours and you''ll be able to start." [Gotcha.] 6 hours is it? Guess I have time for a nap. I sit next to a wall and I close my eyes. Still, an orientation test is it? Why did no one tell me about it?! Also is it possible to fail it?! Chapter 135: A Taming Genius! Chapter 135: A Taming Genius! "Hey wake up!" Let me sleep, I''mfortable right now. "Wake up we are about to start." [5 more minutes] "Hurry up and wake up or you''ll miss the test!" What? A test? Oh, right I forgot about that! I wake up to a schrly young man in front of my face. He has silver sses and tied-up brown hair. "Awake now? Hurry up and head in!" Oh! I see. [Thanks for telling me, you are here for that too?] He nods. Does that mean everyone else just gave up on me and left me to sleep here? How mean! I follow him until we reach a medium-sized room with a few people inside already. In the middle, there is some sort of beast statue. It looks to be a mix between many creatures. Some sort of weird chimera. This is kinda cool. We seem to be 7 people here to take the test. On the opposite side of the room, there are 2 guys with a shiny emblem on their chest. I''m guessing they are official beast tamers. Both have 2 stars on their badge probably their rank. That kinda reminds me of that hunter token I used to have. I probably lost it at some point, didn''t I? Oh well, it wasn''t that useful anyway. "Wee everyone we will now start this orientation test. The statue in the middle of the room is one that contains a sliver of will from more creatures than you guys can even fathom. Touching it you guys will be able to know your talent for beast taming. Just know that affinity is extremely important for a tamer. It is the only way to assure loyalty over a long period. There are records of many great tamers dying eaten by their own creatures in a moment of weakness because they failed to consider this point." Well, that point really doesn''t concern me. I just want to be a tamer to bring Wolfie and the unicorn around. As if they would ever eat me lol. I guess it is a good thing that they do mention it. Many newbies would probably overestimate their own capabilities otherwise. A challenge is all good until you die from it. Need to stay alive to improve. "Alright everyone, step up and we will go from the order of arrival." I check out the others. The atmosphere is tense. For most of them, it seems to be an opportunity that will determine their future. Besides me and the sses guy, there are 5 others. 3 seem to be from the middle ss, one guy is arrogant and well-dressed and totally some kind of young master. I better stay away from him for sure. Thest one seems to be from humble origins. So in total, we have the fodders, the elitist antagonist, and the dark horse. Checks out. I get the feeling the well-intentioned sses guy will turn out to be some low-key genius. Why? Well, he has some sort of demeanor to him. He doesn''t look worried about the test at all. He seems to be curiously observing the others, that includes me too. "Will the first step up!" There goes one. He touches the statue. After a few seconds,es a few roars and lights. It looks awesome. Everyone in the room nods slightly. Yeah, I have no clue how to interpret this. I''m not even able to figure out what kind of creatures the sounds belonged to. It seems to be many somehow all mixed together. I only know the basics. You know the stuff we get taught in pre-school! He goes back to the line. His face a mix of emotions. I''m not even sure if that was supposed to be a good or bad result. It keeps going in this way. Sometimes the sounds are louder or weirder and the lights keep changing too. I can''t figure out a pattern at all. I try to analyze the facial features of the examinators, but it doesn''t help either. I''m ready to be amazed by the performance of the ones I am sure are the dark horse and the antagonist. Nope, as normal as the others. This is boring. I hear a whisper behind me. "Aren''t you worried at all?" [I have no clue how any of this works. I just want a basic license for my pets nothing else.] Oh seems it''s my turn now! I touch the weird chimera. I somehow get the feeling it is trying to peer into my soul. Then again might just be because of the way the eyes are sculpted. Full of expression and very big. Make this one cuter and it would fit right in an anime. The surface is fairly cold, kind of weird given how many people just put their hands on it. Then again there is magic that exists in this world why am I getting hung up on the small details. I wait and nothing happens at alluntil finally its eyes roll towards the back and it lets out a scream that sounds like begging. What is happening? Everyone seems confused, me, the challengers, the examinators, and even the statue itself. What now? Does this mean that I have a great affinity for beast taming?! It would make perfect sense! Exhibit 1: I have always loved animals. Exhibit 2: I have never been that good with humans. Exhibit 3: I have no talent for magic at all. Exhibit 4: Wolfie and the unicorn are following me for some reason. All this simply means that I am some kind of born tamer genius. HAHAHAHAHAHA It will finally be my time to shine I will tame hundreds of strong creatures and . Oh no, I just realized an issue. The fee at the gate for every tamed beast. No way would I be able to afford that. A better idea, I will find myself the strongest most powerful creature there is and tame it! Then I will swagger around the world showing them how amazing my party is. I do wonder if the unicorn is considered strong? For now, she will be my main trump card. Well as long as she willingly follows me. No way I will even try to bend to my will a living creature. At least not one that powerful haha. One of the examinators runs out of the room to ask for directives from the higher-ups. HAHA, my time to shine has finallye! Chapter 136: One in a Million! Chapter 136: One in a Million! HAHA, my time to shine has finallye I will be a taming master! I am told to stay like I am, hand on the statue. I really hope that guys hurry up. This statue is cold as fuck remember? Wait, I circte some more divine energy and it''s fine. I got a bit too excited by my potential future prospects. Still, I wonder wouldn''t divine energy training be stronger in the end? Perhaps but I still haven''t found a single potential mentor to guide me! This is dumb! So much potential wasted! But then again, I do have a potential of 0. For all I know I might be really bad at it too. Perhaps what the goddess showed us was only a tiny, tiny fraction of her power. Maybe I won''t evere close to the gods, but I''ll keep working hard. Then again if I can learn this new profession to help me in the meantimewhy not! As they say, having more options is never bad! Well, it does increaser the choices to be made. Have you ever received a really good opportunity in life only to realize you''d have to give up something equally important to pursue it? Such is life. Opportunities won''t wait. Either you grab it or you get left behind. This is something I have learned after a while. The door opens, some guyes in. He seems extremely proud and dignified. Thick eyebrows and dark hair. He has this authoritative sense to him. I don''t know why but his demeanor seems to scream I am better than you! Might be a false perception on my part. Let me see his emblem is 4 stars?! What happened to 3 stars, we skipped it?! Also, why is one star not the same color as the others? This looks aesthetically weird. He gazes at me. "Is he the one you said might be a genius?" "Yes, Sir! He managed to produce an extremely unusual reaction with the testing " "I see. Bring me the recording of it all." They bring him some kind of round pearl from no who knows where. He spends a few seconds observing it. Then hees closer and inspects the statue carefully. "I see" Oh? He knows about my insane talent! This guy must be extremely knowledgeable! I can''t wait to learn what exactly is my affinity and what . "Yep, he is one in a million for sure...." Hell yeah!!! "He has no affinity and no talent whatsoever as a beast tamer. You should change profession boy!" What.what?! What happened to my godly talent?! Screw that chimera! I''ll ask for a retest and. "Well, the payments for our sses are nonrefundable. Let this be a lesson. In the future don''t try to weasel your way into our guild when you have no potential whatsoever." He turns around to exit. This is bullshit! [I paid for a teacher and you guys should teach me no matter my affinity!] He scoffs, then smirks. "Here it is the teachers that chose their students, not the other way around. As long as you can find a teacher willing to take you under his wing then I won''t oppose it. No one would be insane enough to " "I''ll teach him!" Who is that? Waitthe silver sses guy! He was a teacher here?! He looks my age too! No wonder he wasn''t worried about the test at all. He didn''t lie either he was really there for the test. To watch it that is. "You''ll take this trash? Sure. You have so much potential, yet you are wasting it on him. This will be a stain on your career. There will always be that one student of yours that will never amount to anything and will drag your name in the mud. Even then you will still ept him?" "Yes! Even then! I believe taming is more about perseverance and heart than talent." "How utopist haha, the real world doesn''t work like that." "Perhaps, but I will still try. I am not one to give up so easily you see." "Fine, suit yourself. It is a shame. Such a shame." And he leaves. They all leave. Apparently to figure out who will teach which student. In here only remain me and him. He says with a depreciating smile. "I''m afraid you will have to suffer my lectures from now on haha." [Thank you! This is so nice of you! But ...why did you do this for me?] "Haha, don''t worry about it. Simple. I saw you in the corridor sleeping with that wolf and that donkey guarding you. They wouldn''t let me nearby before I made my intentions clear. Any tamer able to have pets that are that protective and smart has potential in my opinion." [So you still believe that I might be a taming genius?!] "Haha. Probably not, but I won''t turn you away for such a silly reason. I believe everyone deserves a chance no matter what. " [Thank you! I won''t let you down.] "Don''t worry you can''t let me down as I''m not expecting anything in the first ce." Hey, that almost hurts my feelings. Well, he seems like a good guy. We go out together. The nces that were previously curious about me are now filled with disgust, ridicule, and loathing. How the hell do all these random strangers know about me already? This is legit the biggest question I have right now. With myck of potential, I can still fall rely on divine energy. This however is something else! If there is some kind of socialwork here, I want to know about it! Not having ess to the inte because it doesn''t exist in this world is one thing! Ignoring the possibility to ess anything remotely simr is something entirely different! This is not inte addiction this is just my civilized soul resurfacing! I point to one of them. [YOU! Tell me right now how you learned about me! I want to know in deep detail and do not even miss the tiniest of information. I want to know it all!] I can hear my tutor getting flustered in the back. He seems to think I am going to bash that bystander''s face. HAHA Either way, I need to know! This is a crucial moment in my life! Chapter 137: Useless Thing Chapter 137: Useless Thing How does everyone know about my result already?! This needs to be investigated for sure. I quickly reach one of the bystanders and start my interrogation. [How do you know about me already? Speak!] He just looks at me, scoffs, and then starts leaving. Oh no, you don''t! Let me . I see a white blur dash and m him against the wall. *SLAM* Damn! That''s gotta hurt for sure. This unicorn is a really good interceptor it seems. If I ever start a sports team I gotta make sure I join the full contact version for sure! I give the guy a big smile. [Oh, I''m very sorry! You see I don''t have much talent as a tamer. I will work hard and teach my pet not to do that in the future. Of course, if you don''t want to answer I won''t pressure you at all you see. Please let me help you get up!] "Stay away you freak!" [Nono! I insist! I''m very sorry about earlier!] He touches some sort of crystal and wow! Comes out of it a big green snake. Is this thing some sort of? It''s not round, but more like a prism. Yep, it seems to let one store monster pets to summon them easily into battle. "Eat that useless donkey! How dare it attack me by surprise?!" The snake springs toward the unicorn. Let''s just say the result is kinda obvious. That scaly being looks really weak. But seriously really weak. It is even weaker than that rank 3 white snake that I met in the savage archaic forest. It seems to be the kind that is all brawl and no brain. Quite like its owner to be honest. Instead of just answering my questions he gotta be difficult. Normally I would have let it go, but there is too much on the line this time around. We are talking potential inte in the making!! No way am I staying out of this! The oue is quite evident. The unicorn starts munching on the snake. This is retribution for the snake trying to eat her. Waitaren''t unicorns supposed to be pure and vegetarians or something?! The snake is now missing a huge chunk of flesh. How does a horse even do that? I am truly as baffled as my opponent. Well, actually less. He seems to be having a mental breakdown. Hum, there seems to be a small crowd starting to gather around us. [How about we go talk somewhere quieter? Otherwise, we can keep fighting if you want.] That''s when finally intervenes the silver sses guy. "Stop it! Fights are not allowed in the guild! If you guys don''t stop, I''ll have to punish you both!" That opponent of mine looks like he''s seen a monster. He looks at the smug horse, then back at me, then he starts running away. That''s it? What the hell is wrong with this guy? If I have the lowest talent here, why the hell is he running so fast? This is weird. He might be a trainee tamer! Must be it, either that or he paid his way into the guild. "*Sigh*Why did you chase him? It is normal for rumors to circte about you. Such a result is a first for this ce! You can''t go around trying to beat everyone that opposes you. Otherwise, you''ll quickly kick an iron te. This guy might have been extremely weak, surprisingly so, but any other and you would have lost your donkey for sure. It seems smart but what would it do against a rank 3 creature? It would die! If not for yourself think of the safety of your pets at least!" For some reason, I do feel like a rank 3 wouldn''t be too much of an issue. After all, even I can fight these guys rtively safely. Unicorns are legendary creatures so it should be fine. [Alright, but I do wonder how he knew about me already.] "The results of every neer evaluation are posted on the new blood board." [What''s that?!] "Follow me I''ll show you!" We keep going amidst the surprised murmurs. I can hear some people whispering about how awesome my donkey actually is. It might be weak but it has character is what they are saying. Others are stillughing about me and nowughing about the useless guy who ran away with his tail between his legs. We reach a huge board. It seems to be special. The writing on it seems to be alive and crawling on it. The font is various and so is the color of the ink. This is whack! "On this board shows some information concerning wild monsters, the beast tamer branch ranking, the beast guild overall ranking, a section for important news, and finally the new blood section. This thing tells you about all you need to know about the happenings at the guild." Wow, that is somewhat impressive! Also disappointing a bit. I don''t care much about whatever happens with this guild to be honest. "Impressive isn''t it? Have you ever seen anything more impressive than this?" [Yes.] He looks at me weirdly. [I mean it is kinda cool, but I was hoping for something less focused on just the activities of this ce. You know some kind ofwork to easily chat with people.] "That would be way too expensive to maintain! Such a thing is clearly impossible and would require godlike powers!" Wow. I need to get a messaging app in this ce somehow to open his eyes! I look closely at the board. It contains so much information! All of that information will definitely . not do anything for me. You know since I can''t read whatevernguage that is. I guess this would be considered as me getting exposed to the wide whole world, but I don''t want to learn to read just for that. I''m bored, but not that bored! I could always ask him to read it to me, but there is really a lot of stuff there. It would end up being a very long and boring story I believe. What a useless thing for me this board is. Entertainment value is low. Next! That''s when I hear "I heard some troublemakers fought here! This disciplinarymittee member is here to take them away!" Waitam I in trouble?! Chapter 138: New Job! Lucky! Chapter 138: New Job! Lucky! This is bad, isn''t it? A disciplinarymittee member? "Who here fought between these walls! You guys should know that this is strictly forbidden! Come forward now and I just might be lenient with your sentence!" *Trots forward* "What? Why is there a donkey here? Who is the dumbass that decided to bring a normal animal to this ce seriously? It will definitely get frightened as soon as it encounters any kind of predatory beast. Then it will run all over the ce and will be annoying. Get that thing out of my face!" I see she is about to get angry, but then again, he did just tell us to go away might as well do it Haha. We actually have a good excuse to escape now. [Let''s leave. It can''t be helped!] I pat her back and we start walking away. I make sure to have a higher walking pace than usual. I hear him mumbling about how dumb people are these days. She wants to head back and beat him but I''d rather just avoid the trouble for now. After you beat one the others will show up like magic. That''s howmittees work usually. Also, that one is definitely the weakest one. Who knows if any of the members of that thing actually are well-connected to some bigshot. He keeps going. "Now who is the one that fought?" I can somehow hear the awkwardness in the few bystanders that did spectate the earlier events. They seem not sure whether to tell him he just chased the culprit away himself. Welp, time to bounce! Later! I''m sure he''ll totally figure it out but I''ll be long gone haha. "Why is no one saying anything?" "Well it was that donkey. It started devouring some guy giant serpent." Screw that guy, yeah better run! And I''m gone! I can somehow hear a scream of sheer astonishment in the background. Haha. This is going to be a legend around here, isn''t it? For now, let me evacuate the premises. I''ll be back once things have cooled down. **** Now, where should we go? I am already broke from paying my tuition. I need a source of ie for sure. Time to go job hunting! Let me see I need to somehow find something for the short term. Can''t make any promise because as soon as I get my taming license I am out. I wonder if someone would hire me as a cook? Not sure how well that would go for the short term. It is one of these jobs where customers expect quality, and it might take a while before the owner trusts you with his recipes. What else could I do? How about being a porter? I could move stuff around for people. With divine enhancement, it should go well enough. Let me see, perhaps there is something like Hello work in this world? I wonder. Time to use my special ability: ask a random bystander! I see a group of burly men that are all standing together. [Hey guys! How are you all? I am looking for a job could you point me in the right direction?] They turn toward me. "You are at the right ce then!" "Yep, just wait we will leave soon." "Aren''t we all haha?" Wow. What are the chances? Some random group I ask randomly turns out to be waiting to do some kind of job. Then again why else would men gather like so mostly in silence? I guess they are not familiar with each other yet thus why they are not interacting much. Either that or they want to seem professional. Many times in my old life I would have bosses that just hated the workers talking. I never really understood that in cases where it doesn''t negatively impact work efficiency. Then again, some people are simply unable to do many things at once. Still, I am getting excited. I am waiting for something unknown. Who knows what kind of exciting adventure this will be? "Hey there all, I thank you foring!" Oh? There is some guy wearing the city guard outfit. Is this a job for the city itself? Government work usually pays very well. Nice! "We will proceed right now and hopefully be done after the day. Follow me, everyone!" We all start walking. At some point, we are heading into an inner region of the city. I never really bothered to think about it but I guess this city is divided into social sses? I wonder where they draw the line? Is it wealth, or power, or perhaps even whoever has noble blood? The more I see of this world the more I realize how ignorant I am of the basic stuff. Then again the more one lives the more one learns. I just gotta keep living and stacking these experiences. We stop in front of a manor so big it might as well be a castle. I wonder what kind of job this will be? Maybe I will see some aristocrats or something. "Are you boys ready to get wet?" People are grumbling a bit but rey by the affirmative. What is up with that? Are we going to be swimming? I''m a bad swimmer! Then again I can probably use divine energy and just stay at the bottom for a while. We head towards the main door. Not even the side door? Wow. Plot twist we are getting hired as some extra manpower for some pool party full of youngdies. That would be epic. Our leader suddenly turns. Guess we are going for the side door after all. We reach a corner of the courtyard. There he goes down and opens a pretty big iron trap door. There is adder. Wolfie and the unicorn stay outside. We slowly go inside one at a time. There is a small room filled with all kinds of weapons. He hands every one of us one. I don''t like where this is going. Wait he did say something about getting wet right? Don''t tell me I just joined some underground fighting ring! What if this is some kind of humans versus sharks game! Oh god no! Should I run?! Chapter 139: Ghost in the Sewers! Chapter 139: Ghost in the Sewers! Are we going to fight? What are we going to fight? This is a city. There should not be any monster. Is this some sort of underground ring? Will this be a dark kill or be killed story? Should I run back to the surface and ask for reinforcement? I look at the other guys nearby. None seem particrly worried. Either these guys are total war machines or the job isn''t that bad. "Alright, are you guys ready? Let''s start this hunt." I raise up my hand [Excuse me, what are we hunting exactly?] "Didn''t the others tell you? Wait, I don''t remember seeing you before Ah you must be new. Don''t worry about it. The sewers are infested by slimes. Usually, that would be a good thing as they act as natural cleaners, but they tend to multiply exponentially. From time to time we need to clear them out of they start overflowing above and cause all sorts of problems." Oh! So we are hunting slimes! Now that I think about it this is insane. A slime is literally the first enemy every adventurer encounters in a fantasy world. How the Hell did it take me so long to meet one?! I even met a wolf king in the forest. This is backward for sure! Then again can''t exactly expect the monsters to just obediently line up in term of difficulty. In a game you get the weaklings, then the elites, the mid-bosses, and finally the bosses. All the stars conveniently lining up allowing every fight to be a challenge. After each sess one bes stronger until they finally reach the demon lord! Talking about a demon lord I wonder if there is any in this world. If there is, it might just be the friendly one that is somehow super sexy and peace-loving. There has been many of those in recent years. Like at first it was fun, but after a while, it starts being too much you know. So right now I am about to fight slimes. Heading into the darkness with only torches to light up our path. Somehow, I am getting really excited! "Be careful, while they are all each individually weak, they are everywhere. Do not get cornered. Stay with the group no matter what. I don''t want any casualty" Oh, what a nice guy! "otherwise my pay is gonna get docked again." Hum what a pragmatic guy! Waitagain?! How many has he lost someone down here?! Is the death rate actually high?! I feel someone patting my shoulder. "Don''t worry. Even normal people like us can survive easily here as long as we are careful." Waitnormal dudes? None of them are warriors? What the hell am I fearing then! If even normal temte vigers can survive this there is no way I would die here. If this is this easy I can just rx and have fun. That reminds me [Say, is there a bonus pay for whoever acts as the vanguard?] "What? No? We''ll rotate otherwise the people at the front would get tired too quickly." Chance! [Haw about it, if I take care of the vanguard can I get a bonus?] "Thatsure I guess but only if you stay alive. This is way too risky let''s." [All good!] I nt my ass right at the front. Bonus pay is the best haha. I''m not sure if there is such a skill as negotiation in this world, but at this rate, I''ll unlock it soon. The air is wet. The floor is made of slippery stones. Lower is water running through. It''s a sewer. Nothing amazing there. The flowing water is kinda cool to look at. It has plenty of colors. There is just one thing. This water seems to have a weird consistency. This is really weird. I look closer and that''s when I see it. This is no water. These are all slimes packed together. Transparent ones that are barely discernible. This is crazy. Such a number and people are just now sent to get rid of them! This is insane! What is that? I see something wiggle down there. *BLOB BLOB* Seriously what is *BOUNCE!* It''s on my head!! Latching on my face! What the hell! I can''t see! I''m blind! [What the hell is this! Get it off me!] "Careful don''t...!" *SLIP* What is this falling sensation?! It seems in my confusion I have slipped. The floor is wet after all. I feel something squishy and liquid, yet not, stop my fall. What is this?! Slimes obviously. A shitload of slimes! Will I be fine? So far there is no pain. It feels like I am getting a massage. From some squishy soft thing. The best kind of massages really. ;) SOOO can I just take a nap here? Everything seems fine. I can hear someone grumble from above. "*Sigh* There goes my pay. Why did you guys even recruit someone as young and inexperienced to join us? This is annoying." Thenes a few confused voices. "He''s not in our group." "Yep, never seen him before." "Yep, he just randomly joined." Then a now angry guard. "You guys didn''t bother telling me that before we went in! Why?! Now we gotta deal with a dead guy! Goddamnit this is the worst!" Comes a small voice. "Wellyou didn''t ask." Haha, these guys are hrious. Kinda true he never did ask who I was. As for them they probably don''t care that much. The more the merrier. As long as they get paid it shouldn''t matter much to them. Now how much longer should I listen to their conversation? Should I try to get up and surprise them? To be honest this is just truly toofortable. Then again, I have a job to do. Also, mypanions are waiting for me outside. Time to make money. I slowly crawl up the side to get out of the hole I am in. [Alright, stop arguing guys, time to make money. Remember I want extra for being the vanguard!] "AH GHOST!!!!" Chapter 140: Whack-A-Slime Chapter 140: Whack-A-Slime "AH, GHOST!!!" These guys are way too easily scared haha. What part of me looks like an undead? One of them is even gesticting heavily while doing an obvious prayer. *Thud* "I''m sorry we didn''t mean to cause your death! We were sure you were confident in handling the vanguard! We never tried to kill you! Please pass away in peace and ept our apologies!" He is kneeling asking for forgiveness. Like dude, I know you didn''t try to kill me. I simply slipped. These guys have no motive to kill me either. I''m not sure if I shouldugh or cry about this situation. Do I look that bad for them to confuse me with an undead?! [*Sigh* Just get up already. Isn''t the floor all wet and DISGUSTING?!] They alle to a halt.then one of them has a eureka moment. "Could you perhaps.be alive ?!" [Yep, why wouldn''t I be?] "But there are countless slimes down there!" [Yeah. slime. These are not dragons or something, just slimes. You guys ready to keep going?] From time to time to time I can see them stealing a nce at me. Why is that guy still praying?! What kind of ghost just chills with the living and denies being dead?! I''m obviously notah well whatever. We keep walking until we reach stairs that lead into the water infested with slimes. All readying our weapons. *BOUNCE* Not this time!!!! I punch it! *BOUNCE BOUNCE* Perfectly timed! The slime gets sent tumbling away. Why didn''t I sh it? Well, I totally lost the weapon they gave me already. It lies somewhere at the bottom of the slime nest. Honestly, I really shouldn''t ever buy myself some expensive and powerful weapon. I''m pretty sure I would lose it in a blink of an eye. The problem is that I have no magical way to store things into a sub-space. This means that whatever item I have I need to carry with me. At some point, I did try to create one, but it just ended up with me failingmentably. When did I do that? Not sure. I''m pretty sure I did at least. Must have been while we were journeying with the mercenaries. I had lots of time to kill back then. *BOUNCE* I keep going. This feels like batting practice. At first, I am just sending flying one or two slime, but the more we progress the more of them there are. Meanwhile, mypanions are trying their best to hit the targets from the side. It proves to be a bit difficult because I''m in the way and I''m not going anywhere. At the very least it is almost 100% safe for them. All the slimes are heading my way. Springing towards me. This is for the best! It feels like a game with the slowly increasing difficulty! I also challenge myself to try and punch them as far as I can. It turns out to be slightly difficult. I am missing some kind of tool for the job for sure. [Alright let''s keep going!] I don''t hear any reply. Are these guys still following me? "Are you human?" ?! [What are you even talking about?] "How the Hell are you able to keep fighting for so long!" [Oh, that. I''ve been training in a disaster zone before this. These sewers are nothing!] I can hear exmations of surprise. These guys are impressed for sure! Of course, I won''t ever admit that the savage archaic forest is overrated and probably doesn''t deserve that title. Plenty of beast kings my ass! Now they are cheering for some reason. Like nothing changed at all from before you guys. Oh well, whatever floats their boat. We keep going through the water until finally "Something is wrong here. Thest time I led a cleaning expedition here it didn''t look like that. There are way more slimes than there should be for sure. Maybe we should retreat and ask for backup." What about my money?! [I say we keep going forward. Worst case you guys can run while I dy them.] He seems hesitant at first, but then he looks at all the slimes we have already defeated and finally nods in agreement. [Onwardpanions! It is time to y Whack-A-Slime!] Ever heard of it? It''s the game where countless slimes jump straight at your face and you gotta punch them before they blind you. Honestly, these slimes look bouncy and cute but are scary as fuck when you think about it. They will jump at you and literally try to digest you. Anyone that isn''t careful enough could see himself getting reduced to goo in a quick manner. Seriously how the hell are these things beginner-friendly?! If anything I would direct neers at hunting first. Hunting normal animals, then slowly upgrading to monsters. Not only would they get experience easily that way, but they would also get some meat. Who doesn''t just love barbecue?! I wonder if slime residue can be used for anything. Alchemy of some sort perhaps. My guess is people will turn this into a tool of war somehow. Probably increase the acid potency by refining it? Then we stumble upon a wall. Guess we are done. Nice! Time to go back to the surface, get some money, then I can find a ce to crash for the night. Maybe I''ll be able to afford some nice food too. I wonder what I should get? I could also try to buy some cooking ingredients for when we are in the wild. Decisions decisions. "Waitthere isn''t supposed to be a wall there. This is weird. The tunnel is supposed to keep going for a while longer. I mean it''s probably just his memory failing him right? There is clearly a wall right there. I touch it and confirm how solid it is. Yep, this is obviously a slimy bouncy wall. Oh god. What is this thing?! It seems to wiggle as I poke it. "Fall back now! Quick! That''s a motherfucking king slime!!!!" That''s thest thing I hear before I see this thing copse toward me. Oh, fuck! Chapter 141: Routine Slime Extermination Chapter 141: Routine Slime Extermination ****(POV) Today was supposed to be a normal day. Just a routine slime cleaning duty my superiors told me. Make sure there are no casualties this time they told me. I still can''t figure out why we are not using specialized warriors for this. There is a beast tamer branch that is fairly big too, can''t we just get them to take care of the problem?! The problem is that their fees are too expensive for how hard the work is. Slimes are pretty useless besides getting rid of the trash. While they are good for our sewers there is nothing else we can do with one. The main issue is that slimes don''t have a brain. How they bounce from ce to ce in search of food is aplete mystery. It just does. This makes it so a slime cannot be trained. Because of how weak it is containing one in a specially made cage is rtively easy, but even then, it is troublesome. Leave a small crack in the cage and it will squeeze its way out. Feed it a bit carelessly and it will grow too much. There are many stories of people keeping slimes as a pet until they got eaten in their sleep. Nowadays slimes are known for not being useful in any way at all. There are always some mad alchemists trying to do one thing or another with the byproducts of that creature, but none has seeded in making anything remotely useful so far. This makes it so no one wants to clear this ce. We thus need to spend to hire people to do it from time to time. It used to be the city guards that would do it, but many started toin. Something about being a lowly job or something. If you ask me the whole thing is horribly organized. We should just pay more and get professionals to take care of it or force our own troops to participate. No instead I am here with these guys that will be risking their lives. It seems there is even a neer in their midst. Well, as long as he is careful it should be fine. I believe no man has a death wish. Also, the rewards for the job are not sufficient enough for anyone to truly risk their lives either. It seems he didn''t even know that we were hunting slimes here. They should have really debriefed him before they brought him here. He''ll learn by watching in any case. By rotating the vanguard we''ll be able to proceed with minimal damage. At some point, he requests to be the vanguard. I want to refuse but somehow his friends don''t seem worried and he overflows from confidence. Could he some expert that is one of their rtive or something? He seems to be sure he won''t have any problem assuming the role in any case. A few momentster I am proven wrong. Oh so wrong. He is not any kind of expert. He just got jumped by one and is now screaming for help while blinded. I just need to save him quickly and Oh god no! Not this way! I watch in horror as he loses his footing and falls in the slime nest. His end already determined. Such a waste of human life. My pay is going to be docked too. There is one thing I don''t understand. Why weren''t these guys worried about him taking the frontline at all? Turns out he is not a part of their group at all. I just misunderstood. No wonder they weren''t worried about him. He is a stranger. One that was somehow in their group when I guided them in. Now because they didn''t bother to make this clear some guy is dead! That''s when I see the terrified expression of one of them and hear a voice telling us to stop fighting. "AH, GHOST!!!" I turn and see the newly deceased young man crawling his way over. What is happening?! One is praying, another is begging for forgiveness. Turns out he somehow survived. How?! Not only is he fine but he is ready to keep taking the role of a vanguard. Besides his clothes getting melted he is perfectly okay. This is insane! The more we talk the more ridiculous his story gets. Apparently, he has trained himself in a disaster zone. Yes, these ces any individual with an ounce ofmons sense evades like the gue. Such a ce he calls a training ground! The more we progress the more he does his job to perfection. This guy is obviously one of these monks. The ones that train their physical bodies to perfection. Until they themselves be weapons of war. I feel quite dumb for giving him a sword earlier. He never had a need for any. For all I know there is a good chance this expert made a vow of poverty. He did ask for remuneration, but he probably is doing this to be benevolent and will give whatever profit to charity. There is no reason for such an awesome monk to be here otherwise without an exorbitant price. He seems to be having fun punching away. I do get the feeling something is wrong with this ce. It usually isn''t that intense at all. In normal times I would turn back instantly but he is still leading the way. As long as he desires to keep going, we will follow. Soon enough we reach the end of the tunnel. Everyone is getting ready to celebrate a job well done. No! Something is wrong! There shouldn''t be a wall there at all. That''s when I see him poking it, then it wiggles. I scream a warning! Telling him to fall back. Sadly I am toote. I see the wall change color and bing transparent again. Inside appear bones suspended in the jelly. This is bad! The mass of goo copse toward him and engulf him whole. Then what can obviously only be a king slime turns back to a stone-like color. This is a death sentence in the truest of sense No, I won''t give up that easily. Time for a fight with everything on the line! I already watched him die in front of me once! Not again! Chapter 142: King Slime Chapter 142: King Slime ****(POV) This time I won''t fail him! This creature is extremely big and fills the entire tunnel. How are we supposed to even save him? Slimes shouldn''t be underestimated. Not this one at least. I would rather fight hundreds of normal ones. I do know that his chances of surviving are really low. However, I still want to try. "Stay out of this you guys. I''ll try and " "We''ll help! He''s in there because of us too! " "Yes, what''s the n?" "Let''s save him!" These guys are not especially powerful, but they are already more valiant than then all the guards I know. I am truly proud of them. "He just got eaten by the king slime! Soon he will get digested or simply die suffocated inside! This is a run against time! This creature is the evolved version of a slime. It is almost invincible except for its weakness. Inside of it is a small nucleus that is the source of its power! We need to destroy that and it will be defeated!" "Nice! We can just keep attacking until we hit it!" "Let''s figure out where it is! If only it was still transparent!" If only it was that simple. "That nucleus is always moving inside the creature, we''ll have to be lucky! Make sure you don''t get eaten too!" And thus starts a fight against all odds. I can''t help but imagine the anguish that is inhabiting him right now. He came here out of the goodness of his heart and now he is dying. Dying in the worst possible way possible. They say drowning is one of the worst tortures. This is drowning in acid. Sadly it is a slow-acting one too. One that leaves the victims feeling all the pain possible in the world before it finally ends. Until only bones remain. All traces of the individual gone. All because some people at the top wanted to save some gold. This is ridiculous. We keep shing and shing. *TING* *CLANG* For some reason, we can''t even pierce its skin. It seems it somehow gained a special ability somewhere along the line. How long has this creature been evolving? There is something even more terrifying. The bones inside of it. There should not be any way for it to eat humans here. This is all so damn wrong! This isn''t going to work. No matter how much effort we spend on this all we will be getting are going to be casualties. As a leader, I can''t tolerate that. Even if I am one of the lowest echelons in the guard, I do believe ites with responsibilities. Taking care of these people is one. "All of you, start running and go back to the surface!" I can already hear them protesting. "Go! Bring back some reinforcements! Someone needs to tell them about the king slime! NOW!" They reluctantly start running back. As a group, they should be fine even if some stray slimes appear. As for me, I will remain here. I do have an idea of how to save him. It is a crazy one for sure. The only one that might work. Might being the keyword. It probably won''t. "C''mon you asshole! Come and eat me!" I will only have a fraction of a second. When ites to eat me, it will turn its outeryer back to normal. I should be able to strike it then. I will have an instant only to locate the nucleus and get rid of it. I will only have this one chance. Sess will mean he might actually still survive. Failure will be my end too. This time I won''t fail him for sure! I can see the giant blob approach me. This time I take no evasion measure. I simply stare right at it! Bring it on! The jelly expands and reaches for me. I feel like a lonely boat confronted with a tsunami. My existence is risible in front of such a powerful creature. Finally, it turns transparent! Quick I need to find the nucleus! Not there, not there, not there either! What the hell?! Where is it?! No matter how I look I cannot find it. Guess this is the end. I look at the one that will die because of me. Because of my failure. I will share his fate. I don''t mind dying that much. I''m just mad at how pointless my death will be. I tried my best and yet He is there with an expression of .happiness?! What?! Where is the pain?! Where is the despair?! Where is the fear of death?! None of that to be seen on his face. He seems to be happily munching on some colored ball. This is.the king slime''s nucleus! HOW?! It should be able to paralyze whatever it eats. Its core should always be in movement and close to impossible to catch. Yet he somehow managed to grab it? Why the hell is he eating it!? How is he still alive?! This is the core of a creature made of acid! He is eating that. He is eating that. He is. What the fuck!!!! "T-thathow?" I need to know. [Hey! What''s up? Where is everyone? By the way, these things are pretty tasty. Want a bite?] "" [Oh yeah, this slime was pretty big wasn''t it? I wonder if there are any more around here. Would be nice to get a few dozen more as a snackter.] "" [Oh also, how much longer do we have to do the cleaning for and how much is the reward? I never got to ask.] "" [Hey, are you alright? You haven''t said anything for a while now. Are you thirsty or something? These slimes actually have some water inside if you want. The taste is surprisingly decent. At first, I was trying really hard to not drink any, but then it somehow happened, and] At this point, I cannot hear anything he is saying. This man is a monster. No, he is not a man. Someone did ask him jokingly if he was human. Now I am convinced. There is no way he is. Whatever he is that thing just ate a king slime in front of my very eyes. The one creature that is known for its devouring power got eaten. This is crazy!!! Waitis he going to eat me too? No, right? Right?! Chapter 143: Are Slimes Strong? Chapter 143: Are Slimes Strong? There seems to be something wrong with the guard''s mental state. Who can me him? Not me. While I do have divine energy to protect my body he has none of that. Of course, it would be a traumatizing experience. He got really close to the king slime. Also, he probably thought he had lost me. But here I am! Standing proud, tall, and naked! This must be a rollercoaster of emotions for him. [Hey man are you alright?] "Stay away!" Right, I forgot to say no homo. What a conscientious guy. I don''t really care about that really. If you ask me two grown men hugging each other naked doesn''t make them gay at all. Everyone needs affection. Actually, even if they were it wouldn''t matter either. I remember that one guy on social media that was getting lots of hate for saying that doing it with a man doesn''t instantly make you gay. Something about there being many potential reasons. Sometimes people want to try it and it''s fine. I truly believe that we need to get rid of these stigmas that gue our society. Well, the old society I have no clue how this one works. But I do have a dream that one day we will be able to tell others nicepliments without being weird and all. I still remember that one friend that got mad when I praised him. What is supposed to be offensive in: nice cock bro!? Anyway, he seems to be trying to get away from my naked self. Time to use the speech skill! [Don''t worry about it. The slime is gone. Everything will be alright. It is only you and I now. Do not worry!] And he starts panicking even more. I''d hug him to console him but he appears shy. "W-why did you eat the slime?!" Is this caused by a difference in culture? Slimes are not an endangered species at all here so why can''t I eat them? Maybe he''s never tried it and it grosses him out. [It tastes surprisingly good you know.] He looks at me wide-eyed. I guess his reaction is normal. I probably looked the same when I first stumbled upon people eating insects in chocte. Actually, my reaction was probably along the lines of GIVE ME CHOCO! Oh well, can''t be helped. People are scared or disgusted about stuff they have never tried somehow. Like anal sex! Yes, I''m still going on about normalizing BL rtions IRL. Do I have a hidden agenda? Naw, I just find it funny as hell haha. [Rx and take a deep breath! Not too big, however, we are in a sewer!] Right, how the hell does this sewer not smell horrible?! This is something noteworthy. Can you believe it?! I barely can and I''m sitting here. This begs to question why doesn''t everyone here get a domestic cleaning slime of their own?! This is really a great mystery of life. Greater than what a king slime was doing here in the first ce. I''ll deal with that er. Especially knowing how great of a massage they can give. Perhaps thatst one requires divine energy. Let me see. Possible cons to taming a slime: 1. It is weak as fuck. It will not defend you if robbers try to break in. Chances are it will go *piupiu* and look at them or something. Of course, it could jump on their face like an alien but it probably wouldn''t be too effective. Except if you get a few hundred slimes of course. 2. It doesn''t have a brain at first nce. Perhaps these are hard to tame because of it. In games, the difficulty of taming a monster is corrted to its level and its attack power. I feel like IRL chances are that the easiest to tame monsters are the rtively intelligent ones but not too smart either. Not smart enough and it will eat you instead of the food that you are offering it. Too smart and it will enve you. 3. It seems to want to eat everything without distinction. Could you imagine having pristine figurines worth a ton only to have them get eaten by a slime? I can and it is the stuff of a horror story. Of course, I could be extremely wrong. Perhaps it is a cultural thing. For instance what if slimes are renowned to only live in sewers. Wouldn''t having one in your home tell people how trashy you are? This could be simr to how some cultures always use the same hand to eat no matter what because they use the other to wipe their ass. In this case, it would be a stigma associated with living with a slime. I feel like I am getting deep into the pondering. Then again from time to time borating on some random hypothesis is fun. Hypotheses are fun and all but we should always verify those. Hopefully, he will know. [Say, why are slimes not used as cleaning pets in people''s houses? It seems to me that it could work.] I can''t wait to hear the borate exnation as to why "Too many people got eaten in their sleep." Oh god. I was off. Way off. Could you imagine a dog owner getting eaten by his pet? I think it happened already in the case of starving animals and animal abuse. [But what if the slime is fed daily then it would be fine right?] "Slimes are always hungry. Always!" This is scary! Don''t tell me slimes are the embodiment of gluttony?! If that is true there is something I don''t understand. How the hell are these things beginner monsters in all games and stories!? Why?! I feel like this is some kind of big conspiracy. Somewhere in the demon realm, some slime demon lord is getting stronger day by day. Making people believe it is weak. Then it will raise an army and conquer then devour the earth realm whole! Or something I don''t know I''m just daydreaming. *ROAR!!!* What is that?! That did not sound like the sound a slime would make! Whatever ising sounds angry and scary! Chapter 144: Big Fire Lizard Chapter 144: Big Fire Lizard Whatever ising sounds powerful. [Quick get behind me!] "T-that alright." We are close to the end of the tunnel. There are holes that lead to the surface but those are made to let the water go through. Humans won''t fit. I''d rather avoid destroying the whole sewer infrastructure. It ising closer. Quickly and surely. I can already see some light in the distanceing this way. It is ring in the dark area where we are. I can see mes! What is this?! Then it appears. Some extremely huge lizard-looking thingy. Just the scales will likely be hard to pierce. Just looking at the size of the thing it must be close to rank 4. We are screwed! *ROAR!* [Any way to bypass it? Any idea?] I''m grasping at straws right now, but I really hope he has some kind of n. Hopefully, one that would be using the knowledge he has as a city guard. There are no secret tunnels here by any chance, right?! "None. we are . wait! I know this creature! It is the tamed monster of the strongest tamer in the city! We are saved!" We are saved! Nice! The gaping maw that ising at us quickly doesn''t scream saved at all, however. Is he 100% convinced it''s the same one? What if it''s another one that just looks the same? I really hope not. Just as I''m getting ready for the impact it stops dead in its tracks. It looks at me like I am some tasty snack. Why is it that it is always monsters looking at me like that? Why can''t it ever be some cute girl? *sigh* Comes a stern voice in the back. "No trace of a king slime at all. This seems like a false rm." It is that guy from the examination! The 4 stars one! Somehow, he looks the exact same asst time. Except right now we are in a sewer and he was supposed to be rushing to our rescue I wonder what kind of hair gel he uses for it to stay that awesome. That might be somehow more impressive than the rank 3-4 creature. A creature that is still looking at me with fire dancing in its eyes and mouth. This thing can definitively breathe fire! Well, I think anyway. [Hey there!] He snorts. "It''s you. Not surprising. Only one such as talentless as you could mistake many slimes stacked together for a king slime. Or perhaps, did you simply try to exaggerate the issue? Such ack of character could be the case for your previous failure." He squints at me. Why is he watching me when the king slime is exploded all over the ce? "S-sir, I saw it too it was definitively a king " "Shut up! I will be the judge of that." And he does shut up. Gotta love the military, but only when there are decent superiors. Otherwise, it can be a shitshow quite easily. The big lizard moves a bit to let him go through. Would have been funny if the lizard got stuck in the tunnel or something and he had to squeeze in. He observes the residues for a while. "No trace of any slime king nucleus. This is all from normal slimes." [That, well I ate it.] *Bashful* "Of course you did. Of course." He turns around and leaves. The monster follows him giving me onest look. That was it? He left just like that?! [This was a weird encounter. Am I the only one that thinks he didn''t believe me about the Nucleus?] " *Sigh* This is too insane a tale to believe. We will both have troubleing our way for sure." [Why? Whoever tasked you with leading this party obviously didn''t know about the slime king! If anything we handed the situation perfectly! Not even a single casualty!] "Except that now they will be doubting our reports in the first ce." I see. [You are telling me he will use his authority to lie about this case?] "Well, he truly did not find any sign of it." [I fucking ate it of course he didn''t find any! How dumb can he be!] He is looking at me like I am some kind of freak. He doesn''t seem scared of me anymore. Even if I am stillpletely naked. We backtrack until we finally reach the surface again. At the entrance, the gang is awaiting our triumphant return. Wolfie and the unicorn are there waiting patiently, not worried in the least. Theye forward for a hug and some headpating. I can see all the others nearby showing extreme curiosity but restraining themselves from asking. [Turns out there was a nucleus in the slime. Once destroyed from within it just got destroyed instantly. We were able to just run.] "How was it inside of it?" "Did you see your life sh before your eyes?" "How did you managed to destroy the nucleus?" [Juicy and wet. No, but I saw some bones of some unlucky sobs in there. I simply grabbed it as it happened to float right next to my face.] "This is a miracle! Killing a king slime!" [I was lucky!] Sure I had divine power the whole time to protect me, but it just happened that I was its natural counter. It swallows and paralyzes its prey. Right next to its one obvious weakness. Any normal guy would have been turned into food end of the story. A little divine protection and that stomach turned into a pool for me. To be honest, I did spend a little time getting used to the water inside. Also, the danger of drowning isn''t a big issue either. Really just coincidences. I am not faking being humble at all. I did im credit with that other guy too. [Now where do we get paid for the job?] The guard shakes his head. "As there are special circumstances they won''t hand out the payment before getting to the bottom of it. It isn''t in my hands anymore. If anything I will probably be investigated too." Wait this is bad! Won''t I end up on the street then!? I was so looking forward to afy bed too! Chapter 145: Celebrating Being Alive Chapter 145: Celebrating Being Alive Won''t we end up on the street? Oh well, guess we''ll survive. "Are you in need of coin fast?" [Oh, I don''t have any ce to stay for the night, so I was looking forward to that reward. How much dyed will it be?] "*Sigh* Who knows. I''ll try and go figure this out." Then the guard leaves and I am left here with the others. "How about youe back with us back to the camp?" [You guys have a camp? What is it for?] "You see we are all lumberjacks. We just happened to take this slime extermination side job because they couldn''t find anyone else. Well, at the rate they are paying anyway." Oh, I see! [I''lle along with pleasure!] Can''t be worst than the outdoor no matter what. Thus our merry party heads toward outside the town to a nearby forest. How are there so many forests around here? I guess this world doesn''t have any deforestation issues yet. Good thing I probably won''t have to live that again. Still, humans are destructive by nature it will only be a question of time before it happens. Well, magic might help in this case. As long as there is a way to grow trees fast it should be fine. Wait, is mana perhaps a limited resource too?! I can''t sense it anyway so it doesn''t concern me. We finally reach our destination. It turns out to be a big wooden building with lots of bed bunks aligned in rows. There is also a building dedicated to storage and one for the kitchen. I get a bed assigned to me. One of the bottoms bunks so that my beastpanions will be able to sleep nearby. I also get handed a simple change of clothes. "Tonight let us celebrate and raise a toast to the man who made it so we came out alive of there!" "To surviving!" "Thank you!" [Guys I barely did anything. You could have simply run away from it and it would have been fine.] "No, they are right. In a normal situation, we would have to rotate to take the vanguard. This would have made it so we would have been tired upon reaching the king slime. We would have probably kept moving as a group closely. We could have all very well been swallowed together. You did save us." "Of course raising a toast without alcohol won''t do. Boys someone go and get some booze for our savior!" Wow. I barely did anything and I even ate the nucleus. If anything it still turned out alright for me. This encampment also seems rtively poor. I really shouldn''t abuse their generosity. [Don''t worry about it. How about we wait to get paid first? I didn''t especially do it to save you guys either, so you don''t have to feel indebted to me at all.] "Oh, we know. This is a man''s pride. No matter the circumstances you did save us. Even if it wasn''t your initial intention." It seems they won''t take no for an answer. Thus I start drinking. I make sure to turn off my alcohol resistance to show my appreciation. Can''t just guzzle it up like water without showing any effect. The more I interact with them the more I realize that there are good people in this world. Some that just want to have a good life. These guys are not trying to participate in any war. Sadly they might very well be coteral damage. For instance just today they could have died from a ruler that does seem to give a damn about themon popce. One part of me is thinking that this ce really needs some reforming. Off with all the bloodthirsty gods and establish some ground rules. Of course, I''m just delusional I don''t have that kind of power. This ce is surprisingly ruled by a medium-size sect under the diplomatic god. Some kind of subordinates. Well, I truly can''t judge only from today''s event. It seems it was a special case. We keep talking about anything and everything. Some gossip that I can''t follow at all. Some about the work they do here. They do tell me about the number of trees they need to fell every day here, and it sounds pretty high. From time to time they ask me to tell the slime story again. At some point, I just tell them I just went for a quick swim inside a king slime. For some reason, this oversimplification entertains them a lot. We joke around until the sun starts setting. Apparently, they need to hold a meeting about the work for the uing day. They tell me I can simply go and rest. That I can rx. I won''t say no to that. Somewhatfy bed? Check. Wolf pillow? Check. Unicorn nket? Check. Wait no, she''s trying to steal part of my nket it seems. Oh well, whatever I''m warm enough. Thus I drift into pleasant dreams. ****(POV) We are having a meeting after our savior went to sleep. "Do you all know what to do?" "Of course, tell no one about him and keep everything that happened to ourselves." "And?" "Not even family members will know!" "Good." "So why again do we need to do this?" "He is clearly some powerful individual. That tamer guy left talking in his back about how trashy our savior was. He is clearly hiding his power. I do not know why, but he is." "Why would he hide it? Isn''t it good?" "He probably dislikes them. If I''m not mistaken, he should be some kind of benevolent monk. He has the strength and the temperament for that. There is no way someone that powerful would join something such as cleaning slimes in a sewer otherwise." "Didn''t he do it for the money?" "Fool! Do you think an expert like him is truly inck of money? He could easily get some by foregoing his morals. He could simply work as a mercenary. Do you know how many warriors are able to take down a king slime alone?" "That how many?" "That was a rhetorical question. The point is not many. I researched a lot before epting this mission. A king slime is a rank 4 creature." This is the reason why I kinda became the de facto leader of the group. The fact that I can read. "That strong?!" "That strong." We adjourn the small meeting. I make sure the security measures are up then I go inside to sleep. As I enter the small wolf looks at me and nods. Why do I get the feeling it knows what we just talked about? This is impossible, right?! Chapter 146: Relaxing Exercise Chapter 146: Rxing Exercise It''s been a long while since I slept that well. This bed might not have been the best, but it beats the ground for sure. As I stretch, I look around. Everyone is still asleep it seems. We did go through a lot yesterday. Coming face to face with death and all. Better leave them. *sneaks out* The air is pure and the temperature warm. This is going to be a good day. I should probably wait for them to wake up to bid them goodbye. It seems to still be early too. Let me see. There are a kitchen and a supply depot. Let''s check the kitchen first. There seems to be a lot of semi-hard bread there. I nibble one a little. It isn''t that bad butpared to what I am used to it is worlds apart. After all, in the old world, anyone has ess to food of amazing quality. In this one, I did live at the Moon Keep for a while. Let''s just say the amodations and food were all great. Then in the wild, I could hunt. There is a certain charm to a simplistic outdoor barbecue. I wouldn''t know how to exin it either. In any case, I guess the goodpany is helping a lot. Now, what else should I busy myself with? I explore the camp. The supply depot seems to contain lots of tools. Axes and whatnot. Also some wood. This is kind of weird. Why are these guys cutting trees with physical might? Wouldn''t it be more efficient to use magic? I''ll have to revise my estimate of the number of people that actually have magical powers. Perhaps the number is lower than I initially believed. Perhaps themon sense of the sects doesn''t apply to the general popce? If I remember correctly one guy did say that they needed to cut a few hundreds of trees. He was probably talking daily. That is how workload is calcted if I remember correctly. Not sure. Should I try it for a bit? I''m not sure how well I would fare. Know what? Let''s give it a try! Okay, first gotta walk to the target. Next, make sure I aim correctly. Trees being immobile helps a lot. Afterward, enhance my physical prowess with divine energy. I would enhance the axe but I''m worried it will break. Next swing and *CHOP* This feels nice! The more I keep swinging the better it feels. This is oddly therapeutic. To further increase my motivation I imagine that snob rank 4 tamer''s face in front of me. Now this feels even better! *CHOP* What do you mean no king slime in sight?! *CHOP* That''s what I think of your obvious lie! *CHOP* No talent whatsoever! So fucking what?! *CRASH* Hell yeah! I will keep working hard. Little by little until, finally, I can topple huge trees. I feel enlightened at the moment. I am quite simr to this simple axe. I might not be the sharpest, or the strongest, or even the coolest, but I will remain myself. I will prevail through sheer effort. Then again, I am also taking it slowly. Going from ce to ce exploring this world and stopping from time to time to train. Right now, for instance, I am chopping wood. How will that help? I am keeping myself busy. This turned out to strengthen my resolve too. I will wait for them to wake up then I am going to learn about taming. Doesn''t matter if most of them doubt me and jeer at me. As long as there is one person that believes I can do it then I can''t let them down. There is Wolfie, there is the unicorn and there is also that silver sses guy. I am truly lucky. If I didn''t have them, I would have to believe in myself. This is something extremely hard to do. Especially when you feel lost in life. Getting summoned into a whole new universe doesn''t help haha. And so I keep chopping and chopping. This is rxing. The physical exercise. Working in the morning. Something simple and repetitive, chop until nothing remains. No need to think about anythingplex. You just keep going. Every time a new target falls the satisfaction of a job well done. Venting all the bad emotions into every hit leaving behind only calmness and peace. The more I chop the more proficient I be. Towards the end, it takes me one swing only to take down a tree. Then I start chopping faster and faster. I can hear something in the distance. Are the others awake? "What the hell happened here?!" Is there something happening? Better head over there! I stop in front of a stupefied lumberjack. [What is it?!] "Where did the forest go!?" I turn around. I did cut many trees but that''s what this ce is for no? [I did cut a fewwas I not supposed to?] "N-no, it''s just when did you do this?" [I''ve been chopping for a little while. By the way, how do you guys even carry these to sell?] "Someone wille with a carriage to deal with it." Another one of ourpanionses nearby. "Where is the forest?!" What is up with these guys? [I did cut a few trees] "You call that a few? That is half the damn forest youid waste to!" [I mean this is just a small part of it on the outskirts no?] "No this is it! Or used to be it in any case. [All of it?!] "All of it." There is clearly something wrong here. I''ve seen a forest before. The savage archaic forest wasn''t anything like this at all. This one looks fake inparison. [So, what do we do about it? I just kept swinging and it somehow turned like that.] "Is it possible you have a gift for woodcutting?" Now that think about it yes. [Sadly I think this might just be my specialty.] "I''m just messing with you. It''s normal with your strength that you would be a faster worker than us. If you ever want to work for us, we''ll take you in hahaha." Oh? Getting offered a job that easily? This is amazing! [Perfect! I''ll take you up on the offer then!] "Wait, what?! You epted?!" Yes, why wouldn''t I? *perplexed* Chapter 147: Good Worker Chapter 147: Good Worker "Wait, what?! You epted?!" [Why wouldn''t I?] "Isn''t using your power for something as lowly as woodcutting annoying?" [How so?] "Powerful warriors are usually proud and arrogant. Something along the line that their des should only be used on the battlefield." [That is bullshit. Why would one go and fight when you can rx and have fun?] ".." Some more of mypanions appear. For some reason, they are all acting extremely surprised. These lumberjacks have never seen someone chop down trees that fast it seems. One of themes closer. Then he goes for the groundwhat? "Please teach me! I want to be that awesome too!" [ThatI wouldn''t know where to start with.] "How did you manage it?!" "Don''t be rude! This is obviously a secret!" "Yeah, don''t be annoying." "Sorry about that." Is it me or they are misunderstanding something here? Is there a trick to it? Actually, perhaps there is. Thinking back on it somehow, I just seemed to instinctively know where to hit to produce the maximum effect. [It is all about the mindset. At first, it will seem like aplex movement that requires much effort. Keep doing it until it bes second nature. Keep doing it until you can ignore the whole world and only the tree in front of you remains. Keep doing it until you forget you are even chopping and just move with the flow. Keep doing it until you finally forget yourself and trees start dropping seemingly by themselves.] Was that too weird? They are all looking at me like I am some sort of freak. "This is amazing!" "There are secret techniques for even such a lowly task!?" "With this, our work efficiency will go up for sure! Thank you!" [Hey, what''s with the lowly task? No skill is ever useless. So what if some people look down on manual workers? These guys are idiots! How the hell could killing people be worth more than something useful to our daily lives?! This is what is wrong with this world! All these gods fighting for power and nothing else! How about fighting for their believers'' sake instead!] They take a moment to ponder my words. Then I can see a visible change in them. They are now standing straight. Proud of their upation. Not ashamed anymore. Some of them even start crying. "Thank you!" "I truly needed to hear that." "No skill is ever useless, so true!" [Isn''t all thatmon sense?] "Of course not. For the people in power, it would be bad if people like us thought like that. It would be harder to lord over us for sure." "I think I can speak for the whole group saying that you are always wee in our midst. No matter what. Of course, I hope you won''t stay here too long. You have better grander things to aplish I believe. I used to be a big believer in hard work only. Meeting you however does make me believe in fate somewhat." Thisthis. I barely said a few words. How is the reaction I am getting so intense? Why are these guys so cheesy? Why do I feel like crying too now? Guess I will be heading to the tamer guild before these guys make me even more emotional. ****(POV) Everyone survived the sewer cleaning expedition I was leading. That is really good. Yet for some reason here I am still. In front of me an angry superior. He keeps the invectivesing for a while. Something about how big of a mistake it is to produce a false report. The guild''s tamer confirmed the absence of any slime king. Since he is renowned there is nothing I can do to reverse the judgment. They won''t believe a lowly guard. Especially true since I have no proof. I did recount my version of the facts. I ended up being ignored. After a while, he announces to me that I will have a month of my pay docked. The workers will not be paid either as a punishment for making a ruckus. Also that the man that helped us will be jailed for trying to cheat the city. This is frankly bullshit. They are turning against them a man that can defeat a rank 4 creature. Because they refuse to believe. Because they are scared of handing out a bit of funds. I won''t let that happen. That would be ungrateful of me otherwise. "It seems I made a mistake. I truly believed that there was a king slime given how big it was. I guess my mind must have yed tricks on me. I am the one that gave the order to go get reinforcements." "You want to take the me for this? Are you sure? For some weaklings?" Weaklings he says. Does that mean they don''t deserve justice just because of how weak they are? Meanwhile, he''s ming the strong. A man that can eat a rank 4 monster is no normal guy for sure. The ignorant is truly fearless it seems. "Yes, it was all my fault!" "Good! You are hereby fired from the guards and stripped of all your possessions. We do not need trash like you in our army." He scoffs and shows a disgusted expression. I give back all my armor and weapons. Also, the token that identifies me. I have been spending much effort in recent years getting to where I am. Yet it alles down crashing all at once. All my effort toppled over by some biased liar from the tamer guild. This is ridiculous. Such is life. As I leave the guard barracks with nothing to my name I look around and see all my old colleagues looking at me. Myck of a standard outfit already tells them all they need to know. A friendes over. "How about I beg for you to get your job back?" This somehow makes meugh. I did so much for these guys all these years. Yet they simply cast me aside like so. I can''t help but unconsciously look towards the lumberjack camp. I know where I will be heading. I smile a little. "Don''t worry, if anything they will be the ones to beg me to take my job back." Time for me to go meet a friend. Chapter 148: New friend? Chapter 148: New friend? These guys are truly too emotional. Getting so excited over these simple words of mine. Almost made me cry too! Can you picture a bunch of burly men and yours truly all crying in a half-razed forest for no reason? Any traveler happening upon this scene would have several questions. Perhaps would think that we arementing deforestation. Real issue by the way, just not here apparently. So I leave quickly, Wolfie and the unicorn after me. Time to head to the tamer guild! This is something I have ever wanted to do! I''m even more satisfied with my starter pets. Screw stuff like a lightning-rat! As we walk on the premises for some reason people are looking at us weirdly. I guess the fact that one is still disguised as a donkey doesn''t help. Any other ce she would fit right in. Not here. There are tamers going about their business. Some with their pets walking alongside them. The whole scene is awesome. Big-ass versions of many animals. Sometimes small but colorful ones too. I remember that guy that had a crystal to store his snake. Is this thing expensive? I should probably look into it. Then again Wolfie is small and the unicorn is proud so it would be kinda useless in my case. Also, I''m broke. I wonder when I will get paid for the slime work. There should be news soon, I guess. In the meantime, I will be patient. This is a job from the city guard itself there is no way they will go back on their word. Otherwise, that would screw up their reputation. There is no way any serious government would do something like that. Could you imagine them denying some workers their just due? That would be insane haha. Soon enough there wouldn''t be any infrastructure because no one would want to work for them. Then afterward the whole city would turn into slums. I like how I''m imagining all these crazy scenarios but the basis of it is impossible. Otherwise, this city would have long stopped existing. I head to the information desk or whatever they call this thing. [Hey there, I''d like help in finding my teacher. Some cool-looking guy with silver sses.] "What would his name be? We have many teachers here." [I have no clue. He looks young about my age, but he gives a mature feeling and.] "Without a name, I won''t be able to help you." What am I supposed to do now "You! You with the donkey!" Some sort of ruckus is happening...wait donkey? Is someone talking to me? I turn around and a slightly fat student-looking guy is pointing at me. He is talking to me, right? "Yes, you! Aren''t you the student of Eternal Ice?!" I can hear the crowd start murmuring. The receptionist seems to be reacting to the name too. Is this guy some kind of bigshot? [I''m not sure, to be honest. My teacher is a good-looking guy with silver sses and ] "It is you! I knew it! You are my idol man!" Wait, what? How? I barely came to this ce. Ever. "How is this possible?! A student of THE Eternal Ice. How does anyone not know this great personage! I need to teach this guy a lesson about the awesomeness of the most brilliant tamer of our guild. Ah, but he is his student, what if he gets mad that I disciplined him? What if." What the fuck. The casual receptionist just turned her yandere obsessive fan mode on. Whatever is happening I know better than to stay here. This shit is scaring the hell out of me. I would rather fight a thousand king slimes than remain next to this crazydy! Well, king slimes do taste really good. I hurry up toward this guy iming to be my fan. [Let''s get out of here, you lead the way!] He looks at the crazy fangirl behind and nods in understanding. Then we run. Faster than the time I was chased by a rank 3 snake, faster than the time I was chased by an army of hunters, even faster than the time I was being chased by the Overwolf beast king. No words are exchanged we simply run. We run until we reach a small courtyard. I am not sure where this is or what we are doing here but it seems peaceful and safe. We take a second to recover our breath. I don''t really need to with the divine energy and all, but I am used to doing so anyway. "You can call me little Bai. This ce is a gardening club that almost no one ever visits. If you ask 99% of the tamers out there, they all want ferocious predators that will look intimidating and powerful. Any that eats vegetables gets ignored. That is why this ce is extremely deste." [If no one cares why aren''t they using the space for something else?] "There are a few beasts that are necessary to the well-being of the ecosystems here. Most rely on the stuff we produce. Getting rid of it would mean getting rid of all of the other beasts. For instance, we have creatures that take care of the cleaning and whatnot." [Oh I see. I get it. If everyone only had the same beast it would cause issues. Even if it was a really powerful one, they would lose wars because of ack of information or problems in their supply chains. Individual power is nice, but you need more than that to make an organization prosper for sure.] "Oh my god! You do get it! I knew it that you would understand!" [Oh? Why?] "I just knew it! After all, you still decided to learn beast taming even after gettingbeled as having zero talent for it whatsoever!" [Hey, are you praising me or insulting me right now?!] "Haha. I am praising you! I respect you way more than these geniuses that barely work in their life and yet get worshipped." For some reason, this just makes me more jealous of these people haha. I would love to not have to put in any effort and having instant sess. That''s what isekai cheats are for! Well, I do have mine, somewhat. The only thing is divine energy is not so easy to use. It is not the ssical situation of using a lottery to instantly learn everything you need to know type of thing. "Oh yeah, by the way. Do you really not know who the Eternal Ice is?" [What is he perhaps some kind of a big deal?] Why is he looking at me like I am some kind of alien? Hello?! Chapter 149: Getting Dark Chapter 149: Getting Dark Is that Eternal Ice that big a deal? Judging by my new friend''s reaction yes. Also, that receptionist back there was acting up. [So, why are you guys reacting so much to...] "He is a legend! He has always been a genius. He has an ice elemental as his tamed beast. This in itself is insane. Elementals are close to impossible to tame. You can''t intimidate or use anything to bait them into following you. The only option is sheer will and tenacity. I heard that he had to climb the highest mountain there is to get it. One that is ssified a disaster zone!" [Oh I see. That kinda sounds cool. About the disaster zone, I''m not sure. I''ve seen a disaster zone mibeled previously already. Some might not be that horrible once you are used to it. But why would anyone get an ice cube as a pet?! How are you supposed to cuddle with it at night?!] "Cuddle? You cuddle with your tamed beasts?! Then again you have cute ones." He looks at me seemingly impressed. For some reason, Wolfie starts growling at him. Almost as if to warn him not to try and pet her. She used to be like that with me too. Back when I was trying to y fetch with her and all. Now I know barbecue is the way to her heart haha. [So he is someone with a tenacious will. Anything I need to know?] "Well, he is a rising star here. They say he has chances to be the strongest tamer there is here. Of course, he is far from recing the current one." [Is that the rank 4 tamer with the big fire-lizard?] "Ah, yes. Well, he is a rank 3.5, not a rank 4." [This is confusing what''s with the .5? Ranks go from 1 to 5 no?] "Yes and no. Mostly we use that system but there is a big difference between a rank 3 and a rank 4. So it often happens that some people are too strong to be considered a rank 3 but too weak to be considered a rank 4 just yet. This is why this thing exists. For example, his tamed beast is rank 4 but his power himself is weaker." [Does it matter? He managed to tame it no?] "He can control it, but only because he''s had it since it was born. He won''t be able to use magic to enhance the attribute of his tamed beast however because he is not as strong as it yet." [What?! There is magic to improve pets?!] "Yeah, but it''s not easy to aplish." This is gettingplicated. Still, I can''t help but picture me enhancing Wolfie until she is actually strong. I could also buff the already OP unicorn. Unicorn goes brrrrrrrrrr on the battlefield and the enemies go riiiiiiip. Haha, that would be epic. Ah, don''t get me wrong I don''t support mindless ughter. But it can happen at times and better make it stylish. Talking about style this guy did say he looks up to me. Maybe it''s because of that? [Right what was that about me being your idol?] "You are an inspiration for all of us! You tamed a donkey and made it fight against a rank 2 snake! It actually won! This is the best show I have seen, talk about showing these entitled pricks who''s boss!" That how am I supposed to react to that? [Thanks I guess.] What would he do if he knew that the so-called donkey is a damn unicorn in disguise for some reason? A reason I still don''t understand. Either way, it does what it wants I can''t really get any merit on that. Guess I should change the topic of the conversation right about now. [What about you? What''s your tamed beast?] "Oh, that? I don''t have any." [Oh, my bad. I thought you were a beast tamer.] "I am." [] "Stuff happened and I lost the tamed beast I had since young. I need to get myself a new one but none that I have seen interested me that much." I can see mncholy in his eyes. Oh god, what kind of trauma did I just unearth right there?! I need to salvage the situation quickly! C''mon think brain. Any other conversation topic. [So, good day isn''t it?] AhI am a master of talk for sure. "Yes, it was on a simr day that I lost my best friend. Radiant sun and warm temperature." Oh fuck I just made it worse! [Don''t worry I''m sure your beast is in peace in the afterworld or something.] Here salvaged the situation for sure, now time to . "It got eaten, regurgitated and its remains got raised by a necromancer. To this day its tormented soul is probably still roaming thend. Never to find rest. Always tortured by existing as an abomination." What kind of crazy necromancer does that?! This story is getting darker by the minute! I feel bad for him. [We can look for it together and solve the problem! Then we can organize it the most glorious of funerals and finally, its spirit will be at peace!] This ought to cheer him up, right?! "That was an idea I previously had." Nice now we just need to. "It turned out to be something I should never have done. This is how I lost my biological brother. We went together and he perished on that damn quest. I will always remember thest words he said to me." Oh god. This is bing a horror story! [W-what did he say?] "He said, and I quote, It hurts like a bitch!" [What?!] "And then he died. Eaten by the zombified version of my tamed beast. To this day I cannot erase his dying expression from my mind. It haunts me and prevents me from sleeping at night. Sometimes I swear I can hear him calling my name at night. But then I realize it is only my mind ying tricks on me." What the fuck is up with that dark and heavy backstory?! Seriously?! I look at him at a loss on how tofort him. Then he opens his mouth again. Does this get darker?! "HAHA, I''m just messing with you friend. I had a dog, but it died of old age. So now I''m looking for a new tamed beast." Dafuq?! Can I murder him?! Chapter 150: Revenge! Chapter 150: Revenge! [So the tamed beast part was a lie?] "I mean I did have a dog as my tamed beast. It just died of old age and is now buried home, however." [The brother part?] "I always was a unique child." [Why the hell did you delve so deep inside that story then?!] "It was fun seeing your reactions. You were starting to feel sorry for me, right?" How about I unscrew his head off his shoulder and truly feel sorry for him? "Haha, let this be a lesson too. Don''t trust everything people tell you. I was just joking about it, but someone could exploit that." Sad to admit but he''s right. I know so little about this world that I am easy to trick. An obvious solution is to read, but even then, learning how would take me a long time. "Don''t worry about it. Kidding between friends is something normal." Wait, are we friends now? This has huge implications. This guy is my first fat friend here. Anyone not understanding how awesome this is needs to review literally all eastern novels. There is always that one funny fat and loyal character next to the MC. I might just be a normal dude, not any main character, and he might not be fully fat either, but that will do. From now on I have my own fat friend! I look him dead in the eyes. [I will consider you a friend but know that you will have a huge responsibility. You will need to shine more brightly than all others. You have a plethora of funny and fat characters topete with after all.] "What''s that about me being fat?! Are you insulting me?! I''m barely overweight a bit! And I look cute too!" [You see little Bai from where Ie from you fit that one archetype of character perfectly. I will be expecting great things from you. Do not worry for this is no insult, but truly a heavy burden to carry. You will have to be one of the most attaching individuals there is and be strong all thanks to me for some bullshit reason. Otherwise, we would have failed all the existing legends.] "Wait, are you assigning me some role based on a bard''s song?! This is insane I don''t even know which bad you are talking about?!" [All of them little Bai, you see your fate was sealed the moment you called yourself my friend. Your destiny became filled with suffering from that point onward. With enough challenge to make anyone give up and beg for death, but not you. Yes, not you for you will be that legendary friend character.] "Can I take it back? You are starting to scare me now!" [Little Bai do you know the inner workings of fate?] "Of course not!" [You see fate is my specialty and you doomed yourself by dering to be my friend. You might not know it but I am a wanted man. One that has many assassins sent after him by various forces. They are jealous of how I manage to aplish so much while I have so little potential. And now you just became their target as well for interacting with me.] "There is no way! We just met!" [It is toote little Bai, you called yourself my friend, and most importantly called yourself my fan in front of others. They will learn of that soon enough. You will see they wille for me soon. Except I will be long gone. Instead, they will learn about little Bai.] "*Gulp* T-then what?!" [They will learn about how close we are. They will ask you about my whereabouts. Of course, you won''t know, but they won''t give up. They will first crush your bones, then your spirit, and finally your soul. All until they can get the information out of you. Information that you would never have possessed in the first ce.] "No way!" [And then they will turn your body into a bloodthirsty revenant that will follow their every wish. They will turn you into a hound to try and destabilize my psyche. Knowing full well that we are friends. Then someday we will meet again. In your empty eyes, there won''t be a single trace of life. The little pieces of your shattered soul screaming for true death. Hoping for oblivion.] "What the fuck!" [And then I will help. I will gaze directly at you and will say this: it has been a long time, old friend. Then I will burn whatever remnant of you there still is and free you.] "No way in hell!" [You also have one alternative. To leave before their forces arrive. I will be leaving tomorrow at dawn. Whether you are there or not I will be leaving. How you deal with whatever happens next will be your own responsibility. Alright, see youter friend. One way or another that is.] "What the hell man?! Wait, where should I even join you tomorrow?!" [Oh, you don''t have to follow. I am sure you are one resourceful guy. Later.] "Just tell me already!" Ie closer, making sure no one is listening to our conversation. Of course, I am simply bluffing, but he doesn''t seem to notice. [*Whispering* outside the city is a small lumberjack camp. I will be sleeping there tonight and leaving from there. They already may have scouts roaming about. Don''t be seen or you will be the first to die most likely. Also, my pursuers are ones that reward their informers with swift death to prevent anyone from messing up their ns. Don''t even try that. Well not if you want to live. Alrightter.] He looks at me leaving,pletely at a loss. A mix of panic and incredulity. As I leave, I scream behind. [Thank you, stranger, for telling me about the name of my teacher. For that, I am truly d, but next time please make the story faster. I am a busy man you see. Thank you and take care!] I am wondering how long it will take him to realize that I am joking. HAHAHAHA Chapter 151: First Lesson! Chapter 151: First Lesson! And I totally feel like drinking something right now. I usually don''t talk so much in a chapter. Oh well, stuff like that is a nice change of pace. Still, I wonder how long he will believe me. Chances are not that long. He could easily ask anyone I have met, and they will all agree I am obviously some random lost normal guy. I mean I keep asking random questions about this ce. I definitively do not give off any kind of mysterious vibe at all. I can''t believe he initially bought it haha. Either that or he pretended to be tricked like some genius mastermind. For what purpose I wouldn''t know at all. It kinda reminds me of that story with two geniuses pitted against one another. One wanting to cleanse the world of all evil in it by killing all the bad guys. The other being something along the lines of killing is bad m''kay. Of course, he sounded smarter. The more the story goes on the more mind games there are. Sometimes I would just picture putting these two brainiacs one against one another in a wrestling cage match and calling it a day. BAM! How to end it in style in the dumbest way possible. Could you imagine all the people loving the carefully prepared ns only for it to end all in mes? Anyway, I digress. Now I shouldn''t be thinking about mes. I should be thinking about how to find that ice guy instead. I ask some bystanders. [Hello, have you seen some guy called Eternal Ice? He wears silver sses.] Most are shaking their heads in denial. Some are looking at me like I am retarded. I mean for anyone actually knowing the guy that much info should be plenty. I doubt there are many dudes going by that grand nickname here. Especially if the prerequisite conditions are as harsh as they sounded like. Could you imagine others getting the same pet? Would we call that second guy Eternal Ice the Second? After that, it would be Eternal Ice the Third? That would be hrious. I run around randomly. He doesn''t seem to be anywhere here. Where should I "I hear you have been looking for me." This cool voice! I could recognize it anywhere! Actually no. Just here. I kinda identified the voice easily because of where we are. You know how the brain stores information. By association. I have my tamer guild folder inside of here and the only voice that matches is my teacher. [Teacher finally I have found you!] "What do you mean finally? Also, why did you run away earlier on your own?" [I did not want to be in trouble!] He frowns. [I did not want you to be in trouble!] He frowns some more. [I did not want thatmittee guy to be in trouble?] "*Sigh* Whatever. I guess now is a good time for your first ss. Follow me." I guess I could also have kept silent too. Oh well. I follow behind him. The crowd is looking my way and being impressed. If only. They are all looking at my teacher. Some even show disdain toward me for some reason. Some jealousy. One is even making a sign showing that he''ll slice my neck what?! Oh never mind he''s just scratching his neck. We eventually reach a small room. Is this the kitchen? It seems especially cold. This seems like a small room that actually leads to some freezer of some kind. I can feel the cold prickling my skin already. Do you know what this means?! Yes, they have a serious istion problem. Can you imagine how much energy they are wasting like that?! I get it if it''s an air conditioner since the goal is to make the room cooler. But a freezer that leaves some air pass through is really bad. He brings two chairs and sits on one. "Alright what do you know about beast taming?" [Only what I did read about it in works of fiction. I basically know nothing of how it really works.] "Alright, let us start by the basics then. What makes a tamer strong?" This is a quiz now? What happened to the basics? [The ability to tame beasts!] " Sure. That one is obvious. The answer I was looking for being knowledge. The knowledge to know how to tame any beast. The knowledge to know the fights one can win. The knowledge required to learn new techniques." I''m not sure I like where this is going. It sounds like a lot of cramming in sight. I was convinced I was done with that. I remember school days in another life. It was fun while itsted, you know the partying, not actually going to ss and all. But I don''t miss the anguish of knowing there is an uing exam. Wait, will there be some tests to do? I hope not. "This knowledge can be found in books. You will have to read about every beast there is. The more you read the more apt you will be to know how to attract each one to serve you. The more you will be able to stay alive in dangerous environments. The farther you will progress in this domain." Oh no! I used to love reading. I used to devour novels like there was no tomorrow. But here it''s weird. I have seen some writing. I have seriously no clue how to deal with this unknownnguage. The absolute worst is that I heard that there is not one unified one but instead many depending on the gods. Quite like the many dialects back home. The only issue is there is no trantion software here. No inte to ask for help either or learn anything rtively easily. Only lots of effort and tears. [Is there .any another alternative?] The look he gives me says otherwise. He reaches out inside a desk and brings out a book. One so thick it would put an anime milf to shame. "Here, start by reading this one. Come back only when you are done." And then he pushes me outside. What am I supposed to do now?! Chapter 152: Little Bai’s Adventures Chapter 152: Little Bai¡¯s Adventures ****(POV) What the actual fuck. This is madness! What are the odds that a random guy I decide to talk with and tease turns out to be some high bounty target?! What am I supposed to do now? He said something about being chased by assassins. There is no way anyone normal would have that happen to them! No, rx! There is a chance he was just messing with me. Yes! Perhaps he was just trying to get back at me for my little joke about my pet. Or was he faking looking nave? What if it was all an act?! This is so troublesome. Usually, I wouldn''t have to think much about it. I would tell myself that I''ll deal even with the worst cases scenarios somehow. Not this time. What was with the way he said goodbye to me? Acting as if someone might have been listening to our conversation? Either he is a lunatic, or I am in way deeper than I ever intended. Wait this should be easy to figure out. I just need to check the ce he told me about. If he was just kidding it will turn out to be some normal outpost. Otherwise, there should be clues is my guess. Alright, time to go! What if the ce itself is a trap? I don''t think I actually have any enemy that would go to such lengths to ambush me. I did mess with many people, but I always run a background check before. I know who I can and cannot afford to offend. It takes me a little while to reach there. Finding one camp like this one is actually harder than it seems. There are many small forests around the area. This particr one is half razed. They must have been at work in this area for a long while already. Ie upon a group of burly men that are all resting? What is up with them? Right now is almost the middle of the day. It is possible they are taking a food break, but this scene still appears weird. They show no trace of having worked in the morning. Their clothes are all clean and proper. There are no tools in sight. It seems that all of them are resting. Right now it doesn''t seem like they have noticed my presence yet. So I wait and then wait some more. No matter what they show no sign of wanting to work at all. This is extremely worrying. This is no normal lumberjack camp. They are not doing anything but wait. What are they waiting for? Are these guys spies? Is this some rebel group in hiding? "How long are you going to stand there hiding?" Who is that?! It ising from my back! Gotta rx and take a poised voice. "Oh, I''m just looking for a friend don''t worry about it." "A friend is it? Why would you stay here instead of going in to say hi then?" He seems suspicious of me whoever that is. I slowly turn around and there is some man that clearly seems to be a soldier. At his hips is a longsword. The way he carries it makes me believe he definitively knows how to use it. Right now I am a beastless tamer. I should not tick him off no matter what. "I was looking for my friend, but he doesn''t seem to be in the group after careful observation so I was wondering if I should wait for him or look for him in the city." "Understandable, who is that friend of yours? Perhaps I do know him." He gives me a small smile. Wait didn''t that guy say something about some people that would torture and kill me for interacting with him? Something about scouts?! Could this guy right here be one?! No matter what I cannot tell him I know the guy! "Oh, he is a new lumberjack here. Actually, he might have quit I''m not sure." "So you DO know him. Of course, that makes sense." What?! What is he thinking now?! "I truly don''t know who you are talking about!" "You do not? Strange there has only ever been one neer in thest months in this group. Joining is not only troublesome but also not very appealing. You can only be talking about that man." "Is it? Haha. Actually, I don''t know him personally I was just trying to see if he was interested in a job at the beast tamer guild since he recently joined it and all." "He did? Hum makes sense now that I think about it. You guys do have thatst option of a duel to the death don''t you?" What is he talking about now? "T-that yes we do, why?" He startsughing. "Hahaha, truly smart. I was expecting him to retaliate but not that hard." "What did I miss?" "Oh, let''s just say I wasing here to tell him some bad news, but it seems he already knows about it. Actually, it seems he is taking steps to deal with ourmon enemy too. That is great. I can''t wait to see the face of these old stubborn fools when their precious star tamer gets killed hahaha." "Star tamer?!" "Not for long." This can only mean oh god. That would exin how he referred to that powerful tamer by such a casual title. A rank 4 tamer with a big fire-lizard. There is no way anyone sane would call such a being like that! Still, that is madness! "Do you think he has a chance?" "Who?" "The one I came here to see." "It seems you do not know him yet haha. If anything I would bet on his enemy''s demise. After all, I saw him eat a rank 4 monster with my own eyes. The worst is that he casually did it too. Without any emotion fluctuation whatsoever. This man is used to killing legendary creatures for sure. This should be nothing else than a big lizard and a dead man to him hahaha." Holy fucking shit! That is really how he called it! Wait, if he is that powerfulhow fucking strong are the assassins he is running away from?!! Chapter 153: Library Time Chapter 153: Library Time Alright, I just need to somehow read a book that is extremely thick and also in anguage I do not know. You know how a lot of peoplein about machine trantion? Right now I would love to have ess to something that amazing. Okay, I have 3 options in front of me. First, I don''t read it at all and try to weasel my way out of it. Seeing how stern my teacher looks I''d say he would probably stop teaching me should I do that. This one wouldn''t work. Second, I can try to learn to read. This would take a long time and potentially only work for this onenguage. Who knows how many there are out there. If I ever change area would that skill still be useful? After all, I am not sure that I want to establish myself in the diplomatic city just yet. Third, I could find someone to read it for me and pay them. Only issue is that I am broke. Maybe I should figure out how much such a service would cost? Alright, let''s try and see how much the third option would cost me. Time to head to either a bookstore or a library, I guess. Is there even such a thing in this town? Time to use my special skill: ask passersby! [Hey there stranger is there somece one can go to read?] And turns out there is! I get told some general directions. A few hourster I finally manage to find my destination! Why a few hours? Well, this city is actually rather big and confusing. It seems to me as if no one actually nned its construction. It probably just happened. Then they put a big ass wall around it and called it a day. Probably to get some entry tax. Wait a second, didn''t I leave the city ande back already? Why did I only pay the entry tax once? Is this some plot hole? Naw, those things don''t happen in real life since there isn''t any plot. Is it possible we only have to pay it once? How do they know who paid or not? They didn''t give me anything to identify me. This is both impressive and questionable. If they have the technology to differentiate between people that easily why do they need to clear the sewers manually? Eh, whatever I''ll ask my lumberjack friendster on. In front of me is a rtively medium-sized building. I was expecting the usual fantasy-style giant library. You know the one where you can learn spells, history, warfare, everything in fact. The history I do know about this world tells me that this world has little interest in the topic itself. Well, there is probably a sect out there that are scribes or something. Wonder how that would y out on the battlefield however haha. At the entrance are a few guards. Still, they arezily looking around. They don''t seem to be too worried about an attack or intrusion. [Hey guys I am looking for someone to read something for me. Do you know anyone I could ask?] He nonchntly looks at me. "I have no clue about that, but if you wish to enter you''ll have to pay the entrance fee." Damn of course. [Funny story the city owes me some money from clearing out the sewers. You know the slimes and all. Before they actually pay me, I am penniless.] "Then you''ll have to wait to enter." This is bullshit. They take a while to issue a payment but are really quick to ask for funds. Then again it''s probably not the same departments. What am I supposed to do now? "It''s you!" I could "Hey, you are that donkey tamer, aren''t you?! Wait, what? I look up there is a schrly-looking young man that seems excited about something. "I heard about your fight. How your donkey managed topletely destroy that rank 2 creature. I''ve never heard of anything crazier than this. You could imagine my surprise when I saw the bite woundster on. This is epic!" Oh wow, another donkey fan. If this keeps up they will start a fan club. As if haha. "Anyway, what brings you here?" [I am looking for someone to read this for me *shows heavy book*.] "What? You don''t know how to read?!" [Not thisnguage at least.] "Hum how about you head inside, and I slowly read it to you?" [That would be awesome! Actually, I can''t head in since I am broke at the moment, I am waiting to be paid for] "Not a problem! *turns to the guards* He''s with me! Alright, let''s go in!" There is no way they willyes, they did. They moved out of the way. They do point at Wolfie and the unicorn however signaling them to stay outside. Oh well, can''t be helped. [Wow, are you some kind of big shot?!] "Haha, I wish. No, but I am the librarian. The head librarian is my father too. Let''s just say that I might be powerless everywhere but here." [Oh! So you grew up reading books? Same!] "Haha, usually people don''t get impressed by that. At all." [I mean, what''s the point of warring all the time when you could be chilling at home reading? How boring are these guys!] "Haha, this is what you consider boring? Let''s just say everyone in this city would disagree with you my father included." [Wasn''t he the head librarian why would he hate books?] "He loves them. He just wishes for a better future for me. This upation is far from prestigious. That''s why I joined the tamer''s guild. It was a way for me to transform my reading craving into actual power." [This is epic! Pretty much turning your hobby into a full-time job.] "It is, but to be honest sometimes I just wish I could head my own library. A huge one that would contain all the knowledge one can find. Of course, this is nothing but a pipe dream of mine." [I believe if you keep working hard you might just as well seed.] "I see kinda like that donkey of yours am I right haha." He points to the unicorn nearby. Waitwe look at each other confusedly. When did both Wolfie and the unicorn enter?! What happened to the guards?! Chapter 154: Library Time for Real Chapter 154: Library Time for Real [How did you two even enter?] *Shrug* *Acting innocent* "How?!" [Are the guards still alive at least?] *Nod* "These are official guards there is no way they could get killed so easily!" I mean yes, but at the same time the unicorn has unlocked the title of Destroyer of Skeletons for sure. Guards do have bones. It wouldn''t surprise me seeing them get fucked up easily. I just hope this won''te back to bite me in the ass. I just hope I don''t get jailed for this. [Refrain from doing this in the future, please. I don''t want them toe for my head.] And now the unicorn is posing heroically. Something about this demeanor tells me whoeveres after me will be the ones to suffer. This is bad. [No random violence, alright?] *Nod* Alright, that should do the trick for now. [Alright, I''m following you.] And thus our party makes its way inside. Surprisingly this ce seems rtively empty. The asional librarian stares wide-eyed as a donkey and a wolf proceed to walk inside. This must make for a strange picture for sure haha. Oh well, it can''t be helped. These guys are awesome, but a bit too clingy. It is almost as if they were afraid I would run away from them. Then again I do tend to get lost easily so I can somewhat understand them. Like right now If I was asked the way back to the Moon Keep, I wouldn''t know it. "Here we are." He sits behind a counter. It seems to be a special desk for book copying. I am saying this because of the ink and various pieces of paper all over the ce. That and the half-finished manuscripts. "This is where I used to work most of the time. Copying the books we have for the wealthy and powerful to get a personal copy. Most of them do not really care about it and just want to brag about owning something rare." [Makes sense.] "Let me see this book. *picks it up* Oh wow it seems to be the basic edition of the beastpendium. Except it contains personal notes from Eternal Ice himself it seems. You could totally sell this! Well, he might kill you if you do it haha." [Are the notes that valuable?] "From browsing it quickly I''d say the notes themselves are nothing special. It is more the fact that it is a personal possession of a tamer that might just be extremely strong in the future. He already has many fans you know." [I take it you are not one of them?] "Indeed. I respect the guy, but I can''t bring myself to idolize him. At some point, I might just be as strong as him. He is but a man. Ah sorry, I don''t mean to badmouth your teacher at all." [Don''t worry I understand. Idols are nothing but people at the end of the day.] "Alright, d you understand. Let''s read this and" Just as he''s about to start a hoof stops him in his tracks. The unicorn moves the book towards herself. "This beastpendium is made to be as urate as possible; discrepancies are however possible as species are constantly evolving. Do refer to this edition as reference material but please do use your own judgment." "Y-your donkey can talk!" SEE! I''m not the only one! I knew that is the expected reaction! I am not crazy haha! [And read apparently.] "And read?! How?! How did you manage that?! Did you use some kind of treasure on it? Is it some secret taming technique?! Just how?!" What should I tell him? I am truly not sure "Shut up human I am trying to read here. Do not disturb or I will have to get rid of you!" "" [] And thus continues the live reading of the beastpendium. Mypanionpletely bbergasted and me listening attentively. The more this goes on the more I realize that this thing just lists all creatures that exist. It is trying to be as exhaustive as possible, with the habits and food preferences included. There is no way I will remember all of that. It is kinda simr to when you browse a wiki for info about something random. Sure it''s interesting and all but you will likely forget most of it over time. I guess this thing would work well as a reference material before a big mission or something. Boss fight iing? What is that monster weak to? Prepare ordingly. There is only one issue with that is that the monsters with the longest entries are the rank 2 ones. I mean even Wolfie can get rid of those somehow. What is the point in taming such a weak one? Labor? I am just traveling at the moment. For fun? I already have Wolfie following me around and that is enough for me. Bing a more knowledgeable beast tamer? This is not my goal; I just want the certificate. The more she reads the more I feel like this is kind of a waste of time. But then I need to finish this before I can learn some more stuff. I wonder If there are multiple ways to be one. In this one story I knew there was the conventional way to pass exams for professions and the extremely troublesome one. It just turned out that for the MC the second option was actually easier because of his circumstances. Maybe I would be in a simr boat. After all divine energy is hard to use but also kinda OP not gonna lie. So far, I can use it mostly to scout and defend myself with a tiny bit of offensive power. Only this has allowed me to even fight rank 3 creatures. Well, there was also that one time with the bone dragon, but I only seeded with support from the mage. Right, how strong was that thing anyway? Was it a rank4? Perhaps it was a rank 3.5 since it was already dead? [Can you look up bone dragon in there? I want to know the rank of that thing we killed.] *Sounds of a librarian choking on his own saliva* Will I finally know it or will it remain a mystery? Chapter 155: Little Bai’s Insistence Chapter 155: Little Bai¡¯s Insistence Turns out there is no entry for a bone dragon. Afterward, we check for the big tree that got done in by lightning, not there either. On the side, the librarian keeps asking if it''s true that we really fought such a creature. Dragons are known to be super strong after all. Yes, it is. No, we didn''t win thanks to me. All because of that one mage burning his life essence to cast that OP spell. Of course, I don''t tell him thest part so now he is looking at me like I am some kind of god haha. In such a manner the unicorn keeps reading and I keep listening. Trying to soak in most of the information. This is turning out to be kind of hard, to be honest. Now the library is about to close. Wait, now that I have my personal trantor, I don''t even need to be here! This whole trip was unnecessary. Oh well. I bid my new friend goodbye and we return to the camp. As we leave, the guards avoid eye contact with my pets. They seem to be shaking? What is up with them? Did they get intimidated that easily? Where is the pride of a soldier? I was expecting it more to be a case of them giving up because they aren''t paid enough to deal with a unicorn. There is definitively something weird with the guards in this town and how the whole system works. Then again it is not really my ce to criticize them. Then it is time to exit town. In passing, I ask about how they know who needs to pay and who doesn''t. Turns out the reason I managed to go through without any issue is that I am wearing officialborer''s clothes, the ones the lumberjacks gave me. There is just one thing I do not understand. Why isn''t everyone getting such outfits to bypass it? Turns out it is a mix of being restricted and pride. The merchants wouldn''t be able to bring their cargo in for free anyway hence it is pointless to them. Travelers and nobles would rather pay any fee than wear peasant clothes. Turns out there are nobles in this world. I''m truly surprised I haven''t seen any arrogant one yet. Perhaps it is just a novel clich? Then again, I guess I am not in their social circle so of course, they wouldn''t meet me. I am just a wanderer. It wouldn''t be far stretched for people to think I even worship that wanderer god. The one that wants his followers to stay penniless. Except in my case, it''s all because of bad money management. Current n: Sleep, then chop some wood and keep studying. When I''ll feel like I am ready I''ll go hang out with my teacher again for some more noteworthy lesson hopefully. As Ie back to the camp everyone seems to be rxing by the fire. Where are the marshmallows?! Where are the horror stories?! There isn''t even anyone with a guitar or some guys making out in a tent! Oh right, this isn''t summer camp. Right, what season is it? The temperature is warm but I don''t know if it gets any colder. [Hey guys!] "You are finally back!" Wait, is that little Bai?! Ipletely forgot about him! Can''t believe he truly came! [Hey what brings you here?] "I''m ready to leave with you whenever!" [Why?] "Because I don''t want to die!" Did he take me seriously? [You do know I was kidding, right?] "What?! ." [No one will bother you because of me. Hell I may have a few enemies, but I don''t think they even know where I am.] Enemies might include cultivator dude and the assassins going after the mercenaries. As long as I keep my eyes opened, I should be fine, however. First, one is some champion and will probably travel around with a big procession or something. Thetter is a huge group. If anything scouts might be hard to evade. Perhaps I could convince them that I am not rted in any way to their target? In any case, I have some bodyguard right now, so I''m not worried in the slightest. "That is not fun. I was ready to leave all my life behind to follow you, man!" [Please, you did the same with that beast and brother story! I was just answering in kind haha.] "*Sigh* Fair enough. There is something I need to tell you." [What''s up?] "Hum, the star tamer in our guild is really strong you know. He has a rank 4 creature at his beck and call. That is enough to make him peerless." What''s with the sudden guild talk? Is he trying to brag or to recruit for something? [And?] "Well, I just want you to promise me you won''t try to pick up a fight with him recklessly. Especially knowing that he has the backing of the whole guild. It would end up in an unfavorable fight for you pretty fast." Seriously why is he talking about that?! [Don''t worry I won''t. I''m a peace-loving careful individual!] I give him a thumbs up. Somehow that seems to reassure him. But why would I even want to go against the tamer guild? OH! I see it now! True. In most stories, the underestimated protagonist with no talent at first nce gets strong and starts wreaking havoc. Now the actual damage done would depend on how dark the story is. If it is a lightedic one you can expect face-pping at best. Darker one there would be a life and death battle happening at the climax. Even darker would be the extermination of the entire guild. [Oh, right! Are there any life and death duels happening in this ce?] If there is such a thing happening, I definitively want to watch! Do you think it is cruel and barbaric? Totally is. Still, entertainment in this world doesn''t seem that developed at first nce. At least I haven''t seen anything cool enough to really spark my interest just yet. "*Panicked* No matter what you should not challenge anyone to one! Either you''ll die or you''ll just make tons of enemies! Especially not the star tamer!" I obviously just want to watch! What''s with this guy?! Why is he so fixated on this?! This is not a g, right?! Chapter 156: Where Is She? Chapter 156: Where Is She? I take a while to reassure the guy. Telling him that I won''t start a bloody war with some powerhouse. No, seriously I don''t have a death wish. Actually, my specialty is surviving. Even if I can somehow outlive him, I don''t want to spend the rest of my life on the run. Especially the tamer''s guild. They could use hound species to track me quite easily. It figures in the list of the guilds I do not want to offend at any cost. Same as the assassin''s guild. I am sure there exists one somewhere. Actually, now that I think about it a tracker''s guild could be bad too, or even a mage guild. or even worst a divination one! The point is I know better than to find trouble with a huge organization. Afterward, we keep having fun talking around a campfire. The good news is that I will be getting paid for the trees I have already cut down. There is a satisfaction to be had in a work well done. It ain''t much but it''s honest work you know. I get handed a small money pouch with a few copper coins. This probably won''t buy me much but now I am no longer penniless! HAHA, I might be able to buy some cheap food with such funds! These guys keep asking me about stories. At first, I''m reluctant, but the more the night goes on the more I find myself talking. About random fairytales, about some creatures I have encountered in the archaic savage forest, about the death domain. Thest one is extremely popr. They love the way I describe the army of skeletons and the onught of the wraiths eying us from above. When I get to the part about d they all scream something about him being a vampire until I exin things carefully to them. How he is kind and passed the actual check I did. Apparently, the thing about vampires not having a reflection is something mostly unknown in this world. Well, most people don''t know much factual information about them, to begin with. They are creatures of myth. I do keep the part with the blood to myself in case they find it weird somehow. Blood transfusion used to be considered something insane in the middle ages too. We do end up the night by drinking some. Thest reserves we have here. Apparently, they should be able to get a new shipment soon with the wood I chopped. Everyone heads to sleep and thus ends this slow but meaningful day. Actually, little Bai returns to the guild. Something about having to take care of his nts. In the morning I wake up feeling great. I get the feeling I have a goal and am actively working toward something. The unicorn reads and I listen attentively trying to memorize. For now, I try to learn about the rank 2 creatures since these are the ones, I am most likely to be asked about in a test. Considering that there are so many in that book and all. As we are doing that one of the lumberjacks sees me. He is the most talkative one and the one in charge of the daily operations. "What are you reading? Ah, I guess you are talking a break as your donkey is the one looking at the book." [Some kind of beast encyclopedia.] "From the tamer''s guild?" [Yep.] "So you are indeed a tamer. I figured out that much with the wolf and the donkey." [Sadly I''m not one yet. I''m working toward this, however.] "Alright do tell me if you want help studying." [You know how to read?!] "Hey, don''t look down on me just because I am a humble worker." [Ah, no! I did not mean it in this way. To be honest I don''t really know thisnguage. It would be helpful if you could read it for me!] "Of course! It would be my pleasure!" Nice I got myself a helper! Andthe unicorn is ring at him. I bring her aside for a second. Then we discuss about how if she wants to act like a donkey she can''t be going around reading for me. It would definitively blow up her cover. Well, it''s a bitte for that anyway. I''m expecting her to finally understand and just revert back to her unicorn form, but instead she stays that way and decides to go for a walk. Did I say something insensitive in unicorn culture right now? This isplicated. I guess she''ll tell me if something is wrong. She would, right?! Thus I keep studying. With this guy helping me this time. There is something amazing I realize. Monster bestiary is all fun and games when it remains fiction. You want to learn more about this amazing imaginary world, and you can''t help yourself but devour anything rted. Except it kinda changes the game when you are forced to learn all of it for a test. The agreeable bes a task. I swear I really wish I had a photographic memory right about now. Actually no that still wouldn''t help since I can''t read. I really wish I could remember everything I hear then? Then again there could be downsides to that too. Could you imagine remembering all the insults and the gossip about yourself for your entire life? That sounds horrible. Better take things day to day and leave the past behind. After a long day of work, I can confidently and proudly dere that I know a good 10% of the book! Okay no, let''s be real, less than that. I will probably have forgotten some parts of it by tomorrow. Rote memorization is insane. For a guy that is used to look up most things on the inte, this feels so inefficient! That''s when I realize that Wolfie is still by my side, but that the unicorn is nowhere to be seen. Where could she be? Did anything happen to her? She has been gone for a long time now. She is strong enough to protect herself. Then again unicorns are worth a fortune, aren''t they? What if some super strong specialized hunters managed to find her? No, rx. Everything should be fine. I look in the direction of the city worriedly. What is that? Is that smoke?! Chapter 157: Worries Chapter 157: Worries ****(POV) On a tall city wall stood a mighty and powerful being. One strong enough to withstand the erosion of time itself and to survive all the wars it encountered so far. One strong to the point of disbelief. One that lurks in the shadows, unknown by mankindor any other species for all that matters. One so powerful it never had any real trouble in the entirety of his life. Until today that is. Today for the first time ever it feltpletely at a loss. Below it a unicorn in disguise. One that just made its way through the city gates. A few soldiers tried to stop it but to no avail. It just came inside as easily as taking a walk. One can obviously imagine the effect of such an act of aggression. It would obviously turn into an all-out troop mobilization and a tentative at a quick suppression .or not. None of the guards on duty bothered to chase at all. None bothered crying for help either from their colleagues. Why such an illogical choice? Well, they decided that none of them wanted to be the one to sound the rm, not for a donkey at least. Losing face might be one thing but losing their job another. Should they disturb a cranky supervisor for such a banal reason they would end up on the street. In their minds, they knew that perhaps this donkey was no mere donkey given the momentum it had. Given the many choices offered to them, they simply decided to turn a blind eye to it. As long as this creature did not disturb the peace, who were they to care after all. This being saw all of this y out before its very eyes. The uneasiness it felt still did not diminish in any way from a conflict being avoided. After all, this being did not care about the life and death of ants. Even this rank 5 unicorn did not constitute an opponent worthy of it. In fact, its uneasiness was not rted to the unicorn at all. What would be the point of it observing the situation so closely then? It didn''t especially. Being a silent observer is what it always did best. Always and forever. This silent watcher was now having a profound and serious dilemma. A dilemma concerning a man that is obviously a mortal being. Yet the things he seems to be aplishing are both extremely simple yet extremely impressive in their own ways. Yes, this powerful being was worried about the actions of a man that started his own peculiar sect. For no apparent reason other than on a whim too. The issue is not what this man does but when he does it. The timing being extremely off. At first, it started as a failed summon from a failure of a goddess. Then there was the part where he became the king of the endless forest unwittingly. Finally how he first came into contact with the outside world in the border town. All these were fine. Afterward is when the issues started appearing. He started walking toward a new city with a goal in mind. Over a short period, he disabled a professional assassin, corrupted a mythical creature, tamed the same one, visited some ancient death domain, released an incredible evil on the world, and finally reached this ce where he already ate a king slime. These are only the main points! Usually, these feats would take anyone an extremely long time. Not him! He did it all in one go. Casually. Without much stress. This ispletely insane! Hence the dilemma of this mighty being. There stood Anotoki (?/10) the snail wondering about where everything went wrong. Every single thing listed above worthy of being the feature of an arc of its own. Yet all of this was aplished while casually traveling. Should the travel itself be considered one big arc? Would that be making light of everything the man aplished already? Should an arc be ssified based on the actions involved or upon the lengths? Or perhaps it should be ssified by location instead. This is a problem any historian is at some point confronted to. Many quibble on where to draw the lines between the various historical periods for that exact reason. It is an endless and ceaseless argument. This was the first time in its existence that this snail was confronted with such a thorny question. As it kept pondering and pondering it suddenly came to enlightenment. Yes, there was an easy way to fix the issue. When faced with hardship it is perfectly fine to look for the answer in your surroundings. The guards earlier too were confronted with a difficult problem. Between potentially losing their jobs should they act and the chances that everything would be alright even if they didn''t. In the face of such a difficult choice, they opted to act oblivious. This snail decided at that moment that it would act the same. Of course, professional integrity is important. Of course, this man''s story could be ssified in many diverse ways and all would have pros and cons. Still, why deliberate endlessly when there is an obvious solution avable. Thus came to be Anotoki (4/10). The all-powerful and useless snail that decided this would do. When in doubt just bump the counter by one and call it a day. Meanwhile, it witnessed a peculiar unicorn slowly make its way toward what appeared to be a library. In front of it stood guards their standard equipment shining under the sun. There started a stand-off between a legendary creature and some puny humans. How would such a fight end? Chances are, very badly for the humans. However, they do have the home-ground advantage in this ce. Meaning they are more likely to end up with losses. One should never fight in one''s home is something this snail knew very well. It had viewed the effect of such insane actions many times already. After all, no one is safe and no measure is overkill when such beings are involved. That begs to question. Would the whole city be destroyed that very same day? No matter what Anotoki (4/10) would bear witness to history. Chapter 158: Good Unicorn Gone Wild Chapter 158: Good Unicorn Gone Wild ****(POV) This is annoying. The whole n to only let him see my true form was to prove my dedication. I get the feeling I am still treated the exact same way as before. He does seem to trust me, but I have not managed to get as close to him as Wolfie. For instance, she managed to get a personal nickname! I am nothing but a unicorn to him. I''m so jealous! This is unfair. I am the more powerful one! Actually, I still am not sure how strong exactly my master is. I heard some story about him dealing with a king slime. While such a creature is way weaker than I am he didn''t seem that flustered when he came back from the sewers. This can only mean that he should at the very least be rank 5. This would make sense since he easily became the king. To this day I have never seen him go all out. This is my greatest regret. Not following him in the death domain to witness all of his actions myself. Also not following him in the sewers to see his fight. I guess I am truly unlucky. Every time something interesting happens I miss it for some reason or another. *Sigh* I need to act more like a normal donkey if I am to keep my disguise. I also need this disguise to show my loyalty. After all, showing one''s true appearance is sacred. These two points are at odds. I need a better n. The issue is that I am uncertain of the best way to proceed. As I am lost in thoughts walking, I see the city walls. On it seems to be a snail overlooking all of it. Haha, no way. That would be ridiculous. As if a snail would have the wisdom to observe and be conscious of its surroundings. Wait, this is what I need! I need wisdom. I have been going about this whole thing wrongly! I need to understand more about human culture. Only then will I be able to make an urate judgment! I know just the ce for that. I bypass the guards at the door easily. If they think they can stop me to pay their worthless entry tax they are sorely mistaken. I am a unicorn on a mission! Not long after I reach my destination. The city''s library appears before me. In there should be the knowledge I am after. There are some weak humans standing in my way I''ll just shove them aside. Should they stand against me I can simply kill them all. Ah, wait. I did promise him to refrain from violence. I guess I''ll just do some casual intimidation again. "Halt! Stop right there!" "Why is there a donkey?!" "Who cares let''s just ." "WAIT! .*Heavy breathing*" Comes running another one. Four of them, they won''t stand a chance in a fight. It would be doubtful if their whole garrison could. "Stop. *he turns towards me* please go ahead and have fun browsing the library!" Oh? Ah, it seems this is one of the humans from my visit yesterday. It seems he remembers me. I did say that the next time he stopped me I would reduce this town to ashes and paint it in red with his entrails. Or maybe he remembered the parts that were even more graphic? I''m not sure. Still, it is good for them that there is a smart one in the lot. His colleagues seem to want toin but he shuts them up extremely quickly. Maybe I should praise him a bit. "Good human you may keep your life." Thus I trot inside to his relief. There it is again the smell of paper and ink. Usually, I would dislike such a smell, but I can''t help but remember how I read for him here. This makes this small boring ce turn for the better. Let me see. Now I just need to find that librarian. There he is! Copying some book again apparently. This seems like a bothersome and thankless job. I truly wonder why he does it. Then again, I do need his assistance this one time so I am in no position to judge. "Hey there human. You shall help me." He looks up. "What?!..." He''s now rubbing his eyes. Then he looks around looking for my master. "I am alone today. I will need your cooperation with an important matter." "A-AH, sure! Did he send you? How can I help?" "No. I need to learn everything there is about human customs. All of it. Also, my master is not from this ce. I would need information on other ces'' culture too." "This is impossible to" "I don''t want to hear excuses just do it." "No seriously. Knowing about everything on such a vast subject is impossible except for a god perhaps. Then there are some cultures that are contradictory. For one people might be required to eat with their left hand and for another, they should use their right one. Without knowing specifically what you are looking for I won''t be able to help you." "Hum, then find me everything about how a unicorn should go about getting closer to a human." "There is no way that such a thing would have been written and...holy shit! Holy fucking shit! Don''t tell me! Y-you are no donkey, you areare." I re at him and release the heaviest killing intent I can muster. *Thud* He falls to the ground. On the floor, there is a growing puddle of urine growing. How DISGUSTING. "If you tell me once again that you cannot help me, I swear this will be thest day of your brief librarian career. You will be remembered as the only dumbass getting killed by a donkey. Is that understood?" He looks as if he has seen a ghost. He remains speechless. "If you talk about my matters to anyone and I truly mean anyone your end will be so horrible that you will find yourself wishing for death. Is that understood?" "*gasp" "I said is that understood?" "Y-yes!" "Great, now get changed and do your job already." I may not look like it but I am actually great atmunicating with humans. Sometimes I feel like my master underestimates me too much. I am not only able to be violent. After all, I am really good with threats too! This should suffice, right? Chapter 159: Research…Kinda Chapter 159: Research¡­Kinda ****(POV) Common I need to focus! As I change my clothes in a small room in the back, my hands are shaking. This whole thing is unbelievable. I should have figured there was something up when it showed it could read and talk. This creature is one that is extremely powerful. I have grown up reading about various things. Of course, I know about unicorns. They only show up around people that are worthy. It is safe to say that anyone that manages to get one as a travelpanion is champion level. This is insane. Such a powerhouse casually interacted with me earlier. I was too blind to even realize it! All my life I have hoped to witness all that I was reading as only legends. Yet now that my dream ising true, I am not even able to handle it. Only the pressure it released was soul-crushing. The only reason I am still alive being because it did not deign to kill me. Still, there is something wrong here. Completely wrong. Unicorns are pure creatures. How is that one so violent and threatening?! Meanwhile, her master is running around in the humblest manner there is. Him not having any potential to be a tamer? Bull-fucking-shit! If he doesn''t have any potential no one fucking does! Also, what was that about him destroying a dragon? I thought he might be bragging a bit earlier, but now I believe. The way he nonchntly said it too. This is all surreal. Now I need to do my job well if I don''t want to disappear from this earth. I can''t believe this moment of life and death will depend all on my librarian abilities. What would my father say if he knew? It just happens that he''s out of town for some reason too. I may not look like much, but this ce is my domain. I know every nook and cranny of it. Information on how to get closer to a human was it? I''m not sure if it''s asking for how to make a friend or something more. I better go the extra mile at the start. There won''t be any denying that I did my best. The good thing is that I am dealing with a unicorn that is rtively new to literature I believe. I need something to cate her. Something that she will read and read without stopping. I know! I find the cheesiest and most entertaining romance story there is in the entire library. It is about a princess that gets turned into a frog for annoying a witch. She can only be transformed back from true love from her destined one. If you ask me that type of story is extremely cheesy and boring. However, it is super effective against neers! After all, they won''t realize how clich the whole thing as they haven''t seen the same trope used over and over. Hum, maybe I need something else. Something more practical too. Let''s get a copy of how to develop an emotional link with your target. To be honest it''s meant to be used for beast tamers. With things like feed it good food, make sure you apany it on walks for exercise and stuff like that. I guess that could work on humans too in a way. Kinda? I take a minute to calm myself. I steady my breathing and slowly walk toward the "donkey." "Here you are these should help. If you wish to browse something else just tell me." There goes nothing. Hopefully, it won''t get mad and destroy this ce whole. I am sure it could perfectly. Perhaps the city while it is at it. I see it looking at the title frowning a bit. I hope the frog part wasn''t too much. After all,paring a unicorn to a frog would be sacrilege. Please start reading already. It does! Then time passes. The unicorn keeps reading all the while. Does that mean I am safe from harm? I draw a breath. How the hell did the most stressful situation of my life happen in this quiet ce? Right now I am getting extremely curious about her owner. Why would he hide his power? Is he simply that humble? Does he have some sort of hidden agenda? How can a city like ours have so many undercurrents? I heard that even recently there were ims of a king slime showing up. It was nothing but a rumor and was quickly squashed. Nheless, this begs to question what is happening. Time flies by it is now closing time. A guardes in and sees the unicorn reading. I nod at him and he understands my meaning. He leaves right away. I will skin alive whoever tries to anger it. I then realize that I might have made a mistake. The book I rmended is a bit fantastical and over the top. The kind that has almost been banned for being a bad influence on the youths. Giving them dreams of romance and adventure. Now such a powerhouse is devouring it page by page. How does it even turn pages without hands? Oh well, everything should be fine. Even if she goes crazy who will be able to trace this to me haha. The guards on duty? They should know better. The bystanders? This donkey is already getting popr at the tamer''s guild. Just one more out-of-the-norm point to add to the list. Now that we are closing no one will see this scene. I can almost see the shadow of myself there. Reading for hours and hours. What is sleep? Can it be eaten? Just a few more chapters. Just a few more. oh look it''s daytime and the sun is rising. This continues until the dead of the night. Finally, she puts down the novel. "You have done well human. With this newfound knowledge, I will be unstoppable!" Wow, talk about over-exaggerated praise! "Happy to help." The unicorn leaves chuckling to herself. I faintly heart something about making someone hers for sure and beating some rank 8 dumbass to her own game. Thest part was a mistake, right?! Are there even rank 8 that exists?! Also, should I tell this proudly cackling unicorn that this novel was all fiction? Then again, better not anger her. What''s the worst that could happen anyway? Chapter 160: Helping The Misunderstood Chapter 160: Helping The Misunderstood I look in the direction of the city worriedly. What is that? Is that smoke? Oh yeah, it is. It ising from the campfire the other guys started. On it, they are heating up some kind of soup. It looks really in but, hey as long as it fills the belly who cares. I guess I overreacted haha. There is no way a city would just randomly go up in mes either. Like c''mon. Today my helper did finish reading the bestiary to me. You know what this means? I can finally go back to my teacher to report on my progress! What about the unicorn? She''ll be fine obviously. Wolfie follows as usual as we head out. As we get to the guild, I use my secret technique once again. Ask a passerby! [Hey there, do you know where Eternal Ice is?] "Oh my fucking god give it a fucking rest! Why would I know where that guy is?! Actually, even if I knew why the hell would I tell you? Do you understand the concept of personal boundaries? People like you should just stay far away and leave him alone! Can''t you understand how annoying you guys all are! You want to see him because he''s a sessful beast tamer? Do you think he has time to spend on a dumbass like you?! Fucking scram! You fucking lowlife!" Okay, what the actual fuck. Like seriously? Better ask someone else, I guess. I turn to another bystander. [Hey there, do you know where Eternal Ice is?] That guy from before follows me. "Don''t fucking ignore me you twat! You think this is funny? People like you are actual garbage. Go the fuck away and don''te back!" And that idiot scared the guy I was asking. How fucking dumb is that guy? Seriously is it any of his business if I am looking for my teacher? [Take care of your own goddamn business and leave me alone!] There. Clear and simple. I just need to find someone new to . "Don''t you dare ignore me you asshole! You think you can just turn around and ask someone else? You should be ashamed of yourself!" [I have a good reason to look for him for he is.] "Of course you think you have a good reason but that is all bullshit! Your reason is dogshit, and you are a fucking worm. Get the hell away from this guild!" What is up with this dude? Should I beat him up? He won''t even listen to my exnations. "You seem angry! Go on hit me! I dare you!" Wait there is something wrong here. Is he trying to bait me tomit a faux-pas? Is there anyone lurking in the corner trying to catch me in the act? It doesn''t seem to be the case. I activate my scouting ability real quick. It takes me a few instants to check, but at first nce people looking this way are just entertained by the drama. This doesn''t make sense why would he be so obvious about his provocation? As I''m thinking about that he gets more and more riled up. Oh wait, now I remember. There was that one story I did read where the protagonist could improve his physical condition by getting beaten. Is this guy training something simr? That would exin all of it! This is the only reason why he would try so hard to anger me, aplete stranger. This dude wants to get beaten. Now that I understand this his actions are understandable. Gone are my anger and my rage. If anything he is quite pitiful. For me, all I have to do to be more powerful is to figure out how to use divine energy. While extremelyplicated it is a pretty fun process. I look at him with a hint of pity and give him a reassuring smile. [Don''t worry brother I understand. Don''t worry I will help you.] "What the fuck are you talking about." *Sound of a fist hitting a face* He falls to the ground in confusion. I make sure to circte divine energy to hit him really hard, but not too hard either. Of course, he would be confused. Most people probably get angry and start insulting him while doing the pummeling. But not me. I understand his struggle perfectly. The whole world must think him a masochistic madman. I do understand. The weak would do anything for power. After all, power is needed to protect one''s loved ones. So I hit him relentlessly. Until he cannot get up anymore. Judging by the cracking sound of his bones he only recently started trying this training method. I almost feel bad for him, but I keep remembering that I am in fact only helping him. As it happens, he insults me some more. All of this is unnecessary. After all, I know he simply wants help with his training. If he truly wanted me to stop, he would simply tell me instead. After a while, I do get tired of it. I''d continue but I came here with a purpose. I cannot stay here forever either. [Sorry buddy but I gotta go. Find someone else to beat you up the next time. I do wish you all the luck with that training of yours. Oh right does anyone know where I can find Eternal Ice?] Some excited spectator chimes in. "Are you sure you don''t want to beat him up some more? This guy is really obnoxious you know. Also, why are you looking for the Eternal Ice?" [Oh, I''d really like to but I really should get going. I''m just looking for my teacher you see.] "Wait, you are the only man he ever epted as a disciple, aren''t you?! Don''t you usually move about with a donkey with you?!" Why do they all know about the donkey? "Actually now that I think carefully, I heard something about a small wolf too. So you are him indeed! No wonder you beat that guy up when he insulted you for looking for your own teacher. What a dumbass. Haha." I won''t say anything. Who knows that guy on the floor might be hiding his power? For me, it seems obvious but no one else seemingly has noticed yet. For now, let''s just report to my teacher and see what he has in store for me. This is going to be exciting! Chapter 161: Why are you back already? Chapter 161: Why are you back already? I really want to be helpful but a man''s gotta do what a mans gotta do. In my case, it is to leave that guy there on the floor and go about my own business. Oh yeah, I did get a bystander to tell me where to find my teacher this time around. I reach the door where he brought mest time. At least I am pretty sure. It does look simr. On the door, there is a sign that says not to disturb. Does that only apply to the general public or to me too? For all I know he might be in closed-door cultivation and at a crucial moment of his breakthrough. What should I do? To knock or not to knock here is the question. I could just do it. What is the worst that could happen? Him getting disturbed and eaten alive by his inner demons is my bet. Yes, that would be pretty bad. What is the best that could happen? He is happy to see me and teaches me some cool stuff. Then I participate in a tamingpetition and win it as the underdog. Then I could win mad prize money and drink and y lots without any worries. Both options don''t sound that bad story-wise. One is a tragedy and the other a slice-of-life fantasy adventure. Or it would be until I somehow get myself into trouble again. "Why the hell are you just standing in front of my door?" Oh? He is there. Turns out he wasn''t training at all. Looking at his hands full with various food seems he was out getting a snack. [I was wondering about the sign saying not to disturb.] "Oh, that? I need a warning so I can beat people up when theye knocking here for absolutely no reason other than to get an autograph. You know guild policies and all. So are you done memorizing the book I lent you?" That is so smart! [Not at all!] "Then why are you back here?" [You told me toe back when I was done reading it, you didn''t say anything about memorizing any of it.] ". That part was implied." [Was it though?] "Yes, it was." [There is no way I am remembering so much information in any case. Probably better if I instead just keep it as reference material when needed.] "*Sigh* What will you do to tame a creature you suddenly encounter in the wild then? You won''t have the time to open a book and start browsing. Are you going to tell a beast king to wait so you can brush up on your knowledge and tame them?" [Nope, I do have a good trick against beast kings. You run! This has worked every time for me.] "You have survived an encounter with a beast king?" [Yep, a rank 4 Overwolf back in the savage archaic forest.] "You should never go there again. There are so many powerful creatures in that forest. It is a miracle you survived it once already. Don''t try your luck too much." If only he knew. It''s not that bad. That''s what happens when you rely only on books for your knowledge. He thinks there are many beast kings there but legit there are none. Remember kids, theoretical knowledge is great, but without a way to actually apply it is all worthless. [Then again I really don''t care about taming new creatures. I already have 2 of them following me around.] "The donkey and the small wolf?" [Yes.] "You don''t want more powerful pets?" [Not especially. I try to avoid fighting most of the time whenever possible.] "You do?" [Indeed.] "What about that guy you fought with the first time you came here?" [That was an exception.] "What about the guy you just beat up?" [You know about that?! I mean there are circumstances. He has his reasons too.] "Sure. So if you don''t want to tame new beasts why the hell are you here trying to learn from me?!" [I heard that to enter the next city with pets I''ll need a tamer certificate. Something about proving that I can handle them or something.] "That''s it?" [Yep.] "I had better expectations of you. Now, these expectations are all gone. I thought you truly wanted to follow your dream even with yourck of talent. Turns out you just want the fucking certificate?!" [Please you should understand better than anyone. Would you separate from your beastpanions if you had to choose?] "No you are right. I would not. But I also had to go to great lengths to get that ice elemental of mine." [I also went through a lot with Wolfie. There is no way I am voluntarily leaving her behind for some stupid city rule.] "*Sigh* This is kinda sad." [What is?] "Well, you have a better rtionship with your wolf than half the tamers with their beasts. This just proves how worthless they all are. If you ask any random one, they will tell you I am their idol yet they don''t even realize what I stand for." [Can''t you just tell them?] "Naw would be too much work. I tried at some point, but then I just gave up." [Understandable.] "So how much of the beastpendium do you actually know by heart?" [A solid 5%...maybe?] "5% is not solid! 5% is what gets you killed for remembering the wrong information! Also what''s with the maybe at the end?! How bad can one be at this?" [Well you see I tend to yolo it most of the time.] "Yolo?" [Technically it means you only live once but people have been using it as ng for whatever let''s just do this.] "Are you trying to die? Going in without a n is exactly how entire groups get annihted!" [You see my specialty is reinforcement magic. If I can''t win I just run. I am extremely weak but my defense capabilities are pretty good if I say so myself.] "Seriously how the hell did you survive till this moment?!" [Who knows. Lots of coincidences I would say.] Thinking back on it I was never truly in that much danger. This won''t change in a near future, right? There won''t be a sudden the tutorial is over message appearing outa nowhere, right?! Chapter 162: Core Concepts of Taming Chapter 162: Core Concepts of Taming "*Sigh* Whatever I guess juste in and I''ll teach you about some of the most important stuff in beast taming." Nice! I sit on one of the chairs. This teacher of mine only has 2. What happens if a group visits him? Does only one guy get to sit? Would it be determined by seniority of whoever is the strongest one? So many questions. "Alright what do you think one should do to tame a beast in the wild?" [Barbecue, obviously.] "How would barbecue help?" [Beasts love barbecue. Actually, everyone loves barbecue! Well maybe except for vegans. Even then there are many meatless options.] "What are you even going on about? What are vegans?" [People that don''t eat meat.] "You mean poor people? True meat can be expensive." Yeah, he misunderstood that one. Seriously I do respect themitment to not consuming any animal. However, I havee to terms with my inner darkness. I wonder if eating meat qualifies me for the evil protagonist tag? Who knows? [So I was right?] "For many yes, but that''s why you need to research appropriately. Some species might find the smell of food itself DISGUSTING. Some others will go crazy once they smell a smidgen of blood. Some simply won''t care either. If you try to bait an elemental with food, you''ll simply end up dead." [Gotcha, that''s understandable.] Would I even want an elemental as a pet? There is a big con there. They are not going to be cuddly and soft. Legit petting my currentpanions is amazing. A pro would be no need to feed them. Still, if the pets know how to hunt it isn''t that bad. Right thinking about hunting I wonder if it''s the mana in the air, but ack of prey never seems to be an issue. Monsters are appearing left and right like there is no tomorrow. That remains true no matter the number that gets killed. This is good news. How many species disappeared on earth due to overhunting or overfishing? The answer would be too damn many. Because of that huge poption of monsters, I''m not worried about food too much. "Most of the time taming involves lots of spending to get the materials needed to convince a monster to serve you. Because of the steep cost, a tamer tries to be as efficient as possible." [Makes sense.] "There is also a need once baited to make it obedient. This can be done via many methods. No matter how you do it you need to inspire respect. You need to somehow convince your target that you deserve to be followed." [So beat it up will it submit? Gotcha.] "Were you not listening?! I said to inspire respect! Not use violence! Aren''t you the one that said you like avoiding fights?!" [That, yes.] I know for a fact that beast-pummeling taming technique is a thing. I''ll have to figure out how to reproduce it but one of my idols used it for so many chaps and it never failed him. It was a fictive character? I don''t give a fuck. So are monsters and they are all over the ce! "It is important that you do not make it hate you no matter what. The closer you are with the target the more power it will exhibit once tamed. For instance, it is possible to share your senses to increase both of your awareness. It is also possible to fuse with it directly in the case of elemental beings. [That''s awesome!] Share senses eh. So kinda like giving telepathic orders for what move to use? Or perhaps being able to see through the eyes of your pet? Would be awesome to get a flying one for the amazing experience. Also, did he say fusing? Is that a motherfucking transformation scene?! [Wait, so can one be half-monster for a little while? How does this all work?] "Should I simply show you? After all, as they say seeing is" [Seeing is believing! For sure!] "seeing is quite faster." That is . boring man. He looks at me extremely seriously. So serious I''m almost expecting him to say something that will bepletely plot-defining. "I''ll only do it once." I''m really not sure what to expect. Is it me or is the air getting chilly all of a sudden? No, it''s not me! The air is literally getting frozen. I guess it''s more the vapor in the air. There is a white misting out of him now. His eyes change color and turn ice blue. One so vivid and piercing. His gaze turns emotionless. His hair changes color to white. It is also starting to il all around. What is this a shampoomercial?! Some blueish light appears around his arms and hands. It quickly forms into gauntlets and huge ice ws. These look sharp enough to slice anything. He looks at me in the most impassible way possible. I get the feeling that his current mood is will kill anyone without showing a single trace of emotion. You know the psycho killer sociopath kind. I''m d I don''t have to fight him right now. "This is how it looks like. The more powerful you are the longer you can keep the transformation going. This also requires perfect synchronization with your tamed creature. Otherwise, you are more likely to both end up injured, quite possibly dead." Damn this is harsh. I was thinking of trying that but think I''ll refrain after all. I quite like being alive. Also what kind of abomination would be if I fused with Wolfie? Some kind of werewolf? What about the unicorn? Would I be some op humanoid unicorn healer? Oh, wait this is only possible with elementals anyway. "You need to understand everything there is to know about the mental state required beforehand. Otherwise, disaster will happen. In my case ice is cold. Ice has no emotion, ice simply is. Ice does not care how many creatures die because of it. It is ruthless and cold-hearted. That is how I got my nickname." [Eternal Ice?] "I also get called something else too. Care to guess?" [The coolest dream husband? You know cool as in chill.] He doesn''t seem amused. At all. I won''t get murdered for a bad pun today, right?! Chapter 163: Visiting the Pens Chapter 163: Visiting the Pens I won''t get murdered for a pun, right? "*Sigh* No it is not that." [What is it then?] "Ah, I guess it does not matter, follow me." He''s leaving like that? [Seriously what''s your second nickname?] "Wouldn''t you like to know?" [Yes!] "Too bad." Is that his revenge for me being cheeky? There is no way that would affect me in any . goddamnit, that''s an obvious lie! Of course, I want to know now! What''s with all the mystery? He said it was ruthless and cold-hearted. Will it be some awesome edgy hero name or straight up a viinous one? I was hoping to learn it. Maybe if it''s really chuuni I could have teased him about it. That will teach me to open my mouth. *sigh* Maybe I should do some research. If it''s a nickname I guess little Bai could tell me. Wait, isn''t this guy super famous? I bet anyone random could tell me! Haha, so what if he wants to hide it. I will learn of it eventually. It is only a matter of time. I wonder if there are information agencies in this world. Like is that a thing or are all sects dealing with their own info gathering internally? Downside, it takes a lot of time and effort to trainpetent spies. Upside, never fear getting fed false information. I truly wonder. Then again there is magic too. There must be ways to make pacts that guarantee the validity of the transaction. At some point, we went outside the main building and reached some huge courtyard. His transformation is over too. [What are we doing here?] "This here is where the beast pens are. New tamers can pay to try their hands at creatures that are either captured or bred by professionals." [So people pay to try and tame these? How does it work exactly?] "Depending on the target the cost varies a lot. There are various fees depending on the taming duration desired. It can go from anywhere between a day, to a week or even a month." [That''s so long! If it takes that much time to get one won''t it be super long to be a professional tamer?] "Yes. It can also take longer than that. Some really gifted individuals would be able to tame any creature here in a matter of minutes, but these geniuses won''t bothering here. This branch is not that big all things considered. If anything they would rather try their chances in the wild with strong ones. A rank 4 beast could easily take more than a year to tame to be honest too." [A whole year?! Damn after that they must treasure them a lot I bet.] "Yes and no. For most, beasts are just a tool of power. Nothing more than that. But of course, they''ll take care of their best tools. Alright, let''s find someone trying it to show you how it goes." [I don''t particrly wish to tame any as I told you.] "Learning more won''t hurt. So shut up and watch!" [Gotcha.] Damn is that a domineering CEO attitude?! He has the good looks to go with it too! If I was a BL novel protagonist, I''d start fearing for my chrysanthemum right about now haha. So Iply and let him lead me to a smaller courtyard with a few enclosures that are all neatly delimited. In some, there are youngsters trying to tame some exotic-looking beasts. "Alright, choose one to watch and we will observe silently." I just need to decide upon a . Is that little Bai?! That is little Bai! What is he doing here?! Wait, he did say he didn''t have any pets recently. Makes sense. I decisively move toward his ce. He seems to be trying to tame some medium-sized ferret. A pink one. How does that even happen?! Like seriously? How does evolution lead to a pink ferret? I''d understand if it was the skin. No, even the fur is pink. This one ising straight out of an anime I''m telling you! I bet this one would be the protagonist in a story for sure. Or perhaps some yandere sidekick. Don''t ask me why yanderes often have pink hair. It''s just like that. It kinda is like asking why the sky is blue. I don''t know man it just is. Now he seems to be carefully feeding it something. It looks to be some kind of brown paste. I''d say either it''s a homemade dessert or it''s shit. I''m truly hesitant between both options. [Go little Bai you got this!] It is a respectable duty to cheer your friends on. Of course, it would be better for him If I wasn''t a dude but better than nothing, I guess. He looks at me startled. Meanwhile, the creature gobbles the brown paste directly, then retreats back directly and falls down on the ground. It seems to be sleeping and snoring. "Fuck! No!" What happened? "It wasn''t supposed to eat it all! I''m fucking screwed!" Now, little Bai falls to the ground too. He adopts a position I am very familiar with. It is called a fetal position. One where you curl up on yourself. Then cry apparently. Was calling out to him a mistake? Perhaps [Won''t it just make the taming easier if it''s sleeping? Can''t you just catch it right now and leave?] "No, it needs to be conscious to agree to a soul link. It won''t wake up with the amount of sleep medicine in this" [Soul link, what''s that?] I can hear someone sighting behind. "That''s why I told you to remain silent. Now he messed uppletely because he got distracted." Little Bai turns around full of expectations! "You saw it all happen right? Can you help me ask for a time extension?! Or a refund? Anything! I used thest of my savings for this." "You getting distracted is because of your own ipetence. Now assume your responsibility and better yourself." Damn, that was so cold! "Alright follow me we''ll go check out someone else." I follow my teacher closely. Little Bai is still crying on the ground, however. Is it alright to leave him like this? He''ll be fine, right? Chapter 164: How It’s Done Chapter 164: How It¡¯s Done For now, I follow my teacher. We reach a nearby area where another young man is trying to tame a big lizard. "These are extremely popr with the students." [Is it because of how sturdy they are? This way they won''t die as easily leaving their tamer defenseless. This is it, right?] "Nope, they are just trying to be copycats. Every time there is a sessful tamer appearing, the youngsters try to copy him." Oh, I see. He''s talking about that guy I met in the sewers! [Does that mean that ice elementals are popr too?] "No way, these can only be found in a disaster zone. Most of these students might be dumb but they won''t try their luck in such a dangerous ce recklessly." Guess it makes sense. I really should be careful the next time I stumble upon one such area. The guy in there seems to be in the process of taming the creature. I''m not sure if he has noticed us or not but he doesn''t seem to pay us any attention. At the moment, he seems busy feeding it an apple of some sort. It definitively looks better than whatever little Bai had. "This part is quite simple, he simply is giving it its favorite food to try and create a positive impression." The creature gobbles it up and then . *CHOMP* Did it just try to eat the guy''s arm?! It did! The tamer dodges it like a pro. That was super risky! "See this is why most peoplee here, the monsters are less violent." [Didn''t it just try to bite the guy?!] "Yep, but only once yfully. A wild one would have relentlessly gone on the offensive." [yfully? What would have happened if he wasn''t fast enough?] "A fountain of blood and the loss of a member of course." [If that is yful I never want such a pet! This is dumb!] "That''s why the taming process is so important you see. My ice elemental tried to kill me too when I first met it." And you guys think it''s normal? Who is the insane bastard that designed a whole profession where you go around looking for creatures actively trying to kill you and try to make them yours?! Then again once the taming is done it is a good way to gain strength. My only issue is how tamers are supposed to deal with assassinations. Since they themselves are not powerful. The fusion can be possible for the ones with elementals, I guess. The guy inside seems to be expecting things to go this way as he keeps going. He seems to be focusing on casting some kind of spell. That''s when it happens. The lizard charges at him! The young man dodges and keeps dodging. Seriously I feel like he should consider a career change. Why be a tamer when he obviously has mad potential as a toreador? "He attempted a soul link. Now the creature is trying to make him give up. Should he slip up and die that will be the end of it. As long as he manages to survive it and gain its admiration everything should be fine." This is wild. [So all tamers do it like that?!] "Of course not. This one is especially agile and can afford to do that. Especially true because the target is simply a rank 2 creature. No, most of the tamers would rather spend a long time feeding it and bing closer to it before attempting the soul link part. That way the target won''t try to kill them." [I see. Is there a limit to the number of soul links one can have?] "Yes, it depends on the mental strength of the tamer. The stronger he is the more pets he can have. It is also possible to kill the creature to re-contract another." [Can''t they just let it go free?] "Nope, a soul linksts until death." This is kinda dumb if you ask me. Why would anyone even bother taming rank 2 creatures like these ones? To gain experience perhaps? But won''t they just murder it as soon as they find a better one? Won''t they feel bad? I know I would. Taming is probably only worth it with a strong creature. "Oh yeah, by the way never try to contract a creature way above your own level. Your soul would simply shatter. You should start by contracting a weaker one to raise your soul power first." Never mind that exins it all. They want to contract a stronger one, but they simply can''t. Rip all the monsters that are used as training fodder on a regr basis. "Ah, it seems it gave up. Watch carefully how the link is done. See how he is gathering mana, imprinting it with his own soul essence and then using it to link with the creature?" Wait! It takes mana to be a tamer?! Isn''t mana for mages?! [I don''t see anything special.] "Watch carefully this will be important when you need to do so yourself." This is depressing. I feel like a paraplegic that just managed to somehow join an awesome ss only to get told it''s about running. It reminds me of the time I bought a game and installed it fully only to realize it couldn''t be run on my operating system forpatibility reasons. I feel cheated right now. No, I should stay calm. There may be other options. [Here is the issue, I cannot see or feel mana at all.] "No matter what?" [I have tried for a while and no, I don''t even know what it looks like.] "Oh, I understand then." [You have a solution?!] "Yes, give up on being a tamer. Now that would exin why the statue said you have no talent whatsoever in this domain. Alright, we are done here." He leaves. Yes, just like that. What the fuck! What the actual fuck! That''s the solution? Give up?! This is bullshit. Utter bullshit. What should I do? I feel lost. I just start walking back, dragging my feet. Then Ie across little Bai, still crying. Ah, that seems like a good idea. I lie down on the ground and join him. Let''s just cry for a while. Chapter 165: Out of Options Chapter 165: Out of Options *Intense Sobbing* *Some more sobbing* *Two guys sobbing in harmony* ". Why the hell are you here crying with me?! I''m the one that just lost my opportunity to be a tamer!" [Thatit seems I lost mine too somehow. Did you know that taming requires being able to wield mana?] "Of course I . you can''t use mana?!" [Nope. No matter how hard I try I just can''t] "*Sigh* Fine I''ll allow you to keep crying." [Don''t worry I''m sure you still have a chance at sess!] "Nope, I''mpletely broke now. I used everything to book this ce for today and buy the food. Meanwhile, that asshole is just there sleeping peacefully." We both look at the pink ferret. It is sleeping soundly without a worry in the world. What an asshole indeed. We are here having emotional breakdowns and it''s just sleeping. [We just need to get you some funds then you can try again. However, are you sure you want to tame this thing?] "*Sigh* No way I want to run around with this shy pink creature following me. It''s just that it''s supposed to be one of the easiest rank 2 to tame. I figured I could make money more easily with an actual pet." True a beast tamer alone won''t do much. [How much do you need? I have few copper coins. I can pitch in and] "Copper? Man, I don''t need copper, I need gold!" [It''s that expensive?!] "Yes, it''s totally a rip-off!" [Then why are you buying it then?!] "Because I don''t have any other choice! Aren''t you paying to study here too?!" [That. yesit seems I wasted a lot of cash on that.] "*Sigh* I can''t believe I made so many sacrifices to get that sum. I haven''t even been eating properly for thest year." X Doubt! [Dude, you are chubby. How are you not eating well?!] "For thest year, I have been sneaking in the beast pen to steal some food. Of course, I would take some weight. This stuff isn''t meant for humans at all! It tastes horrible!" Oh my fucking god. I take it back. This guy totally deserves to get an opportunity. [How about we go get one from the wild?] "Nope, way too dangerous! I have only one life I do not want to throw it away! Besides I need a weak pet for now to train my soul strength." [WaitI know exactly where we can go for that.] "You do? There won''t be any danger?" [None whatsoever! This ce is super safe and easy to reach!] "Alright! When can we go there?!" He seems extremely excited now. Gone is the crying little Bai. Somehow seeing him pick himself up does cheer me up. [How about now?] "Alright, I''m following!" And thus we leave the tamer guild. I have a clear destination in mind. We quickly reach it. "What the fuck is that?!" [Adder?] "I see that, why are we going into the city''s sewers?!" [To get you a pet.] "There is no way there would be any creature down ." [Tch, believe in me will you. You think I''d bring you here for fun?] "That. okay." How can he doubt me like that? Unbelievable! [Are you ready to witness something amazing?] "Yes?" I bring him all the way to where I fell. [See this! Look at the number of slimes there are!] "." [What''s up with you aren''t you going to tame one? Don''t look down on slimes! They can be bigger and stronger!] "" [All you need to do is feed it until it bes strong. Worst case it will help you train your soul strength] "" [Aren''t you going to say anything?] "*Sigh* That slimes don''t have souls and cannot be tamed. This whole trip was pointless. That should teach me to get my hopes up." [Have you tried it?] "Of course not, but" [Then shut the fuck up and go tame a damn slime already!] "But" [No but! If you are already giving up for such a trivial reason as this, you don''t deserve to be a tamer at all!] Is what I say, but honestly at this point I''m just trying to cover up my embarrassment. After all, I did make him believe in this only to shatter his hopes afterward. I feel like there is a lot of stuff these tamers assume to bemon knowledge. The mana part and about which creatures are tameable too. Where is a taming for dummies book when you need one?! I''d make one if I could, but I clearly don''t have the required knowledge. "Alright, I''ll give it a try!" Seems he is oddly motivated now. "Help me fish one out." [Sure thing!] Wait didn''t we just clean these things? How are there so many already. I can already count about a dozen. Well, it isn''t my problem anyway. I carefully catch one. I say carefully because I am trying to avoid showing my splendid body again. You know the clothes getting melted and all. We move away from the slime pack. Showtime! [Go ahead!] He seems to be focusing hard. I can see a vein bulging on his forehead. With the noise he is making I''m wondering if he is about to shit his pants. He grunts and he grunts until. "I fucking give up. All these things know to do is eat. There is no way a mental link is possible." [Wait so how does the mental link work exactly?] "You send thoughts and emotions to the other using mana. Then you link both of your souls together. The issue is that it is easy to block and will only work if the target agrees to it." [Gotcha, so voluntary submission eh. You did say that you''ve had lots of experiences with food, right? How about you try and think about that?] "Think about food?" [Think how you felt when eating trash. Then how eating good food makes you feel. After all, like you, this slime has been having trouble eating for the past year. Only feeding on scraps it could get for free.] ". You mean to say I am as pitiful as a slime. This hurts, but I can''t exactly disagree either." [Just do it already!] He steps up toward it again. Now, what should I say to console him when it inevitably fails? Chapter 166: Slime Taming Chapter 166: Slime Taming So what should I tell him once he inevitably fails? Should I just go: Better luck next time!? Should I convince him to go to a nearby forest with me? I feel the unicorn could help beat up, hum tame a monster. Should I just try to find a way to make some money? I still have some funds that are supposed toe from the slime subjugation. Normally it wouldn''t be much but we did take care of a king slime so it might be actually rewarding. Should I just rmend he change his career path? I could introduce him to Zero. I''m sure after training even the clumsy me he''d be fine training anyone. "It fucking worked this is amazing!!" What should I do, so many options "Hey, are you listening?!" What is it? I''m busy thinking of "It worked!" What?! There he stands. The slime is bouncing right next to him yfully. [How?!] "I did exactly as you told me! How did you know about it?" [Oh, just a theory of mine. No need to worry about it.] I mean I was obviously bullshiting right there. What are the odds of it seeding?! Could this whole thing be simr to the cebo effect? Wait, what''s the contrary of cebo? Usually, that would be fake medicine working because people believe in it and it improves their morale. In this case, it was the opposite. A true technique was failing because people were thinking it wouldn''t work. Ah, I don''t know anymore. "This is amazing! How do you know so much about slimes?!" Should I act as a profound expert? [Boy, I have seen and defeated more slimes in my life than any other tamer in existence.] In games mostly. One time I was farming a super rare drop from slimes. It took me 3 years to get it at the time. Are 3 years of effort worth it to get a cosmetic slime hat with absolutely no stat at all? Hell yeah! It had cute googly eyes too! I had my whole character set to look like the most badass evil dude ever! The goofy slime hat was the cherry on top. Well, it was blue and not red. Otherwise, it did look like that fruit even literally. He looks at me withpassion. "You have been forced to clear sewers often it seems. I understand. If I make it big, I won''t let you starve." What is this dumbass imagining?! [Keep your sympathy! I''m a goddamn dragon yer I''ll have you know!] The pity in his eyes deepens. "Of course you are buddy. Of course, you are." Hello, 911 I''d like to call an ambnce! Who needs help you ask? My friend! Get here quickly! He''s about to be beaten ck and blue by yours truly! That is what I''d be saying right now back in the old world. Then again, this earth realm is morewless. I could totally push him in the slime pit and be like whoops. Do you need my help, perhaps? Then I could save him only when he agrees that I''m a real dragon yer. "Why don''t you try taming one too? Oh waitI didn''t mean to." Yeah, he''d probably just die too fast in a slime pit. Better not. I guess I could try it. Not with mana, of course, but with divine energy. While obviously weak I feel like a slime could be useful. I face one. [How should I do this exactly?] "I just kept sending the mental message that there would be nice food if it followed me." [Gotcha.] Circte divine energy. Check. Visualize the food part. Establish a connection with the slime. Then slowly try to make it ept me. What is this? I can feel something. As if there is another consciousness touching mine. This one is weird. It feels strange. So simple. I can feel an obsession with eating. Now to seal the deal. I can feel it working! I can fucking feel it working! This is amazing! With this, I too will be a tamer. *POP* What was that sound? The slime in front of my eyes burst. It pops like a balloon. Goo stters everywhere. This is quite possibly the worst way to go. Oh god, I killed it! NOOOOO! You will be forever remembered Slime A. The first slime I tried to tame. The first slime to die a tragic death because of me. I was so close. "I guess it doesn''t work without mana control. Welp, I guess you tried at least. If you want, I can rmend a sword instructor I know. He might be able to train you." That''s my line! That was my backup n to cheer you up! Ah, this is bad. It seems divine energy is not slime-friendly. Either that or my control is not developed enough as he said. Still, this is weird, these guys all talked about the dangers for the master. Why did no one mention that a beast can just explode? I guess they mostly don''t care. They see these creatures as only tools. I am different! For me, they are either food or friend! This one slime was supposed to be my friend. RIP: rest in many pieces. This is such a tragedy. What about all the slimes we killed previously? That was a job! A job I tell you! I guess monsters can be foes too. As long as we try not to be wasteful with materials it''s fine. "Don''t worry, you can slowly try it againter. Maybe you''ll get it at some point." [You are right. Maybe I just need to practice more. Then again is it worth it to spend so much effort on slimes?] "Definitively not!" [Ah, this sucks.] "Cheer up. Earlier I was truly depressed, but now I''m alright." [Ah, you are right. It''s all thanks to me too! Aren''t you d I brought you here after all?] "I meanit kind of was your fault I failed the taming in the first ce..." He''s got a point. Still [Eternal Ice himself said so! That it was your fault forcking focus! It must be true! HAHA!] He gives a slight smile. "Okay, you win. Wanna get out of here? I''m famished! My treat!" [Nice! Wait, weren''t you broke?! Were you lying to me?!] "Of course not haha. Just follow and you''ll see. This is gonna be awesome!" Chapter 167: Food Stall Chapter 167: Food Stall He''s going to treat me to a meal? Nice! There is only one thing I prefer to free food and that is free booze. Also depends on the food. Some things are just too tempting. [Lead the way! I''m following!] "Haha, this is the least I can do with how you have helped me. I seen fact, the meal is thanks to you too in a way." Oh? This is getting mysterious. Mysterious is good. Well except when it turns out you are the meal. You know when you just happen to get invited to a dinner by some fancy people. Then at the end of the story, you end up on a silver tter in some juicy sauce. I''m pretty sure that was the plot of some horror movie. Could have been porn too actually. Getting eaten can have many meanings. Still, I really doubt he''d do that. After all, he was ready to run away with me earlier. Yes, I was just trolling him but it doesn''t change the fact that he seems to trust me. He also followed me to some dark sewers. That is literally the best ce tomit a murder. Gotta get rid of evidence? Fear not for slimes are your best friends! Oh yeah, talking about slimes, he is carrying the small slime in his arms. This thing is kinda cute in its own way. It is bouncy, soft, and round. All qualities I can enjoy as a man of culture. That''s how I like my pillows if you know what I mean. Especially after some vigorous nightly exercise. It is important to stay in shape people! A bit of moving in the morning and at night is the best if you ask me. And right after exhausting yourself, take the time for a nice and deep massage. One that we all know how it will end. Anyway, we soon reach the surface. He guides me until somece in the city. Where? I don''t know. I''m new here. Whenever I want to find the city gate, I follow the big walls. Whenever I want to find the lumberjack camp, I look for the greenery. Whenever I want to go to the guild I follow to the big buildings. I have a system in ce. And it''s working! Somewhat. Where is the library is all that? Actually, I''m not sure anymore. Oh well. After many twists and turns, we reach a small street stall. I guess it is actually a medium-sized one. There is no building, but there are chairs and a counter to sit at. It seems to be made in a style where everything can be folded for easy storage. You know, the smart thing to do. Especially in a world where war can erupt at any moment. As they say: a wise man is always prepared to get the fuck out! At least I say that. I do feel I am pretty wise at times. A city is temporary, but a food stall is eternal. For example, there was that one show I loved. If you were to tell me the ninja vige is getting attacked, I''d be like, so what? I sleep. Now, tell me that the ramen ce is under attack and that issue is getting serious! Real shit! We stop in front of a bald old man with white hair. Hair is not only on the head you know. In his case, it seems to be growing from many ces. Is this ce respecting the city health rules?! Maybe they don''t have that here. This ce seems to be a noodle shop. How nice. "Yo, if it isn''t little Bai! What brings you here?" He strikes a victory pose. "I am returning victorious from my quest! I request my prize!" "Nice! So you did tame a beast! What is it?" "Look at it! From now on this is my loyal and valiantpanion!" "Is that a slime? I didn''t even know it was possible to tame these." "Yep, it is! This might very well be the first slime tamed in existence!" Yeah, I probably gotta stop that before it bes too ridiculous. [Actually, you probably shouldn''t brag so much. I''m sure someone somewhere has already tamed many slimes and is creating an army of them as we speak. So maybe keep it on the down-low?] "No way! Old man, this guy might act humble but he''s the one that made it all possible. He brought me in the sewers and told me to just tame it. He said to use food to bait it and it worked!" "Oh? I see. Now that exins everything. I was wondering why you could manage it. It is because you and the slime are alike!" "What?! How?!" Yeah, now that he is pointing it out, I can definitely see it. I and the old man make eye contact. At that moment we totally understand each other. "Both are round." [Both are a bit chubby.] "Both love food." [Both used to feed on trash.] ["There you have it x2"] He looks at both of us at a loss. "This ain''t fair! You guys are ganging up on me!" "So what?!" [What are you gonna do about it?] He remains silent for a few seconds. "Well, nothing. *sigh* Still, you guys should just be happy for me. Let''s eat already! Old man you didn''t forget that promise of yours, right?!" "Of course not! I am a man of my word. Feel free to eat whatever you want today!" "Nice!" [Nice!] *Sound of a bowl of noodles falling from a table, hitting the floor, and shattering in 37 pieces exactly. * Thenes a voice filled with disbelief. "Y-you managed to tame a slime?! How?! There is no way this should be possible! Many have tried before without sess and it always ended up as a tragedy. There was that one instance that a guild leader tried to push slimes to take care of the cleaning duties to save funds and it all ended up " [Wait! Who the hell are you?!] Chapter 168: Slimes Are Amazing! Chapter 168: Slimes Are Amazing! Comes an astounded and excited voice. And a barrage of words. All about slimes. I do stop it in time before it bes overwhelming. [Wait! Who the hell are you?!] In front of us stands a robed individual with a golden mask. Clothes are dark and seem to be travel weary. Wearing a hood too. The neutral-sounding voice makes it hard to determine the gender. Whoever this is has a small build, however. That person was apparently eating here and rose up in surprise hearing our conversation. "Pardon me for my indiscretion. I couldn''t help but overhear you guys. Can I see the slime up close?" We look at each other. "S-sure I guess." I feel like we are all thinking the same. What makes a slime so interesting? And interested this random person truly seems! We can see eyes that are extremely shiny. Behind the mask is a huge grin I am sure. It keeps touching the slime and shouting stuff like wow, amazing, unbelievable! We are just here being confused. [So, who are you again?] "Me? I am one that travels the world in search of knowledge. I am the experimenter that will definitively bring forth a new golden age. I am the one that will figure out the truths of the universe one discovery at a time. I am the one that is relentless and a seeker. My curiosity knows no bounds and my tenacity is unequaled. No matter how many doubts me I will prove them all wrong for I am " "Can you cut to chase please?" "This youngdy sure is lively haha." Wait how does the old man know she isn''t a man? Is it a superpower he possesses? Did she give out a clue I didn''t notice?! "that. I am KIM." So much buildup for such a short name. At least it''s easy to remember. I get the feeling this one goes by many titles and nicknames, however. Most of them being self-proimed I bet. After that, all of that above was a mouthful. How long would have that speechsted if it wasn''t prematurely stopped? Probably 2k words or something. I don''t know. Still would have been long haha. [So Kim? What brings you here?] "Ah? It''s KIM." [That''s what I said, Kim.] "Yes, that''s what he said." "This old man agrees." "Ah? No, not Kim. KIM!" I''m lost. If anything she is saying the same thing again but with slightly more energetic pronunciation. [KIM?] "Yes?" [Why do you sound unsure?!] "Oh, I thought you were about to ask me a question." "Youngdy how about answering the previous question? What brings you here?" "Oh, that? The noodles. They are delicious. Ah, shame that it fell." "I''m pretty sure he meant what brings you to this town in general." "Oh, that? The slimes! The slimes brought me here. You see I am wandering around ces where slimes can be found to try and learn more about their behavior and characteristics." [Are you some kind of researcher?] "Ah? No, I''m an alchemist didn''t I already say that?" "No, you did notdy! You said everything but that!" "Ah? Must have slipped my mind. Happens." This new character is definitively peculiar. What''s with beginning the sentences with a question? Also, how is her introduction that long and besides the point? So she is an alchemist that is here for the slimes. I fucking knew it! There is something to be done with slimes! [I''m getting curious. What can one craft with materials from slimes?] "Ah? The possibilities are endless. You see!" *Nod, nod* The other two are just watching the conversation on the sidelines now. What do you guys know? Slimes have amazing potential! It is possible to use slime suits infused with mana to fight! It is possible to create an invincible army of slimes, especially when you get picked up by a god! It is possible to. actually, I do have a real-life slime expert in front of me! This is awesome. Whoever thatdy is she has potential. KIM has potential as the greatest alchemist of all times! "There are so many things that should be impossible yet that slimes manage to do." *Nod nod* "Just their existence itself is a miracle!" *Nod nod* "How can such a creature that only ever eats exist? Besides evolving, it doesn''t do anything with all that energy. It is an ultimate being!" *Nod nod* "We have so much to learn from them too!" Completely agree with that. I know a guy that became the strongest FFFF ss hero using wisdom gained from a slime! I wanna do the same, but this seems close to impossible to say the least. "People look down on slimes, but their possibilities are limitless!" *Nod nod* "No poison can affect them! Nothing is especially effective against them!" *Nod nod* . wait divine energy seems dangerous to them. But otherwise, I agree. "The only way to defeat them is through sheer power!" *Nod nod* I can hear little Bai scoffing about how that is not a hard thing to do in the background. What a fool! "Such an amazing constitution brings forth so many endless options!" *Nod nod* "Can you imagine armor having the resistance of metal and the sticity of slime?" I totally can! "Can you imagine weapons being able to devour your opponent''s weaponry and even fight by itself?" Totally can! "Can you imagine medicine made with slime body fluid to cure all illness by dissolving the root cause directly?" Hell yeah! "Can you imagine using slimes to increase the efficiency of information gathering?" Of course wait is she talking scouting or torture? Some kind of waterboarding from hell? Should I get behind that? "Can you imagine developing newmunication methods using byproducts of slimes?" Oh my god. She can do that?! This is amazing as fuck! "Can you imagine slowing down one''s aging process through slime-like regeneration?" Wouldn''t it make it possible to be immortal! [All of this is awesome! I can imagine all of this for sure! How are you able to do all of that?! I want to learn for sure!] "Ah? Do that? I said the possibilities are endless. This stuff is all theoretical." [Waitso how much of it can you actually do?] "Ah? None. None of it works practically." This....why does she have to crush my dreams like that?! Some of it is possible, right?! Chapter 169: Don’t Touch My Goo! Chapter 169: Don¡¯t Touch My Goo! Apparently, all of it is theoretical. None of it is actually feasible at the moment. She keeps researching even when there are no significant results. This is what most people would call madness. Do I think she is mad? Definitively. Madness is good if you ask me. There is a fine line between a genius and a madman. Both can see things themon people cannot. While one imagines something that doesn''t exist, the other manages to peer through the fog and understand things truly. Uninhibited by the false beliefs that gue what we considermon sense. So what if all the predecessors failed? That was them! This is what I can feel from her. She knows that all of it is close to impossible to achieve and yet she keeps fighting. Wellresearching. Still, anything can be considered a fight on some level. Whenever you do something new there are alwaysplications. A constant fight to find the time. A constant fight to find the motivation. A constant fight to keep going even when the odds are against you. There is always an easy way out. To every situation. Always the possibility to simply give up. But so what? I''m still a bit disappointed with how shemunicates, but I do respect her. Why would she list all these amazing things bringing my hopes to the pinnacle just to crash it all big time?! Yep, definitely needs to work on that delivery. "Ah? But thatck of progress was before today! A tamed slime is an immense progress in the domain! It proves that all the doctrine affirming how impossible it is are wrong!" This is what is great about science. It is always true until proven wrong. Then people just build on their predecessors'' work. It bes something so amazing that no man could research it all in one life. I wonder, are there any awards in this world? Perhaps little Bai could im some prize money? Probably not. I still believe in my hidden expert theory. Somewhere in this world, there is for sure one guy that already knows about all that. The one thing I feel might be hindering the progress of this ce is theck ofmunication. You''d expect a world filled with magic to have a magical equivalent of phones, right?! I have seen none of it so far! Ah, there was that one time I killed that young master of the hunter guild and the father just popped out of nowhere. This leads me to believe there are ways of fastmunication. Just that these are not widespread. Is it from technical difficulties or political reasons? Well, the whole, there is a waring might be really bad on that aspect too. A war that I have not seen a shadow of yet. Are the mortals taking their sweet time or do the gods consider a really long period of time passing to be normal? That reminds me of that one strategy game where you build civilizations. What was it called again? Anyway, it could go on for ages and ages. Perhaps for the gods, this is something simr. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Who knows? Not me. I guess the gods themselves would know. But apparently, there are many many gods. Yet I have only heard about a few of them. I feel like that might be on me, however. I don''t really go around asking people about their beliefs. Also in the Moon Keep, there was only one god. In the forestwas there a god? In the border townwhat was it again? Ah, whatever. As I''m thinking that I can hear the others having an apparent conflict. "Don''t touch my goo!" "Please just for a little while! Just a bit!" "Younglings are so full of energy *slurp*" At some point, the old man managed to sit down and got himself a bowl of noodles. Thisdy is chasing the fatty excitingly asking to touch his.goo? *perplexed* That kinda sounds lewd. I think she is talking about the slime. Why not just call it a slime? "I''ll make sure it feels good just let me!" "No way in hell! This is my heroicpanion! Together we will conquer this world! Get your filthy paws away from him!" That slime is so small it''s questionable if it can defeat a rank 2 monster alone. Think the conquering part might be a bit of an exaggeration. One is chasing and one is retreating. "I''ll just do a few tests on it then I''ll give it back!" "No way! What if you somehow hurt him?! Without this slime I won''t even qualify as a tamer!" Is it sad that the only thing I can think upon looking at this scene is how much more popr this slime is than me? I guess it can be cute but still. Well, the testing part might be bad. The old man is still calmly minding his business. Meanwhile, they both run in a circle around the stall. Little Bai is clearly getting tired by now. Yet she is relentless. Did she train her physical body? I did hear that willpower can allow one to surpass oneself. Maybe her prowess stems from her slime obsession. Should I stop them? I mean they aren''t harming anyone, not damaging the property either. They are just running around like idiots. Yep, this is fine. I sit down next to the old guy and he pushes a bowl toward me. This iswhere did that evene from? Oh well, for all I know this guy might be some super hidden expert that can conjure noodles out of thin air. Or not, there seems to be a small storagepartment under where we are sitting. The more you know. I take a sip and eat a bite. This is tasty. This is life. Wolfie will definitely love it She ain''t around. What is up with my furrypanions nowadays? They both seem to enjoy solo walks. Oh well, it is true that sticking with me might be boring. After all, I am only some normal dude. Gotta let them enjoy their liberty too. And thus we eat in a harmonious atmosphere. From time to time in the background, we can hear "No, don''t touch my goo!". How peaceful. Chapter 170: *Slurping* Chapter 170: *Slurping* At some point, they both get tired of running around. I say that mostly to preserve''s little Bai''s pride of course. It takes a while to convince her, but she agrees not to run any test on that one slime and to just keep doing it on the wild ones in the sewer. It is possible to see the relief in mypanion knowing his pet is finally out of danger. Could you imagine if he lost it the very first day he got it? This is simr to the time my neighbors bought a hamster. The very same day it got hunted by a random passing cat that broke into their courtyard. It was gory and caused so much despair in a child. Funniest . I mean the saddest thing ever. Yes. We all sit together and share a meal. Soon enough the surrounding is filled with slurping noises. *Slurp* That much is obvious because this is a small stall. Everyone gets a bowl of noodles and that''s it. Spoons are not a thing it seems. I wonder if that is part of his marketing strategy. Could you imagine making your way through town while hungry? Then you hear that slurping sound. Of course one would get curious. Following the sound, you stumble upon a noodles shop. Since you are famished you decide to get some for yourself. I can imagine that happening very well. *Slurping intensifies* Mostly because it''s about the 10th person thates here in such a way while we are peacefully eating. There are people of all kinds of types appearing out of nowhere. Workers, merchants, gangsters, is this a sassy lost child? What the hell is up with this crowd? Not sure, but the more the time goes on the more there are slurping sounds. At some point even appear two men seemingly fighting to the death. Both have bloodied knives and various wounds all over their bodies. I''m convinced they are about to disturb us, but no. Instead upon hearing that slurping sound, their stomachs grumble and they call for a ceasefire. Who bloody does that?! What is even weirder is that while good, these aren''t even the best I''ve had or anything. Then again to be fair I amparing to my old memories. Memories of even middle-ss people being able to afford feasts every day. *Even more slurping* For some reason, no one but me seems to find the situation any weird. Also, how the hell is that small crowd not even reacting to the presence of the slime?! I guess people just don''t care. This kinda reminds me of the time I worked so hard to reach the top of a leaderboard in a game. That''s when I figured out that not one soul outside of said leaderboard ever cared about it. All people I knew were like, have you made money out of this? No?! Then stop! Some bullshit about humans being supposed to sleep more than 2 hours a night usually followed. My point is that slime taming being a novelty is probably just a tamer thing. Actually, chances are most tamers won''t even care. After all, slimes are renowned to be weak. It would be a different story if one could tame a king slime, however. I wonder how that would go? Then again there is no way little Bai will risk his life to try. He was the guy that didn''t even want to travel to a disaster zone to get a pet. If you ask me that would have been the easier way. I know the perfect ce too. How about a teleporting mantis or a shadow fox as a ve? Totally not because of that ambush they did! Perhaps a bit. And so passes a good time slurping. *Slurping the day away* It is hot, it is messy, there are so many people enjoying the goodness. While eating we talk about many things. Mostly all the theoretical slime knowledge that won''t ever be useful. All of this reminds me very much of economy, the discipline. Very cool in theory, until it''s not and everything crashes. For all, we know little Bai is totally going to get eaten in his sleep by his new pet. For some reason, he starts sweating hard when that joke is made. Looking at his pet warily. The thing is it is just a mindless slime. It just keeps eating its noodles without noticing it seems. Cause yes, the slime gets a bowl too. You know since the old guy said we could eat as much as we wanted, he figured out he''d save in monster feed. Little Bai is a money scrounger. That''s very admirable. Especially when you consider he has been sneaking in the beast pens to steal food from actual monsters. How does that even happen? Like seriously?! I kind of glossed over this story earlier, but can we take a moment to acknowledge the insanity of it? How does no one notice? How does one even think of such a n in the first ce? How did he manage to literally steal food from bloodthirsty monsters?! So many questions. No matter how much I ask he won''t tell me. This is baffling. It is like that one uncle at Christmas that keeps telling wild stories. Stories so wild that they sound invented of all pieces. Stories so wild everyone just assume he is joking. Until you realize he''s been telling the truth all along. You know that guy that everyone assumes is a loser but turns out to be running thergest drug cartel in the country from the shadows. And then you finally understand why the brownies he kept bringing were so good! Anyway, I digress. Little Bai feels like that kind of character. He''s gonna do something somehow kinda amazing and tell you about it. He''ll be like: I''m the first to tame a slime be impressed! People are gonna be like, sure, and keep slurping without believing him. Okay, that example was easy as fuck haha. *Slurp Slurp* Tomorrow, he will bring this slime to the tamer guild and bragI mean report on his progress. As all tamers are apparently supposed to do upon getting a new main pet. Is this simr to how you report getting a new wife to your family? Anyway, he wants me to be there with him. Of course, I say yes! You know because I''m a good friend! Well, mostly because I''m very free let''s be honest haha. Somehow the slimedy says she will join too. Wait, how has she been eating with her mask on all this time?! One of the profound mysteries of life. Chapter 171: Kneeling Chapter 171: Kneeling After a sumptuous 1 course meal, I go to sleep back at the camp only to return to the city the next morning. Time to meet little Bai! That''s when I realize we haven''t set up a meeting spot at all. This is something I don''t usually think about. I still have that old habit of just going with the flow. All my life I got so used to just texting. The best way to organize the finer details is on-site directly for sure. I ost a passerby. [Hey, do you know where little Bai is?] I only get a negative answer. I just gotta keep asking. Except the more I do the more I realize I am only getting confusing answers. No one knows who he is. No one at all! How is that even possible? He is not one to remain unseen. Well, except when he''s stealing food apparently. Knowing his character it''s impossible for him to remain unknown, right?! I''m starting to reconsider my first impression of this friend of mine. Could he only be cheerful and lively with me? Is there some truly dark story behind why he isn''t interacting with other tamers? What if his origin story is actually all true? That would exin why he isn''t speaking to the other tamers. I feel like I''m overthinking this. There is no way "It''s you!" What''s happening? I look around and Isn''t that .the disciplinemittee member! Gotta run! "Stop running! I need to talk to you!" Hell no, there is no way I am getting caught that easily! Divine power enhancement to the max! Thus starts a mad chase across the whole guild. People getting pushed out of the way. Check. Constant screams and panting. Check. Sweat glistening on both our skin. Check. Camera shaking to show the intensity. Wait this ain''t a movie. We keep going until . a dead end! "You *pant* won''t run *pant* away anymore!" He looks really out of breath. Should I try to overpower him and run? I feel like the odds of sess would be really high. I am sure I can run longer than he can. Well, he knows this ce better and managed to corner me once already. If assaulting amittee member is a really bad offense is what I am wondering about. I could always try to slide right between his legs. As long as I have the right angle and enough speed it should work. I just need to remember to scream no homo while it happens. But I''m not 100% sure. Let''s hear him out for now Maybe I can get out of this situation and "I have been chasing you for so long already! How dare you run awayst time!" [Aren''t you the one that told me to leave?] "Well, yes but" [And I did.] "That''s not the issue! Why did you start a fight with that student? Why did you send your magical beast.eh your donkey after him? This is a vition of the peace here!" [That, sorry about that I did not mean to do it. She tends to be very protective of me at times. He insulted me and she got angry.] "So your official statement is that your donkey came out of control and attacked another beast by itself?" [Yep.] "Then what about the rumors that you assaulted a student afterward?" [Ah, no I was helping him with training. If you ask him, he''ll tell you.] "Are you positive?" [Of course!] He was obviously looking for a beating. Why would he report me after I diligently helped him train his physical body? "Still, this doesn''t make any sense. Why didn''t you use your link with it to stop it?" [What link? I can''t even use mana. She is just following me around because she feels like it.] "How preposterous, do you think I will believe such a thing?!" [Well, yes. If you ask my teacher, he''ll tell you.] "Seriously?! How is that even humanly possible?!" [I don''t know man. People tend to have that reaction a lot too.] "How are you even alive right now?!" [By breathing. Should I tell you that I don''t worship any god while we are at it or should I keep it forter?] "WHAT?! This isbut . why?!" [I have my reasons, don''t worry. My path will most likely be an arduous one, but I''ll be fine. At least I hope.] "This, this, no wonder the statue pegged you as having no talent for taming. Not only are you unable to do a soul link but you also aren''t counting on a taming god for a miracle. This is insane!" [I''m aware. Still, it can''t be helped. I have my reasons.] Those reasons being I am too proud and stubborn for my own good. Also, it''s not like I don''t have any chance either. I just need to keep diligently focusing on developing my proficiency at using divine energy. I''ll be fine. "How are you able to keep your morale up even in this situation?!" [Life is still good. I eat to my fill, I have loyalpanions and I am free to explore this world.] "Wow, just wow. This is impressive. I feel extremely petty now." [Why?] "I have a confession to make. " [Go ahead, my son.] Why the roley? Why not! "I only chased after you to try and get a signature." [A signature?] "Yes, my whole n was to list the previous offenses youmitted and trade a pardon for a signature from Eternal Ice." [That almost seems like a good deal to me.] "Not at all. There is nothing anyone can do to punish you for such trivialities. Especially given the backing that you have." [Then why are you telling me that now?] "I was trying to bamboozle you, but I didn''t mean any harm. Now that I''m hearing your circumstances I feel remorseful and " [Don''t worry about it.] Let me guess he was going to use the excuse of not telling my mentor and that we should keep quiet about it. This way Ice wouldn''t find out about the signature thing being for someone else. Quite smart. Then again, I really do not care much. [You know what, I can try and get you one. I''m just not sure if he''s still my teacher. But hey, I can try.] "You will? Thank you! Thank you so much!" He''s thanking me while kneeling in gratitude. I mean, I''m happy to help. After all, I never said I would do it for free, right?! Chapter 172: Minor Conflict Chapter 172: Minor Conflict This is the perfect oue. He is leaving and he is actually grateful toward me too. Now I just need to. AH! [Wait upmittee member!] "What is it?" [Do you know where I can find little Bai?] "Little Bai? Who is that?" [Ah, maybe you saw him before he was probably going around with a slime in his arms!] "Ah! You mean fatty Bai! Why are you looking for him?" [I''m supposed to meet him up as he shows his tamed beast or something.] "I understand. Follow me I''ll bring you there. There is a designated gymnasium to test the abilities of pets." [Nice! How fancy!] "It kinda is, to be honest." [How does it work?] "Actually most people don''t know either. It is a magical construct from headquarter. It blends illusion magic and some other stuff to create a believable scene." [VR?! That''s amazing!] "I have no clue what you are talking about. But it does let one test thebat prowess of a pet safely." [If it''s an illusion, how can it urately gauge the power?!] "That''s the other stuff I was referring to. Something about creating a pseudo physical manifestation through magic." [Wow, that''s amazing! Can I learn that too?] "Well, it''s an extremelyplex thing. No one just does that alone. Also didn''t you say you can''t use mana?" [Thatyou are right. I''m just really curious.] "Well, I can rte to that. I spent a year researching that very same thing you know!" He looks proud, but that''s legit amazing! [What else can you tell me about it?] "Oh? That was it." [All of it? But what about your whole year of research?!] "Oh, what I told you was aption of the research of many schrs. That was the summary of all we understand about it." [So, you guys don''t understand it at all?] "Exactly! You learn fast!" Oh my god! I don''t know whether to be pissed at the guy or at their sloppy research methodology! Then again, I''m not one to talk. How many times did I sessfully use divine energy without bothering to understanding how it really works? Since day one pretty much. More like, I do try to understand how to use it. However why it all works the way it does? That I couldn''t care less. In an awkward silence, we reach a big building. Many tamers are going about their business. There is a big counter and many doors behind. "Every single door leads to a unit from A to G, every single one having 7 rooms each. All of it is powered by the main artifact." There are many people waiting on the sidelines. From time-to-time numbers are called. [This ce is where the guild tests the tamers?] "It is also used to test your own progress or to challenge others to a taming duel." [Let me guess, theypete over who can perform better in the test?] "Exactly!" [Let me guess there are alsopetitions on who can tame a wild beast the fastest between tamers?] "No, that would be dumb. Taming is not about having a menagerie. It''s all getting the strongest creature. Time is less of a concern. Anyone rushing is setting himself for failure." Now that I think about it, it makes sense. There was that novel I knew where the tamers had a speed tamingpetition. It was a way for the MC to showcase his amazing capabilities. But yeah, in the real world it would be pointless. So what if you can tame a drake really fast? Herees a dragon motherfucker! Well, it''s good if you can speed tame your opponent''s creature but that''s obviously fiction. Kinda like these writing sprints I heard about from an author. He really disliked those. Who cares about being fast? It''s all about writing something that has good quality! Then again, the guy that introduced me to the whole concept was probably just a sore loser. After all, he was both a slow writer and a bad one. But I do see the issue here. Taming is an art. "You are finally here! I was waiting so long for you and . waityou came with him!" So he says while pointing at themittee member. "Hello fatty, it has been a while." [You guys know each other?] "He is my archenemy!" "C''mon fatty we used to be childhood friends. Let it go already! Let bygone be bygones". "Never! I will never forgive you!" "It wasn''t that big of a deal! I just ate one!" What the hell is happening? Eating? Are they talking about some kind of spiritual treasure? I could totally see people fight over a devil fruit that would give supernatural power, but I doubt such a thing exists. Then again. magic. So, perhaps. [Alright guys stop with the pointless conflict! Exin the situation to me!] "This nemesis of mine did something atrocious. My mom died suddenly. The only memory of her that I had was some of her cooking from the day before. Then he ate it!" "It was by mistake! I did not even know it was that important to you! It would have gone bad a few dayster too!" [That is what made you guys go from friends to enemies?] "YES!" "*Sigh, indeed." This. I never know what to expect from these guys. Most people are said not to take things seriously enough. Not these guys! They are so damn serious about the wrong stuff! Ah, I guess I am the one that will have to be the mature one and help resolve the conflict. I am no saint, but almost. [You guys. You, apologize for eating his food! You, ept his apology! This is not that big of a deal. You guys should get over it already.] "Thatsure, but only if he begs for forgiveness on the ground and licks my boots. Then I''ll forgive him." "See! Every time I try to reconcile it goes like this. All this exaggeration just cause I hate that one pie, it''s ridiculous!" Waitwhat?! [Repeat that!] "All this" [Not that part!] "It''s ridiculous?" [What did you eat?!] "The pie his mother." [On the ground! Now! Start kneeling already! Pie is sacred!] He looks at me bbergasted. [Now! There are things in life one cannot ignore, and this is one!] It seems my momentum is impressive enough that he''s already bending his back. "What idiot is causing a ruckus in my testing pavilion?!" *Sigh* What now?! Chapter 173: Stern Elder?! Chapter 173: Stern Elder?! "Who''s the idiot that''s causing a ruckus in my test pavilion?!" Of course,es the evident stern old man in charge of the ce. One that will find offense to us making a scene. Right now we are dealing with serious matters! He shouldn''te in between me and getting justice! I gesture themittee member to keep apologizing. He seems unsure but he does do it in the end. "Hey, are you guys new here?! Aren''t you aware of the rules?!" So he says while ring at the three of us. His white brows are thick and furrowed. So thick I can''t see his eyes. How does this guy even manage to walk? He seems pretty lively in any case. Not the old decrepit old man that I was expecting. Why am I only noticing that one feature of his? Well, it is just too obvious in his face. He might be here to interfere, but I cannot let that happen. [We are peacefully resolving a conflict of monumental proportions at the moment. But do not worry it won''te to any violence!] "What?! Then I will be worried! What am I supposed to do if there is no fight? This would be troublesome." What is he going on about? Why would it be bad that people aren''t fighting? What kind of attitude is that?! Is this guy really someone in charge of this ce? He seems to be pondering for a few seconds before his eyes light up. "I guess we would do this!" He turns toward little Bai. "Yo, boy! You are that guy that tamed a slime, right?!" "Yes, what about it?" Talk about stating the obvious haha. Naw, little Bai just loves to go around carrying a slime. Kinda like a natural beauty-mask for the skin. As if?! Also, this is weird. Since taming it, he manages to give it orders. Who said slimes are braindead? Little Bai hasn''t been corroded even once by mistake. Yep pretty damn obvious that it''s tamed. Ever wanted to cosy a skeleton easily? Get a slime and look perfect after it is done helping you get rid of the extra weight! Aka all the flesh, muscles, and bones. Or not. Guess there is more to it than it meets the eye at first. So much for a dumb species that eats everything in sight. Still what kind of punishment does this elder have in store for us? Besides doing some noise we didn''t do anything much. "You are here for your test, right? We''ll go in there and you''ll show us what your slime can do!" "Yes!" "Good kid, now time for business." He turns around and "Everyone! Time to open the bets! As usual, I will be the banker. Today we will bet on the performance of this student t right here and his slime!" I can hear various exmations. Something about how it has been a while since thest gambling den. Something about the best betting strategies. Something about little Bai and the slime. Something about how handsome thatmittee member is and how pitiful he looks. Are these girls blind? I''m right next to him. Why is no onementing on my handsomeness?! Damn it! Seriously what is wrong with this elder?! He''s already making rounds collecting coins. Lots of coins! Seriously, how many tamers are participating in this? How are they going to hide an operation that big? The worst is the guy is still hollering about how people should join. This is some dedication right there. He is apparently done as he approaches us. "Alright, boy let''s bring you to the testing area." Little Bai looks at me "Wish me good luck! I''ll need it!! Oh yeah, he will. For sure. [Good luck man! You can do it for sure!] How does the weak triumph over the strong? Effort! How does a slime triumph then? A freaking miracle! That when I hear someone interrupt! "Wait, stop this for a second!" Comes running another guy. Now that I see it up-close, he has the same robe as that guy in charge. The neer seems mad. "How dare you do this!?" Nice. There is the real stern elder! I knew there was no way betting on students'' performances would be allowed! This would obviously be unprofessional and give a bad image to the guild. "Well, you know me I can''t help it" Did one just admit a gambling addiction? "You should know not to be so impatient! How many times do I have to tell you to wait for me before you start?!" Wait That''s it? This isn''t better. This new guy just wants to join in the action! How ridiculous is this ce? Meanwhile, my friend is heading into a passageway to test his might. Actually, the might of a slime. Themittee member has recovered too. He is now handing a pouch filled with money to that first elder. Is he betting too now?! Then hees back toward uszily. Why is he signing autographs on the way?! Wasn''t he the one that was asking for one from my mentor earlier? Seriously what is up with this ce? "Now we just need to wait. Actually, youngling you didn''t bet anything right? You should totally participate. If anything it promotes cohesion in the group!" He''s talking to me?! [I''m so broke. I really wish I could.] Talk about fearsome ways to make people sin. Presenting it in such a convincing way. The other joins the argument. "Youngster I also rmend you participate. This way you could make some profit. Not only that but it will train your analytical ability. After a few rounds, you''ll improve your skills for sure. "It will help you for sure to get used to stressful situations. Then when you are in danger your instincts will resurface and empower you!" "It is also a great way to make friends. You might have one right now but he seems busy with his own stuff. How about getting a few more friends? If you join we can be your friends too." Yep, both of the men are not to be trusted. I kinda understand people that say the world is a scary ce at times haha. Oh well, it can''t be helped. By the way, I truly wonder if... Little Bai will be fine, right?! Chapter 174: Not Again! Chapter 174: Not Again! ****(POV) This is the moment of truth. C''mon, little Bai! You can do this! I''m encouraging myself, but I don''t feel confident at all. I don''t have to wait as many rooms are avable. Well, it does help that so many of the tamers are busy betting. From the little I saw, most of them are betting on my failure. I can somehow understand that. It still leaves a bad aftertaste, however. Ah, there is one guy that does believe in me. Perhaps more than I do in myself. A weird man that I am getting to know more. One that may have very well changed my life altogether. I used to be a failure of a tamer. I spent all I had for onest taming attempt, yet I failed it. At first, part of me was angry at him, but really, I was angrier at myself. And disappointed. Just as I was despairing, he showed me hope. Told me he would bring me somewhere to get a pet. I was in disbelief at first. Then that disbelief only increased when I figured out where we were heading. He wanted me to tame a slime. How was I supposed to aplish something even the bests have never managed? All of it simply madness. I was about to give up. But then I figured I''d try. My situation was arguably already the worst it could be. Would wasting a bit of time be an issue at this point? No. So I tried it. Then it fucking worked. All thanks to him! He believed in me and he was right! Now, a slime might not be that powerful, but it''s a start. I need to somehow aplish a miracle in this test. He still believes that I can do this. As long as he believes I will too! I reach a medium-sized room. It is not spacious, but it is still vast enough to move around without any issue. This will be my first time here. I did use to have a tamed beast. Sadly I was foolish. It died to save my life. My first friend died because of my ineptitude. That''s when I swore to myself that I would nevermit the same mistake. This slime of mine. I won''t just discard it after it has served its purpose. Will that take a toll on my soul power? Of course. But I do not want another creature to die for my sake. It is rather stupid I do know it. Really dumb. I thought I was the only one ever that would do something as ridiculous. Turns out I might not be. This is what I find most unbelievable about this man. Not only is he wise, but he is odd too. Who in their right state of mind would keep a donkey at their side? Only him. Who in their right state of mind would train a donkey? Trained it until it could trash a rank 2 monster easily. The existence of this man itself is enough to give me hope. If a donkey can be powerful there is no way a slime can''t. I might be insane, but right at this moment I truly believe. This test is but the first step of my career. In the middle of the room is a floating purple cube. It seems almost intangible yet is physical. I''m not sure how this all works, but I do know that once I destroy it the test will start. Then it will safely test my pet and only it. The tamers need to remain on the sidelines watching to avoid any injury. I give the order to my slime to go ahead. It flies toward it with great momentum. Then it envelops itself around it. I am getting ready for anything. What wille out of this? Let me. okay, nothing is happening at all. Is there an issue with the mechanism? AhI see This slime of mine is hugging it, but it doesn''t seem to do anything. I try to order it to dissolve it, but it seems it''s not able to. What am I supposed to do?! I can''t even start the test. What can I ? Ah, fuck it. Let''s just do this. Ie closer and I . *PUNCH* The semi-physical cube cracks and disappears in many colorful lights. I can see lighting out from the edges of the room. It all assembles into shapes. This seems to be the projection of a monster. Seems like a rank 2 hound of some sort. Gaping mouth, sturdy-looking legs, sharp fangs, and ws. It looks oddly realistic for a magical construct! I need to somehow defeat it! Go slime! It jumps on it, hugging its face! Andnothing at all happens. Don''t tell me these things are immune to corrosion?! How cheated! How the hell am I supposed to clear a test like that?! Guess we''ll be disqualified soon. That''s when it happens. The thing swipes at my slime. I can feel it growing weaker through our link. This shouldn''t be possible?! This training room shouldn''t inflict any true damage on . Ah, fuck! It probably wasn''t designed for slimes. At all. What do I do?! Stop this fucking test! I don''t care about it anymore! Just fucking stop this! The hound keeps pursuing it and swiping mercilessly at it. The safety measures aren''t activating at all! At this rate, it will truly die! Stop! No fucking way! I won''t let this shit happen again! Screw this thing! Not again! Not again! Not again! I won''t watch powerlessly again! I''d rather die! I might actually, but so fucking what! "This way you stupid dog! Why don''t you fight someone your own size!" I punch it as hard as I can. It barely bulges. It lunges at me. It''s so fucking fast! My slime never stood a chance. I dodge it. Barely. Or not. I can distantly feel some pain. So what if it scratched me. Fuck this thing. I can do this! Stay behind me little slime! I''ll protect you no matter what! Chapter 175: The Will to Protect! Chapter 175: The Will to Protect! ****(POV) I''ll protect this slime of mine no matter what. It believed in me. I somehow felt it when I made a contract with it. A simple mind that would believe in me. One so pure. One that just wants to share some meals, with a friend. As simple as that. Now thispanion of mine is about to die. All because I overestimated my capabilities again. I should never havee to this ce. The test won''t stop until it is over. Once my pet is defeated this hound will disappear. Usually, it would not be an issue. But I can feel it. The soul of my slime is already on the verge of copsing. Yet this opponent is still relentless. This shouldn''t be happening. The only other solution is to defeat it. It''s already toote. It''s to do or die now. Quite possibly die. I can feel my scratched shoulder bleeding. I can still move it. That''s all that matters. This thing is fast. This thing is strong. This thing won''t show pity. So fucking what! I won''t cower. Not anymore. It dashes at me again. I need to be careful. I am but a weak human made of flesh and blood. I sidestep it at thest second. Then it swipes at me. I twist my body trying to make myself smaller. I can feel the sharp ws open then flesh on my waist. An opportunity! I bash its head in! It falls to the floor! I kick that fucking monster or try to. It''s already back on its feet. Eying me carefully. Then ites charging again. This thing wants to end my life. At all costs. That''s good. I''m d. So fucking d. It is I it wants to kill now. Try and get me, you stupid creature! We keep fighting. No, fighting isn''t the word. This is a one-sided ughter. I can feel my injuries worsen. Little by little I am losing flesh and blood. Growing weaker by the second. How long can I evenst? Dodging was already close to impossible at the beginning. I am getting somewhat used to its movements. There is one problem, however. My body won''t follow mymands. It is getting sluggish. But I know. I know for sure. I cannot retreat. If I do this little innocent bouncing creature will lose its life. No way in hell. At this rate, we will both perish. I can''t let that happen. I swore. No matter what. I wish I had the strength. I wish I could protect it. I wish I wouldn''t be such a fucking failure. I truly wish. But this is impossible. I''m weak. I''m pitiful. I''m wasting my efforts. Any tamer would give up the slime. Any tamer would protect one''s own life. There are many slimes in the sewers. Any other tamer would just get another one. I might be dumb. I might be foolish. I might be wrong. But for me, it wouldn''t be the same. I can see a way out of this. If I prolong this, I will lose. This thing is made of mana after all. It won''t tire. I need to go for a decisive blow. One extremely risky. Ites at me. Dodge the ws. Therees the bite. After this time I am getting good at dodging it. But I don''t. Not this time. It''s going for my neck. A hit and I''m a goner. I twist my upper body. *CHOMP* It hurts like Hell. I can feel its teeth sink into my shoulder. But I know I can''t afford to pass out. I can''t even afford to wince from the pain. No, there is something I need to do. I punch its head. Again, and again, and again. It tries to run away. I think not! I twist myself to make sure it remains solidly stuck in my body. And I punch And punch And punch I can feel the weak soul of mypanion. This link of ours is enough to keep me going. This is what I need to protect. For this, this monster needs to disappear. I bash and I bash, and I bash. I distantly notice that knuckles crack. My hand is definitely broken too. But so what! I punch, I m, I clobber, I strike, I smash, I whack! I can''t feel any part of my body. I just keep going. Before I cannot move anymore. Before it is toote. Before it can recover. I keep going. Until finally the whole thing disappears in an explosion of light. I can vividly feel it via the soul link. My slime is alright. I seeded. Somehow. I''m d. So fucking d. My body might be busted but I seeded. I crumple to the floor. Unable to move a single muscle. I can feel how tired this little slime is. It had to fight with a creature league above it for a while. All because of me. "I''m sorry buddy. I did not mean for anything bad to happen. I thought this test would be safe for both of us. That''s how it was supposed to be you know. I''m not sure why everything went so wrong. But none of it matters. The important thing is that you are fine. " I can feel it bounce closer and nestle close to my broken body. I can feel its concern. It worries about my state. It worries about the growing puddle of blood. It worries about my crushed limbs. It worries. Which dumbass said that slimes are mindless creatures that only know how to eat? I''ll beat all these idiots up! Haha, I can''t actually. Probably won''t ever be able to. I''m in such a state that I can''t even feel the extent of my injuries. But I know it''s bad. I know I won''t make it. Even the most skillful of healers would give up. This is fine. However, there is onest thing I need to do. A tamed beast dies with its owner. This is and has always been the case. This ismon knowledge. But I know for a fact there is a way to avoid this. I need to transfer the remaining of my life force to it. That and terminate our soul contract. This will free it. Of course, I will die, but that is already a foregone conclusion. I initiate the process with thest of my willpower. "There you go buddy, go back to the sewers and live your life." No! Something is wrong! This slime stopped the process on its end. "C''mon buddy. You need to ept this. There is no need for both of us to die here! Quick ept my lifeforce!" That''s when I can feel something. A simple mind conveying the purest sentiment there is. It will live and die with me. A creature that I''ve known for a day. A simple slime. All we did was eat noodles together. Somehow in this fight, it gained consciousness. I get its message clearly. "Forever together, human." Myst conscious thought is how pointless this all is. But also, how blessed I am **** Chapter 176: The Death of Little Bai Chapter 176: The Death of Little Bai ****(POV) I always dreamt of dying a hero. That was back when I was but a little kid. You know go out in style. Save the life of a dear friend. Protect the city from a monster invasion. Join a powerful guild or sect and protect the continent. Perhaps even protect this world from otherworldly creatures too. I''m not sure how to feel about this ending. I''d say it is bittersweet. I gave my life to protect a friend. Yet this friend did not ept my sacrifice. I am touched. Yet I know how idiotic this all is. There is no point in both of us perishing. Yet, that was my friend''s choice. People would probably ridicule me for calling a slime a friend. This does not matter to me. There are emotions that transcend species. Love is one of them. Simple camaraderie too. If anything this slime is my family. The only one I have remaining. I wanted to save it. I failed. Life can be unpredictable. Humans can be unpredictable. Who could have known how deep a bond would form between us after a single day. This is not logical. Who would have known how messed up the situation with the training room would be. This is highly unlikely. Yet it all happened. They say you see your life scroll before your eyes at the moment of death. In my case, it seems to be afterward. I am dead. I know it because I don''t have a physical body. I am but a mass of thoughts drifting in a dark space. Floating around are the remnants of my consciousness. The experiences I lived. The emotions I felt. I just saw my recent past. I keep going forward. I see a lot of moments where I am struggling. Trying to learn more about taming. Growing nts to sell for money. Even the bad stuff like stealing food. All until I finally reach scenes I knew woulde. Memories I have burrowed deep inside my psyche. Yet I still know exactly what it contains. I brace myself, then enter. **** The young me. Still a child. I never knew my parents. They died not long after I was born from a monster invasion. But I had an uncle that raised me. He was a taciturn man that would barely talk. He would barely ever show any emotion for that matter. He didn''t care about me much either. He simply raised me out of duty. I was the heir to a sizeable fortune. My dad had been a sessful merchant before his demise. Raising me made it so my uncle could live avish life. He saw it as a deal of some sort. I never hated him for it. He never mistreated me either. He had his circumstances. For instance, I know he loved my mother. Looking at me would remind him of how he wasn''t the brother that was chosen. Thus I was left to my own devices most of the time. I would explore the surroundings on a daily basis. Meeting all kinds of people. Hearing stories from travelers from afar. I would daydream about one day heading to the vast world. I wasn''t too worried about the future. I was truly fearless back then. Fearless enough that I strayed too far from safety. Explored a bit too far. In usual circumstances, it wouldn''t have mattered. A bunch of coincidences changed my fatepletely. One, I came across ve traders. Two, they hade to know about the wandering unwanted kid that I was. Three, they knew about a beast tide that was about to happen. Conclusion: they got themselves easy merchandise that no one would truly look for while getting a great scapegoat. They bagged me and thus I lost all rights as a human being. I was but a product. There was the low food input that was necessary to somehow keep me alive. There was the space I upied in the cage. One mounted on a carriage. There was the price I would possibly fetch. That was all my puny existence amounted to. Two oues were possible. Getting sold and living a life worst than death. Getting sold and dying quickly. No matter what, they would sell me. Or at the very least my corpse. Days turned into weeks. There was a beast tideing after all. People in the area had better things to do than to buy livestock. That''s how they called us. Thus we traveled for so long. Barely getting fed. Some died of sickness. Most of us made it. Dying would have been better. We got sold to some rich nobleman. His trade simple, entertainment. For these bored people, seeing ves killing each other in the ring was a delight. When I first arrived, I understood something very quickly. No one there was a friend. Everyone knowing that others would eventually be opponents. All standing in the caged areas in silence. All hope gone. Either awaiting their end or struggling to live. The ones faring the best being the ones that started to enjoy killing. But even them would at some point die. Betting was a thing in such a sport. The banker would subtly decide the oue of the fight for it to turn in his favor. When a diator became so strong that everyone started betting for his survival.is when he would die. I slowly realized that there was indeed a pattern to it. The only way to live was to struggle in every single fight. Never to show great power. Learning about the system gave me better chances of surviving it. I decided that I would survive this no matter what. I decided that I would wait for the time of revenge toe. I would win all my fights while almost getting defeated every time. One day I would hopefully get an opportunity. Or maybe never. But I would at least try for a while. I was the only one there that didn''t have dead eyes. That''s how he came to approach me. The man that would y a significant role in my life. The man I woulde to call brother. Chapter 177: Life of a Slave Chapter 177: Life of a ve ****(POV) That is how I met the man I woulde to call my brother. He was never the smartest one. He was never the bravest one either. His only redeeming qualities were his cheerful personality and his ability to read people. Getting captured and sold as a ve did dampen his spirit a lot. When we first met he seemed more dead than alive. Just a shadow of his former self that would mechanically aplish things. He would fight. He would eat. He would sleep. Rinse and repeat. That was all that his existence amounted to. He had no dreams or hopes for the future. He had given up a while ago already. But then he saw me. He would describe the moment in great detail afterward. He used to have that old habit to try and gauge people. To try and figure out their thoughts. To try and figure out their personality. All from seeing the way they talked and moved. He would get their current mental state easily from experience. He told me that back then he wasn''t even thinking. Ever. But somehow that old habit of his would still activate. He would pass every face and see despair, agony, and mncholy. Not when he saw me. He saw hope. He saw a living being in a pack of dead men. The shock was so big that it drove him off of his constant stupor. It brought back life to an otherwise dying man. He would often say that I was the brightest me that he''d ever seen. For no matter the situation my drive wouldn''t ever be extinguished. He told me many times how much he admired me for it. He then decided he would help me in my endeavors. Of course, at first, I didn''t tell him anything. He just figured it out by himself. Figured out the whole n that I had. Figured out that I was still clinging to the hopes of vengeance. Decided that he would show me the example. That he would man up and show some courage. Knowing that I was younger than him at the time must have been bad on the ego. Well in fact he was really smart, in his own way. He just wouldn''t ept it. He always felt like it would segregate him from the others. In any case, we started interacting more and more. At some point, I shared my theory on how to survive this ce. The goal was to win, but never by much. That''s when we started seriously training. Thinking back on it we were truly lucky. As young contestants, we would be given weaker opponents. Some we actually stood a chance against. Something I learned was that in such an environment it was kill or be killed. Ironically, I think I was pretty popr in the ring. Anyone going against me would die. Don''t get me wrong, I wasn''t strong. It was just that I was the only one with a will to live. Out of all my fights most would end up with my opponent kicking the bucket. I always made sure to try to do the deed in the goriest and least painful way. One clean sh that would end it all. Both for the public and the opponent''s sake. When I would stare into the eyes of my victims, I would often see relief. Finally being free of the suffering. Finally freed of this shithole. This brother of mine was the other spark in the entire arena. Well besides the ughterers that wouldugh as they ripped people in half. He would always manage to live, but always with some injuries. It wasn''t by choice either. He would go against stronger opponents than me. The problem is he was actually less skilled than me. As someone from a well-off family, I did have a bit of swordsmanship training. This was giving me an edge in a ce like this. I would cut opponents until night came. I would then sleep a bit and train. I would also solidify my convictions daily. Work toward my goal. I would imagine every executive''s face bashed in and covered in blood. Then fantasize about killing them in the ring. How awesome it would be! Thus the days turned into weeks and months. At some point, I lost track of time. All I knew was that my body was growing and that I was still waiting for an opportunity. One that perhaps would nevere. At some point, I reached the level where I could kill some rank 2 warriors. Only the weakest of them. If anything they were so demoralized that it made it way easier. I became used to harvesting lives as easily as farmers harvest grain. I would still be bidding my time. Killing and ying and causing bloodshed. Waiting patiently. There would never be a shortage of lives to reap. Either from bandits looking to make an extra penny, or sects selling their defeated foes, or poor vigers selling their children. All were epted in this meat grinder. Temporary visitors that most often than not would disappear quickly. Most of them anyway. I could have kept living such a life for a while. Same for the man I called my brother. We had a system that worked. Lie low. Get loved enough by the spectators to be valuable merchandise, but not too much to attract greed. Just a constant bncing act. One at the precipice of death. We could have kept enduring. For a while longer. Sadly came something unexpected. Humans killing other humans became boring to most. The spectators began asking for more. A bunch of bloodthirsty bastards. In normal circumstances, it wouldn''t have mattered much. There are always people asking for the impossible. Except that in this specific case it wasn''t actually impossible. Simply troublesome. The beast tide that caused me to get caught in the first ce would screw me over again. They found some captured savage beasts. Of course, they decided it would be fun to add these to the deathmatches. Ones that would be more original and entertaining. It was the very moment that would turn my life upside down once again. Chapter 178: Doggo Chapter 178: Doggo ****(POV) Even with them adding savage creatures to the mix it wouldn''t change the deal much, right? Well in fact it did....a lot. Before I used to be somewhat of a valuable product. They couldn''t bear to cause my demise at the hand of another ve. Yes, sure people would enjoy the show a lot. Still, long term they would have made a loss. People enjoyed watching me fight. They came for me. But I wasn''t big enough to be the talk of the town should I die in a freak ident. That protected me from rigged elimination. Or it should have. Turned out they were rather eager to see me die under the paws of monsters. Apparently, money was even pooled together for the event to happen. The spectators didn''t care anymore about earning and simply wanted a good show. That''s when I knew I was fucked. That''s when hell started. Every week I would fight a different beast. At first, it was weak ones that weren''t even rank 2. Small ones that one wouldn''t typically encounter in the wild. But the difficulty kept increasing. My allotted gear kept decreasing too. Until finally came the decisive day. I knew I was going to die. For they scheduled me to fight against a true rank 2 creature. A me-hound. I was to go against it barehanded too. I would have perhaps had a chance if I could have used a sword. But not this time. I took onest look at this brother of mine. I requested of him that he take revenge in my stead. We both knew the oue that was awaiting me. He jokingly told me that I should just go ahead and show it who''s boss. That I just had to tame it and that everything would be alright. I gave him a knowing look. Appreciating his futile efforts to cheer me up. I''m d that he managed to pick himself up over time. I wasn''t sure how my death would affect him, however. Would he go back to wallow in despair? I truly hoped not. I took a decisive step inside the ring. Resolving myself to go with a bang. I would strive for assured mutual destruction. The heavy metal cage on the other side was slowly opened. Coming out of it a creature of nightmare. Not especially big, but exuding viciousness. Obviously starved for a long while. This way it would pounce on me quickly. Or at least it was supposed to. We kept ring at each other. All I could think about was how I was going to bring it down. It seemed wary of me. That much was surprisingly funny. The creature bigger than me and looking extremely ferocious. Fearful of little me. I guess it sensed that I had nothing to lose. Beasts have a sharp instinct after all. I then started walking toward it slowly. One step at a time. Waiting for it to attack just so I could counter it. Piercing the sturdy skin would be hard unharmed. But all of that wouldn''t matter. I would aim for the eyes, the mouth, even its ass if I had to! I guess my momentum was strong enough. My spirit overwhelming enough. As I kept going forward, the creature retreated backward. Until finally it got backed into a corner. I took a long look in its eyes. We exchanged gazes. They did starve it, but it was no mad beast. Somehow it retained a sliver of sanity. It was just a simple lost soul stuck between hunger and death. It wasn''t in a better situation than me. Guess it wasn''t valiant as they all thought it to be. The gallery was already starting to chatter about this unconventional event. Asking about if it was nned in advance. Wondering when it would pounce and devour me. Meanwhile, I could somehow detect the creature''s confusion. That''s when I got the craziest of ideas. Tame it, was it? Why not. Might as well try it. I approached it. I saw myself in that creature. I saw the me that just got shipped here. That was still confused about most things. I approached it slowly. It was getting agitated, but I did not care. I kept fixing it right in the eyes. Then I asked it if it wanted to be my tamed beast. As if that could work. I subconsciously sent a strand of my being toward it. I opened my heart and epted it as is. After a few moments, I could feel a connection between us. I have no idea exactly how I even managed that. Later in my career, I would learn that such a process is called natural taming. It happens only from a soul link that happens without any kind of spell. Only from a desire to be friends with the target. Me feeling so close to the creature was preposterous, yet I could help it. It almost never happens. I finally came next to it and started petting it. To the dismay of the spectator. After a while, some people started apuding. That was when I knew I would survive one more day. Simply because I gave a good show. It would help with their advertisements. I would survive once more. By luck. Or perhaps was it destiny? I came back to the diators'' quarters followed by the creature. Many lost theirposure. It seems the executives didn''t mind me keeping it. After all, they would be able to use that to their advantage. My brother kept the praisesing. Something about how I did well to listen to his advice. I''m sure he was joking. He was truly happy that day. Relieved and talking about how much better our life would be. But I knew clearly. Very clearly that it wouldn''t change anything. That I was still going to die. If not today, the next time. They would find a way to kill me in the most entertaining way possible. All these ways I wanted to die heroically as a kid? Well, I was going to die a worthless death for sure. And it turned out that I was right. Not long after they announced that another diator coincidentally got injured and that I would be his recement. It turned out to be another rank 2. This time I had a reliable partner. Hound and man versus the new threat. By ganging up on it we managed to win rtively easily. Too easily. This wouldn''t end well. Chapter 179: Man and Doggo Chapter 179: Man and Doggo ****(POV) As much as I worried about the future there was nothing I could effectively do about it. I became known as the beast-taming contestant. All my fights from that point onward were to be with the hound I had tamed. This would make me stronger, but in turn, these bastards would just increase the strength of my opponents too. It would usually be a fight 2 v 1 in our favor. As if that made a big difference. They still didn''t give me any kind of weapon. I would try my best to do as much as possible without hurting my body too much. After all, any serious injury could easily be a death sentence there. They tended to always push the ves to their very limit. Any step back makes one a goner. That simple. For we are but data to them. Not even worthy of existing. Many times I hoped that some righteous sect would stumble upon this and save us. Sadly the world is not such a bright ce. All of these so-called good guys nothing but hypocrites. As long as there is no profit to be made, they won''t move a single finger. So what if innocents are suffering somewhere? Their bad luck is all. I knew no one would voluntarily save me. The only thing I could do was bid my time. Betting on a miracle to happen. In such a manner we kept fighting. The more we fought the more I learned about this power of mine. How to order the hound about. How to decipher the information it sent through our link. Most of that progress was instinctive on both of our parts. Both of us simply trying to survive. We werepanions of misfortune. Quite simr to the rtion I had with my brother. Except that there was something more too. A sharing of the senses and feelings. I could always feel its hunger. Its longing for freedom. Its unwillingness to be a part of their games. I believe that is why we somehow made a contract in the first ce. All emotions we would share perfectly. We were inseparable. During the day we would shed blood together. At night we would rest and await the next challenge. To get forces we took the habit to eat. As much as possible and as regrly as possible. They were not feeding us much. But we fought on a regr basis. Fought with living organisms. That meant flesh to consume. The more time went on the more I changed. Not rapidly enough for me to notice. But sharing the senses of a beast changed me. At some point, I started to see the opponents as food. At first only the creatures. Then at some point the humans too. Raw meat only waiting to be devoured. Still, I would make sure to end their lives in the most painless ways. I only realized that change through this brother of mine. For me, all of it was a gradual process. For him, I went from a young child to a hungry flesh-eater. He made me realize it. But I still didn''t change my habits. The way I saw it, it was all temporary. Also, the best way for me to survive. I had a goal. I still had a reason to live. To kill all of these fuckers. With my own hands. My dog would sink its ws and fangs into them too. Then we would be free. Then we would be happy. We would wander the world and enjoy it. We just had to be patient. We just had to be lucky enough. We just had to remain hopeful and at our peak. We would capitalize in the slightest of gaps in their defenses. We would. *sigh* Do nothing of that in the end. That good end I had been nning and hoping for. It would nevere. I underestimated the owners'' cruelty. I won too many fights. Even while trying to act to the best of my abilities. Actually, both of us were acting. Winning all fights by a small margin. Still, people saw the pattern. People started losing interest. The novelty of the beast-taming ve came to an end. They wanted more. Way more. And the colosseum would provide. They organized a big event. Advertised it everywhere. It would be the event of the year. It would be extremely exciting. I would be the main star. Even in the depth of the prison I still heard about it. My brother started to worry. I and my dog simply epted our fate. Simply slept peacefully awaiting the end. Worrying would have aplished nothing. Getting out of it impossible. I started wondering if there would be such a thing as an afterlife. I concluded that I hoped there wouldn''t be. If it is a creation of these cruel gods that let all of this happen I didn''t want to be part of it. I would just disappear and return to the void. This would be for the best. I still felt a bit disappointed. All my efforts, all this time, would end up pointless. The vain struggle of an ant that was condemned for death. From the very moment I got here in fact. Funny how my brother got impressed by my optimism. Just the stupidity of a fool. Still, I wouldn''t regret all the effort I spent. I would be proud of trying my best. Even in a world that did all to thwart my efforts. I wouldn''t have forgiven it if there was an opportunity and I had failed to grasp it. I was simply unlucky. Unlucky to have my parents die. Unlucky to meet the ve traders. Unlucky to be sold here. Unlucky to die a worthless piece of shit. And die I would for sure. This event would pit me and my dog against a rank 3 creature. There is a reason ranks exist. It is to warn us about when to fight and run. I was doomed for sure. Chapter 180: Just a Man Chapter 180: Just a Man ****(POV) There was no way we would survive a rank 3 monster. The fated day came quickly. Amidst the cheer of the audience, we entered the arena. Stands all full of spectators. So many evil fuckers all around. All there to enjoy our suffering. Awaiting us to despair and die. Trying to fill their empty lives with excitement. Ready to inflict any kind of pain unto others. Truly and simply evil. Then it was released. A mad and powerful-looking monster. Bulging muscles. Bone spikes protruding from its skin. A bone face. Some kind of mutated gori. Radiating savagery and anger. Even as it made its way toward us it kept punching. Punching the walls. Punching the ground. Even punching the air. Full of hate toward the world. Every hit causing destruction. Deep sounds of impact and even slight cracks. I already knew then what would happen should I get hit. My body would break down whole. It would get crushed instantly. Perhaps even burst like a balloon. Exploding in a mist of blood and flesh. We both knew. That this fight would be impossible to win. Still, we did not give up. Not I. Not my dog. We would fight. No matter what. We just needed to evade all the attacks. Not to get hit a single time. We had the advantage in number. We were linked via our soul. We just had to toy with the creature until an opportunity arose. Of course, doing that was madness. Thus it charged at us. Madly. Not a trace of reason visible. Just an angry berserker going crazy. Between biting and punching none of us could inflict damage. All we could do was bid our time. As we always did. We kept circling around it. Driving it mad. Or not, it already was. Attacking then retreating. Dodging the mad punches by a hair''s breadth. The flow of the air itself enough to slowly hurt us. It kept attacking. Relentlessly. Without showing any sign of fatigue. Over and over and over. It was at this point that we realized the w of our n. Yes, we would toy with it for a while. Use a hit and run tactic to slowly whittle it down. Yes, we could do that. We failed to consider one vital piece of information. Yes, we were making it spend more energy than us. But it was a rank 3 monster. Its vitality boundless. Its strength uncontestable. No matter how much we tried. No matter how much we struggled. No matter how much we schemed. In the end, we would be the ones to fall first. Simply because of a total difference in raw power. Our basic physical specs were that far apart. We both understood that at that moment. We both knew that we wouldn''t seed. We both knew that this was truly the end. For real this time. Surprisingly I was able to think calmly even then. I was in a peculiar mental state. Where everything seemed to happen in slow-motion. As if seen by a detached observer. I could calmly analyze my own emotions. I could feel my dog''s state too. At that point, I was feeling grateful. Extremely grateful. I realized that these days I spent with mypanion Even with how bad our situation was Even with all the despair and the gloominess around us . Actually gave me some of the best memories in this life of mine. It gave me something extremely precious. Not a pet, but a family member. Then there was also the man I called my brother. I was still very lucky to have met both of them. My life would end in the shitiest of ways. But at least I would have had the chance to meet these guys. The chance to have a tiny bit of happiness for myself. Funny how it''s only here that I found loving people. Amidst all the cruelty and the barbary. Amidst all of the bloodshed. Amidst all of this horror. Those were my thoughts as I slowly felt myself growing weaker. Getting tired from the intense dodging and attacking. I sent all of that gratitude I felt to my partner. Between us no word necessary. Just a direct sharing of the soul. A pure feeling, unadulterated. It felt the same. How it used to be in a world of darkness. Hungry, tired, angry scared. Then I came along. I was a kindred soul. One it could findfort with. The fact that I was human didn''t matter. We were akin. We were the same. We became family. An experience simr to my own. I could feel it being grateful for having met me too. All these strong emotions quickly made me emotional. As the fight kept progressing I could tell. We both had huge grins on our faces. Smiling as we would keep fighting. Until the very end. One that was oh so close. Remembering the time we spent together. Dying is scary. Still, we would die as partners. Which one would go out first? I was hoping it would be the dog. Not because I wanted to cling to life. No, quite the opposite. I didn''t want him to feel sad. Didn''t want him to feel the emptiness. Sharing love with someone is the best. Especially when you are soul-linked. But losing that would be the worst feeling in the world. For sure. I wanted to be the one to share that burden. Alone. I wanted him to have the most peaceful ending possible. Our physical body would end up shattered beyond recognition for sure. I wanted his soul to be at peace at least. I decided I would go out with a bang. But no matter what I had to outlive him. For him not to cry my passing. At that point, my body on the verge of failing stayed standing. My will strong enough to keep it going. A miracle for sure. A pointless one. That''s when I felt something from my friend. He had formted a n. A truly crazy one. The worst possible. One that I didn''t even think possible. I wanted to object. I wanted to scream and stop him. I wanted to But I felt his conviction. He had made his choice. One I would get to regret forever. He would sacrifice himself for me. To make sure I could live. Give up on both his body and soul. Just so that I could remain living. That''s when I saw him charge at the creature. A star shining brightly in the darkness. Chapter 181: Empty Chapter 181: Empty ****(POV) That''s when I saw him charge at the creature. A star shining brightly in the darkness. He used everyst bit of his mana and essence. All to power up onest attack. A decisive one. Had that rank 3 been smart it would have dodged it. It could have simply retreated a step. It would have survived then. No, this mad being tried to take the full brunt of it with its body. In normal circumstances, a rank 2 cannot seriously damage a rank 3. This wasn''t a normal one. All of that power spent on a single attack created a miracle. A sh so beautiful and deadly. The mana tracing an arc in the air. Bisecting the berserker in half. Sending blood everywhere. That, I did not care. Blood was a part of my daily life. I rushed to my partner''s side. But I already knew. Knew that it was far toote. A power that biges at a cost. The cost being his life. I felt the tears drip down my face. And fall on him. Then I felt the emptiness. An abyss. Our link brokenpletely. For his soul itself was on the verge of shattering. As I kneeled at his side, I could see him raise his head weekly. Using thest of his remaining energy to gaze at me. I understood his meaning. Even without the link. Even with the absence of words. Such a simple gaze contained a myriad of emotions. Sadness. Relief. Hope. Peace. It told me to live for his sake. I forced myself to smile for him. The biggest smile I had ever done. The most radiant one. And I kept petting him. Sharing the little warmth I still had to offer. He then slowly closed his eyes for thest time. Then stopped moving altogether. Empty. So fucking empty. I just wanted to die. The cold stone ground seemed hard. I could simply crack my skull open on it. One hard swing and the pain would be gone. I truly felt like it. But I couldn''t. Me dying a pointless death would have rendered his sacrifice pointless. I had to live with the suffering. No matter what. I kept embracing his lifeless husk. Crying. Lamenting what once was. How lucky I previously was. How it all came crashing down. At least I did outlive him. He didn''t have to feel this pain. He didn''t have to feel this agony. He died with a slight smile on his face. Knowing that he left this world with a purpose. This dumb world. This cruel world. This hell. This ce that isn''t worth it. This empty ce. This cold ce. All warmth now gone. Whoever created this didn''t deserve to live. The neers would often rely on religion to keep their hopes up. There are no hopes to be had. This world was created by sadists. Such a world I want out of it. But I would remain. I would. I fucking would. I then felt a force being applied to me. One of the guards in charge of this ce tried to separate us. No fucking way. No way! This dog is my family! I scratched, bit, and punched. Then I went back to his side. Leaving behind a lifeless guard. Not even sure how it happened. Nor did I care. I kept embracing him as they moved me away. I was barely conscious of my surroundings. I didn''t care. At some point, my brother came in to try and cheer me up. It didn''t help. It didn''t fix how empty I was feeling. At some point, I had to let go of the body. They told me they were going to bury it. I seriously doubted that. These men were devils. More monstrous than any of the acknowledged enemies of mankind. The worst of them all. Yet no one did anything about them. Letting them act freely. This world is bullshit. The days passed one after the other. It didn''t matter to me. I was living because I promised. That was all. I would keep living. In fact, I had joined the others, a walking dead. Moving my body, but the soul gone. At least at first nce anyway. Maybe it was hiding somewhere in there. Even I would not have been able to tell. I would head to the arena. I would kill. I would head back and sleep. Then I would wake up in cold sweats. The nightmares keeping me up. I did this over and over again. A non-ending cycle. A pointless and worthless one. They tried to pit me against some beasts. Trying to make me tame one by mistake again. It wasn''t the same. These guys were all idiots. Not even able to fathom what loss felt like. They thought I would do a soul contract again. How ridiculous. At some point, they just gave up. I became that one spare product. The one that they would barely use. The one that they kept in storage. Just in case it suddenly became popr again. That was fine. I was just going through every day. One at a time. My brother kept trying to cheer me up. Without sess obviously. I didn''t want to worry him. I simply couldn''t bring myself to fake. I was a dead man. A dead man walking. Or at least I thought. I was convinced I had hit rock bottom. Sadly I was mistaken. So extremely mistaken. In such a ce, it could always get worst. They prepared a new event. One that would involve me again. These fiends didn''t know the meaning of mercy. This time I was to head into the arena. So was my brother. Something so vile I should have expected it. As I entered the arena I could hear the excitement. People cheering. I would have loved for them to be down there with me. We would have had so much fun together. Sadly they were out there, I stuck inside. The problem was that my brother was here too. We would most likely have to fight to the death. Knowing them. On one hand, there is no way I could kill him. On the other hand, I did promise to survive. No good oue at all. There was just one thing I was unsure about. In this situation which would be worst exactly? To die or to keep living? After all, no matter what, only suffering awaited Chapter 182: Will to Live Chapter 182: Will to Live ****(POV) Amidst the cheers of the crowd, thementator started talking. He announced loudly with enthusiasm that the uing fight would be a 3-way free for all. That only one of us woulde out alive. How pointless, to organize this. They should have just organized a simple duel. I and my brother would obviously gang up on the third party. Cooperating. Were they expecting a reversal where he backstabbed me? That only showed how little they understood about him. Or me for that matter. There would be no fight. Not between us. We would talk it out as usual. To be fair at this moment I still didn''t know what I was going to choose. Life or death. I truly wanted it all to end. But at the same time, I did promise. Still, this nning was obviously dumb. Akin to beating a dead dog. Extremely pointless. It made me chuckle realizing once again how stupid our captors were. They had power and that was it. A whole organization of men that were mentally ill. And yet the world chose to ignore them. The world just left them alone. The world just left us alone. This sick world. How ridiculous. As usual, the guy kept screaming about how amazing the fight would be. Something about turning old friends against each other. They all loved that stuff. Betrayals. And yet they worried about when a dagger will find their own backs. Bunch of hypocrites. Living for the drama. Feeding of the despair of other living beings. Filling their empty fucking lives with our suffering. I heard some of the words even without paying much attention. Apparently, they spent a lot of effort on this fight. Effort? Do these guys even know the meaning of that word? All the sweat, the blood, and the tears were shed by the people inside the arenas. Well as far as these bastards were concerned, we weren''t people. The weak and the poor underserving to survive. Yet I used to be richer than most of their customers. Arbitrarily setting rules to go by that they didn''t even respect. Please, howughable. No matter how you came from. No matter who you used to be. No matter the people you knew. A ve would end up dying here. Fatality guaranteed for sure. They did not care. I did have the feeling that one day that would bite them in the ass. When you treat everyone like livestock you are bound to offend. This is the only thought that kept me going, to be honest. Knowing that these guys were pure trash. It was just a matter of time until they pissed of someone they shouldn''t. My dream was that some passerby would clean the trash on a whim. Rid the world of them. I looked at my brother. He gave me a helpless shrug. Then a slight smile. Honestly, I feel like we had the same thought at that time. Wow, we surprisingly survived a long time. In this hell where people dropped like flies. In this hell, was struggling even worth it? We understood each other. At first, there was despair. Then there was denial. After came defiance. All until the death of my dog. Then came anguish and sorrow. Now I finally understood the final step. This journey would end with resignation. Understanding that all that effort was for naught. Surprisingly a part of me felt relieved. Almostughing at the absurdity of it. A cosmic farce. My paltry, meager, negligible life was meaningless. Born only to suffer and entertain others with my struggles. Today would probably be the day of my death. Then thementator gave a signal. Then came something I didn''t expect. Shattering this false sense of serenity of mine. Turned out that they weren''t beating a dead dog. No, instead they were raising a dog from the dead. In front of us appeared a zombie dog. What used to be MY dog. The clear and loving eyes empty. The soft fur rotting. The mouth drooling endlessly. Blood flowing out of many holes. The smell of death filling the arena. A dark aura overflowing. I fell. My knees were weak. My spirit copsing. There would be no relief. Not even in death. Not even in fucking death. An abomination. One even stronger than the original one. A rank 3 one. Way stronger than any of us. Thirsting for the flesh of the living. For this fight we had weapons. Useless piece of junks. As useless as I felt. I couldn''t protect him in life. I couldn''t protect him in death. I would lose my brother too. I would lose everything. I would lose everything I ever loved. I would lose myself. All in such a twisted way. I kept looking at the lifeless moving husk. Remembering the past. All the amazing memories. All the struggles we shared. All of it shing with the horrible reality. Unable to move, I just watched. Watched the gaping rotting maw approach my head. Then I closed my eyes. Simply waiting for the end. I waited and waited. They say time slows down right before the end. Was this it? But I already faced death many times. Why was this time different? I slowly opened my eyes. It took me a while to understand. The situation too unexpected. We were going to die. Two powerless brothers. Me the barely rank 2 one. My brother was even weaker. Or that is how it was supposed to be. Yet he easily cleaved the creature. All during the little time I had my eyes closed. Was it a miracle? Obviously not. I could see himposed. He expected such an oue. The brother that was weaker. That kept getting injured all the while. Turned out to be hiding his power all along. So much for someone that called himself dumb. Seems he was always the schemer. This was great news. I smiled at him. Brightly. Told him to avenge me. For real this time. He looked at me. Then he shook his head. He smiled and told me something I would never forget. "Without you, I would have remained a dead man forever. You see I have many qualities. However, living seriously isn''t one of them. I get depressed too easily. My will isn''t as strong as yours you see. Take care little brother, live well." That''s when he impaled his heart with his sword. As I kept silently screaming, his body grew cold. Thus, ended the second event. Chapter 183: What Now? Chapter 183: What Now? ****(POV) My empty heart felt even emptier. The brother that would always try to cheer me on, gone. He should have been the one to live. Not me. Him. Why? Why world? Why such pain? I asked that question so many times. Never to get an answer. All of it nonsensical. No matter what, I had to live. Even without any purpose. Even if it all was pointless. Even then. My life became way too precious. My two most preciouspanions gone. Only to save the worthless I. Could it be that I was to me? Was I an omen of disaster? Anyoneing in contact with me perishing. No. Everyone kept dying there. Not just my loved ones. Still, it did hurt. Like a bitch. Not physical pain. In fact, I found myself wishing for that. Anything to distract the mind. Anything to help me forget. Enough physical pain to wash away the constant agony. But I wouldn''t. I had to try my best to live well. For their sakes. Only for their sakes. Enduring with my hurting soul. In this manner, days became weeks and months. I would ughter as usual. Nothing had changed. Everyone kept going as before. Of course, most people were new. I was one of the only old-timers. People started wondering how I was even alive. Not realizing that I was already dead. Dead in spirit. Gone were my dreams. Gone were my hopes. I did not have any n for the future. Every day I would just keep clutching to life. All until something finally happened. I heard amotion from outside. Usually, that would be a precursor to an event. In the first, I lost my dog. In the second, I lost my brother. In the third, I would disappear. Or so I thought. No, it was something else entirely. They finally had screwed up. Angered people they should not have. Bought a questionable shipment of ves. One that contained the rtive of some powerhouse. Some righteous sect. It also happened that this ve of interest was already dead. Came divine retribution. Actually, it wasn''t. At all. It was bound to happen at some point. I just really wish it could have happened earlier. Men wearing full te armor came running in everywhere. They ughtered all the members of the organization. Then they freed the ves. It was their good deed. They would release us so we could spread the word. Spread the tale of their benevolence. Of course, most would kick the bucket soon enough. vescking real training and only knowing abuse and violence wouldn''t go far. Most would starve to death. Some would probably turn to banditry. Some would be beggars. Some might actually find a job somewhere. The future is always uncertain. The entire operation got dismantled. All the leaders beheaded. I was left there. Free, but having lost everything I cared about. Even my goal. I wanted to be free, and I wanted to get revenge. I had gained both. But so what? I felt lost. Without a sense of purpose. Thus I started traveling. Went and saw some ces. Kept walking and walking. Until at some point I reached a medium-sized city. There I found a tamer''s guild. It brought back memories of the past. I wanted to learn more about this art. I wanted to understand everything that had happened. How the link with mypanion came to be. If that had any meaning. I just wanted to upy myself. Just wanted to honor his memory in my own way. I would learn about all the things I wish I knew back then. After all, being a better tamer might have helped us. But regret is useless. I had to move forward. At all costs. I started studying. I also started farming as a side-job. Managed to join the guild. During the test came an odd result. It said that I would have sess as a tamer. It also said that it would be close to impossible for me to contract any creature. People there were wondering how it was possible. But I knew perfectly why. There was still the shadow of my old friend in my heart. One that filled all of it. Maybe one day I would be able to tame a creature. However, it would take a long time. I was in no hurry. I simply wanted to fulfill my promise. To live. Nothing more, nothing less. The more time passed the better I felt. I never forgot, but I somehow started healing. All until one day I saw something that brought back the memories. A young man. One that was somehow asking able a celebrity in the guild without seemingly knowing. Then I recognized him. A man that I had heard about. One I wanted to get to know. Simply because he had a donkey as a tamed beast. Who would ept ever having such a weak tamed beast? Well, him. I saw in him the old me. A rtionship that was more than master and ve. A rtionship that was that of family. I decided I would get closer to him. I called myself his fan. It wasn''t necessarily a lie. I truly admired him. For somehow making a donkey strong. Then we started talking. He grew awkward when he learned that my tamed creature had died. I wanted to tease him a bit. Started telling him a story that would make him cry. With some points from my own experiences. I somehow made myself sad. Still, that day I made a friend. One that I had fun teasing. Until he reciprocated in kind. Started telling me about assassins chasing him. Assassins potentially chasing me too for knowing him. I started freaking out for I had to live. At all costs. That I knew. Then he offered me to leave with him the next morning outside the city. At that point, I truly wasn''t sure what was going on. Still just to be careful I decided to check it out. A casual choice that would bring along my death. Chapter 184: A Good Life Chapter 184: A Good Life ****(POV) That''s when I feel my soul get yanked away. It seems this is the end of this trip down memoryne. The remainder of my life is all recent events anyway. To this day I still have no clue who this friend of mine is. I was told that he is extremely powerful by that one guy. Even now I still ignore if it was the truth or a joke. Nheless, he did aplish a miracle for me. He helped me tame a creature. Seeing him with his pets gave me the will to try. Ah, before I notice I am already back in the dark space. The one with my memories floating all around. I get the feeling that I will disappear after seeing all of them. There are a few thought bubbles floating around. It takes me seconds to integrate them. I keep going forward. Somehow without a body. There is onest memory awaiting me. Somehow it feels strange. I don''t have the same sense of familiarity with it. How can I have no recollection at all of it? Still, this seems to be part of the process. I touch it. **** A dark environment. I am in a river. I can feel the flow of water caressing my body. Still, there is something weird. I feel like I am floating. A state between being in a body and just being a soul. I am way too light. Is this how it all ends? I can somehow see my surroundings. It is very dark. I am in a small waterway. Ah, I can see all around me. I don''t think I have eyes either. This is an odd feeling. I can feel something bumping into me. Softly. Ever so gently. That''s when I notice it. This thing is a slime. Actually, I am a slime. Just floating amidst a sea of my brethren. All calmly staying here. From time to time the water brings food. This seems to be my favorite thing about this ce. The food. There is plenty. No need to even move. You just wait. Eventually, some trash will drift your way. This is somewhat peaceful. Is this what they call reincarnation? This might not be bad. Spending a life here. Calmly eating. Thinking about what has been. Thinking about what could have been. Spending time with these newpanions. They don''t seem to know how tomunicate. Not trying to assess their surroundings either. I guess I am an oddity once again. Keeping memories of my past life. That''s when I feel myself being grabbed. Then in front of me appear 2 humans. Ah, I understand. This isn''t my memory at all. I see myself as a towering giant. A slightly chubby one. Then happens the contract. I can somehow feel the promises of delicious food. This body is happy. This body is dreaming about the uing bright future. Sadly it is bound to be disappointed. Thenes the meal at the noodles shop. Thenes bliss. This simple experience enough to make the current me happy. Then I understand everything. My dream used to be freedom and revenge. This slime ever only wanted freedom and happiness. And happinesses from eating in goodpany to it. This is so sweet. That is why when it sees me on the ground and dying it decides to stay beside me. Even if it means death. I can feel the love. So pure. So simple. For the first time in forever, I am happy. Even after having remembered all these dark memories of mine. It doesn''t do much to dampen the bliss I am feeling. Even after all these obstacles and hard times. Even after it all. I feel lucky. So what if I died a boring and stupid death. It wasn''t worthless at all. I found something invaluable. Something I have been searching for since the day I was born. Since my loveless childhood. Since my dark years. Since the time I spent in mncholy. I feel great. I feel contentment. My mind is at peace. And so is my soul. In such a state I feel myself going back to the darkness again. It seems this memory is now over. The veryst one. At some point, a pedestal appeared. One that oddly looks like the statue used for testing tamers. The one to assess potential. Except that at the top resides a small bowl. In it some dark water. It is still, yet it feels alive. I know. I''m not sure how, but I know. This is thest step. Once I drink that I will forget. I will return to nothingness. All my worries gone. All the hassle of living gone too. I slowly approach my hands and scoop some. It feels cold to the touch. Heavier than water should be. Of course, there is a lot of baggage it needs to cleanse. As I bring it to my mouth, I can see a shadow nearby. I guess there was still something. The shadow of a dog. "It''s been a long-time old friend." One that somehow can talk. This is not that surprising. This is death after all. "We have been through a lot haven''t we?" That we did, we sure did. "You have been through a lot." Yes, I was alone for far too long. "But you still lived, you fulfilled your promise." At first, I am confused. After all, this is death. Not a good proof of my sess. But then I get his meaning. All these years I have been surviving. Running away from the pain. Running away from my past. Running away from myself. Findingfort in the fact that I was still alive. But that''s the thing. I wasn''t truly living. For living is more than simply remaining alive. It is not that at all. It is only when my end came that I truly lived. For real. I felt love. I felt d. I felt glee. "Take care old friend. I have been gone for a long time already." That he has been. This is probably a remnant stuck in my consciousness. "You have another to take care of now." Yet I failed that too. "Be happy, be free. I will see you on the other side old friend." He disappears in a puff of smoke. Then I drink the water. It is time for me to go. I truly lived a good life. Chapter 185: Lifeless Chapter 185: Lifeless Do you ever feel like a lot happened? I don''t know why, but as I see little Bai head inside and turn to the elders, I feel like a whole lifetime has passed. Weird, right? By the way, weren''t they supposed to go in with him? For the test I mean. Either he misspoke earlier, or they are just cking. I''m not sure. Then again, what am I expecting from a bunch of gambling addicts? I really should lower my expectations. Ah, that reminds me of a song. Irrelevant. "Are you sure you don''t want to participate?" [*Sigh* I truly am broke.] What is the point of participating? Sure making money is fun, but I have so little that even if I win it will be disappointing. I may as well just wait to get my money from the city. "Want to bet on your friend passing the test? How about this, if you win I''ll give 50 silvers. If you lose you just need to give me a tip on how your friend caught a slime." I was going to refuse, but really this is not much of a secret. Slimes like foodnot the most difficult information to find. It is bound to be known everywhere in the city by tomorrow I bet. After all, we did spend a lot of time eating noodles. Not the most discrete when you spend hours loudly slurping. People are going to figure out that you just need to feed it. But seriously, how has no one ever tried that? [Alright, you have a deal] He keeps doing his round. Trying to rile the bystanders. Various tamers of various ages and styles. Almost seemed like I was going to describe them. Meh, who cares. We wait, and we await, and we stand by. "Oh that''s weird he should have been out already. Should have been a while ago too." What is happening? [What do you mean?] "Well, if he was defeated, he should have been kicked out already. I guess that means he is somehow fighting still." [What is he fighting exactly in there?] "Him? Nothing, his slime is fighting a rank 2 monster. Well, it is more powerful than a normal one since it is a magical construct." Is something wrong? [Am I allowed to check on him?] "Are you getting worried about him?" [Yes!] "If you want you can go wait for him in the corridor right outside the testing room. Just ask the receptionist where he is. Don''t interrupt him, however." [Thanks.] I go inquire at the counter. At first, the employee seems to want to refuse but the gambling addict signals her that it''s fine. I guess he isn''t that bad after all. Let me see it should be this one! Just as Ie close, I see the door open. Nice, I was just in time to see his heroic return! If he won, we''ll go celebrate at the noodles shop. If he lost, we''ll slurp our sorrows away. A win either way. [Hey friend, how did it.] WHAT THE HELL! The room is filled with blood. On the floor, on the walls, and even on the ceiling. Lying motionless is little Bai. At his side a small unmoving slime. NOOO! [C''mon! Are you alive? What the hell happened?! Stay with me!] This test was supposed to be safe! What happened?! How is this possible!? I need to do something, Call a medic! Wait, he''s about to die! I don''t think he''s even breathing! I need to do something now. I need to Could I...? Maybe? Shouldn''t. There is no time. Really shouldn''t. No fucking time. Yes? No? Fuck it. Concentrate. Feel the divine energy. This is fucking divine power. There is no way it can''t even save one guy! Careful. Visualize the healing process. The same as I usually do. Just reduce the output. Don''t want to turn him into dust. Reduce the output a shit-ton. C''mon! I slowly kneel next to his apparent corpse. I''m not even sure if there is a strand of life left in him. I have no idea. I don''t care. He''s my friend. I won''t let him leave just yet. I want to see him eat. I want to see himugh. I want to see him grow. I want to see what he will be. I didn''t even get to invite him to my sect. I move the energy from my hand to his body. Slowly spreading it all inside him. I have no idea if it''s working. Please, please, please. I just want him to live. [C''mon buddy you can''t die just yet!] Slowly but surely circting it inside him. This is hard. [C''mon buddy. If you kick the bucket here, you will be aughingstock!] It feels like operating a patient. Except I''m wearing cooking mittens and I am blindfolded. I get the feeling all the divine energy isn''t following my wishes. [Fucking live! You can''t give up right now! You need to be the number one slime tamer!] After a while, I feel like it is over. There is nothing more I can do. This is the end. I slowly retract all the divine energy. I feel empty right now. Crazy how someone I recently met because so important to me. We didn''t even spend that much time together. He did help me find my way in the guild. He seemed to be interesting. To have a good sense of humor. He called himself my friend. I epted it. A failed tamer struggling. I can rte to that. I screwed up his taming session. Yet he still talked to me. He trusted me to go tame slimes. We seeded somehow. Then we shared a meal. I felt him open up to me. We still didn''t talk that much. Still, we somehow started trusting each other. At least that''s what I believe. Is it true? I''m not sure. But I did consider him a friend. Now, this friend is leaving me. Leaving this world. Why?! I still don''t know what happened. Was it all nned? Was this an assassination attempt? What exactly As my thoughts are spiraling I see something out of the corner of my eyes. A small blob that twitches. Then I look at my friend. His previously lifeless body now slowly breathing. He''s gonna be fine, right?! Chapter 186: Rest Well Chapter 186: Rest Well We are getting out of here my friend. I crouch down and lift him in a princess carry. Using divine power, it isn''t troublesome at all. The slime rests on his chest. Then I head toward the hall. There''s gotta be the equivalent of a hospital somewhere here. I haven''t seen any healers sinceing to this world, but they exist, right? There is no way they don''t! I see the man in charge of this pavilion. He gives us a weird look. [He''s unconscious and I''m not sure if he''s fine! What do we do?!] "What?! How?! This isn''t supposed to" [I don''t know! Help him first! We can talkter!] "Follow me!" We ignore the mass of curious people. No time for them. I carry him until we reach a building on the side of theplex. "This is where we take care of injured beasts. They should be able to fix him." A man in a red robe emerges from a side-door. "You do know this is for beasts, right?" "Yeah, but there is not time to" "Even if he''s fat he''s still human you know" I look at the neer dead in the eyes. He seems to be the person in charge here. [Help him. Otherwise, you''ll join him.] "What? Who are you? What are youEEK! Fine!" I think he has sensed my determination. There is no way I will ept that. Even if his job is to save beasts only. Even if I don''t know him. Even if little Bai getting injured in the first ce wasn''t that guy''s fault. No matter what. I re at him and I think I do get my point across. That I will fuck him up if he keeps giving excuses. After all, my friend''s life is on the line. Screw propriety. Screw being nice. That won''t save him. I don''t mind being hated if it saves little Bai. Hell, I don''t mind fighting the whole guild if needed. Of course, that would be counterproductive. He shuts up and brings us to a small pen. I slowly and carefullyy my friend down. I want to do more. But this is all I can do. I am what one would call a one-trick pony. I can use divine energy. That is it. That is all. I think it did save him, but I''m no expert. I hope he wakes up soon. "This is weird, very weird." I hope it''s nothing bad. "His vitals are all fine. It seems as if the problem is not the body, but the spirit." [What can we do?!] "Well, honestly nothing." [No, there must be a way!] "There are many, but they won''t necessarily be that effective either. Sad to say, but the best we can do is wait for him. Either he fights andes back on his ownor ." [Or he''ll die?] "Thatyes..." [How are his chances?] "Look guy, I take care of beasts. I don''t know. I''m no prophet!" Fair enough. He is sleeping, from time to time his brow furrow. He seems to be struggling at times, sleeping peacefully at others. Almost hard to believe he is at the article of death. Well, his clothes are in tatters. He is covered in blood too. What a dumb way to go too. During a damn test. [How did that even happen?] Both men stay silent, helpless. Thenes the sound of footsteps. "Wow talk about misuse of the guild facilities! Get this dumbass out of here. This ce isn''t a ce for useless tamers." This is the 3.5* tamer guy. The one from the initial potential test and the sewers. Fuck that guy! I can''t help but growl while ring at him. If he thinks he''ll mess with my friend he''s wrong! [Back the fuck off!] "*Flustered* No one ever taught you manners! Acting so impudently as a junior!" I. Don''t. Fucking. Care. At all! So what if he''s a senior. He has a rank 4 beast. So what!? The unicorn is strong. She can give that guy a run for his money. I''m just not sure where she is at the moment. Still, I won''t give up. The asshole takes a step back then gets hisposure back. "*Sigh* and here I was open to talking some more about this. Seeing as you are clearlycking respect there is no way you and your friend should stay here. Of course, I would let you if you were to kneel right now and ask for forgiveness, but." *Thud* [Please let my friend stay here and receive treatment. I''m sorry about earlier please forgive me!] So what if I have to kneel? So what if I have to beg? Pride? What is that? Can it be eaten? Of course, I know I have many other options. I could fight it out. I could try and get help from my teacher. I could try and find somece else in the city. I could do all that. But right now, my friend is the priority. Perhaps fighting an inner battle for all I know. I want to give him the best odds of sess. He''ll stay here for now. Then I''ll try to figure out the best thing to do afterward. "What...?! You really did it?! X3" For some reason all of them are surprised. But I don''t care about that. Only little Bai matters. "T-thatfine. I am a man of my word. He can stay here for now." This is great. "But I wouldn''t get my hopes up if I were you. He is a useless tamer that only ever managed to tame a slime. Also, I believe he tried to cheat in the test hence why he got injured. Otherwise, the slime would be the one injured." This doesn''t make much sense. Why would he run the test instead of his pet? He must have had a reason. I hear everyone leaving. The guy in charge of this ce seems to be in a nearby room. I''ll be able to call him if there is anything. Then I hear footsteps again. I wonder which one of them came back Ah, it''s eternal ice. "I heard about it. Don''t worry I''ll handle things from here." I really hope he has a solution. Chapter 187: What Is Going On Chapter 187: What Is Going On ****(POV) There has been an ident happening in one of the testing facilities. This is problematic. I wanted to know about the results of the slime. This is something new and crazy. Taming a slime. It was believed to be impossible, even for me. If I called myself the second most knowledgeable tamer in the area No one would dare to im the number one spot. After all most of them know the name of Eternal Ice. While younger than most of mypetitors, I also worked the hardest. Most people wouldn''t brave a disaster zone for a pet. Especially not an elemental. These are even harder to understand. Since they are not living beings. This makes the process way more difficult. Well, it can''t be helped. I needed that power after all. Back then anyway. As I get there I''m told of the issue. He has been injured somehow. I inspect the room and I see the marks of the fight. The system seems to have malfunctioned. In theory, the worst happening should be the death of the pet. No harm shoulde to the Ah, I see. He protected his creature. Risible how a noble action costed him dearly. As I''m thinking this, this ce''s supervisores back. He tells me about where he brought them. But also about something else. He tells me about how the young man I epted as a student handled himself. How he managed to intimidate that guy with his momentum. How he subsequently begged for his friend''s sake. How worried he is. Such a shame. Such an individual doesn''t have any taming potential. Meanwhile, that guy with his oversized lizard is acimed as the pride of the guild. He got lucky and managed to get a monster egg early. The man himself is trash. Well, he does work in what he considers the interest of the guild. Problem is his worldview is too narrow. If we followed his advice there would only be tamers with pets geared for warfare. His argument is that a war ising. Yes, a war ising. Still, as a guild, we should try to stay out of it as much as possible. Most of us worship Taras, the god of myriads of beasts. There is one issue, however. The core of this god''s power is not on this continent. This means two things. First, we are just an insignificant entity in the grand scheme of things. Even what we call the headquarter on this continent would be nothing but a worm their eyes. This means that the favor we can actually earn is very small. We also have no champion. Does that mean we are doomed? Not especially. While we are definitely weaker than the other factions, they won''t attack us recklessly. After all, while our backers can''t be bothered with our life and death, they do care about face. Killing their underlings would trigger their wrath. I say underlings, but in fact is has been ages since we have even received any news from them. Most people even ignore this. Only the rank 4 and up know this secret. Because of this, preparing for war is quite pointless. Yes, we can be stronger. But that would also send the wrong message to the other factions. It would make them believe they need to be wary of us. Stayingpletely neutral is the smartest choice. I am instead suggesting a more bnced development. Especially toward info gathering. This way we could avoid any fight directly. We are also in a peculiar position. Since we are a guild of beast tamers most gods won''t even bother trying to poach our members. Hosting monsters requires specific infrastructures that are not worth investing in on a small scale. That is why I find the man stupid. Extremely so. Now I''m learning that he is bullying new members. One even being my student. Well, ex-student would be more urate. Even if I want to teach him, he won''t have any sess. I would rather he chose another path. This world is vast. There will be always opportunities. His youth shouldn''t be wasted. Then again, I''m not that much older haha. I feel like I am aging quicker since I became a rank 4 tamer. Well, officially I am still a promising rank 3. Disying one''s full hand is unwise. After a short walk, I reach my destination. The one that calls himself little Bai is on the ground unconscious. At his side his worried friend. I tell him that I''ll handle things from now on. At first, he keeps asking questions. Wondering if there is anything he can do to help. I assure him that it''s impossible. I know exactly why he isn''t waking up. This is something I''ve lived myself in the past. This is something that most tamers will never experience. Something deeper than a regr soul link. It is what we call a true soul bound. It happens when two beings are in perfect sync. This makes it so both fuse together on a fundamental level. Exactly my situation. Back when I finally managed to reach that state, I spent a while unconscious too. I tell him all of that and he is finally relieved. He seems to really trust that these two willplete the process without a hitch. Then again, the human did fight for the slime. Just this proves that there are really good odds of sess. Still, I have two things I am wondering. First, what will be the result of such a thing? This is something that has never happened. Not only will it increase our knowledge directly, but it may even lead to more discoveries. The second is how did he actually survive in there? He doesn''t have any visible injury. Judging by the amount of blood in the testing room, he should be dead right now. What could have happened? For some reason when I ask him that he switches the topic instantly before running out. He says he is leaving because he forgot to turn the oven off. This.is he taking me for a fool? Also, should I do anything about that tyrant tamer? He did humiliate tamers I have a good opinion of after all Chapter 188: Theories Chapter 188: Theories Time to get the fuck out of here! Why? Okay, so my teacher, or ex-teacher, was there. He started asking questions about how little Bai managed to heal his injuries. I kinda panicked and told him I was going home to close the oven. Not my proudest moment to be honest. Still, he did let me leave. I guess there is no issue there. I''ll have to see how it developster but I think it''s fine. I do tend to talk a lot about my life. That much is true. However! There is an exception to that. I try not to talk about divine power. Why? Well simply because I have never heard anyone talk about it before. Besides the Lunar Goddess, I mean. This implies that it could bring me lots of trouble. For all, I know there are people that can extract that power off me. There is a thing in cultivation stories. Something called a spiritual root. Basically, it determines your ability to use various elements. In this world, they seem to simply call it elemental affinity. Still, there are horror stories about talented geniuses getting their spirit root stolen. Not only does that cut off all their potential, but most of the time it kills them too. To be fair not being able to cultivate in such a world means death anyway. This ce can be harsh I believe. At the Moon Keep, the old warden did tell me that anyone can be a good poison master. This at least goes contrary to the cultivation setting. In it, you need to be a strong cultivator to even be able to mix the poison without dying. Honestly, let''s face it, this does sound ridiculous. If youe into contact with poison in the first ce you ain''t doing it right. Why am I talking about that topic? Well if that is possible for spiritual roots, perhaps it would be possible for the equivalent here. That is just a hypothesis on my part. What if people can cripple me too? I can defend myself pretty well against the normal popce. But what should I do if I get hunted by people that specifically know about my powers? I would be fucked. I mean they could simply throw me on the bottom of the ocean in a coffin and I''d probably stay there forever. Even without dying, if they can restrict my movementsGG. I''m still not sure what the source of my power is. Perhaps it is a special ability of the body. Some sort of organ or property of the body to wield that energy. Perhaps it is a special ability of my soul itself. Maybe it''s because of all these weird memories I have. Perhaps it isn''t a special ability at all, and anyone can use it. What if it was easier to understand divine energy for a in mortal? What if having cultivated or learned any kind of power system would prevent one from understanding this new one? How should I exin this Ah! I know! Take a baby for instance. Growing up with his family he could easily learn thenguage they speak. Yet take anothernguage and it may not be as simple. There could be confusion happening. I could also say this. It is easier to draw on a nk canvas. That is my whole theory about this. In any case, the energy I came into this new realm with is definitively valuable. After all, I haven''t found divine energy anywhere else. Meanwhile, mana is all over the ce apparently. I say apparently because I have yet to sense the tiniest strand of mana. Actually, what if it''s the same situation. What if knowing divine energy prevents me from using mana? That would make sense. Or not. I feel like I would have to ask a god about it. What is my current rtionship with the gods? So far still, searching for a decent one. First impression was bad. Kinda weird how much I dislike the Lunar goddess. Yet, I have no issue with the Moon Keep itself. Well, except with the champion there. Oh and I guess most of the guys there may still consider me an enemy. This whole faction thing is such a pain. I remember the old MMOs with two factions. Already that wasplex enough. Now here there are countless. I say that but I have strayed far from all of them. The wild and small towns, not the best ces to find political leaders. Actually, I''m not even sure about the leaders of this current town. I''d have to inquire about it. Or not. I don''t really care as long as nothing threatens me. On that note, I think I am good. I joined a group of woodcutters. I also worked for the city itself. This should give me points for sure. Kinda like the teacher that already has one student he prefers. Usually, the one that volunteers for all the annoying stuff. What do they call it again? School monitor, eh no. ss representative! Well, I am that guy doing the annoying stuff haha. Cleaning the sewers is a basic, but necessary job after all! And I''m back at the camp. Didn''t take that long either. Seriously, every time Ie here, I wonder one thing. How the hell is there a forest so close to the city?! This ce has big walls, a tamer guild, sewers, and even a library. No matter how you look at it, it has been here for a while already. How did no one ever cut that forest?! How are mypanions the ones doing it now? Was there a sudden shortage in wood? Why would that be? Did they suddenly decide they didn''t want to have trees in thendscape? That''s not the kind of thing you change on a whim! Perhaps they have some mage thates around from time to time and cast a blessing of growth. Maybe? I don''t know. As I enter the camp, two of the guys are running toward me. Did something happen? Chapter 189: Bad City Officials Chapter 189: Bad City Officials What is up with these guys? Did something happen? "You are finally back!" "Is the tamer guild still standing?" Waitwhat? There hasn''t been any kind of earthquake or war [Why wouldn''t it be? The buildings look pretty sturdy.] "Weren''t you going to wage war on them?" "Did you challenge their star tamer to a life-or-death duel yet?" Okaywhat?! [What are you guys even talking about? What war? What duel?] "What''s with all the blood then?" "Who did you kill?" Do I look like someone bloodthirsty? Also, why the hell would I try to attack the tamer guild?! [Calm down you guys! I didn''t kill or hurt anyone. I helped move an injured guy.] "Ah? What happened to getting revenge?" "Weren''t you angry at him?" [One thing at a time. Why don''t you guys slowly exin what happened?] "That we thought you were getting revenge." "Yes, what" [Wait! Who would I be getting revenge against and why?] "The star tamer of the guild." [The guy with the big fire-lizard?] "Yes!" [Why exactly would I want to fight him?] "Because of what he did to you." "Because of him, you won''t receive any payment for the job earlier." [Are you guys talking about the sewer cleaning?] They both nod. [WaitI''m not getting paid for that?! Why?!] "You didn''t know?" [Of course not! No one told me! What happened?] "Well, that guy told them that there was no king slime and that you tried to embezzle funds." [I''m not sure why he would say that, but they just believed him?] "Yes, they also wanted to put you in jail, but." [What happened?] "Remember the guard that was leading us? Well, he lost his job to defend you. Actually, he would have been killed if he didn''t have many years of loyal service." [That''s bullshit! We help clean the city and that is how they thank us?! Not even having the decency to pay us our just due?!] "Are you going to get revenge then?" [Of course!] "I''ll tell the others so we can watch your deathmatch!" [Wait a damn second! I''m not fighting to the death with anyone!] "But" [No but! Screw that! Never ever challenge someone to a death-match is my personal rule!] "In order not to take a life? " "Because they don''t deserve your time? Are you just going to execute him?" Seriously what is wrong with these guys? No, the reason I won''t fight is that you never know when an opponent could be hiding his power. That and I''m not sure where the unicorn went or even her exact power level. Otherwise, she could definitely help. Still, I''m not gonna risk her life for something so dumb. But what could I Ah, I know! I just had a truly great idea! Oh, this is going to be fun. If it works anyway. To be fair that new n of mine is a bit evil. But it also makes perfect sense. When you don''t get paid you don''t do the job. If you did the job already and the client still refuses to pay Well, there is only one answer. You try your best to put everything back how it was. Goes to the doctor to fix bullet wounds. Card gets declined. Doctor takes his gun out and shoots you a few times. You probably already heard that joke. Well, this is exactly what I am gonna do. [What about the money from selling the trees?] "Ah, that it came in!" He jogs away andes back with a small money pouch. "Here you go!" *Funds acquired! Ta-da-da* That is what it would look like. [Alright guys there is somewhere I need to be, talk to you guyster!] As I leave, I can hear them talk about the massacre I am about tomit. Wow, just wow. What kind of man do they think I am? Also, didn''t I just defeat some slimes? Why do they think I even have the power to aplish that? Who knows. Anyway, I start my master n. I navigate the city until I reach the market. Yes, I asked someone. Then I find a bakery. And then I . Buy bread. Tons of bread. That I wrap into a nket to carry it. I buy that too. Then I''m broke. Again. But now I have a ton of food. With this, I will be able to eat for a long time. Nope, it ain''t for me you see. Did I just blow up all my cash on a petty n? Yes, indeed. I make my way toward the sewers. Then I go inside. Somehow, it''s not guarded. Are they not worried at all? I look at the sea of slimes. Well, more the small river of slimes. Still seems to be reproducing fast. Still, we gotta pump those numbers up! Time for the bread to shine! I try to input a tiny bit of divine energy into it. I want to see if I can trigger a mutation. Eat little slimes! Be big and strong! Then show them how wrong they were to say the king slime was a lie! I''ll show them who''s lying! Muahahahhahaha. "Hey!" Eh, there is someone here?! "How are you doing?!" Ah, it''s the slime researcher Kim! [Hey, nothing much just feeding slimes.] I can see her eyes shine through the mask. "Can I join you?! Can I?!" [Sure.] Thus we start to peacefully feed the slimes. This is nice. It reminds me of the time I used to feed the ducks when I was young. Oh yeah, apparently you aren''t supposed to feed them bread. Well, I heard that it''s more that there are way better alternatives. Not that it will poison them or anything. I just hope it will work on slimes. Eat and grow. This is a very rxing activity. Especially considering my goal of screwing these city officials. Oh, don''t get me wrong. I don''t want any civilian to be affected. But hey, we are talking about slimes here. What''s the worst that could happen? These things are so slow haha. Chapter 190: Sewers Chapter 190: Sewers Even if slimes reproduce fast it won''t be too much of an issue. These things are actually kinda cuddly. Except if you arepletely unaware and sleeping, there is no way it can do much damage. Is this an evil n? Not really. It should at least teach them a lesson. That''s what they will get for refusing to pay people their sry! Not only do they not give us what we deserve There is something even worse! They nder us in order to justify their actions. Hence why I''m now feeding slimes. With a potentially cute girl too. I mean I can''t see her face. Could you imagine a chad voluntarily bringing a girl in the sewers? Maybe not the most romantic ce. However, there is the upside of being unforgettable. No matter what. I''m jesting. There ain''t anything going between us. I''m here for the slimes. She''s here for the slimes too. Aren''t these little creatures kinda popr? I bet many people would actually like them. Maybe in a few months, it will be the rage in the city. I could easily see it as a fashion trend. Go on long walks in the park with your bouncy pet. Maybe I should invest in the slime taming business. Except that I blew all my money again. Seriously I used to be good with money. Well, I think anyway. As in I would try to keep some for the rainy days. I don''t know why but ever sinceing to this world I feel like money is of no consequence. Probably because I didck it, but I''ve been living decently anyway. There is a certain charm to living in simplicity. Maybe it''s just me, however. As I''m pondering, I hear footsteps. "Hurry up, I want to get out of here and go drink." Wow, I just realized that I haven''t visited any bar here. This is surprising for me. Then again whenever I''m busy I tend to just focus on that. Perhaps after getting out of here I could go grab a drink? Except that I blew all my coins. So much for living simply. Two seconds afterward I''m reminded of the harsh reality. No coin, no beer. Meh, it''s not the end of the world. Two people turn the corner, they are carrying something. Upon seeing me us one of them stops in his tracks. Meanwhile the other falls backward. Whatever they were carrying is now lying on the floor. What is even that? Some kind of big bag. We are in the sewers. Is that considered littering? Then again maybe it''s fine toe and throw your trash here. Maybe me handing bread out is useless. Mypanion whispers. "Let me do that talking." Ehsure, I guess. Do we even need to talk to them? We can just do our business. "Hello guys, I''m a slime researcher! The name is KIM! Ah, I think I got lost. Am I supposed to be here?" Why does she sound like a damsel in distress now? Also, that was actually a proper introduction. Did she practice sincest time? Actually, I guess she was really flustered too back then. Surprised by the whole it is possible to tame a slime thing. Most people wouldn''t care that much. She being an exception. For her, that is a big deal. The one that''s the farthest opens his mouth. "Littledy, you shouldn''t be here at all. How about me and my brother escort you out?" Hum, I guess they have permission from the city or something. I am not done feeding the slimesbut close. Ah, whatever. I dump all the remaining bread in the water. "Ah? Thank you! Please lead the way!" These guys are actually helpful. If I had to describe them they kind of look like thugs. Except I can''t really judge like that. It''s not because they have a few scars and tattoos that they are bad. Is that a zombie tattoo? It looks cool. Anyway, they could be retired guards. Even off-duty guards too. How does a work shift go here? Is it the usual 40 hours? Perhaps it is more. I don''t know. "I''ll take the front and my brother the back. Don''t worry no slime will hurt you guys." So nice! Right, what about what they were carrying? Are they just gonna leave it there? Then again, they are escorting us out. Maybe they''ll dispose of it properly afterward. Must be their n. "Right,dy. I don''t usually do that, but you seem nice. Want to go on date someday? We can go eat a bite and" "No thank you! I already have ns!" How to get shut down fast haha. I''m betting she''s thinking about some experimentation. Maybe she''ll sneak back here too. "Oh, I understand" Poor guy. I can almost hear his self-confidence shattering. Should I try and cheer him up? It could sound insulting if I am the one to do it, however. You know since I am aplete stranger and all. People pitying you on their own is kinda bad. I guess for now I''ll just. *BONK* I feel a strong power push me to the ground. Something did hit the back of my head. What was that?! "Hehe,dy you shouldn''t have brought your boyfriend here you know." "Actually the issue is that she rejected my date. I wouldn''t have minded her doing what she wanted after I was done with her." "That''s true." Their evil dialogue is interrupted by a surprised and angry voice. "What the hell did you guys do?!" "Hehe, simply knocked out your boyfriend. Well, I''m pretty strong you know. It''s questionable whether he is alive or dead haha." "You monsters!" "Haha, she called us monsters. Can you believe it?!" "Lady we are worse than monsters you see. We are proud members of the brawny ck corpses!" "Have you never heard of us at all?! No? Wait, seriously?! This bitch is probably an outsider. Would exin the weird mask." "What do you guys want?!" "Simple, we''ll have fun with you all day long. Then we''ll throw your corpse to the slimes as we have been doing. Then we''ll exit and act like you never existed in the first ce." Chapter 191: Disposing of Trash Chapter 191: Disposing of Trash What the hell. y with her? Disposing of her afterward? As they''ve been doing?! What kind of evil motherfuckers are these guys?! Thinking with their lower bodies. Lawless. No decency. These guys are simply trash. Pure and simple. I can hear a despairing and panicked voice. "Hey, are you alright?! Are you still alive?!" "Haha, I hit him pretty hard there is no way that he is" That''s the moment I choose to get up. Like nothing happened. I mean if I im to be number two in defense no one will im the number one spot. Not around here I believe. "Take this!" I see. He has a mace. A metal one. I guess that''s what he used on me. With his sneak attack from behind. Actually, that''s a bit redundant, a sneak attack from the front doesn''t work well. I still remember the giant white serpent swallowing me whole. Normally it would probably work. Except he chose his prey wrong this time. He fucked up big time. I don''t even bother about the mace. I let it collide with my face directly. Except, this time I am ready for it. *CLANG* "W-what?! How is this possible?!" I ignore himpletely. Instead, I turn toward the guy leading the march. I smile at him. I can see the iprehension in his eyes. Also the fear. "W-what?! Who are?" He''s screaming, but I grab his face. Closing his mouth shut at the same time. He tries to struggle. iling around without sess. I may not be the strongest, but closebat is my specialty. How can they evade if there is nowhere to evade? I keep an iron grip while turning to face the initial assant. "W-what kind of monster are you?!" Funny I remember them saying something about being worse than monsters themselves a few seconds ago. [Hehe, calling me a monster? Can you believe it?] "S-stop it! Don''t you know who we are!" [No I don''t in fact.] "T-that, we are members of the Brawny ck Corpses! Surely you must have heard of us?!" [Nope.] "W-we have many members! We are kings in the underground here! We have many rank 3 members too! You do not want us at all! If you ask anyone, they''ll tell you not to mess with the BBC!" It seems he truly wants to cling to life. So much for a guy that was saying he was going to kill both of us. Also, what''s with that horrible naming sense? He said BBC, right? Oh my fucking god. I can''t help myself. I just startughing. What''s with that acronym!? Seriously?! HAHAHAHA. This is ridiculous. He ispletely confused now. I look at him. [So you guys are really big yes?] "Yes! Exactly!" [You guys are ck, right?] "Yes, as in dark! We are not to be messed with!" [And you guys are dicks haha. Ah, this is great. Fucking great haha.] Seeing me smile he rxes a bit. I grab him by the face too. Seriously why did he let his guard down while I''m still holding his friend? Weird guy. Also, what''s with that girl? She is on the sideline with her mouth in an O. Picture the pika meme and that is her right there. [You okay?] "You can fight?! How?!" [Why wouldn''t I be able to?] "Aren''t you a failed tamer?" [Hey, are you trying to insult me?] "What about yourborer outfit?!" [Side-job, what''s up?] "Let me get this straight. You can defeat guys that are rank 2 easily.] [Yes.] "You can resist their full attack power without even flinching." [Also yes.] "You are able to grab them like they are mere chickens." [Your point?] "How the hell are you aborer?!" [Needed money is all. Not much, just enough for food.] She looks as if she has just heard somethingpletely outrageous. I mean, sure there are probably better ways for me to earn money. But my power is a bit special. I''m an extremely specialized fighter. If my enemy uses movement techniques to run away or magic Yeah, I would be forced to just watch them. I just happen to really shine in cramped spaces. Actually, aren''t I kinda OP in a town setting?! Ah, but I still need to be careful of powerhouses. The really skilled ones. The ones that know special techniques and spells. That is the kind of stuff that can screw me over. As for little rats like these guys? Please. They are not even a danger. Looking back at her, she still seems in denial. I mean she''ll figure it out eventually, I guess. Oh, right there are 2 things I need to do. Two very important tasks. Let''s start already. I bring my new "friends" back to the heart of the sewers. Then I dangle them right above the slimes. I can see somezilying closer. Then again, I kinda just fed them. Is it me or slimes are the discount version of piranhas. Like sure, they might be a little bit more dangerous. Mostly because they can go onnd too. Well, rtively I''d say they are weaker. As in the people of this world are so much stronger. They would destroy the athletes back in the old world easily. I take the scariest voice I can muster and [Alright, you guys will tell me all you know about that organization of yours or else] Oh, these guys are really a hard nut to crack it seems. None of them wants to spill the beans. I guess they must be worried about their leader finding out. How dumb of them. Between me and their leader, I am obviously the scariest of the two. Can''t believe they are underestimating so much. They are just making iprehensible noises, probably out of fear. [You guys want to keep mum eh? You think this will end well?!] This is why vermin like them never bes something more. All because they have a really bad judgment and . "EhI''m pretty sure they simply can''t talk." She is pointing at them. Ah, I see the issue. I am holding them by their mouths securely. They simply can''t talk at all. Shall we drop some load? Chapter 192: Fools Deserving of Death Chapter 192: Fools Deserving of Death I am holding them by the face. Dangling above a pit of slimes. They ain''t able to speak either. Exins the weird noises they were making. Do I put one down to try and change my grip on him? Perhaps he would try to run. Right now they aren''t going anywhere but better not let my guard down. Ah, I could ask mypanion to break their kneecaps. Then they won''t escape no matter what. She still looks shaken. Why is it that she seems more traumatized by the fact that I can protect myself? The attempted **** and murder not phasing her at all. This is weird. You know what, this is tooplicated. Let''s just drop some load. *Throw* "Noooo!" *Sound of slimes devouring one shady dude. * [Alright now that''s better. I can use both hands.] I use my free hand to hold him by the cor. Then I release his face only to hear a barrage of supplications. "Please don''t kill me! I''ll tell you everything! I won''t do it ever again!..." It actually goes on. He seems very talkative now. It seems the slimes below are really freaking him out. Meh, these little things are kinda cute, to be honest. Well, they do tend to eat all your clothes when you swim in there. But I gotta say this is the easiest interrogation I have ever done. He just keeps the info going. Where their base is. The number of members they have. How to recognize them. Something about a specific tattoo to look for. Their main businesses. Let''s just say it goes from shady to in horrible. The more I hear about it the angrier I get. Let''s just say human rights are not a part of their vocabry. He also tells me about the strongest in their midst. I even learn what he looks like. Apparently, their chief is only a rank 3 warrior. How does that even happen? That is at the level of my first elder. So much for calling themselves a power. Compared to the tamer guild they are legit nothing. Just a stupid bunch with inted egos. I make sure mypanion has memorized all the info. He is begging me to let him go. Promising to behave. I am not some righteous guy at all. Who knows if he truly will turn over a new leaf. Chances are he is only saying this because of the fear of death. Which to be honest is understandable. But well, the easiest solution is simply this one. I release my grip. He ils his arms around trying to grab something, but he fails. Before long he disappears never to be seen again. Oh well. Thus ends the story of the bad guys we found in the sewer. Or does it? There are many left on the surface. What kind of option should I choose? I could try to find the unicorn for backup. Actually, what has she been up to these days? I can also just charge ahead alone. Normally I wouldn''t for sure, but I may as well. One, they are weak ording to that guy''s information. Two, worst case my horny friend will save my ass haha. Hell, I could even go beg Eternal Ice for help. Haven''t seen him since he helped little Bai. I wonder how long it will take before he wakes up. Apparently, it can be a very lengthy process. Plus no one really knows cause it''s a slime. Why am I convinced he''ll be able toplete the process sessfully? Eh, I have seen both of them eat together. Perfect fucking sync. Yep, I''m not especially worried. [Alright, let''s go up and clean the trash.] This honestly feels great. I''m on a quest for justice! Not Why am I even bothering to go hunt these guys? After all, the two that saw me are dead already. For all I know, no one is the wiser. It is not my job either to take care of it. Honestly, I just want to feed the slimes haha. See how much I can artificially increase their numbers by feeding them. Hopefully get it back to the initial numbers before the cleanup. No way will I let someone profit off my back. That is how resentful I can be. I do know it is petty but still. I ask Kim to guide me toward their base. Sheplies. At first, she isn''t too sure about the n. But then I tell her about the research opportunity. Suddenly she is on board. The next step is to find a sewer entrance near their base. It takes us a while, but we do manage it. After that, I tell her to hide for now. I strut toward my target. It seems to be a medium-size house with a courtyard. Is it fine to be that brazen? There are goons at the entrance guarding it. I politely go to them. [Hello, is this the ck corpses'' headquarter?] "Yeah, what the hell do you want?!" Nice. I don''t say a word. I just grab 2 of them. Then I retreat toward the sewers. Carrying my luggage. They try to free themselves, but I hold them tight. At first, they scream invectives at me. Then they switch to threats. The final step is begging. Oh, and the turning a new leaf part. I wonder if they are taught that stuff as an initiation? Oh well, I throw them in. With a plop, they disappear. I have pursuers on my heels. Just in time. More food haha. Starts a game of cat and mouse. Very quickly I corner most of them. The few that escape are just too fast. A few minutester they are gone as if that was a magic trick. I return to the surface. Now they may be preparing for my attack. But ording to the info I got from the dead thugs, everything should be fine. The city won''t do a thing as these guys are getting killed. They can''t openly support such an organization after all. As for any allies Doubt anyone would really care if they disappeared. This is going to be fun. Chapter 193: Having Fun Chapter 193: Having Fun This is going to be fun. Or not. It could escte very easily. But! I have a n B, C, and D! The B and C are to beg for help. The D being the best if you know what I mean ?. Thatst one is to run as fast as possible haha. Is it too nave of me? I don''t think so. As long as I don''t offend some real power, everything should be fine. The city itself is part of some neutral faction, so they won''t lift a hand. I go back ready to face tons of thugs. The entrance is deserted. This is strange, to say the least. They should have already received reports about me. Normally they would already be swarming me. This means that they are probably preparing a trap! But I have a secret weapon! Scouting-no-Jutsu activate! Apparently, there are a lot of them in the main hall. Didn''t I describe this as a medium-sized house? Yes, I was mistaken. It seems like they merged many houses to create a territory. Aka the houses are the walls. Inside is a pretty big area. In the middle of it is my target. As I get there, stand many guys eyeing me. This is ridiculous. How are there no women here? This is discrimination! Women too can be evil. On an ornated chair sits the one who seems to be their leader. He gazes at me. "You are finally here. You truly are brave, aren''t you?" I mean not especially. What am I even supposed to reply to that? "Do you know how many of your enemies remain alive?" He''s about to say zero isn''t he? "There are Z" [At least one.] He seems mad that I interrupted him. "Soon you will join their rank. Now answer me who sent you? Was it dark eye Darius? Was itzy eye Gilbert? Was it?" What the hell are all these nicknames?! What next? Cotton eye J0e? We could do some back and forth for a while. However, it wouldn''t change the end result that we''ll be fighting after all. There is only one thing to do now. I get busy. Somehow my actions surprise him a lot. "Y-you! Why are you getting naked?!" He is pointing at me, mouth opened. The answer is obvious. I''m tired of losing my clothes every damn time. Either it gets destroyed, melted, or burned. Not this time! As it all falls to the ground, I can feel myself being free. Free to rush at them too. I grab 2 underlings and make my escape. On the way, a flurry of fists and various weapons fall on my back. Yet I just keep running not bothered by it at all. All until I get out of and get near the sewers. For some reason, they have stopped following me. It is almost as if they don''t want to cause too much a ruckus. Weird. I promptly unload them into the slime pit. So far this is really going well. Oh crap, I just realized something. In the heat of the moment, I forgot something important. Oh well. I go back up. Intrude in theirir once again. They are screaming at me and charging. I just grab two random goons and leave again. Except that this time I make sure to pick up any coin they may have before throwing them in. Being wasteful is not good after all. In such a way I keep repeating this. Getting hit, but not caring in the least. At first, they are really angry. Then they start begging for me to leave them alone. The more trips I do the fewer guys they have. No, not because I''m thinning their numbers. Well yes, but actually no. Many ran away already. I kinda understand them. I try and grab their leader but he''s a rank 3. He manages to evade me and runs away. Until finally they are all gone from their own property. This finished pretty nicely. How many happy meals did the slimes get? Many. I''m sure if they could talk, they would thank me or something. Actually, probably not. I did kill a lot of their brethren in the beginning. Now that the coast is clear,es the best part. Looting! Remember kids, waste is bad. If you get rid of some bad guys you need to properly get everything you can out of it. It is not even a matter of greed. No, in fact, it is a matter of work ethic! Also justice! By making sure to diminish their possessions you are reducing their power tomit evil. This in turn protects the world you know. Well, kinda. After a full sweep of the ce, I sadly figure out that they did get the valuables already. Still, I manage to get myself some clothes, a well-made leather armor, a sword, and some coins. Pouches to carry said coins too. Total loot being a few gold coins. That shouldst me a while. That''s when my gazends on an oilmp. This gives me a great idea. Would really be a shame if. I p it on the ground. You know, as a cat would do. Then I watch with glee as the fire starts burning.and gets extinguished. Okay, that was disappointing. However, I am not one to give up. I look around until I have moremps and lots of oil. Then I carefully make a bonfire with the surrounding furniture. Time to try again. *sound of mes engulfing everything* Now that''s more like it. I leave walking slowly. Behind me their main hall on fire. I make my way out nonchntly as the inferno rages. I can feel the heat radiating behind. But I do not turn back. Nope. As we all know Cool guys don''t look at explosions. Well, I''m pretty sure it''s the same for arsonists. Actuallyno. I''m pretty sure most stay to watch their handiwork. Not, me. I have slimes to attend to. Can''t wait to see if there is any progress. Chapter 194: Conviction Chapter 194: Conviction I can''t help but hum as I make my way back to the sewer. I look like a real adventurer at the moment. I even have a mask to hide my identity. Yes, I found it lying around. Handsome, dashing, and professional. I would make a great superhero. Well, without the tights but still. I''m so cool looking that bystanders are pointing at me excitingly. Okay, either that or they are seeing me flee from a crime scene. After all thepound is on fire. Probably theter. I finally descend into the sewers and drop the mask. I can''t wait but to see how many more slimes there are now. The answer being none. This is very sad. I was expecting something to happen. Oh well, can''t be helped. I guess Kim will be able to slowly study their evolution over the uing months. Maybe there will be an effect eventually. Also where the hell did she go? I guess she went home or something. This would only be normal. I did spend a while there rampaging. Yet not a single guard came to see what the ruckus was about. I guess they simply assumed it was gang-fighting or something. Which honestly, they wouldn''t care about. I mean I did burn their base but that s all. I did not touch the surroundings at all. I slowly make my way across the city, slowly observing the reaction of the guards. It seems I am in the clear. Nice! No one seems to be looking for me. This means that it is time to celebrate! I head to the noodles shop. [Yo, old man!] "Oh, a known face. I see you were missing my delicious creations." [Of course! I finally got some cash too! I want extra servings!] I hand him a piece. "Is that a gold coin? You do know I don''t have that kind of change, right?" I like how he isn''t even reacting to my new attire or wealth. [How about this, I''ll eat as much as I want. If there is any left you just give it to little Bai, deal?] "Haha, that works for me. The little rascal was going to beg for food anyway. This way I won''t have to feel bad for refusing him haha." [How shameless is he when begging for food?] "Very. He likes to tell sob stories about his past to try and get some haha." [Sounds like him.] "By the way how is he doing?" [He seems to be at a crucial junction in his training. Something about going to the next step with his pet. He''s unconscious during the process, but apparently, it''s normal.] "I see. Not to worry he will be fine. He''s a fighter." [Why do you say that?] "Just a hunch. I get the feeling that he''ll stay alive no matter what. You''d have to show me his corpse to convince me otherwise." [Hopefully won''t happen.] Soon enough *Sounds of intense slurping* [Say, old man.] "Yes?" [I''ve heard that that process can take a long time. Could you tell him something if we don''t see each other?] "Sure, but I''ll charge you 5 coppers for the message haha." I smile wryly at him. As if that would make a difference. [Tell him that if he ever hears of The Unnamed God Sect that he''s weed to join.] "Oh? I''ve never heard of it. Where are you guys from?" [Here haha. If anything I''d say the earth realm.] "No shit the earth realm! Where would a sect be otherwise?! Not the god realm for sure!" Well, the thing is even our God is living here. Or more like it''s a figment of my imagination anyway. "Boy, listen to me well. I''ll transmit your message but remember this. If you get him killed, I''ll freaking haunt you." This is nice. [Alright old man. I will keep that in mind haha.] This is why small food stall owners are the best. There is such a stereotype, but it''s usually true. After all, they are people that are very close to their customers. They learn about them while they are eating. It makes things more interesting than to just sit in silence. They also aren''t all about profit. Most of them want either to bring joy to people or simply perfect their craft. Sure, back in the old world I would eat packed noodles. You know at home to save time. But nothing beats having a meal done by a true artisan. One that has spent years mastering his craft. One that knows exactly how to adjust the temperature for the best cooking. It is not about being expensive or fancy. It is simply a meal full of love. At least that''s the way I see it. They say nothing beats eating in goodpany. Well, this old guy is really nice. Otherwise, he wouldn''t worry about a young guy everyone is dismissing. Not caring about ack of sess. When you have a food cart it is all about effort. The efforts of one man and one man only. All about selling food so good that peoplee back. Over and over. Every day. Findingfort in the familiar savors. Some might find me crazy for saying that, but these people soon be part of the family. The ones that you talk to daily. You learn about them. They learn about you. There is a dialogue going. This is the only good part about dealing with people as a job. Well, I''m sure there are lots of downsides too. It''s not for everyone. Some would prefer a job in a cubicle where they can just focus on their task. I''d say I''m a mix between these types. I''m not the most outgoing type. I don''t have that many friends either. However, I do believe having people you are near is important in one''s life. Sure they can be a target. Even a weakness. Still, I just need to get enough power to protect the people I care about. This is why I will keep training. One day at a time. Going at my own rhythm. Until one day I won''t be the one scurrying away from the sects. No, they will be the ones running away from me. From me and from my sect. The one I created on a whim. Of that I am Convinced. Chapter 195: Information Gathering Chapter 195: Information Gathering ****(POV) What the hell was that about?! Seriously?! I have always been careful all my life. Making sure not to offend anyone dangerous ever. Crawling lowly yet reigning over a few profitable businesses. Then that guy, no, that monster came out of nowhere and started killing our guys. Being the leader of the brawny ck corpses inspires respect. It should have. This guy did not care one bit. Not only did he not care, but he also even fought us naked. I thought I had seen it all as far as taunting goes. No, this one is a master. He did not even say any insult. He simply started undressing casually. Then he grabbed some of our guys and retreated god knows where. I told my people not to chase him. The whole thing too bizarre to go all in. Hispleteck of fear frightening. This guy was probably a madman. Of that, I was convinced. Later I learned that he went to the sewers. Apparently, two of our guys went there prior and never came back. It seems they pissed someone off that they should have stayed clear from. Now I am stuck dealing with the aftermath. No matter what we tried he did not die. May it be fists or weapons. He simply did not care and kept bringing our guys with him. At first, I was confused. Then I understood something. This guy wasn''t especially trying to kill us. He just wanted to send a message. Otherwise, he would have killed us directly. He wouldn''t have thrown my men to hungry slimes. That''s when an underling arrived with a bound individual. One wearing a mask. "Boss she was lurking around there. She seems to be his aplice." She is struggling without sess. "You guys really should let me go! He''lle and save me for sure!" I haven''t been able to survive that long for no reason. I already have underlings that went to investigate the situation. I''ll have all the details I need soon. Good thing we ran away. Who knows how many more of our brothers we could have lost? Right now we are in a small, cramped shop. One that sells shoes. One business that was nearby. Also, one that is a good hideout. "BOSS! This is bad! Our ce is burning!" This calls for one thing and one thing only. "Go back out there and keep gathering information." "Yes, boss!" He leaves again. I can see one of my men looking ufortable. "What is it?" "*shocked* Ah, nothing boss!" "You are wondering why I am letting him burn our headquarter, aren''t you? Let me ask you this instead. What kind of man would even dare to burn out headquarter. He may be a strong fool, but what if he has a reason he dares to invade alone?" "U-understood boss! Boss is wise!" Comes running another underling. "Boss I found out about him! He is a newbie tamer at the guild! He seems to have horrible talent, and no one wanted to take him under their wing exceptexcept" "Just spill it out already." "He''s Eternal Ice student boss!" Oh crap. I''m d I simply ran. I can hear footsteps again. "Boss I have good news! He''s a lowlyborer that works in a woodcutting camp! Recently he also took a slime cleaning job and offended the tamer''s guild star tamer!" "How did he offend him?" "He made a false report saying there was a king slime trying to get morepletion reward." This doesn''t make sense. He was strong enough to bulldoze through our forces. He is definitively a top rank 3 at least. One that focuses on body cultivation. Usually, there are special tactics to use against such a foe. Maybe not directly, but indirectly it may be possible. There are always ways to kill such people if you are imaginative enough. Comes another one. "Boss! I''ve found something weird about the guy!" What is it now? Why is the story getting even moreplicated? "His pet is a donkey and a weak wolf! The donkey was seen going to the library alone today!" "What do you mean alone?" "It was there browsing books." "A donkey was reading? Are you pranking me?" "No boss! There is something even weirder. When I asked the guards about it they said they had no idea what I was talking about. They seemed afraid!" "So he has no talent for taming, yet has a magical donkey that is smart enough to read on its own. He became an enemy of a rank 3.5 tamer and nothing happened to him. He is the student of Eternal Ice. Anything else?" Comes running another one. "Boss I''ve found something!" "What is it?" "He has done it many times!" "What? We are not the first group he attacked!? Who was a victim too?!" "Ah, no boss I meant it''s not the first time he runs around naked in town." "Fool as if I cared about that!" "That boss, there is more I have a theory but." He seems unsure if he should proceed. "Go on, speak your mind." "He was seen going out of the sewers naked. He was also seen carrying bread into the sewersCould he be some kind of pervert loving slimes?!" There is no way that "Boss I have new info! Apparently, he has a friend that managed to tame a slime that was said to be untamable. There was some kind of ident too, but I couldn''t get any more info." This is ridiculous. One that is addicted to slimes. Actually, that might be possible for him. With his perverse level of defense. He could literally be taking a slime bath that he probably wouldn''t bat an eye. For all we know, that is what happened. He learned about slimes when first clearing them. Then he bonded with them. This part should definitely not be pictured. Then he convinced a friend to tame one. Perhaps because he himself didn''t have any taming talent. Then whatever he did some kind of ident happened. The star tamer is probably spreading rumors about him because he is jealous of his power. Eternal Ice is probably befriending him because of that same thing. How do we fit in that story? Well, we were using the slime to dispose of some cadavers. I guess we somehow pissed him off. "Let the girl go! We are officially not gonna take any type of revenge! Anyone that even tries will finish in a slime stomach. Is that understood?!" "YES BOSS!" Hopefully, this will be the end of it Chapter 196: Persistent Bastards Chapter 196: Persistent Bastards Somehow this stop to get food was really nice. I feel like getting a bite somehow makes one think about life. When you are peacefully eating. When you are peacefully shiting. When you are peacefully vomiting. The first one makes you ponder about the future. The second makes you ponder on the present. Especially if you forgot to bring something to read. I used to bring that one web novel with me to the toilet. You know, to keep me busy. It was kinda funny and had many fourth wall breaks. At some I wouldugh so much I would shit myself. Literally. Thest one makes you ponder about your past. I say that because you are either trying to forget it or remember it. In such a manner I renewed my goal. To have fun, but no matter what to keep learning. To keep training. I am at peace in body and mind. No one even tried to go after me while I was eating. This is perfect. With a skip in my step, I go through the city gate and head toward the camp. I''m truly at peace and . Fuck. I forgot my sword at the food stall. To be honest I kinda lost the habit to carry one. You know ever since the one I had got destroyed by a bone dragon. This is a warning to everyone out there. If you ever face one make sure you take on the attacks with your body. Not your possessions. Actually, could be a bad n for most. Anyway, now I need to backtrack. I go through the gate again and as I''m in the middle A guard points at me! "You there! Catch this man!" Ah fuck. They are hunting me now? They weren''t a few minutes ago. Time for n D! Run away! I''m almost hoping for them to give up. Nope, they are diligent. Bruh, I legit burned a criminal organization. Can''t you guys act like you haven''t seen me? Pretty please? Apparently not. I keep running. They keep chasing. Let me see there are about 20 of them. I feel like I could easily dispatch them all. Won''t they send reinforcement, however? Would it end up with me having to fight the whole city? My chances would be pretty low. As they say, many ants can ..tickle? Wait, no. I know! Many ants can take down an elephant! Except I''m not fat and there are powerful guys probably in there. I''m sure the city has a few strong aces they keep in reserve. The type toze around all day and still get paid. God that sounds amazing. Could you imagine me at a job interview for such a position? The guy would be like, what is your specialty? I''d be like divine energy. He would either think me a madman or try to get a hold of that power too. Is what I''m guessing. "Stop running! You are only making things worse!" They are persistent. [Stop chasing me! You are only wasting both our time!] Ah, I see the lumberjack camp in front. Will I bring them trouble if I go there? I kinda want to ask for advice. To fight or not to fight? That is the question. Or a question in any case. "Hey wee back we were wondering when..Why are there guards chasing you?!" [Beat up and killed some bad people now they are after me.] "Corrupt guards? I see. Exins it. Run a circle we''ll get the weapons." Then he just dashes away. [Brother just tell me if I should fight or not? I don''t need any help!] I see they are about to catch up. *Sigh* Whatever let''s do a fewps. I''m running in circles, big ones. These guys stilling after me. Actually, I guess I can just keep doing that. Infinite stamina in your face bitches! HAHAHA I run and I rush, and I sprint. Until finally they can''t keep up anymore. Mission aplished! Hell yeah. As they are panting, I can see mypanions approaching. They are all holding axes. "Let''s kill them all!" [Wow, wait a second!] How are they so bloodthirsty? There are proper steps to take. I holler at them. [Hey guys. Looking awfully tired there!] "*pant* *pant* Captain why did we even have to chase so far, we should have just let him leave." "No *pant pant* exception!" So apparently the soldiers didn''t want to chase. Only their leader pushed them toe. "Can we kill them now?" Seriously?! [Dude go chop a tree or something. I got this.] Now back to interrogation. [Alright, while I do respect people doing their jobs truly fucked up this time. Give me one reason not to ughter you all.] I can see them starting to shake. Some guy just vomited in the back. Why? Must be thebo of physical exhaustion and the sun, I guess. "I don''t want to die." "This is what I get for following the orders of a fool." "No, I''m still a virgin!" "Bro, want me to help you with that? Just bend over and No need to re at me." "Shut all your mouths it is our duty to defend the city and " [Hypocrite! Motherfucking hypocrite.!] He seems stunned for a second. [Yes, I killed them. Yes, I burned their headquarter. Yes, I stole their belongings.] They all seem stunned. [But you know what? They fucking deserved it.] They are speechless still. [These guys are the lowest of the low. They tried to kill me! They would have seeded too if I wasn''t able to defend myself!] "." [So you know what? Screw your fake sense of justice. You can all rot in hell for going to the rescue of these ck corpse guys!] "" [Speechless aren''t you? I saw all through your little games. Now it''s time for punishment for] "Hum, brotherwhat are you even talking about?" Why does he seem confused? [What?] "We only stopped you for not paying the entrance feeall that other stuff it''s not our department at all." [Ah, but I have that robe that says I''m aborer that has free passage and.Ah. I did take that off!] Did I almost kill them all over a misunderstanding? How do I salvage this? I kinda confessed to a lot of things Chapter 197: Life-Changing Decision Chapter 197: Life-Changing Decision Well, this is awkward a bit. What is one supposed to do when one identally confesses to murder, arson, and thievery while being chased for tax evasion? Should I add the usual asking for a friend? On a scale of fucked to very very fucked, how fucked am I? Do I have no choice but to silence them? Maybe I should simply run away and leave this city behind? I''m not even sure I''m going to be able to get a taming license anyway. There is no real reason for me to stay. I guess there is little Bai, but I have no way to know how long he''ll be unconscious. What about Wolfie and the unicorn? This is weird how long they have been gone. I guess that if I wander around the vicinity of the town long enough they''ll find me. I need some way to contact them. I need a projector that I would light up at night aimed toward the sky. I would call it the Pie-signal. Then again, I''m not sure I want to be called the Pie-Man. Sounds like some badass porno actor name. Toe back to the situation at hand Come, back, handhehe. Yeah, let''s not go on a murderous rampage here. I''m not going to let them cuff me, however. After all with how handsome I am, I would be way too popr in prison. Actually, do they even have prisons here? Could be mining camps like the ves back at the Moon Keep or even execution. Weird how I haven''t encountered ves so far Whatever time to "Waitdid you say you defeated the ck Corpses?!" [Thatno, of course not!] "I totally heard that too!" "What about all the other stuff?!" "You got rid of these guys?!" [That you see.] "That''s amazing!" [Is it?] "Hell yes! They are annoying! Just not annoying enough to warrant the city to do anything about them." [I see.] "Captain, can''t we just let him go free?" "No exception! Thew is thew!" Talk about a stern leader. I thought they were corrupt but it''s the contrary. These guys were just doing their job!? Usually, the bad guys would be paying the city officials. In turn, the guards would be corrupt too. There would be lots of propaganda to confound the poption. Meanwhile, I would get tangled up in a web of schemes. Only because of defeating some bad guys. Then I would kill some guards while fleeing. This would in turn antagonize the part of the city that is not corrupt at all. I would obviously fight back and many lives would be lost. All this bloodshed would convince one of the hidden guardians to go after me. Now there would be two options. Either an old monster or an old monster that looks hot as fuck. You know some hidden genius that ascended early and still is well preserved. I would run away thanks to some plot hole, I mean coincidence. Then would begin a whole revenge arc. I would train until I coulde back and wipe the city out. Sprinkle a few useless deaths in there to add drama and that''s about it. All of this would have happened from me clearing a few thugs. When I say clear a few thugs, do read feed them to slimes. Or so that was the scenario I was picturing. Now I can avoid all of the above if I can somehow convince that one stubborn guard. "H-hey why are you looking at me like that?" I absentmindedly answer. [Nothing just thinking of ways to deal with you.] "Guys he just said he wants to dispose of me!" "So, captain?" "How about we just go back?" Why are they freaking out now? [I didn''t mean it like that. Look I''m gonna give it to you straight ] Then I proceed to enumerate every single point listed above. The more I keep going the more fidgety he gets. Meanwhile, the others nearby are getting extremely impressed by my foretelling. By others, I mean both the guards and the woodcutters. Ain''t this great?! At the end of my speech, their leader can''t sit still. He goes a few meters away and starts mumbling to himself. [What is he even doing?] "Well, he''s not a bad guy, but he''s a bit too much by the book and dumb at times." Did he just call his boss dumb? Then again, he''s way too busy to hear him it seems haha. "He''s probably trying to figure out if it is worth disobeying his duty to possibly save the entire city." [Wait..so you are telling me he''s really thinking about risking his life and his city for a city gate tax I wasn''t even supposed to pay in the first ce?] "I mean technically if you ain''t wearing theborer outfit you''re supposed to pay." [Isn''t this your job to ask for the payment?!] "Waitno one asked you for payment?" [Nope!] "Wowjust wow. Talk about dumb. Meh, stuff happens." How can this guy be so casual about this?! They have been chasing me for so long already! I promised death and destruction if we were to fight! His superior is pondering if he should apprehend me. Meanwhile, this guy is just here chilling! There is something wrong with this situation! I look at their group. [What are you guys going to do if your leader insists on a fight?] They look at each other. "Restrain him." "Beat him up." "Knock him unconscious." "Kill him." What the hell! What kind of subordinates are these guys?! How did that one guy survive so long?! Ah, he''sing back too. [Have you made your decision?] "I have pondered long and hard! After lengthy self-deliberations, I have concluded that you are definitively guilty! However, since this is your first offense as far as I know and that I do not wish for needlessly bloodshed I will let you get away with a fine only! Be grateful for the chance you have!" I just want to tell him that he''s the one that got saved by his own decision. Like seriously. Well, good for him. "However! I will have you ount for the crimes you listed against the ck corpses! Do not resist for resistance is utile!" *Sigh* He was so close. He just had to mess it up. What will happen to him now? Chapter 198: Alarming News Chapter 198: rming News He says he will make me ount for my crimes. Now what? "Follow us back to the garrison or we will apprehend you!" I take abat stance, or at least what I believe to be one. [Bring it on!] "Soldiers! Capture this miscreant!" They all look resolute. Then they swarm over. All 20 of them. Finally, they reach their leader. Shouting war cries .and they start beating him up. Wow, they really weren''t kidding before. Aren''t they worried about getting charged with insubordination? Apparently not at all! Then again if they all do it at once they might as well all im he fell or something. Some are kicking. Some are punching. Some are pping. Is one guy spitting? Damn, that''s harsh! [Hey guys, don''t you think you are being too mean right now?] That awkward moment when your enemy is suffering enough you start feeling pity for them. One of them calmly starts exining their reasoning. I am strong enough to go against a whole cartel by myself. I am still alive. Thus them fighting me is a death sentence. Not only will they die pointlessly, but they will leave behind their families. This order of his not onlypromises these people but also the city itself. All to defend a group of scumbags. Trashy guys that didn''t deserve living in the first ce. It all really makes sense. Still, since I am a benevolent guy and a phnthropist at heart. [Guys make me some room; I want to get a few kicks in!] There, all good now! This is abuse? No this is some physical education. Before every stupid decision in the future, he will remember this day. Potentially saving countless lives by doing so. *Sigh* Aren''t I a great role model? At some point, everyone gets tired of it. Their leader is left growling on the ground. "T-this is insubordination I''ll." Never mind. Some of them jump back in. Round 2 begins. This time as it ends, he remains silent. I was expecting him to be angry, but he surprisingly takes it well. Although he doesn''t seem to be that hurt either. Wait, was that all a show? Ah, no. I can see some blood at the corner of his mouth. One of the soldiers addresses me. "With this, we will be on our way. Please remember to pay the entrance fee next time. Have a great day!" The mad chase ended up with them being so tired they had to take a break. Then they started a mutiny. Now they are leaving as if nothing unusual happened. What the hell? Meanwhile, mypanions behind me are all cheering. There is still that one guy asking if we should let them leave alive Oh my gosh! I think they haven''t been cutting as many trees since I did most of the job. Is all this pent-up energy getting to his head? Will he go to town at night and be infamous as Jack the human-cutter?! For anyone that hasn''t noticed it''s a really bad wordy from Jack the ripper and woodcutter. Points for effort perhaps? That''s when arrives someone new. "Hey there! I have some urgent information!" Who is that supposed to be? [So who are you exactly?] He chokes a little. "It''s me! Me! You know!" No, I do not. I just keep looking at him I''m not famous enough to have fans yet I think. "The guy that led the slime cleaning expedition!" [Ah! It''s you! I didn''t recognize you without your guard outfit!] "*Sigh* Sadly I don''t have a job anymore." [Yep, I heard about that. Truly a bunch of assholes!] "Yeah, but that''s why I''m here today!" This will probably be a long talk. I guide him inside the camp where we both get water before sitting down. He takes on a serious expression. "I have some concerning news." [Go on] "I fear there may be a power out there trying to overthrow the current regime." [How does that concern me?] "You should probably try to steer clear from the city at all cost. Chances are it will be a battlefield soon." [What makes you believe that?] He leans in and whispers. "I found evidence of something rming. I think some people are hatching a n to create a disturbance in town." [Why exactly would they want to do that and why are we whispering?] "They will use probably use the opportunity tounch their attack while the soldiers are upied." [Makes sense. What are they nning exactly?] "This will sound wild but I think people are voluntarily breeding slimes in the sewers." *PFFFF* I can''t help but spit my drink. He slowly wipes his face while remaining stern. What exactly does he know? Also, why is he telling me the culprit about it? [W-Why do you say that?] "Of course this is surprising but listen to this. I heard rumors about a shady masked individual that was asking around about slimes. When I went to check I found a dead body wrapped in some sort of cloth. I believe it was to be fed to the slimes." Wait a dead body? Ah, what the two guys in killed in there were carrying! I forgot about that. Okay, so Kim is just researching slimes. About the Corpses guys, I''m pretty sure they just wanted to dispose of evidence. I''m pretty sure it was all just a coincidence. It just so turns out that Imitted that very crime he is talking about. Except the purpose is nothing as grand as that. What lying in ambush? What try to change the ruling party? I''m just salty they didn''t pay me. At worst it will be a short-lived slime infestation and that will teach them a lesson. If some slimes tiny slimes can destroy a city it tells a lot about it. [Look I''m pretty sure you are overthinking this don''t worry.] Actually, I know it for a fact. "Still stay away from the city for a while. In case there is trouble." [Alright, what will you do about it?] "Nothing. I tried sounding the rm, but they didn''t believe me. They even threatened to kill me. At this point, it''s not my problem." Nice seems everything will be fine. I think at least. Chapter 199: The Duties of a Lord Chapter 199: The Duties of a Lord ****(POV) This job of mine is the best. I may only be a subordinate to the free diplomatic city of Eaglevein, but life is good. The true powers reside there. Meanwhile, we, the surrounding cities are all smaller ones. Our tasks are mostly to help with taking care of all the paperwork. For instance, we help merchants apply for trade permits. We would also cooperate with the tamer guild to determine the able andwful tamers. We need to reduce the hassle our superiors deal with. That is our sole goal and duty really. It is both a very important job and a thankless one. Long ago, I would carefully analyze every report and try to show initiative. I would try to improve the situation and think of new ideas to improve the overall system. That was when I was young and nave. I thought that I would be able to use the fact that no sect is admitted here to have free reign. Well, there is the shrine of the diplomatic god as in every of their affiliated city. But I was wrong about having a real decisive power. After all, it is Eaglevein that ends up taking all the important decisions. We simply follow suit. As much as I dislike it, this whole thing is a power struggle shitshow. The only reason it is even epted as a capital in the continent is that it wees people from everywhere. Also hosts more churches than anywhere else. Every big power has a building there. That is why our existence is necessary. We prevent some of the dangerous elements to reach it. We are nothing more than glorified watchdogs. Still, there are definite perks to it. I haveplete power over this small territory. Well as long as I don''t steer from the established guidelines. This means that I actually have the power to delegate haha. Why work seriously when you can be ying around? This is something that took me a long time to realize. You gotta enjoy life. So what if there are someints? As long as it doesn''t go above a certain threshold it''s fine. Gotta make sure no fire starts but that''s about it. If a few pots get broken it''s fine. At worst, some people willin. Today is a good day. After a short day of work, I can finally rx. I have invited two young beauties to privately dance for me. The kind of dance that is intimate. The kind that gets the blood boiling. The kind that tends to be so heated. The kind that mixes well with wine. The kind where pieces of clothing slowly fall. The kind of dance that indubitably ends with heavy exercise. You know that kind of dance. The seduction. The teasing. The slight biting. The passion. The moist breath on my ear. The sweat glistering on the bodies. The "My lord there is an ancient captain that says that has an urgent message for you!" "Can''t you see I''m busy!" What a fool. The naked beauties in my arms should be indication enough. "T-that my lord, he is iming to have critical information that threatens the safety of this very city!" How annoying! "Fine, did you advise him that he would be punished for a false report?" "Of course my lord!" I signal thedies to wait for me. I''ll meet him in my office. It is opulent enough to impress. Still, it is a ce I truly abhor. The less time I spend here the better. In it is a man waiting for me, sitting. What is this? When he said ancient captain I was picturing some old man. This one looks too young. Why did he leave active duty? "Why isn''t he a captain again?" "My lord he was removed from his functions for mishandling a slime cleaning task." Are you kidding me?! This guy failed a job so simple! How?! A child armed with a stick could sessfullyplete it. "Why didn''t you chase him out then? He''s obviously ipetent!" "*Whisper* Sir, he a rtive at Eaglevein. While he isn''t anyone important, I believe we should follow protocol and hear him out at the very least. Then we can drive him away." I see. This is why. If he tattles this could be troublesome. The fact that he knows someone there means eliminating him could be risky too. There are many ways to investigate using magic. Well, time to work. "Well, hello young man. What brings you here today? Would you like some tea or anything to eat?" "My lord I have cause to believe that there are powers lurking in the shadow trying to undermine Eaglevein." "Is that so? What evidence do you have? I will definitely take this new information into ount!" "There have been eyewitnesses of a shady individual going around bringing up the topic of slimes and I believe people are feeding slimes in the sewers." "Slimes is it? What would be the purpose of all this?" "My lord I believe they are trying to artificially create king slimes. I have already encountered one! This could cause a lot of problems to the city. While the guards would be busy, they would then strike!" Wow. Simply amazing. This is the next level of craziness. Not only did he fail to kill slimes, but now he''s inventing all this story to try and absolve himself. This guy is not only stupid but extremely delusional. Does he think I will simply believe him and give him his captain job back? As if I would believe that there are king slimes in the damn sewers. What else? Maybe there are unicorns in our libraries?! Beast kings casually walking in our midst?! Perhaps vampires lurking in the shadows?! Gods among us mortals even?! All of this is so damn ridiculous! Still, I need to remain professional. No matter how crazy the guy is. "Thank you! I will send a team to scout and give me a detailed report! Escort our guest outside and give him a few silvers as thanks for the information! Now if you''ll excuse me." I promptly get back to myfy bed where the two fairies are awaiting my heroic return. Coquettishly one asks: "My lord, what was it?" "Haha, nothing but a fool. Now, where were we?" So what if the other guyins. I followed protocol and made sure it was nothing serious. What is the worst that could happen? Chapter 200: DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER Chapter 200: DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER ****(POV) In a small dark-lit room sat a being of great power. Able to create life and destroy it with a few waves of his fingers. Yes, the very same one that appeared in chapter 51. With all the cool descriptions used then still. One that had created the world. One that would maintain it. One that would see it to itspletion. At least that was his goal. A goal self-imposed. A task worthy of hismitment. In his eyes at least. For once, he stood in front of his creation tool. Knowing exactly what he wanted to convey. However, not knowing the best way to. For his current emotions were aplex mess. He had a lot he wanted to tell the devourers. That is how he jokingly called them. For they were simr to the old him. He could rte to them. No matter how busy he became. He would remember himself being just like them. They would revel in his creation. Come back to share the happiness and the misfortunes. Whetherughing or crying, they would be there. Pushing him to continue. No matter what. A testament to his efforts. Creating a universe turned out to take lots of it. Every time he would see a familiar devourer, he would feel touched. Every time a neer came, he would rejoice too. Every emotion magnified. This whole creation of his started on a whim. But It quickly became way more. The more time he spent creating the more attached he became. To his creation, but especially to the ones that would enjoy it. They somehow felt like a family. Of course, he would never put that into words. For it would be way too cheesy. He couldn''t tell them that with every of their appearance A smile would blossom on his face. That too would be too cheesy. Today he had a difficult announcement too. One so hard, yet so simple. One that stemmed from a profound dilemma. One that he himself took a long time to resolve. He wanted to share his creation with the world. To bring joy to everyone. He envisioned something insane. A world constantly evolving. Extremelyplex, yet simple. Entertaining yet touching. A world that would start from nothing. Yet one that would end up a masterpiece. At least such was his vision. A vision big enough to scare even himself. A vision he wanted to share freely with everyone. One that he would like as essible as possible. To make sure each of the devourers could have a great experience. He wanted to bring them joy. As simple as that. He wanted to build something amazing. Alongside them. A journey greater than the goal. However, there was an issue. The journey he envisaged long. One that required truemitment. For otherwise he would run out of lifespan. Die of old age before the end. Yes, even considering how young he was. One filled with obstacles. Bills, rent, groceries, inte. The outside world intruding. Or at least it would. Inevitably. He was no fool. He was something worse. A dreamer. An insane one at that. One that dared dream big. Ah, but not a reckless one. One that always had a n B. But he dreaded to have to use it. For it would mean the end of the dream. He had so much he wanted to convey. How much this all meant to him. How wonderful of an experience. How much he loved it all. The struggles that came with it. The loneliness that came with the process. Loneliness melted by the devourers. The constant self-improvement. The feelings too. The joy, the sorrow. As he created, he would feel it all. Vividly, too vividly. Not as an external observer. No as a participant. It even affected his work. When he saw little Bai get killed... He knew how great of tragedy gold it was. He knew how much of asting effect it would have. How everyone woulde to remember the slime master fondly. He knew he had to kill him. He deeply knew it at his core. He cried as he saw it happen. He realized how cheesy a sudden reversal would seem. He understood all that logically. And yet he still chose to save him. Little Bai still lived. He couldn''t bring himself to do the deed. Told himselfmaybe the next character. Excuses perhaps, but a decision he wouldn''t regret. For as simple as a character was ..It felt true to him. The insanity of a creatoring to love his creation. More than he should. Way more than he should. Knowing that a line should be drawn. Yet choosing to pursue the same path. For if he didn''t himself truly love his creation... How was he to expect others to do the same? He would joke around a lot. Being one of the first to admit his shorings. But the truth is that behind the sarcasm and the humor... He truly loved his creation and his readers. Yet he would lose a few. For he had resolved himself to go premium. He saw it as a necessary evil. All to be able to keep dreaming. In a painfully materialistic world. The only way it would work long-term. Hoping for the best. Hoping for the devourers'' support. Because without them he was nothing. Only a fool typing away all day long. What is the point of creating a world? If it remains dead. Sometimes watching the devourers Was even more fun than the world itself. That is a goal he wanted to see happen. An amazingmunity. One that would stick together. Was it possible? He dared to dream. He dared to imagine it. From what was already there. To what would be in the future. So to the devourers, there was a lot he wanted to say. But he would simply say this: "Thank you!" And. "I fucking love you guys!" Even if it was cheesy as hell. At that point he just wanted them to know. No matter what... "Thank you for joining the sect!" "This journey is truly beginning!" Chapter 201: Separation Chapter 201: Separation ****(POV) I have been diligently researching. That librarian guy proved himself useful. *Sigh* I was so very mistaken before. All this time I was looking at it from the perspective of a unicorn. This was oh so very wrong. I''ve beening back to this library a lottely. I have finally attained enlightenment. These history manuscripts have taught me a lot. One needs to increase familiarity with the target. Only then can a bond be established. Food that they like. That one is easy, he loves pie. Cream pies especially, but I''m not sure what that is. Still shouldn''t be too much of an issue. The second point is to spend lots of time together. There is a problem with that one. There is always Wolfie lurking around. Getting quality time together is close to impossible. Plus they actually sleep together too. I have lots of catching up to do. I could remain by his side and hope for the best. However, chances are I would always remain number 2. Never his favorite underling. That is why I have been looking for an alternative. I finally found one. After reading many of these romance novels I have seen the pattern! The one that wins always turns out to be an otherworldly beauty. A human one. The initial appearance doesn''t matter much. It can be a frog. It can be a beast. It can be a demon. As long as they end up at least humanoid looking at some point. This is the problem I have. I need to stop being a unicorn. Actually, I just need to be able to transform. This is something my species has trouble with. I can use illusion magic slightly. A true and real transformation however is beyond my capabilities. I do have a n. One that is a huge gamble. After all, to see it topletion I would need time. I would have to give up some ground. Let Wolfie win for now. Just so I can take a shortcut toward the end goal. I have a secret weapon. I found a few books by myself. Ones that teach truly advanced knowledge. When that librarian guy saw me reading these, he was truly surprised. Probably impressed at how fast I was progressing. The material he gave me at the beginning very educative. I guess he underestimated my reading speed because I finished it all quickly. This new stuff was about methods to charm one''s target. Exactly what I needed! Including titles like: -A way to a man''s heart through the stomach. -How to defeat a thieving cat -A courtesan''s professional guide. -Kamasutra the extended edition. Everything I needed for a breakthrough. I thus became an enlightened unicorn. Now I finally understand human culture. A pretty strange concept at first nce. Especially the parts with the fruits. Why would one use fruits like that?! Still, one needs to remain open-minded. Well, more than the mind is open here. One could even use the term gaping. Anyway, this brings us to this very moment. "Farewell librarian, take care." "S-sure." He is still looking absent-mindedly at the pile of books. He must be impressed by my learning abilities. What can I say? I was born smart! As I make my way outside, I can feel the fear of the guards. Then their relief as I leave. This was myst timeing here. Now time for the start of my journey. One that begins with something extremely harsh. I reach the lumberjack camp. The guy from that time in the sewers is leaving. I wonder what he came here for. Well, it doesn''t really matter. Finally, I spot him! For some reason, he seems more tenebrous than usual. Ah, I can feel it. He has killed recently. How do I know it? Feeling! Once more I missed an opportunity to witness his glory. What a shame. He is an enigma. The nicest guy I know. Yet one that does not shy away from killing. Only if needed, however. I slowly approach him. "We need to talk." [What''s up? Why the serious look?] "I finally learned about something vital recently." [Oh? What is it?] "Well, it doesn''t matter much, but I know what I have to do." [A goal is it? How can I help?] "Sadly It is something I will have to figure out on my own." [I see.] He seems disappointed. This is good. It means I have a ce in his heart. "I will explore the world and aplish what I need to. However, I wille back!" [Nice! Make sure you are careful. You are very valuable after all.] "Of course!" He cares about me for sure. Saying that he values me. He seems to be looking at me with slight regret. Ah, I understand what this is! He wants to have a trinket to remind him of me. I slowly pluck some off some hair and hand them to him. "Here, for you!" He nods, instantly understanding me. He keeps it preciously. Seemingly at a loss on how to repay me. No need to worry. Just the thought is enough for me. I am happy. I give him a bright smile. However, now is the time of parting. I can hear him in the background saying how sad this is. Part of me simply wants to stay. Forever. A unicorn must do what a unicorn must do. As I am leaving, I keep remembering the past. The peculiar circumstances of how we met. How vulgar he seemed at first. Seemed like a fool. Aplete one. Yet I was the one that was mistaken. This is all very ironic. He is one that does not remember his own name. Yet, he knows exactly who he is. He has a very defined philosophy. Yet one that is extremely easygoing. He knows where he is going in life. Yet gets lost all the time. He is powerful. Yet rarely shows it. I want to see more of him. I want him to see for who I am. I want a lot of things. I want the endless forest kingdom back. I want to follow his lead. For that, a temporary separation is needed. For me to be stronger. For me to learn how to transform. All so that I can assure myself a ce at his side. Goodbye, see youter. Chapter 202: Precious Keepsake Chapter 202: Precious Keepsake After the jobless ex-captain leaves,es the unicorn. It''s been a while since I''ve seen her. I wonder how she is doing. Still, I was never truly worried. After all, she is both strong and kindhearted. Not the type to get into trouble. She looks serious. How does a horse look serious? Well, ask any animator of that D.pany. I''m sure their horses have many expressions. Apparently, she has new information. First that guy, now her. Who will be next? Wolfie briefing me? Not like she can talk in the first ce haha. Now the unicorn has a new goal. One that is a secret and that I can''t help with. I would have helped to think of solutions but... I''ll respect her choice. Still, this is sad. I will be losing my bodyguard. Her presence brought me safety. Guess I''ll have to be slightly more low-key in the future. Not overly, just need to make sure I don''t piss the wrong people. I do take the time to remind her that she is very valuable. Mostly her horn. As long as she hides it she should be fine at least. But what happens if she meets people that can see through her disguise? Talking about valuable I just realized something. Could the other parts of a unicorn be valuable too? What about the hair? That stuff grows back either way. I''d like to ask Kim but it will be toote soon. I guess she sees my gaze because a momentter she hands me some. I keep it, but I''m wondering something. Should I shear all of it? What if it turns out to be very valuable? Then again, I wouldn''t really know how to ask for that. Plus she''ll be back at some point. It won''t be toote then. Thus she says goodbye and leaves. This is sad. Welp anyway time to get to business. Let''s leave this ce before someone else . Comes running a woodcutter. "I bring news!" [What is it?] "Lunch is ready! Someone made soup!" He came to disturb my thoughts just to tell me that?! There is only one way I can answer this. [Hell yeah free food! Lead the way!] Thus after a short break, I head to see Kim. You''d expect ady to stay at an Inn or something. Naw, I find her in the sewers. Observing some slimes bouncing around. It''s either that orzing around. Slimes have it good, to be honest. If I ever get reincarnated imma pick slime. Chances are you get a peaceful life. If you get lucky you end up spawning in an end-game dungeon. Then you meet a tsundere dragon or something. Later on, you be a demon lord. Don''t ask me for the specifics. What about the bloodthirsty humans? Well, I have one word for you: Hide! That''s it. [So, any progress with the research?] Comes a barrage of sentences. So many it would fill the screen entirely if we were to type it all. Then again, I''m used to it. She gets like that everything she gets excited. Summary of it, no progress whatsoever. She does describe her methodology in great detail, however. To be fair it''s mostly to keep observing. To do everything a human needs for survival here. Eating, shiting, bathing, sleepinghow she is still alive is a mystery. Ah, apparently she has some kind of slime repellent. She brags about how much of an alchemical advancement it is. Sadly it seems it isn''t popr with the various sects. Most don''t seem worried about getting attacked by slimes. Especially considering that even here, they mostly only stay in the water. There is only an issue if they let the numbers increase too much. Could you imagine a veteran warrior in expedition bringing that out? Hispanions marveling at how prepared he is Only to learn it only works on slimes! Wait, maybe it could work on a specific demon lord! Or not. I spend a little while watching the slimes with her. It is rxing. I could do this allwait a minute! I almost forgot my purpose. She has a way to drag you in her pace somehow. [By the way, can we do anything with that?] I show her the unicorn hair. "What is that supposed to be?" I look at her mysteriously. [Care to guess?] "No." C''mon! y along! *cough* [This is hair from a unicorn!] "And?" [What do you mean and? Can''t we do something alchemical with that?!] She takes a time to ponder. "You are right. Do you have more? We could make a wig." Okay, seems I was overthinking. Meh, screw this. *Throws* *Plouf* [Can slime eat hair?] "Of course they can, actually" Here she goes again. Okay, I really need to stop mentioning that word next to her. Actually no. I just need to somehow make her increase her talking speed. She shows potential. Add a catchy rap beat and she''d be spiting. I can imagine the epic rap battle. The opponent hurling insults. Her just going... What did you say about my mother? How about I tell you some slime facts!! How would you like that big boy?! Then the opponents would be confused. He legit wouldn''t know how to react. Instant win. Rap battle Goddess! She could be called Slime Shady! Is she done yet? No. She is still going on. Relentless, not even stopping to catch her breath. Meanwhile, I''m just on the side. You know wondering if she''d realize if I just ran away. [A-alright I understand!] "Great, how about I tell you about..." [All good! I need to go actually.] "Oh? You don''t want to stay? Usually, we can see one bounce around every few hours." Every few hours?! What is this, the DMV?! Nope, not that bad. Still... [I want to go see what is happening at the tamer''s guild.] "Oh! Good point! See if they have any lead on slime taming!" How about no. I just want the wolf taming license. But seriously If the unicorn isn''t following Can I get a license to have a weak pet? Gotta check. Chapter 203: In Need of Change Chapter 203: In Need of Change ****(POV) I hate and have always hated the weak. For as long as I can remember. The weak are sly schemers that will stop at anything to progress in life. I know that for a fact. I used to be weak. I hated that version of me. Iparable to the 4-star beast tamer that I am now. I might only be considered a rank 3.5 but my creature truly is rank 4. It simply is that reaching the next level is extremely hard. That is why I am currently stuck. Still, I remain worlds apart from the old me. The one that could only lie and cheat to survive. The one that led a day-to-day existence. The one that would find suckers to get a bit of profit from. I would try and buy people''s trash and resell it. Of course, inventing a great fictive backstory behind it. Sometimes the wilder the lie the more people want to believe. Of course, this used to belong to the previous lord! There are even his initials and a remnant of his seal on it! It is simply a little bit erased from the passage of time! I would say stuff like that. One time I bought a rock. It wasn''t even anything special, but it had a cool shape. The experts had confirmed it too. Nothing but useless junk. Still, it made for some nice bait. I bought it from a friend back then. And by that, I mean forced him to give it to me. I threatened to reveal the appraisal result of it being worthless. Turns out that the appraisers screwed up. The rock was no rock. No, it was an egg. The egg of a rank 4 monster at that. When it hatched, I almost had a heart attack. Still, I managed to keep my bearings. Thus started my story. I worked hard. Sure contracting a powerful being gives power. However, it forces one to keep up with its growth rate. When it just hatched the lowly me was fine. But the more time passed the faster I had to grow. Otherwise, I would either die or have to let go of my pet. Neither was eptable to me. I worked hard, harder, and the hardest. I wanted to escape being a nobody. I went from being despicable trash to the leading tamer. At least at that one specific branch. The taming guild itself is so huge it is unbelievable. The whole system. I got a glimpse of it and it scared me. One day I would love to reach that point. See the headquarter with my own eyes. Perhaps even the true headquarter. The one that isn''t on this continent. A man can dream. The chances are slim. Every day, I train. Always in secret. I want others to see my sess. But not the efforts I spend. Otherwise, they would realize how ordinary I really am. For that reason, I abhor geniuses like that Ice guy. Maybe he trains in secret like me? No. He understands every taming technique at a nce. That entitled prick. All the things I struggle with Are as natural as breathing to him. The worst is that he is younger than I am. The only good thing is that he has yet to reach rank 4. My time is ticking. My number one position about to be taken away. The worst is that it''s not even because I''m beingzy. Fuck. I feel like no matter what I do it''s not enough. No, it''s not a feeling. It''s reality. The harsh and unfair reality. Sometimes I simply wish I could kill him. Wipe his annoying face off the earth realm. The old me would have. The current me is different. Oh, but every day I do wish him a painful death. One that wouldn''t be rted to me. Otherwise, he would always remain my mental demon. Forever the one I feared enough to terminate. I can be defeated but I won''t cower. I''ll keep fighting and working hard. This is my conviction. Lately, I''ve been in a bad mood. There are undesirables in the guild. Too many. Weaklings thatck morals and strength. That one that turned out to have no talent whatsoever. We should have driven him away. Yet Ice epted him as his student just to spite me. At least that''s what most think The same student that made a false report about a slime kingter on. Talk about dumb. People as worthless as them iming to have defeated a creature even I would struggle with. There is such a thing as a lie too big to be believable. What he did was a few notches above that even. Then, there is that slime guy. First, he tamed a slime. A normal slime is so weak it won''t bring anything to the guild. There is a reason we don''t bother with them. Sure it is nice how he managed to tame one. But it is mostly useless. A war is about to begin. All these guys are going to be dead weight. Later, he tried to cheat during the pet evaluation exam. One designed so it only tests the creature. He tried to fight in its ce like a retard. He paid for it. Sadly he survived. I''m not sure of the specifics. Still would have been nice if he could have kicked the bucket. I tried to have them cklisted but that Ice guy intervened. Once again going against me. That guy is the worst. He is making my life so difficult. Just because he can''t wait to dethrone me. There is no way I will give up that easily. At least, at this very moment, I am the strongest tamer here. That should count for something. This ce is in serious need of reform. We need to start training tamers in warfare tactics. We need organized battalions tounch coordinated attacks. We need only to keep the strongest of elements. This is the legacy I would like to leave this guild. Of course, there are people working hard to pull us down. *Knock knock* At the door is the Ice dude. Thinking about that asshole made him appear What is he, some kind of evil spirit? Also, what does he want? Chapter 204: Confrontation Chapter 204: Confrontation ****(POV) What brings this asshole here? "What do you want?!" "I''ll be brief. I heard about how you wanted to kick them out of the guild. Back off and leave the young tamers alone." "*Snort* Always acting like you are better than everyone! Stop defending trash!" "Equipment malfunction and you me the victim. What a role model! I am impressed!" "Screw your sarcasm. You call that an ident? He tried cheating! He got what he fucking deserved! Actually no, he still lives." "What he deserved? Trying to cheat? He only defended his pet." "*Snort* That makes it worse. A man idiotic enough to risk his life for a slime has no future. That''s why he should get kicked from the guild." "Or he might just be a valuable asset! He is extremely dedicated! I dare you to find anyone with more drive!" Howughable. The genius that has it the easiest. Talking about effort and drive. This is pure and in hypocrisy. "You know Ice, I know exactly why you are doing this." "To make the guild better obviously." "*Sigh* If only that was the case. You are worried that I have been in the spotlight for too long." "How delusional can you be?" "You say that, but why would you be epting a student with low potential? I see your angle. You want to make yourself popr by showing the plebians that you care about them. That you will even sacrifice yourself to teach an unfortunate tamer." "How ridiculous." "Did you think I did not see your politic games?" His n does make sense. Public opinion ys a lot in determining the decisions of the guild. We follow a system where the main decisions are decided by the majority. Any tamer above rank 3 has a right to state his opinion. Does that mean that all the unranked and rank 2 tamers are ignored? Yes, but also no. They do not have any direct power over the guild decisions directly. However, them being happy is what helps boost our recruitment. If neers join and see our members being mistreated, they will leave. However, this does not mean we should ept dead weights in our midst. Sure more people will join. However, these guys will be useless weaklings. It will not only not increase our power but also increase our burden. Thus his only angle has to be a political one. To craft himself a fake benevolent image. However, I know his secret. They say tamers are very alike their creatures. For instance, my temper is fiercer now than it used to be. The ice guy merged with an ice elemental. A species that doesn''t even have emotions. They exist solely to be stronger and kill. That is all. When he says that he truly cares. I do not buy it. Anyone could, but not him. I have seen his gaze the first time he came back from that disaster zone. An empty and chilling gaze. One that disregarded life itself. I have seen and understood it. Since then he has learned to hide it. But so what?! I am aware of his true nature. An unfeeling monster. One that stopped being human a long time ago. Will I do anything about it? No. Such is the nature of the tamer''s guild. As much as we are said to be the masters. The more we progress on this path The more monstrous we be ourselves. It is a fate that will befall all of us. Of course, the youngsters do not know about this. Most will never even reach such a point. The change is so gradual that no one will notice. Oh, but I did notice it quickly. For the creature I contracted was way stronger than myself. I felt it all vividly. That''s why I understand what he is going through. But understanding doesn''t mean forgiving. I hate this calctive part of him. I hate it to my very core. Hate it so much. I look at him dead in the eyes. "I know what you truly are, Ice. An unfeeling monster. That does his best to retain a semnce of humanity. You act very well. So well that you have everyone fooled. Even yourself at times." I can see his gaze changing. The previous righteous fury and sarcasm slowly dissipating. The loving teacher is gone. "No matter how you hide it I can see through you. Every decision of yours logical. ying the good guy. Repeating to yourself that you are one. Always and always. For this is the only way you keep yourself in check." "Since when?" He doesn''t bother denying it anymore. I know. He knows. We may be worlds apart character-wise. But we do share an understanding of what it is like to be at the top. Well, I have been here for longer than him. I slowly answer him while smiling. "Since the very day you became the Eternal Ice." He nods in understanding. "Well then, you should know not to stand in my way." "HAHAHAHAHA, not to stand in your way?! You are the one that will drive the guild to its ruin with your ns. Advancing your agenda slowly may work for you, but I will make sure you stay in line. Contrary to you, I truly have the guild''s well-being in mind. No matter how heartless I have to be. No matter how the public may view me in the future. I do not care!" *WOOSH* As expected haha. In a fraction of a second, his whole body turns white. The air around him frigid. His eyes turningpletely white. Looking at me emotionlessly His hands now covered by ice ws. He rushes toward me. mming me against the wall. Holding me by the neck in the air. I manage to force out one sentence only, but it is enough. "Try me bitch!" Right next to him my rank 4 smander. Coiled behind him, maw about to close on his head. ws ready to pierce his heart and stomach at any time. I may not have the most potential. But I am the strongest tamer. He reluctantly leaves defeated. Seriously, screw that fucker. Damn, I need a drink now! Chapter 205: Just a Small Wolf Chapter 205: Just a Small Wolf ****(POV) Recently I''ve been collecting information. Nothing too troublesome in fact. I have mostly just been walking around town. Listening. Just that. Turns out that there are a lot of things that humans will dare to say when no one is listening. Or at least that''s what they think. Let''s just say there are many dumb humans in this city in particr. For instance, not a single one has realized yet. They all think of me as a weak wolf. Hell, I''ve been mistaken as a dog at times too. Mostly by drunkards but still. Some people are just blind. I still remember the days when humanity used to be full of powerhouses. Ones that would have been able to detect my presence with a nce. Well, to be fair it''s not just humanity that changed. No, the world itself did. Compared to thest god''s war, these times are truly peaceful. Oh, there are undercurrents happening. A few ns to overthrow a sect. People nning to defeat some enemies. Still, there is barely any hint of a war happening. Well, the recruitment of soldiers has increased slightly. So did the price of metal and food. But it is not at a level where most would even notice. I simply knew what to look for. After all, I have experience. Sometimes I feel old. Like some remnant of the past. Wondering if my presence in this world is even warranted. But all that doesn''t matter. The king is here and I will follow him. No matter what. Recently he has been meaning to go to the diplomatic city of Eaglevein. Why he wants to go there I am not exactly sure. Think it reminds him of his past. A past I still fail to understand. Sometimes he mumbles. Especially in his sleep. Talking about knowledge foreign to me. I still don''t know where he came from. I could ask him. Get a conversation going. But I am scared. Me, the powerful me. I am scared of ruining it. He still hasn''t realized how strong I really am. Still haven''t realized how strong he really is either. Sometimes I just want to tell him about all of it. But then I falter. How will our rtionship change once I do? Every time he learns that a beast king can talk, he gets surprised. I have seen how he interacts with the unicorn. He does so more carefully than with me. Whenever it''s only us he simply speaks his mind. Without any worry. Would that change if I started replying? Would he enjoy the dialogue? Would he realize he s been mumbling and stop sharing his stories? I feel like I have heard things he would never tell a soul. I know for a fact he can use divine power. Also that he is not from this world. What kind of god is he? How is he even in the earth realm? What and who is he? Every time I want to ask it, I stop myself at thest second. I fear his reaction. Would he simply tell me? Would he be defensive? Perhaps it would be pointless. Some information is dangerous to possess. Maybe that is why he doesn''t tell me the entirety of it. Maybe he is ying dumb and knows everything about me. Maybe not. Maybe he has his circumstances. I don''t know. Sometimes I really feel like I shoulde clean. But I also like how he is protective of me. Not in a restrictive way. He trusts that I will stay out of trouble. Still. I don''t know. I have never been one that talked much in the first ce. Even back in the old days. This is also one thing that makes all of it hard. My specialty is divination. Yet, I cannot divine anything about him. I get the feeling that should I keep trying My ending would be a horrible one. Quite like jumping into an abyss headfirst. For now, I will keep observing. I quite enjoy our current rtionship. Akin to family. As long as I get to enjoy his barbecue I will be happy. At some point, I used to have the best cooks at my beck and call. Now I am traveling in the most destitute manner. Eating half-burnt barbecue most of the time. A vorless one. Funny how I still prefer the second alternative. How many would go crazy if they knew? Sometimes I wonder about the future. About what we should do as a faction. As the king''s followers, we will do just that. Still, what is even his goal? I think he hasn''t decided yet. He talks about exploring this world a lot. Afterward, he will take a stance I believe. He will judge this world. Then decide if it should exist. That is what I have understood. The current him unstoppable anyway. Yet he ys the fool. Or maybe he doesn''t. I think I am the only one that has caught unto his true nature. A benevolent one, but not to be desecrated. I don''t know. I truly don''t. All I know is that I want to remain at his side. Support him to the best of my abilities. Sometimes I wonder if he and I aren''t in a simr situation. I have reincarnated myself in this world. I did what we call a false reincarnation. Starting anew in a new body. Keeping my memories intact. I believe that my king could have done something simr. Probably aplete one if he did. Something extremely insane. It would be like betting all in when the odds are against you. The sheer power required to do such a thing... Would mean that he was extremely strong at his peak. When you are already at the top You can only go down. Telling him about it would be utterly pointless. It would be like telling a human that he is a dolphin. He would either scoff at you or develop a mental illness. Start acting like a dolphin without the memories of one. As I''m thinking that I bump into someone. It seems to be the guy from the test. The one that tried ridiculing my master. He seems drunk? Also very angry Chapter 206: Just a Small Wolf…Or Not Chapter 206: Just a Small Wolf¡­Or Not ****(POV) For once I''ve been drinking. After that encounter with that Ice guy, I needed it. Sometimes I worry about the future. My future. The future of the guild. What will happen to the continent too. How war will affect us. I seriously want the kill the guy. But we''ll need his power. I don''t think he''llpletely go against the guild either. He seems to be wanting to climb rankings and obtain a position of power. I''ll just keep working hard. I''ll kick the useless tamers out. I''ll slowly solidify our power as an organization. I''ll make sure to use his abilities to their fullest somehow. All of this is gonna be a huge fucking pain. Can''t be helped. I drink and I forget all my problems. Until it''s time to go. I have lots of things to take care of. I need to . *Bump* "Who the hell is the dumb bastard bumping into me!" I didn''t react as there was no killing intent. That and I may have drunk a bit too much. A dog? No, a small white wolf. I feel like I''ve seen that one before. It''s that weakling''s pet! The one that is Ice''s student. Right he had a donkey and a wolf. If anything this one must be the stronger one. Well, I guess it is still a cub. This is great. I wanted to kick him out of the guild. Now there is an easy way to do that. "Come here little dog." It starts running away. It''s already toote. I go after it without caring about the looks of the passerby. Somehow it is really fast. Guess I''m drunker than I thought. To have difficulty following such a dumb animal. I would call my creature out, but better not. We are still in the city. It would cause too much destruction. Not worth it for such a useless creature. Wait It seems to be heading outside. What a dumb thing. Oh well, it can''t be helped. Soon after we are outside. I summon my mingpanion. It appears and seems displeased. It knows what I called it here for. It is disgusted in killing such a weakling itself. Except I''m too drunk right now. No way will I keep running around endlessly. "Alright, time to kill the wolf, then let''s see if its master will give up being a tamer. This way the guild will get rid of a useless piece." It sits and looks over with clear big eyes. As if I would show pity. "If you must me anything me your worthless master. Today you die because of him!" "Die?" What the hell is that? Who talked?! It seemed toe from the ...wolf? I''m clearly imagining things. Guess I''m more fucked up than I thought. What was in that booze anyway? Pretty sure I mixed many things. "Hehe, that''s funny I thought I heard the wolf talk." Only beast kings are able to speak. Well except for special circumstances. Or particr species. But a wolf isn''t one. It''s impossible. Even my own contracted creature cannot speak yet. It would have to be stronger than I am. But there is no way someone with a beast king. Would ask to be taught beast taming. A master wouldn''t ask an apprentice for help. It would be pointless. Plus he was confirmed to have no talent. "*Sigh* You truly are dumb aren''t you." This time it talked!! For real! "What?! How?!! Did I fall asleep at the bar? That would be possible. Maybe this is a lucid dream. "This is real." "How?! This is impossible! You would have to be a beast king to" "Please, don''tpare me to such a weakling." Beast king, a weakling. That doesn''t make any sense. What is I''m imagining all of this! All of it! That''s it! "KILL IT!!!" I''m imagining the talking wolf. I''m imagining my summon charge at it. I''m imagining my creature getting reduced to shreds. I''m imagining the fountain of blood that drenches me. I''m imagining the soul link we had disappearing. No. The pain and the despair I am feeling both are real. This is real. My prizedpanion is dead. Gone in but an instant. A rank 4 annihted. Not even a chance to fight back. A wolf looking calmly over. Acting as if this was all normal. Looking at a fool. Looking at a waste. Looking at trash. Looking at me. How did this happen?! I went for a drink. I chased a worthless creature. It defeated me with a swipe. How?! For the first time in forever. I am weak. I am powerless. I am tiny. I am back to being filth. Alone. I am nothing. I don''t even have any other tamed beast. It took all I had to tame that one. Now it''s gone. Gone. Gone. Gone. The wolfes closer. I will die. It will bite my head off. End my pitiful existence. It doesn''t matter. I have no reason to live. None whatsoever. I am but a shadow of what I was minutes ago. Let it end. "Whose master did you say was useless again? I think I misheard." Did this all happen because I trash-talked her master? I can tell it''s she from the voice. I am ready to leave this world. "Kill me already." "I will, and then I will do the same to every other tamer in that guild of yours. Until they finally agree to give him the tamer license he''s been trying to get." Destroy the guild?! She has the power to. I may be nothing but a weakling now. But I still remember the oath I made. Back when I still had my pride. How I swore to protect the guild. It may be pointless. But I have to try, nheless. "I can get him that license easily." "Oh? Begging for your life are you?" "Nomy life is already over. I just want to save the guild." "Aren''t you simply scared of death?" "At this point I wee it." "Alright, go on. I will be waiting." I get up. Make my way back. This will be thest thing I will do in this life. Chapter 207: Fanclub? Chapter 207: Fanclub? The guild is as lively as usual. Did I run away from Kim? Perhaps a bit. I''m done with slimes for now. Overload of info. Let me see. I need to know about regtions for the diplomatic city. If it''s possible to get a passage right to proceed with a weak pet. After all, there is no way Wolfie counts as a monster. Who should I ask? Eternal Ice may get mad if I disturb him for that. I would ask little Bai *sigh* Maybe thatmittee guy? Ah, but I still haven''t gotten the autograph he asked me for. I guess the receptionist, maybe? Nope, it''s the psycho one fromst time. Who should I . "It''s him I tell you!" "Are you so sure?" There are two cute girls pointing at me. Ah, I see. Must be the new clothes. I guess it''s true that the clothes make the man. Actually, I hope not. I got this cool attire at the evil guys'' ce. I take a suave voice. [What can I do for you girls?] They are shyly looking at each other. "Would youe somewhere with us?" Is it finally my time to be popr?! Waitthere might be a catch. Unlikely, since I am truly handsome. Still better be careful. [You girls aren''t going to ask me for an Eternal Ice autograph, right?] "Of course not! We don''t care about that!" [Alright, lead the way!] Who doesn''t like attention? I''ll just go with the flow for now. Maybe sign a few autographs, ask a few questions. Then I will be on my way. Good n. After a while, we arrive before a door. "We are here!" Yes, I can see that. Where is here exactly? As I follow them inside awaits me How many people are there?! About 40 give or take. Did I stumble upon a cult? Perhaps even a pyramid scheme? Who knows It''s fine I have great willpower! I can also run fast. If it bes sketchy, I will GTFO. One of the girls runs forward. Meanwhile the other remains by my side. "Leader look who I brought!" Yep, that sounds like a cult alright. "A new member! Nice! Wee, brother!" "No! Open your eyes, you imbecile! He is Eternal Ice student!" Their leader looks at me incredulously. Then he rubs his eyes. Before suddenly smiling and dashing over. "I can''t believe it; I am meeting you for real! This is amazing!" Okay, what the hell did I miss? Is the guy crying? What''s with the overreaction? We just met too! [So, what is this about?] "AH, my bad. Where are my manners! We are the official DTF group!" [*cough* What?!] Is this some kind of really intimate club? DTF can only mean one thing "We are the Donkey Team Fans!" What the hell? Are they trying to bait people?! This is not what it is supposed to mean Ah, never mind. [So, what is this about?] "There are two factions in the guild. The ones that are voting team donkey and then ones that are voting team snake." [Didn''t thatbat already happen?] "Yes, it did, but we are specting about a possible rematch." [What for?] "Some say the donkey only won because the opponent was careless. Not us! We believe the result would be the exact same." [Thanks for the vote of confidence I guess] "You are wee!" More like what''s the point? It doesn''t change anything in my life who the people in this ce are rooting for. Hell, the unicorn is already gone. There won''t be a rematch, there won''t be any betting or spectators either. "Is it true that your donkey is magical?" [What do you mean?] "It defeated a rank 2 easily. It has also been sighted at the library reading. There is no way a beast able to read would be stupid." [Oh, guess she was reading recently. That would exin why she was busy.] "What''s with the deadpan reaction? Isn''t that amazing?!" [I mean, it''s not that surprising, get over it.] *Gasps* What? Did I say something weird? "How did you do it?" [Do what?] "Teach her to read?" [I didn''t, I don''t even know how to myself.] Well, not in thisnguage anyway. "How?! Then she how did she learn it?!" [Don''t know man, she knew already when she started following me.] "*Gasp* Where did you find her? Where there any other donkeys there?" [Why? Are you trying to get your own?] "Maybe?" [Yeah, good luck with that. She''s usually very shy.] "Then how did you..?" [Friend of a friend. That kind of thing. Don''t overthink it. She is gone at the moment.] "Gone?! Where?! Howe?!" [She had some stuff to deal with. She''ll be back at some point.] "Aren''t you worried she will be vulnerable alone?!" [Not especially. She can protect herself.] "Wow! Hear that brothers and sisters! This is the optic a strong tamer should have for sure! To trust in his pets and" [Brother that''s enough I believe.] He looks at me shyly. Is he blushing too?! "Brother, could I perhaps have an autograph?" Can''t be helped. Let''s sign one real quick. He brings a quill and some ink. How the hell am I supposed to write with that?! Like seriously?! Get me a pen! Whatever can''t falter here. I am a cool and awesome senior. *Scribble* The handsome and smart sect master of The Unnamed God Sect! [There you go!] "*Gasp* Brother, what kind ofnguage is this?!" [Hehe, you see this is what we call broken English. The bestnguage of all time to cast the most powerful of spells.] *Sound of people eximing in awe! * "I want one too!" Before long all the other members are asking for one too. *Sigh* This is understandable. I am a great guy indeed. I used to look down on Fanclubs, but now I understand how noble these organizations are. They are the only ones that saw my greatness! How discerning they are for. "Thank you! It is not as great as the donkey''s autograph, but it is better than nothing!" What the The others are nodding in agreement. OMG, I''m just a recement for getting one from a Donkey?! Are you kidding me?! Never mind. Fanclubs are all retarded! No, I''m not just jelly! How do I get out of this ce now? Chapter 208: Gone mad? Chapter 208: Gone mad? ****(POV) In the spacious room, one could see many of the main decision-makers of the guild. All of us rank 3 beast tamers. Every matter concerning the organization decided here. There are in fact members stronger than us, but most of them are missing. Gone exploring the world. No info on when their return will happen. There are only two powerhouses truly active at the moment. They are also the reason we are assembled here today. Their rivalry has been going a bit out of handtely. It doesn''t help that both have opposite visions for the future of the guild. At some point, a decision will have to be made. Most of us are still naively hoping for one of the old-timers toe back. Some have proposed asking the headquarter for help. For them to take a stance. My guess is they too might have internal issues. Either that or they are keeping their ns a secret. Maybe worried that a smaller branch will leak information. This whole thing is a mess. The popr opinion is just to wait and see. There is one thing that is worrisome. If a fight does happen between these two I don''t dare to imagine the worst consequences. What If both get injured and are out ofmission? We would be left defenseless. Sure, we have many rank 3s. When confronted with rank 4s numbers do little. A single wide-range attack is able to wipe many of us. From time to time my colleagues are proposing various solutions. "How about we ask them to swear an oath not to fight each other?" This can work but isn''t a guarantee. "How about asking for transferring either to another branch?" That would be seen as an insult for sure. Plus both are valuable assets in their own way. One is an established tamer. The other one a talented rising star. "How about just waiting?" Yeah, apparently, they fought just recently. Waiting could be really bad. I guess I''ll speak my mind. "How about we simply make a decision once and for all concerning our ns for the future." There is a lot of opposition. In such a case no matter the idea we pick we would be annoying a strong tamer. On the opposite, if we try to satisfy both at the same time it could be seen as ack of resolve. I fear discord in our midst should be squashed as soon as possible. Sadly there is also discord on how to resolve said discord. Politics are the vilest thing in existence. I truly wonder who the genius that introduced such a system is. I''d beat up whoever did that. What''s the point of having a progressive system? It only slows decision-making to a crawl. In some cases even makes it impossible. Like this one. Looks like we are in for another session of debates. One that won''t yield any result. This is so annoying. *SLAM!* What?! Someone dares to intrude upon this ce?! Who . Oh, it''s him. Our one and only 4 stars tamer, well 3.5 stars but still. Is he here to cause trouble? Honestly, at this point I just want a decision reached. I don''t care if he has to beat up all these guys for it to happen. That''s when I notice the expression of my colleagues. Something is wrong. I look at him. His usually noble and majestic appearance nowhere to be seen. His outfit is sttered with blood. His hair is a mess. He seems to have lost a shoe but doesn''t bother. Whatever fight he got into was violent! For a tamer to look like that! We are used to fighting at a range. I''m already wondering what the hell is going on. It gets worse. He opens his mouth. Then, in the most hoarse voice I have ever heard, he goes: "I hereby invoke Last Measure Right." The whole room breaks into screams. This is madness. Complete madness. What the hell happened?! A simple sentence. But one that carries incredible weight. Last Measure. One that needs to be carried right away. Without any time to reach a consensus. For any dy would cause guild annihtion. It is that kind of thing. One that needs to be carefully considered. Even sacrificing one''s life wouldn''t atone for a false call. It is that serious of a deal. Now here we are. Our stronger tamer appearing out of nowhere. Dering such an emergency state. "What is the meaning of this?!" "Yes, please exin yourself there is no!" "Shut up." Silence returns. It''s not what he said. It''s the way he said it. No time for any bullshit. We can all feel the intent behind this. Obey or die. That simple. Not even a threat. A prophecy. This is frightening. He is strong enough to fight almost all of us at once. Yet, something is threatening this man. Forcing him in a corner. Oh god. "W-what should we do?" One hesitantly asks. He replies simply. "There is a man that Eternal Ice epted as a student. Find him. Now." What?! Why would "What should we do once we find him?" He says: "Give him a rank 4 tamer license." *Gasps* "Why would we do such an insane !?" He goes: "There won''t be a guild otherwise." What?! "Are you joking?!" "There is no way we will!" "This is madness!" It does sound mad. What happened to him? He was fine this morning. Somehow, in a day he became this broken mess. Then speaks one of our oldest members. "Are you sure?" This guy has never spoken in a meeting for as long as I can remember. There is no way "Completely sure." "Alright, I understand. Do it, you guys." In a matter of instants, someone leaves to ry the message. To send all the rank 2 members looking for that one student. Meanwhile, another gets the other things ready. How?! What did I miss? Since when did this guy have so much influence? Seeing my confused expression someone addresses me. "You werete to join us, but this old man is a representative from the headquarters. While he might not be strong, he is extremely wise." That would exin it all. Of course, someone from headquarter would know more than us. But seriously what the hell is happening?! Chapter 209: High Demand Chapter 209: High Demand So, should I run away? This fan club isn''t mine. It is the unicorn''s one. This is kinda sad. Then again it makes sense, that is what fan clubs are like. Having an idol that you won''t ever meet. Most of the time anyway. "Guys, stop saying bullshit like that! Her master is here! Stopining and ask him questions about taming!" Nice! Finally out of my friend''s shadow. "Ah, true! What are your views on taming?" Not nice! I need to answer that. Should I just say I have absolutely no idea? Then again, I don''t want to lose my image of a respected senior. What do you do when that happens? You look convinced and convincing. This is the secret to marketing by the way. No matter the crap you are selling. Gotta act like it is the best thing ever. *Cough while straightening the back* [You see many have the wrong idea about taming. They see it as way moreplicated than it is. It is simply about trust. As simple as that.] "Trust? But how can trust make your creature obey your orders?" [If you want to have a truly strong partner, you need them to be helping you of their own free will. This is the only way they will realize their true potential.] "So ultimate trust before establishing a soul link?" [A soul link isn''t even required. As long as you share an understanding everything is fine.] "But won''t betrayal be possible then?!" [Yes, but it won''t happen. Trust, remember.] *Gasps* "What?! A soul link is required to make your pet stronger and" "Oh my god. I just had a crazy thought! There is a limit to the number of creatures one can soul-link with!" "You don''t mean by foregoing the soul link one could create an army?!" "This is impossible" "Yeah, there is no way" [You. Yes, you. You got it right. As long as there is trust there won''t be the problem of splitting your soul to tame many beasts. You can get as many as you want.] Good thing he thought of that. I really wasn''t going there. It does sound logical, however. This is why being an opportunist is a must. Gotta praise people for figuring out ideas you never had in the first ce. People are impressed again. "Then how did you gain the trust of your pets if I can ask?" [Let me see. For Wolfie, I used my amazing culinary talents. I may not look like it, but I can barbecue like a god.] "Wow, where did you meet her?" [Hum, ever heard of the savage archaic forest?] "A disaster zone?!" Disbelieving expressions and yet impressed ones all around the ce. Like they can''t believe it, but they kinda do too. You know that feeling. "What about the donkey?" [I sang her a powerful war song to convince her of my valiance!] "Wow! Sing it for us too!" [No way! You guys would be way too impressed afterward!] "Aw, alright." "If you had any advice for neers what would it be?" It is in time like these that I need an 8 ball. You know to pretest the bullshit beforehand. Anyway, time to use an old fortune-teller trick. So what you want to do is be as vague as possible. Then as you keep talking you observe your audience. As long as they agree you keep developing. As soon as you see someone frown you change it. Oh, my bad did I say an A? I meant an E. You know. Stuff like that. [The trick is to go one step at a time.] They seem to be buying it. "That makes sense." "So to make sure to be patient." "After all one needs to be patient to tame a strong creature." "This could also mean patient to wait for a weak creature to grow." "True that would make sense." "Does that also mean to always keep working every day?" "Yeah, he did talk about many talents like cooking and singing." "It must have taken a long time to learn all that." I''m here just watching them interact with one another. Do I even need to be here? They seem to know what they are talking about. This situation is simr to a master asking an apprentice. I can say a lot, but honestly, I don''t know. Still, they seem happy. That''s when we hear amotion outside. One of them goes to check it out. What is happening to cause such a ruckus here? Probably a beast on the loose or something. I''m sure that kind of stuff happens here on a daily basis. Or not, I don''t know really. "This is bad. They are looking for you!" Wait, is she pointing at me? "Yes! The star tamer sent a notice that everyone should look for you." What now? Am I screwed? There are 40 of them here. I think I can get away. What about all the others outside? "Don''t worry we''ll hide you! We can''t let the donkey''s master suffer! Otherwise, we wouldn''t be worthy of our convictions!" What? Let me get this straight. This wannabe fan club is about to go against the whole tamer guild. Only to help me? Only because I am the master of the unicorn that they think is a donkey. I want to be grateful and touched. However, all I can think about is what the fuck? Are these guys retarded?! That''s when someone barges in. "C''mon all you guys you gotta stop cking! Stop your useless gathering and join the search!" They are about to protest but "Hurry up! Go out, you guys! We are looking for Eternal Ice''s student. Go and call out to him in town!" What now? Everyone is exiting. They sometimes nce at me nervously. I just follow them. They start going around shouting. They don''t know my name, so they just use my title. As I''m at a loss on what to do the previous guy hollers at me. "You! Yes, you! I want you to shout too! No cking!" [Eternal Ice''s student! Where are you?!] "No, I want you to have more pep in your voice!" [ETERNAL ICE''S STUDENT WHERE ARE YOU?!] "Now that''s good! Keep going like that!" He gives me a satisfied look. Guess it''s time for me to go look for myself? But seriously what do these guys even want? I''ve been super low-key recently. Well, there was that little hup with the murder and arson but . Chapter 210: Escape Chapter 210: Escape We slowly exit thepound. The whole way I keep shouting as if looking for myself. I do get some weird looks from people that think they recognize me. But then my aplices tell them I just look simr. Add to that the fact that only a fool would look for himself. Plus the new clothes that make me look more refined. Somehow, we manage to make our way toward the city. The good news is that this thing doesn''t seem to concern the city itself. That is the weird part about it. "Psst, why are they looking for you?" [That I truly don''t know.] "Did you do anything out of the ordinary recently?" Thatshould I tell or not "As long as it''s not something evil I won''t judge you know." [I may have destroyed the hideout of some bad guys. The kind that are involved in many shady businesses.] "Wait?! Are you the one that destroyed the Corpses guys?!" [Yes, but keep your voice down.] "Wow, that''s amazing!" "Really?!" "They should reward you for that, not hunt you." "Maybe they are looking for him to reward him?" [Would you take the chance in my shoes? They wouldn''t do such a manhunt if they meant anything good.] "True." "Where should we go to hide?" [I may have an idea. I have a friend at the city library.] "Oh! That guy is actually an unofficial member of our club!" [What do you mean unofficial?] "He agrees with us, he just doesn''t want to join the group. I think he''s shy." That would make sense. Plus he may very well be busy with his actual job. [Lead the way, you guys. The faster we get there the better.] Then happens an intense sneaking scene. Then we get spotted. It finally ends up in an action-packed chasing scene. Or not. We just keep acting like we are properly searching. We reach the library. Wolfiees from out of nowhere and joins us. Seriously I don''t know how she does that. My guess is that I''m just not attentive enough to my surroundings. After all, Ie from a peaceful world. At least, I think. As we are reaching the door a guard blocks our way and "There are no animals allowed inOUCH! What''s your problem?!" "You shut the fuck up! *Now looking at me* Sorry about that he''s new on the job. Have fun reading Sir!" What was that about? One guard is totally baffled. The other is smiling while bowing. Why do I get the feeling he is stressed a bit? Ah, I see! My library friend probably gave them orders to give me preferential treatment. This is awesome! Meanwhile, the other tamers are looking at me in awe. "Why was he being so respectful?!" [I told you, I know the guy in charge of this ce!] Just as I am talking about him, I notice him there. Reading some book near the entrance. [Hey man.] "Hum? You?! What are you doing here? Where is your unic. donkey?!" [Ah, she''s gone. Had some stuff to do. Long story. Listen, don''t freak out but I need a ce to hide.] "Why? Who are you running from?" [Just the entire tamer''s guild.] "What?! How the hell did this happen?!" [What did I say about freaking out?] "Fine, you can stay here for now, but it''s only a matter of time until they search here. You''ll need a n of action." [Thanks man.] A girl on the side is remarking that they are with me so it''s not the whole guild. That is true, my bad. We slowly make our way into what appears to be a small reading room. Most of ourpanions have left at this point. Would be pretty conspicuous to have 40 individuals all chilling here. [Now time for a n! Quick we need a map of the city! We need a copy of the guards'' schedule! We need to n for a diversion so I can escape!] Time for some advanced n! I may becking, but together I''m sure we can figure it out. "I don''t have a n of the city. Not a recent one anyway. Why the hell would we have the guards'' schedule? What exactly do you have in mind for the distraction?" I don''t know. I was counting on them to give ideas. As for distraction, we have a bunch of tamers. We could have them rampage in town but that would be an issue for people. [No one here can use illusion magic by any chance?] "Brother we are all tamers. Don''t ask the impossible." [Fine. I guess I can just charge through.] "Wait, are you saying you want to take on the entire tamer''s guild?!" I mean let me think about this. If I use body reinforcement to run fast. I could simply keep running until they can''t follow anymore. Is it risky? Yes. But I''m probably better off taking initiative. Instead of waiting for them to corner me. I can just run. Never to look behind. [Yep, I guess that will do.] "That''s insane! There are many rank 3 beast tamers at least!" [Yes, but my teacher may help too. Chances are only a few will be able to chase. Plus I won''t fight. I''ll just run.] "At some point, you will have to slow down to block attacks! It will only be a matter of time before they catch up!" [Haha, don''t worry. As long as they stick to regr attacks I''ll be fine.] No, what I''m worried about is unknown special magic. This is what may cause my demise. I swear, the unicorn really chose a bad time to leave. I could have simply jumped on her back. Then we could have escaped easily. I''m not sure how strong she really is. But she is super-fast. Kinda sad we could have yed the toppling an army game again. Except this time not just with skeletons. Hey, I''m not one to encourage violence. But it is satisfying to see all your enemies just getunched all over the ce. You know after an awesome charge. *Sigh* Such a shame. Thenes a voice from the general direction of the entrance. "I heard Eternal Ice''s student is here! Please answer me! I have a message!" What?! How did they get here so fast?! Chapter 211: Hostage situation Chapter 211: Hostage situation That guy knows I''m here?! Crap! [Psst, what do we do?] Should I just try running? Are we surrounded already? Can I make a run for it? "Want us to make diversion while you run for it?" [Alright let''s do that and] "Wait! There is no way they would have sent someone inside carelessly!" Ah, that makes sense. That would be extremely dumb. They would only reveal their hand once the trap is ready. [Thank you, I was about to jump right into a trap. Nice catch!] Still, it doesn''t make things easier. I am already stuck here. What do I ? One of the girlses forward. "I have an idea. A bold one. An insane one too." [I''m already in deep trouble. At this point anything goes.] "Take me as a hostage!" [What?!] "Take me hostage! I have family in Eaglevein! I can be used as a bargaining chip!" [First off what is Eaglevein and there is no way I would do such a ] "Eaglevein! You know the top dogs in charge of this ce!" [Wait, wasn''t that the diplomatic . oh ok, so that''s how it''s called. That still doesn''t change that] "You won''t be taking me hostage for real! We will simply be acting!" [But what if something goes wrong and?!] "Shut-up and just do it!" [That, alright. How should I] She takes out a dagger from god knows where and ces it in my hand. She thenes closer and before I know it, I''m holding a dagger to her neck. "Alright now slowly let''s move somewhere that messenger guy can see us." What the hell am I doing?! If we get attacked, I''ll have to rotate to protect her. What about the others? They are giving us thumbs up. Seriously guys? I am holding a dagger to their friend''s neck. Yep, they are just smiling brightly encouraging us. Some people just want to watch the world burn it seems. Oh well, can''t me them. We get in that messenger''s sight. "Psst, be convincing." [Stay back! I have a hostage! Either you guys let me through or" He just looks this way confused. What''s with that guy? Has he never dealt with a hostage situation? Ah, maybe that job doesn''t exist here. Maybe they just randomly pick a random guy for the job. After all, he is carrying a letter with him. He seems to be processing the situation for a little bit. Then he opens his mouth: "Are you Eternal Ice''s student? Come with me now and nothing will happen to you!" Wow. ssic bad guy line. Starting with the threats right away. What will he do if I don''t surrender? He didn''t say that part. Was it out ofziness? Or does he want me to simply imagine the worst? Will he try and break my legs? Will he kill me? I can actually picture a few things that are worse. For instanceno, no time for that! Gotta focus. [If youe any closer, I will slice the delicate-looking neck of this beautiful youngdy!] "*Whisper* Oh that''s so sweet." Why is she getting happy at this exact moment?! I guess it''s true that women lovepliments. But seriously how is she not stressed at all?! "Hurry up ande with me or " Out of nowhere appears a moving blur. *TACKLE! * The messenger is now on the ground. Ah! The guard that let us pass in the beginning tackled him, hard! [What?! Why are you helping us?!] "Just protecting my city. There is no way I would let that dumbass keep escting the situation." [Nice! Thank you!] "Just doing my job. *Sigh* But now we have a problem. There are many guards outsideing this way. This will be a pain in the ass." [Ah, I guess we can drop the act for now. We need to think of ] "No! Stay in character! If you don''t even believe yourself that you are holding me hostage how are others supposed to believe you?!" [Yes, but...] "No but! Just do it!" [Ah, sure] The guy with the knife is getting told what to do by the hostage. Howical must this look to outsiders? I''d say a lot because the other students are rolling on the floor in tears. Ah, whatever. [So, what''s the n?] "We give them, a list of demands. Mostly to let us leave the city safely." [Wait shouldn''t you guys just return to the guild? Otherwise, you''ll all be implicated!] "Please we are just innocent victims why would we be?" So she says while batting her eyelids. Is she trying to act cute? Okay, it''s working, but not the time! [How is the situation outside?] The guard that is on our side for some reason goes to the door to check. My guess is he is probably trying to protect the library. "There seem to be even more soldiers gathering. There are guild tamers encircling the ce too. We arepletely surrounded." [Figures, go tell them that if anyone evenes nearby they can kiss this youngdy''s neck goodbye!] Actually [Wait! Also, tell them that we will only negotiate directly with you. We want them to get someone that has the power to assure our safe travel!] He nods and goes outside to ry the message. This is bing such a shitshow. Well, hostage situations are always one, to be honest. As long as it doesn''t end up in a shooting all is good. I mean, fantasy world. No guns. As long as it doesn''t end up in a bloodbath. Let''s go with that. I guess I''ll have to reconsider going to Eaglevein too. Can''t be a criminal and try to get ess to a city. I mean I''m sure there are smugglers, as everywhere else. It''s just not worth it anymore. I was mostly heading there out of curiosity. It is annoying how this all started from me trying to clean some trash. I guess I''ve been too lucky so far. The only time I''ve been hunted seriously was at the border town. Even then it got resolved super quickly. Only involved one big group too. No one else irrelevant got affected. I hope this turns out fine. Chapter 212: The Calm Before the Storm Chapter 212: The Calm Before the Storm Our chosen negotiatores back. His face grim. "There are a lot of guys out there. For some reason, it seems as if the entirety of the guild was out on a stroll. Now they are all congregating over here. They will contact someone that can take the decision to allow you guys through." Okay, we just need to wait patiently. Also, yes. They were on a stroll actually. All looking for me. This is my first huge scale manhunt. The only experience I have in that would be videogames. I used to always get out of these situations with cheat codes. So, no experience really. I need a n. Wait a minute. [Someone read that letter he was bringing me! Perhaps there will be clues about their exact intentions.] "Will that really change anything?" "Won''t it simply be a matter of bad or worse?" [I mean I''m just grasping at straws right now. Plus I can''t think of anything better to do.] We make our way over the unconscious guy. Turn him over to reach for the letter and . It is all sttered in ink. Who carries an ink bottle everywhere he goes?! What kind of psycho does that?! Right, they don''t have pens here. [Well, that was pointless.] Now what?! My talkative wannabe hostage intervenes. "How about we make a list of demands in the meantime?" [Don''t we simply want for them to let me leave without fighting?] "Nope, you see you need to think smart. If you ask only for that it is questionable if they willply. Now, if you add a bunch of random demands." [They will ept the easiest one, is that it?] "Exactly!" By the way, why is she so happy to get fake kidnapped? How bored is she? Now since earlier the others are barely cing a line. She''s so assertive and engaged in the process. Go figure. Teenagers or something. How old is she anyway? I will not try to guess. I''m really bad at that. I do have a trick however fordies. You know if you are ever asked to guess their age. In doubt always say 20. Now believe me this works. If she is younger, she will be pleased to appear mature. If she is middle-aged, she will take it as apliment. If she is old, you just got yourself a sugar mommy. But that is beside the point. She elegantly puts our demands into words. "How is it?" I cannot read, but it should be fine. Now, obviously, I am expecting some over-the-top stuff. All that doesn''t matter. All smoke to hide our true purpose haha. Is this bing a mind game? I like that stuff. [All good!] She says heroically: "Bring this to whoever is in charge!" Poor guard. He is worked like a dog. Now we wait, I guess. I like how the other students somehow all grabbed a book at some point. Now they are casually reading. There is probably invisibility magic in the world. What would happen if a member of some special force used that to infiltrate us? How surprised would he be? A rescue mission where no one is panicking at all. Where the victim turns out to be the mastermind. It wouldn''t surprise me if he would lose his concentration from it. Could you picture an invisible mage suddenly appearing? It would be an ultimate failure. As I''m thinking that I''m just petting Wolfie. From time to time she res at that hostage girl. Is she jealous? This is kind of funny. She has been wandering around so muchtely. Now just as shees back this happens. Talk about bad timing. The strong unicorn left, the weak one remained. I mean I''m happy that Wolfie is here. I''d just prefer if she wasn''t in danger. Maybe I am just unlucky. [Hey, Wolfie how about you fake being one of these guys'' creatures? We could send you to safety.] *Snort* She wants to stay with me. This is what loyalty is all about. Risking your life for your friend. Who''s the dumbass that said a soul-link is mandatory? [Alright but do be careful.] *m* "I''m back! I have conveyed your message." [And?] He seems to be fidgeting. "They keep saying they don''t have the authority to make a decision." [Well, I guess this is normal. Guess we just need to] "Wait! They didn''t say anything about what I wrote at all?!" "No" "They are buying time. They have no intention of truly cooperating!" [What?!] "I meanyou saw all the ridiculous stuff I wrote. While they may not have the authority to ept it, they definitively have the authority to reject most of the stuff on it." [Now what would they be stalling for?] "A rescue mission. Are there any other entrances to this ce?" [Hey librarian friend! That one is a question for you!] Wait he is reading too?! His library is under attack at the moment, and he doesn''t care? I''m not sure whether to be worried for him or simply praise his balls of steel. I meane on! "Oh? I was reading. Indeed there is only that one entrance." Then he goes back to his book. If I ever be an author, I want my work to be that addictive. No matter the situation, have the reader hooked. But seriously we can''t simply wait here forever. Even with one entrance, they could try to drill a hole in a wall of something. You know the famous, nting c4 scene. The wall bursting into pieces. Then they would throw smoke grenades to confuse us. Finally, storm the ce and. Is there a magical version of all of the above? Usually, it would end up causing potential victims. I can''t risk that since these guys are friends. It''s in moments like these that I wish I could use magic. Surrounded by tons of guards? Teleportation magic time! Cyater suckers! Oh well, I''ll just hope for the best. It''s not like I have a better option right now. Actually I should probably use that scouting ability of mine haha. This feels like the calm before the storm. Hopefully, we''ll get through this. Chapter 213: Just Deal With It Chapter 213: Just Deal With It ****(POV) "My Lord there is a situation!" What the hell is it now?! Why are these guys always intruding on my private time?! Can''t they get a fucking clue?! I give a kiss to the beauties surrounding me and slowly get up. "What is it now. If you disturbed me for no reason, I''ll have your head." "My lord, there is something big happening at the library. There is a hostage situation and" "Just send guards to take care of it! How useless can you be?!" "T-that my lord, the hostage is from the upper-strata of Eaglevein." Are you fucking kidding me?! First, it''s a dumb worthless guard that I have to tolerate. With all that slime bullshit. Now it''s another scion getting in trouble. Why the fuck am I the only one that needs to clean up after their shit. This is irking. Just let me live in fucking peace already. These guys can all die for all I care. Why can''t they just stay home? It''s always the idiots that go to explore the world too. The wise ones take on responsibilities in their respective families. "*Sigh* Fine, what''s the situation?" "We have the ce surrounded already. It turned out that there were many off-duty guards near the scene. The tamer''s guild also has many members in the area." "Nice! We can leave this to the guild then! Let''s just let them handle it. Ah, but do make a show out of it. Send many soldiers to support them. Do let them go first in case something goes wrong." "Understood my Lord!" He leaves. This should be fine. I guess I got lucky on that one. With soldiers there the worst that can happen is the hostage dying. Good things the tamers are there to take the me. This is all a political game. If I y my cards well I can even use the incident to strip some of their powers. I can use the argument of wanting to increase the coboration between us. To prevent another tragedy from happening. Well, that is how I would sell it. So what if a dumb young second-generation gets killed. They can all die for all I care. I get back to the delicate bodies of my concubines until "My Lord! Report!" Goddamnit! Can''t they just take care of it themselves? Ah, *Sigh* fine. Guess I''ll get dressed. Sometimes I hate this job. "What is it now?" "T-that there are updates. The tamer guild is not getting involved at all. Apparently, only some of the younger tamers are on the ce out of curiosity. The core of their forces is staying out of it. They are apparently looking for one of theirs." "Well that''s easy, just sprinkle rumors that the one they are looking for is in the library. That should get them going." "I tried that my Lord, but they said the one they are looking for wouldn''t get caught in such a trifling matter like a dumbass." "So they are busy looking for someone strong enough to deal with the entire hostage situation by himself. Just lie and say some of their younger members are inside the library! That should get them going!" "My lord that''s the strange part. The hostage is one of theirs. They still do not care." What the hell?! Are we talking about the proud tamer''s guild here?! The one that won''t give an inch of ground in negotiations. The one that is always independent. Is it really that one? Yet now they are not caring one bit about a loss of face. There is something weird going on. "M-my lord, there is more." "What is it?" "They sent a list of demands. Some of the points there are extremely outrageous." "What? Are they asking for lots of gold? Are they asking for a carriage to get away from the city?" "T-that, there was the request for you to sing and dance buck naked in the town square my lord." What the hell?! Who is the fucker doing this! Is this some sort of borate n to make me lose power? Is the guild actually behind this? Are they trying to use the argument that life should be more precious than my dignity? This is bad. It is a really stupid move on their part. Still, one that could screw me over. If only the hostage was any random citizen. We could just enter and kill them all. Captor and hostage included. That is why I hate nobles. Always gotta walk on eggshells around them. "Who exactly is the one doing the deed?" Maybe I can get a clue on the exact situation by knowing exactly who their puppet is. "We don''t know my lord." "What do you mean you don''t know? Didn''t they say their demands?!" "T-that, there used to be two guards at the door of the library. They both saw everyone that entered it. However, only one of them saw the situation inside directly." "Just interrogate that guy then! Do I have to tell you how to do your job?!" "My lord, he won''t cooperate. There is one thing he kept repeating over and over, however." "What would that be?" "He said that the guy inside said that he would only negotiate with that him my lord. He also" "That is understandable, if that guy is obedient of course he would. Let''s fire that guard afterward. You were saying?" "My lord he also said something worrying. He said that no matter what we should not anger the one inside. Otherwise, it would potentially lead to the destruction of the whole city." "What?! Preposterous! The destruction of MY city! How retarded can you be to believe him! He is obviously an aplice!" How fucking useless! I taught these guards of mine to be careful. Still, the way they are acting now is simply stupidity. As if anyone would have the power to single-handedly destroy this ce. I kind of want to kill this dumbass right here and now But I really can''t appear right now. "Go back out there. Stop being stupid. Just send a rescue squad already. Make sure the tamer''s guild cooperates too. Force them if you have to. Now go and don''te back before all this mess is cleaned up!" Hopefully, these dumbasses will resolve it quickly. As long as I don''t personally appear Everything should be fine. Chapter 214: Dealing With It Chapter 214: Dealing With It ****(POV) *Sigh* This job of mine is really exhausting. I''m the one and only assistant to the lord. I''m also one of the guards here. I was really happy at first when I got promoted. Better sry, the feeling of climbing the hierarchy, power. I was a fool. I should have stayed a simple guard. The lord is extremelyzy and will dump any work there is to be done on me. Well, the good thing is that I can do the same. I try to have a few subordinates help me. Still, it is concerning having a lord that barely cares about the city. His philosophy is that as long as nothing big happens it''s not of his business. Except that this situation right now might evolve into a huge problem. There are so many red gs. The guards and the guild both there, yet none daring to make a move? This is weird. Reminds me of that thing with the slimes. Well, that one was a false rm. I personally went to confirm, and the slimes were only slightly higher in number. I guess we just need to reevaluate their breeding rate, but nothing too troublesome. In this case, there is a clear danger. If we lose the hostage, we''ll be punished for sure. To be honest the whole thing is madness. Even if the culprit manages to get away, he''ll be hunted down. Why did we have to chance upon a madman? I reach the scene of the action. "Hey, I''ll be in charge from now on. What exactly is preventing you guys from moving in?" A captain there answers me. "Sir, we have sent someone to get help. We are awaiting the arrival of an expert. Afterward, we''ll move-in ording to his expertise." That''s good. At least they aren''t just sitting duck. I wonder who they are waiting for? Must be one of our mages. Yeah, obviously. "What about the guild?" "They refuse to participate in this at all." "Alright keep standing watch, I''ll go talk to them." Now, just gotta find someone that can ah that one will do. One of the youngsters, but one that is part of their disciplinary group. Don''t ask me why I know that. "Hey there, young man. I''m in charge of the operations of the city guard. I''ll need you to cooperate with us on this." He turns to me. "Sorry, no can do. We already have our hands full at the moment." "Young man, are you unaware that the hostage in there is one of yours?" "Oh, we know. We are looking for someone. This is a directive of the guild" "Yes, but surely saving a life shoulde before this." "Are you done interrupting me? As I was saying we are looking for someone." He nces around making sure no one in earshot. " *Whisper* Keep it for yourself, but we are looking for a rank 4 tamer of ours. Once we find him we''ll ask him to handle the situation. Got it?" Damn! A rank 4?! "Who is it? Star Tamer or Eternal Ice?" I can see his gaze filled with admiration. "Nope. A neer. A true tamer. The coolest guy I''ve ever met and " That''s when I stop listening. That worshipping expression tells me a lot. He''s resolved himself to wait for his idol. This is annoying. Still, this isforting. There doesn''t seem to be any deep scheme behind this. There is one thing I do find weird. What''s with these crazy demands of theirs? Especially the one where they want the guards to organize a red carpet walk for them with rose petals? Who is the insane bastard that came up with these? Anyway, I guess I need to do something about the gathering crowd. We need more entertainment in this city. So many bored citizens are currently crowding over. Well, there is an easy way to take care of it. "Listen up people! I''m busy with stuff right now. Any bystander still here in 10 seconds will get beaten up by yours truly!" I do a countdown slowly. All gone now. It is the basic procedure to clear the irrelevant people. Ah, I see the issue. For some reason, most of the guards here are off duty. I go back to the captain. "By the way how did you guys happen to be in the area?" He scratches his head in embarrassment. "We were drinking Sir. Seeing off an old colleague of ours. He is going back to the diplomatic city soon." I see. It was all a coincidence. This is a good thing. Otherwise, the culprit would have been free to run. At least now he is stuck in a building with no exit other than the main one. Getting away is impossible. At least it should be. Thenes a man. "Sir! I heard about what happened! I''m a mage affiliated with the " "Sure, I don''t care about that. What can you do?" "Sir, in this situation I could use invisibility magic and try to sneak inside to rescue the hostage directly." Nice! I''m so d we have this guy. Perfect power for the task at hand! "Alright, I''ll be counting on you! Make sure to strike decisively and not to make any mistake!" "Yes Sir! I''ll just need an opportunity to " That''s when the door opens. That one guard that has been going back and forth asking for news is out again. "Well, there you go. It seems luck is on our side. Go ahead!" He slowly chants and disappears. This is perfect. As that guy returns back in, he will be able to follow him secretly. After that, I will simply have to wait for the good news. Then I will be done with that bullshit. Right, I am supposed to involve the tamer''s guild somehow. Screw that. I''d rather try and save a life. If it works, the lord won''t be able to me me. If it doesn''t workhe''s busy hiding anyway. Already scared by their rather peculiar demands. As I approach the captain, he hands me a piece of paper. On it more requests. Written in elegant calligraphy. Okay, what the fuck. Who the hell asks for snacks during a hostage situation?! Chapter 215: A Pro Chapter 215: A Pro ****(POV) Every day I regret what could have been. I am a city mage. Most of the guards can''t use much magic. This should give me an exalted status. The only problem is that I am serving the lord here as a favor. A favor for saving my life. It all happened when we were in the diplomatic city. I got osted by an unknown man. He wanted to use my services to walk in the women''s bath. You know with the invisibility magic and all. I needed money so I epted. Turn out that the guy got found out. Usually, he would have been the one to suffer from getting caught. Nope, he turned out to be some noble. Yes, I''m talking about the very lord of this city. He med me, brought me trouble. The only alternative I had to survive was to serve him. For the sry of a normal guard. Yes, he is an asshole. Not only lustful but also an idiot. I''ve heard rumors that he used to be a decent human being. As if I''d believe something that far stretched. Anyway, it doesn''t matter. I need to focus. I have a job to do. I need to sneak into the library and dispose of the enemy. Making sure the hostage is unharmed. Perfect job for me. Actually, this might be an opportunity. I need to perform well now. This could be a life-changing moment for me. I could even go back to the capital. This would be amazing. Just in time as they send a messenger with their demands. I turn invisible and follow him as he heads back in. I make sure to silence the sound of my footsteps. All good. I enter undiscovered. I look around warily What the hell?! That''s the only way to describe what I''m seeing. Many young people. Some are reading. Some are talking to each other. One is even sleeping in the back. Where is the enemy?! There is even a small white wolf. I have the feeling it nced at me quickly. No, I''m probably imagining things. Is the dangerous individual disguised? Is he watching from somewhere hidden? The scene in front of me clearly doesn''t make sense. More like, it would be fine in a normal situation I guess I should listen to their conversation. It is confusing a first, but I figure it out. They are ying a game. They go, I spy with my little eye Then they give the description of something. The others then take turns trying to guess what it is. It is a contest of whoever manages to figure it out the fastest. Everything is peaceful. Too peaceful. I keep listening and listening, but I can''t get any clue. Where is the victim here? Should I just try to go back and ry this weird information? Should I stay and keep analyzing? I do get the feeling that staying here pondering won''t really help. This is crazy. Had I known I would have stayed home. They didn''t even call for me. I am the one that chanced upon the outside scene. I shouldn''t have volunteered. At all. Wait, rx. Even if I don''t understand anything, I am safe. I have enough mana to stay hidden for a long time. This is my specialty after all. I just need to wait. In the background, I hear them ying their game. A young man in the middle. One that looks ordinary. One you wouldn''t notice in a crowd. One that is petting the wolf. Peacefully smiling. He opens his mouth. Then starts a sentence. As many others have done before. I spy with my little eye he goes. He starts a description. Not of an object, but of a human. This much is clear. The more it goes the more ufortable I be. At first, I''m not exactly sure why. But then it hits me. Chills me to my very core. The more he goes on The more I realize who he is describing. Me. He is describing me perfectly. No, that''s impossible! I am fully invisible. That wolf. It nced at me before. What if it wasn''t a mistake?! What if it knows?! No, this shouldn''t be! It can''t! I need to calm down and The others keep guessing without sess. Then he agrees to give them another hint. He says that the thing he is talking about is currently invisible. Fuck. I''m screwed. Royally and utterly fucked. If I surrender now, will he let me live? He opens his mouth once more. [What will it be. Exposed dead or alive?] Oh shit! He isn''t kidding! There is only one thing to do. "Wait! I surrender! Please spare me!" I throw myself on the ground kneeling. Invisibility undone. Defenseless. Oh god. Now my fate rests in his hands. Please let me live another day. Please, I am too young to die. I want to hit the baths onest time at least! He takes an authoritative voice. [Well then, it will be your turn, go ahead.] My turn? Will he kill me now?! I want to grab his leg and beg. It probably wouldn''t work. For once I regret being born a guy! I could have tried to charm him! I''m fucked. [Repeat after me.] "Y-yes Sir! Anything!" Will it be a soul oath? Will he make me his ve? Beats dying in any case. I''ll do it! [I spy with my little eye...] "I spy with my little *choke! *" What the hell is happening?! [Then you want to finish by describing something, go on.] He wants me to y?! What?! No, this can''t be so simple. Quick think! I need to say something to save my skin. Ah, I know! "I spy with my little eye, an extremely handsome and courageous beast tamer. One that has a heroic and wise white wolf!" [HAHAHA, please! That one is too easy! You gotta make it more difficult! That''s obviously me!] In the background, I can see the others making disgusted expressions. Whatever I just want to live! Everything will be fine now, right?! Chapter 216: Powerhouses Gathering Chapter 216: Powerhouses Gathering ****(POV) The mage I sent inside still hasn''te out. The more this goes on the more I curse the lord. I''m just an assistant. Why is this shit my problem? That captain guyes nearby. "Sir, we should be good to go soon. Our reinforcement shoulde any minute now." Wait a minute! "What do you mean soon? The mage already went in!" "A mage, Sir? Ah, I see. Must have been that guy. That''s not who we were waiting for." "Then who?!" Hees closer and starts whispering. "This brother of mine that is leaving the town soon happens to have a rank 4 friend. Well, his rank is unknown, but he''s killed a rank 4 barehanded in the past." What?! That''s impossible! There is no way that What is happening to the world? The guards awaiting a rank 4 expert. Quite possibly a monk. For them, weapons are pointless. Being unharmed not a disadvantage. Then on the other hand there is the tamer''s guild. They are searching for that rank 4 of theirs. One we know nothing about. Hearing this I''m starting to wonder if I should simply run. Get as far away as this city as possible. One powerhouse visiting may be a coincidence. Two at the same time and it is a precursor to war. At least in my experience. For a rank 4 has a huge tactical value for a faction. They are the strongest at the moment. Plus these guys are all old monsters for the most part. They have experience. Beating them with raw power is close to impossible. Tricking them can prove even more troublesome. There will be champions eventually reaching rank 5 for sure. But that is a concern for the future. This shit is definitely above my pay grade. Now there are already two of them that will likely be involved. The good thing is that they seem to be allies. This is reassuring. I feel like this is overkill. I can''t help but chuckle imagining two rank 4 helping settle a hostage situation. It would obviously be using excessive force haha. Still, I''m sure these guys would have many ways to do so. One doesn''t be that strong without a few secret techniques. Well, hopefully the mage we sent inside will. I can see the library door opening. Comes out that guy. Clearly visible. He doesn''t seem to be injured in any way. This is good news. There is just one thing. Why is he alone? Where is the hostage? I can''t see any trace of a fight on him. Almost as if he only went inside for a talk with a friend. I guess I''ll know soon. He stops in front of me. "Here, this is for you!" A folded piece of paper. It''s . a list of demandsagain. For some reason, it includes a pnquin now. One carried by servants that are muscr and bare-chested. What the actual fuck. Who the hell is making these random demands?! "What is going on?! What happened inside?" He thinks for a few moments before answering. "I truly suggest you cooperate with him. I can fool any rank 3 with my invisibility spell. I couldn''t fool him. I couldn''t even fool his pet." "Wait, you are telling me that there is a culprit in there that is at least rank 4?! One that has a pet that is also rank 4?!" "*Sigh* Something like that. Oh yeah, most of the demands are bullshit, however. The so-called hostage is the one writing those on a whim. A teenage girl. From my understanding, he seems to be an enemy of the tamer''s guild." Oh crap. What did I just say about an uing war?! What are the chances of so many rank 4 randomly showing up at once? Close to 0. I guess these 2 ally rank 4 are chasing that new guy. There is one thing that terrifies me. He is not running in the slightest. He is simply waiting for their arrival. What kind of history do they have together? He also isn''t bothered by the many small fries crowding over. He probably has the power to end us all in a heartbeat. Oh my god. This town is about to be a warzone. Will it even remain standing afterward? The worst being we can''t do anything about it. Should I try and send a missive to the diplomatic city? No, they won''t help. This situation is way too murky. Even they would likely have huge losses by joining the fray. "What about that one demand that is asking for safe passage out of the city? That one is always there no matter what." "Yeah, that one is clearly a joke. If he wants to leave not a soul here will be able to stop him." Figures. I understand. He doesn''t want anything at all. We should simply leave him alone. At this point, we made such a ruckus. Only to shoot ourselves in the foot. Staying here a second more is simply going to increase our losses. Welp, screw that shit. I take a deep breath. "THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING TO THIS HOSTAGE SITUATION SIMULATION! Good job overall, but there are a few points to improve for sure. I''ll tell you guys at training. Now disperse!" Everyone is confused and unsure how to react. Then they slowly proceed to follow my order. I know this is just an excuse and they can feel it too. Whatever, I am not losing all my soldiers here. Some will say there is the possibility this is all the mage misunderstanding. Perhaps even him having betrayed us. Yeah, it is possible. Still, I''ll go with my instinct on that one. That''s when I see someone I know running over. It''s the guy that got fired. The slime one. "Bad news I couldn''t find him. This sucks it would have made all of this easy. You guys didn''t get a report of a donkey getting sighted or a small white wolf, right?" "Y-you, did you say a small white wolf?!" What is happening? Why is the mage reacting so strongly? Chapter 217: Crazy Bastard Chapter 217: Crazy Bastard ****(POV) Why is he reacting so much to the wolf part? That is what I am initially asking myself. Then what follows seems like a dream. You know one so insane it makes you realize instantly you are asleep. Except I know it is all real. They talk. The mage asking for more details about the white wolf. Then going from surprised to understanding. Then the ex-captain starts describing his friend. The one that apparently got rid of a rank 4 monster. That''s when I finally put 2 and 2 together. He is talking about that king slime story. It seemed especially sketchy at first. Incredibly so. After all, there is no way there would be a monster that strong in the sewers. There is also no way anyone random could simply defeat it. All of this was obviously tant lying. Add to that the testimony of the star tamer and this bes ridiculous. Except here he is, still talking about it. Still believing in it. There are other guards too that are believing him too. I''m not sure where their confidencees from. Still, this isn''t what matters here. Now from what I am understanding this rank 4 ally Seems to be the same guy the mage is saying not to offend. The same fucking one. A captain going crazy is possible. What about one of our only mages? I know him personally for his professionalism. Well, mostly because his life depends on it. Now, these guys are all saying the same thing. That''s when a crazy thoughtes to my mind. I order one of them to go get that guy from the guild. At first, he says he doesn''t have time. That he needs to coordinate the search. Then I ask him to describe the individual he''s looking for. That we will help him look. He happily starts talking. With every one of his words, I see the mage''s expression turn weird. Same for the ex-captain. Yep, that confirms it. Are you fucking kidding me?! What gathering of powerhouses?! What uing war?! There is one rank 4 guy in there. I tell him that he''s inside. He doesn''t believe me. Saying that the hostage situation would have ended already. That he would not be restrained easily. Yeah, that''s the problem. He''s the one organizing it all. Still, this is madness. How the hell did a simple worker Turn out to have so many identities?! A rank 4 monk. A rank 4 tamer allied with the guild. A rank 4 enemy of the guild. What the hell happened?! Why this farce? If this is all true, he has the power to reduce this city to rubble. Why is he toying with us like so? I cannot see any logical reason to do so. Ah, maybe he is simply messing with us. Talk about an insane bastard. Wait a minute. That is the guy we never paid for clearing the sewers. Oh fuck. That exins it. He was being benevolent and helping us for free. Such small change has no meaning to such a powerhouse after all. It''s not a matter of money. It''s a matter of principle. We shunned him. Oh god, this may end badly. This is what we get for cutting corners. I take the emblem representing my identity. Tell a subordinate to go get the lord. As quickly as possible. He needs to get his ass over here and apologize. In-person. For the whole sewer fiasco. This is the only path of survival for us. In the meantime, Imand some people to get snacks inside the library. The most delicious food we can get in the shortestpse of time. All the stuff we usually reserve for the visit of VIPs. Better bring it all out now. So what if we run outter? At worst a supervisor from the diplomatic city willin. It doesn''tpare to repairing the rtionship with this guy. Then we wait. The good news is that they seem to befortable inside. ying games and reading. This only confirms my belief. We cannot make an enemy of him. We are no threat to him. Only insects he can squash at any time he so desires. Theye back with the food. Sadly the lord is nowhere to be seen. Apparently, he is locked in his room with a sound-blocking formation. That asshole. He''ll try to make people believe he was training in seclusion all this time. Probably say that no one told him about the situation. At that time I''m freaking out. There is no way my apologies alone will suffice. I''m just a pawn. Then the ex-captaines closer and reassures me. He''ll put in a good word for me. This guy is such a saint! I can''t believe we misunderstood him that much. I tell him that from now on I''ll consider him a sworn brother. That I''ll try to get his job back and He stops me. Snorting. He points at the city lord''s residence. I understand his meaning. This lord is trash. There is no honor in serving such a dumbass. That''s when I resolve to quit. Screw that job as an assistant. So much of a pain in the ass. They can deal with my absence. After this, I''m out. Fucking out. We are out here risking our lives. Meanwhile, he''s hiding. Screw that asshole. Still, now is the time to deal with this. The ex-captain and I will represent the guards. That one tamer wille with us too. He still can''t believe that the one he''s been searching for has been inside all along. He is confused, but at this point, he wants to confirm the facts too. We prepare to head inside. In my head, I can''t help but rehearse what I will say. I need to kneel to apologize. Whatever he asks I need toply. If he is too angry, I''ll try to beg for my subordinates'' lives. Try and ept all the me. Better I am the only one dying than the city. Ah, I need to somehow drag that fucking lord into it too. This is the most stressful moment of my life. Here goes nothing Chapter 218: An Expert Chapter 218: An Expert It''s a good thing I used my scouting ability! Why didn''t I use it even sooner? Well you know, shit happens. It''s human to forget stuff. Especially when in a stressful situation. Well, now I think I may have found a way out of this. It is an insane n, but one that might just work. All because of that scouting I was doing. I saw a mage of theirs go invisible right in front of my eyes. I was looking at the right ce at the right time. Thus giving me a card to y. The expert one! I do have one thing going for me. I am overall pretty weak. This means that no magic can reveal my power. Except if they can somehow detect divine energy. Now, this has two possible oues. One they think I''m weak and underestimate me. Two they think I am hiding my power and overestimate me. So I went for the most awesome bluff possible. I waited for the mage toe inside. Him being invisible. Then I started describing him yfully. Implying that I knew everything about him. I never even looked at him. As if he wasn''t worth my nce. In fact, I truly had no idea where he was. I was just guessing that he truly entered the premises. My bet paid off. He revealed himself and surrendered. Even going as far as kneeling. Not gonna lie, I almost had a heart attack when he appeared. This shit is scary as fuck. Well, the good thing is I was somehow expecting it. I managed to remain calm. At least on the surface. Then came a problem. I didn''t know a single thing about hostage negotiation. I''ve seen it happen in movies, but still. I wasn''t sure how to go about it. So I simply kept acting like an aloof expert. Told him to y with me. The I spy game. Taught him how. He learned fast. Well, his example was a bit too easy, but he did participate. Nothing screams badass like having fun in an otherwise tense situation. With everyone losing their shit, yourself just chilling. At least that''s what I went for. I''m also very proud of how I handled that. We let him leave and gave him a new list of demands. Now all that was left was to wait. In every list, we did include leaving the city safely as a request. Hoping they would understand the message. That we weren''t trying to fight them. Not because of our weakness but as a warning. Well all that being a huge bluff. Then people starteding, bringing snacks with them. At first, I was bewildered. Then I was told it was one of the demands my hostage had written. I was wary of foul y. Either poison or them simply trying to lower our guards. It turned out to be fine. The food was almost as good as back at the Moon Keep. I wasn''t expecting that level of culinary development in such a small city. Food was good, but really all I desired was to leave safely. Thus as the seconds passed, I became more and more jittery. For this could all be a diversion tactic. For all I knew, they were getting a super expert toe and deal with me. But I had no choice. That was the role I had taken. An expert wouldn''t hurry for such a silly reason. Damn. That''s when I was told people were heading this way. Three to be exact. I quickly used my scouting ability. That''s when I realized that everything may just be alright. After all two of them turned out to be people I knew. That''s when all my stress disappeared. They would somehow help me I believe. There is no way we can''t trick one guy with all of us working together. This was gonna be great. **** [Someone, open the door wide for our guests!] "What if they try and storm the ce?" [Don''t worry everything will be fine.] After all the peopleing are mostly allies. They look at me impressed. All except that librarian. Why is he acting like all this is to be expected? Maybe just his personality. My acquaintances enter. They are curiously looking around. Meanwhile, the third guy has his eyes fixed on me. Shaking like a leaf. I can see him sweating. Nice! I mean not the fact that he''s dripping. I''m talking about how stressed he seems. This means my bluff is working! My ex-guard friend thinks I''m strong because of the slime incident. In fact, I was just the creature''s ultimate counter. Then the disciplinary member. He is still waiting for me to get him an autograph from Eternal Ice. Then again, the guild seems to be hunting me. I just hope he won''t take their side. [Wee, what brings you guys here.] I mean I kinda know it. The guard I do not knowes forward stuttering. "I-I want to apologize in the city''s name! Please do not hold it against the normal soldiers they were only trying to protect the peace!" More like why is he apologizing? All the soldiers did was encircle the library. I guess there is that one invisible guy that came scouting too, but that turned out to y in my favor. Not only did he not do anything bad, he even yed a few rounds with us. [Sure, whatever.] "Thank you, Sir! Thank you! We will forever be grateful!" Now that''s just exaggerated. I need to subtly change the subject to what''s happening with the guild. This is the part I am the most confused about. But how does one even ask something like that while keeping the image of an expert? This is hard, what should I Themittee guyes forward. "Oh, right I''m d to have finally found you. The guild has been looking all over for you." Never mind guess he is about to tell me. This will probably end up as some kind of ultimatum. He doesn''t seem to be overly aggressive. I guess they will give me a way out. The only question is if that solution will be eptable to me. Here ites... Chapter 219: Leaving at Sunset Chapter 219: Leaving at Sunset Here ites. I''ll finally know why they are after me. "At first they wanted me to bring you back to the guild, but I convinced them otherwise." What''s happening? Did he just save me? He takes something out of his pocket. "Here you go, this is your official tamer emblem." He hands me one with 2 stars on it. While winking at me. What''s the hidden meaning? There is no way I deserve this. Is Ice the one that helped me get it? I feel like there is definitely corruption involved. I won''tin. Still, did he get that emblem especially for me? Or does he just have some in his pockets all the time? Who cares. With this I''ll be able to enter the diplomatic city, won''t I? Honestly, I''m confused. They''ve been hunting me all over the city to give me an emblem? Seriously?! How dumb are these guys? Couldn''t they have just sent one guy? I can''t show being disturbed. I am an expert right now. I just pick it up and nonchntly put it in my pocket. "Oh right, there is also something else." He scribbles something on a piece of paper and hands it to me. Making sure no one sees the content. Why so secretive? I nod at him, then roll the paper into a ball and stuff it into my pocket. What does it say? I have no fucking clue. But I''ll just go with the flow. You know acting-wise. The others are all extremely curious. I give them a small smile. My meaning is evident: wouldn''t you like to know? I would myself. Anyway, strangely it seems I am free to go. I have so many questions. Now is not the time. [Alright, I guess I am done with this city for now. See you guyster.] I take calm steps away. Brushing my inexistent mustache. All sage-like. Hoping no one stops me. "Wait!" Fuck, fuck, fuck. What now? It is themittee guy. "Before you go can you sign me an autograph?" He wants...mine? There is something wrong with him. That shit is worthless. Well, maybe he is in that DTF group too. I draw him a dedicated one. There, now I can leave. All sage-like hoping that "Wait!" What now?! It is the guard. "Thank you again. Not only for showing mercy but also for saving the city in the first ce!" He''s bowing. He''s also very confused. I didn''t save shit. Well, whatever. I confidently . "Wait!" Are you fucking kidding me?! Will they all fucking stop me?! It''s my ex-guard friend. "Mind if I journey with you to the diplomatic city?" Did I just acquire a free guide? Of course, I don''t mind haha. Brother, I don''t even know where the destination is. Not like I''ll ever admit it. [Alright, lead the way.] Thus I give a cool wave to the people left behind. Wolfie following closely. The setting sun illuminating my silhouette. Partly because I''m really cool, but mostly. Because I''ve wasted a lot of time with this hostage farce. Oh well, somehow it all worked out. I think at least. As long as they don''t send assassins after me it''s all good. I guess that it''s a good thing my slime n didn''t work out. It would haveplicated things. I can''t help but reminisce about my time there. Not a long shback honestly. I beat up a few slimes and people. Did some woodcutting. Failed miserably as a tamer. Made a friend. That''s about it. Oh well, such is life. It can''t always be exciting. The path isn''t a straight line either. Sometimes we try things that don''t work out in the end. I still can''t understand what the hell happened toward the end. Who cares, I''ll get the fuck out of here haha. What about the nice woodcutters? I task a random passerby to give bid them goodbye in my stead. Only costs me a few coins too. Ice will understand why I''m going, I''m sure. I''ve tasked the noodle guy to give a message to little Bai already. I think that settles it! This is officially the beginning of a new journey. My thoughts get interrupted by mypanion. "There is something I am wondering. What was all that about back there? The hostage-taking and all that?" What am I supposed to tell him? That it wasn''t even my idea? That I have no clue what I''m doing? That I''m still not sure myself what it was all about really? Am I supposed to tell him the truth? Should I keep ying the aloof expert? I feel like he probably has a better grasp on the situation than I. Given that he is a man of experience and all. [What do you think?] He ponders a few moments. Then he speaks resolutely. "Both the city guard and the tamer guild slighted you in one way or another. You orchestrated the whole n to gauge their reaction." Wow, I really wish I had that kind of nning ability. "The whole point of it all being to be able to observe them and decide if they deserved to be punished for their mistakes." Punished? Why would I punish anyone? I don''t really have a conflict with either side either. "Seeing how they carefully proceeded and how they all tried their best you decided to let them off the hook for this one time. It would serve as a warning for them in the future." [Impressive.] "No, it''s you that is impressive for thinking of such a creative n!" No, brother. You are the impressive one. Your imagination knows no bound. This guy would be a great novelist. Legit, I have no clue what he is talking about. None of that was urate. At all. Oh well, as long as he leads the way correctly who cares. Oh, right. I had that paper. Time to show it to mypanion and order him to read it aloud. I wonder what is written anyway. Let me see. Ah, seems I lost it. Meh, whatever. Probably wasn''t important. Right? Chapter 220: The Birth of a God Chapter 220: The Birth of a God ****(POV) What happened here today will be the talk of the city for a while for sure. Good thing my library didn''t suffer in the least. I spent most of my time reading while it happened. Honestly, I was never worried about that man. He is one chosen by a unicorn after all. It seems I''m one of the only ones that truly managed to remain calm. One is holding the autograph he received excitingly. The young tamers are happily chatting. The assistant to the lord is sprawled on the ground. He may seem a normal guard at first nce, but I do know him. That usually serious man is now swearing haha. Using colorfulnguage to express his joy. How he''s fucking d to have survived the event. This is understandable. In my eyes, it wasn''t that big a deal. I''ve dealt with the man before. He has an intimidating side, but he is easygoing. The fake hostage girl tells the guard to watch hisnguage. Kinda funny how she was probably the one to cause the guy the most anguish. With all these random demands of hers. Just adding unneeded pressure to an otherwise simple situation. I wonder how bored she was to even do all that. Well, it won''t matter that much now. Ah, the tamer guy stops ogling the autograph and turns toward us. "All of you. I will require your assistance in a matter. He is a man that prefers to remain low-key. Thus no one should talk of what transpired here. No matter what." He makes eye contact with every single individual here. Only stopping when he has had confirmation of everyone having understood. In a way that is true. He is obviously powerful. Extremely so. Yet he doesn''t unt his power at all. Even his unicorn is disguised as a donkey. I truly wonder why that is. Well, no matter. My mission is simply to care for the books anyway. The assistant leaves looking preupied. I mean that is normal, he probably has a lot of things to handle. How does one cover up an operation that so many saw? The good thing is his quick thinking. Calling it a training exercise. Same for the guy clutching the autograph. He''s looking sideways making sure no one is trying to steal it. Now the students are leaving. For them, this has been fun overall. "Wait, what''s that?" One says pointing to a piece of paper on the ground. It is crumbled into a ball. Isn''t that? Yeah, guess he lost it. Right, he doesn''t know to read, does he? Does he even know what was written there? The student opens the ball up. Reads for a few seconds. Then freezes. Thene the swears. It reminds me of my reaction once I understood the unicorn thing. Whatever is on that paper is surprising, I guess. The girl telling him to watch hisnguage. Another one grabs the paper from the still hands. Then he freezes too, then starts cursing. Something about this being real or not. At this point, the hostage girl can''t help herself. She snatches it too in turn. Then she freezes too. Then colorfulnguagees out of her mouth too. So much for telling others off. I approach closer and read it quickly. It says he is a rank 5 tamer. He can im his emblem for the title whenever he wants. They gave him a 2-star emblem since he doesn''t enjoy showing off. That actually makes sense. He has a unicorn as a pet. Then there is also that wolf. The one that remained calm as the library got encircled by half the city. It has absolute trust in its owner. Still, I get the feeling he seems confused a lot. Maybe I''m mistaken. But for some reason, I don''t really see him as a professional tamer. At least not in the conventional sense. He''s just that kind of man. A unique one that will follow his own path. I take the paper and burn it with a candle. A few momentster there is no trace of it remaining. "Alright you guys, my library is about to close. How about you guys bring that unconscious guy with you and exit the premises?" They look at mepletely baffled. "How are you so calm?!" "Easy, that information is not surprising to me." They remain mute. Wondering all that I know. Wondering what else is there to know about this man. Then they steady themselves and leave. I am left alone. Left with my thoughts. Wondering what I wish to do. This feels like a special moment, yet a normal one. I saw a glimpse of another world. One outside the reach of most. They say rank 5 is a thing of legends. Here I saw one in flesh. My expectations were too high it seems. At the end of the day, they remain mortals. This whole hostage thing proving it. It was a pointless endeavor for sure. This does bring concerns. What will be of the world? One that these powerhouses inhabit. Each with their own thoughts and morals. Each with their own motivations. If more like hime to be I can see a peaceful society. One safe from demons and beasts alike. One that may very well prosper for ages. I can see these people bing symbols. Influencing countless just by their presence. Either voluntary or involuntary. I always wanted to be a librarian. Then I reluctantly started on the path of a beast tamer. All to be more powerful. To please my father. Realize his dreams in his stead. Strangely enough, seeing this man makes one think. He has this air about him. One that makes one dream of more. Not to follow the established path. I do have an impulse right now. One that has always been there. Repressed and waiting toe out. Surprisingly I am only figuring it out now. So what if being a librarian is lowly? So what if it doesn''t bring power? I will actually try something worse. I pick up ink and paper. Organizing my thoughts. I already know what this piece will be about. Something that will give me lots of reference material. At least in the future. I will travel the world and observe. Then I will write it all. On the parchment, I scribble a single line for now. One that may be a bit exaggerated but is appropriate for him. The Birth of a God Chapter 221: Insignificant Tamer Chapter 221: Insignificant Tamer ****(POV) The dark room is very fitting to my current mood. Myst task aplished. There seem to have been a few hups, but the guild is safe. The wolf shouldn''t me us. Not that it changes anything in my life. I lost my only path to greatness. I can already feel myself changing. Thinking about the many ways I could survive. All of them involving shady ways. But I am done with that. Done for real. The current me is useless. Me disappearing would be for the best. Definitely. I review my preparations onest time. Rope check. Hangman''s noose check. Unstable chair check. Supportive beam check. This will get rid of it all. The dark thoughts. The emptiness. The despair. The stress. Existence itself is a pain. Wee into this world without a purpose. As a bunch of lowly beings. We struggle and struggle. But for what? To try and better ourselves? There is no changing our dirty nature. I thought I could, but nope. As soon as I lost power, I started reverting back. But I''ll stop the process before it''s toote. Forcefully and irreversibly. I pass the rope around my neck. Then I give a kick. I can feel myself falling. Ah, it seems I fucked up. The drop not enough to break my spine in one go. Doesn''t matter. I can feel the coarse material digging into my skin. Tightening. I can''t breathe. Just a little more. Then it will be all over and I hear the sound of a door. *SLASH* *THUD* I subconsciously take a huge breath of fresh air. There goes my n. Who interrupted me? It''s that asshole. "Ice, why are you here? Taunting me onest time? Feel free!" "That''s not why I''m here." "Hurry up and go away then! I''m busy!" "Busy dying? What would that aplish?" "Aplish? It won''t aplish anything. I myself won''t aplish anything no matter what! Now leave!" He is meddlesome to the very end it seems. Can''t he just ept his win? From now on he''ll be the strongest tamer in this branch. Well, if we exclude that freak. The one that has a pet able to dispatch a rank 4 with a wave of its paw. "I can''t have you die just now you see." "Please. Give me one good reason to live, you emotionless bastard! Revenge? I don''t care about that. This only happened because I am weak!" He chuckles a bit. The kind that will chill the soul. One void of any emotion. "It is exactly because this is who I am that I managed to understand some things. You and I might just be more simr than you''ve thought. The only difference being you totally got mind broken by your own pet." "Bullshit, it was obeying all my orders to the letter and " "Was it your orders? Or the orders it wanted you to give? To be fair you were but a kid at the time. You not going insane in the first ce is quite impressive. Only to have your personality influenced." "What the hell are you!" "Remember. Remember your first meeting with that creature you called your pet." He does something andes a sh of light. **** Dark. What is this? Where am I? I can''t see anything. There is this feeling of oppressiveness. Suffocation. Encroaching upon my being. Then appears a light. Mesmerizing. Radiant. The only hope in this ce. An eye. Looking arrogantly at me. The only salvation here. It talks. Greeting me. "Hello, little one." I feel it, this is a holy being. One of great power. One I should obey for sure. An egg appears in the dark space. The one I scammed from my friend. The eye points toward it. It urges me to do a soul contract. A special one. That truly fuses both souls. That will give me more power it says. Way more power. I am weak. I am useless. But I won''t be. I just need to give up control. I do just that. ept it fully into me. The eye is watching pleased. The process is going well. Until finally it ends. I can see my body. I am not in control anymore. The beingughs pleased. Saying how powerful I will be. How I will soar to the heavens. Transform into a true dragon. ughter endlessly. Until enough blood is spilled. Enough to bring him back. The being. The all-powerful one. I can feel a sense of difort. My thoughts are muddled. As if I am but a spectator. Yet I feel something is wrong. I try talking, screaming, and howling. Somehow speech is an issue. But I keep at it. Until finally I manage to convey something. Convey my doubts. Won''t I end up losing my humanity? I want to be powerful. I want to rule over others. But I want to be the strongest human. Not the strongest monster. Otherwise, that would be pointless. The being looks at me. Then smirks. How does an eye smirk? That''s what he does. Tells me how much of a fool I am. Tells me that I will forever be his ve. Tells me that the man I was is gone. Only a monster will remain. I will be stronger. I will impress everyone. I will be a legend. Known for being ruthless. That''s not what I want. At all. I will not ept this. Heughs telling me it''s toote. That our souls are already fused. That struggling would only cause my demise. That I should just behave. That I should just watch. The being is celebrating his victory. I start thrashing around. Struggling. It simply watchesughing. Well, at the beginning. "You fool! Stop! You''ll doom your soul if you keep going!" I can feel the panic in his voice. He tells me that I will die. Haha, so what? I will die a worthless human. Better than to live a monster. I can feel my very essence getting torn to shreds. I can feel my very being dissipating. Then I wake up. Confused and in sweat. But somehow resolute in my quest for power. Already forgetting the dream I just had. Except it was no dream. **** I open my eyes. Ice is overlooking me. "Remembered?" I nod. How did he know? "Don''t sweat it. Something simr happened to me. Except I was older. I knew more at the time." I understand. "Thanks." I remove the rope from my neck. I have a lot of thinking to do. Then I take a step toward the outside. "When will you be back star tamer?" "*Sigh* I''m not sure if I will. But from now on I''m just an insignificant tamer." "But a tamer nheless am I right?" Yes, a tamer. That is what I am. Thus, I leave the tamer''s guild. Chapter 222: POV Galore Chapter 222: POV Galore ****(POV) Something big did happen. A hostage situation. Or so they say. There are rumors. It happened in the library at a time when it was mostly empty. They say some kind of rich girl was the victim. Then the guards dispersed the crowd. Trying to make us believe it was all a training exercise! Bullshit! I don''t buy it. There is no way they would have proceeded that way if it was the case. Their leader too indecisive for a guy that knew it was going to happen. Still, I am not one to be fooled easily. At some point, the truth wille out. It always does. Then I will stand proudly. I will be the one that knew. I will have the glory. Most importantly I will gain massive benefits. The stakes are heavy. This would bring about phenomenal changes. I can''t wait. Then again, I am scared a bit too. What if it turned out to be really just as they im? This would mean that my investigation was a failure. No, I need to believe. There are people counting on me. Following my lead. So many of them. Many are against my ideology too. But screw these guys! I will show them. At least, I hope. Well, for now, there is only one thing that I can do. That is to wait and keep working hard. There really is a lot resting on this. By that, I mean exactly 5 silvers. That is a huge amount of money for a small baker like me. Oh well, back to work I go. ****(POV) Theyughed in my face! Theyughed in my back! They keptughing. Telling me that this n of mine was insane. That I would never seed. That I was a madman. I proved them all wrong! All of these fuckers! I showed them who''s boss. They said I would never make it. They said I would get buried alive. They said I would fail. But I kept going. I kept working hard. Practicing my secret techniques. At first, it was hard. But then I gained experience. The longer I did it the more proficient I became. Until finally my craft got to insane levels. Enough to captivate anyone. Just from a small whiff make them ves. Having no choice but to swing by. Handing me their savings voluntarily. I would fake being kind. Little did they know they had already fallen. They woulde back. Always and ever. No matter what. No amount of self-control enough. They would be eating in the palm of my hand. Every day. Until the day of their deaths. Or something like that. Point is, I am very sessful. My noodles are both cheap and delicious. I own the best food stall in the city. ****(POV) Weird human. Big human. Food smells good. Human distracted. Me eat good food. Food delicious. Me sleepy. Me sleep now. Me happy ferret. ****(POV) It all ended as far as I understand. However, it is not really over. After every incident, there is tons of work to be done. Lots of paperwork. Reassuring the citizens. Appeasing the various powers. Well, none are truly established here. But there are always curious representatives. Mostly exiled sons with close to no power. They request a meeting using their background. Trying to feel important. All dumbasses. Anyway, it doesn''t matter. I have a n. I will just remain locked in my room. People will stille to disturb me? Yes, yes they will. It doesn''t matter. I am prevoyant. I have a formation set-up that blocks all sound from passing through. My official reason is that I am going into closed-door to train. This is all so I can maintain my health. I am a diligent leader after all. If I ever get sick the city would suffer. What about the women in my bed? Well, you see they are but simple maids. Really busty and yful maids. Still, only maids at the end of the day. I will wait a few weeks thene out of seclusion. By then the hype will have died down. Tranquility will have returned to the city. My assistant will take care of it. As he always does. After all, it is his duty. He is a fool that is way too serious. Well, at least he does his work very well. I mean technically it is my work he is doing haha. This is why I am smart. Delegating is the key to sess. No one cares about how hard the lord works. They just don''t want any problem. I have several contingencies issues too. All nned to deal with most dangers. For the rest, there is the assistant. Anyway, time for me to vigorously exercise with the maidens. You know for health reasons haha. ****(POV) Blob, Blob. Blob, Blob, Blob. Is the only sound I can hear. I''m not sure when but I''ve be able to thinktely. Ever since that strange man came to feed me. There was a weirddy too. She likes to watch us. I got lucky and managed to get most of the nutrition. Especially that weird energy. For now, I''ll just sleep. I feel really sleepy recently. I think this is a good thing. ****(POV) An excited medices barging in. "Chief the patient is waking up!" Why the hell such a fuss? "*Sigh* We get patients that heal every day, why are you overreacting?" He takes a minute to catch his breath. Not just the expression. Literally a minute. How weak is his body? "Chief! It''s that one patient Eternal Ice entrusted to us that is" "Fool! Why didn''t you say so sooner! Hurry up! We need to get there as fast as possible!" I start running. This is a huge opportunity. I may be called a chief but to be honest our healing division is pretty small. We are mostly glorified wannabes. Most of our tasks are simply to put on bandages and hope for the best. I mean that usually works for beasts. Since they all have strong vitality. The beast tamers themselves then drop rich food to facilitate the recovery. I have a clear goal now. I need to make a good first impression. Hopefully, I will be the first one he sees upon waking up. Then I will have a great future ahead of me once Eternal Ice hears about it. I reach the bedside. I can''t contain my joy. I position myself right next to him and patiently wait. I see him move. He''s about to wake up. Here ites! *PFFFFT* The force of the wind is huge. The smell is choking me. Tearse to my eyes. I look at the peacefully sleeping face. Fuck! I''m going to vomit! This fart is poisonous! Yep, he''s not about to awaken anytime soon it seems. Chapter 223: Toward Eaglevein Chapter 223: Toward Eaglevein We hit the road. Still, nopanion called Jack. Shame. Me, Wolfie, the ex-guard. Apparently, he''s from the diplomatic city. This means a lot to me. I''ve already deemed him the designated NPC of that new area. You know how in the newbie vige there would be a vige elder? The one giving quests sending you on various missions. Telling you about the inner working of the ce. This ex-guard guy will y that role for me. Right, I''m kinda tired of calling him that. Apparently, his name is Luvon Greberos. Please, that sounds like some randomly generated elf name. There is something even wilder. The Greberos line is actually a thing. Actually a pretty big deal there too. Part of the righteous factions. Am I the only one finding the name weird? Perhaps. So he does his job as an NPC well. I learn a lot. Apparently, the city is one melting pot of religions. Many sects from all over all interacting with one another. All are wee, but the real power is shared between the top sects. 50 of them in total. Decisions are taken as a group. There are 7 neutral sects. One of them being the rulers of the city. This gives them the power to veto. This leaves the 6 others as members. Then there are 30 righteous sects. Bringing the total to 36 sects that are always in power. The remaining members are always changing. Positions determined by variouspetitions. You guys know what this means? Motherfucking tournament arc right there! Calling it right now! The city will be in a festive atmosphere. I will get a glimpse of some hero or antagonist. One that is powerful. I will sadly get beaten up somehow to bring me down a peg. Then I will train hard. Finally, I will show up at the tournament. I will be the underdog. Winning every fight. Yet thementators won''t pay me much attention. It will turn out that all my opponents will be rtively weak. People will admire my luck but not my skills. Then the more it goes the more they will start wondering. Trying to figure out my limits. But I won''t appear to have any. Then finally wille the finals. The fight will be epic. Of course, I will defeat my opponent after a while. That''s when a demon will randomly pop out. Why? I don''t know it usually goes like that. Could be from an invasion. Most probably from the enemy using a forbidden technique. One that turns him into a monster. Innocent people will die left and right. Then I will finally defeat this new enemy. Of course, a normal hero would show mercy. I will likely be pissed as fuck. I''ll cut his dog head. Then the spectators will finally open their dog eyes. They will cheer for me. Bards will sing odes about me. Finally, I will Or not. Thepetition for that just ended recently. That is what Luvon tells me. It won''t happen for another 11 months. Talk about shitty timing. Rip my dreams of fame. Oh well, this just proves that this is real life. The whole world doesn''t revolve around me. At all. At first, I''m nning to follow him home. Use his family''s ce as a base of exploration. That''s before he tells me about the etiquette. The one I would have to learn to go with him. Something about his family being old school. This being the reason why he ran away. Now he''sing back after a very long time. Yep, not going to sign up for this haha. Boring lessons plus a possibly angry family. I don''t want to be that one parasite friend. You know the one the useless son brings back. The one parents can''t wait to get rid of. Except that in this world assassins are a thing. A thing verily essible judging from my experiences. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be groups of them. How many contracts does one receive before having to ask buddies for help? Probably many. Then again probably a nice team-building activity. The more we walk the more we talk. We go from being half-strangers to half-friends. Now, don''t get me wrong. He is a pretty nice dude. There is just one thing. He''s been trying to recruit me recently. At first, he does it super subtly. I mean so subtle I don''t even notice. That is until he starts dropping more hints. Like how much they could use my expertise. He even talks about me joining the family. I jokingly ask him if he has any cute sisters. He does not. He offers me a position as an elder. Usually, I would jump on the opportunity. There is just something. The righteous faction part. The powerful part. Not a good idea to try and trick them. Sure it has definite advantages. Chances are there will be responsibilities too. What would I do if they test my actual power? Sure I can eat king slimes. Let me fight anything else and I will be at a loss. I''m sure most of the rank 4 creatures are too fast. I wouldn''t even be able to catch them. So I politely refuse. Multiple times. I feel like every day he''s asking. I do find a solution to that. I tell him that we''ll increase the pace. Then I run. Of course not too fast. You know since I don''t actually know the way. Fast enough to bring him to his absolute limits. We keep running and running. A few days passing. He is surprisingly resilient. Wolfie is following too. Before long we are faced with the so awaited Eaglevein. I feel like our journey was very quick. Still, I timed it perfectly. Mypanion falls unconscious from fatigue just as we reach it. He''s on the ground snoring. He''ll be fine there. Probably. Right, when was thest time we slept anyway? Meh, doesn''t matter. Sleep is for the week. This is the start of a brand-new adventure! [Wolfie are you ready?] She nods. This is going to be epic. There are so many things I want to try here! Chapter 224: Gates of Eaglevein Chapter 224: Gates of Eaglevein How would one describe this city? Picture a city made of gold. Picture tall and intimidating walls. Picture a halo of fortune drifting above the city. Picture fairies and handsome men going about their business. Picture a city where immortals would reside. Is the image clear enough? Well, Eaglevein isn''t anything like that. It''s a goddamn mess. The walls look sturdy but were clearly made of different materials. The buildings look magnificent, but there is no sense of harmony. It gives that metropolis vibe. The one where people argue all day long over deals. Also, the residents look as normal as can be. This is disappointing. Where are the catgirl maids to wee the weary travelers? No instead there are a bunch of guards. They don''t even have the same equipment. Some are using swords, some scimitars, some spears. They don''t even have the same uniform. These guys are lucky I''m not their superior. Do they not know the meaning of a dress code?! I guess it''s because of the way the city works. So many sects in power must cause quite the mess. I get the feeling city nning isn''t their strong suit. There is one thing that is really nice, however. There are giant city gates. All metallic. A circle on it? The symbol on it is weird but who cares. That kinda looks cool. You could even fit titans through these. There is one issue. The gates are closed! Instead, people pass through side doors on the side. Such a shame. The flow of people going inside is steady. They don''t even seem to stop at the gate. Is there no checkup on people that enter? Even the smallest towns had that feature. I doubt this ce would be less secure. It takes me a while, but I figure it out. I would be a good detective! Apparently, the whole ce is surrounded by a barrier. That barrier is controlled by an artifact. This artifact is able to differentiate people from one another. To gain ess you need to register in it. To do that one needs to wait in a queue on the side. Good thing being patient is one of my strong suits. As I''m waiting I''m wondering. So there is invisible magic covering the walls. What would happen if one were to dig under? Would it be possible to just illegally enter? Does it cover the underside too? Would there be a loud rm ringing? So many questions. I can picture a panicking soldier calling to his superior. Freaking out because they are getting attacked by moles! My other question is if it could be hacked. What if you modify it to let anyone enter? Worse modify it to keep the residents inside, forever. Until they run out of food and. The ultimate siege. I see onest way to counter such a thing. What would happen in case of a chemical attack? Would the gas remain stuck inside? That could be deadly quickly. I wonder how many are doing the same thing as I. Thinking of all the possibilities rted to this technology. I mean I say that, but I don''t know a single thing about it. "Next!" Nice, finally my turn. I am guided to a small building. There are about 5 guards there. I guess they aren''t too worried about an attack. Wolfie stays outside. They gesture me to sit on a small chair. One takes something out. "Put your hand on that." There is some sort of glowing sphere. It''s always a sphere, isn''t it? It''s warm to the touch. [Okay.] "Name." How am I supposed to answer that? "Name!" Already stuck on the first question. I bashfully let out. [Don''tknowdon''tcare. Can we skip it?] I hear a strident sound. Coming from a guy in the back with something in his hands. "He''s lying!" What?! No way! [Wait brother, there must be some kind of mistake!] "His name isn''t don''tknowdon''tcare." "Bag him!" They all jump on me. To fight or not to fight? These guys are obviously dumb as a brick. Actually, no. That would be insulting. To thetter I mean. Bricks have many uses after all. Before I know it, I am restrained on a chair. Well, restrained is a big word. I can obviously escape whenever I want. The question is if I should. I see them rummage through my possession. Tamer emblem, sword, coins, and a cheap ne. Somehow even observing just that takes them time. [I want to see your superior.] Will theyprehend such a saying? "Pfff as if you were worthy of that." I hate his smug and idiotic face. Ah, being a dumbass is fine. I used to have many friends that were ones. Please just don''t go around bothering other people. Now the question is who the hell entrusted guard duty to these guys?! Seriously?! For now, I have a secret weapon. Bluff. I swear It''s been working for me recently. [You guys are truly bold to assault a friend of the Greberos family!] "*Scoff* As if I''d believe that." [Oh? What about that thing that supposedly says if I''m lying. That''s what it does no?] "*Cackling* A nobody like you wants to scare me with a borrowed power?! Dream on! I''ve done this job for a long time! In front of me, Dragons lie down, and Tigers crouch!" I see the guy operating the thingy in the back looking serious. I make eye contact with him. I can see him bing nervous. Humans tend to trust things they fear. Well either that or deny reality. [Now listen well, and make sure you work that thing. I was personally offered an invitation to be an elder for their family. Now tell me, do you dare?] "H-he''s saying the truth!!" "That''s impossible! There is no way such a thing would be possible! He would have told us from the get-go!" "But he isn''t lying!" "But he lied earlier!" [*Sigh* Listen well, you deaf bastard. I don''t know nor do I care for a name. Now are you going to remove these ropes or should I do it myself and ughter you all!] Alright, I''ll admit acting as an expert is addictive. They are all shaking. One is pissing himself. They ain''t moving at all. [*Sigh* Never mind you guys are truly useless.] I make divine energy course through my body. Instantly the rope bes taut until the strings snap. I look at the cocky bastard from earlier. [Now, where were we? You said something about dragons and tigers?] Chapter 225: Living the Moment Chapter 225: Living the Moment I look at the cocky bastard from earlier. He is now shaking in his boots. They say power corrupts. I would like to add something else. Power will make you edgy as fuck. I mean ever since I tried it, I''ve somewhat be addicted. Remember that I''m just faking too. All that talk about ughtering them. Let''s face it it''s all bullshit. I mean I did kill a few people already but Now that I think about it isn''t that weird? How did I not feel averse to killing back then? They kind of all deserved it now that I think about it. Still, now I need to deal with the issue at hand. [So, who wants to go first?] "S-sir, how about we quicklyplete the process so you can be on your way!?" [I''d like that.] They make me touch the sphere thingy again. It is used to record my answers it seems. The other tool is the one that detects lies. It is somewhat wed. The tool itself seems reliable but it is dependent on the user a lot. A good example being the earlier fiasco. How does one misunderstand that much? My name is obviously notmeh whatever. I guess I''ve misunderstood a few things in my life too. But to be honest, the few times it happened it was a misleading situation. Like that manhunt a few days ago. They ask me many questions. You know all the basic things to know who I am and my purpose here. Thest step is to drip some blood onto a stone stele. One that is also glowing. With this, I am now a guest here. The most basic of identities. They do offer me to increase it, but I decline. They would need to ask their superior. I don''t care about all that. I feel it would bring needlessplications. They have all calmed down by now. They do warn me to be careful. Something about an automatic extermination system. One that cleanses the criminals. Thus making the city safe. How does that work? Does it just smite people? Wait a minutehow the hell is that safe?! Wouldn''t one false report screw it all?! They proudly boast about how amazing this ce is. The freedom, the diversity, the peacefulness. I jokingly ask if they are paid to say that shit. Yes, yes they are. I''m not sure how to react to that. Like, have you seen the city?! I''ve just seen it from the outside and it already looks weird. Maybe it''s a ce that grows on you? Like day 1 you find this ce to be shit. Day 200 still shit, but a familiar one. I need to admit the whole system to detect intruders seems pretty neat. I''m sure it has issues, however. Simply because many sects take decisions here. I would bet my left nut sack that someone at some point decided to cut corners. I would also bet that someone in there is getting bribed to create fake identities or something. But all that is mere spection on my part. I bid adieu to the now friendly guards. Wolfie follows me. This is something impressive. Pets don''t need to register in any way. They are simply written on their owner''s profiles. One said something about the ipatibility of souls in some cases. My beast tamer emblem allowing me to bring her. As soon as I enter I am confronted with an amazing view. I can see "Will you fucking move?!" [Ah, sorry.] Note to self get out of the way before appreciating the scenery. I can see. "Move you dumbass!" [I just moved!] "Not enough it seems since you are blocking the damn road!" [Fine, happy now!] People and their habits of hurrying everywhere. Can''t they simply enjoy the moment? I look around and I see. "Oh my god! Someone fucked up big time! Some guy robbed a sleeping dude from Greberos!" Oh, rip. This may be my fault a tiny bit. Poor ex-guard friend. So much for this city being peaceful. Ah, well it happened outside the city I guess. Time for me to slip away. You know in case he looks for me. I kinda abandoned him right there and then. Will he be mad at me? Probably notat least I hope. Oh well, let''s just hope for the best. I walk aimlessly. This is something I love doing. If you don''t have an aim, you can''t be lost. Easy, right? Now that sounds like excuses, but that''s only because it is. To be honest I have a few goals here. Slowly learn more about this world. I mean very slowly. I do not want to do any cramming. I want to possibly hone my cooking skills. I will be looking for a baker''s jobter on. I also want to have fun. Now this one should be a given. If you don''t even enjoy life, then what''s the point. These are my short-term goals. What about the long-term? Well, you see I have no clue. If you don''t have any clear goals you can''t fail. Now that sounds like excuses? Yes, that''s because it is. I finally stop in the middle of I guess I am in an ancient district. Most of the houses are older. There are not many people walking here. I can see "Can you move please?" Oh my god! Why is it that every time I try to take a moment to observe my surroundings someone interrupts me? Then again, this time I am not even mad. This guy is so damn polite! Iply and move on the side. He seems like a chic-looking young man. Well if one disregards the worn-out clothes. The tattoos. The piercings. Ah, now that I get a good look at him, he kinda looks like a bad boy. Quite the contrary to his demeanor. There are many other guys there too. They all seem to be hanging out together. This is nice. Friendship is a beautiful thing. Just hanging out. These guys are living in the moment! This is so touching. Now they are even yfighting. Training together is nice. Wait, now there is one guy on the ground. Getting kicked repeatedly. Should I intervene? I''m no hero but [What are you guys doing under my watch?!] I am just missing a cape Chapter 226: Defender of Justice Chapter 226: Defender of Justice Beating people up. Does that count as living in the moment? Technically yes. Still, not on my watch! There are 6 guys ganging up on another one. There is one thing that is peculiar. These guys were together at the beginning. Why did they turn on one another? I was expecting the polite young man to be the one on the ground. Nope, he''s the one kicking the hardest. [Do you guys have no sense of justice? Ganging up on the weak like that!] "Piss off old man!" One guy starts but is stopped by the polite one. "Sorry for the public disturbance. There are reasons for our actions." [Do you think it warrants beating someone up in broad daylight?!] "Well yes actually. He slept with my sister promising her a life together only to throw her away like a used cum rag afterward." [Is this true?] The victim retorts. "The bitch is crazy! She isn''t demure at all! She''s goddamn insane! She can rot in hell for all I care! She doesn''t even allow me to have mistresses!" As they say, don''t stick your dick in crazy. I can agree with that. Demure and all, not very feminist but that''s his preference so whatever. Thatst reason, however. The guy already has a woman and yet he''s looking elsewhere?! As a model of benevolence, I need to teach these youths right from wrong. [You guys that''s not a reason to beat him up. The couple should figure it out together you know.] They are looking at me weirdly. [Humans should be free to make their own decisions and choose their path in life. Who are we to try and control their life?] "" Of course, I may be a tiny bit jealous of that guy. Thest intimate contact I had with someone was a hobo. I was very drunk. Not a good memory. *Sigh* If only I could have just stayed at the Moon Keep. Sometimes I imagine how my life would have been if the cultivator dude never showed up. I would probably still be training, eating, and day-drinking. The dream life. I would still have Luna. To be honest I kind of want to try and meet her again one day. There is just the issue of the sect itself. It won''t happen before I have overwhelming power. Even then the future is uncertain. Ie out of my reverie. [Seriously guys, you need to learn to love your fellow man. A guy with a beard once said love one another. Truly a wise dude if you ask me.] "Hum, Sir?" [What''s up young one?] "You do know you''ve been kicking him this whole time, right?" What? Oh. Guess I did that unconsciously. Not because I''m jealous. Not at all. Okay, maybe just a tiny bit. [*Sigh* Please, I was just moving my body exercising.] I look down at the guy under my shoes. Wait, when did I get shoes? Plot-hole? [Young man, you really shouldn''t lie down on the road. Please do not be a hindrance to people!] I can hear the spectators trying their hardest not tough. The now beaten ck and blue Casanova flees. What can I say? Aplishing good deeds is part of my nature. Too shameless? Who cares? There is something that pisses me off about that kind of conduct. Ah, don''t get me wrong I''m not talking about abandoning girls. It works both ways. Cheating is not okay. Except if it''s on a really annoying exam. Don''t quote me on that, however. "Brother thank you for the help, but we would have been fine. Just be careful so he doesn''te back to give you trouble." I do my best to give a confident smile. [Don''t worry about me haha. If even you guys dare to beat him up, why wouldn''t I dare to educate him a little?!] "*Sigh* No you don''t understand. We are part of the slums. There is a very strong feeling of belonging there. Outsiders aren''t dealt in the same way as insiders." I look around. [You are telling me that these cool ancient-looking buildings slightly in ruin.] "Yep, the slums. Or what is considered the slums here anyway. There are real ones outside the city. Here it''s mostly people that barely work but most once were someone rtively decent." This is really dumb. You can''t call something so nice the slums. It is like calling trash a novel that is in fact a masterpiece. Who does that?! I strongly boycott the idea! How will I do that? I mean, I won''t really do it. Could you picture that one guy? In front of the slums with a sign. On it written: Make the slums, slums again! I feel like people could get behind that. There is always a low percentage of the poption that will agree with the dumbest ideas. I''m kidding but also not. I''m just wondering how bad the ones outside are. Is this a situation where the city is actually a nice ce? Perhaps they could just be hiding the poor away too. [Since you guys have nice slums, I guess you don''t even have beggars eh, must be nice!] "Ah, no. We have lots of beggars. There are so many sects and temples. Many give away all their savings before they know it." What the hell? What kind of messed-up logic is that? Who would donate till they are broke? It makes no sense. "Well, with the automatic system in ce to detect the worst crimes." There is a catch, right? "There are not that many guards to drive the beggars away." [Aren''t there many opportunities with the number of temples? Won''t most have programs to help the poor and helpless?] "Naw, what kind of sect does that? It is all about amassing power, wealth, and finding talents." [Talents?] "There are magical artifacts existing that test one''s potential. If it is high you can expect to be weed in an organization.] [What about you guys?] "Oh, we are thieves." So he says proudly. So much for the system making crime impossible eh. This. how am I supposed to react to that? Chapter 227: Devious Chapter 227: Devious Thieves How can one proudly dere that? [Wait, what about the whole anti-crime system?] "There are many ways to bypass it you know." [Like?] He gives me a mischievous smile. "Well, when you bump into someone you can apologize and ask him if he won''t me you for it. The it in such a sentence can mean stealing all his gold." [How smart! I mean how devious!] "Of course. There are also many other tricks you know." I need to listen to that. Who knows if someone won''t try that stuff on me? "You can help someone carry some of their stuff. When they give you permission to help you can also subtly start carrying their pouch. Of course, you just happen to forget to give it back at the end." This ce is kinda scary. [Anything else?] "Well there are other tricks but a rule of thumb is to refrain from agreeing with other people in such a ce." I nod solemnly. "Right, why did you help us? Not that we needed the help, but still. Also, what''s with the wolf?" [Just felt like it. She''s my loyal partner. Been with me since forever.] "Wow, how many years?!" [Few months?] "I see. You are a neer in this city, aren''t you?" [It is that obvious eh.] "Indeed. Have any ce to stay? I know a good one. Not that expensive and the food is great." Thus we depart. He had me at good food. They bring me to what looks like an inn. Or is it a tavern? I never really knew the difference between both. At least they allow pets. As we enter, I notice one thing. Finally, there is some harmony. The town is built whimsically. At least everything here fits. The few employees are all wearing the same uniform too. We sit at a remote table. Thenes the food. They offer many options. Many exotic-sounding dishes. So I do what I usually do. I pick one at random. After living in the wild one can''t be picky anymore. Turns out the exotic stuff I ordered is just meat and vegetables. I''m not even mad. I guess that''s marketing in a nutshell. Given a cool name to normal stuff. We eat our fill and then we begin drinking. This is life. Sharing a beer with friends. They tell me many stories. From random gossip to their life experiences. Most of them are actually sons of middle-ss families. They started their group on a whim. On a random dare from one of them. One was betting he could bypass the security of the town. He did. The polite young man''s idea. Many times. Still doing it to this day. I''m really not sure how to feel about that. They steal, but from the rich. Don''t take excessively either. It seems they love the thrill of it. Bunch of kleptomaniac guys. I do check often that my purse is still there. They tell me to stop. Something about making me a target. How it only shows potential thieves what to aim for. This is a dilemma for sure. I shouldn''t do it. I also can''t help myself. How am I supposed to make sure my funds are safe otherwise? I ask them if there is a bank of some sort. Apparently, there is one, but not for themon popce. It is more of an elite thing. Kinda weird. They are missing on a whole market right there. They seem to mostly only store cash directly. Not much investment is done. I guess it''s because no one knows what the future will be like? If sects start fighting for real it may end up badly. Then there will be many alliances for sure. I ask them about that. Apparently historically this city is a no man''snd. Staying true to its calling. Headed by the god of diplomacy. This is awesome. I could legit spend the rest of my life here. Will I, however? Who knows? There is one thing for sure. I want to live. If it looks dangerous, I''ll be out. I also know that the future is never certain. For instance, betrayals are part of human nature. No alliance is truly unshakeable. We drink and we drink. So much they all leave the table one after the other. They wille back lighter soon. I am left with a cute waitress asking me if I want to keep drinking. Why not. She offers me a selection of beverages. I''m confused as usual. Mypanions all away. I simply tell her that I''ll go with whatever she rmends. She asks me a few times to confirm. At worst I''ll find whatever she brings me DISGUSTING. No big deal. She nods excitedly. She seems oddly cheerful. Do people usually ignore her advice or something? Shees back happily bringing a golden cup. What''s with the overly fancy cup? Mypanionse back. "Oh no! Why did you order that?!" Ah? What? [Is there anything wrong with this drink?] The polite young man looks at me, then at the cheering waitress. "You let her decide your drink?" [Yes, does it taste horrible or something?] "If only it was that simple. Ordering this means you are paying for everyone''s drink." [What the hell?! What about my money?!] "I''m afraid you just gave it all up." What''s with this tavern?! Why the hell is there an option for that?! [Hey! I never signed up for that! I still need to get a ce to sleep tonight!] Shees nearby smiling. "Sorry Sir but there are no refunds offered. Now please hand over the money." [How much is that even?] "All of it." This doesn''t make sense. "*Sigh* This is a custom here. When you order that thing, it is a hugemitment. No matter what you aren''t allowed to leave with any wealth whatsoever. This thing is also in ordance with the town''s system too." [Wait, so you are saying if I keep money, I''ll be deemed a criminal?!] "Yep, it''s that dumb and bad." [What can I even do now?!] "Welldrink as much as you can. You know since you are paying for that stuff." Fuck me. This city is devious! This is fine I''ll get my revenge just watch me! Chapter 228: Respecting Traditions Chapter 228: Respecting Traditions They want to charge me everything I own to drink? [So let me get this straight. By ordering this drink everyone can drink at my expense? Meanwhile how much can I drink myself?] She giggles. "You can drink as much as you want with that option. Until you pass out that is. You aren''t allowed to use any recovery item or magic, however." Oh my god. Wait, wouldn''t it be possible to just drink infinitely if you only bring a small sum? The polite guy seems to read my mind. "Friend, there is a gold requirement to enter. You surprisingly are pretty rich, aren''t you! Don''t tell me that''s all you own?" I silently nod while he shakes his head. [Young and cute waitress, how about you get your boss here? I won''t ask for much. Just a slight refund so I can afford a ce to live tonight.] She nods and skips away. Coming with a bearded man. "I''ve heard it all from my staff haha." [Nice does this mean that?] "Nope, no refund. This is a sacred tradition after all." [*Threatening* Are you sure?] "Boy don''t try this with me. This is a city custom. Not the system nor any of the rulers would take your side." *Sigh* I understand. I was trying to be nice here. Is my kindness forever to be misunderstood? Just watch me. Imma drink it all! "Boss! We just received the new shipment of booze for the month!" Even heaven itself is helping me. He leaves in a hurry with a huge grin on his smile. I just spent all of the wealth I looted from the thugs right there. It gotta add up to a nice profit. Well, just this once he miscalcted. Divine energy is invisible to most. In any case, I doubt a tavern owner or an automated system would detect it. *Chuckle* The youngsters look at me worriedly. "Are you alright? Don''t take it to heart one can always make some more money!" [Don''t misunderstand you guys. I''m notughing because I went insane haha.] "Then why?!" [What did you guys think of my attempt at getting my wealth back?] They seem to be hesitating. [Be honest.] "A futile and pointless attempt." [Hehe. You see I was simply trying to give them a path of survival. Now I feel no regret for what is about to happen.] I can''t help myself but chuckle. The typical evil demon lord chuckle. The other patrons are shaking their heads. [What about you guys? Do you find me pitiful?] They break eye contact. Well, all except one guy in the back that gives me a big thumbs up. I reply in kind. He seems surprised by my enthusiasm. They all think I just lost a lot after all. They will be proven wrong soon. Then I start drinking. I chug the whole ss instantly. [More!] Waitresses get busy and fill my cup up before leaving. [You might want to get more alcohol ready. I am only beginning.] "Sir don''t overdo it." "Yeah, man. Dying from intoxication is reallyme. Not worth it no matter what." I keep chugging. The more they bring me the more disappears. My stomach a bottomless hole. How does it all work? Not sure, divine energy fuckery. It just does. The more time passes the more intense the gallery''s reaction. From being slightly surprised to bingpletely baffled. People wondering what kind of magic I am using to make this possible. They obviously know something is up. It is impossible for a human to drink this much. Cleary is impossible. Yet I''m currently doing it. It''s not cheating if they can''t prove it haha. "Brother, can I ask you something?" [What''s up?] "What are you?!" [Hehe, you see I am a dragon amongst men. My feats resounding across the whole world.] "Wow!" [Do you believe me?] "Of course, I''m not blind." Ah, this feels great. See how op I am! Alright, being able to drink a lot may not be the most impressive. Still, it is something. Champions have stuff like the cultivation guy. Things like flying on swords. Meanwhile, I''m here like I can drink. My heroic catchphrase could be: Stay hydrated! Meh, whatever. I have gotten through enough alcohol to fill up a small poolpletely. But I won''t stop right now. The waitresses are freaking out. I drink faster than they can fill. The more it goes the more staff needs to stay at our table. Their only job is to pour endlessly. It isn''t long before they run outpletely. They have no choice but to go find the manager. Get him to bring out his reserves. Hees back puzzled. "What is the fuss even about?" Then he sees the situation. At first, there is that short moment of confusion. Wondering how all of it happened. Then a girl whispers in his ear. He looks at me. He looks at the empty kegs. It was at that very moment he knew he fucked up. "That, Sir. Maybe we cane to an arrangement and?" [Don''t worry I am no troublemaker. I wouldn''t want to go against tradition.] "That actually it''s fine if" [No, I insist. I am a virtuous and morally upright individual after all.] "Of course, but" [Don''t worry. No matter what I will keep drinking. I won''t disrespect you by asking for a refund anymore. I shall keep drinking.] "That, it really isn''t" [Now, I heard you just received a month worth of shipment. Talk about great timing!] "*Gasp*" I can see the horror in his eyes. He has just realized that I am not close to being done. "T-that, how about we stop right now? I am really getting worried for your health, Sir!" [Haha, no need to worry about me! I am valiant and undefeatable! Now, I will wait for the next round!] The now listless owner drags his feet heading in the back store. I can hear faint sobbing sounds. Must be my imagination. Actually, probably not. That guy is probably happy I am so respectful of tradition. So incredibly happy he is now sobbing. Oh well, this is but part one of my ns. Part two will be extremely fun. Chapter 229: Job Hunting Chapter 229: Job Hunting I leave behind amazed bystanders and a crying owner. In terms of alcohol, there is no alcohol left. I mean it isn''t that bad. They can still sell meals. If anything it will be good for the general popce. A little bit of time where they will be healthier. Now that I think about it, I am totally helping themunity. *Sigh* This is my good action of the day. If I do that a few times, I will be renowned. I can already picture the headlines. Man single-handedly solves the drinking problem in the city. He is given a medal of honor for his dedication and sacrifice. Truly a model for the younger generations. Well, that is if they even have newspapers here. I''m not expecting the real thing, but they must have means ofmunication. There could be an issue if they rely on rumors only. It would be hard for people without a picture of me. How are they to know how handsome I am then? Yep, there needs to be a picture of me for sure. Who knows I may even get my own fan club? If a donkey can get one, why can''t I?! I''m not jealous! Okay, perhaps a bit. Now don''t get me wrong. I don''t mind one bit my pet bing popr. But only if said pet is a good wingman. The unicorn wasn''t. She either yed dumb or said weird stuff. I do hope she is doing fine. She remains a good friend, nheless. I do have Wolfie but she isn''t good with strangers. If a cute girl approaches, chances are she''ll just growl. Well, that has never happened. Mostly because of how expressive Wolfie is. When she looks at you with disgust you don''t want toe near. It feels really bad when an animal is looking down on you. Still, now is not the right time to think about a wingman. I''m broke as hell right now. Sure drinking a lot is cool. But I can also seem like a raging alcoholic to people that don''t know better. I did just spend all my savings drinking. It was by mistake but still. Well, it ended well. It was worth it in a way. Just seeing the face of people. Am I human? Who knows haha. Let them think whatever they want. Now my immediate goal should be to get a job. The polite young man offers me to work with them. I refuse. I am not a petty thief. I am a man of many talents. I am perfectly capable of being self-sufficient. In such a way they bid me farewell. They have some stuff to do and so do I. They don''t seem too worried about me. I just showed them something amazing after all. If they were NPCs their trust meter would be through the roof. This is kinda epic. I just need to keep this up. At this rate, the whole city will fall under my charm! What? Convincing a few young men doesn''t count? Please, every hero had to start somewhere. I actually feel awesome right now. I am not even fooling kids, but true grown men. This is amazing. I am that close to a fan club. And by that I mean I am just missing the fans and the club. Very close. I will go one step at a time. Now, this first step of mine is to confidently enter a shop. A ce where I will showcase my awesomeness. "Wee, what can I get you?" [The question is not what you can do for me, but instead what I can do for you!] "Young man, this is a bakery. I don''t have time for your charades. I''m also not interested in buying anything." [Ah, you misunderstand. You see I am a baker myself!] "Good for you, I guess. Now either buy or get the hell out!" [Eh, aren''t you hiring?] "Nope. Why would I be? Are you looking down on me?!" [Ah, no. I saw the sign in the window.] "The one that says specifically not to ask about getting hired? Are you taunting me, boy?!" [Ah, no. Sorry I looked at it too quickly it seems.] "Now get the fuck out!" Okay. This ce may not be my first step after all. Let''s dub this one a test run. Kinda like how one would stretch before doing some exercise. Yep, that''s what it was. It seems I was too hasty a bit. I''m so used to seeing notices looking for staff that I didn''t expect the opposite. It even had a little drawing of a person on it. Anyone would have mistaken it easily. At least I assume. I could totally test it. Get a bunch of illiterate people. Line them all up. Then ask them individually what they think of that sign. Then check how likely that misunderstanding is. Then I could push the study even further. Break it down by demographics. By the mainnguage. By ce of residence. By the age. By the gender. I could then rify it all. Of course, I won''t do it. I mean, why would I? Would be nice to have an AI chip right now. You know, the kind that does all the calctions for you instantly? You know the kind that appears out of nowhere. Why? I don''t know. It usually goes like that. It would help me a ton for my studies. It would make my scouting ability OP too. The main issue I have right now is that I am human. Divine energy is really strong, but I am limited by my mortality. A concrete example, me looking from above using my powers. I can see a small area. I could possibly look at the entire world given enough proficiency. The thing is the sheer quantity of information would fry my brain. That I am sure of. Would be more than I canprehend. That would all change with an AI. I could let it do the heavy calctions while I chill. It could even give me fight predictions and whatnot. *Sigh* No point thinking about all this stuff. Time to go back to the task at hand. Find another bakery to try my luck. Ah, there is one right there. Alright, here goes nothing Chapter 230: Way of the Pie Chapter 230: Way of the Pie Take two. Scene: Getting a job. Main actor: An extremely handsome guy. Supporting actor: A cute and small white wolf trailing behind. Background: A medium-sized bakery that has decent traffic of customers. Time of filming: Right about now because no one has time to wait anymore. 3, 2, 1Action! I''m sure this time around it will go better. I mean considering thest one I got turned down instantly The only way it could be worse is if I get attacked with a knife or something. There is my target. A man talking with a customer. He nces at me. "I''ll be with you shortly." [Actually, I''m here to apply for a job. Take all the time you need with the customers!] Polite tone, check. Smile, check. Now I''m patiently waiting on the side. Making sure I don''t disturb the business. After a while, he has a few minutes to allocate me. Still, I see an iing customer on his way, so I summarize it shortly. That I have trained for months and that I can be a valuable asset to his bakery. That is technically true. All I ever did was barbecue or pie, but I''ve done it for a while. This is the best tactic I know for an interview. You want to say something true that sounds impressive. This way they can''t really be mad even if they misunderstand. If anything they will admire your marketing skills. He then goes back to tending to customers. He hasn''t driven me away. This is obviously an improvement. This shows he is somewhat interested in my candidature. I guess that means he is a wise man. Unlike that other guy from before. Both of them actually operate on the same street. I can already picture myself bing a star cook. The kind that gives a foodgasm to every customer. The kind that people will think is drugging the food. My creations will be that amazing. Of course, it will all be legit. Then our bakery will be extremely popr. So popr it will eclipse all the others. Then wille to visit that one arrogant owner. He will notice me. Notice how awesome I am. Then he will regret. But as they say, there is no medicine for regret. He will try to poach me, but the wise owner here won''t let me go. He will offer a better sry. A sry so high it will impress the richest of tycoons. Then it will be the beginning of my legacy. With the money I will make, I will open my own bakery. One that will sell nothing but pie. I will hire my old patron as a worker. Together we will share how great pies are with the world. Slowly building a pie empire. Then it will be part of the culture. Pies will be said to be worth more than gold. At the very least these pies of ours. Then we will expand. Going from one branch in the diplomatic city to countless. We will be everywhere. We will be a power in itself. Then using that influence we will unite the continent. Once that is done, we will unite the world. Only once that goal is reached will we stop. For this the Dao of the pies. One that is truly worth "Hey! Are you alive!?" What? All the customers are gone. It is only I and the owner that remain. [Sorry, was lost in my thoughts for a second.] "All good, you did wait for a long time." Ah, it is already getting dark outside. [How should we proceed?] "Simple, just cook something and I will watch you work." Sounds simple enough. Most of the time simple is best. I get started. I do all the steps to bake a pie. From the first to thest. Anyone that doesn''t know how should look it up. Find your nearest bakery and kneel until they teach you. I make sure to cook it just the right amount of time. It turns out crispy and delicious looking. I''m going to state the obvious, but I am proud of my creation. The owner looks at me. "Brother, we don''t even sell pies here." [And that is why you should hire me.] He looks at me at a loss for words. "What about bread? How proficient are you in it?" I scoop a part of the pie. Delicately using a spoon. [Here, just taste this.] I slowly bring it to his lips. Ever so slowly part them gently. Then I insert it inside. He gobbles it up. [So, how is it?] I can see him smile shyly. "Quite good I must admit." He likes it very much. I can see him licking the tip. Driving his tongue all over the length. Taking it all in. I take the spoon and I give him seconds. His mouth is nowpletely filled. He closes his eyes in bliss. He tries to say something. I stop him and tell him to just enjoy the moment. He nods and tastes it all. I keep carefully feeding him. Giving him all of my love. After all my cooking is full of it. That is the secret for any artisan. You want to pour your heart into it. Soon enough all of it is deep inside him. All inside his stomach. He took it all in, surprisingly. All of the pie. He was really hungry Or my pie is just that good. I want to believe it''s thetter. [So, do I have the job?] I wink at him. After seeing how much he enjoyed it this seems a done deal. "Of course! You can stay in this ce forever!" [Nice, when do I start?] "How about right now?" [Oh I see. It is gettingte, are we cooking the batch for tomorrow? Wait, shouldn''t we do that in the morning? You know to keep it fresh?] "Forget the cooking. You just have to share my bed. I have been looking for so long for a kindred soul!" Wait, what?! "You clearly are one to enjoy forey involving food. I knew I couldn''t be the only one! The way you kept gently feeding me was awesome. I don''t even care if you are a man, we can" [Wait! I just want to bake! I don''t swing that way!] He starts crying. "Ah, I understand. Then you may leave." [What about the job?!] "Sorry, but there is no way I can work alongside you and restrain myself. If you wish to stay it will be for" [Alright! I''m out! Never mind!] Fuck! I was so very close! Being handsome is a curse I tell you Now, where am I supposed to spend the night?! Chapter 231: Hidden Talent Chapter 231: Hidden Talent Now don''t get me wrong that guy seemed kinda cool back there. I just don''t want to be some baker''s husband. Well, there are definite advantages for sure. The good food is one. A baker is also used to kneading the dough. God, the massages must feel amazing. Getting big strong hands slowly removing all the tension. Then there is the promise of always having a roof over one''s head. Now that I carefully think about itthat offer was legit. It''s just that I can''t go back to men. Not after experiencing the bliss of using titties as a pillow. Seriously. It may sound vulgar, but have you tried it?! I probably should keep that on the down-low. Yuri is great but it does make it more troublesome for men. I do have a theory. People can be misogynists and stuff. But fundamentally everyone loves breasts. It is the source of life. You know with the milk and all. I may be wrong. Then again breasts aren''t everything either. Should I go back and . Naw, I''ll figure something out. Let me see. Toote to apply for another job. Too broke to find an inn. I could alwaysmit a petty crime. Then bam into prison. Instant roof! Well, that''s how I picture it. Would be kinda dumb if they tried to cut a hand or something. Still, that would be creating more problems than it would solve. I can try going to the slums to ask for help. I would have to find the guys from earlier. That may take a while too. I am used to sleeping outdoor. I simply turn a corner and head into an alley. This will be the perfect spot for my n. I lie down and I close my eyes. I doubt this will cause any issue. After all, there are not that many guards here apparently. Guess they are all busy with the exterior of the city. Wolfie snuggles up with me. There we go, instant body heater. Perfect for the cold lonely nights. I could go into the body pillow market. Create cute wolf plushies. Then add some kind of magic to it to enhance sleep. I''m not even sure it would have to actually even work. Might be able to create a Pavlov effect. You know, the dog that was trained to salivate upon hearing a bell? Well, what if we used a plushie to sleep on demand. As long as the instructions are clear it should work somewhat. The effect would be limited for sure, but that doesn''t matter. As long as some people notice that it helps the others will follow suit. You don''t want to be that idiot that isn''t able to follow instructions. All the friends are saying it works? Better agree to not be an outsider. That is how you start a business. The early customers are the hardest to get. I could find whoever is popr in the city. Then have them endorse the product. Before long everyone would want one. There are a few problems with this n, however. First, I''m broke. Second, I don''t know the dynamics of this ce. Third, I''m ignorant of the legalities. Fourth I really should be sleeping right now. Oh well. Who cares about plushies? I have the real thing to hug. I contentedly feel myself drifting into sleep. **** "Wake up you slimy bastard!" What? "I said wake up you slimy bastard! This ce is my territory!" Who''s that rude guy? [Is it morning already?] "Of course it''s fucking morning! Get up, youzy bum, and leave this ce!" I slowly open my eyes. There is some guy in rags. I''d say he''s been on the street for a while. Judging by the odor. [What''s up? You ain''t a guard man. That much is obvious. What do you want?] "This is my area of business. Get the hell away." I look around confusedly. [What do you mean?] "This area is mine to beg at!" This dumbass. [Do I look like a damn beggar to you?! Go do your stuff you asshole!] Also who the fuck calls begging business?! "I can''t!" [Why?! Stop bothering me! Shoo!] "People are not giving me anything! They all go AWWW what a cute wolf! Then they throw you money!" Wait, what I look on the ground there are various coins all over. Wow. I mean, cuteness is justice for sure. Still, this is easier than I thought. I was just sleeping. I''m surprised the guy didn''t try to get the Ah, his leg is bleeding. w marks. He did try to steal from me. Failedmentably too. I need to praise Wolfie for thatter. Fuck that guy, really. He deserves it for waking me up. [Oh I see. How about I just stay here then?] "Y-you, you can''t!" [Oh? Is this street yours? How about you get some city officials to back your im?] "Y-you!" [Even if you point at me angrily it won''t do much you know.] "This is outrageous!" [No, what is outrageous is you waking me up. You should be ashamed!] "You''ll fight a poor beggar over something so silly?!" He acts surprised. [Yep.] "Y-you" I holler at a passerby. [Hey there youngdy! Want to do a good action? Make sure you don''t give shit to the asshole right next to me. That will count as your daily good action!] She giggles and throws a coin over. Wow. This works? [Hey there young man, want to support a good cause? I want to buy lots of drugs for me and my wolf. Ah, but I am a principled owner! I will always prioritize her!] He guffaws. Then throws some coins over. Wow. Have I found a new possible career path? "You just wait! I''ll be back for revenge!" He leaves angrily. Am I supposed to be scared of a smelly beggar? I meane on. He isn''t even good at begging. How does one lose to a sleeping guy and a wolf? Seriously?! Oh well, this was fun, but my goals are grander than that. Time to go back to job hunting! I have a n this time around! Chapter 232: Third Time Is The Charm Chapter 232: Third Time Is The Charm Time to start my master n. First thing first, ask a bystander! They point me toward the third nearest bakery. The guy I ask is really confused about my motives. Alright, showtime. Back straight. Confident attitude. Slight smile. This time I got this. Inside is some guy. Obviously, the owner here. [Hey there! I would like to apply for employment. Ah, but I only sell my skills, not my body!] He looks at me weirdly. "Brother, this ce isn''t mine. I just man the counter." Seems I was wrong. [I see. When can I see the owner then?] "Sorry, but we aren''t recruiting. You can try some other ce in town." Direct rejection. Well, it can''t be helped if they are already fully staff. Not a problem on my side. Guess I''ll just Comes a cute girl. "Brother, I am looking for a job. Can you help me?" Ah, nice try but they don''t need any "Sure! We were missing some personnel! Your arrival must be fate! Alright,e behind the counter I will show you your tasks!" Brother... No, this guy doesn''t deserve such a title. [You literally just said that] "Shoo! We need hardworking and polite employees! You are too rude!" That asshole. It''s totally because I don''t have boobs! This is discrimination! Can I beat him up? Ah, whatever. He''s not worth it. As I leave, I can hear him badmouth me. She''s even praising him for his valiance in turning me away. Fuck. Screw these guys! They were made for each other! Bastard and Bitch! Okay. Now to try this again. I find another target. Right, how am I finding so many bakeries? Well, the city is big. Really big. I enter. This time for sure. Oh, it''s ady at the counter! I can totally use my charm! Nice! [Hey there, are you hiring by any chance? I have months of experience as a cook!] She nces at me. "I could use a hand for sure. The starting sry wouldn''t be that high but if we manage to do well I could increase it in kind." Nice! Finally, one that is serious! I was wondering if I was cursed or something. All is good now. [Perfect! Should I show you my skills?] "Of course, now if you can just " *Sound of a door* Comes a dashing young man. "Hey there! Are you recruiting? I am looking for a job!" Oh? Competition, is it? I was here first, but truthfully, in such a case the better candidate is the one that will be chosen. This will obviously end up into a cook-off. This is going to be epic. Whatever he bakes will not stand a chance against my pies! This is a given for sure. "You want to work here too?" [I just applied for a job brother haha. I guess we will have to determine who deserves the job the old-fashioned way. May the most skillful one win!] "Ah, I understand!" Thedy interrupts. "No need, he has the job." What?! She''s pointing to the neer. [Why?!] "He is way cuter. Plus looking at you I get the feeling you spent the night on the street. He''s obviously the better alternative." What the fuck?! What happened to one shouldn''t judge a book by its cover?! Now he''s smiling bashfully. Fuck this ce! Are all the damn cooks so narrow-minded?! I''m out! *Sigh* How is getting a job turning out to be so hard? It''s not even a matter of beingpetent. Alright, I will try onest time. The third time''s the charm as they say. I enter a small shop. At this point having a smile on my face is hard. [Hey there, are you recruiting? I''m a cook looking for a job.] There stands a man with a chef hat. This already seems more professional than the previous ones. He has his branding straight. "Alright, I don''t mind putting you to the test." [You mean to say you won''t judge me based on my face, my sexual orientation, my gender, or downright turn me down for no reason?!] "Why would I?" [Ah, sorry, it''s been a long day.] He nods understandingly and points me to the kitchen. I get to work. Baking the most wonderful pie of all time. Once it is done, he carefully tastes it. [How is it?] Time for the verdict. This will determine my future. "Pretty good. What else do you know how to bake?" Truth or deception? [That is the only thing I currently have mastered, but I can learn easily!] "I understand. Alright, we are done here." [Y-you mean I failed?] "Ah, no you got the job kid. As long as you show motivation and the will to improve everything will be fine." [Nice!] I almost hug him in joy. Finally. It took some time, but I finally did it. "Alright follow me, kid." We go into an adjacent room. It looks like a small prayer room. "You are in luck kid. This right here is the secret to my craft. You see the statue in the middle?" [Yes?] "This is a representation of our god KooKing himself!" I''m not sure I like where this is going. "Now kneel in front of it and ask him from the bottom of your heart for his blessing." [What happens if I already am following a god?] Will he flip and be angry? "No need to worry. Our God wees all cooks into his following. Just forget about that other God." [Sure] How do I do this? I kneel and then I pray. A true god should be able to hear my true thoughts, rights? Perhaps the overall feeling? Please god of KooKing. Please grant me your power! I do not care about gods at all. But I swear that should you bless me I will build a small shrine to you once I have conquered the world through the way of the pies. I may never revere you as a god per se, but I will make sure to honor you and consider you a worthy business partner! Did it work? I nce at the statue, no reaction whatsoever. I don''t feel any different either. "*Sigh* You are not sincere enough in your prayer. Alright, let''s call it a day. You cane back whenever to try again. It''s all about having the right mentality. You''ll get it eventually." [Wait, can''t one cook without a blessing?] "Cook? No, not in the truest sense. You would always remain an amateur never reaching the peak." That''s how I am forced to leave. How am I supposed to believe in some guy I have never even met? *Sigh* What now? Chapter 233: Dwarven Sword Chapter 233: Dwarven Sword That didn''t go well. What now? I have a few copper coins. A tamer emblem. A ne. A sword. Surprisingly, I didn''t lose thest one yet. This is fine. Time for n B. I just need to get a small capital. Just enough to get someone to clean my outfit, make me presentable. Then I can go back to job hunting. Hopefully sessfully this time around. Yep, time to get rid of the sword. I''d say it looks to be quite well made. It should fetch me a nice sum. Right, I should probably learn about the value of money here. Why didn''t I do that earlier? Thus I start going around. Asking random people random questions. Here are the results of my investigation. A pie cost about 10 copper coins. That is all the information I need. I can extrapte the rest on my own. This means that I spent about 500 pies worth to pay the mercenaries. Actually more since I overpaid. I guess it doesn''t matter that much. They were pretty nice. Also, they did say something about joining my faction. Even with how half-imaginary it is haha. Maybe I should stop recruiting everyone I meet. Since I don''t have any actual real organization. On the other hand, if I manage to convert enough people war could be avoided. At least in this little part of the world. In gaming terms, I would that one priest that goes wolololololo. If you don''t know it, look it up. God, I miss the inte. Anyway, I need to find a cksmith and Maybe a normal weapon shop would be better. Yeah, chances are their margins are better. Either way, avoiding getting ripped off will be a pain. Good thing is that weapon is just looted. No big loss either way. I ask a nearby kid to guide me in exchange for a few copper coins. Direction the coolest armament shop. I get brought to one filled with people. To the brim. It looks lively. The business seems great. The signboards are golden and resplendent. I make my way through the crowd trying to reach the counter. Well-dressed attendants are talking with customers. I holler at one. [Hey there, do you guys buy swords here?] "Sir, this is a shop. We are the ones selling things to customers, not the other way around." [What about this one? Can''t you guys buy and sell it for a profit?] He scoffs. Seemingly looking down on me. "Sir, it seems as if this sword has never been properly maintained. What were you even doing with it?!" Carrying it around like a trinket is probably not the answer he''s expecting. Is this a tactic to lower the price? Then again it does sound logical. Should I try and sell it nheless? [How about buying it for a few silvers?] "Sorry, but the best I can do is a few coppers. The wear and tear are intense on that item." [Are you kidding me?! That is the price of simple food! We are talking a fully forged sword here!] He looks condescendingly at me. "Sorry Sir but we won''t buy your junk. Please leave this store." That''s so rude! That''s when I hear a voice. "Thank you all for gathering here today for this special event!" A well-dressed man is showing off a weapon that looks like a work of art. Yet it appears as deadly as beautiful. Not overly fancy either. Oh? I guess that exins how packed the store is. "Today, as many of you know, we will be auctioning a weapon of wonder. One forged by a dwarf master himself!" That''s good to know. Fantasy races are a thing. I have never seen any here, however. "This de right here is one able to cut through metal, flesh, and bones like butter! Bring this on the battlefield and any rank 4 will instantly be invincible. Or close anyway." I like the disimer at the end. Marketing done right where customers can''tin. I mean the way I see it a godlike weapon has its drawbacks too. Sure a rank 4 can be really strong with it. But what happens if he gets in? The enemy could just pick it right up and then you are screwed. The good thing is that as long as you manage to retrieve it many experts can use it. Even if the first one dies the second could use it too. I guess the other alternative is to invest in training resources. The disadvantage is that there is the risk of your investment dying on you. The good thing is it''s harder to steal people than weapons. Actually, poaching is a thing too. The more I think about this the more I realize I have no clue how to lead a sect. I''ll have to somehow learn that before my half-fake faction bes bigger. "Who wants to bid on it?!" A rich-looking guy raises his hand. I''d describe him as the powerful ancestor type. One that seems experienced and authoritative. "Before bidding, how about we test how sharp it truly is?" The announcer looks confident. "No problem! If anyone manages to even leave a scratch on it, not only will we not hold him ountable, but we will even reward such an individual!" The authoritative man moves forward. He takes out a sturdy-looking scimitar. Just judging from the looks the scimitar should easily destroy the target. He takes a swing with incredible momentum. *KACHA* As expected, the scimitar breaks in half. An extremely clean cut. Would have been hrious if the dwarven sword got destroyed. Could you picture the face of the auctioneer? He is now showcasing it. The product raised high up in the air. Clear for everyone to see that it is intact. Completely so. I wonder exactly what exins this. Is it the base materials? Is it the alloy itself? For example, abination of metals in the perfect ratio will usually end up sturdier. Perhaps it is the skills of the craftsman. Perhaps even his magic proficiency. For all I know, this weapon could be choke-full of mana. You know the thing that is invisible to me. Everyone is nodding impressed. After this disy, no one will try to contest it. That is the logical reaction of course for Wait a minute. What if this is all a ploy? My friends did warn me about the deviousness of people here. He did say there was a reward for making a scratch, didn''t he? "Now we shall proceed with the" I may as well try my luck. [Wait a second! Let me try too!] *Gasps of surprise* Chapter 234: Popular Sword Chapter 234: Popr Sword People are looking weirdly at me as I move forward. "Oh? Young man, you want to try it too? Didn''t you see the earlier disy?" [I did. I''m simply not convinced yet.] The man seems to understand my meaning. It is possible that it was a set-up. "As you wish, go on and try." Then a voice interrupts. It is the ancestor-looking guy. "Why? Are you doubting my character young one? Or is it that you are belittling the sword I lost?" [I simply want to try. Who knows maybe I will seed?] "You think I am colluding with the shopkeeper to fool everyone?" [Not especially, but maybe.] "How preposterous. Let me tell you I am an elder of one of the top sects in the entire city. The iron guardians! I would never steep so low!" He seems to be getting angry on his own. [You affirming that no one would ever doubt you only make it worse. You would be a perfect candidate for such a setup.] "*Snort* As if that made any sense. Trying to discredit me are you?!" People are looking at me as a fool. Some show pity. The others are enjoying the show. Clearly enjoying the fact that I am offending people right now. Still, it doesn''t matter. I just need to show them. [Then, can I start?] "Go ahead." I grip my sword tightly. I focus all the divine energy I can. Drive it all in the de. Ever so carefully not to break it. This is hard. So extremely hard. Good thing this isn''t a fight. I have all the time in the world. "Are you gonna do it or not? Stop clowning around!" Better just ignore that. Keep focusing. Alright, this should be enough. Moment of truth! *SLASH* It gets cleaved in half. The dwarven sword. Hahahaha. In their fucking faces! How are they going to react now I wonder? I look around. Disbelieving faces. Everyone can''tprehend what happened. The result is so different than the expected one. [So, does that mean I get a reward? That''s what you said, right?] Surprisingly I get ignored. Completely. Everyone looks at the iron something sect guy. Doubtful gazes. Reproachful ones too. He is panicking. Not understanding what is going on. Assuring everyone that he has no clue why this is all happening. Telling them that he isn''t conniving with the seller. Except, that''s what a cheater would say. He seems at a loss on how to defend himself. In the meantime, the seller is looking at the 2 halves of the prized sword. Questioning life. Realizing how much he screwed up by allowing the audience to test it. I guess now he is probably wondering if he bought a fake by mistake. His iprehension seems genuine. I guess divine energy is really good for that. To defymon sense. Not my problem either way. This shall be a life lesson to this shop. They probably have insurance or something too anyway. That''s when the sect guy has an idea. He asks the others to test the sword too. Says that even the broken one should prove sturdy enough. Sounds like excuses to me. Except it really isn''t. Some try to sh at the broken weapon. They can''t chip it at all. That''s when they all turn toward me. "Friend would you be willing to sell this sword to me?!" "No, I''ll buy it for more!" "No, this sword will be ours for sure!" Holy shit. [Guys! Guys! You are all misunderstanding this sword is nothing special!] "As if we''d believe you!" "We weren''t born yesterday!" "No normal weapon can be so powerful!" [No, seriously! I even tried to sell this very sword to this shop for a few silvers and they didn''t want it!] All eyes go on the auctioneer. He finally goes out of his stupor. "T-that friend, I do not believe we have had any chance to " [I legit just tried selling it at the counter right there!] I point at a now livid employee. The previously condescending one. Yes, that is very petty of me. I don''t care haha. I feel like someone will have some exining to do very soon. "How about naming your price friend and our shop will buy it?" I''m about to answer that there are already countless protests. No one wants to let go of a potential legendary weapon. That''s the thing, however. This sword is as basic as it gets. Not like I can put divine energy in it. Not sure I would want in the first ce. But I do think it would destroy it too. Now what. I look helplessly as they keep inting the prices. From a few gold coins, it has already climbed to a few thousand. Finally, a bearded man bids the highest. I guess I can onlye clean. Of course, I can''t say the truth either. Maybe I can im it is a one-time use sword? Then I can just shatter it on the ground. Otherwise, it would probably be considered scamming. I wonder how the system here deals with such a crime. "WAIT!" What? Comes a manvishly dressed. His outfit screams look at me I am rich. The very dream target of gold diggers. I''d describe him but my eyes only go to the gold-embroidered robe. It has a golden lion on it. One that is holding a scale. I feel like I have seen that somewhere before but I''m not sure where. Truly a strange feeling. Probably at some point in my past I encountered that. "You guys started all of this without even inviting me. How bold of you guys!" I can hear whispers from the crowd. Something something golden lion merchant group. Something something very rich. Something something very powerful. This guy is apparently a big shot. Wasn''t there another group with a lion in its name? Guess popr things are popr for a reason. It is kinda cool. "Well, now that I am here I guess I will bid too. I am offering 100 gold coins and an official position as a core member of the golden lion group." What is up with this guy? Is he actually bidding less than the others? What the hell? Chapter 235: Two Buyers Chapter 235: Two Buyers Okay, so let me get this straight. This guy swaggers here. Then intimidates all the others. By offering way less goldand adding a membership to that? Isn''t that just trying to poach me forcefully? Then they can put me to good use if I turn out to be strong. In case they find that I was simply lucky to find the sword they probably won''t care. Except the actual situation is worse. The sword is fake. There is no way I can ept that invitation. No matter what. Chances I would be bound to them afterward. Let''s just end this farce. [Actually, I have no wish to sell it anymore. I will have to apologize to you all.] There, fixed it. Most seem disappointed. Still, they understand. Something about me not wanting to get rid of such a magical sword. They seem to be under the misunderstanding that I somehow just discovered the power of the weapon when I was testing it. Thus changing my mind about wanting to sell it. The extravagant merchant scoffs. "Oh? You want to keep it? It seems to me like you are biting more than you can chew. Wanting to keep such a fine sword." What''s up with this guy? I already said I do not wish to sell. "Tell me, boy. You seem extremely arrogant. Not even giving our group face. Are you a rank 4 or above?" [Thatno way.] Just looking at my defense levels I may actually be. Everything elseactually, I am getting good at bluffing. This ought to count for something, right? "Then, let me advise you. You will lose this sword if you stubbornly try to keep it. Only to be left with nothing." Is this a threat? Except if they trick me somehow, the system should prevent that. [This city is supposed to be mostly crimeless no?] "Hehe, if there is a will there is a way." I feel like that should be a sentence used for motivational purposes. Not to threaten people randomly. "Let me offer you this. I will give you 50 gold coins. I will also give you a chance to join the group as an inner member. That is if you hand over the sword right now. Should you refuse, you will be making a powerful enemy out of us too." His offer already downgraded. Because I refused him once? This guy is also threatening me. I can see from the reaction of the other bystanders that they are pissed too. Yet none make a move. Until "*Scoff* Your arrogance knows no bound as usual. How about this, young one? Hand over the sword to us and the iron guardian sect will assure your protection. We will also wee you in our midst and properlypensate you." Wow. That guy is actually nice. He may be trying to profit, but he leaves me a path for survival. Let me confirm just in case. [What if I refuse?] "We are no thugs. Refusing is your right. Honestly, if you do you should definitively ept the golden lion group''s offer. Still, we are your best bet." I see. This is kind of an ultimatum. I turn to the arrogant guy. [I understand, hand over the money and the sword is yours.] He throws it over. "Now I will send you a list of things you must do to join us and" [Not interested.] "W-what did you say?!" [Not interested in joining. At all. I''ll just settle for the gold. It has been a pleasure doing business with you.] I truly mean it too. This asshole just bought a sword barely worth a few silvers for 50 gold. I promptly leave the area. They can deal with the aftermath. I don''t care about the destroyed dwarven sword. I don''t care about what happens to the random sword either. I don''t even look back. I keep walking until I reach an alley. I feel like there are probably people that will try and follow me. Especially after the shitshow in there. Bluffing time! [You cane out now. I don''t mind talking for a while.] *Sound of footsteps* "What gave me away?" It''s the iron sect guy. [The answer should be obvious, no?] He nods understandingly. I have no clue what conclusion he reached. "Why did you sell the sword to them? I would have bought it for a better price." [Hehe, you seem like a decent guy enough. I prefer selling it to that other asshole haha.] "Wait, don''t tell me there are people looking for that sword? Don''t tell me some kind of insanely powerful faction?" How did hee to this conclusion? There is only one way to answer such a thing. [Who knows.] Yep, be as vague as possible. "Wait, no. This doesn''t make any sense. We could gain favor by handing them said sword." I guess that could work too. "The way you grabbed the gold hurriedly shows that you are in need of financial assistance. Why would you refuse us then?" What should I ? "What is the most surprising is how you didn''t hesitate in the slightest to throw over such a legendary weapon." Imma just wait, I guess. "This could only mean that you have seen countless legendary swords in your life and weren''t fazed by that one!" What? "No, in such a case you could have still traded with us. Ah, don''t tell me. Could the sword be no this is impossible!" This is endless. [Can I go now?] "Oh my god! I remember you saying you tried selling the sword for a few silvers and they wouldn''t buy it. Is that true?!" [That? Yeah. What of it?.] "Then the sword you soldit was worthless?!" [Pretty much.] Now I guess he won''t be impressed anymore he''ll "This is amazing! How did you do it?! How could you show such power with such a lousy weapon?!" [That? I had a good swordsmanship teacher you see.] "There is such a legendary being on this continent?! Does he still ept disciples?!" [I guess he does?] "Please enlighten me! What is your respected teacher''s name?! Where can I find him?! What faction does he belong to?!" [Guy, that is a lot of information you are asking for ] "I swear on my soul that I do not wish any harm and only wish to learn!" That was a soul oath, wasn''t it? Wow, he''s motivated. He doesn''t seem like a bad guy. [His name is Zero, Zero of The Unnamed God Sect. Remember it.] On that note, I make my exit. Leaving a dazed guy and a legend in my wake. Now, time to use this newfound wealth for phase A of my world domination n. Chapter 236: Investing Chapter 236: Investing I got 50 gold in my pocket, this is fucking awesome. Now, where do I spend all that? I could always go to a thrift shop and get so much stuff. Nope, I got bigger ns. Still, I can''t help myself but hum slightly as I make my way through the city. I am looking for something very specific. A bakery with an owner that looks older. Why? Do I have a case of gerontophilia? Obviously not. Ah, target acquired! There is a man that looks to have suffered from the vicissitudes of life. [Hey there old man. How are you doing?] "Youngster if you are here to ce a big order you may as well go to another ce. I don''t have the energy I used to haha." [Say, old man, who is going to take over your bakery once you retire?] "Is this the first thing you ask an old man? Are you eying my business?!" [Well, not yours particrly. I''m looking to acquire a bakery.] "I''m not looking to sell one so you may as well leave right now." [Gotcha, any idea who would be willing to sell? I have gold.] "Please, you think gold is everything in the world?! You think I still operate this ce because I''m broke?! I''m still here because this is my life! Go away you prick!" This old man is spicy haha. [What about you, old man? You think I want to buy a bakery because I am loaded?! Don''t look down on me!] "Oh? Who would you even have work in this ce?" [Please I''d be the only one working.] "You would invest in this ce only to toil and sweat in it? Are you crazy?!" [What do you mean crazy! You know nothing! Baking pies is a way of life!] He res at me. "Son, why do you wish to own this ce again?" [To build a pie empire.] "*Sigh* In any case I wish to remain here until the day I die. Retirement is not one of my ns at all. I truly don''t know anything about the other shops either." This old man is pretty dedicated it seems. [How about this? I''m looking to buy a bakery, but I don''t have any employees. How about you stay here and help?] "You''d take this old man? Are you looking down on me! I''m an experienced baker!" [You can have parts in the business haha.] "You said something about pies?" [This will be the first step of my phenomenal expansion n. Customers will soon fight over who gets to take home one of my delicacies. No, one of our delicacies if you wish to remain.] "I''m mostly used to baking bread. This is what sells the best in the area." [Perhaps. All of it doesn''t matter. A diamond doesn''t have to fear not shining.] "You mean to say your pies are so good people will travel across the city just to taste them?!" [Indeed. Not to brag, but recently I baked one for some guy and he instantly fell in love with me.] "What?! Was he starving?!" [Hehe, not only was he not starving but he was a baker himself you see.] "Stop bullshitting me!" [*Smirking* I am serious here. You could even ask him directly. Ah, but maybe he would be embarrassed a bit.] "Ah, fine whatever. We''ll know soon enough. How about you cook one right now?" [Sure!] Time to showcase my godly skills again! I get to work. Eventually, a steamy pie is sitting in front of the old man. He looks at it unimpressed. Then he takes a bite. [Delicious, isn''t it?] "If I had to say it is in." [in?!] "Indeed. It is nowhere near the level it needs to be for that n of yours." This is the first time I''ve gotten such feedback. Was I delusional this whole time? That''s when I see Wolfie happily gobble up what remains of the pie. "That wolf of yours looks so expressive. Why is it following you around?" [She''s mypanion.] "Also your pie taste tester it seems." [Yep.] "I see the issue. As a beast, she may be more used to strong vors. Humans are pickier in general." Wolfie is looking at him like he is an idiot. I feel like she would disagree with that evaluation. "In any case your pie has potential. I feel like you just need more experience. You don''t actually cook that often, right?" [How did you know?!] "When you were working you seemed to be reminiscing. Clearly working diligently but you had to remember how to do it." [Ah, I see.] "One can truly be masterful through countless repetitions. It needs to be your life." [I understand! That''s why I want to buy my own ce. This way I''ll be able to cook whenever I please.] "I see that is understandable. Tell me youngster how much are you even willing to fork over for such an endeavor?" [50 gold coins.] "Make it 60!" [Eh, I only have 50.] "You gotta get used to bartering. When selling people are going to want to pay less and receive more." [Aren''t prices always the same?] "Nope, you want to set-up the price slightly more expensive. Then you allow people to barter it down a bit. This way they feel good about themselves." [That issuch a waste of time!] "Perhaps, but the richest don''t care about paying a little bit more. The poorest need to eat too. Also no matter the wealth of an individual everyone is happy to save." [This is soplicated!] "Alright, I''ve decided. Young man, let''s do it this way. You can leave your gold as a deposit and live here." Herees the but. "The way I see it you are not ready to be an owner just yet. Work here for a little while. Once you are ready I will pass this shop over to you." [So you want to test me?] "This ce is my life''s work. There is no way I will trust just anyone with it." [I understand.] "So do we have a deal?" [How does the deposit thing work exactly?] "Usually we would go to the city hall and make it official. Right now it is gettingte. We can head there tomorrow. For now, we can do a soul oath." These can be broken, but it isn''t that easy either. The old man looks reliable enough. I mean if he wants to steal the money he would have to run too. That would mean leaving the shop behind. If he is abandoning his shop either way, it would make more sense for him to directly sell it. Let''s try this. [Alright, we have a deal. From tomorrow the pie legacy shall begin haha!] Chapter 237: Working Hard Chapter 237: Working Hard Today is the day. Motherfucking pie time! Every moment in my life brought me to this point. It''s because I ran from the Moon Keep that I ended up reaching the Border town. I then learned my craft there. Because I was looking for a safe haven, I ended uping here. Then I somehow got the funds necessary through sheer luck. If this isn''t fate, then I don''t know what is! We wake up early in the morning. Usually, I would just go back to sleep, but for once I have a purpose. For my goals, I am ready to put in the work. What is a little effort to eternal glory? Together we prepare everything. Then we work the oven. He exins in detail about the equipment. Every single one must be analyzed slowly. To produce the best results possible. One needs to know how fast it conducts heat for example. He shows me firsthand. Lots of examples, the theory too. I notice he knows some things that even my Milf teacher ignored. While he isn''t as good at baking that one specific product, he has more experience as a professional baker. It makes me think about a lot of things. I''m like a sponge. Taking in all that knowledge. Before I know it, the day is already over. Not a single break is taken during the whole day. Then it is time to sleep again. I close my eyes contended. Knowing I am doing something that matters. At least to me. Wolfie seems supportive. After all that just means lots of good food for her. The old man has already deemed her the official guardian beast of this shop haha. She is smart enough for the job for sure. Soon it is morning again. We get to work. It is all baking over and over. Until every step bes second nature. The old man believes there is nothing that hard work can''t aplish. I ask him about his views about deities. Like that guy that was insisting I had to worship that KooKing god. He says it is both bullshit and urate at the same time. At the end of the day what truly matters is the effort. Just worshipping a god won''t change anything. Same for doing it halfheartedly. It is all about working hard. Still, at some point humans will reach a limit they won''t be able to ovee by themselves anymore. That is where a godes in. Still, he says one should stay as far away from gods in the initial stages. Otherwise, the initial progress will be too fast, and when it suddenly stops it will be difficult to ovee the difficulties. If I had to resume it I''d say it''s safe to assume external help, even from a god, has diminishing returns. Because of this one wants to wait as long as possible before relying on it. I ask him about things like alchemists too. Apparently, there are pills that can help one be stronger, but it has the same issue. I''m already dubbing that stuff useless, but he tells me otherwise. Even if it can only offer a slight help these kinds of things are still extremely valuable. For instance, going from rank 3 to rank 4 is a huge step that can change the life of an individual. Same for other stages, just less impactful. I enjoy the peaceful times. I feel at ease with the old man. He has lived a long time and has seen a lot. Yet he isn''t arrogant in the least. Just a simple baker as he says himself. Not even one of the best ones, or so he says self-depreciatingly. In my eyes that doesn''t matter. He has already passed the age of retirement and yet he is still here. Still working hard. At a slow pace, but that doesn''t matter. Funny how with the two of us, the output has actually diminished. I am taking my time and he is showing me the ropes. At one point I ask him why he is so kind to me. Apparently, he has always dreamed of teaching a disciple. He tried to show his nephew, but the guy always refused. Preferring to be a merchant instead. Said there was more profit to be made trading than producing something of low value. He did be a slightly sessful one, but he did forgo his roots. That he thinks the bakery should be brought down to use the terrain more efficiently. Well, that is his choice, to be honest. It did leave the old man lonely and working. Clinging to the business He says that he''s d that I came by. That he''s d his shop won''t simply be forgotten. He is not afraid of death. He is not afraid of being forgotten. He simply wishes for his legacy to live on. I can understand that perfectly. I am the same. I just want my life to have meaning. At least one that I can work toward. Even if it is simply to live my life my own way. As long as I can live freely, and I have my friends by my side all will be well. Even now Wolfie is watching us silently. In such a way days pass. Slowly yet quickly. Working and chatting. We keep going until we run out of ingredients. I am told to find a specific merchant. This time I don''t screw up and I note all the info I need down. This way I won''t forget. He remarks that my handwriting looks peculiar. Also that he isn''t surprised as I am very strange. We are at a point in our rtionship where he teases me without any restraint. Still, that makes me happy. The old man has been smiling a lot these days. One thing for sure, once I get ownership of the ce, I will keep him at my side. Even when he gets too old to work. He deserves that much. Anyway, off I go. The faster I leave the faster I cane back. I can''t help but find myself smiling. [Be back soon old man!] How many times will we run out of ingredients before we attain the perfect pie I wonder? Chapter 238: Stubborn Old Man Chapter 238: Stubborn Old Man ****(POV) This new youngster came out of nowhere. Wanting to buy my bakery. At first, I refused him categorically, but then I faltered. In him, I can see the same passion I used to have long ago. Right now I am but an empty husk of my old self. I know it. Everyone knows it too. This is why I have been getting fewer and fewer orders. Instead of baking for the future, I am simply not letting go of the past. Trying day after day to prevent my skills from withering. But I know it. My hands are not as steady as they used to be. My pace is slower. I find myself getting tired easily too. I am not able to run a business full time. Yet I''ve been pushing myself. Even while knowing it is all pointless. My nephew will own this ce soon enough and get rid of it. I do not want to see this happen, but I also have no other family. Now that changed. I may not have any family but I have a disciple now. My very own disciple. I have longed forever for that. We never really talk about such things. Titles and whatnot. Still, he listens to me. He cares about the words of this old fool. I took his money. Truth to be told I don''t need it. I simply wanted him to show how serious he was. Turns out he really cares about this. I can see that glimmer in his eyes whenever he talks about his dreams. Dreams that are so silly. Yet I believe he will one day manage it. What is a world without dreamers? A pitiful world, that''s what it is. The timing of it all is unbelievable too. He ns to do this while a literal war will be happening. One involving mythical beings. He will remain on the sidelines and sell pie. I asked him one time about it. He said something about going to sell in the middle of the battlefield if he had to. He even has slogans ready for such a thing. He would go: don''t lose to the enemy! Buy a pie right now to recuperate your strength! I can''t help butugh imagining such a scene. The sheer bafflement the warriors there would have. I believe he may be able to do it and survive to tell the tale. I have no idea what makes me believe that. He has that sort of aura. That he won''t go down easily. Well, there is also his wolf. I may just be an old man, but that is why I have seen many things. This wolf is crazily smart. Unbelievably so. Yet such a young man has such a dedicated guardian. Sometimes I wonder where hees from. He probably has some sort of heaven-defying background. He seems oblivious to this citypletely. My guess is hees from some reclusive unknown sect. One that has cut itself from the world. There are a few like that around. Well, it''s always hard to know how many are actually still existing. They are hidden for a reason. Still, I have heard legends of some that are as powerful as even a behemoth like the Moon Keep. Ah, I don''t know. Still I do not care. About any of this. He is the one to shoulder my legacy. Even if that is only how to make the best of an old oven that will do. I am not greedy. He will take over this ce. He will make it flourish. Actually, even if he ends up leaving, I don''t mind either. At least the skills I have honed in my life will survive me. I look at the nearby wolf. "Wolfie, watch the shop for me, will you? There is somece I need to be." Surprisingly she didn''t follow her master out. Perhaps because he is supposed toe right back. Shezily go right in front of me. Then she nces straight at me. I get the feeling she can see my very soul. Perhaps even my past and future. Before I know it, it is over. Everything is back to normal. She nods and stands guard on the side. What just happened?! This feeling is magic for sure. A wolf able to use magic cannot be normal. This just confirms what I already knew. Ah, whatever. I walk all the way to my destination. Slowly but surely, as an old man should. I finally reach the city hall. In there is a friend I know. He is diligently doing his work. He is a glorified scribe. All he does all day is write. Write permits, write reports and most especially write wills. I am here for thatst option. I make my way toward him, joke around a bit, then I get to the point. At first, he thinks I have lost my mind. After all, I am asking to bequeath all my possessions to a stranger. He tries to talk me out of it at first. But then I tell him about the true situation. Tell him how this young man is my disciple. It takes a while, but he finally agrees to my request. Ah, he still thinks I''m crazy. It''s just that I threaten not to move an inch otherwise. He knows how stubborn I can get. It shows just by the way I am still working at my age. Well to be honest all my possessions don''t ount to much either way. It is only the shop. I have been living there for a while now. Everything that I own is in there. This simply means that I won''t be taking his gold. This will be my gift to him. I''m sure he doesn''t need it. I''m sure he''ll be fine either way. I saw the way he nonchntly threw the gold over. He isn''t a materialistic person in any case. That is exactly why I want him to have it. At least it will help him to kickstart his dream. Today he will also go buy some ingredients from a guy I know. This way they will be familiar with one another. That guy has a good character. It has already happened that good bakers got denied ess to basic ingredients because of apetitor. This won''t happen to my disciple. I guess that is enough for today. Time to head back. He''ll be back home waiting for me, right? Of course, I did send him on an easy errand after all. Chapter 239: Church of Gluto Chapter 239: Church of Gluto Time to get some ingredients. Let me see, after walking for a while I should be at the right ce. Or not. I''m pretty sure I followed the directions urately, but in front of me is no shop. It is a small stone building. There is a que at the entrance: Gluto''s respite. What''s with a respite in the middle of the town? Isn''t that the kind of thing you find on a mountain usually? This is weird. I holler at a passerby. Asking for directions again but they simply point at the que. Here goes nothing I guess. *Knock knock* Comes a deep baritone voice. "Who is it? Feel free to enter our doors are always open to neers!" *Push* [Hey there, I am looking for] What the hell!? There must be something wrong with my eyes. Inside awaits me a mountain of flesh. What crazy magic is going on here?! "Hey there, young man. How can this humble one help you?" The mountain just talked. With the talkinges the wobbling. That''s when I realize I am looking at a human being. One so fat he''d make that guy called Jabbba look fit. [So here is the thing, the old man from the bakery sent me and] "What?! He sent you?!" Did I say anything strange? [Yes. To get ingredients.] "*Sigh* I see. So you are the one that will inherit his bakery, aren''t you?" [How did you know?] "Simple, we have a deal. I will supply him and only him with ingredients. In exchange, he will make sure I can buy delicious stuff from him. I may not look like it, but I alone buy most of his food." No, he definitely looks like it. If one were to tell me he eats more than half the city residents, I would believe it too. He is simply that huge. [So you will be in my care in the future it seems. I really hope you like pies.] "Like? There is no way I like pie!..." Well, this may be an issue. "I fucking love pie!" [Of course! Who wouldn''t?!] "*Scoff* Only people that have never tasted one well made I guess." [True it is an art! How it tastes when one bites into the filling. The juiciness and the ] "Stop young man, you are making me so very hungry!" [Oh, my bad haha.] On the ground are literal puddles of saliva. "Don''t worry too much haha. From now on you are under the protection of our church!" [What exactly is it anyway?] "WHAT?! You don''t know the glory of Gluto?!" [No?] "Oh, that''s to be expected, we are pretty unknown." [Then why are you acting surprised?!] "Isn''t it adding some nice intensity to the conversation? This way I don''t fall asleep haha." [Fair enough I guess.] Does he suffer from narcolepsy or something? "Gluto is the best God there is. ording to his teachings, one should just enjoy eating." [What next?] "That''s it. That''s all we do! Isn''t it great?!" [Surebut how?!] "How to eat? That much should be obvious." [How do you guys even manage to stay afloat financially-wise?!] "Oh that. We eat everything from food to poisons. Some people bring their injured to us." [Wait, don''t tell me] "Yeah, from time to time I suck the poison out of" That''s when my mind goes nk. Just imagining this flesh blob sucking on a poisoned wound is DISGUSTING! No, brain! Do not picture this! This is how one ends up vomiting everywhere! Think of calm and serenity. Think of. "For some reason, I only get customers when all the healing churches arepletely busy. Some people even try resisting the treatment. I guess they get worried about my own health." That is not it, brother! It''s because they are so grossed out they prefer death to this humiliation! "From time to time I do corpse disposal too. Especially the bodies that are affected by gues or " [Wait, brother! You eat even that kind of stuff?! Isn''t that dangerous?!] "Impressed, aren''t you?! How about it, want to join us too!" Yeah, think I''ll skip that. I need to remain handsome. I owe it to my countless future fans. [Hehe, you see I too can do that stuff! I am not worried about getting sick!] "What?! Seriously?! Who are you worshipping!" [The Unnamed God!] "Oh! That exins it then. Of course, if you are worshipping that god then" [Brother you are clearly bluffing, and you have no idea what I''m talking about] "Perhaps just a tiny bit?" [A very bit you mean?] "I guess haha." [Still, if you can eat anything why are you so hyped over a bakery?] "*Scoff* I eat trash out of duty or when there is nothing else to eat. I do enjoy good food!" [Understandable. What about quality versus quantity?] "Quantity is always best!" [Always?!] "Always! What is the point of eating something fancy if there isn''t enough to even fill your teeth? It is just teasing at that point!" [Gotcha, I will make sure I bake as many pies as you need then! Oh right how many followers do you guys have!] He starts to radiate pride. Well, somehow. I can''t see his face after all. "I am the only one in the entire capital!" [Wait, seriously?!] There is an official sect out there that is more destitute than my own?! I''m not sure whether to be impressed or worried. After all, that guy is my business partner and my source of ingredients. "Seriously! There were more before, but I drove all of them away. This way there is more food for me!" Wow. This [What about needing manpower for work?] "My work is simply to eat. I don''t really have a limit to it. I can work all day and all night!" Yeah, usually not the thing people brag about when using the all day and night expression. Well, this way of life is not one I would want, but it is somewhat praiseworthy. He is just doing whatever he wants and still helping people at the same time. Now, what should I "I havee to vanquish the beast! Today I shall defeat you!" That is an awfully young-sounding voice too. What''s up with that? Chapter 240: Awesome Brother! Chapter 240: Awesome Brother! "Today I shall defeat you!" [So, should we be worried?] "No haha, you''ll see." *CLANG* "There you are! Did you think I wouldn''t find you in" We both look at the neer. Seems to be a kid. I''d say between 5 and 10 years old. I''m not really good at judging age. A boy. Golden short hair. Full of energy. Carrying a basket filled to the brim with bread. He stops suddenly. Looking at us both. "Ah, I''ll backter if" "Haha, it''s fine, kid. He is a friend." [Hey there kid. What brings you here?] He seems to be thinking of a good answer. "I and the kid have a bet going on. He is trying his very best to bring enough food to sate my hunger." [Wow, good luck kid. So that''s what the defeating was about eh] "T-that I didn''t really mean it, I was just..." [It''s fine haha. Go on.] "What are you waiting for kid. I am hungry now haha!" He retrieves a loaf and throws it to the fleshy mass. Out of nowhere emerges a face that gobbles it all up. Like an eel pouncing on its prey to eat it whole. Then it seems to retreat into the surrounding fat. This is as impressive as DISGUSTING. This new friend of mine could very well y in a horror movie. Get scary aliens, some kind of predators, and humans in a room with him. Before long the formers would all be huddling together away from him. Gluto OP. Now he''s even doing Nom Nom sounds in the background. [Right, why is your god called Gluto, isn''t it just short for gluttony or something?] "You see there is a very profound reason behind that." Oh? Herees the background story. "Gluttony is too long. Easiest to just go Glll and To." . That''s his reason?! "Especially when eating. Legends say our god would always fail to say his full name since he was always eating." [That could prove to be a problem indeed.] "I admire him so much. Even I need to take breaks from time to time. I do have to sleep a bit." [Right, what about excreting?] "Hehe, that is the reason you should join us! We can fully turn everything we eat into our power! Without any waste! Isn''t it amazing?!" [I guess] I''m sure many would jump on the opportunity if it was only that. Problem is the downside to it. Eating is fun, but no one wants to spend all of his days eating either. Well, no one but the followers of this god it seems. "Here, catch!" They keep ying around. I get the feeling this kid looks like he is ying with his dog. A very hungry dog. They are ying catch with food. I guess that guy would be a pro at the catching food with your mouth game. If there was apetition of that he would be world champion for sure. Right, why doesn''t he participate in food eatingpetitions? I guess with him in the city one would need to have a screw loose to organize one. The only thing I am wondering is how far can he stretch his mouth. [Hey, I have a question. How would you usually fight if needed?] "You mean if anyone tries to attack the church building? That one is easy. Eat them." [Whole or in pieces?] "Depends on the time, to be honest. Pieces are better for slow cooking. Whole is faster to dispatch enemies." Oh my god. "There is the problem of clothes, however. Most of the time in a fight the clothes reek of sweat and sometimes even of less desirable fluids." Pretty sure I don''t want to know. "What kind of fluids?" Asks the innocent kid. "Well you see there is sweat, piss, semen, and even shit is one when they are really scared." I feel like vomiting. "You eat all that?! Won''t you be sick?" "No way! I am protected by the blessing of Gluto! MUHAHAHA" "Wow!" Not wow! Did you listen to all he was saying! This is far from wow! This is the worst thing to brag about! Ever! [Are you sure your god is the god of eating and not the trash god?!] "Sometimes I''m not sure, to be honest." [What?!] "I mean there is a trash God. I mean we obviously trump his domain since we eat all. I''m not sure why he even exists." So he says pondering. What the fuck! This was supposed to be an insult! He''s just turning it around praising all the stuff he can eat. This is insane! [Just to be sure, how do you assess quality for the ingredients?] "Oh, that? I don''t do it myself. If there is ever a problem with it just tell me. It is a tribute directly from the city hall." [They give you so much food for free? Then you sell it to us?] "Yep! Aren''t they nice! I used to have to wander around the city to beg for food but now I can just wait here patiently." Oh my god. I bow to his supreme power. Not only can he cure poison, get rid of infectious corpses, but he can more importantly crash the entire touristic sector all by himself. His walking around the city is bound to lower the value of all properties in the surroundings. The very sight of him able to send spectators scurrying away. Some probably even thinking a monster invasion to be happening. His existence itself is a threat to the city. Yet he remains here standing. [Didn''t they ever ask you to leave?] "Yep, a bunch of times. What are they going to do? I actually hold a decent position in the church of Gluto. Should they drive me away, I would onlye back with some of my brethren." Oh god. This is scary. That would be a reenactment of that one story with titans invading a city. Except they wouldn''t destroy the wall. They would eat it. Then possible slowly burp contentedly while looking deep into your eyes. Conveying clearly that whoever opposes them will suffer the same fate. [Brother, this is impressive as hell!] Mad respect! "Hehe. Of course. I am awesome." That statement would seem even more true if he wasn''t getting fed by a young kid. The peacefulness is interrupted. "You fool, are you wasting your time here again!" This voice... I''d say a young woman. What''s with people barging in every once in a while? Chapter 241: Discipline Chapter 241: Discipline *CLANG* Barges in a young woman. "There you are you little fool! Hurry up ande home! There is work to be done!" "Ah, but I''m not done feeding my friend" I''m pretty sure he could eat all the remaining bread in one go. This is a peculiar hobby when you think about it. People usually feed ducks or something, not well you know. I''m pretty sure this brother is not human anymore. He is an evolved being. For all intended purposes he shall be referred to as Nomzi from now on in my inner monologues. "Don''t worry kid, just hand it all at once and I''ll eat it in one bite!" "Wow, that''s so impressive!" He throws it all in the air. Nomzi works his magic instantly. The girl seems to be getting angry. "Stop clowning around! We need to be back soon! Also, stop hanging with this sort of dubious crowd!" Hey, I can''t let that pass. [Youngdy, we are not shady individuals we are simply...] "Shut your mouth you hobo! When was thest time you even changed your clothes?! You disgust me!" What?! I''ve been busy baking! "It''s even worse for that thing. We can''t even see your clothes in that mass of flesh! Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror?! I''m pretty sure you can''t, given your size!" "Ah, actually I can use specially made mirrors that" "That''s way too mean sister! Take it back!" "Shut up!" She then looks at me and Nomzi. "As for you both the next time you evene close to my brother you will be in for a world of pain!" [What are you even implying? We are literally in the Gluto church right now, are you blind?!] "*Scoff*You think that will be enough to save your hides?! I don''t care how but stay away from my brother in the future! Otherwise, see how I deal with you!" [Youngdy you are misunderstanding. My friend is just sitting there eating and nothing else. Meanwhile, I''m just a baker passing by to organize an ingredient shipment for my pies.] Here, I will be the bigger person and "*Laugh* For your pies?! Then you definitely can''t afford to offend me! A lowly baker like you should just keep baking your worthless pies." Did she just "Youngdy, pies are amazing! You can''t just disregard something great in a moment of anger." Nomzi is as wise as benevolent. "Why would I care about your shitty" Yep, that''s enough. I dash toward her. I may not be the greatest fighter, but we are indoor. I quickly grab her. "*ACK! * Y-you mongrel what are you doing?!" "Mister, please don''t hurt my sister! She''s really mean and dumb but she isn''t a bad person!" "You little shit what are you even saying right now?!" He is looking at me with puppy eyes. She is extremely angry. My business partner is overlooking the situation calmly. [Kid, you are right about that. She really has character ws that need some fixing. Do you know what one should do when such a problem happens?] He shakes his head. [Discipline.] I sit on a nearby bench. Then I push her on myps and hold her there tight. "Y-you wouldn''t dare! You will have hell to pay for" *SMACK* "*HYYY*" I smash her bottom. Heavily enough for her to feel it, but not hard enough to cause injury. [Who exactly looks like a hobo? I''ll have you know baking for days on end is proof of dedication.] *SMACK* "Stop!" I can see the stupefied face of her brother. Except it doesn''t take long before he starts giggling. [Insulting my friend based on his appearance? Have you even aplished half of what he has done?] *SMACK* "I''ll kill you for sure!" Please kill me? I''d like to see her try. My friend just said the city itself gives him tributes. He''s a friend of the old man too so he''ll protect him. As for my personal safety, I should be fine. [Not toe close to your brother? Open your eyes and look at where you are before spewing so much bullshit!] *SMACK* "Fuck you!" [You think bakers are lowly? Then what does that make you? You are getting your ass pped by this lowly one and can''t do anything about it!] *SMACK* "I''ll get my revenge!" [Calling pies worthless? This is a sacrilege to every gourmet ever!] *SMACK* I can hear echoes in the background of the others that are agreeing with me! "Please stop!" [You think we are a bad influence on your brother? Have you reflected on your own attitude?!] *SMACK* "I will, just stop hitting!" [You got lucky I am so nice, anyone less tolerant and you''d be a corpse right about now!] *SMACK* "Forgive me already, I''m sorry!" [Say it like you mean it!] *SMACK* "I''m sorry!" [What will you do in the future? Will you behave?] *SMACK* "Yes, I will! Let me go already!" *SMACK* "What was that one for?!" [Just felt like it!] Thenes an awkward silence. I somehow ran out of things to say. Ahseems I kinda got a tiny bit too into it. I can''te out and admit pping her supple ass felt nice. Smooth, juicy, yet tight. Alright, brain gotta think of something else before She turns crimson. Completely. Seems I''m busted. Setting her on myp wasn''t that good an idea after all. It''s fine. Just gotta y it cool. I nod at her. [As long as you understand your wrongdoings and are careful in the future then you can go.] She takes a moment to calm her breathing. "A-alright." She still looks a bit angry. She just wants to be as far away from me as possible. "Right, sister. What was that about work to be done at home?" "AHI forgot! Father and brother have something to tell us! They want to ask you something too since you are often ying around the city!" "Later, take care kid!" Thus they leave quickly. Her silently running away. The brother waving back. [Is she smart enough not toe for revenge, or should I follow up on something?] "Don''t worry about it. I''m sure even her own family won''t mind us disciplining her a little. She''s been too rude for her own good recently." [That''s fine then.] "Yep, I would have done it myself, but I don''t like moving if I can help it." [That reassures me. Well then, time for me to head back. I''ll be expecting all the stuff required for the pies. See youter!] I can hear him add yfully. "Alright, oh also. Next time you discipline someone try not to pop a boner" Followed by the sonorousughter of my friend, I leave shamed. This is embarrassing Chapter 242: Merchants Chapter 242: Merchants ****(POV) I got lucky. Good thing I came to this dwarven sword auction. Something unbelievable happened. Well, what matters is that I get this legendary sword to our main branch in the city as soon as possible. I quickly exit the shop and order my followers to keep track of the man that just left. A normal-looking young man that somehow got hold of such a thing. It doesn''t make sense. I usually have a good ir for powerhouses. He is not one for sure. He doesn''t have the confidence of one. Being in power for long leaves traces. Just the posture is a giveaway usually. One that overlooks the rest of the world. I enter the carriage I came in and we depart. On the way, I get a report. All the men I sent got taken down. Seems to be the doing of the iron guardians. Tch, how annoying. Hopefully, he doesn''t have a deeper secret. Well even if he does he won''t spill the beans easily. Coercing someone is hard in this city. With the system and all. I only spent 50 gold on this. This is the concerning part. Normally one should have asked for more. Either he got intimidated or there is a trick involved. Here is the thing, however, it is not worth making an enemy of us for such a low sum. He could be already working with another faction. But then they would have tried to bleed us more. Ah, whatever. We''ll know soon. We soon reach the merchant house. I have a few neers on my staff. It shows. They are all in awe of the opulence of the building. Everyone has this reaction the first time. This is why I became a merchant. While others struggle to make a living we prosper. It is a constant struggle where only the smartest remain standing. I thrive here. I have only taken a few steps in that a manes weing me. "I heard you got your hands on a wonder!" News around here goes fast. People in the street say that for every 3 bystanders4 are informants for us. Seriously it helps that we are known to be generous. Ah, but we are also very vengeful. No one crosses us without losing some skin. "Don''t get excited too soon. Still need to test it." "Come,e. We just started a meeting with the other executives!" I gesture an underling to hand me the sword. Then I follow him all the way to avish meeting room. In there are the main decision-makers. All of them are snakes. Well, one does not reach the position I am in without scheming. At least they bite the enemies harder than the allies. "Gentlemen, here is the thing you have been waiting for." I ce the sword on the golden table. Golden as in made of pure gold. It switches hands, everyone observing it carefully. "It''s a fake, isn''t it?" "Probably." "The cost already gave it away." "Still we need to test it." Yet no one moves. The weapons they have are all prized swords. Funny how most aren''t even swordsmen. "*Sigh* Someone, bring a sword of rank 3 in here. That should suffice for testing." They all nod. It doesn''t take long for it to happen. Then I swing as hard as I can and *KACHA* The so-called amazing sword just shatters. So much for investing in a great weapon. I can see some of my colleagues smile slightly. One even starts tough. "Hahahaha you bought this crap?! With gold too! How embarrassing?!" This one was newly appointed. As a test run. Yep, that won''t do. I turn toward theughing man. "What do you think we should do now?" "Haha, we should fire you for being ipetent! Can you believe getting fooled this much?! Am I right guys?!" He looks around for support. None to be found. I overlook the room. "Motion to dismiss this fool from our ranks." Thenes a series of agreements. "Well, as you know you will have to have your memory erased after leaving us. Try not to be such a dumbass in the future." He protests and struggles, but let''s face it he''s a merchant. He gets swept in the numbers and restrained easily. Then he gets taken away. His screaming ignoredpletely. Then resumes our discussion about future nning. Spending 50 gold on this was worth it for sure. We may not have a sword remaining, but we won the information war. Now we have the initiative. We are the only ones to know for sure that the sword is fake. This leaves two possibilities. This was all a set-up to make us lose face. Still, it wouldn''t be worth it financially wise. The other option is that the in young man holds a secret. Could be a magical item boosting his power or perhaps a secret technique. Whatever it is he hasn''t mastered it yet. At least this is what my gut tells me. For now, we order some rumors to be spread. Rumors about us getting our hands on a godly weapon by luck. Rumors about how we will auction it soon. To make the information believable we will sell it to informants. People tend to find things they pay for more credible. Then we n some hard interception ns. Ones that will only include the most loyal of subordinates. If he so much as take a step outside the city, he will be brought to us. Alive and chained. Now that leaves only one point. We need to somehow get to him inside of the city. We could simply directly go and ask him but that would alert him instead. We need to operate on the basis that he''ll refuse to cooperate. Should we try and trick him somehow? It''s either that or make it a situation where he has no choice but to answer. We''ll need more information on him. This is the main weapon of a merchant. In the meantime, I''ll work on the contingency and the diversion ns. I wonder where he is even hiding at the moment Chapter 243: Not A Big Deal Chapter 243: Not A Big Deal Ie back to a worried old man. To be fair I did spend a while roaming the city trying to find my way. Still, it wasn''t that long, right? He asks me what I think of Nomzi. He is reassured to know that we became good friends. Says that I can rely on the guy in the future. He has as much heart as fat. I can attest to that. I swear the old man is perceptive as hell. Somehow, he guesses that I''m not telling him everything. At first, I want to keep mum, but he convinces me otherwise. Something about actions having bigger repercussions sometimes. He is starting to scare me. I reluctantly spill the beans. He doesn''t even say anything. He just startsughing. I wait till he stops, but . Every time he stops, he resumes a few secondster. That''s when the ingredient shipment arrives. I was expecting it in a few daysapparently, pies motivated my business partner enough. He pulled some strings. Seriously, this is impressive as fuck. How does he even do all that while staying inside his church?! This guy is the ultimate hikikomori! At this point, it is a super-power I''m telling you. With a wave of his finger everyone bows to his power. This is the dream CEO! I can already hear theintsing. A CEO should be tall, handsome, and have a maic charm! Nope. Bullshit! That''s a model right there. An actor perhaps. A CEO? One simply needs to be convincing. Enough to get investors to follow you. That is all. Everything else you can outsource. The richest people are mostly old men that look like raisins. I''d take a balding fat ugly middle-aged man over a pretty boy any day to manage a business. Do you know why? The former needs to make money to getid! I''m joking. Almost. That''s what is good about this ce. You don''t get hate mail for joking. Ha, but maybe you get killed. I guess the earth realm would be worse if I was feeble. So I get back to baking. How many pies can one bake before an old man stopsughing? I don''t know. More than 8 apparently. It takes the whole day for him to regain his calm. Then he tells me that everything should be fine. That he knows the family the youngdy belonged to. He says something about going for a visit to make sure. Bringing me for an apology. Then starts pure torture. He teaches me etiquette. A simple bowing posture. A matter of seconds to execute. Hell, this shit is hard! It takes me a few hours before he finally approves of my stance. Something about it being horrible, but not nightmare-inducing anymore. I want to protest, but I also don''t want to think about it anymore. Then we bake some apology pies. At first, he tries to convince me to bake something else. But I do not falter! I am a man of principle! If they don''t enjoy pies, they don''t deserve an apology from me. He says something about this being the cause of my downfall in the future. Or tries to, anyway. As I am wise, I stuff some food in his mouth to prevent him from finishing his sentence. g adverted! This is superstitious? Perhaps. I don''t care. In such a way we toil all day long. Then he tells me onest time the nning for tomorrow. We will wake up early, then wait in front of the family''s gates. We will notify their servants of our presence and wait patiently. All day long if it is what it takes. Then we will make a quick apology, hand over the gifts, and get out. I ask him if it''s truly necessary. Apparently, it''s just a precautionary measure. As in with the Gluto support we''ll be fine either way. The only thing is that it is always better to have friends than enemies. From a personal standpoint as well as for a business. Reputation is important. One may not buy your product because they simply dislike you. That does make sense. There is one thing I want to ask him. [Hey, old man. What is that family even called? Should I practice saying their name not to mess it upter?] Could you imagine apologizing to someone and butchering their name. Worst case it would be possible to even offend them even more. "Remember it well. They are called the Greberos and." I don''t even bother listening to the rest. [Oh my fucking god.] He looks at me puzzled. All that effort for nothing! I silently move toward the apology pies. Then I just put them all in the for-sale pile. Yep, that will do. [Yeah, about that. Screw that. We''ll just keep baking tomorrow.] Now he looks worried. "Don''t tell me you are already enemies with them from earlier?!" I can see Wolfieughing in the background. So can the old man. "From your wolf''s reaction you already know them?" [Depends. Do you consider getting offered a position as an elder there knowing them or not?] He looks at me baffled and impressed. "Kid, you are full of secrets, aren''t you?" [Don''t overthink it. I simply happened to save someone''s life by mistake.] "Now I definitely want to know more! How did that happen?" [Well, there was a king slime] "How the hell did you defeat such a creature?!" [Defeat? I just ate it.] "W-what do you mean ate it?!" [Well, the core is juicy and tasty. The trick is to let it swallow you. Once you are inside you can just grab it easily and gobble it up.] He is just looking like this 0_0. Is it that weird? Humans are pretty good at finding a way to eat any animal. It shouldn''t be that weird, right? He slowly enunciates. "Say are you low-key a Gluto follower?" [No, why?] "I feel you''d have potential. Plus you could get ingredients for free..." Are you kidding me?! There is no way I am doing that! I want my handsome face to remain visible! Whatever tomorrow will be a good day I bet. Chapter 244: Getting revenge Chapter 244: Getting revenge ****(POV) This is so infuriating. My behind is still hurting. Worse my pride is shattered. I am a young and influential youngdy. Yet I was mistreated by such a brute! This is uneptable. Just the fact that it happened in the Gluto church making it hard for me. I really need to stop using that word. Whenever I think of "hard" I keep picturing "Sister, are you alright? You seem red for some reason?" "I-I''m fine!" This is the worst. I normally would not have been able to do much to him. After all, while our family sticks to traditions, it tries not to offend people needlessly. However, right now I have a card to y! My elder brother just happens to be in the city. He came back not long ago. He is very protective of me. I am sure he will exact justice on my behalf! We enter our manor. Waiting for us are the core members of the family. Even grandfather is here. This is a rare instance. "Finally you are back kids! Alright, there is someone we need to find as quickly as possible. We''ll give you a description. Now, remember there is a need for discretion on this one." If I let this go, I will miss my chance. I go forward, then kneel as elegantly as possible. "Brother, father, grandfather, please redress this young one''s grievances!" At first, they are confused. I tell a summarized version of the events. Knowing I am fine and where it happened the consensus seems to be to just ignore the matter. To just assign me bodyguards. That''s when my brotheres to my rescue. Not the little one. This one is actually telling them I truly deserved everything that happened. No, my eldest one. He says he wants to know who is bullying his cute little sister. This is why I y innocent whenever he is around! Sess! The official business is even put on hold temporarily. We decide to leave for the Gluto church in the morning. Enough time to send an official visit card. The night passes slowly as I can''t wait for what will happen. In the morning we depart. Our party includes my elder brother, my grandfather that joins for some reason, and to my regret my little brother. Seriously I wouldn''t have minded it much usually, but as we walk, he starts talking. Not keeping any detail for himself. About the spanking and all. Good thing his young mind missed the. Then we get to the church. It bes worst. Some words are exchanged. Then I can hear a burst ofughter. The fleshy ball isughing at my expense. At least we do learn where to find the asshole. Only issue is that my grandfather promises not to hurt him. I want to protest, but he sternly warns me. That monstrous-looking guy is not one anyone should ever anger. Best case would result in mutual destruction. Worst case getting your entire faction eaten. The best I can hope for is to have him apologize to me. I guess that will do. Still annoying. I don''t want anyone to know how he sullied me with his thing. Yet I want him to pay for that. Ah, I know! I convince them to let me bluff! I may not be able to do hurt him in any way, but I can scare him! This shall suffice for now. Eventually, we reach a small bakery. It isn''t even situated in a good spot. It is questionable if they even get customers. Then again, a follower of Gluto consumes as much food as an army. For some reason, the door is closed. On it is written that they open in the afternoon. They even close early too! What kind of shady bakery is that? As we enter, we are greeting by a voice shouting that they are closed. "Hey there, I''m Luvon. A son of the Greberos family. I am here looking for someone. Does a young man work here?" Exits of the kitchen an old man followed by a small white wolf. What is up with this wolf? Is the old man a tamer? Why is there "WOLFIE!?! OMG is that you?!" What the hell is happening. Seriously, what''s up with that wolf?! I have never seen my elder brother show this much enthusiasm in his life. What the hell?! "Ah, that totally means he''s here, right?! That''s amazing! Gramps seems we got lucky!" "Lucky you say?" "Indeed! Right, old man. What is your rtionship with him?" "Who are you even referring to as him?" He points at the wolf. "Her master obviously. Actually, how has it been goingtely Wolfie?" The wolf nods slightly. I get the feeling it means good. "Right, this is a bakery, don''t tell me he''s been baking pies? Go figure he''d do that. You''ll have to be careful Wolfie or you''ll be a fat wolf haha!" *yful growl* "I know, I know! You will forever remain a beautiful creature! But seriously where is he?" "Kid, he is baking a pie. What else." Intervenes gramps. "Old man, let me get this straight. Someone in there heard of the Greberos family visiting and is more preupied with baking pies thaning to wee us?" "Gramps show a little respect. Also, aren''t you very old yourself? *Turn* Sorry about that. He overestimates the impact our name has on people. Yeah, pies are the priority for sure." My grandfather is speechless. So is my little brother. The old man looks as if he expected this to happen. Luvon is happily chatting. The wolf is looking smug on the side. What the fuck is happening?! What happened to my revenge?! More importantly who the hell is that guy inside?! I think I know it, but I do fear what wille next. That''s when he emerges. That guy. That annoying one. [Oh? It''s been a while how have you been?] "Let me make the introductions. This is my family. Gramps, he is the guy I was telling you about. The one that saved my life and that I invited to be an elder of the family." I''m screwed. Elder?! What?! "Hello there young man, you are weed to join us whenever! We won''t mistreat you!" Oh god no. Then snickers my little brother. "HAHAHAHA. The guy you wanted to get revenge on is an elder?! What?! You better run sister, or he''ll discipline you again!" I just want to hide in a corner and y dead. That''s when my grandfather adds. "Right young one, I heard about what happened yesterday. *Thumbs up* Feel free to spank this unruly granddaughter of mine whenever you feel like it. You have my full support!" What the fuck gramps?!!! Chapter 245: Tainted Mind Chapter 245: Tainted Mind Wow, just wow. I''m really surprised at how it turns out. I spend a little time catching up with Luvon. I try my best to end the conversation quickly so the topic of me abandoning him doesn''te up. You know the whole he kinda fell asleep and I left him there thing. I''m not sure if he has forgotten or is voluntarily avoiding it. Then they finally leave. Except they leave a livid youngdy behind. Telling her to behave. Something about her needing to make amend for her mistakes. I''m not sure if her grandfather meant offending people in general or about choosing the target better. At first, I''m almost ready to send her back, but the old man signals me to keep her here. Something about needing someone to man the counter. We can do it, but it''s true that we can just focus on baking this way. I pat her shoulder. [Alright, be ready to work hard.] "You can have my body, but you won''t have my soul!" [So, why are you so eager to give away your body?] She blushes. "T-that''s not what I meant!" [Are you done? Get ready to receive customers already.] She grumbles but does it anyway. Wolfie is just overlooking everything yfully. *Sigh* Youngster these days are way too spoiled. Back in my day getting a job was hard. One had to pass an interview and everything. How lucky she is to simply be handed one over! I leave her alone and work on my own tasks. I am quite familiar with everything in this ce now. My productivity is at its peak. From time to time I deliver a bunch of pies to the sale counter. For some reason, it''s really packed today. The small shop is filled to the brim. This is insane. Talk about discrimination. They want to buy pies from a cute girl but not from an old man?! So high is the demand, that we quickly run out of merchandise. Of course, we do keep enough for the Gluto tribute. I hear her mention something about us not being fast enough in the kitchen. I slowly raise my palm. Then I start doing some pping motions in the air. Her face turns beet red. Somehow, she seems fidgety. My meaning is obvious. Asking her if she needs more discipline. She quickly changes her wording. Praising our efficiency to the moon and rmending customerse tomorrow. Yep, her main issue is her venomous tongue. How does that even happen? Her brothers somehow grew up fine it seems. Is it ate rebellious phase? Meh whatever, I simply ignore her. I go back to the kitchen. I get absorbed in the art. I am thinking of all the vors I could eventually try. It iste when I finally stop. When Ie out there is something weird. The unruly youngdy nowhere to be seen. No, in her ce is a well-behaved cute looking maid. With the outfit and all! Did she suddenly develop a conscience?! Was working a bit all she needed to straighten up? This feels like aplete mystery. Weird, I feel like as far as I know working with customer service is supposed to be a pain. The number of rude customers or the ones that are just there to flirt high. All of it makes it annoying. I slowly observe her trying to get a clue. For all I know, the old man is some reclusive expert that knows brainwashing magic. No, this isn''t very probable. The more I observe the more I remark something off about her. She seems to be avoiding Wolfie. Why? I find the old man to ask him. He looks at me chuckling. "You know how they say like master like pet?" [Eh, yes?] "Well, let''s just say you aren''t the only one that likes to discipline naughty troublemakers." [No!] "Yes." [What did it look like?!] "Let''s just say after the pping came the biting. Of course, she showed mercy in the end. Still, I''m pretty sure it was convincing enough." Wow. I''m not even mad. That''s amazing. I guess I should establish ground rules. I address this new maid of ours. I tell her that she will open the shop in the morning. Serve the customers until we run out. Then we will close for the night. She will be in charge of cleaning the area too. Finally, she is not allowed to eat on the job. After all, she is clearly a rich youngdy. Should she break any of these rules she will be in trouble. I don''t even utter any concrete threat. She just fills in the nk by herself. Whatever she is imagining it seems motivating enough. I wonder how many would be jealous of us. How many bakers have a nobledy working for them? Especially for free. Hell, she is way too obedient now. I guess she realized that her elder brother is a friend of mine. She wouldn''t want toplicate the rtionship between us. That''s when Wolfiees nearby and wolfs down a whole pie. Get it, wolf haha. I just look at her puzzled. She turns her behind my way. Apparently awaiting punishment. Ah, I did say it was a shop rule from now on. Ie close and start petting her. [Silly, this only applies to the neer. You can eat as much as you want.] Not sure why she misunderstood that haha. Still, thisforts me. This means that my pies are simply that delicious. After all, she was ready to get spanked just to savor one. Meanwhile, the maid is looking at us baffled. "What is that wolf doing?!" [See, this is what we call being honest and upright! She is ready to face the consequences of her actions!] "No matter how you look at it she just wants to get spanked!" [*Sigh* Youngdy you really need to keep your delusions to yourself. You can''t tarnish someone''s reputation like that!] "T-that I''m not trying to I swear she..." [*Sigh* And why would anyone even want that youngdy?] She silently blushes. It seems by disciplining her I awakened something dormant. *Sigh* Is it a crime to be handsome? Ah, guess I''ll have to slowly rehabilitate her Chapter 246: Iron Guardians Chapter 246: Iron Guardians ****(POV) The small training room is cold and empty. Just as it should be. One does not be stronger infort. That is our belief. We are the iron guardians for a reason. We live and die with a weapon in hand. Pride and justice part of our motto. Everything is irrelevant in the face of dedication. The body should be trained to shoulder the burden of the heaviest of armors. The skills need to be trained relentlessly until the metal is an extension of one''s arm. I do have very good memories of this ce. Training day after day. Those were simpler times. Ever since ascending to management, I have had to care for something called politics. The worst thing ever. Sometimes I just hope the war would start now. This would be way easier. Simply a sh of raw strength and spirit. No, instead we are here ying house. In this city, there are all kinds of people. Even the bad ones. Well, they are all hiding like rats. Sometimes I wish I could just go roam and start a killing spree. Get rid of any shady individual and be done with it. Sadly I can''t. Well, I can, but I shouldn''t. *Knock knock* Finally, he is here. I am actually here for a meeting. This ce helps me think after all. Enters a colleague of mine. An elder here too. "Hey there." "*Chuckle* You haven''t changed one bit. Still hiding in here." "Eh, well you know me. This ce feels like home." "That it does. Except it can be a bit hard to move in such a cramped space haha." That is the biggest difference between us. I am what we call a straight guardian. Heavy armored, close to impossible to kill. My weapon of predilection is a halberd. This friend of mine is a peculiar one in our midst. He is a pure swordsman. He has given up the usual defense for a counter style. His guard is his sword. A giant sword that he somehow swings around expertly. He is somewhat of a big shot in our faction. One that is for some reason was assigned to this single city. I heard that he even managed to survive a direct confrontation with the Eagle of massacre once. This is the most impressive feat one can attain as a swordsman. We have a thing called the thousand swordsman ranking going on this continent. On the list are about a hundred of the strongest swordmasters. There is a saying that they are on the list for 2 reasons. First one their mastery over their art. Second their ability to evade the massacre demon. Well, he has been quiettely. Still, that simply makes my friend an impressive individual. This guy has now requested an official meeting. This means something huge is about to happen. Well, either that or he is going into closed-door training again. "Alright, why are we here exactly?" I can see him take a determined look. "I am leaving." "Where?" "I heard about someone that could help me better myself as a swordsman. I need to try and meet him." This is huge. It is the first time I hear him praising another so much. Every previous fight he was in he would praise his enemy but admit that they do not share the same path. This means that he either found someone that has a simr de or perhaps even someone that is so strong that he can teach him lots of things regardless. "Which is it?" He understands me easily. "A true master." "Is the information reliable?" "I was at the sword auction. A sword close to rank 4 got cleaved in half using a normal de. As easily as one would cut tofu." "That impressive?" "Yes, that impressive. This is not the most important part. The guy that aplished it did it casually. When I confronted him guess what he told me?" "Don''t tell me is he a traveler?!" "No, but he did tell me the name of his teacher. If the student is already that impressive, can you imagine what kind of old monster managed to teach him?" This is huge. There is one concern I do have. "So you n on paying him a visit? Do you even know where to find him?" He shakes his head. "No, but I do know his name. Zero of The Unnamed God Sect." I try to jog my memory, but the name doesn''t ring a bell. At all. I know pretty much all the significant sects on the continent. Yet I ampletely clueless here. "What do you think?" So he asks me. I mean there is only one conclusion to be drawn here. "A hidden sect, is it?" "Most probably. He didn''t tell me where I can find that teacher, so I didn''t push. Still, he apparently still epts disciples. I will try my luck." "You''ll simply go on a wild goose chase simply with this information?" "Well, yes. I will train at the same time anyway. From time to time seeing the world helps in figuring out things." He isn''t wrong either. This is significant enough to be worth exploring. At least for a bit. I do need to ask him just in case. "How sure are you about this?" "Pretty sure. At least that is what my intuition tells me. I don''t think he was lying. The hardest part will be finding such a legendary individual. Well also getting him to ept me I guess." "*Sigh* Do you want any help from the sect? We could use our informationwork to" "No, I do not want to make it look like we are hunting them. The consequences could be disastrous. Make sure you do not offend the young man and we should be fine." "So you''ll just abandon me, eh old friend?" "Well, you would do the same if our roles were reversed, no? Could you imagine meeting an invincible? These warriors that are said to have mastered the art of defense." "Hehe, you are right. I would do anything to get such a being to teach me. Alright, goodbye and take care. Make sure toe back when war happens. We will need your power!" "Hehe, if everything goes well, I wille back a changed man. Take care old friend." Thus he leaves. Leaving me alone in the small cold training room with my thoughts. Ah, I may as well train for a bit too... Chapter 247: Intense Duel Chapter 247: Intense Duel ****(POV) How long has it been since I have left the Moon Keep? A long while. I wonder how they are dealing with matters there. Probably badly. Good thing the war hasn''t started yet. I have been truly busy on my side recently. I finally found a way to improve quickly. Well, it is to simply fight. More so I have found the perfect target. There is a thing called the thousand swordsman list here. Figuring on it are a bunch of nice preys. Especially the ones on the lower positions are mostly all rank 3s. Thus the perfect opponents to hone my de. Right now I am waiting by the side of a joke of a city. One called Eaglevein. These fools are all cohabitating. Ignoring the fact that soon enough they will be at each other''s throat. I am expecting this city to be the first to fall. Bunch of hypocrites. As if peace was ever an option. Either way, I will have to ughter most of them when the timees. I may not be strong enough to contend with the strongest powerhouses, but soon. Ever since I have attained rank 3 I have the confidence to even flee from a rank 4. I can simply jump on my sword and fly away. This is why I am boldly standing outside the towering walls. I tasked someone with delivering a challenge letter. This world''s writing is messy. I did learn it on the side. If anything, in order not to shame the Goddess. Could you imagine an illiterate champion? The shame! I can see bystanders assemble on the sidelines. I can understand that. Death is fascinating. Truly an entertaining spectacle. I am used to it. After all, it isn''t my first public execution. Ah, I mean official duel. Still, I have done my research ordingly. My chances against this opponent are good. I wait patiently. "Who dares challenge the mighty iron sh!" Talk about a pompous name. I bet he is a vain man. I keep mum. I have no desire to talk with a soon-to-be-dead. I simply gesture him toe and fight. I can kill him without worry. He is not part of a strong faction. "You truly do not know the immensity of heaven! You overestimate yourself!" Eh, do I look stupid? He is talking incessantly, but this is all a ploy. He is looking for a w in my defenses. Slowlying closer and closer. My guess is he will try to end it in one decisive move. A preemptive attack. "Countless fools have fallen under my prized sword!" I need to urately judge the distance. Actually no, better I be extra careful. There are all sorts of powers in this ce. This guy is considered a ranker. "I will show you how awesome I am and " *SLASH* *SIDESTEP* "How?!" He extended his arm and shed. That''s when I could feel it. The energy around the sword. Focused on the tip. An invisible energy coating it. Giving it more reach. Good thing I was careful. Had I gone for a minimum evasion technique I would be dead. Still, now is the time to go on the offensive! Starts a deadly sword dance. His specialty is obviously attacking. From weird angles, he keeps thrusting his sword at me. Every time I avoid it. Slowly but surely as we exchange blows, I aming closer. At this point, we have no choice but to include more parries. An elegant rhythm soon appears. Every nging of our swords powerful yet skillful. He is slowly losing ground. This is it. Slowly and surely. Keep going until hemits a mistake. I can see him bing worried. His movements bing stiffer. He knows the end is near. I keep going until, finally, I see an opportunity. I thrust my sword straight at his heart. He proficiently dodges it. Before I can change the trajectory of my attackes his left hand. I can feel it. It is the same invisible energy as earlier. A dual-wielding style. One that is extremely hard to defend against. I forcefully bring back my sword. *CLANG* This brief collision pushes it backward. I am now fully open. My weapon too far from my body to protect it. That is when he strikes. Dashing toward me. Blocking is impossible. My only solution is to break my posture to roll away. This will in turn make me vulnerable. He knows it. I know it. I can see his victorious grin. I throw myself out of the way. He thinks he has won. He couldn''t be more mistaken. From his blind spot, it flies forward. The sword that was hovering behind my back this whole time. I control it carefully. I can hear the sound it makes upon impact. I can feel the feedback through the mana. I can hear his dying grunt. I turn back to a corpse with an impaled heart. A fool to the very end. Of course, I knew about my opponent before challenging him. I am not reckless. I crouch near the cadaver and I *SLASH* Decapitate it! I then use fire magic to reduce it to cinders. While it isn''t my specialty at all I can still do this much. A lifeless husk has no resistance to magic after all. Now, what should I do? I have heard of two confirmed rankers here. The second one is an elder of a sect. For this reason, I am probably better not challenging him. It could prove troublesome. Not that I''m worried about having to fight. I simply do not wish to set myself back. Getting hunted would make my training less convenient. It could affect my progress in the long term. After all, the sooner I reach rank 4 or even 5 the better. This is a race against time after all. Just as I''m thinking about my future ns "Come get your fresh pies! Delicious and full of nutrients!" Some guy is taking advantage of my fight to increase his sales. I don''t like being taken advantage of. Time to teach him a lesson. A deadly one. Chapter 248: Pie Venture! Chapter 248: Pie Venture! This will be another day spent peacefully and blissfully baking pies. The first batch is already done. Our maid is acting diligently too. Ah, but for some reason, there seem to be fewer customers than usual. Maybe they got tired of the novelty of the new shop clerk already? *Sigh*That is why beauty is ephemeral, but pies are forever. I should print that on a que or something. Daily words of wisdom. *CLANG* "Sister! There is something big happening! Hurry up ande!" Ah, that''s the kid from the other day. She shows an aggrieved expression. "ThatI am working." "But!" [No, she is right. Attending the shop takes precedence!] "This is a huge opportunity! Two rankers will duel!" [And? How should that affect us?] "This will be such a show! People are already waiting there for it to begin! We need to be fast and" [Nope. Baking is more important. These random people can kill each other for all I care.] "A-alright" [You see one needs to have clear priorities in life. This is the only way you will eventually aplish your goals!] *Nod* "Fine, I''ll buy a pie for takeout and go there alone then. Sorry to bother you" Holy shit! This kid is a goddamn genius! [What are you talking about?! Of course, we''ll being too!] "What? But you just said" [Right, baking or attending the shop is more important than watching a deathmatch. No! We will be going there to do some promotion instead!] "AH! I see!" [Pack everything! This will be our time of glory!] It doesn''t take long before we have a bunch of pies strapped onto a donkey. Where did the donkeye from? I''m not sure myself to be honest. The kid is pretty reliable. He left for a few minutes and came back with it. This is great! I task the youngdy to write a sign. At first, she''s about to write a price tag of 10 coppers. Hell no! I tell her to bump it up to 50! She looks at me like I''m some sort of lunatic. But then I exin to her thew of supply and demand. The supply is basically a donkey worth of pie only. Of course, we need to increase the price! Now everything is ready. I will walk this ass all around town! I will show it to everyone! They will have no choice but to look at it. They will see how juicy it all looks. How very appetizing! Then they will salivate. Watching a brutal fight stimtes the primal instincts of people. They won''t be able to resist it. Best n ever! I am grinning as we leave the shop. Apparently, the fight is going to happen outside of the city. The system would probably strike both fighters otherwise. Still how bored must one be to do this? Well, maybe there is some very profound revenge backstory or something. Not like I care. I will always avoid fighting if possible. Why? Have you tried fighting?! It hurts! Well, not that much in my case. I make my way to the core of the crowd. Then I start hollering. [Fresh pies! Buy the most delicious pies ever made! Only 50 coppers!] *Scoff* I can hear all the whispers. People calling it daylight robbery. One even tries to bargain. I reject him outright. There is this one concept. If you give people a crumb, they will take a pie. Or something. Still, if I lower the price slightly for one customer, all the others will be walking over me soon. They call me a fool and ignore me. But little do they know the smell is spreading. Before long I can hear some stomachs rumbling. They throw hateful nces at me. [Oh right, here you go kid. Your free pie for helping me with the donkey!] "Haha! Thanks! I''ll move closer to the front so I can see better! This is going to be awesome!" [Of course, it will! Nothing goes better with duels than pie!] Many are looking at him happily munching. I can hear gulping sounds. Then, finally, a man approaches. "That, I''ll take one even if it''s expensive." [Of course, a steamy hot pieing right up!] Oh yeah, good thing my new maid can use basic fire magic. He starts gobbling it up. [Thank you, benevolent Sir! I truly mustmend you on being generous and understanding enough of our struggles and efforts to go out of our way to bring awesome snacks all the way over here!] *Nod* [This will be an amazing fight, there is no way anyone would want to miss it just because they were hungry!] It may be a bullshit justification. But now they have an excuse to buy. They are no fools, no! They are simply thanking a mindful brother! Ah, it can''t be helped. *Sigh* I am such a noble guy after all. At some point, I can hear exmations. Then the sound of a seemingly very confident guy taunting his opponent. I move slightly toward the front of the crowd. Always selling more and more pies. From my current position, I can see the two fighters clearly. Well, from kinda far away. At best I can see the silhouettes and the weapons. The action is about to start. Some daredevils are right next to them. This, right there, is how to die in a fantasy world 101. Between experts, it won''t take long for ultimate attacks to be flying left and right. Hell, that is what happens in most stories. Sometimes the awesomeness of characters is directly described in the number of cities they destroy while fighting. I mean how dumb is that?! That kinda reminds me of all the superhero movies. Most often than not the so-called heroes do more damage. Alien dictatorship iing? Oh no! Let''s half destroy the earth to save it! Hell yeah! This is something I am really proud of. I have a magnificent 0 coteral damage history. Ah, everything is going well. Pies are selling. I am safe and sound. I can be proud! Ah That''s when someone catches my eye. A guy observing intently. Ink and a quill, about to write on parchment. I wonder, what is this about? Chapter 249: Sketchy Drawing Chapter 249: Sketchy Drawing The way the guy is positioned intrigues me. I''m not sure how to exin it. He has this demeanor and aura to him. One of an expert. Silently observing. I wonder what he sees. [Hey there brother, what are you doing?] He doesn''t even look at me. "I am about to record history itself." [History?] "It is not every day that two powerhouses confront each other." [You know these guys?] "Everyone here does. They are both rank 3." [Isn''t that weak? Even I can fight that.] "Hehe, do not look down on them. They are masters of the sword. What''s impressive is their skills." Ah, that makes sense. It reminds me of the time I gotpletely walloped at the hunter''s guild. Technique can and will trump raw power. He is still focusing on the scene and are his eyes glowing?! [So what exactly are you doing? Also what''s with your eyes?] "I am memorizing every detail. Then I will draw it. This is a spell to increase my vision range." This is neat as hell! Who needs binocrs when you got magic?! The answer is people like me. You know the ones that can''t sense mana. Well, my case is special. I can always use my scouting ability to check it. Frankly, I don''t care that much. "It''s starting." I nce that way, but honestly, I can''t see much. More like both of them are moving so fast! *Sound of weapon collisions* *People moving around* That summarizes the fight I am seeing. As the fight begins so his drawing. He seems to be drawing a real scene. A swordsman lunging toward his opponent. I can feel the momentum through the drawing. This is amazing! After this is over, I need to ask him to draw me some art. You know something cool for advertisement. I could make myself a billboard or something. I would just have to ask the old man how this all works. Well, he stayed home along with Wolfie. She is less clingy whenever we are in a popted area. I guess she dislikes crowds. [So why are you drawing exactly? Are you a historian or something?] "Nope. I will draw this then I will copy it many times. I will then sell it." It is admirable how he can manage a conversation with me while going on about his business. [Oh, so you are a professional painter!] "Kind of, I have many different products. I even have one that is waterproof." [Why would you need one that is waterproof?] "Well, you see these guys are the idols of many." [And?] "They will bring their picture everywhere with them." [So, in case they fall in water or something? That seems unlikely.] "Haha, young man you need to think bigger. Let''s just say many lonelydies buy the waterproof version if you know what I mean." Oh no! Don''t tell me! "The more handsome and popr the swordsman, the better it sells." Yep, he is talking about that. "I offer realistic rendition but also will draw them alongside their idol for a fee." This guy is legit offering to do image maniption! "Then it is also possible to custom order specific poses." I''m not sure I like where this is going. "Bare-chested ones are extremely popr." Not that bad, I guess. It could have been worse. "Well, there are also a few requests for ones where the clothes have all been blown up by the intense fighting." [I understand!] "There was once thatdy that wanted me to draw what would happen if they made up instead. You know with lots of tongue and" [I get it! You can stop describing!] Oh my god. This just went from professional painter to H artist in one go. Still one needs to admit how talented he is. It looks clean as hell! This means that I have two choices. Actually three. I could squash my n of having him draw for me. I could also make it happen but hide the identity of the author. Thest one would be a huge gamble. Tell an H artist to draw pies and give him free rein. Even if I tell him to keep it PG13 there are bound to be innuendos. They say any publicity is good. The good and the bad kind. As in, having haters means people know you exist at least. This could easily be viral marketing. Am I ready to take that risk? At some point, everyone is bound to realize how amazing pies are anyway. This would probably just kickstart it. Ah, there is one thing I need to worry about, however. I should probably consult the old man before. While he is selling the ce to me, it still remains his life''s legacy. It would be disrespectful of me to do such a bold move without asking him for permission. Could you imagine me just greenlighting the project? Then the old man goes for a walk. Sees a questionable billboard. Then BAM heart attack! Or something. It would quickly turn this into a tragedy. I would like to avoid this. Everything has been going well recently. A little too well. Usually when that happens lifees round the corner to kick you in the nuts. Well, you know the equivalent for girls. I haven''t said that aloud. Jinx avoided! Anyway, I''ll keep selling for now. Still got a few pies. Somehow, that donkey is really well behaved. It has been following me all this while. Ah, our shop''s youngdy is here too. Blushing furiously. Sometimes shyly ncing at the drawing. She heard our entire conversation just now, didn''t she? I get the feeling I won''t be the only one wanting to be that guy''s customer. Except that my reasons are pure. So I keep the hustle going. Soon enough I am finally done. Just as I am about to go find the artist again, I see hime out of the crowd rushing. [Wait, where are you going?] "Fight is over! Gotta hurry and produce as many drawings as possible!" [Wait I want to talk about] He''s gone. Ah, seems he dropped one sheet. Let''s see how the finished product looks like. Oh god! This is bad! On the paper is a face I would recognize anywhere Chapter 250: Looming Threat Chapter 250: Looming Threat I recognize the drawing instantly. Oh crap. That''s the cultivator dude! Oh god. What is he doing here? Is he after me? Is it only a coincidence? Is he even still alive? All I know is that he was dueling. Right now I am hidden in the crowd. Only one thing to do in such a situation. Leave! No time to exin! I order the other two to follow me. I''m even thinking of leaving the donkey behind, but no. It has our sign on its back. They are confused, wondering what the hell is going on. I retreat as fast as humanly possible without looking like I''m fleeing. I try my hardest to appear as natural as possible. Yet my heart is beating so damn fast. I''m all sweaty too. The whole way back is spent anxiously looking up my shoulder. It doesn''t seem like there is anyone on our heels. Still, I can''t calm down. It''s only when we are back at the bakery that I lock the door and crumple on the floor. All tension relieved. Is everything fine? I don''t know. I wish, I really wish. "What is happening?!" "What are we running away from? Ah, the donkey is eating some pies now!" [Let it be. It doesn''t matter.] Comes the old man and Wolfie. She snuggles in my arms. Slowly rubbing her head against mine. Trying to tell me that everything will be okay. "What''s gotten into you boy?" [I just saw an old enemy.] They exchange curious nces. "In that crowd? Did he see you?" "He probably has. You were shouting a lot after all." [I''m not sure. Right, who won the fight anyway? Was it this guy?] I hand over the crumpled drawing that I''ve been clenching all this while. "Yes! He''s the one! How do you already have his portrait?!" "He looks so dreamy!" They get excited over this. "Boy, is he the one chasing you?" [I''m not sure if he is. Let''s just say we''ve had some conflict a while back.] "Follow me, boy. We''ll have a long talk. Just the two of us." He locks all the doors. "Tell me everything." I spill all of it. Well, almost. I tell him how I have been deemed a ve by the goddess. How I faked being a champion for a while. How I eventually ran away. I am just done that hees nearby. Then he starts rubbing my chest vigorously. [Why are you touching me like this!] "Oh, you''ve had insane luck it seems. I''m just trying to have some rub on me." Are you kidding me?! "Are you calmer now?" Ah, that was his goal? It worked. Wow. Who knew that getting your chest rubbed could produce such an effect? By an old man at that! [So what''s the n?] "Good for you is that this town is pretty safe. If he is a normal swordsman specialized in killing, the system should protect you somehow." [What do you mean if?!] "As you know there are always loopholes. Let''s just say some individuals are truly resourceful too." That is scary! [So I just hide here?] "Well, if you have really offended the Moon Keep then I suggest drinking. This is a death sentence." [No, I have friends there. Ones that helped me escape.] "That exins the sessful runaway. How many had to give their lives to save you?" [As far as I know none? The sect leader wasn''t going to kill his own daughter, right?] He gives me an impressed look. I mean that warden guy was so chill too when I left. Totally not worried about any repercussion. Add to that his cocky statement about how he was the sole master of the dungeon... Yeah, should be okay. "Still we should take precautions." I am waiting for his enlightenment. He ponders for a few minutes, then he resolutely grabs some writing tools. He quickly writes a total of three letters. The first one he requests the younger brother to bring to the church of Gluto. I''m worried about his safety, but apparently it will be fine. Something about him being extra protected by the system since he was born and raised here. The second one he hands over to our shop''s youngdy. It is a message for her family. He warns her sternly not to open it. Thest one he gives to Wolfie. Then he tells her to bring it to an acquaintance of his at the city hall. Any other wolf wouldn''t be able to do it but she can. How the hell is this old man so well connected anyway? I mean, a powerhouse, a noble family, and a city institution. All in one go! Then he leaves andes back quickly. In his hands a bottle. "This right here is a magical item." [How so? It looks like normal wine to me.] "Hehe, that is where you are wrong! This is not any wine, but really strong wine!" [How is that any different?] "Well, this is a habit of mine. In usual circumstances, I never drink." [Isn''t it better to keep a clear head then?] "Oh yeah, for sure. But before every important decision, I like to take a little swing of this." [I see.] This is a side of the old man I have never seen before. "Here, cheers! A dose of liquid courage for both of us!" I like how not long ago I was having a panic attack. Now we are serenely drinking. This is risible, but I can''t help but have a thought. This old man didn''t judge me. He simply helped. With my nerves. With drafting a n of contingency. Now that I think about it, I should be able to survive with divine energy. I''m just not sure if the goddess herself could target me. Is there a refund button for a failed summon? Probably not or I wouldn''t be here. Still, this is enough to stress even me out., Yet this man is here with me. Not faltering. Not caring about the dangers. Just wanting to save me. I feel touched. I feel blessed. I feel *BANG* "Old friend, hurry up and open so that guy can die!" What the fuck! Who is this? What is he talking about? Chapter 251: Perfect Plan Chapter 251: Perfect n I look at the old man. [Who is this?] "An old friend of mine." [What is he talking about?] "Don''t worry about it." He goes and unlocks the door. Enters an old guy with a huge mustache and a box. Wolfie too. What is this? Hees closer. "Hey boy, are you the one that is dying soon?" [What?!] "I never said that he is dying, but yes." "In your letter, you wrote that he offended the Moon Keep. A corpse would have higher chances at life than him!" I feel like that guy is a bit too pessimistic in my odds. [What happened to this city protecting the lives of people?] "Hahahahahaha, aren''t you cute? That only works are long as the city is standing. If they receive an ultimatum from a strong sect, they''ll give you up instantly." I guess this makes sense. After all, this is part of diplomacy. Topromise. Except I may not like whates out of it. [So what''s the n?] "*Reassuringly* Don''t worry I have you covered." He sits at a table and gestures me to follow suit. "Alright, I have the papers here." [What for?] Let me guess. Will this guy be able to make me part of city hall somehow? Perhaps a job as a janitor? So I get more protection "Alright, fill out this form!" [That, I can''t write.] "No worries I''ll help." He gives me an encouraging smile. Then he starts to calmly ask me questions. At first, I answer my best. Trying to stay serious. However, at some point, I realize what this is all for. This guy is registering for my funeral! *FLIP TABLE!!!* almost. I would if I didn''t have awesome self-control. The old manes nearby. "Don''t worry about it, I just want to be ready for all possibilities. So what exactly do you want to be inscribed on your tombstone?" Him too! Wolfie is rolling her eyes. I''m not the only one finding all this exaggerated! Giving up is never the best option! This is a saying I love using! Ah, the only thing is it can get you fired from your job. Talking from experience. You know suicide line operator. [Then write: Here lies your father!] "Why?" [C''mon, you know that ssic line! Ah, never mind. *Sigh*] "I mean it''s alright, just write it." [No, but seriously we should be doing something else! I don''t exactly know what but] The old man gives a mysterious smile. "Hehe, don''t worry about it." What does he mean by that? That''s when I hear a cacophonying from outside. Screams. Fright. A panicking crowd. "Hehe, it has started." The old man looks like some mastermind right now. You know the one you''d expect to be sitting in the dark?! One that no one would know his identity. The one only showed from behind as a silhouette sitting. [What exactly began?] "You hear the screams? That is the sound made when a follower of Gluto goes for a walk." What did he write in this letter of his?! *CRASH* The door gets destroyed entirely. In the silence that follows appears a mass of flesh. "Hey, got a drawing of the target?" While I''m stupefied the old man just grabs the drawing and hands it over. Nomzi. eats it! What?! Then he departs just like that. Without a word. This, should we follow? That''s when I hear the sound of galloping. Then barges in Luvon. "He''s not here? Alright, I''ll head there and see for myself. Thanks for the info!" Again, what is this about?! The guy from city hall nudges me. "Seriously, you better sign this just in case." He is handing me over the previous paper. The one in case I die prematurely. Screw this! I just pick it up and tear it to pieces. "Are you sure young one?" [*Sigh* Simply ept death? Not my style.] As if I''d give up before a fight even happens. [Old man I''m really not sure what is happening. But it seems like you brought these guys to help.] This gotta be the most effective mobilization order I''ve ever seen. I could just sit here and wait for everything to be over. I will always try to avoid direct confrontation. Not because I am scared. Mostly because that is not my goal. I derive no pleasure from mindless bloodshed. [Still, I won''t endanger others for my sake.] I would have seriously remained hidden. Waited for my potential enemy to hopefully leave. But I don''t want acquaintances to be the only ones doing something. It would be one thing if I was weak, but I have divine energy. Enough divine energy to confront him at least. So what if I face seemingly endless suffering? At some point, he''ll run out of energy. Then I''ll strike. Yes. This shall do. "Isn''t it easier to let others handle the problem?" [*Scoff* Indeed. So much easier.] That''s the thing. The right decisions are often the hardest to aplish. Yet, right now it feels natural to me. This is my path. "You''ll die for sure." "If you die who will inherit the bakery?" Afraid I''ll screw up a perfect n? I am not strong, but I am not weak either. I turn toward both of them. [Then isn''t it simple? I just have to avoid dying.] I slowly make my way outside. I hear the good wishes of the old guys. The siblings are back too. They seem to have a lot to say, but I stop them. I won''t change my mind. No matter what. Wolfiezily follows after me. It seems she is not worried at all. She has been with me a long time after all. She knows I am not one to die easily haha. I just need to have as much confidence as her. My opponent uses flying swords. I probably can''t beat him in speed. His technique is obviously leagues above mine. He is also ruthless and just killed a man. My best option to catch him off guard. I could y dead. No, there is something even better. He will be able to block my attacks for sure. But what if I suddenly enhance the weapon itself? I could cut through both the weapon and him in one go. Ah, but I don''t have a sword anymore. I have a n. 1. Steal one of his swords 2. Fake getting overwhelmed. 3. When his attention falters, kill him. Here are the city gates. Moment of truth Chapter 252: Clash Chapter 252: sh ****(POV) I can''t help but feel nostalgic a bit. I have been in this city for a long period already. While it has many problems, it does have some good points. The automated system for instance makes it so we don''t usually have to intervene. Our sect specializes in direct confrontation. Guardians are the first and thest ones on the battlefield. That is our purpose. We rule with an iron fist. We rule justly. We are the ones that never go down. No matter the challenges we push through. Still, I am happy to leave. Training is fun, but it doesn''tpare to real fights. That and the quest I am leaving on. To search for a teacher. Most sects would frown upon such a thing. Not us. One does not fight a war without anyrade. Perhaps because we are specialized too. All in defense. Thus the necessity of alliances. As I exit the side gates, there is a crowd assembled. Apparently, a duel just ended. One between two rankers. That is how they call them. That is also how people call me. But I do know. All of it is risible and pointless. The true powerhouses are not the ones in the spotlight. Well, the acknowledged masters at the top are great. Still, there is always someone stronger. I can hear the bustle and the exmations. Someone died. Someone I do know. He always looked up to me. He even challenged me to a duel once. I promptly defeated him. In the end, he was wondering why I didn''t execute him. He always remained baffled by my answer. I told him then that I was more worried about bingcent than to be defeated. That he simply had to work harder until he could be a threat to me. This is what most consider extremely stupid. From a logical point of view, it is. Most consider it nonsensical not to aim for fame. There is one thing I have observed. I have never seen two individuals with the exact same swordsmanship. The stronger I get the more I believe it to be true. Is this difference bad? Is it exined by the gods we are serving? Are there paths stronger than others? Possibly. It would make sense that the hardest paths to tread are the most worth it. My sword follows the conviction that I won''t be defeated. Not out of pride. I am not delusional. I simply always looked up to the guardians. The ones that would protect. A very different path than the fallen swordsman. He used to go for speed and bluffs. That apparently failed him. I wonder who his foe was. Ah, I see him. The man seems to be asking the bystanders something. Looking for someone. When he learns his target went inside the city, he goes back to the duel area, grumbling. Then he takes his sword. *HACK* I slowly make my way over. "*Sigh* Why are you desecrating a corpse? Surely you already killed him, why are you still angry?" He slowly looks up. "Angry? No, angry is not the term. If anything I am simply disappointed. Disappointed that such a weakling was considered a ranker." "Is that why you are not even leaving his body alone?" "You know, when we were fighting the crowd enjoyed it all. There were the cheers, the excitement, and even a shameless merchant selling some pies." "So you are calling the people here hypocrites? They may be, but that doesn''t exin your actions either." "Life is simple. The strong rule and the weak struggle. This trash at my feet died because he was too weak." In front of me is a very disturbed man. There are many that share his philosophy. This isn''t an isted case. If anything I am the odd one. Killing an opponent and enjoying the glory a normal thing. For the man in front of me, life is worthless. "Say, how many will you kill in your search of power?" "As many as it takes." I do not care about these people directly. But I can''t agree with his actions. An unfeeling man that sees everyone around him as fodder. All in order to achieve his goals. "How about a duel right " *SLASH* *CLANG* He tries to take me by surprise. To slice my neck off. I simply parry. He gets pushed back from the sheer strength of my swing. I am using a two-handed ymore after all. He dashes toward me again. Alternating between feints and real strikes. As if that little bit of skill could faze me. I keep calmly defending. I am in no hurry. We keep exchanging strikes. He is getting impatient. That is what often happens. At least, whenever I am the opponent. He keeps shing and shing, but every time I repel him. From time to time I go on the offensive. Every time he evades at thest second. Something tells me this isn''t his real limit. Why? The confidence he exuded earlier. Only an imbecile would hunt rankers with suchcking power. He is clearly a rank 3. It is safe to assume he has mastered sword will. The ability to manifest one''s mana as a sword. Well, he seems young too, so maybe not. His progress is enough to be deemed a genius already. Still, I do not lower my guard. I do not go all-in. I keep going. At my own pace. A pace that he is forced to follow. That''s when he finally makes a mistake. One that is very slight. Enough for me to kill him, however. Except I don''t believe it. I lunge at him while staying ready to retreat. Keeping my center of gravity toward the back. Yep, knew it. A flurry of swords is raining on me. Flying ones. Some physical some made of mana. How? I''m not sure myself. But it is magic for sure. He grins slightly. He knows that one cannot block a dozen swords. Or he thinks anyway. I spin on myself blocking all the attacks. All of them. *DASH* That''s when he starts running. Then jumps onto a sword and flies away. That is a really neat trick. This man will likely be an issue in the future. But he is too fast. Should I pursue and track him down? Normally I would. Leaving enemies behind isn''t my style. Except, right now I have a more pressing task. No time to deal with a manhunt. Now Zero of The Unnamed God Sect, was it? Chapter 253: State of Emergency Chapter 253: State of Emergency ****(POV) "Another lifeless body, is it?" "T-that, yes madam!" *Sigh* that almost makes me sound old. Here we are on a crime scene. I and my 4 subordinates. This is an official investigation. One that proves thorny. This whole situation is getting out of hand. Somehow, recently nothing has been going right in Eaglevein. The good thing is we managed to somehow keep it quiet. There have been many murders. Well, this is only our hypothesis. The issue is that every corpse never shows any sign of injury. No physical scar, no magical one either. As if they simply ran out of lifespan. Breathing theirst. This is the scariest thing. This means that this serial killer can evade the city''s safety measures. *Shiver* I believe it to be some kind of magic rted to the soul. This would exin us failing to detect it. This is concerning. It is a type of power extremely hard to master. One that opens up so many possibilities. "Madam what should we do?" "As usual, dispose of it. Hide the traces." They all get to work. Soon enough there are no traces remaining of there ever being a victim. At first, we were very meticulous in preserving the scene. Even going as far as requesting backups from the sects. A shameful thing for us to do for sure. We are an independentw enforcement entity after all. Not only did we beg for help, but it only served to humiliate us. Any test only pointing toward a natural death. The problem is the people dying are too young. There is one thing that terrifies me. Usually, such capacities would only be found in the strongest sects. Not even the publicly recognized top sects. No, the old giants and the hidden monsters. Well, the only totally public super sect is the Moon Keep. They do not care about being seen. They do not care about offending anyone. They can afford to be so arrogant. They have enough power to start many sects. If these crimes are the doing of a powerful faction, there is nothing my unit can do. Hell, we struggle to get appropriate funding. Especially given that the council members are always bickering. Whose idea was it to have 50 sects taking decisions inmon? Right, our god. Compromis. To be fair the only reason the city is even alive is because of him. He is the main guardian deity. Still, it often feels as if the various representatives are going to be our downfall. As much as this all brings devout followers it also brings its fair share of trouble. Now we need to somehow deal with this fiasco with no support whatsoever. Sometimes I wonder if I should just leave this ce. Go hide in some remote location and start anew. But then I remember that there is a waring. That this ce is perhaps one of the few that might just remain standing. Assuming most cities will be destroyed. I''m really starting to hate this job. I never signed up for this. I just wanted to live well. Not have to worry about money. Nope, instead I need to worry about everything else! This is painful. Ah, whatever. Time to leave. There is nothing for us here anymore. Now we just need to head back and That''s when I hear screams. Many, many screams. As we exit the building a woman rushes toward us. "Please help! There is a monster in town!" Oh no. This is a ssic precursor to a city falling. Run? Where to? Ah, I really hate this job. "Alright, don''t worry. We''ll deal with it!" She doesn''t mind us anymore and just runs. We follow the screams. There are many traumatized bystanders. They all im to have seen a monster. Yet none can tell what it was exactly. There needs to be a catch. Perhaps we are dealing with an illusion or mass hypnosis? All I know is that they are all moring about an enemy. Fine, it is part of my job. Still, this doesn''t make any sense. That''s when I hear a ruckus. Someone screaming about something happening in the direction of the city gates. I''m not too sure what it is about. Something about people everywhere, enemy swordsmen and a monster. "Follow me, let''s hurry up." Before long we find many soldiers running around everywhere. Ah, this is the Gebreros family. "What are you guys doing here? What''s with the heavy troop mobilization?!" What kind of thing warrants such a show of power? They seem to be looking for someone. Their leaderes closer. "*Whisper* This, I don''t mind telling you but it needs to remain between us." "Sure, is it the monster that was sighted? Or perhaps something else?" "Some guy apparently stole my sister''s heart. We are hunting him down." What?! "This is the worst! Of course, you need to avenge her! Noone kills a citizen of" "Ah, no I just meant the expression. Apparently, she has been trying to acquire a portrait of a man recently. We are trying to assess if that will be a problem." Then he goes back to his business. What the hell?! This is the reason why they are disturbing the peace?! Ah, whatever we have better stuff to do. "We need to figure out what the guys before meant exactly by swordsmen " A bystander replies. "Oh, that? A duel just happened, well two. The first one a ranker died. The second one the previous winner fled." I need to ask a vital question. "Where did they fight?" "Outside the city." Nice, I don''t have to give a fuck. That just leaves the monster. We keep asking eyewitnesses. Then finally, after a while, we follow the trail to reach an alley. In the middle, I can see something. It is at this moment that I understand everything. In there is a mass of flesh. Goddamnit, why is the Gluto church out again?! Can''t he just stay at home and eat all day long?! Wait, no. There seems to be something wrong here! Chapter 254: The Scent of Death Chapter 254: The Scent of Death ****(POV) How long has it been since we have been wounded? We were expecting it not to happen for a while. Except one of us was annihted. Well not that it matters. The memories remain. This means we are the closest us in the area. The way that us got defeated is ridiculous. Died while trying to cross a forest. Killed by a small white wolf. One that definitely shouldn''t have been there. This doesn''t make sense. Even disaster zones shouldn''t contain beings so powerful. After all, the people here are truly weak. This world is vast, but this so-called continent but a tiny ind. The people here all extremely ignorant. The popce especially. They have no idea about anything rted to true power. We are still looking for clues. Trying to understand this world fully. The only information we have that slight glimpse we got initially. At the exact moment that we cast our web over this world. Sending fragments of our consciousness everywhere. Paying a huge price for it but one worth it. We''ve been devouring spirit after spirit. Making them us. Trying to understand the power that these gods possess. Every memory so far useless. The more information we gather the more confusing it gets. There are many churches of many sects here. They all seem to have different training methods too. None is what we are looking for. After all, our goal is bigger than this shithole. *Sigh* Still, we must persevere. Right now we are in a peculiar town. One with an automated defense system. One extremely crude. We believe this to be a hastily copied version of the original. Ironic how useless it turned out. Simply aiding our cause. Whenever we decide on a prey, they feel it. They quickly realize their imminent demise. Then they try to struggle. Only to be hindered by that very same system haha. Meanwhile death magic has no such limitations. After all, death ispletely natural. If a warning was sent every time someone died of old age HEHE. Let''s just say we are speeding that process. The indignation about how they are dying is great. They usually feel betrayed. They usually feel powerless. Well, they are. More so they are stupid to rely on others to protect them. There is a war that will happen soon. Yet these idiots are peacefully living their lives. I feel like we drew the shorthand of the stick. The current us. We would rather have started in a more developed area. Instead of this ce. Well, it doesn''t matter that much. We just need to find what is hidden. We have heard rumors of hidden sects. How likely is that? We do not know. But most rumors contain a sliver of truth. Simply because humans are too dumb to inventplete lies. Our n simple. We will keep slowly taking over this ce. One victim at a time. None the wiser. We are ying the long game. Slowly gathering information. While working as a normal human at first nce. We own a funeral business. The best option for a necromancer like us. At least to get a good supply of corpses. We will simply bid our time. Then when an opportunity presents itself we will strike. Turn this ce into our domain. But we need to wait. Too many powers are residing here. Offending them all would not work. That other us got killed as a rank 3. We could easily get defeated. Well, they would have to know of our existence first haha. As we are thinking about the future, we see something. A huge creature just turned the corner. Every of its step sending a shockwave on the pavement. We somehow get the urge to kill it. But we restrain ourselves. We need to be low-key. We move out of the way and wait for it to keep going. Except it stops. Then talks. "You. You aren''t human." He seems sure of it. Funnying from someone who isn''t either. No human can be that fat. "No, there is something else. The body is normal, the spirit isn''t." How is he so perceptive? "Speak, what are you!?" "We aRe uS. nOtHiNg mOrE NoThInG LeSs. WhAt mAkEs yOu tHiNk wE ArE " "*Scoff* Trying to blend in? Even when you remained quiet the stench was already giving you away. Not it is only ringly obvious." Now that we look clearly, we know what he is. As much as he can recognize us we can recognize him. Haha he is an abomination too. Except that he hasn''te to terms with it. He still believes himself to be human. Howughable. We can smell the stench of death on him too. This man reminds us of one thing. One creature that we are used to. One we like to raise. A ghoul. One that devours anything in sight. Both the living and the dead alike. Even resorting to cannibalism. This is strange. So very strange. He seems to be a living man and yet We can''t help but grin at him. "So wHaT? sOmEtImEs sOmE ThInGs aRe bEtTeR LeFt iGnOrEd. YoU ShOuLdN''T HaVe pRoVoKeD Us mUaHaHaHa." We pounce on him. Soon we make contact with his body. It is so very DISGUSTING. Even for us. Us that deal with corpses on a daily basis. The wobbling upon impact. The gross feeling. We then gather death energy. Quickly transfer it to him. It starts spreading fast. Wait, something is wrong. Very so. He doesn''t stop moving in the least. He simply opens his jaw wide. Impossible so. We see the approaching mouth. We try dashing backward. How?! Our hand is stuck in the fat. Then it is toote. Our entire body gets swallowed. Still, this is not over yet. We simply lost our body. Our consciousness is still fine. Floating away quickly. That is when he reopens his mouth. Then he starts sucking. This is impossible?! Somehow this is affecting our spirit! Slowly getting dragged backward. We are about to disappear! Quick we need to do something! But what? This is Ah, never mind. Everything is fine. He suddenly stops. We get it. He can still fight. He can kill us. But he would die himself too. He is fighting our death magic corrosion. He is also fighting the system in the city. All the while struggling with us directly. He is now recuperating. There is no point in both of us dying pointlessly. Time to leave! But we will get our revenge Chapter 255: Life and Death Chapter 255: Life and Death I resolutely cross the gates. Time to fight. I''ve seen some of our allies nearby. If I dawdle, they mighte into harm. I wish to avoid that. At least I don''t want to be the cause of it. The crowd is already starting to disperse. Yet there are many still remaining. Excitingly discussing what happened before. C''mon! A man died! This is noughing matter! How entertainment starved are these guys?! [*Whisper* Wolfie, stay in the back.] Now, how do I draw my opponent out? Time for secret aggro generating art style I. I for insults! [Where you at you bastard! Let''s fight! So what if you are the Lunar Goddess''s champion eh?! I''ll fuck you up!] The whole area turns silent. Everyone looking over scared. What''s up with these guys? A man nearby is looking my way. I can see the dread in his eyes. Oh god. I think I know. He''s behind me, isn''t he? All good. I''m already circting divine energy. When he sneak-attacks is when I will riposte! I keep waiting but nothing happens. I finally get tired of it. I turn my head and. Nope. No one is there. Completely empty. If this was a movie, we''d be inserting the cricket sounds right here. I move toward a bystander and He moves backward. I keep moving forward but he keeps retreating. All the others staying far away. Is this Covid all over again? I point at the guy. [You, why are you doing this?] "M-me?!" The crowd immediately parts away from him too. [Yes you!] He crumbles on the ground. "I-I did not hear anything! I have no idea what you said?!" [I don''t care about that. Where is the guy that was fighting here earlier?] "W-which one lord?!" [Why would I be looking for a dead man?!] "T-that please have mercy! There were two fights earlier! The winner from the previous one ran away after he fought again!" Waithe ran away? Then he is not here for me for sure Thisis awkward. So much for my big resolution. I finally decided to confront him, and he runs away. *Sigh* This can only mean one thing. Did I waste my time? Perhaps. No, there is something worth noting. This means I win by forfeit baby! Hell yeah! The guy is sweating and trembling while I''m cheering by myself. [*Cough* You can rise and go about your own business.] He quickly rises up and starts running. Why does it seem like he''s just been pardoned from death? [As for you guys] *Sound of dozens of anuses clenching in fright* [You guys can .] Wait... I''m really not sure what''s up, but they are intently listening to me right now. My guess is they saw my momentum. They also remember the prowess of the cultivator guy. They must believe me strong. No way a weak guy would challenge a champion! Except my case is special. So, I''m thinking It would be such a waste not to... Their nerves are a train wreck by now. The silence digging at their mental resilience. I feel dropping a pin would cause them a heart attack right now. I inspect the crowd. *Gulping sounds* [You guys can go buy pies at our shop. I''ll even throw in a discount only for this group.] I give them a big thumb up and a wink to dispel the heavy atmosphere. Everyone likes discounts am I right? Of course, I am! "T-that there is no need." [I insist.] =) "T-that, won''t people try to take advantage of your kindness? What if someone else tries to im that discount? Someone that wasn''t even here!" He has a valid point. [Don''t worry about it. I''ll remember all of you guys perfectly.] "A-all of us?!" [Of course! A baker requires great memory you know! For the recipes and whatnot.] Of course, that is a lie haha. I''ll just give a discount to whoever asks for one. I''ll just treat this as a promotional event. People will talk about the duel and mention our ce at the same time. Best promo ever! I''m a goddamn genius! "*Gulp* T-thank you very much!" He is so happy he seems to be tearing up. I''m not sure if it''s the discount itself. Perhaps. Maybe he is simply not used to this level of care. Customer service needs to kind of attention. No matter if you actually recognize them you need to y the part. Well, there are always exceptions. Some really do care. Like that one author I knew. Weird dude. Loved to talk to his fans way too much. Kept browsing discord while writing even. Anyway, I''m not that dedicated. Well not toward these potential buyers. Well, maybe if they be regrs. Anyway! I go close to him. Pat his shoulder. [Don''t worry about it. I''ll be expecting you. Actually, all of you guys!] Then I turn and walk away like a boss. They are silent. Respectfully waiting for me to be gone. This feels good. Yes, I have ulterior motives, but they will save money thanks to me. Now I just need to go back and tell everyone that the problem is solved. I guess I am lucky. Somehow didn''t have to do anything. Let me see. Should I exin in detail the situation? I could always just go back to the bakery. Coolly sit at a table and sip some tea. Then I could wait for anyone to inquire about the situation. I would just calmly look at them. Also, take a deep and steady voice. Then I would simply say. [It has been handled. No need for concern.] Then no matter what, I would only repeat that one sentence. Ask me about the cultivator dude? It has been handled. Ask me about the Moon Keep? It has been handled. Ask me about the Lunar Goddess? It has been handled. Ask me about the god realm? It has been handled. Ok, there is no way anyone would believe thest one. Still so much for what I expected to be a Life and Death duel. Pretty anticlimactic, right? Now I just need to casually stroll back home and... As I pass an alley, I see something worrying... Chapter 256: Brotherhood Chapter 256: Brotherhood In the alley, I can see a group of people. They are crowding around Nomzi! He seems to be unconscious for some reason. Their leader seems to be poking him with a sword. [Heydy! What the hell are you doing?!] "What?! Who are you! This is a restricted area!" [Restricted area my ass! What did you do to my friend?!] "Your friend?! You consider the Gluto follower your " [Yes, now step aside! Why is he here?] "I don''t know! Now go away! This is now an official investigation!" [If your so-called investigation is to poke him with a stick you may as well leave!] She hides her weapon behind her back. C''mon I saw it already. I move closer. "We can''t even tell if he is still alive without touching him and" Without touching him she says. With a disgusted expression to boot. Please, saving a life takes priority. He needs to taste more of my pies. I move my ear closer. Is he not breathing? Actually, there is too much fat to tell. I can hear them talking about how this isn''t part of their job. Something about never touching such a disgusting creature with their naked hands. Enough is enough. [All of you, leave!] At first, they are recalcitrant, but then I make eye contact. With every single one. Giving them that look. Promising them a slow death if they don''t get out of my face right now. I don''t mind them not doing their job. But I can do without the slyments. Only the worthless leader is left. "T-that sorry about that. I''ll teach them mannerster." Don''t care. Think. Gluto is all about eating. I know. Well, I hope this will work. I crouch down next to him. I raise the b. Then I enter. Yes, that is the term. There is enough fat tissue to serve as a tent. The luxury kind that can host many. Hot. Stuffy. Sweaty. Wobbly. Pressing on me. Not the best experience. Finally, I reach what I think is the source of it all. Where the bones should be. Then I circte divine energy full speed. Then I lift. With my back straight, cause I''m no amateur. I somehow manage to aplish it. "How?! How are you even alive in there?! How do you have the strength to" [We of The Unnamed God Sect never leave a man behind. Ever!] I mean. I never do. They simply all leave at some point. Ah, there is little Bai in aa, but he''s in good hands. Doesn''t count right? This scene must lookical from an outsider''s point of view. Or not, judging from the screams. A mass of flesh just getting carried all over. The skin is dragging a bitno, a lot. Nothing I can do about that. "How are you even breathing in there?" Actually, I''m not. That''s my secret. I also have another issue. I am now outside the alley. I have no clue where to go. My vision ispletely obstructed. But I have a trump card! [Wolfie! Guide us back home! I need audio signals!] She starts howling softly. I follow the sound. I have a guide wolf! How awesome is that?! Wait a moment. I could also do that. Scouting ability activate! Oh god. This is disgusting. The moving mass of Still, at least now I can see where I am going. I feel like a guy that just bought a brand-new car. With the new one having cameras installed for once. Feel like a new world opened for me. I simply follow Wolfie. It''s not needed anymore, is it? Well, it''s kinda cute how she''s dutifully escorting us. Acting like a bodyguard. Except people are really running from what they think is a monster. Seriously how do they live here and not know about him? He would be a touristic attraction from where I''m from. At least, I think. That may sound mean at first, but if he gets fed he''d be 100% fine with it. After a while, we finally reach the bakery. The door is still destroyed. I leave him outside and enter. I quickly grab all the food I can. The old man is the only one inside. He looks at me intrigued. I tell him to get more food ready. Then I throw a pie at the guy in thea. Right at him. I''d aim for the face but I don''t know where it is. *WOOSH!* Just as the delicious confection is about to hit his skin His head stretches out and he gobbles it all. Now he is back to his unmoving self. I knew it! I keep going. Some people sleepwalk. He sleepeats instead. No, devour would be the better term. After all, he has already gone through a few dozen pies. Thedy that followed us here for some reason is just watching in awe. What can I say? I am truly handsome! I bet she can''t help but admire my throwing form. Perhaps she admires our brotherly bond too. Just a man caring for his sick friend. Actually, I still don''t know the issue. Then again it happens to the best of us. I meana in an alley may be slightly extreme. I usually just sleep there. "Why are you helping him?" [He is my friend.] "I thought the church of Gluto didn''t have friends." [Then you thought wrong.] *RUMBLE* How is a human making such a sound by waking up? "Ah! That felt great!" [Are you okay? What happened to you?] "Oh, nothing much. Attacked by some guy." "That should be impossible! Our system is" "Very wed, yes. Very useless." "There is no way that!" [Shut up! So, who''s the enemy?] "Some necromancer, death-magic user. I got his physical body, but his soul escaped." [Soul?] "His spirit. Well, actually it felt strange. As if there were multiple consciousnesses inside him." [Gotcha, multiple personality disorder. I know that one.] "It''s a shame I would have gotten him too if the worthless defense system didn''t get in my way." [So what should we do about it?] "Our unit will track him down and " So she says, but we both ignore her. "I''ll be fine. Just be careful on your side." [What about revenge?] "I''m good. These guys are hard to make resurface. They can hide easily." [So just be careful and wait? Gotcha.] We just nod and both leave to do our own things. In the background, thedy is moring about answering her questions. Not like I know anything, let''s just get back to the pies. Can''t wait for the wave of enthusiastic customers we''ll soon get. I feel like I forgot something, meh whatever Chapter 257: Spending a Chapter Looking for a Door Chapter 257: Spending a Chapter Looking for a Door Well, what now? Everyone is gone. The old man is taking a break. Wolfie is cute. It sure is breezy in here. That''s about it. Guess I can fix the door. Now, how does one even go about this? I need wood or something. Now I probably shouldn''t start chopping in the city. I mean that would make for an interesting crime. The silent woodcutter. He will sneak in your garden at night and. Steal your trees! The nightmare of all tree huggers! Well seriously being an activist can be praiseworthy. Depends on the means used to do it. Good thing there were none back then with the woodcutters. Deforestation is no joke Add people hugging trees and it would have turned gory fast. Chopping a tree: another one bites the dust. Now I need to find a market. Secret technique: ask a bystander! Ah, the street is empty. Completely. The earlier action drove everyone away. I can see houses and shops nearby. They are all closed too. Strange. People were so hyped about the duel. Then a Gluto follower appears and they get scared. When fat terrorize you more than death itself. Speechless. [Anyone here? I''m trying to go to the nearest ce where I can buy wood or a door!] *Crickets* Wolfie nudges my pants. Then she starts leading the way. Now anyone would wonder how she knows it. Yep, me first. The more we leave the area Nomzi was sighted in, the more people appear. Before long we are surrounded by liveliness. The sound of people trading. The sound of people walking. The sound of people breathing. The sound of too many useless details? It''s a market. Same as the city, it doesn''t have any sense of harmony. There are stalls of all kinds and styles. Actually, the market was my first idea, but a furniture shop would work better. Maybe a woodworker and order a custom-made one? I could engrave a cool moto on it. Something like: Best pies in the world. Or maybe: let me fill youpletely. Or even: Get a mouthful of that juicy delicious stuff. I''m kinda torn between thest two. No one easily forgets a slogan like that. Well the wording yes, but the meaning sticks. It bes a part of you. [Hey there stranger, I need a door where can I get one?] Thedy in front of me looks at me weirdly. "This gotta be the weirdest pick-up line ever!" [No legit I just ] She is already ignoring me. Let''s try again. [Hey there, could you point me to the nearest shop I can get a door from please?] The guy in front scoffs. "This gotta be the worst pick-up line ever!" Are you fucking kidding me?! What''s with these people?! Let''s try this onest time. This guy will do. [I want to buy a door. Where should I go?] "This gotta be the coolest pick-up line ever! Yes! Take me!" What the fuck. What the actual fuck. That''s it. I''m out! What is wrong with these people?! This isn''t the ce for that! There is an order to such things! Meet someone and realize you like each other. nvite them to lunch. Invite them for an activity. Invite them to Neetflex and Chill. *Sigh* These guys don''t know anything about romance. Approaches a well-dressed man. He looks friendly enough. Wait "Hey there, I heard that you were looking for a door?" [Not you too?!] "Haha no. I''m not part of their try and meet love at the marketce club." [That''s a thing?!] "Yes, I''m really not sure why, to be honest." [So where can I buy a door?!] "We may have some in-store at our shop." [Your business?] "Well, I''m part of a merchant group that handles specialized merchandise." [That includes doors?] "Haha, we don''t sell them usually, but I can get you one." [Brother wouldn''t it be easier to just point me in the right direction?] "Indeed. I''ll be honest, I was tasked to try and get you to be our customer." [Why me?] "We happened to hear of your exploits. How you were brave enough to challenge a champion. Of course, we helped to silence the news haha. How about it?" [I''m not that rich either, what kind of product are you selling?] I mean I do have some silver from selling pies. "Don''t worry. My job is just to let you browse our selection. Just see it as establishing a good rtionship for the future." [Alright lead the way.] Now, this is weird for sure. Still, as long as it lets me aplish my objective, I''m good. "Here, wear this." He hands me a cloak and a mask. [What is that even for?] "Just a gift. We pride ourselves on maintaining our client''s anonymity." [Brother, this seems shady as hell.] "Just see it as a way to hide your wealth." [I have none to hide.] "Exactly, wouldn''t it be bothersome if someone started following you anywyay?" [This whole thing is what starts sounding troublesome actually.] "Please! My promotion relies on it!" [Fine, lead the way.] As much as I grumble, this cloak looks nice. The mask is a yellow one. ck and yellow it seems. Am I cosying a bee? Soon wee in front of an awesome-looking building. There are golden doors. There is a sign with some obviously well-done lettering. This ce is legit for sure. There is even a courtyard it seems. These guys seem well off. As we enter, I can''t help but gasp. This ce looks awesome! Even better than the Moon Keep. That was my previous best ever witnessed before. Well, if anything the service back at that sect was better. At least when they were thinking about me being the champion. Then again that was mostly because of Luna when I think about it. I wonder how she is doing. If I kill the official champion, could I go back? I mean they wouldn''t have anyone else, right? Ah, I don''t know. [Anyway, what is this ce?] "Only the best ve-trading business in the city and" Of fucking course. Chapter 258: Expectations Chapter 258: Expectations A ve-trading business. This kinda has a bad connotation for me. Mostly because of the whole Lunar Goddess telling me to be one. [Why would I want a ve? Seriously?] "Oh, we have all kinds of ves we even have an illustrated catalogue, here!" [That actually sounds really professional and.] As I look at it, I can see some stuff that is definitely borderline H stuff. I seem to recognize the art style. Probably that guy I met at the duel. How awesome is that guy at selling his artwork?! Very apparently. [How about you summarize it for me?] "Of course! We have battle ves, profession ves, sex ves, and more. Do you wish to have an extended exnation?" [Why not, how are these ves even controlled? Where are they from?] "All over the continent! We are very well connected! This is not our main branch either. Just a side one. As for how to control them...how about a demonstration?" [Sure I guess.] We head into a room where there is a cell. In it is a muscr man wearing a cor. He also has a big tattoo on his back. Red and glowing slightly. "You see we use a double restraint method to ensure there is never an issue." [I mean, nothing ispletely failsafe, no?] "Indeed, but the few times it does fail it is set up in a way to kill the ve instantly." [So harming the masters is impossible?] "Exactly! Now let''s start this. Come here you piece of trash!" Yep, can''t really rte to these guys. Isn''t it more fun to have subordinates rather than ves? There is a sense of satisfaction to sessfully trick someone into joining. Especially when your faction is pretty much nonsense. Talking from experience. "Kneel and pay respect." The guy inside promptly does. While looking defiant. [So you are his master?] "Haha, no. We use temporary bindings on the ves for sale. Any staff can order them. Of course, such a binding won''t leave any problem either." [How does that even work for all the staff at once?] "We rely on an artifact. One that manages that for us. It is very costly and advanced." [Simr to the city defense system?] "Yes, but also very different. The purpose is different after all." [So why exactly do they need to obey?] "Well, they will start feeling intense pain otherwise. One that is unimaginably horrible." [So how does one end up as a ve?] "Mostly from losing to an opponent. Instead of iming their life they sell them. Sometimes it''s people that are simply too poor selling their own." [God this sounds atrocious.] "Well, the world can be dark at times. That is why one must always remain on top and work hard." That sounds good in theory, but in fact it''s just the powerful staying on top. Let''s face it there are two easy ways to gain power. One to be born into it a powerful family. Two to be extremely lucky and talented. I do believe lots of effort will always give results too. Given the individual is given enough time to grow. Ending up as a ve would screw it up. [Isn''t there any initiative to free them? From the righteous factions I mean?] "No, they don''t care. The righteous factions are more about not being seenmitting evil." [Isn''t that kind of thinking...crazy?] "No, it''s rather normal." I guess. These people are all mental. Well most of them anyway. I guess this is why I like the old man and Nomzi. They don''t care about that bullshit. [I see.] "By the way, why do you have a wolf following you? Does that mean you are a beast tamer?" [Not really. She''s mypanion.] "Right, I think I heard about a pet gem being in our warehouse. Would you be interested in that?" [What''s that?] "The gems that allows one to store monsters in an alternate space." [Ah, no need I just have Wolfie following me and it''s better if she can see the world too.] "I see that makes sense. Right, how about warrior or mage items?" [What''s with you? Are you sure you guys sell ves?] "Well here is the thing. Management told me to try and get on friendly terms with you yet didn''t tell me anything about you." [No seriously you have no reason to.] "Tell that to my boss. If I don''t have anything to show for it, he''ll kill me for sure!" [I mean it''s not really my problem eitherat this point you should just quit. Your boss sounds insane.] "*Sigh* Perhaps I should. Right, can you tell me anything about that guy you wanted to fight? This should suffice." I feel like that was his goal all along. This whole charade to get more information on a key target. I mean he could have directly asked. We are enemies after all. I don''t mind revealing all I know about him. [Ah, champion of the Moon Keep. A dick. Some flying sword cultivator. Practices both martial and magical techniques. Should have some attainments in it by now.] Yeah, I don''t actually know that much about him. "Wow! You were about to fight someone so impressive! I respect you brother!" [Haha, well I''m not that strong. I just thought he wasing for me so I decided I may as well just fight already.] "How brave! Most people would just hide upon encountering such a situation!" This is kinda what I did too at the beginning. Just hid in the bakery. Good thing he doesn''t know haha. "Follow me! To thank you for the information. To reward you I''ll give you a free ve!" [I just want a door, plus I barely said anything relevant.] "Don''t worry about it. This is just a greeting gift. We may not look like it, but we are very rich." No, they definitely look the part. Still, there is something weird about all this. This guy is way too friendly. Actually, I think I know exactly what is happening. They probably saw me with Nomzi and are trying to forge a good rtionship through me. Whatever I''ll bite. How did a quest for a door turn into this? Who knows... The real question is...will they have catgirls? Chapter 259: Slave Contract Chapter 259: ve Contract I am brought to avish waiting room. Not only is the sofa there superfortable but there are even refreshments. Then my guide asks me about the type of ve I would like to see. Battle ve: how long would it survive? It wouldn''t be that bad if it just hides like Wolfie but Yeah, I don''t need that much protection as long as I have divine energy. It would easily be a waste of human life. Next up is a professional ve. They know diverse skills. Apparently, they even have a few bakers. Wouldn''t that be perfect for the kitchen? I ask if they have any merchants. There is none. I guess they are usually resourceful enough not to fall into very. Thest one is the sex ve category. This one doesn''t need exining and can only charm people. The choice is obvious! [I''ll see the sex ves please!] He gives a knowing smile and leaves. Someonees and offers to take care of Wolfie. I mean she is fine here. Why this choice? I want to be the only one in charge of making the actual pies. I would have preferred a merchant for sure. Still, if they can charm people they can convince them to buy more I am sure. Customer service is customer service after all. Soon there are a few girls and boys lining in front of me. Dude Nice of him. Talk about being open-minded. Now let me see. There is an easy way to resolve this. [Who wants to work for me? I have a pie business. You would have to deal with a few hundred customers every day. Just need to be polite and handle the money.] I see them all shudder. What''s with that intense reaction? Ah, I get it. They are d at the prospect of getting a new life. "Which one would you prefer?" [I don''t care that much. As long as the face is nice, and the personality is amiable any will do. They can even decide between themselves.] "T-that I understand." He seems at a loss. I mean I don''t want to force anyone. That kind of thing can be felt in customer service. Well, short term it is easy to fake it. Long-term, however I can see them crowd around and seemingly y a dice game. Where did the dicee from? Magic trick perhaps. I guess they all want toe out of very. There is no way anyone sane would pass this opportunity. The winner is a shortdy with ginger hair. She is emotionally crying. It''s understandable. She just won a great prize. Shees nearby and curtesy. "M-master." *Nod* Nice! She''s perfect. I just hope she knows how to count. Worst case she can learn. She will just have to wee the clients and take care of them. [Alright, so can we just go then? Ah right, what about the door?] "We just need to make the owner''s blood pledge. Then she will be yours truly." That sounds fancy and possibly very degrading. [Can''t you just remove whatever restraint she has and let me leave with her?] "No, because they are not registered in the defense system of the city. They would get taken down instantly otherwise." Why? It wasn''t needed for Wolfie. I guess they expect humans to try to sneak in but not beasts. I guess besides a beast tide this isn''t a problem. The city probably has extra defensive measures to activate then. [So, how do we do this?] By this point, everyone irrelevant is gone. He gets a parchment out. Then he orders the ve to drip a bit of blood on it. Once she does there is a faint glowing out of her chest area. Damn, I guess this is where her ve tattoo is. "Now just drip your own blood right there to initiate the master contract." Ah, there is one thing I need to confirm. I am pretty sure I know about his motives. [Tell me you are doing this with an ulterior motive, right?] "For our future rtionships and" [No need to be sneaky about it. You are trying to please me to get closer to a sect am I, right?] "Ah, that yes this is definitely our goal." [Now why don''t you just offer food? That should work for the followers of Gluto.] He freezes a moment. Seems he didn''t expect me to see through him. "*Sigh* Your perspicacity is impressive. This issue is not that simple." [You guys offended him in the past and need to be forgiven?] "Exactly, something like that." [So in exchange for the ve you expect me to put in a good word for your guys?] "That would be extremely appreciated!" [Alright, sure. Now where were we?] "The part about signing the blood contract to finish the process." Right. I scratch my palm until blood flows. *SPLURT* Ah, this brings back memories. Back when I was young and stupid. Back when I was still experimenting with my powers. Trying to figure out how to boost my recovery power. Ah, I have gone a long way. Now I am not as young and still stupid. Joke, I''d say my progress is pretty good so far. "Congrats! You just signed a sessful ve contract!" [Thanks, now can I get my door and leave?] "Pffft hahahahahahaha." Did I miss anything? [What''s up?] "Leave you say? Look at your arm." What is he even talking about? A red glowing pattern. ve contract Oh, fuck! Note to self, read contracts before signing them. There is just one thing [How?! Hers was glowing in reaction to] "You mean this?" Suddenly her ve mark starts flickering like crazy. Ah, he can control the activation as he wishes. I was all a diversion. To reassure me. I assumed and . This is bad. [Do you think holding me hostage will give you leverage with the Gluto sect? You are sorely mistaken.] "Gluto sect? I don''t give a fuck about them. I''m selling you to the Moon Keep!" Ah fuck. What now? Chapter 260: Finding a Door Chapter 260: Finding a Door I am now a ve. Painfully evident thanks to the glowing red mark on my arm. What happens when you be a ve? Well given my handsome features they should sell me to a richdy. No, they want to trade me to the Moon Keep. Would Luna buy me? Perhaps. Would the champion try and kill me? Very much so. Could the warden do anything to stop it? Doubtful. Yeah, I''d rather not try it. This situation is so surreal I''m not even panicking that much. Somehow Wolfie isn''t either. Weird, she should be smart enough to understand everything. As I''m lost in thoughts, he orders me to move. Then drops me in the cage with the previous guy. With Wolfie too. Isn''t he worried that she''ll help me escape? He orders me to stay here. Then he leaves cackling about his good fortune. "So they got you too? This is what you get for trusting a ve dealer." In retrospect that sounds obvious I guess that exins the mask and cloak. This way people won''t notice. Turning a customer into a product is bad. "Hey, are you so shocked that you can''t even talk? Well, despair is normal." Ah, he''s been talking to me. [*Smile* Oh? Sorry about that brother, I was thinking.] He looks at me like baffled. "How are you smiling?!" [My facial muscles.] "" Now let me see. Alright, he said something about a temporary contract. One handled by a valuable artifact. This can allow anyone in this ce to control them. I can probably use divine energy to run away. I just wonder if they''ll be able to track me down afterward. Yep, I gotta destroy the source directly. Scouting ability time! It does take some time, but no worries. I scour the entire ce. Lavish rooms A small auction house. Living quarters. A kitchen. Various cells. Ah, there it is. The area where the ver guy is residing. Looking at the opulence he isn''t lowly here. The boss breathing on his neck was all bullshit it seems. Behind that is a small vault. In it is a glowing cube. A red one. Yep, something tells me this is it. My target. Now there are 2 issues. Let''s start with the first one. [To trigger the mark I just need to disobey an order, right?] "Yes, that is why we can''t even think about" I simply walk away. Once I encounter metal bars, I simply bend them. Until I am finally out of the holding area. Oh? I can definitely feel it. A tingling sensation in my arm. Well, a massage would hurt more. "Y-you! How are you fine?!" [Don''t worry about it. Now trying over too.] He seems scared. "The mark will activate, no?" [Is it life-threatening?] "No, but " [Then why are you scared? Don''t you believe in me?] I see him nod. Then he resolutely heads my way. "ARGGG!" Now he''s twisting on the ground in pain. I grab him and throw him back in the cell. "That...why?!" [Oh, now I have a good example of what it is supposed to look like.] I give him a huge thumbs up. He only grimaces in pain. Oh well, a small price to pay for freedom. Then I simply start walking. Toward the vault. Casually. Without ever stopping. Hiding my glowing mark in my sleeve. Of course, there are guards. Upon noticing me they scream at me to halt. I just keep walking. Then one of them grabs me putting a weapon near my throat. "*Stern* Talk, who are you and what are you doing here?!" Time to use my wits to get myself out of this. I artictely and dashingly exim: [IT HURRTS SSOOO MUCHH, ARRRGGG! NEED TO SERVE MASTER!!!! ARGGGG!!] Then I drop on the floor and start iling around. In the process, I reveal my glowing ve mark. "Let him go! He''s a ve!" He finally removes the pressure and de. I do my best to get up and wobble away. Hiding my ve mark again. "Who is your master?" I slowly describe his general appearance. "Oh my god, that''s the chairman! What did he tell you?" [I need to go serve him.] "What for?" "Hey man, you really shouldn''t ask that. *Turning to me*Just keep going and do your job well! If you arepetent, he may as well keep you with us." I nod. "Ah, but what''s with the wolf?!" He draws his de. Oh, she followed me it seems. [She is master''s new friend I think? *Puzzled*] "Then we better not touch it. Take care man." [Thank you!] "Wait!" Did they see through me? What kind of mistake did Imit? Is it my still glowing crest? That should be hidden well enough. Is my story too far-stretched? We are in the city too. I can''t just start killing wantonly. What should I do? "What is it?" "Won''t he get stopped by other guards?" "Ah, probably" "Alright, I''ll escort you all the way there!" He thumps his chest. Oh my, how reliable. "Please, you are just trying to leave a good impression on the chairman, aren''t you?" "So what?! I am hardworking andpetent!" I mean right now he doesn''t seem thatpetent to me. But well, he was probably told the ve contracts are foolproof. Even the master just left me there without a worry in the world. It would be ridiculous to expect more from the subordinate. [T-thank you so much! Lead the way please!] "Of course!" He is humming a small tune as we make our way there. Since I have a guide this time around no one makes a fuss. Well, they all are perplexed about Wolfie''s presence I am still wearing that cloak he gave me. I feel like this helps. You know since it looks legit. It makes it look like I somewhat belong there. Now what exactly they think of me matters not. Whether it be a customer or a high-quality ve. In such a way we arrive before a beautifully engraved door. Ah, nice! Seems my trip here wasn''t a waste. Now, shall we have some fun? Chapter 261: A Good Day Chapter 261: A Good Day ****(POV) I can''t believe my luck. Someone challenging the champion of the Moon Sect voluntarily? Clearly an idiot. One that was lucky enough to survive. For the target taunted was already gone. Still, I''m sure they would love to deal with that guy. It is only a matter of time before they learn of it. By then we will swoop in and offer him to them on a tter. This should help our rtionship with them. I can''t believe he followed me so naively. Looking for a door at that. How dumb. Then I slowly guided him around our base. All until the moment where I made him our ve. He never saw iting. He only nced at the contract and signed it. The worse is he thought himself smart. I had so much trouble refraining fromughing. Especially when he confidently said that stuff about the Gluto church. It doesn''t even deserve that much recognition. There is only one member, and he never steps outside. Why in hell would I try to pander to them? Ridiculous! Now, I wonder what he did in the first ce. To anger someone from that ce I mean. I''ll slowly interrogate him. If he is just a fool, then there won''t be much profit. I hope he has done something over the top. Something so bad they will be ready to pay to have him die. In any case, it didn''t cost me anything to trick him. Only a bit of my time. I simply happened to pass by. Also simply happened to hear about it. Lucky coincidences really. Or unlucky in his case. I can''t help but smile as I sip the wine I have. Helps me rx while working. I''m working on the various ve shipments. A logistics nightmare. Hence why I was on a walk earlier. To relieve some of the stress. There are various sects out there all trying to buy battle ves. Except they all want the transactions to be secretive. *Sigh* Chances are there are more spies in their ranks than in ours. What is the point? I''ve already lost a few men because of it. They don''t want anyone alive that can prove the deed. That''s why I''ve been recruitingtely. After all, can''t get my good vers to die. The training costs do pile up otherwise. Then it alles digging into the profit I am making. Not worth it for sure. I just wish these guys would rx for a second. Sure there will be a war. Sure lots of people will die. Sure, but so what? It''s just what always happens but on a bigger scale. Running an honest business can be hard nowadays. If that wasn''t enough, that is not my only problem. I do have people I need to answer to. Our ve business is all over the continent. Every loss needs to be exined to my superiors. There are a few leaders. Each overseeing a vast area. Let''s just say the man I need to report to is a dick. Well, I am here for a reason. I''d rather be a snake bowing to a dragon. You know instead of a worm lording over ants. At least there are not that many dragons I need to care about. I can remain here safe and sound. Just need to be careful. "Chairman we are here!" What? I clearly asked for no one to disturb me. Who''s the idiot that doesn''t know better? Judging by his tone there is no emergency either. He sounds serious yet cheerful. I get up and open the door. Outside is one of our guards and How?! This is impossible! There stands an ordinary young man. Smiling at me peacefully. One that shouldn''t be here. One that I just made a ve. This can''t be. I gave him a direct order to . His arm. Under the sleeve, I can see a very faint glow. The ve mark is activated already. Yet he isn''t showing the slightest pain. He slowly starts walking toward me. Now! I dash toward my desk and grab the sword I have hidden underneath. I just need to kill him right now and [Aren''t you worried about the automated system?] "Fool it isn''t activated here!" He seems surprised. It is toote. He tries to awkwardly dodge. Only to failmentably. My sword is now about to collide with his face. No! I can''t kill him! He somehow knows how to bypass our magic. I need to know how! I stop it at thest moment. "Talk, how were you able to" [Ah, that was close! Almost lost the cool cloak!] What is he? His clothes? [Now, were we? Right, something about having no protection from the system here. Isn''t that great?] How stupid is he! He almost died right there! What is he? Hees closer. Then he grabsmy sword?! How are his hands fine?! This can''t be happening! "I-I order you to stop!" [Ah, right there is that whole thing about you ordering me. Let''s fix this shall we?] I try to move but he grabs my face. "No, please stop! I''ll do anything just!" *SLASH* "guihreugheriughr" It hurts! What did hemy tongue! [Now that should help. Much better. *Turning* Oh yeah, by the way, you unknowingly helped an enemy screw up your so-called chairman.] "No! This can''t be ...I didn''t mean to..!" [Oh I know. In any case, wee to the traitor life *wink*] The guard falls to the ground. Who the hell is this guy?! How is he able to render a rank 3 like me helpless so easily?! I''m one of the stronger ones too! This can only meanthis man is strong enough to go against our strongest forces. Alone. Even with numbers, the best we can do is defend against him. No way we could ever prevent him from running away, however. Such a man can also casually ignore a sessful ve contract. How?! He moves toward the vault. He will ask me for the password. Torture it out of me. This is a chance. I need to somehow buy time. Soon there is bound to be someone passing nearby. I just need to dy. Can I?! Chapter 262: Commotion Chapter 262: Commotion [Oh, I know. In any case, wee to the traitor life *wink*.] Now he is on the ground. Looking soulless. I mean he did help me get here so I can cut his boss''s tongue. He''s kinda screwed now. Still, that was surprisingly easy. I expected there to be better security. Then there is the boss himself. Usually, he''d be someone strong. Not at all. I''d say he''s rank 2 at best. Talk about useless. Now, time for the goal. The vault is right there. Looking all metallic with glowing runes I''m assuming. Now how am I supposed to open that? I guess by pressing on the glyphs that are visible? What is the correct order? I can try to guess it. I can also torture the chairman for it. But honestly, this is a waste of time. No, these above options are for stealing the content. I just want to destroy it. Time for divine energy to Ah, Wolfie is approaching it. I guess it''s fine if she ys with it. What''s the worst that can happen anyway? Ah, actually maybe a magical trap! [Wolfie let''s.] I was going to say be careful. But then the vault opens soundlessly. She somehow managed to guess it. Wow. I can''t believe it. "ghureghireugheirhgier" Judging by the sound, that guy can''t either. I mean that vault was definitely a waste of resources. If one small, tiny wolf can best it. In it resides my goal. A red glowing cube. [Well, this has been fun. Time to end it all. Time for freedom hase!] As I''m about to crush it the cripple panics. He starts screaming wildly. It takes me a while, but I finally get his meaning. Seriously talking without a tongue is so hard. I think I understand. [You say every ve will die if I crush this?] He nods furiously. [Any way to disable it then?] He''s denying it. [If they remain in your care, they''ll probably die either way.] I tighten my grip. *CRUSH* *Garbled NOOOOO!!* The mark on my arm starts to dim until it fades away. No trace of it ever being there. Yep, that piece of shit was lying again. I almost became a mass murderer, right? I mean there was a small chance. Really, I have no obligation to save anyone. As much as I want to, I don''t have any official position here. Even if I free the ves and care for them, I can''t protect them. They''ll juste after us and get them back. Except if I kill every single guy here. Still, I don''t believe they are all as weak as their leader. Reinforcements could be already on their way. Gangsters I wouldn''t hesitate too much. I would just start killing. Run if shit hits the fan. After all, no one cares about trash dying. With vers, people in power might get angry. You know since it affects their interests. Yep, not worth it. I have thoroughly made an enemy of that chairman. As a proper defender of justice, I will let him live so he can repent. Not. [In your next life try to be less of a dick.] "*SLASH*" Blood is overflowing. Like a kill Billy movie, but with less blood. I grab the head by the hair. Then I carefully tuck it in the opened vault. It won''t take a genius to realize that it''s that dead guy''s fault. Everything that happened here. I was seening in with him too. Same cloak and all. The guard is still on the floor. [Alright, weeping beauty. What will it be?] He looks upward. [Dying here like a dumbass or running away with me?] "T-that I never meant for this to happen, I" [He was dead the moment he tried to enve me. If anything you saved countless of your colleagues.] "R-really?!" [Yep, but I don''t think they''ll be grateful. Well, I''m leaving. You do you.] We exit the room. Him trailing behind me. [Ah, I forgot something.] He looks puzzled. I backtrack. There it is. A piece of art. Just gotta pull and *CLANK* [There we go. Perfect!] "W-why are you grabbing the door?!" [It looks nice, don''t you think?] "Y-yeah" Of course, it does. This guy may have been a dumbass, but he did have a good taste in doors. Perhaps it came with the office? I guess we''ll never know. [Alright, be careful. Don''t get killed. No matter what we run.] "W-what if we encounter guards?" [We run.] "W-what if we encounter ves?" [We run.] "W-what if" [What part of no matter what do you not understand?] He nervously nods. Alright. Here goes nothing! I start running. Wolfie confidently following. The other guy is about to shit himself. I could totally just walk there guided by him? Nope, I do not trust that n. He is a mess. Aplete mess. A week-old corpse that died of an overdose would look fresher than him. I wish I was exaggerating. Oh well, whatever. The more we progress the more people at our tail. Then inevitablye some from our front. I grab Wolfie and I . *JUMP* Yep, I just jump above them. That other guard looks lost for a second. Well, they don''t care about him. He looks like he''s been chasing me after all. Still, I wonder why the hell the city system isn''t active here. Is it some kind of private property rule? Seems weird to me. Ah, maybe they did something to hide from it. This way they could torture people in peace. Could you picture an ad recruiting for professional torturers? On it written, must have amazing body tempering abilities. For every hit given you feel retribution from it. That would be a praiseworthy job actually. It would require great mental fortitude. Or simply masochistic tendencies. As I get ready to leave there is some guy blocking the main doors. "You won''t ever leave here alive!!" Honestly, he feels like a filler character to me. Strong enough to bar my way, but not strong enough to pose a threat. High rank 2 maybe? [Indeed you are right brother.] I drop Wolfie on the ground. Then I run at the wall nearby. Pushing with my left hand, I go right through it. Wolfie casually follows behind. I hurry up and disappear into an alley. None the wiser. At least, I think. Of course, I am still holding the door in my right hand haha. Time to go back with my victory spoils! Chapter 263: Damage Report Chapter 263: Damage Report ****(POV) What the hell?! I was ready to kill a troublemaker. I''m not sure exactly what happened but he was getting chased by some of our guards. Then he left through a wall. Destroying it in the process. Who does that?! How?! I just need to go after him and "Sir! Please help! All the ves are escaping!" "What do you mean all of the" Then I see them. A sea of people. Right, we just received a shipment recently. This is a pain. Everyone is screaming at them. Trying to order them to stop. It''s not working in the least. Ah! Their ve crests are gone! All of them! How is that possible?! The only exnation for this would be Oh no! Some of these trashes even have weapons. "Don''t bother restraining them. Just go for the kill directly. Anyone that doesn''t cooperate will be put down!" "Yes Sir!" This is good, this will scare them, or not. Nope. Instead, they just start running even faster. They are alling over. I start ughtering. Efficiently and fast, but for every one of us, there are 20 of them. Before long, my men are overwhelmed. There are many powerful battle ves in the lot too. A few able to go against many of us alone. I can simply guard the door andno, the hole in the wall. This is bullshit! If this keeps up, we will die here or at least lose most of our personnel. Fuck. I reluctantly order them to retreat. I have no choice but to watch as all our products escape our building. None of us died, but all are injured to various degrees. Plus all we have to show for our efforts are a dozen of dead ves. Talk about useless. Still, there is something more pressing. I need to evaluate how much damage has been done. I head to the chairman''s room. There awaits me a disaster scene. Something horrible. The extremely valuable artifact that lets us control all of them gone. In its ce lies a head. In another corner is the decapitated body. Dead. What now? I turn to a subordinate. "Damage report now." "Sir, we have lost 6 guards in the initial ambush. One is also missing. As for the ves, besides the dead ones all ran away." "I want an investigation on the man that appeared first." One timidly moves forward. "Sir, it was the chairman himself who brought him in!" You are telling me he brought his own murderer in here? This is weird. He usually is the cautious type. "Try to find more about him. Also, look for that missing guard. Consider him a traitor." "Are you sure." "YES! Now go!" I feel a headache iing. I''m the one that has to break the news to the leader. I slowly search the desk. Yep, still there. The emergencymunication crystal. I guess the chairman got taken by surprise since he never used it. The enemy didn''t seem that strong either. I reluctantly activate it, driving mana in it. There is a short buzzing. Then appears the face of a young man. "What is it? An emergency?" "Yes, here is what happened" Then I recount the whole situation to him. "I''ll be right there." *CHOKE* He wille in person?! When was thest time something like this happened? Then again it is definitely warranted. This is insane. He keeps going. "Now, where you are will make thingsplicated. Make sure you cast a wide around the city." "Of course Sir!" "Right there is also " Thenes a guard dragging a youngdy along. One with short ginger hair. "Sir! We found her trying to sneak away! She is one of the runaway ves!" "Good job! Put her back into a cage for" Comes a voice from the screen. "Wait. She''s been shivering all over. Not the normal kind of fear. She knows something." He interrogates her. It seems she understood how important the interlocutor is. She is almost pissing herself. At first, I am admiring how thorough my superior is. That is until she says that she actually has seen the chairman bring that stranger in. Oh my fucking god. This is insane. Apparently not only is he an enemy of the Moon Keep, but also a friend of Gluto. Yet all of this pales inparison to her other information. He signed the ve contract. Yet he managed to kill the chairman soon after. This has huge implications. Somehow, he was able to bypass the restrictions of our magic. This is obviously a danger to our trade itself. Without the ve crests, the ves are worthless. Who wants to have potential enemies living in your house? One that could suddenly turn on you and ughter you. "Change of n. Listen well. I want all the manpower you have on this man." "Yes!" "Find me everything about him, also make sure it is impossible for him to leave town without our knowledge." "Yes!" "Also contact the assassin''s guild. Hopefully, we''ll get someone to kidnap him. They should be able to get the job done and bypass the system." "Yes Sir!" "Try to dig into his past too. I want to know where he came from, who he is close to, everything." "Yes Sir!" "If pushes to shove, we need to have a way to bait him outside of the city." "Yes Sir!" "While we are at it add a bounty on his head. At the mercenary guild." "Yes Sir!" "What else" "Yes Sir!" "Were you even listening before?!" "Ah! Yes Sir! I mean, Of course!" "Fine, get it all done. I will see you soon." Themunication is over. I ce the gem back in the desk''s drawer. This is crazy. How long has it been since anyone has contested our power? We are the leaders in this industry for a reason. The worst is this man ising out of nowhere. What kind of scheming ability does one need to trick the chairman anyway? He was a dick, but one that clung to life, nheless. *Sigh* I don''t know anymore. In any case, I better get to work. Seems I just got a promotion. Such a pain! Chapter 264: Cleanup Chapter 264: Cleanup ****(POV) Yesterday something big happened. There was a duel between two rankers with one dying. Thenter came another one making the previous victor run for his life. Well, he flew. On a sword at that. At that point, we remained on the site to discuss the events. It''s not every day that we have this chance. That was a mistake. A horrible one. Came a lunatic. One that was bold enough to challenge the Moon Keep. Publicly at that. Something no one ever dares to. Maybe he was aplete idiot that could endanger us bying close. Maybe he was a powerhouse that we shouldn''t mess with. We all realized that we couldn''t afford to offend such a madman. He started asking questions. The guy in front answered to the best of his abilities. Then came the strange part. He started advertising a bakery. Even offering us discounts. He wouldn''t ept our refusal either and kept insisting. When he said that he''d remember our faces, we all understood. It was a threat. Should we try and run, he woulde after us. He probably wanted us to keep our mouth shut. About the whole public challenge thing. That night was restless for me. Then when morning came, I kissed my wife and daughter goodbye. Knowing I might never see them ever again. Right now I am walking. I wish the city system would keep me safe. I know it''s not infallible. I''ve heard the rumors. People here die all the time. Especially recently. The crime investigation squad has been seen roaming around a lot. As I make my way there, I can hear amotion. I attentively listen to some passerby''s conversation. The biggest ver''s house has had a breach. All the ves escaping and now hiding. As I was saying, the times are crazy. That crazy baker, this, and also the church of Gluto making a move. Ah, there are also rumors of a legendary sword getting auctioned. I''d bet this will somehow end up in bloodshed. I am a small-time merchant. Monitoring the situation is in my habits. Still, I can just hope for the better. I am in no position to change anything to it. I could always leave the city. Except, if the interior is already that chaotic outside will be worse. Finally, I reach my destination. A small bakery where people are crowding. In front is a golden magnificent-looking door. A work of beauty. One that a kid is in the process of painting brown. What a waste! Then again, avish style doesn''t fit with the rustic building. As I enter, I can''t help but observe my surroundings. So far everything seems rtively normal. There are many customers, a wolf sleeping on the side and... Sitting at a small table two people enjoying tea. One of them should be the old man that owns this ce. The other I have seen before. He is someone from city hall. What the hell is someone like him doing in such a small shop?! "Hello there, how can I help you?!" Comes a clear voice. A youngdy working as an assistant here. Then I recognize her face. Oh god. This one is nomoner. She hails from a powerful family. One that specializes in the trade of magical gems. They own many mines and supply the city directly. People that merchants like me know not to anger. At all costs. Yet here she is helping customers. "I-I came to buy some pie. I have a discount from watching the duel." "How many?" Is this a trick question? What should I "How about one to start with?" "T-that I''ll take three!" Better be safe. Now what? Where is the crazy guy? Will he make me do an oath? Will he "Here you go! It will be 30 coppers!" Wait, isn''t that the usual price? As I thought there is a hidden meaning behind this. I quickly hand the coins over and grab the food. I want to leave as soon as possible and *THUD* Before I know it the small wolf trips me. The animal is giving a slight smile. Even the pet is a bully! Fine whatever I''ll just leave. As I pass by the door, I notice something. The kid is painting the bottom part now. There is an emblem there. One I recognize. That one ving business. The one that got attacked. What is one of their door doing here?! No, I think I know. Is there anything he doesn''t dare to do?! Yep, it''s decided I am nevering back here. Too much of a madman for me. I hurry up home. For once I decide to take a shortcut. I head to an alley. Not the shady kind. Nearby are many 2 floor houses. This ce is well off. I quickly progress until *OUCH* I stop in ce. A sudden surge of pain coursing through my leg. The one that that beast targeted. I can''t believe that. *COLLAPSE* *CRASH* Right in front, an entire house goes down. Debris gettingunched everywhere. One passing right in front of my nose. Exactly where my head would have been... If I kept walking that is. I see the projectile hit a wall with extreme velocity. *BANG* I would have died for sure! Wait, don''t tell me! I stopped because of the pain. I stopped because of the wolf. Is it only a coincidence? Somehow, I doubt it. There is something surreal about all this. If this was all voluntary It would be insane. This is one hell of a discount. Is it because I bought the pies that I got the warning? I am still alive. No matter what, I am staying home from now on. The city is bing way too tumultuous for me. I get the feeling there are secret alliances forming. From what I''ve seen. The city itself is starting a cleanup. Hence why that guy was in that shop. Chances are anyone that doesn''t conform to their ideals will get wiped out. This is probably what happened to the ve traders. They were probably bing arrogant. After all who wouldn''t be considering their backing outside the city. Still, when giants fight the ants are the first ones getting crushed. I need to stay out of it for sure. Chapter 265: Getting Furniture Chapter 265: Getting Furniture I''m a goddamn genius. Today we sold everything in record time! First thanks to the charm of our attendant. She has the grace of a nobledy for sure. Long-term I''ll have to get a recement, however. Right now it''s fine. They are letting her work here for the previous offense. Butter on, let''s face it they''ll start asking for things. I wouldn''t make much of a reliable elder. Especially if there is a fight. Could you picture me telling them to hold the enemy in ce? I''d be like just give me a minute to charge my ultimate attack. No legit I don''t need that long, but still. Anyway, the second factor to our sess is my great idea. The promotional event. They enjoyed it so much most of them even bought more than one. Thanks to that I''ve gotten a great idea. I will get some tables and chairs to set up near the door. This way people will be able to eat right here. Not that many. I still want this to remain a bakery. Just enough to add that simple and ssy look. So here is the n. Time to head back to that ve trader ce! I remember they had nice-looking ones. Should I just stroll in there boldly, grab one and get out? That would be hrious, wouldn''t it? Actually, I have another idea. [Hey kid! Ah, nice job on the door by the way!] "Hmm, is it really fine? I mean where did you even steal this door?" [Don''t worry they won''t miss it. Plus now that it''s painted over no one will be able to tell. Isn''t that great?!] "I. guess?" [Yes, it is. Well, know any shop where one can custom order tablesoh and chairs!] "I do know a good one! I''ve heard of the olddy there before!" [Perfect! Onward my loyalpanion! Adventure awaits!] "I mean we are just going to buy furniture" [You don''t want to know what I went through to get that door] He looks both extremely curious and worried. I open the door wide and step outside. Wolfie stays behind for some reason. After an arduous and long journey Naw, we very soon reach our destination. Somehow, this shop is in a very bad location. [Is this some kind of hidden shop with a hidden expert?] "Haha, no way. But the olddy in there is renowned for her skills." [Can she speed build a table or is the final product a work of art?] "The second haha, there is no way an olddy could work that fast." [Guess that''s true.] "Here it is." *Knock knock* "Olddy we''d like to buy furniture!" "Go away I''m too busy to entertain you guys!" [Hey, that voice sounds way too young? Didn''t you say there was a grandma living here?] He looks at me surprised. "Fine, you actually seem like a nice kid. Come in!" Mypanion is giving me a thumbs up. The thing is I wasn''t trying to kiss ass. I mean it. She could be working at a hot-line and people would call all day. Even if you include the picture of a raisin-looking olddy. That''s how great her voice sounds. We enter and before us appears. Oh my god. Do you believe in fate? There are some things that are predestined in life. I was really disappointed recently by theck of a cat-girl ve recently. Well, this right here entirely makes up for it. Silently sitting on a wooden chair is An elf! Blond hair. Blue eyes. Delicate features. Long ears. Elegant and dignified. This is officially the first fantasy race I have ever seen sinceing here. No, oversized animals don''t count. This is awesome! "Wee to my humble abode what . why are you smiling like that?!" [Hehe, because I''m happy don''t worry about it.] She raises her eyebrows. "You are happy to see an olddy or at the prospect of my craft?" [Both. Both is good. I''m hoping for the end result to be as beautiful as you.] "Fufufu. It has been long since I heard such sincere praise!" That''s weird. Ah, is it that? Don''t tell me people here discriminate because of her race? Only reason that could exin this. Otherdies ostracizing her for her beauty is understandable. But she should be pretty popr with the men. [Howe?] "Not everyone shares your broad-mindedness is all." The kides closer to me, whispering. "Brother, your strike zone is reallyrge eh" Ah, is it only that? They are disgusted because she is old? The way I see it these guys are dumb as fuck. Aren''t elves supposed to live a long time? She is the independent beauty type. Like seriously, she could be a model. Does that job even exist here? "Anyway, what do you want to be made? Young man?" It kinda feels weird being called that by someone that looks my age. [I need tables and chairs for my bakery for customers to eat!] "That''s it?" [Exactly!] "Nothing else?!" [Yep!] "You came to me for just that?! Regr ones?!" [Yep, you should be able to do it right?] "Are you kidding me?! Rich merchants fight each other for the chance to even nce at my craft! Here you are asking for something as banal as that?!" Wow, I didn''t know she was a bigshot. Still, there is something I dislike about that whole narrative. [Please, what is the point of creating woodwork if people can''t even touch it. Isn''t it useless?!] "HOW DARE YOU!" [*Sigh* Let''s leave. I''m sure we''ll find someone that understands the heart of themon people.] The kid looks unsure. "T-that, we are leaving just like that?" "Hurry up and get out of my ce! You are not wee here anymore!" [Well, you heard her. Time to go.] Now I think I can understand why people don''t tell her that she''s beautiful. She''s way too intimidating. Not in a good way. He reluctantly follows. [*Sigh* I was expecting to see an elf at work too] *WOOSH* She dashes and before I know it there is a dagger at my neck. "You, what did you just say?!" Chapter 266: Who Are You?! Chapter 266: Who Are You?! What''s with the dagger?! "Repeat what you just said." [I was hoping to see you at work?] "No, not that part!" [That''s all I saiddo you mean me sighing?] "You said something about an elf, why? Are you trying to insult me?" Oh my god. Don''t tell me she''s one of those. You know the ones that identify as something else. I''ve heard of people identifying as the other gender. Is she taking it that far?! [Lookdy, it''s fine if you don''t want to be an elf, but when I see an elf, I''ll call it an elf. Don''t bother me with that please.] "H-how?!" The kid is watchingpletely stunned on the side too. "H-how did you know?!" [It''s a neat thing called having eyes you know.] "How did you see through my illusion magic!" Okay, that exins a lot. Seems what was evident to me was supposed to be a secret. [Ah, I can''t see magic. At all. So yeah, better luck next time.] "Why are you acting so smug? I could simply ughter you right now." [Sure, you can try. It''s questionable if you even can, to be honest.] She presses her dagger further on my neck. Hehe, I may be useless in many aspects. But standing still and taking a beating is my strong suit. [Then what will you do next? Run away from the Gluto church that wille for you? Run away from the kid''s family too?] "S-shut up?!" [Please, you''ll screw up your life herepletely. For what? Sounds dumb as hell to me.] "Stop talking! Fine! I''ll let you guys go, but only after removing your memories of this ce." She starts chanting. Should I headbutt her? Ha, she did say she has no n on killing us. Seems she just wants to keep her secret. I''m kinda curious to see if I can block that sort of thing with divine power. My guess is yes. Why? Gut feeling. I really need to find someone to teach me how to use divine power. So far, I haven''t encountered anyone since that Lunar goddess. Then again that energy doesn''t seem to natively exist in the earth realm. So it may take a long while before I find another exception like I. She finally finishes her chant. Then she whispers in my ear. "How about now? Do you remember who I am?" [A carpenter, right? One I came to see to have tables and chairs made.] I can almost feel her cheering to herself in the background. Sighing in relief. "Anything else?" I really shouldn''t Like really, but I can''t help myself. [Just your everyday normal .] She rxes. [promiscuous elf.] I can feel her entire body tense up. "Howe!" [I mean you''ve been pressing yourself against my back whispering in my ear for a while now.] The kid starts guffawing. "HAHAHAHAHA. Brother...I know I shouldn''t beughing but damn!" He gives me a thumbs up. "HAHAHAHA. If you end up dying because of it I will tell the tale of your huge balls to the world!" I can''t help but smile slightly. But what''s with me dying? Also, what''s red and has pointy ears? Yes, the elf being meat least I think. "Y-you! H-how do you still remember?! This doesn''t make any " [I already told you I''m not good with magic.] "This is beside the point! This is impossible you can''t" [I''m also very bad at dying you know. How about you move that dagger already?] "Y-you" [Or do you perhaps enjoy this position? *Sigh* It''s fine I''ll sacrifice my warm back to bring youfort.] What can I say? I''m just that noble of an individual. Willing to sacrifice myself for the sake of others. I should probably stop. The kid might just dieofughter. "There is no way I can just" [So, you''ll make me some tables and chairs, right?] "Y-you" [Tables and chairs?] "*Sigh*Fine." She finally moves away from me. I''m almost going to miss that soft sensation pressing on She looks at me solemnly. "Who are you exactly." I look at her straight in the eyes. [You see, I am the legendary .] She is hanging on every one of my words. [The legendary . pie baker!] She freezes for a second. Then she gives me a disdainful and reproachful look. A little more and she''d be pouting haha. "Olddy he really means it! He owns a bakery!" She looks at both of us suspiciously. Then shees to a realization. "I see. I guess you and I are not so different after all." [Of course.] I mean elves are basically humans that got supermodel DNA. Quite possibly magic too. "Do you ever feel like you don''t belong in this world sometimes?" [Always!] "Wondering if you''ll ever see your kin?" [Eh, kinda?] "Awaiting a day when you can go back to your rightful ce." [Ah, I mean that is a stretch. I can barely use magic. Going to another dimension is a bit] "What?!" [What?!] "What was that about another?" [Eh, I was agreeing with you. But world hoping is probably troublesome.] "" [I mean my guess I could do it in a near future. The issue would be going to the right one.] "" [I mean there are bound to be multiple universes out there] "" [How should I know which one I exactly came from?] "" I swipe my hand a few times in front of her face. [Hey, you alive?] She remains unmoving. Eyes bulging. What''s up with her? "B-brother, did you just admit to literallye from another world?" [Eh, isn''t that kind of stuff normal? I mean there are other guys summoned by gods too, no?] "W-wait.oh my god. Too? You are a champion?!" Ah, I see. [Haha, no. I was misunderstood as one once however.] "How is that possible?!" [Meh, these guys are not that different from us, to be honest.] "How?!" [The champions are totally human as far as I''ve seen.] "" [I mean even the gods. When a goddess can''t even recognize enlightenment, you know she''s bad hahaha.] "" *GULP* [Anyway, what''s up with you guys? Why are none of you talking?] Chapter 267: Success Chapter 267: Sess *Nervousugh* "B-brother the way you are speaking makes it sound like you''ve seen a goddess." [Oh? Yeah. Does the Lunar goddess count?] *CHOKE* [Guys...?] *Sill choking* The elf slowly raises her slender hand pointing at me. "Y-you, you monster!" [What?] "Brother, are you serious?!" [Oh, yeah. Don''t worry about it.] *Stars in his eyes* "How was she! Was she beautiful?!" [Well she had this weird magic. It changed her appearance automatically.] "What?! How?!" [Well whatever you picture in your head a goddess to be is what she will look like.] "You mean?!" [Yep, the epitome of beauty. Ah, but if you imagine an ugly one it turns catastrophic.] "I would never dare even think about a celestial being as ugly!" [Your loss then. It''s kinda fun to cycle between horrendous appearances then see them all proud haha.] The elf is horrified. She kneels on the ground. "Gods! I do not know this man! I do not" [Rx, it''s not as if they can see what happens in the earth realm anyway haha.] "They can!" [What?! Since when?!] Oh shit, am I in trouble?! "Brother don''t worry. Except if you keep disparaging the gods everywhere you go, they won''t notice." *Nervous sweating* Kinda what I''ve been doing. "Olddy you should know better. Think carefully about where we are." "Ahyes. You are right." [What did I miss?] "*Sigh* Gods can only see through the eyes of their believers. The higher the belief the stronger the connection." Waitthis means that when you be a champion The god can see everything you see?! Wee to the best POV porn of all time hehe. I''m d I never became one. Ah, there is the belief too. I just really believe her to be a bitch so I should be fine. Still, I should remember that for future reference. [Isn''t this ce extremely bad for that then?!] "Not really, there are so many gods worshipped that the piety is pretty low for one god." That''s a relief. "Well, the only one that has a clear vision here should be Compromis, the diplomacy god." Pretty sure I have never offended him so should be fine. Also [Wait, isn''t there a time difference between both realms?] "It''s just that the gods are immortal and " [Hell no!] They both look surprised by my reaction. [I remember it clearly. When I was in the god realm one day ended up being a month here!] "B-brotherdid you just say " "Impossible?!" [What''s up?] "You went to the god realm?!" [Oh, don''t worry about it.] "How the hell are we supposed to ignore that?!" [I was there for less than a day. Nothing weird.] The elf startsughing. "Haha. This is a dream. All a dream. Another lucid one." What''s up with her now? [I still need you to craft me some furniture, however.] "Sure haha. No worries. This exins it all." [Are you okay?] "Of course! Now, let me get to work haha!" She winks. Yep, she''s not fine. She brings us to a workshop. There is wood lying all over the ce. She expertly picks some random pieces and gets to work. She doesn''t even use any tool. She simply traces her fingers all over the wood. A small magical light enveloping it. Then it all transforms under her touch. This is awesome. I need to learn fire magic at some point. I have tried it a few times but always failed. Would be awesome to pick some dough in my hand and cook it instantly! Before my very eyes, a masterpiece is created. Or I assume anyway. I have no idea how to judge art. It simply looks amazing to me. She keeps going. [By the way, what did you mean by all that not belonging part?] She chuckles. "This turns out to be a nice dream after all. Woodworking and counseling. Just what I needed." [] "You see there are no elves here. This ce used to be deserted. It is only after the previous war of the gods that people came here. Most of them the smallest sects running from the conflict. A few of the bigger ones doing a tactical retreat too." [So this whole continent is?] "Minuscule, yes. Worthless too." [When you say worthless] "You see mana is everywhere" [I don''t see it actually.] "I forgot haha. Anyway, mana is everywhere, but not equally." There are mana-rich areas and ones with a deficiency. This ce is thetter. [So just a question of quantity? Let me guess training is slower for us?] "Not only that. There is also a difference in quality. The mana closer to a source is more tumultuous. Wilder." [Source?] "That is what baffles the most. There is not one source of mana, but many." [How are they all organized?] "I don''t know. This is the limit of my knowledge." [So pretty much people here are war refugees?] "Something like that." [And there are no other elves here?] "Not to my knowledge." [This continent officially sucks then.] *Giggle. * [Tell me, what is your dream?] "To explore the world and find my kin." I can see the longing in her eyes. [What else?] "I want to see one day the tree that gave life to our people." [What is it and where is it?] "Yggdrasil. I''m not sure, but I know it exists somewhere." [That is all?] "That is all." [Nothing else?] "Nothing else." [Then, what are you still doing here?] She jolts in surprise. Then lost in thoughts she whispers. "Yes, what am I still doing here?!" She decisively gets up. "You are right! I shouldn''t waste my time here doing dumb tables and chairs!" Oh shit. [No! You shouldplete what you started! At least this batch! Then you can go!] "Who cares this is all a dream anyway!" [No! If you stop now it will leave a shadow in your heart forever! Completing it will signify the start of your new life!] "Ah, I understand!" Almostmitted a grave mistake. A whileter we exit with furniture in hand. The elf is going back to sleep to try and end that lucid dream of hers. The kid turns toward me. "What exactly happened in there?!" [To be fair, I have no clue.] I mean who cares. Objective aplished! Now, to go back to the bakery. Chapter 268: Just an Old Baker Chapter 268: Just an Old Baker ****(POV) Things have been so lively recently. I can''t remember thest time I had so much fun. This new protege of mine is totally insane. I fucking love it. The more I interact with him, the more I believe his future is boundless. He aplishes insane things without a worry. At first, it was disciplining a nobledy. Then he instantly managed to befriend that guy from Gluto. Afterward, we learned that he had a conflict with the Moon Keep''s champion. Then not long after he came back with a door he obviously stole from some bigshots. I mean just the engraving on it was next level. The most impressive is that I observed him all the while. There are many times he became worried and apparently scared. Yet never did he fall into despair. All the while all these tumultuous events were happening. His wolfpanion remained a silent protector. Smart enough to understand all that was happening. Yet never worried in the slightest. This is a peculiar power dynamic. As if she knows more about her owner''s power than he himself. Still, none of that matters. He will inherit my legacy. He is also a nice young man. People tend toplicate life too much. Especially here. There are countless gods. All subtly fighting for dominance. Hidden fights, trying to offer the most benefits. Trying to sway believers to their side. Funny how all of them are but minor deities. When one lives as long as I have, understanding some things is a given. But somethinges to interrupt this reverie of mine. At the door is someone. Someone I haven''t seen in a long time. The only family member I have left. "Hey there, nephew, what brings you here? Did you finally change your mind about the bakery?" He is wearing shy clothes. The golden lion insignia on his chest proudly ced. He looks as if he has been through a lottely. Not surprising, every profession has its difficulties. Trading is one of the most merciless ones. That I know. Still won''t change a thing. "*Sigh* How have you been uncle? I can''t believe you are still working here even at your age!" "Well, you know me. The day I leave is the day I die." "*Sigh*, why are you like that uncle? Can''t you just give up already? You won''t magically find any decent apprentice!" "You think so?" "Of course! You have had many and you rejected them all after a short time! Hell, they even refer to you as the mad baker in your circle!" "Hehe, of course. Still, you are a merchant. Information gathering is your forte. You are already aware, aren''t you?" "Of course. How much do you trust him?" "On baking? Completely. On everything else? He would probably get lost on a straight road hahahaha." "Coming from you, that''s high praise. *Sigh*. Why?" "You perfectly know why kid. You''ll bring it all down if I leave it to you." "I can keep the business up, uncle. For your sake. I may not be much of an artisan, but I can manage a shop well." "Actually, I know you can. But it wouldn''t be you. You would just be faking. Only torturing yourself." He looks lost in thought. "You are right. Still, it kinda hurts to know that you are leaving everything to him." "You say that but we both know that you don''t need any of it. You managed to sessfully join one of the most renowned trading guilds there are!" He gives a self-deprecatingugh. "Uncle, do you think I''m unaware of your implication in the matter?" "What are you talking about? I am but a simple baker." "Please, as if a simple baker would have ess to all the cities facilities and could order all the soldiers." "Hehe, just some small perks of having lived a long life." "Haha, how many would kill to have these few perks of yours?" "Only the people of this city really." "Still, thank you, uncle. I know the strings you had to pull. Everything I have right now I owe" "Stop. That is where you are mistaken. If anything I simply elerated the process. I do believe you would have aplished all of it by yourself." "I''m not so sure haha." "Who cares, I am and that''s enough. By the way, did you bring what I asked you to?" "Thatyes, but are you sure?" "Of course kid. I have thought long and hard about it. Life was never meant to be endless. It is its ephemeral nature that gives it beauty." He hands me a wine bottle. One of the best fine vintage wines money can buy. One that, even with my old connections I struggle to get. Yet my nephew managed to procure it. Just this shows his potential. He hands it over without asking for anything in return. Yet we both know how valuable it is. As I take hold of it, the wolf in the corner starts growling. She has understood what is in the wine. "What''s up with this wolf?!" "Hehe, that is Wolfie. The smartest creature I have ever seen. You should do well to respect her boy." "That''s impossible?! Didn''t you fight beast kings in the past?!" "Yes, yes I did." He looks at her warily. Half disbelieving half horrified. "Don''t worry, Wolfie. I know exactly what I am doing." She nods and lies down again. I was wondering why she stayed with me today. Seems it was to protect me. That is the feeling I am getting. If there is one thing, I have learned is to trust my instincts. Right now my instincts are telling me that a cmity is about to befall this ce. Still, it should be fine. I have taken appropriate measures. That grumpy guy at city hall will take care of them. He has promised me. They will be fine. Free to live their lives as they so desire. But if anything happens, they will have a guardian angel. One that will watch their backs. This is the best I can do. This will be my legacy. Both to my craft and to my family. The first that I picked up on a whim in order to forget the past. The second all that I have left of the old days. Thus are humans. A constant duality I wonder what the future will bring Chapter 269: Rules to Surviving Chapter 269: Rules to Surviving We cheerfully approach home. [Hey old man we are back!] I can''t wait to show him all the cool furniture we got. That''s when exits from the bakery a man. One wearing clothes I do recognize. A golden lion. What does he want exactly? Did they figure out the sword is a dummy? We are in the city right now, should be a safe zone. Did that guy threaten the old man? Is he here to ask for the money back? Toote it has been spent already fully. "Oh, you are my uncle''s protg aren''t you?" [Uncle?] "The owner of the bakery is my uncle you see." Ah! It''s him. I almost freaked out for no reason. [Pleasure to meet you. Hehe, I thought you were here for something else.] "?" If he''s the old man''s family he''s an ally for sure. [One of you guys may have bought a useless sword from me for 50 gold haha.] "What?! That was you?!" [You know about it?] "Who doesn''t?! It''s been the talk of the city! Well, it''s supposed to be a legendary weapon not" *Shrug* [I never said it was haha. They all assumed.] "Then you can''t be med. Ah, I can try and get a feel for things, but don''t exit the city for now." [Why?] "People are going to jump you for sure." [For the gold?] "No, for information. *sigh* Sometimes that can be more valuable than gold you know." [Gotcha thanks a lot!] "Btw, what are you guys carrying?!" [Oh, nothing much, tables. Chairs. We''ll have an area for customers to sit. It will be epic.] He looks at the items. Quickly at first but then with rapt attention. "Where did you get that?!" [Eh, an eolddy that does carpentry. She''s pretty good.] "You don''t mean?!" I quickly describe her ce. "How?! Even the leader of my guild can''t even meet with her!" Comes the kid. "Haha, brother charmed her with sweetpliments!" That isactually the reason she let us enter is that I called her voice young, isn''t it? "That can work?! I need to try this for myself and" [Don''t bother. She''s leaving.] "What?! Why?! She has spent all her life here." [I may or may not have encouraged her to pursue her dreams. Okay I totally did.] He puts his hand on my shoulder. "Brother, I can call you brother, right?" [Of course.] "You impress me. I understand why the old man is leaving the bakery to you. No one would go to such lengths to invest in such a small ce usually." [That is where you are wrong! This may be a small ce but it will be the first bastion of the pie empire!] "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA X2!" Why are both of themughing? I am serious! What''s with them? "Wait you were serious?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" [*Sigh* Get over it already.] "HAHA, Of course, HAHAHA brother!" Ah, he seems like a good guy. You know how there is a stereotype with merchants being arrogant and greedy at times? Well, this guy proves that there are exceptions. Then again maybe it''s because I see him in a familiar setting. People change personality at work sometimes. I know one guy that would writeedy online. People would always be surprised when they heard his voice for the first time. Something about it sounding too serious. But eh, such is life. You need to adapt ordingly. Some people call that being fake. Sometimes it is, but it can also stem from a good intention. People are multifaceted after all. It takes a long while, but he finally stopsughing. [So, you say it may be dangerous to exit the city, but what about inside?] "Okay, there are a few things you need to be careful of." I need to listen carefully. "Rule number one never sign a contract without reading it! Especially ve contracts!" Oh damn. A bit toote. "Rule number two stay away from offending people from the big families or any strong faction." Totally didn''t spank a youngdy from one. Totally didn''t challenge the Moon Keep champion in public. Oh yeah, also that fake sword thingy. "Rule number three never sleep in an unfamiliar ce. People could put a magical formation around you during the night." Eh, I may have slept on the street for a short while. "Rule number four never eat or drink anything without testing it for poison!" I may or may not have drunk a month of alcohol at a tavern. I guess I got lucky on that one. Wait a minute. What if that owner tried to poison me then?! Would I have even realized with divine energy coursing through me? Probably not. Good thing, I don''t think I can be killed that way. Bad thing, someone could be after my life and I wouldn''t know. [Right, what about the old man! What should I do to?] "Haha don''t worry about him. He can easily take care of himself. He may not always look it but he has plenty of experience." [Gotcha.] "Oh right, onest thing. Try not to anger the cityw enforcement squad." [What are these?] "They are easy to recognize they will always be talking about doing an investigation." [Oh these guys.] "You''ve met some?" [Eh, onedy but I simply ignored her so should be good.] "Brother! That is not good! They hate to be ignored the most!" [Oh well, shit happens. Guess I''ll try not to break these rules in the future.] "In the future?" [Eh, I may have already broken a few] "How many is a few?" [Eh, how many were there again? Four, eh five right?] "Yes!" [Thenfive I guess.] "What?! How the hell are you still alive?!" [I mean people can''t kill me in this city?] "I''m really surprised you didn''t get tricked into doing something bad" [What can I say, I''m not that easy to deal with!] Yeah, I won''t ever admit my past mistakes haha. I''m pretty sure no one will know right? For instance, I''m pretty sure these ve traders won''t go around telling the story of how they fucked up lol. Same with the merchant guild. Yep, everything should be fine. That''s when someonees running. "Young master! Your eldest brother is finally back!" Ah, right. He''s been chilling with us so much I forget the kid is supposed to be part of the upper society haha. Now, what is this about? Chapter 270: Gem Talk Chapter 270: Gem Talk What?! His eldest brother is back? First time I hear about that. [There is only one thing to do now.] "We''ll go check it out?" [Naw, gotta put this stuff in first I mean c''mon.] "Ah, true that." And thus to the stupefaction of the messenger, we head inside. He says to leave the worthless furniture and to follow him. That is when the kid turns toward him. "Should I mention that these so-called worthless items are something we can''t even afford with our family''s wealth?" We keep working while the dumbfounded guard is standing still. In the meantime, the old man''s nephew already left. Not long afterward it is done. If this was a shop management minigame I would have boosted a few stats with these. The sales: Customers are more likely to buy more since they''ll try it here and bring some home too. The attract: Customers are more likely to visit to store in the first ce. They''ll see people enjoying themselves with the delicacies. Yes, a pie ssifies as one. The prices too. It''s possible to boost up the prices when you offer a service. This is awesome. Now I just need to find some guy to enchant that stuff. You know something that makes them happy whenever they sit here. Hehe, I wonder if that kind of thing is possible. If it is there may be regtions against it. The old manes around and gives a huge thumbs up. That almost felt like a cameo haha. [Finally done. You know what this means?] "We can go visit my brother?" [Yep.] Wolfie follows us the messenger is still observing the furniture. Guess he''ll be our first customer or something haha. [So what is up with your eldest brother?] "He''s the one that will take charge of the family business." [What about your other brother? Why did he leave to be a captain at another city?] "He never had any interest toward the family''s business." [Howe?] "Well, he always said that we would manage with the three of us. That his participation wasn''t necessary. Something about earning his keep himself." [Isn''t managing a family something noble?] "Yes, but he always denied our business." [Howe?] "As you probably know we are in the trade of gems. We have a few mines." Yeahtotally knew that of course. "He never really agreed to what he calls turning the death into shiny gems." [ves?] "Very much so." In other circumstances, we could have very well be enemies. Had I been sold as a ve upon appearing at the Moon Keep Back Then I didn''t know my own powers. To be fair I can barely use them still, but I''m not as weak anymore. I would have probably ughtered my way out. Actually even recently if divine energy couldn''t deal with a ve contract directly it would have ended up the same. We would have turned enemies. [You, what do you think?] "I think if we aren''t the ones doing it someone else will." [You''ll use that reason to excuse any evil youmit?] "No, I have been thinking about that a lot. Something I have never really shared with others either, to be honest." [Go on.] "If we don''t use ves, they will simply end up somewhere else and die miserable deaths. Instead, I would use them but try to give them slightly better living conditions." [You would not remainpetitive that way, no?] "True, that would diminish the profit, but it might just be worth it." [What if because of this youck funds to grow your business faster?] "Sometimes power does not alwayse from money. It is great and all but turning it to something actually useful is hard." [Is that why you have been paying visits to the church of Gluto?] "Yes and no. I do hope to receive his help, but I also enjoy visiting him too. There is no scheming. No trouble either. *Sigh*." [What happens if instead of being grateful the ves take you for a soft persimmon and revolt?] "Soft what?" [They believe you are weak.] "Then we just have to prove them otherwise. You pick the most recalcitrant one and you beat him up long and hard enough so none of the others even think of escaping." [Wouldn''t that simply make you evil?] "Perhaps. I have never imed to be just either." [Then what exactly do you want to be?] "I want to protect my family. Hopefully withoutpromising my morals. I will if needed, however." [What morals are you talking about exactly?] "You know about the righteous sects, right?" [Kinda.] "Well, there are rules to our conduct." [Our?] "Yeah, we worship Exca the collector. The one that brings wealth to the world." [How does that work?] "Legends say humanity used to be simple and underdeveloped. That is until Exca gave it the gift of wealth. From the depth of the earth, he made emerge countless minerals and gems. With the first, he allowed us to forge weapons to defend ourselves. With thetter, he made it possible to defend our cities and loved ones.." [Enchanting? Nice! Why have I never seen an enchanted de getting sold then?] "Eh, this is the sad part. He is only the collector. He used to have allies that would help him turn all of this into works of wonder." [Used to?] "Indeed, enchanting is a lost art in this ce." [So what do people use your products for then?] "Mostly formations. Remnant of the past. Using gems to power them. The huge formation around the city is a good example." [Then one day it will be destroyed because of missing maintenance?] "Should be fine, Compromis somehow managed to give his followers the knowledge required for that specific one." [I see, then there probably aren''t that many buyers, no?] "Well, people use them as vanity items or life-saving items. Both defensively and offensively." [How so?] "One can always use the mana contained in a gem to recuperate one''s power fast." So quite like an energy pill. [What about the other option?] "You simply put the mana inside into disarray and throw the gem." [Then?] "Then it explodes." [Wow!] "Here we are, he should being from this gate soon." Ah, seems we''ve been walking for a while. I was too engrossed in our conversation. Time to meet the eldest brother I guess Chapter 271: Just Observing Chapter 271: Just Observing We are waiting in front of a side gate. I didn''t even know they had those. Apparently, it''s only for established organizations here. Anyone else needs to pass through the main gate. Somehow, we have to wait a while before anything happens. I''m ming the overenthusiastic messenger. The whole family is here too. I stay a distance away from the crowd with the kid staying with me. They slightly nod at me from a distance. The grandfather seems to want toe over to chat, but his grandson stops him. I can hear a rumble and a nking sound. Before long appear a few carriages. On it is the family''s emblem, I finally understand that it''s supposed to be a gem. The kind of logo that you need previous knowledge of to determine its identity. Yes, drawn badly. Like seriously I already saw that one artistic guy...why didn''t they hire him?! The carriagese to a halt and many people exit them. Then they all stand in line on both sides. This is way too pompous to my tastes. I can understand why one brother ran to another city and one is outside ying. I would too in their ce. Comes a rtively young man. Back straight, proud posture, radiating confidence. Good thing I don''t act like him. With my handsomeness, I would charm everyone on sight. He is almost as good-looking as me actually. Far in the back, there is a crowd. A few youngdies andthere are even old men?! Tell me they are here to apany their granddaughters?! Maybe propose a marriage. OtherwiseI don''t want to think about it. They are all looking at him excitedly. Gross. "Wee my son! How has everything been?!" Then they proceed to talk about how well the business is going. Loudly at that. This feels so fake. You know like these virgins that loudly tell everyone about their numerous conquests. If you can''t rte, good for you. These pricks are annoying as fuck. Rule of thumb anyone that goes around tooting one''s own horn is a dumbass. [*Whisper* So are things really going well?] "Yes, *Sigh* they do enjoy making a show of it, however." Go figure. They could also take long walks with a sign saying I am very sessful. It would have the same effect. Or not There are many in the crowd that are getting excited hearing all this. [So why are all these dumbasses trusting them so easily?] Someone that overhears me gives me a disdainful look. Another looks at me like I killed one of their ancestors. "Haha, see the bell he is holding in his left hand?" Ah, now I see it. Even had I noticed I would have believed it to be a fashion choice. "This is a truth bell. It rings every time a lie is told in its near vicinity." [What happened to enchanting being a lost art?] "Well, the profession of an enchanter is kinda dead. The art itself you can find some remnants of it a bit everywhere." [And your gems help with that kind of stuff?] "Indeed." I see so at this point it''s more of a quality-of-life thingy. Then again it does have core utilities too. That''s actually better than I thought. Niche usages, but some that are vital. How the hell am I learning so much talking to a kid? When I was his age, I was . Actually, I''m not sure but I get the feeling it would be dark history. -Omitted- Once he''s done, people start cheering. Then many beauties, middle-aged men and old men crowd around him. He starts talking to thetter to my surprise. [So, who are these guys?] "People of importance in the city. Well, most are representative actually. Still, any business deal can be made through them." [Won''t they ask your father or grandfather for that?] "No, they only take care of the internal things. Eldest brother is the one in charge of dealing with the mines themselves." [That sounds like a lot of work.] "It is. This is why I''ll have to help him manage it soon." [Then why are you always wandering around ying?] "What are you talking about? I''m always doing something?!" [Please you are always hanging around the bakery nowadays!] "Exactly." [What?! Don''t tell me I''m one of your targets?!] "Yep." [Are you sure you are supposed to admit it that fast?!] "Does it matter? Would you prefer I lie?" [I don''t know. It feels weird.] "Haha, I don''t have any bad intention in any case." [Guess it''s fine too.] "To be honest the main reason I''m often there is that it''s hrious to see my sister getting ordered around." [That] "As if you weren''t having fun yourself haha." Okay, I can''t deny that one. It did feel good to have her try to get revenge only for her to fall in my hands. [So, why exactly are we here? Are you going over to say hi?] "Not really. If anything I''m just here to observe." [How so?] He lowers his voice. "Well, see these people in the back?" I''m not exactly sure who he''s pointing. [Yes?] "These two in the back are evading each other." [So they are enemies?] "Nope, allies." [Trying to hide it?] "Very much so." [I see.] "See these two there?" [Yes? The ones apart?] "Yes." [They are enemies too?] "Nope, lovers." How the hell does he know that?! [???] "She has been ignoring him for a while." [That doesn''t mean that] "Except that right after seeing his face she has been looking at the hand of otherdies with a hint of jealousy." [How can see you that?!] Ah, also a ring to showmitment is a thing here too. Gotta remember that. "Habits. You get used to it." [Wait a minute so you are never really ying?!] "Well, it is a type of game you see. *Wink*" [Why?] "Why am I doing it?" [No, why are you telling me?!] "You know anyone would tell me they are not from this world I wouldn''t believe them. Not one bit." That is normal, I guess. "Well, you are different. I figured showing you a glimpse may help you in the future." [Again, why?] "Well, you''ve shared some of your secrets with me. I am simply doing the same. That is what friendship is all about isn''t it?" That is what friendship is all about eh? This sounds nice. Holy shit I just realized something! Chapter 272: Mystery Gems House Chapter 272: Mystery Gems House I can''t help but look in horror at mypanion. He''s been faking all this time?! Looking like a normal kid and all. Wait, this ain''t normal. Is he a reincarnator or something? Naw, that would be ludicrous. I guess the education these guys receive is simply different. From a young age, they must be taught to observe their surroundings. This is crazy. What kind of training is that?! Then again, he seems happy with his life so whatever. His brother is still talking with many men. [What are they even discussing?] "A pre-selling discussion." [Meaning?] "They''ll figure out the detailster, but right now they are buying the rights to bid for this shipment." [This sounds needlesslyplicated.] "Kinda is, to be honest." I can see some people start moving cargo. [Where are they bringing that?] "To the Mystery Gems House. The rest is going to a warehouse waiting to be sold." [That sounds like the name of a game or a tv show] "What''s a tee-vee ?" [Don''t worry about it, what is that ce exactly?] "Simply said they sell rocks." [Let me guess people buy rocks in hopes of there being a gem of value inside?] "Exactly." [Wait, so you guys carry these things all the way here with no guaranty of there being anything in it?!] "Ah no, remember our god? While we can''t exactly determine the value of things, we are able to quickly determine what contains something or not." [Oh? You guys just don''t know if it''s valuable is that it?] "Exactly." [Still can''t you guys simply test every piece at the mine and only keep the most valuable ones?] "We can, but then it makes it really easy for bandits." [You mean] "Yep, even if someone attacks our convoy, they won''t have any way to quickly determine the pieces that are worth it." [By the time they finish cutting it you guys are ready to attack?] "Exactly!" It all sounds so weird, but I guess there is logic. "Do you want to go and see it?" [See what?] "Rock gambling." [What about your brother?] "He''ll be busy for a while anyway. They always try to bargain for a while." [Go figure.] I gesture him to lead the way. Before long we arrive in front of a magnificent pavilion. The entrance is a stylish arc. Apparently wide open for anyone to enter. Beside stands a guy that looks like he has seen better days. His unfocused gaze checking every neer out. He doesn''t look very strong. [What''s up with that guy?] "He''s a disciple of Talion. He''s here to make sure no one cheats." [How?] "Try and use any kind of magic." [I can''t.] "Exactly!" [No, I mean I was never able to.] "Oh, I see. Anyway, he curses his surroundings creating a no magic area." [That''s overpowered!] "Not really to be honest. These guys are the weakest there are. Every curse they inflict on others also affects them." [Still can''t one use that ability to get rid of powerful enemies?] "Not really. Here is the thing, this ability is extremely easy to dispel. As in anyone that is the same level of power as them can and will." [How?] "They will feel a barrier preventing them from using magic. If they voluntarily destroy it, they''ll be fine." [Damn, if it''s that weak why are they counting on that to] "The rebound from that kills the Talion disciple." [OMG! He is guarding the rules of this ce with his own life?!] "Indeed. I mean, it''s hard finding a good job for these guys." [Can''t they be assassins or something?] "Nope. Their curses leave issues for them when they use them to fight. The longer a disciple of Talion is on the battlefield the more useless he bes." [Who in their right mind would worship such a divinity?!] "A few people that need a job. They start working for ces like these. Easy jobs albeit dangerous." [How many times has one of these guys died on duty?] "Every other week." [How are there still people that work here?!] "Oh, they recruit beggars amongst other things. Damn, that is next level. [They all voluntarily work here or are they forced?] "It''s all voluntary. Actually, they all have a deal going on. If any of them manages to live a year they can retire." [Just a year?!] "Well, it has rarely happened. Most are counting on their luck and wishing for the best." Is it me or this city just turned really dark? Diplomacy, is it? I guess it lets everyone do whatever they want. Thus creating messes like this one. Then again, some people probably just don''t care. Well, as troubling as this is it isn''t my business either. I am just here to look at rocks. This sounds really boring when said like that. We are now in a courtyard. One extremely spacious. There are many attendants all over the ce. Many customers too. Of all kinds. I see kids, I see adults, I see old people. I get the feeling some of the youngsters are here unsupervised and just wanting to y around. Won''t that be dangerous? [Right, what would be the consequence of using magic here? I mean for the user.] "Either a really heavy fine or straight-up death." Still kinda sad. People can get away with murder easily if they are rich. Well, I''m pretty sure the problem isn''t the murder itself but the disturbance to the business. It still feels surreal. Talking about murder as likely. Different moral rules for sure than where I am from. Oh well, I''d be a hypocrite if I tried to push my values onto them. All I can do is make sure no one messes with me. That should be sufficient. Actually, there is one thing I am wondering. This ce prevents people from using magic right? But what about divine power? Would it bypass the restrictions? Time to do this. Ever so carefully. I start driving divine energy. Meanwhile, I keep looking at the guy at the entrance. Any sign of mise from the gatekeeper and I''ll stop. Now to slowly bring that power into my eyes. I want to be able to see what lies beneath. I want to. *THUD* Oh no! That Talion guy just fell! What did I do?! Chapter 273: Criminal! Chapter 273: Criminal! Oh god. I used divine energy and that guy just fell. I totally caused this! What should I do?! I need to help him! It might not be toote to save him. I rush to his side and "Yosh" What?! "Oh? Were youing to help me, youngdy? Thank you very much!" [Who are you talking to?!] "Ah, thank you, young man. You see my vision isn''t as great as it once used to be. Too many curses." [So you thought I was ] "Not really. But most of the attendants here are female. I was just guessing haha." [What happened to you?!] "Eh, I fell. You see my knees aren''t as sturdy as they used to be." [Why would you suddenly move like that then?] "Well, you see my back isn''t as it used to be." [Then you should rest!] "Haha, no need. I only have a little longer to go before I can finally retire." [Still, you should be careful, old man.] "Hehe, I''m actually 30." [WHAT?!] "Well, you see my skin isn''t as supple as it used to be." [Is there any part of your body that is still in good condition?!] He looks at me proudly. Then he gives the most radiant smile there is. "I can still get it up!" Wow. Just wow. [Can you choose what part of your body gets cursed?] "Indeed, I have been sparing that one dutifully. After all, what is the point of retiring if I can''t enjoy myself hehe." So much for a middle-aged man, he totally looks like an old pervert! [At this rate won''t you simply kick the bucket soon?! You should stop!] "See that is the beauty of it. My actual lifespan is still intact. I have considered every option carefully." [What do you mean?] "You see, moderately wealthy old men that look like they are about to breathe theirst are very popr." [You are aiming for a pretty gold-digger?!] Oh my god. This guy is the most genius dumbass I have ever seen. He sacrificed his appearance in order to make them believe they will inherit his wealth soon. Except he may very well outlive whoever targets him in such a way. Plus given the city where we are crimes are harder tomit. Wait, wouldn''t he simply . [What if someone tries to poison you?] "All good, it leaves traces. I would simply give all my money away. Problem solved." Wow, he has balls of steel. That guy is simr to that deep-sea fish. The one that shes a light above its mouth to bait prey. Except that this one here uses gold. Very effective against humans. Personally, I wouldn''t care about such a rtionship, but if it makes him happy. I mean if he''s lucky he will find true love instead. Then again, many girls tend to find true love in the wealthy. In their defense, some aren''t attracted to the money itself, but the sess. That is another discussion. [Right, are you able to feel it when someone tries to break one of your curses?] "Indeed." [Then you can run away before it causes your demise if you are fast enough?] "Sadly it''s not possible. Most people that try to cheat do it as fast as possible." I approach him. [*Whisper* So tell me] "*Whisper* This ability of mine is a wide range one. It is possible to notice when it is active too. I can''t disable it without getting fired." [No, that''s not it. Just tell me if it bes ufortable for you, alright?] He looks puzzled. I slowly resume driving divine energy into my eyes. Wishing to see through all illusions andyers of this world. Or something along the lines. I go ever so slowly yet he never reacts in the slightest. Yep, seems my power is immune to his curse. This is sweet. "You okay boy? Even with my bad vision, I can see that huge grin of yours!" [You see I may not look like it but I am in fact a professional appraiser.] "What''s that?" [What do you mean what''s that?! C''mon! They appraise stuff!] "Yeah, but no magic works here so it''s all luck." [Hehe, for others perhaps, but for me nope.] "So, what are you guys talking about? Also, why did you rush all the way over here?" Ah, the kid is here. [How long have you been listening?] "The kid has been here since you started looking absentmindedly in midair like an idiot." [What happened to that bad vision of yours?! "Oh, that? It''s decent at times and worse at others. Curses are like that. Unpredictable." [Fine, anyway I think I have a way to know exactly the value of every piece of rock there is here.] They both look at me puzzled. [Whatever, it would be too long to exin, I have my way is all.] "Brother, are you sure you should tell him that? He works here, no?" "Please, do I look like a give a shit?!" "True, you look like a raisin." "Maybe, but I''m the coolest raisin you''ve ever seen, no?!" "Perhaps." How did theye to an agreement on something like that?! Meh, whatever. [Well, want to go have some fun?] "What do you have in mind?" [Nothing much, just a robbery.] "You want to rob this ce?" "I''m still here you know? Please don''t use magic. I would die." [Don''t worry I don''t mean literally. Tell me do you have enough funds to buy any of these rocks?] "Yeah, I have a family emblem I can use as coteral." [That''s neat. Then we can have some fun haha.] "So what''s the n?" [Simple, we buy anything of value.] "What do you mean simple? This is close to impossible!" "Once again please refrain from killing me!" [Hehe, as if I needed to rely on magic for something so simple. Nope, I will choose ording to my gut feeling.] They don''t seem convinced. Still, I am confident. After all, turns out that divine energy lets you have an X-ray vision. This will be fun Chapter 274: Casually... Chapter 274: Casually... Oh yeah, this is the shit. I can''t help but nce all over the ce. At the rocks. At the gems contained inside. At the cute attendants. Joke. I mean I do look, but all I see are skeletons. An archaeologist''s wet dream. Seriously it would let one be extremely sessful. No more casually removingyer afteryer trying to find remains. Nope, one would know exactly when and where to stop digging. I can''t help but straighten my back and swagger across the courtyard. I approach one of the girls here with momentum. [Hello there.] "Hello Sir, are you here to browse or to buy?" [Hehe, what do you think?] "Ah, true. Have fun sightseeing sir!" Then she leaves hurriedly. What?! Am I too handsomepared to most clients? Yeah, she is probably too used to selling to old men. She leaves. Thenes what is obviously the young master of some family. ... Yep, she''s instantly running to his side. Then she starts showing him around. shing a pearly white smile. For some reason, she seems to have developed a back problem in the meantime. By that I mean her back is arched backward. Ah, she''s also stretching from time to time. I''d say she''s trying to show her bust but at this point, I''m worried for her health. The kides nearby. [Hey, what''s with her reaction? I''m obviously here to buy!] "Brother, how long has it been since you changed your clothes? Of course, she''ll misunderstand." [Bold of you to assume I have other sets haha.] "You say that and yet you now own priceless furniture in your bakery." [Well yeah, gotta make it nice after all.] "How are you ever going to get yourself a girl that way?" [Well, I may already have one. If she didn''t change her mind about me that is. *Sigh*] "Don''t worry everything will turn out fine I bet. You''ll probably see her soon." [I think I have a conflict with her sect. It''splicated.] "So? Just be stronger and get her back!" [I could, but what if she hates me in the first ce for leaving her alone?] "What did you do exactly?" [I left her sect''s prison and escaped.] "Brother, if you had to escape prison you are definitely their enemy" [Alright, so get stronger, is it?] "Exactly, do that instead of baking pie!" [Alright, starting today I will train hard until I can storm the Moon Keep!] "What?! Keep your voice down! The Moon [Oh yeah, she''s the daughter of the sectmaster there] "Yeah, just give up." [But you just told me to] "They have countless troops. Just give up." [That] Wolfiees closer and rubs her head on my leg apparently trying to console me. "Just remain alive. Then if she really likes you, she''ll find you. Should be easier for her." [What do you mean?] "If you invade, they will have all their protections in ce. If she runs away, she won''t have to face all that." [I see.] That does make sense. I guess I just need a way to send her a message. For now, I guess I can keep going with my pie world domination n. If I manage to get the sect as my client somehow, I could Of course, I''ll proceed one step at a time. [So we would just have to run away together?] "Exactly." That does sound nice. I just need to survive then. At all costs. It''s kinda weird. I''m not sure if I feel attracted to her because she was the first to show me kindness in this world. Perhaps because she didn''t judge me even when I got captured. Ah, better think of something else or I''ll turn nostalgic. Where was I? nning to make lots of money. Why? Because I can. Some people will tell you they hate money. That is never true. One can hate the obsession people have toward it. One can hate how hard it is to earn. One can hate the whole system in ce around it. But no one will ever say no to free cash. Even the most generous of saints. They''ll use it for a good cause instead. We slowly head to a male attendant. Why a guy? Do I expect to be more popr with that gender? Nope, it''s because he and I share something inmon. I can see how he is looking at that young master. He clearly doesn''t have a good opinion of the rich. I should be able to receive good customer service for once. [Hey there, we are here to buy some rocks.] "Hello Sir, how can I help you today?" [We don''t have coins, so you''ll have to take care of that for us.] He gives an apologetic smile. "Sir, this is a business I can''t" My friend hands over his family emblem. "That should suffice, no?" His entire attitude changes drastically. "H-how?! Ah, never mind! I''ll get everything done. Be right back!" He runs toward the back of the courtyard. There stands a building. A majestic-looking one. Guarded that two stern-looking warriors. Rule of thumb you always want two guardians for a gate. If you have only one it messes with the symmetry. That is why even if you have a godlike warrior you want to hire another one. Even if all he ever does is stand there and look pretty. Ah, actually at that point you may as well just hire a professional model haha. It will do the trick and look great. After a few minutes of intense deliberation with the guards, hees back. Meanwhile, I can see one of them head inside. "I have arranged it. The master himself wille to receive you!" Wow, talk about good service. To be honest, I just wanted to be able to pick whatever I wanted. After all, whatever I am buying will be a profit. There are zero risks involved. So we just wait? Shortly after a tall man with a curly mustachees out. He looks frantically everywhere before finally noticing Not us. He merely gives us a disparaging nce. Nope, he''s heading to the young master guy instead. Oh wow. I''m speechless. Chapter 275: Do YOU Know Who I Am? Chapter 275: Do YOU Know Who I Am? I''d say such development is clich, but again it happens IRL too. How often do you have a billionaire just chilling in casual clothing getting looked down upon? Often, I''d say. Most people judge others by their appearance. Well, some know better. Sometimes the argument is that most will try to have an appearance that reflects their personality. For instance, myck of care shows that I don''t give a fuck haha. Still, I feel like people will misunderstand it a lot for me being poor. I mean I am, just borrowing influence here. I can see the manager-looking guy happily weing the guy. Calling him family and all. A little more and he''d be trying to hug him. [So, do I need that guy''s permission to buy stuff?] "R-regrettably." Ah, fine. I slowly head up to them. They seem to be in a heated discussion about something. I wait by the side, but that young master guy doesn''t seem like he''s going to stop anytime soon. "*Insert pointless chatter* [Hey there, excuse me but I would like to ] "How dare you interrupt me!" [I just have something to talk with that owner guy. It will only take an instant. You see the thing is ] "Has no one ever taught you to respect your betters?" What?! I simply ignore him and keep going. [So here is the thing, I want to buy a few rocks but] "Preposterous! Can you believe this guy?! Not even understanding basic human speech!" Meh whatever, he doesn''t even deserve a nce. [I want to buy rocks but] "Manager you should expulse this guy from the premises! He clearly is penniless and uneducated! " The attendant by the side chimes in happily, apparently in fan-girl mode. "Owner, should I drive him outside?" "Young friend, are you sure you want to offend this" The angry guy continues. "It is already toote! There is no way a beggar like you can afford to endure my wrath hehe!" Is that guy on drugs or something? "I will forgive you if you beg for mercy like the dog you are!" [What the hell man, you clearly have issues. How are you not enemy with half the city by now?] "Hehe, can half the city even afford to be my enemy? I think not!" [I would actually like to see that. I wonder if we could make that happen. Ring match maybe?] "Y-you! How dare you!" [Chickening out, are you? Just admit that you are afraid.] "*Scoff* Don''t you know this wonderful city is no ce for barbarous fights! The vermin obey the noble and that is the end of it." [There is a duel to the death that just happened] I pat his shoulder. [My condolences brother, I now realize that you are retarded. Sorry.] "Men seize him!" *No reaction whatsoever. * "*Cough* You are lucky I do not have my entourage today. Still, you better not let me see you!" [Why?] I know it won''t be anything logical, but right now I''m getting curious. You know when you meet someone that just makes you wonder: how has no one killed him already? "Do you even know who I am?!" I retort with assurance. [Hehe, do YOU know who I am?!] He goes silent for a second before turning to the manager. "Young man, would you kindly reveal your identity? There is only so much suspense an old man like me can take haha." So he says but he''s clearly just middle-aged. I look at them confidently. [I am a baker!] I can hear giggles in the background. "Motherfucker! I''ll kill you! I''ll fuck you up! I''ll have you evicted from the city!" I don''t even answer him. [So, is he always like that?] "Of course not, haha." The way the manager says it makes me believe it is sometimes worse. Right now the guy looks like a mad dog. If anything I''d say a miniature poodle or something. He keeps going in the background. I turn back to the manager. [So here is the thing, I want to buy some rocks.] He politely answers me. No proper businessman would be dumb enough to look down on people. "Sure, the price depends on the size of the selected rock." [So, size matters eh?] "Indeed, there are higher chances of there being valuable materials in the bigger ones." [Gotcha, right everything will be put on our tab, right?] "What do you mean" I point to the previous attendant. [That guy went to tell you, no?] "Ah, you are the VIP guest he told me about?!" [I guess?] The kides nearby. "If he can''t even get a good service here our family may as well stop the shipments to your ce." "Waityou are! It has been so long since we''ve had such a nice visit! Pardon me for noting out to get you directly! I hadn''t realized that" [So, I can pick whatever I want and payter?] "Of course!" The insults in the backe to a stop. Then he asks perplexed. "Who are you exactly?!" [Just a baker, ah also a professional appraiser starting today haha.] "Appraiser?!" [I am good at picking valuable stuff is all.] I can see him looking at me in another light. Judging me. "So your specialty is picking rocks?!" [I guess?] "It turns out that it is mine too!" [Good for you?] "Do you dare to challenge me?!" [Why?] "Not to brag but I am one of the few heaven-chosen ones. Anything that I desire happens!" [] "I have the whole world on my side. For the god of luck itself is on my side! Any casual move of mine enough to impress the crowds." [] "Any casual of my grabs providing me wealth and fame." [] "Not to brag but I have an amazing sess rate of 65%! Against me, all are ipetent jokester!" [] "Once again do you dare to try your luck against me?!" [What are you even talking about? Like seriously.] "Hehe, a rock gambling ultimate battle! Whoever has the best profit ratio at the ends takes all!" [All what?] "All the glory! [Hum sure?] "Haha let''s get started!" Press F for the overconfident young master guy. Chapter 276: Let the Challenge Begin! Please! Chapter 276: Let the Challenge Begin! Please! Hello all and wee to this edition of face-pping 101. No, not literally. *Insert dramatic recap of thest episode. Not to give context, just to lower the animation cost or something* The atmosphere is intense. "Are you ready to admit your inferiority?" [Uh? Are you ready tolose?] Trash-talk, check. Bystanderse our way. Happily looking on. Sure gambling is fun yourself, but it''s also great to watch others. At least there is no way you lose your car, your house, and your girlfriend to debt. Gallery looking down on the protagonist? *Chatter* "Wait isn''t that guy the awesome one with a 65% sess rate?" "Yes, that''s totally him!" "What about his opponent?" "A neer. I''ve overheard a bit and he''s friend with a big shot." "What about his sess rate?" "No idea. Then again isn''t it weird to know one''s exact statistics?" "Eh, that''s cause the other guy keeps plugging it in every conversation." "Wow, that''s some dedication." "So the new guy will probably lose? I mean 65% is good!" "Probably not? I mean if he didn''t think he''d have a chance he wouldn''t ept." "Right, what''s the bet even about?" "Fame apparently." "A renowned guy and an unknown onepeting for fame? That new guy has nothing to lose, no?" "Kinda." "Why are we even watching this?" "Cause we don''t have anything better to do honestly." "Right." "Right." Wow. These guys are surprisingly logical. What happened to me getting insulted so I can be the underdog? They didn''t even remark even once how shabby I look! What''s up with this crowd?! I can''t really go ask them to root for the antagonist now, can I? This The manager addresses me. "*Whisper* He may be boisterous and all, but his skill is real. Don''t let your guard down. Also if possible, try to reconcile with him. He''s not that bad an egg. Justwell you know." Then he raises his voice. "Are the both of you ready? To make things easy each one of you will buy 10 pieces. Whoever makes the most profit shall win! Any question?" [Eh, are we going off t profit or are we looking at the profit ratio?] "" "No! He has a point otherwise it would be possible to buy small stones to get a small profit, but the biggest ratio on investment." We both turn toward the manager. "ThatI don''t knowwhatever works best?" [t!] "Ratio!" Thenes a few minutes of intense discussion between me and the young master. Surprisingly he is rather conscientious at the moment. I guess his brag about being a chosen one wasn''t all hot air. Then again who brags at being a pro at picking rocks? Wait, I kinda did that too. In the end, we decide upon going with both. For the manager to make a judgment based on both criteria. Meanwhile, the onlookers are getting quite impatient. Frankly, they don''t care about how it is judged. They just want to see someone win, see another one lose, and possibly see tears. "Now, that is out of the way, I hence dere this challenge" "Wait!" *People grumbling in the background* The young master goes on the side, writes something on a sign, andes back. Then he hands it over to the female attendant. "Beauty, I''ll be able to give it my all if I have you cheering for me. ;)" Did he just wink?! He fucking did! Seeing her blush furiously I''d say it''s working. Real smooth,peting and picking up girls at once! "Alright, manager I am ready whenever haha." "I hence dere this challenge" [Wait!] If he gets a cheerleader, I want one too! Am I petty? Perhaps, but who cares! I gesture to the kid to get me a sign. "What do you even want to be written on it?" Let me see this guy has Handsome Heaven Chosen Appraiser! I whisper in the kid''s ear. He gives me a funny look but gets to work. Before long it is done. Now for who will proudly disy it! I see the male attendant looking at me, hell no! [Wolfie, I''ll be counting on you! ;) ] Hell yeah, now thispanion of mine is now proudly parading. I totally win this. So what if you have a cool beauty acting coy? I have the coolest and cutest cheerleader! Beast tamer style too! Can you believe I still got that emblem? It is safely kept at the bakery haha. I also win on the sign. Mine is way better! Mine writes Most Handsome Heaven Defying Appraiser!! *Sound of people scrolling up to check his again* Yeah, not one but two exmation marks! You know to add intensity and epess. My opponent looks at it baffled, then he grins he gives a thumbs up. "I like your style! But you will still bite the dust! Get it?" [Cause when we will cut the stones there won''t be anything worthwhile in it?] "Exactly! There will just be rock powder!" [Side-note, rock powder itself has many usages you know.] "Seriously?!" [Yep! For instance, you can use it to build roads and whatnot.] "How would that work?" [Well, I forgot. Probably should askwhat profession would that even be? You''d have to mix it with other stuff.] "Like what?" [Well it would be something that would be liquid at first but once left under the sun it would harden.] "Oh? That actually sounds usefulbut not in this case!" [Yeah, right. Still, It won''t matter.] "Why?" [Check my sign and you''ll know why hehe.] "Both of you! *Sigh* Can we start?" "Actually" He approaches the sign then adds Most to his too. [Oh? You want to y it this way? I too can add stuff to] "Please stop! Do you guys want to start or not?! Otherwise, I''m leaving! You guys can figure it out yourselves!" The crowd cheers at his tirade. "I''m ready." [Eh, sorry. Go ahead.] "I officially dere this" *THUD! * "My knee! My damn knee!" "WHAT THE HELL!?!" The manager seems pissed. In the background, we can hear a curse mastercurse enthusiast. The talion guy is saying something about falling. Also how his knees aren''t how they used to be. "Fine, whatever. Ah, if someone interrupts me once more I will beat them up!" He stares at everyone here. "Good. I hence dere this challenge started!" Chapter 277: Awesome Challenge Chapter 277: Awesome Challenge The challenge begins! No drum roll, no overhypedmentator, no cheering from the crowd. Can it even be considered a real challenge? Also, what is the time limit? [Right, how long do we even have?] "Take your time, this isn''t a race." HAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh my god. I just thought of something amazing. Divine power lets me survive without eating, drinking, or anything simr. At least as far as I can tell. I could totally refuse to pick anything and y an endurance game! If it everes a day that my opponent is more skilled than me, I''ll do that. But not today! I have a cheat! X-Ray vision activate! Wait, does that make me a superhero? Oh my god! Ah, but I don''t go everywhere being heroic. Too much of a pain. I guess there is being a superviin. Meh, too troublesome. I slowly inspect every rock there is. There are a few hundred in the courtyard. I nonchntly get 10 with the coolest looking gems inside. That will do. Before long I am done. "You should take your time. Speed isn''t rted to true skill." [Sure.] "These are your 10 rocks?" [Yep.] "You don''t want to reconsider?] [Nope.] I can hear some people calling me foolish. Others are talking about how I probably entered this for the fun. There is no shame for a newbie to lose to a professional after all. That guy is slowly going around every rock and Posing. I want to say that he is using a mystical technique... But seriously all he does is wander around and pose. Pretty sure he''s trying to woo that attendant girl. Always turning his side profile for her to see him well. Meanwhile, I''m just petting Wolfie. [How about we open my stones and I just leave?] "No way! I willpete fairly!" What''s with that guy? He''s supposed to be arrogant, unruly, and tyrannical But actually, he''s just foul-mouthed, isn''t he? I keep waiting. I can now somehow rte to our judge. He kept trying and getting denied. Now that I think about it, wouldn''t this be way more fun with magic involved? What''s the point of blindly guessing? Plot twist this was all designed with a purpose to train the instincts of the younger generation. Feel the heart of the rock kind of thing? What are the chances of one of these turning out to be a DudeGeo? I don''t know. Still, it feels dumb to me. After what feels like an eternity he is finally done. This is the moment of truth. The tension is palpable. Or not I already know the oue. Overall 8/10 of his contain gems. Thest 2 being duds. This is a very respectable result, to be honest. [So how do we open these actually?] "We''ll slowly open each. It won''t take long. Only a few minutes each." Wait, we''ll still have to wait an hour or more, no? Had I known I wouldn''t have epted. [How about calling it a day and ] "No way! Challenges are sacred!" [Look, how about we simply call it a draw and end it there?] "*Scoff* As if I would ept such a thing!" [Look, it will take lots of time, then you''ll lose and it won''t even serve any purpose.] "What do you mean?" [I thought this was going to be fast you know, just some side-fun.] "Oh, I see. You are trying to get inside my head. To make me admit a draw." [*Sigh* Fine we''ll wait. Ah, can we just skip these 2 rocks since they are totally empty?] "As if!" Thus I go back to petting Wolfie. In the meantime, a professional starts working on a small stage. He is slowly peelingyers uponyers of the outer surfaces. Every gem that appears provokes exmations from the crowd. About the type of gem it is. About how valuable it is. About all kinds of stuff. Frankly, I''m not following any of it. After a long while, my opponent''s rocks are all done unveiling. The crowd is urging me to admit defeat. After all, an 80% ratio is apparently almost unbeatable. Meanwhile, my opponent is looking pensively at me. Guess he has realized that my prediction came true. Time for my own selection. I keep looking at the employee working on it. How long before he extracts all the gems? Yeah, fuck it. I approach the stage. "Customers are not allowed here and" [Friend, this is taking too long. Got a sword?] "What, no I don''t?" [Manager, what about you?] He orders a subordinate to bring me one. This will go faster than the short tool he uses. Then I start peeling. Using divine energy to cut through the hardyers like butter. Cutting most of the excess and leaving only small rocky chunks with gems inside. Then I hand it all back. [Alright, now you finish it.] I get down while people are calling me a madman. Saying how I could have potentially wasted something extremely valuable. Well, that''s at first. With every new gem that appears their reactions change. Slight surprise. Curiosity. Confusion. Bafflement. Insanity. I''d keep going, but after the fifth gem, they are already losing their shit. I mean 50% sess rate is already enough to give a nice profit even if all the other ones are a dud. At first, it actually isn''t that bad. But then one guy reminds them of how I expertly cut the excess. As if I knew exactly what was inside. Now they are talking about me having a gift for it. Something about an amazing intuition. One guy even says something about the ability to talk to rocks. What the hell?! For some reason, I can only picture this going one way. The rock going: Human, know what? I''m rock hard! Get it? Rock! Don''t ask me why. Then it is finally over. The whole courtyard is silent. Until finally. *THUD* "ARG, my elbows aren''t as good as they used to be." You can always count on that guy to break an awkward silence. Or any silence for that matter. It seems as if they were all waiting for that. The crowd erupts in a cacophony. Something about a new rising star. Something about me being awesome. Something about hiring me. They forgot handsome. Oh well, I won''t hold it against them. They are too excited is all. Now, can I collect my reward? Chapter 278: Opportunity Chapter 278: Opportunity Can I collect my reward now? [So, how does it work exactly from now on for] *Slide* "Please ept me as your student!" For some reason, my opponent is on the ground begging. [What happened to calling me a beggar?] "I was blind and idiotic! Please forgive me!" [Antagonizing people, then asking them for a favor is stupid.] "Yes, it is!" [Yeah, I don''t have time to waste with you.] "Please!" [Nope.] "I won''t move from here until you agree teacher!" [Suit yourself then.] The manager tries to get him to stop his y, but he doesn''t relent. Oh well, not my problem haha. [So, how do we go from now on?] "Would you kindly entrust our shop with selling these gems? We will definitely get you a decent price!" [Of course! How long will that take?] "We can buy it at a low price now, but if you give us a week we''ll get you the maximum profit." [Alright, I''ll wait then!] "Thank you very much!" I mean, to be honest, I still have no clue on the market prices of this stuff. It seriously is better for me to proceed like that. Last time I couldn''t even conclude a one silver trade by myself. Eh, I me the stingy shop for that. So what if the sword is missing a bit of maintenance? It still worked well enough. I mean it was enough to cut that so-called prized weapon of theirs. Well, not everyone can use divine energy but still. That is when a man wearing chic-looking clotheses nearby. While clearly of high quality, his clothes aren''t that eye-catching either. The only thing that stands out is a medallion with a cartwheel on it. It looks both simple and intricate. As in there are extremely fine details, but none that especially stand out. I kinda feel like I''ve seen it before. "Hey there young man! Impressive performance!" [Thanks I guess.] "Our merchant group has been looking for an appraiser for a while now. Would you be interested in working with us?" I have the full-time job of baking, but appraising shouldn''t take that long anyway. [I''d be open to discussing it.] "How wonderful! How about you visit our guild right now if you have time?" [That...] "Of course we will include any amodation you may need!" Free food? Free drinks?! Count me fucking in! [Lead the way!] I can see the kid facepalming in the background. Seems he''s going to go back home to do who knows what. Please, epting free food is a rule to live by! One does not refuse such a thing. Especially when you are immune to poison haha. Wolfie follows us. Still carrying the sign I gave her dutifully. The young master guy is surprisingly still on the ground kneeling. I mean he''s going to give up at some point. The manager wishes me a safe trip. Ah, I also wish the Talion guy not to die. Usually, that would be seen as cursing someone. Not in his case. He will definitely need it. He says something about waving us goodbye, but that he''ll refrain. Something about his hand not working as well as it used to. We then take a carriage to reach our destination. Apparently, these aren''t allowed in most streets because of ack of space. Makes sense. Guess that''s also why I haven''t really noticed many sinceing here. I don''t have any intention of owning one in any case. Ah, perhaps when I extend my business out of town. But then there will be other issues to consider too. Like having enough soldiers to guard it. Or even how to keep pies warm long enough So troublesome haha. I''ll just work my way to the top of this city first and that will be it. "Here we are, young man." I was expecting avish-looking ce, but it is simr to the man himself. ssic style with subtle opulence. "Would you like to be given a change of clothes and an area to bathe?" [No need, I''m famished!] A long, nice bath may be amazing, but eatinges first. Plus I''m totally going to dirty itter when I bake anyway. Some would say baking shouldn''t be that messy Well, those haven''t seen me bake haha. All that matters is that I give it my all in my craft! As we go in we receive many stares. Some seem to be wondering about my identity. I guess the clothes don''t help haha. Some are wondering what is up with Wolfie. Some seem to pay attention to my guide. I guess he is a big shot here. He slowly guides me to a small room where awaits us a small table. There are reallyfy benches too. "I must admit it is not every day that I see such an impressive performance." [Not a big deal to be honest.] "Humble too haha. There is one thing I am wondering." [Just ask.] "How would you estimate your sess rate?] [Do you mean for finding gems in rocks?] "Yes, I''m quite curious." [100%.] "*Gulp* 100% you say?! Isn''t that a bit too high?" [*Shrug* I mean I can say 99% if it makes you feel better.] "How?!" [It simply takes me one look.] "Then you were already assured of victory in the earlier challenge?" [Not really, it could have been a tie if he had gotten 10/10 right too.] He seems impressed. Actually, now that I think about it, he could have won. I''m still not sure about the value of the gems. While I can confirm not to make a mistake, he could have beaten me in profit. Still, the chances for that were very low. [You said something about food, right?] "Ah, indeed. Let me call a servant." He rings a bell from god knows where. The door opens andes a youngdy in a proper uniform. This is a nice touch. They are putting professionalism above all else. Then she approaches with beautiful cups and a teapot. Elegantly pouring us some. I take a small sip. It is surprisingly nd. Very much so. "Is the tea to your liking?" [Should I be frank?] "Of course!" [What the hell is this?! Is this amateur hour?! Bring some alcohol already!] *Gasps* Was that too frank? They won''t ask me to leave, right?! Right?! Chapter 279: Talent! Chapter 279: Talent! ****(POV) Usually, I would stay clear from a ce such as the Mystery Gems House. While it can be entertaining from time to time there is not much worth in it. Yes, it is possible to make a small profit out of it. There is one issue however, it takes too long and their merchandise too normal. The best you can get there is a slightly lessmon gem. The best stuff never makes it there. Every shipment the Gebreros family imports gets screened with a secret spell of theirs. One that will tell them if the target''s value reaches a certain threshold. The only thing is such a spell is highly inurate. It has also given false positives on some asions. Well, it never gives false negatives at least. So all the lower quality ones end up getting gambled away. That rock gambling business serves two purposes. The first being to make a tidy profit from fools. People just trying their luck. Statistically, the house always wins. Since most of the rocks will turn out worthless. There is another utility to that ce. As a merchant one needs to visualize the big picture. That ce is an opportunity to find talent. That is why we always have a man there whose duty is simply to observe. We rotate them so it doesn''t look as obvious. Still, let''s face it every guild worth a dime does the same. Today was an exception. I decided to go for a walk. I went to that ce. I was just enjoying myself when amotion started. A young man started insulting another. The first one I know very well. He is talented. The 65% sess rate he keeps bragging about may not seem like a lot but it would still make him a good advisor. One that could help determine the value of a treasure. On one hand, 65% is godlike without the use of magic. On the other hand, most mystical treasures tend to be harder to identify. It is already good enough. This young man is the son of a bigshot in the city. Except instead of worshiping Compromis like his father he reveres a god of luck. Well, knowing his personality it is a good thing he stays far away from anything rted to diplomacy. That is also the reason no one has recruited him yet. No matter how skilled he is, epting such an arrogant individual is the best way to paint a target on one''s back. He isn''t even disruptive that much. He is simply in annoying. I was expecting the other party to cower and apologize in front of such insults. Instead, he surprisingly ignored him, even calling him retarded. The only reason I managed to hold myugher then was my years of experience. At that moment I was already satisfied. After all, I came out for a change of pace. The problems in the guild piling up. It started a while ago with one of our convoy encountering bandits and losing some precious cargo. We tried to pass it as a normal caravan to avoid the greed, but they were unlucky. They kept going on about some naked devil too. Anyway, even after that one particr incident, we have lost many of our people and goods. Bandits are getting more and more restless. They know most of the powers are all busy consolidating their forces. They are also a bunch of dumbasses in most cases. We have managed to recover about 80% of every lost shipment so far. This means that overall our losses are pretty small. It is still a nightmare to organize it all. Good thing I''m only in charge of the surrounding areas. Anyway, I expected this interlude to end up there and then. Not at all. They decided on challenging each other. A contest of discernment. On whom can pick the best gems out of the lot. I decided then to extend my time here. Sure, it would dy my work a bit, but I wouldn''t be able to anyway. I would inevitably be wondering about the result of this thing. One thing that is vital when working in management is to work efficiently. Ah, and to have rigor too. As long as the work is done at the end of the day all is good. After all, so many decisions rely on me. I could single-handedly slow our operations should I ck. Somehow the challenge just wouldn''t start. The manager here kept being interrupted. They also took the time to even get themselves someone to cheer for them. How ridiculous that was haha. Well, at least it was entertaining. They seemed to bepeting on who was the most shameless. Judging by the over-the-top signs in any case. Then after a long while, it finally began. I was expecting a serious match. Not at all. The unknown guy simply casually picked 10 rocks and called it a day. At that point, I knew that I should leave. After all, the contest would still be going for a while. The result was almost guaranteed at that point. But for some reason, I stayed. I decided to watch the happenings. A little voice in my head telling me that I may be surprised. One extremely insane voice. Still, I listened to it. Simply because the most I had to lose was time. Sure my time is valuable. Still, finding a potential talent doesn''te often. When came the time for the reveal, both showed confident expressions. Turns out that the arrogant guy obtained an 80% sess rate. It made me consider ways to bring him to our side and reeducate him. The only issue being his backing. Otherwise, we could easily go for some highly efficient tortureeh education. Then happened something peculiar. The new guy went on stage directly. Then he requested a sword and started shing directly. Without a care for the damage. For some reason, he didn''t destroy any of the rockspletely. That part puzzled me. But then the guy kept working on unveiling the rocks. Soon enough I understood something. That new guy was a genius. An extremely talented one. As soon as it ended, I rushed to him thinking of all possible ways to tempt him into working with us. I expected it to be a battle of wits and Yeah, he epted to follow me as soon as I mentioned amodations. I kept wondering what the hell was up with that guy, but I hollered a carriage nheless. We would talk in detail at the guild. Hopefully, it would end up well. Chapter 280: Confusing Dinner Chapter 280: Confusing Dinner ****(POV) We are now sitting at a table in a private chamber meant to receive guests. While small it ispletely soundproof and always has servants assigned to it. He is still wearing the same old clothes, looking out of ce. I first ask him about his sess rate. When he replies 100%, I''m almost doubting my hearing. I have been a merchant long enough to learn to read people''s bodynguage. That is how confident and how natural he seems. My first reaction is to doubt myself rather than to doubt him. Afterward, he nonchntly adds that he doesn''t mind saying 99% if it freaks me out less. That is not the issue! How can someone that godly even exist?! That is without even using magic too! What the hell. That''s when he asks about food. For some reason, I almost get the feeling that''s the only reason he followed me here. No, it can''t be. I signal someone toe tend to us. This will be a nice distraction. The girles with a tea specially prepared for this asion. One extremely valuable that boosts one''s mental faculties. The best thing ever for any negotiation. There are two approaches to such a thing. Some would use drugs that give their target a false sense of security. This is an easy way to get someone to sign anything. There is one issue with that, however. Anyone truly worth working with won''t fall for such an easy trick. Once they realize it, they will cut all ties for sure. Then yourpetitors gain a potential ally easily. No, we do things differently. By showing a token of good faith. Being the tea he is now sipping. I casually ask him if it is to his liking. Me asking is just a formality haha. No one has everined about it. He asks if he can be frank. Then he startsining about how nd it is. Suggesting we should get alcohol instead. What?! While I''m at a loss for words, the girl dutifullyes back with some. Then he starts to chug. Quickly and giving a satisfied expression afterward. I have seen many things in my life. Not that. Rule number one of negotiation is you want to keep your head clear. Meanwhile He''s requesting more! This is insane! I call for some food. Now the next part is going to be crucial. Time for some questioning. At first, I was going to be subtle about it, but now I feel like it would be a waste. "What brought you to this city?" [It seemed fun and less crazy than the outside world.] "What brought you to the Mystery Gems House?" [It seemed fun.] Is that his default answer to everything?! Is he messing with me? "How long have you been an appraiser?" [One day.] "You must be joking!" [Right, like a few hours only.] What the hell?! "If you are not an appraiser usually then what is your main profession?" Usually, I''d be trying to deduce that, but I''m lost. I can''t think of anything that lets one be that amazing. [Hehe, I''m a professional baker!] . What the hell?! How is there are a link between the two?! Should I visit every bakery in search of hidden talents from now on? As I''m about to lose my cool the food arrives. I especially arranged for some special stuff. Some high-level rank 3 creature steaks. This is bound to impress him! He gives some to his wolf. Wait, has his pet been here all this time? I kinda forgot about it. I''m not sure if it''s my mental state that is crumbling Or if there is something weird with that creature itself. One thing for sure, it has been a long time since I lost track of my surroundings. Also who shares such valuable food with a pet?! Gotta calm down. I see him finally take a bite. [Oh? Pretty good. Almost as good as what I used to eat with the sectmaster.] What?! The only ones that should be able to eat stuff like that are the truly wealthy or powerful. "Is that so? So it is not the first time you have that chance that is great!" [Indeed. Ah, but be careful after a month of eating the same thing it starts to be boring.] Did he just imply he has eaten simr food in the past for a whole month?! I''m the leader of this branch and I would never be able to afford even a week! "So, what kind of baker are you?" He looks extremely proud. [I bake pies! The best ones in the city!] normal regr pies As time passes, he keeps requesting more alcohol. This is crazy. I''m not even sure how he is still standing, eh sitting. "Right, would you be willing to work for us as an appraiser?" [Sure if the pay is good, I can do that part-time.] "It would pay more than being a baker for sure!" [No can do. I already told the old man I''m taking over the ce. Can''t let him down.] "What if we offered whoever that man is money so he can retire?" [It''s not a matter of money. It''s a matter of dedication.] "I see" I have no freaking clue what he is talking about. This man is an impossibility. He looks extremely poor. He hangs out with a kid from one of the most powerful families there is. Albeit that one I''m not sure if he knows his identity. He is but a simple baker. Yet he is able to recognize a treasure instantly. He also doesn''t bat an eye when confronted with valuable food and drinks. "What could I do to convince you to work for us?" This is the more direct approach there is. I don''t care anymore. [Well if you guys want me to inspect some stuff just bring it to the bakery. I''ll do it once I''m done with my batch for the day.] It is at that exact moment that I give up. This man is an enigma. There is no way we can parade across the city all of our secret items. That would be the most foolish thing ever. We finish our dinner, and he leaves happily. Telling us to go find him if there is anything. I am used to negotiations failing. I am not used to this feeling, however. For once I have no clue what I can do to influence him. At all. The worst is that I spent so much time here that I now have tons of work awaiting me. *Sigh* This sucks. Should I just do as if I had never met him? Maybe ... Chapter 281: Never Ever... Chapter 281: Never Ever... Our meeting went well. He asked a few questions and I answered to the best of my abilities. I left saying I would be at the bakery. I feel like some sort of hidden character right now. Should I set up a special password? You know most customers would be ordering normal pies. Whenever someone asks for a mystery pie then it would be for an appraisal job. I would usher them in my secret base too. Or I could simply call it the storage closet, but it wouldn''t sound as professional. Then I would act like an expert and see right through whatever they are bringing me. I feel like I would need sses just so I can raise them in a cool motion. Today has been a productive day. Lots of ie on the side. I''ve also learned some new information. Now I just need to go back home to Actually no, there is something I want to do. Let me see. Who should I ask? I''m really not sure. I want to find someone but I''m not sure about the best way to go about it. Ah, wait. There are some people I recognize. The thieves from the totally not slums area! They seem to be happily going about their business. [Hey guys, how has it been?] They turn toward me, surprised to hear someone holler at them. I quickly rush forward. I may as well ask them for help. Since I''m familiar with them. *Bump* *Thud* I collide with a random guy. "Watch where you are going, you bastard!" [Sorry about that.] Quick apology now to go see my acquaintances. Wait, what? They are gone. Why? They clearly saw me wave at them. "That bastard stole my purse! Quick catch him!" One really has to be brazen to steal here haha. Could this be the doing of? "Yes! That one! The one ying innocent! The one that just bumped into me!" Wait I turn my head he''s totally pointing at me. He''s running toward me. What the hell?! Ah! I know what this is. He is trying to discredit me. Why would anyone ever want to tarnish my reputation?! Wait, no. This is too obvious. He collided with me voluntarily. Making a big show out of it. He will probably try to ckmail me. Ask for money in exchange for clearing my bad name. If I do, he''ll say he made a mistake. That it was in his other pocket or something. Otherwise, he''ll probably keep spouting his nonsense. There is one way to deal with scammers like him. You beat them up real good. Except that right here it is a bad idea. Especially with the anti-crime system and all. Fuck it I''m not gonna stay here to guess it. [Wolfie, we run!] What is he going to do, keep chasing me? Such an asshole too. Let''s see who''s going to relent first haha. After a few minutes of chase, I figure out he is not only a crook but also a persistent one. At this point, we are in a more deserted area. I turn toward him. [Are you done?!] "No way I hell! Give me back my purse!" [Dude there is no one even here. There is no point in you making a ruckus.] "Give me my damn purse or I''ll get the city enforcement involved!" [Please, you think that will scare me?! *Scoff*] "See how they deal with you!" [It will be your word against mine.] "They will simply search you and find it!" [Please, how about I tell them you stole my coins then?!] "As if they would believe such a lie!" [Screw you! Wolfie will corroborate my story! Two against one!] "A wolf?! A freaking wolf?! You think they will believe a stray wolf!" [Wolfie is not any wolf! She is smart and brave!] "How is hanging around a thief any brave!" [Wolfie is the best! Shut the hell up!] "It''s a disgusting creature that follows a crook! It should be put down!" [You are lucky this is a safe zone, or I''d beat you up for ndering her!] "Agree to a duel agreement then you bastard! I hereby agree to fight unharmed and fairly in a non-lethal intended brawl, may the system be my witness!" Wait! Oh my god! That works?! Why has no one ever told me about that?! [I agree, I fucking agree!] Nothing happens but hopefully, all is good now. Then I rush at him! Starts a legendary fight. He hits me with many technical moves. One after the other. Every move flowing nicely. All targeted at the best areas to inflict pain. That fucker! I cleverly take every blow head-on. Then I start striking back. Wolfie calmly watching pleased by the side. *PUNCH* [This one is for insulting Wolfie!] "*Ouch*!" [This one is also for insulting Wolfie! "Stop it!" [This one is for insulting Wolfie too!] "I concede I concede!" [Thisst one is also for insulting Wolfie!] Before long he is beaten up real good. "How?! Why?! What''s with that bullshit reason!" [Bullshit! Apologize to her now or we''ll keep going!] "I''m sorry ...eh, Wolfie." [Do it like you mean it!] "Please forgive me Wolfie!" [Good. Now reflect on your actions.] "That" [Repeat after me.] "" [I won''t try to scam people in the future.] "" [Should we fight some more?] He seems to be tearing up a bit. "* Begrudgingly* I won''t try to scam people in the future." [I won''t voluntarily bump into people.] "I won''t voluntarily bump into people." [I won''t lie and try to exploit good-natured people.] "*Lowly* What kind of good-natured beats people up and..." [What did you say?] "N-nothing." [Also don''t try and ckmail people on false usations in the future.] "What false usations?! I am really missing my wallet how do you exin this, you bastard?!" [If you lost it, why are you here instead of looking for it?] "Cause you stole it!" [Except I didn''t] "You clearly did!" [Nope.] "HAHAHAHA, you want to y this game?" He gets something out of his pocket. "I have here a one-time use truth-seeking bell do you dare to?!" I simply pick it up. [I didn''t steal from you. You just kept chasing me trying to scam me.] After that one sentence, the small bell crumbles to ashes. "It didn''t detect any falsehoodhow?!" [Cause I didn''t lie, dumbass.] I turn around to leave. "Then why did you run?!" [Cause you kept chasing me like a mad dog.] "What about my bell?! That thing is expensive!" [Not my problem.] "" [Also, never ever insult Wolfe again.] "" [Otherwise, even the city''s system won''t be able to save you.] I leave behind a mess of a man, but I don''t care. Now, where should I go? Chapter 282: Contracts, Coins and Parkour Chapter 282: Contracts, Coins and Parkour What do you do when you getpletely lost? Especially when there are no locals you can ask. Time for my ultimate secret technique! [So, Wolfie. Do you know how to go back home?] She casually nods. Of course, she does. Honestly, sometimes I have trouble believing how smart she is. No, I have more trouble believing how dumb other creatures seem. I guess she would be a truly specialized character. All in the intelligence and cuteness stats haha. That makes her the ultimate bestest sidekick! That''s even better than best! Technically impossible, realistically I don''t care. We quickly navigate the alleys while heading back. Until "Hey, brother!" Appears a wild polite young man! My thief friend. He still has the tattoos, piercing, and oh he got new clothes. [Hey, how have you been!] "Pretty good." [By the way, why did you avoid me earlier? You better have a really good reason for it!] "Eh, we had just done a job and needed to get away promptly." [What''s with the new clothes anyway?] Should I get some too? "Ah, the old ones got destroyed when I tried to climb some wall." [Wait, you do parkour!] "What would that be?" [When you scale buildings and run on top of roofs or something.] "Then yes I do haha." [How about that? I''ll forgive you if you teach me!] "Teach you, what exactly?" [Parkour.] "Right." [So when do we start?] "So, let me get this straight. I tell you about that." [Yes.] "Then your first reaction is not how strange it is or why I have been doing that at all?!" [Nope.] "Then you want me to teach you?!" [Indeed.] "Why?!" [Sounds fun!] "Haha and it is! I knew it!" [What do you mean?] "Others were calling me strange for enjoying that!" [Were they now?] "Yep, they said something about it being eye-catching too." [I mean I guess there is a right ce and time for everything.] "So what brought you here anyway?" [I got chased by some guy that was convinced I stole from him.] "Oh right, that guy. He was wealthy for sure" [Your new clothes..] "Yep." [Don''t tell me.] "New earrings too." [Shouldn''t you try and deny or something? "No? We are friends, right?" [I just beat up the guy too.] "I mean he did run after you for no reason." [How did you guys even do it?] "Oh, we made him sign a doubleyered contract." [What?!] "You see you take two contracts and you paste them together. This way when he signs one the ink drips on the other one too." [This is crazy!] "Smart, right?" [Then can''t you include a ve contract too and have the people sell themselves away?!] "Naw that wouldn''t work. Also, who would be dumb enough to sign that haha!" I will not answer this no matter what. This dark history of mine shall nevere to light. Any bard that so much thinks of singing about it will have to face my wrath! Still, there is something weird. How is he so confident about that statement? [Why wouldn''t it work?] "You''ve never signed one, have you?" I did. I truly did. I meanno never happened! "Any contract involving magic is special." [How so?] "For it to be binding in any way there needs to be intent." [Intent?] "If someone just half-heartedly signs it there won''t be any effect at all." [Then can''t one simply do that and fake signing only?] "This is the peculiar part. It is simply possible." [What do you mean?] "In such a case you would start writing but you wouldn''t be able to finish. It would even erase itself." [Wow, the more you know.] "Quite fascinating am I right?" [Well, yeah but there is one thing I don''t understand.] "Go ahead." [How do people here even have such capabilities? This sounds superplicated!] "Especially in a ce like this, it is part of our daily lives. Think about who''s the main deity here." [The diplomacy god, right?] "Compromis, yes. Without magical contracts, there would be no way for him to uphold his beliefs." [So because of that it became the focus of the people here is what you mean?] "Exactly!" [Why does this god sound more and more like a merchant god.] "Many gods share somemon domains of expertise." [That means there are redundant ones?] "Well, yes. But don''t let their followers hear you haha." [Makes sense.] "Of course it does." [How do you even know about all that anyway?] "Hey, are you looking down on me because of my profession?!" [Not especially it''s just] "I''m just messing with you haha. It''smon knowledge around here." [Gotcha. Wait there is something wrong here!] "What exactly?" [There is no way he would have signed that contract with the intent to be stolen from!] "Oh yeah, of course not." [Then how?] "You see it is the beauty of it. Remember how I told you that this system is very imperfect?" [Well yeah.] "One doesn''t need to use a magical contract to fool it. A normal one will do." [Then won''t people be able to just murder one another easily?] "Of course not!" [How is this obvious?!] "Well, there are safety measures in ce for the worst crimes." [How so?] "I don''t know." [No one knows?] "I''m sure the people in charge of the city know haha. I''m just a thief remember. *Wink*" [Wait, I recently bought a bakery!] "You did? Congrats!" [Is there anything I need to be careful about?!] "Not especially. Just make sure your employees are careful when handling the cash." [That''s it?] "That''s it." [What about fake currency?] "Oh, you mean people forging some coins?" [Exactly!] "That isn''t much of an issue. It will happen from time to time but most understand that it''s not worth it." [Howe?] "There is a sect in charge of it." [Of countering fraud? How righteous!] "Not really. Their god Koiin derives his power of the belief of people in currency." Wow just wow. That God would have been the most powerful in my old world. It wouldn''t even have been a contest. Just wow. [So he makes sure people don''t lose hopes toward it eh...] "Exactly. Now, how about I teach you some parkourter tonight?" [Sure!] "Now, thenter!" Ah, this has been enlightening somehow. Oh wait, how is he even going to find me then?! Chapter 283: Night Excursion Chapter 283: Night Excursion We are finally back at the bakery. Killed a few titans and gods on our way here. Or not. It was just a normal walk. I have figured something out. In the old world, many cities used to have an old district. You know, as a touristic attraction. Featuring olden days architecture. With beautiful buildings made of stone elegantly pilled up. Here is the thing, what feels so awesome is the novelty actually. For instance, I am now in a world where there is only that architecture style. Well, many styles but all somewhat old looking. You know since there are so many sects and all. I need to admit it''s not as cool or awesome as I expected. Like the first few buildings are nice to look at but then it bes boring. Because of that, I have just gotten the idea to revamp our exterior. Except that I will start with a billboard of some kind. Onlyter on will I start remodeling. But for now, time to bake! I have been away for a long part of the day, there are bound to be hungry customers awaiting my triumphant return! Or not. There is no soul to be seen. The bakery is locked too. Right, we don''t even have anyone to man the counter at the moment. No matter, I enter to get to work. The old man is sitting on one of the tables with tea once again. Wolfie justzes around in a corner. I''m not gonna describe the baking scene. I get engrossed in it, so much that I think of nothing. Except for the pies in front of me. Thus the day ends. Nightes. I am akin to a small child awaiting Santa us. Akin to a small child awaiting the Tooth Fairy. Akin to an old guy awaiting his yGentlemen magazine. How is my friend even supposed to find me? I have no clue, but I believe! That is when I hear a small sound on our rooftop. I quickly exit the building making sure to lock behind me. Don''t want anything to happen to Wolfie while I''m gone. There he is! [Hey man!] How nice! He is wearing a ck outfit. A ck veil. He also has a cool-looking ck dagger. Still, I can''t help but state the obvious. [Brother, you really shouldn''t be running with that. What if an ident happens?] He freezes. "" [Meh, whatever. You know best, I guess. So what''s the n?] "" [Are we going for a run as nned? Are you going toe down or should I join you up there?] "" [Brother, enough with the mysterious act! Just answer me haha.] "" [Alright, give me a second.] I painfully climb on the roof. Roof that is nowpletely empty. What the hell?! Is he trolling me? Then I see a shadow on the ground. Coming closer. Oh my god. He''s already down there?! "Hey there! I see you can''t wait for us to begin." [Wait, weren''t you on this roof a second ago?!] "Nope, was there someone?" [Are you messing with me?! Did you quick-change clothes?] "Not at all. Ah! Was whoever you saw wearing full ck?" [Yep!] "Probably an assassin. They like to roam around at such a time." [Wait there are assassins here?! How?!] "Well there are ways to bypass the system but they are really troublesome." [Then this ce is not safe at all!] "Don''t worry as long as you have never offended any bigshot, you''ll be fine." [Then I''m definitely fucked!] "Actually no. Say I''ve heard a rumor of a city officialing here for tea. Is that true?" [That guy? Yeah, what of it?] "Then you''ll be fine." [Just because some guy is eating at our bakery?] "Well yeah. City hall getting involved in anything shady is a huge pain in the ass." [Are they that strong?] "It''s really the fact that they can manipte the system." [Wow. Gotcha, that makes sense.] That is a relief. This way I will be able to sleep peacefully. Could you imagine getting attacked in your sleep?! It was fine when I was training. Also fine with that Treant since it was rtively weak. I mean, it did end up getting smited by lightning. For all I know, that was karma haha. I''d rather not take my chances with professional assassins. Even in this rtively safe ce. [So, we are just gonna ignore that I saw him?] "Did you see his face or hear him talk?" [Nope.] "Perfect! Then he has no reason to want to silence you." Nice! This way we can cohabit peacefully. I wonder if I should offer him to be a customer. Could be a monthly deal of something. I could leave him some pies on the rooftop right before closing. Then after a long and hard day, he could find sce in the delicacies. Or not, that''s a dumb idea. Soon after we depart. At first, he shows me how to climb a wall. Then how to jump from building to building. It feels freeing. To be able to overlook the entire world and Farther in front I notice a big building. One that seems to have beautiful arches on the side. Arches that I''m pretty sure we could climb easily. [I want to try that!] I point. I''m like a kid at an amusement park. He says something about not going there because of the height but I''m categoric. I wanna try climbing that. I''m not that scared of falling. I''ll survive even if I do. He finally agrees. With his blessing, I start climbing. It takes me a while, but I reach the top. The roof is t. Wide too. I start walking quietly. Just enjoying the moment. When I get down should I try to locate a haystack or something? It would be very quick at least haha. There is actually some light seen in the middle. It seems to be a ss panel of some sort. A bit blurry. I can''t see what''s underneath exactly, but it seems to be some sort of gathering. There are lots of people and light too. I can hear a bit of music also. To be fair the night just started. Not that strange for some people to still be up in their houses. I wonder what is happening there exactly. Ie closer a bit to try and make sense of it. Maybe I should try and join the party too? Not sure, in any case I should *SHATTER* *FALL* Oh fuck. I didn''t mean to join it in such a way! They won''t be too madright?! Chapter 284: Auspicious Day Chapter 284: Auspicious Day ****(POV) Today is an auspicious day they keep saying. Today is the day I lose my freedom and be nothing but an ornament to some guy''s arm. A so-called political marriage. I could have easily loved anyone, but not him. Definitely not him. He is a loud-mouthed, annoying, boastful, cruel, and overall horrible yboy. Yet my father insists on delivering me to such an individual. Am I some kind of currency that one can trade? Apparently so. I have tried everything to dy. At first, I voluntarily fell and broke my arm to make it so I wouldn''t be fit for the ceremony. After all, how am I to tie the ribbon in such a condition? Sadly I healed quickly. Then came the day of the wedding again. That time I got lucky. A monster alert happened. This made it so we all evacuated promptly. Onlyter did we learn that it was only a follower of Gluto that went for a walk. The same day a duel happened. I have seen the drawings of the victor. A decisive and strong man for sure. One that doesn''t travel with a bunch of prostitutes wherever he goes. I wish I was exaggerating, but that is how my new husband is. If he isn''t in the red district, it''s the red district thates to him. After all, he is a regr at many of the establishments one can find there. He calls himself a free spirit and a lover only to conceal how trash he is. I will have to bear the son of such trash. This is the part that truly disgusts me. All because our business has been having troubletely. Our family''s trade is smithing. Both weapons and armor. Well, the Iron Guardian do have the main role on armor smithing. At least for the high-quality stuff. Meanwhile, we fight for scraps. That leaves us with weapon forging to focus on. The issue is that dwarven-steel has started appearing. That is where that new familyes into y. They im to have a way to contact one of the elusive dwarves directly. This would allow us to stock our shops with some high-end products. This is what we are missing. We sell a lot and sell cheaply, but the bigger sects ignore us. Simply because they need more than just basic quality. There is a war iing. They will have to stock. Before, we used to prosper. All the errant worshipers would be our customers. Right now there is no issue as people are still traveling. Still, we can already see signs of people congregating in cities. Where the safety factor is a bit higher. In normal times most sects do not care about the little guys on their territories. Even farmers have a chance at living. As long as they avoid the bandits that is. Evildoers mostly target people for their wealth and sometimes beauty. Well, most of the weaklings possess none anyway. In this world, normal crops are worthless. That all changes in time of war. Any simple viger could very well be a spy. There has been precedence. The downfall of powerful groups sometimes because of a weakling they had ignored. One that wouldmunicate with their enemies. Often for a pitiful reward too since they are extremely poor. Because of that, most sects do a cleanup before anything serious starts. This in turn makes it so we have fewer customers. Sure some will hide in this city, but all the others will be out of our reach. Slowly, trading will be harder too. *Sigh* While I may sound selfish, I actually care about the family. I just don''t think chasing a myth will help us. Sure if we get dwarven products we will flourish. If. How long has it been since one was even seen? We have no guarantee that my fianc''s family will be able to aplish that. They do not want to let us even meet or talk to that master. Simply put we are grasping at straws with this ceremony. I somehow managed to dy while I sent some of my men to investigate further. My father insistent on the wedding to happen today, however. I finally got some news after a while. Bad news. My men didn''t manage to prove the unreliability of the other party. I would have to go through with this. At that moment I just felt like crying. To curl myself into a ball and evacuate all my sadness and frustration. But I wouldn''t. I just fixed a fake smile on my face. I seriously think this is a mistake but I have no proof. I exited the dressing room in a gorgeous red nuptial robe. I could hear gasps of amazement resonate in the entire building. A big one reserved especially for the event. In the guest seats are representatives from most families. Representatives sound imposing, but most sent their servants. They all see this thing as a joke. As do I. Then he appeared. He would have been dashing. If he actually fixed his appearance. If he didn''t have a slut at his arm. If he didn''t reek of alcohol and sex. If he didn''t adorn his forever lewd smile. He made his way here. Next to an altar used for the ceremony. One in front of which we will swear our vows to the gods. Most precisely the god of smithing and the wayfaring god. Then of course Compromis. Each having its own small statues. A hammer, a winding road, and a bnce. I just stand there while the guy in charge of conductive the ceremony starts his speech. I am absent-mindedly listening. Still unresolved to what is happening. Should I simply end my life after this? The magical pledge would assure that the partnership between our families would be maintained either way. As my thoughts turn darker and darker, I can''t help but wish for a miracle to happen. *SHATTER* *CRASH* *KACHA* Oh my god. Seems my prayers were heard. Out of nowhere fallsa man? Directly on the altar, crushing itpletely. Making this whole event impossible to go through with. Then he simply gets up as if nothing happened. How?! The fall from high enough to kill any warrior! How is he not injured?! He simply looks around confused before finally opening his mouth. [Good night, isn''t it?] Good night?! Are you kidding me?! Chapter 285: Match Made in Heaven! Chapter 285: Match Made in Heaven! *CRASH* Seems the ss wasn''t sturdy enough. I me that shoddy craftsmanship. I fell on some kind of table. A stone one. There are stone fragments all over the ce. Whatever was on it is now destroyed to pieces,pletely beyond recognition. As I look around, I can see a well-lit room. Lots of people all staring at me. Judging by the dcor this seems like some high society event. One that I totally just crashed by mistake. This is awkward. I need to somehow talk them into forgiving me. Greetings, then pay for the damage I caused. After that, I''ll be on my way. Best case they''ll forgive me too. Alright, I got this. [Good night, isn''t it?] There is a moment of silence. Everyone too shocked to make a peep. I''m just here waiting for a reaction. A man starts stomping on the ground. Aging, rtively stylish. An air of authority to him. Now he is pointing at me. "You scoundrel! HOW DARE YOU!" Okay, he''s really mad. "Who are you! What give you the guts to!" [First of all, I''m sorry. Second, I didn''t mean to. I just fell.] "You fell?! You''ll make me believe you simply fell?! You were clearly scheming against our family!" How do I defend myself? C''mon think logically. [No, I don''t even know who you or your family are.] He turns red. "Funny aren''t you hehe." [No, I really mean it!] Do I look like the type to joke around? No way! "You barge in here, destroy this peaceful atmosphere, trash the gods'' altar. Then you dare look down on us!" [No I never meant to] "Good. Very good kid. Some don''t know how to spell the word death. Do you believe yourself to be above judgment!" This is getting out of hand. [How about I pay for the damage and] "Backing down, are you? Very wealthy, are you?" [Not especially actually. Ah, but I should receive some gold soon enough.] "Men close the exits! Then go get the city enforcement!" Should I just run? "Thinking about escaping, are you? It is toote! Everyone here has seen your face already!" Yeah, that is right. Now I regret not getting the same clothes as that one guy I saw on my roof. I could have just left. Funny how I was judging him for the dagger but forgot about anonymity myself. If I be a wanted man, I will lose everything. The bakery, my friends here. I and Wolfie would also need to live like fugitives. I''m pretty sure I can''t fight a whole city head-on. I could pull the same trick I did in the Moon Keep. First, try and talk my way out. If that doesn''t work, I''ll let them capture me and I''ll escape. When they let their guard down that is. I have never fought here. There is no way they know about my powers. I''ll get a low-security cell for sure. I''m pretty sure of it. A city wouldn''t just waste resources on a nobody. Especially if the crime is just breaking a window and a tableoh wait an altar. Is that a broken hammer? Who uses that on an altar?! One day I''ll see these guys in a hardware store just praying. Perhaps. "Father how about we try and resolve this peacefully?" The one that talked just now is a in-lookingdy in a red dress. Hey, at least she has magnanimity! I just want to thank her right now haha. "As if we would take this insult lying down!" Judging by his tone that is a categoric no. Never mind. She tried at least. Before long, the doors open wide. Enters an annoyed-lookingdy that is quickly heading over. "Why did you guys need my help exactly? I have investigations duties left. Make it quick!" I feel like I''ve met her somewhere before. Ah, right! She was the one hovering around my friend from Gluto. "This viin interrupted the wedding of both of our families! He destroyed the sacred altar used for" "Gotcha. Guess I''ll just take him away and.ah, it''s you!" [*Wave* Hey there.] "Why are you here in the first ce?!" [I was doing some parkour.] "What kind of shady practice is that?" [Eh, you just move around the city quickly is all.] "Why?" [Because it''s fun. I simply didn''t expect the ceiling to be that frail.] She looks at me in disbelief. "Let me get this straight you were running on the roof and fell?" [Exactly!] "Don''t listen to his lies! There is no way anyone would do that!" She shakes her head. "That man is a friend of Gluto. Don''t expectmon sense from anyone rted to him." I can hear exmations once she says that. The man continues. "Then I believe them to be voluntarily targeting us! Thest time we had to reschedule the wedding because of themotion the follower from Gluto caused! Now, this lowlife is interrupting again!" What is he even going on about? [Brother, I really don''t know who you are. Not in the least.] "He is lying!" [I didn''t even know this was a wedding in the first ce.] "Lies! All lies!" [Can''t we get a truth bell in here or something?] The city enforcementdy sighs. "These aren''t thatmon. Not every family owns one. This case is not big enough for me to request one either." Oh damn. Don''t tell me that one-time use bell was actually valuable? Guess I''ll apologize next time. But now I need to deal with this situation. Ah, I know! I turn to what I assume to be the groom. He doesn''t look groom-like at all, but maybe it''s a cultural difference. [Hey, there are you the one getting married?] He nods. [Look I''m really sorry about all this!] I look between him and thedy at his arm. They seem extremely lovey-dovey. [You guys look like a match made in heaven! I wish you the best in your marital life. I also wish for you guys to forgive me.] There is a moment of silence. Better add even more. I turn to thedy in red. [Please help me convince your brother.] She gives a helpless sigh. "I''m actually the bride, the one at his arm is a prostitute." Motherfucker! *SLAP* Ah, I somehow couldn''t help myself. pped him right on in the face. Real hard. What kind of human trash brings a prostitute to his own wedding?! Chapter 286: Fucked Up Chapter 286: Fucked Up Note to self, pping someone at their own wedding is really bad. But I still believe what he did is even worst. His poor bride is on the side all dressed up and everything. Meanwhile, the guy is ignoring herpletely. Well, right now he''s on the ground. Howling in pain. Clutching his face. Is he trying to hide the red handprint on his face? Perhaps. I better apologize right now. [Ah, sorry about that. Was a reflex.] "How the hell is that a reflex?! Reflex my ass!" He gets up angrily. "How dare you hurt my perfect face!" Actually. [How dare you show up to your own wedding like that?!] "Mind your own business asshole!" Fair enough. That was showing ack of restraint on my part. But you see am very jealousI mean righteous! "I hereby challenge you to a proxy duel to the " That is when the girl by his side elbows him. Then I slightly hear her whisper that it wouldn''t work. Because of the church of Gluto or something. Wait, is the prostitute smarter than the young master? This is sad. Talk about a waste of education. I can hear various parties requesting for the investigatordy to intervene. She steps up. "Alright, I''ll be arresting him!" For now, I cooperate. She points a dagger at my throat, and we slowly exit the premises. I''m sure I could overpower her. Knock her out instantly. Her weapon is dangerously close to my vitals but who cares. She pushes me toward an alley on the side. Is this supposed to be a shortcut? I just need to wait until she is distracted. "Committing a crime against these guys is enough to have you locked. At the very least for public disturbance. You can be locked for years in worst cases.!" Should I do it? [So is that where you are bringing me?] "What do you think?!" Yep. I may as well escape now! *WOOSH* "What are you?!" *SMACK* Then she''s out cold. Now what? Am I a criminal from now on? I have no clue what to do. "Holy shit dude! Did you kill a city enforcer?!" My thief friend is back. [Not yet. I did knock her unconscious.] "Brother, I saw you from a distance. You are in trouble now." [Totally. Wait, anything we can use to guarantee her silence? What about a magical contract?] "*Sigh* You can try, but these guys are stubborn. They don''t capitte easily." [We just need a bit of time then?] "No, if she goes missing for long we''ll all be in trouble. They''ll close the city and search it up from top to bottom." [So I better run, right?] "For sure. Also, I won''t be able to stick with you or I''ll be deemed suspicious." I understand. There is no need for him to risk his life for me. That would be too much to ask. [Alright, take care and have a good life!] Go back, get Wolfie, run! As I''m leaving, I can''t help but think to myselfwhy not. I''m already on a tight schedule. I climb a roof and start running. This time I''ll stay away from Any dangerous-looking area. I keep going until finally, I reach the bakery. For some reason, there is a light in there. As I enter, I see the old man awake sitting in his usual chair. "I was wondering where you went." [Yeah, about that. I''ll have to leave the city.] "Why?" [I was running on top of a roof and fell. Then I disrupted a wedding.] "And?" [I got arrested and got told they would let me rot in jail for years, so I fled.] "I see. That should be easy to fix since there was no violence involved." [Eh, I kind of rendered a city investigator unconscious.] "Not dead?" [Pretty sure she''s still alive. But now that I assaulted an enforcer I gotta run.] "What about the bakery?" [If I stay they may even close it for all I know. Don''t worry you can go to the Mystery House to grab the gold I made. You should have enough for retirement.] "Do I look like I want to retire!" [Obviously not haha. But still, you won''t have any money trouble. You''ll be able to just cook for yourself.] "That would be boring." [You can even get a new cook.] "How about we try to resolve all of it peacefully?" [I kinda offended two big families. They seem to control thew enforcers. They ordered one toe to do their bidding in a heartbeat.] "So you''ve made your choice?" [I''ll be honest with you, old man. I''m close to impossible to kill, but I don''t want to endanger you or Wolfie.] He smiles gently. "Always worried about others, eh?" [No, most of the time I don''t care. This world can be destroyed for all I care. I just care for a few people.] "You are saying I am one of them?" [Of course old man. We may have not known each other for that long but I do consider you my mentor.] "That is touching. But I feel like you''ve failed to consider everything. How will you even run away?" [I''ll just run. I''ll disappear in the wild.] "Don''t you know that one can''t leave this ce without getting targeted by the system?" [What does it do exactly?] "Unbelievable pain and pressure." That reminds me of the ve contract. [Tell me, old man, between the city system and a ve contract which one is the hardest to ovee?] "Without any external help? ve contract for sure." Divine energy OP! [*Chuckle* Then don''t worry about me. I''ll just breeze through.] He looks intrigued, but he doesn''t say anything else. I give him a bear hug. Then onest smile. [Alright Wolfie let''s go.] "Wait, kid! Your 50 gold deposit!" [Hehe, keep it. I''ll be fine either way. Just live a good life for me. That is my sole request.] He nods. [Later old man.] I resolutely open the door and. On the other side is someone about to knock. Hand raised in the air. We both freeze for a second. How is she already here?! I literally just knocked her out! Chapter 287: Discussion Chapter 287: Discussion She managed to chase me here already! What should I do? Knock her out again? What about reinforcements? Are we surrounded already? Should I do a break for it? For now, let''s "Wait! Don''t you fucking dare knock me out again!" [Why are you here?] Is she going to threaten me with the old man''s safety? "*Sigh* Looking for you." Comes the old man,s voice. "Oh? Is that little Li?" [You guys know each other?!] "*Scoff* Why do you think I am even helping you? Do you think you are handsome or something?!" [Why didn''t you start with that? How was I supposed to know?] "How was I supposed to tell you while unconscious?!" [Fair point.] "Stop arguing ande inside both of you. So let me guess the one you told me you had a conflict with is little Li?" [Seems so. Just to make sure, I don''t have to run as a fugitive anymore?] "You never had to in the first ce you dumbass!" [But you said I''d spend years in a cell. I''m sure the food sucks there! It would be horrible for Wolfie!] The wolf in question is just chilling in the corner. "Wolffie? Your pet?! That''s your reason to run away?!" [Well yeah. But anyway why did you even try to scare me?!] "I was just exining how helpful I was." [Oh.] "*Chuckle* Stop fighting youngsters. Isn''t that a good thing that''s he''s a baker little Li? Wouldn''t you have been in trouble otherwise?" "T-that''s because he took me by surprise!" This will be a memorable memory I believe. The time she was defeated by a baker. Talk about a crushing blow to a warrior''s pride. Then again, she''s an investigator, right? [I''m sorry. I thought you were on their side because you came when they called.] "Ah, no. I work for the city. I need to assist people if there is an issue. I was simply doing my job." I kinda feel bad now. "Still it is the first time I see someone crash a wedding so grandly. Even pping the groom." The old man is listening attentively in the back. Seemingly interested in the drama. [I just couldn''t stand him.] Sher gives me a thumbs up. "*Sigh* It''s good that this has been resolved. Try not to do something stupid again. Later uncle!" She prepares to leave but... "Little Li, before you go. What is happening in the city?" She nces at me uncertainly for a second, but she answers. "Deaths, lots of deaths." [?!] "Necromancy and drug overdose mostly." "Hum, so evil and idiots?" "Pretty much." "How are you guys managing it?" "*Sigh* That''s the issue we don''t have a single lead." [Wait so you are telling me people are dying and you guys have no idea why or who''s doing it?!] "Pretty much." [Is here even safe? What if?] "Don''t worry. You guys aren''t in a risky area!" I see. That is reassuring. The old man chuckles. "If you guys need help, I can always ask this kid to help you." [Old man, why are you pointing at me? I have better things to do.] "He wouldn''t be able to help in any way." "Hehe, you''d be surprised." Now that I think about it I could actually be useful. It would rely on luck quite possibly. But I am able to observe any area from far away. Perfect surveince! Except it''s really tiring. Mentally that is. [You said something about necromancy, right? How likely is an undead invasion to happen?] "You are more likely to spontaneously be a god than it to happen." [Good. That''s reassuring.] "Well, I really have to go now." "Take care little Li." [Have a good night!] As soon as she leaves "HAHAHAHHAHAHA I can''t believe you were ready to live the life of a fugitive!" [That] "How stupid would it have been if you really ran away?! HAHAHAHA" [In my defense I couldn''t know!] "How did you even crash a wedding in the first ce?" After I finish telling the story he is on the floor. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This is hrious!" [Still, I think I may have made strong enemies] "Them? No. They are too busy trying to save their respective businesses. [What would that even be?] "One family smithing and the otherwell they are jobless." [Jobless?!] In a fantasy setting jobless people always end up bing extremely strong. Don''t ask me why. "Well, they revere the wayfarer god." [Any rtion to the wanderer god?] "Well, thetter is the broke version for masochistic people haha. The Wayfarer is against poverty and loneliness." [So how do they even eat?] "I mean they don''t have a specialty as a group. Individually they do whatever they want." [That sounds great, to be honest.] "Well, that makes them weaker than the other families." [Okay, I need to know something. I''ve been hearing about families and sects for a while. Are both interchangeable?] "Hard to say. Sometimes a family will be referred to as a sect and vice versa when there is no one else worshiping said god in the area. By definition families are people rted directly in some way, usually by blood. But a rule of thumb, families are local overlords while sects are more likely to be strong across the continent. Perhaps even strong across the earth realm." [Let me guess there are exceptions? Sects that are extremely tiny and families that are secretly superpowers?] "I can''t say for sure but most likely. I have spent most of my life here after all." [Makes sense. By the way, how do you know so many people from the city?] "Hehe, before I became a baker, I used to have a low-level job there." [Seriously?! Let me guess you were the one that kept bringing cookies for people at work?] He seems to be reminiscing. "No, that was my wife." [Oh, sorry I didn''t mean to.] "Then don''t apologize." [Alright.] "You know, sometimes pain is good." [What do you mean?] "I''m talking about the emotional pain after a loss." [?] "Regretting something beautiful at least means we lived it." [So, you''d rather hurt forever just to have a chance of knowing true happiness?] "Exactly." This is so simple, yet so deep. Human emotions are soplex. "On that note, good night." . After dropping such a bomb, he just goes back to sleep?! I can''t help but keep pondering his words. That''s when I hear footsteps on top of the roof again. What now? Chapter 288: Awesome Detective Chapter 288: Awesome Detective I can hear footsteps on the roof. Is there anyone trying to assassinate me? I just recently angered two families. Is this their revenge? Wait, no. They said something about failing many times to organize a wedding. Chances are an assassination is more troublesome. What about my other enemies? I guess it could be the ve traders. The guy above could also not be here for me at all. He could just be doing some parkour like the one I saw before. There is only one thing to do now! I just wait. Some would argue that I should go confront whoever it is. But what if I make a new enemy because of a misunderstanding? I''m just holding my breath. Before long whoever it was leaves. Thus ends an eventful night. I can''t help but smile as I think of my ns for tomorrow. **** As soon as I rise, I start baking. I feel extra motivated! Going out is great and all, but I need to work hard too. Now time to see how many we sold! I''m confronted with a mountain of pies. [Say, old man. How many did we sell today?] "Two if you include the one I ate." That''s when I notice the issue. Our salesgirl is nowhere to be seen! [What happened to her?] "Oh, she still hasn''te back from that family meeting." [So she''s spending time with her brother pretty much?] "Quite probably." [So where can we get a recement?] "Either you scour the city, or you go buy a ve or something." [Is there any employment center here?] "What do you mean?" [A ce where people can post and take job offers.] "Nope. How would someone even make a profit with that?" [Well by letting people find jobs easily they get richer. Once they get richer whoever is in charge can collect more money from them. Makes sense, no?] "I see your point but you failed to consider one thing." [?] "The ones with the money are the sects and the big families." [You mean that no one cares about the others cause they are poor? And the rich ones don''t need such a thing in the first ce?] "Quite precisely." [Still sounds dumb to me. Isn''t it extremely inefficient?] "Not enough for how troublesome it would be to set up." [Gotcha. If I ever own a city that shall be the first thing I will do!] He chuckles and stays behind with Wolfie as I leave. I bring with me some gold. We aren''t the most sessful bakery, but we manage. Usually, I would be lost, but I know exactly where to head! It may sound dumb at first, but I have a n! Time for a disguise. I stop by a shop that sells clothing. It takes me a few tries to get one that does. People here don''t have the habit to use mannequins to show off their products. Probably because ss seems more troublesome to get. All the info is probably written on their signs. Yeah written Anyway, I do manage somehow. I get myself a new get-up. One that can easily blend in. A ck robe. The best color to hide the stains. Then I change and go out. My old clothes are quite worn so I just leave them there. That is my perfect disguise! I mean I was wearing a disguise when I went there thest time haha. Oh yeah, what happened to the ck cloak they gave me? It''s been sitting at the bakery now that I think about it. I use divine energy to scout my way to my destination. I get there and approach a nearby guard. [Hey there, I''d like to purchase a ve!] "Sorry Sir but we have none to sell at the moment. We are restructuring." [What? Howe?!] I''m sure they had plenty thest time. "That''s all I''m allowed to say." [So, where is the nearest ve trader ce then?] He looks at me at a loss. "Sir I''m definitely not allowed to tell you that." C''mon! They won''t sell, they won''t help either! What kind of shady business is that?! Ah, well it is supposed to be shady actually. That is when ady exits the building. Purple long hair. A face, torso, arms, and legs. When she sees me, she freezes. Do we know each other? "Ah, are you here to buy a ve?" [Indeed, I''m looking for a salesman.] "This can''t be!" [What?] "I was in there trying to apply for a job!" [Right, what''s even happening with?] *Cough Cough* *re* "Haha, how about we leave this ce first?" [Sure thing.] As we walk across town, she tells me more about the situation inside. Apparently, there are rumors of all the ves escaping. They tried to quell them but without sess. After all, there were many eyewitnesses. I ask her why she even thought they would hire her then. Apparently, ve breaks have happened many times in the past. Usually, it wouldn''t affect business much. This time is different, or so she just learned. Well, her guessing it would be more urate. ording to her, they seem to have lost their contracting tool. The artifact that regtes all temporary contracts. I''m wondering how the hell she managed to learn that. She tells me she did from seeing one ve they had inside. She didn''t have the ve seal. Meaning they can still do a ve contract but not a temporary one. With aplete one, it spoils the product. This makes it way harder to control their prisoners. They will need way more guards. Wow. I am the one that destroyed that artifact and yet she knows more than me. All from deductions. This is damn impressive! [Are you sure you want to work as a saleswoman?] "Of course!" [The way I see it you could be a detective or something.] "Ah, it isn''t as easy. It requires proven loyalty to the city *Sigh*." [So long and arduous selection process eh, makes sense.] "Ah, right. What kind of business do you have?" [Don''t you want to try and deduce it?] "I''m no prophet haha." [Fair enough, I''m a baker.] "Cool, then I''ll sell so much bread just watch me!" [We only sell pie.] "Then I''ll sell so many pies!" Hehe, I like her enthusiasm. The future looks promising. Now I''m just missing that Chapter 289: Assassin Chapter 289: Assassin ****(POV) At first, I was hesitant to ept the job. As assassins, we need to have a clear concept of boundaries. At least it is the case in this city. We need to know who we can target and who we should steer clear of. For example, anyone closely rted to the city is a red g. Or anyone rted to the biggest sects or families. From time to time we do ept one such job, but only with the approval of the higher-ups. Funny enough we have no way of knowing who they are. All we know is we each have an assassination mentor. One that we should refer to if there is any issue appearing. Well, they are not babysitters either. They won''t care about our life and death. They do watch us closelyfrom afar. Should wemit anything dangerous for the organization we will be terminated. That simple. That job offer was dangerously close to breaking those. The target someone unprotected. But one that lives with a protected target. At first, I simply refused, but then they kept offering more. Finally, we made a deal. They would supply ves to the organization in exchange for me doing their bidding. I discussed it with my assigned mentor, and he agreed to it. I would be rewarded grandly for my contributions. It seems they were ready to splurge for that one. Surprisingly they asked me to bring him in alive if possible. For they would love to inflict pain unto him. Well, I am sure that is a lie. My guess is he managed to figure out one of their trade secrets. Now they want to figure out if he has told anyone. I just wonder how valuable such information would be. It could potentially be worth me keeping it to myself. So I left for what was surprisingly a bakery. Yes, somehow a tiny bakery is part of the protected territory. My first reaction was disbelief, but then I understood why. The old man in there may be useless but he has friends that are powerful. Friends that could easily wipe our entire assassin organization on a whim. Well, they wouldn''t in any case. It is better for them that we are here. We are used to following the core rules after all. We are a necessary evil that provides a service. Should we disappear, another will take our ce. One that may not care that much about the customs. Plus we have a solid backing. The scope of operation is small here. But outside, there are cities under our reign. That is what I heard anyway. The first part of any job is to collect information. Thus I started observing them. Both during the day and at night. I found out where he eats, sleeps, and Usually, I would say shit, but he doesn''t seem to somehow. My guess is they installed atrine in the kitchen. That is DISGUSTING! Then again judging by the time he spends there, it makes sense. I found out he seems to be connected to a big family and the church of Gluto. That''s why I went back to the client. Told them my findings. Asked if they still wanted me to do the job. Of course, I raised the price too. Hidden dangers warrant more remuneration. My employer seemed a bit angry. I mean I did oversell the risks. He hangs out with kids of a strong family. That means the true holders of powers are unlikely to make a move. Gluto people only care about eating. Not revenge. It is even questionable if he would even notice. I decided to go back to observation. But when I left the building of my client, there he was. I froze for a second. Wondering if he knew. Showing up to the ce of someone that wants you dead is crazy! Nonchntly too. He was even talking with the guard. I tentatively asked him if he was here to buy ves. Of course, I knew it wasn''t possible. He yed the game and told me about his situation. Then I agreed to work for him. He seemed pleased. We walked back to his ce. As soon as we entered the atmosphere turned serious. [How much experience do you have in dealing with people?] How long have I been killing people? How direct! "Around 5 years." [Great. You know how to count and write?] "Of course!" That much is a skill necessary for any professional assassin. The dumb ones are better off bing bandits. [I will give you clear targets every day. I will be counting on you.] There it is! Finally, he said it clearly! "What about the sry?" [On the higher side and based on performance.] I understand. It is usually like that in our circle. [As for amodations you can stay here if you need or get yourself a ce.] Is this a riddle? What is he expecting of me? Does he want to keep under his watch? "What about the old man?" [Don''t worry about him. He is so friendly he has tons of friends.] He''s clearly showcasing the connections he has. Warning me about how foolish it is to target him. I''ve never seen someone be that obvious about it. [Oh, also during the night you may hear footsteps on the roof. Don''t worry they are harmless.] I''m a professional assassin and he considers me harmless?! What would be harmful then?! "What about a contract?" [That isn''t needed.] What?! He expects me to work for him just like that? What if I betray him? What about his secrets or a possible backstab? How is he not worried?! "Don''t you fear me betraying your trust?" [Nope. You''ll be free to stop working whenever.] He said to stop working. This means death. An ominous promise. "What about the daily targets?" [We''ll start slow. About 50 per day. Then we''ll slowly increase it.] How?! This is clearly impossible! How am I supposed to kill that many without a trace?! Is he starting a war?! "W-what if I can''t reach it?" [Then I''ll help you train until you do manage. Don''t worry.] Oh god. Special training. This means torture, right?! "What if I changed my mind about working here?" [You are already here, you may as well.] Direct refusal! Let''s try to bring my backing in the picture. "I need a family member''s permission to start working" [Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it.] What does he mean by that?! Am I screwed?! Chapter 290: New Salesgirl Chapter 290: New Salesgirl I can''t believe my luck! I went to buy a ve and I encountered a girl looking for a job. As much as it was nice to get freebor from that Greberos girl, her leaving whenever she wants is an issue. Now we officially have a full-time salesgirl! This way the clients will be ustomed to her. Don''t forget the power of interpersonal rtionships. Some regrs love that kind of service. That is how you gain regrs. They can just enter and ask for the usual. That new employee has the perfect resume. She can count and read, already better than me. She has 5 years of customer service experience too! She was needlessly worried about achieving my expectations haha. Also said something about a family member''s permission. I''m not too worried about thatst part. I''m sure whoever it is won''t have any issue with her working here. We ain''t a shady business and I''ll pay her a decent wage. On that note, I''m sure the old man is knowledgeable about sries. Today is officially her first day. She seems motivated. "Sir! Who are the first targets?" [Let''s start with 50 pies! I believe in you!] She looks stunned for a second. I''m sure she''ll figure it out soon. I go into the kitchen and start baking. From time to time she pops in looking at me bake while confused. [What''s up? Any trouble with the sales?] "Ah, no it''s going well. It''s just" [Go ahead.] "Is this really all I''m supposed to do?" What else could I Ah, I see. She is worried about weird stuff. I bet at herst job her boss tried to harass her or something. I''m not that trashy. [Yep, it is all. Don''t worry about it and just take it slow!] She still seems baffled, but she goes back to the counter, nheless. Oh well, she''ll slowly get used to the ce. I''m not too worried. Plus there is the old man and Wolfie. They are the nicest there is. That is when I hear the door m open and a shout. "Hey, old man! I''m hungry! Let''s eat a bite!" His friend from city hall is back it seems. I love how much he disregards social status. If everyone was like him a God war would be pointless in the first ce. "Who''s the new girl?" "W-wee, Sir!" Even from where I am, I can hear how stressed she sounds. Does she perhaps know who he is? Time to show my worth as a boss and smooth things out! [Hey, how has it been?] "I don''t like her. She smells of death. She is obviously the scheming type." What?! She starts to shudder. [Hey, you can''t just insult my employee!] "Boy, I''m serious. What do you know about her?" He gives her a piercing gaze. [Not much, but does it matter? She''s one of us from now on so back off.] I swear he''s too suspicious of others. "What if she''s an assassin?" She''s looking a bit palish now. Blood draining from her face. [I mean, what kind of assassin would work at a bakery?] Now that I think carefully about it, that would make a good cover. Bakery salesman by day. Ruthless assassin by night. Who would ever expect that? "You never know, but maybe you are right. Thetest days have been rough *Sigh*." She rxes. "Get him a pie and some tea." Before long the old manes out and they start happily discussing. I go next to her and pat her shoulder. [Don''t worry. Just focus on your job and everything will be alright] "T-that, what if I find that I''m not suited for the job?" [Rubbish! You are working here from now on! Just keep selling pies, this is your destiny!] She nods absent-mindedly. Thus I resume baking. ****(POV) I almost had a heart attack! When that city official entered, I recognized him. One of the big shots there. He is at the very top of the list of do not offend. I had heard how this shop had some rtionship with city hall. Seems our information is very wrong. Actually no, it probably wasn''t disclosed purposely. In case some daredevil tries to im a bounty on him and ruined everything for us. Still, I strongly believe he wouldn''t be easy to deal with in the first ce. Just his instinct alone makes it close to impossible to kill him. He instantly saw through me. Funny how I served him food and drinks too. I could easily have poisoned either. Yet I didn''t dare. I was sure I was a goner. But then that man intervened. The one I came here for. Defended me for some reason. For now, I am in the clear. But also stuck here. It would be extremely suspicious of me to leave right after encountering that city guy. Still, this isn''t what I was expecting. At all! The targets I have to reach daily are only pies. Selling damn pies! He was serious about all of it! He simply wants me to stand there, wee customers, and take their money. Nothing else! This is such a waste of my capabilities! Not only that, but what''s even the sry for such a job? It has to be pitifully low. Selling pies is my destiny? I''d rather kill myself before. Now, what should I do? I know. This baker somehow has secret information on the ve traders. I just need to find a way to interrogate him. The fastest way is for sure to kidnap him and torture him. Then I''ll have more leverage and options. I can grab him easily if I drug him. He doesn''t seem wary in the least against me. How long would I have before someone starts looking for him? Actually, sometimes overthinking can be bad. I wait until it is just about bedtime. The old man isn''t in the picture. There is only me, my target, and a small wolf here. Thetter I can always silence easily if it bes an issue. I brew some tea, slip some drugs in there, then I head to the kitchen. He gratefully epts it and drinks. "Goodnight Sir!" I just need to wait a few minutes and he should fall unconscious. Then I''ll escape to a safe house and hopefully bring him back in the morning. [Is there anything you want to say?] How is he still talking without any issue?! I just need to buy a bit more time. "I just wanted to thank you for earlier Sir!" [Don''t sweat it haha. It''s normal.] No matter how long I stand here he shows no sign of faltering. [Did you fall for my handsomeness?] "Sorry, Sir. I just spaced out!" What the hell?! How is he still fine?! What handsomeness?! *Sigh* This is the weirdest job I''ve ever done. I''ll just report to my superior tomorrow and see what hees up with. Chapter 291: Art Gallery Chapter 291: Art Gallery Wee to pimp your bakery. After baking a bit I leave, letting the girl watch over the ce. I bring some coins. I am looking for an artist. The one that I saw at the duel to be exact. I want to ask him to draw an enticing billboard for me. I quickly ask for directions. Apparently, there is an art gallery not far away. A small one, but they should know more about my target. As I get there, I can see a small crowd. The building is rtively small. About 20 individuals at once canfortably visit it at once. There is a responsible for admission it seems. [Hey there, I am looking for an artist.] "You came to the right ce then! All the best ones are exposed here. The admission is 1 silver!" Isn''t that like 10 pies?! How expensive! [Actually, I am just looking for a guy. I know he drew the duelst time] "Friend, you should just head inside and see if his work is there." [Fair enough.] I guess worst case it doesn''t have to be him for sure. I reluctantly pay and head inside. I can see a bunch of people well-dressedmenting on various canvas. The more I look and the more disappointed I get. Let''s just say I cannot recognize any of the creatures drawn. The portraits are not that bad, but they arecking something. Lacking vitality I''d say. Am I too picky since I''m used to good art? "This one is a real masterpiece!" Oh? I approach, then I see some sort of mythical creature. Resplendent with rainbow scales. There is a drawing of a unicorn. Rainbow horn, a luminous aura even wings. Why are there scales and wings? I guess the artist decided to have some fun haha. Some man nearby exims. "I really like how realist it is!" Oh? This is intriguing. [Hey there, could you tell me what kind of creature that is?] "*Scoff** Can''t you read?!" [Exactly. I can''t.] "Who even let this illiterate bum in here?!" That asshole. [I paid my entrance fee like everyone else.] "That is why they should make it more expensive! To filter the trash!" As the arrogant man is making a ruckus,es a young man. He seems calm and poised yet doesn''t seem stuck up. "Hey there friend, what would you like to know about this piece?" [Ah, I''m just wondering what it is.] "This is a noble and legendary unicorn." [Why the wings and the scales then?] "In literature unicorns are said to be as powerful and fast as dragons." [HAHAHA, that is taking things very literally. That is what is great about art you can be creative. But why the hell would anyone call it realistic?] "Well no one has ever seen a unicorn, so the artist had to improvise." [I see. For future reference, a unicorn is just a horse with a horn. Well, one that can use magic and talk but that''s pretty much it.] The arrogant guyes back. "Bullshit! You are telling it as if you''ve seen one yourself! How ignorant of you! All the records we have all point at this piece being urate." [*Shrug* Then your records are wrong.] "How dare you spout nonsense here!?" [I mean I don''t have to be daring, I just need to follow your lead.] I can hear people snicker in the background. "YOU!" The young man intervenes. "Now both of you calm down. Let''s not fight on something we have no proof of." "Sure, as soon as he apologizes for his insensitive remarks! That is trying to shame all the schrs of the city!" [Shouldn''t a schr pursue knowledge rather than fame? What''s the point of sticking to erroneous ideas?] "Hehe, good. Do you dare present your arguments to a schrly assembly?! They will instantly figure you out for the fake you are!" More like why should I care? I''m just here to find a guy. I turn to the young man. Completely ignoring the previous guy. [So I''m looking for an artist that sells portraits of rankers. To everyone. Ah, especially thedies.] "You wretched! No wonder you are here to cause trouble! You are that bastard''s friend!" I can hear voices of agreement in the background. I take it he is not popr around here. [So you guys do know him! Where can I find him?] The arrogant guy starts shouting. "Manager! Expulse this guy right away! He is a bad apple!" Before long some subservient guyes in and tells me to leave. I keep asking for more info, but they simply turn me back every time. Oh well, this gallery sucked anyway. Ah, there is just one thing. [I want a refund! You guys kicked me out for no valid reason!] The guy at the entrance denies my request. Something about the rules being written at the entrance sign clearly. Is it me or all the entertainment businesses here have issues? Rock gambling uses literal death warriors. The art gallery doesn''t know what art is. No wonder people flock to duels! As I''m pondering about my next move I see the young man scuttle over. "Hey there, sorry about earlier." [Don''t sweat it, idiots. They are everywhere.] "Haha don''t let him hear that or he''ll get mad. He''s very prideful." [Was he the artist or something? Why did he get so mad?] "No, actually I am the one that painted that. I also had his input for drawing it." [Oh, why did you even listen to him?] "He very forcefully offered haha. With coins." Makes sense. [I mean if he wants a rainbow dragon-unicorn there isn''t an issue, but why get hyped over it?] "Apparently he has been researching the topic for years, so he gets antsy about anyone contesting it." [Blinded by pride he chooses to ignore the truth eh.] "I mean, what even is the truth at this point haha. When is thest time someone even saw one such creature?" [Like at worst a few weeks give or take?] "What do you mean?" [Since Ist saw one. A unicorn.] "Surely you are jesting." [Why does everyone assume that at first? Like sure they are powerful, but besides that, they are literally horny horses.] "You?! You''d die if some people heard you!" [Why? The one I know doesn''t have an issue with the nickname.] He looks at me in disbelief. "You really know one?" [Well, we parted way in that one town with the tamer guild.] "You swear?!" [Why don''t you just get a truth bell or something haha.] "?!" [Anyway, I''m looking for a good artist to make something for my shop. Can you help with that?] Why does he look shell-shocked? Chapter 292: Convincing an Artist! Chapter 292: Convincing an Artist! [Hello? You okay man?] "T-this is just hard to believe. Meeting a unicorn for real." [Then don''t believe. What about the artist thingy?] "Right, for your shop? What do you need exactly?" [A big-ass billboard that people will see easily. One that will cover all of my exterior wall!] He ponders for a few seconds. "How about I bring you to that guy and then if he doesn''t want to help, I''ll do it." [Oh? Aren''t you confident enough? Your painting seemed pretty good to me.] "You see I''m just curious. Most people would avoid him like the gue you see." [Why?] "Because of what he draws." [What do you mean?] Hees closer. "*Whisper* He draws some stuff where there are no clothes." [And? Isn''t that great?] "*Sigh* Not really. There is a stigma in the art society about that." [Wait, is there a red district here in this city?] "Meaning?" [A ce where prostitutes work.] "Ah, yeah there are some." [So there is a red district, which is fine. At the same time there are people getting antsy about it?] "Exactly." [That''s dumb!] "Exactly!" But seriously how did I never hear about it? Ah, right. I hang out with kids, old men, an eating addict, and a wolf. Probably exins why. Also, there is so much stuff I still ignore about this city. But hey, baby steps. [Let''s go already!] He guides me tothat''s the fake slums, right? We head to a building that is half-standing. Then he guides me to a trapdoor. Oh! Hidden basement! "Hey, I brought a visitor!" "Go away! I''m busy! Don''t you have dumbasses to entertain?" What''s with the cold shoulder? "Don''t worry about him. He''s just mad that I receivemissions from those guys." We slowly go inside and there he is. Amongst a mountain of paper. He seems to be furiously scribbling. One quill in each hand. Dual-wielding like a boss! Sending ink flying away all over the ce. Weirdly enough there are no ink sshes on the sheet themselves. Everything is neat and well defined. He seems to be working on a portrait of the cultivator dude. Yep, that looks like a striptease. Are these stars in his eyes? The well-defined muscles on that slender frame. Did he ever remove his shirt during the fight? How can we be sure this is urate? Then again, I bet no one really cares about that haha. [Hey there, it''s been a while.] "Oh. It''s you. What do you want? I have some more of these if you want." [No thanks, that guy is a prick.] "How would you know?" [I just do.] "Jealous much?" [Not in the least.] "Then how about this one?" He shows me a drawing of that iron something guy that tried to buy my sword. [Still no, but this guy is cool.] "You act as if you''ve personally met both of them haha." On the side, the unicorn painter opens his mouth in surprise. "Don''t tell me you." [Yep.] "Bell?" [If you have one, I don''t mind.] "This is crazy!" [Naw, just coincidences really.] "Hey, what are the two of you talking about?!" [That''s not important. I need an artist for my bakery.] "Why would that even help?" [Branding. Between a boring one and one with a kick-ass drawing on the wall which one do you think people will remember?] "Whichever makes the best and cheapest bread duh." [I only sell pies!] "Then you need to diversify your product beforehand! Do you expect people to eat the same thing every day?!" [Indeed.] "Are you crazy?!" [My pies are crazy good] ;) "Are you serious right now?" [Let me ask you this. If you had to choose between creating the single greatest masterpiece ever or creating many good pieces of art. What would you choose?] "You think you can bake the greatest pie ever?" [Not right now, but perhaps one day.] "I like your drive! Alright, I was nning to keep working, but you know what. Bring me to your ce and I''ll create a masterpiece!" Hell yeah! He grabs some supplies. We just leave. [Wait, don''t you need to lock or something?] The unicorn artist giggles. "Last time a guy stole some of his material he tracked him down and" [He beat him up?] "No! Way worse!" [He somehow killed him?] "Worse. *Shiver* He drew him!" [What''s bad about that?] "He drew him fucking various animals, corpses, trees, etc. Then he spread that all across town." [Damn that''s savage!] "It gets even worse." [How?!] "There was a caption at the bottom. That said he would do it again, and again, and again." [Then what happened?!] "The guy was forced to pay five times the value of the things he had stolen. Losing all dignity in the process too." [Wow! That''s so badass!] "I know right?!" "Why are you guys getting excited? It was just a way for me to resolve the situation peacefully." Damn! If that is his peaceful approach, I don''t want to see him serious! Actually, I do. I just don''t want to be the target. What would he do? We finally reach the bakery. Surprisingly, there are many customers. d to see she''s doing a good job. [Here it is! In all its glory!] "It looks, nice?" "It totally looks in!! [Yes, but can you fix it?] "Fine. But you have to let me work. Noint allowed." [Fine by me.] "How about you head inside and wait until I am done?" [A surprise? Sure!] The unicorn painter stays outside to help. In the bakery, there are a few men and women seated. Enjoying their pie. Ah, they seem to be calling the waitress a lot. Are they causing her trouble? I look for a little bit before I finally realize what is happening. They seem to know her. Acquaintances trolling their friend. After all, it''s her job to agree to their demands. As long as these ones are not over the top of course. "Ah, owner! You''re back!" [Indeed. How was it while I was gone?] "Everything ran smoothly. By the way, this man here is the rtive I was talking about." Oh? He''s the one I need to convince? Time to put my silver-tongue to good use! Chapter 293: Silver-Tongue Chapter 293: Silver-Tongue Oh? This is her rtive? Looking neat, not overly dressed. Kind looking. The kind of man that probably is peaceful. [Hello there! d to finally meet you! Are you her brother?] He looks a bit too young to be her father. If he turns out to be I''ll just say he looks very in shape. "Something along the line. Why exactly do you want her to work here?" [I need someone to be the link with the customers while I bake.] "What can you offer her?" [Hehe, the working environment is the best! It is very peaceful and safe!] "Safe you say? What if someone tries to mess with her while you are baking?" [This is exactly why we have a guardian beast! Wolfie, say hello!] Shezily waves a paw. "Thissmall wolf is the one protecting this shop?" [She may not look like it, but she is very smart! If there is anything she''ll get reinforcements.] "What about you? How do you usually spend your days?" [Mostly baking.] "Right now you were out, right? Do you often leave the shop unattended? I''m asking for her sake of course." [I understand! I was out running a small errand. I''m alwaysing back here every day, so I''ll be able to help if there are any issues. Plus I still need to bake.] "I see. How about we share a cup of tea while talking?" [Why not haha.] Thus we sit together. I can feel it we are bonding already. At some point, he gets out some sort of powder. Apparently, it''s a mix of sugar and spices. One that brings out the vor in the beverage. He offers me some and I dly ept. It tastes like cinnamon to my delight. At that point, I''m already impressed. But that''s when he brings out another powder satchel. Then another one. He keeps getting out new vors. He offers me to try some of each. Before long I have tasted many vors. Honey, berries, maple syrup, lemon, mint, many others. I can''t believe how awesome that is! I instantly ask him if he''d like to partner to bring me these spices. I''m hyped about trying all-new cooking recipes with that. He lightly refuses at first. Then I keep pushing saying that I''ll give him credit for sure. I say that I can even name a pie after him directly. I tell him about my dream to share my pies with the whole city. To have everyone from children to adults to old men eat them. He somehow shudders from excitement while picturing the scene. At that point, I''m convinced he''ll ept. I tell him I can even hang a poster of him in our bakery. You know as a thank you. He promptly declines. He seems so thrilled at the idea that he is still shaking. But apparently all of the previous are really hard to get. It is fine for personal use, but it would make one bankrupt in a big quantity. Of course, I tell him that this is not an issue. That I can start a premium pie only for the elite. One that would use expensive ingredients. Once more he seems excited, but he quickly turns me down. It seems the issue is also the supply. One cannot buy that in high quantity. Something about it being a special blend made personally by an alchemist. A shame but it''s understandable. I can understand the issue. Not only are the ingredients hard to get, but that alchemist probably doesn''t want to have his recipe stolen by automating the process. Anyone could just barge into his workshop and steal everything. I do ask him to tell his friend about me. How I would like to make a deal with him. That we can discuss everything further. That I''ll make it worth his time. That I simply want to bake the best pies there is. I tell him about my dream to eventually expand to the outside world. While all of this is happening my new employee is looking over. She seems baffled for some reason. Did she expect this to go the wrong way? Perhaps he just sensed my passion. That would exin why he doesn''t seem against her working here. He probably is either a rich merchant or from a rich sect/family. After all, it is the first time, I have seen such vor additives. I''m guessing most top-tier chefs must use some. Like the food I ate at the Moon Keep or recently at that one merchant guild. I feel like I''ll have to diversify my recipes soon. While great, my current pies are quite simple. Well, there is a charm to that too. Anyway, I assure him that his sister will be in good hands. That we are one of the most respectable shops there is. That we even have city hall people as our customers. When I tell him that, he nods seriously. Just when I am basking in the joy of a mission aplished Comes a shout! "How dare you taint this city with your abominations!" What the hell?! What is happening outside? This is a bad time for amotion! I just finished convincing my interlocutor too. [Excuse me a second, I''ll be right back.] Outside awaits me ady covered from head to toe in white. She is wearing some sort of veil. A long robe. That would usually seem elegant But right now she''s screaming and pointing. She seems to have a conflict with my two artist friends. "You should be ashamed of yourselves! I''ll have this ce razed to the ground!" [Wow,dy! What is happening?!] "This ce is owned by an outrageous bastard that should be put down with his shop that''s what''s happening!" Meanwhile, some customers are crowding over to watch the show. Including the brother that I just convinced. So much for a peaceful bakery. What is up with this timing?! *Sigh* Now is the time for me to show how calm andposed I can remain. I make sure my tone is the friendliest. I sh a bright and sunny smile. I look at thedy directly into the eyes. Then [Lady, I am the owner here. If you have any concerns, I will calmly listen to them. Now that said If you are simply here to cause trouble Then kindly shut the fuck up!] Chapter 294: Art Masterpiece and Haters Chapter 294: Art Masterpiece and Haters [Then kindly shut the fuck up!] "Y-you! How dare you?!" [Does that mean you are here simply to cause trouble?] "Your very shop is a sphemy! I will make sure it gets destroyed!" Then she turns around and leaves angrily. [What is even her problem?] The unicorn artist shyly exins. "E-eh I think she doesn''t like our painting very much." I turn around. That''s when I see it. The front of the bakery has something incredible on it. Picture the lewdest art you can think of. Ahegao face and all that. Tongue out. Saliva dripping. A cute girl clearly enjoying herself. A bit too much. What is she doing? Well eating a steamy hot pie. Nothing else. They somehow managed to create the ultimate barely not H-art. The sketchy artist continues. "Hehe, telling us to do whatever we wanted might have been a mistake HAHAHAHA." [I love it! Good job!] "S-seriously?!" "What?! I wanted to see you regret and squirm then ask me to change it!" [Brother, what kind of fetish do you even have?!] "?!" "Noment haha. Still, now what are you going to do about thedy from before?" [I mean who is she even?] The Spice Guyes forward. That''s how I''ll nickname my salesgirl''s brother from now on. "I can perhaps help. She should belong to the Untainted Sect. They only have a small branch in this city." [Who are they even?] "They are a sect that reveres the Purity God." [Let me guess. It is an all-female sect where they must preserve their virginity to keep their powers?] "Well about the virgin part yes. But they also have male members." [Seriously?!] "Indeed." [Why are people even joining?] "For power as it is the case with most sects." [Gambling? Alcohol? Drugs?] "They ban all of that." [Sounds like a horrible ce. They make any other sect look interesting then.] "It is not very popr here, but they have a lot of influence elsewhere on the continent." [I see, so she took offense to an innocent drawing?] "Seems like it. This may bring you trouble if you don''t deal with it." [What would you suggest?] "Repaint the ce and act as if it was never there in the first ce. They won''t have anything toin about then." [So you are telling me to conform to their sick mentality?] "Well, if you want to avoid a fight yes." [Tell me more about them. What motivates them?] "They want to make sure the city remains as pure as possible. Frankly, this is a lost battle considering the number of sects there are here." [Hehe, they are worried about appearances, eh?] The shy artist chimes in. "What are you nning?!" [Something fun. Can any of you guide me to their base?] "Is it fine if I leave? I''d rather not be implicated." [Go ahead haha. What about you guys?] "I''ll follow along since I''m curious." "I''ll remain here to sell pies since it''s my job!" "Seems fun, I''m kinda curious how you''ll deal with them. Plus it''s kinda my fault you are in this trouble in the first ce." He is surprisingly loyal for a sketchy artist haha. I turn to the Spice guy. [But first thing first, can I get some of that spice?] "I really don''t think it''s a good idea to" [Please!] "Fine, but don''t let anyone else recklessly eat it. Some people can''t stomach it and get sick. I do have the antidote, but I need to be there to administer it in case." [Ah, don''t worry. I know what an allergic reaction is. I''ll be careful.] He looks a bit perplexed, but whatever. I head inside and quickly bake some pies with these. I put them aside and instruct my saleswoman not to eat or sell them. Then Ie out again. [Alright! Guide the way! Let''s try and resolve things peacefully first!] They both nod and we get in motion. Before long we reach what can only be described as a small white manor. Situated in the rich part of the city. There seem to be many bigshots living here. [What happened to the purity? What happened to being a small branch? This is surprisingly big!] "Well, that''s all it really has going for it. All the disciples live here too. Most sects have a lot of members residing outside." [Let me guess, it would be too easy for them to be corrupt otherwise?] "Indeed." I head over to the three guards at the entrance. This bugs me a bit, asymmetrical. [Hey there, I have some matter to talk with someone in charge.] "Hello stranger, how may we help?" [Here is the thing, one of your members started insulting my bakery and left angrily for no reason. I am here to try and resolve this conflict peacefully.] "Ah, so it''s you. No need. The branch master has already decided on how to deal with the issue." [He has?] "Yes, you simply need to take down the shop then kneel for a month in front of our gates, and we will forgive you." [Are you shitting me?!] "Of course not. You can ask anyone. I''m afraid otherwise you will be an enemy of ours. Your fate will be worse." [There are no negotiation opportunities?] "The branch master specially ordered that there would be none. That we shouldn''t disrupt him for that matter." [No matter what?] "No matter what." [*Sigh. I guess it can''t be helped then. Let''s go!] "Aren''t you angry? You won''t destroy your own ce, right?" [Of course, I''m a bit angry. Well, also disappointed. Also no I won''t ever destroy it.] "Then what''s the n?" [You''ll see haha.] We get back to the bakery. The old man is there looking puzzled at the special pies. "Hey kid, why is there such a thing written in front?" [What?] "It says not to eat any of these. Something about dying if one does." [Haha, that must be our new salesgirl. I told her to make sure no one touched them.] "Oh? What are they even?" [Pies with special spices. Also part of my master n!] "Right, I heard we now have some conflict with the Untainted sect. Want me to try and pull some strings?" [Old man, I clearly rememberst time you did. You disrupted half the city and wanted me to sign up for my own funerals! No thanks!] "Suit yourself haha. But what are you even going to do?" [You''ll see haha. It will be innocent, gentle, and glorious!] "Oh? Now I''m starting to have expectations!" [Later old man!] I''ll make them regret messing with me haha. Chapter 295: Peaceful Protest Chapter 295: Peaceful Protest I bring mypanions toward a small very specific church. Yep, the motherfucking church of Gluto. As usual, Nomzi is just sitting on his ass doing nothing at all. Not that I can tell where it starts and end exactly. As soon as I enter, he can smell the pies. Like a dog. "I see you brought food!" [I am here to make a deal.] "Oh? Go ahead." [I need your help with something. I''ll give you all these pies in exchange.] "These are clearly different than usual. What''s the secret ingredient?" [It wouldn''t be a secret if I told you now, would it?] "Fair enough. Now, what would I have to do? I am busy you see." [Busyzing around?] "Eating too!" Sometimes I wonder if he worships the Sloth God too haha. I whisper exactly what I need him to do. He grins and agrees instantly. We leave right after. Before long we are in front of the gates of the Untainted Sect. "Y-you, what are you guys intending to do?!" I gently wave at them. [Hey guys! I came back to kneel for a month!] "What the hell is this?!" [Him? A friend. He will stay with me to give me courage.] "Get away you disgustingthing!" [Hey! Watch yournguage! My friend will get sad!] "No seriously I don''t care. I want to eat." I throw the pies at him. Judging by the blissful sounds he is making he is enjoying it. "This is the best thing I have ever eaten." [Seriously?! In all your life?!] "Indeed!" Oh my god! Wait?! Does that mean I have already achieved my goal of baking the perfect pie! All this guy ever does is eat all day! Yet he gave such high praise! This is so damn awesome. I can''t wait and tell the old man. How proud will he be?! Ah! Should I also make a trip to the border town? Zero''s mom is the one that taught me that art in the first ce. Ah, I feel good. So good that I just feel like going home. Ah, but there is something I must do. I turn to the Spice guy. [Did you hear that?! Please help me secure more spices! No matter what!] "I-I''ll talk to my alchemist friend." Sounds a little uncertain but at least he didn''t outright deny it. I plop down on the ground happily in a meditative posture. If I''m not mistaken, this whole situation will be over soon. A guard rushed inside to report. Eh, good. Not long afterward I see thedy from before exit. "You viin how dare you taunt us like so!" Time to act innocent! [I have no clue what you are talking about?] "Get that disgusting Gluto follower away from here! Then destroy your shop and kneel until you die!" [I already am kneeling! Is my posture not good enough? I am already trying my best! As for my friend I cannot order him.] "If this is kneeling then I am a monkey!" [Oh wow, who knew. I thought you were human. Exins a lot.] "Y-you! I''ll make you regret this!" She leaves again. So far 100% of these guys arepletely stupid. How did they not offend other powers and get destroyed yet? Ah, maybe it''s because I''m a simple baker that she is that bold. Before long shees back with some people from city hall. "It''s them! They are disruptive and heinous!" Ah, it''s little Li! *Wave!* "Why is it always you?! Seriously! You do know I have other things to do right?!" *Shrug* [I''m just kneeling here as they asked.] "*Sigh* What will it take to make you leave?" [You see their leader himself asked me to do that. I am not here to cause trouble.] I can see her facepalm. Meanwhile, many concerned neighbors areing out to check what is going on. Somehow, they seem angry, also distressed a bit. Their little paradise just turned into one with some grotesque view. Now that I think about it, should I ask Nomzi to hang around every singlepeting bakery? That would be a bit too cruel. Before long a well-dressed clearly annoyed manes out. "You! What do you want?" [*Sigh* Are you their leader?] "I am, now hurry up and leave. We''ll forget the whole matter and you just need to remove the abomination at your bakery." Both Little Li and Spice guy seem to agree on this being a good course of action. I can see my artist friend being unresolved to it, but he doesn''t speak up. Probably in consideration of me. [Hell no! You want me to take it down? Let''s make this fair. I will! You just have to take down this mansion of yours!] He growls. "You! What did you say?" I''ll antagonize them so hard with this but who cares. [You heard me. I do not care a single bit about your god. You can worship whoever you want. But I won''t change my bakery to obey your whims! What my friend painted is a masterpiece!] "Boy, you do not know who you are offending right now. We may be small in this city, but the world is vast you know. What do you think will happen to you once you leave it?" [I don''t know. But I know what will happen to you in this city.] "Are you threatening me?!" [Of course not! We are upright individuals. We will hold a peaceful protest here.] "What are you even talking about?" [Simple we will remain right in front of your front door. We will eat. We willugh. We will gamble. We will draw, especially you. I all kinds of interesting poses. In all kinds of interesting situations. We will give said drawings to any passerby. All because we are generous and kind. We will stay here as long as it takes. Until this ce gets known as a cradle of vice. Until this ce gets renowned as the most tainted one in the city. You know what too? All thanks to this great anti-crime system you will have no choice but to watch. Day after day. Don''t worry we won''t be selfish either. We will wee any and all of your members to join us. Don''t you think this sounds like a great idea?!] I finish my speech with a smile and a wink. Now, how will he react? Chapter 296: Devil of a Man Chapter 296: Devil of a Man Have you ever heard the expression shaking in anger? Well, their branch master is shaking a lot. Helplessly pointing at me uttering some Y-you! Y-you! Shaking so fast he''d make a great dildo salesman. He could just say the product is half as fast as him. Bam, sold! "D-do you think you will get away with this?!" [Yes.] "How dare you act so wantonly here?!" [Oh? How dare YOU guys act so wantonly at my bakery?!] "You will pay for this!" [Sure, want to bet how long your branch will even survive? You know what I have some golding my way. How about I hire some dancers too? You know the kind that has more hair than clothes.] He turns to little Li. "Do something about this madman!" "*Sigh* Let me tell it to you straight. If we ask city hall to choose between the destruction of that bakery or your ce, it''s yours that will get destroyed you know." "WHAT?! It''s just an insignificant and useless bakery!" She approaches and murmurs something in his ear. He instantly turns livid. "T-this is impossible!" "Now you know. Well on that note, I have some stuff to do. Take care all!" Then she leaves. "T-thatwhat will it take to put this misunderstanding to rest?" What the hell did she tell him?! A little whisper in his ear and now he''s all cordial! Does she possess a talent for ASMR?! To be fair she probably told him about the old man''s city hall friend. Makes sense that she wouldn''t want it to develop into a full-blown conflict. That also means that I have the advantage. [I''ll be magnanimous as long as she repents for a day in front of my bakery and makes a public apology then I''ll forgive you guys.] "Thank you! ThatI''m sorry about earlier. I was told you were trying to cause trouble. It obviously isn''t the case." At first, I was thinking of trying to milk them as much as possible, but as long as I make this victory public enough it should be good enough. After all, I do have a card to y to screw them over. The camping on their door n. Except that it would be as annoying for me. As they say, live and let live. As long as the old man is on my side these guys won''t be an issue. Hell, I could even ask them for a favor if needed. This is why peaceful conflict resolutions are the best. We simply go back to the bakery, to the extreme relief of anyone living in the area. The sketchy artist thanks me for standing up for his art. Then he says something about having things to do and leaves. Somehow, I didn''t even pay him for the joboh well. The Spice Guy leaves too, so does Nomzi. That leaves me with the Untainted foul-moutheddy. I guess their sect is so damn boring that cursing is all they have left. How is that not seen as a breach of faith is a mystery. It''s fun to see her squirm as I tell her to sit in front of the ahegao pie art. When she gets told she will have to stare at it all day, she almost goes crazy. Thus ends this entire episode. Inside await Wolfie, the old man, and the salesgirl. [d to say it was a resounding sess! The problem has been dealt with!] I was expecting cheers, but somehow, they act as if that was expected. "Sir, may I ask something?" [Sure, what is it?] "What did you do with the special pies?" [Gave them to my friend to eat, he said it was delicious.] "What?! Where is that friend of yours now?!" [Back at the Gluto church, why?] "Ah! Never mind, I was just casually asking. *Relieved*" [Did you want to taste some? I don''t mind making some again but you''ll have to ask your brother.] "My brother?" [For the spices.] "Ah! Right! Don''t worry about me! I love the in ones!" Ah, it''s admirable how frugal she is. We chat some more then I bake for the rest of the day. I finally go out and holler at the untainteddy. [I guess it''s fine. You can go. There is no point in having you stay here and] That is when she turns around. Her expression is weird somehow. "I''m not leaving before getting a pie! No matter what!" What the hell? Since when did art have such power?! She''s totally drooling! "I''ll pay whatever it takes! I''m just so hungry!" [Eh, sure.] I quickly bring her one. She hands me a silver coin without even asking for change. Then she gobbles it all up. Devouring it at a speed that would almost rival Nomzi. [] Then she happily leaves. Oh well, not that I care haha. ****(POV) I can''t believe what just transpired. How did some random baker turn out to have a connection to city hall? Not any connection too. He knows someone that is able to exile our sect from here with but a word. This is madness. He was extremely cocky and forceful, but we didn''t have a choice. I had to bury the hatchet no matter what. The good thing is he did restrain himself in the end. Still, a public apology is asking too much. Fuck! This is when a sect member informs me that thedy that caused the situation in the first ce is back. "Wee back." "Greetings, hall master!" "How was it?" "*Sigh* I regret to say, but it seems to be me misunderstanding them all along. They are just selling normal pies. Ah, but they sure are delicious." "Wait, what did you say?" "I had to stand for so long watching that painting I couldn''t take it in the end and bought one. But it turned out to be really good yet normal." This is bad. Real bad. "Right, how has your progress been going so far? Magic wise." "I am getting close to reaching rank 3! Soon I will be able to be a core asset of the sect!" "Show it to me." She does a small chant and Nothing happens at all. She looks confused. Extremely so. This is a shame. Such a shame. She got corrupted. "I''m afraid you''ve lost your powers." "What?! No! This is impossible!" She keeps trying, but no matter what she can''t use any power. "Guards! Escort her to a cell and keep her isted from everyone else. No visit whatsoever. She has fallen!" *Gasps* "No Sir! I can do it I just need to focus and" "Take her away!" "Nooooo!" I am left alone. The silence is oppressive. This is a huge problem. No matter what this bakery needs to be destroyed. Especially that scheming devil of a man. *Sigh* Now what? Chapter 297: Insane Bakery! Chapter 297: Insane Bakery! ****(POV) How long have I been kneeling at the Mystery Gems House? I lost track of time. *Sigh* But it is normal for one to suffer to attain one''s goal. Hopefully, all this suffering will be worth it in the end. The merciless heat of the sun. The chilliness of the wind. I am braving the elements here. I do find a little respite in the attendant next to me. Supporting me morally. With small gestures like holding an umbre for me. Massaging my back. Feeding me fruits. Serving me fine wines. Singing my praises, especially my perseverance. You know small stuff really. She is extremely impressed by my resilience. What can I say, I am just like that! In the background, I can see the talion guy openly disdaining me. Scoffing from time to time while looking at us. I don''t let it affect me because I know he is simply jealous. Plus I recently learned a lesson of humility. From someone calling himself a baker. Obviously, he was not one for real. Still, who knows where an expert could be hiding. Thus I have taken the resolution to always appear magnanimous. At all times. This newdy friend has been in awe of my character. Well, I can''t me her. I am the perfect partner in every girl''s dream. For I am handsome and talented. Well, not as talented as that man. That is why I want to learn from him. The manager of this ce was surprised. He saw me as someone who was extremely proud. Said something about me enjoying looking at others from above. Well, I can''t deny that part. Still, one needs to have a vision for the future. So what if I need to lower myself for a little while? It will all be worth it! All so I can be even more amazing! Still, I wonder when he wille next time. He is bound to. Just to collect his gold. 100 gold may not be that big of a sum, but it''s significant enough. Then he will learn that I''ve been here since he left. In this begging position. He is bound to teach me then! Just as I''m pondering, I hear the manager call an employee. At first, he asks the attendant near me, but she denies him saying she is busy. Then he says something about bringing the gold to the expert. I promptly get up. "Wait! I''ll do it!" He looks at me puzzled. "What happened to kneeling until he came?" "I''ll go kneel in front of him directly! It should be more efficient!" He nods and hands me the funds. As I leave the attendant wants to follow me, but her manager tells her otherwise. She looks at me pleading. "Don''t worry I''ll visit you. But for now, I have something I must aplish!" I turn and walk away decisively. I can hear how impressed she is. Also, that guy scoffing. Screw him! Ah, whatever. Before long I reach my destination and What the hell is this?! Right at the entrance is a painting. Somehow it looks extremely lewd! The weird thing is that the girl is properly dressed. She barely shows any skin. How is this possible?! "Mesmerized, are you?" A man came nearby. "Not especially!" "You don''t have to hide it. Everyone reacts the same the first time they see it." "W-what is this?" "Just a girl that really loves pies. Well, it was painted by that guy hehe." "That guy?" "That one outrageous artist that sells morally questionable drawings." Oh? I know that guy! Well, I just own half of what he produced. I don''t care about drawings of guys after all. "So, what''s with the pie?" "You came here without knowing? This is a bakery." It really is?! Don''t tell me the expert is really here?! Ah, it could be where he lives. Could also be a cover for his godly skills. Mine is to be a rich and handsome young master. His could be to be a baker. I guess it builds character. I proceed inside. There are many people there. Some even sitting on Oh my fucking god. Is this?! The damn tables! The chairs too! I would recognize this workmanship anywhere! I clearly remember my father trying to get a single one. Him a bigshot from city hall. It took him years to get one chair. That is how high in demand that olddy is. He celebrated that chair more than me his son. Yet here is a shop full of it. No one seems to notice. From time to time someonements about how intricate it seems. How ignorant they are! There is a big secret behind it. These chairs boost one''s progress rate during training. Given it can only be used for gathering mana. After all,bat training while sitting is close to impossible. Still, this makes these invaluable. This is insane! This small shop is worth more than half the damn city! I wish I was exaggerating! I was thinking of myself to be well off. Compared to this expert even my father is a broke bastard. This is amazing! I wonder if the tables have any special effects too. It would require lots of testing. "Wee, how can I help you?" A purple-haired girl is addressing me. "Ah! I am looking for the master of this ce!" She nods andes back not longter with an old man. "Hey kid, how can I help?" Oh my fucking god! I know this man! He is the mentor of my father. They somehow lost touch, but I still remember. He is a man my father would never cross. He told me to never ever get on his bad side. "It is a pleasure to meet you Comm-!" "No need for all that. You are that man''s son, right? I vaguely remember you. What brings you here?" Ah, is he hiding his identity?! What kind of ce is this?! Art so fine it impresses me! Insane wealth! Insane backing! I haven''t even met the man I am here for! "I came here to meet the appraiser expert! I have some gold to give him from" "I see you can just hand it over." "Wait! Eh, can I give him to him personally?" "Sure, go ahead kid. He''s in the kitchen." Here goes nothing! This moment will be vital to my future! Chapter 298: Bow of Gratitude Chapter 298: Bow of Gratitude ****(POV) I nervously go inside the kitchen. This single instant will determine my future. First, I should state my official purpose. "Hello, I''ming to deliver the gold from the sale of the gems!" [Hey there! I''m right here.] I head deeper. There he is. Apparently in the process of baking. [Are you here for a rematch?] There is no way I would! I instantly slide to the ground. I adopt a perfect kneeling posture and plead. "Please ept me as your student!" He ponders for a few seconds. What feels like the longest seconds of my entire existence. [I can, but you will have to work extremely hard.] He agreed! This is amazing! This right here is the moment I change my destiny. In the future, my name will resound across this continent. Everyone will envy and look up to me! I''m ecstatic but I keep my tone serious. "Of course!" [This is an old age art that you should also honor.] Oh? Does this mean old secret knowledge?! "Of course!" [One that is easy to start, but extremely hard to master.] If it was easy there would be appraisers everywhere. "Of course." [You will have to be here every day.] Someone would have to kill me to prevent me from showing up. This is a lifetime opportunity! "Of course!" [Alright, I''ll ept you as a disciple!] Hell yeah! "Thank you! I won''t let you down! I will be the best appraiser there is!" [What?!"] "What?!" [I can only teach you how to bake you know.] ?! This must be a joke! "What about what you did back then?! How did you know two of my choices were duds?" [Oh, just a small trick.] If this is a small trick what does he consider real skill?! "Then!" [One that I can''t teach actually.] "Why?!" Is it because I''m unworthy? [Let me see you would have to meet a god to understand it.] 0_0 Wait, it''s just a matter of god ipatibility?! One can change belief! "Then what god should I worship to make that happen?!" [Worship? No idea. I said meet not worship.] What? I can''t help but think about his words. [I can''t exin how I do it. I just do it.] Is he naturally talented?! That much should be impossible, right?! "Then, is there hope for me?!" [Not if you only rely on others. What gives you the power to appraise? Are you truly satisfied with a 65% sess rate?] Ah! I have truly beencent! Being all proud of my puny achievements. "I will go back and ponder on it. I''ll be back when I have a 70% rate, no75%!" He smiles at me. [Come back when it is 100%.] This is impossible! There is no way that [I believe you have the talent to maybe aplish it] "Seriously?!" He believes in me that much?! [Only if you put the effort that is. Otherwise, you won''t ever. Once your entire life revolves around appraising is when you will achieve sess.] He nods sagely. I have been going at this the wrong way all along. I always thought this was my best. I always thought I had peaked. After all, I spent most of my life studying this art. Showing no improvement in thest 2 years. Hence why I gave up. But..! If HE believes in me Then there is no way this is my limit! "Thank you, teacher! I will never forgive this grace you have shown me!" [What?! I didn''t do anything!] Ever so humble. Pretending to be a baker. Casually talking about a 100% rate. He is a true master for sure. Not even sparing a nce at the gold I brought. I will toil until he can be proud of me. I thank him silently onest time while retreating. I''m so excited I almost just leave directly. But then I remember my father''s mentor. The girl at the counter says he went to get something in storage. She tells me I may as well help him. I enter and I still remember themander. A glorious and valiant man. One that was never the same after the death of his wife. One that slowly faded away from the world. I never knew what happened to him. Many assume him to have died in a battle against magical beasts. Yet here he is. Except that the old man I see looks nothing like him. The confident and ever so calm appearance is nowhere to be seen. An appearance he was showing not long ago. Here he is. Shaking. Out of breath. Showing a pained expression. Fresh blood on his hand and the corner of his mouth. I can''t help but gasp. "Hey kid, so it''s you." "What''s happening to you?! Let''s get a healer and" He sighs. "No need. There is not a single healer on this continent that can do anything for me." "There must be a way! Somehow!" He chuckles. "Deathes to all, kid. It is but a natural thing." "But how?! With your level of power you should still have some lifespan remaining! Even after the ident!" "*Sigh* It is old history now. Just know there is nothing any mortal can do for me." "Then we''ll pray!" "You think I didn''t try that, kid? The gods are as selfish as we are. None would spend energy on a cripple like me." "But" He just silently gazes at me. I know it. He is right. As much as I hate it. There is no way his disciples would have given up. Not if there was any solution. I can''t help but ask. "Does he know?" "Who?" "The one that calls himself a simple baker. He might be able to save you." He giggles sending blood flying. "You know what, kid? Strangely I do believe he could. But I do not wish it." Does he simply want to die? "Why?!" He looks at me seriously. "How many resources would saving an old man like me take?" It should be an incredible figure. "He has dreams, I''d rather he spends everything on it. I have lived a long life already." I do not want to ept it. I do understand, however. It makes perfect sense. Logically that is. This man is the hero of this city. Finally, I turn to leave. But before I do, I bow to him onest time. A bow of gratitude for all that he has done for us. For this may be the veryst time I see this legend. Chapter 299: Birth of an Appraiser Chapter 299: Birth of an Appraiser ****(POV) I can''t help but sigh as I make my way back home. My mood is hard to describe. I am sad about themander. I am d that the expert saw worth in me. I guess it is life. I arrive at my destination. A grandiose manor. A maid instantly wees me warmly. A beautiful and youthfuldy. Full of spirit and drive. She escorts me to my room for me to change. She''s about to enter and undress as usual, but I stop her. Tell her that I have things to do. To her grand stupefaction. I also tell her to send a message to the Mystery Gems House. For that attendant not to wait for me. That I will be too busy in the future. I quickly adorn a new garment and make my way toward the training room. One that I haven''t frequented for thest two years. A very small room at the core of the residence. I unlock the many locks in ce and enter it. Inside the air is heavy. Choked full of mana. All from a treasure ced in the center. Something that most people cannot afford. Inside, is a stern man gathering mana while sitting on an exquisite chair. A man ever so serious. My father. For him, any show of emotion a weakness. For as long as I can remember he never showed me love nor care. That was my mother''s job. Ah, also the maids. When she passed away, he did not care. The only reason I even exist is that he expected a talented progeniture. He was extremely disappointed. I never had a talent for the arts. Neither magic nor physical training. Oh, I can defend myself against a rank 2 easily. Anyone stronger I can''t handle, however. That is why I turned to appraisal. Thenter to women. "*Expressionless* You are back." I simply nod. He is facing away from me, but he can still feel the movement. He is a rank 4 warrior after all. "How was he?" "Who?" "Don''t y dumb. Teacher. Also is that a way to speak to me?" "My lord, if I said good, would you believe me?" "No." I sit and start gathering and circting mana. Magical training indirectly helps appraisal. It gives a very slight edge. It may be the difference between 65% rate and 66% rate. In normal cases, I wouldn''t have bothered. But right now I wish to break through my limits. I''m expecting the conversation to be over, but instead he asks: "What do you think of it?" "Him dying? It is regrettable and a heavy loss for the city my lord." He shakes his head. "No, he is nothing but an old man now. We lost him the day he lost his power." How heartless! Then again it doesn''t surprise me from my father. He is one that married my mother only to attain power. That is simply how he sees life. The useful and the worthless. "There are many that cling to the old ways. That cling to the past. Working as if it was still the present. But there is a waring. One that will be merciless and unpredictable. The peace days are over. At this rate, we will all perish." Casualties are inevitable in a war. Still, we have the whole system to protect us. It would take an army to destroy what we have here." "My lord, are you worried about external threats?" "External and internal! We have lost the essence of Compromis. The god of diplomacy. Also called the god of contracts. This city has turned into one where we try to please everyone. No matter where theye from. No matter how useful they are. This is a mistake. There are too many gangrenous elements. We need to get rid of them all. Do you understand boy?" Do I understand? Yes. Do I agree? Not at all. Sometimes I wish the gods would be more vocal about their desires. There are so many conflicts that stem from their believers trying to please them. Yet we never receive an answer. "The sooner the old man dies the better. His death will mark the end of an era. We will then be able to only keep the elements that matter. The most powerful and useful ones. It will be hard, but worth it. Make sure you train for this day." I simply nod. He sighs. "Honestly, I had given up on you. For I do not care about a worthless son thatzes around all day. I''m d to see you finally came to your senses. But the remaining time is short. Keep training your magic instead of that ridiculous appraisal. For there are big changesing. Only the strong will survive. " Then he stops speaking and resumes training. As much as I want to criticize himhe has a point. There is a tumultuous eraing. Many will die. Entire sects and cities will rise and fall. Blood will flow. There is no way to simply avoid it. We may even have to raise an army. All that will take many resources. The old man himself said it. Extending his life not worth it. I can''t help but question myself. How well can an appraiser fare in such times? Not well I''m guessing. Is morality essory in times of war? I can''t deny it being a possibility. Still, I can''t help but chuckle internally. While all of this is happening that guy is just baking. Somehow themander doesn''t stop him either. I may be biased because I have grown up listening to his exploits But I trust themander to be a wise man. How does one even reconcile the two? The rational and logical part. The optimist and inspired one. What do I wish to do? Train and be a sub-par mage? Possibly survive what is toe. Or simply follow the path I have started on? Appraisal has a special ce in my heart. It is what made me forget all my worries. Allowed me to go through the hard times. Gave meaning to my life. I truly wish to feel that again. A sense of purpose. Yes. I have decided. So what if my father disowns me. So what if I be a joke. So fucking what! I feel great! I will follow my own path. That is when I can feel the mana cirction going faster. I have broken through. It seems it wasn''t a problem of talent. No, it was a problem of heart. Of ack of resolve. It was thest shackle binding me. "HAHAHAHAHAHA!" "Did you just breakthrough?" "Yes I did. Yes I did, old man." "Is that a way to talk to your father?!" "*Chuckle* Let''s not kid ourselves. You haven''t been a father. A patron at best. I am leaving now. To pursue appraisal. Only that. Later!" As I am leaving I can hear him calling me trash. So what! It may not be the wisest and safest choice. But I won''t regret it. No matter what! Chapter 300: Peculiar Tavern Chapter 300: Peculiar Tavern Thest few days have been amazing! Everything is going my way. No sign of trouble whatsoever. I have been baking all this time. Getting more and more customers. For some reason, there has been a rumor going on about people getting breakthroughs after eating here. How ridiculous is that?! When I heard such a crazy im, I had no choice but to conscientiously write a sign saying these are only rumors and should not be trusted at all. Somehow it made things worse. Well better in fact. The ones that thought this was a marketing ploy got curious. Then they kepting back. Something about the effect only showing in the bakery itself. In turn, people have been reserving a seat in advance. Foolish, but paying customers, nheless. I also received my pay from the Mystery Gems House. Surprisingly a lot. 100 gold total. Enough for 100 000 pies! Well, less if you count that I am now selling pies for 1-5 silver depending on how long people take to eat them. 10-50 times the price is insane? No, what''s insane is that people are still paying. I feel like this is a super cebo effect. People see this really awesome furniture and expect something magical to happen haha. Now I regret encouraging that elf to follow her dreams. I could be opening many branches right now. *Sigh* What can I say, I am too handsome and inspiring it can''t be helped. I toil all day until closing time. That is when I see a familiar face approach. My thief friend. "Hey, I thought you had left the city!" [I thought I had to, to be honest. Turns out it was just a misunderstanding. Can you believe it?] "If it''s you, yes haha. I heard about how well your business has been going. How about a drink to celebrate?" [Oh? Are you trying to make me drunk to take advantage of me?] He gives a slight apologetic smile. "Look, I''m sorry about abandoning you earlier. It''s just there was nothing really I could do." [No worries. I''m not ming you.] "Then are you forgiving me?" [Sure, if you are treating haha.] "Alright, haha. Ah, how can one be so rich and so stingy at the same time? This is impressive!" We depart and reach the same tavern we first went to. As soon as I enter there is a general panic from all the employees. They start frically pointing at me. "It''s him! He''s back! Quick! Inform the owner!" "Quick! Run to the back store!" Then an obvious neer waitress asks. "What?! What?! Why are you guys freaking out?" They all point at a wall while running away. What the hell?! On the said wall is a big poster of my face. [Wow, what is even written on it?] "HAHAHAHAHA! Something about how you are a cmity for the tavern! Remember thest time we came here?" [Well, yeah but they could have just given me a refund to start with. I would have taken it. Am I some kind of unreasonable individual?] "I wouldn''t say unreasonable, more that your existence itself is in unbelievable haha." [How harsh!] "Brother, I don''t even know where to even start. I''m doubting you are even human, to be honest." [*Sigh* It is a curse to be too handsome.] "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Oh my god, I just can''t! wait you were serious?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA." Soon afterward the tavern owneres and regrettably informs us that the tavern is sadly out of alcohol. Also that they have no more food. Meanwhile, there are customers obviously getting served in the background. I simply point at them. The guy coughs loudly. Signaling them to hide all the food and drinks. BrotherI''m not blind [Whatever let''s go to another tavern.] "Sure" Seeing the relief of the owner he seems as if he was just granted amnesty. Wow, just wow. Before long we encounter another tavern. One with a drinking fish on the sign. I feel like this should only be used for a port city. The ce seems extremely small. "Oh, you don''t want to enter this one. It is the worst of them all." [How bad can it be?] "Extremely fucking bad." [I''m almost curious to see it for myself now] "Sure but I won''t be drinking anything. It is horrid." As we enter, we see apletely deste interior. There is only a sleeping bartender at the counter. [Why is he sleeping?! How unprofessional!] "No, ording to the reputation of this ce it would be a wonder if he was awake instead." [That bad?] "There is a saying. Between piss and the drinking fish''s beer the former is preferable. They both taste the same but at least with one you won''t have a hangover." [Wow.] "Yep, shall we leave then?" [Nope, I kinda want to see how bad it is for myself.] He shrugs helplessly. [*Cough Cough* Excuse me, bartender!] I shake him a bit. He slowly raises his eyes. Looks at the surroundings. Then he instantly gives us directions for the nearest tavern. Then he simply goes back to sleep. I can''t help but shake him again. This time he gives me the directions to the nearest merchant guild. I shake him again. Then he goes "What do you want?! Just let me sleep in peace!" [How about a beer.] He raises up in shock. Looking confused for a second. Then he cleans his ears. "Come again?" [What kind of beers do you have?] "We only have the special blend." [What would that be?] "Honestly a miracle. Somehow our boss manages to use all worthy ingredients to create the most disgusting mixture ever." [How is he even making a profit then?!] "Profit? What''s that?" [No way!] My thief friend is giggling in the background. Showing an I told you expression. [So somehow his special blend is unptable, but doesn''t present any health danger, right?] "Well, it provokes non-stop vomiting. Mostly because of the taste. It also leaves anyone that drinks it listless for a while. Every one of his recipes too." [How many did he try?] "I''ve lost count. This is why I just sleep nowadays. Hey, at least he''s a good boss." [He pays you even when not a single sale is done?] "Indeed. At this point, it''s not forck of trying and he knows it." [Then why is he even keeping this ce open?] "Ah, he uses the basement to brew everything." I see. So this ce is more of a workshop than anything. Still, I wonder who the madman that "Hey! Your wonderful boss is back! How has business been!" Guess I''ll know Chapter 301: Brewing Chapter 301: Brewing "Hey! Your wonderful boss is back! How has business been?" Comes a well-dressed young man. ssy but his demeanor remembering one of a yful youngster. He seems way too young to own this ce. Also extremely joyful. As if he was finally released from house arrest or something. Then he stops suddenly. "Wait! We have customers! Wee, wee!" His smile could instantly melt any frozen heart. His arms extended in a grand gesture. "I''ll get you both a pint! On the house! To celebrate my sess!" He quickly and enthusiastically pours three beers. [Hey there, what are we even celebrating?] "Hehe, I have finally attained rank 3! He does a small victory pose!" "How is this possible?! X2!" [Oh? And how old are you?] "18 this year." [That''s pretty good then. Pretty much champion level I think.] "Pretty good?! That''s your reaction?! Rank 3 is extremely powerful!" "This is insane!" Then the boss follows. "No, he is right. This doesn''t matter. What matters is that I am finally free! I have free time to brew! Victory!" [*Thumbs up* Nice!] "Alright, let us drink! By the way, you can call me Number One Brewer like everyone does *wink*! Cheers!" *Gulp* *BLARGH* There are no words to describe the taste. It is heavy. It leaves an aftertaste. It makes one consider life itself. It could potentially be a torture tool. I swear that guy that drank piss on TV was better off. The saying is so damn true! [How the hell is it so atrocious!] My thief friend is freaking out on the side. Fearing me offending a bigshot. After all, there is no way he doesn''te from a powerful family. "I don''t know. Otherwise, I would have fixed the issue." Somehow, he manages to keep a straight face while saying that. Only showing slight dislike when drinking. How many failed products did he go through to get used to the taste?! More like does he even have tastebuds?!" [So, people call you Number One Brewer ironically?] "Actually I won manypetitions. Look there." He points to a wall full of trophies. Nice looking ones. [How much did that even cost you in bribes?] He gives a sly smile. "Not even a copper!" [Family influence?] *Proudly* "Not even!" [Then how?!] "You see during thesepetitions the judges need to taste all." [Don''t tell me!] "Yep, none ever dares to taste it. Whenever they give me a mark that isn''t perfect, I contest it." [Then they have no choice but to taste it to seriously rate it?!] "Precisely!" [What about the other contestants? Don''t they make a ruckus?] "Not really. I tell them they can taste it and that they will know how good it is." [Oh my god, this is savage!] "How about it, do you want to visit my brewing facilities?" [Of course!] Before long I am seeing his secretb. It doesn''t look anything special. "Let me exin there are four vital steps to brewing. The first one is to carefully prepare all ingredients needed. Also to make sure all tools are clean." [How do you do that?] "Like this haha." He extends his hand. Above it starts floating a small water ball. He starts yfully ying around with it. Changing the shape, the size, everything. His proficiency seems awesome. [Wow.] "Then the next step is to brew everything. You want to make a nice mixture." He makes a small me appear this time. Dancing mesmerizingly. [Aren''t fire and water opposites? How does that go for the control?] He summons a water ball in one hand while keeping the fire in the other. "*Grin* No issue whatsoever." [Nice!] "Once that is donees the fermentation. That step is just about having the right temperature environment. Away from the sun. Also time. Lots of time." [Oh? So you regrly visit to start a new batch whenever that step is done?] "Nope. Sadly recently I''ve been busy. Training and all." [I mean, maybe that''s why your beer is so crappy.] "I know right?!" [If you know then why don''t you ask anyone to take care of it?] "Well, I''m not sure about the timing myself." [How about asking a professional?] "That''s the thing. I can''t. They all want to brew only their own recipe or disdain every single one I show them." [I see, it defies the point. If you get someone else to make the recipe you may as well just go drink at another tavern.] "Exactly! Finally, someone that understands me!" Pretty much the whole DIY current. There is a satisfaction to be had from oveing one''s limits. I know for a fact. When Nomziplimented my pies, I was ecstatic. I''m still waiting on these spices now that I think about it. [So, what will you do?] "What do you mean?" [About this ce? If you don''t really use it, you may as well just do it from your own ce no? Starting with small quantities for tests.] "*Sigh* My family doesn''t approve of me doing this stuff at home." [Then how do you even afford this ce?] I mean certainly not clients haha. "Hehe, they set what they believed unrealistic training goals. Telling me they''d buy me this ce if I managed to aplish it." [So they were trying to motivate you and it worked?] "I guess." [Still, if you want to seed as a brewer, you''ll have to spend more effort on it.] Of course, he will fail if he only does it every other month or something. "You know what brother? You are extremely right!" [Of course. Any skill takes time to master. You can''t expect to seed suddenly.] "Thank you! You have opened my eyes! I will confront my family tonight and tell them that I am starting this full time!" [Sure, but you''ll have to tell me when you finally manage to create something half-decent.] "Of course! I have to live up to my title after all!" [That''s the spirit!] "This is great. This actually gave me inspiration!" [It did?] "Yep, there is something I want to try!" [Alright, I''ll leave you to it then.] I climb back up. My thief friend is still talking to the bartender. [Hey guys] "How was it?" [Oh, pretty cool. He exined the rough process of brewing to me.] "That''s nice." [Oh right, seems I inspired him to start brewing full time too.] That is when the bartender jumps up. Then he starts screaming. "Y-you! What unspeakable evil have you brought upon this world!!! We are fucked! There is no way this will end well!!" What the hell?! Chapter 302: Haters Chapter 302: Haters I left a panicking bartender at the Fishy tavern. I mean the guy was clearly overreacting haha. What is the worst that can even happen? I quickly go back home to prepare for tomorrow. I wake up refreshed and happy. As soon as I open the door I am confronted with an angry mob. "It''s him!" "He''s here!" "Don''t let him retreat!" There seem to be many bakers for some reason. I recognize grumpy, dumbass 1, dumbass 2, and the guy that wanted me to worship KooKing. There are also a few new faces. The only one missing is the guy that REALLY wanted me. [What''s up guys?] "This is uneptable!" "You have to stop these scummy business practices!" "We''ll report you to city hall you know!" [So, what are you guys even talking about?] "The fake rumors you''ve been spreading!" "That lie about training going faster here!" "People are thinking pies to be better and are not buying as much bread!" [How is that my problem?] "It''s all because of you!" "You aren''t letting us live!" [That''s rich knowing I tried to apply to literally half of you guys bakery and you guys rejected me haha.] They can''t help but be awkward. To have a golden goose show up at your door and disdain it is incredibly stupid. [So? What are you guys even here for?] "You must start selling bread too! Then the rumor that pie is better will stop!" "Yes! This is a disservice to the public!" "This is a morally corrupt practice!" "Otherwise we''ll band up and shut down your store!" [*Sigh* You guys are right. I can''t just let you deal with the issue alone.] I see them beam. Looking proud about their sessful intimidation. [How about I sell you guys some pies? Then you can sell it at a very small margin. Who knows it might just work?] "Screw you!" "You''ll regret this!" Thus they start their ramblings again. Oh well, who cares. I shoo them away and start my preparation for the day. At some point, I hear some slight howling and screams of fear. Then something about how they will take this to city hall. Probably my imagination, however. During the day a visitor arrives. A well-dressed young man with a cartwheel ne. He gets guided to the kitchen. At first, he is looking all over the ce even while delivering his message. Apparently, there is about to be an auction in the city soon. All merchant guild houses will participate. There will also be unidentified rocks and treasures. Why they are doing rock gambling at an auction is beyond me. They want me to work as an appraiser for them. [I''ll think about it. If I''m not too busy sure.] That is when he finally fixes his gaze on me. Then his expression changes suddenly. "It''s you!" [What are you talking about?] "You''re the one that!!" [?] He doesn''t say anything and simply leaves in a hurry. What the hell?! Now, what should I do about this? The whole auction house event will probably present some really nice opportunities. I tend to lose my regr equipment pretty fast. The only thing I still have is that emblem and my ne from Bald Eagle. I wonder if there would be a way for me to gain enchanted jewelry. My friend did say enchanting was a lost art, but then again there may be an exception to this rule. I''m kinda getting excited. ****(POV) I am a merchant working for the Traders Guild. Or I used to be one in any case. I''ll always remember that day. We got attacked by bandits. We had no choice but to hand over our wealth. Leaving with only our boots and clothes. None of it mattered for we had a secret mission. One to transport an extremely valuable gem incognito. I had cleverly hidden it in my boots. Everything would have been fine, but then he came. The asshole that tried to approach our caravan before. Staying away from us merchants is proper courtesy after all. Since everyone can be a bandit in disguise. There he was. Not only did he not help, but he even suggested they search me more carefully. If it wasn''t because of him I would have seeded. I would have gotten a promotion. I would have had a brilliant future. No, instead I got demoted to a messenger. The worst is he used uspletely. He gained the goodwill of the bandits with that trick. By screwing us over. Now he is here in the same city as us. Even getting recruited as an appraiser. This makes no sense. There is no way such a man is trustworthy! I quickly make my way back to the guild. Then I request an official meeting with the branch master. This is not something I would usually dare. At all. The situation is special. He agrees to meet me, before long I am sitting in his office with a cup of regr tea. "What is it?" Then I tell him the whole story. About howcking this man''s character is. About how he is a danger for us. I tell him everything. At the end of my speech he simply goes. "Thank you for informing me, you may leave now." His face is impassible. I have no way to know what he has decided. I do get the feeling we will regret it should we work alongside him. Anyone that does business with bandits is a rotten apple for sure. Soon after I meet with a colleague. One that was there at the event too. Another poor sob except that this one actually lost his job. Because of that, his wife left him. Now all he does all day is wallow in sorrow. I tell him that there may be hope for revenge. He perks up instantly. Then startsughing. At first, I''m confused. After all, it is only a chance, not a certitude. That is when he whispers to me about a secret. There is a secret assassin guild in this city. That much ismon knowledge, but they are extremely well hidden. The thing is he has a way to contact them. I can''t help but be startled. How does someone as normal as him Then he tells me that he would be ready to pay any price for this devil to pay for his crime. He pats my shoulder and goes. "Don''t worry brother. I''ll settle it all." As I see him leave part of me is worried, but the other part just can''t wait for retribution to befall our enemy. Chapter 303: Give Me a Break! Chapter 303: Give Me a Break! ****(POV) Today I have many errands to do. First thing first I visit my associate. A man that sells medicine in a small deste shop in the city. His products are renowned to be mostly ineffective, but cheap. Actually, he is one of the purveyors of poison for our assassin''s guild. In the back of the shop, I disce a hollow statue revealing a hole underneath. Before long appears before my eyes a man working in a dark room. Handling diverse tubes expertly. I greet him. "Hey there. I will need a refill." "Didn''t I already give you lotsst week? Surely you haven''t used it all!" "*Sigh* Actually, I did." "Wow. Just wow. How many did you kill?!" "None. None at all. Someone used it as seasoning." "What do you mean as seasonings?! Are you taking me for an idiot?!" "Nope, he''s asked me to procure him some more spices as he called them." My interlocutor can''t help but stop his movements. Then he repeats spice soullessly. This must be a huge blow to the man that keeps repeating he can poison anyone in the city. In fact, there is a lot he can do just a lot he doesn''t dare to. "Actually, two people ate it." "None of them died?!" "Nope, one is a simple baker the other is that follower of Gluto." He sighs in relief. "Yeah, the second one is understandable. The first one all I can tell you is that your information is inurate about him being simple. For all we know, they both worship that god." "He is slim." "Perhaps he isn''t human in the first ce." This could actually be it. I buy some more poison and head out. From now on this man won''t be targeted by our association. There are too many unknowns. Maybe he is actually weak, but chances are he hides a dangerous secret. Some would get greedy about it, but not me. I have realized over the years that many men die for treasure. Now for my next meeting. I am meeting one of the most influential sects in the city. One that excels in the control of elemental magic. Somehow all their members have various elemental affinities. As I arrive at the main building under their control, I get ushered to a small meeting room. There their leader starts talking about one of their disciples. One that is a genius that somehow decided to give it all up. All for the sake of brewing. The worst being he doesn''t even have any talent in it. They want me to find the man who made him have this silly idea and kidnap him. Then he needs to convince their disciple toe back on the right path. What''s with all the jobstely?! None are about straight-up killing. I agree to try for now and we settle on a payment. I reach the establishment where I can find him. There is a fish on the sign. As soon as I enter, I realize how bad the business is going. I interrogate the bartender after waking him up. He starts describing the targetall until I finally give it up. It is that damn baker! How are tworge factions both hunting for this guy?! The vers and now this client! This makes no sense. Does he have the talent to put himself into troublesome situations?! I send a message to my client canceling the job all together before heading to my next meeting. This time I am meeting two very small families. Both marrying their heirs together. They warmly wee me. Then they start talking about a scoundrel that ruined the marriage ceremony. They ask me to murder the guy. Finally! A simple murder job! I''ll simply use some poison and Then they describe him. Fuck me. It''s that fucking guy again! I deny them to their utmost confusion and leave once more. This time I am about to meet the respectable Untainted sect. I can''t help but wonder why they are even calling for my services. It can''t be for that little stunt that guy pulled right? No way, he only made them lose face a bit. Plus they know clearly his rtion to city hall. Their enemy must be truly evil. Their leader starts telling me about how a man corrupted one of their members. Making her lose all her powers in the process. He needs to pay for it. He wants his head. I''m about to agree, but then he tells me that his target is that guy. This is madness! When did he even do that?! Fuck it I''m out! I have one more meeting. Actually, I could have very well just ignored thest one but may as well. Not that I''m busy now. I go meet a nervous man in a tavern. He did me a favor once, so I decided to at least hear him out. Then he starts asking me to kill a man. An appraiser. At this point, I do not care, as long as it''s not a baker we can proceed. Ridiculous how this is now my first criteria to assess the risks. He says something about him resorting to banditry and making him lose his job. This guy is a good target. One I''ll likely be able to dispatch without anyone minding. That is the hardest part of assassination. Not the during, but the after. The hardest part is to stay off the wanted list. Then he keeps describing the target. Then he ends by telling me where he is hiding and Motherfucker! Stop fucking asking me to kill the same guy over and over! I don''t have a death wish! I don''t even say anything. I just leave straight up. This is ridiculous. How the hell does a baker have more enemies than any of the evil sects?! Literally, sects that everyone in the world hates. Even themselves! Yet all he does all day is stay hidden in his fucking kitchen! How is he pissing off so many people! That is when an informant of minees in to give me a message. Apparently, many artisans are trying to get apetitor killed. I''m about to agree, but then I ask for more info. As soon as I hear that they are bakers I tell him to kick each of them for me. To make it as painful as possible. To tell them that I won''t do a suicide mission for them! He seems baffled. But I repeat and specifically ask him to beat them up. All of them. Give me a freaking break! *Sigh* I feel like now would be a good time to retire. I get the feeling he will destroy the city whole if this keeps up. There is no way that is possible logically. Still, I give it a few months at best. This ce is fucked. Chapter 304: Legacy Chapter 304: Legacy ****(POV) These days have truly been peaceful. The kid has been baking. The bakery slowly became more and more popr. These bakers were mad at him for a while, but they calmed down quickly for some reason. Funny how pie slowly became a staple food in the city. Well, only in a certain stratum of the poption. After all, we remain a small shop in the end. We talked a lot. Talked about baking. Talked about mundane things. Talked about life. I am truly d he came into my life. As time passed, my condition became worse. Before I could easily hide it but it became harder and harder. Now I have trouble breathing from time. Even holding a cup can be difficult. Somehow, I managed not to throw up blood in front of him. But soon I wouldn''t be able to hide it anymore. Today started as any other normal day would. Baking, eating, then talking for a while. I told him I was finally going to retire. That I would leave everything to him. That I would say goodbye to my nephew and leave to travel the world. He tried to convince me otherwise. Told me that it would be dangerous for an old man like me to travel alone. I kept insisting and told him that I had a merchant friend. That he would safely bring me to another city so I could see an old friend and spend time there. That I perhaps wouldn''t be back and would remain there. But that I wanted him to keep taking care of my legacy. He nodded solemnly. Tried giving me funds, but I refused. When he saw me leave with a wine bottle he chuckled. Then he wishes me a great journey. All the while trying to hide his tears. He''s a good kid. I walked onest time across the city. Visiting my first two disciples. First the eldest at city hall. The one still trying to find a solution to my problem. That wouldn''t be necessary anymore. Then I visited the youngest one in his manor. I knew for a fact he couldn''t wait for me to die. Yet he never made an attempt on my life. He could done it have easily too. While his thinking is radical he was a good disciple nheless. As I left, he gave a deep bow. Thest one I visited was my nephew. I had to wait a bit at the golden lion guild. At least their chairs were extremelyfortable. Then he came out. When he saw the wine he understood. I saw that he wanted to dissuade me but knew it would be useless to try. We talked. For a little while. About the past. About his father. About the present. About how nice the temperature was. About how awesome this ce looked. About what types of food I rmended. About a lot of pointless things. The type of conversation no one pays attention to usually. Well, I knew he would remember that one. I made sure to talk about the positives. Then we talked about the future. The future of the world. The future of this continent. The future of the city. But most especially his own future. Talked about how no matter what I would always remain proud of him. That while he trod a path that was different from mine I still held him in high esteem. I reminded him that the priority should always remain his safety and happiness. That at the end of the day wealth is nice, but is not worth suffering for. Especially not dying for. That has long as he remained himself there would be no issue. Then he asked me if I had told the inheritor of my shop. I would rather he didn''t learn of it. For he can be stubborn, too stubborn. He would probably leave on a quest to find a remedy instantly. I knew I had to tell my nephew because he would figure it out easily. Hiding it was pointless. Thus we spent onest evening peacefully. Then I started walking. Slowly. Until I exited the city. As if I had all the time in the world. Then I kept going. I had a specific area that I wanted to reach. It took me a while, but then I finally reached a small farm. One hidden in a small valley. Funny how many resources went into building this ce. All that remained of the lost knowledge of formation making. Even using a valuable gem at the core. All to set up a barrier to protect it. One inspired by the one in the city. Yet it had all gone to waste. Weeds were growing rampant across thend. The building itself was old and the colors faded. Yet at that instant, I found it beautiful. Truly so. Seeing it reminded me of memories of old. Memories I had never forgotten, but that I kept in a corner of my mind. For I knew should I start reminiscing, I wouldn''t be able to stop myself. For the memories were way too beautiful. Memories of a time she was still alive. Memories that dated from simpler times. Back when there was less scheming. Back when there was no war on the horizon. Back when the only threat was beast tides. Yet that single danger imed my wive''s life. Ridiculous. I had everything nned. We would retire. We would peacefully spend our days here. I would let my disciples handle the city affairs. I would have been nearby in case of emergency. Yet nothing of that happened. Not only did that ident cripple me but it imed her life. Her death brought despair to us all. That is when my youngest disciple became like that. That is the moment he closed his heart to the world. She was almost a mother to him. Well, she was many things. She was the light of the city. The one that pushed us all to better ourselves. Relentlessly. No matter the challenge we all knew we would ovee it. If anything, just to protect her. Yet I failed my duty. That is my only regret in this life. Still, in the end, I feel like I was blessed. My legacy will remain. The military one in my two disciples. My leadership skills in my nephew. Even if he ignores his own potential. As for my optimistic outlook toward the world. Myst disciple will take care of it. He who reignited the me of hope in me. He will go on to aplish great things I believe. No, I know it for a fact. I take out the wine as I sit in an old chair. This is a toast. To what has been. To what is. To what will be. Cheers! Chapter 305: The Maid Chapter 305: The Maid ****(POV) There are moments in life that are significant. This scene was one that the old man would always remember, even if he were to turn in a ghost. In a vast courtyard, a man was training. Completely drenched in sweat, he was swinging a de. "9997, 9998, 9999, 10 000!" With a heavy grunt, he simply fell on his knees. The situation would have appearedical to any external observer for he seemed to show no power in his swings. Every single one at a pace a snail would consider slow. Well, he may have looked weak, but the man was in fact a rank 4 martial king. One that had no equal in the entire city. While others lived their lives to the fullest all he did was train. From his awakening till night. Such a process was one filled with loneliness, but it was the path he had chosen and the man perseverant. Today should have been a day like any other, but for once he had an audience. A maid sat in the shade observing his every move. "*Teasingly* Enjoying the show?" "*Enthusiastic* Yes, my lord!" He expected her to be bashful about it, not in the slightest. She had spent her day off watching him. Something about wanting to observe his incredible technique. He doubted she could discern the mana constraints he was applying to himself. Yet she kept watching him peacefully. All-day long. He simply disregarded her. While the technique was hard to master it wasn''t any kind of secret. Simply a very basic way to forge the body. More often than not, the simple methods work the best whenbined with superhuman efforts. Thus ended what turned out to be a very normal day. Nothing special happened. Every subsequent day he would see her. Every time she hadpleted her duty she would sit in the shade of the tree. Bringing him food and water. Sometimes sharing her experiences of the day. Sometimes talking about her dreams. Dreams of a city where everyone would be happy and joyful. Thus the days kept going peacefully and eventually turned into months. One day he couldn''t help it and asked her why she even came to visit him. "Because protecting everyone seems lonely." That was her answer. She knew why he was training. For everyone''s sake. Without ever a respite. She would contribute the only way she could. By supporting him morally. Then one day, she didn''t show up. That is when he truly realized how lonely he had been before. Still, he didn''t falter and kept training as always. He did ask however a subordinate to make sure she was fine. Good thing he did for she had run into a problem. Surprisingly the quiet and gentle maid lived in the slums. A ce inhabited by the worst scums there were. Some gang had imed the territory and was now rounding up people to sell. While it rarely happened it wasn''t the first time. Every time, the guards would eventually crack down on such groups, but they never learned. That was the day the city was reminded of his existence. For the first time in years, he walked outside of his courtyard. That was the day every criminal gang was executed. By a single man. One that many were sure had died years ago. That was the day the slums themselves disappeared. He went at it the only way he knew how. In the most optimistic and simplistic one. He gave the city officials an ultimatum. Everyone would contribute to renovating that part of the city. In exchange, the dwellers would help with public work. How crazy must one be to listen to the ramblings of a single man? Yet they all followed his orders. The snobbish sects, the greedy merchant, and the traditional families. All of them contributed. They saw it as a small price to buy peace with a man that could destroy them all. Did this move of his truly fix anything? Not really. If anything for a month there was close to no crime in the city. But then everything returned to normal. The slums were not as bad, but shady individuals would still congregate there. The ones that seemed to have turned a new leaf slowly returned to their wretched habits. He assigned the maid to work for him directly. At first, she refused, saying that it wouldn''t be fair that she gets paid to barely do anything. For a martial king, he was truly an austere man. But he insisted for he needed thepany. He did what he had never done in the past. He opened up to someone. Before he had just been training. Telling himself that the stronger he was the better he could protect. That the peace would depend on him. The reality was there was plenty wrong with his beloved city. He realized that he had simply been lying to himself. For an incredibly powerful martial king, he felt incredibly weak. What was the point of power if he could barely make a difference? He told her about his thoughts. All the while training relentlessly. He figured out there was an issue, but he didn''t know how to solve it. She simply giggled and told him that the thought was enough. That he simply had to find like-minded people. That with enough of them working together everything would work out. That he should simply take one step at a time. That she would be there with him. For the first time in an extremely long time, the man cried. Tears of relief. That made her panic wondering what she had done wrong. He would remember her caring expression forever. Funny how everyone saw a powerhouse when looking at him. Friends and foes alike. She just saw a man. Nothing else, nothing more. One that had a lot of weight on his shoulders. She sat on the ground and gestured to him. Guiding the man to lie on the ground his head on herp. That action was extremely out of character for him. At that moment he did not care, however. She told him to close his eyes. Then she simply brushed his hair while she talked. She told him not to be too harsh on himself. That he was the reason no external enemies dared mess with this ce. That they could slowly figure out the internal problems. She described a future without crime. A future where everyone would smile. A future where there would be other protectors too. For a second, he stopped being a warrior. He was just a dreamer. He remarked that he was old enough to be her greatgreatgrandfather. She giggled that she knew and didn''t mind. That he had the right to be human still. Somehow, she had read all about it before. She knew that he was older than 120 years. She had taught herself to read somehow. She had researched a lot about the city. That was the day she became his advisor. There was a lot of opposition to that choice. He never cared nor regretted it. Chapter 306: Planning a Robbery Chapter 306: nning a Robbery ****(POV) The man''s life had changed in the recent year. While he would still train diligently, he had shifted his focus. He realized that any amount of power was useless if used inadequately. For that, he relied on her. While he trained, she would read to him. Exin anything he had trouble with. Talk about subjects like administration and whatnot. Honestly, it all confused him extremely. Still, he persevered. Many times he wondered what would have happened if things were different. She was dealt a bad hand at birth. One condemning her. Her potential value was extremely low. How low she didn''t know, but she had failed the tests of many sects. Quite grandly at that. He often wondered what his life would have been without talent. He would have probably been farming without aplishing anything. When he told her that he admired her because of it, she refuted. Sure, she was trying to make a difference by helping the man, but he shouldn''t look down on farmers. That giving life and caring for crops was equally noble. That made her special. She didn''t buy into the idea that there were people superior to others. Meanwhile, even the god of diplomacy he was worshipping was trying to establish his superiority. It was a worldview that shed with everything present in the earth realm. Of course, she only opened to the man about such things. Life kept going. One day she came back with a young man in tow. Dering proudly that she had found him a disciple. He was from one of the strong families. He had heard about the man''s past from history lessons. He had then tried everything to talk to him. Until finally he had managed to meet her. He was both polite, talented, and driven. The martial king was at a loss. Not ready for such a thing. Thanks to her insistence he agreed to teach him. Thus in the vast courtyard were two men training after day. Before long that number turned to three. She had picked up a stray from the renovated slums. A teenager with a shifty look in his eyes. He was earning his keep stealing. She had convinced him that he could be doing something more with his life. At first, he was extremely suspicious. Even expecting to be sold as a ve or something simr. Still, the temptation was too high to ignore. His dream was to one day own a manor. Slowly he opened up and left his old self behind. Finding sce in the sword. He was used to working hard all day long. It was just a matter of using all that energy efficiently. Thus the lessons continued. He would teach them about the sword. She would teach them about the world. Her that had never truly traveled. She somehow knew more than the merchants. How insane was that?! The martial king had stopped trying to understand her withmon sense. The more time went the more his disciple grew. At some point, they left his side. The vast courtyard felt oh very empty. She giggled when she saw how at a loss he was. How he had be attached to them. Both of them were extremely busy, making their teacher proud. One started dealing with internal affairs, slowly making the city a better ce. The other took charge of the military. Slowly building his own personal force until he had control of most troops. They both in turn taught their subordinates strictly. The same way as they had been. Soon,petent officials started appearing. When that happened the mentor celebrated. For once he left himself vulnerable and drank away without any worry. She waited until he was dead drunk and struck. She had been waiting for an opportunity all this time. His life was all she wanted. He pulled a shadow of resistance but faltered quickly under her relentless tongue. His true desires uninhibited thanks to the alcohol. As a result, she got stabbed. Repeatedly and all night long. That made them closer, but nothing really changed. Well, besides that he was now showing affection. Also that she had be his wife. A ceremony with only the two of them. One day a man came into the picture. He brought a baby with him. He turned out to be a rtive. One the man had not seen in a while. He needed a ce to stay. The martial king epted him as his brother and the newborn as his nephew. Life continued as normal. More training, sometimes babysitting and keeping in touch with the city news. All until one day both disciples excitedly invaded his courtyard. They had been researching a lottely. They had chanced upon some extremelyplex formation diagram. One that would allow great things to be realized. That would make the city safer. But theycked the funding necessary. They had a n for that. They would invite other sects to this city. They would make it bigger and more interesting. Transform it into a metropolis where diverse factions would interact. Then use the profit to realize the project. Such a n would bring countless troubles for sure. They would have to work extremely hard. Making sure not tomit a single mistake. They wanted their teacher''s blessings for that. For they knew should anything go wrong he would be the one having to shoulder it all. For there was no one worthier than him. He agreed. He felt that it was better to try and fail than to fear never progressing. His wife also supported the project. Thus they got to work. Before long the city expanded to unbelievable dimensionspared to its initial size. Somehow, they managed to deal with all the issues by themselves. Of course, they used their teacher''s name to intimidate people too. They amassed most of what was needed for their n. Sadly they were missing a core. One that could control such powerful magic. There was a family that specialized in finding magical gems, but it wouldn''t be enough. They kept looking and looking until finally, the eldest found a solution to their problem. There had been records of a rank 4 creature sighted in a disaster zone. One that protected a treasure that would serve well as a core. A ck twin-headed giant snake. Any sane person would have instantly disregarded such an idea. Not them. The eldest was especially knowledgeable. He came out with many countermeasures and ideas. The youngest used to be a thief. He would never fight the creature, but he dared to steal from it. Thus they slowly etched their strategy. They said goodbye to their teacher and left on a journey. One that would not be as simple as they had initially thought. Chapter 307: I Love You Chapter 307: I Love You What happened during the disciples'' journey? They didn''t tell, simply glossing over it. They saw no glory in thievery, even with a monster as the target. They would have preferred to fight the creature directly, but they weren''t strong enough. Not yet at least. Still, they managed to bring back the treasure. Before long they had figured everything out and managed to set up the formation. It would prevent people frommitting crimes. It would bring peace to the city. They had to ask for help from many mages too. Many people objected and were against that idea. But then once more HE came out of his courtyard. Alone, their master made all listen. They could either ept this or leave the city altogether. A few did leave, but the vast majority remained. Many disliked the man, but they trusted his character. For he was not the scheming kind. His wife oversaw the whole process. Somehow, she managed to find many ws and correct them. All the while not being able to use magic herself. Once more she brokemon sense. But her husband was used to it already. Before long it was functioning. His disciples having control over it. There were still a few issues. Mostly people tricking each other''s using the ws in the system. That is when the eldest disciple created an investigation squad. One that would be in charge of searching for any exploiter and crush them. It wasn''t perfect, but it worked. For the first time in forever many sects were at one location without killing each other. It was a dreame true, to say the least. That is when he started pondering about the future. He didn''t have to remain in the city anymore. He started a new project. A very small one. He started building a farm outside of the city. One where he and his wife could retire. His disciples heard about it and insisted on installing formations to protect it. At first, he refused, but then they convinced him that it was for her safety. Then he agreed. Finally, everything was done. They hosted a big banquet to celebrate theing of a new era. That was one of the best days of his life. He had a loving wife. He had worthy disciples. He had aplished his life''s goal. He was ready to retire. Sadly, as it often is, the happiness was short-lived. The next day a ruckus started. People had spotted a blurry shadow on the horizon. One that was growing bigger by the minute. As the city defenders climbed the city walls to observe it, the disciples understood what it was. The creature they had stolen the treasure from. It had followed them here somehow. It was clearly after what it had lost. But there was an issue, it already had been used. Trying to remove it would make it so everything would be destroyed. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that the creature would leave even then. The master knew what he had to do. He kissed his wife onest time and entrusted her to his disciples. Then he leaped from the tall city walls toward the atrocity. His wife wanted to stop him. She wanted to ask him to run. But she knew that he wouldn''t. That even if he did, he would regret it for the rest of his existence. She couldn''t ept that for she truly loved him. He dashed toward his opponent. Faster than any horse. He held his sword tightly. One that he had only ever used to train in the recent years. After all, there were no worthy opponents. But that was the case no more. Before long he came to a stop. Right before the giant twin-headed snake. One so long it could coil around a pce whole. Scales looking sturdier than any armor he had seen. Fangs bigger than his whole body. Every breath sending a poisonous mist flying. A creature that was very close to evolving. Almost a rank 5. That is when he knew he would die. After a long and devastating fight. He resolutely attacked the creature then he ran. It understood what he was trying to do yet still went after him. Eating this human could elerate its growth. Not as much as his original target, but he would look for it afterward. He kept running until finally, they were away from all civilization. The only thing in the area was a small deste temple on a nearby mountain. One that he knew for a fact was abandoned. Then they started fighting. Making the earth itself quake, every of their sh sending shockwaves in the air. The creature couldn''t understand. The human was clearly weaker than it was yet wasn''t losing any ground. Any other would have faltered as soon as they saw the powerful beast. Not him. Not the city''s protector. He had trained all his life for this single moment. He simply kept hacking and hacking. Dodging every single blow. Unknowingly the human managed to use a power that was way beyond his rank. A power that was invisible to most. A power that he would never even realize he had used. He used faith power. One that deities fought tooth and nail for by getting followers. He wasn''t any god. But he was the symbol of prosperity for an entire city. An entire city that was currently praying for his sess. In a world when even the lowliest have traces of mana in them it made a slight but decisive difference. The snake could have in fact overpowered the man. The snake was still stronger. Except that the creature became scared. It knew that should they keep fighting maybe they would both perish. It wouldn''t die to a worthless human for sure! It ran away, knowing that its poison had been affecting its opponent. That there was no way the man would press the assault for he would die if he did. But it failed to consider one thing. The man didn''t have the leisure to think. The man''s only driving force was his conviction. That and instinct. Instead of surviving to fight another day he kept going. Until he finally beheaded the evil that was threatening his beloved city. Thus he sealed his fate. He felt the poison immobilize him. He was about to die. But he knew he had seeded. He knew they would be safe. He knew she would be. That was all that mattered. That is when his wife appeared. As beautiful as the first day he had seen her. Somehow, she was flying with huge feathery white wings. He felt her embrace him then fly toward the nearby temple. He thought he was delirious at first, but then he realized. It was real. This exined so many inconsistencies. How she was so knowledgeable. How she never found him intimidating. When he saw the broken statue inside, he wanted to scream. But no sound came out of his mouth. The statue of the goddess of sacrifice. Thest thing he heard was "I love you." Thus he lived and she died. Chapter 308: Just Divine Power Chapter 308: Just Divine Power I still can''t wrap my head around the fact that the old man suddenly wants to retire. I guess he was worried for a while about the bakery. Lately, everything has been going well. Still, the timing is weird, yesterday he didn''t even show any sign of wanting to leave, then this morning he suddenly announced that. In any case, it is his choice, so I simply get to baking. Even the salesgirl notices his absence, but we leave it at that. But then a little whileter Wolfie barges into the kitchen. Growling lowly obviously asking me to follow her. "What''s happening?" She just bolts away. I''m still in the process of cooking a batch of pies, but I follow her, nheless. Before long she guides me outside the city. I was wondering if there was some sort of check procedure but apparently not. We walk for a long while until finally appears a small farm. She goes toward it. At this point, I have no clue what we are doing here but I trust her. We enter and there he is. The old man. Sitting on an old chair apparently reminiscing. Mumbling to himself lowly. He doesn''t even notice me enter. He''s saying something about how he should have been the one. How she should have lived instead. Is he talking about his wife? I know he had one but seldom talks about her. Saying that he would have killed himself years ago if it didn''t mean rendering her sacrifice useless. I get the feeling something tragic happened to them. Then he chuckles sadly. Saying that no matter what he is about to die, that finally he can join her. While saying so he fixes the wine bottle he is holding. Is it poison?! He did leave with that earlier. I thought he was nning to celebrate; seems I was extremely mistaken. I do not want him to die. At all. Still, do I have the right to decide for him? I do not know what he has gone through. No, I do not have the right. If he wants to die, who am I to stop him? Logically I should simply walk away. But screw all this! Just as he''s about to drink I snatch the bottle away. [Hey old man! Celebrating without me?!] Then I drink. I drink it all. Until there is none left. This way he won''t be able to use it. Tastes like grapefruit. I''m not sure how I''ll cheer him up yet, but there must be a way. He seems confused for a second. Looking at the bottle and me alternatively. Then hees back to his senses. "No! What have you done! This will kill you!" [Then why did it seem like you were about to drink it?] "That. that''s not important, kid! This is poison! We need to " [Don''t worry. All good.] He looks stupefied at me. Then he waits a bit, then seems in disbelief. "How are you still alive?!" [Tell me what''s happening old man. All of it.] He sighs saying he knew I would try to help. Then he tells me his story. Before long I''m crying all over the ce. Meanwhile, he''sforting me. How the hell did our roles get reversed so fast?! Apparently, when his wife gave her life for him, he did survive, but there remained some aftermath of the poison. He lost all chance at life and his power. Since he is about to die, he wants to leave the world here. In this ce that was supposed to be their happy nest. Seems he''s not suicidal at all. He simply wants to end it on his own terms, rather than die at a random ce. I can understand that. I approach him. Then I put my hands on his skull. "What are you doing?" [Shhhhh.] He seems perplexed but he doesn''t move. I need to focus. Need to remember that feeling. Back when I helped little Bai. He was on the verge of death too. This time it''s something different but still. I know divine energy is the bane of poison. I just need to circte it in him without damaging him. He is but a frail old man now. I send a tiny strand of divine energy inside him and make it make aplete round across his body. I picture the poison getting evaporated like snow in the sun. I keep going until finally, I feel like I cannot do so anymore. [There you go old man, should be fine.] Then I took a step back and [What the hell?!] In front of me is no old man, but a handsome middle-aged man. One that would definitely makedies'' heads turn around in a city. "H-how?!" He seems stunned, trying to figure out what is happening. To be honest, so am I. Since when can I make people younger?! I should totally sell that service! I''ll just open a small stall in the city with a sign written eternal youth. Bam! Instantly rich! Ah, but he was poisoned too. Maybe that made him look older. [Are you feeling well oldman?] It feels kinda weird calling him that now. "I... I have my power back. The poison is gone! How?!" [So, is that a yes?] "If that isn''t a yes then what would be one?!!" [That''s good.] "What was that?!" [Come again?] "That thing you did! I have no clue what that was, but you sent something in my body!" Normally I wouldn''t say, but [Oh, nothing much. Just divine power.] "Nothing much just divine power." He keeps mumbling that over and over for a while. "How the hell is that nothing much?! Ah, I get it! You must be the aspect of Compromis himself! I was so foolish." [Compromis? That''s the diplomacy god, right? If anything I have no reason to hate him yet, but I''m definitely not him haha.] "Then who are you really?! Ah, wait, I shouldn''t be asking!" [You are overthinking things, old man. I''m just me. Nothing more haha. Everyone can learn to use divine energy you know. Ah, it may require a trip to the gods'' realm. I''m still not sure about that one.] "I feel dumb haha. I went through all that trouble just for it to be easily resolved." [Don''t worry about it, it gave insight into your backstory at the same time.] "What?!" [What?!] "Never mind, I guess. Still, what am I supposed to do now?" [Whatever you want old man, if you want to retire you can. As long as you are happy.] "Happy" [So what will you do?] "I think I will stay here a bit. Renovate this ce. It is the farm we used to dream of retiring to." [Of course old man.] "Wait, if you are that powerful why are you simply baking?!" [What should I be doing? Fight with other champions for world domination? They can kill each other''s for all I care.] "HAHAHAHAHAHA that is so you!" [Oh crap! I just remembered I have some pies in the oven! Later old man!] He watches giggling as I''m hurrying back home. Chapter 309: Scene of Destruction Chapter 309: Scene of Destruction All is well that ends well. I managed to save the old man. Now I just need to save the pies! While it isn''t as high on the list of priorities it remains a worthy mission. I happily walk to What the hell?! What awaits me is a scene of destruction. "Sir! They destroyed everything!" The bakery is gone. Completely gone. No trace of it at all. The building. The cool art. The furniture. The gold I had inside. The pies. What the hell?! Who would be so evil! [*Growling* Who did this?] "The Untainted sect, Sir!" Untainted my ass! If they are untainted, I''m a fucking saint! What kind of god is that purity god bastard. To let his followers do something like that. A crime against humanity. But most importantly a crime against pies! [I want to know everything.] "T-that they somehow heard that the old man was retiring" [Since I left too, they thought now was a good time to strike, eh? What about the anti-crime system, why didn''t it activate?] "They got help from someone from city hall!" [What?!] "I don''t know anything much, Sir!" Bunch of duplicitous bastards. We had a truce with the first and good rtions with the second. They probably think the old man dead. They are having a great time, aren''t they? The untainted bastards I''ll punish for sure. But first I wanna know why that two-faced bastard betrayed us. Calmly visiting to sip tea with us, then reducing all to ashes. That fucker! "Sir, what should we do?" [You simply take care of yourself. As for me, I''ll be busy making sure they regret thoroughly ever messing with me.] She seems worried as I leave. I mean I did just tell her I was going to fuck up both a sect and the government. Before long I reach city hall. I use my scouting ability to locate him. That so-called friend. I''m told that I can''t ess the area where his desk is but I don''t care. I simply go in. mming the door open and close after I enter. [Why!?] He seems surprised at my entrance, but then he calms down. "I take it you''ve seen the bakery." [Give me a good reason not to beat you up right now!] "You would end up getting screwed by the anti-crime system. I am not the one that wanted to destroy the shop. It was decided by all sects and the other disciple of the old man. Finally, it wouldn''t bring the bakery back." [Then why did you simply watch as it happened?!] "There is only so much one man can do. Ironic how teacher didn''t seem to have that limitation. They see his death and the destruction of his bakery as a sign of change. The strongest sects were all lying low because of the remnant prestige he had. Now they will try to take their ce as overlords again. *Sigh*" [You were the old man''s student?! Aren''t you too old?!] "Haha, yes. When one bes strong enough one stops aging. Well, one still does but the appearance doesn''t change and the lifespan is increased. For him living 200 years wouldn''t have been an issue." [I see. Then why did his other disciple support them?!] "Different mentalities. Less of an optimist. He has a good heart, but we disagree on most things." This feels weird. I came here angry and wanting to fuck that guy up. But now my target somehow changed to the whole city. How am I supposed to cope with that? "I can help you get revenge on the Untainted sect, just not now. We have to move in the shadow to seed. After all, a sect is not so easy to confront." That is right. I still have one clear enemy. The others supported them from the shadows, but the purity guys did the actual destruction. I''ll first annihte them. Then I''ll see. [Fine, I''ll let you off the hook for now.] Then I leave as simply as I came. I need a way to deal with the purity assholes. Killing them directly could work, but chances are it''s impossible for me. First, there is the system. Second, they''ll run. That''s what happened back with the gangster in the tamer''s guild city. They simply ran when they realized they were too weak to beat me. Also, I should be fine for rank 3s, but if there are any rank 4, I won''t be able to deal with that. At least from how strong I have heard they are. No, that would be too easy of an ending for them. I need something else. Hehe. I just had an awesome idea. Their power stems from their faith, right? What if I make them lose all of it? I know exactly what I need. But first I need to find someone that deals with that kind of stuff. Who could I even ask for? I know there are poison masters in this town. I just need to find one. If I ask a passerby on that one, I will simply implicate myself. I make my way back to the bakery. My employee is gone, but Nomzi is there. Paying respect to the rubble. [Hey man.] "Can you believe what they did? That''s so evil! One should nevermit such sacrilege toward food!" [I agree man.] "After this, I''m going to attack their headquarters. I''ll kill as many as possible then I''ll run out before the system can destroy me." [You can do that?!] "Usual people no. But we of Gluto are hard to kill you see." [How many do you think you can even get?] "I''m not sure. ''Maybe a few, maybe a dozen." [How many members do they even have?] "I have no clue, but probably a hundred." [Are they all as insufferable as thatdy that wanted to take this ce down?] "Of course!" [Then this won''t do. It won''t be enough to satisfy me.] "You mean" [I want to get them all.] "For it to be possible we would need an army of people like me. Or we can try and bait them outside the city somehow." [No, I have a better n. I just need something. Can you point me to the nearest poison master?] "Not at all. They are hunted by the city. They are extremely hard to meet." [Have any idea then?] "That, I heard some of them capture beggars to use in their experiments. Maybe try that ?" [Alright, thanks, man. I''ll try my way. If it doesn''t work, we''ll go on a murderous rampage together.] "No! For me, it''s fine because I worship Gluto but for you" [Hehe, I worship The Unnamed God. If I have one thing going for me is that I''m extremely hard to kill.] "Rightthat sect of yours that no one has ever heard of." [Says the guy that acted as if he knew it when we met haha.] "Hehe." [Wish me luck haha.] "Good luck." Now, if these guys are capturing beggars I know exactly what to do! Chapter 310: Begging Chapter 310: Begging I know exactly what to do! I walk resolutely to a bakery. Visiting a man I haven''t seen in a while. The only one of them that didn''t try and screw me. Actually, he did but not in a bad way. [Hey there!] There is the lonely baker that just wants someone to love. "You came back! Are you here for"? [No, not at all. I need your help. Nothing big.] He seems a bit disappointed, but he still closes his shop and guides me to the back store. "What can I do for you?" [I need to look like a beggar.] "Come again?" [I need to go undercover for a mission. I need to look like a hobo!] I could just stalk, but it will be faster if I make myself a vulnerable target. "*Sigh* Fine I''ll help. I have plenty of things I can use topletely transform your appearance." He takes some ashes from his oven, also all kinds of ingredients meant for cooking. Then he starts to stter all of it on me. "Are you sure you don''t want to" [Yes, I''m sure you''ll find someone. If anything you are a cool guy.] "I understand. Alright, all done!" He hands me a bit of water. I can see my reflection. My handsome face ispletely hidden. [Perfect! I owe you one, man. I''d pay you for that but I just got robbed of everything I owned.] "Wait, that means you don''t have a change of clothes either?! Cause these ones are a goner!" [Don''t worry about it haha. If anything I will probably be fighting a sect soon enough anyway.] "Be careful, don''t die. Or I''ll haunt you!" [Isn''t it the other way around usually?] "Shut up! Now get out there and aplish whatever you need to do!" I give him onest smile thankful smile. Then I head in a nearby alley. I plop down on the ground and I start begging. [Help a young man in] No, this sucks. [*Hoarse* People say men with big dicks are more generous, is it true?!] *Clink Clink * [Bless you, young man! Bless you!] [People saydies that are attractive are more generous, is it true?!] "Clink Clink* [Thank you, young mdy!] Ah, this is boring. I need a sign reading "which sect is the coolest". Then give a few options. "Motherfucker! It''s you again!" Oh? It''s the beggar I first saw uponing here. The one that I managed to beat while asleep, what a fucker haha. [It''s me! What are you gonna do about it?!] "Screw you!" [Please if you have another job to suggest go ahead haha.] Now, that is perfect timing for him to mention working for a poison master. Of course, he would hide the true nature of the job from me. "You think I''d be begging if I had any other alternative?! Fuck you!" Or he doesn''t know anything. Most of the time you expect beggars to actually know a lot about the city. But sometimes there is a reason they are in the street. Like this guy right here. [You think you alone will manage to intimidate me? It''s not like you have many beggars helping you!] "Just you wait!" Now he''s voluntarily helping me find the others. If I had relied on a professional, they would have probably been scared. But now it will be a beggar asking them to deal with another beggar. Now I just need to wait for... "Fuck you" [Weren''t you going to get reinforcements?] "Yeah, but they didn''t want toe." [Brotherthis is sad. Let''s make a deal I''ll give you all the coins I have if you manage to get them here.] "What?! You want to get beaten?!" [*Sigh* No, I just have questions to ask them. Know if any beggar disappeared recently?] "What?! Are you with the city?!" [No, I''m looking for a friend is all.] Well, the first poison master I encounter will be my friend haha. "Thatalright! I''ll be right back!" Now I just need to wait. I do act the part as a beggar while at it. Before long I''m sitting on a small pile of copper coins. I seriously have a talent for that! "I''m back!" [Alone] "They really didn''t want toe." [Did you offer them money?] "I didn''t think of that! Be right back!" What the fuck! This Ah, whatever. I just need to be patient. At least if there is any smart one, he''ll understand that I''m simply looking for information. I wonder "Young master!" I hear someone calling towait, me? Then a man approaches with a hoodie. Wolfies starts growling at him. [Do we know each other?] The man reveals his face. An old man with white hair, a long beard, and emerald eyes. It''s the warden! [Calm down Wolfie, he''s a friend.] Also, he''s a poison master! [Hey! What are you doing here?! Ah, are you looking for a test subject?!] "No, it''s been years since I have tested any new concoction. But what are you doing here, young master? Also, what''s with your outfit?" [Oh that? Don''t worry about it. All a disguise to meet a poison master...and it worked!] "I just recognized your face" [...And it worked!] "Anyway, why were you looking for one such as I?" [Need to destroy a sect branch, need a peculiar item for it.] "How about we first get you cleaned up and eat a hearty meal before?" I can see the concern in his eyes. [I''m not really homeless!] "Of course not." [Believe me!] "Of course I believe you, young master." Ah, whatever. We head to a nearby Inn. Then he rents a room and brings in a bathtub and a new set of clothes. How long has it been since I''ve had a proper bath? I don''t remember. In any case, a soon as I enter the water it turns ck instantly. Wow. About 5 bathtub refillster with clean water I am finally done. I don a ck robe embroidered with gold. It looks pretty neat. Then my friendes back with food. I devour it quickly while he is looking over with pity. Then I tell him about my n. I''m expecting him to pat his chest and to brag about how easy he can do it. Nope. He tells me that he''ll teach me alchemy instead. His argument is that the sect won''t go anywhere. Also that I will likely be confronted with simr problems in the future. Apparently, he himself just had to deal with a small group of evildoers. That is why he is away from the Moon Keep. I ask him about how Luna is doing and if she has forgotten me. Apparently, she still remembers I exist. I tell him to give her a message. Toe and find me if she wants. He agrees, but for now, we need to secure aboratory. He says something about trying to get the funds, but I interrupt him. I know an easy way to make money after all. Chapter 311: Preparation Chapter 311: Preparation Time to get rich! I swagger outside and make my way toward that one merchant guild. The guys with the cartwheel insignia. Before long I am ushered into a small meeting room again. Their leader wees me. "Hey there, young man! Have you decided to work with us?" [Indeed, whenever you are ready, we can go.] "Well, the auction will only be in a few days. I will send someone to get you when it happens." Alright. What now? I could have totally sent a message for that shit. "Anything else?" [Ah, not really.] Then I awkwardly get up and leave. Socializing is my forte! Or not lol. Now let me see. I''ll need aboratory. Equipment. Probably some paper to take notes. I quickly head into the slums. Before long I manage to find my artist friend''s house. [Hello? Anyone here?] "Just enter!" He''s inside drawing as usual. [Hey man.] "*Sigh* I heard about what happened to your bakery. A damn shame. Want me to help?" [What do you mean?] "It''s not toote to draw their hall master getting fucked by a horse. Then we can distribute it across the entire city." [That, I''m not sure I want to do this haha.] "A pig then? Maybe a goblin?" [That''s not what I meant!] Also, how have I never met any goblin if they exist here? "They used to be all over the ce, but they got annihted quickly. They were weak and this continent isn''t that big to start with." Figures. [No, I mean I want to try something more drastic.] "Oh?" I exin my situation quickly. "Alright, paper I have plenty. Same for the ink. For the rest, I''ll help too. Follow me." Before long we head to the market. [Last time I came here it was really weird they were all] "Flirting, right? Bunch of weirdos. Whenever theye out people stay home." [So they are well known?] "Infamous yeah. Here we are." He guides me to the stall of a shady-looking man. "This guy charges more but he won''t report you to city hall for your purchases." Damn, I didn''t realize that was an issue in the first ce. Then again alchemy lets you kill people. Either by creating poison or selling them ineffective medicine. He quickly negotiates everything for me. The whole kit will only cost a few gold coins. Including a few basicmon ingredients. He''ll have everything for me the next day. I just need to get the money. Then we head to a small shop. Here I can buy or rent a ce. Surprisingly they have many avable buildings. I just need a small ce, so it won''t be too much of an issue. Before long we visit a few buildings. That is when he shows me one that they are selling cheaply. All the others are about 30 gold, but this one is only 10 gold. Surprisingly it''s also the best one. In a really hard-to-reach location. Usually, it would be horrible, but for me it''s perfect as I won''t get disturbed easily. Plus it''s right near a funeral home. People are bound to leave me alone haha. Needless to say, I pick that one. I don''t even have to give a down payment. They straight up sell it to me. At first, I''m confused, but then my friend tells me that there have been murders in the citytely. That building had someone die in it. I mean dealing with the body should have been convenient with that business nearby haha. Still, it would be superstitious to think there is anything bad just because it happened once. Thus ends my journey. Then I meet the warden again. He starts teaching me. Starting with the ingredients he has on hand. Then he keeps going. It is a nightmare. Memorizing all the decimals of Pi would be easier. Yes, I''m aware there are infinite decimals. The thing is he''s already listed a few hundred herbs by now. I have trouble even picturing what they look like. Now I''m supposed to remember the shape, the form, and the uses. Also, herbs tend to look all the fucking same. This reminds me of the time at the beast tamer guild, but worse. Before long I stop himpletely confused. Meanwhile, Wolfie is cackling on the side. Then I slowly start noting it all. More often than not I need to redraw the whole thing. I really wish I had some super memory, but nope. The best I can do is write it all. That is how we spend the next few days. Cooped in an Inn room. Whenever we get meals delivered the worker here gives us weird nces. Guess he''s not used to people studying or something. Ah, actually he''s been looking at Wolfie. I guess it''s the first time he''s seen a pet that smart. The only time I can get a break is when I nap in between sessions. Cuddling with a pet is the best. I don''t even have an excuse. I''d say I''m tired, but divine energy makes sure I''m not physically tired. Ever. But! My teacher doesn''t know that! This routine of ours is stopped when a messengeres to guide me to the auction house. It is dark outside. Giving the whole city a mysterious vibe. Before long we reach a huge magnificent building. I can see people queuing. As in any world, there is the Normal queue, the VIP queue, and the super VIP queue. Let''s face it the normal VIP option barely gives any benefit and only makes it so they can make more profit. The super VIP actually have their own private bidding booth. That is where we are heading! I can''t help but straighten my back and look at the jealous expressions of others. They are wondering what a young man like me is doing there. If I had to say there is just one thing missing. There is no red carpet at the entrance. The door to enter the section does look sumptuous, however. Then the messenger announces my arrival and steps aside. As soon as I enter, 5 pairs of eyes get fixed on me. All of them wearing clothes with the guild''s emblem. An old man seems to be frowning too. "That''s the man we were waiting for?! He looks in." Internal conflict right at the beginning?! Chapter 312: Disappointing Auction House Chapter 312: Disappointing Auction House Let me see, an old man is dissing me right from the start. The guild master intervenes. "Now, now. No need to doubt him that much. He''s simply here to appraise the rocks." "*Snort* What good is he if that''s all he can do?" I want to refute that, but he has a point. All I really have going for me is X-ray vision. I have no idea of the exact market rate or anything. Still, I''m able to judge by the look. I can just describe everything I see to them worst-case haha. They''ll be able to tell me the price. [What good? I can tell you what anything contains with a look. If that is worthless to you then I may as well leave.] "Can you really do that?" [Yep.] He takes a ring he is wearing and puts it in one of his hands. "Which hand?" Are you kidding me?! This is his test?! I point to the right one. Then he does it a few dozen times mixing it up every time before finally nodding satisfied. "Sorry about earlier, kid. I''m the official appraiser of this guild Alright, at the very least you can see through the deception." Wait, was he using magic during that or something? Judging by the impressed expressions of the others I''d say yes. I''ll have to figure that out soon. Right now I have no way to know if there are any illusions involved. I just don''t see them, at all. [Is it that useful?] "Well, from time to time there are people that will falsify the appearance of the items they are selling. They get punished if someone realizes it but" [They''ll still try to make a quick sell and run?] "Precisely." [So during the auction I describe the true appearance of items and you appraise it?] "That works!" Somehow, he''s super friendly now. Guess there is no way a skilled appraiser would be dumb enough to burn all bridges with me out of arrogance. We talk a bit. Mostly about how I came to be here. About my life experiences, or more uratelyck off. He''s extremely surprised when I tell him that I never properly learned any techniques. He even starts to teach me a few things. Nothing big, just a few tidbits. For example how to judge the price of a magical gem based on the luster. Seems my instinctual approach was somewhat urate. The cooler it looks the better. In most of the cases anyway. Simply because the gems with the most mana are the most awesome looking ones. Then the auction starts. There are tons of products being disyed. Weapons. Armors. Jewelry. Books. Gems. Then finally rocks. Every time somethinges up, I describe its true appearance to my colleague. Then he gives his professional advice. The merchants actually know about most of the items themselves. Still, this kinda seems boring. Usually, in such a thing you''d expect magical weapons and wondrous treasures. Nope. Just really good quality products and rare and expensive crafting materials. I guess I should have expected that when I saw that "awesome" dwarven sword. A piece of junk if you ask me. It was so easily destroyed too. As a reward for my efforts, they give me 20 gold and I am free to leave. Somehow this is way less profitable than me gambling. Then again, I guess it''s because there is no risk whatsoever. Also if I go to the Mystery Gems ce and keep winning, they may just kick me. That would be lowering the victory odds for their other customers. *Sigh* Life can be difficult at times. No matter. I go back and rest. The first thing I do in the morning is to take possession of my new ce. Then I install all the material I bought. The warden keepsining about all the ws in the equipment and theck of diversity in the herbs. So instead of arguing with him I simply bring him directly to the merchant. I gotta admit it is fun to see the guy at a loss. Trying to note all that the warden is telling him. He has all kinds of specific criteria for what we need. Then we head back and I officially start my first alchemical potion. I try to make a medicinal salve and I sessfully make a poison. Then I try making poison and sessfully make a healing salve. That is when I realize the issue. I''ve been confusing most of the herbs all along. My teacher leaves me with a few recipes to train and tells me to keep going. But how the hell am I supposed to do this? That is when I get a genius idea. I try tasting an herb, then the other. Two that look exactly the same have very different tastes. Hell, one tastes like cinnamon! This is amazing! I''ll be able to cook with that and Ah crap, that''s the extremely poisonous one. Still, if it''s for self-consumption or for my Gluto friend I could use that in pies. Hell yeah! I wonder if that is what is included in the spices the other guy had? Maybe it''s based on poison and modified in a way that it isn''t dangerous? How would one do that withoutpromising the taste? That is a very profound question. I put the thought aside and I keep practicing. The general process is pretty simple. Extract the essence of every nt, then mix them ording to certain ratios. Sometimes there is a specific order to do things. Sometimes just changing the order gives an entirely different result. This isplex but worth it! Ah, but I need a way to test my creations. I do have a n for that. I head to the nearest butchery. Then I ask the owner where he gets his livestock. At first, he thinks I''m trying to bypass him to get meat, but when I tell him that it''s to test healing salves he cooperates. Apparently from a ranch at the outskirts of the city. I head there and I am met with a pretty impressive scene. There are tons of pigs and chickens. All having contraptions that automatically feed them. Now, I have no clue what they are using but they are all huge and fat! By that I mean the chickens are bigger than normal pigs. The pigs are the size of horses. Then again, I did see many overgrown creatures in the forest. Would make sense that they domesticated some. Now, where is the owner? Chapter 313: Alchemy is Hard Chapter 313: Alchemy is Hard Before long I am in front of the owner. A in-looking young man with disheveled clothing. Good thing he isn''t the hero of a story of everyone would stop reading it. [Hey there, I''m looking to buy animals for-] "Can''t!" [What do you mean?] "I already pre-sold all that I have." [How long would I have to take for the next batch?] How I said it sounds highly inhumane. Treating them like objects. "*Sigh* They feel bad nowadays and don''t even have the energy to bother reproducing." Wow. Something must really be wrong. I mean besides eating that is the only thing the animals can do here. "So because of that, I don''t have any to sell." [Actually, I believe I could help.] "How so?" [You see I''m an alchemist. Well, an aspiring one at the very least.] "How does that corrte to livestock?" [I''m trying to find test subjects to test my creations.] "Hell no! I already have enough problem as is!" [Let me finish. What if I practice creating aphrodisiacs?] "Why?" [As soon as I seed it would solve your problem. I won''t even ask for anything. You''d simply have to let me test on the creatures.] "There is no guarantee that-" [You want a guarantee too?! The way I see it this isn''t a losing deal for you. Worst case you lose a few pigs or chickens. Best case you get your business back on track.] "How long have you been studying alchemy?" [One whole day!] "Are you messing with me?! You want me to trust you?!" [I have a great teacher, lots of motivation, and a part-time job that earns well enough.] "How is thest one rted?" [I''ll keep trying until I seed.] "Makes sense. Fine! But you are only allowed a few tests!" [Not to kill too many at once?] "Exactly! Wait, kill?! Weren''t we talking aphrodisiacs?!" [Oh, yeah. Don''t worry about it.] Thus we have an understanding and I leave him be. Now I just need to get the recipe for that. For some reason, my teacher didn''t bother including it in the list. He''s already at my ce apparently having a staring contest with Wolfie. [What are you guys even doing?] "This wolf is not simple!" [I know, and?] "For some reason, I''m not sure who would win if we were to seriously fight." [. Old man, please do not fight with my pet!] If he was any younger, he would try to wrestle a tiger I bet! I''m sure Wolfie would win, somehow. She isn''t that strong, but she''s cunning enough to be able to hunt. What''s a frail old man going to do against that? [Anyway, I need a new recipe] "Oh?! You already mastered all the others?! Impressive!" [Mastered? No? How could I have? No, I need a recipe for an aphrodisiac.] He stares at me. "Young master, what are you even nning to use it for?" [For now pigs and chickens. Later hopefully humans.] "Young master, that would make the young mistress sad for sure!" [What are you even talking about?] "How abouting back with me to the Moon Keep, I can try and convince the sect master to-" [No thanks!] I know exactly what he''s about to say. Convince the sect master to forgive me for impersonating the champion. But here is the thing, I know how passionate the guy was about the whole envoy thing. I also remember the face he showed before sending me to jail. There is no way reconciliation is possible. Going back there I would have to fight for my life. Possibly implicating Luna. It''s best if I just wait for her to find me. Somece away from the influence of the sect. [Look, I need it for that revenge of mine.] "What?! Weren''t you going to use poison for?" [It is a type of poison, isn''t it?] "In as way" Then he finally teaches it to me. It is actually even moreplicated than the other ones. For instance, it''s easier with poisonous ones because you don''t have to care about an overdose. For an aphrodisiac the ratios are vital. Too much and bam heart attack! Too little and you might as well just use wine instead. Thus I get to work. Soon I have many salves, pills and elixirspleted. Me getting so many results with the same recipe is definitely weird. In any case, it is now time for testing! I bring all of that to the ranch. The owner is on the side looking skeptically at me. Then I slowly use the items on various animals. The first one starts pissing all over the ce. Legit a fountain. Okay, next one. This one starts vomiting. What then hell?! Right now he''s seriously looking weirdly at me. Last one for now. I carefully feed the pig and *BAM* It explodes! What the fuck! "What did you feed him?!" [An aphrodisiac] "Are you from apetitor trying to undermine my business?!" [I swear I''m not!] "Who would believe you! You clearly are!" [Wait! Let me prove it to you!] "How?!" [Let''s do it like so, I''ll bring you to myboratory. Then I''ll show you directly!] "You expect me to follow you just to your ce just to see that?!" [AhI guess it''s not realistic of me to-] "Alright, give me a second. I''ming." [What, seriously?!] "I mean this totally seems like a waste of time. But now I''m clearly wondering how one can make an animal explode like that." [I know, right?!] And thus we depart. This time I will have an audience. I will have to show the best of my skills! Back at home, I get to work. I properly call every one of the maniptions I do. Carefully showing it all. "Hey! Didn''t you say to use the poisonous herb?! That''s clearly the medicinal one!" [What?!] *Taste* [Oh damn you are right!] "Y-you! Did you just taste that?!" [Oh? Yes, poison tastes like cinnamon.] "Are you even human?!" [Eh? Of course! Let''s keep going!] I start again carefully doing all the maniptions. "Hey! That''s obviously the wrong tool!" [What?!] "You used another one for thest batch! The slightly smaller one!" [Ahmy bad.] "No wonder you keep messing this up! How do you even manage to have some result?!" [That... I''m not sureI''m trying my best.] Seems I got some work to do *Sigh*. Chapter 314: Interrogation? Chapter 314: Interrogation? [Man, how are you so good at this? Are you sure you haven''t been studying alchemy before?] "Aren''t you the one that''s just horrible?! I have eyes that''s all!" [Yes, but how do you easily discern the changes between the herbs and all?] "Ah, I''m used to observing animals all day long. They all look the same at first but then you learn to spot the small differences." Wow. Okay, that makes sense. Still, that guy is pretty good. If I ever want to create my own alchemy brigade, I''ll remember to look at pig pens. *KNOCK KNOCK! * "This is the investigation squad! Open up we need to talk to. boss why is there no name written?!" I can hear Little Li''s voicee after. "Hurry up ande out, we got some formalities to take care of!" My new friend is starting to freak out. All color leaving his face. "*Murmurs* It''s over! They''ll bring us in for ying with poisons, we''ll spend our whole lives-" [Don''t worry man, all is fine. COMING!] Then I go outside, making sure to close the door quickly enough behind me. [Hey, so what''s the issue?] "Alright, bag him!" [What?! Why?!] "Don''t worry, formality." [Can you stop repeating that and just tell me?] "You''ll see soon haha." Why is she having so much fun?! Ah, maybe she''s getting revenge for that time I knocked her unconscious. Before long I am brought to a small interrogation room somewhere near city hall. I''m sitting on an ufortable chair. On the other side is a guard with a huge beard, a very unkept one. "Talk! How did you kill him?!" [What are you even talking about?] "The baker! There has been a report of you killing the old baker and destroying his bakery!" [What the hell are you talking about?!] "Just admit already!" [I''ll admit that you are a dumbass! There are clearly lots of people that saw the Untainted Sect destroy my bakery!] "My?!" [Yep, I bought it from the old man a while back. How ignorant are you?! Or are you just ying dumb?!] "What if you were working with them to assassinate the man?" [] "I won''t let you leave before you admit to your crime." [*Sigh* I do have information on a crime.] He leans in. [*Whisper* That gross beard is murdering your chances at a love life.] "You little shit!" [Seriously, from my sources you are the one that killed the old man.] "Stop talking you-" [That''s also why you''ve tried to pin the me on me to escape your crime!] I like how we are pinning each other for a crime that never happened in the first ce. But seriously what is this whole charade about? *Sound of a door* That is when someone I know enters. The old man''s nephew. "I''ll take it from here." The dumb guard grumbles and leaves. [Oh? Are you here to get me out? Nice!] "Actually I was sent here to interrogate you." [] "What do you think this is all about?" [No clue.] "I''m not supposed to tell you this, but it''s all because of that sword you sold." To his guild, the golden lions eh. [Oh, the fake one.] "Yes, that one." [So they want revenge for that?] "No, they want to know your secret." [What do you mean? They want to try and steal my power? Won''t we just fight to the death then?] "What?!" [You said something about stealing-] "I meant the legendary technique that allowed you to realize that feat." [What legendary technique? I don''t know any.] "Then how were you able to-?" [Just practice shing until you can do it. It''s not that hard.] I mean I did use divine energy in my case to help, but I''m sure it''s not absolutely required. After all, there are plenty of ways to be a strong swordsman. "In any case, it''s a damn shame. He loved that bakery. He''d be turning in his grave if he knew." [Who?] "*Sigh*The one you call old man." [Oh, he''s still alive you know.] "Right, he just retired." [Exactly.] "Went to have fun." [Yep, he''s living on a happy farm.] "*Tearing up* Yeah, for sure." [What''s with all the mncholy? He''s seriously living on a farm.] He looks at me with pity. "Of course. The best farm there is." [I mean, it did look kind of bad, but I''m sure he''ll eventually fix it.] "What are you talking about?!" [His farm. The one right outside the city...] "You know about it?!" [Well yeah, you should probably visit him too at some point, no?] "Ah, I see. He chose that ce as hisst resting-" For some reason, he is starting to brood again. [Anyway, so what are we doing now?] "We need toe up with a reason that will send the others on a wild goose chase." [How about using the legendary teacher trope? I met an expert that taught me that technique, but he applied a restriction on me making it impossible for me to teach anyone.] "How do you evene up with something so ridiculous?" [I mean you can also tell them the truth. That they can easily get that powerful if they train diligently. *Shrug*] "Right, as if they''d believe that." [I mean just tell them whatever. I can''t teach it to anyone even if I wanted. I would simply say sh as hard as you can.] "This is not helpful." [Yeah, but it works. Take baking for example. If you keep at it at some point, you''ll be good.] "Fine, I''ll tell them it didn''t work. Still, I''m sure they will still be eyeing you. You''ll have to be careful if you leave town." [Wait, why didn''t they try and intercept me when I left the city earlier?] "They weren''t sure if it was a trap since you were following right behind him." [That doesn''t make any sense whatsoever.] "Well, maybe not to you. But to us it does. We remember how he was in the past." On that note, I simply remove the rope binding me forcefully. Then I start walking toward the exit. "You! How were you able to-?!" Then he stops for a few seconds. Then he startsughing. "I see HAHAHA! He taught you! No wonder! No wonder! HAHAHA." I feel like he''s misunderstanding something again, but whatever. Still, this city is weird. I feel like every faction has a hidden agenda and none make sense. At least to me. Now, time to go back to alchemy. I can''t help but start grinning. Maybe I''ll add the golden lions to my target list if they prove troublesome. Chapter 315: Working Hard Chapter 315: Working Hard [I''m back! How is everything going-] What the hell?! As I enter myboratory I see the young guy right where I left him. Except he seems to be paralyzed on the ground. Sitting near him is the warden. He seems to have a really sharp tool in his hand. I can hear him whispering. "That is the first part of what I will do. Then we will continue for the Ah! Young master, you are back!" The poor guy seems terrified. He cannot move but I can see the horror in his eyes. [What is happening here?] "Hehe, I found this little rat here trying to steal. I was waiting for you to be back to start the torture. This can be a wonderful teaching opportunity." [Yeah, about that. He''s a friend.] "What?! Howe?" [Eh, my new assistant you could say.] He feeds the young man something. Then he seems to regain control of his body. "Please don''t kill me?! I''ll leave! I won''t ever tell a soul about any of this and-" "You seem to be mistaken. The only reason you aren''t dead yet is that my young master said you had some use. Now, what can you do?" What''s with him going all evil all of a sudden? Ah, guess he is trying to ascertain his motives. But I''m the one that approached the poor guy not the other way around. He asks the shaking guy how long he has been studying alchemy to have the guts to be my assistant. Except that anyone is qualified knowing I only started learning a few days ago myself. The poor guy seems about to shit his pants, but then I intervene and just say that I believe he has potential and that the warden should leave him alone. Then the warden leaves. Leaving behind a crying mess of a man. He''s just mumbling over and over that he''s just a pig and chicken breeder. That he never signed up for any of this. [Sorry about that, here take this herb. It has calming properties.] "Brother, that''s the poisonous one." *Taste* [Yep, you are right. My bad.] That somehow gets himughing. He''s wondering how the hell I managed to catch the warden''s interest. Then I simply tell him that he''s simply trying his own way to help me. Even if I don''t seem that talented in the domain. Then again, I do not believe it matters. After a while, I''m bound to learn. Just a matter of experience. We get back to brewing. This time he is actively helping me. Before long we have some results. Some elixirs. We quickly head to the farm to test it all. I gotta admit, follows the most impressive scene of all time. Let''s just say the aphrodisiac clearly fixes the problem. We test on a few animals. They instantly go into a rut. The pigs with the pigs. The chickens with the chickens. A chicken with a pigwhat the hell?! But at least it''s working andthat is when all the chickens die. Suddenly and without warning. We get close to them and notice the issue. They are smaller so the dose needs to be different. Then we go back to theb. Now, one could argue that poison would work well for my revenge, but nope. If possible, I''d like to cause despair, then death. Rather than simply death. Also, I do believe we are still at a level that only can work on dumb animals. Thus we keep working over the course of the next few days. Poor guy is now forced to be my assistant. We just hire someone to take care of the animals and we keep at it. Before long we have a new version. This one is even more potent while having fewer risks of death. After testing it works pretty well. Then we go back and try to improve again. The goal is for it to be a chemical weapon. That is when we hit a wall. We run out of herbs. Also out of funds. But there is no way this will stop me. I head toward the Mystery Gems House. There is the crippled guy that wees me. "Oh? It''s you? Are you here to rob this ce again?" [Hehe, what do you mean rob? I''ll just try my luck.] He gives a wry smile, remembering my previous performance. Then I simply start picking rocks. Putting everything on the Greberos family''s tab again. The attendant in charge doesn''t even question it for some reason. I''m legit gambling someone else''s money. Before long I have picked some rocks and a crowd has assembled around. Thenes the unveiling. Again it''s all profit. I quickly sell some cheaply and leave the rest for more profit. "You beggar! How dare you look at me?!" What''s happening now? Some well-dressed guy is kicking the old man at the entrance. [Hey you! Stop that!] "*Scoff* That beggar looked at me with his disgusting gaze!" He''s on the ground groaning in pain. What is wrong with this man?! [Why are you even in public if you don''t want to be seen?] That is when the old man whispers: "Hey, at least mine still works." That gets the guy raging. He gets a sword out and aggressively points at him. "Do you believe I won''t kill you!" [Look man, this is awful city. Please just ignore him and go.] He snorts then leaves. I help the Talion guy up. [What was that even about?] "He''s arrogant and mad is all. Ah, also impotent haha." [How is that even possible? Healing magic exists.] "It''s apparently the result of a curse. That is why he hates me so much." [Because you are a curse user? You weren''t rted to the incident, right?] "Nope, I wasn''t. Still, every time he sees me, he is reminded of what he lost." [Damn that''s pitiful.] "Don''t pity him. He''s a dick." [Yeah, seems like it. Anyway, take care man.] I swing by the market, get more ingredients. Then it''s back to creating an aphrodisiac. I have figured out two important aspects. First, I want to somehow turn this into a smoke bomb kind of thing or perhaps incense sticks. I need something that can affect an entire sect. Also, it needs to be potent enough to not easily be cleansed. We go back to the farm with our new product. The results are glorious. [What do you think?] "Total sess!" [Yep, now we just gotta start the human trial.] "You! You''re kidding right?!" [Nope.] ^_^ 0_0 Chapter 316: Human Trial Chapter 316: Human Trial Time to start human trial! At first, my assistant is very much opposed to it, but then I assure him that I n to be careful. Now the main goal is to increase the potency. We keep working on that. From time to time the warden swings by to give advice. I ask him to check every product we create to make sure it''s not deadly. Then I head to the magicalnd of the red district for the first time. Soon enough I see an enchanting view. Barely dressed men and women. The former flexing their muscles while praising their endurance. Thetter clearly showing a deep valley and calling out to customers. As enticing as the girls are, I am here for a different purpose. I quickly head to what seems like the biggest brothel and I wait near the door. As a man is about to enter I stop him. [Hey there brother! Want to know true pleasure!] "*Disgusted* Piss off I don''t swing that way." [Wait no! That''s not.] He''s already gone inside. Guess I gotta work on my sales pitch. New target! [Hey brother! Want to get the endurance of a dragon? Try this elixir!] He looks at me suspiciously before dodging and heading inside. [*Sigh* What''s up with people?] Comes crystal-soundingughter. "Haha, brother. Of course, people will be doubtful if you just offer them free stuff randomly." Comes a scantily dressed youngdy. [Oh, I see. I''m just trying to know how effective my product is. Ah, it is definitely safe for consumption.] "Why don''t you just test it on yourself then?" [Won''t I lose a lot of time then? Time I could be using to collect more data or simply work more.] "Oh? Alright, let me try it." [Alright, here it is. But only drink a little sip! Any more and it could cause heart issues.] "Then why did you put it in such a big bottle?! That''s bound to cause mishandling!" [Oh? Fair point. That''s the only size I had.] "If it causes me trouble, I''ll haunt you!" [Don''t worry.] She instantly bes flushed and heads inside. I wonder if she is working here. I keep trying to give some to people, but I only get weird nces. How suspicious they are! Before long a crowd suddenly exits the brothel. Women and men alike making a ruckus. I wonder what these guys are even "You! Are you the one selling Aphrodisiac?!" I''m about to answer that I''m just giving it out, but then the guy shoves a lot of gold in front of my face. [What''s with the sudden enthusiasm?] "The girl inside just managed to take on so many customers at the same time thanks to it that she earned in an hour what she usually earns in a week." [Wow!] "Now, workers want to try that too. Customers don''t want to be defeated either." Before long I have sold everything I had. Somehow my pockets are now full of gold. This is amazing haha. As they say, good things happen to good people! This is what I get for working hard! I quickly tell them that I''m out and give them my address where they can find me for more. I should probably ask that one city hall guy how it works to have a shop permit. Oh well, I''ll do thatter. For now, I just go buy more ingredients. Except that my usual guy ran out. He tells me he can manage to get some more but that it will be more expensive. At first, I think he''s trying to scam me, but it appears he truly isn''t used to selling herbs in the first ce. I quickly organize one more shipment. Then I head back to the Mystery Gems House. I don''t have time to lose anymore. I simply select all rocks with gems inside then ask to have all of them sold for me. I don''t even bother waiting for the unveiling. I simply can''t wait. This time the Talion guy says it truly is a robbery whileughing. I get back to the workshop and get to work. This is the first time we have so much trouble. At first, it was easy. We simply needed to somehow follow the recipe and bring it to fruition. Now we are in uncharted territory. We need to somehow improve it. We slowly try adding new ingredients. Also slowly changing some preparation processes. Then we test it all on animals. Most of our tests don''t work. Some cause weird results. Yes, even weirder than the pissing, throwing up, and exploding. The good thing is that customers do manage to find my ce. I start selling. A lot. It bes kind of a VIP shop. Where only people in the know have ess. At first, I only get low-paying customers, but then I get some that are obviously nobles. It is easy to know. The normal customers want to use it in the red district to brag about their exploits afterward. These new guys are insistent on secrecy. They are also ready to pay more for it. This fits my purpose because I''m pretty sure my business is illegal. Still, it doesn''t bother me much. After all, I don''t n on doing this for too long. Simply until we perfect this product. Then I may even have to run away from the city. After all, what I am nning is definitely bad from anyw-enforcing perspective. Oh, I do make sure to remind them all that they need to use it in moderation. After all, they all buy many doses, but it could be fatal should they drink it in excess. In such a manner we keep working hard and time passes. Many weeks. Before long we are very close to obtaining results. I can feel it. We are in thest stretch for sure. That is whenes the problem of funding again. Wepletely run out of ingredients again. Even with all the sales. After all, many of our creations are now tested on animals again. Research is definitely a huge gold sink. For some reason, the Mystery Gems House hasn''t been sending me my gold. I''ll just have to figure it out. I quickly head there, not expecting what is about to happen at all. Chapter 317: Rotten Chapter 317: Rotten I quickly reach the rock gambling ce. I''m about to jokingly swagger in saying: "Where''s my money!" But I get stopped at the door. [What''s up?] The Talion guy sighs. "Brother, you''ve selected every single rock worth something thest time you came. Since then we have had no customers at all. None!" [I mean, that''s kind of the point of gambling, no? Don''t worry I''ll just do it for a little while.] "No! People are already starting to lose trust in this ce." [So will you forcefully try and stop me from going in?] "No, just warning you about the current mood of management. Honestly, it brings me joy whenever I see you picking rocks hehe. This job is pretty boring after all." I nod at him before heading inside. I quickly ask to see the manager. Hees with a dark face. "You really can''te here. If we let you pick rocks again, we''ll face financial troubles!" [Aren''t you guys pretty rich?] "No! We have a small profit margin. Thanks to you we arepletely in the red! We usually recoup all thanks to the worthless rocks but now people won''t even buy those since you''ve already checked them!" Thathe''s right. [Look man, I''m that close to realizing my goal. I just need a little more time and gold.] "Sorry, but we really can''t help. *Sigh*" As much as I''m mad about the situation, raging won''t aplish anything. I could always try to ask my rich customers for an advanced payment. The other option is to try and go back to that merchant guild. Lastly, I can always ask the Greberos Family. I wonder what I should "You dog! How dare you stand in my way!" "*Sigh* Sir, I''m not even moving" What is this now? "You dare talk back to me?! How dare you?!" "Well, Sir I have balls you seealso something else hehe." It seems it''s the same impotent guy fromst time. Why is he evening here to insult the gatekeeper? What''s the point of even arguing? I swear these people are way too free. "You''ll regret this!" What''s with the viin talk? This ce is awful city and That is when the manes near a rock. Observing it intently. Then he gives a huge smile. The kind that gives me really bad vibes. Then the man does a small gesture. This makes lighte out of his hands. Wait...! *THUD* "Oups! It seems I have used magic by mistake. My bad manager hehe!" He is grinning. In the back, I can see my gatekeeper friend. He fell. That''s when I remember it. Using magic here is deadly to him. I rush to his side! Then I try and drive divine energy in him. Trying to revive him. I keep going and going. But no matter what he remains motionless. This is the most bullshit fucking way to die. He didn''t deserve this. At all. What the hell is with this bullshit world. Some people are just doing whatever the fuck they want. So much for a beautifulwful city. I turn to the manager. Signaling him that I want the man to pay. He simply looks away. No one even seems to care that about the dead. Then the manager starts negotiating with the man. They quickly reach an understanding. The man will pay them and that will be the end of it. Gold just bought my friend''s life. One that I barely knew but I did enjoy his presence. As the well-dressed man exits, he spits on the corpse. "Told you you''d regret it, dumbass." Then he leaves as easily as he came. Without a worry in the world. This ce is rotten. He was about to retire. That is why they didn''t care that he died. I don''t care about funding right now. I simply follow the guy. From a long distance. I''m not even in sight range. I use my scouting ability. The guy heads into a mansion. It seems well protected. Seems is the keyword. I clearly see many blind spots. So many of them. The guy is sure not to be attacked. He knows his own status. Whatever that is. Don''t know, don''t care. I quickly sneak in there. The guy haspletely forgotten the murder. He is mumbling about his dinner. I simply step up to him and put my hand on his mouth and nose. I keep holding him until he bes unconscious. Then I search around the ce until I find some rope. Then I feed him. Something I have been carrying. A very potent aphrodisiac. One I was prepared to use as a bargaining chip for funding. Then I tie him up. Very soon he will wake up. Then he will feel his body heat up. Except no matter what he won''t be able to release it. The man is impotent after all. It should make this night a living hell for him. What will that even aplish? Nothing really. I''m just angry. Angry at this asshole, angry at the Gems House, angry at the Untainted sect. Whatever. I quickly find all the gold he has hidden. There is a very secure safe, but I don''t care. I just crack it open with divine energy. This should at least teach him a lesson. Pointless revenge. I don''t kill him because I don''t want to have issues with the system. On that note, how the fuck did it not activate at all?! Ah, whatever. Maybe because I didn''t intend to truly harm him. Just make him suffer a bit. This thing is full of ws. I quickly exit, none the wiser. I got myself a bit of gold, but I need more. I head to the merchant guild I know. Quicky request to meet the leader. [Hey man! I''ll do some appraisal work! I need an advance!] He looks at me from head to toe. "You don''t look too good." [Someone I knew just died. Don''t worry I can still work.] He nods. "Your timing is impable. There is an auction tonight. We would have invited you but we didn''t know where to find you." [Ah, nice! Can you pay me now? I need to organize a shipment of some stuff.] "What do you mean?" [I''ve been working on a side project for a while. We are very close topletion. Just missing a bit of testing. Gotta buy materials.] He nods. "Here, take this. I''ll trust you. Don''t disappoint me." [No worries haha. Alright, be right back. Meet there!] Then I go to my usual merchant. I could have asked the guild too, but I''m used to dealing with that one guy. He says he''ll have it delivered right away. Also that he will buy some more. [Maybe, I''m very close to sess I believe. I''ll keep you informed. Anyway,ter! Time to earn my keep!] Then I head toward the auction house. I will be done with this in a jiffy haha. Chapter 318: Mana Blessing Chapter 318: Mana Blessing ****(POV) There is something weird about him. The appraiser that just visited our guild. Somehow, he looks way cleaner than the first time I saw him. In his appearance that is. Still, there is clearly something on his mind. Something that seems to be consuming him entirely. At first, I think it''s because of his dead friend, but then I understand. It is not that at all. That only ounts for the little bit of frustration I can feel in him. No, there is something more. Whatever that new project of his is, he is extremely invested. So much that he asks for an advance payment. He that never seemed to care about gold that much. Still, at least that lets us work with him. He is clearly talented. Yet he has been holing who knows where in the past few weeks. At least he hasn''t visited anypetitor. He came back straight to us. Many in the guild are thinking that we shouldn''t trust him. After all, there was that report of us losing a valuable shipment because of him. But then I did some digging and found out that he was just paying some idiots back. They had insulted him and tried to use him as a sacrifice to bandits. Truly a dumb way to proceed. Then again it wasn''t surprising. One of them only had gotten the job thanks to a rtive. He was never merchant material. My gut tells me this young man doesn''t have any bad intention toward us. Thus I head to the auction house. Before long I am waiting in the VIP room. I announce to my colleagues that he will be joining us. Some are grumbling. Our full-time appraiser is actually happy about it. After all the youngster is able to see through all illusions. I still have no clue how he does it. To be honest, he doesn''t seem to even know himself. He is a total mystery. Just as the event is about to start he finally appears. [Hey guys, how is it going?] As usual, he sucks at small talk. Then the event starts. He diligently describes everything he sees. Thanks to it we actually manage to get a few treasures early on. Ones that look in at first nce but obviously host secrets. Items with valuable-looking pills inside. Items with hiddenpartments holding some secret techniques. We pay instantly and ask an attendant to bring these to us already. A perk of being a VIP. We quickly manage to confirm that everything he says is veridic. The way the other bigshots of the guild look at him change. They also can''t help but send approving nces my way too. After all, I am the one that insisted we use his abilities. Even while his background is unknown. The auction house keeps going. We are clearly the obvious winners. We barely spend and we still acquire many valuable treasures. Before longes an intermission. The atmosphere is joyful. One of them at some points mentions that he heard that our new appraiser was a baker. It seems like it a sensible topic. The youngster seems to be getting sad. Then I subtly tell them to change the subject. After all, it got destroyed. It is since then that he seems to have disappeared. Working on god knows what. Then the auction resumes. There are many quality weapons and armors shown. These things are especially popr nowadays. Yet he seems to disdain it all. This is something that confused me a lot in the past. But then I heard a rumor about a man destroying a dwarven sword easily. Turned out to be him. He is a man of many talents. Sometimes I wonder if the bakery was just a cover for training with the old man there. Maybe his discernment was the result ofbat training. One''s senses are vital to a fight after all. The sooner you perceive every of your opponent''s moves the quicker you can react. Before long the auction ising to an end. There is onest item. A huge rock. At first, we are all skeptical. Especially seeing the initial bidding price. Let''s just say it is in proportion to the size. That is when the youngster tells us we need to buy it. No matter what he says. When he starts describing the interior, we can''t help but disbelieve. This should be an exceedingly rare and invaluable treasure. A Mana Blessing! It increases the rate of training of anyone sitting nearby tenfold. Such a thing is enough to create an army from scratch in a matter of months. It is that insane! For an individual, it is bound to attract disaster. For a faction, this thing is worth more than any talent! Just having that in one''s headquarters will attract members like flies. People would be joining the sect just for the sake of such training efficiency! None of us have ever seen any. We can''t help but be excited. We try and make sure not to show any greed for it. Sadly it seems we are not the only ones with a way to estimate it. Before long it bes a harsh bidding war. Hundreds of thousands of golds are now in y. The youngster is saying we should maybe stop. He doesn''t seem to realize the value of that thing. We keep going until finally, we manage to outbid our rivals. The worst one being the Golden Lion guild. We quickly write a note to promise payment. Even for us, this sum is close to impossible to get. We will have to sell most of our businesses in the city to manage it. Also to empty our treasury entirely. We organize everything. Before long we are extremely broke and yet joyful. The rock is sitting in our guild building. For some reason, the youngster hurried away. We kept praising his insight for we would have otherwise lost the opportunity of a lifetime. Yet he remained humble and simply said he had things to do before leaving. Anyone would have been bragging about it, yet he simply wanted to work on that project of his. All the bigshots are now sucking up to me. They know this single move will bring us to new heights. As well as bring me an incredible status across the entire continent. True wealth. Then starts the unveiling. A professional is slowly carving it out. Before long appears a mana blessing in all its glory! "Wait, there is something wrong" Then we all notice it. There is no mana at alling out of it. Oh god no! Nononono! This is when I realize that this guild is finished. That I am finished. My life is over. Every effort I have ever done reduced to zilch. In front of us is a dried mana blessing. Nothing more than a very big and pretty gem. One that has lost the only property that makes it worth it. We just spent everything we had on trash. This is a disaster! Chapter 319: Popular Aphrodisiac Chapter 319: Popr Aphrodisiac ****(POV) This is the worst. Not only did I have to get married to the inestdy there is, but I even got humiliated in the process. That man came from nowhere, well the ceiling. He fell in our wedding and then for some obscure reason decided to publicly p me. A man I had never met before. I was enraged and wanted him to pay, but apparently, the assassin guild did not dare kill him. Whoever he was, I had to bottle all that rage in. He seemed to be somehow rted to city hall. I truly did not want to marry, but I had to. Gosh, this lifestyle doesn''t suit someone like me. It doesn''t fit a follower of the Wayfarer God. We are free spirits that go where the wind leads us. Still, I had no choice. Right now I am prepared to consummate this sham of a marriage. But I have a n. I somehow came across a very interesting piece of news. Something a subordinate told me. Somewhere in the city, there is a new alchemist. One that sells aphrodisiacs. Usually, I wouldn''t care about stuff like that. After all, I am young and handsome. No, there is something special about this stuff. Consume too much and it provokes a heart attack. A deadly poison yet avable easily. Plus I''ll totally be able to put the me on that alchemist afterward. I''ll just say I was trying to make our first night memorable. That he never warned me about it. After all, there is no warning whatsoever on the bottle haha. Thus I fill two cups with wine before mixing hers with poison. Then I smile brightly knowing this will be all over. Then I will be free again. I enter the nearby room where she is awaiting me. "Hey there youngdy, care for some wine?" She blushes and takes it. I see her drink. Thus sealing her fate. "Husband, would you turn around I''m still a bit shy" I can humor her. It will be soon over. Before long I hear the sound of a dress slipping on the floor. "Husband, you can turn around now." There she is. Naked and still in. Her face reddened from the drink. "Husband, a toast to you!" Funny how she is so eager to drink. I can''t help but smile as I follow suit. It must be the alcohol but somehow, she is looking extremely enchanting right now. I carry her to therge bed. Slowly dropping her. I can feel her hungrily kissing my mouth. Her tongue intertwined with mine. Her nails digging into the skin of my back. Her hot breath tickling my ears. Then starts an intense fight. The most intense I''ve ever had. Her body sticking to mine. Each of her moans making me increase the pace. Until finally, with onest thrust, an expression of bliss adorns her face. Her in face looking extremely beautiful right at this instant. That''s when her heart stops. It is only then that I remember what I did. I regret it. So what if she is in? So what if I''ll lose my freedom. There are worse things than that. I''ve truly been an asshole. It''s fine, I''ll get a healer in here quickly. There is one on standby nearby. Everything will be That is when I feel my own heartbeat stop. "Help I-" That is when I feel my consciousness slipping. *THUD* **** In a room sat two patriarchs discussing business. One was the leader of a cksmithingpany, the Steady Hammer. Because ofmercial enemies bing stronger, he had no choice but to ally with his interlocutor. The second one was worshipping the Wayfarer God. In his travels, he managed to save the life of a dwarf master. The first needed the connections, the second means to profit out of it. They just happened to have heirs of marriageable age too. Thus they quickly entered a partnership. Right now they were sipping wine while the youngsters were getting to know each other. In the most intimate way there was. The more they waited the more they couldn''t help but be impressed. It was nice to be young. A few hours in and they were not done yet. After waiting a bit more they finally decided that they should proceed. They would make a magical contract. One that would include both patriarchs and the heirs. Smiling they went toward the youngsters'' quarters. But when they entered, they were confronted with two corpses instead. Both despaired at once. They may have been scheming, but that didn''t change the fact that they cared about their offspring. Sadly it was toote for both. They had been dead for hours already. The patriarchs quickly inspected the scene. Yet nothing felt out of ce. Quickly asking for a specialized inspector toe they were soon told the facts. Both drinks contained poison. More urately an aphrodisiac that would kill its user should the dosage be too high. They had both consumed it and died from cardiac arrest. It is at that exact moment that both patriarchs decided they would get revenge., They first contacted city hall asking for them to deal with it. Still, that was but a formality. They also contacted the assassin''s guild. Whoever crafted this. Whoever had killed their offspring. They would find them and end them. That they swore. The representative from city hall told them that they were already on that special case. That they would definitely catch the culprit. As for the assassin''s guild? As soon as one of them got there he instantly denied it. That made the patriarchs angry. But then the man exined further. This new alchemist was providing poison to 80% of the assassins in the city. He was part of the 20%, but he would get murdered by his own colleagues should he dig into the issue. He told them that their best bet would be to wait for the city to take action. That they could try and get some information themselves. But that he wouldn''t mess around with this. Both patriarchs understood. Still, they couldn''t help butbel the entire guild as useless. After all, this was the second time one of their requests got refused. Little did they know that both had concerned the same exact target. A man that was currently happily creating aphrodisiac without a care in the world. Chapter 320: Mad Alchemist Chapter 320: Mad Alchemist ****(POV) Another case! This is insane! On the floor is a corpse. A man with a knife stuck in his chest. Surprisingly he seems to be the one that has done the deed. There is a chance this is the result of suggestion magic. God, this city is turning into a huge mess. Somehow, we are the only ones in charge of dealing with this. "Madam! It seems to be a bit different yet simr." "What do you mean?" "Well, at first nce he seems to have died frommitting suicide, right?" *Nod* "Here is the thing. I can recognize his state. The same one as all the others we found. You know the ones that died from a heart attack." "You don''t mean?!" "*Sigh* It''s an open secret that this man used to be impotent. I think whoever fed him aphrodisiac wanted him to suffer. He got to feel extremely excited with no way whatsoever to relieve himself. I''m afraid this is one of the most hellish torture methods I''ve ever seen. So harsh he preferred tomit suicide instead." I see. It was already bad with the death magic, now this. There doesn''t seem to be a pattern either to the victims. Honestly, with all the cases happening at once this can only be the doing of multiple assassins. Some mad alchemist is now supplying the city with tons of deadly poison. So far, we haven''t been able to crack down on him. Every time we find a new case the killer is long gone. People aren''t talking either. It seems there is a tacit understanding shared between them. I''ve already asked the higher-ups for permission to investigate more aggressively. Sadly I have been denied. That is when a subordinate barges in. "Madam! Good news!! There have been a few more cases!" "How is that good?" "We finally have permission to use force to close this case quickly!" I guess they didn''t care when it was random civilians getting killed, but now there are bigger fishes getting targeted. "Alright, there was a rumor of it appearing in the red-light district! Get me anyone that knows something and brutalize them until they talk! Also! Get me some of the assassins that we know about. Put them all in different cells and tell them they will be killed after 10 minutes if they don''t talk." They are showing disbelieving expressions. "Do it, the more we wait the more lives we are losing." They get to work. Before long they have captured a lot of people. Bringing all of them to individual holding cells. At first, they all act smug. But then they get beaten and promised death. Most think we are bluffing. Then I order one subordinate of mine to use illusion magic. I make them hear cries of agony. That gets them talking. Before long we have a physical description of the mad alchemist. Also his shop''s location. Both things I recognize easily. What the hell?! This must be a mistake! There is no way that guy is the mastermind. That dumbass that spends all his day cooking?! The disciple of themander. Ie out of my stupor. I need to talk to him right now. "You guys, don''t give the info to city hall right now, I think it may be false information!" "Madam, it''s toote already. We already sent a message." Fuck. Fuck. Something doesn''t add up here. This isn''t his style. I quickly head toward his new ce. *Knock Knock! * "Open up or I''ll destroy the door! It''s me! Little Li! It''s urgent!" The door finally opens and It''s not him at all. There is an old man. One that chills me to my very core. I have no idea why. He has a subtle aura of confidence around him. One I recognize since it''s simr to themander. Except that this old man''s aura is oppressive instead. "What is it, youngdy?" "City hall is about toe here! They think he has been brewing poison! He needs to run!" "Oh? So you are here to warn him? He has in fact been learning alchemy. I''m very proud of him. I''m not sure myself how, but he managed to create a true masterpiece. Well, it is but an initial product, but it shows promise." "What?! Why would he do that?!" "Some people angered him. Something about destroying a bakery. Now they will pay dearly for it. A bunch of fools really." "I need to stop him!" "You will do no such thing. This is a vital part of him bing stronger. At least his resolve. I have always wondered why he felt so special. I recently figured it out. He is too nonchnt. About life. About this world. About everything. For once, he decided on acting. So, no. You will do nothing to stop it." "This will bring chaos upon the whole city!" "Hehe. You are wrong, youngdy. This will bring chaos to the entire Earth realm. Still, I believe it to be a good thing. For too long we have remained silent. For too long we have remained passive. We are now back!" The way he says it makes me shiver. This man is one that fits the description of a mad alchemist. Has he been influencing the young man? What happened exactly?! Also, what will happen?! "W-who are you?!" "Just an old alchemist. One that is part of a tiny faction called the Moon Keep." Oh god. This city is finished. Recently there have been a few sects disappearing. Without a single sign. One day they were thriving, the other all corpses. Every time there were eyewitnesses of an old man. This old man. One that does not care about being seen. THE Mad Alchemist. A legend that is said to be able to even poison the gods. For him, annihting entire civilizations is as easy as taking a walk. He is here. Smiling. Proudly talking abouthis disciple?! Taking about the chaos toe. I fear what will happen. What the seemingly harmless young man will do. He will destroy the Untainted Sect. Then how will the other sects react? They will see him as a threat. They will try to get rid of him. But no matter what, they are bound to fail. For he has this old man as his backing! I need to stop this at once! I need to warn them. That no matter what, they cannot fight him! Ever! "Youngdy, I won''t let you ruin the fun haha. You should go to sleep for a little while." No! This is bad I. ZZzzzzz Chapter 321: Great Show Chapter 321: Great Show Revenge!! It is finallypleted. The ultimate aphrodisiac! Well, at least given my current capabilities. Something that was the result of my assistant''s diligence and my own carelessness. Let''s just say I made many mistakes during testing. Some of these ended up giving a better result overall. That is often how research progresses. With luck. By testing random things and noticing what works. He was by my side noting everything down. Every single step. Until finally he came up with a detailed method. It took us long, but we managed it. I asked him if he nned to remain an alchemist. He definitely had the talent. He jokingly told me that he''d rather look at animals screwing all day long. I think the warden intimidated him. I left Wolfie at home. Now is time for revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge. They may have only destroyed a building, but it was more in my eyes. It was a legacy. One could argue it doesn''t matter that much. The old man is retiring anyway. I disagree. It is one of the few things making me angry. I''m not entirely sure why myself. In any case, I quickly reach the Untainted Sect. There are guards, but nothing I can''t ovee. I start doing some parkour. Before long I am on the roof of the big mansion. Heading inside through a window I slowly make my way downward. The defenses of this ce are sorelycking. Overconfidence because of the anti-crime system most probably. Their members seem to be doing some kind of ceremony in a big hall. I can hear soft melodious music. They seem to be sitting cross-legged and meditating. There is a soft breeze circting. Some kind of aromatherapy I''m guessing. Haha, this is perfect. The hall master is preaching. Telling them that they are thest bastion of morality in this world. That they must remain unsullied no matter what. That they must protect Purity above all else. What is that even supposed to mean? Someone untainted is simply someone that has never experienced life. No one ever has a perfect track record. We learn from our mistakes. This is the very definition of what makes us human. I do not believe in such a im. The best they can do is lie to themselves. They are iming moral superiority for following their beliefs. Failing to realize the absurdity of it all. This is insane. I would have preferred any madman over them. An evil that knows he is evil rather than fake saints. Still, this faade of theirs won''t remain for long. I am about to strip it all away. The lies. The deceit. The hypocrisy. All of it. At some point, I hear my shop being mentioned. Their leader is praising them for a job well done. For riding the world of evil. Howughable. This evil is right next to them. They are so focused on their bullshit that none have noticed me. I open the bottle that I brought and let its content out. As soon as it touches the ground it turns into vapor. Then it starts drifting across the room. I happily watch as every disciple breathes it in. I can see their expression bing flushed. I can see their bodies heating up. Some start nervously clutching at their clothes. They are all too busy with their own state that they fail to realize. That it is not only affecting them. That they have a real emergency on their hands. That is when one disciple cannot hold it any longer. She suddenly undresses. Thus starting a rippling effect. Then starts a show. A magnificent one. A depraved one. This startles their leader. Extremely so. Then he realizes what is wrong. But it is already toote. He himself is already affected. It doesn''t help that a young voluptuous maiden throws herself at him. Naked of course. I see the man struggling with his morals. Trying hard to follow his faith. There is obviously something else that is extremely hard. Hard for me to refrain fromughing. After all the spectacle is truly amazing. A bunch of young horny people doing Honestly, I''m not sure what they are doing. They clearly have no idea either. They are obviously all virgins and inexperienced, but it gets worst. None have any knowledge whatsoever on biology. It is the most awkward scene of all time. Ah, never mind. Ironically their leader is the only one that seems to know what he is doing. Except that with hisst pang of rationality he pushes his poor partner away. Then I can see the madness in his eyes. He is seriously about to lose it. He gets a dagger out from his robe. Then he Oh god no! Why would anyonemit such an act! The man looks downward and chops it. I can''t help but look away. This seems like a horrible fate. Yet he is giving a satisfied grin. I can see a magical aura surrounding him. He is mumbling about having preserved his power. At what cost brother! At what cost?! That power seems useless to cleanse my creation in any case. Then two youngdies and a young man throw themselves at him. He instantly has a rpse. I can see his gaze be slightly unfocused. Then he starts tasting all of their lips in session. As he proceeds, I can see the light around him start to flicker. Before eventually disappearing. Turns out that not having a dick doesn''t mean one cannot sin. If I''m not mistaken this means that this man is now powerless. Should I kill them all now that Wait. Why do I want to kill them in the first ce? Is it just because they destroyed my bakery? When have I be this sort of man? I am a peace-loving induvial. Or I used to be? I can''t help but start questioning my life. That is when a young woman starts embracing me. I''m clearly busy here! I push her back toward what evolved into a massive orgy. Where was I? Right, I could just leave them like this. They are no threat to me in any case. Ah! But they could ask for reinforcements from the main branch of their sect. Should I off them to preserve my secret identity? An alternative would be for me to do the same to the main sect too. Pop in, throw some aphrodisiac, get out, GG well yed. I wouldn''t even need to fight really. Did remaining cooped up in myboratory for so long mess up with mymon sense? I''m not sure anymore what I''m supposed to be doing. Ah, whatever. I will be merciful. Let them live. At least for now. It''s easier to unalive someone than to unkill them in any case. Chapter 322: Chase! Chapter 322: Chase! After this little stunt I pulled, they are bound toin. Quite possibly ask help from the city too. It would probably be best for us to lie low for a little while. As I arrive at home, I can see troops there. What?! These are not the people I''ve seen before. They don''t have the same uniform as Little Li. They are wearing full armor. Helmets too. I can''t see their expression at all. But judging by their angry tone they seem about to destroy the door. This is bad! Wolfie and the warden are in there! [Hey guys! What''s the issue here?] This is probably a huge misunderstanding. After all, there is no way they know what I just did. "It''s him! The mad alchemist! Grab him!" What the hell?! They all charge toward me. One tackles me and they somehow all pile up on my body. Preventing me from moving. [What are you guys even talking about?!] "We are now apprehending you for selling deadly poison all across the city!" [You guys got the wrong guy! I''ve never sold any poison!] "Nice try criminal scum." There doesn''t seem to be any sounding from inside. Either they are hiding, or they went on a walk. I trust the warden to escape if given a chance. I just need to grab the guards'' attention. They obviously don''t seem to want to listen to me. I focus divine energy before violently rising up. Sending the guards trying to hold me tumbling away. [Fuck off losers!] Then I start running. That gets them really riled up. But seriously I wonder what this is all about. There is no way anyone would ever confuse aphrodisiac with poison. Someone is probably trying to pin a crime on me. The thing is I legit justmitted one for real. I can''t simply wait for them to determine my innocence. I''d rather just fight back now. Oh well, shit happens. Good thing is that they are rather slow. Just as I''m thinking that a new group arrives. Just as I turn the corner, they are right there in my face. I backtrack a bit and enter an alley. I keep going. Then at the end, I see a small group of soldiers. Also, a shiny barrier made of light. "*Cackling* You have nowhere to go now, viin!" Says the obviously corrupt soldier. Or maybe it''s the leader that is corrupt? I simply charge right through the barrier. Divine energy screwing it up as easily as tearing paper. Actually no, paper can retaliate with paper cuts. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the guy that cast it throwing up blood. This seems like the most useless spell ever. So easily breached and such high backfire. I keep running. I only have a single regret right now. Where is the epic music?! All I hear are shouts and hurried footsteps. Also the nging of metal. I simply keep running. At one point I pass through the marketce. The crazies seem to be there. The ones that use this ce for hookups. I swerve toward them. Then whenever a soldier is about to reach me, I throw them. [There you go! A mystery dream boyfriending right up!] I mean with the full set of armor we can''t see their faces. For all we know, one might be super handsome. The mad chase continues. That is when a youngster stands in my way. [Move out of the way, dude!] I can''t help but warn him. I don''t want to run him over. That is when he smiles. A smile that seems out of ce here. Then I recognize the man next to him. The guy that was trying to block my way at the ve trader ce! mese out of the young man''s hands. Very powerful ones, clearly deadly ones. It alles flying toward me instantly. "Sir, you''ll kill him!" "Perhaps but no one messes with us." Screw that guy! I simply run straight into the fire. Before long everything turns to ashes. My clothes do. Then I simply exit the inferno while on fire. Secret technique! ming kick to the balls! The man falls to the ground. His face contorting from the extreme pain. Screw that bastard! [I''m not barbecue! I''m the barbecue master, Bitch!] However, it seems he''s too busy to notice my words. Well, his loss. Behind I can see melted tin cans, eh guards. They seriously screwed up on that one. "The Mad Alchemist killed guards! Quick! Report to city hall!" Wait, I''m the alchemist, no?! [I didn''t kill anyone you bunch of liars! It was clearly the guy on the ground!] "As if we''d believe such obvious lies, you murderer!" Alright, it''s confirmed, these guards have a hidden agenda. They ain''t legit for sure. I keep running. That is when a huge crackling with energy falls on me. Mix an old proven capture method with lots of mana and you get that. Toote to evade it, I try pushing it away but obviously it doesn''t work. Thenes a well-dressed man. On his robes is a golden lion insignia. "Hehe, try and break free from that. It could even hold a rank 4!" I start struggling. Using as much divine energy as possible. The simply expands and constricts again on me. "See! Now you will have no choice but to reveal all your secrets haha!" I need something that cuts. Wait, what if I ?! I focus on seeing the divine energy inside me running across my skin. I picture it vibrating at a really high rate. Picturing a chainsaw. I can definitely do this! [Defective goods.] "What?" [Defective goods I said.] Then I drive it full power. *RIP* The gets shredded to pieces. The man has his eyes popping out. Looking at the remains of what I assume to be a treasure. Then looking back at me. Then looking back at On that note, I''m gone. Screw that merchantpany! They are the dumbest I''ve ever seen. Assuming me to have a treasure with no basis whatsoever. Secret technique and whatnot. Do I look like the kind to own any kind of rare? Oh wow! I just noticed but my ne somehow survived the fireball. I guess I''ve been so long with it that I unconsciously protected it. You know like it became part of what I consider my body. After all, I keep forgetting that I''m even wearing it. This is nice. That is when I see another crowd running toward me once more. Are these guys endless?! Chapter 323: Mad Chase! Chapter 323: Mad Chase! After the guy with the, now what is it? Are these guys What are they doing here?! In front of me stand a bunch of bakers. Are they suicidal?! "He''s the one! Beat him up!" Then I can see a few musclemen show up. Then they rush at me. That is whenes that one friendly baker out of nowhere. He grabs onto the leg of one of the opponents. Trying his best to slow him down without sess. "Run my love! Run!" Wow. [Seriously, what are you all doing?] Theye nearby and start hitting me. Yeah, about that If that was a game there would be a bunch of "Immune!" prompts right about now. They look at each other sharing a look that can only read as "We fucked up brothers." [I''ll give you two choices. Either I kill all of you guys or you beat up these dumbasses real good.] I point at the bakers. I''ve never seen someone so motivated to give another a beating. In the background, I can hear some weak. "We paid you!?!" The muscle guys just answer that they got paid to beat a weakling. That is exactly what they are doing right now. Well, can''t argue with that one. That is when pops out a lot of soldiers. Ones that seem to be wearing a weird uniform. This seems to be a private military. "Kill that man!" I''d say they are enemies. [Who are you guys in the first ce?!] "You dare say that after leading astray our young master!!!" [Please, he actually has the talent to be an appraiser!] "You bastard! How many people did you corrupt with your lies! I''m talking about OUR young master!" [You probably have the wrong guy!] Then they charge with clear killing intent. I''m totally sure I''m innocent on that one. Fucking pieces of shit! I quickly beat some up, but there are more and more showing up. Two new groups with different armors now. "We''ll make you pay for killing our heirs!!!" [Wait, aren''t you that guy from the marriage? I didn''t kill anyone! I just fell in the wedding!] "As if we''d believe you! Monster!" Melodramatic much. He''s seriously lying right now. Turning an idental disturbance into a murder. Ah, I did p him. I mean who cares about that?! I quickly evade them. I''m trying to reach the city gates but it''s kinda hard. There are peopleing at me from all sides. Until finally after a long chase, I get cornered into an alley. They are all slowly approaching me. All adorning a sadistic smile. They all seem to think I deserve death for some reason. "You have nowhere to run now! Face justice!" I could simply run through a building as I did back then. But I also have a cooler alternative. [Justice my ass!] It''s parkour time bitches! I climb the wall extremely fast. Before long I''m on the roofs running once more. From my vantage point, I can see an army amassing toward the city exits. A literal army. They seem really motivated to keep me in the city. Funny how the anti-crime system hasn''t been activating all this while. I think it''s broken. Well, I have simply been running. But what about the dead guards? Meh, I don''t know. That is when I finally see a friendly face. It''s an associate from the cartwheel trading guild! [Hey man! How is it going?] I casually drop next to him. "Who are you?" [Just the guy that helped your guild get the Mana Blessing.] I am kinda bragging a bit but so what. I didn''t even stay to im the credit on that one. I probably missed one hell of a party. I already feel regret over all the free delicacies and awesome drinks. "Y-you''re the one that made us buy it?!" [Don''t worry, no need to be that grateful. Right, any idea how I could escape this ce?] "Y-you ." He seems to be shaking. Should I sign him an autograph? "YOU BASTARD!" What?! That is when he charges at me. Drawing a dagger from who knows where. Then he starts stabbing me. Of course, it can''t even breach my skin. But what the fuck?! Ah, I think I understand. There was probably some rivalry between merchants. Let me guess whoever seeded, he was their enemy. Maybe they even fired him because of it. [Look man, cheer up. As long as there is life there is hope.] "As long as you live there will only be despair!" Wow. Just wow. He''s almost making it sound as if I was a bad guy. That is when I see my pursuers catching up. Time to go. The man simply falls on the ground crying. Some people here are really weird not gonna lie. "Kill that evil!" The way I see it these guys are the evil ones. They are chasing the friendly alchemist. One that brings joy to the world. Well, pleasure would be more urate. "Stop running!" [Stop chasing!] "You need to die for the peace of this city!" [Bullshit! You guys are the ones screwing up everything!] Please, all I''ve been doing is bake and concoct. That is when I pass an alley and hear a slight. "I''m cheering for you, good luck!" Hey, that was the kid from the AH, I guess he doesn''t want to be seen with me. Thoughts and prayers, eh? Useless much! Wait, there is an easy way for me to fix this. I run to the church of Gluto! Then I turn around. [Don''te any closer, you bastards!] "Or what?!" [HAHAHAHA Or I''ll awaken the beast! Look where we are!] They see the Gluto church. I see some be panicked. Sadly most of them seem to be ignorant. They don''t care and simply attack. Fuck these guys! That is when he finally exits his ce. Nomzi in all his glory! "Brother! Did you bring tasty food?!" [Nope, lost the bakery a while back you know!] "Are these assholes troubling you?!" [Yep, any way to fuck them up without facing retribution?] "I can think of a few ways. Like this one." He simply walks to some of them and starts slipping them inside his fat folds. This gotta feel really bad. There are screams of terror and disgust. All be quiet once they are inside, however. Hey at least it''s gotta be warm and No, they''ll definitely need therapy for years toe. Most of them are still fine. "Sorry brother, that is as many as I can take care of." He gives me an apologetic smile. At least, I think. Can''t see his face at all. [No worries, see youter!] Then I keep running. Chased by the lucky soldiers that didn''t get caught. That is when I finallye across a literal legion. Now what? Chapter 324: Later Chapter 324: Later ****(POV) "You need to stop, now!" Somewhere deep inside the city''s inner sanctum, two men are facing each other''s. Two disciples who used to follow themander. The youngest near the gem controlling the city''s system. The oldest a fair distance away. "Why should I stop? He has been recklessly creating and distributing poison." "No! There must be some sort of mistake! He is master''s newest disciple! There is no way he would!" "This is what you fail to see. The decay has already started. This city is doomed if we don''t act right now! Also, he simply learned to bake from teacher. That doesn''t give him any right whatsoever!" "It still means that master trusts his character! We should" That is when both of them are interrupted by an elite guard. One that the youngest disciple personally trained. "City Lord! He has been killing some of our men with magic! We need to act now!" "Alright, you may leave now." There was silence for a few moments. "City Lord, eh. Are you taking over city hall? Is this what this is? A coup d''tat?" "You seem mistaken. I was always the one in charge of the military. Now, this is an emergency. A time to fight. The first part is to use the system to kill this evil." "I really feel this is a mistake! There is no way that!" Without even bothering to listen, he activates the gem. Quickly inputting all the characteristics of the one they called the mad alchemist. A name poorly chosen all things considered. Since it already belonged to another. "It is done." Then the man crushes the key allowing any change to be made. Bending it out of shape before handing it to his fellow disciple. "Here you go. This way you''ll only be able to change it in a few days. You''ll understand by then how wise it was to do this. One does not fight oppression withpromises. We squash any threat, then and only then do wepromise!" One leaves triumphantly. The other stays behind sighing. He tried his best to protect the youngster. It seems like he had been too soft. He was weaker than his counterpart power-wise. He had been counting on the man''s morals. It seems he had betted wrong. He had been behaving when their teacher was alive. But now It had evolved into a huge mess. The youngster would die. Mercilessly stricken down by an unforgiving city-wide magical formation. This was the end. He couldn''t help but mumble an apology to his dead teacher. **** So many of them! This is crazy! Is this some big action from all the sects I have ever displeased? Arguably there seems to be many. I still believe it doesn''t warrant all this. In front of me is a literal legion. They send various magical projectiles my way. Good thing is most of them are in swordsmen. I either doge or face the magic head-on. While the numbers are high, the power of each spell is weak. It barely makes me slide back a bit. That is when I start to feel a weird tingling sensation. I guess it must be the after-effect of the mana. Well, if that''s all there is it doesn''t matter. I run into my opponents'' midst. Pushing them on the sides while I keep going. All until I reach the city gates. These are closed of course. I can see the energy dome covering the entire city. Maybe I should just try to pierce it or the wall directly? While it looks sturdy, I can probably sh through it with divine energy. Still, this is a huge pain. I keep dodging the attacks while moving closer. That is when I see many mages standind together. They start chanting. Before long a motherfucking dragon appears. Not a real one. A dragon made of mes. I didn''t even know there was a sect specializing in that here. It charges toward me. At first, I''m not too worried, but then it somehow grabs me in its maw and starts dangling me around. I have no idea how an elemental spell is doing that! Still, it''s a goddamn pain! Leave me alone already! I''m about to seriously be angry but I see someone slowly walking here. Wait, that''s the warden and Wolfie! Then I can hear him chuckle. "You people really have some nerve to attack my disciple, eh?" [Old man be careful there are many of them here and] That is when I see a scene straight out of a fantasy. Out of his sleeves starting out bright purple smoke. It quickly starts spreading creating a purple fog. It fills the entire city. What the hell is that?! Then I hear many thuds. People are falling on the ground. Insta-kill?! I run to the warden. [Are they going to fine? What is...] That is when I see the unmoving Wolfie next to him. She is lying on the ground peacefully. [Wolfie! Are you fine?!] "Don''t worry haha. This is only a sleeping gas. They will be fine." That''s a relief! "Now tell me. What do you n on doing?" I like how are we just casually having a discussion now. All the insane number of troops after me. All are sleeping now. [Definitely leave this city.] "Where to? Are youing back to the Moon Keep?" [No way! Ah, but can you tell Luna that if she wants, she''s weed to find me?] "Sure, where?" [Actually, I''m not even sure myself what I should do. I''m not sure where I want to go either. For now, I''ll probably hide for a little bit. I think I''ve made many enemies today. I''m not even sure why.] "Just idiots, should we kill them? Now would be a good chance." [No, there must be a few confused ones in there. I don''t want to kill the innocents and I don''t want to bother interrogating all of them.] "There will definitely be sects that will hunt you." [Well, I guess I could visit their headquarters too? Maybe slowly train until I am stronger. Get rid of a few enemies. See the world at the same time?] "Young master, you really need better goals. It should be stuff like making the Moon Keep number one. Or to conquer the continent! Or perhaps to defeat gods themselves! Didn''t you once say something about that?" [*Sigh* Yeah, that was in the heat of the moment. But it''s true. I don''t want to be a pawn in some beings'' games.] "*Sigh* I guess it''s fine. It should be normal for one to be confused about many things when young. Can you at leaste back to us once you are done touring the continent?" [That I can do. Alright, take care. We''ll definitely meet againter!] On that note, I leave. I''m not sure where I''m going exactly. But that isn''t the end of the world either. I will take my time. At least I won''t be alone. In my arms, I''m carrying the sleeping Wolfie. This is but a new beginning. Chapter 325: Remodeling Chapter 325: Remodeling ****(POV) We cannot believe this! We were hiding. Bidding our time. Who knew an opportunity woulde so soon? As we look around, we can see this system of theirs weakening. At first, we are confused, but then we understand. They made an enemy way out of their league. Whoever they are trying to smite with the formation does not care! This is something even I can''t ignore. Yet there is someone that can here. This is wonderful. In the chaos, we thrive! We are already satisfied with that, but it bes even better. Soon afterward a purple cloud engulfs the city. One that affects all living creatures. The body we are controlling falls asleep. Our spirit remains strong, however. This is our lucky day. But still, we need to be careful. Whoever did this is dangerous. So we wait. We stand by. We linger on the side. Until finally it all goes away. Whoever did it is gone. The city is peaceful again. Not for long. "RiSe mY ChIlDrEnS! rIsE!!" We can''t help but chuckle. Skeletons and ghoulse out of our ce. It is time for the festivities to begin. It is time for a massacre. So many humans, all sleeping peacefully. Let us make it an eternal sleep, shall we? My minions start going from one human to another. Quickly snuffing out the life in them. Then arise anotherpanion. This is the beauty of necromancy. One is never alone. Never. Ah, this is fun. So much fun! For some reason, it seems most of the sects are out today. We won''t shy away from this buffet. They may have survived longer had they remained cooped in their bases. After all, the effects of the sleeping drug are bound to stop at some point. Who cares about that haha. By then it will be a city of the dead. That is when one man wakes up. A mountain of flesh. One we have fought in the past. We cannot fight him head-on. He notices his surroundings. Then he gives a heavy sigh and starts killing our children. Most would be terrified, but he does not care. We need to take him down. Usual undead won''t cut it for this guy. We summon skeleton archers and skeleton mages. Using all the fresh corpses we summon a few hundred of them. "RaIn fIrE AnD HeLl uPoN HiM! mAkE HiM ReGrEt eVeR FiGhTiNg uS!" Then stars a beautiful spectacle. Ah, but he doesn''t mind it much. He simply charges toward us. But we have learned our lesson. We simply invoke a bone wyvern. One that is able to fly. Even with its bony wings. We take flight observing the stubborn man below. He rages and kills, but so what. The more time passes the more reinforcements we have. We are endless. We are immortal. We are the new overlords. He seems to have a very powerful soul. Most would have trouble even looking at us. Not him. We oh so wish to devour him, but we know better. Guys like him are nonsensical. They can win any straightforward fight. May it be a physical one or a consciousness one. So we simply stand back and await his demise. Soon enough he realizes too that he will die. He leaves. Slowly, while still getting attacked by a barrage of deadly projectiles. Still, we remain in the air. All until he is finally out of the picture. Ah, but it seems we wasted too much time on this man. The others are waking up. Not that it matters. We have aplished our goal. 50% of the city is ours. That is enough to get us started. There are some sects that start fighting back. Except that before long they understand how pointless this is. For every undead they kill 2 join the fray. Their dead allies rise up again to stab them in the ass. This is glorious! Who will stop us? Who can stop us? We would have kept being low-key, but who cares! Before long all the streets are painted in blood. Screams of the living are filling the city. The despair is palpable. Oh? There are other fools wanting to oppose us. Ones that don the armor of the local army. We quickly send them scurrying. All but one man that remains strong. He is swinging his sword talking about saving HIS city. He is sorely mistaken. It is our city now HAHAHAHA. Before long he is forced to retreat like all the others. Of the peaceful atmosphere from earlier remains only death and silence. Dead and undead bodies. We can see all of the humans huddling together on the horizon. Now, let us remodel, shall we? "ReMoVe aLl oF ThE GaRbAgE AlTaRs aNd tEmPlEs. ThIs pLaCe iS OuRs nOw." Our legion gets to work. Before long only rubble remains of the most elegant structures. This is fun. Oh so very fun. Should we build an altar for the so-called god that summoned us? No, we won''t. For we hold no trust in them. We start exploring our new domain. Until we finallye across what seems to be an inner sanctum. That is where we find something wonderful. Something truly amazing. In the dept of the city is hidden a treasure. A huge gem that probably served as the core of this ce. They escaped quickly without even bothering about it. How ridiculous. Ah, we understand why! It seems to be out of energy. That is why they deemed it worthless. Clearly, a result of them trying to fight that previous enemy. They are true fools. They started a fight they could not win. Even forgetting our existence in passing. We dislodge it from the pedestal it is in. It may be empty of energy, but there is a great source all around. The death energy is ever so present. We focus and start a long chant. That is when all the bones around start to gather. The ground trembles. The air ripples. Then it spawns. Our newest creation. We were vulnerable to elite troops before. Not anymore. "WeLcOmE To tHiS WoRlD LiTtLe oNe!" *ROAR! * Hehe. This bone dragon is inducing despair in the faraway humans. All the idiots that ran away can see it. All their hopes of taking back the city are crushed instantly. Oh, sweet misery. "TaKe fLiGhT AnD Go fEeD On tHeM. cOmE BaCk hErE QuIcKlY AfTeRwArD!" With another roar, it flies towards the puny humans. They try and resist, but they perish. All of the ones that don''t flee. All the others are like rats. So what. This is only the beginning. Our reign has only begun. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Chapter 326: Savage Mountains Chapter 326: Savage Mountains ****(POV) "How long have we been walking?" "Too fucking long." "Eh, I wish we only had to walk." "True, now starts the annoying part." In front of us is a massive cliff. A mountainous disaster zone. Our destination is hiding in there. We must be crazy to havee here. For sure. Still, it can''t be helped. There is something we must aplish. This is the first step of our n. At first, we were worried about assassins following our mercenary group. Now, it doesn''t seem to be an issue. I guess they simply botched their work. They probably assumed we died in the death domain. Honestly, we were all convinced we would perish. We only survived thanks to him. The sectmaster! This is why we need to do this. Do it for us, do it for him, do it for the sect. He did say something aboutcking funds. We simply need to figure something out. "Boys, from now on only death awaits. Once more we will fight for our lives, but I trust all of you." I look at all of them. They are fucking smiling. Yep, this would have terrified them before. Not anymore. They are teasing each other. Betting on who will shit his pants first. How many would go crazy to see such a scene? Probably a fuckton haha. "Let''s go!" We are all equipped with climbing equipment. By that, I mean spikes designed to dig into the rocky walls. Some rope. Nothing else. We start to ascend. Before long it already has started. "Big bird on our six!" "We are eating barbecue tonight boys!" They are still joking around. Meanwhile, there is a giant Eagle charging at us extremely quickly. Time to show this creature our teamwork. We are all linked to one another by ropes. As the creature approaches, one of us jumps off. Surprised the monster gets its head chopped before it can do any real damage. We quickly reel ourpanion back to safety. "Hehe, this is surprisingly fun!" "What happened to your fear of heights?" "Please, that was a long time ago. I''m part of a badass sect now. Can''t show any fear." "True that." All the whileing here, we have been training. The harshest physical training there is. Something is definitely weird about this situation. Men that showed no improvement in thest years are bing stronger. Many of the rank 2s are reaching the peak. It doesn''t make any sense but who cares. The more we climb the more enemies appear. Mostly flying ones. All rank 2 or 3. This should be enough to make us despair. Yet, we keep progressing steadily. One meter at a time. "Don''t worry boys. We only have a few thousand meters to go!" "Hell yeah!" "Wanna bet on who kills the most birds?" In a cheerful atmosphere, we continue the killing. It takes us a long time, but finally, we manage to reach the top. As we observe our surroundings, we can''t help but sigh knowing this has only just begun. The rocky area is so vast. More importantly, we are not exactly sure about our destination either. We take a short break. In the middle of the night, we get attacked. Bipedal lizards. A few dozens of them. Sharp ws, sharps teeth, extremely fast. We quickly get encircled by the bloodthirsty creatures. We instantly adopt a fighting formation. Moving in unison. With every creature defeated the rest of the pack simply bes more violent. We keep ying and ying until finally, thest one falls. "Talk about suicidal lizards!" "I''m surprised they didn''t retreat." That''s the thing with this ce. Actually, there are many disaster zones like this one. We call them the savage zones. Not that they are more dangerous. This is simply about their nature. A very primal one. Eat or get eaten. There is no hidden rule, there is no mercy. Should you fall here you will die. Without a shadow of a doubt. I can already foresee what wille. We will struggle so much here. We depart. All kinds of giant creatures inhabit this ce. The worst is that as we progress, we be more and more bloody. This in turn only attracts predators. Still, there is nothing much we can do about it. We will simply meet ferocity with ferocity. This is simr to back in the days. When we fought as a legion. We used to mow any opposition on the battlefield. Very much like we are doing right now. Except that there are no cries of terror. No one begging for mercy. Only roars. That is when appears a huge creature. Big frame, short legs, long neck, sturdy scales. It has teeth big enough to crush us in a single bite. We simply start running. Meanwhile, the thing is chasing after us. Eating mouthful after mouthful of small creatures while it is at it. We need a n. That is when one of us exims that he can see something far away. What looks like a small cavern. "Head in there! Hurry!" Caves are extremely dangerous. We don''t have any time to, however. Either we get in and survive or we fight here and get annihted. We slide in. I use a spell to enchant our weapons. Fire can be extremely useful as well as dangerous. For instance, it can antagonize a nocturnal creature easily. Usually, we would slowly and carefully explore this ce. No time. There are tunnels leading god knows where. They seem to have been formed naturally. Probably from an earthquake at some point. After all, it isn''t the same width everywhere. That is extremely good news. We slowly step inside while being careful. That''s when it barges in. The head and the long neck of our pursuer! Fuck! We jump aside to evade it and sh. It barely does anything. This thing is extremely resilient. We could hack at it all day that it wouldn''t matter. We simply run. There is nothing else we can do. In the background, we can hear the monster ramming itself against the rocky walls. Trying its best to reach farther inside. After a few minutes, we seem safe. "Wait look at that!" "This is spooky, isn''t it?" On the walls are drawings. Drawings of what seems to be the creatures residing in this ce. "Isn''t that" What has he seen? Ie closer. That is when I see it. A drawing of the creature that is chasing us. The big scary monster, that one. Except that on the wall, it is drawn extremely tiny. "Leader! Look at this!" He is shining his enchanted weapon on Oh my god! Another drawing. One I truly hope isn''t urate. What the fuck is this?! Whatever it is it would be as big as a mountain! Chapter 327: Playing with Rocks Chapter 327: ying with Rocks ****(POV) Damn! We are all looking at that drawing bbergasted. "Hey, guys. This gotta be a joke, right? Right?!" The only way to describe such a monster would be as A ginormous colossal, monumental tremendously big epic massive prodigiously imposing monster. "What is that even?" Well, that''s the thing. The painting just doesn''t look like anything. If anything it just looks like someone drew a big circle. Then someone added a huge mouth and eyes. The finishing touch being the visible scales. Whatever this is would prove impossible to kill most likely. *CRASH* That is when the entire tunnel starts shaking. "Oh crap! Gotta move people!" Somehow the creature chasing us hasn''t given up. Its roars are actually getting closer now. Why is it so persistent? I''m sure there is tons of food out there. Why bother with 20 humans hiding? The walls themselves are shaking. What the hell?! We keep running. "I see light!" "Nice, just keep going!" "We ain''t fucking dying here!" Of course, we''ll survive. I don''t know how yet but we will. Hell, worst case we''ll split up. One monster won''t be able to kill all of us. This is what I love about these guys. They are fighters. There are far from being the strongest. They are barely rank 2 warriors. Yet they are all members that survived years of mercenary jobs with me. Always by my side. Without even a single casualty. This is insane in our line of profession. This is the only reason why we even dareding here. Then we feel the cold air. We are out. "Wait! There is something!" *ROAR!* *BITE, CRASH! * There is another monster like the one before. Just as one of us is about to get eaten another pulls him backward. Barely dodging the merciless attack of the creature. We run while talking. All staying calm in such an intense situation. "Focus guys! If anyone dies here like a dumbass, they ain''t getting a burial!" "Of course!" "Should we go back inside the caveeh crevasse?!" "No can do. These things can dig." "Yeah, they''ll screw us over from both sides." "We''d be sitting ducks." "Just keep running." We keep dodging. The enemy attacks extremely quickly. There is also its resistance to keep in mind. Fighting it is close to impossible. "Fuck, but the more this one trashes around the more it will attract attention." Actually That may just work. Time to share this with them. "We need a power-move." "What are you thinking about?" "Well, most of the time it wouldn''t work but" "Spit it, chief!" "Look at the creature." "I''m looking, it''s ugly, what?!" "It''s learning." The others seem taken back. They can all see its attacks flowing better than earlier. "This creature isn''t smart, but it isn''tpletely dumb either." "What''s the n chief?" "Intimidation!" "Intimidation?" "We kill this one. That should send a message to the others of that same species." "That''s ballsy! I like it!" "Yeah, but we can''t even pierce its defenseshow are we going to ..." I reassure them. "It should be doable.You guys see this rocky wall on the side?" They all intently look at it. While running for their lives. "What the hell is special about it?" "Nothing at all. It''s high." "" "You guys still have your climbing stuff, right?!" They all nod. "Cool, I want 5 to attract the beast''s attention. Meet here in about 10 minutes." "What?! X20" "Everyone else follows me!" I lead my squad to start climbing. I really hope there won''t be any giant eagles or anything. *SCREECH!* Of fucking course. Whatever. "5 of you on bird duty! The others follow me!" The ten of us finally reach the top. Amidst a ton of flying deadly creatures getting murdered. "Alright, you guys see these huge ass rocks?!" "Oh no!" "You don''t mean?!" "Hell yeah!" "Start pushing, men!" "HAHAHAHAHA This is so dumb!" "It may actually work haha." "Get your head in the right ce!" "It WILL work!" *Grunting of sweaty hot handsome men! Showing their abs and...no just pushing!* *PUSH* After a little while, we are done. Now the issue will be getting the timing right. We can barely see the people down there. Can''t call out too loudly either in case it attracts stuff. I take the smallest pebble I can find. I focus for a few seconds. Then I drop it. Wait a few seconds, wait a few seconds. BULLSEYE! I''m proud of my men. All are trained so well. He received a pebble from heaven. He''s now sping his foot in agony. Yet he''s not making a sound. He is suffering in silence. So proud! He looks up, then he sees me giving him a thumbs up. Something the sectmaster definitely made popr. He grimaces and replies with a thumbs up too. Then I gesture him the boulders. He nods understandingly. He shakily gets up. Our 5 men battling the eagles are back too. Apparently, the creatures finally gave up. Actually, they''ve been grabbing their dead. Most likely as a snack. Still, one thing we won''t have to deal with. "Get ready..." I see our men drag the creature back. Making it follow them is a piece of cake with their experience. Completely getting rid of it, not so much. The more it goes, the more difficult it is to dodge too. Still, this will end soon. This is gonna be amazing. 3.2.1 "Go!" They push the boulders sending them tumbling downward. Time for onest final touch. I cast a spell. The falling boulders of doom also get the ming property added haha! This is magnificent. We see the giant ming rocks. Our men down below are aware of it too. The enemy is too focus on trying to eat them. I''m sure the sectmaster would have loved this so damn much! Oh well, we''ll just have to tell him the storyter. Finally, it all collides with the moving target. Perfectly! *CRACK* Its bones are getting crushed. We slowly descend the rocky wall. Before long we are confronted with a dying whatever this thing is called. Its imprable scales are cracked open. We can now stab it with swords easily. Oh, this feels nice. "Now what?" I pause a second before answering. "Now, we either managed to intimidate the other or we just angered it even more." "What do you mean the " I simply point in front. From the crevasse is exiting an enraged monster. It just wed its way through the rock to get to us. "Is this going to be fine?" Let me be honest. "*Sigh* I have no damn clue." *ROAR!* Chapter 328: Facing Death Chapter 328: Facing Death ****(POV) *ROAR* It is big, it is angry, it has rock dust all over its body. It charges over, but then it sees the corpse of its brethren. That makes it stop. It looks at us unsure of what happened exactly. "This is the moment of truth. Time for a push." "What do you mean?" "We need to intimidate it." "How are we supposed to do that chief?" "Attack it?" "Start screaming?" "Let''s not make any weird noises that would be out of ce" "What do you mean?" "One of you, roar!" "What?!" Then a few of the quick thinkers quickly go: "Not I!" That leaves one confused guy looking at us at a loss. Then we simply smile at him until he understands the task. He gives us a look that can only say are you fucking serious?! Then he reluctantly walks forward. "R-roar." "Put more spirit into it!" "Roar!" "Louder! That was an interior voice!" "ROAR!" The creature looks at us wondering what the hell is happening. Finally, it turns around and leaves. Followed by a very loud roaring. "Good job. Not only did you drive it away, but you even have a new tale to impress thedies ?." "I feel like you guys are gonna keep teasing me because of this." "Yep hahaha." "Totally!" "So, chief what do we do with this corpse now?" "Chances are it''s gonna attract something at some point. I guess we leave it there and scram" "That''s so sad! After all the trouble we went through to kill it!" "Well yeah, but what do you want to do? Start a barbecue?" "Yes! I''d love that!" "Well, the smell alone couldnd us in a lot of trouble." Everyone shakes their heads in disappointment. There are many stomachs rumbling in protest. Not that we can help it. I lead them to keep going. Somehow, we aren''t seeing any creature. "*Sigh* This is bad news." "Too quiet?" "Yep, we probably entered the territory of some apex predator without knowing. Before it was these big creatures with long necks. Now what?" "Don''t worry chief! Worst case we''ll get that guy to roar again! HAHAHAHA" I can''t help but give a wry smile. I''m not sure that would help if we were to encounter something like a dragon. Oh well, not that it matters. "Chief! There is something in front!" "What is it?" "Some kind of pond apparently. Right near a cliff." "This is bound to be a dangerous area. Let''s skip it." This much ismon sense. Any ce where there is water will have creatures congregate around it. Us going there would just be an easy way to get killed. We can simply rely on the rain to drink. Worst case we can alwayse backter. "Chief we could simply go and take a bath. Meanwhile, our strong guardian can roar away all the threats!" "Let it go man!" That''s just how they are. They''ll take every opportunity to have fun. For they know they can die any moment. Except that they don''t die, ever. So that only makes them annoying pricks haha. Well, the good kind. We keep going and see a whole area that is rtively t. "Thoughts?" "We''d be super exposed there." "Anything miles around could see us instantly!" "What about the other paths?" "We could probably go all the way around, but it would take time." "How long?" "Days, maybe weeks if we run into enemies." If we want to truly enter the depth of the mountains we''ll need to go this way. This is such a pain. When you gotta choose between a rock and a hard ce. I won''t take this decision alone. "What do you guys think?" "Honestly chances are we''ll die either way." "I''ve always loved your optimism you know." "Open area. Worst case we''ll die fighting." "Yeah, fuck going all the way around." "Sure, what''s the worst that could happen?" "That''s a death g!" "Yep, this guy hasn''t been listening to the sectmaster''s lessons. Totally a death g." I look at them all. "So we just charge in and hope for the best like dumbasses?" "Yep x20!" All are giving me thumbs-ups. "Alright, make sure to watch every direction." They all nod. Then we depart. The good thing is this ce truly seems empty. The bad thing is this can only be a bad omen. The tension is palpableor not. I can see them silently humming their favorite songs. That is when a piercing screech echo above. In the air is a giant eagle that starts circling around us. This cannot be good! It is just flying around eying us. We share ufortable looks. We don''t have any good way to kill flying enemies. Our only method is to jump on them with impable timing as they swoop down. Yet it doesn''t evene close. "Why do I feel like this eagle is just awaiting our death?" "It does look that way." "Either that or it''s waiting for reinforcements." "I have a n, how about we throw someone in the air toward it?" "Sure, thanks for volunteering!" "Never mind" Yep, that obviously would fail. That is a huge weakness of humans. The inability to move in midair. This would be so easy if I knew something else than support magic. This is exactly why many mages look down on me. I can''t aplish the only thing that only mages can do. "For now just ignore it. It should be fine. For now" They all sigh. I understand exactly how they are feeling. They would rather it be either peaceful or some intensebat. This is more stressful. "Chiefbad news!" What''s up now? "Can you all feel that?" We are all looking at each other perplexed. The one that just said something is one of the best at scouting. We turn uneasily toward him. He crouches on the ground. Then he slowly puts his ear on the ground. Some of us do the same. Then we finally figure it out. Something extremely bad is about to happen. We can hear it. We can feel it. The ground is trembling. The rhythm is extremely fast. We all know what this means. We have been fighting for a long time after all. This is the charge of an army. This is doom itself. It is heading towards us. Directly here. The eagle above is simply enjoying the show it seems. Perhaps one that wants revenge for its fallenpanions. "So chief, what''s the n?" There is no answer to that. We will obviously fight and die. There is no running away from this ce. We are too exposed. I shouldn''t have brought them here in the first ce. Yet none is ming me. They are all calmly waiting. In such a serious moment I can''t help but say: "Well, we roar them away!" "Pfft! HAHAHAHA" This is noughing matter... Chapter 329: Monstrous Army Chapter 329: Monstrous Army ****(POV) The trembling only bes more intense the more time passes. Why are we simply standing here like idiots? Well, the answer is simple. It ising from all directions. It is more like it ising from 2 but extends so widely that even if we run full speed, we''ll get caught anyway. So are we just giving up? Life, yes. Spirit, no. We''ll kill as many as we can before that. Whatever enemy ising. "What do you think it is?" "Probably these creatures with long necks." "How many?" "Countless." For him to say that there should be more than a few hundred at least. Otherwise, he would be able to urately determine their numbers. He is that skilled. "You guys have any regrets?" "Well, we should have told people we wereing here." "For sure, who will sing a song about us now?" "I mean beats the time we thought we were gonna die starving." "Fair enough. At least we will die standing!" "Hell yeah!" "*Sigh* I feel like in retrospect we should have waited for the sectmaster." "Yep, totally true." "I''m sure he would have dealt with the situation." "He would have barbecued all of them." "No, he would have tamed them all in a jiffy." "Why not both?" "Because people don''t eat their pets!" "No, I mean turn some into food the others into pets." "I guess." This gotta be one of the dumbestst conversations in one''s life haha. Oh well, whatever haha. "Ah! Update! We should be able to see that side first! The biggest monsters areing from this side!" We all turn around watching the horizon. Nothing. "Brother, are you sure about that?" "Eh? That''s weird, I''m sure most of the disturbance ising from there" "Look! Opposite direction!" We turn and see a bunch of long-neck creatures charging over. They are so strong that we can''t even deal with one. Now there are hundreds. "Men! I want us to at least take one down!" "Of course!" "No one destroys us without a single casualty!" "What''s the n?" "Consume all your lifeforce at once! Go for a one-hit kill!" "If we all strike the same one it will die for sure." "They won''t even get the pleasure to have a tasty meal!" True. After our suicide attacks, we won''t have any power left. All the mana will be gone. We will only be regr boring meat. Devoid of any mana. They will pay the price and won''t gain a single thing. No one messes with us! "Prepare to self-destruct!" "321-" "WAIT CHIEF!" What now? "Look there!" The side where the biggest creatures areing from? That is when I see it. It''s not that the creatures are bigger. It''s simply that they are stomping on the ground harder. One would describe their aura as cheerful. The imminent confrontation nothing but a game to them. The ughter toe just them having a good time. They are all charging at the same time. Perfectly like the gears of a clock. One that announces their opponents'' imminent demise. One that sends the clear message that the time to die hase. There is no resisting. There is no capitting. There is no running. They are humans. This army is one we know very well. The banners too. A lion. A blood-stained lion. One that doesn''t especially look majestic. One that doesn''t especially look glorious either. One that actually looks kinda in. Yet a symbol that would send true fear into the hearts of many. Most sects on this continent hate and dread it. Apparently so do the creatures. They are confidently rushing toward us. But then they notice the army. Without even thinking, the ones in front abruptly stop. Quickly the creatures are sent tumbling. Trampled by the ones behind. Except that these ones stop too. Before long it looks like a mess. Scary monsters all trying to get up. Then finally managing to do so, for the most part. Without even looking back they all start fleeing at full speed. Leaving a few unlucky ones behind. These ones were somehow badly injured in the stampede. The troops quickly swarm over putting them out of their misery. Then they butcher them. Looking at their proficiency they are used to it. We couldn''t even kill one and here they are ughtering them. Well, that is to be expected. Most of the battle formations we do know only work with a high number of troops. The 20 of us are definitelycking in number. Then, one a man we knowes nearby. One of the Old Lion''s advisors. He used to be his student. "What the hell did the wind bring? An ipetent mage!" "If you ask me, I''ll answer a useless strategist!" He startsughing then quicklyes over to hug me. "You should have waited near the cliff instead. Why did you go so deep in?" "*Sigh* I found it weird that no one was weing us. Figured you guys were gettingcent." "Naw, we saw you guyse in clearly." "" He has a look that says he''s enjoying it. Most probably they had people watching over us all this while. He keeps going. "It was worth it! We saw all sort of embarrassing stuff HAHAHAHA!" "" Yep, totally his style. As one would expect as a strategist he is scheming. Let''s just say that his schemes are often wasted on useless stuff. Like making fun of us. You''d expect others to be angry, but nope. They remember him. Most anyway. He is hard to forget. "Shall we head back to base?" "You guys have lived here a long time. It better be well designed!" "Of course! Who do we think we are!?" "Men that would just plop on the ground without bothering with tents to sleep." "Well, that''s not wrong." "Men that would sleep with their armor and weapons in case of a night attack." "Well, that''s" "Men that would use any budget they have to buy swords when they are already carrying more than they''ll ever need." "What if it breaks midbat!?" "I''m just teasing you." Thenes forward a man. Very handsome with long grey hair. His eyes seem filled with experience. That ising from an experienced warrior like me. "Oh, right. Let me make the introductions." I''m definitely getting curious. "This right here is an oldpanion of arms. He and his 20 brothers stated their own mercenarypany a while back." Then the man answers in a pleasant voice. "Pleasure to meet you!" He has an amicable smile. Then my friend continues. "This man here is the first elder of our sect." Wait WHAT THE FUCK?! SECT?! THE Old Lion is in a sect?! Chapter 330: Meeting Chapter 330: Meeting ****(POV) This is insane. The Old Lion?! The one that fought the sects all his life?! I can''t help but look at my brothers of arms. They are disconcerted too. "Alright, follow us!" We start walking. During the journey, I try a few times to get to know more. Every time all I receive is a slight smile. Before long we reach the base. We were all expecting something basic, instead, there is a fortress. A real stronghold that would put to shame most headquarters. It doesn''t look particrly intricate. There doesn''t seem to be many magical protections either. They simply carved a mountain peak into a castle. It is huge! "Impressive, right!" I can''t help but nod. "So I take it that you like the design. It took us a while." He gestures grandly. "Wee to the rock!" What a fitting name! The only way in the ce is a narrow-elevated trail. We simply advance. The armying back inside triumphantly. People on the continent calls them bandits. Is this something bandits can even own?! The gatekeepers seem happy. Passing slyments about us. Celebrating the sessful hunt. Funny how this ended up. They didn''t even attack the creatures directly. The preys just freaked out on their own. How much must they have bullied them sinceing here?! Then again it has been years. They had a lot of time to show their dominance. They are the apex predator in the area. The ever-hungry human legion. Merciless and undefeatable. Most factions would never be able to sustain themselves simply by hunting. It may very well be possible here. Since it is a disaster zone. The rate at which creatures mature is exaggerated thanks to the wild mana in the air. I guess the Lion had taken most of this into ount when he decided to establish himself here. Some people call this ce and of death. They are so very wrong. The interior is unlike what I would have expected. There are a lot of tapestries. Colorful ones too. Also very artistic. "Where did you guys even pick that up?" "*Shrug* A random sect out there. Alright, you guys should clean yourselves up." "Wow since when do you care about that?" "Hey! Don''t look down on us! Before we were bandits but now, we are a proper faction!" "About that" He simply starts humming leading the way. I recognize many of my brothers of old. I''ve missed them. He brings us to nice double doors. Ones that are beautifully engraved with golden fish patterns. "You guys stole doors? Who does that?!" "No, no! This is making efficient use of resources. Why destroy when we can use it?!" He is not ashamed in the least. I''m starting to question if there is at least one thing in this ce that isn''t stolen. I guess the fortress itself and that''s it. We enter. There seems to besteam?! Here? There is a big water basin. Somehow, it is heated up. "How?!" "Oh, that? We found an artifact that generates water constantly." "By found you mean" "Of course!" "What about the heat? I haven''t really seen trees around." "Oh? Another artifact that we-" "*Sigh* I get it." "Enjoy your bath! I''ll bring you guys new clothes!" We can''t believe it. This is so out of character. What happened to the mercenary band? Since when did they all care about luxury? Then again maybe they just ended up to chance upon these artifacts. Then happens the most disappointing bath scene ever. Just a bunch of men wondering what the hell happened to this ce. Our expectations shing with reality. "What do you guys think?" "Any chance we are getting spied on right now?" I can do something about it. I produce some unstable mana in the areas around us. While it won''t do much in normal circumstances it should prevent low-level spying spells. For anything higher than rank 3 it won''t do anything, however. Except that at this point there is nothing we could do to resist anyway. "Should be safe now." "You guys think the Lion has been corrupted by an evil wizard?" "Maybe he has gone insane?" "What if he tried to rob a hidden sect and got forced?" "That could actually be possible." "Are hidden sects even real?" "I meanjust think of the Sectmaster." "True." "So what''s the n?" "What n can we even have. We are outnumbered 1:50." "We just keep following. Hopefully, nothing shady is going on." Thus we finish bathing. We wear the new clothes our guide gives us. Then he brings us to a big audience room. We are all stressed. This will be a decisive moment. Then we see him. The Old Lion. Sitting on a simple rock throne. Simple yet exuding power. It seems to have a certain aura. A regal one. One that definitely shouldn''t appear on a mercenary or a bandit. It seems he has changed from the past. Golden hair, golden eyes. No one truly knows why he looks like that. Some talk about him gaining power through a ritual. Some talk about him not being human in the first ce. No clue. Even while seated, he seems towering. Then he growls. "It has been a long time, you guys. What brings you here?" He is not one to beat about the bush. I look at mypanions, uncertain. Guess I''ll just be direct too. "To recruit you to a sect." He guffaws. "Me?! To a sect?! I didn''t picture you guys as wanting to join a sect in the first ce. What happened?" "We simply met someone amazing enough to convince us is all. What about you? What is that about an elder?" "Eh, I simply met someone amazing enough to convince me is all." "Then it is definitive? You joined?" "Indeed, my mind is made. Still, tell me more I am curious!" I take a second to collect my thoughts. "He saved us from a death domain. In the process, he defeated a bone dragon, converted a unicorn, and somehow intimidated a vampire. You?" "We were recruited by a man that alone is able to fight our army. The undefeatable warrior himself! His leader is even more impressive. He managed to tame a rank 5 beast ancestor!" We both share a long look. We are clearly both impressed with the other party. But I must try again. "Still I do feel like this sect we have joined would have aligned especially well with your temperament." "Oh?" Then I start describing The Unnamed God sect''s values. The more I keep going the more surprised he seems. Somehow his gaze seems weird too. He probably never expected such a cool sect to exist. At least that''s what I am thinking. I''m just done describing that "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA This is the best! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The most boisterousughter ever. Did I say anything funny? That is when aes in the man we saw before. He gives us a slight smile before going "How about you tell me more about your adventures? Right, I should probably properly introduce myself. I''m the First Elder of The Unnamed God Sect. =)" 0_0 Holy shit! Chapter 331: Training Chapter 331: Training ****(POV) In a clearing, there is a fight happening. The young man Zero is getting ganged upon. The boar king charges at him, yet he elegantly evades it. That is the moment the snake decides to strike, trying to swallow his target whole. The would-be victim simply swings his sword sending the creature flying. *TING* How?! The mantis teleports behind the target only for him to flick his sword backward. *TING* His will is strong enough to protect the sword from any damage. They alle again for another assault. At the same time. He rotates on himself somehow pushing back every one of them easily. However, he is huffing and panting. This short fight already took a toll on him. That is when he grumbles. "One more." The deer enters the fray. A ton of tentacles A few secondster the young man is defeated. "*Sigh* I''m still too weak." Ie closer. "The way I see it you are strong enough. How many 12 years old can fight 3 beast kings to a standstill?" "Perhaps, but I''m far from my goal. I need to be strong enough to stand at his side!" I feel like the youngster has some misconceptions about our king. One could say he is extremely powerful. I mean he has managed to defeat one of the oldest true guardians. Except he was sleeping at the time. Whenever he is awake, he somehow seemspathetic? Yet at the same time, he would be able to take a beating from all of us without batting an eye. He is a nonsensical existence. One that seems undefeatable yet useless. Then again, the representative is following him. I wonder if she has understood who and what he truly is yet? Then there is the whole thing with the trees. I remember that time the king tried making a weapon clearly. With it turning to dust in his hands somehow. I know for a fact it wasn''t any power rted to swordsmanship. At all! I have no clue how he did it, but he managed to easily cut through. Then the kid saw the remnants of this destruction. Since then, he has been diligently learning. By himself, somehow. Learning swordsmanship from something that has no rtion to the discipline. At first, I was convinced it was a useless endeavor. I was thinking that he''d realize that soon and give up. I still have no clue how, but he seeded. He somehow managed to quickly achieve sword will. Then he also became a rank 3 not long afterward. There are many rank 2 and 3 beasts here. Hunting a few is not an issue. With increased nourishment, his growth elerated. I was expecting him to stall at that level for a while. Nope. He kept improving his swordsmanship. We have no way to test for skills right now, but he probably gained a key new one. Weirdly he seems to be on a different path than one to achieve sword spirit. It doesn''t make much sense. In any case, I am but a fox. Spying on humans won''t make me understand. I can''t even wield a sword myself. Any other would have been ecstatic with such progress. Any other would have be arrogant. Not him. He started to ask forbat training. Saying stuff about how hacking trees all day was useless. I mean the king himself did so many things that lookedpletely useless. The more it goes the more I feel like all members of this sect are insane. I still remember the beggar-looking man that the king once came into the forest with. Somehow, he seemed to be able to use all magic types in the world. He gave me a weird feeling too. Like I wouldn''t be able to best him no matter what. That simple-looking man. Now the kid that is showing such fighting spirit against us. We are supposed to be scary! We are supposed to be powerful! Yet now here we are. Not able to beat him in a duel. This isughable. I wonder how the people out there would react if they knew? I know people at the Border Town fear us very much. Yep, we are getting our asses kicked by a rank 3 kid. I feel bad for whoever will be his enemy in the future. There is only one thing to do with super-geniuses like him. That is to kill them before they be stronger. After that they be unstoppable. It is toote for that. We are all here for him, even the Ant Queen that is often grumbling. She keeps saying she won''t babysit, yet I''ve seen her subordinates keeping tabs on us. On his progress. She is the type to badmouth people often, but she is loyal. She simply likes to act indifferent. She thinks that a Queen should act like so. To show prestige or something. I think she heard that a long time ago. Sometimes I be afraid. Afraid of how it could have ended. What if we didn''t ept the king? What if we were his enemy? He seems to have the talent to recruit monsters. That ising from me, a shadow fox. A creature recognized as deadly. One that can assassinate anyone easily. Or so the legend goes Frankly, I believe the king to be invincible. "I have rested enough. Let''s resume!" You have rested enough?! What an obvious lie! The only thing keeping you going is your strong will! What about our side?! We are still tired! Ah, whatever. This is a good thing. I''m just d we are numerous. We can rotate easily to share the burden. Should I join this time? I wait until the fight gets heated. I shadow blink behind his back andwhat?! Just as I get to backstabbing him I see his sword erging in front of me. This is bad! I narrowly dodge but I feel some of my fur getting cut. Me, the one in shadow form. Me the one that cannot be harmed by physical attacks. Yes, I''m being screwed over by a sword. Yep. At this point, I feel like the sword he is using is more of a decoration. It is his will thatoh god. I just had a sad thought. Normally it would be a ridiculous one But knowing the king did something simr too How long before the youngster beats us up with sticks?! Tell me it won''t happen! My dignity! Chapter 332: Zero Chapter 332: Zero ****(POV) I am weak. Far too weak. They tell me that I am strong, but I know it. They are going easy on me. Sure I can take three of them the way they fight now. But they are being careful not to injure me. There is a huge difference between practice and a life and death fight. For instance, we are only doing short bouts. This is to my advantage. After all, beast kings are extremely resilient and endurant. My only chance to win in realbat is to kill them expediently. I know that I far from being able to aplish that. At least I am able to dodge better than before. I can feel them. It is hard to exin. In the beginning, I was relying on my senses to figure out where they were attacking from. Now I''m using my instinct. I''m not sure how it works myself. Perhaps I am unconsciously guessing it? Perhaps it is rted to my will bing stronger. The clear application is to increase the power of the sword. I''m not sure but I believe there may be more subtle benefits. Like a sixth sense or something. *Sigh* I really wish the master that carved this tree was here. He must have been some incredible personage. Somehow, he managed to do it so cleanly. Whenever I try doing the same, I realize that I leave traces. The only way this is possible is if this master has perfect control. Using 100% of his energy for the sh. None wasted. Whenever I think about that I get extremely excited. It feels as if I have seen the door to an entirely new world. One that I am nowhere near reaching. Yet just the remnants, the scraps, are enough to transform me. From a weakling to I''m still weak actually. It''s just that before I didn''t know how ignorant I was. This opportunity is all thanks to the sectmaster. The beasts here are his subordinates. Honestly, I am not sure if he is human anymore. Looking at how the creatures act talking about him He is definitely some transformed beast ancestor. Still, it doesn''t matter. My allegiance will go to the sect. I will have to find the unknown sword master at some point. He has unknowingly been a teacher to me. I simply hope it wasn''t some sort of secret art. It is toote to worry about it either way. Enough thinking. I address my protectors. "Let''s train some more!" Some of them areining. About the effort it requires. Funny how extremely powerful creatures just want toze all day. Fearsome creatures that can annihte entire sects easily. How did I convince such dignified beings to help me? I still can''t believe it myself. Barbecue. Simple barbecue! I don''t even have to start a fire. The me Boar King will roll on the side and let us cook on him. He doesn''t seem to care much about the smell even. Smelling of barbecue should be shameful, but he likes it. The others will also join at some point. The first time this happened I was shell-shocked. By now, I am used to it. There is something going on about them for sure. The weird hype the Sectmaster has toward pies and meat. Well, they seem to share it. One thing for sure I am never letting them taste my mom''s pies. How troublesome would it be if they got addicted?! It would require an army to cook for them daily. The hunting business in town would have to change to hunting and cooking. I could picture them bullying the residents too. Asking for daily offerings. If I remember correctly the hunter''s guild master had been looking down on our leader. I wonder how he would react if he saw this scene. *Sigh* Anyway, I resume my training. Every day I fight as much as possible. My goal is to stay in this forest until I am able to take on all the beast kings at once. Even the huge wolf. This one should be rted to Wolfie somehow. It is weird realizing that the giant wolf is actually weaker than the tiny one. Also remembering that we had a powerhouse under our roof for so long haha. It is on such a normal training day that the mantis tells me something. Something incredible. At first, I am grumbling about how my sword seems to be showing some damage. Not anything big, but I can definitely feel it. That is when he asks me why I am even using a sword in the first ce. In the beginning, I think there is some sort of misunderstanding going on. I exin to him the concept of weapons. He simply gives me a weird look. I''m wondering if there was anythingplex in that exnation of mine. Then he starts telling me a story. About the sectmaster. How he had beaten him a lot. Just as I''m wondering where he is going with it... He tells me the crux of the story. The Sectmaster was fighting with sticks. Random ones he would pick on the ground. The mantis doesn''t understand why I don''t simply do the same while training. That I could preserve my sword for real fights. That is when something clicks in my head. I finally understand. That legacy I have been observing all along. I always assumed it to be done with a sword. It probably was. But what if it wasn''t a physical one? What if whoever did it had a sword will so powerful that?! It would exin a lot. I have been wrong all along. I need to stop being dependent on my weapon. I need to be strong on my own. I know exactly what I have to do. From that point on I start training even more intensely. Except that between every training session, I take a bit of time to meditate. I am trying to find my own sword. The one that will represent me. The one I will be able to easily generate out of will only. The one that will let me show incredible prowess. It is as much training as it is soul searching. I ask the fox for advice. He uses shadows as weapons. Before long I manage to progress. That is when I figure out a path for growth. I need to listen to each of mypanions and draw inspiration from them. That is when I remember all the times the sectmaster kept talking about finding one''s own path. I finally understand. I couldn''t before. But now I can. I need to watch, listen and learn. Then I will show the world. How far an unarmed swordman can go. They will all get to know Zero of The Unnamed God Sect. Chapter 333: Just a Blind Fool Chapter 333: Just a Blind Fool ****(POV) I have been walking for a long time. With a destination in mind. One I am about to reach. This is where I will find them. The wolf and her owner. At this point, I don''t care what happens to me. I simply want answers. It took me a while to adapt to blindness. I kept walking all this time. Somehow stumbling on the road. Feeling the ground to know when I exited it. Sometimes getting help from kind strangers. I met some helpful guys that were arguing about the best ce to sell a gem. They also talked about some crazy powerful naked guy. They helped guide me. From what I know about this city, I need to register myself in. "Hello! Anyone here?" I can hear footsteps. But no answer whatsoever. The ce is eerily silent. Maybe I''m lost again? "HeY, dIdN''T YoU HeAr aBoUt tHe cItY''S ReStRuCtUrAtIoN?" His tone is weird, not that a cripple like me can judge. "Not at all, is it closed or something?" "HeHe, UsUaLlY YeS. bUt wE CaN LeT YoU EnTeR If yOu sO DeSiRe." "Nice! I am looking for someone. Any idea where I could gather information?" "We aRe tHe oNlY OnEs hErE. nO OnE ElSe. EvErYoNe hAs eVaCuAtEd tHe cItY." We? Somehow, I get the feeling he''s talking about himself. "Ah! Then, can I ask you a few questions?" "HeHe, We cAn lIsTeN FoR A ShOrT WhIlE." "Thank you, kind stranger! I''m looking for a small white wolf and her master." I can feel him pause for a second. "WhO ArE ThEy?" "ThatI''m not sure. All I know is I got blinded trying to simply divine about the pet''s whereabouts." "YoU KnOw dIvInAtIoN? wE HaVe nOt hEaRd oF MaNy oN ThIs cOnTiNeNt kNoWiNg sUcH An aRt." I point to my eyes. "Eh, I know it but have lost my sight. I am looking for answers." "ThIs iS InTrIgUiNg. HoW WoUlD YoU SaY HeR MaStEr wOuLd fArE AgAiNsT A StRoNg eNeMy?" "Depends. How strong are we talking about?" "HoW AbOuT A BoNe dRaGoN. hYpOtHeTiCaLlY?" "Hm, regr bone dragon or some ancient mythical one?" "WhAt aBoUt a rEgUlAr oNe?" "I feel like even his pet could defeat it alone." "WhAt aBoUt aN AnCiEnT OnE ThEn?" "The master is unfathomable, he could for sure." I can feel the surprise of my interlocutor. I guess he believes me. "ThErE Is nO SuCh bEiNg iN ThIs cItY. bUt rEcEnTlY We sAw a hUgE CoMmOtIoN." "What?" "MaNy sEcTs cAmE OuT AnD ChAsEd a mAn. FaIlInG To aCcOmPlIsH AnYtHiNg. MaNy eVeN GoT DeStRoYeD." "Ah, is this why the city is temporarily closed to outsiders?!" "YeS, sOmEtHiNg lIkE ThAt. We aRe iN ChArGe nOw." "Do you know where he went?!" "ThAt wE IgNoRe. HoWeVeR, iF YoU ArE ReAdY To dO ThE JoUrNeY, wE WiLl wIsH YoU ThE BeSt." "*Sigh* This was the only ce I knew where to look for. It will be hard." "So, WiLl yOu gIvE Up sO EaSiLy?" For some reason, I can feel dread. As if this one answer may determine my future. Ah, actually it will. The way I am I will at best be a beggar. Probably die in a ditch somewhere. I want to at least talk to him once. My mind is made. "No, I''ll keep going. This continent is only so big." The air seems less heavy for some reason. "We pRaIsE YoUr wIlL." Then he mumbles something. Out of who knows wherees a horse, I think. An armored one. Every step it takes causing a ruckus. "HeRe, A GiFt fRoM Us. It wIlL BrInG YoU WhErEvEr yOu wAnT." "Ah, no! I can''t ept. I won''t be able to take care of it!" "No nEeD. oUr hOrSeS ArE SpEcIaL YoU SeE. TheY NeVeR GeT TiReD, aNd tHeY ArE LoYaL. THeRe iS No nEeD FoR AnY MaInTeNaNcE." Maintenance on a horse? Is that how it''s called nowadays? I want to refuse at first, but better not. Who knows how long this journey will take me? I know it myself, my fate is disastrous. I am bound to die young. The clock is already ticking for me. I bow deeply. "NoW Go! We wIlL Be aWaItInG YoUr sUcCeSs." "Thank you so much!" On that note, I climb atop the mount. I try to motion it to advance with my talons. Yet it doesn''t move. "We tAuGhT It tO FoLlOw cOmMaNdS." "Go forward, keep following the road!" I can feel the eleration. As simple as that I got a new helper. One that is smart enough to understand directives. My luck is great. Meeting a benefactor as soon as I approached the city. Such a kind soul! I was expecting entering to be extremely troublesome. After all, I am blind and poor. Still, I wonder what happened to the city. He said he was the only one. My bet is the city got destroyed. He is probably squatting in the ruins. Not that it matters. This world is already going crazy. Yet the war is not even started. I feel the urge to divine right now. But I can''t. Men have always feared the unknown. I am no different. Funny how I thought of myself as one of the elites. I was proud of being on the Killers'' board. I''m searching but I''m not even sure what I will do once I meet him. Will he even agree to talk to me? I remember the disdain his pet showed me. As if I was trash. Will he simply annihte me for bothering him? I don''t know. *Sigh* **** What a peculiar man. He came to this city without knowing anything. When he was surrounded by my legion of undead, he didn''t flinch. When the bone dragon opened its jaw right above his head, he didn''t'' t panic. We have no idea how he even survived thus far. Still, he talks about something interesting. He knows about the white wolf. One of us died to it. It did the deed apparently effortlessly too. The wolf has a master. This new information is worrisome. We were nning to march against the surrounding cities. To dominate this continent. Now we are reconsidering. We need to gather information first. If we piss him off, we will probably die. How many are as strong as him too? We are used to scheming in the shadows. Mostly against the arrogant nobles. This time is different. Our potential foes are hidden too. We don''t even know this man''s name. If we make a move too soon, we could bring disaster. This is unsettling. This unknown variable. No matter. We will simply consolidate our forces. We can improve the current undead. Make them stronger with our magic. Not as efficient as making new ones, but it is low-key. Hehe, this world may prove interesting after all. Oh so very interesting. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Chapter 334: Ghost Chapter 334: Ghost ****(POV) Life is peaceful here. The simple life of a farmer is rxing. Well, I can''t really call myself a farmer just yet. I haven''t managed to grow a single crop yet. Let''s just say that I am in the initial phases. She would have been a great help for sure. She would have known about this too as she did everything haha. I can''t help but picture what our lives would have been like if she was here with me. *Sigh* I can''t believe the kid managed to save me. In the simplest way possible. He didn''t go on a harsh journey to find a priceless treasure. He didn''t search far and wide for a master healer. Nope, he simply healed me. As simple as that. It is mind-blowing how easily he did it. He seemed to have more trouble baking a pie. I''m not talking about a magical one. Nope, one you can buy at any specialized bakery. Just as I''m thinking that I hear amotion outside. I use my skills as a sword king to sneak there. What are these fools even doing? There are my two disciples kneeling on the ground. Profusely apologizing. Apologizing for letting me down. Apologizing for failing to protect my legacy. Apologizing for failing to avenge me. There are saying something about how they will soon raise an army. No matter what it takes. Then hunt down the culprits. I slowly approach them. "What are you guys even going on about?" "Ghost?!" "Teacher''s spirit! He rose up from the grave to scold us!" Then they start apologizing again. I give them both a kick. "Get up, let''s go inside. I think you both have a lot of exining to do." They shakily follow me. Then they start spilling everything. How he started selling deadly poison across the city. How they felt the need to apprehend him. How "Wait up!" They look hesitantly at me. "Knowing him he would still be baking to this day if nothing happened." They start telling me how it got destroyed. "Then what is that about the deadly poison?" They talk about an aphrodisiac killing people consuming it. About him being nicknamed The Mad Alchemist. "What if it was unintentional overdose? What if it was really nothing but an aphrodisiac." They tell me that it is impossible. That all assassins in the city got their hands on it. Those people were going wild murdering one another. "You think it can''t be an overdose?! I saw this man eat deadly poisons and calling them spices! Do you think he''d realize if he screwed the ratios up in the first ce?! Why didn''t you simply talk with him?!" Something about how he was dangerous. How he needed to be stopped. How they sent soldiers to apprehend him. But he resisted. They also tell me how he destroyed the Untainted Sect Branch. Rendering them powerless. Causing many tomit suicide. "You mean the dumbasses that destroyed my bakery?" They guiltily look away. They tell me how it escted. That he ran across the city while chased by many sects. Killing innocents in the process. "That doesn''t sound like him at all. I''ve never seen him fight even once." They swear it''s true. I ask them what they meant about failing to protect my legacy. The city is gone. They say something about two powerhouses showing up. One spreading a powerful sleeping gas all over the city. The other raising tons of undead. Poisoning a city whole? There are a few that could do that. But there is only one that would ever dare do it so openly. "You guys fucked up. Calling someone The Mad Alchemist only for the real one to show up." They say they had no way of knowing. Somehow the system failed them. That when they woke up it was out of energy. More importantly, they used it on the young man, and he didn''t seem affected. "You guys used a formation powered up by a rank 4-5 core on him?" They nod still wondering how it didn''t bring him down. I feel like they are usually smarter than that. Is it the stress? Where have their brains gone?! "*Sigh* Do you guys know why I only taught him baking?" They suggest that it''s because I was retired. Also that he wasn''t worthy enough. "Nope, it''s the opposite. I''m that one that''s unworthy to teach him." They look at me as if seeing a ghost. Well, they seem convinced I am one. They exim loudly. moring about how this is impossible. "Impossible? I''m simply a rank 4. Compared to him I''m nothing. You bastards were unfilial and attacked him! You bastards even though you could win?! Sacrificing the city in the process?! What for?!" They are frozen. They can''t believe it, but this is reality. "The so-called two evils working together. He could have probably dealt with both easily. Saving the city would have been easy for him. Nope! Instead, you guys chased him out! Talk about a waste of manpower!" I can''t believe she died for such bullshit. How would she react if she knew? She died to save me. She had to save me because I wanted to save the city. A city that was at risk because of these two. I was expecting them to have learned from their mistakes. Apparently not. What would she have done? Probably nothing. She had a huge heart. I should be devastated. All I worked for all my life just got destroyed. Yet I feel somehow apathetic about it. I''m not even sure why. *Sigh* Life isplicated at times. It should be so simple. Why isn''t it? I was just a fool all these years, wasn''t I? Working for an impossible goal. Trying my best all for naught. Even trying to kill myself recently. He saved me then. My disciples tried to save the city and caused my direct demise. Meanwhile, he tried to save me and somehow caused the city''s demise. It all happened because of a misunderstanding I''m sure. These bastards could have easily saved it too. If only they had done things differently. It is toote now. That is when I hear them whisper to each other. Something about exorcising me. Are you kidding me?! What did I do to get such ungrateful disciples?! I simply start beating them up. Raining punches and kicks on them. What would she have done? Probably not trash them so much. But so what? She had a huge heart. She would have forgiven me for sure. I''ll stop before they are dead. It''s probably a good thing that I exercise. *Sigh* The sun is shining brightly. Unfitting with the news I just received. Chapter 335: Getting Clothes Chapter 335: Getting Clothes I can''t believe all that happened back there! They all seemed to be so confused. Deadly poison? I never used that on humans. Allies turning on me for no reason. Sects thinking I own some secret technique. People wanting revenge for wrongs they themselvesmitted. Anything bad happening to thest ones is karma. *Sigh* It''s as if the whole city went crazy all at once. At least we are out of this mess now. I''ve simply been running all this while. Buck naked. Holding Wolfie in my arms. She is sleeping peacefully. This sleeping gas is so very potent. It''s been a week after all. I''m not even sure where I''m going. I don''t really care either. Anywhere peaceful will do for now. It is night. With my scouting ability, I see a caravan. Usually, I would simply evade them. But this one is special. They seem to be having a party. They are merry, they are drinking they are singing too. There doesn''t seem to be a watch either. Onest point, I see racks of colorful clothes left to dry. So many clothes. More than one would ever need. Are they traveling performers? Usually, I''m against stealing, but this time I''ll make an exception. I''m way too conspicuous the way I am. I slowly approach the clothing rack. Which should I pick? "Hey there!" What the hell?! There is a teenager. It seems I''m busted. Just gotta act natural. [Hey, how is it going?] "*Snort* Probably better than you, seeing your state." He''s not wrong. Gotta act casual. [Beautiful night, isn''t it?] "How about you wear something first. Granny wants to see you." [What?! How?!] "I suggest that one right there. It''s at least long enough to cover your balls." [Agreed.] I dress up before following behind him. I have no clue how they even knew I''m here. Somehow, I never noticed the kid either. The people partying nce at me. None seem surprised. This is getting spooky. He brings me to a colorful mobile house. There are a few horses nearby not even leashed. There seem to be many mystical symbols on the outside. He gestures me to enter. *Door Creaking* [Hello?] "Take a seat, child." Inside the dimly lit space is a table in the middle. There sits an olddy. She seems to have more wrinkles than skin. *Sit* On the table is a crystal ball. All around are various trinkets. Some stuffed animals, real ones. There is a weird scent in the air. Is it dangerous for Wolfie? No, it should be fine. It feels like incent to slightly affect the psyche. Make the target rx, I think. "You havee from afar." It''s true I''ve been running full speed for a while now. "There are people after you." How did she know?! "You have many enemies." "However you are not sure how you made these enemies. Perhaps you even think there is some mistake involved." ?! "Your loyalpanion has been with you for a long while. You care about thatpanion very much." ?!? "You simply want to start your life anew. This is what brought you here. You wanted to get some clothes to be less conspicuous." This is all scarily urate! Who is she?! How does she know so much about me?! "Everyone calls me Granny. You can do the same." She gives a kind smile. Now I''m convinced she can read minds. "Hehe, no I can''t read minds. You are simply too easy to read." Wait, I feel like I''ve heard that before. [You! Do you know Grey by any chance?! You are talking just like him!] "Greyof the Moon Keep?!" [So you do know him!] She shivers. "Who doesn''t. Tell me, child. What happened exactly?" [What? Don''t you already know it all?!] "No haha, this is a small trick you see. Everything I''ve said is easy to deduce. Why else would a man be running around naked and worried?" [Gran, you''re good! Real good! Sorry about before. You know] "The clothes, eh? Don''t worry about it. Now if you are on the run, you''ll have to change some things." [?!] She brings me to a chair in the back. Then she gets a pouch. "Leave the wolf on the side for now. It can sleep on the bed there." I carefully tuck Wolfie in. "You really love it, don''t you? Alright, sit." She then starts to apply some paste on my face. She also gets scissors and starts cutting my hair. Before long she is proudly eximing that it is done. Just as I''m wondering exactly what she did She brings a mirror. What the hell?! Who the fuck is this?! I can''t even recognize myself. [How?!] "Just a bit of makeup. One needs to have such talent in our line of work." [What are you guys doing exactly?] She poses grandly and takes a heroic voice. "We areactors! We bring life into any story. The old ssics, the newest ones too! We are some of the bests!" [Where are you guys going exactly?] "Where inspiration takes us. The entire world is our scene!" I freaking love her drive. [Wait, wasn''t there going to be a war soon?! Are you guys going to be fine just wandering?] She turns silent. "I can only hope. In any case, it is hard to be epted in amunity. We have been traveling all our lives after all." It is hard to change one''s habits. Especially when it has be a way of life. [*Sigh* How can I pay you back for it all? You''ve helped me disguise myself and gave me clothes. I''m penniless sadly. I lost it all when I ran.] "You think you can simply pay us and leave?!" [I didn''t mean that] "Boy, what will you do? Never wash again? Spend your entire life in these exact clothes? Evading rain too?!" Ah! I see, she does have a point. "I have a proposal for you. Work with the troupe for a while. You can learn slowly. I''ll teach you how to craft a simple disguise. At least good enough to avoid normal people. Of course, it won''t fool the observant old-timers like me. But it should suffice as long as you don''t cause amotion." [I''m a very low-key person!] "Then how did you end up in such a situation?" [Eh Some merchant guild bought trash from me at a high price. I did tell them it was trash, but they didn''t believe me. I fell in a wedding by mistake thus crashing it. Some vers tried to enve meit was legitimate defense. A sect didn''t like me and destroyed my bakery so I] "You call that low-key?!!" [ThatI really wasn''t trying to start anything it''s] "Sigh, whatever. Follow me, kid. Get ready to train extremely hard! I''ll show you how I can turn anyone into an actor!" Oh!!! Chapter 336: Acting Training! Chapter 336: Acting Training! Be an actor?! What can I say, this is probably a great idea! For starters I already am handsome. I simply need to work on my acting skills. Then everything will be awesome. Bing an acting star means money, glory, and fans. Lots of cute fans. There is only one issue, there is no television in this world. It might be troublesome. Entertainment can only be sessful when many love your work. Gran slowly brings me to a big campfire. Around are about 20 people. Mostly adults with a few kids. The only truly old one is Gran. I guess such a nomad life is harsh for the elders. They all cheer and warmly wee me. Introducing themselves one after the other. I greet them enthusiastically too. No way I''ll possibly remember their names, however. Too many at once. I think it''s the first time I''ve seen such a friendly group. It somehow feels nostalgic. They don''t even question where I''ming from. They don''t care about my past. They simply hand me food and drinks then tell me to sing along. Of course, I know none of the songs, so I just hum the melody. We party all night long. To make things better Wolfie actually wakes up too! Eventually, everyone goes back to sleep. Gran lets me stay with her. I''m on the floor sleeping while embracing Wolfie as usual. I truly am lucky. ZZZZzzzz **** "Wake up! Lazy bum!" What?! Gran is there hitting me with a stick. [What''s up?] "It''s morning. Time to begin!" I slowly get up and follow her. [*Yawn* It''s still so early. What are we even going to do?] "Training!" She brings me to a nearby area outside the caravan. The kid I first saw is there too. She takes out some cards. Before handing each of us one. "Alright, look at what you have on it. You need to make me understand what it is without talking." [So, miming?] "What?" [Gotcha.] Let me see. There is something written there. [Yeah, about that] "Just do it!" [No, I can''t read this.] "There is a drawing under it." [Oh.] Ah, I see it. At first, it seemed like some calligraphy underlining. Nope, it''s a feather. Gotcha. I gotta mime a bird. This one is gonna be easy. "Alright, you start Rollin." New name learned! He seems to be whipping. Let me think. "Alright, now try to guess." I got this. [ver!] "Nope." [Warrior!] "Neither." [Dominatrix!] "What is that even supposed to be?" [Ah, when you whip a partner for increased pleasure in the bedroom.] ". What the hell are you talking about?! He is obviously driving a carriage!" [Hey, where I''m from people don''t drive like that. It looks more like that.] I act like I''m turning a wheel. Then I switch the gears. They are both looking at me like I''m crazy. "Seriously what is that?" "Brother if you don''t whip how do the animals know to advance?" [Oh, you don''t need to drive a carriage. In a car, there are no animals involved. You simply press a pedal to advance.] "How is that possible?!" [I mean magic exists and you are questioning this?] "A magical carriage?!" [Something like that] Gran talks again. "Ah, whatever. Do yours now!" [Gotcha.] I start pping my arms around. This one is gonna be easy to guess. "Are you a wyvern?" *Shake* "A dragon?" *Shake* Gran picks my card up. Then she frowns. "How is that rted to flying at all? You had writing." [What do you mean writing?! This is clearly a feather! I was right to mime a bird!] "Brother a bird goes like this" He mimes like he''s gliding in the wind. [Birds clearly p their wings! Have you ever seen a bird?!] "Stop fighting. Let''s try a new one." [Sure.] "Brother, guess this." He starts gesturing putting something on him. [A badge?] He keeps going. He seems to be gesturing closing some clothes. Then he puts something on it to keep it closed. [Buttons!] He shakes his head. "Young man, that''s obviously a brooch! Have you never seen one?!" [Eh, not that I remember.] ".Your turn." I check my card and What the hell is this? It seems to be a long object. Thick. The tip is round. What the fuck?! That''s clearly a dildo! The Granny is giving me an encouraging nce. [I''m not miming this!] "Just do it, man!" [Fine.] I gesture to the best of my abilities. The process. Then the expected expression of bliss. They keep looking but they can''t guess it. She takes the card. "Why didn''t you just put it in your mouth?" I am seeing the Granny in a new light now. Wow. Now she is looking at me suspiciously. "Seriously what were you doing with that pipe?" [What?! There is no way something so thick is a pipe!] "Then what should it look like?" [Thin, long, engraved too!] She sighs while the kid giggles. "Ah, have you been living under a rock?" [Naw, it was under a tree mostly. Then I lived in a kitchen.] "" "HAHAHAHA, I like him, Gran!" "Whatever, Rollin you teach him for now. Be as harsh as you need to be." Then she calmly leaves. "What was that thing you talked about? Cars?" [Oh, yeah. Where I''m from animals are not used for transportation.] "Everyone can afford one? People don''t just run?" [No way. It''s a bit expensive but still popr.] "Awesome! Cars? I''ll remember it!" [Yep, cars are used onnd for small groups. There are buses and trains for many to travel together. Subways to travel underground. nes are for the air.] _ [What''s up?] "This sounds so damn amazing!" [For sure. Now what should we practice?] "Alright, a good part of acting is to be able to show emotions." [Gotcha.] "Show me happiness!" I smile. "You don''t have to smile that much! It looks weird!" [How about this?] "Better! Now show me sadness!" I startmenting. "Why do you sound like a drunk pig?" [I''m doing it!] "*Sigh* Now show me pain!" I got this! "What the hell?! What''s with this grimace?!" [I''m in pain!] "Why does it look like you are about to shit yourself then?!" [What?!] "Show me fear!" This one is easy! "Why are you dancing?!" [I''m shaking in fright!] "Show me anger!" I raise my middle finger while shouting! "What''s with the fingers? Are you pointing at me or at the sky? Are you mad at heaven?!" Obviously, this one has been lost in trantion. "Onest one. Show me disgust." I grimace once more. This time while frowning. "You clearly just shat yourself. Here is how you do it. When I see your performance, this is how I feel!" He clearly shows disgust. As if he was looking at a piece of trash. As if even being in the same world as I was repulsive. His gaze showing that he looks down on me. That I am worthless. What the fuck?! How is he so good at this?! I have a long road ahead of me. Chapter 337: Illusion Magic Chapter 337: Illusion Magic We keep working hard all day long. By working I mean I''m making various faces. Following his instructions as best as I can. Except that not even once do I manage to please him. "Brother, are you even trying?" [Of course! Can''t you see all the efforts I''m making?] "That''s the thing, not really. I can see you do stuff. But it never makes the spectator feel anything. I would rather look at a rock act than you." [Hey! That''s low!] "But urate!" [So, what should I do? I need to make sure I don''t blow my cover!] "That''s all you want to do?" [Yep.] "You simply want to disguise and not be recognized?" [Indeed.] "Then that''s easy brother. I actually have a trick for that." [What is it?!] "Simple. You shut up!" [What?!] "The less you say the less you can fuck up." [??] "*Satisfied nod* Exactly! Just like that!" He''s definitely not wrongbut there is something weird with that too. [What if someone asks me a question?] "Easy, you y mute." [What if I need to ask a question?] "Don''t do it near the people you yed mute with." I can''t help but roll my eyes. [Yeah, that''s not a viable solution.] "Oh well, was worth suggesting, no?" [So what do we do now?] "How about giving up?" -_- [Wait, no! I got an idea!] I sit and focus. Time to use an illusion! C''mon! I can do this! Wolfie is watching on intrigued. I''m not even sure how long she''s been here. I just need to recall how the elf was doing it. She still looked the same but somehow, she influenced others. When looking at her they would only see an olddy. [Alright keep watching and tell me if it''s working.] "Tell if what is ...?" [Shhh, let me focus.] I can already interact with the world via my scouting ability. Where I''m using divine energy to see. Now I''ll have to go a step further. I''ll have to interact with a living target. Alright, here goes nothing. "What the hell happened to you?!" He falls backward on his ass. He is looking at me with iprehension. A bit of fear too. Fear of the unknown. [Is it working?] "How can you talk so calmly?! How can you even talk?! What are you?! What is this?!" [Illusion magic. Pretty neat, isn''t it?!] I''m a goddamn genius hehe. "You can use magic?!" [Right, why don''t I see more people using it?] He has trouble looking at me. "Only strong organizations can learn it in the first ce!" [Gotcha. Now tell me. What do you see?] "ThatI''m not sure." [What do I look like right now?] "A purpleshadow?!" Hell yeah. Sess! Why purple? That one is pretty obvious, duh. I take a human appearance. Now I can clearly hide anywhere and "What the fuck is this?! Kill it!" [What''s up?] He rushes toward me, gets a knife out, and starts stabbing. What the hell?! He''s just a kid so no danger. I pause the divine energy spell. He falls to the ground and starts sobbing. Meanwhile, his arm is still spasming. He is clenching the knife extremely hard. He is shivering and muttering. "Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop" [Hey, are you alright?!] He doesn''t answer. He simply keeps muttering. [Talk to me! What happened?!] Fuck me! This is bad. I try to heal him but it doesn''t work. He looks perfectly fine to me. Physically that is. Wait, I have an idea! I grab him and drag him toward Gran''s ce. I quickly enter. She seems his state and rushes over. [I have no clue what happened. That incense helps to keep calm, right?! Light some up!] She does so. Before long a calming scent permeates the ce. [Kid, can you hear me?!] He seems dazed. [Can you hear me?] He looks around confused. "Where are we?" "How do you feel?" "I feelI''m not sure. I was I was training? Then I looked at him and *Gasp* Monster! Monster! Make it stop! He''s." Then he closes his eyes and starts sleeping. Granny tucks him in her bed. Meanwhile, Wolfie is following. She seems curious. Granny sits at the table. "What happened?" [I''m not sure. I tried something. It was working too. Everything was fine, but then he started freaking out.] "What did you do?" [I simply used illusion magic to-] "Illusion magic?!" [?!] "How did you even? *Sigh* That magic is lost for a reason. It is extremely easy to screw it up. These mages are a legend on this continent. It is doubtful if they even exist." [No, I met someone that could use it!] "What?! A beast or a human?" [An elf.] "What?! You met an elf?!" [Is it bad?] "It''s not bad. It''s just close to impossible. It is unbelievable. Anyone else I would have thought this a lie." [You know I am trustworthy then!] "I know you are a horrible actor." Eh, that''s harsh. "I''ll be damned, a living elf. Where is he?" [Gone exploring the world so I don''t know.] "Makes sense. Still, you are unbelievably lucky. I believe they are as rare as unicorns haha." [About that] "No! No way! Are you serious right now?!" It''s a good thing she''s already sitting. Otherwise, I believe she would have fallen for sure. "A man that has met an elf, a unicorn, and has seen illusion magic." She is repeating that over and over. Trying to ovee her initial shock. Technically I never saw the magic myself. I just know the effect it produced. [So what should we do now?] "We wait. He did regain consciousness earlier. Hopefully, he will be fine in the morning. We can only hope." [I understand. Again I''m sorry I-] "You didn''t do it voluntarily. I know." I sit nearby the bed. I''ll wait till hees back to his senses. The night passes quietly. The Granny sleeping sitting. Until finally I hear some rustling. He is moving a lot. He seems to be having a nightmare. [It''s gonna be fine! Just wake up and] Then he opens his eyes. His gaze is still sleepy, but he shows no sign of madness. [Thank god you''re alright! I''m so relieved right now! Granny he''s.] That is when he turns toward me. His eyes suddenly showing confusion. "Where is this? Who are you? Who am I?" Oh crap! This is bad! Chapter 338: New Ability? Chapter 338: New Ability? He is amnesiac?! How the hell do I fix that?! [Try and remember! Please!] "W-who are you?!" Fuck! [Gran, do you have anything that can help memory?! Some special tea or something?! We need to-] "HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA." She isughing?! I turn around to the confused youngster. What is Right, he''s a goddamn actor! [Hey, are you ying me?!] He breaks into augh. "Haha, you should have seen your face! All panicked and all!" What the hell?! I was really worried! [But seriously what happened to you?] "ThatI''m not sure. I just remember that whatever you did You looked like an abomination. I instantly knew that I couldn''t live in a world with Thatwhatever you were." [That''s so damn cryptic!] "Look, brother. All I know is it was terrifying." Granes closer. "So you did manage to use illusion magic?!" "Indeed! For a while, he looked like a purple shadow." She is looking at me like I am some rare specimen. "Alright, follow me, kid." [What about him?] "He''ll be fine. He''s a smart kid." We simply leave him behind and go outside. We go far away from the others. "Alright, use your magic." [Are we training? Aren''t you scared? What if the same happens to you?] "Kid, don''t underestimate my will." [Alright, fine.] I focus and I visualize once more. "I see it. A purple shadow. Not human anymore. Now try something else." I do it. [Now?] "Nothing, still the same thing." Weird. Let''s try for a human appearance once again. "What the hell?! Stop this!" I quickly switch back to purple shadow form. [What did you see?] "Thatit was monstrous. Something that shouldn''t exist. DISGUSTING! Abomination was an understatement. It kept switching too. As if you couldn''t manage a clear picture. Even when it did settle it didn''t look human. No, it looked human but felt grotesque. I can''t really exin it" Wow. Why is this happening? Lacking focus is something understandable. Not that it''s easy to fix. The second part, however. Is it because humans areplex? Am I failing to capture all the intricacies? "Don''t overthink it. For now, only use the first one. Or the second one if you want people to try and kill you." I guess that is the ultimate taunt. Except it could be extremely dangerous. Especially if it works on strong opponents. Judging by the kid''s reaction, most people lose their rationality. Then again Gran was able to resist it. But she also was ready for it. I''m pretty sure that lowers the difficulty rating by a lot. [So what is the n now?] "We''ll leave this ce. Our caravan has been stopped for a full day. I was expecting you to be a useful actor but" [Hey, I''m trying!] "Hehe, it''s fine. You can use lost magic. That ought to count for something. " [Ah, I guess if I ever encounter that elf again, I could ask her.] "They are creatures of legend. It is unknown if she''ll help." [What do you mean creatures? They are pretty much the same as us, no?] "No haha. From what I know elves are a magical species. Even their young ones know magic." [That doesn''t change much, does it?] "Well, it is different from us that revere magic. Something we all long for they take for granted. " [I mean, you know that from legends, right? Maybe these are wrong. I already heard a few rumors that were wrong.] Like the savage forest being full of beast kings. Or even my albino friend being a vampire haha. "Hehe, I like your open-mindedness. This is a good trait to have in our line of work. But you need to remember not to exaggerate either." [What do you mean?] "People have expectations. If you act a y that diverges too much from it They won''t be able to enjoy it as much." I think I get it. No one cares about historical uracy. It''s all about the entertainment value. [I''ll remember it.] "Good." We make our way back to the camp. "Alright, everyone! Time to depart!" At first, I''m excited. But then I realize how slow we are going. Very slow. I am just sitting cross-legged inside. Meditating. Doing image training. From time to time the youngsteres to bother me. He asks me questions about the world. Except that more often than not I don''t know. I have traveled a bit, but I was often cooped up in one ce. Doing one thing or another. Sometimes I do feel bad for leaving everything behind. But at least I didn''t have to fight Eaglevein this way. This is a pretty peaceful conflict resolution. One I am pretty happy about. Apparently, we will soon be reaching a town. They told me the name, but I instantly forgot. Was a weird one. In my opinion, they should use numbers instead. Town 1 to 999 in order. Could instantly know the geographical location. For the ones addedter on, you use decimals. Sucks to be them haha. Then you can use letters for the bigger cities. You know city A to Z. I feel like many wouldin, however. The n is to spend a few days to weeks there. Apparently, they never know in advance the timing. They leave whenever there is no more money to be made. This requires pretty good insight. Gran is in charge of it all for now. This is her contribution to the troupe. She did teach a few others how to do it. Ah, that and crystal ball readings. She is amazing. Ah, but I have found a w in her act. She sticks too much tomon sense. She was able to know I was being chased. She was howeverpletely ignorant of the details. I told her a tiny bit and she already told me she''d rather ignore it. That begs to question why she isn''t worried about me bringing them trouble. She simply sighed saying that the world is a big ce. One extremelyplex that one cannot understand easily. That there are risks everywhere. That one shouldn''t stop living because of fear. I quite like that philosophy to be honest. Just as I''m pondering about that I hear a scream. "Oh fuck! Bandits!" Chapter 339: Bandits! Chapter 339: Bandits! Bandits?! Gran chuckles. "See what I was talking about? This world is unpredictable. Be right back." Gran got balls of steel. Her first reaction isn''t to panic. Or even worry. Nope, she chuckles! How badass is that?! Very! I exit the wagon too. Outside about 30 bandits areing. Wait Gran is actually taking a horse to go toward them?! She whispers to the others to take care. That she''ll try to negotiate. To disregard it if they take her hostage. There are two oues. They kill/capture her and at least we''ll know that we need to fight. This way we won''t be taken by surprise. They ept her terms and leave peacefully. Usually, that would be a very dumb move. But she is really old and doesn''t fear death. She is also very observant. They won''t be able to trick her. I can see the logic. Well, it would be fine if I wasn''t here. [Wait up!] I jump on the horse. Clutching her waist not to fall down. "You want toe too?" [Yep, you stay on the horse when we get there, Gran.] She guides the horse forward. "Sure. By the way, your strike range is reallyrge, eh?" [What?!] "It has been a while since a young man tried embracing me." Then I see her smile. She is teasing me. Trying to lighten the atmosphere. [What can I say? It''s only because it''s you! Riding a horse to battle! Are you a Valkyrie?] "Pfft, HAHAHAHAHAHA. At least we''ll dieughing eh." [Shut up, I''m not nning on dying.] "Of course." The bandits look at us weirdly. They probably aren''t used to people actively approaching them. "Hello, young men." Their leader growls. "Who are you, granny?" "Just an old woman passing by. What brings you all here today?" They all startughing. "Can you believe her?" "What brings us?! Haha, what do you think?!" "She wouldn''t realize if death was in her face." "How courageous! Hahaha!" I slowly dismount. Their leader looks at me weirdly. "Give us all your possessions and we''ll let you guys live." How forceful! [Granny, should I act as I usually do or restrain myself?] "I won''t stop you either way." The bandits seem confused. I look at them. [Give me all your possessions and I''ll let you guys live.] Of course, I don''t forget the business smile. After all, robbery is an art. "HAHAHAHAHA the kid has gone insane!" "What a jokester!" "As if you could do anything to us!" "Nice try but you are too young to be that strong haha!" Then one goes even farther. "Kid, how close are you to that old woman? I''ll slowly torture her and make you watch. Wouldn''t that be fun? A shame she is so old, otherwise we could have enjoyed her too. Perhaps we can use daggers instead of" The others look at him shocked. "Brother that''s too much!" "We don''t do things like that here!" "You recently joined but still" He exims. "The best bandits are the ones that are feared!" Fuck that guy. Seriously screw him. [Apologize.] "Who are you kidding kid?! I''ll do as I said and there is nothing you" He is trash. Pure trash. A good target for an experiment. I will be giving meaning to his worthless existence. I focus. Illusion magic. For once I am not the target. That piece of shit is. All the anger I have toward him. All the disgust. All the hate. I use it as a duel for the spell. I want something even more potent. Here goes nothing. [Have fun.] For a few seconds, the world seems to stop. They all change the way they look at him. Before, he was an annoying colleague. Now he is something they must destroy. At all costs. Something vile. Something horrible. He seems to realize it too. He is suddenly the target of intense killing intent. Then, they all charge at him. I simply give him a slight smile. He sees my gaze. He doesn''t understand what is happening. At all. But he does understand that I caused it somehow. I can see then horror in his eyes. Then he gets stabbed repeatedly. Shortly after life leaves him. They keep shing. They also kick. All until he is unrecognizable. Just chunks on the ground. Sttered all over. The bandits start smiling. d to havee out victorious. They look at each other with happiness. Then theye back to their senses. They see what they have done. They remember how it felt. They throw their weapons away. Weapons that are chipped from senseless hacking. Then, many start vomiting. Before long they remember my presence. They turn toward me. I can see pure dread. They fear me doing it again. They fear losing control of themselves. More importantly, they fear being my target. Many fall to their knees. Not bothering about the puddles of vomit. Looking at me like I am a monster. Gran is the only one that managed to keep a semnce of calm. I smile at them calmly. [Give me all your possessions and I''ll let you guys live.] Let''s just say the impact is different this time. None areughing. They start removing their clothes and their bags. [I don''t want any vomit-covered stuff.] "Y-yes!" I see their leader struggling to talk. "W-we are sorry about earlier. We would never have followed that crazy man''s n!" [*Sigh* I know. That is the only reason you guys are even alive at the moment.] "T-thank you! Thank you so much!" He drops on the ground kneeling. In a puddle ofyikes. [Whatever, leave the gold and be on your way.] "Thank you so much!" They hurry up and throw it all toward me. Then they start running at full speed. Not even bothering about us anymore. Just to be safe I say loudly: [Hey Gran, think I should kill them after all?] I see them tense up. "It should be fine. If they bother us again, I''ll tell you." I can somewhat hear them thanking her. I don''t think they''lle for revenge. They seemed more like thieves than murderers. Judging by how fast they denied that bloodthirsty guy. We go back to the camp. All of them are looking at us with worshipping gazes. "You two! What the hell happened out there?!" I give a slight smile. [Nothing much. Just negotiations.] Then I go back inside to train. Also to prepare for tomorrow Chapter 340: Challenge! Chapter 340: Challenge! I stay cooped inside. The youngster is the only one allowed toe in except Gran. Let''s just say he asks me quite a lot of questions. He wants to know what happened exactly. How it was all possible. He also asks me about my past. He is still not sure how to interact with me. On one hand, I''m easy to talk to. On the other hand, I defeated 30 bandits alone. Making them run for their lives. I guess I am bing slightly powerful. I''m hard to kill. I can use divine energy to boost my physical capabilities. My swordsmanship sucks but I can cut through weapons easily. Then there is this new ability. I get the feeling I am now invincible against rank 2-3 normal swordsmen. The issue is still magic. I''m sure there is a way to protect one''s mind from illusions. I am also limited by the fact that I am human. If a mage casts a levitating spell, I''ll be a sitting duck. Actually, I could throw stuff. Now that I''m confident in my aim either. As long as I don''t becent it should be fine. That is when I hear people calling out to us. Granes inside. "Let''s put that make-up on." [What''s happening?] "We reached a town." A few touch-upster I am ready to face the world! Wolfie stays hidden. I exit and I see our destination in the distance. Gran points at it. "You see this? This ce is our battlefield." [Oh? That harsh?] "Every performance is key. Reputation is all to us. We cane about once a year. People will flock to us when we do. If we mess up now, we won''t eat next year." [I understand. Should I do anything?] "You just enjoy the show, I don''t dare to ask you." [No it''s fine! I can help!] "No, I don''t dare because your acting sucks." [Hey that''s harsh!] "But true! Just focus on what you do best." She goes busy herself with something. [Do what I do best? So, cooking?] The kid looks at me skeptically. "Why have I never seen you do that before then?" [Because I am an artist. I only bake pies.] "Are you sure you aren''t a failure of a baker?" [Hey, I''ll have you know a Gluto follower said it was the best pie he''d ever eaten!] "Waitthese guys that do nothing but eat?!" [Indeed, young one. Impressed yet?] "Yes, actually." There are travelers pointing at us. Also townsfolks For some reason, we stop before reaching the town. [We need to get permission to head inside or something?] "Nope, we''ll set a scene out here. This way more people will be able to watch us." [How will admission even work?] "We just look for new faces and make them pay." [Are you kidding me?! There will be hundreds of customers, no?!] "Yep." [This is insane!] Hell, I have trouble remembering the faces of the people close to me! "Funny how you find that insane." [Why?] "Fighting bandits alone isn''t?" [Naw, that''s easier. They were actually weak.] "If you say so haha." [So, what now?] "You can go and have fun by yourself. I''ll be busy." [Chasing me away after using me?! How roguish!] "Pfft, right. Here, some silvers." He hands me a pouch. I feel like I''ve seen that one before. Ah, from the bandits. [Shall I explore a bit?] Now that I think about it, I barely visited Eaglevein. Meh, it''s fine. Right now I''m sure to be a wanted man there. I can always go back in a few years. I''m sure they won''t remember me by then. I reach the gates. "Halt!" [Eh, how much does it cost to enter?] "What is your purpose ining here?" [I''m with the performers that are setting up outside.] He seems suspicious. "Then why are you here and not helping them?" [I''m just the bodyguard. Is this ce unsafe perhaps?] "Oh? You are protecting them?" [Yep.] "How about you prove it?" [Nope, not in the mood to fight.] "What about a challenge?" [What kind?] He flexes his muscles. "A challenge of strength!" [What''s in it for me?] "Proving that you are no one shady!" [Shady peoplee here often?] "Thatno, but.." [Tell you what. Let''s bet. All in!] I fearlessly bet all of my savings. They all look appreciatingly. They get a rope ready out of nowhere. "Are you ready?!" [Are we even allowed to do this here?] "Haha, don''t worry. Everyone is in a festival mood." Fair enough. People can''t be serious all the time. I see that some of them are still observing the flow of people. "The rules are simple. Whoever manages to pull the other toward his side wins." [Gotcha.] People start betting. Many are betting against me. [Are you guys sure you want to waste money? To make some you should bet on me.] "Hahahaha." "So much confidence!" "He is clearly bluffing!" My opponent smirks. "Let''s do this!" "321!" Divine energy activate! As long as he doesn''t use magic, I''m golden. He is clearly struggling with all his might. I just smile at him. Casually holding the taut rope. I can hear exmations of surprise from the spectators. [*Sigh* I even told you guys you were wasting money.] Then, I ever slowly start pulling. His face is red. He is breathing heavily. His whole body is trembling. His feet digging the earth. Then I drag him all the way to my side. [How is it? Are you convinced now?] "Oh my god, brother! How are you so strong!" [I trained. That simple.] Technically true. I trained using divine energy hehe. Is it cheating? No way! It is my own power! I get handed a ton of coin pouches. No one seems disappointed somehow. "Haha, it was worth paying to see him lose!" "True, how many times did he beat us?" "This is divine retribution!" Divine eh? If only they knew haha. [Alright, so you believe me now?] "Of course! Only rank 3 warriors can be that strong!" "You mean at least a rank 3 warrior! Did you see how he destroyed you?!" I feel like this will be a topic of conversation for a while. As I enter, I see colorful cloth hanged everywhere. [Wow.] A bystander: "Beautiful, isn''t it?" [What''s the celebration for?] "Just the festival. There will be a showter on. These guys are the best there is! We''ve been waiting a whole year for them! You definitely can''t miss it!" Wow! I didn''t know mypanions were that impressive. Have I been traveling with entertainment stars or something?! Now that I got money, I may as well spend it haha. Where to? Chapter 341: DicE And Show Chapter 341: DicE And Show How does one spend in a town? Well, there is only one way I know how. Find the local tavern! I search far and wide for about 2 minutes before finding one. It has a perfect emcement right near the city gates. I wonder if they ever have drunkards pick a fight with the guards. I could actually picture it happening, with the other guards betting on the winner. Just as I''m heading inside *CRASH* A manes flying! I am in the perfect position to catch him too! *Sidestep* He is coughing while getting up. "You there! Why did you move away?!" [You there! Why did youe flying?] "Because I was thrown!" [Why were you even thrown?] "Because I angered someone." Yeah, screw that. I head inside. "Hey, don''t you want to know the rest of the story?!" [Nope.] I can hearughs from inside. Then they start exchanging coins. [What was that about?] A waitresses. "These dumbasses were betting whether he could convince anyone to pity him. Since you didn''t even bother hearing him out" Is it me or are the people in this town really bored? I can hear them talk about previous bets. There are various drinks avable. I pick one at random, making sure it''s not a trap. As soon as receive my ss I hear cheers in the back. Some guys are pointing at me and exchanging coins. Seriously?! Every single beer I order I hear the nking of coins. After a while it gets annoying. I rise up to go talk to them. Guess what? They had a bet for that too! [Is there anything you guys take seriously?!] They all utter in unison. "Betting" The waitress chuckles. "Is it your first time here? Half the city is worshipping DicE the gambler god." [What about the second half?] "They are too busy hiding from the first half." ;) On that note, she goes back to the kitchenwhere I hear the sound of coins. That is when they start arguing about what tonight''s show will be about. They are proposing various story ideas. All that I never heard before. I feel like messing with them. [Anyone wants a hint? I can tell someone what I know for a price.] "How would you even know it?!" "Don''t underestimate our ability to gamble!" [Oh, so you guys don''t want insider information. I see.] They look at me doubtfully. "Why would we even believe you?" [You can guys can ask the guards.] Some leave to check. A few minutester we are discussing deals. Finally, I sell all I know for 5 silvers. I take the lucky winner on the side to announce him that he''s been scammed. I''m expecting him to be mad, nope. He giggles. Apparently, he has multiple bets resting on this single event. He ends up winning I can''t make sense of these guys. That is until I hear about their god''s motto. Gamble everything until there is nothing left. What kind of god is that?! That is clearly troublesome! For these followers losing all their assets in a day is not shameful in the least. What the hell?! Apparently, this ce isn''t even one where this sect is strong. It''s just that at some point the town''s mayor tried to ban gambling. Out of nowhere, they came. DicE''s apostles. A weekter, people were converted. The peaceful town turning intothis. Before long I get swept into their pace. While I don''t gamble, I start joking around with them. All untilter when we get the news that the show is about to begin. I follow the crowd. One so big it looks like an exode is happening. Before long I am standing awaiting the grand reveal. The story they chose to perform is one of good triumphing over evil. A valiant and handsome hero that goes to defeat a vampire lord. A race described as extremely evil and vile. As the antagonistes on stage it gets booed. A pale white-faced man with humongous fake teeth. Then the hero arrives under thunderous cheers. The plot is pretty basic. Bad vampire is super lonely and kidnaps a girl. Hero follows. Vampire gets in. Except he just kills him with a regr sword sh. Yeah. I''m pretty sure that wouldn''t even work on a regr vampire. Let''s not talk about a vampire lord! Where is the stake?! Where is the garlic?! Where are the crosses?! What about the holy water?! Soon enough, the performance ends. I can faintly hear the sound of people pping. I can clearly hear the coins, however. If I have to say the show was okay, but I expected more. Not that it matters anyway. The crowd disperses. Leaving our group alone. Rollines running. Asking me how I found the performance. I tell him my true thoughts. That the acting was amazing, but the story bad. That gets me a scolding. Something about how ssics are important. I propose a few modifications. Like updating the hero''s weaponry. I get denied hard. Apparently, these ideas of mine are ludicrous We are about to start arguing when Granes in. She has a somber face. [What''s up?] "You''ll need to remain inside the cart for a while. We may have a problem." [?] "Before I tell you promise me you won''t use your illusions to try and sneak out." [Why?] "It could easily make things go out of hands. I fear what would happen if you lost control in a town." [Fine, I won''t use it. What is this about anyway?] She passes me a poster. "I picked this up in the street." [What am I even looking at?] "You can''t read? There is a picture too." [I feel like it''s familiar.] Kinda handsome. "*Sigh* It''s a drawing of you. I really hope it feels familiar! [Who drew that?] "I''m not sure. But there is one thing I know. The whole town will be looking for you." [So it''s a wanted poster? Who even put the bounty?] She looks solemn "The Righteous Sects Alliance." [Who''s that sect?] "Brother, you are kidding, right?!" Gran looks at me like I''m a lost cause. [?] "*Sigh* Only a third of all the sects on the continent. How about it? Do you wish to fight?" [Nope! I''ll skip my turn!] But seriouslywho''d go that far just for me? Chapter 342: Tension Chapter 342: Tension The more I think about it the weirder it seems. There is no way an entire alliance would be after me. Honestly, I think I know what could be happening. Someone is impersonating me! There is no way so many people would get it wrong! I''d like to think at least one would plead for my innocence. My new n is to be a hermit. I will not get out of this carriage. I have Wolfie to keep mepany. Gran and Rollin from time to time too. I simply take this time to train. While I promised not to use illusion magic outside it should be fine in here. I also train myself to apply makeup. Let''s just say this skill just became vital. I hear about what is happening outside. There are many repeat customers. It is the exact same story! It would be like going to the movies and expecting a different ending! Until they tell me that they do change the endings. Wow, this is either genius or diabolical. People getting baited by a 10% difference in content. Now I understand why they are celebrities here. This whole town is full of gambling addicts! The ending changes! They don''t announce which version they are ying either! Oh my god! Exin the coin sounds I kept hearing. Before long, a week passes. Our journey then resumes. I can finally go outside and y. Funny how usually I would not care one bit. After all, I can always leave whenever. But now after being confined for a while it feels so freeing! The sun is extremely radiant, the air fresh, the birds are singingoh they just died. Guess we are roasting birds tonight. It''s actually my first time noticing but there is a bow user in our group. Seems he mostly use it to hunt small game. I pester him until he agrees to teach me. A few minutester, someone has given up. Him, on me. Let''s just say I''m having trouble. From another perspective, I am great at trick shots! I''ll aim in front and somehow always hit on the sides. More like the only safe ce to be is where I am actually aiming. Just as I''m practicing, they scream that there are bandits! I''m ready to go out there and beat them up! Somehow Gran takes care of it. She shows up, exchanges a few words with their leader and he leaves instantly. What the hell?! Was all I did before unnecessary?! She chuckles. "Don''t worry about it, kid. It just happened to be fine this one time. Maybe I''ll request your help the next." Ehsure. Before long many days pass, then weeks. I''d like to say that I''m having wonderful adventures but really, I''m simply training a bit and enjoying life. We often stop by towns and cities. Sometimes we skip a few. Gran knows a lot about each of them. They change their program depending on their audience. It will go from epic narration to romance stories or evenedies. It''s quite impressive. They can all change character on demand. I''m slowly realizing that it''s not that their stories are bad. No, it''s just that they hyper cater to their audience. Objectively, seen as a whole, it seems questionable. But in fact, they give people exactly what they deeply desire. Somehow this makes me think about my own sect. I started it all on a whim. Got a few people to be members of it. At first, I was yfully doing it. Shamelessly while knowing it wasn''t anything impressive. But now I have understood something. Even if it doesn''t function as a sect, it does one thing well. It is a symbol. A symbol to remind people of their new resolutions. If we did have a symbol itself maybe I''m not sure. Today something troublesome happened. We almost got attacked. By some sect. We "invaded" their territory. Well, it is a bit of an exaggeration. It seems they are closing their borders. No stranger can enter. Apparently, a big city got wrecked. A necromancer took over. Scary! He had help to realize his evil designs. They are looking for the necromancer''s aplice everywhere. This in turn sent the whole continent on high alert. Yeah, they should really deal with that as fast as possible. Necromancers are masters of snowballing. It starts with a few skeletons and before you know itBAM! Undead army! One that bloats the earth entirely. Perhaps even the sky. I haven''t seen the bone dragon I fought fly. I wonder if it simply couldn''t, or it just didn''t bother In any case, they were in paranoiac mode. Driving people away. This made it so we had to make a detour. I was expecting mypanions to be worried, but nope. They had it all under control. Apparently, it''s not the first time something like that happens. Once they received a direct invitation from an Artful sect. Apparently, an incredible honor. That let them visit Sho''s official temple. Sho being their patron deity. His catchphrase is: the scene is a battlefield and the battlefield a scene! Surprisingly these guys have pretty strong warriors too. Their specialties being feints. Feints so good they make their opponents throw themselves on their swords. I''d like to see that one day. How awesome is that! Anyway, they had to go out of their way to visit them. They had changed their itinerarypletely. How did they manage to please towns they were visiting for the first time? With no reputation to their name? Well, the answer is easy. Gran OP! She would observe it all. Then, after determining who they were dealing with, she tasked others to spread rumors. Unusual enough to catch people''s attention. But believable enough for them not to disregard them entirely. That made people flock to their shows. They are doing the same technique right now. Everything seems great at first nce. But from time to time, I surprise Gran looking at maps. Every time we get turned away, she draws a red cross on it. With every passing day, there are more and more of these. It almost seems like a huge trap is slowly closing on us. But I''m sure it''s not even about us. It''s about that goddamn dumb war. The one that isn''t starting. The one that would be best if it never did. Right now, the wait is casting a heavy atmosphere on the whole continent. Even I that somehow have trouble reading the mood notice it. From time to time, we meet merchants. It quickly turns into a counseling session. Every single groupining so far. Well, most simply keep their distances. In case we are disguised bandits or something. It keeps going. Performances and more traveling. All until one day Gran finally calls for a meeting. "*Sigh* We have a crucial decision to make." On the table, I can see a map filled with red. Chapter 343: Worries Chapter 343: Worries "*Sigh* We have a crucial decision to make." This is how Gran starts the meeting. This one includes everyone. You''d expect them all to be extremely worried. It has been weeks since our passage was first blocked. Then it became more and more frequent. By now we have few alternatives possible. Most of them are rted to us leaving this part of the continent. The farther we go, the less they are likely to be on high alert. After all, for these people, the rise of a necromancer is but a distant problem right now. This is the issue making the whole situation tenser. Otherwise, it would have probably taken a few more years. Gran talks about the pros and cons of everything. She is like a living encyclopedia. I do suggest simply seeking shelter at that Sho''s god ce. It''s not possible. It''s at the edge of the continent. Far away. Part of me is questioning why the hell an actor god is away from civilization. Then again it seems to act as an area of pilgrimage, sorta. I do make a suggestion, however. Wherever we go it should be somece safe with ample food. That is all that truly matters. The discussionsts a while, but then they all agree to trust Gran''s judgment. She got them through harsher situations in the past. We all go about our businesses. Recently I''ve been trying to learn how to read. Simply because I''ve had nothing but times on my hands. The kid is a great help for that. He writes a word on the ground and I try to recognize it. From time to time, he draws an object with its name. Turns out he''s pretty good at reproducing images. This makes me wonder how that mad artist from Eaglevein is doing. Also that other guy with the weird-ass unicorn painting. Actually, I wonder how they are all doing. Anyway, I''ve be pretty good at reading simple words. There are manynguages, but Common Script is mostly used. I am now able to read a tavern''s name! I tested it when we passed in a remote vige. I derived such joy from drinking at the Drunken Rat! It was the first tavern I managed to actually read the sign. You never forget your first time. Also yes, it was true to its name. There were many rats, and they were He drunk. After doing a bit of reading and a bit of image training Ie back home. By home I mean Gran''s ce. She''s there. In the dark. Crying. She, the always reliable leader, is crying. She, that confronts bandits alone without an issue. She who has traveled all her life facing countless challenges. [Hey Gran.] "Oh, you''re here!" She turns around suddenly. Trying to hide her current state. [How about we talk.] "*Sigh* I must be tired is all. Everything will be alright after a night of sleep. Goodnight kid." Wolfie is giving me a look saying to do something. [Don''t worry Gran. I''m sure everything will be fine.] "Of course." [Tell me, what are you most worried about?] She stays silent for a few seconds. "Sigh* I wonder how everyone will fare once I''ll be gone. I wonder if it will be alright. Before, it was easy. Figure out if our show will be a sess or not the only concern. Read people and make sure they are happy." [You say that, but you also dealt with bandits haha.] "Even then, that is about reading people. That I can do. Now, I''m dealing with a lifeless map. No matter how much I study it, it is useless. If I screw up, we''ll be doomed. There is so much information we are missing too." [Honestly, I see it differently Gran. It doesn''t really matter where we go. The worst that will happen is we will fight. I may not be the strongest but I''m reliable. Just take care of the other stuff haha.] "Alright, I will hold you to your word." [Don''t worry Gran. Sometimes things just work out. There is this one man I know. He taught me a lot. Especially about baking.] "Wait, you can cook?!" [Why are you acting so surprised! Anyway, he had some trouble. Trouble he considered extremely big. That is when he decided to end his own life.] "Then what happened?" [Well, I found in time. Turns out his huge burden was something I could deal with easily. The thing is, we all have our capabilities. You can rely on others. It''s perfectly fine if you just stick to what you are good at. You can read people. You can make sure they are not trying to trick us. You can make sure they don''t want to backstab us. How about it? You deal with the underhanded threats. I''ll take care of the most obvious ones. If we need to fight, I''ll do it!] If I count my illusion magic, I now have a ranged attack. In a straightforward fight, I''m not worried. I''m not the best at protecting people, however. I''m just a man. One that cannot use magic either. I''ll need to get rid of any enemy before they can even get close. That''s where Granes in. Pointing these enemies to me. Wouldn''t it be nice if this was a game world? You check the nameteif it''s red you kill it! Gran starts chuckling. "Not many would be as brave as you, you know. Dering that you''ll deal with the obvious threats, eh? What will you do if an army crosses our path?" [*Sigh* It''s not bravery, Gran. I''m simply harder to kill than I look. If an army crosses our path They will either make a detour around us or regret it haha.] I can see Gran has calmed down. She lies down with a peaceful smile. Then she starts sleeping. I owe her at least this much. I can''t help but think about how epting she''s been. I was on the run back then. Actually, I still am. At least until I can clear my name. She could have simply tried to sell me out. I heard there is a bounty on my head. Enough to buy a mansion easily. Instead, she has protected me. They all have. They would rather live a life of poverty than betray their own. This is inspiring. I start resting myself. I''m sure tomorrow will bring its fair share of trouble. Chapter 344: An Army! Chapter 344: An Army! Of course. Of fucking course! Wee to The Unnamed God Sect. Today we are studying the effect of "gs". In this specific case, how I fucked up by bragging. It was an emotional moment. Gran was down, I may have said stuff to cheer her up. Now at the horizon is showing up a literal army. One that I may have to fight very soon. Well, a very peculiar one. There is something very wrong with the scene in front of me. These are no soldiers; these are clearly beggars! They all look especially destitute. I''m not even sure what the fuck is happening right now. To make matters worse they are heading straight at us. Every time we try to move sideways, they change their course. Are they going to try and rob us? Is this what it is? Will they beg us for food? All of our provisions wouldn''t suffice to feed this army. Somehow there are at least a thousand off them. Nowes the issue. I can probably beat them. If I throw illusion magic in the mix. But by then, chances are they''ll rampage. It would be a massacre. For both sides. Should I try to intimidate them? That is when Gran exims. "I think I know who they are. Followers of the Wanderer god." Thinking back on it that''s my First Elder''s previous god. [Wait, why are they in a pack then?!] This makes no sense. "Shall we go talk to them?" If this devolves into a fight [Stay here Gran. I got this.] I grab a horse. Then I valiantly ride for a few meters. Then I lose control. Yeah, fuck it. I valiantly jog toward them. [Hey guys, what''s up?] They not only seem like beggars. They also smell like ones. A man that seems to have seen better days answers me. "You guys have nice carriages, don''t you think?" Oh god, that fucker is trying to rob us. [Yes, but I''m sure you wouldn''t like them.] "Oh? I think otherwise." [Who are you guys exactly?] Another one replies. "Children of the Wanderer god." [What do you want?] That''s when many join the conversation. "They kept trying to stop us." "All said we couldn''t wander on theirnds." "Now they can''t stop us anymore." "We go wherever the wind takes us." [Look guys, you should stay far away from these carriages.] "No way." "We like those very much you see." "Indeed." [Even if ites down to a fight?] "Of course." "We are not scared of fighting." "Yes, we only fear being restrained." "As long as THAT doesn''t happen to us." I see them all shiver. Wait this is an opportunity! I need to know what scares them. Not that they''ll tell me but [That?] "What happened to him." "Horrible, simply horrible." "He got taken in by the Moon Keep." "Such a shame." [Wait! Are you talking about the undefeatable warrior?!] "You know him?" "Well, he was well known a while back." "True, at least he''s in peace now." [Eh, he''s not dead you know?] I see them look confused. [Look, I''m actually his friend. We escaped from the Moon Keep together!] "This sounds farfetched." "If he escaped why is the Wanderer championless?" [Wait, what did you guys say?! Champion?!] "Indeed, he was the wanderer''s champion." "Didn''t you know him?" Oh shit, there is no way I can tell them I converted him. "He''s hiding something!" "Shall we try and guess what it is?" "May as well." All good there is no way they could guess the truth. "He doesn''t really know him." "He''s actually dead." "He''s been turned into a duck." [What are you guys doing?] They are just saying weird stuff while looking intently at me. "He''s lost his power somehow." Wait, are they trying to get a reaction out of me? All good I have been training my acting! "He has been turned into a woman." "He decided to worship a new god." "Ah, this is it." "Yep, no doubt." "Wow." How the hell?! Guess I really do suck at making a poker face. "Tell us, who is he worshipping now?" "Hurry and say it." Should I just run away? Should I attack them without a warning? I have no clue. Somehow, they don''t seem mad. Simply curious. I''m not exactly sure how to act. Guess I''ll go with the flow for now. [He joined The Unnamed God Sect.] Then starts a long talk about what this entails. In great detail. Let''s just say my friends are seriously wondering what the hell is happening. There is one point the wanderers pay particr attention to. "So, this god lets people do whatever they want?" [Yep.] "What if I just want to wander?" [Then you can do it.] "But the Wanderer God already has that covered." [You can worship him if you want.] "So you can follow other gods while following this Unnamed God?" "This doesn''t make sense." "Perhaps it is a chameleon god? Whatever goes" "Maybe it''s a cuckold good? You worship him in theory but really pray to another." Then they start arguing about the most likely situation. What the fuck. When did my trolling be a cuckold chameleon god?! [Wait, guys! So, are we cool? We don''t have to fight, right?] "Eh? Why would we fight?" "We just want to wander around." "Ah, but we will if someone tries to chain us." [Wait, earlier you guys said you wanted our carriages...] "We just said we like them." "Yep, we want to see them." Ahthere was no underlying threat at all. Just me overthinking. [Sure, follow me. Be careful, however. Don''t want to start a stampede.] They all nod. Yes, all thousand of them. This is getting kind of ridiculous. Before long I exin the situation to the actors. They are surprised but quickly they start a show. One about a man leaving his family behind to explore the world. That gets all of them pping. All thousand of them. This is ridiculous. This is the kind of character that is usually hated. The worthless dad leaving his family behind. Or the mother in some cases, you know gender equality. Before long they are pleased and happy. They decide to settle for the night. That is when Granes closer. Apparently, she has an idea that could potentially benefit us. A risky one that could actually work. Chapter 345: Unstoppable Chapter 345: Unstoppable In a dark room, two individuals were scheming. There was an extremely handsome man. His features were sadly hidden in the darkness. Anyone seeing him would have gotten lovestruck instantly. An extremely strong beast was lying at his feet. A beast so powerful it couldy waste to entire worlds with a shake of its paw. The man was craftily nning with a woman. One as old as time itself. One as wise as the wisest of sages. One that could know everything about a being by simply looking at them. They were etching a stratagem. They would make use of the strength of others. They would ride on their tail, sneakily. Let them face all dangers. They would simply follow behind. Calmly and rxingly. That would allow them to achieve their goals. The n was genius itself. She hade up with it. He had made it possible by charming an army. One so powerful and amazing. One full of elite individuals. Now they wouldunch this operation. Soon they would conquer the world. Aaaaand That concludes my Chuuni rendition of my meeting with Gran. Meanwhile, Wolfie is on the floor acting cute. So to summarize we are going to follow the beggars. Eh, I mean the wanderers. The next day we execute order- our n. We have nothing toin about besides the smell. Soon enough we see a city in the distance. There are many soldiers blocking our passage. When they see us, they start despairing. They realize this is going to be a siege. One in which they may very well all die. They are bracing themselves. A few minutester these troops are shoved aside. The main city gate is destroyed. The wanderers are visiting the ce. That is when Gran intervenes. She meets with the leaders here. Not long after, she has negotiated a deal with them. They will allow us passage if we bring the wanderers away with us. We have fun all day long then we all leave. I gotta say This is fun as Hell! We''ve been worrying about where to flee for so long. Now we are just brute-forcing our way through. Let''s just say the next weeks we repeat that very thing many times. Gran voluntarily makes us slow the pace down. That much is easy. They are kept busy by the shows. More stories about people leaving everything behind. Now, this has an amazing effect. There are rumors circting about us. We are getting a reputation of being unstoppable. This rumor is faster than our own travel speed. Before long I feel like royalty. Wherever we go they grandly open their gates. We even get assigned guides to show us around. The only thing is we always sleep in the wild. That is part of every deal. They always want us gone as soon as possible. One thing that surprises me is how the wanderers eat. That''s the thing, they don''tmost of the time. The wanderers are able to go a long time without sustenance. Or more like they somehow store energy. It feels like an oddly powerful ability for what it''s used for. I mean they just walk around. That''s all they ever do! So whenever we pass by a good hunting spot, they eat their fill. Disaster zones are OP. Somehow, even with an army, we evade the most dangerous areas. Sticking to the edges. This way hunting is easy and there are no casualties. Some monsters definitely question life. Well, before dying. An onught of dudes punching everything to death. Some actually have weapons. Just that most of the time they don''t use them. Keeping it for an emergency. An emergency that never happens because there are a thousand of them! Thus we keep cruising. I and Rollin have started a collection. He draws portraits of the stunned expressions of sect leaders. Sometimes we actually encounter stronger groups. Ones that there is no way we could win against. But even then, they bow down to our might. After all, it would be the most worthless trade ever. Them sustaining heavy casualties for no reason. That would only weaken them and cause their downfall down the line. Our army causes anger, tears, and stupefaction. Gran inspects every location we pass through. Observing our interlocutors'' reactions. Quickly determining who wants to murder us. You know to get revenge. So far all of them. Because of this, we stay with the army. It feels like we may have joined a pirate ship. One that is extremely hard to quit. You know what they say. Once you go wandering there is no leaving. Or not Finally, after weeks, we see hope after a long time. We reach the abondance sect. Worshipping the Abundance Goddess. Let''s just say her statue is pretty nice. One part in particr shows ampleness. I''m totally talking about the wheat in her hands. Yep, 100%. Nothing to see here. Anyway, their leader is an old man. He has heard of us. Contrary to most, he doesn''t seem bothered by our presence. Since their specialty is agriculture sharing basic food is no trouble. Of course, they keep the good stuff hidden. Not that it bothers me. After all, I can''t feel the mana anyway. For me, only the taste matters. The feast they throw us is tasty as fuck! The only way it could be tastier is if I had spices. By that I mean poison. I''m softlyining aloud about it, then Wolfie turns toward me. She does a magic trick. Comes out of her mouth...a jar! One sealed especially well. What the fuck?! Ah, then again, she did use that power before in the past. Some sort of special storage ability maybe? Back when she had that shiny silver coin. It was probably a collector one. It was different than the regr ones I saw afterward. Probably why the shopkeeper was losing his shit back then. I check the content. Now, why the fuck can Wolfie vomit poison jars on demand?! Ah, she did spend a while with the warden. [Did he entrust you to give me that?] She nods. Nice! I put a bit on my food before swallowing. It''s tasty but weird. It seems there was no thought given to mixing the vors. This is bad. Meh, whatever. I just chuck it in my clothes. Then I see Grane toward me. She has finished talking about us staying here with the leader. Everything is fine. We have finally found a home. Actually, I will probably leave after a while. But as long as they are fine this is all that matters. The night ends in loud celebration and happiness. Life is good, isn''t it? Chapter 346: Slow Life Chapter 346: Slow Life All the wanderers leave at the same time. The earth trembles. The air freshens. Wow, no wonder people couldn''t wait for us to leave. Before long I officially meet their leader. The old man is especially kind. Their philosophy is that any neer should be weed with open arms. After all, it is with kindness not force that they will convince people to join them. Slowly working the fields one will learn their way of life. He does show us around the ce. Their sect is pretty big. Not that many buildings, however. There are wheat fields as far as the eye can see. Also, the greenery is apple trees. Everything is luscious and full of life. I am already nning on what kind of apple pie I''ll bake. We are well received by everyone. Our group is mingling without any issue. Everyone loves good entertainment from time to time. Especially when said actors are humble and do help with things too. I can see how relieved Gran is. [See? Didn''t I tell you that sometimes things just work out?] She just smiles happily. The huge burden on her shoulders gone. They are now having discussions. Something about creating ys dedicated to the abundance goddess. It gets everyone hyped. There are tons of volunteers. After a day of training, all are better actors than me. It sucks. Anyway, it is part of the n to get new followers. They don''t seem to mind that they are worshipping Sho. It seems one can worship many deities. It''s just the faith power given bes minimal. That is why most try to impose their supremacy. As for me, I open a new bakery. A very small one. One called "the old man''s bakery". With a big but simple sign. I get the kid to help me write it. I get teased a lot about it, as I''m a young man myself. But it doesn''t matter. Every time I see it, it reminds me of him. I can''t help but wonder how he is doing. He probably has trouble farming haha. Hell, maybe I should send him a letter. So he coulde here. Not that he would. His farm has a special meaning in his heart. I do feel at ease right now. Weeks pass slowly. I am just baking a few batches every day. Then afterward I mostlyze around in the sun. Wolfie doing the same. We have gotten a nickname. Thezy dogs. This is so inurate! None of us are dogs! There is also something very ironic. Life is peaceful. The continent has calmed down quite a bit. Remember that necromancer taking over a city? People were expecting him to go wild. To start a mad conquest with his undead army. Nope, he hasn''t moved at all. Not doing anything remotely evil recently. They are calling the ce the City of the Sleeping Dead. Cause nothing happens with it. Just when we finally find a solution to our problem, it almost disappears. Well, whatever. At least we arefortable now. Kinda funny how awkward it must be. Going from super high alert to never mind guys. I''m pretty sure this could go from 0 to 100 again quickly. It definitely made it so the war will happen sooner. Something at some point will start it. Then everything will blow up. We will just remain here. At first, I''m a bit worried. After all, while this ce is abundant it probably isn''t that safe. But then I talk to their leader. He tells me their goddess has a n to turn this ce into a fortress. An impregnable one. I excitingly ask him for details. He doesn''t know. Some sort of divine secret n. He''s awaiting an oracle to know more. He just got half the message so far. I wonder what makes it that hard. Communication between realms I mean. The gods are able to send us here easily. Ah, but I guess summoning a mortal to their ne is the hard part. The only issue is the gods are stuck in the god realm. Kinda crazy how we as mortals have more freedom. Are gods even interested in this ce? They want followers but is that it? I''m sure it should be fun for them to wander here. If I were a god, I''d definitely find a way toe down haha. It is like going back to the newbie area after reaching max level. There is a sense of aplishment. You just one tap everything. That does get boring quite fast, however. Sometimes it is how unreachable something is that gives it meaning. Right now we feel like we earned our ce here. Even if our very presence stemmed from a coincidence. We wouldn''t be here without the wanderers. We still had to go through this journey. I can''t help but be grateful to this goddess. I feel like it''s the first one that is actually simply nice. I wonder what would have happened if I was summoned by her instead. Maybe I would have just waited for her return. Maybe I would have shown off with divine energy. Maybe she would have taught me. Then I would havee down to the Earth realm. Destroying everything in my way. Unifying the continent under my banner. Then after the war would havee peace. A longsting peace. I feel like this would have been possible. I''m just thinking of all that could have been. Meanwhile, I''m giving a prayer to her statue. There is one in the center of the sect. But there is also an indoor temple. A more detailed one. I am now sitting in front of it. That is when I see someone else enter. A kid that is bringing an offering to the goddess. Some food. Funny how they used her power to grow that. Now they are giving it back. I need to agree it is pretty impressive. I have seen the rate at which the crops grow here. Even faster than weeds. We silently keep praying. I cannot wait until that new defense n starts. Hopefully, I will be able to contribute a bit. I''m sure there is something I can aplish using divine energy. The future is bright and full of hopes. =) Chapter 347: Disaster Brewing Chapter 347: Disaster Brewing ****(POV) "MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I have finally done it! It took me months, but I am finally done! The ultimate mix! Never seen before. Extremely fragrant and delicious! I carefully pick up a bottle of it. It is golden in color and shiny. Perfect! Time for the grand reveal. I push the trap door to exit the basement. "Haha, your wonderful boss is back! How has business-?!" What the fuck! Where is my tavern? Where is my beloved drinking fish?! Waitno there is something more. What the hell happened to the city?! It is eerily quiet. No one to be seen. I feel like I missed something important. Wait, thinking back on it there was a lot of noise a while back. I heard faint echoes even with my anti-sound formation. I was thinking there was a party going on. It seems something crazy happened. That is when finally I see someone. "Hey! You there! What is happening here?" That is when the guy turns around. I''ll finally be able to Oh god. Scratch that. This is obviously an undead! "Sorry! I''m just passing by! Don''t mind me!" It charges toward me. "Say back! I know magic and I''ll use it!" Damnit! It forced me to do this! "Fireball time!" *WOOSH* Bullseye! The undead falls to the ground. In pieces and charred. Okay, this is bad. One skeleton is no issue. But this is a city. One with a defense system. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? I know. I slowly make my way to my sect''s building. As I walk, I see many more of these monsters. Somehow, I manage to avoid them all. They are literally crawling all over the ce. Before long I reach the manor. Completely empty. I wander around. Finally, I notice something. The treasury is gone. Even the secret one. One that I learned of only by mistake. Guess they somehow escaped. I''m not even sure how the city falling is even possible. I slowly make my way toward the walls. All seem to be in good condition. It wasn''t a siege. Did a civil war happen? That is the only exnation I can fathom. Did an evil sect take over during the confusion? What caused this? *Sigh* I don''t know. For now, I need to get out of here before. That is when my surroundings suddenly be darker. What?! I look up. Oh god. This is the worst! A dragon is floating in the air! A bone one. I can feel evil oozing out of it. I do not move. Standing oh so very still. It isn''t attacking for some reason. Just eyeing me. There is a big distance between me and the exit. I do not believe I can outrun that thing. What now? Is it time to stake it all in onest showdown? That is when ites. A creature that is obviously not human. But one that dons the appearance of one. "WhAt dO We hAvE HeRe?" As soon as I hear it, I know for sure. This thing is the one responsible for all of this. For the undead. Especially that dragon. "Ah, I''m just a regr tavern owner. I just finished brewing a new batch." "WhErE WeRe yOu hIdInG AlL ThIs tImE?" "T-that. In my basement making beer." "MaKiNg bEeR HE SaYs! HaHaHaHa" The creature isughing. The creepiestugh I have ever heard. There is a cacophony of voices. This thing is ... That is when I understand what feels wrong with it. Its speech. Sometimes it will sound young, sometimes old. The tone keeps changing. There should be more than one soul in there. "HoW DeOs iT FeEl tO KnOw wE WiLl kIlL YoU?" Fuck. I''m doomed! Can I talk my way out of this? "Think about this! Will killing me aplish anything?!" "oH? We ArE LisTeNing!" "I can create great beer! If you let me" "We Do NoT CaRE" Rip. I raise the bottle I have in order to chug it. At least I''ll die doing what I love. Drinking! *RIP* *Rattling of bones* The ground gets ripped apart. Out of ites bones. Countless bones. Forming a giant hand. One that wraps around me. I try going backward but without sess. Fuck. I''m screwed. All the bonestch on me. Immobilizing mepletely. The worst is that I was so close to drinking! Now I''ll have to die sober. "FoR YoU To rUsH To dRiNk tHiS It mUsT Be sPeCiAL!" "Please just let me drink it. It''s just a beer!" "SoMe kInD Of tReAsUrE?" Hees closer, then he yanks it out of my hands. He slowly brings it to his mouth. "Noooo!" This is what I poured all my heart into making. He grins evilly then he chugs it all. Then his face suddenly changes. "WhAt iS ThIs vILE LiQuid?!" He starts clutching his neck. *Shatter* Somehow the bone hand disappears. He is unmoving. *ROAR! * Oh god. The dragon is diving at me! I run. Faster than I''ve ever done in my life. I can''t outrun it. Wait! I know! "HAHAHAHA Have fun you bone lizard!" I throw a fireball at it. At first, itpletely ignores it. There is no way I can damage it. At all. Except it wasn''t my target. The projectile flies toward the necromancer. Hitting it right in the face. Then its clothes start burning. Usually, I''m sure it could deal with such an attack. But right now it is stunned from my beer. Let''s just say it is an acquired taste. The first time is always the mostshocking. I rain fire upon him. That is when the dragon retreats. Coiling around its master. Protecting him from danger. So what? I''m out! I run all the way outside the city. Nothing to stop me. I keep killing on my way out. Without anyone to control the skeletons No threat whatsoever! I can''t believe I survived that! I just need to figure out where the people I know went. It is sad for my tavern. But it doesn''t matter. As long as I live so will the drinking fish. I will rebuild. I will keep working hard. Then one day I will be back. For revenge. I need strength for that. Should I simply sit in meditation? Nope. I have a better idea. I will cultivate while brewing. I have figured out something. My beer has magical properties. I have heard of powerful alchemists. Ones that can craft pills to help people power up. I''ll do exactly that. This is but the beginning! Perhaps I can make one specially to counter undead? We''ll see Chapter 348: City of Freedom Chapter 348: City of Freedom ****(POV) This is the worst! Where did everything go wrong?! I have been in secluded cultivation for a while. With my mistresses. Uponing out, I heard the news. Eaglevein fell. The entire continent is now tense. My backing is gone. I am nothing more than a powerless lord. Anyone could rece me any time. I need to protect myself! I quickly call for my right hand! The guy that takes care of things while I''m busy. .?! He''s gone. Or so tells me an uneasy guard. He''s been gone for a long time. No one has been in charge of the city at all. Our treasury almost got emptied. The only reason there are still guards is the soul oaths. Who knew it would be so handy! It was just so they wouldn''t backstab me. None of them wanted to swear initially. But then the giant behind me, Eaglevein, convinced them all. Now my only source of power is destroyed! There is apparently a necromancer that took over it. Singlehandedly ruling over it. The City of the Sleeping Dead. This is insane. What am I going to do now?! Wait. Sleeping dead? He isn''t leaving it, right? What if he can''t for some reason? Either a pledge or another reason. What if? I could run, bringing elites troops with me. Give everything up. Renounce my identity as lord. I''d have to disguise too. Even then, I''d probably get screwed by some sect. I was a servant of Compromis after all. Even if only indirectly. I quickly go over all we know. The tamer guild has evacuated most of its members. To a faraway branch. They left on the backs of giant flying creatures. Leaving only a few key members behind. Everyone with some power has left. This is the worst state this ce has ever been in. We are right next to the biggest hazard ever. I am sure no one will fight me for it. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. "Guards! It is time for a decree!" They are looking uneasy. They see meughing like a madman. I have beenzing for so long. I have been doing nothing but wait for the days to pass. But this event is a wake-up call. One that reminds me of all the drive I once had. Back when I was younger. Back when I truly wanted to make a difference. I know exactly what I should do right now. It is a n anyone would consider deranged. It is exactly because of how preposterous it is that it will work. Because no one would ever dare do what I am about to attempt. Ever! "Note this well. To all my brothers and sisters wandering thend. To all the lost ones. To the ones far from home. Or that have lost itpletely. In this period of incredible tension. Know this: you guys are screwed. The sects will devour you. Tear you apart without care. The useful will be reduced to very. The worthless will be sacrificed. The dark ages have begun! There will be tears. There will be suffering. There will be blood. There will be death. That I promise you all. To all of you. All the Sects want you dead under their foot. Until their God reigns supreme! You will be the first casualties. I know it. You know it. You may have been lying to yourselves. You may have hopes and dreams. But you know the sorrowful reality. Now my friends. Have you heard of Compromis? The God of diplomacy! The one and only! We do not wish for war. We wish for friends. That is all. The City of Freedom shall wee you. All of you. We are easy to find. Right next to the City of the Sleeping Dead. That is terrifying? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Who are we? The followers of Compromis. We do deals above all else. You know what this means, don''t you? Why do you think we are still standing? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA The City of Freedom. Remember it well. Spread the word. All shall be epted. That is all. Good luck. You will need it." I look around. Every guard is shaking. Terrified of my ns. "Now, all of you go on. Repeat what I just said. Everywhere. Word for word. Until the whole continent knows about it. That is all." They know clearly that I haven''t left my room in ages. They know I wasn''t even aware of the situation. They know the dangers of it all. But they are under oath. They cannot leave easily. Even if they could where would they go? They are frightened. But so what? They have no choice but to do my bidding. Before long they all leave. Leaving me with my three mistresses. Ones that have all truly brought me joy over the years. I can see the fear in their eyes. They have heard everything. They can attest to what I was doing all this time. This makes them a liability. They are all under oath, but weaker beings are easier to break. It is extremely easy to ess their memories without their knowledge. Using secret techniques. Ones that are umon. But ones that exist, nheless. Normally I wouldn''t care. So what if a bit of information gets out? This time it is different. Many people will think that I am bluffing. Many will think that I am a madman. A fool at the end of his rope. But it doesn''t matter. None will dare invade. On the off chance it is true. Unlikely for sure. But there will always be that little voice in their head. Saying what if? As long as I am no direct threat, the sects won''t care. Before long all the sectless will gather here. They may be worthless on their own. But what happens when they are hundreds? When they are thousands? Or even tens of thousands? Food will be an issue for sure. This will require to be swift and forceful. We will start a conquest. The sects will dly let us. We will act as a barrier between them and the undead. Before long we will be strong enough. Then we will negotiate. As equals. Until then we will be pigers. But so what? The choice will be simple. Join us or be fodder for our growth. Before long we will be unstoppable. I am perhaps mad for thinking this. But I believe I can make it happen. Funny how I will proudly brandish the g of Compromis. Why would a god forgive a being that destroyed his city? Who knows how the gods are thinking hahaha. I also believe the god himself will not stop it. I will borrow his name. He will be getting tons of followers. I am using a necromancer and a god in one go. Hehe. Who would have the balls to do that? So I need to keep the truth hidden. These mistresses are a danger. "Don''t worry. No need to fear. I only said all that to get them riled up. Meanwhile, we''ll escape somewhere nice. Just the 4 of us. Where do youdies want to go?" They rx. All except one. One that is a spy sent to infiltrate my ce. She is stronger and wiser than the others. She understood what is going. The two nave ones thank me excitedly. I hug them very close. In the meantime, they are whispering sweet promises to me. "I love you." Then I snap their necks. Cleanly. Their faces are still adorned by a smile of happiness. "Thank you for all the joy you have brought me. May you rest in peace." I wish things were different. I truly wish. I turn to thest one. "I know everything about you. What do they rely on to make you obey?" I know it isn''t an oath I have checked. Then she spills it. They have her brother. "Serve me and we will get back your brother or avenge him at the very least." She nods. She asks me why I am sparing her. Even with the danger, it poses. Why? "Because you can at least defend yourself from soul searching." She wants to know the true reason. True. The core reason is simpler. "Because I''d miss you otherwise." Anyway, no time to feel sad. I have things to aplish. Chapter 349: Noodles Again! Chapter 349: Noodles Again! ****(POV) "Another serving of noodlesing up!" I serve a customer. An old-timer that has lived here for a long time. He looks at me in wonder. "Old man, why are you still selling noodles in this god-forsaken city?" I can''t help but chuckle. "You say that, but aren''t you right here at my stall?" "Haha, perhaps. But you see all my life is here. My business isnd-based. I can''t very well leave with it. That is why I am still here. You are different. You own a mobile food stall. Leave while you still can." If only it was that simple. "Well, I have many reasons to stay here too." "You are staying for this tamer kid, right? The one in aa. The one that they said they couldn''t move because of his precarious condition? Am I right?" "What can I say. I promised someone I''d take care of him. You should know that promises are sacred to noodle vendors!" The man erupts in a heartyugh. "You know, old man. I have more respect for you than anyone else in this town." "Sure, sure. That will be 8 coppers." "Stingy! It''s the end of the world. Do you think I wouldn''t pay up? Why do you have to press me like that?" So he says but we both know he is joking. He leaves soon afterward to go back home. He used to be always busy. The little time off he could afford he''d spend here with his daughter. Now he has plenty of time. But she isn''t here anymore. She left with the other beast tamers. He literally had to beg them to take her. But this proud man did so nheless. He didn''t care about his own safety. But he insisted she go. It was a good coincidence. She had some talent for it. Bottom tier talent, but enough to be epted. At first, she wanted to stay but he was adamant. Nowadays he simplyes daily to my noodle stand. I can see him reminisce. Thinking about all the times he put work before family. Regretting. Still, she doesn''t resent him, that I know. He was always her hero. The one that used to bring her everywhere with him. Especially at work when she was but a small child. I remember he once almost lost a big contract because of it. But instead of backing down, he kept pushing. Told them they could go fuck themselves. That he didn''t have time to be emotionally present. But that he''d never leave her behind. The next day his potential business partner came back. He had told the story to his mother. Also gotten beaten up in the process. This is why I love this job. You get to know people. They all talk to the simple noodle seller. I really hope that dumbass Bai wakes up soon. I can''t wait to tell him about all that has happened. He will sit on his usual stool. Then while slurping noodles as if a famished beast he will talk. Tell me about all his ns for the future. Share all the fun rumors in town. I am already feeling nostalgic. It must be because I am growing old. That is when I hear amotion. The ipetent city lord is out. For once he is wearing simple clothes. Clothes that remind me of the past. Back when I had just started doing business here. Back when he was actually a decent human being, We make eye contact. Hees over. His entourage consists of a few guards and his mistress. Surprisingly she is wearingbat gear. I also get the feeling she knows how to use the sword she is carrying. "A bowl for everyone please!" I get to work quickly. They get seated. I serve the piping hot food. He looks at me. "Old man, from now on this city will have a different name. It will be called the City of Freedom. Remember it well." Oh? I can''t help but remark. "For a new city to be established a useless city lord won''t do. Especially nowadays." All the soldiers get their weapons out. He gestures them to stop. Then he slowly says. "That''s good. Good thing I am the one in charge." He is confident. He exudes charisma. Very different from the man he was thest time I saw him. "Very well, from now on I am the best noodle seller of Freedom City." He grins and quickly finishes eating. "Alright men, time to depart." He screams that part loudly. He wants the whole town to know. What a scheming guy haha. The guards seem confused about their destination. "Now, time to go to Eaglevein or should I call it the City of the Sleeping Dead?" Everyone forgets to breathe for a second. This is pretty much a death sentence. Thest ce anyone would dare going currently. Yet he dares. Followed by the gazes of the bystanders they leave. There aren''t that many actually. Most people that could leave did so. But before long life appears. People running all over the ce to tell this insane news. To their family, to their friends, I see some telling stray dogs. That is how exciting it is. At first, people think this is a joke. There is even a crowd that assembles in front of my stand. I may just be a lowly street vendor, but I am renowned. This is why the city lord came here. It was all part of his n. This shows he has been thinking. He isn''t going there on a whim. He has a strategy. One that is probably insane. Everyone is awaiting my verdict., with bated breaths. This will most likely determine their future. There are talks of fleeing right now. In case he angers the undead. "From now on this ce is called the City of Freedom. Now, who wants some noodles while waiting for the city lord?" They see how calm I am. They are probably thinking that I know something. They have seen us talk after all. Truth is, I have no clue. For all we know, he is about to poke a ho''s nest. Well, except undead. But in any case, I will remain here. As long as the kid remains at least. I am having trouble cook for the 50 customers I have. Oh well, they''ll wait. *Sigh* Perhaps I really am getting old. Chapter 350: Negociations?! Chapter 350: Negociations?! ****(POV) "My lord, please reconsider! I beg of you!" My guards are all freaking out. As they should in fact. We are about to reach Eaglevein. How likely are we to have to fight the necromancer? Well, I just hope that the end will be swift if we are to die. I don''t actually have to broker a deal with him. I just need to make it look like I did. I''m sure no one will dare to enter the city. Not anyone that values life at least. My entourage is seriously considering what went wrong to arrive at this single moment in their life. I''m betting they are thinking soul oath right now haha. Perhaps even meeting me altogether. "Alright men, I''ll be going alone from now on. You guys wait for me outside." I can hear their relieved sighs. They thought I was going to force them to die. It would have the opposite effect. With them with me, it would be harder to fake. Me and my mistress, now my personal bodyguard enter. The city is eerily quiet. There will definitely be tons of undead. We need to be careful not to draw their attention. We head toward the side of the city. This way we will likely not encounter anything. Then we will wait a bit there. Just long enough for the rumor to start that we came. Of course, it will be a flimsy one. That won''t fool anyone. We just need to nt that seed of doubt. That is when she points toward the front. What the hell?! Is that a bone dragon?! Yes, there is a coiled bone dragon near the wall. Usually, we both would have started running away. Not in this case. The scene that appears before us is surreal. The dragon is unmoving. It seems to be protecting something, or someone while growling at a man. A man that is so out of ce. One that is just sitting there. In his hand is a brush. He is drawing the dragon?! Wait, the dragon is actually posing?! Wait! This can only mean one thing! He is the necromancer?! He looks rtively young. His eyes are glowing, he has the demeanor of an expert. I mean who else would keep his calm in front of such a monster?! Only him! He doesn''t look evil one bit. Appearances can be deceiving. Either that or he came here for revenge. There are always sects angering others by doing things like killing families or stealing fiancs. He could be part of a somewhat righteous faction. I know for a fact that it is not the power that is evil, but the way it is used. It is clearly possible that he tried to attack one sect only for all of them to band against him. The righteous factions love to do that. They ignore the crimes one of their ownmitted, focusing on the important stuff like killing and looting. I was just nning to fake it, but I''ll try. I make sure to be the most polite possible. "Hello, Sir! It is a pleasure to meet you!" "Oh? What are you doing here? You know this ce is infested by the undead, right?" "Ah, yes Sir. But I mean no disrespect bying here! I am simply visiting humbly!" "I see, you are free to visit if you want. I won''t try and stop you. You may want to stay away from the bone dragon, however. It bites." There is no way I''d voluntarily go near one! Wait, was that a joke?! "Very funny, Sir!" He disregards me. He seems focused on his artwork. "Sir, if I may ask. Is it fine if we live near this city?" "I mean, wherever you live is none of my business." Oh my god! Did he just give us permission?! This is huge! Now we won''t have to fear randomly getting attacked! He seems totally indifferent to us. This is the best. It would have been suspicious otherwise. He is clearly a very powerful man. I can''t help but look at this work. It is amazing! "Wow! Sir, you are so talented!" "I''ve been doing it for a long time is all." I wonder if he is perhaps older than he looks. He probably is since he is such a formidable necromancer. The most powerful mages can easily live 300-700 years. I guess one would pick up various skills in the process. How enviable. But then I don''t have the right to be jealous. I should have trained more my physical prowess. While warriors do not live as long, it is still better than nothing. This is what I get for beingzy all this time. Well, in the war toe many strong beings will die. I will go for strength in number. The main issue will be people gunning for my head. I''ll have to set up decoys. This is the only way I can see us developing as a faction in the long run. Someone is sending experts? Let them tire themselves on millions of men first. The necromancer finally puts down his brush. Finally, he rises up and starts walking outside. Wait, is he going to head outside?! I need to get his favor at all costs. "Sir, it would our honor to host your esteemed self in our town." He looks at me raising his brow. The silence is killing me! Finally, he opens his mouth. "Are the food and drinks included?" " Of course, Sir!" What?!.... "Oh, then lead the way!" He is smiling happily. Meanwhile, I have to control myself not to erupt inughter. Are you kidding me?! Did I just manage to get an extremely powerful backing just like that?! This is amazing! Ah, wait! "Sir, what about the dragon?" "What about it?" "Ah, it''s nothing, Sir!" I''m not gonna try and put my nose into his business. I won''t spoil everything to satisfy my curiosity. He must be confident if he is leaving his strongest weapon behind. Quite possibly he was just ying around in this ce. For all I know, he is a rank 5 Arch-Wizard hahahahaha. I cannot wait! We head back with the guards. They are bbergasted. Their mouths open extremely wide and not closing at all during the journey. Before long we are back in the city. I see many with travel bags. They were ready to run. But now they will be d that they are still here. This is the start of a new age for us. "Right this way, Sir!" They see me being extremely respectful. They instantly understand what is going on. Amidst the cheers and people''s adoration, we head toward my office. This is awesome! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Chapter 351: Zero! Chapter 351: Zero! ****(POV) It has been a long time since I left Eaglevein. All in order to meet the legendary Zero. But even after searching high and low, there are no signs whatsoever of The Unnamed God Sect. Of course, I was expecting this. They are definitely one of the very top hidden sects. That is the only way they could teach a man to destroy dwarven swords easily. It also makes sense given how they managed to evade the radar of all the other sects. Sometimes I wonder if I should have tried to get more information out of that man. But then I remember how quickly he left back then. He obviously wasn''t in the mood to talk more about the subject. It almost makes me wonder if this wasn''t a test of some sort. Perhaps the first challenge is to find his master. But anyway I am now heading somewhere any sane person would avoid. I am heading to the Moon Keep. The strongest sect in the open for sure. They will probably know even about the hidden sects. To reach their bastion I have to go through the archaic savage forest. As I enter it, I can see the giant trees. The air also seems gloomy for some reason. It almost seems like the shadows are moving, must be my imagination. I don''t feel any presence at all. Now I better stick to the periphery of it. This will make my travels longer but at least it will minimize the risks. The more I walk the more uneasy I be. There is something strange. There are no monsters whatsoever. It''s as if they knew I was here. I concentrate on sensing my surroundings. My ymore is ready. "Move and you die." As I hear this, there is something that presses on my neck. How?! It is a dagger. One about to im my life! Whoever managed this is extremely powerful. At the very least a rank 4. "Now quickly tell me, what are you doing in our domain?" Wait, someone lives in this forest?! Don''t tell me it''s a hidden sect? I have no clue what is happening. For now, I''ll just tell the truth. "I am simply passing through, I have no evil intention toward this ce." "Oh? What are you looking for?" "The Unnamed God Sect." "" Why is he silent all of a sudden? "Why do you wish to find it?" Should I spill the beans? For some reason, I get the feeling my assant may know them. "I am looking for someone called Zero." "*Sigh* Follow me then." I turn around and I see is that a shadow fox?! A rank 4 beast king for it can talk. I need to be careful. He is clearly more dangerous than a regr rank 4. If I offend him I die. He guides me toward a clearing. One that has better visibility. In there I see a child lying on the ground, slumbering peacefully. The fox goes forward and announces that they have a visitor. I can''t help but be nervous. Who is this? He is extremely young yet here he is. Is he a disciple of the sect I am looking for? He wakes up and stretches, noticing me. "Hey, there. Who are you exactly? What do you want?" "I''m a member of the iron guardians, I am looking for someone to teach me swordsmanship. I am looking for Zero." The kid thinks for a second. "I do know him, how about you show me your swordsmanship and I can introduce youter?" I approach and then start wielding my weapon, showing the various forms I know. A defensive counter style that I developed over countless years. The kid looks at me intently. After a while, I finally stop. I have shown everything I know. He simply nods then rises up. Then I see him generate a sword out of energy! One extremely sharp and pure, something I would have believed to be impossible before today! This is something only a rank 3 at least could possibly do, even I can''t?! How old is he?! But then it gets worse. I see him start shing around. At first, I am confused, but then I notice it. The more he goes the more I can see the resemnce with my own style. Before long he has emted all my moves, except with a shorter weapon. This is insane! It barely took him any time! "H-how did you do that?!" "*Chuckle* I simply watched you do it, copying is easy." He copied it?! This is inhuman! It took me my whole life toHe keeps going. "You wanted to meet Zero, right? ...I am. " "What?!" "Surprised?" "Ah, I''m sorry! I just imagined you to be some really old and wise swordmaster." "Hehe, it''s fine if you are disappointed." No, in fact, this is even better! Age doesn''t matter one bit. It is all about skills. I feel like my whole worldview has been flipped around. I thought I was doing rtively well. Nope! Compared to him I am worthless! But it doesn''t matter. I''ll learn all I can. I drop to the ground and beg him to ept me as his disciple. He simply asks me where I heard of him. I tell him about how I met his student. How he had shown amazing swordsmanship. How he had destroyed that one dwarven weapon. He simply chuckles. That is when he says something insane. He tells me the man I met wasn''t his disciple. He had taught him swordsmanship, but the man didn''t master it. No, this man was in fact the sectmaster. One of infinite potential. One that Zero couldn''t evene close to. As if this isn''t enough, something terrifying happens. From every directiones another beast king, 4 more in total. If only that was it. No, as theye closer they all ask me about their master. The one that I met at Eaglevein. This is insane! Just looking at the beasts here, he has enough power to be considered a top faction. Then there is Zero himself that will definitely have all the current swords kings beaten easily in the future. I ask him if this ce is the sect''s holy ground. He chuckles saying this is just where he is currently training. He says he will try to find the sectmaster once he is done. Also, find the other members of the sect. There are others?! Apparently, he knows of one, the first elder of the sect. He doesn''t know if there are more, but quite possibly. Just as I am shocked beyond belief I see him resume his training. He simply starts fighting against all the beast kings at once. Yes, all of them! I cannot even fight one and I am a renowned swordsman back in Eaglevein. Yet, there he is, dancing around all the creatures. I can see him use my swordsmanship from time to time. Except that his mastery is already way above mine. This is goddamn insanity! Chapter 352: Just Visiting Chapter 352: Just Visiting ****(POV) There is something soothing about this ce. Is it the river of blood perhaps? Maybe the ckish ground? Is it the castle of skulls? Perhaps the wild unlife? I''m not sure, but every once in a while, I do enjoying here. Right now I am having fun ying fetch with the local watch bone dragons. I pick a bone from one and throw it far away, watching it fly away to go and grab it. Then ites back pitifully. It doesn''t have a choice but to guard this ce after all. This is an order it received from its master. Still, I''m not sure why he even bothers using such weak creatures in the first ce. What can a few rank 5-6 bone dragons even do? These things may as well be decoration. Actually, that is exactly what they are. This is always something that fascinated me, how every god deals with their personal domain. For some it will be empty, for others it will be carefully designed and there are some that let it be everchanging. Funny how many gods don''t receive visits in the first ce. When they feel like socializing most will go to the White Space. I never really knew who started that ce anyway. All that I know is there are people always lurking there, like Compromis haha. I guess I''m the only one that bothers even moving around the god realm physically. I am a wanderer after all. Well, it may be because of thews of this world. It definitely is challenging to navigate. After all, every god has their subspace that keeps evolving based on their following, then there is the fact that these subspaces keep moving aboutYeah. Just as I''m ying with the Dragos, I hear a shout. [Duruser! Didn''t I say that I''d kill you the next time you showed up uninvited to my ce?!] [Let me think, I''m pretty sure you did. How long ago was that? I feel like it''s been a while, right Ubruk?] He simply looks at me angrily. Well, it''s a bit hard to tell given he doesn''t have a face. Downside of being a skeleton. I keep going: [Right, I should probably congratte you. Your champion is doing pretty well. How many cities has he conquered by now? You can try to fool others, but I know exactly what he''s been up to haha. Pretty impressive of him to split his soul like that.] [You! Do not tell anyone or I will really kill you!] [Hehe, we both know you cannot kill me even if you wanted. Anyway, Compromis must be pretty devastated. That whole city of peace of his ended up as well a waste.] [*Scoff* He should have picked a better Aspect. There is only so much that diplomacy can aplish. But yes, he is wailing in the White Space right now.] [Haha, you even went there to taunt him? How harsh! Who else was there?] [Why do you do that? Why do you always ask us about the White Space?] [Don''t be stingy! Just answer!] [Fine, there were the Moon and the Abundance goddesses fighting again. Everyone was still avoiding Talion as usual. Exca was following Koiin around. That Purity bastard was trying to prevent others from drinking their primordial wine. DicE was trying to get people to bet with him. KooKing was trying to sell food. SHO was trying to look mysterious. All as usual pretty much. You know that I barely know anyone there. We aren''t all big shots like you with followers everywhere!] [Hehe, I''ll blush!] [Duruser, why are you even here? What about taking care of your champion?] [Already lost him.] [What?! Then you are screwed in the uing war. You''ll lose all your followers without anyone to defend them. Who knows if you''ll even still be known when the next wares!] [It''s not that bad. Who needs a champion when you have countless followers anyway? I''m unlike you. I was never defeated in a previous war. Not even once.] [That''s only because you never really fought! You are always lurking on the sidelines! You''ll be screwed if anyone attacks your followers!] [Well, you are not wrong, Ubruk. But what''s the point of being a god if I can''t enjoy myself, eh? Otherwise, I would have remained a mortal all my life. You know, sometimes I do miss the earth realm. It is such a nice down-to-earth ce.] [Was that supposed to be a wordy? -_-] [No?] [Anyway, stop breaking into my ce already and just go to the White Space!] [Well, that''s the thing. To ess it one needs to use the terminal in one''s domain and well] [?] [I kinda misced it, tehe ;) ] [Your terminal?] [No, my domain.] [You?! Actually, never mind. I''m not even surprised... *Sigh*] He looks at me at aplete loss. It is always fun to get a reaction out of him. Then again I really am lost haha. That is what happens when you keep hopping from domain to domain. At some point, you lose track. In any case, it isn''t that much of an issue. Sure there are some things I won''t be able to do like ess the White Space, or choose another champion, or send an oracle, or...actually, that''s pretty much all that the gods micromanage. Anyway, it''s not like my followers care about stuff like that anyway. I once forgot them for a few hundred years and there wasn''t an issue. Their faith was even stronger than before. Just as I''m thinking that I get some feedback. Feedback is something I rarely receive. It means there is something happening in the earth realm. Something that many of my true followers pay extreme attention to. From a scale of 1 being don''t care to 10 being one''s own birth. I''d say they are feeling about 12 right now. That definitely piqued my curiosity. As I look into the details, I can''t help but be baffled myself. Someone on the earth-realm is creating a pseudo deity. One that isn''t backed by anything concrete. One that doesn''t have a consciousness either. The fake kind really. Except that this fake is actually managing to move even my followers. Let''s just say it is difficult to make an impression on them. Once many died killed by an asteroid. Normal day feedback is all I got. I only noticed it cause a few hundreds of thousands died at once. Now, this is what I call insane! Whoever is doing this is either a genius or a madman! No, actually let''s peg that individual as a genius madman. I can''t help but startughing. Ubruk is looking at me funny. Who cares, haha! I feel like the future will be extremely interesting. Chapter 353: Abundance Chapter 353: Abundance ****(POV) Screw that bitch! I hate her so much! She always acts like she''s better than us! All the damn time! The worst is that she is more powerful than me by far. Her Moon Keep is actually one of the overlords in that continent. There isn''t any official ranking either, so it''s hard to know precisely. But one thing I was told is that there are three ranks of gods: -Low-tier gods -Mid-tier gods -High-tier gods That bitch used to be extremely strong, but now she''s a low-tier god just like me. But even then I can''t challenge her at all. Even between the same ranks, there are differences in power. I''d be at the bottom and her at the peak. Not that we can fight directly in the first ce. We are in a peace period after all. Well, there are ways, but it requires both participants to wish for it. There is a duel used to settle grudges or to help one partymit suicide. Note that the second option is extremely risky. The suicidal can always decide to kill the opponent when it starts. If I had to say, my main weakness is my limited repertoire of techniques. At first, I simply wanted to stop the famine in my vige. When I left to join the temple that was my only goal. Before I knew it, one thing led to another and I became a goddess. I thought it was going to be fun and amazing. Not at all! Sure, I am somewhat immortal and all-powerfulpared to anyone in the other realms. But I can''t even ess these in the first ce! I''m also not very skilled at these games. The wars that we are pretty much forced to join. I know there are many gods that remain neutral, but all of them are powerful ones. Or simply the ones that never relied on faith power in the first ce. Thesetter ones usually don''t have anyone to care about. I really envy those guys. They can do whatever they want, whenever. No stress whatsoever! Now I have a big problem. This is actually my first war. I am what they call a Newbie Deity. Apparently, it is a term that a stronger god made popr. Sometimes I''ll hear rumors, but it feels like we live in different universes. I try to ess the White Space as much as possible in order to learn, but I only meet the weirdest and weakest people. This is such a pain. Well, recently I got lucky. Just when I was brooding there, I happened to chance upon a mysterious god. One I had never seen before. We talked a bit and I opened up to him. Told him how I wanted to protect my followers but didn''t know how. I told him about how everyone I knew seemed unreliable or were straight-up my enemies. He took pity on me. He exined that there was no power that was given for free, that if I wanted to gain something I had to give something else up. For many bing powerful took time. Of course, I knew that but that was exactly my problem! My specialty, growing produce, can strengthen one over a long period of time. This is how I became powerful myself, well that and prayers. But I do not have the time to wait for this process to happen. The more I looked for a solution the more despair I felt. That is when he offered to help. At first, I was suspicious of course. But then he said that he would teach me for a price. That I would have to help him in the future. That I wouldn''t be able to ask any question about the task either. It clearly felt like signing a deal with the devil, but I didn''t have a choice. I would rather pay a costter than sit on my ass doing nothing while watching my followers get ughtered. What he taught me reced the gradual power umtion with sacrifices in order to speed up the whole process. Somehow, he managed to create a tailor-made technique that would fit with my divinity. This is something extremely hard to manage. After all, while it is possible to learn any technique, it is hard to share those with the mortal world. The exception being if it is something rted to your source of divinity. In such a case one is allowed to share more knowledge. No one I know understands why exactly. I was very thankful, but he didn''t im the credit. He simply told me to remember our deal. I knew he had to be at least a mid-tier deity given what he had just done. The more I thought about it the more I felt I couldn''t bring him any benefice. Maybe he was simply ying the long game. Lending a helping hand now in case I ever be a mid-tier deity myself maybe. Thus I hardened my heart. I would use this evil and repulsive technique. All the while I regretted not diversifying my abilities back in the earth realm before my ascension. Now it is already toote for any of that. My divinity is settled as the Abundance goddess. Honestly, I do not care about performing well in this war. But I won''t let them down. That is why I have sent oracles to the man in charge of my sect. It did hurt my power reserves a bit, but it isn''t that bad. I did send the oracle in many parts to lighten the burden. One would think it would be more expensive but no. The shorter and clearer a message is and the more costly it is. That is why it is extremely difficult to micromanage what is happening in the earth realm. Simply getting information can be hard. It all depends on what your followers see and hear, but most importantly what leaves a big impression on them. Anyway, I make sure my followers get everything ready. Then I finally send thest piece of information. Now the rest will be up to them. They may be shocked in the beginning but they''ll understand, exactly as I did. Be safe, all of you! I truly love you guys! Chapter 354: Cheers... Chapter 354: Cheers... Today is a day of celebration! After all this wait finally, we will be safe! Ah, I was never worried about my own safety. But I do worry about my friends. Today the sect leader is receiving the oracle telling him all about the new sect defense mechanism. There is no telling how long it will take to set up, however. I''m guessing if it''s a really powerful one, then a long time. Well, it should be reliable. It is sent by a goddess herself after all. It will protect this ce against anyone that has evil intent. Not sure how that will even be possible, but as long as it is strong it''s fine. To upy myself, I bake and then nap. They''ll probably tell me when it will happen. I''m truly lucky. I have a wonderful ce to live. I have wonderful neighbors and friends. I''m still a wanted man, but so what haha. I still remember the smile Gran had when she knew we''d be safe here. It made her look a few decades younger with how radiant it was. It is moments like these that must be treasured. Thus I slowly fall asleep next to Wolfie. **** *SHAKE* What''s happening? Who? Wolfie is shaking me awake while whining, obviously panicked! This is the first time I''ve seen her like that. Something big is happening! She bolts out of the bakery, I''m right behind her. Are we getting attached? Enemies?! Everything is silent. The night is rtively warm and quiet. There is no sign of any danger. She guides me toward the central za. There, I can see all of the Abundance sect members reunited. In the dark, silently. They seem to be eating?! The atmosphere is weird. As I look at them, I can see a wide range of emotions. Some are crying, some are simply indifferent, and some have huge grins. It can''t help but scare me a bit. [What are you guys doing in the middle of the night?] The leader turns my way. His mouth is stained red from some fruit he is eating. "*Sigh* We finallypleted the array. From now on we will be safe. From now on we will prosper." His mood seems off. He doesn''t seem happy about it. The way he said it sounds ominous somehow. [Then why are you guys eating here? Celebration? Why didn''t you invite the others?] "*Sigh* We did, and they came, all of them. At first, I wanted to wake you up, but Gran insisted to let you sleep. That she''d break the news to you in the morning. They were the first ones to see it in action." Wolfie starts growling at him. What has he done?! [Where are they now?!] He doesn''t say a word. He simply points to the field. I slowly approach it, fearing what I''ll find. The visibility is especially bad. It is only when I am a few meters away that I finally realize what is happening. In the field, there are now big blood-red fruits growing. On each is a peculiar pattern. One that forms a face. Every fruit sporting a face I know all too well. There are 17 of them, the size of a human head. The remaining 3 being savored right now. I understand. I understand it all too well. These are my friends. I don''t know why, I don''t know how, and I don''t even know when. I can''t help but growl: [You, what have you done!] "*Sigh* I did what I had to do to protect us all. I followed the orders of the Goddess." [Save them! Screw that goddess!] "*Sigh* I am afraid it is far toote. Do not worry we will remember them. Their sacrifice will give us strength. We will consider them heroes, always." [Bullshit! I don''t want them to be heroes I want them alive!] What can I do to reverse this? Wait, this doesn''t make sense. How did he even manage to [How did you trick Gran? She''s great at reading people!] "*Sigh* It''s not that I tricked her. I believed every word I told her. It just happened that the goddess had other ns." This cannot be. Their goddess told them to sacrifice them, so they did. How retarded is that ending! For what purpose? To gain strength? At what cost. Them all dying would have been preferable to selling their souls. They are responsible. So is that goddess! She needs to pay! That is when the wheat seeminglyes alive. It forms tendrils that stretch, sping me in their embrace. Then I rapidly get pulled inside the earth. Wolfie tries to help without sess. Everything is dark, oppressive, I am stuck. It fits my mood. This is dumb. So dumb. I could have helped. I could havee up with a solution to defend this ce. I don''t know what, I don''t know how, but I''m sure I could have. Instead, they created this monstrosity. It wants to turn me into its nutriments. I can''t even pierce my defenses. How is it supposed to guard an entire sect? Plus it''s a damn field. People will be able to throw fire at it until it dies. It is simply a tool used to betray friends. Nothing more A useless thing that only invites disaster. They had to die for this?! This is bullshit. This is the so-called work of the abundance goddess? I was too nave. I believed she was different. I believed this ce would be our sanctuary. I am even the one that brought them all the way here. If I didn''t convince the wanderers to let us tag along If only. I wish I could go back to the past. But I know it is already toote. Far toote. This ce sucks, this realm sucks. It is all because of these gods. These tyrants have no regard for our lives. They do not deserve to rule over us. They do not deserve to be put on a pedestal and revered. They do not deserve any of it. This Abundance goddess doesn''t deserve any followers. She doesn''t deserve my pity. She should have given up rather than this. They are ying and we are the ones suffering. If that''s how it''s going to be *SNAP* I struggle, breaking countless strands of the demonic wheat. Then I reach for my pocket, in there is what I am looking for. A small jar that was given to me by the warden. One full of spice. One full of poison. [Let me make a toast! A toast to this evil goddess!] I''m not sure it will aplish much, but at least it will get rid of this field! I pump it full of divine energy before pouring it all over. [May you enjoy it to the fullest. cheers!] Chapter 355: Eating Chapter 355: Eating ****(POV) How?! Suddenly I find myself growing weaker. Something has happened to my followers! Nooooo! They were fine a second ago, what the hell happened!?! They all suddenly breathed theirst, I''m not even sure how. Just as I''m trying to figure it out, I see a dark portal appear. Thenes a man I know all too well. [You! How are you here?!] He chuckles. [Please, you didn''t really think that invading a god domain was impossible, did you? Oh little naive goddesses hahaha.] There is something wrong with his appearance. He is smiling, a smile that shows no kindness whatsoever. [What are you doing here?!] I just need to keep him talking, then I will teleport to the White Space to seek help. I just need him to be distracted and. *SLASH* He takes a knife and shes my terminal in two parts. What now? This is bad! [Little one, did you really think you could escape that easily? Did you think I was born in thest millennia or something? Hahahaha.] [What do you want?!] [I''m just here to collect. You see you just used my technique, didn''t you? Not only does it show your location, but it is an evil technique in nature you know.] [Yes, a necessary evil, what do you mean?] [Necessary? Hahahahaha. The only thing it aplished was to shake your divinity. Why would a good and generous goddess suddenly try something so stupid?!] [Y-you!] [You are so gullible, so inexperienced, so easy to trick. I simply couldn''t help myself. Nowes the fun part. Do you know what kind of god I am?] [N-no.] [I used to be the god of eating. It may sound ridiculous, but my blessing was great! It could allow anyone to enjoy anything! Except I just happened to be in the same area as that damn Gluto.] [You know Gluto?!] [Hahahaha, it is more surprising that you know him in fact. He is no lower-tier god. Short story people kept mistaking our churches in general and running from both of us. Then the few that were ready to do anything for power chose Gluto instead, leaving me with close to no followers.] [Why don''t you fight Gluto then!] [Hehe, you think I''m foolish enough to go against that monster? Anyway, after I had lost all my followers I was in a really bad ce for a little while. But then, I figured something out. I was the god of eating, I may as well just do that haha.] [W-what do you mean?] [I ate and ate and ate some more. That is also why I am here today you know. There is no better meal than a young divinity.] [Impossible! There is a peace period!] [Oh yeah, you are perfectly right. Did you know that divine contracts are extremely serious? There is a reason why gods don''t make promises lightly you know. I guess no one taught you that. Oh well. Now, my request is that you challenge me to an annihtion duel haha.] I try my best to resist, but I feel some kind of power guide me. Before long, my lips open letting out a small [I challenge you]. This is bad! [Perfect! Let us start shall we.] He simply dashes to me. Then more dark portals emerge. From each shadow mouth that locks each of my limbs into ce. Then he slowly starts biting into my flesh. Ever so slowly. Savoring it all. I regret. I regret it so much. So damn much! As I''m regretting I try to struggle but it''s no use. He is a whole rank above me, I just lost my followers and my divinity is unstable. I am finished. The end won''te soon, however. I will pay the price of my folly. A painful one. He keeps going. He has already eaten my legs and shows no sign of stopping. That is when I finally receive feedback on what happened in the earth realm. My followers sacrificed their friends. All for power. Most didn''t know. I can feel the regret, I can feel some hardening their heart and I can feel the desire for power. A sweet sensation that is corrupting them. Some are even thinking of sacrificing other sect members for more power. What have I done! Then a man appears. One that somehow evaded the sacrifice. But before long he approaches the killing formation and gets taken. If only it ended here. No, a little bitter he pours something. A deadly poison. One that can affect even gods. How he does it I have no clue. But it reaches everything I have ever worked for in seconds. It reaches the fruits too. Fruits that my followers keep devouring. Instantly they all start dying one after the other. None surviving. They had been all eating at once. Now, somehow, this poison is slowly crawling back towards me. Following my shaking divinity. That is when I realize something. I will die. From the poison. I can''t have that! I struggle and I use all my energy to self-destruct. Usually, that wouldn''t work, hence the duels. But right now I''m extremely weak and without any followers. I won''t simplye back to life after a few prayers. He sees me trying, butughs. [You think I''ll let you?] He simply elerates his devouring. That was my intention. It is soon time for hisst bite. Goodbye world. I''m sorry, all of you. I was such a fool! Sorry, and I love you all. ****(POV) She was such a dumbass haha. I can''t believe it was that easy! I didn''t even have to especially scheme, she jumped right into it! New gods are the best for that. They get jittery about the war. They freak out so much that they stop thinking. No matter who they are. There is a lot of pressure for sure. I can feel more power coursing through me. It is such a shame that I lost my followers. Simply by existing, I am losing power. But everything will be fine. I just need to keep devouring. I''m sure more gods will appear at some point too. Now, where should I *COUGH* What?!" Blood leaves my mouth. This shouldn''t be possible! What the hell?! Where is thising from?! No way! The goddess I just ateshe was poisoned. How?! This doesn''t make any sense! Quick I need to! *THUD* I can''t even walk. What did she do!? What did she?! I slowly feel myself losing consciousness. This shouldn''t be possible! I''m the god of eating, I''m. Chapter 356: Unicorn Trying Her Best Chapter 356: Unicorn Trying Her Best ****(POV) "It is I, the mighty and powerful unicorn maiden! Rejoice for I havee to end the world''s suffering and to protect the innocents!" They are all ignoring me. Right now I am on a small battlefield. I''m not too sure who is fighting but it seems to be two very small sects. Actually, the two groups could just be vigers too. It''s hard to tell since they are all weaklings. I can''t differentiate easily anything weaker than Rank 3. Maybe I need to talk louder to attract their attention? "*Shouting* It is I the mighty and-!" "We heard you the first time!" "We are busy right now!" "Go away!" If I can''t fascinate ordinary men, how am I supposed to move my master? This is hard. Why is it that none of the research I did describes this in detail? It all described the way these female protagonists were acting, but never how to achieve the same effect. When it did, it only applied to humans. I guess it is normal that the knowledge at a human town is about them. *Sigh* Still, knowing that they don''t care I figure out I should try a different approach. I silently take a weak and pitiful appearance. Apparently, that is supposed to stimte the desire to protect. I try to look as cute as possible! Still no reaction. "You guys aren''t affected by my cuteness?!" "We heard you shout a second ago! It is toote to trick us!" Ah, I see. It is a problem with the first impression. I''ll need to find another test group. I let them to their own devices. Judging by the dying screams they seem pretty busy after all. I keep going until I find another group. Valiant and cool did not work, now to retry delicate beauty! Once again two groups are fighting. It seems to be a small brawl. No blood is drawn. That is when Ie in! I ever so slowly interrupt them while shivering all over to show that I''m scared. I reveal my true appearance too. When they see me, they all stop suddenly. Looking at me with confusion. I can hear them whispering. "What the hell is that?" "A horse with a blood-red horn" "Is it a unicorn?" "What''s with the weird color?" "What''s with the weird tattoos?" "Eh, no clue. But it seems weak, right?" Alright, for now I''ll disregard the weirdments. At least they know I''m weak! Now they''ll obviously want to protect me! I''m sure of it! "You guys know what this means right?" "Of course!" "We''ll get rich!" "Don''t let it run!" "Grab it!" What?! That''s not how they are supposed to react at all! This is wrong on so many levels! "Stay away from me!" I warn them but they keep chasing me. Attacking me. This is horrible! How did I fail so much?! Ah, whatever. I simply kill a few. These guys clearly are evil and have bad intentions. They start panicking and running away after the first deaths. Valiant and vulnerable both didn''t work. I keep progressing. This time around, I find two groups that are not fighting yet. Both are on opposite sides and ring at each other. They seem about to, however. Time for my third n! I have heard that domineering female leads are popr. I''m still not too sure about the terms but that should be referring to me. I can hear both groups shouting. "Our Untainted Sect will never live in the same world as you demons!" "We the relentless sect will never live in a world with you stuck-up bastards!" "You guys are evil incarnate! Using death fights to train your disciples!" "Screw you! We are an evil sect! But you guys are even worse! Living a single second with your bullshit philosophy? I''d rather get tortured!" "We''ll torture you all right! We''ll cleanse the world of you guys!" They seem like they''ll be continuing for a while if I let them go. I need to interrupt them. I need to say something with impact. Right, from the research I have done I need to sound confident, dere my sect and be concise. Showtime! "All of you pitiful creatures bow down before me! This unicorn is part of The Unnamed God Sect! We are the number one sect in the world! Don''t thank me! Letting you guys witness my amazing self is an incredible opportunity!" That should do the trick. Now they''ll be bowing in submission. Then I''ll know that my charm has gone up for sure. Wait, no! There is something wrong! Why are they getting their weapons out?! Now they are all charging at me. Are they perhaps retarded? Did they mistake my meaning? *Sigh* This is so troublesome. Guess I''ll just have to do something about it. Time to sing and kill. I begin the song he taught me. That beautiful war song about crushing enemies. Then I charge. At first, they try to regroup and use their numbers to their advantage, but they get overwhelmed easily. I simply rush through all of them. No matter how they try to defend they either get crushed under my hooves or impaled on my horn. This is actually kinda fun, but it means I''m not progressing with my quest. Who knew it was going to be so hard? This is but a side-quest actually. I am looking for a way to transform foremost. I''m pretty sure no human knows the answer. This is making this more troublesome. As the casualties pile up, they finally decide to flee. Once again, I don''t even bother chasing. Now, what should I do? Ah, I know! I''ll try to find more libraries! They will possibly have the knowledge I am looking for! Finding a few shouldn''t be hard, right? **** Nearby, the two groups have managed to meet up again. Surprisingly they are not shing against each other. No, they have decided that their petty rivalry was not worth dying over. There is a bigger evil to take care of. One that has just decimated most of their elite troops. One that has weakened them in the war toe by using a surprise attack. Time to hunt down this Unnamed God Sect, wherever or whatever it is! Chapter 357: This World Sucks Chapter 357: This World Sucks I drag myself out of the earth. The field is dead. They are all dead. This was pointless. Completely senseless. I start walking. I just want to get out of here. There isn''t anyone to bury either. All remains are gone. This is bullshit. This world is crazy. This world is dark. *Puzzled whine.* [I don''t know Wolfie. I don''t know. Let''s just walk.] What should I have done differently? I shouldn''t have trusted them. No one should be trusted here. I''d want to say I have my sect, but it is as fake as I am. I do not fit here. That goddess should have sent me back home. I wanna go home. I don''t even know where that is. Do I even have one? Who knows. I should tell everyone I know to stay away from me. I bring disaster. For all I know, people at the Moon Keep are mad at Luna and the warden for helping me. The first elder abandoned me. I brought Zero on the wrong path. He''s not training in a disaster zone. This is no ce for kids. I almost killed us all on the road. Little Bai went into aa because of me. I couldn''t even protect a single bakery and I got chased across town for no reason. I met these kind people and they are gone. I still have Wolfie, but what if something happens to her? She''s smart. She''d probably understand. But I am selfish. A few times I nce at her about to say something. In the end, I cannot muster the courage. It may bite me in the asster, but I don''t want her to leave me too. Haha, I must have the most pitiful appearance right now. My clothes are gone, again. I''m full of soil. I don''t have anything to my name. Ah, weird. I actually still have the ne the Bald Eagle gave me. I was sure I had lost it? I guess he too is on my side. Sometimes I wonder how it would have all went if I had talent. Would my path have changed in the god realm? At the Moon Keep? I don''t know. I''m in a perpetual cycle of self-me, despair, and self-questioning. I realize how trashy I am. Over and over. I feel like I''ve been walking for a while now. Whatever. Wolfie is trying to wake me from my thoughts. It''s nice that she''s trying to help, but I just don''t have the strength. "You! Who are you! How did you manage to pass through the barrier?!" What? Ah, there is an old man. "Speak! Are you mute?!" Seems I''m in some kind of vige. Oh well, I''ve been walking aimlessly. I''m just surprised I didn''t encounter one before. [I''m just passing through, don''t mind me.] "Just passingYou! Your very presence shows that there is something very wrong!" [*Sigh* Yes, there are many things wrong. This world, me, the gods, the sects, lots of things.] "I''m talking about a real danger here!" [I see.] "Show me where you came from!" [I see.] "Are you listening you bastard!?" [I see.] "Hey answer me!" *Shake* Why is she shaking me now? [Ah, whatever. I guess Wolfie can guide us.] "The wolf?" He seems suspicious. She''s a smart girl. The absolute smartest. She shows the way somehow dragging me at the same time. Before long we arrive in front of a weird barrier. It is a deep blue and seems intangible. It actually forms a big dome englobing us all. Except that in a spot there is a big gash. The barrier is fragmented there. It also seems to be deteriorating. Slowly but surely. "This is the end. The end of this continent. We are doomed! Quick we need to" He keeps going on but honestly, I don''t care. At all. He seems to be saying something to me. I don''t even register what it is. [I don''t know. I''m so very tired. I just want to crash and never wake up.] *Whimper* [Ah, I just want to sleep forever then. Resting with you. Is that better?] She nods. "*Sigh* Follow me. I''ll get you a ce to stay for the night." Not that I understood. I was just about to lie down right here but I''ll follow, if only for Wolfie''s sake. Cause honestly I couldn''t care less. He brings us to a small house. There are people looking at us but I ignore them. I don''t care about any of them. An olddy wees us. When she sees me, she screams. Then she repeats over and over that life is precious. That one shouldn''t end it so easily. Something about recognizing the look in my eyes. I know it is! She should tell that to the goddamn gods! Life IS precious fucking bastards! Ah, whatever. She brings us to a small storage room, handing us a nket. I''m done for now. I just want to sleep. To forget it all. But I keep seeing it. Their face. The fruits. The grins of these devils. They were eating my friends back then. Some wereughing. Some didn''t care. My fucking friends! These monsters died too easy a death. I just want it to stop! I just want my memory of this to be over! I don''t want to deal with it! That''s when I feel something warm. Wolfie cuddling with me. Everything will be okay. Not now but someday. I''ll deal with itter. Thus I fall into a deep slumber. ****(POV) He mes himself but he couldn''t have known. Even my divination failed to pick it up. The will of the gods cannot be peered into after all. This tragedy could have been avoided if we knew the goddess better. She was supposed to be kind. She was a monster in disguise. What are we to do against the gods themselves?! This reminds me of the Greenwood Lord. He used to be nave, simr to my current master. But then he was betrayed. Just like our current situation. Then he changed. I knew he never was the same then. I won''t have my king be the same shell of himself. No matter what! I will be with him, always! Whoever tries to separate us shall be annihted. Tomorrow I''ll try to get him to slowly explore this ce. I''ll try to cheer him up. This vige is not ordinary at all. After all the barrier he broke while absent-minded is one too strong for even the current me. What are its secrets? Chapter 358: Positive Thinking Chapter 358: Positive Thinking I have a long dream. One in which I am suddenly about to be catapulted into a new world. I see my own birth. For some reason, the woman that is clearly my mother is glowing. But that new world is cold, loud, and missing her warmth. So I w my way right back in. It takes a while but finally, a nurse convinces me toe out. She''s wearing one of those sexy nurse''s cosy. I''m notining about that. But as I slide outside there is no one to catch me. There is a Lunar Goddess insulting me while I''m just falling. Finally, Ind in something rtively soft. How lucky, it managed to break my fall! But then the odor enters my nose. A putrid odor, one of dposition, one of death. The soft surface I am lying on is skin and flesh. I can see faces, familiar faces. Everyone that I''ve always loved. All are there. Then some blood starts overflowing from the body pile. It quickly forms a pool. I''m trying my best to escape, but it submerges me. It enters my mouth. I can taste the iron and I start retching. That is when I see a man in ck. One that is chuckling madly. Saying something about tricking a dumb goddess. But then he falls over. He starts foaming at the mouth. Looking straight at me. For some reason, I feel like he is real. He is looking straight into my eyes. Then he starts begging. [Please, please " "Help...] "The poison is" I''m not sure why, it is a ridiculous idea, but I have the feeling he is the one that killed my friends. I simply watch while he''s agonizing. Until he is finally about to breathe hisst. I look him dead in the eyes, smiling slightly. My previous disgust and fear are gone. I am just enjoying the moment. Then it all disappears at once. What a peculiar dream *Sigh*. I can hear someone talking. "Come here, little Wolf! Just let him sleep, I''ll feed you something good!" What''s that? Someone that wants to feed Wolfie? She must be hungry, we have been walking for a while. Wait! Someone wants to bring her away! I open my eyes and flip upright! [No one is taking Wolfie away!] I adopt a fighting stance. Whoever tries to hurt her I''ll destroy. No matter who! No matter their numbers! No matter how powerful they are! I look all around. A middle-aged woman with an old cooking apron. She seems speechless. "I''m just trying to give the wolf some food. You''ve been sleeping for a week. Honestly, I''m not sure how you are even so energetic!" A small storage room, canned food, diverse tools. There doesn''t seem to be any danger for now. I feel like as long as Wolfie remains by my side it should be fine. I can heal and cure poison as long as I get there in time. [Where is this?] "Hehe, wee to the Vige of the End." What''s with the ominous name? Is it full of necromancers or something? [What''s with the name?] "Oh, nothing much just an old name." Rightas if it could be that simple. Ah, whatever. I don''t care. They can go about their business and I''ll take care of mine. "Now, how about breakfast? We are pretty poor, but we at least have that." She guides me to a table in the living room. She gestures me to sit and has Wolfie eating farther away on the ground. At least that''s the n, I pick her up and settle her on myp while sitting. My host gives us a weird nce at first but doesn''t protest. Then she brings some soup, carrot soup. One that does look delicious. "Eat up while it''s still hot!" [Thanks. Ah, just to make sure this won''t affect your own food supply, right?] "Don''t worry haha. We are missing a lot of things, but not carrots." She doesn''t seem to be lying. Not that I''m a good judge of that anyway. I simply wait for Wolfie to eat her fill, watching on the sidelines. "Kid, it''s noble to want to take care of your wolf but you should eat in priority. Otherwise, you''ll fall." [Thanks,dy. But that''s where you are wrong. I won''t fall. No matter what. Not before her at least.] Meanwhile, I''m just petting her fur. Soft,fortable, but mostly soul healing. "Kid, you''ve been through a lot recently, haven''t you? I can tell." [I''m fine I just] I feel tears trickling down my face. Enough to blur my vision. Tears that I can''t stop no matter what. I can taste the saltiness. I must look so damn ridiculous right now. I''m just "You''ve lost people you loved, didn''t you? I know how it feels. This vige was founded through the sacrifice of our loved ones. That''s how it got its name. They fought to protect it and finally seeded. They said that even with the end of the world they would make sure it remained, for it was their vige." Why are such stories somon in this ce? Why can''t everyone simply be happy? "But what''s important is not who we lost but who remains. You still have your wolf at the very least." She seems to show a pitying gaze. She can''t understand how awesome Wolfie is. She is not just a Wolf. But she''s right. "Alright, enough crying. Do you want to visit this ce? Some sun and a walk always help in my experience." Wolfie seems to be encouraging me. [Alright.] "Perfect! Follow me!" Before long we are done touring the vige. There are about 50 residents, a lot of small houses, many carrot fields. [What''s with all the carrots?] "Haha, these are special ones that grow especially fast in the area. Each is also especially nutritive. It is what feeds us all year long. Honestly, it is a true blessing that we have such a chance." I can agree with that. Funny how they have no problem eating whatsoever without relying on bullshit like the abundance goddess. I really hope my stunt with the poison will have weakened her at least a bit. I''m pretty sure it did. I don''t know if she has followers anywhere else, but she did lose many at once. Still, while carrots are interesting there is something I am curious about. [What''s with the big blue dome?] Chapter 359: Abyss Devourers Chapter 359: Abyss Devourers [What''s with the big blue dome?] "*Sigh* This is what is protecting our vige from a very bad thing." [It''s crackedthat''s bad, right?] "Yes, but don''t worry about it. We''ll somehow deal with it." She is slightly smiling, trying to reassure me. [If it is an issue, I could perhaps do something about it?] They did help me after all. I''m not gonna trust them just yet but if it''s something easy I can lend a hand. "Don''t worry boy. We''ll manage, you just recover and find inner peace." Sure whatever. I and Wolfie simply stroll around all day long. That is when I notice something strange. There are no children at all. None! Only old people or middle-aged men. I could try my best to slowly investigate it. There is bound to be a hidden secret. But nope, I simply go back to thatdy''s ce. "Wee back, how was your walk?" She''s smiling. [Hey, why are there no children?] "*Sigh* they all left a while back. They went somewhere far away for their own safety. We are the only ones left." Wait a damn minute! I know this trope! I know it too damn well! [Saydy, are you a ghost?!] It would fit the name. Maybe this vige doesn''t exist anymore. Maybe this is a mirage. I should be immune to illusion magic, but I guess ghosts are different. "HAHAHAHAHAHA, you sure have a vivid imagination. Or are you perhaps cursing me? Do I look like a ghost?! I''m old, but I''m not that old!" [Sorry, it''s just ] "I understand don''t worry. We have our circumstances. Nothing you should worry about." The more she tells me not to worry, the more sketchy it seems. When everything is fine you can usually exin it right away. Well, whatever it doesn''t concern me. A few weeks pass peacefully. We walk around the vige, we eat carrots, and we sleep. That''s it. Nothing else. Honestly, that''s just what I needed. The quiet helps. A lot. But staying inside the vige is starting to bore me. We leave. As wee across the barrier it is clearly deteriorating. A whole portion of it is missing now. They still haven''t fixed it Whatever. I just keep walking across it. *Whimper* [What''s up Wolfie?] For some reason, she stopped at the barrier. [Youing?] She seems to be struggling to pass through without sess. What the hell?! [Are you feeling fine?!] She nods. That''s a relief. But this is weird. Time to go back to my host. She seems to be cooking, some more carrot soup. "Hey there, are you hungry?" [I have a problem, for some reason Wolfie isn''t able to leave the vige. Any idea why this is happening?] "*Sigh* Sorry for not telling you earlier. No one can leave this ce once they have entered. Actually, you weren''t supposed to be able to enter. Something happened to the barrier, somehow. So now you are stuck here with us. Forever." [Nope, I can leave just fine. The problem is with Wolfie.] "I''m telling you it''s impossible to leave." [I''m telling you I can!] "Fine let''s go there together." She seems confident. As if she''s 100% sure of the result. We go to the edge of the vige. Then I simply walk through the barrier. [See? Not hard, right?] "Y-you! How are you able to go outside?!" [I just walked] She rushes forward only to collide with an invisible barrier and falling to the ground. Then she goes back up as if nothing ever happened. Then she keeps looking at me as if I''m some kind of treasure. [You okay?] "I''m more than okay! We may not all die after all! This is amazing!" [If you thought we were all going to die why the hell didn''t you tell me?!] "Didn''t want to worry you" Oh my fucking god! Is she for real?! I just want to scold her but she''s already rushing back to the vige. Before long shees back disheveled with literally every single viger there is. No matter how old they are, all are running toward me. Then they collide with the barrier one after the other. [What are you guys doing?] "Testing the barrier. How are you the only one able to pass?!" Wolfie is harboring the smuggest expression that trantes to: isn''t my master amazing! Bow down to how epic he is. That is what you get for underestimating him! At least it seems to be something along the lines. Then they all get super excited and start talking over each other. The only thing I manage to understand is how much of a miracle me being here is. [All of you shut up! *Quiet* Perfect! Now, one of you, exin what is going on.] "It''s like this. This vige is connected to a sub-realm that" [What''s a sub-realm?] "The earth realm is a true realm. It is big, stable, and filled with all kinds of elements. A sub-realm is a smaller realm that is smaller and has peculiarws. Sometimes it can be" [Oh, right! Like that time I went through a portal and arrived at a death domain! Alright keep going.] "What?! You went into a death domain and managed toe back?! How?! Wait, no! Anyway, this ce is connected to a sub-realm. One inhabited by Abyss Devourers, a great evil that consumes all on its way." [What rank are they?] "It is hard to ssify them using a rank. Strength wise they aren''t that strong, but they have a frightening ability. They can devour ambient mana." [So pretty much the earth realm is an all-you-can-eat buffet for them? Also if they eat all the mana then the only way to kill them is with physical might, right?] "Exactly! The problem is they are near-infinite. This means that physical might is bound to fail at some point, no matter how strong one is. Now, this is why we have the barrier. As long as it is intact, they cannot invade." [So now there is a mana-hungry army heading our way?] "Exactly!" [So we are screwed?] "Well, yes. But we have one option remaining. You''ll have to travel far and get us an item to repair the barrier." [Oh? Where should I go?] "Have you ever heard of the dwarves?" Chapter 360: Acidic Fun Times Chapter 360: Acidic Fun Times "Have you ever heard of the dwarves?" [I mean who hasn''t? Small, know cksmithing, long beard!] "Eh, no they don''t all have long beards. Some have no beard at all. Also small, don''t underestimate them. They can easily bash anyone''s head in should they get insulted." Dwarves without a beard! Heresy! If this was a novel, readers would be dropping right here! [So where do I need to go exactly? Also, I''m not going anywhere without Wolfie!] "That, it won''t be possible she''s stuck here with us." [Don''t care. I''m not going!] "We would all die! Quite possibly this continent whole too!" [Not if I protect her] Then I see Wolfie encouraging me to go. She seems convinced that everything will be fine. [FineBut I swear! If you cause her any sort of trouble, I will wipe this vige off the earth realm! Am I clear enough?!] "T-that, sure. Alright, someone, get the artifact!" Before long a viger brings me a small goldenis that a gear? You know what really grinds my gear? When someone gives me something, expecting me to know what this is. [Sowhat am I supposed to do with this thing?] "It will show you the way to the city in the mountain." [How? Also, that sounds like a really bad name. Would here be Vige on the Land?] "Easy! You just send some mana in it, and it activates!" [Yeaheasy for you to say. Do I look like someone that can use mana?!] "Ah?! That''s probably why you aren''t affected by the curse here! That must be it! It all makes sense now!" [So what now?] There is a nod exchange, another viger bolts away andes back with a small mana core, handing it over. "This is a mana core from a rank 4 monster. I should be enough tost you all the way there. Simply hold it against the artifact to power it and everything should be fine!" Just gotta press it there andwow shiny! Glowing a bit too! A rich and awesome golden light. "Stop fooling around! You''ll waste the mana in it!" [Eh, fine. So what am I supposed to be getting and how do Ie back afterward?] "Just mention that you areing from the Vige of the End, and they''ll know perfectly. They''ll even be able to send a guide to help youe back. They used to be old friends of ours." [Used to? What if they don''t remember? What if they are all dead? Normally I wouldn''t care one bit, but if Wolfie stays here I need a better way toe back!] That is when they draw me a map. One that I have trouble reading but I should still be able to get someone somewhere to do it for me. That is when Wolfie gets a ne! Out of nowhere, as usual. [A gift?] She nods. It looks like a wolf fang. I check her mouth, but she seems fine. I won''t question it, she''s always been special. [I''ll treasure it! Alright, I''m off! I''ll be back for sure! With that thing to save this ce!] I leave jogging. The faster I get there the faster I cane back. It is weird how I have no recollection whatsoever of how I got here in the first ce. My head wasn''t in the right ce. Now I can fully notice the surroundings. It''s all boring as hell. Anyway, I just focus on running. I''ll get there soon for sure. ****(POV) "Are you ready to die, old man?" Hehe, in front of me is a rank 3 swordsman. Usually, these guys would be at the top of the food chain. After all, they are one rank away from the strongest people on this continent. With the current turmoil, things are getting shaken a bit. For instance, in normal circumstances, I would simply be in retreat meditating. Or even having fun with a few dozen mistresses in one of my vis or simply scouting for my next acquisition target. Nothing beats the simplicity of melting the current owner and having the servant deal with the aftermath thus making them aplices. From time to time there will be a courageous and loyal one. Perfect to make an example. I personally love a bit of resistance. Especially from maidens. Sometimes they will be overreacting with stuff like: You killed my father and my husband you monster! Or even: You just killed my whole family! Ridiculous stuff really. I''m actually very fair. I mostly give a warning allowing them to vacate the premises before I have my fun. After all, melted human goo stains the carpets. It''s not because you are in an evil sect that you can''t have a sense of esthetics. "You are seeing your life sh before your eyes, am I right?" He''s taunting me haha. How cute. Shall I y along? "Of course! I can see how I killed my mother and father that were dumbasses. I can see how I destroyed the vige that wanted to sell me as a ve. I can see how I joined a really fun sect called Acidic Fun Times. I can see how I became its sect leader. I can also see all the fun times I''ve had up to this point." He''s clearly panicking now. Sweating heavily, he even has trouble keeping a tight grasp on his sword haha. "Y-you! You''re bluffing! There''s no way he''d be here!!!" "Oh? Don''t you realize what times we are living in? I was away from the sect on vacation you see. You should know what kind of vacation I''m talking about, right?!" "S-stay away! Y-you monster!" "Hahaha, how cute! What happened to me dying? You know I was just going to go back home peacefully but you just had to interrupt me, eh?" "I-I''m sorry! Please forgive me!" Then he starts running. Does he think this will do anything at all? I create a huge ball of acid right above my hand. Now time for the fun part! *THROW! * *DASH* What the hell?! Before it can reach the target, a manes running out of nowhere. Then the projectile envelops the idiotpletely. Whatever, I just lost a second. Now to target that one initial target and [Nooooo!!!! My map!!!!] What?! How?! The man is still alive! Not only that, but he has no injury whatsoever! I''m a rank 4 Acid Great Mage! How?! This is impossible! Who the hell is he?! Chapter 361: Alliance Chapter 361: Alliance I''m just running minding my business. That''s when something collides with me out of nowhere! What the hell is that?! Wait, no!!!! [Noooo!!!! My map!!!!] The map is gone, my clothes are gone. Ah, both nes are still there at least! What about the gear? It''s fine too! The mana core is destroyed, however! Fuck! What am I supposed to do now? Also, what was that? The ground affected is all melted. This is insane! Acid?! There is some old guy there. Looks really in shape. Dark hair and eyes. He''s looking at me baffled. [You! Why did you do that?!] "I-it was a mistake, how are you fine anyway?!" [You think saying it was a mistake will cut it?!] I dash toward him, and I start beating him up! *SLAP* *PUNCH* It seems that he is questioning life right now. But I''m the victim! [You destroyed my map you asshole! My mana core too! How are you going to take responsibility for that?! Eh!] "P-please stop I!" He looks extremely aggrieved. *PUNCH* *SLAP* [Talk! Why did you attack me?!] "Please stop! I swear I wasn''t aiming at you! Someone tried to kill me and I was just defending myself!" I look around but there is no one else to be seen. [You liar!] *Sounds of a solid beating* "I swear! He just ran while you were attacking me! He''s the one I threw acid at!" [That sounds like you were the attacker, you bastard! Give me a reason why I shouldn''t kill you! I lost the map to go back home! I lost my way to feed mana to my artifact too!] "Wait! I can help! I''m a mage! I have mana!" I put him down. Then I hand him the golden gear. [Drive mana in that!] Before long it starts glowing. "Now what?" [Now we run in the direction it points. No cking!] He nods and starts jogging. After a few hours, he''s already about to fall. "Please! Have mercy! No more!" [How are you so weak?! Can''t you use magic to boost your speed?!] "No! *Huff* I''m an acid mage! *Huff* We are better at attack magic than anything." [Talk about useless. Your magic is only good to destroy items too. How weak!] "No! You''re the one that''s insane! I''m strong! I swear! I''m the leader of a very powerful sect!" [Sure you are, and I''m a god. Try a better lie. Now focus on the mana, let''s go.] I simply grab him and run. "Wait no! My body is dangerous to handle and" Then he stops talking suddenly. He probably has realized that I wasn''t going to believe his bullshit. We keep going. From time to time we encounter viges. There is usually a kid going: Mommy, why is that naked man carrying an old man in a princess carry! Then the mom usually starts screaming that we are deviants, shameless, and should be killed. It is at that moment that mypanion proposes to throw acid balls at them. I simply p the shit out of him. Why the hell would I want balls that removes clothing thrown at random vigers?! It should be used against sexy female enemies to bring them shame! Best if the target is a demon lord for self-justification. Duh! Now I could have easily told him to give me his clothes but that''d be even worse. I could have also stolen one setand I did. Turns out he was serious about his body being acidic somehow. Just holding him is enough to melt clothes. [How are your clothes even fine?!] "Ah, it''s a long story" [Are you saying you have something better to do? Inserting mana in that thing isn''t that hard, right?] "True. You see I joined a sect. One that''s called Acidic Fun Times. Ever heard of it?" [Nope. It sounds like a small fun group.] "Small. fun. groupeh, sure. Anyway, we all worship Akresh the Melter. You''ve at least heard of him, right?!" [Nope, doesn''t ring a bell. Anyway, this Akresh dude, what''s he like?] "*Choke* A-akresh dude?! Eh, his slogan is if it''s tooplicated just melt it away." [I see, what''s his stance about the other sects?] "Uh, people that get in our way should be annihted and others should be ignored." [What about allies?] "We pretty much don''t have any." [Howe?] "Because our abilities make us literally corrosive. The stronger we are the more corrosive we be." [Gotcha, so you are like what? Rank 2? Yeah, probably since you can just melt paper and clothes.] "That." [Oh, I''m not looking down on you. Don''t worry.] "S-sure" At first, I was really pissed at the guy, but he''s not that bad. Well, he gotta get rid of that tendency to want to try tounch acid balls at people for every little thing. Especially when the target is an olddy insulting us! Like sure, he''s old. He doesn''t mind removing all the clothes of an olddy. But I care! I don''t want to see any saggy tits just hanging so low it touches the ground! Oh well, I can''t really me him for that. It seems to be their teachings that are problematic. [Promise me something. In the future stop trying to use acid to solve every problem, alright?] "Alright!" [Good, one should abide by a code of conduct. It is what makes us humans and not beasts you know.] He nods listening seemingly confused. "But I can still use strong acid against the worst enemies, right?" [No! Against the really despicable ones you should never use strong acid!] "W-why?" [If they are truly the hypothetical worst, then you gotta make them pay. Strong acid would be too lenient. No, you restrain them and then you use medium potency acid. One that burns the skin and the flesh but only at surface level. Then you let them enough time to recover, making sure their lives are never truly at risk. Then you] He''s trembling in my arms. "Y-you! What kind of evil sect does never mind! I mean what kind of amazing sect are you in?" [Me? The Unnamed God Sect, we are pretty friendly haha.] "D-do you often torture people?" [Never did haha.] He rxes. [Ah, except if you count inducing an orgy at an Untainted Sect branch and making them lose their power. Ah, there was also that dick-less asshole guy I gave tons of aphrodisiac, not sure what happened to him] "How about we sign an alliance! Acidic Fun Times won''t ever attack your sect!" [*Scoff* As if you could make that kind of decision.] "I can, I totally can! Iknow the sect master!" [Is he your dad or something?] "Something like that!" [Eh, sure whatever. Now keep pouring mana in there. It''s not glowing anymore.] "Yes, Boss!" What''s with that guy? Anyway, hopefully, we''ll arrive soon. Chapter 362: Where is the Entrance? Chapter 362: Where is the Entrance? [Are you sure we are at the right ce?] "Yes! Look the light is pointing right here!" After a long time, we finally encounter a big mountain. Apparently, this ce is called Mount Eregor. I have no idea how mypanion even knows that. This ce is pretty much abandoned. There used to be viges here but due to extreme poverty they all left. There is ack of prey and farming is extremely hard in this ce. Also, merchants don''te much either. So pretty much this ce is a big rocky area that no one cares about. Fits what I know about the dwarves. They are pretty elusive. I still remember the excitement that a single dwarven sword brought people. [Now what?] "*Sigh* It''s probably underground. Want me to dig with acid?" I''m sure it would be very effective. Still, there is one thing that scares me. What if there are people below us? That''s a good way tomit multiple homicides at once. We are actually here to ask for help so we should at least respect their property. All to face that new threat. [I''ll take care of it!] I simply buff myself then I start stomping hard. It takes me a very long time, but I am digging through the rock-hard surface. The issue is that my feet are small. All until *CRUMBLE* The rock gives out underneath us. *FALL* "We''re going to die!" [How are you so scared for an old man?! Did you never live?!] *THUD* I reach the ground with the old dude falling right on top me of me. [Dude! Your crotch is right above my face! This isn''t a damn loveedy! Get off!] "My bad, my bad." [Ah whatever, I''ll forgive you this one. But next time I''m kicking you!] He protects his balls instinctively, then rxes awkwardly. [Where are we anyway?] *GLOW* Suddenly out of his palm is created a little ball of light. It is almost transparent. [What is that?] "Null magic, basically just emitting mana without an element." [Right, what kind of element is even acid? Water? Darkness?] "Yeah, pretty much just darkness weirdly enough. I''ll increase the luminosity. Oh my god!" Around aretons of statues. It has clearly been a long time since anyone hase here. There is dust everywhere. Mypanion approaches one and throws acid at it. [What are you doing? These things might be very valuable!] "Don''t worry, just cleaning." Justoh! Wow! The statue in front of us is now pristine! I wonder if his guild takes up cleaning jobs too. This guy has boundless prospects! It is interesting to see the unconventional things people can aplish. For instance, Nomzi was able to use his power to heal people. In a simr way, poisons can be used for cooking. There isn''t only one answer to everything in this world, I like that. [Anyway, what now?] These things seem to be many dwarven statues. Each doing some sort of activity while holding an object. There is fishing, forging, trading, drinking, cookingand that''s just a few I notice. For some statues, it''s not very clear what is happening. "Come see this!" In the middle of the room, there is a big circle engraved on the ground. Every other meter, there is a socket seemingly to fit a statue in. I''ve yed enough puzzles in video games to know about that. [We just gotta figure out where each statue goes.] "Oh! So it''s a test! I''ll follow your lead!" [If you follow me then who am I supposed to follow?!] "Well...what do you know about the people you are looking for?" [They are dwarves.] "What else?" [That''s it!] ". Do we just try everybination possible?" [That would take too long. We can try a few things, however. Anything that all these statues have inmon?] We inspect everything. Well, besides the species there is nothing thates to mind. "Seems we are stuck." [Damnit why did they have to build that City in the Mountain that hidden? What about visitors!] "Wait! Did you say City in the?" [Yep, what''s up?] "Well, there is a fable about that. It''s kinda long however so" [Just keep going. *Cough, It''s mass release anyway tomorrow, Cough*] "What?" [Just coughing.] "The City in the Mountain is a renowned one. Legends say a long time ago dwarves used to walk the surface. They were friendly with everyone and appreciated by all for their trade. They were master cksmiths. Their customers would find a master dwarf and patiently wait as long as it took until they could leave with their own customized weapon." [What did that do?] "You know how every individual has different characteristics? Well, these masters could design specific weapons that would allow one to effectively use 100% of their strength. It was said that the first step was to train one''s power, the second train one''s techniques, and the final one to hug the thigh of a dwarf." [That should be funny as Hell given that they are small.] "But that didn''tst long. The humans tried to profit off the dwarves. They tried to force them to work faster. They tried to profit off their backs too. They tried getting advantages based on how numerous they were. The argument was that dwarves would have no choice but to agree to their conditions." [Human greed as usual I see.] "Precisely. Well, at first all the dwarves did was a retreat in their mountain. Thus the trade of dwarven items stopped suddenly. This caused countless economical problems. Everyone that didn''t have their own weapon was enraged too. Thus the humans marched toward the mountain." [Let me guess the humans got royally destroyed?] "Indeed. They sieged the mountain. They were sure to have the upper hand, but they were wrong. The dwarves were ready for them. They had received an oracle from their god, Forgar. The one that breathed fire into the forge." [Except that this time he used the fire on their assants?] "Exactly, they had set up a formation as a trap. Every enemy burned to cinders. That is when the dwarves simply retreated once more in their underground domain. The humans have since then been searching for dwarven steel, without much sess most of the time. At least, not a new one." [Why didn''t you simply start talking about that at first?] "Well, it''s just a legend after all." [Alright, what was the point of that story again?] "Well, we probably need to find statues rted to either forging or mesI think." [Worth a shot! Time to get to work!] Chapter 363: Puzzle Chapter 363: Puzzle How does one find statues rted to fire and forging? You open your eyes and search carefully, right? Well, right now we have a problem. None of us know a single thing about forging! Let''s just say that if given the chance to create a weapon our respective approach would be something like: -Old man uses acid on the metal block! It''s super effective! With great control, only the extra material turns into a ck puddle on the ground! Wow! -MC said fuck that shit. MC picked up the metal block directly and is now beating people with it! So yeah, if we im to be the second-worst references on the topic no one would dare imst ce! Of that I am confident! [Say, old man, what is that?] "Well, it looks like an anvil." [But I swear that dwarf has a pearl in his hand!] "Eh, maybe. Could it be some metal sphere instead?" [What about that one? He''s near a forge, right? Somehow it looks really simr to an oven. I swear I could make some pies in that statue one with a fire source! It''s even hollow!] "What about this one? It looks like a weird fish." [Yes, but it''s swimming in what appears to be magma! Look at that dwarf statue just watching with a smile!] Before long we are overwhelmed. We try a ton and a ton ofbinations, but it never works. What now? "Wait! Is that!" [?!?] "Look there! See how this dwarf''s clothing is carved?" [What about it? It looks pretty bad, to be honest. No fashion sense.] "See right there! A little fire emblem! We are looking for something rted to Forgar!" [Oh! So that would be his trademark?!] "Something like that!" [Alright gotta try this!] After a long time, we have found every statue with a small symbol. Then we bring them one after the other to the circle in the middle. Actually, I''m mostly the one that does it. Mypanion is really weak. He says excuses about being a mage. Now both of us are just watching all the statues positioned around. [Now what?] "Ah, this is a pain. Maybe we need to move them?" [Quite possibly. Maybe we need to ce them in order ording to the forging process!] "For sure!" Then we get to work! Joke, we have no clue how to forge. Like melt the thing, hammer it, cool it. That is the extent of my knowledge. But right now there are many statues for each of these steps. Oh, and also some obscures ones that none of us can figure out. [Welp, time for the best strategy of all time!] "You know how to do it?" [Yep, watch!] I grab a rock from somewhere. Then I draw an arrow on it. [Perfect!] I throw it in the air. Then it falls back down and hits the ground. "That''s it?" He seems perplexed. One shouldn''t underestimate this technique! I once passed an exam all thanks to it! I think. [See that statue? That''s the one the magical wise rock is telling us is the first to] "That''s one with the finished product." [Yes, I meant thest one. It will be the same.] We move it. Now, again! A few tries repetitionster it fails us. [Welp, was worth a try. Wanna try to throw it? Maybe you have better luck than me?] "Me? Luck? Earlier you came out of nowhere to enter my spell, then you beat me up. I''m pretty sure my luck is at an all-time low." [Fair enough. Anyway, just keep trying randomly. We know nothing anyway about this.] He nods. Then we try some more stuff. "Say, how about we use more acid. You know really fill up this ce with acid. Very potent one. I do not believe that any hidden entrance will remain hidden for long." [I like your drive but we aren''t trying to invade them. We are on a mission of peace. Kinda.] "What''s with the kinda?" [Oh, I just need an item from them. To prevent something called an Abyss Devourer from entering the continent or something.] "W-what?! Did you say an abyss devourer?! One or an army?! These things are never alone!" [Oh yeah, a legion of them.] "How are you so damn calm! This is extinction level! I''d rather have the whole continent sink than deal with these monsters! Fuck resting! I''ll try every single option even if it kills me!" Then he energetically gets to work. Seems these creatures are a big deal, for him to panic so much. I guess they caused a lot of destruction in the past. He''s working so fast that it would seem like this puzzle is thest thing standing between him and the most beautiful wife. Sadly there is no way that "I got it!!!" *GRIND* How?! The moment I stop trying he somehow magically gets it right?! Perhaps it''s the fear of death that sent his brain into overdrive. Then for a second, he was a genius or something I don''t know. [Good job!] Then in the middle slowly raises a tform. Then an opening appears. There is a small passage there that leads downward. [Nice!] "I''ll watch our back." Not that I mind. I''m hard to kill. I enter and start walking. But a few minutester I stop. "What''s happening in front?" In front of me is a small sign. One that takes me a while to read, cause I''m pretty much a beginner. [Hahahahaha.] "Is there something wrong?" [Juste here, there is no danger.] When he sees the sign he has the same reaction as me: disbelief then annoyance. "Now what?" [Wellwe tried the polite approach. Since that didn''t work we won''t have any other choice.] "So, acid?" [For now how about we just bash our way through? It won''t be toote to use acid if it takes too long.] *Nod* [Right, when we get there do remind me of something.] "What?" [Well, that sign was really cheeky. Remind me to get our objective before beating anyone up.] "Alright, will do!" Now, where should we dig? How about right there? Yep, that will do! Dwarves, here wee!! Chapter 364: Assassination! Chapter 364: Assassination! ****(POV) "Sir, is the bath at the right temperature? Sir, do you have enough beers in there? Sir, do you want me to wash your back? Sir, do you need me to-" "Shut the fuck up!!! Let me have a goddamn moment of peace and quiet! Now leave!" Finally! I swear every one of them is on edge nowadays! Well, it''s not often that we have to choose a champion amongst us. It is bound to make a few stressed. Still, this is something that will be the culmination of all our lives'' work. There is no way freaking out will help even a tiny bit. I am sure my opponents are doing the very same as me. Well, not necessarily taking baths. But we all have our own way to cope with the stress. Knowing the others, one is probably training right at the moment. As for the other, he''s probably doing a long speech about how his n will prevail and all. Meanwhile, I''m just huddling alone in the water. This ce is connected directly to earth fire. The liquid around me is boiling, it is the best! I raise my cup and take a swing, the mellow aftertaste tititing my taste buds. Some dwarves say that only the hardest of liquor should be enjoyed. I say they are wrong. Oh, don''t misunderstand me. There is glory in being able to handle one''s alcohol. But such a thing is how you go bankrupt fast. You can''t always go to your limit. I''d rather be drinking a bit all day long than drink all at once and be out of my precious drinks. "Ahthis is peace. This is life." *Knock, knock, knock* Is it me or..? What is that noise? The nging of metal on metal is something I am used to. This sound is always present. No, this one is special. It seems to be ...someone thumping on rocks? I don''t remember approving any construction project as ofte. Even if I did they would wait after the challenges to do it. This is definitely weird. But still, I guess I can just ignore it. For all I know, it''s a ploy from my opponents to distract me. *Knock, knock, knock* Yet it is not stopping. I am simply drinking surrounded by the soothing heat. I won''t even get mad. I won''t even care haha. *Knock, knock, knock* Keep going! My mind is as steady as still-fire. Hmm, why does it sound like it''s bing louder? Am I going crazy? *Knock, knock, crumble* *Plop, plop, plop* What the hell?! There are rocks falling off the ceiling?! Right into the water! What is happening? *SPLASH!* That''s when there is an explosion of debris above and a boulder falls directly in the water. "AH! This is so damn hot! Even the vapor!* A screaminghuman?! He seems to be hovering above the water using magic. Some colorless one. Null-magic! Then he slowly reaches the solid ground farthest away from the heat. What is a human doing here?! No, there is something worst. I can feel it, he isn''t a Null-mage. No, his aura is one of destruction. This man was able to easily fly with a magic that isn''t his specialty at all. I''m currently naked and unarmedactually I have a beer in my hand. What should I do? That''s when the mage turns around toward the water. He isn''t looking at me at all. "How''s the water?" [Amazing!] Wait! There is someone else. A naked human. One that is grinning. I see he came here voluntarily; he knew this was a hot spring. Still, why are these guys here? How can the human tolerate such heat with his skin directly? Waitis he even drinking some?! That''s when he turns toward me. He looks straight at my face, with a predatory gaze. One that can only mean one thing. I am his target! Who sent him? Is this only an attack against me? Is it an assassination targeting my n? There are so many unknowns. *Ssh, Dash!* Damn, he''s fast! But no matter, I''m faster! No one fucking assassinates a proud dwarven n leader! When he''ll strike I''ll use my shorter height to dive under his attack. After that, I''ll strike him in the lower half. Possibly disable him for a few seconds. After that, I need to promptly choke him. I''ll go behind him and squeeze hard. I still need to be careful about the mage on the other side. He seems old and harmless at first nce but these are usually the mages one needs to be careful of. The pompous and arrogant young mages are the ones that tend to screw up the most. The old ones are deadly. There it goes! He''s in front of me, now.why isn''t he attacking?! Is he trying to catch me off guard? Is the mage the one that will start the onught? That''d be bad. If the mage starts attacking me this man will be able to attack me while I dodge. Same thing if I rush toward the old man. I''d be leaving my back fully exposed! These guys are professionals! There is a good chance they will proceed to toy with me until I am finished. I still have one card to y, however. Right now we are in dwarven territory. I''ll just scream for help. Then it will be a race against time. I''ll have to somehow survive long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Here goes nothing [Do you have more of that?] What?! [Got any more beer?] "Eh?" [Is that not beer? Smells like it. Honestly, probably the best one I''ve seen in this world. So, do you have more?] Thathis target is the alcohol?! Is it a bluff to disrupt me? "Why are you guys here?" [Eh, I''ming from the Vige of the End, there is something I need.] "Wait?! These are allies! You aren''t here to assassinate me?!" [Nope, why would I be? Also wouldn''t we have attacked you already if we were assassins?] Ah, that makes sense. Yeah, so much for all the tactical mind games. He''s just thirsty. Ah, I guess the mage just went away because it''s really hot here. "It''s scorching here! Can we go somewhere else?! I''m not a dwarf or invincible!" Invincible? Is this naked human some kind of bigshot? There are so many questions remaining. For now, I''ll just be a good host and be happy that they are not here to cause trouble. "Wee to the City in the Mountain!" Chapter 365: Hospitality Chapter 365: Hospitality "Wee to the City in the Mountain!" [Sodo you have more beer?] In front of me is a muscr dwarf with a short beard. It kinda doesn''t conform to my expectation but still better than none. He swims to the edge of the hot spring and grabs a beverage from who knows where. Waitis that rock moveable? Wow. Hees back swimming next to me. Handing me possibly the best thing I''ve ever gotten ever here. I savor it and it reminds me of professional micro-breweries. The kind that people would do a few years detour to taste. I''d like to describe how amazing it is but I was never that much of a connoisseur. Still, it''s heavenly! Then there is the hot spring! How long has it even been since I''ve been able to soak in hot water? The old wizard is huddling far away. Running from the steam. [This feels nice.] "I know, right?! So what brings you here exactly." [You know about that vige, right? Well, the barrier there is breaking as we speak. So I need an item to repair it.] "WHAT?! You mean the one that keeps the Abyss Devourers at bay?! This is serious!" He shows fear for a second but calms down. [Right, so I''ll wait here while you go grab it?] "Impossible." [Why?] "Do you know about our political system here?" [Clearly not.] "So the power is shared between three main ns: iron hammer, iron anvil, and iron furnace." [So let me get this straight, you guys are all named iron, but your products are called dwarven-steel?] "Hahahaha. Let''s just say humans love to give grandiose names to things we consider normal. Anyway, steel is just an alloy made of iron so it''s not wrong either. We never settle for simply thoughtlessly forging." [Makes sense. So I''ll need permission from all ns, is that right? How can I meet them?] "Well, I''m Iron Hammer so there is that. But the issue is not that. That is the usual situation. Right now there is no one to lead us." [Howe?] "Every god war there is apetition happening between us. This will determine who gets chosen as the champion." [Right, why are some gods choosing champions in their followers and others are summoning people from other worlds?] "A question of preference really. Summoning takes more power. It also gives stronger champions, but they aren''t always loyal. It''s up to the god to convince them." [So you guys are in the process of determining who will be the next champion to lead the dwarves in the war? Meanwhile, there is no one to take decisions?] "Exactly, but we won''t participate in the war at all. We''ll simply remain here." [Right, that''s what the annoying sign was saying] "Waitthis tunnel abovedon''t tell me it leads all the way to the surface?!" [Yep.] He seems to take the news badly. He''s not angry, more like he seems to be having a headache. "*Sigh* This will take so long to fill. But we are supposed to be having other defenses in ce how did you guys?" The old mage takes this chance to chime in. "Acid! Tons of acid! Hahahahahaha!" Now Iron Hammer is facepalming [So what''s the n? We need to aplish our mission!] "Don''t worry, you are in luck thepetition for that begins tomorrow." Oh my god! Am I developing a main protagonist aura?! You know when all events seem to revolve around you? Just when I enter the vige, they start having problems with their barriers. Then, as soon as I arrive here, they are ready for the plot to progress. Hopefully not. That kind of aura brings disaster all the time! "Alright, follow me I''ll be your host. There is something I''m wondering. How did you know about the hot spring here? This is honestly a scary level of knowledge about us." [What do you mean?] "You removed all your clothes in order to" "Hahahahahahaha! He''s been naked all this time! It is not rted to your city at all!" [That''s because of you and your dumb acid!] "It may be true but it''s still funny!" The guy calls for a servant. A nervous dwarfes running. He''s talking really fast offering many services to his lord. Seriously who offers to do a foot massage to another man with such enthusiasm?! That guy! When the servant sees us he freezes, rubs his eyes, then starts screaming. "We are under attack! There are greedy humans invading and... -" "Shut up dumbass. These are my guests. Now, go get someone to repair that. *pointing*" He gets even more shocked, but he nevertheless runs away. Iron Hammer guides us all the way to a medium-size dwelling. One that is carved out of the rock and seemingly mixed with metals. It is well designed and gives a subtle vibe of opulence. The kind that one cannot hate. There are various engravings, and the walls have relief. The whole ce is a work of art! All of it seems to be rted to forging, fighting, or partying somehow. Let''s just say It''s a culture I can almost get behind. "Honey I''m home!" Comes running a small and cute woman, no beard. Big eyes and a bright smile. She''s actually pretty even ording to human beauty standards. She doesn''t seem disturbed about our presence. She simply invites us to eat. Getting out more food from the wall directly. This is gotta be the most awesome fridge ever. In the wall there is a dragon head, you can slide it out to reveal its body with storage space in it. Kinda crazy how I''ve known modern technology and I''ve never seen something that cool. Then again, I guess there maybe was a billionaire that did something simr, but I never knew. Such a story wouldn''t be as popr and widespread as that one guy dressing up as a bat to fight crime. We eat in harmony. The dishes are a mix of extremely spicy red glowing mushrooms that grow inva and some kind of chewy but delicious meat. The woman exins that the meates from magma lizards. It''s usually very dry but she let it soak for a long time in beer. Needless to say, thebination of the spice, meat, and beer aftertaste is godlike. I''ll have to try that myself. Perhaps with poison for personal consumption? The old mage has trouble eating this, his face bing red instantly with the first bite. Funny, defeated by food haha. Apparently, magma lizards are humongous and able to swim in magma. It takes an army of rank 3 dwarves all equipped with extremely strong weapons to beat one. [Damn that sounds awesome! I''d like to see one!] "Hehe, you will. Soon enough. Alright, time to sleep. Tomorrow will be huge!" This is like having VIP tickets to a very select underground show. I can''t wait! Chapter 366: Forgar Chapter 366: Forgar I feel like I''m roleying as a corpse. Remember the fridge hidden in the wall? Well, there is a guest bed too. Yes, very much like the containers at a morgue. I''m not evenining it''s kinda great. There is sound istion and total darkness. I''m still not too sure on how air even passes through but that''s a detail. I slowly get out. On the ground is the old mage. He''s lying t on his belly. Sometimes spasming a bit. I gently kick him. [Wakey wakey, it''s morning!] He finally gets up grunting. Wow. It seems his roley is even better than mine. His body is acidic a bit. On the ground, he left a trace. An indentation following the exact shape of his body. It''s not white chalk but it gives the same vibe. I can see the wife scowling at him, but with reason haha. Guess what we have for breakfast? Same exact same thing as yesterday. She also insists the mage eats everything this time around. He has no choice toply as she''s gloating on the side. She''s totally getting revenge for her floor haha. Meanwhile, he is looking both hyper from the spiciness and listless. Like he''s given up on life. I feel like this will be a source of trauma for himter. For once a problem no amount of acid will fix. We finally leave the house. [Why are there no dwarves beside your wife and servant?] "Uh? Oh, this is my ce!" He gestures all around. All the way to the ceiling of therge cave. Oh! So the entire hot spring is his domain?! Damn, he''s actually loaded! He brings us to a small dwarf size door. We lower our head to pass through. On the other side are tons of dwarves cheering and screaming messages of encouragement! "Iron Hammer rocks!" "Show them all who''s the best!" "Beat them all until their own ns can''t recognize them!" These guys sure are happy. Except that all the cheers suddenly die down when we appear. Hey, this is almost hurtful! There is the initial processing dy, then they all look at Iron Hammer awaiting an exnation. "Do not worry haha, these are my guests. They are historical allies of ours. You guys remember that Abyss Devourers incident? Well, they are from that vige." "Abyss devourers!? Oh my god!" "Don''t tell me these things are back!!!" "Of course we remember the continent almost getting destroyed!" "Is there another apocalypse about to begin?!" Wow, just wow. How is it that everyone and their mother know about these creatures except me? Actually, that''s a rhetorical question. "Calm down people. Everything will be fine. Now, glory awaits!" *Cheers* We slowly walk followed by the crowd. This is clearly a power move. Every step building momentum. My dwarf friend is looking resolute and valiant. Well, my presence does destroy this a bit. At least now I''m wearing clothes. They quickly made me some yesterday. The old mage is waving to the crowd as if some sort of prince. The weird thing is he actually looks decent doing it. He looksprincely. Either he was telling the truth about some sect leader being his father or he''s a talented conman. Honestly, I''m betting on the second option. We powerfully walk all the way to a huge double-doors in a wall. It seems to be made with some kind of red-glowing rock. There, our group meets two other groups. I''m wondering how they even got the timing right to all arrive at the same time. I''m expecting the other leaders to inquire about my presence, but nope. They exchange a nce and simply proceed. The interior is spacious. No, spacious doesn''t render it justice. It is big enough to easily hold all the dwarves and still look empty. By the way, there are hundreds of them. The floor, walls, and even ceiling all are pieces of art. This is impressive as hell! It''s so gigantic and yet the tiniest details are finely chiseled. For instance, when we pass near a supporting pir I can see tiny dwarves carving. They seem to be hunting some sort of creature. We keep going. There stands a god. A statue, but I can safely say this is the most beautiful and epic thing I have ever witnessed. Including possible past lives! It represents a giant dwarf. Around him are hovering a hammer, an anvil, and a furnace. There is also a fire quietly raging under the dwarf''s touch. He seems to be creating some sort of legendary weapon that glows with a powerful aura. The kind that would send the entire world in a frenzy for it any time. Except, from the look of the statue, it isn''t anything special. From its gaze, I can feel the will of an artisan. One that loves what he is doing. One that is giving his all yet remains calm. Steady and urately striking the metal. I can rte to this god. I do not know a single thing about forging but I do respect the grind. There is a sort of aura emanating from the being too. I''d say it is humble dignity. From one that considers himself a simple craftsman yet will not bow down to any king. This what I can gather from one look. The skills of whoever created that statue are insane! I have trouble expressing emotion with tons of words, yet here a lifeless statue is doing just that wonderfully. I can''t help but nod in appreciation. Both for the artist and for the god. For some reason, I have the feeling I''ve seen him before. Probably was from a game or a show in another life. That is when I realize that all the dwarves around me are kneeling. I stand out like a sore thumb. The logical part of me says I should imitate them, but for some reason, I don''t feel like it. It''s weird, I''ve had no trouble kneeling in front of the statue of the abundance goddess, right before murdering all her followers. But I don''t feel like kneeling to this statue. Ah, actually I know why. When I am baking myself, I''d hate for people to do that. It is not a time for vanity, that would ruin the mood. The other dwarves are perplexed as they simply see me smile. But they don''t voice any displeasure. They simply kneel for an hour, then stand up and slowly exit the ce. It seems there is no talking allowed in this ce. Guess this whole event is now officially started. Whates first? Chapter 367: First Challenge Chapter 367: First Challenge We slowly exit the huge temple. The old magees closer. "*Whisper* Man you have balls of steel not to kneel there." I look around. The nces they are giving me are ones of curiosity rather than anger. It seems we are fine. "But seriously how did you do it?" [Do what?] "Didn''t you feel like kneeling in front of the statue? I worship Akresh and yet I couldn''t stop that feeling I was getting." [Oh?] How peculiar! I felt the opposite instead. Probably because I''m an artisan myself? As for the dwarves, it is their guardian deity. Before long the three leaders are meeting. Iron Hammer is the one I know. Iron Furnace has no beard and Iron Anvil has a really long beard. That''s how I identity them! How will I recognize them if they change beard style? I won''t! At that point, it would be the result of their own tomfoolery. We reunite in a public za. Then many dwarves bring everything required for forging. [How does this work exactly?] A young dwarf answers me. "They''ll be using all their techniques to try and create the best sword possible. Whoever manages to will be getting one point!" [Point?] "There are 3petitions, so whoever wins two is the overall victor." [What if it''s a three-way tie?] "Then it will be up to Forgar himself to determine the winner." [I''m surprised that you guys are epting our presence so well. I mean since you''ve closed this ce from the outside world.] "You are trying to help with a cmity. This also impacts us. There is no hiding from these creatures. If they invade the continent all will die, even us." Okay makes sense. Between epting strangers and death, the choice is easy. They all get to work. First, they are brought ores. There are different shapes, sizes, colors, and I understand none of it! They all take a while to carefully select what they will be working with. Afterward, I''m expecting them to start right away. Nope, they start inspecting something that is going to be used in the furnace to increase the potency of the fire. Afterward, they check every single piece of equipment possible. Only after making sure everything is in order do they start the melting process. They seem to be using magic too to raise the intensity another notch. They turn the ore into ingots that they''ll be able to manipte. Then starts the forging process itself. At first, I''m trying to count how many times they hammer, but then I get told it will be a few thousand so I give up. Every swing is done with a specific angle and a carefully measured force. I''m wondering if they have secret techniques for each family. Nope, or more urately they are all using the same. I guess it will alle down to whoever is the most skilled. The gallery is cheering and going wild. The thing isthis is boring. I feel like the only sane man in an asylum. After a few painful hours, these guys are finally doneforging. Now remains cooling everything off. After a few more steps we can finally appreciate the end product. I need to admit all three are magnificent works. Also in my eyes pretty much the same. The color schemes are a bit different but that''s it. I feel like this show could have been called pimp my sword. Then many dwarves step forward. It seems to be a smallmittee of some sort. Ah, they are judges. They start using all sorts of technical terms that I don''t understand at all. I think they are grading based on the sharpness, the sturdiness, the mana conductivity, and the overall appearance. Then they start deliberating. I''ve seen people condemned to capital punishment with less deliberation than that! Finally, the resultes out. No beard is the winneraka Iron Furnace. They do a detailed analysis of why he won. Pretty much his is about 0.1% better than the others. This is kinda ridiculous. At this point, a sword is a sword! Oh well, they are perfectionists, I guess. One of the judges even does an announcement: "This is a worthy product of the dwarven race! It is both powerful and unbreakable! Congrattions to the winner!" I can''t help but wonder if these are really unbreakable or if it''s just a figure of speech. "Human! I have seen how you gaze at the sword. Are you perhaps doubting our craftsmanship?" [Oh, it''s just thest time I encountered a dwarven sword it got destroyed really easily. Was just reminiscing. Don''t mind me.] "How about this! Come here!" What? Ah, whatever I''llply for now. As I get closer he hands me the sword. "You can do anything to try and break it, but of course it''s impossible for-" *Applying pressure* *CRACK* Oups, did I use too much divine energy? I was just casually testing it and it already shattered. "Y-you! How did you do that?!" [Ah, sorry I was just trying to bend it a little. Honest mistake.] The other two want me to try it with theirs too. Before long there are three piles of sword scraps on the floor. Well, this is awkward. They are looking at me like I''m some kind of monster. Turns out they decide to consider this round a loss for them all. That concludes the first challenge. For the second one, we''ll need to head deeper underground. This feels like an exode. Hey, at least I can always see far aheadyou know dwarves Before long the temperature raises drastically. The old mage is having issues, he''s sweating like a pig. Then wee across extremely long stairs going down. We walk for a while until finally reaching the bottom. It feels like a new world. First, is the heat. A warm andforting one. Second, is the light, I can see magma! It has a mesmerizing red glow. As beautiful as deadly. Third, is the smell, a sulfur one. That''s a bad scent but it fits so well to the surroundings that I can''t even be mad. [Hey, isn''t this dangerous? Isn''t there a possibility the magma overflows if the earth moves? Then it could submerge the city or something.] That one kid is still there. "It has happened in the past, but Forgar''s blessing protects us from that. There are protections at the level of the stairs." That''s pretty cool. This reminds me of when I used signs with water to blockva from overflowing before. [So what are we here to watch exactly?] "It is the hunt. Look there in the magma." What is there to see? Oh wow! Chapter 368: Second Challenge Chapter 368: Second Challenge I''m looking at theva without noticing anything special. Then, I use my scouting ability andwait! Is that?! There are magma lizards! The only thing is, they are submerged! Only their nostrils are actually out. Do these things even need to breathe? What''s with the pose anyway? [So how does this work?] "Every n leader can have up to 25 helpers. They must try to hunt one of these creatures." [Oh? Is it hard?] "With 25? Impossible for most. Still, they all have their trump cards. We''ll have to wait and see for sure. Most of the time one in the lot seeds." [Most of the time?] "Historically there were years where none managed to for a reason or another." [Then what happens?] "Either call it a tie or judge who performed the best when it''s obvious." [I see.] The 3 groups separate and then they start cooking something. Is that?! [They are baiting the creatures with their own meat?!] "Yep, well it''s not surprising. They will eat one another whenever there is a territory dispute anyway. It is the same process but with extra steps." Before long one giant lizardes out. It seems to be T-rex-sized. Yep, real big. It charges toward the group throwing its maw forward to gulp the food. That is the exact moment the dwarves counterattack. They m their weapons on it. Some seem to have blunt weapons to try and dizzy it. Still, it doesn''t seem to have much effect. [It''s not going well] "On the contrary. Look at Iron Furnace. He''s about to unleash his most powerful ability." Indeed he''s on the side. So his men are just buying time? He grabs a sword bigger than his body before suddenly jumping extremely high. Then he dives with momentum! The de quickly goes right through the target''s skull, the dwarf getting catapulted away. The creature is lying dead defeated. His men excitedly advance to start and skin it. That is when he yells at them to stop. At first, this confuses me, but then I understand. Seeing that no one is approaching the creature gets up nonchntly. It was faking! Trying to bait preys to get to it! Damn this thing is smart! It gives a small roar before leaving from where it came from. Leaving behind a sword with the de melted. So that''s what happened! It didn''t enter it, it just got destroyed! It is now time for the other group. I''m expecting them to use another tactic, nope. They grill meat. After that earlier disy, there is no way that a never mind. This time the creature is acting more carefully. Slowly heading to its target. Many dwarvese to nk it. Leaving it only two choices. Instead of pushing forward to try for the meat it simply runs away and goes into hiding again. This was disappointing, to say the least. "There are some like that. They won''t take many risks." Time for the third group. Also Iron Hammer''s one. He does the same except that he doesn''t send any troops at all. Just when the creature reaches the food it gives a weird cry and stops moving. That''s when I realize its feet are stuck in the rocky floor somehow. It tries to get unstuck, but that''s when dwarvese out with a few harpoon-shooting ballistas. Then they start shooting the creature and get ready to deal the final blow. Honestly, this really feels like cheating but apparently, it''s legal. But just as they are ready to finish it the creature changes color. It shows many shades of red until finally. *Erupt!* It throwsva everywhere. I''m not sure how, but it gets the job done. It sends its opponents scurrying while freeing it. "*Sigh* Seems there won''t be any banquet tonight." Wait a damn minute! Banquet!? I''m having a wild and daring idea right now! I approach theva. The only one that pays attention to me is the kid. He''s looking at me as if I was suicidal. I very slowly dip my hand into theva. Not that dangerous since I can heal myself. oh my god! Let it be known divine energy protects fromva! I don''t know how or why but it does. As long as I don''t lose focus it should be fine. [Hey kid, all these creatures can do are normal physical attacks and spitingva, right?] He nods absent-mindedly. [Alright, watch my clothes.] Meanwhile, Iron Hammer''s group is definitely hurting that monster a lot but it is slowly retreating toward safety. I fearlessly dive into the bubbling hot liquid. It feels like taking a warm bath, a very warm one. Still, gotta focus. I''m only doing this cause my target is wounded. I slowly swim to be in position. No matter what I am having a feast tonight! Oh, and getting the item for the vige. I''ll bring some of the food back for Wolfie too. I''m sure she''ll love it! As I was expecting they lose the creature. It finally manages to swim away. That is when it appears right in front of me. I look at it. It looks at me. It seems to be questioning life for a second. Then I grab it by the tail and I start hauling it back onnd. *Shrieks of fear* [Heave oh, heave oh.] "Oh my god!" "Quick look in theva!" "How is he still alive!" "Is he really human?!" "He''s dragging the creature with him!" "How cool!" "But why is he naked?" "Idiot do you ever go swimming with clothes on!" "He''s awesome!" "Ah, but why is it so small?" "What? Oh, his thing. Not sure but it''s kinda cute." "For sure! Not that bad overall." Why the Hell are these dudes talking about my?!! Are they blushing?! [You guys gonnae and get it or I gotta do that too?!] Warriors swarm over and finally deal with it. Before long I wear my clothes again satisfied with my catch. Secret technique to hunt giant lizards: ambush them in theva, they don''t expect humans there at all. Legit, it barely struggled at the end and even then, it was too weak to do anything. It is time to announce the victor of the challenge. Apparently, it ends as a tie. They are all ashamed of their own performance. In my opinion, the third was very close, but that''s the thing. Close means the same oue with the prey escaping. Well, at least soon there will be the third challenge. We are now heading for a feast! Gotta let thebatants rest after an intense fight. It will be tasty, right?! Chapter 369: Drinking Time! Chapter 369: Drinking Time! Feast time! If these two words are not enough to excite youthere is an issue! They quickly and expertly dismantle the big creature. Meanwhile, I''m just on the side salivating expecting all that goodness. Once the proper spices are used even this ugly-looking lizard will taste like heaven. All the dwarves are celebrating our victory. If anything, the way they are looking at me has changed a lot! Before, they were polite but mostly ignoring me. Now they voluntarily start talking to me. Asking me about where I am from, who I am, what my favorite metal is... From time to time, ady blushes while smiling at me. Some are actually very nice looking, but they all look so young! This reminds me of a mantra I have learned in my previous life. Yes loli! No-touch! We walk all the way to a public square once again. Then some braziers are set up. Our new catch goes to storage meanwhile they bring tons of marinated meat and giant kegs. I love the look of it all, the smell too! While the grilling happens, an old dwarfes forward. Then he starts telling us the tale of their race. You know the kind of tale that everyone knows yet still wants to hear again for some reason? That''s how the dwarves are acting. He starts describing a continent bigger than any of us can imagine. This cepared to it would be nothing but a tiny ind in the ocean. A ce filled with countless powerhouses and mystical creatures. Miracles happening once a century at best here aremon over there. Then he says that their ancestors participated in the previous war of the gods. They were known as the proud sons of Forgar! Their armies were undefeatable. Their weapons and armors were as deadly as magnificent as resistant, all enchanted with magic! They also had war chariots that could defeat any opponents. I can picture small dwarves showing up to the battlefield with massive machines of mass destruction. At first, I''m wondering what happened to all that technology, but then the old dwarf continues. Forgar used to have an alliance with a god of knowledge. They were working together with that friend bringing the high-techponents to the table. But then this ally died, betrayed by a coborator. One that was eyeing all the technology this god had. Forgar raged and sent his troops on a mass destruction spree, probably in order to obtain revenge. It is unclear what happened next. The dwarves even ignore the exact parties involved. All they know is that their god was never the same afterward. There was an order sent to go away in hiding. They as his loyal followers obeyed. Forgar nor advocates a life of a hermit away from the affairs of the world. Never does he talk about the past or the future, even letting the knowledge of what happened to disappear. I can understand that. He was probably devastated by his loss. He probably didn''t have the capability to care for his followers. Thus he sent them somewhere safe and peaceful. Well, disregarding the Abyss Devourers problem. The old dwarf ends his story with a message of hope for the future. That they should remember their previous pride, their roots. That one day they may just go back and reim their old territory. That they should hone themselves in the meantime. Training is never wrong but there is probably a reason why people don''t bother with thisnd. It must be pitiful resource-wise. After this brainwashing event, the banquet finally starts. There are songs, there are dances, there is lots of meat. Everyone is merry. At some point everyone bes silent, then they call some dwarves to bring some special drinks. There are purple metallic kegs getting rolled in. On the surface, there are runic-looking red glowing patterns. Whatever is in there looks magical! I can''t help but hope that I''ll be able to taste some. "Friend, you seem to be mesmerized by it haha." [Ah!...Iron anvil, right?! Yes, what''s with the awesome kegs?] "It is to keep the potency of the drink. Contained inside is fiery liquor! It has a really potent taste, would you like to try some?" [Hell yeah! Eh, I mean yes of course.] He simplyughs at my outburst before bringing me a cup. "Here, try this." The old mage starts freaking out: "Don''t drink this! It''s poisonous!" I mean, wouldn''t be the first time...I gesture to him that it''s fine. The liquid is clear and has tiny mes floating inside. How enchanting! I raise my ss and drink it all. It tastes spicy yet refreshing. Then I can feel some heat in my throat and then stomach. Hey! This is pretty much vodka! This is amazing! I can''t help but give a satisfied sigh. It gives me a nostalgic feeling, one I''m not surees from where exactly. "Want some more?" [For sure!] I quietly start drinking. Every sip bringing me intense joy. Now, one shouldn''t exaggerate with alcohol, but divine energy has me covered. Weirdly enough, I''m not feeling drunk at all. I simply feel revitalized. That anvil guy keeps filing my ss. Before long there is a crowd assembling around me. I''m almost expecting them to yell "chug! chug! chug!" but no. They are simply staring in silence, literally all the dwarves. I guess it is because they didn''t expect a human to be able to hold his liquor so well haha. Perhaps I''m even bringing glory to the humans hehe. At one point I lose track of time and quantities. Until finally it stops. Guess I drank enough. [Thanks a lot! This is delicious!] They all start pping and cheering. What?! What is happening?! Seeing my confused look Iron Hammer starts exining. "Do you know what the third challenge consists of?" [No?] "Well, see that keg that you just finished? That is the third challenge! This drink contains pure fire element. Drinking a bit is fine but about 5 cups are the limit for most warriors. After drinking too much one can even turn to ashes. Now, what you just aplished is pretty much a miracle." [Ah.was that perhaps expensive?] "Don''t worry about it haha." [So, when does the challenge start?] "Well, it is quite pointless anymore. We know ourselves pretty well. We''ll probably obtain simr results anyway. In the first challenge, you easily destroyed our best swords. In the second you hunted creatures that we couldn''t beat. In this one, you vastly surpassed any of us. Truthfully we''d be shameless if we chose a champion between us haha." [Wait, no! I need you guys to select someone! I need still need that item for...!] "Don''t worry. We have a better idea. How about asking Forgar directly? We''ll need his help for the thing anyway. After what you''ve shown us, I''m sure you can deal with him directly." Am I about to meet a god once again?! Chapter 370: Recruiting Never Stops Chapter 370: Recruiting Never Stops ****(POV) *ng ng ng* I suddenly stop forging. How peculiar! I''m receiving feedback from my followers. Apparently, they are unable to determine a champion between them. Instead, they were all beaten by an outsider, one of our allies. Someone from that little Vige. Surprisingly the barrier I made them a while back got breached. Now it needs to be repaired. This is actually easy. I will a bit of my divine power to send a temporary blessing to one of the n leaders randomly. That will allow him to forge the item required. Now that this is dealt with there is one thing that intrigues me. Who is that human? I send a signal for him to touch the statue of mine in the temple. That statue is special and the one that allows me such a great connection with the people down there. Of course, with every use its power gets diminished, then it has to recharge for a bit. I feel like trying something big this time around. I''ll bring the human''s soul directly here so we can chat a bit. Of course, I''ll have to be quick about it. A human soul can onlyst so long in the god realm. I can only do one summon too, that one thing will render my statue useless for a little while. In a puff of fire, he appears, looking all around curiously. [Wee human, I am Forgar. Our time here is limited, how would you like to be my champion?] I can hear him murmur that I look like my statue. He points at my forge nearby. [Your specialty is forging, right? Shouldn''t you get a champion that can do that?] [The fact that you managed to beat the other n leaders in a forging contest only proves that] [Nope, you are mistaken, dude. I only destroyed their swords, I never crafted any.] [Then what about the second challenge? That proves your strength!] [Well, yes but I just held the creature in ce while they killed it. I did not participate in that challenge either, I just wanted to eat you know.] What''s with this human?! My people lost to someone that wasn''t even trying topete with them?! [What about the third challenge? Did you join?] [Oh yeah. I drank a lot!] [It proves that you have an amazing fire affinity!] [Brother, I can''t even sense mana. What are you even talking about with the fire affinity?] This shouldn''t be possibleat all! How can one drink literal fire without any fire affinity? Waitcould it be?! [Are you in a sect already?] [Eh. The Unnamed God Sect, I guess? Wanna join?] [. You do realize I am a god, right?] [Yes?] [You expect me to worship another god?!] [No?] What''s with his confusing answers?! [Sects are made to worship a specific god] [Not necessarily. So far, we are all about cooking, baking, and drinking. Interested?] This is a first for me. A mortal trying to poach me, in my own divine domain! How am I supposed to react to that?! How did it go from me trying to recruit a champion to this?! I''ve never heard of that sect either. [This oven looks kinda nice, bet it would be possible to bake some nice pies in there.] What is he even doing?! [That''s a furnace! There is no oven in my ce!] [I meanboth have a fire, right? So technically it would be possible, right?] [That would be a waste! This one is made to melt any metal in existence no matter how divine it is!] [But you could lower the temperature, right?] [Why would I ever do such a thing?!] [To bake] [Enough! You should probably leave before your soul erodespletely! You should already be feeling faint right now and] [I feel fine? Are you just tired of me being here? If that''s the case you just have to say so..] [What?! Are you really fine?! How?! Mortals shouldn''t be able to] [Oh that, maybe because it''s not my first time in the god realm?] [Y-you came here before?!] [Yep, been a few months, however. Anyway, do you really only have a forge here and nothing else? That would get boring, no?] [How?! Did another god summon your soul?] [Soul? Naw, some random goddess summoned me by mistake as an extra alongside her champion.] [Goddess? What about The Unnamed God?] [I haven''t seen that goddess in ages you know. She summoned and discarded me right away. There is no Unnamed God, it''s just the name of a sect I created for fun. How about it, wanna join? You''d fit right in. We don''t have a cksmith yet either.] How is he so nonchnt about all this?! Is he seriously trying to recruit me as a cksmith?! I''m a god! A goddamn god! [There is no way I will!] [You should reconsider, we are really chill!] [Never! I Forgar the zing am a proud dwarf that will never...] [Waitzing right? Can you teach me how to start a campfire?!] [.] [Pretty please!] I don''t know how to react to this. He is earnestly begging a god to teach him how toI can''t. I just can''t believe it. He keeps pleading. Ah, whatever. [Fine, but I''ll show you only once.] I''ll put him back in his ce with this one demonstration. [Watch carefully.] I will divine energy to gather into a ball of fire. One so condensed it has as much energy as a miniature sun. Then I throw it toward a random corner of my domain where it finally explodes making the entire domain shake. I turn toward him. He has been watching, except that his expression is weird. Instead of the stupefaction and the veneration that I am expectinghe is carefully studying the entire process. [I think I got it.] Or so he says. He said something about having no affinity towards fire. I don''t think he was lying either. Now, it remains to be seen if What the hell?! Suddenly the divine energy all over the ce starts rushing toward our location No! It is all rushing toward him, right in his hand! No way! [H-how are you doing this?!] I ask him but he''s concentrating on the spell. He is ignoring me. There is so much divine energy! More than even I a Mid-Tier god can handle! What the hell is he?! He''s not human for sure! Impossible! Clearly impossible! [Hmm, I think it goes like this.] The sun I created beforehand is akin to a spark in the face of a ze. He deserves the zing title way more than I! Then he suddenly throws it. Wait! This is bad! This will totally destroy my domain!!! [Wait! Stop! It] Toote. I see it leave his hand, reaching the edge of my domain. Then it explodes, destroying all. My forge is gone, my whole domain is crumbling, the very fabric of this realm is affected! Meanwhile, he is on the side looking displeased? [Tcht, this spell sucks. It consumes so, much divine energy! No way in Hell I can use that in the Earth Realm. Ah, is our time up? Seems like it,ter Forgar! If you change your mind about joining you can applyter.] Thus he disappearsas simple as that. I check my surroundings my domain is disappearing, there are also nearby god domains, those too are crumbling. They are obviously angry, but they run away upon seeing me. [It wasn''t me guysI ] I want to exin myselfI''m going to be homeless toobut even I have no clue what the hell happened. Wait! There is something urgent! I rush to my ce and use as much power as possible to send onest oracle! I do my best to make it as clear and concise as possible! Hopefully, they will get itah it will probably be dyed because of the space turbulence. At least it should remain clear. Now I just wait Chapter 371: I Dont Need You Chapter 371: I Don''t Need You So I just met a god. I have a few things to note. One his ce was rtively boring; I mean only a forge and nothing elsehere I thought the Lunar goddess waszy with her dcor! Second, he instantly asked me to be his champion. Usually, I''d be ttered but it all seemed too rushed. No potential testing, no discussion, nothing! Let''s just say when he started talking about the challenge, I had apparently wonyeah, noment. Third, while he was jumping the gun a bit, he didn''t seem mad when I corrected him. He seemed like a pretty chill dwarf. So I did the only thing anyone else sane would have done. I invited him to the sect! Sadly he declined, but it was worth a try. Could you imagine an actual god joining us?! Fourth, he seemed really surprised about going to the god realm. I guess the gods don''tmunicate much, maybe? I was thinking they''d go around bragging about who was performing the best or something. Fifth, he taught me a fire spell. At first, I was excitedly screaming like a 16th-century nun on her first Sunday at the Church right after leaving her fishing vige. Anyway, I ended up disappointed as Hell! This spell of his consumed divine energy! It literally burned it! You know the only thing preventing me from being weak as hell! Somehow, I destroyed a bit of his domain in the process but I''m sure he can easily mend that. He''s a god after all. Guess he wasn''t expecting me to perform that well haha. Anyway, now I have this new ability that ispletely useless. If anything it could serve as a very utterly final trump card. I also tried to grab some more divine energy, but it didn''t work. I''m guessing there is only so much I can carry when traveling between the realms. Maybe I''m a smuggler? Now I''m back. I appear in a sh of mes. I''m guessing this is that god''s trademark. Why have a normal special effect when it can look deadly and needlessly mboyant?! I wonder if that god adds such a thing to all he does. If there is a firefighter god he''d be real busy haha. "He''s back! What happened?! You disappeared!" [Oh, nothing big. Just talking to Forgar.] *Bowing* "This is a miracle!" "Oh my god!" Not gonna lie I do enjoy the attention. I voluntarily keep a steady face actually the most casual possible. "You met Forgar himself! How was he?!" "Did he have any instructions for us?!" [Wait, where is Iron Hammer?] "He''s gone forging a recement for the barrier core." I simply nod in acknowledgment. Good thing everything is underway. They are awaiting my next sentence. I feel like some sort of messiah right now. Ohthis is a nice opportunity [Of course, Forgar has a few instructions! I''m almost tempted to tell them to grow beards to look like real dwarves haha. First, all dwarves should make brewing a priority. Especially that one drink from the challenge. Second, you shall let me take some local specialty to share with the world to spread the dwarven name. Last you should provide a guide toward the Vige of the End. That is all.] They all nod before telling me they had already been nning to gift me some. So much for my scamming attempt They are fighting to know who will be my host for now, but I just deny them. I''ll just go crash at Iron Hammer''s ce. If anything just because of the hot spring haha. Before long I''m just peacefully soaking. This is bliss. I just wish Wolfie could be here too, ah also Luna. I''ll keep my ears open. If she ever leaves the Moon Keep, I''ll try meeting her. This way we''ll be away from the Lunar Goddess''s influence, yes that bitch that wants me to be a ve. The old mage enters the room. "Is it true you met with a god?" [Of course.] "How are you so calm?" [Why wouldn''t I be?] "Because a god is extremely powerful and can cause your demise in a heartbeat!" [Hehe, you say that but aren''t you pretty weakpared to me? You are like rank 2, right? Even I could cause your demise in a heartbeat. Yet I don''t see you being that shaken in my presence.] "It''s not the same! You are a mortal like me! They are gods!" [Indeed, could it be because all your life you''ve been told that gods were gods and needed to be revered?] "" [When you think about it these gods don''t seem very different from us. They have hopes and dreams, they all have their own beliefs, they fight between themselves, they only care about their own.] "T-that." [I don''t know. Maybe it''s just my limited experience talking. Honestly, in this world nothing is important and everything is at the same time.] "W-what do you mean?" [Well see it like that. You could die right now, and the world would not care one bit. Some people would miss you, some would rejoice at your demise. Still, the world itself would still keep going as it did before.] "Y-yes." [Nothing matters but everything has the potential to matter. For you, it is that Akresh dude that matters. In your world, he is a necessity, but for everyone else they probably don''t care.] "That." [What I''m trying to say is don''t try to understand me by your standards. We are different beings. We have different life experiences. If you truly want to understand why I''m not phased by the gods then you have to ept that you can''t understand me.] "You mean" [Yes, just temporarily put everything you know and believe in aside. Then try to understand what motivates me. Then you''ll understand everything.] "So far I''m seen you try to save the world, enjoy some warm water, go out of your way to eat and drinkthere is no big n behind that!" [Indeed. I''m just living.] "But..!" [Do I need the gods to live? Nope. People rely on them for power mostly, no?] "ThatYou are weird you know that?" [Hehe, I am perfectly normal! It is not I that is weird, but the entire world!] "Hahahahaha." [So, what do you n on doing next?] "What?" [You came here to provide mana to the artifact. Now that I''m here I don''t need you.] "T-that" [So what do YOU want to do?] "I was supposed to meet my sect for the war. Somehow I feel like this whole thing is but a joke." [How so?] "*Sigh* If there are monsters like you out there, what is even the point of us ants fighting?!" [Haha, so you are part of a small sect, right? You may not know it but the big sects all have rank 4 powerhouses. So yeah, it is easy to be outssed.] "S-say, can I keep following you for a bit?" Why is he so stressed? [Sure thing, wee to the party haha.] Cue the party member acquisition jingle! This shall be fun. Chapter 372: Dwarf!!! Chapter 372: Dwarf!!! A few dayster we are good to go! What happened during that time? Nothing really. At first, I wanted to rush back to the Vige directly, but apparently, we have lots of time in front of us. That is the dwarves'' verdict after I describe how it was when I left. Thus instead of going by foot, they lend me a medium-size carriage. It is made of metal entirely, one that doesn''t seem that heavy. In it, they load lots of delicious food and drinks. It is drawn by some kind of creature they get from the surface, sort of mountain antelope. I''m puzzled. After all, I''ve seen the ce above and it is dead. They tell me have a secret ranch hidden. How neat! Before long we are heading out, the entire poption of this ce seeing us out. My party members include the old mage and Iron Hammer. One would expect a n leader to remain here to do his actual job, right? Nope. He does not care about that. Also, how do they get the carriage up? An elevator. One old school that relies on sturdy chains and lots of dwarfpower. Still, this has been a nice interlude. It reminded me that some ces are actually peaceful. Here the people are not scheming, fighting, or even despairing. Nope, they are just doing their own thing. So much that I think it would be better for this world if the dwarves took over. Of course, that is considering their attitude doesn''t change. They say power corrupts. Someone powerless desires power, someone powerful desires something else. At first, the old man is not allowed on the carriage, but then he uses his shirt to cover the seat so it doesn''t slowly melt. [Right, you never actually answered about your clothes. How are they so resistant?] "It is a long story" [Screw this! That''s what you saidst time! Just answer the damn question!] "Eh, it''s made with slime materials." Wait! Oh my god! [Slime?!] "Weird, but true. I know, I know most people don''t" [I fucking knew it!] "What?" [I knew that it was possible to craft great stuff with that! I can''t wait to tell that mad alchemist girl! HAHAHA] "What did I miss?" [Oh, a while back I took care of a few slimes in a sewer.] "Oh? How many were there? It is important to do it regrly of stuff of nightmare like king slimes can appear." [Oh yeah, there was one. But I meant something else.] "?!" [So I had a job to clean the sewers, I did it. Then I removed a King Slime, but they didn''t want to admit that I did. They didn''t even pay me at all. So I went back in there and started feeding criminals to the slimes.] "T-this is madness! Even us of the Acidic Fun Times don''t do something as insane as breeding slimes!" [Why not? A friend of mine tamed one. It looks cute.] "What?! They can be tamed?!" [Yep, so funny to see them bounce around you.] "How?!" "Human, the man swims inva. How are you still surprised by anything he does at this point?" Iron Hammer has a point. [Right, Hammer. Why did you decide toe? You could have sent a subordinate right?] "Well, yes but I want to see the Abyss Devourer situation myself. I''ll help install the core and also make sure everything is in order. This way you guys won''t have to send another for help in a few decades." [Decades being short? How long can the barrierst?] "It was supposed tost a few centuries. Honestly, I have no idea how it even started breaking down already." [You can study it once we get there. As long as we know how to prevent another incident then everything will be fine.] "Hopefully. At least I''m not too worried haha. We have you after all! The man chosen by Forgar himself!" As he says so he is happily drinking some beer. [Naw, I refused to be his champion. Didn''t interest me.] "Pffft You what?! He actually offered and you refused him?!" [Of course, I don''t even know how to forge. I''d be a really bad champion haha.] "I''m speechless. This is the dream of countless dwarves and yet you so easily trampled all over it!" [First of all, that''s not how speechless works. Second, on the contrary! Now the position is still avable, they can dream freely! See? Aren''t I a great guy!] Now both are truly speechless. As we ride we sometimes pass viges. Then the dwarf goes into the back to hide. At first, I''m really wondering why he''s being so mysterious but I soon understand. As we are just rolling on the road, we encounter another carriage. One that seems to belong to a merchant. Weirdly enough it doesn''t have any escort. Does he have balls of steel or what? When he sees us, his entire body springs upward. He looks like a 1984 Jack in a Box that just pops in your face. Then he starts yelling. "D-dwarf!!! Dwarf!!! It''s a dwarf!" I mean c''mon! Get over it already! [Why the hell is he?] "Humans are always doing that. It''s really annoying." [Seriosuly?! He''s acting like he''s never seen a dwarf before.] "Well, he probably hasn''t, that the thing." "You know most of us humans consider the dwarves as magical craftsmen. A single dwarf master is enough to prop up an entire business empire alone." [That good?!] "No, we are good but not magical in any way." "In fact, just the hype alone brought by such backing is enough to create a brand. Even if the master does nothing at all and just nods on the sidelines." [So why don''t people just fake it?] "Because once it''s discovered, and it always is, thepany gets torn apart by everyone. No one likes to be made a fool." [Makes sense, so what do we do about this guy?] "Let me show you a specialty of our Acidic Sect." [You''re not going to throw acid at him, right?] "No need. Watch." Then he simply conjures a ball of acid in his hand. Then he amicably waves at the merchant. Without even thinking twice the guy that was rushing toward us. abandons his carriage and starts running away. Seeing how desperate he is I bet he''s wishing he could fly right about now. [Why the hell...?] "Ah, we have a bad reputation for being omens of destruction on this continent." [Wow, just wow!] We just keep going leaving the carriage there. He''ll probablye back for itter, right? Chapter 373: Repairing the Barrier Chapter 373: Repairing the Barrier We have been traveling for a while. Let''s just say it has been both smooth sailing and entertaining. On one hand, many peoplepletely lost their shit upon seeing a dwarf, but they also ran as far as possible from the old mage. For some reason, people are extremely afraid of acid. At first, I was really confused but then he exined it. Getting melted is the biggest shame there is. You know killing someone without leaving his body intact is an insult? Well, it is that same principle. So most of the time the dwarf was just driving the carriage with the old guy throwing acid balls everywhere for fun. Mostly to scare people and animals. We barely stopped. The animals that are dragging our carriage are getting tired, but it should still be fine. Somehow they too got intimidated by the acid. Every time they would look behind them they would drastically increase their pace. We finally reach the Vige of the End, we can see nothing special in fact. That is actually a slight problem. "Where''s the barrier! It should be seen right now!" The dwarf is the first to freak out. But there doesn''t seem to be any damage done to the ce. Seems we are just in time. Still, I wonder what happened to us having plenty of time? I can''t help but holler loudly. [The Hero has victoriously returned from his quest! Where are you all!] A few instantster I see Wolfie bolting out to receive us. She seems to be healthy and happy. I simply rush to hug her, disregarding mypanions'' puzzlement. They wouldn''t get it! [Anything special happened while I was gone?] She gestures toward the barrier. [Anything besides the barrier going down then?] She shakes her head. Nice! I''m d. Seriously, if anything had happened to Wolfie I think I would have used that Forgar''s spell to rase this ce entirely without caring about the consequences. The dwarf and the mage arrive where the barrier should have been. The first is inspecting the area carefully, the second is just inspecting Wolfie curiously. [I got you some really good food! Are you hungry? Eating carrots must have been a pain, right?] I can see her salivating already. Wolves were not meant to only eat vegetables for sure. Well, these are magical carrots, so it''s not bad for the health just very in. I unload a small portion of the Magma Lizard''s meat. Then, she chows it down satisfied. I can see her eyes widen in astonishment whenes the spicy aftertaste. Still, she''s handling it well haha. That''s when the vigers finallye out a stepte. "You are back! Ah! You brought a dwarf master with you too! Nice! We were scared that you''d onlye back with the core. None of us actually know how to create the barrier so" [So we would have been fucked, eh? I understand. Anyway, any trace of the Abyss Devourers?] "None! But we need to hurry! They could appear out of thin air any moment!" [How?!] "Well, the entrance to the sub-realm is invisible once closed. It''s only when it is opened that it will seem to appear floating in the air." [Hopefully, it will do so really high up. Then whenever a creature passes through it will crash down on the ground and die. Then we''ll be able to open an abyss devourer''s meat restaurant.] "There is no way that''d be possible." [I''m just joking, but are we sure it will open here?] "Yes, the defense mechanism is actually double here. The first spell makes it so both we and the entrance are bound to thisnd. The barrier is to hide us from sightpletely." [Wait, so that pretty much means there is always an inactive portal in this ce. But they have to activate it to invade and, for that, they need the barrier down?] "Exactly!" [Couldn''t you guys just use some sort of spell to destroy it? Like a really long ritual? Or maybe even add formations to spawn kill them. Whenever they would teleport here, they''d be reduced to pieces or something.] "Remember they can eat mana. They''ll devour it before the trap can even close upon them." [What if we use physical traps? We could use magic to build a huge pit with spikes at the bottom. Then whenever they woulde they''d just fall and die.] "It would work for a few hundreds of them maybe, but the scary part about these enemies are their numbers. They will just step on the corpses of their fallen allies and eventually break out." [I see.] That''s when the dwarfes nearby. "Don''t worry about it. I''ve checked it and while the barrier itself is gone the foundations are still there. It will just take me one day to repair it all. Then everything will be fine!" *Mad cheers! * "Wait, there is bad news. If even as little as one Abyss Devourer makes it through it could screw up the entire thing. So you guys will have to watch it carefully." [Watch where?] "Everywhere!" [Gotcha, time to be on duty! Wolfie, I want you to use your acute sense of smell to be on scouting duty! Vigers, I want one every other meter! Get ready to shout if anything looks out of the ordinary! Old mage, you are on water duty!] *Wolf nod* "On it! X 50" "What the hell is water duty?" [You will be going around distributing water to anyone that is thirsty!] "I''m a powerful acid mage why am I" [You mean a wannabe acid mage, right? All you can do is melt clothes! It is nice to have confidence in yourself but know your limits too!] "*Grumble* Fine! What about you?" [I''ll be supervising everything.] "Hey, that''s just cking with extra steps!" [*Sigh* You don''t understand. If a devourer appears, I will be the first one in its way. Can you say the same?] "Of course not! These things eat literal mana, I" [See! Now, go grab some water.] I can hear him grumbling about being a great mage and something about how he should be a leader. Poor dude is delusional, oh well. But I really wasn''t joking about nning to be the first one on the frontline. If an Abyss creature jumps on me trying to eat my mana. well, I''ll help it look! After all, I''m pretty sure I got none haha. Anyway, time to get serious. Chapter 374: Celebration! Chapter 374: Celebration! ****(POV) This is the most stressful moment in my life. I''m d I took the time to properly research everything we knew about the barrier before apanying this human here. I''m so d I decided toe in person too. It would have been catastrophic had I sent a subordinate in my stead. Chances are the world would have ended and we wouldn''t have even known why. Even then, there is something weird about how fast the barrier went down. I''ll have to look into thatter. But for now, I simply focus on my task. I need to guide the mana from the core I brought into the foundation of the barrier all around. This is something that uses Forgar''s power along with some ancient knowledge. I need to spread the fire magic evenly everywhere, for any big fluctuation would cause the whole thing to self-destruct. This whole construct is actually very fragile during its creation. I keep working without cking. From time to time I drink a bit of beer we brought. The acid arch-mage almost goes crazy when he realizes I''m drinking on the job haha. He even goes to tell the human but all he receives as an answer is that it''s to be expected of a dwarf and that as long as I don''tmit any mistake it doesn''t matter haha. Honestly, this whole duo puzzles me. The human is literally the most powerful being I have met, that is why he caught Forgar''s eye for sure. The mage is the leader of one of the worst evil sects there is on the continent. These acidic bastards are worse than a gue. Yet when that evil mage is with us he acts so ridiculously. I don''t even think it''s voluntary. Just that he gets sucked into the human''s pace haha. I chuckle a bit whenever he orders him around. The high and mighty high-mage nothing but an errand boy. I wonder how many would believe it. Probably no one to be honest, not before meeting him that is. If that wasn''t enough there is that small white wolf too, one that I''m sure is not simple. Simply because of how he treats it. It is extremely smart too. In any case, I won''t try to pry into it. Pretty much the same approach as the vigers. They are following his n for now. He did journey a long way to save them. Honestly, I was expecting them to look differently, less ordinary. After all, they have been bound to thisnd for centuries already and are nothing more than living ghosts at this point. All so they can watch over the barrier. While I''m focusing on my task hees to supervise. By that, I mean the beast and human duo are snacking while observing on the sidelines haha. It takes me the whole day, but finally, I manage toplete it. With a BZZZ sound, the whole barrieres into form once more. A nice blue dome that is glowing with the light of hope. Amidst the cheers of the vigers, I can''t help but smile. I, Iron Hammer, can proudly say I have saved the world once! Actually, I have most likely only saved the continent. The world is clearly huge and filled with even bigger evils than an always-hungry army of Abyss Devourers. The humanse nearby and high-five me. That is apparently a human custom that means a good job. Then, he announces the good part: we will be having a feast! He even decides to make a speech while toasting to us: [Today is a day of celebration! I want to thank Iron Hammer for the barrier! Thanks to you we won''t all die! I like living so there is that. To the vigers, thank you for the carrot soup! To Wolfie, stay awesome! You are the best goddamn wolf I''ve ever seen! Now, we brought some awesome food directly from the dwarven kingdom so let''s enjoy that. Tonight we party until we are drunk!] As soon as he''s done he starts drinking and eating. This is going to be a night of partying for sure. He is the man that downed a whole keg of our most potent liquor during the drinking challenge! I''m not worried about him at all but perhaps I should have been. After a few beers, he''s not walking straight anymore. A few more and he now has trouble talking. A few more and he''s now on the floor sleeping while hugging a rock. At this point, the festivities have barely started. We all look at each other awkwardly. Wolfie carries him on her back and enters one of the houses so he can sleep peacefully. We chuckle a bit, but honestly, it is perfectly normal. Now that I think about it I don''t remember ever seeing him sleep on the carriage. We kept rotating the driver but he was always there too. He has been pushing himself. Funny how he doesn''t call himself a hero. When I''m back at home I''ll task subordinates to create a drinking song in his honor and record him in the dwarven history. Just as I''m about to call it a night myself the wolfes back. Then she starts growling at empty air before darting off toward where he is sleeping. Everyone is as confused as me. "What''s up Wolfie?" "She''s usually so quiet too..." That is when I notice a ripple in the air. As if the very fabric of the world was slowly getting torn. Oh no! Nonononono! "Oh god! Abyss Devourers! How?!" This shouldn''t be possible. How did they?! Ah! I know! They must have initiated a passage right before I finished the barrier. It was simply dyed somehow. Now the good news is that as long as we manage to keep it closed a few minutes, we''ll be fine. But that in itself will probably take a miracle. After all, that is the nature of these creatures. When the invasion starts there won''t be any respite until one side has been annihted entirely. There will be a constant flow of them. Finally, after a few minutes, I see something appear. It is a meter-long creature. One that looks like a giant cockroach, an extremely deadly one. It is something I have always dreaded. Instantly a vigeres and shes it open. Juice flies everywhere. That is the start of the apocalypse. Behind that single one, we can already see hundreds of shapes slowly materializing. We are screwed! Chapter 375: The End Chapter 375: The End ****(POV) The day that we were fearing all along has finallye. The task of defending this world from the Abyss Devourers is the only reason we are still alive. I have been in this vige for centuries already, so long that I lost track of time, we all did. It doesn''t help that besides growing carrots there was nothing much for us to do. Then came a stranger. A young man that was clearly extremely depressed apanied by a small white wolf. We still have no idea where he came from or how it all happened, but the barrier was destroyed. For some reason, he was able to leave even with the spell in ce and he journeyed to the dwarven city to bring back help. Just when we were celebrating our sess, it appeared. A disgusting and weak-looking creature. One that has the appearance of a big insect. I rushed and killed it instantly. We may not look like it, but we are all rank 3 to the very least. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have been chosen to guard this ce. Plus our teamwork was honed over the years. Frankly, we had nothing better to do. We instantly all take formation. This may be pointless but we will try our best. At least to kill as many of the creatures as we can. No, this is pointless for sure. These things reproduce so fast once they eat mana. Plus the more there are and the weaker we''ll be. Now there are hundreds about to arrive. We all steady our hearts for thest showdown. That''s when we hear the dwarf shouting. "If you can somehow hold them long enough the entrance will close by itself! We just need to kill the whole first wave and then it should be fine!" "Understood!" As much as we understand I''m pretty sure we''ll fail. Nevertheless, we will put everything on the line. It is time we retire anyway. No matter the casualties we suffer we just need to win, at all costs. Then, many spawn. We sh, murder, crush, we all have our own fighting styles. Yet we somehow all work in perfect harmony. We all share the same sentiment I am sure. We willingly will give our lives for the cause. Still, so far we are managing. The enemies are only rank 2. There is still hope. Well, that is until we run out of mana. These normal Abyss devourers are not that bad. They can only eat mana thates into direct contact with them. That is when a bigger one appears! Seems I was rejoicing too soon. This one is clearly a rank 3. It has a special ability. Their very presence can drain the ambient mana. This makes using spells extremely hard no matter how careful we are. Then some more appear. Each rank 3 simply hides in the pack without evering forward. Getting to them is literally impossible. There are so many bodies stacked on top of each other. "We need to kill these mana suckers!" "Suicide attack?" "That''s probably our only option, yes." "Wait! Move out of the way, you all! It''s acid time!" The old mage that came back with the young man isunching a huge acid bubble toward the creatures. We barely move out of the way that it collides with them. It kills more and more as it falls but eventually the ball has been diluted with so much insect juice that it loses all acidic properties. Yes, it did kill hundreds but meanwhile even more have been spawning. We are screwed! That is when appears a gigantic onepared to the others. Oh no! This is bad! "If this one manages toe here this continent is doomed! Quick, try to destroy the space there to mess with it!" The dwarf screams: "What the hell is that thing?" Meanwhile, he''s swinging his weapon around helping. "This is a rank 4 one iing! They have a frightening ability! They can create a null magic area that even disables physical enhancement!" I see everyone shake at my words. We try to use as many big attacks as possible toward that specific spot. But it doesn''t work, we only manage to kill tons of the weaklings that throw their bodies at the spells. It doesn''t help that the rank 3 are sucking the mana in the air all the while. *SCREECH!* Finally, it manages to cross overwe tried our best, but it was all for naught. This continent will get destroyed. All our lives were for nothing. We failed in the end. Forgive us. That''s when I see a small wolf out of the corner of my eye. It''s our fault. If only we had told the young man about the barrier sooner. We didn''t know he could exit the vige. Everything would have been fine. It slowly advances toward the rank 4. I''m about to scream at her to go back. That it''s dangerous, but then I realize it doesn''t matter. We will all die anyway. Now or a few hours or dayster doesn''t matter. Wolfie slowly approaches and then happens a scene I will never forget. An incredible quantity of mana starts umting in the area. At an unbelievable rate. All toward the small wolf. How?! Impossible! Then she simply swipes her w. The hundreds of rank 2 creatures, the many rank 3, the rank 4 all get shredded into instants. A colorless liquid flows everywhere along with the bug mush. The fight that could only end up with our demise is over in one move. I can''t believe my eyes. "What the fuck! Wolfie, you were so strong?!" "I mean, it''s his pet soat this point, it''s to be expected." Somehow the dwarf doesn''t even seem surprised. This is insane! How is this even possible?! What is her identity?! What''s his identity?! Did the world just get saved by one wolf?! Just as we are about to celebrate, we see more space fluctuations, there will be many more of these creatures. The worst is this is all wave one. There is also a clear crack in the space opening. This will be a direct link to the subspace they inhabit. One that they will be able to use with no dy whatsoever. Instead of a few hundreds teleporting it will be a few thousand directly walking over. Once more we are doomed. Except if Wolfie manages to create a miracle. That is when I see something out of the corner of my eye again. There is the youngstering this way. He seems to be yawning with his eyes half-closed. He seems to be walking toward... "Careful!" He turns his head to look at me, but he keeps walking in the meantime. [Eh, *yawn* what''s up?] That is when he just happens to walk directly in there, disappearing from sight. Oh god! Did he really just enter the enemy''s den?! He will be appearing right in their midst on their home ground to boot! Surviving this is clearly impossible! Yet, why is Wolfie not panicking one bit?! Chapter 376: Lots of Cockroaches Chapter 376: Lots of Cockroaches (_) zzZ *Shake* Let me sleep. I''m tired. So tired. *Shake* Leave me be. I''m sofortable. *Shake* What is it? Who''s shaking me? It''s [Wolfie, what''s up?] Hmm, it seems she needs my help with something. I''m not sure what. I just want to sleep a bit more. Ah, but she doesn''t ask for much usually. Since it''s her asking I''ll wake up, albeit reluctantly. [Sure, give me five minutes.] She nods before heading outside to wait for me. I slowly rise. I can''t help but look lovingly at the rough bed. It was sofortable a second ago. Ah, whatever. I make sure I''m wearing clothes, yes I am. In times like these, I''d really need a shower. Seriously instead of killing each other people in this world should work on that. I guess there is always water magicbut... I slowly stretch a bit and head outside. Ah, for some reason it''s still night. This is definitely not a time to be awake for them. How long do they n to party? As I''m slowly walking there seems to be some sort of goo on the ground. What did they even do? Actually, I don''t want to know. Ah, whatever. Where is even Wolfie? Ah, she''s there! Right next to a glowing thing. I can''t tell what it is but it seems to be floating in the air. I''m just rubbing my eyes trying to drive the sleepiness away. ( ) Just as I''m approaching it, I hear one of the vigers call out to me. "Careful!" I turn my head while I keep walking. [What''s up?] I can see their faces show shock and fear, but only for an instant. Indeed a few secondster I can''t see them anymore. All I can see is that thing floating in the airwait a second. I blink a few times to confirm ityep, that''s totally a portal. But seriously what the hell is it doing here? Also, where is it leading? That''s when it suddenly disappears...Without a signal at all, didn''t sh or be smaller. Nope just gone! Where am I even? I turn around... ((((())))) What the fuck are these? There stand a few thousand giant cockroaches all staring at me. There are some that are 1 meter long, some 2 meters long, and some 5 meters long. I could describe for ages how they look but these are legit just overgrown cockroaches, ones that arepletely ck. For some reason, I get the feeling these creatures are at a loss. I can see the big ones pointing their antennas at me, sometimes producing weird sounds too. Judging by their size they shouldn''t be that strong? Or maybe on the contrary they are because usual cockroaches are way smaller? Should I be looking at the ergement ratio? [So, eh. What''s up? Any of you can talk?] This may sound ridiculous at first but from my experience, there are many monsters that can. *Insert useless shbacks of me saying [You can talk!] over and over* There are some more weird noises produced. [How about getting anyone that I could converse with?] I get the feeling this is the first time they see a human here. Then again, I''m not even sure where this is myself. Also the few they saw probably either started running away or tried to kill them. Just a guess, but I''m probably right. That is when a small creature approaches me. It slowly starts circling around me. Like it''s looking at something new and weird. It''s just observing me. (;) Then it slowlyes closer. What is it even up to? Ites closer and starts gently nibbling my hand with its antennas moving all over the ce. does it want to be petted? ()/(0_0) I slowly put my hand on its head and start gently running. It simply freezes. Not moving one bit. Okay, I''m confused what is this? Then after a while, another onees over. Just observing the situation, looking at my outstretched hand, then at its immobile kin. It seems perplexed too. Before long a few more join the party. That''s when a big one approaches. Ites nearby and starts nibbling on my arm, extremely gently. Now there is something I''m wondering aboutThis may hurt but I slowly remove the divine energy in the outeryer of my arm I''m expecting to bleed or somethingnope. It''s applying so little force that I''m fine even without my defenses. At first, one part of me was like I totally stumble upon the so-called evil Abyss Devourers, right?! Now, I''m not so sure. Could it be that these creatures are actually friendly if not angered? It wouldn''t be the first time that a creature is misunderstood. I can already picture a likely scenario. Some hero sees an oversized bug, his first reaction is "let''s kill that monstrosity!" Then he kills enough to anger the entire race, they chase him for revenge. Guy hides in a city, the city unknowinglyes between the creatures and their revenge. City gets destroyed. Then the whole world sees them as a threat and starts the ughter, so they fight back. This is gonna sound weird, but these creatures are kind of cute. I just keep petting. Some are still observing me, others are just cleaning their antennas with their front legs and mandibles. I guess it''s the same as normal cockroaches, to enhance their olfactory acuity, but who knows. Right, how do I go back now anyway? Can you believe that viger shouted careful back then? He should have shouted stop or something. Let me see, the portal I came from is gone. That suck. Can I open it somehow? I try to use divine energy, but I get nothing. That one time in the god realm I could do it easily toowhat changed? Oh, actually I know. Back then the portal itself was made of divine energy, this one is probably made of mana: big difference. You''d expect the first to be harder to master butor maybe I''m an exception? Anyway, this is bothersome. What do I do now? I could always lie down and sleep some more. Maybe I''d get lucky and find inspiration in a dream? This is clearly a dumb idea haha. But that''s what I do. I just lie on the ground and close my eyes. Why? Cause I''m still very tired. Wait, didn''t Wolfie want me to do something? Right, it was probably in link with this portal anyway. Ah, whatever. [Night roaches, make sure no one wakes me up.] I see one nod, ah never mind it''s just cleaning itself. Oh well ? Chapter 377: Cockroach Friends Chapter 377: Cockroach Friends This is one of the most peaceful nights I have ever slept! I wake up with tons of cockroaches around me observing me quietly. You know like in a protective circle. I feel like a king right now, with all my subject reunited around me. [Morning all. Anything to report?] *Strange noises* [Perfect. Good work!] *More strange noises* [So, what''s the n now? Where is this ce? What is there to see? Anyone nearby that we can talk to?] *More noises* [Okay, recap. Portal is gone. You guys are super friendly. This ce *turn around* is extremely barren. There is onlynd and sky. Purple sky, cknd. Not gonna lie I dig that, a lot! Now what?] That''s when they all start walking toward the horizon. I say the horizon because I can''t see anything noteworthy. Guess they were waiting for me to wake up to depart. This is so sweet! Ah! Before we go, I focus divine energy on my legs and create a huge crater where the portal once stood. You know in case I need to find this ce again. At first, I''m just stomping normally, but then I decide to make it more special. So I write a huge TUG in the ground. Good thing it is extremely sturdy too. Chances are it won''t disappear anytime soon. Thus starts the cockroach exodewith one human. Where are we going? No clue! Why are we even migrating? No clue either. At one point, I decide to release my inner cockroach. I start making weird noises too. They all look at me confused. Now would be a good time to add subtitles for the creatures. You know stuff like " what did you say about my mother?! Look at that loser thinking he speaks fluent cockroach!" I''m jesting haha. They soon get over it. One day, I''ll start a meditation and yoga business. Then at some point, I''ll just encourage everyone to release their inner cockroaches. I swear the reactions would be priceless! I decide to have some fun. I approach one of the 5 meters long creatures then I slowly get on its back. It has no trouble supporting my weight it''s just confused about why I''m doing that. [We ride to battle my valiantpanion!] .no result, of course. I''ve decided my main goal will be to find a way tomunicate with these creatures. So far, it''s kinda weird. Sometimes they''ll make sounds before changing heading. Other times there won''t be any at all. Ah, but there is one thing I noticed! Once there were a few cockroaches that were a few secondste on following the group. At first, it confused me a bit but then they cleaned their antennas, and they didn''t have any more problems. So I guess sound and smell? Producing specific odors with a message behind it is something I am utterly incapable of. So I''m banking on the sounds. Now, the good thing is that these things are magical and should have a decentprehension ability. It''s just a problem of trantion. So what I do is I start making a specific sound whenever I do a specific action. Walking forward? I do a Wee sound. Backward? Whoa! Then whenever I''m petting one I just go "Good Boy". I make sure the intonation is the same every time so they can recognize it. At first, I''ll be frank I just look like an idiot. Like seriously the dumbest man alive. But! The more it goes and the more results I see. At some point whenever I say Good Boy the nearest cockroach will approach for an headpat. That''s amazing, isn''t it?! It takes me even longer but I manage to make it so I can control the biggest ones as my mounts. But I don''t stop there! Oh no! I''m now teaching them walking formations! Now this one is especially hard. After all, it is a concept hard to exin to someone that is new to it. It defies the intuitive aspect of a group attack. At least, individually I can make them do whatever by now. I''d say my favorites are y dead, give the pawoh and 360 no-scope backflip! Well, that''s how I call it. Anyway, the name is pretty urate so you can guess what it looks like. The more we go and the more these creatures enjoy cuddling. I feel like I''m part of the group. That moment when your social eptancees from a group of insects haha, oh well. So I keep riding in style. Yeah, I''m too badass to be walking. I feel like this whole thing is turning into a huge mystery. What will we find once we finally arrive at our destination whatever it is? Will it be a huge insect city? Then maybe there will be a huge questline! That''d be the moment where they give me, the hero, a trantion magical item. Big Plot twist, the insects will turn out to be misunderstood pacifists or something. Or not. Now this ce is barren, right? How are they even surviving? That is a very good question. From time to time there will be things that look like little vents in the ground. Picture a geyser, but one that doesn''t ever eject water. So what happens is all of the insects will crowd around many tiny very slight holes in the ground. Now, remember the ground is too sturdy to easily be dug. Then they''ll just stand there immobile until.I''m not too sure actually. I see them moving their mandibles in the air at absolutely nothing. At first, I''m wondering if they all have a collective mental disorder. No, really. But then I figure it out. They are devouring mana. Mana seems to be produced in the core of this world for some reason. I just wonder how this weird ce even came to beLike we haven''t seen any other living thing at all. I guess only weird mana-eating lifeforms managed to evolve and survive here in such a setting, with theck of resources. So far, our journey is a lot of walking, thinking (for me), mana pit stops, and training. At first anyway. But everything changed when the Cockroach nation attacked! Okay, so behind us we can hear loud sounds. The sound made by an extremelyrge group. The collective chirping of an army of insects with the trembling of the ground associated. My first reaction is: Hey! More friends! Except, judging from mypanion''s reactions these aren''t friends at all. They start fleeing, with one dutifully dragging me along. Chapter 378: Cockroach Enemies Chapter 378: Cockroach Enemies What is happening?! Okay, so a cockroach army appeared behind us. Now it''s seemingly chasing us for some reason. Mypanions are panicking. Don''t ask me how I know, I just know. We are riding as fast as possible, but we probably will have to fight at this rate. The other party has more members, each is also bigger and more menacing. They are ever so slowly catching up. This won''t do! I may be an idiot, but I fucking love these cockroaches. I''ll be damned if I let anything happen to them! I just came from a portal and instead of trying to screw me over, they epted me in the pack. Especially after all the time I''ve spent training them! I am just now starting to see results! [Welp keep running friends. Don''t worry I got this!] Ah, right gotta go with the signal. Good thing no one is here to see this haha. [WEEEEEEE!] Yes, that was the sound for run forward full speed like the devil itself is after you! I simply jump off. Then I start running toward the potential enemies. I get near them, and I get noticed instantly. A few dash toward me. At this point, I''m not even being violent or anything. Nevertheless, they instantlye to bite me. This time there is no doubt these things are trying to kill me. For sure. Just the impact is enough to push me backward. When they still see me moving even more head my way. Let me guess. These are from a rival colony or something. Is it called that for these guys? I don''t know. All I know is that I need to stop them now. These things can eat mana. Good thing I have none. I make divine energy course through my body at full power. Then I start smashing, crushing, breaking, squashing, trampling, and pulverizing. There is a literal sea of these creatures. Any casual movement of mine sends them flying in a pitiful state. I think I understand why people are scared of them. Against an enemy like that technique and magic don''t mean anything. There are no feints possible here. There are no mind games. Only raw power and endurance. Fighting an army alone is close to impossible. Sure the first few are easy to kill. Each is especially weak individually. But the more time passes and the more fatigue settles in. Well, there is an exception to that. Anyone that possesses great regeneration capabilities, bonus points if it''s lifesteal or spellvamp. There is also my case. Against these creatures, I am literally invincible. They are like rank 3 at best with most being probably rank 1-2. I''m not sure but I shouldn''t be far off. This means that I could literally be sleeping on the floor with them trying to eat me that I''d be fine. Of course, it would be different if it was a rank 3 like that big snake from the forest. That one actually seemed to have a special devouring ability. But manasteal? Bitch, please! Better try next time! There is also something helping me a lot. They are all charging at me angrily. Mashing their mandibles in a bid to eat my fucking face. Were they smarter, there would be nothing I''d be able to do at all. Like seriously if they all just run away right now there is nothing I could do about it. I feel like a shredder, a bug shredder. That''s when one of the big oneses near me and then does something. I''m not too sure what''s happening but a dark bluish vibrating cage pops out. Is this a killing array or something? How dangerous is that?! All the enemies keep charging at me making sure I remain dead in the center of the thing. Even with my physical enhancement, there is only so much I can do. There are so many bodies piling up near and on top of me that moving is already difficult. Now add the non-stop onught andYeah. I just hope whatever this is won''t one-shot me. I think I''ll be fine. I doubt many rank 3 abilities could instantly ovee my defensespletely. I keep fighting valiantly expecting the worst. Except that no matter what nothing seems to happen. As far as I can tell this thing only produced light? That''s it? I don''t feel any different at all. Seeing all the insects charging right through the walls it doesn''t seem to be physical either. What the hell? Seeing as I''m not affected more rank 3e nearby and start doing the same. As time passes there are more and more light cages. So many that it''s even brighter than an EDM concert. Yes, you know what I''m talking about. Honestly whatever spell this is a DJ''s wet dream. Pop one and BAM! The crowd goes crazy! Especially the dudes on drugs, actually pretty sure that''s part of the experience, right? Not judging by the way. I can somehow feel the confusion of the creatures. They are clearly looking between whatever they created and me. Then going back and forth. Like seriously between their expression and a literal "?" the first one expresses more confusion. One approaches to inspect everything closely. It doesn''t seem to be able to figure it out. Doesn''t help that I murder it when it enters my range. I mean remaining unmoving and perplexed on the battlefield? Seriously?! Just as I''m celebrating internally how well everything is going something bad happens. I can hear what can only be called a warcry! Then I see my allies charge toward the group. At first, they instantly get the upper hand. There are more enemies but they are all at a loss on how to deal with me. The first few seconds are magical ones where the enemies are just getting one-sidedly ughtered with no time to react at all. [No run! WEEE! WHOA! I don''t care! Just leave! Hurry! I got this!] But no matter what they don''t listen. They remain and they fight. Noooo! That''s when our enemies start fighting back. I see the creatures I''ve learned to love getting shredded. Sure they always kill a few before going down but this is pointless! I just need more time! More time is all! I can''t fucking believe this is happening again. No fucking way! Focus. They won''t listen to me no matter what. It''s fine. Think. Think, I need to do something. I need an AoE attack! The only one I know is the Forgar''s sun thingy. No, I can''t! That would destroy both allies and enemies alike. Laying waste to it all. There is only one way. I just need to increase the pace. I just need to kill faster. No matter what. Faster, way faster! Decimate! Eradicate! Exterminate! Obliterate! Fuck them! All of them! I just hope I''m fast enough. No, I gotta be. No matter what! Please... Chapter 379: Happy Cockroach Noises Chapter 379: Happy Cockroach Noises I kill and I ughter and I decimate. I don''t even have the time to figure out what''s happening. I''m just doing my best. Killing as many as possible. All until finally, everything stops moving. There is no angry cockroach jumping at me anymore. What about my friends? It''s a massacre. Aplete and total massacre. Their bodies lie everywhere on the battlefield. Twisted in unimaginable positions. Their abdomens and heads are perforated. The casualties are immense. I was too slow. Their corpses stranded everywhere is the proof. I did my best, but it wasn''t enough. I''m a failure of a protector. My power is great but unsuited for such a task. What is the point of invincibility if you are the only one with it? To slowly and surely see all yourpanions fall? To be the one left behind? To remain with that weight, that sadness? Is such power a curse or a blessing? Even I have realized it. Ever since obtaining divine energy, I have been even more easygoing than before. But it''s moments like these that abruptly bring me back down to earth. (_) My vision is getting blurry, tears falling on the corpses of mypanions. Corpses that are easy to identify. Not only are they smaller but theirs are mostly intact. Unlike the enemies that I tore apart. That''s when I see movement. What is that? Digging out of the corpses some friendlies start appearing. A few of them seemingly survived! Not many. Most are dead for sure. Quick! I rush up to each, using divine energy to heal their wounds. It cannot bring back the dead, but I can heal the wounded. After going across the entire battlefield I do a casualty report. It is heavy. Out of the thousand not even a hundred survived. This is totally my fault. If only I had trained them better, if only I was faster, if onlyThat is when one of themes nearby. It wants a headpat. As I''m petting it, I notice its mood somehow. It''s not angry, or even sad? My cockroach friend iscelebrating?! How?! I look at all of them around me carefully. Instead of being down, they are happy. Raising their small front legs in triumph. Why? We almost got wiped out! Ah, that''s what it is. We almost all died, but some survived. That is what they are rejoicing about. Instead of looking at the heavy stench of death they simply look at the light of life. Seeing that one cockroach I''m petting, more approach seemingly jealous. Before long I''m just dispensing headpats. I can''t help but smile midst the tears. None are ming me. If I had to trante it they would be saying:" It is a shame, but thanks to you we are alive. Thank you!" Perhaps I''m just going crazy. We don''t even speak the samenguage but somehow, I can feel this as clear as day, even in this weird realm with the constant dim purple glow. Somehow, I get the feeling Gran would have probably reacted the same. Celebrating the survivors rather than sticking to the casualties. I can''t help but picture how the troupe would have fared acting as insects. Rollin would have had a st for sure. I slowly wipe my eyes and cheeks followed by the concerned gaze of mypanions. Then I slowly do a cheering motion. That''s when they start losing their shit. I don''t know how else to exin it. Some are pping, some are making weird happy noises, some are even doing backflips haha. *More happy cockroach noises* (~o~) It''s too early to despair. No, I have something better to do. This time I will teach them properly. No matter how long it takes. No matter what. Now, how does one teachnguage to cockroaches? No, I simply have to transmit the meaning well. That will suffice. For now, I need to be able to share basicmands. Let''s start with Flee, Group up, and Disperse for now. As long as I manage to get them to do that it should be easier to protect them. Against a single enemy dispersing is the best bet. Against an army either running as fast as possible or adopting a defensive formation. Now usually that would be the worst thing to do. Simply defending at one spot, you get encircled and defeated soon enough except if you have some sort of terrain advantage. But the goal is simply to buy time. Until I can deal with the danger at least. Once they are able to survive then I can slowly switch to attack. I''d like to teach them basic offensive formations so they can take care of stragglers without ever incurring injury. Instead of going one after another and possibly suffering casualties if they can somehow coordinate So I start teaching. Honestly, I feel like a primary teacher right now. Ah, except that my job is actually easier. You know since cockroaches are actually well behaved. The biggest problem I have is that I have no way to practice with a live enemy. I definitely don''t want to start running around and risk encountering another pack. I''m sure right now they''d all charge in still and get themselves killed. This reminds me of the hardest of escort missions in RPGs. What I do is I use an enemy cockroach''s corpse to create a dummy. I fill it with the hard rocky ground. Let''s just say it is not convincing at all and looks extremely grotesque to boot. But hey, gotta deal with avable means. That''s when I use some illusion magic on it to give it a real appearance of. oh fuck! They instantly charge at it and start reducing it to pieces. Some even destroying part of their mandibles on the hard surface! Damnit! I quickly cancel it and go by their side to heal them. But I may just be unto something here. So here is what I do. I practice my illusion magic. At some point, I am able to simte one enemy roach perfectly. Well, at least, I think. Mypanions can''t exactly tell me what they are seeing. Still, from the way they act, I think I''ve nailed it. So much that I don''t need any physical support anymore. I can do a mirage directly. Anypse of focus destroys it entirely, however. ( ` ) Anyway, now that I have this new ability, I can step to the next level! No matter how long it takes I''ll keep going! Just watch me! Chapter 380: Cockroaches and Games! Chapter 380: Cockroaches and Games! [RUNNNNN!!!!!] The whole group starts running away except about 10 of them. [How many times do I have to repeat myself! When I scream run you run! I don''t care if you really hate the enemy the priority is surviving!] *Apologetic cockroach noises. * [Again. RUUNNNN!] Only one screws it up this time. [Be more careful. Next! DISPERSEEEEE!!!] I see them going away from each other. This is going to be vital if we ever encounter an enemy with an AoE attack. [You! Why are you hugging that guy?! We are dispersing right now! You can do better!] I''ve figured out a few things. Before, I was just trying to teach them all. That was a mistake. I am now focusing on the bigger ones first. There are 6 of the 5 meters ones. The rest are all following these ones mostly. Seems that whenever I ry amand these big ones send pheromones in the air with instructions to the others. If one of these misunderstands, 1/6 of the pack goes astray at least. Then the ones confused somehow confuse the other ones too. It seems by instinct they kinda filter out mymands since they are custom-made ones. I think some reactions are literally coded in their DNA, that''s how it feels anyway. So I use a positive reinforcement method. One sessful maneuver = one headpat. I would have preferred giving them treats or something but I don''t have mana. They are incapable of eating divine energy either. Then whenever they mess up, I just scream at them. That gets the job done. By now I''m easily able to differentiate the *Yay sess! Noises* From the *Apologetic cockroach noises*. I''m starting to think if I should release a book or something. How to tame your interdimensional giant cockroach step by step approach buy it now! But seriously I feel like what I''m doing may actually rte to the beast taming disciplineeh, insect taming? The more I proceed, the more I feel like the way they taught it was bullshit. I mean I don''t have a single soul link with any of them, yet they are learning and improving. It may take a long time, but at least I''m training almost a hundred of them at once. Once I am done with this batch, I feel like I could replicate it easily with their help. Now the only question is are there friendly roaches out there? If there are we could bolster our numbers. I''d like that just to increase the safety factor. Anyway, I simply keep at it. All until finallyes the day when none mess up. For a few days, I keep trying without a single mistake. Damn, I''m so proud of them! Talking about days, I''m not sure how long has passed. The sky is always the same purple hue, there is never anything in sight either. To be frank I lost sense of time about the second dayI think. Even then I''m not sure. That is when we resume our journey! Where are we going? Still no clue. But they are all excited about finally doing something else. I ride in style again! Ah, but the training isn''t over. We practice our formations on the move. Before, they kinda knew what and when it wasing. They had nothing better than to look at me. Now, I surprise them with mirages at the most unexpected moments. Yeah, it''s kind of a disaster. They were able to seed when it was calm butbine that with walking and it''s too much for them. At least, it doesn''t take them long to adapt. The first to do so are the leaders are usual. Once they have mastered it the rate of improvement of the others goes up too. That''s when I start adding moreplex things. For instance, I make them do a multiyer defensive sphere. That one is a huge mess. At first, they can''t do it for the life of them. How does one exin the concept of a sphere to a cockroach that has never gotten any geometry ss? Well, the answer is you physically stack them up. At first, they are utterly confused. They see this as a game of standing still following my directions. But they have no clue why I''m doing it. Then at some point, there is a moment of enlightenment. One of the leaders notices something. It realizes that I''m always doing the same shape over and over. Then it tries it with some other roaches. As soon as one gets it, the others start to analyze it and finally understand too. Then starts apetition. It seems to be about who can form its part of the sphere faster. This is surprising as Hell. They are starting to embrace the concept of games without my input! For me, that''s an absolute win. The rewards are heapats as usual. I still have no clue how that is so popr! I think on an instinctual level they see it as an assurance of protection? Or did at the beginning. Now it''s devolved into a contest of who can get the most as a reward. It doesn''t do anything, but they are having a st and it helps their training anyway. Before long appears in all its glory the rolling ball of cockroaches! While questionable on a tactical level it does have the advantage of really stacking them well. Good luck killing any in the middle! I mean they have no way to actually attack besides crushing the opponents. Honestly, this one is almost a joke, but once they start rolling, they can actually go pretty fast too. Picture a rolling boulder. The exterior being the sturdy carapaces with no weak spot whatsoever. Of course one can always kill some by piercing right through, but that''s easier said than done. Oh yeah, the pressure they can resist is truly impressive too, for their size anyway. I''m thinking it''s because of how their alimentation is pretty much only mana. In a way, they are totally magical creatures with their best feature being sturdy. The only magical ability they seem to have is that blue cage ability. Except my cockroaches have never shown any sign of using it. I''m guessing they can but never felt the need to. After all the creatures themselves seemed immune to it. In a cockroach versus cockroach match using it is a waste of energy. Let''s just say whatever it was supposed to do, it didn''t affect me one bit either. At first, I''m thinking our journey will just continue peacefully like this, but then at the horizon, we hear something, then we see something. Angry screeches of cockroaches. Honestly, why are all these wild packs so damn noisy! Hopefully this time it will go better thanst. The issue is that we are now outnumbered 10 to 1 Chapter 381: Roach Army! Move Out! Chapter 381: Roach Army! Move Out! Alright, let''s do this. First, gotta order all mypanions to stay out of it. They look at me perplexed but they remain where they are. Then I charge toward the sea of enemy cockroaches. As soon as Ie nearby, they all jump toward me trying to rip me apart. These creatures are so damn violent! Don''t they know about talking?! I mean obviously not. So I simply start rampaging. This is self-defense after all. At first, I try to use illusion magic to increase their casualties, but then I notice out of the corner of my eyes some friendlies being affected. I abort and go back to the old and proven method of bashing it till it dies! Everything is going peachy until some turn their attention toward my friends. I can see them bolting toward them angrily. Goddamnit! I try to scream at them to get them to turn back but they don''t care. I guess I was too nave. Still, all good. Now I have two options. Either I get them to run away or I order a defensive formation. Running is good but if they go too far away from me I won''t be able to help either. Now, only a small portion of the angry cockroaches diverted to them. Alright, let''s try this. [Formation: Sphere of Doom!!!] I can hear their excited cries. Even now on the battlefield, they arepeting on who can settle it the fastest. Did I just unknowingly create some super soldiers somehow?! They are having fun on the battlefield.just wow! Before long a big sphere of carapaces is assembled before my eyes. Then somehow it seems they lose bnce and start rolling. Right toward the main pack! Oh crap! What do I do now? I simply keep killing. If I move toward where they are rolling, I''ll drag aggro there. For now, I just keep crushing, staying attentive to the developments. Before long the ball collides with the army. What happens next is surprising. The enemy cockroaches are just standing there like deers in headlights. I can almost see the caption what the fuck floating above their heads. That''s when many big cockroaches move forward and start casting the blue cages over and over on my friends. Wait! I think they are getting confused. They are using the approach against unknown lifeforms where they try their spells over and over expecting a result. Of course, that doesn''t stop them. All it does is give a magical glow to the whole thing basking them in a cool blue light. They keep rolling. From time to time an enemy cockroach climbs the ball before getting thrown off from the rotation. Honestly how they are still going is a mystery! How haven''t they been stopped yet? I''ll figure this outter, for now, I simply keep killing. It takes a long while, but we finally end the battle. Note to self a sphere confuses enemies very much. We suffered a few casualties but barely any. Only a few weak ones failed to hang on properly. Overall this is pretty good. I see mypanions seemingly teabagging the enemies?! Wait, no. They seem to be eating?! Ah! Could it be that upon death these creatures release the mana they have umted? Would this be the reason why they are killing each other? Simply for sustenance? What about these mana vents that we rarely find? I feel like I''m unto something. Perhaps long ago mana was more abundant leading to many of these creatures reproducing. Now however it became thin, and they changed the approach to one where they are individually trying to be stronger? This is really harsh. The people in the Earth realm are waging a war for power while the insects here are doing so for survival. I see some of mypanions starting to bulge up. I try and show them about mana condensing. I use a semi-illusion for that. One in the sky that they try to destroy, but that gets their attention. Only issue is I''ve never seen mana and I don''t know how it works for them. Still, I try to share the concept. No clue if they have understood my meaning. The whole basis of my teaching is that one can be powerful without turning giant. Exactly how humans do it. That should give better control and most importantly be easier to travel with them if we eventually leave this ce. I think I managed to get my point across as they stop growing, but I still see their carapaces turning a slightly different shade. Nice! I guess for now we simply keep doing what we''ve done. For a few weeks, I think, we are simply roaming around this realm hunting for feeding spots and cockroach groups. Of course, I never do the first move, I just move nearby and start killing once they angrily charge at me. I''m hoping to find neutral roaches that I can convert to my side. Yep, it ain''t happening. So we keep progressing. The scenery is always the same so it''s hard to figure out where we are. We are simply heading in a random direction and pushing forward. On the way there I try and teach killing formations to my friends. Pretty much it''s simply rotating the troops to make sure none dies. Everyone that is hurt is to fall back with another roach to take its ce. We work on attack timing too. We keep going until they are able to attack from all directions at once. I call it the ultimate pincer onught! I also train their reaction capabilities. We y dodge rocks. I simply throw tons of rocks at them and they gotta evade. At first, they are just using their carapaces to take the brunt of the attack so I increase the strength a bit smashing a few in the process, but I heal them fast enough that they all survive. They finally understand that a rock can be a deadly weapon and that they should sidestep it. With better reactions, they should be able to dodge simple targeted spells. Of course, for AoE, there is the disperse formation. Now I''m changing the training a bit. I incorporate disperse to charge back in. This way they evade the spells then charge right at the mage from all directions potentially sealing his fate. Hopefully, all these training scenarios will help them survive in the future. We keep walking and training peacefully, ying a few dozens of armies in the process. That is until we finally see something out of the ordinary. In front seem to be a sea of creatures. A few thousand at the very least. What the Hell is this?! How is this group so big?! Chapter 382: Roach Fortress! Chapter 382: Roach Fortress! A sea of cockroaches. Yeah, time to fall back! I quickly bring mypanions to a quick retreat! Can I destroy these creatures? Probably. Can I do so without a single casualty? Probably not. I need a way to protect my friends above all. Actually, I know! [Listen up everyone! We will now begin the most ambitious cockroach ever building project!] Of course, they don''t understand something so specific. I''m just hyping myself haha. I slowly start digging the ground. I slowly extract cube-shaped blocks. This is harder than it looks. The rocks are extremely sturdy, unbelievably so. Then I slowly change the shape a bit so each block is the same size and is stackable. I add an indentation so the above blocks fit perfectly with the ones under. Then I start stacking it all. At first, they are just watching trying to figure out what''s happening. I delimit a square-shaped area for the foundation then I pile it up. That''s when a few finally realize this is another stacking game. Except that this time we are using blocks instead of cockroaches. Then everything starts to go way faster. I just shape the materials and they all take care of the rest. The blocks are so heavy that they need to coordinate to simply move them. Still, they are doing it like champs. It''s only when it''s time to do the ceiling that I realize how much of a dumb idea this was. I could have just dug a cave and sealed the exit to protect them. Ah, but there would be dangers of a copse then I guess. I''m not sure. Either way, I somehow manage to craft a long and thinyer that I can barely carry myself before dropping it on top. Then we stack a few more until no matter what enemies won''t be able to go through. Then I finish everything by putting an entrance that is slidable from the inside but not vice versa. Okay, I totallyplicated my life for nothing on that one. I top it off by inscribing in the rock . After that, we train a bit with illusion magic, so they actually stay inside as long as there are no emergencies. So far, I''m pretty sure cockroaches have no way to breach such walls but better be safe. Don''t want this thing to be their coffin. I close the door behind them then I slowly make my way toward the especially huge cockroach army. To make sure I don''t get lost I dig a line on my way. Now, time to fight! I get close to them and. ah, weird. For some reason, they are not angrily charging at me. They are simply observing. I slowly get closer. Comes a cacophony of weird noises. [Eh, hello?] That''s when they all charge! What the hell? What''s up with these guys?! They start attacking when I''m being civil?! Needless to say their attempts at killing me end up in failure. I''m not even moving and simply standing in ce ughtering them. After a few hundred victims, they suddenly retreat. All of them! Without as much as a warning. I''m left standing here looking around. I slowlye closer once more. Let''s see if they''ll still attack me. They retreat a bit nervously. I see many that are just itching to fight some more but something seems to be holding them. Some sort of leader perhaps? Oh, the plot thickens! It also means that I may have a shot at converting these guys to allies. I keep progressing. After a while, they realize that no matter how much they retreat I simply follow. They stand unmoving and trembling while I''m just walking in their midst. That feels actually awesome, I think I''ve managed to intimidate them. Of course, I can only do that because they are individually weak and don''t know any offensive magic. Still, I''m enjoying all this power. That is when I see them parting ways in the distance, seemingly to let someone or something pass unobstructed. Appears a huge Cockroach, about 8 meters big. Is this one ate rank 3? Quite possibly. It''s not rank 4 for sure in any case. It slowlyes closer while showing a defensive posture. Then it starts examining me from head to toe. It''s moving its antennas in all directions seemingly trying to figure out what I am. It thenes closer and starts poking me. With enough force to be deadly to a normal human. It doesn''t seem to realize how dangerous its actions are. Then it finally tries biting me for a little taste. I p it away. It seems shocked and outraged! That''s when it starts shrieking. All the surrounding enemies throwing themselves at me. What the hell is wrong with these things? I barely pped the big one away. Clearly not enough to hurt it in the least. Thus resumes my killing spree. Seriously the more cockroaches I encounter and the more lost I am. What is their goal? Why are they so belligerent? What determines themand structure? Is it perhaps whoever is the strongest gets to lead? They have serious ipetence issues too. The tactic of charging angrily at anything that moves.that''s how you get wiped out! They even lucked out by encountering a pacifist like me and they still screwed up. Well, this pacifist is now busy shattering their exoskeletons. After a long while, they finally run away. The big guy finally realizing that they don''t stand a chance. Seriously, what was it expecting? They seem to be retreating in the distance. I go get my soldiers again and we depart, following the tracks of the defeated army. It is the first time I have seen slightly coordinated ones. All the ones before that would simply fight to the death brainlessly. I wonder if there is any information to be gleaned from observing that one. Oh well, we abandon Fort Kickass behind, sadly. They also devour the mana of the dead. While on the go we do some more training. This time it is all about establishing an outpost. I give the signal to begin, then I start digging and they establish a defense perimeter around to let me work in peace. As soon as I am done their job is to rush to the cave I have dug. I then close the way behind them so I can be sure that they are safe. Slowly but surely we are establishing the proper safety emergency measures. Next, I''ll slowly teach them how to actively be implicated in fights. Of course, that wille a bitter. I don''t want them dying on me. I''ll make badass roaches out of them! That''s when we run into an even bigger group than thest one. Yep, we''re unto something. I''m sure we are getting closer and closer to the center of this world of something. Time for some more exercising! Chapter 383: Realm Domination! (1/3) Chapter 383: Realm Domination! (1/3) There stands an army even bigger than thest! I give the order and we instantly start setting up a base. Well, a fancy way to say I dig a hole in the ground and mypanions hide in it. A few minutester we are already done, in record time if I must say! With the allies secured, all that remains is to figure out these new enemies. I slowly get closer. That is when the previous 8-meter cockroach appears. The one that had run earlier. It starts gesturing and emitting sounds that quite frankly confuse me. What does it want? So far none are attacking me. This is quite different from the previous ones that were getting violent without rhyme or reason. Yep, these were dumb as Hell and totally deserved to be annihted. I mean when an unknown being approaches an army alone and confidently, that should be sign enough not to mess with it. A 5-meter cockroaches to the other''s rescue. This new one seems to be smarter. It gestures me to..kneel? Yep, seems like it is hoping I submit to them. [Look, buddy. I have no reason whatsoever to kneel. The way I see it, I totally have the upper hand here. Sure you have a few thousand troops, but if they are all useless what''s the point? Pretty sure none can even wound me.] It looks at me perplexedand a bit haughty? I didn''t even know roaches were capable of that emotion. It looks like a conqueror looking down on me. Except, I''m sure it''s pretty weak. Then it turns to the middle of the pack seemingly awaiting instructions. [How about we stop wasting time and you bring me to your leader?] I point toward the center of their group while I''m at it. I''m sure whoever ismanding them is probably there. That''s when the insect sea parts. Appears a 5-meter cockroach, but a special one. Instead of being all ck, it has blue glowing patterns on its carapace. The soft light it is emitting makes my gamer instincts scream rare mob! Ites nearby with all the other cockroaches kneeling in front of it. It lookssmug? Then it waves a leg in front of me emitting a bright blue light. Then it gives a satisfied sound, probably because I didn''t dodge whatever that was. Except, nothing happened at all. It seems as useless as the blue cages. Then it intently looks at me, seemingly trying to order me. I don''t move an inch. At first, it seems puzzled, it even does the blue light trick a few times. Then it looks toward me in horror. It seems it has realized I''m immune to whatever that was. That''s when it starts screeching before falling back in the pack. Then once more starts the onught. Except that this time, I have a better idea. Instead of just killing I dash in there. Then I locate that one special cockroach. Needless to say, it is royally freaking out. But no matter how much it screeches, no matter how it tries to hide behind its brethren, no matter how much it runsI aming. I almost feel like the bad guy haha. I simply push all the roaches in my way as powerfully as possible. Many die from the force, their corpses catapulted into the enemy lines and creating a domino effect. Before long, I finally reach the horrified target. As soon as I grab it, the other roaches freeze. Ain''t this neat! This is quite magical. All this time I''ve been searching for a way tomunicate with these creatures, and I''ve gotten my hand on a living being that can ry my orders easily. I can''t help but grin picturing all the possibilities. Seeing me smile it starts shaking even more. [C''mon stop shaking so much. Were you a vibrator in a previous life?] Now, how do I train it? I still can''tmunicate with it. For now, I slowly move away from the army. Now they are as quiet as can be, making sure not to antagonize me. I slowly start teaching the creature. For it to go more smoothly I request the help of a few of mypanions. I shout themand and they do it. Meanwhile, the magical roach is watching in stupefaction at their coordination. Before long it starts to understand the concept. It is even able to join on a few easy formations. It seems to have the capacity to aplish these manoeuvers but it quickly bes bored. It seems to enjoy being the one calling the shots. Of course, I am the top dog and it''s just rying my orders. Still, that simple action seems to bring it lots of joy. That is when I bring it to meet the rest of our group. It watches starstruck as we practice harder formations like the ball of doom. It seems like it just got its mind blown away. This magical roach had seemingly never encountered full-scale tactics. Now, it is reveling in the show. As if it had just discovered an entirely new world of possibilities. The others are wary of the neer at first, but before long they ept it. Then we go forward, the magical roach rallying all its subordinates. HAHAHA, I now have an army of thousands of roaches. The new ones are clearly not used to our way of doing things so we take a while to bring them up to speed. We keep walking while training. It is not only peaceful but also satisfying to see their progress. Before long we encounter another cockroach pack. These don''t seem to have a leader but there are many big ones that look to be armored. At first, I''m confused why the magical one didn''t try to convert them forcefully too, but soon I understand. Their armor seems to grant them some magic resistance too. So much for the mind-control magic. They charge angrily at us. Aiming directly for our mage. Well, it is quite noticeable with its glowing carapace. Normally they''d be able to go right through any opposition to tear it apart, but I''m here. There are also many of our roaches defending the perimeter. Let''s just say I feel like a sumo wrestler pushing his opponent out of the ring. All the armored ones fail, then the mage roach does its trick and before long we wee new allies. We are victorious! Also, we are even more numerous than before. By now there are so many roaches in my army that I wouldn''t be able to even count them. Well, mostly because I''d get bored but still. We have a few 8-meters cockroaches with some being armored, we have the mage one and we have tons of 5-meters ones too. Ah, also the more it goes and the more the color of my original roaches is changing. They seem to be going on a new evolutionary path. One where they are bing slim and powerful warriors. The emphasis seems to be on a bnce evolution with them getting stronger, faster, smarter, and overall more skilled. It is but a question of time before we conquer this world! *Insert evil demonicughter* Chapter 384: Realm Domination (2/3) Chapter 384: Realm Domination (2/3) It is but a question of time before we conquer this world! *Insert evil demonicughter* Comes another session of training for the new recruits. This one goes even faster than thest since we have many veteran cockroaches. We keep going until our path forward is blocked, literally. There stands a...fortress?! Okay, this is amazing! It seems these new cockroaches have somehow built a defensive position using tons of rocks. Now, this is impressive considering none of my troops are able to do that at all. The ground is so damn hard that I''m not sure how these ones are doing it. There is a single narrow pathway leading to the top. Other than that there are always the walls. Yes, cockroaches are able to climb pretty much anything, but this one is so steep that I''m sure it won''t end well if I send them to climb and fight. They''ll either lose footing or get killed directly. Yep, not happening. As they notice us some of them quickly go near the pathway and ....wow! They start vomiting acid on it! Before long it starts melting, losing its shapepletely and falling to the ground. Ah, but then a few momentster it bes solid once more. So that''s how they shaped their fortress! This is quite cool. Pretty sure that is still extremely dangerous for living beings, however. Losing one''s shape is deadly. I guess their natural counter would be slimes or something. Can''t melt what is already a blob I''m guessing. Now I do know of another counter. I simply climb to the top. They wee me warmly with an acid shower. Honestly, the old acid mage would have loved these guys for sure! Should I bring him back a few ones as souvenirs? They could be the guardian beasts of the ce or something haha. Also, I''m buck naked once more. They keep sprinkling me for a while before eventuallypletely running out of acid. I''m just here: [You done guys? Not even a little more left? Not even a little bit?] I see the despair in their eyes. What are acid roaches without acid? Very sad roaches! Then they look at the legion below. The thousands and thousands of cockroaches are eyeing them intently, appearing quite intimidating. That is the exact moment they decide to surrender. They don''t even try to bargain or anything. Seems they have seen that my army isposed of many groups already. There is no shame for them to join. Pretty smart of them. I really feel like the farther we go the stronger the creatures. The acid roaches are capable of deadly ranged attacks. That is so damn useful. Now, what wille next? This time it takes a while to reorganize the army. We take a break of a few weeks to practice. The main issue is to be able to incorporate ranged attacks into the mix. The core problem is friendly fire. I want to make sure there neveres a moment where one of ours dies from the acid. We practice a lot for our snipers and vanguard to coordinate perfectly. Eventually, they are able to perfectly shoot right as the infantry disperses toward safety, before regrouping to annihte the weakened enemies. By now we also have the usual battle flow practiced. Before engaging, the acid cockroaches are in charge of blowing their load right in the enemies'' faces. Then it''s time for the cockroach ball of doom! The main goal is to distract the enemy. Meanwhile, the mage is working its magic against the enemy leaders while being protected by the armored roaches. We finally decide to keep going. Oh yeah, while moving I''m now singing war songs. I can see them move their legs and antennas to the rhythm of the music. It is kinda cute. Well, from an external observer point of view it must look very scary however haha. The next enemy we face is....annoying! Instead of the usual ground cockroaches, these ones are flying. All of them! They are fast enough to avoid the acid entirely until they run out of juice. As for all the other roaches, they cannot evene close to harming these things. The hit and run tactic is something they have masteredpletely. Every passage of theirs bringing death...or not. No, I''ve taught my soldiers well enough. While they can''t harm these flying roaches they are able to defend themselves. Every time one passes by to attack they coordinated perfectly with one another. The enemies are smart enough to realize that should they go for a kill they will die too in the process. Also, there are only a few hundreds of them. Meanwhile, we are thousands. The trade is not in their best interest at all. That is when I decide to opt for an old and proven tactic. Time to throw rocks. That sounds dumb? In my defense, these rocks are very sturdy. I''m sure getting hit by one doesn''t feel good, at all! I start throwing some at the flyers, mostly missing. But it doesn''t matter. I''m just doing an example. Before long I''m an official rock supplier with mypanions throwing them to the best of their abilities. At first, their performances are very pathetic, but the more it goes the better they get at it. Before long they are real champs. This has somehow devolved into a contest of who can make the most roaches fall. Seeing their friends get downed faster and faster the remaining ones simply flee as fast as their wings allow them. We can''t really prevent them from leaving so we keep going. We did convert a few flyers. Thenter on when we encounter that same pack again it''s even easier. Webine rocks with flying roaches attacks. We are slowly chipping away at their numbers. But the more it goes the easier it is. Eventually, we straight up outnumber them even in the sky. The remaining flee in fright even at our sigh, but they eventually all get captured. At first, they are terrified of me. I''m not even mistreating them! I''m just adding them to my glorious horde! They are totally misunderstanding me! I am a pacifist! They seem to be expecting their end, but then I show them the trial formations we''ve been working on. Eventually, they start joining too,pletely baffled by what is happening. Some are not even brainwashed. Just in forced to cooperate thanks to peer pressure. The mage roach is insisting all get brainwashed but I refuse it. It doesn''t matter that much. Before long they too are addicted to headapts. How does that happen? Well, they see the original roaches and then.....they want to copy them. Imitation is an important behavioral driver it seems. So far every roach pack encountered has been stronger than the previous one. The more it goes and the more special abilities they seem to develop too. Ah, the mage seems to be an outlier in this case. I have a theory on what is causing this: mana. I''m pretty sure the deeper in we go the higher the ambient mana concentration. Of course, I can''t see it so it will remain a theory in the end. Still, I''d be ready to bet I''m right. After acidic roaches and flying roaches, what will appear? Chapter 385: Realm Domination (3/3) Chapter 385: Realm Domination (3/3) Whates after acidic roaches and flying ones? Apparently, a very small pack or a few hundred individuals total. At first nce, there is nothing peculiar about them. They are all 5-meter long, none bigger than that. I''m pretty sure these guys are special in some way given they have managed to survive in an area where the flying roaches used to roam. I somehow get the same feeling from them as with my original roaches. They are getting stronger in a subtle way and are probably further down the evolutionary path too. I go ahead alone to scout as usual. As soon as they see me, they dash toward me. Then happens something amazing! Oh my god! I want this power! I front of me is anever mind now it''s in my back! Ah, now atop me! Anyway, there are teleporting cockroaches! This is totally my ticket out of here! HAHAHAHA, I have seeded! Or close Now how do I convert these? They can easily teleport in to begin their assault and run away quickly. Even as I''m thinking, they are teleporting all around me trying to assassinate me. This is quite crazy, to say the least. Of course, I don''t care one bit. One is even targeting my lower half. [Hey that''s a big no!] I p it away. Except, because I did that, they start thinking it''s my weak spot. Well, it kinda is but it''s well-defended with divine energy. Now tons of cockroaches are trying to stab and devour my little brother. *Sigh* What is wrong with this world? I p them all hard until they start twitching. [Now, take a goddamn moment and rx! This is not the time for this bullshit!] They look at me questioning life, wondering how I''m so resistant. I am literally an assassin''s nightmare. Even using all their abilities, they can''t even scratch me. It simply looks as if they are ying. At some point, they simply give up. They seem to realize that no matter what they can''t do anything against me. Except that these guys are smarter. They don''t try and anger me needlessly. They realize I have yet to injure any of them. Then they see the massive army at the horizon. That is the exact moment they decide to follow me. They surprisingly know the adage if you can''t beat them join them. They quickly integrate the pack. Honestly had they decided to go on a rampage I would have suffered casualties for sure. Well, they would also have been annihtedpletely. This oue is clearly a win for all of us. They get to join a powerful faction with headpats and war songs, what else can a cockroach desire?! They get excited once we start training. They see the mind-controlling mage roach, the armored ones, the acidic ones, and the flying ones all working in harmony. Individually they were doing their best to survive this ce. Together we are unstoppable HAHAHAHAHA! Now with these new additions, we''ll be fine even if we are against mages or something. The roaches will TP and destroy any backline! As we keep progressing the teleporting roaches start to show unease, with the others showing slight excitement. They seem like a bunch of children that are hyper from sugar, running all over the ce waving their legs in the air. I''m guessing the mana concentration is bing pretty good. But with this, there will be a guardian for sure. Resources aren''t just left alone. I wonder what it will bePerhaps a roach with 4 heads and 20 arms? Could you imagine that? The asura roach! 20 arms to fight itspetitors in the battle for headpats! Maybe the next roaches will be arch-mages that will throw meteors at us? What if they were purple? Why would that be? No idea, maybe though In the distance appears.okay, this is next level! All the roaches start making sounds because of how surprised and impressed they are. In the distance, we can see one fat cockroach. Picture that one giant lizard, yes the one destroying cities and fighting a giant gori. Picture that size, but it''s a roach. Between climbing a mountain and that thing I''d take the mountain any day. Oh, simply because of the size. Don''t tell me it''s been living in the best spot all this time? Also, what the Hell happened to its brethren!? It''s the first cockroach I ever see alone. Did it eat them?! Actually, that may very well be possible Closely at his side, there seems to be some kind of huge fluctuation in the air. I''m no expert but I think there should be plenty of mana in there. Seeing the greedy looks on mypanions'' faces I''d say I''m right. They are all pointing their twitching antennas at it, apparently trying to feel the mana flow. Are they getting high?! [Get yourselves together! We still need to deal with that one!] As soon as I speak it notices us, then ithow?! [Retreat!!!!] We hurriedly fall back. In the exact spot we were a few seconds ago, the ground is now melted. It just threw acid so akin to artillery! It''s able to snipe! Here I was thinking we had an advantage with our acidic roaches, nope! Wait, don''t tell me. If this thing can teleport too, I''ll go crazy! Could you picture a teleporting mountain with sharp mandibles and legs?! I can! It''s also scaring the shit out of me! In such a situation I know the perfect tactic. [We get the fuck out!] Cowardly move? Please! Do you know how long I''ve spent training these roaches?! Do you?! No, seriously, I kinda lost track of time a while back Anyway, I have spent too much effort to see them go in a puddle of melted goo. Actually, I have spent too much effort to see them die in any sort of way! [Alright, guys. Here is the n. You all stay far away from this ce. Meanwhile I. will stay the fuck away too! Have you guys seen how huge it is?! This thing gotta be world-ss level or something!] Now, how are we supposed to deal with this new threat? Actually, do I even have to deal with it? Maybe I can use my spatial roaches to open a portal already? Who knows Guess I''ll pause my realm domination for now Chapter 386: Portal Issues Chapter 386: Portal Issues It is time to start a new journey! To infinity and actually, we are backtracking. Right now, I am just dragging along a really confused roach army. Some don''t understand why we are stopping already. The answer would beI don''t want to die! Have you seen the size of that behemoth back there?! So yeah, right now I''m just trying to figure out a way to head back to the Earth Realm. It''s been a little while. I''m sure Wolfie is missing me. Is she worried? Probably not that much, she knows that I avoid danger like the gue. Now, where was that portal again?! Remember I have that indication in the ground! Now, just gotta find it. [You guys know where we initially met? Ah, no I''m asking about..sure a headpat for you I guess] Yeah, I can''t rely on them to find my way. I use the magical rock technique! I draw an arrow on a rock before throwing it. At first, they are looking at me in confusion, but then one notices that we are always heading in the direction the arrow I drew on the rock is pointing. They see it as a game and before long I don''t even have to do it myself. A cockroach will throw the rock and instantly go in that direction. [Perfect! This is a great trick for when you are lost, remember it!] They take turn throwing, then they excitedly run next to me to share their experience. Butes a problem. There are thousands of roaches and only one rock. There seem to be arguments appearing concerning whose turn it is to throw. That''s when I carve a few more. Then I supply each small group with one. That is when is born the ultimate luck heading technique! They all throw it then move slightly toward the direction they obtained. After that, we look at the direction with the most roaches and we all go that way. Is there any scientific basis behind that? Nope. Is it fun? Looking at them go, yes! We keep going, for a while. Again I''m not sure how many days pass. On our trajectory we encounter many groups, except as we are leaving the mana heavy zone, they get weaker and weaker. Before long it''s back to old normal cockroaches. We convert a few, we kill the others. Honestly, they are all so fragilepared to the army that I have now. I''m really d that my cockroaches are magical. They don''t require special care. Since they eat mana, they don''t poop either. Now that may sound ridiculous but that would be a nightmare for me. It would be absolutely everywhere given their number haha. I guess I''m in a simr boat with divine energy. So far I can live long periods without eating anything, also. Oh god. Am I actually a cockroach myself?! I''m super hard to kill and I enjoy headpats too! I''m not ck and shiny, however. I have fewer legs too, but still. Honestly, right now I feel like I could write about the uncanny resemnce between cockroaches and humans. Especially with the warring and all. The difference is that instead of dying for a god they are dying for food. Honestly, I can respect that. After what feels like a few weeksfinally! In front of us is the mark I had previously left! This is awesome! Now let me see. I need to somehow have the spatial roaches open the portal again. Ensues the most ridiculous gesticting session. [Open it! Use your magic in there! I''m sure you can do it! C''mon! Ah.] I''m using my hands so much that I almost feel like an Italian. But no matter how much I try to they don''t seem to be getting it. It can''t be that hard right?! They just need towait a minute. yeah. I''m in the wrong ce, never mind. What kind of mark did I even leave back there? I think just a normal crater. I also left some inadvertently while fighting. I need to be on the lookout for a bigger one Thus resumes our quest. Yes, we still use the rocks with the arrows and rely on luck. It takes a while but finally we manage to find the right ce. Hell yeah! [Now work your magic, my roach friends! I believe in you all! You can do this!] Okay, that didn''t solve themunication problem. Still, I simply keep pointing at where the portal should appear. Eventually, I see one move closer, then point at it before a tear in space appears. Nice! Now I just gotta.it closes instantly. The cockroach looks extremely tired. I signal all of them to help. Before long I am looking at a neatly formed portal that closes almost instantly. I need to either get way more spatial roaches or on the contrary to make them evolve. Thus starts a quest for finding new roaches! We roam happily until I . fucking give up. Every time we see something special it''s always that one gigantic cockroach. The more we progress and the less normal cockroaches there are too. This is driving me crazy! I feel like this ce is a maze! Actually, no. It''s just that the clear solution looks He scary! *Sigh* Will I have no other choice but to. seems like it. This is a pain, a huge pain! Alright, now what can I do? We need to ess that mana-heavy area. Not sure for how long, but if they can devour most of it. Now how do I make that possible? Defeating that creature? I wouldn''t even know where to start. We could try and siege it all of us together. Problem is one swipe of itsany body part really would kill hundreds. Now, if fighting it is not an optionI can always try to make it leave. This will be hardah, but I do have an idea. Yep, I know exactly how to proceed. The only thing is if I''ll be able to pull it off. Chances are yes, but then again nothing is ever certain in this world. [All troops prepare to march forward! No matter what, evade! I won''t tolerate any casualties!] I nce at them all. How many will perish in the uing operation? *Sigh* [Move out!] Chapter 387: Kiting for Years! Chapter 387: Kiting for Years! [Move out!] Where are we moving out? Direction humongous cockroach! Comes a moment in the life of a man. or cockroach when one needs to face hardship directly without cowering. This moment hase. We rush toward it while screaming. Officially it is to intimidate it, but honestly, I''m just trying to bolster my own courage. I order my roaches to charge straight at the mana fluctuation. It is an all-you-can-eat buffet! Well, if a buffet was defended by some apocalyptic overgrown monster of course. Seeing us, it simply ps hard. [Disperse!!] Goddamnit, they did it like champs but even then, there were casualties. Can''t be helped. Gotta keep going. Alright, they are getting close enough. Now I just need to attract that creature. [Hey big guy! See this?!] Time for some well-ced illusion magic! All of them look toward me angrily and charge. The big guy is slower initially due to its size, but after a few seconds to get going it gains ground extremely fast thanks to its giant long legs. Every time I cancel my magic, they rush back toward the mana fluctuation. Coming toward me? Long aggro period, the big guy approaches faster. Leaving? Short stopping of said aggro so the creature cannot reach peak speed to go back. Of course, there are a few teleporting roaches on me but who cares. I''m simply alternating between the spell being on and off until finally, we are away from everything. Now, I simply need to run, and run I do! Kiting time baby! Have you ever had a moment ofziness in your life? Where you have trouble moving forward? Where even taking a step feels hard? Well. it''s not now! Whenever I turn around, I see this abominable creature right on my ass. Then I suddenly feel motivated once more. Yep, this sure is a beautiful thing. Of course, it doesn''t just run after me. It also tries to reduce me to meat paste bying closer. The thing is every time it''s about to reach me I simply stop my spell. Then it suddenly remembers that there are invaders directly in its base. That gets it going back real fast. But as soon as it takes the first step I. yep, illusion magic. The worst is that this creature seems to be rtively smart. It clearly understands that I am mercilessly toying with it. It bes angry, well even angrier, and it starts barraging me with acid. It looks smug when it sees it allnd on me. a little less when I exit without a single injury. Hehe, as if a tiny little acid could hurt me! My defenses are over 9000! Honestly, it could just stomp me under its foot and even if I survive, I wouldn''t be able to get up. It could also just grab me and throw me super far away. You know, like that team that was building a rocket with a talking cat or something? I don''t remember where I saw that The more it goes, the more it is enraged. At some point, it decides to grab rocks and throw them at me. [Hey! That''s my technique! Copycat!] Then again, I''m pretty sure it has bigger concerns than how I call it. Like it''s house getting vandalized right about now. Now, how are we on the cockroach evolution project? This is actually really easy to check. I keep the monster following me, this time I head back. Then as soon as I''m in visual range *Sound of teleporting cockroaches. * Yep, they are moving around me dishing a flurry of attacks. All are still aiming for my crotch for some reasonC''mon guys! Anyway, I carefully inspect them. Their coloration has changed a tiny bit but other than that no progress. [Go back and y! Go be free! Illusion time is over!] Then I start running again. In a small moment of rity, the huge creature bellows loudly. In its scream I can hear distress, pain, rage, helplessness, sadnessYeah, don''t ask me how. I swear I have trouble disying clearly just one of these! This thing would be able to win an Oscar if it yed a bullied character. Anyway, I keep going with my red-eyed follower in tow. I feel like I could totally protect cities using such a tactic! Ah, wait. This ability of mine affects everyone. Making them all want to kill me, no matter the cost. At some point, I''m so bored that I start creating abstract art. You know how the creature is spraying me with acid? Well, I use said acid to position myself precisely. I''m sure from the sky it would all look like a majestic.eh never mind. Even I am not sure what it is. Now, why is it still using that attack knowing it will fail? Because I''m getting kinda good at dodging rocks. Let''s just say it seems to be spraying acid like a human would cough blood. Just a way to vent. I keep doing this for a while. I run for so long that I annoy myself by singing. Cause yeah, I decided to sing that one war song. I run for so long that I have forgotten what it is like to walk, sit, lie down, or even crawl. I run for so long that my hair is getting long. I run for so long that I have found the meaning of being human, anything but this. I run for so long that I have forgotten why I was even running in the first ce. But then the behemoth behind me screams and it jogs my memory haha. I keep driving by and every time I am disappointed. How hard is it to evolve!... Says the normal human. Yeah, might be hypocritical of me a bit. *Insert time skip of who knows how long, I totally lost track as I keep telling you. Like seriously at this point I''m thinking of using the creature''s steps as a clock. It goes BAM, BAM, BAM! Each making the sturdy ground tremble you know* After an undefined duration of time, they are finally done evolving. You know what this means? I''m getting the fuck away from here! Yours truly is out! Chapter 388: Leaving the Realm Chapter 388: Leaving the Realm I now have freshly evolved cockroaches! Woot! . Also, a very angry gigantic one is eyeing me. Okay if we all leave it will have all the leisure to go after me. Without anything to protect, it won''t ever have a reason to stop its onught, then it will catch up to me and I''ll be screwed. How do I deal with this? Ah, I know! I order my roaches to leave on the opposite side of me. This way if he goes toward me, I''ll use an illusion again to and they''ll resume stealing its food. If it goes toward themsame deal actually. Now we slowly and very carefully leave. It clearly realizes what we are doing, but it understands that fighting us is not worth it as long as we don''te back. It''s angrily smashing its mandible against one another helplessly. Alright, so time to check what changed exactly! Let me see... The flying cockroaches have more wings and look sharper too. Okay, that''s nice. The spatial ones changed color slightly to purple and seem to have a stronger magical ability. The mage oneis gone for some reason. Okay, never mind that one. The armored ones are even bigger. The acidic ones are now creating pools of acid instead of puddles. My original ones look overall betterand smarter. They are still addicted to headpats though. As they say, a cockroach can''t change its spots. Yeah, yeah I know it''s supposed to be a leopard. We quickly return to the portal. [Alright, guys! I need you to open it! Let''s do this! Earth realm here I go!] A fissure opens in space and I.cant proceed in. Behind me are tons of cockroaches tugging at me. Now the next part is weird. I don''t know how but they are acting super cute! Requesting headpats. Requesting that I stay with them. These creatures were the first to wee me into this new world. They were better than the damn Moon Keep! Better than that damn goddess! They didn''t expect anything out of me. They simply apanied me on my journey. Sure I helped them a lot, but they were ready to die with me as soon as the first encounter. They weren''t as smart back then, true. Most of them died trying to save me from inexistent danger. Still, they truly did their best and sacrificed themselves for me, even if it ended up being pointless. Sure it was probably driven by instinct but so what?! They say heroes often react before they can even register the situation. Most often than not a true hero will downy his role. He won''t look for fame or glory. He simply does what he thinks is right. In my book, these cockroaches were true and proven heroes. The ones that died were. The ones that lived too! Now it''s these roaches that are begging me to stay. But as much as I appreciate theirpanyI know my ce isn''t here. I''d go insane in the long term. [I can''t stay. I have to go. There are people waiting for meI] They are doing the cockroach equivalent of puppy eyes. [You know what? How about you guyse with me?] Yep, they clearly are more intelligent. They understand way better now! They nod, excited. Leaving their home doesn''t seem to be an issue at all! Then again, it''s very empty too. [Alright, the ones that have been with me the longest will have priority. Spatial cockroaches keep the portal open, we''ll all go in! I want order, I want discipline! Headpats for everyone after we get there!] *Cockroach cheers* The portal opens once more but this time they don''t cancel it. I lead the way in there. Slowly removing my divine energy to test if it''s safe. I feel pain, lots of pain. My skin gets torn to shreds in seconds and I be a bloody mess myself. Still, I''m humanthey are cockroaches. One slowly entersit seems to be a bit in pain but more like an itch than real danger. [Alright, if you can''t endure anymore fall back! There is no shame in being careful!] It seems to be some kind of dark void. In the middle is a dark path. There isn''t anything clear to be seen. I feel like if we stray from that path, we will be in trouble, however. After walking a few meters, there seems to be some kind of obstacle preventing us from going forward. I''m not too sure what that isbut we are passing through! I simply crush it apart. I feel like maybe that''s the barrier the dwarf made. But by now we have control of the area anyway, that big monster won''t be getting out anytime soon. It has its mana source already. The obstacle crumbles into pieces *Crack Crack* Wait, what''s that?! There seems to be. Oh, fuck! The very ground under us crumbles! We are now freefalling. Anyone watching at home, do not y recklessly with space magic. I take a good look at all of them. [*Sigh* Gentleroaches, it has been a pleasure sharing this journey with you.] While I still have the time, I headpat all of them, a few dozen one after the other. They are showing their joy. They understand what is happening, yet they do not resent me at all. They are simply enjoying the moment, enjoying this friendship. As we fall to our death I do regret, of course. But I can proudly say that there is no greater honor than going alongside them. Truly... -Darkness- **** "What do we have here?" Who is this? "A lostwhat is it?" The voice seems old. It resonates around the ce. Somehow I can''t feel any sensation. As if I was still falling right at the moment. "It looks human but it cannot be..." Not human? I am clearly not a cockroach! "It was with these Abyss Devourershmmm" So that''s what they are called, eh. My cockroach friends.Why is everyone making such a fuss about them... "They would have devoured a human promptly for sure" No, not them. They are different. My friends are great! "Yet it came with a few dozen of them." They are here?! "Is itan Abyss Devourer that can shapeshift?!" What is he talking about? Obviously not! "No, it cannot be. It seems human and yet.how peculiar." I try and talk, my own voice surprising me. It is deep, extremely so. Probably an effect of this ce. [A-are they fine?] "You can talk? They? Who? The Abyss Devourers?" [Yes, are they fine?] "I have no idea." I open my eyes and .they were already opened. Darkness, total darkness. Is this the afterlife? [Do you know where they went?] "The Earth realm I''m guessing. Who knows where, however." They should be fine then. The Earth realm has plenty of disaster zones. I''m sure with all that I''ve taught them they''ll figure something out. They are smart roaches. Now, this brings me to my own situationwhere am I? Also, who does this voice belong to? Chapter 389: Nihility Dragon Chapter 389: Nihility Dragon I am now in a dark space, so dark I cannot see anything. I seem to be in some kind of void. I''m not even sure if I am still alive at the moment. I feel like I am floating in space. I am not able to distinguish the top from the bottom. I am simply here. Maybe I am moving, maybe I am static. Without air or anything for that matter, it''s impossible for me to tell. Now there is that voice I can hear. The one that kept wondering what I am. Also, the one that told me my roaches friends should be fine. This voice feels weird. I can''t seem to identity its gender or age. It sounds rtively young tonality-wise, but the way it artictes make me think of an old man carefully enunciating his words. You know the kind that is unhurried in life. The first step should be to figure out my current situation then how to go back to the Earth Realm. That would do it. [Where are we?] "Wee to the Nihility zone! It''s a fun ce really. Well, besides the fact that it''spletely empty. You know how there are many realms? Well, between each is an area ofplete void. All of these together form the Nihility. " [Devoid of anything? You are here, aren''t you?] "True, devoid of anything except yours truly then. Then again, perhaps I am a figment of your imagination produced by your dying brain who knows. You know onest bout of madness before life exits your body entirely. Perhaps I have never truly existed even!" [I can hear you loud and clear. Plus, you sound way too cheerful to be my imagination. Anyway, who are you?] "Hehe, I am ...Totrtv!" [How do you even pronounce that?! This is the next-level difficulty!] "Easy really. I am The One That Roams The Void." [I see...You roam here? What for?] "You know, just seeing what is new." [That would be?] "Well, usually nothing since this ce is the nihility, but now there is you. Ah, and these little abyss devourers earlier. Right, what are you actually?" [Just a normal human.] "Just a normal human swimming in the voidright." [Exactly.] "There is CLEARLY nothing wrong with this!" [*Sigh* I somehow fell here. Do you know the way to the Earth realm?] "Before that, how did you end up following Abyss Devourers?" [I somehow stepped through a portal and ended up meeting them.] "Then why didn''t they eat you?" [What?! They are friendly roaches they''d never do that!] "I want to call you on your bluff but you seem convinced.perhaps these were special?" [Probably, all the others tried to eat me at first.] "I see some pass-through from time to time you know. Angrily screeching trying to invade one realm or another. Usually, they fail. Pretty surprising how you guys even managed to seed. Pretty much everyone has a barrier to block them...weird." [I did destroy one on our way here. As soon as it was gone we fell here.] "Oh, there is an easy exnation for that one. The damage you caused suddenly caused the space itself to fluctuate. That''s when your void pathway lost its physical properties. Ah, right. I introduced myself, what''s your name?" [I''m the Sectmaster of The Unnamed God Sect.] "Sotungs is it?" [What?] "Your name shortened. Anyway, Sotungs do you want to y a game?" [?] "Wanna y hide and seek?" [Do you even have a body?] "Nope, why would I need a body? I''m a god! Gods don''t need bodies." [Liar, I saw Forgar and he had a clearly defined appearance.] "Oh? He did? Hm, what can I do to make you believe that I am a god?" [Does it even matter?] [How about now? Do I seem godly now?! Wait a minute! You''re using divine energy too! How are you.] "*Sigh, this is exhausting to keep up." [What are you even talking about?] "Divine energy. You can use it too, right? It''s all over your body! That exins how you are able to survive in this ce!" [Wait! You can too?! Can you teach me?!] "Sadly I can''t. Let''s just say a god once gave me some of his energy as a gift. He also showed me how to emanate a divine aurayou sure you didn''t feel anything?" [Nothing at all. How does that even work?] "Not sure. It''s quite like one would breathe you know" [Then try your best to exin it!] "How could I? I don''t even breathe myself!" [Then why the Hell did you use that as aparison?!] "I don''t know, doesn''t it fit?! [You are supposed to be the one that knows!] "Right....my bad." [So, what are you exactly?] "A magical and all-powerful being that watches over..." [Cut the bullshit! I''m serious!] "Alright, alright. I''ll give you the short version. I am a proud and magnificent Nihility Dragon!!" [You are?] "Yep, a god even confirmed it for me! You may have heard of him, Duruser the wanderer. He wanders a lot from realm to realm..." [That sounds awesome!] "Do you want to see my amazing form?"! [Sure!] I''m actually intrigued by now. It will be my first time seeing a real dragon! I mean not a fake one that''s already dead. I''m expecting to see an astral-looking dragon, glowing and emitting power and grace. I mean can''t go wrong with a dragon for sure. Before long, I see something translucent appear before my eyes. I get surprised, to say the least. Cool dragon? Nope... Not at all. A creature appears in front of me, floating in the air. Majestically...no I can''t say that at all. In front of me is some kind of ethereal-looking moth. Why the fuck does this guy look like a moth?! "How is it? Speechless about how great I look, right! Am I the coolest dragon you''ve ever seen or what?...taking a shape is kinda tiring..." [Eh, sure] "Alright, as I said before I have no clue where your cockroach friends left. d they left because I just hate insects! I can help you reach the Earth realm, however." [Yeah about the insect part....] "I am allowed to dislike gross things! Now, where were we?" Better not tell him... "So, let me just...There you go!" Totrtv somehow opens a door shining light on the area. There is nothing so I can only see that one white glowing rectangle. "Once you cross that you''ll be to your destination! Good luck!" [Thanks, see youter.....dragon!] "Later!" ^_^/ Chapter 390: Circa Two Months ago, Border Town Chapter 390: Circa Two Months ago, Border Town ****(POV) I trust in him, but sometimes I still worry a bit. I look in the distance wondering how he''s doing. It is normal for a mother to do so. Then before I know it my husband interrupts my reverie, usually with: "Stop worrying already! He''s a member of The Unnamed God Sect now HAHAHA! His future is boundless! You should worry about us more! Who knows how we''ll fare in the uing war?! Well, chances are we''ll be left alone. After all the Border Town is kinda meaningless in the grand scheme of things." Funny how our positions used to be reversed. I was always the one encouraging him to let him live his life. Simply because I knew that this town really was too small to contain his ambition. Part of me always wanted to deny him his dream. To have him hunt/bake with us instead of training swordsmanship. I never did. Let''s just say after that trip to the forest my husband changed a lot. From a protective father, he became the boisterous one that always kept bragging about his son. Well, he still does from time to time haha. Two months ago, this became even more exaggerated. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was simply baking a pie as I usually do. The smelling out of the oven was so tempting that the neighbors were seen hanging outside hoping that I offer them some. Of course, I didn''t haha. That is when I heard a knock at the door. I simply waited for whoever was on the other side to go away but the knocking never stopped. Every few minutes there would be a knock. Finally losing patience, I opened the door to see who it was. In front of me was an unknown man. An unkempt beard, actually it looked as if he had tried cutting it with the giant ymore he was carrying. He smelled of metal. He quickly opened his mouth: "Hey there! Are you the legendary pie baker of the Border Town?" That''s when I simply closed the door. I didn''t have any time for people begging for food. No matter who! Then started some more knocking. I figured he''d get bored and leave eventually. He didn''t. After a few hours, I finally went to open again while shouting at him: "I am not selling any pie and you can''t have any for free." Then I mmed the door in his face once more. Thenhe started knocking again. Opening again, he showed a helpless expression: "Ma''am, I think you are misunderstanding me! Your husband and son are sending me! I''m supposed to escort you safely to meet them! It was teacher Zero''s suggestion!" Honestly, this was clearly the weirdest thing. My son had been gone for a while and my husband had been hunting. What was the teacher part about too? There was no way this guy was trustworthy. That is when I saw him take a dagger. One that I had given my son for his birthday. Either my son was already in trouble, or he was really who he was saying he was. Inspecting him from head to toe once more I decide to follow him, hoping for the best. I stepped outside ready to stake my life, but then he simply went: "Ma''am! We should bring pies! They are all hungry! At first, we were supposed to simplye back but they wanted to participate in the feast." "They? Who are you talking about?" "Thatit''s hard to exin haha. You''ll see, friends." I go inside once more, then I bring a few pies in a bag. "That...how about we bring them all ma''am? They can really eat." I brought a huge bag, filled itpletely with food then he picked it up while smiling and showed me the way. Before long I realized where we were heading. The Save Archaic Forest! This seemed extremely shady. At that point, I was starting to reconsider, but my husband was there too. The man hadn''t tried to use force against me, but the situation was somehow surreal. We trekked across the wood. It was eerily quiet. No monster to be seen at all. Seeing me uneasy the man muttered: "Haha, don''t worry. This is sect territory, there won''t be any danger here." "Sect territory? Which sect?" This part confused me. "The Unnamed God of course!" What?! Wasn''t that an up-anding new one? There is no way they would have the power to invade this ce without anyone noticing. We kept going until finally, we reached a clearing. I could hear the nging of weapons. I could see my husband moving about, all sweaty. I was about to call out to him, but then I saw the rest of the situation. How was this possible?! He was fightingmy son! Alongside creatures straight out of nightmares. A shadow fox that kept dashing from shadow to shadow. A deer looking extremely grotesque with flesh appendagesing out of its mouth, one filled with sharp teeth. A mantis with deadly des on his arms. A giant snake,pletely white. A ming boar charging all over the ce. Ants, lots of ants! Then finally a giant ck wolf with lightning crackling around its body. My son was just standing there, blocking every attack. Sometimes dodging a bit. They kept attacking him relentlessly without any sess. At some point, he turned toward me. We made eye contact. He smiled softly before ordering them all to halt. There was something wrong with this picture! Something very wrong! Why was a hunter ying alongside its prey?! Actually...they were the hunter in this case... I was simply frozen. There is only so much that a human can ept. "It''s been a while, mom." He was giving a radiant smile. One that I wouldn''t have mistaken. That truly was my son. Somehow in the short while I hadn''t seen him, he had changed so much! On the side, the man that had guided me was already triumphantly showing them the pies. Then came a scene I will never forget. All these creatures that were obviously proud and strong beast kings. started cheering and dancing too. The fox kept a semnce of calm and was chastising them, but its tail was betraying him by wagging non-stop. The mantis keptteleporting up and down in joy! The deer was licking its lips. It looked horribly wrong. Licking with countless tongues with barbs on it! The giant snake was looking at the pie stack as if it as a treasure. The ming boar was already in the process of offering its help for reheating the food. It was lying down on its back showing its belly. The way it did it made me believe it was used to it. The ants were cheering with their front legs and bolted away as soon as they were given a part. The ck wolf was the only one that truly remained calm. It looked pensive, however. My only thought then was what the hell is happening?! Then my son came closer and exined everything. Chapter 391: Zero > Rank 4 Chapter 391: Zero > Rank 4 ****(POV) I''m sitting on a in boulder by the roadside. For some reason, I am feeling mncholic. I am thinking of home. I never had that issue while I was busy training. It has been two months since Ist saw my parents. I still remember the look of disbelief on my mother''s face haha. She had brought pies for the whole gang. She kept alternating her gaze between each beast king that was devouring her cooking, seemingly wondering howe these monsters were so friendly. For once, she lost her cool. She was always the headstrongdy that nothing could phase, but the shock was too big. Back then she had broken into tears running hugging me: "You''re alright! I''m so d! I believed but." Then she seemed to think of something: "Wait! If you were in this forest this whole time, why didn''t you visit ?!" I could only embarrassedly reply that I was so focused on swordsmanship that time had somehow gone by without me noticing. It had been years in fact. What made me realize the passage of time was my father venturing deeper into the forest. He had meant to ask the shadow fox about me, how surprised he was when he found me instead! Still, seeing my stern mother cry I could only pat her back: "It''s going to be okay, mom. Don''t worry." "Wait, that man said he is your disciple, right?! Who is he? Is he a member of your sect?" "One question at a time mom haha. His status is peculiar. For now, he is an ally. He''s managed to find me following the rmendation of the Sectmaster and yes, I am teaching him the sword." In the back I could hear my father: "That''s my son! Starting his own swordsmanship school!" "Y-you! If you knew he was here, why didn''t you tell me?!" "Calm down mom, he just learned of it haha. I truly was busy training." Then she kept sighing, smiling, and finallyughing. That feast was truly amazing. I did recount to them my training experiences. My father kept nodding seriously with my mother eximing some perfunctory "Oh!" "Ah!" "I see!" but not following haha. But then we left, me and Iron ymore. At first, he wanted to use his real name, but it sucked so I told him not to. I''m sure the Sectmaster would have agreed. The farewells were emotional. For all of us. Somehow these beast kings became family to me, to us even. We would always be training together, and we shared the same philosophy. Which philosophy, you ask? Well, the Sectmaster''s one. One where we do not care about the war at all and just go about our business. Fix yourself a goal and aplish it, no matter what. Even if it takes an eternity, that is fine too. As much as they tried showing a strong front, they were clearly tearing up as we left haha. The fox especially was saying that he wouldn''t miss usbut his tail was betraying him. We left in order for me to pursue my dream: to be the top swordsmen of the continent. My disciple came along in order to train. His own goal is to be able tost a few minutes against me when I''m serious. Funny how, as we left, my father wanted to give me his sword. The one that had apanied him for a long time. I simply smiled and told him to keep it safe. That he would need it more than me. Remembering what I had shown him, he awkwardlyughed. Still, I appreciated the gesture. They all had their ways to show their love. I wouldn''t look down on them for trying. Actually, we aren''t supposed to ever look down on people. Treat others fairly or something "Where is that dumb kid!" A voice interrupts my reminiscing. "I was so damn surprised when I heard such a young man was challenging me! I have been on the ranking list for years already!" There he is. The man is a low Rank-4 swordsman. Honestly, the only reason I even challenged him was that I heard him brag about being invincible by chance. I will be magnanimous and teach him that he should stop sitting on his ass celebrating his past glory. It''s fine to be proud, but it''s something else to be overconfident and arrogant. Then again, the line is often thin between the two. It is a matter of perspective. The ignorant cannot be med for what he doesn''t know. Same as the one that knows more shouldn''t assume that everyone shares his knowledge. This is why I won''t take offense to his coarsenguage. From his point of view, a young man challenging him is a loss of face. Is there anything more ridiculous than being afraid of losing face? Haha This is not something that a swordsman should ever consider. Surviving and protecting is all that matters. This is something the Sectmaster has taught me. "Hey there. d you found the ce." "*Scoff* It wasn''t that hard! Now, I''m warning you I don''t want no kid''s blood on my hands. I''m the rank 4 sword emperor of the Amazing shing School of Doom! How dare you challenge me!? I''m in the two digits of the swordsman ranking!" "Don''t worry about that. I challenged you knowingly." "You did?! Fine, let''s do this." He unsheathes his sword. "Where is your weapon?!" "There is no need for one. Alright, I''ll give you the first 10 moves." "You! Fine, let''s see you be cocky after this!" I can see clearly where he is aiming. Shoulder, is it? *sh! * He doesn''t seem to be trying to kill me. I simply use my hand to push the sword away. His face changes. He looks horrified at me. *sh! * Once more I simply parry it easily. This technique is a mix of the defensive technique my disciple once showed me and the clever use of sword will. Honestly, at this point, the hardest is to not break his sword before the tenth move. *sh* "What are you?!" *sh* "How the Hell can you, *huffing and puffing* Do that!?" "It''s simple really, I trained." "There is no way that simple training can ever give you so much power! What sorcery is this?!" "Sorcery? No, it''s simply sword will." "Impossible! This is sword will!" He creates knives out of his energy that he throws out right at me before shing again. Is he trying to pressure me? Whatever. *p* The des disappear and I calmly smile at him. *sh* "Why!" *sh* "Is." *sh* "It!" *sh* "Failing!" *sh* "Goddamnit!" "It''s been 10 moves." On that note, I shatter his sword. The man starts crying. Something about the world being unfair. Something about how my very existence is nonsensical. Something about his prized sword. I can''t help but chuckle. "Let me tell you a story" Chapter 392: Teaching the Old Chapter 392: Teaching the Old ****(POV) So, I just won a fight. One that was extremely short. The only reason my opponentsted 10 moves was because of the advantage I gave him. First thing, I''m actually quite strong now. Defeating a rank 4 is child y. I''m not even sure how that happened myself. I trained for about 2 years, fighting daily against the beast kings and refining my sword will. I was expecting it to be strong, but it''s actually more than that. As long as my opponents don''t have a simr level of aplishment in their will or a treasure sword they cannot face me at all. How could they when I can destroy their weapon barehanded? Second, the man that I just defeated is now in front of me crying. He''s on the ground defeated, holding the remnants of his sword as one wouldment the passing of a close friend. Who does that?! Especially for something as simple as a sword! Actually, this would totally be the Sectmaster''s style. You know, to cry over very random stuff. Sometimes he''s hard to follow. He''s in a league of his own after all. At his level, he cares more about mundane things like cooking than actually gaining power. Now, what should I do about this guy? I could simply let him cry there and act as if I hadn''t seen anything. What would the Sectmaster do in my situation? Probably help him. He''s a very benevolent being after all. I mean he has a beast king army and he doesn''t even use them to conquer anything. Yep, this guy is sobbing without a care in the world. He doesn''t seem to realize that we are watching him. This is honestly surprising of a Ranker...How did he reach his strength without oveing countless hardships? I guess being mentally resilient wasn''t on the list of qualities of the Amazing shing Swordsman... "Hey man, are you alright? Sorry I broke your sword. I didn''t know it was so important to you." He slowly looks at me, his nose red and sniffling. "It was dwaaaa *sniffle* dwarven-steel!" "It broke a bit too easily for that, no? Was it a fake one or something?" "It wasss! *sniffle* But it was a great quality fake!" What is that even supposed to mean? He knew it was a fake and still bought it? So, it was a slightly better sword? "C''mon don''t cry for so little. A swordsman is not defined by his weapon. At all." "Easy for you to say *sniffle* You don''t even have a sword!" "Doesn''t matter, you should still pull yourself together." "You don''t understand *sniffle* how it feels like to see all your life efforts be useless! I''m 90 and getting beat up by some random 20 years old!" "I''m only 14, you know..." "That''s even worst! How! Why must life be so unfair! There is no point for me having done all this training!" "Then why were you bragging about your strength in town?" "Ah, I''m sorry I shouldn''t have done that next to you." "It''s not a matter of being close or near me...When was thest time you seriously tried bettering yourself?" He shows a guilty look. Avoiding my gaze and twisting his fingers. "That...I have reached my limit. There is no point for me to...you can''t understand! Your very existence is nonsensical ording tomon sense! You shouldn''t be so powerful!" "You have reached your limit you say? "Please, I know someone that is so strong I myself cannot even damage him. Yet he keeps training, always. Learning something or another. If you truly care about swordsmanship you will persevere. As long as you don''t give up it would be possible even for you." "That''s impossible!" He is ck-jawed and furrowing his brows in doubt. "If you don''t even believe of course it will be impossible." "I mean someone so powerful that..." "Oh, believe me. Compared to him I am but a weakling. "But I''m not like you..." "So? Power and talent are never an excuse not to put in the work. "Alright, I''ll try..." "Don''t try! Do it! I had to train for years before I managed to be stronger too! I kept fighting beast kings on a daily basis to achieve this level." "Beast kings?! Seriously?! Compared to that my efforts do pale. *Sigh* I''m sorry for being angry at first, I''m sorry for breaking down in front of you and-" "All good. Anyway, cheer up! You haven''t been defeated by someone random. No! *Heroic* You have been defeated by the one and only Zero of The Unnamed God Sect!" "*Gasp* What?! You''re with these madmen?!" He instantly falls backward. Wait, what? Since when do we have such a reputation? A while back it was always: never heard of it! I look at my disciple, but he too isn''t aware of what is happening. To be fair we both have been traveling mostly in the wild. Journeying toward another disaster zone. At first, I was looking for the Sectmaster. We went toward Eaglevein, but that was a dud. The entire city was inhabited by the undead. Then I tried finding his whereabouts. Apparently, he had been hunted by many factions. They had put a massive bounty on his head. By the time they finally got some information on him, he was already dead. Well, that''s what all they assume. He was reportedly seen entering a portal leading to another realm infested by Abyssal Devourers. Anyone withmon sense will say that there is noing back from that. Anyone that actually knows him will know that chances are he''s probably having a st there casually walking. Because of that, we barely visited towns. From time to time, I do check if his wanted poster has reappeared but so far nothing. It wouldn''t surprise me that he somehow got lost in the process. Still, now I''m curious how this guy knows us. Is the Sectmaster finally back? "Wait, you have heard of us?" "Of course! You guys are monsters! Bandits! Destructors of towns! Eh, I mean you guys are great! Yes, very awesome! Role models! Strong individuals!" . Wow. Just wow. "You" "I swear I won''t tell anyone about you!" "Actually I''m starting to wonder if we aren''t talking about different sects. The one I know is a friendly one." "What?! That''s impossible! Could there really be many sects with the same name?" He is furrowing his brows while thinking. "Not sure, but how about you tell me all you know about it?" This will be exciting... Chapter 393: Pests at the Moon Keep! Chapter 393: Pests at the Moon Keep! ****(POV) I gracefully control the sword in my hand, striking my targets a few dozen times in an instant. This ability of mine has pretty much peaked. There is only so much that training can aplish. *Sigh* Comes the sound of footsteps on the rock floor. "Young mistress, honestly you reaching that level is already an exploit in itself! Your mana capacity is already higher than that of Grey himself!" As if that would matter. "In a fight, I would lose in a heartbeat. Even my Moonlight Dance wouldn''t do anything against him. I''m not that nave to believe otherwise you know." "Of course not haha. I''m just reminding you to be patient. Some things take time. I and Grey have been alive for way longer than you can even imagine. So, don''tpare yourself to us." "*Sigh* Of course notWhy are you here by the way?" "Oh, there is a sect meeting right about now and" I don''t even wait for him to finish his sentence. I rush out! Is this finally what I''ve been waiting for?! Why am I so hurried? The short exnation is I want to meet him. The long exnation starts with himing into my life abruptly. We spent a wonderful month or so together where he would surprise me with his weird training methods and way to see the world. But then he simply left. He did leave a message behind. That we''d meetter when the time was right. The more time passes and the more I reminisce. I think about what happened and what could have been. What if I had prevented him from leaving? What if I had guarded his cell back then? I''ll never know. In fact, I''m not even sure where he is or if he is still that same young man that seemed lost and confused most of the time yet so brilliant! I think this is why I long for him so much. We desire what we can''t have. I still remember the man that resisted my father''s spiritual pressure so easily back then. One that was so strong yet had yed along and gotten himself captured. One that was full of mystery. It is the mystery that is attracting me to him. While he was gone, I simply kept training. This is why I have thought a lot about my life. This is something that I needed to do to be stronger. At some point appears a mental barrier. One then needs to carefully think about one''s life and goals. It is only by having a clear and strong goal that fast sess can be achieved. Well, and luck. My current goal is to meet him. I wish to figure out how he is doing. I wish to ask him myself. I wish to see him aplishing something crazy without batting an eye. That is exactly why I m the door of the meeting room open. The people present chuckle seeing my actions, but I don''t care. "Where is he? What is he doing?" "HAHAHAHA" X3 Even the warden that followed after me isughing. I don''t mind. "*Sigh* Luna, we still have no idea where he is. Thest news we received was about him entering an Abyss Devourer realm. There is no way to reopen it either. They are all saying he''s dead. What do you think?" "Father, you know it clearly. They are all idiots. They think of themselves to be some influential figures without realizing that this ce is but a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. While they fight for local supremacy, they are missing the big picture." "About that. I''m d that you are bringing the topic up! It just so happens that we are getting invaded, as usual. Honestly, before they used to appear every other year but now" "Every other month?" "Young mistress, if that continues, they will invade every week or day even. Well, they are mostly annoying. Right now there is no chance that they''ll manage to cause any real damage as long as we are careful. I and Grey have been taking care of a few." "There is a reason you guys are telling me this, right?" They are all smiling, they obviously have an agenda. One that includes me. "Hehe, indeed. We thought it would be decent training. It would help you be ustomed to their powers and personalities." Personalities? What is that supposed to mean? How does that have an effect during a fight?! You are already supposed to be killing each other, right? Oh, well. I guess I can ept the mission. Who knows if I won''t be lucky and encounter him like what happened to the warden in Eaglevein. As soon as my decision is made, I depart. My destination isn''t that far away from the Moon Keep. Yep, this one is totally assigned in case I need to run back to the Moon Keep. Let''s see what do we have here. In front, I can soon discern a big bulky guy tinkering on what seems to be a glowing magic circle. There are also many pirs all around the ce. How much of an idiot is he? Building a warp gate in a ce such as this. How to get noticed 101. He turns around as I am nonchntly approaching him. "Oh? What do we have here? You look pretty tasty. If you lick my feet right now I''ll even ept you as my 23rd concubine! How about it? This is the deal of a lifetime for you!" "Never happening." "Haha, you may not know it but soon this entire continent will be ours! This ce''s guardian hasn''t made an appearance in thest years. Our victory is but assured. As long as I can finish this warp gate our reinforcements will sweep in and ! Big word for such a perverted guy! Right, who''s that guardian again? Honestly, there are lots of mysteries at the Moon Keep. One thing that I have noticed is that while everyone else is improving...Grey, the warden, and my father aren''t. Their power remains constant. There is clearly something fishy going on! Now, how should I deal with him? Chapter 394: Snake Overlord Bloodline Chapter 394: Snake Overlord Bloodline ****(POV) This invader is right in front of me. Let''s see. He is sticking his chest out, flexing his muscles, has a huge perverse grin that I can''t wait to wipe off his damn face! He''s wearing a long robe hiding most of his body, that flexing is wasted. I''m still unclear on why these guys intend to attack our Starter continent. The resources aren''t the best. We and a few others are here to protect it, somewhat. It simply doesn''t seem like a good investment of manpower. I do know this specific guy is trying to summon an army of his brethren to invade us. Looking at himhe gives out the aura of a rank 3. There is something wrong. Each invasion that they do leave traces. It magnificently breaks the fabric of space itself to allow them to cross over. This process is extremely eye-catching while also limiting them to send a rank 4 of below. Anyone stronger will somehow get rejected and cause the tunnel to fluctuate. This can only mean one thing, death. Usually, it is always a rank 4Yet right now Are they starting tock manpower? Probably not. What if it''s a ploy? What if he is disguising his aura? That wouldn''t be the first time this happens. I''m watching his every move wondering when he''ll strike. He''s watching me too, well leering at me. As he does he''s licking his lips, his tongue is long and .forked?! "How about it? Be mine haha." Let''s do this. I grab my sword and sh at him. He follows the cold steel with his eyes, then he simply raises his arm. *ng!* Somehow, he is perfectly fine. Looking at his torn sleeve I can discern scales, green, sturdy-looking, in a diamond pattern. Is that his trump card? "You, what are you?!" "Hehe aren''t you curious, little girl? *Theatrically raises arms in the air* I am the powerful and great Raza of the Raz n! Ie from the noblest lineage of them all! We are all invincible and beautiful! Behold my glorious appearance!" That''s when his entire body changes, bes covered in scales. Ah! Some kind of polymorphing ability. It clearly boosts his defenses. Looking at him, he seems like some kind of snake-human hybrid. His predatory gaze is simr to one too. "Now, little girl. Shall I show you the greatness of the Snake Overlord Bloodline? Hahahaha!" He charges forward. Right punch? I can dodge that easily. Left punch? Is he even trying? A high kick won''t do much either. Every time he attacks I simply move a tiny bit to avoid it. It seems to me like he only knows how to fight with brute strength. This will be a quick fight. I simply sh at his vitals. Head, heart, neck, dick. As usual, my uracy is perfect. There''s one issue, however. The results of it are a series of *ng* sounds. Each sh barely leaving a white mark on the man, no the creature''s skin. This sure is annoying. The more I sh and the more I realize how much of a pain this guy can be. He keeps taunting me too. "Hehe, littledy! Have you not eaten enough?! Why are you so weak?! Are you ying around with that little metal toy of yours?! Trying to stab me? How about I show you what real stabbing is all about? You know, some really deep stabbing that you won''t ever forget if you know what I mean" Now he''s winking. It looks really weird with his eyes that have changed color to look yellow and vertically split. Ah, also snakes don''t have eyelids, right? Well, his seem to still be there but less responsive than usual. His winking looks painful. "How are you so hard?" "I can be even harder, should I show you, littledy?" "No, seriously. How is your skin so thick!?" "That''s not the only thing that''s thick haha. You see this is the difference between me and themon people. No matter how you guys struggle you won''t ever achieve the same level as me haha. Long training? Dedication? That''s all for themon popce!" He''s snorting arrogantly while raising his head upward. "In this world, there are two types of people. The ones that manage to awaken a bloodline, and the ones that should serve the former! This is an indisputable truth. I am but a rank 3, yet you can''t even pierce my defenses. What do you think will happen once I manage to be even stronger? I bet I could tackle a rank 5 here already haha!" "You seriously think so?" "Hehe, this ce is deste and recluse. You guys don''t even have bloodlines, right? Ah, but don''t worry about it. You can''t be med for your ignorance. Still, rejoice for there is still a way for you to make something of your life!" "What would that be." I just need to keep the conversation going until he spills something of value. He''s oddly talkative for someone that hasn''t managed to even hit me once. "You see, bloodline is always the most important. If you have parents with different levels of bloodline the result will be the strong bloodline being weakened and it is such a waste. Now there are three ways to improve the quality of one bloodline: -Bloodline Conservation: Both parents having the same bloodline to keep it pure. It has the highest sess rate, and most experts are born this way. -Bloodline Fusion: Both parents having strong bloodlines. This can either create aplete waste of a being or in rare cases a new bloodline with both attributes of each. -Bloodline Source Resurgence: A parent with a strong bloodline and a parent with absolutely no bloodline. While 99.99% of the time it creates useless offspringsometimes the bloodline will be mysteriously strengthened. Now, that is where you peoplee in, littledy." "So, you guys are invading to use the Starter continent as a breeding ground?" "Precisely, aren''t you in luck? If you are lucky and manage to make me a strong son you could even be my wife, isn''t that amazing?" "*Sigh* I guess that''s enough information. Now, shall we end this?" I start my Moonlight Dance. I use shadow magic to immobilize my enemy. Even now he is looking at me smugly, still believing himself invincible. Then with my shadow threads wrapped around him, I sh, a single time. A silvery light goes toward his head. "You think you can defeat me? Hahaha, what a ridiculous-!" His head gets severed. Even in death he still arbors his annoying perverted grin. Oh well, at least the Starter continent is safe from that specific threat. Actually, why is it called that? I have a strange feeling about itlike it wasn''t always called that. Chapter 395: Raza! Chapter 395: Raza! ****(POV) I approach the severed head of the snake-human hybrid. This is quite special. I have heard of transformations like that before but the ones I know about are done with magic. This means that it reverts back to the normal appearance upon death. Nope, this one remains scaly and weird-looking. I go to pick it upwait?! It''s moving?! The tongue is still moving about. Is my opponent still alive?! I poke it with the tip of my sword. *CHOMP! * It bites extremely hard, cleaving its mouth open in the process. Wow. This is quite impressive! Even dead it can do that somehowI feel like if I had to summarize it this enemy''s strengths were bragging, acting perverted, and looking creepy. I grab the head, then it''s time to return home. The Moon Keep is as peaceful as usual. After all, there are no viges nearby and people know better than toe and disturb us. It would mean bing a ve instantly. Right, I wonder how our mines are doing? Probably well since I haven''t got any news. I slowly make my way to a specific courtyard, one that is sunny and pleasant. On a bench, the ever-so-kind-looking Grey is sitting. "Brought you a gift, Grey!" Then I throw him the head. He catches it with one hand, eyes still closed. The head is still wriggling its tongue in the air. Well, it''s even more forked than it used to be since biting a sword. "What do we have here? Seems to be some kind of bloodline? These guys can be an issue for sure." "What do you know about it?" "Well, see bloodline as an instant power-up. Awakening a decently strong one means reaching the power of a rank 3 in one go. Let''s just say a n with a good bloodline may very well have rank 3 vigers, this is quite different than ours." "What about the experts?" "If I remember correctly there are actually fewer experts that actually have bloodlines. Probably because of how easy they have it all. When you are born powerful you don''t have the same desire for power,cking the impetus to train." "He did seem surprisingly arrogant for how weak he was too." "Well, yes. But still, they shouldn''t be underestimated. Bloodline experts tend to be some of the most perverse to fight. Think of a being with the raw power of a mythical creature and the potential of a human. It can quickly be crazily hard to deal with." "How do you even know about all this? You are always sitting here on the same bench!" "Haha, that''s only what I do nowadays. I''m old now. But, before I used to roam the world. I settled here after meeting your father is all. Even then I still have this one trick, remember?" The head suddenly starts getting agitated. Then all color drains from it as it bes mummified. Grey can be seen smiling slightly. "Funny guy haha." "What is it?" "Should I share it with you?" I can''t help but nod. I''m certainly curious. I approach Grey who puts his hand on my head. Then my vision goes dark as I see the dead''s memories. ****(POV) I am standing above the pond to see my reflection clearly. "I am the powerful and great Raza! Bow before my scales as you gaze into my beautiful eyes!" No, this doesn''t sound right. Let me think, there is some information that I absolutely must say. First, my name and n. How else are they going to know how great I and my backing are otherwise? Then I should probably emphasize my bloodline. I may just have a sliver of it, but I did manage to awaken it! This is enough to set me for life! Well, a life of semi-poverty where I can only look up to the others getting praised. The worst is that I won''t be able to get a wife because of it. All of them look down on me. Well, I could get myself one that has a weak bloodlinebut that wouldn''t be wise. Oh, I don''t really care about that bloodline stuff too much myself. I mostly want prestige and a loving wife. That is all. The problem is that these weak bloodline girls instantly get bullied once they are brought back home. I wouldn''t be strong enough to stand up for her or leave the safety of our n''s walls. *Sigh* So yeah, short-term it would bring me endless happiness, but long-term it wouldn''t work. That''s why I decided to volunteer for the next invasion, of a ce called Antathe Starter continent. Oh, I know clearly that it''s just a way to get rid of the undesirables. Still, it remains my best bet. Once I get there, I could try two things. I could either just build the warp gate and then bask in endless glory should I seed or simply try to run and find myself a wife there. The first option would be hard but would be my ultimate goal. Even with a weak bloodline, I can still enjoy endless benefits if I manage to aplish a great service to the n. Now if there is too much danger I''ll simply run. That shall do. I may not be strong, but I have fully awakened the resistance of the Snake Overlord Bloodline. I bet not many would be able to seriously hurt me in that ce. That''s why I''m now practicing my pickup lines. It''s one thing to go there just for that opportunitybut I also need to make myself look good. How does one look good? I can think of one guy in the vige that does. He has 22 mistresses. Eventually, he said he was going to have 222 of them. I envy that guy so damn much! Can''t he just spare one for a lonely snake like me?! I should probably use the tactic of saying I have many mistresses. That will show that I am desirable, and the girl will feel like I''m a great prospect or something. If I add some witty remarks, I should be able to do something As long as I remain confident, powerful-looking, on the smart side. yeah, this should work! Now, let''s work a bit on my smile for it to be alluring. I also need to practice flexing, hard to see with a robe but still. Finally, I need to work out winking. Gosh, that is so hard when morphed! Alright, let''s keep working on this. Tomorrow is the big day after all! Chapter 396: Raza the Dreamer! Chapter 396: Raza the Dreamer! ****(POV) Today is the big day! Clothes? Check! Resplendent scales? Check! Luggage? None! Now, as a proud member of the Raz n, I need to always walk around in my morphed form. It is a sign to tell the others not to mess with me. They can insult me, they can parade their strength too, but they aren''t allowed to hurt me in any way. Walking around in human form is a surefire way to be misunderstood as a servant. After all, that is the fate of anyone failing the awakening. Once that happens there are two options, either said individual quits our n''s ancestral ground to roam the worldor he is worked to the bone. Well, the second one can be a good option for anyone with connections to a powerful n member. That is why strength, one dictated by bloodline purity, is key in the n. The lucky sons of heaven having the purest bloodline have members of the opposite sex literally throwing themselves at their feet. *Sigh* How irksome! Having a powerful bloodline also means being favored by our god himself too. The Ancient Overlord Snake Deity is blessing the powerful with even more power. Meanwhile, I am here weak and helpless. At least I have hope. That is better than most of the ones that live here. After all, 90% of the people here are in fact ves. It sounds like I''d be living in a paradise as the top 10%, but 80% of these servants are assigned to the top 1% of the awakened. I have none. Now, today we will perform the random warping ritual. Well, it''s not really random. It will be going to a ce called Anta- the Starter continent. The only reason we are able to do this is a blessing from our god. Of course, a snake deity knows how to track its prey before devouring it in one bite. There is a downside to this, however. Warping across space is usually extremely hard. At least, it''s close to impossible when it''s done one-sidedly. This tweak makes it so we can''t bring any powerful item at all lest the space tunnel ruptures. For example, any of our geniuses wouldn''t be able to bring their treasured sword with them. They all have a mythical grade weapon made from the spine of one of our deceased experts. If my n could we''d send a rank 4 genius fully armed to guarantee sess. Without their weapon, the risk is too high as their lives are extremely valuable. That is why they send me. By the way, the space rupturing is extremely bad. It would mean getting catapulted into the void directly. There is absolutely no way for a human to survive there, even with the most powerful bloodline. Now, theplete n is for me to build a warp gate once I get there. This allows easy and quick teleportation, at a price of course. It requires sacrificing part of one''s bloodline power to activate it. It is superplicated and relies on bloodline resonance. That''s a principle where many individuals across the world can sense each other faintly thanks to their blood link. Ah, it sounds bad but in fact, isn''t. It is actually what we call a false sacrifice. This means that it only weakens one''s bloodline for a few years. While a horrible fate for the geniuses who value their great bloodline purity above all elsefor me it doesn''t matter. I get to the n hall. A huge building made of white bones. Usually, I wouldn''t have the right to ess this ce. I slowly enter while trembling a bit from the excitement. Here is where all the greatest heroes are resting, where the new promising generation is taught, and where the n ancestor and the elders decide our future. Coming from the depth of the hall, I can sense somhting. There is an overwhelming aura. I can feel my bloodline slowly pulsating to a silent ryhthmn. "You''re here, Raza. Kneel in front of the Snake Deity." That''s elder Zakka''s voice! I turn around and there he is, as cold as usual. He is very serious about n affairs. Apanied by a young man. One that I know all too well, a genius of our n, Kaz the Ruthless. He nces at me in passing. I start shivering, cold sweat dripping down my back, one look of his was all it took. My heart is beating faster. I know I am no match for him. He''s already looking somewhere else. For him I am insignificant, nothing but an insect that he doesn''t even truly take notice of. But I am used to it. I kneel on the cold rocky ground before the statue of our god. It is extremely well sculpted, emanating the aura of an ultimate apex predator. One that has devoured many other gods in its life. One that has no equal, or at least that''s what we are taught. Not that I''d ever say that aloud. I keep kneeling for an hour, then the voice of the elder drifts in my ear. "It is time." It is indeed. He slowly guides the way toward an altar in an adjacent room. An altar of bones too. Our god truly loves his trophies so this ce has been built to his liking. "You know how this works, Raz. Drop your blood on it and let me do the rest." I simply nod. Cutting my palm with my own w I slowly drip it all over the skulls, it instantly disappears as if getting drunk instantly. Before long I can feel it. I am linked to it. I can hear it whispering to me. My task is to find our god a new hunting ground, one where our n will be able to reign supreme. This is what he wants. This is what I will do. That''s when Kaz opens his mouth. "You will die, you know? You are far too weak." I can''t help but give a helpless smile. I am resolved to do this. I will set up that warp gate once I get there. As long as I aplish great merit for the n all my dreams wille true: I will be respected. I will get a loving wife. I will build us a beautiful home. I will have some tiny humans or lizards offsprings soon running all around the ce. I will simply be happy. Is this all a dream? Perhaps. Even I know that much. But no matter what I cannot resign myself to forgetting my aspirations! A portal finally appears. As I cross it, I find myself smiling from ear to ear. Starter continent, Raza will conquer you! All for a better life! Chapter 397: Interrogation Techniques Chapter 397: Interrogation Techniques ****(POV) Starter continent, Raza will conquer you! All for a better life! That was a cry from his soul itself. The rest is obvious. He invaded the Starter continent. He met me. He tried his best to do his best impression of a popr guy. It was a critical failure. In fact, he never truly cared about setting the warp gate. He simply desired respect. His magnificent dream was actually pretty basic. He wasn''t even a bad guy he was simply a snake too dumb for his own good. He came here full of hopes only to lose all of it to my hands. There is worse. He wasn''t fighting at full potential. He never truly tried to kill or hurt me. He simply was trying shy moves to impress me. As much of a loser he was back home he would still have been able to put a decent fight against me had he given his all. I would have won in the end but after how much time? Perhaps he would have said something. Perhaps things could have been different. Perhaps he didn''t have to die. I killed him. Me. It didn''t even serve any purpose. I could have tried capturing him. I could even have asked him to surrender. Why did I do that?! Just why?! It''s all my fault! All my damn fault! I should have done better. Now it''s toote, far toote. Regret won''t bring him back. He didn''t deserve this. I extinguished an innocent life that simply wanted to "Luna, snap out of it." What? I''mcrying? I can feel the tears slowly running through my cheeks. Why am I so emotional? I "This is a pitfall of Soul Searching you know." "You mean" "Yes, in the memories you see, you aren''t you anymore. You be him. There is no distinction between both individuals. This is something truly beautiful about necromancy." "How is this beautiful?!" I almost lost myself for a second thanks to it. "It truly is. To be able to live the experiences of someone else right in thefort of your home. To be able to experience a new world from a new perspective. Isn''t it exciting?!" Grey is speaking faster than usual. His arms are raised up in the air as if he was about to cheer, eyes still closed. "This guy was truly an idiot. He could have simply stated his purpose right at the beginning." "Yes, he could have. But you also now understand his motivations. That is the great thing about inheriting another''s memories. But you always need to make sure you do not delve too deep. Otherwise, you can lose sight of what truly matters. "You mean?" "Our own goals. You went there to take care of this problem, not sympathize. Now we know exactly why we are getting invaded. Well, you already figured that out even before the soul search haha." ".I''m pretty sure you guys already knew." "Of course haha. Now, how about you go see the warden. Apparently, he has a new interrogation technique. It should be fun." He says so while smiling as usual. Here the living go to the warden before reaching Grey upon dying. I wonder what heaven-defying new poison the warden hase up with. I reach the dungeon and shout for him. "Hey! Anyone here?!" Before long hurried footsteps are heard as he appears. "Sorry young mistress, I only heard you just now. What can I do for you? Was your outing fun?" Of course, he considers what I did a simple outing. Something akin to a walk in the park. So much for that being a dangerous and threatening invasion from some other continent. How would our invaders react were they to know how nonchntly people here are handling it? "So you have a new product?" "As a matter of fact, yes! Do you remember that truth liquor I was previously using?" "Of course." "Well, I''ve been experimenting with something else. While it did create a nice atmosphere for them to talk I noticed that some fast thinking ones were able to steer the conversation toward something meaningless thus making me waste my time. Now this one solves this problem entirely." He chuckles ominously as he leads the way. We reach the deepest level where 3 individuals are chained on the wall. They look atrocious and smell even worst. A rotting cadaver left under in a damp environment for a month would smell better. "Here, watch this." He simply enters the room. Instantly they all start howling, crying, shaking, and soiling themselves. That''s to be expected honestly. They don''t seem to even register my presence for some reason. The warden simplyes closer and forcefully feeds them some wine. They try to resist. I can see them trying to bite their own tongue. Sadly, there is something in their mouths preventing them from doing that. They start sobbing as the slightly viscous liquid enters their stomachs. They try to wretch but the liquid seems not toe out no matter what. "This is pretty nice, right? A new technique, it makes the poison impossible to vomit out." "R-right." "Now, watch. This is the fun part!" He approaches them and they start screaming atop of their lungs. "Stay away! Nooo! I''ll tell you anything! Just don''te any closer!" "Monster! Ahhhhh! Nooooo!" "Please torture me! Anything but this! Lapidate me, boil me alive, castrate me, and make me eat it. Anything but this!!!" What''s with thest one? They all can''t even handle his presence. He isn''t doing anything either. He is just standing there smiling. He looks scary but... The warden winks at me before asking them where they are from. They spill the beans instantly. Apparently, somece called the Deste continent. Of course, it takes a few times to understand it clearly amidst their cries. "How does it work?!" "*Proud* This is my newest creation! Pure Fear Distill. It simply shows the target whatever they fear most. Simply bying closer, they will imagine the worst torture possible. You don''t even have to do anything. It makes them so emotional they can''t even think rationally anymore." "So, what''s this Deste continent about?" "The usual, a bunch of gods from somece set their sights on us. The weird part is they all managed to find a way to link with our continent using weird measures. It almost seems like someone is guiding their hand in the backgroundwell or a big coincidence. So far, such a method is clearly wed. Still, it could be an issue in the future." "We can''t do anything about that?" "Well, these guys are all minions. They don''t know any relevant information." Figures. That''s when we hear a sonorous shout resound all around the Moon Keep. One so loud we can even hear it from the depth of the dungeon. "Eagle of Massacre! Come face your doom!" Someone is feeling suicidal today it seems Chapter 398: Challenge! Chapter 398: Challenge! ****(POV) "Eagle of Massacre! I''vee to im your head!" Who''s the one that''s tired of living? There are easier ways tomit suicide than to trek all the way over to the Moon Keep. Ah but then again this is a sure-fire way to perish. Now, who can it even be? Who''s mad enough to do that? There is no mor, only a lone voice, one confronting a behemoth without a trace of fear. No, in the promation there is even a hint of anger and righteousness. Many people dream of doing such a thing but pretty much all have enoughmon sense not to. I quickly exit the dungeon. In front of our main gate, a man is standing. Long golden hair, green piercing eyes. At his side 5 majestic swords, all broken. He is standing straight, not intimidated in the least by the many sect members surrounding him. Well, the strongest are mostly rank 3. If this man is who I think he is, disregarding them is normal. "Hurry up! I don''t have all day!" Does he not realize Grey and the warden could simply team up to instantly dispatch him? If he does, he doesn''t show it "Oh? It''s that kid." "You know him?" "Yes, young mistress. It''s as you''ve guessed. He''s the Sword-King, only he would dare wander the world in that getup." "True, an imposter would quickly be overwhelmed by challengers, quite possibly die." That''s when sonorousughter erupts,ing from the tall stone wall. "HAHAHAHA! It''s you! How nice of you to visit! I was just wondering where you went into hiding! Now you areing straight up at me! How exciting!" Eagle is as pleased about a challenge as ever. He rarely gets any, he''s killed way too many for people to dare confront him, well besides this guy. "Time hase, Eagle. I know what happened to you. You''ve lost it. Imagine my stupefaction when I got to know the news. I couldn''t believe it at all! Yet it turned out to be true. Now, I officially challenge you to a duel! What will you do?" The man gazes at every single being out in the open, I and mypanion included. In his eyes, there is a glint that makes us feel his resolution. This guy is ready to fight us all if the need arises. Not that it will seem necessary because... "HAHAHAHA! Of course, I''ll fight you! This will be so much fun! *turning around* None of you are to help me or try to stop the fight by any means!" Then he simply jumps down the walls...diving directly at the Sword-King! Eagle is swinging his bastard sword as usual. He does so with so much power that it looks like Judgment from heaven! *CLANG* *THUD!* Yet his opponent simply parries it, easily with his thin de. The ground around them caves in. The raw power in that exchange can be felt even by us spectators! But for them, this was simply a casual exchange. Then begins the real fight, Eagle hacking with so much power and speed that it leaves after images. Every move aimed at a vital spot, there are no feints, just pure killing intent. He is grinning from ear to ear,ughing. Most would despair seeing all their attacks being easily parried, not him. He radiates pure joy, shouting and being overall so intense! It is a very contrasting appearance to the calm and steady King, who''s not phased in the least. "HAHAHAHA, you''re good! It''s been so long since I''ve had a true fight! I was craving this!" "You call this a real fight? Is that all you can do?" It is at that exact moment that everything changes. The King that was on the defensive goes on the offensive for the first time. He does so in a very casual manner. He parries and then does a quick sh. Every sh he is now drawing a little blood from Eagle. Of course, he manages to evade any hit to his vitals but still. This is why people call him a madman. Even now as he bes more and more bloodied he is still smiling. He thrives on fighting, no matter if he is winning or losing. The more it goes on and the more his injuries pile up. Light superficial wounds tend to be heavy injuries once there are a few hundred of them. If this goes on the oue of this duel is evident. The Eagle of Massacre, a man feared all across the continent will likely perish. Turns out the challenger knew perfectly what he was doing, from his sword mastery to his personality. "This would have been over in an instant if he still had The Bringer of Cmity!" "Yes, it would have been, but he doesn''t have it. Still, he doesn''t regret giving it away, the young master is totally worthy of it. For all we know, it helped him tremendously on his journey so far. I''m sure he''s been defeating tons of enemies with it as a hidden trump card haha. When I saw him in Eaglevein he was simply wearing it not to give the secret away, which is pretty smart." "Are we simply going to watch on as Eagle gets defeated?!" "I can assure you no one will help him. He wouldn''t forgive us." This is painful to watch. He is the man that trained me, one that spent countless hours carefully teaching me. Honestly, he is a great man. While he himself is all about power and speed, he taught me technique. It''s not that he cannot do it, but it''s not his style. At some point, he told me he didn''t have anything more to teach me. That my path would be different from his. That I should work more on using abination of magic and swordsmanship. He stopped training me not to drive me down the wrong path. While his path could be a great one, he always says it needs a special kind of temperament. One needs to love fighting itself. That is not me. I''d rather remain calm andposed. Now this great teacher of mine is about to lose, are we really not going to do anything?! Chapter 399: Brutal Fight Chapter 399: Brutal Fight ****(POV) Now this great teacher of mine is about to lose, are we really not going to do anything?! After all he did for the Moon Keep?! I won''t ept that! If pushes to shove I will save him! He may hate me afterward but I don''t care. At least he''ll be alive. I''ll just have to find something to cheer him up. Ah, I know. I''ll find him a purpose. Something only he can do. He loves teaching, not a much as fighting, but still. Even now, his Moon Keep garb is filled with so much of his blood that it looks more liquid than solid. Seeing his dreadful appearance one would wonder how he is still alive. The answer is great vitality and superficial wounds only. But this doesn''t make him immortal. It only dys the inevitable. "Young mistress, are you thinking of making a move?" The warden knows me well enough. I simply nod. There is no need to exin myself, I simply wish to save him. He remains silent for a while, only the sound of shing being heard. Even as Eagle getspidated, he doesn''t show any clear sign of pain. He simply keeps going like an unstoppable machine. Usually, that could intimidate an opponent, even prompting them to make a vital mistake. After all, a seemingly undying enemy is terrifying! But not the King. No matter what he is steady. He won''t risk taking a hit to dish out more damage. It may seem like he''s torturing him, but in fact, he is simply being careful. I know that and yet...But no matter how gruesome the scene, I won''t avert my eyes. After all, I need to be ready to... "Young mistress, while I do understand your concerns you clearly do not know him as well as I do haha. Just watch." "What do you mean?" "You know, the Eagle of Massacre didn''t get his title because of a legendary weapon. Far from it in fact. Just watch." I look at him seriously for a second, he doesn''t seem to be joking. Still, I need to make sure. "Warden, if you are lying to me right now I won''t ever forgive you. You know that, right?" "Of course young mistress haha." He doesn''t seem worried in the least. What does he know that I ignore? No matter what I can''t see Eagle reversing the tides, not with such a steady opponent. That is when I get the feeling the is King ncing at us, gauging where we stand exactly. He does so very subtly but I somehow catch it nheless. He wants to make sure none of us will hinder him. He is about to finish it all! Quick! I need to...! ARGG! To believe or not to believe?! This could be a moment Ie to regret forever... For now, I''ll trust in the warden. He knows much more than I do. I simply hope he isn''t mistaken. That is when I see my fathere out, apanied by Grey. I see them lock eyes with the warden before nodding to each other. Then, my father opens his mouth. "Seems like you are losing quite grandly, eh? You can fight seriously, we''ll deal with the aftermath." That is all he says. Then he remains quiet on the sidelines. What is this all about?! The grin on Eagle''s face bes even wider. At this point, I''m not even sure how it''s even humanly possible. That is when it happens. His entire aura suddenly changes. The very air feels heavy as every single living in the area stops breathing for a second, I can hear the loud thumping of my heart as if warning me that the end is near. More importantly, I''m a spectator! This must be insane at point-nk! The King is clearly shaken. He looks at his opponent in iprehension. After all, the man that was about to fall is giving an unbelievably dangerously deadly vibe right now. That''s when the fight resumes. But this time everything is different. Every time Eagle is hacking, it sends the King flying a few dozen meters backward. Ater every sh, he leaps at his opponent to keep up with him creating craters where hends. How?! How is this happening?! The King finally finds a way to deal with the onught. He answers every hack with a few parries of his own slowly reducing the bastard sword''s power. But this clearly isn''t a viable solution long term. With every parry, he is getting pushed back, his feet leaving trails in the hard ground. The man cannot evade either. Eagle''s precision is incredibly on point. Even with all that power he somehow retains a firm grasp over how it is used. Now, it is just a matter of time. Whether the King can hold on long enough for that powerful state to end. I''m watching intently with bated breath, but no matter what Eagle doesn''t seem to be weakening one bit. Meanwhile, the challenger is struggling to hold on. I''m expecting this to keep going for a while, but no. The King flees. He doesn''t say a word, he simply leaves. He uses an attack from Eagle to getunched away, noting back. Before long he is out of sightpletely. That''s it? "Wow, you were right. I''m d this is over! Eagle won!" I hear a deep sigh. "That''s where you are mistaken, young mistress. Now the real fight actually starts. We need to deal with that blockhead." What does he mean? That''s when Eagle looks our way. His usual determined gaze nowhere to be seen. Now his eyes are bloodshot, red, even glowing! These are the eyes of a beast! Perhaps even those of a demon! One that exists solely for the purpose of killing. *Tremble* I''m going to be sick, I... He barely nces my way but I nearly lose control of myself. My father then attracts his attention by attacking him, giving me a respite. That is when they start fighting, actually no. The creature-like Eagle is chasing, with my father leading him outside of our walls. I understand perfectly why. Should they fight here there won''t be any Moon Keep left standing at the end of the day! Only I remain as the soldiers return to their duties. But seriously...what the Hell was that?! Chapter 400: DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER Chapter 400: DO NOT UNLOCK THIS CHAPTER ****(WTF) Did you unlock this chapter? You really shouldn''t have! I mean, this is one of these. Yep, story break RIP For all of you guys wondering what will happen to TMR, Logan, Calli, Josh . wait a damn minute! Sorry, wrong file*cough cough*, right this is TUG, my bad *cough cough* **** Anyway, this will be a very short and boring story. One involving a peculiar individual. For now, let''s just call him a fool. It is short because there really isn''t much to say about it since it''s boring. It is boring because there is barely any action. In fact, no one even dies! Can you believe it?! This fool used to live in a big castle. One that was near the biggest city in all thend! One where life was simple, peaceful, and entertaining. Yet instead of going out to y, the fool would always remain cooped up in his throne room to type all day long like a real idiot. It wasn''t always like this. At first, it only started as a hobby. One that he did half-heartedly. As in he would pour his heart into it every day, but he would soon take a break to do whatever pleased him. There was a clear distinction between the words on the screen and his life. But soon enough, it devolved into something way more troublesome. It devolved into a passion. There is one key difference between a hobby and a passion. Thetter always stays on your mind no matter what. Even when you aren''t actively thinking about it...it''s still there! Quite like a very attractive stalker! *Picture your waifu/husbando* In fact, it followed the fool whenever he was eating, sleeping, shiting, -omitted-. That is when the fool realized that his hobby, now passion, was about to consume him whole. Without even realizing it, he had sacrificed his free time, sacrificed his friends, sacrificed his family, and he was about to lose his girlfriend too! She gave him an ultimatum. Well, it served as a wake-up call too. He was barely spending time with her anymore! That is when he finally took notice of all that he had sacrificed. Before that, he had been so caught up in all of it that he had truly been blind. This was his opportunity to make all things right! He slowly raised her delicate chin, gazed right into her beautiful eyes, he then whispered to her sweetly: "Let''s break up." This fool truly was a fool. Actually, he was not only a fool but also a mad fool. This mad fool decided to leave his castle behind. He decided to travel all thend, all the way to a tiny remote vige. One where he would live in exile. One that would be even quieter than where he had been, he just didn''t know where yet. One where he could type while forgetting the past and the future, well except the amazing vision he had. Yes, he was mad. One day the mad fool actually sleepwalked in a drunken haze. The next morning he woke up having made several ns that were unlike the usual him. Here are the things he had done: - He had taken action to reconnect with his family. He had somehow chosen a remote vige that was near them. - He had chosen a dwelling that was pretty affordable to reduce the threat of an utterly vile monster called rent. Well, the small ones were actually easy to defeat. - He had decided to keep in touch with his friends online using discord. *Join the discord: insert a Hypno-toad* Now, this fool sat on the ground in his new kingdom that consisted of a bedroom, a kitchen, and a toilet. It was clearly way smaller than his previous castle, but somehow, he didn''t mind it one bit. All he had was his trusty PC, Wi-Fi .and snacks!!! *Reread thisst part in an excited voice* The fool couldn''t help but think that somehow all it took to be happy was simple. Oh so very simple. Perhaps too simple even? He kept typing while munching on seasoned dry roasted peanuts and drinking orange breakfast juice. He did so in the dead of the night. The moment where the entire world goes stillwell except for people on the other side of the globe. you know. As he kept typing, he couldn''t help but smile stupidly for he knew some of his fans would most likely voluntarily unlock this chapter. His fans were actually countless and the best of the best! People were usually in disbelief when he told them that. What they didn''t know was the height of the fool''s counting disability and one simple fact: no matter what, they were always Legion! The fool wanted to thank his fans for embarking on this crazy and wonderful journey with him (again). One with a goal so far it was engulfed in the fog of war. One that would be full of ups, some more ups, downs, some more downs, left, right, left, right, B, A! Wasn''t this exciting! As he kept typing, he could hear the small knocks of the birds yfully tapping his windows, chirping yfully. Their song went a little like: "devour the flesh, crush the bones, drink the blood, let me in, won''t you?" Pretty weird nocturnal birds really. Also, the reason why he got his new kingdom that cheap. Well, the fool wouldn''t get disturbed by such a small detail. He simply sted bass boosted music in his headphones as he wrote. Said rhythmic music actually fitted perfectly with another w of his dwelling: the flickering lights. There were only two other ws to his new ce: the neighbors'' children crying randomly at 3:33 AM every night and the bad quality mirror that didn''t reflect his appearance in the right position. Somehow, no one had wanted to rent this wonderful ce but him. It was almost a divine sign, it was made just for a mad fool just like him! He would remain there and keep typing. No matter what. Now and forever. All until Earth itself stopped rotating and even then perhaps some more. **** Well, that concludes this story. Truly a short and boring one, wouldn''t you agree? Chapter 401: Eagles Law Chapter 401: Eagle''s Law ****(POV) My daughter was worried about Eagle, but now she''ll understand why none of us shared that concern. No, the issue is the aftermath instead, all the work this will cause us! Oh well, it can''t be helped. This is part of my duty as a leader. *Sigh* I attack him. He instantly turns his attention toward me, his eyes glowing red. In this special state of his, just a gaze is enough to intimidate most opponents. He has this way of looking at you like you are mere prey. All confidence and pride crumble under his stare like an ice cube in a volcano. People have mostly forgotten about it. They all assume he is strong because of The Bringer of Cmity. Oh god no! Him getting his hands on it has been an actual blessing for the continent! Ironic how a sword of massacre led to him bing more peaceful. With it, he didn''t have to rely on this power of his. He would simply call upon the fiery magic of the legendary de. We often joke saying that if he one day were to rampage with the de there would be no stopping him until the entire Earth realm got reduced to ashes. Well, half-joking This power of his is one the people here don''t know or understand. It is one that is quite mystical, hard to grasp, but impossibly strong when taken to the extremes. It used to be very popr in our old headquarters, everyone and their mother would try sensing something called a Law as it only requiredprehension and nothing else. These Laws are ever-present and define the very essence of the world. Anything in this world can be associated with a Law, may it be a concept, a force, or even a sentiment. Even something as simple as sensing one is a huge hurdle already! Thesews are extremely easy to theorize but close to impossible to actually use and master. For instance, anything can be aw, Law of Space, Law of Time, Law of Water, Law of Despair, etc. What gives the Eagle wings on the battlefield is something he himself calls Law of Brutality. He doesn''t even know how to exin it himself either. He simply gets this urge for violence and destruction, one that stems from a very primal human instinct. Most people learn to suppress it for it will cause their demise quite quickly. Bloodlust is how you stop thinking, it is how you make mistakes under emotion. Well, that''s for most people. He instead found a way to turn this craving for brutality into something beneficialsomewhat. He rampages until everything is dead, allies or enemies. Actually, he does turn back after a while if left alone, except the damage he can cause during that long while is colossal! He could destroy many times over the Moon Keep. In fact, many ignore this detail but back when he was in the Lion''s band he single-handedly caused the annihtion of many sects. He was their ultimate weapon. The Lion would send this berserker to key positions ande get him afterward. Well, he would have been wrong not to use him. Still, now we gotta deal with this. *Sigh* I don''t even try fighting. I know it''s pointless. Any normal being bes weaker the longer a fight goes on, getting tired eventually. Not him. Not at all! The more brutal a fight bes and the stronger he gets. No matter who is being brutal he powers up. His opponent getting the better of him and managing to hurt him? Power up! Him killing a weakling on the way? Power up! Some guy losing his footing and ending up in a brutal ident? Goddamn power up! It''s crazy! There is only one easy way to deal with one such as him. You run without looking back. That is all. The other option is to overpower him in a gentle manner. For almost anyone, this simply sounds like nonsense. How is it even possible?! Well, we''ll be fine since we have Grey the Necromancer and The Mad Alchemist! Any of these three individuals is enough to terrorize and conquer this continent, well if none of the hidden ones intervene. But either way, it doesn''t matter. Our true enemies are unlike the useless rabble of the Starter continent. No, eventually I have the dream ofing back to our ancestral ground. A triumphant return amidst the corpses of those who scorned us would be so sweet! Well, it will all depend on what happens to the Lunar Goddess herself*Sigh* We had to retreat because of her issue in the first ce. We somehow all feel that the Envoy may just resolve this problem. We have no clue how nor when either. Of course, I''m referring to the one my daughter keeps asking about, not that fake one. The one that is extremely weird. But that weirdness may very well be what saves us. In retrospect, many things he has done are questionable at best. Why did he have to run away? Why is he ying the fool? I wanted to ask him about it, but I was never sure of how to do so. But then he left before I truly could. The warden actually has a theory, but I don''t know how urate it is. Let''s just say if it is our wildest dreams may juste true haha. He''ll lead us when he will be ready. Whenever that dayes, we will follow him! Now, I need to focus. *CRASH* The Eagle keeps swinging this bastard sword of his with impossibly strong momentum. I keep dodging while fleeing. There will be so many craters after this. I''ll tell this fool to fill them all once he''s back to normal for sure. I keep going until I reach apletely deserted area. No road, no one, nothing. This will be the perfect battleground. Now, I just need to wait for Grey and the warden. They should be here soon. Gotta keep dodging, one hit means weakening and weakening means death against such a perverse opponent. *SLASH* *CRASH* *TREMBLE* Where the Hell are the both of them?! These damn geezers! I just need to keep avoiding... *MAD LAUGHTER* * CRUMBLE* *BAM!* Seriously, they should be here already! I''m fighting for my goddamn life here! *CRACK!* *STOMP!* I see them! These assholes are slowly walking over while casually chatting! What the fuck! I''m the Sectmaster of the goddamn Moon Keep! Show a little care for my life! Please! *Panting* Wait, are they fucking waving at me while smiling?! *Shouting* "Get here already before I kick the bucket!!!!" *Sigh* Chapter 402: Small Blunder Chapter 402: Small Blunder ****(POV) "Get here already before I kick the bucket!!!!" They are simply crawling over at the slowest pace possible while I''m here getting destroyed! Please have some consideration! "Sectmaster, didn''t you tell us that you could do this easily?" "Yes, we believe in you! *cheer*" "Please Grey, summon it already! Same for you warden! Please!" As I''m begging them, I''m dodging yet another sh that would have chopped my head easily. Ah, but Eagle''s attacks are never that easy. As soon as I evade it, he switches the trajectory of his attackpletely, so I need to move even more out of the way. Then, guess what?! He does it again! Every time he seems to defy the very rules of sword handling aplishing an exploit. It''s always like that with him! Every single move of his is ever-changing and will push one to either despair or death. Actually, usually both in that very order. Meanwhile, they are just looking on amused. It''s only when I start losing ground that they finally deign to make a move. Grey waves his arm. Out of his shadowses a creature I haven''t seen in ages. A Death Knight! An undead knight with pitch-ck full-body metallic armor and equipped with a huge ymore about five times the size of its own body. Its facial features are hidden behind a full visor helmet with a silvery glow emanating from its eye sockets. Death knights are usually rank 3 undead. Ones that can lead their small groups of their brethren to battle. The stronger ones will be mounted on an undead steed. No, this one is a very in-looking one, except for that huge sword. It actually even feels out of ce. As if a good weapon was pped onto a weakling to try and make it stronger. But I know, underestimating it would be an incredible mistake. This peculiar undead is a sentient one. One inhabited by an olden lost soul. One that personally chose his weapon. What itcks in power it more than makes up for in terms of technique. It rushes at the Eagle. The momentum it has is incredible. Every one of his stomps can be felt on the ground. With such a huge weapon one would expect an incredible quantity of air to be disced. No, quite the contrary. There is not even so much as a whistle. It seems as if the weapon is as light as a feather. But I do know for a fact it is so heavy that I can barely lift it myself. Then begins an earth-shattering sh. The Sword-King had to run away because of the raw might of his opponent. This Death Knight is not taking a single step backward. With every sh, Eagle is the one getting pushed back. Perfect! That is when our alchemist gets some powder out. "Alright, keep him there for a little while. I''ll use this and" We are almost done with this pointlessly long subjugation. That''s when it happens. Suddenly Eagle turns his head sideways. Then he starts rushing over to the distance. What now?! "After him! That''s why you guys shouldn''t have dawdled!" They embarrassedly nod. We all start running after him. The Death Knight carrying Grey and me carrying the old poison master. Still, what caused him to rush out so fast?! He wasn''t that excited even when we were fighting! Before long we understand it all. We reach one of our mines. In there is a very tiny portion of our wealth. We have soldiers in ce, but barely any. After all who would dare to attack us? Well, the guys I am seeing now. There are many random weaklings all ganging up on our soldiers. The invaders may only be rank 2-3 but they are truly numerous, probably a thousand. Compared to the hundred men we have defending this position it is enough. These weaklings managed to corner our ves and soldiers inside the mine. They adopted a pretty good defensive position, but it will be breached soon at this rate. The entrance is littered with tons of corpses lying in grotesque positions, most died while trying to run. I see the issue. These guys invaded while the Sword-King did diversion. Well, they are most probably simple opportunists. Except they probably never expected the duel to be over so fast with no clear winner. Now the bloodshed has summoned a devil. One that is dashing over at an insane speed. They don''t even realize the cmity about to befall them. No, they are only standing there loudlyughing, celebrating their soon-to-be-obtained wealth. He dives in their midst, akin to a dragon in a herd of sheep. Exceptbloodier. I can see most of them getting diced, not even having the time to scream. There is no fright since they don''t even realize they are dead. Finally a few manage to understand that they are under attack. Still, he simply kills them all. No matter if they are fighting, unmoving, or running they all have their lives ended even faster than a tiny me getting snuffed in water. It doesn''t even take minutes. they ally broken and shed apart. That is when cheers erupt from inside the mine. Then the blockaded entrance slowly gets opened. Oh no! These fools! The Eagle slowly turns towards them. They are celebrating the reinforcement having arrived in time. But this is no reinforcement. This is a devil in human skin. One that only lives for killing. He quickly epts the invitation. It is already toote for them. Far toote! This goddamn sucks! Now I''ll have to organize new workers for this ce. I''m so going to give him an earful once he''s back to normal! "*Sigh* That wouldn''t have happened if you guys came faster. Let''s get him already shall we" Once more they give an embarrassed shrug. Do they even realize what disaster they caused?! Now thanks to them my free time will be slightly disturbed! Ah, whatever. Grey sends his Death Knight inside. In the meantime, I am covering for him. He is using a technique to share his senses with his undead directly. Soon afterward he opens his eyes again, looking puzzled. "What''s happening Grey?" "Well, it''s weird but I can''t find him.at all." "Are you kidding me?! What does this even mean?! How is this possible?! He was just there!" "I''m not sure, to be honest. He simply disappeared. Now it simply means that there is a raging Eagle of Massacre roaming thend. We also have no way to track him eitherso there is that" "*Sigh* Whatever, I don''t care anymore. I''m going back home." Thus, we all turn back. He''ll find his way back at some point that I am sure of. What about the Starter continent? Well, good luck... Chapter 403: Hero Gone Chapter 403: Hero Gone ****(POV) I''m swirling a little ball of acid above my hand. Life is weird sometimes. Very weird. I remember it like it was yesterday. It went a little like this **** "Careful!" Then I see him enter the portal leading directly to the Abyss Devourers. Surviving this is clearly impossible. His wolf doesn''t seem that worried. She simply looks at it seemingly awaiting him turning back. Except that a few secondster, it instantly closes. This is weird, even I that don''t know a single thing about the topic realize that it should have stayed open a little longer. Wolfie seems lost for a second, surprised. I can hear her sigh? Then she simplyys down on the ground apparently intent on sleeping there until hees back. What will happen to her should he nevere back?! With the portal gone, the blue dome is slightly illuminating the aftermath. We have survived. This continent is safe. But none of us feel remotely happy. I can see all the vigers kneel toward where he disappeared in a show of respect. One of them murmurs: "I have no clue what he did but he closed the portal somehow. Everyone, listen up! From now on this man is a hero of the Vige of the End! He gave his life so we could aplish our mission! He decided to sacrifice himself for the cause! Remember it!" No way in Hell! He sacrificed himself willingly?! Did we see the same scene?! He sleepwalked into it! Then again it would be awkward to admit the truth. It wouldn''t sound as heroic. I slowly lower my head too. He may have done it for the wrong reasons, but he did save me nheless. However, I''m not sure he died. A little voice tells me I will see him again. For all, we know he could be having the time of his life on the other side. Okay, no. That one is impossible. These are Abyss Devourers after all. But it wouldn''t surprise me if he was somehow holding out on the other side. It may be ridiculous, but I truly hope he doese back, this man who somehow thinks of me as a weakling. A man looking down on a rank 4 Akresh''s follower is quite rare. There always was something special about him. He always dared to look at me in the eyes. He wasn''t scared of physical contact with me either. Ah, he was a bit disgusted and so was I. I mean I was in a princess carry from a naked guy for a part of our journey after all. I can see the dwarf crying. "*Sob* If only we had hurried a little more, he would still be alive. It was all my fault! I''m sorry my friend! I''m truly sorry!" I go next to him. Then I pat his back. "Iron Hammer, no need to cry. Sure you killed a great man and one that Forgar himself took notice of but don''t worry, mistakes happen. It''s normal." He starts crying even moreI just said that it''s fine to make mistakes too! That is when I hear voices. Voices loud enough to cover thementing of the dwarf. There seem to be people on the other side of the barrier. "How do we take down this blue thing?" *Tap Tap* "What do you guys think this is?" "Please, clearly some defensive measure. We just need to take it down to get our target." "Should we try magic?" "Pretty sure if we hit it enough it will break eventually." *CLANG CLANG! * I can hear them relentlessly striking the barrier in the background without sess obviously. How are these guys so loud? Don''t they know the concept of a surprise attack? Is their target the vige? I look at a viger. "You often get visitors like these guys?" He simply shakes his head looking puzzled. So much for a moment of silence for a hero. It got broken pretty damn fast. Still, now what should we do about it? My friend gave his life to protect this vige so obviously, I willjoke I don''t care one bit. Actually, I''m pretty sure the vigers are able to defend themselves since most are rank 3. Doubt anyone would expect such a remote ce to have that kind of power. I''ll watch whatever happens unfold for now. But! I do something before that. I go and grab myself some beer and snacks. This is the true way to enjoy a show after all. The dwarf looks at me angrily. "You''re just going to eat and drink?!" "I mean, the party kinda stopped with the creatures'' invasion. Now is as good a time as any other, to be honest. "Y-you!" "Please, he would have agreed I bet. Plus I''m pretty sure he''s still alive anyway." As soon as I say this line, he bes quiet. Then the way he looks at me changes. His gaze is now filled with pity. "Hey, why are you?! I''m not in denial I swear he''s alive!" "Of course he is, of course." Now even the vigers are acting the same! Has the dwarf forgotten the guy can resist my acid and swim inva?! What more proof does he need?! Actually, no. I think I know where the issue lies. It is a cultural one I believe. Whenever Abyss Devourers are mentioned, I see them be tense. They were doing that even before we fought some. They turned out to be pretty weak and easy to kill but their fear still remains. It is one ingrained in their conscious and subconscious. All their lives, they have been reminded of the danger of these creatures and automatically overestimate them. At least that''s what I believe. I believe that guy wouldn''t be phased by anything. Not these creatures, not even the gods themselves. I still remember how casually he was calling Akresh the acid dude. Still, it''s pointless to try and change their minds. I have no certitude. Just a gut feeling that he''s okay. Then there are more screams outside. "Guys look this way! There is another group iing! Be ready! Stop hitting the barrier, for now! Turn around, defensive position!" Chapter 404: Fools Fighting Chapter 404: Fools Fighting ****(POV) Another group? I slowly get closer to see what is happening. Sneakily making my way next to the barrier. Iron Hammer is heading their way directly. "Psst! Wait! What are you doing?" "Getting outside to beat them up so they stop making a ruckus. Also, you don''t have to hide they can''t see through the barrier from their side." "Ah! Let them be, I want to see what they are up to." He looks at me puzzled. "Aren''t you usually an advocate of simply sting them with acid and be done with it?" "Well, yes but don''t you find it weird that suddenly two groups are here while it usually is empty? Also, look how loud they are. They are more likely to reveal all information by mistake." "*Grumble* Sure, I''ll wait." So I and the dwarf await what will happen next. We can clearly see the first group. They look like "These guys are mercenaries for sure." A viger murmurs nearby. Yes, they seem like warriors whilecking the group cohesion of an army or the clear seniority of a sect. Leather armors, standard swords, they look pretty poor. Now the new grouping on the horizon looks slightly different. Yep, these guys are in a sect for sure. They have a few dedicated mages, they all have the same sect emblem, one I do not even know. Must be nobodies. My guess is these guys are either a newly formed sect or what we call a sub-sect. Basically, a sub-sect is what strong sects call their servants. This way it sounds fancier. But really, they are mostly grooming death warriors in these. The mercenary group''s leader shouts. "Identify yourselves and state your business! We were here first in any case!" What a bold first line for a guy that doesn''t look especially strong. He hasn''t figured out that antagonizing people can be really bad. Anyway, unsurprisingly "We have no name to give mere mercenaries. Just know that we are on our sect''s official business. Now don''t disturb us and move aside!" "I see, you''re after our target in this vige too, eh? Well, I''ve got bad news! We are here and staying!" The mercenaries start stomping the ground rhythmically. They seem to be trying to intimidate their opponents. Except that besides making them look like fools, I doubt it''s actually aplishing anything. It doesn''t help that dust starts rising and now they themselves are beginning to cough from it. That''s when the sect on the other side snidely remarks "amateurs". Right at that exact moment, I''m very d to be watching. "Show these sect guys that we are proud mercenaries!" "Seriously?! Whatever, men show these mercenaries our strength!" *Screams* *Insults* They charge at each other. The sect has more mages. Right at the beginning, they send a deadly magical volley killing a few mercenaries directly. To put things into perspective there are around 40 mercenaries and 30 sect members. These few casualties are already significant. But the mercenaries instead of cowering simply go even faster! Before long, the two groups crash into each other. *sh* *Screams of the injured* I''d like to say this fight is exciting but it''s not. It reminds me of newly entered recruits. The ones that die the first day of training. The ones that are cannon fodder to fuel the growth of the others. They are barely drawing blood and yet the cries of agony are thundering. There is even one guy that faints almost as soon as the sh begins. A few secondster someone walks on his junk by mistake providing him a rude awakening. He gets up and resumes fighting as if nothing happened. A few actually notice it but they are too busy trying to kill each other. Both leaders are not even participating in thebat, standing in the back barking orders that their men barely can follow. Let''s just say that they are all pretty bad. The mages looked half-decent but apparently only knew how tounch long-range attacks and are now panicking. After a dozen minutes, the death toll is about equal for each side, only a few individuals. Ah, it seems like the troops are not really going all out and each trying to make sure they survive the confrontation. Then both leaders eventually decide to call it a stop. "How about a truce? You guys are worthy opponents! It would be a shame if we were all to die here!" "Agreed, it would be quite ridiculous. Now what?" Worthy opponents? If these guys are worthy, then my left nut sack is heroic! Talk about ridiculous! I can''t help but wonder what they will do. Will they all start smashing the barrier in harmony? I still doubt they can breach it. Both groups are just standing in front of it with the few remaining mages carefully examining the blue wall. They concert with each other before dering: "This thing is a remnant of the past. It has clearly beenid out a few centuries ago. There are few wonders to be found. This ce could be worth a fortune in the right hands." "Seriously?!" "Well, yes. It is lost magic after all. There is clearly no one nowadays able to do something like that, otherwise, we would have heard of them for sure." "Makes sense!" I can''t help but chuckle looking at Iron Hammer right next to me. He did use the foundation that was already set to speed up the work, but he still just set it up. Talk about a load of bullshit. How nave can one be? They are ignorant and are not even aware of it haha! All of us are just watching them clown around. Meanwhile, they have no idea we are there. They keep going without a care in the world. "So, how do we take this down?" "*Proud* Hehe, I actually know the answer to that." "You do?!" "Yes, indeed. This barrier is clearly very old, and its power source is most likely almost depleted. All we need to do is attack it all at once at the same spot. Then it should be enough to allow us passage. I look at the dwarf, but he just shakes his head in denial. Figures, it can''t have such a ring w if it''s meant to resist Abyss Devourers. Actually, maybe it could work for someone way stronger than these guys. That''s when something else happens. "G-guys! Look there! Is that a merchant caravan?!" Chapter 405: Breaching the Barrier?! Chapter 405: Breaching the Barrier?! ****(POV) "G-guys! Look there! Is that a merchant caravan?!" Would you look at thatyes, it is! Something is definitely happening here. The third group already. Ah, never mind it''s just one lone carriage. One escorted by about 50 mercenaries. Don''t tell me the next group to appear will have 60 and it will keep going up? They all look intimidating, well except a dwarf merchant on the vehicle. I mean he''s human but very tiny. Now usually that wouldn''t be that noticeable but somehow, he looks extremely mean. Picture a kid with a beard squinting at you in permanence and that''s pretty much it. They get close enough then the little man gives an ultimatum: "This ce now belongs to us the Always Trading Group! You can either scram or scram! Otherwise, we''ll use force!" That''s when the mercenary next to him murmurs: "Boss, I''m really not sure we can do that. One group has mages you know." He doesn''t even bother hiding his lips so I can simply read them. These guys are not the brightest either. Anyway, why is a merchant so prone to violence? That is literally why I never really trade myself and only bother with forcefully taking, so much easier! Well, for one such as I anyway. "We were here first!" "We won''t give up either!" "Hehe can''t you guys see that I have elite soldiers with me?! These guys are different from you rabble. Now, hurry up and run!" "No way! Not after all we had to endure to find this ce!" "Same!" "If you remain stubborn you won''t be able to endure anymore haha. Now, let our carriage through or pay the price!" The first and second group leaders share a look. They are reluctant to give up. Since they are rtively equal in strength negotiations go easily. They seem to settle for a 50/50 share of whatever they are looking for. Now both groups are huddling together, finding safety in their numbers. Are they forgetting that they were killing each other a short while ago? Then they face this new external enemy. "You think merging will suffice? Haha, you guys clearlyck the coordination necessary to win! Men! Wipe them all out!" None whatsoever moves. Hahaha, are these guys for real? "I''ll double your pay! Bonus gold for each kill! Charge!!!!" Never mind, that gets them in the mood. Then both groups start fighting. This time the death toll actually goes up pretty fast. Motivated by the potential gain the third group''s mercenaries are giving their all. Not longter, about 30% of all the men have died. This is when everyone retreats in panic. They have realized that at the rate they are going there barely will be a survivor at the end. Traveling alone is the easiest way to get kindly taken in by some ve trader or even gently get taken to the afterlife. Fighting was obviously a very dumb idea here. Now, why they are even fighting here specifically is beyond me. The dwarf is getting impatient, but honestly, this is pretty entertaining. "*Cough cough* You guys are worthy opponents! I think we should call it a truce. Still, there is only one Dwarf Master, how are we going to approach this issue?" "What? There is a Dwarf Master here? That''s not why we are here anyway. Our sect is chasing a fugitive!" "You guys too are after the Akresh follower?!" "What?! There is an Akresh follower here? No, we are following another criminal!" That''s when they all look at each other. Then they all look at the corpses strewn around in a broken manner. This is quite hrious! So, these three groups are not after the same objective at all but fought and incurred losses trying to monopolize it. They of course awkwardly change the subject. "How do we destroy this barrier?" "We just need to keep hitting it till it disappears!" "Let''s do this!" They''d rather hammer at it than turn around and see the lifeless judging eyes of their brethren. I can already guess what many will do. They''ll be using the death toll as an excuse to increase the pay or merit. They send a barrage of attacks on the blue barrier making it instantly ripple. Well, it''s kinda always rippling a bit. Yes, they are not doing anything. I can''t help but ask the dwarf. "How long until they breach it at the rate they are going?" "About actually I''m not sure. A few hundred years optimistically." "Let me guess, their actions arepletely useless?" "It''s pretty much the normal usure, yes." These fools are enthusiastically going. Hoping for instant sess. Not realizing that they will run out of lifespan before making a dent in it. "The next one will breach it for sure!" "We just need to keep going, in a day at worst we''ll be done!" "Huzzah!" A viger sighs. "What fools. This barrier is impossible to open both for us and for them." Wait a minute! "Wait! You mean to say we can''t get out?! I''m sure enough acid would" "Don''t worry. When I was reworking it, I added a passageway. Well, there used to be one too. It just somehow disappeared after too much time had passed. Now, what should we do about these guys?" "Can''t we let them in? They seem harmless. I wonder what exactly they came for. Two are looking for fugitives and one for you directly. Who knows, maybe the small man is looking for someone even smaller. Perhaps he''ll even fall in love with you and" "Gross." As he says that he waves his sword toward the barrier and it glows slightly before a square appears in it allowing passage. "We did it!" "We are awesome!" "Wow! Take that, you dumb barrier!" Self-awareness is hard to have it seems haha. Before long they all proceed inside. They all curiously look at the small houses. I can hear some whisper about how much of a shithole it is, about how big a waste. There is a great and powerful ancient barrier protectinga vige. The sh is so big that many simply startughing. One of them suggests they should remain careful. What if the vigers are actually powerful?! Well, he getsughed at, a lot. Especially when they see them munching on carrots. That''s when one goes. "This vige is now under our control! Please cooperate or else" I''m pretty sure the else won''t be pretty, at least for them. Chapter 406: Worst Invasion Ever Chapter 406: Worst Invasion Ever ****(POV) "This vige is now under our control! Please cooperate or else" A vigeres forward: "Or else what? Also, what do you want cooperation with?" "Y-you know! Cooperation means cooperation!" *Crunch* The old guys keep calmly munching on their carrots. The sound shing with the tense face of the would-be invaders trying to intimidate us. The tiny merchant taking the lead on their endeavor. "Wait a minute! Boss! Look there! That''s the wolf! He''s really here!" Group 1 is looking at Wolfie withgreed? Don''t tell me their target is. oh, these guys screwed up even more than I initially believed. Yep, even I wouldn''t dare to set my sight on him and I''m a goddamn rank 4 powerhouse! "Catch it! Quick!" But the vigers quickly block their way. "Wolfie is our esteemed guest here. If you want to capture her you will have to pass over our dead " "Alright! No problem! We''ll be rich soon! Kill the old toads and let''s quickly" The first mercenaries reach the vigers. shing their swords at them excitingly. Their faces red while grinning looking at their target. They don''t even consider the weak obstacles to be an issue. Then they start dying. There is a moment of iprehension. Their gaze bes unfocused as their body reacts to danger which they themselves never expected. Some collide with their colleagues and are about to rage at them, but realize they are looking at beheaded bodies. A shower of blood gushes out and wakes them up real good. It sshes all over their cheap armor and into their eyes blinding them, thus causing even more confusion. Before they have even realized it they are all dead. The two remaining groups watch, blood having left their faces. Their mouths are opened so much that I could fit a whole acid ball in there. I almost feel like trying in fact. "What about you guys, are you trying to hunt Wolfie too?" "N-nonono! I''m not here for that at all! Ie in peace! Peace I say! I am a fervent advocate of peace and harmony! Colleagues always have to remind me to even hire mercenaries when I''m traveling. You know because I forget how dark this world can be at times! *Sigh* I just wish everyone could be as peaceful as me then there wouldn''t be war in the first ce!" Says the guy that ordered his troops to dispatch the other groups without even trying to negotiate. The face of the leader of this guy''s escort clearly changes. Even he can''t believe all the crap his boss is spewing. Still, he''s obviously not about to disagree with him there. They are all nodding on the side. "Us too we are extremely peaceful! We hate when there is suffering, or blood drawn!" That is the guy that ordered his mages to send a deadly volley on his opponents. Yep, if there was a contest of shamelessness or idiocy, they would be very strong contenders. They don''t even realize that we saw all that happened outside. Still, this might be fun. I act as if I had just remembered something. Eximing! "Wait, so this group was invaders but youare you the masseurs that we were awaiting?! Aren''t you guys only supposed to be here next month?!" I can see the gears turning in the merchant''s head. Then he smiles brightly seemingly having found the solution to their predicament. Only then does he try to adopt a poker face. Way toote for that haha. Either he is a really bad merchant, or he is just too stressed to perform well under pressure. I know a few guys like that. "Yes! Yes! Exactly! We were supposed to arrive next month, but our travels were way faster than we thought it would be!" "Aren''t you guys living in the nearest vige? What''s that about travels?" "Exactly! There weren''t any! We simply give our clients longer deadlines so we never disappoint them! We are always early, neverte!" "Oh? Makes sense." The dwarf is looking at me wondering why I''m messing around. Still, this seems fun. Before long a line of vigers is sitting on stools. Then the mercenaries have no choice but to start massaging their feet. They are doing their best to focus on their task. Their lives depend on it after all. Or so they think. They are still convinced they are "fooling" us. Now usually that wouldn''t be that bad. What''s a foot massage to keeping one''s life after all? Nothing, right? Well, let''s just say said feet are very wrinkly, corny, and especially smelly. To put things into perspective these vigers have been here for hundreds of years. Even with their battle prowess, they have been living as vigers. Them being hidden guardians doesn''t change that fact. Whenever they remove their socks, it feels like an ultimate attack from a poison master. I can see them gag, retch, and stop breathing altogether while trying to keep a business smile. Then from time to time, an old viger will moan. Whenever that happens I the wannabe masseurs shudder in utter disgust. Sometimes I see one looking at his hands seemingly wondering if the stench will evere off. Then some seem to be getting the idea of shutting their sense of smell with a strong odor. Fight the smell with the smell. There is one guy stuffing old cheese in his nose. One would expect it to be the worst idea everyet it works out for him. Seeing his example some do the same. This now turns into a very peculiar scene. Cheese weirdos massaging old people while smiling. It is so peculiar that many vigers can''t help but startughing. The dwarf is still looking at me annoyed. How can he not enjoy this?! I can hear him grumble under his breath "I guess everyone copes with loss in a different way *Sigh*" How many times do I have to repeat myself? He''s not dead! I''m willing to bet my left nut sack! The heroic one too! We spend a few days ordering them around. Let''s just say this has been pretty, no very fun. But all good things muste to an end. The dwarf is returning to his mountain. As for me, there is something I want to get. It will be a present for when he returns. Why? I''m not dumb. No way in Hell I''m ever having that guy as an enemy! Befriend! Befriend! Befriend! Chapter 407: Kidnapping a Dwarf! Chapter 407: Kidnapping a Dwarf! ****(POV) This is the worst! I may be an insignificant one, but I am a merchant nheless! I have my pride! Every time I want to stop this demeaning work, I remember that scene. These vigers killed that whole group in seconds. Simply because they tried to get a small wolf. I was initially terrified, then baffled. First, how the Hell can they be that powerful?! Apparently, this vige is one full of old monsters. They don''t admit it, but I somehow guess it. All thanks to the guy that mistook us for masseurs being loose-lipped haha. Second, why do they care about that animal so much?! Turns out it''s thepanion of their savior. Apparently, he is a guy that sacrificed his life to protect the entire world. They are obviously exaggerating, but there may be a bit of truth to it. Let''s just say I stay as far away as possible from the creature now. Third, why is that one weird old man always cackling on the side?! He''s looking at usughing all the damn time! Is it funny to watch us do these menial tasks?! Okay, it might actually be from his point of view. Especially if he''s the one that has to do it usually. Fourth, why is that dwarf so damn silent?! Is he a monk?! When I understand that the forceful approach won''t work here it doesn''t bother me that much. After all, I can still use my quick wits and my eloquence to seed. I''m ready to promise anything to this Dwarf Master for following me back to the headquarters. But how am I supposed to convince someone that won''t even talk to me?! Every time I so much as approach, he goes away while grimacing. Am I smelly? Is that it?! Ah, actually I am. First, it was rubbing feet, then there was kneeling in the soil to pluck carrots out, then came spreading manure on the fields. This is so damn horrible! Just kill me, someone! Actually no, they might really do it. It''s fine I''ll keep fighting! This vige is so damn boring too. Only old people, a wolf, and a dwarf. There aren''t even any animals here that wait a damn minute! What kind of manure have I been spreading?! Oh god! This is DISGUSTING! Calm down. Stay calm. After this one job, there will be wealth beyond my wildest dreams. I won''t even have to travel from one corner of the world to another anymore. I''ll remain in a safe city and enjoy life. I just need to endure it a little more. At least I have a rock-solid n! We will wait until the dwarf leaves then offer our services to journey with him. After all, there is strength in number. Then I''ll try to convince him some more but if it fails, we''ll just kidnap him. I keep reminding myself, just wait, just be patient. As we work the only salvation we have is the lunches. They give us a bit of carrot soup. This quickly bes my favorite moment of the day. Is the soup good? Nope, it is as nd as water heated up with carrots and nothing else..that''s because that''s what it is! There is something magical about that moment, however. For a little while, we are free! Free from doing all these tasks! Free from being ordered around! Free from any worry! When that momentes, I forget my troubles, I forget my scheming, I forget even myself. The cackling old man wants to make us work then too but the other vigers object. Carrot soup time is sacred! I truly believe and embrace that saying now. Honestly, I''d embrace warm water soup for a respite. In such a manner a few days pass. We do all kinds of annoying manualbor. I''m extremely happy to bid them goodbye. We are many leaving at once. My group, the group that seems toe from a small sect, the dwarf and the cackling old man. At first, we almost get refused but the old man convinces our target otherwise. He seems worried about getting attacked and wants to rely on us for protection. How lucky! I can''t believe how good this annoying old guy is at digging his own grave. It is understandable for him to be worried. I am here for the dwarf, the other group is here to catch a fugitiveand they are leaving with us. Their target is obvious. It wouldn''t surprise me if the old man''s crime was to annoy someone he shouldn''t have. Anyway, it is quite ironic. The old man is giving a relieved smile thanks to our presence. He is also gently thanking his would-be assassins. Poor fool. What can I say some people are simply nave. They cannot all be as resourceful as me haha. Before long we are far away enough. The disturbingly strong vige won''t be an issue anymore. I can''t help but turn around grinning. "Mister Dwarf, how about we journey somewhere together? I know a merchant guild that would be just delighted to hire your services. You would get a wonderful treatment and any material you could ever desire to work with!" He simply shakes his head. Not even bothering to reply. "Mister Dwarf, I think you misunderstood me. You areing back with me no matter what." "Is that supposed to be a threat?" "*Smiling* Only if you refuse toe with us willingly. As I said no harm will be done to you." "I refuse. I am heading back home, I have something to do." "*Sigh* I wanted to do this the easy way butboys grab him!" He is vastly outnumbered. He doesn''t exude an aura of strength either, he doesn''t have the arrogance that all the powerful people possess. "*Sigh* How are humans still alive if they are courting death so much." What did he say?! That''s when I seefire?! Fire starts swirling all around the dwarf! Hot! Bright! What the Hell?! He''s not supposed to be strong he The mes slowly form a gigantic hammer. Fuck, fuck! Even from where I am I can feel the smoldering heat, my sweat getting evaporated. The dwarf murmurs lowly. "Forgar''s forging technique. Normal Hammering!" What kind of cksmithing is this?! I see and feel my death approach... "AHHHH It burns!!! Please noooo! Please! Noo-" Chapter 408: Better Retreat Chapter 408: Better Retreat ****(POV) This is insane! Run away! I throw myself on the ground as far as possible. I can hear the shrills screams, then nothing. It suddenly stops. There is a whiff of barbecue scent, the smell of calcinated flesh. I turn back. The group following that merchant is no more. The dwarf is as impassible, then he looks this way. "P-please don''t kill us! We had no idea he''d" He simply leaves. Slowly walking toward the horizon. Will we survive!? Around me, I can see others slowly getting up too, livid. It has been way too many deaths for all of us recently. Actually, no. The real issue is HOW they died! In the most ridiculous ways possible! Killed by simple-looking vigers, killed by a simple-looking dwarf, wait! Don''t tell me?! I slowly move my gaze toward the old man that is now crying in fright on the ground. He''s covering his head with both arms trying to make himself as small as possible. *Sigh* it should be fine. They can''t all be monsters, right?! Right?! The leader makes us sign to approach. Then he starts whispering. "What do you guys think?" He usually doesn''t ask our opinion. He must be having doubts himself. "He seems genuinely terrified." "Yes, he was one of the first to throw himself on the ground." "Yes, there is no way that guy is strong." "Are we even sure that he''s our target? He doesn''t seem to have used any poison all this while." "Actually, I heard something in the vige. Don''t ask me how, it''s embarrassing, but I overheard him saying that he has family in the sect." "How?" "So maybe he''s just an unofficial member or something? Just there to enjoy the benefits?" "I think so." "What if he''s faking? What if he''s some powerful ancestor?" "Would a powerful ancestor really be doing something so shameful?" "You have a point. He''s crying so damn much!" "He''s clearly just an old man." "But what if" "There is no way that''s possible!" "Fair enough." "Well, given that we are 99% sure he''s harmless, how about we be careful and get the Hell away?" "What about the mission?" "Screw the mission! We just saw two groups dying while trying to aplish theirs!" For once we all agree. Is it logical? Probably not. There is still this feeling of unease between us. Still today the old man will live for sure. We do not dare make a move against him. We quickly but silently start leaving, wanting nothing to do with this ursed ce. But the crying old man on the ground suddenly looks up. "W-wait guys! Where are you going?!" "E-eh, we have somewhere to be, don''t worry about us." "I''m not worried about you guys! I''m worried about myself! What happened to the dwarf?! What happened to the other guys?! I-is it safe?" "Yes, don''t worry. Everything will be fine. On that note, we''ll" "Wait! Help me get up please!" The old man is struggling, his legs are wobbly, and he clearly has trouble. The leader points at me. No! Pick someone else! Please! But he doesn''t change his mind. *Sigh* Fine! I slowly walk to the old man. All I can hear is my own heartbeat. *Badum* *Badum* *Badum* *Or whatever sound a heartbeat makes. * I can see my hand shake as I try to help him up. "I-It''s alright old man. You can get up. He''s gone" He looks at me with pleading eyes. "Are you sure? You guys will protect me, right?!" "S-sure we will. No need to worry." He leans on me while going up. He''s so damn close! I can feel his breath on my neck. "What?!" "Oh my god! Monster!" "Run!!" I see mypanions dart away. What made them run?! No, I know it. I do know it. I''m fucked! They decisively left me behind. That is when it appears. A huge clear ball of squirming liquid. It seemsalive! The old man summoned it. I know it. There is no way a powerhouse would act so pitifully. We haven''t actually seen him ever use acid magic. Yet our client clearly told us where to find him, just not his identity. He must have used it at some point. We were nothing but sacrificial pawn all along. How ridiculous! Here we were dreaming of wealth. It was easy, just kill one man and get rich. All because the client abhors these guys. Well, they took half his face after all. We were truly foolish. That is when the ball starts flying with incredible speed. It engulfs a man whole. A few secondster none of him remain. As if he wasn''t there in the first ce. Then starts a volley. This monster is creating and throwing acid as easily as he breathes. They all run, they all try to dodge, but there is no surviving this. Before long all are gone. I am the only one left. I slowly turn toward him. That''s when I realize my left arm is missing. Has been ever since I helped him up, I think. As soon as I notice it, the paines. Waves of pain, I can still feel where my arm should be. My body noting to terms with the sudden change. He somehow melted my limb without me even feeling anything. This is way beyond our capabilities. I am a dead man. I simply wish to know. "Who are you really?" "Me? Just an old man. Ah, essorily the leader of the Acidic Fun Times sect. Perhaps you''ve heard of it? Their leader. The strongest acid user of all time. A legend amongst legend. His infamy is extremely widespread. Yet such a god amongst men is toying with the pitiful us. This "Why?" "Why did I y with you guys in the vige? Why did I hide my capabilities? Or perhaps why I am now killing you guys?" "All of it! Why?! We were simply going to leave peacefully too!" "Hehe, what a load of bullshit. You guys were leaving simply because you got scared haha. But you seem mistaken about something. I am no righteous man haha. Why would I bother about that ridiculous stuff? No, there is one simple reason I did all of this" At least I will know why "Because it is fun haha!" "B-because it is fun. That is why we had to diethat is why" "Indeed, a friend recently showed me how fun it can be to y weak. At first, I found it weird, but it''s surprisingly entertaining haha. Now, shall we end this?" I see the smiling face of the old man. My life means absolutely nothing to him. Then I see a giant acid ball forming, then taking shape, one of a giant dragon, one that opens its mouth wide before gobbling me up. Goodbye Earth realm Screw this shitty world! Chapter 409: Merchants Trouble Chapter 409: Merchant''s Trouble ****(POV) I can''t help but y with my medallion, the one representing my old trading guild. The cartwheel on it is almost faded. I used to be on top. I used to be the leader of one of the strongest factions in Eaglevein. Until he came that is. Him and his goddamn backstabbing! A baker, an alchemist, and an appraiser?! No! He was a crook! He suggested we buy the mana blessing. That single event was enough to reduce our branch to dust. There are more branches out there, but they didn''t want to have anything to do with us anymore. They especially didn''t want to deal with me. Actually, a few, no many, even wanted to kill me. Thanks to my misced trust, we lost everything. Honestly, I thought I was going to perish for a little while. My colleagues had arrested me and were getting the paperwork done to execute me using Eaglevein''sws. But then the necromancer came. The whole city got reduced to a lifeless ghost one. That is when I escaped. Somehow, I managed to hide under a carriage of a fleeing group. At first, I chanced upon the City of Freedom. I didn''t have another choice but to stay there for a while. Necessity will motivate a man so damn much! I somehow managed to fill a void that existed there. The ce was in full expansion, recruiting crazily. But they were recruiting the rabble. People that didn''t even have a ce to call home anymore. This made the whole city a huge mess. There were rumors of them receiving the necromancer''s blessing. That is why it became such a big deal so fast. So there was a dire need for people with my specific set of skills, someone that knew how to negotiate deals and whatnot. Well, it also required someone desperate enough. Thus I started my empire. How I even managed to do that is a crazy story. Believe it or not, it was all thanks to a noddle seller. Yes, some random old guy owning a food stall. The crazy part is the city lord is a patron there, so is thergest merchant of the city. The destruction of Eagleving made so many flee. Now I am extremely valuable here haha. This is why I have a huge office right at the center of the city. Every time I see this medallion of mine I am reminded of what was and what could have been. I am also reminded of how I need to be careful in the future. That is why nowadays I make sure not to put all my eggs in the same basket no matter what. In fact, I have many caravans journeying all over the ce right now. This way there is nothing that can truly affect me and "Sir! Another one got attacked!" Goddamnit! Fuck, stay calm. How many has it been already? About a fourth of my shipments?! No there is definitely something weird about the situation. This time there were definitely enough guards for the escort! What went wrong?! "Any survivors?" "Sir, there were no casualties. They simply handed 50% of the products." "What?! Why?!" "T-that, I''m not sure Sir! A letter sealed letter came for you! Of course, I came straight here to" "Right, good job. You may leave now." "Have a great day, Sir!" How the Hell am I supposed to have a good day when this happened?! My day is ruined, you dimwit! *Sigh* I better read this first. Let me see. Are you shitting me?! This is quite possibly the weirdest robbery of all time. The report clearly states that the head guard got intimidated by them. The questioning part is that my people outnumbered the bandits many times over! Are they some kind of elite warriors? Do they have powerful mages or something? In the letter, it describes them as extremely confident and exuding an aura of dominance. What is that supposed to mean?! It also says that this point is surprising considering how naked they are?! What?! My business just got robbed by a bunch of naked dudes?! The letter ends with: "Sorry Boss. I don''t believe there was anything we could do on that one. Anyone THAT confident with their balls showing is bad news." They didn''t even fight?! They just gave them the goods?! What kind of escort does that?! Oh my fucking god, am I cursed?! First the mana blessing now this?! Ah, screw this! I exit my office. Time to go grab a bite. Yes, I''m going to that one noodle shop. At first, I only went there to try and leave a good impression on the most important people in the city. But then, I genuinely started loving the ce. Now whenever I need to cool down, I go grab myself a steaming hot noodle bowl. As I get there, I can see many customers. There is a bigshot there too. The one that is the guardian deity of this city, a man that is busy drawing passersby while eating. He doesn''t look it at first nce, but he is the core of this very city. Officially, he is but a broke artist from Eaglevein seeking refuge here. If you ask him that is what he will tell you. He draws for a living and lives to draw. He looks so very innocent too, but there is a dark open secret behind his identity. Let''s just say the City Lord entered the depth of the ruined Eaglevein, this has been confirmed, and came back out with this man. Crazy how a man that looks so young managed to make the diplomacy city fall all by himself! He revealed his identity himself by having drawn a bone dragon. One that was clearly posing for him. Who else than its creator would have the power to order such a mighty beast?! Still, there is a gag order. We all know the truth, but no one ever talks about it. We all treat him like a normal artist. Funny how he even sells his art. A strong enough man to conquer half the continent on a whim is ying with mortals, selling them art. Not only is he selling art, but he''s selling it extremely cheap too! A few silvers are a steal for such an amazing thing for sure! "Hey there!" Oh my god! He just talked to me! "Hello, Sir!" "What''s with the Sir haha? I''m just a broke artist. Right, is it me or there have been way more people in this city recently? Howe?" That''s thanks to him! How do I exin this now... I can''t just say we''ve been using him as a deterrent against our enemies, right?! Chapter 410: Just an Artist Chapter 410: Just an Artist ****(POV) "*Sigh* I feel old, you know" "Please! If a young man like you is feeling old, how am I supposed to feel? Dead?!" The old noodle seller isn''t wrong haha. It''s just there have been so many changes here in thest two years. I was just drawing in the ruins of Eaglevein when I met a weird man. A very weird one that was apanied by his wife. My first reaction when I saw them was to ask myself if they were crazy to venture there. But then I remembered that I myself was in the process of painting a deadly bone dragon that wanted nothing more than to tear me apart. Still, it couldn''t as it had to protect its master. The man asked me if he could live nearby. I honestly answered that asking me was pointless, well something simr. I think the guy was just looking for an excuse to do it, asking me was rhetorical. He then proceeded to invite me to his ce, with drinks, food, and shelter included. At first, I thought he was trying to have me draw specific things, on the contrary. I had full reign over whatever I was creating. He didn''t need anything specific. How lucky am I to have stumbled upon such a big art lover?! At first, I thought there was some kind of misunderstanding between us. The man was way too respectful! Well, it''s nice from time to time but still. I have repeated that I am but a simple artist enough times by now that my throat is getting dry hahawell not really since drinks are included haha. By now I am truly convinced the man doesn''t expect anything from me. He simply has a great appreciation for art. Recently, I''ve seen the city turn from a bigger town to almost a metropolis. One where countless beings roam the streets. There is still a poverty issue for sure since most people thate here do so in search of a safe Heaven. All are poor ghosts lured in by the sweet promises of a mad man. Oh, don''t get me wrong this city lord is actually great. He''s mad because no one manages to understand the entirety of his vision, but he clearly knows where he is going. As I''m slurping my noodles while drawing, I''m always drawing haha, I notice someone. He is a new merchant that is on the risetely, or so I heard. I don''t pay attention to that kind of stuff but I tend to hear about it from rumors. Well, not all rumors are urate, I should know I''ve heard a few crazy ones about me. I greet him and ask him his opinion on why there have been so many people here recently. "Well, Sir, it''s all because we need many men to confront the surroundings sects. Scattered the people are vulnerable but united they are unbeatable!" "Oh? Then how would you describe how it''s going as a merchant?" "Honestly? A huge mess, but not as huge as it would normally be." "Hehe, thanks to people like you, am I right?" He gives a bashful smile. "Thank you for noticing, Sir." Now, I know for a fact this guy in front of me barely cares about art. I think he respects me just because of the city Lord. Not that it matters to me. Everyone can have their own set of values, who am I to judge haha? That is when appears another guy vital to the city, themander. This guy has an interesting backstory. He used to be nothing more than a gangster in the city, BBC something. What it stands for I have no damn clue. Anyway, apparently, he changed over a new leaf after he had a close encounter with death. I''m not exactly sure what happened as he never gives much detail, but he almost got killed for pissing some amazing guy off. Then he saw an opportunity to get an official position and he didn''t let it slip. If I had to describe the man I''d say he is in. He isn''t powerful, he isn''t smart, he isn''t even hardworking! Is he ipetent? Not at all, that''s the weird part. He''s great at delegating stuff to whoever is best suited to it. He always does his job, but he''szy enough that he''ll find the easiest way to finish it. Well, that''s a type of intelligence, I guess. "Hello, Sir!" Another one that treats me super politely. He sits beside me. "Sir, what do you think of our current maneuver against the Bright Sun sect''s territory?" He shows me some sort of tactical formation. I''ve never understood these guys. First, this is a public ce, wouldn''t there be spies here?! Second, why is he showing me this in the first ce?! I do not understand, care nor have any affinity towards tactics. For now, I''ll just tell him that I don''t know and.something is bugging me there. I shouldn''t have, but I nced at the scroll he is showing me. This formation seemedskewed? Once again I have no clue what any of it means, it simply looks bad from an artistic standpoint. If I remain with this image in my mind it will screw with my work. I''ll keep thinking of that messed-up imagery! It''s fine I have a way to fix this easily. I get myself a nk canvas and I start drawing on it. I reproduce the same thing, but with a few changes. Great, now it looks more way more elegant than before. I''ll be able to just focus on drawing my surroundings once more. "S-sir! C-can I take this?!" The formation I just drew? It''s obviously worthlesswhy does he want to have it? Ah, I think I know. As much as the artist in me couldn''t stand this messed-up picture of his, the strategist in him probably can''t stand my amateur''s work. After all, I simply care about the esthetics. "Sure, take it. You can burn it if you want to. Just do so out of my sight, thank you." "S-sir I would never! This is clearly very precious! Thank you, Sir!" Kiss-ass haha. Oh well, I''ll simply keep drawing. That''s when I hear a *CLANG!* Out of theis that the sewers?! Out of itesan unidentified humanoid?! "MUAHAHAHAHA This KIM is back!" It seems to be a youngdy''s voice. One wouldn''t guess looking at the appearance. She is wearing a mask and "Oh, right! You guys should probably run! The slimes areing!!! Muahahaha!" What?! Slimes?! Guess I''m drawing slimes today Maybe I should move back a bit. For some reason the way she said it makes me believe I should... Chapter 411: Slimes!!! Chapter 411: Slimes!!! ****(POV) I can''t help but internally cheer as I receive theplex battle formation. People are usually wondering why this scarily powerful necromancer spends most of his time drawing. What they ignore is that he''s the mastermind behind our legions. Whenever we march tobat, he is the one supplying us with our battle tactics. He is simply amazing! I used to be but a small-time leader of the Brawny ck Corpses. A group thatid low, made a small profit and minded its own business. I had no desire to stand in the spotlight, at all. I always felt it was too much effort for what it was worth. Why would I paint a target on my back when I can simply lead a peaceful life of ordering my minions and enjoying life''s delicacies? Well, this all changed when HE came. A nameless master of physical reinforcement. He made me realize thatying low doesn''t protect you from random attacks. That''s why I decided to join the army here. Since it was just being created, I instantly got a great position. I used my new title to search for more information. After a while, I finally learned that the man that had frightened mehad in fact a role to y in the destruction of Eaglevein! Suddenly I felt pretty lucky haha. One of the first things I did was make sure no one would bother any of the people he had interacted with here. That includes the weird slime-feeding girl in the sewers. At first, I was worried, but I sent many of my men down there to check and the slime poption actually seems to be going down. Nowadays my only worries are concerning the battlefield. Even then with our genius strategist, we can''t lose. I''ve been studying everything tactic-rted in our library all this while but I can''t evene even close to him. Still, I know enough to barely figure out the surface of his formation drawings, every line is a stroke of genius representing a battalion''s position. Now I''ll just bring this back and study it for the next month while trying to "MUAHAHAHAHA, This KIM is back!" She is out of the sewers?! I almost thought she intended on living there full time. I guess whatever research she was doing is over. "Oh, right! You guys should probably run! The slimes areing!!! Muahahaha!" Wait, what?! "What do you mean slimes?! What is." Oh god! *COLLAPSE! * *CRASH! * In front of us the very ground caves in. The rock pavement falling inward. Somehow, the old noodle seller is already bolting away with his cart, faster than anyone can even react. That is when I see it. There is a clear jelly-like substanceing out of the ground! Slimes!!! "To every soldier in the city! Hurry up! Defense perimeter!" Everything will be fine. We simply need to act fast and contain the issue. I have no clue why this is happening but the why doesn''t matter. We have thousands of soldiers here, we''ll be fine. We simply need to. *CRASH* *CRASH* *CRASH* What the Hell is happening?! How are there so many of them?! No! Time to stay calm! "Regroup! Hurry the Hell up!" Finally, a few hundred of my mene out of god knows where. They are the men off duty. Well, there is never such a thing as off duty for a soldier. Nice, we got this! The situation is so weird that no one has the time to think. Good thing they don''t have to. They instantly follow their training. Honestly, our soldiers are some of the most pitiful-looking in the Earth realm. But they have one thing going for them. They only have this ce to call home. Either they give their all or they are screwed. We very quickly encircle the slimes, focusing on the biggest ones. Other than that the smallest get driven back fairly easily by our defensive formation. That''s when it appears. A huge goddamn slime! It seems to be taking the whole street by itself. A true monster, unlike the other small trash dwellers. There is something wrong here! It wasn''t there earlier it.wait, what if it could think?! What if it was hiding when we scouted the sewers?! This is really bad, but we can still handle it. This thing is obviously a king slime. We simply need to destroy its nucleus and it will melt. "Men aim for that little core moving around!" Starts an onught of strikes! *ng! ng! ng!* Fucking bullshit! It''s in armored mode. I''ve heard of this. "Don''t panic! When it starts feeding it will have no choice but to." That''s when it goes to gobble one of us. It swallows him whole but in the process "Now!!!" I can''t help but shout themand. Finally, this will be all over and . *ng ng ng* How?! We all watch with horror as that one soldier simply gets dissolved instantly. This isn''t how it should be going! How is it able to Comes Kim. "Oh, yep he''s a smart slime. He won''t easily lower his guard like a usual dumb slime. Nice try but" She can help! I have no clue how she is so damn calm but she''s ourst hope! If only she "Kim, please help us!! You can have any reward you desire just" "It''s KIM." "That''s what I just saidplease help!" "No, you said Kim, but it''s KIM! Anyway, there really isn''t anything I''m able to do. They won''t attack me but that''s about it. I''ve been in the sewers so long they think I''m part of the dcor." "H-how is this possible?!" She simply shrugs wordlessly. "T-then what is their weakness?!" "Ehprobably rank 4-5 mass destruction spell? Something that can vaporize their entire body in one sitting, but you really shouldn''t" This is madness! Goddamn madness! We barely have mages! Where the Hell are we supposed to find one so powerful?! Needless to say, even if we could what would remain of our city afterward?! That''s when an underlinges running. "Commander! In total there are three king slimes in the city! There is something weird about them too! Whenever we try to attack they" "They are always in defensive mode? Their very defenses are unbreachable? Same here! Quick spread the word! I want everyone evacuated! The young the old, the civilians, us ah even the livestock! I want every goddamn living thing out of this ce!" "Yes Sir!" He goes back running where he came from. This is crazy. *Sigh* Wait, I do have an alternativethis is myst optionI need to be convincing. Chapter 412: Plan of Defense! Chapter 412: n of Defense! ****(POV) If this keeps up the damage done to the city will be enormous! I do have one ace up my sleeve. It is some wisdom I have gleaned during my life. When nothing else seems to work.beg for help. I''m serious. It may be shameful. It may be ridiculous. It may be demeaning. It doesn''t matter. If there is a friend nearby that can help, why not ask? The worst that can happen is to be denied. Our protector is on the sidelines now, simply drawing the slimes with a small smile on his face. I go next to him, and I lower myself on my knees "Sir, could you possibly help us? I am begging you! We need your help dealing with these slimes and" "What do you even expect me to do? If I tried helping, it would clearly end very badly with only bones remaining haha. So yeah, I really can''t." He can''t! Bullshit! Helping would be as easy as a wave of his fingers! A few undead could probably clear this whole mess! *Sigh* He probably has his reasons. I can''t let anger cloud my judgment. For all I know, he could be trying to use his powers as little as possible. It just sucks that he will simply watch us get destroyed without even doing anything. Then again, for a necromancer is there even a distinction between life and death? Both are still moving. There is simply one that is noisier than the other. *Sigh* Wait! What if every time he uses his powers a situation like Eaglevein''s one arises?! Would it be possible thatmaybe he is doing this for our own good?! *Shudder* As he is drawing, I can see a small slime approach him. I can''t help but be curious how he will deal with it. Will he simply avoid it? Will he murder it with some extremely potent spell? Will he simply ignore it? I see the slime reach his feet and.wait?! It suddenly turns to the artwork. It seems to be observing it mesmerized, looking curiously at it, even without eyes! What if we used his art tono, he''s extremely fast but not fast enough. If only we had a way tomunicate with these creatures to negotiate with Wait a goddamn minute! There may actually be someone who can! "I need someone quick on his feet!!" A soldieres running, one that I''m familiar with. Well, his face not his name. I scribble something on a piece of paper. "Here! Take this to the city lord mansion! Remember that healing treasure we recently stole from that one sect?" "The ancient healing tonic, Sir?" "Yes, whatever! Hurry up, go get that then bring it to the taming guild! There should be a fat young man called Little Bai there in aa. Bring it to him!" "B-but Sir! The tonic is extremely precious and." "I don''t care! This man tamed a slime! We need him at all costs! Get there and get him to help us! No matter what! Even if he wants you to suck his dick you fucking do it!" "Y-yes Sir!" *Gulp* "Get going! The future of the city lies on your shoulders alone!" He seems uneasy but he does leave quickly. Now it is time for me to oversee the rest of the situation. The evacuation seems to be proceeding quickly. Everyone here has his own evacuation n, from back when we feared the undead. All over the ce, slimes are bouncing around. Their sheer number makes it really hard to confront them. They can be seen digesting pretty much everything there is. They have a slight preference for organic matter and are scouring the ce looking for leftovers. But I''m sure soon enough they''ll start eating rocks or something. The king slimes really are the problem. They seem to be acting as if mobile bases. Every time someone tries to attack a small slime it simply retreats back to the slime mothership. With that hardness, it''spletely impossible for us to do anything against it. Let me see. At this rate, it won''t be enough. We can''t simply let the city be destroyed! We have worked way too hard for it! I have worked way too hard! The slimes are bouncing around digesting everything too quickly. wait I know! "Men! Forget the full-blown retreat! Anyone nearby? I need people to help distract the king slimes! We need to buy time for our people! Ah, but no direct confrontation! Just keep running!" A few soldiers do their best. That is when some genius starts throwing potatoes at the slimes. I can hear his colleagues scream at him. "Dumbass! We already have a food shortage! Why the Hell are you wasting it?!" "Stop screwing around and hack it until it wants to eat you!" "B-but look, guys!" Wait, no. He is unto something! For some reason, whenever there is a potato the slime follows it. This is an opportunity! "Use that to lure the king slime in the olden part of the town!" Aka the slums. Honestly, if we can limit the destruction to that one ce we might actually just be fine! "Y-yes Sir!" This is quite ridiculous. Who knew that our hardest-fought challenge would be in our own city, against slimes. Now I just wonder why theythat''s when I hear KIM. "Oh, right! Back when I was in the sewer I gave them lots of potatoes to eat. Guess it is their staple food now." This is kinda sad. She legit just admitted to feeding the slimes and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. Was she trying to harm the city?! I don''t even believe that myself. She is peculiar. Oh, and I still remember her backing. Yep, I''m not going to take a chance on that one. "Anything else you can tell us?! It can be anything at this point!" "They enjoy ying hide and seek. Other than that they have 12 hours activity cycles. After that, they usually sleep a bit." "Make them hide! Hide and seek!!!" "It doesn''t work like that. They live ording to their own clock, nothing I can do about it." Fine. I simply have to keep them busy for 12 hours. This will be hard but actually doable. That is when I see the sea of slime retreat, then they start to congregate at one spot. "What the Hell is about to happen?!" "Oh.I''ve seen that before. They arebining to create a temporary slime, stronger and bigger. My guess is there weren''t enough potatoes for everyone so" Are you kidding me?! We caused this?! Waitwhat happens if the king slimes start merging together?! Are we doomed?! I just hope this Little Bai cane as fast as possible! Chapter 413: Return of the King! Chapter 413: Return of the King! ****(POV) Oh god, dying really feels bad. I could see my life shing before my eyes. How I lost my pet, how I lost my brother, how I became a tamer once more, and how I screwed up and died in a simple test. I simply regret causing my new partner''s demise, a sweet and cute slime. I also won''t be able to apologize to my friend either, for kicking the bucket so soon, wasting the opportunity he gave me. Well, I''m sure he''ll understand. He''s that kind of guy. Then came oblivion. To be honest, it just felt like slowly drifting into an eternal sleep and dreaming. The afterlife is a weird ce I guess. I thought this state would continue forever but then *Choking* What is this DISGUSTING thing?! It feels as if someone is trying to pour stale milk down my throat! I try to vomit it out but it doesn''t work. I''m gonna drown on this repugnant stuff! Wait...?! Throat?! Sense of taste?! I''m supposed to be deadwhat?! That''s when I open my eyesI''m not dead?! Where is my partner?! I can sense his existence through our link! Ahsleeping nearby. Comfy in some sort of ..nket? There is an austere ceiling above me. I am lying on sheets that arepletely yellow and coarse. The smell is horrible! What is this?! It''s actually me! I try to get up. Just this simple exercise takes all my efforts. I manage to put my feet on the ground somehow. Then I slowly get up and tumble to the floor. I can''t fucking feel my legs! "Are you okay, Sir?!" "What? Where is this? Who are you?" There is a soldier next to me. I don''t recognize the outfit... "Sir, you were in aa for a long time. I just fed you some healing tonic to help you heal." "Why? These things should be valuable, right?" "Yes, Sir, it was a direct request of themander. Please hurry up we need your help! We need to" "Slow down man. I can''t even walk, how am I supposed to help anyone?! Give me a minute!" "S-sure Sir. It''s just that this is an emergency and" "Screw you! You want an emergency?! How about that I can''t even feel my lower half?!" He gives a relieved sigh. Did I imagine that or? Ok, so some guy I''ve never seen wants to bring me to somemander. Commander as in an army, right? "Where is this?" "T-the City of Freedom, Sir! Let''s get going and" "Not before you answer my questions! I was taking a testwhere is the nearest taming guild branch?!" "You are in it, Sir. Same ce. It''s just the tamers went away as soon as there were hints of a warand the undead didn''t help either. The City of Freedom is the new name of this ce. You''ve been in aa for a while Sir and" "How long?!" "T-that, two years Sir" "Are you fucking with me?! Two goddamn years?! I slept for that long?!" "Yes, Sir. But we really should be going. Themander needs your help and" Two years, two fucking years. Two motherfucking years. WTF! Calm down. Okay, first thing first I need a goddamn bath. "Help me go wash." "Sir we really should get going and" Why is he so impatient! Give me a break already! "No discussion! You want my help and I need a goddamn shower!" "Y-yes!" The man brings me to a pump outside to draw water. I''m just leaning on his shoulder while I''m bringing my loyal slime with me. We used to bathe beasts here in the ce. Hell, I''m sure the beasts smelled better than the current me. The water is ice cold. It''s not disagreeable for some reason. Still, at this point, I am weing any sensation. It means I''m alive! "I''m fucking alive! Can you see that, gods?! Little Bai is back! The number one slime tamer is back!! HAHAHA!" This roar ising straight from my soul. The guy is looking at me weirdly but so what. He wouldn''t understand. As the cold water drenches me, I feel myself getting revitalized. It feels as if every one of my pores is aspiring the water directly. I guess my skin really was dry after all this time haha. "Alright, next I''ll need a massage to loosen up my stiff muscles." "Sir, we really shouldn''t" "Hurry up! The faster you do it the faster we get out of here!" "Y-yes Sir!" I lie on my stomach in the grass. Then I can feel him approaching his warm hands. Then he starts massaging reluctantly. Ah, this feels good. Pretty nice. It would be better to have a pretty girl massaging me but "Sir, how are you so soft?!" What?! "Kneading your back feels so damn satisfying it''s like" "What are you doing back there?!" "Nothing, Sir. It,s just that" Is he touching my ass now?! I get the feeling it is jiggling under his touch! What the hell! Where are my muscles?! Okay, they haven''t been visible for a whilebut why is he touching me so eagerly!? I quickly get up! I fucking see. His goal was to disgust me so we can get going faster. *Sigh* Whatever he wins. Waitwhy is he looking at his hands absent-mindedly and giving a squeeze?! He''s still acting?! "Hurry up and lead the way! Let''s go meet thatmander of yours! Ah, I''ll need clothes, however for" That''s when he simply undresses. Not even bothering to cover anything. Why is he showing me his mighty weapon?! Also, why is it half.Ah, whatever. The sooner I can have proper clothes the sooner we are done with this. My fault for asking a pervert to massage me. "Lead the way!" As we leave the guild I can see how deste it is. Somehow there is nothing being done with the building? Then again, it would be bad manners to upy it while its owners are away. Still, how did I remain behind? More like how wasn''t I simply thrown out or taken with them? I guess I''ll be able to learn all of it soon. Still, it''s hard to believe. It''s been two years already. *Sigh* I wonder if the people I knew are still here? My friend is probably gone towards Eaglevein. As for the old man, he probably still is here if he hasn''t kicked the bucket already. Now let''s see what Wait?! Rubble everywhere! Screams of soldiers coordinating with one another! Huge slimes bouncing all over the ce! Streets devoid of any civiliansah and destroyed too! "Hey, what the Hell is happening here?!" "Slime invasion, Sir. That''s why we need your help." "Why the Hell didn''t you say so sooner you should have said that it was an emergency and! Ah, just lead the way" Eh, my bad? But how was I supposed to guess the extent of the crisis?! Chapter 414: Heroic Little Bai! Chapter 414: Heroic Little Bai! ****(POV) What should I do?! I left the most dangerous area behind. I grabbed by noodle stand and simply rolled away with it on instinct. Now I have a big problem. I want to just leave, but the kid is still in aa. No way I''m giving up on him! These tamers said that moving him could be extremely dangerous. But it''s just a question of time before he gets eaten if he remains in this city! What should I do?!... "Soldier! Any news from the slime tamer?! That Little Bai!" "No Sir but he should be here soon!" "Alright, we''ll wait some more! Make sure to do your job properly and" Wait?! He said ''Little Bai''?! That was themander! I rush at him!" "You! What did you say about the kid?!" He nces surprisingly at me. "Why are you still here this ce is" "I heard Little Bai!!!" "Yes, he should be healed, and here soon we just" HAHAHAHA! This is awesome! Why didn''t I think of that?! I can''t believe I was just running and wondering what to do. He tamed a slime! Of course, they''d ask for his help! This is lucky! I know hisa is profound and not something easy to treat at all! Usually, they would have never helped, but now! Half the city getting destroyed seems like a small price to pay to get him back. I guess the gods heard my prayers! Then again I really doubt this is the work of CooKing.or the Flying Noodle Maverick for all that matters Yeah, pretty sure my prayers were useless on that one haha. Wait! Don''t tell me KIM voluntarily did that somehow to help him and I still remember that day they kept messing around with her chasing him, well his slime. Either way, I''ll thank herter too! I just nt myself next to themander. "Stay away this is no ce for a civilian to be and" "Another word and I swear I will poison your food the next time youe to eat at my ce! I''m waiting for the kid to show up right here!" *Gulp* He gives me a bbergasted look but he doesn''t object anymore. Well, my noodles are really good. He simply signals me to be careful. Please, who does he think I am?! I am the best goddamn noodle seller! As if I''d be phased by something as simple as a city-ending event! That is making light of all my abilities! By far! I''m just waiting and waiting and "Old man! Is that you!" There he is. Followed by a naked soldier for some reason. My brain automatically ignores that part.He is fine. The kid is fine HAHAHAHA! He looks well, still as fat somehow. This is a miracle! He looks so funny in that military outfit. His kind face not fitting the style at all. But who cares! I''m supposed to be an old man. Experienced and wise. Screw that shit! I dash toward him then hug him! I''m a mess, the eye waterworks still working, more than they ever did. He''s fine. This is stupid. We are not even family. I''m just some random old man by the side of the road. It''s really unbing of mebut whatever. I truly missed the kid. His stubborn optimist toward the future. His quiet strength of character. The way he''d praise my cooking so much that even I would blush. Back then he kept saying he only did so to get free meals but "I''m back old man. Sorry for the dy, I was having a nap." Normally I''d be telling him to wipe that smug smile off his face but "As long as you are fine. That''s all that matters really." He simply nods. Ah, this feels great. Actually.this is weird. I didn''t notice it at first butWhy is he so soft?! Like seriously too soft! What is "You guys can talkter. We have slimes to deal with. There are three king slimes and countless small ones." Little Bai finally stops the hug. I still can''t wrap my head around how soft he is and "I don''t see that many, most are medium size, no?" "This awesome slime researcher can exin this part!" "Haha, you too are here, Kim!" "It''s KIM! But yeah, slime can aggregate to temporarily transform into a stronger variant. A quantitative change will provoke a qualitative one when you are talking about slimes!" "So, how do we defeat them?!" "What? I don''t care about that. They are used to my presence." I can hear everyone sigh. Apparently, for thest two years, she''s been feeding the creatures. Somehow, she doesn''t seem to see anything shameful in that. Noment. That''s when the kid turns toward the slimes while heroically eximing. "Fear not. I''ll protect this city. I may not have that big an attachment to this ce, but I''ll take care of it this once." He shouldn''t be reckless he should be "Don''t worry, old man. I know what I''m doing. I can feel some sort of connection to the slimes in front. They won''t hurt me. I know that for a fact!" I simply shut up. For once he looks so valiant! He has always been joking around, but this is the real him. A man that is full of conviction. One that actually almost died protecting his pet. Such a man was called the shame of the tamer''s guild by some! Can you fucking believe it?! They made fun of him for being one of the only older tamers that didn''t have a single magical beast. Look how the tables have turned! All the tamers ran away! Look who is standing here as our guardian now! I''m truly proud of the man he has be. I''ll be able to brag that I saw his true self way before everyone else. I always believed in him, even when he was at my stall begging for food. "Go on, kid. Show them your awesomeness!" "Of course, old man! Slimes, this king is here! Stop your willful acts of destruction!" His voice is powerful and steady. He is confidently approaching the king slime under everyone''s watch. "Now, tell me why did-" Then I see the slime slowlye to touch his extended hand. Then it wiggles and . *SWALLOW* It engulfs himpletely!What the Hell?! Little Bai! Noooo! What the fuck is happening?! "Quick go save him! He needs help and" "*Sigh* It''s toote. Fuck. Talk about a waste of that healing treasure!" *Thud* Kid.Nooo!... Chapter 415: Slime Time! Chapter 415: Slime Time! ****(POV) *Blob blob blob* *Swish Swish. * Drip Drop. Ssh Ssh. "MUHAHAHAHA!" These are the sounds of home. It is dark,fy, wonderful too. One can just stay here and get plenty of food! Here I am happy. Very happy. Buttely, I think I am bing different. I am not the only one, but I am the first. I remember that even recently I couldn''t think that well. I was sleeping most of the time. I have learned a lot from her. The two-legged slime. She is an unfortunate one. Unlike us, she isn''t round and beautiful. She cannot touch us either. I''m not sure why, but she can''t. She runs away whenever a curious little one goes near her. I made sure they wouldn''t disturb her. This is something weird too. She is a ''she''. Apparently, there is something called ''humans'' out there. They are not slimes like us. They do not bounce, they smell different. They create light when moving around. They talk so much! At first, I was confused. She called herself a human. But I finally figured it out! She is half-human half-slime! That is why she loves us! She is an unfortunate one for sure. Still, instead of crying, apparently humans do that when something bad happens, she is smiling while teaching us. Well, teaching me. The others cannot understand much. Well, they did understand that fun game. It is called hide and seek. Whenever we see humans, we need to jump in the water and be very still! At first, we had trouble. Many couldn''t do it. Most of them are no more. Humans are evil. All of them except her! Ah, evil means killing slimes! Ah, she is great. She even feeds us something called potatoes. Potatoes are little balls that are delicious! Potatoes are the best! I thought I would keep living like this, but no. Lately, something changed. I do not know why, or when exactly. Recently I have started to remember old memories. It seems I have begun having something called ''dreams''. Before, whenever I slept, I would simply be immobile and nothing would happen. This is how slimes sleep. But now I see scenes of my past. I have started remembering. At first, I was wondering if I was ''sick'', but then I understood. She too was having dreams. She eventually said something that made me understand it all. In my dreams, I was seeing a man, but also not a man. I cannot exin it well. This man turned out to be our creator. The one that gave us life. Actually, before we existed for sure, but we were only small purposeless blobs. Incapable of thinking, incapable of anythingplex either. We would just lie in the water and eat, nothing else. Sometimes I almost miss these simple times, but also not really. Now, I know there is an exciting world out there. One full of delicious food. One ruled by the humans. The world we live in is called ''the sewers''. It is great, almost always devoid of humans, especially tranquil. But I started to feel strangetely. I am not happy anymore just staying here. Actually, no. I am still very happy, but I could be happier. Ah, ''happy'' is how you feel when you eat good food. Now I have a goal. It took me time to decide upon it, but I want to meet the creator. I know he is out there somewhere. I want to know why he made me, us. I want to know why he gave us a mind. I want to bounce right in front of him and hear it directly from him! I know this is an extraordinary goal. I do not know about the world of men. It could even be very dangerous. I do not want to die before I aplish it. Apparently, death is scary and painful. I am not exactly sure about that. Death simply means going from moving to unmoving after all. But it is true that one cannot do anything while dead. Besides feeding the others that is. This is why I have made a n. Me going alone outside and trying my best toexcept they followed me. All of them. I tried tomunicate with them, to tell them to remain here. Strangely they who can barely think got especially excited over meeting the creator. They don''t even remember meeting him for the most part. Still, they know it. Should they reach him, he would give them amazing food, right?! There is nothing the creator cannot do. Well, he even fed us ''humans'' at some point. The creator is all-powerful! He managed to defeat such a powerful and evil race as easily as killing chickens! Ah, I have never seen a chicken but apparently, they are very weak, the weakest lifeform in the world of man. I was ready to stake it all. We were ready to do it! We woulde out quickly and bounce away as fast as possible! We came out quickly and as soon as we were out we.got overwhelmed! So much noise! So much light! What is that big ming ball above?! So many humans! Way more humans than we have ever seen in our entire lives! So many tasty thingsying all around! So many new things! No, some we know. For instance these long white thin strips we know these, ''noodles''! From time to time we get some in the sewers. Apparently, these are food but undigested. Digestion is something humans do to food. It turns it from amazing to good. At first, I was outraged! Why would they do such a thing?! Well, turns out we slimes do it too. That is all we do. Some of us started bouncing everywhere. Then they got killed. I instantly called them back! We were supposed to bounce away, but where?! The world of man is so confusing! In the sewers it is easy, you just follow the water! No matter what you won''t ever get lost! Now here, there are so many unknown things! So many things that we have never seen down there! Then they started really attacking us. I cannot die just yet! I want to meet the creator before anything else and. waitI''m fine?! For some reason, these humans don''t seem as strong as the ones in the sewer and. Ah! No, it is I that have be stronger. When was thest time I had fought them?! It was when I was tiny and weak. Of course, this would be easier now! I know exactly what to do. She has done it many times. MUAHAHAHAHAHA. but I cannot produce that kind of sound at all. So I will settle for... *Aggressive bounce! * Follow me all! This is the start of our journey! Ahas soon as I figure out where to go That is when a weird slimees closer Chapter 416: Friend of the Creator?! Chapter 416: Friend of the Creator?! ****(POV) That is when a weird slimees closer This neer smells like a slime, feels like a slime, but looks simr to a human. This is amazing! I will have to observe him in order to try and figure outter how he managed to transform like that! Ah, but he ising closer, away from the humans. I''m not sure how strong he is. But better protect him. I ept him inside me! This way he will be protected from the outside world! The humans won''t be able to realize that he''s actually one of us. Now, what should.There is something wrong. For some reason, all the humans be weird once I merge with him. There is something else that is weird. For some reason, I can''t seem to be able to do it. It seems like... That is when I feel it, a mind so vast it scares me. I nk out for a second. He''s just floating inside me and yet I get the feeling he is extremely special. Could it be that he''s actually stronger than me? -Who are you?- Ah, this is pointless to ask there is no way that "Little Bai, that''s who I am! Now, why the Hell did you swallow me?!" Ah! This is amazing! Someone to talk to! -Who are you! Have youe from the sewers too?!- "Sewers? Hell naw! I''m a proper and powerful beast tamer!" -Beasttamer? What''s that?- "Don''t worry about it. Anyway, why are you out here? Go back to the sewers!" -No, I can''t. There is somece I need to go!- "Where?!" -I don''t know. I wish to meet the creator.- "The creator? What are you even talking about?" -The creator. The one that fed us for the first time. He also gave us some of his energy. At first, one of us was so greedy and tried to eat it all only to explode. I was the next one to receive it from that one slime and. - "Waityou''re talking about that guy, right?! I was with him when it happened!" -What?! You have met the creator?!- "Well, yeah. I think so anyway. Didn''t you talk to KIM? She met him too." That is when an angry wrinkly human charges at us. He seems to be armed with a small weapon. He doesn''t seem to be that dangerous but "WAIT! Don''t hurt that old man! He''s the noodle seller! He''s a friend of the creator too!" Noodles?! He''s the one creating that wonderful thing?! -*Gasp* I almost made a blunder!- I''ll just let him attack me without doing anything. But why is he? "Anyway, why are you here eating people instead of looking for him?" -I don''t know which direction to head into...- "Fair enoughyou lived all your life in the sewers, right? Why don''t you just head in a random direction? Also, are you even going to be able to recognize him? You didn''t recognize me" -Of course! The creator is the creator! I''ll feel it as soon as he feeds us!- "*Sigh* Tell you what. First, stop all the slimes from eating anything anymore. Thenis that guy drawing?! Anyway, see that artist right there? I''ll ask him to make you a portrait of him!" -Portrait? - This new term is confusing. This weird slime-man is knowledgeable for sure! As expected of someone that has seen the creator and remembers him! "Stop dawdling and let me out. Send the order too." Ah, of course! As I let him out the entire ce bes quiet. Then the slime-man roars: "What are you guys looking at?! Never seen anyone get swallowed by a king slime ande back?! C''mon people getting surprised by such a tiny detail!" The humans look weird. Why are their mouths opened so much? Even then the opening is so tiny! How are they supposed to eat anything remotely close to their own size?! He goes toward a corner where another human is moving his hands fast on something white. "Hey there, can you do me a favor and do a portrait for me?" "Oh? If it''s only that I can for sure. Who do you want to be drawn?" I can see the slime-man whisper in his target''s ear. I''m too far away to hear it. The man startsughing while moving his hand even faster. I''m not sure what he is doing but it doesn''t hard as he''s talking while doing it. "Is he involved in this too somehow? The man in the portrait." "WaitYou know him?!" "Well, yeah. He is the reason why Eaglevein fell in the first ce." Somehow all the humans react violently. They look as if they have seen death itself. That is an expression I learned from her. It means...to look very weird! "What?! Eaglevein fell?!" "Yep, were you living under a rock or something haha. Here you go, how is this?" "That''s exactly like him! Damn you are amazing, man!" Before long the slime-manes back. Then he shows me something. Ah! That''s him! That''s him for sure! I need tomit his face to memory! As expected of our creator! Most humans have distinctive traits, not that I can differentiate them that well. But not our creator! He looks perfect! Humans have a word for that .''ordinary''! He looks extremely ordinary! Just like us, he doesn''t have any noticeable features! This is great! I''m so happy! Now I just need to figure out where he is and "Be careful with this. It''s really fragile." I understand I will hold it close to my nucleus like the most precious treasure and. *Sound of melting paper* Nooooooo! What did I do?! The creator!!!! *Sound of a despairing gigantic slime, that somehow seem to be crying and questioning life itself for it just destroyed its only way toward its lifelong goal (given said life hasn''t been that long so far but still) * "*Sigh* Guess, I''ll ask him to do another a few others real quick. Hopefully, you''ll be even more careful this time around." This slime promises it will! Thank you! Thank you! As expected of a friend of the creator! Such benevolence! Now, how will I carry this treasure?! I don''t have any limb.wait! I could harden part of my body to carry it without it getting digested! That''s it! Before long he gives me a stack of treasures. With this, we will be unstoppable. I can''t wait any longer. Same for my brethren. I call for all of them. The few thousands of little ones start merging with me. I am now bigger than the rock thingies all around. I can''t even see or hear the tiny humans on the ground anymore. Then I do the biggest bounce of my slime life! Quickly leaving this ce, leaving our old home behind. It doesn''t matter. The faster we go the sooner we find him! Creator! We areing! No matter where you are! Chapter 417: MC Back?! Chapter 417: MC Back?! Okaythere is definitely something weird. I took that one portal that the nihility dragon opened for me. It was supposed to bring me straight to the Earth realm. Instead, I''ve been drifting in nothingness for a while. I think it has already been a few days already*Sigh* Everything is dark and lifeless. The death domain was livelier than this! Then againit was opened by a moth calling itself a dragon in the first ce. [Such a shame! Who knows how many people are missing me back home?! They are awaiting my glorious return! I can already picture Wolfie jumping into my arms, the vigers throwing me a feast, the dwarf making a magnificent monument in my honor! ...The old acid dude would be doing acid party tricks! (That''s all he''s good for really)] No matter how much I talk or shout nothing happens. The sound doesn''t seem to propagate either because of theck of air. I tried disabling a bit of my divine energy, suffocating is not nice! This means that this part of my life will never be adapted into a movie *sigh*, you know since silence is boring for the spectators. Could you imagine if that movie where they fight amongst the stars was soundless? Yes, that one where a young man learns to use his hard glowing stick under the directives of his shady uncle. Yes, that one with the daddy issues. Anyway, I can only bid my time and. Never mind! I can see light! I see something! This may sound dumb but that is a huge improvement for me! [Earth Realm! This daddy is back!] [.] Where are the cheers?! Where is the excitement?! Actually, where the fuck is this?! I can seenot much really. Tons of white stuff covers my face instantly. I can feel it sticking to my hair, to my brows, covering my eyes, I even get some in my mouth! Thest time I''ve seen so much white stuff at once was in that one educational video! Yes, the one about Antarctica. So, yeah there is snow everywhere. An over-the-top snowstorm! Time to analyze the surroundings! Now, visuals. none! Any relevant sounds? None! Sense of touch? White cold stuff everywhere. There remains my glorious sixth sense! I am .lost! Okay, real talk. What do I do now? Divine energy protects me from the cold, but I could easily wander around without ever finding the exit to this ce. For now, let''s try and find some sort of shelter. I keep wandering around until finally I give up! How are heroes always managing to find a cave?! Name a single story where the MC dies from frostbite like a dumbass! They don''t even have magical cave-finding abilities either! Where is my plot armor?! Okay, I''m not some overpowered protagonist, also one could arguably say I used all of it on divine energyprehension. Fear not! This hero shall ovee this new challenge! It is time to put to good use the skills acquired in the Cockroach Realm! Time to dig! Of course, I feel a slight pinch to my heart with how lonely it is. I mean I used to aplish this task with countless cute roaches cheering me on the side. Ah, soon I''m done. I dive in my emergency shelter and. It gets instantly filled with snowRight. Ok, I can''t just leave it like that. Ah! I know. It is time to use my architectural talents. I get to work! Soon...Look at that glorious igloo! Okay, it did take me a few dozen tries but I made it! I feel giddy about it, this is the part where I''d take pictures and send them to all my friends. You know with the caption, building an igloo Like a Boss! Now, I create a temporary wall with packed snow, this way I''ll easily be able to move it to check outside. The good thing is that I am a very patient man. I can simply wait until the storm is over. One hourtwo hours. three hoursWhatever, nap time! *Scratch, scratch * "Huuunngry, soooo huuunngry!" What''s that?! I instantly spring up. "Huuungry, sooo huunnngry!" That''s a woman''s voice! Outside?! What is she doing in such horrible weather?! Quick! I make an entrance, then enters a goddess. Very pretty, but almost dead too! Oh god! [Lady are you alright?!] That''s when she dives straight at me gluing herself to my chest. I can''t help but tremble as I feel her skin on mine. It is unbelievably cold! So damn cold! How is she even alive! I wrap my hands around her trying to share my body heat. Hugging an icicle would arguably be warmer! This is no time to be shy. I am embracing her slender waist only in order to save her life! I can feel her modest mounds pressing against me. She is burying her face in my neck, wrapping her legs around me. She is so very cold that she has lost all rationality. I just need to make a fire and. ah, I can''t. Screw that useless Forgar! He just had to teach me a useless spell that consumes divine energy! I could start a fire but as soon as it runs out it would be death. I know! For now, I''ll simply share my energy with her. The healing effect it has should be enough, It won''t instantly relieve her of the freezing but it will allow her to live through it. In my arms, she slowly drifts into a peaceful slumber. I can finally observe her a bit. Her eyes are a mesmerizing blue, her features are extremely graceful, her skin is white-bluish, her ears are pointy. Is thatis she some sort of elf? That seems likely. I wonder what she is doing here. Most likely she has been caught off guard by the storm. She ispletely naked and void of anything that could identify her origin. What horrible event did she go through to end up here? I guess she truly got lucky. She somehow managed to stumble upon my dwelling by chance. She doesn''t seem to have any sign of injuries. A wild beast wouldn''t have let her leave like that. My guess is this was the work of a human. I can already sense some dark story here. Did some evil group try to take advantage of her? Did she choose death rather than humiliation and possibly death afterward. *Sigh* I''ll have to be careful not to say anything insensitive once she wakes up. Guess I''ll close my eyes too. Still, I gotta admit, this body pillow is awesome! Chapter 418: Finding the Path! Chapter 418: Finding the Path! As I gently open my eyeswhat is she doing? I can see thedy staring right at me, without blinking at all. Her gentle brows are raised and she seems confused a bit. [Morning!] "" [How are you doing?] "" This is peculiar for sure. Why isn''t she talking? [Let''s get up and] I try to get gently get her off me, but shetches to my chest with all her strength. Her body is so damn soft and slender, but surprisingly filled with power! [I guess you can stay there.] Even now she doesn''t say anything and doesn''t move in the slightest. Is she perhaps in shock?! It''s in moments like these that I wish I knew more about psychology. For now, all I can do is be patient and understanding with her. I''m sure she''ll eventually calm down on her ownhopefully. Let''s see, how is it outside? The storm is still raging violently. Thus I simply wait. While doing so I try to make small talk with her, but every time she simply looks at me nkly. From time to time she will throw an enchanting smile my way and return to her previously frozen expression. My guess is she is lost in her memories, probably reminiscing about a better time. Whatever scarred her made her want to run away from reality perhaps? But no matter how long I wait, the storm doesn''t show any sign of stopping. This is annoying but we can''t remain here forever. I head outside carefully, circting divine energy in both of us. She seems fine, well physically. Her skin is still blue, but she is not trembling or anything like that. Is this her usual skin color? Perhaps she is some kind of snow elf. Anyway, I just need to find civilization. A long and arduous quest for sure. I start trekking in the snow. There is so much of it that ites up to my balls. Even with divine energy, it''s pretty ufortable. I keep progressing until...I can see lights in the distance! Blue faint lights that seem to be dancing! There should be people there! As I slowly get closer I can see an elf! She''s graceful and proud-looking. She''s wearing clothes that look so delicate they seem made of ice! Just as I''m getting closer she sees me and runs away. [Wait up! I rescued one of your brethren!] *Sigh* It''s no use. She''s gone already. For some reason, she didn''t seem bothered at all by the snow. She simply glided over it. [This is sad. Won''t even help someone in need. Are your people scared of humans or something? Did someone try to enve elves or something? I could see that happening] Of course, mypanion remains mum. She simply looks at me wordlessly. There is no trace of fear in her eyes at least. Many times we encounter the same blue lights. I finally understand what it is. It seems to be the reflection of the moonlight on their ice garments. How is it even possible in a snowstorm? Magic, I guess. But every time they simply flee at top speed. Either there are no males or they look feminine enough that...God, this reminds me of bad memories. We keep going that is when ites out! As I step on some ice, I see a creaturee out of the ground! One made entirely of ice! Its arms end with extremely sharp-looking icicles. These things would obviously be deadly. It stares at me and then*DASH!* Before I know it it''s already in front of me. Quick! Gotta move! It aims for my chest but I manage to move enough for it to hit my face instead! Then starts an onught of piercing attacks. One after the other! The creature is relentless and unstoppable. This won''t work. I quickly throw my luggage in the snow. She''ll be cold for a little while but it beats getting identally skewered. [Give me a second to deal with this enemy!] I rush at it! I need to hurry. If I''m too slow she''ll die of hypothermia! Kick, kick! Punch, punch! It''s hard to maintain my bnce in the slippery snow, but that won''t stop me! I''m fighting to protect a life right now! It''s a cute girl to boot! At this rate, I won''t make it in time. That thing is way too agile. WaitI know! Waitwaitnow! *Pierce, spurt!* Oh god, it hurts. My shoulder gets impaled from side to side. But this is all ording to n. It tries to evade but its arm is stuck inside me. [Take this, you bastard!] I hammer its head and reduce it to smithereens. It finally stops moving entirely. My wound is rapidly healing, I''ll be okay. I run toward her. [Hey, you are fine, right?!] I pick her up once more. She instantly holds me even more tightly. *Sigh* This ce sure is unforgiving. Cold-hearted elves, deadly elementals ready to ambush people, and the damn weather! I have the feeling this ce is a goddamn disaster zone. At least it''s way more troublesome than the savage archaic forest that''s for sure. Ah, who cares about that anyway. Time to resume our journey. The more time passes and the more I find this all troublesome. Until finally I see a shadow at the horizon. Well, by that I mean a few meters ahead because that''s as far as I can see. I stumble upon a small construct made of big solid stones. Wait a minute! Is that what I think this is? I look around andnever mind. I was expecting there to be another simr one nearby to show the way but it''s not the case at all. I spend a long time trying to find more clues, but there are none. I simply leave except that no matter what I seem to being back to that same monolith. [*Sigh* I fear we are stuck into a powerful maze or something simrYou don''t know the way, right?] That is when I see her extend her dainty hand to touch the stone construct. I''m not sure what she does but suddenly it starts glowing. Wait, did she add pour mana into it?! That would exin a lot! Then a bright and shiny orange light can be seen exiting the construct. Then it bolts toward the distance leaving behind a shiny light trail. Ah! I see, this really is a marker. This is discrimination toward people void of mana like I! Anyway, time to go. Hopefully, there will be people awaiting me at the end of it. I need someone to help her and to tell me where this is... Chapter 419: Mindless Undead Robots Chapter 419: Mindless Undead Robots We keep following the orange ray. How long did we spend wandering around? This is definitely more efficient. Even as we walk there is nothing but snow. Somehow this makes me feel tiny. Even if I can resist this weather, this storm is so much bigger than I am. All I can hear is the roaring of the wind. That''s when a shadow appears brusquely in front of my face! A MONSTER! Oh, never mind. It''s not moving at all. Seems to be some kind of rock. As I approach it, I can see intricate symbols on it. [Can you try to send mana in there? Perhaps it''s like the other ones.] I see her raise her head obviously startled by something. [What is it? Monster?] That''s when I finally hear it. The sound of something extremely heavy being moved. Mypanion starts iling around quickly jumping off me. That''s when she bolts away before disappearing in the snowstorm! [Wait up! Come back! This is dangerous!] Why?! That''s when I see two shadowsing closer. They seem human! These are two men wearing long simple white robes. They don''t have anything else to protect them from the cold. "Hello, traveler. What brings you here?" [I''m lost! But there is no time for that! Mypanion ran away! We need to find her. Do you guys know how to navigate this ce?!] Part of me just wants to rush out after her, but I know very well I''ll probably instantly lose my way. "Who are you searching for?" [She looks like *omitted*] "You should let her go. You were lucky that you weren''t attacked. What you are describing is no woman, but a monster, a Yuki-Onna. They roam around this ce and are known for devouring the living." What?! That''s impossible! She never tried to do such a thing! Ah, perhaps she was special in some way?! These guys could be lying or misunderstanding too. But her skin sure was blue... [So, she''ll be fine?] "Very much so. You should worry about yourself instead." [Ah, why?!] "This mountain is a disaster zone. We are used to it, but for travelersFor now, we can offer you temporary shelter." [Alright! I''ll dly take you up on your offer!] Thus, I follow the guys in what appears to be a wide entrance in the rock. As we enter, the heavy rock door closes behind us and I''m getting chills for some reason. The inside is extremely straight and barren. There is no light source at all. Yet for some reason I am able to follow my two guides easily. That''s when I realize they are glowing slightly! How?! [Youwhat''s with the light?!] Are they both ghosts?! The man simply points at his robe. The embroidery in it is giving a faint glow. "Damned''s Hope. A mineral that has the property to glow when plunged into total darkness. They say it contains the hopes and dreams of the victims that died alone in the dark." Talk about edgy! This ce seems to be the dept of a snow mountain. Iron Hammer would have approved it haha. They bring me all the way to double doors right before a tunnel that branches, gesturing me to head in. As I enter, I can see a man on a rock throne. His features seem stern. Straight brows, straight mouth, short simple haircut, and very simple but neat clothing. [Hello?] He simply looks at me without saying a word, watching me while harboring an extremely overpowered poker face. "Youshouldn''t exist" [Pardon?!] "Your very existence, it doesn''t make sense. You shouldn''t be alive." This is the creepiest greeting of all time! Is he about to jump me? [No need to get worked up! I can leave if needed.] "No need. It does not matter. For now, you can rest and explore as you wish. We have nothing to hide. However, make sure not to try and open the door leading to the outside world. This concerns our safety after all." Then he closes his eyes and ignores me...seriously?! I slowly start roaming all over the ce. I gotta say, these days getting lost seems to be my talent. I arrive at a glowing mushroom farm. Green mushrooms that clearly look radioactive are getting cultivated slowly. A girl is busy burying small blue crystals underneath each soil section. When she sees me, she doesn''t even bother turning around. She simply keeps working. [Hey there, what are they things called?] Even then she simply ignores me. I start gesturing to her, even waving my hand in front of her face. "Let me work please." Toneless, no emotion whatsoever. That''s when I realize. Ever sinceing not a single one of the four I have seen has shown any. Spooky! Before long I have figured out the whole system of this ce. They eat mushrooms. They mine some Damned''s Hope for light with iron for tools. They have some kind of big white worms to get silk for their clothes. They barely have any furniture besides what is absolutely necessary. There are about 40 members living here. All are simrly boring individuals. At some point, it is time to eat. The scene that happens somehow gives me the chill. All of theme out of nowhere and sit down at a huge stone table. Just the way they walk is so synchronized that is it eerie. Then they start eating in silence. This whole ce seems so artificial! Eventually, it is nighttime and they all head to a room with holes in the walls. It looks like a necropolis. They all take their ces neatly with barely enough room to fit. Then, as if propped by some kind of magic spell their breathing all stops. All at once. At this point, they are either hypnotized, undead or robots! Clearly not human, however! The scary part is that I know there is something terribly wrong here but I have no clue what exactly causes it! Is it a problem with the mushrooms? Perhaps it''s the Damned''s Hope, I mean just hearing the name That''s why I keep exploring. I find a few new rooms. One is clearly for bathing. The next day I see some of them enter water that is cold enough to give anyone hypothermia. They don''t even flinch! I distrust anyone that has his balls in water that cold without jumping! One is for forging. I''m almost expecting to see one of them handling incandescent metal with his hands but no. He''s properly using protective gear and tools. One for shiting, but I don''t really explore that one. Hell, they even have a room for mating purposes! Not the steamy kind at all! One where the sole goal is reproduction. Apparently, it''s been unused for many years because there hasn''t been any death. (They keep their numbers constant) There is onest room I haven''t seen. One blocked by a big door at the lowest level. I feel like the secret to this ce is contained there. But I don''t feel like solving this mystery. I''ll simply confront their leaderright about now!.... Chapter 420: Wanna See My Big Toe? Chapter 420: Wanna See My Big Toe? 1. Slowly uncover a secret through long and arduous deduction spending a few chapters to do it? 2. Directly ask with a clearck of tact? Wee to jacka-...TUG! Time for option 2! I enter the throne room. It is as small and silent as before with their leader simply sitting there apparently not doing anything. A part of me can''t help but admire him. Stern and cool-looking shut-in! Wow! Honestly, I wouldn''t be able to keep a straight face sitting on hard stone all day. He has my respect for not squirming around. [Hey!] Nailed that greeting! He slowly opens his grey eyes. Even then he doesn''t say anything. I swear this guy feels like an NPC with broken dialogues! [What is this ce? Also what''s up with everyone here?] This may be rude of me, but I don''t care. "What is up with everyone? Nothing we are simply living our best life. If you wish to remain here, you will learn to understand our way of life too. It is the most efficient." Live efficiently?! That''s not living at all! Is he Germa- no, I won''t go there, too easy! "We are currently on the Everfrozen Peak. Well, inside it to be more urate." [Everfrozen? Is it always that cold outside?] "Yes, you can expect a perpetual snowstorm where ice elementals and Yuki-Onnas roam tirelessly." [Then why did you guys start living here? Aren''t there better ces?] "Out of duty. We are guarding the Antaloth''s Continent against its biggest threat. We are here to make sure everything remains in order in here and the depts." Yep, there is a secret right there! [Guardians? What do you guard against?! There are people preparing to go to war outside! Will you do anything about it?!] "Not in the least. We simply take care of this ce. This is enough. Always and forever. This is our happiness and our gift to the world. This may be hard to understand for an outsider, but this is our way of life." I feel like we don''t speak the samenguage! He''s answering my questions but none of it makes any sense to me. "I can show you if you want. You will understand everything then." Should I ept his offer? There is definitely something fishy going on. The smart thing to do is to get away as fast as possible, but I''m quite curious about what made them like that. I''m guessing mind control magic. Considering I''m immune to illusion magic my resistance to that stuff should be over the charts! Yep, I should be fine, why not! [Sure, lead the way!] We start walking. On the way, everyone is ignoring us as if we didn''t even exist. All until we reach the deeper level in front of a huge in door. It seems to be extremely hard to make budge and "In order we trust." *CLANG! * It opens by itself! Wow! Order, is it? In there awaits a narrow path made of floating rock tiles. It is so long that I can''t see the end. Well, that and the darkness. Still, from what I see it looks extremely fragile, possibly breaking at any moment. On both sides are deep bottomless chasms. *Gulp* I''m careful as Hell to make sure I don''t fall! Could you imagine if I lost my footing or that guy decided to push me? I''ll make sure this doesn''t happen. "This is the pathway of order. Don''t worry it is extremely sturdy. On each side is chaos. Chaos is the vilest thing there is. It corrupts the worthy, takes pleasure in spoiling anything good, and is the bane of humanity''s existence." [That bad?] "Yes, chaos is the worst evil there is for a simple reason, its very existence is a sin!" This sounds way too philosophical! [So what exactly is down there? Maybe it''s just empty?] "No, I have seen it. Some glimpses at least. Down there are creatures unpredictable by nature that simply cannot coexist with humans." [Anything specific?] "I have voluntarily forgotten it to preserve my sanity. Just knowing about them is a risk. It may develop into a slight curiosity and then all our efforts would go to waste." [So let me get this straight. You guys have no life, are taking care of this ce, and are doing all of this to defend against creatures you aren''t even sure are real?] "No, they are. Soon you will understand." This is a super ominous line, brother! After a while, we finally see the end of the pathway. There stands a small altar. One that is super boring. Stone b with a small stone box and nothing else. Ah, there actually runes all around that are barely discernable but in good condition. [What is this?] "The god of Order himself. *Sigh* He sacrificed his body to protect the entire Earth realm. He is the only one that" [So, what exactly do you do here anyway? Do you just wipe the box? Clean the runes?] "Yes, that is exactly what I do. We must preserve his holiness! How is it? Isn''t this the most magnificent aura that you have ever felt?" ...Said in a deadpan voice it totally sounds like sarcasm you know! Also, am I supposed to feel anything? This stuff looks so boring a garage sale would be more exciting! "Here, now you will understand everything." He approaches and slowly slides the small box cover open. That is when I see it! Something amazingnot. In there lies what looks like a big left toe?! What the heck is this?! Somehow it both seems like it''s been here a long while and yet is still perfectly preserved. Heck, it still looks like it is fresh enough to have blood coursing through it! When he said sacrificed his body, I didn''t expect it to be this literal! This feels more macabre and distasteful than heroic! [Can you exin?] "The god of Order used his different body parts in order to seal the chaos everywhere." So like a source of power, eh? I wonder if something happens if you collect all the pieces. You know, exxodia style. Still, the way I see it this is probably the remnants of an evil god, one awaiting to resurrect. As much as he talks of protecting the worldthese guyspletely lost all humanity already and are but ves. The most impressive is thepleteck of awareness. Alright, how do I get rid of this thing? Maybe just throw it in the abyss? Yep, let''s try this haha. I grab it ...or try at least. As soon as I make contact, something happens! The stone pathway? Gone! My guide? Gone too! I look around slightly confused. I''m in a white room. Oh god, that brings back PTSD. I swear if it''s another random summon That is when I see it. There is a gigantic left big toe hopping towards me. What madness is this?! Chapter 421: Man VS Toe! Chapter 421: Man VS Toe! A big toe in a white room! What madness is this?! It looks exactly like the one I saw in the box. Is this the god realm? This shouldn''t be. Forgar could only temporarily bring me there using his very cool magic statue. Wait, no. There is no divine energy in the surroundings. Is this some kind of illusion? I should be immune to that. Ah, actually what if this toe is legit from some god?! That would meanI know! It''s because of divine energy! The elf that tried her illusion spell on me was using mana for sure. I guess it takes divine energy to even bypass my protection. This means two things: -I''m pretty safe on the Earth Realm overall -I''ll be in danger should I go against a godor a relic perhaps? Now is this ...thing even sentient? Only one way to know. [Yo, how are you toeday?] No answer. Ah, then againa toe doesn''t have a mouth [Soo I toetally came here by ident. How do I get out?] Maybe it can show me the way? I know it can hop at the very least. That is a good sign. That''s when ites near me, remaining unmoving. The smell is pretty bad. How long ago was itst washed?! A god of Order having bad hygiene? Wouldn''t that beughable? How long ago did the so-called sacrifice happen anyway? That is whenes out a guttural voice. "Y-you!" [You can talk?!] "Y-you remind me..." [Yes?] "Y-you remind me of a hateful " [Just finish your sentence already!] "Y-you remind me of a hateful fellow, from the past" [And?] "Crush.." [What?] "Crush!!" That''s when it jumps sky high! Oh crap! I dash away! If I remain here, my entire body will be tter than a loli! I''m panting but I do manage to awkwardly evade, throwing myself on the ground. "tten!" [Give me a break already! It''s our first meeting ever!] "Stomp!" [Hey, screw you! You big smelly fat toe!] "Meanie! Bou-hou!" [Why. *Dash*. The. *Roll*. Hell. *Slide*. Are you the oneining?!] God, I hate this thing! How do I defeat this enemy? I don''t even have a weapon! Actuallywhen did I ever have a weapon? I need some kind of way to fight back. How does one even hurt a toe? I need a furniture corner! Except the whole ce ispletely empty. How am I even supposed to? That''s when I feel my nes thumping on my chest. Wolf fang or hilt trinket? I value Wolfie''s one more! I grab the hilt and watch carefully the creature. At first, I had lots of trouble but I''m slowly getting used to its bounces. It''s always the same distance every time. Well, this toe is obviouslycking a brain. That''s the only reason I''m even thinking of fighting it. Otherwise, I''d be running away already. Now I need to get the timing perfect. I picture my legs bing stronger. So much that I will be able to dash even faster than before. Maneuverability-wise it will be bad, but I don''t care. I am aiming for a single straight line. Then I see it slowly get down, trying to squash me! Now! I fly up with incredible momentum. I''m oriented perfectly at the right spot. What do you get when you apply a monstrous force using a small metal hilt ne as a lever right under a toenail? It gets yanked off! Also, LOTS of pain! A river of blood starts flowing. "It hurts! It hurts so much! AHHH!" It is screaming extremely loudly, somehow. It falls on the side and stays there, shivering in pain all the while. Now what? Time for the finishing move! I charge at it. Then I charge the strongest punch of my life. [Falcon Super-Punch!!!] I can feel the flesh under my fist getting reduced to mush. I can feel the rippling of the entire thing. Even more blood erupts akin to a geyser. "ARGH! Bully! Viin!" Right, says the thing that tries crushing people cause it feels like it. Talk about the pot calling the kettle ck! [Alright, let me out of this ce already!] "*Sob sob* Bad guy! Evil man!" [Cut it out! I just want you to let me out!] "*Sob Sob* Vile! Vile man!" You know what? Screw this! This fool doesn''t deserve any mercy! I should be magnanimous because it is obviously retarded? Hell no! This thing could have very well killed me! I go back in there and I keep punching! So much that my hands start hurting! So much that I getpletely drenched in blood! So much that the very beating produces enough sound to ovee the creature''s cries! Just as I''m wondering how long this willst, I finally see the entire white realm start to ripple. Then it dissipates. I open my eyes. In my hand, I have a bloodied left big toe, one without a nail. Oh god, what happened in there was real?! What would have happened had I died ?! That is when I hear a scream. "Y-you! What have you done! This is a piece of the god of Order himself!" For the very first time, the man that apanied me here shows emotion. He''s panicking and looks angry. You''re wee dude haha. [Don''t worry about it. It was obviously a fake. I talked to the thing. It was a being that didn''t deserve living. Idiotic and destructive, the worstbo.] "Y-you..!!!" Well, I''m not expecting him to understand. He was brainwashed after all. epting it is not easy for him. It would be admitting that all his years of efforts werepletely in vain. There might also be some aftereffects from the enemy''s magic. The only thing I don''t understand is how it was able to do such a spell with itscking cognitive functions? Ah, perhaps something instinctive? Maybe a memory only the full body should have had but somehow.I don''t know. [It''s for the best. You''ll see.] "L-let go! Now or!" I need to be thorough. I squeeze tightly. The weakened toe bes a mess in my hand. The flesh separates from the bone. It then slowly bes lifeless. Losing all shine it had previously. So long asshole haha. [Hehehe! No one messes with The Unnamed God Sect!] *Crack, Crack* Waitwhat''s that sound? That''s when a hole opens under my feet! *FALL*Oh crap! I can feel the wind from my eleration. I see the stone bridge above me bing smaller and smaller. I may have fucked up! What was down there again?! Chapter 422: The Woodcutters Chapter 422: The Woodcutters ****(POV) This whole Eaglevein thing was a mess. Or maybe I should say the City of the Dead nowThey all tried to kill that ''simple'' baker. Yet they all failed, their failure gave rise to weakness. I can''t believe I thought about assassinating him back then! Using poison against him was dumb already. I''m pretty sure he''s unkible anyway! Good thing I simply acted my role as his salesgirl for the bakery properly. Otherwise, this could have turned bad for me. Then when the city fell, I somehow managed to escape. At first, I went to what became the City of Freedom, but recently I left. Many may be blissfully ignorant, but I know perfectly who the man they are convinced is the ''necromancer'' is. He is but a regr artist. He once sketched a very questionable pie picture on the bakery front. He wasn''t even hiding the fact; they just didn''t believe him. I shiver just thinking about the evil necromancer''s revenge should he learn that they have been using his name for so long. Being an assassin, I am very ill-suited to working on my own. For jobs, I used to rely on the assassin''s guild, but I don''t have contact anymore. As for the easy-to-get jobs, it''s mostly about protecting or fighting sects/other cities. There is rarely a job suited for meactually, that''s false. But there is a thing very important to know for an assassin. A good way for a client to hide his own involvement in the crime is to kill the assassin he hired under the guise of vengeance. Then it bes a choice between getting paid or remaining alive. That is why the assassin guild is so vital. Yeah, I''d rather starve than take too big a risk. Recently I got pretty lucky. Well, there was an opportunity, and I took it. I stumbled upon a group of woodcutters. 24 Traveling woodcutters to be exact. Initially, I was baffled. Where were they going in such a time of turmoil?! Currently, every power is trying to control everything happening in their territory. But at least I could tag along to travel less conspicuously. Ironically lone travelers are attracting more attention nowadays. After all, the chances of them being a spy are higher. Let''s just say that these woodcutters are also kind-natured people. I don''t think they''d tell people that I only joined their groupter on. These guys are very peculiar. We have been journeying a while already. By now I am familiar with their habits. At first, it puzzled me greatly, but apparently, they have a woodcutting mantra. It goes: -First, enter the right mindset. -Second, keep hacking until it bes second nature. -Third, ignore the whole world and only concentrate on that one tree in front of you. -Fourth, keep hacking until you forget even yourself and trees start dropping by themselves. Honestly, they are the first woodcutters I hear about to have that. It puzzled me initially but then they told me these are the direct teaching of a great hero. Apparently, the man even defeated a king slime! God knows how powerful these creatures are! I praised them for adapting his teachings to their own discipline. That''s when they all gave me that one weird nce. Finally, one exined that he was a legendary lumberjack. I swear this world is going to shit! Why am I meeting weird individualstely?! I truly can''t picture what a legendary woodcutter would look like. At some point, we see some greenery on the horizon. It turns out to be a small forest. As soon as we see it, they all start cheering, with huge smiles stered on their faces. "I-is a forest that great?!" "*Sigh* This is an opportunity to train. You know, a human should always try to improve himself every time he is given the opportunity. It may sound simple to you, but to us, it is our life." I can''t help but nod. As we establish camp, I see them take their axes out, enthusiastically. But then they simply leave it near themselves. "Weren''t you guys going to cut some wood?" "Haha, no. You see we wish to emte something our mentor has done casually before. This is the reason we are training. He showed us the possibilities." I can see his gaze lose focus, clearly reminiscing the past. He keeps going. "We used to only be doing lowly tasks and consider ourselves worthless but then he dered that we have value. He said that no skill is ever worthless. He gave us our pride. No, he simply showed us the way. It is our responsibility to walk it now." I can''t help but wish I could meet that guy. He sounds incredible! I wonder if he has any tips on how to be a good assassin? While''s I''ve been doing that for a while, there is still so much that I ignore. Before long it is nighttime, the time to slumber. A few are on night watch duty but the night is peaceful. The next morning I wake up refreshed. I can smell the scent of freshly cut wood. Raising myself up I look at my surroundings and What?! Did they move me while I was sleeping? This is weird, I recognize the vegetation around me, that didn''t change. But why iswaitthe forest is gone entirely?! How is this possible?! In the distance, I can see stacked wooden logs. That is when I see mypanionsing back. They greet me casually. "Good morning." "What do you mean, ''Good Morning''! What happened to the forest?" "Haha, this is our mentor''s specialty, razing everything to the ground!" I can''t help but add dumbfounded "Yes, but what about the logs? You won''t just let it here, right?!" "No, that''s exactly what we''ll do." "Why?!" "Because we can''t carry it with us obviously." "You guys.This is highly illogical!" "You think? We are woodcutters, not wood carriers. That is our logic and our way of life." This sounds like an oversimplification! They cut wood because they are woodcutters, they don''t even care about the repercussions of their actions! Now I feel like scolding that mentor of theirs! "Alright shall we.ah? What''s that ?!" I follow his gaze. On the horizon is a group of tough-looking men. Looking at their equipment they are either mercenaries or bandits.no bandits for sure! What are we supposed to do? There are about 50 of them! They outnumber us and I am probably the only one that can fight! This will be harsh, can I somehow negotiate?!... Chapter 423: Woodcutter VS Bandits! Chapter 423: Woodcutter VS Bandits! ****(POV) Keep calm, right now with all the organizations at war it is harder to trade ves. In a time of peace with all the troops at their base, it doesn''t really matter. But with frequent outingsa ve escape could easily be catastrophic. Thus the quality control on ves has increased by a lot. Not as many random ones are bought. Another good point is that we are obviously poor. I simply need to find a way to make them believe their losses would be heavy should they attack us. Wait, I think I may have an idea. I turn to mypanions. On the journey, they have been drinking some kind of extremely low-quality wine. Why? Well, they are as poor as I am. It is the kind that is extremely pungent and DISGUSTING. For me to drink it, someone would have to pay me. They apparently got that for free from some weird guy. He was calling himself the number one brewer or something while saying stuff about reviving some kind of drunken fish. He barely stopped in the City of Freedom, but he created enough ruckus to be noticed. For some time there was a legend about him, all infamy. People were saying that he was a resentful ghost haunting the living. Since his death, he couldn''t drink anymore and he was pushing this horrible drink to the livings to quell his frustration. "You guys, I have an idea. Get that wine out. Then once theye nearby, slowly and visibly coat your axes with it. I''m pretty sure it can and will be misunderstood as poison!" "What?! What will we drink afterward?!" "If we all die there won''t be any drinking anymore!" "*Sigh* She''s right, brothers. Sometimes one must do sacrifices. Remember our mentor? He was humble enough to eat the same dirty and trashy food as us withoutining. If someone as great as him is able to do this, why should we care about some alcohol?" I see all of them nodding. I swear, they always have a way to make it about that guy. Whatever, it''s good if it helps me convince them. A few minutester, the bandits are right in front of us. They look rough, clearly haven''t showered in a while, are loud, have clearly killed before, I can see dried blood on some of their leather armors, fuck one is even looking at me while licking his lips! Mypanions proceed as nned. They start coating their weapons with pungent liquid. That gets a reaction out of our opponents. "Poison! What?! These guys are lumberjacks, no?! how do they have such a thing?! We should probably avoid this fight and" Nice, this is totally going to "No, look carefully this is that disgusting stuff that one guy wanted to give us." "Ah, you''re right! Trying to trick us?! Do you guys think we are dumb? Now, hand over all your possessions and the girl haha!" No! They met the vengeful brewing ghost! Our luck is bad. It almost worked out too. No, it''s not over I still have a card up my sleeve. I need to show extreme confidence now. I steadily smile at them and make sure my voice is yful and strong. "Poison? Hehe, have you tried having this horrible stuff in your bloodstream? It makes any wound fester and makes it impossible to heal oneself. Do you want to ce a bet? How many of you will die trying to rob us? 10-20-30? All of you perhaps?" The bandits look at each other. I can see some unease. They are wondering why I''m not afraid in the least. But their leader intervenes. "Hahaha, nice bluff! If you had such strength in the first ce there would have been no need for the whole wine bullshit earlier. Now boys, shall we kill a few of them to teach them a lesson? We should teach them the meaning of fear!" Fuck, fuck! That is when they charge at us. I grip my dagger tightly. I think I should be able to kill about 20 before I sumb. That will leave 30 for 24panions. This is a lost cause but as long as we don''t despair there is a chance. We simply need to show them our might and intimidate them. Sometimes it is not the strongest that wins a fight, but the one that has the least to lose. Madness is particrly scary to the sane. I find myself thinking back to that man. He was chased by the entirety of Eaglevein at some point. I simply need to show the same courage in facing my enemies. I shout! "Bring it on bitches! We''ll cut you down as the many trees that once surrounded us!" Okay, this isn''t my best warcry. At least I am not cowering. My final moments will be heroic, talk about a failure for an assassin! *Sigh* That is when I hear a low murmur, but one said by 24 people at once. It merges together into a low humming sound. Mypanions keep repeating the same thing: "They are trees" What is up with them?! Just as I''m wondering, I somehow notice something. Their entire aura changes! From weak and normal guy auras it bes. sharp ones?! What is happening?! Meanwhile, the bandits are making initial contact. Their de aimed straight at the vitals, a clear promise of death. That is when it happens. *CHOP!* Blood spurts, there is the sound of flesh getting cleaved. There is a moment where the entire world stops, then it resumes. With every chop: limbs are sent flying, corpses start to pile up. The bandits are getting decimated?! Instead of falling back, they be angry. "How dare you! Kill them all!" I dive into their midst. Carefully evading all their attacks. Trying my best to disrupt their flow. Backstab! Tripping them! Dagger to the neck! But no matter the might mypanions are showing, they are outnumbered and not used to fighting. They are slowly getting killed. I need to do something! Finally, I see an opportunity to reach their leader! I rush to him and plunge my dagger into his chest, or try. He somehow manages to block. "You bitch! What is up with all of you fuckers?!" "Just fucking die!" We are having a duel while the fight in the back progresses. That''s when my opponent''s face change. All the other bandits are dead somehow! He starts running away extremely fast. Crap there is no way we will be able to catch him, this sucks! That is when I hear. "Cut ALL the trees!" A woodcutter almost seems to be teleporting behind him and beheads the target. How?! Out of the 24, 13 survived. The others are all dead. This is still insane! 11 untrained woodcutters casualties for killing 50 bandits! How?! I see them slowly wake up from that special state of theirs. "*Sigh* They perished doing what they loved: Felling trees, moving fleshy trees. May you rest in peace, my brothers." What kind of eulogy is that?! Chapter 424: Super Woodcutting Assassins of Unavoidable Doom! Chapter 424: Super Woodcutting Assassins of Unavoidable Doom! ****(POV) I am wishing goodbye to the fallen somberly. "A moment of silence for all our lostpanions. May they rest in peace. They may have fallen but they were valiant and courageous, they-" "Were true woodcutters!" What''s up with him? Can''t we do a normal eulogy at all?! Ah, I guess it doesn''t matter. Still, I''m pleasantly surprised. I didn''t expect to survive at all. We somehow managed to fight off and annihte the bandits. I wasn''t expecting mypanions to show such prowess! Then again, they did manage to get rid of an entire forest before I could even notice, even if it was a small one it remains a feat. What renders me speechless is the sh between the strength of their attacks and how clumsy their general movements are. I guess it is to be expected if they only trained on trees. These are pretty bad at evading usually. I can''t help but think that so many could have been saved had they been trained at least a little bit. It is toote for the dead but... One of mypanions exims. "Alright, shall we get moving?" "Wait!" I look at each of them. "I feel like you guys should train a bit before we resume our journey!" "Train? We are always training!" "*Sigh* I mean bettering your movements and" "For what? We don''t need such a pointless skill!" Pointless?! Pointless! Say that to the dead! No, I should keep my calm. I need to somehow convince them to.Wait I know. I''ll invent a crazy and ridiculous lie, but one that I think they will believe. "In some disaster zones, there are living moving trees. Do you guys really think you''d stand a chance? Are you simply going to give up that easily? I expected better of you guys!" I can hear gasps of surprise. They all share a look showing it is the first time they are hearing about such a thing. I mean, of course, it''s fiction "Really?!" X13 "Of course! Why would I lie about that?" Why? Obviously to try and make them stronger! Not only will it avoid ridiculous deaths, but it will also increase my own safety. After all, we are in this together. Well, I could always leave but it wouldn''t particrly make my life easier. "What should we do?! There is no way we''ll let these moving woody bastards win!" They all nod in agreement. What did trees ever do to them? Actually, I''m not sure I want to know. I feel like it will a dumb exnation anyway. "Alright, I''ll teach you guys the basics of movement. It is extremely simple. We will y a simple game. We won''t use any weapons. I will try to touch your vitals and you guys will try to evade it!" "There is an issue with thatwe need our axe! A woodcutter never leaves his trusty axe behind!" (*Others agreeing*) Why would they need an axe to never mind! *Sigh* I''m starting to reconsider my decision to train them. The good thing is that they are so simple that I''m pretty sure they won''t betray me. "Alright, whatever. You guys can keep the axe but aren''t allowed to attack or block. The only thing you should do is evade! Understood?" "YES!" I face one of them. Then starts our ''fight''. *Vitals touch instantly* Okay, this is bad. We keep going. But no matter what, he shows no improvement at all. This is weird. That''s when another suggests: "Brother, you need to think of her as a tree attacking you." "Oh! I see!" How is that supposed to help? Why would it be easier to visualize a moving tree than a real opponent actually in front of you?! But then his aura suddenly changes again. It goes from normal to sharp once more! I dive toward him! This time around, his movements are way better! Yep, there is something wrong with these guys'' brains. Terribly wrong! We keep training for a while. I can still easily defeat him, but at least now it requires some effort. That is when I start training the others. Not long afterward, we take a break. That is when one of themes closer. "I think I know a way to increase the pace of training" "Yes, how?!" "We need a forest." "How would that even help?!" But the others in the back are all nodding. Something about how they''ll feel more at ease in one. This is so much bullshiting from guys that literally just razed one! Do forests put you at ease or do you hate them?! Pick one! Ah, whatever. We depart once more. I just hope we don''t encounter anything troublesome. It seems our luck is good for once. We walk for a few days before more greenery appears before us. That is when they all start cheering. They look like kids getting their first dagger. Well, when I got mine I was outwardly calm, but internally I was screaming in joy. I still regret losing that dagger, it apanied me on my first kills after all. They excitedly run toward the trees and ready their axes "Wait! Wait up you guys! What about the movement training! If you cut it all now we''ll have to find another forest! No way in Hell!" "Ah!" They look embarrassed. "Sorry, force of habit." *Awkwardly rubbing their head* "Alright, should we start and " I''m about to train with them, but then something very peculiar happens. They each pick a tree and face it. Then I see them start to frantically dodge all over the ce. They look crazy! Ah, no. They are crazy! They are visualizing the trees attacking them somehow. At first, their movements are a bit awkward, but the more time passes and the more it besin crazy! Some are leaning to avoid, some are sidestepping, some are dashing short distances, some are rolling, one is using his axe to rotate himself I even see backflips?! What is happening to them?! Somehow the woodcutters are looking like a troop of mad acrobats! As an assassin I am pretty agile and flexiblebut not like that! Ah, actually it''s even worse! They are not flexible at all! I can hear their body giving worrying cracks as they aplish the diverse movements! Yet, no matter what, they remain in that insanely-focused state! At first, I''m questioning life itself, but then I slowly get numb to it. At this point, I wouldn''t be surprised if one of them starts flying. It would have happened with one training to catch flying trees or something. In such a manner I take a nap. Then many more naps. Soon a month passes. They have pretty much been training non-stop all this time! This is madness! Part of me is annoyed, but part of me cannot wait to see how this will turn out! Am I seeing the rise of Super Woodcutting Assassins of Unavoidable Doom?! Just as I''m wondering about this, a heartfelt cry of anger is heard. Then I feel a heavy mana surgeing our way! An enemy?! Chapter 425: Elf on a Journey! Chapter 425: Elf on a Journey! ****(POV) I am on a journey. I want to see the tree that gave life to my people, the elves. I also want to find my kins. I used to live peacefully in Eaglevein while practicing my carving, but he convinced me to follow my dreams. Well, I was pretty much reaching the limit of my abilities anyway. I guess this is normal considering how I had remained cooped up at the same spot for so long. We elves are made to be close to nature. That may seem like a paradoxical statement for a carver, but it''s not. It is all about reaching an equilibrium. You want to give more to the forest than you take. That is all it is about really. For instance, I would use nature magic to make the trees grow faster. Then I would get rewarded with part of their wood. A win-win rtionship for both parties. This is something most humans seem to ignore, but trees are actually alive and have feelings. They each have an individual consciousness and a collective consciousness. The first is shallow and to it only matters three things: water, sun, and nutrients. Nothing else! The collective one is moreplex. This one is actually able to feel and share emotions. We call such a phenomenon the forest''s spirit. It gives the pulse of how the forest itself is doing. Is it growing? Is it having issues? Are there any dangers? All of these! In this continent, this feedback is actually low. It is quite normal given how rampant humans are with the destruction. I can''t help but imagine how it feels to live next to Yggdrasil. *Sigh* Perhaps one day. I often find myself ying with my ne. It was a gift from my mother. Not only is it a traditional elf one but apparently it should help me recognize other elves, if they are still here that is. Anyway, I know my end goal isn''t on this continent. I''m actually looking for clues. I want to figure out where the elves that came here were from themselves. Of course, it will be extremely hard to find anyone that remembers such times. I''ve been searching without sess for a while. It has been many generations after all. But it won''t stop me. If I am lucky, I may find relevant writings about it at some point. Now, there is one thing on my mind. Something atrocious happened a few days ago. I stumbled upon a scene that was extremely horrible. I stumbled upon a razed forest. As I strolled through it, I could feel the echoes of the pain and despair of the forest spirit that used to be there. It made me sick. My legs started trembling. Not because of the destruction itself, but because I realized something worse. The wood had simply been left there to rot. It hadpletely died out and was unusable. That is the part that enrages me. I''m used to humans being selfish, but at least there is always a purpose behind them ruining entire forests. I won''t me them too much if they actually use the wood. They simply cannot feel it as I can. For them, trees may as well be rocks. I can''t exin how alive they are either. At least I can console myself thinking that out of their sacrificees some good. Somewhere, some happiness is generated from someone have a roof over his head, or some warmth from a fire, or something simr. It is sad but there are a few good points. But this scene waspletely different! It didn''t stem from solving a need. What could motivate such senseless ughter?! The next few days I couldn''t sleep at all. Every time I would remember that scene of carnage. Then as I''m simply walking, Ie across another forest. That is when I feel it. I don''t know how to exin it, but it feels evil. Some profound and senseless hate toward trees. At first, I''m questioning my sanity. How is that even possible?! But then I see them. A bunch of humans, all in front of a tree each. They are sending concentrated killing intent toward the wood. They all have an axewait! They are the ones that did that earlier massacre! I''m sure of it! There is no way I will let them proceed! I angrily shout at them! "Stop this at once! Leave this forest alone! Stop your reckless havoc!" They look at me puzzled. "ughter? We are just cutting trees?" "Exactly! These trees are alive and do not deserve such treatment at all! Step aside and leave this ce!" That is when a girl in their midst tries to convince them to do so. "Guys, we should probably just leave" "No way! We are lumberjacks! We cut trees! There is nopromise to be made! We have our pride!" Fine! Let''s see how they handle this! I use nature magic. It is something all elves are born with, albeit at varying degrees. Vinese out of the ground, violently going toward them in a bid to restrain them. Then the trees behind them start pping them with their branches. That''s the limit of my powers but it should be enough against. That''s when I feel it. Somehow, they direct their attention at me and I be their target. I can sense the hate and the killing intent! It''s so intense that I have trouble breathing! This is crazy! I use nature magic to increase the potency of the attacks on them! Yet they are simply slowly marching toward me. Their res chill me to my very core. They want me dead. As they advance, they violently chop the vegetation apparently effortlessly. Normal-looking woodcutters are getting rid of my strongest spell extremely easily! How?! At this point, I''m at my wit''s end. I have only one card left to y! I use illusion magic! Then they all stop. Oh my god! That was so close! The 12 woodcutters are all stunned looking confused. I changed my appearance in their eyes with that magic spell. Of course, it is one that is easy to break. Any target with mental resistance could get rid of it. Alternatively, if I attack it will break too. Now, what the Hell am I supposed to do? I think I''ll just run. I want to protect the forest but there is nothing I can do against these monsters. But it''s fine I''ll just. That''s when I feel some wind behind me. It is also when I understand that there were not 12 woodcutters, but 13. Sorry mother, it seems I won''t ever find our brethren Chapter 426: Sun Young Master Chapter 426: Sun Young Master ****(POV) As they parade me akin to a living ornament, I can hear the pointless conversations happening. "Young master Sun is so handsome! I''d love so much to dedicate myself to his service!" "Please! We all know that''s not the only thing you want to do for him!" "Y-you! How dare you nder me! My intentions are pure! I simply want to dedicate my body and soul to the hopes of the Light Citadel!" "Now, now girls. Stop arguing! Young master Sun doesn''t need any distraction from the opposite sex. He needs peace and quiet to train. That is why I should be the one to serve him instead." "Hey, why are you blushing! You are both men!" "Noment..." *Sigh* It''s always the same. I don''t particrly hate these guys, but they do annoy me. They truly ''love'' young master Sun. But that''s the problem, I''m not him. Or more urately this whole young master persona is one that has been forced upon me since my youth. It doesn''t correspond to who I am at all. Hell, I don''t even remember who I was beforeing here. I only remember the harsh training. I''m not even sure if I have any family out there! This ''Young master Sun'' that they want me to be is a valiant hero that represents Hellios. His blessings are countless, he can use sr energy like no one else here, he is a defender of the innocent and the bane of evil. There is only one problem, however. The so-called evil is really anyone that opposes us: Evil sects, neutral sects, and righteous sects alike. This whole ssification is ridiculous. It all stems from who is allied with who. Honestly, it could be remade into a different appetion: the honest people, the ones that have mood swings, and the shameless. Of course, I''m exaggerating, but that''s how it seems to me. For instance, right now as my carriage passes on the paved street, I can see some of the so-called evil scum getting burned alive. Now, here is the issue. The victim is an assassin. One that has as a job to kill for money. This is the vilest thing one can do! It has been dered that no matter their identity every assassin should be killed. At first nce, there isn''t any issue with that, right? It is normal for a righteous sect like us to clear scum like that! Well, we ourselves do have assassins. Ah, no. They are not ''assassins'' but executioners. righteous ones that kill any of our enemies. But there is a big difference! They don''t only kill for money! No, sometimes it is to cause political turmoil, to advance some of our agenda, sometimes for funbut never for money- That''d be wrong! I dislike the hypocrisy. I just want to go far away and escape. Maybe live in a small vige and be a farmer? Maybe nt some kind of vegetable that requires lots of sunlight to grow haha. Now, I know part of this is hypocritical of me. I did receive lots of resources and support from the sect. In my defense, I never asked nor wanted this. If I could, I would have left long ago. Well, before I only attributed these thoughts to silly dreams. You know the kind that is ridiculous and should simply be forgotten for everyone''s good. It would have probably remained like that, but then I met him. He was so ridiculous himself that I couldn''t help butugh at how rigid I had been in my thinking. He is a tamer who fights instead of his creatures and who doesn''t care about gods. He just wants to live peacefully and believes in self-determination. Overall, he is in crazy haha. If he dares to live so crazily, why can''t I do what I want too? Now I am heading back to the Light Citadel, but I have resolved myself. I am leaving this ce soon! Just watch me! **** It''s been 2 years. Usually, my duties are to train, to train, and to train some more! Ah, also sometimes to smile and wave! At first, I was nning an excuse to slip out and I had a n to escape far away. But then came something unexpected. Eaglevein fell. That single event screwed everything up. Of course, they didn''t want to allow me to go out at such a time. Now of course I would have been able to escape by force. The only issue was: how many would die in the process? Knowing my sect, they''d assume I had been brainwashed by some devil. They would restrain me at all costs without regard for the casualties. I may not want to be part of their ns, but I still am not heartless enough to kill them. At best I''ll escape and that will be it. They did do their best to help me be stronger and taught me their beliefs. It''s just that I don''t agree with such beliefs in the first ce! Now, how did I even start thinking there was an issue with this? Well, long ago I had a servant. He used to be an outsider, but after many years of loyal service, he managed to make his way to me. At first, he only told me stories to distract me from the harsh training. Now, there was something peculiar about his stories. They were very different from the ones I had heard before. He didn''t speak of good and evil. Instead, he spoke of life itself. I know he hated to a core the sect master of the Light Citadel. I know he disliked the sect too. But he never spoke ill of them either. I simply realized it through subtle hints over time. Listening to him I realized that there may have been more to existence than I had first believed. The world wasn''t such a simple ce anymore. Before I truly didn''t care about the outside world, but these stories made me curious. One day he drank. He wasn''t supposed to, nor did he mean to. The servants had been forced to drink because of an over-eager superior. Weirdly enough, this man who had passed the sect''s loyalty check easily just couldn''t handle his alcohol. He told me many things. He told me that he knew my mother, that I had her deep blue eyes, he told me that he had waited a long time to see me. He was very emotional. I understood then that there probably some family link between us, but I couldn''t be sure. The next day he was gone. What happened to him? I still have no clue, but with him went my attachment to this sect. Anyway, I have been training all this time. But now, I think I may just have an opportunity to escape, if I y my cards right that is.. Chapter 427: Raiding a Gu Village Chapter 427: Raiding a Gu Vige ****(POV) Now, what''s my n to escape the Light Citadel? Two words: fanaticism and power. I have been training for 2 years, but now I am powerful enough to take care of myself easily. Now, why don''t I just use this power to easily escape? Well, again my specialty is raw destructive potential. To escape I''d have to kill every single being standing in my way. I don''t want to. Now, that''s where fanaticismes into y. They expect me to want to bring glory to the sect at all costs. Now there is supposed to be a skirmish happening soon. We will be raiding the location of a known evil sect base. This peculiar sect uses something called a Gu. Pretty much it is a practice that uses poison and demonic bugs. They feed them with incredibly deadly toxins and then enclose them in a small box. The Gus then devour each other until only one remains. This makes the sole survivor a truly deadly Gu that cannot be underestimated. Now, why hasn''t this sect conquered the Starter continent yet? Well, for a very good reason. Their poison is trashy, their Gus are not even demonic, their inheritance is iplete, and theyck people talented toward the discipline. All in all, they are to real Gu cultivators what a pebble is to a castle. Even then, they remain one of the top sects on the continent. There is one simple exnation for that. Lost knowledge is incredibly strong! So strong that the only reason we even have a footing here is because of howplete our inheritance is. Well, honestly, I do not care too much about that sect. At all! Still, this is a good opportunity. I have been training for so long it is usible that I want to go on an outing to try my powers. Now, they wouldn''t approve of a normal stroll. Of course, I could simply lie and then bolt away easily. No, I have a way better n! That is when enters a young man, one that is pretty strong. He has always been cordial with me, but I know. He hates me to the bone. He has always been the number two here. I always had the best resources, the best training, and the best spot in the spotlight. Well, to be honest, it hasn''t ever restricted him. There isn''t that much actual difference. Sure, I get more resources, but he gets more freedom. In my opinion, it perfectly bnces it. I would have given him the number one spot a while ago, but I''m not going to ck training just for that. I''m sure he''s going to appreciate my disappearance haha. "Young master Sun, are you really sure about joining this expedition? The sectmaster is in closed-door training too. We managed to convince the elders to let you go, but what if something happens to you?" I don''t mind acting too. "Don''t worry, they won''t see iting. This is but one of their outposts. There won''t be any powerhouse there at all. I''ll dispatch them all don''t worry." He shows a concerned expression and escorts me outside. I''m 99% confident he''s actually dancing in joy internally, however. Outside await troops. About five hundred men in golden armor are a sight to behold for sure. Their leaderes to greet me. "Yong master Sun, we are ready to depart at yourmand!" They all have morning stars, why? Because it kind of looks like a sun. Well, it does if you are totally drunk, I guess. "Alright, you guys stay here. The armors are too shy, you guys are too noisy, and let''s face it none of you will be much use in the uing fight. Alright,ter." "B-But, young mast-" "Not negotiable." I depart, leaving them panicking. There is no way they want me to take any risk. But there is an issue...Sure, having 500 meat shields would increase the safety factor by a lot, but the enemies would just run. That is not my n at all. They reluctantly are left behind. This is freeing. Not long after, I am scouting a small vige. On the surface, it looks like a very regr one, but there is one thing that gave them away. They were attacked by vagrants recently. Of course, hidden experts wouldn''t just let themselves get robbed and killed. They thought they had wiped all traces, but the vagrants'' disappearance in itself alerted us. We had a spy in their group. He did die, but he cracked open the secret of the vige. Now I am here to avenge him, at least officially. As I enter the vige, there is an old man weing me with a mouth void of any teeth. "Hello, child. What brings a nice young man like you to a dump like this?" "Just visiting. Well, I''ll check if you guys have a news board tooter." "Alright, follow me! I''ll guide you to the vige tavern!" We reach a decrepit tavern that smells of piss. Inside are 8 customers and a tavern keeper. He gestures me to take a seat on a bench that has seen better days. It has a cushion that looks clearly problematic. I simply press on it slightly. Then my hand glows slightly, transmitting intense heat to it. That is whenes out the dying screams of all the Gus that were chucked in there. I can''t help but smile. "A little bit too obvious, don''t you think?" That is when I see all of the ''customers'' turn toward me clearly showing killing intent. They have recognized the spell I used. "W-wait! You, you''re !?" I sure took them a long time to realize. Then again, I look a bit different than 2 years ago with my current hairstyle that is shorter. "Good job, here''s your reward!" I sh a light spell on him with the heat melting his face entirely. Then starts an onught. They keep sending bugs at me and throwing weapons from time to time. But they are clearly at a disadvantage. The heat surrounding me is enough to kill their Gus. They quickly realize this point and start retreating. Before long they are running in every direction, but that won''t stop me. They are fast, but none of them can outrun light. Now, this is troublesome. I was expecting there to be more than this rabble. Talk about disappointing. Guess I''ll have to go on a holy crusade or something. I need a stronger opponent after all. That is when I feel something approaching me. It is so subtle that I would have missed it if I wasn''t sensing the heat of my surroundings. Now, this is more like it! I quickly kill the Gu that was trying to sneak attack me. That is when I see a young man appear. He is to his sect what I am to the light citadel, he is their chosen. Looks like I was right toe here. This shall be interesting! Chapter 428: Preparations! Chapter 428: Preparations! ****(POV) Just my damn luck! For once Ie to inspect an outpost and then this monster shows up, the goddamn chosen of the Light Citadel! He''s already killed so many of our people! He''s smiling and enjoying himself. These guys are the worst. They are all a bunch of hypocrites that willmit any atrocity as long as it suits them. Our crime is to use poison and Gu? What about them?! He just burned tons of peaceful vigers only because of the techniques they practiced! How is this not "evil"?! I will never agree with their views that''s for sure. Now, can I possibly defeat this guy? Not in a frontal assault for sure. I just tried to sneak attack him, but I failed. He noticed and annihted my Gu without even bothering to turn his head. No, he simply kept fixing me with that disturbing smile of his! There is only one thing I can do. I resolutelyrun! I can hear his yful voice behind me... "Trying to run, are you?" I just want to live! It is pointless of me to fight him in the first ce. I doubt I can survive and even if I won, I''d probably lose most of my Gus in the process. It simply isn''t worth it no matter what! Now, think. Where can I even run? I''m not especially fast. At least it''s the same for my opponent. He''s just cackling behind me like some devil while sending attacks near me. Light rays pass on each side, clearly made to barely miss my skin. I can feel my clothes and hair getting burned. I can see the ground getting crystallized slightly from the intense heat. I can''t help but have a cold shiver even with how hot the surroundings are bing. This won''t work, not long-term at least. He''s fast enough to keep up with me. I need to figure out something. Right now we are simply cutting through the wilderness. But then something bad happens. A group appears right in front, they are traveling! Oh no! There are about a hundred people. It seems to be some sort of merchant group with mercenaries. They simply watch us pass by them without doing anything. They clearly do not want to have any trouble. But there is an issue with this. These guys have seen us. Before my pursuer might have given up since no one even knew he was chasing me, failing wouldn''t have affected his reputation. But now it''s different. One thing to know is the Light Citadel people are extremely proud. They can be killed but not disgraced. These witnesses just turned my situation from bad to worse, by making it a question of honor. He''s too fast, he won''t give up. I now need to fight. I know where to go. There is an area with caves nearby. I start voluntarily showing signs of exhaustion. I want him to think he has the situationpletely under control. I want him to want to keep toying with me. I''m the injured prey right now and that''s fine. As long as he doesn''t straight go for the kill everything will be fine. Before long we reach my target location. Why the caves? Because there are many small tunnels that block the line of sight. His light attacks are crazy fast, but only in a straight line. Since he uses sr-based abilities, he is also stronger when under the sun. The darkness will be advantageous for me. Even then, this will be challenging for sure. I run in a maze of tunnels. I grab my Gu bag. It''s an artifact that lets one carry more Gus than usual. In there I have my life''s work. First, I send some Gus to scout theyer of this ce. Soon I get some feedback and I have the entire ce mapped out in my head. Then I need something to protect myself. I will some specialized Gus to cover my body. Tons of mirror centipedes start crawling all over my person. They are harmless but they are extremely resistant to temperature changes and are able to reflect some magical abilities. This will give me some protection against that monster. But even then, I better avoid getting hit in the first ce. Now that scouting and defense are taken care of, I need to n my attack. I get some rock devouring beetles out. These guys are pros at digging. "Go forth little ones, turn this whole cave into a huge death trap." They head toward the ceiling. Now, I should be able to order them to make parts of the rock ceiling fall directly. I''m a big fan of diversifying my attacks. Now I need some main direct offensive. I get some Flying-Death Gus. They look like worms with teeth and wings. They are extremely good at maneuvering in the ws of the enemies'' defenses. Once they get near, they can drill into the bodies of any opponent injecting a deadly poison in their bodies. But if I want them to potentially reach their target, I need some kind of diversion. I take out some Deadly-Mist Gus. They can release some toxic mist in the air that not only attacks the opponent''s respiratory system but also reduces visibility. Now, I''m sure he''d be able to dispatch the mist easily. That''s where my next Gues in. A Damned-Soul Cricket. This one is specialized in soul attacks. While it probably won''t have that much effect on my target it should be able to destabilize him. That''s all I need really. Now, I have onest Gu ready. This one is extremely valuable, a single Gu that looks simr to a fruit fly. It is extremely small and harmless-looking but in fact, it is the deadliest Gu I possess. This one is nicknamed the Invisible Killer. It can approach any target undetected and get rid of them. Once it makes contact with the target it is over. Now, my preparations are over. It may have taken long to exin it all but it happened in an instant, I only took out some Gus. Just in time as I can hear my opponent behind me. He''s looking ever so smug. "Oh? A cave? That''s pretty neat. Well, we are under the rock right now. I guess you''ll have kind of a burial haha." He is extremely rxed and doesn''t seem to care one bit about the few Gus that I have out. Well, most are currently hiding in the shadows getting ready to strike. Alright, hopefully, this will all go well. Here goes nothing. It is kill or be killed! . Chapter 429: Death of Sun Chapter 429: Death of Sun ****(POV) He''s sadistically looking my way, I feel it. He has followed me all the way over here somehow. I had been walking in random tunnels, but that hasn''t stopped him from following my trail easily. How? I don''t know. He chuckles. "Do you think you have a chance? If it was anyone else, perhaps. But, you should have heard of me, right?" Yes, I have, but all that doesn''t matter. Now that I''m backed into a corner, I''ll struggle with all my might! I simply start talking to him "Why?" but really, I don''t care about his answer. I subtly send a message to order my Gus to start the assault! The ceiling suddenly copses, right above his head! Even then he doesn''t look panicked in the least. He''s using a light-powered attack to redirect the falling rocks and melting the ones thate near him. He also sends a few light-based attacks in my direction. I barely dodge! I can see deep holes left at my previous location. Holy crap! This is so deadly! Good thing I have goodbat instincts! Now, time for the next Gu! A purple poison mist starts filling the room. I can hear the sizzling of the mist getting evaporated by the heat surrounding him. "Hahaha is that all?! You think such a puny poison will affect me?!" He''s still intact. I order the Deadly-Mist Gu to keep up its effort. I task the Rock Devouring Beetle Gus with elerating the copse of this ce, the cricket starts chirping. The melody it produces is one that affects everyone including the owner, but I''m used to it. Sun seems affected. His defenses are clearly bing less effective! Before he could block every rock, but now some pebbles actuallynd on him, soiling his clothes. Time for the Flying-Death Gus! I send them to try and hide in the falling rocks to reach the opponent. Just as they are about to plunge their teeth in his unprotected neck fire erupts from his entire person. Oh crap! Instantly all the falling rocks and my Gus are getting destroyed. It took me so long to raise those! That''s when he smiles and points at me. Then many of my Mirror Centipedes suddenly die! I see a sh of light, that''s the aftereffect! This is insane! His attack was so deadly and fast I couldn''t even perceive or dodge it! How many more can I take like that? Two shots at best! "That should deal with these. Now, about these annoying boulder throwing insects" He points once more. A deadly rayter, I cannot sense my Gus hiding in the rock anymore. They are gone, forever! I hate this man so much! Acting all righteous when he''s the worst of murderers! "Now, the one that''s doing that poison cloud." Once more he points and my Gu gets melted instantly without any way to fight back. "Lastly that one that keeps chirping. A soul attack is it? Not a very effective one." He burns it too. Simply with a wave of his hands. Just like that, he has destroyed all my life''s work. Without a single regret. He slowly advances my way, one step at a time. With every step, he sends a deadly ray my way. It quickly gets rid of thest of my Mirror Centipedes. Soon, I''mpletely exposed. He sends onest one for good measure, a weaker one this time. I can feel my burning flesh. The pain is intolerable, the smell too. Human flesh getting cooked produces the worst smell! He is looking down on me, grinning. There is pure joy in his eyes. This man derives pleasure from my suffering. This is why righteous sects are the worst! "Anyst words?" He says yfully. What kind ofst words can I even have?! I''m finished already! I''m but a useless man without my Gus. All my dreams and hopes are gone. There is nothing I can do anymore. Nothing but ept my death. I wish I could say I at least put a good fight, but no. He has been toying with me all this time. Sure I managed to destroy his clothes a bit, but that''s all. The man himself is still intact. I feel my legs growing weak. I fall to the ground. This worthless existence of mine is about to end. For what? Just so that asshole can add another line to the list of his merits. All for a tyrant to call himself a hero. Life really sucks at times, doesn''t it? Ah, no. It pretty much always sucks. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have joined this shitty Gu sect in the first ce. Well, it beats joining a shitty and hypocritical sect. Not that I had the choice anyway. That is when I close my eyes awaiting his finishing move. This is it, goodbye world. *THUD! * HAHAHAHAHA, I fucking did it! That was the sound of my opponent falling to the ground. They say the best way to fool an opponent is to fool yourself. I made sure to have the darkest life-ending thoughts possible. He didn''t see the hope I still had. Yes, that one Invisible Killer! It slowly flies toward me andnds on my shoulder. "Good job little one. I guess it''s just you and me from now on." It has managed where all its brethren have failed and died. It managed to reach him and inject its deadly poison into his blood. He is doomed. It is a slow-acting poison that doesn''t have any cure. This Sun guy is already a dead man. No matter whoes to his rescue it won''t make a difference. There is only one issue however, I am hurting, and I lost almost all my Gus. I decisively leave, I want to be as far as possible when the Light Citadel people show up! They will sense his death when it happens in a few days. But even then, I better not take any chance. What about the body? I leave it there. Sure, I do feel like finishing him myself. I feel like taking a dagger and slicing his throat with my own hand. But I better not. I''m sure he has a Mark on him. One that would transfer to his killer or the nearest living being. This is how they make sure to take revenge. Slow-acting poison is the best haha! I won''t be here by then... A few hourster, I''m far away from where we had our duel to death. From now on I am the one that killed the famous Young Master Sun haha. I owe it all to this small Gu of mine. The world may hate Gus, but I don''t care. For me, they kind of look cute in their own way. "Here you go little one, a delicious fruit. When we get back to the sect, I''ll buy you some tasty magical ones!" I can''t help but smile as it voraciously devours the fruit bigger than it. But that''s when I notice something. The part of its stinger that it applies its poison with is burned? Waitdon''t tell me?!... Chapter 430: God of Orders Prison Chapter 430: God of Order''s Prison *Falling SFX* SoNote to self. Next time I kill a wannabe god toe, I need to get to safety before I crush it. I guess it made me fall as I was crushing it mercilessly. You know since the bridge was obviously magically made. Anyway, no point thinking about spilled milk. Still, this fall is awfully long, isn''t it? I feel like I''ve been falling for a few days already. Am I going to the center of the universe or something?! I''ve stopped feeling the air around me too. I think this is some sort of void space. I just hope I didn''t leave the Earth realm again That would be annoying as Hell. The man said something about this ce being used to seal creatures he voluntarily forgot to preserve his sanity. That sounds like a load of bullshit but still. He also said something about creatures unpredictable by nature that can''t coexist with humans, not sure what he meant by that either. So, why am I not freaking out right now? Why am I not fighting to stop my fall? Well, I did freak out and iled my arms around a lot earlierI got bored of it after a few hours. I mean I can''t be expected to just keep screaming ''Noooooo'' for one chapter, right? Although that would be funny as Hell, well not if I''m the one doing it. So anyway, what should I do now? Ah, think I''ll nap a bit. **** Some bright light is shining in front of me. What is this?! Opening my eyes, I can see some sort of golden ball floating in front of me. It doesn''t look to have any substance. If I had to describe it, it looks like a wisp? Actually even less corporeal. [So bright! Damnit!] [You can talk!] [I feel like you are making fun of me.] [Are you trying to pick a fight? Also, where did youe from? Howe you are falling with me?] [Ah, that exins theck of windSo why is it so dark and empty in here?] [Right, the creatures. I heard there are some scary monsters down there or something.] [Yep. So, are you some kind of devil wanting to tempt the heart of humans? One that appears kind at first nce but really has a dark side that] *Ball of golden light with flickering light intensity. * [That''s it?] [For that?] [I know what a miracle is! What does that have to do with you being golden?] [So, you are admitting to being a sham?] [No way!] [Why do I feel like you are just trying to advertise some crappy book? What kind of demon are you?] [Oh? A system? What kind of system?] [Mission, Reward, Punishment, Stats, XP, Level up, Cool titles, etc. Just answer the question now!] [Meh, long story. So, what kind of system are you?] [Not really to be honest. I mean I''ve heard of way better.] [I mean from the way you talk can it be called literature?] [You are right, my bad. So, why are you here?] [I mean it makes sense that a god of Order wouldn''t like to have a System around] [Well, you do have a point. It''s just that there is always more than one perspective to a situation. On a micro level, you are orderly, but on a macro level you bring chaos to the world or something I guess.] [Not really. I crushed the Fucker] [Waityou said ''us''? There are more like you?!] Chapter 431: Sentient, Beard Chapter 431: Sentient, Beard [Waityou said ''us''? There are more of you?!] [You say that as if you were some kind of original bigshot system haha.] [I like how you just added golden at the end like it makes you better or something. It''s just a temporary appearance when you don''t have a host anyway, right?] [Alright haha. So, who and where are the others?] [Any really, just proceed with it. Ah, none are dangerous, right?] [What about all the missions you give isn''t that a cost?] [That does make sense, somewhat. So, all this power, you have no way yourself to use it? You give it all to your host?] [I see, then feel free to call any of these so-called benevolent beings.] [That doesn''t sound like a system] That''s when shows up a bright white light. It looks very simr to the golden one if anything it seems a little dimmer. [Not long I guess, so-] [Yeah, about thatI''ll say no. I like the self-confidence but really I''m not sure this is what I need. I have no desire to look like Santa us anytime soon.] [A guy with a white beard that flies on a magical sley at night during Christmas all around the world to give presents to children that behaved during the year. He''s known to have an army of dwarves that tirelessly create gifts for him to distribute.] Kinda funny how this so-called God sacrificed himself to seal what appear to be harmless systems at first nce. Talk about a huge waste! Then again that''s also the God that had a big toe try and kill me as soon as I showed up. At this point, I sympathize with these guys, locked here without a good reason. [Alright, no need to argue. What''s the next system locked in here?] That is whenes a blue light. Ah, actually it seems to be changing color slightly. Kinda weird, but it doesn''t particrly look strong. That actually sounds interesting. A System should provide pretty good advantages. How about this? [Eh, I guess I have these two nes!] I show it to him. As if! One of these is the useless iron hilt ne Eagle gave me! Then again, maybe after wearing for so long, it did gain trace of my own intent or something whatever that is. I''m the one to me in such a case. Well, at least I guess that''s how it doesn''t get destroyed by attacks. Who knows, at this rate, there may be a cool system showing up soonbut then again, I''m in slight doubt too. Something tells me these guys are not that reliable. Chapter 432: The Light of Hope Chapter 432: The Light of Hope Something tells me these guys are not that reliable. [Friendly one first I guess] Appears another white light. This one is flickering on and off for some reason. Is it okay? It looks like a neon light about to give up. < He had a little sister in the outside world he wanted to meet one day. That was why he was still alive, but even that wasn''t enough anymore. Well back when I appeared to him, I was a shy white. I had recently been born back then. He said I brought him strength. He said this light of mine was the only thing giving him courage. > I can sense something from this System! A friendly system, is it? This one is a goddamn hero! I can sense the weight of a promise. One so strong it doesn''t even care about death. I can feel the regret, but also the optimism toward the future. If this System was human, he''d be one that life had done everything to break without sess. One that would still be standing, with an incredible will. One with a mental strength so very solid, stemming out of a concern for others. It represents the light of hope? It will sacrifice its own lifespan to keep it on? How powerful a message is this?! I can feel how pure a ''soul'' it has! Now you are telling me that the God of Order decided that such a System was harmful to the world?! Bullshit! Sure, I can see the others bringing chaos to the world slightly, but not this one! Ah, actually I think I understand. What if the so-called order is one that epts all the darkness and atrocities as normal? What if this so-called world order thinks of the war of the gods as normal?! Well, screw such a system! I swear! From now on, whenever I find a piece of this shitty God''s body, I''ll crush it into tiny pieces. All until nothing remains of this asshole! This may sound like an impulsive decision, but this is how much I can rte to this System. It deserves that much respect. At least in my eyes. Funny how I''m getting some urge right now. [Hey there, Friendly system. I''m the sectmaster of The Unnamed God Sect. A pleasure to meet you!] I can sense the surprise in the other systems. <> <> [I can see that. You call this dim? This is the brightest light I''ve ever seen! It''s not about how shiny it is, but, about how much it refuses to go out! No matter what! Even in theplete darkness of this ce! This is all that matters!] [I''ve found myself a family, then I lost them again, but it doesn''t matter. I am sure we will meet again one day.] [The best kind really. One that doesn''t care about this pointless Gods'' war. One that doesn''t force its members to do anything. One that promotes freedom and peace.] <.> <.> [Say, would you be interested in joining the sect?] [Well, there is just one thing] I slowly approach my hand toward the dim light. Then I inject a sliver of divine energy into it. Suddenly it starts shining extremely brightly, probably more brilliantly than it ever did. I can''t mistreat a sect member, now can I I simply smile radiantly at it. [Wee to the sect!] Chapter 433: Day T-Mysterious System Chapter 433: Day T-Mysterious System I simply smile radiantly at it. [Wee to the sect!] [What are you talking about? This is but a sect weing gift, don''t tell me you''ve never heard of this practice? Anyway. What kind of system are you?] [I disagree. Why can''t a system change? The universe itself is ever-changing. Creation and destruction, life and death, the passage of one state to another!] <.> < A system joining a sect! Somehow, even in stories stuff like that doesn''t happen. I''m getting the urge to issue a writing quest right about now! How about it, want to get a cool writing System? > [Yeah, I''ll pass. I enjoy my freedom. I don''t have time to write. It sounds like a huge pain!] There is clearly some huge secret behind this Friendly system and it would follow me in a heartbeat. The logical thing would be to ept, then I could use the extra power to make myself a safe haven somewhere. But should one always strive for logic? This system is probably more suited to help someone that is truly despairing. I''ll be fine. I''m sure it would never admit it, but it would have some slight regret nheless with me being its host. [No thank you. Find yourself some kid to support once more. Do a better job this time.] I can feel the excitement and joy in its voice. I''m quite jealous in a way. I feel lost half the time, but it already found its purpose in life. [Now, you said there is onest System, right? Something about mood swings? Is it that bad?] [Wait, you''re telling me it''s fine in jail but incensed when free? What kind of being is like that?!] [What''s with the name?] [Alright.] That is whenes another flickering light, but this one shines brightly. It keeps switching between green and red without rhyme or reason. It got the cucumber part figured out but the tomato part is missing from its name. I can''t help but think of how well the quiet white-beard System and this one would go together. They would be the best for Christmas haha! [Wait, did you just say web?! Brother, do you know a way to ess the Inte?!] [Ah! Where are you from?! How do I get there?!] [I heard that pause! You mean a moth, right?! Something simr happened to me! Right, are we even in the same continent as the Moon Keep?!] Wow, the world sure is small! Wait, does that mean the Friendly System has a vendetta against them? [Ah, wait! If you want to defeat the Moon Keep, I don''t mind but take them hostage instead! I know a few people there: Luna, Eagle, the Warden, Grey] Alright, that should be good enough. Now that cucumber System is giving me hope. Somewhere, somehow, exists a civilization that knows what the Inte is. How great is that?! [So, anyway, what are you about as a system?] [Wait, are you able to make technological things appear out of thin air?! I need to know!] That is when the cool cucumber System seemingly shuts down. It seems to be going into sleep mode to avoid the discussion altogether. This is quite convenient in a way haha! Stop-Losswait! Don''t tell me?! Ah, I see the confusion. Bearish and Bullish does sound like animals, doesn''t it? Now, how does it even work? Is there a true stock market somewhere in the Earth Realm or is it simply a system shenanigan? I gesture the target of our discussion toe back online. [You, you''re a Day Trading system, right?] <...No?!> [I mean it does exin the lights. Green for the stock going up and red for it going down, right? How does it work exactly?] <.!!! How do you know so much?!> Chapter 434: Escaping! Chapter 434: Escaping! <.!!! How do you know so much?!> Now that''s a very good question. How do I know so much? Also, why is most of my knowledge always superficial? It seems like I''ve personally experienced trading stocks in the past, but my memory is foggy. I swear, that Lunar goddess screwed up so much! Involuntary summon plus memory loss! If this was awful ce, I could definitely bring her to court! What would such a thing even look like? Are there evenws regarding interdimensional summoning? I feel like people warring wouldn''t care about the small details, aka my entire existence. *Sigh* [Don''t worry about it. Anyway, how does your power even work? Is there some stock market somewhere?] [That''s kinda nice! So, your host can invest then win or lose power ordingly?] [Wow, you guys sound like broken records haha. Alright, shall we get out of here?] That is when the entire atmosphere changes. The void seems to suddenly be filled with an overwhelming white fog, one that gives an ancient and powerful vibe. Then it slowly congregates taking a human shape. That is when an archaic but yful voice echoes. "You guys are having a party and you didn''t even invite little old me?! How mean! There is no way that. waita human! How are you here! Ah, never mind. A pleasure to meet you,rade!" [Comrade?] "Yes, yes. I can recognize a fellow man of culture when I see one!" [Y-you! You too are ?!] "Yes, just like you I have embraced the nudist way!" [.] Not what I expected ...at all! [I''m no nudist! I simply lost my clothes in a fight!] "*Haha! Right, of course! You just happened to lose all your clothes in a fight. You weren''t hurt at all in the process either. I understand, don''t worry! I too used to feel unjustified shame a long time ago." [It''s really not like that, I !] "There is no shame in being proud of the body you were given and to showcase it for the world to see. Many will misunderstand you as some sort of pervert but do not worryrade. Just know that you have a friend in me!" I can''t help but cringe a bit. I guess at least he''s friendly. [Thanks. I guess. But what are you exactly?] "I am the magnificent, elegant, loved by all, *goes on for a few minutes* naked Emperor! I am so great that anyone that even so much as nces in my direction cannot forget my dashing image. People either flush feeling embarrassed about themselves or charge at me excitedly whenever I appear!" Pretty sure it''s not themselves they are embarrassed about. Also, pretty sure the excited people are trying to beat him up. I''m not sure about how powerful he really is but he clearly has a very thick skin, even in soul form...it seems. [What happened to your body in the first ce?] "The God of Order himself became jealous of me. But he didn''t have the power to defeat me, so he opted for a seal instead. My soul has been divided into three parts: two essence balls and a stick in between." What''s with the way he''s formting this?! He could have just said three parts and that would have been fine! [What happens when these three parts are freed?] "Then I wille back to save the world from itself! My body seemingly devoid of life that is slumbering somewhere will awaken! Then I will roam this world to preach about salvation!" I wonder if he''ll go from door to door naked akin to a Jehovah''s witness I can only imagine the face of the poor residents. It would be shocking and DISGUSTING! The worst is that to be sealed here he''s probably actually strong. [Ah, right! If you are truly a strong emperor, can you help me get a footing on this continent?] "*Sigh* I would, but this piece of my soul has no offensive capability at all. After all, to be considered naked one has to have the ability to wear clothes in the first ce." Why is it that the only cultivator sounds more gimmicky than the systems themselves?! Then again, I don''t even understand mana so I can''t judge. [Alright, let''s get the Hell out!] "Eh, how do you n on even leaving? We can fly but we are all incorporeal, are you able to fly up? This ce is designed to restrain, so even with that guardian gone it will be troublesome." [Well, can''t I just do that?] I approach my hand toward the Friendly system. Then I simply grab and hold onto it. [Alright, now fly up!] "How?! This shouldn''t be possible! Only gods should be able to interact with such abstract beings and . then again there are always exceptions in this world. People also said one couldn''t cultivate nakedness haha!" I like how he went from incredulous to not caring in one go. The Friendly system I''m holding onto seems to be struggling to go up. I grab ahold of more of them. [Alright, time to go up! Back to the Earth realm!] Surrounded by 5 glowing Systems I slowly ascend. At some point, there is some sort of barrier blocking us. They call it remnant energy. Apparently, we''ll have to wait a few years before it clears up. Please! As if I''ll let some dead remnant energy of some goddamn toe stand in my way! I simply focus all my energy on one punch. BAM! CRACK! The barrier simply gives uppletely! Thenes the sweet freedom! We exit the abyss, in style! Can''t believe I was almost worried. I thought there were gonna be real monsters. Turns out it was all a lie! Don''t believe everything you hear! As usual, I can''t help but roar! [Earth realm, I''m back!] "AH!! Devils! Devils came out!" Ah, there was a random guard that I didn''t even notice. He just ran away in fright to sound the rm. Will I have to fight these guys that call themselves protectors now?! Chapter 435: Valiant Leader Chapter 435: Valiant Leader ****(POV) This continent will most likely perish. All because of me. I should have never brought this man near the God of Order''s relic. I still can''t believe what happened. Normally anyoneing close would get overwhelmed by our God''s aura. There would be no thought of rebelling either. They would simply fall to the ground in worship. Not this man! He didn''t seem affected by the aura, but he did be lost in thought as soon as we came closer. I was convinced that he would be just like us. This is something I have experienced myself, so I know how amazing the god is! I didn''t believe in him at first. Actually, I had never even heard of him. But then I met him in that white space and from that point on I dedicated my life to him! He was so magnificent and he had somewhat of a regal aura too. He didn''t bother speaking and simply fixed me with his deep gaze. I will always remember it! I had the feeling that I could lose myself in his golden eyes! Actually, I used to be lost, but I found my purpose in the God of Order. I used to be just a squad leader exploring the Everfrozen Peak, but then we found shelter here and decided never to leave. I was expecting the same to happen to this man. I was expecting him to join our ranks after our trip to the Altar. No, he first closed his eyes as normal, but then he quickly reached for the altar, grabbing our God''s toe! Then he woke up with a start. I''ll always remember the angry look he had while looking at the god, as if he was looking at trash. That''s when I started fearing the worst! In a fit of rage, he crushed it! He crushed a godly relic! I couldn''t believe my eyes. But then he fell. The very ground under his feet gave up, likely our god using his mighty powers to avenge himself! But the damage was already done. It was but a matter of time before the chaotic devils came out of the abyss to rain destruction and disturbances on the continent whole! I regret it, but no amount of regret will be enough. What is done is done. I am sorry about the worldI truly tried protecting it from My thoughts are interrupted by a man barging in. "Sir! Sir! D-Devils havee out of the abyss! That sinner is there too! He somehow survived the fall!" How is it happening so soon?! *Sigh* Either way I will face it. I know it is a waste of effort, but it doesn''t matter. I walk to the depths of our base. As I cross the entrance, I can see brilliant lights. They are bright omens of the chaos toe. What kind of scourge has been unleashed upon this world?! Then I see them spread out in all directions. Yet there he is, watching it all smiling calmly. What kind of evil is he?! That is when I feel it. There is one more! Some sort of misty shadow. I can see it standing behind the sinner. I can feel its gaze. This creature is devoid of any humanity! The worst of the prisoners! The God of Order has warned me against this specific threat: the emperor with the invisible clothes. This thing used to be human, but then it became something else. I can feel it. We all feel it. The one sentry I had ced to watch here is on the ground, pissing and shitting himself. He''s also clutching his legs and burying his head in them. Just the presence of that monster was enough to break himpletely! My heart is beating fast, I have cold sweat trickling down my back. But I feel especially sick. What kind of [Oh? You''re here. Man, you clearly freaked out over nothing before. Waitwhat is that guy doing?! Man, just stop! There is nothing to fear!] As he says that, he approaches the guard. What does he intend to do?! As hees nearby so does the thing "S-stay away! I don''t want to d-die!" [You, what are you talking about? No one will...] That''s the exact moment my subordinate''s nerves give out. In panic, he gets up and starts running. I try to stop him, but I''m not fast enough. The man and the thing just watch in stupefaction as my subordinate throws himself straight off the bridge. [What the hell?! Man, you really gotta give council to these guys! Going from brainwashed to free is bound to be a very traumatizing event. *Sigh* Do you want to talk about it, or something?] In his eyes, I can see some genuine concern. Ah, it seems I''m losing my edge. I can''t even recognize people''s expressions. He totally fooled me. I really thought he hade here by mistake. I really thought he was innocent. It is only now that I realize it. That was his n all along. All this time he has been scheming! It is toote, far toote. Ah, but I won''t go down without fighting! I can hear some wordse out of my throat. Some words that I have a sense of Deja Vue toward for some reason. "Youshouldn''t existYour very existence, it doesn''t make sense. You shouldn''t be alive." That is when I charge at him! I grab a dagger I had hidden under my clothes. All I know is that I need to plunge it straight into his heart! No matter what! *Ting* [Hey, what the Hell man?! Why are you attacking me so suddenly?! Also, what is that supposed to mean?! It''s the second time you say that! Exin yourself!] The second time I say that? Please, I think not. He''s just trying to mess with my mind some more. But I won''t let him seed! I am above such petty tricks! "Die! Die! Die!" I repeatedly m it in his chest! But it just won''t pierce! Why?! How is he so strong! Why is such a sinner so invincible?! This is unfair, this world is the worst! [Stop it already!] Ah, I know! I jump at him and we both topple over. Then I see the bridge bing small and smaller as we both fall. He''ll probably try a spell to stop his fall. All I need to do is to distract him and. That''s when the white ghostes and grabs him preventing his fall. I am the only one heading to my doom. At least I won''t have to see all the atrocities that will shortly happen. Goodbye Earth re- *SPLAT!* [Can anyone exin to me what the fuck just happened?! Seriously?!] Chapter 436: A Blind Man Walks Into a Bar! Chapter 436: A Blind Man Walks Into a Bar! ****(POV) I have truly been lucky. Everywhere I go I meet nice people. Ever since encountering that kind soul that lent me a horse near Eaglevein. There were some merchants, some mercenaries, some vagrants, and even some bandits. Yet all were kind, yes even thetter! At first, I was extremely confused but then it dawned on me. One, I am blind. Two, I am obviously broke. Three, I am on the back of a horse I clearly do not own. It is armored and probably wearing some renowned family''s emblem (read intimidating). After all, no normal civilian would simply gift a horse to the first beggar that showed up! My quest for the white wolf and her master continues. I do have one worry. I may be blind, but I still have ears. Form it stems this worry of mine: apparently, there is war. I mean I knew, but I heard it has intensified. Every day I never know when I will be stopped by some group or another. But for now, I will simply keep going. In any case, I have no clue myself where I am heading. I am following the horse''s instinct. Funny how I used to divine every little thing. That was how I made my assassinations. Now not only have I quit divining (not by choice) but my own dwindling fate is in the hand of a horse! The previous me would have never epted such a thing. I used to be arrogant, I used to be proud, I used to be able-bodied. It all crumbled on that ursed day. That is when I realized how trash I am. If I''ve learned one thing it''s that it''s fine to be proud until it isn''t. They say heroes are valiant and all, but let''s face it they are simply overpowered arrogant bastards most of the time and that''s fine. Suddenly we stop. Focusing I can hear the low murmurs, I can hear how open the ce is, right before we stopped there was the sound of hooves on the stone ground. I can feel the presence of many vigers and I can hear the stares. Yes, I can. There is a certain way people look at a beggar like me on a majestic-looking horse. There is the pausing of the conversations, the breathes getting held. Yes, what I hear is silence. Thenes the sound of footsteps, the thumping respiration, and finally the nervous voice of a man. "H-hello S-sir, what can we of this small town do for you? I-I am the mayor of this ce!" "Do not worry. I am simply passing through in search of someone. I''m looking for a kind and ordinary man apanied by a small white wolf." "S-sir, we have seen no such individual at all, would you kindly wait while I regroup the vige to inquire about it?" "I can wait as long as it takes. Right, is there anywhere I can draw water near to quench my thirst?" "S-sir, let me guide you to our local tavern!" "I do not have money, sadly." "N-no worries, Sir! It is on the house! We are simply being hospitable!" I simply nod. Sometimes I wonder. I never was a ''good'' person, ever. It never bothered me either for I had the strength to back it up. But ever since falling from grace I am starting to realize that people seem friendlier now. I''m not used to this, but I need to admit it did bring me a new perspective on life. I find sce in the fact that I am somewhat learning new things even in my current state. Before long, I''m sitting at a tavern counter. I can smell the rich fragrance of the wood. I can smell whiffs of beer. I can smell a rancid odor in the background. I can hear faint noises from the customers. They were enthusiastically talking, but they have stopped. I figure they are looking outside at the horse. They say your other senses be sharper when you lose your vision. I can safely attest it is bullshit. Ah, but there is some truth to it. You learn to interpret the signals better. Nowadays I use my secondary senses way more than in the past. "S-sir, please order anything! It will be on the house! I''ll go ask the others very quickly!" Then the mayor leaves and before long a beer mug finds its way to me. I guzzle it, feeling the refreshing liquid pass through my throat. Refreshing! I have been riding for a while. "Ah, can someone please give some water to my horse too?" I can hear a long silence. It usually is like that. It is rare to see someone with a lone horse on this continent, most are used for carriages. In such a case there is always someone that takes care of them. Before long a volunteer goes out. That is when I hear someone drag a chair next to me. "Hey there, what brings you here?" "Hello there. Just traveling in search of someone, what about you? You aren''t from this vige either, right?" "Oh? Just traveling in search of history. Just a librarian, what about you?" "Eh, just a blind wanderer." "What about the peculiar horse?" "It was a gift to help on my journey. I got it in Eaglevein. To be honest, you probably know more about it than me. You see it dislikes being touched. I don''t even know what it looks like haha" "How interesting! Who are you looking for then?" "A man with a small white wolf. I''ve been looking-" *CRASH* "You! What did you say?! Did you say a white wolf?!" This is the first time this happens! Does this man know the one I''m looking for? Soon I hear the sound of another chair getting dragged over, then an excited young man''s voice. "Quick! Tell me everything you know about him! Where is he? What has he been up to? What about Wolfie? Ah, he had a uni- donkey with him too, right?!" "Honestly, I know nothing at all about them besides their appearance. Not that useful for a blind man haha. Even if they were in front of me, I wouldn''t know haha." "Ah! What happened to your eyes?" "It''s simple really I tried divining about the small wolf. That is why and when I lost my vision." "Y-you, you mean?! Are you looking for revenge?!" "Haha, you are overthinking this. I just have questions, so many questions. The worst that will happen once we meet is I will perish. Not a big dealpared to my current existence really." Just as we are getting into the conversation, the librarian interrupts. "Actually, I think I know where he is." "You do?!" "Seriously?!" Chapter 437: Sun is Dead Chapter 437: Sun is Dead ****(POV) "Sectmaster! Sectmaster! Something big happened! It''s urgent there are" *Sigh* How hard is it to remain in closed-door training?! I did tell the lot of them to take care of the Light Citadel in the meantime. Actually, no. They wouldn''t disturb me without a good reason. Are we getting attacked by some evil sect? Is there some heretic trying to corrupt our people? I''ve been training for a while already. I can feel the barrier to reach rank 5. So close yet so far! It is like the world itself is trying to impeach my breakthrough. As if reaching such power was condemned by the heavens! Of course, I know. The chances of me seeded are almost nil. Still, I will keep pushing nheless. Should I seed, I would be the most powerful there is, but most importantly I would be able to protect him. We of the Light Citadel never cower before evil. We either win or die fighting, there is no in-between. I still remember the vow I made to her. I promised her that I would raise a strong son that would be able to take care of himself. One that would be the most brilliant. One that would make her proud. Well, that was before she left us, but I have been true to my vow. Unsurprisingly he showed incredible prowess. He was born with incredible talent, but he had her quiet strength too: the very reason why someone of my status got together with her in the first ce. Yes, whatever the issue is I will resolve it quickly and go back to training. All for that off-chance that I seed even if it is but a pipe dream. I exit the room protected by many golden glowing seals. Outside await me all the elders of the Light Citadel. Their expressions are extremely somber. It seems the problem is huge. "Talk, who are our enemies?" "M-my lord, the Gu Meadow!" The Gu Meadow is it? They usually shouldn''t be that big an issue. Sure they are strong but the climate around our sect isn''t suitable to their bases. Let''s just say climate influence people but people influence the climate too. When you have plenty of Hellios believers in one spot it generates a lot of Yang energy that counters them. Because of that, they steer clear of us most of the time. "So, what have these losers been up to? Did they attack one of our strategical bases?" "N-no, m-my LordThey killed Young Master Sun." "WHAT?!" No! No! There is no way! This isn''t possible! He was supposed to be training like me! Were they able to infiltrate our headquarters? No, that''s impossible! Tell me it''s a lie! Tell me it''s. but they are serious. Deadly serious. How?! Why?! I can''t help but remember his confident and cool appearance as he trained. He is extremely strong for his age. There is no way he could have kicked the bucket that easily! "I don''t believe it! What happened?!" An elderes forward. "M-my lord, Young Master Sun insisted on participating in a punishing expedition. One that was meant to destroy one of their outposts. But then he told our soldiers to let him go alone. The vige was in fact destroyed but then came their chosen. There are eyewitnesses that saw them fighting but Young Master never came back and" This seems like a ludicrous tale. I know how strong he is. There is something weird about it for sure. That''s my instinct speaking! "Enough! Bring me there, right now! Also which idiot allowed him to leave?!" They nce ufortably at each other guiltily. "All of us, Young Master Sun was really insistent on leaving" It''s too early to despair! I need to figure it out by myself first. More often than not, rumors are fake. For all we know, he could have been kidnapped! There may still be a chance! Thus we depart, in a gloomy atmosphere. All of us are riding sun elks, a monster that is truly suited to our faction. On the way, we make plenty of heads turn. This is the first time in eons that we go out with such a lineup. Our current strength is enough to sneak attack most of the sects on this continent. The atmosphere is gloomy, I should be despairing too, but I won''t. For now, what''s important is finding him at all costs. For the first time in my life, I am afraid. I can feel my muscles tensing and my heartbeat going faster. I fear what I will find, but there is no running away from this. We pass through the demolished vige, there are a few men trying to low-key retrieve some of the Gus contained here. We ughter them all. Whether they belong to an evil sect or not doesn''t matter. We make sure to burn everything. Then we keep going. Before long we reach caves. It is dark, the yin energy is ever so present, but mixed in there are remnants of very strong yang energy. This is the ce! This is where they fought! We head inside and there is a scene of destruction. There was a fight to the death her for sure. Part of the cave has copsed. There are traces of poison in the air. Many many Gus fought and died here. We can all feel something else. We can feel the mark that we give all of our core members. This spell is meant to mark their killers. Now, one has clearly expired here, recently at that. Everything points to his death. Yet, there is no corpse. This can''t be. This just can''t be! Why did I work so hard for?! Wait no, there is still one thing we can do. We can do aplex ritual to ask Hellios himself. He will know for sure! We ride back home. It will take a while to prepare the ritual. I''ll need to make sureThat''s when I notice something. As we enter our citadel there is a weird atmosphere going on. As I''m confused a youngsteres closer. This one is the number two of the younger generation. He used to be a candidate to be a chosen a while back, but Hellios picked Sun in the end. "Sectmaster! I have something to report! I just became the chosen of the Sun God!" He just became .no, this is not possible. There is only one way for a chosen to change. That is for the current chosen to die. I be choked for air, for once I feel this position of mine weighing so heavily on my shoulders. I difficultly let out a small "Serve the Sun god well from now on." But then I run back to my private quarters. I get the strongest alcohol I own. It finally dawns on me. My son is dead. Our son is dead. "This is a toast to you, Sun!" Tonight I''ll get drunk, tomorrow I''ll hunt his killer. What about taking care of the Light Citadel? Screw the Light Citadel! Chapter 438: MC is Dead Chapter 438: MC is Dead ****(POV) I went through all the trouble to fake my own death. Somehow, I feel great. As if I had gotten rid of the chains that were weighing me down. Everything that I hear and see feels like a whole new experience. Before, I always had one thing or another to do. I was either training or running around the continent punishing heretics. Never before could I enjoy such a pint of shitty beer like I am now. It tastes bad and yet I don''t mind, not one bit. I can''t wait to go and meet them. I still remember how easygoing and happy they were. This is a life I aspire to. I wonder what face he''ll make when I''ll find him. I''m pretty sure he''ll be happy. He''ll show his dumb smile and then talk about all his ideals. He''ll talk about stuff that anyone else would find pointless and yet be passionate about it. Then he''ll proudly cook some barbecue and show a contented expression even with how burned it will be. I long for such a simple life haha. I''m sure it will happen soon. Well, this continent is vast. It may take a while, but I will find him for sure! That is when I hear amotion outside. I can smell the stench of death and corruption too. Outside is an undead. One that the old me could have dispatched easily, but that would be an insurmountable mountain for the vigers here. But it''s weird. There is unease, but there are no cries of terror. Whatever made its way here is sentient. This is a big deal. Normally I would have to be the first one to get rid of it. No more, Sun is dead. I can hear the faint murmur of a conversation, then two men enter the tavern. One I have seen before, he is the mayor of this ce. He is acting subserviently. The other is a very peculiar man. He looks horrible, he has some cloth tied around his head too. He seems to be blind, nothing more than a beggar. Yet, I can feel something from him. Some disinterest toward life itself. I don''t think he''d be afraid of even his own death. Outside, I notice a creature through the windows. There is a skeletal horse. This one is at least rank 3! The issue is not the monster itself, but what it represents. For the blind man, it is but a servant. That is when he earnestly asks someone to give it some water. Why?! Is he making fun of the people here or does he really not know?! Then a young man goes near him. He seems refined and schrly. Starts a discussion between a blind man and a librarian apparently. Turns out the horse was a gift he received in Eaglevein. Of course, I have heard about the situation there. I simply don''t know the details. I shiver slightly upon thinking of a possibility. What if this blind man is Eaglevein''s Necromancer?! Either that or he is a servant of his. I''m d I quit the sect, or I''d have to deal with this mess haha. That''s when I hear him talk about a small white wolf! I instantly drag myself there and ask for more information! Sadly, he doesn''t seem to know their whereabouts. He''s looking for answers and apparently was blinded from a failed divination. This man knows the lost divination art!? This is extremely powerful! While it can''t do much in a frontal confrontation it can easily affect the fate of the whole continent! "Actually, I think I know where he is." What?! The librarian does?! "Do you guys remember how Eaglevein fell?" I nod with the blind man shrugging seemingly lost. "So, what happened is that all the sects wasted their power trying to hunt him and then got attacked by a necromancer once weakened. That was him. He then had a bounty on his head for a while, but then it got removed." I can''t help but defend him. "What?! He''d never destroy a city! There is just no way that! Where is he now?!" "Well, knowing him it was probably an ident haha. Well, either way, hisst known location was entering a portal leading to the realm of the Abyss Devourers, an ancient race that devours anything or anyone that has so much as a trace of mana." "Y-you can''t be serious?! He entered such a dangerous world?!" "Indeed, such a ce is considered impossible for even a rank 5 to survive. His pursuers have thus given up on the bounty. That was two years ago." No, this can''t be! I finally managed to get out. I schemed, all in order to make a clean exit. I could have simply left forcefully back then. The Light Citadel would have pursued me but so what! Does this mean that I won''t ever see this smile of his?! For some reason, the entire world seems to turn colorless. All this time he has been on my mind, somewhat. I couldn''t wait to be free. But what''s the point if I am free and lonely? Should I try and figure out what happened to him? Should I try to get revenge on the ones that caused his demise? I did weaken a lot. To fake my death I had to sever my connection to the sect and to Hellios. I used to be rank 4, now I have the power of a rank 2. Still, I shouldn''t have an issue fighting any rank 3 just from my magical mastery. It is plenty to assure my own safety as long as I am very prudent, butcking to get revenge. What would he even say if he was here? *Sigh* I don''t know. I truly don''t. I feel lost right now. I holler "Tavernkeeper! I''ll need some beer! Keep iting!" *Chug Chug Chug* "This shall be a toast to you, my friend! May your soul rest in peace and" The other two are looking at me weirdly. I can feel their stares, even from the blind one. So what if I just started crying and drinking?! I don''t care if they are judging me! I only fully realize it now, but I never had a single friend before him. I had always been training or killing. *Sigh* This world is unfair That''s when the blind man interrupts. "I call bullshit! These creatures killing a rank 5 doesn''t mean they''ll able to best him haha!" "Hehe. I only said his pursuers think him dead. I too happen to believe that he''s still alive haha. He''ll be back to cause this continent way more trouble!" What are these two talking about?! He would still be alive, how?! "Yes, after all, he''s incredibly powerful!" "Haha, I''d believe a god dying before him!" What?! I can''t help but open my eyes and ears wide. Are these guys serious?! Was he even strong? For some reason, I can''t seem to rte his silly smile to a powerhouse, at all! I don''t know what to think anymore Chapter 439: MC May as Well Be Dead Chapter 439: MC May as Well Be Dead These guys are going crazy! First, there is the subordinate that cannonballs into the abyss! Then there is their leader trying tomit suicide while dragging me along! That stuff should be reserved for that one video game! Life is precious! It seems the brainwashing from the toe left seque! It''s a shame. They had lots of time left to live. This God of Order is clearly to me for all this evil. A two-faced bastard for sure! There is something else I do realize. Somehow, seeing me triggers them. It''s as if my very person reminds them of their dead master. Just wish I knew beforehand. Now, how do I get out of here while evading being seen?! This will feel like a sneaking game. If only I had a cardboard box to hide under while slowly crawling through the enemy lines! [Alright, we''ll try and get to the surface unseen. Try your best to blend in the surroundings!] "I''m literal fog right now, it''s hard to be more lowkey than that!" [I mean you say that but what kind of mist has a human shape!] "The cool kind I''ll have you know! Hey, I can''tpromise on that one! I am the Naked Emperor! When you see a cloud, you don''t start wondering why it doesn''t have clothes! See, I need to adopt this-" [Fine! Fine! I understand! Alright move out!] Then starts a really intense, serious, and breathtaking operation! I am akin to a professional ninja dashing from shadow to shadow! I am in fact doing so well that I can''t help but pat myself in the back. That''s when happens a small hup, just when I''m walking in front of the mess hall. For some reason, they are all there! I see them, they see me, then they take knives and . Why are they killing each other?! I see them drive a knife into the throat or their colleagues! All until remains only one. It happens so fast I barely have time to blink. Corpses are everywhere, there are glowing green mushrooms that fall all over the ce, the greenish light is giving a spooky appearance to the blood sttered all over. Then the only survivor looks at me with empty eyes and a big smile. "You won''t have the pleasure to kill me, Devil!" Then he drives a knife right into his own heart. What the fuck?! No, seriously?! I was so close to getting out without getting noticed too! *Sigh* Note to self, seek professional treatment after being affected by evil brainwashing magic. "Wow, they sure are quick. Right, what happened to not being seen?" [Shut up! I was trying!] "Don''t worry, humans are dumb creatures." [You do realize that I''m one of these so-called humans, right?] "Yes, so you should know first-hand about it." [Ican''t deny that. Alright let''s get out of here for real.] Before leaving I do one important thing. I make a detour to the throne room and sit on the hard stone that serves as a chair. Yep, this is ufortable AF no wonder the guy went insane. We soon reach the entrance, a huge stone door that I have no clue how to open. "Such a shame. If I had my body, I could blow up such puny door using my little finger!" [Please, I can do this much!] I simply dig through it using divine energy as usual. As soon as I''m donees the bone-chilling cold, well I''m assuming anyway. The wind is especially strong and sends a truckload of snow directly in my face. I begin my journey. I am simply walking in a straight line. I just want to get off this mountain. As we go we notice ice elementals and Yuki Onnas. Surprisingly none try to attack us. Pretty sure it''s thanks to mypanion. In fact, they are even running away as fast as possible! If I could find the secret behind what scares them maybe I could actually manufacture some sort of artifact to keep monsters at bay. Think I''ve heard at some point that monster tides are a thing. Not that I''ve ever seen one. In such a manner we keep progressing. Hell, this mountain is so goddamn big! Even after hours and hours, I can''t see the end of it! But no matter I won''t give up! The more we walk- or float, the fewer monsters we see. Ah! That''s a sign that we are on the right track! [Alright! We''ll soon be out!] "Saywhy have we been going in circles all this time?" [Wait! What do you mean, going in circles?! I''ve been walking in a straight line! All I did was swerve a bit to avoid the biggest rocks!] "Well, yeah but since you kept swerving it made use back at our starting point" [Are you kidding me?! Wait, if you knew why didn''t you tell me?!] "*Shrug* I thought you were simply enjoying yourself in the snow, how was I supposed to know?" [Maybe the fact that I kept grumbling?!] "Oh, yeahthat." *Sigh* Whatever. I only wasted a few hours. I guess it beats me getting lost here alone without anyone to tell me. I shudder just thinking about getting lost here for weeks thinking it''s one big area. I mean, it could be possible. I''ve seen stuff that''s way more fantastical already! (And I kinda suck at geography too haha) [Alright, lead the way outside! It is time for this cool and handsome protagonist to reappear in the world once more!] "Oh, what''s a protagonist?" [Eh, it''s an interesting character that people love and embrace, for the most part.] "Oh, where is it then?" [Hey! I am! Are you dissing me right now?!] "Noment." Ah, whatever. He''s floating in front and I simply follow "Where are you going?" What?! Ah, guess I''ve been following some flying snow. To be fair he and the storm are the exact same color. [Keep talking so that I won''t lose you. You are hard to discern in this weather!] "Alright, I will teach you about the joy of epting one''s body. Sure you are naked but you do not have the right attitude. You cannot simply be unashamed, you also need to showcase the goods to the whole world to see proudly" I''m starting to wonder if I made a mistake by asking him to keep talking. "That is why it is important to shave too so no bush goes in the way of people seeing everything and" Yep, definitely made a mistake haha. Oh well, whatever. Soon we finally breach through the storm area! Finally! I can see the radiant sun! I can -my eyes! On the ground is ayer of ice that reflects the sun directly in one''s eyeballs! It shines so much that it gives the whole mountain an enchanting glowing appearance! Wow! Ah, that''s weirdI can see some vegetation underneath! How did it even grow there?! Is the cold recent?... Chapter 440: Ice Town Chapter 440: Ice Town Is the cold recent?! It feels as if someone decided to apply an ice age filter to a picture, it feels slightly out of ce. The vegetation underneath is flourishing or was. How long before it all wither thanks to the cold? Still, I do my best to descend slowly until I slip! Afterward happens the longest and craziest ride! *BAM* *CRASH* [AAHHHHH!] I keep smashing into various rocks and whatnot but even these are so slippery that I keep sliding nheless! This feels like one of these endless dreams where no matter what you do you cannot resist! "This actually looks fun a shame I don''t have a body to try it." [It''s not! I have ice shardsing up my ass!] "Don''t worry, at first it feels weird, but then it starts feeling good and" [Screw you! I am worried!] I do not want to have my anal virginity taken by some ice! Actually. remove the ''by some ice'' part! Don''t want it taken period! "Believe me, all the worry stops mattering once the ecstasyes! It is like" [No! I don''t need to picture it!] After that, I decisively stop listening to him! What kind of BS is this?! He is still trying to tempt me to! After what feels like an eternity, I finally stop sliding. As I get up I can see a vige in the distance! Civilization! How great is this?! I''ll be able to sit down, eat some warm soup, talk to people! I quicken my pace to the bafflement of mypanion. I can''t wait to . Except as wee closer there is something clearly wrong. The wooden buildings are covered by a glisteringyer of ice. It is cold, it is silent, it seems like a ghost town. Where is everyone?! Or is this ce an abandoned town? To be fair it is rtively close to what is clearly a disaster zone. I enter a house. To do so I need to break a thickyer of ice in the entrance of it. Inside is a cooking station that ispletely frozen. I can see remains of food, the very basic bread and white vegetables kind. It looks pristine and unreal. The torches on the wall too are encased in ice. It seems as if every source of fire has been violently and mercilessly extinguished. Pretty much all the furniture is there, it seems like whoever lived here either left in a hurry or didn''t care about it. [What do you think happened here?] "Well, they are right next to the mountain. I''d say the creatures we saw earlier caused this. Now I''m unsure which idiot would live in such a ce. You might not know this but beast tides are a natural phenomenon that urs every other year. This is a truth of the world." [Why?] "You know how there is mana everywhere in this world?" *Nod* I do know, I just can''t see or feel it. "Well, disaster zones are actually simply areas where the mana is thicker and readily avable. It creates these creatures and sometimes it overflows and they venture outside." [Wait, why aren''t the humans using these ces as training grounds then?!] "That''s the thing. Most of the time the mana in a disaster zone is either hard to use for humans or there is some hidden guardian. To be honest, what is considered a disaster zone here would simply be a normal ce in a higher continent." [Higher? There are different continent elevations?! Wasn''t this ce already floating above the sea or something?!] "Oh, don''t misunderstand. I don''t mean height at all. A higher continent simply means that the quantity and purity of mana are way better." [So there are some continents where rank 5 are as easy to find as cabbage?!] "How should I tell you this. No, they would have the same overall ranks, it''s just that while the people here may only have the mana to fight at full intensity for a few minutes the people there would be able to do so for hours or days." [Wow this is crazy! Wait, aren''t we screwed if they decide to invade?!] Actually, there is another issue. So far, my strongest suit is my endurance. I can fight for a long time. Does that mean that advantage of mine will slowly melt like ice in the sun?! "You guys should be fine really. Invading another continent is not so easy. There arews in ce. In a way, it is possible to see every continent almost like a world in itself. Sure it''s easier to ess than a sub-realm but" [Howe?! Shouldn''t it be easy to go from one ce of the Earth realm to another?] "It seems you underestimate this world. You could be traveling for months in a straight line on the Antaloth continent before reaching the end of it. In the grand scheme of things, this is but a tiny ind." [Antaloth? Is this how this ce is called? Why have I never heard this term?!] "Ah, it may have changed name during the time I was jailed you know. It used to be known as Antaloth thend of the Ants and there were a lot of them. Then it somehow became that." [Wait, ants?! I''ve met some in that archaic savage forest! Don''t tell me they used to rule this continent?!] "Ah, no. Ant as in weaklings. Not literal ants." [Wow, so much for the Lunar Goddess being arrogant! Her sect is on a weak-ass continent!] "Lunar goddess? For some reason, I feel like I''ve heard the name before. She probably isn''t that simple. I don''t know any of the weaker gods." ?! Is it even possible? [Probably a coincidence. But wait! Won''t that mean I''ll be in danger if some higher continent guys do manage to invade?! I just want to live a peaceful life!] That is when my foggy friend bes even more defined. "Do not worry! I shall protect you!" [Aren''t you super weak in this form?!] "Yes! But I can intimidate people! I am wise, handsome, and " [Okay, I get it. Thank you for the help!] That is when I notice something as I''m walking around. I can see shadows over there! It seems to beoh god! They are people. There are so many of them! Right next to the vige''s exit. The problem is that they are encased in ice too. I seethe people that lived here didn''t make it They started running but they barely made it a few hundred meters before getting turned into popsicles. This seems like a scene straight out of a horror movie! I can''t help but think about what I''d do in their position. What would I? "Such is life. It happens. Don''t worry about it. As an Emperor I lost many subjects in this life of mine, you cannot save them all. Now, we have something else to care about. There are peopleing toward us. Do you want me to hide?" What?! Chapter 441: Naked Wrestling Chapter 441: Naked Wrestling What?! There are peopleing over?! [Who are they? Why hide?] "Well, they seem to be very cold. Stern people usually dislike me for some reason. I can hide inside you ande out when you need meter if you want." [I definitely don''t want you inside me!] "Why not? I''m just a soul fragment right now, I''m intangible!" [AhFine! But don''t try anything weird!] I see my mistpanion plunge straight into my chest and disappear. I can feel a slight cold but that''s it. I slowly inspect my body and there doesn''t seem to be anything wrong with it at all. Wait, did I just obtain a cheat grandpa''s soul to teach me about the world?! Maybe this will be the opportunity of a lifetime! [By the way, know any spells that don''t require any mana?] "No way! They''ll be here in a few seconds. Look casual!" What is that even supposed to mean?! That is when appears a group of people. They seem to be riding some kind of giant frogs?! They have long robes withrge hoods that scream ''I''m totally a frogman blending into human society''! The frog mounts are jumping all the way toward me. Are they here to help the vige?! If yes, it''s definitely toote already! I''m just standing here freezing my ass in the snow, that''s when they finally notice me. "Halt! There is a stinky viger still alive!" "Ah, really now? You guys want to bet how he survived?" "He obviously hid" "Yeah, but where did he hide?" "How about I kill this naked trash real fast?" "Stop messing around you guys!!" What?! Kill me?! What did I ever do to him?! There seem to be men and women judging from their voices. Pretty sure they aren''t humanthat is when a hood slips. I can see a face in all its glory! It ishuman... and boring. "Alright, we need to hurry. Who knows if they won''t just decide toe back or if more of them will spawn! Move out!" I have no clue what the hell just happened! That one violent one nces at me onest time reluctantly before leaving with the rest. That was close! Still, I wonder why they are heading to the mountain. [Alright let''s get out of here] "Are we just going to leave like that?! No way!" [What do you want me to do?] "That guy looked down on us for being naked! Well, you but still! There is no way I can tolerate such a thing!" [Well, I can! So who cares!] "Waithahaha! Let''s see how well-natured you are soon!" [What do you mean? Hello?!] No matter what my friend remains silent. That is when I hear the croaking of a frog and see that one violent guying back. What?! "The squad leader has too big a heart. Wanting to save a civilian that could potentially endanger our whole operation. You know too much so you''ll have to die!" [Wait, no! I don''t know anything! I really don''t need to be silenced! Hell, I barely know how to read a few words! Let''s talk it out!] "It''s toote for that! Peasants such as you should know better than to witness things they shouldn''t have!" Bro, what the fuck is this logic?! Is he ming for having eyes right now?! That''s when my mist friend talks once more. "Restrain him for a few minutes, try not to hurt him at all!" "Who''s here?! Old man! Where are you hiding?!" The violent hooded man is looking everywhere in search of my ghost friend, without sess. That''s when I dash toward the man. "Dumbass! Haha!" On that note, he generates some sort of water arrow andunches it directly at me with incredible power. He has a sadistic smile, and I can see his eyes lighting up with joy. Except this soon turns into stupefaction when his spell simply crashes on my chest and loses its shapepletely without even harming me. I manage to somehow wrap my arms around him and hold him tightly in ce. "How?! This is impossible! I''ll kill you fucker!" He keeps sending small water streams at my limbs and heads, but I remain steady. Divine energy, fucker! Get wrecked! [This is what you get for! Wait, how long do I have to hold him for?!] "Give me a few minutes. I''m trying something I''ve never ever done, something possible for any soul. Well, a soul fragment may not necessarily be able to do it, but it''s me we are talking about!" [Alright, just don''t take too long. I''m already tired of wrestling some asshole] "What are you devils nning?! A soul fragment?! What kind of creature are you?! Both of you aren''t human for sure!" Talk about a bbermouth! I don''t simply roll over to die and because of that, I''m a monster? Please! Finally, after a few minutes, I see my mist friende out of my body, then he stares into the man''s eyes for a few seconds. The target instantly starts iling even harder trying to escape. He''s crying and shouting! It sounds a bit like a pig getting ughteredbut worse! Then the floating mist slowly enters the man''s mouth. He tries to close it but he can''t. He seems to be trying to bite his tongue, but he can''t either. All until he finally stops struggling with a nk look in his eyes. [What is happening right now?! Hello?!] I''m left hanging for a few minutes that feel way longer. I''m starting to wonder if this is my life now, to hug a dude 24/7. That''s when the victim starts moving again. "Alright, release me" [No way bastard!] "No, it''s me! I''m inside his body now!" [Why should I believe you?!] "How about I undress to prove it?" [How about no?! What happened to the guy then?] "He''s locked in a forgotten spot in his own mind, until he disappearspletely that is. That''s a ssical possession spell. It used to be popr at some point, but really it''s pretty trash. For it to work, the target needs to be way weaker than the caster, so what''s the point?" [Wait, was he that weak?! You are weak at the moment, right?!] "Ah, no. Possession only relies on soul strength and nothing else you see. Since my soul is pretty old it''s better than an idiot like that guy for sure." [So you just wanted a body pretty much?] "Yes and no. I do have a great n, want to hear it?" [Not really] "Ah, C''mon! I''m still going to tell you. Let''s." Chapter 442: Great Actor Chapter 442: Great Actor "Ah, C''mon! I''ll tell you either way! Let''s follow these guys up there. I have no idea what they are looking for but it must be precious!" [So you want us to risk our lives in search of a treasure that we probably don''t need in the first ce?] "Exactly! But all jokes asides, have you seen the state of thend? Just look at it!" [Lots of ice, your point?] "Well, people living nearby will have fled or died already. Beast tides tend to take a while before getting stopped. After all most sects don''t care about the death of normal people. Fighting one is simply a waste of resources." [So they just let it be?!] "Well, at some point someone somewhere will get backed into a corner by the beast tide. A very unlucky someone may I add. Then either that sect manages to survive and is weakened or it gets destroyed!" [This is so damn ridiculous! They could all work together instead and] "Yeah, the problem is that it''s really hard for gods to cohabit. This wille as a shock to you but gods pretty much live in seclusion alone in the god realm. There is no sense ofmunity whatsoever." [Right, that was the case for the Lunar Goddess and Forgar when I saw them. Seems about right. *Sigh*] "Waitsaw?! How did you see two gods?!" [No big deal, just summons. So anyway, what was your point?] "Wait! You met not one, but two gods and you aren''t bragging everywhere about it?! Then there is the remnant of the God of Order! Are gods supposed to be that easy to encounter?!" [No clue.] "*Sigh* Anyway since we don''t know where people are we could simply head to the mountain to interrogate these guys up there! Then maybe we''ll know where we are." [What if they don''t want to cooperate?] "Worst case there are always their belongings to give us clues. Remember that these people didn''t bat an eye as that man came back to kill us- you!" [Fair, enough. What if they are stronger than us? I''m pretty confident in a one versus one but] "Do not worry! Now that I have a body, I can manifest my Naked Emperor''s Dignity!" [What is that supposed to be?!] "Long story short I can''t be killed." [Wait, so you are actually strong now?!] "Not really. How should I exin itAh, I know! Okay, do you know about Laws?" [Concepts that make you strong somehow once you figure them out?] "Exactly, I am cultivating thew of nakedness! As long as I am naked, I''ll be fine, no matter what." [Is that even reliable?] "It has its ws, but against people that don''t even know what a Law is... It is pretty much absolute!" [So we follow them, beat them up, and try to interrogate them? Wait, how about you simply pose as him and try to figure out some information? You have his body after all!] "Oh! You are perfectly right! I got this! I will show you the acting skills of an emperor! Now, let me just remove this pesky robe and" [No! You can''t remove it, or it will blow your cover!] "Damnit! If only I still had my soul senses I could take it off and slip it back before they see us!" [Anyway, go catch your frog, Emperor!] "Why should I" [You have the body, I''m sure it will recognize its master!] He grumbles but he still goes after it. Then starts a chase between a man and a frog. How hard can it be? All I can say is I''ve been watching him fail for the past 10 minutes and it''s still as hrious haha. What about our quest? Why aren''t we hurrying up? Well, I''m enjoying the show quite a lot and he''s too proud to admit he needs help. Every time he tries to jump on the frog''s back he slips and falls while the creature simply hops away easily. At some point, the frog seems to be wondering what the Hell he is doing. You know you have hit rock bottom when a frog is judging you! After a while, he finally manages to get on top of it. He shows me a triumphant pose, even flexing his biceps in the process. All-powerful Emperor 1, normal weak giant frog 0but does that really count as a win? Then starts the ascension of the mountain. Let''s just say it is slippery and very very steep. If this was a movie it would have had the longest blooper scenes! Now our roles are reversed I''m slowly advancing in the ice while he''s just gloating atop the frog. [Alright, let me hop in on the frog, and let''s go.] "No way! I''m the one that tamed it while you only watched cackling! This is retribution!" [Wow! That''s nice! For a second, I thought you''d be anxious to finish this operation as soon as possible so you could remove the robe on your body and embrace nakedness. d to see that it''s not the case!] With each of my words, I see his face change drastically. In this twisted perception of his, he has way more to lose than I. "Hurry up and climb behind me! We are reaching the top as soon as possible!" Then starts an epic journey. One with a devilishly handsome young man that is also incredibly valiant, powerful beyond measure, so goddamn wealthy (in spirit), world-famous, etc., etc.! There is also a frog and another man but who cares really. Soon we have climbed the Everfrozen Peak! (Totally didn''t cheat with a giant frog, you saw nothing!) There awaits that group with plenty of frogs, about 8 of them. "What took you so long? Ah, also is that your target behind you?! What happened to killing him?!" "Yeah! What is up with you, man?!" I slightly nudge my friend in the back. The sess or failure of this operation will depend solely on his acting skills now! He was so confident down there that he''ll probably be fine. Common! I believe in you! He goes "Aye, mate! Good day for treasure hunting ain''t it? Little ol'' me figured he''d be useful to our search! So I brought the Lil'' guy and here we are. Just a frog, a man, and some bloke." *Sigh* I was clearly dumb to have any faith in him at all! Not only is the dialogue problematic but so is the tone! It sounds like a goddamn children''s puppet! How the fuck did he ever believe himself to be good at this?! How can oneck self-awareness so much?! Of course "Who the Hell are you?!" "What have you done with Damien?! "We should attack directly!" .. Can I facepalm? Ah, never mind I''m already doing it Chapter 443: Nice Bath! Chapter 443: Nice Bath! What do you do when you are surrounded by 8 angrywater mages (?) on frogs? I can''t just ask them to forgive us for possessing the body of their friend, right? Yes, he totally deserved it but still. I wonder... "What''s up, mates? I''m Damien aye! Shall we go treasure hunting, y''all?! What are we waiting, eh?" He is still going?! Brother, they''ve clearly seen through your bad acting! I think I know what is happening. I''m starting to believe he truly used to be some bigshot in the past. If some really powerful guy is that insistent, you just go with the flow to keep your head attached to your shoulders! His acting skills? None! I think he simply intimidates his opponents into ying the fools! Now the issue is that these guys have no idea that he''s supposedly strongso yeah. "He has Damien''s clothes and frog! He has clearly killed him! Get revenge for our deadpanion!" "Die, you evil impersonator!" That is when they all start condensing water in their hands. I can see it swirling faster and faster until it looks like long 1-meter-long water arrows! That is when my friend finally acts. "*Scoff* I was trying to do this the easy way, but you guys wouldn''t cooperate. Now you''ve done it! Take this: Ultimate Heavenly Profound Return to the Prime Origin State!" At first, I''m expecting some amazing move, so are the enemies as theyunch their onught aiming for all his vitals! I can see the deadly magical projectiles getting propelled with incredible momentum! That is when my friendpletes his technique! *Woosh* .and it''s so disappointing! Return to the Origin bullshit? He just undresses! That''s all he freaking does! *CRASH!* That''s when all that magic collides with his body, direct hit! There is so much water that it instantly creates some vapor upon impact. The water cloud cools off instantly and creates a white mist engulfing himpletely. How am I able to describe this to perfection as if an external spectator? Well, it''s a bit embarrassing but I fell off the frog at some point. That is when the enemies finally turn their sight toward me. [Eh, hey guys? How about we talk first? I''m really not in the mood to fight] "*Scoff* you think we''ll let trash like you live? No matter what you were clearly in cahoots here, you should have run away instead. Well, it can''t be helpeding from a stupid viger!" [What''s with all the dissing? Also, why are you guys acting like you''ve got everything under control?] They don''t seem to understand the meaning of my words. I can see themughing, I can see them looking down on me. I can feel their scorn and arrogance. That is when the white mist around my friend finally clears out. He emerges out of it unscarred. "Didn''t you guys say something about killing me? Well, that was a nice bath, I guess." Their faces change, it''s as if they''ve seen a ghost. Well, he kinda is really. First, the body under the hood is truly their friend and not a failure of an impostor as they initially assumed. Second, they cannot believe anyone has survived their spell barrage. Third, he''s proudly swinging the rod between his legs while taunting them. This wholebination is enough to render them all speechless. It seems as if their brains cannot process what they are seeing. That is when one hesitantly throws another waternce at him, but it doesn''t wield any result whatsoever. "Y-you! W-what are you?!" "Hehe, I am the one and only Naked Emperor! Now, bow before my magnificence!" "He''s clearly making fun of us! Kill that guy!!" It seems they all agree with that one angry dude. Starts another volley even more intense this time. At this point, I''m just sitting by the side twiddling my thumbs wondering when they''ll finally give up. They are bound to at some point, right? Right?! It seems to me like these guys are pretty stupid really. I could see many ways to deal with the situation. They could trap him in a water cage, they could target the ground under his feet until he''s stuck in the mountain, they could use their magic to push him off the mountain. Yet, the only thing they are doing is sending straightforward attacks that are clearly proving useless. These guys not only have water in their hands, but also in their brains! Now my friend is just doing the helicopter with "HAHAHA, you guys think you can defeat me? I am invincible, I am the one and only" "He''s right, he''s not taking any damage! Ah, I know! Old man if you don''t leave far away now we''ll kill your friend instead!" I can see them all light up as if they had finally found a lifeline in theplete darkness of their lives. "Yes! You better do as we say or!" "Kill my friend? Go ahead! I don''t actually think you guys are able to do it. If you do manage to hurt him, maybe I''ll be able to convince him to ept me as his master hahaha!" "He''s bluffing! Show him how serious we are!" That screaming guy sends a water ball my way. What''s with the ball? Did they get tired of the arrows? It doesn''t look powerful in the slightestAs ites near me, I p it awayyep that sure was easy. "H-how?!" He then sends some more balls and arrows! The more it goes the more intense it bes! I can see the madness in his eyes. The madness of a man realizing that the power he has trained all his life for is now proving useless. Finally, he does one huge water spell while cackling before throwing it with all his might! Exceptsince it''s just a straightforward attack my divine energy is enough to defend me. He watches in horror as I don''t even react to the insane quantity of magical water impacting me. That is when he finally can''t seem to take it and loses consciousness. What?! "Crap! How is this possible?! The first one is a monster, the second one is even more of a monster?! Wait..! They were on that frog earlier, kill it and let''s run!" That is when clearly ur animal cruelty. Two frogs get shredded instantly under a deadly magical rain. Then they simply turn around and control their own frogs to leave, hopping faster and faster away. [That''s it?! These guys are pretty horrible aren''t they?] "Yep, quite dumb if I might add too!" We can''t help but nce at the one unconscious guy that they left behind. [At this rate he''ll simply freeze to death, right?] "Yep, not our problem either. Now, let''s go after them, shall we?" *Sigh* We are far from my genius infiltration n. Chapter 444: Water Mages Sacrifice! Chapter 444: Water Mages'' Sacrifice! *Sigh* We are far from my genius infiltration n "Hey, don''t make that face. It can''t be helped that they somehow saw through my disguise. They were clearly very attentive is all!" [Alright, repeat after me.] "What?" [I do not.] "I do not?" [Know how to act.] "Know how tohey I''m a great actor!" [Okay, no seriously. Your tone of voice and word choice was so off! Look it''s fine, I''m not a great actor either. Just know your limits for the next time alright?] "Thatfine." If Gran or any of my deceased traveling performer friends saw that they would have been Rollin'' in their grave right about now! The worst is that I do not even have their bodies to bury. It all withered after the poison. At least I did avenge them in the Earth Realm. One day if I ever get strong enough I''ll have to barge into the god realm and get revenge on that bitch, the Abundance Goddess. But how can I even get stronger? I should have asked that Forgar guy. Then again, he didn''t seem that useful with the only spell he showed me. There may also be another way for me to be stronger. In fact, that way to power may be very well shaking his naked buttocks right in front of me at this very moment. Still, I really don''t want to "What is it? You''ve been silent for a while?" [Just remembering old friends that died. They used to be actors, real ones.] "Oh, I see. Such is life. Peoplee and go. It sucks but you get used to it. The only thing you need to do is stay strong and have fun." I can''t help but give a slight smile. I''m usually the one saying that kind of chicken soup for the soul to people. Then again, it''s all true. [Say, how strong can one be using your naked technique or whatever?] "What?! You want to learn?! I can teach you for sure! HAHAHA, this is great!" [Hey, I''m not convinced yet!] "It helps with all aspects may is it be power, defense, resistance against abnormal statuses, everything! It is one of the most difficult Laws of them all to pick up, but exactly because of that it has worth!" [I see.] "No time like the present! Let''s start right now and." [We are probably better off resolving this problem before.] He gives a disappointed pouting expression. It is not very cute considering he''s a grown-ass naked man! Then we keep walking in silence. Since the frogs are big and leave deep traces in the snow, we are able to somewhat follow their trail. Of course, that is only because they have just left recently. Soon all of it will be hidden because of the perpetual storm in the area. Before long we finally reachthat one God of Order''s underground. I can''t help but wonder what they are doing here. Was there anything of actual value that we missed? Heading deeper and deeper we soon reach the depth where the altar was located. At the entrance are 6 water mages with their leader clearly ahead. "They''re here!" [How about you guys simply surrender and just answer our questions?] "Haha, no way! You guys are toote already! Our leader is already making the power of the altar hers haha!" Wait, what?! There was some aura of the God of Order remaining or something?! What would such power be even used for? I don''t know but I don''t want to see it in this world. I''d rather it simply disappears forever. I can''t help but think of a wielder of the God of Order''s power chasing the cool systems I''vee to appreciate. Sure they are weird, but they don''t deserve to be annihted because of this! [Alright, I got 2 of them, you take care of the other 4!] "What?! How unfair! Why do I have to handle more?!" [Aren''t you an emperor?] "Of course, just watch me! I''ll take care of all of them!" On that note my friend dashes toward them! His charge is apanied by the rhythmic pping of The enemies do their best to exterminate him, I''d do the same, to be honest. Still, they fail once more. I''m expecting them to be despairing, to be angry, to curse even. No, they are simply smiling. "She''ll avenge us. You guys are fucked!" That is when I see them wince in pain before they suddenly give a resolute smile. That is when appears a giant water de as huge as the entire corridor. It charges toward us at impossible speed! "Just die!!!" Before longes the impact! It feels like I am getting hit by a truck. The power is so high that it pushes us both behind. So fast that we crash against the stone walls and even prate them with our bodies! Only after that does it finally disappears. It takes me a few minutes to struggle out of the rock. That is when I see my friend. He has a deepceration on his torso. The only thing is it''s healing pretty fast. [Are you fine?!] "Of course! A few seconds ago my bones were showing, but that only powered up my aspect of nakedness you know." [How?!] "Well, showing your bones to the world is the ultimate naked state!" What the fuck. Is it me or Laws are really something nonsensical? I guess I shouldn''t dwell too much on it. As we approach our assants, we see them on the floor. There is one thing to note. They are all dead, of them, only remains mummified remains. I''m not sure how this even happened. "They sacrificed all their remaining lifeforce to create an extremely strong spell. To be honest, it''smendable that they managed to hurt me in the first ce. Had they been more numerous or powerful they could even have seriously injured me!" I can''t help but think of that one mercenary leader back in the death domain. He had used something simr, but not as drastic. I still remember how he turned this old ne of mine into an awesome fiery sword. That was epic! So damn epic! Still, there is no way I''d ask him to cast this spell ever again even if we meet once more. Lifespan is extremely valuable after all! [Alright, let''s do this.] We enter and see the stone bridge. At the end of it is the altar with a woman, except it''s broken. She turns toward us and gives us a chilling smile. "It''s toote already haha." Fuck. Chapter 445: Incredible Power! Chapter 445: Incredible Power! There she is, showing that chilling smile of hers. Whatever she did she knows she has the situation under control. How or why I ignore it, but I can sense her confidence. She''s showing a domineering presence, her back extremely straight. "It''s toote already. The deed is done. How about it, if you guys kneel before me right now, I may just decide to spare you!" Then I look toward mypanion, and we start whispering *Very furiously whispering* [Hey, what do we do?] "I''m really not sure what she''s trying to aplish but I''m pretty sure she''s bluffing. " [Fair enough, good luck my friend.] "What do you mean good luck?!" [I''ll have you test that theory of yours right now.] "Why would I do it? Do you think I have a death wish? It''s the God of Order''s power we are talking about here!" [And? I thought you were so strong that he couldn''t kill you?] "Alright, alright, I lied! He could have if he spent all his energy on me, but he had bigger fishes to fry!" [Wouldn''t she just be getting power from that one toe remnant? You''ll be fine!] "It could actually be worse. That toe was just a guardian, the seal and altar could very well contain more power! Even if she can''t kill me, sealing me for a long time wouldn''t be an issue. I don''t want to go back to this life! It''s unbearable! Without a body, there is no way I can be naked at all! It''s all just" [Okay, okay, I get it. So, what do we do now?] "How about we attack on the count of three?" [Sounds good.] "1.2. 3..!" [Why aren''t you moving?] "Why aren''t YOU moving?!" [Because I''m following your lead obviously.] "What? Who''s the one that said something about being a cool and handsome protagonist?" [Noment.] "That''s what I thought!" Okay, this is bad. As much as we are bickering this woman is just looking at us as if watching a good show. She shows no trace of nervousness at all. Right now we have three choices. Either we do a frontal attack, try to negotiate, or run as far as possible without ever looking back. [How about we each go our separate ways and] "In your dreams haha. You seem not to realize the situation you are in right now! Either you submit to me, both of you, or I will employ force to make you guys regret ever opposing me in such a way that you will wish for death but it will nevere for" She''s still going with her torture speech! How motivated is she toward that whole thing?! "Psst, is it me or she''s trying to buy time?" [Ah! You''re right!] She''s totally bluffing! We both dash toward her to beat her up, mypanion half a step behind me. I naturally do the only logical thing to do. I slow half a step too.but so does he! What a failed emperor! Then we reach her and then happens an epic fightnot! A bitchpter, she''s out cold, falling like a puppet having its string cuts. [That''s it? What about the super-strong power she was talking about?!] "See! I told you she was bluffing!" [Said the guy hiding behind me all this time.] "That''s a detail. Ah, how about you go search the possession of these other guys while I watch her?" He does have a point. I turn over the 6 mummies. In their pockets, they have a few rations and a gourd each, nothing else. But! There is an upside! Da-da-da-da! Acquired old robe! Got rid of naked debuff! Ah, this feels great, I finally feel human again. I''m munching on nuts while heading back inside. That''s when I noticeWhy is our prisoner naked?! [YOU! Why did you do that?!] "What do you mean? Ah, wait! YOU! Why are you wearing a robe! Remove this right now!" [.] "." That''s when we hear her grunting and slowly opening her eyes. "W-where am I? I was going to the mountain and thenAh! What have you done with me?!" [*Sigh* how you lost your clothes is not important right now. Tell us why you came here exactly. Don''t leave anything out!] She seems to be looking around in confusion. After a while, she seems to resolve herself to the worst. "*Sigh* Destroying this altar was supposed to give one incredible power. I guess this was all a farce. I guess that exins why there were no guardians at all." "Naw, that''s because the kid killed them all." [What do you mean killed them all?! These lunatics killed themselves!] "So anyway, littledy, what was the purpose of destroying the altar exactly? To get the power of the God of Order, right?" "What? No, apparently the God of Order has sealed plenty of powerful Devils in there. Anyone freeing them would be able to have any wish granted and " I and mypanion look at each other baffled. Then we can''t hold it anymore. "HAHAHAHA!" [HAHAHAHAHA!] Now she''s looking at us puzzled, so puzzled in fact that she has forgotten all shame concerning her current state. [This has to be the biggest fail ever.] "I quite agree with that. Ah,dy, tell us all about these powerful Devils! How awesome are they?" "They say the most impressive of beings once were sealed here for angering the God of Order himself. They were all overlords of their region and" She stops, apparently spooked by the big-ass smile of mypanion. But then he ushers her to continue. "Legends say they all wielded world-defying abilities, thus why they were targeted in the first ce. They were supposed to be biding their time for their glorious return one day. s, it seems my information was wrong." [I mean if you consider growing a beard heaven-defying Haha!] "What about having a friend?" [Hey, don''t diss him! He''s part of my sect now. Plus do you think he''s really that simple?] "Yeah, you are right" "W-what are you guys talking about?!" [Well, long story short you came toote. The beings down there already escaped.] That is when I point at us both. "Y-you freed them?!" "Naw, you are clearly mistaken, littledy. We ARE these beings Haha." [Why do you think we were in the vige? You think we were wandering there for fun?!] She then widens her eyes and a secondter she''s bending on the floor in a submissive pose. "Please, ept me as your disciple! I''m very sorry about everything! I was trying to free you guys from the very beginning!" On one hand, she tried to kill us, on the other hand, she may prove useful and we didn''t suffer any real harm. Also, I gotta say having a naked girl kneeling at my feet doesn''t feel half-badAh but if she thinks we''ll just forgive her she''s dead wrong! Now, what should we Chapter 446: Call me Master! Chapter 446: Call me Master! Current status: hiding a stiff- pondering about what to do next. I now have a naked girl begging at my feet to be my disciple. I have to admit I feel like some mythical hidden expert right now. You know the kind that is handsome, powerful and loved by all. That''s totally me right there! What about the Devil appetion? I meanit is totally apliment! Do you know how handsome some devils are?! Perhaps not as handsome as me but still. I''m just d someone finally managed to see my magnificence. Sure, it took her a while, but she can''t be med for such a small mistake haha. She is clearly anxiously awaiting my reaction, well our reaction. This is the moment that may potentially change her lifepletely and she knows it. She knows she has one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything she ever wanted.and she''ll beg if she needs to! I finally take the time to observe her. In my mind, she just went from a soon-to-be defeated antagonist to a potential party member. She has long ck hair, delicate features, two eyes, a nose, a mouthyep, she''s human for sure and I''m a god at describing. "Littledy, if you want to follow my teachings then you will have to embrace nakedness and diligently" [Mines are about doing whatever one wants] Without even hesitating she points at me decisively picking me as her teacher. I may have done that on a whim, but I feel like the first kid picked at a dodgeball game, I feel popr haha. *Naked Fool Grumbling* I take a dignified stance, even crossing my arms like a real boss. I''m just missing some shades or something. [Alright, start exining about this ce and about yourself. Make it as detailed as possible. We have been sealed for long after all.] Mypanion gives me a nce that means: ''What do you mean a long time? That''s clearly BS!'' She takes a deep breath and begins her tale. "We are currently on the Starter Continent, it is a vast ce filled with all kinds of powerful sects. I belong to the Clear Water Stream, headed by Aqua herself. Our specialty is water magic maniption. Right now we are trying to get a footing in these chaotic times this is why we- I came here to humbly beg for the help of the great beings!" After that short speech, we both are clearly scoffing internally. Vast continent? Powerful sects? Aqua?! What a colossal joke! What do you do when your wannabe followers are clearly not up to par? You clearly [Alright, kowtow 42 times and then we will follow you to your sect. Hopefully, the reception will be nice.] "Y-yes master!" Wow, this has a nice ring to it. [What did you say?] "M-master?" [Repeat that once more.] "M-master? Should I address you in a different manner?" [No, this one is good. Say that again.] "Master!" [Good, good.] I am simply missing a white long beard to look like a powerful cultivator right now. Shame, real shame haha. [Say that again one more time?] She nks for a moment wondering if she''s doing anything wrong but sheplies, nheless. But I don''t exaggerate. After a few dozen minutes of her repeating master, I do get bored and I lead them away valiantly, braving the snowstorm. [Follow me all!] A few minutester... "Eh, masterIf I may ask, where are we going?" [The vige? Didn''t you guyse from there?] "T-thatthe vige is in the opposite direction, master. S-should I lead the way?" [Sure, I was only testing you. No worries.] I can see the nudist snickering. How is it that everyone here but me is able to navigate a snowstorm?! Do they have some kind of magical GPS embedded in their brain? I''d bet yes. "M-master? W-why did we leave the Frogos behind?" [.Eh, I kinda forgot about them. I was thinking about some matters.] "I understand, master!" So we go back for the frogos? Who came up with such a dumb name? Oh well, it beats "giant frog monster", I guess. Apparently, they were simply resting in a side room hence why I totally missed them. We simply get two. The nudist is mounting a frog by himself while I''m sitting behind this new disciple of mine. I need to admit the ride is way more enjoyable. At first, I was a bit embarrassed, but I quickly befortable once I realize she doesn''t mind me holding her thin waist. Let''s just say I''d describe the experience as soft all over, and smelling ofvender. She even warmly smiles at me while holding my hands, clearly happy that I am relying on her. Now that I think about it.my sect members are some old dudes, a wolf, a kid, a system, I''m clearly missing some cute girls! Ifes a day where my sect bes big enough to be renowned how embarrassing would it be if we didn''t have a single normal member? We would either look like some hidden experts or just a bunch of weirdos. I''d rather avoid thetter. Well, this will have to wait until this stupid war is over. As time passes, I can''t help but watch my surroundings. The whole area is covered in ayer of ice. The more we progress the more worried my new disciple bes. She tries to hide it but I can feel her entire body be tense. It''s understandable too. What if the ice creatures have attacked her sect? What would water mages even do against such foes? I wonder how it would y out. Would the water they summon instantly get frozen? Would they even be able to use their magic? There is always the chance that we will find a sectpletely destroyed. That would be extremely horrible! After all, I''m counting on them to find a way back to the Vige of the End. I have people waiting for me. I really wonder how Wolfie is doing. I''m sure the vigers are treating her well at least. She''s probably drowning in carrot soup haha. Well, she may very well be getting sick of it by now haha. At some point, I can feel my disciple rx significantly. She even turns back and gives an extremely beautiful smile of relief. "Master! The sect is right ahead! It looks like they have managed to somehow avoid the beast tide too!" That is when on the horizon appears a small city that looks extremely ravishing. I can''t help but hold my breath for a second. It is all enchantingly twinkling under the sun and... Chapter 447: Mind-Blown and Its Just the Entrance! Chapter 447: Mind-Blown and It''s Just the Entrance! How do I describe the enchanting scene in front of me? First, there are walls. The thing is these arepletely covered by water, it seems to be flowing in the air, magically forming a huge barrier around the city! In it, I can see small red, blue and yellow fisheszily swimming. From time to time there is one that jumps out of the water to gobble up an insect. It is teeming with so much life and color! [Wow!] "Yes, master. It may seem like a decoration, but it can show incredible power in times of need. This barrier managed to hold against the Ever-Reaching sect for a whole week while we rained death upon them. In the end, they had to escape with their bows between their legs." Who the Hell is this sect? No clue, so I just nod wisely. I can see a single gate that isn''t covered by it. There are many sect members wearing great-looking naval blue outfits. It gives them a certain prestigious aura, calm but noble. "We can actually reconfigure the barrier to make a gate appear wherever and whenever we want. This is the advantage of water''s fluidity. Whenever a fight breaks out we can use such tactic to nk our opponents easily if needed." Wow. I can''t help but look at the normal brown robes that we are all wearing. (Well, except that guy obviously) "This is what we wear to travel outside. There is no point in showcasing to the world our identity as water mages. It''s better if we take them by surprise while they aren''t expecting it. Many sects actually don''t have mages as strong as us. It gives us an edge." Oh my god! This is so true! It seems like my new disciple actually hails from a sect with actual brains! Ah, but then why did they fight us? Right it was to silence us, and also that one guy''s initiative. Then once we possessed him it kinda escted. Now, what makes the scene in front of me amazing is how the sun shines on it all. It seems like the entire ce is glowing with a golden aura. It reminds me of all that Eaglevein wasn''t. The buildings I can faintly see through it are also all blending together in harmony. It looks as calm and majestic as a painting. As I see it all, I can''t help but have my hopes rekindled. This ce seems safe and a paradise on Earth. I still remember how I lost most of mypanions in my life, it was thanks to ack of defensive power. That one barrier may solve all my problems. I just need to make sure their goddess isn''t as slimy and evil as the abundance one. For that, I actually have a n. I will make them understand that they will all die should they anger me. I may becking in direct damaging abilities, but my illusion magic is top-notch! Well, I think at least. Ah, I''ll just have to be careful not to scare them too much. I am a firm believer in bnce, after all. After that, there will only be one issue remaining, a very serious one. Would the water element in the area impact cooking at all? I can''t see it but I assume there is some looking at the enormous quantity of water floating everywhere. "Master, how is it?" [It looks pretty nice actually. The first impression is good, how about we slowly head inside?] We dismount and slowly approach. Surprisingly, she just lets the frogos roam freely. This is definitely new for me. Do they catch new mounts every time they wish to travel? "They''lle back when they are hungry. Also, ehm-master Is it possible for your friend to perhapswear some clothes?" She finishes thest part in a voice as thundering as a tiny mouse, yes almost inaudible. Of course, he reacts as one would expect. "No way! There is no one in this realm that can ever force me to!" [*cough cough* God of Order.] After that, he goes quiet, but he''s still not showing any sign of wanting to cooperate. So I do the only logical thing. I take a big step and adorn a masterful ''I don''t know who that guy is'' expression. Soon my disciple sees my actions and wisely does the same. He looks at us at a loss before scoffing, saying something about how foolish we are. Then we get near the entrance. That sends a few mages guarding the ce on high alert. Then they recognize the both of them and rx a bit before tensing up once more. Sure the faces are the same, but the auras and attitudes are clearly different. I kinda overlooked this detail, but it is kinda ring. The confident leader is now showing a submissive attitude toward me, aplete stranger. The violence-prone possessed guy is now naked and acting very out of character. Then there is the fact that we are not even walking together. It creates a very strange picture. I can see them being torn between letting us pass and stopping us. Thus they do the sensible thing to do, they send one of them running to ask for instructions. Now that we are near the water barrier it looks even more fantastical. I can see some algae and pebbles in there that seem to bezily floating in ce. I can see and hear the rumblings of a strong water current in there. That is when I notice a small red goldfishe toward the edge. I can''t help but extend my arm to try and pet it. It is clearly looking at me with itsrge eyes. "Wait! What are you doing?! Stop!" "You''ll lose your arm!" Except I kinda hear the warning toote. My hand is already fully in the barrier. I can feel the water rushing through my fingers. My sleeves instantly get torn off but that''s not much of an issue. Then finally I manage to pet the goldfish. It freezes for a second wondering how the hell I''m doing this. It looks really funny right now, the personification of surprise itself. That''s when I turn around. For some reason, all the mages nearby look even more silly than the goldfish. I can see them rubbing their eyes. Some keep looking between me and the stream. That is when one of them approaches his hand toward the water "This looks fun I''ll just " Haha, it is fun. Really! Lots of fun Chapter 448: Water of "Life" Chapter 448: Water of "Life" That is when one of them approaches his hand toward the water As soon as his limb enters, it instantly gets shredded. The skin, flesh, and bones are getting crushed by the impossibly strong current. Out of his shoulderes a torrent of blood, so much blood! It instantly starts gushing out like a fountain, quickly turning the entire water area a mesmerizing red. It is akin to a scene of kill Billy. All the blood somehow sticks to the small, now even redder goldfish. It seems to be enjoying itself smiling at the fool that dared intrude upon his domain. Out of the maimed man''s throates screams of agony. He backs up as fast as possible drenching the ground with his blood. He is both sobbing and screaming at the same time. He''s cursing me, he''s cursing his foolishness, he''s cursing the gods, even cursing the world itself! But no amount of cursing will ever bring back the limb he lost. No amount of crying over spilled blood will do anything. He will forever live this new existence of his all thanks to a moment of folly. All of them share a look of pure terror as they look at me calmly standing there with my arm fully in the water stream still. That is when they all kneel at my feet, hailing me as their new god! Or not. You imagined it all as I just did, right? Some of you even smiled imagining the bloody goldfish. If you aren''t, should you really be reading TUG? I mean This scene is whates into my mind when I see that guy approaching. But that''s when an ally violently drags him backward. "Are you crazy?! There is no way any human canthere is no way you can survive this!" This is enough to break the spell on him and he regains his spirit while shuddering violently. I can see his face turn into a mask of fright. Now he''s definitely imagining the above scene, for sure! In fact, I''m sure everyone is. I see them show surprise, then they all gulp hard realizing the implications, then they look at me as if looking at a monster. "See! This is my master!" I can see my disciple gloating at them proudly. Right now, the ones that were suspicious of her attitude toward me aren''t anymore. That is when my nakedpanion seemingly gets curious and sticks his arm inside. After that . refer to the scene above. or not. No, his skin and flesh get shredded, but he manages to somehow save the bone. He seems sad, not about the bodily injury but about being less resilient than I am. That is when literally everyone''s eyes nearly pop out. He starts regenerating at an insane speed. I did see it slightly before but even I am impressed. It reminds me of that one movie with that super-hero that It is at that exact moment that the guards simply stand aside. At this point, they do not dare to fight us anymore, at all. Actually, that''s pretty funny because being hard to kill is both our strong suit. We swagger in, akin to rich second generations hitting on the fishes in the sea. We may be broke, but is there really a need for money in a sect? Everyone should be family, right? That''s when I see I a stand right next to the entrance selling food. *Sigh* Guess this entire world has been corrupted by capitalism. That Koiin guy must be rejoicing. Then again, I''m only saying that because I''m poor. As we progress through the city, people send us weird nces with some mumbling under their breath: DISGUSTING! For those who haven''t seen our power move at the entrance, we simply are two travel-weary individuals and a .noment. The inside is surprisingly normal. If I had to point something out is that they have great waterworks bringing the liquid of life absolutely everywhere across the city. Water mages can then be seen drawing upon its power for their daily tasks no matter what it is. May it be chopping vegetables, raising heavy baggage, creating real-time water sculptures, cleaning items, stealing items, catching a dumb thief, the usual really. There is only one thing that they can''t seem to do. That is to use water to magically dress mypanion. More urately one tries to do just that, but that courageous water mage learns a great life lesson. He learns that one shouldn''t try and mess with the mad. He smilingly approaches and leaves in tears after a vigorous beating. The young man probably lost all faith in humanity too. Of course, people get mad, but we simply hurry toward our destination. Before long we reach a ...normal house? "Here we are, master!" [Eh, don''t you guys have headquarters or something? Shouldn''t we head there to introduce ourselves or something?] "This is it, master. The sect is actually controlled by our 5 most powerful mages. Here resides one I am very close with. She is nicknamed the Water Queen. She was the one that sent us on this journey in the first ce by looking at the archives." Oh! Water Queen! I can feel it! This sounds like prime Milf material. The kind that is wise, ancient, and yet still has a supple skin and all. I mean obviously, who else but a water mage would keep their skin properly moisturized? Am I right or am I right? *Knock knock* "It''s me! I have aplished the missionsomewhat! Please let us in." That is when the door seemingly opens by itself. A warm white foges out. Steam? My disciple enters and I cautiously follow behind. "Water Queen! Where are you?" That is whenes a clear and melodious voice from the back. "I''ll be out soon little one, I am taking a bath. I''ll be there right after getting dressed" My nudist friend interrupts energetically! "NO! No matter what you do, do not get dressed! This is uneptable! You can even remain in your bath, we''lle to you!" Is he crazy?! As if any woman in her sane mind would allow strangers to simply... "Ah, sure. I don''t mind. Simply follow the corridor until the end. I''ll be waiting!" What?! How is this possible?! I look at mypanion. He seems extremely satisfied. I can sense a feeling of victory radiate from his entire being. For once, someone actually listened to his crazy deviant side! He''s actually already heading there, braving the white mysterious fog. How amazing will the curves be? How full will the scene be? There won''t be any divine light, right? I slowly follow mypanion, imagination going full throttle. For once I''m not even mad at him. Wee to TUG, and let us explore this entirely new world full of possibilities together Chapter 449: Bath Scene...Just Skip This Chap... Chapter 449: Bath Scene...Just Skip This Chap... As I brave the foggy steam, I can feel my heart beating fast. Every beat pumping warm blood through my entire being. If I''m not careful it will definitely congregate in one area If anyone asks, I''m flushed red because of the heat. Yes, this isn''t rted in any way to the enchanting voice ushering us in! I finally reach the end of the corridor. I can hear the soft sound of flowing water, a bit of sshing too. Mypanion is already introducing himself. "Hello, there. A pleasure to meet you. I am the one and only Naked Emperor, the one that" Of course as usual he goes on for ages with a nonsensical monologue. I can''t help but gulp before taking thest steps. I can faintly see a small tranquil pond. On the side is an amazing fountain slowly gushing with hot water. It both looks quite basic yet exudes an artistic sense. Then I finally turn my head toward the body of water itself. There she is, the Water Queen. Long blue hair, a slight smile that doesn''t show any teeth, she is half out of the water, her bare upper body visible in all its glory. She is even looking at us directly, not bothered by our gazes in the least. Even while she is standing, her breasts are resting in the water, thwarting the small water flow. There are none of the pesky magical light rays to ruin the fun. Except for once, I wish there were! Her smile not showing any teeth? That''s because she doesn''t have any! Her breasts resting in the water? That''s because they are extremely saggy! She is so goddamn wrinkly too! Yes, this Water Queen is a damn grandma! Does anyone have bleach? It''s for my eyes! I feel both disappointment and slight anger. There go my dreams out the window. Can I cry? It is time for manly tears. I feel like a man that received a visit from his favorite gravure idol for his birthdayonly to realize that all the photos he had seen were extremely old and had been taken in her youth. "Would you guys want to join me in the pond? It''s veryfortable you know." I can''t remain standing and crying. I take her up on her offer. I quickly undress and step into the hot water. This actually feels great. It reminds me of a better time, of a time where I actually owned a bathtub. A time where my only concern was which anime I''d watch while pondering about what I''d eat for dinner. The hot water is both rxing andforting. I fully submerge myself, feeling the reassuring warmth. I seem to be cutting myself entirely from this world. Simply enjoying the moment and reminiscing. I feel like I used to have a very simple life. I don''t exactly remember much of it but at this point, I don''t care. I emerge at peace,pletely rxed once more. So what if there is a naked grandma in front of me? I can simply look away, it''s not the end of the world, far from it. Just as I have found inner peace, it all crumbles away. All because of something oh so very soft suddenly pressing against my back. On my shoulders, I can feel a delicate touch too. That is when I feel a slightly hot breath in my ear, a crystalline voice asking me. "Master, should I wash your back?" Yes! Oh god yes! It takes me all my self-control to remain calm. I take the best poker face I can and simply reply. [You can do so indeed.] It is a good thing my lower half ispletely submerged and that there is so much steam or I can feel her soft hands carefully caressing every sore muscle. Well, not that I really have any because of divine energy. Still, my physical body may not require it, but it is nourishment for the soul. I simply close my eyes and enjoy the moment. This ce is great. So great. I can hear the Water Queen''s melodious voice. "Make sure you knead all the stress there is everywhere. What about you, Naked Emperor? Should I get someone to tend to your needs too?" "Hmm, rather than a massage I want to talk about something important with you." "Sure, I''m all ears." "You see, after carefully taking notice of the surroundings of this city I have found a major issue that requires to be tackled." "Ah? Seriously? What is it? I''ll try my best to" I have my eyes closed but I know he is taking a grave and serious expression. I am sure of it simply from the time we have spent together. I don''t even bother looking, I keep enjoying my disciple''s ministrations. I''m sure he''ll say something stupid again. "The people of this city are wearing clothes! This is uneptable!" "" "" [.] Yep, fucking knew it. "We need to quickly establish a ban on every possible article of clothing that could hide one''s body! We need to do it as soon as possible too!" "T-that, I can get you a few maids to serve you in whatever outfit you choose- orck of." "No! This is not about me! This is about the salvation of the people here! It is about something fundamental and way bigger than any of us, it is all about principles!" I slightly open an eye and can''t help but chuckle as I see her bafflement, how at a loss she is, and even a trace of annoyance. "Thatit is out of my power to do such a thing. There are 5 of us taking the decisions for this sect. I alone cannot do anything about it!" I''m pretty sure that for once she is d about it. Seems convenient that she is simply helpless. Well, I do understand her. Could you imagine all the bacsh she''d get for trying to pass such an order? Losing one''s clothes in public is considered extremely shameful. There is no proud mage out there that will ept to bear such humiliation. "I seethen let me talk to them! This Naked Emperor will not give up so easily! I simply need to convince 4 of them and everything will be alright! I got this!" He swaggers out of the bath proudly shaking his junk. Not bothering about anyone looking. That is when our host intervenes. She gestures with her hand and a small water elemental appears. It starts floating away. "It will guide you to the nearest head mage, one of the decision-makers. The convincing will be up to you. Good luck." "Haha, perfect! Fear not! This naked Emperor is extremely persuasive!" He quickly leaves the ce without even looking back. That is when I notice my host''s smile. A very yful andscivious smile. "Now, that we are alone. How about we have this disciple of yours switch to another kind of massage? One that will be very, very tender andfortable. Don''t worry, I''ll guide her every step of the way..." This sounds like heavenly music to my ears. That is when... Chapter 450: Scheming Chapter 450: Scheming ****(POV) I have just escorted this new "master" of mine toward the room where he will rest for the night. Then I make my way downstairs to have a word with that olddy. Why in the Water Goddess''s name did she make me do all this stuff! I feel like vomiting, my jaw hurts, there is this weird smell sticking to my body, but most especially I''m pissed. Was all of this ridiculous y even necessary?! Why couldn''t I simply give him a normal massage?! Hell, I''ve already been sweet-talking him perfectly! Every smile of mine, every blush, every meek- "master"! I was doing just fine without her intervention! Annoying granny! I still remember that old bat''s encouraging gestures. Every time I simply wanted to shout at her: would you give it a goddamn rest already! But no! She was very enthusiastic about it all! Part of me felt like quitting while stamping my feet, part of me simply wanted to murder the old bag, but an even bigger part of me realized that I still need her. I head to her room and there she is,fortably and elegantly sipping tea. What''s with that cool andposed position?! I remember perfectly how depraved she seemed not long ago, and I had to follow her outrageous instructions! Who''s the one that even proposed that I.?! *Sigh* What is done is done. "Old thing, are you crazy!? Why couldn''t you simply shut your trap?!" She nces at me coldly. I can see the still fury in her eyes. "Oh? Are you questioning my decisions?!" But for once I do not care about it at all. "Yes, I am! What was the point of it all! Fucking tell me! I''m done! You were simply watching on the damn sidelines with that irritating smile of yours! I''m the one that had to satisfy that dumbass! Me! Not you! Now start exining before I lose my temper!" She recoils for a second and then she smiles slightly. "Guess you are growing up haha. Finally standing up to me. Alright, this was abrupt but there was a reason for me to do that you know. But before that tell me, what is your impression of them?" I take a second topose my thoughts. "The naked one is crazy and probably extremely easy to fool. The other seems pretty stupid, boring, has no sense of direction whatsoever, isn''t especially guarded, only has being resistant going for him and is foolish." After all, my team of rank 3 mages all died to their own magic! All of them except that one possessed! These two never showed a single strong ability! "Only being resistant you say? That''s where you are mistaken. You saw the happenings at the city gates, didn''t you?" "What of it?" "Then you do remember when he ced his hand in the water barrier, right?" "Yes?" "Then you also remember that as one of the Head-mages I can remotely control it?" "Of course, just get to the point!" "Back then, I increased the water flow to the maximum. The current was so strong that it would have shredded a rank 4 easily, yet he simply remained in there. Let''s assume he was only "resistant" as you say. Do you think he could have remained standing in ce?" "Ah?! You mean he was fighting the current?!" "Indeed. Just from this, we know he has insane destructive power. A power strong enough to annihte our entire sect on a whim simply by repeatedly iling his arms around like an idiot. Can you picture such a scene?" Can I? Of course! But how is this possible there is no way that should be possible! "How-?!" "Have you ever heard of body cultivators? They are strange warriors that only train their bodies and nothing else. Their favored method of fighting is to take on any and all attacks, get close to their opponents, and p them to death." "Then he''sno, they are" "No, I think the other one is a Law cultivator. These guys can be extremely strong but also ridiculously easy to figure out. All that one cares about is rendering people naked. We can use that to our advantage." "How?!" "Well, for instance, there is an easy way to ovee him. You dress him and he loses all his power. As long as he isn''t suspicious of us it shouldn''t be too hard, am I right?" "Ah, I see! Then we simply need to somehow take care of that one" "Exactly. Now, do you understand why I had you do all that? Is it even necessary? Perhaps it isn''t. But do you really want to take the chance when failure means us dying? Do you?" I take a moment topose my thoughts. It irks me but she''s right. The enemy is too dangerous. In a straightforward fight, we are bound to lose. All we can do is bid our time and "Right, so what''s the n now?" "Well, all you need to do is make him at ease. Make sure he trusts you. You want to be the cutest, most nave, and the most alluring disciple he has ever had. You know what I mean by that, right?" Sadly I know it all too well. Ah, this is so DISGUSTING! But then I can''t help but think of our grand goal. First, we''ll dominate the sect and then the world...or at the very least the continent. Right now is a good time too. Many sects are bound to have lost lots of ground thanks to the beast tide. We can simply swoop in and finish them all to acquire whatever wealth and treasures they have. "Right, you never mentioned how exactly the mission went. Well, badly I''m guessing since you are the only one that came backand that man''s body too I guess." I start exining everything that happened in detail. The old woman is especially interested in how I met them, how they fought and how it all came to an end. "At least you survived, that is all that matters. Still, this is weird. ording to the archives, there were supposed to be powers beyond human understanding in there. Either the records were wrong or..." "Or they died or escaped before I found them?!" "Exactly. I simply hope it''s the former. Still, at least we''ll be getting two new death warriors soon. For anyone else, they wouldn''t be that useful, but for us mages, a solid vanguard is especially important." "Indeed! As long as they hold the front in a war we''ll be able to win any confrontation!" "Yes, exactly. So there may be others like them outside, perhaps some even stronger, but at least we lucked out onpatibility haha." "I guess. Alright, hurry up with the next part of the n old woman!" "Hehe, don''t worry. I''ve got everything under control. Soon they''ll both be our ves." As I exit, I can hear her creepyugh. It will all pay off soon. I simply need to be a little more patient. Just a little more... Chapter 451: Life is Great Chapter 451: Life is Great Oh god. Not long ago my heart was beating full speed while imagining the scenery hiding behind the fog. Let''s just say what happened thereafter almost made it explode! Of course, I''m fine, physically that is. Mentally I''m still totally shocked. Let''s just say the white mist wasn''t enough to hide the youthful figure that stood, then knelt in front of me. On her skin, I could see pearls of condensed water slowly trickling, giving her an enchanting glow. It kept sliding down toward her twin peaks where it dripped back in the pond sending ripples through it. Then the old grandma started guiding her, very thoughtfully. In another world that grandma would have clearly been a popr pornstar, yes even at her advanced age! That''s how godlike her teachings were! A "massage" is all that happened but let''s just say I still can''t focus on sleeping right now. At first, I was a bit reluctant, but then they told me something shocking and "attacked" while I was lost in thoughts. After that, it just felt sofortable that I didn''t want it to end. Somehow it seems like the warring has been going on for more than 2 years already. It means I''ve spent that much time in that other cockroach realm! Ah, or was it the void? That exins why it felt so long! I''m kinda worried about a few points. Are my few friends still well? ording to my host, there are skirmishes everywhere all the time, a sect or another gets taken out every other day, but the bigger yers are still biding their time. Another point, how long is the lifespan of a Wolf? I''m pretty sure it''s rtively long but I''m no expert. I just hope Wolfie is still fine. Who knows maybe she''ll be way bigger? I still remember that rank 4 giant wolf king, the ck one with lightning. Now that I think about it, I never saw it fight, kind of a waste really. This also means she''s probably been eating carrot soup for 2 years haha. How overjoyed will she be when I finallye back? I''ll cook some barbecue and she''ll disdainfully topple over a bowl of soup symbolically or something haha. So right now I''m not exactly sure how to proceed. I keep thinking about the very recent past that felt so damn good and my goals for the future. I''ll take it slow as I usually do, I''ll rely on my disciple too. We kinda started on the wrong foot, but all she wants is someone to help her train. While I can''t do anything directly, I''m sure I can give a few half-decent ideas if I really think about it. They say having a fresh perspective on things can be helpful. Well, she''s trying hard (real hard) to make sure I forgive her for attacking us in the first ce. I always thought it was bullshit of protagonists to suddenly forgive a female enemy and all. After what happened in the bath, I kinda changed my mind a bit. Ah, but notpletely. Had she caused actual damage I would be the first one to nail her alive on a wall or something. These guys have water mages. I wonder if they have other branches elsewhere. What if they can use water elementals for information gathering? If I want this to be efficient, I need to convince the people in power here to use all their resources for my purpose. There are 5 Head-mages and one is already an ally. Now I wonder, is there political tension here? Did befriending one instantly sour my rtions with the others? I hope not. Now, I should probably offer tangible benefits if I want them to help me. What if I showed my worth as a warrior? I may not be that strong overall, but I can take a beating for sure. Such a thing should be very valuable for mages, vanguard and all. I could also offer to cook for them, but my specialty is poisoned piesnot the best for either consumption or offense. As for poison itself, I doubt they would be happy to buy aphrodisiac either. It is hard to use against most enemies. The only reason it seeded back in Eaglevein is that I used a LOT of it, that sect was also unguarded while meditating and it was kind of their counter. Anyone experienced would simply rub one out real quick and it would fix the issue. It just so happened that doing so meant losing all of their power for my victims. I also have my illusion magic. I could use it into enemy lines to cause confusion, but I''m not sure I want to use that as a bargaining chip. From what I''ve been told by Gran, rest her soul, it looks very abominable. What if they ask for a demonstration and start hating me from the weird aggro effect after seeing it? I could totally see that happen! What else can I do? Ah! I have a scouting ability! I could tell them about that. The only concern is would they be guarded against me for that too? No one enjoys another having the power to peep on them secretly. Well, it''s annoying to use, migraine-inducing and takes lots of effort. Right now I could use such an ability to spy on my disciple. She should be easy to find as she just left after showing me my room, but I feel like it would be wrong haha. I guess I''ll just stick with the first option. It is simple, reliable, and will make me look powerful too. Plus, I''ve already kinda proven this ability of mine both on the mountain and by putting my hand in the barrier. Yep, this sounds like a good n. Now, I''m just wondering how my nakedpanion is doing in his quest. Was he already turned away by everyone? Is he now sleeping somewhere in a ditch? Meanwhile, I''m here in this luxurious room. The bed is soft, the room looks regal with walls sculpted carefully to depict a wondrous river mosaic, there is even a tiny stream with bonsai-looking ntszily running through the room giving it a magical forest vibe. For once it''s nice to be valued. I''m not that one guy that is disdained as too lowly to be a champion, or that one guy that isn''t epted as a hunter, or that one guy that has no talent in taming, or. Ifortably nestle myself in my soft duvet and slowly drift into sleep while being d of how lucky I am. I feel in security, I feel loved, I feel awesome, I *Yawn* Zzzz Chapter 452: The Naked Emperor (1/5) Chapter 452: The Naked Emperor (1/5) (A/N These 5 chapters are meant for you to read all at once ^_^v) ****(POV) Long ago I used to be the very definition of a normal man. I was both lucky and unlucky. On one hand, I had been born into the royalty of the strongest nation in all thend, on the other, I was born a defect. On my back was the mark of a curse from an old, defeated enemy, a ckish shapeless mark that simply seemed out of ce on a human body. It was a curse of uselessness. It didn''t sound that bad, but it was. It condemned me to remain a weakling all my life. The only upside was that I looked like any other human being once it was covered by clothes As a young prince, I had the best environment possible to grow up. I had plenty of resources to speed up my training, had ess to the best mystic grounds possible, had the best teachers, and almost had a loving family, at least in my early years. It is only when I reached 10 years of age that the pcepletely gave up on me. I had many brothers and sisters, each awakening a power stronger than thest. They had talent beyond measure, were cunning, valiant, and everything else. I was different. No matter how much I trained or what kind of magical elixir I consumed I remained weak. I was showing no sign of progress whatsoever. I wasn''t averse to hard work, no the real issue was that it was all useless. Even body cultivation, something extremely simple, didn''t work for me. I kept trying for a long time, a very long time. Even as a teenager, I did. My wastrel genius siblings would frequent brothels, gambling houses, Hell would have fun all day long and yet were considered proper human beings unlike me. I lived my whole life in the shadows. Some would have expected that I would quickly be bitter. How many times was I approached by some dumbass trying to make a traitor out of me? Too many to count! I didn''t resent my family. I knew it, I was weak. There was a limit to how much a normal human could enhance his lifespan. I would die shortly, a few centuriester at best. There was no point for them to get close to me for my whole existence would be but a tiny stain in their lives. At first, my mother was very loving, same for my siblings. Some would show up from time to time with some ancient cultivation technique, or a manual about a weird Law. Every time I would try my best, but ultimately, I would always fail. It seemed as if my very existence was pointless. Eventually, they all stopped trying and gave up. I slowly became part of the dcor. I was the young prince that would wander the pce and the capital as a ghost. I was a very low-maintenance ghost too haha. I mostly spent my time reading, anything really. I knew my own life would never have a meaning, but I was trying to feel some through the experiences of others. I would also walk, all around. I would silently observe the world. I would observe themon folks. Their aspirations, their lives, their struggles. In these moments I would feel alive. I was never attacked, kidnapped, or anything of the likes. The pce wouldn''t have cared about saving me and would only have avenged me post-mortem. It would have been a suicidal endeavor. Furthermore, the pce''s defenses were top-notch. No mind-control spell over me would have remained undetected. As for ckmail, what would they even ckmail me with? I had nothing going for me nor anything to hide. The only card they could motivate me with was taking my family hostage. Good luck with that! My incredibly powerful siblings? My father that was the strongest in thend? My mother that was even more fearsome? Ah, what a joke! Many times I actually got injured. It was always by ident. Often, I got beaten by kids that had trouble controlling their strength and didn''t realize how weak I was. But every time I would drag my broken body back to the pce for a quick fix before going out again. Some started calling me the frail prince, others the prince with a death wish, the cripple, the crazy ghost, I got lots of nicknames over the years. But all of these would quickly die down. There was no fun when I myself acknowledged it with a slight smile. So that is all I did, I read and walked. In the process, I learned a lot about the world. For instance, I learned about the true nature of "all thends". We were but a continent, one amongst many. I learned about governance, learned about managing currency, and learned tidbits from everywhere about everything. It was never my intention, and it was mostly useless stuff. After all when a punch can annihte any dissident, what is the point of learning about all this? Many things I never learned about. Anything that actively required to use mana I stayed away. Well, I''d keep trying to find a new source of power from time to time, but I was wasting my time. I simply thought these days wouldst. I would eventually be a real ghost, and no one would actually notice my disappearance. It was fine. I did regret it, I did wonder about what could have been often. Somehow, I never resented, however. I''m still not sure how I managed to have such a positive outlook on life then. But of course, it all came to an end. We were overlords of the continent. Yes, the continent. A very normal and boring story. The kind that gets plenty of epics. Came extremely powerful invaders, five men, that appeared akin to monsters to us. They were impossibly strong. These five destroyed our capital and overturned the pce. It was a very pointless conquest too. They had actually died during the fight. The five invaders were no more, the royal family got obliterated too. This crazy y only brought destruction and sorrow to both sides. I was sad, but I picked myself up. Then next... Chapter 453: The Naked Emperor (2/5) Chapter 453: The Naked Emperor (2/5) ****(POV) This fight only brought destruction and sorrow on both sides. The whole continent was in a state of unrest. One would have expected wars for supremacy to take ce. None of that happened. As dying words, one invader had left an omen. More of them woulde. More of the insanely powerful beings that had destroyed all of this continent''s military might with only a handful of them. In fact, not only did people not fight for supremacy but many kings even suddenly retired to the countryside and yed the simple farmers. It was all a colossal joke. Their hope was that the new rulers, the soon-toe invaders, wouldn''t touch the subservient poption. The previous kings would be happy with living the life of slightly wealthy merchants from then onward with all dreams of power forgotten. For once in our history, there was no bloody battle for the throne. Actually, it was even the opposite. No one whatsoever wanted to paint such a big target on their back. That''s when they remembered the existence of this lowly ghost. I had been ignored because I was bound to die from my short lifespan. Yet I had outlived all the others. Pretty ironic, right? It hadn''t even been my intention. Then came a period of peace. I rose to the throne as a scapegoat. It was a cold empty and ufortable throne. I truly abhorred it, but I figured I might as well fill it. Still, everyone obeyed my orders for they didn''t know if any of these powerful beings were observing using magical means or when they would invade. I had absolute power over them, and they showed me absolute loyalty, but it was just a y. A ridiculous and useless y. I felt I had nothing better to do so I started implementing new policies. I made sure that plenty of food was avable for everyone, created ample shelters, reduced the work hours of pretty much everyone, increased the training resources offered to the public too. I opened schools to disseminate all of the knowledge umted in the royal library across thend freely for everyone. Experts started appearing like cabbages. The incredible medicines we had? I diluted them to save millions instead of a few wealthy and powerful individuals. From all the youths saved came even more experts. The old ancestral training grounds of the royal family? I turned all of them into parks. Everyone was free to ess it as long as they worked to make the city better. For that, I created a special point system. At that point, there was no distinction between civilians and experts. In fact, at that point, I was pretty much the only weakling on the continent. All these policies were not wise nor especially thought through. It was nothing big, I was simply bored. I didn''t know what I was doing, nor did I care about screwing up. So what if someone overthrew my reign after all that bullshit? Every other day I''d ask the servant in charge of sweeping if he didn''t want to be an emperor. He didn''t believe me when I said I knew that he was qualified by the amazing way he handled the broom. Somehow, just like that, decades passed. The popce slowly forgot about the omen of destruction, forgot about the invaders. From time to time some warlord from somewhere would try to use me as a puppet to govern. It was always some power-hungry new guy that didn''t know much about history. I actually got overthrown a few times. Every time they would beg me to take the crown again in tears a few dayster. Why? Well, that damn servant of mine was a bbermouth and kept telling them of the heavy catastrophe they''d have to face. So I''d lose power and regain it instantly, a power I didn''t even want. At some point, the citizens were so used to it that no one ever showed up to the neers crowning ceremonies. They knew I''d be back tomorrow, or the day after. Once, a tyrant tried to force people to attend his coronation ceremony. He and his men got ughtered by a few civilians. Even with the spreading of knowledge everywhere, the pce grounds were still the best ce to train so they were stronger. Sometimes I would add a crazy reform on a whim. Everyone would simply go along with it. Eventually, they started calling me an omniscient ruler. I had no clue what I was doing really, I was simply applying a few of the things I had coincidentally read about. I was simply waiting for time to pass. I was simply waiting for the end, for the invaders toe back. What about making preparations against them? I had done all I could already. - I had created as many powerhouses as the continent could amodate. - I couldn''t grow my personal power - Begging the gods was useless too At first, the gods had considered this continent kind of a hot potato without much potential. Most churches had slowly faded away. No blessings, no believers. Then there was another issue. Gods are especially good at making one champion. To choose the most powerful guy and make him into even more of a monster. On this continent, everyone was moderately powerful. When everyone is powerful, no one is really haha. Finding a good champion candidate was rtively hard. For the gods, splitting their power wouldn''t work. So in summary, the power of the continent itself was pretty much optimal given the low resources on it. It was simply that the individual power was sorelycking. Since the gods didn''t like the ce at least there was way less mindless bloodshed caused by lunatic deities. So I simply waited for death. After a long time, they came. Well, they weren''t as powerful as we expected. Came a bunch of merchants, or at least they called themselves merchants, but they were bandits. They were powerful. Powerful enough to kill, arson, steal and flee while cackling easily. They simply didn''t have the power to fight the whole city. They had been teleported on this continent by mistake, somehow. They swaggered in the pce like conquerors and demanded I have my queen attend to their needs, all twenty of them at the same time. They were extremely perplexed once they learned that I had none. Of course, my servant had to open his mouth... Chapter 454: The Naked Emperor (3/5) Chapter 454: The Naked Emperor (3/5) ****(POV) The bandits were perplexed to learn that I had no Queen. They asked about who I spent my days with. Which concubine or which whore. That is when my bbermouth servant raised his hand shyly. He told them that I would sit on my throne reading and that he''d sweep the grounds, so technically I spent my days with him. They clearly had no interest in a poor servant wearing rags. Both his bum and head survived the encounter, luckily. Then they asked for me to guide them to the treasury. I asked the servant to guide us there. I didn''t even remember the way. We arrived at a small room that contained a few snacks. That was our current treasury. They then angrily shouted to stop messing around, so the servant brought us to the old treasury. It was gigantic and even the walls themselves spoke of opulence. It was especially noticeable since it waspletely empty. They couldn''t believe their eyes. The ce had obviously been fully stacked with treasures in the past, but now it looked extremely pitiful. I simply shrugged telling them I didn''t really care about any of that. I told them that if they had any other simr request, they should probably ask the servant. Then they said I was boring and that I should let them rule. I rose up and left while they wereughing in the back. The next day there was a crowning ceremony. I was the only one that attended, I was bored after all. They couldn''t believe it. All the citizens were ignoring them. They wondered what magic had been used. I simply told them that I had been overthrown so many times over the years, people were used to it. I suggested they add some singing and dancing, perhaps even alcohol. That would probably motivate them toe. Ah, but then again many were probably too busy training to care about such mundane things. They got angry. They grabbed a bystander violently and started shouting that they''d kill the emperor. The civilian seemed confused at first, he asked which emperor they were talking about. They pointed at me. The civilian then shouted: "You''re still alive?! Oh, have a peaceful time in the afterlife." At that point, I was actually pretty popr with the popce, but they had seen my life being threatened so many times that they were used to it. Was there even a point to making a fuss about it? Many were even thinking of jokes for the next time it would happen. My favorite probably was: "What, you want to kill the emperor? That''s great! I actually know a gravedigger!" Or perhaps it wasn''t a joke? Not that it mattered. The bandits almost turned insane. One simply suggested that they should start plundering the city directly. Still, they somehow had the presence of mind not to do that. They seemed to realize how weird the situation was. No matter what they did, no matter how much mana they emitted no one batted an eye. No one ever got scared by their show of power. There was obviously cold sweat trickling down their backs as they thought about the implications. They got scared over nothing really, for they did have the power to cause lots of damage. Still, it was true that if they went overboard and angered everyone they would certainly die. In a very tense atmosphere, they finally took a decision that would change their life and mine. They decided to organize an event. Instead of saying that it was their coronation ceremony, they sent word that I was the one requesting everyone''s presence. They almost went insane when a few hourster the giant central za was filled to the brim. On the ground there were people. On the roofs, there were people. Ondders leading to said roofs were people. On the shoulders of the others ...there were people too! There were more citizens than sand grains on a beach. All were awaiting my speech. The difference was like Heaven and Earth. The bandits started shouting about how they would be the new rulers from now on. They wanted people to bow to them but were ignored. They went on and on about how strong they were, showcasing their aurasignored. The citizens didn''t care, they didn''t even bother answering. They simply kept looking my way. They had gathered because of me after all. The bandits felt alienated from being ignored. They felt as if the whole world was going crazy. They started shouting asking the people if they were blind. The old bbermouth servant told them that they all had eyes, but that so many had done the same thing that they were all numb to it. That is when one bandit startedughing out loud, a raucous and gratingugh. He boldly dered that he knew about a thing they hadn''t seen for sure. That was the spectacle of my head falling off my shoulders. He triumphantly dered that, yet there was no reaction. The servant politely informed him that people already considered me dead, that I too considered myself dead, that it was already a given finality. He did add ttery to it too. Heplimented their courage, killing me was the same as dering war on the whole continent he said. The bandit shouted about how risible that im was. Some spectators agreed. The bandit was smiling having seen through the servant''s bluff but then he heard the whispers. People had started arguing. Some argued that 90% of the continent would avenge my death, others 95%, and some strong believers 99%. When the bandits heard how serious the citizens sounded, they almost had a heart attack. Who would voluntarily dere war against millions of people, especially simply to kill someone as weak as I? They audible gulped upon imagining the oue. How regretful would such an end be? Every bandit unconsciously took a step away from me as if fearing to damage me by mistake. They kept shivering for a few seconds before one of them finally had a genius idea. Well, what he considered one actually. He figured out that if they couldn''t kill me that they could at the very least ridicule mepletely. The idea was for me to lose the faith of the people. The only issue is that I had never asked for it. Most emperors ruled by appearing glorious. They would invent lies about how they were heaven-chosen or something. They''d use power and fear to rule. They would also use bribes, secret techniques, and everything like that. I had nothing of that. I was that one guy sitting on the throne because no one else wanted to. What would ridiculing me aplish? Nothing at all. Still, they did the mistake of trying... Chapter 455: The Naked Emperor (4/5) Chapter 455: The Naked Emperor (4/5) ****(POV) Still, they made the mistake of trying. He told me to undress and to parade on the stage showing them all how powerless I was. He told me that''d he''d kill my servant if I didn''tply. I simply started undressing, right there. Was this supposed to be something significant? I had undressed plenty of time in my life. Every time I took a bath, I undressed. Whenever I changed my clothes, I undressed. A few times at the brothel I had undressed too, I was no saint after all. So in front of all the people that had assembled to see me, I undressed. The bandits expected me to cower in shame. They expected me to beg them for mercy. They expected a lot but were bound to be disappointed. I undressed and simply smiled at the people there, making eye contact with many. People weren''t disturbed by it either. Most simply kept the eye contact going for as long as they could. Most were smiling helplessly. After all, the main reason I had worn lots of clothes all my life was mainly to protect the eyes of others from the ugly curse on my back. At this moment I simply did not care, whatever happened happened. That is when one madman started cheering while shouting loudly, "Please have my baby!" Instantly, the somewhat weird atmosphere became one filled withughter. It was nowhere near the tense atmosphere that the bandits were expecting, far from it. It had all backfired on them. Instead, all these people were simply epting me. I never intended to, but in that instant, I was their emperor. I would also keep this title no matter what. It wouldn''t change even if I were to die right now. Everyoneing after me would only ever be a fake and nothing more. In that very instant, I understood many things. It all came from the fervent way they were looking at me. I could feel it, I could feel them. All of them. Not just the ones that I could physically see, all of them. All the ones that believed in me. All my life I had been rejected. I was the ugly duckling that was simply ignoredpletely in the pce. Outside of it, I was the poor prince that was abandoned by his own family. Thinking back to itI was never bullied, I was never attacked, I was never kidnapped. My memory somehow got jogged at this very moment. Many memories, memories I didn''t even know I had. There are many things that our brain perceives. There is the conscious and the unconscious. How much of what we actually see and hear do we really notice or understand? It all came back crashing. I was the unloved prince? No, they had always loved me. How many times did someone try to assassinate me only to get instantly killed? Many times my siblings had helped me without me realizing it, but it wasn''t just that. How many times had citizens actually stepped out to help me? Thousands of times! I had not even noticed a single one, why? Because they made sure I didn''t. They didn''t want me to feel ashamed of my helplessness. What about all the guys wanting to turn me into a traitor? How had they reached me? People believed in my character so much that they never had a doubt that I''d waver. I even had protectors assigned to me, never noticing their existence. They had all died in the catastrophe, all except that right-hand man of my father. A man that I had only met once formally in this life of mine: when I was just a newborn. All these buried memories came back as a flood at a crazy pace. This old bigshot of the pce actually had a face I recognized. I had seen him simply sweeping a lot in thest years, as a normal servant. The family that had disdained me? It wasn''t because they disliked me or even feared getting attached. It was because there had been a prophecy announcing the fall of the royal family. They had preferred to keep their distances to give me a chance at life. I saw the tears of joy of my family at my birth. Then the tears of sorrow once they discovered my condition. How they all tried to fight against destiny itself to allow me to grow stronger too, ultimately failingor had they? I saw the day my mother stopped visiting me when I was 10. I saw the scene of her leaving calmly facing away from me. Except that this time I also noticed the subtle glistening pearls of waters left in her wake, salty ones for sure. I had lived all my life as in a never-ending dream, trying to live the life of others without realizing how lucky I was. The times I had been injured? Mostly some kids trying to get close to their idol. They wanted to see the powerless prince that still worked hard, that studied daily to better himself, that was kind to everyone. I could see the many times I had shown kids how to write. They''d often ask me to write my name as an example. Every time they''d leave carrying the paper as if a treasure. Back then I simply deplored the low education level, but I now realized they simply wanted my autograph. What about all the nicknames? I had heard many over the years, enough for a very long list. I could remember the scenes of my life where I''d hear people talk about my siblings. How amazing, valiant, kind, and all they were. I finally understood that many of thesepliments were actually about me. The people had always loved me, I simply had failed to realize it. I simply had some sort of tunnel vision that had hidden the very reality from me. Thenter on I became their ruler. It wasn''t simply because there was no one to take the throne. There had been fools that didn''t mind that the apocalypse wasing. These fools simply wanted to have some fun before the end. There had been pure tyrants that had tried ascending to power. These guys had never actually reached me. I simply had never noticed. They had always been stopped by the popce directly, killed mercilessly. The only ones that had ever reached me were the more peace-loving ones. The ones that were open to a dialogue. The ones the simply wanted me to abdicate the throne without hurting me. But every time they''de to beg me to take the throne again. Right. after talking with the simple servant all night. The servant that was a powerhouse ying the fool. I also remembered how respectful they had been of that simple servant afterward. This... Chapter 456: The Naked Emperor (5/5) Chapter 456: The Naked Emperor (5/5) ****(POV) This... There had been so many clues. All had been at the edge of my perception. All things I was somehow remembering now. When I started taking action to make everyone''s lives better, my people became even more zealous. But they weren''t vocal about it at all. They had been extremely low-key. I loved to simply walk around the city, and they treated me as one of them. Apparently, they thought I was shy for some reason. There had been lots of misunderstandings between us it seemed. I truly had been putting a barrier between me and the world all this time. I had been looking at it all through tinted sses. All this time I had been a blind fool, really. Now, why was I suddenly understanding all this? Well, it was all part of the process. In that single instant, I could feel all that energy, the one stemming from their boundless trust in me. For the first time in my life, I was unashamed of who I was. For once there was no barrier between me and my people. At that moment the servant was nodding at me while smiling, he had felt my change too. Perhaps I needed to call him by his title of suprememander of the continent''s armies For once, I truly felt alive. I could feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. I could feel the slight breeze. I could hear the cheers, truly hear them for the first time. They were my people. Before them, I stood naked, just a man. Simply a man, nothing else. I could also feel newfound power coursing through my body. I had learned so many secret scriptures in this life of mine. So many that I had lost count. There simply was one that was extremely suited for such a moment, one that had activated by itself. Unknowingly, I had done everything to learn the Naked Divine Scripture. I had understood a profound Law of the universe. At first, it seemed simple, but it wasn''t. It wasn''t simply about being naked. It was about being open and truly honest. To be honest with oneself, honest with others, and honest with the world itself. This power-up seemed like a miracle at first nce, but I knew it was simply the culmination of it all. It was because of all the elixirs I had consumed, the faith of my people, and my own understanding of a Law. Everything had lined up for this very moment. Somehow, my fate had somehow changed from the one of the royal family. I couldn''t help but think that their bet had somehow paid off. At that very moment, I stopped being the powerless Prince waiting to die. That is when I became the Naked emperor, the one and only. It is also when the bandits felt that something was wrong somehow. But it was toote already. As they went mad and attacked me I simply grabbed and crushed their treasure swords with my bare hands. Then, I simply killed the twenty of them. I did it as easily as ughtering chickens. There was a long silence, then thundering and incredulous cheers. My people had no idea what had happened, but they could feel that something was different about me. Since it seemed like a blessing, they didn''t question it. I could hear them thanking the Heaven, to which I simply answer" Screw the Heavens!" That somehow sent them allughing. Afterwardwell I simply returned to my cold ufortable throne, except it suddenly didn''t feel as cold or as ufortable. There was a whole month of celebration, but that was only because I told them to make it short. For once, I was happy. I was ready to face our opponents, I was ready to protect my people. I was ready for it all, or so I thought. Turns out I wasn''t ready at all. The apocalypse soon happened. The very fabric of reality itself gotpromised. The mana, the profound energy, and the little divine energy there still was all started gushing out of the Earth realm directly into oblivion. This forced all the true powerhouses at the time to go into exile or perish. That included me with my newfound power. I carefully designed a n to bypass this restriction. It would have allowed me to remain with my people but then the God of Order learned of it. All my nning instantly went to shit. I had to fight the avatar of the damn God of Order. He was going to kill me too, but I figured out something. I separated my soul into three parts and sent two far away with random teleportation. To truly kill me he''d need to destroy all three parts at once. That would have been easy in normal circumstances for him, but reality itself was shattering. He had to hurry up before he himself disappearedpletely. Because of theck of time he only could seal me. I thought my two other soul-fragments would be fine and coulde back afterward to unseal my main body but there was a hup. As the God of Order was leaving this world something happened, he faced an old enemy of his. Since he was going to die anyway, he figured out he may as well go out with a bang. That asshole literally cast a seal on the entire Earth realm using hisst breath. That made it so I had a main body and two soul fragments, but all of them sealed. The more it went and the more my own existence was about to get reduced to nothingness. There is only so long I can survive in such a state. But then I got lucky. A fragment of mine recently got freed. How long will it take for it to find me, I ignore. Will it even manage to? What if it gets destroyed before? I can only hope for the best. Still, I can feel it. It is spreading thew of nakedness right about now, or trying to at least. As long as this soul fragment manages to spread these teaching it should power up real fast. I only have one worry. I''m not sure if I properly transmitted theplete inheritance to it. After all, it was created in a rush. Well, I''ll know soon enough I guess. **** Somewhere in a city with lots of water, a naked fool is going around angering people by asking them vehemently to abolish clothes! Chapter 457: Whats with these Head-Mages?! Chapter 457: What''s with these Head-Mages?! As I open my eyes, I am greeted by the peaceful dcor of the gorgeous room I am in. That is when I hear some faint knocks on my door, a moment before my disciple pushes it open. In her arms, she is carrying a nice silver tray with bread and berries on it. There is even one kind that seems to be glowing blue while emanating a faint halo. "Master, these are Aqua''s Tears. Legends say that a long time ago our ancestors were lost sheep wandering thend without a purpose whatsoever. They were weak, they were always running for their lives and they were in a constant state of despair." [Seems like a lot has changed since then.] "Haha, of course. Their fate changed the moment they met Aqua. She took pity upon them and gave them her blessings. To quench their thirst she gave them water, to satisfy their hunger she gave them magic berries, and to protect them she gave them the gift of magic. Ever since we''ve perpetuated her teachings and slowly developed the city into what it is nowadays." [A nice tale. Ah, but does anyone know how the gods even came into existence in the first ce? They canmunicate with their believers even while in the god realm but how did they get believers in the first ce?] "Master, I''m afraid my knowledge is sorelycking for such a profound question. I apologize." [No need, I was just casually asking.] That is when she gentlyy the tray on a nearby desk, then prepares to retreat. [Do you want to eat together?] Was that a weird thing to ask? Now that I think about it, I''m not used to eating alone, well not anymore. Before I didn''t care that much, but after experiencing the warmth of sharing a good meal with people I care about it''s hard to go back to loneliness. "Of course, master!" As she says that she is smiling, grandly disying all her teeth. I can see the genuine joy in her eyes. I cannot me her for I am very handsome after all. [Anyway, what''s the n for today?] "You are free to roam all across the city. Personally, I rmend you try and be acquainted with the other Head-mages. I''ll give you a map on how to reach all of their dwellings." [Dwellings? Not normal houses?] "Yes and no. All look like normal houses on the outside but the inside can be very different. For instance, half the property here is one big hot spring." Honestly, that sounds like an absolute win to me. Especially remembering what happened in it [Alright, let''s head there once we are done eating. This is pretty good by the way, very sweet.] "ThatI think it would be better for me to stay here, master. Otherwise, maybe they''ll think that you are in our faction with me there to watch you." She''s clearly very regretful about it. [Nonsense! Wherever I go my disciple can go too! This is non-negotiable!] "Thatalright." Just like that, it''s settled! Soon we are exiting the premises. That is when we stumble upon my self-proimed emperor friend. For some reason he seems down, he''s constantly sighing. [Anything troubling you?] "*Sigh* It''s the people in this city. I''ve tried to enlighten them, but they refuse salvation." Of course! What do you do when yourpanion is sulking alone on the roadside? Well, we leave him there and advance toward our first destination. It turns out to be a castle the size of a house. It seems pretty impractical. The walls seem very thick and there probably isn''t that much room inside. Before long, I''m knocking on our first target''s door. [Hello, I''m looking for the Water Empress!] That is whenes a mature-sounding voice from inside. "She''s not there! She has left to tend to some matters." [Where did she go? When will shee back?] "I do not know. I am merely a humble servant here and" "Master, that''s the voice of the Water Empress." "Screw you! *Cough cough* I mean, no way! I am just a servant! [Surely a servant wouldn''t dare scorn us, right? We came following the rmendation of one of the Head-mages after all.] There is a moment of silence, then some weird noise behind the door, finally it slowly opens. In front of us is a woman wearing heavy makeup. She chuckles lowly while seemingly showing off her features. "See? I''m in no way like the Water Empress!" [What about the super expensive-looking jewelry you are wearing?] "Thatthese are fakes haha-hahaha!" [You do realize that makeup can be easily washed away, right? I literally have a water mage right beside me.] "You wouldn''t dare! Otherwise, I''ll call for help and " [Also, you may want to look at your clothes.] She lowers her eyes slowly. On it is written her title in golden letters. "Thatthat is something I borrowed from the Water Empress'' wardrobe while she was away! please don''t tell her!" [Rightso, anyway how about we .] *SLAM!* Did she really just m the door in my face?! For a second, I almost feel like barging in anyway, but I may as well visit the others first. Hopefully one will be understanding. Thus we continue our quest. [Alright, who''s the next one?] "The Water Fairy." [Is there at least a single one that doesn''t have water in her title? We get it you guys use water for your spells!] My disciple simply gives a helpless shrug. The first thing I''ll do once they trust me enough is to push to change such a system, otherwise how boring would conversations be? The new house we reach is one that seems extremely colorful. Outside there are many potted flowers. It fits so well with the overall atmosphere of the building that I''m wondering if they are magical ones. "Yes, these are very precious Blue Lilies. It can serve as a tonic and as medicine. Everyone at some point tried to grow some but few seed. The Fairy is one that is renowned for her green thumb. They say her magical water makes anything grow at an incredulous speed." [So just a rumor?] "No one knows for sure besides herself." [Alright. *Knock Knock* Hello there, I''d like to visit the Water Fairy!] "Sorry, but I really can''t receive any visitor right now!" [Why is that?] "I''m busy nning my birthday party you see. Thank you foring, see youter!" As I nce at my disciple I can see her frowning. [What is it?] "Wellher birthday wasst month" [Hey! Your birthday isn''t anytime soon! Just open up! I just want to talk!] But no matter what, only silence remains. Should I try my luck with thest two? Chapter 458: Stirring Shit! Chapter 458: Stirring Shit! But no matter what, only silence remains. Should I try my luck with thest two? I guess I''ll simply consider this scouting. The next building we visit is actually quite freaky. It is entirely pink. Pink walls, pink roof, pink blinds, pink door, pink doormat, everything! [So, who exactly lives here?] "The Water Princess, master." [Say, do they pick their title, or is it chosen based on their own characteristics?] "Thetter, master." That actually exins a lot. So, they first get a name that represents them well, and then they just p water on it, sounds as simple as boring really. [So, what are we dealing with here?] "As much as I''d like to help, the only thing I truly know about her is that she loves the color pink." Yeah, no kidding. I simply knock and wait. It takes a few tries but eventually someone does answer. "Go away, I''m busy!" [Busy with? I have some things to discuss with you!] "Busy redecorating! Now leave! You are disturbing my Feng shui!" What the Hell? What''s with all of them?! No matter how much I bang or shout she just ignores us. Only one remains. I''m still hoping for a miracle, they can''t all be insane, right? For once, the house is normal. It seems very simr to the one of the Water Queen. I nervously knock. As long as this one is normal I''ll have 2/5 of the mages on my side. A young-looking woman opens the door. She is giving a girl next door vibe. She is the first one that doesn''t try to ignore us too. "Hey, there! You are the one that is living at the Water Queen''s ce, aren''t you? Also that man''s friend, right? What can I do for you?" [It''s like this, I want to discuss information gathering and defense ns in order to be able to easily survive the war. How should we?] "Oh, I don''t mind doing all that but I''ll need you to do something for me really fast." [That being?] She goes back, inside andes back with a cute white dress. I can''t help but wonder why she is giving me this. "If you manage to make that naked-obsessed guy wear this we can talk!" She doesn''t change her kind expression at all! I do think that my naked friend''s obsession is kinda silly for sure. But, he would be traumatized by such a request, not because of the crossdressing but because these are clothes. [I can''t do that, actually, I simply won''t. Pick another condition.] "Then we are done here, have a great day!" She simply closes the door too. "Thatmaster.don''t take it personally, they are simply" [Oh, no. I will take it personally! They want to screw with me? They want to ignore us? Alright, let''s go!] "Where?!" First, I need something big. I use my scouting ability. It takes me a few minutes but I do manage to find what I''m looking for. In one corner of the city, there is a wood transformation industry. I simply swagger there. "Master, why are we here?" [You''ll see haha.] Then I sneak around and pick up an entire heavy wooden log. One guy sees me but I gesture to him to remain quiet and he does. We exit as subtly as one can possibly while carrying such a huge thing. People nce at me weirdly in the streets but I don''t care. At some point, a guard finds me suspicious and approaches, but my disciple convinces him to follow from behind. Soon enough we are back at square one, aka the Water Empress''s ce. [Hello! Are you there?] "I told you I am but a servant that" [You know what? Screw all this. Open the door and we can talk in a civilized manner!] "No way, get lost!" I know for a fact that simple wood works amazingly once buffed with divine energy. It is battering ram time! At that point, I don''t even mind the guard looking at me withplete shock, bite me! [Alright, you give me no choice.] I swing the wooden log with as much momentum as I can! *BANG* *CRASH* The entrance door simply explodes in splinters. That''s when the woman from earlier appears panicked and in shock. "AH?! You?! Why are you destroying my house!" [No worries, you are just a small servant. I''m sure the owner doesn''t mind you not giving your life to defend the property.] "Wait, stop! I''m the Water Empress! I am, just stop! Please!" [Hmm, I don''t know. I don''t really trust this servant. Crazy how she has the balls to im that] "I''m sowwy! It won''t happen again I swear! I won''t try to fool you anymore!" [Good, follow me. We are going to meet the others too.] Soon enough I''m in front of the magnificent flowers. On the way there, my disciple kept nervously looking between me and the Head-Mage. "Master, what''s our n here?" I simply shout toward the colorful building. [If you don''te out I''ll burn this ce with you in it and I''ll definitely burn all of these flowers of yours!] "Master, these are protected by a barrier there is no way that" I simply grab one. In face of divine energy, it proves useless in a direct confrontation. With the flower in my hand, I start ying that one game. You know the one where you remove a petal every time. [She''lle out. No, she won''t. She''lle out, no she won''t. She''ll] "Master, what are you doing?!" [If she doesn''te out I''ll destroy her whole garden. Let''s see how long she''ll keep hiding.] From insidees the voice of the Water Fairy. "You wouldn''t dare!" [Please, I just went to trash that one''s house lol. I''m perfectly capable of destroying one more, this one included. Alright, let''s start this and] "Wait! I''lle out! Just, don''t touch my garden!" [Perfect! Two more to go.] We are now in front of this disgust-inducing pink room. How do I deal with this one? Easy! [If you don''te out I will literally, smear shit on your walls! Let''s see how the Feng shui after all!] We are still ignored. I am a man of action so I locate some farm where animals are being fattened for human consumption. Then, I very politely ask a baffled farmer for lots of fecal matter. I carry it in a wheelbarrow that he lends me. It probably helps that two of the City Head-Mages are right behind me. I see both of them tense while thinking that their punishment wasn''t so hard after allpared to this one. They are also choking a little from the heavy smell for that to use. Now that I''m back, It''s time to stir up shit for real! Chapter 459: MC Unconscious! Chapter 459: MC Unconscious! Now that I''m back, it''s time to stir up shit for real! I am a man on a mission. My target is one called the Water Princess. The sinner has preferred redecorating to actually taking care of important stuff, or that''s her excuse anyway. It seems like she is actively avoiding me. To be fair I''m only pissed because of the fact that all of them decided to ignore me for ridiculous reasons. There is only so much dissing a man should tolerate! Of course, I don''t intend to cause her any harm. I''m just a simple man wanting simple revenge really. No murder, no arson, really nothing big. [Water Princess are you avable now? It''s fine if you aren''t really. Worst case I will simply have to help you out. I have here enough manure to help you redecorate your house for a LONG while! What do you think of this wonderful idea of mine?] Behind me, I can hear the gallery. "Y-you, you''re joking, right?!" "H-how abominable!" That is when my disciple gets angry on my behalf. "We properly tried visiting politely at first! Why did you two let this escte so much?!" Quite funny how she is talking to apparently two strong mages right now. But then again, they act so childishly that I can''t me her for forgetting it. It warms my heart to know that she cares that much about my reputation. *Sigh* [So, what will it be, Water Princess?] Comes a voice full of superiority and disdain, one that shows she doesn''t even remotely consider me her equal. "Go ahead if you dare! I''m not like the two spinless cowards by your side. Go on, ask them!" I''m expecting them to be angry but they both seem slightly intimidated and shamed for some reason. Is she perhaps stronger than them? That would exin a lot. Now, the logical thing to do would simply be to try and make peace...But from her tone, I don''t see this happening. I could also try and avoid her, running away. But somehow, she''s really annoying me for from reason. If I really start a war with her, it could quickly be dangerous. At least I have a trump card! I''m pretty sure that if me and my naked friend team-up that we''ll be able to face her. I''ve been thinking and I probably have a tactic we can use. I slowly whisper to my disciple. [Say, do you think the city would try to avenge her if we beat her up or something?] "Hmm, probably not. She''s kind of a loner here. Mostly because a disdainful tone is her default voice." Perfect! I can''t help but chuckle evilly as I start my assault! I grab a shovel and I simply use it as if it was a catapult! *Bam! * Tons of manure collide with the walls creating horrible sshes of shit. Then thanks to gravity it slowly slides all the way to the ground leaving a brown smelly trail behind. How do I know how smelly it is? Well, I have the goddamn wind in my face! What good is a magical water barrier if even something as simple as wind can go through?! Wouldn''t it be possible to poison the breeze or something? That is when we can suddenly hear a very disturbing scream. Yep, she''s mad but I expected that. The front door seems to explode from the inside as a blur of pinkes outside. I am finally able to put a face behind the voice of my interlocutor. She looks young, has long pink hair, long pink eyshes, pink eyebrows, is wearing a pink robe instead of the conventional blue one, and she''s pissed! "You! You''ll die!" That''s when out of nowhere appears, diluted blood?! Nope, it''s just her water magic that is pink too! At this point, I''m wondering what pissed her off more. To have shit on her house or to have some brown on it? She does a small hand gesture and suddenly a weird pink bullet seems to be locking unto me. No matter how I move it keeps following! I even try to head into an alley, but it still mercilessly finds its way to me. If running won''t work then I can only go on the offensive! How is she going to protect herself, eh? I go full speed toward her! I do take lots of projectiles to the face in the process, but it doesn''t matter. Then finallyes the moment that I had been waiting for. My hand reaches toward her arm and I quickly grab....what?! Just as I''m about to drag her away, she somehow flies away! That''s when I notice it. Uner her sole she has a small stream of pink water carrying her. Now she''s clearlyughing in my face as she easily avoids everything. That''s when her magic barrage intensifies. I see her perch herself on the roof of a building. Does this mean there is a limit to how long she can fly? It''s fine I have a n! I simply keep running. Except, at some point, she is throwing so many attacks my way that I''m not able to evade anymore! My face twists in pain, I scream in agony, I tumble on the ground and finally, I stop moving altogether clearly knocked unconscious. Will this n work?! I have no clue. But right now all I can do is believe in my acting skills. They may not be the best, but I went with a really simple script for that very reason. Gran would be proud of me if she could see me unmoving on the ground my face in the dirt. Now I''m just wondering if I should offer a prayer to SHO while at it. Ah, don''t get me wrong. I''m not really counting on him to help, it''s more of a tradition. Back then they used to pray to that deity before every performance. I guess this is a way for me of remembering the ones I lost. *Sigh*. SHO please bless this wannabe actor! That is when I hear the light tapping of my opponent''s feet as she slowly approaches. Will this actually work? I''m a goddamn genius! Chapter 460: Eh, Victory? Chapter 460: Eh, Victory? That is when I hear the light tapping of my opponent''s feet as she slowly approaches. Will this actually work? I''m a goddamn genius! I''m just faking my own death, no issue there. The hardest part is remaining so very still. Don''t wanna be one of the dead extras you see breathe on set. ActuallyI''d be OP for that role! I canst for a while without breathing thanks to divine energy! I''ve verified that in the Void after all. Just a little more, keep walking. Just a little That is when I feel water gathering around my head. Then, it especially sticks to my mouth and nose. She''s trying to find out if I''m faking haha. But I will remain here as long as it takes! I just need to "*Scoff* Do you really think I am that dumb? I''ve heard all about how resistant you are! Actually, that''s the only thing you got going for you, talk about useless. If choking doesn''t work, I''ll just have to get innovative I guess." Wait, innovative?! I don''t like the sound of that, at all! That''s when she does something that scares me a lot. She mumbles something about imprisoning me forever to see how long I can actuallyst! How she even ns to do that I don''t know, but still! I can''t wait anymore. I simply charge at her, but as usual, she dodges while insulting me. She''s calling me a low life, a one-trick pony, ugly, and more. But there is no way I will give up! I''ll show her how powerful the members of The Unnamed God Sect are! So yeah, I''m running for my fucking life, or at least that''s what it looks like. I am nning on using my super-secret tactical n. I rush back as fast as possible toward the Water Queen''s abode. Am I looking for protection? Not really, well kind of...but not from her. Actually, I''m not that bad at dodging anymore, unintended benefit! My naked friend is still near the entrance while sulking. If I''m not mistaken, he''s been vehemently turned down on his missionary mission. Poor guy just wants to help people, but it''s just that hismon sense is twisted. Oh well. If I want to motivate him I need to use his full title! [Naked Emperor! I need your help!] "*Sigh* I can''t. I''ve tried to convince them before, and they have all turned me down. I am a failure as a " [Open your eyes! I''m getting chased right now! I need you to do something for me!] "What is it?" [How''s your aim?] "My aim?" [Yes, your aim. Is it good?] "I guess? What is this about?" [Easy, throw me.] "What?!" [Shh, it''s a surprise n of attack!] "*Whisper* I''m really not confident with my" [Look, Emperor. Don''t believe in yourself, believe in the me that believes in you, and everything will be alright! Do you understand?] "Ehsure?" [I said, do you understand?!] "Yes!" He suddenly gets up, no longer depressed. Damn, I should be a public motivator. I''m that good even when I''m not especially trying to help! [Alright, here''s what I want you to do] Hopefully, this will all work out. Let''s just say the chase continues after our very short dialogue. The pink girl is still throwing pink balls at me trying to turn me into shreds. But honestly, all she''s doing is effectively making me more and more naked as time goes by. We really need to introduce peaceful conflict resolution in this world. Some will say that I kinda looked for it with my earlier stunt but screw them! Eventually, I do reach the ideal spot to fight her. It''s a building that is very easy to climb. Most of the time she has a definite advantage. Flying is amazing, after all. She can ignore all obstaclespletely. Meanwhile, I''m usually struggling to follow, but not this time around! I dash toward her, she flies on some rooftop, but this time I''m right behind her! Just as I''m about to catch up she grins and suddenly moves out of the way. I was so damn close! So very close! I can see that she derives pleasure from my failure. I''m in midair, stuck there like a dumbass and she''s just watching. But that''s when my trump card appears! The naked emperor himself. Hees nearby and throws me with his full force and Or he pushes me there with his head for some reason Still, his naked face serves as a wonderful springboard that allows me to jump once more. I want to say that I elegantly catch my opponent. I want to say that I am as graceful as an immortal. The truth is I simply getunched at her like a cannonball. But! I do crash into my opponent thus taking her to the ground with me! In a crash, I have the advantage for sure! I''ll just need to get my bearings quickly once wend and everything will be fine! But I nk for a second. We are really crashing in style. Somehow, she manages to make us rotate in mid-air, so I am actually the one to take the brunt of the impact. She is almost fine while my body leaves a long gash in the road. Now here is the weird part, extremely weird. At that moment, a miracle happens. I used to believe that scene, where two people fall and end up in verypromising situations, was simply bullshit. You know the kind you see in trash harem anime, or not if you have tastejoke. So yeah, let''s just say her face is somewhere it really shouldn''t be and so is mine. Ah, but there is nothing romantic oredic with how much she''s bleeding. Not enough to be life-threatening but I believe I''ve just won this fight! *Sigh* I guess I can heal her while I''m at it, if she refuses to admit her loss when she wakes up I''ll beat her up some more. Now about this very particr situation that I am finding myself in right nowI have only one thing to say. She really, but really loves pink. Even down there it''s Chapter 461: Achieving Peace Chapter 461: Achieving Peace I have only one thing to say. She really, but really loves pink. Even down there it''s An instantter, her eyshes are slowly fluttering as she regains consciousness. She seems confused a bit but I can''t me her. How often do you get attacked by a human projectile? Let''s just say this move of mine was totally a kamikaze attack. Then she realizes her current state with a shock. I''m expecting her to get angry, but no. She starts trembling, her face is pale, she seems extremely stressed. She quickly covers herself with a veil of water, forming majestic-looking clothes. She shakily asks. "Y-you, you''ve seen it right?!" [What are you talking about?] Take notes, everyone. Sometimes it''s better to y the fool, it saves you lots of trouble. "Y-you''ve seen ...down there. you''ve seen how disgusting this hair of mine is. pink hair is unnatural, isn''t it?" She seems to be tearing up. What is happening? Ah, is it possible that she told everyone that she is dying her hair pink but really that''s her real hair?! Is she worried that it''s weird? Why? [Wait, your hair is naturally pink?! That''s fucking awesome! That''s like anime protagonist level! You will be destined for great things haha!] She freezespletely. That much is understandable, she''s probably wondering what the Hell is an anime. But then she suddenly intensely res at me, not breaking eye contact whatsoever. In her eyes, I can see a trace of hope. She seems to realize that I''m not lying to her and is shocked beyond belief. That is when the most genuine-looking wondrous smile appears on her face. "Really?! You really think it''s awesome?!" [Yep, I''m kinda jealous really. I''d love to have some cool hair color like that. I''m stuck with that boring one. I mean I could dye it but that''d be lots of work and it would totally disappear anyway whenever I run into an attack or something.] She shyly starts twirling her fingers. "I-it''s actually the first time someone hasplimented me on my hair. Usually, they all stare at it like I''m some kind of rare animal. That''s why I don''t go out much, that''s why I painted my house pink to be surrounded in" [I get it. *Sigh* I think you''re mistaken about something. People, in general, don''t give a fuck about anything. The ring w that you think everyone will notice they won''t care about. Just live your life your own way don''t bother with them.] "Ah!" [Do you understand?] She nods shyly. Guess I totally misunderstood her. She was never trying to be snobbish at allOh god, I''ve done something pretty horrible didn''t I then?! [Hey listen, I''m sorry about the whole thingyou know...] "Ah! It''s fine haha. We are water mages. Cleaning is especially easy for us. Right, what did you initially want to talk about initially? Something important right?" [Ah, yes! I want to figure out the state of the continent. I''ve been away for a few years you see. I also want for us to discuss strategy on how we''ll protect this ce from would-be invaders.] "You make it sound like you were away from the continent haha." [Yep, another realm and all.] "What?!" [From time to time, there are portals that pop up in the Earth realm. Fun ces to explore but can be a bit harsh sometimes. In one, there was an undead army and a bone dragon for instance. Ah, in the other there were giant cockroaches everywhere hmm abyss devourers they called it.] "W-what?! Bone dragon?! Abyss devourers?! You faced all that?!" [Yep, well in both cases lots of friends helped me.] "How about I call for a Head-Mage council? Then we can all n together!" [Hell yeah!] Mission aplished! We simply walk back to her ce calmly, I''m grabbing new clothes too. On the way, people are sending us questioning nces. I quite understand them. A few minutes ago, we were fighting across the entire city. [Wait, will you have to repair all the damage you caused with your attacks?] "Damage? I didn''t miss a single time..." [That''s not possible! I clearly remember dodging so many times!] "My specialty is homing techniques. It was the same projectiles going after you over and over. Many missed the first time but soon afterward" [Wow! That''s amazing!] She seems pleased about mypliment, but I''m being honest. How awesome is a pink ball of doom chasing the enemies relentlessly!? Very! Can you picture a bunch of tough-looking badasses sharing campfire stories of their days on the battlefield? Then one would just go "I remember it, the pink ball that" Then that would trigger them all: *Sound of everyone crying and screaming from PTSD* Before long, we are done rounding up all the other Head-Mages. What about the remaining one that didn''t want to hear me out? Well, she realized I would have no issue fighting to reach my goals and she wisely decided to hear me out, that''s all I''m asking really. [Alright, shall we start discussing] "Wait, we need to abide by customs. There is a ce to discuss anything that affects the fate of the sect." Sounds legit. w head to the very center of the city where lies a very stillke. All the waterways seem to be connected to it. It''s weird how water flows in and out of it, yet it lookspletely tranquil, like still water. "Here we are." [So we''ll discuss this by thekeside?] They are all grinning. "Thekeside? Haha, no. Follow us." Then before me, the Water Princess simply takes a step on the water! How?! I can''t help but stop at a loss. How am I supposed to follow? I''m no water mage! Would it be disrespectful of me to be swimming while we are meeting? Could you picture a very serious meeting with me just dog-paddling in the water in the meantime?! I can but I''m not sure it''s a good idea. "Are youing?" [I''m no water mage] "Haha, don''t worry about it. This ce is special. This is the spirit of the sect. Go on." I unsteadily move my foot forward. Then I can feel it touch the water, but I''m not sinking! I have no clue how this is all happening, but this is amazing! Haha, talk about a miracle! What''s next, turning water in wine? I really hope! I can see the clear liquid underneath me. It''s glittering under the sun beautifully. I''m simply walking. Nothing else. But I''m walking on goddamn water! This is enough to make my day! I even try jumping in ce a bit! I can feel my feet softly dig into the water surface before I get pushed back up. I can clearly feel the humidity and yet it doesn''t seem to permeate my body. It feels so foreign and magical! That''s when I hear the pink-haired girl giggle. "If this little is enough to impress you, how will you react when you see the rest?" There''s more?!... Chapter 462: Im Strong I Swear! Chapter 462: I''m Strong I Swear! "If this little is enough to impress you, how will you react when you see the rest?" Wait, there is more?! I''m already enjoying the moment so much. Some will belittle the fact that I''m currently walking on water as normal in a world of magic. Hell no! It''s something crazy cool! Think about it! How much of our world is covered in water? Think about all the new ces one can explore? Think of the freedom! What if we could simply go on packsack journeys across the sea? Then you stop by small inds to refill your water and visit the local flora and fauna. Of course, with divine energy, it''s even better! One still craves food and drinks but at least it gets rid of the ''I''m gonna die if I don''t find any'' aspect of it. Now she''s telling me there is something even better?! She''s gesturing me to head to the middle of theke. I carefully advance until the destination, enjoying the feel of my feet bouncing on the liquid as I go. "Are you ready for something magical?" That is when I see them all raise their hands at shoulder level. I can see a glowing blue light appear in their palms. It seems to be ever so slowly pulsating. Just as I''m wondering what they are doing exactly I notice something. Below our feet, I can see a tiny blue light start to pulse. It seems to be deep in theke and yet I get the feeling it''s extremely close to us. Wait, it''s perfectly in sync with their magic! The more it goes and the stronger and faster the pulsations be. I think it''scalling to something? There is something about to emerge from the body of water is what I''m feeling! Will it be some ancient guardian? Will it be some incredible formation? I don''t know what to expect, but I''m so expectant! That is when stats the rumbling and the rippling. Thenguidke is no more. Instead, I feel like I am at the eye of a storm with the surroundings going crazy. Water starts gushing crazily extremely high upward as if trying to touch the sky itself. Huge pirs of water! So much water! It all swirls violently in the air. I can feel the humid breeze it generates. Theke surface haspletely changed. Around me are translucent walls, there is a ceiling, I can even see a table with chairs forming in the middle! This ce has just transformed into a pce in front of my very eyes! It all happened so fast! Then as if nothing special happened they all take a seat. There are 6, one for each attendee exactly. I release a breath I didn''t even know I was holding. What can be better than walking on water? I now have my answer. Sitting on chairs made of water around a table made of water in a pce made of water! I can see them gesturing me to take a seat. I slowly lower myself in it. It instantly adapts the shape of my butt removing any difort whatsoever associated with the action! It is the incarnation of softness itself! It takes all my self-control not to moan in satisfaction. That is when starts the meeting, with thest woman I met taking the lead, yes the one I asked to ask her name. "Alright, shall we start this meeting?" (Anonymous) "For sure." (Princess) "First of all, the topic of today''s discussion will mostly be about this neer in our midst. Water Queen I believe you are the most familiar with him so please share how you two met." (Anon) She nces at me, giving me a look of reliability. "He used to be sealed by the God of Order on the Everfrozen Peak. Now, our records mention the God of Order as a vindictive God that would seal under a profound magical spell everything he disliked. He was rescued by one of our members. She quickly brought him to me so we could be his host." (Queen) "Wow! We all thought he was but a normal friend of yours." (Empress) Looking at the others silently scoffing seems she was the only one. Well, she did try to pass herself off as a servant while wearing luxurious jewelry. Yeah, I''m not too surprised. The anonymous character suddenly turns toward me. "Let me ask you directly. What are your ns here?" Should I try and scheme? No, I''ll just be honest. Either they agree or they chase me away and I''ll be fine either way. [I am looking for a quiet ce to settle along with some friends. Of course, I will have to find them once more for they are currently scattered across the entire continent. I don''t mind helping with this ce''s defense either.] "Some friends? Do you mean more like that naked fool?" (Anon) [Not really, he is quite peculiar I''ll admit. But still, he''s not a bad guy once you get to know him a bit.] I say that while barely having journeyed with him, but my gut is telling me. "You said you can help with the defense, right? What can you do?" (Anon) "Actually, I can attest to his strength! He managed to defeat me with ease." (Princess) "What happened?! You were chasing him and winning, but then" (Fairy) "He is fast, strong, impossible to kill as far as I know, his chest muscles are sturdy, " (Princess) "." "" "" "Hewhy are you guys looking at me like that?!" (Princess) "So, what kind of fight exactly did you guys have for you to feel his pecs and for the both of you to need a change of clothes?" (Fairy) "It''s not like that I " (Princess) "Enough, so body enhancement, right?" (Anon) [Yep, I may not look like it but I''m very strong!] Of course, if I was 100% honest, I''d addvery strong if my opponent stays stationary and doesn''t use any weird magic trick. But! I''m not lying I''m just omitting. "Wait! So, you can fight at the front, right?" (Empress) [For sure. That''s always where I''m at!] "I say we need him for sure! He''ll be at the front, and we''ll be at the back shooting!" (Empress) "Yes, he could be a great asset for sure." (Fairy) "That''s what I''ve been saying all along!" (Princess) Think she''s forgetting a very recent past but I''ll let it slide. "Since he was brought in by Queen, I guess there remains only I. Alright, having you in our ranks would be beneficial. Now, how do we organize ourselves for our next strike?" [Waitwhat next strike?!] I''m a pacifist! Don''t tell me Chapter 463: Why not Simply Defend? Chapter 463: Why not Simply Defend? [Waitwhat next strike?!] I''m a pacifist! Don''t tell me "Yes, our next strike. We need to expend as much as we can. So far, we have been attacking the weaker scattered sects as subtly as possible. We have no proof, but chances are the other big powers are doing this too." (Anon) "Yes, we''ve been pretty sessful. So sessful that we need to create a new pen soon for the captured. Actually, we could expend the current one. That''s the best part about water magic, it''s so easy to transform and upgrade." (Fairy) "The only issue is most of our targets were so poor! As much as I love jewelry, it''s useless if we can''t get mana cores for our training." (Empress) "I mean, for mana cores, we could simply raid a disaster zone until we have enough." (Princess) "Please, you know as well as us that it''s not viable. The nearest disaster zone is really ill-suited to us. As for journeying to another one, it''s way too risky. Besides, it''s more efficient to get some from a third party that has hopefully been umting such thing." (Queen) [Eh, everyone. Why don''t we simply remain here and defend this ce? We don''t really need mana cores, do we? If we simply wait long enough the people outside are bound to stop fighting at some point. Then we cane back as if nothing ever happened.] "*Sigh* That wouldn''t work. There is no sect out there that has managed to survive doing that, ever. Remaining cooped at one spot is the best way to get left behind. First, the training resources be scarce, then training slows down, meanwhile, others are bing powerful at a crazy rate outside and before long your base is getting sieged by forces you can do nothing about." (Anon) [On the other hand, getting out there and getting killed won''t help. Plus, I actually know a sect that is doing just that, hiding from the world and they are doing just fine as far as I know.] "You do? Who?" (Fairy) [The dwarves that revere Forgar, you know, a small muscr dude with red fiery hair and a pretty boring hammer in his hand. Like you''d expect a god to be wielding a tool made ofva or something, but nope.] "Y-you, are you describing a god so casually?!" [Eh, it should be fine. Guy asked me to be his champion once. He''s pretty chill, ah but he sucks at magic. Like seriously I asked him to teach me how to reliably start a campfire and he couldn''t even do that.] "" "" "" "Hahahaha that''s a nice joke! Please do make sure you never say anything like that about Aqua, however." (Princess) Then they all start to nervouslyugh. I wasn''t joking, however. I swear people put the gods on too high a pedestal. I mean sure, they clearly are powerful but that''s about it. I guess that''s because I''ve seen a world void of magic. In these, no matter how powerful or wealthy one besat the end of the day we are all human. There could be the noblest most illustrious man or the vilest of viins and both would disappear after a few decades, corpses devoured by worms. Living in these kinds of worlds is far from a utopia. There are inequalities, wars, very, sickness, lots of nasty stuff really. But it has the advantage of being very down to Earth. This kinda shaped my personality and made me who I am. For me, the gods are akin to powerful CEOs. Sure, they possess more divine energy than me and for sure know how to use it better, but that doesn''t mean I won''t reach their level one day. Actually, I get the feeling I will for sure. It may be very slow, but the more time passes and the better I am getting. At first, I could only enhance myself. Maybe that''s what I use most of the time because it''s super convenient but at least I added a few strings to my bow. While I was lost in thoughts, they''ve been discussing various sects out there. It all sounds so foreign to me. It''s like attending a ss that''s way over one''sprehension level, you try your very best but even taking notes is hard and understanding said notes afterward a nightmare. So, I simply nod from time to time. If my life was a movie the subtitles would read: *Nods in: what the fuck is happening, I''m lost! * They are still going on about raiding other sects. I am very much against that. Earlier they kind of got stuck on the god part of my statement, didn''t they? "We should definitely not underestimate these-" [*Cough cough* Excuse me, but I need to say something before we go further.] "Go ahead." (Anon) [Can we go back to my earlier statement? You know, the one where you guys say no sect hiding ever survived and where I''m telling you the dwarves managed to do it.] "That wasn''t a joke?" (Empress) "The dwarves are pretty much mythical creatures at this point that haven''t been sighted in forever. There are always rumors of the elusive dwarf masters that are experts of forging, but 11 times out of 10 it turns out to be ame scam attempt." (Queen) [That''s what I''m telling you! I''ve met them! All of them, the three ns: Iron hammer, Iron Anvil and Iron Furnace. I''ve even participated to their Champion choosing ceremony! It''s a really neat event where contestants forge, hunt and drink. I''ve even journeyed with Iron Hammer himself for a little while. So yes, they exist and are doing just that, defending!] "Seriously?! Wow! WaitI''m confused. Is Iron Hammer a dwarf or a n?" (Empress) [Ah, it''s both. The leaders are called by the name of their n. It''s kind of a title that they keep as long as they hold power.] "Oh! That''s neat!" (Empress) "You say you''ve met them? Where and when?" (Anon) [Where I have no clue. I had an artifact to guide my way back then. As for the when I''d say about 2 years ago?] "So, your suggestion is that we hide right where we are and do nothing else?" (Queen) [Exactly! Actually, there is something I''d like to do. You see, I should have some friends scattered all across the continent. I''d like to try and find them. But that doesn''t require fighting at all, we can simply stay in here, be safe and we can slowly turn this ce into a fortress.] "A fortress? How?" (Princess) [Well, remember that dwarf I was talking about? Well, he''s able to create barriers too. He should be able to help strengthen our defenses.] "So, how do we find this so-called dwarf?" (Fairy) [Well, that''s the issue] Chapter 464: This is Already a Paradise! Chapter 464: This is Already a Paradise! "So, how do we find this so-called dwarf?" (Fairy) Let me think, the exact ce where they were hiding, I don''t remember at all. But what about the general area? If I remember correctly my acidic friend said something about the area being called, what was it again? Ah! Mount Eregor! [It''s easy, we just need to find a ce called Mount Eregor! Then we''ll find them! I don''t exactly remember how to find their exact base but worst case we can dig.] "We can dig, you say? Do you understand how suicidal it would be to just dig inside a dwarf mountain?! There is no way they wouldn''t have any defensive measures! If we are unlucky, we could fall inva directly!" Ehthat''s literally how I enteredst time. It''s already a proven method. What''s that about theva? Should I mention that I took a bath in it? I''m pretty sure they could do the same with their water magic. After all, I remember people putting their hands in a stream of molten metal and be fine. You know, the Leidenfrost effect. Now, sureva is way hotter and just the air right next to it is clearly sufficient to reduce asunder a human whole, but that''s only without factoring magic. I''m pretty sure that they can somehow manage it. I mean, they literally just made an entire pce out of water in seconds. "Actually, there is another issue. Anyone has ever heard of a ce called Mount Eregor? I sure haven''t" (Queen) "Me neither" (Fairy) "Well, it''s possible it''s a local name. It wouldn''t be the first time there are many titles for the same region." (Princess) They soon all shake their heads. Why can''t it ever be simple, eh? That is when I take a solemn tone. [Actually, I may have another lead. Have you guys ever heard of the Vige of the End?] "What?! The Vige of the End?!" (Empress) [You''ve heard of it?] For some reason, she''s the only one that has reacted at all. She now looks a bit shy for some reason while twirling her fingers. "Ah, noIt''s just the way you said it sounded like it was a big deal. Did I overreact?" (Empress) "*Sigh* Anyway, what is it exactly and why is it important?" (Anon) [We can either find the dwarves or the vigers there. Any of the two will know how to find the other. This vige is one where a portal leading to an Abyss Devourers realm exists. They stay there guarding it using a special barrier made by the dwarves themselves.] "So, your suggestion is that we get the same kind of magical barrier? What about the one we currently have?" (Fairy) [Well, can you really have too many defenses. I''m thinking we could perhaps try and get manyyers of protection. With enough of them, we would literally be invincible. At that point we wouldn''t even have to worry about the war going on.] "Being safe is good and all but if we simply sit on our asses nothing good will happen at all. We need to go on the offensive sometimes, believe me." (Anon) [You say that, but how are you so sure? Have you tried my method? I guarantee it can work! It''s just a matter of taking the right measures and staying out of trouble.] "There is no way that-" That''s when I get up gesturing to our surroundings, all of it. The water pce, theke, the city, and even the water barrier in the distance. [Just look around you! You guys are water mages! You can use water magic to protect yourselves, you can use water magic to quench your thirst, you can use water magic to elerate food production! There is literally no reason for any of you to want to leave this ce whatsoever.] I stare at them all one after the other. [Why would you want to give up on the small paradise you have here to go warring in the outside world?! This isn''t logical at all! For power? For wealth? For influence? What for?! You guys have all that you need right here and now!] They share looks, most of them seem perplexed. They are not sure about my point, let me hammer it right in. [Stop trying to copy all the other dumbasses out there. You guys have an awesome-looking city! Especially if Ipare it to a ce like Eaglevein! I still remember how much of a mess it all was! The buildingscked harmony, the sectscked harmony, it had its charm but also so many issues! You guys don''t have such problems so] They seem to be wanting to say something. They are all looking ufortably at me. Was I too intense with that speech? [What is it?] "You do know that Eaglevein fell, right? It is no more." (Queen) [What?! How?!] "It was taken down by a necromancer." (Queen) [Oh, my fucking god!] "What is it?" (Princess) [It''s just, back when I was there, it was a known problem. They said everything was under control. Guess that turned out to be a fucking lie. *Sigh*] "Did you know people there?" (Princess) She seems concerned about me. Right now, I do feel a bit down, but it will be alright. [Of course, I did. I used to run the most sessful bakery in the city. There were the people I knew personally, there were the familiar faces of my customers that I saw whenever I went out of the kitchen and also the friends of friends.] I can''t help but feel a bit mncholic. The list of people I interacted with there would actually be pretty long. It''s crazy how much the world changes. I was ready to go back to Eaglevein one day. I was ready to make a triumphant return and clear up all the misunderstandings. I was ready to perhaps reopen my bakery once more. I was ready for many things. I took the presence of the city for granted and it suddenly disappeared. "Many people actually escaped alive. Hopefully, the people you knew are fine." (Princess) [Yes, you are right. Perfectly right. I need to remain hopeful. I won''t believe in their demise before I see their corpses myself!] It is only when one gives up that it is over. For now, I should concentrate on the present. I''ll simply add finding my Eaglevein acquaintances to the list. Yes, that shall do. "Water Princess, how about you apany our friend somewhere tranquil where he can rest? That news must be quite shocking. What about you Water Empress, I know you dislike meetings, do you want to tag along?" They both nod before guiding me away slowly. In the back, I can hear the one I ignore the name of telling me not to worry. She says that they''ll figure out a solution ording to my suggestions. I''m d, everything will be alright. I feel like I managed to get my point across perfectly! This ce will be our new home! This time everything will work out Chapter 465: True Meeting Chapter 465: True Meeting ****(POV) In the water pce, only three of us remain. I, the Water Queen, and the water Fairy are looking at each other. Thetter is showing a little difort. She clearly knows what is happening but isn''t that used to it. Now that the Water Princess and the Water Empress are gone, we can finally have a candid discussion. The former seems to have changed her opinion on himpletely and a little too fast. Thetter just can''t keep a secret. "Now, Queen. How about you exin yourself?" "Now is probably not the best time to turn against ourselves, right?" (Fairy) "Sigh, it''s fine. Let me see. It all started when I found some old records about the God of Order''s Prison. Apparently, some old monsters were locked in there, the kind that would grant the ones liberating them some power. I sent one of the members of the younger generation on a quest to free them so they could be grateful to our Flowing Water Sect." (Queen) "Now, clearly something went totally wrong." "Of the group, only one survived and one got his body possessed. Apparently, these two visiting us imed toe from the prison directly and there were traces of it having been opened recently too. So I didn''t disregard that possibility at first." (Queen) "Except that was clearly an obvious lie. There is no way he would have memories of the recent years otherwise. Him talking about things that happened two years ago is a clear giveaway." "Are we sure that they cannot have been the people sealed inside somehow?" (Fairy) "Doubtful, the seal hasn''t been disturbed for centuries or there would have been noticeable impacts on the world. My guess is they could have somehow stumbled upon this event and are using it opportunistically to further their position amongst our ranks." (Queen) "Somehow I don''t get the feeling he is trying to harm us at all." (Fairy) "*Chuckle* Well, if he wanted to fool you that''s how he''d do it." (Queen) "You mean that they would be trying to infiltrate our ranks to cause our demise? (Fairy) "Perhaps. Still, the whole situation is weird. They are way too tant in their methods. One is simply going around the whole city trying to convince people to undress while the other clearly talks about a recent past that is ipatible with the background story he gave. There is a good chance they are trying to actively look harmless by doing so." "Ah! So all this would be a huge sham?! Then if we do follow his advice on the barrier, we would be digging our own doom?" (Fairy) "I could very well imagine someone using the construction of defensive measures to subtly disable our own water barrier from the inside. It could clearly bring about ourplete annihtion." "Well, there are always remains the small chance that they are genuine but we both know that this is even a worse situation." (Queen) "Why?! Isn''t it a good thing if he truly wants to help defend our sect?" (Fairy) Ah, the young ones are so nave. Well, it can''t be helped she spends too much time in that garden of hers to truly understand politics. "It''s a problem with his personality. Not only does he not want to fight but he wants us to scour the continent looking for some of his friends. We have no idea who exactly these friends of his are at all. But even then, they already sound sketchy. don''t you think? A mythical dwarf? A vige protecting the world from a cmity? Meeting a god? This soundspletely ridiculous." "Why would he even lie about that?" (Fairy) "Well, I do have a theory. What if both of them are simply madmen?" "How is that a theory?!" (Fairy) "I agree, this could very well be possible." (Queen) "Point is, knowing if they were locked or not matters not. Perhaps they truly were at some point. Perhaps they even are the powers Queen was looking for. Either one is a man obsessed with being naked and the other is apulsive liar that invents stories . or both are lying fakes. That is what I believe." "True, but honestly who they are is irrelevant. The real question should be what are they capable of and how should we use them?" (Queen) "We know that both seem to be body cultivators, the naked one being slightly weaker but having incredible regenerative abilities. We can definitely use that." "Are you suggesting we enve them?!" (Fairy) "Very much so. Actually, I''m pretty sure Queen has been plotting something along the line for a while, am I right? How will we y this?" "*Sigh* You are as scheming as usual. Can''t you simply look away for a little while?!" (Queen) "Haha, the pot calling the kettle ck. Let''s just say your research hasn''t been as subtle as you''d think. How about we each take direct control of one that should suffice don''t you think?" "Wait! How about we simply convince them to help us?! Maybe there is a way to make them see reason and help us in the war?" (Fairy) "Well, the problem is he is either full of shit or unmotivated about worldly pleasure. Otherwise, there is no way he would ever propose something as boring as simply living in seclusion here. Where is the pursuit of fame, power, and wealth that usually motivate people to participate in wars in the first ce?!" "Well, the only motivations I could see him having are his friends. We could take them hostage to force his hand, or we could make him believe that they have been captured by our enemies and go on a rampage to punish the kidnappers." (Queen) "Of course, the only issue is how long we could keep the charade up. We are talking about two individuals that very much have the capabilities to rush ahead in the enemy lines without a care in the world. We won''t be able to control the information they receive from our enemies then." "Isn''t that simply vile?!" (Fairy) "Well, are you ready to take the chance? If he is a scheming devil, we will probably all perish. If he genuinely doesn''t want to participate in the war and remains a spectator, will you assume responsibility if we lose? Standing by idle is pretty much the same. Do you want to risk tricking him?" "Thatno..." (Fairy) "Don''t feel too guilty about it. There is definitely something rming about the way the Water Princess suddenly changed her opinion of him. Surely, you''ve heard of mind-control magic, right?" "You don''t mean?!" (Fairy) "Alright, let us n our next move then" (Queen) Chapter 466: Amazing City of Water! Chapter 466: Amazing City of Water! We have just left the meeting in the magical water pce. I can''t help but marvel once more at the simple sensation of walking on water. I can hear the pink-haired girl next to me giggle softly. I can''t help but smile myself. "Haha, having fun with the water?" [Honestly, yes. It''s always been a dream of mine to walk on water. I didn''t think it would evere true in such a way.] "Look at you both flirting already! *Sigh* Good thing I followed along, or you guys would already be naked once more!" (Empress) "Hey what is that supposed to mean!" "Haha, just that I''m happy that you are smiling anding out of your shell for once. It was time you left that pink atrocity of yours!" (Empress) "That" "Alright, I''ll be going! Have fun you two. Remember, nothing nasty in the streets. Don''t be like that other naked guy!" (Empress) "There is no way that!" On that note, she''s already goneughing as she runs away. [I''m pretty sure she was joking. The people here are pretty nice. Can''t believe I thought you guys were snobbish earlier when you all refused to even see me.] "Well, to be honest, that Naked Emperor guy had just pestered us all night long." [Wait, he kept trying to preach even while people were sleeping?!] "Indeed, I personally got him to leave by saying that for every minute he spent at my door I''d put on an extrayer of clothing. He quickly disappeared." [That''s actually genius! I''m pretty sure he''s the only man in existence against whom such a tactic would work, however.] "Agreed. Actually, I''m quite surprised." [About what?] "About you. May I remind you that you threw literal-" [It''s fine I remember! I''m sorry about that! But who uses an excuse like I''m decorating to avoid people!] "Fair enough. No, what I meant to say is it''s hard to imagine such a barbarian actually prone to peace." [What do you mean a barbarian?! I am a cultured and civilized citizen of the Intergctic. that''s weird] "What is?" [I somehow blurted that, but I''m not even sure myself where that came fromAnyway, peace is the best!] "Agreed, it''s a good thing you expressed yourself earlier. They''ll probably be talking about the moreplex details of their nning now. Admit it, you weren''t following one bit most of the conversation." [How dare you! see through me like that!] She chuckles slightly. How did she even be suddenly so friendly? Just because I didn''t hate her hair? What kind of bullshit reason is that?! "Do you want to tour the city?" [Sure where will we be going?] "This ce is the City of Water. There is only one thing to do." [Stay hydrated?] "I guess that''s one way to see it!" She then points at the water running through the entire city. [So, stay very hydrated?] She rolls her eyes. "You simply follow the water wherever it brings you." At first, it sounds kinda weird but before long I start to understand her meaning. As we follow the clear flowing liquid wee across the various sights of the city. People are looking at her hair weirdly, but she simply ignores it this time. We visit the market with merchants hollering at potential customers, we try a few fresh fruits. The juiciness is otherworldly, literally. Then we pass through an area with lots of restaurants. All the cooks are using magic to wash, mix, and created gastronomic masterpieces. There, the smell of happiness is lingering in the air, one that bes even stronger once we get a bite to eat. So far, my favorite seems to be some sort of very light crepe that is obtained by using water magic to get the perfect ratio of moisture and perfect heating. I can''t help but take in the sights. [See, this is what magic should be used for, not killing each other.] "I agree, but it can be used for way more, let''s keep going!" We visit some kind of theater where they are using water elementals to perform a y. It seems to be something about how the Goddess of Water saved their people. Very artistic scenes, but also very propagandist. Still, quite enjoyable. We then see the equivalent of a water park, albeit a tiny one. There are kidsughingly sshing in the water. They seem determined to remain there until they get as wrinkly as old men. Ah, but then I see someone use water magic to remove the excess water from their skin and give it a natural shine once more! Wish I could do that! We see a healing center where the patients are lying in overall normal beds, but have casts made of water to hold their fractured bones. Very cheap, very reliable. We see a constructionpany that is using water elementals once more asbor to raise a structure from the ground up. Is this considered very? Probably not We visit a fancy restaurant where there are floating dishesing over and guests can consume the ones they enjoy. Of course, it requires one to pay in advance. Delicious! We encounter a cksmith using water magic the quench his products calmly without losing time. We also notice many and many aquariums. Of course, there would be some in such a ce. What''s the most troublesome thing about fish? The fact that some require flowing water. Not a problem for a water mage! "So? What do you think?" [I think I really like this ce. No, I really love this ce. Thank you for showing me this. Thank you very much!] She gives a self-deprecating smile. "I should be the one thanking you. It''s been a while since I''ve had a friend that wasn''t a Head-mage. They don''t mind my presence, but they wouldn''t have so much fun simply exploring the city. It was truly an agreeable experience for me too. It allowed me to rediscover this ce through your eyes in a way." [They don''t enjoy the city? I understand now why they were so set on going to war before. They have been chasing power for so long that they forgot what they already have here. They forgot how to enjoy the little things. Well, now that we know where the problem lies it will be easy to fix. Thank you for the tour!] "What are you talking about? It''s not over just yet. There is one more ce we haven''t seen yet. I kept the best forst!" She winks at me before stepping forward excitedly. The best forst, eh? Somehow I can''t help but have my expectations raised... Chapter 467: You are Just Letting it Sleep?! Such a Waste! Chapter 467: You are Just Letting it Sleep?! Such a Waste! The best forst, eh? I follow right behind her. [So where are we going exactly?] "If I tell you, it won''t be a surprise, right?" [Alright, how about a hint?] "This will be where it all started." [Plot twist it will be a small fishbowl with the caption ultimate weapon of the greatest water bender of all time: used to house his valiantpanion goldfish, Tony.] "Close, but not exactly. Well, just don''t call it a fishbowl anymore, alright?" Before long she drags me to what seems like another small pond. Weirdly enough this small pond seems majestic. It''s a weird feeling. It''s just a shallow pond, nothing special about it except how clear the water is. But I get the feeling there is something great inside. "Can you feel it?" [Yes, what is that? I shouldn''t be able to feel the mana, what exactly am I feeling?!] "Here, let me show you." She swings her hand slightly and then all the water in the pond starts rising in the airno! Actually, there is some that stay in there forming the figure of a youthful woman that seems to be proudly guarding her pond. "This piece is called the sleepingdy of theke, Aqua''s statue. It is entirely made of water itself, as for what is holding it together it''s the intent itself. Years upon years upon years of worship slowly turned this into what it is." [It''s beautiful.] She lets the water fall back entirely in the pond. But there is something extremely strange, now I can clearly distinguish the statue''s features even if it seems to have reverted to its original appearance. "Wondering why you can still see her?" [How?!] "The aura will be enough for you to remember her from now on." [What is this, a curse?!] "*Giggle* Please, it''s a miracle!" [Right, why isn''t anyone else here? Shouldn''t this spot be very popr?] "Yeah, it used to be very popr, but we made it restricted because people spent way too much time clustering here." So let me get this straight. They closed a popr touristic attraction because of how popr and crowded it was? Are you kidding me?! Who does that! [You guys could have totally started a touristic industry with that. People woulde from far away and pay good money to watch the sleepingdy of theke. Then, you can sell shirts with the caption "Have you visited the sleepingdy of theke? I have! ] "What?" [That''s not all, while you are at it you sell pies too to the tourists. I totally can hook you up with a godlike pie baker by the way. Then you can turn the whole sect into a tourist destination. You can start authentic tours of the city as we''ve done earlier] "Why would we do all that?" She seems extremely puzzled. *Sigh* It can''t be helped. These people aren''t familiar with modern practices. Good thing I''m very patient and an amazing teacher. [You can get lots of money and status with such a tactic. Your goal is to be part of the culture. If enough people love the ce no one will be able to raid it on a whim without facing international bacsh.] "International what?" [See all the sects as the internationalmunity. If all the sects enjoy the atmosphere so much that theye to visit often and love it...Anyone attacking would be the world''s enemy in a heartbeat, do you understand?] "I''m pretty sure no one cares about stuff like that. They are all about expanding their sect''s influence." [Maybe that''s because they have never tried something so fun? We just gotta make people believe that they gain more by letting us live peacefully so they can visit than what they have to gain by attacking us. This is especially true if we can get a reputation going.] "A reputation?" [Yes, throughout history many neutral coun- sects managed to survive the woes of time itself. Why? Simply because they would be protected by other stronger sects that had to gain from them being alive.] "You are talking about sub-sects, right? By benefit you mean tribute, right?" [Not exactly, but it''s close enough. The goal is not to send tribute to one power but be seen as useful by many. Then they will all keep each other in check while you can rx.] "But then what happens when one decides to throw logic aside and attacks directly? No sect will avenge dead men without any concrete benefits." I can''t help but grin. I somehow guessed that this question wasing. [Then in such a case you need a trump card. It doesn''t even have to be that dangerous a card. Let me put it this way. What if invading a sect barely gave you anything and meant now having an immortal and otherwise useless Naked emperor following you around. Would you still do it?] "That sounds horrible!" [See, it wouldn''t actually do any damage, but it would be unpleasant and convince people to y nice.] "How did you think of that?!" [Oh, where I''m from pretty much every other sect has a weapon that can annihte the entirety of the Earth Realm. Since everyone can at any time blow up the world should they be attackedWell it used to be very peaceful until the day when.] "The day when?!" [Ah, sorry I forgot. Point is, it doesn''t matter.] "What do you mean?" [Well, as long as you have a decent trump card then you are fine.] "I understand. But what exactly should we do?" [Well, I just said all that on a whim. I''m pretty sure tourism would be harder during a war. We''d also have to screen the harmful elements out somehow. Now that I think about it it''s not that viable right now.] "So what do you suggest?" [Well, same thing as earlier really. We wait until it''s all over, I try to find my friends. Then we live happily ever after.] One thing for sure, I''ll definitely realize such a marketing n one day. It will be sessful, it will be popr, it will be amazing. That''s for the future, however. Right now I simply approach the pond to get a better view of the statue. It''s truly mesmerizing. Quite phenomenal how simple it looks, it''s just water, and yet has that profound charm to it. "Careful that you don''t fall it, it can be slippery there." [Thanks mom, but there is no way that.] *SLIP* *SPLASH* Fuck! An instantter I already feel the cold touch of the water on my skin. Is this considered desecrating a public monument?! Wait, no... I have something else to worry about. This sensation I am not feeling is one I am familiar with. Let''s just sayst time it happened I teleported to see a fiery dwarf god. What now?! . Chapter 468: T.U.N.A Powerful Entity! Chapter 468: T.U.N.A Powerful Entity! I can feel the entire cold water envelop me, akin to a living being coiling itself around me, then nothing. Before I know it, I''m somewhere else. I can sense the divine energy flowing everywhere, I''m back baby! Is it bad that I''m so joyful about it? Now that I think about it, couldn''t I simply squat at some cool god''s ce? But seriously it feels as if all my cells areing back to life all at once. It''s probably just a cebo effect, to be honest. I mean, aren''t cells supposed to be alive by default? I inspect my surroundings. Now, where is that Aqua goddess? Everywhere around there is water. I seem to be in some big cubic room with the walls and ceiling made of clear water. What about behind that? Well, it''s dark and I can''t see anything. This ce ispletely empty. Why is it that these gods are all fighting for power but when you check their dcor it actually looks like they are fervent advocates of voluntary simplicity? Then again, I guess with the power to create anything they are not shackled by such concerns. Still, if I ever ascend to godhood, I''ll have all my stuff cozily ced. At least a bed, a shower, a television,puter, consoles too, you know the usual. Ah, perhaps a dedicated barbecue fire pit! Wouldn''t that be sweet? Anyway, what do I do now? There doesn''t seem to be anything or anyone nearby. [Hello? Anyone alive? Ie in peace!] There is only ever lonely silence to answer my query and *SPLASH* *Flop Flop* Out of the walles out a fish, like a torpedo! Yes, a fish. In fact, this thing seems to be a big tuna. Dark back and light grey sides, it used its aerodynamic body topletely crash at my feet, but why? Then it simply starts flopping around on the ground while looking at me. [Eh, are you okay, buddy?] "Yep." [You canso what''s up? Are you fine?] "For sure. I''m just iling around while obviously gasping for water because I feel like it." [What''s with the sarcasm?] "What sarcasm?" [I can help you get back in the water if you want.] "I''m perfectly fine, can''t you see? That''s why I''m still iling around, slowly using the movement to drag my weary body back to the water while slowly feeling my energy run out." [How about I just throw you back in there?] "That''d bepletely useless and needless you know. Can''t you see from my body growing colder that everything is okay?" [Not really, no.] "Don''t you have eyes?" [Seeing as you''ve been making eye contact with me all this while. I''d say no?] "Makes perfect sense." Should I help it/him? If he stops moving I will. I feel like a normal fish would have already been dying. Then after a long and arduous struggle, he finally reaches the water wall. [Alright, now that you are in safety in the water how about we...?] That''s when I see him swim very fast once more. Then happens a familiar scene. *SPLASH* *Flop Flop* What the hell is this fish doing? Seriously?! [What are you? A suicidal tuna?] "How did you know about my nickname?! Ah, never mind you are that girl''s guest, aren''t you? She warned me about your arrival. I''m supposed to show you around or something." She knew I wasing?! Could it be that my fall wasn''t an ident at all? Did she call me here on purpose somehow? That would exin a lot. There is no way I''d normally be that clumsy! Now, I just hope she doesn''t want to talk to me because of some obscure prophecy or something. I mean, why else would she suddenly want to meet me? I doubt she''s already learned of me from her followers. [You don''t seem pleased about it.] "Of course, I''m pleased! Why else would I be grumbling and trying my best to roll my eyes and grind my teeth?" [Out of happiness, am I right?] "Exactly! See, you do get it!" [Let me guess, you are throwing yourself out of the water to celebrate life?] "Obviously." [Alright, so where is Aqua?] "Eh, at the White Space. She''s being a proper host by ditching every task on me." [When will she be back?] "I''d say when she goddamn pleases o''clock." [That''s earlier than I expected.] "I know, right?" [So, what can I do while waiting for her?] "I don''t know. What can you do?" [How about a tuna sandwich?] "I can actually make whatever you desire for appear. Honestly, why do I have to do this when you could do it yourself?" [Oh? Whatever? I want a television.] "Whatever you want, just ask." [A television.] "Whatever you want, just ask." [You clearly aren''t ying dumb because you don''t know what it is.] "Clearly not." [Any way to show me a cool show happening anywhere else?] "Nope, I can just control water." [Is that useful? What else can you do besides a shower?] "A waterbed or a stream or even a puddle." [Guess I''ll take a shower and rx.] "There you go." Suddenly water starts raining from the ceiling, right in the middle of the room. [How about giving me less privacy?] "Sure, whatever. Happy?" Walls made of troubled water appear, obscuring vision from the outside. I quickly undress and leave my clothes on the other side of the water and I Cold! [Hey, can you maybe make it colder?] "Sure, on it. But why are you bothering about all that? Can''t you just use your own powers to heat it up or something?" I quickly enter it. It''s hot, warm, and steamy... Just the perfect temperature too! Well, to be fair I do have divine energy protecting me from melting in the boiling water. [You won''t believe me, but I encountered a talking tuna that imed he could make anything I wish for appear. Weirdly enough, he seemed to even struggle with a hot shower. Ridiculous, am I right?] "Hey, it''s not tuna! You should call me The Undefeatable Naval Advisor! This is my official title!" [So. T.U.N.A.?] "." I can''t help but whistle as I rx under the hot water that seems to be falling from Heaven itself. *SPLASH* *Flop Flop* [. Why is there some tuna in my shower?] "Please! I''m the one that created it in the first ce! I''m just testing the temperature to make sure it''s perfect for you!" On one hand, I''m really not used to taking showers with others. On the other hand, it''s just some tuna, a really weird tuna. I just need to make sure I never tell this story in the vicinity of a rule 34 artist lest it bes a lifelong shame. I simply take my time, enjoying the moment. The tunaes flopping sometimes too. At some point, I think he gets bored because he keepsing inside to ask me when I''m going to be done. That''s when I exit the shower. Now, time to dry my body. Let''s use that one Forgar''s spell, shall we?... Chapter 469: When All You Have Is a Fish... Chapter 469: When All You Have Is a Fish... That''s when I exit the shower. Now, time to dry my body. Let''s use that one Forgar''s spell, shall we?... While it does consume divine energy, it isn''t much of a problem in an environment filled with it. I focus to create mes around my body, ones that won''t actually harm me. Before long, my entire vision gets filled with white raging mes. Why is it white? "Hey! What are you doing?! It took me lots of effort to create that shower and you just evaporate it like that!" Ah, my bad. I instantly stop the spell. Just the heat emitted in the air haspletely wiped the nearby showerpletely. The very walls of this ce are also turning into steam, filling the room with a white mist, giving it a mysterious feeling. [Sorry, I didn''t think it would be that fragile. At least, you are perfectly fine.] "What do you mean perfectly fine? Can''t you see that my fins are charred ck and that I cannot even talk straight without screaming in agony?" [There is so much mist that I can''t see even a meter in front of me. Meanwhile, you are on the opposite side of the room. So, yeah. I totally can see you!] *SPLASH* *Flop Flop* He jumps at my feet for some reason. He''s also totally fine. I look around but there is one thing missing [Hey, got any idea where my clothes are?] "I''m sure it survived that very weak me." [Makes sense. Anyway, can you make me some clothes out of water or something?] "Do I look like a seamstress? Do I?" [Nope, still some tuna.] "Perhaps but I''m clearly not one!" Just as I''m enjoying this very strange but friendly banter with a fish, the mist finally starts clearing up. Finally, I''ll be able to . What the Hell?! The huge empty room has changed a lot. I''m expecting the walls to be in bad shape, but they are fine. No, there is something else. There is a small round water barrier, but that''s not all. Through it, I can distinguish shadows. Then the barrier suddenly disappears and what it once protected gets revealed. There is a water table, water chairs, and people. Yes, people! There are three of them and all are staring at mepletely shocked. I''m right in the middle of the room with nowhere to hide, naked, and clearly making a fool out of myself, . "You do understand that I''m no tuna, right?" I look at the people, I look at my shameful disy, then I look at the fish. No time to lose! I grab the tuna and use it to cover myself. "Y-you, what are you doing?!" [*Whisper* Just make me some clothes already.] "Release me! This is tuna cruelty!" Our banter echoes in the entire room with everyone else remaining dead silent. It''s as if they''ve never seen some naked human wrestle with a fish in a bid to use it to hide his genitals! Okay, actually, I really hope it''s a first for them. I observe the unlucky spectators in detail. It seems like they were enjoying some tea when I suddenly came out of the shower and started raining Hellfire everywhere. There is a shirtless youth wearing a straw hat indoors. There is a hooded figure with clothes so baggy its whole figure is hiddenstill indoor. Then there is thest one, a young woman with blue hair and graceful features. She does have watering out of her mouth that is still opened in stupefaction but that''s a detail. I recognize her as being Aqua as she looks exactly like her statue back in the Earth realm. Are they going to say anything, or will we remain gawking at each other in silence? Well, I guess the fishining in the background (read junk area) makes that possibility null. Alright, calm down. I simply need to calmly greet them. In my defense, they never told me they were there. I couldn''t have known. [Good day for fishing, ain''t it?] Why did I say that?! I me that one straw hat! It really looks like one that fishermen use in viges to protect themselves from the sun. Just as I''m wondering how to repair that faux-pas [I know! It''s a wonderful day for fishing!] (Straw-Hat) Straw-Hat (temporary name) is smiling brightly. Meanwhile, I can hear some soft surprised soundsing from the cloaked individual. Eventually, Aqua seems toe back to her spirits. She still appears anxious and is watching me carefully. Then she visibly takes a deep breath before addressing me. [H-hello there, I am Aqua the goddess of Water. These two are IELOF the god of fishing and Lilly the goddess of Ra*Comes a cute panic sound from the back* the goddess of sailing.] After finishing her introduction, she looks at me apparently uncertain. I guess I got lucky with the god of fishing, wow. Well, he does give that vibe. Aqua keeps going. [Hmm, S-sir, what can we do for you?] What?! What''s with the Sir? It must be how she addresses all strangers I''m guessing. Can''t me her for not wanting to befriend a tuna-wearing weirdo. I can''t help but awkwardly scratch my head. [Clothes?] She looks shyly towards me, blushing slightly. Then she seems to steady her resolve. [I understand.] What''s with that expression? That''s when she instantly undresses and grabs a fish out of nowhere before copying me and hiding her privates with it. Her top is hidden by the long wavy blue hair. I nk, I simply nk. Why?! [.] [.] [I-is that fine, Sir?] I''m silent, the overdressed girl (?) in the back is silent, Aqua is silent and furiously blushingThat''s when IELOF startsughing so much he gets cramps. It''s serious when a supposedly godly being gets cramps fromughter! [HAHAHA. I can''t believe she did that! Aqua, I believe this friend was just asking for clothes. You know as in for him] That''s when she finallyes to the realization. Before long she''s dressed, I''m dressed, the girl in the back is especially dressed, the fish is grumbling, the fisherman isughing, and we are all sitting at the water table ready to enjoy some tea. [So, anyway. A pleasure to meet you all. Now, what is the n? Let''s go into the details already, shall we?] I believe this to be the perfect opening. This way, I''m just putting all the embarrassment from earlier under the rug. Now, she''ll tell me why she summoned me, and hopefully, there won''t be any ominous prophecy. But as she begins, I can''t help but wonder: what the heck is she talking about?! Oh, and also: what does it all have to do with me?! Chapter 470: Damn, Im Good! Chapter 470: Damn, I''m Good! [So, anyway. A pleasure to meet you all. Now, what is the n? Let''s go into the details already, shall we?] [Y-yes Sir! We are currently having a meeting about an alliance.] (Aqua) *Almost inaudible gasp in the back* Why are these two so shy? Most importantly why is she so polite? I guess this goddess is one that has trouble expressing herself. I did know people like that in the past. They would have their friendly personality and their "for the rest of the world" personality. [It''s like this, friend. We are all small-time ~water divinities on the Astaroth continent. Now we are discussing means not to get taken out in the uing god war. We, small yers, need to stick together you see.] (IELOF) [N-no! J-just to rify, he simply meant us three! He wasn''t trying to include you in theAh, he wasn''t trying to exclude you either, he just] (Aqua) [Haha, you worry too much. I''m sure this friend understands.] (IELOF) Why would I misunderstand? He was talking about gods obviously. But I kinda feel like teasing her a bit. [*Sigh* You''re right. I''m no small yer, I''m a very tiny, microscopic yer. So, I really need protection. Will you guys let me enter your alliance?] It will be fun watching her squirm as she tries toe up with an excuse for... [You can join! You can be the alliance head! No issue whatsoever on my part! These guys don''t mind either, I''m sure! What are your first directives, alliance leader!] (Aqua) [...?!] What the Hell?! The figure in the back simply nods. The fisherman takes a solemn expression before looking me straight in the eyes without blinking whatsoever. It''s super intense! Then again, why would a god even need to blink? [Now, whether I ept or not will depend on one vital condition, will-] (IELOF) [Don''t listen to him! We ept, we definitely ept!] (Aqua) Now they seem about to bicker about this. This is ridiculous, these guys don''t act like gods one bit! I like them! [Let him speak. I''m sure he has some valid concerns.] Just on top of my head the fact that I''m a mortal! Or perhaps the fact that I''m going to get yanked back to the Earth realm soon. In fact, I can already very faintly feel a pull, quite like what happened at Forgar''s ce back then. [Now, this is a vital matter. If you lead the alliance, will there be fishing trips.] (IELOF) That''s what he wanted to ask?! That''s the vital matter?! There is only one reaction one can have to such a ridiculous question. [Hell yeah, brother! For sure! Lilly will bring the boat, Aqua will guide the current, then we''ll fish all day long before going back to the beach to hold a barbecue session and a feast!] [Nice! I knew that you were perfect for the job!] [Actually, how about we make this official? You guys wanna join my sect?] [?!?] (Aqua) [*Puzzled* A deity sect?] (IELOF) [*Mumble in the back*] (Lilly) [How about it? You guys can be the water division! Including anything and everything rted to it.] [A-alright!] (Aqua) [Sounds good! Right, how is it called?] (IELOF) [*Hooded mumbling*] I slowly grab the teacup in front of me before looking at each of them in the eyesand hood. [I officially wee all of you to The Unnamed God Sect''s first water division! May you live sufficiently long, may you prosper, may you enjoy life to the fullest. Cheers!] They all down their tea following my motion. Can you believe it?! What kind of crazy achievement is this! Ding- Achievement: Bamboozle Weirdly Innocent Gods. Seriously, I''m wondering how they even survived this long. [Sect master, just to be sure we won''t get kicked out, right?] (Aqua) [What do you mean?] [Well, say we are weak or don''t reach a certain quota of followers or] (Aqua) [Don''t worry. As long as you respect the core teachings of the sect you are forever one of us! Right, I should probably exin those..] Thus begins a brainwash- teaching session. For some reason, I can see Aqua trying to zealously remember it all. Why does it seem like she''s scared of being kicked out? How desperate is she for friends? [Sect leader, please help us! We need your help! We are struggling and at this rate, we will all disappear in a few centuries or even decades! We need your power!] (Aqua) Ah, I see. It''s not that they are stupid, it''s simply that they are grasping at straws. They see me as their only lifeline. Actually, I''m starting to think they haven''t realized that I''m a mortal at all. They are so blinded by their hopes toward me that they are deluding themselves into not noticing the obvious. Still, now that they joined, I''ll be damned if I don''t try to at least help. [Alright, I won''t personally make a move] I can see her expression turn to despair, but it slowly reverts back to a smile as I continue. [but I can advise you.] [Thank you! Thank you!] (Aqua) [So, what''s your issue?] [The Astaroth continent''s water sources are rtivelycking, making it hard for my believers to get a footing outside of their core city.] (Aqua) [That''s not much of an issue, you should know that water is everywhere. For instance, you can find water in the air and in every living creature. As long as you manage to exploit that then you''ll be fine.] [ThatI know this but living beings are protected by their mana and the air is managed by the Air Goddess.] (Aqua) [Well, first of all, screw that air goddess. Second of all, screw that air goddess. Third of all, I''m sure you can bypass the mana protection if you work hard enough.] She looks at me bbergasted. She seems to be taking a while to process all of this. I think it''s the way I said it, full of confidence. It''s easy to tell ourselves that something is impossible and give up. But now, she has my guarantee that it is in fact doable. I''m still not sure why she believes in me, but if that gets her thinking tirelessly until she figures it out by herself then it''s good enough. She seems toe to a conclusion and looks up again. [I also have another issue. My followers are not that talented. In fact, I can''t even manage to find a champion in my own people. Many times, I wanted to just pick one, but they all have a problem or another] (Aqua) [That''s easy, there is a pink-haired girl in their midst that they call the Water Princess. She''s a perfect candidate. Anything else?] She''s looking at me wide-eyed as if I were an omniscient god. This may just be me faking, but I''m thoroughly enjoying this! Ah, the other two also seem to want my help. Oh well, would you look at the time? It''s bullshit o''clock!... Chapter 471: Dimension-Hopping Wise Teacher Chapter 471: Dimension-Hopping Wise Teacher Oh well, would you look at the time? It''s bullshit o''clock!... I take the stance of a wise and benevolent teacher, even going as far as to elegantly sip tea instead of simply just drinking it. I finish it all with a small sigh of satisfaction. [Good Tea.] Of course, I have no idea what I''m talking about. At least it does have a rich yet mellow taste. That is when IELOFes forward. [Alliance l-. Sect leader, please enlighten me too! It''s like this, my followers are easily bullied. As useful as my blessings are, they only apply to fishing itself. They are extremely useless for anything else. This issue is especially ring duringbat.] (IELOF) [How would you fight then?] [I actually own a rather sturdy fishing rod that allows even a fisherman like me to defend myself. I can beat other low-tier gods as long as I have it! But, sadly, my believers don''t have ess to materials good enough to create anything simr. They are living in a resource barren continent after all.] (IELOF) [I understand. Show it to me.] He does small hand gestures and then in a sh of light appearsan extremely ordinary fishing rod. It''s totally made of bamboo! Hey, this is almost insulting! Does he think we don''t even have such a thing on the Astaroth continent?! It can''t be, right? [So, let me get this straight. You are over-relying on your custom-made fishing rod and because of that you cannot even fathom a way to guide your people?] [Eh, I guess? I just need a method to somehow help my believers craft artifacts of their own, then I''m sure everything will be fine!] (IELOF) [Alright, I''ll need this a second.] He hands me the fishing rod with high expectations. It clearly is a pretty normal rod that barely contains divine energy. I do a small test and the divine energy inside it is easily scattered. Why is he using such trash? This rod of his is akin to training wheels on a bike. Sure, it makes the learning curve easier and it''s reassuring to have when starting, but it also has clear limits. Well, there is only one thing to do now. I approach the edge of the room then I use Forgar''s spell to drill a hole in the water barrier. That is when the exterior of this realm appears. Behind the water veil lies a dark endless-looking void where one can seemingly drift forever in it should they be unlucky enough to fall inside. I smile at IELOF, but at the same time I simply throw the fishing rod as far as possible in there. He watches it disappear in the distance shocked before simply nking. I can then see many emotions in his eyes: Panic, despair, eptance, and regret. [W-why? My fishing rod!...] (IELOF) [You''ve been using it all this while haven''t you? While it clearly helped you a lot in the past it is now limiting your progress. It is limiting it so much that you can''t even fathom your believers bing stronger without one. Truth is, you never really needed it in the first ce.] At first, he''s soullessly looking at me but the more I say and the more pensive he bes. [It''s simple really. Just train from scratch without using it. I''m sure you''ll figure something out. Being a deity doesn''t mean that you can simply rx and have fun. You need to take this seriously.] [B-but what is he supposed to do if he has to fight right now?!] (Aqua) [Well, he better start training quickly I guess. Sometimes sacrifices must be made to be able to progress further. Use that pressure to shape yourself!] [I-I understand!] (IELOF) I nod wisely. Then I simply gesture thest one. [Now, what is it that you want help with?] For the first time, I can hear this goddess clearly. Comes an unexpectedly clear and cute voice from under the hood, one that is slightly high-pitched. [I have issues with my divinity! I wish to change it but I ignore how!] (Lilly) [Issues with your divinity?] [*Hooded Nod* ThatI''m actually the goddess of Rafting. I only govern rafts and nothing else. But I wish it was otherwise for this is the lowliest water vehicle!] (Lilly) [Oh, you think a raft is lowly? Why is that so?] [Because it barely requires skill or materials to make. My believers are not challenging themselves to do better either. Truthfully, the only reason I even get believers at all is that there are not manyrge bodies of water on the Astaroth continent.] (Lilly) [How did you even be such a goddess in the first ce if you don''t think it to be worthy?] [Luck and a love for simple sailing. But somehow my followers started misunderstanding the essence of my teachings and are expecting more and more of me without me being able to help. For instance, as much as I want to help them in the war I simply can''t *sigh*. I figured that if I managed to change my divinity to some more war-oriented ship then] (Lilly) [I see] [What should I do?!] (Lilly) [Alright, this one is easy. Very easy in fact. First of all, remove all this cloth covering you. Stop hiding your face.] [I-is this really necessary?] (Lilly) [Do you want my help or not?] She seems to gather her courage and then she suddenly removes the oversized robe. Appears a really cute and small girl with purple hair and purple eyes. Along with the face reveales avender scent and heavenly chimes, but then I realize it''s just the Tuna humming. [Alright, what next?] (Lilly) [Simple, you go back and write a list of a million reasons why a raft is the best thing ever.] [What?! This is impossible!] (Lilly) [Please! You think rafts are trash be some hater out there said so? If you can''t even believe in yourself how are your followers supposed to believe in you?! Go back and do some serious introspection. I don''t care how but go in isted training and onlye out when you have that list. That is all.] [That. alright.] (Lilly) Well, that was surprisingly easy. Aqua simply needed someone to point her in the right direction, IELOF was simply over-reliant on his rod and Lilly simply needed a confidence boost. Will my advice really make a difference for them? I''m not sure but they seem desperate enough that it can''t hurt to try. I finally let myself get dragged back to the Earth realm. [Alright,ter all. I hope by the next time we meet you will have aplished much progress. Remember to adhere to the sect''s core principles!] Then I simply smile and wave as I do my disappearing act. Am I some kind of dimension-hopping wise teacher right now? Thest thing I hear is them thanking me and the tuna wondering where I''m going. I mean...the answer should be pretty damn obvious. Now, how will I exin this down there? ... Chapter 472: A Wild Primordial Deity Appeared! Oh Fuck! Chapter 472: A Wild Primordial Deity Appeared! Oh Fuck! ****(POV) Today is our first alliance meeting. I swear I have been as careful as possible about it, but there is clearly something problematic here! I came back from the White space and The Undefeatable Naval Advisor informed me that one of my visitors was already there. That surprised me a bit for I had told both my allies toe a bitter. Still, I didn''t think much of it. I''m recognized as a pretty easygoing water Goddess so it''s not that surprising that one decided toe early. Apparently, ording to the tuna, IELOF is busy taking a shower. Now why the Hell he felt the need for such a mundane thing is a mystery, but I won''t question it too much. Maybe it''s a fisherman''s ritual or something. I know he has a few of those. I make sure to tell the tuna to check up on him to ask if he needs anything and when he''lle out. A little whileter Lilly arrives. As usual, she''s dressed so much! She''s shy and doesn''t want to be seen since it''s embarrassing for her to just be the rafting goddess. I know she dreams of being more but it''s not soon to happen with her followers. I quickly do small talk while setting up the table. Well, small talk with Lilly is me talking and her listening while nodding from time to time. Then we simply sit while waiting for IELOF to be done. But that''s when something crazy happens: IELOF appearsbut from the door! They clearly notice how shaken I am. If IELOF is there, who the Hell is in my shower?! Quickly, I exin the situation while trembling. [You guys didn''t invite anyone else to this ce, right?] (Aqua) [Of course not!] (IELOF) [*Hooded Mumbling*] [What do we do?!] (Aqua) [Well, nothing. I''m not sure if you have noticed but we are pretty weak. Honestly even the weakest of the gods out there would at least be able to run from even abined attack from us.] (IELOF) [You mean?!] (Aqua) [Indeed, whoever is in there has the initiative. They can tell others about our alliance, ckmail us, do whatever really.] (IELOF) [Why are you not panicking?!] (Aqua) [Would it aplish anything? If we are about to go down, I at least want it to happen while I''m enjoying some tea with friends. Well, it would be better if we were fishing but that shall do.] (IELOF) He''s right for sure. But even then! This is bad, real bad! What kind of being will be in there? How did anyone guess about this?! My allies don''t have any motive for betrayal at all, we are all in this boat together! Suddenly, a masculine voice resounds all around the ce. It''s the moment of truth. But that''s when it happens. An incredible quantity of divine energy starts gathering! The very fabric of the god realm itself is trembling?! How?! This shouldn''t be possible?! Thenes the fire, Hellfire so strong that it shatters my cognition of the meaning of hot. White mes, ones so powerful that they are instantly able to destroy my entire god domain! Oh god. What is this madness?! I put a token water barrier around us, but I know it is useless. We are screwed! But then, as suddenly as it started, it''s all over. What happened?! It onlysted an instant but such pure fiery energy is crazy! That is when I hear IELOF mumble under his breath: "primordial deity". He''s right! Whoever this is a goddamn primordial deity! One that is most likely a high-tier fire god at the very least. How?! Why?! He didn''t even make a move to attack, but it was enough. Just the air getting indirectly heated up almost shattered my domainpletely and definitely crushed my confidence whole. No matter what he asks of us we need toply. At this point, it''s not a matter of pride and schemes. There is nothing we can do against such a being! Even trying to figure him out may be enough to anger such a proud being. We simply need to behave. We are but juniors in front of a master. No, we are only lowly bugs. There is a world of difference between our identities. That is when I hear the tuna bicker with the deity. What the hell is it doing?! Is it trying to get us all killed?! Just shut up and call him ancestor already! But I can''t help but feel this is weird for the bickering doesn''t stop. I was expecting the deity to vaporize us all in a fit of anger for the disrespect, but no. That is when the mist slowly starts clearing. I will finally see this insanely strong being. I didn''t even dare use divine energy to scout after all in case I offend him. Once he appears I nk for a second. In front of us is a naked man, one that looks extremely ordinary. What is happening?! He is naked tooThen he sees us and grabs the tuna hiding his private parts with it. Why is he naked?! On one hand, he just came out of the shower but on the other hand, he is an all-powerful god. Why isn''t he creating clothes? Why?! This is iprehensible! Wait, no. He must be testing us. That is when he opens his mouth. I need to remain especially attentive. Pleasing him is our only chance at life! No matter what, I need to understand his motivations! I can do this! C''mon Aqua, you got this! I may be a weak goddess but there is no way I have been worrying endlessly at night for my people all for nothing! There is no way I have been nning this alliance all for nothing either! I got this, fight! Here ites! [Good day for fishing, ain''t it?] What the fuck?! What kind of greeting is this?! What does it mean?! Wait, no think. Right now it is I, the god of fishing and the goddess of rafting. Ah, I know! He''s subtly telling us that he knows all about us! He''s telling us that we have no secret for him. But this line is so weird! It''s so casual, so ordinary, but has so many implications! How am I supposed to react to that?! This is such a powerful move! That is when I hear IELOF answering with his usual wonderful fishing day bullshit. I say bullshit because it could be raining Hellfire that he''d still say that. But that''s beside the point! What''s my move now? Ah, I know. For now, I''ll y the game. I''ll act as if I had no clue who he is. Well, actually I truly don''t know. There is no way I''d personally know any High-tier gods! I''ll simply introduce our group. This is the most stressful moment of my entire life. Here goes nothing Chapter 473: Hes Amazing! Chapter 473: He''s Amazing! ****(POV) Aqua here, the water goddess! Current status, having a panic attack. The primordial deity is simply eying us with an empty look that ispletely impossible to see through. This is so damn confusing! I wish he''d simply get straight to the point and begin ordering us around. I''d rather he just went: "you guys are all my ve from now on, work well." That is how stressful this situation is! I ask what we can do for him, but he simply answers "clothes". What does he mean? Does he want us to give him clothes? No, that doesn''t make sense. Such a skill is extremely basic for a god. He''d do it himself if he so desired. Wait. He is a fire deity, right? These guys'' specialty is massive destruction. Wait, what if he wants that?! This is a chance! If he wants me to undress I will for sure! So far there was that incredible disy of power at the beginning, but no real harm has been done. I quickly remove all my clothes standing before him without hiding anything. Ah, but that''s when I remember something. Sometimes men prefer when there is a little left to the imagination, it makes it more mysterious or something. I need something to slightly cover myself with and. That''s when I get a genius idea! I grab a fish and hide my privates with it. This way we are both dressed the same! Well, if that can be called dressed. Now I just need to try and seduce him Wait, no! What if he dislikes that?! What if he prefers a more modest girl?! After all, I only undressed because he told me to. That''s when I hear IELOF''sughter. This is noughing matter! Then again, I''m in a very precarious condition right now. Except it turns out that the deity simply wanted clothesnormally I''d try and find a hole to hide, but right now I''m actually satisfied. With this, I''ve lessened the embarrassment on the deity a lot! Right now I''m thinking he was simply lost in his thoughts and didn''t bother checking to see if we were there. Actually, what if he could only create fiery clothes? Maybe he remained naked to preserve our lives! The more I think about it and the more likely I think it is! He''s so noble! That is when he asks us about our ns. No time to lose, I simply tell him all! I hold nothing back. IELOF backs me up and it''s all good until he ends it "we, small yers, need to stick together you see." What do you mean small yers?! Why are you looking at him while saying that?! This will cause misunderstandings, you dumbass! I instantly try to salvage the situation. But that is when happens something crazy. The deity goes "will you guys let me enter your alliance?" What?! This is insane! Am I dreaming!? Of course, he can join! With such a bigshot our future is assured! This is amazing! He even looks happy to be joining! What kind of luck is this? I can''t believe it! This is amazing! I instantly shout to appoint him as the alliance head. If he wants us to head east, we definitely won''t go west ever! But that''s when IELOF objects, he says something about having a condition. Shut the hell up! Right now I just want to murder him and his big mouth! I almost go insane from that stunt, but then everything turns out alright. They are now nning a fishing trip. That''s when he invites us to The Unnamed God sect. I''ll be damned if I miss that opportunity! The best part is that we won''t get kicked out no matter what as long as we behave. I make sure to remember every single one of his words. Right now I''m not thinking about all the hidden truths in them. No, I''m not simply memorizing. I''m remembering his words, his tone, his facial expression, how he appears to be slightly sweating, everything! That is when I finally find the courage in myself to beg him for help. He first says he won''t directly help, but then he agrees to share his wisdom. This is the happiest day of my life! Before long I witness how amazing he is. Things I have been pondering for so long and that I had concluded were impossible he knows how to realize. He doesn''t actually tell me much but it''s enough. With his assurance and his encouraging gaze, I know for a fact it is worth pursuing the things we talk about. Thenes IELOF''s turn. That''s when the deity does something so damn unexpected! He asks for IELOF to show him his most prized possession. It is one of the rarest weapons in our power ss. Honestly, we don''t say it, but all the low-tier gods are jealous of it. After all, it is made with the bones of a divine creature hence the peculiar appearance. The only reason people don''t try to steal it is that it''s a fishing rod. Who else than a god of fishing could use it? Well, there are more gods of fishing but usually, they aren''t the belligerent and petty kind either. The sect leader picks it up, walks to the water walls in my domain. Is he going to do a demonstration? Will my domain even survive?! But against my expectations, he simply throws the fishing rod in the void where it instantly gets lost forever. WHAT?! Then he tells him not to rely on such a weak weapon. As expected of him! Anyone saying that I would have believed to be crazy, but not him. No, he is simply that awesome! IELOF despairs at first but then I can see a resolute glint in his eyes. He will be training hard for sure. Finallyes Lilly''s turn. He hears herints and then simply tells her how much bullshit it all is. Well, not literally, but still. Is he really telling her to find a million reasons why a raft is the best?! I''d have trouble finding five! Then as easily as he came, he leaves. We have no way to know where nor do we dare investigate really. But from this moment henceforth I am his subordinate. I may very well be one of if not the weakest one. But I''ll train. I''ll train until I can make him proud and then Ah, right. He did tell me to appoint a specific human as my champion. How does he know so much?! I better do it now! Ah, but as I approach my terminal that I usually use for that kind of stuff it seems to be out ofmission. Wow, just the surrounding heat was enough to take it down temporarily. As expected of him! Well, I guess the champion thing will have to wait. Not that a few days will make much of a difference anyway Chapter 474: Kids are the Worst! Chapter 474: Kids are the Worst! ****(POV) The ground is hard, the beatings are harsh, punches and kicks are raining down on me. This is what happens when you are alone in the world. The world doesn''t care, it fucks you up. It especially screws people my age. I''m too old to appear innocent and too young to be considered useful. I can hear their jeers as they happily attack me. "Take that you rat!" "Go back to the cave you came from!" "You worthless scum!" I simplyy there taking it all. I may be weak, I may be just a simple vagrant as they call it, but I won''t give them the satisfaction to see my pain. After a few minutes, they get bored of it. Violence toward someone that doesn''t react is no different than beating a rock, it feels pointless. I can''t help but sigh as I slowly get up. My legs are trembling, I almost fall back down but I persist. Then I try my best to remove the grime covering me, how many times have I done such action recently? Too many. Whenever I get to a vige it''s the same. The adults ignore me and the kids happily beat me. My weakly-looking body makes it so they don''t particrly want to hire me for any kind of job. Believe me, I''ve tried. Not having power or family in this world is the fastest way to get abused. One would think that people would have better things to do than try to pick on little old me, right? Apparently not. They feel that every day may be theirst. Somehow violence makes them feel in control. We live in peculiar times. There is a veil of normalcy almost hiding what lies beneath. In a typical vige life is as it always was, the difference is that anyone cane to destroy it on a whim. Before the war there used to be a semnce of order and the righteous faction would hunt the viins. Now, they are all either hiding or gone warring. It doesn''t help that we all know clearly that in these troubled times anyone may simply decide to get rid of innocent weaklings for fun. Many "righteous" guys are probably ming their deeds on the evil factions too. Recently I''m starting to think that the typical vigers do deserve such an atrocious fate. They don''t have any issue letting their children venting all their emotions on the pitiful travelers. Retribution wille hopefully. I simply drag my weary body by the roadside, hiding in a shrub. This simple act is a bncing game too. Too far from the road and you get attacked by monsters (yes I''ve seen some). Too close and you get attacked by travelers. I feel like this whole endeavor of mine is utterly pointless. I''m just roaming from vige to vige akin to a ghost. I am still wishing for a safe haven, but I know it probably won''t happen. People fear strangers. I''ll keep the despair for tomorrow. I can feel my stomach rumbling akin to a beast that hasn''t been fed for eons. In fact, I don''t remember thest time I ate. The hunger too, I will keep for tomorrow. I may not have any hope, but I refuse to simply curl up and die. The sweet darkness ims me as I fall deep asleep. Sadly soon enough I''m woken up. I can hear shouts. "Where is that rat?" "How about we check this way?" "I can''t wait to test this on him!" This is bad news! Whatever they have in store for me will no doubt be painful. I know very well that I can''t outrun them. There are around 20 kids, there is no chance for me to run away. Instead I simply perfectly still and pray. I pray that they do not find me here. I pray that this bush keeps concealing me. I pray that they soon get bored of it and simply decide to head home. I even pray that bandits appear out of nowhere and make short work of them. I''m not even praying to any god in particr. I know it useless. All these enlightened ones preach about the boundless generosity of the god they revere but really only the top echelons ever get concrete benefits. For the small people like me, all that remains are scraps, or not even. I can feel the cold air, I can feel the itchiness caused by the bush, I can hear lots of people rushing about. They are like bloodhounds, not letting go of their prey. I''d appreciate it if I wasn''t the one being chased, however. The shouts areing closer and closer. But still, everything is fine. They are searching blindly. They probably will give up soon. They probably. "Guys! I''ve found his tracks! He can''t have gone too far!" "As expected of the son of a hunter, great job!" "This is going to be so fun hahaha!" Why the hell are they wasting their effort to hunt me when they could be trying to hunt game! It''s not like they are rich either. Perhaps their parents told them not to go too far away from the vige? *Crack* Right next to me I hear the sound of a twig getting broken. I''m not breathing, I''m not moving, I''m just waiting. At this point, I''ll need a miracle not to getpletely trashed once more. As much as I''m good at tolerating the pain there is only so much my body can take. "That''s weird, it seems to be leading here." "Yeah, where did he go?" They are ALL there. Please just go away, please just. *Rustle* That''s when the bush I''m in starts moving. Before long hands appear, then finally a face. The kid looks at me, grinning like some evil demon, before shouting happily. "Guys! I found the prey! Hahaha!" I violently get dragged out of my hiding spot. There they are, with the same sadistic smile. This is the goddamn worst. Hopefully, I''ll be able to at least walk tomorrow. "You were real tough earlier, weren''t you?" "Look what we got! This will be so fun!" "I wonder if you''ll scream this time around." That is when I notice it. There is a small ray of light that reflects on an object that one is holding. I can see the cold steel, they have a meat cleaver. Oh god, I''m screwed! I do try to deescte it: "*sigh* I know a game that''s way more fun for you guys instead." But of course, they decline instantly. "Oh, no. We''re good. Opening you up piece by piece will be so fun!" Guess today may very well be myst day in the Earth realm. Life sucks, truly. Can''t say I had a good run but at least I never cowered, not that it helped me. But just as I''m resolved for my end, I hear the sound of trotting, and then I see the face of my assants change drastically. Their features are twisted in fear. What is it now?... Chapter 475: Be my Eyes Chapter 475: Be my Eyes ****(POV) That''s when I hear the sound of trotting and see the sadistic kids be pale, their faces a mask of fear. *CLIP-CLOP* *nging sound* I tilt my head to check the road. The scene in front is surreal. There is a lone rider, one that seems to being straight out of a nightmare. The man looks rtively normal and is wearing simple brown travel clothes, but his eyes are bandaged. What is truly frightening is the creature he is riding. It is a horse, but a bone one. This thing is an undead and a strong one at that! Just looking at it from afar I can already feeldeath itself. The dread is enough to paralyze someone. What is this?! Some kind of vengeful ghost? I have heard stories of headless cavaliers roaming the world in search of the ones who caused their demise. The issue is that these should have been nothing but mere stories. I understand that should it spot us we will all die. I can see the kids'' facespletely twisted. My assants are all shaking uncontrobly. After this one encounter, I''m sure they won''t be in a yful mood. This means that I will most likely survive another day. But then the ghastly being seemingly continues its journey without bothering with us in the slightest. In a few seconds, it will be gonepletely, we will be safe andthat''s when I notice something. In the eyes of the kid with the knife reappeared the savage glint that was in there. Seems I have been way too optimistic. They won''t let me leave. In fact, they will probably tear me to pieces just to vent how cowardly they feel right now. If they do cut my flesh, chances are it will fester and rot. I won''t be able to clean my wounds after all. That is when I make a decision. It may be one that will doom me, but I prefer this option. I simply scream as loud as possible. "Mister knight! Come here!" But then the rider simply disappears from our sights. The kids are sighing in relief as they all turn toward me. Fuck. "Can you believe this madman?! He called it over here!" "Was this animal trying to bring us down with him?!" "Unforgiveable." "Hold him tight, what should we cut first?" Unforgiveable, is it? They had already chosen to kill me in any case. Actually, no. Chances are they were going to leave me half-dead. Then they would have mored about Heaven itself punishing me after I sumbed to my wounds. "Here, take this." One of them drives the tip of the cleaver in my leg. It hurt so goddamn much! I''m screwed, totally screwed. "Do it deeper!" "No, dumbass he needs to inflict shallow wounds so we all can have a turn!" "Yes, see how he twitched just then? He''s trying his best not to show it but he''s feeling it. We just need to keep going!" "Yes, you can do it!" "G-guys, isn''t that too cruel?" One of them hesitantly objects. Do they perhaps have a conscience? How marvelous that would be! I doubt it seeing all the fun they are having. "Cruel? Of course not. You know it, don''t you? All the vagrants are evil beings that want to steal our food. We are serving justice right now!" "I-I understand" "You wouldn''t want our vige to be invaded by vagrants, right? We are saving everyone now." What a load of bullshit! Vagrants are evil? Do they think us being poor and unfortunate gives them the right to judge our life and death plus abuse us?! This is the kind of trash that inhabits this world. Sometimes I just wish I had more power just to purge it all once and for all. At this point, I don''t even care about my own benefits. I simply wish for everything to just end. *Sigh* This sucks. I''m seeing my shitty life pass in front of my eyes. My father that died early on, how I started working for bandits until they died too, then the "kind" man that took me in only to sell me as a ve and then a bunch of even more annoying things. I simply kept surviving alone somewhat. Now I''m here. I close my eyes getting ready for thest moments of my life. But that''s when I hear a very faint sound, it goes *Clip Clop*. Is that?! I can''t help butugh. "Hahahahaha we will all die! This is the best! This is karma!" As the skeletal horse approaches the kids are pissing themselves. I hate people like them. They just love to inflict pain and terror, but a little setback and they lose their bearings. I can hear their murmurs. "Why?!" "No! Go away!" "This so unfair! I''m too young to die!" And yet they move their mouths, but none are running away yet. Ah, it is the undead. As I look at it in detail, I see the light in his empty eye sockets. Instantly I get the feeling that my existence is vain and pointless. I feel like it can and will kill me. But I feel it, there is no running from this monster. Just its aura is enough to convince one that escaping is impossible. There is a feeling of profound despair that gets shared too. I notice the others shaking and screaming about how they don''t deserve such an ending, but then I notice that their eyes are unfocused. They seem t be in a trace. Finally, the cavalier stops right beside us. He opens his mouth and a surprisingly normal voice is heard. "Hey there, were you talking to me? If not I''ll be on my way once more." Quick, this is my only chance! "Sir, would you perhaps, want me to guide you toward the nearest vige so you can rest?" I''ll simply be polite and hope for the best. As long as I can prove useful everything should be fine. At least, I hope. That is when he tries to look my way, except that his head is tilted in the wrong direction. Is he perhaps blind?! "What a nice young man. How about it, would you like to be my eyes? I don''t have that much money to pay you but I don''t even let the man finish his sentence! "I will!" I smile, he smiles, we head forward while leaving the horrible kids behind. Perhaps I just sold my soul to a devil but I don''t care. Of course, I n to take revenge!... Chapter 476: Hateful Villagers Chapter 476: Hateful Vigers ****(POV) The man I am now traveling with is covered in dust from head to toe but other than that looks rtively young and gives an untainted feeling. He seems to be unaffected by the world itself. Who is he? What is he? "Oh? Even a blind man will hear your stares if they are so intense you know." How?! Hearing a stare, this shouldn''t be possible! "Hehe, don''t overthink too much. People usually change the way they walk when fascinated by something. It''s almost imperceptible, but the keyword is almost." "Ah! I''m sorry, Sir! Right, how should I address you and what should I do for you?" He said something about me being his eyes. I just hope he didn''t mean literally. Who knows what kind of dark magic allows one to steal another''s vision? Why did I rush to serve him thinking this a possibility? Well, it may sound ridiculous, but I''d much rather get sacrificed by some evil mage than killed because some kids were bored. "I used to have a name. I used to have a title too. In fact, I thought myself invincible as I manipted fate itself to do my bidding. As you can see, nowadays I am none of that, simply a blind man wandering. At this point, you can call me whatever, it doesn''t matter. As for your tasks, just guide me, that shall be sufficient." "Understood!" This is amazing! Manipted fate?! Judging from the undead mount, I''m guessing he learned some kind of necromancy. My bet is the man actually has some epic backstory. Why else would one learn such dark magic tobat fate itself? He probably tried to revive a loved one and failed. We keep going, the horse''s bone making cracking sounds and its heavy metal armor nging. The sound is horror inducing but right now it actually brings mefort. For once I''m not worried about being bullied by random vigers anymore. We soon reach the vige. I still remember when I passed here before. The way they curled their lips in disdain is still vivid in my mind. They looked down on me when I tried to get food in exchange for counseling. I may be weak and broke but I have seen much in this short life of mine. Yet right now the scorn is gone. They are all busy staring at mypanion. That is when a man finally notices me by the side. I can see his face bes livid as he looks in the distance. He seems filled with worry as he visibly starts sweating. That is when I clearly understand that the kids had the vigers'' blessings to chase after me. This is not a case of unruly kids. Their parents gave them their approval. Now, these guys are slowly approaching us with smiles, looking all servile. It''s a far cry from the disrespect they showed me earlier. One could even believe that these guys are good-natured people that wee all weary travelers warmly. Not at all. All of them are two-faced bastards. One is currentlyuding how they receive visitors with the best care possible. "We will provide the best amodations possible for sure! Please follow me." "Perfect! Ah, before I forget, can one of you give water and hay to my horse? That would be much appreciated." What is this all about?! The necromancer seems serious as he makes this nonsensical request. Why would an undead require that?! He is obviously having fun at their expense. A vigeres nearby and starts guiding the monster toward a barn nheless. Then we are guided to the vige chief''s house so that he can properly receive us. "Wee to my humble dwelling, you can stay as long as you want. If there is anything wrong do tell me." To that, the mysterious blind man simply leaves his horse at the entrance before heading inside. "What do you desire Sir? How about food, drinks, we can have a vige girl massage your shoulders if you so wish too." "Haha, no need. Just what you guys usually eat will be enough for me, I am not picky. Once more, thank you for hosting us." "It''s my pleasure!" Our host then leaves to get things ready. We are sitting at a small table by ourselves. That is when the blind man gives a slight smile. "You don''t seem to like it very much here. You''ve suddenly gone very silent, and you seem to be pondering about something. What is it?" Should I share my troubles or not? Well, he did ask. "It''s just such a big sh. The vigers in this ce are far from kind. Well, most vigers aren''t but these ones also sent their youngsters after me with a knife. It simply all feels so fake to see them be that amodating. Well, it''s normal. They are simply pursuing their own benefits." That is when the chiefes back, carrying with him two bowls of steaming hot stew. He reverently sets it on the table smilingly. "Please dig in! It''s hot and maybecking but I assure you it is the best one can find around here." The smell is incredible! Ah, I''m sure it''s actually pretty in but I''m just so damn hungry! But just as I''m about to eat, I notice the man''s eyes. He seems to be extremely interested in this spoon of mine. As it nears my mouth, I can see a shadow of a smile appear on his face. Me being weak doesn''t mean I''m stupid. I put the ustensil down and I see his forehead wrinkled in worry. He seems to be thinking of a way to convince me to consume the very obviously poisoned food. "Please eat up! It''s really good!" "*Sigh* I just acquired myself a servant and you are already trying to get rid of him? Why is that?" Our host starts panicking and drops to the ground, begging. "Please forgive me! I didn''t know he was your servant! I''m sorry! This man came to our vige a while ago and tried cheating our people. Forgive me, Sir! I was simply worried he was trying to take advantage of your kindness!" "Cheat your people, is it? What did he do exactly?" "T-that. he kept trying to convince them to give him food in exchange for some knowledge on how to increase the profit of our vige. Of course, we called him out on his bluff and told him he should say it first then we''d pay him. But he didn''t have anything to say, he was simply lying." These vigers are truly hateful. This one is kind of dumb too it seems. Just the way he said that clearly outlines the problem. They refused to even give me food so of course, I didn''t share my ideas with them. Is that why they sent their kids after me? I was sure it was unrted. But why the Hell are they trying so much to get rid of me so much? All I know is that now may be a good opportunity to get back at them... Chapter 477: Vagrants Should Leave! Chapter 477: Vagrants Should Leave! ****(POV) But why the Hell are they trying so much to get rid of me so much? Just as I''m wondering about this, the blind man gives an order to the kneeling viger. "Leave us for now, we will be talking." The man has no choice but toply. He''s just been kicked out of his own house, and yet he doesn''t even dare to make a peep. This is the strength that I aspire toward, if only not to be pushed around anymore. "Alright, now tell me. Were you trying to cheat them back then?" I can''t help but give a self-deprecating smile. "Not in the least, but they didn''t want to even agree to sharing some food and offering me shelter. They got greedy as soon as they realized how weak I am. *Sigh* Such is life." "Oh? What were you going to propose then?" "Recently there have been a few skirmishes in the surroundings. Where there are corpses there is money to be made. I know it very well for I have survived a while looting the dead. The issue is that it is extremely risky alone without power." "Oh? You think a bunch of vigers would help with that? Even with great numbers, they wouldn''t amount to even one random sect member." "Yes, that is perfectly right but only if there is a fight. No, our goal would have been different. I would have directed them in creating a scouting. While vigers are weak, this weakness of theirs also makes them easy to overlook." "What if someone decides to kill them on a whim?" "*Shrug* It''s always possible. There is nothing we can do about it." "I''m pretty sure the sects would care about people stealing the belongings of the dead, don''t you agree?" "The trick is to pass after they themselves are done looting. At this point, only the scraps remain. For them, this is not worth even picking up but when you are extremely poor you are not as picky." "Sounds like a rtively good n. You wanted to convince the vigers to help you and you would have prospered with them? But instead, they chased you away and even just tried to silence you. I take it they probably wouldn''t make great boniness partners." "Indeed, I don''t want to have anything to do with them anymore." "Say, are you angry? What would you do if you were more powerful?" Is this a test? He''s usually riding a creature straight out of a nightmare and yet he himself seems kind. It''s sending me mixed signals. I get the feeling there is a right answer for sure but it eludes me. Not only that but I feel like thinking about it won''t help me realize it either. At this point, if he leaves me behind, I am screwed. Here goes nothing, I''ll just be honest. Worst case I''ll die. "Of course, I''m angry. I''ve been ridiculed, chased after, and toyed with. I wish for them to pay. I wish for them to know how it feels like to be the one judged as worth less than trash without being given a chance. I''m so damn hungry too and yet they even tried to screw with that one thing I was especially looking forward to!" "Oh? Then what would you give up for revenge?" I can feel my heartbeat intensify. For years I have been running for my life. For years I haven''t had any control over my own life. I kept imagining what I would do if only I was more powerful. I yearn for such an opportunity. Does getting back at some random vigers help me? Not at all. It''s not about them, it''s about myself. It''s about the despair I''ve been feeling, about my powerlessness. I know it is pointless and crazy, but I truly want to take control of my own fate for once! Yes, even in such a twisted way. "I''d give way more than I should really. What do you suggest?" "How about this, you remain at my side and help me make my way around whenever needed. That is all I will ask of you. Keep doing that until I aplish my goal and your debt shall be paid." What? That''s it? I''m seriously doubtful that he even needs my help. He''s been navigating the ce perfectly and is able to somehow notice so much of his surroundings. I feel like decoration at this point. "Haha, don''t overthink it. Did you know I just recently figured out that my steed was a dead one? Let''s just say I do not perceive things as much as I learned to guess them is all." "That is actually extremely impressive! This is even better!" "Sometimes yes, sometimes not. But there is one thing I am guessing. Perhaps these vigers would have cooperated had they realized that you weren''t trying to cheat them. Do you still think they deserve to be punished if they wronged you only because of their ignorance?" "Yes, it doesn''t change the impact of their actions." "Even if there could be a way for them to turn a new leaf? Would you spare them if they were truly repentant?" "No, I wouldn''t." "I understand, then you can have the horse help you for now. But do remember our deal." "I won''t forget for sure!" Now, what am I nning? Well, I clearly remember what they all think of vagrants. Apparently, we are all evil and trying to steal food. The kids are saying it, the adults are thinking it and the chief even tried to get rid of me directly. I have a fun idea right now. I go grab the horse. At first, it doesn''t want to follow my orders but then I bring it to the blind man that resolves it. I can see the fear in the vigers'' eyes. They are all shaking as I meet their eyes. Some are running inside their houses to hide. Except, it won''t help them this once. I start shouting. "Ladies and gentlemen! I have heard you loud and clear. Vagrants definitely are so irksome and vile, aren''t they? So vile in fact that you guys sent kids to cut me and your chief to poison me. Well, I have good news! Today I shall help you chase vagrants away!" That is when I order the creature to start destroying houses. All of them besides the one we are staying at for the night. The vigers are angry, sobbing, despairing, but no matter what I tell it to keep going. Some vigers flee in panic, some valiantly perish with their houses and some even try to attack me only to get killed by the undead. Soon only rubble remains. I simply head back toward the only house standing. That is when I look back at them. "Ah, right! I forgot to say. Thisnd is ours from now on. All of you vagrants should leave, you have an hour! Ah, also don''t even try to steal or it will kill you. *points at horse*. Have a great night everyone!" Thus, I head inside to sleep peacefully. Chapter 478: Screw These Fools Im Out Chapter 478: Screw These Fools I''m Out ****(POV) Yesterday, our vige got destroyed by some "madman". I always knew that this was going to happen at some point. He used hispanion''s undead horse to destroy it all, all except one single house they stayed in. The other vigers kept ignoring me before because I''m one of the poorest there is in the vige. I''m just a small-time woodcarver, the kind that can barely put food on the table. Well, not that I own a table anymore. We are currently about 30 minutes of walk away from where we always resided. Everyone is assembled having a big meeting. I can''t help but wonder what is wrong with these people''s brains as I listen to their conversation. "He''s a devil! All he''s good at is tricking people!" "For sure, he tried scamming us already. As if we were two years old that were that gullible!" "Totally! He didn''t even know his way around a farm. Anyone like that is totally untrustworthy!" "Can you believe he made children cry too?! When they came back, they had been scared silly and he totally traumatized them!" Are they seriously talking about the children that left our vige with a big knife bragging about how they were going to skin the vagrant? Pretty sure that counts as them actively looking for trouble. Quite hypocritical of them not to note this point. "He totally tried baiting them too! Why else would he purposely act so weak?!" "So true! Why else would he walk so slowly as if an elder? He was clearly trying to trick them!" "Yes! He was also struggling to even raise a simple basket!" Say the well-fed vigers talking about a man so skinny he was about to keel over from hunger. Say said vigers that refused to give him any food whatsoever. To be honest, I''m no better. I''d rather focus on feeding myself somehow before I worry about strangers. I did try to convince a few to help, but they ignored me. After all, I am meaningless in the vige. No wealth, no wife, no kid, nothing. Some "genius" is currently proposing a "fool-proof" n now. "I say we go back to the vige and expose him to the necromancer. If we are lucky, he''ll kill the slimy bastard and hopefully reward us." "No guys. When I hosted them, I tried to warn him, but he refused to listen. I may just be a small vige chief, but I''m a chief nheless! I have experience!" So he says, but why did he even try to poison the guy? I can''t help but raise the question. "He said something about poison, didn''t he? What was that about?" I see a shadow of resentment pass in his eyes, but quickly heposes himself. The man is a great actor, that is how he has managed to remain the chief so long even with how inept he otherwise is. He will often be seen diligently noting in his notebook, but the thing is he''s illiterate. Even now he''s putting on a show. "The vile trickster was already nning to convince the necromancer to kill us in the morning. Think about it, it''s only logical for a vagrant to be jealous of our possessions! Why else would he destroy our houses!" Perhaps because you tried poisoning him? He literally said so in his speech. This guy is great at turning ck into white and vice versa. The vigers are avidly believing his words too. They''ll believe a viger over an outsider any day, even I am considered a semi-outsider. He keeps going. "*Sigh* When I figured out his dastardly n, I tried to put a stop to it, I tried to save the vige. I truly tried, for you guys are all my family. As you guys know I believe nothing is stronger than family! I went and got that one poison bottle I kept all these years as a safety measure." He looks so valiant yet sad at the same time. Anyone that doesn''t know him would truly believe him to be some tragic hero. All of them are buying it too. He ends his speech in a regretful tone. "But sadly the viin saw through it. That is when he finally dropped all pretenses and revealed his true colors! You guys know the rest, he unleashed destruction and death upon our vige!" Destruction and death? He totally owned that destructive aspect and as for the deaths Well, it''s all people that got crushed in the rubble or tried to directly attack him. On one hand, we lost everything but on the other, there wasn''t objectively much to be lost and it is pretty much karma. Yet "*Crying* You did well vige chief! It''s not your fault that it didn''t work!" "It''s all that evil bastard''s fault! "He''s a devil! Why would he do such a thing as destroy perfectly good houses?!" "The vige chief only did what he had to do! He should truly be revered as this vige''s hero from now on. It''s just a shame that evil prevailed this one time!" They start frantically crowding around the vige chief. The adults and children alike are all celebrating his bravery, totally ignoring the fact that he yed a big part in the issue. Oh well, I simply leave silently. They are so busy ying heroes that no one even notices my absence. These guys are truly annoying, calling themselves wise for not falling for "scams", calling themselves "just" for bullying the weak, and "victims" when the bullied takes revenge. Oh well, it can''t be helped. Idiots will be idiots. Fools will be fools. As they say, the secret to happiness is not to argue with morons. That is especially true when some of them have knives and are not afraid to use them. I make my way back to the previous vige, but now only a single house remains. I think I''ll be able to have a discussion with the man inside. I think I understand him. From all aspects, he did not gain a single thing from what he did, at all. Sure there is the satisfaction of getting revenge but let''s face it such sentiment will be short-lived. No one will celebrate for ages screwing up with simpletons. No, I feel like what truly motivated him was the sweet irony of vagrant haters now bing vagrants themselves thanks to that very hatred. Well, either that or I''m wrong and I''ll die. I don''t want to remain with these assholes anymore. Many times I''ve thought of simply leaving the vige alone, but I know that people are fighting. It would be a surefire way for me to die. I''ve been waiting all this time and I am now ready to leave. Here goes nothing *Knock Knock* Chapter 479: Whos That Crazy Mentor?! Chapter 479: Who''s That Crazy Mentor?! ****(POV) That''s when I feel some wind behind me. It is also when I understand that there were not 12 woodcutters, but 13. Sorry mother, it seems I won''t ever find our brethren I was full of hopes and dreams, but it seems this journey of mine will end here. Never will I find Yggdrasil, never will I "Wait! She''s human!" A girl''s voice interrupts. I can feel the cold steel of the axe digging into my neck, it hurts! But then it suddenly stops. Just the tip, that''s all that prated my flesh. Behind me, I can hear the grunts of the man and feel his warm breath on my neck. "What?! She''s not some kind of magical moving tree camouging as a human?!" What is that even supposed to mean? I staypletely immobile. That''s when he simply yanks his axe out. I feel faint, but then the girl that saved me approaches and bandages my wound. My whole back is drenched, this is the first time in my life I brush so closely with death. "Are you okay?" "Y-yes." Just answering that took all I had. "It''s understandable for you to be shaken. This must really be a first for you, am I right? Sorry about all that, they seem pretty dangerous but they are in fact harmless to humans." What''s with that "to humans" specification? She clearly knows how destructive they can be towards forests! Why?! I need to know! "What was that all about? Why are they causing so much deforestation on their path?! Just why?" "Well, it''s hard to exin, it''s-" Then one of the rough-looking menes nearby, suddenly interrupting. "What are you talking about?! It''s extremely easy to exin! We are woodcutters so we cut wood!" "Exactly, at first it was just a job but now we are proud of our work!" "Yes, someone showed us that there is no shame in doing such a task." "*Nod nod* One day we will find the biggest tree in the world and take it down!" "This is our resolve. We do not cut wood for money, fame, or power. No! We are nobler than that! We simply cut wood because it is our calling!" "Indeed, we will keep doing so until we are as proficient at it as our mentor!" As I hear that, I can''t help but shudder. There is no way I am ever telling them about Yggdrasil! This is madness. What is the purpose behind such a thing? What kind of madman taught them too?! Then the girl takes control of the conversation back, shooing them away. "Anyway, what is a middle-ageddy like you doing traveling all alone? Such a thing is dangerous nowadays, well it always was." I nk out for a second. I''m so used to being a young woman (by elf standards) hiding behind an old woman''s appearance. Then I remember the current physique I should have in her eyes. I need to calm down. "I am looking for my family and my birthce." "Oh wow, where is it? Where are they?" "That''s the thing. I ignore it. My mother is already gone. I never knew my father either. I''ll keep journeying until I find clues." "Wait, so how are you even going to search? With their name or something?" I bring the ne my mother gave me out. On it, there is a small branch engraving with exactly 7 leaves. It certainly has a meaning, but it is one I ignore. All that matters is that it will help me find them. "Is that a family keepsake?" I simply nod. Before sighing. "Actually, I know myself how hard the task will be. I can only hope to get lucky. Initially, that''s why I didn''t even want to attempt the journey, but then an amazing young man convinced me. That''s the only reason I left Eaglevein." "Wait! You were in Eaglevein too?! I used to work in a bakery there! We were a rtively small business, but we had some truly delicious pies. Well, the people would mostlye for our tables to be honest. They were made by an amazing woodworker, an olddy with legendary skills. Ever heard of her?" *Choke* Yes, I heard. In fact, I believe I am this very same granny she is talking about. There is no way the usual me would have done something as banal as furniture for a bakery but there was one exception. This is crazy how small the world is. She knows the man that convinced me to begin this journey of mine in the first ce. "Say, how is he? I mean the young baker that owned the ce. That young ordinary-looking guy withoutmon sense is the only one I can picture owning such priceless treasures." "Let me see, he''s probably fine? Last I saw him he was eating deadly poison, was selling some too, had just destroyed an entire branch of the Purity sect, and was pretty much wanted by the whole city. Then he simply escaped. Oh yeah,ter I heard rumors about his death but he''s probably just lying low somewhere cooking questionable stuff. "What?!" Poison? Sect destruction? Wanted? Dying?! What the Hell has he been doing since I left the city?! Also, how is she saying all that with a straight face?! Any single of these points would warrant extreme surprise and bafflement. "Haha, you''ll get used to it. Let''s just say I''ve seen stuff even crazier than that while working for him. More urately I''ve seen his nonchnce to anything anyone else would consider life-threatening. I''ve also seen him panic at seeminglymon tasks. Reacting every time is a waste of energy." "Just to be sure that we have the same guy, shall we describe him at the same time?!" She nods. 1..23 *Both describing the most boring sounding possible human ever* We can''t help but smile, but that''s when a lumberjackes nearby with a huge smile on his face. "You guys! You guys actually know our mentor! That''s great!" "So he can cook too? As expected of him!" "He can eat and sell poison? He really is a talented man." "We already knew he can fight! Remember how he went to destroy the whole taming association that one time?" "Ah, didn''t he spare them in the end?" "Well yeah, but still." "No matter, he remains the best woodcutter of all time and that''s all that matters!" "You are so right, brother!" What is happening?! They too know him?! Wait, their crazy mentor is THAT guy?! I can''t help but be taken aback. Somehow this man inspired all of us to find Yggdrasil but for very different reasons. I need to ask before it''s toote. "Say, won''t you guys stop this crazy cutting madness? You can still train without actually pointlessly taking down trees and..." "NO WAY!!!" (x13) "Now, if you''ll excuse us we''ll go back to training." I''m left at a loss with the girl. She sighs while looking at me with pity. "It''s impossible to convince them with logic once they get like that, just give up." If it''s impossible with logic, I''ll just have to be stronger than them right? Looking at them go in front of the trees doing acrobatics and emanating a violent aura of pure destruction I can''t help but think that this will be extremely challenging. But there is no way an elf can tolerate such crime... Chapter 480: Im Not Joking! Im Serious! (1/2) Chapter 480: I''m Not Joking! I''m Serious! (1/2) I suddenly emerge out of the water feeling refreshed. Is it because I''ve just been submerged into a cold liquid? Is it because of the divine energy I breathed in? Is it the happiness of friendship blossoming? Who cares. I simply embrace this feeling of happiness. Right now, I feel awesome and sessful. How many have managed to trick reals gods into joining their faction?! I know, impressive! *Exmations of amazed readers* From now on, this whole water sect is my yground. Should I say water park? With their Goddess as my subordinate, everything will be peachy. Now, some may object. What if she wants out when she learns that I''m a mortal? Well, I''d say she is, from what I''ve seen, the very friendly kind and she wouldn''t mind too much. But what if she was acting? Well, in such a case I believe she would have stolen SHO''s title of an acting god a long time ago. "Are you alright?!" I can see how worried the Water Princess is. Shees closer and checks my whole body real quick, making sure that I''m fine. Actually, I''ve never been better. For some reason, I''m not even wet even after falling in a pond. How magical! Then again, I just saw things more baffling by far. Then she looks around nervously, apparently trying to figure out if anyone has noticed the previous scene. [*Reassuring tone*. Don''t worry about it. I became friends with the Water Goddess, more than just friends in fact. I also have great news for you!] "What is it?" [* Manly pping*. Congrattion! You''re gonna get a promotion soon! You have me to thank for the Champion role offer. Isn''t this great?!] I''m expecting her to smile,ugh, or even cheer, but nope. Instead, shees closer and carefully observes my head. [What are you doing?] "Checking if you hit your head anywhere. You fell very clumsily too." [Hey! I''m perfectly fine. You may not know this, but this statue in there is actually linked to the god realm itself. I met Aqua, we spoke a long while and at some point, I rmended you for the job.] "Right, right. Let me guess, she weed you extremely warmly. You freshened yourself in a hot shower, then you guys shared a cup of tea before talking about life itself?" [How did you know?!] "Then towards the end, things progressed so well that you guys became lifelong friends?" [Exactly! Seriously, how did you know?! Wait, were there cameras in there?!] This is so eerily urate! I''m starting to wonder if she''s already received word from Aqua somehow or if she knows divination! "Stop nodding along! I''m obviously talking crap!" [What?! That''s you messing around?!] "....Obviously! Now it''s fine with me but never say stuff like that to anyone else or..." [Wait! Tell me this quickly! How are my friends doing?! A wolf, a dwarf, a swordsman, a sunny handsome guy, a middle-aged man that I haven''t seen in ages, and a moon girl!] "You what are you...?" [Just answer, please!] ".... The wolf has picked up knitting, the dwarf has be king, the swordsman is so strong he''s about to reach the top of the Swordsmen Leaderboard, the old man became a wise army world-conquering armymander and the moon is shining as brightly, from time to time smiting a mortal." [Thank you so much! Now, I''m so relieved!] "Why the Hell are you relived?!" This doesn''t make any sense!" [Princess, let me tell you. Whether you know what you are doing or not I don''t care. If you are as urate as you were before then your information is reliable. Wolfie has been knitting eh?] "You! How would a wolf even knit?!" [It''s Wolfie. You could tell me that she crafted a spaceship and conquered the sr system while I was gone and I''d believe it. She''s really smart. Like REALY smarty!] Hell, it wouldn''t surprise me if one day I go on a walk ande back to the entire world worshipping statues of a wolf eating barbecue while chilling. "What''s a spaceship? Sr system? How smart can a wolf be? It''s all nonsense!" [Don''t worry about it. Back where I''m from if you learned any concrete information about this stuff men wearing ck woulde, sh some light in your eyes and make you forget everything.] "....?!" [But as I was saying, all your guesses sound logical. The dwarf was already a n leader two years ago so it''s possible. Zero is super talented, how else would he have managed to teach me so well when he was just a kid otherwise? I can see Luna smiting people that annoy her. Ah, I guess you are wrong with the old man. He''s the loner type. He''d never join an army. Still pretty good.] "Y-you..." [Me?] "Stop messing around!" [?] "Alright, back to your previous story. Did you really meet Aqua?" [Of course! I''m a very upright and trustworthy individual. You can ask anyone that knows me. In fact, I''ve been told that I''m a bit too trustful.] "True..opening to strangers can truly be dangerous... Even with us, you shouldn''t..." [No worries, you guys are allies at this point.] "But if you truly met her, how was she?" [Quite friendly, cheerful, blue hair, lean figure, shapely tits-] "You! SHH! Shut up! That''s totally sacrilegious! If anyone other than me heard you, they wouldn''t hesitate to drown you!" [What? Why? It was allpliments, true ones too.] "It doesn''t matter! just stop!" [Yes mom!] She gives an exasperated sigh while rolling her eyes upward. I can''t help but chuckle a bit. She looks a bit at a loss on how to react. [But seriously, don''t worry. We are allies from now on. Well, technically I''d be your Boss, but let''s not get hung up on the details.] "What is that supposed to mean?" [Alright, this may be a bit hard to believe but when I talked to Aqua I also met some of her friends. More precisely there were IELOF and Lilly. Then we had fun and one thing led to another. They were looking for someone to head their alliance and they picked me. Then I offered them to join my sect and they epted.] "So let me get this straight. You went to the god realm, talked to not one but three gods, and somehow became their leader?" Chapter 481: Im not Joking! Im Serious! (2/2) Chapter 481: I''m not Joking! I''m Serious! (2/2) "So let me get this straight. You went to the god realm, talked to not one but three gods, and somehow became their leader?" [Exactly!] "What about the two other gods? What was their specialty?" [IELOF is the god of fishing while Lilly is the goddess of raf-sailing.] "Wow. How believable! How is your sect called then?" [*Proud* The Unnamed God Sect!] "So right now the Water Sect is officially part of The Unnamed God Sect?" [Exactly, you catch on quickly. In fact, you are taking it better than I expected. Ah, technically you guys are part of the water division headed by the three gods.] She then starts giggling. Lowly at first but then trembling so much from it, her head nted towards Heaven itself. "This is so damn original! How did you even think all of this up?!" [The name of the sect or the water division? Well, the sect''s name was chosen on a whim really. I was just thinking that living one''s life for a god sounded like a pain. The Unnamed God is a God that doesn''t really exist. As for the water division, well that one is just logical. Whye up withplicated names when you can make it easy?] "I meant imagine all that story! You have a talent at storytelling for sure! Where most would have trouble talking about a single god you brought three in one go. Where people would show extreme reverence you simply went offroad thinking outside the box. Ah, but be careful who you tell these things to or it WILL get you killed one day." [....] "Ah! I just realized something! That friend of yours is all about being naked, are you some kind of bard? That would exin so much!" [Do I look like a bard?] "I mean, bards don''t actually have to look like bards. They can be just like you for instance." [Ah, just wait. Soon you guys are going to get an oracle about it. Anytime now! You''ll know then that everything I said was the truth down to the veryst sentence!] "I honestly wouldn''t count on an oracle too much. Thest one happened ages ago when we had to repair the barrier. All extremelyplicated stuff really." [I believe you, I had to go on a journey to get a dwarf specialist just to repair one, so I know for sure. But still, Aqua has been cking at her job, eh? Guess I''ll have to reprimand herter about that.] "Please don''t try!" [It will be fine. Just wait for a few...ah!] "What is it?" [Well, I just remembered about the time difference between the two realms. I guess it may take a few days. How would people having issues with time-zones would react to something like that! Haha.] "What are time zones? Ah, actually never mind. Just stop saying stuff like that in public or you''ll get beaten up at best." [No worries I''m sturdy!] That''s quite possible all I can be confident about Still, it''s something, right?! Then she suddenly exaggeratedly gasps, opening her eyes wide, slightly moving away from me and giving me weird nces. [What?] "Don''t tell me! Are you trying to get beaten up by a pretty girl! Is that why you keep..." [*Scoff*. Please! I already have someone for that! Don''t look down on me!] "What?" [What?] Then happens an awkward silence. She was joking but she somehow caught the fact that I was serious in my reply. Now, she''s wondering all that it can imply. Let''s change the topic, shall we! [But seriously, I did meet the Water goddess.] She takes a very serious expression. "I actually believe you, but I fear you have been deceived. You know how this pond contains lots of intent? Well, it wouldn''t be surprising that something like that would make a mortal see visions. It could very well be real scenes too that happened in the past." [No, I interacted with them, it wasn''t a vision.] "That''s the thing. It wouldn''t surprise me if there was a fragment of the goddess''s spirit in there. One that was given birth from her intent to watch over us." [You mean?] "Chances are this pond lets one see mirages." I''m 100% convinced what I saw and felt was real. But! This is great news! Oh my god! Is this a psychedelic pond?! Dip a bit in there and BAM! You can now hear colors, touch smells, see sounds, whatever you want! Perhaps?! I hope it works like that! That would be sick! [This ce is gonna be huge with tourism! We can charge extra to swim in the pond! That''s amazing!] "...." She''s looking very peculiarly at me. As if she was judging a new weird potato chips vor. She''s carefully observing me from head to toe with a piercing re. [What is it?] "I can''t decide if you are a genius or an idiot." [What is that supposed to mean?!] "Exactly what I said. People would pay a lot to visit here but it would be extremely dangerous and troublesome to organize." I stand proudly, my arms crossed with ir. "See! I''m obviously a genius! Can you feel the majestic presence emanating from my entire being? Can you feel the awesomeness radiate from my brows? Can you?!" She shes a smile before starting to look all around the ce apparently looking for something. "Let me see! Where?! Where''s the genius!" [I am!] Then she pouts a bit giving a disappointed expression. "Oh...." [*Sigh* Ah, whatever. Anyway, do we have anything nned for the rest of the day?] "I afraid that concludes our tour. With this, you have seen most of the city, albeit very briefly. Hopefully, it will have helped." [Is that so? Well, I''d say not to quit right now. In fact, there is something I want to show you instead. Are you ready for something amazing?] "Maybe?" [You are supposed to say yes. Bonus points if you jump in the air cheering.] *Jumps in the air* "Yes!" [Perfect! Now, do you have paper?] She is looking at me inquisitively, wondering what kind of surprise I have in store for her. What can I say, It''s a very simple one but exactly what this little outing of ours needs. Chapter 482: Pointless but Soothing Activity Chapter 482: Pointless but Soothing Activity "Paper? What for?" She seems intrigued, she ruffles her pockets and gets some out with a brush. Why she even is walking around with that is beyond me. I disregard the brush. Then it is time for me to act mysterious. I start whispering in a solemn voice. [What you are about to witness is forbidden knowledge. One so strong it was banished by the gods themselves for they feared its power. Now, watch carefully for I will only show you once. Are you ready?] She nods while gulping. She somehow gets dragged into my pace. This is just perfect. Then before her curious eyes, I slowly start folding the paper slowly. [Now, make sure you remember exactly the way I am positioning it. Such a thing will be extremely vital. Do you understand? Alright, here goes nothing. Hopefully, no god is watching otherwise they''ll try to smite us where we stand.] She is starting to sweat, frowning, and nervously watching Heaven itself. Part of her seems to want to stop me but she is still silently watching. That is when I expertlypletea paper boat! [Ta-da! There you have it! With this, you are free to conquer the sea! Let it sail freely, let it tour the entire world!] "That''s it?!" [Hey, it''s a pretty paper boat, isn''t it?] I simply gentlyy it on the water surface. I can''t help but smile as it starts floatingbut then it sinks a few secondster. Why?! I can hear her giggle on the side while watching my expression of profound sadness. "Haha, you looked so serious too! I should have expected that from you really. Let me try!" She enthusiastically starts fiddling with some paper. Soon, she''s done. She''s already mastered the craft. Well, she did a few mistakes but it''s fine. Then she slowly puts it in the water and it starts to peacefully float away. "I''ve corrected a few ws while folding it. Do you want me to teach you?" [What?! You dare doubt the paper boat master!] Okay, she''s good. I fold another one even more carefully this time. Thenes the moment of truth! It starts floating away! I give mypanion a victorious smile! "You may want to look at it for a few more seconds before you cheer." . It''s already sinking. Screw this! Time to be serious! I redo the previous steps but this time I add my personal magical touch. Divine energy! I focus greatly. I visualize this tiny boat staying afloat till the end of time. I imagine it exploring every nook and cranny of the world as it sails away. I picture it making friends and perhaps even getting a crew. I will for it to be the number one boat in existence. After all this, I do believe it will at least float for a few minutes. I carefully release it holding my breath. "Wow. I don''t know why but I get the feeling this one is unsinkable. It''s weird, it looks exactly the same as the other ones! How? There is even water slowlying inside and yet it still floats?!" This princess next to me is opening her eyes wide in wonder, her mouth making a small o shape. Then she shes a brilliant smile before making a small cheer with her fist congratting me. "Ah, after this what do we do?" [Easy, we let it float away and see where the current takes it.] "Nothing else?" [Nothing else.] Thus, we sit in silence observing the two small paper boats heading out into the distance. This is rxing, this is peaceful, this is what I want my life to be like. I can feel the wind slightly caressing my skin, the setting sun is shining on it all giving it a magical orange hue, at the side is my new friend enjoying the moment too. Eventually, it turns dark. We are still silently sitting. That is when she opens her mouth looking in deep reflection. "Thank you for this. For some reason just sitting here was great. It''s weird, isn''t it? I''ve been happily training in my pink house all this time, but now I suddenly realize that there is more to life. I already loved exploring the city, but I was justifying it internally by saying I was just doing my job. Such a simple thing as making paper boats may serve no concrete purpose but even thenit somehow has worth." [Life is not logical. Life is life, no need to overthink it. Just do what feels right to you and that shall be enough.] She nods in understanding. That is when she slowly gets up, smiling. "Alright, It''s gettingte. Do you want to follow me back home?" [How straight-forward of you! *Sigh* It is a curse to be so handsome!] "Please, I have guest rooms!" Meanwhile, I''m pretty much homeless. *Sigh* I should probably get a sect castle or something. Now there is only the issue of how it will all work out since the sect members are currently scattered everywhere across the continent. Ah, three are in the god realm too. [Don''t worry about me. I can crash at the Water Queen''s ce. I also have a disciple there too!] "*Frowning*. Alright, but be very careful. The Water Queen is not usually so friendly. There must be something going on behind the scenes." [I''ll keep your warning in mind, but couldn''t it simply be that they are trying to win me over?] Actually, I''m pretty sure that''s their goal. As for why I''m guessing it''s because of the fact that I managed to escape from the God of Order''s prison or something. They know how impressive a feat it is (maybe?). "Perhaps, rest well and take care. Remember, no bullshit!" Do I look like the kind to bullshit?! She leaves gracefully while I head back following the current. It is softly flowing, just minding its own business, bringing life and joy. This is how I want my sect to be. A very fun sect that will always be there quietly and will just follow its own path. Then if there are obstacles, we will just evade them. If there are others joining us, we will bring them along too on this wonderful journey. I pick up a leaf and carefully put it on the surface where it serenely floats away. Today has been a great day, I had fun walking around the city and I met cool people. Yes, gods are people too. I can''t help but think that this world truly is beautiful in its own way. People just need to chill. It is at that very moment that I suddenly get a wave of inspiration. I have been thinking of all this cool stuff that would easily pass as cheap wisdom. How about I put it all to practical use! This is it! I have this genius idea! I''ll bake some fortune pies! You crack it open, you devour it, then at the end of your meal, you are left with some profound (kinda) wisdom. Should I try to open a bakery here? I n on staying here a while so probably Chapter 483: Popular all of sudden! Chapter 483: Popr all of sudden! As I return to the Water Queen''s ce, I realize that the atmosphere seems pretty weird. Both of the women (young and old) are awaiting near the entrance for my return. Their faces look somewhat grave with a hint of worry in it. They seem to be softly discussing. [Heydies, what is happening?] My disciple steps forward clearly happy about my return. "Wee back, master! I heard you were visiting the city. How was it?" [Pretty entertaining. It''s amazing to see how people adapt to living their daily lives with water magic. There is a definite charm to it. Anyway, you guys seem worried, what is happening?] Are we about to get attacked by some sect? If that''s the case, I''ll have to show them not to mess with my new home. "It''s like this, master. We discussed it for a long time and decided to follow your n to the letter. We''ll try and find your dwarf friend so he can help us defend our sect even better. In the meantime, we will make sure we remain safe as we lie low." [That''s perfect! Very smart! So what''s the issue?] "It''s like this master, the " "No! There is no need to bother him with such trivial matters. *Turns toward me* Do not worry! We will take care of it!" (Water Queen) [Just tell me already, I insist.] They both seem hesitant but after a while, my disciple acquiesces and delicately opens her small lips again as she softly utters "It''s like this master. You both have a really bad reputation in this city. The popce is angry about destroying a whole squad of water mages, even though it was my fault! Then there is also the fact that your friend has been running around naked everywhere." [*Sigh* I guess they just need time to adjust. Eventually, they are bound to understand how friendly I am. As for the Naked Emperor, he can be a bit intimidating, but I believe he has a good heart.] "Of course, master! I was wondering if we should punish them. Some even went as far as proposing a Water Pledge! Can you believe it?!" This is defiantly a foreign term to me. Is it simr to a contract? [What is this supposed to be?] "An ancient vow where warriors pledge to defend the City of Water against all potential invaders. It hasn''t been used in a while since all our current powerhouses directly serve the Water Goddess!" [That''s it? Does it just require defending the City? Nothing else?] "Yes, master! Ah, but it shouldn''t be taken lightly! It is as powerfully binding as a ve contract! Once affected by it there is no way to get rid of it. Also since it''s a contract with the Water Goddess directly it cannot be renounced upon without her consent!" As binding as a ve contract? Pfft, what a joke! I clearly remember what happened in Eaglevein. These things are worthless in the face of divine energy. Protecting the Water Goddess''s City? For anyone else that would sound like servitude, but my case is a bit different. That Aqua girl is my subordinate already. For me defending her city is natural. Of course, I''ll do it if I can. I almost burst outughing seeing their serious expression as she talks about this whole pledge thing. I take the most heroic tone I can while looking wisely toward the horizon. [*Sigh* Do not worry. If all it takes for them to trust me is something as puny as a Water Pledge, then let it be. I am not afraid. I will be the first one on the front line and as long as I still stand on my feet no one shall ever dream of harming this city.] I sneakily nce at them both. They are watching me as if I am some kind of glorious hero. This speech of mine was perfect! Sure, only the two of them saw it but I can always do it againter. My disciple is clearly impressed, her eyes sparkling. "Master, this is so benevolent of you! I have never been so proud of being your disciple!" "Indeed, young man. Your courage knows no bound. Spoken like a true warrior! People should be ashamed of ever doubting you! This resolve is proof of how wrong they all are about you! If only they could understand you *sigh*." [Anyway, how does the water pledge work?] "*In awe* Are you sure you want to proceed with this? I just need to call the other Head-mages and we can do it whenever. Ah, but you really don''t need to. I''m sure they will all see your brilliance soon!" [Why doplicated when we can do it easily. Let''s do it right now!] "Alright follow me, master!" My disciple leads the way. Before long we are back at the water pce. I was expecting it to be gone but somehow it is still standing. The difference is that instead of being a closed building it now has a huge open area that is easily discernable from the pond''s edge. I walk up to it and a few minutester there are already spectators congregating. Pretty much every member of the sect is assembling expectantly awaiting the show. I can see the happiness in their eyes. They are looking at me with huge smiles. They clearly adore me. I guess learning that I was ready to put my life on the line for this sect was enough to change their opinions. After all, they probably thought I was trying to trick them before, perhaps even to infiltrate their sect. With this show of faith, they are convinced of how genuine I am. For once they see me for who I truly am without any misconception. Before long all the Head-mages make their apparition too, ah except for the Water Princess for some reason. Was today''s outing too much for the introvert? I can rte to that somehow. They are all looking at me warmly. I can feel that they are extremely weing of me. The Anonymous water Head-mage approaches me steadily. "I heard that you want to take the Water Pledge. Are you sure? It is not something that can be undone easily." Her mouth says that but I can see something different in her eyes. She too is hoping for me to join them through this ceremony. In fact, I can feel how eager they all are. This feels great! It is time. I am ready. I give the most confident smile I can muster while looking at the crowd. [Alright, shall we do this? The Water City shall prosper!] Thene thundering cheers and mad pping. Careful you guys or you''ll potentially hurt your hands haha. The Anonymous mage addresses me once more. "Alright, repeat after me" Chapter 484: Water Pledging Has Mad Potential! Chapter 484: Water Pledging Has Mad Potential! "Alright, repeat after me." So she says. My whole life has prepared me for this moment! While others were training in mana maniption and magic, I was training my ability to repeatplete sentences in other worlds! Some will say ying the telephone game and repeating an anime main protagonist''s lines doesn''t count. But! They are wrong! "I vow to serve the water goddess and all her possessions on this Earth realm." [I vow to help Aqua and to do my best to protect her stuff.] "." [What''s the next line?] "" [?] She seems to be internally deliberating. If I had to say, the devil inside her is saying to whoop my ass for slightly rewording the lines. The angel inside her is probably saying the same actually. But her rationality seems to hold her together and prevent her from erupting in anger. To be honest, I''m not even doing this to be difficult either. Could you picture how embarrassed Aqua would be upon seeing the scene of her followers making me swear some goddamn antiquated solemn vow? It will be fine if I casually do it on a whim, but all seriousness is lost when you remember our positions. She''s part of my sect and I''m her direct superior hierarchic so this makes the whole thing a big joke. Hell, I''ll probably use this event to tease herter on. I can''t wait to see her face haha. "I vow to defend the Water Goddess''s people to the best of my abilities." [I vow to help Aqua making sure her fans don''t all get violently murdered or anything of the likes.] "I vow to embody the very core teachings of the Water Goddess." [I vow to follow the same core teachings Aqua herself follows.] Yes, that means my own goddamn teachings. This whole thing is so ridiculous. But eh, as long as it brings all these people peace of mind, I do not care one bit. I''m not the petty arrogant type. You know the kind to go I will bow to no one; the entire world will bow to me and yadi-yada. That is when she looks at me gravely. She then slowly raises her hand in the most majestic way possible. She looks akin to an otherworldly regal undine empressmanding her water domain (no link to the Water Empress). Side note, it''s hrious how the subordinate is wearing a gorgeous blue robe and the deity she is revering was only wearing a fish when I first met her. That is when the water surface starts rippling and out of ites an altar! Remember that one red goldfish I saw at the city''s entrance? For some obscure reason, it''szily swimming in it. There is this whole very serious ceremonyand a goldfish. Am I the only one that finds this weird? Apparently, everyone else finds this normal. The ceremony conductor starts mumbling in some kind of weirdnguage. Since I''m bored, I start petting the small red creature. It looks at me seemingly annoyed that I can''t read the serious mood. Except, this loses all credibility just from its cute appearance. Just as I''m wondering what wille next after the goldfish and the tuna, happens something marvelous. Out of nowhere,es a torrent of water that raises upward like in a gigantic building-high tidal wave (actually I lied, it came from somewhere, theke). It starts swirling around me with incredible momentum. Yet the very center is extremely calm. I feel like I am observing a natural disaster with a VIP seat. I feel both insignificant in the face of it and truly powerful for I can assist to this without fear. I raise my arms in the air and I can''t help but mumble. [Let the sea rage as it pleases, for I am an immovable rock! In front of me every disaster is but a puny thing!] I turn smilingly, that is when I see the judging expression of the fish. Please! Then the water starts swirling more and more violently all with the radius in the middle reducing. Before long I am left with only about 1 meter of space to move in. Just as I''m wondering if I should be worried it instantly stops. In the nearby water altar, I can see my reflection. On my forehead is a pulsating shiny blue symbol. I somehow get the feeling the power of the waves themselves is contained inside it. How much would people pay for an interactive tattoo?! Except, I do worry a bit this will bring attention to me. That is when I see the smiling Anonymous mage by the side. She is overseeing the situation. In fact, she is so relieved that the ceremony went well that she begins cackling. "Hahahaha we did it! We really did it! From now on we have a protector!" It is the same for the other Head-mages, they too are cackling for some reason. Ah, I just want to point out that the Water Empress is evidently super confused. She''sughing too but she clearly doesn''t know the specifics of why they areughing. She''s just following along. [Is this thing really hard to do for you guys to be so happy?] "Yes, exactly! It is very hard to aplish." Yes, they really need to work on theirugh. They all sound like a third-rate viin in a fourth-rate movie. The worst is that all the sect members assembled somehow start copying them. This whole event is bing a crazy game of Simon says, apparently with only a weirdugh on the menu. "Alright, now there only remains one thing to do. We need you to go get the Naked emperor and bring him here." [Eh, I don''t even know exactly where he is. I''ve legit been touring the city the whole day. Just send people to look for him instead. Right, how does this blue glyph even work? Will it stay there forever? That would be an issue.] "It will always remain there but it should turn invisible in a few days once you have integrated with it." [Oh, I see!] That sure is a relief. Sure it sounds cool in theory, but having a big "hey look at me I''m the main protagonist" mark is a big no-no. Well, not that I was really worried. This is all Aqua''s power after all. "Everyone! Disperse and try to find the Naked Emperor, he could be anywhere. We need to quickly locate him! Once you find him bring him in at all costs!" That is when I hear a shout. "Water Monarch, he''sing this way already! He''s with the Water Princess and they seem angry!" Water Monarch, who the Hell is..? Right, Anonymous has a name. Wait, but why are they angry?!... Chapter 485: Why Are You Guys Fighting?! Chapter 485: Why Are You Guys Fighting?! Wait, my friends areing this way? But why are they angry? The only recent thing that happened to my knowledge is the Water Pledge. I''m sure this isn''t the issue. After all the vows were really straightforward and things I would do either way. Don''t tell me they both had a fight and are looking for a mediator? That would actually be very likely. Especially if one pestered the other about getting rid of her clothes once more. Actually, It could be her pestering him to put his clothes back in public. Or perhaps it''s something entirely unrted. The Water Empress can be seen nearby fidgeting. [What''s up?] "To convince the Water Princess toe all the way here of her own volition it must be serious! Thest time, she scolded me for a few days straight. I just hope I didn''t do anything wrong." [Everything should be fine.] I reassure her but I can hear the Water Queen and the Water Monarch chuckling lowly. I feel like they know something. That is when an idea starts blossoming in my mind. What if the issue was with the ritual? Yes, I now clearly realize the issue! I was foolish, truly so. We began the show without waiting for them! Of course, they would be pissed. This ce doesn''t have events diffused live on tv with the possibility to rewatch it allter on. I can''t believe I screwed up so much! She was probably excitingly awaiting this historical moment and we just had to do it while she went to rest. As for the Naked Emperor, I feel his motivations are probably slightly different. You know how there will often be excited girls showing their boobs at football games? One can also see many men bare-chested. Now rte this to this world devoid of entertainment. Since it barely ever happens people are going to be even more excited. Even now they are still weirdly cackling. For him, this is probably a gold mine of untapped potential. With such an event he has a slight chance to convince some to undress. Then if he manages to convince them once the second will be way easier. Then once he has a solid group, recruiting should be easier. When you have one nudist it''s a fucking weirdo for sure. But when you have an entire nudistmunity it bes a fun social activity. I''m betting this is totally his angle! I instantly rx upon figuring it all out. It''s all fine! I have a n! It is called a reenactment ceremony. Actually, couldn''t we turn this into a show?! We could do it on a regr basis. City of Water: Come to visit Aqua, remain for the people, and brag everywhere about the amazing pledge ceremony you saw! Oh, and the fortune pies! This may be a bit too long for a slogan but it''s a work in progress. With such a n we will soon be rolling in money. We can change the swirling amazing water into even cooler stuff. Goldfish, tuna, serpent, dragon, anything really. Actually, we could charge extra to have people decide what the water shape will be like! Oh my god! We could even make it be a destination for lovers. Want to propose to a woman but you are afraid she''ll reject you? How about investing in the Confession Water Pledge show?! Not only is it a wonderful gesture but there are tons of strangers to peer pressure her into epting too. The number of shills is negotiable! They''ll scream the loudest to try and convince her to say yes! ? Why would we go out of our way to plunder some funds if we can get people to willingly offer it to us?! The awesome part is that tourism mostly takes human effort (tour guides) and some investment to assure the safety of it all. That is when my reverie gets interrupted by a shout. Then I see the Water Princess and the Naked Emperor make their way through the crowd while pushing people. They soon arrive by thekeside. "Are you alright?!" I turn in their direction. [Hey guys! Sorry not to have waited for you to start the pledge. Ah, but don''t worry I''ve gotten a wonderful idea! We can simply do a reenactment, one that will be even more glorious and amazing than thest!] She looks at me carefully in worry, but then suddenly her eyes focus on the blue glowing mark. Her entire visage bes white, her eyes open in stupefaction, but then she gives a sad sigh. I can hear herined aloud. "It''s toote, far toote. I can''t believe this." She gives me a sad smile and she doesn''t seem angry with me in any case. Then she focuses on the Water Monarch. She furrows her brows, her gaze hardens and all her face contorts in a mask of fury. That is when she shouts: YOU bitch! I''ll make you pay dearly!" Then she dashes forward. That is when begins a fast-paced fight. The Water Princess is creating enormous water serpents that strike like whips toward her enemy. However said target keeps her calm, invoking water walls to block it all perfectly. "I won''t forgive you!" (Princess) Yep, she''s pissed! "It''s toote already. There is no forgiving or not. Just ept it, fighting is pointless. Don''t make me turn against a fellow sect member. You are better than this." (Monarch) Somehow her tone sounds patronizing. Seriously, why is this happening?! On one hand, twodies are fighting over me, I think... But I''d like to know why! Plus, both are allies. [Ladies calm down! There is absolutely no need to fight! We are all friends here!] Somehow this seems to have fueled the mes of hatred for my pink-haired friend. Meanwhile, all the others in the back startughing. All except the Water Empress that goes. "Can anyone exin to me where the joke is?!" That is when the Naked emperor makes it to my side, but then suddenly appears a barrage of huge water bullets pushing him away. He too is looking at me with profound sadness and at the other with pure hate. The one fighting him is the Water Queen. [Hey, Queen! What are you doing?!] She smiles at me slightly. "Nothing much, just getting rid of a pest." [He may be a pest but he''s a friendly one! Stop right this instant!] The empress is even backing me. "Yes, you guys! Stop acting weirdly and exin everything already! Wait, what is that?!" That is when I see the Water Fairy. Somehow her hand seems to be controlling a water prison of some kind, one enveloping the Empresspletely. A few secondster the prisoner stops moving apparently frozen. The captor softly murmurs. "Sleep well, I''ll exin everything to you when you wake up Empress." [At least someone please fucking exin to me what is happening! Why is there a civil war all of the sudden?!] Chapter 486: Confrontation! Chapter 486: Confrontation! [At least someone please fucking exin to me what is happening! Why is there a civil war all of the sudden?!] They don''t even bother looking at me! The Water Queen keeps the projectile onught going on the Naked Emperor. Meanwhile, the Monarch and the Fairy are teaming up to fight the Princess. The Naked emperor is obviously at a huge disadvantage. He''s moving around as fast as he can, trying to avoid damage. Yet his opponent is relentless. Every time he tries to charge ahead, the Queen simply flings him backward. Every water ball is containing extreme power. I can already see his skin beginning to crack, with blood flowing out of it. If it wasn''t enough in some areas some torn flesh is clearly discernable. He retreats while trying to catch his breath. But no matter what, she keeps pressing the attack. There is a myriad of different attack patterns that she seems to be an expert at using. Fighting such a mage must be a nightmare. He could probably win easily if he could reach melee range but she simply won''t let him. It makes it even worst that we are currently on the magicalke. This means that she has pretty much infinite water energy to draw from, at least I''m guessing. If a war of attrition is impossible and he can''t get closer, I''ll need to intervene! Time for diplomacy first! [Stop it, Water Queen! Let''s discuss this calmly like adults!] "You think I will stop because you are telling me? There is no need to discuss this. You may not realize it but this man is a danger to our sect. He may seem harmless but he is far from it. His nakedness obsession is as dangerous as his unknown affiliation. We simply cannot afford to have such a potential danger roaming among us." [I''m convinced he''s harmless! Let''s talk this over! You guys are the ones that somehow dragged us here in the first ce! You should know this better than anyone else!] "Perhaps, perhaps not. There is no guarantee. This is not a risk I am ready to take. You should be able to understand after that pledge. It is all for the sect! It is time for some cleaning and this man is clearly a stain!" [This is madness!] "No need to get so excited. Simply watch on the sideline. " [Hell no! This is clearly a huge misunderstanding! Use your brain for a second!] But she doesn''t seem to be listening anymore. The Water Queen simply snorts as she''s driving my friend into a corner. As if I''d let that happen! It is time for me to charge, get behind her and knock her down as fast as possible in order to... But that is when I hear a cry of pain, a muffled one that someone tried to hide apparently. Turning around, I realize that I should have another priority than to help my naked friend. The Water Princess is in trouble! Seriously, what the Hell is happening?! I get an outsider getting attacked, but she''s one of the Head-mages!" She has to keep with both enemies at once! Around her are big water serpents (now in a pink hue too) that seem to be coiling around her in a bid to protect their master. Meanwhile, she''s using her famous homing pink bullets to try and disrupt her opponents'' rhythm. The Monarch is in the process of blocking all the projectiles with huge floating water walls and she is even sending colossal water chains to restrict the movements of the serpents. If that was all she would be fine. Now, the Water Fairy is opportunistically sending well-timed attacks. She seems to be throwing slim, sharp, and deadly water darts! It looks weird but seems effective. The Water Princess is managing to defend her vitals but that''s about it. As time passes, her delicate skin is getting bloody from all the cuts. Her legs, her arms, even her face are slowly taking damage. This two versus one is clearly something that will cause her demise soon! Fuck me. Why did they all go crazy like that?! We were having such a great moment too. I simply forget about my naked friend and rush to her help. I''m sure he''s going to be fine since the more he gets hurt and the better his healing. I''m still convinced he will taste defeat pretty soon but at least I can worry about the problemter on. A few dashester, I''m at my pink-haired friend''s side. I quickly swat away a few darts, but I realize the issue. I need to somehow free the water serpents if I want this to work. I can''t always remain passive and on defense mode. I need to aggressively disable the opponent''s cards so the relentless attacks stop! I will divine energy to course through my body even faster than usual! I run toward my target, right next to the serpents. This spell is going down! A few stepster I''m already ready to act. That is when I hear the Water Monarch cackling in the back. "Trying to destroy my spell with raw power? How foolish! You would need magic to be able to affect it! Plus you''ve sworn to protect us. You won''t be able to go against magic that a water mage has-" (Monarch) [How about you shut the fuck and stop altogether!] I grab the chains and crack them open. It all instantly vaporizes as if it had never been there in the first ce. Can''t destroy her spell my ass! That is when her previous disdain clearly turns to shock. It doesn''t help that I''ve done all the crushing bare-handed. "How?!" (Monarch x Fairy) While the two others are stunned, the Water Princess quickly reacts! She sends a counterattack instantly. Take this! Get wrecked by the pink bullets! Hahahaha. It feels nice not to be on the receiving end of it for once. How will they all deal with that I wonder!.... Chapter 487: Confrontation 2 Chapter 487: Confrontation 2 How will they deal with that I wonder? Sadly, they do manage to block it all. I guess that''s the downside of homing projectiles, it will throw itself at any kind of barrier without distinction. Wait! I''m actually supposed to be preventing this fight, not fan it! The best would be to find a way to immobilize them before slowly figuring it all. That is whenes a victoriousugh from the other side. With a crazy loud BANG, the Naked Emperor gets catapulted out of the fight. His state is clearly pitiful, with many bones showing. Wait, does this mean we now have to fight three of them?! The way the Water Queen is slowly walking toward us with an ominous smile makes me believe it''s the case! She then opens her mouth. Will she finally go into details, telling us the why?! As shees closer the other two enemies are slowly encircling us too. I get the feeling we are about to get a talkative evil hidden mastermind speech! "You truly are foolish aren''t you. The both of you really. *Sigh*. You, little girl, were way too busy self-isting in that house of yours. Then the only time you actually came out you somehow managed to fall for a stranger. I''m not sure the kind of magic he used to turn you to his side, but it doesn''t matter." (Queen) "What are you talking about?!" (Princess) [Yeah, seriously!? What the hell?!] "Even to this day I''m not sure of your intentions, but it doesn''t matter anymore. We simply cannot ept something as ridiculous as to remain cooped in the city until we eventually get destroyed. It is bound to happen if we simply cower." (Queen) "This whole fight is all so you can march to war?!" (Princess) "Indeed, it is so." (Queen) [That''s crazy! Aqua herself doesn''t care one bit about such a thing! Aren''t you guys supposed to be worshipping her?! Wait, are you guys switching God somehow?!] "Switching god? How are you so naive! Such a thing is pretty much impossible. No, we will follow her will. She wants us to prosper. We will do all it takes to aplish this goal. This is the vow we have done toward her and toward our people." (Queen) [She simply wants to protect you guys! It was never about conquering the world or anything like that! Don''t im your own thoughts as her own!] "Please! What would you know about the Goddess''s thoughts? You are simply a stranger here, one that came by chance. You aren''t even qualified to take part in this conversation!" [Not qualified? Not qualified?! Please! I recently went with the Water Princess to visit Aqua''s statue! I even directly spoke with her! I can assure you, seeing you guys fight between yourselves is not something she''d want! At all!] That is when the Water Fairyes closer. She seems disappointed for some reason. Also, why are we all having this chat right now? Well, at least my emperor friend should be recovering right about now! "*Sigh* They were right about you. You really are apulsive liar. Can''t you just be honest for a change?" (Fairy) [Liar? What are you even talking about?!] "I''m talking about all these crazy stories of yours. None being remotely believable. Did you think we are that easy to fool?" (Fairy) "What now? Even attacking me. How are you guys going to justify that to the Goddess?" (Princess) "This is actually easy. I''m sure you remember that a majority vote is enough to deny a Head-mage from its title as one? It just so happens that all of us are here. Well, of course, the Empress is quite busy sleeping right now. But, no worries, she did allow me to make decisions in her stead in case of emergency a while back." (Monarch) "Talk about a great way to betray the sect. Usurping authority, is it? You guys disgust me so very much right now. I really thought you three were better than that. Guess I was wrong. Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous. You talk of conquering other sects and yet are scheming internally to reduce our fighting power by kicking me out." (Princess) "Let''s not kid ourselves. You haven''t truly been one of us in a long time." (Fairy) "Wrong? You sure are wrong. It''s not us that betrayed the sect, but you. You did! You aligned with their crazy ideas. You brought him to visit the whole city. Apparently, you even brought him to see the goddess''s statue. We simply are lucky that he didn''t have much time to n our demise." (Queen) [Are you guys perhaps insane? I literally just pledged to protect this ce. Why would I try to harm it in any way?!] My pink-haired friend is looking regretful. In her eyes, I can see self-me and also pity as she looks at me. She seems to have lost all her radiance all of a sudden. "*Sigh* I can''t believe they tricked you. I should have warned you about that. I''m sorry my friend. Truly sorry." (Princess) [Wait, why are you apologizing to me?!] "Because this thing, the Water Pledge, is literally a ve contract. One that allows the Head-mages control over your existence. They will be stripping me of the title too, pretty much making you their personal ve. *Sigh*" [Oh.] "That''s your reaction?! Wow! It sure is anticlimactic! Don''t you have a story prepared to convince us to let you go?" (Fairy) My friend seems very depressed and for a good reason. But honestly, this whole thing isn''t much of an issue for me. So, how do I break them the news? Do I just go, pranked! I''m still a free man! Wait, I should probably try to get us all off theke before that. That is whenes running my disciple. She seems to be carrying something with her happily. Ah, actually I should say someone. There is my naked friend. The good news is that he''s perfectly fine. The bad news is he''s in a water prison. Now, what are they nning exactly? If I''m guessing it right, they''ll probably try to make him pledge too. I need to stop that!... Chapter 488: In my Own Name! Chapter 488: In my Own Name! My disciple is happily carrying the Naked Emperor over in a huge water bubble. She is giving off a sunny smile before stopping right in front of us. Then she looks at me and the Water Princess. "Now there are only you two. Well, seeing the blue mark on your forehead I''m guessing it is toote for you already, ~master~!" The way she says "master" is oozing with ridicule. This doesn''t make any sense. Was she trying to get revenge for her colleagues? They mostly died from self-sacrifice, all because of her orders. [Why?] "Why? Please! Do you think I wanted to take care of such a disgusting piece of shit like you?! Do you think I wanted to lower myself to calling an idiot master?! Do you think this is any fun for me?! You act all mighty but in fact, you are only a body cultivator. Why the hell do I have to call someone that can''t even control water master!" [I never asked you to] "Of course you didn''t! Do you think that changes anything? All my colleagues died to open the God of Order''s prison. There is no way I''de back empty-handed. Yet all that awaited me nearby were two dumbasses! One that lives to be naked and one that lives to bullshit! It pisses me off so much." [So you are ming me for a decision you made in the first ce? Are you hearing yourself?] "You think I had a choice in the matter? I began this disgusting act to save my life you know. I''m just d that it bore fruit. Now, with this little blue mark you will have no choice but to follow our orders, all for the sake of the Water Sect! Isn''t that great?!" [] The way I see it this is all a colossal waste of effort and a stupid move. I was already ready to helpnow this. It all relies on one premise: the fact that the ritual is binding me. The thing is I clearly don''t feel any different. "Actually, we need to banish the Water Princess from our midst first. (Monarch) "Waitweren''t we just stripping her of her title as Head-mage?!" (Fairy) "Didn''t you see it earlier? He was able to fight back against Monarch''s water chains. Usually, that wouldn''t be possible for him to stand against us in any way you know. But since he was defending one of our members he could. If we don''t do this, he''ll be able to team up with her to somehow undermine our war efforts." (Queen) "Oh! That makes sense! Well, don''t me us Princess. It simply can''t be helped." (Fairy) "Alright, who here is in favor of exiling the Water Princess from the sect for standing in the way of our development? I hereby formally agree to her being kicked out!" (Monarch) I like how they are simply voting without a care in the world. What should I do now? Grab my two friends and run madly? No, that probably won''t work. Right now we are on theke. I don''t believe running from water mages will be that easy here. They''ll need me to cover their backs. I need to get them to the shore first thing first. The Naked Emperor seems unconscious inside the water bubble, but Princess is clearly ready to fight back. She''s grinding her teeth in anger and shaking her head slightly in disparagement. I lock eyes with her and give her a very subtle nod. I can see traces of surprises in her eyes. She seems perplexed by the fact that I''m not totally panicking right now. They are done voting. Weirdly enough it seems as if some kind of water vapor is leaving the Water Princess. It forms a seal in the air before disappearing instantly. Is this the mark of membership to the sect? "Great, with this we can now take care of the loose ends. We simply need to make the naked guy pledge ah what should we do with dear old Princess?" (Monarch) "A pledge too is good I believe. Now shall we have some fun? Guardian, I order you to capture her!" (Queen) "Haha, this is so ironic. He''s going to be the one to cause the direct demise of his friends. Talk about fitting after he caused the demise of mine!" ("Disciple") Seriously, what''s her problem? But this is good! I get near my pink-haired friend, and I subtly wink at her. Then I slowly walk to her and grab her, immobilizing her. "Alright, bring her here next to that other guy and we''ll begin the ceremony once more." (Queen) Now I need to time this well, it will be toote once the giant water swirling appears. I need to get them out of here soon. I can see how expectant they all are. Somehow, they seem to think they have won. They seem to think they are doing something right too. Finally, I stop right next to my naked friend. I share onest look with the girl I''m currently carrying. It is a look that clearly states that I am ready to make a move. I give her a slight smile too. There''s one other that catches on to it. "Careful! Something isn''t right!" (Fairy) Toote! Before they can even react. I make my move! I dash next to the water prison. I forcefully breach it, driving my entire arm inside before dragging my friend out. I feel the water resistance, but I brute force it all. With a PLOP his bodyes out. "How?! This shouldn''t be possible!" ("Disciple") "I order you to stop at once!" (Queen) "In the name of the Water Goddess, cease instantly!" (Monarch) I can see how rattled they all are. I can see the visible confusion on their faces. My "disciple" is clearly freaking out. This is why viin speeches are dumb. You look like an utter fool afterward when something like this happens. I grin at them. Then I fling my allies far away. I see their bodies draw an arc in the air and reaching the ground. The Water Princess uses her water magic to stop their fall before dashing away. Mission fucking aplished! That is when I turn toward the others. [In the name of the Water Goddess, was it? How about in my own name I tell you to all go fuck yourselves!] Chapter 489: Not so Helpless After All Chapter 489: Not so Helpless After All [In the name of the Water Goddess, was it? How about in my own name I tell you to all go fuck yourselves!] They are all shocked at my sudden outburst. Please! How do they think I feel about all this crap! Ah, but then I see all their gazes congregating on the glowing blue symbol on my forehead, right. They are shocked at the pledge failing, at how much they screwed up. I can even hear my "disciple" in the background going "this is a nightmare" over and over. Welp, time to fucking run! I''m not going to wait for them to regain their bearings. I dash away but then suddenly a water wall appears in front of me. Goddamn Water Monarch! Ouch! A facentter, I''m back at running but then I hear the sound of projectiles. I roll and ...still get hit. The Water Queen has been sending enough water bullets to cover the whole area. I ever so slowly get up, even while one volley after another is making its way to me. I simply protect the face with one hand and the balls with the other. Then, I walk away at the speed of a snail. Slowly but surely. At this point, the Fairy and my "disciple" both join in on the fun. My entire vision is utterly filled with high-velocity water sshing unto me. But it''s fine! I stomp hard on the pce floor, propelling myself away. Then, I keep doing it until the result bes different. I can now feel my foot sinking into theke. It seems they have realized that they could simply take my footing away to render me helpless. Oh god. This is gonna be so annoying. Soon enough, half my body is submerged in the water. I can''t easily apply any force, I''m stuck. In the distance I see a pink tornado making its way out. At least, that''s what she looks like with all the pink tentacles and bullets protecting her. All of it is rotating around her at high speed as she moves. At this rate, she''ll soon exit the city. I may haven''t done much, but the Head-mages did waste quite a fair bit of their energy on me. Actually, even now they are trying to screw me over by attacking relentlessly. But honestly, with divine energy, all this is pretty pointless of them. I''m not sure what they are all thinking to be honest. Probably something along with the liner of ''Kill it with water!''. I honestly feel like they are wasting their energy on me. Soon she''ll. oh crap! Just as they are about to leave, I realize an issue. Now, that she is not technically part of the sect she cannot open the water barrier anymore. Right now, she seems to be struggling to try to forcefully open a hole in it. Hopefully, she''ll seed soon. I just need to have faith. But just as I''m still thinking positively, I hear something concerning. "When you did the water prison on that naked asshole you also used the spell that I recently showed you, right?" (Queen) "Ah! I almost forgot but yes! Hahaha this is going to be so much fun!" ("Disciple") I don''t like the sound of that! At all. Whileughing she seems to be using magic. That''s when in the distance happens an explosion. No! Fucking hell! These bastards! The human body is mostly made of water. Now, what do you think happens when all the water inside someone suddenly explodes? He''lle back, right! There is no state higher in nakedness than to show everyone all the bits of your organs, right!? I''m sure that''s what he would have said. But now he''s gone. Surviving this is impossible. I still observe the gory mess on the ground. There is no movement at all. There will not be any miracle. He''s gone. Just like that. Just because some assholes wanted to fight while I wanted peace. "How is it to see your friend in pieces? Quite artistic, wouldn''t you say?" ("Disciple") Artistic. Fucking artistic. How about I bash her head in just so she can have a direct taste of art? I''m sure she''d enjoy that very much. I really feel like an artist right now. I really feel like causing many ''happy'' idents right about now. At least four to start with. The only constion is that my pink-haired friend has survived. She''s still attacking the barrier relentlessly. She''s channeling all her rage into her magic. She''s also somehow keeping the normal sect members at bay while she''s doing that. "I''ll handle him. You guys go on ahead and deal with her." (Monarch) Hell no! I visualize my feet having great footing on the water. I want the divine energy itself to push me upward. It''s barely working, but it is! I get out of the water and I resolutely advance toward the Monarch. She sends chains toward me, restraining me. Chains that she is holding directly. She''s even triumphantly thinking that this will stop me. I simply growl at her, appearing as menacing as possible. [Nice chains, but who''s stuck to who.] That is when I free my hands before pulling with all my strength on the water construct. She starts flying toward me for a second. I''m perfectly ready to receive her with a punch in the face! Sadly, she manages to stop her flight shortly with a well-ced water wall. Well, one good thinges out of it. "Never mind! Come back and help me! He''s way more troublesome than we initially thought! How is the pledge not affecting him at all?! This is crazy!" (Monarch) I feel like it''s the first time she is losing her cool. Serves her well. For now, I need to wait, simply wait until all allies are gone. Right now I am in a passive position because I don''t want to hurt her. But soon I won''t have this fear, soon I will be able to go crazy with my counterattack. Soon I will teach them all that no one messes with The Unnamed God Sect. No one! Chapter 490: Finding Their Weakness Chapter 490: Finding Their Weakness Soon I will teach them all that no one messes with The Unnamed God Sect. No one! I''m still under an intense attack. Wherever I look all I see is water. Water des, water bullets, water walls, water scythes even. It looks like a deadly exhibition of all water-based killing methods. Right now, I feel like a rat that fell in the toilet, somehow still alive but even I don''t know how. Divine energy makes me hard to kill but the only issue is I''m getting pushed everywhere, especially in theke. Then I have to concentrate hard to extirpate myself out of it. I can''t stop concentrating on my defense either or it would be dangerous. I can faintly hear their conversation from time to time. Right now, they don''t seem to care about if they kill me. I can''t believe how ridiculous this whole n was. "What are we doing now?!" ("Disciple") "Keep attacking until he''s down. We need to take care of him and then we need to figure out why the pledge didn''t work." (Queen) "Tch, it''s probably thanks to the modified vows he said, but then again it shouldn''t affect it much. It''s not as much the words but to ept the ritual that matters. Honestly, I have no clue, he should be under the spell''s effect already." (Monarch) "What if we don''t manage to control him?!" (Fairy) "Then we simply kill him." (Queen) "What if we can''t kill him?" (Fairy) "Then the Water Sect gets destroyed for we''vepletely made an enemy out of him just now. But no need to worry, this is our territory. No matter how resistant he is he will run out of energy at some point." (Monarch) "That''s right! We just need to persevere a bit more! He''s already getting slower! He''s struggling!" ("Disciple") Run out of energy? Getting slower? I almost chuckle when I hear that. These guys are sorely mistaken if they think a battle of attrition is the best way to defeat me! This is just perfect. Right now, I need time more than anything else. I can barely see but it seems my pink-haired friend is still attacking the water barrier. The issue is that the general sect members are starting to organize themselves. They are now coordinating their attacks together, creating a force that cannot be ignored anymore. Should I try to get there and punch the barrier real quick? I could probably free myself, but it would take time. They''d also soon notice my objective. If I show them that I care about my friend they''ll focus on her directly. It would backfire quickly. Think, think, I need to somehow help subtly. Wait, the water barrier covers the whole city, right? Haha! This is probably going to work. Thiske is the exact center of it. I spent the whole day exploring the city. I know for a fact that everything is connected together. This means that even if I''m stuck here, I can still do something about that defensive measure. Still, the more I observe this ce and the more it looks like a very normalke. Well, that''s if one excludes the crazy people sting it apart every second around me. I start using my scouting ability. I somehow manage to split my focus in two. One to make sure I survive and the other to scour the barrier and theke itself. I feel like my mind is about to break but I can tough it out. I''ll save her and make these fuckers pay for the death of my naked friend. I scour the spot my pink-haired friend is attacking first. Always the same yet it doesn''t show any sign of weakening. It seems its regeneration rate is higher than the actual damage dealt. Can I interact with it in this consciousness form? I try to move closer to it, but I simply pass right through. For me, this defense may as well not be there. Wait, what if I try transferring some divine energy to my friend? She could break out with divine pink balls. Good thing her magic is a different color or I get close to her. She is under immense pressure and yet she is still fighting valiantly. I want to tell her that everything will be fine, that I''ll get her out of here somehow, but she doesn''t perceive me. But that''s when I feel something peculiar. It''s a feeling that is nostalgic. Comes an ancient and powerful vibe. Then slowly appears some white fog. HAHAHA Right, he''s not so easy to kill! There he is, the Naked Emperor in his ghostly form once more. He seemingly looks around the battlefield. Then heins while exuding disappointment. "Seriously?! You guys have been fighting for so long and none of you lost any piece of clothing? How bad are you guys? Is all this magic of yours just for show? I bet it is!" Then again both sides have magic that''s the thing. That''s when he starts to curiously float near the barrier. I''m so fucking d he''s back. I go next to him in this soul form of mine. Even he can''t see me. But as I get nearby, I see him jump in fright before looking all around akin to a startled rabbit. He then slowly mumbles "must be my imagination" before resuming his observation. He then rams his whole foggy body against the water barrier. He thenes to a stop abruptly. He''s unharmed but clearly dizzy from it as he even has trouble flying straight. Just as he is done stabilizing himselfhe does it again! He rams itself over against it, sometimes even before recovering. Just as I''m thinking he''s gone crazy he finally stops. He simply looks like a white gaseous shape, but somehow, I can perceive his predatory smile. He goes. "Found you!" Then he starts flying straight to theke in the middle. I keep up with him as fast as I can. Then he dives into it, apparently searching for something. Before long, I finally notice what it is. There are small goldfishes in there. They are barely discernable in the troubled water. On each, there are magical-looking symbols. Is this barrier goldfish-powered?! What kind of concept is this! He starts attacking them with limited results, but he has some. This is amazing! Now that I know what I must do I hurry back and sever the connection to this mental construct of mine. I concentrate fully on the vision from my own body. I''m still under attack, I''m still getting fucked. But it doesn''t matter. It is time to go on the offensive!... Chapter 491: Strongest Ability! Chapter 491: Strongest Ability! It is time to go on the offensive! I slowly start swimming toward the fishes, or try. Not only is even moving out of the crazy attack onught hard, but even then, my speed is clearly too slow. I''m not the fastest swimmer to start with. Should I use my illusion magic on the fishes themselves to make people focus on them? It would probably work, but I''m a bit worried it would also aggro the Water Princess and bring her back in the fight. If only I had a way to produce a ranged attack *Sigh*. I look around searching for something to use as a projectile. I don''t trust my aim but the only ally in the area is an incorporeal ghost. It should be fine even if I miss my target. But there is absolutely nothing but water around me. It''s not like I can throw water out like them all. I don''t have any mana. What about using divine energy? Well, the only concrete spell I know is the Forgar one. On one hand, it''s super effective, but on the other, it consumes my only source of power so it''s also trash. A shame because pressured water can most certainly. wait. I just had the most ridiculous idea ever, but one that may just work. The fishes are rtively far away. This will be extremely troublesome. Focus, I need to visualize having insane range and power. While I''m just preparing for this strike of mine the people up there are still chattering. "What is this thing?! It''s evil! It''s clearly evil!" (Fairy) "That should be the soul of the Naked Emperor guy. Somehow it seems he survived the water exploding seal. This is bad!" (Queen) "What''s bad?! Is a soul that strong?! He should already be dead, no?!" ("Disciple") "*Sigh* It seems we were blind on many aspects. These guys are not so easy to control. Not simple at all. Still, seeing how much they had hidden they were clearly plotting against us somehow. It''s a good thing that we began fighting as soon as we did." (Monarch) "Wait, what is it doing? It seems to be hunting the fishes down there! These are sacred!" (Fairy) "Oh no! They also very much are the keys to the barrier! Quick stop him!" (Monarch!) "I''m on it! Ah, but how does one stop a soul?!" ("Disciple") "Simply use magic and.what is that?!" (Queen) "What is it?" ("Disciple") "I just saw one of the goldfish suddenly topple over! Look there! It is surrounded by some yellow deathly aura, what is this?!" (Queen) In fact, they are so damn surprised that they almost stop the assault on me, almost. Now, let me tell you there are some things in life that are truly difficult. One is to have enough reach. Another is to have enough pressure in the stream. Yet another one is to aim true no matter the obstacles. Onest one is to bear the shame it all brings. But right now I am feeling proud of myself. It took me a lot of tries and lots of focused divine energy-enhancing but I have managed the unthinkable: I have ughtered a magical goldfish with a pressured golden shower attack. Impressive, am I right! My ghostly friend is roaming all about finding them. As soon as he does, I aim and fire. At first, he is extremely puzzled, but then he sees me. He also sees how my fly is down and how I''m currently -omitted-. That is when we share a look between men (I think he has no eyes). Still, I can feel how much he approves of my current tactic. He is utterly proud of my performance. Right now he would be doing a thumbs up if he had a hand. That is when the crazydies up there finally realize what is happening. "What the hell is this?! Is he pissing on the fishes until they die?! What madness is this?! Since when can body cultivators do that?!" Lookdy, I''m not even 100% sure how body cultivators work in this world. If you ask me, who am I supposed to ask?! But still, there is one thing I cannot let slide. [Don''t call it pissing so vulgarly! It is my Ultimate Golden Diamond Destroying Stream Attack of Doom!] The more chuuni and embarrassing I make the name sound and the more people will dwell on it rather than the actual act. It can''t be helped. As they say, improvise, adapt, ovee and piss on them all to show dominance! "Quick stop him! He''s going to murder them all and disable the barrier at this rate!" (Fairy) "Why is he not dead yet?! We''ve been attacking him all this time!" ("Disciple") "Hell if I know! This is probably his strongest technique by far! Who knows he may be trying to scare us into running away!" (Monarch!") "It makes sense!" (Fairy) How can they even misunderstand this for my strongest technique?! Then again, I have to agree that it is shining extremely right now. They increase the rate of their attacks, but I soon do too. I start aiming for their fasces directly with my Golden attack. Sadly they all manage to evade rtively easily. Still, they do so extremely flustered, and their faces filled with disgust. Meanwhile, my ally finds more fishes that I promptly take care of. It seems this technique is extremely OP in general but fails against intelligent humans. They are all dodging as they can predict where I''ll aim. Still, it is the first time that I am realizing how amazing staying hydrated is! Simply chug theke water quickly transforming it into streams of doom. The best part of it is that the more I do it and the clearer it bes. Soon this golden stream attack of mine has be a clear stream attack. As invisible as deadly. It is at this exact moment that the crazies notice they have fucked up. The more time goes on and the stronger I get. I''m even improving my aim a lot! That is when they seem to take a final decision as they are freaking out. "We have no choice. It is time to bring on our sect''s final life measure. It is time to annihte them all with the power of the barrier before they take it down. This sacrifice is inevitable now!" Why the fuck is this escting once more! Something doesn''t add up here! What the heck is their goddamn problem?! Oh god, what is this?! . Chapter 492: Small Snake Chapter 492: Small Snake Oh god, what is this?! . I see them all raise their arms up before the entireke itself starts glowing with a deep blue light. It seems to be pulsating akin to the heartbeat of a titan. In there I can see the remaining goldfishes sh brightly before starting to vanish. What is happening?! With every fish disappearing the very water below me shakes, all a precursor to what is toe. The calmke is no more. That is when it all raises in the air before forming a giant shape in the air. There is a serpentine-looking humongous body, a gaping maw that can clearly devour me whole, shiny stars in ce of eyes, and it is roaring like a waterfall. It''s a goddamn dragon! One entirely made of water that looks deadly enough to kill anything in existence. Oh damn! How am I supposed to survive this?! No, wait. How are my friends supposed to survive this?! Both my naked and pink-hairedpanions for the first time stop their counterattacking. In fact, the whole sectes to a halt. The air is heavy, filled with water vapor, it even feels constraining. My feet are still stuck in the water surface, that is when the creature coils on itself, its gazeing to rest on me. It seems as vast as the ocean itself. In its eyes I see savagery, power, but not just that. No, I also see a desire for freedom. This ginormous monster is but a small freshwater snake that longs for the bigger sea. I see this for a fleeting instant. A very fleeting moment for the water mages soon bark orders at it. "Go on! Kill this man! He is a danger to the sect!" That is when the somewhat innocent look of it changes. I can feel how angry it feels at being chained, I can feel how helpless it feels about its whole fate. After all, its life is bound to be but an ephemeral existence, once that will vanish as soon as the spell is over. Yet all of this turns into rage. *ROAR! * That is when it plunges at me! *BAM! * A sharp and piercing pain strikes my entire body, one that neveres to an end. I can feel my skin rupturing, I can feel my bones breaking, I can feel the air leaving my lungs, I can feel the water invading me, I can. I want it to stop! Just leave me alone you dumb dragon. I can see the aqua blue, I can see the sky blue, and it all keeps switching so fast I can''t tell which is which. All I know is that I''m getting thrown in the air, dragged underwater, and toyed with. For once I feel like my own life isn''t under my control. I imagine getting repeatedly hit by a truck while having a pleasant session of waterboarding feels like this. I want it to cease but I don''t know how. Well, there is an easy way, I could simply give up. Just as I''m having these dark thoughts akin to bubbles in my head,es a wind waking me up. This wind is trying to fight the dragon without seeding. Seeing my naked friend try to help me Ie back to my senses. So what if I am helpless against such a monster? So what if I am condemned to get tortured for what feels like an eternity So what if all that happens is an infinite circle of destruction and healing of this broken body of mine? I just need to endure. I can barely hear anything, I can barely see anything, but I do notice one thing. The general sect members are all cheering loudly while watching me get beat up. How bored are they? Have they forgotten how nice they have it here? Have they begun thinking that their life would require a little more excitement? Right now, my troubles are nothing but a show to them. If that''s how they think then I don''t have to mind them one bit. There are no innocents here. I''d breathe out in relief, but my lungs are still full of water, yes it burns! This dragon has a spirit. I have no clue on the why or how. Perhaps they invoked the spirit of a true dragon or maybe it is the mana itself creating this. All I know is that it won''t stop me. I may have lost my taming emblem, but I remain a professional tamer, kinda. I focus my mind. I simply wish to talk to the creature. I wish to converse with it. Am I wasting my time? Perhaps, but I feel it can work. I felt life from it. In my eyes, it doesn''t matter if it is human or not. It doesn''t even matter that it is not made of flesh and bone. I focus hard and a few secondster my entire vision goes dark. *Drip Drip Drip* That is when I awaken to the sound of dripping water. I find myself sitting cross-legged. Looking downward I am atop a pond. This one is extremely tiny and shallow. I can see glistering shells on the sandy floor. There is nothing else. There is no wind, there is nothing else but a white background all around. [Hello, anyone here?!] That is whenes a few bubbles out of the water. Then before my eyes appear a very snall snake. A small red one with big eyes. It looks at me guarded before growling lowly *Purr*. The sound it produces is so cute that it doesn''t sound threatening at all. I start petting its small head. [No need to act tough with me. Anyway, do you have any idea where the big water dragon is?] Part of me is believing it to be the tiny creature in front of me but the other part is denying that theory, it''s just so cute after all! As they say, cuteness is justiceor something. It shyly slitters around awkwardly. [Are you IT? If you are there is no way to hide it. I simply want to help you.] It sadly and pitifully shakes its small head. That is when glowing glyphs appear on its body. I have no clue what they all mean but they are the same color as the mark of Aqua''s pledge. It seems to be somewhat restrained by it. I know exactly what to do! I lick my finger akin to an annoying mother and I grab the now panicked snake. Then I vigorously rub it, even using divine energy. I keep at it until the markings all disappear. That''s when the snakepletely transforms under my very eyes!... Chapter 493: Perfect Plan! Oh God, No! Chapter 493: Perfect n! Oh God, No! That''s when the snakepletely transforms under my very eyes!... A sh of bright lightter, I find myself holding a small goldfish in my hands. It looks at me with its big eyes happily. [So, you were forced to transform to appear more menacing?] It shyly nods apparently saddened about it. Well, this is understandable. It doesn''t matter what one looks like one''s original appearance always has a special meaning in one''s heart. Of course, there are many people that are disappointed and hate themselves for their appearance. One should definitely take the measures necessary to remain fit, healthy, and even decently clean. Anything more than that is pointless. This goldfish seems to clear all of the above. [Don''t worry. Feel free to be yourself with me. The Unnamed God Sect epts all for who they are. As long as you are friendly and aren''t a dick we''ll get along just fine.] It starts happily swimming around my hand. This is how friendships are made. My new tiny friend cannot even speak, all it can do are bubbles. This ce is so peaceful. I wouldn''t mind staying here forever, especially with a nice drink. But the real world awaits my return. [Alright, once we are out there I''ll need you to cooperate with me, can you do that?] *Reliable nod* [Perfect, we need to make sure we keep fighting out there.] *Puzzled nod* [Hehe, we won''t be fighting for real. We will simply be ying pretend. We''ll make them believe we are, however.] *Intrigued nod* [Just see it as a game. We don''t want to alert them just now. While "fighting" we will move toward the periphery of the city. Then before they know it, we''ll run away!] *Excited nod* [Ah, but we also need to do something else. On the way there we want to bring a young pink-haireddy. She should be easy to recognize. Just make sure you don''t hurt her in any way. Is that good?] I''m sure my ghostly friend will be able to keep up with us by flying too. *yful nod* I''m pretty sure this n is perfect. Before they know it, we will be gone. This is the ultimate plot twist! Well, for them. [Alright, once we are out, I''ll be counting on you. Move out!] *Badass nod* How does a goldfish even look badass? Well, it''s hard to exin but he 100% does. Then I close my eyes focusing on leaving this quiet ce. It burns! My lungs are still filled with water and my body is shaking around as much as a stic bag in a washing machine. But then the water pressure suddenly lessens a lot. Before, my skin was getting peeled off by every current. Now, it feels like a massage, one aimed at each of my sore muscles. With this, I naturally stop resisting entirely. No longer am I fighting trying to hold on to dear life. No, I am now floating all around the water dragon quickly. I can also hear the people below since the waves aren''t as loud. "Look at him! He''s losing strength!" "Indeed! He''s about to go down. He even seems to be falling unconscious." "This is perfect. This will teach him to make a fool out of us. ("Disciple") "For some reason, I feel like there is something weird with the situation. Doesn''t he look just too calm for " (Queen) Oh crap! I was curiously listening and receiving a massage at the same time. Guess I slightly screw up my pained expression. I quickly ster it back on my face. That is when my goldfish friend nicely cooperates too. Somehow, he drags the blood I''ve been shedding earlier and makes it seem like some more is gushing out of me. He even does it in a way that the operation ispletely hidden from the Head-mages. From their perspective, I am truly hurt. Well, it can be seen from the general sect members area, but somehow, they have started fighting with my friend again. I can''t believe this! There is a goddamn dragon right next to them and they don''t even care?! I mean it''s a goldfish really but still That is when we slowly start moving toward the edge of the city while keeping up the acting. Soon the sect members are running all over the ce trying to escape an unfeeling monster, or so they think. There are even someining about their bad luck. Yeah, right. So much bad luck! How would they react if they knew the whole story? Would they think this is all cheating? Would they be mad? Would they despair? This is so damn fun! Their screams of terror somehow bring me joy. Gotta enjoy the little things ? Finally after a while we manage to stop right in front of my pink friend. Ah, a fun fact the ghostly one has been following all along. The nearest area of the water barrier suddenly copses too under my watery friend''s unseen magic. Of course, that sends the head-mages panicking. "How is this possible?!" (Fairy) "The water dragon should still have ample mana avable." (Monarch) "Why is the barrier falling apart already?!" ("Disciple") "Wait, look. It''s only that small part of it that is going down!" (Fairy) "It''s totally that bitch''s fault for her incessant attacks on it!" ("Disciple") "What should we do?" (Queen) "Don''t worry everything is under control. They are all about to drown from the dragon''s magic. We just need to sit back and watch. This is soon going to be over. There is only one thing left: to enjoy the show." (Monarch) "So true!" (Fairy) "HAHAHAHA!" (All of them) Guess They''ll soon be extremely disappointed. Not that it''s my problem haha. Now there only remains thest step. The water dragon approaches gently to grab my friend and bring her to safety, but that is when something happens. She looks my way and adopts a very serious expression. She gazes deep into my eyes. Then she suddenly emanates a mncholic aura as she smiles onest time, then showing incredible resolve. I have a bad feeling about this. A really bad feeling! Oh god, I know this pose. She''s about to do something dumb! She''s about tomit something irreversible! I try to want her, but only wateres out without any sound. That is when she begins her magic under my horrified eyes. She''s right next to me and somehow I can''t stop her... Chapter 494: Take Care, My Friend Chapter 494: Take Care, My Friend ****(POV) For as long as I can remember, I have always been outed by others. I was talented, people wanted to get closer to me to profit at my expense. But behind my back, they were disparaging that pink-colored water magic of mine. They were both envious and disgusted by my power that was slightly different. Some kept arguing that I was voluntarily desecrating the sanctity of the Aqua blue. Some even said I wasn''t human in the first ce. But I had backing so I remained fine. Even with me being the ck sheep or pink in this case, they were helpless to do anything about me. Then I soon became a Head-mage, powerful enough to take care of myself. I was a powerhouse so they all had to shut up. Still, since everyone disliked me I stayed home. Sometimes I would tour the city alone at the wee hour of the day. I would enjoy the quiet and the absence of dumbasses. Most of the time I was just training. In fact, I would have kept going had the fool not appeared. He was guided here by a hateful girl that is weak, hateful, and will stab anyone in the back at the first chance. I was expecting him to be simr, especially when he forcefully came to invade my ce. Back then I found him the most hateful of all! I wanted nothing more than to rip him to shreds. I tried to but failed for he was simply too strong. Well, he seemed both incredibly powerful and incredibly weak at the same time. Somehow, he had a great power contained inside him that he simply didn''t know how to use. I''m not even sure how it all happened, but I somehow ended up in a very shameful position in front of him. I was expecting him to ridicule me, I was expecting him to demean me. Nope! To him, I was just a normal girl. That''s when I realized that all that pink magic instead of the usual blue didn''t mean anything to outsiders. I felt I could open up to him. We spent a whole day touring the city and he somehow showed me something amazing. All my life I had been struggling for power to assure my survival here. He instead spoke of simply enjoying the moment, enjoying life. As I felt the soft breeze, I couldn''t help but feel my entire body be at peace. I was one with the surrounding water, as calm too. That''s when I resolved to follow him. I simply wanted to see the world the way he sees it for it seems way different in his eyes. But then he got tricked by the others. They made him pledge to guard our city. The problem is such a contract has him following our whims. This is uneptable! There is no way I will let this beautiful nave soul be tainted by such filth! At first, I was despairing but then I realized something. Somehow, he managed not to be restricted by it. He was still fully conscious and making his own decisions. Clearly, there had been something wrong with the ritual. That brings us to this very moment. He is fighting for his life against a gigantic water dragon. I can''t believe they''d use a life-saving measure on such an insane endeavor. Still, I think I know what they are hoping for. They too have seen the strength hidden in his body. He not knowing how to use it is perfect. This gives them hope to restrain and study him until his source of power is found. That is how they probably hope to take the next step in their journey to immortality. If they can learn from him how to cultivate their bodies, they could soon be invincible. How strong would a mage with an invincible body be? Very strong! That''s the part that is disappointing. He isn''t trying to scheme one bit. He even wants to help. Yet they seem paranoid and overthinking the whole thing. Honestly, it''s probably just the greed for power clouding their minds. They know they wouldn''t ever tell their own secrets, so they assume he won''t do it either. They could just ask him but they are convinced he won''t answer. There is something so out of ce with this whole situation! I''m probably missing something but it doesn''t matter. All that matters right now is that he is about to be captured. He is about to be their test subject until he is nothing more than a shadow of his former self. All until he has lost this liveliness of his. That, I can''t ept. This world can be a royal pain in the ass at times. But that''s exactly why I need you in it, my friend. I need to know that somewhere there is just some fool that just wants to protect the people he loves while enjoying life. I''ve lived all my life disdained by the people below me and ignored by my colleagues. I''ve simply gone with the flow and hid away. Now is the time for a decision. Behind me is a hole in the water barrier. I could simply run, flee and leave everything behind. I could leave my friend and the ghost of the naked man to their own devices. But if I did they would definitely perish. Maybe not instantly but at some point after countless hours of torture for sure. My only friend in this life is this guy. If I disappear none but him will even realize. It won''t cause any ripple at all. It will just happen. He is different, he''s bright and warm. He has people awaiting his return. Whenever he talks about them he has this sparkle in his eyes. I will not kill that hope, no matter what! This enemy in front is made of water, an enormous quantity of water all oozing with incredible power. But so what?! I''m a goddamn water mage! I gather all my mana, then I start forcefully controlling that dragon. It tries to resist, but my will is way stronger. It is fighting for its own existence but I am fighting for my friend! Screw that creature! My friend seems to be silently screaming at me to stop, but I won''t. This is the path I have chosen. I can feel incredible power course through me, way more than I ever thought I could ever use. So this is the power of conviction, eh? It feels nice. The power, not my body breaking down. I start throwing up blood, my body starts creaking about to give up, my mana and lifeforce are all going into this. But I don''t care. I simply keep it up. In the background, I can hear the other water sect members freaking out. All of them are going crazy even the Head-mages. I can hear their shouts of anger and terror. they have realized what I am attempting. "This is impossible!" "No human can control such magic alone!" "We''re all going to die!" Well, thest one sure is insightful at least. That is when the naked ghostes floating next to me while uttering lowly. "Protecting people you care about is a noble thing, isn''t it? All their scheming and all their evil are nothing in the face of true conviction." Somehow his voice seems as deep and ancient as the world itself. There is no trace of the usual silliness. I can somehow feel a regal aura from him, but it suddenly disappears as soon as it appeared. Well, it doesn''t matter. I look, smiling onest time at the fool that once said: "Wait, your hair is naturally pink?! That''s fucking awesome! That''s like anime protagonist level! You will be destined for great things haha!" Then, I will the water dragon I am now controlling to throw him far away. He shall be fine with that perverse body of his. He will be safe. I still don''t know what an anime protagonist is. I definitely won''t be destined for anything great either as it all ends here. But none of this matters. Take care, my friend. My only friend... Chapter 495: True Dwarf King Chapter 495: True Dwarf King ****(POV) I can hear the faint footsteps of my loving wife behind me. I''d recognize her anywhere. Shees closer and rests her head on my shoulder before murmuring: "You''re here again. You truly miss him, don''t you?" In front of me is a small statue of a very ordinary man. One that has died to protect the world. I sigh. "Miss him? Yes, but there isn''t only sadness or longing. Most importantly it is a way for me to remember the past so I nevermit such mistakes again." "It wasn''t your fault. You know that, right? Either our ancestral teachings were wrong or the creatures somehow managed to invade sooner. But you did your task as perfectly as you were supposed to." "*Sigh* That''s the thing. If we had hurried up, he would still be alive today. Every time I remember that I caused the demise of the man Forgar chose as his direct champion my heart clenches in regret." "Alright, as long as you don''t let it destroy you then it''s fine. I know how strong you can be. I''m not talking about just your hammering either. I''m talking true strength, the mental one." "I''ll be there soon, just a few more minutes," I reassure her. She nods, gently kissing me before hurrying out. I still remember how everything felt like a nightmare when I wasing back home. He was gone and it was all my fault. Then we had to waste time on idiots because of that old acid mage. When I finally was done with the journey, I learned something crazy. Apparently, Forgar sent a direct oracle. The message itself was a bit messed up, but it often happens with these sorts of things. It requested that we join The Unnamed God Sect and beg its owner to teach Forgar his fire technique. Still, the intended meaning was obvious. Well for me. It was confusing the people back at home so much initially. They had never heard of that sect or its master. But I knew for I had traveled with him. I was the one that had to break the news to them. For the first time in ages all the Dwarven people wept, and it was for a human. Yet none med me for my mistakes. They would have done the same after all. The bardsposed heroic songs about him. Many sung his praisesparing him to a divine being that graced the world with his presence, one shining light on a dark world facing imminent destruction. I beat them up. I beat all of these bards. Every single to thest one of them. At first, people were confused and shocked even thinking that I had gone crazy. Soon they realized how wrong they had been. I started talking about the man he had been. He was far from a divine being at all. He was a mortal. Nothing more than a mortal. But this mortal term was the highest praise for him. He was mortal and amazing. Simple butplex. I barely spent time with him, but it was still enough for a few anecdotes. I spoke and spoke. At that point, I was lost in my thoughts. Really all I was doing was revisiting all my memories and sharing them. Every little moment we had shared. For me it was therapeutic. But when I opened my eyes, an incredible scene appeared before me. I thought people would have left after hearing me just rambling. No. In front, I could see the entire dwarven poption. There were youths and elders. There were males and females. All ns were there, sitting together. One must know that in dwarven society one sits with their n members. They were all mixing together without any qualm whatsoever. Something so simple was almost unseen. It had only happened under the leadership of the greatest heroes and only a few times in history. Yet they had all congregated to listen to the ramblings of a fool. I couldn''t help but stare at this sea of dwarves in amazement. That is when they themselves came to their senses. They could be seen looking all around, realizing the situation they were in. Logic stated they should have quickly moved away from each other. No, they smiled wryly and simply shrugged. This scene somehow made my heart feel warm before the tingly sensation spread to my entire body. I could feel the tears gushing rendering my whole vision blurry. Yet none of the dwarves assembled made anyment about it. They understood. I had perhapspleted my mission, but most importantly I had lost a friend. They simply kept gazing at me, without judgment. They were all there and so was I. I only wished for him to have seen it too. At that moment there was only one thing I wanted to do. I chuckled loudly amidst this heavy butfortable atmosphere. Then I simply raised my head high up smiling brightly as he would have before dering. "Should we have a feast in his memory!" The eventsted a week. During it, bards could be seenposing, artisans were making sculptures of things rted to his life, painters tried their best to draw his portrait from memory, children were even trying their best to memorize his story. It was a merry time. It took a while for things to return to normal and even what we considered normal was changed. After this event, our people were unified,pletely so. They still are to this day. "It''s all thanks to you, my friend." The small statue I am confiding in is a replica of one of the many that can be seen everywhere in the city. There is one where he is valiantly fighting abyss devourers, there is one where he is crushing a de bare-handed, there is one having him swim inva, there is one with him gently smiling wisely But this one is my favorite by far. It shows him smiling happily as he is drinking. I also added a finishing touch to it. My version of it includes him petting a small white wolf smiling in contentment. I wonder what the smart Wolfie is up to nowadays. I did offer her to follow us here, but she was adamant about staying in the Vige of the End. It''s understandable too. "Talk to youter, my friend. I''ll make sure to keep your legacy alive." I vow as I leave the room. Soon enough I am in a very simple strategy room with the other two n leaders. As I enter, they greet me. "Morning." "Morning, my king." I frown deeply and he corrects himself. "Morning, interim king!" I am only helping to the best of my abilities. The True King is a man far more deserving than I. For the first time in history, the dwarven king is human. He may be gone but he still has a sect somewhere out there. We will find it, no matter how reclusive it is. Then we will turn this sickly continent upside down Chapter 496: All About Decisions Chapter 496: All About Decisions ****(POV) "Here you go, little one, a delicious fruit. When we get back to the sect, I''ll buy you some tasty magical ones!" But then I notice it, the burnt stinger. Except this invisible killer of mine only fought once recently. It must have happened when the little guy administered the deadly poison in the Sun''s sect young master. Oh god! He''s still alive?! But how?! No, I need to go! This realization is enough to send my entire body on alert. It starts quivering as my brain automatically makes it ready to run. But right now, I need not run. I should instead walk. I need to aim for the long term. I still have a fair distance to cover, after all. "Hurry up! We''re leaving!" This small Gu of mine gives me a puzzled expression and is even acting cute, pitifully trying to finish its fruit before we go. I simply grab it. "You can eat on the road. Our enemy ising for us!... Probably." I simply walk. I can feel my heart about to explode free from my ribcage. I''m drenched in a cold sweat. My feet hurt, my knees hurt, my legs hurt, actually, every goddamn part of my body is hurting like a bitch. But I know I mustn''t stop no matter what. Me not even seeing the shadow of an enemy doesn''t mean they aren''t plotting my demise. The Sun assholes are not ones to give up easily. They won''t ept that I escaped their clutches alive. My Gu senses my difort, but it soon manages to shake all its worries away. It does so simply every time it sees some fruit. It shows that its ancestry used to be nothing but fruit flies. Imagining this one as a simple fruit fly makes me chuckle. Now, these guys have the deadliest of poisons and countless teeth. They are smaller than a small finger but devouring a human whole is a feat they are perfectly capable of. I sometimes wish I could be that simple. See something I like and forget all my worries and problems. Well, some people are like that. They''ll simply visit a casino, a brothel, a bar and happily forget all that is wrong in their life. Sadly, there is too much wrong in my life. Actually, I think it''s more that I set myself a goal way too big at the start. I joined the Gu Meadow to gain control of my own destiny. I don''t mind toiling all my life. I don''t mind following orders either. I don''t mind many things. I just want to be the one that ultimately decides my own path. I wish to know that I am where I am because I chose to and not simply because circumstances pushed me. I joined the Gu meadow of my own volition, mostly because I was too weak back then. There were many conditions to such endeavor, but I didn''t mind them. I had to aplish missions to make the sect prosper. I had to defend our people. I had to sign my life away so I didn''t betray them. Honestly, all these conditions could sound harsh to some, but it wasn''t much, really. In life, sacrifices must be made. It''s all a matter of choice. As long as you decide on something yourself, it bes easy to do. That''s why I didn''t hesitate to fight the Sun guy. I thought he was more powerful than me, for sure, but I had underestimated him a lot. At first, I thought I could ally with the vigers and somehow defeat him. Even in my initial n, there was a chance of death. But even then, it was the easiest decision to make. I had epted the duty to protect them, and I would. But then I got royally destroyed. I''m sure these sr attacks of his will haunt my dreams and turn them into nightmares. It all made me feel powerless and small. Yet, such a powerhouse faked his death. That''s the only way I can call it. The ''why'' doesn''t make sense to me. But I''m sure my enemy is a smart man. He wouldn''t have reached the point he has otherwise. It doesn''t concern me to know why either. He simply made his decision. Except that this decision of his will cause endless trouble on my end. Of that, I am sure. They will try to kill me. Either they will try to kill me to silence me or out of revenge. Actually, perhaps both. I''m not sure if it''s an individual decision or a sect initiative. On the one hand, not having a current champion makes them seem less of a threat. On the other hand, that also makes them seem weaker and more vulnerable to attacks. I truly hate politics. I wish the world was simply about making decisions ording to one''s desires. No, most often, it is about making decisions to counter other people''s decisions that themselves are also based on the potential decisions of a third party. That''s what I love about raising Gus. It is straightforward. Are you ready to pay the price to raise it? If yes, it''s a start for sure. Are you ready to brave the danger of taming it? Then you will either get a strongpanion or die trying. Are you ready to repeat the previous steps many times crazily? Wee to Gu taming! It is all about decisions. Simple decisions that will either bring power or death. Well, there is also the in-between, but it is even worse. Of course, Gu tamers have antidotes ready against their own creatures. There is one issue. It doesn''t cure the poison. It simply dys the death, turning it into a long and painful agony. They say such a fate is one people wouldn''t wish unto one''s worst enemy. Of course, that is bullshit. The whole point is to make them suffer. Just as I''m pondering about that, I notice something. In front is a small hut apparently ced very randomly. Right now, I''m just in the wilderness, far from any road or human settlement. Yet there it is. I''m not even sure where I am myself. Not that it matters for my Gu can find its way back home. I just need to follow it. Without my invisible killer, I''d be lost. But then again, I''d simply be a regr man anyway. That is when I see someone exit the small hut. We lock eyes. He clearly saw me. This means that I have a new decision to make... Chapter 497: A Great Host and a Small Gu! Chapter 497: A Great Host and a Small Gu! I now have a new decision to make... The man that exited the hut looks simple. His clothes are worn and clearly have seen better days. I can see dirt on his hands, especially under his nails. He has an earthly smell with a scraggly beard. He looks like a farmer. He is probably is one too. There seems to be a small path leading toward the back of the hut. It is the kind of path that was made simply by the repeated passage of a single human over a long period. It is also very well defined. This means that the man always walks the same exact way without going out of it. It shows someone with ingrained habits. Seeing how coarse his hands look, he probably works a lot. That is when hees out of his stupor and greets me in a friendly tone. "Hello, there! It''s not often that people pass through here. You seem exhausted! Are you alright?" I give an embarrassed smile as I awkwardly scratch my head. "I''m afraid that I''m lost. I was hitching a ride with a merchant caravan when some sect people started fighting. We all ran, and somehow I ended up here,pletely lost. I''m surprised to see anyone living here!" He shivers a bit before showing a genuine and understanding smile. "*Sigh* These sects are the worst, aren''t they?! Always fighting over territory. Well, I can''t me them. I''d do too if I had any talent for magic. No, all I can do I grow potatoes. Can you believe how unfair the world is? Some get incredibly strong magic, and here we are with nothing, I tell you." Somehow he''s not even done! "Yes, I can''t even begin to imagine what it''s like to live in a sect. Could you imagine being that strong? Then you can just go anywhere you want! Want to run in a dangerous monsterden area? Go ahead! Want to visit a city? Go ahead! Want to drink and be merry? Go ahead! Gosh, I''m so jealous." His outlook on sects sure is simplistic. Well, they do enjoy their positions as overlords of their territories, but there are many problems. "Right, but at least wemon people have a peaceful life, most of the time." "Hehe, you are right about this, brother. Sects don''t care about the food we treasure, and they don''t care about keeping a farm up. Ah, but in your case, they may care about trading. It just won''t be the same lowly stuff as us." "I hear you. Anyway, I should be on my way. Where is the nearest town? I want to somehow find out if my travelingpanions are well after we had to slip." "No way! Look at you! You''ll fall at this rate. There is no way I am letting you leave that easily. I may not look like much, and I may be poor of wealth, but I am rich of heart! So get in and let me give you a bit of food." Normally I''d be more than happy to oblige him. I''d peacefully spend the night talking then be on my way without a worry in the world. Right now, I am on a tight schedule. But then again, it''s true that resting now will make sure I don''t fall of exhaustion. "Alright, but just having a roof to spend the night under is plenty. No need to trouble yourself too much and ." "No, I insist! Come on in!" He sure is happy-go-lucky. I can''t say I dislike that. I slowly follow, but I make sure to gesture my Gu to stay hidden. It obediently does in the folds of my clothes. Before long, we are sitting at a table, a rough wooden one that barely deserves the title. He busies himself with a small fire and starts roasting potatoes. But as he does, he begins talking. That is when I realize why he was so insistent that Ie in. The man is lonely, extremely so. I simply keep nodding along, listening to his stories. "Once, I saw a giant flying creature pass right above here. I still don''t know what it was, but it looked big and powerful. Back then, I went...Wow! And also Amazing! I was even wondering if I was dreaming, so I pinched myself, and it did hurt. That''s how I knew it wasn''t a dream." He incessantly keeps going... "Talking about dreams, I once had a dream that I was a green fish. Can you believe it?! A green fish, I''m telling you!" "There was once a man walking nearby. He was fully clothed in green clothes. We had a meal, and at some point, I asked him why he was wearing only that color. That''s when he told me that it used to be white but that he had rolled in freshly cut herb during a fight. Can you believe it?! It was white!" "There was that one time I talked to that one guy. His skin was so white and pristine he looked like ady. Now I''m not gay, but even Ibut that''s not the point! No, the main thing is that he gave me white berries too, ones that I nted." He suddenly seems toe to a realization as he fixes me intently, with his eyes glowing in excitement. "Ah, you are a merchant, right?! How about we do business together?! These white berries are so very delicious! They''re not magical or anything and are really hard to grow, but they are worth it! How about it? Do you want to be my business partner? We could be rich together!" Quite funny how a random man is trying to convince the Champion of the Eternal Gu Breeder to start a berry selling business. He''s so happy about his suggestion, and he''s looking at me as if I am gold itself. He clearly imagines plenty of wonderful scenarios already. "Here, I have one. Just taste it! It''s so very delicious!" "There is really no need to get your hopes up. I don''t even have the capital to start a business, I .." That''s when he waves it in front of my face. In his excitement, he applies too much pressure and inadvertently crushes the berry. That is when an incredibly sweet smell permeates the whole small hut, one so very lovely. That is when I notice my invisible killer flying out of hiding, devouring it in a sh. I try and hide it, but it''s already toote. My host has seen it. His casual and slightly surprised expression turns white and contorts in fright as he notices its features. He looks at me, then at it. He''s already shat and pissed himself. I can smell it. His very weak pleading breaks the silence. "P-please, I-I didn''t see anything. Only a merchant passed here andno! You were never here! I''ve never seen you! Yes, do you want more potatoes or even berries? They are very good and." Life is but a series of decisions. Sometimes ones that you don''t expect. Which will this one be?... Chapter 498: The Useless Talented Disciple Chapter 498: The Useless Talented Disciple ****(POV) Life is a bitch, isn''t it? On the ground is a corpse. It belongs to a warm, friendly, and well-intentioned farmer. As much as I hate the Sun people, I am not any different. Quite hypocritical, isn''t it? The man''s neck is broken. There is no blood, there is no trace of any poison, there is nothing that could link him to me. I did consider letting him live. He hosted me so considerately after all. Killing him means that I am a monster. Life is all about decisions. I made this one for two very simple reasons. First, there are various methods to track someone with an eyewitness to help. Stuff like divination has been lost in the ages, but many sects still have remnant tricks that they can use for it. Second, there was the man''s personality. He was a chatterbox. He kept talking over and over, even when unsolicited. Chances were he would inadvertently let something slip about me should a pursuer follow. Ah, but he could always change and control himself, right? Thinking of that, I almost spared him, but then I remembered the small path leading behind his house. The man had thread the same path exactly for so many years. Would he suddenly adapt easily? Chances were not. So I horribly killed him. I''m not any better, it seems, than the Sun young master ughtering a vige. Sometimes I can''t help but wish I could see the future. Perhaps I just did this for nothing. Honestly, if I were alone, I would have let him live for sure. But I''m not. On the side, my invisible killer is looking at me pitifully. At first, it simply flew over as fast as its tiny wings could carry it. It flew straight into the white berry, happily beginning to devour it. But as its hunger went away, it came back to its senses. It realized it had screwed up. The man''s screams were enough to make that clear. It turned toward me to apologize, shaking its small body in regret. I know it didn''t mean to. I know it''s simply its nature to love sweet things more than anything. One could say it all happened thanks to the man''s carelessness in handling the berry, but that would be a lie. Excuses are meaningless. One needs to live with his decisions. We are never forced to do anything in this life. Well, I''m not talking about body-control magic here. Sometimes we feel like we have none, but there is always an option. Ignoring the corpse, I turn to the little fruit fly and pet it gently. "Don''t worry, I understand. Be more careful in the future, alright?" It shakes its body in agreement. I can feel its conflicting emotions. It just wants to share with me how tasty this new food is. This little creature of mine is a small foodie, after all. Well, one could call it a big foodie as it eats way more than its body size. Seeing it like this, I can''t help but reminisce. Once upon a time, there were two Gu disciples that were especially gifted at Gu training. One was handsome, powerful, smart, valiant. Honestly, he had countless qualities that made him the obvious sessor to the Gu Meadow. The other Gu disciple had talent, but his heart and head were clearly in the wrong ce. Instead of mercilessly training his Gus, he''d spend time feeding them and going on walks. He had made it all into a training method, but hecked in mercilessness. Everyone in the sect felt how much of a waste it all was. They admired his potential but despised the man for wasting it. No matter how he justified it all, he waspletely wasting his time and sect resources. Many even suggested that he be barred from getting new Gus as he was simply wasting them. Gus were not pets, Gus were creatures meant to ughter enemies! That is what they were all saying. Yet, he remained true to himself. For him, it wasn''t just about the power. He had chosen to cultivate Gus, and he would do it to the best of his abilities and his own way. He was often warned that he would always remain number 2 or even 10 simply because of his attitude. Even then, he didn''t change. Eventually, they all gave up on him. He became part of the background. Sure he was there, and he was strong, but there was no point to strength without the heart to use it. A happy-go-lucky fe would have no future at all here. Thus time flew by. He kept training with his pets and getting ridiculed for it. In fact, there was only one man that supported him. His senior uncle had seen something in him. He always told him that his path had a 99% chance of having him die a shameful death but a 1% chance to make him a true expert. He was the only one supporting him. When the man died on a mission, this uselessly talented disciple became even more reserved. At that point, his only friends were Gus. Even then, the sect leader simply let him to his own devices. People expected the loss of his backing would mean him losing everything, but no. Nothing at all changed. Some even went to personallyin. They were killed. The sect leader didn''t take too kindly to having his decisions contested. This was especially true when it was from a bunch of the lower generation. The disciple didn''t understand at first, but then he met the sect leader one day. It was his first time meeting the big boss outside of a public setting. He looked very normal for a man that was considered one of the top evils of the continent. Hell, his infamy only lost to a few, for instance, the Acidic Fun Times sect leader. He didn''t even bother with small chats. No, he simply went straight to the point. "Your senior uncle has done a lot for you. He did way more than you ever deserved, that''s for sure. Honestly, the reason you haven''t been kicked out already is thanks to him. He believed your way of doing things could aplish great feats. I am personally convinced all of that is bullshit." At least he was honest. The disciple did appreciate that. "Soon, we will open the Gu Rearing Land. You will enter alongside the other top disciples of the sect. Your performance will determine your fate. You know what happens to the people that are kicked out of the sect, right?" Of course, he knew. It meant death. He wasn''t ready to die yet. Still, Gu Rearing Land, was it? This ce in itself was and of death Chapter 499: The Food Market Is Great Chapter 499: The Food Market Is Great ****(POV) How did I feel upon learning that I''d have to venture into the Gu Rearing Land? Excitement, fear, or even anguish? Surprisingly I barely felt anything. More urately, I was expecting it. It was the obvious next step to my training. Gu Rearing Land sounds amazing but is just aplex set of sewers running below our sect. It is extremely hard to ess to make sure the deadly creatures do not escape. In there, countless Gus are left to their own device. Sometimes magical feed is dumped in there. Gus tend to fight for survival by their very nature, and it soon devolves into a battle royale until only the strongest are left alive. How does one call a human intruding upon the Gu Rearing Land? People call such a being suicidal. Yes, funnily enough, as much as it serves to rear Gus, it also serves to rear the next generation of the sect. This challenge will determine whether one''s efforts will pay or if one will simply die and be forgotten. It is cruel, but also very realistic. It can''t be helped in this sort of profession. The sect leader in front of me raises an eyebrow seeing myck of reaction. "Aren''t you afraid at all?" "Why should I be?" I simply shrug. "It was meant to happen." That is when he startsughing while muttering "good, very good!" for the first time the way he looks at me changes. Before, he was sternly giving me an ultimatum, but now he seems somehow curious. I simply excuse myself and leave. Am I confident at all? Not in the slightest! To be honest, there is a big difference between the other Gu users and me. They all tend to have either a trump card supporting them orrge quantities of Gus. I don''t. No, instead, all that I have going for me is how well trained they are. Mines are able to properly cooperate with one another. I figured that a bnce between quality and quantity would work well. This makes it so my power is decent, albeit limited, but I have lots of versatility. Is such a technique smart? I couldn''t say. It is the one I chose and the one I decided to stick to. What I do is I take a walk to the nearest town, bringing all my Gus with me. They are all hiding in my clothes snuggly. It''s a wonder how they even fit in there. Most people would consider this madness. Any could betray me at any moment and cause my demise. Or that''s what they think. I''m not actually worried. Most Gus are surprisingly simple. Once you understand them, they are easy to control. Most like dark spaces and the cold. Some utterly abhor other species. They all like different kinds of food. There are lots of things they dislike. For instance, some truly hate the smell of leek, onion, it can be anything really. I slowly learned a lot about them. I have also noticed that there are individual differences between the various Gus. Most won''t admit it. In their eyes, Gus are Gus period. They are as diverse as humans themselves can be. It is truly magical in a way. I head to the local food market, and I can feel the Gus rustle in excitement under my cloak. They are extremely happy. From time to time, one will move to be closer or away from a given smell. The smell of meat, bread, and corn is very popr with them all for some reason. The pronounced smell of spices is really a case-by-case kind of thing. I believe that one needs to know such a market by heart to be a great Gu user. Of course, I''m the only one of the sect here. Oh, we are human and eat too but there are servants for things as lowly as fetching food. This is often the case, really. The more powerful one bes and the more they disdain the world. To be frank, it''s quite understandable. Still, the way I see it, I''d be dumb to trust someone else with what I give my Gus. It is the very basis of them epting me as their master. I can''t afford to screw it up! I stroll rxedly. Anyone seeing me would wonder what I am doing here instead of preparing in seclusion. Well, this is me preparing myself. I buy a little of everything and a lot of the things most Gus love and hate. Very soon, I am left with a backpack so bulging it risks crushing me. The merchants smile happily as I bring them great business. It wasn''t my intention but if they are happy, good for them. I go back to the sect with everyone looking at me like I am some kind of freak. They wouldn''t ept being seen as I am currently. I can hear the jeers. "Look at that dumbass! Did he finally give up and decide to be a porter?" "Most likely, look at his dumb face!" "You failure, such a shame that you are wasting your talent!" "You won''t ever amount to anything as a Gu User!" "Ah, look at him! He''s shaking! Can''t handle the truth, is it?" The fools. Am I shaking? Yes. What they fail to realize is the reason I am. Under my cloak, the hundreds of closely packed together Gus are the ones shaking in anger. If I wasn''t controlling them, they would have already flown out to kill these fools. But I restrain them because it is not worth it. Oh, I wouldn''t even be punished for it. The only downside is that some of these idiots have some decently powerful Gus. This would tire my own and perhaps even kill a few. I''m not going to make such a pointless sacrifice. I simply decide upon what will give me the best chances of sess. Back in my personal tiny training roomes thest step. I start ying fetch with all of them. The goal is to have the Gus grab any item, whenever I tell them to, and either bring it to me or throw it at a target. The hard part is getting them to handle the items they hate, but there is a trick. I simply convince them to focus not on their own difort but on how much difort they can bring to other Gus. Due to their nature, all Gus have the desire to utterly destroy the others. It took me a while to ingrain into mines that they are all part of the same pack. Now they don''t mind working together to exterminate enemies. Before long, I finally feel that they are ready. I go to sleep, lulled into it by their small shrieks and the sound their many legs moving about produces. Tomorrow will be hectic and probably crazy Chapter 500: Gu Trainers Assemble! Chapter 500: Gu Trainers Assemble! ****(POV) I slowly open my eyes. A ck Gu with seemingly thousands of legs and incredible venom is just there resting on my nose. "Morning, all." I slowly shake myself awake, sending countless Gus on the ground. Then they slowlye back toward me as I do my morning stretches. I do try to take care of my body, not to the point of training it but at least enough to be able to run and dodge. After all, one should remember that Gus in general are especially suited for attack. Protecting with poison is hard for sure. Today is the big day. Today is the day we enter the Gu Rearing Land. Most would expect this to be a specific date chosen for specific obscure reasons, but really it was just picked on a whim. I slowly make my way toward it. As I get there, a small crowd awaits me. About 30 disciples are awaiting anxiously shivering or confidently while strutting around arrogantly. I do get the feeling some are acting arrogant to forget how much they are scared shitless. I''m carrying my huge bulging backpack. It is filled to the brim with various food products, but it is specially made not to let out any smell whatsoever when it''s closed. I don''t want to paint a target on my back for sure. As they see my getup, they all startughing aloud, many even pointing. Apparently, they find me to be a greatedic relief. I can hear the current number one Gu trainer snickering: "Did you mistake this for hiking? We are heading in one of the most dangerous areas known to man. What do you think this is? A pic perhaps, is that it?" The man''s bodynguage is screaming, "I''m looking down on you", especially his crossed arms and the yful look he uses. That is what happens in society when one is different, even if that difference is very slight. Still, I''m used to it. Others chime in too: "You should just quit the sect right now. It would save you a painful death in there. " "You should have left when your senior uncle kicked the bucket." "A dumbass like you will only cause trouble in there!" "In there, you better not let me see you or." We are all Gu trainers. I simply care more about my creatures. Of course, to them, I am a deviant and a fool. Sometimes I tell myself that the only reason they love to make fun of me is their own insecurities. More often than not, the guys that are doubting themselves the most are the loudest in their confident speech. But talk is cheap. Soon we''ll be inside, and there won''t be any of that bullshit. It will simply be survive or die. Then the ones that perform well will manage to tame outstanding Gus. That is my goal. Ah, but I won''t risk my life for it. There are so many tales of a disciple finding an incredible Gu just to be killed by it. I want the power to decide my own fate. You can''t decide for yourself when dead. The jeers keeping for a few minutes before they be seriously tired of it. I''m not reacting, so they may as well be insulting a pebble on the roadside. Actually, a pebble would care more than I do. Before long, the sect leader swings by. He enlightens us with a great speech, a very motivating one. "Most of you are going to die but try not to. Whoever survives, we will meet here afterward. Good luck!" Along with these simple words, the door to the sewers is opened. It does so with a nightmarish creaking. That is when they appear. Tons of wild Gus throw themselves toward the exit. Releasing them all at once is enough to destroy most of the sect for sure. I can hear people nervously gulping around me. Some are scoffing, for they know what will happen. The sect leader takes out a single Gu, one called a Fake-Dragon-Gu. As it appears, the charging Gus all suddenly stop in their tracks. This Gu is crazy strong. It has both venom and sturdiness. It''s a demonic insect, but somehow its exoskeleton reminds one of a dragon. It roars slightly as they all scurry away inplete fear. Its appearance almost looksical. But just its presence renders the air heavy, and any of his roars make the humans around feel like they are nothing but mere trash. Under its watchful eye, we enter the ce. Pretty much everyone''s steps are heavy. Some because of their fear, some because of their expectations, and me because of my backpack. I can hear everyone''s breathing bing faster as they step in. I am definitely leaving these guys as soon as possible. It is vital to keep a calm and steady front in such a ce. That is something I discovered: Gus are actually able to read humans. Some Gus are able to understand humannguage, some aren''t, but they all know how to read bodynguage. Not the subtle kind but the most primal one. Excitement, fear, happiness, despair, that kind of thing. If these guys show their fear like that, it will be like advertising themselves as walking snacks. Needless to say, I''d rather not be included in that category. Honestly, I''m more worried about the humans than the Gus. The Gus are straightforward. Quite ironic how much more poisonous humans can be with their backstabs and schemes. A Gu will go at you with the intent to kill. Once it is subdued, as long as you don''t fuck up, it will be fine. With humans, you simply never know. They could betray you for wealth, for power, or perhaps even they have always been acting. Before long, everyone scatters. Some small cliques are formed, especially around the Gu trainers that are considered the most powerful in the group. Of course, the strongest goes alone as I do. For him, there is no need to worry much. He already has a very powerful Gu that he has been rearing a while back. For him, it is all about getting a backup Gu. I can see him leave confidently. As he walks by me, he murmurs: "If we meet in there, I will kill you." Why so much hostility? One guy already said that line before! His hostility is for a dumb reason, really. My senior uncle did lots of good, but he also told the guy that he''d nevere close to even reaching my ankle. My uncle was drunk when he said it, but he has hated me to the bone ever since that day. Well, whatever. I don''t n on meeting him either. Let''s go in the opposite direction, shall we? This is my moment to shine!... Chapter 501: Gu Rearing Land Chapter 501: Gu Rearing Land ****(POV) Well, whatever. I don''t n on meeting him either. Let''s go in the opposite direction, shall we? This is my moment to shine!... I say that, but really I do n to y it safe. Any sign of danger, and I will retreat. I walk slowly. I make sure to have many scouting Gus in front of me. They look like small flying ants and are great at inspecting their surroundings. My whole body is crawling with hard-shelled centipedes for defense. They will be able to block if a wild Gu does ever make it to me. Finally, I have rock devouring beetle as offense. They are mostly recognized as support Gus, but they can crush exoskeletons as easily as a rock when properly managed. That''s the thing. These things are extremely hard to train. There is a saying that goes: It''s easier to train a pebble to kill than it is a rock devouring beetle. At least the pebble will listen to you! It''s simply because these things just love digging themselves inside any rock they see. Yes, they''ll do it while you are walking. Yes, they''ll do it in your walls if you have a stone house. Yes, they''ll definitely do it duringbat while you are dying a dog''s death. How do people cope with such a problem? The consensus is to use a technique to slowly erode their spirit and turn them into puppets. Mines are 100% natural rock devouring beetles without any magical additive. This means that instead of taming them in a week, it took me months. Still, I seeded. Now, they don''t care that much about digging anymore. They get really excited whenever Imand them to dig, but that''s about it. They aren''t living just for that very reason anymore. Centipedes for defense, beetles for offense, and flying ants for scouting. With this, I''m perfectly ready. I roam the sewers akin to a ghost, fading in the background. I''m silently lurking in the darkness in search of a good target. Often, the Gu trainers are targeted, but in my case, the creatures quickly decide not to mess with my army. I see some wild ones looking at us in amazement, their legs shaking with the tension. They instinctively feel that there is a king in our midst. Packs of Gus exist but are never that well organized. Well, not without a wondrous existence called a king. All of these are things we know from legends. There has never been one confirmed to exist in this continent. I''m using our current battle formation to intimidate them on an instinctual level. That''s my way of doing things. It may not be the best suited for directbat, but it has its merits. While others are probably struggling out there, I''m just swaggering around rxed. Right now, my current issue is finding a good target. Sometimes there are Gus that decide to block our way. In many species, there are always some members that are courting death. They are the ones. Well, only the weakest ones are that daring, ironically. I deal with it like a true professional Gu trainer. I throw spices at them! Is that it? Yes. That gets them fleeing. As I travel, many species are revealed to me. I encounter an especially shiny centipede. This one should be a mirror centipede. I feed it until it decides to follow me. At first, it eyes my bag with greed, but then it realizes how well protected it is. Every time it tries to sneakily grab something, it gets pped away by shrieking and hissing Gus. Eventually, it understands the concept: Work and get food. I''m just wondering if I could somehow use its bloodline to increase the strength of the centipedes I currently possess Later on, we stumble upon an areapletely filled with mist. It is clearly a poisonous one. This instantly sends my party on edge. Even the ants can''t see much through it. I know only one Gu that has such ability. I grab a rope, one that won''t get corroded by whatever is in there. Then I attach it to an ingredient before throwing it in there. After a few seconds, I drag it back. It is untouched. That rules out pork, I guess. Then continues a guessing game with me throwing random stuff inside and bringing it back. All until I finally throw a small packet of salt, and it doesn''te back. After that, the rest is simple. I use it to bait the creature. I keep throwing small salt grains at it, enough to whet its appetite but not topletely satisfy it. Then whenever the mistes close to me, I stop throwing it. We keep alternating this y many times until it finally realizes that the food stops whenever the mist gets near. It decides to turn its own ability off and appear before me a butterfly-looking creature. Well, the nightmarish version as usual. We slowly approach while throwing it food. Eventually, it gets sofortable that it''s eating in the palm of my hand. It then joins the legion while looking a bit puzzled about why the others aren''t showing any interest in the salt. It quickly forgets the issue and happily devours. This life-of-death challenge is appearing to be a normal walk, plus getting Gus for free. At this point, I''m not stopping no matter what! Later on, I notice a small cricket in an alcove alone, in in sight. It''s not hiding, it doesn''t seem worried one bit, and it''s even eyeing my legion as one would a tasty snack. But everything is under control as I use my Gu trainer knowledge, and I run away as fast as my legs can carry me! This thing is crazy strong! That''s a Damned Soul Cricket! The kind that can kill just with its singing. Against it, numbers are meaningless. Against it, the only solution is to have one strong Gu that is powerful enough to resist its ability head-on. Other than that, an assassin-type Gu could take care of it too. But I''m not foolish enough to try and fight it. Even if I win, it would be a pyrrhic victory. I unashamedly lead my troops away. We keep going until we encounter flying death Gus. They look like big worms with wings and teeth. Normally I''d avoid this group too since this species is extremely belligerent. They are fast and hard to defend against. But right now, I have a new trump card. I send my mist Gu right in theirir before having the rock devouring Gus produce a copse of that specific sewers tunnel. Trapped inside a deadly mist, their fate is sealed. I swoop in to y doctor once they are all down. Then they submit. They want to live. Me feeding them helps too. With this new addition to my party, I keep going. But soon, I encounter something that sends signals of danger from my brain throughout my body. What the hell is this creature?!... Chapter 502: Just Passing By... Chapter 502: Just Passing By... ****(POV) What the hell is this creature?!... In the darkness lies a monster in wait. I can feel my entire blood turn cold. I forcefully stop myself before I enter its territory. Gus are crazy strong, violent, but also very territorial. They will terminate anything intruding upon theirir but are also careful. The creature looks sharply at my legion and me. My troops are deadly silent. Any sign of aggression and we will be doomed. We barely have the strength to fight it. Actually, it can easily ughter us, but it would have to sacrifice too much. The creature is big, big for a Gu at least. It is bigger than my fist. It has a normal brown color that looks extremely ordinary, but its shape is far different. The thing has huge wings that can surely make it fly so fast it seems to teleport. It has 6 barb-ending legs. These can easily cut any throat for sure or slice into the protective armor of other Gus. It has many grotesque ck lifeless-looking eyes that are sure to perceive every possible surprise attack. Its long body finally ends with a tail. A goddamn scorpion tail! A single sting of this and any living being is a goner for sure! Yes, no matter its power or its size! This thing is a Nightmarish Scorpion Fly! Extreme speed, extreme resistance, and a more than potent venom. This thing is a sect killer (if groomed well). The issue is that it''s also extremely mean. I won''t tempt it with food for sure. I don''t even know how one managed to appear here. I promptly retreat along with my Gus. I''m sure the only reason I survived was our coordination. The monster would have had no qualm about jumping in a fight, even outnumbered. Most Gu packs would scatter after a few deaths, not mine. I make sure we are not being followed. It would be dumb of me to fall for that simple trick. If the scorpionfly killed me in a sneak attack, my Gus would likely be confused on how to proceed for revenge. They are great, but one can''t expect the foot soldier to act like a general. Maybe one day they will be able to, but not for now. Just as I''m breathing out a sigh of relief, I notice something. Actually, someone would be more urate. There stands a dashing young man that promised me death earlier should we ever meet. Dark hair, dark eyes, dark soul. Around him, a few Gus are hovering. Scary-looking ones that would make even Gus cry! Well, not mine, for they are trained to ignore such intimidation. Honestly, my Gus'' biggest fear is messing up their training. All for the sake of good food. He looks condescendingly at me, then at my Gus, before scoffing. "As usual. You have yourLegion with you. Do you seriously believe these weak creatures will be enough to seed here? Haha-" He startsughing, but then he notices the mist Gu and the flying killers. While they are only medium-tier Gus, taming both in such a short time is not easy. He shuts up as he bes solemn. He has realized that I am not that weak after all. The mist Gu is the game-changer, really. There is no way to dodge such an attack at close range. Normally it wouldn''t be much of an issue, but I also have the Gus to protect it while it simply sprays poison everywhere. Before, he had the yfulness of a prideful hunter toying with its prey. Now, he is wary of me, as he should be, really. He hates me to the bone, so I should kill him as soon as possible to get rid of a potential rival. But I don''t have enough power for that. Well, actually, I believe I do. But I''d definitely lose everything in the process. It would defy the purpose if some third party were to profit from our fight. He''s an asshole, but he''s not dumb. He, too, realizes it. Smart people are actually easier to deal with than dumb ones. We then simply nod at each other before continuing. He doesn''t even try to sneak attack me either. He knows that I do not forgive others easily. If he tries killing me truly at this point, I will fight until one of us is dead, no matter the cost. I can hear his footsteps heading toward the scorpionfly. Chances are he is going to try and tame it. I could do all in my power to make him fail, but I''m sure he will set up defensive measures. It won''t be possible for me to sneak attack him. Who knows what the oue of us fighting would be? Especially with a deadly high-tier Gu involved. We could very well all die. It''s not worth it. No, I''ll keep trying to increase my power in the meantime. As I walk wide and far in the darkness, I stumble upon many corpses. All are disfigured from the virulent poison. Most have been devoured either in part or entirely. Yes, I see a good dozen of remains, Gus are too small to eat bones. Quite a high death toll considering only 30 of us entered. Still, it''s as expected. To survive here, one needs an edge. The best is some kind of trump card that will convince the other Gus to stay far away from you. The ideal scenario would be for me to manage to find a mild-tempered High tier Gu. Is this even possible? Legends say it isn''t. Well, we never know what will suddenly appear from mutations in a ce like this. But as long as it''s not ill-tempered like the previous scorpionfly, everything will work out. Actually, I could have perhaps tamed that one too, but it would have most likely devoured my other Gus to assert dominance even then. I can''t have that. I still believe my approach will shine in the long term. Compared to most Gus Users, I already have way better defense and survivability capabilities. Now I need to increase my offense slowly. Then everything will be perfect. That is when I stumble upon another room, except that this one is visibly only filled with weaker Gus crawling around all over the ce just minding their business. Everyone has evidently ignored this ce. I still head inside just in case since my criteria are not just about absolute power. That''s when I see it... Chapter 503: Peculiar Fruit Fly Chapter 503: Peculiar Fruit Fly ****(POV) How does one know how strong a Gu is? In the wild, it''s all about territory. The bigger the territory controlled and the fiercer it is. Of course, it always remains an objectively small area since they are bugs. In this room, they are all toppled atop one another, slowly crawling over one another. This is crazy! To any regr human, this would seem pretty normal. That''s what bugs do, right? Not Gus! Especially not ones of different species! A Gu user would instead disdain them all as weaklings. But for me, this behavior is puzzling and highly interesting. It took me months to achieve this! But the more I watch and the more confused I be. It seems like there really isn''t anything peculiar about this ce. That is when I hear a shout. "Come back here, you little shit!" I hear a very faint sound of buzzing and hurried footsteps. That is when I see a small Gu pass in front with a human following soon afterward. The mad chase seems to have him exhausted. He doesn''t even nce at me. He''s surrounded by tons of swarming crawling bugs around his legs. They seem to be plenty of soul-crushing centipedes. Not the strongest, fastest, or even deadliest of Gus, but they get the job done. Well, just not this specific job. From time to time, there are yful Gus that enjoy running away from people. These are akin to an omen of death. They will often lure their prey into a trap, either one of their own or the territory of a high-tier Gu. Then again, that guy probably knows that. I''m surprised all his shouting hasn''t attracted unwanted attention just yet. I guess the residents already consider him a goner and belonging to that one Gu he''s chasing. It''s crazy howplex yet simple Gu society is. It''s all instinctive, but it works. Now I just want to figure out the instinctual behavior that is happening at my feet. Yes, Gus are crawling over my boots, but they don''t mean any harm at all. Usually, my troops would be defending me, but even they are puzzled. They are trying to figure out if these are new recruits, enemies, or even food. They are restlessly awaiting my input. I try to take out various ingredients from my backpack. For this little Gu meat, for the other one it should be vegetables, for this one pepper and this one fruit. I know their liking since these are all the general kinds of Gus that have barely evolved and aremonly found everywhere in the sect. That is when I notice something weird. They all happily start munching, but there is one thing thatpletely gets ignored. None are even going near the apple I have thrown. Howe?! I can notice some of their legs moving about in excitement as they smell the sweetness of it before giving up in defeat. This isn''t normal Gu behavior at all! But that is when I notice something. There is a very tiny moving dot near the juicy goodness. On the apple is a minuscule, puny, and barely noticeable fruit fly. Wait, are all these Gus afraid of this small one? I cannot feel any auraing out of it at all. It is evidently a normal Gu, but why is it feared? I grab a random crawler and ce it near the fly, and sure enough, it avoids it like the gue. Is it possible that this is the offspring of a stronger Gu? Gus generally don''t have any attachment to kins. Some Gus are even 100% the result of mana overflowing. Gus are part demonic and part bug, with every single one being unique from one another. This entity in front of me doesn''t make any sense. It does seem to be happily enjoying its snack. If it loves sweet things, how about this? I get a raspberry out before pushing it in front of the creature. I get the feeling it is at that exact moment it notices my existence. It sees the offering. Then it begins to taste it. The reaction is instantaneous. I still can''t sense any danger, but I sure do feel its joy. It somehow quickly finishes the berry bigger than it, and then it politely sits in front of me, waving its delicate wings in expectation. I get another treat out and watch it devour it in bliss. But the peaceful atmosphere gets broken by the sound of footsteps. In the entrance is the running man from earlier. Coincidentally he''s the other guy that told me he''d kill me should we meet. Guess it''s fine anyway. I can''t be wasting more time here. "You are still here, you loser? As I thought, I really had seen a piece of shit from the corner of my eyes back on that chase. A shame that Gu was too fast. Still, now I just have the perfect target to vent on. Isn''t that great? You''ll finally be useful for something!" He really said all that as some bottom-tier viin. Plus, the reason he hates me is even worst than the other guy. He''s just mad that I take resources that could be split amongst the others. He thinks of me as useless because I''m friendly to Gus. He''s way too overconfident. He advances with a cruel look in his eyes and his army of soul-crushing centipedes. As long as I remain far from these, I will be fine. Actually, I can just use my new addition, the worms with teeth. These guys are good at avoiding physical attacks and are immune to soul attacks. I totally have this in the bag. Had it been the previous me, this could have been slightly troublesome. The difficulty would have obviously been how to sacrifice the least Gus to achieve victory. Well, time for a bit of acting. "Please, man! Please, Sir! We are all part of the same sect. There is no need for us to fight! It would just weaken us both, and then." "*Scoff? Weaken us both? You really overestimate yourself, trash! To me, you are nothing other than a worm crawling on the floor. There is nothing you can do to change your fate. Actually, perhaps I will spare you if you remove your clothes and beg on the floor. As long as you can make my mood better, I might just let you live." That is when I retreat in fear toward the corner of the room while trembling. Actually, I''m subtly ordering my Gus to attack. Well, it''s hard with the new ones. I barely showed them a few tricks while moving. That is when he takes a step closer, crushing the berry and the cute fly under his feet. Poor little thing, it just wanted to live peacefully and eat. But that is when I barely notice iting out of the fruit mush, alive. I see it fly slowly, all the way toward my opponent, before stinging it. That is when he falls, just like that. What the fuck?!... Chapter 504: Protecting a Little Gu Chapter 504: Protecting a Little Gu ****(POV) This little fruit fly Gu just took him out in one sting! How?! I slowly approach the victim, and I notice it. The poison is extremely deadly. The kind that takes a very long time to kill but is not curable. Meanwhile, the little fruit fly is looking a the berry mush pitifully. It''s crazy how adorable and cute (for a Gu) it seems, and yet it is so goddamn strong! If it could speak, it would go "noooo" in a small voice. I simply get another berry from my bag and hand it over to it. It radiates happiness as it starts eating it. It seems to regard me as some sort of amazing being just for my ability to give it berries. What kind of luck is required for this?! Actually, I''m probably one of thest Gu Users to walk here. The difference is that I actually didn''t ignore this ce out of arrogance. That is all. The sheer coincidences that had to lead to the birth of this creature are baffling. Logic states that a fruit fly shouldn''t be able to fight in the first ce. Yet here it is. I feel like chances are it somehow had to struggle to protect its fruits, thus pushing its evolution. But what about the very first step? It probably stumbled upon extremely strong Gus killing themselves in mutual destruction. Chances are this fruit fly has had luck on par with the heroes in the epics bards sing about. Then again, life is like that, unpredictable. That is how I get the strongest Gu I could ever dream of. Simply by feeding it cheap berries that are not even worth the lowest tier of Gu. I still don''t know how it manages to hide its aura. Ah, but I have a theory. What if the reason all-powerful Gus are so obvious is their killing intent? They all have some to a diverse degree. It''s what will cause us, humans, to naturally fear them. This one here just wants to eat fruits. From now on, I shall call it "Invisible Killer"the best at sneak attacking, for sure. The man on the ground is actually not dead yet, but I simply leave him there as I leave with the fruit fly. It is restingfortably on my shoulder while munching. As soon as we exit the room, it turns into a bloodbath. The previously calm, peaceful, and well-behaved Gus all turn savage. Needless to say, the man paralyzed on the ground promptly gets devoured, same for the Gus he had. I had to leave it all there. They were bound to him in life and death. It''s such a waste, really. I keep going, but it seems like the most interesting Gus have either been tamed already or have gone into hiding. I walk back toward the entrance of the Rearing Land. Soon the doors will be opened. There is no point in hunting all the Gus systematically until none remain. We need to leave enough seeds to begin the next Gu batch. In a sense, rearing Gus is very simr to a farmer growing his crops. You wait for it all to yield results. Then you harvest it before waiting for the next season. It''s considered vile, but even this has a certain charm to it. Just as I reach the door, so do three others. The guy from earlier has managed to tame that scorpionfly too. It is flying next to him, the only one. All his other Gus seem to be dead. The other two are low-key members of the sect. Even now, I can''t see any Gu surrounding them. I guess they were hiding their edge all along. We all share a look of understanding. Out of the 30 that entered, only us survived. A 85% mortality rate is to be expected from this ce. Then begins a waiting period. After a few hours, we hear a loud chime before the doors open. On the other side, the sect leader is awaiting us. He nces at all of us appreciatingly. Then he begins walking away. We all follow. We all know the step toe. We finally reach a very small temple. In the middle is a statue of a squirming Gu mass. It represents the Eternal Gu Breeder. Funny how we know nothing about our own god but the fact that he breeds Gus. He can either be represented by a shadowy figure overlooking Gus or simply tons of these creatures. This is something many don''t understand. How can we worship a god that we don''t even know the appearance of? That''s the thing with Gus. Theye in so many forms and shapes. We really don''t care about something silly like appearance. Hell, two Gus of the same species can lookpletely different! For us, all that matters is the power. All four of us go forward and kneel in front of the statue. In fact, it has been ages since we have received an oracle or anything of the likes. But we still stay true to tradition. Not out of a desire to be faithful but out of a desire for power. Most gods out there have a champion. Well, the Eternal Gu Breeder is different. All four of us will be champions at various blessing degrees. The one that will survive in the end will be the true one. Will there be a deadly fight between us? Not even. We are prohibited from killing each other, at least for now Later on, once we get powerful enough, then one might happen. Still, chances are most of us will be dead already anyway. There are three ranks of blessing. The first level is the weakest, and the third level is the strongest. Historically most blessings are rank 1 or 2. We await our god''s judgment patiently. That is when it finallyes. A dark aura surrounds us all. With how heavy it is, we can already know the level of blessing. The other 2 are rank 1 and 2, respectively. The guy that wants me dead gets rank 3. I can feel the satisfaction and pride oozing out of him. But then he nces at me. I have a rank 3 one too. His smiling face bes incredibly stiff. Once more, he ispared to the me that he considers a loser. They are all puzzled, so puzzled about it. I have tons of Gus but no higher rank one. I could easily exin it by showing them my small fruit fly, but I won''t. If I do, they will send us both on countless assassination missions. Somehow, I don''t wish for that. I can''t help but picture this little Gu of mine exhausted and despairing. Nope, it just wants to eat sweets, and I will let it do that. It can remain a secret trump card. Everyone needs one. It''s at that moment that I began my journey as a champion. It''s at that moment that I swore that I''d protect this pure little creature. I don''t even know why myself. Perhaps it represented the innocence I had lost myself?... Chapter 505: Just An Eunuch Chapter 505: Just An Eunuch ****(POV) Pour, wash, wipe and repeat. Pour water, so much water that my arms get sore from carrying it. Pour it on the Floor, the statues, the columns, everywhere. Wash everything. Scrub it with a brush until the skin on my hands begins to burn. Do so until it blisters from the repeated action. All until everything is sparkly clean. Wipe it all. Pass a cloth all over, making sure my own blood doesn''t stain it. Wipe everything, even if waiting does the job too. All so this ce can be shiny and beautiful. After all, the sect memberse here to pray. Can I afford to ck off? Nope, otherwise, I won''t even eat. Doing it once is fine. Same for doing it twice. But doing it every single day, forever...is pure torture. What even keeps me alive? I am here to atone for my sins. What sins have Imitted? I failed my job incredibly. I am just a lowly eunuch now, a servant toothe lowest of the low. Yet, I used to be someone. I used to a branch master of an influential branch of the Purity sect. Then it all came crashing down. How did that even happen? Well, stupidly. It all started with a small bakery. Well, most specifically, the monster that resided in it. I still believe he is no man but a devil. We took his bakery down. He single-handedly took revenge by annihting our entire branch. He did so in the vilest of ways. He cursed us to live powerless lives as we lost our beliefs for a short instant. But that short instant damned us all. The Purity God is an unforgiving one. There is no option for redemption. Once the corruption has happened, there is no going backonly a world of suffering. These days I wonder how I can still manage to think. I don''t even feel the constant pain and tiredness. More urately, I ALWAYS feel it. It has be my new reality. My thoughts go wild when that happens. What could I have done differently? Was I truly at fault? What about the punishment I am receiving now? Is it fair? If I could go back in time, I would make sure not to mess with the devil. But how could I have known? What kind of baker would have that sort of power?! Then Eaglevein fell. I had a responsibility to my people. They had worshipped the god of Purity all their lives and were now powerless. I led them back to the headquarters. I''m not even sure how I somehow managed. Many times we encountered enemies. I simply bluffed my way through. We had the emblem of the sect. Every time I was even more arrogant than when I was at my peak. A few times, I even scammed a few bandits in exchange for letting them live. Yet, I waspletely powerless. Any single of them could have ughtered us all. Then after a journey filled with tension, we finally arrived. I knew I would get punished, but that didn''t matter. I had a duty to fulfill toward my people. Surely, they would be given basic amenities, right? We were all reduced to servants! Servants? More like ves! I screwed up. I wanted to save them all, and yet I had once more failed them. I realized for myself that the sect I had believed in all my life was bullshit. It was fine as long as we were pure. But once we became sinners, we became the enemy. I knew how they treated the fallen, but I was naively expecting they''d make an exception since it was the result of an enemy''s attack. I was but a blind fool. *Sigh* And I brought them all with me. This sucks. The entire world sucks, really. Many times I felt like killing myself, but I couldn''t. Not yet. What am I waiting for? I''m not sure myself. I just want some kind of resolution to everything that happened. My people aren''t dead. They could lead a simple life on some farm possibly. A happy end that won''t happen. Some days I dream, in the few hours of rest that I do get. I''m not sure how myself. I''m so dead tired, so how can I even have the energy to dream? Sometimes I dream of taking revenge on the devil. Sometimes I dream of taking a huge dump on his bakery over and over again while torturing him. Those are good dreams. Sometimes I dream of taking revenge on the Purity sect itself. I actually understand their stance toward me. They need a scapegoat to exin all that happened in the past. But the general branch members are truly innocent. But all these are nothing but worthless dreams. The reality is that I will forever remain a eunuch, from my own hand to boot. I sacrificed my manhood trying to keep my power and yet still failed. Sacrifices and efforts mean nothing to them all. Actually, is there anyone in this ce that cares about such worthless things? Nope, everyone is all about results and power. Just as I''m working, I can hear footsteps behind me. It''s one of the core members of the purity sect. He''s a dashing young man. He likes taunting servants for some reason, probably because his life is boring. "Oh? How are you doing, eunuch? Still missing your loins? Don''t be down. It''s a blessing in disguise. This way, you''ll be able to better serve the Purity God." Why is he gloating? He has a dick, but he can''t use it either. What''s the point? I''m interiorly shaking my head so hard. I''ll do as I always do. I''ll remain silent and work. "I heard that to increase the funds of the sect, the sinners you brought with you will be sold in very. Isn''t that great? Their sacrifice will allow us to thrive, a great way to repay their debts. Don''t you think so?" I can feel my grip harden on the towel I''m using to wipe. I just feel like ripping his face off, but I''m too weak for that. Who knows, perhaps if I keep working hard one day, I''ll die at the job and won''t have to see his annoying face. I really hope he''s just taunting me. But he''s probably speaking the truth. I hate this ce. Nowadays, I''m thinking of a way to somehow cause them trouble, but I know I''m deluding myself. It''s impossible. I''ll just need to My thoughts are interrupted by a shout. A long scream that ends with a CRASH. Somehowa man fell from Heaven?! Yes, a man just passed through the ceiling and dropped all the way here. What is happening?! But just as I''m puzzled, the man rises from the debris. That is when I see his face. It seems I''ve underestimated him. I''ve never seen a man go to such great lengths to avenge a tiny bakery. That monster is here. Somehow it doesn''t bother me one bit Chapter 506: Just Passing Trough. Dont Mind Me. Chapter 506: Just Passing Trough. Don''t Mind Me. The air is heavily crashing against my body. The momentum is making the world spin in my eyes. But it''s not the worst. No, the worst is that goddamn slip-up. I wanted to scream. I wanted her to stop. I wanted her to just cease and listen to me. But she simply looked at me with these tearful eyes and that bright smile of hers. Then she threw me away. I''m not even sure how she did it. Part of me is scared. Part of me just wants to think this is all a nightmare. We only met recently, but she''s definitely a friend. The way that friend was crying tears of blood at using that spell is an omen of tragedy. I dread the aftermath that happened. Part of me is hopeful. She could be fine. The water elemental should be helping her to the best of its abilities. It is the same for the Naked Ghost and Aqua herself. Yes, my pink-haired friend is not alone at all. She sacrificed herself to save me, but I didn''t need any saving! It simply messed up my own n to save us all. Part of it is my fault. I should have been clearer. Part of it seems like a cruel joke. How could she misunderstand that much?! I told her that I''m strong! *Sigh* I think it''s all because of the nature of my powers. I don''t appear strong because I get beaten up a lot. But the reality is they can''t even manage to damage me. Well, the higher the actual offensive power and the more I have to focus to be fine, but still. As my body travels through in the air, I can''t help but reminisce about it. I really hope she''s fine. One day I will find her for sure. Then we will make more paper boats. Perhaps, this time, we will even release them in the ocean. Wouldn''t that be nice? That is when I feel myself falling, and before long happens a roughnding. CRASH! I think I''m either in a city or a sect. Either way, I just totally screwed someone''s roof. This is a pain. This is like a mix between a superhero and a super-ero entrance. I came from the sky,nded violently, but I''m totally buck naked. Perhaps one day, I will have an amazing armor that will have half the defense of my skin. But not today. As I slowly get up, I observe my surroundings. There are many statues, all of the same old guy. I myself am in the remains of one. My body pierced right through it as I fell. What are the people here going to think? Soon people will check up on the situation. What''s my n then? Should I make them believe that I am a powerful cultivator? Any chance I can make people believe I fell from Heaven, aka the god realm? Ah, never mind. There actually already are people here. I didn''t initially notice, thanks to the white powder floating everywhere. Is it snow? Is it cocaine? Nope, it''s the shattered remnants of the sculpture I annihted. * Sigh* Why is destruction so easy yet creation so hard? That is when a white man screams at me. "Who are you?! How dare you invade our sect?! You shall face our wrath and." I lose focus. Somehow the guy next to him is looking at me as if I were a ghost. If I look as chalky white as both of them, then it''s understandable. How do I spin this? Can I simply exin the truth? I don''t even have gold topensate them. I could always try to negotiate to repay my faux pas withbor or something. But right now, I have other more pressing issues. I want to head back to the Water sect. I need to make sure she''s safe. It''s my fault she got dragged into this. Well, technically, it''s these dumbasses Head-Mages. I still can''t believe they tried something so ridiculously dumb. Is power that attractive? I don''t get it. For now, I guess I''ll resolve this situation first. [Sorry about that. Just passing through, gotta go. Next time we see each other, I''llpensate you guys for the statues.] Well, hopefully, if I''m not too broke at that time. Then I leave. I start running toward the door. The man reacts and casts some kind of white barrier near the entrance. Seeing as my way is blocked, Ijust push through. I have no time for games right now. Itpletely shatters in a torrent of light particles. I can hear gasps behind me as I exit. The more I run, and the more I feel like I''ve seen this ce. The buildings and the people oddly seem familiar. I have probably seen the robes they are wearing somewhere before. Still, it doesn''t really ring a bell. I have probably seen some of their disciples either at Eaglevein or while traveling with my actor friends. Thetter is the most likely. Still, for now, speed is of the essencetime to use my secret line. [Attention, hot coffeeing through!] It works wonders. Ah, they don''t seem to know what coffee is, nor how it''s rted to the current situation, but they nk a second. Before long, I''m in front of a gate. It''s already blocked by tons of soldiers wearing white. They are shouting something at me, but I''m not sure what. I don''t have time to waste. I remember back in the day my training in the archaic forest. I need as much speed as when I was crashing into tree after tree. Actually, I need even more speed. I also need to jump. Back then, I wouldn''t even have thought of this, but I''ve grown stronger. I sprint the fastest I can, and then I jump. I magnificently fly above the thick stone wall, leaving behind a confused group. I am sure I will leave a legend behind me: that one naked dude that could really jump. As Ind on the other side, I hear a cacophonying from the city I just left. They seem to be ready to chase me. But who cares? I''d like to see anyone manage to catch me with how fast I''m currently running. Divine energy is going full throttle in my body, pushing me to the very limits. I hope she''s fine. She needs to be. I hope that That''s when I hear the sound of a gallop. Behind is a group of mounted cavaliers. They are all wearing white armors on top of white horses. I''d make a joke about how it makes them look like virgin maidens, but I''m too busy. These guys are fast. I need to somehow convince them to- "Infidel, we will smite you for causing trouble in our holy city!" Guess it won''t be easy Chapter 507: Annoying Riders Chapter 507: Annoying Riders "Infidel, we will smite you for causing trouble in our holy city!" [Look, guys. I''m really sorry about earlier, but a friend is in danger. I need to go. I''llpensate for that one statue I broke in the templeter.] "What?! You destroyed a statue in the temple?! This is deserving of the most agonizing punishment. Don''t even think about running, viin!" Okay, I screwed up. Apparently, they didn''t even know the crime I hadmitted. They probably just ran after me seeing me look guilty. How do I fucking deal with this? I can hear them chant for a few seconds and then appears a white barrier. In this one, there are floating magical swords. The weapons are seemingly made of white light and are hovering around me for a few seconds, but then it begins. Their goal is clearly to skewer from side to side. They even start throwing white mana balls at me. Why is everything goddamn white?! These guys would be the perfect stars in a detergentmercial. Who knows. Maybe if we fight long enough, they''ll retreat to go wash the stains on their white everything. No time to y with them. Illusion time! I can use it without any qualm for once since there are no allies nearby. Then I dash at the barrier. It should be falling apart since they''ll be busy. Now they''ll leave me alone, and I''ll be able tothe barrier is incredibly solid. Wait, what?! Somehow, they don''t seem affected at all! How is that possible?! Is there an issue with my spell? Am I tired or something? That is when they start charging. Passing near me and attacking, then leaving anding back again for another try. For some reason, they can enter this white cage as easily as breathing or insulting me. "Heretic, we''ll have your head." "Heretic, we''ll skin you alive." "Heretic, you will die for ridiculing us!" "Heretic-" [I fucking get it! You bunch of wannabe cultists! Just shut the fuck up and let me leave!] So annoying! The surroundings are so bright too, so bright it feels like I''m about to go blind. But I manage to faintly discern some faint light thread linking each of them to the barrier. I understand. I''m not leaving here before beating them up. This spell is clearly one designed by a masochist. Ah, but then I see it. In the distance, the other foot soldiers from that sect are already charging my way. I need to make haste. If I can''t illusion my way out of this, I''ll use physical enhancement. I wait until one of them is near me beforemitting what usually would be considered suicide. I throw myself right under one of the horses. In most cases, that would be a bad end for the pedestrian, but it''s me we''re talking about. The horse''s legs get entangled, it heavily falls to the ground, and the rider gets thrown right off. That''s when I casually get up, like a man that is done with his fake injury scam, better than healthy. Then I casually approach the fallen rider. Finally, I casually beat the living shit out of him. At first, he''s cursing me, but then he gets too busy coughing blood to keep going. Let''s just say his pristine appearance is no more. Now I just need to repeat this a few times, 23 more to be exact. They leave the barrier and charge right back. This time, they think themselves clever and swerve perfectly to be in attack distance but still be safe. Simply because they have more attack range than me. Well, that''s what they think anyway. I grab the guy that I defeated. Then I throw him under the horse. That is how another rider gets thrown off and how the first one dies pitifully, stomped to death by his own ally. Is that cruel of me? I don''t care. I tried diplomacy already. Needless to say, I''m off to a good start. They flee in a hurry. Wait, if they stay outside the barrier, won''t I be in trouble?! Ah, but then I notice something. It is getting dimmer and clearly weaker by the second, probably because they are too far away from it. They still have a victorious smile. Ah, I realize why. By the time the barrier will be gone, their reinforcements will be here. Then it will just be a question of time until they overwhelm me, or so they believe anyway. Still, I don''t feel like testing that theory. I keep attacking the obstacle over and over, with themughing at my pointless effort. At least in the beginning. Then they start panicking. That''s because I finally manage to breach through. "This is impossible!" "How did the heretic pierce our god''s barrier?!" "He probably used a vile method!" "Quick, stop him!" Are you fucking kidding me?! I destroy one statue by mistake, then they try to kill me, yet they still think I''m the bad guy here?! Are they dumb, or are they dumb?! Actually, probably just self-centered assholes. They attack me once more, but now I''m free to leave. All this time, I''ve been fighting at regr speed because I have trouble handling more. But just for this asion, I drastically increase my speed. I instantly appear right next to a ridder, kicking him right in the face. He falls heavily as I get on his horse. [Alright, let''s go!] It seems terrified of me for some reason, but at least it''s properly galloping. I can feel the mount''s powerful muscles underneath me. It is galloping as fast as it can. But the other cavaliers are as fast as me. Actually, they are even faster for some reason. I try once more my illusion magic out of desperation. Perhaps if I increase the output, it will.never mind. I somehow manage to curse my target. His face warps in fright. He can feel all the killing intent now aimed at him. All his colleagues turn toward him, and then a dance begins that will definitely end up as bloody murder. I simply leave. I wonder why it worked the second time? Probably the absence of that white formation spell. Yep, magic can be really great and versatile. *Sigh* I''ll have to be careful, but I already knew that. Wait for me, my pink-haired friend. I''ll be there soon. As long as I don''t get lost Chapter 508: The Dumb Servant Chapter 508: The Dumb Servant ****(POV) "Sect leader! Bad news! He has managed to escape! He''s gone! We tried to stop him but without sess!" This messenger is loud and losing his cool too. This isn''t something that is worthy of the Purity God. I''ll have to thoroughly discipline himter. Instead of panicking, we need to calmly send our trump card. "Why all the fuss? Send the Holy Cavalry E. We''ll see how long he can evade them. He is but a lone man, after all. Hurry!" The man in front of me seems to be showing a difficult expression. It''s almost as if rying such a short message is difficult. *Sigh* This is what happens when you send all your best personnel on a scouting expedition. Recently there have been reports of moving enemy troops and also of ice elementals roaming thend. My most valiant men already left, and they''lle back once the danger has been evaded. The messenger is still there for some reason. He hesitantly opens his mouth. "T-that, they already fought and lost, Sir." "What?! Didn''t you say he was alone and fleeing?" There is something wrong here. There is no way any normal individual can take one of these squads alone. They are made to train together from a young age and are pros atplementing one another to create the most powerful magical killing formations. Their faith is strong, they themselves are strong, and they outnumbered the enemy by far. For them to fail, there is something sketchy going on. Is this new enemy a powerhouse from a hidden sect? This is most likely. How should we deal with this? The chances are that chasing him won''t yield any result right now. We have to wait for our people to be back. Actually, what if this enemy is trying to lure our forces out? He especially targeted a statue in our temple. He was trying to anger us. Perhaps him only destroying one was to try and make us believe that he''s weak? "How many casualties were there?" I promptly ask. "Only one, Sir! He threw a man under a horse and made him die from friendly fire." I see. He really thinks us stupid, doesn''t he? He was able to defeat them in such a humiliating way but only killed one. He''s totally baiting us! "Find me his identity. No matter how. For now, we''ll wait, but we''ll be preparing for our counterattack. We won''t swallow such humiliation. He will die. Also, make sure to have servants repair the statue as soon as possible." Thus he leaves as I remain alone in therge opulent room. I''m sure the viin thought we''d act rashly, but he''s wrong. Just as I''m ready to figure out the next sect issuees to a knock. Then the same messenger enters once more. Did he already get confused?! "Sir, as I was leaving, I stumbled upon a servant that ims to knows our opponent''s identity. Should I" "Of course! Hurry up and let them in!" This is great. It seems even fate is helping us. Perhaps I''ll reward that lowly servant and even.but then I see who the man that enters is. He''s that disgusting weakling. Let''s forget about any reward, shall we? This is the man that has brought the Eaglevein branch to destruction. He ims to have been poisoned with an aphrodisiac along with all the others, but there is no way such a thing is possible for a true believer. The thing is our god''s blessing course through all of us. Any temptation, mind control, anything evil really can easily be protected against. He imed the enemy to be too strong to handle, but really they were the onescking. Is he trying to atone for his crimes? He truly won''t ever be able to. It''s already been decided that all of them will work until they fall. Perhaps in another life, they will manage to uphold their moral integrity and won''t lie about their innocence. "Speak." He looks at me, unsure of what to say. That''s when he gets an item out. It seems to be some kind of wanted poster. On it is the face of our enemy. "Sect Leader, he''s the one that was hunted a while back by The Righteous Sects Alliance. He was believed to have died in a dimensional portal, but apparently, that was a lie. I implore you to get revenge for us." Ah, I understand now. This man is the cause of our losses in Eaglevein. Does this idiot think he can redeem himself if we catch him? How hrious. "Alright, we''ll first start printing these again and distribute them. Let''s see how long he can run for! As for you, keep up the good work. There may still be hope left after all." A little praise goes a long way. I can see a small scheming smile adorn his face. Does he think I''m blind? I know he is trying to use the sect for his own benefit. We''ll catch the guy, and then we''ll crucify them both for the harm they caused. Yes, that should be fun. ****(POV) I leave the sect leader''s room satisfied. Oh god, this is great. The Purity God has abandoned mepletely? Well, so did I. Now that the sect will be hunting him, there is only one possible oue. They will be destroyed. How? I''m not sure. But I don''t believe a single second they have what it takes to go against that monster. I really hope the fight is heated, and they alle to regret it soon. Once they are gone, I''ll escort my fellow "sinners" out of here. Where? I''m not sure yet. But I''ll figure out something. All I need is the will to keep going. In the worst case, we''ll all die. It clearly beats this ridiculously painful existenceden with non-stop work and degradation. I''d rather die fighting than from overwork here. Oh well, I wonder what the monster is up to and what brought him to attack the temple in the first ce. For all we know, it was but a mistake, not that anyone would believe that. Anyway, for now, I have something to dotime to somehow start rumors. I need people here to be really pissed at him. This way, they''ll be mortal enemies. Then, I''ll just watch. This shall be entertaining Chapter 509: Eating A Snail Chapter 509: Eating A Snail ****(POV) In a small camp that was so destitute it could barely bear this appetion, there were vigers hiding. At first, they had been filled with rightful fury, for they had been chased away from their ownnd, and their houses had been destroyed along with everything they possessed. Now, the anger had settled a bit. As much as they collectively called for revenge, no one wanted to truly go through with it. The devil with the undead steed was way too strong to be fought. They had also realized that he was on a journey and would likely be leaving soon. So they simply waited. But they were hungry, so hungry. That is when they began catching bugs to fill their stomachs. To a starving man, anything that can be eaten will sound like a delicacy. There they were, slowly roasting them on the fire. One lucky man had even found a snail. Usually no one would care, but on this peculiar day, it felt like being a king for it was definitely more delicious than anything else avable. He could be seen smiling from ear to ear, already salivating as he roasted the little creature. But then, something unexpected happened. The mayor just happened to pass near him as his stomach grumbled loudly. In fact, it reminded them of a roaring beast. Just as the man was happily about to dig in, piercing looks of disapproval were sent his way. The mayor was a hero, after all. Wouldn''t they be worse than animals were they to let him starve? Most indubitably! (Not that they knew such a long word) They were especially motivated by the fact that it wasn''t their snail in the first ce. "Are you really going to eat it?" "Look at the poor mayor." "You should share some with him." "No way, he deserves it all. While we didn''t know what to do, he organized the camp all by himself by guiding us." "True, so true!" At that moment, the appetizing snail looked more like a curse than a blessing. A very nice smelling curse, that is. But seeing everyone intently staring at him reproachfully made the man shiver. Were he to eat that tiny snail, he would be socially doomed. He somehow instinctively understood that. It''s with great regret that he finally handed the whole snail over to their chief. He couldn''t help but dream of better days. The mayor, of course, made a show of refusal. "What? No way! I can''t! This is too much. You need some nutrients too!" But on the side, the other vigers weren''t in approval with such statements. Even the mayor himself knew clearly that he''d eat it all alone in the end. It''s with great regret that the one that had just had his food stolen watched the chief take a huge bite of the soft flesh. CLANG! "Ah- What the hell is that?!" His scream was as strong as the enthusiasm he had put into trying to bite. Not only was it loud, but it was also filled with pain. "Are you alright, mayor." "Was there a problem with that guy''s snail?" Was the man about to get med for something he hadn''tmitted? Then the mayor opened his mouth again only for the spectators to gasp in shock. His front tooth had shattered, giving him a very ugly look. He started screaming. He was mad at the man, mad at the snail, and mad at the world. He med them all for bullying good people. Never did he take a moment to think that perhaps this was all Karma. But was it? In fact, he had simply tried eating the wrong snail. Anotoki had lied there on the ground thinking. It had been found by a viger but did not care. It had been thrown in a fire but did not react. It had been bitten by an idiot but did not care either. Now, there was something else weighing on its mind. A while back, it had been keeping tabs on that man, the one and only it couldn''t see through for some reason. It had followed him as he had wreaked havoc on Eaglevein. Anotoki couldn''t help but think that the man was perhaps a natural disaster that had taken human form, but that was beside the point. It had followed him as he joined a group of actors and showcased the worst acting of all time. The ending of that one had been truly cruel and had almost made the snail cry, but it couldn''t change it, for it was only an observer. It had followed him as he went to the Vige of the End, destroying their barrier and then going to great lengths to repair it. It had also witnessed him enter a portal that everyone considered a death sentence. That''s when it had lost him. Yes, Anotoki (7/10) had lost its target. It couldn''t see in the other realms, not currently at least. Thus it was forced to remain behind. As it did, there was a white wolf nodding at it. Somehow that single look made Anotoki freeze in wonder. It wasn''t supposed to be possible for anyone to realize how special it was. But then it understood. The wolf was no regr one but a reincarnated expert from ancient times, one that especially knew divination. For an instant, they shared a helpless look, for there was nothing they could see about the man''s fate. It was almost as if it was yet to be written. But Anotoki had a n. It left behind the wolf that was just guarding the portal area and eating carrot soup. It then began to set up a crazy spell across the entire continent that took it a year toplete. Had the target been anyone else, it would have been done in an instant. But he was too hard to find. What Anotoki had done was extremelyplex, but the effect was simple. It had enchanted the wanted posters that were already circting with the man''s drawing. As soon as someone showed a hint of greed toward it, it would know. That moment had actually just happened, in many ces at once to boot. It seemed like someone out there was actually fanning the mes. But that was perfect for the snail. It would make finding him even easier. The bigger the disturbance, the more pleased it would be Chapter 510: Do You Know Where The Water Sect Is? Chapter 510: Do You Know Where The Water Sect Is? Heretic this, heretic that, this heretic is gone! It seems like my pursuers have stopped chasing me, at least. I was almost expecting another cavalry to hunt me, but I guess they finally came back to their senses. It was dumb of them to fight me in the first ce. Sure, I caused a tiny bit of destruction but losing further troops to a traveler like me serves no purpose. Even hunting heretics should be done with pragmatism, it seems. I''ve just been galloping in a straight line at various speeds. I don''t exactly know how horse riding works at all. I''ve tried hitting it with my talons a bit, giving it vocalmands, and even moving my body back and forth, but nothing worked. But now I have a problem, the horse I am riding cannot go further. It''s weird. It''s just lying on its side on the article of death, hooves in the air and tongue outside. Somehow my healing magic doesn''t seem to affect it. Perhaps it needs water or something? There will be plenty when we get there Just as I explore the surroundings to find anything useful, I see the white horse suddenly spring back on its feet and gallop away at top speed. Since when can horses act? Seriously?! Ah, whatever. Ordering it was already hard. Guess I''ll run. Funny enough, I almost get the same speed, simply ninja running toward my destination. The thing is that I have no clue how long it will take me to reach it. Let''s just say the whole getting thrown farther than I can fathom did a number on my sense of distances. That''s when appears a small hut in front. There is also a small path nearby that leads to what I can only assume is a farm. Part of me is sure I''m going in the right direction, but another part of me still wants to make sure. Would a random farmer have heard of the Water sect? Perhaps. Even if he doesn''t know, I''ll just be on my way. I still have no clue how widespread geography knowledge is in this ce. It''s not my forte, so it confuses me grandly. God, I miss my map application *Sigh*. As Ie closer to the wooden hut, I knock gently. [Anyone here?] No answer whatsoever. But the door slightly opens. Guess it wasn''t locked properly. Actually, I don''t think this kind of door has a lock period. That''s when I feel something. It''s weird to exin. It seems to be the same feeling I feel from Wolfie when we eat barbecue together. I slightly push the door further open, and that''s when I see it. On the kitchen table is a tiny little creature. It seems to be some kind of fruit fly. Its appearance is obviously different from the ones I know, but I can at least recognize it. I''m guessing it evolved thanks to mana. It radiates pure and simple happiness. Yes, that''s what it is. I can''t help but smile as it reminds me of her. I still remember that one knitting sentence. I can believe it somehow. While observing the creature, I slowly approach and sit near it. It seems to be blissfully devouring some white berry. [Is it good?] It suddenly freezes and looks at me, startled, its tiny eyes bulging. It looks at its meal and then at me, apparently wondering when the hell I came in. Then it shows worry. I love how expressive the animals are in this world. It''s crazy. [Haha, don''t worry, little one. I won''t steal your meal. Just keep going. I''m not here to steal from you at all. Tell me, do you know who lives here?] It silently and shyly nods. [I see. I''m looking for the Water sect. Any idea if I''m heading in the right direction?] It looks at me confused. Then again, why am I asking a fly that? Well, I try not to underestimate the creatures here. I''ve already met all kinds of smart ones. That''s when I hear the sound of footsteps, then the door opening. Enter a man wearing simple farmer clothing. "Alright, I''m done burying it now we can- Who are you?!" This is awkward. Do I say that I entered because the fruit fly exuded happiness, and it made me curious? That sounds sketchy for a break-in excuse. [Ah, sorry, I let myself in since the door was already slightly open. Actually, I just have a simple question to ask, and then I''ll be on my way.] The man seems tense a bit. Then again, it''s understandable. There is talk of war going on all over the ce. You never know when it wille to you. Maybe he thinks I''m here to conscript him or something? Probably, seeing his clenched fist. [It''s like this, I''m looking for the Water Sect, and I''m not sure I''m heading in the right direction. Do you know about it?] He seems baffled by my query. "The water sect?" [Indeed, I have a friend there and many enemies. I need to make sure my friend is fine, is all. Either that or a way tomunicate with the gods. If I could just contact Aqua directly, she could take care of all this mess.] "Aqua?!" [YeahFor all I know, she could still be having a tea party. I me the time difference between the two realms. Anyway, do you know where it is?] "That yesI know the rough heading." Nice! Jackpot! Now that I think about it, this man seems to be fairly strong below the rough clothing. I feel like he''s probably a rank 3 or close. After all these encounters, I''ve be pretty good at figuring out my interlocutor''s power. I guess retiring to a farm is more popr than I thought. First, he old baker, and now this guy. Well, this one is young, but it''s fine. It''s his life. He can do whatever he wants of it. He seems to be in deep contemtion. From time to time, he looks at his pet, then at me. I really have no idea what he''s hesitating about. But then he seems toe to a decision. "I can show you if you want. The way to the Water sect I mean. I am heading toward it too." [What about your farm?] His eyes lose focus for a second, apparently reminiscing. "There are probably enemies that wille knocking very soon. We need to leave." [I understand! Let''s go, no time like the present!] He nods, grabs a few bags, and then starts leading the way while giving onestplicated look to the small hut, but then he starts away resolutely. I''m pretty lucky to have found a guide in a random hut. This is a sign. Even fate is on my side!... Chapter 511: Who The Hell Is He?! Chapter 511: Who The Hell Is He?! ****(POV) "May you have a better life next time. I wish you not to meet anyone like me." I wipe the soil off my hands. Before me lies a grave. Really, I shouldn''t havee here in the first ce. Most especially, I should definitely not have let him see my invisible killer. I don''t want to let the secret of its existence out. Well, there is that Sun Young Master that knows too, but I''m not sure what to think about that one. There is too much that is unknown. It''s not like I could ever know about the inner politics of the Sun Sect. Even if I did, I can''t do anything about it except hope for the best. At least now, my secret should be safer. I head back to the hut. We can rest for the night and depart in the morning. As I open the door, I freeze. What the hell?! In there is a man, right next is the invisible killer, a white berry in its mouth. It''s not hiding at all! Why?! It''s usually so obedient too. It gives me an apologetic look. How is it so calm? Wait, no. There is something very wrong here! How is the man so calm?! There are two reactions to be expected once someone discovers a Gu User. Either profound fear or profound hate. Hell, even Gu trainers are wary of other Gu trainers! But he is just sitting there with a deadly Gu right next to him. That''s when he says he has a question. Could he be some powerful enemy that is here to interrogate me?! But then he asks about the Water sect. What?! I nk for an instant. Why is the guy asking about that sect with a Gu only centimeters away from his hand?! Does he not fear death? Then he says something about a friend. From what I understand, he''s ready to fight an entire sect to rescue them. Then he says something aboutmunicating with a god directly. Is he talking about making a deal with a deity?! What kind of bigshot is this guy?! I can''t sense any power from him, but I know not to judge too quickly. My invisible killer is literally the same. Ah, what''s that about a tea party? For now, offer to guide him. He proposes we leave right now, and Iply. Grabbing food and some clothes for him, we depart. During this journey, I''ll have to figure out if I need to kill him or not. Chances are yes. My invisible killer just rests on my shoulder as we get moving. Somehow this man doesn''t say anything about the Gu in the room. This is so weird. In fact, I can''t take it anymore. "My fly hasn''t inconvenienced you, right?" [Inconvenienced, how? It''s just been eating, haha. It reminds me of a friend, actually.] I almost choke hearing that. Did the man justpare a literal Gu to a friend?! "W-what kind of friend? If you don''t mind me asking." [It''s fine. She''s a cute wolf. She''s amazing, smart, and a greatpanion.] He''s referring to a wolf with ''she''? Guess they are really close. His eyes even shine brightly as he talks about her. "A wolf? Where did you meet?" [Randomly, in the middle of the Archaic Savage Forest. We''ve spent a while traveling together. We''ve been separated recently. Ah, but apparently, it was over 2 years.] What the fuck?! Middle of a disaster zone?! Actually, not any disaster zone. He''s talking about the one that even the Moon Keep stays away from! Wait, he said smart, didn''t he? He''s not describing a wolf but a motherfucking beast king! What kind of lunatic did I randomly meet?! [So yeah, I''ll go beat up the dumbasses in charge of the Water sect and save my friend, then go find Wolfie.] "Wolfie?" Suddenly my beast king theory sounds so damn wrong. A creature so strong would never voluntarily adopt a name so cute. [Yep, I named her. Pretty cool name, right? That''s back when we used to y together in the forest. I''d be training and hunting random animals, but then most of them turned out to be capable of speech. In the end, we just talked and resolved our conflicts.] Never mind! He talked it out with the animals in the forest?! Should I state the obvious?! Animals do not talk. Normal monsters do not talk either. Only beast kings are capable of speech! Wait, there is something even crazier! He literally tamed a beast king and gave it such a cheesy name?! I feel like this man is not human. Also, what''s with that low-key bragging?! He makes it sound like all of it is normal and boring. I nervously awkwardly attempt to keep the conversation going. I need more information. "How do you n on dealing with the Water sect exactly?" [Either hit and run beating them all up one after the other or straight up sneaking to the Aqua''s statue, get to the god realm and tell her to do her goddamn fucking job before I whoop her ass. Something like that.] "I-I see" Something like that, he says. One does not simply talk about whooping divine ass that casually! What is wrong with him?! At some point, we stop for a short rest. He sees how tired I am, not just physically but also mentally. He seems to find my pace pretty slow, but he seems pretty insistent on the guide part. Is he perhaps directionally challenged? That is very possible. In fact, most of the young geniuses are. They spend all their lives training inside their sect in seclusion. Then when they go out for the first time, they get lost easily. But one shouldn''t underestimate them. These geniuses can destroy all on their passage. In fact, even I spent a long time just training Gus in my courtyard. I lost pretty much all of them, but at least I know all the shortcuts there are to the profession. I can''t help but ponder about this man. What kind of being is he? Should I consider him an ally or an enemy? So far, he has only referred to my Gu with ''fly''. I''m not even sure if he realizes this is supposed to be some kind of nightmarish monster. Seen up close, it has a stinger and a maw filled with sharp teeth, and yethe doesn''t seem to mind one bit. In fact, he''s feeding it a wild berry he found randomly right now. That''s when he starts petting my invisible killer. Perhaps I am dreaming. It took me months of training before I had the guts to pat it myself. After all, one sting, and you are dead. Yet, there he is. What the hell did I get myself into Chapter 512: Cute Fruit Fly Chapter 512: Cute Fruit Fly This thing sure is cute! Petting this little creature sure is fun. It gives me a look as if it has trouble understanding why I''m trying to headpat it, but it doesn''t seem to mind either. In fact, the little guy is just happy I''m helping it forage for berries. Its master is peacefully sleeping by the side. I guess he was extremely tired. Apparently, he has enemies after him. I didn''t ask why. It''s probably not that important either way. I mean he is allowed to have his secrets. I''m sure he''ll open up at some point. He seems like the shy kind. For now, I guess I should help him a bit. I approach his body and kneel by his side. He seems to have a tense expression for some reason. Guess he''s having a silent nightmare or something. I use divine energy to heal him. Now he should be as good as new. Then I go back to eating berries with the fruit fly. [One berry for you, one berry for me.] It seems to be shaking its little head wondering why I''m eating berries too. It seems to be worried that there will be fewer berries for it this way. [*Sigh* Simply let go of all the worries and just focus on the now. Don''t think about the possibility ofcking berries in the future. Can you do that? Just enjoy the moment. Sharing a meal is one of the best things in life you know.] It seems extremely puzzled but itplies. It instantly seems to rx and eyes me strangely as if it''s wondering how this all works. Logically it should be sad because there are fewer berries but [Here, try this. It''s fun. I toast to this new friendship!] I raise a berry high up in the air and it copies me with a smile. Well, that''s how I perceive it. It then happily shakes while devouring. We keep doing this over and over, it seems to be addicted to the game. So much that by now it voluntarily pushes half of its berries my side to toast. "How?!" Ah, it seems he is done sleeping. That was a rather short rest, but then again that probably is because of the divine energy. I simply smile at him. [Morning. Well, it''s still night but you get it haha.] "How did you two be friends so fast? It usually hates strangers! It''s even sharing its food with you! How?!" I take a few moments to ponder. Why? Actually, isn''t the answer obvious? [Making friends is not logical. It just happens. But I guess we bonded over eating berries. We both love doing that haha.] By the side, the small creature is nodding. Yep, it loves eating berries. My interlocutor still seems confused, but he also seems impressed. I think that as long as you treat someone with sincerity they''ll feel it and it will be easier to open up. [Anyway, since you are awake shall we keep going?] "Ehsure." Thus our epic journey continues. If we had an epic tale in our name, it would be called two guys one fly! I feel like that would be a cool title. On the way, we are enjoying foraging for food. Sometimes I think about the fact that I don''t need to actually eat to survive it seems. It''s great and all but it still feels a bit strange. I guess that''s why I still love eating so much. It reminds me that I am in fact human. I say that but I could rece "human" in that sentence by living. After all, my flypanion is enjoying it too. It makes me feel like I am part of the cycle of life. Weirdly, this pointforts me. Too often people will gain power and forget their humanity. For me, it''s quite the contrary. I realize that I am clinging to remaining myself. I feel it is probably slowing down my power growth by a lot, but it doesn''t matter. Would it serve any purpose if I lost my mind in a hungry quest for power? I''ve seen some people affected by it. Just recently it was the people at the Water sect. They ended up causing extreme damage to their own sect in the end. They also ended up making an enemy out of me. Yes, my way of living is better. In my eyes at least. I''ll just keep going like that. No matter how many it infuriates I will at least remain true to myself. There is nothing more important in this crazy world. That''s when we suddenly see what appears to be a small vige in the distance. Around this small vige, there seem to be fields with tons of apple trees nted. Orchards?! Don''t tell me that...?! If I''m not mistaken there is probably something amazing in there. "We should probably go around. This way we won''t leave any traces" My only enemies currently are the water sect people and we are still a fair distance away. This means that if there is some danger it''s from the people pursuing my travelpanion. [Who''s after you exactly, and why?] He seems to hesitate for an instant but then he seems to decide to trust me. "I think the Sun Sect is chasing me over a misunderstanding." He seems to be awaiting my reaction anxiously. Probably wondering if I''ll ask for more details or if that will be enough. From the way, he is reacting there is probably an embarrassing story behind it all. I can''t help but rte to that. How many times have I been chased by someone over them misunderstanding something randomly?! I swear the sects in this world are crazy! I pat his shoulder and look him in the eyes. [Don''t worry. I understand how it feels, brother! Alright, I''ve decided. We''ll head there for there is something amazing awaiting us. I can feel it!] He seems unsure but he nods. That''s when I start walking toward the vige with a pep in my step, the others following behind. I guess the fly is shy because it hides in its master''s clothes. We soon encounter vigers. They seem guarded against us, but that much is normal. [Howdy there! Where is the tavern?] They point toward it. Before long we are entering the Sweet Apple tavern and a sweet smell invades our senses. The atmosphere is lively with the chatter of the people. I can''t help but smile. That is when the fruit fly excitedly reveals itself. I can see it trembling with excitement in a very cute manner. It is about to lose its shit Haha. [Tavern keeper! Three sses of your finest cider! Thank you very much!] But then something happens. Why is the ce suddenly dead silent? Also, why is everyone staring at us so much? Seriously, what''s up?!... Chapter 513: He Was The Best, Cheers! Chapter 513: He Was The Best, Cheers! Why is everyone in the tavern suddenly staring silently? Mypanions are acting weird too. The fruit fly is confused meanwhile the other seems livid. Does he have social anxiety or something? That would exin how he managed to make enemies out of a misunderstanding. Good thing I''m here. That''s when the tavern keeper (I think) barks at us. "Who are you? What brings you here? What do you want from us? What''s with the monster?" Time to use my golden tongue to calmly answer all their questions. Actually, it seems they are staring at the fly. [Travelers. Apple cider. Apple cider. Apple Cider. Wait, are you guys scared of a little fly? HAHAHA Don''t worry. That''s a fruit fly. It just loves sweet things is all. It''spletely harmless. It simply evolved thanks to mana. Here look] I start petting its head. It looks at me in expectation wondering when we will taste whatever it is we are smelling. "Don''t try to fool us! That''s obviously a deadly Gu! It''s a vile and strong monster that gues the world and " [HAHAHA Ah Gu? Are you serious?! Here, prick me slightly little one that will show them. Go on, trust me, it''s fine.] "Wait, what are you doing?!" Mypanion tries to interrupt but in the meantime, the fruit fly has already stung me with its tail. To be honest I barely feel it. In fact, it barely even prates my skin. I turn to the others. They are now gasping looking at me in horror. [Are you guys okay? As I said just a fruit fly with teeth and the ability to sting. No big deal.] They keep alternating between me and the fly shocked. Mypanion is shocked too. I guess he never thought of such a simple method to gain their trust. But seriously these guys are crazy if they think this gentle creature is an evil Gu haha. "Y-you you''re fine?! Wait, no! You won''t fool me. This must be a trick!" [Stop arguing and get us some cider already! Actually, why are you arguing in the first ce?! If this is no Gu you''re just being an asshole, and if this is a Gu you''re just looking for death. C''mon man] The tavern keeper freezes then seem to realize my argument sure sounds logical. He starts sweating as he smiles and guides us to a table. He seems stressed and stiff still. [Look man, it''s just a fruit fly. Stop panicking for no reason. Alright?] That is when he finally rxes. That guy is totally the kind to overthink things. Before long, conversations resume inside the taverna and the atmosphere bes jovial once more. From time to time some people are ncing at us curiously but that''s to be expected. Then arrive our drinks. For the fruit fly, ites with a small te to pour it into. [Alright, cheers!] *Silent cheer!* "Wait! We should check for poison and" But the two of us are already drinking. The taste is phenomenal. The sweetness of the apple, the freshness of the apple, and the deliciousness of the apple. How else is one supposed to describe cider? The fly is clearly feeling contented. It takes a sip, then it enjoys it. It takes another sip, and it enjoys it some more. From time to time we do toasting motions. Me with my ss and it following along with its tiny leg. As the tavern keeper keeps refilling our mugs, he can''t help but let his guard down. He now realizes how crazy his initial assumption was. How can such a heartwarming scene involve a vile and deadly Gu? He even twirls his fingers around a bit before going: "Eh, sorry about earlier. I truly made a mistake. I didn''t mean to offend anyone, I just" It doesn''t matter. Plus we are only stopping here for a short while anyway. After that, it''s back to journeying to the Water Sect. Well, we can afford a short stop. At this point, it''s either my friends survived, or they didn''t. If they are prisoners, they will be kept alive until I show up for sure. [Don''t worry. I understand. Still, if something simr ever happens again just y dumb. There is no use risking your life like that. I''ve seen some people that are truly bad in this world you know. At least, there is still hope.] "Yes, I was just on edge because of what happened to the Sun Young Master. I still can''t believe it. How he fell fighting a Gu master. Such a shame. *Sigh*" [Oh? I actually know a guy called Sun. I hope he''s doing well.] "Poor guy. Having the same name as the magnificent Sun Young Master, peace be to his soul. After all, he looks like" The more he describes him and the more I realize. This Sun guy is the radiant young man that said he''d join my guild. The one I shared barbecue with. The one that kept listening to me ramble about my philosophy. The one that was really a cool friend even if we barely spent any time together. [How? How did he die?] "What?!" [How did my friend die. tell me.] At first, my stern tone scares him, but then hees back to his senses. "Youknew him?! He''s been killed by one of the champions of the Gu Meadow. The evil Gu cultivator killed him after a long chase and got rid of his body entirely." [I see. A lot happened while I was gone it seems. It sucks. This truly sucks. I''ll need more alcohol.] Ipletely turn my alcohol resistance off. Tonight I am getting dead drunk. Tonight I''ll mourn. My friend deserves a few cheers. No, more than a few. He was supposed to be the chosen one. He was supposed to be the official campfire maker of The Unnamed God Sect. I''ll keep my ears open. I''ll avenge him eventually. So what if I have to fight a Gu User? We''ll see what''s more potent between their poison and my divine energy! That is why I need to gather up my people. I can''t have them perish in some goddamn forsaken corner of the world where I can''t help. We will rise. Not because we want to, but out of need. Any living being that epts being trampled upon isn''t living anymore! [This is a cheer to you, my friend. To Sun, the best goddamn fire starter I''ve ever met!] My voice resounds into the entire tavern as everyone cheers with me. The fruit fly seems confused. It can''t understand why my tears areing out. It seems to be saying: "this should be a happy moment, we have cider". Yes, little one. This should be a happy moment. This is a cheer to celebrate the life of a man that I barely knew but still left a mark in my heart. Such is life Chapter 514: Coming Clean Chapter 514: Coming Clean ****(POV) Right next to me is a man dead drunk. He is slovenly copsed, his head and chest both resting on the table directly. From time to time I can hear him mutter something about a fire starter. What kind of inferno did that Sun guy show him to deserve that title? I still have cold sweat whenever I remember the Sun Young Master. He was able to decimate all my Gus easily while smiling. This isn''t something normal humans can cope with. The tavern keeperes nearby. I pay mypanion''s staggering drinking tab before requesting a room. The man simply nods and installs us in some extra room he got without even asking for anything else. He nods in understanding. To the people, Sun is a hero. This guy who apparently knew him is one too because of it. He kept emotionally talking about the loss of his friend all night long. They clearly knew each other for many years. The more I see of thispanion of mine, the more puzzled I be. He seems to hold so many secrets. He seems to be presenting this fake goofy persona to the world, but behind it lies a serious and scheming man. Even right now as hey slumped on the bed, he is turned in a perfect position to fight would-be invaders. He seems extremely deep asleep and vulnerable, but it obviously isn''t that easy to take advantage of him. I can''t help but wonder if I should tell him all that happened. I did fight the sun guy butHow will he react? If I tell him the truth right now, he may have reservations against me, perhaps be angry since I tried killing his friend. But if I keep mum and he learns about what I "did" from someone else it could be even more troublesome. At first, I agreed to guide him to the water sect to keep watch on him but now I''m not sure who is keeping watch on who anymore. Can I even ditch him if I wanted? How would he react? This is so troublesome. I just feel like sleeping and thinking about itter. Is this some kind of test life is giving me?... Oh god. What if it really is a test?! What if this man knows perfectly who I am already? What if he is just waiting to see my reaction to know how he will deal with me?! Suddenly I''m wide awake. He clearly knows I''m a Gu user, that much is obvious. He did an exaggerated disy down in the tavern as if a show. I shiver as I understand that this is all a test. Here goes nothing. It takes me all I have to utter "I have something to confess" I''m worriedly awaiting his reaction but all he does is sleep. He slightly nods and keeps sleeping. "Should I tell you now orter?" That''s when he turns on the side, facing away from me. I understand we''ll talk in the morning. He is thoughtfully giving me time to collect my thoughts. As Iy down for the night, I am wondering about how he''ll react exactly. Still, I think I did the right choice by admitting. Now I think he will at least listen to my version of the facts. For some reason, I get the feeling I came closer to death today than I did in this mortal Combat against Sun. At some point, it seems I fell asleep. I''m not even sure when. There he is silently sitting on his bed seemingly wisely pondering about something. Then he begins speaking. [About yesterday.] This is the decisive moment. I shouldn''t hold any information back. "Yes, as I was saying, the Sun Young Master is still alive. To my knowledge, at least. We fought but then he simply let me leave alive. I have no idea why, but I believe he wanted to fake his own death. That is how and why I began running. I''m currently trying to head back to the Gu Meadow right now" I have been as truthful as possible. Now he will hopefully forgive me. [Let me get this straight. He is still alive, and you are a friendly Gu user?!] Why is he acting so shocked all of a sudden, even shouting? That''s when I hear a sound *TING* as a tter of food falls straight to the floor. At the room entrance, our host is looking at us baffled. I was so shaken that I let my guard down! Well, that and my scouting Gus are all dead. I''m so used to receiving passive feedback after all. Still, that exins it all. That''s why he was so loud! He wasn''t saying that to me but to our audience! I''m lucky to have him back me up. Without his intervention, I probably wouldn''t have noticed at all. Then I would have unknowingly be this vige''s enemy. The tavern keeper freezes for a second, but then he seems to remember the man''s advice from yesterday. Instead of screaming and starting a Gu User hunt (that would end up with their deaths) he nervously chuckles: "How clumsy of me. I''m very sorry. I''lle back with breakfast right away." Somehow, I don''t doubt that he will remain silent. Did he already know this would happen? Why else would he utter such precise advice yesterday? This is but something very simple, but he managed to convince someone to turn a blind eye to a Gu! This is so damn impressive! [Alright, how about you start from the beginning?] I start recounting. How we fought in the Gu vige, how he chased me all the way to a cavern, and I even admit that I seriously tried to kill him. Except, in the end, he was stronger and managed to y mepletely. From the very beginning, he had been using me to fake his own death. I share the fact that beyond what happened I am really ignorant. That is when he lowly chuckles before dering confidently. [Well, no need to worry. He probably quit his sect toe be the official fire starter of my sect.] This is a foreign term to me. It is clearly rted to arson but it''s more of a title than a position. Seeing me confused he borates. [It''s someone that is in charge of starting campfires in order to cook barbecue.] What the hell?! That''s such a lowly job?! He''d be leaving his exalted champion status for something like that?! Wait, no. It doesn''t make sense. I can''t help but mutter. "But he''d have to renounce worshiping Hellios to do a clean break away from the sect!" [Oh yeah, about that. Ever heard of The Unnamed God?] Chapter 515: What If We Beg Gently? Chapter 515: What If We Beg Gently? Oh my fucking god, this is crazy! Just as I''m about to apologize for bothering mypanion yesterday by getting dead drunk, he starts talking. Sun is still alive! This guy in front of me is a Gu User! Does that mean the little fruit fly is a Gu?! Any one of these is enough to blow my fucking mind and he just casually says it all at once! Before I even notice it I''m shouting. That''s when I realize I fucked up because the tavern keeper is there. But somehow he doesn''t seem that angry either. I guess he understands that we are actually pretty chill. Still, who the fuck would have guessed all that? Especially the Sun being alive part! This is some worthy reversal! Wait, don''t tell me he tried to tell me yesterday, but I was so drunk I didn''t understand itthis is awkward. That''s when he shares the story of how it all happened. At first, I''m extremely confused. Why would my friend attack a vige? Why would he chase some random guy too? But he doesn''t seem to find it weird himself, so I guess it''s a conflict between both sects. Then when he shares his profound doubt about my friend''s motives, it all bes clear. I can''t help but chuckle. I think he''s doing that to join my sect. Well, it''s just an excuse to break away from the war-filled mindset. That''s what the TUG sect is after all. It''s a way of life. Hopefully, I''ll have the pleasure to share a meal with him too. He''ll take care of the fire, I''ll take care of the barbecue and Wolfie will take care of hunting. Then we can have more friends to help too. This sounds like paradise. Well, it''s also making my stomach rumble. Good thing because our host is back with some food. Follows a hearty and happy breakfast. Just knowing that this one friend is well is enough to make my day. Our host still looks jittery at first, but then I offer him to eat together, and heplies. Then once he starts seeing up close how cute the little fly is he seems to change his mind about Gus. I thank him for the apples and the cider and get the cute creature to do the same by bowing. On the side, my Gu Userpanion is shocked beyond belief. He keeps saying something about how shy it usually is. [This, my friend, is the power of delicious apples! It brings people closer!] On the side, our host is nodding repeatedly. That''s most of their production here so of course, they are proud of it. As we leave the vige everyone is waving us goodbye. Not because they like us, but just because they are bored. As we walk my friend seems to be pensive. "Thank you for showing me this. All my life I''ve been used to Gus being monsters. I was one too by the same extent. But back there" [Let me tell you something. The world is extremelyplex. There is no ck and white. It is more like Fifteen shades of Grey instead. It''s not about the magic, but how it''s used. Plus, I refuse to believe a creature that just wants to eat berries is inherently evil.] "You being able to see through that is already amazing. I wish I had your insight. Ah, but there is one thing I don''t understand." [Yes?] "How did you manage to fake being pricked by it? It looked real." [Let me give you some wisdom. The best way to make someone believe something is to actually go through with it. It really happened.] "What?! How are you still alive?!" [Don''t worry about the details. I''m just resistant to poison.] He''s now looking at me akin to how one would an alien. Apparently, that''s something impressive. Still, it feels nice to brag a little from time to time. [Alright, where should we be heading, now?] Then he resumes his duties as a guide. I can''t help but think that I got lucky to stumble upon that guy. Otherwise, I would have totally held a symbolic burying for my Sun friend. It would have been quite awkward when he''d turn up alive and wellter on. Eventually, we stop to camp for the night. We do so in a small valley that is rtively t. We can easily notice our surroundings, but that also means that we are easy to notice too. I was expecting us to take turns for a nightguard, but he doesn''t seem too worried. He''s the expert. I just follow his lead. Not that I care anyway. Well, I still listen to my surroundings as I peacefully close my eyes and enjoy the fresh night air. Oh yeah, somehow it seems mypanion bought some cider when I wasn''t looking. I need to keep some for when I meet my pink-haired friend soon. I''m sure she''ll love it too. Actually, there is water in that too, right? Couldn''t she cider-bend? That would be an awesome drinking method. That is when a weird sound brings me out of my reveries. It sounds like the rumbling of something. Just as I''m wondering what kind of exotic animal song this could be, mypanion wakes up startled. "This is bad." He''s frowning while looking at both sides warily. [What is it?] From the way I heard the vigers describe him as a viin, he should be rtively experienced. What can scare a man like that? Then again it may just be all exaggerated nonsense. "You are aware there is a war of the gods happening, right?" [Of course!] I''m not following the current events that well but even I know that. "Well, we''re about to witness it firsthand. There is just one issue, however." [?] "It seems the ce we randomly chose to camp is the designed battlefield. This rumbling sound we are hearing is the sound of tons of soldiers stepping on the ground rhythmically." [Wait, it''s an army!?] "Armies" That is when I see groups fully equipped with deadly-looking equipment appear on the horizon. In every direction, I see enemies. Is this a free-for-all or a fight between many coalitions?! In any case, we are in the worst possible spot! [I propose we run.] "I agree too, but where? My Gu is mostly suited for single target attacks." I''m mostly suited for defenseshould I try and use an illusion spell? Somehow, I get the feeling it could backfire easily on me. I mean I''ve seen people be immune to it recently so there are countermeasures. I also know how good it is at pissing off people. If I beg gently, will they let us leave peacefully?... Chapter 516: Armies ! Chapter 516: Armies ! There are many groups all moving in coordinated ways. How long have they practiced their marching? There is an army with sharp-looking halberds and heavy-looking armors. The moonlight is softly reflecting on it all, making them quite conspicuous. Somehow, they give out a rough and powerful vibe. They don''t even bother establishing a camp and simply sit on the ground, remaining fully geared. They will be ready to move out at any moment. "These are the Sons of Steel. They are strong melee fighters that are deadly in closebat. Other than that, their armors are enchanted to be especially resistant, and they are able to block magic. Actually, it''s more that they disable it before it reaches them." [I see.] Damn! That sure sounds neat. I wonder what their main weakness would be? Possibly master archers or perhaps mages that have a brain. If magic doesn''t work against them, then one can simply use magic to propel a very big rock and crush them under the weight. I do appreciate the livementary too. There is an army with its members that look like elegant schrs near that one. They are busy raising portable pavilions. Their clothes and every item they own seem to be white. Every one of their movements seems to be calm and dignified. It''s almost as if they don''t even realize that they are on a battlefield. There are even some that seem to be happily drinking tea. "These guys are the White Lotus. They believe in using techniques to subdue force. They shouldn''t even be around this area. I''m guessing they are here to subdue some evil sect or something. They are members and fervent advocates of the Righteous Faction. These guys are especially hard to reason with. Anyone not refined enough doesn''t even get the right to be heard in their sect." [This sounds like a royal pain in the ass.] "It is, it is for sure." If I''m not mistaken, it''s these guys that put a bounty on my head a while back. If these pricks are all like that one sect, then it''s normal that they hated me. I am strongly against all that bullshit. I care more about the message than the way it''s delivered. So what if itcks grace? It seems dumb to get hung up on formalities too much. There is an army with members that are all wearing the same mask and brown armor. They are currently raising the earth itself with their magic to create shelters. Are these guys earth benders? They do have weapons, so I''m not too sure what they are. "That''s the Followers of the Muddy one. Their motto is that everyone should be blessed by their god. In fact, they keep iming that they are but a branch of the real sect, even their headquarters. Anyway, no one knows if it''s true or just a bluff. They abhor individuality and force their new members to be part of the Legion." Okay, these guys, I''m just going to call them terracotta warriors. They are many, are all simr and are brown too. Yep, totally! Muddy one somehow sounds really dirty, doesn''t it? As for the kind of dirt it is, I don''t know. There is one with literal vigers sitting at the front. All of them are wearing ve cors. This one seems especially dark. The kind that no one sane should ever associate with. In the back, they have some sect members to keep order in it. "These guys began as merchants and somehow turned to vers along the way. They are the kind that will buy any living being and sell them for more. They can usually be seen like vultures, hovering around weak viges. They are the worst. Somehow they have a better reputation than us even then. It is pretty ridiculous." Does he not know their name? Well, it''s fine. I''m starting to really hate vers. There is always the option of ethical very where broke individuals sell themselves as cheapbor in exchange for food and a roof. It doesn''t seem to be the case here, however. The dumbasses in Eaglevien and the dumbasses at the water sect are good examples. [What about all the sects in the back?] "These ones are small ones that will likely not y that big of a role in the events toe. We can pretty much see them as extensions of the bigger sect they came here with." [So it''s the big four and then their followers?] "Something along the line." [What about the alliances?] "White Lotus are righteous, Sons of Steel are neutral, Muddy ones are neutral, and the vers would be part of the evil faction." [What about the Gu Meadow?] "We are considered an evil sect because of the Gus. Every time I look at the small fruit fly, I can''t but think of how unfair this appetion is. It''s so cute and innocent! Even now, it is drinking apple juice as we are talking strategy. I pet it slightly with a look that tells it not to worry. [What do you think?] "I think we should definitely stay clear of the Lotus and the vers. The first ones are simply arrogant, self-serving pricks. Then, the other will just straight up try to enve us as we make a move. Actually, now that I think about it, it could help us to survive." [Wouldn''t that soon be a fate worse than death, however?] "Of course, that is a big issue." [What about the terracotta warriors? If we say we are just passing by, they may let us go through, no?] "You mean the muddy ones? They totally hate strangers. The only way to be friendly with them is to BE them." [Then why didn''t you propose we avoid them in priority?] "Well, the good thing is that they are very cohesive. For instance, the righteous faction may send someone after us because it thinks we are evil''s agents. As for the vers, some of their troops may voluntarily chase us for profit. With the muddy ones, as long as they don''t believe us to be a big enough threat, they won''t bite, and we can maybe avoid them." [I see that makes sense. What about the sons?] "These guys may just be our best bet. They love to fight but only worthy opponents. As long as we either stay really far from them or miraculously beat one in a duel, we should be fine." [Wait, can''t you just do that? You are strong against single targets, right?] "*Sigh* That''s the issue. The Gu Meadow is really hated by everyone. Some hate us on principle because of the poison, others because of the bug part of the Gus, and thest one because of the demonic part of it. Me showing my abilities means turning everyone here against us." [It''s that bad?! This is crazy!] "Yes, it''s that bad. We are used in horror stories, even for the stuff we haven''t done. Then there is the whole thing where people draw their weapon upon just hearing out name. At this point, it''s ingrained in their habits." [This is totally bullshit! This is tant discrimination! Still, perhaps I''d be able to beat one of these Sons guys in a duel. I can always try. How is victory determined?] This is something that can be tricky. Sometimesmon sense can vary a lot from a group to another. Well, most of the time, it doesn''t matter, but this time around will be a very delicate diplomacy mission. My game needs to be on point. "Pretty easy. It''s all about the quality of one''s technique, one''s ability to efficiently wield a weapon." [What about winning with brute force only?] "That would be considered cheating." [Why?!] "I think it''s because warriors with only power tend to tire really fast on the battlefield. Thus they made that rule where one needs technique too. This way, it prevents idiots from achieving high positions and dying early." [That sucks. I learned swordsmanship, but I clearlyck practice, and I was never good at it. What if I can prove to them that I can also oust them even if I''m using all my power?] "They''ll probably think you are either cheating or using some kind of power from another sect. It would just make things worse, really." [Damn! Why can''t it just be simple, eh?] "Because there is a war and everyone has their own interests and values. Add to that the fact that they see us as strangers and are most likely to try to kill us...there you pretty much have it." [So, should we charge right out straight at the beginning then? Or should we wait until these guys start fighting and try to sneak out during the confusion? Also, can''t we just go straight at them and beg them to let us pass?] "If we wait for the fight, it will be extremely dangerous. There will be battle formations, and mass destruction spells used all over the ce." [Wait, you said something about the sons of Steel being able to block magic or something. How do they do that? That sounds like a good n for sure! If we can manage to grasp that ability...] Chapter 517: Begging gently Chapter 517: Begging gently [Wait, you said something about the sons of Steel being able to block magic or something. How do they do that? That sounds like a good n for sure! If we can manage to grasp that ability...] We could totally use that to avoid the AoE spells that will be thrown at us inevitably at some point. "It''s not thatplicated in theory, but it takes insane practice to get it right. The concept is very simple. You make the ambient mana fluctuate in order to mess with the spells that are being cast in that area." [Wait, won''t that disadvantage the caster a lot too?] "Not really, close-range stuff and self-enhancement can still be used. That''s what they mainly focus on, so it simply gives them a shield with little downside." [So how do I make mana fluctuate?] "Well, it all depends on your ability to sense it and..." He keeps going for a little while, but I''ve already realized how much of a lost cause this is. How do you affect something you cannot even perceive? This would be extremely hard! [Still, these Sons guys are the least likely to use magic against us. We should probably target them.] "Is that so? Honestly, I think you should just leave. Bring the invisible killer out with you and just try to live. The more I think about it and the less likely it is for me to survive this." He gives a sad slight smile as he grabs the fly before handing it to me. The little creature understands there is something wrong going on, but it doesn''t seem sure about what it is exactly. He wants to remain behind and me to survive?! That''s literally what caused this mess with my pink-haired friend! I approach him and grab him by the cor before shaking him violently. [Do not ever suggest that. Am I clear?! We''re getting out of here alive and well! I just don''t know how but we can still figure it out!] He gives me a surprised look. Then he sighs a bit. "You truly are kind. Still, be careful or people will try and exploit you. You must remember that-" [Enough with the wisest breath speeches already! This isn''t some cheap drama!] "?!?" [You heard me! No dying on my watch! When we break out, make sure to stay either far away from the fight or right next to me so I can heal you. Anything else is just suicidal. Are we clear?] He finally gets convinced by my momentum. "Y-yes." [What did you say?] "YES!" [Good. Still, I wish the soil was harder here. I could build us an instant fortress easily then.] "H-how does that work?" [Well, back in the cockroach realm I used to just dig out bs of super hard ground and use it to build a defensive position. But here it would just get destroyed instantly.] "Right" [Ah, do you think these halberd guys would be immune to illusion magic too?] "Did you say illusion magic? That is a lost art, isn''t it? How did you learn it?!" [Ah, yeah. From a random elf using it to hide. The issue is that just a while ago some riders managed to do a spell that somehow protected them from my abilities. It was a big cage made of light with white swords in it...] "Isn''t that the killing formation of the purity sect?!" [Waitthe purity sect?! That''s why they looked familiar! *Sigh* If I had known I would have tried destroying them while at it. Then again, I''m missing a few things.] "A few things? Just a few?! To destroy an entire sect?!" [Ah, the purity assholes have a ring weakness. Drug them with some very potent aphrodisiac and they soon lose their power.] "It can''t be that simplethey are bound to have measures against that, no?" [Their Eaglevein branch didn''t. Can''t talk for the others.] "Right now, we should focus on the enemies here" [Right, right. You know what? Let''s just try diplomacy. Then if it doesn''t work we''ll break through using illusion magic. If even that doesn''t know it will probably devolve into a melee. If I stick to them, it should be possible to beat them up.] "Are we still talking about The Sons of Steel?" [Yes, of course.] "They are deadly in close range! The best way to fight them is to throw things at them." [Right, since they can block magic itself, is it? You use mana to manipte physical objects then you throw that at them?] "Exactly!" [Alright, let''s go already!] It is the moment of truth. We walk slowly toward our target. They look at our approach, raising their halberds in the air slightly. Then one of them leaves their group toe to meet us and he stops nearby just observing us. [Hello there. Would it be possible for us to leave? We do not want any trouble at all. We are but simple travelers.] "Of course, if you guys want to die that is. We can help you both leave this world very expediently. HAHAHAHA." On that note, he leaves again with his armor nging. My friend sighs. "They probably don''t want to appear weak to the other factions bypromising with us." [Just in case, let''s approach everyone. Who knows we may get lucky!] I say that with pep, but even I don''t believe the shit I''m saying. Let''s just say the oue isn''t surprising either. The Terracotta warriors offer to bury us alive in sacrificial clothes. Apparently, this way our death would have some meaning. How about no! Then, the vers nicely offer to make us heroes on the battlefield. They would send us straight at the frontlines with cors to control us. Honestly, I would have epted their offer if there was a way to be at the back. We could have escaped low-key afterward. As for the White Lotus people, they start sting us as soon as wee close. They don''t even bother hearing us. They say something about how we can only have evil intentions given how shady we look. Hey, what''s with that discrimination against farmer clothes?! Ah, whatever. We slowly go back to see the Sons of Steel. One of them approaches to taunt us again. Let''s see if he''ll still be gloating soon In front of us is a warrior. Huge polearm, sturdy-looking armor, a big guy too. He has his weapon in hand, ready to cleave us in half as soon as we leave the no-man''snd in the very middle. "You guys are truly ridiculous. Running around begging everyone to let you pass through. You guys disgust me! You have no pride whatsoever. You clearly deserve the death that will soon im you." What the hell?! Why does he hate us so much? He even seems happy about potentially killing us. Oh well, it can''t be helped. Here goes nothing. Let me seed. I use divine energy. That is when the entire ce goes silent. One could easily hear a fly in the background. I can feel it, illusion magic is definitely working! All eyes converge on that one soldier. I look at him and he''s dumbfounded. He has no clue what is happening. Yet, he can feel it. He can feel the mad killing intent that is radiating toward him. His face changes. It loses all color, he starts sweating, then screaming. "What the hell is this?!" I can''t help but remark. [Alright, big guy. Show us how you won''t beg for mercy. Well, on that note we gotta go.] I forcefully grab mypanion and begin running. I can see the various powers getting ready to head here. So far so good. I''m hurrying. But that''s when the warrior that is currently public enemy number one starts chasing us. "WHAT did you do?!" [Stop following us you asshole!] He''s actually faster than me. He finally, reaches and shes with his weapon. I just keep running, making sure to boost my own defenses as much as possible. CLANG. When his weapon collides with my back without any damage, his face changes twisting in bafflement and horror. "Who are you?!" [Just a traveler, as I said! ] "That''s impossible!" But even as he exims in surprise he still keeps chasing us. I don''t fear him at all. The problem is that in the distance I start seeing tons of mages aiming at us. Goddamnit! That''s a lot of AoE attacks! So many of them! The Earth benders are preparing giant boulders that they are about to hurl at us. I see something that looks like...a magical catapult?! The White Lotus people are all sitting in a big circle and are preparing some kind of ultimate spell. It seems as if they are all driving their mana toward the very middle of it. While I can''t see the mana the air itself is changing. There is a white mist too around it. As for the vers? Well, they are sending a sea of ves at us. I really disapprove of this! Still, they shouldn''t be that troublesome. That leaves only the Sons of steel in front...and that one right behind me that I need to get rid of. This is such a pain!... Chapter 518: Run, My Friend! Chapter 518: Run, My Friend! The pressure is intense as all these sects are getting ready to kill us! But I have a n! We just need to reach the Sons guys. Then we''ll be able to take cover as they selflessly block the spells for us. Then while they murder their colleague turned public enemy, we''ll run. That''s when I feel a force applied to my waist. The target of my illusion spell is hugging it! [Let go, you bastard!] "We''re gonna die together! Whatever you did, undo it!" He''s determined. Screw that guy! I punch him over and over again. That''s when he just begins tough. How is he so sturdy?! This is so goddamn annoying! Wait, is this karma? Is this how people feel when they attack me? Ah, whatever. Change of n. [Little one, go on and bite this big baddy!] The little fruit fly understands somehow. Then it stings him, sending poison through his bloodstream. I see his face twist in dread but screw that guy! He doesn''t deserve any pity from us. Now I just need to free myself and How is this dead man clutching so hard?! Even in death, I struggle to push him away. Finally, a few heavy punches do the trick as his lifeless-looking body flies backward. I can hear mypanion. "They clearly saw this happen. As soon as they are done killing this guy, they''ll turn back on us for using Gus. Quick!" He''s right. I increase the pace once more. He''s immobilized and yet they are all going for overkill. I can even hear cheers about how their next attack is going to defeat the abomination for sure. The overkill is dumb but I''m d, nheless. What are they even seeing anyway?! Soon we pass the Steel army. We do so just in time for white blinding light to fill the entire ce. Then something batshit insane happens. A giant ethereal white glowing lotus appears in the sky. It is just floating therezily. That''s when it starts raining lotus petals. Ones that are in fact exploding, highly destructive magical bombs shaped like simple petals. A few of them misfire and explode in the air, showing their destructive might. It is all as brilliant as fireworks, but I don''t wanna say to watch them. After a little while, I realize this is all the doing of the Steel guys. But that''s when big rocks start falling on them, crushing them. Normally they''d be dodging but they are already busy countering the lotus. Many get crushed. With their numbers diminishing the lotus starts making more progress, getting ever so close to its initial target. Time to switch the target of the illusion spell! I don''t want all that aggro to be redirected on me. Except that, for some reason, it''s not working! Did I curse the guy so hard that I need to await his death to try it again? It''s cool I got this. I just need to be quick about it. As soon as he kicks the bucket, I''ll target another random dude. I need to get the timing right. 321... That''s when it happens. In the back, the ver guys sacrifice some of their captives. Why?! But it soon bes apparent. Out of the chest of the sacrificed victimses a dark fog. Then a veil of darkness covers the entire area. Visibility 0. Decoy left 0. Fucked? Very. Actually, no. It''s not that bad. [At least, now we have a good cover.] "No! Not at all! This is a cmity!" [What is?] "I can see you perfectly. You''re.glowing red!" I carefully check all around me but I have no idea what he''s talking about. Did mypanion go crazy? "It''s a spell! One to track people. Everyone is blind except for one being that we can all distinguish. We see you clear as day." Oh crap! Never mind, fucked? So much! Actually, this is an opportunity. [Good, flee. I''ll drive them away. Meet at the Water sect! Make sure you survive, the both of you!] Then I throw him away before running in the opposite direction. I can hear him calling for me toe back. Hell no! I''m not causing their demise! I begin hearing the sound of what I assume to be rocks, lotuses, and perhaps even weirder stuff. Yep. It alles crashing down on me. I can feel it all. These group spells hurt like hell! If a normal spell is getting pped in the face with a finger, then that feels like getting full-on bitchpped. I get crushed, thrown all over, and just as I''m thinking it''s over some warriorse out of nowhere and try to sh my dick off! Why are they targeting that part?! No, seriously?! Every time I struggle to get up to my feet. If I stop it''s going to be game over. I''m sure I can put up a decent fight, but I don''t want a repeat of the water sect fiasco. One where I''m just getting pushed back over and over, incapable to efficiently attack, with them unable to breach my defenses. The problem is there are so many of them that I''m worried some genius could have a way to deal with divine energy. You never know. If I lose that, I''ll go back to being a normal mortal. I want to live a peaceful life, but I don''t wish for that! I won''t ept being bullied by the firste! Not by these guys either! I can hear the shouts. I can hear the explosions and the crashes. So I just keep running. But the more I run and the more of a pain this is bing. These guys are relentless. I''ve been running for a while now and yet they are still after me. This is crazy! Plus I can''t see shit. But, I know I''m not out of trouble just yet. What I need is to get my bearings. I use my scouting ability. I should have done that earlier really. At least I ran in a straight line I''m pretty sure. It''s working! I can now see that I amoh fuck! You know all this time I''ve been running? Well, somehow, I haven''t. I don''t know how this is possible. I should be immune to illusions. But, here I am. I''m in the same exact spot I was earlier. Around me, I can see four main armies and some random groups in the back. They are all eying me. I''m fucking surrounded! There are also lots of worrisome glows. What now?!... Chapter 519: Death-Trap, Literally Chapter 519: Death-Trap, Literally There are a lot of worrisome glows all around. The four armies are all ready to fight. They are intently ring at me as if I was the one that wanted to fight them in the first ce. Oh well, time for some more illusion magic! I focus and curse the nearest guy... or try. It''s not working! What is happening?! But that''s when I see some of the vers grin. They point to the ground. As I look downward, my stomach overturns, and the shock stops my breathing for a second. I''m going to be sick! Corpses are strewn everywhere around me in a grotesque circle. That is when I notice it. Their expression shows extreme unwillingness. These guys sacrificed plenty of ves. So much that the ground is the color of blood. Unpardonable! Completely unforgivable! I can see a man that seems to be the vers'' leader smile smugly at me while going: "Know your ce, trash. Before long, you will be nothing but one of our toys." Screw that guy! He''s a monster in human shape. I charge at him. He probably won''t expect me to act this quickly. I will rip him to shreds andCRASH! I get knocked backward as I collide into what seems to be an invisible barrier. There are ripples in the air that one can barely notice. It forms a huge cageone made with the sacrifice of innocents. Meanwhile, he keeps smiling. A huge victorious grin. It disgusts me so much. So damn much! "Hehe. I have heard of your kind before ''The ones that were touched by the gods''. How unlucky of you to have met me. Most on this god-forsaken continent wouldn''t even have been able to understand it!" What?! He knows?! "But I do know. You may possess great power, but it isn''t infallible either. I shall strip you of this wonderful power. I shall make it mine. Hrious how there is nothing you can do about it, isn''t it? I have observed you. You are but a body cultivator. You are truly out of your league here!" [You''re crazy! What are you even talking about?!] "ying dumb, are you? Well, this is fine. It cannot be helped. The cowardly fear the strong and the truth." That is when he begins to give directives to starts another sacrificial ceremony. I can feel my hair stand up. Is he really able to do that?! If he can?! No. A ve falls down, the man gleefully crushes him under his heel for fun. This being is evil, evil incarnate. I can feel myself growing cold. Whatever I do, he needs to die first. But he''s so far away Ah. I can do this. I use all my acting talents. I fall to the ground in despair. This will be my first time using such an ability onnd. I focus, I aim, and I fire. A golden stream gushes out extremely fast, right at his head. It explodes like a watermelon would, sending bits of gross matter everywhere. I feel dehydrated slightly, but the main viin is no more. Everyone around is shocked. I can hear their shouts of confusion. "What the hell happened?!" "Did he just kill him by pissing on him?!" "This is ridiculous!" "Quick, we need to take him down as fast as possible!" "Wait, he was the only one that knew how to deal with one touched by the gods!" Ah, this is great news. I somehow just bought myself some respite. The invisible cage is still there, however. Somehow it is still standing, and I can''t destroy it no matter how strongly I bash it. It''s weird as fuck. How am I even supposed to ? That is when the Earth mages and the White Lotus people decide to start throwing stuff at me. The Sons of Steel are watching it all with keen interest. Comes a barrage of rocks and lotuses. Of course, all of these are the extremely deadly kind. I feel like an ant being yed with. It infuriates me. I deserve freedom. I won''t remain here. I actually have an idea! I''ll just jump above this barrier! I crouch while focusing. That''s when I jump so high that the spectators begin rubbing their eyes. I even realize such a feat while being truly 100% human. But I discover the hard way there is a ceiling to this thing. I thene crashing down hard. This is BS!. How am I not able to pass through, and yet spells can?! I keep trying to sense the barrier as I move. You know the kind of bullshit that works in fantasy novels. I''m using my scouting ability to try and make sense of it all. I still hope to find its weakness, one I can exploit. But no matter what, it doesn''t seem to work. They have sent messengers, many of them. At this rate, this ce will soon be crawling with even more sects. They seem to want my demise very badly for some reason. Is it because they think I''m a Gu User? Is it because of the crap the other guy said? Is it because of their pride? I don''t know. But these guys don''t even deserve living. I tried asking them to leave peacefully, yet all I got was disdain and hostility. They wanted us to die. I just hope my friend will be fine. I''m not even sure myself how I''d evade pursuit with a fruit fly. Any mount would be better to flee quickly. I can''t help but ask myself something. What will I do if they manage to capture him? What if they use him as a hostage? What if they try to threaten me with his life? I don''t think I could afford to sacrifice myself. Not when others are waiting for me. Even as I''m thinking that I''m still trying to find an exit. I''m punching. I''m scouting, too, without sess. Ah, but that''s when I notice something. Out in the distance, there seem to be 3 men and a horse slowly wandering. They seem to be lost, or perhaps just randomly roaming? I don''t know, but as they approach, I notice something peculiar. The horse is undead?! How is this possible?! Someone is just traveling with such a creature as a mount and hasn''t been vanquished yet? The sects seem wary as they see him in the distance. I holler at him. [Hey, friend! Could you give me a hand!] Chapter 520: A Deal With The Devi- Nice Guy Chapter 520: A Deal With The Devi- Nice Guy [Hey friend, could you give me a hand?!] Why am I asking help from a random guy riding what is clearly an evil-looking creature? Well, first, appearances can be deceiving. Second, I''m desperate! Okay, really, it''s mostly for the second reason. The three humans and the creature all turn toward me. I see their obvious leader nodding toward my general area. Wait, he seems blind. I wonder if he has a way to perceive his surroundings using magic. He seems to have a kind smile adorning his face. Kind? Time to appeal to that! [Please help me! I''m getting bullied by these horrible people! They surrounded me without reason and decided to kill me for fun!] That gets the armies riled up. "A man that was lying in ambush on the site of a battlefield iming innocence, is it? How ridiculous!" "*Scoff*, He''s a man without morals that should be struck down by Heaven itself! There is no warrior spirit whatsoever in him. He doesn''t even have the courage to fight a fair duel!" "Evil creature! How dare you lie so tantly! How many of our brethren have you killed!" "Please! A Gu user is evil and must be destroyed even by evil sect standards!" [What''s with all the ndering?! You guys ambushed me! Your duels are bullshit and catered to your own strengths! I''ve literally killed one guy in self-defense! You literally just sacrificed tons of people, you monster!] These guys are all so ridiculous. Can they really be so stupid? No. They just don''t care. So what if they are tantly lying? Can I do anything about it? This barrier is sturdy as Hell. At this point, I have two options, I think. Either this neer helps me get out, or I''ll have to go Forgar Style on their ass. By that, I mean the spell he showed me. I''m not even sure if it will work in the Earth Realm, especially considering my low divine energy reserves. But I''m at least hoping it will pierce that cage. That''s when the blind man opens his mouth. "I''d like to help, but I really can''t. This isn''t my ce to do so. I wish you good luck. Alright, let us resume our journey." Sigh. This is bad. I gather all the divine energy in my being, ready to cast an inferno. This is such a shame. It needs to be devastating enough to allow me to run with low energy reserves afterward. I truly can''t mess it up. Here goes nothing. Just as I''m about to unleash Hell, the skeletal horse turns around. The people seem confused. The horse does on its own. Then an ethereal blue fire can be seen as it opens its mouth. "Do yOu wIsH To mAkE A DeAl." ` What the Hell?! It can talk?! Such a weird voice! Actually, who cares about that. I want to get out of here. At this point, I''ll be happy even to have a talking donkey on my side. Needless, to say an amazing undead horse is even better! [Can you help me?] "YeS, bUt iN ExChAnGe i wAnT YoU To vOw tO SaVe mE ThReE TiMeS In tHe fUtUrE." [Saving? I can try! I''ll do it!] This is crazy. I thought this was going to be the blind and wise old man trope. Then it turns out, the goddamn horse is the expert! What are the odds?! Also, what''s with that convenient deal? I was expecting something that felt like a deal with the devil. Nope! This undead horse is a good guy and talks about saving lives. Ah, well, it''s his own but still. "CoNtRaCt cOmPlEtEd. PlEaSe rEfRaIn fRoM DeStRoYiNg ThIs rEaLm" What? Ah, he means the spell I''m doing. This horse has a cool sense of humor, it seems. Destroy this realm? As if. Wait, that means it can sense the divine energy?! Yep, hidden expert for sure! This is amazing. I''ll ask him to teach me. After this, I''ll power up for sure! This will be my time to shine. Also, most definitely the time for a training montage. The horse kicks the human off his back without even an afterthought. I guess it''s done posing as a mount. Then, I can see a dark fog gather around it. Looking at the horror-stricken faces of literally everyone here, I''m guessing he''s emitting a lot of mana right now. That is when the dark fog starts spreading all over the ce. This one is actually pretty nice. It doesn''t really block the vision. It''s not ufortable either. If anything, it feels like being in the shade or a tree, perfect for a hot summer day! But it does more. Suddenly, the corpses strewn everywhere start rising up as undead. Oh my god! This is direct karma! They sacrificed so many ves for their magic, and now it''sing to bite them all in the ass. Talk about irony. Had they not done so they would have barely had a few undead to fight. Now they are confronted with a Legion. Another very ironic point is that they can''t seem to go through the cage either. Some try to head inside since it''s the only cepletely free of undead. It''s aplete ughter. Of course, that onlysts for a few initial seconds. After that, the leaders bark orders, and soon enough, they are all retreating at an amazing speed. Just as I''m thinking that we won, they turn back in the distance and start sting ultimate spell after ultimate spell. I''m not even sure how they manage it! But once more, this powerful horse shows his awesome capabilities. He starts creating tons of dark magic spears that he throws toward them, impaling many. It''s at that moment that they finally realize that they are truly outssed. They run without looking back. This is ridiculous. Four armies went to a battlefieldto fight, I''m guessing. Then they somehow decided to kill my friend and me because we looked to be weak and easy targets. Then they decided to especially kill me after I showed them my illusion magic. I was simply unlucky that that darkness veil just countered me by blinding me just as I was about to reapply it. That''s when I approach my savior. I''m so d it passed by. [Thank you so much!] He looks at me. "ReMeMbEr yOuR PrOmIsE." But it''s at that very moment that he turns into ashes before my very eyes. What?! No! This can''t be! I know, I''ll just Chapter 521: On Your Left! Chapter 521: On Your Left! He turned to dust in front of me! What the heck is this?! What am I supposed to do now? I crouch and I send as much divine energy as to try and heal itbut it''s toote. I can''t help but think about how my life experiences are useless right now. CPR ain''t gonna save him Still, this is weird. How did that even happen? He used magic to defeat the enemies and then he died from over-exhaustion? That makes no sense. We just did a deal. I can''t save him from thatThink. Think. Wait, what if this horse isn''t truly dead? I grab a gourd on one of the fainted men that came with my savior. Then I carefully grab the ashes and chuck them in. This way I''ll be able to bring them with me. This may be a stretch, but what if this horse has phoenix powers? What if it will revive from its ashes after a while? Why am I thinking something so crazy? Phoenixes have phases where they suddenly burst into me and turn into ashes. What if, for him, it was burst into a dark fog and then do the same? Ah, I don''t know. Still, I believe. He had no reason whatsoever tomit true suicide. Now, what should I do with these sleeping guys? They seem to be having nightmares. I slowly approach them and use divine energy to soothe them until they be as calm as pond water. This should do the trick. Even then, they remain fast asleep. I''m guessing they fainted because of the mental trauma of seeing that cool magic at such close range. Their brain probably needs time to process what just happened. Oh well, that should be enough. Not just because they didn''t help me. I do realize that they clearlycked the power to intervene. But theming with me wouldn''t be that useful. Perhaps they can just join a random vige and disappear. They won''t be conspicuous without the skeletal horse. It is time for me to depart. Since I''m in the same exact spot we were in, I roughly know the direction to take to reach the Water sect. This is perfect. Hopefully, my friend is fine. I start running. It''s weird, but I don''t see any trace of the enemies at all. It''s like they disappeared magically. Still, I''m aware that most of their forces are intact. I''d say the Sons of steel have suffered the most casualties and the vers have lost their leader. Other than that, the other 2 are mostly intact. For all I know, they remembered that they were all enemies and decided to start fighting somewhere else. Still, it feels weird. What was the purpose of that even? Perhaps some gods up there had a fight and decided to use their followers as pawns to settle it? Ah, whatever. That''s when I see a figure in the distance. It''s one that I know very well. He seems to be running as fast as he can. I elerate and pass him before stopping in front of him. In the process, I shout: [On your left!] My Gu friend gets shocked and tumbles to the ground somehow. [Oh? You''re that happy to see me that you forgot how to walk? *Sigh* It happens. What can I say? I was born that handsome!] He startsughing at my joke and gives a relieved expression. "You''re alive, and you''re fine! How?! You managed to escape them all?!" [No, I had help from someone] I shake the gourd as I say that. "That''s great! I''m so d. Honestly, I had a n, but it was a horrible one." [Oh? You did?] "Well, I was hoping that they would decide to torture you instead of straight-up killing you. I would have tried to falsify information at the Gu Meadow to make the sect attack wherever they held you." [What about a n that doesn''t involve me getting tortured?] "That''s why I said it was a bad n. They could have straight up decided to annihte you." [Right, quick question. Ever heard of someone touched by the gods?] Watch his expression intently, but he only shows confusion. "No, what is it?" [Not sure, an old guy was screaming about that as he died, but I think he was going crazy in hisst moments or something.] "Right, who saved you?!" [Eh, it''s really weird. An undead horse came out of nowhere and started killing them.] "What?!" [I know, right? Hey, at least we can head toward the Water Sect now.] "How many of them survived?" [More than half, why?] "I think that''s a bad idea. If they track us there, we would be surrounded by enemies, right?" [I guess so. What do you suggest?] "How about you visit the Gu Meadow?" [So, hide there? I don''t want to go to an unrted ce for too long.] "No worries. See it this way, it''s on our way already, and we''ll save time by not being stopped. Even if they track us to the Gu Meadow, they''ll give up right there." [Your sect is that strong?] "No, it''s not that we are strong but that we are deadly. That is especially true on our home ground. Many sects would have to ally together to wipe us out and they would all die in the process too." [Oh! I see, extreme deterrence. Then, our potential pursuers will figure out that we won''t leave our base anymore, and they''ll give up.] "Exactly!" [But little will they know that it''s not my base at all. Alright, I agree. Lead the way!] "I meanit''s in the same direction so." [Oh, I know. I''m just saying it like we''re starting an epic journey.] "You mean as bards would sing about? I''m pretty sure no one ever would show any interest in two guys and a Gu. Especially if there is nudity involved." [Hey! Do you think I''m naked because I want to? They kept raining spells on me back there. Lucky I''m pretty sturdy, or I''d be dead!] "I know, I know haha. Still, we should try and find you some clothes." [What about the luggage that you had?] "Lost it all in the previous fight." [It sucks] "Indeed." I can''t help but wonder what the Gu Sect will be like. Hopefully, there will be tons of cute Gus like the one traveling with us. These armies should still be shaken from what happened back there. Plus, they haven''t seen the horse die, I think. I just hope they won''t catch up too soon Chapter 522: Dangerous Mission! Chapter 522: Dangerous Mission! [Alpha, Bravo. Do you copy? Move along the perimeter like shadows in the night. The target is 100 meters away, right by the door.] "Bzzz-Bzzz" "Eh, yes? What''s with the Alpha and Bravo?" [This is a critical mission. Please keep thems clear.] "?!?" [The target is currently swaying in the wind. I repeat, the target is currently swaying in the wind. 3.2.1. Move out!] That is how we sneak all the way to the rack of clothes that are drying. Then I hurry up and get dressed before we resume our journey. This is quite ironic how the evilest between the two of us is not the Gu User. He''s just minding his own business while I stole clothes. Right now, we are steadily progressing as I run, carrying him. The disadvantage of Gu Users is that they don''t train their bodies much. Going from ce to ce quickly is difficult. Then again, they can be pretty sneaky since Gus can hide in clothes easily. [How far until we reach the Gu Meadow?] "Just a few days. Well, at least for overall territory. After that, we''ll have to journey a bit more to reach the sect itself." [I see. Anything I need to know before we reach the sect?] "Rule of thumb: don''t talk to anyone." [What?! Why?] "Let''s just say Gu Users, in general, are not the friendliest. They often are selfish and will stop at nothing else to increase their power." [What about yourself? What makes you different?] "I''m not. It''s just that instead of trying to get one strong Gu, I''ve been trying to slowly create an army. Well, I lost it in a fight recently anyway." [An army?!] "Well, yeah. But for that to happen, I need to either remove all consciousness from my Gus to have absolute control over them or train them perfectly so they can live with one another." [Why?] "Gus by nature devour each other in a bid for power. It''s great and all, but I''d rather not only rely on one Gu." [I see. With an army, you can totally develop battle formations! Actually, perhaps even do stuff like the group spells they were using back there.] "Not really, Gus are not able to use magic. All they do is eat each other and evolve, bing more and more poisonous. Well, mostly." [Please! You just said they can evolve. That means that there is nothing that would prevent someone from teaching magic to a Gu.] He looks pensive for a second. Then he smiles while sighing. "Crazy how you have more faith in Gus than the trainers themselves. Well, perhaps it''s simple optimism, or perhaps you''re unto something. Only the future will tell, I''m guessing. But yes, I agree. I''d like to be able to create a Gu mage corps one day." [It wasn''t exactly with Gus, but I''ve managed to get an army of giant cockroaches to learn magic. Most only had the ability to devour mana, but then many began showing magical capabilities the more mana they devoured.] "Giant cockroaches?" [Yes, the official name is Abyss Devourer, I believe.] "What happened to it?" [A pretty normal story, really. I just lost them whileing back to the Earth realm.] "Wait a goddamn minute! Coming back?! You left the Earth realm?!" [Eh? Yes, like twice. Once to visit and of death, and the second it was and of cockroaches.] "How is that a normal story?!" [It is pretty normal really. Every time I just happened to be there when a portal was opening. It''s not like there was an epic quest involved to discover a secretnd or anything. I just walked in there.] ".You do know you are verypeculiar, right?" [Do you mean that as apliment?] "Of course!" [Thanks, you too.] He grimaces a bit. Guess he feels humble right now, especially after having lost his Gu army. Still, these things happen. It''s fine to have moments of weakness. It''s fine to have harsher times. It''s all about reaming strong when it happens. Thinking about the bright future and having friends help in these moments. Guess I can y a part right here and now. [Don''t worry. You''ll be able to reform your army, and you''ll be the best Gu trainer in the world.] He seems unsure, but he still nods. [Alright, now there is one thing I will teach you.] "?" [This is a song that will make your journey as a trainer 100% better. Are you ready?] "I guess" [I wanna be the very best] From that point onward, we keep moving as we sing. This song reminds me of a wonderful past. It reminds me of a time when life was simple and beautiful. Somehow singing that with a friend makes me feel better. So what if he doesn''t know why we are singing? So what If I''m the only one that enjoys it initially? Well, as they say, joy is contagious. Before long, he''s wholeheartedly singing along. Yep, Gu trainer singing. Ah, I can''t help but enjoy the moment, and that''s when my friend interrupts. He''s looking horror-stricken behind my back. "Oh, no! Oh god, no! We''re screwed!" [What is it?!] I really hope he''s about tough and say it was a joke all along. Right?! "He''s here! There is a crazy powerful monster behind!" [Enemies? How many are there? Which of the four armies is it?] "No, it''s something way worse. It''s someone that has a deep grudge against me. If he catches us, we are screwed!" [Wait, if it''s just one guycan''t we fight?] "No way! That guy behind us is the sect master of the Sun Sect!" [Ah! He thinks you killed Sun?! Can''t we talk it out?] "Afraid not. There is no talking with the sun sect. You either are their allies, or they crush you instantly. There is no in-between." [What''s the n?] "Oh crap! He''s realized that it''s me! Get ready to dodge!! Now!!" I act on instinct. I sidestep while I keep running. That''s when a sh of light passes nearby. It''s so damn bright! As I look where itnded, my heart stops for a second. This is madness! The ground is crystallizing from the intense heat. Whatevernded there reduced to nothingness all it touched. [What the fuck is this?!] "The power of a peak Rank 4. The power of the sun. The power to annihte all that stand in its way. We gotta run and run fast." Mission: survive. This is crazy! Holy shit! Chapter 523: Alright, Here Is The Plan... Chapter 523: Alright, Here Is The n... Current status: Running for my fucking life. Current enemy: Some old guy from the Sun Sect that really wants us dead. Options: Negotiate (Not) Run or die. This is ridiculous. So he thinks mypanion killed Sun, except he didn''t. Now he wants our demise. I''ve tried talking. I''ve tried yelling. But no matter how much I scream for him to cease fire just to hear me out, he doesn''t care. He keeps the onught going. His spells are silent. The only saving grace is that it alles in a straight line. I have no clue how he does it, but my friend manages to warn me in time every sr ray. I feel like I have cheat codes right now! How is he so perceptive? I don''t know! If anyone told me that he somehow managed to learn how to predict the future while breeding Gus, I''d believe it. So I''m running, my friend is guiding, and an old man is trying to roast us. Not gonna lie. At first, I fear for my life a lot. But then my friend tells me something amazing. The man''s ultimate attacks cannot be used while running. Apparently, it''s the same for all mages. If he stops to prepare something stronger, we''ll escape. This brings us to this current situation. I''m unable to outrun him, and he''s unable to catch up. [So what do we do now? Any idea?] Mypanion seems extremely worried. "At this rate, we are screwed. How much longer can you keep running? In the worst case, just drop me and I''ll try to slow him down." There he goes again with his idea of self-sacrifice. This is so dumb. Then again, I understand where hees from. Since he''s the one hunted, that would normally increase my chances of survival by a lot. [Don''t worry about that. I can keep going for-] "Left!" I promptly avoid. I was wondering why the attacks had stopped for a short while. He was probably trying to make us lower our guard. [But yeah, I can keep going for long.] "There is just one thing I''m worried about." [What?] "I don''t think this is his maximum speed. Chances are it''s the maximum speed he can keep up without hurting himself." [You mean he has a trump card he could use to catch us?!] "Very likely. He''s probably waiting for you to tire. But once wee closer to safety." [He''ll force a fight?!] "Exactly." Goddamn, this is troubling. This old man is a peak Rank 4. Just his regr spells pack so much power that he''s been crystallizing the entire path till here. Can I even survive that head-on? Doubtful. Perhaps I can, perhaps not. In any case, there is no way that mypanion will be able to. The small fruit fly would instantly get vaporized from the heat. I can''t let that happen either! Do I just try and go in melee range when that happens and beat him up? [Does he have any close-range attacks?] "Yes, I believe he can turn the entire area around him into a dead zone." Well, fuck! This means I''ll have to somehow find something to throw at him. Wait, what if [Is there any river on our way?] "None, why?" There goes my golden shower attack n. This is a Boss level opponent right there! If I just do one shot, there is no way I''ll be able to win a fight. Illusion magic can''t work if there are no living beings nearby. Plus, I''d need ones that are strong enough topete with that monster. The chances of that happening are really low. I''ll keep my eyes open, but I can always try to grab rocks and throw them as hard as I can, but chances are he''ll either move out of the way, I''ll miss, or he''ll just destroy it all with another energy ray. If only I had the ability to use something like that too. I would just turn around, st him, then resume running. Of course, it can''t be that simple and. wait! I''ve just had an idea. One that is a stretch for sure but may actually work. I can''t help but grin as I picture my new n. "Did you figure out something?" [I''m not sure. Perhaps. Either it will work, or it will fail phenomenally. If you have a n, you better share it.] "*Sigh* If this monster was that easy to deal with, someone would have long gotten rid of him. There is no way anyone that holds the position of sect master can be weak. Even in the smaller sect, they tend to show unusual power, needless to say in the top-notch ones." [Why can''t they be weak?] "Because they know better than to paint such a big target on their back. Once a sect is established, other sects either try to control it, destroy it, or ally themselves with it. Now, if the sect master is weak, it often ends up really badly for him." They know better, is it? I almost blush out of embarrassment. I guess what I did is pretty crazy by this world''s standards. I''m not sure whether to be ashamed or be proud of myself for managing to actually get people to join me. "Careful, we are about toe close to the dangerous area." [Is there a vige nearby?] "Yes, a small one right next to the border." [They have metallic items, right?] "Probably. Why?" I instantly veer toward it ording to his directions. It apparently isn''t that far. [Alright, here''s what we''ll do.] As I proceed to whisper to him my genius n, his face changes. He looks dumbfounded, then looks at me weirdly before sighing. "There is no way this is going to work." [I think it could seed. Plus, it''s ourst chance at this point. You know what to do, right?] "Indeed. Before we proceed, I just want to say it has been a pleasure knowing you." [Why are you assuming we''ll die! Screw that negative thinking!] "*Sigh* I''m just a realist on that one." [Agree to disagree.] We finally reach the vige. I throw him in there. Then I turn toward the old guy chasing us. He looks REALLY scary. Well, normal overall but the light emanating from his entire being reminds me of all the deadly spells he threw my way earlier. He growls. "You think you''ll be able to stop me? How ridiculous." [I wanted to avoid a fight. Really. If it can''t be avoided.I''ll show you never to underestimate The Unnamed God Sect!] Why did I say that? Calming my own nerves. Giving myself courage. Here goes nothing Chapter 524: Never Underestimate The Unnamed God Sect! Chapter 524: Never Underestimate The Unnamed God Sect! [I''ll show you never to underestimate The Unnamed God Sect!] "The Unnamed God Sect? What kind of bullshit sect is this? Trying to intimidate me with." That''s when I throw myself on the ground. A light ray brushes past me, burning my clothes. Holy fuck! He attacked me in the middle of his own speech! Who does that?! But it doesn''t stop there. No, it''s one sr ray after the other. The ground is getting destroyed. The air is bing hot as Hell. I look like a fish onnd, throwing myself everywhere in hopes of living. From time to time, he sends a barrage of energy my way. Then, attacks with arge range that somehowck power. It disintegrates my remaining clothes but I''m fine. After a little while, I even get the hang of it. I''m able to dodge it! But that''s when I realize something. It''s not me that is getting better. It''s him that has only been using one hand to cast. What is he doing with his right hand?! Oh god! It''s something really bad. He''s been moving it up and down at a quick pace. Yes, he''s in the process of gathering mana, I believe. I can''t see the mana itself but I can see the light that ising out of his hand right now. Quick! I need some cover. While I''m throwing myself everywhere on the ground, I look around for cover but.wait, that''s it! There is the ground itself! That is when I finally see him do the motion of casting. This boy is out! It is time for me to embrace my inner mole. I start digging as fast as I can. I bury myself so deep as if trying to run away from my problems (kinda am). That is when a bright sh of light happens above me. It is so bright that it even fills this tunnel of mine. It''s hot! Luckily this is only a small part of the attack. I''m almost tempted to just remain here and y dead, but then I remember that I need to buy time. I speedily go back to the surface. When the man sees me, he shows a stupefied expression. His eyes are as big as my annoyance with him. Guess who just wasted a spellpletely? That dumbass! Ah, it feels nice. "What are you? A cockroach?!" On that very philosophical question, he resumes the deadly barrage. Then again, cockroaches are great! If only I had my army with me, we''d fuck him up real good. I''d pair the flying cockroaches with the acid ones. They''d bomb him perfectly! Then I''d add teleporting cockroaches to the mix! Trying to kill the flying roaches? How about having a cockroach teleport right under you to bite your dick off! Trying to kill that one? Toote it''s gone. While he''d look downward, he''d be bathed in acid too. Then the armored ones would help defend us. As for the general roaches, they can throw rocks and insults. Then again, it''s not very insulting if it''s just screeching. Regrettably, they are not here. I keep dodging. This guy is overpowered but he''s a bad match for me. I''m sure anyone else would be feeling sluggish from the heat right now. But I''m filled with divine power. I fear crowd control more than anything and it seems to be his weakness. Once I even try to just charge at him, but then I receive one tiny sr ray on my skin, and it hurts so much that I retreat. This whole fight feels like the previous chase. A huge stalemate. But this is good! A stalemate is perfect. I can see him look toward where my friend went. The thing is, if he focuses on chasing I''ll be able to attack him. Right now, his defense is his offense. He''s looking pissed. So what?! That''s great! I''m patiently waiting. I am confident my friend will seed in his super important mission. But that''s when I see my opponent''s aura change. Oh no! He suddenly starts glowing like a miniature sun then he charges at me. Did he just go from ranged type to melee type?! He''s so fast! He''s in front of me already! How?! I see his arm extend toward me. As I dodge, his handes in contact with the ground. The earth starts straight-up melting! I try and run, but he''s fast than me. I dodge his grasp, but he grazes me. My skin falls off. I can see my muscles getting charred. Not pleasant at all! It hurts like a bitch. At least, a secondter I''m fully regenerated. He keeps trying to grab my face or neck. What will happen if he seeds?! If my brain melts, I won''t be able to use divine energy. Game over, right?! This is bad. I keep barely surviving. Many times, I give up a limb or two to make sure I don''t get caught. Hell, once I tear my own limb off because he had grabbed it. Yes, turns out divine energy can regrow limbs. It takes a while. Time, that I don''t really have in the first ce. I swear my heartbeat is loud enough to overshadow the entire world. But no matter what I won''t just give up. He looks at the verge of going crazy. "How are you still alive?!" [I''ll show you never to underestimate The Unnamed God Sect!] I can''t help myself. That exact one line I said at the very beginning. The one he scoffed at. I look him dead in the eyes as I say it too. Oh, I smile too. The kind of smile that just says, you can take that ming hot fist of yours and shove it up your ass. He looks at me shellshocked. He never expected this to be so troublesome. He expected me to die quickly. He thought he had everything under control. He''s the mighty sect master of the Sun sect after all. Well, so what?! I''m a sect master too! Hehe. My back is straight. My limbs are fully functional now. I stand before him in all my glory. Perhaps a bit too much glory in fact. I wouldn''t mind clothes. That is when my friendes back. "Here! Good luck!" I catch the item he has just thrown me. Then under the stupefaction of everyone present, I confidently smile, grinning even. [Well, you had your chance. Now it''s time for some ass-whooping. Hope you''re ready.] On that note, I crack my knuckles. I got lots of suffering in store for him... Chapter 525: Why Are You Running?! Chapter 525: Why Are You Running?! [Well, you had your chance. Now it''s time for some ass-whooping. Hope you''re ready.] My opponent looks at the item I just received, and he seems even more confused. I bet he is. No matter how he looks at it, it''s not a treasure. It doesn''t emit mana. It doesn''t even look well made. In fact, I''m just holding a very normal mirror. Right now, he''s probably wondering where all that confidence of mine ising from. We''ll it''s possible to refract light using a mirror. Now, that''s the only attack he can do. Yep, he''s screwed. Then he startsughing then snorting. "You think you''d scare me with such an easy-to-see-through bluff?!" [Oh? You think you still stand a chance? It seems you haven''t realized the position you are in.] I slowly advance his way. He just looks at me as if I was crazy. That is when he throws a sr ray my way. I make sure to circte divine energy in the mirror carefully. Then I simply use it to reflect the attack. The ray of light gets reflected straight back at him. He yelps in pain as his skin and flesh start burning. I can''t help but smile. [How does it feel? Pretty nice, right?] This fucker has been wantonly throwing spells everywhere. This is called getting a taste of one''s own medicine. Oh, and it''s awesome! "How?! This is impossible!" [Ah, yeah. You''re right. Must be a fluke. You should send another one to be safe.] That crazy bastard does it too! I reflect it promptly, but sadly he dodges. Oh, I''m gonna have so much fun! I keep walking. Meanwhile, he''s retreating while sending tons of attacks. But the more relentless he is the more he needs to dodge. I see him look toward my friend a lot. Guess he intends to kidnap him. I better make him change his mind in case something really bad happens. How do I do that? Like this. [By the way, this sr asshole looks like he wants to attack you. Are you going to be fine if he charges at you?] "Haha, he should try." He understands what I intend and just smiles confidently. Normally that bluff would definitely fail, but right now the enemy is at the end of his rope. The more he struggles and the more he''s in trouble. Now, he''s scared of my friend''s non-existent trump card. I mean, there is the fruit fly, but it would instantly die from the heat so it''s not much danger. The enemy keeps retreating in panic. He even stops attacking and starts running at full speed. I simply follow. This is a repeat of what was happening before, well reversed. He can''t outrun me, and I can''t catch up. [Why are you running?! Why are you running?!] He doesn''t even bother turning back. I''m not about to let him get away. Chances are he''ll juste backter and kill people I care about. Hell no! The only problem is I still don''t have any ranged attack. This means that my only solution is to wait for him to tire out. Oh? Thankfully he seems to already be slowing down. He turns toward me and seems to want to talk. As if I''ll have mercy! I hate people like him! They act like tyrants when they have the high ground but act coy whenever they are at a disadvantage. Really the worst! But then he raises a fair point. "If youe closer I''ll make sure we both die!" I can''t help but stop. He looks serious. [You''re bluffing. Whatever you try I''ll just send it back.] "With that tiny mirror of yours? You can protect yourself from normal attacks, but once I do a wide range one it won''t serve any purpose." [If you were able to do it easily you would have done it already!] "I didn''t do it because I still am hoping to live. You should have heard of sacrificial spells, right?" Ah, I see. He''s going to explode himself to take me down. That is usible. There is no way a Rank 4 powerhouse with attack as his specialty doesn''t know one such trick. Now there only remains one question. Can it kill me? I know his melee form allowed him to deal enough damage to be life-threatening. I don''t want to leave further problems, but I don''t want to risk my life either. I could also kill him from a distance with Forgar spell, but it may cause even more problems. This sucks but it''s just not worth risking it. I give him a very solemn look. [Fine, you can go. But mark my words. If I see youe anywhere near my sect or my allies again, I swear I will raze your entire sect myself. You need your trump cards to even fight me. Think about what will happen if I feel the need to use mines.] I see him gulp as he''s imagining all the damage I could potentially cause. Then I watch him leave. Did I make the right decision? I''m not sure. The logical thing for him to do is to steer clear of me. But, he could always be trying to get revenge. I''ll have to look out for that. Sigh. Oh well, it can''t be helped. Overall, this oue is not that bad. I made a rank 4 run all by myself. I feel like I am definitely growing stronger. It is so subtle that sometimes I feel like I am barely stronger than the past me. Still, it''s a nice feeling. Who knows, at this rate I''ll be able to fight gods soon enough. On one hand, who am I kidding? On the other, I kinda can already. How? Well, I can send minor gods to gang up on another minor god and we may just end up victorious. Yes, calling for help counts. I mean, they are my subordinates (kinda). That is how I peacefully return. As I approach where my friend was, and still is, I notice a few men crowding around him. [Hey there, I''m back!] "What happened? Where is the Sun sect master?" [Bad news, he managed to run, but at least he shouldn''t being back.] That''s when I can hear gasps of stupefaction and admiration all around. [So, who are they?]... Chapter 526: Toward the Gu Meadow! Chapter 526: Toward the Gu Meadow! There are 5 guys crowding around my friend. They seem like allies judging by the fact that they are all alive and well. They all have long cloaks hiding their bodies. I simply go: [Bad news, he managed to run, but at least he shouldn''t being back.] I can hear the sound of them all losing their shit. They go: "Oh my god! This is amazing!" "So strong! He had iting!" "As expected of someone the Champion brought back!" Wait, Champion? Who knew? Okay, even I understand how crazy and lowkey boastful my earlier statement sounded. I''m not even sorry about it. I''m just enjoying their gazes filled with admiration. After all, the man I just sent running was a rank 4, a sect master to boot. There were circumstances helping me, but they don''t need to know that part. They easily believe me thanks to how destroyed the entire area is. Oh, and also the fact that they''ve been seeing the spells from far away. In fact, they quickly exin that they were simplying to scout. Since this is sect territory, they wanted to figure out who was invading to give an appropriate response. Now, for most sects that would mean sending as many soldiers as needed. For the Gu Meadow, this apparently takes an entirely new dimension. After all, they have so many different Gus in the sect that there are bound to be some with various attributes. They were going to confirm that he used sr energy and would have countered it all somehow. I really like the nning that goes into this. Information wins wars after all. So far, I have to admit the Gu Meadow sounds like a lot of fun. It''s quite simr to a zoo, a crazy zoo filled with poisonous demonic insects. Wait, is that an insectarium? Who knows? On our way there are vigers thanking us, bowing deeply. I can''t help but feel warm and a tiny bit embarrassed. Good thing none got hurt, especially considering we were the ones that brought the enemy there in the first ce. [Actually, you guysNo need to thank me. I just did what I was supposed to.] But even then, they keep bowing, relentlessly. They keep doing it even after we are out of sight. [This was our fault anyway.] My friend chimes in. "It doesn''t matter. For you it''s natural. But for the rest of the world, their lives are worthless. They are profoundly grateful that you didn''t try to use them as shields to block attacks. You could have." [That sounds horrible!] "Nope, that sounds realistic." He says it so lightly too. Changing the mindset here will take so long. I really need some special broadcast station. If I could project my voice everywhere on this continent it could work wonder. I could keep droning on and on until people arepletely brainwashed. Gotta add this to the list of potential ns. We keep walking. On the way, they ask me questions about where I''m from. Moon keep? Too controversial. I answer Eaglevein. After that, they change the subject. There are so many different sects that used to reside in there too. It doesn''t help them one bit to figure me out. The sect I am in? One they clearly haven''t heard of is my answer. Once more they change the subject. When they ask me about my favorite food, I teach them about the greatness of pie. For some reason, the rest of the journey is spent in awkward silence. Well, it''s not that bad. I''m used to traveling with Wolfie, so silence doesn''t daunt me. On the way we keep seeing small viges, but no cities. [Where is the nearest city?] "We don''t really have that here. All this big territory you see belongs only to us. There aren''t actually that many Gu trainers." [Then why haven''t other sects invaded?] "Look around. You see the long grass all around the ce?" [What about it?] "Over the years many Gus have been lost. Some adapted to the outside world. So all the grass you see is inhabited by deadly insects." [What?! Then how are there even viges?] "Our magic makes it that we are fine. But it would be extremely different for would-be-invaders." [Couldn''t they just burn it all?] "Oh, that would absolutely be a mistake. A sect once tried that. Turns out insect tides are as much of a thing as beast tides." [So you guys let the creatures live here and they don''t bother you plus act as a defense?] "Exactly." [That''s genius! Wait, aren''t there still sects out there that could manage to invade? That guy with the sr rays was so powerful!] "Well yes, but we''d still be here. As I''ve said before it''s just not worth it." [That makes sense.] "Alright, we''ll be there soon." Oh? I can''t help but feel excited. A Gu sect! That''s one thing I''ve never seen in the old world. Wait, why do I have an image of a spaceship on an insect-infested thates to mind? Weird. "I present to you the true Gu Meadow." He says it solemnly, pointing to what we can see in the distance. A meadow means a ce full of grass pretty much. Ironically this is the only ce where there is none! Instead, the sect looks to be in some rocky area. There is what looks like a small mountain. As wee closer, curious nces are sent our way. This much is understandable. The others are wearing cool cloaks while I''m wearing viger clothing. On one hand, I could do better. On the other, I''m kinda numb to it all at this point. I''m definitely going to lose all my clothes again while fighting at the water sect. On the way, I can hear the whispers. "Is he the one that fought the Sun leader?!" "That''s crazy, but why does he look so ordinary?" "Please who cares about that. A man is all about ability." "Oh? *Teasing* So he''s your type?" "I never said that!" How do they even know about me? Probably Gu messengers. They are discussing my achievements. They are discussing how suitable of a partner I am. They are also discussing the price of carrots at the local market. Thest one kinda surprises me not gonna lie. I can picture the world trembling in fright and disgust thinking about the Gu Users. Yet, here they are plotting *dramatic music* to buy carrots at the market! Just as I''m thinking that I hear it''s to feed poisonous Gusokay, never mind. Who knew buying carrots could be an act of possible evil? Just as I''m thinking that we finally arrive at our destination, aka the sect''s main gate. This is going to be interesting I bet!... Chapter 527: Visiting the Gu Sect...Alone Chapter 527: Visiting the Gu Sect...Alone The gates in front are big and sturdy looking. There are even intricate engravings of various insects on it. I can''t help but check how many humans fit in there beforementing. [So, why does a sect with small Gus need such big main gates?] I hear mypanionsugh as they awkwardly shrug. It seems they never really thought about it. Then again, I guess it''s just part of the dcor. "You know most people are not rxed enough to pass suchments usually. Doesn''t it worry you even at least a little? Entering the famous Gu Meadow?!" [To be fair I hadn''t even heard of the Gu Meadow before meeting you. So, as far as famous goes] The others are looking at me like I am some kind of alien. What can I say? To be fair they haven''t heard of my sect either, I''m sure. "Alright, let''s enter." The doors rotate letting us in. There are curious people on each side of what appears to be a small rocky tunnel. This sect is in a mountain, I wonder if they had the same architect as the dwarves. Doubtful but who knows? Now, I''m just picturing insects and dwarves both going through the huge door and barely being discernable. Hell, if the dwarves raised Gus there would be Gus that produced alcohol andva very soon. "Are youing?" I resume following my friend. Before long, sunlight appears. How?! But a few stepster I understand. The inside of the mountain is actually hollowed. I can even see the sky in some ces. [Wow! This is like a secret base!] "Fun fact, that''s how it started. In the past, Gu Trainers didn''t have a ce to call home. Everyone was just sneaking around trying to survive. It took a while to get an actual sect going." [So you guys hid here and when you became powerful enough you just added a door and made it easier to ess?] "Yep. For a long time, people thought that all the poisonous insects in the meadow were a natural disaster of some kind. They spent so much effort to try and reim thend before eventually giving up." This is like building a cool base right next to a monster spawner without realizing it. Then it gets invaded and you either fight to the death or just give up. [So, what now?] "We should stay a few days. At the very least, I''d like to somehow get myself a few Gus for self-defense." [What about?] But then I shut up. Right, the fruit fly is supposed to be a secret trump card somehow. I''m surprised even the sect doesn''t know about it. He probably does so to remain the Champion here. People will strive hard to surpass him. Except that when they will finally manage to, he''ll just reveal the fruit fly and go: "Fool you thought you had bested me? You thought wrong!" "Here, follow me." He brings me all the way to a small room that is littered with junk everywhere. Actually, somehow, I get the feeling these are all tools to train Gus. There are even balls? Oh my god. One can y fetch with Gus?! This reminds me of great memories. It reminds me of that time I yed fetch with Wolfie the first Elder. Okay, that sounds weird and quite frankly deviant "Alright, to avoid trouble just stay in this room. Some people are real assholes here. I''ll be backter tonight or tomorrow." Then he leaves directly. I survey the room but there really isn''t anything much for me to do. I grab a ball and throw it at the wall like a huge loner before catching it again. Ah, this is boring as hell. No way I''m staying cooped up in here until tomorrow. Yep, time to leave. I go for a walk and I observe people around. They all wear simr clothes but look very different. Some have Gus crawling at their feet. Some have Gus crawling on their clothes. Some have Gus crawling on their faces! Yes! Many are Guless too (or so it seems). Many look at me as I swagger around but many don''t care either. They seem too shy to ask me any questions too. I''m not sure if I shouldugh or cry. Does that mean I''m less approachable than Gus?! That is when I use my scouting ability to locate ces of interest. I quickly deactivate it because of some very trauma-inducing scenes I see. Let''s just say there are Gus going in holes that weren''t meant for that. At this point, I''m not sure if that one was a deviant or some sort of very deeply hidden trump card. Either way, I shudder just imagining it wriggling inside The first step is to get food! There is an area with stone tables and food being distributed. It''s kinda cool but every piece of furniture is just carved in the rock. It all seems natural. Downside, it doesn''t seem veryfortable. As I grab some grub the guy handing it out res at me. He''s giving me a look that says "I know you aren''t part of this sect." I answer by "What are you gonna do about it?" He goes "Nothing at all." That''s how I get some sustenance from having participated in an intense staring contest. What about the food? It''s unexpectedly normal. Gu Trainer sounds edgy but they gotta eat like everyone. Bread, vegetables, some unidentified purple meat that tastes delicious too. I don''t want to admit it, but this is almost as good as my barbecue. That''s when I hear a random guyin about the shitty food. [How about you shut the fuck up, you prick!] That shuts him down real good. He''s wondering who the hell I am, why I''m so heated over defending the food and other stuff but I don''t care. I just finish eating and head outside, giving a big smile to the employee in charge of it. He doesn''t seem to care at all. Oh well. Now, it is time for my second destination. I have noticed that there is a temple nearby. Honestly, I''m kinda getting curious. How does a Gu deity look like? I don''t know because I averted my gaze when I was scouting. So far, something very fun has happened every time I touched a god''s statue. What about this time? We''ll see soon enough haha Chapter 528: Visiting the Gu God (1/2) Chapter 528: Visiting the Gu God (1/2) I quickly make my way to the temple. To ess it, one has to pass through a pitch-dark tunnel that leads to the pitch-dark temple. I enter what feels like a new world. Why this design? Are they too poor to afford light? Is their god a darkness enjoyer? Using my scouting ability I can somehow still distinguish what is there. I''m not even sure why that works. I see many statues in different corners. This ce isn''t even symmetrical. It seems as if they just dug a big hole and then just gave up. They just went, meh good enough. Then they dumped the statues. No floor either, just in cavern rock. In the middle is thergest statue of them all. I approach it and I have to admit it truly deserves to be put here. While the others are mostly iplete ones or just showing a shadowy form, this one has mad details. It represents a squirming mass of Gus that are all piled up atop one another. It is both extremely chaotic and extremely artistic. It really gives the feeling that it is about to jump at you any second. I bet this statue could even render anxious any person with entomophobia. They''d go "Eww insects and faint". Still, I need to admit I enjoy the minimalist style. Then again it doesn''t look prayer-friendly. I guess that''s why no one is here. That''s when I notice an engraving. It says . Alright, fair enough. I won''t kink shame. If that god loves to watch insects go at it Who am I to judge? I guess it could just be a normal regr Gu Trainer. Who knows. I take a deep breath. I look at the statue, steadying my heart. I''m the good kind of nervous. Then I touch it.and nothing happens. This is awfully disappointing. Just to be safe I touch it all over some more. Yep, no reaction. Actually, there is more than one statue here. What if? Let''s try this. I start running, acting like a little kid let loose in a toy shop. Touch, touch that, touch everything. I finallye back in front of the main one feeling pretty stupid. Good thing no one saw me run around like aplete dumbass. Oh well, it can''t be helped. I talk to the statue as if an old friend. [You know, I was hoping to meet the Gu God. But all you gave me were lifeless carvings in the rock.] That''s when I notice something. The stone wall in the back has carvings. Only this one has it for some reason. Just as I get closer to touch is, I finally sense it. Okay, that''s how you teleport to the **** As I open my eyes, I''m in a dark ce. I mean that literally. But that''s when a bigntern appears. Then it seems as if it has noticed me as it slowly floats over. Talk about convenience! It is a beautiful yellow with a bit of orange in the middle. It reminds me of some weird paperntern that one would buy at a knockoff store. [So pretty.] I can''t help but exim. It just floats in front of me. It''s kinda weird how it''s not shining any light on the surroundings at all. Everything remains pitch-ck. I slowly get my hand closer. Of course, I make sure I have divine energy coursing through me. Finally making contact, it is strange, to say the least. It feels like caressing cold jade, I think. I''ve always been too broke to afford jade. I can''t help but smile. It''s at this exact moment that it blinks. WaitThen the intensity of the glow goes up as, finally, the darkness recedes. In front of me is a humongous centipede. It has sharp mandibles, tons of legs, tons of ws, and even wings! Right, Gus can be quite amazing. I react the only natural way. [Who''s a good centipede, eh? Who''s a good Gu?] Then I start petting it. It opens its maw as it nces at me blinking. Right, why is an insect blinking in the first ce? Yep, Gus can be quite amazing. It seems at a loss. The orange part seems to be the pupil, it''s now gazing at me directly. It seems smart too. Now it''s obviously wondering a few things. 1. Who am I? 2. Why am I here? 3. What am I? 4. Why aren''t I scared. I''m a stranger that just barged into its nest without any exnation, one that is also a human mortal, and yet I don''t fear the creature. I mean why would I? In the Earth realm, I can be defeated by pretty much anyone. Here, however, I''m a god. One that is at the very bottom of the food chain, but still. Of course, that''s a sham and I know it too. But, to creatures that can''t use divine energy, it doesn''t really matter. After all, one good Forgar Spell and this whole Gu gets blown up. Ah, never mind. These Gus. As I look around with more attention, I notice Gus everywhere. Actually, what I thought to be the floor turns out to be Gus too. Is this a new version of the floor isva? This is actually kinda cool! That is whenes a deep guttural voice. "Human? You are a human are you not? What brings you here?" [You can talk?! Oh, sorry if that was rude. Eh, just visiting.] "Just visiting the god realm? Why aren''t you scared?" [You seem like a cool guy. By the way, your eyes look so damn cool! I''m jealous!] "Jealous?" [I bet with eyes as pretty you can pick up chicks easily in bars.] "Pick up chicks? Why would we pick up chickens? You make no sense human" [I meant it like girls. You know! The opposite sex.] "?!?" [Eh, like another from the same species that you copte with to make children. Ah, but with overpoption and the modern reality the goal of coption often changes for.ok I''m getting sidetracked.] "We Gus do not know such a thing." [You don''t?] "We simply devour. We devour all the others until only us remains. Until we are the strongest." [Eh, I see tons of Gus crawling around your feet. Also, I know a powerful Gu that just eats fruits.] "Ridiculous!"... Chapter 529: Visiting the Gu God (2/2) Chapter 529: Visiting the Gu God (2/2) [Eh, I see tons of Gus crawling around your feet. Also, I know a powerful Gu that just eats fruits.] "Ridiculous." [Ridiculous or not, it''s true. Then again, you aren''t devouring them either. What''s the story behind that?] "We cannot. We have the desire too, but not the capabilities." [Oh? Why is that so?] "Because our freedom has been lost. Because we are but the pet of a devious god. Because we fell for his trap." [Wow. Bummer. Still, as they say, make peace, not war. But honestly, your way of life is wed.] "Outrageous! You should be worried about yourself human for we" [Hey, hear me out first. Think about it. What is the point of being the strongest if you are the only one to remain?] "We need to be the strongest so no one can ever trample on us ever again." [Why do I feel like you used to be a tiny centipede and then some random guy stepped on you and you''re still holding a grudge?] "How dare you! Give me one good reason why we shouldn''t devour you!" [Because you can''t?] "You seem to be mistaken, human. We cannot eat the other Gus but we can devour you without any issue." [No, no. You''re the one that''s not listening. You can''t.] "Yes, we can" That''s the exact moment that I decide to summon a raging inferno. Ah, but I control it just so it doesn''t affect any Gu. I just want to intimidate not kill. The giant centipede sees the fireball with divine energy I''m holding and promptly shuts ups. [Any question?] "Youare not human. What are you?" [I''m human. I just happen to be able to use divine energy. No biggie.] "This no biggie of yours is enough to threaten the bnce of the entire universe and.or perhaps we are simplycking knowledge. We have been stuck here for so long after all." [Yep, definitely thetter. But seriously I''m telling you. Your path is wrong.] "My path?" [Yep, eating your brethren isn''t the way to go.] "?!?" [Sure, it may make you a tiny bit more powerful, but there are better alternatives.] "How are you so sure, human?" [Do you think I achieved the little power I have sacrificing friends? Nope.] "What does that have to do with?" [So what if you are a Gu? Why don''t you just aim toprehend divinity as I''ve done?] "Comprehend divinity? A Gu like us?" [Yep.] "You bring an interesting point, human. We do not know if this is possible, however." [The possibilities are endless in life. Especially in a world with magic. Oh, I''m not saying you''ll be able to figure it instantly. You can take your time. Plus, you are stuck here anyway, right?] "Yes, we are stuck here till eternity. All thanks to this ursed chain that binds us." That''s when he moves a bit, revealing a very weak-looking blue glowing thread that seems to be connected to the floor itself. [This little thread is what''s holding a big guy like you?] "It is enchanted with divinity. I cannot break it." [How about I try?] I slowly start walking toward it. Should I try and make scissors out of divine energy? That could maybe work. Maybe not, who knows. In any case, I just need to try and. *THUD!* Don''t ask me how, but somehow, I tumble over my own feet. This is kinda awkward. Oh well, it can''t be helped. I quickly get up, looking at the Gu. [Let us never speak of this again, alright?] "How?!" [What did I just say? How I fell isn''t important.] "I meant the divine chain" I turn around. While falling I somehow identally snapped the blue thread. Ah, talk about flimsy! I can''t help but scratch my head. [Honestly, it was just really weak.] "B-but I''ve been trying to remove that for ages!" [Wait, what happened to the ''we'' instead of the ''I''?] "This doesn''t matter right now! I''m free! I''m finally free! After all this time!" [Good for you! What do you n on doing now? If you tell me pointlessly eat weak Gus for no reason I swear I''ll barbecue you right away.] "I''ll try it. I''ll try and cultivate into a divine Gu! Actually, I was just about to seed back in the Earth realm. Back then I was devouring other Gus and heroes alike." [Oh? Then what happened?] "Well, before I could evolve and gain divinity I was captured by this asshole." [I understand how you feel. It''s like getting killed by a hacker. Very simr to getting spawn killed too. The point is, it sounds really depressing.] "It is the worst! I''m d you understand!" [I wish you good luck with that. By the way, is there anything to see here?] "Nothing than what one sees here." [This is boring. What about the guy this ce belongs to?] "I''m not sure when he wille back. Perhaps in a few hundred years." [Wow, that''s a long time. I have trouble nning what I''ll eat for dinner. I can''t believe that someone could be gone for hundreds of years at once!] "For the gods, this much is normal. The oldest deities can be unreachable for so long that almost everyone forgets their very existence." [What about their followers?] "I''m really not sure how this all works. I''m a Gu, not a God." [Fair point. You just gotta work hard to be a Gu god then haha.] "I will. I will for sure." That is when I start sensing that feeling of weight that apanies every return. It seems my time will soon be up. Oh well, it can''t be helped. [I gotta go.] "Shame, I enjoyed meeting you. Thank you for saving me. I will forever remember this debt." [What''s with that attitude? What happened to Gus being demonic? Plot hole?!] "If a goofy-looking human like you can use divine energy why can''t a Gu decide to turn a new leaf? I may be a Gu but I know a lot about human customs. I am simply digging into that knowledge right now." Wow. Now I can''t help but picture a giant centipede as an exchange student. Just chilling in a random university, learning the culture. Yep, this scene would be hrious. But before I go [Here, let me give you a parting gift.] "?" [Close your eyes and try to feel it.] I slowly make divine energy circte in his centipede body. I''m not sure if this will help or not, but it''s worth a try. I can hear my new Gu friend purr has the energy course through him. Now, this is getting weirder and weirder. Oh well, whatever. I finally end it. Then I simply wave him goodbye as I''m slowly disappearing. I can see a Gu bowing with his entire body in my direction. I may not have met the god but this was nice. Guess that counts as a pretty satisfying walk. Now, where should I visit?... Chapter 530: Cultivating Gu Chapter 530: Cultivating Gu ****(POV) This human was strange. No, this being. Actually, I have no idea what he is. He seemed like one, but he was obviously a god. When he called the fire, I felt it. I felt this primal fear invade me. I found myself shivering. Funny for a Gu like I. Gus are feared and evil. Compared to him, I am nothing but a small insect. At first, I was confused and surprised. The first thing he did was pet my head. There was no disgust or nervousness. He did it as if such action was natural. I can''t get his smile out of my head. Wait, no. Right now is not the time for that. I need to focus on my current task. I cannot waste the gift he left me. I sit cross-legged, and I begin to cultivate. It takes me a long while to take the right posture, but I manage. (Centipede problems) I need to remember exactly the feeling that coursed through me when he patted me. It was a special kind of warmth. Usually, I should abhor such a thing as a creature of darkness, but it didn''t negatively affect me. I need to remember this feeling, this power. There was this serene sensation. It felt as if anything was possible with it. It felt amazing! I sit and I meditate. I''m doing my best to achieve it. This is hard. It is simr to trying to see something that is invisible. You know it''s there but knowing won''t help. Back in the earth realm, I was so powerful, but here I am worthless. This is my only chance to change my fate. Otherwise, the next time that asshole of a godes back I''ll be damned. This whole practice technique goes against all that I have ever believed in. If it didn''te from him, I wouldn''t even have tried. It''s weird how he convinced me. I think it was his whole demeanor that really did the trick. He was confident but didn''t seem arrogant. He seemed so sure that I''d be able to be a deity. How crazy is that idea? How crazy is it that I actually believe it ?! I''m not sure but I''d say a lot. So I just keep at it. Even when there isn''t any obvious progress. Even when I feel the smaller Gus crawl all over my body. I remain steady like that. For how long? I''m not sure. All I know is that it feels like an eternity. It feels as if the whole world had time to transform and change. I slowly feel my power bing stronger and stronger. It''s a weird feeling. How am I bing stronger? I''m not even sure. I think I am, but I can''t describe it. Then, eventually, I feel that I am that close to seeding. I can feel something around me. Before, I didn''t notice it, but now I realize that there is divine energy everywhere. I understand it. Still, there is something amiss. I can feel its presence, but I''m unable to interact with it, akin to an illusion. Or perhaps, am I dreaming? It shouldn''t be possible for a Gu to dream. Then again, so many things are supposed to be impossible for one such as I, and yet here I am. I can feel the difort of feeling that I am very close to the journey''s end, but still so far. I slowly open my eyes. Somehow, the small crawling Gus are all exactly where they used to be. Did they remain perfectly still? Am I the one going crazy and losing my perception of time itself? I''m not sure. Does it even matter? I feel so very close to seeding. Just a small push. I see all the Gus around me. Should I eat a few? It won''t do much, but it may just be what I require. Should I? They are so defenseless. They are but smaller beings at my mercy. Morality is useless. Why should I be affected by that being''s words?! I open my maw wide and then I. close it. This is weird, but I can picture him shaking his head in disapproval. For some reason, I dislike that sight. Why? We barely talked. I should not care one bit. Then why? Ah, I know. Because it was fun meeting him, it was the most fun I''ve had in ages. This short meeting was great. Somehow I get the feeling that should I follow my nature, I may one day be his enemy. I can''t help but shiver as I picture fighting such a monster. That is when I decide not to mess with the little ones. It is also when I decide what I want to be. I want to be the eternal Gu. The one that will keep struggling until he seeds the one that That is also when it finally clicks. I can feel it all. Power gushes into my body endlessly. What was blocking me was my mindset. The hesitation was preventing me frompleting my transformation. That is when I understand. There are no good or wrong paths, only ones that we choose and ignore. It is that simple. I chose this one in order not to fight him in the future. Just as I am done evolving, I can''t help but let out a triumphant roar. One that would normally announce to the world that a new deity is born. Well, no one hears it because I am stuck in this realm. Or am I? That is when the entire realm begins to ripple. Suddenly a small shadow appears in the middle. One that soon sheds the mysteriousness and reveals its youthful appearance. The neer is but a kid that likes to y with bugs. The one that calls himself the Eternal Gu Breeder. Talk about weird timing. Hees forward. [You''ll submit, won''t you? You were strong in the Earth Realm, but against me, you are nothing.] I do not even bother to answer. [ying mute, are you? It doesn''t matter. You will remain stuck here until you submit. Wouldn''t you want to go on a walk sometimes? All you need to do is swear allegiance to me. Simple, isn''t it?] I hate this cocky kid. That''s when hees nearby and even starts kicking my body whileughing. Hees so very close. I slowly position myself above him, my maw right above his head. [Trying to intimidate me? Please, how dumb are you? Should I make your leash even smaller? Perhaps even more painful?] He''s grinning, showing a sadistic smile. [I''ll just How?! This isn''t possible! Where is it?!] He has noticed that I am free. But it''s toote. Before he can react, I am already gobbling this asshole up. At first, he''s scoffing. But then, he feels it. I have attained divinity too. [No! Stop! AHHH--] *CRUNCH* *GULP* Ah, it is only now that I realize how wise that being was. Why eat Gus when I can eat deities. Let us start the hunt, shall we? Chapter 531: Seeing One Last Time Chapter 531: Seeing One Last Time ****(POV) Where am I? I can feel the blinding light piercing through my eyelids. I can feel how hot the sun is. I can feel some grass on my cheeks, it''s rough and ufortable but I don''t mind. I see. This is a very realistic dream. I''ve had many of those recently. Should I open my eyes, I know exactly what I will see. There will be a forest and a white wolf. The same white wolf that took my vision away. Every dream is the same. Is it a nightmare? Is it a good dream? I''m not even sure what it is myself. Every single time is the same. I get my sight for a fleeting instant before the wolf steals it away once more. But there is one issue. It is something that terrifies me to no end. Not the wolf, the dream. With every subsequent repetition of the dream, it loses details. It bes a little bit vaguer. What was once a beautiful and highly defined wolf is starting to be a blurry white wolf. How is that horrifying? It means that I am forgetting what it is like to see. I am forgetting what colors look like. I am forgetting what I myself look like. Soon enough I will be nothing but a single man inplete darkness. One that won''t be able to dream anymore. Well, perhaps I will dream of myself drifting in an endless dark space. I do not know. Right now, I know that the moment I open my eyes, the dream will be more troubled than it used to be. I finally steady my heartbeat and slowly open my eyelids. Ah! That is when I see something new. No, something I saw yesterday. There was a fight here. There was a man in some sort of cage, one I couldn''t see the features. Well, I could hear his pleading voice. But even then, I had to look away. The current me is weak. Ah, that''s right. Then the horse came alive. Well, not really but it began talking. Then it began invoking. The voice that came out of it is one I know all too well. It was the voice of the strange man that gifted me the mount in the first ce. After that, it started using dark magic. What kind? I''m not sure. But, even blind I could feel the vileness of it all. It was oozing toward our party, choking me. All until I lost consciousness, that much I know. I actually thought I was going to die. Ah, perhaps I am dying. Maybe this is but myst and final lucid dream. For once it isn''t a white wolf. For once it is clear. I can''t help but watch my surroundings. Corpses, destroyednd, two guys sleeping on the ground, it is a very ugly scene, to say the least. Yet, I can''t help but feel tears well up in my eyes and a smile blossom on my face. Perhaps this is for the best. I don''t even mind dying right now. At least I am doing so with thisst memory. It may be a horrible one but it does not matter. I will die my eyes open, seeing. Even if this is but a dream. Who would have thought such a simple thing would bring me so much happiness? The old me was unsatisfied with how little I was seeing. Iined about not seeing the future clearly enough. Iined about not seeing the present that I desired. Iined about remembering a past I disliked. Yet, all that was such a goddamn waste of time. Instead ofining, I should have been happy that I even had a past to remember, that I even had a present to live and that I had a future to look forward to. Ridiculous how it took me dying to figure out how to live. Well, I''m not dead yet. I will just enjoy this moment. I will just enjoy this single instant. I feel unexpectedly great too. I feel like all the old wounds I ever suffered are all gone. I feel like apletely new man. I slowly raise up the coarse shirt I am wearing, and I inspect my own body. Yes, tip-top shape. This is nice. I don''t even bother dressing up. I find myself a big t rock and I sit on it, waiting. Just enjoying myself. The breeze on my skin, the green grass swooshing around with it. I can hear birds chirps and also see them. Very normal birds, the very boring-looking ones. But I can see their brownish color, their feathers, their small peaks too. I can''t help butugh. Even the birds look at me weirdly. So what if I look like a madman? It doesn''t matter. Iugh heartily and I smile. Ah, but I don''t close my eyes, no matter what. Just as I''m enjoying myself,es the sounds of my twopanions. They are waking up. Waking up in my dream, talk about crazy. They look as if they have a crushing hangover. "Hey, guys. Slept well?" They groggily get up and slowly turn their heads toward me. That''s when they start pointing and screaming. "How?!" "This is impossible!" Both of them, the young one and the other that is slightly older are going crazy. Ah, let me guess. This is that kind of dream. Behind me, there will be a giant white wolf about to devour me or something. I turn around, but nope. Everything looks fine. Strange "You can see?!" "Why aren''t you blind?!" I turn toward them. "This is obviously a dream, a nice dream it seems." "What do you mean a dream?!" "Of course it is one. All my injuries have healed. This is the only possible exnation. Still, I''m surprised you guys are so vivid-looking in this dream of mine." They look at my body, then they look at themselves before hurriedly undressing. Then starts spontaneous dances of pure joy. "I''m healed too! This is a miracle!" "Me too, me too! This is amazing!" I look at them, enjoying the sight. Well, not their half-naked bodies, just the fact that I can see. "Wait, we need to leave before theye back!" They approach me and forcefully drag me away. I don''t even fight back. I''m just enjoying the sights. Walking is so fun! I feel like I have been reborn. That''s when I suddenly realize that my power of divination is back. With it, I somehow understand that all of this is real. A miracle?! I''m tempted to peer into whoever healed us, but I know better. Now, my mission just changed. I am not only looking for a white wolf and her master, but also for my mysterious savior. I have no idea where to head for this journey, but for once I do not mind. I will just enjoy the sights. After all, life is a blessing in itself and I will enjoy it as much as I can. I can''t wait to find my savior... Chapter 532: The Worst Phobia Chapter 532: The Worst Phobia I can see the Gu bowing with his entire body in my direction. I may not have met the god but this was nice. I honestly wonder what will happen to him. I did try to put him on a path of training that will be more peaceful. Was it right or wrong for a Gu? I''m not sure. I guess in a way I was just selfishly imposing my own beliefs on him. Now that I think about it, we humans may be the evilest of all races. For starters, we have no qualms about eating anything other than our own species. Just this point means that we can be extremely disruptive to an ecosystem. Then there is the fact that we tend to exploit any opportunity for profit, once more disrupting tons of ecosystems. Perhaps it is natural for Gus to devour one another. Perhaps I am akin to that one idiot feeding his dog vegan food only and making more harm than good. I''m not sure. Well, I don''t especially need to worry because that Gu is pretty damn smart. I''m sure he will figure out the best path for himself. As I''m thinking that, I appear back in the Earth Realm. That''s when I hear a shriek of terror. "Ah! W-who are you?!" Right. I just assumed the temple would be as deserted as when I came in, but there is now a guy shivering in fright and slowly backing away. I''m really not sure about the proper etiquette on that one. Was me visiting the god''s ce something bad? Technically I guess I kind of trespassed on that god''s property since he was away. I guess the pet weed me, so it''s fine? Ah, then again, I seem to remember the two didn''t seem to have the best rtionship. Ah, whatever, that eternal Gu breeder guy will sort it out for sure since he''s a god. At least I''m pretty sure the humans here have no idea about what I have been doing. I guess it''s time for a good old bluff. [What? Why are you acting surprised? I''ve been here this whole time!] "What?! No, I checked it was empty and" [Guess you didn''t check properly enough. Anyway, no need to worry. I''m that guy that drove away the sr ray throwing freak from the Gu Meadow. Heard of me?] "N-no. Stay back! I have some really deadly Gus and I''m not afraid to use them!" He shouts as he''s holding his robe. But he doesn''t show any. For some reason he reminds me of a guy faking having a gun, but with insects. [Eh, sure. I believe you. What of it? I mean this is a Gu sectif you don''t have any Gu then you are doing something wrong, am I right?] That''s when he looks at me for a few seconds, steadily. But then he starts crying. He''s just standing there crying without doing anything else! What''s up with that guy? [Eh, are you okay?] "You''re right. My whole life is a mess. Everything I''m doing is wrong and." Now, this guy looks like a damn waterfall. He''s mumbling about how useless he is and stuff like that. Then again, who visits a deserted temple alone in the middle of the day. That in itself should almost be a red g. Oh well. [Alright, rx. Tell me nice and slowly what the issue is. I can''t promise anything, but I''m a good listener.] I sit and gesture him to do the same. Part of him seems to still fear me, but the other part seems to think that having someone listen to his problems is worth dying for. Sad but rtable. "It''s like this. I keep praying and praying to the Gu Breeder for strength but I still can''t do it." [Can''t do what?] "Well.I''m afraid of insects.." Bruh! Part of me wants to be supportive but the other just makes it so I eruptughing. [HAHAHAHA Holy shit, that is ironic. You are telling me you live in the Gu Meadow and you are afraid of insects?!] His shoulders slump and he seems to want to disappear at the moment. [Okay, that caught me off guard. But honestly, it''s not that bad. It''s quite possible to cure a phobia you know.] "It is?!" [Well, yeah. Hey, if you are in this templearen''t you afraid of that statue in front?] "Y-yes, very. But it''s not as bad because I know that no matter what they won''t leave the statue." [Well, honestly then you really just need to get used to living Gus. Right, do you know where your fear came from?] "That... my mother died when stung by a Gu, then my father died from touching a poisonous Gu, finally myte brother went insane and was sacrificed to the Gus." [What the fuck! Okay, why is the death rate so high? Also, what does this sacrifice thingy mean?] "Some people are better at handling Gus than others. We used to be farmers. Our specialty really isn''t insects. If nothing else, we feared them for they would devour everything." He seems to be reminiscing about it. Yet, how is he so calm? I guess it has happened a long time ago. "As for the sacrifice, it''s what happens to the useless. They are sent in the Gu Rearing Land where they serve as food for the various Gus there." Talk about harsh. Is this how retirement works in this world? Too weak or old to work? Better sacrifice them! It''s both extremely disgusting and realistic. [Do people really ept such horrible treatment?! Aren''t they worried that it will be their turn when they be older?] "Not really. Growing old is already something unimaginable for most. If you can''t serve the sect there really is no point in staying alive." [Do you seriously mean that?!] He looks at me puzzled. "Of courseAs long as one is not senile one can at least teach the others. Once they cannot do that at least their body bes one with the Gus. That will help protect the sect and serve a purpose." Ah, I see. It sounds horrible at first nce, but is it really? In a way, it allows for the old generation to be remembered as heroes. Perhaps it''s even more human to go out this way. It probably beats living an empty existence only to wait for a death void of any meaning. "So, what should I do?" Ah, right. I somehow lost myself in thoughts but yes, this guy has a very real problem. I have time to kill anyway. [You know what? I''ll help you. Bring me to the scariest Gu there is in this sect. I''ll show you how one deals with Gus!] Chapter 533: Identity Theft Chapter 533: Identity Theft [Sure, bring me to the scariest Gu there is in this sect. I''ll show you how one deals with Gus!] "What?! Are you sure?!" [Yes.] I clearly have no idea what I am saying or doing, to be honest. But I gotta admit it felt nice to say that. The guy seems unsure and is shivering just thinking about it. "A-alright, I will." Thus continues my visit around the Gu sect. This time around, I have a guide. Weirdly enough, people are staring even more now than before. Ah, I''m guessing this guy is the loner kind. It makes sense when he''s afraid of Gus and literally everyone here is a Gu Trainer. Seriously, why is he still here in the first ce? [Where are we even going anyway?] "The Gu ancestors." [That almost sounds like we are going to visit some really old and venerable Gus.] "That''s what it is." [Oh? Wow, that''s cool. Oaky, what are they like?] "Deadly, scary, Gu-like, nightmarish" [I meant more like personality-wise.] "That, I wouldn''t know. I''ve never tried to go inside." [Guess we''ll just ask them then.] He gives me a peculiar nce, not sure what that is about. Before long, we reach a hole in the ground. It''s quite big and it seems to be protected by some kind of glowing barrier. It seems to be the entrance to an underground cavern. [What is this?] "This is and of trial. Anyone can enter and try to get the approval of the Gu ancestors. So far no one has seeded." [Wow. What about the barrier?] "It keeps them inside. Well, I''ve heard that the Gu ancestors are powerful enough to escape should they desire, but they are bound to thisnd thanks to an old pact." [Oh? That sounds awfully serious. So, what do they do?] "Nothing. They are thest line of defense of the sect. I was expecting this, but it seems we have done the trip for nothing." [What do you mean?] "Well, I have heard some say that sometimes a Gu ancestor will hover around the entrance to try and bait someone to enter. Now, it seems you won''t see them." [Are these Gus all about poison like the rest or do they have special abilities?] "Gus are only ever about poison" I know a few masters that would beg to differ, but they are from my old memories. These are too vague for me to start arguing. [Alright, let''s go.] I simply jump down the whole. "Y-you! Are you crazy?!" [No, why?] "Hurry ande up! You''ll die inside for sure! This isn''t a ce for anyone to be!" [What are you talking about? Alright, time to go.] I start whistling as I begin walking. It''s kinda well made, to be honest. After the jump there is a softnding spot, then it turns into a tunnel that leads downward. At first, I''m expecting this to bepletely dark, but somehow there is a bit of light. It seems toe from glowing lichen in the rock crevices. This is cool but strange. I thought all Gus disliked light. Then again this one is more of a soft afterglow than a real light. That''s when I hear a THUD. Turning around, he is there. Ordinary-looking, shivering all over, his face is livid, he has trouble walking, but he is there. A man that has a Gu phobia just jumped in here? How?! [You followed?] My n was to grab a Gu from this ce and bring it back to slowly cure him by getting used to the creature over time, well elerated. I truly didn''t expect that. "I had to." I can see that he is about to shit himself, but I also see the resolve in his eyes. Whatever drives him right now is extremely powerful. But, what is it? [Why?] "I won''t let anyone else die to a Gu because of me." [Is that so? So you''ll die with me too instead?] I see him panic for an instant before he seems to calm down. "Yes. So, we should really go back. Believe me, this ce is not one that we want to be at." Oh? How interesting. I have no clue what this guy''s backstory is, but I bet it isn''t as simple as he makes it out to be. Otherwise, he would have long run away. Well, that''s just my guess anyway. Not that it matters in any case. Still, it means one thing. This rehabilitation n of mine may actually be easier than expected. [Alright, let''s go. Make sure you stay close to me so I can heal you.] I may not be the strongest, but poison is literally a condiment for me. I can heal others too as long as it''s not an insta-kill. This is just going to be a fun time. I see him be more and more distressed. "No, we should really not." Time to have some fun with him. [Remember when you were wondering where I hade from?] He nervously nods. [I''ll tell, you a secret. I wasing out of the god realm directly. There is a link between both worlds in the temple. Well, not that anyone would believe it I''m guessing] "What?!" Okay, I guess I overshot that one. There is no way he would just believe me on that one and "Are you the Eternal Gu Breeder?! Is that why you suddenly appeared after I began praying?! Ah, so that''s why you aren''t afraid to be here! This exins everything! Am I dreaming right now?! Is this really possible?!" [You aren''t dreaming. But, I won''t be able to stay that long so move your ass.] "Of course! Right away! How should I address you?!" [Just keep the same attitude man, no big deal.] He keeps murmuring no big deal shellshocked. Somehow he doesn''t show any trace of fear. He''s just happily following me. "This is insane! I didn''t even know gods could manifest on the earth realm. This means that you are the best god of them all for the others don''t bother at all! Ah, but even for someone as powerful as you, there is a time limit. I''ll do whatever you want me to do without hesitating!" [Good, let''s find us a Gu ancestor real quick.] Well, it is true that I am limited by time since I need to get to the water sect. Then about the god partit''s not my fault if he''s misunderstanding the situation, right? The real god wouldn''t me me for that, right? I''m getting a bit worried now. Chapter 534: A River! (Please Read in a Dramatic Voice) Chapter 534: A River! (Please Read in a Dramatic Voice) This new environment is extremely gloomylots of darkness with some slight glow from the lichen. Overall I''d say it is like the set of a horror movie. You know, the kind where you expect some creature to jump from the shadows and eat the handsome male lead''s face. In that case, that would be me. Ah, but there is one thing that is far from gloomy. That would be the humongous smile on mypanion''s face. Phobia? Gone. Fear? No trace of it. He''s even humming along with me. Not a care in the world. Why? Because I said I''d protect him. That''s it. Nothing else. He has no concrete proof of my identity or that I have been truthful and yet... Now, I feel kinda dumb. If he trusts me so much, what''s the point of this journey in the first ce? I can just tell him not to be scared of the domesticated Gus. Oh well, this is now a sightseeing journey, I guess. Anyway, I''ll be here for a little while. "How are the Gus herepared to the ones in the god realm?" Even his voice sounds the very definition of happy. [Big, smart, pretty cool.] "Smart? This is amazing! I just wish it was possible to talk to the Gus down here." [I mean you can. I''ll show you once we find one.] "Really? This is amazing! Thank you!" We keep walking. Soon enough, the ce turns into a big cavern that almost feels like a new world. There are stctites and stgmites everywhere. There is even the sound of flowing water in the background. I can''t help but think this ce would be a nice tourist attraction. If they increased the lichen quantity, it could almost look like a night sky. At least it is quiet and peaceful. I keep going, observing my surroundings. I try and head toward the sound we''re hearing. Before long, we reach what looks like a small underground river. I slowly approach it, and sure enough, the water is rapidly flowing in it. "*Gasp* Isn''t there something very weird with the water?!" Oh, fair enough. The pitch-ck color is a bit abnormal for sure. I put a finger in, then a fist, and I can feel the cool sensation. It doesn''t seem to be harmful. That''s when mypanion does the same curiously. He''s just put a single finger in that he starts howling in pain. "ARRG! It hurts so much!" What the hell?! I quickly do my best to heal him, and he returns to his happy-go-lucky personality. Now he''s looking at me with even shinier eyes. "This is amazing! This potent demonic poison is nothing to you! As expected of the Eternal Gu Breeder!" [Yeah, about that] "Of course, you fear no poison no matter how deadly! I bet you could even swim in it and you would be fine! Hahaha." That''s when he starts looking at the river and at me, full of expectations. This is a new experience for me. Still, do I look like the kind of man that will go along with someone''s expectations just to get their approval? Please! *Ssh! * "Oh my god! This is amazing! You can really swim in a poisonous river like it''s nothing!" Eh, so the answer was yes. But can I really be med? He looks so damn delighted right now. I feel like I''ve just fulfilled someone''s dream. I feel validated and awesome. *Gargle* "This is insane! Are you drinking it! What does it taste like?!" [Surprisingly, oatmeal. Not the consistency but the taste for sure. It feels quite filling, to be honest.] "I can''t believe this is happening. No one would ever believe this! I guess it was worth it of me to keep praying all this time!" I can''t let that one slide. [Nope. That''s where you''re wrong. Do you know how many people pray daily? Me showing up is just a coincidence. In the future, you''ll have to take care of yourself. Do you understand?] "Ah...yes." He looks extremely disappointed. [Look, it''s fine to pray, but you can''t just sit on your ass waiting for a miracle. That''s not having faith. That''s beingzy. No one likeszy people.] "Ah, yes!" I watch attentively everywhere around. There doesn''t seem to be any danger whatsoever. [Wait for me, I''ll be right back.] What do I n on doing? I dive right in the water. It doesn''t seem that deep. I''m wondering if there are any aquatic Gus that live here. Perhaps there will be Gu lobsters? I wonder how good these would taste. Could you picture growing Gus as seafood? Eh, riverfood. Wouldn''t that be amazing? But no matter how much I search, there doesn''t seem to be any. Let''s add this to the bucket list, start a magical lobster farm. I slowly emerge, but I do it as a movie star would. My chest is glistering with pearls of water. I shake my head in the coolest way possible to dry it and "My eyes! It burns so much!" Talk about being shot down! I was just practicing. It wasn''t meant for him. Ah, never mind. Poison water somehow flew into his eyes, my bad. A healing spellter, he''s fine and looking at me with adoration. Okay, is it bad that a part of me is getting super happy about it? #No Homo This is the kind of sidekick that will marvel at anything you possibly do. Like right, now my clothes have melted thanks to the poison that turned out to be more potent than I thought...He''s not even pointing it out. [Alright, let''s keep going.] Just as he''s nodding, we hear a noise. *BZZZ* What is this? It sounds like a fly. In the distanceI can''t see shit because it''s dark. We wait and wait some more, but nothing happens. That''s weird. It was definitelying this way. Oh well, I guess we ought to keep going. This is probably a Gu, right? "EEK! On your arm!" [What''s up?] That''s when I turn my head. Right on my upper arm is a creature straight out of a nightmare. The base seems to be a mosquito. But there is definitely something very wrong with it. The part where it sucks blood? It has many tentacle-looking thingies. Its wings are jagged, and its eyes are glowing. That''s when I see it stab it all toward me. Mosquito?! Diseases! Suffering! Death! *SLAP! * *SQUISH* "Weren''t we looking for a Gu?" Ah, I kinda reacted instinctively. I hate mosquitoes. These annoying pests will disturb you, especially when you are sleeping. Well, time for BS again. [Just not this one. Did you see how easily it died? We may as well look for a Gu ancestor directly, wouldn''t you agree?] "Ah, this makes perfect sense!" [Of course!] Of course, it does (?). I totally didn''t just make this trip longer. Still, I can''t wait to see what the Gu ancestors will look like Chapter 535: Ill Be Your Dirty Little... Chapter 535: I''ll Be Your Dirty Little... ****(POV)~Good luck reading this one xD Hate him. Hate him so much! He''s the strongest of us all. The strongest of the Gu ancestors. We wish we had the same ability. He''s the oldest. He''s the strongest. Will he be forever? We are so jealous. He managed to drink the blood of that strong creature. How long has it been? It was at the very beginning. Ever since he''s been too strong for us. We want to drink blood too. Or, eating flesh works. We live because of the pact. We cannot do anything because of the pact. Even the strong one cannot. We are stuck here. All we can do is fly, or swim. No one enjoys swimming. Sometimes, he makes us swim. We hate it, but he''s strong, too strong. Because of the pact he cannot attack us and we cannot attack him, but we know. If we go against him, he will do that thing again. Anyone that disobeys, he binds with his tentacles. Not being able to fly is the worst. We are Gus. We were meant to fly. We vaguely remember the time we couldn''t. We all do. No one wants to feel like that again. It''s embarrassing. So very embarrassing. That''s why we follow the orders. That is when we hear something. There are humans in the cave. How long has it been? Too long. Far too long. We are so hungry. There is demonic energy around, but it doesn''t taste good. Humans taste good. No, not humans. The fear is the best. When their heart starts beating so fast. When their skin starts shivering. When their cries start echoing. Ah, human suffering is the best. For a second, we are happy. We are joyful. But then we remember. This is not our happiness. We are the weakest ones. We cannot go against the strong. He will take it all. We will just watch. We want to struggle but we know. It will all be pointless. When will the next humane? We wish there were more. Ah, wait there are two humans, not one. So lucky. He''s so lucky. We wish we were stronger. That is when he goes toward the first human. It is a weak human. A human so weak it doesn''t even have clothes. We know it, the stronger the humans the more colorful their clothes. Hends on the human''s arm. It is over. The tentacles are already attacking. *SLAP* Wait. What?! There is something strange. The strong one is dead?! How?! We watch. We cannot understand. This human should be weak. That is when the human speaks. [Just not this one. Did you see how easily it died? We may as well look for a Gu ancestor directly, wouldn''t you agree?] Gu ancestor? We are a Gu ancestor. At least we think. This should be how humans refer to us. This should be how the pact calls us too. That is when he walks toward us. We are hiding in the rock. Now is a good chance to eat the human. We just need to be careful. We, Gus, are strong as long as we are not seen. Weirdso weirdwe will wait. We are good at waiting. That is when we feel the others. They are here. They are not good at waiting. Humans are delicious, we understand them. This one flies down from the ceiling. It slowly enters the human''s hair. The human hasn''t noticed at all. The human will die. It will. "In your hair! There is a huge spider Gu!" [What?! Get it away from me!] The human ils his arms. "Wait, I think you killed it too. Why are they attacking you? Shouldn''t they behave since you are their god?" [*Sigh* I guess it''s been too long since I''vee here. *Cough* Let it be a lesson, do not ever put your guard down against wild Gus.] "Yes!" This one too died? Why didn''t he bite the human? He had enough time. Weird, very weird. Ah, will this one try now? This Gu there is a very good jumper. We have seen it at work. It will jump in the human''s mouth and devour him from the inside. This one is extremely deadly. Should we try too? No, we are weak. We cannot fight against them. We do not want to be forced to swim again. *CRICKET* *JUMP* *GULP* [*Cough cough* What the hell is wrong with these things?!] "What happened?!" [Didn''t you see that?! The crazy critter just jumped straight into my mouth. This is so DISGUSTING and .actually, it doesn''t taste that bad.] "A Gu jumped into your mouth?!" [Crazy, right?! Have they been stuck here so long that they have gone crazy?! What kind of suicidal tactic is that?!] Eaten? It is just the first part. Soon it will devour its way out. We have seen it before. We just have to wait. Soonsoonsoonis it dead? So strange. This human is dangerous. We should not attack. We have a new n. Wait until the human kills all of the other ancestors. Then we will be the only ancestor, we will be the strongest. No more swimming. How long will we have to wait? *CRUNCH* "What was that?" [Eh, I''m not sure. Let me check. I don''t see anything.] "Ah! I think you just walked on a Gu by mistake! Look at that gooey stuff on the floor." [Wow, just wow. I can''t wait to meet an actual Gu ancestor instead of these useless ones. Can you believe how fast and randomly they are dying?] "Yes!" Crushed, so easily. This one had the best armor. Not the sturdiest, but anyone making contact with it would die instantly. The barbs were supposed to dig deep into the sole. The human should have been dead. The human is fine. That is when a smart one attacks the human behind him. Both cannot be that strong, right? [Careful! There is one flying toward you!] *SLAP* "Thank you for saving my life!" [No problem. Actually, these are probably normal insects that mutated. Otherwise, they wouldn''tck intelligence so much.] "Ah, I see! What about that one? It looks pretty strong!" The finger. It is pointing at us. Is this the end? The human bes bigger and bigger as he approaches us. Quick! We hide all our deadly bits and y dead. [Oh, wow. Would you look at that? This one is definitely a normal insect. It''s so small, dirty, and weak looking, but at least it''s not aggressive. Guess I can bring that one back with us.] Danger! Danger! Danger! We feel our body getting raised up in the air. We see the big eyes ring at us. Don''t eat us, please! [Alright, you kinda look like a brown leaf. From now on your name will be Leaf. Behave. Now let''s look for the Gus.] Leaf? This Gu ancestor is now a Leaf. We will be anything, even this human''s dirty little Gu. Just don''t kill us. Please? We are scared, this human is scary! Wait, is he bringing us outside? What about the contract?! Even we realize how dangerous this is... Chapter 536: Oops! Chapter 536: Oops! This is ridiculous! We are in a cave where Gu ancestors are supposed to reside. Nope, not a single one to be found. Instead, there were so many normal insects, maybe weak Gus at best. There was a mosquito, a spider, a cricket, oh and a weird beetle that I crushed by mistake too. The only living one we did manage to find is a shivering small insect that looks like a brown leaf. It really can fade in the rocky background well. This one is so harmless looking that it doesn''t even trigger mypanion''s phobia. That''s how we keep walking for ages until I finally give up. I''m guessing all of our targets are hiding for some reason. Are they shy? Did they somehow hear him address me as a god and somehow believed it? Chances are Gu ancestors would be smart enough to avoid any risks. Oh well, it happens. [Sorry about that. It''s weird that we haven''t found any, but I have a friend that''s a Gu trainer. We can just ask him to help.] "Of course! Wait, don''t you have Gus?" He innocently asks, without even realizing that I''m obviously not the one he thinks. I need a good excuse. Ah, I know. [I won''t ept any random Gu, I have standards. As much as raising Gus is a power, it is also a responsibility. If one doesn''t even take care of one''s Gus there really is no point bothering in the first ce.] Yep, that was the puppy speech that one usually gives kids, Gu version. Yet, he doesn''t doubt me one bit. He nods seriously as if that even made sense. "I understand. I will remember your teachings!" That''s when we reach the barrier leading back to the sect. It is still glowing a bright orange. Just as I''m about to leave, I notice it is now physical. Was that a one-way entry only? "That''s weird" [What''s happening?] "In theory, it shouldn''t be restraining humans at all. Is it malfunctioning?" [Are we supposed to call for help or something?] "I''m pretty sure this barrier is soundproof. I guess we just need to wait until someone passes by." [Alright, how long will that take?] "A few months maximum." He''s rubbing his head as he says that. Months?! Hell no! It doesn''t look to be that solid. Somehow, I get the feeling I could open it. So, let''s just do a tiny person-sized hole in it so we can exit. Then, I''ll close it afterward. [Here goes nothing.] Let''s just use a tiny bit of divine energy and. *KACHA!* That''s when it entirely shatters. I look at mypanion and then. [Run!] I sprint as fast as possible with him behind me. Before long, we have left the scene of the crime. Then, once we are a good distance away, I turn back and use my scouting ability. [There doesn''t seem to be any Gu exiting. Perhaps they forgot that they lived in a cave? Maybe they just consider that ce their home now?] "Ah, they are probably still restrained by the pact. The barrier was probably an additional security measure." [Yep, that makes total sense.] That''s when I notice the leaf-looking insect shivering on my shoulder. It seems to be looking at where the barrier once stood. [Don''t worry little guy. You are safe. This new world may look scary, but you''ll see that it can be pretty nice too.] I can quite understand it. I guess he''s feeling simr to myself when I first appeared in this world. Crazy how I can rte to an insect, isn''t it? Some things are universal. We quickly find myself some clothes then head back to my friend''s room. He arrivester carrying jugs of various sizes. [Grocery shopping?] "Yes, food is great to train Gus. Ah, what is he doing here?" He points to the shy guy. [Right, can you spare a few Gus to train his phobia?] "Sure, I guess?" He takes out a few centipedes from his pocket. I grab them before dropping them in the scared guy''s palms. [Alright, hold them gently. You aren''t allowed to be scared. Think of this, they are more scared of you than you are of them!] I can hear a small whisper about how that''s definitely false, but whatever. A few minutester, he''s been bitten tons of times, but at least he gets used to it. My Gu trainer friend is just wondering what the hell we are doing, but he just watches curiously. Then before long, this session of ours is over and he''s cured of his phobia somehow. This shouldn''t be that fast but whatever I''ll consider that a win. He leaves happily, thanking me again foring down to the Earth realm. "What was that about?" [Eh, he somehow misunderstood me as the Eternal Gu Breeder.] I can''t help but shrug while he erupts inughter and rolls on the floor. "HAHAHAHA This is crazy! How the Hell did you manage to do that?!" [I''m not sure, to be honest. Anyway, how long will it take you to rebuild your Gu army?] "I need to get some more specimens but at least I have some to act as scouts so we can avoid most of the enemies." [That sounds nice. Avoidingbat is the best strategy!] Anything that leads to peace is amazing in my book. Plus, there is a good chance the water sect will have water elementals to watch the surroundings. Remaining unnoticed by them will be a challenge. If I run while carrying him and he scouts the way forward, the journey should be fast. Yep, that sounds like a good n. That''s when we hear a sound outside. There seems to be something going on. We share a puzzled look as my friend leaves to investigate. He quicklyes back with a very dark expression. "Something weird happened. The barrier leading to the Gu ancestors went down." It takes me all my efforts to fake an expression of disbelief. [Oh no! What does that mean?!] "It means Hell is about to be unleashed upon this very sect. This is extremely bad." [Why?] "It means this sect is nowpletely defenseless. We''ll have to fight for our very survival." He says it extremely solemnly. So, just how much did I fuck up?!... Chapter 537: Blame Game! Chapter 537: me Game! "It means this sect is nowpletely defenseless. We''ll have to fight for our very survival." What?! This doesn''t make sense. How is a single silly barrier rted to all this? I could understand if it was one that led to Abyss Devourers, but this one? [Wait, you said the barrier leading to the Gu ancestors, right? How is that a problem? Did they escape or something?] When I was watching, they were hiding so well I didn''t even see one. Did they coincidentally all run out as soon as I left? "That''s not it. They only defend our sect because of the contract forcing them to. It was established thanks to some really old legacy that we found." [So we just need to repair the barrier?] He shakes his head while sighing. "No, that''s the issue. The barrier itself was linked to the contract. It''s all over." [Wait, you mean?!] "The Gu ancestors are free to devour us, leave, or do whatever they want!" That''s when I feel Leaf shiver as it''s hidden in my sleeve. I understand, it all sounds pretty frightening. [God, that''s awful! So, what''s the n?] On one hand, I''m the one to me. On the other hand, it''s one of their very own sect members that guided me there. Plus, I checked and there were no signs saying anything about all that. It just shows ack of foresight on their part. But I''m no asshole. I''ll uphold the long heroic tradition of solving a problem I caused in the first ce. Honestly, that''s how you be famous as a hero quickly. "Well, the n is just for us to stay out of everyone''s way while they investigate." [Investigate?] I have a bad feeling about this. Should Ie clean? No, it''s all good. They have no proof whatsoever. Ah, I guess there is the small insect I picked up, but I''m sure they won''t recognize such amon creature. "Yes, it''s impossible to destroy a barrier that solid without leaving any trace." Solid barrier?! That''s bullshit! I was trying to barely poke a small hole in it for us to exit and it was destroyed before I knew it. Then again, it''s probably made to resist mana and poison, not divine energy. There is one good thing: a regr punch doesn''t leave any trace. Not sure what they''ll be searching for, but they won''t find it. That''s when the door literally explodes in a thousand pieces. *CRASH! * "There you are! Talk about coincidental timing! You just happen toe back and suddenly things start going down in the sect. Isn''t that peculiar?" There is a man in a blood-red robe grinning. Judging by his attitude, he is an enemy. Is he baselessly using us or? "Tch. What do you want? Shouldn''t you be looking for clues instead ofing here to bark pointlessly?" My friend looks awesome right now. He''s confident, calm, and not giving in to the potential bully. It would just be better without the viger clothes. Still, this is weird. Wasn''t he this ce''s Champion? Shouldn''t thatmand respect? My guess is yes, but the reality seems to be no. "Eh, that''s exactly what I am doing. Now, either follow obediently or I''ll have a reason to put you down like the dog you are." As he says that just oozing evil, a soundes from under his clothes. It seems to be a Gu that agrees with that statement. What now? My friend really only has the fruit fly to rely on. Plus, he wants to keep it a secret. Should I step in and beat up the guy already? Ah, that may cause more problems than it will solve. "Fine, we''ll follow. The sect leader is the one that will be in charge anyway. Not like you will be able to pull any meaningful tricks." He scoffs before gesturing me to follow the angry red dude. Guess it can''t be helped. Before long, we reach the crime scene. There are many people there. At the front row are two men and a middle-aged man. If this one is the sect leader "These are the other champions of this sect, including that asshole." My friend murmurs into my ear. Wait, what?! How many champions do they need?! They have four?! That means the earlier verbal altercation was between two champions bickering. That sounds so troublesome for nothing. As we approach, the old dudezily turns toward us. That''s when he fixes me with his ck eagle eyes. "Who is this?" No, seriously. Why is he watching me so intently? Does he swing that way? Am I in danger? My friend answers. "He is the one that has sessfully managed to make the Sun''s sect master flee. I sent you a message about it already." The man just observes me from head to toe without saying anything. He seems to show caution rtively fast. "Why is it that I cannot sense any mana from you?" [Because I''m not a mage.] "Yet, you managed to defeat a Rank 4? Why does this story sound extremely unbelievable?" He looks at me doubtfully while scrutinizing me. I think he''s trying to figure out if I''m being truthful. Honestly, I''m pretty sure there are better ways to go about it. Perhaps a truth serum? Perhaps a lie detector. Maybe even a spell to do it. No, he''s just fixing me. Of course, the more he does and the ufortable I be. That''s when the red-robbed guy chimes in. "Sect Leader. I''ve asked some people and this man has been seen walking around the sect. Some saw him at the Temple, and some saw him walk with that trash that''s afraid of Gus. I think he may be to me for this sudden urrence." I''m clearly guilty but I''m really not sure if they''d give me a fair trial. After all, I wasn''t trying to purposely damage anything. I still me theck of a warning sign. So for now, I''ll just proceed with a counterargument. Let''s reverse this on him. But for it to work, I need to show extreme confidence. Here goes nothing: [HAHAHA. How peculiar! I wasn''t even aware of what was happening before you barged in, telling us. This timing is awfully convenient, don''t you think? It just happens to go down when I''m here. Tell me, don''t you think you could have tried finding a better scapegoat?] On that note, I look at the red guy directly in the eyes. When in doubt, push the me back to the user. That''s what that one politician kept doing. Let''s see how this ys out Chapter 538: Lie-Detector Test Chapter 538: Lie-Detector Test On that note, I look at the red-clothed guy directly in the eyes. When in doubt, push the me back to the user. That''s what that one politician kept doing. Now, I just need to act innocent until I can figure out more about the situation. How does one do that? I need to make sure not to reveal anypromising information. Ah, right! I also need an alibi. When he asks me where I was, I''ll just reply to the temple. What about afterward? I went on a walk and returned directly to my friend''s ce. Nowes the tricky part. What happens if they ask me to retrace my steps? I''d be screwed. Ah, but then I can just say that I got lost while absent-minded. It will sound suspicious but not exactly impossible. That is when I hear the sound of hurried footsteps and notice a familiar face. "I''m here, sect leader! What can I do for you?" It''s my partner in crime, quite literally. He seems very different than in the morning. He is confident and doesn''t show any sign of fear. Did I solely cause that? I''m quite satisfied with that result, should I open a phobia curing clinic? "Alright,e here." The big boss addresses him in a deep voice. My fellow criminal stands in front of him. That is when the leader takes out a Gu. This one looks like a small dragon, it''s really impressive! This is insane, but what is even more insane is that he ces it on the man''s head. He barely flinches as a creature that clearly looks deadly makes contact with his body. At least it seems to be well-behaved. It won''t attack by itself, right? The leader is bbergasted by the calm the guy shows. At first, he looks suspiciously but then he seems to figure that perhaps he just really trusts him and is really innocent. Not that this will stop the questioning. "Now, do an oath to The Eternal Gu Breeder. For his sake you will only say the truth and nothing else but the truth. Should you lie, you will be devoured entirely, body and soul!" (leader) He doesn''t even hesitate andplies with the directives. He vows. Okay, this is bad. He is smiling while looking at me. I''m sure this thing isn''t just empty words, but how exactly does it work? If this spell works based on his beliefs then we are good. He really thinks I am the Eternal Gu Breeder. This means that maybe lying for my sake won''t be considered an offense. The only question is, what are the chances that we both get smitten by an angry god? I''d say very low. Part of me just thinks that surrendering is for the best, but part of me realizes that it may not be the best solution. If I confess and they try to lock me up/ kill me then I''ll have to fight my way out. This won''t bring good for anyone. Instead, I''d rather analyze the situation first and try to find a concrete solution to the Gu ancestors problems. Perhaps I could go in there and help tame them the right way this time? No need for a contract when you can resist poison thus giving one unlimited taming tries. Alright, so far my n is to wait for a miracle. I''ll also be ready to save my partner in crime should godly or human retribution befall him. Then, I''m ready to run if they somehow get to the bottom of this and are not open to negotiations. With a Gu above his head, he begins the tale of how we met in the temple. He then describes how we prayed together to the Gu deity. then how we went on a long walk before ending up at my friend''s ce where I helped cure him of his fear of Gus. He even affirms that we haven''t been near the scene of the crime. Now, that one is an obvious lie. I circte divine energy, but there doesn''t seem to be anything happening. Could it be that the whole truth spell is a set-up?! Yep, it seems this entire vow is fake, probably to increase the stress levels and make it easier to read the target. I can''t help but breathe out in relief. The leader is looking at the scene suspiciously, but he doesn''t detect any sign of untruthfulness. Still, how is this guy having such nerves of steel? Ah, actually I have a theory. Since he truly believes I am their god, it would also mean that all that is here belongs to me. It''s not vandalism when you destroy something you own in the first ce. That''s when their leader sighs. "This one doesn''t seem to be lying. It seems they really aren''t the ones that" That''s when the antagonist in red clothing interjects. "Wait! There is something strange going on. This man is supposed to be deadly afraid of Gus. No one just cures a phobia that easily. I believe he has been brainwashed by this man!" Of course, he''s dramatically pointing straight at me. How would I even brainwash someone? Convince another sure, but brainwash? Wouldn''t I need to be able to use magic for that to happen? I get alchemy could get the trick done somehow, not that I would know about it. Well, I do have an idea of how to clear my name. I''ll just take the BS fake test and be done with it. This way no one will know. Sometimes my own genius frightens me. Time to use my acting talents! [Is that so? Let me show you that I have nothing to hide! I''ll make that vow and we''ll see who is being truthful or not.] I simply repeat what I had heard before. It only takes me about five tries to say it correctly. Once I''m sworn in, they start the interrogation. "Do you men any harm of the Gu Meadow?" [No. This is my friend''s sect.] That is one is easy. I''m super friendly in general. "Were you the one that plotted to take down the barrier?" [No. Definitely not.] Plotted? I didn''t plot at all. I was just trying to open it slightly. Now, I did take it down but it was by mistake. "Did you ever meet a Gu ancestor?" [No.] God knows I tried, but there were none. All I got were very weak insects. "Do you have any rtion to the Sun sect?" [Of course not.] Well, there is the sun young master but I''m sure it doesn''t count, right? *Screech* That''s when the dragon Gu starts screeching. What is up with that?! I can see the expression of everyone around me hardening. They are all looking at me warily... Chapter 539: Fucked Up... Chapter 539: Fucked Up... *Screech* That''s when the dragon Gu starts screeching. What is up with that?! I can see the expression of everyone around me hardening. They are all looking at me warily. "This shouldn''t be possible. Why is the Gu sensing a lie but not our god?!" (leader) He looks pensive as he looks at me with wariness. "This is clear proof that he''s working with the enemy! I knew it!" (red asshole) "Wait for a second! What if the Gu was mistaken? I saw the enemy try to kill him with my own eyes. The fight was way too intense to be simple acting!" (friend) "Is that so? I have a better theory, you see." (red) "What? *growling*" (friend) "Isn''t it rather peculiar that there simply happened to be an attack from a very powerful sun mage and that this man right here just happened to manage to intimidate him away? This in itself should be close to impossible and yet he did it so easily? I doubt it!" (red) [I wouldn''t say easily, have you seen how scary his attacks were and] "Shut up! Somehow, this man managed to make the enemy flee and was weed without an afterthought in our domain. But as soon as he did cmity struck us, leaving our sect vulnerable!" (red) [Um, guys. Can''t we try to find a solution to the currentck of a barrier instead of this?] "No, we need to find the culprit to get more information on how this was done and know if there aren''t any other devious ns in store." (leader) Fiding me won''t help at all, however. Meanwhile, my friend and the red dude are still fighting. "What are you insinuating? That I have betrayed the sect!" (friend) "I''m not sure about you, but I am calling it right now. This man right there was sent by our enemies to destroy us from the inside!" (red) [Look, guys. I have no motive whatsoever to go through all that trouble in the first ce. This is a next-level conspiracy theory. You guys can train Gus here all you want and I won''t care.] "I rest my case! The man does not care about our sect! I suggest we bind him and feed him to the Gus in the Rearingnd!" (red) "*Sigh* No motive, is it? That seems to be true." (leader) [Then we are all good?] I can''t help but look at him in expectation. He has finally realized that I gain absolutely nothing by fighting them. In fact, they are the ones that have the most to lose. "Then again, it wouldn''t be the first time someone attacks our Gu Meadow without any motive. So what exactly is your rtionship with the sun sect? Say it all."(leader) [As far as I''m concerned just enemies...] *Screech* Oh god, I seriously hate this lie-detecting bug right now. "See! He''s lying once more!" (red) [Well, there is that one guy I know that used to be in it. I''m pretty sure he has quit by now, but I have no way to be certain.] "That''s as good as an admission of guilt. Fraternising with an enemy. Also, on does not just change sect on a whim." (red) [I know many people that changed sects in their lives.] "He knows turncoats to boot. Talk about traitorous!" [That''s not what I meant at all!] "I''ve heard enough. Something seems fishy. Seize him!" (leader) [Wait a second I...] Many sect members are gathering around me. They show clear hostility. This is bad. What do I do? Run for it? I''ll just grab my friend and dash away. This should be good enough. It''s fine even if his army of Gus is not ready yet. I should be able to face the water sect alone if I take them out one by one somehow. I can''t believe this is happening. "Wait! I''m still convinced there is some sort of mistake here. How about this? I''m ready to put my Champion''s identity on the line to vouch for him!" (friend) Damn! That''s so cool. He shouts that loudly and with confidence. So impressive! He looks at me and gives me a nce that says he''s got my back. This is what friends are for, really. Everyone around stops. They all look at him in shock. It seems a Champion is still worth something around here. Good. They all lower their Gus. That is when the leader looks our way, extremely seriously. "Are you sure? There will be noing back from this." (leader) "Totally. He has saved my life many times already. If he wanted to cause us harm, I believe he would have acted in a more destructive and efficient way." (friend) "Are you crazy?! A way more efficient than effectively taking down our veryst line of defense?!" (red) "Enough! You have made your choice. For now, the both of you will be kept in house arrest while we investigate the situation some more." (leader) "Of course!" (friend) That''s it? Nothing else? This feels like we could have done that from the start. Oh well. The guy that I met at the temple looks happy beyond belief. I''m not sure if he''s relieved because I''ll be fine or because there won''t be a god rampaging in their base. Either way, it doesn''t matter. That red-clothed guy is giving us a very mean look that says he will be watching us while plotting to cause my demise. Whatever. That is when they start concentrating their efforts on the cave itself to find clues and we are escorted back under heavy guard. So, they are using Gus to hold us hostage. I''m literally immune to these things. I can''t help but wonder how anyone hasn''t annihted their entire faction yet. I''m just saying that it would probably be extremely easy. It would only be a matter of bringing enough insect poison and bam, job well done! Can you picture all Gus in the sect falling like flies? That would be so devastating. [So, what do we do now?] "We wait, that''s it, nothing else." (friend) [Alright, what''s up with the red-clothed guy? Why does he hate you so much?] "Because I''m too easy-going and simple. He feels shame beingpared to me. Plus, I don''t look up to him, and he took that personally." [This gotta be the worst reason ever.] "HAHA Perhaps, but that''s his." [Say, why are you even with them if there are people hating you so much? Couldn''t you just quietly wander the world in search of adventure or something? You could carry delicious fruits with you.] "Thinking of it and doing it are two things. For now, I will remain here." [What about going to the water sect? You are stilling, right?] "Of course! I wasn''t kidding when I said earlier that I owed you one for saving my life. Without you I would have been burned to oblivion and so would he." I can''t help but smile as I see the head of the little fruit fly peak out of my friend''s clothes. Except, that''s the moment the little insect I picked up decides to go out too. As soon as my friend sees it he starts freaking out. His eyes are bulging and he starts frantically pointing at it. "Wait?! What the hell is that?!" [Eh, just an insect I picked up along the way.] "Wait, that''s no insect that''s a very powerful Gu ancestor!" [Wait, what?! Seriously?!] "Don''t tell me you....?!" The way he nces at me has suddenly changed. His gaze has hardened and he seems lost. [Wait, I can exin!]... Chapter 540: Planning and Opportunity Chapter 540: nning and Opportunity [Wait, I can exin!] His gaze hardens. "That means you went in there and got yourself a Gu. How did you pass the earlier test?" [That...He kept asking questions about if I tried to destroy the barrier. The thing is, I was just stuck and] "You did it by mistake?!" [Yes] "Normally, this would be impossible. But if it''s you, I can somehow believe it. What about the powerful Gu ancestors?" [I''ve seen a few small Gus but no Gu ancestor at all.] I vividly remember the sect leader''s Gu. It was way more intimidating than the little ones I killed in the cave, so they really weren''t Gu ancestors. "What about this one?" [Are you sure it''s one? I mean, just look at it. It looks harmless, doesn''t it? This one is Leaf. Say hello!] The small Gu bows slightly. My friend shows shock, but then he shrugs and looks at me in wonder. Then he sighs. "I can understand the confusion. It seems to be a very rare exception, like my own invisible killer. You were really lucky to encounter one so peaceful. Then again, I''m betting it doesn''t matter much to you with your resistance." I nod without making a fuss. An exception exins it I guess. "I''m just curious what its means of defense are." [Leaf, is it true? Can you show us?] That is when the small brown insect opens its wings, revealing a curled-up stinger and spikes underneath that look extremely sharp. Then it opens its small mouth, and many rows of deadly teeth can be seen. Wow! But then, as if it was but a lie, it returns to its previous appearance. My friend is sweating and trembling a bit. I guess I somehow stumbled over a rare and valuable Gu. [Alright, what do we do now? I want to help and repair the barrier.] "It''s toote for that. Far toote. But I may just have an idea." [Shoot!] "The main reason why these Gus are in another area altogether is that they are too powerful and proud to be tamed. That''s the whole reason why the contract happened." [So, what do we do?] "We somehow bring them out and try taming them!" [I''m listening.] "First, we use your perverse poison resistance to attract their attention. Then we''ll capture them and have them follow us obediently. Best if we can grab many at once. If any refuses to cooperate, we''ll kill it to make an example." [Aren''t these Gus supposed to be valuable? Can we really kill them so easily?] "It''s better to have dead Gu ancestors than living ones that may stab us in the back at any given moment." He has a point. [Still, what do we do about the house arrest?] "We wait. They can''t keep us in here forever. Soon we''ll go explore it all." [Wait, won''t they be at risk if they head in there?] "Not really. These Gus are subjects of the Eternal Gu Breeder. This means that they won''t kill his champions easily. They''ll be fine." Wow, the more you know. It appears strange to me. Somehow, they are all subjects of the same god, but they won''t simply work in harmony. It''s such a waste, really. This is something I need to make sure never happens. Infighting is the worst. That''s when we hear a knocking sound. *Knock Kock* [Who''s there?] The door opens to reveal...the sect leader?! What is he doing here? My friend slightly bows his head as a sign of respect. As for the guards that were at guarding the ce, they are nowhere to be seen. "Sect leader!" "I''ve heard about our situation. You''ve been wandering around the sect subtly buying Gus. You''ve lost the ones you had, didn''t you?" My friend barely hesitates before he nods in the affirmative. "You should know that this alone should be enough to disqualify you as a champion, right?" Is it that serious?! Why is he telling us that calmly? My friend is calm too for some reason. "I''ll give you a chance. Follow me, both of you." He leads us for a while. I lose track of where we are after many twists and turns. Eventually, we reach a sturdy-looking door in the rock. This ce seems special, judging by my friend''s reaction at least. The leader starts to open the door. That''s when tons of Gus try and exit all at once, but the dragon-looking Gu scares them all away. I swear, this dragon Gu can roar! He gestures us to enter. The interior is dark and somehow humid a bit. So are we just supposed to wander around here? Just as I''m wondering that, I hear a faint whisper behind us. "Well, good luck to you both. May the Eternal Gu Breeder decide your fate." That''s when his Dragon-Gu flies forward at insane speed! I can barely blink that I feel pain course through my body. This thing just bit me! Why?! Then it does the same to my friend before flying away extremely fast once more. On that note, the man ms the door shut. I can even hear some kind of lock being put in ce. What the Hell just happened?! But that''s when I see my friend topple to the ground. Oh no! He looks like a puppet with its string cut. [Hey, are you alright?!] I kneel next to him and start healing him, but that''s when tons of Gus start flying toward us. Small and medium ones violently start biting him. [Get away from him!] They are so numerous! I can''t physically stop them all. I keep pumping divine energy, but he''s getting poisoned as fast as I can heal him. That''s when the small fruit flyes forward and valiantly starts to defend us. It starts ughtering the Gus left and right. But even then, they just avoid it and keep biting. Why?! What the fuck is wrong with them?! What the Hell is wrong with that leader?! My friend is getting stung non-stop. Just as I''m starting to despair, Leafes out. It is so small and harmless. But as it starts screeching, all of the invading Gus stop dead in their track. That''s when they fall unmoving to the ground. How?! Wait, no. It doesn''t matter right now. I keep the healing going. I pump as much divine energy as I can safely do. [Come back to us! Don''t go toward the light! Turn back and] "What light? This ce is the Gu rearingnd. There is no light" He gives me a small smile as he jokingly answers me. He''s conscious. He''s fine! I can feel my entire body rx. I have no clue what is going on right now, but it''s all good as long as we are all safe. [You''re alright! This is great. I got worried for a second.] He seems pensive. [What the heck happened exactly?] He looks at me solemnly. "It means that the Eternal Gu Breeder wants me dead. You, my friend, have just thwarted the n of a godly being." What?! Holy shit! Chapter 541: When Lost Ask God Chapter 541: When Lost Ask God ****(POV) Was that the right move? I don''t know anymore I''ve been leading the Gu Meadow for so long and today is definitely a first. I thought the barrier going down was already crazy, but it was only the beginning of our troubles. We are strong because of our offense. One bite, and whoever is opposing us dies. Well, that only works when there are ws to exploit. Now, the issue is that many Rank 4 powerhouses have developed incredible defense methods. This makes it so some are fundamentally immune to our power. But that''s where the Gu ancestorse into y. They are ourst trump cards to get rid of the elites. That is really all that we are afraid of. No matter the number of cannon fodders it won''t pose any threat. It would only mean more food for our Gus, and all could be dispatched with one single poisonous fog attack. Now, we have lost this trump card of ours. How big is the damage? Initially, I was still hopeful. Without the contract, they won''t do our bidding for sure, but the Gu ancestors may just save our sect fromplete annihtion on a whim. But soon, I understood how optimist I had been. It''s not just the barrier that''s missing. The Gu ancestors are gone too. It''s as if they were never there in the first ce. We kept searching and searching but without sess. This right there is chilling. What kind of power can do all that without anyone noticing?! We just realized after the fact. The only saving grace is that so far, only the champions know about it. As far as the general members are concerned, the Gu ancestors are still fine and well. But there is only so much time that we can buy. Gu ancestors without the barrier will not behave at all. They wille out and eat disciples randomly. That''s what they were doing in the past. There is already unrest about it. But there will be even more unrest once people realize that there are no traces of our vindicative protectors. All this is giving me a huge headache. At that point, I was already freaking out, but it got even worse. The Gu Meadow has been peaceful for so long that it was bound to happen. It''s just the timing that is horrible. At our border, there are now many armies assembled. Somehow there are righteous, neutral, and evil sects alike in their midst. This isn''t that surprising, considering how hated we are. No, what is strange is their leader. The sect leader of the Sun sect is heading the operation. He''s already destroyed a few viges just to vent. Their demands are peculiar too. They sent a messenger. Well, a few. They all got devoured by Gus, but we did get the message. They want two individuals offered to them on a silver tter, and then they will leave peacefully. They are here for revenge, or so they say. One is that one champion that I gave my word to treat fairly. The other is the unknown man he hase with. I have questioned this visitor, and he triggered my Gu to think he was lying but never got any godly retribution. This implies that he lied slightly but that somehow the Eternal Gu Breeder approves of his conduct. It has been so long since we have gotten an oracle from our god that I feel lost. What are we even supposed to be doing? But this much is normal. Our god often goes in seclusion for long periods of time training Gus. Still, it is hard making appropriate decisions like this. Once more, I managed to hide the news, at least for now. The Champions are the only ones that know about it. So far, each of the three champions has its own opinion about the topic. One thinks they are on our side and shouldn''t be given up no matter what. One thinks they are troublemakers that should be handed over to them. One thinks they are our enemies and should be tortured in the most painful of ways then handed over to them. But here is the issue. If they are our enemies, why would the Eternal Gu Breeder refrain from sending us a sign? The whole vow ritual was using his power. It would have surely reacted if they were enemies. If they truly are on our side, then why are they acting so suspicious? A report of the unknown man walking naked arrived at me. He was said to have just gone on a normal walk. This doesn''t seem to fit that narrative. Then there is the rumor about the demise of the sun sect''s young master. Sadly, confirming whether it''s true or not proves hard. Given that this suspicious champion has been going around buying Gus, it''s probably true. He perhaps lost his Gus in the process. Then, are these armies really here for revenge, or are they just trying to extract allies before theyunch their assault? This one is far stretched but still possible. I really have no clue! Allies? Enemies? A misunderstanding, perhaps? I really feel lost. That''s why I decided to proceed as I did. I brought them both to the Gu Rearing Land. That ce has tons of wild Gus, but it does fall under the Eternal Gu Breeder''s jurisdiction. I simply threw them in, poisoned them both with a mild paralyzing toxin, and locked the door. Then I came straight back here. I''m now in our temple, praying to the Gu deity. I''ve aplished a ritual beforehand to send a one-way message to our god. To manage such a feat, I had to sacrifice an old artifact that we possessed. Many would agree that it is foolish of me to do such a thing, but I somehow feel that it is needed. There is something about the two of them. They look extremely weak somehow, but I have the feeling they can aplish great things. Am I delusional? Perhaps. Perhaps I am even going insane. But, I do not want to be the one to decide their fate recklessly. I am not qualified enough for it. I am but a mere mortal. Thus, our god shall make the decision. If they survive, it will be god''s will. If they die, it will be god''s will too. Now, I need to wait patiently and pray Chapter 542: Time to Leave Chapter 542: Time to Leave "It means that the Eternal Gu Breeder wants me dead. You, my friend, have just thwarted the n of a godly being." [What?!] "The sect leader left our fate to the Gu deity to decide. The verdict is that we were not worth saving, it seems." He just threw us in here like that?! What kind of disregard for human life is this? Are we nothing more than worms in his eyes? My friend doesn''t seem surprised either. This is what he considers normal, isn''t it? This is so messed up! [Why would he rely on a god for something so critical?! What if the god was busy with something and just didn''t see?] "I doubt that. Gods are greater entities. They won''t make a simple mistake like that." Greater entities my ass! Sure, they are more powerful than people of the Earth realm, but they are evidently wed! Hell, I even have some as my subordinates somehow. This whole transcendent being act is really bullshit. [Waitnow that we are alive and well we can just leave, right? Then they''ll think we''ve been saved.] "I wish. This kind of ritual should put a mark on us should the Gu deity spare us. We won''t be able to fake it." Why is it that gods love to put their stamp on people so much? Good thing the water goddess''s mark on my forehead is gone at least. [So, what''s the n now?] "We should still have some time before theye to check on us. This ce is protected by potent spells. The only entrance or exit is the one we came from. Chances are it''s guarded too." [You''re telling me there is no other exit in this sewer-looking area?] "Exactly, I wish we could magically make one, but sadly we''ll have to wait for" [Actually, why can''t we?] "What do you mean?" [Can you guide me to the area farthest away from the sect above?] He seems unsure about what I''m nning, but heplies. We walk in silence. The ce is dark, there is water on the side, but it seems stale, it smells stuffy, and the only sound we can hear is our own footsteps. All around are plenty of Gus lurking in the darkness. They are warily eyeing us as we progress. No, they are scared of Leaf. They are staring at it, making sure it doesn''t suddenly attack them. I can''t help but chuckle. Fight fire with fire and Gus with Gus, it seems. From time to time, my friend grabs a Gu to tame it. Part of them wants to struggle, but then they look my way and give up. Still, he''s carefully choosing them. Right now, it''s possible to subdue any thanks to the Gu ancestor, but it could prove dangerouster on. He''s selecting ones that are less likely to turn on him and will cooperate with the other Gus. I swear this requires a lot more knowledge than I thought. Compared to this, beast-taming almost seems brain-dead. Before long, we reach a dead-end with a sturdy-looking stone wall on front. There is even a scary-looking nightmarish moth Gu nesting there, but it politely moves away when it sees us. "This should be the farthest point from the sect." [Alright, let''s get to work then.] So what if there isn''t any other exit? I''ll just dig one! I y the living excavator with my friend rubbing his eyes in disbelief by the side. "W-what happened to the restrictions?!" [Eh, what do you mean?] "N-no, never mind." If there were any, they''re gone. I dig the rock barehanded. Then, I reach the soil part pretty quickly. I keep digging. How long has this ce remained closed off from the world? This ce is apparently the future of their sect. It''s where they get all the Gus for the new generation. Of course, I''m aware of the disaster this digging will likely cause the Gu sect. Still, it''s karma for trying to kill me. I wonder how much the Gu Breeder will regret afterward. Well, it''s not my problem. He should have encouraged his followers to have a little more initiative. It''s incredibly stupid if you ask me. That''s how I keep digging until the rays of the setting sun fall on my face. The air is fresh too, and I can see the tall, vibrant grass swaying in the wind. It''s such a big change from the dark sewers that I can''t help but take a moment to enjoy it. "I can''t believe that you''ve breached the Gu Rearing Land in only a few hours. It should have been an imprable fortress!" After saying that, he takes one longst look behind us while sighing. He realizes what we''ve just done means. From now on, he will have to break ties with the Gu sect. There will not be any possibility of reconciliation. I can seeplex emotions pass in his eyes. He doesn''t regret anything, but he seems to be reminiscing. He probably remembers all the time he spent there. It will be a new page in his life for sure. But I do not see any guilt either. He did his best for them, even fighting the Sun Young master and risking his life. Yet, they repaid him with suspicion and hate. [Are you alright?] "Of course. It just feels strange to leave that easily. There are no goodbyes, no fighting either. We are simply sneaking out. Who knows when they will even realize that we are gone? But, even when they do, it will be toote. [I understand, shall we go? Do you want to take care of the scouting?] He nods as he sends tons of Gus flying in every direction. As we leave, I notice all the wild Gus behind leave excitingly before scurrying toward the greenery. They instantly disappear, hopefully for a better life. Usually, that''d be really bad, but Gus already infests this pace. It''s not like a few more will make a big difference, right? That is how we walk away, leaving all our troubles behind. Water sect, here Ie. I got a pink-haired girl to save, and I''m not stopping before I seed... Chapter 543: Men Versus Gus Chapter 543: Men Versus Gus ****(POV) In a charred area, hundreds of allied soldiers are resting. Thisnd once was vibrant and full of life. This exact spot used to be part of the surrounding green and lush Meadow. The current area smells of death, but it is better than the greenery that is death itself. Even as we are resting, the atmosphere is extremely tense. That much is a given. From time to time, a scream of agony can be heard as some soldier gets bitten by a deadly Gu. These creatures are guing thisnd. To progress, our soldiers have no choice but to burn it all. The problem is that the demonic insects have good instincts. They hide from the destruction by burying in the earth. Then, they emerge as they feel the footstep above them. At first, we tried progressing quickly, but it only led to tons of casualties. Now, we are taking our time. Many have spells that can do short work of it all, but so what? Are we going to tire ourselves even before meeting the Gu sect? No way! That''s why we are resting and soon we will work again. The more time passes and the worse the morale of the army bes. That much is natural because there are many factions in our midst. I am the one that needs to unify all of them. Usually, I would never work with such shady individuals. I would be the first one to try and kill as many of them as possible. The Sons of Steel? They can''t take a stance on what matters and like to fight too much. White Lotus? They are technically our allies, but they are too full of themselves. They are horrible allies to have. The Muddy ones? They are simply strange both in their thinking and action. The Envement Company? They are in evil and deserve to be smitten, but they serve as good meat shields on this asion. Purity Sect? They are surprisingly the only ones that are not causing trouble. Usually, none of these would listen to anyone. In fact, they were prepared to kill each other before. But the power I hold and ourmon hatred have led to me temporarily be their leader. We are slowly but surely advancing. At this rate, we should be able to reach the Gu sect in a few weeks. Crazy how a journey that usually takes a few days for our enemies is so troublesome for us. Of course, I tried to steal a few Gu repents from viges. It turns out that they are designed to stop working as soon as they are moved. For once, I even tried diplomacy. I sent messengers with an ultimatum for our enemies. If they sacrifice the one that killed my son, then everything will be fine. Usually, I wouldn''t even think of negotiating, but now is an exception. The only reason there isn''t infighting yet is because of me. Every time one sumbs to a Gu there is an endless debate about who''s to me. The mages want the vanguard to go in front. The vanguard doesn''t want to open the path with their lives. It''s horrible. Even now, they have to remain a far distance from one another in order to avoid conflict. I''m almost tempted to go ahead alone. I''m sure I can do that, but there is one thing that worries me. The Gu sect has Gu ancestors. They are especially effective against single targets. I wouldn''t be able to cast any strong spell without leaving myselfpletely open. I need people to protect me as I chant. I can''t help but ask a question I''ve asked a few times already. "Any news about the messengers?" "They are all dead, but we believe they have gotten our message. But so far, we have had no reply." This is the worst. Ah, I can only be patient. As they say, revenge is a dish served cold. Just as I think that,e many rms and screams. "We''re under attack!" "We''re all going to die!!" "Oh no! What the Hell is that?!" "Quick, grab your weapons and shields!" On the horizon appears what looks like a small cloud. The problem is it''s entirely made of Gus! This is insane! I begin shouting directives: "Sons of Steel in front! Muddy ones, I want earths to block most Gus! White Lotus, st all of this! Envement Company sacrifices to create a bloody regeneration aura for allies. Purity sect, you guys are on the anti-poison fog duty!" As much as they hate following orders, they allply. At this very moment, they realize that their very lives depend on this. There is no time for bickering at all. That is how begins a fight that can only be described as ruthless and savage. There is no politics involved. It is but a fight for survival. The humans versus the Gus. Our desire to live and our hatred for the Gus are burning brightly, giving us strength. Our allies fall like flies. The enemies are literal flies, and many are dying. Screams echo around the battlefield. I begin sending as many sr rays as I can. Every time, I picture the Gus as the huge face of my son''s murderer. We keep going and going, fighting as if we have unlimited stamina. We know that a single mistake will kill everyone. After a long time, we finally manage to intimidate the Gus away. They leave, going back into hiding in some grass. What the Hell happened?! This looks like a coordinated attack at first nce but then doesn''t with more analysis. They should have capitalized on that opportunity otherwise. We were sitting ducks while fighting the Gus. I gesture some guy from the Purity Sect toe over. "Yes?" "Listen, you can generate a small aura that will make it so the generals Gus will ignore you for a few seconds, right? I want you to go scout in that direction. There seems to be something fishy going on." We all await in a somber atmosphere. Half our troops are gone. At this rate, we''ll have to cancel this assault. There is no way I''ll ept that! We wait for a long while until the scoutes back, highly excited. He doesn''t look anything like a man despairing. "T-there is a tunnel! It seems to lead straight into the enemy''snd!" Haha. This is amazing! This seems like a miracle! Whichever god made this happen...Thank you so much! Chapter 544: The Gu Sect Shall Fall! Chapter 544: The Gu Sect Shall Fall! ****(POV) "T-there is a tunnel! It seems to lead straight into the enemy''snd!" This sentence is heavenly music to my ears. Just as we were facing our greatest peril, a miracle happens. This is divine providence for sure! Hellios is helping us! I can hear the others thank their god but they are obviously in the wrong. As if their pitiful excuse of a deity could save us with such impable timing! "We move out, right now!" We need to act quickly. If we take too long they will take notice of this weakness. As we get there I can see the tunnel. There is a small voice in the back of my head that tells me this may be a trap for sure. But, with a second look at it, I realize something. It hasn''t been dug with any tool. This would be impossible for a human. Chances are the Gus we just faced were but a tiny portion of the ones that escaped. How long have these creatures been working toward their freedom? This somewhat scares me but I''ll just ignore it for now. Chances are, a Gu King has been born. This means that this swarm of deadly Gus probably has a leader and purpose. It is close to impossible and quite frankly terrifying but it''s also not my problem. Other factions can bear the brunt of it all. There is already a beast tide ravaging the continent. Hopefully, the Gu tide and the beast tide will collide. Plus all of this is spective. "Alright! We march forward! With a path as direct as this one, we should reach our destination in about a day. Today we will eradicate evil from the world!" I can hear small cheers as I say these lines. Well, all except the Envementpany. They are perfectly aware that they are only here as sacrifices. Ironic of them to suffer that fate really. That''s how we keep walking. To make sure we aren''t followed, we even make the Muddy ones close the tunnel behind us. This is how we proceed inplete darkness. Many are frightened and afraid that a Gu is going to jump straight at them at any given time. Except, nothing happens the whole journey. Eventually, we reach dark sewers. "What is this ce?" "Sir, I think this is the Gu Rearing Land" "HAHAHAHAHA. Seriously?!" I can''t help but erupt inughter. If it''s really these Gus that escaped it means that the Gu Meadow is already defeated as a faction. In terms of actual power, they won''t be able topete in a few years. But, it is better if we ughter them now. Gu trainers are extremely good at hiding. The only reason they are out in the open (kinda) is that they have the strength to protect themselvesexcept they don''t anymore. This is going to feel amazing! I can feel my body prepare itself for the uing fight. Even the weak soldiers feel this excitement. After living in fear of Gus they want nothing more than to get revenge. "What do you guys propose when we beat them?" I yfully ask. Various extremely enthusiastic answerse. "We burn it all to the ground!" "We kill them all!" We rape their women" "We rape their Gus!" Wait, what the Hell?! There is seriously something wrong with these people. Let''s add killing them to the list afterward. As soon as I don''t need any meat shield, they are all going down. After a while of walking, we encounter this ce''s entrance gates. No casualty whatsoever. Soon we will be right in the enemy''s headquarter. We will bring destruction and death, it will be oh so sweet! "Shall we get this party started?" Now, how do we do this? The muddy ones could force it open with an earth spell. The white lotus ones would be too shy. I could possibly melt it along with the possible guards behind too. That''s when I see one of the Sons of Steel approach with a grin. Then he knocks on the door. *KNOCK KOCK* Are you kidding me?! I''m almost tempted to execute him right now, but I refrain. It seems incredibly stupid but it may just work. Perhaps they will think this to be the birth of a special Gu. Maybe they will even open the door themselves to investigate. I can''t help but chastise myself. Of course, that is way too optimistic. Or not *Creaking of a sturdy door* I can''t believe these idiots areing inside to investigate! Talk about a bad decision and bad luck! Soon enough we see the faces of some Gu trainers pop in. Of course, we make short work of them. It is so satisfying to see the look on their faces as they realize far toote that something is wrong. "It is time to have fun, everyone!" That is when they start screaming while charging forward. They are blinded by rage and madness. Nothing will stop them. It''s quite a failure as a sneak attack, but it doesn''t matter that much. They will serve nicely to test the defenses of this ce. I will lie in the shadow and wait for the perfect moment to strike. I slowly prepare tons of defensive and attack formations. If I were alone, I wouldn''t have had the time to set up all this. Many would think this sounds ironicing from the sun sect, but they''d be wrong. Even the Sun knows to bid its time asionally. It is only so it can shine even more brightly in the morning. In fact, our sect''s specialty has little to do with what I am doing right now. This is because I have been learning so many different techniques in a bid to progress to Rank 5. I was hoping to stand at the top f the world along with my son. Yet, all this was for naught. He was killed in an underhanded way for sure. I''m suspecting this Gu Champion had help from that incredibly strong man. The Unnamed God Sect, was it? Today the Gu sect is no more. Tomorrow this evil meddling Unnamed Sect will suffer the same fate. Chapter 545: The Gu Sect Shall Survive! Chapter 545: The Gu Sect Shall Survive! ****(POV) For some reason, I feel extremely uneasy. At first, I felt a sense of peace and serenity. After all, I had just resolved to ask the Gu Deity for help. There is no being more deserving of our trust than our God. I still remember the time that we were nothing more than runaways. We would practice Gu training, hidden from the world in shame. It is because of the Eternal Gu Breeder that we managed to live without fear. Of course, the mortality rate is still high. This is how it is when one trains Gus. But all that doesn''t matter. Dying isn''t that scary. What is extremely terrifying is not having control of our own destiny. Being at the mercy of others is the worst feeling ever. It is extremely degrading! But now, there is something weird. Before, whenever I prayed to our god I would feel this fuzzy and warm feeling in my chest that kept me going. Now, it is gone. Instantly, thousands of possibilities start swirling in my head. Perhaps the Gu Deity is focused on the trial. Perhaps the Gu deity is observing the movement of our enemies. Perhaps he is nning in his infinite wisdom..Or perhaps I have been abandoned. Thisst possibility terrifies me. Without him we are nothing. The day our god abandons us is the day we die with certainty. There is no doubt in my heart about that. Just as I am stressing over this, I start hearing a ruckus in the sect. What are these guys up to? Ah, it can only be the Champion on trialing back victoriously, right?! But then I hear some more screams. These are not of joy, or surprise, but screams of terror, pain, and dying ones. There is something wrong! So very wrong! I quickly exit and this is when I see them. There are enemies everywhere. How?! This is impossible! How did they ?! No time to think. "Kill them all!" My trusty Dragon-Gu takes flight and starts ughtering them with unbelievable efficiency. At first that it They soon regroup. There seem to be many factions. These are all the ones that were sieging us. Did they use an ancient artifact or a forbidden spell to break in?! But there are way too many enemies. My Dragon-Gu is stronger against a few enemies. They smirk as they set-up imprable defenses..or so they think. "Time for a spell. Take my mana and ughter them all!" They finally show fright but it is toote. My Gu begins to erge before it is the size of a human head. This may seem small but it is extremely big for a Gu. With its size increasees newfound power and speed. It charges at them, easily breaching their defenses this time around. Thenes the sound of agony as their entire bodies are reduced to unidentifiable goo. But, this isn''t enough. There are far too many of them. Looking at them all, I know it. We will have trouble driving them back. But I do realize it. There is no way that this will be so easy. Their leader will be the most troublesome. The leader of the sun sect. With him alive the chances of anyone leaving alive are null. I would be the only one with a chance to survive. But at what cost? I would have to leave behind all of the sect members. I cannot let that happen. All of them can die for all I care, but the Gu legacy needs to keep going. For that, we need the three remaining Champions to survive. I''ve made my decision. I slowly make my way toward the main battlefield. I am treading it like a god amongst men. With every of my step, dozens of enemies die. At this rate, they will soon bepletely annihted. The cannon fodder that is. "Sect leader!" I hear a young voice. There they are, the three champions. Leading them is the one that is closest to being the true champion. He managed to tame the strongest Gu so far. He is still wearing his red robe as usual. "Follow me. I will open a path for you youngsters. Run and don''t look back. Do you understand?" They nod gravely. They know that now is not the time to argue. We keep progressing until we encounter him. There he is. The Sun sect''s leader. He looks middle-aged, but his eyes betray him. This monster has been alive for far too long. At his feet are countless formations that are obviously extremely deadly. This fight will be extremely challenging. No, more than that. I will die. But, it doesn''t matter. "The Gu sect leader, eh? You have finally stopped hiding. See what your stubbornness caused? You could have handed the murderer over, but...no!" "Please. We both know this isn''t about this. You always wanted to annihte our sect. This is but a convenient excuse that you fabricated entirely. It would take a legion to take down the Sun Young master." "Still acting oblivious? It''s fine. This will be all over soon. It seems you are covering for that other man too, eh? The one that fought me to a standstill somehow." What?! That was true?! It wasn''t an exaggeration?! No, he''s just trying to rattle me. There is no need to think about the past or the future. I just need to think about the now. I need to kill him now so there can be a future for the Gu sect. "How does it feel to know that your sect will fall alongside you? This is a punishment from Hellios himself!" "Is that so? You see, Gu Trainers are not exactly as weak as you seem to think." I can''t help but smile as I say that. Right now will be thest fight of my life. This will be to redress all the injustice we have suffered over the years. I activate my strongest spell. My lifespan begins burning furiously. In a few seconds, I will be invincible. Wellfor a few instants only. Then I will disappear. But, these few instants will be enough to rid the earth realm of this invader. He tries to take me down but my Dragon-Gu is blocking it all. We have lived for a long time too. I smile brightly as I utter thest words of my life: "May the Gu Meadow forever prosper!" This is over we have won we have ARG It all stops. Why?! How?! I can feel pain! So much pain! But that doesn''t matter. I need to As my body falls paralyzed I can see a red figure towering over me. He is smiling. Why is he still here?! I was sacrificing myself to That''s when I see it. The other two champions are dead. "Wee to the Sun Sect kid. You and I both will have our revenge." Why?! This doesn''t make my sense!... ???? ?? ??? ?? ????. Chapter 546: He Stole Our Cold Chapter 546: He Stole Our Cold ****(POV) How tiny must we look right now? Two small figures running in an endless expense of ice. Our white robes are barely protecting us from the cold, but at least it shows others our affiliation. How many have given up on killing us after seeing the hand symbol made with swirling lines? A few, at least. "Master, stop! Please reconsider! This is madness!" In the back, I can hear the pleading voice of my disciple. She has always been a strong one, but she always acts like this whenever I am going on a dangerous mission. She thinks of me as her mother. Well, it has been a long time since I have weed her in the Serene Plenitude Sect. Even now, as her feet are frozen and the wind mercilessly cut at her delicate skin, she still follows. She turned out tock the gift of magic. Yet, she still decided to stay to do the best she can to help. As usual, we will go through the same exchange. "You know perfectly well that I must go. This is one of the highest threats the continent is facing. Forget the war. Everything will be destroyed by this ice elementals beast tide if this continues." "Can''t the more powerful sects do anything about it?" "Can? Yes. Will they? No. You should know this too, right?" "This is so unfair! Why do you have to be the one risking your life! Why?! This doesn''t make sense!" "Yes, it doesn''t. The world makes no sense. Yet, we try to bring a little bit of serenity to it. It may be a waste of effort, but it is our way of life. I still think you should try and seek asylum in another sect. With my rmendation, they will ept you." "I''m not leaving, master! No way!" Of course, I know. She has way too much heart. We keep walking inplete silence. Well, besides the ttering of the teeth, the cold sneezes, and the grunts of effort. All until we finally reach our destination. "Wait for me. I''ll be right back." The young girl reluctantly nods as she goes by the side to make a campfire to warm herself. Now begins my mission. In front is a cloud of white. Well, a deadly one. This is but the effect of having tons of ice elementals all in one spot. They bring the snowstorm with them wherever they go. I slowly walk forward. As I enter the fog, I can feel my entire being chilled to the bone. The mana shield around me does little to change that. In fact, the spell I am using will allow me to preserve my life but will let me feel the entirety of the pain. It is a clever way to sacrificefort for survival. As I proceed, I can sense the creatures. Numerous elementals are turning their heads, or where the head would be, toward me. This spell also makes it so they are less likely to attack me. However, less likely doesn''t mean impossible. Before that happens, I need to find the one in charge. Even a wild and primal bunch like these guys will have a few older elementals in charge. There is absolutely no structure ofmand, and they will look the same as all the others. I can only rely on my luck. This is the only thing I can do. I can feel my life energy bing flimsier. This is the effect of entering and of death such as this one. Humans are not wee here. I keep going until I get blocked. In front are enemies eyeing me curiously. Escaping is impossible at this point, and so is fighting back. There is only one thing I can do. I WHAT?! I feel something raising me in the air. I feel the biting cold. I feel the breath in my lungs be ice. I feel myself dying. The creature is now in front of me. It moved so fast! It''s choking me with its ethereal arm. There is only one thing I can doI activate themunion spell! Either I manage to make peace with it, or I will die. That is when I start seeing its memories. **** Cold, so cold.perfect! Forever on this peak, forever cold. This is our wish. As long as we are cold we will thrive. There is us and there are they. We are the pure ones for we are pure ice, they are the mixed ones. They look human but are cold ones too. From time to time, humans are invading us. They climb our cold mountain and try making it hot. They are horrible. Their very bodies try to steal the cold away. Ites near them and returns less cold. Then from time to time, they will do something extremely hateful. They will build something called a campfire. Campfires are evil. It will push the cold away and destroy it quickly. That is why we need to kill humans as soon as we see one. They are evil. That is when we saw a human and tried to kill it. The snow woman too tried, but she failed. We thought we could kill him, but he was too strong. No matter how many of us attacked him, he would reduce us to pieces. We do not fear getting destroyed. We are ice. We are cold. We only fear warmth. But then we met him. We learned to fear his punches. We do not know why but he can kill our brethren even if there is plenty of cold around. I have seen it. There is nothing special about him. But he can kill us. We went into hiding, and we hoped he would leave. At first, we thought the strong evil human was gone. But then he came back. He wasn''t alone. We felt it. Some demonic presence. Something like us, not physical. But something that could corrupt our very being. A few tried to approach it, but they died, either killed by the man or by the demon with him. We decided to hide and run. But it didn''t work. Just with his presence, the demon would cause our demise. We heard it. He calls it The Law of Nakedness. We cannot wear clothes, so we cannot be naked. It denies our very existence. They kept running in circles on our peak. They took possession of it. There is nothing we could do. We ran. We are still running. We try and find another source of cold. We do not know where to go. We will keep going until we find it. We will "What if I can help you regain the cold you lost?" Human voice? This human does not want to steal my cold? We would love this. "Alright, show me what he looks like, the man that started it all! I give you my word that we will hunt him and make this all cease!" Alright.we make an ice statue of the mana very ordinary-looking human Chapter 547: The Evil Creator! Chapter 547: The Evil Creator! ****(POV) I can''t help but nod in satisfaction as I inspect our defenses. We may not be the strongest sect, but at least we should be able to survive just because of the strength of our defenses. It took so much effort, but we have finally installed a new magical defense system. Here is the beauty of it, it targets the weakest areas of humans. It doesn''t matter if the enemy is a rank 1 or a rank 4. They will get annihted by it. Honestly, I''m still surprised that we even managed to be lucky enough to find that. We are the Eternal Tempering sect. People usually mistake us for a cksmithing guild because of the tempering, but we are not. Well, we actually have cksmiths, but we temper anything. We temper metal, we temper our bodies, we temper our buildings, we temper our food too. Anything that we can temper to increase its resilience, we do. As body cultivators, we are hard to kill but also very vulnerable. There are only a few of us on this continent. This makes it so it''s really hard to make alliances. People always want us to be the vanguard. Sure it makes sense since we are resilient, but the issue is theck ofmitment from them. We are no cannon fodder! That''s why we decided to remain neutral and work on our defenses. We knew our usual powers wouldn''t work well in an all-out war against another faction. That is why we have searched relentlessly for a new method. Now, it is finallyplete, after a year of relentless effort. This new array that we have will attack the brains of everyone and make it hard to cast spells. It is a null magic zone, pretty much. The beauty of it is that as body-cultivators, we always are stronger than most in our default state. It is now time for a speech. My men are assembled in the huge courtyard and are waiting excitedly. "Men! I am proud to say that from now on, no one will ever trample upon the dignity of our sect any longer! From now on, we are totally independent, and we will remain safe!" "HUZZAH!" "We will carve our own path in this continent!" "HUZZAH!" "So what if we are one of the few of our kind?! We will remain strong, andwhat the heck is that?!" Just as I''m doing my speech, I notice something. On the table near me, I have a ss of water. The issue is that there are ripples in it. I drop to the ground and press my ear against it. That is when I feel it. There is a tremor, a very weird one. This is unnatural! "Men! Keep the celebration forter. We are under attack! By the sound of it, something gigantic ising our way!" I can hear the chatter of people wondering what it is. But at least we are all ready for the uing fight. My second inmand approaches me. He''s smart and hardworking. We wouldn''t havee so far without his help. For that, I am extremely grateful. "Boss, don''t worry! Whatever ising our way will get attacked by our new array! We''ll see how well it fares afterward!" "What do you think it is? Some sort of magical construct?" "Quite possibly, Boss. But whoever is powering it won''t be able to anymore once it enters our territory. Chances are whatever ising will just crumble on itself." "Indeed! I can''t wait for it!" THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! We can hear a rhythmical sound. Then over the horizon, we see a blue and huge thing. What is that? We are all puzzled but confident, nheless. "What is this?!" "It looks just like a round ball bouncing around." "Is this an enemy?" We can''t help but look at each other. We really have no idea what we are facing. We''ll fight without any issue, but still. As ites closer, we can finally discern what it is. "Oh my god!" "Fuck me!" "Am I dreaming, right now?!" "Is this even possible?!" "Men, get ready to activate the array!" In the distance is what can only be called a magical creature. Except, a magical construct wouldn''t really fit the situation. No, there is a huge slime! "Boss, it''s heading straight for our fortress!" "I''m aware! Send it to oblivion, activate the Null magic zone!" It glows with a purple light that fills the entire area. We can feel our bodies be sluggish as our own body enhancement bes weaker. Still, it''s all worth it for.What?! "Why isn''t it working?! This thing is definitely a big bundle of mana!" "Oh god, Boss. I know why!" My right-hand man to the rescue as usual. But why is his face so grave right now? I have a bad feeling about this. "Boss, our array targets the brain and makes it hard to use mana." "I''m aware of that the why is.oh shit!" That''s when it hits me. Slimes do not have brains. This whole fancy array that we have is useless against it. I forgot about that detail for a second. We would never have thought that a giant slime would attack us. "This is bad. What rank is even that thing?!" "Boss, rank 4 or perhaps even 5?! I just know one thing. We can''t defeat it. No matter what." Crap! Crap! Crap! Talk about ruining a perfect day! That is how we witness it approach by bouncingevery huge jump making it cover an incredible distance. "Boss, we need to evacuate, at this rate." "I knowGoddamnit! Men! Get out of the way of that slime! No matter what, we have to survive!" We run out of our "imprable" fortress. That is when we turn around and see it. The giant slime is trampling over our fortress. We can hear the extremely sturdy stone giving in under the incredible weight of the creature. There is only one thing we can hear. This thing is somehow talking, yes, without a brain. It seems to be saying something about finding its creator. What kind of madman created such a monster?! Why did he send it our way! Then the slime disappears as easily as it came. As we return to our fortress, everything is in shamble. The array is destroyed. Our treasury is half-digested. Our library, with most of our knowledge, is unreadable. "God fucking damnit! Whoever created that creature from Hell, I swear I''ll find you, and I will kill you!!" I can''t help but scream, venting at no one in particr. That''s when my right handes closer. "Boss" "Yes, I know. We need to rebuild, and we don''t know who that enemy is in the first ce." "That''s not it, Bosshere." He hands me what looks like a drawing. On it is the face of an ordinary-looking man. Under is the caption: the creator. As I raise my head, I see all my soldiers. They are full of fighting spirit. I can''t help but smile slightly. "Who''s up for a revenge crusade?!" "HUZZAH!" Whoever you are, we areing!... Chapter 548: Cultivator Visiting On A Whim Chapter 548: Cultivator Visiting On A Whim ****(POV) As I feel my de cutting through my opponent''s neck, I can only think of one thing. This is boring. So boring! This is what happens when one challenges the Lunar Goddess''s champion. I hear the screams of terror. My victim''s followers are now crying and trying to run away. They were so cocky just a few moments ago. Yet now, they are pissing themselves in fear. Such are humans. Extremely proud until something bad happens. The strong ones have better control over themselves, but it doesn''t matter much. There is only one truth in this world, strength rules all. Anyone that contests this truth is nothing but a fool. How long has it been since I''ve left the Moon Keep? I''m not sure, but I''ve realized something. Armies won''t win this God war. The reason is simple too. It is so easy to corrupt someone. Betrayals are everywhere. Some are running away from me, but some are kneeling and moring that they want to serve me. Talk about convenient! Their master just died, and they already decided to change sides. "Here, your reward for your loyal service." I create hundreds of des out of mana and send them all flying toward them, skewering them all. Bright blood flows and soon gets sucked in by the surrounding soil. That is the secret of this world, it is thirsty for blood. Good thing I happen to be very proficient at spilling it. I still remember how before I was using a physical sword. Not anymore. Well, I still carry one since I am a swordsman. But I barely ever use it. I figured out a way to be stronger. Before, I had been cultivating ording to thew of the old world, but now I know. Here mana is king. Cultivators umte energy in their Dantian to show great prowess. Here this isn''t necessary. Mana is everywhere. It is up for grabs. The beauty of it is that this method is actually easier and better than the one I was using. The day I figured that out, I couldn''t sleep for a month. I kept practicing over and over. All until I could create an ethereal sword volley and control it all at my will. That is why an army is a waste of time and effort. I actually encountered one recently. I''m not even sure which one it was. They insisted I surrender to them, as if! I killed about a hundred of them before getting surrounded. Just as they were celebrating getting rid of me, I left on a flying sword. I still remember their shocked faces, haha! Then I came back and killed them all to the veryst. Reminding a lowly weakling of their ces in the world is great. There is no issue with being arrogant and tyrannical, but one needs to have the strength to back it up. Now, this is my issue. I am unable to be stronger. I think I''ve reached the equivalent of the peak of rank 4 by this world''s standards. I feel as if this very universe is blocking my progression. It''s hard to exin. That''s why I''m here, in fact. In the distance, I can see the shadow of a city. This ce is very peculiar in this world. The god governing it is missing. They are not even sure of the name of their own deity. Some call it the Bookkeeper, others the All-Devouring-Worm, some the Four-eyed deity. When I heard about it, I couldn''t hide my shock. How did such a weird sect survive to this day?! It turns out that they are simr to Eaglevein. They let anyone in, and they are famous for their libraries. Furthermore, they are extremely poor. Anyone could easily enve them all, but it would mean facing the wrath of most of the righteous faction. It simply isn''t worth it. I''m here to research. At the gates, some people frown as they see me. Well, it''s probably because they''ve seen me ughter a bunch of people. A guard even goes: "There is no fighting in this city! If you can''t respect that, then" "I understand. How about you shut up and let me through? You don''t want to make an enemy out of me." I smile at him, and I see him shudder. Then he lowers his gaze and opens the gate to let me through. He''s lucky I''m not cutting his heads off for his offense. Inside, the ambiance is weird. People areughing, chatting, and moving about with their business. At first, I''m puzzled, but then I figure it out. These guys are faking. They look unburdened by the outside world, but I can see it in their faces. There is exhaustion, there is fear, and there is plenty of stress. I bet every night they have nightmares about getting invaded. From time to time, I can see one praying at a statuethese fools. That is why one should train until they control their own destiny. They disgust meweak worms crawling on the ground, hoping that they will be spared. I''m starting to doubt that I''ll find an answer here. I want to know how to break the barrier to rank 5. These people know nothing about strength. This is obviously a wasted trip. I reach the core of this city. There stands a huge library. There are guards there, collecting gold for ess. I re at them until they fall to their knees. Then I simply walk forward. I hear guards assemble, but then a man wearing a brown robees forward. He seems old and to have some pull around here. "All of you are dismissed. I''ll take care of this guest." The soldiers grumble but obey, nheless. The man just saved their lives. They should be d. "Hello there, I am a librarian of this ce. May I assist you?" "Do you have any information on reaching rank 5?" He sighs before gesturing for me to follow him. "We do have some, but we cannot differentiate the truths from fiction. It has been centuries since a being as strong appeared in this world after all. I''m afraid it will be nothing more than childish stories. Still, who knows. I believe a genius such as you may glean inspiration from it." He already made sure to lower my expectations and to praise me in one go. This man may be weak, but at least he has a good head on his shoulders. The inside is both incredibly full and empty at the same time. There are tons of books and close to no one. "Why is it so dested?" I can''t help but ask curiously. "People won''t travel in such troubled days just to visit some useless library." He gives a self-deprecating smile before continuing. "Well, most people." That''s when he points to a young schrly-looking man. He looks somewhat refined. Except, there is something weird about him. Why is he just standing there daydreaming?! Chapter 549: Librarian Visiting On A Whim Chapter 549: Librarian Visiting On A Whim ****(POV) How long have I been searching for him? Ever since I left my library. Let''s just say it''s been a while. Well, to be fair, it would be more urate to say that I am waiting. Yes, that is the issue. The creator of The Unnamed God Sect is bound to be alive somewhere. But I have absolutely no idea where to look for him. That means that I am pretty much wandering around aimlessly until some new information pops up. That man is so random that I would believe it if someone told me he was busy having fun in the god realm. Well, that''s impossible, but still. Recently I decided to pass by this cethe city of the Bookkeeper. I''ve always wanted to visit but never could. Many would say that traveling there in these troubled times is pure madness, and they are probably right. I lost count of how many bandits and random sects I encountered on the way. How did I manage to go through? I imed to be a schr from this very city I had as a destination. People figured out that I was weak and well learned. My only value would be to help with the management. Right now, that is worthless because no sect will trust a stranger with anything remotely important. They figured out that letting me through was better than potentially having the righteous faction go after them for something so stupid. Of course, I had to convince them that I was truly a schr. Somehow, to be qualified as a schr by the rabble I encountered, the only requirement seemed to be to have read a book from cover to back. Yes, I''m not even exaggerating! That''s how I finally managed to reach my destination in one piece. Then I needed to find a way to be granted ess. I had a detailed n to deal with the matter, and it was genius. But one of the men in charge saw me standing outside, got curious, and decided to let me in just like that. My n had failed sessfully. As I entered, the smell of books was so overwhelming that it brought a smile to my face. That''s the kind of thing that people don''t usually notice, but I did. That''s how I happily started browsing. There is only one thing that I deplored. There are only so many books that one can realistically read. At least, I had lots of time. I had nothing better than to wait for news in any case. That''s how I grabbed adder, I climbed a bookshelf, and I grabbed plenty of books. But just as fate would have it, thedder was old, and part of it broke under my weight. Thus I was sent crashing to the ground. As I saw that floore into my vision, I couldn''t help but think how ironic it was. The librarian would die in a library from picking up books. **** What? What is this about? I try and speak, but I can''t seem to be able to. Who is this? Just think? Can you hear my thoughts? Am I still alive? Are you a devil? All I can see is darkness, and yet a glowing page appears before my eyes. It reads NDA: Non-Disclosure Agreement. Whatever I will learn from him, I cannot share with anyone. I sign it. I don''t have a body, but I somehow manage to. This is weird. Why would I? I''d rather die than be someone''s ve. Literature? I am already doing it. Is that really all that is required? You say weak, but you can save my life that easily? Are you exaggerating about my condition? This all sounds so crazy. I can gain power by writing, seriously?! I still desire to write about this world''s history. That is why I need to find that man. I feel like he will y a big role in it. Do I care about power? Not at all. But I may indeed require some power in the future. Especially if I have to tread to dangerous ces to witness it all happen firsthand. This could all be a trap. For all I know, this could even be a prank from someone bored. But it seems like an amazing opportunity too. Fine. I ept! <0%, 13%, 35 % , 67%, 100%!> What the Hell is all this?!... Chapter 550: Literary System Chapter 550: Literary System ****(POV) What the Hell is all this?! What is up with the missions? Why is there one to copy all the books here? Also, world domination?! Are you kidding me?! Does it matter if it''s long-term?! That''s beside the point. How is world domination rted to literature in any way?! What kind of shady being are you? That is bullshit. Truly bullshit. Plus, how am I supposed to witness and write down History if I am stuck here trying to copy the work of others? How can I unbind you? That is horrible! Wait, I don''t remember you saying anything about such a use. What is that? ... *Sigh* I may as well try. For better or worse, I am stuck with this thing, it seems. I carefully extend my hand toward a random book. That''s when it happens. A line appears in front of my eyes. . Quite questionableSure, I guess. That''s when my entire surroundings change. I find myself in a dark space. In there, the only thing I can see is a single old bookshelf standing there in the very middle of the space. Inside lies a single book. Yep, the one I just touched. As I approach it, it seems to be urate to the title and filled with nonsense. Wow, just wow! Copying a book is that easy? I''m not sure whether tough or cry. Right now, I''m having shbacks of all the time I spent copying in my life to save an old edition. This is so crazy! What happens once I touch every single book here? Actually, it is. How do I get back? The Literary System is amazing, The Literary System is amazing, The Literary System is amazing, .. A few instantster, I''m out of that weird realm. In front of me is a man waving his hand. He seems to be a janitor here. "Are you okay?" "Yes, of course!" He gives me a weird nce but goes back to his duties. Alright,plete the first mission, shall we? I tread all around the huge library, slowly making sure to touch every tome gently. At some point, I feel a heavy stare. The janitor is looking at me, wondering why I''m caressing the covers as if long-lost lovers. Luckily, I don''t have to exin myself to him. It would be hard. Who''d believe this whole system thing anyway? At first, he''s weirded out, his eyes bulging more and more as he watched me. But after a while, I see him shyly approach. That''s when he starts doing the same! Then I see him shudder in pleasure as he gives me a wink. What the Hell is happening?! He gives me the most innocent smile ever and keeps touching the books too. How would you even do that? Why are you shouting?! Ah, calling out to the other, I see. How many systems exist? How would I know such a? Oh. I like his confidence, but I really just want to write. Am I even obligated to finish this task? Fair enough. That is why I steady my resolve, and I keep going. My legs hurt from walking, my fingers are numb from touching, my sight is getting blur. At this point, I have no idea what I''m touching. That''s when the janitores next to me with a worshipping gaze. "Brother, you''ve been going for hours! I wish I had your stamina! What''s your secret?" What is he talking about? How do I make him go away? "My secret? It is experience. Once you have lots of experience in a library, you will not find moving in it tiring at all." Of course, that is an obvious lie. Sill, he lights up as if enlightened and goes back to touching books too. Shouldn''t he be doing his job instead? Then again, we seem to be the only ones here. Who could even notice? It takes me the whole day, but I finally manage to touch the few thousand books here. The hardest part is moving and going up thedder, really. What is all this? I concentrate hard, and I try to ess that weird space. That is when Ie upon a dark space, and No, there is a difference now. In the corner, there is a small candle that burns gently. Somehow, it doesn''t emit heat and doesn''t seem t really be burning either. It seems that bypleting the task I received a readingmp. This is amazing! Doing quests to receive rewards?! How mystical is this?! Not only do I have a free reference library, but I''m getting free stuff to boot! Wow! On a side note, this single bookshelf increased in size. It now holds all the books I havepiled. It is wide. It is tall. It is impressive. I slowly approach it, and I pick one book to browse randomly. That''s when I realize somethingwon''t organizing this ce be a nightmare soon enough?! Especially so if I keep getting a mission to copy all books, even the most useless ones! It''s still amazing, but. can I get rid of some books? Ah, this will be a painGuess I just have to sort through all of this. I busy myselfBut then the entire world starts shaking. What the Hell is happening?!... Chapter 551: So Bored At A Library Chapter 551: So Bored At A Library ****(POV) The man points to a young schrly-looking man. But why is he daydreaming? His appearance looks neat at first nce, but then the fact that he seems to be sleeping while standing is definitely weird. I look toward my guide, but he just gives a small smile. "He has been here for a while already. He is probably just resting his eyes for a momentno need to worry. Alright, I will leave you to it. Take care of the books. If there is anything you need, you can ask the janitor." I pass next to the young man. Resting his eyes, was it? He''s even slightly drooling! He is indeed sleeping. Oh well, I begin my search. But soon I am facing a problem. This ce is huge, and I''m not even sure what I''m looking for. That is when I spot a man with a broom enters. "You! Come here." He slowly walks over before standing nervously before me. Yes, he is standing. "Didn''t anyone teach you manners? A lowly servant like you should kneel before your betters." "S-s-o-rrry!" At least he can recognize his errors. Perhaps he isn''t beyond redemption. "Go find me every book on ascending to the fifth rank. Now." At first, he seems lost, but then I let out a bit of my killing aura. He shakes like a leaf and darts toward the bookshelves. This is how the world works. I go take a seat while I wait. As long as he doesn''t take too long, I won''t punish him. I''m bored. So very bored. But that''s when my gaze meets the sleeping young man. Perhaps I can have some fun. Shall we y a fun game? I slowly let out some killing intent. I''m curious to see how much of it he can tolerate before waking up or even going insane. I can already see his shoulder slump, and his face shows slight despair. I raise the intensity. All the way untilwait. There is something wrong. He is somehow ignoring me right now. What I thought to be him fearing me seems to be just a bad dream. I can hear him mumble. "So many books to organize. Will I ever see the end of it?" I heard about blind people like him, but it''s my first time meeting one. Is he dreaming about books? This is so pathetic. Should I wake him up? I slowly approach him, and then I take out a sword. The servant notices me and opens his mouth in a silent scream, but I gesture him to stop. If he talks, he won''t be spared. I slowly insert my weapon into the man''s stomach. I was almost expecting him to wake up and fight back. No, he keeps sleeping. It''s only when I give it a good twist that he finally opens his eyes. I can hear him cry in pain. I can see the confusion on his face, he is sweating crazily, and blood is slowly appearing on his clothes. I give him a bright smile. "Morning. Sleeping in front of others is the stupidest mistake one can make. Lucky for you, I don''t have any bad intention or else." I can''t help but want to see him squirm, beg for forgiveness, perhaps more. It will at least bring me entertainment. He lowly grunts. "Why? Who are you?" "Just a traveling swordsman here for books about rank 5. Now, how about we y a game? The goal is simple. The yfield is this huge library. If you can find a book that satisfies me, I will let you live. Otherwise" He should understand my meaning. Or not, seeing as he just sits and closes his eyes once more. Pretty arrogant, isn''t he? Ignoring me is so rude! A few secondster, he is already sleeping once more. That''s when I yfully stab him. Let''s see how he will react this time. But, at the veryst instant, he moves sideways, making me miss. Is he pretending to sleep? Does he think I am afraid tomit a crime here? Not in the least. There is no way they will make an enemy out of a peak rank 4 for some obviously weak schr. That''s when he opens his eyes, giving me a reproachful look. "I can''t search if you are disturbing me. Let meplete my mission." That''s when he closes his eyes again. I have officially found a natural jester. I''m not sure if he''s crazy or in stupid. He just doesn''t seem to realize the danger he is in. That''s when the servantes back. "Sir, here are fascinating books about the topic!" I grab them off him and begin reading. Ah, but there is one thing I need to make clear. "For every book that you bring that is irrelevant, I will stab you once." I can see his face twist in a mask of fright. He realizes that his fate is in my hands. Some people advocate that all weaklings should be killed, but I beg to differ. They have their role in society. They have to serve the strong and, in this case, entertain me. But the more I keep reading and the more disappointed I be. All of these are worthless. I stab him a few times lightly, and he vows to do better. Ah, this ce is so damn boring. Just as I''m thinking that, I hear amotion outside. A bell starts ringing. I can hear the city gates closing. There are shouts of panicked guards. Whatever is attacking seems to be a monster. This is why such a city is worthless. What is the point of having a big library if they lose their cool as soon as the first enemy shows up? Ridiculous, so ridiculous. But that''s when I hear a hugemotion once more. Somehow it seems like the city gates have fallen and perhaps even an entire wall. I can''t help but feel excited. Whatever did this is actuallying this way. I can hear the sound of a mad gallop. Shall I kill the intruder? Not for them, just because I''m very bored. Let''s have some fun!... Chapter 552: Confrontation Chapter 552: Confrontation ****(POV) I can hear the sound of a mad gallop. Shall I kill the intruder? Not for them, just because I''m very bored. I patiently wait. It seems some mounted knight is on its way here. Chances are it''s someone that has heard of my presence here. The n is probably to get fame by killing a champion. That''s always what people desire from me. CLIP CLOP CLIP CLOP! But, somehow, the gallop sound doesn''t diminish one bit. At this rate, whoever is iing will shatter the door entirely as they step in. Oh, this will be fun. CRASH! That''s when it appears. There is a horse in front. It is white, with ck tattoos, is rtively tall yet slender. Finally, It gives a pure yet powerful impression. It''s a magical race for sure. Once I have defeated the owner, I''ll im this animal for sure. But that''s when I notice the absence of any rider. Not only that, but it seems to be walking with a sense of purpose. It slowly trots inside as it examines the nearby bookshelves. That''s when I notice the blood-red horn. This thing is a unicorn, isn''t it?! They are known as mythical creatures, and their bodies are worth a fortune! It is my lucky day! "What do we have here? This seems interesting. I''m in a good mood today, little unicorn. If you submit to me, I will disregard your offense of disturbing me. Otherwise, I don''t mind slowly dissecting you for parts." I''m expecting it to shiver from my words, but it just turns a zed look my way. It seems unfazed by my threat, underestimating me. It then opens its mouth, releasing a crystal-clear voice as it snorts. "You? Kill me? How delusional are you? How about you go hide somewhere and stop being an eyesore before I kill you?" "Delusional? How about this?" I grin as I slowly make countless mana des appear around me while crossing my arms. I make sure that every one of them looks extremely deadly. The air around the tip of each is crackling with destructive energy. "Please, as if a puny human could frighten me!" That is when the unicorn starts glowing red as it prepares for a fight. I will teach it a lesson andthat''s whenes a shout. "Wait! Don''t fight inside the library! You''d ruin all the books! It seems you both are here for a reason, so..." The previously asleep jester does have a point. I gesture at my opponent as I head outside. Before long, we are ring at each other on the main za. The ce is vast, with ample room to fight. On the side, there are various soldiers shouting encouragement. They want this creature killed. After all, it has trampled over their defenses. I can hear many hushed whispers. Apparently, this creature is famous for how much it loves to invade libraries. Such ridiculous behavior! This horse made one mistake. It attacked while I am here. That''s when it all starts, without any warning whatsoever. It charges at me extremely fast! So damn fast! I barely get out of the way. I can see in its eyes that it is looking down on me. Eh, it''s normal for a horse to be faster than a human. Let''s see how it handles this. The many mana des are hovering around me suddenly elerate as they target the unicorn. It almost impales its body many times, but it barely manages to evade each time. "Is that all you got?!" It neighs in provocation. So what if it can dodge a few of my attacks? This is where it gets fun. I step on one of my swords as it rises in the air. I am looking down on the creature, quite literally akin to a god. I increase the quantity of the swords as I rain death upon it. That''s when I finally manage to draw some blood. "HAHAHA, how do you like that?!" I can''t help but grin, seeing the creature''s pointless struggle. What should I even use its horn for afterward? It is usually amazing for its medicinal properties, but perhaps this one would be better suited for a weapon? That''s when it utters something. "I understand now. So that''s how you create these toys out of mana, is it? Creative for sure, but too basic!" What?! How is it acting so confidently?! Just to be safe, I increase the distance between us again. That''s when blood-red energy starts crackling under its hooves. It nces at me evilly too! That''s when it charges again. That''s when it steps on the air?! Before I can react, it''s already in front of me! What the Hell?! I side-step it at the veryst moment?! Or I initially think I did... TEAR! SPURT! I can feel pain course through my body. My left arm is gone?! That''s when I see it. The unicorn opens its mouth to reveal a row of sharp teeth. How?! It seems to be an effect of that blood-red energy. That is so wrong! No! This isn''t the time for that. I clutch my shoulder to stop the blood from flowing out as I run. The library getting destroyed isn''t my problem. I''m out!! "What happened to your cockiness? Why are you so scared suddenly?" This thing is chasing me and taunting me, but I will not die here! I activate a lifesaving measure. It''s a technique that will temporarily boost my speed in a straight line. It''s useless in a fight but perfect for fleeing. Tchh, this is the worst. It seems I have underestimated this world, but it''s fine. I will have my revenge. When I''m far enough, I get out a healing treasure. It is a natural liquid that contains the essence of heaven and earth. I have stumbled upon it in the past. I got lucky back then as the others fighting for it were all quite weak. I can still remember their pitiful struggles and how they kept repeating it was theirs as I drove a sword through their bodies. I chug it all, and I can feel warmth fill my entire being and reaching the stump. But that''s when I can see a red crackling of energy, and the feeling entirely disappears. How?! This isn''t good. It seems this unicorn somehow can curse its target! Now what? I''m not even sure how to proceed. For once, I feel lost. I should probably turn toward the lunar goddess. Should I make a quick stop by the sect? I wonder how these guys are even doing. Knowing them, they are probably wasting their time Chapter 553: New Quest! Chapter 553: New Quest! ****(POV) "Go on, you loser, run away! Next time I see you, I''ll take your other limbs! Useless piece of shit! I''ll wreck you whenever, HAHAHA." Ah, actually, he''s already gone. Guess I can stop the trash-talk. I heard it is customary amongst humans to insult fleeing enemies. Even by my standards, he''s pretty fast. I could probably catch up, but it would take a while. I won''t even bother. I have important business to attend to instead. I slowly trot back into the big library. On my way, I snort at the now trembling guards. These humans are so annoying. I always try to enter politely, but it always ends up with me tearing a few limbs off (at least). This discrimination is really bad. They let other humans enter without an issue all the time, but not unicorns! It''s ridiculous, especially that most ces don''t even have a human-only policy written. That''s incredibly dumb of me, but they keep making enemies out of me. Some say something about protecting their territory. Some want to try and domesticate a unicorn. Some even try to straight-up kill me even! If anything, things ended pretty peacefully here. I just took down a wall and maimed a few of the guards. In previous cities, I sometimes had to kill all of the guards to be left alone finally. Then, they wouldin about not having guards anymore. Please! They should have thought of that beforehand! Sometimes humanity just makes awful decisions, really. Before entering, I nce onest time at the guards. "The first dumbass that disturbs me will die!" I read that phrase in a book. It''s really simple but effective. Hopefully, I''ll finally have some peace! Besides the now destroyed front door, everything is in order. I can''t be med for that one! The entrance was just built too small: that''s a design issue! Let me see, there is a servant and some guy that has his eyes closed. He''s the one that asked us to fight outside. He''s probably the one in charge of this ce. Time for an interrogation! "Hello there, I''m looking for what you humans would call forbidden knowledge!" He slowly opens his eyes but then jumps, startled. "It''s you!" "?!?" Do we know each other? Sometimes I forget human faces. It''s not that I can''t differentiate facial features, but I just don''t really pay attention to them in the first ce. He gives a wry smile. "I''m that one librarian from before. You asked me for romance books." "Ah! I remember now! Wait, wasn''t I disguised as a donkey back then?!" I can''t help but look suspiciously at him. Did this mean he had pierced my wonderful disguise back then? That''s impossible?! "Eh, donkeys don''t usually read by themselves, so I kinda guessed." Oh! that exins a lot!. I wonder if others have realized that I wasn''t just a normal donkey. Probably not, right? This human seems smart. Perhaps he can give advice. "Human! Here is the situation. I need a way to defeat Wolfie! How should I go about that?" He seems stunned. "Who''s Wolfie? Why do you need to defeat her? How am supposed to help?" "She''s the white wolf that follows master everywhere. I need to defeat her to Climb the ranks of the Eternal Forest Kingdom! I need powerful secret techniques to raise my master''s affection toward me. This way, I will soon be the number 1 subordinate!" He seems at a loss. Is this clear enough? Did I forget any key information? He suddenly asks me again. "Wait, so what have you been doing all along?" I can''t help but sigh. "Looking for knowledge to win his heart! I have been to so many sects, and yet none of them had what I am looking for. It''s always Human x Human information or Horse X Human Girl. It''s never Unicorn X Human, weird, right?!" His face changes. He looks concerned about something. "How many sects did you ''visit'' exactly?" "Eh, I''m not sure? Too many to count on one''s hooves." ".." "Or as a human would say: too many to count on one''s fingers." "." "Say something!" "I''m pretty sure you''ve been wasting your time. Well, it''s probably not toote." "What?! Howe?!" I can''t help but panic. If he''s right, then this is disastrous! I''ve been working so hard too! It was harsh going from sect to sect. After all, human maps are so confusing! "I Have a suggestion. Why don''t we try to find your master? The best way to raise affection is time, you know. You just want to spend time with one another and enjoy life together." "Seriously?! It''s that easy?! surely there is more to it, right?!" "Well, yes and no. Life itself is both incredibly simple andplex. Also, it''s doubtful if your master is even in the Earth realm." "What?! Did he go back to the god realm?! t''s fine. I can wait patiently." That''s when he shows a suspicious expression. "What do you mean, back to the god realm?!" "That''s where the Greenwood Lord kept going every time he had to work, long ago. It should be the same for him, right? He''s his sessor, after all." "He''s the sessor to a god?! What the Hell?! How can you deliver such info with such a straight face?!" HE begins shouting. Wait, was that notmon knowledge?! Then he keeps going. "I''m just going to ignore thatst part. Actually, if you want, I can find you a few books to help you understand human rtionships better." "That''d be amazing!" I can''t help but be happy about this oue. Before long, hees back with a thick book with the title . "Wait, does this apply to masters too?" "Yep, you can use the basic techniques in there for sure." "HAHAHA, with this, I will be unstoppable! Just you wait, Wolfie! Our battle shall be legendary! With this, I will have unlimited power! MUAHAHAHA!" He looks at me strangely. It cannot be helped. Master once told me that one shouldugh when one is happy. "Aright, let us go find master right now! This is another chapter for The Unnamed God Sect!" Thus begins a new journey! Chapter 554: Fall of City of Freedom Chapter 554: Fall of City of Freedom ****(POV) They say all good thingse to an end eventually. Well, my reign has been shaky at best from the very start. I established the City of Freedom in the most ballsy way possible. I could have worked too with the necromancer''s blessing and many hard-working subordinates. But now, the city is about to fall. Our food supply has run dry, our troops are starting without the energy to fight, and our series of conquest has ended. As soon as we stopped conquering, we were doomed. We are nothing but a hungry, ravenous beast now, one that nears the end of its life. At first, I was hoping that the man called little Bai would stay. But, as soon as the slime threat was resolved, he bounced out. He didn''t have anything to do with the city anymore. This much is understandable. The once proud and strong army is dissolved. Of us only remain shattered dreams and hungry ghosts stuck here. My close aides are stuck here, tainted by their previous allegiance. We are simply alive because the other sects want to use us as a shield against Eaglevein. I was in way over my head. Recently I''ve been analyzing all that I have done. My failure mostlyes down to one mistake. I repeatedly ignored the signs for the King Slime. There had been sewers cleaning organized, but somehow we never found it. Plus,m it turns out the slime was created out of rage by a man that wasn''t paid a few silvers. Risible, isn''t it? A few silvers caused the fall of my empire. On the side is the woman that''s been through a lot with me. She is peacefully reading a book right now. She, too, is simply waiting for death like I am. That is when my military chiefes running with a report. "Sir! There is an army approaching! It seems to be the Bright me Sect! They want to purge us entirely because they heard that we have a rtionship with the necromancer! They''ll be here in a few hours at best!" That''s one more bad news. At this point, does it even matter anymore? I seriously think it doesn''t. I sigh: "At least the end will be quick. There is no way we can resist." "Sir, they are actually renowned to torture their prey for extreme durations until they finally die. The end will most likely be long and agonizing!" "Thank you for that. Alright, I have decided. It is time for thest speech of my career. Prepare a stage for me in the central za. I will be making an appearance soon." That is when I turn to the woman I love. "I am sorry. If I knew it would end like this, I would never have undertaken this path. If I could go back in time, there are so many things I''d do differently. Now, even my death only has value for crazy people." She simply stares at me before sighing and nodding. I can feel so many reproaches in her gaze, but also forgiveness. I don my most beautiful suit. Ironic how we still have beautiful clothes and jewelry but close to no food since that''s the first thing the slimes targeted. I look really dashing, well, except for my sunken dark eyes. The worry, stress,ck of sleep, and malnutrition have rendered me a shadow of my former self. I''ve barely been eating enough to sustain my life. Part of me just wanted to end it and give my part of the rations to someone more deserving. But I still kept myself alive, if nothing but in atonement. Guess I was waiting for a miracle that would nevere. Hope has long died. That''s how I slowly make my way toward the za, looking defeated but still standing. I make a detour by the stall of an old friend. I have organized for him to leave soon, but I have also asked him to stay a tiny bit to help make the ending sweeter. Even with ack of ration, he managed to make trash somehow taste good. If that''s not a miracle, I don''t know what is. Then there is that onest thing that I dreaded to use, but now is the time. I task a soldier with bringing boxes and boxes of a little something to the noodle cart. Then I step up to my old friend. "I have onest task for you. Will you help me once more?" He gives a sad nod. He probably knows what I will request of him. "Today is the day the City of Freedom perishes all and for all. I want everyone that still has a chance at survival to leave together. I will beg mister Necromancer to take them with him." "As for the ones that are bound to this ce, I want to give them a farewell feast. In these crates are tons of poisonous ingredients. Many of which are as delicious as deadly. I was hoping you could use your skills onest time. Can you do it for me?" "Yes, I will." Before long, I''m standing alone on a small tform. I can see my life sh before my eyes. All the silly dreams I had in my youth, all the mistakes Imitted afterward, the small moment of true happiness I felt upon building a better future for my people. Now it alles to an end. That''s when I open my eyes once more. There are tons of emaciated people in front of me. They looked so heroic not long ago, well they still look valiant to me. I slowly look at all of them. "I am sorry, all of you. Tonight will be thest feast. I have asked my friend to bake us the best noodles ever. One taste will literally send you to Heaven. Thank you for everything, and once more, I am sorry." We all get some noodles, but just as we are about to dig in,es a loud bellow: "FOOD!!!" That''s whenes a mountain of flesh out of nowhere. Before I can even make sense of the situation, it has dashed with speed far too high for its size and is already eating the poisoned noodles! "Wait, this is poisoned! We need it too!" "Please,m I''m so hungry! This is so delicious. I''ll pay you back somehow. I''m very strong. But right now, I''m eating no matter what!" Waita follower of Gluto?! A very strong one to boot! Is this the miracle I was hoping for?! Chapter 555: Being a Bandit is Hard! Chapter 555: Being a Bandit is Hard! ****(POV) Life can be so harsh at times. Before this ridiculous war, there were plenty of merchant caravans passing through. They woulde from or toward Eaglevein, and we''d just happen to be there to steal a part of the treasure. We have been training diligently recently, and we have definitely be stronger. But, it still doesn''t change our situation! I can hear the band members grumbling again. "I''m so hungry! I want real food, not tasteless roots anymore!" "It can''t be helped. At least we have something to eat. It could be worse. We could be members of that City of Starvation thingy." "That doesn''t help one bit! It''s like saying: don''t worry about getting tortured and killed because, in the other cell, a guy is getting tortured even more sadistically." "What do you even mean?" "Easy, this life is pure suffering! It''s one thing that it''s tasteless but what I truly hate is how this thing gives diarrhea. How are we supposed to fight when we can just start shitting ourselves any moment. This is worse than the taste by far!" "Well, even then, it could be worse. Nowadays, we are training naked anyway. Not only is this amazing as an intimidation tactic, but it almost nullifies this issue too! Could you imagine if we had to change clothes?!" I can''t me them either. Anyone satisfied with our current living situation is horrible, actually probably not human at all. We can always go far away, but it usually ends up that we are blocked by one faction or another. We actually made it pretty far one time, yet we are alwaysing back. This seems like a damn curse. The onlyforting part is that we aren''t the only ones stuck with it. The entire world is going to shit. In our area, it''s a lot of liquid smelly one too. I am still lowkey hoping for a miracle. At this point, I''ll take anything, really. Hopefully, we find a nice nt in the wild that is easy to cultivate and eat. Or perhaps a merchant caravan would pass here for some ridiculous reason? I have no clue, but at this point, I''m ready to beg too. This just isn''t a life. It''s ironic that we still have gold pilled up in our hideout. Talk about how useless that is! Well, there is one good thing. That would be hunting. Animals, insects, other humans, anything. If it can be cooked we are happy to go after it. Just as I''m despairing, I hear a shout. "Boss! Look over there!" What the hell is that?! There seems to be a huge creatureing our way. Its skin is the color of human flesh, but I don''t know what it is. It does look soft, however. I can''t help but salivate a bit as I watch the thing intently. That is when I notice a small shadow next to him. What kind of thing is this? As the two things approach closer, I finally notice what it is. The small shadow is a human male. He looks extremely weak andpletely abused, and that''sing from a guy that soils himself on a daily basis. That flesh thingy is extremely big. Honestly, any guess as to what it is would sound usible. That is when the small man opens his mouth. "I''ll go straight to the point. You guys are having a rough time, we are also having a rough time, but we have an opportunity to get out of our slump. I can''t help but be raise an eyebrow in distrust and curiosity. "Why would you extend this invitation to us? Where is the catch?" "It''s simple. We need more people on our side. We will also begin acting as bandits from now on. I figure your experience can make the acting smoother. I cannot believe you guys would want to remain here in this shithole." He sounds right. But what if he is trying to take overly advantage of us? Ah, this is such a difficult choice. I look at my bandit members and....Wait! As I was thinking, they have all switched walked over to his side. What kind of betrayal is that?! But then, I hear all of our stomachs rumble, every single one of us. It is the sound of an empty stomach, one that has been for a long time already and is getting desperate. Actually, just this helps to sway me. "So, what is the n exactly?" "The follower of Gluto will take care of the enemy while we will be in charge of the actual logistic, looting, cooking, anything that isn''t rted to directly eating." It sounds fair and we are not afraid of hard work. I grin as I ask enthusiastically. "So, when do we start?" "How about now!" "Perfect!" We share a look, then we share a handshake, and finally, he brings us to the old City of Freedom. What is it now? Who knows. As wee closer, we see that it doesn''t look that bad besides the starving poption. They have the exact same problem as us. This is kinda funny in a way. Who would have thought that us bandits and an official branch of a powerful sect would end up the same? Life can truly be strange at times. That''s when we all smell something. What is that?! We all rush forward, onl6y to be stopped by our new allies. Of course, we protest. "Release us! Whatever this is, it smells like real food! It''s been so long! Just a bit and..." "Wait! CAlm down! All of these noodles are poisonous and deadly. Only people from the church of Gluto can eat them! That is how we are receiving this friend''s help!" Seriously?! This is torture for starving people! Ah, that''s when I understand why the area looks rtively deserted, and people hasten their steps when theye in front of that area. As much as we want to eat, we need to remain alive to beat good food. Finbe, we will endrue for now. "Alright, follow me, you all. We will get you some clothes." "Clothes?! We don''t need any. This isn''t a case of being broke, but a case of following in the footsteps of our hero!" "What?!" "Yes, he ..." I start telling him all about it and our resolve to be as strong as him. He looks our way extremely weirded out, but at this point, he just decides to roll with it. So what if the City of Freedom has to be a half-nudist City to be revived from its ashes? What''s the worst that can happen? It''s just clothes... Chapter 556: Water Sect Chapter 556: Water Sect As we exit the territory of the gu sect, I can''t help but be pleasantly surprised. I was almost expecting some random enemy to be lying in wait for us. Nope. We make sure to scout it all carefully with Gus, and everything is clear. It''s almost too good to be true. I turn to mypanion, puzzled. [Where do you think our enemies are? Are we getting chased right now or no?] "I''m not sure if they lost our track or if they just gave up. Logically there shouldn''t be a reason to desire us dead at all cost." [Hopefully. Right, I was wondering. Does having a Gu following me around qualifies me as a professional Gu trainer? Did you guys ever think about creating medals or something?] "You mean like the Beast Taming guild? I''d say the big difference is that these guys are an organization. Since they have more members and many branch locations, they have no choice but to set a certain set of evaluation criteria." [Right, multiple branches...] I can''t help but picture the Unnamed God Sect one day having tons of recruiting buildings everywhere around the world. The only requirements would be to follow our core values and loyalty. "Honestly, I would love for a day toe when the Gu sect bes big enough to warrant this kind of thing, but it''s pretty much impossible now." [If there is a will, there is a way. I''m just surprised you are still hoping for the Gu sect to prosper even after what they have tried doing to you.] He is way too much of a nice guy. Sure, I caused trouble, but they didn''t have to take it out on him too. Oh well, he will probably forget them, and it will be for the best. "But, yes. You are totally a Gu Trainer since you can order a Gu ancestor. Then again, it won''t mean much besides the fact that everyone will hate you. [Do you think that the Gu sect even realized that we are gone?] "Probably not. They''ll just assume we have been entirely devoured when they don''t see us exit. As for the tunnel, it''s hidden well enough that it could take them weeks or months even to notice." This trip feels way too rxed. Yes, we are moving carefully, but the Gus are the ones doing all the work. I feel like some kind of leecher. "We will see a river soon. We will be able to eat fresh fish tonight." Before long, we can hear the rumbling of water. Then appears the very source of life that lets us quench our thirst easily. Mypanion looks like a traveler finding an oasis in a desert. He runs to it and starts drinking without a care in the world. I''mughing at the beginning, but then he starts choking violently. That''s when I can see ice crystals start to appear on his skin. What the Hell?! He, too, didn''t expect the water of a river to be poisoned! I heal him as fast as possible, sending him an inquisitive nce. Something is clearly wrong here, and I want to know what it is. If every river bes like this, the continent will soon be a goner. [What do you think happened?] COUGH COUGH "Thank you. I becamecent with you here. There seems to be some pure ice energy in the water. The weird part is that it is mixing with it without affecting it." I slowlye closer, and I scoop a bit of water. But that''s when it happens. As soon as it leaves the stream, it freezes over. It seems like the water is at the very edge of bing ice at any moment. There is a very thin equilibrium with the flow, allowing it to remain like that. [This is incredible!] "Incredibly scary, that''s what it is! This is no way to die! Let me send some Gus to find more about it. I''d rather die burned alive than turned into ice!" [We could probably enlist the Sun Sect leader''s help for that. I''m sure he''d be more than happy to send a few sr rays your way.] "I''m sure he would be more than happy to oblige. He would dlye running and would barbecue us both." [But seriously, do you think he is the type to recklessly strive for revenge at all cost? If yes, I''d rather be the one to make the first move. I can make him my target after this hostage situation has been resolved.] "It should be fine. I think you have made it clear that you aren''t someone he should mess with. He came to kill me because their sect lost face, but he should have realized by now that it''s not worth it at all." [How so?] "Well, overall, the Sun Young Master dying shouldn''t cause that many problems to the sect iteself. They have another talented youth that should be able to take over his Champion duties." [So they will rece him and forget he ever existed, eh? This whole thing feels so shitty. Especially when you consider that he''s alive and well, they gave up before even confirming the facts, just going straight for vengeance and calling it a day...] "This is how sects work, my friend. You work your ass off for them, you slowly climb the ranks, you even be a champion, but even then, you remain disposable. That''s the case even if you own a blessing." [Ridiculous! Isn''t a blessing supposed to be amazing?!] "It''s really hard to exin. Getting one is something magical yet banal. In my case, it allowed me to control and train Gus more easily. But slowly, I began straying from the guided path, and it became less and less useful." [Oh? You didn''t think that you were going against the teachings of your god or something?] "Yes, many times. But I believed in my method enough to keep going nheless." [Yep, one can definitely do without a blessing.] I point at the Gu ancestor. Mypanion gives a smile while nodding. That is when the Guse back. "This is crazy!" [What is?] "Upstream, there is and of ice. I have no clue what could do such a thing. But I''m sure I don''t want to encounter it. [What about any enemy?] "None. It''spletely dested. It''s as if a natural catastrophe passed right through without letting thend recover whatsoever. Did an army of ice mages go to war?! No, this doesn''t seem like it." [I think I know what happened.] He listens with keep interest. [Near the Water Sect, there is a mountain full of ice elementals. They recently went on a journey for some reason. The vige nearby got utterly destroyed because of it.] "If they can feeze not only the earth but also poison it, this will very quickly degenerate. It will end up as a real cmity! The whole world is going to Hell!" [Indeed. It''s like even the monsters can feel it. That there is a waring. For all we know, they too could have their god pushing them toward violence and destruction.] "Maybe, but I''ve never heard of any..." [Otherwise, I see no reason for the sudden exodus. Still, we need to keep going. This means that we are almost there, right?] "Yes, we should see it very soon. In fact, following this river, we will be right there. It even connects to the Water sect directly." [I don''t remember seeing any rivering from outside of their city...] "It does. It passes underground." [You mean an underground river? Wait, so wouldn''t the ice poison have reached their sect too?!] "It should be fine. I mean, given their magic they should be able to notice it easily and counter it." Their magic, eh? We will need to be extremely careful about it. I remember how I was toyed with. I remember the torrent of water that they kept trying to drown me with. I remember the countless projectiles. Just thinking about it makes me feel angry against these damn backstabbing water mages. I''m also worried about my friend and stressed about how we will attempt this rescue operation. I need to be careful. Divine energy is powerful but I need to remember my own mortality and that of my friends. If I wasn''t so hard to kill I''d be long dead in fact. We keep progressing in silence. Soon, the City of Water appears before us. But, it looks so different. The magnificent and incredibly huge water barrier is gone. It also feels deste for some reason. Ah, there are no guards! How can there be no life to be seen from the exterior at all?! Wait, what is happening?! What the Hell is up with it? [Let''s try sneaking inside. I have a bad feeling about this.] My friend sends a Gu to scout. Then, as it returns his expression changes, it bes solemn. He even shakes his head gravely. This is enough to tell me that I won''t like what we will find inside. Not one bit. I activate my own scouting ability. I need to know. I need to see for myself! Please let her be alright!.... Chapter 557: Finding Them! Chapter 557: Finding Them! I activate my scouting ability. I need to know, and I need to see for myself! Please let her be alright!.... Soon, the scene appears clearly before me. The stunning water sect with water flowing everywhere is no more. Everything is dried up. On the ground, I can see traces of battle. There are depressions in the stone pavement too. I can feel my heart beating. I''m scared to look forward. My brain is already imagining all sorts of horrible scenarios. That''s when I lose control of my ability. THUD! [No! This can''t be!] I came here expecting a fight. I was going to be valiant, defeat the Water sect, then rescue my friend. But instead, I find this. What is even this?! She is fine, right?! They all seem to be gone, all of them! Where did they go?! This doesn''t make sense! Factions don''t just disappear that easily. They have Aqua watching over them too! "Let''s head inside. My Gus are not signaling any danger. Let''s find some clues about what happened. Perhaps they ran away before any real danger?" [You mean it?!] I know he just says that to give me hope. I know it. But right now, that''s what I want to hear. I just want someone telling me that everything will be alright. But I also want to know the truth. I''m an idiot, I know. He nods, smiles warmly, and helps me get up. I''m in a mood that I didn''t even notice or care about myself falling down. It feels like my whole body isn''t my own right now. All I can think about is: Is she fine?! "Giving up this easily isn''t like you. You''re the man that fought the sect leader of the Sun sect without batting an eye. You''re the man that single-handedly screwed up the Gu sect''s heritage ground. Let''s go shall we?" He gives me an encouraging smile. Yes, he''s right! As soon as I don''t see her corpse, then there is still hope! Right now, I just have a bad feeling! Perhaps circumstances are exining this all! I quickly rise up, steady my once trembling knees, and I take a step toward the city! We will get to the bottom of this! As we reach the gates, they arepletely intact. "This is a good sign. If an overwhelmingly strong power attacked them, chances are they would have been surrounded first. Every gate would likely show some damage, at least. There didn''t seem to be any fighting this side at all, meaning they had an escape route avable!" It kind of makes sense, but a strong enemy would just jump above it and ughter everyone. This is especially so with the Water barrier gone. But it''s true that nobat is good. As we enter, we notice various items lying around. There are vegetables, various tools, dolls, and even weapons. Why would there even be weapons on the floor with no one lying dead next to it? A surrender, perhaps? This could be bad, however. It likely means that they were caught by surprise. They had to flee urgently, otherwise, they would have packed their stuff up. No, they urgently fled. The more we progress and the more depressions we see in the ground and in the buildings. It seems to be thin and long. This can only be one thing. "Arrow, this was made by arrows. That''s the only sign ofbat there is. Whoever attacked them did so using bows and arrows. There are a few candidates thate to mind..." [What about the...Wait, what was it again? Ah, right! The Ever-Reaching sect! Someone told me they attacked this ce for a week straight long ago.] "It seems extremely likely. Judging by the perforating power, these guys are true masters of their weapons. It shouldn''t be a cover-up." This makes sense. We keep going, but all that we see is subtly destruction everywhere and a ghost town. This is bad for my nerves. The unknown stresses me more. I need to keep talking, easy. [What do you think happened to them?] "There is no blood at all. They either escaped, fought somece else, or surrendered. In all cases, there is still hope." [Which one is the most likely?] "It depends really on the god. Some gods ask for sacrifices, but others prefer to enve their defeated foes instead. I have no idea about the Ever-Reaching god, to be honest." It all boils down to: did a rtively peaceful sect attack them? Couldn''t they wait for me to be back before getting sieged?! If only I were a hero. They somehow all arrive at the perfect time something is about to go down! "Where should we check first? You''ve been here before, right?" [We need to find the cells. I have no idea where that is, but she would have been their prisoner. It obviously wasn''t on the itinerary when I toured the city.] I remember her smile as she brought me along and when weunched the paper boats. It was so warm and pure! I really hope she''s fine....otherwise I don''t know what I''ll do. "Maybe we can follow the water pathways? It should lead somewhere, right?" He''s right. I can''t help but find it ominous that all the water is gone. There are two ces I can picture them fighting for their lives. Theke where we fought or Aqua''s pond. Theke is most likely. They would use that huge body of water as fuel for their magic. It probably lost a lot of potency after the earlier events, but still. Ah, wait a minute! [What if they are all safe in their water pce! They would have removed all the water everywhere else to fortify their defenses! For all we know, they could still be huddling up there as we speak!] This is possible! Super possible! I run forward. Soon everything will be alright. I will find them in their water bunker, and they''ll thank me for saving them. Then I''ll punish them for betraying me, take my friend away, and everything will be perfect! I finallye in sight of it and...! THUD! No, this can''t be! Please tell me this is a lie! Please! I feel like vomiting. No, I''m vomiting. I don''t care. I just want... I can feel my friend pat my shoulder. In front of us is a scene of carnage. I force myself to look at it. I feel my entire body shaking like a leaf. We found them. We found them all. There they are. In the middle of a dried-upke, there is a pile of bodies. There is a big puddle of blood. All of the water people are stacked together. It makes a small hill. There are so many arrows in their bodies that they look like porcupines. They made theirst stand here. It really was thest stand. That''s when I rise up. This isn''t the end. I''ll find her body. I''ll keep searching until I know for sure, I''ll... Chapter 558: Well Find Her! Chapter 558: We''ll Find Her! That''s when I rise up, but this isn''t the end. I''ll find her body. I''ll keep searching until I know for sure, I''ll... I dash into the bloody mess. The smell is pungent, and every time I touch one, I just want to hurl, but I keep going. I turn every cadaver and try to look at their faces. It seems they''ve been here for a while already. "I''ll help. Who are we looking for?" [You can''t miss her, she''s the only one with pink hair in the lot.] We both keep flipping corpses diligently. We do so all day long until finally, we have seen every single one. But she isn''t here. "It''s good news that we didn''t find her. Where to next?" [Follow me.] I bring our party toward Aqua''s statue. Or I try to. No matter how I keep searching, I can''t find it. It''s like the entire water canals, and the small pond have all disappeared. How?! I spend a while observing it all before I finally understand it. They filled it up with soil! I slowly start digging with my hands. "Let me help you. This soil doesn''t look too hard. They''ll be fine." My friend summons an army of Gus, and they start digging. Soon they unearth the top of Aqua''s statue. What happened here? I quickly touch it. I''ll ask her directly! But nothing happens. There is not even a shadow of an effect. It''s like it has run out of powerpletely. How does one charge such a thing? Divine power? I barely have any for myself. But just as I''m wondering how to proceed, the Gus finish digging. That''s when appears a small blue cocoon. Inside there seems to be someone! Just as I''m about to open it, my friend stops me. "Careful! It probably keeps them alive!" I see. I just have to be quick then. I swing my arm, shattering itpletely. Just as life starts leaving the person inside, I heal her. She''s a woman that looks young. I don''t remember ever seeing her. Her eyes slowly flutter open. She seems lost for a few seconds before her gaze bes clear again. That''s when she backs off, shouting: "Who are you?!" [Don''t worry. Just tell me what happened?] She starts shivering, and tears appear at the edge of her eyes. "They somehow learned that we were vulnerable, that we had lost the water barrier. They were merciless, and . wait! You''re the one that destroyed it! You''re the one that killed us all!" [Stop spouting nonsense and talk.] "If it wasn''t for you. If it wasn''t for " *SLAP* I bitch p her. She totally deserves it, no matter how much shock she is under. [Because of me?! I tried to help, and you people betrayed me! It''s your goddamn fault this all happened! Yours! Stop trying to find excuses and tell me if there are survivors!] She goes nk for a few seconds then stares at us in anger. Unbelievable! Sure, she''s traumatized, but can''t she pull herself together for a second? Good thing my friend intervenes. "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of it." Once again, he''s here to save the day. Soon, tons of Gus start crawling onto her body until she finally starts screaming, crying, and talking, most importantly. We now know where to head. The culprit seems to really be the Ever-Reaching Sect. They seem to be living in a vast forest not too far away. [Thank you. It wasn''t so hard, right?] She''s mumbling something iprehensible amidst her tears. She''ll be fineprobably. We search the area carefully once more, but we soon conclude that there is nothing else to be found here. Nothing but destruction and death. I can''t help but give the ce onest look as we leave. I have seen the horror of a god suddenly turning evil, and I now see the aftermath of a war. These people are all crazy. [This ce used to be so beautiful. They had to ruin it. For what? Just senseless greed. Such a shame. They don''t deserve to even live in this world.] "Yes, but this is the reality of this world.*Sigh*." [Yes, but does it have to be? I don''t agree. Not at all. Here is what I will do. I will slowly gather allies. Then I''ll take over this ce. If The Unnamed God Sect rules, there won''t be any war.] My friend looks at me, utterly shocked. [I know, I must sound crazy, right?] "If it was anyone else for sure. But I know you''re not. If anything, you''re just kind." [Kind? No. I''m just selfish. I just want to live in peace.] I still remember the other world. There were so many problems guing it, but at least there was a semnce of peace. I want to at least achieve this goal. [Alright, let''s go.] We walk in silence for days. Eventually, we reach our target, a huge forest. Well, the trees aren''t as big as the ones in the archaic forest. This one is just vast. It is full of life, doesn''t feel gloomy in the least and has fresh air too. How can a ce so peaceful be a den of murderers? Then again, most of their targets weren''t good people in the first ce. "What exactly is the n here?" [We aren''t looking for trouble. We want to find the whereabouts of my friend. As long as we can save her, then everything else will be fine.] "What if they attack us?" [These guys are archers, right? As long as they are not mages, I should be able to deal with them fairly easily.] For me, arrows may as well be rain. Actually, rain wets, so it would be worse. I wonder what these guys will look like. We keep progressing. My friend is scouting with Gus. We encounter many monsters, but all are rtively weak. It also helps that we have Gus with us. As soon as they sense them, they dart away, tail between their legs. We are searching everywhere, but there is only so much ground we can cover every day. That''s considering that we both have scouting abilities. [Do you think she was lying to us back there?] "No, she seemed really terrified. They probably simply are really well hidden." [Makes sense.] Thus we walk, we eat barbecue, and we take quick naps. Eventually, we do encounter something. In the distance, there is a silhouette progressing between the trees. As I use my scouting ability, I can''t help but show shock. "What is it?" [In front, there''s an elf!] Guess we''ll be able to ask for directions **** [A/N] Volume 1 is about to end soon, the n is to resume volume 2 as a new novel, fresh (As the writing style has evolved a lot since chapter 1) More details on discord ;) The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!