Chapter 138: Pocket World? Spoiler How could one describe what Crule was feeling at this moment? A sense of heaviness washed over him followed by a feel of his body trying to expand as if something inside of him was trying to break free from his skin. He quickly opens his eyes as darkness surrounded him. A single beam of light shined from above revealing the dirt and rock area near him. It seemed he was in a cave. The feeling of heaviness and bloating didn’t stop. Crule took a deep breath trying to get some oxygen to his brain so he can make sense of what’s happening. Slowly he realized something important. There was no energy. The bountiful energy that had flow through Noxia like the atmosphere was not present. His body was already accustomed to constantly draw in the ever-present energy. Now that he was suddenly thrown into an area without it, his body was still absorbing only to take in nothing. The bloating feeling was from his large pool of energy already his body trying to expand outwards. Normally the energy in the atmosphere would push back resulting in an equilibrium. Crule quickly stopped his body from trying to draw in energy. It was something he hadn’t done in a while. He could feel his body weaken significantly. As the absorption stopped, so did his energy’s connection to the outside. It stopped trying to breach out of his body and the bloating feeling slowly dissipated. Crule wondered to himself. [Crule]: Where am I? What place was left in Noxia that wasn’t permeated by the omniscient energy? He racked his brain trying to think of a place. The only explanation he could come up with was an alternate world. His entire galaxy was seeped with the dense energy. Only when one leaves the outer border of the galaxy will they find the energy had begun to evaporate away. Crule slowly stood up. His balance wavered as the sense of weakness kept washing over him. In order to stop the bloating feeling, he had to store the energy deep in his body. His limbs which were used to the constant supply of energy deteriorated. He could feel his strength fell to perhaps that of double the average man. Thankfully the temperament left his body stronger than normal. He looked up at the light shining from above, then at the darkness that surrounded him in the cave. A thought flashed in his mind. Where was the Leviathan he was with? Did they somehow get separated along the way? What’s worst was he didn’t know whether he could return to Noxia or not. Crule quickly made a mental note of several tasks he had to do. Number 1: Find out where the hell his currently location was. Number 2: Find the where-about of the Leviathan he was chasing. Number 3: Obtain the ancient treasure the Leviathan had. He knew the treasure had brought them here; perhaps it could also take them back. Of course the most important task…Send a note to Ming. He didn’t want her to worry. In his current situation the only thing that connected them was Crule’s pocket dimension where he stores all his goodies. He took out a piece of paper and wrote a note. “Don’t worry about me; it will take longer than I thought. Break the seal without me.” He attached a trace of his personal aura on the note and placed it back into his dimension. When Ming opens her side of the dimension, the note will come out on her side. [Crule]: Hopefully she gets the note… He wasn’t sure whether his dimension could pass through worlds or not. Now that that was done…Crule looked with curiosity and determination. He did some stretches and began to climb up the jagged rocked wall toward the light. He took this chance to accustom his body to the new environment. A single bead of sweat rolled down his forehead by the time he reached the opening. Slowly climbing out of the hole he was in, Crule looked around to realize he was currently in an alley way. Tall concrete buildings surrounded his left and right creating this narrow alley. Out of all the things he expected, Crule had not thought he would actually be so close to civilization. From the looks of things around him, this civilization was quite advanced. Neon lamps hummed on the walls of the buildings. Noise of chattering and vehicles filled the air that he couldn’t hear earlier when he was in the hole. Crule looked back and realize the hole had become a sewer hole. But the cave wasn’t a sewer though… [Crule]: Interesting… He said with a smirk slowly forming on his face. Wearing his black clothes, Crule walked out of the alley and blended with the bustling crowd of pedestrians. Suddenly, he stopped and stared. A small shop that sold televisions was broadcasting the news it seemed. [Anchorman]: …In other news, ambassador from another pocket world arrived today. He brings news of his world and the outside. Will this change anything for us here in the last fortress of mankind? Will our Ark finally find a suitable world to land in? Find out more at 8 O’clock on the evening news. Crule was shocked…A pocket world? Was this similar to his pocket dimension which held his goods? But how could it be this big…this advanced…Was this a remnant dimension of a former expert? Countless questions appeared in his mind. Crule could only sigh deeply. [Crule]: It seems I’ve gotten in quite a situation… His knowledge of the universe was extremely limited. His education was provided by what Ms. Burnst and his teachers Famina and Shin could teach him. It was not much. They too didn’t know the full situation. Perhaps in the entire world of Noxia, only the sage of time would have the knowledge…yet could never took the time to study under his tutelage. [Crule]: It seems I have a lot of learning to do. He promised himself when there is time, he will properly study the world he lived in… Suddenly his eyes were glued on the TV again. The news station was now showing a picture of the ambassador that had appeared. Something clicked in Crule’s mind and he smiled. His eyes flashed as he saw the portrait of the ambassador…It was a tall handsome man…but one thing stood out. A turquoise fish scale under his left eye. Crule recognized the scale… [Crule]: So the damn fish can transform… It seemed he manage to finish two of his tasks almost immediately.
Chapter 139: Mistaken identity. Spoiler Although he wanted to stay longer, Crule still walked away from the TV display. He had to start making his plans to get to the damn fish. But first he needed connections…He can’t just walk up to someone whose already established as a diplomat and just outright kill him. It would turn the entire world against him. Crule is too interested in this pocket world to suddenly turn into public enemy number one. It would greatly hinder his plans if he were to ever return. Another problem is his limited energy supply. He can’t replenish his energy and the fight with the damn fish would certainly drain him. It would be dangerous if the ancient treasure required energy to be used. He would be stuck. Crule wandered the city. The people were dressed in cloth of three different colors. It seemed the color of their clothes were also an indicator of their social status. Crule observed those who wore clothes that were either red or with strips of red had the lowest standing. They were the shoe shiners, the janitors, and the blue collar workers. It seems as the number of strips increased, their status improved a small bit. Those with clothes of full red seemed to be at the top of the blue collar worker status. They had an air of anticipation, as if they knew they were going to be promoted soon. Those with only a single red strip had dejected expressions. They knew that it will require a miracle for them to be able to climb out of their social status within their life time. Perhaps their children might be able to but they themselves will forever be a low class serf. The second group of people was wearing blue. They were the most normal looking people. They were the people sitting in the cafés, drinking their fancy beverages. They were the people in the stores, browsing various different blue colored clothes. Crule assumed they were the middle class. Those who were wearing full blue had a hint of arrogance to them. The last group was rarely seen. They wore black. Most were in large fancy vehicles or eating at fine dining locations. Perhaps out of the hundred people visible around Crule, only two were wearing black. Crule could not see anyone wearing full black like he was. He was extremely out of place. Everyone was giving him strange looks of both envy and awe. Even the two wearing black stripped clothes had to do a double take. A look of fear momentarily shone in their eye. Full black…just what kind of class does this represent? …Perhaps only royalty and those who had power to destroy the entire Ark. Crule lightly coughed before he tried to slip away. Sadly now that he had been in the open, eyes everywhere was following him. The once busy street slowly became silent as more and more people noticed Crule’s full black clothes. [Crule]: Am I really so handsome that I can stop an entire street? Crule lightly laughed and exclaimed while the looks others gave him wavered. The two wearing black strips finally decide to step up and try to ease the situation. [2 black stripped man]: May I have the honor of knowing Sir’s name? The man was extremely respectful although he was normally incomparably arrogant due to his black clothes. The other person wearing black also nodded in panic. Crule coughed and waved his hand. He didn’t want to reveal anything by speaking more that what he already has. The two’s face became pale and nodded. It seems they misunderstood Crule because a moment later, one of them brought out a phone and made a call. Minutes later, a group of well dressed men in blue came in a large van. They quickly herded the others away from the street. Within a short fifteen minutes, the entire street was empty except for the two black clothes men and Crule. Crule laughed wryly. It seems his actions to avoid attention instead did the opposite… [1 black stripped man]: Y-you highness, the task has been complete. I-is there anything else you require Honorable Sir? He was stuttering his words as his nervousness could be clearly seen all over his expression. On the entire Ark there were perhaps only ten people who could wear full black with pride…They were the Twin Stars royal family heads and eight demi-gods. Everyone knows the faces of the Twin Stars royal family as they appear in public often…but the eight demi-gods were more secretive. Perhaps only one of the other eight could recognize each other by name. The two wearing black strips though Crule was perhaps one of the demi-gods. Of course Crule had no clue about this and was secretively annoyed at himself for causing his current dilemma. He could only probe the two waiting in front of him. With a cold and ice tone, Crule asked. [Crule]: Do you know who I am? The two immediately froze. All their blood left their face and they looked like they had just seen their mother fall into a pit of cannibals while being forced to watch the whole process. [2 black stripped man]: W-we a-are not worthy of k-knowing honorable d-demi-gods’ n-name. [1 black stripped man]: P-please spare us, oh great one. The two immediately kneeled on the ground and begged Crule. Crule thought to himself. [Crule]: Demi-god huh? It seems I have secured myself a high position quite easily…but if they lead me to other of those so called ‘demi-gods’ a problem might occur. For now he had to quickly resolve the situation and find a quiet place to change his clothes into something…with less brilliance. Crule looked down at the two with his icy stare. The two nearly pissed themselves when they saw the disdain in Crule’s eyes. [Crule]: Leave me. Crule waved his hands. The two immediately started to run without any attention to how idiotic their fleeing style was. Crule smiled and immediately left for the alley he came from.
Chapter 140: The fourth color. Spoiler After Crule changed into a less conspicuous red tunic he found in a nearby Laundromat, he quickly returned to alley where the sewer entrance was. As he was nearing the alley, he saw people slowly shuffle their way back into the area after the group of blue clothed men lifted the barriers. Crule quickly wrapped half his face with the red scarf he found along with the clothes. Only his eyes were showing. It wasn’t strange to the pedestrians as a slight chill blew through the street. Dashing casually into the alley, Crule once again was in the darkness of the shade between two buildings. But an additional thing caught his eyes. The sewer cover that Crule closed after he exited the cave earlier was opened. Being as quiet as he could, Crule crept over the manhole opening and looked down. It seems the interior had changed. It was no longer the cave he was in originally but instead an actual sewer passage was seen below. Murky water flowed endlessly and small rodents scurried away from the light shining down from the opening. A light breathing sound could be heard. Someone was down there. Crule jumped down and made a sizable splash to rid the nearby area of rodents and debris. The sudden appearance of Crule frightened the owner of the breathing sound. Crule frowned when he saw who it was. A child wearing grey…it was not the red color of the low class, not the blue of the middle class, nor the black of the upper class. It was grey, dirty, filthy, ragged grey. A deep look of fear shone deep from the depths of the kid’s eyes. It was hard to tell the kid’s gender as its hair was unkempt and looked like it had never been cut in his life. Not a single feature could help Crule tell what gender the kid was. Suddenly, breaking out of shock, the kid who was now hyper-ventilating took a bone knife from under his grey clothes and lunged at Crule while screaming. [Crule]: Kid… Crule sighed and with his otherworldly speed, immediately snatched the knife from the kid’s hands mid lunge. [Crule]: Certain is brave in the face of danger… Crule mused to himself while quickly grabbing the kid by the back of its neck like a cat. [Crule]: Calm down kid, I won’t hurt you…much. Crule laughed sinisterly. His old habit was showing again… The kid froze and pissed itself…all over Crule’s shoes. Then again, it doesn’t matter as Crule was already stepping in sewage. Crule frowned. [Crule]: So much for bravery… The kid fainted. [Crule]: …Guess I’ll ask questions later. He carried the kid on his back and started to walk along the sewer line. ______ A faint glow laminated the dark damp area. The sound of sewage dripping and the squeaking of rodents was the ambient soundtrack to the makeshift camp. A pile of dried garbage was burning in the middle. Crule sat on a turned over barrel. The kid was asleep on the rag covered ground. A stick was being held over the trash fire. On it was a rat. A delicious toasty rat… The smell permeated the area. To Crule who can stay alive by having his aura consume anything edible, the stench was not a problem. Since he had to preserve his energy, he didn’t do so though. The ‘aroma’ slowly roused the kid awake. The first thing in its sights was Crule smiling. To Crule, his smile was one of benevolence, like that of a father looking down at a hardworking son. But to the others…this was the smile of deception. The smile of cruelty…the last damn thing they want to see before they die. The kid was so frightened that it fainted immediately after waking up. Crule could only sigh deeply. [Crule]: The kid must be a girl…my devilish handsomeness can make even the proudest daughter of heaven faint. Being away from Ming made Crule act very differently… In front of his wife, Crule acts like the cool dark hero who seemed like he knew everything. But his original personality…perhaps only in a world so incredibly distant from Noxia would he dare show it. His personality changed a lot as he aged. When was a prisoner kid, he was shy, fearful, but yet hopeful and curious. After training with Famina, her arrogance rubbed off him. He became bold, brash, and utterly shameless. The change was huge… After meeting Ming, Crule develop his ‘cool guy’ personality. As they say…old habits die hard. There are many theories behind his ‘cool guy’ persona. Some say it’s the side effect of Crule’s energy constantly flowing through him. With his energy now sealed within…perhaps Crule’s true self will finally surface. ______ By the time the kid woke up again the cooked rat has already been cooling for a while. Crule was sat crossed legs with his eyes closed. He was trying to slowly accustom his body to small amounts of energy at a time instead of being constantly drenching them in it. The kid’s eyes stared cautiously at Crule. It didn’t move but its growling stomach betrayed its caution. The kid grabbed the cooled cooked rat and ate ravenously. It was as if it hadn’t eaten in a week. Crule slightly opened one eye and looked quietly. He couldn’t help but sigh. [Crule]: What an adorable little rascal. From the kid’s height Crule could only make an estimate on its age. Unless malnutrition played a big factor, the kid should be around seven years old. The kid was looking cautiously at Crule whilst consuming the rat. Crule didn’t say a word. He just sat there quietly with one eye opened, staring at the kid. Quickly, the unsatisfying meal was finished and all that remained are bones that were too hard to digest. The kid still haven’t let go of its glare at Crule. The tense situation continued for a long time. The kid eventually grew too tired to keep up its vigil. Crule smiled when the kid finally fell asleep. [Crule]: Do I really look so good that she had to stare at me for hours on end? After staring for such a long time Crule finally realized the kid was female. He took more dried trash and add it to the fire. Using his precious energy, he quickly took out a blanket and draped it over the kid. [Crule]: Guess I’ll ask in the morning.
Chapter 141: True identity of the Treasure. Spoiler A ray of light beamed from the hole in the ceiling. The bustling of the urban sprawl dully echoed overhead. Crule woke up refreshed from his light rest after circulating energy carefully through his body. The kid still has not awoken yet. Crule could feel its vitality was very weak. Only the ever so slight rising and falling of the blanket Crule put over it signaled the kid was still alive. As if feeling Crule’s gaze on it, the kid slowly woke up. Crule once again asked but this time with a lighter, friendlier tone. [Crule]: What’s your name? The kid was still wary but after a night’s rest it wasn’t so stressed. Finally after waiting for nearly a day and a half, Crule got the kid’s name… [Kid]: Jane. My name is Jane. Crule was silent and calm but deep inside he was shocked. Because when he finally heard the kid’s voice with the name, he was now sure of her identity. He rubbed his temples trying to figure out how exactly he got into this situation. He sighed. [Crule]: Good name. You gave it to yourself? [Jane]: How did you know? [Crule]: Anyways…Can you take me back to your place? [Jane]:….Gramps said never talk to anyone wearing a colored shirt. [Crule]:….Who is your gramps? [Jane]: Gramps doesn’t have a name. He said he didn’t like having one. [Crule]:…. After what Jane said, Crule was now sure exactly where he was….or actually ‘when’ he was. He thought to himself. [Crule]: Is this reality or a fragment… The identity of the treasure the leviathan had was now even more valuable in Crule’s eyes. Perhaps the damn fish didn’t even know its true purpose. [Crule]: Looks like I gotta convince her to take me… Crule decided to use a little of his saved energy to open up his storage. He took out the piece of Garudan Steak he had been saving since long ago. It was still piping hot and the savory aroma quickly overpowered everything in their corner of the sewers. In all honesty, Crule would never take out such a fine dish in such a filthy place, but time is of the essence now. He didn’t know how long the treasure will allow him to stay. Such a powerful thing must have limitations. [Crule]: Here, have some more to eat. He offered the steak to Jane. Although slightly reluctant, the rich aroma quickly overpowered her wariness as her desire to eat overwhelms her. She quickly snatched the steak from Crule’s plate and started eating it with her hands. Crule tried hard not to frown upon such barbarity to something he put heart into cooking. It honestly hurt his pride…his pride which was now overwhelmingly huge due to the lack of restraints from his energy. His eyes nearly turned red at the act of disrespect to him. He then remembered who he was dealing with and sighed. After Jane finished eating, she stared at Crule as if wanting more. [Crule]: Good god, just how massive is her stomach and appetite… He wondered. [Crule]: Can you please take me to your grandpa? I wanna share some food with him. Crule put on the best sincere smile he could must…but honestly with his face it just looks like a sinister smirk. Jane however was unaffected by such an evil looking smile but instead was thinking of the food. Finally after much thought about all the nice things her gramps had done for her, she wanted him to try the food the weird little man brought as well. [Jane]: Ok… She got up and started walking immediately. Crule quickly followed. ______ After nearly half an hour of walking through the zigs and zags of the maze like sewer pipes, they finally arrived in a large open area. It was drier than the rest of the sewers and a dim ray of light shined from above which lit up the darkness. In front of Crule was nearly an entire district of makeshift houses made from scraps of metal, wood, and stones. It looked like the slums yet had a thriving feel to it. Of course Crule didn’t know what it looked like originally but he knew the name… The slum city of Corpi Costa…Apparently who ever named it thought the sewer system made their city a coastal one… Crule realized as soon as he got near the entrance of the city, a few guards wielding makeshift weapons were on alert. They stared at his clothes and frowned. [Guard]: What’s a colored one like you doing down here? The guard asked in a mocking tone. Crule didn’t say anything. He just followed Jane. The guards upon seeing Jane let her through but when Crule tried to enter, they stopped him. They stared menacingly at Crule as if trying to dissuade him from attempting to enter their city. When Crule didn’t flinch or move at all, the guards decided to take action. Just as they were about to push Crule, Jane stepped up and pulled the guard’s sleeves. [Jane]: He’s a friend, let him in please? The guards looked down at her then at Crule. Finally they sighed. [Guard]: Anyone that you can trust I guess is fine with entering…But I’m keeping an eye on you…don’t try anything funny. The guards warned Crule. Without a single facial expression, Crule once again followed Jane into the city. ______ The entire city was made from sheets of metal that seemed to be badly welded together. The homes were not tall, all single floored. But the sewers were built in a step-like fashion, thus resulting in the city having a slope. As Crule climbed up the stairs, the buildings start to look nicer. Although no longer made of rusting piece of metal, they were made from cement. It didn’t provide much warmth, but it was sturdy. Soon, even small gardens with produce was seen. Anything from herbs to fruit and even vegetables were being grown in the small yards. The compost smell was very strong as was the smell of vegetation. Soon they were near the top of the city when Jane stopped and entered one of the houses. Crule followed. Inside he saw several kids all around Jane’s age, perhaps half a dozen in total. He also saw Jane’s gramps. It shocked him deeply. But he remained calm. [Crule]: So it’s you… Crule said in his mind. He stared at the Sage sitting in his rocking chair moving back and forth…
Chapter 142: One extra? Spoiler Crule wanted to ask the Sage why he was here but he quickly stopped himself. He nearly thought the Sage in front of him was the Sage he knew well, but perhaps that was not the case. Thinking of the theory he had, he shouldn’t appear too familiar with the Sage. Anyways, the Sage looked different from his usual appearance. Instead of his usual aged 50-60 year old elderly look, he had a more youthful glow. Not youthful enough, but perhaps somewhere in his mid-30s. On his chin, instead of his well-maintained beard, was a hint of a stubble that seem to be an emerging beard. The look in his eyes was also not the aged wise stare but instead one of slight fear and doubt. It would seem this Sage in front of him didn’t recognize him and the fact that a stranger was brought into his house had startled him. The Sage quickly looked away and towards Jane. [Sage]: There you are Jane, why did you get back so late? [Jane]: I got lost. [Sage]: You and I both know that you know the sewers well enough to make getting lost impossible. [Jane]: … The Sage sighed. [Sage]: Don’t go bothering the upper folks, they are dangerous. [Jane]: But… [Sage]: Also, introduce me to your friend here. Before Jane could talk, Crule took the initiative to introduce himself. [Crule]: My names Crule. [Sage]: What an…interesting name. The Sage was trying to gauge Crule’s purpose. [Sage]: May I ask what can I do for you? The Sage probably assumed Crule seek him out considering none of the kids he took care of garners must attention. [Crule]: Just a traveler seeking refuse. Your daughter thankfully took me to this city. The Sage looked at Jane trying to see if she showed any strange emotions. Looking at the anticipating smile on Jane’s face, he could only sigh. [Sage]: Dear boy, what is your profession? [Crule]: Profession? [Sage]: All people on the ark are assigned to a profession at birth. Regardless of class. What is your profession? The Sage started to sound more serious. Anyone who didn’t know such basic knowledge of the Ark may be an intruder…and those may lead to catastrophic consequences. [Crule]: I’m…a cook. That was the best answer Crule can come up with on the spot. [Sage]: A cook you say…Its not every day you see a cook! The Sage smiled. But for some reason Crule still felt a tinge of alert in the man’s eyes. [Sage]: May I ask our friend here to make us a dish? The Sage asked with a friendly smile. [Crule]: Sure, let me borrow your kitchen then. The Sage slowly got out of his chair and sighed. His face turned serious. [Sage]: An intruder of the Ark…in my house. I don’t know whether to be annoyed or intrigued. Crule didn’t know what went wrong. He felt the Sage had energy in him even though there was no energy in the air. Just how did the Sage accumulate it? Suddenly, the Sage created a bubble around them and attacked. He leaped at Crule with both of his palms stretched out. From them, Crule could sense a faint coating of energy. It was abysmally tiny but to anyone who was not protected by energy or had any contact with it before, it would be devastating. Crule quickly pulled back before the palm landed on his and used his two fists to return two punches to meet the Sage’s palms. A shockwave spread out and blew the dust up off the ground. Several ceramic vases fell and shattered. The kids were cowering in the back already after they realized the Sage said the secret password. Obviously Crule didn’t use too much power. He didn’t want to hurt the Sage nor the kids in the back. So after he calculated, he used an equal amount of power to fully block and disperse the energy. The energy quickly dissipated in the air and the bubble around them shattered like a broken piece of glass hitting a marble floor. The Sage had a look of both shock and despair. Very few knew his true identity…He was one of the eight demigods. He protected the slums…which was why the others allowed the slums to exist. The red, blue, and black clothes ignored them mainly due to the Sage’s presence. Few wanted to deal with a demigod. For this stranger to possess power that equal to his own was no laughing matter. Perhaps only the other demi-gods or someone high in the Twin-Star royal family could fight on his level. But this boy in front of him was neither. He was too young to be a demigod…All of them were aged myths from before the ark’s time. He wasn’t part of the royal family either as they were all born with a star shaped birthmark under their left eye. Just who is this kid? [Sage]: It would seems I underestimated our guest… The Sage tried to speak as calmly as he could in order to fool Crule into thinking he still had more tricks up his sleeves. But it wouldn’t be able to fool Crule… Crule sighed. [Crule]: Tell me old man, what year is it? [Sage]: Year? Its Ark date 5691…It’s been 5691 years since the Ark has started its voyage. Crule wracked his brain trying to think of stories he heard in his youth. His master Famina and the Sage use to enjoy blabbing on for hours about their past. Suddenly Crule realized…Ark date 5691…the Sage said the Ark entered the twin star galaxy on Ark date 5699. It was 8 years before the Ark stopped its near-light speed travel and arrive at his home galaxy… There was no way any normal human can live for that long…Unless they were like the Sage and his master…chosen to control a power of reality. How can there be 8 demigods then? It was understandable for the Twin star royal family as they had a strong bloodline that may contain some magic of sorts. But the 8 demigods all had lived since before the Ark began its journey…8 people who can live for 5691 years without looking a day older than 30… But there should be only 7? The four horsemen were granted near eternal life…The main reason Crule didn’t was because his master Famina still exists on the plain of the living. Disciples couldn’t receive the blessing until their master has passed on or ascended. The three realities…of Time, Fate, and Chaos should be near immortal as well. That adds up to only 7…who is the 8th then? Crule took far too long to think. The Sage didn’t move at all fearing any sudden movements may cause Crule to act. With Crule just standing there staring at him, he felt a hint of fear. Crule realized he shouldn’t be thinking of so much while the atmosphere was still tense. He sighed and put down his arms. Silently, he waved his hands and left out the door. The Sage wanted to chase after him but soon realized something had appear from thin air after Crule waved his hands. It was a white ceramic dish with a metal lip on top. The Sage slowly opened the lid and was astonished at what was inside…An entire section of roasted Garudan steak…the smell of caramelized onions, rosemary, and oven roasted potato assaulted his nose. The aroma of the meat nearly sapped the strength from his knees. When was the last time he had eaten something that wasn’t processed nutrients? He stopped and swallowed some of the saliva that nearly dripped from his mouth…And as usual…sighed deeply. He beckoned the kids over as it was safe and they began their meal. Jane looked awkwardly at Crule who left silently after giving them the meal… She wanted to follow him…but her stomach was telling her otherwise.
Chapter 143: From low to high. Spoiler [Crule]: Now then…what to do. It seems I am not welcomed here in this slum city…nor do I quite fit in above… Crule leaned his back on the cold concrete wall. He felt its chilled coolness then came the feeling of sliminess. Years of ignorance made the wall a perfect gathering places for grim, moisture, and mold. Crule quickly revealed a face of disgust and looked at his “borrowed” clothes already dirty beyond imagination. [Crule]: Well…at least I blend in a bit more now. He sighed. His red clothes have been stained with a yellowish grey liquid and his scarf was ruined by the corrosive juices sliding down the wall from a pipe above. Crule quickly removed what was covered in the sickening stuff…what remained was a pair of dark grey pants and some rags he manage to “rescue” from a clothes line nearby. The rags he draped over himself like a poncho and wrapped some around his head to cover his hair. [Crule]: What I need now…is information. Walking around knowing nothing about the place makes me stick out like a sore thumb…But where can I find information without revealing too much about myself… What he needs right now is a place that is neutral to outsiders…somewhere where he wouldn’t be painted as a target but can also get information…especially on the 8 demigods and the Twin Star royal family. Something as important as the Twin Star royal family had completely been forgotten in his time. Which means someone or something utterly wiped them out early from history and the only ones who remember are the old seven monsters themselves…Even then, they weren’t important enough to be mentioned to Crule. There was also the fact that there was an 8th demigod…This point bothered Crule. He was also unsure if the treasure that brought him here was time based or memory based. If it was a time based treasure, he would have traveled back in time…thus all his actions may deeply impact his time. If it was a memory based treasure…he would be living through the memory of someone important…perhaps one of the demigods or maybe even a member of the royal family. Crule needed to figure out which type of treasure it was before he can perform any major actions. He already messed with the future by traveling back…now that he has gone even farther his impact would have an even greater effect due to those damn “butterflies”… While Crule was pondering, the Sage was in a bad mood. [Sage]: Where did this outsider come from…we should be mid warp, nothing should be able to enter the Ark unless through one of the designated portals…If the outsider had entered through a portal, we would have known as the energy fluctuation would shake the entire vessel… The Sage looked very upset. The kids around him had already ran and hide in their rooms. They recognize the look on the Sage’s face and realize they shouldn’t approach him at this moment unless they want death. Although the Sage is kind most of the time, he does have his…darker…times. Those children who have seen it with their own eyes have already fled. Those who knew about it but haven’t seen it stayed but were wary. The Sage left after standing for a while. The kids slowly got out. They wanted to blame Jane for bringing someone that made the Sage go into one of his “darker” moods. They looked at Jane with annoyance and disgust. But being already used to it, she just ignored the other kids and left… The Sage never had a strict hold on the kids. They could come and leave as they will, but these street kids were smart enough to know they wouldn’t last on their own. After the Sage left, Jane finally went to look for Crule. She still didn’t believe he was bad…just as she didn’t believe the Sage was all good. Her intuition tells her Crule was a nice person. ______ Whilst Jane was looking for him, Crule had already left the slum city. The guards stared in confusion at him as he left. His new clothes made him look like a resident but the guards know most of the residents of the small slum city. They wanted to stop him to ask who he was but Crule left too quickly for them to have the chance. Soon Crule found a manhole cover above and climbed out back into the upper streets. He found himself in another dark alley way. Several dumpsters lined the street and steam rose out from the pipes connecting to the buildings surrounding him. Instead of walking on the streets, this time Crule surged energy in his legs and climbed the side of the building. He quickly reached the roof. From the roof, he would see the artificial sky dome above him. Although it looked like a normal night sky, patterns could be seen as lines outlining each panel was visible. A wind blew gently as the sound of the city was muffled by the whistling of wind traveling through the city. [Crule]: For an artificially created city, they sure did pay attention to detail… There were no animals though…No birds, no rats, and no insects. Although Crule couldn’t use his energy to sense for them, he secretly knew there weren’t any. [Crule]: I need a map. Crule sat down on the roof. He closed his eyes as he try to map out the city from what he saw from the roof. There was a very tall and important looking building a few hundred meters west of him. On the opposite side, a few kilometers away was what looked like a support beam? Such a big dome should be able to hold itself up due to its shape but Crule assumed the engineers were better safe than sorry when involving the only hope for humanity. He ran toward the support beam. Being in a higher place means a better view of the city. Even with his strengthened muscle, it still took Crule an hour to reach the towering structure. A single bead of sweat fell from his forehead. [Crule]: I don’t remember the last time I had such a workout. Looking at the smooth outside of the tower, Crule sighed. [Crule]: Looks like I have to climb it from the inside… He looked at the small metal door that has been locked by a giant padlock nearly half the side of the door. [Crule]: It seems to be a maintenance entrance…but this lock… Crule stared at the giant lock. It looked very interesting as there were two handles on each side and no keyhole. [Crule]: Perhaps… He gripped the handles with both hands and channeled his energy slowly through them. An audible click was heard as the lock opened up and fell on the ground with a dull thud. [Crule]: This kind of lock in this place…Perhaps one of the demigods was a blacksmith. Crule smirked as he realized he was in a very interesting situation. So many unknowns…the exhilaration of adventure once again filled him. Through the door was a long spiraling stairway. The lights were turned off so the darkness above made the stairs look eternal. [Crule]: *sigh*…I’m definitely getting my share of cardio today. Thus the climb begun.
Chapter 144: What ordeal? Spoiler As Crule began to climb the stairs, step by step he felt his knees buckle. It seems as if the gravity increases as he takes each step. [Crule]: This pressure…Where have I felt this before… An hour later, he could no longer rely on only his brute physical capabilities to climb on. He started to channel minute amounts of energy into his legs. It was like cold water hitting a slab of red hot iron. Steam rose from his legs as the sweat immediately evaporated. A feeling of comfort washed over Crule as he continued on. The pressure remains ever increasing though… Having lost count of how many steps he had climb, Crule decided to let his mind wander… The gates within his body…they are only channels. What will he do afterwards? His master never explained beyond that…perhaps she assumed Crule may never reach past that stage in his life time, after all…he didn’t inherit the gift of immortality yet. His lifespan is still limited to a few hundred years at best. His pool of energy was as rich as the energy in the atmosphere on Noxia. He had a very large reserve of it. What he discovered was some of the energy in him had been touched by the primordial event horizon. It changed it…but Crule couldn’t tell the difference. He couldn’t use it either… The changed energy lie deep within his pool. He would have to exhaust all the energy he had up to that point in order to tap into changed energy. But like a carbonated drink, a bubble of it rises up every so often. Crule always had it ready for the most worst of situation. Once when he fought Hanuman, once when he fought the wolfspider queen, once when he fired his cannon toward the drake, and most recently when he killed the Queen Bee. Every time the tiny sliver of energy was surrounded by the normal kind so Crule couldn’t examine the changes directly. Suddenly, his mind stopped wandering as he finally arrived at a door. The pressure currently was tenfold the normal gravity on the ark. Crule lifted his hand and placed it on the door. It had a cold feeling to it but soon a change occurred. Since the pressure was so great, Crule had to channel energy into his arms. The door sensed it and absorbed some of the energy. It didn’t take much but was enough for Crule to feel a suctioning force. The door slowly opened. [Crule]: I really want to meet who ever made these contraptions. Crule mused as he walked into the now opened door. ______ Far away in a treehouse within the main park of the ark, a person stirred awake. [Person]: Hmm…He finally showed up. The person looked toward the towering structure in the distance. [Person]: If he pass my tests then I might finally get the chance to tell him… If Crule could see this person he would be shocked speechless… ______ Behind the door was a single black obelisk. Engraved on the smooth marble-like stone was the ancient language of humanity. Crule couldn’t read it but soon a monotone electronic voice started speaking. [Voice]: Long ago, mankind lived under one single language. The language brought them together, and they became arrogant. They decided to reach the heavens through a tower. Thus Babel was born. But as if it was an act against the gods themselves, the tower was destroyed and mankind was once again divided by language. Crule listened on with intrigue. Why did it suddenly start a history lesson? [Voice]: But Mankind was not deterred by the wrath of gods. Over eons, they once again united under a language. Learning from their past mistakes, they did not build a single tower. No, they built an entire series of towers. Each tower houses all the knowledge mankind had gathered. Crule was amazed. All the knowledge? It was an enormous task that seemed impossible…The voice continued. [Voice]: But as if the wrath of gods could never be prevented, our world was destroyed. But the towers continue on, humanity continued on. We left our battered world on an Ark with the tower which hold all of what defines humanity. The Ark with its towers of babel shall travel to a new world. Perhaps one day, with the knowledge we own, combined with new knowledge, we may challenge the heavens on equal grounds. The heavens…Crule never understood that. Even with the horseman of death, Crule never knew what happens after life. It was something he never had to ask before. The voice continued with a few final words that shocked Crule. [Voice]: For entering one of the towers, you have proven yourself worthy to take upon the ordeal of mankind. If you succeed, perhaps even the heavens shall bow before you. If you should fail… The voice staggered. [Voice]: If you should fail, you will join the billions who have fallen before you. The voice suddenly became more emotional. Crule hesitated. He never knew about this. The sage, his master, any of the other horsemen, none of them told him about this. He didn’t know how it would affect his plans as well. But soon his arrogance took hold of him. The same arrogance that was always hidden deep within him due to his aura will now embark him on a twisted path. [Crule]: I accept. The room shuttered. [Voice]: Good. Child of man, accept your destiny as a human and strive to conquer the heavens. If the stone accepts you, the burden of mankind shall fall on your shoulder. The voice faded out and the stone obelisk collapsed into a piled of rubble. Within the rubble was a marble. It looked extremely similar to the marble the Sage gave Crule to preserve his soul for time travel. Crule held the marble carefully and stared at it. [Crule]: The burden of mankind huh? Just another thing to add on my long list of things to do… The usual evil-looking smirk plastered his face. Then he opened his mouth wide and swallowed it. ______ Back in the treehouse far away from the tower. [Person]: The kid took the challenge…guess he’s more courageous than I thought…that or far more idiotic than I remember him to be. With a smile and with a wave of its hand, the person vanished.
Chapter 145: 8th Demigod Spoiler Nothing happened. Crule waited and waited…and waited. Nothing. After an hour he began to suspect something was wrong. [Crule]: Is this a joke? His anger slowly grew. A voice suddenly spoke from behind him. [Voice]: Not quite. It was a voice Crule recognized. One he could never forget. A voice that he had heard all throughout his childhood. He turned around and saw someone he knew. [Crule]: M-master. Famina stood behind him leaning against the opened door. Although she doesn’t look exactly like her childish form trapped on the moon Gluttony, her face and voice was still exactly the same. She was just older. She looked to be in her prime. A black gown draped over her shoulder and flowed down onto the ground. It was clean although it probably had been dragged all over the floor she walked over. [Famina]: Oh my little disciple, it’s nice to finally see you. My clone can only communicate with me so often so it’s hard to learn about what happened on the outside. Crule was speechless. His mouth wide opened and yet not a single word came from it. Moments later, he stuttered. [Crule]: W-what? [Famina]: My cute little disciple, did you really think I would willingly let myself be locked up for such a stupidly long amount of time? I enjoy life FAR too much to let that happen. A devilish grin plastered across her face as she toyed with her gloves, trying to put it on. [Crule]: B-but? [Famina]: I guess I owe you some explanation, but first…spit that fake piece of marble out. She waved her hand as a formless power erupted force. It slammed against Crule’s abdomen and he vomited. Out flew the piece of marble still looking remarkable but its brilliance was dimmed by the stomach acid. Crule kneeled on the ground with his hand on his stomach. Tears slowly formed around his eyes. That truly caught him off guard… Famina walked over and picked up the marble with her gloved hand. [Famina]: A very nice replica isn’t it? Crule was still trying to catch his breath. A sudden epiphany flashed in his mind. The 8th demigod…No wonder there was one extra…His master was definitely strong enough to be one. [Famina]: Anyways, time for me to explain some stuff. She sat backwards on an invisible platform of energy and crossed her legs. Crule had never seen such refined use of energy in his life…his master’s beauty also had stunned him the entire time. He just too use to the childish form whom he had been with for years. [Famina]: As I have just said, the marble is a fake, and the body imprisoned on the moon is a clone. The End. [Crule]: W-what? [Famina]: Oh my adorable confused disciple, you have to earn more answers… With a waggle of her index finger, she mocked Crule. [Crule]: H-how? [Famina]: Of course…you have to kill yourself. ______ Meanwhile, the Sage and Maximus had travelled far and deep into the Wild. [Sage]: Honestly, how can anyone stand not taking a shower for months? [Maximus]: They enjoy being one with nature. [Sage]: I don’t think being caked in dirt, sweat, and carcasses of beasts is what you would call “being one with nature.” [Maximus]: Hahaha, man up a little! We’re almost there. In front of them was a monstrous tree. It covered nearly the entire skies above them. Upon closer inspection, there were normal sized trees growing on the tree as if they were microscopic parasites. [Maximus]: It’s not every day we go see the Tree sovereign. [Sage]: If that bastard didn’t put the damn seal in such an annoying place, I would never ever want to set foot in a place like this. The Sage grumbled but a hint of coldness could be spotted in his eyes when he mentioned the bastard. [Maximus]: Hmm. Maximus followed but his gaze soon became dull and monotonous. If one was to observe closely, his actions followed everything the Sage said to do. They continued climbing the thick roots toward the trunk of the tree. ______ [Crule]: K-kill myself? [Famina]: Yes kid, die for me. The sadistic grin on Famina’s face sent shivers down Crule’s spine. He hasn’t been this terrified in a very long time… Famina waited. Crule didn’t know what to do…should he obey? I mean his master should have a reason to ask him to kill himself… [Crule]: W-why? Why do I have to kill myself? Please master, give me the reason. Famina finally sighed. Now she looked at Crule with disappointment in her eyes. [Famina]: I expected more from you kid…and here I thought I finally found a devoted disciple who would die for his master. With a wave of her hand, Crule was bound by a stream of solid yet transparent energy. He couldn’t move a muscle, only his eyes could wander. Even his breathing was restricted. Crule was panicking severely now. [Famina]: Looks like a master’s job is never finished…Can’t even get my disciple to follow simple orders, perhaps I failed as your master. She slowly walked over to him and produced a large butcher knife from thin air. Eons of dried blood caked the center of the knife. The edge had been sharpened repeatedly so there was no blood on that part. The black handle looked like it was made from a fine mahogany. Crule had never see this weapon before. It had a dominating aura, one that he had never felt before. But quickly, he noticed an emblem carved on the black handle. It was an insignia. He remembered seeing it before…on the lock that was on the door of this tall structure. [Famina]: Never thought I would be taking this old thing out today. *swings it around a few times* Still got the hang of it. She hoisted the knife over her shoulder and was once again smiling. [Famina]: Now my precious little disciple, DIE FOR ME! The knife came bearing down at Crule’s neck at blinding speeds. It was as if time had stopped…and Crule’s head flew away from his body.
Chapter 146: Part of the truth. Spoiler A man looked down at the corpse. He sighed deeply and looked at Famina. [Man]: You realize how much you owe me now for doing this? [Famina]: Then count us even. [Man]: …Fine. I don’t owe you anything now. The whole deal with Charles is in the past now. Shin’s father passed it on just in time, the lineage is carried on. Famina smiled. [Famina]: We immortals are such selfish creatures. The man scoffed. [ [Man]: And you, the one who consumes it all, is the most selfish one. [Famina]: Now come on, get on with it. My dead disciple must be looking for some answers right now. [Man]: Fine, I’ll go guide him. [Famina]: I’ll be waiting here then. Famina threw a kiss at the man only to be violently avoided. [Man]: Sickening woman. The man sneered and vanished. [Famina]: Hahaha, no one would ever guess the horseman of death was shy and has gynophobia. She chucked as she sat back down in her throne made of energy. ______ Crule was floating in nothingness. He see, smell, hears, and feels nothing. It was as if he was floating in the fast emptiness of space. Soon a man appeared in a long flowing black robe. Crule felt like he recognized him but his faded memories were still in the state of slowly gathering themselves. The man waved his hands and a large monitor appeared before Crule. It played everything that happened to him, from birth to his death. Every dialogue written with the Name first in brackets and the exact words they said following it. “This is your Akashic records. It holds all the information about you that is important to the universe.” The man said. It was strange. It was like everything Crule experienced up until now was just a movie playing during his death. A flashback through his entire life so far. “I understand now.” Crule said. “Yes, everything you have seen from the beginning till now has been your records.” The man sighed. “I’m sure you have some questions now.” Crule nodded slowly. “First I guess you want to know who I am.” The man rubbed his chin in a gloating manner. “You should be the horseman of death…yet I don’t know which generation.” Crule replied in a dull tone. His memories were still in a mess but after watching his akashic records, most of it had organized into chronological order. “Ahaha, a smart one huh? Famina always enjoy finding the smart ones.” The man replied in an annoyed tone, as if his only form of enjoy was suddenly lost. “Anyways let me tell you who I am then…I am the master of Charles, the master of the master of your teacher.” Crule nodded slowly. “What a dull reaction…I expected more out of this…Blah, the memory reorganization after death always have this stupid effect on people.” The man cursed. “Anyways…I am the same generation as Famina and the rest.” “I see…” Crule replied nonchalantly. “…You know what? This is no fun, let’s just move on to the Q&A.” The man sighed. “Don’t bother asking, most of the question that you wanted to ask I already know. Stuff like that is already recorded in the akashic records.” The man once again began to brag. “Energy, the thing that has permeated all through Noxia and its surrounding subspace. Just what is it? And why do people on the Ark have energy even though they never been to the galaxy where Noxia is located? Well, well, well, my boy…that question has a very simple answer.” The man began to explain. “All of the energy on the Ark belongs to the universe we came from, the one with earth.” The man nodded with a glint in his eyes as if he’s about to reveal something major. “All of the energy on Noxia and around it…comes from one person.” It was at that moment when Crule’s memory had finished reorganizing itself and he suddenly was able to react again. A flash of shock plastered his face and his mind went blank again. “W-who is it?” He asked. “You mean who has enough energy to cover the entire planet plus more?” The man smiled. “Why obviously Chaos.” Even more shock…Crule tried to stay silent this time. “Beyond our universe lies so much more. We are on the outer edge. At the very center of it all is a core. The core provides the so called “energy”. It permeates through the inhabitants of the universe closest to the core. Those of us out here barely gets any at all. Even with all the amount we could get on earth, we only produced seven demigods. The royal family relies on science and the occult to get their power.” The man explained without pause. “Chaos is not from our universe.” The man exclaimed. “W-what?!” “I know right? When I first saw him, I was shocked too!” The man turned excited. “Can you imagine us, in middle of hyperspace traveling in our ark when all of a sudden, a large creature rams into us?!” Spit came flying out of the man’s mouth as he spoke with such excitement. “That large creature was Chaos’s true form. But of course he couldn’t stay in that form. You have felt it yourself when you entered the ark. The energy inside of you was waiting to burst out and destroy you in the process. It was even worst for Chaos. Suddenly going from a high saturation to a low saturation meant his body was suddenly put under unbelievable amounts of strain as the large amounts of energy inside of him was waiting to burst out.” Crule kept listening as images of the man’s memory appeared. There was an image of Chaos’s true form. It reminded Crule of the disgusting creature that Chaos had become when fused with Grimly in his timeline. “So what did Chaos do? After we smashed into him with our Ark, we both got pushed out of hyperspace and ended up in this backwater galaxy. Chaos took this chance to separate his energy cores into seven and hide on a large planet.” “Noxia?” Crule asked. “Good guess…but no. He placed his seven cores on Crescentia.” “Ah…” Crule suddenly realized why Crescentia was in such a messy state in his time… “Of course we demigods realized how weakened Chaos was and fought him. Each of us took a core and the resulting fight destroyed Crescentia and we lost one of our own….Fate.” A frown along with a sigh later, the man continued. “We took the cores and temporarily used its power to seal Chaos on the destroyed planet. Then we went to the next inhabitable planet along with the ark.” The man waved his hand and an image of Noxia appeared. “When we first landed, the annoying natives of the planet, the beasts, wanted the cores for themselves. Not wanting an everlasting war, most of us agreed to part with their cores and seal it underground. This way the energy can permeate through the entire planet and everyone would benefit.” The history of how Noxia got its energy interested Crule…but he didn’t know why the horseman was saying all of this to him. Originally he didn’t have this question in his head. “Now let’s get to the good part.” The man said with a grin. “Of course we all agreed to do it…but one man…one bastard of a man…decided it wasn’t enough. He decided to mess with everything resulting in him getting all the cores…that is what happened in your timeline. But something happened that ruined his plans.” “W-what? Who?” Crule pondered. “The Sage of course. That bastard old man wanted to take all the core and ascend!” The man yelled with rage. “But during your time, the horseman of death died leaving the others vulnerable.” “W-what? What are you talking about?” Crule asked. “You see…we horsemen are immortal, as long as the horseman of death remains alive. Of course we horsemen also have extremely long life spans so if nothing serious happens, the horseman of death does his mundane job day in and day out…God it’s just so boring…the souls of the dead who don’t cultivate, don’t talk so it’s all silence…So anyways…Before the demise of the horseman of death, he finds a successor…just in case.” The man explained. Suddenly Crule understood…His teacher Shin. He never passed on his title. “Yes, I see you understand now. Shin, your teacher never passed on the horseman of death’s title. He died resulting in all the other horsemen becoming mortals. They have a limited lifespan now. So the Sage needed to change that. In order to be able to survive taking all the cores, he had to be immortal. So he sent a clueless idiot to the past…Someone who was close with the current living horseman of death. Someone to prevent that death and to allow his plan to flow smoothly.” Crule was shocked and angered now. “So you’re saying…” Crule said slowly. “Yes. The Sage played you for a tool.” The man smiled. “You are his pawn in keeping his plans on track. With his wife alive, Shin will now both have an extra layer of protection but as well as the motivation to stay alive. You with your so called “godly powers” will also keep him alive due to your ties.” “S-so…” The marble…the marble the Sage gave him to let him travel back in time along with his power, storage, and memories… Crule panicked. His body went limp as he kneeled on the ground. “Poor fool. If it wasn’t for your master being so fond of you, perhaps you would have remained a tool until the very end.” The man shook his head and sighed. “Anyways, we had to get rid of the trace he put on you via that marble….So we killed you.” The man shrugged. “S-so that’s why master…” “It was for your own good, kid.”
Chapter 147: The other reason. Spoiler “Of course there was another reason why we had to kill you…but I think I’ll leave that for later.” The horseman smirked at Crule. “Tell me please, I need to know…I beg you…please.” Crule reluctantly begged the man. Normally he wouldn’t stoop so low but given the emotional shock he received, he doesn’t really have any control in keeping his cool. “Oh fine, since you really REALLY want to know…” The man smiled. “Stop it.” Another voice appeared from behind Crule. It was on [e he recognize even with his eyes closed. “M-master?” Behind him stood Famina. “I’ll tell him instead.” Famina said while walking up to the man. “This isn’t part of the deal.” She whispered in his ear. He backed off a little as she got too close. “Can’t I have a little fun with the kid?” The man replied with a smile. “Is this revenge for throwing at kiss at you?” The man cringed. “Don’t remind me…Fine fine, go ahead, and explain the rest to your pupil.” The man sighed and shrugged. He walked backwards and started to order around the piece of Akashic records flying around to go back to its original location. “Anyways kiddo, I guess you want to know why I had to kill you.” Famina turned to Crule and said with reluctance. Crule nodded slowly. Famina sighed and waved her hands. In front of Crule appeared a slab of stone. On it was engraved an ancient looking text. It described all of Crule’s current cultivation progress. Opening gates one by one, understanding the nature of one’s power, then lastly opening the final two…all of it was in there. “This was a technic I found a while back.” Famina said. “It’s a temporary technique with good results…only problem is it leads to a dead end.” Crule blinked… “A-a dead end?” “Yes, a dead end.” Famina sighed again. “Originally I didn’t have much faith in you. You were a random kid that happen to stumble upon my clone’s prison room. I didn’t know whether or not the dam old bastard had place you there on purpose or not. There was also the problem of your body not having any trace of potential.” She quietly explained. “I had no hope placed in your ability. Honestly at best, I thought you wouldn’t be able to reach the end of the cultivation technique in your lifetime. I didn’t expect the Sage to use you in his plans…” “T-then what about Ming? Or Shin?” “They too have been practicing the wrong cultivation technique. We the old generation never pass on the true technique until our time has come…Remember we are immortals, we can’t just pass on everything to a random person who has a body who can accept our power.” Crule felt a sense of betrayal…but it went away quickly with what his master said next. “But knowing Maximus, before he completely lost his control to the Sage, he probably left the true technique to Ming. Should he ever perish, the memory will return to her.” Famina then waved her hand and the stone slab vanished. “I didn’t pass on my technique is because I have to wait for Shin to pass on the title of the Horseman of Death and die before I can teach him the true cultivation technique.” The man behind who was still organizing the information said. “As for me, the reason why I haven’t passed the true technique to you…is because of the nature of our power…It’s a power that will consume you if you are not ready. And you kid, weren’t ready.” Famina pointed at Crule. “But now…we have no choice but to do so.” “But why?” Crule asked. “Because the Sage has moved on further with his plan than we expected.” The man said. “Probably because of you…” Famina glared at the man then looked back at Crule with pity in her eyes. “It’s not your fault. We didn’t tell you. But now we need to stop him. We need you to practice the true cultivation for our powers.” “Why me? Why not you guys?” “Because he already knows far too much about us. He knows our weakness, our strengths, even what patterns we use subconsciously when we attack. It’s something that he learned over the years he’s taken care of us…” Famina said. “Wait? Taken care of you?” Crule said. “Oh you didn’t know? I thought you would have known already due to all the similarities…That little girl Jane that you met…that was me before I inherited the title.” Crule blinked. That explained a lot. “Other than the Sage and Fate, the rest of us all inherited our titles the moment Chaos hit our Ark. Several of the demigods tried to stop the collision but failed. In the process they also got themselves killed. Before they died though, they passed on their title to the nearest person they could find. I just happen to be wandering when the demigod in charge of famine happen to land in the sewers.” Crule nodded. “I’m sure you can understand why we did so poorly in trying to stop Chaos on Crescentia. We had four new horsemen, two old demigods and almost no preparation.” Famina looked down in melancholy. “T-teacher?” Crule walked towards her as he wanted to comfort her. But as soon as he got close, a barrier stopped him. “Don’t bother.” The man behind said. “You two aren’t in the same realm anymore.” “What do you mean?” Crule asked. “You poor idiot. You don’t even know the things your master had to sacrifice to prepare this elaborate plan.” The man sighed. “Sacrifice? What did…? Before he could finish his question, Famina began talking again. “So anyways. You know our true enemy…The old bastard, the Sage himself. Chaos has never been a problem since he split from his cores. As long as we keep a single one away from him, he can never use the other six. It’s a strange rule that binds him and allows us some leeway. Thankfully Fate manage to find that out before she…perished.” Crule nodded vehemently. He use to want revenge on Grimly and Chaos. All his hatred poured into those two. But now that his teacher was alive, his hatred diminished a little. But having learned the Sage’s treachery, his anger once again returned. Grimly, Chaos, the Sage…they will all pay. Famina could see the anger and hatred in Crule’s eyes. She sighed and pondered. “Perhaps he will not be consumed…it will be a near impossible trial…but I can only hope.” She thought to herself. “Crule. It’s time for you to inherit the true cultivation method.” Famina finally said. Crule snapped out of his dark thoughts and nodded…But he found he could no longer move or speak. “We who controls famine, controls the lack of and the abundance of basic human needs. You yourself must feel what it’s like to be deprived of those needs…” Famina said as she waved her hands. A portal opened up to a desolate wasteland. “Crule, my disciple…do me proud.” Famina smiled softly as she pushed Crule into the portal. As Crule entered the portal, he could finally talk again. But he only yelled one thing… “Master! I will make you proud!” Crule turned around and started his freefall down to the wasteland. ______ “You sure it’s ok not to tell him?” The man asked looking with pitiful eyes at Famina. “He will find out eventually…Either way I don’t think I have the courage to tell him.” The two of them stood there…in the darkness. Looking upon the boy taking the trial.
Chapter 148: An inhuman test. Spoiler A blistering heat shocked Crule awake. He soon realized how unbearable the temperatures were around him. Mouth parched and lips bleeding, Crule looked around at his surroundings. It was a desert. A single sun loomed overhead. This shouldn’t be on Noxia. The place where Crule awoken from was a stone slab. It was surrounded by large rock steles. Strange symbols that he didn’t recognize dotted the steles. “Hello? Anybody?” Crule asked hoarsely. His dried mouth made it difficult to talk properly. He needed water…and fast. Slowly, he got off the stone slab. The heat was compounded by the continuous winds that provided not a single breeze of relief. All it did was made the heat feel worst as it brushed against Crule’s face. Due to glaring sun, Crule could barely keep his eyes opened as he continued to survey his surroundings. His only conclusion was this…Absolutely barren. The visible area around him consist of nothing but the strange rock steles, the stone slab, and sand. Endless almost water-like sand. A constant river of sand being pushed by the wind flowed around Crule. They eventually lead to several sand-whirlpools. The most obvious concern that constantly triggers warning in his head, was his thirst. He didn’t know how long he had been baking there on the slab but it had evaporated a significant amount of water from his body. Crule was borderline dehydrated. His body felt haggard and sluggish. Since he was already feeling dizzy, this shows he had already lost around 5-8% of his total body water. He was a third of the way to death by dehydration. Since there was nothing around him in the nearest visible range, Crule first had to find a way to slow down his dehydration. He needed to find shade. There were no trees, no bushes, and no tall standing structure. Crule quickly found the only thing in the entire place that provided shade…the stone slab he woke up on. It casted a small two foot long shadow that allowed Crule to fit in it if he sits down and scrunches up. So that’s what he did. Crule used his time to now recollect his thoughts but trauma made it difficult. He had died…but now he is alive? How can a ghost feel thirst? Was he really not dead? How come he can’t feel a single shred of energy in his body? Lots of questions and no answers what-so-ever…Crule stopped thinking about those before it frustrates him too much. His current predicament was his top priority at the moment. The clear blue sky also removed any possibility of a localized rain shower…Not that it rains often in the desert anyways. Finally, Crule noticed something. On the back of his hands were three marks. They looked like they have been carved into his flesh and have left unhealable scars. What’s more interesting was…his hand was back. The hand he lost to the wolf spider had amazingly regenerated. It was his own hands again. Staring at his hand, Crule decided to check out the stone steles. He walked over slowly and curiously probed the stele. The markings were strange but yet feels mystic. Crule carefully placed his hand on the stele he was observing…No reaction. No reaction that he could see that is. A combination of fatigue and the blistering sun made Crule unable to notice the change. A single shard of the stele broke off the top and fell on his hair. Unable to get further information, Crule slowly walked back to the shade. ______ A period of time had passed but yet the sun had not moved at all. Crule was hoping to wait till nightfall to travel further but it now looks like the place perhaps has an extremely long day-night cycle or is perpetually daytime. Feeling his body weaken further, Crule made a choice…He had to take the risk and move. It was better than staying here and die of thirst. He picked his battered body up and walked sluggishly into the sand. When his feet touched the sand, it sank in a good half a foot. The loose sand wasn’t able to stay firm to hold his body on the surface. Crule frowned. If he had to walk with his feet deep in sand, it will sap his already diminished stamina. But what could he do? He walked on. Soon he appeared next to one of the sand-whirlpools. Crule tread carefully, hoping to avoid stumbling into the swirling pit. But just as his luck would have it, his body finally gave in. At more than 10% loss of total body water, his body’s physical functions starts to stall. He lost his footing and fell sideways…landing into a flowing stream of sand. He fell deep. It was like sinking into the bottom of a heavy lake. He couldn’t control his body at all as the flowing sand both smothered him and carried his body along the stream into the whirlpool. Just as he was about to pass out, Crule saw something that shocked him…At the very bottom of the pit…was what people would call an Antlion. Before he could snap out of it, the creature used his powerful mandibles and ripped his body apart. Crule felt a sharp and brutal pain before dying once again…His mind flat-lined and everything went blank. ______ What seemed like an eternity later, Crule woke up once again. The blistering sun was still overhead, his body was still lying on the stone slab, and once again… he was dehydrated. But there was something different this time. He remembered what happened. He looked down and saw the marks on his hand had increased to four…But this time, he actually remembered what happened. “So I have already died four times…” Crule frowned. He could only remember his most recent death but the first three was completely blank. But why could he remember it this time? He reviewed what he did that might have been different but nothing came up. He didn’t notice that in his hair, that small grain that fell from the stone stele still remained. As if the whole ordeal he was just in didn’t displace the speck at all. All the tumbling from falling into the sand stream and his body being torn and eaten by the Antlion…nothing disturbed that small piece in his hair. Crule sighed as he stared upwards at the blue sky. He tried to avoid staring directly at the white hot sun. “Just what kind of trial did master put me in…?” And thus his trail continued.
#soon Chapter 149: Starting over. Spoiler *Crunch* Once again Crule woke up on the slab. He wishes he had lost count of how many times he have died…but the marks on the hands keeps reminding him. “15…Where did I mess up this time?” As he tried to recall what went wrong, his memory slowly came back like a video. What ever happened after his 3rd death allowed him to remember what happened. Perhaps it was supposed to happen, perhaps it wasn’t. “It seems I was eaten again…” The Antlion was far too strong for anyone to escape from once they have entered its nest. Once again, Crule explored around his surroundings. He didn’t know how many chances he gets, he didn’t know how many times he could die…but so far it seemed endless. Time pass on without notice. Honestly, without a day-night cycle, Crule couldn’t even keep track of time as he keeps dying and waking up what seems like hours later. Soon the number of marks on Crule’s hand had filled it completely…the marks were now starting to show on his forearm. More deaths…over…and over…and over. Death by dehydration. Death from heatstroke. Death from being eaten. Death from suffocating in the sand rivers. Death from committing suicide. Crule tried everything. Literally everything he could think of. But nothing changed. He would wake up again, dehydrated, on his slab of stone. The same blistering sun, the same stone steles, the same sand whirlpools, and the same god damn Antlion. Soon the number of marks had covered his entire forearm and was working up to his shoulder. Crule lost count…but he knew it was definitely over 100 deaths by now. It was an unending nightmare. He nearly forgotten the last time he had ate, drank, or even had a moment’s respite. Finally, something changed when the marks had covered his entire shoulder. A faint image appeared this time when he woke up. It was being projected by one of the stone stele. “I see you’re having fun.” Famina said with a sadistic smile. Crule didn’t know what to think. Honestly, he had gone numb from the sheer number of times he had died. He haven’t had any social interactions in such a long time as well. “I-I….” “I assume you are trying to talk back right now, maybe even cursing me.” Famina said with a smile. “Sadly, this is just a recording. Something I left just in case my idiot of a disciple can’t pass this relatively easy trial.” The sun made the image difficult to see, but Crule could see her smile still. “Honestly, I didn’t even think I had to make this recording but knowing just how dense my disciple is, I had no choice. He might be smart to others, but to me, he’s always an idiot.” Crule didn’t know what to say. So he just continued listening. “Have you wondered why you have marks on your body?” Famina finally asked. “Those are the marks of the fallen. Each time you die, a little bit of yourself remains with each incarnation. The reason you had two to start with, was because you have already technically died twice.” Famina revealed her pale arms under her sleeve. Suddenly, numerous markings that looked like the ones on Crule appeared. “This is the true state of our immortality. We die, but we always come back. Each time we come back, we bring a little bit of ourselves with us. Crule, my boy, you have to learn how to be an immortal. Dying is painful, it is horrible and a nightmare each and every time. But you have to accept that it will happen to you as long as you are a horseman. You can’t escape the pain. You might as well embrace it, learn from it. Become something in-human.” Rolling her sleeves back down, Famina sighed. “The only way to pass the trial, is to accept it. Go on my child, go kill yourself a few hundred thousand more time. Enjoy the pain, the thought of dying, and just accept it’s something that happens eventually. Use it as your strength.” Famina smiled one last time before the image vanished. For some reason Crule, could see a tear in her eye. He didn’t understand. He had never seen his master cry before, no matter what had happened. Even when people she had known for years start to die all around her, her nerves of steel allow her to stay calm. It was now he knew that she had accept death as something that’s just a part of life. But at the same time, that single tear created many questions in his mind. Crule looked down at the marks on his body. His entire right arm up to his shoulder was now covered in the marks. He no longer viewed them as something foreign. Each and every one of them represent himself. Each one was a life he had given up…and to continue this trial and to finish, he knew what he must do. Fill his entire body with marks and use its power. But how? Crule had no idea how to access the power of the marks. Famina said they are the proof of immortality but how does it apply to his own power? What ties are there? Just so many question that he needed answers to… So Crule once again got up from the slab but with renewed determination in his eyes. “Let’s keep dying then.” He said with a smile as he embraced death. ______ “You were a fool…But I can’t stop you when you are like this…I just can’t.” The horseman of death looked at the scene in front of him. A single throne made of darkness. The beautiful pale women sitting on it, unconscious. Slowly, one by one, the marks on her body vanishes. “You truly loved that kid huh? I guess you thought of him as your own son…you raised him…and yet he doesn’t identify you as his mother…” The horseman sighed. With his arms folded across his chest, he sat cross legged next to the throne. “Let me accompany you till it’s over.” The horseman said with the most endearing tone he could muster. This was the woman he loved but could never have…she was his treasure, the jewel in his eyes, perhaps the only reason for him allowing every horseman to have immortality…Because he couldn’t bear to part with her. But at the same time, he could never deny her…They had grown up together, spent countless centuries together…yet she never recognized his love. Perhaps she was too dense, perhaps he was too subtle…sadly none of that matters now. She is passing on…and her child…will carry on her will. He promised himself he wouldn’t cry…But promises are meant to be broken.
Chapter 150: Antagonist Rewind. Spoiler Crule crawled out of the corpse of the Antlion feeling satisfied. It was the first time he had something to drink in what seemed like an eternity. His entire body was now covered in markings, each of them tells a tale of death. “Who knew Antlion blood could taste so refreshing,” He said after wiping his mouth. To finally be able to take down such a beast too countless efforts. He had to die countless times to find any weakness on the creature. Then using his weakened and battered body, he had to set a trap. Eventually it all paid off as the Antlion was bisected in two by a piece of the stone stele that got picked up by the flowing sands. The piece of stone eventually reached extreme speeds and hit the awaiting Antlion square on the crack on its forehead. It penetrated its touch carapace and killed it immediately. Finally, Crule’s thirst has been quenched. At the same time, he felt a new strength. It was as if the blood he drank granted him a new power. He felt inside his stomach, not only was it absorbing its usual nutrients but also energy. He felt the new refined energy travel through his parched body, slowly repairing itself. “So this is what master mean by the true cultivation method.” He was doing it all wrong from the start. He was not your normal cultivator on Noxia. They all absorb the energy permeated in the air, which came from the nodes of Chaos. Inside their body, it was refined into a purer version. Crule’s attribute meant he was a consumer. He’s not a plant that photosynthesis their own food. He was higher up in the food chain. He eats those who make their own food. The Antlion was also like Crule. It only ate creatures that refined their own energy. As if sudden enlightenment had his him, Crule sat down in the corpse of the Antlion and reorganized his thoughts. He realized who and what he was. All of the horsemen, are antagonists of existence. They are not supposed to exist until apocalypse is immanent. The very existence of a horseman means mankind was doomed. He was an Antagonist of the world. His prey was the creatures of the world. He will be their greatest enemy. Crule though back on his life. His entire life, was following the path of antagonism. From the very beginning, he had been a thorn at the side of humanity. He had been public enemy number 1, although not willingly. Fate decided to make him an Antagonist, and thus he shall be one. Crule smirked again for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. “I guess it’s time for me to go Antagonize the other Antlions.” ______ The Sage looked up at the twin suns. He could feel something was wrong, but he just couldn’t pinpoint it. Normally when he gets this feeling, a glimpse into the future would occur and he would understand what was wrong. But this time, it didn’t manifest itself. As a man of his power, he hated the unknown. It left him with great fears, though he never showed it to anyone. His mask of innocence must remain intact. He already has control over two horsemen and the third one is sealed. Only one remained and that particular one doesn’t bother with the world of the living. His plan will soon come into fruition. Oh just how long did he had to wait. The sweet savory flavor of power was so close to his fingertips. He had seen real power, and now he wants it. He craves it. Because deep inside, he was afraid. Afraid of what’s out there, afraid of the unknown. The older he gets, the more he wants order. Chaos was his arch-nemesis and disorder his bane. Conformity was his agenda and everything will soon fall in place. His tale was not one who went mad with power lust, but rather a tale of the fears of an old man. The Sage perhaps already realized this, perhaps he doesn’t. But with no one he could talk to anymore, it stayed bottled up inside him. ______ Crule finally finished off the final Antlion, this one with his bare hands. The task just got easier and easier as the refined energy flowed through his body, giving him herculean strength and stamina. Everything he touched now began to erode as if his hands were acidic. Perhaps it was due to inheriting the poisonous features of the Antlion. “I could take in the ancestral traits of those I eat,” Crule smirked. “This is going to be more fun than I thought.” Originally, having to start over made Crule frown. But after seeing how fun the true method of cultivation was, he couldn’t wait. Finally, a black hole opened up in the skies above him. Crule looked up and saw the room where his master was. With energy gathered in his legs, he leaped and nearly flew. Like a missile, the shockwave blew away the sands near him as he shot upwards, into the black hole. He landed in the room with kneeling. In front of him was a smiling woman in her throne. She was cold to the touch, not a single feeling of life remained. Crule looked up in shock. “M-master?” “She gave it all to you,” The horseman of death walked out from behind the throne. “You bastard better treasure it well.” Crule seemed to have understood what he meant. He kowtowed to his master and stayed there for as long as he could. Drops of blood flowed silently from his eyes as he cried. Finally, the horseman of death made him leave. “Go, you have a task you have to accomplish. Don’t waste your master’s efforts. Go free your beloved ones from the old man’s control.” Crule looked up and nodded. There was something he must do first. This memory treasure was now the resting place for his master. He had to respect it. He must pry it from the jaws of the offspring of Leviathan he followed. Crule walked out of the tall tower and back into the bustling city. His body renewed, his black cloak once again covering him. He soon was in the middle of a crowded street. Many people were avoiding him due to rank signified by his clothes. Crule smirked and exploded forth with his energy. All the people around him immediately went insane with hunger and started to eat each other. “They are just a memory anyways,” Crule smirked. Perhaps, this will lure the creature out. And it indeed has. The offspring of Leviathan brought along the other Demigods with him after he sensed Crule’s energy. “So you did follow me,” He said with a toothy grin. The golden teeth shined brightly on his upper jaw. “How foolish of you.” Crule just smiled. He vanished and with blinding speeds, picked up the man by the neck. His eyes bulged out in both shock and from the force of Crule’s hand gripping his neck. “You have something that belongs to me.” Crule squeezed and the man turned back into a small sized serpent. Its neck snapped and the head separated with the body. Crule toss the corpse aside and yank the golden teeth out of the severed head. The other Demigods looked on with horror. The speed that Crule performed could not be seen by any of them. They considered themselves the peak of existence on the Ark. No one was stronger than they were. But this boy in front of them had just surpassed their limits by an enormous margin. “W-who are you?” One Demigod finally asked. “Me? I’m the Antagonist,” Crule said with a smirk as he activated the treasure and returned to Noxia.
Book 1 Epilogue. Spoiler A flash of light shone dimly on the shores of the Trysl Lake. The fishermen were intrigued but at the same time worried. Lights often mean two things in the wild, treasure or monster. The light slowly rose to the surface. From the watery depth, Crule swam upwards. “Stupid treasure, putting me at the bottom of the lake,” Crule grumbled. “Now my clothes are all wet.” Originally, Crule would absentmindedly absorb the energy in the atmosphere, thus suppressing his cocky arrogant personality, but with the new method of cultivation, he didn’t need to do that. His egotism is here to stay. As Crule finally broke the water’s surface, he was surrounded by boats. “Who are you, stranger?” One of the fishermen asked him. “Just taking a swim.” “At night?” “It’s the best time to enjoy the scenery.” “But at night? There’s no light to see anything.” Crule fished a glowing plant from his back pocket. He picked it up from the seabed as soon as he arrived and realized he was surrounded by water and darkness. “I got the light right here.” “That’s a fancy lookin’ plant you got there.” “Found it on the seabed.” “You went all the way to the bottom?!” The fisherman gasped. “You must have a death wish!” “Don’t worry old man, I can protect myself,” Crule flexed his arms. “Now now, child. Don’t do something stupid so early in your life,” The fisherman laughed. “Here, let me haul you up.” Crule grabbed the pole the fisherman extended out to him. He boarded the ship and realized it was covered in weird looking fish. “Old man, what are you doing fishing so late at night?” “Night is when all the predator fishes come out to play,” The old man smiled, revealing a single tooth. “The predator fishes taste the best.” “Thanks for helping me there, let me cook a fish to return the favor,” Crule said with a smile. “Oh, you can cook now huh lad?” The old man laughed. “Sure, go ahead. There’s a kitchen downstairs.” The old man invited Crule to the crude kitchen downstairs. There was a stove top that ran on natural gas. The old man tossed two pieces of flint to Crule. “It takes a while to get the fire going, good luck,” He left back upstairs to continue his fishing. “What a strange nice old man,” Crule whispered to himself. He looked at the selection of fish the old man left. Most of them were gray colored and have large jaws. They color allowed for stealthy attacks and their large jaws are used for ripping and tearing. Certainly, they were all carnivorous. Crule rolled up his sleeves and took a pot of water. He carefully lit the fire in the stove with the flint. With the knife he found on the counter, Crule skillfully filleted the fish. The tough inedible scales were removed and the tough bones were picked out. What remained was an abundant mountain of pink fish fillets. Crule added some spring onions, ginger, and garlic to the pot of boiling water along with some salt and a dab of soy sauce. The water bubbled with excitement as Crule chopped the fillet into bite-sized pieces and added them to the pot. After a taste test, he adjusted for salt and pepper. He took the pot off the large stove and allowed it to rest. It will continue to bubble for a while longer. With the hanging skillet he grabbed from the wall, he applied some oil and threw on some spices. The rich aroma of toasted spice filled the small kitchen. Crule took another fillet of fish and carefully placed it in the oil. The sound of sizzling was overwhelming. The crude fish stew was done and now the fried piece of fish was too. The old man came rushing in not soon after. “Oh, boy. When you said you can cook, you really mean it!” The old man laughed. “Enjoy!” Crule smiled. The fried piece of fish was gone in nearly a minute. Crule stared in wonder at how the old man ate so fast with a single tooth. While the old man was chugging the stew, Crule was pondering what was happening to his body as he ate. He could feel the energy that once existed inside the fish slowly transfer to him. It wasn’t the crude energy floating in the air but rather a refined energy. But it also carried something else with it. A certain elemental feel. The Antlion gave Crule a feeling like he ate something spicy. The fish gave him a feeling like he ate something refreshing. “This is interesting,” Crule said to himself as he continued his meal. The fish was devoured in record time. “Oh boy, that hit the spot. Nothing like a long night of fishing ending with a fine meal!” The old man laughed while patting Crule’s back. “Hey kid, where you heading to?” “I want to go back to port.” “Oh good, the ship will arrive in about an hour. I was on my way back anyways,” The old man laughed. Crule couldn’t help but stare at his one single tooth each him he laughed. The ship arrived just in time for the twin suns to rise above the horizon. The faint glow of sunlight began to cover the lake. “Thanks for the ride!” “And thank YOU for the food!” The old man laughed. Crule waved goodbye and walked to the guild hall. He currently has no way of contacting anyone else. His wristband was destroyed upon his death and his pocket dimension was still currently sealed. He needs to recover his strength to reopen it. Crule entered the near-empty guild. The morning was early but the guildhall was opened 24/7 in the case of emergencies. There he saw it. As if fate had guided them together, he saw her as soon as he entered the hall. Ming was already waiting for him. “What took you so long?” She pouted. “I got lost,” Crule replied. Ming embraced him. “Don’t leave me for such a long time again!” Crule could feel his shirt getting wet. He felt a deep regret as he patted her head. “It’s Ok, I’m back aren’t I?” “Mhmm,” She mumbled into his shirt. The two enjoyed their alone time in the near empty guild hall. The receptionist didn’t dare to look. “My god you two, get a room.” She couldn’t help but mumble. “Public show of affection isn’t illegal but it sure is annoying for us singles.” Crule was extremely tired. It felt like he hadn’t slept in months. It was a miracle he stayed awake on the boat. But he had one more question for Ming before he passes out. “Just how long was I gone?” “Oh, about five years.” “What?” And fatigue finally hits him like a truck as Crule fell asleep in Ming’s embrace. “Man, making me carry you upstairs as soon as we see each other again…How cruel.” Ming sighed.
Book 2 Prologue. Spoiler 5 Years have gone by in the blink of an eye. The game went on without any major incidents. People were slowly becoming more and more powerful. One major thing that changed was the reason people played. It was a slow process. Most games would have the top rankings determined within just a year. But with so many participants and many of them wanting to remain anonymous, having a ranking seemed unlikely. But that changed when certain people started making names for themselves. They have become heroes, a household name that everyone knows. They were the role models, the figureheads, and the face of the game itself. Slowly, more and more people began to realize, that staying anonymous doesn’t help you prosper. In an economy as competitive as this, having a brand is critical. Making your name well-known helped many budding new participants to rise to stardom. There were many types of players. Those who play for fun, those who play for sport, and those who play for a living. All three of those require one to make a name for themselves. Those who play for fun, want their achievements to be known. Those who play for sport, are highly competitive, thus they want to fight stronger people. Those who play for a living, want to make a name for themselves so they could receive commissions by large companies more often. Crule listened to Ming explain what he missed during the years. “So a few of us made a name for ourselves.” “I see.” “Shin and Kate became known as the Serpentine Duo.” “Is it because of their armor?” “I guess,” Ming shrugged her shoulders. “Chun Qin became known as the White Knight. He goes around healing people with his medical knowledge.” “Brigid kind of took off with the ship and lock herself up in her lab.” “So she’s the only one who didn’t make a name for herself?” “Na, her inventions are coveted by Metallurgy INC. They give her commissions all the time.” “And she’s actually helping them? “Well, since you left for such a long time, she needed funding somehow.” “I see…” Crule nodded. His plans for revenge was something he put far back in the reaches of his mind. He had more important things to deal with right now. His target has changed. When he came back, he needed to sabotage Grimly’s plan to give Chaos all of his missing parts that are were sealed. Now, with Chaos incapacitated and Grimly seemingly clueless about it, he can focus on the damn old man who sent him here. But he shouldn’t tell anyone his plans. He still isn’t sure who’s under Sage’s control. He knows for sure that Maximus is. His master told him all about it. He knew from the horseman of death that his teacher Shin is still clean. He worried about Kate though. The Sage could control her to have a trump card against Shin when things go down under. But first things first, he had to check his wife. And he must use the only method he knew. He channeled some energy into the golden tooth. “Hey, horseman, how do I check whether someone is under control or not?” Crule asked the horseman of death whose still in the memory world. “You teacher made a deal with me,” The horseman sighed. “Just kill them, I will let them revive without any trace of mind control left.” “Kill them?” “It’s the safest way. The Sage has no control over death, not like I do.” The Horseman bragged. Crule nodded solemnly. He knew what he must do, but he can’t. He could never kill Ming. The horseman sensed the hesitation. “Don’t worry, she will be fine, although she’ll be a bit annoyed.” Crule still didn’t move. The horseman sighed. “Coward,” The horseman then went silent. Crule clenched his fist. Ming was still explaining to him the stuff he missed during the years. “We found the seal at the bottom of the lake but we didn’t release it yet. It seemed the Sage has also been moving around trying to find the seals,” Ming sighed. “Since you left, we really haven’t been moving on with our goals at all.” Crule looked at Ming. All his thoughts were centered on her right now. Should he? Could he? “Kid, your relationship really is sickening. You don’t love her in normal ways. You are completely dependent on her. I begin to wonder if you could function properly if you two were away for a longer period of time,” The Horseman sighed. “W-what?” “You need to stop. Can’t you see you’re suffocating her? Can’t you see how refresh she is after you left for 5 years? She misses you but not as much as you do.” “I-I…” “You’re pathetic, a parasite, you leech off her good will and love like a worm who grew up not knowing it.” “B-but…” “I know, I know. You have a tragic past. But isn’t it about time you grow up? Stop living in the past. You aren’t a fucken kid anymore. Man up.” The horseman became quiet again after his rant. Crule was stunned, but he knew every word was true. “Trust me, kid, don’t be so clingy.” Crule finally nodded. He wondered why he trusted the words of that man. He felt that the horseman’s words had a lot of emotion as if he himself had gone through it. “Do it, kid, cleanse her.” Crule stared at Ming’s beautiful face. He was entranced with her very being. It was his addiction, his vice, and his one true weakness. If the Sage were to take her, he couldn’t know what to do. “Ming?” Crule finally asked. “Yes, dear?” Crule embraced her. “C-Crule? Wait till we are back in our room…” Ming blushed. A single tear fell from his face. The new Energy swirled inside his body. It was channeled through his arms into his palms. Crule kissed Ming, then stabbed his hands through her back into her heart. He gripped her heart and squeezed. Ming tried to say something but Crule kept kissing her. She didn’t fight back. Perhaps it was the sheer shock of what was happening that stunned her. Her body slowly limped down into his arms. Her eyes became dim. “I’ll see you later, Ming,” Crule cried. It felt like he had crushed his own heart. It truly pained him both physically and emotionally. “Good,” The horseman appeared next to Crule. He placed his hands on Ming’s head and pulled out a small ball of light. “It seems I was right, Maximus did leave her a trial as well,” the horseman smiled. “H-how long will it take?” Crule asked. “Don’t know. Her trial will be different from yours.” “....” Crule remained silent. “I’ll send her to you when she’s done.” “Thanks.” Ming’s body vanished into particles of light. It will be used to remake her new body. Crule now sat alone on the bench in the guildhall. It was still extremely empty and the guild receptionist seemed to be out getting coffee. “I’m all alone now,” Crule sighed deeply. He felt incomplete, just a part of him was now missing. But time waits for no one, he has to move on. “Let’s go,” He said to himself, as there was no one left by his side to listen. “Wait, did I just take relationship advice from a dead guy?”
Chapter 151: The New Day? Spoiler It was a lively evening at the Blue Moon Bar and Grill. They were a well-established restaurant that lies along the coast of Lake Trysl. Sailors and adventurers alike all flock to the bar and grill for their booze and morsels. It was such a large gathering of people that it became a well-known hub of information. A large boar roasted over the open fire pit at the center of the establishment. The chef skillfully carved a piece out of it. The meat was carried by waiters and waitresses to the adventurers who ordered it. On the far side of the tavern was a bar. Crule sat on a swivel chair facing the bartender. Around three empty glasses that were still cold to the touch lined the counter in front of him. It seemed to others that he was trying to get intoxicated. “What the long face friend?” The bartender asked as he began his usual mingling with his patrons. “Something wrong?” “Man, my wife is going to kill me,” Crule sighed. The bartender shook his head. This kind of problem is very common. Folks tend to drink their marital problems away every night. “Just let her cool down a bit and bring her some gifts,” The nearby drunken sailor laughed as he eavesdropped. “A gift?” “Something she can’t say no to,” The sailor replied. “Works with my wife every time!” He laughed and went back to join his other sailor buddies. “A gift…” Crule contemplated. Just what gift do you give a person after accidentally killing them? The bartender kept cleaning the glasses and sighed. “I mean that usually work but you gotta really think about what she wants.” Crule was already lost in thought. Ever since Ming died, a string of unfortunate events had been occurring around him. It was as if he had broken ten thousand mirrors, crossed the path of ten thousand black cats, and walked under ten thousand miles of ladders. This morning he woke up to found the roof of his room at the guildhall destroyed by a freak meteor. Not only that, the meteor manage to hit the cabinet where he stored the clothes he was going to wear. Of course, with dragon skin being fire proof, it didn’t cause many problems, but then it started raining and his stuff got waterlogged. Not only that, when he stepped out of bed, his foot managed to land in a hole created by a piece that broke off the meteor. It made him trip and fell flat on his face. The resulting shockwave caused the lamp that was hanging on the ceiling to crash onto him. It didn’t end there, the guildhall blamed him for the damages, resulting in him paying an absorbent fee. That’s not all, the money he had saved up over the years seemed to have nearly all been spent by Ming. Just what did she buy in five years?! Now Crule was hurt, defeated, and broke. The following morning, he woke up on a bench outside the guildhall with a slight headache. His body creaked from the sturdy bench he slept on. The dew that gathered on his hair follicles gathered together and made his shirt all wet. It was generally an uncomfortable feeling. Crule sighed. “Just what did I do to garner so much bad luck?” Broke and hungry, he set off from Trysl in search of breakfast. Along the coast, he found some turtle eggs. “Turtles taste like chickens right?” He reassured himself. He sneaked quietly closer and closer to the disturbed sand pile. Suddenly, he fell. Someone had dug a pit in the sand and covered it with large palm leaves. Probably some mischievous kid who was playing on the beach yesterday. Crule sighed deeply. Now he’s hungry, broke, and covered in sand. He crawled out of the pit to realize the turtle eggs had been taken away by a hungry seagull. He stared at the seagull with hunger in his eyes. “Come here you!” He pounced at the dining seagull catching it by its leg. Of course the bird of frightened and proceeded to empty its bowels all over him. Blinded by the jet spray of white, Crule let the bird go. Now he was hungry, broke, covered in sand and bird poop. He could hear laughing coming from inside his jacket. “Shut up,” Crule grimed. “But it’s just too funny,” The horseman laughed. “This is all your fault.” “Oh blame the dead guy huh?” “Shut up or I’ll kill you.” “Can’t, I’m already dead.” Crule mumbled to himself as he walked around looking for a tide pool to wash off. When he finally found a pool that looked relatively clean, there was already an inhabitant there. A large walrus monster rolled over and stared at Crule. “Oh come on…” Before he could finish his sentence, the walrus pounced. One may ask how a 50-ton walrus can pounce as agilely as a tiger. Let’s just say that blubber is very bouncy. After a grueling battle with the bouncing walrus, Crule finally had access to the tide pool. He also acquired breakfast. The walrus was cut open, its blubber was tossed aside (of course it bounced), and its delicious muscular flesh was exposed. Crule started a fire and started to roast the walrus. He took his clothes off and wadded into the tide pool for a wash. Floating in the pool with the morning sun blaring down on him, Crule was lost in thought. How will he appease Ming’s ghostly curse of bad luck? Suddenly, he heard a crunching sound. He stood up and saw a crazy looking old man eating the meat he spent so long to get. He stood up quickly only to realize his underwear had been pulled off by a jagged piece of coral. He stared at the crazy old man whilst naked. The old man looked down gave him a thumbs up with a creepy smile, then ran off with the stick of walrus meat. “GOD DAMMIT!” Crule screamed to the heavens.
Chapter 152: Money problems. Spoiler Crule looked at his reflection in the pool of water. He has aged. His original bright teen facade has been replaced with that a sinister looking young adult. Five years huh? His narcissism took over as he admired his reflection. Crule now looked like a young adult in his early twenties. His original pale body is now bronze from the time he spent in the desert trial. “I need money,” Pondered Crule with while rubbing his chin. In the current world, money was everything. No matter how hard you try to deny it, money controls every aspect of your life. Crule understands the reality of his situation. The last time he was this broke was when he first came to Noxia from that prison long ago. If it wasn’t for Shin giving him a job and a place to call home, he might have starved to death. Ironic for someone who has control over famines. “I need a job.” Crule stood up. He was wearing nothing but his underwear now. He had nothing to his name but some useless trinkets he has kept in his dimensional storage. With a twisted and renewed look on life, Crule strolled back to the harbor. And of course, he got stopped by the guards at the gate. “Halt, who goes there?” “Just an adventurer who is passing by,” Crule waved his hands to show he wasn’t carrying a weapon. “What kind of adventurer goes out nearly naked?” The guard couldn’t help but ask. “I got robbed.” The guards tried their best to hold in their laughter. “Well, you should have taken better care of your stuff, ‘Mr. Adventurer.’” Crule sighed and walked into town. The guards could no longer control their laughter after he left. “Poor sap, looks like he’s in for a rough year huh?” Crule’s first task was to go to the adventurer’s guild. He needed money ASAP. He couldn’t remain in his underwear the entire time. Upon walking in the hall, all the people there stared at him. It’s not every day you see someone walk into the prestigious Guildhall in only his underwear. Crule ignored the stares and walked to the billboard. While looking at the jobs, a receptionist walked up to him about to question his…attire. “Uhm, sir?” Before she could finish her sentence, Crule grabbed a post off the board and shoved it in front of her. “I’m taking this job,” Crule said without a hint of emotion in his tone. He didn’t want to make a scene, but his current outfit makes that difficult. The receptionist looked at the post and frowned. It was a mission to hunt and bring back the corpses of ten Titan Bristle Boars. Usually, this type of task would require and entire team of adventurers. If one who to attempt to solo, due to the goodwill of the adventurers guild, they will stop you unless you can prove your rank. “Sir, you aren’t allowed…” Once again, before she could finish her sentence, Crule pulled his bronze medallion out. “Sir…bronze rank isn’t enough to…” Her headache continued as Crule once again stopped her mid-sentence as he pulled out the head of a snake. The receptionist’s eyes wavered at the sight of the head. With her vast experience in working at the guild for four years, it was the first time she saw up close the head of a Triton Serpent. Those beasts have terrorized the fishermen for years. After the last tide rise, the creatures at the tier above the serpent in the food chain was nearly hunted to extinction. This caused a massive boom in their population and strength. They were easily equal to the Titan Bristle Boars in strength when in the water. The head Crule took out was fresh. Warm blood still dripped from the wound on its neck. “This enough evidence?” Crule smirked. It would have looked cool if he wasn’t in his underwear right now. The receptionist blanked. “Uh…Yes?” She wasn’t sure of her answer. Crule threw the head down and started to take more out. Soon the floor was littered with about a dozen snakeheads. “Enough?” The receptionist didn’t know how to answer. This was way out of her pay grade. “Clara, just let the young lad accept the mission,” A shout from upstairs resounded. The receptionist quickly nodded. “Oh, sell those heads for me will ya?” Crule added before the receptionist could leave. The receptionist frowned. She was going to have to carry the dozen or so slimy snakeheads all by herself to the storage in the back. She wanted to say no, but it was the guild policy… “Yes, sir,” She said through her teeth. “That will be fifty gold.” She reached into her pack on her waist and pulled out five golden tokens with ten labeled on them. Crule stared at the coin and pondered. It would seem the game has advanced to this stage already. Due to the difficulty of different currencies, Metallurgy INC quickly introduced a common currency. It was very simple. Copper, silver, gold, and platinum. Crule accepted the gold and walked out of the hall with his copy of the quest he took. The people were still staring at him, then at the snake heads on the floor. “I was wondering why old man Cytex was so happy this morning. It seemed his massive hull of fish today appeared to be caused by the thinning of the serpent population…” One of the adventurers sighed. ______ The first thing Crule did after leaving the Guildhall was to find a tailor. He saw a quiet little hut with a scissor symbol in front of it. A small bell chimed as he walked in. “Welcome to…” Before the girl could finish her sentence, the sight of Crule in only his underwear shocked her. “I’d like to purchase some clothes,” Crule said nonchalantly. “Y-yes sir,” The girl quickly snapped out of it. “What type of clothes sir?” “Leather, preferably a full set or two.” The girl quickly walked to Crule with a measuring tape. After taking his measurement, she walked to the back and returned with a pair of jeans, a brown shirt, and a leather vest. Crule tried it on, and it fitted perfectly. He threw a gold coin to the girl and walked out. The poor girl remained shocked at what just happened. She looked at the coin in her hand, at least the weird customer paid the correct amount… Crule now looked like your average handsome adventurer lad. With a deep breath, he walked out of the gate and towards the prairie fields to the southeast. The sight a large moving blobs of fur could be seen for miles away. The Titan Bristle Boars were large furry spiked pigs the size of buildings. They were hard to kill but were the primary source of food for a lot of people. Since they were too difficult to domesticate, adventurers were used to hunt them as a primary food source. Those boars breed too fast to go extinct anyway. Crule looked upon the furry lumps across the horizon. “Let the money making begin.”