Commencing Second Cour of Chronicles of the Wayward Tome Hero.
(Still) Waiting for Season 2...
Finger Count: 5/10
Eye Count: 2/2
Arm Count: 1/2
Leg Count: 1/2
Sanity Meter: 26%
Death Counter: 36
Let's burn it all to the ground.
Epic 28: The Reaffirmation
Switching POV: Suzaku
For the little [Red Filolial Emperor], it was a good past few hours after they've successfully burnt down an entire city built upon tears of oppressed people, and the laughter of the fat rich people on top of the below.
... Granted, he never got to set a building on fire, but he at least contributed to the whole cause.
So now with more mouths to feed, and human flesh being in surplus (apparently, the [Blood-Oath Zealots] no longer have qualms in cannibalism, as long as they get to eat something), all was well in the world for this young Filolial...
... Except for one part that has been bothering him ever since he's hatched from his egg.
"I need to get stronger." Suzaku remarked over the dining table.
The others looked at him in confusion.
"Aren't you already strong enough?" Rio pointed out as she ate her eggs. "I mean, you're practically ten Levels higher than me, and no, I wasn't slouching."
"I know." Suzaku replied. "But 'strong enough' isn't enough."
"What do you mean by that?" Seiryu asked. "I mean, we were fucking badasses last night, and it's not like we had any close calls."
"If anything, it was kinda sad on how they kinda fell apart before us." Garou pointed out as he took a bite out of his meat.
"I know." Suzaku replied again. "... But I get the feeling that it won't be enough."
"How so?" Fubuki asked.
Suzaku sighs as he puts down his spoon.
"Did you guys know I was born as a runt?" Suzaku pointed out. "My Filolial form is the size of a common poultry bird, too small and weak to pull even a cart, so I stick to my current form so I can be of use to Nan."
"... Yeah, but to be fair, you didn't too badly against those undead back at our very first [Wave]." Seiryu pointed out.
"I know, but like I said, I fear that it won't be enough." Suzaku pointed out. "We're strong, for sure. But after what we did last night?"
Rino drops her spoon into the porridge that she was eating.
"... You're thinking that the whole world's after our asses, then." Rino pointed out.
Suzaku nods.
"... I just don't think we can outlast them." Suzaku stated. "Sure, we can take them on one at a time, but what's stopping them from attacking all of us at the same time?"
"Doubt it." Fohl replied with certainty. "Methinks that they're going to tear themselves apart first before we can have a go at any of em. Or at least, that's what I can think of after hearing from my father said about the other countries."
"Now that I think about, even if they all suddenly commit a coup and get their priorities straight, their respective countries will be weakened by the infighting, so that leaves them vulnerable to not only us, but also the coming [Waves] as well." Rino pointed out. "I mean, my short time with the [Spear Hero] kinda taught me a few things about how the [Waves] work, which is the only good thing that I got from the damned cock-stalion."
Everyone nods in agreement.
"... Still, Suzaku's concerns does hold merit." Fubuki pointed out. "We can no longer afford to slack off, now that we've effectively destroyed an entire city-state overnight."
"So they're gonna come after us? Their funeral, then." Garou remarked. "I think I'll push my regimen to 2,000 push-ups, squats, sit-ups, and boxing drills, just to be on the safe side."
"I'll join you too, big bro!" Fohl blurted out before he shut his mouth with his hands.
The other Hakuko sibling chokes on her food for a brief moment.
"... 'Big bro'? Really, brother?" Atlas snarked out.
All Fohl can do is blush as Garou pats him on his back before he left.
"... Well, that settles it, then." Seiryu stated. "So baby bro, who you're gonna train with?"
"... Rubicante and Aabidah." Suzaku replied. "I need hone my speed stat to the finest edge possible, and those two are the fastest [Summons] under Nan's wing, like I mean, have you seen how quickly Rubicante burnt the rest of that city-state down? And Aabidah herself is a pretty fast flier, so maybe she can help also."
The [Red Filolial King] then walks away towards where the fire-demon was at. An open field of dry earth, where the recent intruders have been impaled and burnt alive just last night.
... That, and well, the [Dryad]'s traps took out the majority of the company who braved the climb upon this forest of death on top of a giant turtle that breathes fire and shits out raw, molten slag from the mountains that it once ate.
God forbid anyone being caught in the latter.
"Hey. Mr. [Iblis]." Suzaku asked the burning demon.
"... To what may be of your aid, little one?"
"I want you to train me." Suzaku requested. "Now that we're up against the whole world, I want to make sure that I don't fall behind everyone else."
"... Hm, an admirable cause indeed." Rubicante replied. "But here's the question, what kind of strength do you seek? And how do you see yourself getting stronger?"
The boy thinks on why he wants to become stronger.
... Is it because he was born weak, birthed with a fragile body, only to grow stronger in hopes of lasting long enough to adulthood?
Is it because the enemy is becoming stronger with each encounter, learning their family's strengths and weaknesses, and their next encounter might be their last?
Is it out of love and dedication, the want and need to impress his first witness, Nan, the [Tome Fallen], along with his foster sister, Seiryu, so that his existence may be reaffirmed, and that he may continue living?
"... It's not just one answer." Suzaku thought. "There is no one answer. I want to keep living for the sake of me, my sis, Nan, and everyone else. I don't want to lose them. I don't want Death to claim them before I do, but I also want to die right in front of them."
In his search for an answer, he then sees the void on his innermost thoughts and fears.
The reason why Suzaku was born. Why he was able to move. Why he was able to fight. Why he must kill.
And why, he must continue to live.
"... I want to outrun Death." Suzaku gave his answer to Rubicante. "I'm so afraid of losing both me and everyone else that I want to be fast enough to make Death stop dead in its tracks."
The [Iblis] muses for a brief moment before answering.
"... Admirable." Rubicante stated. "Normally, when one fears death, it's only reserved to self. But you, little one, you fear that Death may take everyone that you know, now that the whole world is after us-give me a second."
The [Iblis]'s chest plates open up to reveal a skeletal and glowing-hot arm, stretched out and reaching into the foliage behind Suzaku, dragging out a flailing white-clad man wielding a [Blessed Hatchet], trying to hack away the burning hand grasped around his ankle before being held up by the blazing demon.
"You have ten seconds to explain what you just did, interloper." Rubicante snarled at the upside down man.
"Y-YOU BASTARDS KILLED MY WIFE!" He screeched out. "YOU MADE HER SACRIFICE IN VAIN!"
"... And should I care that you tried to take it out on a child?" The [Iblis] replied.
The man spits at the demon's face, the saliva evaporating on his surface plating.
"... Well, at least you're honest."
The [Iblis]'s chest opens up even wider, now with several more skeletal arms emerging from the cavity, all glowing and hissing in intense heat, groping the screaming and flailing man into a compact form before Rubicante devours him whole into his chest before the plates close back up with steam hissing out of the gaps and vents around him.
"[Zabaniya], bitch." Rubicante amusedly remarked. "Also, my condolences."
Suzaku just looks at the man's partially-melted [Blessed Hatchet] on the ground before looking back up at Rubicante.
"... Your fears have now been proven valid, little one." Rubicante stated. "Very well, I shall train you."
"Can we also bring Aabidah along?" Suzaku requested. "Now I kinda want to be even faster than I wanted now."
"Understandable, since now, even in spite of our overwhelming power..."
Rubicante's chest plates open up, spitting out a human skull charred black, right before it shatters into charcoal after hitting the ground.
"... There are apparently some who refuse to acknowledge us." Rubicante remarked. "But we cannot rely on their collective stupidity for our survival for long, for even complete and utter dullards can accomplish some things when they ram their collective heads against us hard enough."
The two then try to locate the [Ziz] without a word.
On their way towards the peak where the massive bird was, the two run into the remnants of last night's attack, mostly overzealous martyrs and a handful of feckless sellswords trying to collect the big scores.
All of them were immediately devoured by Nan's [Berserk Corps], a legion of perpetually-enraged monsters freed from their coliseum cages, now exacting their revenge against the very world that had tried to defang them, and all the while, trying to eat their long-denied fill.
"So..." Suzaku asked as he ducked his head under a flying torso. "... Do you know how to be really fast?"
"I have prior experience facing a [Phoenix] once back when I was an [Ifrit]." Rubicante remarked as he tilted his head away from a flying head. "Of course, since I lived to tell you the tale, yes, I did in fact, defeat it, and ate it to gain its powers."
"What's a [Phoenix]?" Suzaku asked.
"A bird-like monster like Aabidah." Rubicante pointed out. "But instead of wind, it embodies and manipulates fire at its command. But what makes them so formidable is that they're quite... persistent, as one might put it."
"How so?" Suzaku asked as he punted a severed human head across the distance, before it was caught by Appi, the resident [Harpy], who then devours it quite messily from her talons.
"If they die, they burn their own bodies to ashes, and from it, they reemerge anew." Rubicante answered as he crushed a skull underfoot. "And before you ask, yes, I ate its ashes, and now the [Phoenix] in question is currently gestating and digesting inside of my bowels, dying and resurrecting inside of me, forever, and probably begging for death."
Suzaku's eyes widen upon hearing those words.
"... That's kinda fucked up, dude."
"Such is the law of the jungle." The [Iblis] bluntly pointed out. "But unlike those 'civilized' mortals that only adhere a faint lip service to it, I fully accept the fact that I will be bested eventually."
"... So I shouldn't get stronger, then?" Suzaku asked in a slightly downtrodden tone. "So I should just wait and die?"
"No." Rubicante retorted as he caught a severed head and ate it whole. "If you truly abide by the law of the jungle, then get stronger. To pursue greater strength is a sign of respect to your betters, that you know that you'll meet your end someday, and that if you were to fall, then they're going to have to earn it. Being weak isn't a sin. Staying weak is."
The young [Red Filolial King] then takes the [Iblis]'s words to heart.
To purse strength not out of fear of death, but in spite of it.
Granted, no sane person would do or think such thing, but in his defense, sanity itself was overrated.
... That and well, no one in this world was particularly sane to begin with.
"We're here."
The two find the massive bird perched on her nest made of wrecked houses on top of the mountain's peak.
"To what business do you require, little one?" Aabidah asks Suzaku as her eyes reflects the image of the [Red Filolial King].
"... I want... I want to get stronger." Suzaku answered. "I want to make sure that I want to fast enough to be there for my family. Whether waves of men or monsters, I want to be able to run in before they can get themselves killed. In order to do so, I need help from you as well. I need you to teach me how to be faster! Faster than Death can catch any of my family's lives!"
The [Ziz] steps out of her nest and observes the boy closely, her golden eyes blinking in front of the slightly-trembling boy.
"... There is a tint of fear in your eyes." Aabidah remarked. "Tell me, little one, what are you afraid of?"
"The little one claims that he fears death, but not for himself." Rubicante pointed out. "But rather, the fear that our master and his fold will eventually fold and perish, henceforth, he seeks greater power to fight those fears, so those fears may never come to pass."
The young [Red Filolial King] nods in affirmation.
"... Only natural that one would seek greater power in the face of greater adversity." Aabidah stated bluntly. "Very well. I shall humor you, little one. Pray that your body can take it."
The winds around the [Ziz] begins to stir into a storm as both Aabidah and Rubicante now face down unto the little one, the two now emitting their energy from themselves.
"Through storm..." Aabidah chanted.
"... And through flame." Rubicante chanted along.
"The ideal vessel shall be forged..."
"... To withstand speed in its purest form."
"Now take heed, seeker of greater power..."
"... As you will now bear this burden upon your shoulders."
"Will you stand tall in the face of danger...
"... Or fall limp like the others long before you?"
"The time to wait is now forever gone..."
".. The only way forward is forward."
"So welcome, seeker of greater power..."
"... To the realm where even gods are left behind in the dust."
The little one's body then felt like it was being crushed under a mountain. As both the [Ziz]'s and the [Iblis]'s powers coursed through his veins.
He grit his teeth hard as he could, crunching down on his own molars until they started cracking.
His whole skeleton felt like twigs, ready to snap a moment of lapse in concentration.
His head was burning, as if the juices around his brain were beginning to boil his brain like an egg.
Suzaku tries to open his eyes, and only sees the following...
[Godspeed Strike] Skill learned
The pressure then suddenly ceases, causing the boy to fall to his knees and breathing like a fish.
"... You've done well, little one." Aabidah praised Suzaku.
Suzaku looks at the fire demon and the massive avian.
"D-Did... Did I do it?" Suzaku heaved out.
"Only the surface has been breached." Rubicante stated. "Now, you must dig your heels in deeper."
Numerous orbs of demonic flame and compressed wind appear around Rubicante and Aabidah.
"The real test begins." Both spoke in unison.
"You now have the power..."
"... But can you live long enough to use it proper?"
Suzaku spits out a wad of blood to the side before replying back with an audacious grin.
"... Like I said."
The boy's power begins to surge through his veins once more, now his mind, body, and soul, cleansed of its sense of fear like a spring breeze, now reinvigorated with newfound resolve.
"I'M OUTRUNNING DEATH, YOU HEAR!?" Suzaku roared out.
The two then nod in acknowledgement.
"Then get ready to run, little one." Both Rubicante and Aabidah answered in unison.
The orbs of fire and wind come flying towards Suzaku.
"[Cluster Hellfire]!"
"[Cluster Cutting Gale]!"
As the rain of projectiles of flame and wind came surging forth, the boy dug his heels into the earth before he sprang into the air.
"[Godspeed Strike]!"
The whole world then froze to a standstill as he entered into the world where even the gods are left behind in the dust.
A world of complete and utter stasis, where all motion is frozen to a complete halt...
... Including himself.
"Oh god..." Suzaku thought. "... My body feels so... heavy. Is this what... true speed feels like?"
Suzaku tries to move out of the way of the frozen projectiles, but only managed to move an inch.
"COME ON, MOVE DAMMIT!"
Time resumes back to normal, and the young Filolial was sent flying off the earth from the explosion and hits the tree behind him.
"... Hmm, not bad for your first attempt." Rubicante mused.
"So how did the world of perpetual dynamics feel, little one?" Aabidah asked the boy.
Suzaku tries to speak, but can only muster enough strength to let out a single cough.
"... Another day, little one-no."
Suzaku's body then felt a warm and gentle embrace caressing his bruised form.
"Another day, little warrior..."
Switching POV: Back to 1st-Person
... You know, this whole "burning down the city of sin to cinders" schtick ain't feelin' good as it should.
Now that I think about it, my whole adventure throughout this crazy-ass world has nothing been more than me making the worst of luck and half-assing my way through this world.
My targets were misaligned, for I should've chipped away at the church more than the [Heroes]. That's my first issue.
My justification? Just targeting the institution isn't enough.
I had to target the concept of their faith, their objects of worship, the [Three Cardinal Heroes]. I had to show them that they're weak. That they're unqualified for this kind of burden.
... That they're still human. Their belief in these so-called gods must be throughly destroyed, leaving them hollow, as dust collects inside of their emptied-out souls, all wasted by kowtowing to three nobodies.
The utter cretins who only think they're good while not acknowledging that they're doing evil.
At least I admit what I'm doing is morally wrong, and I have no excuses for that. But if you just expect me to just stand by as I watch this dry rot stench in front of me, then I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure that it never happens again.
... Better to admit being evil than thinking that you're good.
But why did I target Naofumi? The only one who doesn't deserve the utter hell I've inflicted upon this blight of a world. Why did I target, him, Raphtalia, and Filo, who're just innocent children in a world that's out to kill them for no reason?
For the three of them collectively, they're no exceptions to my onslaught. I cannot afford to show favoritism lest I be ousted as a collaborator, so in order to maintain the image that me and Naofumi have nothing to do with each other, I also have to attack him, and I also have to make sure that Naofumi hates me, so that he doesn't rely on me as a crutch.
... Lame-ass reasoning, sure, but I can't think of anything better, so I'll break it down for each of them.
As for Naofumi specifically, I have to make sure that he grows stronger.
There's a reason why back in the canon story, Naofumi was shat on like the pigeon-infested streets of New York. The [Shield] can only grow stronger through adversity. If I'm going to help him, I'm going to break him and force him to rebuild himself anew.
A [Shield] that cannot take a few beatings can't be called a shield. But luckily for him, he's grown stronger with my indirect guidance, and the best part, Siltvelt and Miraella are in the same room with each other, so I wonder what kind of a political shitstorm will be stirred up from that reaction.
... Just because someone has a good head on their shoulders doesn't mean that they're trustworthy. And unfortunately, I can trust Miraella and Naofumi as much as I can trust Malty.
Hey, you can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family.
As for the tanuki-girl, I half-hate her, yet half-admire her.
I hate her nativity and innocence, for those notions have no place in my future. But despite that, I respect her conviction, strength, and genuine loyalty to Naofumi despite such trifling world making it near-impossible to inspire.
The mere fact that she has such thing is why I respect her, but I fear that she may become overdependent on Naofumi. So along with Naofumi, I need to break her twofold, and reforge her into her idealized self.
Not as some orphan.
Not as some sword hand.
And certainly not as some light-novel cliche love interest (although she's written rather well, in spite of such limitations).
... No. I want her to become what she truly is.
A survivor. The ideal apex predator.
... My muse for my hopes and dreams. The champion who'll protect the weak.
A true [Hero]. And my eventual executioner.
... Yep, still suicidal. God I miss my brain meds.
And as for Filo...
... Her mere existence alone inspires degeneracy. Just ask Motoyasu.
Yeah, I kinda want to turn her into a 12-piece bucket meal just to spite the horny bastard, that and well, now that I have several monsters, including [Dragons] that she wants and will probably eat (Remember, in canon, she ate a [Dragon Zombie] from the inside out, and those things are no pushovers)...
... Yeah, I'm honestly a little terrified of her, no just for me, but for my whole party's safety. Worst case scenario, if Naofumi and I clash, she's going down first, no questions asked.
Now, another reason why I may not have been efficient as I thought; mainly my method of handling Aultcray.
On one hand, I could've easily just exposed his crimes to the public and have his PR plummet down to bedrock, but such method is crapshoot. After all, what's stopping him from claiming that my evidence are just forgeries, or the fact that he can send the [Royal Guards] to quell the mob into pacifism? After all, Aultcray, in spite of his recent failings, still holds more clout than yours truly, and he didn't do anything to wrong his own people, in the grand scheme of things, so in the end, appeal to force if I must.
In the end, I might end up no better than him, a sadistic and vengeful despot who abuses his power to be rid of whoever gets in his way, but in my defense, it's all his fault that I was dragged into this world that I wanted nothing to do with, so in essence, he brought this upon himself.
You take a man away from his medicine (my brain meds to treat my brain chemical imbalance)?
... Then the person responsible for the separation can start digging their own grave.
But enough about me trying to get back at some old goat, now onto more... internal issues.
My party.
No, I don't mean the fact that they might turn on me or anything, but rather, why they joined and why they chose to stick around me for long as they should.
For the twins, Rio, and Rino, they're only around because of the [Slave Crest] on their bodies, and if they choose to leave me after I remove them, I will. It's the least I can do, or at least, what I can do before I attempt to win them back...
For the Hakukos, L'Arc, Theresa, and Glass, they're only here because they owe me, the former from me saving them from a political assassination attempt, while the latter three, I sort of held a half-leverage of utilizing my knowledge of the canon story to coheres them into being on my side, but even then, it's a little shaky, especially after I broke L'Arc.
... To be fair, I did give them a chance to leave before I coerced Kaido into my side, but something tells me I got the timing wrong.
If they leave, and become my foes once again, oh well, I've might've deserved it.
As for my [Summons], Suzaku, Seiryu, Byakko, and the other [Homunculi], can it be said that they're only loyal to me because of Grimm?
Can they still remain by my side even without Grimm's help? Hell, can it be said that what I'm doing is no different from slavery?
... Will they turn on me as soon as I lose my powers? Is being a mere human with a leash going to bite me hard on my ass?
... Just what is loyalty? Just what is friendship?
Know naught of love nor honor. Only an appetite for blood.
... My humanity is my issue. It's holding me back.
Well, about roughly 15-20% of my bodily composition are synthetic, so hey, at I'm getting started. Probably.
As for why I didn't just talk them out, well, a few things.
One, I can't talk to my fellow man without trying to vomit. Yeah, I've been a massive misanthrope before I came here, and no, just because I can talk with technically-fictional characters doesn't exempt them from my bitterness.
I mean, I sort of broke L'Arc, and to a lesser extent, Wyndia, but the latter's alternative was slavery, so I've might've misguided her by accident. And yes, the two cases of me verbally shattering people has been my version of being civil. But I can mostly count the former only, since well, L'Arc is a human, through and through, and my brain registers him as "barely tolerable".
In fact, let me just mentally list down the people I can put into my criteria (non-monsters).
Can Live With: Garou, Fubuki, Wyndia, Byakko, Suzaku, Seiryu, Glass, and the entirety of the Hakuko Clan.
Acceptable: Rino, Rio, Wyndia, Theresa, Melty, Miraella, Reinchott, Raphtalia, and Naofumi.
Barely Tolerate: Ren, L'Arc, every neutral civilian that I haven't killed (yet).
NEED TO KILL: EVERYONE ELSE.
... I have a serious problem.
Now as for how am I dealing with the whole crapshoot campaign, I'm both surprised and disappointed in myself.
I'm surprised that despite everything going to hell left and right, I'm still stand (one leg notwithstanding), and frankly, I think amassing power through either numbers or actual power has some merit.
But what I'm disappointed in is that I never got to talk it out with other people. I never made any connections with the people of power, I never attempted to win over the hearts of the people, and hell, I never even tried to form an alliance with the Queen herself, who by the way, has the most powerful network of spies in the whole damn rock.
Why? Why didn't I do that?
... It's because no matter what, I can never trust a human.
From my experiences, it's not the dullard ones that you should be afraid of (although they themselves can cause massive damage on their own), but rather, it's the cunning and the intelligent that are the real enemy.
Miraella is no friend. She's competition.
Because no matter what agreements that we may come up with, at the end of the day, Melromarc, Faubley, Shiedfreeden, and Siltvelt, are all blight upon this world that needs to be cleaned out. Society itself is the disease, nests that breed nothing but lies and hypocrisy, and as long as they stand upon the hills that they've polluted, the world will remain the same.
They're all old news. They have no place in my new world, and that's why I can never stand them as anything but the enemy.
Call it self-disposing, but I call it a solution.
After all, I don't fix problems. I get rid of them.
... That, and well, I'm officially insane. But I'm not going to blame my autism, Asperger Syndrome, and my zero social awareness (that is slowly evolving into social rejection) for my eventual slip into madness.
I might as well take responsibility as the new villain of the grand narrative. Hey, better to establish a new age with nothing short of pure power.
So while I'm contemplating my little recounts, across the cottage's dimly-lit room, was Malty, still tied up, beaten to a bloody pulp just this morning by Fubuki and her "workout" (500 jabs per side), with fear and terror in her very eyes.
"So, still wondering why I haven't killed you yet?" I asked the poor woman. "Or are you finally understanding why I didn't kill you?"
Again, she mumbles through her rag tied around her mouth, but this time, I let it stay on.
Why? Well, I'm starting to find her strangely adorable.
Humbled out of her ivory tower, there's now a new, rustic charm to her new self. The scars I gave her, the bruises I gave her.
... Oh how they will age beautifully. But that's besides the point.
"So kid, enjoying yourself?"
Next to me, Grimm wakes up, page-maw baring all of his teeth as he floated next to me.
"... Am I enjoying this?" I replied. "I'm honestly starting to get, to put it mildly, bored."
"... Yeah, not gonna touch that subject."
"Fair enough." I replied with a sigh.
I then lean back on my rocking chair that I had the [Homunculi] bring into the building.
"Hey Grimm." I asked.
"Yeah, what is it?"
"I been thinking..." I went on. "... Just what kind of evil is more vile? The kind where one is proud of its villainy, or the one that only think that they're good?"
"... Honestly, I dunno." I replied. "Given what we saw and been doing, just where do you see yourself on that spectrum?"
I let out a sigh as I looked up on the ceiling.
"... If I had to choose, I rather admit that I'm evil than think that I'm any good." I mumbled out. "At least that way, I ain't lying to myself about my place in the world."
"You think that makes things any better?" Grimm remarked. "Just admit that you're evil and keep going, as you've been doing so?"
"... Can't say that I can, no siree." I bitterly replied. "I mean, look at me and what I've done. I destroyed people's livelihoods, killed and burnt them to the ground, and all the while, making myself less and less human with each passing day..."
I then look down at Malty, still trying to worm her way out of the door, stopped by my [Stone Spike] shot from my [Grimoire Heart].
"Grimm, unbind her gag."
The tome then snakes towards her cheek, severing the cloth gag with his teeth.
"So tell me, princess..." I asked. "... If you had to describe yourself, do consider, after everything that you've done, from wronging countless men, to the plotted murder of your own flesh and blood, good, or evil? No need to be shy, as long as you're honest with yourself, I won't harm a single hair on your head."
Malty then grimaces before she answered.
"Isn't it obvious?" She answered. "All I've done, is for the crown, so of course I'm good compared to you, a fucking warmonger!"
"So says the milk-bitch who came from a warmonger's testicles."
She tries to up to her feet, but no dice. I had her ankles and her legs tied up beforehand.
"Admit it, you only think that you're good because you were born into a position of power." I pointed out. "The end justifies the means, history is written by the winners, that kind of schtick, I get it. Make yourselves look good for the public so that they may revere you as good and benevolent rulers, that as long as you rule, you can claim that justice is on your side."
Now normally, the persistent bitch like her would retort, which then, I give her a few moments of silence to let her speak to hear what she has to say, but all she did was lie there, eyes agape.
"... Ah, so you acknowledge that I'm right." I rubbed in. "Good, I thought you were dropped onto your head back when you were a baby."
She tries to spit at me, but let's just say that I only let her drink one ladle of water per day for a reason. I wish not to harm her too badly, that's for sure.
... That's the others's job.
"But tell me this, little princess." I went on. "Suppose if... society itself completely collapsed beyond repair, with no law, no government, no power bases, no political systems, then can you consider yourself to be just? To be good? To be benevolent? To be right? After all you've done?"
"... Better than you, an anarchist." Malty retorted. "At least I'm not out to kill everyone."
"Oh don't think you can pitch yourself higher on the moral spectrum because of that fact alone, little princess." I replied. "I admit, I'm a monster. I kill people. But that's what people do. At least monsters admit that out loud, but people? They go out of their way to justify all the blood they've stained their hands with, all the hate that boils and burns inside their heart, trying to call themselves human, in order to differentiate themselves from monsters, but in reality, we're all the same."
I then plant my [Sacrificial Dagger] hard onto the table's surface.
"Can't cover ugly with civilization." I remarked as I shook my head. "And hypocrites like you? Your father? And the majority of the people who hasn't actively try to speak out against the king's more questionable actions? Now that's bad civilization."
"But to be fair, not everyone's ballsy or nonconformist as you, man."
"Peh, uncultured bastards." I remarked. "A little punk rock never killed anyone... yet."
I then removed the knife from the table's surface before sheathing it.
"But that's life for ya." I remarked. "Can't take shit without a little legwork."
I then hear knocking coming from the door.
"Come in."
The door opens, and I find Glass with a serving tray with the brown gruel.
"Sup." I greeted. "Mind the clutter please."
Glass steps around the fallen princess before setting my late breakfast.
"... You done anything to her?" Glass remarked.
"Nah, just had a nice, long chat." I remarked as I ate my meal. "... Or at least something close, I really can't tell."
"Unbelievable as always..." Glass sighed out.
As I ate, I then begin to come up with my next course of action.
"... Glass." I asked. "You mind bringing L'Arc and Theresa in here? I need to apologize to the two of them."
Glass then looks at me surprised.
"... Did I just hear that right?" Glass remarked in disbelief. "You, of all people, apologizing?"
"Look, I'm trying, okay!?" I rebutted. "... Just because I'm a serial killer who had no reason to kill all those people last night doesn't mean that I have any excuse to avoid taking responsibility of being a total dick to them."
"... Wow, I mean, just, wow Nan." Glass sputtered out. "I'm neither mad or surprised, just, like wow. You're unbelievable."
"Will you bring them, regardless?" I stated. "I need to make amends with them first before we go back to home base."
"... Fine, I'll bring them here."
Glass then walks out the door.
I then look at the princess, trying to figure out what to do with her, now that I see her trying to worm her way out of my grasp, again.
"Tch, you're a difficult one, aren't ya?" I remarked.
"Proud of it." She smiled back.
"Eh, at least you're honest." I remarked. "Nighty-night, princess."
Grimm then slams himself into the princess's neck, knocking her out.
The three otherworlders enter into the room, with Theresa glancing at the out-cold Malty.
"Don't mind her." I remarked. "... Unless she's awake. In which case, knock her out."
"What do you want, Nan?" L'Arc bitterly remarked. "... Aren't you going to apologize?"
"... Oh right."
I unsheathe my dagger.
"Tell me." I remarked. "... Are you familiar with the practice of yubitsume?"
Glass's eyes widen upon hearing that as I place the [Sacrificial Dagger]'s edge against my pinky joint.
"Nan. Don't." Glass's voice trembled out. "You don't have to go that far-"
Too late.
*SPRUCH*
"ARGH! FUCK!"
... And that little piggy went to the market... and never came back.
"Oww... ow... not my smartest nor brilliant moment in my life..." I winced as I picked up my severed pinky (along with a strip of skin and flesh that I accidentally flayed off) and presented before the three.
"NAN, WHAT THE HELL, MAN!?" L'Arc screeched out in surprise.
"Oh god, I'm going to-*urp*"
Theresa then tosses chunks onto Malty's head.
"... So, uh... apologizes accepted-"
*TWACK*
... Glass just slaps me across my face.
I look back at her, her eyes with both blazing with a disgusted glare, and tears of regret.
"... What the hell, Nan." Glass's voice trembled out. "JUST WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING!?"
"... I'm assuming that won't be enough?" I replied.
"NO! NAN!" Glass screeched out. "... Just don't. Just stop with the... self-mutilation."
"I can't."
I then point the tip of my dagger towards my only good/organic eye left.
"... This is how a monster apologizes, Glass." I pointed out. "If words aren't enough, then I'll carve the same pain that I carved unto you guys onto my body."
"... Nan, just don't do this to yourself." Glass stated. "Just because you hurt us doesn't mean you have to hurt yourself."
"I have to." I replied bluntly. "... You know what's the worst thing I've ever done? It happened last night, and it's how I got my black-eye-"
"Whatever you've done, I don't want to hear it." Glass cut me off as she placed her hand onto my now-four-fingered right hand. "We get it, you're an asshole, but that doesn't mean you should treat and live yourself like one."
A moment of silence was given, as the four of us tried to calm down, as I wrap the bloody stump on my right hand with a tourniquet.
"... Already regret my decision for going through this, but I lost more beforehand." I remarked as I looked at my severed pinky finger. "... In hindsight, does that make me almost more suicidal?"
"... You're unbelievable, kid." L'Arc remarked. "You're wiling to burn this whole world down for the sake of our own, just because the people living here are complete assholes..."
"... I kinda need to get something off my chest first." I replied. "About why I killed all those people, the zealots, the slavers, that fat bastard, and the entire city of whores and nouveau riches... I didn't kill em because they were evil or for some greater justice. I killed them because I felt like it."
"What do you mean by that?" Theresa asked.
... I think it's a good time as any to reveal my old life.
"... Did you know that back at my old world, I got screwed over by the authorities, hard?" I answered. "I got arrested under false charges of bringing a weapon to school, twice in a row, in front of my family and teachers, and the news spread around like wildfire. I narrowly avoided going into a slammer because I was only two months away from turning 18, the legal adult age of my world, but in turn, I got sent to juvie after my second arrest, almost got shanked in the ribs by a sharpened pencil of all things, but thankfully, my parents got me out after 30 days and getting our lawyers involved, but by than, the damage was already done."
Again, horrified silence fills the room after I finish with my little tangent.
"... You didn't come to this world to be broken." Theresa gaped out in horror. "You came to this world already broken."
"You know what's even worse?" I remarked bitterly. "I had roughly 9 months of recovery time to get my shit sorted out. I been attending therapy sessions, getting mentally evaluated, been on brain meds, and after they cleared my charges, I got to live out my normal life, steadily recovering... until I landed into this shithole of a world, ripped from my family and therapist, and as you can tell..."
I then punch myself in the nose, hard.
"... I did not take it rather well." I finished my thought as I licked the blood seeping down to the fringes of my upper lip. "So in retribution for ripping me away from my recovery, I immediately began my plot to utterly destroy this shithole that I was dragged into, at first."
"What changed?" Glass asked.
"... I realized that with Grimm, that I can change this world for the better." I remarked. "No longer I will be forced as spectator to this madness that has made my bowels sick for too long. No more I will be forced to accept that people suffering under the lies and delusions known as 'society'. I can now finally rage against the machine. I can now, become my own ideals, rather than just nominally supporting a rhetoric. Words have been proven useless, both in this world, and my own! PEOPLE, REFUSE TO LISTEN, SO NOW, THEY CAN BURN FOR IT!"
I then sort of start hyperventilating post-rant.
"... Point is?" I remarked. "I now have the power to change the world. I have zero obligation to save this rotten world from certain doom. So instead, I'll make this world worth saving, by culling the parasites that leech off the goodwill of the innocent. By parasites, I mean the people who accept this insanity of a world, those who benefit from this crap. The aristocrats, the merchants, the buyers, the rulers, and the conservatives who think that SLAVERY IS A GOOD THING!"
My breathes start to become more unstable, my head begins to feel like it's going to pop.
"... I want a world, where I can finally be stop being stressed out so often." I stated in a half-chuckle. "In order to do that, I just can't afford to solve all the world's problems. I have to get rid of all of them."
I then pick up my pinky finger and present it to the three.
"... So with that said, will you accept my apology?" I asked as tears began to flow from my eyes. "For the acts that I will commit later down the line, no longer as a human, but as a monster without a name?"
Glass reluctantly takes the pinky.
"... You're an asshole, Nan." Glass bitterly remarked. "... But at the same time, you don't need to tell us that you're genuine in your remorse. After all, we're not so different, at least, when we initially met during the [Wave]."
"No..." I whimpered out. "... You guys are good people and still am. I lost my chance to be good because my soul was weak."
"No one's born good or evil, Nan." Theresa spoke out. "... You know that despite everything, you still have people that truly care for you."
"Do they?" I remarked. "... I kinda forgot to remove the [Slave Crests] from Garou, Fubuki, Rino, and Rio."
"Well kiddo, one way to find out." L'Arc remarked. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?"
I nod.
Theresa and L'Arc leave to get the four, but before the [Scythe Saint] can leave, I stop him for one last word.
"... Will you ever forgive me for what I've done to you?" I asked.
L'Arc shrugs.
"... Can't say, kiddo." L'Arc answered. "You're unbelievable at times, you know that? Not that's a bad thing, mind you."
With that, it was just me and Glass, with Grimm keeping the dazed princess company/knocking her out before she can mock me.
"Thanks." I thanked Grimm.
"No prob. Hate that bitch as much as you do."
We both share a mild chuckle for a moment.
"So..."
I turn my head toward Glass.
"What is it?" I asked.
She lets out a small chuckle before speaking.
"You're not insane, you're just scared out of your mind, aren't you?" She pointed out.
"Better than being scared still, mind you." I replied. "For me, fear is no reason for complacency. It instead should be a catalyst for action, for change."
"Hmph, despite everything you claim yourself as, a monster, a murderer, and a Demon King, you do have a tinge of nobility in you, don't you?" Glass asked.
"Hey, gotta have some standards." I remarked. "It's better to be honest with your evil than lying to yourself that you're good."
"... I guess you have a point." Glass pointed out. "Now that I think about it, those zealots that tried to kill us last night. They truly believed that they were doing God's work?"
"A god's state of mind is reflected upon his worshippers." I remarked. "In that case, I'd say... fucking hysterical."
"You killed an undead god." Glass pointed out. "And your [Wyrmlich] and her adopted daughter ate it."
I chuckle for a moment before coming to the realization that Wyndia's appetite for human flesh has been awakened after evolving into a [Garmr].
"... Speaking of which, where's Wyndia right now?" I asked.
"Haven't seen her around the mess hall." Glass pointed out. "Normally, she's usually the first one there..."
I then hear knocking on the door.
"Glass, can you get the door?" I asked. "Better yet, can you lend your shoulder? still ain't used to this pegleg."
She helps me up, and the two of us walk towards the door and opens it...
... And find a freshly killed church zealot, half-eaten, in front of the cottage's footstep.
"... I forgot to mention." I stated. "Wyndia evolved into a [Garmr] after eating that human centipede."
"You mean distant and more nastier cousins of [Hellhounds]?" Glass replied. "... Although I'm still surprised that the church is still sending them to their deaths, and they're just as willing too."
"What did I just say?" I pointed out.
"... I'm going to stop questioning their sanity when they clearly had none to begin with." Glass remarked in a resigned tone. "A church? They operate more like a fucking cult."
"Oh please, all religions start out as cults." I pointed out. "Hell, state religion are basically legalized cults. But if there's one thing I don't hate about these racists, is that they do technically do great things for the people, you know, charity work, welfare, and they do take care of the poor. That I can sort of respect, despite me once finding out that they have a dedicated torture basement solely reserved for demihuman children, but in a karmic turn, let's just say that my family won't be starving anytime soon, if you know what I mean."
Glass rolled her eyes.
"... Why am I not surprised?" Glass remarked. "They might as well be more evil than you."
"Standards are subjective." I replied. "They're not classist, but they're also racists. Whereas I kill people indiscriminately with extreme prejudice, but I know how to pick and choose my targets, i.e., the idiots way too small for their boots."
"Can I take back what I just said?" Glass remarked. "You're all fucking evil."
"At least I don't kill my own guys on a whim, which the same cannot be said for those racists." I retorted.
From a distance, I spot the newly-dark-coated Nordic Hellhound jogging towards me with a smile on her face.
"Nan?" Glass remarked. "I found her."
So terrifying, yet so innocent. I'm going crazy over my little psycho-blood-bond baby sister.
"So big bro! You like my present?" Wyndia asked as she wagged her tail.
... When did bloodstains become so adorable?
"Now now, Wyndia, I appreciate the thought, but..." I stated. "... I just had breakfast."
"Aw, that's a shame." Wyndia grumbled as she took the half-eaten body over her shoulder. "Maybe next time?"
"Together." I replied as I patted her shoulder. "And a fresh one, because I don't have a strong as a stomach as you do. Also, don't eat our own party members. Family don't eat family, you hear?"
"Don't worry!" Wyndia replied. "I only eat what I'm offered!"
I then saw the little [Garmr] head elsewhere into the forests, with the corpse clamped between her fangs.
"... You honestly don't plan to commit cannibalism later down the line, do you?" Glass asked.
"Would you believe me if I said I might try it out, just a little bit?" I replied. "... And yeah, I kinda ate a pig Demihuman nobleman during my raid."
"How did he taste?"
"LIKE PORK!"
I then break down as I began to bawl into her chest.
"There there..." Glass sighed out. "... You been through a lot, in both worlds."
... I think this is what people call, "catharsis".
Thankfully, I think the otherworlders have accepted me for who I am, or at least my apologies. Or at least, I think so.
Nothing is certain, but I think that's why things that are dear to us matter in the first place.
"... But still, you could've just talk to them in the first place." Glass pointed out. "Who knows, maybe that way, they could've joined our cause."
"Or they could wait for their chance to stab me in the back in hopes of killing off my whole family." I retorted. "... That's what people in power do here, Glass. Backstabbing is pretty much their pastime, that I rather take my chances at friggin' Westros for recruiting allies."
"Westros?" Glass asked.
"Did you know that the likelihood of getting killed off randomly at Westros is set at random?" I remarked. "Yeah, it's that bad, but I kind of prefer it there. At least no one's judging you for your actions, since literally everyone there is trying to conqueror the whole damn continent, so standards itself are pretty much dead there."
... It really sucks that I might've missed the final season of Game of Thrones. Thank god I at least watched the previous six seasons.
What? I liked it because it had dragons and people doing it.
"... Yeah, you would fit in like a glove." Glass snidely remarked.
"Aw, you flatter me."
Glass pouts.
"... I was being coy, you nincompoop." She pouted with her cheeks puffed out.
I chuckle lightly before I saw Garou, Fubuki, Rino, and Rio walk towards me with L'Arc and Theresa in company.
"Hey guys." I waved out.
"Holy shit, big bro. What happened?" Garou asked.
"Don't worry, it's all self-inflicted." I reassured. "They didn't harm a single hair on my hand."
"Nan, did you know that you now officially look like you belong in a yakuza clan?" Rio remarked.
"1980s or the 21st Century?" I asked Rio for conformation.
"Both."
I let out another chuckle.
"Well, I kinda do consider you guys family..." I remarked. "... So take it as you will."
"Yessir." Rio dryly replied. "What'd you brought us all here for?"
"Oh right." I remarked. "Give me a second. Grimm!"
The [Forbidden Tome] then opens his pages and take out the ointments that I "procured" from Belokas.
"... I'm going to remove your [Slave Crests]." I stated. "You know that my stance on slavery is rather nonconformist, right? Least I can do is take responsibility for my stance, and make good on it. That and well, I'm not forcing you or anything, but I'm kinda just throwin' it out there."
"Well don't mind if you do." Rio stated as she lifted her top up to reveal her branded naval. "Sonofabitch is a stigma. I want it gone, now."
... Alright, let's see if this works.
Take the dab of ointment, and apply it onto the [Slave Brand].
The [Slave Brand] then glows for a brief moment before disappearing.
"Phew... Worked like a charm." I remarked with a sigh. "So what you'll do now, Rio?"
"Eh, I'll stick around." She remarked. "Better chance of surviving this hellhole together with you than on my own."
"Fair enough." I replied. "Anyone else?"
Rino then pulls down her rear collar of her top to reveal her branded lower neck.
"If you will." She remarked. "I'd sooner die like a dog than live as some fat bastard's cum-bitch."
"Then live like the wolf, my fair lady."
And another [Slave Brand] gone.
"... You two wanna have a go?" I asked the twins.
Both shake their heads.
"... Okay, why?" I replied. "Just asking."
"I want it removed and all, for sure." Garou remarked.
"... But the humans need to remember what they've done to us." Fubuki coldly pointed out. "If they don't believe us to be truly free, then it's not worth removing, and all the more humiliating when they get bested by a mere slave."
"That and well, the bonus EXP that it comes with it is really awesome." Garou pointed out. "... I think the term is called... 'getting the taste of their own medicine'?"
"No brother, what you're referring to is 'hoist by their own petard'." Fubuki pointed out. "The institution that they built up for the past generations will be their downfall."
"Yeah, that." Garou nodded.
... Huh. Since when did they grow up so fast?
Or did I not mature fast enough? God, retrospective can be a huge bitch sometimes.
Nevertheless, they made their choice that I've offered. The least I can do is respect it.
"Very well, you may keep them." I told the twins. "But remember, you may be still called slaves, but you're both my little bro and sis, alright?"
"Right back at ya, big bro." Garou replied with a thumbs-up.
"Likewise." Fubuki remarked.
"Alright then." I told the four. "Dismissed, and thank you for your time."
The four then break off from the otherworlders.
"Well, guess that's one promise kept." I remarked. "Mostly."
"... Guess you're not so bad after all, huh, kiddo?" L'Arc commented.
"Oh please, compared me, you're a saint, literally." I replied. "And besides, I ain't doing this just to avoid looking like a hypocrite. I did that so I won't be a hypocrite. Just sayin'."
"Fair enough." L'Arc remarked. "Well, take care, kiddo."
"Likewise, Mr. [Hero]." I replied. "Unlike the people of this world, you have people waiting for you back home."
... Well, I dunno if should call that leaving on good terms, but for the likes of me, it was worth that pinky.
"... So Nan?" Glass asked. "Where now?"
"Back to bed." I yawned out. "... The attack last night might've taken a bit more out of me than I thought."
Glass helps me back to bed, with me limping with my sole left leg until I finally hit the sack.
"So..." Glass looked towards Malty, trying to crawl out the door (again). "... You want me keep her in here?"
"You think I want my throat slit open while I'm asleep?" I pointed out. "... Keep her tied up somewhere. At least that way, she can be of some use. Oh, and make sure to keep her alive. I still have plans for her."
As I went under cover, I saw Glass drag Malty out of the cottage by her ankles.
"Hey Grimm..." I asked out loud. "... What is the difference between friendship and loyalty?"
"... Can't say kiddo." Grimm remarked. "You're gonna have to figure that out for yourself."
"... Did you know that I wasn't able to make any genuine connections with anyone back in my old world?" I pointed out. "So I'm asking that question to know what the idea of 'friendship' is."
"If it makes you feel any better, just know this." Grimm replied. "I have you to thank for getting me out of that brick-like state. Did you know that not being able to move or talk for god knows how long felt like?"
"Fair enough." I yawned out. "Wake me up when we get back home."
And with that said, I pull the covers over my head and let my consciousness take me away.
"... Hey Grimm?" I moaned out. "... You're good friend to be around. Kinda like an other brother I needed."
"You too, kid." Grimm spoke out. "You too."
Switching POV: Naofumi
Four days.
Four days inside a Reinchott's manor, recollecting themselves, trying to rest before their departure.
Four freaking days, and a news of Nan burning down an entire city was spread like wildfire and to this morning's newspaper.
NAN, THE DEMON KING, DESTROYS ZELTOBLE
OVER 90,000 CONFIRMED DEAD, ALL RESISTANCE ELIMINATED
INTERCONTINENTAL ECONOMY CRASHES, GREAT DEPRESSION IS IMMINENT
THE NEW THREAT THAT SURPASSES THE [WAVES]
"CAN THIS ASSHOLE GO AT LEAST A DAY WITHOUT BURNING DOWN AN ENTIRE ACRES OF LAND!?" Naofumi growled out as he crumpled the paper in his hands. "... Ugh, and we're supposed to trust this prick."
"Master, I don't think anyone's going to miss slavers except their buyers and investors." Raphtalia pointed out. "But still... for him to casually burn down an entire city along with the people living there, that's a bit hard to stomach."
At the other end of the audience hall, Reinchott picks up the newspaper and sighs out in regret.
"What's wrong?" Naofumi asked Reinchott.
"... In hindsight, I should've seen this coming." The nobleman remarked as he unfurled the paper. "When the [Tome Fallen] mentioned that he didn't want these children to become killers, I think this is what he meant."
Raphtalia lets out a sigh of relief, probably from knowing that Kiel was spared of this horrific fate.
"... Still mad at him, though." Raphtalia muttered out.
"Okay, I get destroying an entire city-state built entirely around slave trade, but even then, this is overkill." Naofumi pointed out.
"Agreed." Melty sighed out from the stairwell. "But the real news is even more harrowing."
"... How?" Raphtalia gawked out. "How can it get even worse then a one-sided massacre?"
"Mother's [Shadow] has informed me of the aftermath." Melty replied. "Apparently, the [Three Heroes Church] got involved in the suppressing the uprising of slaves and gladiatorial beasts that Nan incited, but apparently, Nan somehow snuck in an entire army's worth of [Undead] in the city's sewer system, and it got so bad that the church even went as far to unleash an undead god sealed beneath the [Underdark] above the entire city-state upon him, but that thing only lasted five seconds before it was summarily devoured by his [Wyrmlich] and Wyndia, the dog-girl, which resulted in the two of them [Evolving] into a [Shiryu] and a [Garmr] respectively. And no, I'm not exaggerating. Nan and his party have become a continental superpower after one slave rebellion."
Silence fills the whole hall, so quiet that one can hear a petal drop to the floor.
"... We need to leave, now." Naofumi stated. "Raphtalia, wake Filo upstairs. We need to move."
The tanuki-girl nods before she runs upstairs.
"Reinchott, crazy as this sounds, but we need to get the hell out of here." Naofumi stated. "You, your servants, all of the villagers, everyone-"
"TERRIBLE NEWS!" A butler burst in from the front door in panic. "THE VILLAGE IS UNDER ATTACK-"
*SHRUCK SHURCK SHRUCK*
The butler falls dead after a rain of arrows stick onto his back.
"WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED, DEVIL OF THE SHIELD!" A gruff voice roared from outside. "SURRENDER NOW, AND FACE YOUR PUNISHMENT, YOU COWARD!"
"... Well, we're fucked." Naofumi bit out. "Despite everything, there are some people who just hate me that much."
"Sad to say, I'm afraid that seems to be the case." Reinchott remarked. "Dear [Shield Hero]. Allow me to assist."
A maid now wearing plate armor over her uniform arrives carrying an armored case. The nobleman opens it, revealing a lever-action repeating crossbow, with the name [Erymanthia] inscribed onto it.
"They want me dead so badly?" Reinchott remarked as he loaded his bow with a rack of bolts. "They're going to have to make me kneel."
"I got you covered, Reinchott." Naofumi stated. "Don't die on me, you hear?"
"Loud and clear, [Shield Hero]." Reinchott affirmed.
"MASTER!" Filo screeched out. "WHAT'S GOING ON OUTSIDE-"
A bolt breaks through the window adjacent towards Filo.
"FILO!" Naofumi barked out. "[Intercept]!"
Naofumi teleports in front of Filo, blocking the bolt meant for the Filolial with his [Forbidden Shield] that he acquired from his [Class Promotion] into a [Shield Fallen].
... Granted, he was going to need power quickly as possible to protect his party, and besides, having effects that mitigate the negative costs of this [Cursed Series] was the thing he needed at that time.
Granted, he was still around Level 53 whereas Raphtalia and Filo were at their 60s, but to be fair, he himself just gotten started on flattening the curve. Still, the mere fact that he owes Nan still leaves a bad taste in his mouth.
"Helen, gather everyone." Reinchott ordered his maid. "The servants, the kids, everyone. We're all leaving."
"Understood." The maid acknowledged as she ran into the manor's halls.
"Alright, everyone..." Naofumi stated as he raised his shield. "Get behind me."
The [Forbidden Shield] then transforms into the [Tyrant Dragon's Shield].
"THE DEVIL HAS SHOWN HIMSELF AT THE DOOR! KILL HIM AND HIS FOLLOWERS!"
"RAM DOWN THE GATES! WE MUST WIPE THESE SCUM OFF THE FACE OF THIS WORLD!"
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes: Addressed a few complaints and concerns from a few of my readers in this chapter, and yeah, Nan's basically my 11th grade self if he didn't get therapy.
The whole backstory? Yeah, I didn't go to juvie, but I did go a disciplinary school. Still, I almost got shanked there by a pencil there instead. And yes, I did get out early in part of my lawyers, but the whole experience?
... It sucked balls.
Funny how my real life kinda wrote the plot, and this story technically start during the worst periods of my life, so take the angst as you will.
... For the life of me, I honestly cannot tell if Ex-Convicts and Gang Members are worse then inmates, nor do I plan to find out.
So yeah, despite everything Nan did, there are still people who hate the [Shield Hero] that much. Also worth noting, Reinchott and his servants are not going down without a fight, and he's packing a repeater crossbow.
Well, enjoy the quarantine. And stay safe.
Current Party Members:
Name: [Great Scourge], Nan Hon-Jah
Class: [Tome Fallen]
Level: 80
Affinity: [All Eight Elements] & [Ten Primordial Sins]
Alignment: Chaotic Mad
Equipment: [Forbidden Tome, Grimm the Heretic], [Grimoire Heart], [Lemegeton], [Sibylline], [Necromancer's Robes], [Mire Boots], [Wight's Rune of Spite], [Silver Wolf's Maw], [Bandit's Silver Thumb], [Visage of Madness], [Mystic Geas: Puppeteer], [Portable Dragon's Hourglass], [Slayer's Rusted Plate Armor]
Legion: [Berserk Corps]
Attack: 95 (+195)
Defense: 92 (+40)
Agility: 90 (+35)
Luck: 85 (+45)
HP: 700 (+105)
MP: 820 (+305)
Name: Garou
Class: [Brawler]
Level: 84
Affinity: [Dark]
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Equipment: [Assassin's Leather Armor], [Nightshroud], [Blade Gauntlets], [Primal Claws], [Katars]
Attack: 107 (+50)
Defense: 75 (-20)
Agility: 115 (+65)
Luck: 61 (+20)
HP: 910 (+20)
MP: 360 (-100)
Name: Fubuki
Class: [Monk]
Level: 83
Affinity: [Ice]
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Equipment: [Twilight Gunstaff], [Darkbane Gauntlets], [Twilight Cloak], [Twilight Hunter's Hood], [Mana Medallion]
Legion: [Elysium Evangelion Euphorias]
Attack: 94 (+45)
Defense: 67 (+30)
Agility: 104 (+25)
Luck: 96 (+20)
HP: 630 (-50)
MP: 1,020 (+100)
Name: Genbu
Class: ?
Level: ?
Affinity: None
Alignment: ?
Equipment: [Wayward Nomad's Garbs], [Silver Pocket Watch & Chain], [Silver Shortsword], [Silver Buckler], [Fafnir's Flametongue]
Attack: ?
Defense: ?
Agility: ?
Luck: 9,999
HP: ?
MP: ?
Name: Rino
Class: [Assassin]
Level: 75
Affinity: [Earth]
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Equipment: [Brave Compound Bow], [Spark Dagger], [Steel Throwing Knives x20], [Assassin's Cloak], [Shadow Mufflers], [Silent Step Sandals]
Legion: [The Anointed Children]
Attack: 82 (+80)
Defense: 50 (+10)
Agility: 108 (+120)
Luck: 97 (+90)
HP: 450 (+40)
MP: 400 (+40)
Name: Glass
Class: [Phantom Fan Saint]
Level: 93
Affinity: [Dark]
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Equipment: [Sacred Fans], [Kimono of Mourning], [Pristine Visage]
Legion: [Blood-Oath Zealots]
Attack: 108 (+50)
Defense: 87 (+70)
Agility: 129 (+50)
Luck: 59 (+100)
HP: 820 (+200)
MP: 890 (+250)
So, what do you guys think of this Epic?
Will Suzaku's training arc yield results as he learns how to outrun Death?
Will Nan overcome his past traumas of his old world and grow out of his festering misanthropy and self-doubt?
Will Reinchott and his people come out alive during this surprise raid?
And why are there still people after Naofumi despite Nan being the greater threat!?
Please leave a comment or a review, for I'd like to know what my audience are thinking!