Man, I just keep starting shit, but I do what I love and love what I do, and frankly write a shitload for the given volume of my stories. Never let it be said I'm not a trier God-Damn it. Anyway, big scary monsters, and the Ruler of Not-Hell. This should be fun. Chapter 31: Dark World Dealings Part 3 OR YOU Are Locked In Here With ME.
If I was anyone else, any THING else, I'm sure the Overlord currently lording in his chair would have swept his over-sized sword in my direction and I'd have been a mist of blood from a prismatic beam. But I was a human seemingly happy to see his dread-inspiring form, and that said enough on its own.
The thing about Humans, was that there was a reason we had equal standing with Duel Spirits. Even though we didn't have ridiculous powers, access to large-scale reality warping, or most any kind of wide range defenses, there was one fact that tended to keep the two worlds in check.
Humans were fucking crazy.
Well, no, that wasn't quite right, though it was part of it. Humans, rather, were...inconsistent. Not as they appeared. Fluid. A Duel Monster goes though their life in stages, constantly experiencing and interacting with each other in moments that defined those involved in generally tangible ways.
Humans didn't do that. They could go through life the same way for years before suddenly stubbing their toe or waking up better than usual and completely upending their personality. And, more worryingly, they could lie their asses off.
When the two worlds, dimensions, realms, whatever first breached, they encountered a species weaker to them in every way, ready and willing to roll over...till they met some smiling pricks in robes who somehow sealed them into stone, jewelry, or even their own souls. No warning, no indication that was even a thing, it just happened and the two were now tied together through bonds of Shadow that drifted between Light and Darkness.
A smiling priest could be perfectly able to mix with the most noxious of Zombies, the worst looking thug could walk around with pockets full of Watapon, Humans were nothing or exactly like we appeared.
And I was playing that to the hilt as I stared straight up at ruby-red eyes with my hands spread wide.
The Lord's gaze never wavered from me, completely dismissing my monsters behind me, seemingly staring into my soul. Then his mouth creaked open, a jaw of pure while bone harder than any metal speaking in a tone that scraped against the air as if his tongue was dragged against a whetstone.
"A bargain? Speak then, Human." The words were rasped out from a throat obviously disused, but they paradoxically made me relax more. I was in the door.
"Gladly, oh liege. I come to you here, in your own fortress, to offer you a hand in need. I will help you against forces of Light that assault your kingdom even now, and all I ask in return is access to your forces and aid in finding one of my lost kin. Would this be agreeable?" I gave a tight lipped smile, careful not to show my teeth and accidently start some shit. Not yet.
The Overlord's eyes still hadn't left me, but I knew he was assessing me again. Seeing if I was worth entertaining or if this was some shallow trick. Funny thing was, it was both.
"Why. Why should I trust the force of my Legions to a whelp who races to their doom so eagerly? Why should I waste my resources searching for a monster instead of crushing my eternal foes? WHY, should I not grind you to dust for your insolence." The last sentence was not a question, as weight settled on my shoulders and threatened to stomp me out of existence. This wasn't just something as quantifiable as Attack Power, this was the power it took to hold the reigns of countless demons.
But all the pressure I was feeling, was nothing compared to the feeling of triumph I felt at being accosted like this.
"Because I made it all the way here despite your subordinates trying to stop me. Because I can use your forces in a way that'll actually make a difference instead of just holding invisible lines. But most of all? Well, Pumpking said it best; the Book Of Moon compels you to turn around so I have more options to stab you." I gave a fierce grin as I revealed the named book from where it had been hidden on the small of my back.
The wonderful thing about going straight through walls was that, within the chaos, it was ever so easy to lose track of supplies that might have been hidden in said walls. And BOY, were there a lot of books about the Moon between all that brickwork. I'm sure they wouldn't miss the copy or four I pilfered.
So there we were. A human brandishing a book surrounded by literal Monsters staring down a Demon King.
Funny enough, I wasn't even the first one to laugh.
"Kek. Kehe, KEHAHAHAH! Well done. VERY, well done. You tore through my defenses, stole from my treasure, and then used the same to ensure I comply with your demands. If you only had a bit more bone on the outside and a bit of purple to your skin, I'd say you could marry my daughter. Very well human, I will allow you a portion of my forces, if only so I don't have to waste any time trying to get my own sword out of my back again." The grin Reign-Beaux gave me was one of the most horrifying things I'd ever seen, his teeth revealed to be a literal rainbow of colors that made my brain twitch looking at. Thankfully, he soon closed his mouth again, and he stretched out a single hand the size of me.
I barely had time to catch the cascading cards that rained down on me, pieces of shining darkness one and all, but after a moment of scrambling they were stacked in my hand, a suddenly full deck now ready and waiting for me to use it.
"Now, go out and serve in my name, only return once you achieve the results you so promise." With a grand wave of his hand, he beckoned me to leave, only for me to stay right where I was standing, making no effort to hide my shit-eating grin.
"Couldn't agree more. You just need to send me back to the Human World."
Reign-Beaux gave me an uncomprehending look for a moment, before realization came, along with an uttered "Oh, You Little Bastard."
END OF CHAPTER
Surprise! There's a special place in Not-Hell for me, and it's called the Newly Recruited General! I had been building up to this for a bit, from the Book of Moon pulled out of the wall, to the surprise meeting, to the next revelations in the next chapter. This'll be the end of the Dark World Arc next time, and I'm so damn happy about that. Now I'm going to see about updating some of my other stuff. Hope you all enjoy, leave a little review about how ya feel, what you want to see, all that good stuff.