NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23: Rapim- dead
Chapter 22
I am a bit dissatisfied with this chapter, but here enjoy it. XD.
Katu appearance :
Kale appearance :
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"You said that you would send me to the human world through your friend," Moon continued, his words being the only sound transparent in the quiet world.
Rapim nodded back at him, still with his relaxed face and expression. "Yes, a friend of mine. A trustworthy one, I might say."
Moon stayed quiet after that; his mind calming down. "When will this friend of yours come?" He asked in a questioning tone, but a hint of mockery was hidden in it. Why Mockery?, because he could see that he was lying, not a full-blown lie. But half lies that was a mix of truth and lies.
Rapim acted as if he did not notice the hint of mockery, he slowly put his hands on his beard and started twirling the edges and with a gentle look with his eyes dropping down, he replied. "Seven months at the minimum, a year max."
(PoV Kale)
Kale's face tightened into a deep frown at the mink clan's extortion-like behavior. A lump formed in her throat, and a hollow pit settled in her stomach. A year max—it was just a dressed-up demand, a way of saying, Wait a year. Until then, serve us. Be our ally. Help us pressure the two clans. Become our silent guardian.
"Their position as the head clan has already stabilized." Kale thought as she reflected on the things they had done for them, no, what Moon had done.
He destroyed several bases of the two clans and killed hundreds, and quite a few high and mid-class warriors. Which caused them a severe shortage of manpower and funds. Causing the two clans to stop testing the mink clan and focus on recuperating the losses.
And that is the only thing that happened on the surface. Mink's, on the other hand, raided and took what Moon left off.
On their first request, they took a caravan full of high-quality minerals; on their second and third, they took and looted quite a few locations, causing the mink clan to almost bloat with resources. Granted, because of the reinforcements that the lizardman and orc clan sent, they didn't manage to collect all of them, heck they only managed to salvage at most half, but still, it was an amount that was more than Kale had ever seen. And to add the cherry on top, they also weekly sent potions, which would also be worth a significant amount to the Mink Clan.
Now here they are, requesting for them to be their silent guardian for a year. "How firm do they want to cement their position?" she unknowingly muttered to herself. Feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment. Disappointed because she wouldn't be able to go to the human world in prospect to heaven. Frustrated because they cheated them of what they should have, and the fact that they managed to cheat them unknowingly, like a fool, only made it worse.
She took a deep breath and focused on the conversation that was taking place right beside her, specifically between Moon and Rapim. "So you fooled me, played me like a fool, unknowingly at that."
Rapim gently shook his head. "No, not exactly. My son Phamt and the rest of my clan didn't know about it; only I knew about it. But I assure you, the magical artifacts that are being traded are of equal value to the teleporter." He said as he put his hand into the pouch beside him and took out a bandana. "This magical artifact is created using a drake's skin, specifically its underbelly adorned with its scales, and it has the effect of automatically protecting the user from one ultimate class level, granted only the lower ultimate class beings attack every week."
Moon stayed quiet as he gazed at the bandana. A magical artifact that to normal beings would be of equal value to the teleporter. But to Moon, it wasn't equal.
His resilience and durability lowered the value of the bandana until it was akin to a slightly more pricey magical artifact, almost equal to that one artifact that he gave to Katu in the past. One that boosts the owner's senses and grants night vision.
"They might be of equal value to you, but to me, they are not," Moon said as his gaze shifted from the bandana to Rapim. "Take your bandana and give me the artifact you promised. I will give you a week. If, by then, you don't have it, be prepared for the consequences." He said as he started turning around, only to halt at the next words Rapim said.
"My friend, don't be in such a hurry. If you don't want this, I also have other artifacts, and my good friend can take you to the human world when he comes by next time."
Moon turned to Rapim rapidly, his eyes akin to the sun itself boring down on Rapim. "Do you think I didn't detect your half-lies? That friend you are talking about, w̸h̴o̴ ̶a̸r̶e̵ ̶t̸h̵e̶y̴ ̶?̴,̵ ̶f̷a̷l̴l̶e̶n̴ ̷a̸n̸g̴e̵l̷s̵?̶ ̵y̸o̴u̵k̷a̴i̶?̵,̶ ̶d̶e̵v̵i̶l̷s̸?̷"
He said, his voice cracking and changing eldritch by the second. "When the time comes, would you sell me to your friend of yours? Trustworthy? Probably to you, do you think you could keep me quiet and handy with that artifact of yours? Only to take it back when the time came?"
The calm and steady expression that adorned Rapim's face slowly receded as Moon said everything he planned, some parts different but mostly correct. "You got it wrong." He started explaining, his voice turning slightly colder in the end.
Moon's pupil started glowing brightly as he continued. "Again, a half lie. Do you not understand that I can sense your lies?" Moon calmly said, His deep voice blowing through the surroundings kicking up dirt into the air, after which he turned around and started floating away. "I want the artifact two days from now."
(POV Rapim)
Rapim looked on at the back of the defective, disgusting angel quietly. His face, no longer a calm smile, was instead an expression of absolute neutrality. No longer was his mouth raised in the corner to give anyone the expression of happy and easygoing. His eyes are no longer gently falling to give one a gentle look.
"Troublesome," Rapim thought as he tried to think of ways to keep the angel around.
He could try to brainwash himself using one of his spells and try to fool it. But it won't guarantee that he would be capable of going past its ability to detect lies. Maybe he could try to give it an artifact capable of teleportation to another dimension a week or two from now, a second before he is caught and sent to that devil. As that was the amount of time he needed to bring that devil and its subordinates here, as he wasn't sure he would be capable of even defeating the defective angel himself.
"But, even if I am not sure of defeating it," Rapim thought with his eyes glistening like ice, but colder and calmer. "I must not let him go," he thought.
Ever since he started aging and becoming weaker, he started searching for anything that would allow him to extend his life, maybe even regain his long lost youth. Through the years he did manage to find several things that allowed him to extend his life but nothing that would allow him to regain his youth. He tried sacrifices, costly potions, everything, but all of them without exception would only delay the inevitable.
But about three years ago, he learned of the devil's peerage system and how it is capable of changing one's race into a devil. Upon learning of it, he tried connecting with devil nobles, specifically, vain ones who weren't smart but not complete fools. After a bit of searching and research, he found one that fit the description and made an agreement with him using the ancient contract that he had. To ensure that the devil wouldn't betray him when the time came.
And in the trade that the devil and he made, in exchange for manpower and resources, the devil would transform him into a devil through the peerage system. The devil wished for astronomical manpower and resources in exchange. But he agreed because the devil agreed to extinguish its control over him after transformation and allow him to do free roam. With no obligation or responsibility that normally followed. He also managed to secretly enter a few clauses that ensured that the devil would never try to harm him, whenever directly or indirectly, and would protect him if necessary.
And little by little he gave the devil everything he gained through his youth. Manpower, slaves, and resources for that eternal youth. His clan, which, thanks to his power and talent, rose to the very height it reached, slowly fell as it went down.
Some minks opposed him upon learning of it, and he silenced them in turn.
But even after sacrificing almost all of the things that he accumulated during his lifetime, it still wasn't enough. And just as he was thinking if he should retake control of the clan and raid the two clans. A mysteries shop suddenly appeared, backed by a being who was equal to him. Granted, he grew weaker and slower just as the outside world assumed, but he didn't grow that weak to the point he was barely hanging at the late high class, different from what the outside world thinks. And the shop brought forth the thing he needed.
The resources he managed to collect using the shop allowed him to fulfill his side of the deal, at least the material part. Now only achievements that the devil requested are left, and if he were to give this angel to that devil as an achievement. It would allow him to finally regain his youth, no, even beyond that, gain eternal youth.
"If only that hedonistic bastard trained at least a little," he thought with frustration. If that devil bastard trained at least an hour every day, his position as the young lord wouldn't have been threatened by his younger brother, and he wouldn't have been forced to pull an achievement from his ass every year.
"And you would be the last sacrifice before my eternal life," he thought with cold determination as he gazed at the back of Moon, specifically his backs, and he slowly started gathering mana on his legs and his right hand.
On the soles of his feet. A faint spark of electricity started gathering, and his claw, which normally looked almost like a human hand, started glowing blue, almost neon blue as it took the shape of a claw.
He slowly took a deep breath right before the fight which would determine if he would gain what he desperately desired or fall before it, he smelt the fresh air of the forest and moist air that seemed to carcass his throat and body. His ocean blue eyes that glowed took on a new appearance as he breathed out. Then he gazed at the angel, he didn't view the angel as an enemy or opponent he must face, instead, he viewed him as the key to his only salvation. A salvation that he desperately needed.
Slowly he took a step, his step slow and steady as if he was just walking normally, instantly he disappeared, and appeared right behind Moon, claw stretched. Ready to pierce the angel from the back.
(POV Katu)
Katu sighed as she looked at the turned Moon and the thunder rabbit Rapim, who stood silently with his gaze distant, probably contemplating what he should do. "So no heaven?" She quietly muttered as she also prepared to turn around and walk away. But from the corner of her eyes, she noticed that a faint blue light started flickering; curious, she turned towards it and came face to face with Rapim preparing his attack. His foot slowly inched forward as he walked. "WATCH OUT!!" She barely managed to scream while also hugging her mother, who was right beside her, and jumping left. In the opposite direction, Rapim attacked.
BOOM
POOO
Two distinct sounds were heard before everything came to a grinding halt, and a mountain of smoke blared up into the sky.
A white, distinct light on the ground where Moon once stood and a blue flashing light in the sky was seen by Katu through the smoke after she got up from the ground. "Ah." She made a confused sound, as she still wasn't sure what exactly happened when Rapim attacked just now. The white light that was on the ground shot towards the blue light in the sky like a missile, while also blowing away the dirt and smoke that suddenly appeared.
Whiiiish
After the white sphere blew away all the smoke, she saw the remains of what happened. A distinct burned smoke slowly wafted out of the place Moon was. Suggesting to Katu that the white sphere is probably Moon and trail of burned smoky ground leading to it, suggesting to Katu, that it is probably Rapim who suddenly attacked Sir Moon.
"What just happened in the smoke?" She muttered with a bit of confusion. Suddenly she heard her mother's voice beside her. The urgency was evident in her tone. "LET'S GO!" She heard her yell as her arm was tugged and dragged by her mother. The bodyguards who were protecting them went behind and stood face to face with Phamt and the guards with tightened expressions, some with even nervousness.
But the guards did not escape nor try to hide.
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"I knew you would try something like this." Moon calmly sat as he gazed at Rapim, who managed to break his fall after going over several trees and hitting a few of them. Rapim while kneeling on the ground, quickly took out a potion, specifically the one Moon made, and gulped it down. To help him recover from the injuries that he received.
Puaaaa
Rapim exhaled as he got up. His hood was long gone, and in its place stood a simple dark shirt that was cut in several places. "How did you know?" Rapim asked while raising one of his eyebrows. Curios as to the reason, the defective angel managed to know that he would attack him right there and there. Not only that, the angel somehow managed to transform the place that he attacked, specifically the place where its wing connected to its body, at just the right movement into a flame. His attack didn't hit it, instead, he became a huge target and the flame that the angel transformed into exploded, sending him flying. Burning his arm which he attacked with and cracking two of his ribs, which thanks to the potion that he drank, was rapidly healing.
Rapim's hand slowly shifted to his right and grabbed the bandana that he previously put back. Feeling like he would need every advantage he would need. During this time, his eyes never left the angel, his body lowered and ready to move at a moment's notice. But the angel didn't do anything; it just waited.
After tying the bandana and taking out his gauntlet, he took a battle stance. "Aren't you looking down on me too much?"
The angel stayed quiet for a few seconds after his question. Its eyes are in the shape of a golden cross digging into him. "A disgusting creature," Rapim muttered to himself as he gazed at the abomination.
But after what seemed to be almost ten seconds, the angel replied. "No, I did not."
The angel's reply brought forth a frown on his face, feeling belittled by a being who wasn't even in the ultimate class. "SO BE IT!" he bellowed as he rushed towards Moon. His form was shrouded in the lighting that he manifested, and his hands were covered in his gauntlet as he rushed forward akin to a bullet.
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"I was wrong, I underestimated you," Moon said as he towered over Rapim's figure. Two of his wings, specifically the top left and low right, were crushed with bones visible to the naked eye, and his eyes, which he thought to be almost as tough as adamantium itself, cracked, and a little bit of liquid dripped down his eyes. But the eyes didn't blink, nor did it waver.
Meanwhile, Rapim lay on the ground, with all of his limbs cut off and his lower jaw ripped apart. The blood rapidly gushed out like a drainpipe through the openings dyeing the ground red.
"UAAAAA UAAAA" Rapim made some questionable sounds using its mouth, which Moon didn't understand as there was no jaw nor tongue to speak of. But the blind desperation and bloodshot eye that cried blood suggested to Moon that he was probably begging or cursing him. Piquing his curiosity.
He would have liked to interrogate him and learn what he knew. But he felt that it would be too troublesome with all of its limbs cut off and its jaw shattered.
So he manifested a golden bird, the size of an eagle, and willed it to dig into his brain.
"UAAA UAAGGUGUGRRRU AUAU" During this time, Rapim trashed even more violently.
During this process, Rapim struggled and thrashed with the valor of a dying banshee. Despite not having limbs, he used his bloody stumps to crawl away, digging and throwing around dirt as it crawled. Its bloodied jaw, specifically the upper jaw, dragged across the ground digging into it as he struggled, but it was all in vain.
The bird dragged the soul out of his body, calmly and without any emotion as the bird was not a living being. Despite not having a soul, his empty husk of a body continued thrashing around and trying to escape. Its ocean blue eyes were dim and empty with no soul; despite this, his hunk continued struggling. "Oh," Moon made a curious sound as he witnessed a being without a soul, still moving, struggling. But the state didn't continue long, as about a minute later, Rapim's body suddenly stopped. Just in time for Moon to finish absorbing Rapim's soul.
"I should study this phenomenon more," he slowly muttered to himself before turning to the city. "Now onto the city.".
Just as he was about to fly towards the city, from the corner of his vision he saw the bag of holding of Rapim. The content that was inside it glistering under the sun. "Before that, let's see if he has anything noteworthy."