136 Chapter 116: The conversation between a teacher and a studentt
「Who's that little elven girl?」Uri disrespectfully pointed at Seri, who was slowly making her way toward Kibadios.
「That would be Seri the Eternal.」Answered Kibadios, unimpressed at the feat his former Master had just performed to seal Ayer's homunculus body in a capsule. 「and most likely, the architect of this dungeon… am I right, Sensei?」
「「「What?」」」All others gasped.
「Hah, what a cute little form you have turned yourself into Zaeryn.」Seri smirked. The girl reached out her hands, wanting to pinch Kibadios' fluffy shota's cheeks, though her attempt was immediately interrupted by Uri. The human-incubus hybrid glared at the elf under his bushy bang, trying to ascertain the intention of this mysterious being. Despite acting bravely, the human hybrid couldn't help but slightly shake his hands as shiver ran down his spines the moment he squatted the elven progenitor's hands away from Kibadios. Of course, like many others, he had heard of the name "Seri", but not in a million years would he have imagined that the presence of the ancient elf in person alone would have suffocated him.
「Shhh… Let me have a chat with my star pupil, redhead omega chan?」Seri smiled.「And the five of you too.」The elf turned to look at the beaten up Yves and Beastmen. With one snap of her fingers, Seri activated an ancient magic. Suddenly, a layer of crystal radiating in green appeared and enveloped all the others except for Kibadios, freezing them in place in a flash.
「... At least warn them before activating your healing magic, Seri.」Kibadios finally found enough strength to stand upright. Since Kibadios had studied under the elven progenitor for years, the hybrid easily realized the spell Seri unleashed wasn't a malevolent one. On the contrary, in fact, the spell actually belonged to a healing type, which slowly recovering the wounds of anyone who was enveloped in the crystal, all the while protecting them from any external attack.「What do you want?」
「Heh, I thought you'd be more excited to see your master.」Seri teased.「You know I'm breaking the agreements in NAP with those Astrals right now just to see you. Let's hope they won't find out about this meeting. There's a few reasons I'm here. First and foremost, it's because I sensed Ayer here had snuck in this dungeon so I personally came here just to make sure he's not too out of control. Turns out my assistance wasn't needed.」
「Non Aggression Pact, huh?」Kibadios smirked.「Is that the same reason why you didn't lift a finger when my people were massacred by the Astrals ten thousands years ago? When we needed your "assistance" the most?」
「... That was my blunder.」Seri suddenly confessed, leaving Kibadios unsure of what she meant.「You were captured by the Astrals before the War. It's like playing chess with your King being checkmated since the start… You and your people had already lost even before the war began. It wasn't supposed to turn out that way.」
「How, then, was it supposed to turn out?」Kibadios clenched his fist, visibly turned angry.「Were you trying to use me to topple the Astral? Are you the one who keeps causing me to reincarnate into this cursed world? What strings are you trying to pull, taking in Matelus? You must have known what he's trying to do, don't you?」
「...」The elf remained silent.「Too many questions, Zaeryn… or rather, Kibadios. First of all, you're not my weapon to be used against the Astral, so don't be angry about that!」Seri dismissively waved her hand, before turning serious again.「Rather, you're my insurance.」
「Insurance?」Kibadios frowned.「What do you mean?」
「Secondly, yes, indeed I was the one who helped you reincarnate again and again into this world. I'm sorry that one of them was cut short. I didn't have the means to precisely reincarnate your soul. Even I have my limits.」Seri clearly ignored Kibadios' follow up question.「You don't have to thank me.」
「Thank you?」
「Yeah, I figure you were glad to be reincarnated and to have another chance at taking out your vengeance against the Astral, after what they have done. Are you not?」Seri answered.「And for your last question, I took in Matelus because I pitied him and since he's your student, that made me his grand-teacher, didn't it? And what he's planning is not my problem.」
「What are you hiding from me, Seri? Why can I never get a straight answer from you?」Kibadios shook his head.「 Can you answer me this then: Why did you create this dungeon? What's going on with this space? I've been feeling as if something is out there in the darkness, watching my every move.」Kibadios pointed toward the expansive darkness surrounding the enormous levitating platform he was standing on
「Hoh, you noticed? I did use a lot of inspiration that you once told me about when we were trying to design our dungeon in that… What was it again? That game you taught me? DnD?」Seri smiled.「Anyways, this space is special. There are only two more locations like this on Esthar and one more on Modun that are like it.」
「and what is it?」
「They're the weakest points of the ever present barrier that protects the two worlds from the Tyrant Gods' Curse.」Seri slammed her fist against the invisible wall, creating a crack in space as if she was Whitebeard. The crack slowly grew bigger before the whole darkness in front of Kibadios suddenly vanished, revealing the horde of endless Daemons partially materialized beyond the barrier.
「This… This is… Hell…」Kibadios shuddered at the once hidden pandemonium landscape before him. He had just fought Ayer, an Astral and one of the Ennead no less, but the sight of endless horde of mutated daemon, half melting, half infected flesh, on top of their clearly SS class strength, caused Kibadios to doubt his own eyesight. Fighting against one, two, or even a dozen of those Daemon creatures might be feasible, yet, the sheer endless amount of them was what disheartened the confident hybrid.
「Yes.」Seri, with her finger, teared through the seemingly invincible barrier. Such a small puncture was enough for a single daemon to melt through the boundary as if it was made of liquid, before the puncture sealed itself shut. Once inside, the daemon quickly reformed itself into a full fledged menace. Its height was almost 5 times that of the muscular Kuron. Its fist alone was the size of the hybrid's head. Its mouth was decorated with large fangs and dripping in a blood-like liquid. Its blood-red eyes reminded Kibadios of the Chaos-infected Prime Minister… in fact, its power alone would probably rival that of the very creature who leveled a whole city. Yet, beyond the boundary floating countless of these Daemons, on top of a dozen of gigantic serpents like Daemon squirming around as if they came straight out of Avenger the first movie.
「GRRHHHHH!!!!」The daemon launched itself at Seri without a single hesitation, though Seri continued to smile. [Open comment here to see picture generated by AI]
「This very scenery was what destroyed Aspen's, your dearest friend, hope.」Seri raised her hand, casted a spell that froze the creature in icy crystal before snapping her finger, turning the ice, along with the daemon, into dust.「Seeing what awaited them beyond the two worlds, he knew he had no choice but to side with the Astrals in order to ensure this world continue to survive, even if such a method demands a great sacrifice.」Seri looked at the paled hybrid.「Your heart is racing…」
「Is this real… 」
「Yes.」The elf used her hands to cast a spell, allowing the darkness to reform and hide away the disturbing endless space beyond Esthar.「I created this dungeon to ensure no one can accidentally stumble upon this weak point of the barrier. Not that a lot of people would, but you can never be too careful. To protect this dungeon from disturbance, I helped in the founding of this city, and before long, this whole Monas Kye was transformed into a heaven for demi-human.」
「Then, you were the one who came up with this stupid trial?」Kibadios raised his eyebrows.
「Hey, don't disparage my creation like that. And yes, I am!」Seri proudly pumped her chest before looking straight at the hybrid in front of her and letting out a grin「This whole city, this whole stateless gathering of demihuman in Monas Kye, this whole trial, this position of "King", are, in a sense, my very creations. This is my gift to you.」
「Haah?」
「This empty throne was created in anticipation of your return, Zaeryn.」Seri's grin continued to widen.「In a sense, you're my "One-eye King".」
「You created this whole competition facade for me?」Kibadios was shocked. Again, he couldn't help but feel like he has been used by his own teacher as a pawn in a chess game.
「Yeah, this title of King of the Grassland was supposed to be only bestowed onto your reincarnation, but a few hundreds years ago, Monas Kye was so closed to being fully conquered by the Theorecracry's crusade that its people desperately need a leader to unite them. That was when… what's his face… Jander? I think, and his cohort took the trial and the Beastman was able to triumph in the end. After taking on the title of King, he was able to lead the Grasslanders to victory so all ended well.」The elf again snapped her finger. But this time, instead of shattering anything, her gesture only caused the healing crystals to disappear, allowing all others to emerge from their "cocoon" fully healed.
「Huh? What just happened?」Uri asked.
「Our wounds…」Ectharen examined his torso.
「disappeared?」Wylan finished his rival's sentence.
「Now, I digress… though it's because you're asking too many questions Zaeryn. The second reason I came here is that as the creator of this dungeon, I've been asked by your ancestors to act as a spectator for this last trial: a three-ways battle to the "death" in order to gain the necessary keys to open the artifact that allows one to claim the title of King of Monas Kye.」Seri changed the topic.「To make it fair, I healed everyone here but Zaeryn since he needs to be nerfed a bit, am I right?」
… Tsk, Nerfing what? You clearly know that I'm exhausted and at my weakest within this lifetime. Kibadios clicked his tongue.
「Keys?」Uri curiously asked.
「It's our rings.」Wylan stood up.
「Exactly, I won't interfere in this fight.」Seri jumped backward, away from the group.「Have fun!」
「... You're really Seri the Eternal, leader of the High Elves.」 Ectharen noted.
「So, the folktales about the connection between our people and Seri the Eternal was not just a made-up nursery?」Kuron asked.
「Uri, can you step aside?」Kibadios asked his Omega, which the Vice Captain reluctantly obliged.「Gyo, I don't know how we're going to do this, but I really need your help in this battle now.」
「Of course, Young Lord!!」The muscular Yves rushed to his liege, his hand held tightly onto his hammer.「Seri didn't heal you? But you can barely stand.」Gyo whispered, trying not to alert the other participants of Kibadios' obvious conditions.
「We'll manage somehow.」
「...」
「...」
Both the Heads of the Yves House and the Beastman House shot each other a quick look, before nodding in agreement. The two stepped toward Kibadios and Gyo without saying a single word. Followed them were their retainers, both of whom were also silent just like their Lords.
「Two against one huh? Things just keep getting worse, don't they?」In his head, Kibadios frantically thought of a way for him to come out of this fight victorious. Though, with him still being in his shota form and his power almost completely drained, he doubted there was a way.
Before both him and Gyo could react, the four other participants quickly stopped right in front of him and knelt down on their knees without a hint of hesitation.
「This is?」Gyo was unsure of what just happened.
「Hoh?」Seri, standing on the side, smirked.
「We, the Heads of the House of the Eyes and the House of the Mane, willfully relinquish our claims to the title of King of Monas Kye.」Both Wylan and Ectharen spoke simultaneously. 「We hereby offer you our keys, under our own volition.」The four quickly removed their rings, put them onto their palm and presented them to Kibadios, all the while having their heads bowed deeply as a show of respect.
「Please, our King!」Wylan looked up. The shrewd Yves leader who once desperately tried to claim the title of King for his House, who resorted to underhanded methods, suddenly pleaded to the hybrid. Even Gyo, his own brother, was surprised at how his once prideful younger brother was now acting. And he knew it was genuine too, since Gyo could only see the feeling of reverence and admiration emitting from his brother and cousin's longing eyes.
「Please lead us through this trying period! Only you can bring us salvation!」Ectharen and Falkor, too, expressed the same feeling as his Yves rival.
「Ha, this is a first. The other candidates willingly give up their claims and forfeit the final battle.」Seri smiled. Despite what she was saying, it was clear that she had already expected such an outcome.
「...」Kibadios was taken aback for a brief moment before letting down his guard and sat down onto the floating platform.「Are you guys sure?」
「「Yes, Zaeryn…」」Both Wylan and Ectharen looked at one another, before again nodding with a smile. 「「Yes, Kibadios sama. From now until our bodies return to the earth, we pledge our eternal servitudes to you. Both the House of the Eyes and the House of the Mane are for you to command.」」
Wow… who could have thought the trial would end like this. Uri thought to himself. Though, for the demihuman of the Grassland, Zaeryn is like their god… their ultimate protector. After learning the Boss is somehow the reincarnation of their god, it's no wonder both Wyland and Ectharen would act like this.
「Fine!」A shadow reached out from Kibadios to retrieve the rings being presented.「I hope you guys won't regret this.」
「「「「We would never!!!」」」」The four simultaneously declared.
The moment all the rings came under the possession of Kibadios, they all levitated in a circle while glowing in a golden light before flying up toward the rotating chest floating above them all. Once the rings slowly fitted themselves onto the circular indents on all 6 sides of the cube, it slowly descended before a bright light suddenly penetrated through the thick walls, seemingly dissolving them into nothing. Whatever was stored inside of the cube was now fully accessible. With the light started to dim down, the Proof of Kingship steadily became visible to all: a golden mask radiating in a thick, powerful Nen.
「A mask?」Uri muttered.
「That's…」
「Just as I suspected.」Wylan whispered.
「Again, our nursery was right….」
「It's…」
「Zaeryn sama's death mask.」Gyo turned and looked at his Young Lord.
「...」Kibadios remained silent, though it did not escape either Gyo or Uri's notice that one of his fists was clenching hard.「Seri… what the hell… My death mask?」The hybrid was furious. He quickly reached out and violently grabbed the golden mask, ready to crush it into just another lump of gold. Though the moment he touched the mask, he quickly realized this was more than just a regular golden mask, for it contained a familiar aura left over from Runecraft.
「Ha, don't be mad at me. That mask was not meant to be a mockery to your death. After all, it was made by Faye herself. Don't you remember it's our Elven tradition to create a death mask for those you love? She fought against the Astrals at the end of the second holy war, all just to get back your corpse. She failed of course, since Ayer was able to claim most of your corpse to create a mold for his zombie, but she was able to get back your head, at least. That's why she made this mask and allowed it to be the "heirloom" for the demihuman of Grassland, who worship you as their god.」Seri explained.「In the end, she wanted you to have it… as a way for her to say sorry that she could not save you or your loved ones.」
「She knew I would come back… because she knew you would reincarnate me again… Why, Seri?」
「... Because I need you. But as you are now, just barely able to defeat Ayer in his Homunculus body, you're not ready yet.」Seri cryptically answered.「One day, you will know what your purpose is, Zaeryn…」
「You think I would just do whatever you have planned for me?」Kibadios growled.「Be careful or I will treat you as just another Astral to be crush!」
「... That… is your decision to make.」Commented Seri in an uncharacteristically solemn manner.「All I could hope for is that you will do what's right.」Though, just like many times before, the elven progenitor quickly switched back to her carefree attitude.「Though, for now, let me present you with a parting gift!」
The elf waved her hand, parting two halves of the capsule that had been used to capture the arrogant Ennead.
「Huh?」Kibadios noticed a strange accessory the Ennead was now wearing.
「Damn you, Seri!!! How dare you!!」The moment Ayer was free from the capsule, he was already screaming bloody, his hands desperately trying to tear open the collar on his neck. Since he was still being strangely pierced by Seri's sealing magic, the Astral was still hanging midair as he struggled to break free.
「Heh. You see, there exist a few methods to trap a soul inside a homunculus vessel.That's why not many Enneads decide to leave the Modun Realm, even if it's via a homunculus vessel. And that's why the moment Kadesha left the Modun and betrayed the Astrals, they had to asked for your help to take her down in this world of Esthar, Zaeryn.」Seri grinned.「Technically, it would be really hard for me to do what I did, sealing and trapping an Ennead in his vessel, but thanks to you, Ayer was exhausted and distracted. Now… He's trapped. Worse for him, that collar is a special Runecraft made by Faye herself 9000 years ago. One of the most powerful Runecraft she ever created. Under the right condition, It can even force a soul of an Ennead into a contract…」
「Contract? You don't mean…」
「Yes, it's acting just like a slave contract…」Seri clapped her hand.「 Congratulations, Zaeryn. I just caught you a legendary Pokamon!!!.... Wait, or was it Pokomon? Pekomon?」
「... It's Pokemon.」Kibadios corrected.
「A SLAVE CONTRACT?? NO!!! THIS CAN'T BE!!!」Ayer's eyes were now filled with terror.
