143 Chapter 122: The dungeon's adventure (1)
Chapter Text
Under the moonless sky, a pair of glowing eyes discretely studied the Yin Empire's camp and their chimera emissaries, who have been gathered around the flickering ember ever since dinner. Of course, given the distance between them, the mutant ogre spy could not listen to the chimera's conversation; but, on the other hand, it was not his job to eavesdrop. His only task was to keep an eye out on them to ensure they would not try any weird trick to infiltrate the already battered city. From the news that his comrades brought, he learned that a new king had been crowned to lead the city during their fight for survival. Still, he had no time to celebrate the news, since all his attention has been devoted to monitoring the Yinese chimeras ever since they showed up unannounced earlier, under the guise of negotiation.
「Huh? This is…」Teran muttered. The orge raised his hand to catch the fallen flower petals that rained down on him.「Hello Ashura sama. You can never get rid of your love for epic entrances, I see.」The orge smiled.
「First impression is everything, Teran!」Ashura emerged from the shadows. Staying true to his chuunibyu attitude, the Yonko's hand elegantly covered part of his face to create a perceived mysterious air surrounding him. Behind him stood his ever loyal attendant, Ranmaru the shota ogre, who continuously threw up the flower petals in the bamboo basket into the air to signify his master's arrival.
「Long time no see, Boss.」Teran smiled.「How have you been?」
「It's been great! I have an Astral chasing after me for a while now so things have been rather fun.」
「An Astral?」Teran raised his eyebrows. Although being part of the Yonko, both Ashura and Gilga were considered to be a low threat to human civilization since unlike the other two, they have always acted much more diplomatically toward human nations.「Why would an Astral be personally coming after you? I know you're technically one of the archenemies, given that you're a Great Demon Lord, but at most, it'd be the Theocracy that we have to worry about.」
「Well, I think they don't like the idea of me getting close to my new sworn brother. The Astrals probably consider the threat level of us teaming up worths their attentions.」
「You and Kibadios dono? … I can see that. I have to say that man is a powerful enigma whose presence certainly would pique the Astral's interest, much like an emerging Great Demon Lord.」Teran nodded. Not to mention the power and ability of his party members , the ogre recalled how he was brought back to life by Rowan's power.「I bet his group alone would probably give the Hyakki Yagyo some hard time. I heard from Erik's group that after fighting him, you decided to bring him into the Hyakki Yagyo? Was he really that good?」
「Yes.」Ashura grinned, before wrapping his arm around Teran.「Enough about me. What about you? How have you been? You're spying on them?」Ashura pointed at the far off camp.
「I'm just keeping track of their movement.」
「Hmm, this is the first time I've seen the fabled Chimeras in person.」Ashura touched his chin as he studied the group.「What do you think, Ranmaru?」
「They… are interesting.」The shota ogre turned his hands into a binocular shape, trying to focus his sight on the Chimeras.「I can perceive a great amount of Nen exuding from them, despite them being so far away. Each of them could probably fight evenly against our Captains or Vice Captains. The Yin Empire is just as powerful as the rumor has it.」
「There's a reason why our Teran is struggling against them and most of the former 13th division members lost their lives fighting them」Ashura nodded.
「...」Teran twitched at the mention of his perished friends and subordinates.
「Don't feel guilty, Teran.」Noticing the mutant ogre's slight reaction, Ashura reminded the former Captain.「Even knowing that they have to fight against the powerful Yin Empire, they still decided to quit the Hyakki Yagyo and follow you on their own. After all, we, as members of the Hyakki Yagyo, are all responsible for our own fates, and to them, they chose to live, fight, and die by your side. I'm sure they're not blaming you for anything. To them, you're that important… too important, in fact, that once you left, I thought the 13th division would probably be disbanded since there were not that many left.」
「Seriously, Ashura sama, I thought you'd be mad at me for abandoning the Hyakki Yagyo and taking so many of the members with me.」Teran smiled wearily.
「Hahaha, I'm not that petty.」laughed Ashura.「I wanted to help you to deal with Wei Shimin. Trust me, I do. But I can't personally get involved, since that would mean war between a Yonko and a great human nation state. Accepting your request and dispatching a few members here was all I could do. Though, in the end, sending Kibadios here was the right choice. Who could have thought he's the Young Lord of the Ogre House.」
「Indeed. The presence and participation of Kibadios dono in this war is already making a difference. Without him, I'm afraid Alsen would have fallen.」
「Yeah. I can't wait to see what he will do next.」
「... Is that why you're here? To observe Kibadios?」
「Uh huh.」And to ask him a few questions regarding the Astrals, Ashura thought, though he did not say it out loud.
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「What are you thinking about, Teran sama?」A subordinate asked the mutant ogre, abruptly ending Teran's reminiscing of the conversation he had with Ashura last night.
「Ah, Cain! I was just thinking about my chat with Ashura sama.」Teran answered.
「Haha, after so many years not personally seeing him in person, he's still the same old whimsical boss as before.」Cain, a demihuman belonged to the giant race just like Baxley, noted. Much like Teran, he used to belong to the 13th division. And just like most other members, he had resigned from the group to come serve his boss in the fight against the Yin Empire.「You know, I was surprised that he still remembered my name, given how I only interacted with him once or twice before I left.」
「Is that so?」Teran smiled, before abruptly turned serious.「Who's there?」
「Teran sama!」Another former member of the 13th division suddenly appeared from the shadows.「I bring news from the 3 Houses and Wylan dono.」
「What's the message?」
「...」The man hesitated, as if he himself was doubting the content of the message.「They granted the Yin army's request.」
「What?」Teran was surprised.
「It's been decided that we will allow Yue dono to come with them to have an audience with Wei Shimin. Apparently, Kailos dono will personally be here shortly to meet with those Chimeras.」
「...」Teran frowned. What are they planning?
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「So, senpai!」Uri called out to Yuusei teasingly.「What does it entail?」
「It?」Yuusei cocked his head.
「Being Kiba chan's official harem member? What does that even mean?」Uri asked.
「Maybe you can start by calling him Kibadios sama instead of "Kiba chan."」Ryuu angrily pointed out.
「Huh? That just sounds so distant.」Uri dismissed the suggestion.
「I don't think Master cares what you call him.」Rowan chimed in.「Being his harem members means… always there to please him whenever he wants?」
「Hmm, I'm down. After all, that also means I get to experience the pleasure of his cock whenever I want!」Uri licked his lips.
「I thought Uri being recognized as Master's official harem member just means that you get to join all of us at night?」It was now Maia's turn to answer Uri's question.
「Yeah, and completely devote yourself to him, both body and soul.」Ryan leered at Uri.「Given your past behavior, it means that you may not even have a hint of lust for any other person except for Master. Even a naked girl standing in front of you should not cause you any arousal!」
「He's already obsessed with Kibadios, you don't have to worry about him cheating on him with some girl.」Ren placed his hands behind his head as he walked.
「How do you know?」Rowan asked.
「This morning, we were all bathing together. Even though Yue was bathing completely naked in his presence, our Vice Captain here did not pay her any attention… not even once.」recalled Ren, to which Yuusei, too, simply nodded in agreement.
「Yeah, I was surprised too, hahaha」Uri laughed.「The old me would be fixing my gaze on Yue chan the entire time we bathed together. But somehow, ever since we formed a bond, I don't feel anything when looking at girls… or guys. Only when I look at the Boss. Only then would I feel the heat in my body.」
「Ahh… Why does it have to be him, who's Master's fated pair.」Ryuu sighed.
「Aww, don't be like that, Ryuu chan.」Ryan ruffled the depressed dragonoid's hair.「Master loves us all equally!」
「I know… but still. I don't mind if it were you or anybody else… But Uri. He just doesn't show Master any respect or reverence!」
「Do you really think your Master cares about that?」After remaining silent all this time, Reuk finally spoke up from behind Ryan.「I know for you, he's like a god who you have always been worshiping, but in the end, regardless of his reincarnations, he's still a person just like you and me. What he needs and wants are not your unwavering devotions or glorification but your companions, warmth, and love. If you and others keep treating him as a god, you may wound up isolating him in his own lonely world.」
「... Maybe… maybe you're right.」Ryuu pouted.
「Master…」Ryan turned around to look at the hybrid, who was trailing behind the group. Noticing the former hero's gaze, Kibadios simply gave him a tender smile.
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「I thought you have learned your lesson, but in the end, you're still as foolish as you were 10k years ago.」Ayer, walking by his accursed Master's side, commented after noticing Kibadios' caring gaze at his own harem.
「Foolish?」
「Just like other mortals, you yearned for companionships. Did you not forget it was your own dear friend, Aspen, who betrayed you to us Astral? If you don't learn from your past mistakes, history will just repeat itself. Sooner or later, fearing our wrath, someone close to you will again betray you, whether it be the citizens of this doomed city, its leaders, the Hyakki Yagyo, or even, your own harem members there.」Ayer smirked.「Before I got here, I thought you were merely using them as your disposable tools. But, if there's one thing I learned this past day, it's that you truly cared and loved your supposed "tools." Such foolish emotion will be your downfall. I simply just have to wait and bid my time until then.」
「Why? Is that an advice? I'm so moved that my Ennead slave is worried for me.」Instead of being irritated by Ayer's comment, Kibadios simply laughed.「It took me a while to realize, but if I no longer trust others out of fear that they may betray me, then you Astral would have partially won by destroying a part of me that makes me, "me." Unlike you, I don't want to let my past dictate how I live my current life. 」
「Unlike me? Don't you act as if you know me!」Ayer frowned.「and isn't it ironic that despite your claim of not letting the past dictates the present, you're now devoting your entire life on seeking out vengeance against us Astral, all because of your past.」
「Ah, but you see.」Kibadios grabbed Ayer's hair, pulling the Astral's face closer to his own. In contrast to the gentleness he had just shown to Ryan, the hybrid's expression became twisted, which for a moment scared even Ayer.「That's where you're wrong. It's not the past that motivated me now. It's the potential future that pushes me to move forward: The future in which my enemies, the arrogant Astrals, are all destroyed and suffered in agony. After all, I'm not a weakling who would have chosen to simply join my enemies in order to survive and gain more power, just because it's an easier choice. 」
「You…」twitched Ayer.「What do you know…」
「More than you think I do.」Kibadios released his grip.「But all of that doesn't matter now. For you, who have already fallen from grace, just wait in that dark, bottomless abyss. Stay there and question all the decisions you have made that led you to this point. I promise you that your "fellow" Astrals would soon join you there.」
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As the group finally arrived at the Dungeon, they were greeted by the familiar representatives of the three Houses: Gyo, Kuron, and Falkor. The last time Kibadios had seen them was just last night, when all three, along with their House Heads, were frozen in fear and confusion after they were just told about the history of the world 10k years ago by Kibadios. The hybrid had half expected them to still be reeling from the revelation, yet, the three people who greeted him donned such determined looks that made Kibadios doubt if they were the same guys he left alone last night.
「Kibadios sama.」Gyo bowed at the hybrid.「We were waiting for you.」
「How are you feeling?」Kibadios asked.「It seems like you all have made up your mind and found your answer to the question I asked before.」
「 "Join me and rebel against the Astrals or accept your fate and carry on your lives as that of livestocks."」Kuron recited with a faint smile what Kibadios had told them before departing.「That wasn't really a question, Your Ma… Kibadios sama.」The Yves father quickly corrected the way he addressed his King since to the public, it was Wylan who assumed the title of the King. 「But, it's the slap in the face we desperately needed.」
「We are the proud warriors of Monas Kye. Our ancestors persevered against the constant threat from the theocracy's crusades for hundreds of years and us against the Yin Empire's invasions. It's true that we were overwhelmed by what you've told us last night.」Gyo stepped up.「But when you think about it, the threats from the Astrals are nothing but just another obstacle that we need to overcome. 」
「If we all give up now and resign to fate, how can we face our ancestors and their sacrifice?」Falkor looked directly at Kibadios.「How can we face you, who have been suffering and fighting for our salvation?」
「Kibadios sama, we're sorry that, even for a moment, we have acted as if we've given up all hope.」Kuron continued.「We owe it to our ancestors and you to continue the fight…」The slight gentle smile suddenly crossed his face.「and we owe it to the future generation, too. I will do whatever it takes to protect Tina and her future from the cruelty of the Astrals.」
「That's great to hear!」Kibadios grinned.「And here I was afraid that my father was right.」
「Kailos sama? What did he say?」Gyo asked.
「Before I left him last night, he was just saying how it might not have been a good time to reveal all this to you. Given how we're already in a desperate situation, he feared that this would push you all off a cliff and completely break your morale.」
「I see. It seems Kailos sama still underestimated us.」laughed Gyo.
「Kibadios sama…」Now, it was Falkor who spoke up. Unlike the other two, who were simply here to greet Kibadios and showed him their resolve, the beastman was here to ask Kibadios further questions on top of it.「... About Maryana… Is there anyways we can release the Astral's hold on her and revert her back to who she was before?」The beastman nervously waited for an answer.
「...」Kibadios hesitated for a moment as he studied the beastman, who still held onto a glimmer of hope.「I don't know. I don't know of a way to break the control of an Astral over a doll he created… but that doesn't mean there's nothing we can do. If anything, forcing the Astral who controls her to command her to "turn back to Maryana" would possibly work…」... But… Kibadios did not say the rest of the sentence out loud, seeing how Falkor's face was already brightened up at the possibility that his wife would turn back to who she was.
「I see!! Then I will do just that! I'll make whoever controls her revert her back to normal!」The beastman excitedly shouted.
… Normal?... No, her normal state is when she's in a doll and obediently carries out her order, though. Kibadios thought. And we don't even know who made her. 「...We'll find a way, Falkor. Anyways, where's my father and the other Heads?」
「Kailos sama is heading to the Chimera's camp a few miles outside of the City to inform them about our decisions.」Answered Gyo.
「Wylan and Ectharen sama are already in the dungeon.」Kuron continued .「They said it's unthinkable that our King would enter an unexplored dungeon without anyone scouting ahead, so they decided to do it themselves.」
「Haha, I appreciate it. But given that Ryuu will be with me, if there's a threat that neither Ryuu and I can deal with, then they probably can't, either.」Kibadios laughed, before turning to his healer.「Rowan chan, set up the barrier. We will test whether our hypothesis can work.」
「I'm on it!」The green haired teenager excitedly acknowledged as he raised his arms and focused his mind to conjure up a small barrier that perfectly encapsulated the circular dungeon entrance.
「... That's… <Seed of Time>...」Ayer was taken aback. 「How did that guy possess it? Shouldn't it be in Matelus' hand?」
「Long story.」smirked Kibadios.「Try to maintain it as long as you can. If you're exhausted, then just stop, take a break and wait for us.」The hybrid leaned in and kissed Rowan's forehead. 「We will stay in there for 3 hours before coming out, though if your barrier to slow the time experienced by the pocket dimension inside the dungeon works, then from your perspective, we will return before the 3 hours are over.」
「I understand. Please be careful, Master!」Rowan nodded.
「Of course!」Kibadios confidently walked past the entrance. 「Let's go!」He commanded his group.
「Say hi to Wylan and Ectharen dono for us, Kibadios sama.」Kuron nodded, to which Kibadios simply waved to acknowledge it.
「I wonder what's this?」Gyo studied the barrier.
「The barrier slows the time experienced by the area encapsulated by it.」Rowan answered while concentrating still on his job.
「What? Really?」Surprised Gyo.「Controlling time… Kibadios sama's followers are full of surprise, huh?」
「Falkor san… just now, you were asking something about Maryana?」Given that Kibadios had left, Kuron figured this was a good opportunity to ask.「Isn't that your wife's name? What's this "doll" you're talking about?」
「Huh?」Gyo turned his head. 「Your wife?」
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「Heh, that beastman is married to a doll?」asked Ayer as he walked by Kibabdios.「Why don't you just tell him it's hopeless. "Command her to turn back"? As if it's that easy for us Astral to relinquish our hold over a doll we made. Besides, if you ever kill that Astral, as you have planned to destroy us all, then she, too, will die the moment her creator's dead. You should just tell him the truth that he's better off forgetting about her.」
「Shut up, you stupid Ennead.」Kibadios hit the otokonoko on the head.
