"David. My goal is and always has been to close Hellsgate. My Phantoms intend to select defense zones and prepare for our eventual descent once we beco Specters. Fighting Reapers from other continents is a waste of my ti."
"Indeed. Which is why I look forward to your growth. Hmm. If I had to explain, I see you as a joker."
"A joker? You an a clown?"
"Hahaha, well, you are entertaining, but no. I ant as a wild card. To use an analogy, the other Revenants and I are playing a ga of poker. One where the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Depending on your actions, I could win the ga," David answered in glee.
"Who will be held responsible for my actions? You? If they decide to go to war because my defense was too good, where does that leave ? I don't have ti for this shit David. Find soone else."
At that mont, a huge amount of Death resonance ca out of the Revenant. It was so thick I felt like I was drowning in an ocean in the middle of a cataclysmic storm.
I and everyone around were forced to kiss the ground. The pressure was so great that none of us could even lift our heads. The only one who was able to maintain so sense of dignity was Zach, who was on one knee but still had his head up.
"You forget your place, maggot. I can crush you to dust right now. I command you as your king. Or do you want to tear your entire harem into pieces before you comply?"
The mont I heard these words, my anger burned.
'This fucking bastard. You can joke about killing all you want, but I will slaughter anyone who threatens the Sirens before .'
With my face on the ground, I forced myself to stand. I could hear my bones creaking, as if complaining from abuse.
'Exa. Help get up. Do whatever you have to.'
[Understood. Use [Overdrive] on [Knight]. And use {Shelter} to bind your limbs.]
'Thanks Exa. [Overdrive] [Knight].'
[[Wizard] setting shifting to [Knight]. [Knight] levels up to [Heavy Knight].
[[Sniper] setting shifting to [Knight]. [Heavy Knight] levels up to [Knight Lord].
With my body strengthened by {Fates} I slowly raised my head and pushed my torso up. When my body was halfway up, I made {Shelter} constructs to bind my forearms and midsection like casts.
I clenched my teeth as I struggled against the pressure. Eventually, I was able to bring my knee upright. Once more I bound it with {Shelter}, forcing the limb to remain stable.
The sound of slowly breaking glass echoed around . {Shelter} was strong enough to withstand 36 gajoules. Still, I could feel both my constructs and joints on the verge of breaking.
As if that were not enough, my limbs began to bruise as they continued to be squeezed between two powerful forces. But I refused to give in. I already experienced pain that was worse than dying.
"Putui! This is nothing," I taunted.
I spit out blood and brought my hand to my knee, pushing myself to stand. Worry and fear flooded my connection to the Sirens as they expressed their anxiety. But I couldn't think about them right now.
Notifications from my GRI also began to flood my brain, like alerts from social dia. I would assu they were from everyone else in Hellsend.
'Exa, shut them all up.'
[Yes, my lord.]
My brain was working overti as I struggled to stand under David's tyrannical power.
Fuck. This is what it ant to stand against a Revenant. You said 'yes sir' or they will beat the shit out of you until you do. Sigh, I guess there's no helping it, let's just get sothing in return instead.
"Gi-ive m-e t-the 24th f-floor."
I struggled to pronounce my words, speaking slowly as David looked in the eye.
"..."
'Fuck this! If you are going to kill , get over it already!'
I willed my whole body to fight the oppressive force. Every muscle. Every ounce of strength. I summoned everything in . Then I used all the souls I could muster to cast Death Resonance.
"AGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
As if the chain that bound broke all at once, David's pressure suddenly disappeared. There was no trace of a smile on his face as I struggled to catch my breath.
I didn't know if I broke free on my own or if he released his Death Resonance to allow to stand. But at this point, it no longer mattered.
"Huff...huff...give the 24th floor. I won it fair and square, right? Even if I couldn't kill Robert... Huff... my army was the one that managed to kill the demon. Give the whole floor and I will do as you ask."
"Why?" the Revenant asked. His voice cold as ice.
"I am not your servant, David. I am your equal. You do not command . We negotiate instead. My price is the 24th floor of the North Arican Battlefront."
With a queasy feeling in my body, I silently summoned {Regen}. The pain made it feel like my organs were scrambled. It took everything I had not to vomit right then and there.
The pain slowly eased as my body recovered quickly.
"The 24th floor will be my land, and you will grant autonomy. I will spare no expense to protect and support the North Arican battlefront against the undead. But everything else will be up to ."
"And I should grant this request...Because?"
"You need . If you didn't, you would have already beaten to the ground like last ti. If you had another bastard to use, you would have done so already. But since the Specters are all lazy ass bums, I am your next best pawn."
I moved closer to him as I spoke. Close enough for our faces to touch.
"I'll be your clown or joker or whatever. But this will be the last ti. Once I have done this for you, let do as I please. Or just kill now. We both know that I would die first before you would make submit."
"Indeed. But I also know that you love your won very much. What would you do if I simply killed them? Or what if I took them hostage?"
"Then it is guaranteed that I will turn against you. I will sell myself to another Revenant. And make it my life's work to destroy North Arica."
"Are you threatening , boy?"
"Of course I am, you fucking idiot! I have created a force capable of killing a greater demon in a little over a week. If you touch a single hair on my girls. Either kill now or watch as I raze the North Arican battlefront to the ground," I said through clenched teeth.
"..."
It was said that when one had nothing left to lose, they were at their most ferocious. If David hard the Sirens, I was prepared to massacre everyone in his continent in retaliation.
I wouldn't be able to do it right away. But in ti, I would do it with absolute certainty.
"That is ONLY if you go that far. Give the 24th floor and guarantee that you will not harm my family. I swear on the lives of my kindred that I will never point a gun at you or your kingdom."
"..."
"Hellsend will help North Arica against the undead and demons when she calls for us, without asking for anything in return."
"..."
"I ask as a friend, David. Do not force to beco your enemy. Give what I ask, and I will stand with you against the undead until the day my bloodline dies out."
A mont that seed like an eternity passed as David and I continued to stare at each other. Any king worth his salt would know how much I could help the Battlefront, given enough ti.
The only question was whether his pride would allow him to accept sothing I suggested.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA! LOOK AT THE BALLS ON THIS MOTHERFUCKER!"
A deafening roar of laughter soon followed. I had to reflexively cover my ears at how loud that fucking bastard was.
"THIS IS WHY I RECOGNIZE YOU AS MY EQUAL! YOU DID NOT DISAPPOINT HAHAHAAHAHAHA! AS EXPECTED FROM MY SON-IN-LAW!"
I smiled wryly at his answer. The tension that suddenly left my body made want to keel over and die. David grinned his trademark smirk as he nodded in approval.
"Good. Very good! If you had only bowed, I would have killed you on the spot. I, David Thomas the Invincible, accept your terms!"
Zach pulled out a sheet of paper and threw it into the air. Souls rushed towards it as David spoke.
"Defend my domain from invaders for the entire month of September, and I will grant you the 24th floor as your kingdom! I also vow never to harm your harem or your family.
"I, DAVID THOMAS THE INVINCIBLE VOW THIS ON MY {FATE}"
Reviews
All reviews (0)