Chapter 101: Great Victory

Respell's jaw dropped from a mixture of shock and disbelief when he laid eyes on Monica.

He'd told Nellon specifically to wait at the exit, and began to feel extremely worried. If Nellon didn't come first, he must have found an extremely valuable treasure. Thus, Respell managed to stay calm and clap his hands. He knew that Nellon's body was not ordinary, and killing him would take a true monster.

"Heh, you really think I lost?" Respell seemed in complete disbelief, but he felt completely assured in his student. "Barabin, where is the rest of her team? Did the little girl happen to sneak through when her teammates were dying."

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Howard and Reece walked through the stone gate and appeared on the other side. Instantly, Respell's countenance nearly broke in disbelief. He'd specifically told Nellon to kill Howard at all cost. Seeing the little supposed demon king smiling and laughing with blood ridden clothes, he couldn't help but imagine the worst.

"There is no way they didn't cheat," Respell smiled and laughed vigorously. "What did you bribe Nellon with, hahahaha! I can't wait to see him when he comes back."

"The Varlen killed him," Respell heard Howard's words but didn't dare believe. "He's dead. I got revenge for him, though. Nice to see you again Barabin!"

"Howard, congratulations, you're officially in the peak of the C rank," Barabin gently patted Howard's shoulder and smiled. "What happened to you in there? Did you find a special treasure?" Barabin could feel the terrifying Dark Ki normally emitting from Howard's body had seemed to grow by peaks and mountains too. It almost felt like a strange power was sucking in the darkness, but it was a power he'd never experienced before. "Heh, I guess that means we get the Unclaimed Shrines."

"This is fake!" Respell laughed and shook his head. "This is impossible! Tell me Howard. If the Varlen killed Nellon, how are you still alive, hahaha! This is a dream! All a dream!"

"It's not a dream. It's your loss," Barabin looked at the Varlen gathering around him. "The rules state that the person to walk through the gates is in charge of the Unclaimed Shrines. I'm sure your student fought a valiant battle. However, in accordance with the pact, I suggest you step back from Howard."

"Heh, Howard?" Respell gently patted him on the back. "I'm going to go find my student, and once I do I'm going to have to reward you handsomely. Hahaha! Lying to me so well I almost believed you! My student is in the A rank! You're barely able to measure up to his waist!"

"What about Una?" Howard said with a smile. "You can find your students body after I get Una back."

"Oh right, she's going to be executed tomorrow unless you hurry," Respell slightly smiled but you could still sense his simmering anger. Thus, he didn't mind telling the truth to Howard. "Barabin, I didn't think I'd lose. However, if you hurry, I'm sure you can make it to the Sixth Station before--"

"I'll kill you!" Howard's body seemed to ignite with an extremely terrifying flame, but didn't attack. "Where is she?! Tell me now before your body turns into cinders and ashes."

"Howard," Barabin held out his hand, activating Ki Suppression to the fullest. "We have a day. Get in the bus right now. Jsak. I take it in two weeks you'll have cleared out the unclaimed shrines."

"Yes, but we must meet to discuss the future," Jsak's sagacious voice emanated a clear sense of worry and foreboding about the future. "If your student is as talented as I believe, we'll need him to help us."

"Unbelievable," Respell shook his head, "You're all ignoring that I'm here," Respell waved to the ten men in black capes behind him and pointed at the gate. "When I find Nellon, Howard, I expect in two weeks he'll be ripping off your head."

"We're going," Howard looked at Barabin, his body getting pushed down into the floor from the pressure, with his fangs slowly receding. "Howard, we have a single day to get to Una! Grow up! This is the real world! In the future, you can get revenge!"

"In two weeks, Barabin, my student will be looking for Howard," Respell walked over to the portal and entered inside. His last words were, "the 10th gate will open," before he seemed to dissappear into a trail of white light.

Inside the bus, Howard looked at Zack and Barabin in disbelief.

How did Barabin not crush Respell in a fit of rage? Feeling a fire burning inside of him, full of passionate rage, he wanted to do everything he could to shatter the wasteland in front of him. The Furnace was nothing like he imagined. Even compared to the surface, everyone seemed to play by a different book. It's like all these adults around him knew things that he could never imagine!

"Howard, I will kill that bastard in the future," Barabin slammed his hand down so hard it seemed to shatter the air around him, and immediately dented his seat. "However, the Varlen, The Horned, and the Aresoul made a deal. If one nation attacks the other, the other two will team up against them!"

"When you see him alone, then you can kill him! However, out in public you must smile and give him face! Don't you dare threaten him again around the Varlen, or I'll make you bury the dead bodies that come from your ignorance!"

"Harsh," Reece sighed and crossed her arms. "Howard, he just means get good at backstabbing. I can help you practice."

"Ugh, I'm confused," Howard rubbed his head, but also had something important to say "However, we met an Mocralin named Arlok. He saved our lives against Nellon. I-I think they might want an alliance."

Howard had so many things to tell Barabin, but some parts seemed so impossible to describe. Earl's mansion, for instance, was something that he knew Barabin would have trouble believing. As such, he took out the Light Core Fruit, and gently tapped it with a smile on his face. This fruit had been the only reason he survived, and his power now felt like an endless growing stream inside of him.

Normally, he would feel his body gradually grow in strength from moment to moment, absorbing the Ki in the air and sucking up all its vitality. However, this had been amplified manifold due to the light core fruit. It felt like a doorway to endless might had appeared and begun laying on the way for his future.

"I had a feeling Earl might have left inheritances,' Barabin smiled and nodded his head with pride. "Very good, Howard. I'll help you absorb that Light Core Fruit to the fullest. There is a person near the Aresoul's Sixth Station that you'll love to meet. Heh, I haven't seen my crazy teacher in a long time."

###

Una stared in disbelief at Kreal back in the cabin.

He had a set of keys jingling in his hand with two massive scars making an 'X' in the middle of his face. His body seemed to have dozens of endless wounds that had completely contaminated his normally powerful presence, but she also saw freedom in the keys in his hands.

"I-I learned my lesson," Kreal dropped his head, "I learned that you can't love someone so beautiful without getting hurt, haha! It seems I'll have to hurt myself tomorrow killing you."