Chapter 186: Restrictions of the SSS Rank

Time passed by so slowly for Howard, that every second that went by felt like an entire hour.

During a fierce battle, the adrenaline coursing through his veins made almost every decision he made more important than the last. With thousands of different Archelon Zombies assailing him with all their strength, nearly every moment, he was surprised that a single droplet of sweat falling from his face didn't feel like an eternity.

'I-I don't want to use that transformation!' Howard thought to himself while he slammed his fist into the gut of an Archelon Zombie. It's intestines flew out from its body before a powerful surge of Dream Ki shot Howard in dozens of directions so he could avoid the incoming death jabs from the Granite Fist Zombies.

The Granite Fist Zombies hands could turn into sharp blades, and piece even through Howard's three set of Ki Barriers he had around his body, so he had no choice but to plan every single movement.

A large spear of flesh shot through the enemy he just dismembered with his fists and curved towards Howard's face while he jumped in the air. A large blanket of Dark Ki then enveloped him before an explosion shot him in the opposite distance.

Boom!

A blood curdling scream came out of Howard's lips before he bounced on the desert floor. However, unlike you might expect, Necrolith wasn't happy. Howard had gotten at least 1000 times stronger since they'd last seen him. Without the two of them killing him now, he might turn into a terrifying threat!

"He's only in the S rank, but he's using multiple insights from the SS rank!" Necrolith's shadow Ki began to boil around his body. "I-I want to see him dead! What are you doing, zombies! Kill him! There are thousands of you, and one of him! Hurry up!"

"Ugh, I don't suppose you two will keep your word about not attacking him with your army if I leave?" Gravanal turned behind him after sensing the Ki from four powerful individuals. "I- I think I have a couple old friends I have to say hi to in order to explain why I attacked zombies in the A rank. Would it be enough to tell you that I'll crush you if you interfere with Howards training?"

Gravanal looked at Howard surging through the air and turning into a line of light that shot through over 20 Archelon Zombies. He was beginning to get better at dealing with multiple enemies at once, at a pace that even astounded him, so he naturally didn't want this opportunity to be lost.

Gravanal had multiple intentions for Howard, but obviously he didn't want to leave him to die! However, four individials, the four people he least wanted to see in the world, had just arrived on the mountain behind him and were staring at him. Together, the four of them were just strong enough to threaten even Gravanal, and because of this he unfortunately had to go visit them to pay respect.

Yet, at the same time, every second he stayed by Necroltih and Gorgolith's sides, the safer Howard would be in the long term. Unfortunately, in just a second, those four individuals seemed to shoot forward and land by Gravanal's side.

"Yo! Strange Weather we're having. Did you make it rain blood, or is it just me?" A large muscular man with muscles scattered throughout almost every inch of his body said. He had extremely dark red hair with orange eyes. He looked almost exactly the same as his three brothers beside him, but just from looking at him you could tell he was the leader of the bunch. "I-I don't suppose you remember the rules, Gravanal? You kill anyone beneath the SS rank, and every other person in the SSS rank has a duty to ensure you die!"

"They were just zombies," Gravanal smiled and turned back. He sighed and watched Necrolith and Gargolith walking towards Howard. They all knew that he couldn't do anything about it right now, and it was driving him insane! However, he couldn't offend these four men! If he did, he'd not only be courting death for him, but for his countless Dream Beasts too!

Gravanal had over 200 Dream Beasts hidden in his mountain that he was saving for when he was finally free from the array his ex-wife had put him in, so that he might take over the throne of the Varlen and unite them once again! However, if these four bastards got offended, who knows what they might do to his territory! A single attack from them could destroy his mountain and all the Dream Beasts inside of it! He couldn't risk that happening!

"Hehe, you guys…. Didn't you slaughter your entire village to get strong? Are you really complaining about me right now?"

"Being young and foolish is one thing," The main brother, Yesren said, "But there is another thing about being old and sly. We may have sacrificed thousands when we were teenagers to increase in strength, but we've learned from our mistakes! However, you! You're asking to die! Tell us one reason why we shouldn't all attack you now."

"I don't suppose you remember Demon King Earl," Gravanal pointed at Howard while the two Night Lords surrounded him on his left and right side. "Don't you remember how he was in the SSS rank, he used that strength to fight the Night Lords even though it was against the rules. I was just simply protecting my property."

"Hmmm, well, Gravanal, if that's the case why do you keep looking over at that boy with such a stare of worry, hahaha! How about this? You come with us and we have a little duel far away from that little Horned over there. Once we teach you a little lesson, we'll leave and you can come back and find his body parts."

"I'm not too worried," Gravanal sighed and pointed at the mountain in the distance. "I-I just so happen to have one area in my territory that's perfect for fighting. However, just warning you, that boy right there is the demon king candidate. If I were you, I bet he might remember what you did in the future, and he might even come for revenge."

"Hmph, he's barely enough to clean the dust off our shoes," Another one of the brothers, Enwana, said, "Now let's go! After we discipline you, you can see if this 'demon king candidate' is still alive!'

###

Boom!

Howard jumped into the air and dodged a massive pillar of Shadow Ki coming towards him.

Things could not get any worse! It was like at every angle, something was attacking him! And now with the two Night Lords attacking him, it felt like his only chance of staying alive was by escaping! Yet, he couldn't do that, because not too far away, he saw Reece, Priscilla, and Monica rushing towards him.

'What are you guys doing? You're only going to make it harder for me to fight!' Harvard crossed his arms and watched as a black flame crashed into his leg and instantly melted the first barrier on his body. It was an extremely annoying attack! Shadow Ki was like Dark Ki, but a thousand times more sinister! 

A thousand shadow snakes seemed to fall towards him from the sky after Necrolith's hand blurred while he opened his fist. The snakes seemed to just come out of nowhere and caught Howard off guard! He could only spin and activate a gigantic swelling of Fire Ki to shoot them off into the distance. However, as this was happening, a large fist slammed into his back. 

Bang!

Howard crashed into the ground and a large swelling of dust shot into the air. At the same time, when he looked up, he couldn't believe his eyes, Monica was standing right in front of him. Her green hair had been covered with a layer of frost while Priscilla's body seemed to split into two bright lights that turned into swellings of Ki. They-they shouldn't be here! Howard felt terrified seeing the resolved look in their eyes. It's almost like they were okay dying for him, and that's exactly what he didn't want to happen!

"Idiot! What are you doing?!" Monica walked over to Howard and smacked him gently on the back. "This is an entire army! What are you doing fighting it by yourself!"

"The-the Night Lords… I don't want you to die… Please leave," Howard almost let out an intense gutteral scream from his worry, but held it back. "You-you guys shouldn't be here! There are too many of them,"

"Yes, but there is only one of you," Priscilla smiled and offered her hand to Howard. "How about this? You fight the two Night Lords and we'll do our best to hold back their zombie army, what do you say?"

"I-I'm not sure… I might transform soon, and I don't know what will happen. One of you could die," Howard turned and looked at Necrolith laughing and smiling from a few feet away. His eight skulls seemed to be laughing in the center of his chest while his black cape blew into the wind. His dark eyes seemed to be attacking him with daggers from a few meters away. "I-I don't want you guys to be here if I have to let out the beast inside of me. I-I might have to use 'Evil' Howard! I don't want you to see me in that state!"

"Howard, I want to see you in every state! I want you to be my husband! Your birthday is in three days. Now whatever form you have to use, use it! I'll be right here! Even if you want to tear me in half, I'll gladly accept it!" Monica walked over to Howard and kissed him on the cheek. "However, tell Evil Howard one thing for me. That… He's really going to like his birthday present." Monica smiled and kissed him one more time on the forehead. "Now-get up Howard and kill them! Kill them so we can all go home!"