Chapter 216: The One Above All

Nero landed beside Horus and the Kraken with a  confident smile on his face. He was happy as he had gained new power; however, he was aware that it was a dark power that always brought misfortune with them.

"Are you okay?" Horus asked with a concerned look on his face.

"Yeah," Nero replied.

"Do you know who were they?" Horus asked with a curious look on his face.

"I think I might have a faint idea." After a brief pause, Nero said, "They were probably the  dogs of the evil god-- Mai Ximu"

"Who is that?" Horus asked. "I have never heard of that name."

"It was some nobody filthy piece shit who wanted to become a god. So he started using dark magic and used other humans as a sacrifice to grow stronger."

"I can see that happening," Horus nodded.

"Well, basically, he was fooling weak humans and using them as a sacrifice." Nero sneered. "He mistakenly killed a lover of an evil young master. So I tipped Mai Ximu's location to the young master, and he raped his wife and daughter."

"What happened to Mai Ximu then?" 

"No idea. I couldn't care less," Nero snorted. 

Horus bowed down a little and uttered, "I am sorry I couldn't do anything to help you."

"Don't worry about it. You wouldn't be able to help me anyway," Nero remarked.

Nero walked to the Kraken and placed his hand on its body.

"Her breath is fading away…"

The Kraken was caught three months ago, and ever since then, they had been sucking its mana. They never fed the Kraken and always kept it wounded.

There were hundreds of bows, spears, and swords stabbed into the Kraken's body. 

When Nero was fighting with the enemies, Horus plucked out as many weapons as he could; however, some were plunged so deep into the Kraken's body that they weren't budging.

"Humans are worse than monsters," Nero muttered. "They always seek power and do hideous things to achieve it, but for what? What would they do with that power? Rule? Dominate? Help others? No. They will do more horrendous things to gain more powers. They will never be satisfied, and they will keep doing it."

"Can't you heal its wounds?" Horus asked with a curious look on his face.

"My healing magic won't work on it," Nero replied. "You saw them, right? They healed in an instant, even when I had chopped them into pieces. If they can regenerate, then the Kraken should also be able to regenerate. But it's not."

"Then, what can we do to help it?" 

"We have to take it to the sea as soon as possible," Nero answered.

"But it's so big! There is no way we can lift it by ourselves." Horus argued. "And we don't even know our way out."

Nero glanced at Horus from the corner of his eyes and uttered, "You worry too much."

Nero summoned Harpe in its bird form and uttered, "I grant you my permission to arise in your real form, Harpe."

Harpe's form changed from a small bird to a gigantic bird. Its size kept increasing, and it turned so big that half of its body was outside the underground valley.

Its size was double the size of the Kraken, and its wings were half the size of its original size.

It flapped its wings, and the entire underground valley shattered into pieces. Then, it spread its wings on the ground so Nero could climb.

"If you had something like this, then you should have used it sooner," Horus commented with a groan.

"I don't like flexing my powers, so I only use them when I need them," Nero replied.

He wasn't aware that using his powers was similar to flexing for others.

Nero lifted the Kraken with his one hand and climbed Harpe's body.

Horus tried to set his foot on Harpe, but Harpe didn't let him.

"She doesn't like when others climb on her," Nero asserted. "You have your own wings, so use them."

Horus nodded and flew up.

"Take me to the sea," Nero uttered to Harpe in a low voice.

Harpe chirped, although it sounded more like a howl now that its size was bigger. It flapped its wings and flew into the sky. Nero stood on Harpe's body with Kraken in one hand. 

Horus, however, was having a hard time flying with Harpe as he couldn't match Harpe's speed. Whenever Horus reached near Nero, Harpe flapped its wings and blew Horus away with its high-pressure air coming out of its wings.

Harpe was traveling miles with each flap, and they reached the sea within minutes.

Harpe landed on the shore and placed its wings on the ground so Nero could climb down. Nero, however, paid no attention to it and jumped into the sea.

He released the Kraken deep into the sea and watched it getting submerged within the water.

Seconds later, the Kraken emerged from the sea and yowled loudly, which echoed across the sea. Its body was completely healed, and there were no signs of wounds or scars left.

The sea surface rose, and huge waves disturbed the sea, as though the sea was reacting to the Kraken's yowl.

Moments later, Cthulhu appeared from the sea waves and embraced Kraken.

'Why is Cuthulhu's size smaller now?' Nero wondered. 'Well, I guess it depends on the sea level and depth. We are near the shore, so maybe that's the reason why their size is small.'

[This is… I have no words to describe how happy I am. I never thought I would be able to see my daughter again.] Cthulhu stated in a meek voice.

[I cannot thank you enough.]

"I also dealt with the people who harmed your daughter," Nero uttered nonchalantly.

Cthulhu dropped to his knees and uttered with sincerity in his voice: [O~ higher one, from this moment, I shall be your servant, and my only solitude is to serve you. Please tell me, what are your wishes? Do you want the hidden treasure lying beneath the sea? Do you want ancient—]

Nero interrupted Cthulhu and said, "I don't want anything, and I doubt you can give me anything that would benefit. However, answer me one thing; why do you call me 'higher one'?"

Nero was curious about it ever since Cthulhu first referred to him as 'higher one' on the Nola Rulas island. 

[Because you are a higher one, my lord,' Cthulhu replied.

"But what does it mean?" Nero asked with a curious look on his face.

[Higher one means the one above all; The almighty, the supreme, the unparalleled, the unmatched, the unrivaled.]

'Is it saying that I am stronger than the gods? Even on my current power level?' Nero wondered.

"Finally, I...made it…" Horus stammered as he caught his breath.

After a brief moment, Horus glanced at Cthulhu and said as he bowed down: "We have done what you asked for. In fact, we brought your daughter back. Now, please, spare the island and my kingdom."

[Raise your head, little winged human; I will spare your kingdom and that island. And, from now onwards, your kingdom is under my protection.]