Redmont, Serisis.
8:29 p.m. 19 th Banem 1092.
CRACK!
The ballroom descended into abject silence as the Maggots stared at Kashi in shock and disbelief. A horrendous smile curled up the edge of the daeben’s lips as he looked at the limp Lunette, whose hands dangled lifelessly by her side.
Kashi… er no, Suzuki broke the stunned silence, “You got what you deserved.”
“KASHI!” Shadow’s crazed roar drew Kashi’s attention to the young man trapped by his left hand. “I’ll Kill You!” The assassin screamed as he stabbed his daggers into Kashi’s arm.
Suzuki, however, did not flinch as he looked at the daggers. “That’s fair,” he said, and then nodded, “I’ll give you that one.”
“You!” Shadow shouted and pulled on the daggers, intending to pierce a nerve with the next strike. However, to his shock, Shadow found he could not pull out the daggers no matter how hard he tried. His expression turned violent with rage and despair when he saw scales growing along Kashi’s arm.
Whoosh! Clang!
Suzuki’s gaze turned harsh as he turned to glare at Shokō. The swordswoman’s gaze grew heavy as she looked at the dragonified arm. Even her sword couldn’t cut it off. Just how powerful was this freak’s defense?
“Are you crazy?” Suzuki chided as he glared at Shokō. “You could have cut his arm off.”
“You’re the crazy one!” shouted Shokō with rage. “You killed her!”
“She deserved it,” retorted Suzuki, but then added before anyone could speak, “[Resuscitate]”
The Maggots once again looked on in disbelief as a bright light burst out of Kashi’s hands and then enveloped Lunette. Within seconds, her expression brightened as her neck snapped back in place.
The songstress’s eyes fluttered open, and then she violently coughed as she awoke from her brief slumber. Lunette looked at Suzuki with panic, fear, and confusion as he relaxed his grip around her neck. With her first breath, she asked, “Why?”
“Why?” muttered Suzuki with a raised brow. “You don’t want to live? I can oblige you that,” he said, even as he released the siblings. The daeben’s cold eyes held a hint of amusement as he regarded Shadow, who had run over to Lunette to protect her as he glared at the daeben. “So… you’re supposed to be Suzuki’s replacement?” A smile tugged the edge of his lips as he acknowledged, “Now, I see the resemblance.” The smile, however, dried up as he turned his attention to Lunette.
“You are supposed to be Ruri? Was Ryumaki really this daft?” Suzuki questioned as he squatted in front of the siblings. “I suppose that’s why you are so perfect at everything. Up till the end, he only saw her good side.” His glare grew hard and threatening as he spat, “He never noticed Suzuki’s hell.” He paused as a thought struck him. “Or, who knows? Maybe he did and chose to push it to his subconscious. Either way, it’s impossible to know the truth now that he’s dead.”
Suzuki silently examined the terror and guilt in Lunette’s eyes, and then, as if satisfied, rose to his feet. “It doesn’t matter now.” He looked around at the Maggots, a peculiar shade in his eyes as he took in their confused and hesitant expressions. Turning back to Lunette, he said, “To answer your question, It was never my intent to kill. I may be many things, but I’m not stupid enough not to understand cause and effect. You have no more blame for Suzuki’s death than a rope shop has in a suicide.”
“Then why!?” roared Shadow as he helped his sister to her feet. “And who the hell is this Suzuki?”
Suzuki ignored Shadow’s second question but answered the first. “Because you both needed to feel Suzuki’s pain, even if for a brief moment. You might not be responsible, but that kind of logic does not stop the rage I’m feeling right now.” Flames burned in the daeben’s eye. “I really want to tear you both apart, find whatever server you’re stored in, and burn it to the ground, but…” He tapped his head and then said, “There’s someone in here who cares a lot about the both of you.” Glancing at Lunette, he said, “Especially you. You have potential. One day, you might become his reason to live. I cannot destroy that. No. I will never destroy anything that makes Kashi happy.”
“Now, if there are no further questions…”
“The hell there are no questions!” shouted Shadow. “I have a tho—!”
Shadow’s protest choked in his throat as Suzuki glared at him with an expression colder than a frozen hell. “I said if there are no further questions…” When no one interrupted, he turned to look at the hovering Adjudicators, “Hey… bird-brain. What exactly is your goal here? I do not believe you’re so bored that you’re chasing us all over this game.”
Vanzuela snorted, gaze turning hostile as he looked at Lunette. “You are Genaco’s intellectual property. Every second you waste among this rabble are millions you are costing the company.”
“So, that’s what this is about?” Suzuki asked with ridicule in his eyes. “You wanted to break them up so she’ll willingly work with you?”
“There are less savory methods we could have used,” defended Vanzuela. “I believed it best it comes willingly.”
Suzuki and Shadow’s brows lifted at the same time as they muttered, “It?”
“It.” Vanzuela repeated with a lofty, prideful expression. “It is state-of-the-art entertainment A.I developed using Genaco’s research talents and resources. Contractually, it belongs to Genaco and should fulfill its role.” Glaring at Lunette, he added, “Or else, it should be treated as useless software and deleted.”
“You!” Shadow screamed and made to attack, but Suzuki suddenly stood in front of him, effectively blocking his path.
“Keep your head, Shortstuff,” cautioned Suzuki while keeping his eyes on Vanzuela. “He wants you to attack. Once you do, he’ll be justified to take you in. Severe violations also grant Adjudicators with access rights to personal information.” A hollow smile spread on Suzuki’s lips as he regarded the Adjudicators. “Of course, this feature is intended for rapists, sex offenders, or criminals using the game world to conduct business. But… loopholes are a beautiful thing, aren’t they?”
Vanzuela’s gaze narrowed, brow twitching as he glared at the daeben. This damned kid was not acting to script. Suzuki should have lost his shit and killed Lunette and Shadow, which would give Vanzuela a chance to seize their ‘souls’ from the Circle. Failing that, he intended to incite the assassin’s short temper. This would grant the adjudicators permission to access Shadow’s personal information; which would include, most importantly, the physical address of his server.
Once he had their physical address, Vanzuela could blackmail both Shadow and Lunette into working for him. With his expertise, within a few months to a year, Lunette would become the biggest sensation in the real world, earning him tons of profits (A.Is had no need for physical currency after all.) All this game world singing was an astronomical waste of Lunette’s talents.
Vanzuela managed to get his emotions under check and eventually grinned at Suzuki. “Well done. It would seem you are not as stupid as I initially thought.” He then glanced at Lunette and said, “As for you… it’s only a matter of time before you return home. One way or another. Enjoy your holiday.”
Vanzuela turned and was about to leave when a voice suddenly called out, “Ah. Wait a moment.” The adjudicators turned to look at Suzuki, who sized them up with a stern glare. “I have been pissed off from the moment I laid on you guys. I wasn’t sure why at first, but now I am.”
“Oh?” Vanzuela murmured. Curious, he asked, “Why is that?”
A dangerous smile spread on Suzuki’s face as he said, “Well…”
BOOOM!
The Maggots scattered as a rocket suddenly blasted off the ground. The brilliantly bright projectile made a direct beeline for Vanzuela. Upon closer inspection, the sharper Maggots and Adjudicators noticed a fully dragonified drakon within the light, fist reared back for a massive punch.
Vanzuela’s eyes widened as he spread his arms out in joy. “Do your worst!” Anyway, no matter how much it hurt, he would not die.
Suzuki, however, revealed a mocking gaze as he suddenly disappeared.
A terrible feeling suddenly enveloped Vanzuela, as he felt, not for the first time that day, that things were spiraling out of his control. He instinctively looked over his shoulder, just in time to see Suzuki appear amidst the mass of Adjudicators. Suddenly, he understood the daeben’s real intent. “WAIT! DON’T A—”
“ROOOAR!!!”
A silhouette of a 20-feet dragon suddenly appeared behind the daeben as a world-shaking roar rocked the room and its constituents. The adjudicators trembled in fear and shock as the silhouette opened its mouth and seemed to swallow them.
A particularly frightened Adjudicator drew her sword. She instinctively turned it lethal red to protect her life and swung at the dragon.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Unfortunately, to the rest of the room, and a particularly pale Vanzuela, that sword was not striking at any dragon but a coldly grinning drakon.
Suzuki suddenly froze in place mid-flight and then cut his hand through the air. “[Dimension Break]!”
Vanzuela watched, gobsmacked, as a pair of portals opened in front of the daeben and behind the adjudicator. The sword pierced through Kashi’s portal but then stabbed out behind the adjudicator and skewered through her chest.
Suzuki’s cold eyes watched as the adjudicator lost her wings and crashed to the floor, dying a slow, painful death. A ghost of a smile spread on his lips as he muttered, “Good. One-a-Piece. 97 feathers left to pluck.” He then looked at Vanzuela. Hell itself seemed to burn within his gaze as he warned, “Never use Suzuki against us, ever again.”
The ballroom fell silent, the onlookers’ voices caught in their collective throats as they watched Suzuki drop to the ground. They looked from the daeben to the dying Adjudicator, who had begun to break into light particles. Finally, the Maggots and Adjudicator alike looked at Vanzuela, wondering how he would react to this blatant challenge.
As expected, Vanzuela’s expression was red with fury and rage. If looks could kill, Suzuki would have died ten times over. Strangely, however, he did not make any move to attack Kashi. His decision was a result of a prompt he got from the system. It declared the Adjudicator’s death justified as the daeben had been acting in self-defense.
Vanzuela was thus forced to accept that he could not punish Suzuki. Not this time. “Don’t get comfortable,” he warned as he prepared to leave. “You will eventually pay for this insult.” He then looked at Lunette and sneered, “The longer you stay by their side, the more trouble you’ll cause for them. If you truly care for your friends, you will come with me.”
Lunette’s eyes shook, but before she could answer, a large back suddenly broke her line of sight to the Adjudicator. Her heart involuntary thumped hard as she looked at the daeben’s back, her emotions a complicated mix of dread and security.
“She is not going anywhere,” refuted Suzuki with a hard glare. “We can handle ourselves just fine.” His gaze turned condescending as he said, “Especially if all we have to fear is a bunch of chickens too scared to get their beaks dirty. If you have the guts, lose the adjudicator status and face Kashi on the battlefield fair and square.”
Vanzuela snorted. “Hmph. I will not fall for your childish antics. It is only a matter of time before it returns to its rightful place. As for the rest of you…” The adjudicator glared at the Maggots and then declared, “…Watch yourselves. You have been marked.”
“Ah, shut it already, old man!”
Kashi, Syèl, and the Maggots were stunned to see Stryke step forward, irritation evident in the child’s ferocious glare. “You’ve been chirping nonstop ever since you got here, acting like some big-shot, but Kashi cuts one of your people down, and all you can do is chirp some more. I’ve had enough!” The young Sphinx spread out his arms as he revealed a toothy grin. “Here, a free shot! Let’s see if you can actually back up your words. You don’t dare, do you? Even if one of you dies, you’re disposable. But if you so much as insult one of us…” Stryke walked to Kashi’s front, forming a shield between the Adjudicator and the daeben. “You’ll get crushed by all of us.”
“Well said, kid!” declared Absalon as he too stood in front of Kashi. The old general glared at the floating adjudicators. “No soldier left behind.”
Shokō shared a look with Syèl and then walked to the general’s side. Syèl let out a rueful chuckle, and then followed suit, though with a hidden coldness in his eyes.
Miote shook his head and sighed. “As a businessman, I do not indulge in violence. However,” he said as his gaze grew hot with rage, “You KFC rejects are directly threatening my bottom-line.” He walked up to Stryke’s side and then declared, “Now, that I cannot stand for.”
Jade looked at Kashi, a small smile on her face as she recognized the daeben’s eyes. Shaking her head, she cracked her knuckles and then walked up to Miote’s side. Gazing up at the flying adjudicators, she warned with a cheerful but threatening grin, “I wouldn’t piss us off if I were you. This group’s full of nothing but abnormal freaks.”
Suzuki’s brows shot up as he stared at the human wall in front of him. What the hell was this?
“How does it feel, having someone protect you for once?”
Suzuki looked to his left, where a smiling Leila stood with her arms crossed. “Protect who? Me?”
“Well, not exactly,” corrected Leila. “These bonds are Kashi’s.” Gazing at the wall, she said, “Little threads connecting to each person. Individually, they might be weak, but together, they can combine the strongest, toughest rope. And, you remember what you told me about rope?”
Suzuki revealed a rare smile as he replied, “Always have rope on you. They are the most versatile tool for any adventurer.”
“Yes, and just like rope to an adventurer, bonds to a human is the most versatile tool in the world,” explained Leila. “They can pull you up when you feel down, protect you from danger, topple any obstacle in your path, or form a safety net should you ever fall.” Leila’s smile deepened as she questioned, “For a moment. Just for a moment, when you forgot that wall was Kashi’s… How did that feel?”
“Feel, huh?” Suzuki muttered. He thought back to his life, continually engaging in fights. Often, whenever he beat someone up, their friends would rush in for protection. If he overcame the friends, then they would call their senior brothers or older friends. Always. There was always someone more. He often wondered what it would feel like to have someone he, too, could rely on.
Although, now that he thought about it, Suzuki realized his line of thinking had been wrong the whole time. He had thought of any potential companions as a simple tool to ensure he won more fights. It was a completely one-sided relationship.
But, friendships, like a piece of rope, was a two-way street. Sometimes you pulled, and other times, you got dragged along. That was the basis of a genuine relationship. That was why the Maggots were a terrifying foe. They were a closely-knitted group, their members willing to let themselves get pulled on for support whenever a friend needed help.
Suzuki thought back to the strange feeling in his chest when the Maggots lined up in front of him. With a sigh, he let out a defeated chuckle and then said, “As always, Yumi-kun, you prove why you’re infinitely more intelligent than I am.” He then looked at Lunette and said, “Try not to hate Kashi too much, okay? This had nothing to do with him.” He then looked up at Vanzuela and said, “Wash your neck and wait. Eventually, Kashi will find where you live.”
Vanzuela’s eyes burned as he gritted his teeth and challenged, “Are you threatening me!?”
“No,” Suzuki said as he closed his eyes…
A few minutes earlier…
Suzuki rested against a wall in the hospital room, staring at the child on the hospital bed. Opposite him, Kashi watched with a mix of anger and pain. Suzuki, feeling the daeben’s hot gaze, looked up and said, “What? I did not kill her. Just punished them a little. Surely, you can give me credit for that much?” When Kashi did not respond, he shook his head and said, “Look, Ryumaki designed her to be perfect. She’s too logical to remain pissed at you for too long. She might avoid you for a bit, but it’ll eventually work its way out of her system. All you have to do is wait and be a goo—”
“Will you ever shut up!?” interrupted Kashi with a loud, frustrated shout.
In response, Suzuki’s brow shot up. “Rude. Some people would pay to hear me speak more often.”
“Is this a joke to you?”
“If it is, it’s not a particularly good one,” replied Suzuki as he pulled a chair and sat next to the bed. Looking at Kashi, he then said, “If you have something on your mind, spill it.” He then chuckled, the irony of that statement not lost on him.
Kashi nearly jumped over the bed to punch some emotion into Suzuki’s bland face, but then he took a breath to calm himself. He then leaned over the bed and declared, “That stuff about me killing you. I just want you to know it will never happen. I will not participate in your suicide.”
“So you say now,” Suzuki replied with a shake of his head. “But wait until you fall in love. From what I’ve heard, it’s pull is so strong, brothers betray and fight each other, and mothers can mentally justify abusing their children.” The young man looked at Kashi with a solemn gaze. “Whether it’s love of money, love of life, love for a woman, love for glory… Eventually, you will fall in love with something. At that time, all I will be is an obstacle.”
There was a short pause, and then Suzuki said, “Yumi just said something interesting. Seems like you’ve forged some strong bonds with your friends. I wonder when the time comes, will you be able to fight your friends’ pull to live.” Suzuki reached out and patted the child’s head as he then said, “You must come to terms with the fact that in the end, only one of us will live. There is no future in which we both inhabit this body.” He looked up at Kashi. “Strengthen your resolve. It’s the only way you will beat me. Unfortunately, I cannot and will not go easy on you.”
As Suzuki said this, a door opened behind him. Blinding light poured in, flooding the entire room. Within moments, the light consumed everything, forcing both men to shut their eyes. Half a second later, the light dissipated, and they found themselves in the familiar, empty white space.
Suzuki smiled and then pointed at the still open door, “It’s time to go. I promise not to interfere in your world again.”
Kashi glanced at Suzuki and then made his way towards the exit. However, just before he walked though, he looked at the young man and said, “No matter what our future holds, I will not kill you.”
“Heh. Then you’re resolved to die? Just like Razznik?”
“No. I don’t want to die either.”
“Then—”
“No. No then,” interrupted Kashi. “You’ve been yapping nonstop. You listen to me for once.” The daeben looked at Suzuki with a firm gaze as he said, “I will not die. But I will not kill you either. I will find a way where we both win. No matter what it takes. I will find a way.”
Suzuki shook his head. “Careful there. You’re starting to sound like a Fairy Tale character.”
“Maybe so,” retorted Kashi, “But, they might have a point. You’ve already lost if you never strive to win.” The daeben’s eyes shone with resolve, a smile curling up his lips as he said, “What’s the worst that can happen if I try my best? I lose? One’s a possibility, and the other’s a certainty. I’m not a betting man, but if you had to choose, which direction makes more sense?”
Suzuki looked at Kashi with a ghost of a smile. “You’ve already lost if you never strive to win… huh?” His dark gaze shone with a challenging gleam. “Good. I like it. Alright then, I’ll be watching. Let’s see what wins out. Your desire to live, or your misguided loyalty to me.”
Kashi responded to Suzuki’s challenge with a confident grin. “Watch closely. Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it all.” With those words, Kashi stepped into the exit and was then swallowed by the light.
Suzuki watched Kashi disappear into the void. Moments later, his lips spread in a brilliant, pleased smile. “You’ve already lost if you never strive to win… huh. Guess that’s where we all failed…”
Ballroom
Kashi opened his eyes, the familiar warmth and cunning returning to his gaze as he looked at Vanzuela. A smile spread up his lips as he said, “No… I am.”