Genesis’ departure left a sullen silence on Drakase. Several warriors stared in abhject silence at the smooth land where a vast mountain range once sat. Even as they examined the absurd scene, they found it hard to believe their eyes. That final display of strength. What the hell was that supposed to be?
Kashi’s brows were also furrowed, but for a completely different reason. The real Razznik had some dealings with Genesis way back when, so the draconian knew how Genesis accomplished that feat. Rather than strength, it was closer to attribute it to ‘authority.’
Genesis had the authority to mold and design the world however he wished. This was a necessary feature added to his design so that Genaco could host a variety of events whenever they wished. Naturally, Genesis did not have unlimited access to this power. He needed the approval of the Adjudicators before he could alter the world in any meaningful way.
Fortunately, Kashi, Suzuki, and the rest just happened to have eliminated the Adjudicators. As a result, Genesis regained full authority, at least until the adjudicators were replaced.
“I doubt he will let them return that easily.”
Kashi looked at Suzuki who coldly surveyed the skies. “Does it feel like we got played?”
“Feel? No. I’m sure we got played.” Suzuki clucked his tongue. “There’s something bigger going on here. Razznik’s mission, Genesis seizing the Adjudicator’s role, these updates.” The young man suddenly glared at a bird circling around the battlefield. “There’s only one man who will have the answers. I bet he’s laughing himself silly at our ignorance.”
Kashi chuckled, his laughter sounding hollow. “I doubt that weasel will give us straight answers.”
Both men turned silent as their brows furrowed in thought.
“Kashi. Fake-Kashi, why are you frowning so bad? Gray Uncle says it’s bad for you.”
“Fake Kashi?” Suzuki’s brow rose as he looked at the little girl who fearlessly matched his gaze.
“Yes. Fake Kashi’s wearing Kashi’s old body. Are you not fake?”
Suzuki looked incredulously at Kashi, but the draconian turned away in a vain attempt to hide his amusement. Suzuki gave up on the draconian and pleaded his case. “I have a name. It’s Suzuki.”
“Susuki?” Zuri cocked her head to the side and smacked her lips as if testing out the name. “Susu?”
“No. Suzu… You know what? Susu is fine.”
“Pfft! Big Bad Susu taken down by a little girl.”
“Hey! Zuri is not little!”
“My bad, my bad.” Kashi raised his hand in surrender as he struggled to hold back his laughter.
Suzuki chose to ignore the insipid draconian and instead turned to Zuri. “What do you do when the rain starts falling?”
“Rain?” Zuri’s eyes slowly widened in delight. “Zuri likes to play in the rain!”
“Not exactly what I was going for, but I guess it works.” Suzuki shrugged as he shed his mind of needless worries. “We can’t control the weather, only do our best to deal with the elements.”
“That is quite eloquent.” Absalon praised as he walked up to the trio. The aged general gave Suzuki a puzzled look but held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, Suzuki. We would not have survived up there without your help.”
Suzuki froze, his brows furrowing tightly. The young man stared at Absalon’s outstretched hand like it held the greatest, unquantifiable challenge known to man. It was not the first time someone had ever offered to thank him for something. It was just the first time someone did it while he was not in the process of creating a new persona in a game (not counting Ayumi). It felt strange to be thanked as ‘Suzuki.’
Frustrated, Kashi slapped the back of his brother’s head. “Don’t overthink it.”
Suzuki frowned, but eventually shook off his unease. He accepted the older man’s firm handshake but made sure to downplay his role. “I didn’t do anything. If you want to thank anyone, you should thank her. She’s the reason we survived.” Suzuki ruthlessly pointed at Kira, who was resting a little ways off.
The Nightwind Direwolf’s ear perked up, and she slowly raised her head. She sent a lazy glance at Absalon, who smiled and then politely bowed.
“Please accept my utmost gratitude, Ms. Kira,” Absalon spoke with a grace akin to aged nobility. “We will forever be in your debt.”
“I only did what I should do,” Kira replied with matching grace. “I, too, am a Twilight Wolf after all.”
Kashi rolled his eyes at Kira’s display. To others, her actions were flawless. Her life-saving return, power, and divinity combined with her humility evoked almost awe-like worship. Unfortunately for Kira, Kashi could feel the truth. He saw the little cub giddy with excitement at the praise she was getting. However, it seemed she was trying to emulate someone – perhaps her mother?
Kashi made a mental note to talk to her about it some other time. He did not want his partner to fall into the same trap that claimed many of his classmates. The unrewarding pursuit of trying to become someone else instead of exploring yourself.
“Now, that was an announcement and a half!” A laughing Syèl bellowed as he, Shokō, and Jade joined the group. “So that was Razznik, eh? Kash, you’ve got some mountainous boots to fill.”
“Indeed,” affirmed Shokō as she gripped her blade’s hilt. “I look forward to battling him again.”
“Feels like you’re a hopscotch away from screaming OUR BATTLE WILL BE GLORIOUS!” Jade exaggeratedly held out her hand in a victorious pose, causing many to burst out in laughter.
Stryke and the rest of the Wolves soon joined the party, laughing as they traded stories about the recent battle. As the Wolves laughed, Leila softly walked up to Suzuki’s side. Without turning her head, she softly said, “Suzuki.”
“Leila-kun.”
“Don’t call me—” Leila started to shout, but then sighed in pleasant disbelief. “I was starting to think I would not see you again. I did not think he would be capable of convincing you to join this world.” She hesitated, but then glanced at the daeben’s stoic profile. “You will stay, won’t you? I believe this place will be good for you.”
Suzuki grimaced at the blatant expectation in Leila’s eyes. Even though he knew she was manipulating him, he could not shake off an uncomfortable feeling. The daeben scratched his chin, and then muttered as he looked away, “I’ll think about it.”
Leila’s lips curled in a knowing smile. That was as good as an admission from the reticent Suzuki. Suzuki always gave a firm ‘no’ when he did not want to do something. Satisfied with this knowledge, Leila chose not to push Suzuki for a firmer assent. The young man’s stubbornness could very well yield the opposite result.
“Well, you guys seem to be having lots of fun.” Sonic’s trademark lazy voice somehow raised over the din, drawing the Wolves’ eyes to his approaching group. Strangely, he was not alone, but rather accompanied by Brilith and her Silver Spears.
The proud Halben guildmaster coldly regarded Kashi and the Wolves. “You turned out to be the biggest winner amongst us all. I congratulate you on your shrewdness. You really played us for fools.”
The Twilight Wolves, who had just been in a celebratory mood immediately bristled with rage. Their gaze turned fierce, and their hands only stopped short of drawing their weapons. This was not because they had great self-control, but rather because their guildmaster was smiling.
“We were the biggest winners?” Kashi chuckled as a vial appeared in his hand. “Are you perhaps talking about this?”
Slosh! Slosh! Brilith’s eyes narrowed as she studied the clear, sparkling liquid within the vial. It was still unknown how Genesis managed to fit the entire lake into that tiny space. No one was fooled by the size though. The waters in that vial were a sure-fire way to birth new Transcendents. It was a strategic resource without equal!
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
No wonder Brilith said that Kashi was the biggest winner. Aside from the Chaos Order, he probably made the most profit overall from this battle. In comparison, it felt like she and Sonic were simply side characters used to boost the draconian’s profits.
Kashi measured Brilith’s frosty gaze. He could tell she would not attack, but her hostility was still biting. In stark contrast, Sonic had already turned away from the vial and was instead scrutinizing the Wolves with a blasé smile.
Kashi had many ways he could play this. He knew that Leila and Miote would have many ways to negotiate the situation in the Wolves’ favor and reap many benefits. The draconian, however, had a different playbook in mind. With a smile, Kashi tossed the vial into the air.
“Don’t worry.” The draconian matched Brilith’s gaze, his lips spreading into a toothy grin as he teased, “I’m not ungrateful.” A portal appeared over his hand, into which the vial fell. “Both of you can get your fair share of the Lake of Enlightenment.” He then took out two scrolls from his inventory, and tossed them toward Brilith and Nature’s Vaguards’ vice-guildmaster, Gentle Breeze. “You won’t be too scared, right?”
Brilith, and, Gentle Breeze caught the scrolls. They opened the scrolls and a myriad of emotions flashed through their eyes. Brilith’s brows furrowed, her gaze burning with fierce challenge and stubbornness. Gentle Breeze, on the other hand, revealed a wry smile, and then chuckled as he rolled up the scroll and put it in his inventory.
“I’m sure your spies already told you, but those are called Gateways,” Kashi generously explained, much to his guildmates’ chagrin. “You can use them to enter my world, Orez, anytime you want. Consider it a neutral ground. I promise no harm will come to you or anyone you bring as long as you do not attack its inhabitants. The Lake of Enlightenment will be placed in Orez from now on. You can either choose to scoop up a third of it and take it with you or bring your people to use it there. The choice is yours.”
Kashi paused and then tapped his chin. “Come to think of it, do you think the broadcast is still going on?”
“It is.” Gentle Breeze confirmed with a playful nod. “You’ve got something crazy to say, right?”
“That’s harsh,” replied Kashi, but he pointedly did not deny it. “Just want everyone to know that Orez’s Lake of Enlightenment will be open to everyone for a small fee. We will have major gateways in every major Rosen city soon.”
Brilith’s gaze narrowed at Kashi’s proclamation. Many missed the hidden implications, but not her. Kashi implied ‘Rosen’s major cities.’ Did that mean there would be none in Serisis and Merriheim? No. Not even close. This was Kashi announcing that these territories would soon be fully integrated into Rosendun!
As if sensing her thoughts, Kashi then added, “Soon, the Rosen Ruler, the benevolent King Parissius Vermillion’s Imperial Wedding will be held, at which time he will formally be crowned Emperor of Rosendun.” The draconian’s eyes twinkled with a mischievous, but daring light as he looked at Brilith, and then Sonic. “You are both cordially invited.” He then paused and looked to his left. “Ah. So are you, of course.”
Alia, who had fearlessly walked up to the group, stopped and then revealed a dazzling smile. “As expected of the man who inspired me all those years ago.” The daeben queen ignored Kashi’s confused, furrowed brows, and instead held out her hand. “Where’s mine? Surely you do not fear me?”
Kashi snorted in response. Indeed, it did not feel good to have your words thrown back in your face. Still, he resolutely took out a scroll and tossed it to the daeben queen, who caught it in a vice-grip. He then smiled as he said, “I should thank you. I wanted to meet Razznik, but I couldn’t have — no, never have done it the way you did. That does not mean I agree with your methods, though.”
“That is not an issue.” Alia smiled as she tossed and then caught the scroll. “The masses are oft ignorant of their needs. Only through careful guidance can they achieve true peace. It is inevitable that it will require sacrifices. Do not fret. No one remembers the means, only the results. Do you perhaps disagree?”
Faced with Alia’s pointed question, Kashi chuckled. He did not forget that the broadcast was still running. This was the time to win over the crowd with some nice flowery speech. He could almost feel Leila’s searing gaze burning into the back of his neck. The seasoned diplomat wanted him to abort this line of questioning!
Kashi knew that ignoring the question was the right play, but when he looked into Alia’s eyes, he could not bring himself to dodge this fight. When had he ever run from a challenge? And, so, to Leila’s dismay, Kashi honestly replied, “To be honest, I agree with you to an extent.”
A collective gasp echoed around the continent.
“Humes are chaotic by nature. We seek pleasure, meaning, and purpose in life, often daring to break conventions and rules to acquire what we need. Left unchecked, this chaos will undoubtedly envelop and destroy us.” Kashi had, in a way, lived three lives. Through Suzuki’s foster parents, he saw how some people abused Order to get what they wanted. Yet, through Razznik, he also saw how unchecked chaos led to countless death and destruction. “So, yes. We need some order to control the worst of our impulses. But, we can not, and should not seek to eliminate the chaos in us. That very chaotic nature, the unpredictability of our actions is what gives rise to our passions. It is what drives us to seek better lives, both for ourselves and for others.”
“Undoubtedly, there will be those who suffer as a result. Humes’ greed and avarice know no bounds. The chaos in our hearts compels the worst of us to twist order itself to suit our needs, everyone else be damned.” Kashi shook his head. “Rather than futilely attempting to focus entirely on order, I believe we should promote our chaotic nature, but temper it, both with laws that restrict our worst impulses, but also a safety net for those that are cast aside in the turmoil.”
“Safety net?” Alia, for the first time, frowned, not understanding what Kashi could be getting at.
“Yeah, I wish I could take credit, but it isn’t my idea.” Kashi admitted with a light chuckle. “Our vice-guildmaster wants to try something out here, something which we have continuously failed to do back in our own world.” The draconian revealed a wry chuckle. “It’s not that it’s impossible where we come from, but our world is torn between extremes focused on order and those who love chaos. Those who promote an individual’s power to tear through adversaries and rise to the top, and those who scream that we are limited and must rely on others to get anywhere. These dichotomies have been weaponized by leeches who keep both sides fighting perpetually when the solution has always been obvious.”
“Pray tell?”
“Balance,” Kashi answered. “Order in Chaos. Chaos in Order. That is what I believe in.” The draconian then shrugged as he admitted, “To be honest, we don’t think we’re the most intelligent people in the world. If the solution was so simple, then someone would surely have figured it out by now, right? But, at the very least, we finally have the means to try. To do so, we need a powerful Order who won’t be swayed by blathering politicians, conniving ministers, and arrogant nobles. And we’ll also need instruments of Chaos that will boost the populace’s desire to explore and shape the unknown.”
Alia glanced at the Wolves behind Kashi. “You believe you have these both?”
“Mmhmm.” Kashi nodded. “King Parissius is the Order that keeps the world in check and protects the innocent.” The draconian then pointed at himself. “And we will be the Chaos that shatters conventions to push everyone to a brighter future. Does that satisfy your curiosity?”
Alia seductively licked her lips. “As I presumed. You are just as insane as I am. Only through insanity could one conjure up such a ridiculous notion. But, I like that about you.” Alia reached into her sleeves and drew out a piece of paper. “I look forward to meeting you on the battlefield. We shall see who wins out in the end: True Order, or your lackluster amalgamation.”
The daeben queen decisively tore the paper before Kashi could respond. A shower of light burst out of the torn sheet and enveloped her, before disappearing in the blink of an eye.
“Guess that’s our cue,” murmured Sonic as he glanced at Kashi. The daeben’s ambitions left an indelible mark on him. He needed to go back and revisit his purpose for fighting or he might get swallowed up. With those words, he too disappeared as the life-saving talisman transported him out of Drakase.
Gentle Breeze lingered for a moment as the rest of his coalition disappeared. He looked at Kashi, a subtle ferociousness burning beneath his smile. “Your appetite is pretty large for a wolf.”
“What can I say, we have a pretty large pack to feed.”
Gentle Breeze softly smirked at Kashi’s response. In the end, he activated his teleportation, leaving a vague warning in his wake. “We’ll be watching, Twilight Wolves.”
‘He’s probably the most dangerous one there.’ Kashi shook off Gentle Breeze’s lingering pressure, and then turned to Brilith. Of everyone he’d met Kashi found it hardest to understand the Silver Spears’ guildmaster. As far as he knew he and her had never crossed paths, but her cold eyes simmered with unbridled hostility.
‘Wait. No. It’s not just me.’ Kashi finally realized what had been bothering him. Brilith’s hostile gaze seemed to be directed at anything and everything. The draconian could not begin to fathom what could have bred such hatred for everything around her. Stuffing down his thoughts, Kashi asked, “I suppose you are leaving now?”
Brilith did not look at Kashi. Instead, she looked off to the side where a group of orcs led by a stone-faced Renark Ragelock walked up to the group. Her gaze narrowed as she saw the determination in the orc chieftain’s eyes. “This is your last chance, Ragelock. Return, and I will overlook this slight.”
Renark glanced at Brilith. The orc chieftain’s grip tightened around his axes as his pupils reflected the halben’s frosty gaze. Veins bulged all over his skin, revealing the orc’s extensive inner turmoil.
Thunk! Thunk! Several Twilight Wolves gaped in shock as Renark released his ax handles, letting the two extremely heavy weapons crash to the ground with loud thuds.
The orc chieftain then walked up to, and stood in front of the Twilight Wolve’s Guildmaster.
Kashi, brow raised in curiosity, was about to say something, but Renark’s subsequent actions froze the words in his throat.
Without hesitation, Renark sat on the hard ground, deliberately making himself smaller before the draconian. He then placed both palms on the ground and then said five words that shocked everyone present. “Kashi. Please, save the Orcs.”
“You have made your choice.” Upon hearing Renark’s plea, Brilith resolutely crushed her talisman, teleporting her from the area. She would not persuade someone who chose suicide.