Even beginning knots could become fine muscles under masterful control.
That was a quote that Rudolf struck into his head many lives ago. It stuck with him ever since. What else Murai was supposed to do? If the world was forcing him into this position, focusing on the foundation was the right answer, even if there might be better things to do.
Around the campfire, Murai showed some restraint as he watched the fire. David was talking to Itrosh and Lisa about something, which left him listening with half of his ear holes.
His mind was half somewhere else, drifting in thoughts that Lisa could hear, but couldn't bother with.
Was this right? This Hunt and my killings and choices? Magic or body, what is stronger? Everyone thinks and says that Anatidae are crazy, yet who do they think I am? I am crazier! It is one thing that I can proudly say. Well, what do I think of it anyway? My Cursed Living is no key. It is a freaking curse? No gift. No pleasure, sick bastards.
Was this something that Levandis wanted from her little golem? What a pretty pig she must be though. There are regrets. Ceila and Vermillion said the same thing and wanted to make a deal with me. Who is the pig then? Who said that I would regret being born here? Why did someone say that? Is this some sort of grudge and petty idea once more? What have I done wrong the last time? I killed and fought and died. There is nothing piteful in that! Just another death. I don't think I've done anything bad for them either. And against me, giving poison, curses, and dread are all fine, huh? They are a bunch of hypocrites. No way I will bear or forget it. Ever. Or is it fine to take that somewhere else by myself? No. I will crush them?! One day!
Murai promised and pledged his justice, forcing his feet and feathers to perk up. He hyped himself up and decided to reforge half of his mood.
In the middle of the mountains, the weather was kind of cold, but not for him. At the campfire, he was greeted by smell and heat. Stew of his secondary chef was already above the campfire, brewing in a metallic pot. It was David's work. Itrosh wasn't the best at complicated dishes. She cooked simple meat over a fire and called it the best meal in the world.
But as David's former belly implied, he was a surprisingly good cook. He gestured and mumbled many times how Lisa forced him on this path. Teary and almost laughing too, he took the cooking seriously because former Lisa wanted it and forced him to do many things.
Murai wasn't sure what to think of it besides cheering that someone could cook for him some simple dishes and food. In this manner, Murai didn't need to worry about meals or protection. He was this cozy in the past, however. In a cave, there was no lack of food, even if he killed the palm that fed him.
In the Hellscape, it was similar, yet he didn't want to kill those who fed him. That idea was privy to outer forces, and he wasn't even lonely or weak. He changed since he fought that Devil Fox or spoke with Rain.
Murai could clash against any weaker fodder right now. He trusted his proficiency.
David was never lacking in the quality and things he liked, so he showed what he was capable of to Murai as well. Out of respect or something hidden, Lisa let most of it slide. She couldn't eat any longer, so who knew what she heard when David praised his past and offered Murai many dishes over the past few days.
Red Beef Bone Marrow Soup was the base of this stew. Including the bones that crumbled to flavorful dust in the mouth, everything was perfect. Even the tiny soft meat strips were soft, and all sorts of spices mixed into the water gave it an aroma that Red Beef lacked.
A feast was before them with almost no effort, feeding even Bagus who had two stomachs. It was a fact that Murai wouldn't mind forgetting, yet who was he? What about his own stomach? He wasn't even pooping properly and ate like a lunatic duck.
Stew was a bit bloody for the normal folks, but Murai didn't refuse what tasted great. Bagus and Itrosh weren't ones to decline anything either, since their journey was bound to be long after this meal was over.
They felt it in the air. In the aura. In their blood. Something big was coming.
Only David and Ultium were indifferent and even hesitant over this stew, even if one was its maker. Meat was the problem. It wasn't up to their standards. Ultium straight-up refused the bowl Itrosh offered.
More food for her, she supposed.
On one side, Lisa spoke with David when she noticed Murai.
“Ah, Murai Hisagi, you awake?” Lisa turned, showing her side that flickered in the bright sona and brightness of the artificial star. Even though their base was temporarily in these mountains filled with rocky cliffs, it wasn't that far from that sun.
Day in these mountains always started at fixed timings since the suns weren't moving. For now, it was bright and not hot. Who knew how many Hunters thought of sleeping by now? There was almost no calmness in this place, despite one needing to sleep and get some energy.
A Hell fit this place, or so Murai thought when he glanced at Lisa.
“With Hunt behind my head, what is the plan?” Murai quacked at her. “Sector 45 is still far, and you are yet to tell me those pesky details and plans you brewed with David.”
Lisa didn't blame his attitude. “I've gotten good ideas long ago. Hunt is different, however. It is a small problem. Not ours, by the way,” she smiled at him and puffed her chest. “Others should care over our Side soon, all to burn. You can try to protect yourself. A lawless side is what matters to you and there might be powerful people going after your skin. Support that idea by sharpening your senses and don't deny Helpers around you.”
“Hunt again?” David asked aside. “Is he that worried?” He wasn't sure because he couldn't hear any sense in those quacks, while Lisa at least spoke out loud.
“Something like that, David. I have been managing some plans with; not every detail,” she flew closer to Murai. “Do you want to work half a day through his reports or what? I told you. Stick to what you have to do and prepare yourself. Leave the rest to us and everyone.” Lisa retorted, sounding like a proper secretary that she feared she already turned into.
“Having coherency is fine since you insist. Keep going at it as long as you won't burn, but don't come at me crying because it is too much for you. I am still part of this party and plan. It exists because of me. I can focus on many things by the way. Magic, senses, or experience, what do I lack?”
“Power?”
“Something else?”
“Ideas?”
“Which ones?!” Murai grunted.
“Everything, isn't it? I mean, this world and yourself, or this whole reason and Encounter. Can you beat it alone? No, so shut the fuck up.”
Murai begrudgingly shook his head and looked away. “Fine...”
“Then keep improving for the sake of your bloody body, please. Magic too. You need it like food.” Lisa chuckled and wished to poke him with some bone. She gave him a piece of her mind at least.
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“Hm. Fine. If you are like this, what's the situation around Province 2 or 3, David?” Murai quacked, giving Lisa a look to translate his quacks to him.
With some force of nature, Lisa forced his quacking meaning out of her mouth, telling it as he desired.
This was the least she could give. David cleared his thoughts and knew the shifting nature of this Gate was no longer under his fingertips, but he could mention the general ways of Hutns and his predictions for the current one.
“Frankly speaking, Hellscape is a mess with this doubled Hunt charged with the Encounter. Razmund wants you even with this Hunt by the way, but with outside parties hunting you both, it might turn into something worse. I don't think your enemy knows the word "secret", "hidden" or "hold back". He basically provided a lot of information out loud and without fear, hoping to rally the gangs into countless groups even before the Hunt. It worked and turned much worse when it all started, as if he planned it. Worse is, Levandis won't stop it, and a better idea is that some of that might force Razmund back, even when he has that cursed Ozeki. If distortion and chaos were a goal, messing with the information gathering across the board is guaranteed. I don't even think we can fake some plans either, while we don't know what Razmund plans. He goes after us for sure. That is what he wants. Battleworld is broken and Mindarch has no intention to stop this either.”
“Why stop?” Murai asked, appreciating his outlook. Lisa showed him an ugly expression and conveyed these two simple quacks.
“Why? There are a couple of simple things. I think we've already explained it to you a few days ago. Hunt is an inevitable part of this Gate to you. Encounter and our Helper status are different from it, but Mindarch added it together, or Levandis did. Even with rules or order out of the way, Encounter won't care for big or small changes. It is usually flexible, while the happenings before it started were subjective. It happened how it did, so it might not change. That is also good. It means everything is set into motion and it won't change.”
Murai knew it already.
“Helpers are irregular. Unless one is near to one Side and is accepted, no one can pledge their allegiance to them completely. Doing and acting out of that idea might end up changing or angering the rules of the game. Gods might get involved, yet with this Hunt, it might not work. Helper status works only for individuals. No nation could simply pledge their whole armies and crush the opposition.”
“But they sure want and can move as if they did,” Lisa added. “As long as there is some validating business with it or a constant desire, screw some rules. It is what outside factors do and what many Gods want. Why? Rules don't prohibit moves of this calibre, as long as the consensus doesn't go against the view of the Encounter, or Sides. If it can't be stopped by Gods, then that would be quite a situation at hand. It is complicated as I said to you many days ago. Understanding it is like seeing into godly minds or yours.”
“That is right.” David nodded, playing with a stick and churning the flames. “Frankly speaking, the last massage when you were asleep was enough. Marthosh works for us. Rumors and mentions of moving Hunters are a serious topic. Hunt is here. Her... Lady Levandis's message provided us with sense. It is her law to do it justice. Her word, that is. It seems your friend got the hang of the business and planned for it. He got Ozeki, somewhat. A Pledge for a Named Devil isn't something we have expected.”
“In hell, we haven't,” Lisa agreed. “In fact, we have no idea about his direct prowess. Just the fact that Razmund clashed against Ozeki is enough to give me a headache.”
“We don't have to fight him,” Murai suggested. “I... don't, but wish it so terribly! He crashed me!” He perked his wings and murderous intent filled his eyes.
“Everyone in the Hellscape knows about it, sir,” David said since he thought Murai was angry at him. “The whole temple understands how the Hunt works. The aftermath, or what it rides is different, however. We are the tide facing many others. We can influence it by choice, or endure it.”
“Strictly speaking, it isn't about Encounter any longer, or Razmund for that matter,” Lisa said. “Hunt takes over and what you learn and learned is what you have. That can change eventually because time is essential and your ideas and Bloodline are yet to bloom. I am sorry, but we go and follow its rules and escape while clutching our safety because it is worth more long-term. That is my plan. Escape this Gate like prisoners escaping from a prison. It almost sounds forceful, but it is what it is.”
“A part of the plan, or as a whole?” Murai wondered.
“Hopeful part.”
“Also, gaining quite notorious factions and reputation keeps the rules and troubles behind, or elevate some business, or crass some opposition,” David reminded. “Razmund already proved he is capable, so many gangs won't hunt him down even with dozens of members. It isn't worth the effort against the two of them. So the Hunters will likely move towards us because we might be easier prey even when we consider Hell Points. Thus, we shall crash them and do us justice in our incoming plan.”
David almost nodded and laughed, but restrained himself.
What a bothersome complication, Murai thought.
Sighing, he wasn't the only one who thought that. They proved themselves very little over the past few days, with little to no problems coming towards them. Those were wild and impatient fools who knocked and died before seeing Murai.
Killing scouts and those sneaky to catch them off guard wouldn't give them big benefits. No great Hunters, their parties, or gangs appeared.
David felt a precautionary situation ahead. His Pledge and overall consequences began even without Wil of the Battleworld coming into play. He wondered what sort of things would've happened if it worked.
However, back then, he heard the tone of his Pledge and reason to get ahead. He was safe, elevating further troubles that Lisa had no choice but to accept because it was that forced to begin with.
Murai was the right choice, even if the path ahead seemed tough for David and Ultium alike. Itrosh and Bagus weren't initially in the picture. They moved in because Lisa wanted more reliable Helpers. Murai didn't know that; he thought they came over because of David.
All of them were around or beyond Razmund's Level. Well, only Ultium was truly above it, while Bagus was less confident. Itrosh and David had less to prove, though each of them was an experienced fighter. Fighting that sword maniac wasn't up to their benefit, however. Giving Murai his bliss was. Securing him was their goal. Bagus thought otherwise since he considered his chances to be different, unlike Itrosh who was sceptical of direct clashes for a good reason.
Overall, David was the most worried out of them and thought about Razmund's Side constantly. It was so much stronger than Murai and Lisa from the beginning, it wasn't even funny. Perhaps he stepped into shit upon this Pledge and got involved in something he shouldn't have done.
Alas, it was too late.
Perhaps he was wrong about it too, as he thought further about this Anatidae before him. It hindered many things, or this whole concept was as crazy as his wildest theories? Lisa at least voiced something from Murai to them, so David slowly realized and got to know him.
If David had done nothing, Razmund would have been the first to make his move and crash them completely before the Hunt even started. Or would he? What if others around this Gate would do it instead? Was it enough? This team. It will create an inevitable longevity, furthering the time of their run or struggles by days.
It was confidence. Lisa relied on something she hadn't done for a long time.
Murai didn't count. She was far more worried about the bigger picture, which was inevitably looming over them, around them, and hunting them like fools. David and the rest were just players in a separate game.
With their discussion reaching almost no conclusion, Murai was at least glad to understand the situation. So far, it was neither bad nor good. It might turn into a frenzy because the entire Hellscape knew their faces.
At the moment in the sky, a flock of Demonic Crows flocked above the cliffs beyond their base. They were far enough to cause this experienced party to not notice them. Amid those beastly demonic beasts, there was a figure riding one of the crows. These Demonic Crows were looking more like horses in size than a normal bird. At least a meter in height, their bodies were thicker than many Eaghells or Elder Pouncing Devils. The biggest was almost two meters tall with dozens of meters wide wingspan. It was enough mass for a small figure to stand, scout, and observe the targets that cruised through the Hellscape for a few days.
At last, something clicked in pace. Below, Ultium glanced up, eyes glinting in shifting redness to the ceiling. “They have been pissing me off for a while. Can I shoot them? We are being watched.” Ultium said sternly, still sitting around the campfire and wondering if there was better food.
“Again with those Crows? Right! I forgot the Hunt has started. Was about the damned time.” Itrosh cheered, got up, and glared to see those flies. “They were here a couple of times already but... isn't this fairly close? I think I can hit them if I try enough.”
“Might be a different group. I could tell that with smell and speed, but this one is more brazen. I can't hit them from this far, but I could pacify them in less than ten seconds. How about it, boss?” Ultium asked David and triggered his heart. Killing intent seeped out of his words alone, and sparks of blood in his eyes looked deadly. He was like an arrow ready to fly forward, as long as David was the one releasing him.
“Huh? Not so fast Ultium. Not you too, Itrosh,” David shouted. “This was inevitable, but Demonic Crows? What kind of brazen assholes thinks to latch to us like this? Pathetic.”
“Kill?” Ultium suggested, standing up with one hand close to his face and the other in his pocket.
“No, I will do it!” Itrosh argued and picked a fight with Ultium's hand. He clasped her head until she cried and accepted defeat without any fight.
David approached them and patted Ultium on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. It worked, even when he seriously wondered how those Demonic Crows would taste with barbecue techniques Itrosh managed. He wanted to suggest it. They were big. There was plenty of meat for everyone.
“It seems we have reached the limit of Sectors, Lisa. As per our agreement and limit, the plan goes around, and back it goes. Which path to choose? Pain, suffering, endurance, or the lofty one? The last one was a joke by the way.” He wanted to be sure just so she wouldn't get the wrong idea.
“Acceptable timing. Not circumstance. Have we got the ideas right all along, or are you expecting this to be easy?” She asked and David nodded, knowing the time was night and he was ready to get rid of this camp. He had a bunch of high-quality spatial rings, so it was easy to travel anywhere. Unfortunately, he had no Space Dwelling or Void Fortress.
“Very well. It is time. Come here, Murai Hisagi, allow me to tell the overall nooks of our plans, which had few methods, as well as due explanations about this Gate that I haven't told you yet,” Lisa perked up as David started his preparations, and gestured Murai to get closer. As he did so with some doubts, she flickered her hands, using her ring to take a large map out.
“You left out.... what exactly? I thought you were honest with me when I said to talk to me. Did you fake it? What a cheeky ghost. I doubt you even when trusting. Isn't it odd?” Murai sighed.
“Whatever,” she waved a hand and pointed to the map. “I speak of trust when it is right. You need what I don't. You need what I require.”
“I am not your tool, but I did promise to trust you, is that right? I feel like a fool when reconciling with you. If it goes to shit next time, include me in the plans. Whisper to my soul for all I care about, or fly inside to do it better private justice,” Murai quacked coldly, gazing into her eyes.
Lisa accepted this gaze with her own. “Don't mention your soul. In fact, be like this after your head isn't hunted like an animal.”
“Now is not enough?”
“Can't you see what is above?”
“Bunch of birds. A curious soul too. Is that fine? She isn't alone, I bet.” Murai scoffed after angling his beak up.
Lisa nearly clutched his beak, but she gestured to the map instead. “Back to the business. My plan has stages. Depending on what to take it for, some sacrifices and chances are there for our Helpers. They already decided to take them on, but direction and strategy are various. One thing isn't changing. You. You are our King, so to say. We protect you so you won't be harmed. Got it?”
Murai begrudgingly nodded and let her continue.