The land was lively, with some lakes and rivers, giving some waterfalls great vision, and this Gate substantial change of pace. It was no jungle, but Murai swore this place was pretty. There were dense black trees with green, almost glowing leaves. Vivid grass around the soil had yellowish-green colors. It was surprisingly luscious, and the artificial sun was quite bright and warm, spreading life from less than ten kilometers away.
It looked like a good place to hide, rest, and fight. Battles should be fun thanks to the intricate terrain and trees, while the angle of the earth added some interesting benefits or different strategies.
Plains such as this were far from being a prime place for armies to prove their worth against each other. Most would take their battles head to head in straight plains. Angled ones didn't make much sense since they were a rarity and one side would have a higher ground.
That was a shame, albeit unique, but Lisa ensured Murai that there were many such places in the Hellscape, and this wasn't that great. They passed some of them already, while Lisa failed to consider his experiences with worlds, or this world itself.
Most vivid and pretty sights were all over the Surface, meaning that some Hells were lacking considerably in that appeal. However, Levandis was a unique Queen with great touch and sense. She was the sole one at that, with other Hells having Lords. She had good tools under her disposition, which made this temple a great canvas and historical site.
Most of the Gates had some vision, rules, and neatness in them, partly done because of the past Sun God Temple, and because Levandis wanted to create a great place between the Surface and her Hell. It was just one part of the history, truth, and extraordinary work that depicted Death Valley and what was hiding below.
It was no place for fights for many, though Murai could sense death around some corners. The place reeked of it. Be it from the aura, silence, and no soul in sight. That was weird when he saw nice grass and trees everywhere.
“What a place in the Hell.” he cracked a joke, but no one listened. Bagus rested on the ground, and Lisa was high in the air, observing. Itrosh rested her vocal cords, but she felt that her improvement wasn't that shabby. She could push her Waves in a bigger range and more often if it was her focus.
And right now, she wasn't fighting, unlike others.
Neither she nor Bagus cared for his comment or train of thought. Bagus needed at least a quarter of an hour to rest up before returning to the sky, so Murai stayed close, not really resting as he observed the surroundings, mana, and his brief training regiment that flowed around him like a tide of mana, glow, and great moves. He was almost doing it subconsciously, which was a little idea that Pillage mentioned, and that dog would get so shocked if he saw Murai right now.
Surprisingly, David and Ultium hadn't come by. They were a bit off because of their message to Lisa, saying that some troubles had gone ahead, so they let Itrosh go to them instead. There was always some delay or problems with landing.
Flying advancement was faster than what David had in mind when battles or terrain moved against their running. At least Itrosh came back, which Lisa was glad for as she observed the surroundings. She felt things, echoes, and moves. Fights.
Could their enemies feel the same thing?
“What enemies?” Lisa asked herself, glowing in her eyes and looking for nothing in particular. “This place... Ah. How frustrating it is to do this like this.” Sighting, she had a hunch that the core issue was still coming.
There might be dozens upon dozens of groups scattered around Province 3 looking for a good chance, waiting for others to make moves, and so on. But let's not forget Province 4 had many dangerous groups in many mountains, cave cities, and who knew what else was hiding in that simple-looking place, yet reckoning depths.
Lisa knew that Province. It held a surprising amount of portals, even though it was a harsh place to live, let alone to go through.
***
In Sector 31, not very far from angled land, a small army galloped on their Demonic Horses. Soldiers rode those sturdy beasts, wearing armor, wielding weapons, and intricate helmets with demonic faces on most of them, even if not everyone was a literal demon. It was their token. Their masterpiece. Two large metallic horns bent upward from their helmets, indicating their affiliation with Ozeki.
It was not a shabby group, and what they were riding weren't some normal horses either, obvious from their names. Ferocious nature was their primary emotion, looking like a horse wasn't a coincidence, and their speed and sturdiness were like large bears.
Thick legs smashed the earth as they galloped, leaving dust in their steps, and wild breath left mist behind their huffing. Their bodies seemed to be sculpted from deep black marble, and some of them even wore large armor pieces, creating an impression as if they were statues. Others had some leather or fur that made them savage.
The greatest mark was their war colors which almost resembled tattoos. Those looked impressive, but only high-ranking soldiers who owned their horses would paint them in times of war or desire. Demonic Horses had no fur since their muscular skin seeped of power and age, and their faces were wild and filled with spikes and wild mouths.
This kind of horse was a precious resource in the military. Speed was high and the rate of taming was low. In Hellscape, they were a bit rare to see with anyone else than armies.
They only appear on the Surface, in places filled with earth and dread elements, low oxygen levels, and a lot of vastness. Such places were rare and not that easy to witness if one looked at the Somalis continent alone. While their name was Demon Horse, they weren't close to demons, as they were some kind of mutation.
They were a type of horse that ended up looking this savage through natural breeding or evolution because their minds and bodies weren't as precious. Their souls were small and their instincts were part of their Bloodline, while breeding and creating great mounts was part of the military and armies, thus Gods and people alike made them as fitting for their needs as possible.
But because of their wild nature and hard taming, they had this name since they came and wandered around the Blitalia continent well beyond the Old World. That meant their history was great and Bloodline was good enough to last a long time.
Their height was twice of the normal horse, and since their legs were tall and thick, getting on them was hard for anyone small. The body was also longer and thicker, filled with contorting muscles. Two riders could ride one, but not in this army.
Ozeki might have lost his position in the First Legion, but the Second Legion was no small matter. It was the same Legion that Luno, whom Razmund defeated, came from. It was perhaps one of the untold reasons that forced Ozeki to accept his Helper status, as Luno was his superior and Marshal, and Razmund beat him up.
That was hilarious, and close to a slap in the face, especially when Ozeki was an old devil that used to belong to the First Legion. Working beneath a human was sickening, but there were some benefits in swallowing some pride.
Now, with a piece of the Crimson Battalion near, he was still below Marshal rank, holding a General rank, which sounded mighty and tall, but it had more politics put into it.
The peak of the military rank came with power, reputation, and privileges. A General was akin to a public worker who took the military for life. It had its shortcomings and promotions if one's merits soared to the heavens. Marshals and those above were the leading figures in most wars.
That came with various degrees of rewards, freedom, and benefits that Levandis cherished. They were figures that one shouldn't take lightly, because their position and personal powers were vibrant like heroes that could become Overlords or Gods down the line.
Ozeki decided to use his portion of that battalion and to seek some training. It was a good enough excuse. He was at the front, right beside Razmund, who was lazily leaning and almost sleeping on top of his Demonic Horse that was like puppy bellow a beast. Even through a rough galloping, it seemed he didn't care about his position, huffing of his mount, or Ozeki's gaze.
Razmund was taking the easy route since he got this General to follow him, and it wasn't because of Luno or some other problems that made it easier. Ozeki held some grudges against humanity, so he never accepted a superior who was a human. It was insulting, so when he heard Razmund cut him, he almost cheered when he saw that on his purchased screen. Afterward, things got kind of intense when Razmund sought him out.
Now, many days later, Ozeki was second-guessing his choice which many must've questioned since this whole fiasco started. At least no one truly refuted him, nor did any military or his superiors state a thing. It made sense. He was a Hunted right now, so his position became temporarily mangled to pieces, and anyone could chew him apart.
Extremes might be interested in that too, since Ozeki's power was kind of impressive if one took his position, heart, and reputation in mind. If he would survive this Hunt, that might be the greatest merit that wouldn't come in a simple war. This was his consequence. His desire!
Levandis nor anyone else made a big deal out of his small negligible betrayal. Almost nothing about it was in his mind when he looked at Razmund, who had been lazy for the past few days since he forced him to be a Helper. He took advantage of him! A human did!
“Razmund! You bloody sick bastard!” Ozeki's voice showered him with powerful syllables of curses, which woke him up.
He actually slept while galloping on a Demonic Horse that ran twice as fast as a regular horse. This became problematic in some places or terrains, yet this human was way too dense, uncaring, or far too arrogant. Ozeki's smile widened, and one wouldn't be sure if it was with passion, anger, or praise.
Opening his eyes, Razmund was less than pleased with the ongoing Hunt, rumors about his targets, and this group. He understood politics a lot, so he blinked and reconsidered his choice. This army will have to do. Few gangs were willing to even try coming into contact with this army consisting of the sixty best soldiers that followed Ozeki's authority.
It was an insane number for his Side in this Hunt, but it wasn't against any rules. Probably. Mindarch accepted it for what it could be, stating that it was curious and passable. Nothing else. Razmund got suspicious since this group had a plethora of weight. Mindarch only giggled and stated nothing, which left Razmund full of doubts.
There were layers of balance as well as worries. Those sixty soldiers consisted of twelve five-soldier squads. Each squad leader was a person above Level 70, while the rest was below that level. That meant there was a sweeping force coming at Murai, and Ozeki had confidence he could clash against David and Ultium without any trouble. Unbeknown to him, Ultium clashed with similar kinds of fools, though on a smaller scale.
Razmund would lose against this Battalion in a heartbeat, so there was some merit in accepting his laziness, Ozeki's pride, or work. Nothing would save him. Nobody too.
And with Ozeki at the front, followed by a team made out of his captains, this should be an easy walk in a Hellscape.
Or so he thought. Grumbling some words, he almost fell from the horse but fell short by a quick grab of reins.
“What is this? Nothing worries us anymore. We just go onwards like I want. Or... is this about something that you want?” Razmund sat straight and looked at Ozeki.
“That thing. Do it again.” Ozeki pointed at Razmund's left hand.
“This?” Razmund released his left hand, revealing Destiny Dice which had a soft pink sheen around it. It winced, breathing, and leaving soft giggles and whispering voices. “Fate is interesting, isn't it?”
“Fuck off with Fate. We don't believe in that shit. No military does. We have our Gods! Who else to trust or hope for than those clutching the Paths of Heavens?”
“Than cheers for your Gods. Or heavens.” Razmund found some bottle of water and gulped it down, cheering on Ozeki's remark.
“The target! Some mistakes are transpiring in this damned Hellscape and some Sectors are filled with hundreds of fools who hope for these massive points. And I can't know why everything goes to shit”
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“Can't? How improper, General. You ought to do your work better, lest you lose it all. Your head, I mean. Or soul? How great of an essence would you leave behind, I wonder.” Razmund said with a light chuckle.
Which Ozeki didn't take well, but he had a lot in mind and hand right now. “Brokers are broken. Something nasty is happening in the Helltrim City or the way Hunt goes is too savage. Just what has our opposition done? The last five hours aren't clear, while your little Dice is our way onwards.”
“Something?” Razmund strained his back, angling his head up and aside. He was thinking and woke up completely after glimpsing at his own self.
“I can't get hold of any informants when my status changed. My connections weren't cut, but many don't want to help me anymore. Guess why?” Ozeki pointed at Razmund, glaring a hole at him.
“Your face?” Razmund tried his best idea. “Wait. Your horns? Wait...”
“Shut up! Even this little part of the Second Battalion was hard to get going when your damned life and ideas came to this place. Hunt changed it all to shit All my long-distance workings no longer work. Bunch of suckers. It is either Interferences or the other side of my devices no longer exists, or... Well, most of it is intentional. My bet is someone from the military is going against me, plotting, or there is nothing more to it than silence. Mindarch might be the cause.”
“Nothing surprising. You are General. Not Marshal, but still a General.” Razmund enunciated the world marshal with quite some force, pissing Ozeki so much that crimson shine flustered his face, eyes deepened, and horns grew a few centimeters.
“Tell that to me when you crush me completely,” Ozeki grunted and calmed down.
“Might try it one day. One day though. For now, what about the backing forces before Province 4 that you prepared days in advance.”
“Half wiped out because of this maniac called Ultium. The other half was halved by something else. I rather made them retreat.”
“Coward.”
“Oh! How dare you say that!?” Ozeki almost brandished his spear that was shining behind his back. It was his main weapon, notable by a quiet thickness, length, and fairly impressive spearhead that had a triple-edged fashion, whereas the middle portion was thin and long, curving in a sharp angle to cut things apart. It was a strange mixture of curves for a spear.
Razmund yawned and stretched his arms. He was yet to toss his Dice because he didn't need it that much. He knew his target was ahead and their steps were obvious like flies in the sky, and dogs barking below it. Following the bloodstains was also easy.
He accepted that his target wasn't weak anymore and got fine Helpers indeed, capable of information gathering, plotting, and going against Hellscape like good Challengers.
The most questionable one was Ultium, whom Razmund never heard of. And he was a devil! The kind that caused so much trouble without a proper name for himself, which was rare indeed. At least for the current information gathering that Centralis Kingdom had, and from what Ozeki said, Ultium was rather unknown, yet powerful and working for a human.
That by itself caused his reputation to plummet, which David knew and took care of as a good thing. Ultium never shined in the spotlight. For Ozeki, it stunk of weakness. A very terrible flaw caused by that human. Maybe it was fitting, but Ozeki wasn't as certain about his origin as much as he would prefer.
Apart from him, the words about Bagus and his travel in the sky were widespread, followed by a strategy of flight, and ground teams. A lot of battles happened, and none was some hoax or fake news. That was about the only thing that Ozeki confirmed in the past hours.
Now, all they had to do was follow their traits, and enjoy the ride because there weren't as many gangs or beasts that would hinder their path as first victims. Nobody wanted to give advantages to others, since there were no weaklings around. Both Ozeki and Razmund had way too large base rewards and dangers, so one should take them as dangerous foes. The military and its independent personal actions wouldn't want to go too far for nothing.
“I am sick and tired of this. I need to solve this sooner rather than later, but it's solving itself. Perhaps I was too forceful in this style, but even then, it might be worth it, Ozeki. Just do your work with this army. I will do mine. You can do it both, right? You want it.” Razmund mumbled, glancing at the bright sun quite some distance away.
Ozeki grunted, still looking at him.“Just what did you ask for, or what did the World gave you?”
“Question isn't correct when movers do and make the rules. What will it give me is a more fitting question. Nothing that you can get, curious devil.” Razmund corrected him, clutching his Dice until soft screams spread.
Since Ozeki wanted it, he let it go. Unwrapping it, it wasn't fine to see its increasing glitter of pink light, so he decided to let it out because it got used too much more tosses in previous Gates. Now, it was horny for more.
Razmund could even faintly hear a closing voice, filling his heart with moans, screams, and grunts. It was terrifying for dreams, though Razmund barely slept anyway, so he didn't care for the words.
[Catch me.]
[Use me.]
[Toss me.]
[Kill yourself!]
He still let go of it, letting Destiny Dice flicker into the sky. It didn't bounce like crazy. It just winced around as if there were walls, looking for a direction while following Demonic Horses. Many of the finest soldiers under Ozeki's order took that Dice with fear and wonder. It was a Divine Artifact possessing the ability to see Fate, so it was no wonder they had various ideas about it, as well as fear. A lot of it.
Dread and cautious looks were most notable, while Ozeki could only hope that this thing wouldn't bark back at them, curse them, or eat them whole. Things pertaining to Fate were strange, not entirely fit for human or mortal hands. It was curious why Razmund had this sort of thing, but it was good he had it.
Destiny Dice pointed under its fateful connection to a particular direction. As expected, it went onwards. Only Razmund would perceive the finest details and rightful angle. It wasn't exactly forward, but slightly to the left side. That was his direction. His Fate.
Razmund followed it like gold, jumping from the horse and clutching the Dice back to his grasp. Landing with grace back on the horse, he felt the sizzle of the Dice on his skin.
[Close...It is closing... Closing. Your DEATH! A charitably End to your madness and suffering of seeking hope of your fallen spirit.] Then, he heard menacing chuckling.
Razmund swore, wishing to chuckle as well before swallowing it up. “A bit to the left by five degrees. Distance could vary, but we are closing. I think.” he said to Ozeki who couldn't hear the meaning of that Dice.
“Hm. Distance isn't a problem. Our speed and other factors are. The fact that my connections aren't working as intended means that another variable entered the game, or my connections are just gibberish.“
“Let them be. Anyone can enter from Hell, or... anywhere. As far as I've got the rules of this Hunt, expectations could break. Obviously, it can even change because we have this army, and Mindarch might love it. In fact, Levandis could push things forth and elevate whatever she wants. We are mere toys.”
“Sounds like an Encounter, eh? Sky Gods should really like you and what you've started.”
“Shut up. Care about yourself.”
“I demanded this army!” Ozeki argued. “You think us two would do the work? That we together aren't as strong as this army? Agreed, captains?!” He shouted and pointed his spear to twelve robust figures on their war-painted Demonic Horses around them.
“Yes, sir!” All of them saluted, aware that Ozeki would wipe the floor with them due to his martial might. However, sixty of the experienced soldiers were a lot of bodies, and twelve Level 70+ Captains weren't bad either.
Razmund rolled his eyes, clutching the Dice that kept reminding him of his dreadful consequences and forcing him to die. He could've pushed this group around until he would get his win. It would just get bothersome and intense. Not worth it, he reckoned.
“I am still questioning how come you had found sixty fouls to follow you in this situation. Wanna hear me clapping? Perhaps my Dice would like it.” Razmund smirked at him.
“And people call me ridiculous. That is hilarious.” Ozeki laughed and slapped the galloping horse. “You are the insane one. Onwards we go then. Let's wait and see who dies and lives. You or me, stakes are high depending on who is speaking, or who wants to come as far as possible. I plan to go all the way!”
“Well said. Have no idea about the credibility of this Dice, but do you have some idea about those... variables? Is it the military? Could some Extreme make their move? You have many enemies as a Hunted, so it could've been a mistake making Helper out of you.” Razmund had small regrets that Ozeki couldn't care less about.
“Sure. Could be someone beside everything. Or closer to us or me, filled with grudges. I know at least two Overlords who don't like my face, and each of them has numerous tools under their disposal. However, because of Levandis and Mindarch, and interest in surroundings, Gods, or this Encounter, you are part of, I doubt it is as simple as some powerful tools being used as bait. My heart is telling me there were troubles on the Surface and some things are anxious and hidden from me and my connections.”
“Surface? How many Extremes are entangled in this Gate apart from those waiting for fools to move, or looking at this Hunt as entertainment?”
“Entertainment is a weak world. Hunt could change. Extremes are careful beings with this sort of thing. Mindarch might be a great force of nature and rules, but let's not pretend the hearts of demons are far from Chaos.”
“They are waiting for the ceiling to get higher, or what? Seeking this army, I would guess someone like that would move. None did.”
“It is a wonder. Besides hidden freaks like Ultium, there are many gangs, or random groups assembled by those interested in this Hunt. Clarity no longer matters. Information is intentionally chaotic because no one wants to be seen in such a Hunt. And since our pictures were there in the sky, things got messy. At least according to the rules.”
“Hmmm...” Razmund wasn't certain about trusting this devil. Something was bothering him. The whole reason for this Helper was to ease the pain of catching his foe after enduring the previous Gate and knowing this one was no small matter either.
Perhaps he estimated his chances wrong and got into more problems instead. Ozeki was a questionable variable as a former member of the Fist Legion. But again, his Hell Party and his target's party were also put into his equation.
There should be some sort of balance hovering around them, and tipping scale and points were their acts. It was divided into many parts that were all on various levels. And so far, the Hell Party was ongoing and still alive. Both of his companions were certainly alive. That was about what Razmund could feel. Nothing else was even public.
Which either spoke of their success, Mindarch, or someone else ceased the informations away. Even the purchasable kind, unfortunately.
That left him with some doubts. Should he be even comfortable and waiting in his travels? His target was also getting away from its target, while their motives and moves weren't that bad either. It was fairly close to the level of his Hell Party, which he found a little suspicious. Was he betrayed, or was this all just a lucky coincidence?
Comfort wasn't that terrible when he had no choice but to go onwards and wait. Fatigue from the previous Gate was already disappearing after recouping a couple of days, filling his core, wounds, and Vitality. Time allowed his target to get further, but he got back to his peak.
And for what? With Ozeki and the rest, the other opposition was not only Murai and his Helpers, but they were targets as well. Not everything failed him yet. The reputation, tools, and power would hold the others back until he would catch his foe. His plans of using others for his gains were yet to shine. But now, another unknown variable appeared, messing with his plans. Calling him surprised and upset wasn't an understatement.
I calculated so many variables. I even asked for favors and Centralis made their choices. Hell, they are even using me like a racket. Fine. Let this be their reminder that I am not to be trifled with. Razmund thought, gazing at the sight beyond. They were currently galloping across the plains, closing on a large angled forest filled with greenery, large monuments, hills, rocky formations, and occasional bushes.