Chapter 18: The First Follower, Rango the Golem
At midnight, where the crescent moon could be seen above. Inside an abandoned warehouse, two poor souls are subjected to torture.
“KYAHHHHH”
“ARGHHHHH”
“KEHKEHKEH”
I placed my hands on both backs, channeling a tiny amount of mana into their hearts and near the mana core.
Some may say that I’m torturing them, but no, this is beneficial for me and these two servants of mine. This is a necessary step for the warm-up.
I’m currently trying to increase the sensibility of their mana core. First, I threaten them to let this happen, for only a small amount of mana is needed to disperse mine.
Injecting foreign mana into their heart will cause a false signal for their body to react, making it think it is in danger and increasing the sensitivity of the body. This will give their mana control a big
increase for a moment before reverting to normal.
What I want is for them to remember that sensation so that they can use it instinctively.
"STOP, PLEASE MISTER.”
"ARGH, I’M SORRY BOSS.”
“KEHKEHKEH”
“…”
The dog looks at the blond man and then its owner. It wants to try to help its owner, but seeing her getting better, it decides to turn a blind eye.
“BLACKKKKKK”
“BOSSSSSSSS”
“Kehkehkeh”
One hour later, both of them lay down on the wooden floor. Meanwhile, I look at my hand. I can control about 90% of mana now, but from now on things will get difficult. Also, my brain isn’t capable of following my mana abilities. I should eat things that are good for this body.
Their mana control is much higher than before, so now it’s time for me to teach them how to use their ability to the fullest.
But first, I must solve a problem.
“Stand up both of you, or another hour will be added.”
“YES BOSS”
“I’M AWAKE, MISTER.”
“Good”
Looking at them, I order Gollum.
“Gollum, come here.”
“ME?”
Gollum was flustered but still followed my order. Standing next to me, he asks
“So, what now, boss?”
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“Good, punch me.”
“What?”
“That punch, do it.”
Gollum hesitated before turning his body 180 degrees and swung his fist at my chest.
CRACK
“URGH”
“You see now, Gollum.”
Long ago, that punch would have troubled me, but now it crumbled before my iron skin. Looking at the kneeling Gollum, who was holding his hands. I remark
“You aren’t that worth keeping around anymore.”
“B-Boss…”
“But that doesn’t mean I will kill you, you did save me after all.”
“…”
“Run, hide. I don’t care what you do, but reveal who I am, and you will die.”
“...”
“So now I give you a choice. Will you take it? You can feel it, can’t you? Not only are you old, but you are also weak. You are nothing but a pebble, and I don’t want to increase the weight that is on me.”
“...”
“Go, you are not needed anymore.”
Gollum, looking at his stone hands that have already cracked, remembers his past.
Long ago, he was nothing but a pathetic brat, living in a dumpster with his sick mother. Live was hard, but he was happy.
Until he was revealed to be an illegitimate child of a noble family. Fuming in anger, the bride's family burns down the house where his sick mother is lying in bed. Seeing the raging fire that devours everything, he tries to help but witnesses multiple eyes that are scarier than any demons. He runs away and abandons his sick mother.
He spends the rest of his life in some unknown town, becoming a thug, stealing, killing and lending loans. With his D-rank strength, bullying the weak is easy, and with his intelligence, dodging other powerful figures is much easier.
But is that a life worth living? Dying alone without anyone remembering his name, maybe one day karma will bite his ass, causing him to burn just like his mother.
He always had such thoughts but ignored them every time. He believed that what matters is the present, not the future.
Until one day he got beaten up and defeated by a young man who was possessed by a demon.
From time to time, he thinks of running away, escaping, but sees the demon defeating others who are much stronger than himself, doing the impossible. For some reason, he starts to stop thinking about running away.
During the fight with the knight, fire surrounds his view, invoking such thoughts again.
He didn’t believe for a second that the demon could defeat the knight. An E-rank can't defeat a peak C-rank even if gods descent into that E-rank body
And yet, that demon still fights even with a tattered vessel. His determination, his will to live, his desire for more, he become an idol in my old eyes
This ignites something inside him, I don't want to return that life, I don't want to die a meaningless death.
I want to walk with the legend even if I die in the process
So he fired that blast, helping to forge the path for the legend and myself. That is also the day he accepted him as his boss.
Looking at the ground, he bites his lips while frowning. He is useless, he can't be any help anymore
He is too weak, too pathetic. He can’t even make a scratch on the man before him anymore, let alone follow his footsteps. Will he just die like this?
“No”
“What”
“I AM GOING TO FORGE IT.”
Gollum, channeled all of his mana to his fist, his leg, his body until there is nothing left untouched
"MY LEGACY"
Gollum stands up while throwing an uppercut with everything he has. This is the first time where he throws a punch with meaning, with a dream, with a desire.
BOOM
The punch struck Beelzebub's chin and sent him up in the air while fragments of his chin were shot everywhere.
“Huh?”
“What?”
“GR?”
The dog, Alissa, and even Gollum didn’t understand what just happened. Gollum looks at his hands, but it doesn’t crack that much. He trembles
“W-What”
“That's your punch, Gollum.”
From above, Beelzebub with his head stuck in the ceiling before falling flat on the floor
“That was a good punch.”
“B-But how”
“Increasing your mana control isn’t pointless when your old heart doesn't beat.”
"..."
“That is why I kicked you out. A servant craving for nothing doesn’t deserve to follow me.”
“Gollum, your punch now has a desire in it. By having that drive in you, your hearts beat like crazy, causing your mana control to reach 60%.”
I look at Gollum, who is still dazed.
"You are worthy enough to follow me."
"B-BOSS"
“Now, Gollum, what is your name?”
Gollum, shocked, said with a shaking voice, with tears on his eyes.
“IT’S-IT’S RANGO, B-BOSS.”
“Rango, hm, Rango.”
Beelzebub laughs for a while
"Kehkehkeh, you fucker"
Before turning serious, with killing in his eyes. He speak with a low voice
“You fucker, to think you punch me this hard, when I’m out of shock, I will beat the shit out of you, Rango.”
“YE-wait what?”