Vincent walked slowly back to the sanctuary carved into the side of the mountain. He contemplated his position in this life and what his overall goal was. He knew he desired power.. but why? He was past the point where he had to fear for his life every day from trash mobs. Was he gaining power simply to gain power?
His reason for existing seemed so shallow compared to those around him. Even Zar-Rhah, an outcast who had lived out the majority of his days amd still sought to one day reclaim his honor or perhaps avenge his wife and son. In either case the man had clear goals and he knew his purpose. But what was Vincent's?..
So deep in thought was he that he hadn't even noticed the looming shadow behind him for several long seconds. When he finally did notice it his heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but reflexively jump several meters through the air. He cursed his stupidity and carelessness as he regained his composure. Turning he saw a smirking Gildarts. He sweatdropped. "You're a dick, you know that?" The human quipped.
Although Vincent outwardly appeared to be in a joking mood, internally he couldn't help but remember a few parting words from Zar-Rhah..
Brief flashback
"What's done is done. We need to focus on the future." Zar-Rhah suggested.
Vincent gave him a look the parent gives a child at the tail end of twenty questions. "The ascension?"
Zar-Rhah nodded. "Maybe you can still talk some sense into that boy." Vincent's eyebrow raised in concern. "I still don't understand why you don't want him to become king. Personal vendetta?"
Zar-Rhah scoffed as if deeply offended. "I am above such petty squabbles." He insisted, before sighing. "Most of it is not my story to tell. He's the key to bringing the system down." He admitted, shocking Vincent to his core. "What!?.." The man yelled, thinking this was some kind of joke.
"Does Gildarts.. No, wait. Of course he does. That fills in a lot of missing pieces." Vincent surmised. His face was contorted in thought. He then began to laugh before saying, "Well if that's the case then shouldn't we just make sure he wins?" He asked hopefully, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Zar-Rhah shook his head slowly, his demeanor solemn. This gave Vincent pause and he waited for his master to elaborate. "If he were to come in second or be recognized by the new king.. If he follows you or another, he would likely live a long and happy life…" The old Orc's hair moved, revealing the cloudy, blind eye he usually kept hidden. It didn't really bother Vincent at this point, he'd seen it a dozen times.
The reason why Vincent squirmed and shifted his weight was for another reason entirely. "But..?" He pressed reluctantly.
"... But if Gildarts becomes the king. He will die."
Flashback end
The large hulking Orc chuckled, "Be angry not with I, The mighty Gildarts! It was you who left your guard so wide open. On any other day I would never get the drop on you. It is not my style to be subtle. As I recall you also lost yourself to the stars at the cave of Zar-Rhah as well.. What is on your mind?" He questioned, stroking his chin.
Vincent chuckled before taking in a deep breath. 'Where to begin?' He laughed to himself. "I.. I've been keeping a secret. I wasn't going to tell anyone but.. well.. It's you Gil. I don't know how else to say this." He sighed once more fumbling with the words. Gildarts waited with a look of dis-concern, clearly in no rush.
In all the years he had known the human, he never recalled a time where he had seen his friend so vulnerable before. The bottom line was that if he needed him, he would be there.
Vincent sternly looked at the large Orc he had come to trust and consider a close comrade. "I've become a depraved." He said quickly and seriously.
There was a moemnt fo silence as Gildarts studied his ally with an unreasonable expression. The Orc's brow furrowed for several seconds. Vincient gulped, feeling anxious to hear the judgment of what was effectively his first real friend in this place. Sorry Lupus. Soul seeds don't count.
Eventually Gildarts humphed. "Ahh its just that then? For a moment i was worried something was truly wrong." He shrugged his massive shoulders.
Vincent blinked in surprise. That was it? He had been on the verge of an existential crisis and Gildarts was just looking at him like it were any other Tuesday. "You don't act like any depraved I've ever met." Gildarts added nonchalantly, as if sensing his friend's dissatisfaction with the answer.
"B.. But the system.." Vincent stammered Before being interrupted by a wave and a laugh from the massive Orc before him."Bahaha! When have you ever subjugated yourself to the restrictive labels or rules of the system?" He mocked boisterously.
The giant leaned in closer to the comparatively small human. "You may have replicated their abilities.. But you are no Depraved. You are unable to turn your back on those in need. You always leave things better than when you came. You are my friend, but more than that.. you are simply.. Vincent." He said, eyes twinkling in a knowning manner.
Vincent lowered his head for several seconds before raising it with a fiery passion in his eyes. He clenched his fist in determination. "Gildarts. I'd like to show you my home. It may seem silly but it would mean a lot to me." This time it was Gildarts's turn to be surprised as he processed what he'd been told. He said nothing, merely nodding his consent as his mind raced and he followed the short, peculiar man.
When the duo came to the elaborate, makeshift entry/exit system that Vincient had created Gildarts scratched his head. "Its a wall of.. thorns? How do I..?" As if anticipating the question, Vincent merely pointed to a series of square platforms made of thick plant matter and wood at the base of the jungle wall. Each one was roughly ten feet across. Gildarts seemed uncertain but he did as instructed.
As the Duo each stood on a platform the semi-sentient mass of trees began to glide them gently through its walls, opening up before them like a flower blooming. The damgerous, toxic thorns gave way to vibrant, beautiful colors. As they traveled, the entity scanned each of them, its senses caressing their Aura. Sensing no negative intent towards Vincinet's home or family, the Jungle allowed them through without any hassle.
The sentient barrier even breathed a breath of pollen that refreshed them and healed their fatigue while having the added benigfit of smelling great. Vincent had made quite a few adjustments and alterations from his original designs since having made the thing including this rejuvenating pollen.
Upon exiting the massive jungle Vincent's ridiculous tribe of wolves bustled with activity and emotion. Vincent spent a great deal of time mingling and introducing the socially awkward Gildarts to the closest members of his family. Gildarts turned to the man. "This.. is what you have been working on when you're not training? building a haven for these creatures? Not that it isn't noble but.. why?" He questioned in disbelief.
Vincent for his part merely laughed and answered with a snort. "No, no, no. This is just my family. Granted i spent a lot of time early on building up our home, but its not like that anymore. These days they mostly do their own thing and I just offer my sanctuary up to them..
He snapped his fingers and continued. "If I'm not training I mostly eat and sleep my days away. Anyways, what I wanted to show you is over here. Come." He gestured with a wave, turning and heading in the direction of the cave mouth. Due to the ever growing mass of dens, the entrance of the cave wasn't immediately visible upon exiting the jungle anymore.
Once he'd reached the mouth Vincent wasted no time in proceeding directly through the threshold and into the darkness beyond. Gildarts eyed the cave warily, taking in the strange symmetrical-ness of the triangular opening. He felt a strange sensation that he didn't recognize as he stood just beyond the mouth.
from just beyond the entrance he heard Vincient call back, "Yo, Gil! you coming!? I sent my companions away. It's just us!"
Gildarts shook his head, startled form hsi thoughts. He sighed and ducked into the cave. The man was so large he had to place a hand on the inner edge of the seemingly man-made structure to avoid hitt8mg his head. As his hand made contact with the mountain and he steooed through the opening Gildarts froze. "You??.. This place.. How..?" He gasped. With a shudder he followed hypnotically after the man, looking aol around.
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Vincent gestured for his friend to follow him toward the back of the cave where he kept his luscious garden. Once there he pulled out a brightly shining banana that seemed as if it had been dipped in liquid gold with specs of black spots on its surface. The large Orc crossed the mediocre cavern in seconds, taking in everything around him as he did so.
He was sure.. the heavy, pulsing energy on the ceiling.. the presence he felt.. The symbols engraved in the central pillar. Yes this was the place.
Heedless of his friend's growing concern, Vincent continued explaining his breakthrough with the mysterious golden fruits his garden now produced.
"I honestly can't stand using my depraved abilities that often. They're.. uncomfortable to say the least. That's part of why I havent absorbed all that abundant, raw Nectar on the ceiling. But by applying the concepts of those same abilities to my garden, I can still gain permanent stats and avoid the backlash. And I think all the excess Nectar is actually part of ehy things grow fast anyways." He said with a gesture of his hand.
It seemed as if there were at least twenty plots on both sides and each one was teeming with life. Seeing all the vibrant, colorful plant life was a stark contrast to the otherwise dreary and heavy cave.
"I can even share the bonuses with others since the fruits are recognized as an edible item. I can use any excess monster material from my hunts as fertilizer via my alchemy and use it to fuel the growth of these plants. Gotta be careful though." He said, chuckling. The man crossed his arms and looked up, his gaze seemingly far away.
At this point the Orc was getting a bit annoyed with hsi friend. "One time, Lupus, that crazy bastard, actually produced an elixir that permanently increased my stats. It was like chapter 9 or something. I couldn't figure out how he did it until I became a depraved.. turned out he siphoned off some of his very own life force, his Soulspace, and used that energy to create a permanent boost for me. Of course that was incredibly stupid and damgerous. I haven't let him do it since.." He trailed off.
Gildarts who had been growing increasingly desperate listening to Vincent's incessant prodding could handle it no longer. He bounded over and shook a surprised Vincent by the shoulders with a fair bit of excessive force. "Woah, hey, what gives?" The human man exclaimed, confused.
Gildarts fixed him with a stern look. "Vincent, how long have you been here? Do you know what this place is!?!?" He asked urgently. Vincent scratched his head and shrugged. "Since day one of me being in Garkan, pretty much. Got chased here by some God damn hellspawn. And no, not really. A weird cave where things grow fast because eof all the energy in the air?.. I guess? Why.. what's gotten into you?" The human asked with concern.
Gildarts pulled back swiftly, looking left then right either not hearing or choosing not to acknowledge his questions. Vincent suspected it was the latter.
"So you've been here for some time and yet, no madness.. No visions.. so he was meant to come here.. yes I'm sure of it now. Something has been consciously protecting him. It must be the great spirit." The Orc mumbled to himself.
Vincent began to grow a little agitated since it seemed positive the Orc was rambling about something involving him. With a rapidly inflating tick mark he stomped his foot. "Hey! What exactly is so special about this damn place? Obviously the Nectar makes my plants grow like weeds and gives me extra fuel for my Soulspace. I imagine that's why I didn't get Nectar sickness earlier than I did." He lamented.
Gildarts shook his head, clearly unconcerned with his ecstatic friend's antics. He fixed the piercing blue eyed man with a stare that left no room for funny business. "This is the entrance to the tomb of Garkan. The great spirit of my people. He is buried within this mountain. For any normal person, being here drives them to madness… Even I, can not stay long. It's like i am being suffocated by the memories of the past… My mind is screaming in agony as I witness the last battle of Garkan unfolding over and over.."
Vincent listened in abject fascination as Gildarts recalled the tale of Garkan and how, after learning the truth, he fought to separate their country from the greater Nexus. It was meant to keep the system's influence from ever being able to affect Orcs again.. so they could rest in peace..
Of course in Zar-Rhah's version of the tale, they were banished for their defiance by the system. "Clearly it didn't work completely." Vincent observed. Gildarts raised an eyebrow as if to say, "what do you mean?"
Vincent pressed on. "I mean even if you guys don't see the blue window anymore, the system obviously still affects things here. I can see it with my skills. People like Zar-Rhah can study it." He said, flailing his arms.
Gildarts's face was contorted into a frown. "Indeed. Zar-Rhah and I.. That has been our hypothesis for decades. Only when you came along were our suspicions proven at least somewhat accurate. The system was not removed from Garkan. It still very much has a hold on my people. That explains why monsters of increasing strength appear to challenge our borders, and why the jungle grows so rapidly.. My world is oversaturated with Nectar. And its reaching a tipping point." The Orc admitted.
"Garkan. Everyone made it seem like he was alive somewhere." Vincent said quietly. "But really this whole damn time, he's been the source of the Nectar, hasn't he? He's the remaining connection to the system. Gildarts nodded. "I believe so. Without Garkan, the system's last remaining remnants would be gone. The Nectar would stop flooding in. Enemies would stop appearing." He said somewhat distantly.
"And your people would finally be safe?" Vincent asked assumedly. To his shock however, Gildarts shook his head no in response before elaborating. "If the system is what allows us to grow and Garkan is the only source of its energy.. even though there's so much.. our bodies.. everything relies on it. The world has become so strong. What do you think would happen if it's people suddenly lost our infinite supply of sustenance?"
Vincent's eyes widened in relaxation. It may take a while.. a decade or maybe even longer but.. "Eventually you would all starve.." He mumbled in horror.
Somehow, Orcs may find a way to absorb energy from other species or even the planet itself for a while… But without a continuous input of Nether, any lifeform that had been strengthened by the system would eventually shrivel up and rot.
"We fib, telling to our younger generations that he is still out there somewhere, so they do not lose faith in the greatest of our heros. To them he was unkillable. A God. Only a few elite know the truth. And also... Only Orcs are supposed to be able to enter here." He said, looking at Vincent with clear confusion at the end.
The human scratched his wild black hair, which he had cut to be just above his shoulders. He spiked it up just for fun a few months ago when he was bored. In his opinion, he looked strikingly similar to Gon from the old earth anime HunterxHunter. Or at least his hair did, the rest of his body didn't really fit the part. Since that day he had decided to maintain his new look.
Vincent settled for shrugging. Madness aside Gildarts's unease made a lot more sense now. This couldn't have looked good for Vincent, and right now he had no answers to give. "Well.. you have been saying I'm an Orc at heart!" Vincent quipped. Gildarts for his part did not seem amused.
Sighing, Vincent looked sideways for a moment and mumbled something about tough crowds before looking back at his friend. "All jokes aside.. I've always known this place was special. I could feel an incredible power in the air. I had no idea it was because it was a tomb for the most powerful being to ever have lived. Not to mention the source of life for all of Garkan apparently." He said, clearly feeling guilt over having made himself at home here.
Gildarts shook his head and held up a hand for the man to stop. "How could you have known?" He asked. "You were not born amongst our people. I would not derive you of the home you clearly care so very deeply for.. in fact I believe that means you will protect it. I meant what I said. You are one of us. But you must promise me one thing in return for my forbearance…" Vincent shrugged and nodded.
"Yeah, literally anything, big guy. You're my friend." Vincent assured.
Gildarts breathed in deeply. "You must promise me you will not desecrate nor defile this mountain or it's energies for your own selfish gain." He demanded sternly. "Not in any kind of way. Not even a little bit. You can continue using the ambient energies to grow, but do not absorb the Nectar. And do not delve any deeper into the markings on the pillar."
The hulking man finished laying out his terms in a booming voice and crossed his arms, waiting for a response. As much as Vincent didn't want to admit it.. he really did have the natural likeness of a king. Gildarts was the strongest and he was quite intimidating.
The human from earth had to admit that the thought had definitely crossed his mind a multitude of times. If he felt like he could fully control his abilities, he would have already drained the Nectar laiden within this place. Not only that but he had a powerful inclination that there was something even more potent deeper within the mountain. Naturally, just as he had been close to finally deciphering the runes after all these years… Gildarts gives him such an ultimatum.
What was the man to do?
Knowing how much this place meant to his closest friend, he didn't even hesitate to answer. "I promise. On our friendship. On my life. On my homeworld. I shall not alter the flows of Garkan's tomb in any way shape or form. Nor shall any entity under my command." Vincent said, puffing his chest as much as he could to emulate his friend. Truthfully he was very lucky no one besides the anti-social Gildarts saw how ridiculous he looked.
Seemingly satisfied with his thr human's declaration, the Orc nodded. "Thank you. You are a good friend, Vincent."
Vincent offered to set a fire so that he could cook and brew some drink for the two of them to enjoy, which Gildarts happily agreed to. Yeah, they may have just eaten and drank at Zar-Rhah's home, but when your body could consume over 10 thousand calories a day you typically spent more time eating than not.
The two discussed Vincent's adventures since having come to reside within the cave and how many times the mystical energies of the place had saved him from even the most persistent of foes. He explained how his farming was one of his first skills and how it had truly given him an edge early on when his stats were insignificant. He knew now he had Garkan to thank, for aiding him in his journey.
After a bit Gildarts fixed Vincent with a strange look, as if the typically cocky Gildarts was unsure of himself. Honestly that just made Vincent downright uncomfortable.
"Since you have trusted me enough to finally show me your home, where you and your family are most vulnerable, I think it is only fair that I show you the same confidence in kind." Vincent's eyes widened at the implications of the man's words.
"Gildarts, you don't have to do that.." He began but the massive Orc cut him off with a swift chop of his hand. "You don't think I know that? I do only what I choose to do. I want you to meet my family." Gildarts said with a certainty that left no room for argument.
Vincent couldn't help but swell with pride and nod savagely. He knew what Gildarts was risking by doing this and he was more or less saying that Vincent was ready. That he was strong. And that Gildarts would put his honor on the line to defend Vincent's own. He was officially part of the family.
Soon after, the abnormal duo set off on what would be the longest and farthest journey from the cave Vincent had ever gone in all his time within the Nexus. He recalled Lupus and the Abomination to guard and tend his home whilst he was away. Besides, the Abomination would likely frighten everyone if he came along.
As they traveled it was Gildarts's turn to tell tales of his adventures while speed leveling. Using his Diverging perception Vincent used 90% of his brain to cycle through each of his skills, pushing them to their max for a few minutes before swapping to another. The other 10% was focused on socializing with Gildarts of course.
Gildarts told Vincent of all the spots where the most powerful of foes lurked. Some of them were so fearsome even the current king wouldn't dare not trifle with them. The dragon was a prime example of one such monster. When that beast is taken down it would take a hunting party of the most elite Orcs.
Vincent made sure to imprint every bit of the information into the long term memory portion of his brain. "The strongest foe I ever faced.. was a level 100 Carsidion. I barely survived.. And he was just a grunt. We certainly did not win the battle. The casualties were many." He said solemnly. He was silent for several seconds.
This shocked Vincent caus8ng him to frown deeply. He always believed that Orcs were the most dominant and powerful species in Garkan. By and large they technically were , but that was only because the Carsidions and the very few remaining dragons were not exactly civilized creatures like the Wolves, Orcs, or Spriggans.
"What exactly are they like? Physically I mean." Vincent asked cautiously.
Gildarts hummed before answering. "They are pure black creatures with crimson veins spreading in strange patterns across their skin. We believe the pattern of the veins represent some sort of power rankings but we remain unsure. Their combat prowess is incredible. They adapt rapidly and boast several powerful skills. But the most unnerving part about them is their eyes.. They have a somewhat suppressing effect on most people" He explained.
Suddenly Gildarts stopped and faced the man fixing him with a strange look. "What is it?" Vincent asked with a raised eyebrow.
"You.. have one such eye… Blood red with a black slit." He revealed.
Vincent couldn't help the involuntary gasp that tore its way from his mouth. "My Sixth Sense…"
End of chapter 38